[1. CALL TO ORDER]
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I'D LIKE TO CALL THE, UH, FINANCE ADMINISTRATION AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING, UH, TO ORDER.
IT'S MONDAY, JUNE 17TH, 3:00 PM AND IF EVERYONE COULD PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE.
PLEDGE RELEASES TO THE FINE, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
WE DO HAVE A QUORUM FOR OUR COMMITTEE MEETING TODAY.
[3. PUBLIC NOTIFICATION OF THIS MEETING HAS BEEN PUBLISHED, POSTED, AND DISTRIBUTED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT]
AND PUBLIC NOTIFICATION OF THIS MEETING HAS BEEN PUBLISHED, POSTED, AND DISTRIBUTED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
UH, AND IF I COULD ASK FOR SOMEONE TO APPROVE OUR AGENDA TODAY, I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE.UH, AND IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NO DISCUSSION? WE WILL APPROVE THIS WITHOUT OBJECTION.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION? AND THERE IS NO OBJECTION.
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANYONE LINE TODAY, DO WE, SIR? EVERYONE'S HERE IN PERSON.
[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - May 20, 2024]
AND THEN I WOULD ASK FOR APPROVAL OF OUR MINUTES FROM MAY 20TH, 2024, SO WE CAN MAKE THAT MOTION, PLEASE.I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
AND IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND IT.
MS. TABER, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE SECOND.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NO DISCUSSION? WE'LL GET APPROVED THIS WITHOUT OBJECTION.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION AND SEEING NO OBJECTION.
APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM MAY, 2024.
AND THIS BRINGS US THEN TO OUR CITIZENS COMMENT.
IS THERE ANYONE IN PERSON OR ONLINE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK DURING OUR CITIZENS' COMMENTS AND SEEING NO ONE? UM, WE WILL
[7. ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR REPORT]
THEN CLOSE THAT AND MOVE ON NOW TO, UM, OUR ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR REPORT.UM, IT'S ACTUALLY OUR INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, BUT ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, MR. JOHN ROBINSON.
UM, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
H HOW ARE YOU, SIR? GREAT, THANK YOU.
I'M WEARING A DIFFERENT HAT TODAY.
UH, I JUST WANTED TO TALK TO YOU FOR A FEW MINUTES AND TALK ABOUT THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND BASICALLY TELL YOU EVERYTHING'S GONNA BE ALL RIGHT.
WE, UH, I MET WITH, UH, FINANCE STAFF LAST WEEK AFTER, UH, DENISE CHRISTMAS'S DEPARTURE ON, UH, JUNE 7TH.
UH, IT WAS FRIDAY, WASN'T IT? OH, DAYS GO BY FAST.
UM, SO, UH, I WAS ABLE TO MEET WITH FINANCE STAFF LAST WEEK, AND I WANTED TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THE, IN THE INTERIM.
UM, SO I'M, I'M FAR FROM A CFO, BUT I'M FILLING THAT ROLE, UH, UH, MAKING, DOING APPROVALS AND ALL THOSE OTHER KIND OF THINGS THAT, THAT, THAT THE CFO WOULD NORMALLY DO.
UH, STAFF RIGHT NOW, JANET ANDREWS IS THE SENIOR STAFF MEMBER PRESENT.
SO JANET IS MANAGING ALL THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS, AS WELL AS, UH, CHRISTINE WHO'S HERE.
CHRISTINE IS, UH, IS HELPING TROUBLESHOOT PROBLEMS. SO SHE'S COMMUNICATING BETWEEN, UH, CHRISTINE AND, UH, VALERIE ARE COMMUNICATING, UH, WITH MS. CHRISTMAS, UH, THROUGHOUT THIS, UH, TRANSITION PROCESS.
UH, SO WE KIND OF LIMIT, I'LL TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CONTRACT WE HAVE, UM, TO, TO LIMIT THE EXPOSURE THAT WE HAVE AND MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR PROBLEMS ARE BEING SOLVED AND MANAGED PROPERLY.
SO I'VE BEEN TALKING TO THEM DAILY AND THEY'RE HELPING ME GET THROUGH THINGS AND MAKE SURE THAT I'M APPROVING THINGS APPROPRIATELY AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
UM, I WANTED TO, TO MENTION AGAIN, MS. DENISE, WHILE SHE, UM, UH, RESIGNED HER POSITION WITH US AS OF, UH, JULY 4TH, THE FOLLOWING WEEK, WE ENTERED INTO AN INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR CONTRACT WITH HER, UH, FOR A SPECIFIED PERIOD OF TIME AND A SPECIFIED, UM, UM, SCOPE OF WORK.
AND THAT IS FOR HER TO HELP US, UH, MANAGE THE CLOSEOUT PROCESS.
SO WE HAVE A SOFT CLOSEOUT THAT TRANSITIONS OUR 2024 THAT ENDS, CLOSES OUR 2024 BUDGET THAT HAPPENS ON JUNE 30.
AND THEN THE HARD CLOSEOUT, WHICH IS LATER THAT MONTH, OR LATER THE NEXT MONTH, THE END OF AUGUST.
SO THAT CONTRACT WITH, UH, WITH MS. CHRISTMAS, BECAUSE OF HER EXPERT KNOWLEDGE OF OUR SYSTEMS, WILL HELP US CLOSE OR HELP STAFF CLOSE OUT THOSE, UM, THOSE TWO THINGS.
SO THAT, THAT IS HER INDEPENDENT CONTRACT THAT WE HAVE SPECIFICALLY FOR THE LENGTH OF TIME AND THOSE TWO ITEMS. UH, SO ALL THAT WAS TO SAY THAT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU WERE COMFORTABLE THAT, UM, OUR FINANCE STAFF IS, WHILE WE'RE LESS PEOPLE THAN NORMAL, EVERYTHING'S GONNA BE OKAY.
OUR FINANCE STAFF IS PROFESSIONALS.
THEY KNOW THEIR JOBS, THEY'RE DOING THEIR JOBS.
AND ANYTIME THERE'S AN ISSUE THAT I NEED TO GET INVOLVED IN OR APPROVE SOMETHING, THEY'RE LETTING ME KNOW.
AND WE'RE WALKING THROUGH THAT AND GETTING THINGS DONE.
ANY, ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING OVER THERE? NO.
OBVIOUSLY, UM, AS THE NEW COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR COMES IN, WE'D LIKE HIM TO MAKE AS MANY CHOICES FOR HIRES
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AS WE CAN.SO KNOW YOU'RE WEARING MANY, MANY HATS.
SO THANK YOU FOR TAKING CARE OF THOSE THINGS AND, AND FILLING IN AS, AS, AS MUCH AS YOU HAVE.
THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A GREAT PLUG THERE.
WE, UH, WE HAVE HAD THE CFO POSITION POSTED AND OPEN FOR QUITE A FEW WEEKS NOW.
WE'VE HAD MANY, MANY FOLKS OPEN IT AND LOOK AT IT.
UH, THE NEW SYSTEM THAT WE USE IN HR FOR RECRUITING KIND OF TRACKS PEOPLE THAT LOOK AT IT AND OPEN IT.
OH, WE'VE HAD SEVERAL APPLICATIONS.
SOME WELL-QUALIFIED FOLKS, UH, STAFF HAS ALSO WORKED ON DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR MR. MOORE WHEN HE ARRIVES.
UH, SO WE HAVE A NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS, UH, TO REVIEW, UH, OF QUALIFIED CANDIDATES.
WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOME QUALIFIED, LET'S SAY, RETIRED, UH, CFOS WHO CAN MAYBE FILL THE POSITION, UH, ON A TEMPORARY BASIS, AS WELL AS DONE SOME RESEARCH FOR, UH, FOR, UH, I THOUGHT IT WAS MINE FOR A MINUTE,
SO WHEN MR. MOORE COMES ON BOARD, WE HAVE A LOT OF OPTIONS TO LOOK AT FOR, TO FILL THOSE ROLES.
SO IF ANYONE'S OUT THERE, LOOK ON OUR WEBSITE AND APPLY.
YOU, YOU'VE DONE AN INCREDIBLE JOB AS AN INTERN, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND HANDLING PROFESSIONALLY, YOU KNOW, BRINGING MR. MOORE IN.
AND AGAIN, WE APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU DO AND ALL YOU'VE DONE.
[8. RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO COUNCIL OF A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE 2024 COUNTY COMPENSATION AND CLASSIFICATION STUDY- FINAL REPORT.]
UM, LET'S MOVE ON THEN TO OUR AGENDA ITEMS, UH, AND, UH, NUMBER EIGHT ON OUR AGENDA.FIRST AGENDA ITEM, RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO COUNSEL RESOLUTION, ADOPTING THE 2024 COUNTY COMPENSATION AND CLASSIFICATION STUDY, FINAL REPORT.
UM, AND THIS IS MS. MS CATHERINE MEAD, WHO IS OUR HUMAN RESOURCE DIRECTOR, AND, UH, DR. RUSSELL CAMPBELL, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, UM, OF MANAGEMENT ADVISORY GROUP.
AND I THINK WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR TODAY ON THIS, OBVIOUSLY EVERYONE CAN GO BACK AND, AND READ WHAT WE'VE GOT AS OUR, OUR STUDY, BUT, UM, WHAT WE'D LIKE TO HEAR, UH, MS IF WE CAN, IS THE PURPOSE OF THE STUDY, UM, THE FINDINGS OF, OF WHAT YOU'VE GOT, UM, YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS, AND THEN OUR NEXT STEPS.
AND AGAIN, I'M NOT TRYING TO TO NARROW YOU DOWN, BUT THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I THINK THAT, THAT WE'D LIKE TO KIND OF HEAR, HEAR, UM, OBVIOUSLY WITH ALL THE INFORMATION WE HAVE ALREADY GIVEN TO US IN THE, IN THE STUDY ITSELF.
WE, WE ALREADY PROVIDED WITH YOU THE FULL RECOMMENDATION, WHICH I BELIEVE WAS OVER A HUNDRED PAGES.
SO WE HAVE DR. CAMPBELL HERE, AND I WILL INTRODUCE HIM SHORTLY, UM, TO GIVE YOU A RECAP OF WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
UM, BUT AS WE'VE STATED IN PREVIOUS MILESTONE MARKERS WHERE I'VE COME BEFORE YOU TO TALK ABOUT CHECK-INS OF OUR STUDY, THAT WE WOULD COME BACK WITH A FINAL PRESENTATION WITH MAG.
UM, AS A QUICK REMINDER, I DON'T WANNA TAKE UP TOO MUCH OF DR.
CAMPBELL'S TIME, BUT AS A QUICK REMINDER, THE IMPLEMENTATION COSTS THAT YOU ARE GOING TO HEAR TODAY IS ALREADY ACCOUNTED FOR IN THE PROPOSED FY 25 BUDGET.
SO I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO, TO NOTATE THERE.
UM, AND ONE OF THE GOALS THAT WE, WE HAD WITH THE STUDY WAS TO BECOME AN EMPLOYER OF CHOICE.
AND I THINK WE ARE WELL ON OUR WAY AND, AND MEETING THAT ASPECT IN TERMS OF COMPENSATION WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS.
WHAT I AM, UM, ASKING FROM THE COMMITTEE TODAY IS TO ADOPT THE PAY GRADES WITHIN THIS FULL STUDY REPORT.
YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF VERY GOOD INFORMATION ON POLICIES FOR MAINTAINING OUR PLAN, AND I DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THOSE, UM, BUT ALSO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THAT WITH, UH, MR. MOORE WHEN HE COMES ON, ON BOARD WITH US, TO GIVE HIM AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK.
AND I JUST LEARNED FROM DR. CAMPBELL THAT HE JUST COMPLETED A STUDY IN YORK COUNTY IN THE LAST YEAR.
SO MR. MOORE SHOULD BE PRETTY FAMILIAR WITH THIS PROCESS.
UM, ANOTHER POINT OF DISCUSSION I WANTED TO, TO PUT OUT THERE VERY QUICKLY IS THE PUBLIC DEFENDER.
WE'VE HAD A LOT OF TALK ON THAT OVER THE YEARS.
UM, I BROUGHT FORTH, UH, THE MAY 1ST FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING.
THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION, LEGAL PUBLIC DEFENDER HAD JUST DETERMINED THAT THEY WOULD BE A PART OF OUR COMP AND CLASS.
WE WERE VERY FAR INTO THE PROCESS WITH MAG, SO I TOOK THAT INDEPENDENTLY AND WORKED WITH THE PUBLIC DEFENDER STAFF.
UH, SO THERE ARE RECOMMENDED PAY GRADES IN THERE THAT ALSO DR. CAMPBELL WAS GENEROUS ENOUGH TO TAKE A LOOK AT AND GIVE HIS STAMP OF APPROVAL.
I, I BELIEVE, UM, AND I JUST WANTED TO TAKE THIS MOMENT TOO, TO GIVE A BIG RECOGNITION TO COUNTY STAFF.
THE PAT PARTICIPATION WITH THIS STUDY WAS INCREDIBLE.
IT WAS OVER 95% PARTICIPATION.
AND THAT IS, UM, THAT'S HUGE WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AN ORGANIZATION OF THIS SIZE.
SO I JUST WANNA THANK ALL COUNTY STAFF THAT PARTICIPATED WITH THIS STUDY, AND I WILL, UH, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, HAND THIS OVER TO DR. RUSSELL CAMPBELL, WHO IS THE SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT WITH MAC.
UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, FELLOW MEMBERS OF, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL.
I WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND SHARE WITH YOU WHAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR THE PAST FOUR MONTHS.
WHAT I'D SPECIFICALLY LIKE TO DO IS GIVE YOU AN
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OVERVIEW OF THE PROCESS AND METHODOLOGY, UH, THAT WE USE TO DESIGN THE NEW COMPENSATION SYSTEM, TALK ABOUT THE COMPARABLE ORGANIZATIONS, UH, BY WHICH WE COMPARED YOU TO, UH, SHARE SOME ANECDOTAL COMMENTS ABOUT SOME OF THE FINDINGS.AND OF COURSE, IF THERE ARE, UH, QUESTIONS, I'LL BE HAPPY TO, UH, UH, ENTERTAIN THOSE, IF WE CAN GET IT UP ON THE SCREEN THERE.
UH, I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR ABOUT 25 YEARS.
I'VE DONE 300 PLUS STUDIES, UH, AROUND THE COUNTRY DURING THAT, UH, TIMEFRAME.
I, I'VE WORKED IN ALL 46 COUNTIES AT SOME POINT IN TIME, UH, DURING MY CAREER.
UH, WE ARE A COMPANY THAT SPECIALIZES IN WORKING EXCLUSIVELY FOR GOVERNMENT.
UH, ALL OF OUR CLIENT BASE IS EITHER, UH, MUNICIPAL COUNTY OR PUBLIC SAFETY OR SCHOOL SYSTEMS. AND WE'RE HEADQUARTERED OUT OF FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA, BUT WE HAVE OFFICES IN COLUMBIA AND SPARTANBURG, SOUTH CAROLINA.
I GOT A LITTLE TECHNICAL DIPS HERE.
WHY WAS THE STUDY NEEDED? OVER TIME, AS JOBS EVOLVE AND CHANGE, THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES MAY CHANGE, LEADERSHIP IN THE DEPARTMENT MAY CHANGE, UH, AND THAT MAY TRIGGER SOME RESTRUCTURING OR REALLOCATION OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
SO THOSE ARE INTERNAL, UH, THINGS THAT IMPACT, UH, THE NEED FOR CHANGE.
AND THEN EXTERNALLY, THE LABOR MARKET CHANGES.
UH, LABOR IS DRIVEN BY THE SAME BASIC PRINCIPLES OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND, JUST LIKE ANY OTHER COMMODITY.
UH, WHAT AN EMPLOYEE IS WILLING TO PRAY FOR YOUR EXPERTISE, UH, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE IS DERIVED IN THE FORM, UH, OF A SALARY.
BEST PRACTICES SAYS YOU PROBABLY WANNA DO THIS EVERY FIVE OR SIX YEARS.
I THINK, UH, YOU WERE ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF, OF WANTING TO DO IT, UH, TWO YEARS EARLIER, UH, UH, THAN YOU PROBABLY, UH, COULD'VE DONE IT, WHICH IS GREAT.
ALWAYS, UH, UH, ANTICIPATING CHANGE.
AND SO WE WANTED TO EVALUATE THE CURRENT STRUCTURE, LOOK AND IDENTIFY ANY ISSUES OR CONCERNS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED, UH, IN THE NEW STUDY GOING FORWARD.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE FOUND THAT BY AND LARGE, THE PRACTICES THAT HAVE BEEN EMPLOYED HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY WITH RESPECT TO SALARY MANAGEMENT HAVE BEEN VERY GOOD.
THE OVERALL ADJUSTMENTS WERE FOR A COUNTY OF THIS SIZE, RELATIVELY SMALL, UH, IN COMPARED TO SOME OF THE OTHER, UH, LARGER COUNTIES WE'VE WORKED WITH, UH, HERE IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, OF COURSE, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WHAT WE COME BACK WITH WILL ALLOW YOU TO COMPETE AND REMAIN AND MAINTAIN YOUR COMPETITIVE POSITION IN THE MARKETPLACE.
WE ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A SYSTEM IN PLACE GOING FORWARD.
SO AS NEW JOBS HAVE CREATED, UH, REQUESTS FOR RECLASS THAT COME IN FROM DEPARTMENT HEADS CAN BE REVIEWED AND ANALYZED AND PUT INTO THE SAME SYSTEM AND FORMAT THAT WE'VE USED TO DEVELOP THE NEW, NEW STUDY.
AND THEN WE PROVIDED SOME BEST PRACTICES GUIDELINES IN THINGS LIKE IN AREAS LIKE, UH, WHAT DO YOU START SOMEONE WITHIN A NEW PAY STRUCTURE, IF THEY HAVE EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN, IN EDUCATION, BEYOND THE MINIMUM THAT WAS ASKED FOR.
HOW DO YOU HANDLE SALARY INCREASES WHEN SOMEONE IS PROMOTED, MAYBE PROMOTED MULTIPLE GRADES WITHIN THE, UH, WITHIN THE COMP SYSTEM, UH, AS WELL.
IF IT'S SOMEONE'S, UH, IN AN INTERIM ROLE, HOW SHOULD THEY BE COMPENSATED IF THEY'RE GONNA BE IN THAT INTERIM ROLE FOR MORE THAN SIX MONTHS? SO WE PROVIDED POLICIES TO SUPPORT, UH, THE NEW SYSTEM THAT WE'VE COME BACK WITH.
THE OVERALL GOAL OF THE STUDY IN TERMS OF SCOPE, UH, THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 900 POSITIONS OR INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE IN THE STUDY.
AND THERE WERE ROUGHLY 350 DIFFERENT JOB TITLES OR CLASSIFICATIONS SUBJECT, UH, TO THE STUDY.
IN TERMS OF SPECIFICS THAT WE WERE TASKED WITH, UH, DESIGNING.
WE CAPTURED INFORMATION ABOUT THE CURRENT JOBS FROM THE EMPLOYEES BY WAY OF A COMPREHENSIVE JOB QUESTIONNAIRE THAT WE GAVE THEM, UH, ALMOST 10 DAYS TO COMPLETE.
IT WAS DONE ONLINE, HOSTED ON OUR SYSTEM WHERE THEY LOGGED IN, UH, TO OUR WEBPAGE.
THEY PROVIDE THE INFORMATION ON THEIR JOB DUTIES, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND THE QUALIFICATIONS NEEDED TO HOLD THOSE POSITIONS.
AND THEN AT THE END OF THAT 10TH DAY PERIOD, THEY WERE DOWNLOADED.
AND I BEGAN TO DO THE, UH, JOB ANALYSIS.
AS CATHERINE SAID, WE HAD TREMENDOUS PARTICIPATION.
TYPICALLY, IF WE CAN GET AROUND 80% OF, UH, OF, UH, PARTICIPATION WHEN WE DO THESE TYPE OF STUDIES, WE CONCEAL IT.
UH, HERE WE HAD 95%, AND THE ONLY THING THAT STOPPED US FROM GETTING, UH, A HUNDRED PERCENT WAS PROBABLY THE TREASURER'S OFFICE CHOSE NOT TO PARTICIPATE, UH, IN THE STUDY.
BUT WE DID INCLUDE THEIR POSITIONS.
WE WERE ABLE TO USE THE EXISTING JOB DESCRIPTIONS, ORGANIZATIONAL CHARTS, UH, HISTORICAL INFORMATION ON HIRING AND TURNOVER FROM, UH, HUMAN RESOURCES AS WELL AS OUR DATABASE, AND FAMILIARITY WITH OTHER, UH, COUNTY TREASURE FUNCTIONS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
SO WE FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT WE HAVE THOSE, UH, APPROPRIATELY PLACED WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE STUDY.
AND AS CATHERINE ALSO SAID, I DID REVIEW THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT SHE HAD CAME UP WITH FOR THE, UH, PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE, UH, RAN THOSE AGAINST OUR DATA THAT WE'VE COLLECTED, UH, THROUGHOUT THE STATE ON, UH, ELECTED, UH, UH, UH, POSITIONS, UH, SOLICITOR, AS WELL AS PUBLIC DEFENDER.
