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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.
[I. CALL TO ORDER]
TODAY'S TUESDAY, APRIL 9TH, 24TH, AND WE WILL CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.WE WILL START WITH THE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE, FOLLOWED BY THE INVOCATION I PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND INTO REPUBLIC FOR HANDS.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD IN INVIS, LIBERTY AND JUSTICE ALL MR. WOOD, YOU WILL BOW YOUR HEADS AND PRAY WITH ME.
DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, WE JUST DON'T EVEN HAVE TO THANK YOU PROPERLY FOR THE BLESSINGS THAT YOU CONTINUE TO PUT UPON EACH AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US AND THIS GREAT COMMUNITY THAT WE LIVE IN.
AND WE'VE GOT GREAT FUTURE AHEAD OF US WITH BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN COMING UP IN OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR LEADERSHIP TO THE FUTURE THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD TO WITH THEM.
SO WE ASK THAT YOU GIVE US THE WISDOM AND THE KNOWLEDGE AND THE ABILITY TO THINK CLEARLY AND CONCISELY TO DO THE TOWN'S WORK ON BEHALF OF EACH AND EVERY PERSON IN THIS COMMUNITY.
OKAY, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA.
[IV. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA]
MR. CEASE, IS THERE ANY CHANGES TO THE AGENDA? NO SIR.IS THERE A MOTION TO ACCEPT? SO SECOND.
ALRIGHT, ANY DISCUSSION COUNSEL? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[V. ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES]
WE'LL GO TO THE ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES FROM THE MEETING ON 3 12 24.IS THERE, HAS THERE BEEN ANY CHANGES TO THIS DEAN? NONE.
UNLESS COUNSEL HAS ANY CHANGES THEY WANNA MAKE BEFORE ADOPTION, I MOVE FOR APPROVAL.
[VI. PRESENTATIONS, CELEBRATIONS, AND RECOGNITIONS ]
I MOVE TO PRESENTATION CELEBRATIONS AND RECOGNITIONS.FIRST UP IS THE BEAVER COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT CHARACTER STUDENT OF THE MONTH.
IF THE STUDENT OF THE MONTH, THE FAMILY OF TEACHERS WILL COME TO THE FRONT.
YOU GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE UP HERE WITH YOU.
DID YOU DO SOMETHING SUPER, SUPER COOL.
UM, WOULD ANYBODY LIKE TO TALK ABOUT HER TEACHER MOM? SURE.
I'M THE SCHOOL COUNSELOR AT RED CEDAR ELEMENTARY AND AVERY, WE'RE SO GLAD TO HAVE YOU HERE TODAY AND THIS IS WHAT YOUR TEACHER SAID ABOUT YOU.
IT'S WITH GREAT PLEASURE THAT WE NOMINATE AVERY DHAN FOR THE HONESTY AND INTEGRITY AWARD.
IN HER TIME HERE IN FIRST GRADE, SHE HAS CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATED EXCEPTIONAL CHARACTER TRAITS THAT ARE REMARKABLE FOR SOMEONE SO YOUNG.
AVERY STANDS OUT AMONG HER PEERS DUE TO HER UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO BEING HONEST.
WHETHER IT'S RETURNING A LOST ITEM TO ITS RIGHTFUL OWNER AND MANY MISTAKES WITHOUT HESITATION OR STANDING UP FOR WHAT RIGHT.
WHAT IS RIGHT, EVEN THOUGH IS NOT A POPULAR CHOICE.
AVERY CONSISTENTLY EMBODIES THE VALUE OF TRUTHFULNESS IN ALL ASPECTS OF HER LIFE HERE AT SCHOOL.
IN THE CLASSROOM, SHE HAS IMPRESSED BOTH TEACHERS AND CLASSMATES WITH HER INTEGRITY.
SHE HAS SHOWN A DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPORTANCE OF DOING THE RIGHT THING, EVEN FACED WITH CHALLENGES.
HER WILLINGNESS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR HER ACTIONS AND LEARN FROM HER EXPERIENCES IS COMMENDABLE.
AND ONE OF THE MANY REASONS THAT SHE'S SO SUCCESSFUL IN THE CLASSROOM.
NOT ONLY DOES SHE EXHIBIT HONESTY AND INTEGRITY INTERACTIONS, BUT SHE ALSO INSPIRES THOSE AROUND HER TO DO THE SAME.
SHE'S AN AMAZING ROLE MODEL TO, TO HER PEERS AND HER CLASSMATES.
AND HER CLASSMATES OFTEN LOOK TO HER AS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW TO NAVIGATE CHALLENGES THAT THEY ENCOUNTER IN THE CLASSROOM.
AVERY IS AN EXCEPTIONAL YOUNG LADY WHO EMBODIES THE QUALITY OF HONESTY AND INTEGRITY IN ALL ASPECTS OF HER LIFE.
SHE'S A SHINING EXAMPLE FOR HER PEERS AND A TRUE ASSET TO OUR RED CEDAR FAMILY.
WE CONFIDENT THAT SHE WILL CONTINUE AND INSPIRE OTHERS TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND WILL MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT WHEREVER SHE GOES.
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WELL, SINCE YOU'VE BEEN SO GOOD, YOU WHAT USED TO MAKE YOU FEEL SPECIAL AND A COUPLE OF THESE LITTLENOW, NOT EVERYBODY GETS US, OKAY? SO WE'RE VERY PROUD OF YOU AND MAYBE SOMEDAY YOU CAN BE UP HERE DOING THOSE THINGS.
OKAY? WE GOT ALL YOUR SMARTS FROM GRANDPA, RIGHT? THAT'S RIGHT.
YOU NEED TO COME AND SEE THIS LADY BEFORE YOU LEAVE AND TELL HER WHAT YOUR FAVORITE FOOD IS BECAUSE SOMETIME IN THE NEXT THREE OR FOUR WEEKS, I'M GONNA SHOW UP AT SCHOOL WITH YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH JUST FOR YOU.
OKAY? EVEN IF I CAN'T STAY IN THERE TO EAT WITH YOU, I'LL BRING THE FOOD CRAB LEGS.
UP NEXT WE HAVE, UH, A PROCLAMATION FAIR HOUSING MONTH PRO PROCLAMATION, WHEREAS APRIL 11TH, 2 20 24, MARCH THE 56TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SIGNING OF THE TITLE EIGHT OF THE 1968 CIVIL RIGHTS ACT AS AMENDED, WHICH AS AMENDED, WHICH GUARANTEES FAIR HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL AMERICANS.
AND WHEREAS THE PRINCIPLE OF FAIR HOUSING IS NOT ONLY STATE AND NATIONAL LAW AND POLICY, BUT A FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN CONCEPT OF ENTITLEMENT FOR ALL CITIZENS.
AND WHEREAS THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON DESIRES THAT ALL ITS CITIZENS BE AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTAIN A DECENT, SAFE AND SOUND LIVING ENVIRONMENT.
AND WHEREAS THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON REJECTS DISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF RACE, RELIGION, COLOR, SEX, NATIONAL ORIGIN, DISABILITY AND OR FAMILY STATUS AND THE SALE RENTAL OR PROVISION OF OTHER HOUSING SERVICES.
AND WHEREAS AS THE COMMUNITY WE WELCOME ALL GOOD NEIGHBORS, RECOGNIZING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF RICHNESS TENDERED BY A WIDE VARIETY OF YOUNG AND OLD MALE AND FEMALE PEOPLE OF ALL COLORS, ETHNIC BACK, ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS AND RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS.
AND WHEREAS INTERESTED PARTIES FROM BOTH THE PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SECTORS WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE TOWN STATE AND NATIONAL EFFORT TO PROMOTE FAIR HOUSING.
NOW THEREFORE, OUR LARRY C TO MAYOR BLUFFTON, ALONG WITH THE BLUFFTON TOWN COUNCIL DO, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE MONTH OF APRIL, 2024 AS FAIR HOUSING MONTH IN THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON TO ESTABLISH BLUFFTON AS AN INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY COMMITTED TO FAIR HOUSING FOR ALL RESIDENTS AND PROSPECTIVE RESIDENTS OF BLUFFTON DATED THIS DAY.
SO WHO, UH, IS THERE ANYBODY? YES, KEVIN COMES AGAIN.
DO YOU WANNA GET A PICTURE?
OKAY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME UP HERE, SIR? HE'S GOT A BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE WITH HIM TOO.
SO ARBOR DAY PROCLAMATION, WHEREAS IN 1872, JAY STERLING MORTON PROPOSED TO THE NEBRASKA BOARD OF AGRICULTURE THAT A SPECIAL DAY BE SET ASIDE FOR THE PLANTING OF TREES.
AND WHEREAS THE HOLIDAY CALLED ARBOR DAY WAS FIRST OBSERVED WITH THE PLANTING OF MORE THAN A MILLION TREES IN NEBRASKA.
AND WHEREAS ARBOR DAY IS NOW OBSERVED THROUGHOUT THE NATION AND THE WORLD, AND WHEREAS TREES REDUCE THE EROSION OF OUR PRECIOUS TOP SOIL BY WIND AND WATER, LOWER OUR HEATING AND COOLING COSTS, MODERATE THE TEMPERATURE, CLEAN THE AIR AND WATER, AND PRODUCE OXYGEN, AND PROVIDE HABITAT FOR WILDLIFE.
AND WHEREAS TREES ARE A RENEWABLE RESOURCE GIVING US WOOD FOR OUR HOMES, FUEL FOR OUR FIRES, PAPERS, FRUITS AND NUTS FOR NOURISHMENT AND COUNTLESS OTHER GOODS AND PRODUCTS.
AND WHEREAS WHEN PROPERLY SELECTED, PLANTED IN THE RIGHT PLACES INTENDED TO PROPERLY TREES IN OUR TOWN, INCREASED PROPERTY VALUES, ENC CHANCE,
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THE ECONOMIC VI VITALITY OF BUSINESS AREAS AND OUR BEAU BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY.AND WHEREAS THE BLUFFTON TOWN COUNCIL AND BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE ARE COMMITTED TO A TREE IS THE KEY TREE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM THAT PROMOTES A SAFE, SAFE, HEALTHY, AND ATTRACTIVE URBAN FOREST.
NOW THEREFORE, I LARRY TO MAYOR OF THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON ALONG WITH TOWN COUNCIL DUE PROCLAIM FRIDAY, APRIL 26TH, 2024, AS ARBOR DAY IN THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON AND URGE ALL CITIZENS TO CELEBRATE ARBOR DAY AND TO SUPPORT EFFORTS TO PROTECT OUR TREES AND WOODLANDS FURTHER OUR URGE ALL CITIZENS TO PLANT AND CARE FOR TREES TO PROMOTE THE WELLBEING OF THIS AND FUTURE GENERATIONS.
SO WHO WANTS TO CARRY THAT? YOU THE MAN.
SO, OH YES MA'AM, YOU WANNA COME UP NEXT? WE HAVE, UH, A CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION AND AWARENESS MONTH PROCLAMATION.
WHEREAS SOUTH CAROLINA'S FUTURE PRO PROSPERITY IS DEPENDENT ON NURTURING THE HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT OF 1.1 MILLION CHILDREN CURRENTLY RESIDING IN THE DIVERSE COMMUNITIES ACROSS OUR STATE.
AND WHEREAS ALL CHILDREN DESERVE TO HAVE A SAFE, STABLE, NUTRIENT NURTURING HOME AND COMMUNITIES THAT NEED TO FOSTER THEIR HEALTHY GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT.
AND WHEREAS IN PHYSICAL YEAR 2023, THERE WERE 8,304 CHILDREN FOUND CHILDREN IN FUNDED, FOUNDED INVESTIGATIONS OF CHILD MIS MALTREATMENT IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
AND WHEREAS IN PHYSICAL YEAR 23, CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION ASSOCIATION KNOWN AS CAPA, C-A-P-A-A HOUSED 96 CHILDREN AND HOPEFUL HORIZONS CONDUCTED 404 FORENSIC INTERVIEWS FOR CASES OF ALLEGED CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT.
AND WHEREAS CHILD ABUSE IS A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE WITH SERIOUS SOCIAL SOCIAL CONSEQUENCES, AS DATA SHOWS THE LINK BETWEEN THE ABUSE AND THE NEGLECT OF CHILDREN IN A WIDE RANGE OF COSTLY MEDICAL, EMOTIONAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL AND BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS INTO ADULTHOOD.
AND WHEREAS PREVENTING CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT MUST BE A PRIORITY THAT REQUIRES INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, YOUTH SERVING ORGANIZATIONS, FAITH, FAITH GROUPS, BUSINESSES, GOVERNMENT AGENCY, AND EVERYONE THAT MAKES UP OUR COMMUNITY TO SUPPORT THE PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF ALL CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES.
AND WHEREAS EFFECTIVE CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION EXIST IN COMMUNITIES THAT PROVIDE PARENTS WITH THE SOCIAL SUPPORT KNOWLEDGE OF PARENTING AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND CONCRETE RESOURCES TO NEED, THEY NEED TO COPE WITH THE STRESS AND NURTURE THEIR CHILDREN HELP TO ENSURE THAT ALL CHILDREN GROW IN THEIR TO THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.
AND NOW THEREFORE IT BE, IT RESOLVED THE TOWN OF BLUFF TO SOUTH CAROLINA IN CONJUNCTION WITH HOPEFUL HORIZONS CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION ASSOCIATION AND SUPPORT SERVICE PROGRAMS AROUND THE STATE DESIGNATES THE MONTH OF APRIL AS CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION AND AWARENESS MONTH WHILE URGING ALL CITIZENS TO DEDICATE THEMSELVES TO PROTECT QUALITY OF LIFE FOR EVERY CHILD WELL NEEDED.
SO WOULD Y'ALL LIKE TO TALK ABOUT YOUR ORGANIZATION AND GIVE EVERYBODY A LITTLE BETTER IDEA OF WHAT YOU DO? I WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD I THAT YOU WOULD RATHER IT GO QUICKLY, BUT GO AHEAD.
I'M ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF HOPEFUL HORIZONS.
WE'RE A VERY COMPREHENSIVE, UM, ORGANIZATION THAT, UH, WORKS WITH BOTH CHILDREN, ADULT, UM, MEN AND WOMEN, UH, ANYONE WHO'S AFFECTED BY UM, CHILD ABUSE, UM, AND ALSO, UH, RAPE AND, UH, OTHER, UH, ISSUES.
AND, UM, WE HAVE A, A SHELTER, UM, IN THE BEAUFORT AREA, BUT ALSO HAVE OUR, UM, UH, SERVICES ARE ANYTHING FROM, UM, HELPING WITH, UH, LEGAL ISSUES TO, UH, COUNSELING, TO, UM, TO SHELTERING AND HELPING WITH OTHER NEEDS AS WELL.
SO I'LL JUST KIND OF LEAVE IT AT THAT.
AND WE APPRECI I'M, UH, GO AHEAD.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS FOR THE CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION ASSOCIATION.
[00:15:01]
AND INTERVENTION WORK.UH, WE SEE ABOUT 13,000 CHILDREN IN THE SCHOOLS, UH, TO KEEP ABUSE FROM HAPPENING.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE OPEN ARMS CHILDREN'S HOME, WHICH IS THE ONLY HOME IN THIS FIVE COUNTY AREA, AND WE HAVE 25 FOSTER HOMES.
SO, UH, ANYBODY WHO'S INTERESTED IN FOSTERING OR HELPING OUR KIDS, WE HAPPY TO HELP YOU AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
OKAY, NEXT WE HAVE A YOUNG LADY HERE, I THINK NAMED MISS LEY.
THIS IS A, THIS IS FOR CHIEF AMBASSADOR.
AND WHEREAS ROLLIN WILL REPRESENT BLUFFTON IN THE LOW COUNTRY REGION FOR THIS APPOINTMENT AS ONE OF THE THREE CHEF AMBASSADORS IN THE STATE.
AND WHEREAS LESLIE RA WILL CHOOSE FOR, THE STATEWIDE TITLE WAS CHOSEN FOR THE STATEWIDE TITLE BY STATE OFFICIALS, INCLUDING THE GOVERNOR, SOUTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR HENRY MCMASTER, COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE, HUGH WEATHERS, AND THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS RECREATION AND TOURISM DIRECTOR DWAYNE PARISH.
AND WHERE IS ROLLIN'S APPOINTMENT AS A SOUTH CAROLINA CHEF AMBASSADOR FOLLOWS THE COTTAGE CAFE BAKERY AND TEA ROOM BEING NAMED ONE OF THE AMERICA'S TOP 70 SMALL BUSINESSES BY THE US CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN SEPTEMBER 23.
AND WHEREAS THE SOUTH CAROLINA AMBASSADOR PROGRAM WAS CREATED IN 2014 TO HIGHLIGHT SOUTH CAROLINA AS A DESTINATION FOR CULINARY DIVERSITY.
AND WHEREAS THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON LEADERS CONGRATULATE LESLIE'S ROLLINS, CHEF AMBASSADOR APPOINTMENT AND ROLLINS IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY BY THE FOUNDING OF THE JUICE HIVE, OWNERSHIP OF THE VILLAGE PAID PASTA SHOP AND CREATION OF MAY RIVER COFFEE ROASTERS.
AND NOW THEREFORE, I LARRY TUBER, ALONG WITH BLUFFTON TOWN COUNCIL DO HEREBY COMMEND THAT ISLAND FOR HER APPOINTMENT TO THE 2024 SOUTH CAROLINA CHEF AMBASSADOR AND HER REPRESENTATION OF BLUFFTON IN THE LOW COUNTRY REGION AS SHE SHOWCASES SOUTH CAROLINA'S CULINARY OFFERINGS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND WITNESS THEREOF.
I HAVE HEARSAY IN MY HAND AND CAUSE A SEAL.
YOU'RE THE ONE THAT, YOU'RE THE ONE THAT WORKS ALL THE TIME.
THIS LADY WORKS MORE THAN I DO.
I KNOW THAT
ALRIGHT, WE'LL MOVE ON NOW TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
YOU, I'M RYAN, CENTER FOR INNOVATION UPDATE.
MY PRESENTATION, UH, MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, MR. TOWN MANAGER, IT IS MY PLEASURE TO PRESENT YOU A QUARTERLY UPDATE OF THE DON RYAN CENTER FOR INNOVATION.
UM, I'LL KEEP IT SHORT AND SWEET BECAUSE I KNOW KEVIN AND KIM HAVE TO TALK TODAY.
AND I CAN ALREADY FILL THE LASER BEAMS IN THE BACK OF MY NECK AND THEY'RE ALREADY HOT.
SO, UH, BASICALLY THE, UH, THE DONNA RYAN CENTER IS STILL HITTING OUR STRIDE, LIKE I TALKED TO YOU ABOUT, UH, THREE OR FOUR MONTHS AGO, DOING VERY, VERY WELL, A LOT OF STUFF GOING ON.
BUT THEY'RE ALL FOCUSED ON THE STRATEGIC INITIATIVES, WHICH I WOULD NOT READ, BUT YOU'VE SEEN BEFORE.
BUT BASICALLY, ATTRACTING BUSINESS AND EMPLOYERS, ENHANCE PARTNERSHIPS, WORK WITH GRANTS, AND EXPAND OUR OPERATIONAL CAPABILITIES.
WE ARE DOING, ACTUALLY NOT EVEN IN GENERAL, WE ARE DOING VERY, VERY WELL.
LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE BEEN HITTING OUR STRIDE FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS.
UH, WE JUST RECEIVED THE GOLDEN OYSTER AWARD FOR THE BLUFFTON, FOR THE
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BLUFFTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MEMBER OF THE YEAR, GREATER BLUFFTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.UH, THE CITY OF PARTY BILL JUST RENEWED THEIR ANNUAL CONTRACT WITH US.
THAT BRINGS IN A NICE SUM OF MONEY FOR THE, UH, CENTER EVERY YEAR THAT THE COUNTY DOES NOT HAVE TO FUND.
UH, WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN RECOGNIZED AS AN AUTHORITY IN THE FIELD OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.
I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE IN A MOMENT.
WE HAVE A REALLY, A FANTASTIC PARTNERSHIP WITH JOHN O'TOOLE AND KELLY FROM THE BUFORD COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE.
AS YOU KNOW, THEY SHARE AN OFFICE WITH US AND REALLY ARE A GREAT PARTNERSHIP AND A GREAT TEAM WITH THEM.
YOU WILL ALSO BE GLAD TO KNOW THAT, UH, THE B-C-E-D-C AND CLEMSON ARE WORKING TO, UH, DEVELOP NEW, UM, THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE DON RYAN CENTER AND THE PROGRAM COMPANIES THAT, UH, THEY IN BLUFF AND BEAUFORT COUNTY IN THE REGION.
SO YOU CAN HAVE SOME MORE KPIS TO TRACK.
WE DO THIS EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS AND IT'S TIME TO DO IT AGAIN.
AND SO THAT IS ABOUT TO START.
AND WHEN IT COMPLETES ALL THAT TO YOU, SO YOU CAN SEE THE, THE ROI THAT KIND HAS RECEIVED IN THE DON RYAN CENTER.
AND SO GENERALLY THINGS ARE GOING REALLY WELL.
VERY POSITIVE IMPACT IN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, I'M GONNA DIG INTO, UH, WE HAVE TWO BASIC, UH, PILLARS, IF YOU WILL.
ONE IS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ONE IS BUSINESS, UH, INCUBATION AND DEVELOPMENT.
WE'LL START WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PART OF THESE INITIATIVES THAT TO ATTRACT NEW BUSINESSES, EMPLOYERS AND ENHANCE OUR PARTNERSHIPS.
THOSE ARE OUR STRATEGIC INITIATIVES.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, UH, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE, WHERE I ACTUALLY CALL IT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE PLAN, AND I EVEN SHORTEN THAT TO EF 'CAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S A MOUTHFUL.
BUT THE E PLAN, UH, HAS ALREADY BEEN EFFECTIVE.
UH, CHRIS IS DOING A FANTASTIC JOB, UH, GUIDING US IN THAT DIRECTION.
THE SOLVING PROPERTIES, UM, PROPERTY OPENED A BROKE GROUND RECENTLY, A $10.8 MILLION, UH, PROPERTY, UH, THAT GIVEN SOME SUPPORT TO AS LONG AS WELL AS THE BUFORT COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
BLUFFTON YARDS IS A PICKLE BALL AND A LIFESTYLE CAMPUS THAT WILL BE OVER ON ONE 70, UH, 26 TO $30 MILLION FACILITY, OF WHICH SOME OF IT WILL BE RELATED TO HEALTHCARE AND PHYSICAL THERAPY AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WE'RE IN PROGRESS OF TALKING TO THEM RIGHT NOW AND, UM, THEY'RE BUILDING OUT THE PROPER PAPERWORK TO SEE HOW WE CAN HELP THEM GROW.
ANOTHER PIPELINE IS A, UH, HEALTHCARE FACILITY EXPANSION.
I'M NOT, UH, ABLE TO NAME THEM RIGHT NOW, BUT IS AN EXISTING FACILITY LOOKING TO EXPAND THEIR FOOTPRINT IN THE KIND OF THE WEST BUCK WALTER AREA.
PROBABLY ABOUT A $10 MILLION, UH, EXPANSION FOR THAT FACILITY.
AND THIS, IT WILL BE AT A ANOTHER GROWTH IN EMPLOYEES AS WELL, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS YET, HAVE LOOKING FROM SOME DATA ON THEM.
AND THE LAST ONE OF THE PROJECT, THE PIPELINE RIGHT NOW IS THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE FOR THE DAYCARE.
AND WE BE CAUGHT BUILDING A OVER AT THE BUCK WALKER, UH, PLACE DEVELOPMENT WHERE THE DON RYAN CENTER WILL BE AT THE TOP FLOOR AND THE DAYCARE WILL HOPEFULLY BE IN THE BOTTOM FLOOR.
SO THERE'S A LOT GOING ON WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCES.
RECEIVED A LOT OF GREAT ATTENTION.
THERE'LL BE A WEBSITE THAT'S GOING TO BE LAUNCHED FOR THAT, UM, INITIATIVE PROBABLY AT THE END OF APRIL.
PEOPLE CAN APPLY ONLINE, GET THE INFORMATION THEY NEED, AND WE CAN TRACK IT EVEN BETTER THAN WE'RE TRACKING IT.
NOW, MOVING ON TO SIR, WITH THAT BUTTON.
CAN YOU ZOOM IN, PUT YOU DOING TO THE RIGHT WITH THAT MOUSE? I MEAN, I'M 42 AND I I'M ABOUT TO BE 42 AND I STILL CANNOT SEE THIS.
CAN ANYBODY ELSE SEE THE SCREEN? MOVE ON.
SEE THAT? YOU SEE THAT SCREEN? THAT'S PRETTY GOOD FOR YOU, BUT WE CAN ZOOM IN A LITTLE BIT.
OKAY, SO I WASN'T SURE WHERE THAT VOICE WAS COMING FROM.
I COULD SOMETHING, SOMETHING, BUT I DON'T HEAR A, I DON'T SEE A, I DON'T SEE SOMEBODY TALKING.
UM, ALL RIGHT, NOW LET'S MOVE ON TO OUR OTHER PILLAR OF BUSINESS INCUBATION.
UM, PERFORMANCE WISE, WE HAVE 15 COMPANIES IN THE DON ORION CENTER RIGHT NOW LOOKING TO ADD ANOTHER TWO OR FOUR IN THE NEXT 90 DAYS.
UH, 73% OF THE COMPANIES THAT WE STARTED WITH EVEN WAY BACK IN 2012 ARE STILL IN BUSINESS THAT'S MUCH HIGHER THAN THE AVERAGE RATE OF THE SURVIVAL RATE OF 55% OF FIVE YEARS AND 35% IN 10 YEARS.
WHAT I'M VERY PROUD ABOUT IS IF YOU LOOK AT THESE GOALS VERSUS THE ACTUALS HERE OF SOME OF THESE KPIS WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO TRACK ARE THE, UH, THE NUMBERS, THE ACTUAL NUMBERS VERSUS THE GOALS.
SO WE POSTED 32 EVENTS, AND THOSE EVENTS, MORE THAN 612 PEOPLE HAVE COME THROUGH THE DON RYAN CENTER IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS.
SO YOU COUNT COUNCIL HAVE GIVEN US A BEAUTIFUL FACILITY AND PEOPLE JUST LOVE IT.
THEY LOVE COMING THERE TO PARTICIPATE IN EVENTS OR, OR WORK AT SOME OF OUR PROGRAM COMPANIES.
86% OF THE BUSINESSES WE'RE WORKING
[00:25:01]
WITH NOW ARE BASED IN BLUFFTON.THAT IS THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE WE HAVE EVER HAD IN THE DON RYAN CENTER.
AND OF THOSE 40%, UH, CLASSIFY AS A MINORITY OWNED BUSINESS ENTERPRISE.
SO THAT IS ALSO THE HIGHEST PERCENT WE'VE EVER HAD.
YOU SAID 40% OF MINORITY OWNED? YES.
MINORITY CLASSIFIES AS AS PEOPLE OF COLOR OR WOMEN.
THAT'S JUST HOW IT, HOW THEY CLASSIFY IT.
SO WE, WE HAVE BOTH, WE HAVE MULTIPLE, UH, THE AI INITIATIVE I TALKED ABOUT THE OTHER DAY.
