* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:01] CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY. EVERYONE, I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING TO ORDER OF TUESDAY, JULY 23RD. UM, WE DO HAVE A QUORUM TO CON CONDUCT BUSINESS. TWO MEMBERS OF COUNCIL ARE ONLINE. THAT WOULD BE COUNCIL MEMBER MCCALLAN AND LAWSON. TWO MEMBERS OF COUNCIL ARE ABSENT. THAT WOULD BE CUNNINGHAM AND DAWSON. THE REST OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE IN CHAMBERS. WOULD YOU ALL 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. PUBLIC NOTIFICATION OF THIS MEETING HAS BEEN PUBLISHED, POSTED, AND DISTRIBUTED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT. I WOULD ASK A MEMBER OF COUNSEL TO AMEND TONIGHT'S AGENDA. IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR AGENDA, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S ONE PAGE, BUT THERE IS A BACK. I'LL MAKE THE MOTION AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE CARE OF ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, UM, THAT IS BEING REMOVED. I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO REMOVE ITEM NUMBER SEVEN FROM THE AGENDA. I'LL SECOND MS. TABERNAC. MR. GLOVER MOTIONED AND SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, THE AGENDA WILL BE AMENDED TO REMOVE ITEM NUMBER SEVEN. THEREFORE, I NOW NEED AN APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA AS AMENDED. SO, MR. GLOVER MAKES THE MOTION. I'LL SECOND. MS. HOWARD MAKES THE SECOND DULY MOTIONED AND SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION SAYING NO DISCUSSION. THE AMENDED AGENDA WILL BE APPROVED. IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WISHES TO MAKE A COMMENT AT THIS TIME? UNDER CITIZEN COMMENTS? SEEING NONE WILL CLOSE. CITIZEN COMMENTS. I WILL NOW ASK FOR A MEMBER OF COUNCIL TO MAKE A MOTION FOR THE EXECUTIVE SESSION AS FOLLOWS, PURSUANT, PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE SECTION 30 DASH FOUR UM, DASH 70 A TWO, WE WILL HAVE A DISCUSSION OF MATTERS COVERED BY THE ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE, WHICH ARE INQUIRIES, INVESTIGATIONS PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE SECTION FOUR DASH SIX DASH SIX 60 HSB. AND AFTER THAT, WHEN WE COME OUT, WE WILL HAVE MATTERS ARISING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION. I DO NOT BELIEVE WE WILL BE AN EXEC EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. MAY I HAVE? I'LL MAKE THE MOTION. MS. TABER MAKES THE MOTION. I'LL SECOND MR. MS. HOWARD MAKES THE SECOND DULY MOTIONED AND SECONDED. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? CAN I HAVE A POINT OF PRIVILEGE, PLEASE? YES. THANK YOU. UM, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE AVOID EXECUTIVE SESSION AND HAVE THAT DISCUSSION RIGHT HERE IN THIS SESSION. OPEN AND LIVE WITH THE PEOPLE. I'LL SECOND THAT. DULY MOTIONED AND SECONDED. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? YOU MADE THE MOTION. EXPLAIN. EXPLAIN. WELL, LISTEN, WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS SINCE, WHAT, A YEAR AGO? JULY. UM, HEAVY, HEAVY, UM, INVESTIGATION. I, I, I THINK THE PEOPLE, WE ASKED THE PEOPLE TO PAY 350,000 IN CLIMBING. PROBABLY $400,000. NOW, I THINK IT WOULD BE IDEAL IF THIS GROUP WITH OUR ATTORNEYS THAT ARE ONLINE THAT ACTUALLY CONDUCTED THIS INVESTIGATION, WE, WE DO WHAT YOU KNOW WE'RE GONNA DO BACK THERE, RIGHT HERE. SO PEOPLE KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING AND THEY GET A GOOD FEEL AS TO WHAT THIS COUNCIL'S DOING TO MAKE THAT TURN. WE FIRED PEOPLE. THERE ARE PROBLEMS. IT'S OUT THERE. IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE GONNA HIDE ANYTHING. WE BETTER NOT HIDE ANYTHING. SO MY THING IS, IF THAT'S THE CASE, LET'S SHOW THE PEOPLE HOW WE WORK IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. BUT LET'S DO IT OUT HERE. I THINK IT'D BE A GREAT EXERCISE. I'VE NEVER BEEN PART OF THAT. YOU WERE THE SECOND. WELL, I JUST HAVE TO SAY THAT I HAVE A LOT OF CALLS FROM MY CONSTITUENTS AND THEY KEEP TELLING ME OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN THAT THEY PAY FOR THIS DOCUMENT. THEY WANT TO SEE IT AND TO WAIVE THE ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE. BUT WE WERE TOLD THAT LAST, THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN WHAT? THAT'S DIFFERENT. YEAH. THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN THE MOTION. THAN THE MOTION. LOOK, MY MS. PAUL, MY MOTION IS THAT TO HAVE IT OUT HERE, WE HAVE TREMENDOUS STAFF. WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS COUNSEL. AND I GOTTA TELL YOU, I HAD LIKE TO SEE FOR ONCE THE PEOPLE SEE HOW GOOD WE WORK TOGETHER. AND I WANNA DO IT OUT IN THE OPEN. I I LISTEN, MANY OF US HERE HAVE NEVER BEEN THROUGH SOMETHING [00:05:01] LIKE THIS. UM, KEEPING OUT OF WHY WOULD WE WANNA HIDE? UM, ONE OF THE MOST MONUMENTAL THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH AS A COUNTY. WE HIRED MR. MOORE BECAUSE OF THIS, BECAUSE OF WHAT'S GOING ON. SO MY THING IS, LET'S, I'M GOING GO AROUND ALSO. OH, OKAY. THANK YOU. AND ALSO, I HAD CONSTITUENTS SAY TO ME FROM THE LAST AGENDA THAT WE HAD FROM LA THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING, A LOT OF IT WAS EXECUTIVE SESSION. AND THEY WERE SAYING, WELL, WHY NOT HAVE THE WHOLE ENTIRE COUNTY COUNCIL MEETINGS AND EXECUTIVE SESSION AND FORGET ABOUT THE PUBLIC, FORGET ABOUT PUTTING IT IN PUBLIC, YOU KNOW? AND I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY PEOPLE CALL ME ALL THE TIME ABOUT THIS. AND IT'S, ANYWAY, ALL RIGHT. LET ME GO AROUND MS. TABER NECK. SO I BELIEVE WE'RE GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS THE SUMMARY, WHICH I HAVE NOW READ THE REPORT THREE TIMES MORE SO THAN SOME OTHERS. I'VE READ ALL THE DOCUMENTATION AND I BELIEVE THAT THE SUMMARY IS QUITE INFORMATIVE, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW EVERYBODY ELSE FEELS ABOUT IT. WE HAVEN'T DISCUSSED IT, AND I'M NOT SURE WHERE THAT WILL TAKE US. SO I THINK WE SHOULD DO EXECUTIVE SESSION, MR. BY, I'M, I'M FINE DISCUSSING, DISCUSSING THE SUMMARY OUT HERE. I MEAN, IF THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GETTING LEGAL ADVICE ON IS THE SUMMARY ITSELF, MR. GLOVER. OH, OKAY. . UM, YOU KNOW, UM, I TOLD