AND WE THINK THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE CERTAINLY IN LINE WITH WHAT WE WOULD'VE RECOMMENDED AS PART OF THE STUDY, UH, HAD THEY BEEN, UH, INCLUDED.
UM, I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT EXTERNAL COMPETITIVENESS IN TERMS OF, UH,
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WHERE WE COLLECTED DATA FROM, IDENTIFY THE OTHER, UH, COUNTY AND MUNICIPALITIES THAT WE, UH, LOOKED AT AS A PART OF REVIEW.I'LL ALSO TOUCH ON THE INTERNAL RELATIONSHIP.
UH, THAT'S A PART OF THE PROCESS.
I WILL SAY IT'S OFTEN, UH, UH, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S FREQUENTLY ASKED WHAT DRIVES THE TRAIN WITH RESPECT TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
IS IT THE RETURN INTERNAL RELATIONSHIPS OF THE JOBS WITHIN THE COUNTY AND THE STUDY? OR IS IT THE EXTERNAL MARKET CONDITIONS THAT DRIVE THE STUDY? THE MARKET DATA IS MORE OF A REFERENCE POINT.
IT LETS US SEE WHERE JOBS ARE TRENDING AND PREVAILING RATES OF PAY FOR DIFFERENT JOBS, UH, THROUGHOUT, UH, THE STATE AND THROUGHOUT THAT OCCUPATIONAL GROUP.
BUT IS THE INTERNAL RESPONSIBILITY THAT ULTIMATELY DEFINES WHAT PAY GRADE A JOB IS GONNA BE ASSIGNED TO.
QUICK EXAMPLE, I FINISHED THIS STUDY SIX MONTHS AGO IN DENWOODY COUNTY, VIRGINIA, OUTTA 25 YEARS OF 300 STUDIES.
I FOUND A FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR ANIMAL CONTROL, FIRST TIME I'D EVER SEEN THAT.
AND WHEN I SAW IT, I THOUGHT IT WAS A MISTAKE.
AND THE FIRE CHIEF HELD ME TO TASK AND, AND SAID, I'LL BUY YOU A STATE DINNER IF YOU CAN FIND ANY OTHER FIRE DEPARTMENT IN THE NEXT FIVE STATES OVER WHERE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS ANIMAL CONTROL.
NEEDLESS TO SAY, I LOST THAT BET.
UH, BUT BECAUSE WE DO THE INTERNAL REVIEW AND WE RANK THE JOBS BASED ON OUR CRITERIA, WHICH I'LL SHOW YOU, THE FIRE POSITION IN THAT COUNTY PAYS 20% MORE THAN THE SURROUNDING JURISDICTIONS BECAUSE HE HAS THAT ADDITIONAL DUTY OF A $1.8 MILLION BUDGET AND 15 FTES ASSOCIATED WITH ANIMAL CONTROL.
SO IT'S THE INTERNAL, UH, ASSESSMENT THAT REALLY CARRIES THE WATER AT THE END OF THE DAY.
UH, AND THEN WE LOOKED AT DIFFERENT OPTIONS TO IMPLEMENT THE STUDY, UH, TRYING TO BE, UH, UH, UH, UH, FOLLOWING THROUGH WITH THE, WITH THE COUNCIL'S MANTRA OF MAKING SURE THAT YOU'RE GOOD STEWARDS OF TAXPAYER MONEY.
AND SO WE FOUND, UH, WHAT WE BELIEVE TO BE, UH, AN ECONOMICAL, UH, APPROACH IN TERMS OF, UH, IMPLEMENTING THE STUDY, BUT ALSO ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THERE'S SOME JOBS BASED ON THE LABOR MARKET WHERE SOME ADJUSTMENTS, UH, NEEDED TO BE MADE.
AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT, UH, SHORTLY.
BUT JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT THE STUDY DID NOT ADDRESS.
UH, INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE HAS NO PLACE IN A STUDY OF THIS TYPE.
WE'RE NOT ASSESSING PERFORMANCE, WE'RE TRYING TO DETERMINE THE VALUE OF THE POSITION.
SO FROM OUR STANDPOINT, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO'S IN THE POSITION, IT'S ABOUT THE VALUE OF THE JOB, NOT THE VALUE OF THE PERSON.
THE VALUE OF THE PERSON SHOULD BE DETERMINED THROUGH YOUR ANNUAL, UH, EMPLOYEE APPRAISAL.
WE DIDN'T GUARANTEE ANY ADJUSTMENTS AS A PART OF THE STUDY LAST TIME I CHECKED.
I DON'T HAVE ANY RELATIVES WORKING HERE, I DON'T THINK, OTHER THAN MY COUSIN, THE CHAIRMAN THERE.
UH, WE DIDN'T RECOMMEND REDUCING ANYONE'S SALARY AS A PART OF THE STUDY.
EVEN IF WE FOUND SOMEONE THAT WAS OVER THE MAXIMUM OF WHAT WE RECOMMENDED, WE WOULD NOT RECOMMEND REDUCING ANYONE'S SALARY.
THAT QUESTIONNAIRE, UH, IS WHAT I TALKED TO, UH, TALKED TO YOU ABOUT EARLIER.
THAT'S WHERE WE GET THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
THE SUPERVISORS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW IT, BUT THEY CAN'T CHANGE THE ORIGINAL SUBMISSION.
IF WE SEE THERE ARE DIFFERENT, UH, DIFFERENCES IN TERMS OF COMMENT FROM THE EMPLOYEE PERSPECTIVE AND THE SUPERVISOR, WE WOULD SET THOSE ASIDE AND WE'D CIRCLE BACK THROUGH HUMAN RESOURCES AND CATHERINE'S STAFF TO ASK ANY RELEVANT QUESTIONS TO GET, UH, UH, CLARITY.
UH, WE CONSIDER THE EMPLOYEES THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS.
AND SO EVERYONE DID AN EXCELLENT JOB IN COMPLETING, UH, THOSE QUESTIONNAIRES.
IN TERMS OF THE CRITERIA WE USE TO RANK THE JOBS UNDER THE INTERNAL, UH, REVIEW PART OF THE PROJECT OR THE PROCESS, THESE ARE THE 14 CRITERIA YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN THAT WE LOOK AT COMMONLY KNOWN AS JOB FACTORS.
AND SO WE GO THROUGH EACH ONE OF THOSE AND WE ASSIGN A RATING SCORE THAT RANGES FROM ONE TO 10 IN EACH ONE OF THOSE CATEGORIES BASED ON MY GRADING, UH, MATRIX.
AND AS I DO THAT, THE SOFTWARE KEEPS A TALLY OF THE OVERALL QUANTITATIVE POINT SCORE, AND THEN IT PRINTS A REPORT.
UH, FOR ME, THAT SHOWS ME THE MOST COMPLEX JOB, WHICH IS JOB HAS THE HIGHEST OVERALL QUANTITATIVE SCORE, THEN THE DESCENDING ORDER.
IT SHOWS ME ALL THE OTHER POSITIONS THAT WERE ASSOCIATED, UH, UH, WITH THE COUNTY AS AN ORGANIZATION.
SO THAT'S HOW WE GET THE INTERNAL RELATIONSHIP IN ORDER.
THEN THE EXTERNAL RELATIONSHIP IS WHERE WE GO OUT AND LOOK AT AN AGREED UPON LIST OF WHAT WE CALL PEERS OR COMPETITORS.
UH, COMPETITORS ARE GENERALLY THOSE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE WITHIN A, A REASONABLE GEOGRAPHIC COMMUTE, HOUR, HOUR AND A HALF, UH, WITHIN, UH, UH, THE, UH, UH, THE SURROUNDING, UH, BORDERS OF THE COUNTY.
AND THEN PEERS CAN BE OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTY.
THEY CAN BE IN OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE, BUT THERE'S SIMILARITY IN TERMS OF EITHER POPULATION SIZE AND COMMUNITY SIZE OF THE WORKFORCE.
UH, OTHER RELEVANT ISSUES LIKE TAX BASE AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT WE CAN DRAW FROM IN TERMS OF, OF ISOLATING THAT PEER GROUP.
WE CAME UP WITH A LIST OF ORGANIZATIONS WE THOUGHT WERE APPROPRIATE, AND THEN THE COUNTY VETTED THE LIST AND, UH, THEY HAD SOME, UH, ADDITIONS, UH, TO THAT LIST.
AND WE ADDED THOSE TO THAT PROCESS.
AND SO THESE ARE THE COMPETITORS AND PEERS THAT WERE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS STUDY.
OBVIOUSLY, WE START IN THE BACKYARD WITH THE CITY OF BEAUFORT AND THE CITY OF CHARLESTON, SAVANNAH, UH, TOWN OF BLUFFTON, TOWN OF HILTON HEAD, BERKELEY COUNTY, UH, CHARLESTON, DORCHESTER, GREENVILLE, ORIE, LEXINGTON, AND RICHLAND.
SO THERE WERE 12, UH, SPECIFIC, UH, GOVERNMENTAL
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ENTITIES THAT WERE CONSIDERED PEERS AND COMPETITORS.WE ALSO DO LOOK AT PRIVATE SECTOR DATA, BUT WE CANNOT SURVEY PRIVATE COMPANIES DIRECTLY BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT BOUND BY THE FOYER STATUTE IN THE STATE WHERE JOB DESCRIPTIONS AND PAY STRUCTURES, UH, ARE PART OF WHAT IS CONSIDERED PUBLIC INFORMATION.
SO WE DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM GETTING THAT INFORMATION FROM THE PUBLIC ENTITIES, BUT THE PRIVATE SECTOR, UH, DOES NOT HAVE TO COMPLY AND, AND WILL NOT PARTICIPATE IN THOSE TYPE OF, UH, UH, REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION.
SO WE GO THROUGH THE US DEPARTMENT OF LABOR BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS, WHERE WE COLLECT DATA BASED ON THE REGION HERE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR FOR JOBS THAT WE CAN MATCH UP IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR THAT EXISTS WITHIN THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT, UH, UH, HERE.
AND SO WE DID INCLUDE THOSE AS WELL, BECAUSE THE COUNTY IS COMPETING WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR FOR SIMILAR SKILL SETS THROUGHOUT THE ORGANIZATION.
SO AT THIS POINT, WE'VE GOTTEN THE INDIVIDUAL QUANTITATIVE SCORE BASED ON THE JOB FACTOR, UH, JOB ANALYSIS.
WE'VE GOT THE MARKET AVERAGES FROM AN ANNUAL SALARY PERSPECTIVE, UH, FOR WHAT WE CALL THE BENCHMARK JOBS FROM THE, UH, PEER GROUP YOU SEE UP ON THE SCREEN THERE.
AT THAT POINT, WE USE A COMPUTER, UH, UH, TECHNIQUE CALLED LINEAR REGRESSION, WHERE WE RUN A COMPUTER MODEL THAT HAS A, A BUILT IN ALGORITHM.
IT PREDICTS WHAT THE PAY SCHEDULE SHOULD LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF PAY, GRADES AND DOLLAR RANGES, SALARY RANGES FOR ALL THE POSITIONS WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION.
AND OF COURSE, BASED ON THE OVERALL POINT SCORE, THE JOB IS ASSIGNED TO A PAY GRADE, WHICH HAS A SALARY RANGE ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
SO, IF I HAD TO SAY, UH, IF I HAD TO DESCRIBE THIS PROCESS, I'D SAY IT'S PART MANAGEMENT SCIENCE, UH, WITH A, A HEAVY EMPHASIS OF STATISTICAL, UH, ANALYSIS.
AND SO WE TAKE THOSE TWO SETS OF DATA, AS I SAID, STATISTICALLY, MESH THEM TOGETHER USING LE LINEAR REGRESSION, AND THEN WE COME UP WITH, UH, THE FINANCIAL IMPACT FOR EVERY DEPARTMENT AND THEN THE COUNTY AS A WHOLE.
AND THEN WE LOOK AT DIFFERENT, UH, UH, TYPES OF, UH, OPTIONS IN TERMS OF FUNDING AND STUDY.
UM, THIS PROCESS IS NOT UNIQUE TO MANAGEMENT ADVISORY GROUP, OR, OR I AS A CONSULTANT.
ANY COMPANY IN THIS BUSINESS OR ANY INDIVIDUAL THAT DESIGNS PAY STRUCTURES HAS TO ESTABLISH THE INTERNAL RELATIONSHIP THROUGH SOME TYPE OF CRITERIA AND JOB ANALYSIS.
THEY HAVE TO COLLECT MARKET DATA, AND THEN THEY HAVE TO USE SOME TYPE OF STATISTICAL TECHNIQUE TO MESH IT TOGETHER TO WHERE IT, IT MAKES SENSE IN TERMS OF, UH, BEING ABLE TO IDENTIFY JOB VALUES.
AND SO, OUT OF 2,273, UH, POSITIONS OR PEOPLE IN THE STUDY, AND ULTIMATELY WE HAD 478 JOB TITLES, 'CAUSE WE INCLUDED SOME JOBS THAT, UH, WERE, WERE NOT CLASSIFIED, UH, PREVIOUSLY, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS WE ALSO DID WAS LOOK TO SEE WHAT WAS A FAIR, UH, COST OF LIVING, UH, ALLOWANCE FOR THE UPCOMING, UH, UH, FISCAL YEAR.
AND SO WE PROPOSED A 4% COLA, UH, FOR THE, UH, EMPLOYEES HERE IN THE ORGANIZATION, WHICH COMES TO ABOUT $2.3 MILLION.
THAT STILL LEFT 653 EMPLOYEES BELOW THE NEW MINIMUMS THAT WE CAME UP WITH AS A PART OF THE NEW STRUCTURE, BECAUSE WE WERE MIGRATING EMPLOYEES FROM THE OLD COMP PLAN OVER TO THE NEW.
AND SO EVEN AFTER GETTING THE 4%, SOME STILL NEEDED AN ADJUSTMENT TO GET THEM UP TO AT LEAST, UH, THE LOWER END OF, OF THE MARKET SPECTRUM.
SO THAT WAS 653 PEOPLE, AND THAT COST WAS 2.8 MILLION.
AND THEN THE COUNTY HAD A, A, A BIT OF AN ISSUE WITH SALARY COMPRESSION, WHERE YOU MAY HAVE, UH, MULTIPLE EMPLOYEES WITH VARYING YEARS OF TENURE IN THEIR CURRENT POSITION.
SOME MAY HAVE BEEN IN THAT POSITION FIVE YEARS, 15 YEARS AS LITTLE AS THREE YEARS, BUT THEY KIND OF CLUSTERED AROUND THE LOWER END OF THE SALARY STRUCTURE.
AND SO IN ORDER TO ADJUST THAT AND TO MINIMIZE COMPRESSION GOING FORWARD, WE IDENTIFIED THOSE EMPLOYEES WHO, BASED ON HOW LONG THEY'VE BEEN IN THEIR CURRENT POSITION, SALARY HAD NOT ROSE TO THE LEVEL IT SHOULD BE.
AND THAT WAS, THAT WAS THAT WERE THE, THAT WAS 3 393 PEOPLE, AND IT WAS 1.6 MILLION TO ADDRESS THAT.
SO THE TOTAL ANNUALIZED COST TO IMPLEMENT THE STUDY IS SIX POINT MILLION, UH, 6.7 MILLION, UH, WHICH INCREASES PAYROLL BY 11.52%.
THAT DOES INCLUDE FRINGE BENEFITS, COSTS, THAT'S DIRECT COMPENSATION, UH, TO EMPLOYEES.
AND SO WHEN WE BUILT THIS STRUCTURE, WE TALKED WITH CATHERINE EXTENSIVELY AND SHE SAID THE CONSENSUS WAS THAT THE COUNTY WANTED TO BE AN EMPLOYER CHOICE.
THEY WANTED PEOPLE TO COME WORK HERE BECAUSE THEY, THEY FEEL IT'S A, IT'S A, IT'S A REALLY GOOD ORGANIZATION AND THEY PAY FAIR COMPETITIVE WAGES AND OFFER STELLAR BENEFITS IN MY LINE OF WORK.
FOR AN ORGANIZATION TO BE CLASSIFIED, UH, AS AN EMPLOYER CHOICE, THEIR COMPENSATION NEEDS TO BE, OVERALL NEEDS TO BE AT THE 70TH PERCENTILE AS AN ORGANIZATION.
WE BUILT A STRUCTURE, BRING YOU TO THAT 70TH PERCENTILE.
AND THEN YOU NEED TO HAVE MARKET RATE BENEFITS IN TERMS OF, UH, THE TRADITIONAL, UH, HEALTH AND DENTAL AND VACATION AND, UH, AND THOSE OTHER, UH, WELLBEING, UH, UH, THINGS THAT WE'RE SEEING, UH, COME TO LIGHT THESE DAYS TO TRY TO MINIMIZE EMPLOYEE STRESS AND MAKE THE WORKPLACE
[00:25:01]
A LITTLE LESS, UH, STRESSFUL FOR THE, UH, FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE EMPLOYEE.SO WITH ALL THAT SAID, WE ARE QUITE COMFORTABLE SAYING THAT WE BELIEVE BEAUFORT COUNTY, ONCE THIS IS ADOPTED, WILL BE, UH, UH, CONSIDERED AN EMPLOYEE OF CHOICE.
THE COMPENSATION LEVELS ARE VERY COMPETITIVE AT THE 70TH PERCENTILE OF THE MARKET.
THE BENEFITS PACKAGE IS, IS, IS EXCELLENT.
AND SO THERE IS NO REASON WHY ANYONE WOULD NOT WANT TO COME WORK FOR, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY.
JUST A COUPLE OF, UH, POINTS OF EMPHASIS TWO DEPARTMENTS WE FOUND, SUFFERED OR LAGGED BEHIND THE MARKET THE MOST.
AND IT'S NOT SURPRISING DETENTION CENTER, THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT EVERY COUNTY IS EXPERIENCING NOW IN THIS STATE, BUT THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHEAST, DETENTION IS A HARD PLACE TO WORK.
THE WORK ENVIRONMENT ITSELF, UH, DOES NOT, UH, LEND ITSELF TO THE WEAK-MINDED.
UH, AND, AND CERTAINLY DEALING WITH SOME OF THE INDIVIDUALS THERE CAN BE CHALLENGING.
SO IT'S HARD TO KEEP PEOPLE, UH, THERE.
AND WE FOUND THAT AS A DEPARTMENT, THE PAYROLL FOR DETENTION CENTER WAS ABOUT 9.3% BELOW WHERE IT NEEDED TO BE.
SO WE BROUGHT THAT UP TO WHERE IT NEEDED TO BE.
AND THEN EMS IS ANOTHER AREA WHERE, UM, AGAIN, IT'S IT'S MARKET CONDITIONS.
THEY'RE JUST NOT GRADUATING ENOUGH PEOPLE WITH THE EMT AND PARAMEDIC CERTIFICATION TO FIELD THE DEMAND, NOT ONLY AT THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEVEL, BUT ALSO WITH THE PRIVATE CARRIERS.
SO THERE WAS ABOUT 8.9% ADJUSTMENT TO THE OVERALL PAYROLL, UH, EMS, BUT EMS AND DETENTION, UH, THE DETENTION CENTER, THAT WAS WHERE WE FOUND THE, UH, GREATEST AREA OF CONCERN, UH, AND THE MOST PRESSING NEED WITH RESPECT TO, UH, DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE COUNTY.
AND AS I SAID, UH, FROM A MARKET PERSPECTIVE, WE'VE GOTTEN YOU SOLIDLY IN THAT 70 PERCENTILE WITH, WITH RESPECT TO COMPENSATION.
AND SO THERE'S STILL SOME THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO.
UH, WE ARE REWRITING ALL THE POSITION DESCRIPTIONS FOR THE COUNTY JOBS.
WE EXPECT TO HAVE THAT WITHIN THE NEXT 10 DAYS.
UH, CATHERINE WILL BE COMING BACK, UH, UH, AT SOME POINT TO DISCUSS SOME OF THE POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS WE'VE, UH, RECOMMENDED, WHICH ARE, ARE A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN SOME, HOW YOU'VE HANDLED SOME THINGS IN THE PAST.
UH, AND SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH, UH, CATHERINE, HER STAFF, UH, UH, OVER THE NEXT, UH, COUPLE OF MONTHS TO, UH, WRAP THINGS UP.
UH, JUST WANNA SAY, UH, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S GETTING TOUGHER THESE DAYS TO, UH, FIND AN HR DEPARTMENT THAT IS, UH, PROFESSIONALLY MANAGED AND RUN AND HAS SUCH A DEDICATED PEOPLE.
AND, UH, THIS HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST ENJOYABLE PROJECTS WE'VE HAD, UH, THIS YEAR.
SO I'D LIKE TO THANK CATHERINE FOR THAT.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, I'LL BE HAPPY TO FEEL THOSE AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
UM, THE VACANCY RATE IN THE DETENTION CENTER AND EMS, WHICH, WHICH ONE IS HIGHER? ARE THEY ABOUT THE SAME? I WOULD SAY DETENTION CENTER IS, IS A HIGHER VACANCY RATE.