THIS IS SOMETHING WE STARTED, UM, WE STARTED PLAYING WITH AI LAST YEAR COURSE.
JUST A HOT BUZZ WORD RIGHT NOW.
WE STARTED AN AI UH, PROGRAM LAST WEDNESDAY.
WE, IT'S A TWO SERIES PROGRAM.
IT STARTS APRIL 3RD AND APRIL 7TH.
IT'S THE LUNCH AND LEARN EVENT TO INTRODUCE, UM, CITIZENS, BUSINESS OWNERS TO ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.
WHAT IT MEANS, I CAN TELL YOU WE ARE WELL AHEAD OF THE CURVE WITH THIS.
UM, BUT IT'S BETTER WITH THIS TECHNOLOGY TO BE TOO SOON RATHER THAN TOO LATE.
WE ALSO RECEIVED A GRANT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE TO PUT ON THIS PROGRAM.
SO THEY SAID IT WAS ONE OF THE BEST IDEAS THEY'VE EVER SEEN FOR A GRANT INITIATIVE.
AND I WAS SURPRISED WE WERE THE ONLY ONES THAT ACTUALLY PUT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AS SOMETHING WE WANT TO WORK WITH.
UH, SO WE, WE STARTED IT LAST WEEK.
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO IT EVERY QUARTER OR SO.
AS THE TECHNOLOGY EVOLVES, WE WILL EVOLVE THE THE CONTENT.
UH, I WAS PLEASED TO FIND OUT TWO DAYS AGO THAT THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE OF THE LOW COUNTRY CONTACTED ME AND SAID, HEY, CAN YOU COME UP AND DO THIS IN EUFOR FOREST AS WELL? SO EVEN THE COLLEGE WANTS US TO TEACH, UH, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND THEIR STUDENT BODY AND ANYONE ELSE THAT'S INTERESTED FROM THAT STANDPOINT.
UH, REAL QUICKLY, I'M NOT GONNA TALK ABOUT ALL THESE IN GENERAL, BUT THESE ARE THE STARTUP COMPANIES.
YOU CAN SEE WHERE THEY'RE LOCATED.
ANYWHERE FROM GOLF CLUBS TO INSECT REPELLENT TO SOFTWARE TO MICROGREENS TO TRAINING F 35 PILOTS.
UM, PET TECH IS A, UH, LITTLE MOBILE DEVICE COMPANY FOR TRAINING YOUR DOG HUMANELY GROWTH COMPANIES.
AS YOU MAY KNOW, WE HAVE THE STARTUP PROGRAM, WHICH WE STARTED YEARS AGO WHEN WE STARTED BACK IN 2013 TO HELP NEW COMPANIES START.
BUT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WE REALIZED THAT WE NEED TO HELP COMPANIES THAT ARE EXISTING THAT WANT TO GO TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
AND WE STARTED THE GROWTH PROGRAM.
THESE COMPANIES ARE ALL IN THE ONE TO $7 MILLION REVENUE, UH, RANGE PER YEAR.
AND THEY'VE ESSENTIALLY WERE STARTING YEARS AGO FOR THE MOST PART BY, YOU KNOW, ONE OR TWO PEOPLE TOGETHER.
AND AS IN BEFORD COUNTY HAS GROWN, THESE COMPANIES HAVE GROWN WITH IT.
AND A LOT OF TIMES THEY CANNOT KEEP UP WITH THE GROWTH DEMAND.
SO WE'RE GIVING THEM ASSISTANCE ON HOW TO HANDLE THIS GROWTH AND HOW TO SCALE.
SO YOU SEE A LOT OF SERVICES, CAV BARBERS OF THE LOW COUNTRY, DELTA ROOFING.
NOBLE HEART IS HUMAN RESOURCES, OSA IS KITCHENS, BLUFFTON ELECTRIC, BEACHSIDE TIRES.
THESE ARE ALL COMPANIES THAT HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME AND ARE GROWING IT BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS BECAUSE BLUFFTON AND
ALRIGHT, SO WHAT'S NEXT? WHERE ARE WE GOING NEXT? UH, WE HAVE A PROGRAM BEYOND.
THIS IS GONNA BE CALLED THRIVE.
JUST LIKE WE HAVE STARTUP AND GROWTH, WE RECOGNIZE A NEED TO TALK TO THESE OTHER COMPANIES THAT ARE BEYOND THE GROWTH STAGE, BUT NEED TO TALK TO US JUST EVERY NOW AND THEN.
THE GROWTH COMPANIES MEET WITH US EVERY OTHER WEEK, SAME DAY, SAME TIME.
SOME COMPANIES DON'T NEED THAT.
THEY NEED MORE OF A CHECK IN OR REPORT OR EVERY SIX MONTHS.
SO THE THRIVE PROGRAM WILL BE ANOTHER PAID PROGRAM AT A HIGH LEVEL TO KIND OF CHECK IN WITH THESE COMPANIES, WHETHER THEY WENT TO THE ALLIANCE CENTER OR NOT, AND GIVE THEM SOME FEEDBACK FROM OUR STAFF AND FROM OUR MENTORS OF HERE, HOW THINGS HERE ARE THINGS YOU TO BE DOING BETTER.
HERE ARE THINGS WE SUGGEST YOU DO.
HERE ARE THINGS WE DON'T THINK YOU SHOULD DO.
SO THAT'LL BE THRIVE COMING OUT IN Q3.
UH, THE NEXT ONE COMING OUT IN TRADE.
UH, AS I MENTIONED, AS THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON AND BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND JAPER COUNTY GROWS THE NEEDS, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, BLUE COLLAR JOBS.
PEOPLE THAT DO THINGS, FIX THINGS, MAKE THINGS, GROWS WITH IT.
IT'S NOT JUST THESE GROWTH COMPANIES THAT ARE ALREADY THERE, LIKE, UM, BLUFFTON ELECTRIC AND DELTA ROOFING.
WE'RE GOING TO NEED NEW ORGANIZATIONS TO DO THIS, NEW COMPANIES TO DO THIS.
AND MOST OF THESE PEOPLE THAT WORK IN THESE TRADES KNOW HOW TO DO THESE TRADES VERY, VERY WELL.
THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO START A BUSINESS.
THAT'S JUST NOT HOW THEY WERE TAUGHT.
THEY'VE BEEN WORKING FOR SOMEBODY ELSE.
SO WE'RE GOING TO START THIS PROGRAM IN Q4 TO MARKET TO PEOPLE THAT ARE MAYBE WORKING FOR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS OR HAVE THE SKILL SET AND GO, I KNOW HOW TO FIX A LEAKY PIPE.
I KNOW HOW TO FIX THE ELECTRIC, YOU KNOW, ELECTRICAL ISSUE, BUT I DON'T HAVE TO START A COMPANY AND WE'RE GOING TO NEED THESE TYPES OF PEOPLE AS THE COMPANY, AS THE, UH, LOCATION
[00:30:01]
OF THE REGION GROWS.SO THAT'LL BE THE TRADE UP PROGRAM.
Q4 AND A LITTLE FURTHER OUT IF I CAN GET UP IS A PROGRAM CALLED EVOLVE, WHICH WILL START IN Q1 OF 2025.
THIS IS AN AI TYPE OF PROGRAM FOR COMPANIES THAT WANT TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO PUT AI INTO THEIR EXISTING BUSINESS.
AGAIN, WE'RE VERY EARLY ON THIS, BUT IT'S AGAIN, BETTER TO BE EARLY RATHER THAN LATE.
COMPANIES KNOW ABOUT AI, UM, THEY'RE CURIOUS ABOUT IT, BUT THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO IMPLEMENT IT INTO THEIR COMPANY, UH, STRUCTURE YET HOW TO MAKE IT A STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE.
WHAT'S A GOOD PRACTICE? WHAT'S THE BEST PRACTICE? AND OUR GOAL WITH THE EVOLVE PROGRAM WOULD BE TO GUIDE THESE COMPANIES THROUGH HOW THEY CAN MANAGE AND LEVERAGE THAT TECHNOLOGY.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE STARTUP GROWTH THRIVE AND EVOLVE.
THOSE WILL BE OUR CORE PROGRAMS AND WE'LL HAVE THE HEROES PROGRAM, WHICH YOU STILL HAVE AND TRADE UP, WHICH ARE TARGETED CERTAIN DEMOGRAPHICS.
BUT REALLY WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT FROM YOU, IF YOU LOOK AT OF ALL AND YOU LOOK AT TRADE UP, WE'RE GOING ANYWHERE FROM AI TO HVAC AND ANYTHING IN BETWEEN.
SO WE'RE REALLY PLEASED WITH THIS TYPE OF PROGRAM OFFERING.
WE THINK IT SERVES ALL THE CITIZENS OF BLUFFTON, BEAUFORT COUNTY, JASPER COUNTY, THE SURROUNDING REGION.
WELL, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GIVE SUPPORT TO ANYBODY WE CAN SUPPORT TO.
WE'VE GOT A GREAT STAFF AND WE'VE GOT GREAT PARTNERSHIPS.
AND LIKE I SAID AT THE BEGINNING, WE'RE REALLY GETTING A GREAT STRIDE HERE IN CONTINUE TO APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT THAT MAYOR AND COUNCIL AND TOWN STAFF GIVES US.
SO WITH THAT, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, ANY QUESTIONS, MS. THE QUESTION.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
ALWAYS GREAT TO HEAR AND LEARN ABOUT YOU HAVE GOING ON.
UM, ONE OF YOUR SIDES SAID 73%, UM, OF THE BUSINESSES YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH SINCE 2012 ARE STILL IN BUSINESS.
DEFINITELY AN EXTRAORDINARY ACCOMPLISHMENT.
UM, I'M INTERESTED TO KNOW HOW MANY OF 'EM ARE BLUFF AND BASED ON THAT SEVEN THREE, I'LL FIND OUT.
I DON'T KNOW AT THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
THERE'S A HIGH PERCENTAGE THAT ARE BLUFF AND BASED.
THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, EITHER BLUFF AND PROPER OR BLUFF AND UH, ADDRESS AND I'LL FIND VALUE FOR YOU.
AND THE OTHER QUESTION IS, UM, THERE ARE A LOT OF GREAT SERVICES IN HERE THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING.
HOW DO YOU ENGAGE CURRENTLY THE COMMUNITY OR POTENTIAL BUSINESS OWNERS THAT MIGHT WANT TO BENEFIT FROM THE PROGRAM THAT, UM, ARE UNFAMILIAR OF ALL OF THE, THE PERKS AND THINGS YOU HAVE GOING ON? LIKE WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR INITIATIVES TO REACH THE COMMUNITY? THAT'S, UH, COUNCILMAN FRAZIER.
THAT'S WHERE ALL OF OUR PARTNERSHIPS REALLY PAID OFF WITH PARTNERSHIP, BEFORD COUNTY HEAD, MOUNTAIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, THE GREATER BLUFF BUSINESS CHAMBER, ALL THESE EVENTS, THE HILTON HEAD CHAMBER, UH, BEFORD DIGITAL CORRIDOR, WE REALLY, YOU KNOW, WE NAMED THE BUILDING THE HUB OVER AT, UH, WHERE WE ARE BECAUSE WE WANT PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO COME IN THERE AND WE CAN PUT 'EM IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
BUT WHAT WE'RE FINDING IS A LOT OF OUR PARTNERS ARE POINTING PEOPLE TOWARDS US.
UH, WE REALLY DON'T MARKET THE PROGRAMS THAT HEAVILY RIGHT NOW BECAUSE SO MUCH OF OUR STUFF COMES FROM REFERRALS.
EITHER FROM PREVIOUS CUSTOMERS THAT HAVE BEEN SATISFIED OR WORK FROM REFERRALS LIKE THE EUFOR COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION OR THE CHAMBER, THAT TYPE OF THING.
WE ATTEND ALL THESE NETWORKING EVENTS.
WE HOST A LOT OF NETWORKING EVENTS FOR OUR PARTNERS AT THE DON RYAN CENTER.
WHEN I SAID WE HAD 612 PEOPLE COME THROUGH LAST YEAR, IT'S NOT BECAUSE WE HAD 'EM ALL COME IN.
WE HAD OUR PARTNERS WORK WITH THEM TOGETHER.
'CAUSE OUR STRENGTHS ARE, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND UH, BUSINESS INCUBATION.
UH, THERE'S THESE OTHER PARTNERS HAVE DIFFERENT STRENGTHS AND THAT'S WHY WE ALL WORK TOGETHER IN THIS COMMUNITY.
SO IS THAT SOMETHING, UM, 'CAUSE PARTNERSHIPS ARE DEFINITELY GOOD HAVE, IS THAT SOMETHING YOU FIND IS NOT, UM, NECESSARILY A NEED 'CAUSE OF THE PARTNERSHIPS TO HAVE A WHO, WHO KNOWS LIKE A MEMBERSHIP DRIVE OF SOME SORT, UM, WITH BLUFFTON RESIDENTS AS THIS IS A, UH, ORGANIZATION THAT IS SUPPORTED THROUGH, YOU KNOW, THE TOWN'S BUDGETS AND INITIATIVES FOR THOSE WHO MIGHT WANT TO TAP INTO THAT MAY NOT BE AFFILIATED THROUGH THE CHAMBER OR THE ECONOMIC, UM, DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION.
LIKE IS THERE A A TIME THAT YOU MAYBE ONCE A YEAR DO, DO THAT, REACH OUT TO THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED? AND ACTUALLY I SHOULD CLARIFY.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
I SHOULD CLARIFY THAT WE DO DO SOME ADVERTISING.
UH, WE JUST, WE TRY TO KEEP THAT MARKETING SPEND LOW BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING SO MUCH THROUGHPUT FROM OTHER AREAS.
WE DO HAVE OUR MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM.
WE HAVE PROBABLY 1,032 MEMBERS OR SO.
UM, THE MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM WAS, WAS PUSHED VERY HEAVILY UNDER MY PREDECESSOR, BUT, UH, I DIDN'T FEEL AT THE TIME THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF EXTRA RIGHT NOW TO GIVE THE CHARGE FOR MEMBERSHIPS SO THAT HE MADE THE MEMBERSHIPS FREE.
AND TO ME THAT'S LIKE, WELL OTHER THAN GETTING A NEWSLETTER, WHAT, WHAT WORK IS THAT? YOU KNOW, SO IT'S, IT LOOKS GOOD ON PAPER, BUT IT DOESN'T REALLY HELP THE MEMBERS.
SO AS, AS WE CONTINUE TO DO SOME OF THESE SERVICES, IF WE CAN FIND A WAY TO
[00:35:01]
HAVE A BETTER MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM, EVEN A PAID PROGRAM AT SOME LEVEL, WE WOULD DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.I JUST DON'T WANT TO DO SOMETHING JUST TO DO IT.
I WANT MAKE SURE THAT IT IS A VALUE TO OUR TIME, A VALUE TO OUR COMMUNITY AND, AND, AND, UH, VALUES THE, UH, THE FUNDS THAT, UH, COUNCIL GIVES US TO RUN THIS ORGANIZATION FOR YOU.
ANYTHING I JUST WANT TO SAY, I, I THINK IT WAS A GREAT PRESENTATION AND, UH, MOST OF US AT THIS DAY IS, UH, GO BACK YEARS AND WE REMEMBER THE, UH, THE GROWING PAINS AND UH, SO IT'S REFRESHING FOR ME TO SIT HERE AND SEE THIS UPDATE AND THIS GREAT REPORT AND, UH, SO YOUR SUCCESS IS, UH, HARD EARNED AND WELL DESERVED.
MR. HAMILTON, NOTHING FROM ME.
MR. NOTHING FOR ME BESIDES, IT WAS A GREAT PRESENTATION, VERY INFORMATIVE AS A BUSINESS OWNER.
UM, I'M VERY IMPRESSED WITH IT AND I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT MOST OF YOUR COME FROM LOCAL.
YOU'VE BEEN THERE, DONE THAT, RIGHT? YES.
GREATEST THING YOU EVER DO IS MY BEST THAT YOU GO THE NEXT DAY.
THAT WAS THE WORST THING YOU EVER DID.
NEXT WE HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM OUR DESIGNATED MARKETING ORGANIZATION.
WE'LL SQUEEZE HER IN AND GET THAT DONE.
[VII. PUBLIC COMMENT]
PUBLIC COMMENTS FIRST.UH, WE HAVE LIKE FIVE OR SIX OF 'EM HERE.
FIRST UP ISS GONNA BE JEFF ELL, JEFF BURELL.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT NEEDS TO BE READ THE RULES.
OH YEAH, LET ME READ THESE RULES ABOVE.
IF THEY DON'T SHOW UP, THEN THEY'LL
EACH SPEAKER IS LIMITED TO A TOTAL OF THREE MINUTES PER MEETING, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE PERSON IS SPEAKING ON THEIR OWN BEHALF OR AS AN AGENT FOR OTHERS.
MEETING ATTENDEES MAY NOT DONATE, TRANSFER YIELD, OR GIVE ALL OR ANY PORTION OF THEIR SPEAKING TIME TO ANOTHER PERSON.
ALL PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE TO BE CONDUCTED FROM THE PODIUM AND DIRECTED TO TOWN COUNCIL AS A WHOLE AND NOT TO ANY MEMBER THEREOF.
ALL SPEAKERS SHALL BE MINDFUL AND RESPECTFUL OF THOSE PARTICIPATING IN OR PRESENT AT THE MEETING.
SPEAKERS SHALL BE EXPECTED TO BE CIVIL IN THEIR LANGUAGE AND SHARE AND SHALL REFRAIN FROM COMMENT OR BEHAVIOR THAT INVOLVES DISORDERLY SPEAK OR ACTION, NAME CALLING, PERSONAL ATTACKS, THREATS, OBSCENE OR INDECENT REMARKS AND OR DISRUPTIVE ACTIONS.
ALL SPEAKERS SHALL CONFINE THEIR COMMENTS TO THE ISSUE UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF TOWN COUNCIL.
SPEAKERS SHALL NOT USE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD TO PROMOTE OR ADVERTISE AWARDS, BUSINESSES, SERVICES, GOODS, OR CANDIDATES FOR PUBLIC OFFICE.
ANY SPEAKER THAT VIOLATES THESE RULES AND PROTOCOLS FOR THE PUBLIC COMMENT MAY BE RULED OUT OF ORDER BY THE PRESIDING OFFICER.
AND PERSONS WHO WHOSE COMMENTS HAVE BEEN RULED OUT OF ORDER SHALL IMMEDIATELY CEASE AND DESIST FROM FURTHER IMPROPER COMMENTS.
THE REFUSAL OF AN INDIVIDUAL TO DESIST FROM A FURTHER IMPROPER COMMENTS SHALL COMMENTS MAY SUBJECT THE INDIVIDUAL TO REMOVAL FROM THE MEETING AND OR A CITATION UNDER SECTION TWO DASH 49 OF THE TOWN CODE.
HOW ABOUT NEXT IS JAMES WILLIAMS. WE HAVE A JAMES WILLIAMS IN THE HOUSE RIGHT ALONG.
I KNEW WHEN YOU SAID THAT YOU KNEW
I LIVE AT 1 6 3 BUCK ISLAND ROAD AND THANK YOU SO MUCH.
SO I ALWAYS LIKE THIS THOUGHT I WOULD OUR MISSION STATEMENT AND IT SAYS WE TAKE CARE OF OUR CITIZENS, THE TOWN AND EACH OTHER BY CONTINU MAKING OUR COMMUNITY AND ORGANIZATION BETTER.
SO THE QUESTION IS, I EMAILED THE CHIEF OF POLICE THREE TIMES TO ASK FOR A PUBLIC MEETING FOR WHAT I FELT WAS AN INJUSTICE OF ARREST ON BRIDGET FRAZIER.
NEVER GOT AN EMAIL BACK FROM NEW CHIEF.
BUT THEN MR. STEVE TOWN MANAGER STEPPED IN AND GAVE ME THIS SMOKE SCREEN THAT SAYS THANK YOU FOR REACHING OUT AND SHARING YOUR CONCERNS RELATED TO THIS INCIDENT.
[00:40:01]
INTERNALLY ABOUT THIS INCIDENT AS WELL AS REVIEWING HOW POLICIES RELATED TO THE ARREST FOR THESE CHARGES.ONCE WE HAVE COMPLETED OUR REVIEW, WE WILL ADDRESS ANY MATTERS THAT ARISE AND ADJUST POLICY AS NEEDED.
BUT THAT WAS NOT MY EMAIL, IT WAS A REQUEST FOR A PUBLIC MEETING.
I DESERVE TO HAVE SOMEBODY RESPECT ME ENOUGH TO HAVE THE MEETING JUST TO ASK THE QUESTIONS.
NOW, I HAVE HEARD THAT SOME PEOPLE HERE IN BUCK ARE TIRED OF ME MAKING, UH, TALKING ABOUT RACE WHEN THEY COME TO THESE MEETINGS.
IF PEOPLE STOP BEING RACIST TOWARDS US BLACK FOLKS, UM, WE ALL ARE TREATED AND WE ALL ARE TREATED EQUALLY, THEN I WILL COME UP HERE AND STOP TALKING ABOUT RACE.
SO WE ALREADY KNOW WE GOT A PROBLEM BECAUSE YOU CAN LOOK AROUND THIS ROOM AND SEE WHO ALL IS EMPLOYED, WHAT THE MAJORITY OF THE COLORS ARE, OKAY? BUT WITH THAT SAID, SO NOW IT'S TIME FOR US TO TAKE A STAND AND STOP BEING DISPROPORTIONATELY VICTIMIZED IN THIS COMMUNITY.
WE NEED TO CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY OF THE RACIAL CLIMATE HERE IN THE TOWN OF BUFFET.
WHEN GEORGE FLOYD PROTEST WAS TAKING PLACE FOR THE INJUSTICE ON HOW INHUMANE HE WAS TREATED AND DIED AT THE HANDS OF A WHITE COP.
WELL, TO DO THIS, WE NEED TO NUMBER ONE, RENAME CALHOUN STREET BECAUSE AS WE KNOW, JOHN C. CALHOUN WAS A US VICE PRESIDENT THEN SENATOR ANNA WHITE SUPREMACIST.
OKAY? HE DIDN'T JUST EMBRACE THE RACIST IDEOLOGY, BUT HE DEHUMANIZED BLACK LIVES.
AND I'M NOT SURE HOW I START, BUT I WILL BE PURSUING THAT AND I SHOULD HOPE THAT UTAH COUNCIL PEOPLE WILL SUPPORT THE NAME CHANGE IN ORDER FOR US TO BE EQUAL AND ORDER US TO MOVE ON.
WE KNOW THAT THE RATIO WITH US AFRICAN AMERICANS HERE IN THE TOWN OF TON, IT SEEMS LIKE WE ARE TRYING TO BE RACED.
A GENTRIFICATION IS HERE AND FROM THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT TO SOME OF US, SOME OF YOU GUYS KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON 'CAUSE YOU MEET UNDERCOVER.
SO WE KNOW THAT A SECRET MEETING HAS ALREADY BEEN MET FROM YEARS BACK.
WITH ALL OF US LOSING OUR LAND, WE HAVE NOT MUCH LEFT.
SO WHAT WE HAVE LEFT, WE WILL STAND TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NO MORE GROWTH ON BUCK ISLAND ROAD IF WE CAN.
AND STOP HAMILTON GROVE'S ALREADY THERE.
BUT JUST THINK ABOUT IT, A 400 K UH, COMMUNITY AND A A MID MIDDLE INCOME RESIDENCE.
WHO THOUGHT OF THAT? AND WE DIDN'T KNOW WHO DID THAT.
CAN YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS PLEASE?
SEVEN REEN LANE TON SOUTH CAROLINA.
UM, IS MS. MARC HERE TODAY? HI.
YOU DO THE TIME FOR THE TIME COUNCIL, DO YOU SET THE TIME? SPEAK OF THE MIC PLEASE IF YOU WANT.
DO YOU SET THE TIME FOR THE MEETINGS THAT ARE SEPARATE? THE TIME FOR THE MEETING EVERY TUESDAY YOU SET THROUGH IT.
UM, THE TIMES ARE SET BY THE MAYOR COUNCIL.
OH, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE MEETING TIMES.
THE TIME THAT WE'RE ON NOW AT 5:00 PM WHO SETS WHO MAKES THE TIME? THAT'S MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
WHO SETS TIME AND DATE FOR MEETINGS? OKAY.
IS IT POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO, UH, THINK ABOUT THE DEMOGRAPHIC ALONG WITH THE PARENTS SPORTS ACTIVITIES? 5:00 PM IS TOUGH.
IF YOU LOOK AROUND, HALF OF MY PARENTS ARE NOT HERE BECAUSE THEY CANNOT MAKE IT HERE.
SO I JUST WANT Y'ALL TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
I ASKED FOR THAT ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO.
5:00 PM IS TOUGH FOR ANYBODY AT THE AGE OF 40 42 TO BE HERE AT 5:00 PM WITH TEENAGE KIDS.
OKAY, UM, SECOND, I JUST WANT TO TOUCH BACK ON THE MARCH 14TH MEETING, I ASKED YOU GUYS WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING ABOUT THE ENGINEERING CLASS THAT WAS FILED BY, UH, HAMILTON GROVE OR PRP OR DAI OR WHEREVER MY RESEARCH TAKING.
SO WHEN IT COMES TO THE TOWN OF GUFFMAN, WHO WAS THE OFFICIAL PEOPLE WHO FILED THE PERMIT FOR HAMILTON GROVE? NEXT QUESTION.
'CAUSE I DON'T WANT TO TAKE MY TIME.
SECOND QUESTION, I, I, I REACHED OUT TO P JW A JASON QUICK, I'M STILL WAITING ON A RESPONSE BECAUSE HE WAS THE ONE TO SIGN OFF ON MOST OF THE CLASS THAT WERE FILED IN THE LAST 90 DAYS WAITING ON THE RESPONSE ARTICLE.
THE 15 ACRES WE SPOKE ABOUT WITH THE TOWN, ABOUT PURCHASING IT FOR 2.5 MILLION.
WE DID NOT PURCHASE IT CORRECT.
YOU'RE SPEAKING OF HAMILTON GROVE.
UM, IT WAS AN ARTICLE NO, BUT INY GROVE GROVE, HAMILTON GROVE WAS NOT.
I'M TALKING ABOUT INY GROVE GROVE.
IT WAS AN ARTICLE PURCHASED, WRITTEN IN THE ISLAND PACKET JANUARY 7TH, 2024.
THE TOWN OF BLUFF SAID THAT THEY WERE GONNA TRY TO PURCHASE IT FOR 15.5 ACRES FOR 2.5 MILLION.
AND IF YOU WANNA LOOK IT UP, YOU HAVE THE COMMENTS FROM SOME OF THE PREVIOUS TOWN COUNCIL MEMBERS PERTAINING TO THE ARTICLE.
SO I ASKED TODAY, DID WE PURCHASE THAT? BECAUSE I, I CAN'T
[00:45:01]
FOR MY RESEARCH EE OFFICE, I DON'T KNOW WHO PURCHASED IT, IT'S TOO MUCH LLCS.SO I'M ASKING Y'ALL PERSONALLY, WHO WERE THE PEOPLE WHO FILED THE ORIGINAL PERMIT FOR INDIE GOLD GROVE AND FOR HAMILTON GROVE BEFORE ALL THE FCS.
