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THE BUFORD COUNTY STORMWATER UTILITY MANAGEMENT BOARD ON THIS JUNE 19TH, 2024.
FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS THE APPROVAL OF TODAY'S AGENDA.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE TODAY'S AGENDA? I SO MOVE.
NEXT IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING ON APRIL 16TH, 2024.
YOU SHOULD HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU OR IN YOUR PACKETS, IS THERE ANY ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS? IF THERE BEING NONE, CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? THE MINUTES OF APRIL 16TH ARE APPROVED.
[2. INTRODUCTIONS]
THE NEXT ITEM IS INTRODUCTIONS.UH, I GUESS WE WILL START ALL THE WAY IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM.
WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND AND IDENTIFY YOURSELF? WHICH, BACK, BACK, RIGHT, OR BACK? BACK.
GENTLEMEN, WITH A MUSTACHE, SALT, PEPPER, HAIR, AND A BLUE SHIRT.
CAN YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF PLEASE? ME? YES, SIR.
I'M JOHN TRUMMER FROM THOMAS SLOT DRIVE DOWN OFF OF JOY, UH, HALL.
CHRIS STONE WITH THE THREE FLAT DOWN.
HOW YOU DOING? GO RIGHT ACROSS THE AISLE.
JOHN WHITE, PINE ISLAND, COLLINS, DOWDY, OYSTER STREET TON SOUTH CAROLINA.
CRYSTAL MILLER WILBERG, CONSULTANT FOR THE COUNTY.
TAYLOR RA, BEFORD COUNTY PUBLIC WORK.
OLIVER BROWN COUNTY COUNSEL, DISTRICT EIGHT.
UM, ALLEN HOWARD COUNTY COUNCIL.
STEVE ANDREWS THE SHELDON DISTRICT FOR THE STORMWATER UTILITY BOARD.
ED WARNER, HILTON PATRICK MITCHELL, REPRESENTING LADIES ISLAND.
MARK FEINBERG REPRESENTING DISTRICT NINE AND DUSKY ISLAND.
JAMES CLARK REPRESENTING, UH, UNINCORPORATED FORT.
WELL, THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING TODAY, ESPECIALLY OUR MEMBERS HERE.
[3. PUBLIC COMMENT]
UH, THE NEXT THING ON THE AGENDA IS PUBLIC COMMENT.UH, BEFORE WE MOVE INTO PUBLIC COMMENT, I DO WANNA REMIND PEOPLE OF TWO THINGS.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S LOUD ENOUGH.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, UH, WE'RE GOING TO, UH, MAINTAIN THE THREE MINUTE, UH, TIME LIMIT PER SPEAKER.
'CAUSE I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE FROM THE AJOY AREA AND, UH, PINE ISLAND.
AND, UH, TO GIVE EVERYONE A CHANCE TO SPEAK, WE'D ASK YOU TO KEEP IT, UH, WITHIN THREE MINUTES.
UH, THE SECOND THING IS, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT SHOULD BE KEPT, UH, CIVIL.
UH, WE'VE HAD SOME CASES IN THE PREVIOUS MEETINGS WHERE, UH, THE DISCOURSE, UH, UH, ABOUT PERSONAL PEOPLE AND BEHAVIOR, UH, WAS LESS THAN SATISFACTORY.
SO IF SOMEONE, UH, SPEAKS, UH, OUT OF LINE, I WILL ASK YOU TO SEE SPEAKING AND TAKE YOUR SEAT.
SO, WITH THAT SAID, IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME? SIR, COME TO THE PODIUM.
HELLO? UH, MY NAME IS JIM WALTON.
I LIVE ON OYSTER STREET IN, IN AJOY.
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SOMEWHAT WITH, UM, PRESERVE AND PROTECT, BUT THERE'S ALL SORTS OF GREAT COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS IN AJOY.UM, AND WE ALL HAVE THE SAME, UM, POINT OF VIEW, I BELIEVE, UM, FIRST OF ALL, THAT WE'RE, UM, WAITING, UM, FOR SOME SERVICES.
UM, AND TO UNDERSTAND WHETHER WE CAN ASK OF THOSE SERVICES, UH, OF THE COUNTY, UH, OF SUCH AS MAINTAINING DRAINAGE DITCHES, WHICH I BELIEVE IS YOUR PURVIEW.
UM, WE HAVE EXPERIENCED THE COUNTY, UH, COMING OUT AND VISITING US, BUT IT'S ALMOST ALWAYS INCOMPLETE.
IF YOU HAVE A 50 FOOT DITCH AND THE COUNTY OR THE STATE COMES AND CLEANS OUT HALF OF IT, YOU STILL HAVE A CLOGGED DITCH.
AND THAT IS THE CASE THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY, AND IN PARTICULAR MY NEIGHBORHOOD OF AJOY.
AND WE ASK IF YOU DO COMMIT, UM, SERVICES TO SOUTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY, THAT YOU DO IT IN A FULL SWING, THAT IF YOU START ON A JOB, FINISH THE JOB.
WE HAVE A HALF A JOB DONE AT ON OYSTER STREET IN PARTICULAR, BUT THIS IS THE CASE, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT OUR, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND IT WOULD BE SO MUCH BETTER IF THE, THE COUNTY COULD, UM, COMPLETE PROJECT SO WE DON'T HAVE TO NAG YOU, UH, TO COME BACK OUT AND FINISH THE JOB.
NOW, I HAVE BEEN LED TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE LIMITED AMOUNT OF, UH, EQUIPMENT AND MANPOWER AND I'M, YOU KNOW, COMPLETELY COGNIZANT OF THAT.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO STORM WATER MANAGEMENT, UM, AND PREPARING FOR THE HURRICANE SEASON, WE REALLY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF OPTIONS.
BUT TO RELY ON YOU, WE TRY TO CLEAN UP IN THE GREENWAYS, UM, AND, UM, AND, AND BE GOOD CITIZENS AND BE PATIENT.
AND I WOULD LIKE LASTLY, LIKE TO REQUEST THAT YOU HOLD MEETINGS EVERY OTHER MEETING IN SOUTHERN BUFORT COUNTY.
IS THERE ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME, COLIN? YEAH, MY NAME'S COLLINS DOWDY ONE.
I MUST SAY YOUR, YOUR MOST RECENT ARTICLE ON FISHING WAS ELOQUENT
UM, I, I FEEL LIKE IT'S GROUNDHOG DAY 'CAUSE I'VE BEEN AND TALKED TO Y'ALL BEFORE ABOUT THE SAME THING THAT JIM WAS TALKING ABOUT.
BUT A PERFECT EXAMPLE IS THEY BROUGHT IN SOME EQUIPMENT TO HOPEFULLY, I THOUGHT, START DOING THE DITCH ACROSS FROM MY HOUSE, WHICH GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE MAY RIVER.
BUT I GUESS WITHIN A DAY IT BROKE DOWN.
IT SAT THERE FOR THREE WEEKS, YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE STREET BEFORE THEY CAME.
AND THEY, I GUESS IT WAS A BATTERY OR SOMETHING.
'CAUSE THEY GOT A GUY STARTED RIGHT UP, LOADED IT ONTO THE TRUCK AND DROVE OFF AND NEVER FINISHED THE JOB.
MEANWHILE, TEARING UP ALL THE GREEN SPACE.
UM, I KNOW IT'S NOT BEAUFORT COUNTY'S FAULT, BUT THAT DITCH, UM, A DECEASED NEIGHBOR OF OURS STYLES HARPER, WHICH MAYBE A LOT OF Y'ALL HAVE HEARD OF.
ANYWAY, HE PLANTED BAMBOO ON HIS PROPERTY, WHICH IS ACROSS THE DITCH FOR A GOOD PORTION OF THE THING.
AND AS YOU KNOW, BAMBOO, ONCE IT GETS GOING, IT IS HARD TO STOP.
IT'S REALLY TALL AND IT'S FALLEN INTO THE DITCH.
AND IT'S COME, IT'S HOPPED ACROSS THE DITCH INTO THE, INTO THE GREEN SPACE.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH THAT UNLESS THE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT OWN IT ARE, YOU KNOW, HAVE TO CUT IT BACK SOME.
BUT THAT DITCH IS NO WAY IN HELL THAT IT CAN, UM, TAKE THE WATER RUNOFF BECAUSE ACTUALLY ITS STYLES IS DRIVEWAY.
THE OUTFLOW PIPE THAT HE HAS GOING UNDER HIS DRIVEWAY IS TOO HIGH.
AND THE WATER CAN NEVER REACH THAT.
I'VE HAD ALLIGATORS IN THE DITCH.
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I'VE PULLED THREE BIG SNAPPING TURTLES, ONE RIGHT IN MY YARD.AND, AND YOU KNOW, SO IT'S IN THE MOSQUITO SITUATION, IT'S HORRENDOUS.
I MEAN, I CAN'T GO OUT EARLY IN THE MORNING OR LATE IN THE AFTERNOON WITHOUT JUST GETTING EATEN ALIVE.
THANKFULLY, I HAVE MADE IT A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE GUY THAT HANDLES THE MOSQUITOES FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY.
BUT I JUST THINK THAT IT IS TIME.
WE'VE WAITED LONG ENOUGH, WE WERE TOLD THAT IT WAS GONNA GET DONE.
AND I'M JUST HOPING THAT YOU GUYS HAVE THE POWER.
THANK YOU, MR. WILLIAMS. MY NAME'S BOB WILLIAMS FROM THE
AND JIM AND, UH, DOCE HAD TO SAY, AND, UH, CONCERNING THE WATER RUNOFF AND HOW THEY CONDITIONED THE DITCHES, THEY, SEVERAL MONTHS BACK, THEY CAME AND CLEANED OUT THE UPPER PART OF THE
BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT ONES, THE ONES THAT DRAINED INTO THE MARSH AND THEY WERE NEVER CLEANED.
YEAH, WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE BUFORT JASPER COME DOWN AND TEST THAT WATER.
THEY HAD HIGH LEVELS OF E COLI AND OF COURSE I KNEW THEY'D HAVE FETAL BATTERY IN THEM.
AND THAT SHOULD SHOCK EVERYBODY THAT LIVES IN THE ILLINOIS AREA AS WELL AS BEAUFORT COUNTY.
SO IF WE COULD GET THAT, JUST THAT END OF THE JOB DONE, IT WOULD RELIEVE THAT PART.
BECAUSE WHEN IT DOES RAIN, THAT WATER FLOWS DOWN AND IT IMPACTS ALL THE SEPTIC TANKS AND LEACH FIELDS THAT ARE, ARE THERE NOW.
AND ALL THAT DOES IT OVERFLOW AND GOES INTO THE MAY RIVER.
SO IT'S, IT'S, UH, A TERRIBLE THING.
ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME? THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MORE PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE END OF THE MEETING.
UH, I'M JOHN TRUMER FROM THOMAS LUTTON DRIVE.
I HAVE, UH, CAN PRESENT A COUPLE PICTURES.
I HAVE FOUR DIFFERENT, UM, PICTURES.
I COULD, UM, IF I COULD SEPARATE THEY NUMBER AT THE TOP THERE, TAKE ONE AND PASS IT DOWN.
SO THE OTHER YOU SHARED, UM, AND PICTURE NUMBER ONE IS BLACKFISH STREET, UM, WHICH IS PARALLELS THOMAS LOTTON DRIVE, WHICH IS A STATE ROAD.
AND LIKE MR. LAWTON AND MR. WILLIAMS SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY CAME DOWN TO DO THIS PROJECT AND IF THEY SAY IT'S HALF DONE, I'D BE REALLY SURPRISED THE LOWER PART WHERE MR. WILLIAMS JUST POINTED OUT THAT WATER COMES UP, YOU KNOW, THERE'S PROBABLY EIGHT OR 10 FOOT DIFFERENCE IN ELEVATION TO SHAD STREET, UM, DOWN TO THOMAS LOTTON.
AND THAT WATER COMES DOWN AND IT, IT JUST INUNDATES THE WHOLE LOWER PART.
THE PICTURE THAT I HAVE THERE IS BLACKFISH AND IT COSTS ME $1,300 TO DIG OUT THE DITCH BEHIND MY HOUSE.
I'VE HAD SEVERE PROBLEMS WITH MY SEPTIC PROBLEM, MY TOILET.
I, UM, HADN'T, HADN'T FLUSHED FOR A LONG TIME.
AND WHAT THE PICTURES SHOW IS THE NEIGHBOR.
AND OVER THE YEARS, THE DITCHES FILLED IN BECAUSE BACK WHEN THEY CAME THROUGH AND DID THE, THE PAVING OF THE ALL THE, UH, STREETS DOWN THERE AND DID ALL THE DRAINAGE, FOR SOME REASON THEY DIDN'T PAVE BLACKFISH STREET.
AND THEY SAID THEY MADE IT A PRIVATE PUBLIC ROAD.
SO THEY QUIT ANY TYPE OF MAINTENANCE ON THAT.
AND WHEN THEY CAME DOWN, UM, I'M TRYING TO GO FAST BECAUSE THE CLOCK
ONE OF THE SUPERINTENDENTS CAME DOWN AND LOOKED AT MY BACK ROAD.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GET DOWN HERE.
SUPERINTENDENT CAME DOWN, SAID, THIS IS A PRIVATE ROAD, WE CAN'T TOUCH IT.
THE NEIGHBOR HAS TAKEN, AND YOU CAN SEE ON THE FIRST PICTURE, THERE'S A ARROW AT THE BEGINNING OF WHERE I DUG OUT.
AND THE SECOND ARROW SHOWS WHERE A DITCH WHERE SHE FILLED IN, BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE PARKING, THEY FILLED IN THE DITCH SO THEY'D HAVE PARKING 'CAUSE THEY PUT LANDSCAPE IN FRONT OF THEIR HOUSE SO THEY DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO PARK.
UM, AND THEN, UH, PICTURE, UM, AND YOU SEE PICTURE TWO WHERE THEY FILLED IT IN FOR THEIR PARKING PICTURE.
THREE IS AT THE END OF WHERE BLACKFISH COMES TO, UM, THE NEXT STREET OVER.
AND THERE'S A, A CULVERT THERE.
IF THAT DITCH WAS TO BE DUG OUT, THEN IT WOULD, IT WOULD TAKE A, THE PROBLEM OUT OF ALL OF OUR HOUSES.
AND THERE'S A GENTLEMAN BACK HERE THAT, UM, THE NEIGHBOR WANTS TO TAKE AND PUT A PIPE IN THERE AND FILL IT BACK IN.
AND IF HE HAS A PIPE, THEN IT'S GOING TO ELIMINATE ANY TYPE OF PROBLEM THAT YOU HAVE BECAUSE IT'S NOT GONNA HAVE ANYWHERE TO DRAIN INTO THE PIPE.
'CAUSE THE GUY WANTS IT FOR HIS, UM, UH, FOR HIS PARKING.
UM, AND THE FOURTH PICTURE SHOWS THE, UM, THE DITCH IN FRONT OF OUR HOUSES, WHICH WERE NOT DUG OUT.
AND THEY HAVEN'T BEEN DUG OUT FOR SIX OR EIGHT YEARS.
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THE STATE COMES DOWN THERE, THEY ONLY DIG OUT ONE SIDE OF THE STREET, NOT THIS SIDE OF THE STREET FOR SOME REASON.AND THE LAST, UH, JUNCTION, THEY CAME DOWN TO BLOW OUT THE DITCHES OR PIPES THAT ARE DOWN THERE.
UM, THEY ONLY DID HALF OF THE ONES ON THE STREET.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT IT'S NOT EVEN BEEN HALF COMPLETED.
UH, DID YOU WANNA MAKE, YEAH, BRADLEY, CAN I ASK YOU A, A QUESTION? AND THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT I HAD, UM, WE'D HAD A MEETING, A MEETING A COUPLE OF, I I THINK IT WAS THE MEETING OR THE MEETING BEFORE LAST.
AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW YOU GUYS GO ABOUT, UH, ASSIGNING JOBS IN DIFFERENT AREAS.
AND HE SAID, YOU KNOW, THERE'S JUST PRETTY MUCH A, A WHITEBOARD DOWN IN THE PUBLIC'S WORK OFFICE.
AND, AND I RECOMMENDED OR SUGGESTED OR ASKED IF THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY OF US HAVING SOME TYPE OF VIEWABLE PROGRAM ONLINE, JUST A COMMON SPREADSHEET OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES WITH PERHAPS, YOU KNOW, NOTES DOWN AT THE BOTTOM.