AND I AND ARE THEY, ARE THEY, ARE THEY STARTING, AND MAYBE YOU DIDN'T LOOK AT THIS, SO MAYBE THAT'S FINE.
UM, STARTING OUT THERE AND THEN MOVING ON TO OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT POSITIONS, IS THAT, IS IT KIND OF BECOME A TRAINING GROUND FOR, UH, WITH EMS, PERHAPS MORE SO THAN THE DETENTION CENTER.
UH, DETENTION CENTER, TYPICALLY WHEN PEOPLE LEAVE A DETENTION CENTER, USUALLY THEY GO INTO ANOTHER CAREER FIELD.
THEY FIND OUT THE WORK ENVIRONMENT IS JUST NOT SOMETHING THAT'S CONDUCIVE, UH, TO THEIR PERSONALITY OR, OR, OR, OR MENTAL MAKEUP.
UM, I, I ENJOYED READING ABOUT THE WAGE COMPRESSION.
BACK WHEN I WAS STILL REALLY WORKING, WE DIDN'T USE THAT TERM AND CAREER PATH VERSUS CAREER LADDER.
I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR EMPLOYEES TO KNOW.
'CAUSE WE INTERCHANGE THEM BACK IN THE DAY.
WELL, I WAS IN EDUCATION, BUT CAREER PATH, CAREER LADDER IS VERY INTERESTING DISTINCTION.
AND THE OTHER THING I APPRECIATE IN THIS STUDY WAS YOU GAVE EXAMPLES OF INCENTIVES VERSUS BENEFITS.
YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT COULD CREATE LOYALTY TO THE ORGANIZATION THAT NOT, DON'T NECESSARILY COST MONEY.
AND I KNOW WE DO MANY OF THOSE NOW.
SO I DID APPRECIATE SEEING THAT AND ALSO THE PROPOSED LONGEVITY PAY POLICY.
'CAUSE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT.
SO I APPRECIATED IT WAS IN HERE.
HOW MANY EMPLOYEES DO WE CURRENTLY HAVE? JUST A ROUGH NUMBER.
IS IT 1200 STILL? IS THAT KIND OF COUNTING ALL EMPLOYEES OR JUST IN OUR COMP AND CLASS? WELL, IN THE COMP AND CLASS, PROBABLY AROUND 1100.
SO WE SAW ON, ON THE, UM, NOTES HERE WHERE 673 OR 93 ACTUALLY DID GET A, A PAY RAISE, WHICH IS ABOUT A $4,000 AVERAGE PAY RAISE.
SO THAT'S PROBABLY 60% OF OF THE EMPLOYEES ARE GONNA SEE A CONSIDERABLE BUMP IN THEIR, IN THEIR, IN THEIR SALARIES BECAUSE OF THE THIS COMP CLASS STUDY.
UM, SO EVERYONE'S GONNA GET THE 4% FLAT ADJUSTMENT UNLESS THEY WERE ALREADY ABOVE THE NEW MAX.
AND WE DID IDENTIFY SIX, I BELIEVE IT WAS SIX EMPLOYEES THAT ARE CURRENTLY
[00:30:01]
ABOVE THE NEW MAX.SO WHAT WE HAVE TRADITIONALLY DONE IN PREVIOUS YEARS IS ALSO A STANDING RECOMMENDATION TO CONTINUE THAT PRACTICE IS TO PROVIDE A ONE-TIME, LUMP SUM PAYMENT TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHEN WE ARE DOING THESE FLAT INCREASES ACROSS THE BOARD OR MERIT WORK FOR, OR PAY FOR PERFORMANCE INCREASES.
SO WE ARE GIVING THEM SOMETHING, BUT WE'RE NOT BUILDING IT INTO A RECURRING EXPENSE TO THE BUDGET UNTIL THEY CATCH UP WITH THE RANK.
AND THEN THEY WILL GO BACK INTO THE REGULAR FORMATION OF SHIFTING UP IN THEIR PAY SCALE.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE ONE THING.
UH, THE REASON THOSE, UH, NINE PEOPLE IN, UH, DETENTION WERE AT THE MAX BECAUSE WE RESTRUCTURED, UH, THE PAY PLAN, UH, FOR THE DETENTION OFFICERS.
AND THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM UNIQUE TO BEAUFORT COUNTY.
WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU HAVE A, UH, SEVERAL LONG-TERM EMPLOYEES WHO MAY BE ARE CARPOOLS OR SERGEANTS AND THEY'RE NON-EXEMPT, THEY'RE ELIGIBLE FOR OVERTIME.
AND SO SOME OF THOSE FOLKS ARE NOT INCENTIVIZED TO SEEK PROMOTION AND TAKE ON GREATER ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA LOSE THAT OVERTIME.
SO THEY'LL JUST RIDE OUT THEIR TIME TO RETIREMENT IN A LOWER LEVEL POSITION WHERE WE RESTRUCTURED IT SO THAT, OKAY, IF YOU WANNA STAY IN A LOWER LEVEL POSITION, YOU DON'T WANT TO ASSUME, YOU KNOW, COMMAND RESPONSIBILITY OR LEADERSHIP POSITION, THAT'S FINE.
BUT THAT BAND ONLY HAS SO MUCH LENGTH IN IT, SO MUCH WIDTH IN IT.
AND IF YOU WANT TO GROW YOUR COMPENSATION, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO SEEK PROMOTION IN ORDER TO DO THAT, TO TRY TO GET MORE PEOPLE TO WANT TO PARTICIPATE, UH, IN THE PROMOTION PROCESS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YEAH, YOU AHEAD.
UM, UH, DR. CAMPBELL, I YES, SIR.
UM, AND IT ADDRESSES A LOT OF CONCERNS THAT I HAD, PARTICULARLY WHEN DEALING WITH COMPASSION COMPRESSION OF EMPLOYEES.
UM, AND, UH, AND, AND FOR YEARS A LOT OF EMPLOYEES JUST COULD NOT UNDERSTAND HOW A NEW PERSON COMING IN MAKING THE SAME SALARY OR PRETTY CLOSE.
SO YOU ADDRESSING THAT, UH, AND YOU'VE PROVIDED US SOME POLICIES, UM, FOR THAT.
SO I I, I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, I, I I WANNA GO BACK TO WHAT YOU HAVE UP THERE.
THE, UH, 70TH PER UH, PERCENTILE OF THE MARKET.
WHERE IS THE MARKET? WELL, AND, AND, AND WHAT I LOOK AT IS THE MARKET AROUND BEAUFORT COUNTY, BUT I KNOW YOU'RE NOT LOOKING AT THE MARKET AROUND BEAUFORT COUNTY.
SO HOW BROAD A MARKETPLACE OUT THERE? ARE WE TRYING TO, BECAUSE AT SOME POINT IN TIME MM-HMM.
BECAUSE, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING NOW IS THAT WE HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE GOOD EMPLOYEES THAT ARE JUST JOB HOPPING.
THEY, THEY GO TO THE CITY, THEY GO TO THE MISS THE TOWNSHIP, THEY COME BACK TO US, THEY GO TO PRIVATE PRACTICE AT SOME POINT IN TIME.
UH, WE CAN'T CONTINUE TO TRY TO KEEP UP WITH THAT 70% MARKET YOU HAVE HERE.
WELL, WE DEFINE, UH, THE MARKET AS IT'S PRIMARILY SOUTH CAROLINA.
WE START REGIONALLY AND THEN WE EXPAND OUT.
AND SO WE EXPANDED UP INTO GREENVILLE, RICHLAND COUNTY OVER INTO RA COUNTY, CHARLESTON, AND THEN WE LOOKED OVER IN, IN SAVANNAH MM-HMM.
AND SO THE DATA WAS COMPRISED FROM THOSE ORGANIZATIONS PRIMARILY IN SOUTH CAROLINA WITH THE ONE, UH, DATA SET COMING FROM FOR SAVANNAH.
AND SO AS WE ANALYZE AND, AND, AND CALCULATE THOSE, THOSE, THOSE, THOSE DATA SETS IN TERMS OF WHAT THE PREVAILING WAGE IS ON AN ANNUALIZED BASIS, UH, FOR THOSE POSITIONS, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT AT THE 70 PERCENTILE, ONLY A THIRD MAY BE PAYING MORE IN SOME AREAS THAN NEW YORK, BUT YOU'RE HIGHER THAN 69% OR, OR, OR OR 70% OF THE PEOPLE IN THE MARKET.
AND SO AT THAT LEVEL, YOUR RANGES ARE BROAD ENOUGH TO WHERE BASED ON EXPERIENCE AND CREDENTIALS, YOU CAN COMPETE, UH, WITH PRETTY MUCH ANYONE ON THAT LIST, UH, TO FILL A POSITION, UM, FROM TOP TO BOTTOM WHERE IT'S A LEADERSHIP OR A NON-LEADERSHIP POSITION.
UM, AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO THAT BECAUSE THERE'S A PRICE TO BE PAID.
WHEN YOUR WAGES FALL BELOW THE 55TH PERCENTILE, WHEN YOU'RE AROUND THE 50TH PERCENTILE, YOUR APPLICANT POOLS ARE NOT GONNA BE VERY ROBUST.
A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL LOOK AT THE JOB POSTINGS AND THEY'LL SEE THE PAY RANGE, AND THEY'LL FIGURE YOU'RE SO FAR BEHIND.
EVEN IF YOU'RE WILLING TO NEGOTIATE, YOU'RE NOT GONNA NEGOTIATE TO THAT DECREE.
SO YOU GET A LOT OF QUALIFIED PEOPLE THAT WON'T EVEN LOOK, UH, OR TAKE THE NEXT STEP IN THE PROCESS TO ACTUALLY SUBMIT A RESUME OR FILL OUT AN APPLICATION.
[00:35:01]
BUT AT THE 70 PERCENTILE, YOU'RE GONNA GET ROBUST APPLICANT, UH, UH, UH, POOLS FOR JOBS ALL ACROSS THE BOARD FROM LABOR POSITION TO LEADERSHIP POSITIONS, UH, WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION.AND THAT GIVES YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO PICK AND CHOOSE WHO YOU WANT TO WORK, UH, FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY BECAUSE THE ORGANIZATION IS A PRODUCT OF THE PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR IT.
AND YOU'RE IN A SERVICE DRIVEN BUSINESS.
AND SO A SERVICE DRIVEN BUSINESS CAN'T SUCCEED SUCCESSFULLY OVER THE LONG HAUL WITHOUT CONFIDENT QUALIFIED PEOPLE.
AND SO, BASED ON OUR RESEARCH, THAT 70 PERCENTILE IS KEY INTO MAKING SURE YOU CAN GET THE QUALITY IN TERMS OF COMPETENCY, UH, UH, FROM PEOPLE.
SO WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU LOOK AT, UM, THE QUESTION THAT WAS ASKED EARLIER ABOUT CAREER LADDER MM-HMM.
FOR EXAMPLE, UH, AT CLERICAL LEVEL, WE CAN HAVE OFFICE ASSISTANT AND SECRETARY, THEN ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT.
THAT'S, THAT, THAT'S A CAREER LADDER.
UH, OR IN, UM, EMS AND DETENTION, THE RANK STRUCTURE IS A CAREER LADDER.
THERE ARE SOME OTHER DEPARTMENTS WHERE BASED ON GROWTH MAY BE CONSIDERED POTENTIAL FOR CAREER LADDERS.
WE JUST, YOU KNOW, UH, STAY ON TOP OF IT WITH CATHERINE TO SEE IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT TO DO RIGHT NOW.
I THINK YOU'VE GOT THAT RIGHT BALANCE BETWEEN THOSE POSITIONS WHERE YOU WANT TO HAVE PEOPLE TAKE ON, UH, ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITY AND ENHANCE THEIR KNOWLEDGE.
AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE UP WITHIN THAT FIELD.
AND SO WE THINK THE BALANCE IS THERE NOW, BUT DOWN THE ROAD, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T KNOW HOW THE, UH, LABOR MARKET'S GONNA LOOK FOUR OR FIVE YEARS.
THE AREA I WAS GETTING AFTER IS EDUCATION.
AND, UM, YOU, YOU HAVE, UM, WE HAVE BOTH THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE HERE.
AND IF WE DID A CAREER LADDER LADDER PLAN FOR EMPLOYEES AS AN INCENTIVE, UM, ALLOWING THEM TO FURTHER THE EDUCATION KNOWING THAT THEY WILL COME BACK, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S, UH, AS MS. TURPEN SAID, UH, IT WAS ALLUDING TO, UH, THAT WOULD BE MORE OF, OF, OF, OF A CAREER MAPPING PROCESS WHERE OKAY, THAT'S MAPPING SOMEONE COME IN.
AT THE LOWEST LEVEL IN THIS ORGANIZATION, I COULD COME IN AS A GROUNDSKEEPER, BUT I SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT LEVELS OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE I NEED IF I WANTED TO BE DIRECTOR RECREATION, THAT THAT WOULD BE A MAP TO SHOW ME HOW I GET THERE BASED ON WHAT DEGREE I NEED, WHAT SKILL SETS I NEED.
THAT'S A LITTLE MORE INVOLVED.
UH, BUT, UH, UH, IT, IT'S SOMETHING THAT IF YOU WANTED TO TAKE A LOOK AT, WE CERTAINLY COULD HELP YOU DO THAT.
IT WOULD BE AN APPEALING TOOL TO RECRUIT YOUNGER PEOPLE FROM, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE HIGH SCHOOLS AND, AND COMMUNITY COLLEGES TO BE ABLE TO SHOW THEM THEY COULD COME IN HERE AND THEN YOU CAN NAVIGATE YOUR WAY THROUGH TO THE UPPER LAYERS OF, OF THE ORGANIZATION.
I HAD ANOTHER QUESTION, BUT, UM, UM, IF, IF, IF SOMEBODY ELSE GOT A QUESTION, I'LL COME BACK ONCE I FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS THAT I WANTED TO ASK YOU.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I NO, I DON'T HAVE ANY.
YOU, DO YOU HAVE EVERYTHING ELSE OR, UM, UH, GO, GO.
UM, THE, THE, THE, THERE'S A, UM, THERE'S A SECTION ON, UM, DEMOTION.
UM, AND I WANT YOU TO, I WANT YOU TO, TO GIMME AN EXAMPLE OF, UM, LOWERING A PAY GRADE.
WHAT WOULD BE AN EXAMPLE OF THAT? THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF DEMOTIONS.
THERE'S A, A VOLUNTARY PROMOTION, WHEREAS LET'S SAY I'M AN EMPLOYEE, I, I COME IN TELL MY BOSS THAT I, I WAS HIRED AS A COMPUTER PROGRAMMER, BUT THE JOB IS JUST TOO MUCH FOR ME.
I, I WANT, I WANNA STAY WITH THE COUNTY, BUT I WANNA STEP DOWN TO A LESSER ROLE.
THAT WOULD BE A VOLUNTARY, YEAH.
INVOLUNTARY WOULD BE WHEN THE SUPERVISOR COMES TO ME AND SAYS, RUSSELL, YOU'RE, YOU'RE A GREAT GUY.
YOU'RE TRYING REALLY HARD, BUT THIS DOESN'T SEEM TO BE YOUR NICHE.
UH, YOU KNOW, FROM A PERFORMANCE STANDPOINT, QUALITY OF WORK STANDPOINT, IT'S JUST NOT WORKING OUT.
UM, AND SO WE ARE GONNA WORK WITH YOU TO SEE WHAT ELSE MAY BE AVAILABLE IN THE ORGANIZATION THAT YOU'RE QUALIFIED FOR.
UH, AND, AND THAT WOULD BE THE EXAMPLE OF THE, UH, INVOLUNTARY.
NOW ONE OF THE THINGS THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS STRUGGLE WITH, AND, AND I KNOW WHY, UM, WHEN YOU HAVE AN EMPLOYER WHO'S NOT PERFORMING AND IT'S AN INVOLUNTARY DEMOTION, UH, MANY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WILL PUT THEM IN A LOWER LEVEL JOB, A LOWER CLASSIFICATION JOB, BUT THEY'LL LET THEIR PAY THE SAME.
TECHNICALLY, THAT'S NOT A GOOD PRACTICE BECAUSE THAT'S A DISINCENTIVE TO THE OTHER FOLKS, UH, WHO ARE TRYING TO
[00:40:01]
GET UP THE LADDER TO WHERE THAT PERSON WAS.UH, AND NOW YOU'RE GONNA GIVE THEM, UH, A JOB WITH LESSER RESPONSIBILITY, BUT THEY STILL KEEP THE LEVEL OF PAY THAT THEY HAD THAT WAS PRIMARILY INDICATIVE OF THE JOB THAT THEY COULD NOT SUCCESSFULLY DO.
THERE ARE SOME ORGANIZATIONS THAT TAKE A VERY HARD, UH, LOOK AT THAT AND SAY, YOU KNOW, UH, WE'RE GONNA PUT YOU IN A JOB THAT YOU CAN DO YOU QUALIFIED FOR AND THE PAY IS GONNA REFLECT THAT.
AND SO THOSE ARE ORGANIZATIONAL ISSUES THAT YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH.
IT'S ONE THING IF YOU'VE GOT SOMEONE WHO, UM, WHO DOESN'T HAVE POSITIVE ATTITUDE, IS NOT TRYING TO BE A A MODEL EMPLOYEE, YOU WANNA TRY TO HELP THOSE FOLKS.
UH, BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY, IT'S ALWAYS IN YOUR BEST INTEREST.
IF YOU CAN RECYCLE SOMEONE, THEN LETTING THEM GO.
'CAUSE YOU'VE ALREADY INVESTED SO MUCH IN THEM.
BUT IF YOU'VE GOT SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T HAVE THE, THE, UH, UH, THE ATTITUDE AND, UH, AND, AND THE DESIRE TO GET BETTER, UH, THEN CERTAINLY IT MAKES IT EASY TO REDUCE THEIR CREDIT.
UH, THE REASON I ASK YOU, BECAUSE WHAT THE RED FLAG WENT UP? 'CAUSE UM, WHEN YOU PROMOTE 'EM UP, UH, VOLUNTARILY OR WHATEVER AND STUFF, YOU DON'T GET NO PHONE CALLS, BUT YOU DO THE DEMOTION.
SO THAT'S, I WANT TO KNOW HOW TO RESPOND BASICALLY.
UM, SO, UH, AT THIS POINT I KNOW MS. MEAD WOULD LIKE US TO, UH, GO AHEAD AND APPROVE THE PAY GRADES THAT WE'VE GOT HERE.
SO IS THERE A MOTION TO MOVE FORWARD TO COUNTY COUNSEL A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE 2024 BEAUFORT COUNTY COMPENSATION AND CLASSIFICATION STUDY? FINAL REPORT.
ALRIGHT, MR. TAB, THANK YOU FOR THE SECOND.
IS THERE ANY MORE DISCUSSION? SEEING NO DISCUSSION, THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION AND THERE IS NO OBJECTION.
SO THIS WILL BE MOVED TO, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY.
COUNTY BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNTY FOR A RESOLUTION.
UH CAMPBELL, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
[9. RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO COUNCIL OF A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING THE BEAUFORT COUNTY INTERNSHIP PROGRAM AND ADOPTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR THE PROGRAM]
AND SO LET'S MOVE ON THEN.AND I THINK MS. MEAD, YOU'RE UP AGAIN.
RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO COUNCIL OF RESOLUTION, ESTABLISHING THE BUFORT COUNTY INTERNSHIP PROGRAM AND ADOPTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR THE PROGRAM.
UH, MS. MEAD, AGAIN, OUR HUMAN RESOURCE DIRECTOR, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
SO YES, WE'VE BEEN VERY BUSY IN HR, UM, BUT LOVING EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING.
UH, I BROUGHT MS. MARY MADISON WITH ME TODAY AND JUST, SHE IS BEEN VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN KICKING THIS PROGRAM OFF FOR US TO GET IT READY TO BRING BEFORE YOU TODAY.
WE HAVE BEEN TOSSING THIS IDEA AROUND FOR PROBABLY OVER A YEAR, UM, WITH LEGAL RISK MANAGEMENT, HR, UM, HAD SOME ENCOURAGEMENT FROM SARAH TOO WITH, UH, COORDINATING MEETING WITH US WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SO THERE IS INTEREST ALL AROUND.
IT WAS JUST FINDING THE TIME TO PULL IT TOGETHER AND BRING IT FORTH.
SO, UM, MARY HAS, HAS DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB ON THAT, WHICH IS WHY SHE'S HERE BECAUSE IF THERE'S QUESTIONS THAT I DON'T KNOW, SHE IS GOING TO BE OUR EXPERT TO ASSIST ME.
UM, BUT YOU HAVE SEEN THE COPY OF THE MANUAL THAT WE ARE PUTTING BEFORE YOU TODAY FOR APPROVAL.
UM, AND THE FIRST COUPLE OF PAGES OF THAT MANUAL, IT DOES DESCRIBE, UM, AN INTRODUCTION.
UM, AND THEN THE BENEFITS OF A PAID INTERNSHIP PROGRAM THAT I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT TO, TO KNOW AND TO RECOGNIZE.