SO I COULD SEE THE PERMITS THAT WERE FILED THROUGH THE ENGINEERING.
SO I CAN GO THROUGH THE WATER COMPANY WITH BETTER INFORMATION.
I'M STILL WAITING ON MR. QUICK, I'M FOLLOWING Y ON DIRECTIONS.
SO ANSWERS, WHO IS THE ORIGINAL OWNERS OF THESE PROPERTY THAT FILED THE PERMITS TO DO WHAT WE ARE DOING A YEAR LATER BEFORE THE FCS.
WE, WE DON'T REALLY GET INTO ANSWERING QUESTIONS, BUT WE CAN HAVE OUR TOWN MANAGER CONTACT YOU IF YOU, IF HE HAS YOUR INFORMATION AND, UM, FILL YOU IN ON EVERYTHING THAT WE KNOW.
UM, ANOTHER THING WITH THE PUBLIC COMMENT, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS, UM, YOU PUT THE PUBLIC COMMENT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MEETING, I HAVE QUESTIONS THAT PERTAINING TO THE NEW ORDINANCE THAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO DO RIGHT NOW.
DO I HAVE A A A WAY TO ANSWER WHAT YOU'RE GONNA PRESENT TODAY ABOUT THE AGENDA THROUGH PUBLIC COMMENTS OR I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING? 'CAUSE THAT'S THE PUBLIC COMMENTS IS WHERE THE WAY YOU PLACE IT.
I'D RATHER SIT THROUGH THE WHOLE MEETING AND QUESTION YOU ON WHAT I KIND OF VISUALIZES LEARN TODAY.
COUNSEL WOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO, TO AN THAT TO ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS WHEN THAT AGENDA ITEM COMES UP.
BUT THE THREE MINUTES FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT HAVE EXPIRED.
SO WHAT I'M ASKING NOW, AFTER THE AGENDA WITH THE NEW ORDINANCE THAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO PRESENT TODAY IN THE AGENDA, DO I HAVE ANOTHER TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS ON WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO PRESENT TODAY, THE COUNCIL AS TO WHETHER THEY WILL ANSWER QUESTIONS? YOUR HONOR.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR PUBLIC COMMENT.
[VIII. COMMUNICATIONS FROM MAYOR AND COUNCIL]
ON NOW TO COMMUNICATION FROM MAYOR COUNCIL.START WITH, UH, I JUST WANNA SAY IT'S BEEN A GREAT FIRST MONTH OF SERVING ON COUNCIL, ALONG WITH ALL OF YOU ON LOTS OF MEETINGS, SOME RIBBON CUTTINGS.
UM, I'VE ENJOYED IT AND THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO'S HELPED ME AND ANSWERED ALL OF MY QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS THAT, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT DIDN'T FEEL THAT THEY GOT SATISFACTION OF.
THERE'S AN OPEN DOOR POLICY HERE IN TOWN.
TOWN MANAGER IS YOUR GO-TO PERSON FIRST AND IF HE DOESN'T ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS TO YOUR SATISFACTION, YOU CAN ALWAYS CALL ME AND I'LL GET YOUR ANSWERS FOR YOU.
YEAH, I JUST WANT TO TAKE JUST A MOMENT.
I DIDN'T DO THIS BEFORE, BUT, UH, I WANT TO THANK STAFF AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE TAKE PRIDE, TAKE PRIDE IN IS OUR PARKS AND, UH, WE UPGRADED DUO'S PARK RECENTLY AND, UH, IT'S BEEN WELL RECEIVED, RECEIVED.
SO I JUST WANT TO SAY JOB WELL DONE AND THANK YOU FOR THAT MS. FRAZIER.
[X.1. Consideration of an Ordinance for Certain Amendments to the Town of Bluffton Code of Ordinances Chapter 23 – Unified Development Ordinance, Including Amendments to Article 3 – Application Process, Sec. 3.13 (Development Surety and Stormwater Surety), Sec. 3.14 (Certificate of Construction Compliance), Sec. 3.18 (Certificate of Appropriateness-Historic District), Sec. 3.19 (Site Feature-Historic District Permit); and, Sec. 3.25 (Designation of Contributing Resources); Article 4 – Zoning Districts, Table 4.3 (Uses by District); Article 5 – Design Standards, Sec. 5.10 (Stormwater); 5.11 (Parking); and, Sec. 5.15 (Old Town Bluffton Historic District); and, Article 9 – Definitions and Interpretations, Sec. 9.2 (Defined Terms) – Public Hearing and Final Reading – Kevin Icard, Director of Growth Management]
WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR WORKSHOP AGENDA ITEMS, NO WORKSHOP ITEMS. SO PUBLIC HEARING THE FINAL READING FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF AN ORDINANCE FOR CERTAIN, UM, MINUTES TO THE TOWN OF VOTING ORDINANCE CHAPTER 23 DASH UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE, EXCUSE ME, INCLUDING AMENDMENTS TO ARTICLE THREE, APPLICATION PROCESS SECTION 3 1 3, DEVELOPMENT SURETY AND STORM WATER SURETY, SECTION 3.14, CERTIFICATE OF CONSTRUCTION COMPLIANCE SECTION THREE 1.8, CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATE HISTORIC DISTRICT SECTION 3.19.SITE FEATURE, HISTORIC DISTRICT PERMIT AND SECTION 3.25, DESIGNATION OF CONTRIBUTING RESOURCES.
ARTICLE FOUR DASH ZONING DISTRICTS, TABLE 4.3 USES BY DISTRICT ARTICLE FIVE, DESIGN STANDARDS, SECTION 5.10, STORMWATER, 5.11, PARKING AND SC SECTION 5.15.
OLD TOWN TON HISTORIC DISTRICT IN ARTICLE NINE DASH DEFINITIONS, INTERPRETATIONS SECTION 9.2 DEFINED TERMS. MR. KEVIN, I SIR.
UM, SO THIS IS, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO, UM, CALL FOR PUBLIC HEARING COMMENTS.
THIS STARTS, WE ONLY HAVE THE PRESENTATION BEFORE THE COMMENTS.
RIGHT? YOUR CHOICE, HOW THEY DO THAT.
UM, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY THERE'S BEEN NO CHANGES, UH, FROM FIRST READING AND UH, I'M HAPPY TO GO THROUGH THE PRESENTATION, HOWEVER, I
[00:50:01]
JUST HAVE A MOTION FOR YOU, UM, ON SECOND ROUND.THIS IS PUBLIC HEARING, SO WE'LL, I'LL ASK ONCE, ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC FIRST CALL? SECOND CALL.
FIRST CALL, ANY COMMENTS? SECOND CALL.
ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC IN THIS PUBLIC HEARING? THIRD CALL.
THERE ARE NO THIRD AND FINAL, THERE ARE NO PUBLIC COMMENTS.
UM, AGAIN, I, I HAVE A MOTION IN FRONT OF YOU.
THERE ARE NO CHANGES FROM FIRST READING.
YEAH, I HAVE A QUESTION SPECIFICALLY TO THE, UM, UH, CHANGES THAT ARE GONNA BE MADE TO STORMWATER.
UM, I KNOW THAT THE REQUEST AND THE AMENDMENT IS FOR 25 FOOT BUFFER IN TERMS OF WHITE LINES.
IS THAT THE ONE I'M ASKING? NO, MA'AM.
THAT'S GONNA BE, THAT'S MY NEXT ITEM.
ANY QUESTIONS YOU NO, THANK YOU MR. BURTON.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AMENDMENTS TO THE TOWN OF LUPTON? CODE OF ORDINANCE CHAPTER 23 DASH UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE IS SUBMITTED WITH THE FOLLOWING AMENDMENT AS RECOMMENDED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
[XI.1. Consideration of an Ordinance to Amend Chapter 26 – Traffic and Motor Vehicles, Article VII. Towing and Wrecker Services to Provide Clarifications and Updates to the Maximum Fees – Second and Final Reading – Chief Joe Babkiewicz, Bluffton Police Department]
MOVE ON NOW TO CONSIDERATION OF AN ORATE FORMAL AGENDA ITEMS CONSIDERATION OF AN ORDINATE ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 26 DASH TRAFFIC AND MOTOR VEHICLE VEHICLE VEHICLES ARTICLE SEVEN, TOWING AND RECORD SERVICES TO PROVIDE CLARIFICATION AND UPDATES TO THE MAXIMUM FEES.AND THIS IS SECOND FINAL READING, CHIEF QUI.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
THIS IS A SECOND READING FOR CHAPTER 26, TRAFFIC AND MOTOR VEHICLES ARTICLE SEVEN TOWING AND RECORD SERVICES.
UM, THE PRIMARY CHANGE WAS TO UPDATE THE RATE SCHEDULE TO REFLECT THE TYPES OF FEES AND RATES DEFINED BY NEIGHBOR JURISDICTIONS, UH, TO REDUCE TOW COMPANY BILL ERRORS, IMPROVE COST REASONABLENESS, AND ESTABLISH BETTER CONSISTENCY IN CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS.
AT THE MARCH 12TH TOWN COUNCIL MEETING, UH, MAYOR COUNCIL APPROVED AMENDMENTS TO THE TOWN'S TOWING ORDINANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING CHANGES, UH, NUMBER ONE, IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT UNDER SECTION 26 1 70 3G, PERSONAL PERSONNEL AND OPERATORS, THE REQUIREMENT FOR ADEQUATE BACKGROUND CHECKS ON DRIVERS BE CHANGED OR REMOVED.
UH, WHAT WE DECIDED WAS WE WERE ACTUALLY JUST GONNA COMPLETELY DELETE THAT SECTION.
AND SO THAT'S NO LONGER IN THE ORDINANCE IS OUR, IS OUR PROPOSAL NUMBER TWO.
IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT TILL COMPANIES PROVIDE SECONDARY FORM OF PAYMENT, UM, SECTION 26 DASH 1 74 B, UH, IT SAID THAT, OR IT SAYS THAT TOTAL COMPANIES MUST ACCEPT FORMS OF PAYMENT OTHER THAN CASH AT THAT POINT OF TRANSACTION.
AND NUMBER THREE SUGGESTED THAT SOME OF THE RATES WERE WERE HIGH.
UH, THE FOLLOWING FEES AND FROM SECTION 26, 1 77 HAVE BEEN LOWERED.
UH, IT'S TOTAL EXCEEDING $1 FROM 200 TO 1 25 AN HOUR.
AND GATE FEE FOR CUSTOMER REQUESTED PICK UP AFTER THE WORLD BUSINESS HOURS FROM 75 TO 50.
UM, REAL QUICK, DOES EVERYBODY HAVE A CHART HERE THAT I KIND OF PASSED OUT? HOPEFULLY I KNOW LAST MONTH IT'S A LITTLE CONFUSING.
HOPEFULLY THIS KIND OF CLARIFIES IT A LITTLE BIT.
UM, BUT ONE OTHER, UM, I SPOKE WITH, UH, TOWN MANAGER BEFORE THIS MEETING AND ONE PROPOSAL THAT WE HAD WAS, UH, TALKING ABOUT THE TO WAS EXCEEDING ONE HOUR.
UM, I, I BELIEVE WE HAD IT AT 1 25 PER HOUR AND UM, WE WERE LOOKING TO MAYBE EVEN SHORTEN THAT EVEN MORE TO MAYBE DO EVERY HALF HOUR OR IF THE COUNCIL OF MAYOR WOULD LIKE, UH, WE CAN TAKE IT EVERY 15 MINUTES TO SHORTEN THAT FEE.
SO IF UNTIL IT TAKES AN HOUR AND 15 MINUTES, THEY'RE NOT GETTING CHARGED FOR THE FULL HOUR.
UM, I'LL TAKE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS WITH THAT.
UH, WITH THE KIND OF GO DOWN THE LIST OF THE CHART, UH, THEY'RE KIND OF, THEY'RE COLOR CODED FROM THE CURRENT FEE THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW TO OUR NEW FEE.
SO YOU'LL SEE THE PICKUP TO TOWN OF BLUFFTON IS ALSO RELATED TO THE REQUEST FOR TO DOWN BELOW.
THOSE FEES HAVE REMAINED THE SAME IN $75.
THE NEXT THREE YOU'LL SEE OUR COLOR BLUE.
UH, THEY, BECAUSE IT GOT REALLY CONFUSING WITH THE HOURLY AND PEOPLE WERE GETTING CHARGED DIFFERENTLY BASED UPON WHAT TIME THE CAR WAS PICKED UP.
AND SO WE MADE IT JUST ONE SET AT ONE, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT REQUEST TOW AT $200.
UH, THERE'S A NEW ONE, UH, THE POLICE IMPOUND REQUEST WE DELETED, UH, AT THE
[00:55:01]
CURRENT FEE.UH, HOWEVER, WE DID IMPLEMENT A LAW ENFORCEMENT REQUEST TOW WITH COLLISION, WHICH WAS $300.
AND THE REASON FOR THE INCREASE IN THAT IS BECAUSE THEY ARE REQUIRED TO PICK UP DEBRIS AS WELL AS TO LAY DOWN, UH, CERTAIN DIGS ON THE CHEMICALS SO THAT THEY DON'T RUN OFF.
UH, WE HAVE IN THERE NOW $60 PER HALF HOUR.
AGAIN, THAT IS UP FOR DISCUSSION WITH WHATEVER MAYOR AND COUNCIL WOULD PREFER.
AND THEN, UH, STORAGE FEE, UH, STORAGE PER DAY AFTER THE FIRST 24 HOURS, IT IS $40.
AND THEN THE GATE FEE, UH, WE LOWERED IT FROM $75 TO $50.
QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL MORE? SO A COMMENT I KNOW THE MORE SO A COMMENT, I KNOW THE CONFUSION FROM THE LAST MEETING WAS AT THE CHART ITSELF DIDN'T ALIGN WITH, UM, SOME OF THE DISCUSSIONS.
SO LIKE WHEN WE LOOK AT THE CHART AS IS IT HAS CURRENT FEES, UM, FOR SOME ITEMS, BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE A MATCHUP OF WHAT THE CURRENT FEE AND THE NEW PROPOSED FEES ARE.
AND SO I CAN'T SPEAK FOR ANYONE ELSE.
BUT NOW FOR ME LOOKING AT THE CHART, UM, I WOULD'VE STILL LIKED TO SEE FOR PICKED UP DISABLED VEHICLES IS, UH, 1 25.
BUT WHAT WAS THE, WHAT'S GONNA BE THE PROPOSED FEE FROM, IS THAT JUST THE CURRENT FEE AS IS OR HAS THAT BEEN THE, THE SAME FEE ALONG? UH, NO MA'AM.
SO IF YOU SEE ALL THE THREE IN THE BLUE AND PICK UP THE SAME VEHICLES, PICK UP POLICE REQUESTS FROM EIGHT TO 10 AND THEN PICK UP EACH REQUEST 10 TO EIGHT, WE COMBINE THE THREE OF THOSE INTO OUR NEW FEE OF JUST LAW ENFORCEMENT REQUESTED TELL FOR 200 OR $200 IF THAT MAKE, DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? NO.
SO FOR ME THAT THAT'S SO CONFUSING.
SO DID WE HAVE, DID WE NOT HAVE AN ISOLATED FEE FOR DISABLED VEHICLES BEFORE AND IS THIS A NEW FEATURE WE'RE ADDING? NO.
SO THE CURRENT FEE, WE DID HAVE THOSE ISOLATED, WE WE'RE SIMPLIFYING IT.
NOW IF I MAY, I THINK YOUR NIGHTTIME FEE WAS IN THE ORIGINAL WAS MORE EXPENSIVE, WAS IT NOT? RIGHT? WELL, IT SAYS SO RIGHT HERE FOR THE HOURS 8, 8, 7 10:00 PM IS LESS THAN 10:00 PM EIGHT.
SO YOU'RE CONSOLIDATING THOSE TWO.
TO 300 TO 200 WE'RE 201ST LEFT.
BLUE MOON'S GOT THE TIME ASSOCIATED TO IT, BUT NOT LAW ENFORCEMENT.
ONE MORE TIME LAW ENFORCEMENT REQUESTED TO.
SO IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S DAY OR NIGHT ANYMORE, DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER IT'S DAY RIGHT.
AND THAT'S WHY YOU HAD ALL THESE DIFFERENT FEES WAS 'CAUSE IT WAS FOR DIFFERENT HOURS, DAYLIGHT HOURS OR DARK OR WHATEVER.
MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT OR WHATEVER.
I THINK WE, I I UNDERSTAND THE RATIONALE BEHIND IT, ESPECIALLY WITH HAVING THE, THE TOW COMPANIES COME LAST TIME AND EXPLAINED SOME OF THAT AND I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH IT.
I JUST THINK FOR TRANSPARENCY PURPOSES, FOR SOMEONE WHO'S WANTING TO UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE MAKING THE ADJUSTMENTS AND WHY WE'RE GOING FROM ONE THING TO THE NEXT, I KNOW I'M LOOKING AT IT, BUT THAT TYPE OF CONFUSION, I WOULD IMAGINE, UH, SOMEONE FROM THE PUBLIC MIGHT HAVE THAT SAME CONCERN.
AND I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE ABLE TO ANSWER ANYONE WHO'S ASKING THAT TO JUSTIFIABLE.
WHAT'S THE NEED TO GO FROM ONE FEE LEVEL TO THE NEXT IF WE CAN'T LOOK AT A CHART THAT SHOWS WHAT WAS ORIGINAL TO WHERE WE'RE GOING TO NOW? I JUST WANNA MAKE IT MORE USER FRIENDLY FOR FOLKS TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND RIGHT NOW.
AND IT'S, IT'S NOT MR TO FOLLOW, FOLLOW HER UP WITH THAT.
UM, THE ORIGINAL FEE WERE 1 25.
AND, AND AT THAT POINT IT DIDN'T MATTER WHAT TIME OF DAY IT WOULD PICK UP, RIGHT? NO, IT WAS NO, NO, I'M, YES, IT WAS 1 25.
SO, SO THERE'S A $75 INCREASE FROM, IF THEY WERE PICKING IT, IF THEY WERE PICKING IT UP FROM EIGHT IN THE MORNING TILL 4:00 PM WHICH IS A NORMAL BUSINESS DAY WAS STILL 125 BUCKS.
I I THINK THAT $200 SHOULD BE $150.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S MY, THAT'S, THAT WOULD BE MY SUGGESTION BECAUSE I KNOW THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS HAS CHANGED, BUT WE GOT YOU TO ALSO LOOK OUT FOR OUR RESIDENTS OR CONSTITUENTS WHO IS ALSO STRUGGLING BECAUSE THEY HAVE A DISABLED VEHICLE.
[01:00:01]
THAT, THAT'S JUST FRED.NOW I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE OTHERS.
UM, I DON'T, I THE LAW ENFORCEMENT REQUEST TOW COLLISION NEW FEE IS $300.
WHAT WAS IT BEFORE? SO THE ONE WITH THE TOW COLLISION AND THAT'S NEW SIR.
THAT WAS NEVER, UH, WE NEVER HAD SOMETHING FOR TOW.
AND WHAT WAS HAPPENING WAS THE TOW COMPANIES WERE UTILIZING, UH, THE QUICK DRY AND THINGS LIKE THAT AT THEIR COST AND THEY WERE NOT REPLENISHING ANY TYPE OF MONEY FROM THAT.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE EXPLICITLY SET ASIDE THAT FOR AN, AN ACCIDENT.
UM, THEY ALSO PICK UP THE DEBRIS AND, AND ITEMS LIKE THAT AND THEY HAVE TO REMOVE THAT FROM THE ROADWAY AS WELL.
I CHIME IN ON ONE OTHER, THE, TO EXCEEDING ONE HOUR IS ALSO NEW, RIGHT? YES, SIR.
UM, NO, THE PREVIOUS ONE TOW EXCEEDING ONE HOUR.
THE HOURLY RATE, UM, NOW THAT THEY GOT THE, IT'S $125.
IS IT 200? WHICH ONE? IT'S AT 125 FOR NORMAL TELL.
SO IF THEY, IF THEY GO OVER AN HOUR AND 15 MINUTES, MOST PEOPLE ARE GONNA ROUND IT OFF TO AN HOUR ANYWAY, RIGHT? YES SIR.
SO I'VE STRUGGLED WITH THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE ALREADY THERE.
IF THEY HAD TO COME, IF, IF, IF THEY'RE ALREADY AT THE SCENE AND IF FOR SOME REASON, UM, IT TOOK THEM 15 MINUTES LONGER, THEY'RE GOING TO, THEY'RE GOING TO WANT TO BE COMPENSATED FOR, FOR THAT TIME.
BUT SINCE THEY'RE ALREADY AT THE SCENE, UM, THIS PRORATED, UM, TIME, IT COULD BE 15 MINUTES PRORATED, IT COULD BE 30 MINUTES OR IT COULD BE 45 MINUTES, BUT I THINK WE SHOULD PRORATE IT AT, UM, AT A HALF AN HOUR AT $50.
THAT'S MY, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S MY SUGGESTION.
THE WAY WE LOOK AT THAT, UH, COUNCILMAN HAMILTON IS THAT YOUR REGULAR FEES ARE 125.
AND SO WE WE'RE GONNA USE THAT 125 TO BREAK THAT DOWN.
I KNOW, BUT THEY'RE ALREADY THERE.
SEE THEY'RE ALREADY AT THE SCENE.
IT'S NOT LIKE THEY HAVE TO BRING ANOTHER TRUCK.
THEY'RE ALREADY THERE THE TIME.
I MEAN, IT'S NOT LIKE, AND AND THAT IS GIVING THEM $50 FOR 50 FOR 30 MINUTES.
MS. BIRD, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS, SIR? UM, MY QUE MY QUESTION.
DO YOU, WHAT DID THE COUNTY AND THE STATE CHARGE FOR THESE? I MEAN, IF WE DID THE LAW ENFORCEMENT REQUEST A TOW? YOU KNOW, I, I HAD THAT LAST MEETING.
UM, I'M SORRY, I DON'T HAVE THAT WITH ME.
I KNOW THE, THE STATE WAS MUCH HIGHER.
UM, I I CAN'T ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
UM, THE DIFFERENCE, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND THE STATE.
WE TAILOR OUR, OUR CALLS TO BLUFFTON BUSINESS ONLY THE COUNTY AND THE STATE WILL CALL ANYBODY, WHOEVER'S IN THE ROTATION.
WE ONLY ALLOW BLUFFTON BUSINESS WITH A BLUFFTON ADDRESS OF BLUFFTON OFFICE TO DO OUR TOTAL.
SO THAT'S NOT A FAIR COMPARISON TO MEASURE THE COUNTY OF THE STATE BECAUSE SOMEBODY FROM VILLE, SOMEBODY FROM HILTON HAY, SOMEBODY FROM BEFORD, SOMEBODY FROM JASPER COULD, COULD BE CALLED FOR THAT TOTAL.
WE TRIED TO GIVE ALL OF OUR BUSINESS TO THE LOCAL BUSINESS HERE.
SO I DON'T THINK IT'S A FAIR COMPARISON, WHICH I THINK IS IMPORTANT.
I'M GLAD THAT WE GET THE, THE BUSINESS TO OUR TOWN, UM, COMPANIES, BUT I DO THINK IT IS SOMEWHAT IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE IN LINE WITH THOSE FEES FOR COUNTY AND STATE.
UM, I'M SORRY, I DON'T REMEMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD FROM LAST MONTH WHAT THOSE WERE, BUT, UM, ARE THEY LOT? HI, I CAN ASK THE QUESTION FOR YOU.
IS IT OKAY A QUESTION? YEAH, THAT'S FINE.
[01:05:01]
KNOW.I'M SITTING, I'M THE OWNER OF GARAGE, UH, HIGHWAY PATROL, WHICH IS THE STATE, UH, CHARTER.
UH, LET US BILL $253 EACH CALL.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT TIME OF TODAY OR WHAT DAY OF TODAY.
AND ON TOP OF THAT, AFTER 12 HOUR, UH, WAITING PERIOD, THEY LET US CHARGE $43 A DAY FOR STORAGE.
THAT'S WHAT THE HIGHWAY PATROL DOES.
B FOR COUNTY, UH, LET US CHARGE $280 FOR NON-BUSINESS HOURS AND $250 TO DURING THE BUSINESS HOURS TOS.
THESE ARE ALL ROTATION GOALS AND THEY LET US CHARGE $55 A DAY AFTER 12 DAY, 12 HOURS OF WAITING PERIOD.
SO THAT'S WHAT, UH, THEY LET US CHARGE.
AND THERE'S, UM, WITH THE COUNTY IN THE STATE, IS THERE ANY, ANY COMPENSABLE OR MORE COMPENSATION? IF IT'S A COLLISION, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE CAR IS UPSIDE DOWN IN THE DITCH AND IT TAKES YOU THREE HOURS TO GET IT OUT.
AND A, UH, HIGHWAY PATROL MAY, DEPENDING ON WHICH KIND OF WRECK SHOWS UP BECAUSE, UH, HIGHWAY PATROL PLUS TWICE THE WRECKERS, THAT CLASS A, CLASS B, AND CLASS C, CLASS A IS BEING THE LIGHT DUTY.
CLASS B IS BEING THE MEDIUM DUTY, AND CLASS C IS BEING THE HEAVY DUTY RECORDS.
SO I OWN CLASS A, CLASS B, TOTAL RECORDS.
AND FOR THE CLASS A, IT IS A HUNDRED, $150 AN HOUR, ANYTHING EXCEEDING FOR SPECIAL OPERATIONS.
AND THE CLASS B ARE AROUND 200, UH, $210 FOR THE CLASS BS BEEF
DO THEY CHARGE EXTRA IF THAT TAKES LONGER THAN AN HOUR? UM, IT, IT GOES INTO, UH, YES, IT GOES INTO SPECIAL OPERATIONS OF, OF PRICING, AND THEN YOU ARE ALLOWED TO CHARGE MORE USUALLY EVERY TIME STATE AND DIFFERENT KIND OF, UH, THINGS THAT IS GONNA TAKE US AN HOUR TO RECOVER THE VEHICLE OR ANYTHING THAT WE ARE CALLED FOR.
AND THAT ANYTHING OVER THAT WE ARE ALLOWED TO CHARGE HOUR RATE IS 30 MINUTES INCREMENTS.
UM, THIS, WE'RE STILL UP AND FOR DISCUSSION, I JUST WANNA MAKE A COMMENT.
I HAD TO HAVE TWO CARS TOWED THE OTHER DAY.
ONE FROM MY BROTHER AND ONE FROM MY DAUGHTER, AND IT WAS A QUICK TWO 50.
UM,
UM, AND THOSE OF US THAT ARE IN BUSINESS ARE WELL AWARE.
TELL IT AT THE GROCERY STORE, YOU CAN TELL IT AT THE GAS PUMP.
YOU CAN TELL IT WHEN YOU TAKE YOUR CAR TO THE SHOP TO HAVE TIRES OR BRAKES OR ROTORS OR WHATEVER MAY HAPPEN.
EVERYTHING HAS GONE UP TREMENDOUSLY IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS AS FAR AS THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS INSURANCE RATES, THE VALUE OF A VEHICLE, UH, RECORD, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU MIGHT BUY A RECORD BEFORE FOR 60 OR 70,000, NOW IT'S WELL OVER A HUNDRED AND SOMETHING.
UM, SO I'M, I'M NOT AGAINST, UM, ADJUSTING THE RATES, YOU KNOW, LETTING THE RATES GO UP SOME, I THINK IT'S PRETTY MUCH FAIR FROM WHAT I'M HEARING, WHAT YOU PROPOSED.