IF, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T DO THIS DURING HIGH TIDE OR WE CAN'T, OR CAN'T, HAVE WE MADE ANY PROGRESS ON MAKING THAT AVAILABLE TO VIEW, BECAUSE THIS OBVIOUSLY IS BE, I MEAN, IT'S A COMMON THREAD OF THE FOLKS THAT ALL JOIN AND THERE'S A COUPLE OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS OUT THERE THAT CONSISTENTLY COME HERE ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR DITCHES AND WHEN THEY'RE GONNA BE DRAINED OUT AND THEY CAN'T GET ANY ANSWERS FROM ANYBODY.
ONE, ONE OTHER THING ON THE BLACKFISH STREET, WHEN THEY PAVED ALL THOSE ROADS, THEY DIDN'T PAVE BACK BLACKFISH.
AND, UM, WHY, WHY DID THEY MAKE IT A PRIVATE ROAD? AND, AND, AND HOW DO I FIND OUT WHAT ACCESS I HAVE TO THE ROAD? CAN I FENCE IN WHAT'S BEHIND MY HOUSE? 'CAUSE IT'S PRIVATE COUNTY ROAD NOW.
OR IF YOU PROVIDE YOUR ADDRESS, WE CAN GET THAT INFORMATION TO YOU.
BECAUSE THOSE ROADS IS A SEPARATE GROUP AND SO THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE THE ONES TO SPEAK ON THAT.
BUT WE WILL GET YOU AN ANSWER AS TO WHY IT WAS DEEMED PUBLIC AND NOT PRIVATE.
IT'S PRIVATE, PRIVATE COUNTY ROAD NOW.
SO, SO, UM, IT'S EITHER PRIVATE ROAD OR A COUNTY ROAD.
WHEN WAS IT MADE PRIVATE AND, AND AND WHY IS AS HOMEOWNERS? UH, LEMME JUST GET YOUR ADDRESS.
WE CAN LOOK AT IT AND SEARCH THAT INFORMATION.
SO YEAH, THEY ARE CURRENTLY, WE'RE LOOKING, CURRENTLY WORKING ON SOMETHING.
WE'RE KINDA WAITING UNTIL OUR NEW FISCAL YEAR KICKS IN BEFORE WE CAN GET A WHOLE LOT GOING.
UM, SO WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON SOME TYPE OF SOFTWARE, UH, PERFECT PUBLIX, WORK WIDE COUNTYWIDE, UM, TO BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
UM, AND I WILL ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY, I KNOW EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, BC CONNECTS IS OUR, THAT'S OUR REMINDERS.
BC CONNECTS IS OUR, THAT'S WHAT WE USE TO, I WILL SAY ALMOST PRIORITIZE WORK.
SO IF WE'RE GETTING SOMETHING IN, SOMEBODY SENDS A PICTURE IN, THEY'RE COMPLETELY FLOODED.
I MEAN, IT'S, LIKE I SAID, IF YOU LOOK AT OUR WHITEBOARD, THAT'S HOW OUR CREWS COME IN.
THEY CAN SEE WHAT'S ON THE WHITEBOARD, SEE WHAT'S SCHEDULED.
BUT WE USE OUR BC CONNECTS TO PRIORITIZE THINGS RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE SEVERITY OF THE, OF THE JOB AND PROJECT.
THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF A BUG ON THE BC CONNECT.
YOU HAVE TO ACTUALLY DO IT TWO TO THREE TIMES TO GET IT TO GO THROUGH AND TO HAVE IT TO COME THROUGH.
UM, I'M A LITTLE UNDER THE WEATHER, SO MAYBE I WON'T BE SO PASSIONATE AND EXUBERANT.
I WANTED TO, UM, I RESIDE IN ALL JOY.
I'M WITH A GROUP CALLED PRESERVE AND PROTECT ALL JOY.
EIGHT MONTHS AGO, CHAIRMAN FEINBERG TOURED THE ALL JOY AREA AND NOTED THE CLOGG DITCHES, LACK OF STORMWATER MAINTENANCE, AND PRESENTED HIS FINDINGS ALONG WITH PHOTOS OF ALL JOY TO THE STORMWATER BOARD AND THOSE IN ATTENDANCE.
A GROUP OF ALL JOY RESIDENTS CAME TO THE DECEMBER, 2023 STORMWATER MEETING AND LET THE BOARD KNOW OF THE DRAINAGE FLOODING ISSUES AND FAILING SEPTICS ISSUES THEY'VE STRUGGLED WITH FOR YEARS.
AGAIN, WE THANK THE STORMWATER BOARD FOR SHEDDING ADDITIONAL LIGHT ON ALL JOY'S DRAINAGE PLIGHT.
SINCE THAT TIME, SOME WORK BEGAN ON THE DITCHES IN THE ALL JOY AREA.
WE EXPLICITLY EXPRESSED TO THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR THE IMPORTANCE OF REMOVING THE CONTENTS IN THE DITCHES.
THE NEED FOR THEM TO BE VACUUMED OUT SO THEY WOULD NOT ENTER THE MAGNIFICENT MAY RIVER.
THE CONTENTS IN QUESTION ARE E COLI AND FECAL COLIFORM.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE TO WHO EVERYONE IS TO PROTECT THE MAY RIVER.
NO ONE WANTS THEIR SEPTIC SYSTEMS OR WHAT IS SEEPING INTO THE DITCHES TO HARM OUR WATERWAYS WITH A RISING TIDES, HEAVIER RAINFALL EVENTS AND YEARS OF INCONSISTENT DITCH MAINTENANCE.
WE ARE FAR FROM BEING PREPARED FOR A THREATENING HURRICANE SEASON.
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AND DRAIN FIELDS ARE FAILING.IN ADDITION TO ASKING FOR HELP WITH COMP, WITH A COMPREHENSIVE STORMWATER STUDY TO ENABLE A DRAINAGE PROJECT TO BE IMPLEMENTED FOR ALL JOY.
LIKE SHELL POINT, WE ARE ALSO ADVOCATING FOR A AFFORDABLE SEWER FOR ALL JOY.
THE BEST TIME FOR ALL JOY TO TIE INTO SEWER WAS 20 YEARS AGO.
THE NEXT BEST TIME IS NOW FROM ONE GROUP.
THE ALL JOY RESIDENTS HAVE HEARD NO CAN DO, CAN'T DO AND GET PUSHED BACK WHEN HAVING A CAN DO ATTITUDE GOES MUCH FARTHER.
THE ALL JOY COMMUNITY WAS GLAD TO LEARN THAT THE SOUTH CAROLINA RIA WAS AWARDED, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY $187,500 FOR THE STORMWATER FOR AN HH STORMWATER PLANNING, PLANNING STUDY.
A POSITIVE WITH ANOTHER GROUP.
ALL JOY RESIDENTS MET, SHARED THE COMMUNITY'S ISSUES WITH FAILING SEPTIC AND THEIR CONCERNS OF PROTECTING THE MAY RIVER.
THEIR RESPONSE FROM THAT FIRST MEETING, WE UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE A PROBLEM, LET'S WORK TOGETHER TO FIND A SOLUTION.
WE THANK THE STORMWATER UTILITY BOARD FOR YOUR CONTINUED ASSISTANCE.
PLEASE HELP US TO PROVIDE A PUBLIC STORMWATER MEETING IN THE AL JOY AREA FOR RESIDENTS TO BE PROVIDED UPDATES AND NO MOVING FORWARD THE PLAN OF ACTION.
AND PLEASE ENCOURAGE THE COUNTY AND OUR DISTRICT REP TO ASSIST US AND LET'S ALL WORK TOGETHER TO PROTECT THE MAY RIVER.
I'M GOING TO GO A LITTLE BIT OUT OF THE TYPICAL ORDER OF OUR AGENDA AND MAKE TWO STATEMENTS.
ONE IS, UH, UH, MRS. WILSON, UH, DID, UH, STATE AND IT IS A FACT THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED THE MONIES TO DO A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY FOR ALL JOY.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN, UH, IN THIS FISCAL YEAR.
UH, THE REASON WE NEED A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY IS SO ONE STREET DOESN'T GET ALL THE MAINTENANCE AND HAVE THE ADJACENT STREETS HAVE PROBLEMS. WE NEED A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO THE ENTIRE ALL JOY AREA AS OPPOSED TO IN THE PAST AND EVEN CURRENTLY TRYING TO FIX IT BY PUTTING A BANDAID ON ONE WOUND AND HAVING ANOTHER ONE SHOW UP IN THE NEXT STORM OR THE NEXT HEAVY RAINFALL.
SO WE NEED A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN SO THE PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THE UTILITY AND IN PUBLIC WORKS WILL HAVE A ROADMAP TO HOPEFULLY FIX ALL JOY'S PROBLEMS ONCE AND FOR ALL.
SECONDARILY, WE HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH AND OUR COUNCIL PEOPLE, UH, MS. PAULA BROWN, UH, MR. LAWSON, UH, WITH THE BUFORT COUNTY BUFORT, JASPER STORMWATER, BUFORT, JASPER WATER COMPANY.
AND THEY ARE WILLING TO, UH, MAKE THEMSELVES AVAILABLE WHEN WE HAVE, AND WE WILL HAVE A PUBLIC MEETING AND I'LL LET THE COUNTY REPRESENTATIVES ANNOUNCE THAT.
BUT WE WILL HAVE UPCOMING A MEETING FOR ALL JOY RESIDENTS SO YOU CAN, UH, AGAIN, UH, VOICE YOUR, UH, NEEDS AND NECESSITIES.
AND WE ARE, WE NOW ARE ON THE RADAR OF, UH, THE WATER AND SEWER DEPARTMENT.
SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET SOME RESOLUTION IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR, RIGHT TO THE STORM WATER ISSUES AND THE DRAIN FIELD ISSUES TO PROTECT THE MAY RIVER.
[4. SPECIAL PRESENTATION]
WITH THAT SAID, I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO OUR AGENDA AND WE HAVE A SPECIAL PRESENTATION TODAY, KATIE, IS THAT TRUE? CRYSTAL? IT'S TOTALLY TRUE.BY CRYSTAL MUELLER, INTRODUCE MYSELF.
I DID NOT JUST HAVE A BIG LUNCH.
I AM PREGNANT, SO I APOLOGIZE IF I SEEM TO GET A BREATH FASTER THAN USUAL.
UM,
THIS IS, UM, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE STORMWATER UTILITY FEE.
SO I WOULD NOT PRESENT ON THIS FOR HALF AN HOUR.
UM, BUT WE ARE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE UTILITY FEE AND OUR DESIRE TO UPDATE HOW THE FEE IS CALCULATED.
UM, YOU GUYS KNOW WE HAVE A STORMWATER UTILITY FEE.
IT'S CRITICAL TO FUNDING HOW THE STORMWATER DEPARTMENT MANAGES THEIR OPERATIONS AND DOING THE PROJECTS THAT NEED TO BE DONE AROUND THE COUNTY.
UM, SO KIND OF JUST GOING BACK AGAIN, I'M GONNA MAKE THIS A PRETTY HIGH LEVEL PRESENTATION, TALKING ABOUT OUR OVERARCHING GOALS OF WHAT WE'RE
[00:25:01]
LOOKING TO DO.THIS CURRENT RATE WAS ESTABLISHED BACK IN 2015.
THE COUNTY SET THE RATE OR KIND OF DEVELOPED HOW IT WAS GONNA BE CALCULATED, UM, ALONG IN THE CITY OF BUFORT.
DIFFERENT PEOPLE KIND OF CAME ALONG UNTIL 2019 WHEN EVERYBODY WAS UNDER THE SAME SYSTEM.
SO THE COUNTY CALCULATES HOW THE FEES ARE DETERMINED, WHAT THE FEE IS FOR EACH PARCEL AND FOR ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT MUNICIPALITIES.
SO HOW IS THIS FEE CALCULATED RIGHT NOW? YOU KNOW, STORMWATER'S AN INTERESTING BEAST TO DETERMINE MM-HMM.
WHAT'S THE SEWER RATE? STORM WATER'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE YOUR IMPERVIOUS AREA, WHICH IS TYPICALLY HOW STORM WATER IS CALCULATED, UH, THAT, YOU KNOW, THE IMPERVIOUS AREA CAUSES RUNOFF.
AND THEN YOU HAVE THE, THE PERVIOUS AREA THAT ACTUALLY SOAKS IN THE RAINWATER.
BUT THEN YOU HAVE THE DOWNSTREAM AREAS.
YOU HAVE THE CULVER UNDER THE ROADS THAT EVERYBODY DRIVES ON.
SO YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A FAIR WAY TO CALCULATE A FEE PER PARCEL THAT CAN BE USED ACROSS THE WHOLE COUNTY FOR STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE THAT EVERYBODY USES.
SO THAT'S KIND OF HOW WE TRY TO DEVELOP THIS.
SO RIGHT NOW YOU KIND OF HAVE AN 80 20 SPLIT.
SO YOU HAVE IT BASED ON THE IMPERVIOUS AREA OF EACH PARCEL.
AND WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PARCELS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RESIDENTIAL, WHICH IS SET IN ONE OF THREE TIERS.
THEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NON-RESIDENTIAL, WHICH IS COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL, ALL OF THAT.
AND THAT IS BASED ON THE IMPERVIOUS AREA AND THE EQUIVALENT RESIDENTIAL UNIT.
SO THAT'S KIND OF OVERARCHING HOW EVERYBODY MORE OR LESS DOES IT, IT'S BASED ON THE IMPERVIOUS AREA.
UM, IF YOU GO ON THE BEAUFORT COUNTY Y'ALL'S WEBSITE, YOU CAN SEE HOW THESE FEES ARE CALCULATED.
SO IMPERVIOUS AREA IS THE FIRST THING.
THEN YOU ALSO HAVE THE GROSS AREA.
SO WHAT IS THE AREA OF THE PARCEL ITSELF? UM, THEN YOU ALSO HAVE AN ADMINISTRATIVE FEE ADDED ONTO IT.
YOU HAVE A STORMWATER SERVICE FEE.
THEN YOU ALSO HAVE WHERE THE PARCEL IS DIFFERENT FEES FOR DIFFERENT MUNICIPALITIES.
ANYBODY CONFUSED YET? MM-HMM,
WELL, THAT'S KIND OF PART OF WHAT WE WANNA TALK ABOUT TODAY.
UM, IT'S, IT'S WHEN WHEN YOU ARE A RESIDENT AND YOU'RE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND AND YOU DON'T HAVE A MATHEMATICS DEGREE, IT CAN BE A LITTLE OVERWHELMING TO LOOK AT ALL THESE NUMBERS ON THE WEBSITE.
SO, AND, AND YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S VERY LABOR INTENSIVE EVERY YEAR TO DEVELOP THESE.
UM, YOU KNOW, HERE'S A, A HOMEOWNER WHO HAS, PRESUMABLY THEY OWN TWO PARCELS.
SO THEY HAVE A HOUSE ON ONE PARCEL, THEY HAVE A SHED ON THE OTHER.
HOW DO WE HANDLE THAT? DO WE BUILD THEM ONCE? DO WE BUILD THEM TWICE? A LOT OF THESE LITTLE IDIOSYNCRASIES HAD TO BE FIGURED OUT.
IT SEEMS SIMPLE AT THE SURFACE, BUT WHEN YOU KIND OF DIG IN, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER ANOTHER THING IS RECENTLY THE COUNTY HAS UNDERGONE A HUGE EFFORT TO ADOPT THE SO LOCO MANUAL, WHICH DOES GREAT THINGS FOR THE COUNTY, DOES A LOT FOR STORM WATER.
SOME OF THE FEATURES OF YOUR CURRENT STORMWATER FEE KIND OF GO AGAINST THE GOALS OF YOUR SO LOCO MANUAL, WHICH IS MORE CONCENTRATED DEVELOPMENT, A LOT MORE GREEN SPACE.
AND A, A BIG THING THAT, UM, WE REALLY WANTED TO FOCUS ON IS THAT IT IS LABOR INTENSIVE EVERY SINGLE YEAR TO FIGURE OUT HOW THESE FEES ARE CALCULATED.
AND SO YOU HAVE TO BALANCE HOW MUCH MORE ARE YOU TAKING IN EACH YEAR FROM THIS ADDITIONAL IMPERVIOUS AREA OR HOWEVER THE FEES ARE BEING DETERMINED BASED ON WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE AMOUNT OF EFFORT IT TAKES TO ACTUALLY DEVELOP THESE FEES.
SO ALL OF THESE THINGS WE NEED TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION.
SO IS THERE A SIMPLER WAY TO DO IT? NOW THAT I HAVE EVERYBODY THOROUGHLY CONFUSED? LIKE I SAID, WATER, SEWER, THAT'S PRETTY EASY.
YOU CAN MAKE STORMWATER EASY
YOU CAN TALK ABOUT HOW MUCH MONEY DO YOU NEED AND HOW MUCH IMPERVIOUS AREA IS THERE IN THE COUNTY.
SIMPLE, RIGHT? WELL, IT IS ON THE SURFACE, BUT IT CAN BE THAT SIMPLE.
AND OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE THE, WHAT THE RESIDENTS SEE, WHAT THE, WHAT THE PERSON TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW THEIR STORMWATER FEE WAS CALCULATED.
WE WANNA MAKE IT THAT EASY FOR THEM.
THERE'S GONNA BE BACK CALCULATIONS THAT NEED TO BE DONE FOR ADMINISTRATIVE FEES FOR HOW THE FEES ARE SPLIT APART, DIFFERENT MUNICIPALITIES.
BUT UPFRONT, WE WANT IT TO BE EASY.
WE WANT IT TO BE UNDERSTANDABLE.
SO HOW DO WE DO THAT? WE SIMPLIFY IT.
WE WANT EVERYBODY TO BE ABLE TO GO ON THE WEBSITE AND SAY, MY HOUSE HAS THIS MANY SQUARE FEET OF IMPERVIOUS.
MY CHURCH THAT I OWN HAS THIS MUCH IMPERVIOUS.
HERE'S MY TWO STEP CALCULATION TO GET MY RATE.
INSTEAD OF A 5, 10, 15 STEP CALCULATION.
UM, AGAIN, WE KNOW THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME BACKEND CALCULATIONS.
WE'RE JUST TRYING TO TAKE OUT A FEW STEPS ALONG THE WAY.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE KNOW RESIDENTIAL RATES.
WE DON'T WANNA INCREASE THE RESIDENTIAL RATES.
WE'RE NOT UP HERE ASKING YOU GUYS TO CHARGE EACH RESIDENT MORE MONEY.
WE WANNA MAKE IT EASIER TO CALCULATE.
[00:30:02]
UM, WE WANNA FIND WAYS TO INCREASE REVENUE IF WE CAN.AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EACH YEAR WHEN TAX BILLS GO OUT, IT'S A LITTLE EASIER TO CALCULATE THESE FEES.
TAKES LESS TIME, LESS COUNTY RESOURCES FOR THE SAME OUTCOME.
MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER, RIGHT? KATIE
SO, JUST REALLY QUICKLY, I WANNA TALK ABOUT HOW FEES ARE TYPICALLY CALCULATED.
UM, PRETTY MUCH EVERYBODY USES EQUIVALENT RESIDENTIAL UNITS.
AND THIS IS THE MOST COMPLICATED CALCULATION THAT WE REALLY KIND OF WANNA COME UP WITH FOR THESE IS YOU, YOU FIGURE OUT THE AVERAGE HOME SIZE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY AND THE RELATED MUNICIPALITIES, AND YOU FIGURE OUT YOU CAN TIER THAT, BUT YOU CAN FIGURE OUT THE AVERAGE IMPERVIOUS AREA AND SAY THAT'S 2000 SQUARE FEET.
THEN YOU USE THAT VERY SIMPLE NUMBER TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO CHARGE WALMART.
SO SAY WALMART IS 20,000 SQUARE FEET OF IMPERVIOUS.
AND SO IF YOUR BASE UNIT'S 2000 WALMART'S 20,000, THEN YOU HAVE 10 EQUIVALENT RESIDENTIAL UNITS.
SO YOU TAKE THAT BASE RATE, YOU MULTIPLY IT BY 10, THAT IS WAY EASIER THAN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT ALL THESE DIFFERENT FEES ON THE SERVICE.
WHEN DOES EVERYBODY IN THE COUNTRY OR THE MAJORITY OF MUNICIPALITIES IN THE COUNTRY USE THIS FORMULA? YES, AND I WILL, I WILL SHOW YOU WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE STATE DOES,
'CAUSE THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CHANGING UP THINGS, RIGHT? UM, THERE IS A DIFFERENT METHOD WHERE YOU CAN USE ACTUAL IMPERVIOUS AREA.
MY HOUSE HAS 1500 SQUARE FEET OF IMPERVIOUS.
WE'RE GETTING DIFFERENT RATES.
IT'S MUCH MORE LABOR INTENSIVE.
MAYBE 10 YEARS FROM NOW, THE TECHNOLOGY IS GONNA MAKE IT EASY.
UM, RIGHT NOW THAT DOESN'T TEND TO BE THE WAY THINGS GO, ESPECIALLY DOWN HERE WHERE OUR TREES DON'T DROP LEAVES.
SO TRYING TO GET OUR TECHNOLOGY AND OUR LIDAR TO COLLECT ALL THE IMPERVIOUS GETS A LITTLE DICEY IN SOME OF THESE AREAS, BUT IT DEFINITELY MAKES IT MORE FAIR.
UM, SO THAT'S KIND OF THE BASE OF HOW MOST PEOPLE DO IT.
UM, AND KIND OF A VERY SIMPLE WAY TO CALCULATE THESE FEES ON THE FRONT END.
THERE ARE OF COURSE WAYS TO DO RATE ADJUSTMENTS.
SAY MY NEIGHBOR PUTS IN THIS GIANT POOL AND HAS THIS GIANT PATIO AND I'M DOING MY BEST TO DO NATURAL LANDSCAPING AND I'VE GOT A, I'VE GOT THREE RAIN GARDENS AND I WANT MY STORM WATER FEE TO BE ADJUSTED TO REFLECT THAT.
THERE'S WAYS THAT WE CAN INCORPORATE THAT.
UM, PART OF THIS EFFORT THAT WE WANNA DO IS INVESTIGATE THOSE POTENTIAL WAYS AND FIGURE OUT IF IT'S GONNA BE BENEFICIAL OR NOT FOR THE, THE COUNTY TO OFFER THESE POTENTIAL ADJUSTMENTS.
YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S A WALMART BUILT 40 YEARS AGO THAT HAS NO STORMWATER CONTROLS VERSUS A WALMART BUILT TODAY THAT'S GOT A OVERSIZED DETENTION POND, SHOULD THOSE BE TREATED DIFFERENTLY? WELL, THAT NEW WALMART CAN DEFINITELY APPLY FOR A RATE ADJUSTMENT IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT A COUNTY DECIDES TO PURSUE.
CONVERSATIONS THAT STILL NEED TO BE HAD, BUT DEFINITELY OPPORTUNITIES THERE.
SO WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ONE THING I SAID IS WE DON'T REALLY, WE DON'T WANT INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTS TO SEE INCREASES.
SO HOW DO YOU GET INCREASES IN REVENUE? EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT IS UNDERFUNDED.
THERE'S WAY MORE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE THAN ANY KIND OF FEE COULD EVER COVER.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, ONE THING WE CAN DO IS WE CAN FIND MORE IMPERVIOUS AREA.
SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU'VE, WHAT WE HAVE FOUND BY DOING THESE UTILITY RATES, WE'VE DONE THESE FOR A LOT OF MUNICIPALITIES, IS, YOU KNOW, WHILE, WHILE SALLY MAY NOT LIKE HER RATE GOING UP, DOLLAR GENERAL DOESN'T CARE IF YOU INCREASE DOLLAR GENERAL'S STORMWATER FEE EVERY YEAR.
YOU KNOW, UM, NOT THAT WE WANT TO PUNISH THE NON-RESIDENTIAL, BUT THAT'S JUST THE REALITY.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THESE NON-RESIDENTIAL PLACES CAUSE MORE CONCERNS FOR STORMWATER.
THEY HAVE MORE RUNOFF, THEY HAVE HIGHER POLLUTANT LOADS IN THEIR RUNOFF, SO THEY SHOULD BE BILLED MORE.
AND MAYBE NOT AT THE SAME RATE OF JUST THE RESIDENTIAL IMPERVIOUS.
AGAIN, EVERYTHING THAT JUST NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED AND HOW THESE FEES ARE CALCULATED.
KEEPING IT SIMPLE, BUT ALSO MAKING IT FAIR.
WHAT DOES EVERYBODY ELSE DO?
UM, OBVIOUSLY YOU GUYS ARE DOWN THERE IN YELLOW.
YOURS IS, IS THE MOST COMPLEX IN THE STATE.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, RY COUNTY DOES USE, UM, GROSS AREA AS WELL AS IMPERVIOUS AREA.
SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE CLOSER TO Y'ALL, BUT NOT QUITE AS COMPLEX.
UM, THEN YOU HAVE KIND OF YOUR, YOUR RICHLAND COUNTY OR GREENVILLE COUNTY THAT, UM, DO THE ERU, WHICH IS JUST IMPERVIOUS.
BUT THEN YOU ALSO HAVE CREDITS.
LIKE I WAS TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, I HAVE A RAIN GUARD.
WALMART HAS A GOOD DETENTION CENTER, A DETENTION CENTER, DETENTION POND, UM,
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S DEFINITELY DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES THAT THAT OFFER DIFFERENT CREDITS, OFFER DIFFERENT METHODOLOGIES.
[00:35:01]
UM, AND THEN THOSE LIGHT GREEN, IT'S JUST STRAIGHT ERU RESIDENTIAL GETS CHARGED ONE FEE NON-RESIDENTIAL GIFT CHARTS BASED ON THE EQUIVALENT RESIDENTIAL UNIT.SO WHAT AM I ASKING FOR? I'M ASKING FOR YOU GUYS TO SUPPORT US REVAMPING HOW THESE FEES ARE CALCULATED.
WE WANT IT TO BE EASY TO UNDERSTAND.
DID YOU GUYS, COULD YOU GUYS CALCULATE YOUR STORMWATER FEES BASED ON WHAT I SHOWED? GETS A LITTLE, IT GETS, IT GETS A LITTLE CONFUSING.
UM, WE WANT IT TO BE FAIR AND WE WANT IT TO BE EQUITABLE.
WE WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THESE NUMBERS ARE COMING FROM AND WHERE THE MONEY'S GOING.
AND WE WANT IT TO BE FAIR ACROSS EVERYBODY.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, ANYTIME YOU'RE CHARGING A FEE, IT NEEDS TO BE DEFENSIBLE.
YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO SHOW WHY YOU'RE CHARGING DIFFERENT PARCELS, DIFFERENT AMOUNTS.
THAT'S JUST HOW YOU KNOW THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT WHEN YOU'RE DOING THINGS LIKE THIS.
DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION IN THE AUDIENCE? CAN I JUST, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT IF YOU KEEP REFERRING TO WALMART, HOW MUCH SERVICE THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE OUGHT TO BE, UH, A LIMIT, YOU KNOW, AS TO ONCE IT GOES PAST THIS LIMIT OF SERVICE, THERE ARE CHARGED AN EXTRA FEE BECAUSE THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT MUCH IMPIOUS SURFACE IS NOT GOOD FOR WATERWAYS.
RIGHT? NOT GOOD FOR NOT GOOD FOR ANYTHING.
AND WITH SO MANY NEW DEVELOPMENTS GOING UP AND JUST CLEAR, CUT THE LAND, YOU KNOW, GOD KNOWS WHAT, YOU KNOW, THOSE KIND OF PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, I THINK Y'ALL NEED TO MORE ROOTS TRY TO TALK THIS OUT.
THAT WAS GONNA BE MY QUESTION.
ALTERNATIVE OUS, YOU KNOW, I MEAN LIKE I USE LIMESTONE FOR MY DRIVEWAY IS PURPOSE.
AND YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY, IF THEY SEE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF IMP PURPOSE SURFACE, THEN THEY SHOULD, AND THAT SHOULD BE UPFRONT EVEN WHEN THEY'RE DEVELOPING THAT, IF THERE'S GONNA BE A, A EXTRA FEE HANDED TO THEM.
AND THAT MIGHT ALLOW THEM TO RETHINK THEIR, THEIR SURFACE AREA IS AROUND THEIR, THEIR RETAIL BUSINESS.
AND AND I JUMP, OKAY, SO YEAH, THIS IS A FEE.
UM, SO YEAH, I DEFINITELY HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
BUT YEAH, THIS IS DURING DEVELOPMENT IS DEFINITELY A TOTALLY DIFFERENT BEAST.
WELL, I MEAN, BUT YOU KNOW, WALMART CAN DEFINITELY AFFORD
A LITTLE BIT MORE FOR AS MUCH I I KNOW WHERE THEIR RETENTION POND IS.
BUT YOU KNOW, STILL IT, THE MORE YOU KNOW, THE DEVELOPERS OF WHATEVER, ESPECIALLY ONES THAT ARE NOT IN THIS AREA THAT COME IN, YOU KNOW, THEY REALIZE UP FRONT IF YOU GO PAST THIS POINT AND IT'S GONNA BE SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN.
UM, THE QUESTIONS OVER ALL
TRYING TO KEEP THIS ON, ON SCHEDULE.
HOW WON TALKING? GO AHEAD PLEASE.
I HAVE, I HAVE PROBABLY A, A STUPID QUESTION.
LET'S JUST SAY FOR GRANDS, EITHER THE COUNTY OR THE STATE DECIDES THAT THEY WANT TO EXPAND OR WIDEN PUBLIC ROADWAYS LIKE IT'S FEASIBLE DOWN ON HILL PIT OR OTHER AREAS LIKE THAT.
THAT'S OBVIOUSLY A LARGER IMPERVIOUS SUBSTANCE'S GONNA CAUSE MORE RUNOFF IN WHERE, AND I KNOW STORMWATER IS TIED IN THAT AND THE COUNTY ENGINEERS ARE INVOLVED IN THAT.
WHEN THE COUNTY OR THE STATE DECIDE THAT THEY WANT TO DO THAT, WHO GETS CHARGED FOR THAT
SO ROADWAYS FALL UNDER YOUR N-P-D-E-S PERMITS.
UM, SO DOT HAS AN INDIVIDUAL N-P-D-E-S PERMIT.
THE COUNTY HAS AN N-P-D-E-S PERMIT AND ALL OF THE ROADWAYS FALL UNDER THAT.
SO STORMWATER HAS TO BE CONTROLLED THROUGH THOSE PERMITS.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT IT'S CONTROLLED, BUT IS THERE AN INCREASE IN FEE? BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THERE'S GONNA BE MORE WATER RUNOFF, SO, RIGHT.
HOW DOES THAT, SO NOT ON ROADWAYS.
RIGHT? SO ROADWAYS ARE NOT CHARGED FEES.
SO NO ROADWAYS, EVEN PRIVATE ROADS, UH, WITHIN DEVELOPMENTS AREN'T CHARGED.
SO PRIVATE ROADS ARE ON PRIVATE PROPERTY AND THOSE ARE CHARGED MORE OR THEY, THEY'RE CHARGED FOR IMPERVIOUS AREA.
[5. REPORTS]
[00:40:05]
NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS OUR UTILITY UPDATE OF MS. HERRERA.I'LL BE UP HERE FOR THE NEXT FIVE SECTIONS.
UH, SO TO START OFF FOR THE UTILITY UPDATE, WE ARE COMING UP ON THE ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORTS BEING NEEDED TO BE PROVIDED FROM THE MUNICIPALITIES.
THEY ARE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE TODAY OFF AS IT IS A FEDERAL HOLIDAY, BUT BEAUFORT COUNTY IS STILL WORKING FOR ITS CITIZENS.
SO, UM, I KNOW NONE, NONE OF THEM ARE HERE FOR THE REMINDER, BUT THAT WILL BE SOMETHING THAT TAYLOR WILL BE SENDING OUT, UH, SHORTLY TO ALL OF OUR MUNICIPAL PARTNERS.
THE SECOND LINE ITEM WA IS REGARDING THE PRESENTATION YOU JUST SAW.
AGAIN, THIS HAS BEEN, STAFF HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS BEHIND THE SCENES WITH THE STAFF OF THE MUNICIPALITIES.
AND BECAUSE WE ARE ALL IN IGA AGREEMENTS TO INSTITUTE AND IMPLEMENT THAT FEE, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT ALL PARTICIPATING PARTNERS HAVE TO BE IN AGREEANCE WITH AND ON.
SO WE'VE HAD THE INITIAL DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHAT THE GOALS ARE FOR EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATES IN IMPLEMENTING A STORMWATER UTILITY FEE.
WE CERTAINLY IMPLEMENT THOSE FEES ON BEHALF OF THE MUNICIPALITIES THROUGH THE BEAUFORT COUNTY TAX BILL.
EACH OF THE MUNICIPALITIES SETS THEIR OWN RATES.
THOSE HAVE BEEN PROVIDED TO STAFF, UM, THROUGH AND LINE ITEM NUMBER FOUR OF THE UTILITY UPDATE.
BUT AGAIN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'LL BE WORKING WITH HAND IN HAND, EACH OF THE MUNICIPAL PARTNERS TO TALK ABOUT NEXT STEPS MOVING FORWARD.
THE GREAT THING ABOUT WILPERT IS THAT LAST YEAR THEY RAN THE TAX RUN ON OUR BEHALF.
I AM VERY NOT CONFUSED BY HOW OUR UTILITY WORKS, BUT I AM PROBABLY THE MINORITY AMONGST, UH, STAFF.
SO THAT BEING SAID, THEY'VE BEEN A GREAT EXTENSION OF OUR TEAM AND BECAUSE OF THEM IMPLEMENTING THIS ON OUR BEHALF LAST YEAR, THEY'RE ALSO INTIMATELY FAMILIAR ON PLACES WHERE WE CAN MAKE IMPROVEMENTS.
THEY'VE, THEY'VE EXPERIENCED IT JUST LIKE WE HAVE.
AND SO THEY'RE CERTAINLY THE MOST QUALIFIED TO BE MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS MOVING FORWARD ON IMPLEMENTATION.
SO JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO CRYSTAL FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND TALKING TO Y'ALL ABOUT THAT.
CERTAINLY IF ANYONE IN THE ROOM OR YOU ALL HAVE QUESTIONS LATER ON, WE'RE ALWAYS HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE.
THE WHAT WILL HAPPEN, JUST FOR KIND OF IMPLEMENTATION PURPOSES, WILBER'S GONNA BE DOING ALL OF THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION, PULLING THE BEST CASE SCENARIOS FROM ACROSS THE STATE, ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WAYS TO IMPROVE.
AGAIN, MY DIRECTION TO WILPERT HAS BEEN CLEAR FROM THE BEGINNING THAT WE DO NOT WANT TO INCREASE RATES ON HOMEOWNERS.
I KNOW INFLATION IS CAUSING FEES TO GO UP EVERYWHERE ELSE.
THAT IS NOT THE INTENTION WITH THIS RATE STRUCTURE.
IT IS SIMPLY TO BE MORE, EVEN MORE TRANSPARENT AND MUCH EASIER TO UNDERSTAND AND IMPLEMENT.
SO WE ARE, I HAVE ASKED THAT WE ARE PROVIDED A MENU OF BEST OPTIONS FOR NOT ONLY MY TEAM, BUT THE MUNICIPALITIES AS WELL, TO PICK AND CHOOSE WHAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE TO BECOME THE COMPREHENSIVE UTILITY RATE STRUCTURE MOVING FORWARD.
SO THE TAX RUN FOR TAX YEAR 2024 WILL STILL BE UNDER THE OLD RATE STRUCTURE.
THIS IS GONNA TAKE SOME TIME, BUT THE IDEA IS THAT THIS IS COMPLETE PRIOR TO US FINALIZING BUDGETS TOWARDS THE END OF NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH A NEW RATE STRUCTURE AND THEREFORE BUDGET STRUCTURE MOVING FORWARD EARLY INTO NEXT CALENDAR YEAR, JANUARY, FEBRUARY FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 FOR TAX YEAR 25.
DID YOU FOLLOW ALL OF THAT
BECAUSE I WAS GONNA ASK, WE'VE ALREADY GONE THROUGH THE BUDGET FOR 2025, SO HOPEFULLY WE YES, WE HAVE.
SO HOPEFULLY WE HAVE ENOUGH MONEY FROM OUR TAX STRUCTURE TO FUND THAT.
THEN WE NEED TO LOOK IN THE FUTURE AS TO WHATEVER YOUR NEW, UH, UH, CALCULATIONS WILL BE.
[00:45:02]
SO THE PLAN TO, AS CRYSTAL MENTIONED, IS TO STILL HAVE THE COUNTY IMPLEMENT THESE.SO THERE WILL STILL BE AN ADMINISTRATIVE COST TO COVER STAFF MEMBERS, UM, HAVING TO RUN THIS ON BEHALF OF THE MUNICIPALITIES, BUT IT'LL BE A MUCH LOWER COST.
SO IS THAT PART OF THEIR ADMINISTRATIVE FEE THAT THEY WE CHARGE THEM? YES.
THE THIRD LINE ITEM, WE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THE JUNE MEETING, OUR TAX RUN UPDATE, WE HAVE SCHEDULED WITH THE PORT ROYAL SOUND FOUNDATION IN OCTOBER TO COME GIVE A PRESENTATION TO YOU ALL ABOUT THE STATE OF THE SOUND RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM.
WE PARTICIPATED BACK IN MARCH.
THEY WERE SCHEDULED TO COME PRESENT IN MAY AND A, I'M SORRY, YES, IN MAY.
AND AS WE, UH, CHANGED OUR SCHEDULE TO JUNE, UH, UNFORTUNATELY THEY COULD NO LONGER PARTICIPATE 'CAUSE OF PRIOR ENGAGEMENTS.
UH, IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS ON SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS OR LOCATIONS, WE ARE OPEN TO THAT.
WE DID RECENTLY COMPLETE A STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT ON ST.
HELENA, UH, IMPLEMENTING A, THE COUNTY'S FIRST, UH, RUBBER CHECK VALVE.
AND SO I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE KIND OF NEAT IF WE COULD ALL MEET ON SITE THERE TO SEE IT FUNCTION AND GET A PRESENTATION FROM THE, THE FIRM THAT DESIGNED IT.
SO ARE YOU ASKING FOR US TO CONSIDER WHICH MONTH? OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER? IT PROBABLY WOULD NOT BE OCTOBER.
I DO BELIEVE IT IS STILL GOING TO BE WILDLY HOT TO BE A MEETING OUTDOORS.
THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING DO WE WANNA DO IT IN OCTOBER? WELL, SINCE MS. COURTNEY WILL BE HERE FROM THE SOUND A FOUNDATION, I WOULD SUGGEST EITHER NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO MOVE, UH, AN OFFSITE ON NOVEMBER MEETING? MAY IT WOULD BE, I THINK IT WOULD BE THE DECEMBER MEETING BECAUSE OF DECEMBER.
CAN WE DO IT? I I DON'T MIND DOING THE OFFSITE PRESENTATION, BUT I STILL HARKEN BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF TODAY'S COMMENTS.
I, I THINK IT MIGHT BE IMPORTANT FOR US TO MAINTAIN FLEXIBILITY WITH THIS FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS.
AND I UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE FOLKS FROM THE PORT ROYAL FOUNDATION THAT WANT TO COME SPEAK, BUT DEPENDING ON WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, MS. BROWN, MS. HOWARD AND MR. LAWSON FIND OUT ABOUT WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN WITH THE
AND OBVIOUSLY IT WOULD DEPEND ON, ON OBVIOUSLY MS. BROWN'S AND MR. LAWSON'S SCHEDULE AND WHEN THEY CAN ARRANGE IT.
SO IF IT HAPPENS TO FALL DURING THAT TIME, THEN YOU KNOW, WE MAY HAVE TO PUSH SOMETHING OUTTA THE WAY.
HOPEFULLY THAT MEETING WILL BE SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.
BUT I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED TO COMMIT AT THIS POINT TO A MEETING BASED ON THE FLEXIBILITY OF WHAT I PERCEIVE AS HIGHER NEEDS.
I THINK, I THINK THERE'S TWO POINTS.
ONE, ONE IS HAVING THIS MEETING IN PLACE OUTSIDE, I UNDERSTAND BASICALLY ON SITE, THE ALL JOY MEETING AND MANAGEMENT CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, WOULD NOT BE OUR NORMAL SCHEDULED MEETING.
THAT WOULD BE A SPECIAL MEETING FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT WOULD BE RUN BY COUNCIL PEOPLE AND STAFF, NOT THE UTILITY BOARD.
WELL, WELL, WELL, MAYBE, EXCUSE ME.
MAYBE I WAS CONFUSED THEN BECAUSE I THOUGHT ONE OF THESE FOLKS OUT HERE, I'D HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK AND ASKED FOR US TO HAVE ONE OF OUR STORM WATER MEETINGS SOUTH OF THE BROAD MM-HMM.
SO THESE FOLKS AREN'T ALWAYS HAVING THE TRAS UP HERE.
AND THAT WAS WHY I BROUGHT THAT UP.
HAVING, REQUESTING A MEETING SOUTH OF THE BROAD FOR THE STORM WATER UTILITY BOARD, BUT THEN ALSO THE SPECIAL PUBLIC MEETING FOR ALL JOY THAT ALL JOY WATERSHED SPECIFICALLY.
SO, UM, JUST, IT CERTAINLY IS, IS NOT OUT OF THE REALM OF POSSIBILITIES.
I CANNOT THINK OF AT THIS VERY MOMENT, A SPECIFIC PROJECT SITE TO SHOWCASE THAT MM-HMM,
BUT WE COULD ALWAYS HAVE IT AT A PASSIVE PARK.
I COULD A COORDINATE WITH THE DIRECTOR THERE.
SO ONE, ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD RECOMMEND IS THAT I CAN COMMUNICATE WITH THE MEMBERS OF THE STORMWATER UTILITY BOARD, WHAT THE POTENTIALS ARE AND GET FEEDBACK FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR'S MEETINGS AS TO WHERE AND WHAT WILL BE COVERED.
YES, CERTAINLY THAT WOULD TAKE, AND THEN, AND THEN ONCE I GET THAT INFORMATION FROM YOU ALL, I CAN FEED IT BACK TO MS. HERRERA AS TO HERE'S WHAT OUR, OUR, OUR WISHLIST IS.
WE CAN GIVE YOU A MULTIPLE CHOICE, CERTAINLY REGARDLESS OF WHERE THE MEETING OCCURS NORTH OR SOUTH OF THE BROAD, THERE
[00:50:01]
IS A LOT OF LOGISTICAL PLANNING AS FAR AS CHAIRS, TENTS, ELECTRICITY, AND ALSO BROADCAST.SO THERE IT WOULD TO SOME IT WOULD BE DEPENDENT ON THEIR SCHEDULES AS WELL.
BUT AGAIN, AS WITH ENOUGH NOTICE, THAT'S TYPICALLY NOT A PROBLEM ON THEIR END.
AND THE LAST ITEM UNDER THE UTILITY UPDATE IS THAT ALL OF FY 25 BUDGET CONCURRENCE LETTERS FROM EACH MUNICIPALITIES, EACH OF OUR MUNICIPALITIES HAS BEEN PROVIDED.
AND THAT INFORMATION HAS ALSO BEEN PROVIDED TO COUNTY COUNCIL FOR IMPLEMENTATION INTO NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.
SO WE APPRECIATE ALL OF OUR MEMBERS FEEDBACK AND QUESTIONS AND WORKING WITH US TO GET THIS TAKEN CARE OF IN A TIMELY MANNER.
NO, GO RIGHT AHEAD,
SO WE'VE GOT THE MONITORING UPDATE AND I KNOW MR. DR.
PETTY'S IN THE ROOM IF YOU WANNA COME UP, PLEASE.
SORRY FOR NOT SUBMITTING A REPORT.
UM, NOT A WHOLE LOT TO REPORT.
WE FINISHED FIRST QUARTER FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY AND HAVE ALMOST ALL THE DATA TO YOU ALL NOW, I BELIEVE WAITING ON SOME LITTLE BIT MORE ANALYSES.
UM, CONTINUE TO COLLECT, UH, OR ANALYZE SAMPLES FOR THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON AS USUAL.
AND, UH OH, RECENTLY WE POSTED A NEW POSITION FOR LAB MANAGER.
IT WAS POSTED PREVIOUSLY, DIDN'T GET A WHOLE LOT OF ATTENTION, SO WE CHANGED IT UP A LITTLE BIT AND IT JUST REPOSTED THIS WEEK.
SO I'M HOPING, FINGERS CROSSED BY THE END OF THE SUMMER, WE'LL HAVE A NEW LAB MANAGER FOR, FOR, UH, THE WATER QUALITY LAB.
SO, UM, AM I FORGETTING ANYTHING? QUESTIONS? NO, THAT'S THE UPDATE I WANTED.
SO AGAIN, WE DO, NONE OF OUR MUNICIPAL PARTNERS ARE HERE, BUT THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH DISCUSSION WITH MEMBERS OF THE MUNICIPALITIES IN TALKING ABOUT HOW THE TAX RUN GETS IMPLEMENTED IN FUTURE YEARS AND ALSO HOW BUDGET LOOKS FOR THEM IN TO NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
ONE THING THAT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA, BUT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE TO KIND OF TALK ABOUT HERE IS THE, I'M SORRY, NOT IN THE REPORT, THE SOLO MANUAL.
WE WILL BE GETTING TOGETHER IN ON THE 28TH OF JUNE TO DISCUSS THE COMMENTS WE RECEIVED FROM THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY ON PROPOSED CHANGES WITHIN THE MANUAL ITSELF.
WE HAVE A SERIES OF IM IMPROVEMENTS WE WANNA MAKE TO THE MANUAL.
THOSE OF US THAT ARE, ARE IMPLEMENTING JUST FOR YOUR, UM, A REFRESHER THAT'S THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL, THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, THE CITY OF BEAUFORT, AND BEAUFORT COUNTY.
SO WE'LL ALL BE MEETING ON THE 28TH TO DISCUSS ALL OF THE COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK WE RECEIVED FROM THE ENGINEERING COMMUNITY AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC.
IT WAS, UH, PUBLICLY, UH, NOTICED BY OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM HERE AT THE COUNTY.
AND THEN THE PLAN AFTER THAT IS TO HAVE A SERIES OF COMMENTS BACK TO EVERYTHING THAT WAS RECEIVED AND THEN TO HAVE A WORKING GROUP TO DISCUSS ALL COMMENTS IN GENERAL PRIOR TO CREATING A RED LINE VERSION FOR Y'ALL TO APPROVE ANY MANUAL UPDATES ON.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO BE EVEN MORE INCLUSIVE AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
AGAIN, THIS IS A MANUAL THAT WE CREATED, BUT THEY USE, AND SO IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE IF THERE ARE PLACES WHERE WE CAN MAKE IMPROVEMENTS ON THAT, THAT GET, THAT THEY'RE PART OF THAT CONVERSATION.
SO THAT MEETING IS SCHEDULED WITH THE ENGINEERING GROUP TOWARDS THE END OF JULY.
AND WE DO HAVE THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD PARTICIPATING IN THIS MEETING, WHICH IS ENCOURAGING BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT BEEN A PART OF THE TECHNICAL SUBCOMMITTEE THUS FAR.
SO WE ARE MOVING FORWARD AS A GROUP AND THEY DO CERTAINLY HAVE A LOT OF POSITIVE FEEDBACK TO PROVIDE.
I KNOW OUR EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS AREN'T HERE, BUT, UH, DR. PETTY MENTIONED THAT THEY ANALYZE SAMPLES FOR BLUFFTON WATER QUALITY SAMPLES FOR THE CITY OF BLUFFTON OR TOWN OF BLUFFTON.
DO THE OTHER MUNICIPALITY SAMPLE THE DO THEY TEST? YES.
THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD TESTS ON THEIR OWN THROUGH A LAB OUTTA CHARLESTON.
AND THE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES NORTH OF ABROAD.
SO CITY OF BEAUFORT AND THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL, THEY ARE COVERED UNDER OUR IGA TO DO WATER QUALITY SAMPLING.
[00:55:01]
WE SAMPLE, SO OUR SAMPLES ARE REALLY FOR THEM OR IT'S FOR EVERYBODY JOINT NORTH OF THE BROAD IT'S JOINT.SO IN THE MANAGEMENT MEMO THAT TAYLOR SENDS OUT, THEY, IT'S CALCULATED THE COST SHARES AND THEY'RE INCLUDED IN THE FEES THAT ARE ASSESSED TO EACH OF THOSE MUNICIPALITIES.
SO ALL FIVE OF US PARTICIPATE IN THE EDUCATION AGREEMENT, BUT ONLY THREE OF US ARE IN THE WATER QUALITY MONITORING AGREEMENT.
SO ARE WE TRYING TO MOVE TO CONSOLIDATE ALL FIVE? WOULDN'T IT BE A, UM, NOT NECESSARILY.
I MEAN THE TOWN'S HAPPY WITH HOW THEIR SAMPLING IS GOING.
SO IT'S, IT'S WORKING OUT HOW IT NEEDS TO.
UM, WHY WE WOULDN'T CONSOLIDATE IS BEYOND ME.
Y YOU HAVE THREE OUT OF THE FIVE.
WHY, WHY WOULDN'T YOU HAVE FIVE OUT OF THE FIVE CONSOLIDATED? JUST Y YEARS AGO WE TALKED ABOUT TRYING TO, UH, UH, ENCOURAGE, UH, COORDINATION WHEN, WHEN MS FOUR CAME INTO BEING, WE, WE TALKED ABOUT IT, UH, AS AN ENTITY SAYING THAT, THAT IF WE COULD, YOU KNOW, GET EVERYONE TOGETHER RIGHT, WE MAY BE ABLE TO, I HATE TO SAY THIS, REDUCE THIS IS SOME OF THE OVERHEAD THAT THAT THAT IT TAKES.
AND IF YOU'RE SAMPLING GOING TO ONE LAB, WHO'S, YOU KNOW, AND THEN SOMEBODY ELSE IS USING ANOTHER LAB, UH, DOESN'T SOUND SOUND EFFICIENT TO ME JUST TO COMMENT.
THEY'RE CERTAINLY IMPLEMENTING WHAT THEY SEE APPROPRIATE WITHIN THEIR OWN JURISDICTIONAL BOUNDARIES.
SO, BUT IN THE EVENT WE EVER DO MOVE TO A REGIONAL STORMWATER AUTHORITY, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD MAKE A LOT MORE SENSE.
FOR REGIONAL COORDINATION, MY FIRST UPDATE, SO, UM, OLD WOODLANDS, I KNOW Y'ALL HAD ASKED ABOUT THIS LAST TIME.
THE SURVEY HAS BEEN PROVIDED TO OUR PROJECT MANAGER, MR. UM, MARK JOHNSON.
AND SO IN FY 25 THAT'LL BE A PROJECT THAT KICKS OFF.
JUST TO REFRESH YOUR MEMORY, THE, THERE ARE SOME DITCHES THAT WE HAVE DEEDED BACK TO THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD FOR MAINTENANCE AND THERE ARE OTHERS THAT NEED SERIOUS RESTRUCTURING, UM, IN ORDER TO GET POSITIVE DRAINAGE THROUGH THOSE AREAS.
SO THAT SURVEY WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN GETTING THE LEGWORK CREATED FOR ANY FUTURE PROJECTS.
SO HAPPY TO REPORT THAT IS, THAT IS STILL ON THE RADAR AS IT ALWAYS HAS BEEN.
UM, FOR IMPLEMENTATION IN FY 25.
AND MY THUNDER WAS STOLEN A LITTLE BIT.
BUT THE COUNTY WAS SUCCESSFUL IN RECEIVING A SOUTH CAROLINA RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE AUTHORITY GRANT FOR THE TUNE OF $187,500.
BEHIND THE SCENES, THE COUNTY HAD ALSO APPLIED FOR FEMA FUNDING.
THAT APPLICATION WAS PROVIDED IN FEBRUARY OF 2022.
YOU'VE HEARD THIS NUMEROUS TIMES.
I'M SURE THE COUNTY WAS ALSO SUCCESSFUL IN LEVERAGING THAT FUNDING AS WELL.
HOWEVER, IT HAS BEEN DECIDED THAT BECAUSE THE RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE AUTHORITY MONEY IS GOING TO BE PROVIDED MUCH FASTER THAN WHAT THE FEMA MONEY IS GOING TO BE, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD WITH ACQUIRING THE APPROVAL FROM THE INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO ACCEPT THOSE FUNDS ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY.
THIS WILL RESULT IN A LARGER COST SHARE FROM THE STORMWATER UTILITY.
SO THE SPLIT HERE IS 75% FEDERAL, UH, STATE, 25% COUNTY.
UM, THE MATCH REQUIREMENT FOR FEMA WOULD'VE BEEN JUST UNDER 22, I'M SORRY, JUST OVER 22,000.
BUT AGAIN, GIVEN THE TIMELINE WE WERE TRYING TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN, WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH RE FUNDING.
SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
THAT IS ON THE AGENDA THAT THEY ARE CURRENTLY DISCUSSING THE NEXT ROOM OVER FOR APPROVAL AT THE PUBLIC FACILITIES COMMITTEE MEETING ON MONDAY.
AND THEN PENDING SUCCESSFUL APPROVAL AT THAT LEVEL, IT WILL THEN BE ROUTED TO COUNTY COUNCIL FOR THE FOLLOWING MEETING.
SO ONCE THAT, ONCE WE CAN ACCEPT THAT THROUGH A RESOLUTION, UH, WE WILL BE MOVING FORWARD WITH WORKING WITH R STAFF.
THERE IS A MEETING SCHEDULED R STAFF NEXT FRIDAY AFTERNOON.
NEXT FRIDAY'S GONNA BE BUSY FOR US, UM,
[01:00:01]
TO DISCUSS HOW THIS WORKS MOVING FORWARD.SO WHO DECIDES WHAT, WHICH CONSULTANT TO USE THAT OR THEM? THAT IS SOMETHING THAT HAS TO GO OUT TO BID.
SO IT IS, DO WE BID THAT OUT OR DO THEY YES, THE COUNTY DOES.
SO THIS IS, UM, THE PROJECT TIMELINE, I BELIEVE IT WRAPS UP IN JUNE OF 2026.
CERTAINLY WE HOPE THAT IT'S GOES MUCH FASTER THAN THAT, BUT BECAUSE OF THE STATE PROCUREMENT LAWS, NOT THAT WE WEREN'T GONNA FOLLOW COUNTY PROCUREMENT LAWS, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT TO PICK AN ENGINEERING FIRM WOULD HAVE TO GO OUT TO BID.
SO, BUT MORE DETAILS AND INFORMATION WILL BE PASSED DOWN TO STAFF I'M SURE NEXT FRIDAY.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE FINANCIAL DEPARTMENT AND THE PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT ALL UNDERSTAND WHAT WE ARE EMBARKING UPON IN THIS ENDEAVOR BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD, UH, SO MUCH ATTENTION, UH, BROUGHT TO THE STORMWATER UTILITY FROM THE ALL JOY SITUATION.
CAN YOU GIVE THE BOARD AN IDEA FROM THE PAST TIMING? IN OTHER WORDS, THIS IS A STUDY, THIS IS NOT ACTUAL DIGGING IN THE DIRT.
THIS IS A STUDY, A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY WHEN WE COULD EXPECT THAT TO BEGIN THE STUDY TO BEGIN.
REALISTICALLY, LET'S SEE IF WE ACCEPT IT.
I'M JUST GOING THROUGH THE CALENDAR IN MY HEAD.
IF IT'S ACCEPTED AT COUNTY COUNCIL SOMETIME LATE JUNE, IT WOULD HAVE TO GO OUT TO BID POSTING.
UM, REALISTICALLY WE'D PROBABLY START EARLY JANUARY, WHICH IS A GOOD TIME TO START BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T WANNA BE OUT IN THE MISERABLE HEAT THAT IS THE LOW COUNTRY OF SOUTH CAROLINA DURING THE SUMMER.
SO IT'S GREAT TO GET FIELD WORK DONE IN THE WINTER.
SO I I'M I'M LOOKING AT FOR THE CITIZENS OF ALL JOY THAT ARE SITTING IN THE AUDIENCE, IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY AND THOSE THAT MIGHT LOOK AT THIS, UH, ON VIDEO, UH, WE, WE, WE CAN SAY THAT THIS STUDY HOPEFULLY MAY START SOMETIME IN EARLY 2025.
SO IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT IT IS A DRAINAGE STUDY.
MM-HMM
BUT WE JUST HAVE TO WAIT TO SEE WHAT RIGHT.
BUT JUST SEE WHAT THE STUDY SAYS.
NOT EVERYTHING IS GONNA BE A ONE SIZE FITS ALL.
SO AS WE ARE LEARNING, AS WE GET FURTHER INTO THE SHELL POINT EFFORT, QUICK QUESTION.
DO, DO WE NOT, ARE Y'ALL NOT HAVE A OPEN ENDED ID IQ WITH, WITH SOMEBODY CAN BYPASS THE BID PROCESS? I DON'T THINK THAT MATTERS.
'CAUSE IT WAS ALMOST THE, ONE OF THE FIRST EMAILS WE RECEIVED FROM THEIR STAFF IS THAT THIS DOES HAVE TO GO OUT TO BID BECAUSE THERE ARE STATE CONTRACTS YOU WOULD THINK WE COULD PIGGYBACK ON 'CAUSE WHERE THE MONEY'S COMING FROM.
I THINK BUT I CAN CERTAINLY ASK THAT QUESTION.
OR WAS IT, WHO DID THE LADIES ISLAND ONE? IN MY MIND I WAS LADIES ISLAND WAS WOLVER.
YOU NOT NEGOTIATE WITH, WITH THEM TO SPEED UP THE PROCESS.
BUT IF IT DEPENDS ON WHERE THE, I'M SURE THAT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT SINCE IT'S, AND WELL, I MEAN CERTAINLY OUR ON-CALL IS ABLE TO PUT IN A BID, UM, JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER QUALIFIED ENGINEERING FIRM IN THE STATE, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL OPEN.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? SO I AM GONNA TELL FEMA THANK YOU FOR YOUR $227,000, BUT WE POLITELY DECLINE 'CAUSE WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH STATE FUNDING.
SO, UM, BUT WE ARE CERTAINLY APPRECIATIVE OF THEM WORKING WITH US TO BRING BOTH APPLICATIONS TO THE FINISH LINE.
SO DO, DO WE BELIEVE THE $187,000 IS ENOUGH? YEAH.
IF WE DID THE PERSON IN THE ROOM TO BLAME IS JUST BEHIND ME.
[01:05:03]
BUT I AM GONNA SEE HIM TOMORROW, SO THAT'S EXCITING.SO FOR MUNICIPAL REPORTS, I TYPICALLY OPEN THE FLOOR TO OUR LOVELY PARTNERS, AND NONE OF THEM ARE HERE.
SO THEY'RE ON, THEY'RE, THEY'RE OFF TODAY.
UM, I SPECIFICALLY RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD SAYING NOTHING TO SHARE, SO I SAID I WOULD SHARE THAT INFORMATION ON THEIR BEHALF.
ANY QUESTIONS NOW? UH, FOR, FOR FOR THE RECORD, I'M GOING TO REACH OUT TO OUR EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS BECAUSE, UH, WE'VE NOT HAD THE PARTICIPATION THAT WE WOULD EXPECT, SO I'M GOING TO REACH OUT TO THOSE MEMBERS.
PRETTY EXCITING STUFF ACTUALLY.
WELL, IT'S ALL RELATIVELY, RELATIVELY EXCITING, TRUTHFULLY.
SO AS USUAL, WE DO CONTINUE TO MEET MONTHLY AT THE STAFF LEVEL TO TALK ABOUT EXISTING DRAINAGE EASEMENTS, ANYTHING THE COUNTY STILL NEEDS TO OBTAIN OR OUR RIGHT OF WAY MANAGER IS WORKING TOWARDS ON OUR BEHALF.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SHE IS WORKING ON WITH A CONSULTANT IS MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF THE EXISTING RECORDED DRAINAGE EASEMENTS WERE OBTAINED APPROPRIATELY AND CORRECTLY.
AND THOSE THAT WE HAVE INCOMPLETE RECORDS ON, WE ARE MAKING SURE THOSE ARE PLUSSED UP AND, UM, MOVING FORWARD, THERE'S, UH, BETTER RECORDS.
A LOT OF THINGS ARE OLD EXISTING HANDSHAKES AND AGREEMENTS, AND SO WE JUST NEED TO GET THOSE THINGS PROPERLY RECORDED INTO THE COUNTY.
THAT USED TO WORK A WHILE AGO, BUT NOT ANYMORE.
SO FOR SHELL POINT, UM, THIS IS ANOTHER PROJECT THAT WE HAVE KIND OF IN THE WORKS.
THE, WE ARE HOPEFUL TO RECEIVE FEMA FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT AS WELL.
RIGHT NOW, THE PHASE ONE APPLICATION IS SELECTED FOR REVIEW.
WE ARE HOPING IT FOLLOWS THE SAME TREND AND THAT IT IS SELECTED AND APPROVED FOR FUNDING.
WE DID PUT IN A SENATORIAL EARMARK THROUGH LINDSEY GRAHAM'S OFFICE IN EARLY MAY AND FOR FY 25 FUNDS TO BE ALLOCATED TO THE STATE.
AS YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR WE WERE SUCCESSFUL IN LEVERAGING CONGRESSIONAL FUNDS, HOWEVER, THEY DID NOT, UM, MAKE IT TO THE SENATE SIDE.
SO, UM, WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT THAT HAPPENS RIGHT NOW OUT BID.
WE HAVE CONSTRUCTION TO, UH, RESTRUCTURE OUR DRAINAGE EASEMENTS TO MAKE NICE CLEAN WORK SHELFS MOVING FORWARD FOR OUR STAFF TO GO IN AND MAINTAIN IN PERPETUITY.
A LOT OF THESE EASEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN DEEDED TO THE COUNTY, AND SO THERE ARE SEVERAL ACRES WORTH OF LARGE TREES AND SHRUBBERY THAT NO ONE HAS TOUCHED.
AND SO NOW THAT WE ARE LEGALLY ABLE TO GO IN AND ENTER THESE DRAINAGE EASEMENTS, WE WANT A NICE CLEAN SLATE MOVING FORWARD.
SO THAT WORK IS CURRENTLY OUT FOR BID.
THE PRE-BID MEETING FOR THAT IS SCHEDULED FOR JAN JUNE 25TH AND SHOULD BE CLOSING VERY SHORTLY AFTER THAT.
UM, FROM THERE WE'LL MAKE SURE OUR CONSULTANT IS LOOPED IN, UH, AS WELL AS OUR PROJECT MANAGER MARK JOHNSON, ON PRE-CONSTRUCTION MEETINGS, DURING CONSTRUCTION MEETINGS, AND POST-CONSTRUCTION MEETINGS.
SO ONCE A ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN SELECTED TO PERFORM THE WORK, THAT DEPENDING ON COSTS, WE'LL BRING TO YOU ALL FOR APPROVAL.
BUT THEN WE WILL ALSO BE SCHEDULING A PUBLIC MEETING WITH THE SHELL POINT COMMUNITY, UM, TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THIS NEXT SET OF WORK IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE.
SO, UM, THAT IS THAT, AND AGAIN, ONE OF THE EXCITING THINGS FOR US IS GETTING THAT SEA ISLAND PARKWAY PROJECT TAKEN CARE OF.
THIS IS THE FIRST INLINE, UH, STOP VALVE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, AND WE CERTAINLY HOPE IT WON'T BE THE LAST, THE OLD METHOD OF KEEPING WATER FROM FLOWING BACK INTO YOUR PIPES WERE, UM, ALUMINUM GATES OR STEEL GATES.
AND THESE RUBBER ONES SEEM TO BE MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE AND HAVE A MUCH LONGER LIFE AS FAR AS MAINTENANCE IS CONCERNED.
AND SO STARTING AN FY 25 PLACES THAT HAVE EXISTING, UH, FLAP GATES WILL BE WORKING THROUGH A REPLACEMENT SCHEDULE TO GET THEM WITH THIS NEWER TECHNOLOGY
[01:10:03]
SAVED BY THE PHONE.UM, MAYBE IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE FOR US TO SEE A, A, A VIDEO OF THOSE.
THAT WOULD BE, SHOULD PUT THAT ON OUR RADAR.
WORST CASE VIDEO FROM CHARLIE.
AND THEN LASTLY, WE ARE, WE HAVE ADDED THIS TO NEW BUSINESS, BUT THERE IS AN UPDATE ON THE TUXEDO PARK PROJECT.
SO I'M GONNA HAVE MARK JOHNSON COME UP UNDER NEW BUSINESS JUST TO PRESENT THAT TO Y'ALL FOR VOTING AND APPROVAL, GIVEN THE COST SO WE CAN CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD THROUGH THE PROPER CHAIN OF COMMAND AT THE COUNTY LEVEL.
UM, AND THEN LASTLY, FOR ARTHUR HORN PARK, THE RACHEL WALDEN, THE NRCS DIRECTOR, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH OUT OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, HAS BEEN REPLACED BY SOMEONE WHO ACTUALLY LIVES IN SOUTH CAROLINA, WHICH IS AMAZING.
AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE SOME CONTINUITY OF STAFF AT THE STATE LEVEL.
BUT RIGHT NOW THEY ARE WRITING THE SCOPE OF SERVICES FOR, TO BE PROVIDED TO THE FEDERAL ON-CALL STAFF TO BEGIN THE PLANNING AND DESIGN PROCESS FOR THE PROJECT SELECTED AS PART OF THE BATTERY CREEK WATERSHED.
UM, IMPROVEMENTS AND RETROFITS.
SO THAT INCLUDES ARTHUR HORN PARK, SOUTH SIDE PARK, POTENTIALLY.
UM, I KNOW THEY'VE ALREADY KIND OF STARTED CONSTRUCTION.
THERE ARE OTHER LOCATIONS AS WELL THROUGHOUT THE HUCK 10 WATERSHED THAT BATTERY CREEK IS LOCATED IN, UM, AS WELL AS AN IMPROVED EDUCATION COMPONENT.
ANY QUESTIONS? I DO HAVE A COUPLE.
SO ONE IS THE DRAINAGE EASEMENTS ARE IN PLACE.
YOU'RE GONNA START CLEARING AND CLEANING UP THE DITCHES AND THE WORK SHELF.
SO THAT'S ALL TREES OR YOU WORK AROUND LARGE TREES? ALL TREES.
I MEAN, THERE MAY BE INSTANCES WHERE SOMETHING IS NOT REALLY IN THE WAY ENOUGH FOR THEM TO GET AROUND, BUT THE BULK OF IT IS GOING TO BE TAKEN TO THE GRASS.
UM, THAT'S AN EXPECTATION THAT WE'LL HAVE TO SET TOO WITH THE RESIDENTS.
BUT IN ORDER FOR US TO PROPERLY MAINTAIN THAT SYSTEM, WE, THERE'S A LOT THAT HAS TO GO IF YOU'RE GONNA, THAT, THAT WAS MY REASON TO ASK, IS THAT THE RESIDENTS ARE AWARE BECAUSE FROM OUR PRIVATE SECTOR WORK, THAT THAT USUALLY GETS EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION.
THEY WANT THE DISH CLEAN, THE BIG TREE COMES DOWN.
THEY'RE, SOME OF THOSE EASEMENTS ARE SO TIGHT.
I MEAN, THE GUYS WHO WENT IN DURING, IN SOME OF THOSE SECTIONS, ESPECIALLY NEAR PALMETTO RIDGE, I MEAN, THEY REALLY, THEY WERE BOGGED DOWN.
THERE WERE TREES LEANING TOWARDS HOUSES.
I MEAN, IT WAS LIKE, I WAS SWEATING.
SO, UM, SO YEAH, THEY'LL DEFINITELY BE MADE AWARE PRIOR TO CONSTRUCTION.
SO YOU, YOU ANTICIPATED AN ANSWER TO FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS.
SO THEN BACKING UP TO THE WOLFER PRESENTATION AND THE, UM, THE FEES IS, WHAT DID, WAS THAT JUST FOR OUR INFORMATION OR DID Y'ALL NEED SOMETHING FROM US THAT WAS JUST FOR Y'ALL'S INFORMATION? AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE'VE, I'VE KIND OF PRESENTED ON IT THAT WE'RE WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES TO GET A REVISED RATE STRUCTURE GIVEN THE COMPLEXITY AND DEMAND OF STAFF TIME.
AND SO OUR PRESENT, SO WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER PRESENTATION AFTER THE MUNICIPALITIES HAVE COME TO AN AGREEMENT THAT WE WOULD THEN PROVIDE TO Y'ALL FOR APPROVAL AND VOTING.
SO RIGHT NOW YOU'RE, YOU'RE JUST LOOKING TO CHANGE THE WAY THAT YOU CALCULATE MM-HMM,
AND THEN IN THE SIMPLIFIED VERSION, IT'S THE BUDGET YOU'LL HAVE, AND THEN YOU'LL FIGURE OUT HOW TO CONVERT THAT TO THE, TO FULFILL THOSE DOLLARS BASED ON THE IMPERVIOUS SURFACE IS THAT'S THE SHORT VERSION OF IT.
SO THERE'LL BE A TIME IN THE FUTURE THAT WE WILL SEE THOSE NUMBERS IN THE BACKGROUND FOR THAT.
I, YOU KNOW, TO CRYSTAL'S RIGHT? TO CRYSTAL'S POINT, WE HAVE THE TIERED STRUCTURE FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, BUT THE IMPERVIOUS AREA THAT A MEGA MANSION ON A SMALL LOT CONTRIBUTES IS MUCH GREATER THAN SOMEONE WITH A TINY HOUSE AND A SMALLER LOT.
SO HOW DO WE MAKE THOSE KINDS OF THINGS EQUITABLE? AND HOW DO WE WANT TO,
[01:15:01]
UM, I GUESS HOW DO WE WANNA IMPLEMENT, WHAT DO WE THINK IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PORTION OF THE UTILITY FEE ITSELF? WHY IS THE FEE IMPORTANT AND HOW DO WE, I GUESS, FEE THAT SO TO SPEAK? OKAY.SO THIS IS A GOOD INTRODUCTION.
LOOK FORWARD TO THE MORE DETAILED INFORMATION IN THE FUTURE.
STEVE, PIGGYBACKING ON HIS QUESTION, AND MAYBE IT GOES TO CRYSTAL.
DID, DID I JUST GET THAT, THAT IN, IN THE YEAR 2020 FIVES BUDGET, YOU'RE GOING TO COME UP WITH THE DOLLARS YOU NEED FOR THE BUDGET AND THEN WORK BACKWARDS TO THE CALCULATION, OR YOU'RE GOING TO CREATE A CALCULATION AND THEN KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY YOU'RE GOING TO RAISE? NO, NO.
WHAT NO TO KIND OF BOTH OF THOSE THINGS.
WE HAVE A BUDGET THAT WE CREATE EVERY YEAR THAT WE KNOW IF WE OPERATE AT THIS LEVEL, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PULL MONEY OUT OF OUR RESERVES.
THAT TYPICALLY DOESN'T HAPPEN.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK, ESPECIALLY WITH INFLATION, THAT COSTS ARE RISING, THEREFORE, WE SHOULD JUST GO AHEAD AND INCREASE OUR COSTS.
THAT IS THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF WHAT I AM TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
WE CAN GET OUR YEARLY WORK DONE WITHOUT HAVING TO INCREASE FEES.
SO SHE'S GOING, WILPERT IS GOING TO CREATE SOMETHING FOR US, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO COMPARE IT AND MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO ASSESS FEES.
SO SHE MAY GIVE US A MENU ITEM THAT SAYS, THIS IS HOW YOU CAN RAISE $10 MILLION.
AND THEN I'M GONNA SAY, I ACTUALLY ONLY NEED FIVE.
SO YOU NEED, WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD SO THAT WE'RE NOT CREATING MONEY JUST TO HAVE MONEY.
WE'RE NOT TRYING TO POCKET MONEY AT THE END OF EVERY YEAR.
WE'RE TRYING TO SPEND IT, WE'RE TRYING TO BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE WITH HOW WE'RE DOING THINGS.
DID THAT MAKE IT WORSE OR BETTER OR NOTHING? I DON'T KNOW.
LOOK, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT I HELD, I I I AM PERPLEXED.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE WE'RE, WE'RE GOING TO ZERO BASE BUDGETING, WHICH IS GREAT, RIGHT? UH, UH, OUR, OUR MONEY IN, IN, IN OUR RESERVE IS, IS FOR A HURRICANE, A CATASTROPHE THAT WE WEREN'T EXPECTING THAT, THAT WE NEED TO DRAW FROM.
UH, BUT WE DON'T NEED TO CONTINUE TO ADD TO THE RESERVES.
WE, WE HAVE A, WE, WE, WE BELIEVE WE HAVE ENOUGH RESERVE FUNDS BASED ON PAST CALCULATIONS.
WE HAVE PLENTY OF, WE HAVE A $5 MILLION BOND THAT WE'VE NEVER TOUCHED BECAUSE WE CAN ACCOMPLISH OUR PROJECTS WITHOUT TAPPING INTO THAT.
SO IN 2026, I'M GONNA BE TELLING YOU THAT I WANNA GET RID OF MY BOND.
'CAUSE IN 2027, THE BOND GETS CALLED.
I'M GONNA HAVE TO ASK MS. HOWARD AND MS. BROWN FOR PERMISSION BECAUSE YOU KNOW THEIR ACCOUNTING COUNSEL.
BUT I DON'T NEED TO BE PAYING ON A LOAN THAT I DON'T EVEN USE BECAUSE I CAN ACCOMPLISH MY GOALS WITH I I UNDERSTAND.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH MONEY OR WE'RE ALLOCATING ENOUGH MONEY FOR THE NEEDS OF THE RESIDENTS OF BEAUFORD COUNTY.
I DON'T WANNA BE UP SHORT, YOU KNOW.
I'LL ALL BE TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? STILL HAVE HALF A PRESENTATION TO GO.
HOW ARE YOU? THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
THE NEXT ITEM IS PROFESSIONAL CONTRACTS REPORT.
UM, WE'RE CLOSING OUT FISCAL YEAR 25 AS OF JUNE 30TH THIS YEAR.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET ALL OF OUR WORK FINISHED UP AND PAID OUT PRIOR TO THAT SO THAT WE CAN ISSUE NEW TASK ORDERS AND NEW POS NEXT YEAR.
KIND OF START WITH A CLEAN SLATE.
UM, BREWER MEMORIAL HAS BEEN FINISHED FOR A WHILE, BUT IT IS AN AMAZING SHOWCASE OF STORMWATER BMPS.
SO I'D REALLY LIKE TO HAVE AN OPEN HOUSE KIND OF FUN EVENT FOR THE COMMUNITY TO COME AND SEE WHAT ACTIVE STORMWATER BMPS LOOK LIKE.
UM, MANY PEOPLE HAVE PROBABLY BEEN TO THIS PARK.
IT'S RIGHT BESIDE WHITEHALL LANDING.
SOME PEOPLE MIGHT THINK IT'S BEAUTIFUL, BUT DOESN'T KNOW THAT IT'S FUNCTIONAL.
SO WE JUST LIKE TO HAVE AN EVENT FOR STORMWATER FOR THE PUBLIC TO COME AND LEARN WHAT IT'S ABOUT.
OUR NEW EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION COORDINATOR WILL BE PUTTING THAT TOGETHER.
AND I'LL LET HER INTRODUCE HERSELF AT A LATER SECTION.
WE ONLY HAVE TWO CURRENT TASK ORDERS OPEN WITH WILPERT.
LIKE I SAID, WE'RE TRYING TO CLOSE EVERYTHING OUT FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR AND ISSUE NEW
[01:20:01]
TOS AND POS FOR NEXT YEAR SO THAT WE'RE NOT ROLLING OVER MONEY AND MAKING FINANCE MAD AT US.UM, AS Y'ALL KNOW, WE PUT PLAN REVIEW BACK ON THE CONSULTANT.
JULIANA HUNTER IS CURRENTLY WORKING FOR THEM.
SO SHE HAS A VAST KNOWLEDGE AND BACKGROUND OF BEAUFORT COUNTY REGULATIONS.
SO SHE'S DOING FANTASTIC WITH THAT.
UM, TASK ORDER 21 IS THE CONTINUOUS MONITORING STATION AND THE OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE NEEDED FOR THAT.
AND THAT'S RIGHT ON THE BRIDGE BEFORE YOU GO INTO BLUFFTON.
UM, HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE INSTALLING A NEW ONE OF THOSE NEXT YEAR, BUT THIS IS THE ACCOUNT THAT KEEPS THAT ONE GOING.
UM, SCOPES ON THE COUNTY AND WILPERT RADAR.
WE UPDATED THE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PLAN DURING OUR ANNUAL REPORT TO DH THIS YEAR, WHICH Y'ALL WERE PROVIDED A COPY OF.
SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO LOOK BACK AT THAT.
AND THEN FOR OUR MS FOUR REPORTS, UH, PLAN REVIEW'S BEEN GOING.
UH, PLANS FOR PROJECTS ARE ROLLING IN WEEKLY.
WE'VE BEEN WRITING SOME PERMITS.
AND THEN MONTHLY INSPECTION SUMMARY IS UP THERE AND IN YOUR PACKET AS WELL.
BUT ONE THING I WANTED TO MENTION IS THAT, UH, TWO OF OUR INSPECTORS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO AND GET INFIELD TRAINING AT THE IECA CONFERENCE.
SOUTHEAST CONFERENCE IS THE INTERNATIONAL EROSION CONTROL ASSOCIATION.
SO THEY HAD AN INSTALL DAY WHERE MY FIELD CREW GOT TO GO AND SEE PHYSICAL INSTALLATIONS, UH, FOR SEDIMENT AND EROSION CONTROL SO THEY CAN KNOW HOW IT'S PROPERLY SUPPOSED TO BE INSTALLED, WHAT TO LOOK FOR AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, SO THEY SAID IT WAS FANTASTIC TO ACTUALLY GET IN THE CLASSROOM AND LEARN AND THEN GET OUT IN THE FIELD AND SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON.
SO ONGOING EDUCATION IN THAT DEPARTMENT.
AND THEN OUR PUBLIC EDUCATION REPORT FROM MS. ELLEN IS ATTACHED IN, IN YOUR PACKET AS WELL.
JUST DOUBLE CHECKING TO MAKE SURE SHE'S NOT HERE.
IF SHE WANTED TO SPEAK, I WAS GONNA LET HER SPEAK.
AND THEN FOR THE MS FOUR STATEWIDE GENERAL PERMIT, THE EPA HAS PROVIDED COMMENTS TO DOT'S MS FOUR PERMIT.
AND ALSO I HEARD THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE AT ACAM MEETING THAT D HECK IS WORKING ON THE FIRST PHASE OF PERMITS, NEW PERMITS COMING OUT.
SO THAT WOULD BE THE LARGE, LARGER MUNICIPALITIES, GREENVILLE, RICHLAND COUNTY, AND COLUMBIA.
SO I'VE HEARD THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE THAT THEIR PERMITS WILL COME OUT BEFORE THE PHASE TWO ONES, BUT WE'RE STILL WAITING ON THAT.
AND THEN IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW, DHE IS SPLITTING COME JULY 1ST.
SO WE WILL, OUR NEW GOVERNING AGENCY IS GONNA BE CALLED THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES.
UM, AND WE ARE LOOKING FOR UPDATES FROM THEM AS TO HOW TO PROCEED AS FAR AS ALL OF OUR DOCUMENTATION THAT REFERENCES DHEC AND THINGS LIKE THAT BECAUSE ALL OF OUR LITIGATION COMES FROM THEM AND REQUIREMENTS COME FROM THEM.
UH, FOR THIS, THE STAFF UPDATE, WE HAVE HIRED A NEW ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION COORDINATOR.
SHE BLEW US AWAY IN HER INTERVIEW.
I'LL LET HER GIVE HER A LITTLE INTRODUCTION.
BUT, UM, THIS IS MS. VALENTINA AND HER JOB IS GONNA BE SPLIT KIND OF THREE WAYS.
SHE'S GONNA BE ABOUT, UM, 45% STORM WATER, 45% SOLID WASTE, AND THEN A GOOD MIX OF PUBLIC WORKS FOR THE REMAINDER.
SO SHE'S GONNA BE THE PERSON THAT WILL HOPEFULLY BE A LIAISON BETWEEN US AND THE COMMUNITY TO NOT ONLY GET OUT WHAT WE'RE DOING TO THE COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO TO TELL US WHAT WE CAN DO BETTER.
I THINK THERE'S A LOT THAT WE'RE DOING REALLY WELL THAT THE COMMUNITY DOESN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT.
LIKE WHAT ARE THE THINGS OUR FRONT FACING WEBSITE THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT SHE WILL HOPEFULLY BE VERY INCREMENTAL IN HELPING US GET OUR MESSAGES ACROSS FOR PREVENTION MEASURES AS WELL.
BECAUSE IF WE CAN TEACH THE PUBLIC WHAT NOT TO DO AND BE PROACTIVE, THEN HOPEFULLY OUR JOBS WILL BECOME A LITTLE BIT EASIER.
AND WE WON'T HAVE TO BE SO REACTIVE ON THE BACKEND.