SOMEBODY, UH, ONCE THAT IF, UM, IF, IF MY LAWYER SAYS SOMETHING TO ME, I USUALLY TAKE THE ADVICE BECAUSE THEY KNOW THE LEGAL RAMIFICATION OF THINGS. AND SO THAT'S WHERE I'M GONNA STAND. I THINK IF I GET BACK IN THAT SESSION. UM, AND I ASKED THE QUESTION, UM, COULD THIS BE DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE, I MEAN OUT IN PUBLIC, AND IF THE LAWYER SAYS, YES, YOU CAN, UH, THEN I WILL ADHERE TO BRINGING IT BACK OUT IN PUBLIC. BUT I'M GOING TO TAKE THE ADVICE OF COUNSEL AT THIS TIME AND GO IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. 'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT CAN COME OUT OF THIS REPORT THAT WILL BE DAMAGING TO THIS COUNCIL. SO, MS. HOWARD? YES. UM, I, I HAVE READ THIS. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THREE TIMES OR HOW MANY HOURS I SPENT READING IT. I CAME BACK AND READ IT AND READ THE WHOLE REPORT. WE HAVE A SUMMARY TO TALK ABOUT AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, AND I'D LIKE TO DO THAT IN EXECUTIVE SESSION BASED ON ADVICE OF LEGAL COUNSEL AND THEN COME OUT OF, OF EXECUTIVE SESSION. AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN, UM, GO FORWARD FROM THERE. MR. MCCLEAN, I'VE READ THE, UM, THE, UH, REPORT FROM THE LAW FIRM AND I'VE ALSO READ THE REPORT THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING IN EXECUTIVE SESSION TODAY. AND I'M VERY COMFORTABLE THAT THIS IS A MANAGEABLE DOCUMENT THAT ACCURATELY REFLECTS THE SUMMARY OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT WE'VE ENGAGED IN, UH, WITH REGARD TO MAKING DECISIONS, UH, ABOUT THE INFORMATION THAT WAS DELIVERED TO US IN THE, UH, UH, REPORT FROM THE LAW FIRM. UH, I BELIEVE THAT THIS WILL SATISFY, UH, EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO GETS IT. UM, I'M, I'M ANXIOUS TO, UM, PROCEED TO EXECUTIVE SESSION SO THAT WE CAN CONSIDER THIS AND RELEASE THIS WITHOUT WASTING ANY MORE TIME BECAUSE THERE IS SUCH A DEMAND FOR INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH THE INVESTIGATION THAT WAS CONDUCTED. MR. LAWSON? UH, YES. UM, I ACTUALLY AGREE WITH, UH, MR. GLOVER. I MEAN, UM, THERE, THERE'S NOTHING IN THIS REPORT THAT, THAT I'M AFRAID OF, OF, OF BEING RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC. UM, HOWEVER, I THINK THERE'S A PROCESS THAT WE NEED TO GO THROUGH AND THAT IS MAKING SURE THAT, THAT WE DO NOT DO ANYTHING THAT IS GOING TO BE, UH, LEGALLY DAMAGING BY RELEASING IT TOO SOON AND MAKING SURE WE'RE DOING THE CORRECT STEPS. BUT I THINK THAT THIS, THE, THE, THE SUMMARY REPORT AND EVERYTHING IS GONNA BE RELEASED, UM, ALL IN DUE TIME. UM, BUT AGAIN, I, I THINK THAT OUR FIRST STEP IS TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, UH, LISTEN TO THE ADVICE THAT WE GET FROM THE ATTORNEYS OF HOW WE MOVE FORWARD AND THEN WE TAKE THOSE STEPS FORWARD. AND AGAIN, IT WILL BE MADE PUBLIC TO, TO, UM, EVERYONE OUT THERE IN, IN THE CORRECT, UH, TIMING. MM-HMM, . OKAY. UM, I FEEL THE SAME WAY. WE ARE GOING TO RELEASE SOMETHING, UH, THIS EVENING. I DO HAVE A MOTION PREPARED AFTER WE'RE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION JUST TO DISCUSS THE