UM, THAT IS JUST MY OPINION, BUT, UM, IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS ANYTHING TO ADD, UM, I JUST WANT TO GO BACK TO IT TO COMMENT ON.
I'M GLAD TO KNOW THAT OUR, OUR FEES ARE, UM, NOT AS EXORBITANT AS WHAT WE SEE WITH THE COUNTY AND STATE.
AND I THINK WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY WHEN WE CAN TO KEEP, UM, THE FEES AS MODERATE AS POSSIBLE KNOWING THAT WE ARE ALREADY IN THE AREA WHERE PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING TO LIVE, STRUGGLING TO BUY MEALS.
AND WHEREAS ONE 50 MIGHT BE AN EASY PAY FOR SOME, FOR ANOTHER PERSON THAT MIGHT BE THAT ONE TRIGGERING THING AND PUT THEM IN A STATE OF HOMELESSNESS OR CAN'T PROVIDE MEALS.
SO I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD ENDEAVOR TO, UH, TRY TO COMPARE WHERE FEES ARE GONNA PUT SOMEBODY IN A HOLE THEY'RE NOT GONNA COME OUT OF.
IF WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO KEEP THEM COMFORTABLE, WHERE THE BUSINESSES WHO ARE PROVIDING THE SERVICES ARE ABLE TO GET WHAT THEY NEED, AND THEN OUR CITIZENS ARE ALSO ABLE TO BE ABLE TO STILL AFFORD WHATEVER THAT SERVICE TO THEM IS.
UM, WE HAVE TO KEEP THAT HUMAN APPROACH, UM, HERE ALSO IF WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO, TO MAKE THAT CALL.
MR. WHAT? I HAVE NOTHING TO ADD TO THIS EXCEPT, UH, IT'S, UH, I KNOW WE'RE TRYING TO BALANCE, I KNOW WE'RE TRYING TO BALANCE THIS AND I'M WITH THE MAYOR.
I DO REALIZE THAT THE COST IS ESCALATED EXPONENTIALLY.
AND ONE THING I WAS CONFUSED ABOUT DISCUSSION, THE DIFFERENT CLASSIFICATIONS OF THE VEHICLES.
[01:10:01]
STILL HAVING TO DO THAT HERE IN BLUFFTON.ARE WE NOT? THERE ARE DIFFERENT CLASSIFICATIONS, BUT WE HAVE ONE SET RIGHT, WHERE WE DON'T CHARGE DIFFERENT RATES FOR DIFFERENT CLASSIFICATIONS.
AND BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE LARGER THE TRUCK AND THE BIGGER THE, THAT'S WHY THEY BREAK 'EM DOWN INTO THAT.
BUT THAT WAS ONLY REASON I ASKED THE QUESTION.
DOES ANYBODY KNOW, UM, WHAT, WHAT YOUR INSURANCE COMPANIES ALLOW FOR TOWING? YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THERE'S LIMITS ON EVERYTHING, ALL YOUR COVERAGE YEAH.
BUT I, I KNOW THEY ALLOW, UM, A CERTAIN AMOUNT AND I WOULD THINK IT WOULD BE KIND OF LIKE A, A NATIONAL AVERAGE OR WHATEVER, 200 TO FOUR, WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, FOR THE MOST PART THE INSURANCE.
OTHER THAN, IT'S A GOOD QUESTION, PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE THE INSURANCE, BECAUSE THE INSURANCE COMPANY'S GONNA PAY THE REC BILL EITHER.
IF IT'S ALL, IT'S, IF IT'S SOMEBODY ELSE'S FAULT ADD.
YOU WANNA ADD ANYTHING IN HERE BEFORE WE, UM, I, I, I LIKE WHAT BRIDGET SAID.
I REALLY THINK WE HAVE TO BE FAIR FOR, FOR EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, I HEARD THIS GUY SAID COST OF LIVING HAS, HAS INCREASED, BUT THERE'S PEOPLE WHO HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF COST OF LIVING.
THERE'S PEOPLE WHO ARE MAKING IT OUR LIFE, UH, DIFFICULT BECAUSE THEY ARE GOUGING BECAUSE THEY CAN'T MM-HMM.
NOW, I'M NOT SAYING THAT THE REP COMPANY IS DOING THAT.
I BELIEVE THAT THEY HAVE INCREASED IN THEIR, UM, BUSINESS EXPENSES.
THEY HAVE TO PAY THE SAME PRICE WE ARE PAYING FOR GAS AS WELL AS, AS, UM, COST OF MAINTENANCE.
BUT AT SOME POINT WE HAVE TO BE SOMEONE THAT WHEN WE, WHEN, WHEN THE CITY CAN BE DIRECTED FROM US, WE HAVE TO HAVE A CONSCIENCE FOR BOTH SIDES.
UM, ANY, ANY MORE COMMENTS, STEVEN? UM, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY THAT IF YOU DO WANT TO MOVE FORWARD AND GO AHEAD AND DO SECOND READING TONIGHT, BUT IF YOU WOULD LIKE, THERE'S A RECOMMENDED MOTION ON, UM, IN THE PACKET.
IT OUTLINES SOME OF THE CHANGES FROM FEES FROM LAST TIME, THAT IF YOU WANTED TO MAKE YOUR MOTION AND REFERENCE SOME OF THE FEE CHANGES YOU MAKE, YOU COULD DO THAT.
UM, BUT IT'S KIND OF AN OUTLINE.
JUST WANT TO POINT IT OUT THAT THERE'S AN OUTLINE IN CASE YOU WANTED TO DO THAT.
OR IF YOU WANT ME TO PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER FOR YOU REAL QUICK, IF YOU WANTED TO MAKE A MOTION REAL QUICK, I'D LIKE TO, I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT FEES, THAT, UH, NEW FEES.
NUMBER ONE, TOWING TO EXCEED WHEN OUT.
THE, UM, RATED AT 30 MINUTES FOR $50 MORE AND THE LAW ENFORCEMENT REQUEST TOW BE $150 PER REQUEST.
AND ALL THE OTHER FEES, I BELIEVE WE CAN LEAVE AS, AS, AS SUBMITTED.
IT WOULD BE THIS, IT WOULD BE THE, THE CHART HERE.
SO MR. HAMILTON'S MOTION IS TO APPROVE THE ORDINANCE WITH MODIFICATIONS.
THE MODIFICATIONS BEING ON THE CURRENT, ON THE NEW FEES.
THE LAW ENFORCEMENT REQUEST TO TOW WOULD NOT BE $200, IT WOULD BE $150 AND ON THE TOW EXCEEDING ONE HOUR INSTEAD OF $60 PER HALF HOUR, IT WOULD BE $50 PER HALF HOUR.
I THINK THAT THAT'S THE MOTION.
YOUR MOTION, THAT'S TO SUM IT UP VERY WELL.
A QUESTION QUICKLY, DIDN'T YOU ALSO, UH, MAKE A CHANGE, COUNCILMAN HAMILTON ABOUT THE DISABLED VEHICLE? OR YOU WERE SAYING KEEP IT AT 1 25? UH, WHAT IS DISABLED VEHICLE? UM, OH YEAH.
WELL, THAT PRICE WENT UP TO, HE REQUESTED THAT THEY, THEY, IT IS ALL AT $200 AS IT WAS, WAS RECOMMENDED.
SO THAT DISABLED VEHICLE NO LONGER EXISTS, RIGHT? THAT'S IN THE $200, WHICH IS WHICH NOW? WHICH
[01:15:01]
ISED TO ONE 50.SO IT WOULD GO FROM 1 25 TO ONE 50, RIGHT? EXCUSE ME, I MAY HAVE MISSED THE NUMBERS LAST MONTH WITH EVERYTHING Y'ALL HAVE SPOKE ON FOR THE LAST 20 MINUTES, BUT IT IS TOUGH TO EVEN UNDERSTAND WHAT Y'ALL EVEN TALKING ABOUT WHEN Y'ALL DON'T EVEN SHOW US THE NUMBERS.
Y'ALL SEE WHAT Y'ALL ARE TALKING ABOUT? WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT NUMBERS Y'ALL TALKING ABOUT.
WE KNOW THE DIFFERENCE IN WHAT Y'ALL EXPLAINING FAR TOWING AND THE OFFICERS AND REPRESENTING ONLY THE TOW COMPANIES FROM BLUFFING.
I UNDERSTAND ALL OF THAT PART, BUT Y'ALL ARE TALKING NUMBERS FROM LAST MONTH TO THIS MONTH, AND I JUST WANNA SEE WHAT YOU'RE VISUALLY TALKING ABOUT.
BUT WHY CAN'T IT BE ON THE SCREEN BEING 2024? THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE SCREEN.
IF THAT WOULD BE GREAT IN THE BEGINNING.
OKAY, LET'S STICK WITH OUR, UH, PLAN HERE ON THIS MOTION.
DO WE HAVE THIS STRAIGHT IN? EVERYBODY'S THE MOTION IS, IS IS ON THE FLOOR.
I'M A LITTLE UNEASY ABOUT, UM, RESTRICTING OUR, OUR OWN BUSINESSES TO, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT IS LIKE, IT'S LIKE THEY'RE, THEY'RE, BECAUSE THEY'RE IN THE TOWN OF TON, THEY HAVE TO WORK FOR LESS OF A PROFIT THAN IF THEY WERE IN THE COUNTY.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT THAT WOULD DO TO OUR ROTATION OR OUR DEPENDABILITY, BUT IF I WERE IN THE RECORD BUSINESS AND I GOT A CALL, LIKE I HAD A, A CHOICE OF CALLS WHERE I COULD GO TO BUFORT COUNTY JUST OUTSIDE OF OUR LIMITS AND, AND MAKE TWO 50 OR $300 OR WHATEVER IS ALLOWED TO BY THE COUNTY.
BUT IF THEY, IF THEY TAKE YOUR CALL OR OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT'S CALL, THEN THEY'RE RESTRICTED TO, UH, $150.
AND I DON'T LIKE TO BE A PART OF.
I THINK YOU MISS SETTING THOSE.
I THINK YOU'RE MISSING PERIMETERS.
YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU'RE MISSING THE POINT.
YOU NOT $25 IS WHAT Y'ALL SAYING, RIGHT? ISN'T THAT WHAT I HEARD YOU SAID 150 TERRY? YEAH, MR. MR. HAMILTON.
HUNDRED 50, $25 FUELS $4 IN SALT MCALLEN.
AND IT USED TO BE $2, YOU KNOW, JUST FIVE YEARS AGO.
SO, BUT WE WERE GONNA HAVE, IF WE WERE GONNA HAVE THAT CONVERSATION, LIKE IT'S ALWAYS GONNA BE A REQUEST.
EVERYONE'S GONNA ALWAYS WANNA MAXIMIZE PROFIT, SO IT'S NEVER GONNA BE REALLY A, A, A PERFECT SITUATION.
BUT I REMEMBER THE CONVERSATIONS FROM TWO OF THE COMPANIES THAT WE HAVE HERE.
UM, I DON'T REMEMBER IT BEING MUCH OPPOSITION IN TERMS OF PRICING BECAUSE WE WERE ACCEPTING ALL OF THE CHANGES THAT THEY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO WORKSHOP AND GET FEEDBACK ON.
THERE'S ONLY BEEN A MODIFICATION TO TWO INSTANCES.
UM, IT SEEMS THAT THE BIGGEST ONE WHERE THEY WERE NOT GETTING BACK OR RECOUPING FEES FOR THAT COLLISION, THEY'RE NOW GETTING A $300, UM, OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO RECOUP EXPENSES PAID FOR THAT.
MS. PI MEAN, I THINK MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS PROBABLY WHAT YOU ARE SAYING AS WELL.
UM, AND I JUST, ARE THE TOW COMPANIES GOING TO COME TO OUR CALLS? I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THEM OR THEY HAVE TO, THERE WILL BE NEW CONTRACTS ISSUED OUT.
FELICIA WILL WILL HANDLE THAT.
SO THEY'RE REQUIRED TO COME WHEN YOU CALL.
I BELIEVE THE CALL OUT IS WITHIN 15 TO 20 MINUTES, IS THE RESPONSE TIME.
AND MAYOR, I THINK YOUR COMMENT AS FAR AS THE INSURANCE COMPANY PAYING THE COST OF THE TOWING IS A VALID ONE.
UM, I MEAN, IF SOMEONE'S IN AN ACCIDENT, THEIR TOW COMPANY, I MEAN THEIR INSURANCE COMPANY IS GOING TO PAY, UM, RIGHT.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION.
I DID JUST REACH OUT TO AN INSURANCE.
I DON'T HAVE FULL COVERAGE PEOPLE.
WHAT ABOUT THE ONES THAT DON'T OWN AND HAVE OWN, RIGHT? I MEAN, YOU HAVE MORE PEOPLE THAT OWN CARS THAT DIDN'T FINANCE.
OKAY, WE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND.
[XI.2. Consideration of an Ordinance to Approve an Amendment to the Town of Bluffton Zoning Map to Rezone Certain Real Property Owned by Cornerstone Church of Bluffton and Lalie Ann Mole Consisting of Approximately 43.31 Acres, More or Less, Located at 11 Grassey Lane and 21 Lake Lane and identified as Beaufort County Tax Map Nos. R610 036 000 0014 0000 and R610 036 000 014B 0000 from PUD Zoning to a mix of Agricultural Zoning and Rural Mixed Use Zoning - First Reading - Kevin Icard, Director of Growth Management]
ALL.ALRIGHT, NEXT UP WE GOT CONSIDERATION
[01:20:01]
OF AN ORDINANCE TO APPROVE AN AMENDMENT TO THE TOWN OF LOVE, THE ZONING MAP TO REZONE CERTAIN REAL PROPERTY OWNED BY CORNERSTONE CHURCH OF BLUFFTON AND LA MO AND LA MO LO LO LO MO CONSISTING OF APPROXIMATELY 43.31 ACRES, MORE OR LESS, LOCATED AT 11 GRASSY LANE AND 21 LAKE LANE ROAD.AND IDENTIFIED THAT, UH, BUFORD COUNTY TAX MOUNTAIN NUMBER R 6 1 0 0 3, 6 0 0 0 0 0 1, 4, 0, 0, 0 0.
AND R 6 1, 0 0 3, 6, 0 0 0 0 1 4 B 0 0, 0 0.
FROM PLAN UNIT DEVELOPMENT ZONING TO AGRICULTURE AND RULE EXCUSE ZONING.
MR. KEVIN? I PARDON? GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
UM, WE ARE HERE THIS EVENING FOR RE ZONING REQUEST, AS YOU JUST STATED FOR, UH, CORNERSTONE CHURCH AND MISS, UH, LOLLY MO FOR THE PROPERTIES, UH, AS YOU REFERENCED IS APPROXIMATELY 43 ACRES.
UH, THIS IS FORMALLY KNOWN AS MINDSTREAM ACADEMY ACADEMY.
IT WAS A, UH, PLANT UNIT DEVELOPMENT.
UM, UH, JUST SO YOU KNOW, FROM A PROJECT LOCATION, YOU CAN SEE THE PROPERTY HERE IS LOCATED OFF HIGHWAY 46, UH, CLOSE TO THE TRAFFIC CIRCLE OF ONE 70.
UH, JUST SO YOU CAN SAY FROM AN AERIAL STANDPOINT, UH, THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED ALSO ADJACENT TO THE LANDINGS, UM, AT NEW RIVERSIDE.
UH, THAT'S THE PROPERTY TO THE WEST.
UM, SO SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION, JUST AS I STATED, UH, THIS PROPERTY, UH, WHEN IT WAS INITIALLY DEVELOPED WAS, UM, UNDER THE, UH, BUFORT COUNTY DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS CODES, THE CDSO AS WE REFER TO IT, UH, THE SITE ITSELF, UH, CONTAINS APPROXIMATELY 98,000 SQUARE FEET OF BUILDING, OF EQUESTRIAN CENTER DORMITORY MAIN FACILITY IN CLASSROOMS. UM, I PUT THAT 52,000 SQUARE FEET IN THERE, JUST TO GIVE YOU A REFERENCE POINT THAT THE, THE OPEN AIR RIDING STABLE, UM, THE EQUESTRIAN PART IS APPROXIMATELY 52,000 SQUARE FEET.
SO, UH, WHEN YOU SEE THAT 98,000 SQUARE FEET, YOU THINK THAT'S A REALLY LARGE NUMBER.
UH, BUT IN AN ACTUALITY, 52, UM, THOUSAND SQUARE FEET OF THAT IS THAT OPEN AREA CURRENTLY.
UM, TOWN COUNCIL APPROVED THE REQUEST, UH, FOR THE ZEN MAP AMENDMENT IN 2011, UH, TO CREATE THE MINDSTREAM ACADEMY.
UM, AS WELL AS, UM, EXCUSE ME, UH, IT WAS ANNEXED INTO THE TOWN, UH, IT'S SHOWN ON HERE, BUT IN 2010, UH, AND IT WAS FOR THE, THE WRITING FACILITY THAT'S CURRENTLY OUT THERE NOW, UM, THIS PRO UH, UH, PROJECT DID GO TO PLANNING COMMISSION, UM, AND A WORKSHOP IN FEBRUARY.
UH, AND WE ALSO HAD IT IN FRONT OF, UM, PLANNING COMMISSION IN MARCH.
UH, FOR RECOMMENDATION TO YOU, UH, AGAIN, THE EXISTING D ZONING HERE IS THE PUD.
UM, WHAT I WANTED TO KIND OF FOCUS ON THIS IS THE, THE EXISTING PLAN LAYOUT.
UM, THE AREAS THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN THAT C PHONE, I'LL CALL IT C PHONE, UM, IS AREAS THAT ARE ALLOWED FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT.
SO CURRENTLY THE, THE ISSUE IS, IS THAT THE SITE, UM, HAS REQUIREMENTS UNDER THAT CURRENT PUD, WHICH LIMITS THE AMOUNT OF DEVELOPMENT THAT CAN HAPPEN IN PHASE ONE.
YOU'LL SEE PHASE ONE IS THAT TAN COLOR.
THAT'S CURRENTLY WHERE THE, ALL OF THE BUILDINGS IN THE POND IS LOCATED, BUT FUTURE DEVELOPMENT IS ALLOWED, UM, IN THAT PHASE TWO.
UH, THE APPLICANT, WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING TO DO IS COME IN, THEY WOULD LIKE TO REZONE THIS PROPERTY, DOWNONE IT.
UM, AND I, I KNOW PEOPLE ALWAYS ARE, UH, CONCERNED WITH THE REZONING THAT IT'S AN UP ZONING.
THIS IS ACTUALLY A DOWN ZONING.
UH, SO THE PROPERTY IN GREEN REPRESENTS, UH, MS. MO'S PROPERTY, UH, WHICH IS A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE.
UH, AS WELL AS THE DEVELOPMENTS OUT THERE, THAT'S THE 34 ACRES.
UH, THEY'RE REQUESTING TO ZONE THIS TO AGRICULTURAL, WHICH IS LESS LISTED IN OUR, UM, UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE.
AND IN THAT FRONT SEVEN ACRES WOULD BE THAT RURAL MIXED USE CATEGORY.
SO HERE, JUST WANTED TO SHOW, THIS IS A REPRESENTATION OF THE AREA UNDER CURRENT ZONING, UH, OF DEVELOPMENT WHERE DEVELOPMENT IS ALLOWED.
SO THE, UM, THE IMAGE ON THE LEFT, UH, SHOWS CURRENT WHERE, UH, FUTURE DEVELOPMENT COULD HAPPEN.
UM, AS, AS OF RIGHT NOW, AN APPLICANT COULD COME IN WITH A DEVELOPMENT PLAN, UM, AS LONG AS THEY'VE MET ALL OF THE CODE REQUIREMENTS, UH, THEY COULD DEVELOP IN THOSE SITES.
UH, WHAT THE APPLICANT IS NOW PROPOSING IS THAT THAT ENTIRE GREEN AREA WOULD BE THAT AGRICULTURAL USE.
CURRENTLY, THEY'RE PROPOSING TO USE IT FOR CHURCH, CHURCH, UH, FUNCTIONS.
HOWEVER, I ALSO JUST TO REMIND YOU FROM THIS IS THE REZONING PROCESS.
SO, UH, WHEN I SHOW YOU THE TABLE HERE, ANY USE THAT IS ALLOWED IN THAT AGRICULTURAL USE WOULD BE ALLOWED ON THIS PROPERTY.
NOW GRANTED IT IS FOR A CHURCH, BUT YOU ALSO, YOU ALSO HAVE TO KEEP THAT IN YOUR MIND THAT WHEN YOU REZONE THAT UNDERLYING THE, THE, THE ZONING DISTRICT, ANY USE THAT'S LISTED IN THAT DISTRICT COULD BE ALLOWED.
SO WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT AN UP ZONING.
[01:25:01]
UM, IN THIS CASE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A A DOWN ZONING.AND WHAT WE'VE DONE IS A COMPARISON HERE UNDER WHAT WAS PROPOSED IN THE COUNTY.
UH, IT HAD THE T THREE EDGE, THE T TWO RURAL CENTER, AS WELL AS THE T TWO RURAL.
AND THEN THE INTENSITY LEVEL, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'RE GOING FROM WHAT WAS THE HIGHER, HIGHER INTENSITY DOWN HERE AT THE BOTTOM.
UM, LIKE OUR, FOR US, THE LIGHT INDUSTRIAL IS OUR HIGHEST INTENSITY THAT WE ALLOWED, UH, IN OUR UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE TO THE LOWEST, WHICH IS THAT AGRICULTURAL.
AND THEN ULTIMATELY PRESERVE IS THE ABSOLUTE LOWEST THAT WE HAVE.
SO FROM A, UM, USE THAT YOU CAN SEE THE DISTRICT, UM, CHARACTERISTICS, UM, THAT TYPICALLY IT'S VERY, VERY LOW DENSITY.
AND THEN, UH, AGRICULTURAL TYPE U USES, UH, AS PER THAT RURAL MIX USE.
UH, AGAIN, LOW IN, UH, LOW INTENSITY, UH, MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT.
AND IT IS BASED OFF OF OUR LOT TYPES THAT WAS PROVIDED IN YOUR STAFF REPORT.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO GO INTO IT.
IF IT DOES GET INTO THE, THE COMPLEXITY OF THE LOT HEIGHTS THAT ARE ALLOWED, THAT RURAL MIXED USE, UM, ALLOWS FOR SMALLER LOTS AND IS MEANT TO PROVIDE FOR SMALLER BUILDINGS.
SO IT IS NOT AS AN INTENSE, UM, DEVELOPMENT THAT WOULD HAPPEN.
AS FOR THE PRESENTATION OF THE, THE USE TABLE HERE, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE HAVE ALL OF THESE USES LISTED, AND THIS IS ALL IN THE STAFF REPORT AS ONE OF THE ATTACHMENTS.
SO, UM, THE USES THAT ARE SHOWN IN RED ARE USES THAT ARE CURRENTLY ALLOWED UNDER THAT, UH, MINDSTREAM PUD, UH, DISTRICT.
UM, AND THEN THEY WILL NO LONGER BE ALLOWED IF, UH, THE PRO IF THE RECENT GOES THROUGH FOR THAT AGRICULTURAL AND RURAL MIXED USE.
THERE ARE A FEW ITEMS THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN GREEN THAT ARE NEW.
UM, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT, UH, YOU'RE LOOKING AT MUSEUMS, UH, SHORT TERM RENTAL, UH, THAT'S CURRENTLY, UM, ALLOWED IN ALL OF THE DISTRICTS THAT WE HAVE.
UM, ANY, UH, SOME OTHER ONES WOULD BE THE HOMESTEAD AND INN.
UM, AND THEN, UM, IN THE RURAL MIXED USE, THAT SINGLE FAMILY ATTACHED, UM, WOULD BE ALLOWED.
AND THAT'S SEVEN ACRES TOWARDS THE TOP.
SO AGAIN, UH, THIS WENT TO PLANNING COMMISSION MARCH, UH, THIS PAST YEAR.
UM, THEY, UH, RECOMMENDED, UH, APPROVAL OF THIS.
UH, THE ZONING CRITERIA ARE LISTED IN YOUR STAFF REPORT.
UH, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO GO THROUGH THEM.
THEY'RE, UM, THEY'RE, EVERYTHING WAS MET AND THIS EVENING YOU HAVE THE, UH, AUTHORITY TO APPROVE THE APPLICATION AS SUBMITTED OR TO DENY THE APPLICATION.
FROM A NEXT STEP STANDPOINT, UH, THIS IS FIRST READING.
THIS WILL COME BACK TO YOU WITH A PUBLIC HEARING, SECOND AND FINAL READING AT THE MAY MEETING.
WITH THAT, I'M HA HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UH, THE APPLICANT IS HERE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THEM AS WELL.
UM, MR. MARTIN, ANYTHING? UM, NO QUESTIONS.
I, UM, I SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH THE, THE COMMUNITY MEETING, THE CHURCH HELD LAST NIGHT FOR THEIR NEIGHBORS.
UM, READ ALL THE EMAILS THAT WERE SENT TO THE TOWN.
UM, AND I JUST THINK THERE WAS A LOT OF MISINFORMATION ALONG WITH, ON THE INTERNET.
I THINK IT'S, UM, I THINK THEY EXPLAINED IT WELL, UM, IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THAT THIS TRULY IS A ZONING REQUEST.
UM, AND NOTHING WITH THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN THAT THAT'LL COME.
UM, NEXT, THAT MEANS THAT WHEN THIS SAYS GET TO THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN, UM, I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE THE CHURCH TO CONTINUE TO THINK ABOUT, I FEEL LIKE Y'ALL HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB, BUT WHAT WOULD YOU WANT IF YOU LIVED ON WHEELHOUSE WAY ON THE PROPERTY RIGHT NEXT TO IT? UM, AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT YOU WOULD KEEP ALL THE TREES, IF NOT MOST OF 'EM, THAT YOU WOULD HAVE THE PARKING, UM, NOT NEXT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THAT YOU WOULD BE RESPECTFUL AND THOUGHTFUL WITH YOUR LIGHTING PLAN.
BUT OVERALL, UM, THIS DOES REDUCE POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT AND THEREFORE I SEE THIS AS A PLUS FOR THE TANK, UM, IN NOVEMBER.
YEAH, I DO HAVE A QUESTION, KEVIN.
UM, IF YOU COULD GO BACK UP TO THE CHART THAT YOU HAD IN TERMS OF ALLOWABLE USES.
UM, SO MY QUESTION IS, I KNOW THAT, UH, WITH THE ACREAGE THAT'S THERE, THEY'RE GOING FROM A PUD DESIGNATION OR REQUEST FROM PUD TO AG AND, UH, ROMAN USE AFTER THE CHURCH IS BUILT.
UM, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE POTENTIAL OR ALLOWABLE USES THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO, UM, CONSTRUCT ON THAT PROPERTY IN THE DESIRED? ON, ON THE, THE, THE GREEN, THE CHURCH PORTION OR THE REDISH PORTION? I KNOW THE TOTAL ACREAGE IN OUR PACKETS AT 48, AND I KNOW THEY HAVE, UM, I GUESS THE 34.2 IS WHAT THEIR, WHERE THE CHURCH ITSELF WILL BE LOCATED.