BUT I'LL LET HER INTRODUCE HERSELF AND JUST GIVE A COUPLE WORDS.
AS TAYLOR INTRODUCED ME, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE JOINING BUFORT COUNTY.
I HAVE LIVED AND BLUFFTON MY WHOLE LIFE, GROWN UP HERE, WENT TO SCHOOL IN CHARLESTON, LOW COUNTRY'S THE HOME, MY HOME.
UM, AND REALLY EXCITED TO GET ILLUSTRATED AND GET TO KNOW ALL THE NITTY GRITTY PARTS OF STORMWATER MANAGEMENT, AS WELL AS THE REST OF STUFF WITH SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING AND JUST SPREADING AWARENESS AND EDUCATION THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.
BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T KNOW, YOU DON'T KNOW ANY BETTER.
AND THAT HELPS PREVENTATIVE AND BE PROACTIVE, WHICH IS CRUCIAL TOO.
CONTINUING AND MOVING UPWARD AND DOING THINGS BETTER.
SO YEAH, I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE AND LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING PART OF EVERYTHING.
WELL, A WARM WELCOME, MS. PALACIO.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? ALL RIGHT.
WITH THAT, I'M GONNA LET MR. BRADLEY HEAR IT COME UP AND GIVE US A UPDATE ON OUR INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE PROJECTS.
[01:25:01]
AFTERNOON AGAIN.UH, STAN STANDING IN FOR MR. STEVEN CARTER.
HE'S, HE'S, UH, HE'S BACK WITH US, BUT JUST STILL RECOVERING.
SO HE'S ON LIGHT DUTY, BUT, UH, HE SHOULD BE HERE NEXT MEETING.
UM, SO ON THE MAINTENANCE REPORT, YOU CAN SEE THE, THE PROJECTS WE'VE DONE HERE.
THAT VERY TOP ONE, JUST ONE MINOR CORRECTION.
THAT SHOULD BE BRADLEY CIRCLE, THAT'S HILTON HEAD ISLAND, NOT BLUFFTON.
UM, SO THAT WAS A, JUST A TYPO THERE.
UM, THAT BRADLEY CIRCLE WAS A, WAS A REAL NICE PROJECT.
UM, THEY HAD A BUNCH OF ISSUES DOWN AND THAT'S RIGHT.
I DUNNO IF YOU KNOW WHERE BRADLEY CIRCLE IS, BUT IT'S RIGHT ON THE BEACH DOWN THERE AND JUST A FRONT YARD.
SOME OF THOSE DITCHES IN THERE THAT JUST, THEY WERE JUST, THE DITCHES WERE TOO DEEP FOR THE YARD.
SO WE ENDED UP PIPING SOME AREAS IN TO MAKE AND PUTTING SOME CATCH PATIENTS IN.
SO IT WAS A NICE LITTLE PROJECT THAT WE DONE IN HOUSE.
UM, I WON'T GO THROUGH ALL OF 'EM.
UM, THE LAST PROJECT ON THE LIST THERE THAT 7 9 2 C PARKWAY, UH, JH HIRES ACTUALLY, WE ACTUALLY CONTRACTED THAT PRICE, THAT PROJECT OUT.
UM, THAT WAS, AND THAT'S THE PROJECT THAT WE INSTALLED.
THE WA PROOF VALVE IN, UM, JH HIRES, INSTALLED ALL THE MAIN, MAIN INFRASTRUCTURE PIPE, UM, AND DID THE BACK FILLING.
WE ACTUALLY TEAMED UP WITH 'EM.
UM, AND THEN WE WENT BACK AFTER THE PROJECT WAS AFTER THEY GOT THE MAIN INFRASTRUCTURE IN, UM, AND INSTALLED THE WA PRO VALVE WITH THE REPRESENTATIVE THERE.
I WAS VERY IMPRESSED AT FIRST.
I WAS A LITTLE SKEPTICAL ON HOW DOES, HOW IT WOULD WORK AND HOW IT DOES, BUT IT'S WORKING LIKE IT'S SUPPOSED TO.
AND JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, WHEN WE, WE FIRST PUT THAT PIPE IN, WE WEREN'T SURE IF THE, YOU KNOW, HOW THE, THE PRESSURES WERE GONNA HANDLE WITH THE HEAD PRESSURE ON THOSE PIPES.
THOSE JOINTS ARE ACTUALLY LEAKING.
I MEAN, WHEN WE HAD ABOUT A EIGHT FOOT TIDE AND THE JOINTS WERE LEAKING, I MEAN, YOU COULD SEE THE WATER PHYSICALLY COMING THROUGH THE JOINTS.
SO THAT GOES TO TELL YOU THE PRESSURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE WATER HAS, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH HEADS ON THE, ON THAT PIPE.
SO WE PUT THE WALL PRO VALVE IN IMMEDIATELY, THE JOINT STOP LEAKING.
UM, AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE THERE'S SOME, WE GOT SOME 57 STONE OUT IN FRONT OF IT.
SO WHEN IT RELEASES IT ACTUALLY, THE PRESSURE ON THE PIPE WHEN IT RELEASES, IT ACTUALLY MOVES THE STONE.
SO WHEN IT, IT, IT DOES A GOOD JOB.
I THINK IT'S AT 13 PSI, ONCE IT BUILDS UP 13 PSI, IT'LL RELEASE.
VERY GOOD IF Y'ALL WOULD COME OUT AND SEE THAT AND SEE HOW IT WORKS.
UM, IT'S VERY INNOVATIVE FOR SURE.
UM, AND THEN JUST LAST COUPLE, UH, MINOR PROJECTS DOWN THERE, JUST SOME, UH, CHANNEL DITCHING DITCH CLEANING.
UM, SO THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT FOR THING.
I DUNNO IF Y'ALL MET MISS JOANNA ZORN.
SO MISS JOANNA DOES ALL OUR AUDITING.
SO SHE ALWAYS TELLS US, HEY, THIS IS NOT ALL WHAT WE'RE DOING.
SO JUST SO EVERYBODY KNOWS, THIS ISN'T WHAT WE DO.
WE JUST PICK A FEW PROJECTS THAT SHE'S AUDITED.
THERE'S PROBABLY, I DON'T KNOW, 30, 40 MORE PROJECTS THAT SHE'S AUDITED ARE ON THE BOOKS.
WE JUST KIND OF PICK OUT A SELECT FEW AND PUT 'EM OUT THERE.
SO THERE'S A LOT MORE WORK THAT WE, UM, AND IF Y'ALL WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT, WE CAN PROBABLY PUT THAT IN A SPREADSHEET TO SEE WHAT WORK'S BEEN DONE.
UM, IF Y'ALL WOULD LIKE TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT WAS THERE, IT'S PRETTY, PRETTY EASY FOR HER TO, TO PUT THAT TOGETHER.
I THINK THAT WOULDN'T BE NICE TO SEE.
UH, FOR OUR LIAISON AND MS. BROWN, SHE'S TEACHING ME INVESTIGATOR ALL JOIN, UM, TO ADDRESS THE UM, GENTLEMAN THAT TALKED ABOUT US HAVING COMMITTEE MEETINGS LIKE DOWN SOUTH OF THE BROAD.
AND CORRECT ME ALICE IF I'M WRONG.
UM, PRIOR TO ME COMING ON COUNTY COUNCIL, UM, THEY USED TO GO SOUTH OF THE BROAD, THE LIBRARY TO THE REC CENTER TO DIFFERENT PLACES.
BUT IT CAME LOGISTICALLY, IT JUST IMPOSSIBLE TO DO IT.
SO THAT'S WHY THEY HAVE ALL THE MEETINGS HERE IN COUNCIL BECAUSE OF THE AV SYSTEM.
AV, IS THAT CORRECT? UM, ALSO, UM, WE WANNA MARK AND MARK FEINBERG AND I TALKED ABOUT US HAVING A MEETING IN, OUT AT THE BUCK BLUFFTON REC CENTER FOR ALL JOY PEOPLE TO ADDRESS ISSUES.
AND WE HAVE BEAUFORT, JAS WATER COMPANY.
UM, I'M GONNA MEET WITH THEM MONDAY.
THEY'RE GONNA COME TO THE MEETING AS WELL.
SO I'M ASKING ALL OF YOU, WHAT IS A GOOD TIME? DO YOU WANNA HAVE IT IN SUMMER MONTHS? BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE GO AWAY VACATION.
UM, WE CAN'T HAVE IT ON A MONDAY OR FRIDAY NIGHT, BUT FOR A PUBLIC STORM WATER, A PUBLIC YES.
A PUBLIC MEETING FOR ALL THE, ALL JOY PEOPLE AT THE BUCK WATER REC CENTER, RIGHT? YES.
AND THAT'S, AND THAT'S TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF THE, UM, SEWERS.
RIGHT? MARK? WELL, BOTH STORM WATER AND HAVING BEAUFORD WATER.
SO I'M ASKING YOU, WHEN'S A GOOD TIME? THE SOONER IS BETTER.
SO LIKE A TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY NIGHT? WELL, THEY, WE'VE BEEN WAITING SINCE WE THOUGHT IT WAS GONNA BE LAST OCTOBER.
UM, SO WE COULD DO IT, UM, RIGHT AFTER THE FOURTH, MAYBE RIGHT AT THE FOURTH.
AND OUR NEW ADMINISTRATOR WILL BE ON BOARD AS WELL.
[01:30:01]
KNOW, MS. BROWN FOR THAT TOO? PARDON ME? IS IS MR. LAWSON GONNA BE AVAILABLE? 'CAUSE THAT'S A LARGE PART OF THE CASE.WELL, THAT'S WHAT I'M GONNA, I HAVE TO ARRANGE WITH HIM A DATE THAT HE CAN BE THERE AND I CAN BE THERE.
'CAUSE HE KNOWS ALL JOY A LOT BETTER THAN I DO.
'CAUSE HE'S BEEN ON COUNTY COUNCIL A LOT LONGER THAN I HAVE.
BUT I, I'M, I'M GONNA SET IT UP WITH SARAH A DATE A TIME AND SHE'LL, SHE'LL BOOK THE REC CENTER AND THEN SHE'LL PUT IT OUT PUBLICLY.
BUT I HAVE TO GET WITH MARK LAWSON, WHICH I SEE HIM ON MONDAY.
SO MAYBE A TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY OR THURSDAY NIGHT WOULD BE GOOD.
'CAUSE OUR COUNCIL MEETINGS ARE MONDAY AND FRIDAY IF WE SLEEP, THAT'S THE WEEKEND.
THE ONLY THING THAT WE ASK THE LAST PUBLIC MEETING THAT WAS HELD THERE, WE DO NEED PROPER MICING BECAUSE IT WAS SAID, WELL PEOPLE CAN JUST COME DOWN, BUT WE'VE GOT AN OLDER POPULATION TOO AND THEY CAN'T WALK OUT THOSE BLEACHERS.
OKAY, SO YOU'RE ASKING A FOR A MIC? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? A MIC? LIKE A HAND MIC? YES.
BECAUSE WHAT IT WAS, THEY HELD IT KIND OF LIKE A TOWN BLOCK OR A TOWN, UH, INFORMATION.
SO THAT WAY THERE WERE TWO MICS ACTUALLY.
SO I THINK MATT ROACH WAS ONE THAT WOULD WALK UP A MIC TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS.
THAT'S SO MUCH EASIER BECAUSE WE COULDN'T HEAR AT THE LAST MEETING AND EVERYBODY THE LAST MEETING THAT WAS AT THE BUCK REC CENTER? NO, I MEAN THE BLUFFTON REC CENTER, EXCUSE ME, I'M SORRY.
PERTAIN TO THE ALL JOY LANDING, ALL THE OH, OKAY.
AND THAT WAS ABLE TO ACTUALLY BE SCHEDULED WITHIN A WEEK AND A HALF.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE'VE BEEN ASKING MR. LAWSON NOW FOR WELL I WILL ASK HIM ON MONDAY.
AND WHAT DATE IS GOOD FOR HIM AND THEN WE'LL GO, WE'LL GO FROM THAT DATE.
I'LL GET SARAH TO BOOK IT AND HE'LL PUT IT OUT PUBLICLY TO EVERYBODY.
WE JUST NEED THAT THE MIKE'S TO BE ABLE TO HEAR PROPERLY.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE? IS THAT THE BEST LOCATION? YES MA'AM.
UM, ALSO SOMEONE MENTIONED ABOUT THE STATE ROAD, ONE OF THE ROADS OR STATE ROADS.
I UNDERSTAND TOM DAVIS IS MOVING TO UL JOY.
I WOULD THINK THAT WE COULD GET HIS HELP ON THAT.
SO MAYBE WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT TOO.
MAYBE WE CAN GET TOM DAVIS THERE AS WELL, SINCE HE'S GONNA BE A RESIDENT.
I DON'T KNOW WHEN, BUT I UNDERSTAND HE'S BUILDING HOME THERE.
HE'S IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU GUYS WANT TO WANNA, I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THE SOUTHERN PART OF YOUR COUNTY IS GROWING LIKE A WE I KNOW THAT, THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT.
AND WE NEED, WHETHER IT BE MEETINGS, Y'ALL'S MEETINGS, OR JUST ATTENTION TO US IN THE SOUTH OF THE BROAD.
WE CAN DO THESE, WE CAN DO THESE, UM, TOWN HALL TYPE MEETINGS.
I'M TALKING ABOUT THE PARSING OF EQUIPMENT TO DO YOUR WORK TO, FOR STORM WATER UTILITY TO DO THEIR WORK.
UM, WE HAVE BIG NEEDS DOWN THERE.
BUT I MEAN THE WHOLE COUNTY, I'M GETTING TO KNOW, UNDERSTAND IT.
I'M TRYING TO STEAL FROM NOW I ONLY HAVE A SLICE OF AJOY THAT'S PINE ISLAND ON AJOY AND MARK HAS THE REST OF IT AND HE'S MORE FAMILIAR WITH IT.
SO WE WANNA GET THIS MEETING SCHEDULED.
BUT I WILL GET WITH HIM ON MONDAY 'CAUSE WE HAVE A, A PUBLIC SERVICE MEETING AND COUNTY COUNCIL.
AND THEN I'LL GET BACK TO SARAH AND THEN WE'LL, WE'LL PUT IT OUT.
I THINK AFTER, IN JULY I THINK IS A GOOD DATE.
'CAUSE I'M NEW ADMINISTRATOR WILL BE ON BOARD AND I THINK IF IT WAS RIGHT AFTER THE FOURTH, NOT TOO FAR INTO THE MIDDLE 'CAUSE PEOPLE THEN DO START OKAY.
LIKE RIGHT AFTER THE FOURTH, LIKE THE WEEK AFTER.
ANYTHING ELSE? AND ALSO LET EVENING THE PEOPLE WHO WORK CAN GET THERE.
AND LIKE MAYBE AFTER LIKE FIVE 30.
IS THAT THE TIME YOU THINK? SIX.
ALICE, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? UM, JUST A FEW THINGS ABOUT THE, AS AS PAULA SAID, THE NEW ADMINISTRATOR WILL BE ON BOARD ONE JULY.
HE'S, UM, RETIRED NAVY CAPTAIN.
AND THEN HE WORKED IN YORK COUNTY FOR THREE AND A HALF YEARS.
UM, AS A, AND PARK AND RECS AND HAD PARKS AND RECS AND PUBLIC WORKS UNDER HIS PURVIEW.
UM, SO HE'S ALREADY TALKING TO SOME OF STAFF, I THINK VIA ZOOM.
AND, UM, THE ONE PERSON I KNOW THAT'S A COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBER IN YORK COUNTY, WELL SHE SPEAKS HIGHLY OF THEM, SO.
UM, THE OTHER NEWS IS, UH, I'M REAL EXCITED ABOUT WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN WITH ARTHUR HORN.
THAT WAS ALL HAPPENED DURING HURRICANE
[01:35:01]
MATTHEW.THAT'S SO, IT'S EXCITING THAT WE MIGHT BE GETTING SOME MONEY FINALLY TO CLEAN THAT DETENTION AREA OUT, UM, ON REBEL ROAD.
AND I WOULD SAY TO THE PEOPLE IN ALL JOY, PLEASE BE PATIENT.
UM, AS JIM CLARK AND I KNOW, UH, SHELL POINT STARTED NINE YEARS AGO WHEN WE FIRST STARTED WORKING ON IT.
