[00:00:01]
WELCOME TO THE COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING OF MONDAY, JUNE THE 10TH.
UH, WOULD THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL COUNCIL MEMBER TABER.
COUNCIL MEMBER LAWSON MARK LAWSON.
COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM PRESENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER BARTHOLOMEW HERE.
UM, WOULD YOU ALL RISE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR THE INVOCATION? I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND I JUSTICE FOR ALL, DEAR WISE AND LOVING GOD.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR MANY AND ABUNDANT BLESSINGS.
WE THANK YOU FOR LIFE ITSELF AND FOR THE MEASURE OF HEALTH GIVEN US TO FULFILL OUR DUTIES.
WE THANK YOU FOR THE ABILITY TO BE INVOLVED IN USEFUL WORK AND FOR THE HONOR OF VARYING SERIOUS RESPONSIBILITIES, I ASK THAT WE AS A BODY PROMOTE PEACE, ORDER, AND JUSTICE, AND THAT YOU GRACIOUSLY GRANT DISASSEMBLED BODY THE WISDOM TO GOVERN AMID THE CONFLICTING INTERESTS AND ISSUES OF OUR TIMES, TO HAVE A SENSE OF THE TRUE NEEDS OF OUR CITIZENS, TO HAVE A KEEN THIRST, FOR JUSTICE, TO UNDERSTAND AND TO CLEARLY SEE WHAT IS GOOD FITTING AND APPROPRIATE TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO WORK TOGETHER IN HARMONY, EVEN WHEN THERE IS HONEST DISAGREEMENT AND TO HAVE PERSONAL PEACE IN OUR LIVES AND JOY IN OUR TASKS.
FINALLY, PLEASE HELP US TO ENSURE OUR DELIBERATIONS HERE TONIGHT BENEFIT THOSE WHO LIVE AND WORK IN OUR EXTENDED COMMUNITY.
PUBLIC NOTIFICATION OF THIS MEETING HAS BEEN PUBLISHED, POSTED, AND DISTRIBUTED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA FREEDOM AND INFORMATION ACT.
[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
NUMBER FOUR IS THE APPROVAL OF TONIGHT'S AGENDA.AND BEFORE WE DO THAT, I'M GOING TO ASK A MEMBER OF COUNCIL TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO TONIGHT'S AGENDA UNDER ITEM NUMBER 11, WHICH IS THE COUNTY BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 24 25.
THERE ARE TWO TYPOS THAT NEED TO BE CHANGED.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US BECAUSE IT IS A VERY LENGTHY DOCUMENT.
IT IS AN ORDINANCE THAT WE GET THOSE CORRECT.
SO I'M GOING TO ASK OUR, UM, ESTEEMED ATTORNEY TO, OR MR. ROBINSON, IF YOU WILL, NOTE WHAT THOSE TWO CHANGES ARE SO THAT WE CAN HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL MAKE THE MOTION TO CHANGE THOSE ITEMS. YES, SIR.
ON YOUR, UH, IN YOUR BACKUP MATERIAL, ON THE, UH, SECTION WHERE IT HAS THE MILLAGE, UH, AT THE BOTTOM OF THE MILLAGE, THE LADIES ISLAND FIRE DISTRICT MILLAGE UNDER EXPENDITURES, IT'S LISTED AT AT $8,261,522.
THAT NUMBER SHOULD BE $8,351,522.
AND THEN, UM, SECTION 14 UNDER ROMAN NUMERAL SECTION 14, THAT, UH, ROMAN NUMERAL IS WRITTEN INCORRECTLY.
SO WE WILL CHANGE THE ROMAN NUMERAL.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY, THAT'S IT.
WILL A MEMBER OF COUNCIL MAKE A MOTION TO HAVE THOSE TWO ITEMS CHANGED? I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO CHANGE THOSE THREE.
MS. TABER MAKES THE MOTION A SECOND, PLEASE.
SECOND, MR. MCKELLAN MAKES THE SECOND.
I WAS GONNA GIVE IT TO SOMEBODY ELSE, BUT I GAVE IT TO YOU.
ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, THE CHANGES WILL BE MADE WITHOUT OBJECTION.
NOW I WOULD LIKE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA AS AMENDED.
MR. BARTHOLOMEW MAKES THE SECOND DULY MOTION AND SECONDED.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE.
THE AMENDED AGENDA WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION.
AND I SEE NO OBJECTIONS BEFORE WE GO TO THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
[00:05:01]
THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE IN THE AUDIENCE, THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE WATCHING, YOU WILL SEE THAT ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA IS A THIRD READING OF AN ORDINANCE FOR A TRANSPORTATION SALES AND USE TAX REFERENDUM.WE WILL NOT HAVE THE THIRD READING.
WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO IS INTRODUCE IT AS A THIRD READING, BUT WE'RE GOING TO MAKE AMENDMENTS TO THAT SO THAT YOU WILL SEE EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.
IT WILL THEN BE, BECOME THE SECOND READING AND THERE WILL BE A THIRD READING WITH ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING.
[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - Special Called Council Meeting April 29, 2024 & April 30, 2024]
APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FOR THE SPECIAL CO COUNSEL MEETING COUNCIL MEETINGS OF APRIL 29TH AND APRIL 30TH, 2024.SECOND, MR. CUNNINGHAM, YOU MADE THE SECOND DULY MOTIONED.
ANY DISCUSSION SAYING, NO DISCUSSION.
THIS ITEM WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION.
NEXT, WE TURN TO OUR ADMINISTRATOR
[6. ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT]
FOR HIS REPORT.GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL AND CHAIRMAN.
I SAID THAT BACKWARDS AS USUAL.
IT'S A BUSY WEEK IN, UH, LAST WEEK WAS A VERY BUSY WEEK IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
STAFF WAS CONTINUING TO PREPARE FOR, UH, FOR OUR BUDGET SEASON COMING UP, UM, AS WELL AS THE MANY ISSUES THAT COME UP THROUGH OUR, THROUGH OUR DAYS AND OUR WEEKS.
I HAD THE PLEASURE OF ATTENDING A FEW, UH, IMPORTANT MEETINGS.
UM, OUR COUNTY EMERGING LEADERS PROGRAM, UM, HOSTED THE WOMEN'S CONFERENCE ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON.
UH, THIS WAS A WELL ATTENDED EVENT.
UH, WE HAD SOME GREAT SPEAKERS, UH, SOME FEMALE LEADERS IN LOTS OF DIFFERENT INDUSTRY.
UM, CHAIRMAN MANN'S WIFE WAS ON VIDEO FOR A FEW MINUTES AND TALKED ABOUT HER EXPERIENCE LEADING A LARGE ORGANIZATION.
WE HAD THE, UH, RETIRED SECRETARY OF, UH, TRANSPORTATION FOR THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
UM, DOT CHRISTIE HALL CAME AND SPOKE FOR A, UH, FOR A GOOD WHILE ABOUT HER EXPERIENCE COMING UP THROUGH ENGINEERING AND A MALE DOMINATED, UH, INDUSTRY, AND BECAME THE LEADER OF THAT ORGANIZATION FOR THE STATE.
SO IT WAS REALLY GREAT TO HEAR FROM HER AS WELL AS SOME OTHER LOCAL LEADERS.
WE, WE HAD, UH, MS. MARILYN FROM THE, UH, SHE'S THE, UH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE BLACK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND SOME OF OUR OWN, UM, STAFF, UH, UH, CAME TO SPEAK.
UH, SO WE HAD, UH, OUR ASSESSOR, EBONY SANDERS.
UM, DALE BUTTS WAS ON PART OF THE PANEL AS WELL.
UM, COLONEL GRANT, QUA GRANT IS THE DIRECTOR OF OUR DETENTION CENTER, AS WELL AS, UH, PAM COBB AND SEVERAL OTHERS CAME TO SPEAK.
ALL OF THEM, THEM A GREAT JOB AND IT WAS A REALLY GOOD EVENT OVERALL.
UM, I WAS, UM, WHILE I WAS THERE, DISTRACTED SLIGHTLY 'CAUSE THERE'S WORK TO BE DONE.
UM, BUT IT WAS A REALLY GOOD EVENT.
UM, I ALSO GOT TO LEAVE, UH, THAT EVENT AND WENT TO, UH, THE LEGISLATIVE, UM, RECEPTION THAT AFTERNOON.
SEVERAL COUNCIL MEMBERS I SAW THERE AS WELL.
AND THAT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR, UM, ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF AND COUNCIL MEMBERS TO GET TO, UM, MEET AND GREET AND TALK WITH, UH, OTHER ADMINISTRATORS, COUNCIL MEMBERS, ELECTED OFFICIALS THROUGHOUT, UH, AND, AND VARIOUS IMPORTANT FOLKS THROUGHOUT, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY AND THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
SO THAT WAS ANOTHER GREAT EVENT.
I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, SHARE THREE EMPLOYEE RECOGNITIONS WITH YOU TONIGHT.
FIRST IS, UH, FROM OUR ENGINEERING, UH, DEPARTMENT.
DID I SEE PATTY HERE ALREADY? THERE YOU ARE.
UH, SO PATTY DOES A THANKLESS JOB, BUT NONE, NONE.
UM, BUT VERY IMPORTANT JOB AND VERY DIFFICULT JOB.
PATTY IS OUR RIGHT OF WAY MANAGER.
SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS ANYTIME WE BUILD A SIDEWALK OR A ROAD OR PAVE A DIRT ROAD, WHATEVER THAT IS, THE RIGHT OF WAYS DOWN, BOTH SIDES OF THOSE HAVE TO BE PROCURED PROPERLY.
SO WE EITHER HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHO OWNS THEM.
SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW MUCH THEY COST.
WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT, MAYBE WE ALREADY OWN PART OF THAT.
HOW MUCH OF THAT RIGHT OF WAY NEEDS, UH, NEEDS TO BE ACCEPTED AND FOR EVERY PARCEL ALONG BOTH SIDES OF A PIECE OF PROPERTY.
SO YOU CAN IMAGINE IF WE'RE PAVING A MILE OF ROAD, HOW MANY PARCELS THAT IS THAT SHE HAS TO DO EVERY BIT OF RESEARCH FOR EVERY SINGLE OWNER OF EVERY PROPERTY.
AND IF YOU GET IT WRONG, WHAT HAPPENS? WE GET A FINE, WE GET YELLED AT.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, THINGS GO BAD.
SO, UH, NOW TO READ WHAT SHE DOES, SHE MANAGES EASEMENTS RIGHT OF WAYS FOR
[00:10:01]
ENGINEERING AND PUBLIC WORKS, UH, PROJECTS, PROPERTY LIAISON FOR UTILITIES, SURVEYORS, CONSULTANTS, AND CONSTITUENTS.THE UTILITIES IS A, A WHOLE NOTHER NIGHTMARE ON ITS OWN ABOVE GROUND UTILITIES, UTILITY EASEMENTS AND, AND BURIED, UM, UTILITIES THAT SOMETIMES FOLKS DON'T EVEN KNOW ARE THERE.
UM, SO SOME THINGS ABOUT PATTY.
UM, UM, PATTY SERVED, UH, FOR, UH, WELL, NINE YEARS IN MARCH.
SHE'S WORKED FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY.
SHE'S HIKED SECTIONS OF THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL.
SO HER GOAL IS TO COMPLETE THE ENTIRE 2,200 MILES.
UM, SHE'S CURRENTLY COMPLETED ABOUT HALF OF THE TRAIL AND IS MAKING HER WAY THROUGH PENNSYLVANIA.
YOU'D LIKE TO SAY I TO COUNCIL? UM, YEAH.
I WORK WITH MANY OF YOU IN THE PROCESS.
UM, YOU GUYS ARE VERY HELPFUL WHEN I HAVE TO, UM, GET WITH YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND I APPRECIATE THE HELP AND ESPECIALLY YOU TWO THAT ARE ONLINE.
UM, UH, MY JOB IS CHALLENGING AT TIMES AND IT'S REWARDING.
UM, LIKE YOU SAID, IT'S NOTHING LIKE SEEING YOUR, YOU KNOW, A PAVED ROAD KNOWING THAT YOU PAVED THE WAY FOR THAT ROAD.
SO, UM, IT'S VERY, IT'S VERY REWARDING.
IT'S VERY CHALLENGING SOMETIMES.
I'M PROBABLY THE LEAST LIKED PERSON IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
BUT, UM, BUT I ENJOY IT AND I ENJOY WORKING WITH THE COUNCIL.
I ENJOY WORKING WITH ALL THE, UM, OUTSIDE SURVEYORS AND, UM, CONTRACTORS AND OTHER PEOPLE THAT I WORK WITH AND THE, AND THE CITIZENS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY.
UH, COULD I HAVE A MOMENT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE WHILE SHE'S TAKING A PICTURE? GO AHEAD.
UH, I JUST WANNA SAY I THANK PATTY FOR ALL THE WORK SHE'S DONE.
UM, SHE'S THE PROBABLY THE MOST LIKED PERSON ON MY PART IN THE COUNTY BECAUSE, UM, SHE'S HELPED ME A LOT ON A LOT OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS.
UM, SO I ALWAYS WANNA SAY THANK YOU, PATTY.
NOW THE, THE NEXT PERSON I'M GONNA INTRODUCE IS PRETTY NEW.
HE'S BEEN HERE ABOUT SIX MONTHS.
UM, HOPEFULLY WE DON'T HAVE TO USE HIM.
HE IS OUR NEW DISA DISASTER RECOVERY MANAGER.
UM, SO LIKE I SAID, MATT'S WORKED FOR US ABOUT SIX MONTHS.
MATT IS OUR, UH, DISASTER RECOVERY MANAGER.
AND WHAT'S THAT MEAN? HE'S THE GUY THAT MAKES ALL THE PLANS FOR WHEN WE HAVE A BAD DAY.
HE'S GONNA HELP US FIX THAT BAD DAY, WHETHER, UH, WHETHER IT IS, UH, IMPLEMENTING OUR DISASTER RECOVERY PLANS, OUR DEBRIS MANAGEMENT STRATEGY, UH, UH, WORKING WITH PUBLIC WORKS AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE RECOVERY PLANS FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY.
SO HE COORDINATES ALL OF THIS ACTION WITH COUNTY DEPARTMENTS, WITH OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT AND WITH OUR OTHER LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES AND ENTITIES.
UM, IS IS IN THE OFF SEASON, MATT'S DOING PAPERWORK AND READING BOOKS AND PLANNING AND GOING TO CLASSES.
BUT WHEN IT'S HURRICANE SEASON, MATT'S ON HIGH ALERT, UH, IS WHAT HE DOES, IS CRITICAL TO THE RECOVERY OF BEAUFORT COUNTY AND ALL THE CITIZENS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
SO IT IS VERY IMPORTANT AND DETAILED WORK.
SO HE WORKS WITH, UH, DISASTER RECOVERY INFORMATION TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, CITIZENS KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, TO DISSEMINATE THAT INFORMATION PROPERLY THROUGHOUT OUR VARIOUS STATE AND LOCAL, UH, ORGANIZATIONS.
SO MATT IS A GRADUATE OF, UH, SAVANNAH STATE, HOUSTON UNIVERSITY'S HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
UM, HE LED AN SUCCESSFUL IT CAREER, UM, AND BEGAN AND THEN BEGAN TO STUDY, UH, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AFTER SPENDING A WEEK VOLUNTEERING IN NEW ORLEANS DURING THE RECOVERY FROM HURRICANE KATRINA.
AND WE ARE PLEASED TO HAVE MATT WORK WITH US AND WORK IN DISCOVERY AND, UM, DISASTER RECOVERY.
UH, MATT, WANNA SAY A FEW WORDS TO COUNSEL? ABSOLUTELY.
UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME, COUNSEL.
IT'S, UH, IT'S REALLY GREAT TO MEET ALL OF YOU.
UM, MR. CHAIRMAN, I KNOW WE HAD A CHANCE TO, UH, TALK DURING THAT, UH, THAT MAYOR'S MEETING AND TALK ABOUT SOME OF YOUR EXPERIENCES DURING RECOVERY.
UM, I GOTTA SAY I HAVE ABSOLUTELY LOVED MY SIX MONTHS HERE WITH THE COUNTY.
EVERYBODY'S BEEN VERY WELCOMING.
UM, I INHERITED AMAZING PROGRAM, UM, THAT MY PREDECESSOR AND NOW SUPERVISOR, PAMELA COBB HAD PUT TOGETHER, UM, SOMETHING THAT, UM, ALL OF THE DIFFERENT COUNTY DIRECTORS THAT COME TOGETHER.
THIS PLAN DOESN'T EXIST BY ITSELF.
UM, AND WHEN IT COMES TO RECOVERY, THAT'S WHAT IT'S ABOUT.
IT'S ABOUT PEOPLE AND TRYING TO GET US BACK TO THE NEW NORMAL, SHOULD ANYTHING BAD EVER HAPPEN TO US.
[00:15:01]
PUBLIC WORKS HAS JUST BEEN AMAZING.IT'S ONE BIG FAMILY OVER THERE.
UM, I COULDN'T BE HAPPY HERE WITH MY CHOICE TO COME WORK FOR BUFORD COUNTY, SO THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
YEAH, YOU GOTTA STAND ON YOUR TOES.
ALSO, UH, FROM A CLOSE, CLOSER RELATED DEPARTMENT, UH, IS, UH, VICTORIA HOFFMAN.
UM, WHERE'S VICTORIA? THERE SHE IS.
UM, VICTORIA'S WORKED FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY FOR THREE YEARS.
UH, SHE IS THE SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING PROGRAM MANAGER.
UH, SHE'S RESPONSIBLE FOR OVER OVERSEEING THE COUNTY'S COMPLIANCE WITH ALL OUR LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL LEGISLATOR FOR SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING PROGRAM, INCLUDING HELPING THE COUNTY REACH ITS STATE MANDATED WASTE DIVERSION GOALS.