SO IN THAT AGRICULTURE, UH, DISTRICT, THEY'LL HAVE THE APPROVAL TO CONSTRUCT A CHURCH, CORRECT.
[01:30:01]
SO IN ADDITION TO THAT, WHAT WOULD BE THE OTHER ALLOW USES? 'CAUSE IT WON'T TAKE THE 30, HOWEVER MANY ACRES TO BUILD A CHURCH.WHAT ELSE WOULD THEY BE ALLOWED TO BUILD IF THEY WERE ABLE TO CHANGE THAT ZONING? I'M JUST TRYING TO GET AN IDEA OF WHAT FUTURE USES WOULD BE ALLOWED THERE FOR THOSE WHO MIGHT BE.
ONE, UM, IS THE, YOU HAVE THE EXISTING WRITING STABLE THAT'S THERE.
UH, SO THAT'S THE OPEN AIR PORTION OF THE BUILDING.
THEIR INTENT, MY UNDERSTANDING IS TO ENCLOSE A PORTION OF THAT TO USE FOR THEIR SANCTUARY.
UH, AND THEN THE, YES, THE REST OF THAT WOULD BE OPEN HERE.
BUT AS FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT, TWO THINGS.
ONE, I'LL REFER TO THE, THE USES THAT ARE LISTED HERE.
SO ANY OF THE USES WHERE YOU SEE THAT CATEGORY OF AG, THAT'S THAT AGRICULTURAL MM-HMM,
UM, IF IT SAYS A P, THAT MEANS THAT THAT USE WOULD BE PERMITTED BY, RIGHT? UH, IF THERE'S A C THERE'S A CONDITION THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
IF IT SAYS SE, WHICH I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY OF 'EM THERE, THAT'S A SPECIAL EXEMPTION.
AND IF THERE'S A DASH LINE, THAT MEANS THAT IT'S NOT ALLOWED.
SO, UM, FROM OUR STANDPOINT, FROM THE TOWN'S PERSPECTIVE, WE USE THIS TABLE TO THEN DETERMINE THE USES THAT ARE ALLOWED.
NOW, I THINK MAYBE YOUR QUESTION IS WHAT ARE THE, UM, WHAT IS THE CHURCH'S GOAL WITH THE REST OF THE PROPERTY? THAT IS A QUESTION FOR THE CHURCH.
AND I WOULD JUST RESPECTFULLY ASK NO, THAT MY QUESTION WASN'T WHAT THEIR GOAL IS.
'CAUSE AS WE'RE HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS ON THE PUBLIC WATCHES, FOR THOSE WHO MIGHT BE UNFAMILIAR WITH THAT DESIGNATION CHANGE FROM A PUD TO AGRICULTURAL OR, UM, RURAL MIXED USE, I JUST WANTED TO ASK THAT QUESTION.
FOR THOSE LIKE MYSELF WHO MIGHT BE CURIOUS TO KNOW OUTSIDE OF A CHURCH, WHAT ELSE WOULD THEY BE ALLOWED TO, UM, TO DO ANY? I'LL KIND OF JUST RUN THROUGH A FEW OF 'EM.
SO, UH, LIKE ONE WHERE IT'S A SINGLE FAMILY DETACHED, SO THAT WOULD BE ALLOWED.
HOWEVER, IT IS ONE UNIT PER ACRE, SO IT'S AN ACRE LOT.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S A VERY LARGE LOT, UM, AGRICULTURAL USES, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE COULD BE A FARM, UH, OF SOME SORT.
UM, IT COULD BE ORION SCHOOL, WHICH IT WAS AT ONE POINT.
UM, SOME OUTDOOR SALES THAT WOULD BE, UH, YOU KNOW, YOUR, YOUR PUMPKIN SALES, YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE SALES, THINGS LIKE THAT.
UH, KIND OF GOING DOWN THAT LIST.
A, A SHORT TERM RENTAL, AGAIN, THAT'S PART OF THAT SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE.
IF YOU HAD A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE, YOU COULD THEN RENT IT OUT AS A SHORT TERM RENTAL, BUT YOU STILL CAN ONLY HAVE ONE HOUSE PER ACRE.
UH, A HOME OCCUPATION, IF YOU WORK FROM HOME, UH, YOU HAD A BUSINESS, YOU'D BE ALLOWED TO DO THAT.
AGAIN, THAT'S IN YOUR SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE.
UM, YOU COULD HAVE A SMALL, UH, DAYCARE.
YOU COULD HAVE A, UM, MEDIUM-SIZED DAYCARE OR POTENTIALLY A A A LARGE DAYCARE SAYS 13 AND OVER.
UH, OBVIOUSLY THAT'S REGULATED THROUGH DEC AS WELL.
UM, OTHER ITEMS INCLUDE, UM, A NURSING HOME, UM, HAVE, UH, A CAMPGROUND, UH, A GOLF COURSE, UH, RECREATIONAL FACILITIES, AND THAT'S CONDITIONAL, UH, DEPENDING ON WHAT THE CONDITIONS ARE LISTED.
UM, CEMETERY, UM, A GOVERNMENT BUILDING PARKS MUSEUM, UH, RELIGIOUS ASSEMBLY, A SCHOOL UTILITIES, UH, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ALLOWED THROUGHOUT ALL DISTRICTS.
THIS IS AT A RESEARCH LABORATORY, WHICH, UM, IS VERY GENERIC
BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, EVERYTHING ELSE IS ROUGHLY NOT ALLOWED.
UM, OR JUST THE CONDITIONAL ONES THAT I DID NOT DISCUSS.
YEAH, I JUST, AGAIN, IT'S A DOWNSIZING DOWN ZONING.
UM, AND IF THEY WERE GONNA DO SOME OF THE PERMITTED USES, THEY WOULD'VE TO BE CAREFUL WHAT THEY DO BECAUSE IF THEY GO COMMERCIAL WISE, FOR EXAMPLE, TRYING TO MAKE MONEY, THAT WOULD PLAY INTO WHAT THEY DO AS A CHURCH, WOULD IT NOT TO TRY TO HAVE BUSINESS ACTIVITY THERE OF SOME KIND OUTSIDE THE BOUNDS OF THEIR NONPROFIT STATUS.
UH, I'M NOT SURE WHAT, WHAT'S THE, CAN YOU REPEAT THAT QUESTION? WELL, AGAIN, LIKE, IF THEY WANTED TO PUT, WHERE DID I SEE IT? UM, LET'S SEE.
IF THEY WANTED A COMMERCIAL CHILDCARE CENTER, FOR EXAMPLE, YES.
WOULD THAT STILL FALL UNDER BUSINESS OR WOULD THAT FALL UNDER THEIR NONPROFIT STATUS? THAT WOULD FALL, UH, MY, MY UNDERSTANDING IT FALLS UNDER THE, THE CHURCH'S STATUS.
I BELIEVE THAT CHURCHES ARE ALLOWED TO HAVE THE DAYCARE CENTERS.
UM, AGAIN, THAT WOULD BE A QUESTION FOR, FOR THE APPLICANT, IF, YOU KNOW, IF THAT'S ONE OF THEIR PROGRAMS THAT THEY DO.
UM, I KNOW A LOT OF CHURCHES AROUND HERE DO HAVE CHILDCARE PROGRAMS, UM, WHICH TYPICALLY YOUR CHURCH SERVICE AND YOUR CHILDCARE IS NOT HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME.
UH, SO FROM A, AN IMPACT OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE THERE, UH, IT, IT WOULD NOT BE AT THE SAME TIME MINUS, YOU KNOW, KIDS' CHURCH.
AND THEN THE ONLY OTHER COMMENT, UM, TO WHAT, UM, COUNCIL WOMAN, UM, EMILY WAS TALKING ABOUT
[01:35:01]
IS THE, THE ROAD I BELIEVE IS OWNED BY THE CHURCH MOTO DRIVE.AND SO THAT BUFFER THAT EVERYBODY'S CONCERNED ABOUT IS RATHER KIND OF THIN IN SOME PLACES.
IS THAT CORRECT? UH, THERE IS A BUFFER.
MY UNDERSTANDING, THERE'S A BUFFER FOR THE LANDINGS.
SO THE LANDINGS IS, IS IN A ITS OWN PLANT UNIT DEVELOPMENT.
AND A REQUIREMENT IS THAT THEY'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE A 50 FOOT BUFFER ON THEIR PORTION.
UM, AS FOR, UH, THE CHURCH, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS DURING THAT DEVELOPMENT PLAN REVIEW PROCESS, WE WOULD LOOK AT, UM, WHERE, UM, WHERE DEVELOPMENT'S GONNA OCCUR, UM, WHAT TYPE OF BUFFERS THAT WE COULD PUT IN PLACE.
UH, WE WOULD HAVE TO WORK WITH THE EXISTING ROADWAY.
SO THAT MIGHT MEAN THAT THE ROAD AS IT IS STAYS THERE.
AND THEN WE PUT THE BUFFER ON THE, ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD TO THEN LESSEN THE IMPACT FOR DEVELOPMENT.
I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT THEY, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT WAS THEIR BUFFER.
AND WE WOULD WORK THROUGH THAT AS WELL AS THE LIGHTING, UH, THROUGH THAT DEVELOPMENT PLAN PROCESS.
ANY, UH, ANYTHING ELSE FROM COUNSEL? OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION HERE.
I RECOMMEND TO APPROVE THE REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE TOWN OF LEFT AN OFFICIAL ZONING MAP TO REZONED TWO PARCELS FROM PLAN UNIT DEVELOPMENT TO AGRICULTURE AND RURAL MIXED USE.
THE SUBJECT PARCELS CONSIST OF APPROXIMATELY 43.31 ACRES AND ARE IDENTIFIED BY TAX MAPS.
R 6 1, 0 0 3, 6, 0 0 0, 0, 0 1, 4, 0, 0, 0 0.
AND R 6, 10 0 3, 6, 0, 0, 0, 0 1, 4 P 0, 0, 0, 0.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
DID WE SEE ARIEL COME IN? SHE HU SHE CAME, SHE WAS IN, BUT SHE, OKAY.
[XI.3. Consideration of an Ordinance to Amend Certain Sections of the Town of Bluffton’s Municipal Code of Ordinances, Chapter 23, Unified Development Ordinance, Article 5 – Design Standards, Sec. 5.4 (Wetlands) and Sec. 5.10 (Stormwater); and, Article 9 – Definitions and Interpretations, Sec. 9.2 (Defined Terms). First Reading - Kevin Icard, Director of Growth Management]
ON ON HERE.WE GOT CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE, ORDINANCE TO AMEND CERTAIN SECTIONS OF THE TOWNS OF TON'S.
MUNICIPAL CODE ORDINANCE CHAPTER 23 FOR UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE, ARTICLE FIVE, DESIGN STANDARDS SECTION 5.4, WETLANDS SECTION 5.10 STORM WATER IN ARTICLE NINE, DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATIONS SECTION 9.2 DEFINED TERMS. KEVIN IS BACK UP HERE.
UM, AS YOU REMEMBER, AT THE UM, MARCH TOWN COUNCIL MEETING, WE HELD A, UM, A WORKSHOP, UH, TO DISCUSS MULTIPLE ITEMS. ONE OF THEM WAS THE WETLANDS BUFFER THAT WE REFERRED TO.
UM, I, I WON'T GO INTO TOO MUCH OF THE BACKGROUND, BUT AS WE STATED BEFORE THAT THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT PREVIOUSLY WAS, UH, A, A FEDERAL REQUIREMENT THAT THE STATES, UH, USED IN, IN ORDER TO DETERMINE, UM, BUFFERING FOR WETLANDS AND THEN JUST THE, THE IMPACTS ON WETLANDS.
UM, SO WITH THESE CHANGES, UM, THE, THE STATE IS NOW, UH, RESPONSIBLE STATE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR, FOR MAKING DETERMINATIONS.
UH, AGAIN, WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS A, A TEMPORARY FIX.
UM, WHILE OUR WATERSHED MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT IS GOING TO WORK ON A, A MORE COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH, UM, TO THE, UM, TO BUFFER REQUIREMENTS AROUND WETLANDS.
UM, SO WITH THAT, UM, THE ITEMS THAT WE REFERRED TO AS DEALING WITH WET WETLANDS WAS THE, UM, WE PROVIDED A CROSS REFERENCE, UH, IN OUR STORM WATER, UM, SECTION, UM, TO TALK ABOUT, UH, HOW, UH, SECTION 5.4 UH, RELATES TO, TO FIVE POINT 10.
UM, ALSO THE NEW SECTION WILL REQUIRE THAT 25 FOOT MINIMUM UNDISTURBED, UH, BUFFER, UH, AGAINST THE WETLAND BOUNDARIES.
AND THEN THE DEFINITION OF WETLANDS.
UM, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT IN THE PAST, AND I I'VE ACTUALLY REACHED OUT TO ENGINEERS AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANTS.
SO WHAT'S IN YOUR PACKET, UH, WAS UPDATED FROM, UM, WHAT WAS IN FRONT OF, UH, PLANNING COMMISSION.
SO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, THEY DIDN'T MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE, AND GIMME A SECOND HERE, I THINK, I'M SORRY, I FORGOT TO PUT IT IN HERE.
BUT WHAT THEY DID WAS THEY ASKED THAT, UM, THAT THEY PROVIDED, UM, NOT ONLY JUST USING THE WETLANDS INVENTORY, UM, MAP THAT WE HAVE, BUT TO ALSO ALLOW FOR, UH, LIKE FOR A SURVEYOR TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO DELINEATE WHERE WETLANDS ARE LOCATED.
UH, SO WHAT WE DID WAS WE TOOK A STEP FURTHER TO STATE, UM, THAT YOU COULD HAVE, UM, YOU COULD USE A NATIONAL WETLANDS INVENTORY, UM, OR A WETLAND EXHIBIT PREPARED BY, CERTIFIED
[01:40:01]
BY, UH, AS ACCURATE BY A PROFESSIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT, UH, WHICH WOULD BE WITHIN 12 MONTHS OF THE DATE OF THE APPLICATION OR SET OF DRAWINGS SEALED BY THE REGISTERED, UH, LAND SURVEYOR, WHICH IS DATED WITHIN 12 MONTHS OF THAT APPLICATION.WHAT THAT DOES, UM, IT GIVES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOMEONE TO EITHER USE THE WETLANDS INVENTORY MAP OR TO USE A CONSULTANT, UH, TO, TO PROVIDE A MORE ACCURATE, UH, WETLANDS IF THEY BELIEVE THAT IT IS INCORRECT FROM THAT WETLANDS MAP.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE SOME PROVISIONS IN THERE THAT, UM, UH, THAT ALLOWS FOR SOME FLEXIBILITY FOR UTILITIES, UM, IF THEY NEEDED TO GO INTO THE BUFFER, UM, AND OR THE WETLANDS, WHICH IS NOT INCONSISTENT OF HAPPENING THROUGH DEVELOPMENT, UM, THAT THERE IS FLEXIBILITIES THAT ALLOWS THE UDO ADMINISTRATOR TO REVIEW THAT TO DETERMINE IF IT IS ACCEPTABLE.
UM, SO WE HAVE THOSE IN THERE.
UH, I KNOW THAT YOU HAD A QUESTION SPECIFICALLY ABOUT WETLANDS.
UM, I HAD NOTHING ELSE THAT DOES MEET ALL OF OUR REVIEW CRITERIA, UH, THIS EVENING.
YOU COULD, THIS IS FIRST READING, SO YOU CAN APPROVE THE APPLICATION AS SUBMITTED, APPROVE IT WITH AMENDMENTS OR TO DENY THE APPLICATION.
UM, AND THEN AGAIN, THIS IS THE FIRST READING THIS EVENING.
WE'LL BE BACK IN FRONT OF YOU FOR OUR SECOND FINAL PUBLIC HEARING AT THE MAIN MEETING, AND I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
SEE MY QUESTION, KEVIN, ON THIS ISSUE, UM, THE CURRENT, UH, OR THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT HERE, IS THIS APPLICABLE TO ALL LOT SIZES OR, UH, LOT SIZES THAT EXCEED A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF ACRES? IT, IT IS FOR, IT'S FOR ALL, ALL, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE LOT SIZE AS IT IS WHERE WETLANDS ARE LOCATED.
SO, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, IF YOU USE A A SQUARE BOX AND A WETLAND IS TAKING UP A, A LARGE PORTION OF IT, THERE WOULD STILL BE A BUFFER AROUND THAT PORTION OF THE WETLAND.
UM, AGAIN, WE TALK ABOUT FLEXIBILITY OF ALLOWING FOR CERTAIN UTILITIES IN THERE.
UM, IF IT DEEMED SOMEONE THAT WAS JUST COMPLETELY, UM, YOU KNOW, COULDN'T, UH, BUILD BASED OFF OF THESE REQUIREMENTS, WE HAVE A VARIANCE PROCESS THAT THEY COULD GO THROUGH.
UH, AND IF THEY DETERMINE THAT THERE IS A HARDSHIP, UM, WHICH, YOU KNOW, IF A BUFFER, UM, THAT'S IMPOSED ON SOMETHING LIKE THIS, UH, IS DETERMINED IT'S A HARDSHIP, THEN IT'S A POSSIBILITY THAT, THAT THEY COULD RECEIVE, UH, ENCROACHMENTS INTO THAT BUFFER.
UM, BUT THAT'S ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS AND IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT FOR US TO CATER AN ORDINANCE TO ONE SPECIFIC PROPERTY.
AND I'LL ASK THAT ONLY BECAUSE, UM, SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP FROM THE LAST TIME, UM, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT AND I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT WE ARE GETTING AHEAD OF TRYING TO CREATE OUR OWN PROTECTIONS AROUND WETLANDS.
UM, PARTICULARLY AS IT AFFECTS AREAS THAT ARE IN OUR GENERAL RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT, UM, PARTICULARLY AS, SAY THAT FOUND
BUT, UM, GETTING AHEAD OF THIS IS, IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US BECAUSE EVEN IN THE, THE SLIGHTEST OF BRAINSTORMS, THOSE WHO ARE BUILDING UP PROPERTIES THAT ARE WETLANDS THAT SHOULDN'T BE BUILT UP, IT LEAVES THOSE AROUND THEM YARDS LIKE PONDS.
AND SO WE NEED TO HAVE PROTECTIONS IN PLACE THAT KIND OF DETER THAT FROM HAPPENING, BUT GIVE, UH, THOSE RESIDENTS WHO ARE AFFECTED BY THAT, THOSE TYPE OF PROTECTIONS TOO.
UM, SO WITH THAT COMMENT, I WANTED TO ALSO, UM, ASK, I DON'T KNOW IF WE DO HAVE IT.
I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST US LOOK INTO IT IF WE DON'T.
UM, BUT DO WE HAVE A MAP IN FOR THE TOWN OF TON LIMITS WHERE WETLANDS EXISTS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO KIND OF MONITOR WHEN PEOPLE MAY, TRYING TO CIRCUMVENT WHATEVER OUR PROCESSES ARE AND BUILDING UP ON SOMETHING THAT IS A KNOWN WETLAND, BUT IF THEY'RE SNEAKING IN AT NIGHT AND LIKE PILING UP DIRT AND SAYING, WELL NO IT'S NOT, HOW ARE WE ABLE TO KIND GAUGE WHETHER IT IS OR ISN'T? SO THE, THE NATIONAL WETLANDS INVENTORY MAP, IT, IT IS A LIVING DOCUMENT BECAUSE WETLANDS DO, THEY DO MOVE.
UM, SO WE WOULD USE THAT MAP, WE WOULD CROSS REFERENCE IT WITH JUST LIKE VISUALS.
LIKE IF WE GO OUT THERE AND WE START SEEING THAT DEVELOPMENTS HAPPENING, UH, WE'LL BE ABLE TO THEN DETERMINE AND, AND WE CAN TAKE IT THAT EXTRA STEP TO LOOK TO DETERMINE IS THAT AREA A WETLAND? UM, OUR, OUR, UH, WATERSHED MANAGEMENT, UH, STAFF, UM, THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO THEN KIND OF JUST EYEBALL IT TO START WITH.
AND THEN IF WE NEED TO, WE CAN, UH, HAVE A SURVEYOR OR A, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT TO COME OUT TO ASSIST US TO, TO OFFICIALLY DELINEATE WHERE THAT WEAPON IS LOCATED AND THEN TAKE THE NECESSARY STEPS, UH, OF ENFORCEMENT FROM THAT.
SO WE HAVE THE NATIONAL, UM, MAP.
I'M ASKING HAVE WE USED THAT MAP TO IDENTIFY JUST LIKE WE KNOW ALL THE CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURES THAT EXIST.
HAVE WE USED THAT MAP TO IDENTIFY WHAT THE EXISTING WETLANDS IN IN LUPTON ARM? WE, WE DO.
AND THEN WE ALSO RELY ON SURVEYORS WHEN THEY'RE, UH, MAKING THEIR SURVEYS THAT THEY, UM, IF THEY HAVE A, A SPECIFIC PORTION OF PROPERTY, THEY WILL SHOW THE WETLANDS AS WELL.
[01:45:01]
DOCUMENTS.ANY QUESTIONS? THERE'S A MOTION ON TABLE THERE'S ANYBODY INTERESTED IN MAKING.
I'M MOVED TO APPROVE YOUR MINUTES THIS TIME LEFT IN CODE COORDINATE THIS CHAPTER 23 UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE INCLUDING ARTICLE FIVE DESIGN STANDARDS SECTION 5.4 WETLANDS AND SECTION 5.10 STORMWATER AND ARTICLE NINE, DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION SECTION 9.2 DEFINED TERMS AS RECOMMENDED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION WITH STAFF REVISIONS, IONS.
[XI.4. Approval to Authorize a Task Authorization to J. Bragg Consulting, Inc. for Engineering Services related to the Comprehensive Drainage Plan Improvements Project (Fiscal Impact: $231,107.04) - Kimberly Washok-Jones, Director of Projects and Watershed Resilience]
WE ARE APPROVAL TO AUTHORIZE A TA TASK AUTHORIZATION TO J BRAG CONSULTING INC.FOR ENGINEERING SERVICES RELATED TO THE COMPREHENSIVE DRAINAGE PLAN IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT PHYSICAL IMPACT $231,107 AND 4 CENTS.
HELLO SIR MAYOR WITH SOME INDULGENCE FROM YOU.
I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ADDRESS COUNSEL AND EXECUTIVE STAFF AND MY TEAM DIRECTLY.
IT'S BEEN ABOUT SIX MONTHS, IN FACT SINCE I'VE STOOD BEFORE YOU AS I'VE BEEN THROUGH A LONG RECOVERY AND CONTINUE A LONG RECOVERY FROM A TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY FROM AN ACCIDENT IN OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR.
AND SO I, I WANTED TO SAY THAT IT HAS BEEN AN ABSOLUTE PLEASURE TO WORK FOR THE TOWN AND ACCOMMODATIONS FROM COUNCIL FROM MY MANAGER HEATHER HOLLAND AND TOWN MANAGER STEVEN SEAS, TO MY TEAM WHO IS HERE TO SUPPORT ME THIS EVENING AND ESPECIALLY MY DIVISION MANAGERS, PAT ROONEY AND BILL BAUER, WHO HAVE KEPT EVERYTHING MOVING FORWARD FOR SIX MONTHS IN MY ABSENCE.
I'M VERY, VERY THANKFUL FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU AND YOUR SUPPORT.
UM, I ALSO WANNA SAY FORTU, THIS, IT'S APRIL 9TH.
IT IS AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE TO SERVE 17 YEARS FOR THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON.
TODAY IS MY ANNIVERSARY, SO THANK YOU.
UM, AND I'LL WRAP IT UP 'CAUSE I, BETWEEN YOU AND CONSENT AND I DO REMEMBER THAT, UH, I DO APPRECIATE THE LOVE AND SUPPORT FROM ALL MY TEAMMATES AND THIS IS WHY EVERYBODY LOVES WORKING FOR THE TOWN OF LUPTON.
IT TRULY IS YOUR WORK FAMILY AND I COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT EVERYONE'S SUPPORT.
WITH NO FURTHER ADO, I'M STANDING BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING BRINGING FORWARD A FISCAL IMPACT PROJECT OF $231,107 AND 4 CENTS AND ASKING YOU TO PLEASE AUTHORIZE THE TOWN MANAGER TO ISSUE A TASK AUTHORIZATION TO THE CONSULTING FIRM OF JAY BRAGG FOR ENGINEERING SERVICES TO BEGIN COMPREHENSIVE DRAINAGE PLAN IMPROVEMENTS.
UH, JUST SOME QUICK BACKGROUND AND I RECOGNIZE SOMETIMES RED AND YELLOW AREN'T EASY TO SEE.
UM, THE RED AREA IS REPRESENTING WHAT WE CALL THE, IT IS A SMALLER WATERSHED, THE CROOKED COVE AREA.
GEOGRAPHICALLY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE AREA.
HELP ME, DAN, WELL, COLIN SIMMONS.
AND THEN GERARD CO, WHICH IS A MUCH LESSER KNOWN CODE, THE YELLOW AREA, THIS IS AROUND CAHILL IF YOU'RE THINKING CROOKED CO IN THAT AREA.
AND GERARD CO, OR I'M SORRY, CROOKED CROOK IN THAT AREA.
SO BACKGROUND IS FISCAL YEAR 23 TO 24.
STRATEGIC PLAN INCLUDED, UM, DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL TO START WORK ON COMPREHENSIVE DRAINAGE AS WELL AS INCLUSION IN 24 FISCAL YEAR WORK TO DO.
SO, UH, WE IF YOU RECALL, UH, LAST YEAR I CAME TO YOU WITH DAN'S RESULTS FROM THE HAYWARD COVE DRAINAGE STUDY THAT DID AN ASSET OF STORM WATER MANAGEMENT DRAINAGE, ASSET INVENTORY, ASSESSMENT OF FUNCTIONALITY, AND THEN POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENTS TO THAT DRAINAGE AREA AND IDENTIFYING WHO OWNED THOSE ASSETS AND WITH WHOM PERHAPS WE SHOULD BE WORKING TO EITHER UPSIZE A PIPE OR DO IMPROVEMENTS BECAUSE OF EVERYTHING WE'VE LEARNED FROM J BRAGG THROUGH THAT PROCESS WITH HAYWARD CODE, WE ARE CONSIDERING, UH, USING J BRAGG AGAIN FOR THIS NEXT PHASE OF WORK FOR BOTH THE UM, CR CODE AND FOR THE ARD CODE AREA.
UNDER THIS TASK AUTHORIZATION, I'M NOT GONNA READ THROUGH ALL THE BULLET POINTS.
YOU CAN SEE THE POTENTIAL UM, J JOB DUTIES THAT THEY WILL BE PERFORMING.
THE ONE THING THAT I REALLY DO WANNA POINT OUT ON THIS THOUGH IS THIS IS A TWO YEAR PROJECT AND SO SPECIFICALLY, UM, RIGHT HERE, THIS ONE INCLUDED IN THIS TASK AUTHORIZATION IS PREPARATION OF THE
[01:50:01]
MASTER PLANNING REPORT SOLELY FOR CROOK AND COVE AND THIS FISCAL YEAR DOING THE FLOW MONITORING FOR BOTH COVES.BUT THEN WHAT WE WILL PER WE'LL ASK, I'M JUMPING THE GUN HERE A LITTLE BIT, IS ASK FOR FUNDING IN 25 TO COME IN AND DO THAT MASTER REPORT FOR THE REMAINING COVE.