DOCUMENT THAT ALL OF YOU HAVE IN YOUR HAND. AND THAT'S THE DOCUMENT THAT WE ARE GOING TO RELEASE. WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF US ARE IN AGREEMENT THAT THIS IS THE DOCUMENT WE WANT TO RELEASE. SO THE LONGER WE TAKE TO DO THAT, I THINK IS THE INCORRECT WAY OF DOING IT. BUT SO BE IT. SO NOW WE HAVE A MOTION. AND [00:10:01] SECOND ON THE FLOOR, WILL YOU CALL THE ROLE. AND THAT IS TO HAVE THE DISCUSSION HERE IN PUBLIC RATHER THAN GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. COUNCIL MEMBER REEDS? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER BROWN? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER TABER? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER LAWSON. MARK LAWSON? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER HOWARD. COUNCIL MEMBER HOWARD? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER GLOVER? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER BARTHOLOMEW? YES. VICE CHAIR. MCALLEN? NO. CHAIRMAN. PASSMAN? NO. THE MOTION FAILS. OKAY, SO WE ARE BACK TO THE MOTION, WHICH IS THE EXECUTIVE SESSION. UM, WOULD YOU CALL THE ROLE FOR THE EXECUTIVE SESSION? MS. TABER MADE THE MOTION AND MS. HOWARD MADE THE SECOND COUNCIL MEMBER TABER? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER HOWARD? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER RES? NO. OOPS. COUNCIL MEMBER LAWSON. COUNCIL MEMBER LAWSON. MARK LAWSON? YES. GOTCHA. I'LL JUST WAIT ON YOU TO MUTE. I'LL JUST WAIT ON YOU TO MUTE. THERE HE GOES. COUNCIL MEMBER GLOVER? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER GLOVER? YES. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER BROWN. COUNCIL MEMBER BROWN. NO. NATIONAL COUNCIL MEMBER BARTHOLOMEW? NO. NO. OKAY. VICE CHAIRMAN MCALLEN. OH, YES, YES. CHAIRMAN PASSMAN? YES. THE MOTION PASSES. OKAY, WE WILL BE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION AND COME OUT SHORTLY. YOU. IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY OUT HERE, SUNNY TODAY WITH LIGHT BREEZES GIVING WAY TO CLOUDS IN THE AFTERNOON. WE COULD SEE SOME LIGHT PRECIPITATION TO MODERATE PRECIPITATION LATER ON, FOLLOWED BY POWERFUL STORM LIGHT CONDITIONS. WINDS ARE ASKING EVERYONE STAY OKAY FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION? WE ARE BACK FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION. HOLD ON, WE'LL COLLECT WE'LL CORRECT. UH, WHAT'S HAPPENING? WE'LL CORRECT WHAT'S HAPPENING. COUNCIL MEMBER LAWSON, WILL YOU PLEASE MUTE? COUNCIL MEMBER LAWSON, WILL YOU PLEASE SEE IN? OKAY. THERE ARE MATTERS ARISING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION. UH, MR. MCKELLEN, WILL YOU MAKE THE PARTICULAR MOTION? YES, SIR. UH, I MOVE THAT WE AUTHORIZE THE CHAIRMAN OF COUNTY COUNCIL TO RELEASE A REPORT, WHICH IS TITLED REPORT CONCERNING COUNCIL ACTIONS RELATING TO PROCUREMENT AND PURCHASING ISSUES. THIS REPORT WILL DETAIL THE ISSUES THAT HAVE COME TO OUR ATTENTION AS A RESULT OF THE INVESTIGATION COUNCIL COMMISSION DURING THE SUMMER OF 2023. THAT'S THE MOTION MR. MCCLELLAN HAS MADE. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? I WILL GLADLY SECOND THIS MOTION. MS. TABER NECK MADE THE SECOND. IT IS DULY MOTIONED AND SECONDED. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE. THE MOTION WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION. AND I SEE NO OBJECTIONS. I WILL STATE THAT IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. WHAT WE DID WAS TO TAKE THE REPORT THAT YOU SEE HERE THAT WE JUST APPROVED. WE WENT THROUGH THE REPORT JUST TO CORRECT SOME GRAMMAR, PUNCTUATION, AND A SENTENCE OR TWO THAT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE. ONCE THOSE, UH, HAVE BEEN DONE, AND THEY WILL BE DONE AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN, IT WILL BE POSTED, UH, IN THE APPROPRIATE PLACES. OUR PIO HANNAH WILL DO THAT. IT WILL BE PUT ON LETTERHEAD AND RELEASED TO ANYONE WHO WISHES TO HAVE [00:15:01] A COPY, INCLUDING ALL OF OUR MEDIA PARTNERS. THERE BEING NO FURTHER ACTION. THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT 5:36 PM YOU'RE WATCHING BEAUFORT COUNTY TV, LIVE, WORK, PLAY. HERE'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN BEAUFORT COUNTY. SO BASICALLY THIS IS A CHANCE FOR THE CITIZENS OF BEAUFORT, UM, PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN BEAUFORT AND PEOPLE THAT WORK IN AND PLAY IN BEAUFORT TO COME AND MEET ALL OF THE ENTITIES THAT WILL BE, UM, PROVIDING SERVICES FOR THEM IN THE EVENT OF ANOTHER STORM. SO YOU HAVE EVERY AGENCY OUT HERE THAT WOULD, WOULD BE INVOLVED IN SUCH AN EVENT AND PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY ASK THEM QUESTIONS, UH, DIRECTLY FACE TO FACE AND GET THE, GET THE THE GOOD INFORMATION FROM THE HORSE'S MOUTH. THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS A PARTNERSHIP. IT'S EVERY AGENCY AT EVERY LEVEL. SO YOU HAVE STATE AGENCIES, YOU HAVE LOCAL AGENCIES FOR THE CITY OF BEAUFORT, YOU HAVE THE COUNTY. UH, WE ALL PLUG INTO ONE ARCHITECTURE AND WE ALL WORK TOGETHER. UM, AND THAT'S REALLY THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN EFFECTIVELY WORK IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS TO DO A TEAM EFFORT. SO EVERYBODY IN THE TEAM IS HERE AND WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE. WE ARE HERE PROMOTING ANIMAL SAFETY, UM, PREPAREDNESS FOR HURRICANE DISASTER SITUATIONS. WE ARE A LOT OF GREAT INFORMATION, UM, THAT PEOPLE SHOULD OBTAIN JUST TO KNOW WHERE TO GO IN CASE OF HURRICANES. AND A LOT OF PEOPLE TEND TO LEAVE THEIR ANIMALS BEHIND. UM, WE HAVE TO DO A LOT OF RESCUE. IT TIES UP A LOT OF OUR TIME. SO KNOWING AND BEING PREPARED AS TO WHERE TO GO AND WHAT HOTELS ACCEPT THE ANIMALS, WHAT GROUNDS ACCEPT THE ANIMALS IS HUGE IN EVACUATION AND TRYING TO HAVE EVERYTHING SET UP SO THAT YOU KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO BE HEADING IN CASE OF A HURRICANE. WE ARE OUT HERE TO WORK TO, WITH THE OTHER AGENCIES FROM DEFORD COUNTY TO INFORM THE PUBLIC OF HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS. BY THAT WE MEAN, UH, WHAT TO LOOK FOR, HOW TO PREPARE FOR EVACUATION, UH, TO ADVISE THEM TO EVACUATE AND EVACUATE EARLY AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THEIR MEDICINES. THEY, UH, TAKE THEIR ANIMALS WITH THEM. THEY TAKE, YOU