UM, CURRENTLY THE COUNTY DOES HOST I INTERNS IN THE IT DEPARTMENT.
THE IT DEPARTMENT HAS AN MOU WITH USC BUFORT.
THEY HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT POSITIVE FEEDBACK ON THAT EXPERIENCE.
SO WE ALL HAVE DETERMINED WHY NOT SPREAD THE LOVE AND MAKE THIS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL COUNTY DEPARTMENTS THAT WISH TO PARTICIPATE.
UM, IN KICKING THIS OFF, MARY HAD SENT OUT A SURVEY TO OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS TO GAUGE INTEREST AND ALSO MAYBE TELL US SOME NEGATIVES THAT THEY THINK COULD COME OUT OF THIS SO WE CAN PREPARE FOR THOSE.
AND SO MARY TOOK ALL THE, THE COMMENTS THAT WERE RECEIVED IN THAT SURVEY.
UM, WE WENT AHEAD AND BRAINSTORMED TOGETHER IN CONJUNCTION, LIKE I SAID, WITH THE RISK AND, AND WITH LEGAL TO TRY TO HIT ANY CONCERNS BEFORE THEY BECAME AN ISSUE.
AND SO THAT'S HOW WE, UM, STREAMLINED OUR NAVIGATION PROCESS WITH BUILDING THIS POLICY.
UM, WE IN HR DEPARTMENT, ONE CONCERN WE SAW IS JUST HAVING THAT AVAILABILITY IN THE DEPARTMENTS TO HAVE A, A PROGRAM MANAGER TO OVERSEE THIS 'CAUSE WE ALL ARE SWAMPED AND NOT MAYBE KNOWING HOW TO GET IT OFF THE GROUND RUNNING WITHIN THEIR DEPARTMENT.
UM, WHAT ITEMS COULD BE UTILIZED, UH, FOR AN INTERN TO PARTAKE WITH? SO MARY WILL STILL STAY ON AS THE INTERNSHIP MANAGER AND WORK WITH DEPARTMENTS.
IT'S AN APPLICATION PROCESS, UH, FOR DEPARTMENTS TO SUBMIT THEIR REQUEST TO OUR OFFICE TO SAY, HEY, I'VE GOT SOME INTEREST HERE, BUT I'M STRUGGLING A LITTLE BIT WITH KNOWING WHAT WOULD BE A GOOD SCOPE OF WORK FOR AN INTERN.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE CAN HELP THEM DETERMINE THAT.
UM, AND I MENTIONED THAT TOO, THAT IT'S ALSO OPTIONAL.
SO IT'S NOT THAT WE ARE PUSHING THIS ON ALL DEPARTMENTS SAY YOU MUST PARTICIPATE.
UM, I ALSO WANTED TO MAKE A POINT THAT FOR COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU YOURSELF,
[00:45:01]
UH, THIS IS NOT SUITED FOR YOU TO HAVE A PERSONAL INTERNSHIP, BUT THAT IS NOT TO SAY THAT MS. SARAH AND I THINK SARAH HAS A GREAT INTEREST IN LOOKING AT BRINGING AN INTERN TO THE CLERK COUNSEL'S OFFICE.UM, BUT I WAS ASKED TO TO BRING THAT UP TODAY SO WE CAN, UH, MOVE PAST THAT.
SO THE PROGRAM IS NOT INTENDED FOR JUST DAY TO DAY MINIMAL TASK.
WE'RE NOT LOOKING FOR DEPARTMENTS TO BRING ON AN INTERN DURING THE SUMMER TO SAY, OH GOODNESS, I AM TWO MONTHS BEHIND ON MY FILING.
I NEED SOMEONE TO HELP ME WITH THAT.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE WILL VET THIS PROGRAM WITH THE DEPARTMENTS TO ENSURE IT IS A QUALITY PROGRAM THAT DOES GIVE THAT EXPOSURE TO OUR STUDENTS, UM, FOR A REAL GLIMPSE AT AT WHAT THIS FIELD WOULD LOOK LIKE AS THEY ARE STARTING TO PLAN THEIR, THEIR CURRICULUM WITH THEIR, UM, WITH COLLEGE AND EVEN IN HIGH SCHOOL.
'CAUSE THIS WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND COLLEGE STUDENTS AS WELL.
FUNDING IS ALWAYS A BIG QUESTION.
WE WORK WITH, UM, DENISE AND HAVE CONTINUED TO WORK WITH VALERIE SINCE DENISE'S DEPARTURE.
THERE HAS BEEN A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ALLOCATED IN PAYROLL CONTINGENCY TO FUND THIS PROGRAM IN YEAR ONE.
WE THINK THAT'S A VERY FAIR AMOUNT, UM, FOR WHAT WE ARE GONNA BE CONSIDERING A PILOT PROGRAM.
WE UNDERSTAND WE MAY COME BACK WITH, WITH TWEAKS TO THIS POLICY FOR FY 26, BUT WE THINK WE HAVE A PRETTY SOLID FOOTING FOR FY 25, UM, FOR A PILOT PROGRAM.
SO THE PROGRAM LIMITATIONS IS A, WHAT I CALL THE, THE THREE FIFTEENS.
IT WILL BE A CAP OF $15 PER HOUR, SO IT WILL BE A PAID INTERNSHIP, A CAP OF WORKING 15 HOURS PER WEEK AND A 15 WEEK PROGRAM.
AND WE ARE PUTTING THAT LIMITATION OUT THERE SO ALL STUDENTS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY.
UM, WE DON'T WANT ONE INTERN TO GET IN AND, AND WE LOVE THEM SO MUCH, WHICH WE'RE HOPING WE WILL AND, AND WANNA KEEP THEM FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR AND TAKE AWAY THOSE SPACES.
FOR OTHER STUDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE WANTING TO PARTAKE IN THE PROGRAM, THEY WILL GO THROUGH A TRUE APPLICATION PROCESS.
THEY WILL GO THROUGH AN INTERVIEW PROCESS.
THEY WILL, WE ARE GOING TO GIVE THEM AS MUCH AS MUCH EXPOSURE TO A REAL LIFE, UH, CAREER WITH BEAUFORT COUNTY AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
UH, ONE OTHER THING THAT WOULD CAME UP THROUGH THE PLANNING DISCUSSIONS WAS CONFIDENTIALITY.
BECAUSE WE AREN'T GONNA HAVE SOMEONE JUST STUCK IN A FILE ROOM FILING THINGS AWAY.
THEY MAY BE EXPOSED TO INFORMATION, UM, THAT THEY WILL BE HELD TO A CONFIDENTIALLY CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT.
AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH LEGAL TO CRAFT THAT AGREEMENT FOR US.
UH, THESE STUDENTS WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR ANY PAID BENEFITS.
UM, THEY WILL ALSO HAVE A SPONSORED INTERN SUPERVISOR IN THEIR, IN THEIR DEPARTMENT THAT WILL, ONCE WE WORK WITH THEM ON DEVELOPING A SCOPE OF WORK AND ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, WILL OVERSEE THAT AND MANAGE THAT INTERN STUDENT DURING THEIR 15 WEEK TENURE.
UM, WE ALSO WILL BE REQUIRING THOSE INTERN SUPERVISORS TO GIVE THEM PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS.
AGAIN, WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE THIS AS REAL LIFE AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
SO THEY'LL HAVE A, A PERFORMANCE EVALUATION MIDWAY THROUGH THEIR PROGRAM AND THEN AGAIN AT THE END OF THEIR PROGRAM.
UM, WE ALREADY KNOW THAT THERE'S INTEREST FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND ONCE WE ARE ABLE TO FINALIZE THIS PROGRAM AND ROLL IT OUT, WE PLAN TO NETWORK WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND, UM, ADVERTISE IT THROUGH THEM, MAKE SURE IT MEETS THEIR REQUIREMENTS AND CRITERIA AND START ONBOARDING THESE INTERNS.
UM, BENEFITS OF THIS, IT'S A BENEFIT FOR ALL AROUND, IT'S A BENEFIT FOR THE STUDENT TO, TO HAVE THAT EXPOSURE.
I KNOW 22 YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE AFTER YEAR ONE, I CHANGED MY CAREER PATH OR, OR MY, MY STUDY PATH AND HAD NO IDEA WHAT I WAS DOING.
SO THIS KIND OF GIVES THEM THAT EXPERIENCE AHEAD OF TIME TO KEEP THEM ON TRACK WITH THEIR CURRICULUM.
AND IT'S ALSO A BENEFIT TO THE COUNTY.
UM, THE HOPE IS THAT WHEN YOU GRADUATE, YOU, YOU KNOW WHAT WE DO HERE.
YOU'RE EXPERIENCED NOW YOU'VE BEEN INTRODUCED TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
A LOT OF FOLKS WANNA STAY IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY LIVE IN A COUNTY LIKE BEAUFORT COUNTY.
UM, SO IT GIVES US THAT OPPORTUNITY TO RECRUIT THEM BACK AFTER THEY GRADUATE.
UM, ALREADY HAVE THAT DIRECT WORKING EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE AND AND TO HELP KEEP US STAFFED.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE BRINGING FORTH.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO.
I, MR. CHAIRMAN, I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION AS REGARDING, UH, SECTION 3.1 WITH TRANSPORTATION, UH, THE USE OF THEIR OWN VEHICLES AS OPPOSED TO A COUNTY VEHICLE.
UH, WHERE DOES VICARIOUS LIABILITY COME INTO PLAY ON THAT AS FAR AS IF THEY'RE COMPLETING A WORK RELATED TASK? I DON'T KNOW.
THEY WILL NOT BE, THEY WILL NOT BE OPERATING ANY VEHICLE, WHETHER IT BE PERSONAL OR COUNTY FOR WORK RELATED.
UM, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, IF THEY NEEDED TO GET THEMSELVES TO WORK AND HOME FROM WORK, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S FINE.
THIS, THIS DOES SAY IN HERE THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE USING THEIR, THEIR PERSONAL VEHICLE FOR COMPLETING TASKS.
BECAUSE THAT IS NOT THE INTENT.
AND IT SAYS IT HAD FALLEN UNDERNEATH THEIR OWN, OWN PERSONAL INSURANCE.
JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT.
WE WILL MAKE THAT REVISION FOR JUST REAL QUICK.
SO JUST MY MATH IN MY HEAD, YOU KNOW, A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS WOULD COVER ABOUT 30 INTERNS FOR THE YEAR.
IS THAT CURRENT? IS THAT KIND OF WHAT SUMMER? WHAT WE'RE EXPECTING SUMMER.
IT'S A YEAR ROUND PROGRAM SO IT WON'T BE, IT IS BECAUSE A LOT OF THE COLLEGES ACTUALLY WILL CREDIT
[00:50:01]
THEM COLLEGE COURSE HOURS TO HAVE THE ON THE JOB TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE.UM, SO I'M SORRY I DID NOT HAVE THOSE NUMBERS WITH ME.
BUT IF WE'RE LOOKING AT $15 AN HOUR THAT'S RIGHT.
SO ROUGHLY THAT'S BUDGET IS 30 INTERNSHIPS AND THE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
UM, IF THERE'S NO MORE QUESTIONS FOR MS. MEAD, I'D ASK FOR SOMEONE.
I'M SORRY, I JUST WANNA MAKE A COMMENT.
THIS IS REALLY GOOD DOCUMENT AND I APPRECIATE YOU REACHING OUT TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND I APPRECIATE YOU QUALIFYING FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT THIS IS NOT FOR COUNTY COUNCIL.
BECAUSE THERE IS A LITTLE BIT WELL, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A ISSUE THERE.
AND SO I THINK REACHING OUT TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS GREAT AND I KNOW THEY'RE EXCITED ABOUT IT.
AND, AND SARAH HELPED US, UH, WITH THAT COORDINATION AND, AND I HAVE TO TRULY GIVE THE KUDOS TO THIS DOCUMENT TO, TO MARY.
UM, AND I WISH IT WAS THERE YEARS AGO, BUT AT LEAST WE GETTING A START.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE SANDERS IS IN THE BACK THERE, UM, SHE TALKED ABOUT, UM, UM, PEOPLE BASICALLY BEING INTRODUCED TO EVEN THE, THE HER DEPARTMENT, UH, GETTING A FEEL FOR AND SEEING WHETHER THAT'S SOMETHING THEY WANT TO DO.
AND HOPEFULLY, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO START GROOMING OUR OWN PEOPLE FOR CERTAIN POSITIONS.
UM, SO I, I SEE THIS AS VERY GREAT FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
I HOPE WE CAN ALWAYS FIND AT LEAST A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN OUR BUDGET TO CONTINUE IT, UM, THROUGH, FROM HERE ON IN.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I, I, I SMILE WHEN I KIND OF BRIEFLY WENT THROUGH THERE WAS THE, UH, THE PROVISION ON DRESS CODE AND, UM, I'M FROM OLD SCHOOL SO I DRESS DIFFERENTLY.
SO THERE'S SOME YOUNG FOLKS NOWADAYS.
REALLY I THINK THAT POLICY MIGHT BE, AND THAT'S ACTUALLY OUR POLICY IN OUR COUNTY HANDBOOK TOO.
I, MY WIFE AND I JUST HAD THIS CONVERSATION THIS MORNING ON DRESS CODE.
AND, AND I, I, I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING UP MISS, MISS, MISS EBONY.
'CAUSE I HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR MISS EBONY TO JUMP INTO THIS.
AND, UM, AS MUCH AS SHE'S OUT IN THE SCHOOLS AND THE COMMUNITY, I, I WILL BE LEANING ON HER.
SO FOR SOME FEEDBACK AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH THIS, TO, TO MAKE ANY ADJUSTMENTS NEEDED.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS BEFORE MS, MR? NOT QUESTION.
THIS IS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY ONCE WE DO THIS RESOLUTION.
THE, UM, UM, HILT HEAD, BLUFFTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, WE'LL GLADLY PUT THIS AS PART OF THEIR JOBS NOW WEBSITE THAT HAS INTERNSHIPS AVAILABLE.
I MADE A NOTE OF THAT LAST WEEK AND YES, EXCITED TO REACH OUT TO THEM.
ONCE WE GET THAT GREEN LIGHT, WE CAN FORWARD TO IT.
IS THERE ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION TO MOVE THIS TO COUNTY COUNCIL FOR A RESOLUTION? I'LL MOTION.
ALRIGHT, MR. FORTH FOLLOWING YOU.
UH, ANY MORE DISCUSSION? GOOD JOB.
WE WILL THEN, UM, APPROVE THIS WITHOUT OBJECTION AND THIS WILL GO TO COUNTY COUNCIL FOR A RESOLUTION.
AND MR. ME, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AGAIN.
ALRIGHT, UH, LET'S MOVE ON THEN.
[10. RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO COUNCIL OF AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE APPROPRIATION OF FUNDS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025 GENERATED BY THE LOCAL HOSPITALITY TAX (FISCAL IMPACT: Potential appropriation of funds in the amount of $7,075,000 in Local H-Tax funds)]
UH, NUMBER 10 ON OUR AGENDA, RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO COUNSEL OF AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE APPROPRIATION OF FUNDS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024 AND 2025, GENERATED BY LOCAL HOSPITALITY TAX.UM, AND, UM, MR. ROBINSON, OUR INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, AND MS. CHRISTINE WEBB, DIRECTOR OF COMPLIANCE.
AND, UM, GO AHEAD, MR. ROBINSON.
SO, OUR WISH TODAY IS THAT, UH, COMMITTEE REVIEWS OUR PROPOSED BUDGET, ACCEPTS THAT BUDGET AND FORWARDS, UH, APPROVES IT AND FORWARDS IT TO COUNCIL, UM, FOR ADOPTION BY ORDINANCE.
SO I'M GONNA TALK TO YOU FOR A FEW MINUTES ABOUT LOCAL HOSPITALITY.
AND THE NEXT ONE AFTER THAT, IT'S VERY SIMILAR, IS OUR LOCAL, UM, AT TAX.
SO THE, THE BEGINNING, THE BEGINNING OF THIS PROCESS, WE KIND OF STARTED HAVING THIS DISCUSSION, UH, SOMETIME LAST YEAR AND THEN STARTED DURING OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS.
UH, STAFF WAS GIVEN DIRECTION THEN TO UPDATE OUR, OUR H TAX.
AND AT TAX ORDINANCE, WHICH WE DID A FEW MONTHS AGO, THEY BECOME EFFECTIVE AS OF JULY ONE.
AND, UH, IN, IN THAT SAME VEIN, UH, SOME OF THE DISCUSSION WE HAD WAS, WELL, HOW CAN BEAUFORT COUNTY MORE PURPOSEFULLY USE THE A TAX AND H TAX DOLLARS TOWARDS COUNTY PROJECTS? UH, THE OUTCOME OF THAT IS THE BUDGET THAT, UH, THAT I WILL PRESENT TO YOU.
UM, SO FIRST, OF COURSE, IS OUR LOCAL HOSPITALITY TAX.
[00:55:01]
THIS IS REFERRED TO AS 2% OR H TAX.UM, HERE IS THE, UH, FROM OUR ORDINANCE THAT ALLOWS THE IMPOSITION OF THAT TAX.
THIS IS AN UNINCORPORATED BEAUFORT COUNTY ON THE SALES OF PREPARED MEALS, BEVERAGES, UH, SOLD IN ESTABLISHMENTS, UH, UM, LICENSED OR ON PREMISES CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL.
THE LIST IS THERE, RIGHT? THAT IS THE ORDINANCE.
HERE'S THE, THE LIST OF, UM, AUTHORIZED BY ORDINANCE RELATED TOPICS THAT ARE, ARE RELATED.
UM, UM, ACTIVITIES IN WHICH AT TAX CAN BE USED OR H TAX DOLLARS CAN BE USED.
TOURISM RELATED BUILDINGS, UM, TOURISM RELATED CULTURAL RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES, UH, HISTORICAL FACILITIES, LAND ACQUISITION, RIVER BEACH AND BEACH ACNA, ACCESS RENOURISHMENT.
AND THE LIST GOES ON AS WELL AS, UH, TOWARDS THE BOTTOM OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THOSE ITEMS LISTED ABOVE, UH, INCLUDING POLICE AND FIRE PROTECTION, EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES, EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS OPERATIONS, UM, THAT DIRECTLY ATTEND, UH, ATTEND THOSE FACILITIES.
AND THE, THE LAST LINE THERE IS PRETTY IMPORTANT FOR ALL OTHER PURPOSES, INCLUDING THOSE SET FORTH HEREIN AUTHORIZATION TO UTILIZE ANY FUNDS FROM THE COUNTY, FROM THE COUNTY OF BEAUFORT, SOUTH CAROLINA HOSPITALITY TAX ACCOUNT SHALL BE BY ORDINANCE DULY ADOPTED BY COUNTY COUNCIL FOR THE COUNTY OF BEAUFORT.
SO, COMING FORWARD WITH YOU TODAY IS A BUDGET ORDINANCE THAT WILL ALLOW, SORRY, THAT WILL ALLOW ADMINISTRATION TO USE SOME OF THOSE HOSPITALITY TAX OR SOME OF THOSE HOSPITALITY DOLLARS TOWARDS OUR, UM, COUNTY PROJECTS.
SO THE FIRST IS A BUDGET EXPLANATION.
UH, WHAT I HAVE FOR YOU IS OUR CURRENT H TAX, UH, FUND.
THE AVAILABLE BALANCE OF THOSE FUNDS, YOU CAN SEE THERE IS, UH, $5,386,898 IN SOME CHANGE.
UH, WHAT I ALSO LISTED WAS THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING THAT ARE ENCUMBERED.
SO THE TOTAL BALANCE IN THAT ACCOUNT AS OF TODAY IS THAT 5.5 MILLION, 535,000 AND CHANGE, UH, WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR, FOR THE HOSPITALITY BUDGET THIS YEAR.
THE BUDGET REQUEST IS $7,075,000 AFTER, UH, AFTER WE REMOVE, OR IF YOU APPROVE THAT BUDGET, THAT H TAX, UH, FUND BALANCE WOULD BE, UH, 1.1 $0.5 MILLION, UH, AFTER.
THEN, UM, HERE'S WHERE, HERE'S WHERE THESE FUNDS COME FROM.
THE EXPECTED REVENUE, UH, BASED ON THE PAST 12 QUARTERS OF OF INCOME IS, UH, EXPECTED TO BE $3,040,000.
WE HAVE ABOUT $40,000 IN INTEREST INCOME FROM THAT ACCOUNT.
AND THE REST OF THE BUDGET IS THAT WE ARE PROPOSING IS MADE UP OF FUND BALANCE FROM THAT AT TAX ACCOUNT, WHICH IS $3,995,000, THE TOTAL OF REVENUE OR THE TOTAL OF BUDGET, UM, BUDGET REVENUE, IS THAT $7,075,000? WHAT DO WE INTEND TO DO WITH THOSE DOLLARS? SO HERE'S THE EXPENDITURES.
THE, THE NUMBERS OFF TO THE LEFT ARE THE ACCOUNT NUMBERS.
THAT, UM, 51,000 ACCOUNT NUMBER THAT IS, UM, ADVERTISING IS THAT ACCOUNT.