IT'S JUST A MATTER OF SPREADING OUT THE WORK AND THE MONEY.
SO BACKGROUND CONTINUED, THE COST FOR THIS IS ABOUT $200,962.
WE'RE ASKING FOR A 15% CONTINGENCY OF APPROXIMATELY $30,000.
THEREFORE THE TOTAL FISCAL IMPACT IS NOT EXPECTED TO SURPASS INCLUDING THE CONTINGENCY $231,107 AND 4 CENTS.
UM, AND AS NOTED IN THE SECOND BULLET POINT, THE THE PART THAT I JUST SAID, THIS WILL BE FUNDED OVER TWO FISCAL YEARS WITH A SEPARATE TASK AUTHORIZATION COMING FORWARD FOR THE COMPLETION OF THE REMAINING WORK IN ARD COVE.
UM, AND THAT'S SOME MODELING DEVELOPMENT IN THAT MASTER PLANNING REPORT.
HOPEFULLY THAT WON'T COME BACK TO YOU.
HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE UNDER A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS AT $90,000, RIGHT.
BUT IF IT'S UNDER THOUSAND OR MORE, YOU KNOW WE'LL BE BACK.
SO OUR RECOMMENDATION IS THAT COUNCIL AUTHORIZE THE TOWN MANAGER TO GO AHEAD AND ISSUE A MASTER SERVICE AGREEMENT UNDER EXISTING CONTRACT NUMBER THAT WAS GONE, HAS GONE THROUGH OUR PROCUREMENT PROCESS.
UH, 2021 DASH 55 WITH JAY BRAGG FOR THE TOTAL OF 231,000 107 0 4.
STOP SAYING THAT OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
UM, OUR NEXT STEPS IF YOU SO APPROVE THIS IS WE WILL HAVE MR. STEVES UH, ASSIGN THAT TASK AUTHORIZATION BEFORE HE GOES JET SET OFF ON VACATION NEXT WEEK, ACTUALLY THIS WEEK.
UH, AND WE'LL BEGIN MOVING FORWARD WITH THE WORK AND WITHOUT ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION PLEASE.
MS. PARDON? ANY QUESTIONS FOR NO.
KIM, YOU COME BACK ASKING FOR MONEY AGAIN.
I COULD ASK YOU FOR MORE MONEY.
I KNOW
WELL, BUT TWO YEARS IS IT ALL WE GONNA DO IS STUDY.
SO WHEN WE COME BACK HERE TO THIS ONE UNDER THIS EXISTING TASK AUTHORIZATION, YES THERE ARE A LOT OF BOOTS ON THE GROUND 'CAUSE THEY'RE WALKING FROM WHERE THESE DITCHES AND SOMETIMES CREEKS ARE INTERFACING, JOINING THE MAY RIVER AND WALKING THEM ALL THE WAY BACK UP TO THE STUDY AREA BOUNDARY, WHICH IS DELINEATED BY THE RED AND THE YELLOW.
SO ALONG THE WAY THEY'RE TAKING GPS COORDINATES OF EVERY STRUCTURE, WHETHER IT'S A PIPE, WHETHER IT'S AN INLET, WHICH THANKFULLY THERE'S NOT A LOT OF THAT IN THIS AREA BECAUSE ESPECIALLY IN THE RED YOU CAN SEE NOT TERRIBLY WELL IN THIS VISUAL, BUT THERE'S A, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE THERE.
IT'S NOT A PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT WITH A LOT OF INLETS AND PONDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE ONLY HAVE A COUPLE OF PONDS HERE.
UM, SO IN ADDITION TO THE TIME IN DOING THAT, THAT AS THAT ANALYSIS OF WHAT'S THERE, THEN THEY'RE ALSO DOING THE ASSESSMENT OF WHAT'S THERE.
AND THEN BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THAT'S NOT SO MUCH THE HARD PART.
IT'S THE MODELING AND IT'S RUNNING DIFFERENT STORM CONDITIONS AND RAIN CONDITIONS THROUGH SAY A PIPE THAT'S 50% OCCLUDED IS HOW, WHAT KIND OF STORM IS IT GONNA PASS? EH, NOT A GREAT ONE, LET ME TELL YOU.
IT'S GONNA BACK UP AND IT'S GONNA FLOOD UPSTREAM.
BUT IF WE GOT SAY, LET'S JUST PRETEND IT'S DOT'S PIPE.
IF WE GOT DOT TO CLEAR THAT PIPE OUT AND WE GOT IT BACK TO ITS FULL CONVEYANCE CAPACITY, LET'S SAY 90%, THERE'S ALWAYS SOME SLUDGE IN THE BOTTOM OF SOMETHING.
WOOD STORM EVENT WILL PASS THROUGH IT.
IS IT ENOUGH TO PREVENT UPSTREAM FLOODING? IF IT IS, WE NEED MAINTENANCE.
IF IT ISN'T, THEN WHAT KIND OF PIPE NEEDS TO BE PUT IN THERE? SO FOR INSTANCE, THE FLOOD PREVENTION PROJECT THAT OCCURRED ON BUCK ISLAND ROAD NEAR MR. JENKINS HOUSE WAS A FLOOD PREVENTION PROJECT.
THAT'S WHY WE UPSIZE THOSE PIPES.
DOT DID NOT DO IT TO PASS LARGE RAIN EVENTS.
GRANTED IT'S A WETLAND ON BOTH SIDES AND IT GOES BACK AND FORTH, BUT AT LEAST WHEN IT GETS HEADWATER AGAINST PUSHING IT, IT'S GONNA GO ACROSS THE STREET AND INTO THE WETLAND INSTEAD OF FLOODING MR. JENKINS' HOUSE.
IT'S THE MODELING THAT TAKES A LOT OF TIME BECAUSE YOU'RE RUNNING ALL THESE DIFFERENT TYPES OF SCENARIOS AND TRYING TO DECIDE IF YOU TWEAK THIS, WHAT HAPPENS UPSTREAM, DOWNSTREAM, UM, AND THEN COMING UP WITH SOME COST ANALYSIS.
[01:55:01]
MAYOR, CAN I ASK YES.FOLLOW UP WITH MR. HAMILTON AS THEY'RE GOING THROUGH AND THEY'RE DOING THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND BEFORE THEY GET TO THE MODELING TO GO ALONG WITH WHAT MR. HAMILTON WAS SAYING, CAN THEY RELAY SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO, UM, AND GIVE US THE KIND OF A TASK LIST AHEAD OF TIME BEFORE THEY GIVE US THE REPORT? BEAUTIFUL SEGUE.
INCLUDING LESSONS LEARNED FROM WORKING WITH THIS GROUP BEFORE, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE LESSONS THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF MAINTENANCE BETWEEN THE COUNTY DOT AND PRIVATE DEVELOPMENTS AND THE HAYWARD COVE THAT JUST HADN'T OCCURRED.
SO CERTAINLY WE CAN DEFINITELY GET THAT LIST AS THEY'RE WORKING THROUGH IT AND START NOTIFYING ASSET OWNERS OF REQUIRED MAINTENANCE AND PUTTING THEM ON NOTICE.
SO THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO MAKE SOME IMPROVEMENTS BEFORE THE TWO YEAR TIME BEFORE WE GET THE STUDY AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF TO GO ALONG WITH WHAT, YES SIR.
MAINTENANCE JUST ALWAYS NEEDS TO BE, ALWAYS NEEDS TO BE HAPPENING.
DOES THAT HELP YOU MR IT HELPS.
I NEED TO BE ABLE TO SEE THAT SO I CAN COME BACK AND REFACE IT.
THAT WE SHOULD BE DOING SOME WORK WITHIN THIS TWO YEAR PERIOD OR SOMEBODY WILL BE.
I'M GONNA TELL YOU SIR, WE MORE THAN LIKELY AS THE TOWN ARE NOT GOING TO OWN BUT A HANDFUL OF THESE ASSETS MORE THAN LIKELY.
BUT THAT DOESN'T RELIEVE OUR BURDEN AND OUR ONUS OF NOTIFYING THE PROPER ASSET OWNER OF THEIR BURDEN AND RESPONSIBILITY TO ALLEVIATE FLOODING.
BUT WE CAN GET THAT AS PART OF THE CONTRACT THAT THEY NOTICE.
AND THEN TASK AUTHORIZATION DEFINITELY.
WELL, THE WORK THAT COUNCIL MAMEL IS TALKING ABOUT IS NOT PART OF THIS.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO BRING BACK SAYING THIS IS OUR FINDINGS AND THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO BE BUDGETING TO PURSUE THE REMEDIES.
THIS IS THE TYPE OF INFORMATION THAT GOES INTO OUR STORMWATER, OUR STORMWATER UTILITY FEE MODELING WORK THAT WE DO, WHICH IS, UH, BUDGETARY MODELING AND IS OUR SW FEE, OUR STORMWATER UTILITY FEE ADEQUATE NOT ONLY TO SUPPORT OPERATIONS BUT ALSO CAPITAL PROJECTS, CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT IMPROVE WATER QUALITY SUCH AS THE SEWING WORK THAT WE'RE DOING IN CONNECTING IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT, UM, AS WELL AS PREVENTION OF FLOODING.
AND SO WHEN WE START RUNNING THOSE FINANCIAL MODELS IS WHEN WE WILL THEN GO BACK TO LIKE THE LAST TIME WE DID GO BACK TO WEIGHT PACK AND SAY, LOOK, WE'RE RUNNING IN THE RED SOON.
IF WE'RE TRYING TO DO ALL THESE WATER QUALITY PROJECTS, WE'RE WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE A SUFFICIENT FUND.
RUNNING THROUGH THAT DIFFERENT TYPE OF, WHICH IS DONE IN MONTHS, IT IS PART OF BUDGETING TO FINISH THAT UP.
SO THIS WOULD BE, WON'T BE 25, I'M ASKING YOU FOR MONEY FOR THIS AND IT'D BE 26.
I'D BE ASKING FOR MONEY POTENTIALLY.
SO THIS IS ALSO BASED ON VOLUME OF RAIN.
LIKE A THOUSAND YEAR FLOOD OR WHATEVER YOU, WHATEVER YOU DIFFERENT STORM EVENTS.
SO AS YOU JUST INDICATED TO THIS COUNCIL, YOU CAN ONLY CONTROL WHAT THE TOWN CAN CONTROL.
YOU CANNOT CONTROL PERSONAL PROPERTY OWNERS WHO HAVE PIPING ON THEIR PROPERTY THAT WE DO NOT CONTROL.
SO IT COULD BE AN IMPEDIMENT TO THE WHOLE PROCESS.
SO IF THAT'S THE CASE AND IT DOESN'T FIX THE MONEY THAT WE'RE ALLOCATING FOR THE STUDY BECAUSE OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES BEING PROPERTY OWNERS, WHAT I JUST CLAIMED, HOW DO WE REMEDY THAT TO, TO TIE INTO WHAT WE WOULD NEED TO DO TO MAKE THE FUNCTIONALITY WORK? OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, AND IT'S CLEARLY OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I WOULD SAY YOU GO TO YOUR MUNICIPAL CODE AND YOU SAY, ARE YOU CREATING A NUISANCE SITUATION BY NOT PERFORMING MAINTENANCE AND YOU GO AFTER THEM FROM CODE ENFORCEMENT? THAT'S CLEARLY OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
THAT'S A WHOLE NOTHER ANIMAL, ISN'T IT? IT IS A WHOLE NOTHER ANIMAL.
THEN GIVE ME AN EXAMPLE OF WHEN PING WOULD BE ON A PRIVATE PROPERTY.
I'M JUST GOING BY WHAT SHE SAID.
IT IS PASSING THROUGH PRIVATE PROPERTY DITCHES ARE GOING THROUGH PRIVATE PROPERTY FROM A DITCHES.
COVE DITCHES OR WHAT? AND SAY SOMEBODY HAS A MAKESHIFT DAM TO GET FROM ONE SIDE OF THEIR PROPERTY TO THE OTHER.
IT CAUSES A BLOCKAGE TELLING THEM YOU'VE GOTTA GET THAT OUT OF THERE.
YOU'RE CREATING A DAM UPSTREAM THAT'S CAUSING, SO THERE THERE ARE PRIVATE PROPERTY ISSUES.
BUT YOU, YOU HAD MENTIONED THE WORD TO HIS POINT.
YOU HAD MENTIONED THE WORD PIPING.
YOU SAID WHAT THE TOWN OWNS AND HE SAID PIPING ALSO.
UM, SO IS IS HIS POINT FOR CLARITY NOT TO, SIR, I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T DONE THE INVENTORY.
I'M PUTTING OUT YOU OR DITCHES AND PIPES IS WHAT YOU DO OUT THERE.
THAT'S THAT BOOTS ON THE GROUND
[02:00:01]
PAR.SO YOU HAVE TO DO THE STUDY TO COME BACK TO US TO EXPLAIN WHAT THE FINDINGS ARE AND HOW WE WOULD'VE TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM GOING INTO THE FUTURE.
MY, UH, QUESTION KIM, IF YOU COULD GO BACK TO THE ONE SCREEN WHERE YOU HAD THE, THE COST AND THE CONTINGENCIES.
I JUST HAD A QUESTION BECAUSE HAVE IT SEPARATED FOR THE, UM, THE COST OF THE PLAN AND IS THE DEVELOPMENT A SEPARATE COST FOR THE 90,000? THAT GETS US TO THE 2 31 BECAUSE I SEE THE CONTINGENCY AND I SEE THE ESTIMATED COST FOR THE, UH, PLAN, REPORT ITSELF.
I'M TRYING TO SEE HOW WE GOT TO THE, SO THE 2 31 IS FOR THE 200 AND THE CON 15% CONTINGENCY OF 30,000.
SO THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING FOR FOR THIS WORK AND SAYING THAT WE'RE GONNA BE OVER TWO YEARS.
DAN IS PROJECTING RIGHT NOW HIS ESTIMATION OF WHAT HE'S GONNA ASK FOR IN, UM, IN FUTURE WORK OR FOR FUTURE YEARS.
AND THIS WILL BE, HE'S GUESSING RIGHT NOW ABOUT 90,000 ONCE WE GET THIS ONE COMPLETED IN 24 TO 25, IT'LL START IN 24.
THIS IS WHEN WE WILL BE COMING PROBABLY BACK TO YOU AND ASKING FOR THE SECOND PHASE OF, BUT YOU'RE ESTIMATING THAT THE 9,000 IS GONNA BE SEPARATE FROM 2 31 COMPLETELY.
UM, COULD YOU PUT THE SLIDE WITH THE MAPS, THE, THE TWO DIFFERENT PROJECT, SIR? SO THIS, THIS WHOLE RED PLACE HERE, I'M TRYING TO, DOES THIS NOT ENCOMPASS MR. JENKINS THAT YOU WERE TALKING TO? HE DOES AROUND, YES SIR.
BUT THAT'S BUCK ISLAND ROAD AND THAT'S THE BEND, RIGHT? SO THAT, YES, THOSE ARE THE PIPES.
ACTUALLY THAT WAS DAN'S PROJECT FOR THE FLOODING PREVENTION PROJECT THERE.
SO THOSE ARE THE PIPES THAT HE OVERSAW THERE.
BUT WE STILL HAVE PROBLEMS THERE.
SO WE GOT IT IS A WETLAND WE GOT BOUGHT.
SO STOP THE, WHERE'S THE, THE LITTLE STAR THING THAT THE END OF THE SOUTHERNMOST POINT OF YOUR RED THING COME STRAIGHT AT? YEAH, RIGHT THERE.
WHERE, WHERE IS THAT? THAT'S THE PIPE AT, UH, CAHILL THAT CROSSES UNDER MAY, MAY RIVER ROAD.
CONSIDER I DON'T SEE OUT RIVER ROAD.
THERE MAY RIVER ROAD IS JUST RIGHT HERE.
IT IS ALL THE WAY ACROSS WHERE THOSE OTHER HOUSES ARE OVER THERE.
WELL, THE, THE, THE, THAT'S WHAT'S CONSIDERED THE PAYPAL FALL.
THAT'S WHERE THE FLOW MONITORING'S GOING TO BE, BE OCCURRING.
BUT THE, THAT ONCE IT GOES UNDERNEATH THE ROAD, IT DOES GO ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE MAY RIVER.
WE'LL ASSESS THE CHANNEL THERE AS, UH, AS WELL.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I KNEW WHERE WE WERE, WHAT WE WERE DOING THERE.
IT'S HARD AT THAT SCALE TO GET YOUR BEARINGS IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.
UM, ANY MORE QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL? OKAY.
THERE'S A MOTION ON THE BOARD AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ADD IN AN AMENDMENT ABOUT GETTING NOTIFIED INTO THE AGREEMENT, FACING CONVERSATION THAT TOOK PLACE THAT WE HAD NOTIFIED OF ANY MAINTENANCE ISSUES AS THEY COME UP.
AND, AND FIND, AND FIND SOME, SOME, UH, FUNDING TO DO SOME WORK.
WE DON'T, YOU ALSO HAVE TO, WE, WE DO, UM, HAVE FUNDING SET ASIDE IN OUR STORM WATER BUDGET EACH YEAR TO BE ABLE TO DO SOME MAINTENANCE WORK LIKE THAT TO SUPPORT PUBLIC SERVICES.
SO IT, IT ALL DEPENDS ON THE SCOPE OF WORK COMES UP.
AS TO WHETHER IT CAN BE DONE INTERNALLY OR EXTERNALLY.
SO THERE IS MONEY ALWAYS THERE FOR MAINTENANCE SOUNDS, SO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO PUT IN THERE AS FAR AS NOTIFICATION.
FOR AS, UM, JUST MAKE A MOTION AND INCLUDE THAT.
WELL, LET ME, LET ME, MAY I OBJECT IS, AND I'M ASKING TELL MANAGER, COULD THAT BE REFLECTED IN OUR MINUTES? IT SHOULD JUST BE IN THE CONTRACT.
I I THINK THAT IT'LL BE IN THE TASK AUTHORIZATION.
IT'LL BE IN THE, IT'LL BE IN THE FINAL CONTRACT THAT GETS SIGNED WITH ITS ENGINEERING.
I I DON'T THINK IT NEEDS TO BE PART OF THE MOTION.
I RECEIVE THAT COMMENT AND IF COUNSEL DECIDES TO MOVE FORWARD, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT BEFORE I SIGN IT, THAT'S IN THE AGREEMENT OR I CAN CHANGE IT ON THE FLY.
DOES AT WORK, DOES THAT CAPTURE IT INCLUDING MAINTENANCE NEEDS AS DISCOVERED FOR ENGINEERING SERVICES? LET ME PUT A COMMA THERE AND A COMMA HERE.
DOES THAT SUFFICE? DOES DISCOVER I WOULD'VE TO FIND SOMETHING? I THINK THAT WORKS.
YEAH, I WOULD, AFTER INCLUDED, I WOULD PUT SUGGESTED INCLUDING SUGGESTED SUGGESTED MAINTENANCE
[02:05:01]
NEEDS.I THINK THAT COVERS THAT WOULD COVER THE CONCERNS NEEDS.
IS THERE A MOTION? I'LL MAKE THE MOTION.
UM, I MOVE TO APPROVE AUTHORIZING THE TOWN MANAGER TO ISSUE A TASK AUTHORIZATION TO JAY BRAGG CONSULTING INC.
FOR ENGINEERING SERVICES, INCLUDING SUGGESTED MAINTENANCE NEEDS AS DISCOVERED RELATED TO COMPREHENSIVE DRAINAGE PLAN IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT WITH A FISCAL IMPACT OF 231,000 1 0 7 AND 4 CENTS.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
LW THANK I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE NOW.
NEXT TIME YOU GOT ME FOR A WHILE, RIGHT?
[XI.5. Approval to Authorize a Contract Amendment with DH Abney for Site Development Construction of the New River Linear Trail Parking Lot Amenities Project (Fiscal Impact: $129,338) - Kimberly Washok-Jones, Director of Projects and Watershed Resilience]
WE GOT APPROVAL TO AUTHORIZE THE CONTRACT AMENDMENT WITH DH AVENUE FOR SITE DEVELOPMENT CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW RIVER LINEAR TRAIL PARKING LOT AMENITIES PROJECT AS A PHYSICAL IMPACT $129,338.THERE'S A LOT OF BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON HERE.
I'M NOT GONNA READ ALL OF IT TO YOU, BUT AS YOU RECALL, WE OUT OF THE NEW RIVER LINEAR TRAIL ARE DOING NOT ONLY PARKING LOT ENHANCEMENTS, BUT WE'RE ALSO INCLUDING, UM, AMENITIES SUCH AS A NEW RESTROOM, LIGHTING, WATER, UTILITIES, AND ELECTRONIC ENTRY GATE AND SECURITY CAMERAS FOR, BECAUSE IT IS REMOTE, WE AWARDED A CONTRACTOR, Y'ALL AWARDED A CONTRACT TO DH AVENUE BACK IN FEBRUARY, CONTRACT NUMBER 20 24 36 FOR THE AMOUNT OF $58,222 AND 20 CENTS AS A GENERAL CONTRACTOR TO INSTALL THE PREFABRICATED RESTROOM AS WELL AS RUNNING THAT CONDUIT FROM A WELL, THIS WILL BE WELL WATER.
IF YOU REMEMBER THAT DISCUSSION WITH FORMER MAYOR SOKO.
WE WILL HAVE A SIGN OUT THERE INFORMING PEOPLE THAT IT IS WELL WATER, BUT IT WILL BE POTABLE.
SO FIND FOR PEOPLE TO DRINK, FIND FOR ANIMALS TO DRINK, UH, AND POWER PULLS TO THE RESTROOM.
WE FOLLOWED ALL OF OUR PURCHASING ORDINANCE GUIDELINES AND, AND, UM, AWARDED THAT CONTRACT.
THE REASON WE'RE SEEKING A CHANGE ORDER ON THIS CONTRACT TO INCLUDE THE ELECTRIC GATE AND THE SECURITY CAMERA INFRASTRUCTURE IS TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THE SAME PERSON ON SITE DOING ALL OF THIS WORK INSTEAD OF BRINGING IN DIFFERENT CONTRACTORS, PAYING DIFFERENT, UM, MOBILIZATION FEES AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
AND THIS WAY WE WILL HAVE IT ALL READY TO PLUG IN AND PLAY, IF YOU WILL, AS IT IS, UM, ALL INTERCONNECTED INTO THE, WHAT THE RESTROOM ITSELF FOR BY DOING A CONTRACT AMENDMENT.
THE BENEFIT TO THE TOWN IS GETTING EFFICIENCY IN HAVING THE SAME CONTRACTOR ON SITE.
WE'RE GONNA SAVE TIME AND COST SAVINGS, POTENTIALLY, DEFINITELY TIME AND NOT HAVING TO REBID IT AND, UM, MOBILIZATION AS WE MENTIONED.
AND HE'LL HAVE EQUIPMENT ON SITE FOR OVERHEAD ENTRENCHING AND THE ELECTRICAL AND, AND OTHER WORK.
SO THIS IS WHAT IS BEING FABRICATED RIGHT NOW FOR OUR PRE-FABRICATED, UM, RESTROOM AT THE FACILITY OR AT THE TRAIL.
AND JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, UM, HERE'S, HERE'S THE HIGHWAY 40 46.
HIGHWAY 46, 1 70 CIRCLE IS UP TO THE NORTH THERE.
THIS WAY IT'S BETWEEN THE TWO HERITAGE ENTRANCES TWO HERITAGE C ENTRANCE.
SO JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF, I REALIZE AT THIS SCALE IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO READ, BUT WHAT'S GOING WHERE WE, WE HAVE RUNNING THE CONDUIT IN THE GREEN AS WELL AS THE RESTROOM ITSELF BEING HERE IN THE BLUE.
UM, HERE'S THE WELL OVER OFF TO THIS SIDE, OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE THE PARKING LOT OUT THERE ALREADY, AND THEN SOME OTHER DIFFERENT TYPES OF CONDUIT THAT ARE BEING RUN.
CONDUIT TO A GATE OPENER, CONDUIT TO THE BASE OF THE POLE, TWO INCH CONDUIT, UH, AROUND THE AREA.
SO OUR REQUEST IS THAT YOU AUTHORIZE THE TOWN MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT AMENDMENT WITH DH ABNEY FOR THE NEW RIVER LINEAR TRAIL PARKING LOT, UM, AND INCLUDE A 10% CONTINGENCY IN THE PRICE SO THAT OUR TOTAL FISCAL IMPACT, WHICH IS STILL WITHIN BUDGET FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR, IS $129,338.
IF COUNSEL APPROVES THIS, OUR NEXT STEP WILL BE TO HAVE, UM, THE TOWN MANAGER GO AHEAD AND SIGN OFF ON THE CONTRACT AMENDMENT AND WE'LL GET THAT GOING WITH DH ANEY AS THEIR ONSITE GETTING READY.
UM, I HAVE ONE QUESTION THEN I'LL LET EVERYBODY ELSE WHY WE, WE APPROVED THIS LAST YEAR, CORRECT? FEBRUARY OF 23, 24.
[02:10:03]
FEBRUARY 24TH.I DON'T KNOW, BUT YOU'RE CORRECT.
LISA WAS MAYOR WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THIS AND APPROVED THE RESTROOM.
I MEAN, I I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME.
SIR, MY QUESTION IS, WHY HAVEN'T WE DONE ANYTHING IN OVER A YEAR AFTER WE AWARDED THE CONTRACT? YES SIR.
THE BATHROOM FABRICATION IS AN EIGHT MONTH PROCESS.
SORRY, I, SHE CAN'T TELL ME AND NOT I CAN DO IT.
NO, THE BATHROOM FABRICATION IS AN EIGHT PROCESS.
DO YOU WANT THAT? BATHROOM FABRICATION IS AN EIGHT MONTH PROGRESS OR PROCESS.
IT'S JUST NOT, IT'S GETTING READY TO BE SHIPPED HERE 'CAUSE IT IS PREFABRICATED.
SO WHILE NOT MAYBE SOMETHING'S BEEN HAPPENING ON SITE, THE BATHROOM MODE HAS BEEN BUILT OFF SITE AND WILL BE TRANSPORTED DOWN HERE.
SO NOW WE GOTTA GET IN THERE AND GET EVERYTHING READY TO RECEIVE IT AND PUT IN THOSE ELECTRONIC GATES, THE, THE SECURITY CAMERAS AS WELL.
SO WE'RE GETTING THIS SITE READY FOR THE COMMODE TO COME SOON.
HAS THE WELL BEEN PUT IN? NO, NO, WE JUST, IT WAS OH, WE JUST SIGNED THAT CONTRAST.
WHAT LAST MONTH? THE, THE WELL HAS BEEN INSTALLED.
SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU'RE GONE FOR FIVE MONTHS.
UM, QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL? YOUR LEAVE, THAT'S JUST NOT FOR ME ON MS. DON THERE.
MOTION, I JUST WORKSHOP IT? SURE.
I MOVE TO APPROVE AUTHORIZING THE TOWN MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT AMENDMENT WITH DH ABBEY SITE DEVELOPMENT CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW RIVER LINEAR TRAIL PARKING LOT AMENITIES PROJECT FOR FISCAL FOR A FISCAL IMPACT OF $129,338.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ONLY GOT ONE RESTROOM TO THE, WHERE ARE WE GOING?