SHE OVERSEES THE BUDGET PROCESS FOR, UM, FOR THE SELECTION OF ALL CAPITAL EQUIPMENT AND PROJECT PLANNING, AND MANAGES ALL RELATED CONTRACTS FOR SERVICES PROVIDED TO, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY.
UH, SHE'S RECENTLY LEVERAGED A-U-S-D-A GRANT FOR COMPOSTING, WHICH Y'ALL APPROVED A FEW WEEKS AGO, LIKE JUST $270,000 PLUS AND SOME CHANGE.
UM, AND, UH, WHICH WILL BE, UH, A PILOT PROGRAM THAT'LL BE IMPLEMENTED SOON.
VICTORIA OVERSEES EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGNS AND, UM, TO CONTINUE TO BETTER SERVE BEAUFORT COUNTY.
UH, VICTORIA USED TO LIVE IN LAS VEGAS.
SHE WAS A, AS A, SHE WORKED AS A CONSERVATION BIOLOGIST AND LIKED TO HIKE THROUGH THE DESERT LOOKING FOR MOJAVE DESERT TORTOISES.
UH, THEY DON'T, BUT THE, UH, MOJAVE AND GREEN RATTLESNAKES DID.
SHE'S AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE JUNIOR SERVICE LEAGUE OF BEAUFORT.
AND WHEN SHE ISN'T VOLUNTEERING OR LOOKING FOR TORTOISES, SHE ENJOYS SPENDING TIME WITH HER FAMILY AND THE CREEKS AND ON THE BEACHES OF BEAUFORT COUNTY.
IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO DO THAT.
YEAH, I REALLY HONORED TO RECEIVE THIS RECOGNITION, UM, EACH DAY.
SO MANY PEOPLE WORK IN THE COUNTY, SO IT'S REALLY NICE TO HEAR THAT.
UH, I REALLY DO LIKE WHAT I DO IN THE SOLID WASTE INDUSTRY.
WE ALWAYS SAY THAT WE'RE JUST GOOD AT TALKING TRASH.
UM, I MAY BE GOOD AT THAT, BUT I ALSO FEEL LIKE I BRING A LOT TO THE TABLE.
I'M REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT I DO AND TRULY ENJOY HELPING SERVE BEAVER COUNTY.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE RECOGNITION.
THOSE CHILDREN ARE A LOT OF WORK.
THAT, UH, CONCLUDES MY REPORT.
[CITIZEN COMMENTS (Part 1 of 2)]
AT OUR FIRST CITIZEN'S COMMENT.UH, IN THIS FIRST PORTION, WE HAVE THREE INDIVIDUALS WHO WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS US ABOUT ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
THE FIRST ONE IS JOE MACK, WHO WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS US REGARDING THE PARKS AND BRICK MASTER PLAN.
UH, CHAIRMAN, GOOD EVENING, GOOD AFTERNOON, AND GOOD EVENING.
UH, CHAIRMAN, UH, COUNTY COUNCIL.
UM, I SPEAK ON BEHALF OF BEAUFORT TRAILBLAZERS.
UM, JUST TO INTRODUCE MYSELF, I, UM, UH, RAISED IN BEAUFORT, GREW UP IN BEAUFORT, AND I LIVE IN BEAUFORT.
AND I HAVE A RECREATION BUSINESS.
UM, UH, PLAYED FOUR YEARS TENNIS FOR BEAUFORT HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, IN 2016, I WENT AROUND ON A BICYCLE TO ALL THE PARKS NORTH OF ABROAD.
AND, UH, DISTRIBUTED A LITTLE THING WHAT I HAD FOUND IN THE PARKS.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY HAD THIS PLAYGROUND.
I EVEN WENT TO THE SCHOOLS PARKS, WHICH THEY TYPICALLY HAD A PLAYGROUND, UM, RUNNING TRACK.
UM, UH, AND, UM, THE, THE MASTER PLAN, UM, I REMEMBER THE ONE FROM, UH, THE CONSULTANT FROM COLORADO THAT DID ONE FROM YEARS AGO, UM, WHERE WE OBVIOUSLY ADVOCATE FOR, UM, MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAILS.
UM, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, DEVELOPERS ARE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT IN THE COUNTRY.
UM, WELL, DEVELOPERS ARE BUILDING MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAILS, WHICH EVERY TRAIL I'VE EVER BEEN ON, THEY ARE, YOU CAN RUN, YOU CAN WALK, YOU CAN MOUNTAIN BIKE.
THE DEVELOPERS ARE, UM, SEEING THE VALUE OF IT.
[00:20:01]
SAME VALUE AS A TENNIS COURT.PICKLEBALL COURT IS PROBABLY MORE VALUABLE THAN THE PAVEMENT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY WANTS TO GO OUTSIDE.
IT'S IN THEIR DNA AND IT'S IN, IT'S IN, IT'S MORE NATURE THAN THE PAVEMENT.
UM, AS FAR AS, UM, THE HISTORY AROUND BEAUFORT, UM, WITH THE PARKS, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY HAS THEIR CUP OF TEA, SO TO SPEAK.
AND, UM, SOME THINGS GOT OVERLOOKED.
UM, UH, YOU KNOW, I WOULD GO PLAY TENNIS.
I WOULD, I WOULD GO PLAY 10, 15 TOURNAMENTS A YEAR.
UM, IF YOU PLAY ENOUGH, YOU MIGHT WIN A TOURNAMENT.
I WON ANDERSON, I WON MYRTLE BEACH, AND I WON DELTA ISLAND THE BEST.
I DID MONEY-WISE WAS, YOU KNOW, I COACHED IT.
I I PLAYED WORLD RANKED PLAYERS IN THE AMATEURS, BUT I WAS IN THE, THIS SMALL TOWN IN ARKANSAS, AND I WON THE FIRST ROUND.
AND IF I WON THE SECOND ROUND, I WOULD'VE GOT $250.
WELL, THERE WAS A SMALL PROBLEM.
THE GUY ACROSS THE NET WAS RANKED 500 SOMETHING IN THE WORLD, AND HE WAS FROM HAWAII.
UM, WE HAVE SUCH A VACUUM HERE, UH, FOR SPORTS.
IS THAT SOME KIND OF DINGDONG OR 30 SECONDS? YOU HAVE 30 SECONDS.
SO A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT MOUNTAIN BIKING IS.
UM, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, ERIC GREENWAY WAS ON VIDEO, SO HE, HE, HE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT IT WAS 'CAUSE HE WAS SAYING, WE WANNA MOVE DIRT.
AND I, I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS ON THE AGENDA AT THE NATURAL RESOURCE COMMITTEE BACK A COUPLE YEARS BACK.
THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALL KIND OF FLAVORS.
YOU DON'T, YOU CAN HAVE A FLAT TRAIL.
YOU CAN HAVE A, A HILLY TRAIL.
SO, AS FAR AS THE MASTER PLAN, I JUST, I, I, UM, I DID READ IT THIS MORNING.
I GOT UP TO PAGE 60, AND THEN I STARTED SKIMMING.
I CAN FINISH THIS IN ONE MINUTE.
UM, NOT TOO MANY PEOPLE COME DOWN HERE AND WANNA TALK.
SO THE, UM, I STARTED SKIMMING AFTER PAGE 60.
I HAD TO GET ON WITH THE DATE.
IT'S 132 PAGES OF MASTER PLAN.
IT DID SAY, I DID NOTICE TWO THINGS THAT WOULD BE THE HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT I, 'CAUSE I SAW SOME OTHER THINGS TOO.
GOT NUMBER ONE MORE THAN ONCE.
FITNESS, FITNESS AND SOMETHING.
I, I BELIEVE IT WAS FITNESS AND HEALTH.
AND THEN THE OTHER POINT I'D LIKE TO MAKE WAS, I THINK IT WAS, IT WAS THE 36 MOST IMPORTANT.
BUT THE NUMBER 11 WAS UNPAVED, HIKING, WALKING, AND BIKING TRAILS.
AND NUMBER 24 WAS MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAILS.
AND TO ME, THAT'S ONE SAME, BUT I KNOW IT'S JUST, UH, A DOCUMENT.
IT'S A, UM, A RESOLUTION, WHICH JUST MEANS KIND OF SOMEWHAT HALF, HALF INTENT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU HAD, YOU HAD PLENTY OF RESOLUTIONS OVER THE YEARS THAT NEVER TOOK PLACE.
SO, UM, THEY WERE MORE SPECIFIC.
NEXT WILL BE, UH, MIKE HAGAN REGARDING ITEM NUMBER 10, WHICH IS OUR SALES TAX REFERENDUM.
UH, WE CAME TO YOU MONTHS AGO WITH CONCERNS OVER FIVE B IN ENGINEERING.
OF COURSE, IT EVOLVED INTO THE WHOLE, UH, TRANSPORTATION, SALES TAX, UH, REFERENDUM.
YOU LISTENED TO US THEN YOU JUST DEMONSTRATED LEADERSHIP AS A COUNCIL AND AS INDIVIDUALS.
UH, YOU HAD THE, UH, FORUMS, UH, YOU CHANGED THE FORMAT OF THE FORUMS TO MAKE EACH ONE MORE PRODUCTIVE THAN THE LAST.
AND, UH, YOU REALLY LISTENED TO EVERYTHING WE HAD TO SAY.
AND I BELIEVE LAST, UH, TUESDAY WAS A MEETING OF THE PUBLIC FACILITIES, UH, COMMITTEE.
AND WHICH YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT, I BELIEVE IS THEIR RECOMMENDATION.
AND WHILE IT MAY NOT BE A PERFECT DOCUMENT, UH, IT'S CERTAINLY ONE THAT WE CAN LIVE WITH, UH, THE PEOPLE THAT I SPEAK WITH IN ROSE HILL.
AND WE APPRECIATE, UH, ALL THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE BY THE COUNCIL.
LISTENING IS SOMETIMES DIFFICULT, BUT YOU ALL DID THAT.
THE CHAIR DEMONSTRATED LEADERSHIP.
LOGAN DEMONSTRATED LEADERSHIP IN THE MEETING, UH, THAT HE, UH, SAW, UH, OVER BACK CLASS TUESDAY.
AND PAULA, OUR REP, UH, WAS OUT IN FRONT AS WELL.
WE THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE WITH THAT.
BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, YOU DESERVE, YOU, YOU TAKE ENOUGH HEAT, YOU DESERVE A, YOU KNOW, COMPLIMENT ONCE IN A WHILE.
AND FINALLY, UH, ANNEMARIE YOUIS.
I STOOD BEFORE YOU MONTHS EARLIER AND TOLD YOU HOW BAD THIS 2014 SALES TAX IS.
AS IT STANDS, I COME BEFORE YOU FOR PUBLIC RECORD SO THAT THE VOTING TAXPAYERS WILL KNOW JUST WHAT A BOON DO IT IS.
YOU WANT US TO PAY FOR PROJECTS WE FUNDED UNDER 2018 SALES TAX.
YOU CLAIM THAT PROJECTS WERE UNDERFUNDED.
SO I LOOKED AT NINE PROJECTS ENCOMPASSING LADIES ISLAND CORRIDOR IN
[00:25:01]
THE 2018 REFERENDUM JUST BEFORE COMING HERE.OF THE NINE PROJECTS, ONE IS COMPLETED, ONE IS LISTED UNDER PHASE ONE CONSTRUCTION AND PHASE TWO IN DESIGN, THREE ARE IN DESIGN, ONLY THREE ARE ON HOLD.
AND ONE THAT WAS IN DESIGN IS NOW BACK ON HOLD.
IT TOOK EIGHT YEARS TO GET THIS FAR.
ONLY ONE PROJECT COMPLETED THE COST OF 30 MILLION FUNDED BY 2018 TAX.
YET YOU WANT AN ADDITIONAL FUND OF THE NINE PROJECTS AT 60 MILLION.
I REMIND YOU, THIS IS JUST LADIES ISLAND CARTER.
I SHUDDER WHAT TO THINK OF WHAT I'D FIND IF I DIG DEEPER.
SO THESE PROJECTS WERE UNFUNDED.
IS THAT THE TAXPAYER'S FAULT OR IS THE PLANNERS AND SCULPTORS OF THE 2018 REFERENDUM? WILL YOU COME BACK IN 10 YEARS AND TELL US, OOPS, WE MADE A MISTAKE.
IF YOU CHAIN A DOG TO A TREE, SLOWLY OVER TIME, RE REMOVE THE LINKS TOWARDS THE END, THE DOG ACCEPTS IT AS NORMAL RESTRICTIONS.
THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO US.
25 YEARS AGO, THE SALES TAX WAS 4% CLIP.
WE ACCEPT 6% AS THE NEW NORMAL CLIP CLIP.
BUT WAIT, THE TAX SUNSETS, WE DROP DOWN TO SEVEN.
WHAT YOU HAVE DONE IS TRAINED US TO THE NEW NORMAL.
YOU MADE IT GENERATIONAL, SAY 15 YEARS.
WHAT'S NEXT? 10%, 20%, 39% TAX.
LIKE EUROPE TRANSPORTATION TAX, GREEN SPACE TAX, HOSPITALITY TAX, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT TAX.
WHAT'S NEXT? AND YOU ASK US TO TRUST YOU.
HOW WHEN THERE ARE NINE ETHICS VIOLATIONS UNDER INVESTIGATION IN THIS COUNTY'S ADMINISTRATION FOR MISAPPROPRIATION OF FUNDS AND MALFEASANCE.
WHAT ELSE? WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IS LEARN TO EARN OUR TRUST.
REDUCE THE 2024 REFERENDUM, REMOVE THE TWO SLUSH FUNDS LIST ONLY IMPERATIVE AND IMMEDIATE PROJECTS.
REDUCING IT FROM 1.65 BILLION TO 950 MILLION IS A START, BUT IT'S NOT ENOUGH.
REDUCE THEM FURTHER TO WELL BELOW 10 YEARS NON-RENEWABLE.
FINALLY CLEAN YOUR HOUSE WITH TRANSPARENCY TO THE PUBLIC.
OKAY, WE WILL, UM, END THE FIRST COMMENT SECTION AND MOVE ON TO OUR LIAISON
[8. LIASION AND COMMITTEE REPORTS]
AND COMMITTEE REPORTS.MEMBERS, UM, WANT TO DO REPORTS, MS. HOWARD? I ONLY HAVE ONE.
UM, PORT ROYAL MET FOR THEIR WORKSHOP ON JUNE 5TH.
THEY ARE DESIGNING A NEW PLAN FOR PARIS AVENUE, UH, WITH, UH, PERHAPS MORE PARKING SPACES AND, UH, LOOKING AT HOW TO HAVE A RIGHT OF WAY, WHICH THEY ALREADY HAVE, BUT WOULD USE SOME OF THAT RIGHT AWAY FOR MORE PARKING SPACES.
AND THEY, UH, THEY INTERVIEWED PEOPLE FOR THEIR SHORT-TERM RENTAL TASK FORCE.
'CAUSE THEY ARE TRYING TO GET THEIR ARMS AROUND THAT.
AND, UH, TALKED ABOUT PERHAPS REVISIONS TO THEIR, UM, TREE ORDINANCE TOO.
ANY OTHERS? I HAVE ONE VERY BRIEFLY.
I WAS AT THAT BOARD MEETING ABOUT A WEEK AGO, AND, UH, FROM THAT I STRUCK OUT TO TOM DAVIS, SENATOR DAVIS'S STAFF.
AND WE'RE WORKING ON, UM, WAYS TO POSITION OURSELVES TO GET MORE GRANTS THAT WOULD HELP TRANSPORTATION, WHICH WE, UM, WILL FIND OUT HOW WE CAN DO THAT.
SECONDLY, I ATTENDED, UM, THAT WOMAN'S CONFERENCE ON FRIDAY.
UM, AND I, AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT, UM, I WAS PLEASANTLY SHOCKED BY THE SPEAKERS, THE AGENDA.
I THOUGHT I'D GO FOR A COUPLE HOURS AND, YOU KNOW, DUCK OUT AND LEAVE.
I'VE GOTTA TELL YOU, I STAYED THE ENTIRE DAY.
AND THESE SPEAKERS, AND YOU WERE, THEY WERE INTRODUCED BEFORE AND IT WAS SO FUN THAT ONE OF OUR SPEAKERS, JARED OVER THERE, GAVE US A, A SUPER BALL TO PLAY WITH.
BUT HE ACTUALLY HAD, UM, A CONCEPT OF THIS, UM, THE BUTTERFLY.
JARED, I DON'T WANNA PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT WOULD YOU TAKE A HALF A SECOND AND SHARE WITH US? I MEAN, I THINK THIS BROUGHT HOME A LOT OF THINGS FOR WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO AS A COUNCIL.
WOULD YOU DO THAT OR IS THAT ASKING TOO MUCH, MR. CHAIRMAN, TOO MUCH? UH, IT ACTUALLY IS.
BUT LISTEN, I WILL SAY THIS, I'VE BEEN, WE JUST, UH, FOR ABOUT FOUR OF US UP HERE, FINISHED OUR FIRST YEAR, JANUARY 3RD.
AND THERE WERE ABOUT 13 OR 14 TABLES, ABOUT A HUNDRED.
SO PEOPLE THERE, THERE WAS ABOUT THREE TABLES.
[00:30:01]
I DIDN'T KNOW SOMEBODY IN A YEAR.WE'RE TRYING TO WORK TOGETHER, COME TOGETHER FOR THE PEOPLE AND WE KEEP ON HEARING, WE KEEP ON LISTENING AND, AND YOU KNOW, I'M PROUD TO BE ON THIS COUNCIL.
WE DON'T AGREE ON EVERYTHING AND WE'RE NOT GONNA AGREE ON EVERYTHING.