AND, UH, SOME, A LOT OF THE SAME ISSUES, BUT GETTING THE MONEY TO DO THE INITIAL STUDY TO IDENTIFY PRIORITIES IS A HUGE, HUGE, UM, STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, JUST PLOTTING ALONG, GETTING WHAT WE, WHAT YOU CAN FOR THOSE SITUATIONS, UM, IN THESE OLDER NEIGHBORHOODS IS, IS HARD.
UM, PART OF THE, UM, SALES TAX REFERENDUM THAT'S GONNA BE ON THE BALLOT MAYBE IN THE FALL, WE HAVE ONE MORE READING HAS SOME MONEY SET ASIDE FOR RESILIENCY, WHICH CAN BE, UM, PART OF, IT'S NOT CALLED STORMWATER, BUT IT'S CALLED RESILIENCY.
SO, UM, RESILIENCY AND GREEN BELTS ALL BENEFIT STORMWATER IN MY OPINION FROM WHAT, WHAT I'VE STUDIED AND WHAT I'VE READ ABOUT IT.
SO, UM, I'M LOOKING TO KATIE IF SHE AGREES WITH ME OR NOT, THAT RESILIENCY IS PART OF THE BIG PICTURE FOR, UM, THAT'S FLOODING AND PREVENTING FLOODING.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IT ALL GOES TOGETHER.
THAT WAS IN ADDITION TO THAT NEW ADDITION THAT WE ADDED TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AS WELL.
AND THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA CREATED A, A RESILIENCY DEPARTMENT NOW.
SO THEY, AND THEY'LL HAVE GRANT MONEY.
UNLESS Y'ALL HAVE QUESTIONS FOR US.
NO, I WANT TO THANK MRS. HOWARD AND MRS. BROWN FOR ATTENDING AND SURE.
GIVING US THE REPORT AND, UH, INTERACTING WITH US TO HELP THE RESIDENTS.
NOW, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DON'T, I'D LIKE TO ADD, IT'S NOT TO SAY WE COULD NEVER HAVE LIKE STORMWATER BOARD MEETINGS SOUTH OF THE BROAD.
IT'S, IT'S UP TO THE ADMINISTRATOR, THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
'CAUSE ALL THE BROADCASTING HAS TO GO TO BE THERE AT THOSE MEETINGS.
SO IT'S NOT THAT IT WON'T HAPPEN, IT'S JUST HAS, IT HASN'T HAPPENED IN THE RECENT PAST.
UM, IT'S, IT'S NOT THAT IT WON'T, IT COULDN'T HAPPEN.
NOT IN, IT HASN'T HAPPENED IN THE 10 YEARS I'VE BEEN ON THE STORMWATER BEFORE.
UH, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR WE'LL TALK TO THE ADMINISTRATOR AND SEE WHAT WE CAN, UH, SEE IF IT CAN BE ARRANGED WITH NO PROMISES.
UH, IS THERE ANY OLD BUSINESS, ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS,
[7. NEW BUSINESS]
ANY NEW BUSINESS? DO WE HAVE ANY NEW BUSINESS THAT WE NEED TO BRING UP? WE DO.WE HAVE AN UPDATE ABOUT TUXEDO PARK FROM OUR NEW, UH, PROJECTS ENGINEER MR. MARK JOHNSON.
UM, I WAS JUST, UH, TOLD ABOUT THIS THIS MORNING.
I WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT Y'ALL ARE AWARE OF TUXEDO PARK IN THE POND THERE AND THE WHOLE SITUATION.
UM, IN THE FISCAL YEAR 25 BUDGET, UH, THERE IS $600,000 FOR, UH, CLEANING OUT THE POND.
AND WE HAVE GOTTEN, UH, THE BID FROM OUR ON-CALL JH HIRES.
AND IT WAS, UH, 431,000 446 25, WHICH SAVES THE COUNTY 168,553 75 CENTS.
SO THAT'S A SAVINGS FROM WHAT WE PUT IN THE BUDGET AND I'M SURE WE CAN FIND SOME OTHER PLACE TO USE THAT.
BUT, UM, FIRST OF THE, UH, FISCAL YEAR, I'M TOLD WE'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT PROJECT.
SIR, CAN I ASK A QUESTION? YES.
IS THAT CONSIDERED DREDGING OR NOT? IS IS IT, YOU CAN CONSIDER IT IS MUCKING, DREDGING, CLEANING OUT IT'S BRADLEY.
SO MARK, MARK DOESN'T HAVE QUITE THE BACKGROUND THAT I HAVE ON IT 'CAUSE HE IS NEW WITH ME AND KATIE SO OWNED THAT POND.
SO WE ORIGINALLY LOOKED AT IT, WE THOUGHT THE POND HAD WAS REALLY, REALLY SILTED IN, AND IT DID HAVE A GOOD BIT OF SILT IN IT, PROBABLY ABOUT TWO TO THREE FEET OF SILT ON TOP.
BUT WE ALSO NOTICED THAT THE POND NEVER REALLY HAD THE CAPACITY THAT IT COULD HAVE.
SO THAT'S THE REASON THAT, THAT WE WERE HAVING SOME ISSUES OVER THERE.
I DON'T THINK IT WAS EVER DESIGNED FOR THE CAPACITY THAT THE, THE WATER WAS ENTERING THAT IT NEEDED.
SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA EXCAVATE THE POND.
IT'S NOT A DREDGING, IT'S MORE OF AN EXCAVATION.
SO WE'RE DRAINED UPON, THEY'LL GET IT DRIED OUT AND THEY'LL ACTUALLY JUST REMOVE THE, THE EXCAVATION IS THE SILT AND THE EXCAVATION HAS NEVER BEEN REMOVED.
SO IT'LL ACTUALLY CREATE A MUCH MORE CAPACITY FOR US.
MM-HMM,
WE HAVE TO GET YOUR RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL AND THEN WE WILL HAVE TO TAKE IT TO
[01:40:01]
COUNCIL AS WELL.I'M, I'M CONFUSED AGAIN, MAUREEN SLOWING THE UPTAKE HERE, UM, BECAUSE OF THE PRICE, EVEN THOUGH WE BUDGETED, WE BUDGETED 600 K FOR IT.
THAT WAS APPROVED IN THE OR YEAH.
600,000 FOR THAT, BUT NOW IT'S COMING IN AT FOUR 20 AND SOME CHANGE.
WE'RE NOT APPROVING FOR THE BUDGET.
WE'RE APPROVING TO EXPEND THAT AMOUNT.
WE HAVE TO ASK COUNSEL, BUT FIRST WE NEED YOUR RECOMMENDATION TO COUNSEL TO, TO EXPEND THAT AMOUNT.
SO WILL SOMEONE HERE MAKE A MOTION? FOUR, I'M SORRY SIR.
FOUR HUNDRED THIRTY EIGHT THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED THIRTY ONE THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED AND FORTY SIX DOLLARS AND 25 CENTS.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE, UH, FOR TUXEDO PARK, UH, DREDGING AND CLEAN OUT IN THE AMOUNT OF $431,446 AND 25 CENTS.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND, MR. WARNER.
NONE WITH NONE OPPOSED THE MOTION PASSES.
ANYTHING ELSE IN NEW BUSINESS?
[8. PUBLIC COMMENT]
DEAR? I SAY WE OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AGAIN.WELL, SIR, DID YOU LET THE LADY BEHIND YOU SPEAK FIRST? OH NO, WE DID THAT FIRST.
THANK YOU ALL FOR, UM, HEARING US AT THE ALL JOY AREA.
I'M PART OF THAT, BUT I JUST WANT TO REITERATE A COUPLE OF THINGS.
UM, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN HURRICANE IRMA CAME THROUGH AND THEY PAVED THE ROADS BACK THERE, LITERALLY IN MY YARD, IT WAS FOUR FOOT OF WATER.
IT CAME IN ON A HIGH TIDE, IT CAME IN AND WENT OUT, BUT IT WAS FOUR FOOT OF WATER IN MY YARD.
A WHOLE BUNCH OF STUFF LEFT US WITH THE PROBLEMS THAT THEY'RE COMPLAINING.
IT'S NOT Y'ALL'S PROBLEMS WITH THE, THE, UM, SEWER, BUT THE DRAINAGE, IT'S, IT'S CLOGGED UP A WHOLE LOT OF STUFF AND IT NEEDS TO BE CLEANED.
UM, YOU KNOW, MY WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SEPTIC IS IF IT'S BROWN, FLUSH IT DOWN.
IF IT'S YELLOW, LET IT MELLOW BECAUSE YOU JUST CAN'T FLUSH YOUR TOILETS AROUND THERE.
AND PART OF THAT DRAINAGE WILL HELP TOO.
AND THE THING THAT SCARES ME THE MOST IS OUR RIVER AND OUR OYSTERS.
SO WE'VE GOT TO GET THAT CLEAN.
UM, AND ALSO TALKING ABOUT THE STUDIES THAT THEY'RE DOING TO SEE WHAT COULD BE DONE AND ALL ON THAT, THERE MAY NEED TO BE MORE DONE BECAUSE THERE MAY NEED TO BE REDOING OF HOW THINGS DRAIN.
BECAUSE IT'S JUST NOT WORKING.
UH, JIM LAWTON, UH, 52 OYSTER STREET AGAIN.
UM, I, I HAVE JUST TWO OTHER POINTS.
UM, IN REGARD TO THE IMPACT FEES, OR EXCUSE ME, THE, UM, WHEN YOU'RE EITHER CREATING A FEE STRUCTURE AFTER THE FACT, AFTER SOMEBODY HAS BUILT, UH, I PRESUME THEY WOULD HAVE PUT A, UM, DEVELOPMENT PLAN TOGETHER.
UM, BUT MY VIEW IS YOU, YOU NEED TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE IMPACT FEES BEFORE THE HORSE IS OUT OF THE GATE.
UM, THEY MAY, UM, MODERATE OR CHANGE THEIR DESIGN IF THEY'RE GOING TO GET, BE CHARGED A LOT FOR, UH, IMPERVIOUS, UM, SURFACES.
I, I THINK WE NEED A PROACTIVE, A APPROACH TO DRAINAGE.
UM, IT'S JUST, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN CHOP OUT DOWN, UH, A WHOLE FOREST OF TREES AND IT'LL TAKE DECADES FOR IT, UH, TO COME BACK.
SO I THINK THE COUNTY NEEDS A REAL PROACTIVE APPROACH.
UM, AND WITH, IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO DEVELOP A PIECE OF PROPERTY THEY NEED AND WE NEED TO CHARGE THEM APPROPRIATE FEES BEFORE THEY EVEN GET STARTED.
UH, AND SECONDLY, I JUST WANT TO, UM, I FULLY UNDERSTAND Y'ALL ARE BUSY FOLKS, ESPECIALLY STAFF.
UM, BUT WE GET VERY FRUSTRATED AND I'M SURE YOU GET VERY FRUSTRATED WITH CITIZENS WHO ARE CALLING OR PUTTING STUFF UP ON BUFORT COUNTY
[01:45:01]
CONNECT.UM, BUT WE FEEL LIKE THERE'S JUST, WE GET STARTED ON A PROJECT LIKE OYSTER STREET AND THEN WE DON'T HEAR ANYTHING.
WE GET A DATE THAT WAS SET, UM, A COUPLE DATES THAT WAS SET THAT THE COUNTY WOULD BE BACK OUT.
WE HAVE A WATER EVENT OR A STORM AND THERE'S TREES DOWN.
UM, WE JUST, WE DON'T HEAR FROM THE COUNTY IN A, UH, PROACTIVE WAY.
AND WE ASK THAT YOU ANSWER, YOU KNOW, SAY WE'RE BUSY, WE CAN'T GET THERE UNTIL THIS DATE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST REALLY FRUSTRATING FOR US WHEN WE DON'T HEAR FROM OUR COUNTY COUNCILMEN OR, UM, YOUR STAFF UNDERSTAND.
AND UM, PLEASE COME UP TO THE PODIUM.
YEAH, KAREN DOWDY FROM OYSTER STREET.
AND KATIE, UM, ESPECIALLY I HAVE SENT EMAIL AFTER EMAIL, AFTER EMAIL ABOUT THE DITCHES ON OYSTER STREET AND THE COMMUNICATION IS JUST STOPPED.
I DON'T KNOW WHY OUR EMAILS DON'T GET ANSWERED.
LIKE JIM SAID, MAYBE YOU'RE BUSY, TELL US YOU'RE BUSY.
TELL US THERE'S GONNA BE ANOTHER DATE TO GET BACK ON THE DITCHES.
TELL US WHAT'S GOING ON WITH EQUIPMENT.
'CAUSE WE JUST DON'T HEAR ANYTHING.
IT'S JUST LIKE NO COMMUNICATION AND IT'S EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING FOR US AS IT IS PROBABLY FOR YOU TO KEEP HEARING FROM US.
BUT UNTIL WE GET AN ANSWER, WE'RE GONNA KEEP SENDING EMAILS.
SO PLEASE COMMUNICATE WITH US PLEASE.
AND I'LL ALSO DEBRIEF AND, AND IT'S THE SAME AS WITH, UM, MRS. DOWDY SAID AS WELL.
WE DO NEED, THERE'S JUST LACK OF COMMUNICATION, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH THE GROUP AND THERE'S A GOOD BIT OF US WITH PRESERVE AND PROTECT ALL JOY.
A LOT OF TIMES I GET CONTACTS AND TEXTS FROM THE COMMUNITY.
I MEAN, I HAVE AN UNANSWERED FROM BRAD, FROM KATIE.
I MEAN, WE SEND IT AGAIN, SEND IT AGAIN.
WE DON'T GET ANY ANSWERS AND, BUT YET THE COMMUNITY KEEPS ASKING.
SO WE REALLY WOULD APPRECIATE ASSISTANCE THERE.
THE OTHER THING I UM, UH, CAN WE HAVE THE APPLICATION FOR THE SR, EXCUSE ME, FOR THE OR I A GRANT MADE PUBLIC.
AND THE REASON WHY I ASK IS THAT THERE WAS SOMEONE THAT BACK IN THE TIME WHEN WE WERE ASKING ABOUT IT BEING PUT IN, WE WANTED TO KNOW, WE'VE BEEN ASKED REPEATEDLY ABOUT WHERE DOES IT COVER THE COMPREHENSIONS.
LIKE NORMALLY THE AL JY PRESERVATION DISTRICT IS BURNT CHURCH DOWN TO THE LANDING.
SO FOLKS ARE ASKING, IS ALL THIS IN IT? IS IT COMPREHENSIVE? WHAT'S GOING ON? NOW, A PREVIOUS BUFORT COUNTY EMPLOYEE SAID, HEY, 187,000 IS NOT GONNA CUT IT AT ALL.
I DON'T KNOW, THAT'S NOT MY FIELD.
BUT I'M WONDERING DO IS IT WISE TO CANCEL THIS OTHER FEMA GRANT? UH, CAN'T IT, YOU'D BE USED IN, YOU KNOW, COLLABORATION SOMEHOW BECAUSE IT'S A SHAME BECAUSE THE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT TAKES MONEY AND THEN, UH, I GUESS THAT'S IT.
BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF WE COULD HAVE THAT.
THERE WAS SOMEBODY THAT FOYATE IT, BUT THEN THEY DIDN'T GET ANYTHING AND I, THAT'S NOT BEEN MINE.
SO WE WOULD LIKE SOMETHING IN WRITING PLEASE AS TO WHAT EXACTLY WAS STATED IN THE GRANT WHEN IT WENT IN.
I KNOW THAT THERE'S AN 18 MONTH OF, YOU KNOW, PUTTING IT TOGETHER, BUT WE, THE COMMUNITY KEEPS ASKING SO WE WOULD JUST LIKE TO HAVE THAT BE TRANSPARENT PLEASE.
AND AGAIN, I CAN'T THANK YOU GUYS ENOUGH.
I THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
I THANK YOU ALL FOR OVERSEEING AND WHAT YOU DO.
[9. NEXT MEETING AGENDA]
GENTLEMEN, WE HAVE NEXT MEETING'S AGENDA ON THE OTHER SIDE OF YOUR PULL IT UP.CAN WE PULL IT UP, DAPHNE? I DON'T SEE IT.
DOES ANYBODY NEED TO MAKE ANY CHANGES OR ADDITIONS TO THE NEXT MEETING AGENDA? I THINK IF THERE ARE NOT ANY CHANGES, CAN I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE NEXT MEETING'S AGENDA? YES, I'D MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE MASTER.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? THE NEXT MEETING AGENDA
[01:50:02]
IS APPROVED FOR AUGUST 21ST, 2024.WITH THAT, I DECLARE THE MEETING ADJOURNED.