[XI.6. Consideration of a Proposed Lighting Agreement with Dominion Energy for the Wharf Street Lighting Project (Fiscal Impact: $153,648.58 over a 10-year term) - Kimberly Washok-Jones, Director of Projects and Watershed Resilience]
CONSIDERATION OF A PROPOSED LIGHTING AGREEMENT WITH DOMINION ENERGY FOR THE WHARF STREET LIGHTING PROJECT.PHYSICAL IMPACT $153,648 AND 58 CENT OVER A 10 YEAR.
A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON THIS, WHERE STREET LIGHTING HAS HAS BEEN ON THE TO-DO LIST FOR A WHILE.
IT'S THIS SECTION OF WHARF STREET THAT WE'RE REFERRING TO IS BETWEEN BRIDGE STREET AND MAY RIVER ROAD.
THAT PARTICULAR SECTION OF WHARF STREET IS A SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ROAD.
AND THUS, THEREFORE, SUBJECT TO THEIR OVERVIEW AND THEIR REQUIREMENTS, WE REQUESTED DOMINION AS THEY TOOK OVER FROM SCE AND G TO INSTALL LIGHTING ALONG THE CORRIDOR TO MEET ONE OF COUNCIL'S PRIORITIES OF IMPROVED PEDESTRIAN SAFETY IN, IN THE PATHWAYS WE'RE SCHEDULED TO PUT IN 18 SHEPHERD CROOK LED LIGHTS THAT MATCHED THE EXISTING FEATURES THROUGHOUT THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
AND THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT IS WITHIN BUDGET FOR 2024.
ONE THING THAT I AM GOING TO POINT OUT TO YOU ON THIS ONE, 'CAUSE 'CAUSE IT CARRIES HER TO A COUPLE OF THE OTHER, UM, LENDING CONTRACTS, CHARLES, UM, WORKED WITH DOMINION TO CHANGE A STANDING SORT OF CARTE BLANC POLICY THAT THEY ESTABLISHED THAT WE HAD TO PAY FOR THE POLLS OVER TIME, WHERE PRIOR TO SC AND G WE WERE ABLE TO PURCHASE THE POLES UP FRONT.
DOMINION HAS CONSIDERED THIS AND HAS PROVIDED THOSE PO COST COMPARISONS BETWEEN AN UPFRONT COST FOR PURCHASING THE HARDWARE OR DRAGGING IT OUT OVER THE 10 YEARS PERIOD.
SO THIS PARTICULAR AGREEMENT HAS A TOWN PAYING UP FRONT BECAUSE WE DO HAVE THE CASH FLOW.
IT'S STILL, AS I SAID, WITHIN BUDGET AND WITHIN BUDGET FOR THE YEAR.
AND THEN THIS IN THE END ACTUALLY SAVES THE TOWN UP 40, $47,901 IN 2 CENTS, UH, IN THE FUTURE BY NOT FINANCING THAT OVER 10 YEARS.
AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WITH OUR FUTURE, UM, LIGHTING CONTRACTS IS GETTING THIS COST PAIR, COST PAIRING ANALYSIS OF UPFRONT COST TO FINANCING COST AND THEN WORKING WITH OUR FINANCE TEAM WITH NATALIE AND HER FOLKS OF DO WE HAVE THIS MONEY WITHIN BUDGET IF IT'S GONNA SAVE US SO MUCH MONEY OVER TIME.
UM, IT'S FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE.
DOMINION WILL OWN BOTH THE POLES AND THE LIGHTS AND WILL MAINTAIN BOTH OF THEM AS WELL.
[02:15:01]
WE'LL REALLY BE PAYING FOR AND, AND SOME PICTURES OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, WALK THROUGH THE HISTORIC DISTRICT, IT'S GOING TO MATCH WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN THE FUTURE.WE WILL ONLY BE PAYING FOR OUR ELECTRICAL USE, WHICH IS REDUCED WITH THE LEDS.
SO YOU SAID, YOU SAID THAT WE'RE GONNA BUY THE POLES UP FRONT, BUT THEN YOU SAID THAT THEY MAINTAIN OWNERSHIP.
THAT IS THAT WHAT I HEARD? RIGHT.
SO, SO TO CLARIFY, UH, THE WAY THE LIGHTING AGREEMENTS TYPICALLY HAVE BEEN FOR, WITH DOMINION, THE WAY THE LIGHTING AGREEMENTS, THE WAY THEY STRUCTURE 'EM IS TO HAVE THE POLES AND THE FIXTURES, ALL OF THE COSTS ASSOCIATED, ASSOCIATED WITH THE POLES AND THE FIXTURES BUNDLED INTO A MONTHLY COST.
AND SO THAT MONTHLY COST CAN, FOR 1518 LIGHTS CAN GET PRETTY EXPENSIVE.
SO A WAY THAT YOU CAN REDUCE YOUR MONTHLY COST IS TO PAY FOR THE POLES AND THE LIGHTING FIXTURES AND THE INSTALLATION OF ALL OF THOSE FEATURES UPFRONT.
AND SO BY, BY DOING THAT, WHICH IS WHAT I'M RECOMMENDING WE DO HERE, WE SAVE THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON AND THE TAXPAYER ABOUT $47,000 OVER THAT 10 YEAR DURATION.
AS FAR AS OWNERSHIP AND MAINTENANCE, UH, DOMINION WILL OWN THE POLES AND DOMINION WILL OWN THE LIGHT FIXTURE.
SO THEY'LL THEY'LL MAINTAIN BOTH PRIMARILY THE LIGHT FIXTURES.
SO THE LIGHTS GO OUT, THE WILL BE THE ONES TO, UH,
AND SO IF WE PAY, IF WE'RE PAYING FOR 'EM UP FRONT, HOW CAN THEY STILL OH, CAN THEY STILL, I MEAN, IF WE ARE PAYING FOR 'EM, THEY, WE ARE JUST RENT, WE'RE JUST SO, SO WE'RE NOT BUYING THE POLES.
WE'RE JUST PAYING FOR THE COST OF THE POLES UP FRONT WHEN THEY PURCHASE 'EM.
IF NOT, THEY'RE GONNA ADD THAT TO A LEASE PAYMENT.
AND THE LEASE PAYMENT IS MORE THAN PAYING UP FRONT.
SO THE LEASE PURCHASE, THE LEASE AMOUNT FOR THE POLLS END UP BEING ABOUT 40 SOMETHING THOUSAND DOLLARS MORE OVER THE 10 YEARS THAN JUST GIVING THEM THE COST FOR THE POLLS UP FRONT.
ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, THEY'RE GONNA OWN POLLS AND GET THEIR MONEY.
IT'S JUST A MATTER OF WHETHER THEY CHARGE US MONTHLY OVER 10 YEARS OR WHETHER WE PAY FOR THAT COST UP FRONT.
WELL, THE, THE PREVIOUS LIGHTING CONTRACTS, WE OWNED THE POLES AND THEY OWNED THE FIXTURES AND SO WE PAID FOR THE POLES.
AND, AND THEN WE OWNED AND THEY OWNED THE FIXTURES AND THEN WE PAID I THINK SOME CONSTRUCTION COSTS TO PUT THE CONDUIT IN THE GROUND, BUT THEY OWNED THE CONDUIT AND THE WIRE.
SO, AND I'M NOT SAYING IT IS NOT THE BEST METHOD, AND I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH THE LEASE AGREEMENT, I UNDERSTAND THAT.
UM, BUT IF WE USED TO BUY THE POLLS AND WE OWN THE POLLS, BUT NOW WE'RE PAYING FOR THE POLLS AND WE DON'T OWN THE POLLS.
I MEAN, ARE YOU SAYING THAT'S JUST BECAUSE WE'RE PAYING UPFRONT MONEY THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO, THEY'RE USING OUR MONEY AS A BANK AND THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO, UH, THEY BRING THE COST DOWN ON THE, ON THE MONTHLY LEASE.
IT'S NOT ROLLED IN WITH INTEREST PAYMENTS AND LEASE AND EVERYTHING ELSE IF IT'S OVER TIME.
SO THAT'S WHERE THAT MONEY SAVINGS, IS THAT A CORRECT WAY TO STATE THAT OR AM I WRONG? NO, I THINK YOU'RE CORRECT ON THAT.
AND I, AND I THINK ALSO TOO, UH, WITH DOMINION, DOMINION IS GONNA, THE WAY THEY STRUCTURE THEIR LIGHTING AGREEMENTS NOW IS THEY ARE GONNA OWN THE POLE AND THE FIXTURE NO MATTER WHAT.
WHETHER IT'S A LEASE PAYMENT OVER 10 YEARS OR WHETHER IT WE PAY UP FRONT ON THE, ON THE LEASE, IF THAT MAKES ANY SENSE.
WHETHER IT PAY UP FRONT, THEY'RE GONNA OWN THE POLE AND THE LIGHT NO MATTER WHAT.
WITH SCG, IT USED TO BE WE COULD OWN THE POLE, BUT WITH DOMINION, THAT'S REALLY NOT THE CASE ANYMORE.
THEY'VE, THEY'VE CHANGED THAT OVER THE LAST YEAR OR SO AND WE, UM, INSTEAD OF PAYING MONTHLY FEE, WE WE PAYING, WE PAYING AN UPFRONT FEE.
BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, WE STILL DON'T OWN IT.
BUT, BUT WE PAYING THE MONEY UP FRONT, UM, BECAUSE OF THEIR CHANGE IN THE WAY THEY DO BUSINESS, THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T WANT US, THEY DON'T WANT TO UH, THEY DON'T WANT US TO OWN IT ANYMORE.
AND, AND I, AND, AND I CAN UNDERSTAND PART OF THAT BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO SERVICE IT.
SO, UM, IF WE, UH, YOU KNOW, IT IS, IT IS, IT IS A CHANGE OF BUSINESS, BUT, BUT I, THE BOTTOM LINE IS SAVING $47,000 IS, IS, IS I THINK IT'S GOOD BUSINESS.
WELL, TO YOUR POINT, AND YOU'RE MAKING ME THINK A LITTLE BIT FURTHER ON THIS, UM, I KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE, UM, SAVING MORE THAN THAT NOW THAT I'M THINKING ABOUT IT BECAUSE I HAD BOUGHT POLES THAT WERE ANYWHERE FROM A THOUSAND TO $2,000 AND THEN THREE YEARS LATER THEY DUMPED
SO I, I GUESS THERE'S A BENEFIT THERE.
I WAS CONFUSED BECAUSE I KNOW HOW WE USED TO DO THE CONTRACTS AND THEN TO HEAR THIS, IT WAS KIND OF A KIND OF THROUGH BEFORE LOOP.
BUT THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION AND THANK YOU FOR THAT, FRED.
[02:20:01]
QUESTIONS FOR MR. BURTON OR, UM, MIKE, DO HAVE A QUESTION? I THINK MY BIGGEST CONCERN, UM, WITH JUST THE AMOUNT OF LIGHTING AND SINCE THIS IS A RESIDENTIAL STREET, I WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S NOT TOO MUCH.UM, SO THAT COULD BE PERCEPTION.
I'M SORRY, I'M CUTTING YOU OFF.
NO, NO, I, I MEAN YOU'RE WELCOME TO OR NO, NO, PLEASE CONTINUE.
SORRY, COMMENT ON CAL STREET AND IF MY, NO, MY ACCOUNTING WAS CORRECT.
UM, THERE'S 20 BETWEEN THE RIVER BURG STREET AND TO ME THAT'S MORE OF A WALKING STREET WITH RESTAURANTS AND SHOPS AND THINGS LIKE THIS WHERE WE'RE PUTTING 18 IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, SO MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S NOT, NOT TOO MUCH FOR 'EM.
UM, I KNOW THIS IS A STATE ROAD, SO THEY HAVE, UM, GO METRIC GUIDELINES THAT HAVE TO BE MET.
SO ARE ARE THE, THE QUANTITY AND THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE POLES, IS THAT STATE GUIDELINES? YES, MA'AM.
SO DOMINION IS THE ONE WHO, BECAUSE THEY OWN THE POLES, IT ARE THE ONES WHO HAVE TO MAKE THE ENCROACHMENT PERMIT APPLICATIONS OR REQUEST TO WORK IN THE RIGHT OF WAY OF A DOT ROAD.
SO THEY HAVE TO DO THEIR PHOTOMETRIC PLAN OF SO MANY POLES, SO MANY FEET APART, SO MANY LOONS.
IT IS GOING TO GIVE US CONSISTENT LIGHTING THE ENTIRE WAY THEY, DOT DOES NOT WANT A STROBE EFFECT, IF THAT MAKES SENSE OF IT'S SUPER BRIGHT RIGHT UNDER THIS LIGHT.
AND I HAVE A SPAN THE LENGTH OF THIS ROOM WHERE IT'S PITCH BLACK AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER BRIGHT LIGHT.
THEY WANT CONSISTENCY, IT HELPS REDUCE THEIR LIABILITY.
UM, AND SO IT IS DOT DOMINION DESIGN, DOT, REVIEWED AND APPROVED TO THEIR STANDARD AND THEN COMING BACK TO DOMINION TO INSTALL.
SO THEY WOULD NOT ALLOW US TO DO LESS.
I THINK I JUST WANT, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S NOT, I MEAN IF, YOU KNOW, MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS WE, THIS GOES IN AND THEN WE HAVE RESIDENTS COME BACK TO US AND, AND MORE THAN LIKELY WE WILL.
WE'VE HAD IT ON EVERY LIGHTING PROJECT WE'RE USED TO IT.
IT IS THAT TO SOME OF IT IS PERCEPTION BECAUSE IT'S A CHANGE AND, AND THAT, THAT PERCEPTION CHANGE IS LEGITIMATE.
UM, WE'VE WORKED AS BEST WE CAN IN SOME AREAS, THE LOWEST LUMENS THAT CAN GO IN ARE BEING PUT IN FOR THE LE, BUT THEY'RE LEDS.
AND SO LEDS, AGAIN TO THE EYE, PERCEIVING IT AS A LOT BRIGHTER IN GENERAL, EVEN IF IT'S THE SAME AS AN INCANDESCENT.
UM, ADDITIONALLY IN SOME AREAS THEN DOMINION HAS COME BACK IN AND PUT IN SCREENS OR SHIELDS TO DIRECTIONALLY, ESPECIALLY FOR BEDROOMS, IS, HAS BEEN OUR BIGGEST CONCERN WITH RESIDENTIAL, UM, THAT WE'VE HEARD ABOUT IS THIS LIGHT IS SHINING INTO MY BEDROOM AND THERE ARE SOME SCREENS THAT DOMINION WILL PUT UP TO DIRECT LIGHT, UM, OR KEEP LIGHT FROM GOING THAT WAY, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
WE TALKED ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT TODAY.
UM, SO WHAT THE CAVEAT HERE IS IT IS A STATE ROAD AND THE QUESTION TO ME WAS, UM, HOE STREET AND BOUNDARY STREET ARE OUR, UM, IT'S WHERE OUR UM, THEY'RE VERY WALKABLE.
THEY, UM, IT'S WHERE OUR TOURISTS GO.
THOSE TWO STREETS ARE PREDOMINANTLY LINED WITH BUSINESSES AND IT MAKES SENSE.
THE PARKS ARE IN BETWEEN, UNDER HEAVILY TRAFFIC, TRAFFICKED WALKING AREAS.
SO YOU WANT TO LIGHT THEM UP ADEQUATELY.
THE PROBLEM WE'RE HAVING, I'M HAVING, AND I THINK, UH, MS. BIRD IS TOO COUNCIL BURDEN.
UM, THIS IS IN THE MIDDLE OF A RESIDENTIAL AREA.
NOW I KNOW THAT THIS COUNCIL WANTS LIGHTING IMPROVEMENTS IN THE OLD TOWN.
I DON'T DENY THAT I SUPPORT THAT.
UM, BUT I THINK THE LEVEL THAT WE'RE TRYING TO PUT WITH LIGHTING ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ROAD, UM, IS MORE LIKE, IT WOULD BE THAT YOU WOULD FIND OUT ON MAY RIVER ROAD THAT THE STATE MANDATED WE DO THAT.
THAT'S AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT ANIMAL.
MM-HMM
UH, THE SPEED LIMIT IS PROBABLY A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT IT WOULD BE TO GOING DOWN WHARF STREET.
SO THAT'S THE BIGGEST THING IN MY MIND, TRYING TO RATIONALIZE THIS, IS WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
SO I, I THINK COUNCIL ALWAYS ENVISIONED, AND SOMEBODY CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, CALHOUN BOUNDARY, HIGH TRAFFIC AREAS, LOTS OF PEDESTRIAN FOOT TRAFFIC, LIGHT 'EM UP.
UM, NOW YOU'RE DEVIATING, WE NOW SAY YOU, WE ARE DEVIATING FROM THAT SLIGHTLY GOING THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF A RESIDENTIAL AREA, WHICH WOULD LACK LIGHTING, BUT MAYBE NOT AT THE LEVEL OR THE INTENSITY THAT WE'RE TRYING TO INSTALL IT
[02:25:01]
AND THE EXPENSE.AND THE OTHER THING ABOUT LOWERING THE LIMITS IS, AS YOU KNOW, IF YOU TAKE THE LIMITS DOWN AS FAR AS YOU CAN, THEN YOU USUALLY HAVE TO HAVE MORE PULSES AND MORE LIGHTS TO MAKE THE, THE LIGHTING ADEQUATE AND SPACED OUT PROPERLY.
SO I, I WOULD ENCOURAGE STAFF TO GO BACK TO DOMINION AND YOU KNOW, OR EITHER YOU CALLED IT, IT'S D-O-T-D-O-T, IT'S DOT WE CALL IT.
WE SHOULD PROBABLY, WE CALL IT THE DOT, NOT JUST DOMINION, BUT GET, GET OUR OWN ANSWERS AND ASK THEM THESE QUESTIONS THAT THIS IS IN THE MIDDLE OF A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT'S NOT A, A HIGH VOLUME PRIMARY ROAD.
AND SO CAN WE GET SOME LENIENCY ABOUT HOW WE WANT TO DO OUR LIGHTING DESIGN ON THIS? NO, JUST TO INTERJECT.
I MEAN, YES, WE CAN ASK, BUT NO SIR.
PROBABLY NOT ANY LENIENCY BECAUSE THEY DID DICTATE, THEY DOT DICTATE BASED ON THE, THE ROAD CLASSIFICATION BETWEEN AN INTERSTATE TO AN ALLEY, WHAT TYPE OF ROADWAY LAKE SOURCES THEY WANNA SEE HOW BRIGHT THEY NEED TO BE, HOW FAR THEY NEED TO BE APART AND WHAT, WHAT WORST STREET IS, IS LOCAL COMPARED TO AN INTERSTATE AT THE TOP OF THIS.
AND ALL I'M ASKING YOU, 'CAUSE THERE'S CLEARLY I CAN'T EVEN READ IT AND I'M RIGHT HERE, BUT THE LOCAL IS RIGHT ABOVE ALLEYS AND SIDEWALKS.
I I OF COURSE WE CAN ALWAYS ASK, BUT MY, JUST TO INTERJECT, I WOULD SAY THAT ON THE MATTER, AND HEARING THAT THIS IS, UH, STATE REQUIREMENT, UM, I ALSO DON'T WANNA UNDERMINE STAFF IN THE SENSE OF, YOU KNOW, IT BECOMES A MO POINT IN WE ARE LIMITED OR RESTRICTED IN WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO BECAUSE OF THOSE CONFINES.
UM, IN HEARING THAT, THAT'S A CONSIDERATION YOU'VE ALREADY DONE IN SEEING HOW YOU COULD MINIMIZE THE EFFECTS OF THIS INCREASE ON LIGHTING TO THE RESIDENTS WHO ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, DO COME AND HAVE CONCERNS AS IT IS A CHANGE.
IT IS THAT IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE'RE USED TO.
UM, BUT IT'S ALMOST LIKE WE WOULD BE LABORING IT IN THE SENSE OF WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO IN KNOWING HOW THE STATE OPERATES IN TERMS OF GETTING THOSE, UM, THE VARIANCES AND, AND OTHER THINGS.
SO ARE WE PUTTING LIGHTS ON BOTH SIDES? JUST A LITTLE.
WHY ARE WE PUTTING LIGHTS ON THE, ON THE WEST SIDE OF IT BECAUSE WE DON'T EVEN HAVE SIDEWALKS.
SO, SO THE, UH, THE WAY DOMINION DESIGNS IT IS TO MEET THE S-E-D-O-T PHOTOMETRICS.
AND SO THE WAY THE D UH, THE WAY THE PHOTOMETRICS REQUIRE SOMETIMES SCREW YOUR CUP HERE, THAT'S SOMETIMES THEY HAVE TO STAGGER THE LIGHTS TO MEET, TO, TO MEET THE, THE PHOTOMETRICS MEANING TO HAVE THE CONSISTENCY OF LIGHT FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER.
IF YOU KEPT 'EM ALL ON ONE SIDE OF THE ROAD, THE LIGHT MAY NOT TRAVEL FAR ENOUGH OVER TO THE FAR ENOUGH LANES.
SO YOU GET THAT CONSISTENCY OF LIGHT.
SO OFTENTIMES ALTERNATING THE LIGHTS IS HOW THEY'RE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THAT CONSISTENCY IN LIGHT.
THE CRAZY THING IS, WHY DON'T WE SEE IF DOT WANTS TO GIVE US THAT ROAD, WE DON'T WANT THAT ROAD
THIS IS KIM'S PERSONAL OPINION, WHICH HAS NO PLACE IN A COUNCIL MEETING.
WE DO, WE DO NOT WANT THAT ROAD BECAUSE DOT HAS MAY RIVER ROAD, THEY COME DOWN THAT SECTION OF WATER STREET THAT IS THEIRS.
THEY COME ACROSS BRIDGE STREET TO GET TO THE BRIDGE OVER UG CODE BY THE SARAH RILEY LOOKS HOUSE.
SO THAT WHEN THAT BRIDGE NEEDS MAINTENANCE, IT'S A DOT BRIDGE AND THAT BRIDGE PROBABLY NEEDS MAINTENANCE IS MY GUESS.
AS SOON AS WE ORPHAN THAT SECTION BY TAKING WHARF STREET AND CALHOUN STREET, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE BOXING DOTS ACCESS TO THE BRIDGES BOTH AT UG COVE? YEAH.
I WOULD NOT WANT TO GET US INTO THE BRIDGE MAINTENANCE OR CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS.
WE, WE ARE GETTING INTO BEING ENGINEERS.
THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S, AND I'M NOT AN ENGINEER, YOU ALL KNOW THAT, BUT I THINK WE SHOULD ASK THE, UM, SOME OF THE RESIDENTS ON THAT STREET, HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT THE PLAN THAT WE HAVE.
AND IF THEY, IF THESE, IF THERE ARE SOME LIKE MS. BURDEN MAY HAVE TALKED TO THAT SAYS, I DON'T WANT A LOT OF LIGHT IN MY BEDROOM, THEN LET'S TRY TO SEE IF HE CAN SET IT BY CUSTOMER.
BUT I THINK LIGHTING, I THINK, BUT I THINK I'M CONFUSED SIR, BECAUSE THEN THAT MEANS WE DON'T TAKE ANY ACTION ON THIS CONTRACT, RIGHT? NO, NO, NO.
WE GOING TO, WE GOING TO TAKE ACTION ON THE CONTRACT.
I'M JUST SAYING LET'S INCLUDE SOME OF THOSE.
YOU MAY HAVE, DID YOU HAVE SOME COMPLAINTS? UM, I DID HAVE, I DID HAVE A CONVERSATION, UM, OKAY
[02:30:01]
WITH SOMEBODY THAT LIVES ON NORTH STREET.UM, I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN LISTEN TO THIS.
UM, SO SHE, THE, THE PERSON I TALKED TO, UM, THEY SAID THEY FELT LIKE IT WAS MORE THAN THEY NEEDED, BUT THAT IT WAS BETTER THAN WHAT THEY HAVE NOW.
THE ONES THAT THEY HAVE NOW, WHICH I DROVE DOWN LAST NIGHT, IF THEY WERE TALL, THEY ARE BRIGHT.
THEY REALLY PROBABLY DO SHINE IN MORE TWO BEDROOMS THAN THIS NEW ONE JUST BECAUSE I THINK THAT THEY ARE NOT AS TALL.
UM, SO THAT'S THE COMBAT GOT BACK FROM YEAH, MY SUGGESTION IS WE MOVE FORWARD BUT WE TRY TO FIX SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT SOMEONE MIGHT SAY IT IS TOO BRIGHT IN MY BEDROOM.
I MEAN, IF WE CAN, IF WE CAN YES SIR.
WE CAN SHIELD, WE CAN WORK WITH DOMINION TO SHIELD AND MAYBE THAT'S MORE EDUCATION FRONT OF THE PROJECT.
UM, BECAUSE I I DON'T WANT TO OVER PROMISE RIGHT.
FROM THE TOWN'S PERSPECTIVE OF SAYING IT'S TOO MUCH.
BUT, BUT AT LEAST WE LET THEM KNOW THAT WE HEAR THEIR CONCERN.
THAT'S WHAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT.
DID WE EVER WORKSHOP THIS WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD? NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF, NO MA'AM.
WE SHOULD HAVE WORKSHOPPED IT.
WE CAN STILL DO THAT BEFORE WE IMPLEMENT THE LIGHTING TO MAKE SURE MM-HMM.
BUT IT SHOULD HAVE DONE, IT SHOULD HAVE GONE WAY BEFORE IT EVER GOT TO DESIGN SO THAT WE KNEW THAT AHEAD OF TIME.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR KIM? WE HAVE A, UM, A RECOMMENDATION FOR A MOTION.
UM, ARE WE GOING TO HAVE A WORKSHOP? THIS ISN'T, ARE WE GONNA HAVE A WORKSHOP FOR THE RESIDENTS? ARE WE, I MEAN, I'M NOT ASKING, I'M NOT SUGGESTING I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO.
I THINK WE CAN DO, UM, I'M MORE THAN GLAD TO DO LIKE A Q AND A SESSION AND INVITE THE RESIDENTS, LET 'EM KNOW WE'RE GETTING, WE DO THE STREET LIGHTS AND, AND TELL 'EM TO COME IN AND WE'LL THROUGH PROJECT KICKOFF MEETING.
KIND OF A KICKOFF MEETING WITH THE RESIDENTS AND SEND AN INVITE AND DO THAT.
UH, THE WORKSHOP SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE SAID PROBABLY BEFORE THIS BECAME A CIP, ONE OF THE FIRST STEPS OF THE CIP PROJECT.
THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD BE DOING.
UM, ALL WE'RE DOING IS AUTHORIZING STEVEN.
SO COUNSEL DECIDE TO MOVE FORWARD.
WE'LL ACTUALLY GO AHEAD AND, AND WORK WITH GETTING EVERYTHING WITH DOMINION TO MOVE THIS, UH, FORWARD AND THEN SET UP A MEETING WITH THE RESIDENTS AS A KIND OF A KICKOFF TO MAKE SURE WE CAN, UH, TRY TO ADDRESS ANY CONCERNS BEFORE THE PROJECT.
ACTUALLY, UH, THE LACK START GOING IN, WE HAVE AT LEAST 6, 8, 6, I'M SORRY CHARLES CORRECT ME ON THIS.
EIGHT TO 12 WEEKS BETWEEN SIGNING THIS AGREEMENT WITH DOMINION TO THE POLLS GETTING THERE.
