Jun 27, 2024 County Council Special Meeting

[00:00:01]

WELCOME

[1. CALL TO ORDER]

WOULD YOU, UH, RISE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

UH, ATTENDANCE HAS BEEN TAKEN.

WE DO HAVE A QUORUM.

WE DO HAVE, UH, TWO MEMBERS OF COUNTY COUNCIL ONLINE.

UH, THERE IT IS.

AND SO WE CAN CONDUCT THE BUSINESS AT HAND.

PUBLIC NOTIFICATION OF THIS MEETING HAS BEEN PUBLISHED, POSTED, AND DISTRIBUTED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.

I WOULD ASK

[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

I MOVE THAT WE, UM, ADD ANOTHER MATTER UNDER EXECUTIVE SESSIONS PURSUANT TO CODE SECTION 30 DASH FOUR DASH 70 A TWO FOR PURPOSES OF RECEIVING LEGAL ADVICE RELATED TO MATTERS COVERED BY THE ATTORNEY CLIENT PRIVILEGE UNDER ORDINANCE 2020 DASH 25.

ALSO, THERE WILL BE NO COMMITTEE REPORTS.

UH, SO MAY I HAVE A SECOND FOR THAT AMENDMENT? I'LL SECOND IT.

OKAY.

DULY, MOTIONED AND SECONDED.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, THE, UH, AGENDA WILL BE AMENDED FOR THAT ADDITIONAL ITEM.

NOW WE MUST HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS AMENDED.

SO, MOVE, SIR.

MR. MCKELLEN MAKES THE MOTION.

I'LL SECOND IT.

MS. TABER MAKES THE SECOND DULY MOTIONED AND SECONDED AS AMENDED.

ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE.

THE AGENDA AS AMENDED IS NOW APPROVED.

WE ARE AT OUR CITIZEN

[5. CITIZEN COMMENTS]

IF, UH, I HAVE ONE PERSON WHO WISHES TO SPEAK, UH, WILL JIM, PLEASE COME FORWARD TO ADDRESS COUNSEL.

UM, GOOD MORNING CHAIRMAN PASSMAN AND COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS.

MY NAME IS JIM BACKER.

I'M A BOARD MEMBER OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS, AND I CHAIR THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.

I'M JOINED HERE TODAY BY MAURICE SMALLS, OUR DIRECTOR WENDELL ROBESON, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR AND ALENE MITCHELL, OUR BOARD CHAIR.

I'M HERE TODAY TO REFRESH YOUR AWARENESS OF THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS.

NEED TO PURCHASE VOTING EQUIPMENT TO PROPERLY OUTFIT THE 31 NEW VOTING PRECINCTS THAT WERE ADDED IN BEAUFORT COUNTY UNDER ACT 82 OF 2023.

YOU MAY KNOW THAT THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS SUBMITTED A FISCAL YEAR 25 BUDGET LINE ITEM REQUESTING 24 AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS FOR A STATEWIDE VOTING SYSTEM UPGRADE, WHICH INCLUDED APPROXIMATELY $800,000 FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY'S EXPANDED EQUIPMENT NEEDS.

IN THE INITIAL BUDGET DISCUSSIONS, THE SENATE REDUCED THE REQUEST TO 12 AND A HALF MILLION, AND IT WAS THEN RESTORED TO 24 AND A HALF MILLION BY THE HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE.

AT THIS MOMENT, A HOUSE SENATE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE IS WORKING TO FINALIZE THE ENTIRE STATE BUDGET.

HOWEVER, THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS BELIEVES THAT THE PROBABILITY OF FUNDING THE EQUIPMENT PURCHASE IS A TOSS UP.

AT BEST.

WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT THE SEC WILL IDENTIFY RESOURCES IN THEIR OVERALL BUDGET TO FUND THE EQUIPMENT PURCHASE.

HOWEVER, WE CANNOT PROPERLY PREPARE FOR A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION BASED ON HOPE.