THAT'S A MILLION DOLLARS, UH, BUDGET TOWARDS ADVERTISING FOR THE HILTON HEAD AIRPORT.
THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS A ROUTINE, UM, UH, BUDGET EXPENSE THAT WE, UM, HAVE DONE FOR SEVERAL YEARS WITH OUR H TAX DOLLARS.
THEN, UM, THE, UH, 5 4 5 0 0 ACCOUNT.
THIS IS BEAUFORT COUNTY PROJECTS.
THERE IS, UH, $4,975,000 LISTED IN OUR BUDGET TO MANAGE INTERNAL COUNTY PROJECTS.
THE LIST OF THOSE PROJECTS, UH, OF COURSE THESE DOLLARS, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE COUNTY, COUNTY PROJECTS, THEY CAN'T JUST BE ANY PROJECTS.
THEY HAVE TO BE QUALIFYING PROJECTS.
UM, AS, UH, AS I SHOWED YOU ON THE SECOND SLIDE, THE LIST OF PROJECTS THAT, OR THE LIST OF ALLOWABLE USES OF THOSE PROJECTS.
AND THEN, UM, THE NEXT IS THAT, UH, 57, 1 30 LINE ITEM.
SO THESE ARE, THEY'LL BE IN OUR BUDGET SOFTWARE THIS WAY IS A MILLION DOLLARS TOWARDS GRANT EXPENDITURES.
THESE ARE, UH, OUTSIDE AGENCIES THAT, THAT APPLY FOR THESE DOLLARS.
[01:00:01]
WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE A POLICY ON HOW WE APPLY OR THE REQUESTS THAT COME IN, UH, HOW WE, UM, UM, APPROVE DOLLARS FOR DIFFERENT, FOR REQUESTS AS THEY COME IN.SO THERE'S A MILLION DOLLARS THERE FOR OUTSIDE REQUEST.
AND THE LAST ONE THERE IS A MILLION DOLLARS TRANSFER OUT TO THE GENERAL FUND.
UH, SO THIS, THIS HAS BEEN, UM, TRADITIONALLY IN PART OF OUR AT TAX DOLLARS AND THE USE OF THESE DOLLARS, THAT, THAT MILLION DOLLARS AGAIN, HAS TO COMPLY WITH THE, WITH THE STATE LAWS, THE USE OF THOSE AT TAX DOLLARS.
AND THIS, THESE CAN BE USED FOR ANY OF THOSE EXPENDITURES IN, IN EITHER THE TWO LINE ITEMS, EITHER THE BEAUFORT COUNTY, UH, PROJECTS OR TO THE GRANT EXPENDITURES FOR TOURISM PROJECTS.
IF FOR SOME REASON WE HAVE AN ABUNDANCE OF REQUESTS, UH, FOR DO, FOR THOSE USE OF DOLLARS AND COUNCIL FINES THAT THEY LIKE THEM ALL AND THEY EXCEED THAT MILLION DOLLARS, THERE'S THE ADDITIONAL TRANSFER OUT THAT MAY HELP SUPPORT EITHER THE COUNTY PROJECTS, THE INTERNAL COUNTY PROJECTS, OR THE, UM, PROJECTS AS REQUESTED FROM DIFFERENT TOURISM RELATED COMPANIES.
BEFORE I MOVE ON, ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT? I HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, I, I UNDERSTAND WE'RE DOING THE ORDINANCE TODAY, BUT WHEN WILL WE SEE THE SPECIFIC LIST OF THE BUFORT COUNTY PROJECTS? SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE, UH, WELL, WE HAVE ABOUT $28 MILLION IN CAPITAL PROJECTS AND REALLY ABOUT $300 MILLION IN OUR CAPITAL PROJECT LIST.
SO THE OPPORTUNITY WOULD BE THAT WE CAN LOOK IN OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS LIST AND FIND QUALIFYING PROJECTS FOR THESE FUNDS AND USE THESE FUNDS TO FREE UP SOME CAPITAL DOLLARS.
AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK TO COUNTY COUNCIL FOR, UM, YES MA'AM, APPROVAL.
SO WHAT WE DON'T HAVE RIGHT NOW IS A POLICY MM-HMM.
RIGHT, RIGHT THERE, THERE'S, IN THE PAST THERE'S BEEN A STAFF TEAM THAT'S EVALUATED THE REQUEST, BUT NO REAL POLICY ON HOW WE DISTRIBUTE, DISTRIBUTE THOSE FUNDS.
THE, THE THOUGHT HERE IS THAT WE BRING THIS FORWARD TO COMMITTEE THAT WE, UH, THIS IS WHAT YOU ASK FOR.
WE BRING THIS FORWARD TO COMMITTEE, WE GET SOME CONSENSUS THAT THIS IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO, THE RIGHT THING TO DO, AND WE'LL MOVE THIS FORWARD TO COUNCIL.
AND BEFORE THIS, UH, GOES THROUGH ITS THIRD READING, SO IT'S GONNA BE LATE IN AUGUST THAT WE WOULD ALSO HAVE A POLICY THAT SUPPORTS HOW WE'RE GONNA DISTRIBUTE THESE FUNDS, UH, SIMILAR TO THE STATE AT TAX, UM, SYSTEM, WHICH IS AN EXTERNAL BOARD THAT LOOKS AT THAT AS WELL AS WHAT LIMITS WHETHER, UH, WHETHER YOU WANT IT TO DO IT SIMILAR TO THE WAY BEAUFORT COUNTY CONTRACTS WORK.
NOW THE ADMINISTRATOR APPROVES UP TO A 50,000 OR $150,000 COMMITTEE CAN APPROVE UP TO $200,000.
AND THEN ANYTHING THAT EXCEEDS AT $250,000 GOES TO COUNCIL.
THAT'S OUR, THAT'S THE NORMAL CONTRACT PROCESS THAT WE DO NOW.
SO WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
'CAUSE THERE'S NO EXISTING POLICY.
THAT'S ONE THAT WE WILL WRITE THAT.
DID I ANSWER YOUR QUESTION RIGHT? YES, SIR.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHICH PART MONEY COMES OUT OF, YOU KNOW, SO I'M GONNA ASK THE QUESTION.
UM, IN, IN MY DISTRICT, UM, A LOT OF THE H TAX LOCAL OPTION TAX, UH, IS GENERATED AT ON TRIP ISLAND.
AND THERE ARE NEEDS ON TRIP ISLAND.
SO MY QUESTION BECOMES, UM, IF WE ARE TO FUND PROJECTS FROM AREAS THAT GENERATE THOSE, WHICH ONE OF THESE PART OF MONEY LINE ITEM WOULD BE CONSIDERED FOR ANYTHING WE WILL DO TO CONTINUE, UM, UM, RECEIVING TOURISTS, UM, TAX MONEY FROM FRI HOUR? YES, SIR.
WELL, SO THE H TAX DOLLARS, THERE'S TWO LINE ITEMS. THERE.
IT IS THAT $57,130 MILLION OR THAT 59 $100 MILLION THAT ARE, THAT ARE THERE.
THE, SO WE, WE DO HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN WE DISTRIBUTE FUNDS A TAX OR H TAX DOLLARS, UM, ON PRIVATE PROPERTY OR PROPERTY THAT IS GATED.
SO THE, SO THERE, THE LAW IS THAT IT HAS TO HAVE PUBLIC ACCESS.
SO, UM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THESE DOLLARS AND THE DISTRIBUTION, DISTRIBUTION OF THESE DOLLARS, WE HAVE TO TAKE THOSE THINGS IN MIND.
SO THERE'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO, TO, UM, ON, UH, ON TRIP ISLAND TO USE SOME OF THESE DOLLARS.
WE JUST HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CAREFUL AND THAT THEY'RE APPLICABLE AND WITHIN THE LAW, UH, I FIGURED THE LAWYERS OVER HERE WILL OH, YES, SIR.
WELL, WHEN WE BEGIN TO, WELL, I WILL SAY WHEN WE BEGIN TO WORK
[01:05:01]
ON THIS POLICY, WE HAVE BEGUN TO WORK ON THIS POLICY, BUT IT'S NOT NEARLY READY TO, TO PRESENT TO YOU.SO WE CAN, WE NEED TO GET A LITTLE FARTHER DOWN THE ROAD.
UH, BUT BETWEEN OUR FINANCE STAFF AND OUR LEGAL STAFF, WE'LL MAKE SURE WE DO IT RIGHT.
AND IF I CAN ADD FOR JUST A MOMENT, UH, COUNCILMAN HOWARD, YOU HAD ASKED ABOUT PRODUCTS BEING APPROVED.
THAT'S, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT.
SO I JUST WANNA POINT OUT ON THIS SLIDE THAT'S INCORRECT, THE 1 MILLION FOR HILTON HEAD AIRPORTS 100,000 IN THE ORDINANCE.
OH, IS IT? YOU GAVE HIM AN EXTRA 900,000
I MEAN, A MILLION DOLLARS, A LOT OF MONEY.
IT IS A HUNDRED THOUSAND IS SUBSTANTIAL.
BUT I DON'T LET, LEMME LOOK AT, I'M LOOKING AT THE ORDINANCE IF SARAH WANTS TO PUT IT UP THERE,
I JUST WANTED TO BE CAREFUL ON THAT ONE.
WELL, MAYBE IT IS WRONG IN MY SPREADSHEET.
I SWEAR I WAS WEARING MY GLASSES WHEN I PUT THIS TOGETHER.
UH, THERE'S A DECIMAL POINT AND EXTRA ZEROS ON THE SPREADSHEET, BUT THAT IS RIGHT.
THAT SHOULD BE HUNDRED THOUSAND.
AND I JUST WANNA POINT OUT, WHILE MR. ROBINSON'S UP HERE, HE'S DONE A LOT OF WORK ON THIS.
BRIAN'S DONE A LOT OF WORK ON THIS TIME.
EVERYONE'S WORKED ON THIS D DIGGING DEEP AND LOOKING AT HOW SPENT THE MONEY AND LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN BENEFIT THE FULL UNINCORPORATED BUFORT COUNTY.
SO THAT'S WHERE THIS IS COMING FORWARD.
BUT EVERYTHING WOULD'VE TO BE APPROVED BY COUNSEL ANYWAY.
WELL, THAT GOES BACK TO ANOTHER QUESTION.
LET, LET ME ASK REAL QUICK, UH, MR. ROBINSON.
SO, UM, OBVIOUSLY THIS YEAR, UM, PROJECTED REVENUE IS THE $3 MILLION.
COMING OUT OF HSAC $3,040,000.
THE, THE 3,995,000 THAT IS THE FUND BALANCE.
UM, SO THAT MONEY'S IN THE ACCOUNT.
HAS ANY OF THAT MONEY BEEN, UM, APPROPRIATE FOR OTHER THINGS? I MEAN, SO YES, SIR.
PERFECT EXAMPLE IS, IS DUSKY, WHICH IS AN UNINCORPORATED, AND THEY, THEY PUT A LOT OF H TAX AND A TAX IN, AND THEY'VE GOT, WE'VE GOT MONEY THERE.
AND BECAUSE OF A LOT OF DIFFERENT REASONS, WE'VE GOT $250,000 THAT WAS SET ASIDE FOR THE BATHROOMS THERE.
SO, UM, WHERE IS THAT MONEY RIGHT NOW? IS IT PART OF THIS, THIS MONEY THAT YOU'RE SAYING THAT WE SHOULD REALLOCATE? BECAUSE AGAIN, THAT WAS PUT TOWARDS THAT PROJECT IN THE PAST.
SO, SO, SO I GET WHERE YOU'RE GOING.
UH, IT'S, IT'S ALL IN THE FUND BALANCE.
SO WHILE WE, WHILE MAYBE THERE WERE PROMISES MADE THERE, THE, THE FUNDS ARE STILL IN THAT FUND BALANCE AND THEY'RE THE DOCUMENTATION OF WHERE WE, WE ALLOCATED OR PROMISED MONEY TO ONE PLACE OR ANOTHER.
UM, IT'S, IT'S ALL IN THAT FUND BALANCE THAT'S THERE.
SO THERE ARE SOME ENCUMBRANCES I SAW IT WAS ONLY 148,000.
SO THAT'S WHY I WAS, SAY AGAIN, IN YOUR FIRST SLIDE, YOU ONLY HAD $148,000 AS ENCUMBRANCES.
I WOULD CONSIDER THAT THE FUGE BATHROOMS TO ENCUMBER THE MONEY.
THAT'S, THAT'S IN THE FUND BALANCE AS WELL.
IF THERE'S A PROJECT OUT THERE THAT HAS BEEN AWARDED MONEY AND HASN'T BEEN DONE YET, THAT IT, IT SHOULD BE AN ENCUMBRANCE ON THE, THE FUND BALANCE THAT'S THERE, BECAUSE AGAIN, IT'S SOMETHING WE VOTED ON AND APPROVED AS A, AS AN ALLOCATED FUNDING, WHETHER IT'S AAX OR H TAX.
IS THAT TRUE? UM, I BELIEVE YOU.
UM, I DIDN'T GO BACK AND WATCH ALL THE MEETINGS TO FIND, UM, YOU KNOW, EACH TIME COUNSEL MAYBE APPROVED $250,000 FOR THAT, FOR THAT BUDGET.
I CAN'T FIND A DOCUMENT THAT SAYS THAT WE HAVE $250,000, UM, UM, APPROVED FOR THAT.
UH, THAT'S PART OF THIS PROCESS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO, IS TO DOCUMENT AND TRACK COUNSEL'S WHAT COUNSEL'S WISHES.
SO THERE, THERE WAS REALLY, AS FAR AS STAFF WENT, THERE WAS NO POLICY ON HOW WE DISTRIBUTED THOSE FUNDS AND THEN TRACKED WHAT WAS, UH, WHAT WAS BEING USED.
IT WAS IN THE, UM, IN THE LIST OF AAX AND H TAX THINGS THAT WE APPROVED, UM, EVERY YEAR.
THAT, THAT, IF I WENT BACK AND LOOKED THAT THERE'S PROBABLY OF THAT, OF THE, THE $3.9 MILLION.
THERE'S PROBABLY A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN COMPLETED THAT, BUT MONEY WAS SPECIFICALLY SET ASIDE FOR THEY APPLIED, THEY WERE APPROVED, WE VOTED ON 'EM.
SO EVEN THOUGH THERE'S MONEY IN THE ACCOUNT, WE VOTED TO SEND THAT MONEY.
NOT JUST THE, THE BEAT THE BATHROOMS AT DUSS, BUT OTHER PROJECTS TOO.
THAT, THAT WERE APPROVED IN ALL OF
[01:10:01]
OUR DISTRICTS.THAT'S PROBABLY STILL IN THAT FUND THAT WAS EARMARKED FOR THAT.
SO I CAN TALK WITH STAFF AND WE'LL DIG BACK INTO, INTO THAT.
UM, AND, UH, AND TRY TO PULL OUT THAT LIST OF PROJECTS THAT MAYBE, UH, UH, WERE PREVIOUSLY APPROVED AND THEY WILL CERTAINLY FIT WITHIN, UM, WITHIN THAT FUND BALANCE WITHIN THOSE COUNTY PROJECTS.
'CAUSE THAT'S EXACTLY THE TYPE OF PROJECTS, UM, THAT THIS SHOULD FUND.
UH, $250,000 IS PROBABLY NOT NEARLY ENOUGH FOR THAT.
UH, BUT THERE'S A REAL OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO, UH, I DON'T SEE THAT SLIDE, UM, FOR US TO APPLY SOME OF THOSE COUNTY APPROPRIATED H TAX AND THEN WE'LL, WE'LL MOVE ON TO AT TAX DOLLARS TOWARDS THOSE PROJECTS THAT ARE CRITICAL.
OTHERWISE, THE ONLY WAY FOR US TO DO THEM IS TO PULL 'EM OUT OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT OR AVALOR TAX, UH, TO DO THOSE PROJECTS.
AND THAT, LIKE THE BATHROOMS ON DUSKY ARE WELL WITHIN THERE.
THAT'S A PERFECT FIT FOR THE H TAX OR AT TAX DOLLARS.
'CAUSE IT'S DIRECTLY TOURISM RELATED.
GOING BACK TO I, I, I'M ASSUMING THAT THE ADVERTISING IS NOT JUST FOR HILTON HEAD AIRPORT, THAT'S JUST A MISNOMER, CORRECT? NO, IT IS.
NO, THAT ONE IS THE A HUNDRED THOUSAND.
BUT THIS MONEY'S GENERATED BY UNINCORPORATED BEAUFORT COUNTY.
UM, I MEAN, I'M JUST BRINGING THAT UP AS A POINT THAT I I IT IS NOT BEING YOU, IT'S BEING GENERATED BY UNINCORPORATED BUFORT COUNTY.
SO MS. HOWARD'S TALKING WHAT WE'VE ALL TALKED ABOUT AS A COMMITTEE, THAT 78% OF THE AT TAX FUNDS ARE GENERATED IN UNINCORPORATED BUFORT COUNTY AND THE STATE CODES AS YOU SHOULD GENERALLY TRY TO SPEND IT WHERE IT'S GENERATED.
UM, THIS IS FOR THE HILTON HEAD AIRPORT, AND EVIDENTLY WE HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF GETTING WELL, IT, IT IS BEAUFORT COUNTY'S HILTON HEAD AIRPORT.
YEAH, BUT I'M SAY SHE'S TALKING ABOUT, IT'S NOT IN SITUATED IN UNINCORPORATED BEAUFORT IT, BUT IT JUST SAYS ADVERTISING IN THE ORDINANCE THAT WAS IN THE PACKET.
IT, BUT IF YOU SAY IT'S SPECIFICALLY FOR HILTON HEAD, IT IS AIRPORT.
I DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND WHY IT WOULD ONLY BE FOR THAT AIRPORT WHEN WE HAVE TWO AIRPORTS IN THE COUNTY THAT ARE PUBLIC AIRPORTS.
BUT, WELL, THE, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT LATER.
I MEAN, WE HAVE COMMERCIAL SERVICE THAT LEAVES IN AND OUT OF HILTON HEAD AIRPORT AND BEAUFORT EXECUTIVE DOES NOT.
THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO COMMERCIAL TYPE OF BUSINESS THAT OPERATES WELL.
COMMERCIAL AIRLINE, I WOULD SAY OUT OF THERE, MR. CHAIRMAN, I HAVE TWO THINGS.
UH, ONE, I I THINK THIS SOUNDS LIKE A DISCUSSION BEST SERVED FOR A WORKSHOP LATER ON ONCE WE WORK THROUGH A FEW MORE THINGS AND ACTUALLY HAVE A MORE INFORMAL DISCUSSION ABOUT ALL THIS, OF HOWEVER WE WANNA SPEND IT.
UH, AND I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR THE REST OF COUNCIL, BUT I KNOW PERSONALLY I'D LIKE TO SEE, UH, BOAT RAMPS AND PARKS AND REC.
I'D LIKE TO SEE THOSE TWO AREAS FOCUSED ON FOR ALLOCATION OF THOSE FUNDS.
DAVID, THIS IS PART OF THE PROCESS.
THIS IS ONE OF THE STEPS THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE NOW, RIGHT.
IS PROVING THIS BECAUSE THEN THIS BECOMES THE ORDINANCE, THEN WE CAN WORK INSIDE THAT, AND THEN WE HAVE THE POLICY NEXT OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY ALLOCATE THAT MONEY.
AND THAT'S WHERE YOUR WORKSHOP COMES IN.
I LIKE THE IDEA HAVING A WORKSHOP WAS AS WE FINISHED DEVELOPING THE POLICY MM-HMM.
THAT'S A, THAT'S A GREAT SPOT TO HAVE CONVERSATION.
IF I MISS THE, IF I MISUNDERSTOOD THIS, PLEASE CORRECT ME.
WERE WE NOT TRACKING THE EXPENDITURES? IS THAT WHAT I GATHERED FROM YOU? WE ARE THE EXPENDITURES.
WE HAD, WHEN, WHEN FOLKS WOULD APPLY FOR THOSE FUNDS, UH, AND WE DESIGNATED FUNDS FOR AN APPLICATION.
SO WE WERE KEEPING TRACK OF ALL THOSE THINGS.
UH, BUT THIS LIKE THE, LET'S WE'LL SAY THE BATHROOMS. THAT WAS A COUNTY PROJECT TO DO, UH, TO, TO BUILD OUT THERE.
WE DID SOME DESIGN WORK, BUT THE WORK HASN'T BEEN DONE.
SO THOSE, THOSE FUNDS KIND OF REMAIN, WELL, MAYBE THEY WERE IN, IN, THEY REMAIN IN FUND BALANCE UNTIL WE CAN DRAW THEM OUT AND PUT THEM TO WORK.
SO, SO PART OF THAT POLICY WOULD MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE DOING A BETTER JOB TRACKING ABOUT, UH, ABSOLUTELY.
SO WE KNOW WE HAVE A DESI WE HAVE THIS MUCH MONEY THIS YEAR TO USE ON THESE PROJECTS.
WE BRING THAT POLICY FORWARD, WE DESIGNATE THESE PROJECTS TO GET DONE, AND THEN WE HAVE FUNDED PROJECTS TO MOVE FORWARD.
