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I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THE COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING OF MONEY MONDAY, JUNE 24TH TO ORDER.
UH, WOULD YOU ALL RISE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND THEN PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR THE INVOCATION I PLEDGE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL THAT IS PRAY OUR FATHER.
NOW GOD, WE COME BEFORE YOU TO GIVE YOU THANK WE THANK YOU, GOD FOR YOUR LOVE, YOUR KINDNESS, AND ALL OF YOUR TENDER MERCIES.
WE THANK YOU FOR BLESSING US TO SEE THIS DAY AND HAVING GUIDED US AND KEPT US AS WE WENT THROUGH TODAY.
WE THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO ASSEMBLE HERE THIS AFTERNOON.
WE ASK YOU, OR GOD TO BLESS US AND GUIDE US AS WE GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF DELIBERATING THE ISSUES THAT COME BEFORE THIS COUNCIL.
HELP US TO MAKE WISE AND PRUDENT DECISIONS THAT WILL BENEFIT THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTY, EVEN THE LEAST AMONG US.
PUBLIC NOTIFICATION OF THIS MEETING HAS BEEN PUBLISHED, POSTED, AND DISTRIBUTED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.
[ADDITIONAL ITEM]
UH, WE HAVE THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA, UH, FOR THOSE OF YOU IN THE AUDIENCE AND THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE WATCHING US ON TV ONE WEEK FROM TODAY, OUR NEW COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR BEGINS HIS TENURE WITH BUFORD COUNTY.I HAVE A STATEMENT THAT I WOULD LIKE TO READ.
WE WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS AND CORRECT ANY MISINFORMATION CIRCULATING REGARDING THE HIRING PROCESS OF BUFORT COUNTY'S NEXT ADMINISTRATOR.
THE COUNCIL HAS, THE COUNCIL HAS COMPLIED FULLY WITH STATE LAWS THROUGHOUT THE SEARCH SELECTION AND HIRING PROCESS FOR MR. MICHAEL MOORE.
AND WE COULD NOT BE MORE EXCITED THAT HE HAS AGREED TO COME TO BEAUFORT COUNTY TO LEAD IT FORWARD.
ON DECEMBER 11TH, 2023, THE BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL EMBARKED ON AN INTENSIVE SIX MONTH SEARCH TO RETAIN AND RECRUIT BEAUFORT COUNTY'S NEXT ADMINISTRATOR.
THAT SAME DAY COUNCIL AUTHORIZED A REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATION SEEKING PROPOSALS FROM QUALIFIED EXECUTIVE SEARCH FIRMS. THAT MEETING AND ALL SUBSEQUENT MEETINGS AND SPECIAL CALL MEETINGS RELATIVE TO THE RECRUITMENT AND HIRING OF THE NEXT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR WERE PUBLIC MEETINGS UNDER SOUTH CAROLINA'S FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.
PROPER NOTICE OF EVERY MEETING WAS GIVEN, AND THEY WERE HELD AND CONDUCTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE LAW.
THESE MEETINGS WERE LIVE STREAMED, STREAMED AND ARE NOW AVAILABLE ON VIDEO ARCHIVE ON THE COUNTY'S WEBSITE.
ON FEBRUARY 5TH, 2024, COUNSEL HELD A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING IN EXECUTIVE SESSION WITH THE SPECIFIC PURPOSE OF THE SESSION.
LAWFULLY IDENTIFIED IT, INTERVIEWED SEVERAL FIRMS. AT THE END OF THIS MEETING, COUNCIL EMERGED FROM ITS EXECUTIVE SESSION AND VOTED TO SELECT FIND GREAT PEOPLE.
A VETERAN OWNED NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED, UH, EXECUTIVE SEARCH FIRM WITH NEARLY FOUR DEC DECADES OF EXPERIENCE TO HELP IN THIS EFFORT.
FGP ANNOUNCED THE OPENING FOR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR IMMEDIATELY WITH A CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS ON APRIL 15TH, FGP RECEIVED 72 APPLICATIONS, UH, FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY, REGION, AND STATE.
ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24TH, 2024, COUNCIL HELD A SPECIAL CALL MEETING.
IT PROVIDED NOTICE OF AN EXECUTIVE SESSION IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE LAW.
IT IDENTIFIED THE SPECIFIC PURPOSE OF THE MEETING IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE LAW.
AT THE END OF THE MEETING, COUNSEL AGAIN EMERGED FROM THE EXECUTIVE SESSION WHERE IT ANNOUNCED THAT IT INTENDED TO INTERVIEW NINE CANDIDATES FOR THE POSITION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
IT FURTHER ANNOUNCED THAT THE INTERVIEWS WOULD TAKE PLACE MONDAY AND TUESDAY, APRIL 29 AND 30, BEGINNING APRIL 29TH, 2024, AND CONTINUING THROUGH MAY 28TH, 2024.
COUNCIL MET 11 TIMES AND WENT INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
EACH TIME, STATE STATUTE SETS FORTH SPECIFICALLY THE WORDS THAT ARE TO BE USED INTO IN DESCRIBING THE SPECIFIC PURPOSE FOR WHICH A PUBLIC BODY GOES INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
THE STATUTE ALSO REQUIRES THAT THE PRESIDING OFFICER ANNOUNCE THE SPECIFIC PURPOSE FOR
[00:05:01]
ENTERING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AND DESCRIBE A DESCRIPTION OF THE MATTER TO BE DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.EXCEPT WHEN THE EXECUTIVE EXECUTIVE SESSION IS RELATED TO DISCUSSION OF EMPLOYMENT, APPOINTMENT, OR COMPENSATION OF A PERSON REGULATED BY A PUBLIC BODY.
THE IDENTITY OF THE INDIVIDUAL OR ENTITY BEING DISCUSSED IS NOT REQUIRED TO BE DISCLOSED TO SATISFY THE SPECIFIC PURPOSE OF THE EXECUTIVE SESSION REQUIREMENT.
THE SPECIFIC PURPOSE FOR EACH OF THE 11 EXECUTIVE SESSIONS WENT INTO BETWEEN APRIL 29TH AND MAY 28TH WAS IDENTICAL EACH TIME COUNSEL, COUNSEL WENT INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
THIS SPECIFIC PURPOSE WAS IN COURT.
IN COURT, IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE STATUTE BETWEEN APRIL 29TH AND MAY 28TH.
COUNSEL EMERGED FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION THREE TIMES TO VOTE ON MATTERS ARISING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION.
MAY 28TH WAS THE LAST TIME COUNSEL ENTERED INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION RELATING TO ENGAGING IN DISCUSSIONS INCIDENT TO EMPLOYMENT APPOINTMENT, OR COMPENSATION OF A PERSON REGULATED BY A PUBLIC BODY.
AFTER COMING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION, A MOTION WAS MADE AND APPROVED TO AUTHORIZE CHAIRMAN PASSMAN AS THE REPRESENTATIVE COUNTY COUNCIL TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT WITH MR. MICHAEL R. MOORE.
THAT WAS THE ONLY VOTE COUNCIL TOOK TO HIRE THE NEXT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
CONTRARY TO THE MISINFORMATION BEING CIRCULATED, STATE LAW DOES NOT REQUIRE COUNSEL TO IDENTIFY WHAT POSITION IT IS ABOUT TO DISCUSS FILLING WHEN IT GOES INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
COUNSEL MADE NO DECISION TO HIRE MR. MOORE OR ANY ELSE, ANYONE ELSE BEFORE THE MOTION TO HIRE MR. MOORE WAS MADE ON MAY 28TH WHEN COUNSEL CAME OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION.
STATE LAW DOES NOT REQUIRE COUNSEL TO PUBLICLY IDENTIFY, EXCUSE ME, THREE FINALISTS FOR THE POSITION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR BEFORE IT VOTES ON WHO TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT WITH COUNSEL.
THANKS THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT FOR ITS ACCURATE GUIDANCE AND TIMELY LEGAL ADVICE DURING THIS PROCESS.
BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNSEL HAS COMPLI COMPLIED WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF STATE LAW THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COURSE OF RECRUITING AND HIRING THE COUNTY'S NEW ADMINISTRATOR.
WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE FUTURE AND LOOK FORWARD TO A POSITIVE IMPACT MICHAEL MOORE WILL BRING WHEN HE STARTS IN JULY.
WE HOPE YOU'LL JOIN US IN WELCOMING, WELCOMING MR. MOORE TO BEAUFORT COUNTY AS WE CONTINUE TO STRIVE FOR EEC EXCELLENCE IN SERVING OUR COMMUNITY.
[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
I WOULD ASK A MEMBER OF COUNSEL TO APPROVE TONIGHT'S AGENDA.MR. MCKELLAN MAKES THE SECOND DULY MOTION.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SAYING NO DISCUSSION.
THE AGENDA WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION AND I SEE NO OBJECTIONS.
[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - Special Called County Council Meeting May 6, 2024]
IS THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES FOR A SPECIAL CALLED COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING OF MAY THE SIXTH, 2024.MS. BROWN MAKES THE SECOND DULY MOTION.
ANY DISCUSSION SAYING NONE THE, UH, MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION AND I SEE NO OBJECTION.
[6. ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT]
IS OUR ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT.I HAVE ONE THAT ARE GOOD EVENING CHAIRMAN AND COUNCIL.
THE BEAUFORT COUNTY STAFF HAS BEEN VERY BUSY SINCE OUR LAST MEETING.
CLOSING OUT, UH, THE FINAL THINGS FOR, UM, FOR THIS, THIS FISCAL YEAR, UM, STAFF HAS BEEN VERY BUSY FINISHING PROJECTS, MAKING SURE THAT OUR BUDGET IS PREPARED PROPERLY.
ANY OF THOSE ITEMS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN COMPLETED OR PROPERLY CARRIED OVER, I COULD GO DOWN THE LIST OF THINGS.
UH, IT'S TOO LONG TO EVEN BEGIN TO DISCUSS, BUT I JUST WANT TO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT I TALK WITH YOU ABOUT THAT AND THANK ALL OF OUR STAFF WHO ARE WORKING HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THOSE ACTIONS, ACTIVITIES ARE CLOSED OUT AS WE COME CLOSE TO THE END OF OUR FISCAL YEAR.
UM, SO ALSO, UH, THIS EVENING I HAVE, UH, A FEW, THREE RECOGNITION, THREE EMPLOYEE RECOGNITIONS TO SHARE WITH YOU.
FIRST I'M GONNA INTRODUCE YOU TO BRADLEY OWENS, WHO IS OUR PARK RANGER, UH, FOR PASSIVE PARKS.
HE ALREADY SAID HE DIDN'T WANT TO TALK.
SO IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH BRADLEY, BRADLEY'S WIFE IS ALSO THE DEPUTY.
UM, THERE SHE IS THE DEPUTY CLERK TO COUNCIL
[00:10:01]
UM, HAS SERVED AS THE PARK RANGER FOR PASSIVE PARKS TWO YEARS.UM, HE OVERSEES MAINTENANCE OF, UM, SMALL PROJECTS, UH, VISITOR'S USE OF ALL THE PASSIVE PARK PROPERTIES, AND HE WORKS TIRELESSLY TO ENSURE OUR PARKS ARE SAFE, CLEAN, AND ENJOYABLE FOR RESIDENTS TO VISIT.
IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW, HE'S ALSO A PHOTOGRAPHER
SO, UH, AND HE DIDN'T WRITE THIS PART DOWN, BUT HE'S GOT SOME REALLY GREAT PHOTOS OF OUR PARKS AND SOME OF THE ANIMALS THAT VISIT OUR PARKS.
AS WELL AS SOME OF THE, UH, THE FOLKS THAT VISIT TO ENJOY THE NATURE IN OUR PARK.
SO IT'S REALLY A REALLY COOL THING TO BE ABLE TO DO.
HE ENJOYS BEING OUTDOORS AND LEARNING ABOUT NATURE.
UH, RECENTLY HE RECEIVED HIS LOW COUNTRY MASTER NATURALIST CERTIFICATION, UM, AND OF COURSE, BRENNA.
UM, SHE IS OUR RECRUITER FROM HUMAN RESOURCES.
MONDAY MORNING, YOU TALK AFTERNOON.
YOU'RE GONNA TALK FROM BRADLEY TOO, IF YOU I WASN'T GONNA TALK EITHER, BUT SHE SO WELL, UM, HER, UM, SIERRA'S POSITION IS RECENTLY NEW TO, TO HR.
UH, A RECRUITER IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT PERSON AS WE TRY TO FILL ALL THESE POSITIONS THAT WE HAVE WITH QUALITY PEOPLE.
AND SIERRA, AS YOU CAN TELL, IS VERY OUTGOING AND ATTRACTS PEOPLE, UH, WITH HER PERSONALITY VERY QUICKLY.
SO, UM, I, YOU KNOW, I HAVE SEEN, I'VE TOLD YOU BEFORE, WHEN I GO TO, UM, TO ADDRESS NEW EMPLOYEES EVERY MONDAY MORNING THAT THE ROOM HAS BECOME MORE AND MORE FULL.
WHERE IN THE PAST IT WAS ONE OR TWO.
NOW IT'S LIKE 10 EVERY MONDAY.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE DOING A GOOD THING, YOU KNOW? YES.
SINCE WE ARE TRYING MAKE A BETTER
UM, SO SIERRA BEGAN EMPLOYMENT WITH THE COUNTY AS ADMINISTRATIVE, UH, SPECIALIST IN THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT IN 2022.
AND SINCE THEN, SHE WAS PROMOTED, UH, TO THE RECRUITER FOR THE HR DEPARTMENT.
SOME OF THE DUTIES THAT SHE DOES, UM, AS A RECRUITER IS, UM, TO OVERSEE THE, THOSE FUNCTIONS, THAT PRIMARY ROLE OF THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES, UH, SOURCING CANDIDATES.
SO GOING TO JOB FAIRS AND FINDING PEOPLE AND ENCOURAGING THEM FOR THEIR APPLICATION.
YOU HAVE TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO NEW FOLKS AND LET THEM UNDERSTAND ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES FROM THE MANY DEPARTMENTS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
ENCOURAGE THEM THAT THEY CAN DO THE THINGS THAT, THAT, UM, THAT WE DO TO SERVE THE PUBLIC.
UM, SHE, UH, UTILIZES VARIOUS, UH, CHANNELS OF, OF, UM, UH, RESOURCES FOR INFORMATION SUCH AS JOBS, JOBS, JOB BOARDS, SOCIAL MEDIA, REFERRALS, AND NETWORKING TO ATTRACT POTENTIAL CANDIDATES.
UM, SHE CONDUCTS ALL THE SCREENING AND EVALUATIONS FOR CANDIDATES.
SO SOMETIMES FOLKS MAY APPLY FOR SOMETHING THAT THEY MIGHT NOT BE THE RIGHT FIT FOR, BUT SIERRA KNOWS WHERE THEY COULD FIT AND HELPS OFFER THEM THOSE ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.
SO WHEN WE ATTRACT SOMEONE, WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP THEM AND PUT THEM IN A ROLE THAT THEY FIT.
SO SHE HELPS WITH THAT, AND SHE COLLABORATES WITH ALL THE HIRING MANAGERS.
SO EACH OF THE DEPARTMENT HEADS ARE HIRING MANAGERS OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS.
SHE HELPS THEM TO, UM, IDENTIFY THEIR STAFFING NEEDS, DEVELOP JOB DESCRIPTIONS, AND PROVIDE GUIDANCE ON THE SELECTION PROCESS.
SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TASK AND REALLY, UH, A LOT FOR US TO DO WHEN THERE'S A LOT MORE HERE.
UM, BRANDING, DATA MANAGEMENT, CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT, UH, CANDIDATE RELATIONSHIPS.
SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO REALLY, UH, RECRUIT AND ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO, UH, TO, UH, TO GET ON BOARD.
SO SIERRA IS PASSIONATE ABOUT GIVING BACK TO HER COMMUNITY AND ASSISTING RESIDENTS, UH, IN NEED DURING HER TIME.
AS A FORMER MEMBER OF THE EMERGING LEADERS SERVING AS THE OUTREACH COORDINATOR, SARAH HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO FULFILL A PASSION, UM, TO FULFILL THIS PASSION.
UH, SHE IS DEDICATED TO CONNECTING PASSIONATE INDIVIDUALS AND, AND WITH MEANINGFUL OPPORTUNITIES, UH, TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
HER GOAL IS TO MATCH TALENT WITH ROLES THAT ALIGN WITH THEIR VALUES AND CONTRIBUTE TO OUR COMMUNITY'S GROWTH AND SUCCESS.
UH, HER MOTTO IS, TOGETHER, LET'S BUILD A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR OUR COUNTY AND ITS RESIDENTS.
YOU WANNA ADDRESS COUNSEL? YES.
I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY AND TO SHOW YOU THAT I, I'M GLAD YOU GUYS
[00:15:01]
SELECTED ME AS THIS INDIVIDUAL.AND IF YOU KNOW ANYBODY THAT IS LOOKING FOR EVEN GOD, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SIT IN MY WAY.
UM, I'M AVAILABLE AT THE HUMAN RESOURCE OFFICE, UH, BIV ONE, BUT THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR TODAY.
MS. MS. HALL, PLEASE COME HERE FOR A SECOND.
YOU'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT PLEASE GET THAT NUMBER AND THEIR NAME AND STUFF.
EASIER IF I PUT MY GLASSES BACK ON.
SARAH IS DEFINITELY A JOY TO BE AROUND HER.
HER PERSONALITY IS INFECTIOUS.
JOHN, WHY DID WE HAVE TO HIRE FIND GOOD PEOPLE?
LAST I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE, UH, JASON FLAKE.
HE COULD NOT BE WITH US TONIGHT.
I THINK WE HAVE A PICTURE OF HIM.
SO, JASON, UM, IS, IS OUR SENIOR GIS ANALYST.
HE WORKS FOR MAPPING AND APPLICATIONS IN THE IT DEPARTMENT.
UH, SOME OF HIS JOBS, HIS PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY REVOLVE AROUND MAINTAINING CRITICAL GIS INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENSURING SEAMLESS ACCESS TO SPATIAL DASH DATA ACROSS OUR VARIOUS PLATFORMS. SO HE'S, HE WORKS ON, ON, ON, UH, CREATION OF MAPS AND INCLUSION OF MAPPING, UH, AS WELL AS OUR NETWORK.
WHEN YOU GO ONLINE AND YOU, AND YOU LOOK AT OUR GIS NETWORK, UH, TO FIGURE OUT YOUR, UH, YOU CAN LOOK AT YOUR PERSONAL PROPERTY AND YOUR TAXES, UH, THOSE ARE ONE OF ONE OF THE MANY ROLES THAT JASON, UH, FILLS FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY.
SO HE OVERSEES AND MANAGES ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS OF THE GI GIS, UH, ECOSYSTEM, AND PLAYS A PIVOTAL ROLE IN SUPPORTING THE EFFICIENCY OF DATA AND ACCESS.
SOME OF THE SMALL LIST OF DUTIES HE HAS IS G-S-I-G-I-S, SERVER MAINTENANCE, THE SDE DATABASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, UH, WEB MAPPING SERVICE, AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY, UH, TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND COLLABORATION FOR THOSE SYSTEMS, DATA SECURITY AND COMPLIANCE.
AS WELL AS, UM, HE DOES TRAINING FOR HIS DEPARTMENT AND TRIES TO SHARE HIS, HIS EXPERIENCE.
HE'S WORKED FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY FOR 26 YEARS.
SO IN, IN THOSE TYPES OF, OF ROLES, THAT EXPERIENCE IS, UH, IS VERY IMPORTANT.
UH, HE'S BEEN A WONDERFUL ASSET TO THE DEPARTMENT AND PLAYS A CRUCIAL ROLE IN MAINTAINING THE RELIABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY OF THE GIS, UM, DATA AND SERVICES FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY.
UH, YOU PROBABLY SEE IN HIS PICTURE THAT HE HAS A FALCON THERE.
SO HE IS A MASTERCLASS FALCONER WHO TRAINS PREDOMINANTLY REDTAIL HAWKS.
AND THAT'S WHAT HE'S GOT THERE.
THAT'S A RED, WELL, THAT'S A REDTAIL HAWK.
WHERE'S, WHERE'S STEPHANIE? IS THAT A RED TAIL? I, I THOUGHT IT WAS A EAGLE.
WELL, ANYWAY, THAT'S WHAT I HAVE ABOUT JASON.
I'M SORRY HE COULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT, BUT LET'S THANK JASON, UH, FOR SERVICE.
UH, SIR, THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT.
[7. PRESENTATION OF A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING DR. FRANK RODRIGUEZ ON BEING NAMED SOUTH CAROLINA SUPERINTENDENT OF THE YEAR - Council Member Tabernik]
AND IT WAS WITH GREAT HONOR THAT WE HAVE A PRESENTATION OF A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING DR. FRANK RODRIGUEZ ON BEING NAMED SOUTH CAROLINA SUPERINTENDENT OF THE YEAR.AND COUNCIL MEMBER TABER WILL READ THAT PROCLAMATION.
SO BEFORE WE DO THE PROCLAMATION, I'M GONNA ASK MRS. BROCK, IS THAT, THAT'S YOURS? OKAY, THAT'S FINE.
TO SHOW A VIDEO THE DISTRICT MADE TO EMBARRASS DR. RODRIGUEZ JUST A LITTLE BIT
LIKE SUPERMAN, YOU EMBODY STRENGTH, INTEGRITY, AND COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE.
YOUR LEADERSHIP INSPIRES US ALL TO REACH NEW HEIGHTS IN EDUCATION AND OUR COMMUNITY.
AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS ON THIS.
YOUR SUPERPOWERS HAVE NOT GONE UNNOTICED.
AND WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR INCREDIBLE WORK YOU DO EVERY DAY TO MAKE THE DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF OUR STUDENTS, TEACHERS AND FAMILIES OF BUFORT COUNTY.
CONGRATULATIONS, DR. RODRIGUEZ.
DR. RODRIGUEZ, WE'RE SUPER PROUD OF YOU BEING ANNOUNCED AS A 2025 SOUTH CAROLINA SUPERINTENDENT OF THE YEAR, YOUR LEADERSHIP SKILLS ARE UNMATCHED.
CONGRATULATIONS, DR. RODRIGUEZ.
WE ARE JUST THRILLED THAT YOU RECEIVED THIS.
WE KNEW ALL ALONG YOU WERE THE BEST IN THE STATE.
[00:20:01]
THE COUNTRY.I'VE SAID LONG AGO, YOU KNOW, THE CHARACTER OF SOMEBODY BY HOW THEY PORTRAY THEMSELVES IN THEIR JOB.
YOU CAN LIVE FOR YOUR JOB OR YOU CAN LIVE IN YOUR JOB.
HE LIVES FOR THE STUDENTS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND FOR THAT, I AM SO BLESSED.
CONGRATULATIONS, DR. RODRIGUEZ.
CONGRATULATIONS DR. RODRIGUEZ AS A SRO HERE AT BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL.
HE'S A SUPERINTENDENT AT SEE AT ALL OF THE EVENTS AFTER SCHOOL, SCHOOL, SPORTING EVENTS.
SO, CONGRATULATIONS, YOU DESERVE AND YOU EARNED THIS AWARD.
LOOK AT THIS ON BEHALF OF, UH, BRANCH CLUSTER.
WE'D JUST LIKE TO THANK DR. RODRIGUEZ FOR ALL OF HIS ASSISTANCE OVER THE YEARS, ESPECIALLY AT OUR SUPERINTENDENT MEETINGS, AND JUST LISTENING TO THE STUDENTS' VOICES AND JUST SUPPORTING US ALONG THE WAY ON THE AGENDA.
DR. RODRIGUEZ, FROM ALL THE STUDENTS, STAFF, AND FAMILIES HERE AT BLUFFTON MIDDLE SCHOOL, WE JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR TIME, ENERGY, AND EFFORT THAT YOU GIVE TO ALL OF OUR FAMILIES ACROSS THIS WONDERFUL DISTRICT.
CONGRATULATIONS ON BEING NAMED STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE YEAR FROM BLUFFTON MIDDLE SCHOOL.
WE CANNOT THINK OF A MORE DESERVING CANDIDATE.
CONGRATULATIONS TO DR. RODRIGUEZ.
CONGRATULATIONS DR. RODRIGUEZ, ON BEING SELECTED AS THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE YEAR MOST WELL DESERVED.
WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
DR. RODRIGUEZ, THANK YOU FOR BEING PRESENT, TEACHER FOCUSED AND READILY AVAILABLE FOR YOUR EDUCATORS IN OUR COUNTY.
THE RESOURCES YOU HAVE GIVEN, THE ADVOCACY YOU'VE PROVIDED, AND THE GUIDANCE YOU CONTINUE TO SHOW ARE ON MATCH.
AS BEAVER COUNTY EMPLOYEES, WE ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE A LEADER WHO BELIEVES DEEPLY IN THE GROWTH AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR CHILDREN, COUNTY AND COMMUNITY.
AS A DISTRICT TEACHER OF THE YEAR, WHAT YOU DO IS EVIDENT AT OUR MEETING.
SHE SHOW UP FOR THE TEACHERS REGARDLESS OF THE QUESTIONS.
YOU'RE KIND, COMPASSIONATE, AND READY TO DO, DO WHAT IS BEST FOR OUR MOST IMPORTANT STAKEHOLDERS, OUR CHILDREN.
THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART FOR ALL YOU YOU ARE, AND EVERYTHING YOU DO.
DR. RODRIGUEZ, THANK YOU FOR BEING AWESOME.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO US AND CATERING TO OUR, OUR NEEDS, AND JUST HELPING ME WITH MY TUTORING PROGRAM AND BEING SUPPORTIVE ALL THE WAY THROUGH.
CONGRATULATIONS DR. RODRIGUEZ, FOR BEING NAMED SOUTH CAROLINA STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE YEAR.
I APPRECIATE YOU FOR BEING DATA-DRIVEN, PEOPLE CENTERED AND CURRICULUM FOCUSED.
CONGRATULATIONS, DR. RODRIGUEZ.
UM, CAN ANYBODY HERE OTHER THAN MAYBE LOGAN AND DAVID, DO THE SOCCER ON THE FIELD LIKE DR. RODRIGUEZ? I THOUGHT THAT WAS PRETTY COOL.
SO I'M A 37 YEAR EDUCATOR, SO IT'S MY HONOR TO DO THIS PROCLAMATION FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT.
HE HAS JUST COME OFF OF A WEEK OF SIX GRADUATIONS.
THAT'S A LOT OF TIME AND A LOT OF STANDING, AND A LOT OF SHAKING HANDS.
SO THIS IS A PROCLAMATION FROM OUR COUNTY COUNCIL.
WHEREAS IN RECOGNITION OF HIS MANY CONTRIBUTIONS TO EDUCATION, DR.
FRAN FRANK RODRIGUEZ, SUPERINTENDENT OF BUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT, HAS BEEN NAMED THE 2025 SUPERINTENDENT OF THE YEAR BY THE SOUTH CAROLINA ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS.
AND WHEREAS THIS AWARD IS PRESENTED ANNUALLY TO A DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT AS PART OF THE NATIONAL SUPERINTENDENT OF THE YEAR PROGRAM OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS.
AND WHEREAS IN PREPARATION FOR A DISTINGUISHED CAREER IN EDUCATION, DR. RODRIGUEZ EARNED HIS BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN SOCIAL SCIENCE EDUCATION FROM FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY.
I'M NOT GONNA TELL HIM THE YEAR, HIS MASTER'S DEGREE IN CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION FROM FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY AND HIS DOCTORATE IN EDUCATION FROM FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY.
AND WHEREAS AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT'S AFFILIATE, DR. RODRIGUEZ, HAS HAD A TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON BEAUFORT COUNTY THROUGH HIS EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND STUDENT-FOCUSED INITIATIVES, HIS INNOVATIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS HELPED ADDRESS PANDEMIC LEARNING LOSS RESULTING IN THE DISTRICT'S BEST EVER ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS SCORES.
DR. RODRIGUEZ FOSTERED TRUST THROUGH INITIATIVES LIKE THE CITIZEN LED OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, WHICH WE WILL DUPLICATE FOR OUR REFERENDUM.
AND, AND THEY MONITORED BOND SPENDING CONTRIBUTING TO VOTERS OVERWHELMINGLY APPROVING THE DISTRICT'S LARGEST EVER BOND REFERENDUM IN 23.
AND WHEREAS BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL HAS DELIGHTED, DR. RODRIGUEZ HAS BEEN CHOSEN FOR THIS HONOR AND EXTENDS
[00:25:01]
GRATEFUL THANKS FOR HIS YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICES TO THE CHILDREN OF BUFORT COUNTY.AND NOW THEREFORE BE RESOLVED.
THE BUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL HEREBY WISHES TO CONGRATULATE AND HONOR DR. FRANK RODRIGUEZ FOR BEING NAMED THE 2025 SOUTH CAROLINA SUPERINTENDENT OF THE YEAR BY SOUTH CAROLINA ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS, DATED THIS 24TH DAY OF JUNE, SIGNED BY CHAIRMAN PASSMAN.
UM, I I REALLY TRULY APPRECIATE, UH, THIS RECOGNITION WA WATCHING, UH, THE VIDEO.
I CAN SEE, UH, WHEN I GOT HERE IN 2019, I, I HAD MUCH DARKER HAIR
UM, BUT ANY RECOGNITION IN ANY AWARD LIKE THIS, YOU KNOW, AS WELL AS I DO, IS BECAUSE OF A TEAM.
IT TAKES A GREAT TEAM, UH, TO ACCOMPLISH GREAT THINGS FOR, FOR, FOR STUDENTS AND FOR ANY ORGANIZATION.
AND SO I'M BLESSED TO WORK WITH A FANTASTIC GROUP OF PROFESSIONALS THAT CARE DEEPLY ABOUT THE CHILDREN THAT WE SERVE.
AND, UH, I'M JUST, I'M, I'M, YOU KNOW, WHEN I CALL PARENTS AT HOME, I, I, I'LL LEAVE MY MESSAGE WITH FRANK RODRIGUEZ, YOUR PROUD SUPERINTENDENT, AND I AM VERY PROUD TO BE THE SUPERINTENDENT HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, FOR, UH, YOUR RECOGNITION THIS EVENING.
AND THIS IS TRULY RECOGNITION FOR OUR TEAM AT THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
I JUST GOT A QUICK QUESTION FOR DR. RODRIGUEZ.
UM, THIS IS YOUR, THIS IS YOUR FIRST SUPERINTENDENT'S POSITION? NO, IN, UH, IN, IN, IN, UH, SOUTH FLORIDA, IN PALM BEACH COUNTY.
I, I WAS A REGIONAL SUPERINTENDENT, UH, BECAUSE THE COUNTY HAD 193,000 STUDENTS.
IT WAS DIVIDED INTO FIVE REGIONS.
THIS IS, UH, MY FIRST SOLO SUPERINTENDENT.
SO WHERE DO YOU GO FROM HERE? I HOPE TO BE HERE.
I HOPE TO BE HERE FOR A WHILE.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE A GREAT PICTURE FOR YOU.
AND ALL COMES, YOU GET TO RELAX.
MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S IN THE PICTURE COMING.
OH, YOU TALKING? JUST, JUST ADD A LITTLE COLOR.
LOGAN, CAN YOU GO THIS WAY A LITTLE? I'M SORRY.
YEAH, NEW YORK, I'M NOT GONNA LIE, I'M GETTING A LITTLE TANGER IN THE SUMMER.
[CITIZEN COMMENTS (Part 1 of 2)]
WE ARE AT OUR FIRST CITIZEN COMMENTS, AND THERE ARE FOUR INDIVIDUALS WHO WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS COUNSEL.THREE OF THE INDIVIDUALS WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE SALES TAX REFERENDUM, WHICH IS ITEM NUMBER 11.
AND I'M GONNA HOLD THOSE INDIVIDUALS BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THAT.
SO, WE'LL, WE'LL DO THOSE THEN.
UH, JOE MACK WISHES TO ADDRESS US ABOUT ITEM NUMBER 19.
JOE, WILL YOU COME FORWARD PLEASE? THANK YOU.
UH, JOE MACK, I'M SPEAKING AS A RESIDENT OF, UH, CITY OF BUFORT.
UH, UM, THE FR I'M, I'M NOT INVOLVED WITH THE FRIENDS.
IT'S KIND OF A NICE GROUP OF PEOPLE PICKING UP TRASH IN THE WHITEHALL PARK IN SOME KIND OF AGREEMENT.
BUT THE INSURANCE, I DON'T THINK THAT SETS A PRECEDENT, BUT I DON'T KNOW.
BUT A MILLION DOLLARS INSURANCE TO PICK UP TRASH.
I MEAN, THAT SOUNDS, MAYBE THEY'RE DOING OTHER THINGS, BUT, UM, UM, BUT IN THE FUTURE, I'M JUST WONDERING ABOUT, UM, INSURANCE.
YOU KNOW, A PERSON WHO'S NOT IN INVOLVED IN INSURANCE AND ATTORNEYS AND WHATNOT, THEY, THEY CAN THINK OF REASONS WHY INSURANCE WOULD BE AN ADVANTAGE, BUT, YOU KNOW, IF I GOTTA GO TO WALMART, PICK UP SOME TRASH, THEY'RE NOT COMING OUT THERE TO SEE IF I HAVE INSURANCE.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE GOING AROUND ASKING PEOPLE IF THEY HAVE INSURANCE WHEN YOU, WHEN THEY'RE PICKING UP TRASH IN THE PARK.
UM, I HAVE PICKED UP TRASH IN THE STATE LAND, AND I DIDN'T GET PERMISSION.
[00:30:01]
NOBODY, NOBODY ASKED ME IF I HAD INSURANCE.THEY CUT DOWN TREES WITH PERMISSION.
THEY CUT DOWN TREES WITHOUT PERMISSION IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
UM, AND I THINK IT WAS, UH, MR. CUNNINGHAM HERE, COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM, THAT THAT SAID, IT WAS ONE INSTANCE, A PREVI, A PREVIOUS DIFFERENT ISSUE ABOUT REQUIRING PEOPLE TO GET A, SOME TYPE OF PERMIT TO DO PHOTOGRAPHY AND WHATNOT IN, IN THE, IN THE PARKS.
UM, UH, SO I'M JUST WONDERING ABOUT THIS 'CAUSE FOR THE FUTURE.
I'M NOT TRYING TO BRING IT UP FOR DISCUSSION, BUT I'M JUST WONDERING FOR THE FUTURE, 'CAUSE DIFFERENT GROUPS WANNA DO DIFFERENT THINGS AND, AND WHATNOT.
I'M JUST THE FACE, FACE OF IT.
UM, WHETHER IT'S A DOLLAR INSURANCE OR A MILLION DOLLARS, I HAVE NO IDEA.
BUT THAT JUST SOUNDS A LITTLE OVERBLOWN.
IS THERE ANY MEMBER OF THE AUDIENCE WHO WISHES TO COMMENT ON ANY OTHER ITEM ON THE AGENDA? IF NOT, WE'LL CLOSE THE FIRST PUBLIC SESSION.
[9. LIASION AND COMMITTEE REPORTS]
UM, WE'RE AT OUR LIAISON AND COMMITTEE REPORTS.WHO WOULD LIKE TO GO FIRST? MS. HOWARD? UH, YES, SIR.
I'VE ATTENDED A WEDNESDAY STORMWATER BOARD MEETING ALONG WITH, UM, MS. BROWN.
UH, A LOT OF BUSINESS GOING ON AT IT.
AND WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT ALL JOY LATER ON, ON THE AGENDA.
UM, I MET WITH THE NEW PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR, ERIC BROWN AT BURTON WELLS.
HAD A REALLY GOOD MEETING WITH HIM AND HOPE TO HAVE A PUBLIC MEETING LIKE COUNCILMAN GLOVER AND COUNCILMAN DAWSON HAVE HAD IN THEIR COMMUNITY WITH MR. BROWN.
UH, AND ON JUNE 11TH, I SPOKE TO THE LADIES ALLEN BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION REGARDING THE GREEN SPACE PROGRAM.
THEY HAD A LOT OF GOOD QUESTIONS AND THEY WERE VERY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THE GREEN SPACE ACCOMPLISHMENTS TODAY.
ANYONE ELSE? MR. CHAIRMAN? CAN I JUST PIGGYBACK ON JUST WHAT MS. HOWARD JUST SAID ABOUT THE RECREATION DEPARTMENT? I, I DID, UM, ATTEND LAST SATURDAY FUNCTION, UH, CALLED UNITY IN THE COMMUNITY AT THE LYNN BROWN CENTER.
UM, SO, AND HE'S TAKING IT ON THE ROAD, SO, UM, HE'S GONNA YOUR DISTRICT THERE, GERALD? SOON.
UH, BUT HE'S TAKING IT ON THE ROAD.
MR. CUNNINGHAM? UH, YEAH, BRIEFLY.
BLUFFTON FIRE DEPARTMENT STILL HAS ONE OPEN SEAT ON THEIR BOARD.
I BELIEVE IT'S AN AT LARGE SEAT TOO.
SO IF YOU KNOW TO DO THAT'S LOOKING TO APPLY, PLEASE ENCOURAGE THEM TO DO SO.
UM, THE LAST COUPLE APPLICANTS THAT THEY CALLED BACK, UM, LOOKS LIKE THEY FELL THROUGH.
OKAY, MS. TAMNICK, I'M STU I HAVE ONE TODAY THAT YOU HAVE A COMMENT TODAY.
I DIDN'T WANNA DISAPPOINT YOU ONE MORE TIME.
AND MR. CUNNINGHAM'S BEEN BUGGING ME.
SO, SCHOOL DISTRICT REPORT FROM JUNE 11TH, THEY DID HAVE SIX HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATIONS.
UH, THEY APPROVED THOMPSON TURNER CONSTRUCTION FOR THE BEAUFORT HIGH SCHOOL 2023 REFERENDUM SAFETY AND SECURITY SCOPE, WHICH WILL INVOLVE CAMERAS IN THE PARKING LOTS AND ATHLETIC FACILITIES AND UPGRADES OF THEIR DOORS.
THEY RECOGNIZED WHALE BRANCH, EARLY COLLEGE, HIGH SCHOOL TRACK, THEY WERE STATE CHAMPIONS AND THREE OF THE LADIES WERE JUST NAMED AT THE AS FIRST ALL AMERICANS IN THE FOUR BY ONE, BY THE NATIONAL TRACK AND FIELD COACHES ASSOCIATION.
THEN THE BOARD, THIS IS A BIG DEAL TOO, BUT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVED A FISCAL YEAR, UH, 25 8% FUND CAPITAL PROJECT LIST THAT TOTALS $43.5 MILLION.
THEY WERE PRESENTED WITH A LIST FROM THEIR FINANCE AND OPERATIONS COMMITTEES, AND THIS WILL INCLUDE ABOUT $5 MILLION OF RENOVATIONS AND SAFETY UPGRADES AT THE BOARD OFFICES, WHICH IS ON MAKE POINT ROAD.
THEN THERE WAS SOME CONVERSATION ABOUT SHOULD WE UPFIT THIS BUILDING OR SHOULD WE LOOK TO BUY ANOTHER ONE? THAT WAS JUST A DISCUSSION.
THEN THE BOARD AUTHORIZED THE SUPERINTENDENT TO NEGOTIATE WITH JASPER COUNTY TO ANALYZE IMPROVING THE PHYSICAL BUILDING AT ACE, THE ACADEMY FOR CAREER EXCELLENCE.
UM, IT'S NOT ONLY THE PHYSICAL BUILDING, BUT THE TECHNOLOGY.
IT WOULD BE $6.5 MILLION IN FUNDS FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT WOULD BE SPENT FOR THIS, AND JASPER COUNTY WOULD CONTRIBUTE AS WELL.
THE TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE, I FOUND THIS ONE VERY INTERESTING BOARD OF EDUCATION, DIRECTED THE SUPERINTENDENT TO EVALUATE CURRENT PROCESSES AND LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO STANDARDIZE AND IMPROVE DATA EFFICIENCY.
IT WAS, IT WAS A GOOD DISCUSSION, BUT THEN ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS, UM, ASKED THAT IN THE FUTURE, THEY DISCUSSED LOOKING INTO OFFERING QUOTE ESPORTS IN CASE YOU KNOW WHAT THAT IS, THAT'S GAMERS AND SETTING UP A ROOM IN SCHOOLS TO HELP STUDENTS WHO LIKE TO GAME AND
[00:35:01]
DO THOSE GAME.AND THIS WAY THEY COULD SOCIALIZE WHILE GAMING AND TECHNOLOGIES THE FUTURE.
IT'S ACTUALLY NOW IN THE FUTURE.
SO THEY'D LIKE TO EXPLORE THAT.
AND THEN THE BOARD HAD A PRESENTATION OF PROGRESS OF OUR UNDERPERFORMING SCHOOLS.
AND WHEN I SAY THAT, THAT'S ACCORDING TO STATE STANDARDS.
SO TAKE THAT WITH A GRAIN OF SALT.
THEY REPORTED ON JOSEPH SHANKLIN ELEMENTARY AND WA WHALE BRANCH ELEMENTARY.
AND THEN UNDER FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, UM, THE CFO REPORTED THAT WE HAVE APPROVED THE SECOND READING OF THEIR BUDGET AND THEIR THIRD READING WILL BE ON THURSDAY.
ANYONE ELSE? MR. CHAIRMAN, QUICKLY, UM, MR. ROBINSON INTRODUCED JASON FLAKE AS THE NEW PERSON WITH MAPS.
IS DAN MORGAN STILL HERE? YES.
IS HE HERE STILL? I MEAN IN THE ROOM.
HE, THIS JASON FLAKE IS GONNA JOIN, UH, DAN MORGAN AND KELSEY FLOYD, THEY'RE A GREAT TEAM AND HE'S GONNA ENJOY THAT, UM, ORGANIZATION PRETTY WELL.
UM, I SAT ON A BOARD MEETING THE OTHER DAY FOR THE AIRPORTS AND WE HEARD IN THE THREE O'CLOCK MEETING TODAY THAT THAT PHASE ONE OF THAT BUILD OUT TERMINAL'S GOING, WELL, THERE'S NO INTERRUPTIONS THAT THEY CAN REPORT OF.
UM, I ALSO SAT ON A BOARD MEETING FOR THE PALMETTO BREEZE AND BEEN WORKING WITH COLUMBIA AND LEARNING ABOUT SOME GRANTS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THROUGH COLUMBIA.
UM, I THINK IT WAS LAST WEEK THAT DAVID YORK AND I HAD A CHANCE TO MEET WITH THE NEW DIRECTOR OF THE PENN CENTER, AND I'LL LET YORK TALK ABOUT THAT IF YOU'D LIKE TO.
I THINK IT WAS A GREAT TIME,
UM, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE HISTORY OF BEAUFORT COUNTY IS INCREDIBLE.
JAMES, WHETHER IT'S MITCHELLVILLE, NOW WE'RE GONNA LEARN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PENN CENTER AND ALL IT TOOK PLACE THERE.
AND I, I JUST ENJOYED THAT SESSION.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER.
I'VE GOT TWO THINGS LAST WEEK IN, IN ADDITION TO GOING TO THAT MEETING, UH, I WENT TO TWO ADDITIONAL MEETINGS.
UM, ONE, THE PROBATE COURT HOSTED A STAKEHOLDER MEETING, UH, TALKING ABOUT THE PROCESS FOR MENTAL HEALTH EVALUATIONS AND HOW WE CAN EXPAND THE SERVICES FOR MENTAL HEALTH HERE.
AND IT, IT WAS WONDERFUL TO SEE ALL THE PARTNERSHIPS WORKING TOGETHER AND EVERYBODY COME AND COLLECTIVELY TO TRY, TRY TO SOLVE THAT PROBLEM.
AND THEN THE FOLLOWING DAY WE HAD AN ADDITIONAL MEETING, UH, WITH OUR BEAUFORT COUNTY HUMAN RESOURCES AND SOME OTHER PARTNERS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, NONPROFIT GROUPS ABOUT, AGAIN, SEEING HOW WE COULD EXPAND, EXPAND MENTAL HEALTH AND UM, MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES AS WELL AS HOUSING.
'CAUSE IT WAS A POINT IN TIME COMMITTEE, UH, DEALING WITH HOMELESSNESS IN THE AREA.
SO THE VERY IN INFORMATIVE, UH, MEETINGS, BUT ALSO WE GOT MARCHING ORDERS, SO HOPEFULLY SOME GOOD WILL COME OUT OF IT.
I HAVE, UH, KATE BUFORD COUNTY.
UH, WE HAD OUR COMMITTEE MEETING LAST WEEK AND MS. HOWARD ALSO ATTENDED, UH, GRANT MCCLURE FROM THE CCL SPOKE ABOUT HAVING WORKSHOPS FOR THE PLASTIC BAG ISSUE.
AND ALSO CHRIS CAMPBELL, WHO IS THE, UM, COMMITTEE CHAIR, ASKED ABOUT THE SOLAR PANELS.
AND MR. DAWSON, UH, HE WAS ABLE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION FOR HIM.
AND I WANNA THANK TAB MS. TABER OVER HERE BECAUSE SHE, UH, WAS ABLE TO GET US, HE WANTED TO KNOW HOW MUCH WE BUDGETED FOR KEEP YOU FOR COUNTY.
AND YOU'RE A VERY, YOU GOT THAT TO US LIKE ASAP, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
ANYONE ELSE IN FRONT OF YOU, YOU HAVE A REPORT FOR ME ABOUT THE SEA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE.
UH, THE LEADERS OF ALL OF THE SEVEN COUNTIES, ALONG WITH FOUR OF OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES, WENT TO WASHINGTON, DC IN MAY FOR THREE DAYS TO MEET WITH OUR FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVES TO TALK ABOUT REGIONAL PROJECTS THAT WOULD BENEFIT US.
THERE I WAS ABLE TO MEET WITH TWO OF OUR REPRESENTATIVES ABOUT VERY SPECIFIC PROJECTS AFFECTING BEAUFORT COUNTY.
ONE IS A BEAUFORT JASPER WATER SEWER AUTHORITY PROJECT FOR ALL JOY, WHICH I WILL ASK MY COLLEAGUES AFTER I AM DONE TO GIVE YOU SOME MORE INFORMATION.
THE OTHER IS THE FISH AND WILDLIFE REFUGE ON PINNEY ISLAND AND A PROJECT THAT WE INTEND TO DO THERE.
WE ARE SEEKING FEDERAL FUNDING FOR THESE PROJECTS.
OUR ENTIRE DELEGATION WAS WELL RECEIVED BECAUSE WASHINGTON DC NOW SEES US AS A FORMIDABLE FORCE OF SEVEN COUNTIES FROM THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
AND SO THERE WAS TO BE A MEETING THAT I COULD NOT ATTEND, BUT WAS ATTENDED BY MY COLLEAGUES, MR. LAWSON AND MR. MCKELLEN REGARDING THE BUFORT JASPER WATER AND SEWER
[00:40:01]
PROJECT.WANNA TALK ABOUT IT OR YOU WANT ME TO DO IT? UM, NO, I CAN, I CAN DISCUSS IT AGAIN RIGHT NOW.
IT, IT IS STILL IN, IN THE, JUST THE WORKS OF US TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT CAN BE DONE, WHAT CAN'T BE DONE, BUT IT, UH, WOULD BE BRINGING TOGETHER THE COUNTY, UM, OUR, UM, OUR, OUR LEGIS LEGISLATIVE, UM, FOLKS AS WELL FROM THE STATE LOOKING FOR FEDERAL GRANT MONEY.
UM, AND THEN, UM, I'LL, I'LL OBVIOUSLY BEAUFORT JASPER BEING A BIG PART OF THAT, TRYING TO GET TO THE UNDERSERVED AREA OF ALL JOY, WHICH AGAIN HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT NOT ONLY MYSELF, BUT PEOPLE BEFORE ME FAVOR VOX AND EVEN WESTON NEWTON, WHO WAS THE PREVIOUS CHAIRMAN, WAS REPRESENTING THAT AREA AND HAVE WORKED ON THIS AS WELL.
SO AGAIN, IT'S A COLLABORATIVE, UM, EFFORT RIGHT NOW THAT WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER, UH, TO SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE.
UM, THERE ARE, THERE ARE NO SPECIFICS THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT AT THIS POINT.
HOWEVER, UM, IT IS SOMETHING THAT, UM, AGAIN, EVERYONE IS COMING TOGETHER WITH THAT.
EVEN THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, WHICH AGAIN, THIS ALL JOYS NUTTON TOWN OF BLUFFTON, THEY'VE COME TO THE TABLE AS WELL TO SEE WHAT THEY CAN DO TO ASSIST.
UM, AND IT, IT, IT'S MORE ABOUT, UM, US PROTECTING, UM, THE WATER QUALITY OF THE MAY RIVER.
UM, OBVIOUSLY AS THINGS MOVE FORWARD WITH THE SEPTIC SYSTEMS, UM, AND THE RAIN WATER THEY GET DOWN THERE.
UM, SO IT, IT'S, IT'S TWOFOLD.
IT'S ONE TO, UM, HELP THE CITIZENS WHO HAVE THE SEPTIC SYSTEMS THAT THEY'VE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS, UM, BEFORE I EVEN BECAME A COUNCIL PERSON.
AND THEN ALSO FOR US TO PROTECT, UH, THE RIVER AND, AND DO AS MUCH AS WE, AS WE CAN TO GET RID OF THE FECAL COLIFORM THAT, THAT, UM, IS FLOWING.
IT, IT HASN'T INCREASED YET DOWN THERE.
HOWEVER, THEY HAVE FOUND IT IN THE WATER.
AND AGAIN, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WANNA GET AHEAD OF IT AND STAY AHEAD OF IT, UH, AND TO MAKE SURE WE CAN DO WHAT'S, WHAT'S, UH, WHAT'S BEST.
SO, LARRY, IF I COVERED IT, I MEAN THAT'S, UH, YEAH, THAT'S GREAT.
I, THE ONLY THING IS THAT THE, UH, BUFORD WATER JASPER IS TARGETED A CERTAIN AREA WITH ABOUT 200 HOUSES IN IT, AND THE ESTIMATED IT'LL COST ABOUT $18 MILLION TO DELIVER SEWER SERVICE TO THOSE 200 HOUSES.
AND AS MARK POINTED OUT, IT'S GONNA BE A FEDERAL, STATE AND COUNTY EFFORT TO TRY AND ASSEMBLE THAT MONEY.
AND WHAT WE'LL DO FOR THE REST OF THIS YEAR IS START SEARCHING FOR FUNDING SOURCES SO THAT WE CAN PROCEED WITH THIS AS BEST WE CAN IN NEW YEAR.
THAT WILL, UH, END OUR LIAISON AND COMMITTEE REPORTS.
[10. APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA]
A MEMBER OF COUNSEL TO MAKE A MOTION FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.YOU ARE, I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION.
MR. CHAIRMAN, MS. HOWARD MAKES THE SECOND DULY MOTIONED.
AND SECOND, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION AND I SEE NO OBJECTIONS.
[11. PUBLIC HEARING AND THIRD READING OF AN ORDINANCE FOR A 2024 TRANSPORTATION SALES AND USE TAX REFERENDUM]
A MEMBER OF COUNSEL FOR A MOTION TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING AND THIRD READING OF AN ORDINANCE FOR A 2024 TRANSPORTATION AND SALES AND USE TAX REFERENDUM.MS. HOWARD MADE THE MOTION AND MR. CUNNINGHAM MAKES THE SECOND DULY MOTION AND SECONDED.
UM, SARAH, DO WE HAVE A, UM, UH, POWERPOINT SLIDES TO START WITH BEFORE WE GO TO THE PUBLIC? YES.
WELL, I HAVE THE ONE YOU TALKING ABOUT.
UM, THIS REFERENDUM THAT WE'RE PROPOSING AFFECTS THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF EVERY CITIZEN IN BUFORD COUNTY.
THAT'S WHY QUALITY OF LIFE IS THE ESSENTIAL INGREDIENT HERE SURROUNDED BY IT ARE, WHATEVER YOU WANNA CALL IT, PILLARS, INFRASTRUCTURE FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE QUALITY OF LIFE HERE.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND I DON'T HAVE TO READ, READ THEM, BUT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE ARE ENTWINED BECAUSE WE LIVE HERE, WE WORK HERE, WE PLAY HERE.
AND THE NUMBER ONE AT THE TOP IS TRANSPORTATION.
THAT'S OUR ROAD SYSTEM, THAT'S OUR COMMUTER SYSTEM, WHETHER IT'S BUS, TRAIN, AIRPLANE, WATER, ROADS, PATHWAYS, THAT'S HOW WE GET TO AND FROM WHERE WE LIVE OR WHERE WE WORK OR WHERE WE PLAY.
AND THAT'S THE ESSENCE OF WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING FOR THIS SALES TAX REFERENDUM.
IT'S NOT JUST TO FIX THE ROADS, IT IS THE QUALITY OF LIFE WE HOPE TO HAVE BY HAVING A SUCCESSFUL REFERENDUM.
[00:45:01]
THE PUBLIC FOR COMMENTS.WE HAVE THREE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SIGNED UP.
OTHERS MAY WANT TO COMMENT, BUT WE'LL GO THE WAY THEY SIGNED UP.
AND THE FIRST ONE IS ASHLEY, ASHLEY PHILLIPS.
ASHLEY PHILLIPS, UH, HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
UM, I THINK BEFORE WE GIVE YOU ANY MORE OF OUR MONEY, YOU NEED TO FINISH THE PROJECTS YOU HAD ON THE LIST IN 2018.
NOW DO WHAT YOU SAID YOU WERE GONNA DO.
I WILL BE AN ABSOLUTE NO FOR ANOTHER TAX REFERENDUM.
UM, AND I DO WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO MS. BROWN AND MR. REEDS FOR SHOWING UP ON HILTON HEAD LAST WEEK AT THE WORKSHOP FOR THE 2 78 MEETING.
THAT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, HUGE, UH, FOR OUR BRIDGE, UH, PROJECT THAT'S COMING UP.
SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY, PLEASE, DIANE.
GOOD EVENING, COUNCILMAN AND COUNCIL.
I MEAN, CHAIRMAN AND COUNCIL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
UM, I AM A RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF BEAUFORT AND THIS, UM, PROPOSAL HAS MANY, MANY HOLES IN IT WHERE THERE ARE TO BE DETERMINED, NOT YET IDENTIFIED.
SO A LOT OF THESE, THESE FUNDS, WE DON'T EVEN KNOW REALLY WHERE THEY'RE GONNA GO.
I MEAN, BROAD CATEGORIES ARE, ARE NOT ENOUGH.
I ECHO WHAT MS. ASHLEY SAID IN TERMS OF, LET'S FINISH THE PROJECTS THAT WERE STARTED FIRST.
IN ADDITION TO IT, THERE IS $75,000.
WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS THE, UM, CHANGED NUMBERS, BUT A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY PUT IN FOR THE REBO ROAD IMPROVEMENTS IMPLEMENTATION OF THE REIMAGINE REBO ROAD, WHICH EVERYONE THAT I HAVE SPOKEN TO IS ABSOLUTELY AGAINST.
WE, THE PROPOSAL IS, IS NOT PRACTICAL.
IT IS, UM, IT'S DETRIMENTAL TO MOVING TRAFFIC.
IT'S, IT'S A DANGER TO, UM, EMERGENCY VEHICLES THAT NEED TO GET TO AND FROM THE HOSPITAL.
THERE IS A SET AMOUNT OF, OF MONEY SCHEDULED TO BE GIVEN TO THE CITY OF BLUFFTON AND THE CITY OF HILTON HEAD.
AND YET THERE'S A, A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT IS TO BE SPLIT BETWEEN BUFORT, PORT ROYAL AND THE REST OF THE COUNTY IN NORTH OF ABROAD.
UM, I DON'T FEEL THAT WE, UM, NECESSARILY SEE IN THIS PROPOSAL THAT BUFORT IS GOING TO BENEFIT PROPORTIONATELY FROM WHAT IS COLLECTED AND GIVEN, I URGE YOU TO EITHER TABLE THIS AND, AND CONSIDER IT AS ANOTHER FIRST READING AFTER YOU CONSIDER LOOKING AT THE, THE NUMBERS SOME MORE OR, UM, JUST I VOTE NO THANK YOU ANN.
I AM ANN UBELL, LADIES ISLAND.
AND TO THOSE WHO ARE THINKING ABOUT VOTING YES ON THE PROPOSED 1% SALES TAX, I ASK YOU TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE FOLLOWING YOUR ACCOUNT AND OUR ASSUMPTION THAT TOURISTS WILL PAY THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE TAX, HOWEVER, IT IS A REPRESSIVE TAX THAT WILL HURT THE ECONOMICALLY CHALLENGED THE HARDEST SINCE 2010.
HOUSEHOLD MEDIUM INCOME COUNTYWIDE FELL FROM 66,200 TO 58,994.
AS OF 2021, THAT IS 77.73% OF THE NATIONAL AVERAGE OF 74,606.
APPROXIMATELY ONE THIRD OF OUR POPULATION IN THIS COUNTY IS OVER 65 YEARS OLD.
WHILE TOURISM BROUGHT IN APPROXIMATELY 2.4 BILLION IN REVENUE TO THE COUNTY, NOT ALL WAS SALES TAXABLE TOURISM TAX REVENUE.
BY MY QUICK CALCULATIONS ON FIGURES PROVIDED BY THE COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON SCHOOL OF BUSINESS, MARCH, 2022, REPORT WAS APPROXIMATELY 18 MILLION.
MULTIPLY THAT BY 10 YEARS, AND 180 MILLION IS A FAR CRY FROM 950 MILLION.
SO WITH A DROP IN AVERAGE MEDIUM INCOME COUNTYWIDE, THE ADVANCED AGE OF OUR POPULATION, AND A REPRESSIVE SALES TAX MEANS THIS TAX WILL HURT THE MIDDLE AND LOWER INCOME LONGER AND HARDER, AND THE TOURISTS WILL GO BACK HOME WITH THEIR DOLLARS INTACT.
THIS TAX IS TOO BIG AND EXACTLY THE WRONG INFLATIONARY ECONOMIC TIME.
WE WANNA KNOW EXACTLY HOW MUCH MONEY IS LEFT OVER FROM THE 2018 SALES TAX AND HOW IS IT BEING APPLIED? WHAT IS THE ADDITIONAL COST ON EACH UNFINISHED 2018 TAX PROJECT? HOW MUCH FEDERAL AND STATE MONEY ARE YOU APPLYING FOR WITH THE GREEN RATE GREENWAY PROJECTS OF MIXED USE PATHWAYS AND BIKEWAYS? AND HOW WILL IT OFFSET PROJECT COSTS? WHAT IS THE SAVINGS TO THE TAXPAYER? WILL IT REDUCE THE TOTAL TAX REFER REFERENDUM COLLECTION AND TERM? THERE ARE CURRENTLY NINE ETHIC INVESTIGATIONS ON OUR CURRENT AND FORMER COUNTY EMPLOYEES, AND THE TAX PAYING PUBLIC IS KEPT IN THE DARK, AND YET YOU ASK US TO TRUST YOU.
[00:50:01]
THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE 2018 PROJECTS HAVE NOT EVEN ENTERED THE CONSTRUCTION STAGE WHEN THE REPORT ABOUT CORRUPTION AND MALUS HAS NOT BEEN FULLY RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC, YOU MODIFY THE REFERENDUM TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE YOU'RE SERIOUS ABOUT ACCOMMODATING OUR CONCERNS OVER THIS REFERENDUM.YET YOU KEEP IN PLACE TWO SLUSH FUNDS WITH NO CURRENT ACCOUNTABILITY OR SPECIFIC RESTRICTIONS FOR USAGE.
SOCIAL MEDIA IS A BLAZE WITH DISSATISFACTION ON THIS TAX REFERENDUM.
SO GO AHEAD, PUT IT ON THE BALLOT IN 2020.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE? PLEASE COME FORWARD.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I'M CHUCK NEWTON, REPRESENTING THE SEA ISLAND CORRIDOR COALITION.
UH, WINSTON CHURCHILL WAS ONCE QUOTED AS SAYING AMERICANS CAN ALWAYS BE COUNTED UPON TO DO THE RIGHT THING AFTER EVERY OTHER POSSIBILITY HAS BEEN EXHAUSTED.
UM, THE SAME CAN BE SAID IN THIS COUNCIL ON MATTERS IMPORTANT TO LADIES ISLAND.
SIX YEARS AFTER THE PASSAGE OF THE 2018 REFERENDUM, ONLY TWO OF NINE PROJECTS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.
ONE OF THEM BENEFITING FEWER THAN A HUNDRED HOUSEHOLDS.
THIS COUNCIL LAST YEAR SIMPLY WALKED AWAY FROM A DISCUSSION ABOUT TRAFFIC CONGESTION AT BEAUFORT HIGH SCHOOL.
THERE HAS BEEN A PROPOSAL FOR A LADIES ISLAND TOWN CENTER MASTER PLAN IN DEVELOPMENT IN THE COUNTY PLANNING DEPARTMENT FOR MORE THAN A YEAR WITH NO ACTION ON THE HORIZON.
AND IN TWO DAYS, HARRIS TEETER OPENS ITS NEW STORE AT THE INTERSECTION OF SEA ISLAND PARKWAY AND LADIES ISLAND DRIVE, WITH NO WAY FOR SHOPPERS LEAVING EAST OF LIVING EAST OF THE THE STORE TO GET GROCERIES HOME WITHOUT CROSSING THREE LANES OF ACTIVE TRAFFIC AT AN UNSIGNED INTERSECTION.
BECAUSE 2018 TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENTS WERE NOT UNDERTAKEN.
HAVE WE LEARNED ANYTHING SINCE 2018? LADIES ISLAND HAS LIVED THROUGH SIX YEARS OF DELAY, BROKEN PROMISES AND MORE PROMISES FROM BEAUFORT COUNTY.
IT CONTINUES TO FACE LARGELY UNCONTROLLED DEVELOPMENT AND WE'VE SEEN LITTLE ACTION ON THE VAUNTED PROJECTS FROM 2018 INTENDED TO GET AHEAD OF THIS CURVE ON CASCADING TRAFFIC ON THE SEA ISLAND CORRIDOR.
NOW, BEFORE YOU, TONIGHT IS A PROPOSAL FOR ANOTHER SALES TAX REFERENDUM.
UM, AND IT'S JUSTIFIED LARGELY ON THE SAME BASIS AS IT WAS IN 2018 TO THE POTENTIAL BENEFIT OF LADIES ISLAND.
THERE'S $60 MILLION IN THIS REFERENDUM ALLOCATED TO COMPLETE THE REMAINING PROJECTS ON THE ISLAND.
DO WE ADVOCATE FOR THE PASSAGE OF THIS REFERENDUM AND GET LADIES ISLAND LONG OVERDUE PROJECTS UNDERWAY OR DO WE OPPOSE THE PASSAGE AND PUT LADIES ISLAND ON THE BACK BURNER? YET AGAIN, THIS COALITION HAS TRIED TO WORK WITH THE CITY AND WITH THE COUNTY SINCE 2017.
ON THESE PROJECTS, WE'VE TRIED TO CONTRIBUTE OUR THINKING ABOUT SOLUTIONS FOR LADIES ISLAND.
WE'VE TRIED TO BE RESPONSIBLE AND SUPPORTIVE, BUT THE PEOPLE OF LADIES ISLAND HAVE RECEIVED VERY LITTLE IN RETURN.
SO MUCH FOR CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT.
SHOULD WE BELIEVE THIS YEAR'S PROMISES HOLD OUR NOS AND VOTE? YES, IT WOULD BE EASIER TO DO THIS IF WE HAD A COMMITMENT FROM THIS COUN COUNCIL, UH, AND STAFF THAT ACTION ON 2018 PROJECTS BE A PRIORITY BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE THAT WILL COM THAT WE COMPLETE WORK STARTED BEFORE TURNING ATTENTION TO NEW PROJECTS.
UH, WE DO THINK THAT THE SALES TAX IS AN APPROPRIATE VEHICLE, NO PUN INTENDED, UM, TO FUND THESE PROJECTS GIVEN THE SIGNIFICANT, UM, TRAFFIC CREATED BY TOURISTS AND THE SIGNIFICANT INCOME OF REVENUE AS WELL.
UM, THE LAST QUESTION, THE SECOND QUESTION IS WHAT KIND OF CON CONTROLS, WHAT KIND OF OVERSIGHT WILL THIS HAVE? LADIES ISLAND HAS SUFFERED BECAUSE IT HASN'T BEEN A PRIORITY.
GETTING POLICIES OUT OF THE POLITICS, OUT OF THE EQUATION, UM, AND, AND GETTING IN MORE TRANSPARENT CITIZEN OVERSIGHT WOULD PERHAPS PREVENT CERTAIN PARTS OF THE COUNTY BEING IGNORED AS LADIES ISLAND HAS BEEN.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S TIME TO RECAPTURE VOTER CONFIDENCE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY BEFORE NOVEMBER, BUT STRONGLY VOICE PUBLIC COMMITMENTS BY THIS COUNCIL TO PROMISE, PROMISE, KEEPING, IMPROVE, MANAGEMENT, GREATER TRANSPARENCY AND APPROPRIATE PUBLIC OVERSIGHT IN THE FUTURE WOULD BE A GOOD BEGINNING AND IT WOULD EVEN BE BETTER IF IT STARTED TONIGHT.
ANYONE ELSE? HI, MY NAME'S JOY COE.
AND UM, ACTUALLY I JUST WANTED TO, UM, WHEN Y'ALL WENT BACK AND YOU CHANGED IT, THE SALES TAX ADVISORY COMMITTEE GAVE YOU, UM, A 15 YEAR, A 12 YEAR, A 10 YEAR AND A EIGHT YEAR PROGRAM.
AND THEY ACTUALLY HAD A PRETTY GOOD THING FOR THE 10 YEAR, I THOUGHT.
AND THEN YOU GUYS, THE, WELL, IT WAS SUPPOSED TO GO BACK TO
[00:55:01]
THE SALES TAX ADVISORY COMMITTEE.INSTEAD IT WENT TO THE PUBLIC FACILITIES COMMITTEE AND THEN Y'ALL DECIDED TO MOVE THE MONEY ALL AROUND.
I MEAN, AND IT WAS ACTUALLY ALMOST COMICAL 'CAUSE IT WAS LIKE, OH, WELL LET'S JUST MOVE MILLIONS HERE, MILLIONS HERE.
AND UM, I MEAN WE'RE TALKING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
UM, BUT ANYWAY, SO YOU MOVED IT ALL AROUND AND YOU TOOK MONEY OUT OF PROJECTS BECAUSE YOU SAID THEY, TO GET FEDERAL MONEY, THEY COULDN'T BE FULLY FUNDED.
BUT I MEAN, YOU TOOK SO MUCH MONEY OUT OF SAY THE TRIANGLE PROJECT THAT NOW I FEEL LIKE IT'S GONNA BE UNDERFUNDED AND THEN YOU'RE GONNA BE COMING AGAIN TO ASK FOR MORE TAX, TAX DOLLARS AND INSTEAD YOU GAVE IT TO MUNICIPAL PROJECTS LIKE HILTON HAD, BLUFFTON AND NORTH OF THE BROAD, AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND, NEVER HAS A SALES TAX PRIOR TO THIS.
BEEN GIVING MONEY TO MUNICIPALS TO BASICALLY SPEND AS THEY LIKE.
AND ESPECIALLY I I THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR NOT INCLUDING FIVE B, I MEAN, THANK YOU.
UM, BUT ON THE FLIP SIDE, THE, THE, THE HILTON HEAD HAS TO SPEND IT ON, UH, C PINE CIRCLE NORTH ABROAD HAS TO DO FLOOD PREVENTION, BUT THE BLUFFTON, IT JUST SAYS PROJECTS LISTED AS PRIORITIES BY THE BLUFFTON TOWN COUNCIL.
SO THERE'S NO SPECIFIC PROJECTS AND UM, IT SAYS LISTED IN PAST TENSE, SO THEY MUST HAVE PROJECTS LISTED.
SO IF YOU COULD LET US KNOW WHAT THOSE ARE, UM, 'CAUSE THAT WOULD PROBABLY INFLUENCE OUR VOTING IN NOVEMBER.
ANYONE ELSE? HI, MY NAME'S CARMEN AVON MANNING AND I LIVE IN BLUFFTON.
AND UM, I APPRECIATE THAT WE DO HAVE TRANSPORTATION ISSUES.
WE HAVE QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES.
I ALSO APPRECIATE YOU'RE UNDER A DEADLINE TO TRY TO GET THIS ON THE, UM, BALLOT.
I SENT YOU TWO VERY LONG EMAILS AND THANK YOU.
THREE OF YOU ACKNOWLEDGED THAT YOU GOT RECEIPT OF IT.
AND COUNCILMAN, UH, RIGHTS, YOU ACTUALLY SAID I HAD GOOD QUESTIONS AND THE COUNTY SHOULD ANSWER THEM, BUT I'VE GOTTEN NO ANSWER.
UM, SO I DON'T KNOW WHY I'M HERE.
BUT I SPENT THE WEEKEND UP IN BOSTON AND TOUR THE, UH, TEA PARTY
SO PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY
SO I'M GONNA ASK YOU A VERY SIMPLE QUESTION BECAUSE THIS IS THE QUESTION MY MANAGEMENT AND MY CLIENTS AND MY REGULATORS WOULD'VE ASKED ME, OKAY, YOU'RE BLAMING THE 18 DIDN'T GET DONE BECAUSE OF INFLATION.
WELL, MR. PASSMAN, WHAT INFLATION DO ALL THESE PROJECTS HAVE? DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE NUMBER IS? 69% INCREASE IN THE BRIDGE? NO, NO, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE PROJECTS YOU'RE ASKING US TO VOTE ON.
HOW DO I KNOW THAT NUMBER IS CORRECT? THAT IS MY BASIC QUESTION.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A BID PRICE.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S DESIGN COST.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S PLUS OR MINUS 10%.
SO HOW DO I HAVE FAITH THAT THAT'S THE RIGHT NUMBER? AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THE INFLATION RATE THAT JARED, UM, HAS DETERMINED.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE IN THE SAME BOAT.
YOU'RE GONNA COME BACK TO US AND SAY, WELL WHO KNEW THE INFLATION WAS GONNA BE 18% SO YOU'RE GONNA BE BACK FOR MORE MONEY.
TWO, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE MUNICIPAL PROJECTS AND I WATCHED UNFORTUNATELY THAT HOUR LONG MEETING WHEN YOU JUST MOVE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AROUND.
AT FIRST THERE WERE NO, THERE WAS NO MONEY FROM MUNICIPAL.
THEN YOU PUT 90 DIVIDED BY THREE AND SAID, OH, THAT SOUNDS GOOD.
WELL, BUFORD IS NOT THE SAME AS HILTON HEAD AND IT'S NOT THE SAME AS, UM, BLUFFTON.
WE DON'T HAVE THE SAME POPULATION.
WE DON'T HAVE THE SAME NUMBER OF ROADS IN PARTICULAR FOR BLUFFTON.
YOU TOOK FIVE B, YOU SAY YOU'RE TAKING FIVE B OUT.
YOU'RE GIVING BLUFFTON $30 MILLION.
AND I ASK YOU FOR WHAT? ACCORDING TO BLUFF BLUE BLUEPRINT, BLUFFTON STRANGE NAME FOR A PLANNING DOCUMENT, ONLY 0.5% OF THE ROADS IN BLUFFTON BELONG TO THE TOWN.
SO I ASK YOU, WHAT ARE THEY GONNA SPEND $30 MILLION ON? DO YOU KNOW? THEN WHY IS IT ON
THAT'S WHAT MY MANAGEMENT WOULD'VE SAID TO ME.
CARMEN, YOU WANT THIS MONEY? YOU GOTTA GIVE US THE DETAILS.
[01:00:02]
THANK YOU.ANYONE ELSE SING NONE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO GO TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, HOPEFULLY WE CAN ANSWER SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ASKED FOR US.
THE MONEY THAT WAS GATHERED BY THE 2012 TAX REFERENDUM STILL EXISTS.
THE $80 MILLION TOWARDS THE BRIDGE IS THE $80 MILLION TOWARDS THE BRIDGE THAT HAS YET TO BE COMPLETED.
FROM THE STANDPOINT OF IT HAS NOT FULLY BEEN DESIGNED AS YET.
WE DO NOT HAVE MUNICIPAL CONSENT FROM HILTON HEAD, THEREFORE WE CANNOT MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT PROJECT.
YES, SOME OF THE ITEMS FOR LADIES ISLAND WERE DONE.
IF YOU HAVE SEEN WHEN WE WENT AROUND THE COUNTY, SEVERAL OF THE PROJECTS ARE NOW COMING TO FRUITION.
MANY OF THEM ARE IN DESIGN PHASE RIGHT NOW.
SOME ARE WILL BE COMPLETED, THE REST OF THEM WILL BE DONE.
AS WE HAVE SAID, THE PRIORITY IS TO COMPLETE WHAT WASN'T COMPLETED IN THE LAST REFERENDUM, THE 18 REFERENDUM.
BEFORE WE START THE NEXT REFERENDUM, DO WE HAVE AN IDEA OF WHERE THE MONEY WILL GO? YES, WE DO.
IT HAS BEEN SPECIFIED BY PROJECT.
DO WE KNOW 10 YEARS FROM NOW THAT EVERY SINGLE DOLLAR IN THERE WILL BE ACCOUNTED FOR AS FAR AS AN INFLATION FACTOR? YOUR GUESS IS AS GOOD AS MINE.
DO WE KNOW IF WE WILL BE ABLE TO COMPLETE EVERYTHING IN 10 YEARS? CERTAINLY WE HOPE TO.
WILL WE BE ABLE TO COMPLETE THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE PROJECTS? YES.
WHEN WE WERE ASKED WHY DID WE SHORTCHANGE SOME OF THE PROJECTS SO WE COULD GET FEDERAL FUNDING, IT IS BECAUSE IF WE, THE TAXPAYERS SAY WE HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX THE TRIANGLE, THE STATE AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ARE GOVERNMENT AREN'T GOING TO CONTRIBUTE A PENNY.
SO WE ARE GONNA HAVE SEED MONEY AND GO AFTER THE BIG DOLLARS FROM THE FEDERAL AND STATE.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE ONLY $90 MILLION FROM OUR SHARE FOR THE BRIDGE.
THE BRIDGE IS SHORT BY $190 MILLION.
69% INCREASE OVER THE LAST 11 QUARTERS.
THE TRIANGLE IS THE TRIANGLE PROJECT.
WE GUESSTIMATE THAT IT WILL BE $245 MILLION OF WHICH WE WILL PUT IN A SUM OF MONEY.
OUR PARTNER IN THIS IS JASPER COUNTY.
THEY WILL BE PARTICIPATING IN THIS AND HOPEFULLY BETWEEN THEIR REFERENDUM AND OUR REFERENDUM, WE WILL GARNER ENOUGH MONEY TO DO THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT.
WE INTEND TO DO AS MANY OF THE PATHWAYS AS WE CAN.
SO THERE IS SPECIFICITY IN THERE.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF WE COULD, WE HAD A SLIDE THAT WOULD SHOW YOU THE ORIGINAL CONCEPT OF THE 15 YEAR AND WHY WE PARED IT DOWN TO 10 YEARS AND HOPEFULLY GOT A LITTLE PIECE OF THE PIE FOR EVERYBODY.
ALL 200,000 CITIZENS WHO LIVE IN THIS COUNTY ARE GOING TO BE AFFECTED BY WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS AND WELL BEYOND.
AS WE STATED, THIS IS A QUALITY OF LIFE.
IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING AS THE PERSON SAID, WE DIDN'T GET IT ON LADIES ISLAND BEFORE, AND IF WE DON'T VOTE FOR THIS, WE'RE NOT GONNA GET IT AGAIN.
WELL, THAT'S TRUE FOR EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE THINGS.
IF THIS REFERENDUM GOES DOWN, WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH PLAN B BECAUSE THE ROADS AREN'T GONNA FIX THEMSELVES.
WE KNOW HOW BAD THE ROADS ARE.
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS BEYOND ONE 70 OR 2 78 OR 46 OR ANY OF THE OTHER ANCILLARY ROADS THAT HAVE PEOPLE TRYING TO GET TO WORK, THEY'RE A MESS.
SO WE HAVE NO CHOICE IN THIS MATTER.
WE DO BELIEVE THE SALES TAX IS THE BEST OPTION BECAUSE THERE IS GOING TO BE A LARGE AMOUNT OF IT PAID FOR BY PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIVE HERE.
NOW, AS FAR AS CAN PEOPLE AFFORD THIS, WE'RE PAYING A 1%
[01:05:01]
SALES TAX RIGHT NOW.IT IS ON, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, DISCRETIONARY FUNDS.
IT IS NOT FOR THE NECESSITIES OF LIFE.
SO IF SOMEONE WHO CAN'T AFFORD THIS, THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO GO OUT TO DINNER AND PAY THOSE KINDS OF FEES TO GO OUT TO DINNER.
THEY TAKE UP A GREAT DEAL OF OUR RESOURCES, OUR INFRASTRUCTURE COMING HERE.
THEY'RE GOING TO PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE COMMENTS FROM THE CITIZENS.
UM, I MEAN FROM THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, MR. CHAIRMAN, I'D LIKE TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO THE EXISTING ORDINANCE.
UM, IT'S A CHANGE THAT ADDRESSES THE SPECIFICS NORTH OF THE BROAD.
THAT IS SECTION 2.4 WHERE IT STATES NORTH OF THE BROAD TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS.
I'D LIKE TO ADD TO THAT VERBIAGE THAT I AMEND IT REGARDING THE $30 MILLION THAT $10 MILLION EACH BE PUT TOWARD THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL.
$10 MILLION TOWARD THE CITY OF BEAUFORT AND $10 MILLION FOR UNINCORPORATED AREAS NORTH OF THE BROAD.
SO IT'S STILL A TOTAL OF 30 MILLION.
IT IS THE OPINION OF OUR ATTORNEYS THAT THIS DOES NOT CHANGE, UH, DRASTICALLY THE VERBIAGE, IT JUST DIVIDES THE $30 MILLION INTO $10 MILLION EACH.
AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, UM, MANY ROADS IN NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY ARE ADJACENT TO UNINCORPORATED AND INCORPORATED AREAS, PARTICULARLY LADIES ISLAND, UM, AND OTHER PARTS OF PORT ROYAL AND UNINCORPORATED BEAUFORT.
I'VE SPOKEN TO BOTH THE MAYOR OF PORT ROYAL AND THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF BEAUFORT.
UH, THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME CONSENSUS THAT THIS WOULD BE AN APPROPRIATE WAY TO WORD THIS INSTEAD OF THE WAY IT'S WORDED.
IT'S DULY MOTIONED AND SECONDED DISCUSSION REGARDING THE AMENDMENT.
SEEING NONE, THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION.
ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS? SEEING NONE, THIS AMENDMENT HAS BEEN APPROVED.
OTHER DISCUSSION? CAN WE JUST PULL THE SLIDE UP OF THE, UM, BREAKDOWN THAT WE CAME UP WITH FOR THE 10 YEARS? THANK YOU, SARAH.
I JUST WANNA HAVE THIS PULL UP SO PEOPLE CAN SEE.
THE WAY THIS IS MODIFIED, UM, IF YOU ACTUALLY LOOK AT THIS, A LOT OF PEOPLE SAID THAT, UM, WE ARE UNDERFUNDING PROJECTS.
SOME OF THESE PROJECTS, WE ACTUALLY STILL INCREASE THE FUNDING FROM THE ORIGINAL WE PUT OUT AT THE 15 YEAR, UM, ESPECIALLY 2 78 LADIES ISLAND CORRIDOR AND THE 24 PATHWAYS.
THOSE ARE THE THREE ITEMS THAT WERE LEFT UNDERFUNDED FROM THE, UH, 28 REFERENDUM, WHICH HALF OF US WEREN'T EVEN ON THIS COUNTY COUNCIL WHEN THAT WAS PUT INTO EFFECT.
UM, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT THAT WAS THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT SAID YOU WATCHED THAT MEETING.
THE VERY FIRST THING WE DID WAS WHAT DO WE NEED FOR THE FUNDING FOR THOSE THREE PROJECTS, AND WHAT DO WE HAVE TO DO TO ACCOMPLISH THOSE? UM, SO I CAN TELL YOU THAT WAS TAKEN INTO HIGH CONSIDERATION KNOWING THAT WE WERE NOT MOVING FORWARD WITHOUT THAT.
UM, THAT WAS OUR FIRST GOAL THAT WE ACCOMPLISHED AS SOON AS WE FIGURED OUT HOW MANY YEARS THIS PROJECT WAS GONNA BE.
UM, I THINK MR. PASSMAN DID SAY, WELL, IF ONE OF 'EM, WE TRIED TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS TOUCHED EVERY PART OF THE COUNTY BECAUSE THIS IS A COUNTYWIDE REFERENDUM.
UM, WHETHER IT IS THE 2 78 CORRIDOR ALL THE WAY TO 46, BUT ONE THING'S FOR SURE IS WE ALL USE THOSE MAIN VEIN ROADS TO GET TO AND FROM AND TO SUSTAIN OUR ECONOMY HERE WITH HOSPITALITY.
UM, IF YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE FUNDING ON THE RIGHT, UM, WHETHER IT'S SAFETY, DIRT, ROAD PAVING, PATHWAY PROJECTS, THOSE ARE AREAS THAT WE CAN USE FUNDS.
IF WE DO COME UP SHORT IN SOME OF THE OTHERS, EVEN THOUGH WE, IF YOU WATCH THE MEETING, I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT NUMBERS IN FRONT OF ME, BUT I CAN REMEMBER THREE OF THESE PROJECTS HERE ON THE LEFT, WE ACTUALLY ADDED AN EXTRA 10 MILLION MORE THAN WE WERE RECOMMENDED TO DO, TO COUNT FOR THE INFLATION THAT WE COULDN'T COUNT FOR.
AND THEN THESE OTHER POTS WE HAVE ON THE RIGHT THERE, ESPECIALLY SAFETY AND TRAFFIC FLOW, THOSE CAN BE USED IN 2 78 LADIES ISLAND MASS TRANSIT.
ANYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH SAFETY, THAT GIVES US THE OPTION TO MOVE IT AROUND.
SO YOU GUYS ASKED THE QUESTION, WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE FUNDS IN 2018? THEY'RE STILL THERE BECAUSE LEGALLY THEY CANNOT BE MOVED.
IF THEY'RE IDENTIFIED FOR A SPECIFIC PROJECT, THEY HAVE TO BE USED FOR THAT PROJECT.
SO THOSE FUNDS ARE STILL IN THOSE ACCOUNTS, AND WE'RE PLANNING ON USING THOSE FUNDS TO GO TOWARDS THOSE EXACT SAME PROJECTS THAT ARE UP HERE LISTED THAT THEY'RE LISTED FOR BEFORE.
AND THEN THE EXTRA SAFETY AND TRAFFIC IS IF WE DO COME UP SHORT, AGAIN, THAT'S OUR CONTINGENCY TO BE ABLE TO GET THOSE DONE.
UM, IT MIGHT'VE LOOKED LIKE WE WERE UP HERE JUST MOVING MONEY AROUND, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF CONVERSATION THAT GOES INTO THAT AND THOUGHT WAY BEFORE WE COME UP HERE AND START TALKING,
[01:10:01]
BUT IT HAPPENING IN FRONT OF YOU GUYS AND DISCUSSING IT AND US BOUNCING IDEAS OFF EACH OTHER.TO ME THAT'S HEALTHY, THAT THAT'S TRANSPARENCY.
WE'RE DISCUSSING THIS RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU GUYS.
YOU SEE EVERYBODY'S EMOTIONS, IDEAS RIGHT HERE IN FRONT OF ALL OF US.
UM, WITH THAT SAID, AND MR. CHAIRMAN DID SAY IT CORRECTLY, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A 1% SALES TAX, AND NOW A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE ACCUSING US OF HAVING A SALE.
6% IS DONE BY THE STATE, HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH BEAUFORT COUNTY, BUT 1% IS BEAUFORT COUNTY, WHICH WE HAVE IN PLACE RIGHT NOW, THAT'LL ACTUALLY DROP OFF FOR FOUR MONTHS BEFORE THIS ONE WOULD TAKE EFFECT AND PUT US BACK AT ONE PER PERCENT SALES TAX.
UM, TOM, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THE LIST OF ITEMS THAT ARE NOT COUNTED ON THIS SALES TAX, UM, MEDICINE IS ONE OF THOSE MM-HMM,
THEY DON'T COUNT IN THAT 1% SALES TAX, THEY'RE EXCLUDED.
THE BIGGEST THING THIS IS GONNA HIT, AND THIS IS WHY YOU HEAR PEOPLE SAY THAT, WHY IT'S HOSPITALITY DRIVEN AND TOURIST DRIVEN, IS WHEN YOU GO TO RESTAURANTS, WHEN YOU GO TO BARS, WHEN YOU GO TO MOVIES, WHEN YOU DO ACTIVITIES, UM, MINI GOLF, WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE, THOSE ARE BIG TOURIST DESTINATIONS.
THOSE ARE THE BIGGEST FLOWS OF THIS TAX REVENUE THAT'S GONNA COME IN.
UM, SO I HONESTLY, I WAS THINK THIS PROJECT CAME OUT VERY WELL, UM, AND I FOUGHT A LOT OF THESE BEFORE, UM, WITH, IT TOUCHES ON THE THINGS THAT NEED TO GET DONE, AND I THINK IT ACCOMPLISHES THINGS IN DIFFERENT AREAS.
NOW, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT HILTON HEAD, BLUFFTON AND, UM, BUFORT, WE GAVE A LITTLE BIT OF GUIDELINES.
I I KNOW I REPRESENT BLUFFTON.
BLUFFTON IS NOT GONNA SUPPORT ANYTHING THAT HAS FIVE B IN IT.
SO WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT THE FUNDING DOES NOT GO TOWARDS FIVE B.
WE KNOW HILTON HEAD NEEDS TO REDO THE CIRCLE AT C PINE, SO WE'RE GIVING THE FUNDING TO DO THAT SO THEY CAN GO OUT FOR THAT PROJECT AND GET IT DONE THEMSELVES.
BECAUSE YOU SEE THE CONVERSATIONS WE'RE GETTING IN CURRENTLY ON THE HILTON HEAD BRIDGE, STILL NOT COMPLETED BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE MUNICIPAL CONSENT.
I'D HATE FOR THAT MONEY TO BE SITTING THERE AGAIN BECAUSE WE CAN'T AGREE ON A PROJECT.
SO NOW THE BALL'S IN THEIR COURT, THEY HAVE THE FUNDING TO FIX THAT CIRCLE THAT THEY SAY THEY NEED TO FIX.
AND BUFORT AND, UM, LADIES ZION, I'M SURE THEY HAVE IDEAS THAT THEY WANT TO USE THAT FUNDING, AND WE'RE NOT TRYING TO GET TIED UP ON THOSE LITTLE PROJECTS WHERE WE HAVE TO GET MUNICIPAL CONSENT.
SO, UM, I'M ACTUALLY VERY PROUD OF THIS COUNCIL UP HERE FOR GETTING THIS THE WAY IT'S DONE.
UM, MR. DAWSON WENT TO BAT THROUGH IN EVERY SINGLE DAY ABOUT DIRT ROAD PAVING, AND WE CUT DOWN WHAT WOULD TAKE 15 TO 20 YEARS ON TOP OF WHAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING TO GET IT DONE INTO ONE REFERENDUM TO GET EVERY DIRT ROAD IN BEAUFORT COUNTY PAVED.
AND HE'S BEEN PUSHING FOR THAT FOR EIGHT YEARS NOW, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN FOR ONCE ACTUALLY ACCOMPLISH THAT.
THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS ON THAT.
AND, AND, AND OBVIOUSLY, UM, THIS IS A REFERENDUM THAT, UM, HASN'T, UM, GONE THROUGH LIGHTLY.
SOMETHING THAT, UM, WE HAVE ALL LOOKED AT, TALKED ABOUT FOR, FOR A LONG TIME.
UM, I, I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S COMMENTS, UM, THAT CAME UP HERE AND, AND SPOKE ABOUT, UM, WHAT THEY THOUGHT, UM, REGARDING THE REFERENDUM.
I'VE LIVED HERE NOW, IT'LL BE 35 YEARS COMING UP HERE IN AUGUST THAT I'VE BEEN HERE.
I'VE WATCHED THIS COUNTY CHANGE.
I'VE WATCHED WHERE THINGS HAVE HAVE EXPLODED, UM, ALL OVER THE PLACE.
YOU'RE NOT GONNA SEE NORTHERN BEFORD COUNTY EXPLODE.
SO IF WE DID NOT BRING THIS FORWARD, WE WOULD NOT BE DOING OUR JOB.
SO WE HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
IF THIS DOESN'T PASS, AS WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, WHAT DO WE DO? HOW DO WE HANDLE THE ROADS? HOW DO WE FIX THINGS? HOW DO WE IMPROVE THINGS? WE ALL KNOW THIS NEEDS TO BE DONE.
SO THIS IS NOT AN EASY DECISION FOR US TO, TO PUT THIS FORWARD.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S WHY I THINK WE BACKED OFF OF THE 15 YEAR AND, AND THE, THE ADDITIONAL MONEY WE TRY TO MAKE THIS SOMETHING THAT, THAT IS, UM, UH, SOMETHING THAT, THAT CAN BE PALATABLE FOR EVERYBODY.
TALKING TO PEOPLE IN MY DISTRICT, THEY WOULD MUCH RATHER HAVE A 1 CENT SALES TAX THAN FOR US TO RAISE THEIR PROPERTY TAXES.
AND THAT'S GONNA BE THE ONLY OTHER OPTION THAT YOU'VE GOT.
UM, WHENEVER THESE THINGS, THINGS NEED TO BE DONE, IF THERE IS NO MONEY IS, IS FOR US TO THEN RAISE PROPERTY TAXES.
SO AGAIN, HAVING THE 1 CENT SALES TAX, UM, AND AGAIN, THE, THE EXPERTS HAVE TOLD US THAT IF WE DO IT THAT WAY, THEN, YOU KNOW, 50 TO, I THINK IT'S 60% WILL BE PAID THEN BY THE TOURISTS WHO COME HERE.
UM, SO AGAIN, 40% STILL BEING PAID BY, BY MYSELF, I'D RATHER, BUT AGAIN, I'D RATHER PAY THAT 1 CENT SALES TAX THAN TO HAVE MY PROPERTY TAXES GO UP.
SO EVERYTHING WE'VE DONE, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, IS, IS, IS WE HAVE NOT TAKEN IT LIGHTLY.
WE HAVE HAD TO THINK ABOUT THIS.
UM, IF WE DIDN'T BRING THIS FORWARD, AS I ME MENTIONED, IT WOULD BE NEGLIGENCE ON OUR SIDE, KNOWING HOW THIS COUNTY'S GROWING, KNOWING WHAT IS NEEDED IN ALL THESE AREAS.
UM, SO AGAIN, THAT'S WHY, UH, I WOULD ASK, UM, FOLKS TO, TO HAVE COMMON SENSE TO, TO WHEN THEY VOTE THIS FALL,
[01:15:01]
UM, THAT, THAT THEY LOOK AT IT AND REALIZE THAT, UM, IT'S, IT'S INVESTING IN OUR FUTURE.UM, AND IF WE DON'T DO IT, IT'S STILL GONNA NEED TO BE DONE AND WE HAVE TO FIND A DIFFERENT ROUTE.
IT WILL BE TWO AND THREE AND FOUR AND FIVE YEARS BEHIND.
SO AGAIN, UM, YOU KNOW, I PRESENT THE BLUFFTON AREA, WHICH HAS GROWN, UM, IMMENSELY.
AND, AND AGAIN, WITHOUT THE PREVIOUS PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE WITHOUT THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL, PEOPLE THAT HAVE LOOKED FORWARD AND SAID, OKAY, WE NEED TO WIDEN 2 78.
WE NEED TO HAVE THE CROSS ALL EXPRESSWAY.
WE NEED TO HAVE A A, A BLUFF TO PARKWAY.
WE NEED TO HAVE THE BUCK, BUCK, WATER, PARKWAY, ALL THOSE THINGS THAT WERE DONE AND MADE DECISIONS MADE BY PREVIOUS COUNCILS IS, IS WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY.
TO, TO HAVE THAT SAME FUTURE THAT WE REPRESENT AND LOOK OUT FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS.
MR. CHAIRMAN, MAY I, MR. REEDS, I APPLAUD MY COLLEAGUES AND WHAT MARK SAYS FOR THE JOB THAT THEY DID.
UM, I'M A FIRM BELIEVER THAT PART OF OUR JOB, OUR BIGGEST PART OF OUR JOB IS LISTENING TO THE PEOPLE THAT WE REPRESENT.
AND THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE THAT I TALK TO IN MY DISTRICT 11, IS THEY'RE TOTALLY AGAINST.
INFLATIONARY TIMES, WE HEARD IT HERE TONIGHT, AVERAGE INCOMES ARE DOWN.
WE HAVEN'T EVEN ATTEMPTED TO GET, NOT ATTEMPTED, IT'S THE WRONG WORD, BUT WE HAVEN'T EVEN COME CLOSE.
BUT TO MAYBE 17% OF THE 2018 PROJECTS THAT WERE ESSENTIAL AT THAT TIME, IT WAS A MATTER OF QUALITY OF LIFE AT THAT TIME, AS IT IS NOW FOR THE $1.6 BILLION REFERENDUM THAT WAS KNOCKED DOWN TO 950 MILLION, UM,
MANY, MANY HUNDREDS MORE HAVE SPOKEN TO ME AND ALL OF US ACROSS THIS COUNTY.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE TALK ABOUT IT'S NOT REALLY A, A TAX, WELL, IF YOU GET 1% OFF, IT GOES BACK TO SIX.
AND THESE INFLATIONARY TIMES, I'M, I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE LIVE PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK.
SO AGAIN, I'D SAY WE DROP BACK, WE KNOCK THE DAYLIGHTS OUT OF THE 2018 PROJECTS, GET THOSE DONE, SHOW THE PEOPLE THAT WE WORK FOR.
I MEAN, THAT'S A BIG PART OF OUR JOB IS TO DO WHAT THE MAJORITY OF YOU WANT.
AND I WANNA MAKE THIS CLEAR AS I CAN.
I SPEND A LOT OF TIME AT SEA PINES TALKING TO THOSE PEOPLE ALL THE TIME.
THEY HAVE A GRIPE AND THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO WANT THAT CIRCLE TAKEN CARE OF.
I, I DON'T THINK HAVING ANOTHER BILLION DOLLARS LIKE THIS AND GIVING 'EM A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY TO DO IT, I DON'T THINK THIS IS THE RIGHT WAY TO GO FROM WHAT I'M HEARING FROM MY PEOPLE, NOT ONLY IN MY DISTRICT, BUT ALL OVER.
UM, SO AGAIN, YOU KNOW, FROM WHAT I HEAR, THIS IS GONNA BE SOUNDLY DEFEATED.
AND, AND I I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES TO GO BACK TO THE TABLE AND, AND LET'S COME UP WITH SOMETHING DIFFERENT OR MAYBE DELAY IT.
UM, BUT IT WILL BE SOUNDLY DEFEATED FROM WHAT I'M HEARING FROM AN AWFUL LOT OF PEOPLE.
AND THAT'S MY JOB TO REPORT THAT TO YOU AND DO WHAT YOU'D LIKE.
UM, WE, WE HAVE TO MAKE ANOTHER AMENDMENT BEFORE WE DO THAT, MR. GLOVER.
THEN, UM, LEMME START BY SAYING, UM, YOU HAVE TO PUT THE TWO YEARS AGO, UM, JARED CAME BEFORE US AND HE PRESENTED A PRESENTATION THAT HE USED THE ROAD LESS TRAVEL.
AND IN THAT PRESENTATION HE SAID TO US THAT THERE'S A BILLION DOLLARS OF INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY IN THE COUNTY OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
AND HE SAID THAT WE CAN SIT HERE AND NOT TAKE THAT ROAD, OR WE CAN GO DOWN THAT PATH, BUT THE NEEDS ARE STILL GONNA BE THERE.
AND I RECOGNIZE THAT I CAN SIT HERE AND, AND, AND SAY TO YOU THAT WE ARE NOT GONNA NEED TO DO ROAD IMPROVEMENT, ROAD RECONSTRUCTION.
I THINK WE HAVE TO DECIDE HOW TO GET THERE.
WE HAD A TASK FORCE TO COME BEFORE US INSTEAD OF COMING BACK WITH 10 YEARS, THEY CAME BACK WITH 15 AND THE COMMUNITY SAID, NO, THAT'S TOO LONG.
UM, BUT THE NEEDS WERE STILL THERE.
WHETHER YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 1.6 BILLION OR 90 950 MILLION IN 10 YEARS, IT'S THE SAME NEEDS.
AND SO I WOULD SAY TO MY COLLEAGUE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT I PREFER TAKING
[01:20:01]
THIS PATH THAN FOR FOLKS TO COME HERE FIVE YEARS FROM NOW.I SAID, I CANNOT GET TO MY DESTINATION BECAUSE OF WHATEVER INFRASTRUCTURE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED.
I CAN SAY HERE THAT DO NOT GO DOWN THIS PATH HERE AND THE BRIDGE ON HILTON HEAD COLLAPSED AND SOMEBODY HAS TO DO SOMETHING.
I CAN SAY THAT, OR I CAN SAY, LET'S TAKE THIS PATH AND FIGHT IT AND, AND KNOW THAT IT IS THE BEST PATH TO TAKE.
NOW WHETHER IT'S THE RIGHT ONE OR NOT, ALL I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT 10 YEARS FROM NOW, WE'LL KNOW WHETHER WE TOOK THAT RIGHT PATH, BUT HE BROUGHT THAT TO US AND I BOUGHT INTO HIM, AND I'M STILL BUYING HIM TODAY.
I'M GONNA GO DOWN THIS PATH HERE, SO I'M GONNA SUPPORT, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T GET THE 1.6 BILLION.
WE GOT 950 AND HE PROJECTED THAT HE SAID WE NEED ABOUT A BILLION DOLLARS.
SO, UM, RESTORE YOU A HALF A MILLION DOLLAR JURY, BUT THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
WE'LL FIND THAT HALF A MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SOMEPLACE.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, WE'RE GONNA NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO AMEND THE HILTON HEAD PROJECT TO MAKE SURE IT INCLUDES C PINE CIRCLE.
OKAY, SO WE HAVE A MOTION FROM MR. MCKELLEN, MR. CUNNINGHAM, TO INCLUDE THE LANGUAGE THAT SPECIFICALLY SAYS FUNDING FOR THE SEA PINE CIRCLE.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, MR. CHAIRMAN? UM, IT DOES SAY 30 MILLION INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS TO INCLUDE CINE CIRCLE AND OTHER ADJACENT ORDERS.
SO THIS, UM, THIS WAS BROUGHT UP IN THE COMMITTEE MEETING.
AND SO, UM, AND AT THE LAST, AT THE LAST, EXCUSE ME, AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING WHEN WE HAD A READ DONE ON SECOND READING, AND SO WE WENT BACK ON AND LOOKED AT THE SALES TAX ORDINANCE BECAUSE WE DID MAKE THE MOTION THEN TO INCLUDE INE CIRCLE AND THE 30 MILLION FOR HILTON HEAD.
UM, WE DIDN'T UPDATE THE ORDINANCE BECAUSE THE ORDINANCE ALREADY HAD THAT SPECIFICALLY CALLED IN THERE.
UM, IT DOESN'T NEED AMENDMENT TONIGHT FOR, FOR THAT WE CALL YOUR MOTION AND YOUR SECOND.
ALRIGHT, MR. CHAIRMAN, MAY I ASK YOU A QUESTION? YES.
FOR ONE OF OUR COLLEAGUES, UM, UH, I UNDERSTAND THE WHOLE EMOTION BEHIND THE CONVERSATION AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT I HAVE A QUESTION HERE.
YOU SAY PUT A PAUSE ON IT MR. RES, AND YOU SAY WAIT, AND YOU SAY FINISH THE OTHER PROJECTS AND FINISH THE BRIDGE.
WHERE DO WE GET THE MONEY? UH, MY QUESTION IS, WHERE DO WE GET $310 MILLION? THAT'S WHAT IT WILL COST TO FINISH THOSE PROJECTS.
WE'RE NOT DONE WELL 'CAUSE THE ONLY WAY TO DO IT IS TO RAISE OUR PROPERTY VALUES.
SO ARE WE REALLY, REALLY WILLING TO SAY TO THESE PEOPLE, WE'RE GONNA RAISE YOUR PROPERTY VALUES AND YOU'RE GONNA BE ON THE BACK FOR ALL OF THIS? NO.
THEN I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW WHERE WE'RE GONNA FIND $310 MILLION SO WE CAN TELL THE PUBLIC HOW WE'RE GONNA FINISH THOSE PROJECTS.
IF WE PUT A PAUSE ON THIS, WHERE ARE WE GONNA FIND 180 TO $190 MILLION DELTA WITH THE BRIDGE THAT THE CHAIRMAN TALKED ABOUT.
I MEAN, WHAT IT'S IN, WHEN'S IT GONNA END? IT'S ACTUALLY IN THE SAFETY ALREADY.
WE HAVE AN EXTRA A HUNDRED MILLION MILLION IN THERE, WHICH I JUST DISCUSSED A FEW MINUTES AGO.
THAT PUTS US AT $190 MILLION, SIR.
WELL, LISTEN, I, I'M JUST HERE TO TELL YOU THAT I'M HERE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT SPEAK TO ME, AND I'M NOT HERE TO TELL 'EM WHAT TO DO.
I, I'M GLAD THAT WE CAN SHUFFLE THE MONEY AROUND AND MAKE IT LOOK GOOD.
BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE HERE TO BE REPRESENTING THE PEOPLE, THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD DO.
OH, I JUST WANNA SAY, TALK ABOUT REPRESENTING THE PEOPLE.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE MORE EDUCATION TO DO FOR PEOPLE.
WHAT I'VE HEARD PEOPLE SAY IS, WHERE'S THE MONEY FROM THE INFRASTRUCTURE? SOMEHOW THEY THINK THE GOVERNMENT'S REIGNING IT DOWN ON US.
WHERE'S THE MONEY FROM? THE STATE 1% SALES TAX THAT GOES TO OUR COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE.
SO THERE'S A MISUNDERSTANDING THERE.
THERE IS NO SLUSH FUND FOR THIS MONEY TO COME FROM IN OUR BUDGET IF WE DON'T PASS THE REFERENDUM AND NOBODY LIKES A TAX, IT WILL HAVE TO BE, AS MR. LAWSON SAID, ON YOUR PROPERTY TAXES.
AND I DON'T WANNA RAISE MILLAGE.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WANTS TO INCREASE MILLAGE.
SO THE OPTION IS THE REFERENDUM, AND I THINK IF WE CONTINUE TO EDUCATE PEOPLE, WE MIGHT HAVE A BETTER RESPONSE.
MR. BETHAL, YOUR LAST AND THEN WE'RE GONNA CALL THE QUESTIONS.
I'M KIND OF KEEP THIS NEXT, NEXT TO LAST.
I'VE BEEN TRYING TO TALK TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS I CAN OUT IN MY COMMUNITY.
THE LADIES ISLAND 2018 REFERENDUM COUNTY DIDN'T DO A GOOD JOB MANAGING THAT.
I MEAN, THEY, AND I THINK JARED, YOU WEREN'T, I DON'T THINK YOU WERE HERE AT THE TIME, BUT I THINK EVERYBODY ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE COUNTY JUST DID A POOR PERFORMANCE ALTOGETHER ON THAT 2018.
THE ONE SAVING GRACE THAT I THINK IS THAT'S IN THIS NEW REFERENDUM OR LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE 2018, IT DOES HAVE A CITIZENS OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
[01:25:01]
IT DOES HAVE THE MORE OVERSIGHT THAN THE LAST REFERENDUM HAD.AND I THINK FROM THAT, WE MADE SURE THAT NO ELECTED OFFICIALS WILL BE ON THAT.
IT'S ACTUALLY GONNA BE CITIZENS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY TO COME ON THERE, COME ON THAT COMMITTEE AND TELL US WHAT PROJECTS NEED TO BE PRIORITIZED.
AND I I WANT TO THANK JARED AND I WANNA THANK THIS THE COUNCIL AS WELL.
I THINK GOING BACK TO MR. NEWTON, TO YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT SHOWING PRIORITY FOR LADIES ISLAND.
I THINK SEEING IT GO FROM 40 MILLION TO 60 MILLION MILLION ALLOCATED TO LADIES ISLAND SHOWS THAT THERE'S A DEDICATION TO, TO PRIORITIZE LADIES ISLAND, LADIES ISLAND, AND THE PROJECTS THERE.
AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN FINISH OUT THE 2018 REFERENDUM AND ALSO WORK ON THAT MASTER PLAN AND GET THAT FINISHED FOR THE VILLAGE CENTER.
UM, LIKE I SAID, THIS IS A HARD, THIS IS A HARD SELL, UH, I THINK TO THE PUBLIC, AND IT'S NOT WITHOUT ITS CHALLENGES, BUT I THINK THAT WE AS A COUNCIL AND AS A COUNTY HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO TO SHOW THAT WE ARE TRUSTWORTHY, THAT WE CAN MANAGE THESE FUNDS PROPERLY AND THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
BUT I THINK UNTIL WE CAN SHOW THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTY THAT WE'RE, THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY TRUSTWORTHY, I THINK WE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO TO NOVEMBER.
AND I THINK THAT INVOLVES TRANSPARENCY.
MR. MCKELLEN, I'LL TRY AND I'LL BE BRIEF.
WE, WE GET THE SENSE OF A PALPABLE SENSE OF FRUSTRATION ON THE PART OF EVERYONE WHO LIVES HERE.
AND WE HAVE THAT SAME SENSE OF FRUSTRATION AS WELL.
IN 2018, WHEN THE REFERENDUM PASSED IN 2019 AND 2020 AND 2021, THINGS WEREN'T THE WAY THEY NORMALLY WERE IN AMERICA AND CERTAINLY WEREN'T THE WAY THEY NORMALLY ARE HERE.
WE HAD THE MONEY AND TRIED TO DO THE PROJECTS, BUT WE COULDN'T GET ANYONE TO DO THEM.
WHEN WE HAD THE MONEY AVAILABLE TO HIRE PEOPLE TO DO IT, THEY, WE FOUND THAT THERE WERE A LIMITED SUPPLY OF PEOPLE TO DO THE WORK AND THEY HAD ALREADY COMMITTED TO OTHER THINGS.
AND AS TIME PASSED, IT ALL BECAME MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE TO GET THE PEOPLE TO COME IN AND DO IT.
WHICH IS WHY I THINK A LOT OF THESE PROJECTS WERE DELAYED, BUT THE MONEY HASN'T DISAPPEARED.
UNFORTUNATELY, AS COSTS CLIMBED, WE HAD TO FIND A WAY TO GET ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO FINISH WHAT WE THOUGHT WE COULD DO IN 20 19, 20 AND 21.
SO WHAT WE'D LIKE TO TRY AND DO NOW IS USE THAT MONEY THAT WE ALREADY HAVE, UNDERSTAND THAT THINGS HAVE BECOME MORE EXPENSIVE.
USE THE MONEY WE GET FROM THIS REFERENDUM TO ADD TO THE MONEY WE HAVE, FINISH THOSE PROJECTS, AND THEN START THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT SHOULD PUT US IN GOOD SHAPE FOR THE YEARS AHEAD.
AND THAT SEEMS TO ME TO BE A RA A RATIONAL EXPLANATION OF WHY WE ARE WHERE WE ARE AND WHY EVERYONE FEELS THIS GREAT SENSE OF FRUSTRATION WHERE YOU TOLD US YOU WERE GONNA DO ANYTHING AND YOU DIDN'T.
WELL, WHY DIDN'T YOU? I THINK ALL OF US WERE IN THE SAME POSITION OF TRYING TO GET THINGS DONE AND WE COULDN'T BECAUSE THE WORLD, QUITE FRANKLY, HAD CHANGED ON US.
WOULD YOU CALL THE QUESTION, THIS IS THE REFERENDUM AS AMENDED.
COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM? YES.
COUNCIL MEMBER BARTHOLOMEW? YES.
[12. PUBLIC HEARING AND SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS TO CONVEY UTILITY EASEMENT # 904091 WITH DOMINION ENERGY ENCUMBERING PROPERTY OWNED BY BEAUFORT COUNTY (688 PARRIS ISLAND GATEWAY)]
OKAY, MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER 12 IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS TO CONVEY UTILITY EASEMENT NUMBER 9 0 4 0 9 1 WITH DOMINION ENERGY ENCUMBERING PROPERTY OWNED BY BEAUFORT COUNTY AT 6 8 8 PARIS ISLAND GATEWAY.MR. CHAIRMAN, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION.
MR. GLOVER MAKES THE SECOND DULY MOTIONED AND SECONDED.
IS THERE ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISHES TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE.
WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, ANY MEMBER OF COUNSEL? SEEING NONE, THIS ITEM WILL BE PASSED WITHOUT OBJECTION.
ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM 12 PASSES.
[13. PUBLIC HEARING AND SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE ACCEPTANCE OF DRAINAGE EASEMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH DRAINAGE SYSTEMS LOCATED IN THE SHELL POINT AREA ON PARCELS R100 033 00A 0350 0000 & R100 033 00A 0116 0000]
ITEM 13 IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE ACCEPTANCE OF DRAINAGE EASEMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH DRAINAGE SYSTEMS LOCATED IN THE SHELL POINT AREA ON, UH, TWO SPECIFIC PARCELS.[01:30:01]
MAKES THE MOTION I MAKE THE SECOND MR. BARTHOLOMEW MAKES THE SECOND DULY MOTIONED.AND SECOND, ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WISH TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR ITEM? SEEING NONE WILL CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING ANY COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS? SEEING NONE.
THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION AND I SEE NO OBJECTIONS.
[14. PUBLIC HEARING AND SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE CONVEYANCE OF A PORTION OF PARCELS R123-018-000-0483-0000 AND R200-018-000-0257-0000 OF REAL PROPERTY FROM BEAUFORT COUNTY TO THE CITY OF BEAUFORT ASSOCIATED WITH US 21 AIRPORT AREA AND FRONTAGE ROAD IMPROVEMENTS]
14 IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE CONVEYANCE OF A PORTION OF PARCELS, UH, OF REAL PROPERTY FROM BUFORD COUNTY TO THE CITY OF BUFORD ASSOCIATED WITH S 21 AIRPORT AREA AND FRONTAGE ROAD IMPROVEMENTS IN MOTION.SO MOVED MR. BAROLO MULE AND MR. GLOVER DULY MOTIONED.
AND SECOND, ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WISH TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT THIS ONE? SEEING NONE.
THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITH, UH, ANY MEMBER OF COUNSEL.
THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION AND I SEE NO OBJECTIONS.
[15. PUBLIC HEARING AND SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE ANY AND ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS FOR THE ACCEPTANCE OF PROPERTIES ENCUMBERING THE ROAD RIGHT OF WAY FOR PRIVATE SECTION OF SCHEPER LANE]
IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE ANY AND ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS FOR THE ACCEPTANCE OF PROPERTIES.ENCUMBERING THE ROAD RIGHT OF WAY FOR A PRIVATE SECOND SECTION OF SHEPLER LANE.
I'LL MAKE THE MOTION MR. CHAIRMAN.
MR. GLOVER MAKES THE SECOND DULY MOTION.
AND SECOND, ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WISH TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC'S HEARING.
ANY MEMBER OF COUNSEL? SEEING NONE? THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION AND I SEE NO OBJECTIONS.
[16. FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND BEAUFORT COUNTY'S TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS (TIA) POLICY]
ITEM 16 IS A FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE BUFORT COUNTY'S TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS KNOWN AS A TIA POLICY MOTION.I'LL SECOND MS. TABER AND MS. HOWARD MADE THE MOTION.
AND SECOND, ANY DISCUSSION? YEAH, ACTUALLY I ACTUALLY HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS REGARDING, UH, SOME OF THE AMENDED LANGUAGE IN THERE WHO'S BEEN ASSIGNED TO ASK, ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.
WE'LL FIND SOMEBODY TO ANSWER
UM, IT WAS, UH, SECTION 6.3 0.30, UH, SUB PART A TALKING ABOUT, APPARENTLY WE'RE PUTTING THE, THE BURDEN FOR THE, A APPLICANT TO PAY FOR THE TRANSPORTATION STUDY, WHICH I THINK IS FINE, BUT THEY HAVE TO USE THE PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE CONTRACTS WITH.
WELL, IT'S, WE WE'RE GOING TO, AS MY UNDERSTANDING, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A, UH, A SELECTION OF, UH, TWO OR THREE VENDORS BECAUSE THEY ARE KNOWLEDGEABLE OF BUFORD COUNTY.
WHEREAS IN THE PAST WE COULD HAVE AN A DEVELOPER THAT WOULD COME FROM IOWA.
HE WOULD CHOOSE SOMEBODY FROM IOWA WHO HAS NO UNDERSTANDING OF THE TRAFFIC OF BUFORT COUNTY.
SO YES, THEY'RE GONNA PAY FOR IT, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE ONE OF THE SELECT INDIVIDUALS FROM THAT WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH ALREADY.
IT STILL JUST DOESN'T, I DON'T KNOW IF IT SITS RIGHT WITH ME OR NOT.
I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
AND YOU HAD ANOTHER ONE? UH, YEAH.
UH, FOR THE SIX POINT, UH, 6.3 0.40, THAT'S SECTION A.
IT, IT TALKS ABOUT SEASONAL DATA, UH, ONLY FOR HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
IS THERE A REASON THAT WE'RE NOT INCLUDING THE ENTIRE COUNTY FOR SEASONAL DATA? TRAFFIC DATA? UH, DOES, I MEAN, RIP ISLAND HAS JUST AS MANY ISSUES GOING OUT THERE.
THAT ONE I DON'T KNOW BECAUSE I THINK IT SPECIFICALLY SAYS HILTON HEAD ISLAND ONLY.
I'M WITH BEAUFORD COUNTY ENGINEER, BUT WE ACTUALLY CALL OUT HILTON HEAD ISLAND 'CAUSE THAT'S LIKE THE BIGGEST DRIVER OF TOURISM, UM, IN OUR ENTIRE COUNTY.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S LIKE OBVIOUS THAT HILTON HEAD ISLAND WOULD BE THE ONE THAT WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT THE REGIONAL TRAFFIC.
YEAH, I MEAN, SHOULD WE JUST REQUEST SEASONAL DATA FOR ANYTHING IN THE AREA? I MEAN, AS I SAID, WELL, THIS IS A GOOD SUGGESTION'S AND THIS IS THE FIRST READING.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I WOULD ASK ADMINISTRATION TO TAKE THAT UNDER CONSIDERATION BECAUSE HE'S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT WITH THE GROWTH IN SOUTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
SO WE DO HAVE SEVERAL AREAS, SO THAT'S AN EXCELLENT SUGGESTION.
IT'S A REASONABLE REQUEST AND WE COULD, YOU KNOW, WE CAN BE SURE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S CONSIDERED OKAY.
LIKE YOU SAID, THIS IS THE FIRST READING.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? CAN WE AMEND THAT ON THE SECOND READING? THEY WILL TAKE THAT UNDER AND PROBABLY INCLUDE THAT LANGUAGE IN THERE.
COME BACK SO WHEN IT COMES BACK FOR SECOND READING, YOU KNOW, WE'LL HAVE THAT AS PART OF IT.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION AS FIRST READING AND I SEE NO OBJECTIONS.
[17. FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE APPROPRIATION OF FUNDS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025 GENERATED BY THE LOCAL HOSPITALITY TAX]
UM, UH,[01:35:01]
17 IS THE FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE APPROPRIATIONS OF FUNDS FOR FISCAL YEAR 24 25, GENERATED BY THE LOCAL HOSPITALITY TAX MOTION.UH, MR. DAWSON MAKES THE SECOND DULY MOTIONED AND SECONDED.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SAY NONE.
I THINK THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO GO VERSUS HOW COUNCIL'S BEEN DOING IT.
THIS STREAMLINES IT AND WE STILL WILL HAVE CONTROL OF THE DOLLARS.
UM, THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION.
THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION FOR FIRST READING AND I SEE NO OBJECTIONS.
[18. FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE APPROPRIATION OF FUNDS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025 GENERATED BY THE LOCAL A-TAX COMMITTEE]
18 IS THE FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE APPROPRIATION OF FUNDS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 24 25 GENERATED BY LOCAL AT TAX COMMITTEE MOTION.I'LL MOTION THAT MS. BROWN MAKES THE MOTION.
SECOND, MR. MCKELLEN MAKES THE SECOND DULY MOTION.
AND SECOND, ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, THIS WILL JUST REAL QUICK TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT IT SAYS POTENTIAL APPROPRIATION.
SOME OF THIS ATAC AND H TACS HAS BEEN, UM, APPROVED IN THE PAST.
SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE, YOU HAVE TWO POOLS OF MONEY.
THE, THE NEW ATAC AAX IS COMING IN AND THEN YOU HAVE THE PREVIOUS MON.
SO WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IF THERE HAS BEEN APPROPRIATED MONIES FROM PREVIOUS YEARS, THAT THOSE STILL GET TAKEN CARE OF BEFORE WE USE THAT MONEY SOMEPLACE ELSE.
SO AGAIN, THAT'S PART OF THIS WHOLE RESTRUCTURING THAT WE'RE DOING FOR, FOR BOTH 17 AND 18 MM-HMM.
UM, IS, IS MAKING SURE THAT WE GO BACK AND, AND IF, IF WE HAVE, UH, GIVEN MONEY FOR SOMETHING THAT IT IS TAKEN CARE OF FIRST BEFORE IT'S USED SOMEPLACE ELSE.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? THIS WILL BE APPROVED FOR FIRST READING WITHOUT OBJECTION AND I SEE NO OBJECTIONS.
[19. APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE A VOLUNTEER SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH THE FRIENDS OF WHITEHALL PARK TO ALLOW THEM TO PROVIDE VOLUNTEER SERVICES TO BE PERFORMED AT WHITEHALL PARK FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COUNTY]
ITEM NUMBER 19, APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.EXECUTE A VOLUNTEER SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH THE FRIENDS OF WHITEHALL PARK TO ALLOW THEM TO PROVIDE VOLUNTEER SERVICES TO BE PERFORMED AT WHITEHALL PARK FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COUNTY.
SECOND, MR. GLOVER AND MR. BAR OMU, ANY DISCUSSION? YEAH, I JUST WONDER IF WE CAN ANSWER JOE MAX'S QUESTION THAT HE HAD.
WELL, FOR US, WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT IS THE, THE REASON THERE IS INSURANCE THERE BECAUSE YOU HAVE VOLUNTEERS WHO ARE WORKING ON COUNTY PROPERTY.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE A 5 0 1 C3 ENTITY, RIGHT? YES.
SO BECAUSE OF THE ENTITY STATUS, YES.
THEY NEED TO HAVE INSURANCE TO OPERATE.
I WANNA MAKE SURE IT WAS ANSWERED.
DID I ANSWER CORRECTLY? YES, SIR.
ANY, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, THIS WILL YOU, YOU, YEAH.
YOU, YOU, UH, YOU SAY COUNTY ONLY, BUT IT'S COUNTY AND CITY.
UM, THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION AND I SEE NO OBJECTIONS.
[20. APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE 2024 COUNTY COMPENSATION AND CLASSIFICATION STUDY- FINAL REPORT.]
20 IS APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE 20 20 24 COUNTY COMPENSATION AND CLASSIFICATION STUDY.MR. BARTHOLOMEW WAS FIRST ON THE SECOND DULY MOTION AND SECONDED.
ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, THE RESOLUTION WILL BE ADOPTED WITHOUT OBJECTION AND I SEE NO OBJECTIONS.
[21. APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING THE BEAUFORT COUNTY INTERNSHIP PROGRAM AND ADOPTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR THE PROGRAM]
UH, ITEM 21 IS APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING THE BEAUFORT COUNTY INTERNSHIP PROGRAM AND ADOPTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR THE PROGRAM.SO MOVED MR. JIM, MR. GLOVER MADE THE MOTION.
MR. BARUM MADE THE SECOND DULY MOTION.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? I THINK IT'S, UM, IT'S A GOOD PROGRAM.
I THINK IT WILL BE A GOOD PROGRAM.
AND I THINK IT'S, UM, IT'S ONE WAY OF, OF, UM, ALLOWING OUR CITIZENS A CHANCE TO GET INTO COUNTY GOVERNMENT TO SEE HOW WE REALLY WORK AND HOPEFULLY BE A PART OF OUR ORGANIZATION.
SO I THINK IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I THINK IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM AND I ALSO LIKE THAT IT'S A PAID PROGRAM.
I, UH, YES, I HAVE DONE MY FAIR SHARE OF UNPAID INTERNSHIPS, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
GLAD TO SEE WHERE DID THIS, UH, WHERE DID THIS ORIGINATE? THIS ORIGINATED, UM, AS A RESULT OF, UH, DISCUSSIONS WITHIN THE COUNTY.
AND, UH, HILTON HEAD ISLAND HAS A VERY ROBUST RELATIONSHIP THE CHAMBER DOES WITH ALL OF THE BUSINESSES WHO ARE CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO DESIRE TO HAVE INTERNSHIPS AND JOBS.
AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS ON THEIR WEBSITE, AND THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COUNTY AS WELL.
I JUST, THEY'RE LOOKING FORWARD
[01:40:01]
TO US BEING A PART OF THAT.I JUST WANTED TO CONGRATULATE THE PEOPLE WHO WORKED ON THIS AND PUT THIS TOGETHER.
THIS IS A VERY IMPRESSIVE PACKAGE IN THE BACKUP.
AND, UH, AN EXCELLENT PROGRAM.
I'M GLAD WE'RE GETTING IT STARTED, AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU.
CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE WHO WORKED ON THIS TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION AND I SEE NO OBJECTIONS.
[CITIZEN COMMENTS (Part 2 of 2)]
WE ARE NOW AT OUR SECOND CITIZEN COMMENTS AND WE HAVE TWO, UH, MR. YARBOROUGH YOU WISH TO ADDRESS US FIRST? GOOD EVENING, CADE.I'M CADE YARBOROUGH, CHAIR OF THE DUSKY ALLEN COUNCIL.
FIRST, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR APPROVING THE HIG POINT CONTRACT OF, UH, THE DUSKY EMS BOAT SERVICE.
I THINK THAT WAS A REALLY GREAT DECISION.
THEY'VE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB OVER THE PAST FEW, UH, TWO DECADES, THREE DECADES THAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING IT.
UM, WHEN I SPOKE TO YOU LAST, I ADDRESSED OUR CONCERNS ABOUT THE POTENTIAL LOSS OF THE LONG AWAITED COMMUNITY BUILDING AND THE BEACH BATHROOMS THAT WE NEED SO BADLY.
UM, LAST WEEK WE HAD A ZOOM CALL WITH HANG AMON AND COUNCILMAN LAWSON TO DISCUSS THE IMPORTANT INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.
IT APPEARS THAT WE'RE BACK ON TRACK AND HANK WILL BE COMING TO DUSKY IN THE NEAR FUTURE TO LOOK AT THE FUTURE SITES.
UH, MOST IMPORTANTLY, HANK AND MARK HAVE ASSURED THAT THE FUNDING WILL BE MAINTAINED FOR BOTH PROJECTS AND WE APPRECIATE THE, THEIR SUPPORT AND THE SUPPORT OF ALL OF YOU FOR THESE PROJECTS.
LAST, I ALSO, LAST TIME I ALSO TOLD YOU THAT, UH, WE WERE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE LOSS OF THE BARGE SERVICE, UH, COMING OUTTA SAVANNAH, I RECENTLY HAD A MEETING WITH MR. RILEY, THE BARGE OWNER.
AND HE'S STRESSED THAT WE GET, UH, STRESSED AGAIN, THAT WE NEED TO BE PREPARED.
WE DON'T KNOW WHEN THAT WILL HAPPEN, BUT IT MOST, IT WILL MOST CERTAINLY HAPPEN SOMETIME THIS YEAR.
HANK HAS LET US KNOW THAT THE COUNTY IS MOST LIKELY ABLE TO WORK OUT AN ARRANGEMENT FOR THE FREEPORT MARINA FOR TRASH REMOVAL, WHICH IS A POSITIVE MOVE.
HOWEVER, THE CLOSURE OF HUTCHINSON ISLAND SERVICE WILL BE ANOTHER, UH, WILL BE WITHOUT ANOTHER TO TAKE ITS PLACE WILL DEAL A DEVASTATING BLOW TO THE DUSKY ISLAND, UH, BUILDING PROJECTS AS, AS WELL AS THE OVERALL ECONOMY.
THE DUSKY ISLAND COUNCIL WANTS YOU TO BE AWARE OF THESE IMP DIS IMPENDING CRISIS.
AND ALSO WE'D LIKE TO CONTINUE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS.
THIRD, I'VE TOLD YOU THAT WE'VE HAD A ZOOM CALL WITH NEIL TURNER WHEN WE COVERED ABOUT A DOZEN ISSUES AND SHARED, UH, SHARED BY THE COMMUNITY RIDERS.
I'VE EMAILED THAT SUMMER TO YOU ALL.
THERE ARE, THERE ARE AT LEAST TWO OR THREE MATTERS THAT MR. TURNER AGREED TO FIX, INCLUDING CHANGE OF CARGO POLICY AND THE MAN MANATEES, NON-FUNCTIONING AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM.
FOR MOST OTHERS, HE SAID HE'D GET BACK TO US.
WE HOPE THAT WE WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CHANGES THAT HE'S COMMITTED TO US AS WELL AS SERIOUSLY CONSIDER REVISING HIS COMPANY'S POLICIES ON OTHER CONCERNS THAT WE RAISED.
UM, FINALLY, I SEE ON YOUR AGENDA THAT YOU'LL ONCE SPENT ONCE AGAIN BE DISCUSSING THE DUSKY FERRY IN YOUR EXECUTIVE SESSION.
WE STILL BELIEVE THAT THE BOAT OWNED BY THE OPERATOR IS INADEQUATE.
WE STILL BELIEVE THAT THE SERVICE IS ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT FOR ELDERLY PEOPLE AND THOSE WITH PHYSICAL LIMITATIONS.
WE STILL BELIEVE THAT THE SERVICE IS UNSAFE FOR PEOPLE WITH THEIR PETS.
AND WE STILL BELIEVE THAT LOW COUNTRY'S, UH, UNREASONABLE FEES ARE MAKING PEOPLE'S LIVES MORE DIFFICULT.
YOU ALL KNOW WHAT THE SOLUTION IS, IT'S NOT AN EASY SOLUTION, BUT IT'S THE ONLY SOLUTION AND IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
THAT'S ALL WE'RE ASKING, SO PLEASE MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
BOB ELLIOT, CHAIRMAN PASSMAN COUNSEL, BOB ELLIOTT.
UH, I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.
GREAT QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE AT THE LAST, UH, BUDGET READING, SECOND BUDGET READING, UH, ABOUT SOUTH CAROLINA NURSE RETENTION AND, UM, AND, UM, THE FUNDING REQUEST.
UM, I WILL BE OUT OF TOWN ON THURSDAY, SO I WANTED TO COME TONIGHT AND ADDRESS THOSE QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.
IT WAS SUGGESTED, UM, TWO WEEKS AGO BY COUNCILWOMAN HOWARD THAT I USE THE HSA PROCESS.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE DO NOT QUALIFY.
UH, THIS YEAR YOU IMPLEMENTED HSA IMPLEMENTED A CHANGE, WHICH RESTRICTS, UM, NONPROFITS, UM, WHO HAVE, UH, FISCAL AGENTS FROM, UH, APPLYING FOR FUNDING, UM, FOR ACCOUNTABILITY.
AND THIS COMES FROM BEN, UH, BOSWELL.
THERE WAS A QUESTION ON WHETHER THE COUNTY IS FUNDING ANYTHING ELSE WITH RESPECT TO NURSE RETENTION WITH U-S-C-B-T-C-L,
[01:45:01]
BUFORD MEMORIAL, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.AND, UM, I THINK, UH, UH, MR. EDMONDSON ANSWERED THAT AT THE END OF THE SESSION, BUT THE ANSWER IS NO.
THERE WOULD BE NO OVERLAP, UH, ON NURSE RETENTION FUNDING BY THE COUNTY.
FUNDING THAT THE COUNTY HAS PROVIDED HAS GONE TOWARDS NURSE EDUCATION.
THERE WAS A QUESTION ON WHY WE NEED SOUTH CAROLINA NURSE RETENTION INITIATIVE IF THE HOSPITALS HAVE THEIR OWN RETENTION PROGRAMS. I THOUGHT THAT WAS A, THAT WAS A GREAT, UH, UH, QUESTION.
WELL, HEALTHCARE PRI PROVIDERS DO HAVE THEIR OWN RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION PROGRAMS, BUT OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE FOCUSED ON THEIR OWN STAFFING NEEDS.
OUR PROGRAM FOCUSES ON INCREASING THE TOTAL SUPPLY OF NURSES FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY AND ALL OF THE HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, LARGE OR SMALL, EVERYONE BENEFITS FROM A LARGER SUPPLY OF NURSES.
AND SO OUR PROGRAM IS HELPING THE HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS.
IT'S SUPPLEMENTING, IT'S COMPLIMENTING THEIR OWN RETENTION AND RECRUITING INITIATIVES.
THERE ARE CURRENTLY OVER 144 UNFILLED RN PHYSICIANS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
THIS GOES ACROSS 19 HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOSPICE, HOME CARE HOSPITALS, UH, REHAB CENTERS.
WE ALSO COLLABORATE WITH NINE COLLEGES.
UH, WE MAKE SURE THAT THE STUDENTS, THE GRADUATING STUDENTS UNDERSTAND OUR PROGRAM AND, UM, AND WE'RE IN A, IN AN ATTEMPT TO ATTRACT THEM HERE TO, UH, BUFORT COUNTY.
UM, QUICKLY I WAS ASKED WHAT THE IMPACT WOULD BE IF WE DON'T RECEIVE FUNDING FROM THE COUNTY.
YOU KNOW, I AM PROUD OF OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN THE LAST THREE YEARS, UM, AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE PROSPECT OF IMPROVING HEALTHCARE THROUGH NURSE, UH, RETENTION IN THE FUTURE.
BUT I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, I NEED BEAUFORT COUNTY'S SUPPORT.
I NEED YOUR MORAL SUPPORT, I NEED YOUR ENCOURAGEMENT, AND I NEED YOUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT.
IT IS SO CRITICAL THAT WE PARTNER ON THIS AND I HAVE YOUR SUPPORT.
OTHERWISE, TO BE QUITE HONEST, UH, I WAS ASKED THIS, UH, I'M NOT SURE THAT THE INITIATIVE WILL CONTINUE.
UM, IF I CAN'T GET THE SUPPORT OF MY MAJOR CLIENT, BUFORD COUNTY, THEN I GOTTA QUESTION WHY I AM DOING THIS.
TO BE QUITE HONEST, I WOULD RE SPEC RESPECTFULLY SUBMIT THAT THE DISCUSSION FOR THE THIRD READING ON THURSDAY BE ABOUT HOW TO FUND NURSE RETENTION, NOT WHETHER TO FUND NURSE RETENTION.
THE COUNCIL HAS APPROVED THIS A YEAR AGO, UH, ON, UH, THE CONDITION THAT WE DEMONSTRATE IMPACT TO THE CITIZENS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY, WHICH WE HAVE, UH, WHICH WE HAVE DONE.
I'M ASKING THE COUNCIL IN MY ABSENCE NEXT THURS, THIS THURSDAY TO VOTE YES ON OUR FUNDING REQUEST.
AND I WANT TO GIVE SPECIAL THANKS TO COUNCILMAN BARTHOLOMEW, UH, CUNNINGHAM AND REITS FOR THEIR SUPPORT DURING THE SECOND READING.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. CHAIRMAN.
IS THERE ANY, UM, OTHER PERSON?
[EXECUTIVE SESSION]
OKAY, I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND FOR AN EXECUTIVE SESSION AS FOLLOWS, PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE 30 DASH FOUR 70 A TWO RECEIPT OF LEGAL ADVICE WHERE LEGAL ADVICE RELATES TO MATTERS COVERED BY THE ATTORNEY CLIENT PRIVILEGE, FUSCA ISLAND FERRY SERVICE PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE 30 DASH 40 DASH 70 A TWO.RECEIPT OF LEGAL ADVICE WHERE LEGAL ADVICE RELATES TO MATTERS COVERED BY THE ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE, FOIA COUNTY RULES AND PROCEDURES.
PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE 30 DASH FOUR 70 DASH 70 A TWO.
DISCUSSION OF MATTERS COVERED BY THE ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE, INQUIRIES AND INVESTIGATIONS PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE SECTION FOUR DASH NINE DASH SIX 60 HSB.
AND FINALLY, PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE SECTION 30 DASH FOUR DASH 70 A ONE.
DISCUSSION OF EMPLOYMENT, APPOINTMENT COMPENSATION PROMOTION, DEMOTION, DISCIPLINE OR RELEASE OF AN EMPLOYEE, A STUDENT OR A PERSON REGULATED BY A PUBLIC BODY OR THE APPOINTMENT OF A PERSON TO A PUBLIC BODY.
[01:50:01]
MAKES THE MOTION.MS. BROWN MAKES THE SECOND DULY MOTIONED AND SECONDED ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE.
WE ARE NOW IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
THERE MAY OR MAY NOT BE MATTERS RISING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION AND UM, I SUSPECT WILL BE THERE TILL PROBABLY 7 45.
UH, WE ARE BACK FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION.
THERE ARE NO MATTERS ARISING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION AND THERE IS NO FURTHER ACTION FROM COUNSEL THIS EVENING.
THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT 7:45 PM.