KNOW, ANYBODY ELSE WITH THEM THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO TAKE WITH THEM JUST TO HELP THEIR NEIGHBOR, YOU KNOW, GET OUT OF BEAUFORT COUNTY. BECAUSE ONCE THE EVACUATION STARTS, IT, IT'S A SLOW PROCESS AND PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE HOW LONG IT CAN TAKE TO EVACUATE THE COUNTY. SO GETTING OUT EARLY IS WHAT WE'RE REALLY OUT HERE TRYING TO INFORM THE PUBLIC ABOUT. WE'RE PROVIDING A QUICK CHECKLIST, UH, THAT WE CREATED THE OTHER DAY. AND THAT CHECKLIST INVOLVES TAKING ITEMS AND THINGS OF IMPORTANCE, YOUR MEDICINES, YOUR FOOD, UH, MONEY, YOUR ANIMALS, THAT SORT OF THING. AND JUST, IT'S A REMINDER LIST FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT WHEN WITH MATTHEW AND IRMA, WE HAD A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS WHEN THEY WERE COMING BACK TO BEAUFORT COUNTY TO GET BACK IN THEIR HOMES, THEY REALIZED THEY DIDN'T HAVE MEDICINES FILLED. UH, THEY DIDN'T HAVE FOOD, THEY DIDN'T KNOW THAT THE HOSPITALS SHUT DOWN ONCE. THERE'S A MANDATORY EVACUATION IN BEAUFORT COUNTY. SO WE'RE JUST LETTING THEM KNOW ABOUT THAT. AND ALSO ABOUT THE SMART ONE ONE PRO 9 1 1 PROGRAM THAT'S GOING ON. THAT SMART 9 1 1 PROGRAM AS FAR AS REGISTERING YOUR INFORMATION AND LINKING IT TO LIKE YOUR CELL PHONE NUMBER SO THAT IF THERE IS AN EMERGENCY, YOUR MEDICAL HISTORY POINTS OF CONTACT, YOU KNOW, THAT SORT OF THING IS, IS AVAILABLE FOR FIRST RESPONDERS. IT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY NEED TO START THINKING NOW BEFORE THE STORM IS COMING CLOSE, WHAT THEY'RE GONNA DO. SO YOU NEED THAT LEAD TIME TO PREPARE. AND AGAIN, YOU CAN FIND OUT INFORMATION, UH, FOR ANY QUESTIONS THEY MAY HAVE ABOUT WHAT THEY SHOULD DO. UM, IF THEY HAVE PETS, THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE ANIMAL CONTROLLERS HERE TODAY. THEY CAN SHIP THE PETS, THEY CAN TELL THEM WHERE SOME SHELTERS ARE OR PLACES THEY CAN GO. UM, YOU HAVE EMS HERE, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S A LOVED ONE, A FAMILY MEMBER THAT HAS MEDICAL ISSUES, THEY CAN ASK EMS QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW DID THINGS GO DURING THE LAST STORM? WHAT SHOULD WE EXPECT DURING THE NEXT STORM? UM, SO IT'S A REALLY A CHANCE FOR THEM TO GET THEIR QUESTIONS ANSWERED, TO MEET THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA BE TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF THEM AND TAKE CARE OF THE [00:20:01] CITY AND THE COUNTY. AND WHEREVER THEY LIVE HERE IN, IN NORTHERN BEFORD COUNTY DURING THE STORM AND SOUTHERN BEFORD COUNTY, UM, IT'S A CHANCE FOR THEM TO GET TO MEET THOSE PEOPLE AND PICK THEIR BRAINS AND FIND OUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT SHOULD I BE DOING AND WHAT WILL YOU BE DOING FOR US IF A STORM SHOULD COME HERE? HORSES IS BIG. COWS ARE HUGE. UM, GOATS, ANY ANIMAL, WE HAVE ALL THAT INFORMATION AND A NICE LITTLE PAMPHLET THAT WE HAVE PROVIDED FOR PEOPLE. SO IF THEY'RE ABLE TO GET DOWN HERE, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO GET THIS INFORMATION TO KNOW WHERE TO TAKE. UM, YOU KNOW, ANY FARM ANIMALS, WE ARE LUCKY ENOUGH THIS PAST WEEK TO