PRIOR TO THAT, WE WERE KIND OF, YEAH, WE'VE GOT SOME FUN BALANCE.
WE'VE GOT SOME PROJECTS THAT WE NEED TO DO.
WHEN WE GET TO THOSE, THEN WE'LL DRAW THE MONEY OUT AND USE THEM.
THIS IS A MUCH MORE STREAMLINED SYSTEM, OPERATES MUCH LIKE OUR BUDGET DOES.
UH, SO THAT WE BRING PROJECTS FORWARD TO COUNCIL, COUNCIL APPROVES 'EM, WE HAVE THE MONEY APPROPRIATED.
UM, WE CAN GO AND, AND DO THEM.
AND THAT, THAT'S WHY I THINK MS. WARD MENTIONED THAT THOSE PROJECTS COME FORWARD AND GET ACCEPTED BY RESOLUTION BECAUSE THE ORDINANCE
[01:15:01]
ALREADY APPROPRIATES THOSE DOLLARS.SO WE DON'T NEED TO REDO ORDINANCE.
WE COME IN FOR ONE READING, WE'RE DONE.
WE'RE OFF BUILDING STUFF AS WE SHOULD BE.
I MEAN, THE, RIGHT NOW WHEN I LOOK AT THIS, THE 3.9 9 5, 3 $0.9 MILLION IS MONEY THAT IS THERE.
THAT WAS PROBABLY ALREADY GOING TOWARDS OTHER APPROPRIATIONS, OTHER THINGS THAT WERE APPROVED BY COUNSEL IN THE PAST.
THE MONEY WAS NOT USED, WAS NOT BUILT, WAS.
SO THERE MIGHT BE SOME THINGS THAT, THAT MONEY IS, IS ENCUMBERED BECAUSE WE MADE THAT DECISION TO SAY, YES, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA SPEND IT FOR.
NOW, THERE IS A CERTAIN TIME LIMIT YOU HAVE TO SPEND IT BY AND ALL THOSE THINGS.
THESE, SO THAT'S WHAT SCARES ME ON THE WHOLE, THE 3.9 MILLION, IS THE FACT THAT THERE MIGHT BE MORE THINGS THAT WE'VE ALREADY ALLOCATED THAT MONEY FOR, THAT WE NEED TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THAT.
WE AS A COUNCIL MADE THAT DECISION.
A LOT OF THE DOLLARS THERE, THEY ROLL OVER A TWO YEAR PERIOD AND IF THEY'RE NOT USED OR NOT COMPLETED, THEY ROLL BACK INTO FUND BALANCE.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, WE FOLLOWING THROUGH AND USING THE DOLLARS APPROPRIATED IS THE DIRECTION THAT ADMINISTRATORS WANTS TO GO NO MORE.
UM, UH, I MEAN, WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A CLEAR ORDINANCE, A CLEAR BUDGET ORDINANCE, AND A CLEAR POLICY SO THAT EVERYTHING IS DONE CORRECTLY.
GLAD HE SAID THAT BECAUSE I'M SO, UM, IN MY COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW DEALING WITH THAT WHOLE ISSUE.
I'M HOPING THAT THIS WILL STREAMLINE THAT.
I HAD TO DO, UH, MYSELF AND STAFF INCLUDED DOING A LOT OF RESEARCH TO EDUCATE MYSELF AND WATCH OLD COUNCIL MEETINGS AND GO BACK TO THE DATE AND KIND OF FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS DONE.
JUST ENOUGH TO FIGURE OUT THE RIGHT WAY TO MOVE FORWARD AND THE RIGHT WAY TO MOVE FORWARD IS TO CLEARLY DOCUMENT THE PATH FORWARD, UH, SO THAT WE'RE NOT HERE AGAIN NEXT YEAR WONDERING WHAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO DO.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO GO FORWARD WITH THIS ORDINANCE.
THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND IT.
UH, MR. MAR, YOU, UM, IS THERE ANY MORE DISCUSSION? SEEING NO DISCUSSION, WE'LL MOVE THIS FORWARD WITHOUT OBJECTION.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION AND SEEING NO OBJECTION.
I'LL JUST GO TO COUNSEL FOR, UH, THIS IS AN ORDINANCE, SO IT'LL BE THREE READINGS.
UM, SO, UH, UH, WE WILL MOVE THIS FORWARD THEN TO COUNCIL FOR FIRST READING.
[11. RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO COUNCIL OF AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE APPROPRIATION OF FUNDS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025 GENERATED BY THE LOCAL A-TAX COMMITTEE (FISCAL IMPACT: Potential appropriation of funds in the amount of $5,252,824 of Local A-Tax revenue)]
MOVE ON THEN TO THE NUMBER, UH, 11 ON OUR AGENDA, WHICH AGAIN, VERY SIMILAR, BUT WE'RE DEALING WITH, UM, A TAX INSTEAD OF H TAX.SO RECOMMEND APPROVAL FOR COUNCIL OF AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE APPROPRIATION OF FUNDS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 20 24, 20 25, GENERATED BY LOCAL AT TAX.
UM, MR. ROBINSON, IF YOU CAN JUMP INTO THIS AGAIN, AGAIN, VERY SIMILAR.
UH, VERY SIMILAR, VERY SIMILAR.
UM, UM, COUNTY ORDINANCE ON THE, WHAT APPROPRIATION OF AT A IS AS WELL AS THE PERMITTED USES.
UH, NEARLY THE SAME AS, UH, H TEXTS.
THERE MIGHT BE ONE OR TWO WORDS DIFFERENTLY, UH, FROM THE ORDINANCE, BUT THEY'RE THE SAME USES THERE.
SO I'LL JUST JUMP RIGHT INTO, UH, RIGHT INTO THE BUDGET.
THIS IS, UH, IN OUR, UM, FINANCE SYSTEM AS FUND 2001.
AVAILABLE FUNDS AS OF LAST WEEK WERE $5,490,697 AND 67 CENTS.
UH, ENCUMBERED RIGHT NOW IS 1.5 OR $1,000,519 AND, UH, $960.
SO THERE, THERE ARE SOME FUNDS FROM EIGHT TAX, UH, FROM TWO YEARS AGO.
UH, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T, UM, WE DIDN'T, UM, AUTHORIZE, WE DIDN'T DISTRIBUTE ANY, UH, AT TAX FUNDS LAST YEAR BECAUSE WE WERE AT THIS SPOT.
SO THERE'S A FEW DOLLARS OUT THERE THAT ARE ENCUMBERED, UH, AND SHOULD BE IN JULY.
SOME OF, IF THOSE DOLLARS ARE USED OR THEY'LL EXPIRE AND WE'LL HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT SOME OF SOME OF THOSE.
SO THE TOTAL BALANCE IN THERE RIGHT NOW IS THAT JUST OVER $7 MILLION.
OUR REQUEST FOR FY 2025 IS $5,252,824.
UH, AND IF APPROVED, THAT WOULD LEAVE THAT ATEX FUND BALANCE JUST THAT $237,873 AND THE 67 CENTS.
UM, IF THE, IF THAT THOSE ENCUMBERED DOLLARS AREN'T USED BY THE END OF THE YEAR, THEY'LL BE, UH, THAT FUND BALANCE THAT ROLLS, THOSE UNUSED DOLLARS WILL ROLL BACK INTO THAT FUND BALANCE AGAIN.
SO WHILE THAT $237,000 LOOKS SMALL, A MAJORITY OF THAT $1.5 MILLION IS PROBABLY GONNA ROLL BACK INTO FUND BALANCE.
SO WHAT IS THE, UM, THE REVENUE BREAKDOWN, THE ESTI ESTIMATED REVENUE FOR THIS YEAR? SO THIS IS QUARTERLY REVENUE THAT COMES FROM THE STATE IS GONNA TOTAL THAT TWO POINT OR
[01:20:01]
$2,202,900.AND WE EXPECT ABOUT ANOTHER 40,000 THOUSAND DOLLARS IN INTEREST INCOME.
AND THE CONTRIBUTION FOR, FOR TO THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS, UH, $3,009,924 FOR THAT TOTAL BUDGET OF $5,000,252 AND $824.
SO WHERE ARE WE ASKING TO SPEND THESE DOLLARS? FIRST IS, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO HERE IS ONE OF THOSE PROJECTS.
THE VERY FIRST ONE, HERE'S ONE OF THOSE PROJECTS THAT WAS FUNDED, UH, OR WAS HAD SOME DOLLARS APPROPRIATED IN, IN AT TAX.
AND THOSE DOLLARS WERE SITTING IN FUND BALANCE.
SO IN, IN ORDER TO KIND OF AVOID THE SITUATION, WE TALKED BACK IN H TAX, WE PUT THIS RIGHT IN THE BUDGET ORDINANCE.
SO THESE ARE DOLLARS FOR OAT T RIVER PARK.
OKT RIVER PARK IS THAT PARK THAT'S JUST ADJACENT OR BEHIND, UH, THE PEPPER HALL DEVELOPMENT RIGHT OFF 2 78, UH, 18 ACRE PROPERTY THAT THE COUNTY BOUGHT IN 2013.
UM, SO THERE, THIS PROJECT IS FUNDED FROM A FEW DIFFERENT SOURCES.
IT'S JUST OVER A $2 MILLION PROJECT.
UM, AND THIS, UM, $1,052,000 IS, IS SUPPOSED TO FINISH OFF THE REST OF THAT PROJECT.
SO IT'S ALREADY HAD SOME DESIGN WORK AND PRE-CONSTRUCTION WORK AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
COULD I ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THAT? YEP.
WAS THAT ONE, UM, SO HOW MUCH OF THAT WAS FUNDED OUT OF RURAL AND CRITICAL LANDS REFERENDUM? 2000? YES, MA'AM.
SO THE, THE TOTAL PROJECT, AND WE EXPECT THAT TO BE JUST OVER THE $2 MILLION RULE CAN RULE AND CRITICAL PUT, UH, $890,000 TOWARDS THAT PROJECT.
UM, AND THEN THERE WAS SOME, UH, I CAN'T WHAT TREE RESTORATION DOLLARS THAT WERE IN THERE AS WELL.
SO THIS IS AN ADDITION TO THOSE TO GET TO THAT OVER $2 MILLION MARK TO COMPLETE THE PARK.
UM, ALRIGHT THEN, UH, NEXT IS THE DIRECT SUBSIDIES LINE.
THAT IS TOURISM RELATED PROJECTS SIMILAR TO HT TAX.
THOSE ARE PROJECTS THAT, UM, TOURISM RELATED PROJECTS THAT COME FORWARD FROM OUTSIDE OF BEAUFORT COUNTY FOR, UM, STAFF AND, UH, COMMITTEE TO REVIEW AND THEN DISTRIBUTE THOSE FUNDS SO THAT THE SAME POLICY THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN H TAX WOULD BE A SIMILAR POLICY THAT WE WOULD USE FOR THESE DOLLARS AS WELL AT SOME POINT THERE.
THIS IS REALLY A COMBINATION OF THOSE APPLICATIONS AND H TACS, THE APPLICATION OF HT TAX AND A TAX DOLLARS IS SO SIMILAR THAT THIS REALLY BECOMES $2 MILLION, A MILLION DOLLARS FROM H TAX AND A MILLION DOLLARS FROM A TAX TOWARDS THESE, UM, OUTSIDE, OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTY RELATED TOURISM PROJECTS.
UH, NOW THAT YOU SAID THAT, UM, YES SIR, I DON'T REMEMBER APPROVING $2 MILLION, BUT WE MAY HAVE, UH, OVER THE YEARS OR IS THIS SOMETHING NEW GOING FORWARD? I REMEMBER IT'S ALL NEW.
EVERYTHING WE'RE, EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING IS NEW, SIR, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I HADN'T MISSED SOMETHING, SIR.
THIS IS COMPLETELY NEW PROCESS.
UM, AND THEN, UH, THE NEXT LINE DOWN IS ANOTHER DIRECT APPROPRIATION, AND THAT IS, UH, WORKFORCE HOUSING.
SO THAT'S $300,000, UH, FROM THE STATE OR NOT THE STATE, THE LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS TAX TOWARDS WORKFORCE HOUSING.
SO THIS IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN THE STATE APPROPRIATION.
THE STATE IS THE 15% THAT WE HAD TO DO THE STUDY FOR.
THIS DOESN'T REQUIRE ANY OF THAT WORK.
IT JUST REQUIRES COUNCIL'S APPROVAL TO USE THOSE DOLLARS TO PUT FORCE TOWARDS WORKFORCE OR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, SO THAT $300,000 IS THERE.
AND UM, THEN THE, THE LAST, UH, LINE, I MEAN IT'S A PRETTY SMALL BUDGET, IS THAT GRANT EXPENDITURES? THE ONLY REASON IT SAYS GRANT IS THAT'S WHAT THE LINE ITEM WAS IN OUR FINANCE SOFTWARE.
SO IT SEEMS A LITTLE CONFUSING, BUT THAT IS BEAUFORT COUNTY PROJECTS.
IT'S $2.9 MILLION TO GO TOWARDS, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY PROJECTS FOR THE TOTAL OF THAT $5,252,824.
DO WE STILL HAVE, I REMEMBER WHEN THE STATE LAW CAME ABOUT THAT LET US USE MONEY FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING.
WE STILL HAVE TO DO THE STUDY LEGALLY FOR THE STATE TAX.
SO THE STUDY IS NEARLY DONE THE LAST TIME TOM AND I SPOKE ABOUT IT.
YOU KNOW, WE HAD, UH, AN OUTSIDE, UM, AGENT WHO WAS PUTTING THAT STUDY TOGETHER FOR US.
BUT THE FUNDING, UH, BY ORDINANCE IS, IS IN THE, THE 15%.
THAT FOR THE STATE IS ALREADY IN THAT.
I JUST WONDERED ABOUT THE STATUS.
AMY REMINDED ME ABOUT THE SIR.
IT'S, IT'S THERE WE'RE HOPEFULLY WE'RE GETTING, UH,
[01:25:01]
WE'RE GETTING CLOSER FOR THAT.UH, BUT THIS IS INDEPENDENT OF THAT, THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE USE OF THE LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS TAX DOLLARS AS, AS RELATED TO WORKFORCE HOUSING IS NOT AS STRINGENT.
SO, UM, IT IS THERE READY FOR US TO USE.
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT ONE? YES, SIR.
I'M GONNA GO BACK AND USE, UM, DUSKY ISLAND, UM, BATHROOMS AS THE EXAMPLE.
AND THEN ALSO I'VE GOT ALL JOY LANDING, WHICH THERE WAS MONEY SET ASIDE FOR THE, THE DOCK THERE.
AND ALSO FOR BEACH RENOURISHMENT.
AND THOSE WERE THINGS THAT WERE, WERE APPLIED FOR OUT OF A TAX OR H TAX MONIES ARE THERE.
UM, AND COUNCIL VOTED ON THOSE MONIES TO BE SPENT FOR THOSE ITEMS. AND SO WHAT, WHAT WOULD I NEED TO DO OR, OR AS THIS COUNCIL TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE MONIES JUST DON'T DISAPPEAR LATER THIS YEAR? LIKE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? OH, NO, SIR.
BECAUSE I MEAN, IT, IT'S, IT'S ACTUALLY THE COUNTY'S NOT FAULT, BUT IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY THAT IF WE DIDN'T SPEND IT, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY WE HAD A CHANGE IN ADMINISTRATOR AND NOW WE'VE LOST OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PERSON.
UM, THAT, THAT THOSE FOLKS IN THOSE DISTRICTS, I'M SURE ALL OF US HERE HAVE, HAVE DIS PEOPLE ARE, ARE FUNDING IN THOSE DISTRICTS THAT, UM, THEY'RE EXPECTING US TO SPEND THAT MONEY.
THEY'RE EXPECTING US THAT MONEY TO STAY THERE, THAT JUST BECAUSE OF, OF US PASSING THIS ORDINANCE AND TWO YEARS COMES UP, THAT THE MONEY DISAPPEARS.
WHAT, WHAT WILL WE NEED TO DO AS A COUNCIL TO MAKE SURE WE PROTECT THE PREVIOUS, UM, COMMITMENTS MADE BY, UM, THE COUNTY COUNCIL? SO, UM, I LIKE MR. BARTHOLOMEW'S, UM, COMMENT ABOUT DOING A, HAVING A WORKSHOP.
SO AS WE, AS WE DEVELOP THIS POLICY AND WE COME FORWARD AND TALK ABOUT THE DISTRIBUTION OF THESE FUNDS, I THINK THAT'S A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY FOR FOLKS TO, FOR STAFF AND COUNCIL TO GET TOGETHER AND TALK ABOUT THESE NEEDS AND DECIDE WHAT IS THE RIGHT WAY TO MOVE FORWARD.
UM, THIS YEAR BEING THE FIRST YEAR, WE NEED TO COLLECT THOSE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE PAST, UH, THAT AREN'T MAYBE WRITTEN DOWN SOMEWHERE.
UM, WE'LL, I'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH STAFF AND WE'LL SEE IF WE CAN PULL OUT SOME OF THOSE, THOSE ITEMS THAT WERE PERHAPS DISCUSSED IN THE PAST, LIKE THE, UH, AJOY BEACH RENOURISHMENT, WE HAD SOME FUNDS SET ASIDE FOR THAT.
AND THEN WE FOUND OUT FROM THE STATE THAT, UH, THEY WEREN'T GONNA ALLOW US TO DO THAT.
UH, SO THOSE FUNDS REVERTED BACK IN, IT WAS AN OCRM KIND OF ISSUE WITH THAT.
BUT THOSE, THAT MONEY SHOULD STILL BE THERE.
WELL, SO IT'S NOT GONE AND WE HAVEN'T LOST IT.
WHICH ONE'S THAT? UM, IT WAS ALL JOY BEACH, THE BEACH TREE NURSE.
AND THE DOCK WAS ALL ONE AND THAT'S RIGHT.
AND IT WAS ALL LANDING IMPROVEMENTS.
THAT WAS ALL PART OF YEAH, I REMEMBER THAT PART.
AND, AND IF I MAY INTERJECT FOR A MOMENT, UM, THIS OGEE RIVER PARK MM-HMM.
UH, BUT IT IS A PROJECT THAT IS IN PROGRESS AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHY WE WANTED TO BRING THAT FORWARD AND MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS THERE, BECAUSE THAT IS A PROJECT IN PROGRESS.
UH, AND, UH, SO, UM, AS, AS LIKE MR. LAWSON IS TALKING ABOUT, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAPTURE THESE PROJECTS THAT WE APPROVE THAT HAVE MAYBE FALLEN OFF.
THIS ONE IS SPECIAL BECAUSE IT IS ACTIVE OPEN POS, WE'RE DOING WORK ON IT NOW.
SO WE NEED TO RECAPTURE SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS AND FUND THEM.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT DUPLICATING SOMETHING.
THAT, THAT'S EXACTLY WHY WE KIND OF TOOK THAT FUND BALANCE AND WE HAD SOME ENCUMBERED DOLLARS THAT WE KNOW ARE ENCUMBERED AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
UM, SO IT'S, IT'S NOT LOST BY ANY MEANS.
WILL WE HAVE PUBLIC ACCESS TO THE OAK T RIVER? YES, MA'AM.
WELL, I JUST WONDER, YOU'VE SEEN ALL THE BUILDING GOING ON THERE AROUND COUNCILMAN HOWARD? I HAVE.
AND IT IS CONSISTENT WITH OUR EASEMENT AGREEMENTS WITH THE, UM, REMAINING PROPERTY OWNERS.
IT IS, IT'S RIGHT OFF OF GRAVES ROAD.
THERE'S AN OPENING THERE NOW WITH THE LITTLE GRAVEL THAT GOES THAT WAY.
BUT WITH THESE FUNDS, WE'LL BUILD IT.
AND CHAIRMAN LAWSON, IF I MAY, UH, YOU ARE CORRECT THAT THERE WERE, UM, SEVERAL PROJECTS THAT WERE APPROVED VIA ORDINANCE LAST, WELL, STARTING IN MARCH OF LAST YEAR.
ORDINANCE I ASSUME WAS, UH, APPROVED SOMETIME IN APRIL.
UM, SO I'LL WORK WITH FINANCE AND MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ITEMS ARE IN FACT, UM, ACCOUNTED FOR.
AND AGAIN, 'CAUSE IF IT IS TWO YEARS, WE STILL HAVE ANOTHER WHOLE YEAR REMAINING ON THOSE.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S PROBABLY SOME OF COUNTY'S RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T MOVED FORWARD WITH IT THAT, THAT PEOPLE AGAIN, NO, WE VOTED FOR IT.
NO, WE PASSED IT AND ARE EXPECTING TO THOSE, THOSE THINGS TO
[01:30:01]
HAPPEN WITHOUT US JUST, YOU KNOW, THINKING YES, SIR.THANK YOU FOR POINTING THAT OUT, MR. CHAIRMAN.
THIS, THIS QUESTION CAME UP ABOUT THE OKEE PARK.
UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT, UM, WE, WE SHOULD HAVE TWO MAJOR ACCESS INTO THAT PARK.