SO WE'VE GOT MORE THAN LIKELY THREE MONTHS TO GET WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, HEAR THEM TRY AND FINAGLE SOMETHING OUT OF DOT THOUGH, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GONNA HOLD MY BREATH ON THAT ONE.
UM, BUT TELL THEM WHAT WE CAN DO, WHETHER IT'S SHIELDING AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
SO THIS RECOMMENDATION ON HERE, THIS ISN'T A MOTION THAT WE'RE SEEING.
WELL IT WILL BE A MOTION AS SOON AS I GET YOU ON THE RIGHT SLIDE.
SO FOR CLARITY, I BELIEVE THAT'S THE ONLY REMAINING STATE ROAD THAT WE WOULD BE TRYING TO LIGHT UP IN THE OLD TOWN DISTRICT, HISTORIC DISTRICT UNDER THOSE CRITERIA.
IS THAT CORRECT? UH, THE LAST ONE WOULD BE BRIDGE STREET, PHASE TWO I, ALRIGHT, THAT ONE I GET, BUT, UH, OKAY, THANK YOU.
YES, BUT PRICHARD AND EVERYTHING ELSE WITHIN OLD TOWN WE OWN THOMAS, ARE ALL OURS.
ALL THE RUNS ON THE LADDER BETWEEN DOWNGRADE AND CALHOUN ARE OURS.
I MOVE TO APPROVE AUTHORIZING THE TOWN MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A LIGHTING AGREEMENT WITH DOMINION ENERGY FOR THE WALL STREET LIGHTING PROJECT WITH A TOTAL PHYSICAL IMPACT OF 153,640 AND 58 CENTS OVER A 10 YEAR TERM.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
OKAY, MOVING ON TO CONSENT AGENDA.
[XII. CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS]
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO REMOVE OR DISCUSS TO CONSENT? ANY CONCERNS? IS THERE A MOTION? MAYOR, I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA AS, UH, AND THE STAFF REPORT.[02:35:01]
DISCUSSION FAVOR SAY AYE.SO WE'RE MOVING RIGHT ALONG HERE.
[XIII. EXECUTIVE SESSION]
IS THERE A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION? SO, FOR THE PURPOSE OF SECTION, WE'RE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, HISTORIC DISTRICT, AND BUCK WALTER, PUD, PURSUANT TO SOUTH COLORADO, FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 30 DASH FOUR DASH 78 2 EVERYBODY.CARS ALL OVER BEAUFORT COUNTY ARE BEING TARGETED BY THIEVES.
WE WANT TO REMIND YOU NOT TO LEAVE VALUABLES IN YOUR CAR AND TO KEEP YOUR DOORS LOCKED.
IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT RECENT THEFTS, PLEASE CONTACT THE BUFORT COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE OR CRIME STOPPERS.
THIS IS THE SALT MARSH, ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL AND PRODUCTIVE HABITATS ON EARTH.
IT'S HOME TO AN INCREDIBLE DIVERSITY OF MARINE INVERTEBRATES, FISH AND EVEN REPTILE SPECIES LIKE THIS.
DIAMONDBACK TERRA, MANY OF THE ANIMALS THAT LIVE HERE GROW UP IN THE SPARTINA NURSERY BEFORE THEY MOVE INTO THE RIVERS SOUNDS AND OPEN OCEAN.
JOIN US FOR COASTAL KINGDOM, A FIELD TRIP THROUGH THE LOW COUNTRY, AND A CHANCE TO MEET SOME OF THE ANIMALS THAT LIVE HERE
[XIV.ACTION FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION]
OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION.SECOND, SECOND, THIRD, WE HAD IT.
HERE YOU ARE WATCHING BC TV LIVE, WORK, PLAY.
UH, I WE'RE, WE'VE GOT A LOT TO TALK ABOUT AND WE'RE GONNA TRY TO TALK ABOUT AND A ALL OF THIS IN A VERY SMALL KIND OF PRESENTATION TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT WE WANT TO DO.
UH, IF Y'ALL REMEMBER, UH, WE STARTED WORKING ON A NEW SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER OPPORTUNITY LAST YEAR.
UM, BECAUSE WE KNEW, AND WE HAD KNOWN THAT TRYING TO RECRUIT LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO BE CLASS ONE CERTIFIED, WHICH IS WHAT THE STATE REQUIRED.
UH, YOU KNOW, TO BE IN OUR SCHOOLS AS SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS, WHICH ARE, IS, IS A SPECIAL, I THINK WE ALL AGREE THAT THAT IS REALLY A SPECIAL CANDIDATE, UH, THAT WE CONSIDER TO BE THAT CLOSE IN ASSOCIATION TO OUR KIDS.
UM, AND, BUT WE KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER PROGRAM BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY FACTORS IT CREATES, NOT ONLY IN OUR SCHOOLS, BUT WHAT OUR WHAT WHAT OUR COMMUNITIES AS WELL, BECAUSE THE SCHOOL IS A MELTING POT OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE.
SO HAVING THAT RIGHT PERSON IN THAT JOB AND THAT ROLE TO PROVIDE SECURITY TO OUR KIDS LEADERSHIP, TO OUR KIDS, UH, AND GIVING THE CONFIDENCE TO THE STAFF TO WORK IN THE SCHOOLS.
I MEAN, IT'S IMPORTANT TO FIND THAT RIGHT PERSON.
SO IT'S DIFFICULT TO FIND A CLASS ONE OR THE CLASS ONE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW, IS ONE THAT GOES TO THE ACADEMY FOR 12 WEEKS, SPENDS 12 WEEKS FOR THE MOST PART IN COLUMBIA.
AND WE DO SOME OF THE TRAINING HERE LOCALLY, BUT EVERYTHING ELSE, UH, HAS TO BE DONE IN COLUMBIA.
AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ATTRACT TO BE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS THAT REALLY DON'T WANT TO GIVE UP THEIR LIFE AND THEIR FAMILY TO GO TO COLUMBIA AND GO THROUGH BOOTCAMP TO BE A CLASS ONE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER.
SO I HAD OUR TRAINING STAFF PUT TOGETHER A TRAINING SYLLABUS FOR A,
[02:40:01]
WHAT WE CALL A CLASS THREE.UH, AND IT WAS A CLASS THREE DESIGNATION FOR SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER.
WHAT THAT DID IS IT ALLOWED US TO CREATE A TRAINING SYLLABUS THAT WE COULD TAKE A PERSON, UM, YOU KNOW, OF, OF ANY AGE.
UM, AND THAT WE WOULD BRING THEM INTO LAW ENFORCEMENT ENVIRONMENT, YOU KNOW, WITH BLUFFTON OR BEAUFORT OR PORT ROYAL OR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
UH, AND WE WOULD TRAIN THEM HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
ALL OF THEIR TRAINING WOULD BE DONE RIGHT HERE.
UH, IT WOULD BE EIGHT WEEKS, MAYBE A LITTLE MORE THAN EIGHT WEEKS OF TRAINING.
UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO START THIS, UH, OUR FIRST CLASS.
WE'D LIKE TO START IT IN JUNE.
UH, THAT WAY WE CAN GET 'EM THROUGH THE PROGRAM AND BE READY FOR DEPLOYMENT, UH, WHEN SCHOOL STARTS IN AUGUST.
UH, I, I THINK IT'S AN AWESOME PROGRAM.
WE, WE, WE SENT THE TRAINING SYLLABUS TO THE ACADEMY THAT TRAINS ALL OF OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
THEY APPROVED IT, UH, WITH THE BLESSING OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA TRAINING COUNCIL.
SO WE ARE READY TO GET THIS THING MOVING AND GET IT STARTED.
AND I THINK FOR US, UH, WE JUST NEED TO KIND OF TELL OUR CITIZENS, YOU KNOW, WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR? UH, THE ROLE IS SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER.
IT'S A CLASS THREE LAW ENFORCEMENT DESIGNATION.
UH, IT'S A UNIFORM POSITION, IT'S AN ARMED POSITION.
UH, THEY HAVE ARREST POWERS, UH, AND THEY HAVE ALL THE POWERS OF ANY OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER ON THE SCHOOL GROUNDS, UH, THAT THEY'RE ASSIGNED TO.
SO WHAT DO YOU THINK, JOE, SHERIFF? I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA, AND THANK YOU FOR TAKING LEAD ON THIS.
UM, WE HAVE FOUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN BLUFFTON THAT CURRENTLY ARE NOT STAFFED BY CLASS THREE OR HIGHER OFFICERS.
AND I THINK THAT THIS PROGRAM IS GONNA ATTRACT PEOPLE TO THESE POSITIONS AND IT'S GONNA PROVIDE MORE OF A SECURITY BLANKET FOR OUR SCHOOLS TO INCLUDE OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
SO WE'RE DEFINITELY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
WE'RE EXCITED TO BE PART OF IT.
WHO, WHO DO WE WANT TO ATTRACT? I THINK WE'VE GOT A, WE'VE GOT AN ENORMOUS NUMBER OF RETIRED MILITARY FOLKS HERE.
THEY MAY HAVE CHILDREN IN OUR SCHOOLS AND WITH THE, WITH THE PROGRAM THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO PUT TOGETHER.
UM, THEY'LL BE HOME WHEN THEIR CHILDREN ARE HOME, NOT IN SCHOOL.
AND, UM, AND I'VE ALWAYS SAID, YOU AND I HAVE HAD THIS CONVERSATION, SHERIFF, WE, WE NEED TO GET INTO THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IF WE, IF WE WAITED UNTIL HIGH SCHOOLS WERE TOO LATE.
I'M, I'M GLAD THAT YOU TOOK THE LEAD ON IT.
I'M, I'M EXCITED TO SEE IF WE CAN GET SOME PEOPLE IN.
BUT I REALLY THINK THE YOUNG RETIRED MILITARY PEOPLE ARE, THEY'RE JUST MADE FOR THIS, YOU KNOW, AND WE'VE GONE THROUGHOUT OUR CAREERS, UH, IN THE COUNTY OF BEAUFORT AND WE'VE HAD CONVERSATION AFTER CONVERSATION WITH DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT SAY, YOU KNOW, I'M RETIRED, I'D LIKE TO FIND SOMETHING TO DO.
AND THEN YOU START TALKING TO 'EM AND THEY'RE A RETIRED TEACHER OR RETIRED LAW ENFORCEMENT, RETIRED FIRE DEPARTMENT, RETIRED MILITARY, RETIRED BANKERS, RETIRED, I MEAN, RETIRED, THIS, THAT AND THE OTHER.
AND THEY'RE STILL, STILL AT AN AGE THAT THEY COULD, UM, THEY, THEY COULD DO THIS JOB WITH NO PROBLEM AT ALL OF ANY KIND.
UM, AND THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT, THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE.
I'D LIKE TO SEE, UH, THOSE THAT ARE STILL, THAT STILL FEEL LIKE THEY CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE, THAT MAYBE HAVE ALWAYS LOOKED AT LAW ENFORCEMENT AS BEING A JOB, BUT BECAUSE OF THE PAY AND BECAUSE OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE WORKING CONDITIONS AND FAMILIES AND, AND ALL THAT, THEY JUST DIDN'T WANNA DO IT.
BUT HERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO MAKE $45,000 A YEAR STARTING PAY TO WORK BASICALLY THE SCHEDULE OF THE TEACHING AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHICH IS A PRETTY GOOD SCHEDULE.
IT IS, UH, TO HAVE BENEFITS, UH, TO BE IN A RETIREMENT SYSTEM AND TO BE ABLE TO BRING THEIR MATURITY, UH, THEIR LIFE EXPERIENCE AND, AND YOU KNOW, TO TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AGE KIDS WHO WILL BENEFIT GREATLY FROM JUST HAVING THAT OPPORTUNITY TO SOCIALIZE AND BE AROUND, UH, THESE FOLKS THAT BRING A LOT TO THE TABLE.
AND I, WE, IN OUR COMMUNITIES, YOU TAKE BLUFFTON AND BEAUFORT AND, AND IN THE COUNTY AND THEN IN PORT ROYAL, THOSE PEOPLE ARE HERE.
AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THINGS TO DO.
AND I JUST THINK THIS IS AN AWESOME OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO, YOU KNOW WHAT, JUST DO IT KINDA LIKE NIKE.
UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S, THE TRAINING IS, I THINK THEY'LL ENJOY THEIR TRAINING.
AGAIN, IT'S ALL DONE RIGHT HERE.
THEY, THEY'LL STAY AT HOME, THEY'LL SLEEP IN THEIR OWN BED, THEY'LL HAVE THEIR OWN PILLOW, AND THEN THEY CAN COME TO TRAINING AND ONCE THEY'RE CERTIFIED, UH, THEN THEY'LL START THE SCHOOL YEAR, UH, AUGUST OF THIS YEAR.
SO, I MEAN, I KNOW YOUR COMMUNITY REPRESENTS THAT OPPORTUNITY AS WELL.
[02:45:01]
WHAT ELSE, WHAT ELSE DO YOU THINK THIS, UM, THIS PROGRAM'S GONNA DO IN TOTALITY FOR WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH? I THINK, I THINK THIS PROGRAM, ONE WILL BE ABLE TO GET US OVER THE TOP.I THINK WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET, WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET A POLICE OFFICER IN EVERY SCHOOL IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, WHICH IS IMPORTANT.
A POLICE OFFICER AND I, AND I, AND YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS.
THERE'S A LOT OF TRAINING THAT GOES ALONG WITH THIS JOB.
AND YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT A SECURITY OFFICER.
THIS IS A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, UH, THAT'S GONNA BE WELL TRAINED, UH, IN THIS.
AND I, I THINK THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT'S, IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
AND I THINK WITH THE YOUNG CHILDREN TARGETING THE RETIREES MM-HMM.
THEY'VE GOT THE LIFE EXPERIENCE FOR THE, FOR THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
AND, AND TO GET THAT STARTED OFF.
SO I THINK
POSSIBLY A THIRD COMING ON BOARD.
I'VE GOT NINE JOE, I HAVE FOUR.
SO I MEAN, IN TOTAL, AND HERE'S THE THING.
IT, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU WORK AT THE CITY OF BEAUFORT OR THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, UH, OR PORT ROYAL OR FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, YOU KNOW, WE WANT YOU TO COME TO WORK.
AND LAW ENFORCEMENT TO BE A CLASS THREE SRO, DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU GO, DOESN'T MATTER WHO YOU ARE EMPLOYED BY.
THE WORK ENVIRONMENT'S BASICALLY THE SAME.
IT MAY BE A DIFFERENCE IN UNIFORM THAT YOU WEAR AT THE SCHOOL THAT YOU'RE ASSIGNED TO, UH, THE PAY.
I MEAN, EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE BASICALLY THE SAME.
SO ALL WE WANT PEOPLE TO DO IS PUT THEIR APPLICATIONS IN.
GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN AND EXPLAIN THE PROGRAM IN DETAIL.
AND IF YOU REALLY HAVE AN INTEREST IN IT, UH, THEN LET'S, LET'S, LET'S GET STARTED.
AND, AND ONE THING THAT I WANT TO HIT ON IS THIS PROGRAM IS IMPORTANT AND, AND REASON BEING IS NONE OF OUR KIDS SHOULD FEEL AFRAID GOING TO SCHOOL.
UM, THEY SHOULD BE GOING TO SCHOOL TO LEARN AND NOT QUERYING ABOUT THEIR SAFETY.
UM, AND WHAT THIS DOES IS THIS PROVIDES ANOTHER LAYER OF SAFETY FOR ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS, ESPECIALLY THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
UM, IT ALSO PROVIDES PEOPLE WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO MENTOR THESE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN.
AND SO, LIKE THE SHERIFF SAID, IF YOU TRULY WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, UH, THIS IS A POSITION THAT YOU REALLY, REALLY WILL BE MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
I JUST HOPE THE APPLICATION START POURING IN.
AND IF YOU GET MORE THAN THAN YOU NEED THEN AND, AND WE NEED TO GO TO BEAUFORT OR WE NEED TO GO TO, UH, THE, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE OR, OR PORT ROYAL, WE JUST NEED, WE NEED TO PUT THESE PEOPLE TO WORK.
WE NEED TO FILL THESE VACANCIES, UH, AND LET'S MAKE OUR SCHOOLS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY AS SAFE AS THEY POSSIBLY CAN.
AND I THINK THE UNIQUENESS OF THIS PROGRAM, THESE OFFICERS WILL BE TRAINED BY PEOPLE THAT HAVE CHILDREN IN THESE SCHOOLS.
THEY HAVE THE SAME DESIRES, THE OUTCOMES THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
SO I'M, I'M LOOKING FORWARD, LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.
WELL, I MEAN, THE GREAT THING ABOUT IT IS THAT WE ARE, WE'LL BE DOING THE TRAINING TOGETHER.
IF YOU GET, IF YOU GET, IF YOU HIRE ONE OR TWO AND YOU HIRE FOUR AND YOU KNOW, AND I CAN FILL THE NINE THAT WE NEED, WE'RE ALL GONNA BE TRAINING TOGETHER.
SO THIS IS GONNA BE ONE TRAINING SYLLABUS TO BENEFIT, UH, THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER PROGRAM.
I MEAN, THIS IS GOING TO BE, THIS, THIS PROGRAM IS FOR SOUTH CAROLINA AS A WHOLE.
THIS IS NOT JUST FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY.
BUT I'M EXCITED THAT WE'RE GOING TO START THIS AND INITIATE, YOU KNOW, THE SRO CLASS THREE POSITION HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND WE'RE GONNA SHOW THE STATE IT WORKS.
AND THE GREAT THING ABOUT THE TRAINING TOGETHER, SHERIFF, IS YOU'RE CREATING A NETWORK BEFORE YOU EVEN GET STARTED.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO KNOW PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT SCHOOLS WHERE IF YOU CAN RUN INTO A PROBLEM, YOU HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE THAT YOU CAN CALL AND GET SOME ADVICE OR TALK TO THEM ABOUT THINGS GOING ON IN THEIR SCHOOL AND CURRENT TRENDS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THEIR SCHOOL.
SO IT'S A GREAT COLLABORATION OF ALL THREE DEPARTMENTS IN THE ENTIRE COUNTY GETTING TOGETHER BECAUSE HAVING THAT NETWORK AND PEOPLE THAT YOU CAN RELY ON FOR ADDITIONAL ADVICE IS INVALUABLE.
WELL, I TELL YOU WHAT I MEAN, I WANT, I WANT PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO, TO MAKE THOSE PHONE CALLS OR GO ONLINE AND RESEARCH, YOU KNOW, UH, JUST THE, THE, THE CLASS THREE SRO, UH, THROUGH ALL AGENCIES.
SO I THINK, LINDSAY, IF WE CAN, I MEAN AT THIS POINT, I THINK IF WE PUT THAT INFORMATION ON THIS VIDEO FOR BLUFFTON, BEAUFORT, PORT ROYAL AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WEBPAGE AND PHONE NUMBERS, UH, I THINK WE'LL HOPEFULLY WE'LL START GETTING CALLS.
THAT SOUND GOOD TO Y'ALL? YES, SIR.
[02:50:03]
HERE'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.A FEW MILES FROM BEAUFORT, SOUTH CAROLINA.
IN THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL STANDS A PROPERTY OF NATIONAL IMPORTANCE.
IN FACT, IT'S LISTED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES.
FOR MORE THAN A DECADE, THE ONLY PUBLIC ACCESS TO THE PROPERTY HAS BEEN BY WATER.
SOUTH CAROLINA'S DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES IS WORKING TO PROVIDE ACCESS FOR ALL.
A CULTURAL RESOURCES, INVENTORY, OR ARCHEOLOGY MUST BE DONE BUILT FROM TABBY, A MIXTURE OF OYSTER SHELLS, LIME, SAND, AND WATER.
SIMILAR IN MANY WAYS TO CONCRETE.
FORT FREDERICK'S CONSTRUCTION WAS ORDERED IN 1726 BY THE BRITISH COLONIAL GOVERNMENT TO GUARD PORT, ROYAL SOUND, AND THE TOWN OF BEAUFORT FROM APPROACHED BY SPANISH WARSHIPS.
AN ESTIMATED 50,000 BUSHELS OF OYSTERS WERE NEEDED FOR THE FIVE FOOT HIGH, FIVE FOOT THICK TABBY WALLS.
IT IS THE OLDEST TABBY STRUCTURE IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
THE ADJACENT PROPERTY IS THE UNITED STATES NAVAL HOSPITAL.
ON THIS PROPERTY WAS THE 19TH CENTURY SMITH PLANTATION, WHICH BECAME THE UNION ARMY'S CAMP SAXTON DURING THE CIVIL WAR AND HOME OF THE FIRST REGIMENT COMPRISED OF FREED SLAVES.
THE OBJECT IS TO EXTRACT AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE IN A GIVEN AMOUNT OF TIME.
THERE IS A CERTAIN METHODOLOGY USED IN AN INVESTIGATION LIKE THIS COME ALONG AND SEE HOW IT'S DONE.
THE INITIAL SHOVEL TESTS DUG RANDOMLY AROUND THE SITE, EXAMINE THE DENSITY OF ARTIFACTS AND THE PERIOD OF OCCUPATION AT FORT FREDERICK.
ARTIFACTS INCLUDED 19TH CENTURY, 18TH CENTURY, AND PREHISTORIC OBJECTS.
THIS IS A FLAKE, A STONE TOOL, FLAKE.
IT'S A PIECE OF CHURCH FROM ALLENDALE TOP SITE, TOP OF THAT AREA.
IT'S PRETTY, IT KIND OF TELLS YOU HOW RICH IT IS OUT HERE.
WITH THESE INITIAL TESTS, ARCHEOLOGISTS DETERMINE THE DEPTH REQUIRED OF THE SHOVEL TESTS IN THE NEXT PHASE.
THAT DEPTH IS WHEN THEY REACH A STERILE SOIL LAYER WHERE THEY NO LONGER SEE CULTURAL MATERIAL.
FOR PHASE ONE OF THIS PROJECT, A GRID IS LAID OVER THE SITE MAP.
THE SCOPE OF WORK HERE CALLS FOR SHOVEL TEST PROBES EVERY 10 METERS ACROSS THE ENTIRE THREE ACRES, RIGHT? OH.
USING A SURVEYING INSTRUMENT CALLED A TOTAL STATION PIN FLAGS ARE PLACED TO MATCH THE GRID MAP.
EACH FLAG IS IDENTIFIED BY ITS EXACT LOCATION.
A FIELD TEAM FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA'S INSTITUTE OF ARCHEOLOGY AND ANTHROPOLOGY IS CONTRACTED TO CONDUCT THE FIELD WORK.
THE DATA COLLECTED FROM THESE SHOVEL TESTS WILL GUIDE THE UPCOMING MONTH LONG EXCAVATION, AS WELL AS ANY THAT MAY BE UNDERTAKEN IN YEARS TO COME.
ALL THE SOILS ARE SCREENED THROUGH A QUARTER INCH MESH.
ALL ARTIFACTS ARE BAGGED ACCORDING TO THEIR EXACT LOCATION AND DEPTH FOR LATER ANALYSIS FOR THE NEXT PHASE.
UNITS OF TWO METERS IN DIAMETER ARE LAID OUT IN THE AREAS CONFIRMED BY THE SHOVEL TESTS.
TO HAVE THE HIGHEST DENSITY OF ARTIFACTS, THE FIELD TEAM REMOVES SOIL LAYER BY LAYER.
SO HOW DEEP IS EACH LEVEL? SOMETIMES A STANDARD DEPTH OF 10 CENTIMETERS IS USED AT FORT FREDERICK.
THEY'LL EXCAVATE LAYERS ACCORDING TO CHANGES IN SOIL COLOR.
AGAIN, ALL THE DIRT IS SCREENED AND THE ARTIFACTS BAGGED.
THIS INFORMATION WILL ACCOMPANY THE ARTIFACTS THROUGHOUT THE CURATION PROCESS.
THESE UNITS SHOW AN OCCUPATION FROM THE FIRST HALF OF THE 19TH CENTURY.
THIS IS STONEWARE, AMERICAN STONEWARE WEAR WITH ONLY FOUR WEEKS BUDGETED FOR THE PROJECT.
THE FIELD TEAM MUST BE METICULOUS AND QUICK AT THE SAME TIME.
MOTORIZED SCREENERS HELP SPEED SIFTING THROUGH LARGE VOLUMES OF SOIL.
WHILE SOME TASKS REQUIRE A MORE DELICATE TOUCH LOOKING CLOSELY, SOME AREAS SHOW A COLOR CHANGE IN THE SOIL CALLED FEATURES.
[02:55:01]
THESE AREAS WERE LIKELY DISTURBED BY HUMANS IN THE PAST WERE THESE POST HOLES FOR A STRUCTURE OR HOLES WHERE ITEMS OFTEN TRASH WERE BURIED.THESE FEATURES ARE EXCAVATED FURTHER AS THEY OFTEN YIELD ARTIFACTS, AND THESE FEATURES MUST BE EXCAVATED TO THEIR STERILE SOIL LAYER.
WORK IN THIS AREA OF THE SITE IS PLANNED FOR TWO WEEKS.
FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THIS PROJECT, THE TEAM MOVES TO THE FORT ITSELF.
THE DECISION IS MADE TO LAY OUT CONTIGUOUS TWO METER UNITS THAT SPAN THE FORT'S INTERIOR WALL TO WALL.
GIVEN THE DEPTH REQUIRED, THERE IS A LOT OF DIRT TO BE MOVED NEAR THE EAST WALL.
THE TEAM ENCOUNTERS A RUBBLE FILLED FEATURE.
THIS FEATURE IS EXCAVATED AND THE CONTENTS BAGGED FOR THE TRIP TO THE LAB.
EVERY CONCEIVABLE DATA POINT, STRATIGRAPHY SOIL COLORS, DEPTHS, AND FEATURES IS COLLECTED FOR LATER ANALYSIS.
THE EXCAVATION OF THE FORT'S INTERIOR HAS EXPOSED THE FULL DEPTH OF THE WALLS, YIELDING ARTIFACTS FROM PREHISTORIC TIMES THROUGH THE 19TH CENTURY.
NOW, LAB ANALYSIS WILL BEGIN TO PIECE TOGETHER UNKNOWN FACTS ABOUT THE SITE'S LONG OCCUPATION.
BUT FIRST, BEFORE LEAVING THE SITE, THE UNITS ARE BACKFILLED TO PRESERVE THEIR INTEGRITY AND ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THE PUBLIC WHEN THE SITE IS REOPENED.
UH, WE'VE BEEN REFERRING TO IT AS THE RUBBLE SCATTER.
AFTER MANY MONTHS IN THE PLANNING STAGES, A WEEK OF SHOVEL TEST PROBES, A MONTH OF UNIT EXCAVATIONS WITH MOUNTAINS OF SOIL MOVED, PLUS WEEKLY ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PUBLIC.
ARCHEOLOGY AT THIS SITE IS DONE FOR NOW.
NEARLY TWO TONS OF OYSTER SHELL BRICK AND ARTIFACTS WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE INSTITUTE OF ARCHEOLOGY AND ANTHROPOLOGY AT USC IN COLUMBIA FOR ANALYSIS.
IT IS HERE THAT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF WHAT THEY FOUND WILL BE ASSESSED AND ADDED TO OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THOSE WHO OCCUPIED THE FORT FREDERICK HERITAGE PRESERVE.
AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.