IT IS NOW TIME TO DISCUSS AND PREPARE TO IMPLEMENT THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS CONTINGENCY PLAN, WHICH IS TO HAVE COUNTY COUNCIL FUND THE PURCHASE OF THE NEEDED ELECTION EQUIPMENT.

THIS POSSIBILITY OF A CONTINGENCY WAS RAISED BY MS. SMALLS IN AN EMAIL TO INTERIM ADMINISTRATOR MR. ROBINSON ON MAY 2ND, 2024.

AS I NOTED AT THE OUTSET OF MY COMMENTS, THE GOAL TODAY WAS TO REFRESH THE COUNTY COUNCIL'S AWARENESS OF THIS FUNDING ISSUE AND TO OBTAIN YOUR GUIDANCE ON A PATH TO AGGRESSIVELY MOVE THIS ISSUE THROUGH THE FUNDING PROCESS.

THERE IS URGENCY HERE.

THE REQUIRED EQUIPMENT MUST BE PROCURED, DELIVERED, AND TESTED AND ADVANCE OF THE NOVEMBER ELECTION.

THE BOARD AND STAFF ARE PREPARED TO WORK WITH COUNTY ADMINISTRATION AND COUNTY COUNCIL TO MOVE THIS CRITICAL ELECTION PREPAREDNESS ISSUE FORWARD ON A TIMELY TO A TIMELY RESOLUTION.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION.

THANK YOU.

IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WISHES TO ADDRESS COUNSEL? PLEASE COME FORWARD.

STATE YOUR NAME, COUNSEL.

THAT'S GOOD MORNING

[00:05:01]

UH, GOOD, GOOD MORNING, COUNSEL.

UM, I HAD TWO ISSUES.

OH, JOE MACK.

I'M A MEMBER OF BEAUFORT TRAILBLAZERS.

I'M SPEAKING, UM, AS A RESIDENT OF CITY OF BEAUFORT.

UM, TWO ISSUES.

THE FIRST ONE IS THE PUBLIC COMMENT.

WHEN THE, WHEN THE PUBLIC COMES IN HERE, UM, SOMETIMES YOU GOTTA FILL OUT A SLIP OF PAPER, SOMETIMES YOU DON'T.

UM, MS. BROCK DOES A FINE JOB.

I HAD, UM, SOME INTERACTION WITH HER PREVIOUSLY.

UM, NOTHING AGAINST HER.

IF IT'S ANYTHING, IT'S AGAINST Y'ALL.

IF IT'S NOT BROKE, DON'T FIX IT.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMEWHAT CONFUSING, UM, WHETHER IT'S A PUBLIC HEARING OR YOU DON'T HAVE TO FILL OUT A SLIP OF PAPER, YOU SHOULD JUST RAISE YOUR HAND AND COME ON UP.

IF PEOPLE WANNA LEAVE THEIR CONTACT INFORMATION, THEY CAN LEAVE IT.

NOW, HILTON HEAD, WHEN I LIVED ON HILTON HEAD YEARS AGO, YOU USED TO HAVE TO CALL THE DAY BEFORE AND MAKE AN APPOINTMENT.

THAT WENT ON FOR YEARS.

I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF I EVER WENT THROUGH THAT, BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER.

BUT THAT, THAT WAS BIZARRE.

SO YOU'RE NOT AS BAD AS HILTON HEAD.

I MEAN, NOT AS CONFUSING AS HILTON HEAD.

AND THAT PROBABLY DOESN'T GO ON TODAY.

UM, SPEAKING OF HILTON HEAD, THEY JUST HAD A FIVE HOUR MEETING ABOUT THE BRIDGES.

IT WENT FROM SOMETHING LIKE FIVE FIVE 5:00 PM TO 10:00 PM.

UM, BUT YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK.

WE WILL FIGURE IT OUT.