THE, I'LL HAVE TO GO BACK AND, AND LOOK.
THERE'S RIGHT NOW THE MAJOR ACCESS, WE JUST GOT OFF THE PHONE AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT.
MAJOR ACCESS WAS ACTUALLY DOWN THE ROAD THERE.
UM, WHICH GOES THROUGH THE, I MEAN, THE MIDDLE OF THE PARK.
AND THEN WE GOT THE, THE OTHER ONE RECENTLY FROM HIGHWAY ONE 70, WHICH IS MORE CONDUCIVE FOR ME.
BUT IS THAT NOT TRUE? SO IT'S OFF 2 78.
SO THERE ARE, SO THERE ARE TWO PIECES TO THIS PARK.
IT RUNS ALONG THE MARSH AND IT IS BISECTED BY A DRAINAGE AREA.
IT'S BISECTED BY WATER, IT'S DRAINAGE PONDS AND, UM, AN AREA OF WATER THAT DRAINS THROUGH THERE.
ONE WHERE THE LIGHT IS WHERE YOU PULL INTO THAT COMMERCIAL AREA.
IF YOU DRIVE STRAIGHT ALL THE WAY TO THE BACK, THERE IS A BACK ROAD THAT RUNS ALONG BEHIND ALL OF THOSE BUSINESSES.
IT IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION NOW, IF YOU RIDE ALL THE WAY TO THE BACK AND TURN LEFT, THERE'S A GRAVEL ROAD THAT LEADS TO A STOP.
FROM THAT STOP FORWARD IS GOING TO BE THE ACCESS TO OUR PARKING LOT.
IF YOU GO DOWN GRAVES ROAD AND TURN LEFT THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT, THAT'S GOING TO BE THE NORTHERN SIDE OF THE AREA.
AND ALONG THAT ROAD AND TOWARD THE BACK WHERE WHAT'S KNOWN AS THE SILO DEVELOPMENT, THAT'S, UH, NOT YET UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
WE HAVE PARKING ALONG THAT ROAD TO ACCESS THAT FIELD ON THE NORTHERN PART.
BUT YOU WILL HAVE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS THROUGH THE PARK FROM OUR PARKING AREA TO THAT FIELD AREA AND FROM THE PARKING AREA OVER IN THE SILO DEVELOPMENT, UH, IN THE NORTHERN END TO IT.
SO YOU DO HAVE TWO ACCESSES THAT ARE AWAY FROM EACH OTHER, BUT THE PRIMARY ACCESS IN THE PARKING LOT WITH THE BATHROOM, THE PICNIC PAVILION, IS GOING TO BE THROUGH THE COMMERCIAL AREA TO OUR PARKING LOT.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF MY MAJOR CONCERNS, AND WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THIS OFF OF GRAVES ROAD, WAS HAVING BASICALLY, UH, A FRIENDLY, UH, ENTRANCE INTO THE PARK.
I WOULDN'T SAY IT'S NOT FRIENDLY.
SO TO GO BACK TO 2013, ALL OF THIS WAS SORTED OUT IN A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT THAT HAPPENED OVER 10 YEARS AGO.
SO THE ACCESS THE ROAD, THE SHARED COST, THE PARKING, THE STORM WATER PORTIONS, ALL OF THAT IS PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
AND THE PARK DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED AND IS COMPLETE BASED ON THE ACCESSES THAT WERE PROVIDED FOR IN THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
SO I DON'T VIEW THEM AS FRIENDLY OR NOT FRIENDLY.
UM, BUT THE PARKING WOULD BE THE FRIENDLY PART.
WHERE IS THE PARKING FOR? IT'S ON THE ROAD.
IT'S ON THE ROAD FOR THE NORTHERN PIECE.
IF YOU WANT TO GO THROUGH DOWN GRAVES ROAD, TURN LEFT THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT, YOU CAN PARK NEXT TO THE FIELD THAT'S IN THE NORTHERN PARK OF THE PARK.
THE PICNIC PAVILION AND THE BATHROOMS IN OUR PARKING AREA.
THOSE ARE IN THE SOUTHERN PORCH.
THERE'S GONNA BE A WALKING BRIDGE, A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE, A WALK.
I KNOW THE BRIDGES, BUT YOU'RE GONNA ACCESS THE PARKING AREA THROUGH THE COMMERCIAL PARK.
THAT'S, THAT'S PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
I DON'T CALL THAT FRIENDLY FOR ME, YOU KNOW, BUT, AND THEN ON THE 2 78 SIDE MM-HMM.
THERE'S NO CLEAR VISION OF THE PARK.
I GOTTA FIND MY WAY INTO THE PARK.
SO IT'S BEHIND THE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
YOU, YOU, IF YOU GO INTO THE DEVELOPMENT FROM THE LIGHT YOU DROVE, YOU DRIVE STRAIGHT IN.
IT'S WHERE THE BUILDINGS STOP.
THERE'S A ROAD THAT RUNS BEHIND THE BUILDINGS.
YOU TURN LEFT AND IT, IT WILL TAKE YOU DIRECTLY INTO OUR PARKING LOT.
IT, IT MAY BE THE OPPORTUNE TIME FOR US TO SHOW EVERYONE A PLOT PLAN OF WHAT IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE.
UM, THE CONCEPT PLAN, ALL THAT'S BEEN APPROVED.
THE BID HAS BEEN LET, IT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
'CAUSE I, I THINK THERE IS SOME CONFUSION STILL ABOUT DIRECT ACCESS AND HAVING TO GO THROUGH.
SO WE'LL HAVE OUR CIP FOLKS SEND THAT OUT TO EVERYBODY.
THAT'S, I I WAS ALWAYS CONCERNED ABOUT A FRIENDLY APPROACH TO THAT PARK.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN I COME NEAR WITH MY HILLBILLY TRUCK, I WANNA FEEL COMFORTABLE.
I'M GONNA BE SURE NOT CALLED ON BY POLICE TO SAY I SHOULDN'T BE HERE.
[01:35:01]
NO, NO.I DON'T THINK THAT'S A CONCERN AT ALL.
AND IT WILL BE AS ACCESSIBLE AS ANY OTHER BUSINESS THAT'S WITHIN THAT COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT AREA.
I MEAN, THERE'LL BE A ROAD THAT LEADS, RIGHT.
UH, BUT YEAH, WE'LL SEND IT OUT.
I, I'VE DRIVEN IT SEVERAL TIMES.
YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN YOU ARE AT THE LIGHT, YOU'RE GONNA TURN LEFT, YOU'RE GOING TO GO STRAIGHT IN, AND THEN THERE'S A ROAD THAT CURVES TO THE LEFT AND THERE'S WHERE THE PARK IS.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH E EVERY OTHER SECTION OF PEPPER HOLE.
UH, AND IT'S NOT TRULY RIGHT BEHIND THE COMMERCIAL THE PARK IS, BUT WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO GO IS WHEN YOU TURN LEFT, THERE'S GOING TO BE AN END MARKET RIGHT THERE.
YOU GO DOWN A LITTLE BIT FURTHER THAN TO THE LEFT.
SO IT IS A DIRECT ACCESS TO I APPRECIATE THAT.
I THINK GOOD SIGNAGE WILL TAKE CARE OF A LOT OF THE ISSUES.
SO WE, UH, DID WE HAVE A MOTION? MAKE A NO MOTION.
CAN I MAKE A MOTION TO MOVE THIS TO COUNCIL? YES.
IS THERE A SECOND TO MOVE THIS TO COUNCIL? HUH? IS THERE A SECOND? YES, I, UH, THERE'S, UM, WE HAVE A SECOND THEN.
UM, IS THERE ANY MORE DISCUSSION? SEEING NO DISCUSSION? WE'LL APPROVE THIS WITHOUT OBJECTION.
UM, AND THEN MR. GLOVER WAS THE SECOND.
UM, AND, UH, SO THIS WILL BE MOVED TO COUNTY COUNCIL, UM, AS AN ORDINANCE.
MR. ROBINSON, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[12. RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO AUTHORIZE THE INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH HAIG POINT CLUB AND COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION'S FERRY COMPANY FOR THE PROVISIONS OF EMS/MEDIVAC FERRY SERVICES FOR DAUFUSKIE ISLAND (FISCAL IMPACT: $275,000 from FY25 budget. Account # 2546-50-0000-55000)]
AHEAD AND JUMP ON TO NUMBER 12.RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO AUTHORIZE THE INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH HEG POINT CLUB AND COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION FERRY COMPANY FOR THE PROVISION PROVISIONS OF EMS AND MEDEVAC FERRY SERVICES FOR TKI ISLAND.
UM, AND MR. HANK, UM, THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY.
AND GO AHEAD AND, UM, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR PLEASE.
UM, I THINK WE, I KNOW WE SENT OUT THE RFP THAT WE PUT OUT IN APRIL, UH, FOR THE PROVISION OF EMS SERVICE.
BASICALLY THIS IS OUR BORDER BORNE AMBULANCE AND IT'S, UH, DIFFERENT FROM GENERAL TRANSPORTATION.
AND IF YOU LOOK THROUGH THE RFP, THERE WERE WAITING SYSTEMS FOR HOW CLOSE THE TWO CONNECTING DOCKS WERE.
UH, AND, AND AS YOU SEE IN THIS PROPOSAL, THE, THE PIG POINT CLUB AND COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION, IT HAS THEIR, THEY UTILIZE THEIR PRIVATE DOCK AND THEY UTILIZE THE SEA PINES HARBOR DOCK THAT THEY LEASE SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THE SHORTEST POSSIBLE CONTINUOUS ACCESS FOR OUR CONTINUATION OF EMS EVACUATION SERVICES AND THE MOVEMENT BACK AND FORTH OF OUR EMS SERVICE WORKERS BECAUSE THEY CHANGE SHIFTS AT VERY ODD TIMES, AT TIMES EARLY, UH, AND LATE, ET CETERA.
UM, AND THE WEEDING SYSTEMS SHOWED THE ABILITY TO DELIVER 365 DAY, 24 HOUR DAY HOUR SERVICE, AND THEY CAN DO THAT.
THE ONLY THING THEY RECEIVED ANY DINGS IN THE WAITING SYSTEM WAS JUST ON THE PRICE.
BUT THIS WAS A SERVICE THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY PROVIDED AS A, A NON ENUMERATED PART OF THE OLD CONTRACT.
AND, UH, IS HAD TO BE CHARGED FOR IN THE END.
ANY, UH, ANY QUESTIONS? UM, I I, I DO HAVE ONE, AND I BELIEVE I SAW IT IN THE BACKEND MATERIAL.
I JUST WANNA CONFIRM THE DUSKY ISLAND COUNCIL IS, IS ON BOARD.
THEY WROTE A LETTER IN SUPPORT OF THIS.
THERE WAS ONLY ONE BIDDER AND THAT WAS THE HAGUE POINT.
COMMUNITY CLUB AND COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION.
I CAN IMAGINE THERE AREN'T MANY PEOPLE THAT RUN THIS SERVICE.
THAT WOULD HAVE A CAPTAIN AVAILABLE ALL THE TIME.
AND THAT HAS THE TWO PO CLOSEST POSSIBLE DOCS.
I MEAN, WE'VE STRUGGLED WITH THIS KIND OF THING OVER TIME SINCE BEFORE I STARTED WORKING HERE.
AND THOSE ARE JUST BY FAR THE TWO CLOSEST DOTS.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING THE COUNTY IS REQUIRED TO TO EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES.
AND, UM, DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THIS HAS TO BE AVAILABLE 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, HOLIDAYS, WEEKENDS, UH, WHATEVER.
BUT DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA OF HOW OFTEN IN THE PAST WE HAVE HAD HAD TO CALL ON THIS SERVICE OR TRANSPORT? YES.
SO I WORKED RIGHT ALONG WITH EMS AND THE HUSKY ISLAND FIRE SERVICE TO IDENTIFY THOSE NUMBERS OF EMERGENCIES.
AND, UH, IT, IT AVERAGE ABOUT 52% IS, UM, IS, UH, VISITORS TO THE ISLAND OF 48% RESIDENTS.
AND THE AVERAGE IS RIGHT AROUND 70 RESPONSES PER YEAR.
IT CHANGES SOME YEARS IT'S 55 OR SO, AND OTHER YEARS IT'S A LITTLE HIGHER, BUT RIGHT AROUND 70 EMERGENCY EVACUATIONS PER YEAR.
SO THIS, THIS IS ALSO FOR THE DAILY TRANSPORTATION OF THE DEPUTIES, CORRECT? WELL, SO YES, THE CONTRACT INCLUDES, UM, THE, UH, EMERGENCY SERVICES.
SO, UM, EMERGENCY MEDICAL EMPLOYEES, UM,
[01:40:01]
TRIPS BACK AND FORTH TO THE ISLAND IN THE, IN THE MORNINGS THAT THEIR SHIFT CHANGE AS WELL AS DURING AN EVACUATION, THOSE EMPLOYEES HAVE TO GET BACK TO THE ISLAND.SO THEY EVACUATE A, UM, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY INDIVIDUAL OFF THE ISLAND.
THEY'LL BRING THEM BACK AND IT, IT, IT DOES INCLUDE, UM, THINGS LIKE OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICIALS.
SO A, UM, SHERIFF'S DEPUTY IF THEY NEED TO GET TO THE ISLAND.
AND THAT'S THE MOST CONVENIENT WAY THEY WILL MOVE.
THAT IF THE, UH, CORONER HAS A NEED TO BE ON THE ISLAND OR TO TRANSPORT FOLKS, THE CORONER CAN USE THAT AS WELL AS OTHER COUNTY OFFICIALS AS NEEDED.
AND WHEN I MEAN COUNTY OFFICIALS, IF WE, UH, NEED A, A CODE ENFORCEMENT ISSUE OR INSPECTION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, IT'S KIND OF BUILT INTO THAT CONTRACT AS WELL.
AND I THINK EVACUATION IS IN THERE AS WELL.
NO EVACUATION FOR, FOR A HURRICANE? SAY, I'M SORRY, SAY THAT AGAIN.
OH, I WAS ASKING ABOUT EVACUATION SERVICES.
SO WE HAVE EVACUATION FOR NAMED STORM EVACUATION BUILT INTO OUR OTHER CONTRACT.
AND IS THERE ANY PROVISION, IF THERE IS A STORM THAT, THAT OCCURS THAT, UM, THAT THEY THEN WOULD BE OUR, OUR PROVIDER FOR COUNTY EMPLOYEES, UM, AFTER A HURRICANE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? WELL, FOR THE RE, FOR FOR EMERGENCY, WE WOULD SAY FIRST RESPONDERS AND PUBLIC SAFETY, YES.
THEY ARE THE REMOVE US FROM THE ISLAND AND ARE THE FIRST ONES TO BE ABLE TO GET US BACK TO THE ISLAND.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UM, WE HAVE MR. MUNSON.
SO, UH, WOULD SOMEONE MAKE A MOTION FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD THEN WITH THIS CONTRACT? SO MOVED.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND IT, I'LL SECOND THAT.
UM, IS THERE ANY MORE DISCUSSION? NO.
THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITH OUT OBJECTION AND SEEING.
UM, IT'LL GO FORWARD TO COUNCIL, SIR.
SO THIS WILL BE MOVED FORWARD TO COUNCIL AND THIS WILL BE A, UM, THIS WILL NEED TO BE A, A ORDINANCE OR IS THIS A RESOLUTION CONTRACT? IT'S A, SO A RESOLUTION? IT'S OVER.
SO IT HAS TO GO TO, TO, UH, OKAY.
COUNCIL BY RESOLUTION FOR APPROVAL.
[13. RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO COUNCIL TO EXTEND THE DEADLINE FOR AGRICULTURAL USE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT FOR PROPERTIES LOCATED AT 683 EDDINGS POINT ROAD AND 711 EDDINGS POINT ROAD (PIN: R300 006 000 0011 0000 & R300 006 000 051 0000)]
MOVE ON THEN TO, UM, OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM.RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO COUNCIL TO EXTEND THE DEADLINE FOR AGRICULTURAL USE.
UM, SPECIAL ASSESSMENT FOR PROPERTIES LOCATED AT 6 8 3 INGS POINT ROAD AND SEVEN 11 INGS POINT ROAD.
AND, UH, WE HAVE OUR ASSESSOR, MS. EBONY SANDERS, IF YOU PLEASE COME FORWARD.
MS. SANDERS, GREAT TO SEE YOU.
UM, THIS IS A REQUEST, UM, THAT I'M MAKING TO EXTEND THE AGRICULTURAL USE FILING DEADLINE FOR, UM, TWO PROPERTIES.
UM, R 300, MAP 16, PARCEL 11 AS WELL AS R 300, I'M SORRY, SIX MAP, SIX PARCEL 51, ALSO KNOWN AS 6 83 AND SEVEN 11 INGS POINT ROAD ON ST.
THE SUTCLIFFE FAMILY REVOCABLE TRUST OWNS BOTH OF THE PARCELS AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH, UM, SOUTH CAROLINA CODE 1240 3D THREE A, A PROPERTY TO, FOR A PROPERTY TO QUALIFY FOR THE AGRICULTURE USE VALUATION.
UM, AN APPLICATION HAS TO BE PRESENTED TO THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE, UM, BEFORE THE FIRST PENALTY DATE, UM, FOR THE TAXES ARE DUE FOR THE YEAR IN WHICH THEY'RE APPLYING FOR THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT TO BE CLAIMED.
THE SUTCLIFFE APPLICATION CAME INTO THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE ON APRIL 10TH, 2024.
THE SUTCLIFF THAT KIND OF GIVES SOME BACK HISTORY ON THE, UM, THE HISTORY ON THIS PROPERTY AND THEIR APPLICATION.
THE SU THE SUTCLIFFE WERE NOTIFIED IN WRITING ON APRIL THE 11TH THAT THEIR APRIL 10TH APPLICATION FOR AGRICULTURAL USE WAS RECEIVED.
AND IT WAS RECEIVED AFTER THE FOLLOWING DEADLINE OF JANUARY 15TH, 2024.
AND THAT'S THE FIRST PENALTY DATE, UM, FOR THE TAX YEAR 2023 YEAR THROUGH THEIR REPRESENTATIVE ATTORNEY WHO'S HERE TODAY WITH ME.
UM, THE IFFS APPEAL, THE ASSESSOR'S DETERMINATION.
AND AS A RESULT OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS, BECAUSE OF THAT APPEAL AND MEETING WITH THE SUTCLIFF AND MEETING WITH THEIR ATTORNEY, UM, IT WAS REVEALED THAT DUE TO A SERIOUS UNEXPECTED MEDICAL CONDITION, MR. SUTCLIFFE WAS NOT ABLE TO PHYSICALLY IN A PHYSICAL POSITION TO FILE FOR THE AGRICULTURE USE, UM, ASSESSMENT BY JANUARY 15TH, 2024 FOR THE 2023 TAX YEAR.
NOW, SOUTH CAROLINA LEGISLATION DOES PROVIDE SOME LENIENCY FOR TAXPAYERS WHO DEMONSTRATE A REASONABLE CAUSE FOR NOT FILING FOR THE, UM, EXEMPTION ON OR BEFORE THE FIRST PENALTY DATE FOR AGRICULTURAL USE.
AND THIS IS FOR AGRICULTURAL USE ONLY FOR THIS PARTICULAR, UM, LENIENCY FOR AN EXEMPTION THROUGH OUR OFFICE.
SOUTH CAROLINA CODE 12 43 2 20 D THREE A CONTINUES BY STATING THE FOLLOWING.
IT SAYS THE GOVERNING BODY COUNTY COUNCIL MAY EXTEND THE TIME FOR FILING UPON SHOWING SATISFACTORY
[01:45:01]
TO IT THAT THE PERSON THE SUTCLIFFE HAD REASONABLE CAUSE FOR NOT FILING ON OR BEFORE THE FIRST PENALTY DATE, WHICH IS JANUARY 15TH, 2024.COUNSEL IS BEING ASKED TO CONSIDER MR. AND MRS. SUTCLIFFE'S AGRICULTURAL APPLICATION AS TIMELY FOR THE TAX YEAR 2023 BASED ON THE APPLICANT'S DEMONSTRATION THAT HE AND HIS FAMILY HAD REASONABLE CALLS FOR NOT FILING BY JANUARY 15TH, 2024.
NOW, THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FROM ME FOR COUNSEL TO CONSIDER WHETHER APPLICANT WARRANTS A REFUND.
THE TIMELINESS OF THE APPLICATION OPENS THE WAY FOR ME AS THE ASSESSOR TO PROCEED WITH THE REFUND PROCESS.
AS THE REFUND PROVISION IS HOUSED IN THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAW 12 60 17 50 AND 12 60 25 60 TO PROVIDE THE GOVERNING BODY WITH AN IDEA OF THE, THE TAX DIFFERENCE.
BOTH PROPERTIES COMBINED WITHOUT AGRICULTURE USE WERE TAXED AT $1,755 AND 12 CENTS FOR TAX YEAR 2023.
AN AG USE TAX BILL FOR BOTH PROPERTIES WOULD BE ESTIMATED AROUND $30 AND 91 CENTS.