RECEIVE A, UH, DONATION OF PET MASK OR OXYGEN MASK TO HELP RESUSCITATE YOUR ANIMALS. IF THERE HAPPENS TO BE A STRUCTURE FIRE AT YOUR RESIDENCE AND YOUR ANIMAL, YOUR CAT, YOUR DOG, YOUR LIZARD BECOMES A VICTIM OF SMOKE INHALATION. SO WE HAVE THREE DIFFERENT SIZES THAT WE'LL BE CARRYING ON OUR AMBULANCES AND THEY CAN BE HOOKED UP TO OUR OXYGEN TANKS. THEY CAN ALSO BE HOOKED UP TO WHAT WE CALL BAG VALVE MASKS, WHICH WILL ALLOW US TO ASSIST WITH THE BREATHING FOR THE ANIMALS IN CASE THERE'S AN ISSUE. AND ALL PERSONNEL WITH THESE PET MASKS THAT WERE DONATED TO OUR ORGANIZATION. ALL PERSONNEL ARE GOING TO BE, IF THEY HAVEN'T ALREADY, WILL BE KNOWLEDGEABLE ON HOW TO OPERATE THOSE PET MASKS SO THAT IF ANYONE WHO RESPONDS TO A STRUCTURE FIRE CAN PROVIDE MEDICAL ASSISTANCE TO YOUR ANIMAL. SOME PEOPLE THINK THAT JUST HAVING A COLLAR WITH A PET'S NAME AND PHONE NUMBER IS ENOUGH. UM, WE ARE SAYING NO, THAT IT'S NOT. THEY NEED TO, UM, DO MICROCHIP AND WHICH IS WHY WE'RE OFFERING FREE MICROCHIPPING TODAY WITH THAT, ONCE AN ANIMAL GETS LOST, UM, AND ANIMAL CONTROL IS ABLE TO GET A HOLD OF THEM, WE'LL BE ABLE TO SCAN THEM AND ALL THAT INFORMATION, YOUR PET'S NAME, THE OWNER, THE PHONE NUMBER, THEIR ADDRESS COMES WITH THAT. SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT NOT ONLY TO HAVE THE KA ASSURE THAT HELPS, BUT HAVING A MICROCHIP IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR THAT. AND ALSO PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOUR MICROCHIP IS UP TO DATE WITH ALL THE ANIMALS INFORMATION. YOUR PHONE NUMBER IS UP TO DATE, YOUR ADDRESS IS UP, IS UP TO DATE. AND HONESTLY, JUST KNOWING WHERE YOU ARE GONNA GO, WHAT YOUR PLAN IS, MAKING SURE YOU HAVE YOUR BACKPACK, MAKING SURE YOU HAVE ALL THE RECORDS, THE VACCINATIONS, ANYTHING THAT YOU NEED FOR THE ANIMAL TO BE TRAVELING WITH YOU. I WOULD ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO, TO GO ON THE SOCIAL MEDIA AND TO, TO PLUG INTO ALL OF THESE ENTITIES THAT ARE OUT HERE. UM, IT'S THE BEAUFORT POLICE DEPARTMENT. OUR FACEBOOK PAGE, WE HAVE A NICKEL PRESENCE. WE'RE ON NEXT DOOR. UM, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICES AS WELL. SO, UH, ONE OF THE, THE THINGS THAT COMES UP DURING STORMS AND ANY KIND OF EMERGENCY IS THERE'S A LOT OF RUMORS THAT GO AROUND. SO WE LIKE TO CUT THROUGH THE CLUTTER AND TO SAY, HEY, COME GET THE, THE INFORMATION DIRECTLY FROM THE SOURCE BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA BE PASSING THAT THROUGH THOSE CHANNELS. AND, AND THAT'S BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE PEOPLE ARE. WE ARE ON FACEBOOK, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES AND WE UPDATE THAT WEBSITE, UH, EVERY HOUR ON THE HOUR SO YOU CAN GET ANY INFORMATION THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR THERE. THEY CAN STAY IN TOUCH WITH US THROUGH OUR FACEBOOK PAGE, WHICH IS BEAVER COUNTY EMS. WE ALSO HAVE A TWITTER AND AN INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT AS WELL. THE BEFORD COUNTY EMS. AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN BEAUFORT COUNTY. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.