UM, THE SECOND ISSUE IS THE, UH, THE $80,000 FOR THE PARKING AT THE DOWNTOWN BEAUFORT TENNIS COURTS.

THERE'S EIGHT CO EIGHT SPACES WITH, I'M NOT SURE THE NAME OF IT.

THEY HAVE A THING AT THE FRONT WITH LIKE A LITTLE CURVE FOR EACH SPACE.

SO THERE'S EIGHT AND IT'S GRA IT'S SORT OF GRAVEL MATERIAL.

MAYBE THAT'S WHAT THE 80,000 IS FOR, IS THE PAVE THAT.

SO I PLAYED THERE IN THE EARLY EIGHTIES.

THERE WAS, THERE WAS NEVER A PARKING ISSUE.

WE FOUND A PLACE TO PARK AND WE RODE OUR BICYCLE.

UM, MAYBE YOU NEED TO GET PEOPLE ON BIKES, BUT THE PARKING, IF YOU WANNA SPEND $80,000 IN THE NATIONAL AND HISTORIC LANDMARK DISTRICT, 'CAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE TENNIS COURTS ARE LOCATED.

UM, YOU KNOW, THE WATERFRONT OWNED BY THE CITY OF BUFORT IS NEEDING SOME, UM, MAJOR, UH, CONSTRUCTION OR I'M NOT SURE THE RIGHT WORD, CONSTRUCTION, BUT, UM, THEY COULD USE THAT 80,000.

BUT WE KNOW THAT YOU'RE NOT GONNA GIVE IT TO 'EM.

SO MAYBE YOU WILL, WHO KNOWS.

BUT THE MONIES AND ALL THIS TRUST IS COMING UP WITH THE 1 CENT TAX THAT THEY DON'T, WE DON'T, THE PEOPLE, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T, DON'T TRUST YOU GUYS.

SOME OF IT'S WARRANTED, SOME OF IT'S NOT.

BUT SOMETIMES IT BOILS DOWN TO TWO THINGS WHERE YOU SPEND THE MONEY AND WHO YOU HIRE.

I SURVIVED STEVE RILEY, I SURVIVED TOM.

PEOPLES LIVING OVER THERE.

WELL, THEY'RE GONE, BUT THAT'S NOT A CURE ALL, YOU KNOW, NOW THEY WANNA BUILD A TENNIS CENTER 20, 30 YEARS LATE, YOUR TIME IS UP.

AND I, IF I COULD WRAP IT UP NOW, THEY WANNA BUILD A 24 COURT TENNIS CENTER, WHICH IS WAY, WAY, WAY, UH, LATE, BUT, UM, SURVIVE.

SHANNON ROPER TWO.

SO IF THIS COUNT THE NEW COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR JULY 1ST.

IF HE DON'T, IF HE DON'T HAVE THE CHOPS, 'CAUSE THIS IS, THIS HAS GONE ON TOO MANY DECADES THAT WE WILL FILE A LAWSUIT.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

SO YOU'RE GONNA SPEND 80 GRAND ON, THAT'S WHAT YOU COULD DO.

THE MATH PER SPACE.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

IS THERE ANYONE ELSE? SEEING NONE.

WE'LL, CLOSE CITIZEN COMMENTS.

WE'RE NOW AT THE PUBLIC HEARINGS AND ACTION ITEMS. UH, TODAY WE'RE GONNA HAVE

[8. PUBLIC HEARING AND THIRD READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO MAKE APPROPRIATIONS FOR COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND SPECIAL PURPOSE DISTRICTS FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY FOR THE FISCAL YEAR County Council Agenda – Beaufort County, SC BEGINNING JULY 1, 2024, AND ENDING JUNE 30, 2025; TO LEVY TAXES FOR THE PAYMENT THEREOF; TO ADOPT SERVICE AND USER FEES; TO PROVIDE FOR THE EXPENDITURE OF SAID TAXES AND OTHER REVENUES COMING INTO THE COUNTY; AND OTHER MATTERS RELATED THERETO (FISCAL IMPACT: The ordinance will outline the Revenues to be collected and the estimated expenditures for the Fiscal Year 2025)]

MAY I HAVE SUCH A MOTION? PLEASE? SO MOVE MR. CHAIRMAN.