AGAIN, THAT'S AN ESTIMATE AROUND $31 OR $30 AND 91 CENTS.
THE IFF OF, UM, APRIL 24TH, APRIL 10TH, 2024 APPLICATION IS CONSIDERED TIMELY FOR TAX YEAR 2024.
SO BOTH PROPERTIES DID QUALIFY FOR THE AGRICULTURAL USE EXEMPTION AND THEY WILL SEE THAT ON THEIR TAX BILL THIS YEAR.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. SANDERS? SO, SO THEY HAVE, THEY APPLIED FOR THE AGRICULTURAL EXEMPTION IN PREVIOUS YEARS? YEAH, THE PRIOR YEAR BEFORE THE PROPERTY TRANSFERRED TO THEIR TRUST, IT, THEY RE THEY WERE, THEY WERE, THEY, THEY RECEIVED THE, UM, THE AGRICULTURAL USE EXEMPTION.
BUT BECAUSE THEY FILED A DEED, NOW THE TRUST OWNS THE PROPERTY.
A NEW APPLICATION IS REQUIRED TO BE SUBMITTED TO OUR OFFICE TO CONTINUE THAT EXEMPTION.
AND THE ONLY QUESTION I HAVE WOULD BE FOR, FOR LEGAL IS, IS IF, IF WE APPROVE THIS, ARE WE THEN OPENING THE DOOR FOR OTHER PEOPLE ONCE WE SAY, OH, WE'RE GONNA MAKE AN EXCEPTION HERE, THAT WE WILL NEED TO MAKE OTHER EXCEPTIONS CASE BY CASE BASIS? YES.
YEAH, WELL I DON'T IMAGINE YOU'RE GONNA HAVE PEOPLE LINING UP, BUT, UM, IF THE STATUTE ALLOWS IT, YEAH, FOR SURE.
I MEAN, THE LEGISLATURE IS VERY DIFFERENTIAL TO AG USES IN SOUTH CAROLINA FOR PROPERTY.
SEEING NO MORE QUESTIONS, IS THERE A MOTION? YES, I'LL MAKE THE MOTION.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
ALRIGHT, MS. HOWARD MAKE THE SECOND.
IS THERE MORE DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT, SO, UM, WE'LL APPROVE THIS WITHOUT OBJECTION AND THIS IS TO JIM MAY, UM, I DON'T OBJECT, I WANT ABSTAIN ON THIS MOTION AT THIS TIME.
SO IS, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT MOVES TO COUNSEL AS A RESOLUTION OR IS IT, ARE WE I WE'RE, IT'S JUST, UH, AN APPLICATION, ISN'T IT? RIGHT.
SO I WOULD THINK IT'S JUST A MOTION.
IT, UH, HAS THEN BEEN APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION, SO THANK YOU MS. SANDERS, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
[14. DISCUSSION ON THE APPLICATIONS, APPLICATION PROCESS, AND PROCEDURES RELATED TO THE AWARD AND DISTRIBUTION OF AWARDED FUNDS FOR THE STATE 2% ACCOMMODATIONS TAX]
14, IN THE DISCUSSION OF THE APPLICATIONS APPLICATION PROCESS AND PROCEDURES RELATED TO THE AWARD AND DISTRIBUTION OF AWARDED FUNDS FOR THE STATE, 2% ACCOMMODATIONS TAX, UM, AND MS. TABER, UM, UH, AND MR. SULLIVAN, WHO'S GONNA BE ONLINE TO HELP US WITH THIS.SO THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF ALL OF OUR DISCUSSIONS AND, UM, DATA THAT I'VE SENT TO ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, THAT WE WERE WORKING ON THE ATEX.
WE HAD A MEETING MAY 3RD, SEVERAL COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE THERE, SOME STAFF WAS THERE, MR. SULLIVAN WAS THERE, MR. STEWART, MR. WELLS, IT WAS AN OPEN SESSION.
AND, UM, MR. SULLIVAN'S GONNA TALK ABOUT WHAT THE STATE ATEX COMMITTEE IS LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN IN THE PAST.
AND HE'S JOINING US WHILE HE IS ON VACATION.
I SEE YOU GREW A LITTLE BEARD THERE A LITTLE BIT.
I I CAME RIGHT, RIGHT OFF THE BOAT AND, UH, YEAH, I'M NOT TOO SUNBURNT, SO THAT'S A GOOD THING TOO.
THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK, UH, THANK YOU FINANCE COMMITTEE.
UH, WE HAD A GREAT SESSION AND WE'VE, UH, TAB I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL YOUR WORK IN DOING THIS.
AND CHRISTINE WEBB AND, UM, BRYCE AND CAMPBELL FROM THE FINANCE COMMITTEE HAVE BEEN FANTASTIC.
UM, REALLY THE BIGGEST CHANGE THAT I THINK WE DISCUSSED LAST TIME, SO THE WAY THE LOCAL H AND A TAX REQUEST COMES THROUGH FOR THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, HOW THEY'RE VIEWED IN THE PAST IS THROUGH AN ONLINE PORTAL THAT THE COUNTY CONTROLS.
AND WITH SOME OF THE CHANGES WE WANNA MAKE, HEY, HEY, HEY, WE'RE GONNA SHIFT OUR APPLICATION PROCESS SO IT WORKS THE EXACT SAME WAY.
[01:50:01]
GOING FORWARD ARE GONNA GO THROUGH THE COUNTY'S ONLINE, UH, PROGRAM.IT'S REALLY A JOT FORM, SO WE'RE WORKING WITH IT, UH, AND CHRISTINE CAMPBELL IN COMPLIANCE SO THAT IT, IT REALLY WILL GIVE OUR COMMITTEE THE ABILITY TO GET VERY SPECIFIC AND DRILL DOWN INFORMATION BECAUSE YOU CAN'T MOVE FORWARD THROUGH THE APPLICATION PROCESS WITHOUT PROVIDING THE INFORMATION THAT THE COMMITTEE WILL REQUIRE.
UM, ONCE WE GO THROUGH AND RECEIVE ALL APPLICATIONS THIS YEAR, THEY'RE GONNA BE DUE THE SECOND FRIDAY IN SEPTEMBER, WHICH WILL BE, I BELIEVE IT'S THE 12TH, AND THEY'LL BE DUE ON THE, UH, BY CLOSE OF BUSINESS, 5:00 PM ON THE 12TH.
AND THAT GIVES THIS OUR COMMITTEE THE ABILITY TO TAKE TWO WEEKS TO REALLY REVIEW THE APPLICATIONS, GETTING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WE MAY REQUIRE.
AND THEN WE HAVE A FULL DAY WHERE WE'LL DO A MORNING OF PRESENTATIONS FROM THE APPLICANTS.
AND THOSE APPLICANTS WILL TYPICALLY FIVE TO SEVEN MINUTES, THEY GIVE US A PRESENTATION, A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW, AND IT GIVES OUR COMMITTEE THE CHANCE TO ASK QUESTIONS BASED ON THINGS WE MAY NOT UNDERSTAND OR ASK FOR, UH, MORE CLARIFICATION.
UM, FOLLOWING THAT, WE TYPICALLY CAN GET THROUGH OUR RECOMMENDATIONS THAT AFTERNOON AND GET THOSE BACK TO, UH, COMMITTEE OR FROM OUR COMMITTEE BACK TO FINANCE.
AND WE'RE HOPING TO DO THAT THIS YEAR BY OCTOBER.
AND THAT WILL, UM, LEAVE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND COUNCIL SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS AND, UH, RELEASE FUNDS IDEALLY IN NOVEMBER.
SO IT'LL REALLY EXPEDITE THE PROCESS.
ONE BIG CHANGE WE'RE DOING AT THE COUNTY THAT WE HAVEN'T DONE IN THE PAST IS THIS YEAR WE'RE GONNA HAVE TWO LEARN SESSIONS.
SO IF YOU WANT TO SUBMIT FOR THE AT TAX GRANT PROCESS, WE ARE GONNA REQUIRE ALL APPLICANTS TO COME, COME TO ONE OF THE LEARN SESSIONS IN AUGUST AND THE FIRST PART OF SEPTEMBER SO THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY WALK THROUGH THE PROCESS WITH US.
SO MYSELF WOULD BE THERE AND THE OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS THAT ARE WILLING OR, UH, HAVE THE TIME TO JOIN AS WELL AS SOME OF THE MEMBERS FROM FINANCE, THE FINANCE TEAM.
AND WE CAN ACTUALLY GO THROUGH THE PROCESS, HOW THE SCORING WORKS, WHAT IS IT WE LOOK FOR.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU'RE ASKING FOR FUNDS IN OCTOBER, WHICH THE MARKET'S TYPICALLY ALREADY HEAVY WITH TOURISM SATURATION VERSUS A REQUEST THAT MIGHT TAKE PLACE IN JANUARY, THE COMMITTEE'S GONNA BE MORE FAVORABLE TOWARDS JANUARY REQUESTS BECAUSE IT'S INCREDIBLY SLOW AND WE NEED TO GENERATE MORE TOURISM TO FUND MORE ACCOMMODATIONS, UH, TAX DOLLARS.
SO WE WANNA WALK THROUGH THAT IN A, UH, TWO DIFFERENT SESSIONS.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHICH ONE THEY COME TO, THEY'LL BE THE EXACT SAME, BUT IF THEY, THEY DON'T ATTEND THE SESSION, THEN THEY'RE NOT ELIGIBLE TO REQUEST FOR THESE AT TAX GRANT DOLLARS.
AND WE THINK THAT WILL REALLY HELP CLEAN UP THE REQUEST SO IT'LL GET EVERYBODY ON THE SAME PAGE.
IT WILL MAKE THE COMMITTEE'S ROLE A LOT EASIER AS WELL WHEN WE MAKE OUR FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS BEFORE THEY COME BACK BEFORE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
UM, WE'VE USED A LOOSE SCORE SHEET IN THE PAST, BUT THIS YEAR WE'RE GONNA PUT TOGETHER, THE COMMITTEE'S GONNA, UH, HOPEFULLY GET TOGETHER IN JULY AND WE'RE GOING TO UTILIZE A MORE FORMALIZED SCORE SHEET.
THAT WAY IT ALLOWS, UH, OUR COMMITTEE TO SEE ON THE SAME PAGE.
AND AS THE COMMITTEE TRANSITIONS, THANKFULLY WE HAVE A, A FULL, UH, FULL SEVEN PERSON COMMITTEE FOR THIS YEAR.
UM, IT, BUT IT WILL ALLOW US TO DO OUR OWN INTERNAL TRAINING AND CREATE SOME CONSISTENCY GOING FORWARD.
SO THAT'LL BE SOMETHING THAT WE'LL USE INTERNALLY FOR OUR COMMITTEE, UH, AS WE GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.
I, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AND, UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO, TO ROLLING THIS PROCESS OUT THIS YEAR.
WE THINK IT'LL MAKE IT MUCH EASIER FOR EVERYONE, UM, AND BE MUCH MORE TRANSPARENT TO THE APPLICANTS ON HOW THESE, HOW THESE FUNDS WILL BE, UH, PUT PUT TO WORK SO THAT WE GET THE BEST RETURN ON INVESTMENT.
UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE TIME THAT, THAT, THAT YOU SPENT IN YOUR OTHER COHORTS IN DISCUSSION TO GET TO THIS POINT.
AND I THINK THIS IS A GREAT, UM, PATH, PATH FORWARD TO BE FAIR TO EVERYONE AND EVERYBODY THE SAME, TREATED THE SAME FOR THESE FUNDS.
MS. SULLIVAN, I APPRECIATE, UM, EVERYTHING YOU, YOU, YOU'RE DOING, AND I, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH WHAT IS OUTLINED AT THIS TIME.
HOWEVER, UM, I, I NEED TO BE ASSURED THAT, UM, ALL THE RECIPIENTS OF, UH, PREVIOUS GRANTS, UH, ARE GIVEN NOTICE OF THE TRAINING AND MAKING SURE THAT, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THEY HAVE TO CHECK OFF A BLOCK OR WHATEVER, SAY THAT I GOT THE, THE INFORMATION, UM, BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
UM, FOLKS GONNA COME TO COUNCIL CHAMBER AND, AND WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO US LAST YEAR.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THEY RECEIVE THE NOTIFICATION
[01:55:01]
ABOUT THE TRAININGS.YOU GOT ONE IN AUGUST AND ONE IN SEPTEMBER.
AND AS A FOLLOW UP TO ALL OF THAT, UH, I WOULD APPRECIATE, UM, ANY FEEDBACK THAT THE RECIPIENTS GIVE YOU ABOUT ANY KIND OF PROBLEM THEY MAY BE HAVING, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
JUST FOR MY INFORMATION, NOT FOR THE COMMITTEE, BUT FOR MY INFORMATION, I APPRECIATE THAT.
UH, AND, AND THOSE ARE ALL GREAT POINTS.
SO WHAT WE'VE, UM, HISTORICALLY THE WAY IT'S WORKED WITH THE APPLICATION PROCESS IS WHEN THE APPLICATION GOES ONLINE, WE EMAIL ANYONE WHO'S REQUESTED, UH, FUNDS IN THE PAST.
DOESN'T MATTER IF THEY RECEIVED FUNDS OR NOT, THEY GET EMAILED AS WELL.
IT GOES INTO THE PAPER AS, AS PART OF THE STATUTE.
SO FOR THE TRAININGS THIS YEAR, WE THOUGHT WE'D FOLLOW THAT EXACT PROCESS FOR BOTH TRAININGS, UH, SAYING, HEY, THE APPLICATION IS ONLINE, AND THEN HERE'S THE TRAINING DATES SO THAT WE COULD GET IT OUT.
WE'LL EMAIL ANYONE WHO'S APPLIED FOR FUNDS IN THE PAST FOR ALL, ALL AGENCIES, ORGANIZATIONS, UH, SO THAT WE CAN REALLY, WE REALLY WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYBODY HAS, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THESE TRAININGS AND ASK THOSE QUESTIONS.
AND I WILL TELL YOU THE FEEDBACK, UH, NOT FROM THE APPLICANTS, BUT FROM FINANCE.
I DID SPEAK WITH THEM LAST WEEK.
THEY'VE HAD A, A LOT OF GREAT SUCCESS.
I KNOW THIS YEAR WHEN WE DID THE, UM, DISTRIBUTIONS, WE DID A 50% AND THEN THE OTHER 50% WAS A HOLD BACK.
THEY HAD A REQUEST, A REIMBURSEMENT.
AND SO FAR THAT HAS GONE INCREDIBLY WELL.
UM, SO THAT, THAT PROCESS SEEMS TO BE WORKING MORE TO COME.
I'M SURE THE COMMITTEE WILL, WILL LEARN MORE ABOUT THAT AS WE GO THROUGH THE, THE LEARNINGS, UH, IN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER.
MR. SULLIVAN, I HAVE A QUESTION AND THAT IS, UM, WHERE IS THE TRAINING LOCATED? WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA HOST IT THERE.
UH, PROBABLY IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
AND I JUST WANNA THANK YOU AGAIN, JONATHAN.
AND ALSO JUST TO REMIND EVERYBODY ON THE, UH, JONATHAN MADE A GOOD POINT.
WE DISPERSED HALF OF THE FUNDS AND THEN CHRISTINE AND BRYSON ARE TRACKING THAT.
SO IN THE PAST, I BELIEVE WE JUST GAVE THEM THE FULL AWARD OF 50,000.
NOW WE DISPERSE HALF AND THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE RECEIPTS, AND THEN WE'LL GO FROM THERE.
SO I THINK JONATHAN AND HIS COMMITTEE HAVE REALLY TIGHTENED THIS UP, BUT THERE'S ALSO TRANSPARENCY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO SEE WHERE THESE FUNDS ARE GOING, HOW THE WHOLE PROCESS WORKS.
SO I WANNA THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FROM FLORIDA AND S HERE, THERE, STEWART.
AND WE STILL HAVE TO PURSUE THE SOFTWARE TO SEE IF WE'RE MISSING A TAX FUNDS.
UM, SO THAT'LL HAVE TO COME UP IN THE FUTURE.
ANYTHING ELSE, JONATHAN? NO, I, I, I DO WANNA, UH, ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, COUNSEL AND THE WORK.
I MEAN, WE HAVEN'T DONE AN UPDATE TO THIS SINCE I THINK IT WAS 18 OR 19, AND THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME WHEN WE REALIZED THAT MORE THAN 50, I THINK 52% OF THE AT TAX DOLLARS ARE COMING FROM NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND HAVING GONE THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND DOING IT AGAIN, WE NOW KNOW IT'S 78%.
SO IT SEEMS NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY CONTINUES TO GROW.
UM, OUR, I, I GUESS THE RETURN ON INVESTMENTS COMING MORE AND MORE FROM NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
SO IT'S GOOD THAT WE PROBABLY SHOULD DO THAT ON A MORE ROUTINE BASIS EVERY TWO OR THREE YEARS.
THAT REALLY GIVES OUR COMMITTEE THE ABILITY TO LOOK AT THE APPLICATIONS, WHERE THEY'RE GONNA SPEND THOSE FUNDS SO THAT WE KNOW WHERE THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT'S GONNA COME FROM, UH, BACK TO THE COUNTY.
SO THIS, IT WAS GREAT TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION THIS YEAR, AND IT REALLY GIVES OUR, OUR COMMITTEE THE ABILITY TO, TO KIND OF FOCUS ON THOSE, UH, UH, HIGHER RETURN ON, ON INVESTMENT ORGANIZATIONS FOR THE COUNTY.
AND I'D LEARNED THAT EVERYTHING'S ABOUT RETURN ON INVESTMENT, JONATHAN AND MR. STEWART, MR. WELLS, BECAUSE I SAID, THESE ARE JUST GRANTS, AND THEY SAID, NOPE, IT'S GOTTA BE RETURN ON INVESTMENT.
SO THAT WAS A VERY GOOD DISCUSSION WE'VE HAD.
IS THERE, UM, I DID LEARN ONE ACTION THAT WE NEED TO TAKE.
'CAUSE IT SAYS JUST DISCUSSION.
I MEAN, I, I COMMEND EVERYONE FOR, FOR THE ACTIONS THAT WE ARE TAKING.
UH, THIS IS, UH, YOU KNOW, GOOD THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING.
I THINK YOU SAYING MOVE, MOVE TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL, ADOPTION, ANY RECOMMENDATIONS, CHANGES? IS, IS THIS SOMETHING WE'RE DOING? NO, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TO BECAUSE NOW THEY'RE, THEY'RE DOING THE LESSON, UH, THE SEMINAR.
AND STAFF WILL WORK WITH THEM AND WE'LL ALL SEE IT AND THEN THEY'RE GONNA DO THEIR PROCESS.
WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE ALL OF COUNCIL WAS AWARE OF HOW THE PROCESS CHANGED.
MR. SULIN, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FROM YOUR VACATION.
AND WE DO APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING WITH YOU AND, AND YOUR COMMITTEE.
ALRIGHT, AND LET'S MOVE ON TO OUR, UH,
[15. RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO COUNCIL BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS APPOINTMENTS AND REAPPOINTMENTS]
FINAL ITEM HERE.RECOMMENDED APPROVAL TO COUNCIL, UH, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS,
[02:00:01]
APPOINTMENTS AND REAPPOINTMENTS.I THINK WE HAVE TWO APPOINTMENTS AND I'M GONNA ASK THAT WE APPROVE BOTH THESE AT THE SAME TIME, UNLESS SOMEONE HAS AN OBJECTION TO THAT.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I HAVE SECOND MOTION THAT MR. FOLLOW ME IS GONNA MAKE
I WAS GONNA SAY YOU DIDN'T MAKE YOUR JUDGE DISTRICT.
IS THERE ANY MORE DISCUSSION ON THE, UH, I SHOULD PROBABLY READ THE, UH, THE, THE, UM, THE NAMES, THE NAMES THAT WE'VE GOT HERE.
UM, WELL, MS. VIS AND MS. PAT HARVEY.
YOU WANNA GO AHEAD AND READ THEM? YEAH, PLEASE DO.
FOR THE RECORD, UH, I RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE FOR THE REAPPOINTMENT OF MELINDA ELLIS TO THE LADIES OUT ST.
HELENA FIRE DEPARTMENT DISTRICT COMMISSION FOR A FOUR YEAR TERM WITH THE EXPIRATION DATE OF JUNE, 2028.
AND THEN RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE FOR THE REAPPOINTMENT OF PATRICIA HARVEY PALMER TO THE LADIES ISLAND, ST.
HELENA ISLAND FIRE DISTRICT COMMISSION FOR A FOUR YEAR TERM WITH THE EXPIRATION DATE OF JUNE, 2028.
SO WE HAVE A, UH, MOTION AND A SECOND.
IS THERE ANY MORE DISCUSSION? SEEING NO DISCUSSION, IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO THIS? SEEING NO OBJECTION, UH, IT HAS BEEN APPROVED.
IS THERE ANY OTHER THING THAT SHOULD COME BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE SEEING NOTHING? UM, WE ARE ADJOURNED AND IT'S 5 0 1.
APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S PATIENCE.