BUT I THINK YOU HAVE AN INCREDIBLE STAFF OF PEOPLE THAT'S WORKING TOGETHER THAT WILL COME TOGETHER, TOGETHER.
UM, I THINK JULY 1ST WITH OUR NEW COUNTY MANAGER COMING IN.
UM, I THINK YOU'RE GONNA BE PROUD OF THAT AS WELL AND HOW WE WORK TOGETHER.
AND, UH, CAROL, HOW DO I SAY HER LAST NAME? PRAYER.
IS THAT HOW I SAY HER LAST NAME? IS HE HERE? MIKE WALLACE? UH, NOT YET, BUT JULY 1ST.
BUT CAROL, I WAS HAP LAST COUPLE WEEKS AGO, I WAS IN THE HALLWAY AND I HEARD HER SPEAKING ABOUT THIS WOMAN'S CONFERENCE AND I SAID, WHAT THE HECK CAN THAT BE ABOUT? AND COMING FROM NEW YORK, UM, I INVITED MYSELF.
I SAID, CAN I GET TO THAT? AND LET ME TELL YOU A STORY.
I'M GLAD HE DID BECAUSE WE LEARNED A LOT AND THERE'S A LOT WE CAN DO IN THE FUTURE AND I APPRECIATE BEING THERE.
ANYBODY ELSE? I WAS SURPRISED TOO.
I'M SO GLAD TO SURPRISE YOU ALL, BUT NO, I DON'T HAVE DONE.
BEFORE YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND, I'M GOING TO MOVE ON.
[9. APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA]
I WOULD ASK A MEMBER OF COUNCIL NOW TO MAKE A MOTION FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.MS. HOWARD MAKES THE SECOND, UH, DULY MOTION AND SECONDED.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SAYING NO DISCUSSION.
THIS ITEM WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION AND I SEE NO OBJECTIONS.
[10. THIRD READING OF AN ORDINANCE FOR A 2024 TRANSPORTATION SALES AND USE TAX REFERENDUM]
10, I WOULD ASK A MEMBER OF COUNSEL TO MAKE A MOTION FOR THE THIRD READING OF AN ORDINANCE FOR A 2024 TRANSPORTATION, SALES AND USED TAX REFERENDUM.MR. CUNNINGHAM MAKES THE MOTION A SECOND, PLEASE.
MS. TABER MAKES THE SECOND DULY MOTIONED.
AS I SAID AT THE BEGINNING, WE ARE NOW GOING TO MAKE SOME CHANGES.
SO THE FIRST CHANGE I'M GOING TO ASK IS FOR A MEMBER OF COUNCIL TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO THIS ORDINANCE FOR THE CHANGE FROM THE ORIGINAL 15 YEARS AND 1.625 BILLION TO MODIFY IT TO A 10 YEAR, $950 MILLION REFERENDUM.
MR. CUNNINGHAM MAKES THAT MOTION.
SECOND, MR. MCKELLEN MAKES THE SECOND DULY MOTIONED AND SECONDED.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION.
[11. SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO MAKE APPROPRIATIONS FOR COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND SPECIAL PURPOSE DISTRICTS FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING JULY 1, 2024, AND ENDING JUNE 30, 2025; TO LEVY TAXES FOR THE PAYMENT THEREOF; TO ADOPT SERVICE AND USER FEES; TO PROVIDE FOR THE EXPENDITURE OF SAID TAXES AND OTHER REVENUES COMING INTO THE COUNTY; AND OTHER MATTERS RELATED THERETO]
OF COUNSEL TO TAKE AND MAKE A MOTION TO INCLUDE IN THE REFERENDUM THOSE PROJECTS AS THEY WERE DISCUSSED AT THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE, UH, INDICATING THE PROJECTS WITH THE PROJECTED AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT INDICATES $950 MILLION SO MOVED.MR. CHAIRMAN, MR. CUNNINGHAM MAKES THAT MOTION.
MS. HOWARD MAKES, UH, THE SECOND IT IS DULY MOTIONED AND SECONDED.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? THE ONLY THING I WANNA MAKE CLEAR IS THAT WHEN WE GET TO THE READING, I'M GONNA VOTE FOR NO FOR THAT AS WELL.
UM, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION.
NEXT, IN THE, UM, ORDINANCE, UH, I'M SORRY.
IN THE, UH, THE DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECTS, EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THE MUNICIPALITIES, HILTON HEAD, BLUFFTON NORTH OF THE BROAD, HAS BEEN GIVEN A SPECIFIC SUM OF MONEY.
FIRST I WOULD ASK A MEMBER OF COUNCIL TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO INDICATE THAT THE $30 MILLION, UH, MONEY SET ASIDE FOR THE BLUFFTON PROJECTS WILL EXCLUDE FIVE B AS DEFINED AS THE BUCK ISLAND TO, UH, BUCK WALTER PARKWAY AS THE FIVE B EXTENSION THAT IS BEING ELIMINATED.
MR. CUNNINGHAM MAKES THAT MOTION.
MS. TABER MAKES THE SECOND DULY MOTION.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE THAT WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION.
NEXT, I WOULD ASK A MEMBER OF COUNCIL TO MAKE A MOTION ON THE HILTON HEAD PROJECTS THE $30 MILLION THAT IT WILL INCLUDE IN THE $30 MILLION.
[00:35:01]
THE SEA PINE CYCLE, SEA PINES CIRCLE IMPROVEMENTS.MR. MCKELLAN MAKES THAT MOTION.
MR. CUNNINGHAM MAKES THE SECOND DULY MOTIONED AND SECONDED.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE.
THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION.
THEREFORE, WE NOW HAVE, UH, SOMETHING THAT I NEED TO RECITE.
UM, BECAUSE WHEN A SUBSTANTIVE MODIFICATION OR AMENDMENT TO AN ORDINANCE IS PROPOSED AFTER SECOND READING, THE CHAIRMAN SHALL REMAND THE ORDINANCE FOR AN ADDITIONAL READING.
BASED UPON THAT SECTION OF OUR RULES AND PROCEDURES.
I AM GOING TO REMAND THIS BACK TO COUNTY COUNCIL FOR A SECOND READING AND THEN A THIRD READING OF THE ORDINANCE THAT DOES NOT REQUIRE A MOTION OR SECOND UNDER MY AUTHORITY AS THE CHAIRMAN.
I GET TO DO THAT AND REMAND THAT.
THERE ARE TWO OTHER CHANGES, I THINK, OR AT LEAST ONE YOU WANT TO ADDRESS AND THEN A TYPO AS WELL GENERALLY.
JUST TO CLARIFY, THE THIRD READING WILL BE AT A LATER DATE? YES, IT WILL.
THE SEC THE SECOND READING WILL BE AT THE NEXT COUNTY MEETING AND THE THIRD READING WILL BE AT A LATER DATE.
AND WE'LL INFORM EVERYBODY OF THAT.
UM, SO YOU, YOU ADDRESSED THE, UH, THE CHANGE FROM 1.6 BILLION TO 950 MILLION.
CORRECT? THERE ALSO IS A REDUCTION THE AMOUNT OF THE, THE BONDS THAT COULD BE ISSUED YES.
SO THAT COULD BE PART OF, I'M SORRY.
PARDON? AND THAT WOULD BE PART AND PARCEL OF, OF THE CHANGES THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE.
DO WE NEED A MOTION FOR THAT? IT, IT, IT REALLY IS PART OF WHAT Y'ALL JUST DID, SO I WOULD JUST INCLUDE IT IN, IN EITHER AN ADDITIONAL OR AMEND WHAT WAS JUST DONE TO, TO INCLUDE THAT REDUCTION AS WELL.
UM, I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION YES.
TO AMEND IT TO INCLUDE THAT AMOUNT TO REDUCE THE BOND FROM THE, UH, STATED AMOUNT TO THE NEWLY STATED AMOUNT.
MR. MCCULLUM MADE THAT MOTION.
MR. CUNNINGHAM MADE A SECOND DULY MOTION AND SECONDED ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION.
MR. KE I THINK THERE WAS ONE, UH, TYPO OR ONE MORE CHANGE.
IT'S ON PAGE 49 OF THE BACKUP SECTION 2.6.
AND THAT IS TO TERMINATE THE DATE OF TERMINATION OF THE REFERENDUM EXHIBIT.
I I, THAT WILL GET CAUGHT UP IN THE REDUCTION FROM THE 15 YEARS TO THE 10 YEARS.
BUT IN ONE PLACE IT SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSED WHAT THE FINAL TERM OF, OF THE TAX WOULD BE.
SO IT, BECAUSE OF THE REDUCTION FROM 15 YEARS TO 10 YEARS, IT DROPS IT FROM 2040 TO 2035 TO LINE UP WITH THE 10 YEAR COLLECTION PERIOD.
JEREMY, UH, JUST AS A, UH, POINT OF CLARIFICATION, WHAT'S THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS, UM, TO TAKE PLACE IN MAY 1ST? MAY 1ST? YES, SIR.
AND THE, UH, GREEN SPACE COMMITTEE COLLECTIONS WILL BE ENDING WHAT DATE THIS YEAR? DECEMBER 30.
I THINK IT'S JUST AT THE LATEST.
YEAH, IT DOESN'T MEET THE THRESHOLD BEFORE DECEMBER.
SO THE LATEST WOULD BE DECEMBER 31% WILL BE GONE.
UH, IF, UH, AND THEN IF THIS 1% PASSES.
SO IT'LL BE, SO IT WON'T BE A 2%, IT'LL BE ONE.
RIGHT? THERE'LL BE A FOUR MONTH PERIOD? YES SIR.
THERE'LL BE A FOUR MONTH PERIOD WITH, WITH, WITH NEITHER IN EFFECT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SO NOW WE HAVE, UH, IT WILL BE DISCUSSED AT THE COUNCIL MEETING OF THE 24TH.
YOU WILL HAVE ALL OF THAT INFORMATION.
WE WILL HOLD, UM, THE SECOND READING THERE.
WE WILL HOLD THE THIRD READING A FEW DAYS AFTER THAT TO MAKE IT THE THIRD READING AND THE APPROVAL OF THE SALES TAX REFERENDUM TO PRE BE PRESENTED TO THE VOTERS.
EXCUSE ME, MR. CHAIRMAN, WHEN ARE YOU GONNA DO THE SECOND AND THE THIRD READING IS WELL, SO AFTER, I BELIEVE UNDER YOUR RULES AFTER COUNSEL ADOPTS THESE CHANGES TO, UH, THESE AMENDMENTS.
WE CAN DO IT ON ALL ON THE 24TH.
WELL, I THINK YOU NEED, I THINK YOU WANT TO, UM, UM, GET A MOTION TO APPROVE THESE AMENDMENTS TO THE ORDINANCE.
UM, GET IT APPROVED OR A THUMBS SEPARATE, THUMBS DOWN.
AND THEN YOU, YOU HAVE UNDER OUR RULES AND PROCEDURES, UM, THE OBLIGATION TO REMAND IT BACK FOR ONE MORE READING ON THE 20, WHATEVER THAT IS.
WELL, WE'RE DOING FOURTH DOING IT THE 24TH OR THE 27TH.
WE HAVE A MEETING BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA HAVE IT AS A THIRD READING WITH A PUBLIC HEARING.
WELL, YOU CAN'T, YEAH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE THIRD READING ON THE, THE 24TH AND YOU CAN'T HAVE SECOND AND THIRD READINGS, UH, WITH, THEY HAVE TO WITHIN SEVEN.
I THINK IT'S SEVEN DAYS, ISN'T IT? UNDER THE STATUTE? YEAH.
[00:40:01]
RIGHT.SO I THINK YOU WANT TO GET IT APPROVED THIS TIME YES.
SO THEN THIS BECOMES THE SECOND READING.
SARAH, SOMETHING SARAH, WHEN WE HAVE THE SECOND AND THIRD READING AGAIN, CAN YOU GET A PUBLISHED BUCKET LIST SO THAT IT CAN BE UP ON THE SCREEN WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT? UM, I DON'T NEED IT TONIGHT.
COULD I, THE NEXT THERE IS ONE THAT JARED PROVIDED.
HE SAID SHARE ONCE Y'ALL FINISHED SO I CAN SHARE.
CAN YOU DO A SECOND READING? ALRIGHT.
SO THIS BECOMES, UM, THE SECOND READING, MR. KEVIN? YES.
SO NOW I'M GONNA ASK FOR A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE ON SECOND READING, UH, APPROVE TONIGHT THE CHANGES THAT WERE MADE BY, UM, MR. CUNNINGHAM, UH, MR. MCKELLEN AS THE FIRST FOR 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 CHANGES THAT WE HAVE MADE.
WE HAVE A MADE WE HAVE A MOTION.
IS IT NOT INCLUDED? THE FIRST MOTION THAT TAB MADE WAS TO INCLUDE THE, I MEAN THE, YEP.
SO YOU NEED A MOTION TO OPEN UP SECOND READING YOU NO, A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ORDINANCE AS AMENDED BY THESE MOTIONS.
LISTED AS SECOND READING FOR TODAY.
MR. CUNNINGHAM MAKES THAT MOTION.
MR. KELLUM MAKES THE, THE SECOND DULY MOTION.
AND SECONDED EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THE CHANGES WE HAVE MADE, WHAT WE HAVE INCLUDED WHAT WE HAVE, UH, DONE.
UH, AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO REMAND THIS BACK FOR A ONE FINAL READING OF COUNTY COUNCIL.
SO, MR. CHAIRMAN, ARE WE STILL OUT FOR SECOND READING TODAY FOR DISCUSSION? WE CAN.
AND THEN IF THIS GETS APPROVED, THEN IT GOES ON TO THIRD READING YEAH.
WHICH WILL BE A PUBLIC HEARING, CORRECT? YES.
AND SECOND IT, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION NOW WOULD BE THE TIME FOR YOU TO DISCUSS ANYTHING YOU WANT? YEAH, IF I MAY.
UM, YEAH, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DIDN'T SEE THE MEETING ON TUESDAY, WE ORIGINALLY WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE THAT MEETING A WEEK PRIOR, BUT WE WANTED TO SPEND MORE TIME TALKING ABOUT IT.
IF ANY OF YOU GET THE CHANCE TO GO BACK AND WATCH THAT MEETING TO SEE COUNTY COUNCIL GO BACK AND FORTH AND DISCUSS WHERE WE NEED TO PUT THESE MONIES IN THESE PROJECTS.
AND ACTUALLY SEE, THE VERY FIRST THING THAT WE TASKED AFTER WE LISTED HOW MANY YEARS TO KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY WE WERE ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT WAS THE EXISTING PROJECTS THAT HAVE WERE NOT FINISHED AND THE OTHER REFERENDUM IN 2018.
UM, THERE'S ALSO A PRESENTATION IN THERE DONE BY JARED THAT SHOWS THE AMOUNT OF INFLATION, UM, THAT OCCURRED OVER THOSE YEARS, UM, WITH ALSO THE DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW MANY YEARS IT TAKES TO RAISE THAT MONEY BEFORE YOU CAN START A PROJECT.
UM, AND WE'VE IDENTIFIED THAT AGAIN OUT HERE.
YOU'LL SEE THAT WE ALSO GAVE BUFFERS ON SOME OF THESE TO INCLUDE POSSIBLE INFLATION THAT COULD CONTINUE SO WE DON'T RUN INTO THE SAME PROBLEM.
UM, ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THAT I WANTED TO ADDRESS ACROSS THE BOARD WAS THIS IS A COUNTYWIDE REFERENDUM.
AND TO BE A COUNTYWIDE REFERENDUM, IT NEEDS TO TOUCH ALL OF BUFORT COUNTY.
UM, MR. DAWSON WAS VERY ADAMANT ABOUT MAKING SURE HIS DIRT ROAD PAVING, UM, AND RESURFACING WAS HEAVILY INCLUDED, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE ACCOMPLISHED.
UM, MS. HOWARD WAS BIG ON RESILIENCY AND EMERGENCY EVACUATION, WHICH WE WERE ABLE TO FUND, UM, FUND AND ALSO ACCOMPLISH.
YOU'LL SEE THAT TWO OF THE BIG PROJECTS THAT WERE ADDED ONTO THIS, WHERE THE TRIANGLE WHERE WE ACTUALLY MADE SURE WE HAD A BUFFER IN THAT FUNDING TO COMPLETE THAT PROJECT, WHICH THE TRIANGLE IS THE ONE 70 AREA.
UM, AS WELL AS WE FOCUSED ON SC 46 IMPROVEMENTS THAT, UM, NEED TO BE DONE DOWN THERE.
THOSE ARE TWO BIG ROADS THAT WE KNOW THAT GET PEOPLE IN AND OUT OF WORK ALL ACROSS BEAUFORT COUNTY.
UM, THEN YOU HAD, UH, MR. DAWSON AND MR. MCKELLEN WERE VERY BIG ABOUT THE EXISTING PROJECTS.
2 78 CORRIDOR LADIES ISLAND CORRIDOR, AND THEN THE REMAINING PATHWAYS THAT WE HAVE ORIGINALLY INTENDED TO COMPLETE, UM, AND, AND DID NOT UNDER THE FIRST REFERENDUM.
I CAN TELL YOU THE MONEY IS STILL THERE FROM THE ORIGINAL REFERENDUM AND IS GOING TOWARDS THESE PROJECTS STILL LEGALLY.
THEY ARE STILL IN THOSE POTS READY TO GO TOWARDS THOSE PROJECTS.
IT'S TO NOT MOVE THEM OUT OF THAT, IT'S TO FINISH FUNDING THOSE PROJECTS TO GET THEM DONE.
SO TO SAY TAXPAYERS DOLLARS WERE WASTED, THEY WERE NOT SPENT ANYWHERE ELSE.
THEY'RE STILL THERE AND THEY'RE STILL GOING TOWARDS THOSE PROJECTS FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY.
UM, I DO WANNA COMMEND THE REST OF COUNTY COUNCIL.
THAT MEETING DEFINITELY GOT A LITTLE HEATED FOR A WHILE TRYING TO GET THIS DONE.
UM, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO IRON THIS OUT TO COME UP WITH THE BIGGEST THING FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY, UM, AND CAME UP WITH GREAT TRANSPARENT NEGOTIATIONS IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY.
SO THAT'S THE WAY I SEE THIS COUNTY SHOULD BE RUN.
AND FRANKLY, YOU KNOW, THE COUNTRY ACROSS ITSELF, IT'S A PUBLIC CONVERSATION.
[00:45:01]
CLEARLY WHAT ALL OF OUR INTENTIONS WERE.I WAS ADAMANT ABOUT NO FIVE B AND THEY SUPPORTED ME ON THAT AND SO ON AND SO ON ACROSS EVERYBODY ELSE'S.
SO I JUST WANNA GIVE YOU GUYS A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
THANK YOU FOR COMING ON TUESDAY, THAT SPECIAL CALL MEETING TO GET THIS DONE.
AND, UH, HOPEFULLY WE CAN CONTINUE TO TWEAK WHAT WE NEED TO TWEAK AND GET THIS OUT TO THE VOTERS.
'CAUSE ULTIMATELY IT'S THEIR DECISION WHERE WE GO ABOUT THIS.
UM, AND TO TOUCH ON MR. MCKELLEN'S POINT, IT IS, SO TO BE CLEAR, WE ONLY HAVE A 1% SALES TASK IN BEAUFORT, BEAUFORT COUNTY.
THE OTHER SIX IS THE STATE THAT IS NOT US IN BEAUFORD COUNTY.
UM, AND THERE IS ACTUALLY A FOUR MONTH GAP WHERE IT WILL DROP DOWN TO SIX, WHICH IS THE STATE MINIMUM, UM, UP BEFORE IT GOES BACK TO SEVEN, WHICH WE ARE CURRENTLY AT AND HAVE BEEN AT FOR ABOUT THE LAST 11 YEARS.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? YES, VERY BRIEFLY.
I HAVE TO SECOND WHAT LOGAN WAS TALKING ABOUT HERE WITH THESE, WITH MY COLLEAGUES, THE WAY WE WENT BACK AND FORTH.
UM, AND, AND I GIVE YOU ALL A LOT OF CREDIT FOR THAT.
I, HOWEVER, REPRESENT A GROUP OF PEOPLE AND I HEARD FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE, UM, ON THIS SOME FOR OBVIOUSLY, UM, ESPECIALLY THE SEA PINES GROUP.
I I HEARD THEM LOUD AND CLEAR.
UH, BUT BY AND LARGE, THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE IN THESE INFLATIONARY TIMES ARE TELLING ME THIS IS NOT THE TIME.
REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOU HEARD LAST WEEK, THE FACTS ARE A TON OF PEOPLE HAVE REACHED OUT TO US.
AND A LOT OF MY CONSTITUENTS SAY, THIS IS NOT THE TIME.
SO I'M GONNA BE VOTING SINCE THIS IS THE SECOND READING, WHICH I JUST LEARNED.
AND, AND, AND THIS IS PART I WHAT I WANNA SAY ABOUT HOW WE WORK TOGETHER.
WE LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE, WE COME TOGETHER, WE MAKE OUR VOTES, AND WE MOVE ON TO THE NEXT TOPIC.
BUT WE DO IT ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE.
SO AGAIN, THAT'S GONNA BE MY VOTE TONIGHT.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? MR. CHAIRMAN, IF I MAY, UM, GO AHEAD.
I, I THANK Y'ALL FOR HAVING THAT SPECIAL COLD MEETING AND I APOLOGIZE, I COULDN'T MAKE IT.
I WAS IN COURT DOWN IN BLUFFTON.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I WAS IN A, I'M IN A HARD SITUATION WITH THE LADIES ISLAND WITH THE 2018 REFERENDUM AND, YOU KNOW, BEFORE I CAME ON COUNTY COUNCIL, I WAS ANGRY ABOUT THAT REFERENDUM TOO.
BUT LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE PROJECTS AND, AND THE PATH FORWARD THAT NEEDED, YOU KNOW, THE PLANNING AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THOSE PROJECTS, IT GAVE ME A BETTER UNDERSTANDING.
AND, BUT REGARDLESS, IT WAS STILL A HARD, HARD CONCEPT TO DO THE 15 YEAR $1.625 BILLION.
SO I APPRECIATE THIS BODY REDUCING THAT DOWN TO 10 YEARS, $950 BILLION BECAUSE THESE PROJECTS ARE STILL NEEDED.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, OUR COUNTY'S GROWING, THE INFRASTRUCTURE'S AGING.
THESE PROJECTS HAVE TO BE ACCOMPLISHED AND FUNDED SOMEHOW.
AND IT'S A SALES TAX OR ADV VALORIAN TAX, UNFORTUNATELY.
AND I THINK THE SALES TAX IS PROBABLY THE BEST WAY TO GO TO MINIMIZE THE IMPACT TO OUR ACTUAL RESIDENTS HERE.
UM, I WAS DOING A VOTE NO TO THE 15 YEAR AFTER LISTENING TO MY CONSTITUENTS.
UH, I DON'T THINK THEY WERE GONNA GO FOR THAT, BUT THE REDUCTION.
AND I WANT TO THANK THIS BODY AS WELL FOR, FOR UPPING THE, THE $40 MILLION ALLOCATION TO 60 MILLION FOR LADIES ISLAND IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THOSE PROJECTS FROM THE 2018 REFERENDUM TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE DONE AND PROPERLY FUNDED.
I'D LIKE, I JUST WANNA COMMENT THAT AS I TALK TO PEOPLE PREDOMINANTLY WHERE I LIVE, UM, THEY ARE NOT CONCERNED ABOUT THE, THE ILL TIMING OF IT.
THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT 15 YEARS, 1.62 BILLION.
SO WE'VE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT.
THERE IS A MISUNDERSTANDING OUT THERE THAT WILL BE INCUMBENT UPON US TO TEACH PEOPLE.
EVERYBODY SAYS, WELL, THE GOVERNMENT PASSED THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THERE'S BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
WHY AREN'T THEY DOING THE ROADS? THE STATE HAS A ONE POINT SOMETHING BILLION DOLLARS SURPLUS.
WHY AREN'T THEY PAYING FOR THE ROADS? WHY ISN'T CTC PAYING FOR THE ROADS? THOSE ARE ALL DIFFERENT ENTITIES.
AND IN THE END AS, UH, COUNCILMAN BAR WHO SAID, IT'S EITHER A SALES TAX OR WE HAVE TO RAISE THE MILLAGE.
I DON'T THINK PEOPLE DIGRESS THAT WE DON'T NEED THE TRANSPORTATION DONE.
IT'S JUST WHERE ARE YOU GONNA GET THE FUNDING? SO I THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO SOME EDUCATION ABOUT FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL.
MR. LAWSON, LEMME JUST PIGGYBACK ON, ON SOME VERY GOOD COMMENTS THAT HAVE JUST REASONABLY MADE IS THE FACT THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, I'VE LIVED HERE FOR NOW 34 YEARS, AND WE ALL KNOW WHAT'S COMING AND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE WHEN IT COMES TO INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO, UM, AS, AS TAB JUST SAID, SO WHERE DOES THAT MONEY COME FROM? IT THEN EITHER COMES FROM US RAISING TAXES OR FROM A SALES TAX AND TALKING TO MY CONSTITUENTS.
UM, I WOULD MUCH RATHER PAY THE SALES TAX BECAUSE THEN ALL THE TOURISTS THAT COME HERE CAN HELP US PAY THOSE TAXES.
THIS IS NOT JUST THE BURDEN THAT'S PUT UPON PEOPLE THAT, THAT, THAT, UM, UH, OWN PROPERTY THROUGH THEIR, THROUGH THEIR, THE TAXES THEY HAVE TO PAY.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS A WAY THAT WE CAN, UM, FUND WHAT WE ABSOLUTE EVERYBODY KNOWS WE HAVE COMING THAT WE NEED TO HAVE HAPPEN.
[00:50:01]
AND THEN THE SECOND PART THAT I'D LIKE TO MENTION IS, IS THE FIVE B.AGAIN, THE COUNCIL HEARD WHAT WAS SAID FROM THE PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE AT FIVE B.
AND AS I MENTIONED, WHENEVER Y'ALL CAME IN BEFORE, IS, IS TO KEEP AN OPEN MIND.
AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE I REMEMBER WHEN, WHEN PEOPLE DID NOT WANT THE BLUFFTON PARKWAY, THEY DIDN'T WANT THE, THE, THE CROSSOVER, THE FLYOVER FOR 2 78.
UM, THERE'S LOTS OF THINGS THAT, THAT WE HAVE HAD TO DO IN THE, IN THE PAST, UH, WIDENING 2 78.
AGAIN, PEOPLE THAT THAT SAID WE DIDN'T NEED IT.
BUT, UM, AS THINGS MOVE FORWARD, UM, AND THE MORE STUDIES ARE DONE, UM, AGAIN, SOMETHING THAT JUST LET PEOPLE KEEP THEIR MIND OPEN, THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT'S NECESSARY.
BUT AGAIN, THIS COUNCIL VOTED AT THIS POINT NOT TO SPEND ANY MONEY ON FIVE B.
BUT AGAIN, I JUST WANNA KEEP, KEEP PEOPLE REALIZING THAT WE NEED TO LOOK TO THE FUTURE, UM, AND NOT HAVE THE GRIDLOCK THAT YOU SEE WHEN YOU GO TO PLACES LIKE ATLANTA, UM, OR OTHER PLACES THAT, BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT LOOKED AHEAD TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES.
SO AGAIN, I, I APPRECIATE EVERYONE ON COUNCIL AND, AND FOR US TO COMING TO THIS.
AND, UH, I'M, I'M ACTUALLY PROUD THAT, THAT IT'S A PART OF THIS AND, AND, AND GETTING THIS DONE.
ANY OTHERS? OKAY, THE, UM, THE ORDINANCE WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION.
ARE, IS THERE ANY OBJECTION IF IT'S A SECOND READING? I'M VOTING.
OKAY, WE MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 11, A MOTION FOR A SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO MAKE THE APPROPRIATIONS FOR COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND SPECIAL PURPOSE DISTRICTS FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, BEGINNING JULY 1ST, 2024, ENDING JUNE 30TH, 2025 TO LEVY TAXES FOR THE PAYMENT THEREOF TO ADOPT SERVICES AND USER FEES TO PROVIDE FOR THE EXPENDITURE OF SAID TAXES AND OTHER REVENUES COMING INTO THE COUNTY AND OTHER MATTERS RELATED THERETO.
MAY I HAVE SUCH A MOTION? SO MOVE, SIR.
MR. BARTHOLOMEW MAKES THE SECOND DULY MOTIONED.
AND SECOND, NOW THERE ARE GOING TO BE A SERIES OF AMENDMENTS THAT I'M GOING TO ASK COUNCIL MEMBERS TO MOTION SECOND, DISCUSS AND APPROVE.
THE FIRST ONE I WOULD LIKE A MEMBER OF COUNCIL TO MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND THE BUDGET ORDINANCE TO INCLUDE THE TRANSFER OF $2,678,062 FROM THE GENERAL FUND FUND BALANCE TO THE DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL NEEDS, BETTER KNOWN AS DSN.
I'LL MAKE THE MOTION, MR. CHAIRMAN.
MR. LAWSON MAKES THE SECOND DULY MOTION.
AND SECOND, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? AND LET ME, LEMME JUST SAY THIS, THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN THERE WAS ACTUALLY IN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET OR CLOSE TO IT.
THIS IS JUST A SCRIBNER'S ERROR THAT WAS LEFT OUT OF, OF THE BUDGET.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WAS PART OF LAST YEAR'S BUDGET AND NEEDS TO BE PART OF THIS YEAR'S BUDGET OF REQUIRED INSURANCE FOR, UM, FOR DSM.
OKAY, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION.
ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS SAYING NONE.
AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE IS APPROVED AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO, I WOULD ASK A MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL TO MOVE THAT WE AMEND THE BUDGET ORDINANCE TO INCREASE THE SOLICITOR'S BUDGET BY $85,500 FOR A TOTAL BUDGET APPROPRIATIONS OF $1,785,472 AND 50 CENTS BY TRANSFERRING THE FUNDS FROM THE PAYROLL CONTINGENCY ACCOUNT TO THE SOLICITOR'S BUDGET.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I'LL, I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION.
MS. TABER MAKES THE SECOND DULY MOTIONED AND SECONDED.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? CAN I ASK WHAT THE, UH, WHAT THE MONEY'S GONNA BE USED FOR? UH, IT IS GOING TO BE USED FOR A PROGRAM FOR, UM, OH GOSH, UM, RIGHT ON THE TIP OF MY TONGUE.
DO YOU REMEMBER, DAVID? WELL, WE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SEVERAL DIFFERENT THINGS.
UH, AT THIS POINT IN TIME, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE USED MORE FOR PAYROLL AND RETENTION.
UH, BUT THE, IN THE FUTURE WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT HOPEFULLY EXPANDING MENTAL HEALTH IN THE, THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY COURT AND EXPANDING THAT, THAT ROLE OF THAT COURT.
OKAY, MR. CHAIRMAN, I HOPE NEXT YEAR WE'LL HAVE MORE DETAILS THAT WE HAD TO ASK FOR SEPARATELY AT THIS TIME.
THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION.
ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS SAYING NONE? UM, AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO IS APPROVED AMENDMENT NUMBER THREE.
I WOULD ASK A MEMBER OF COUNSEL TO MOVE THAT WE AMEND THE BUDGET ORDINANCE TO PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL $42,500 TO
[00:55:01]
ISLAND RECREATION OF HILTON HEAD FOR A TOTAL APPROPRIATION OF $50,000, UH, BY TRANSFER OF FUNDS FROM THE PAYROLL CONTINGENCY ACCOUNT.CAN I SECOND MR. MCKELLAN? I'LL SECOND THAT.
AND MR. REEDS, DO WE MOTION MOTIONED? AND SECOND IT.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, MR. CHAIRMAN? MR. CHAIRMAN, I'M SORRY.
SO IT, UM, WE'RE GONNA INCREASE THE APPROPRIATION BY AN ADDITIONAL 42 500 TO BRING THE TOTAL APPROPRIATION FOR THIS YEAR TO, TO 200 TO 200,000.
MR. MCKELLEN AND MR. REEDS, ARE YOU OKAY WITH THAT? YES SIR.
ANY DISCUSSION? I HAVE A COMMENT.
SO I COMMENTED BEFORE AND OVER THE WEEKEND, I LOOKED AGAIN AT ALL THE DOCUMENTS, THE BUDGET SUBMITTED BY THE DIRECTOR OF THE YOUNG REC CENTER NOTES THAT THEY RECEIVED 135,000 FROM THE COUNTY LAST YEAR FOR THE POOL.
IN REALITY, THEY RECEIVED 1 45.
HE ALSO PUT IN THE BUDGET THIS YEAR, 150,000 FROM THE COUNTY.
SO HIS BUDGET BALANCE AT 150,000.
SO THEN I LOOKED BACK HIS BUDGET HAS INCREASED 8.7%.
SO I'M UNCLEAR WHY HE WOULD ASK.
THEY WOULD ASK FOR A 34% INCREASE WHEN THEIR BUDGET INCREASED 8.7%.
AND I DID SHARE THAT WITH MY COLLEAGUES FROM HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
I SCRUBBED THE BUDGET SEVERAL TIMES, SO I PUT THAT ON THE TABLE.
UM, VERY SIMPLY, AND I'VE GONE OVER THIS NOW FIVE OR SIX TIMES AND I'M HAPPY TO DO IT AGAIN.
UH, WE'VE ALSO HAD PRESENTATIONS FROM THE PEOPLE, UH, FROM THE POOL WHO WERE HERE.
AND THIS IS AN IMPORTANT OPERATION ON HILTON HEAD.
THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF VISITS TO THE ISLAND RECREATION CENTER ANNUALLY BY BEAUFORT COUNTY RESIDENTS.
IT'S A PRIVATE AND PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP.
THERE ARE NO BUFORT COUNTY RECREATIONAL FACILITIES ON HILTON HEAD.
UM, THIS IS USED BY HILTON HEAD AND RESIDENTS OF THIS IN BUFORT COUNTY.
UH, THE MONEY SUPPORTS THE ENTIRE AQUATIC PROGRAM FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES, FROM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO SENIOR CITIZENS.
UM, THE MONEY PAYS FOR THE LIFEGUARDS, FOR POOL CHEMICALS AND FOR SCHOLARSHIPS FOR CHILDREN IN SUMMER CAMP WHEN SCHOOL IS OUT AND SINGLE OR BOTH PARENTS ARE WORKING AND CHILDREN HAVE NOWHERE TO GO, THIS IS A SMALL PORTION OF THEIR OVERALL BUDGET OF THREE TO $4 MILLION A YEAR.
THAT'S ASSEMBLED BY GRANTS, FUNDRAISERS, DONUT SALES, CAR WASHES, AND THE GENEROSITY, GENEROSITY OF LOCAL AND COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
IN FACT, THE TOWN OF HILTON HAD DONATES OVER A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR TO THIS FACILITY SO THAT THE PEOPLE WHO LIVED THERE AND IN THE SURROUNDING AREA HAVE THE ENJOYMENT OF IT AVAILABLE TO THEM FOR THE THOUSANDS OF VISITS A YEAR THAT TAKE PLACE.
AND FINALLY, UH, THE REASON FOR THIS REQUEST IS THEY ANTICIPATE, UM, AND THOUSANDS OF ADDITIONAL VISITS DURING THE SUMMER BECAUSE THE POOL IN BLUFFTON, THAT IS A COUNTY POOL, WILL BE CLOSED THIS SUMMER.
NOW THAT SOUNDS COUNTERINTUITIVE TO CLOSE THE POOL IN THE SUMMER, BUT THERE ARE SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THAT POOL THAT WILL CAUSE IT TO BE CLOSED.
AND TO SOME SAY THAT IT COULD BE CLOSED FOR SIX TO NINE MONTHS.
SO I THINK THAT THERE'LL BE AN EXPECTATION OF MORE PEOPLE VISITING, SEEKING RELIEF AT THE POOL AT THE ISLAND REC PROVIDES.
AND I THINK THAT THIS IS MONEY WELL SPENT.
I DON'T THINK IT'S OUT OF LINE AND I SUPPORT THEIR REQUEST FOR IT.
AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN COME TOGETHER AND GIVE THEM THAT MONEY FOR THE UPCOMING SEASON.
MR. ANY OTHER COMMENTS PLEASE, MR. RES? THANK YOU.
UM, FIRST I WANNA SAY TO TAB, I, I APPRECIATE HER EFFORTS ON THE BUDGET.
I MEAN, LONG OVERDUE AND THANK YOU.
BUT I CAN'T STRESS ENOUGH HOW, UM, WHAT LARRY SAID, UH, THESE FOLKS ACCEPT UNINCORPORATED WE'RE INCORPORATED.
HILTON HAD, AND THEY HAVE MANY FAMILIES FROM UNINCORPORATED PARTS OF BUFORT THAT COME IN AND THEY PROVIDE SCHOLARSHIPS TO THOSE KIDS THAT CAN'T AFFORD IT.
UM, SECONDLY, I, I BELIEVE WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, ISLAND RECORDS.
NOT JUST SOMEWHERE TO GO, BUT A PARTNER OF US, US WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT THINGS UP NORTH OF, UM, THE BROAD TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THAT.
AND THEY'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO HELP US AND SHARE WITH US HOW TO DO THAT, AVOID THE PITFALLS, AND SPENDING EXTRA MONEY THAT WE DON'T NEED TO SPEND ON CREATING OTHER FACILITIES, UH, AND STREAMLINE IT.
SO AGAIN, I THINK THEY'VE BEEN HONEST BROKERS.
THEY'VE COME BEFORE US MANY TIMES, PRESENTED THEIR DATA.
AND, UH, TO ME, I, I THINK, UM, I GO TO SOMETHING THAT MARK LAWSON SAID LAST WEEK, WE UNDERFUND THIS ISLAND WRECK.
[01:00:01]
AND I APPRECIATE THAT.BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON THIS AND IT'S INCORPORATED AND UNINCORPORATED USE.
UM, I HAD ASKED AT THE LAST MEETING FOR HOW MANY, KNOWING THAT THE BLUFFTON POOL'S GONNA BE CLOSED, AND THIS IS THE CLOSEST ONE, UM, ESTIMATED THAT THERE'S 1500 VISITS A MONTH AT THE BLUFFTON POOL.
UH, WE KNOW THAT THE CHILDREN THAT ARE IN SECOND GRADE, I THINK IN BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM, ALL TAKE SWIMMING LESSONS.
SO PROBABLY WHILE THIS POOL IN BLUFFTON IS CLOSED, THEY'LL BE USING THE ONE ON HILTON HEAD.
THE ONLY ISSUE I HAVE IS THE TERM SCHOLARSHIPS FOR PARENTS WHO CAN'T AFFORD IT.
THE YMCA OFFERS SCHOLARSHIPS FOR PARENTS DURING THE SUMMER.
SO WHY WOULD THE COUNTY FUND A NON-PROFIT SCHOLARSHIPS FOR CAMP DURING THE SUMMER UNLESS THEY GO THROUGH EXISTING PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE.
SO I WOULD PROPOSE THAT 150,000 BE GIVEN THIS YEAR AND THEN LOOK AT IT AGAIN NEXT YEAR.
UM, GRANTED THAT I, I, I HAVE NO PROBLEM THAT WE NEED TO GIVE THEM MONEY BECAUSE THE BLUFFTON POOL IS CLOSED.
I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT AT ALL.
BUT, UM, USING COUNTY MONEY FOR CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS, I'M NOT SURE THAT'S EXACTLY, UM, FOR A NONPROFIT, WHEN THERE'S OTHER NONPROFITS THAT HAVE SUMMER PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN THAT ARE FUNDED THROUGH OTHER COMMUNITY DONATIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
I, I THINK, ALICE, THAT YOU'RE CORRECT, BUT I, I THINK YOU HAVE TO REALIZE THAT EVERYBODY WHO GOES THERE PAYS A FEE.
AND THIS HELPS TO REDUCE THE FEE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN A SITUATION WHO MAY NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD IT.
SO IT'S NOT GIVING A FULL, IT'S NOT GIVING SOMEONE A FREE RIDE.
EVERYBODY WHO USES THAT FACILITY, AS THEY DO WITH THE COUNTY FACILITIES, PAYS A FEE.
I, BUT THIS EASES THE PAIN SOMEWHAT FOR PEOPLE WHO, UM, I WOULD WANT, WANT TO BE ASSURED THAT THE CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS ARE NOT BEING PAID WITH COUNTY MONEY WHEN WE DON'T OFFER THAT TO OTHER PEOPLE.
AND WE WE'RE NOT GONNA KNOW THAT BEFORE WE MAKE A DECISION TONIGHT.
WELL, THAT'S WHY I'D LIKE TO REDUCE IT SO HUNDRED 50.
SO ARE YOU MAKING, UM, A MOTION TO AMEND THE MOTION? YES.
I WOULD LIKE TO REDUCE IT TO 150,000.
WELL, OKAY, I'LL SECOND IT THEN.
MS. TABER MADE THE SECOND, NOW THE TOTAL APPROPRIATION IS GOING TO GO FROM 200,000 TO 150,000.
THAT'S WHAT I, WHICH IS WHAT THEY HAVE NOW, MR. CHAIRMAN, I DON'T THINK WE CAN MAKE AN AMENDMENT ON AMENDMENT THAT HASN'T BEEN PASSED.
YOU CAN AMEND, YEAH, YOU JUST TAKE 'EM IN THE ORDER.
SO IN ESSENCE, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS NOT TO FUND IT BECAUSE IT'S FUNDED AT ONE 50 RIGHT NOW.
BUT FUNDED AT 1 57 5 RIGHT NOW.
ONE, I WILL CHANGE IT TO 1 57 5.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? YEAH, I MEAN, I'M JUST CONFUSED.
WOULDN'T THAT JUST BE DENYING THE MOTION? ISN'T THAT JUST A, ISN'T THAT JUST VOTING AGAINST THE MOTION? YES, IT IS.
NO, SHE, SHE HAS A RIGHT TO MAKE THAT MOTION.
I'M SKIPPING THE MOTION WAS MADE.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS, MR. LAWSON? AND THIS TIES TO, TO BOTH, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, AS I MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, UM, HILTON HEAD, UM, ISLAND REC CENTER HAS DONE A GREAT JOB OVER THE YEARS.
AND, AND THEY HAVE STEPPED IN TO PROVIDE SERVICES AND, AND YES, THEY GET FUNDING FROM HILTON HEAD, THEY DO FUNDRAISERS.
UM, HOWEVER, IF FOR SOME REASON, UM, THAT NONPROFIT WENT AWAY AND THERE WAS NO ONE THERE, ISLAND REC CENTER TO PROVIDE, WE AS A COUNTY WOULD BE OBLIGATED TO PROVIDE THE SAME SERVICES THAT WE ARE GIVING NOW IN BLUFFTON, IN BEAUFORT, IN PORT ROYAL TO THE, THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD.
AND IT WOULD BE A WHOLE BUNCH MORE THAN THE $200,000 THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SO AGAIN, THEY'RE, THEY'RE DOING A PHENOMENAL JOB.
UM, THEY HAVE COME TO US FOR MONEY THAT IS NEEDED.
AND EVEN THOUGH THEY GET LOTS OF MONEY FROM HILTON HEAD, AGAIN, AS I SAID THE OTHER DAY, WE AS A COUNTY HAVE NOT FUNDED THEM THEIR FAIR SHARE WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE SPENDING FOR THE EXACT SAME SERVICES IN THE REST OF THE COUNTY.
SO, UM, I WOULD, I WOULD VOTE AGAINST THIS AMENDMENT AND THEN, UM, WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE, WHEN THE PREVIOUS COMES UP.
UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, UM, QUICK QUESTION, MR. GLOVER.
UM, IS THE MOTION THAT MRS. HALL JUST MADE REALLY GERMANE TO THE MAIN MOTION? YES, IT IS.
SHE HAS EVERY RIGHT TO AMEND THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT IS BEING PROPOSED.
THE INCREASE WAS 42 5 TO $200,000.
[01:05:01]
SHE DOESN'T WANT THE 42 5 BRINGING IT BACK TO WHAT THEY'RE BEING PAID NOW.SO IT IS GERMANE, MR. CUNNINGHAM? OH YEAH.
I, I'VE SAID FOR MONTHS NOW I'M TIRED OF BEAUFORT COUNTY AND CARRYING THE LOAD AND BEING THE ONLY ONES FUNDING SOMETHING.
BUT THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF HILTON HEAD AND BRAVO TO THEIR TOWN COUNCIL FOR DOING IT, FUNDING SOMETHING THAT THEY BELIEVE IN.
SO I GOT ONTO THEM ABOUT THE GREEN SPACE REFERENDUM AND THE GREEN SPACE PURCHASING PROPERTY ON HILTON HEAD ABOUT HILTON HEAD NOT PUTTING IN THEIR FAIR SHARE, BUT THIS IS THEM PUTTING IN THEIR FAIR SHARE IF THEY'RE PUTTING IN A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR.
SO US PUTTING IN $200,000, HONESTLY, IT COST US LESS MONEY TO DO THAT THAN IT DOES TO GO BUILD A CENTER ON HILTON HEAD AND TO CONTINUALLY FUND IT AND THEN TAKE ON THE PAYROLL AS WELL AND THE RETIREMENT AND SO ON AND SO ON.
SO, UM, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THE 200,000.
I WOULDN'T SUPPORT ANYTHING LESS THAN THAT.
UM, THEY DO A GREAT JOB ON THE ISLAND.
HECK, THAT'S BEEN THERE SINCE I WAS A KID.
UM, I WENT THERE AS A CHILD FOR YEARS BEFORE THAT, AND MY KIDS THAT I TAUGHT GO TO THAT EXACT SAME PROGRAM.
SO, UM, THEY DO A FANTASTIC JOB, UM, BEFORE SCHOOL, AFTER SCHOOL, AND DURING THE SUMMER.
UH, DO I NEED TO CALL THE ROLL OR, OR YES, I THINK SO.
DO YOU WANNA REPEAT THE MOTIONS OR THE MOTION IS TO HAVE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY PAID TO THE ISLAND REC REMAIN AT THE A HUNDRED AND FIFTY SEVEN FIVE THAT IS BEING PAID RIGHT NOW.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO 200,000, CORRECT.
DO I NEED TO CALL THE ROLE? YES, SIR.
WOULD YOU CALL THE ROLE PLEASE? MS. HOWARD WAS FIRST AND THEN MR. COUNCIL MEMBER HOWARD? UH, YES.
COUNCIL MEMBER GLOVER? UH, NO.
COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM? NO.
COUNCIL MEMBER BARTHOLOMEW? NO.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I'D LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION AGAIN TO REMOVE IT, TO MOVE IT UP TO $200,000, PLEASE.
THIS WAS A MOTION TO AMEND THE MOTION FOR $200,000.
WE DON'T NEED TO DO THAT, RIGHT? OKAY.
SO WE'RE BACK AT THE ORIGINAL MOTION.
MR. MCCULLUM, MR. RES MADE THE MOTION TO GO AN ADDITIONAL 42 5 TO THE 200,000 THERE.
ANY DISCUSSION AGAIN? SEEING NONE, PLEASE CALL THE ROLE COUNCIL MEMBER MCALLEN? YES.
COUNCIL MEMBER LAWSON MARK LAWSON? YES.
COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM? YES.
COUNCIL MEMBER BARTHOLOMEW? YES.
UH, I WOULD ASK FOR A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER FOUR THAT WE AMEND THE BUDGET ORDINANCE BY DELETING SECTION 10 AS IT IS CURRENTLY WRITTEN AND BY SUBSTITUTING IN ITS PLACE SECTIONS 10 AND 11, AS THEY APPEAR IN THE RED LINE VERSION OF THE B BUDGET ORDINANCE AS IT APPEARS IN TODAY'S BACKUP AND MARKED AS PROPOSED.
I'LL MAKE THE MOTION MS. TABER SECOND.
MR. LAWSON DULY MOTIONED AND SECONDED.
DOES EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS? CAN SHE PUT IT UP THERE PLEASE? MR. CHAIRMAN? YEAH, I WOULD.
I JUST TO MAKE SURE THEY, YEAH.
70 YOU SAID YES IN THE PACKET AND IT'S BLUE LINE FOR EASY READING.
YOU GOTTA SCROLL A LITTLE BIT.
SHOULD MAKE A BIGGER NO, IT'S RIGHT THERE ON THE BOTTOM.
DOES EVERYBODY HAVE A CHANCE TO READ THAT? AND ON PAGE 71, THESE ARE, THESE TWO PARAGRAPHS ARE LITERALLY CUT AND PASTE FROM YOUR FY 24 BUDGET YES.
AND THAT IS AT THE END OF THE FIRST PARAGRAPH ON PAGE 71,
[01:10:01]
WE INCLUDED A REQUIREMENT FOR A MONTHLY REPORT SHOWING THE TRANSFERS YES.PURSUANT TO YOUR REQUEST FOR THAT.
I WAS GONNA ASK, UM, I KNOW THERE'S SOME ISSUES WITH THE ORIGINAL LANGUAGE, UH, BUT I DID LIKE THE FACT THAT IT PROVIDED SOME CHECKS AND BALANCES.
UH, DO YOU THINK THAT REPORT IS GONNA BE ENOUGH TO PROVIDE THE CHECKS AND BALANCES OR OVERSIGHT? IT IS GOING TO BE A START.
'CAUSE MY QUESTION IS, IS THIS ACROSS ALL DEPARTMENTS AND ELECTED OFFICIALS? CORRECT.
THEY ALL PLAY ARE PLAYING BY THE EXACT SAME RULES.
UM, SO MR. CHAIR, I, MY QUESTION WAS IN THAT, UH, TOP PARAGRAPH THERE, YEAH.
WE SAY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR OR CFO OR THEIR DESIGNEE, DO WE REALLY WANT A DESIGNEE? DON'T WE WANT THE CFO AND THE ADMINISTRATOR TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE? THAT IS GOING TO BE DETERMINED BY OUR NEW COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR BECAUSE THE LANGUAGE ALLOWS FLEXIBILITY THERE.
WELL, IT DOES, BUT I QUESTION THAT AND, AND WHERE DID WE GET TO 150,000 UP TO? THAT'S IN OUR ORIGINAL IT WAS 50.
YEAH, THAT'S, THAT WAS TAKEN OUT.
THE 50,000 WAS IN THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE THAT CAME FORWARD.
THAT 150,000 WAS LAST YEAR'S APPROVED ORDINANCE.
THE $150,000 IS THE, IS THE LIMIT IS A TYPICAL LIMIT FOR THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
AFTER THAT, IT COMES FORWARD TO COMMITTEE UP TO $200,000.
AND THEN BEYOND THAT, IT COMES TO COUNSEL.
UH, BUT IT, IT DOESN'T, UM, ELIMINATE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE ADMINISTRATOR TO REPORT THOSE TRANSFERS, UH, TO COUNSEL.
EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I, I DO HAVE ONE MORE.
SO, TOM, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I HATE TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT WHAT WAS THE RATIONALE FOR THE 50,000 VERSUS THIS 150,000 IN THE ORIGINAL LANGUAGE? I THINK IT HAD A, A, A $50,000 KIND OF DISCRETION THERE.
UM, SO WE, WE, IT FEELS LIKE WE HAD INTENDED TO REDUCE THAT DOWN AT ONE POINT TO TAKE SOME OF THAT DISCRETION AWAY.
UH, WHY ARE WE BACK UP TO THE 150,000? WELL, SO THE LANGUAGE THAT WAS ORIGINALLY PROPOSED, THAT IS STRICKEN THROUGH AS YOU SEE THERE.
THAT WAS, UM, LANGUAGE THAT WAS WORKED ON, UM, WITH THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT AND THE THEN CFO.
UM, SO WE WOULD'VE RELIED ON THE NUMBERS FROM ADMINISTRATION.
UM, AND I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT THAT WAS, BUT, UM, THAT'S WHAT WE DID.
SO WE DIDN'T, WE DIDN'T MAKE THOSE UP.
WE GOT THOSE FROM THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
SO THE, THE INTERNAL, THE $50,000 NUMBER, UH, WHERE, WHERE WE, WHERE IT WAS BEFORE, UM, THAT $50,000 NUMBER COULD BE DONE BY THE, OR COULD BE APPROVED BY THE CFO AND THE, UM, PROCUREMENT OFFICE.
UM, SO IF WE WERE GOING TO ASK ELECTED OFFICIALS TO COME AND ASK FOR COMMITTEE AND COUNSEL, UH, PERMISSION TO TRANSFER FUNDS, THERE WOULD BE THAT SAME RESPONSIBILITY FOR ADMINISTRATION TO OFF, TO ASK THE SAME THING.
SO THAT'S WHERE THAT LIMIT CAME FROM.
UM, WE ARE NOW BACK TO THE 2024 LIMIT, JUST LIKE IT WAS.
THE ONLY CHANGE IS THAT REQUIREMENT TO MONTHLY REPORT.
SO A LOT OF THESE TRANSFERS, OR SOME TRANSFERS WILL BE AFTER THE FACT.
YOU CAN'T REPORT ANYTHING UNTIL IT'S DONE.
SO THAT TRANSFER WILL REPORT IT OUT OF THE AFTER THE FACT.
SO THERE'LL BE FULL, UM, TRANSPARENCY PRESENTED TO COUNCIL OF THE ACTION THAT HAS BEEN TAKEN WITH PUBLIC FUNDS.
SO, SO THEY CAN OR CANNOT MOVE A HUNDRED UP TO 150 GRAND WITHOUT APPROVAL.
SORRY, WHAT YOU SAY CAN NO, THERE'S ALWAYS APPROVAL.
SO THEY, THEY COULD UP TO $150,000 TRANSFER FUNDS.
THEY CAN DO THAT IN THE BUDGET RIGHT NOW AS IT EXISTS.
OUR 2024 FY 2024 BUDGET, THAT IS THE SAME LANGUAGE.
IT WAS DIFFERENT THAN FY 2022.
I, I STILL FEEL LIKE WE HAVEN'T COME UP WITH A SOLUTION HERE YET, THOUGH, MR. CHAIRMAN, I KNOW YOU SAID THIS IS A START, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S NOT A START.
WE JUST DID EXACTLY WHAT WE DID LAST YEAR.
IT FEELS LIKE WE DIDN'T CHANGE ANYTHING.
I'M, I'M JUST BEING HONEST HERE.
NO, AND, AND I, I, I UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT WE DON'T HAVE IS THE COMPLETE TEAM.
WE DON'T HAVE THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR IN PLACE.
WE DON'T HAVE A DEPUTY IN PLACE.
AND TO PUT THESE OTHER ITEMS IN PLACE BEFORE THEY HAVE A CHANCE TO EVALUATE AND MAKE SUGGESTED
[01:15:01]
CHANGES, I THINK IS THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE.AND, AND I, MR. CHAIRMAN, MAY I, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT I, ONE OF THE THINGS, ONE OF THE LINES IN HERE THAT DOES BOTHER ME, IT SAYS THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR OR THE CFO IS PERMITTED QUOTE, WHEN IT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE INDIVIDUAL COUNTY DEPARTMENTS OR AGENCIES.
WHAT, I MEAN, WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF LIKE, WHO MAKES THAT DETERMINATION? WELL, UH, WE ARE GOING TO BE GETTING A REPORT MONTHLY THAT IS GOING TO HAVE THE, FROM THE TWO.
AND THE REASON, AND IT MAY BE WE'RE GONNA HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT THE REASON WE'VE NEVER SEEN THAT REPORT BEFORE.
SO WE ARE NOW GOING TO SEE THAT REPORT.
SHOULD WE EXPAND THE REQUIREMENTS IN THIS ORDINANCE IN THAT REPORT TO LIT, LITERALLY BREAK IT DOWN FOR WHAT WE WANT TO SEE AND, AND EVERYTHING.
OH NO, THEY, THEY ALREADY KNOW.
THERE IS A TRANSFER FORM OF WHAT HAS BEEN CHANGED IS THE REPORTING WE'RE GOING TO GET.
'CAUSE IT'S NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE.
AND THERE IS GOING TO BE A, UH, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, UH, AN ACCOUNTING OF WHO REQUESTED THE TRANSFER, WHO MADE THE TRANSFER, WHO APPROVED THE TRANSFER, AND ALL THE DATES THEY DID THAT.
AND, AND THE JUSTIFICATION FOR OH, YES, YES.
SO TOM, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, THE WAY THIS IS WRITTEN CURRENTLY, THEY CAN MOVE SOMETHING FROM FURNITURE BUDGET TO PERSONNEL TO PERSONNEL.
UH, THEY COULD, THEY CAN AS THE WAY IT IS WRITTEN CURRENTLY.
THEY CAN'T, CAN'T MOVE IT FROM THEY CAN'T MOVE IT FROM IT.
ONE 50 PROVISION REFERS TO MOVING FROM ONE DEPARTMENT TO ANOTHER OR FROM ONE.
BUT THEY CAN STILL MOVE FROM LINE ITEM A WHATEVER LINE ITEM A IS AS LONG AS IT'S NOT EMPLOYMENT TO MOVE SOMETHING ELSE INTO EMPLOYMENT.
AND THEN THAT COULD BE THEIR NEW BASELINE.
IF THEY COME BACK TO US NEXT, NEXT YEAR FOR THEIR BUDGET, THEY COULD SAY PEOPLE RAISE.
EXACTLY WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS.
SO AMONG THE DISCUSSIONS, AMONG THE DISCUSSIONS, WHEN WE BEGAN TO TALK ABOUT THE TRANSFER OF FUNDS, THE QUESTION I POSES THEN, WHAT PROBLEM ARE WE TRYING TO SOLVE? DO WE HAVE AN ABUNDANCE OF THESE REQUESTS FOR TRANSFERS OF FUNDS? WE DO NOT.
UH, THERE IS A RISK THAT SOMEONE COULD ASK FOR THAT, BUT THERE IS AN APPROVAL LOOP THAT HAS TO, THAT HAS TO GO THROUGH FOR THAT.
SO WE'RE SOMEONE TO REQUEST TO MOVE FOR, FOR IN, IN YOUR CASE, DOLLARS FROM, FROM A FURNITURE FUND TO PERSONNEL THAT WOULDN'T MAKE IT THROUGH THE FIRST CHECK IN FINANCE.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE A PERSONNEL CONTINGENCY ACCOUNT THAT WOULD, UH, REQUIRE US TO GO STAFF THEN TO LOOK AT THIS AND GO BACK TO HR.
DID THEY, DID THIS DEPARTMENT WHO'S ASKING FOR A TRANSFER OF FUNDS HAVE AN OPEN POSITION? DID THEY FILL THAT POSITION LEGALLY? SO IT OPENS A LOT OF QUESTIONS, UH, FOR STAFF TO APPROVE THIS.
SO WHILE, UM, THERE COULD BE SOME IMPROVEMENT IN THERE, THERE IS A, THERE IS A PROCESS IN PLACE, AS THE CHAIRMAN MENTIONED, WE HAVE A TRANSFER OF FUNDS REQUEST AND IT'S VERY SPECIFIC REQUEST FORM.
UM, IF IT'S, IF THE BUDGET ORDINANCE IS APPROVED IN THIS, WELL, THERE'LL BE AN ADDITIONAL LAYER TO THAT, WHICH IS, WAS IT REPORTED TO COUNSEL? UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY.
DO WE NEED TO, MR. CHAIRMAN, CAN I MAKE ONE SUGGESTION? YEP.
YOU INDICATED THAT YOU WANTED TO, UM, SEE THE MONTHLY REPORT SHOWING THE TRANSFER OF THE FUNDS FOR EACH DEPARTMENT AGENCY AND ELECTED OFFICIAL.
BUT YOU ALSO, THAT'S AS IT'S WRITTEN NOW, BUT YOU ALSO INDICATED THAT YOU'D WANNA SEE THE REASONS FOR THE TRANSFER, THE TRANSFER REPORT, THE, THE, THE WAY THE TRANSFER FORM IS SET UP, ALL OF THAT IS THERE.
SO THAT'S GOING TO BE THE BACKUP DOCUMENTATION.
THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET, AND QUESTION, IS THAT TRANSFER FORM, IS THAT SWORN, UH, NOTARIZED STATEMENT
NEEDS TO BE A SWORN STATEMENT.
THAT'S COMMONPLACE IN THE INDUSTRY.
THE PROCESS WAS ABUSED BEFORE AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE IT'S ACCOUNTABLE NOW.
UM, I I THINK WE'RE SENDING THAT MESSAGE ABOUT THE ACCOUNTABILITY NOW.
WOULD YOU CALL THE ROLE ON THIS, PLEASE? YES, SIR.
BEFORE YOU DO THAT, WOULD YOU JUST TELL US AGAIN WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON?
THIS IS THE PARAGRAPH THAT WE'RE VOTING ON.
I'M JUST CLEARING THE SCREEN THERE.
[01:20:01]
MEMBER LAWSON.COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM? NO.
COUNCIL MEMBER BARTHOLOMEW? YES.
I WOULD ASK A MEMBER OF COUNCIL TO MOVE THAT WE AMEND THE BUDGET ORDINANCE BY AMENDING SECTION SEVEN, LAW ENFORCEMENT UNIFORM SERVICE FEE TO CHANGE THE FEES AS THEY APPEAR IN THE CURRENT VERSION TO THE FEES AS THEY APPEAR IN THE RED LINE VERSION, MAYBE BLUE LINE OF SECTION SEVEN AS IT APPEARS IN TODAY'S BACKUP AS MARK PROPOSED MOTION, PLEASE.
MR. BARONG MAKES THE SECOND DULY MOTION AND SECONDED.
THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION.
IS THERE ANY OTHER AMENDMENT THAT ANY COUNCIL MEMBER WISHES TO MAKE AT THIS TIME? IF SO, MR. CHAIRMAN, CAN I YEP.
ASK IF WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT ANOTHER LINE ITEM LIKE NURSING.
UH, YOU, YOU CAN MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO, TO, WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE A DISCUSSION UNLESS YOU MAKE AN AMENDMENT.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION OR AN AMENDMENT TO HAVE A QUICK DISCUSSION ABOUT NURSING.
NO, IT'S NOT A MOTION TO HAVE A DISCUSSION.
IT'S A MOTION FOR A SPECIFIC AMOUNT OF MONEY YOU WANNA PLACE INTO THIS BUDGET.
AND FROM WHERE AS THE LAST AMENDMENT PASSED THAT WHEN WE JUST, YES.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE THAT MOTION TO HAVE MONEY IN THIS, UH, ORGANIZATION IS ASKING FOR $50,000 FOR A RECURRENT THREE YEARS.
UH, WHERE THAT'S GONNA COME FROM.
YOU GUYS CAN HELP ME WITH THAT.
YOUR MOTION IS TO PLACE INTO THE BUDGET $50,000 FOR WHAT? UH, SOUTH CAROLINA NURSE RETENTION INITIATIVE.
A PROGRAM THAT WAS STARTED IN 21 AS A PILOT AND THAT WE FUNDED IN 23 AS A COUNCIL.
AND TOM, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, YOU'RE NOT ASKING TO INCREASE THIS BUDGET ALLOCATION, RIGHT? YOU'RE ASKING FOR BASICALLY A DEDICATION FOR RECURRING FUNDING.
AND ALSO, I WANT TO ADD TOO, THIS IS NOT AN ALL OR NOTHING ASK.
WE COULD COME UP WITH SOMETHING FOR THESE PEOPLE JUST TO KEEP THEM.
THIS IS ONE PIECE OF THE PIE TO HELP US SOLVE OUR NURSING PROBLEM.
AND IF YOU GIVE ME THE LATITUDE IN SEVEN OR EIGHT MINUTES, I CAN SHOW YOU A COUPLE THINGS AS TO WHY THAT'S IMPORTANT.
AND SECOND, WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION.
WHAT'S CURRENTLY BEING FUNDED ON THIS PROGRAM? NOTHING.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I'M AGAINST THIS BECAUSE THERE ARE PROGRAMS ALREADY IN PLACE.
I THINK THE YEAR WE FUNDED IT, IT WAS TO BE A PILOT PROGRAM.
UM, THERE ARE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT NOW WITH THE NEW NONPROFIT HOSPITAL AND ALSO THE CURRENT NON NONPROFIT COUNTY HOSPITAL, THEY HAVE PROGRAMS FOR RECRUITMENT, RETENTION AND TRAINING.
AND THEY'RE DOING AN EXTREMELY GOOD JOB.
UM, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE, UM, DOING THIS SEPARATELY.
I THINK WE GOT INTO DISCUSSION BEFORE YOU GOT A SECOND.
MR. CUNNINGHAM WAS, THANK YOU SECOND, MR. JUST WANNA HAVE A LITTLE MORE FUN TO HANG OUT WITH YOU, TOM.
UM, COMMENTS BEFORE? COMMENTS? UM, I, I AGREE WITH, UH, MS. HOWARD.
I THINK THAT, UH, THERE ARE OTHER, UM, PROGRAMS OUT THERE.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, INCREASED OUR FUNDING TO, UH, BEFOR MEMORIAL HOSPITAL.
UM, I THINK THAT, UM, AT THIS TIME, UM, I WOULD VOTE AGAINST, UH, ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM.
MS. TABER? I AGREE WITH COUNCILWOMAN HOWARD AND COUNCILMAN LAWSON.
WE ARE CURRENTLY FUNDING THE FOR 2025, RIGHT? NO.
NO, WE DID NOT FUND IT LAST YEAR.
WE STOPPED FUNDING AFTER 2022.
[01:25:01]
PLEASE READ WHAT'S UP ON THE SCREEN.LET'S, I'LL GET THERE IN A MINUTE.
SO THIS PROGRAM WAS ORIGINALLY PUT IN FOR COVID? YES.
OH, WERE WE VOTING OR JUST CALLING? NO, NO, YOU WERE COMMENTING.
HOW MUCH, UH, MONEY ARE WE DEDICATING TO OTHER PROGRAMS LIKE THIS IN NURSE RETENTION? ANYBODY KNOW? WE HAVE MONEY IN FOR BEAUFORT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, USCB AND TCL FOR ALL OF THEIR NURSING PROGRAMS. WE HAVE AN IDEA OF THE AMOUNT, UM, UM, FAR YOU FOR MEMORIALS AT THE BOTTOM.
I WE COULD GET INFORMATION ON THAT.
SO I'M JUST WONDERING IF WE HAVE AN APPROXIMATE DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT SOMEONE COULD COMMENT ON FROM ADMINISTRATION ON HOW MUCH WE HAVE ALREADY ALLOCATED IN THIS BUDGET FOR NURSE RETENTION.
MR. MCC, I CAN TELL YOU IT SHOWS HERE THAT, THAT WE GAVE JUST, UH, TCL AND THE UNIVERSITY AT USCB 2.8.
SO THAT'S 5.5 MILLION TOTAL BETWEEN THOSE TWO.
AND THEN BEAUFORT MEMORIAL, BEAUFORD, JPO.
THAT'S JUST, THAT'S NOT ALL JUST FOR NURSING.
IT IS FOR THE EDUCATION PROGRAMS TO, UH, HAVE, YEAH.
SO APPARENTLY THIS MIGHT BE THE ONLY HIGHER IN RETENTION PROGRAM THAT EXISTS BECAUSE THE OTHERS ARE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS TO TRAIN AND HIRE NURSES.
OR AM I WRONG ON THAT? I WOULD, I WOULD DISAGREE WITH THAT STATEMENT BECAUSE I, I GO TO BEAUFORT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL BOARD MEETINGS AND ALSO BEAUFORT, JASPER HEALTH HAS PROGRAMS FOR RETENTION.
UM, THEY'RE ALL INTERTWINED RETENTION, WHETHER IT'S A PHLEBOTOMIST OR A NURSE OR CNA, UM, THEY, SO IT'S MORE THAN TRAINING ALICE.
UM, SO DO WE HAVE AN I DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW MUCH WE HAVE IN THAT? I'LL STOP ASKING THE QUESTION IF NOBODY KNOWS.
I DON'T KNOW OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT WOULD YOU I DON'T KNOW THE FULL AMOUNT.
I DO KNOW THAT, UH, ALL THREE ENTITIES HAVE, UH, PUT IN SIGNIFICANT RESOURCES TO EDUCATE AND RETAIN SCHOLARSHIP NURSES.
SO IF THAT NUMBER IS IMPORTANT, DO WE HAVE TO VOTE ON THIS TONIGHT OR CAN WE DO IT AT A LANDING DATE? UH, NO, WE'RE HAVE TO, WE'RE DOING THE BUDGET TONIGHT.
I WOULD ADD TO THAT A LITTLE BIT.
AND FRANKLY, I WAS PROBABLY GONNA BOTH KNOW ABOUT A MINUTE AGO, UM, SOME OF THE SHORTNESS OF STAFF IN OUR, UH, HOSPITALS AND PROGRAMS WITHOUT GETTING DEEP INTO IT, WAS PUT ON THEMSELVES BY RESTRICTIONS OR DEMANDS TO, I MEAN, WE CAN GET IT TO HOWEVER YOU WANT.
SOME OF THEM WERE REQUIRED TO TAKE SOMETHING THEY DID NOT, WOULD REQUIRE AND WERE THREATENED BY THEIR JOB OR LEFT THEIR JOB 'CAUSE OF IT.
SO SOME OF THOSE OPENINGS AND VACANCIES WERE PUT ON THEMSELVES.
UM, I, I THINK YOU'RE GETTING LAND.
I THINK HANK CAN MAYBE HELP WITH THE SENSOR.
LET, BECAUSE HE, HE'S WORKING BEFORE HANK COMES, WE'RE GOING AROUND THAT DID NOT PUT IT ON THEMSELVES.
BUT A PROGRAM WHO IS TRYING TO SOLVE MR. REACH, YOU'RE GONNA BE THE LAST ONE.
MR. GLOVER, ANY COMMENTS? UH, NO.
I, UM, I DO WANNA SAY THAT, UM, I THINK WE HAVE DONE A LOT, UM, WITH NURSING.
I THINK WE DID IT WITH THROUGH THE OPERA FUNDS.
UM, I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT BEAUFORT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL HAS BEEN VERY, VERY PLEASED WITH, UM, THEIR RECRUITMENT OF NURSES.
UM, SO I AM KIND OF LEERY ABOUT SHOOTING IN THE DARK RIGHT NOW WITH THIS FUNDING.
NO, I'M NOT GONNA SUPPORT THE, UH, INCREASE FOR SUPPORT FOR THE NURSING PROGRAMS. THANK YOU MR. RES.
UM, SARAH, PLEASE GO TO, UH, THE, THE THIRD SLIDE.
JUST WE WILL GO THROUGH THIS VERY QUICKLY.
FIRST OF ALL, THIS COUNCILMAN IS THE LEAST KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THIS PROGRAM, AND I'M GONNA RELY ON HANK A LITTLE BIT HERE IN A MINUTE TO GET EVERYBODY UP TO SPEED.
BUT IT WAS THIS COUNCIL PRIOR TO US JOINING THAT WHERE, WHETHER IT WAS COVID THAT BROUGHT THIS PROGRAM IN OR NOT, IT WAS A PROGRAM THAT WAS GONNA BE LOOKED UPON BY THIS COUNCIL.
AND IF THEY DID WHAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO DO, FUTURE FUNDING WAS CONTINGENT UPON THE DEMONSTRATION OR IMPACT ON ITS CITIZENS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY MEMORIAL HILTON HEAD HOSPITAL.
UM, JUST IN THE LAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS, THE STARTUP THAT STARTED IN 21 FUND IT IN 23 WITH 50,000, THEY ADDED, UM, 40 NURSES.
AND THEY, AT THIS POINT, THEY HAVE 37 REMAINING.
SO THIS HIRING OF NURSES IS CRITICAL.
UM, AND WE'LL GET TO THAT IN A MINUTE AND I'LL SHOW YOU THAT ONE.
BUT 93% OF THOSE ONES HIRED HAVE BEEN RETAINED THROUGH THIS PROGRAM.
SO THEY'RE DOING SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN
[01:30:01]
THE, UM, OTHERS.AND I BELIEVE WORKING IN CONCERT WITH, UM, MEMORIAL AND TCL AND OTHERS IS REALLY THE WAY RIGHT WAY TO GO.
UM, LAST WEEK I HAD THE, UM, OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE MY WIFE AFTER A COUPLE DAYS OF NOT FEELING WELL TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM, ABOUT 1 45 IN THE MORNING, THURSDAY NIGHT.
AND IN THAT TIME, UM, WE MET TAMIKA WHO TOOK CARE OF ALL THE PAPERWORK FOR US.
SHE, UH, STAYED WITH US FROM START TO END AND END WAS ABOUT 5 45 IN THE MORNING.
UM, AND THEN SYDNEY WAS THE ONE THAT TOOK CARE OF THE ROOM AT THE ER THAT MY WIFE HAD A BE IN.
EMILY WAS THE ONE LOOKING OVER MAKING SURE EVERYTHING WAS GOING WELL AND MICHELLE WAS ACTUALLY A TRAVELING NURSE, UH, FROM TENNESSEE OR FROM CHARLOTTE RATHER.
UM, AND JUST LOVED BEING HERE AND, AND CONSTANTLY BUSY.
SHE LEFT HER FAMILY TO BE HERE TO DO THIS.
UM, SARAH, GO TO THE LAST SLIDE, PLEASE.
THIS ONE IS REALLY WHAT I WANT TO THROW OUT BEFORE WE GET HANK UP HERE.
UM, EVERY NIGHT AT THE HILTON HEAD HOSPITAL, UH, AND I'M SURE THIS IS AT OTHER HOSPITALS AS WELL, THERE ARE 10 TO 20 PATIENTS THAT HAVE TO STAY IN THE ER.
AND CAN ANYBODY TELL ME WHY THAT'S THE CASE? RIGHT NOW, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH BEDS.
WELL, AND BEDS, THE POINT IS, UM, THEY HAVE ENOUGH ROOMS UPSTAIRS TO THE ADMIT THESE PATIENTS, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE THE NURSING STAFF TO LOOK AFTER 'EM.
SO THIS 24 ROOM CAPACITY AT HILTON HEAD ACTS AS THESE ROOMS. AND THESE NURSES DOWN THERE TAKE CARE OF THESE AS THEY WOULD BE ADMITTED PATIENTS.
THAT'S 10 TO 20, UM, EVERY NIGHT.
UM, SOME CHANGES TOOK PLACE RECENTLY WHERE TENANT, UM, IT WAS BOUGHT OUT BY NOVANT.
THESE NURSES TELL ME FLAT OUT THAT NOVANT IS ACTUALLY MORE INTO QUALITY AND CARE IN THE FUTURE.
UM, I HEARD FROM ONE OF THE NURSES THAT THEY'LL CARE FOR OVER 6,000 PATIENTS A YEAR.
UM, AND, AND AS I SAID EARLY ON, THIS, UM, S-C-R-N-I IS JUST ONE PIECE OF THIS PUZZLE.
UM, SO I I BELIEVE IF THIS PROBLEM IS AT HILTON HEAD IS AT, UM, BEAUFORT MEMORIAL, AND AGAIN, THIS IS A HIGHER GOOD QUALITY NURSES AND, AND TRY TO RETAIN THEM.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT SEPARATE FROM WHAT, UH, TCL AND OTHERS DO.
YOU KNOW, I I THINK THIS IS, BY THE WAY, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW IT, BUT BEAUFORT COUNTY ON ITS OWN AND IN PARTICULAR HILTON HAD THE POPULATION IS AGING LIKE YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE.
I MEAN, WE HAVE JUST A TON OF OLDER PEOPLE THAT WE GOTTA TAKE CARE OF.
AND I THINK THIS IS JUST ONE WAY TO DO IT.
AND THIS COMP ORGANIZATIONS ASK IS THIS, IT'S A NONPROFIT.
BUT I'M SAYING TO YOU, TO MY COLLEAGUES, IF IT'S NOT 50, IF WE WANT TO GIVE 'EM 20 OR 20, WHATEVER IT IS, LET'S HELP THEM.
BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS I HEARD FROM ONE OF THE GENTLEMEN WAS, BEAUFORT COUNTY HAS SUCH CLOUD OUT THERE.
IF BEAUFORT COUNTY HELPS THEM, WHICH WE'VE DONE IN 23, IT'S SAID FUTURE MONEY IS CONTINGENT UPON SUCCESS.
WE'VE, THEY'VE PROVED, UM, BEAUFORT COUNTY, UM, PROVIDES A LOT OF CLOUT FOR OTHER PEOPLE THAT MAY INVEST IN THIS NURSE TYPE PROGRAM.
SO AGAIN, I TOLD MY COLLEAGUES, TODD, CAN I HELP YOU LAND THIS REAL QUICK? YES SIR.
UM, WE USED ARPA FUNDS LAST TIME TO FUND THIS FOR THREE YEARS, IS WHAT IT HAS LISTED HERE IN OUR NOTES.
UM, FINANCE, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, WE MOVED 180,000 OUT OF OUR PAYROLL BECAUSE IT MOVED OVER TO GREEN SPACE AND WE USED 85 OF IT, THOUSAND OF IT TOWARDS THE SOLICITOR'S OFFICE.
SO IT'S ROUGHLY, WE HAVE SOME, WE HAVE AROUND $90,000 LEFT OF THAT MONEY.
SO I WOULD VENTURE TO SAY THERE IS YOUR 50,000.
YOU SAID TEAM, COULD YOU HELP ME FIND THAT 50,000? THERE'S ONE WAY TO FIND THE 50,000 FROM MONEY.
UM, I ACTUALLY SEE THIS BY THE STATS.
THIS IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS LOOKING TO MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT.
WE COULD GO AROUND AND AROUND DEBATING, UM, MR. CHAIRMAN OBVIOUSLY, BUT I THINK THAT GIVING ANOTHER YEAR TO THIS WHEN WE ALREADY FOUND THE FUNDING WITHOUT EVEN TRYING, UM, SEEMS LIKE AN OPTION TO CONTINUE TO MOVE THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR BUFORD COUNTY.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I'D LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT THEY APPLY SINCE THEY ARE A NONPROFIT, THAT THEY GO THROUGH OUR PROGRAM FOR 5 0 1 C THREES AND APPLY FOR $50,000 IF THEY'RE ELIGIBLE.
UM, THAT THEY'RE TAKING APPLICATIONS NOW.
AUDREY TOLD US ABOUT THAT AND, AND HAVE THEM APPLY
[01:35:01]
FOR, UM, THEIR PROGRAM THAT WAY INSTEAD OF THROUGH OUR GENERAL BUDGET.AND ALSO I'D LIKE TO ADD THAT I DON'T THINK YOU HAVE ALL THE FACTS.
ABOUT THE PATH PROGRAM BECAUSE THE PATH PROGRAM IS NOT JUST THEIR PROGRAM.
THE ONLY THING I WANT TO ADD TO WHAT MS. HOWARD SAID, AND I I LIKE THAT, IS THAT IT WAS THIS COUNCIL THAT CHALLENGED THIS ORGANIZATION TO DO TAKE THE 50,000 WE GAVE HIM.
AND LET'S SEE, LET'S SEE WHAT YOU DO.
SO AGAIN, HANK, WOULD YOU WANT TO STEP UP AND GIVE US SOME THOUGHTS? UH, OH, SORRY.
SORRY MR. CHAIRMAN, WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO ADD TO THIS MR. EDWARD? I JUST GONNA ADD, ANSWER MR. MCKELLEN'S QUESTION OF HOW MUCH MONEY WE SPENT ON NURSING PROGRAMS. SO WE GAVE $500,000 TO A ARPA FUNDS TO THE HOSPITAL AND USCB TO BUILD A JOINT NURSING TRAINING FACILITY.
NOT THIS, NOT THIS ORGANIZATION.
THIS IS NO, THIS IS TO BE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL AND WHEN TO COME FROM THE MICROPHONE OR CAN YOU HEAR ME? NO, YOU'RE GOOD.
I WAS JUST REITERATING THAT IT WAS ARPA FUNDS.
THAT'S 500,000 ARPA FUNDS FOR THAT.
AND THAT IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION CURRENTLY.
AND THAT WILL BE A JOINT BETWEEN THE, THE COLLEGE AND THE HOSPITAL.
SECOND $700,000 WAS FOR THE PATH PROGRAM, WHICH INTEGRATES HIGH SCHOOL T-C-L-U-S-C-B AND THE HOSPITAL IN NOT ONLY TRAINING NURSES, BUT ALSO HELPING SOMEBODY ON THE PATH FROM BEING A ROOM CLEANER TO BEING GOING INTO THE, THE, THE CLINICAL SIDE THAT IS ALREADY IN THE HOSPITAL HELPING SOMEBODY ELEVATE THEMSELVES THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM.
THE NURSE RETENTION PROGRAM IS A BACKEND STIPEND THAT THEY PAID FOR THE RETENTION PORTION, UM, FROM MEMORIAL TO ALICE'S.
QUESTION ANSWER POINT WAS THEY DO HAVE, UH, SUBSIDIES FOR RENT, FOR DOWN PAYMENTS AND PROGRAM LIKE THAT.
SO THIS IS ABOUT THE, THE QUESTION.
BOB ELLIOT'S PROGRAM HAS BEEN GOOD.
NO, I NOT HERE TO TAKE SIDE 'CAUSE ALL THESE ARE GOOD EFFORTS.
UH, IT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH THE FORMAL POWER.
UM, IF I CAN ADD ONE MORE THING THEN CALL A QUESTION AFTERWARDS, CHAIRMAN, THAT WOULD HELP.
UM, TO ALICE'S POINT THAT SHE, UM, SAID WITH THE SOLICITOR EARLIER, UM, I WOULD LIKE FOR PEOPLE TO GIVE US MORE INFORMATION.
I WOULD LIKE FOR PEOPLE TO REQUEST THINGS THE PROPER WAY.
UM, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED FROM THE SOLICITOR'S OFFICE, WHICH WOULD JUST PASS UNANIMOUSLY EVEN THOUGH WE HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT REQUESTING IT A CERTAIN WAY, WE SAID WE COULD WAIT UNTIL NEXT YEAR.
SO MAYBE NEXT YEAR THEY DO APPLY FOR IT THROUGH, UH, 5 0 1 C OR WHATEVER.
WELL, THEY COULD COULD DO IT THIS YEAR.
AND WE COULD ALSO FUND IT FOR 'EM STARTING JULY 1ST IF WE APPROVE IT NOW.
AND IT GIVES THEM TIME TO, FOR THEIR APPLY FOR THEIR FUNDING FOR NEXT YEAR.
SO I STAND BY MY SECOND TO GIVE THEM 50,000, UM, THAT MR. RES PUT UP.
UM, WHILE WE, WHILE WE ARE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION ABOUT OPERA FUNDS AND MOVING FUNDS AROUND, I, I WANNA REMIND COUNCIL OF MY, UH, STATEMENT THAT I MADE A COUPLE MEETINGS AGO WHERE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT FUNDS FOR BROADBAND, UM, IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
THERE WAS 700,000, UH, INITIATED FOR, UH, MY DISTRICT AS FAR AS BROADBAND INTO THE RURAL COMMUNITIES AS OF TODAY.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S ONLY $7,000 NOW FOR BOTH OF OUR DISTRICT ON THAT WASN'T THE ORIGINAL DISTRIBUTION.
SO WHILE WE HAVE, UH, THESE FUNDS LEFT ON HAND, I ASKED COUNSEL TO BE MINDFUL THAT I'M GETTING READY TO START HAVING PATRICK HILL COME OUT INTO MY AREA OF THE COUNTY STARTING HAVING THOSE CONVERSATION WITH, OF THE RESIDENTS ABOUT EXPANDING BROADBAND INTO THE RURAL COMMUNITIES.
AND GOD FORBID WE'D RUN OUT OF FUNDS BECAUSE THE ALLOCATIONS WERE CHANGED ACCORDING TO MY, UM, ACCORDING TO MY KNOWLEDGE.
COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM? YES.
COUNCIL MEMBER LAWSON MARK LAWSON? NO.
COUNCIL MEMBER BARTHOLOMEW? YES.
COUNCIL VICE CHAIR MCKELLEN? NO.
IS THERE ANY OTHER AMENDMENT TO THE ORDINANCE? SEEING NONE, I WOULD NOW ASK FOR A MOTION TO PASS THE SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO MAKE THE APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT, INCLUDING THE
[01:40:01]
FIVE SEPARATE AMENDMENTS THAT WERE PASSED.MR. GLOVER MADE THE SECOND DULY MOTIONED AND SECONDED TO NOW, UM, HAVE THE ORDINANCE INCLUDED IN THESE FIVE ITEMS. WOULD YOU CALL THE ROLE PLEASE? COUNCIL MEMBER TABER? YES.
COUNCIL MEMBER LAWSON MARK LAWSON? YES.
COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM? YES.
COUNCIL MEMBER BARTHOLOMEW? YES.
[12. FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS TO CONVEY UTILITY EASEMENT # 904091 ENCUMBERING PROPERTY OWNED BY BEAUFORT COUNTY]
WE MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 12, WHICH IS A FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS TO CONVEY UTILITY EASEMENT NUMBER 9 0 4 0 9 1 ENCUMBERING PROPERTY OWNED BY BUFORD COUNTY A MOTION AND SECOND PLEASE.I'LL MAKE THE MOTION MR. CHAIRMAN.
MS. TABER NECK DULY MOTIONED AND SECONDED.
THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION AND I SEE NO OBJECTIONS.
[13. FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE ACCEPTANCE OF DRAINAGE EASEMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH DRAINAGE SYSTEMS LOCATED IN THE SHELL POINT AREA ON PARCELS R100 033 00A 0350 0000 & R100 033 00A 0116 0000]
13 IS A FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE ACCEPTANCE OF DRAINAGE EASEMENT ASSOCIATED WITH THE DRAINAGE SYSTEMS LOCATED IN SHELL POINT AREA ON PARCELS.UM, R 133 0 0 A 0 3 5 0 0 0 0 AND R 133 0 0 A 0 1 16 4 ZEROS A MOTION.
AND AGAIN, THANK PATTY FOR ALL HER HARD WORK.
MS. HOWARD THE MOTION A SECOND PLEASE.
MR. GLOVER MADE THE SECOND DULY MOTION.
AND SECOND, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE.
THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION AND I SEE NO OBJECTIONS.
[14. FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE CONVEYANCE OF A PORTION OF PARCELS R123- 018-000-0483-0000 AND R200-018-000-0257-0000 OF REAL PROPERTY FROM BEAUFORT COUNTY TO THE CITY OF BEAUFORT ASSOCIATED WITH US 21 AIRPORT AREA AND FRONTAGE ROAD IMPROVEMENTS]
THE FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE CONVEYANCE OF A PORTION OF PARCELS, UM, OF REAL PROPERTY FROM BEAUFORT COUNTY TO THE CITY OF BEAUFORT ASSOCIATED WITH US 21 AIRPORT AREA AND THE FRONTAGE ROAD IMPROVEMENTS.MR. BARTHOLOMEW MADE THE MOTION AS SECOND PLEASE.
MR. GLOVER MADE THE SECOND DULY MOTION THEN SECONDED.
THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION AND I SEE NO OBJECTIONS.
[15. FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE ANY AND ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS FOR THE ACCEPTANCE OF PROPERTIES ENCUMBERING THE ROAD RIGHT OF WAY FOR PRIVATE SECTION OF SCHEPER LANE]
FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.DO YOU EXECUTE ANY AND ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS FOR THE ACCEPTANCE OF PROPERTIES? ENCUMBERING THE ROAD RIGHT AWAY FOR A PRIVATE SECTION OF SHEPLER LANE.
MR. BARTHEL, YOU MADE THE SECOND DULY MOTION AND SECONDED.
ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION AND I SEE NO OBJECTION.
[16. APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION ADOPTING A PARKS AND RECREATION MASTER PLAN FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY’S ACTIVE PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITIES]
IS APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION ADOPTING A PARKS AND RECREATION MASTER PLAN FOR BUFORT COUNTY'S ACTIVE PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITIES.MS. TABER NECK MADE THE MOTION.
MR. BAR MADE THE SECOND DUALLY MOTION AND SECONDED.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? NOPE.
THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION AND I SEE NO OBJECTIONS.
[CITIZEN COMMENTS (Part 2 of 2)]
AT CITIZEN COMMENTS AND WE DO HAVE FOUR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO SPEAK TO US.YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS COUNTY COUNCIL.
I'M CADE CHAIR OF THE DFU ALLEN COUNCIL.
A LOT HAS HAPPENED OVER THE PAST WEEK ON DUSKY.
FIRST WE WERE SHOCKED TO RECEIVE AN EMAIL FROM MR. ROBINSON, A COPY OF WHICH I'VE PROVIDED YOU, STATING THAT THE TWO DUSKY INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS HAVE BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR YEARS ARE IN BIG TROUBLE.
UM, MR. ROBINSON TOLD US THAT THERE WAS NO MONEY IN THE BUDGET FOR A LONG AWAITED BATHROOMS AT THE BLOODY POINT BEACH, A MAJOR PUBLIC HEALTH INITIATIVE.
WE WERE PROMISED TWO YEARS AGO THAT THERE WOULD BE, UH, THAT WE WOULD BE ONE OF THE THREE COMMUNITIES TO RECEIVE THE $1 MILLION COMMUNITY BUILDING THROUGH THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN.
MR. ROBINSON SAID THAT HE INTENDED FOR THE BUILDING TO BE BASED AT THE MELROSE LANDING AND THE CURRENT CONDEMNATION PROCEEDINGS MAKE THAT IMPOSSIBLE.
WHEN I REACHED OUT TO MARK LAWSON, HE PROMISED THAT HE WOULD LOOK INTO THE SITUATION THE NEXT DAY.
HE CALLED ME TO SAY THAT THE FUNDING
[01:45:01]
FOR THE BEACH BATHROOMS WAS ACTUALLY STILL IN THE BUDGET BUDGET UNDER THE AT TAX PROGRAM.HE ALSO SAID THAT HE WOULD OPPOSE REMOVING FUNDING FOR OUR COMMUNITY BUILDING.
THE DUSKY COUNCIL IS OFFERING SEVERAL GOOD LOCATION OPTIONS, INCLUDING THE COUNTY OWNED FRANCIS JONES PARK AREA.
AND MR. LAWSON IS AWARE OF OUR EFFORTS.
WE APPRECIATE HIS ADVOCACY ON THESE IMPORTANT PROJECTS AND WE URGE THE ENTIRE COUNCIL TO SUPPORT HIS EFFORTS ON OUR BEHALF.
MS. AARON QUINN HAS BEEN AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE DUSKY HEALTHCARE INITIATIVE AND WILL BE SPEAKING TO YOU ABOUT MORE DETAILS ABOUT THEIR EFFORTS.
SECOND, OUR CHALLENGES WITH THE NEW FERRY SERVICE CONTINUES.
THIS WAS AN EXTREMELY HOT WEEK FOR FERRY RIDERS, ESPECIALLY THE ELDERLY EXPERIENCED, UH, ESPECIALLY THE ELDERLY EXPERIENCE.
THEY EXPERIENCED MISERABLE TRIPS BECAUSE OF AN INADEQUATE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM.
A FERRY RIDER TOOK A PHOTO OF THE THERMOMETER SHOWING THAT THE INSIDE TEMPERATURE TO BE 89 DEGREES AND THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE TO BE 96 DEGREES.
ONE RESIDENT DESCRIBED THE SITUATION AS PICK YOUR POISON.
UM, I'D LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT THE FERRY CONTRACT CALLS FOR THE CLIMATE CONTROLLED VESSELS ON FRIDAY.
MOST OF THE DUSKY COUNCIL MEMBERS PARTICIPATED IN A ZOOM CALL WITH NEIL TURNER, THE FERRY OPERATOR, TO SHARE OUR CONCERNS ON ABOUT A DOZEN ISSUES.
LATER THIS WEEK I'LL SEND YOU A HANDOUT SUMMARIZING OUR DISCUSSION.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING BACK FROM MR. TURNER, UH, AS A FOLLOW UP TO OUR DISCUSSION AND I WILL KEEP YOU INFORMED.
FINALLY, OUR BARGE ISLAND OR FINALLY OUR ISLAND'S FIVE CONTRACTORS ARE RAISING AN ALARM OVER THE EXPECTED CLOSURE OF OUR BARGE SERVICE FROM SAVANNAH AREA, RESULTING IN A SALE FROM THE BARGE SITE, UH, HUTCHINSON ISLAND.
THE PARTICULAR SERVICE TRANSPORTS BUILDING MATERIALS TO DUSKY AND THE COUNTY FUNDED PUBLIC WASTE SERVICE AND ITS CLOSURE WILL DEAL A MAJOR BLOW TO THE INDUSTRIAL SERVICES DUSKY.
AND OF COURSE THE COMMUNITY ITSELF.
THE DUSKY COUNCIL WILL BE CONDUCTING CONVERSATIONS WITH THE SAVANNAH BARGE OWNER, OUR LOCAL BUILDERS AND OTHER SOLUTIONS TO BRAINSTORM.
UM, THE CLOSURE OF THE SERVICES WILL BE WELL COULD HAPPEN IMMEDIATELY THE NEXT MONTH OR IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, BUT WHEN IT DOES, WE EXPECT A DEVASTATING IMPACT ON OUR ISLAND.
I WILL STAY IN TOUCH AND KEEP YOU ALL INFORMED.
AS ALWAYS, THANK YOU FOR OUR CONSIDERATION FOR THE ISSUES IMPACTING THE COMMUNITY.
AS OF LAST MONTH, I HAVE LIVED ON LADIES ISLAND FOR 25 YEARS.
I HAVE NEVER ADDRESSED COUNSEL BEFORE.
RESPECTFULLY, I AM HERE BECAUSE I FEEL A LACK OF FORETHOUGHT BY COUNCIL IS PUTTING CITIZENS AT RISK, ESPECIALLY THOSE OF US WHO LOVE LIVING NORTH OF ABROAD.
I AM ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER A MORATORIUM ON RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
I HAVE WITNESSED A LOT OF CHANGES IN THE PAST 25 YEARS, BUT I HAVE NEVER SEEN WHAT I AM SEEING NOW.
RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS ARE BEING BUILT WITHOUT REGARD TO HOW RESIDENTS WILL SAFELY INGRESS AND EGRESS THE COMMUNITIES.
FOR EXAMPLE, CAMELIA BANKS ON LADIES ISLAND HAS GORGEOUS HOMES.
HOW DO THOSE RESIDENTS SAFELY EXIT THAT COMMUNITY WITHOUT DRIVING OVER THREE LANES OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC TRAVELING AT 45 MILES PER HOUR? IT IS NOT IF AN ACCIDENT WILL HAPPEN.
IT'S WHEN THOUSANDS OF NEW APARTMENTS AND SINGLE FAMILY HOMES ARE BEING BUILT OFF OF SALEM ROAD.
YET THE ROAD REMAINS A TWO-LANE ROAD WITH NO SHOULDER.
COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENTS ARE BEING APPROVED WITHOUT REGARD TO WHERE THEY BEST FIT SAFELY INTO THE COMMUNITY.
A STARBUCKS IS SCHEDULED TO BE BUILT ACROSS FROM THE FOOD LION ON SEA ISLAND PARKWAY AT THE CURRENT STARBUCKS LOCATION ON BOUNDARY STREET CARS ROUTINELY BACK UP INTO THE STREET TRYING TO SQUEEZE INTO THE TINY INADEQUATE PARKING LOT.
IF THIS HAPPENS ON SEA ISLAND PARKWAY, IT WILL CREATE ANOTHER SAFE AREA, ANOTHER UNSAFE AREA.
I AM ASKING YOU TO MAKE 100% CERTAIN BEFORE ANY MORE CONSTRUCTION IS PERMITTED THAT YOU TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION WHETHER THE EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE SUCH AS ROADS, TURN LANES, SIGNAGE, TRAFFIC LIGHTS AND EXISTING BRIDGES CAN ACCOMMODATE AN INFLUX OF ADDITIONAL TRIPS PER DAY FROM THESE BUSINESSES AND HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS.
HOW WILL YOU RESPOND IF ONE OF THE BRIDGES GOES OUT OF COMMISSION? AGAIN, I SEE POLICE CARS EVERYWHERE BUT DO LAW ENFORCEMENT AND FIRST RESPONDERS HAVE INCREASES IN THEIR BUDGET TO KEEP UP WITH INCREASED
[01:50:01]
CALLS.IT'S YOUR NUMBER ONE RESPONSIBILITY AS ELECTED OFFICIALS TO ENSURE OUR COMMUNITY NORTH OF BROAD IS SAFE.
AND THE LARGE AMOUNT OF DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS YOU ARE PERMITTING DOES NOT PUT CITIZENS' LIVES AT RISK.
AS THE ICONIC SONG SAYS YOUR PAVING PARADISE TO PUT UP A PARKING LOT, AND I BELIEVE YOU ARE ALL MAKING US UNSAFE AS A RESULT.
I AM HERE AS AN EIGHT YEAR MEMBER OF THE DUSKY COMMUNITY.
I'M A MOTHER OF TWO STUDENTS OF BUFORT COUNTY AND I'M PRESIDENT OF THE DFU AND PTO AS WELL AS THE ADMINISTRATOR AT THE FIRE STATION ON DUSKY.
AND I HAVE A MASTER'S IN PUBLIC HEALTH.
AND SO ALL THESE THINGS BROUGHT ME HERE TODAY FOR YOU.
SO MY OBJECTIVE TODAY IS FOR YOU TO ENSURE THAT YOU HAVE A GENERAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROJECT THAT I'LL REFER TO AS THE DUSKY ISLAND COMMUNITY HEALTH BUILDING.
NUMEROUS PEOPLE HAVE PUT EFFORTS INTO THIS AND IT, THE PLANS ARE REALLY VAST AND THE IMPACT ON OUR SMALL COMMUNITY WILL HAVE ON OUR RESIDENTS AND GUESTS IS QUITE, I QUITE IMPORTANT FOR US.
AS CADE MENTIONED, DUSKY ISLAND WAS ONE OF THE THREE LOCATIONS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY THAT ARFA MONEY WAS AWARDED TO FOR THE PURPOSES OF A MULTI-USE COMMUNITY CENTER, AS WELL AS THAT PUBLIC HEALTH COMPONENT.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE BUILDING SITE CHOSEN BY COUNTY OFFICIALS IS CURRENTLY STUCK IN LEGAL AND THE CLOCK IS TICKING VERY LOUDLY AND WE HEAR IT
WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU TO REVIEW THOSE OTHER LOCATIONS THAT WE'RE KIND OF THINKING MIGHT BE USEFUL FOR BOTH SHORT AND LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS.
SO THE 2020 CENSUS PUTS OUR POPULATION ABOUT 569.
WHAT YOU DON'T SEE IN THOSE NUMBERS IS THE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE PART-TIME RESIDENTS, THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT COME AND VISIT US AS VISITORS, AS GUESTS, WHETHER THEY'RE OVERNIGHT OR DAY TRIPPERS.
SO WHAT WE SEE FIRST AND FOREMOST IN THIS COMMUNITY BUILDING IS SLATED TO HOUSE THAT MEDICAL CLINIC STAFFED BY VOLUNTEERS OF MEDICINE AS WELL AS MAIN STREET MEDICAL.
MANY TIMES OUR RESIDENTS FOREGO MEDICAL VISITS DUE TO THE CHALLENGES OF TRANSPORTATION ACROSS THE WATER.
WE ARE PROTECTIVE OF OUR UNDERSERVED NEIGHBORS AND WE REALLY WANNA MAKE SURE THEY'RE CARED WELL FOR.
AND THE VISITORS ON OUR ISLAND ON HOLIDAY, THEY OFTEN DO NEED MEDICAL ATTENTION AS WELL.
SO AT TIMES THESE PEOPLE COME TO OUR SERVICES AT THE FIRE STATION FOR EMS AS WELL.
AND ON THE MAINLAND WHAT YOU WOULD DO IS POP OVER THE PHARMACY FOR SOMETHING OVER THE COUNTER, MAYBE GO TO URGENT CARE AND IF REALLY NEEDED YOU POP OVER TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM.
WE DON'T REALLY HAVE THOSE OPTIONS AS EASILY AS YOU DO ON THE MAINLAND.
SO THE MEDICAL COMPONENT IS REALLY APPROPRIATE TO EFFECTIVELY MEET OUR NEEDS FOR THESE GROWING NEEDS THAT WE HAVE AND TO HAVE ROUTINE, PREVENTATIVE, REGULAR CHECKUPS AS WELL AS THOSE ACUTE INJURIES AND AILMENTS THAT OUR PEOPLE ARE HAVING.
ADDITIONALLY, OUR HISTORIC DISTRICT MAILBOXES, WE ARE TOO FEW ON THAT.
UH, WE HAVE A GROWING POPULATION CURRENTLY.
THERE'S A WAITING LIST FOR PEOPLE TO GET THEIR PERSONAL MAIL.
AND SO THERE'S CONVERSATIONS WITH NANCY MACE'S OFFICE HELPING GET USPS FACILITIES ONTO THE ISLAND AND HELP WITH THOSE BUILDING EFFORTS AS WELL.
UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP, YOU'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE PARKS AND MASTER PLAN GROWTH AND LIBRARY SERVICES AND IT, THESE ARE PROMISES TO THE RESIDENTS TO HAVE THEM HAVE SPACE TO LEARN THAT ARE SAFE AND THEY CAN GROW.
HELENA AND GARDEN CITY ARE ACTIVELY BUILDING WITH THEIR ARPA FUNDED COMMUNITY BUILDINGS AND IT'S NOT IN DANGER OF LOSING BECAUSE OF THE BUILDING SITES.
PLEASE HELP US SUPPORT THIS PROJECT SO THAT WE DON'T MISS OUT ON THIS VITAL OPPORTUNITY THAT WILL IMPACT THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR ENTIRE GENERATIONS TO COME.
AND WITH YOUR SUPPORT TO CONSIDER DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, WE CAN MAKE THE ARPA DEADLINES AND MAXIMIZE THE LANDMARK BUILDING ON DUSKY.
FINALLY, CARRIE, MAJOR GOOD EVENING, THE COUNCIL.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
I AM A YOUTH AND, UH, COMMUNITY ADVOCATE AND I WAS UH, GLAD TO HEAR YOU TALK ABOUT THE ISLAND REC CENTER AND ESPECIALLY ABOUT THE PARENTS WHO ARE WORKING, UM, WHICH WAS YOUR CONCERN.
AND THE CHILDREN HAS NOWHERE TO GO.
UM, WE HAD THE SAME ISSUE, UM, MR. BROWN DID ON APRIL 29TH.
HE SHOWED A DRAFT, UH, POWER PRESENTATION AND IN THAT PRESENTATION HE HAD IN THE CENTER QUALITY OF LIFE LISTED FROM THERE.
HE HAD, UM, TRANSPORTATION, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, TOURISM, HOUSING, UH, THE MILITARY UTILITIES, THE ENVIRONMENT HE HAD, UH, TRASH AND RECYCLING, SAFETY AND SECURITY EDUCATION AND HEALTHCARE AND RECREATION.
AND HIS WORDS WERE, IF ONE OF THESE PIECES OF THE PIE WAS MISSING, THEN THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE WILL BE DISTURBED.
HELEN ISLAND, WE DON'T HAVE RECREATION SIN HELENA, NORTH LADIES ISLAND.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, OUR QUALITY OF LIFE AND HOPING THAT
[01:55:01]
THROUGH THE MASTER PLAN IT MAY BE A TEMPORARY, UM, FIX FOR US.BUT LONG TERM WE ARE HOPING THAT UH, WE WILL GET A STATE OF THE ART, UM, COMMUNITY AND YOUTH CENTER ON ST.
AND I KNOW YOU CONTINUE TO HEAR ME, UM, BUT I PRAY THAT YOU WILL HEAR ME AND UH, PLEASE DO SOMETHING FOR US ON ST.
HELEN ISLAND AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
AND UM, UM, I THANK YOU AND I'M HERE FOR THE LONG RUN.
[EXECUTIVE SESSION]
AN EXECUTIVE SESSION THAT WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO NOW PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE, UM, SECTION 30 DASH FOUR DASH 70 A TWO.WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS RECEIPT OF LEGAL ADVICE WHERE THE LEGAL ADVICE RELATES TO MATTERS COVERED BY THE ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE NO.
AND WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT FOIA.
AND SECONDLY, IT'S DISCUSSION OF MATTERS COVERED BY THE ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE WHERE INQUIRIES AND INVESTIGATIONS PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE SECTION FOUR DASH NINE DASH SIX 60 HSB MAY I HAVE SUCH A MOTION PLEASE.
I'LL MAKE MR. BAR MADE THE MOTION.
MS. TABER MADE THE SECOND DULY MOTIONED AND SECONDED.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, UH, UNANIMOUSLY WE ARE GOING TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
THERE MAY OR MAY NOT BE MATTERS OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION AND I'M NOT QUITE SURE HOW LONG WE WILL BE THERE.
IT MAY BE AS LONG AS 45 MINUTES.
OKAY, WE HAVE RETURNED FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION AS A RESULT OF THE EXECUTIVE SESSION, THERE ARE NO MATTERS ARISING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION.
THERE BEING NO FURTHER ACTION.
THIS MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED AT 8:30 PM AMEN.