I DO.

MR. GLOVER MAKES THE MOTION.

SECOND.

I'LL SECOND THAT.

MR. REEDS MAKES THE SECOND DULY MOTION.

DIDN'T SECOND IT.

WELCOME.

BEFORE WE HAVE A DISCUSSION, WE'LL GO TO THE PUBLIC.

IS THERE ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WISHES TO COMMENT AT THIS TIME? SEEING NONE, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION BY MEMBERS OF COUNCIL? JUST ONE QUESTION, MR. CHAIRMAN? UM, YES, SIR.

WE, WE TALKED ABOUT IT AND I, IF I MISSED IT, I, I APOLOGIZE.

UH, IN THE LANGUAGE FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BOARD, UM, THERE WAS AN ERROR, UH, FIVE VERSUS THREE AND THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO MAKE THE CHANGES ON THOSE YEARS AND STUFF.

SO I DIDN'T SEE IT IN THE LANGUAGE WHAT, WHAT WAS PRESENTED TODAY, BUT

[00:10:01]

SO IT'S NOT COMMITTING FOR FIVE YEARS, IT'S COMMITTING FOR FIVE YEARS, ONE YEAR AT A TIME.

I AGREE WITH THAT.

I UNDERSTAND THAT.

BUT, UH, WE DID MAKE A RESOLUTION FOR IT TO BE FOUR OR FIVE YEARS INSTEAD OF THREE YEARS, AND THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING.

OKAY.

OKAY.

THAT'S IT.

STAFF WILL GO BACK.

STAFF WILL VERIFY THE RESOLUTIONS.

CORRECT.

THANK YOU, SIR.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION AND I SEE NO OBJECTIONS.

WE NOW HAVE A BUDGET FOR THE 20 24, 24 25 YEAR.

UH, ITEM

[9. PUBLIC HEARING AND THIRD READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO PROVIDE FOR THE LEVY OF TAX FOR SCHOOL PURPOSES FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING JULY 1, 2024 AND ENDING JUNE 30, 2025, AND TO MAKE APPROPRIATIONS FOR SAID PURPOSES.]

AND TO MAKE APPROPRIATIONS FOR SAID PURPOSES A MOTION, PLEASE.

I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION.

I'LL SECOND.

MS. TABER MADE THE MOTION.

MR. DAWSON MADE THE SECOND DULY MOTION.

AND SECOND IT BEFORE I HEAR FROM COUNSEL, IS THERE ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WISH TO COMMENT ABOUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT LEVY? SEEING NONE, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION.

ANY COUNCIL MEMBER WISH TO MAKE A STATEMENT? SEEING NONE, THE UM, THIRD READING WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION AND I SEE NO OBJECTIONS.

UH, FINALLY WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO

[EXECUTIVE SESSION]

AND SECOND, PLEASE FOR THOSE.

SO MOVE SIR.

MR. MCKELLEN MAKES THE MOTION A SECOND.

MR. GLOVER MAKES THE SECOND DULY MOTIONED AND SECONDED ANY DISCUSSION, SEEING NONE THE EXECUTIVE SESSIONS WILL BE ADOPTED WITHOUT OBJECTION AND I SEE NO OBJECTIONS.

THERE MAY OR MAY NOT BE MATTERS ARISING AND THIS SHOULD NOT BE A LONG EXECUTIVE SESSION.

WE ARE NOW FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION.

THERE ARE NO ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN, UH, ARISING OUT OF, UH, EXECUTIVE SESSION.

THERE ARE NO FURTHER ACTIONS REGARDING THIS SPECIAL MEETING.

THIS MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED AT 11:12 AM THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING.