[00:00:01]
EVERYBODY, WE'RE READY TO GO.[1. CALL TO ORDER]
IS A WORKSHOP FOR THE FINANCE ADMINISTRATION ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.SO, LET'S ALL STAND FOR THE PLEDGE, PLEASE.
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.
SO, PUBLIC NOTIFICATION OF THIS MEETING HAS BEEN PUBLISHED, POSTED, AND DISTRIBUTED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.
UH, CAN I HAVE SOMEONE APPROVE THE
[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
AGENDA? SOME MOVE.FIRST, UM, THIS IS A WORKSHOP, SO IT'S NOT REALLY AS FORMAL, BUT WE DO HAVE SEVEN COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WE HAVE MR. PASSMAN, MR. MCKELLAN, AND MR. REITS ONLINE.
IT'LL BE LESS FORMAL, BUT I WANNA START WITH CITIZEN COMMENTS.
DO WE HAVE ANYBODY WANTS TO SPEAK? I'M SURE THEY'LL SPEAK LATER.
SO WE'RE GONNA, IT'S A WORKSHOP WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH ADMINISTRATION.
MR. ROBINSON'S, UH, CREATED A FEW THINGS WITH ADMINISTRATION.
IT'LL BE A DISCUSSION WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS AND ADMINISTRATION.
[6. DISCUSSION OF A NEW PROCUREMENT CODE- John Robinson, Interim CFO]
YOU'RE UP.HE WANTS TO TALK ABOUT THE NEW PROCUREMENT CODE, AND YOU ALL KNOW WHAT THAT IS, RIGHT? WE'RE GOOD.
UH, THANKS FOR ALL THE, THE PUBLIC AND OTHER STAFF MEMBERS FOR BEING HERE.
UH, 'CAUSE THIS IS PRETTY IMPORTANT FOR US AS WE GO FORWARD.
UH, JUST TO PREFACE WHAT WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT TODAY, OF COURSE, THIS IS, UM, THE DRAFT VERSION OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY'S NEW PURCHASING, UM, PURCHASING CODE OR ORDINANCE, AS YOU MIGHT WOULD SAY.
UM, THIS HAS BEEN IN PRODUCTION FOR MANY MONTHS.
UH, OUR BETWEEN OUR LEGAL TEAM, OUR OUTSIDE ATTORNEYS, UM, OUR PROCUREMENT STAFF, OUR FINANCE STAFF, AND SOME EXECUTIVE TEAM MEMBERS HAVE WORKED ON THIS FOR MANY MONTHS TO PRODUCE THIS DRAFT.
AND THE PURPOSE OF TODAY IS TO TAKE A DEEP DIVE INTO THIS DOCUMENT, TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, ACCEPT SUGGESTIONS, AND, UH, AND FIND OTHER, UM, UH, AREAS THAT, THAT WE CAN, UM, EXPLORE OR CHANGE OR EDIT AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
THE INTENT IS TO, UH, LEAVE TODAY, UM, ACCEPT THOSE CHANGES.
WE'LL TAKE PLENTY OF NOTES, WE'LL MAKE CHANGES AND HOPEFULLY PREPARE THAT AND COME FORWARD TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, UM, FOR, UM, PRESENTATION, UH, OR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THE COMPLETED POLICY IN, UM, AUGUST.
ARE WE GONNA PUT THE RED LINE VERSION UP SO PEOPLE CAN SEE IT? OR, UM, I THINK BRENNA HAS BOTH COPIES.
I WOULD SUGGEST WE PUT THE CLEANER VERSION UP.
'CAUSE THE RED LINE IS REALLY MESSY.
AND YOU'LL TALK ABOUT WHERE YOU MADE CHANGES.
UM, SO I'LL, I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT.
I'LL BEGIN TO TALK ABOUT THAT TO START WITH.
SO, UM, AS, AS I AM TOLD, I WASN'T, UH, AS PART OF THE INITIAL TEAM THAT STARTED TO WORK ON THIS, THIS, UH, THIS, THIS, THE CREATION OF THIS POLICY WAS A COMPLETELY NEW, UH, PRODUCT.
SO THIS ISN'T CUT AND PASTE OR EDITING OF OUR OLD, UH, UH, PER, UM, CODE, BRAND NEW CODE THAT BEGAN, UH, THIS, THE BRAND NEW CODE WAS PREVENT PRESENTED IN A DRAFT FORM TO OUR TEAM.
UH, THE LEGAL TEAM, UH, FINANCE TEAM AND PROCUREMENT TEAM WORKED TOGETHER WITH THE OUTSIDE ATTORNEY, UH, TO DEVELOP WHAT YOU HAVE, UH, BEFORE YOU.
THE, UM, OUR OUTSIDE ATTORNEYS, UH, THEN TOOK, TOOK THIS COMBINATION OF EFFORT OF BACK AND FORTH DISCUSSION ABOUT EVERY DETAIL, UH, THROUGHOUT THE DOCUMENT AND PRESENTED THAT TO THE, TO THE COUNTY OR TO THE EXECUTIVE TEAM, REALLY TO COUNTY COUNSEL, UM, ON JUNE THE 10TH.
SO SINCE THEN, UM, I'VE, UM, HAD THIS DOCUMENT FOR US TO WORK ON AND DRILL DOWN TO SOME OTHER AREAS OF CONCERN AND MAKE A FEW, UH, ADDITIONAL CHANGES, UH, ADDITIONS.
UM, AT THAT POINT THERE WAS SOME INFORMATION FROM OUR, SOME SECTIONS OF OUR OLD CODE THAT WERE APPROPRIATE FOR THIS CODE.
SO THEN WE WERE ABLE TO COPY SOME OF THAT INFORMATION, MAKE SOME UPDATES AND CHANGES AND ADD TO THIS.
SO WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU, CAN I ASK BRENDA TO JUST BLOW THAT UP A LITTLE MORE? OH YEAH.
WELL, THERE'S NO WAY ANYBODY CAN READ IT.
I KEEP IT A LITTLE SMALLER MAYBE, JUST SO EVERYBODY CAN READ IT.
SO MY, MY HOPE IS THAT YOU'VE ALL HAD TIME TO READ THROUGH IT.
[00:05:01]
IS A 29 PAGE DOCUMENT IF I HAVE THEM ALL.UM, UH, MAYBE THE RED LINE VERSION WAS THAT 37 PAGES.
UM, BUT THE FINISHED PROJECT RIGHT NOW IS, UH, IS PRETTY LARGE.
IT BEGINS WITH THE GENERAL DESCRIPTION, SOME GENERAL PROVISIONS, AND THEN MOVES ON TO A FEW PAGES OF DEFINITIONS.
OUR OLD POLICY HAD SOME DEFINITIONS, BUT THIS, UH, HELPS US TO REFINE, THERE'S ABOUT 45 DIFFERENT DEFINITIONS THAT ARE LISTED HERE.
AND I THINK EVERY TIME I READ THIS, I ADD ANOTHER, UH, SPECIFIC ITEM SO WE CAN HELP TO IDENTIFY THOSE THINGS THAT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN UNCLEAR IN OUR PREVIOUS POLICY.
WAS THERE, UM, IF, IF YOU ALL HAD A CHANCE TO READ THROUGH THIS, IS THERE, UH, IF WE, HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD? WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO PAGE BY PAGE, OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADDRESS, UH, CONCERNS? UM, ON, ON DIFFERENT PAGES? I THINK WE SHOULD GO PAGE BY BY PAGE.
I WANNA MAKE SURE I HAVE MS. HOWARD'S COMMENTS 'CAUSE SHE SENT 'EM TO ME.
AND, UH, I DIDN'T GET TO PRINT 'EM.
AND I ALSO HAVE THEM AND DOCUMENTED THEM IN THE, IN YOUR, SO YOU'LL TALK ABOUT THEM IN HERE, SO I CAN READ THOSE, UM, IF THERE WERE NO CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS.
UM, AND I HAVE SOME NOTES FROM, FROM OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT I TOOK ON HERE, SO I CAN IDENTIFY THOSE.
UM, I THINK I GOT ALL THE WAY TO, IN MY DOCUMENT, IT'S THE END OF THE DEFINITIONS AS NUMBER 45 UNDER EMERGENCY PURCHASE.
AND, AND THAT, UM, THAT DEFINITION OF PURCHASE, EMERGENCY PURCHASE MEANS THE PURCHASE OF GOODS OR SERVICE WHEN THERE, WHEN THERE EXISTS AN IMMEDIATE THREAT TO PUBLIC HEALTH, WELFARE, CRITICAL ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY, OR UNDER A STATE OF EMERGENCY CONDITIONS.
THERE WAS, UM, A QUESTION ABOUT A, UM, FURTHER DEFINITION OR FURTHER EXPLANATION OF A IMMEDIATE THREAT.
UH, SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'LL LOOK AT AND TRY TO FURTHER DEFINE WHAT'S AN IMMEDIATE THREAT MEAN WHILE YOU THERE.
KIND OF GIMME AN IDEA OF NUMBER 44 AFTER THE FACT.
SO, UM, AFTER THE FACT, I'LL READ IT FOR THE PUBLIC.
SO, UM, THEY CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE ASKING.
SO AFTER THE FACT IS A IS A, AN AFTER THE FACT PURCHASE, UM, THAT IS A REQUEST TO CREATE A PURCHASE ORDER IN SUPPORT OF A GOOD OR SERVICE OR CONTRACT, WHICH HAS ALREADY BEEN RECEIVED OR EXECUTED.
SO THIS IS, UM, THIS IS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN.
THIS IS AN EVENT THAT, UH, A GOOD OR SERVICE, WELL, THERE ARE SOME CASES WHERE IT DOES HAPPEN.
IN THE CASE OF EMERGENCY SERVICE, WE WOULD HAVE TO PROCURE EMERGENCY SERVICE.
WAIT, THERE'S, BEFORE WE HAVE THE AUTHORIZATION OR PURCHASE ORDER TO MAKE THAT, UH, PURCHASE.
SO IN THE EVENT THAT PROPER PROCEDURE WAS NOT FOLLOWED, UM, AN INDIVIDUAL OR A COUNTY EMPLOYEE WOULD MAKE A, WOULD, WOULD HAVE MADE A PURCHASE AND THEN FOUND OUT THAT, WELL, WE DID THAT WRONG.
SO THIS AFTER THE FACT, A PURCHASE IS THAT PROCESS, UH, BY WHICH WE HAVE TO, UH, VET THAT PURCHASE.
AND, UM, OKAY, LET ME, UH, GO AHEAD.
I, I JUST BOUGHT A COUNTY CAR OKAY.
THAT I SHOULDN'T HAVE THAT BOUGHT, PURCHASED.
NOW WHAT HAPPENS WITH ME? UH, SO WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS IF YOU BOUGHT A COUNTY CAR THAT YOU WEREN'T ALLOWED TO YES SIR.
YOU WOULD HAVE TO, YOU DON'T HAVE THE MEANS TO PAY FOR THAT VEHICLE WITHOUT IT GOING THROUGH THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
SO YOU WOULD HAVE TO GO TO THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND REQUEST A PURCHASE ORDER.
THAT PURCHASE ORDER COMES TO THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND THEY'RE LIKE, HEY, YOU DIDN'T HAVE PERMISSION TO BUY THIS CAR.
YOU DIDN'T, YOU, YOU DIDN'T USE A CONTRACT, YOU DIDN'T PROCURE IT PROPERLY.
THE, ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS, THIS BECOMES AN AFTER THE FACT PURCHASE.
OKAY? SO THE, THE COUNTY IN THAT SENSE WOULD HAVE TO BEGIN TO DO SOME INVESTIGATION AND BEGIN THAT PROCESS OF VETTING THAT PURCHASE AND DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT YOU HAD THE NEED TO PURCHASE THAT.
THE INTENT WAS TO PURCHASE THIS PROPERLY, YOU MADE A MISTAKE IN PURCHASING THAT, UH, AND, AND THEN GO FORWARD TO RATIFICATION.
SO THE RATIFICATION PROCESS IS A DIFFERENT SECTION OF THE POLICY.
UH, AND WE'VE HAD TO DO THAT BEFORE AND FOR, UH, AN AFTER THE FACT PURCHASE.
SO AFTER THE FACT IS A NEGATIVE THING.
UM, BUT IT DEFINES WHAT THAT IS AND HOW WE ADDRESS THAT PROPERLY.
JUST IN CASE YOU ACCIDENTALLY BOUGHT A CAR GOTCHA.
UH, ANY, THE PERSON WILL BE, I WILL BE DEALT WITH APPROPRIATELY, RIGHT? YES, SIR.
I GOT, SO, SO THERE, THERE'S A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT HAPPEN.
FIRST, FROM THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE TO MANAGE THIS, THIS EXPENSE OR ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY.
UH, SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T DAMAGE, UM, A VENDOR WHO MAYBE SOLD YOU THIS CAR, UH, THAT WE,
[00:10:01]
WE MANAGE THAT PROPERLY.SO THIS WHOLE PROCESS, UM, DEFENDS THE COUNTY'S POSITION AS WELL AS CONSIDERS THE, THE POSITION OF THE INDIVIDUAL WITH WHICH YOU PURCHASED THE CAR FROM.
AND LATER THE DISCIPLINARY ACTION WOULD COME, YOU PROBABLY GET IN TROUBLE FOR BUYING A CAR ACCIDENTALLY
THERE, THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF, UH, THERE'S ALWAYS SOME BACKSTORY TO EVERY TYPE OF PURCHASE.
SOMETIMES THIS CAN BE A MISCOMMUNICATION.
SOMETIMES THIS CAN BE A MISTAKE.
UH, AND I, I WOULD SAY VERY INFREQUENTLY WOULD WE SEE THAT, THAT THERE WAS SOME NEFARIOUS ACT THAT WAS AN INTENTIONAL, UH, BUT THERE IS A PROCESS FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THAT IT DOESN'T HAPPEN.
AND IF IT DOES HAPPEN, WE HAVE TO HAVE A SYSTEM IN PLACE TO MANAGE THAT AS WELL.
YEAH, I BET VICTORIA'S SITTING ON HER HANDS RIGHT NOW.
VICTORIA IS, IS WOULD BE THAT PERSON IN THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT THAT WOULD PRODUCE THAT PURCHASE ORDER.
SO SHE WOULD BE AMONG THE FIRST STAFF MEMBERS TO RECOGNIZE THAT SOMETHING'S NOT RIGHT.
UH, ANY, ANY QUESTIONS ON THE, UH, DEFINITIONS PAGE? NO, BECAUSE THIS IS IN READ, THIS IS NEW TO THE POLICY AND PROCEDURE.
SO YOU HAVE THE RED LINE VERSION? YES.
UH, SO WHEN YOU'LL SEE IN RED AND SOME, SOME CROSS OUT, UM, AND JUST, THERE'S A LOT OF RED IN THAT DOCUMENT.
UH, IS THERE AN ONLINE QUESTION? YES, SIR.
UM, SPEAKING OF ABOUT NUMBER 44, WE HAVE A PURCHASING MANUAL.
WE HAVE PURCHASING GUIDELINES, WE HAVE PURCHASING FORMS, WE HAVE PURCHASING AUTHORITY.
THEREFORE, IT IS SOMEWHAT REDUNDANT TO HAVE AN AFTER THE FACT PURCHASE.
IT SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN WITH OUR PURCHASING SYSTEM.
YOU, YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
WE HAVE ALL TYPES OF, UH, MEASURES IN PLACE TO PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING.
SO WE'RE PREPARED TO ACT IN CASE IT DOES.
AND THIS, IT IS MENTIONED THAT AFTER THE FACT, THE REASON THE DEFINITION IS THERE IS, UM, THAT TERM IS USED, UH, LATER FOR IN THE RATIFICATION SECTION, UH, FOR THE ADMINISTRA FOR RATIFICATION OF AN AFTER THE FACT PURCHASE.
THAT'S THE REASON THAT THE, UH, THE TERM IS, IS HIGHLIGHTED.
AND, AND I DO UNDERSTAND THAT.
AND IT SAYS, UH, YOU KNOW, GOODS OR SERVICES OR A CONTRACT WHICH HAS ALREADY BEEN RECEIVED OR EXECUTED.
I, I THINK THERE IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO PUT IN, UM, SO THAT OUR VENDORS KNOW THAT IF THEY HAVE NOT RECEIVED A BONAFIDE PURCHASE ORDER, THAT PURCHASE ORDER DOES NOT EXIST AND THEREFORE CANNOT BE HONORED.
SO IF IN FACT, WE HAVE A VENDOR THAT HAS SOLD A CAR ACCIDENTALLY TO SOMEBODY WITHOUT A PURCHASE ORDER, UM, THAT'S A PROBLEM ON THEIR PART AS WELL.
IT, IT COULD BE THAT MIGHT BE DIFFICULT TO COMMUNICATE WITH ALL THE VENDORS WHO SELL CARS, UH, AND TELL 'EM THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY NEED TO HAVE THIS PROPER DOCUMENTATION TO SELL SOMETHING TO THE COUNTY.
UM, UH, BUT WE CAN, UH, CERTAINLY FIND A PLACE IN THE, IN THE POLICY THAT ADDRESSES THAT OR ADD SOME LANGUAGE THAT MIGHT ADDRESS THAT.
THE POLICY'S MEANT FOR EMPLOYEES TO FOLLOW, RIGHT? NOT, I DON'T EXPECT THE VENDORS TO READ THIS POLICY FOLLOW.
SO IF A VENDOR SELLS MR. GLOVER A NAVIGATOR YEAH.
I MEAN, THE PROBLEM IS WITH MR. GLOVER, NOT WITH THE VENDOR.
AND WE WOULD WORK THROUGH THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT'S CORRECT.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I TALKED ABOUT THE, THE VENDOR IN THAT SENSE.
THIS PROCESS, UH, WE HAVE TO PROTECT, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY FIRST, RIGHT.
UH, BUT WE DEFINITELY HAVE TO CONSIDER THE IMPACT ON A VENDOR WHO, UH, WHO MAY HAVE, UM, SOME LOSS BECAUSE OF THIS, UM, NEGATIVE ACTION.
NEXT, UM, YOU'RE ON PAGE EIGHT, RIGHT? YES, I AM DOWN ON PAGE EIGHT.
UM, AND, AND THESE ARE, PLEASE STOP ME IF THERE'S, IF YOU HAVE ANY MORE COMMENTS WHERE I AM.
I'M JUST KIND OF GOING THROUGH THE NOTES THAT, THAT I'VE ALREADY TAKEN ON THE DOCUMENT, AND I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO STOP AND TALK ABOUT ANYTHING THROUGHOUT ALL 28 OF THESE PAGES, OR 27, WHEREVER WE ARE NOW, UM, DOWN, AND NUMBER TWO ON PAGE EIGHT IS, UM, LET ME BACK UP
[00:15:01]
ONE.THIS IS UNDER SECTION TWO DASH 5 0 5.
AND THESE ARE EXEMPTED ITEMS FROM THE, UM, UH, FROM THE COMPETITIVE OR FROM THIS PROCESS, FROM THE, UM, UH, PURCHASING PROCESS.
UH, NUMBER ONE, THERE IS A COUNTY COUNCIL UPON RECOMMENDATION OF THE ADMINISTRATOR MAY EXEMPT BY ORDINANCE, UM, SPECIFIC ITEMS, SERVICES OR PROJECTS FROM THESE PROCEDURES.
WHEN COUNTY COUNCIL FINDS SUCH, SUCH EXEMPTION IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE COUNTY.
THIS WAS A VERY SIMILAR SECTION TO THE PREVIOUS, UM, ORDINANCE.
AND THESE ARE THINGS LIKE A, IS WORKS OF ART FROM MUSEUMS AND DISPLAY.
YOU, YOU OFTEN DON'T GET WHAT ONE CHANCE TO BUY A SPECIFIC PIECE OF ART BOOKS FOR THE LIBRARY, COPYRIGHTED EDUCATIONAL FILMS, POSTAGE STAMPS, PROFESSIONAL DUES AND MEMBERSHIPS, UM, MEDICATIONS AND DRUGS, UM, UTILITY FEES, UH, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T REALLY GO OUT AND SOLICIT A DIFFERENT UTILITY COMPANY, UH, FOR OUR BILLS.
THAT'S JUST NOT SOMETHING THAT'S POSSIBLE.
UH, FIXED WING AND ROTARY AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE, UM, FIXED BASED OPERATOR.
SO AN FBO AS AN FBO WOULD BE A FUEL, UH, A FUEL COMPANY OPERATOR AT ONE OF OUR AIRPORTS.
AND THEN K UH, K IS OF SPECIFIC IMPORTANCE.
AND THIS IS PROFESSIONAL CONSULTING SERVICES.
SO THE REASON PROFESSIONAL CONSULTING SERVICES MAY BE EXEMPT, UM, IS WHEN, UM, THIS SPECIFICALLY IN THE COMPETITIVE BID PROCESS, SO FOR AN RFP OR AN IFB, UH, SPECIFICALLY FOR ENGINEERING FIRMS, ENGINEERING FIRMS, UM, ARE EXEMPT FROM CON UH, COMPETITION BASED ON THEIR PRICING.
THEIR COMPETITION CAN ONLY BE PART OF AN RFQ.
SO REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO EXPLAIN ALL THOSE ACRONYMS? I CAN.
I ALWAYS DO THAT TO JARED, BUT I'M GONNA DO TOO.
SO, UM, SO THE TYPICAL PROCESS, AN IFB IS WHAT WE REFER TO AS AN INVITATION FOR BID.
SO AN INVITATION FOR BID IN A, IN A COMPETITIVE SOLICITATION PROCESS IS TYPICALLY BASED ON PRICE.
SO THIS IS, WE WANT TO BUY A CAR, WE WANT THIS TYPE OF CAR, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE IT AT THIS PRICE.
EVERY VENDOR WHO HAS THAT CAR THAT MEETS THIS SPECIFICATION AND HAS THE LICENSE TO PROVIDE US THAT CAR, GIVES US THEIR PRICE.
AND WE SEE WE CAN LOOK AT THE, UH, RESPONSIVENESS OF THAT BIDDER.
UH, IT IS NOT ALWAYS LOW PRICE, BUT OFTEN LOW PRICE IS THE, IS THE MOST, UH, IMPORTANT FACTOR.
UH, BUT THE QUALITY OF THAT SERVICE, IF WE HAVE SOMETHING SPECIFIC THAT WE HAVE IN MIND, THEN THAT SPECIFICITY MAY HAVE MORE IMPORTANCE OVER THE PRICE.
BUT TYPICALLY AN IFB IS WE WANT THIS, THIS, UM, SPECIFIC SERVICE OR THIS SPECIFIC PRODUCT, AND THE, UH, BIDDER SUBMITS THEIR BID FOR THAT PRODUCT AND THEIR PRICE FOR THAT PRODUCT.
AND TYPICALLY IT IS THE LOWEST BID, UM, THAT EARNS THAT.
IFP MM-HMM,
SO THIS MAY BE A MORE COMPLEX TYPE OF SOLICITATION THAT, UH, WE HAVE, WE DOCUMENT A SCOPE OF WORK.
SO THE SCOPE OF WORK IS A PRETTY DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE WORK THAT WE WANT, BUT IT ALLOWS THE VENDOR TO, UM, MEET, TO, UM, APPLY TO BID BASED ON THAT SCOPE OF WORK.
AND THEN IT GIVES THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, TO, THEY CAN EXPAND ON THE, ON THE SCOPE OF WORK.
UH, THEY CAN OFFER INDE INDEPENDENT COSTS FOR SCOPE OF WORK IN THERE, BUT IT ALLOWS US TO MAKE A BETTER DECISION FOR A, A BIDDERS, UH, PROPOSAL.
UH, SO IT'S MORE OF A PROPOSAL, NOT JUST A NUMBER, I CAN SELL YOU A CAR FOR $70,000, OR I CAN SELL YOU A FLEET OF CARS.
UH, SO, UM, IN THAT SENSE, IT'S A LITTLE MORE, A LITTLE MORE COMPLEX TYPE OF SOLICITATION, BUT YET A COMPETITIVE SOLICITATION.
UM, YEAH, BECAUSE I GOT A NOTICE SOMEPLACE ELSE, BUT HE MENTIONED THE LOWEST BID.
WHEN YOU SAID THE LOWEST BID, DO YOU DO THAT BY THE PENNY OR YOU DO A RANGE OF, FOR A LOW BID, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, IF THAT NAVIGATOR IS GONNA COST $70,000, BUT SOMEBODY ELSE GOT IT FOR 69 99 9
I MEAN, I MEAN, MY QUESTION IS REALLY HOW DO YOU CLASSIFY THE LOWEST BID, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO MAYBE QUALITY MM-HMM.
SO, SO THERE'S AN EVALUATION CRITERIA THAT COMES ALONG WITH EVERY, WITH EVERY ONE OF THESE PROCESSES WITH AN IFB, AN RFP OR AN RFQ.
[00:20:01]
THERE'S THIS CRITERIA BY WHICH THE, A VENDOR SHOULD BID, UH, AGAINST THAT CRITERIA.AND THE SELECTION COMMITTEE SCORES THOSE BIDS BASED ON THAT, UM, EVALUATION CRITERIA.
SO IT MAY BE THAT THIS PERSON HAS A CAR THAT'S 1 CENT LESS, BUT IT'S NOT AVAILABLE FOR THREE MONTHS AND WE NEED IT NOW.
SO IN THAT EVALUATION CRITERIA, IT MAY SAY, THIS IS AVAILABLE NOW, SO WE'RE WILLING TO PAY A PENNY MORE TO GET IT TOMORROW VERSUS A PENNY LESS TO GET IT LAST WEEK.
SO THAT SCORE SHEET THAT'S DONE BY THAT, UH, COMMITTEE IS VERY IMPORTANT.
UM, YEAH, I GUESS MY QUESTION REALLY IS, UM, DO YOU GO DOWN TO THE PENNY OR YOU GO INTO A SORT OF A PERCENTAGE OF LOW BID? UM, SO I'M A CONTRACTOR, RIGHT? AND I, I'VE GOT A BID IN THERE, BUT IT'S THE LOWEST BID, BUT IT MAY NOT BE, DO YOU THE BEST CONTRACTOR? SO LET'S SAY TWO, WE HAD AN IFB AND TWO BIDDERS GAVE US THE EXACT SAME PRICE THAT THAT'S WHAT THE EXACT SAME NUMBER.
HOW DO WE CHOOSE WHICH ONE IS THERE? I'M ACTUALLY, SO THE, THE PROCESS IS HERE IS THAT YOU PUT TOGETHER A COMMITTEE.
UH, THIS COMMITTEE IS NORMALLY SOME STAFF MEMBERS WITH EXPERTISE IN THAT FIELD, ALONG WITH SOMEONE FROM FINANCE AND MANAGED BY, OR THE, THE FACILITATED BY SOMEONE FROM THE PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT.
UM, IT CAN BE THREE MEMBERS TO FIVE MEMBERS, THOSE SCORE SHEETS.
SO YOU FOUR COULD BE THAT COMMITTEE AND EACH OF YOU INDEPENDENTLY GO AHEAD SCORES THAT SHEET BASED ON A PRESENTATION OR AN INTERVIEW, OR JUST THE DOCUMENTATION THAT YOU GET.
AND IF THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PRODUCT, LET'S SAY IT'S AN IDENTICAL PRODUCT FOR THE IDENTICAL PRICE, UM, YOU MIGHT SCORE IT DIFFERENTLY BASED ON ITS AVAILABILITY, IT'S LOCATION.
ONE'S IN ONE, ONE VEHICLE IS IN SPARTANBURG AND ONE'S IN BURTON.
WELL, MAYBE, MAYBE YOUR SCORE WOULD HAVE PREFERENCE TO A LOCAL VENDOR, TO A LOCAL BIDDER.
UH, AND IF ALL OF YOUR SCORES WOULD BE VERY RARE THAT ALL OF YOUR SCORES WOULD BE THE SAME, BUT A BIDDER COULD BE SELECTED BASED ON THAT HIGHEST SCORE, AND IT COULD BE A COUPLE OF POINTS DIFFERENT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S HELPFUL.
AND WE'VE SEEN SOME OF THOSE SHEETS AND WE'RE GONNA SEE SOME MONDAY, ARE WE NOT WITH FACILITIES BID TABULATIONS? NORMALLY THEY'RE IN THE BACKUP MATERIAL.
UM, WE, WE WILL HAVE A, A SUMMARY THAT KIND OF TALKS ABOUT SOME OF THOSE THINGS.
AND THE, THE ONES THAT COME MONDAY, THERE'S REALLY ONLY ONE THAT HAD, UH, THIS ONE PRICING.
UM, PROFESSIONAL CONSULTING SERVICES, YOU HAD A COMMENT ON THE SIDE.
UM, YES, I, I DID TALK ABOUT THAT FOR A MINUTE.
AND SPECIFICALLY ABOUT ENGINEERING FIRMS. MM-HMM.
UH, THERE, THERE IS, UH, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU KIND OF LOOK IN THE, UH, PROCUREMENT INDUSTRY, THERE'S SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT, UH, ACCOUNTING FIRMS AS A PROFESSIONAL, UH, TYPE OF SERVICE LIKE THAT.
UH, THIS, THE, THE REGULATION.
THERE IS A LAW AROUND, UM, ENGINEERING FIRMS, UM, THAT ENGINEERING FIRMS DO NOT COMPETE ON PRICE ENGINEERING FIRMS COMPETE ON QUALIFICATIONS.
UH, AND THAT'S WHY THAT SPECIFICALLY IS THERE.
SO, KAY, NOW I'M NOT SURE HOW YOURS READS.
MINE READS, UH, PROFESSIONAL CONSULTING SERVICES WHEN PROHIBITED, WHEN PROHIBITED FROM THAT SHOULD BE, UH, WHEN PROHIBITED FROM COMPETITIVE BID PROCESSES, PROCESSES, PROCESS, ENGINEERING SERVICES SHOULD USE AN RFQ PROCESS AND NOT COMPETE BASED ON COST OF SERVICE.
SO THAT'S WHAT THAT INTENT IS FOR.
AND I'M QUITE CERTAIN THAT THAT SPECIFIC, UM, LAW, THE TITLE OF THAT LAW IS PROFESSIONAL CONSULTING SERVICES.
AND IT GOES ON TO THE, TO, UM, DESCRIBE THAT SPECIFIC ENGINEERING, UM, REQUIREMENT UNDERNEATH THAT.
ANOTHER, THE, THE LAST ONE THAT'S NOT HERE, UM, UH, OR IN THE LIST THAT WOULD BE A PROVISION EXEMPT, EXEMPT, UH, FROM THIS PROCEDURE IS LEGAL SERVICES PROVIDED THAT LEGAL SERVICES MUST BE APPROVED BY THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR OR COUNTY COUNSEL.
THAT IS THE, THE SAME AS SAME LANGUAGE AS IN OUR PREVIOUS ORDINANCE.
AND AM I CORRECT WITH OUR DOCUMENT REVIEW SYSTEM? THERE'S NO WAY TO BYPASS THAT ANYWAY ANYMORE.
UM, YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW THE STEPS IN THE REVIEW SYSTEM.
WELL, LET'S, UM, SO THE DOCUMENT REVIEW SYSTEM IS AN INTERNAL CHECK AND BALANCE TYPE OF SYSTEM.
SO YOU WOULD CALL IT, UM, IT'S, IT'S HELPFUL IN A GO NO TYPE OF SITUATION.
[00:25:01]
INTENT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE USE THAT SYSTEM IN A WAY THAT EACH, EACH DEPARTMENT OR INDIVIDUAL WHO SHOULD REVIEW CONTRACTS, UM, ARE FORCED, THE SYSTEM FORCES IT TO GO TO THE RIGHT PERSON FOR, UM, SIGNATURE FOR COMPLIANCE FOR REVIEW.UH, THAT'S THE INTENT OF THAT.
THERE ARE, UM, QUITE A FEW, UH, CONTRACTS OR, OR PURCHASES THAT DON'T GO THROUGH THE, UM, THROUGH THE FULL DOCUMENT REVIEW SYSTEM.
AN EMERGENCY, UH, PURCHASE MAY NOT USE THAT AT ALL.
THERE ARE OTHER, UH, TYPES OF PURCHASES THAT THERE MAY BE NO NEED TO GO THROUGH THE DOCUMENT REVIEW SYSTEM.
IT COULD BE, UM, SOMETHING THAT'S LESS THAN $35,000 THAT MIGHT JUST GO TO LEGAL REVIEW.
UM, IT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT'S UNDER $10,000 THAT DOESN'T EVEN NEED QUOTES.
UM, SO THERE, THERE TO SAY THAT THEY ALL DO IS NOT QUITE ACCURATE, BUT MANY DO.
BUT ALL THE LEGAL ONES WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT.
ANY COMPETITIVE SOLICITATIONS YEAH.
SHOULD GO THROUGH THE DOCUMENT REVIEW SYSTEM.
SO THOSE WOULD BE, UM, THOSE THAT ARE ABOVE $50,000 AND WELL, NOT ALWAYS ABOVE $50,000, BUT IF IT'S A COMPETITIVE SOLICITATION, IT WOULD GO THROUGH, UH, THE DOCUMENT REVIEW SYSTEM.
UM, AND QUITE OFTEN A NON-COMPETITIVE DOCUMENT WOULD AS WELL FOR THAT, UM, JUSTIFICATION AND DOCUMENTATION OF FAIR AND REASONABLE, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
WE'RE ONLY ON PAGE EIGHT, YOU KNOW.
THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A DISCUSSION.
UM, UH, UH, MR. MCKELLEN AND, UH, AND MR. PASSMAN, ANYTHING, ANY QUESTIONS ARE, ARE WE GOOD? YEAH, NO, WE'RE GOOD.
I WANNA MAKE SURE I'M NOT IGNORING YOU.
I KNOW YOU'RE THERE, MR. MCALLEN.
SO, UM, I'LL MOVE ON TO, UH, WELL THE NEXT, THE, THE NEXT PAGE OR THE NEXT SECTION HERE IS SECTION TWO DASH 5 0 6.
AND THIS IS A PURCHASING RESPONSIBILITY AND AUTHORITY.
IT, UH, IT BEGINS TALKING ABOUT, UM, THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE PURCHASING DIRECTOR, UM, AND, AND THEIR DEPARTMENT, UM, THEIR, THEIR, THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO NEGOTIATE CONTRACTS, UH, FOR PERSONNEL SERVICES AND SUBMIT THEM FOR APPROVAL.
SO THOSE KIND OF CON CONTRACTS WOULD BE SUBMITTED THROUGH THE DOCUMENT REVIEW SYSTEM.
UM, THE, UM, ANOTHER DUTY OF, OF THE, UH, PURCHASE AND DIRECTOR IS THE EXCHANGE TRADE AND, OR, UH, SALE OF, UM, COUNTY OWNED SUPPLIES, MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT WHICH ARE SURPLUS OR OBSOLETE, UNUSED OR FOUND BY THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR NOT TO BE REQUIRED FOR PUBLIC USE.
SO WHEN WE HAVE SURPLUS, SURPLUS, UH, EQUIPMENT, UM, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PURCHASING DIRECTOR TO, UM, USE OUR, OUR PROCESS.
UM, MAYBE IT'S, YOU KNOW, A, A SURPLUS SALES OF EQUIPMENT.
I HAVE TO BACK UP JUST A MINUTE.
I HAVE A NOTE FROM ONE OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
AND I DIDN'T CATCH YOU FAST ENOUGH.
UM, IT, IT STATES THE PURCHASING DIRECTOR SHALL NEGOTIATE CONTRACTS MM-HMM.
AND, UM, THIS, THIS ELECTED OFFICIAL SAID THE PROCUREMENT OR LEGAL DEPARTMENTS ARE NOT IN A POSITION TO PERFORM THIS FUNCTION ON BEHALF OF AN ELECTED OFFICIAL AND ARGUABLY MAY LACK SUFFICIENT EXPERTISE.
THEY'RE CALLING YOU TO OUR ATTENTION FOR YOUR REVIEW AND OUR REVIEW AND DISCUSSION.
AND THEY SAID, FOR CONTRACTS, THEY WORK WITH HANSWORTH, SINKLER BOYD.
THAT WAS NEWS TO ME TO NEGOTIATE AND REVIEW CONTRACTS.
YOU'RE SAYING AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, UH, WORKS.
AND FOR THOSE CONTRACTS, THEY GO THROUGH HAYNESWORTH, SINKLER, BOYD.
WELL, WE, UM, WE CAN FOLLOW UP ON THAT AND WE CAN, WE CAN WORK WITH THE TREASURER TO FIND, TO FIND WHICH SPECIFIC CONTRACTS SHE'S REFERENCING AND, AND HOW THAT, AND HOW THAT DOES OR DOES NOT APPLY.
SO I WILL GIVE YOU THIS WHEN WE'RE ALL DONE.
I JUST WANTED TO CALL BECAUSE IT WAS SENT TO ME TO DISCUSS.
IT SAYS, UM, SHE SAID IF A STANDARD IS CREATED, IT MAY BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR HER OFFICE TO FOLLOW.
THE FOCUS SHOULD INSTEAD BE ON THE SPIRIT OF THE AGREEMENT.
AND WHETHER SIMILAR BUT NOT EXACT LANGUAGE IS IN THE CONTRACT.
SO IF YOU WOULD FOLLOW UP, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
THE, UH, THE INTENT WITH THE, UH, WITH THE PURCHASING PROCESS, UM, IS THAT, UM, COUNTY COUNCIL ULTIMATELY
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APPROVES CONTRACTS.PROCURES PRESENTS THAT TO COMMITTEE, COMMITTEE FORWARDS THAT TO COUNCIL.
COUNCIL GIVES THAT PERMISSION TO THE ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE CONTRACTS.
UM, ONLY COUNSEL REPRESENT THE PEOPLE AND THE BODY OF COUNSEL AS A WHOLE, MAKE THAT DECISION ON BEHALF OF THE CITIZENS WE WE SERVE.
SO THIS WHOLE PROCESS IS INTENDED TO BE TRANSPARENT AND PUT THE COUNTY IN THE POSITION TO PROVIDE GOODS AND SERVICES, UH, NECESSARY, UH, TO SERVE, UM, TO SERVE YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I, UM, YES, GO AHEAD.
AM AM I TO ASSUME THAT THE PURCHASING DIRECTOR IN THE PAST, BEFORE THE CHANGES HERE, WERE DOING THESE DUTIES, BUT IT WAS NEVER IN, IN POLICY? NO, SIR.
WE WERE DOING THESE DUTIES AND YES.
MANY OF THIS WAS OR D EXIST IN OUR, IN OUR OLD POLICY.
THERE ARE DIFFERENT STAFF MEMBERS.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, LET'S SAY OUR, UM, ASSET MANAGER IN THE, IN THE PAST WE'VE HAD AN ASSET MANAGER AND THAT ASSET MANAGER, UH, MAY, IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR LAPTOP, THERE'S A COUNTY ASSET TAG ON THAT, ON THAT, UH, LAPTOP.
SO THAT ASSET MANAGER WOULD KNOW WHERE THAT ASSET IS, UH, THE VALUE OF THAT ASSET WHEN IT WAS PURCHASED, DEPRECIATION OF THAT ASSET OVER TIME.
AND WHEN THAT, AND WHEN THAT SINGLE ASSET BECOMES OBSOLETE, THAT ASSET MANAGER IDENTIFIES THAT THIS, THIS DEVICE, WHICH MAY STILL HAVE SOME VALUE, UM, IS READY TO BE, UH, DISPOSED, DISPOSED OF.
AND THEY WOULD WORK THROUGH THE PURCHASING DIRECTOR TO PROPERLY SELL OKAY.
DISPOSE OF WHATEVER THOSE KIND OF OBSOLETE DEVICES.
WHAT WHAT, WHAT'S INTERESTING IS I'VE SEEN A LOT OF RED LINE.
I PUT A LOT OF 'EM ON THERE,
AND IT'S VERY SPECIFIC AND IT TALKS ABOUT EVERYTHING THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO.
EVEN DOWN TO THE, THE QUESTION SOMEWHERE IN THERE THAT TALKED ABOUT, UM, THE PURCHASE DIRECTOR MUST CHAIR ALL THE COMMITTEES AND FOR THE, UM, FOR, FOR CONTRACT FOR SOLICITATIONS.
FOR AN IFB AND RFP AND RFQ, SO, AND SO I ASSUME THAT THERE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST AT ALL THE MEETINGS WHEN THEY SOLICIT BIDS AND STUFF.
SO IT IS NOT, UM, I'LL HAVE TO, I'M GONNA HAVE TO SEE WHERE THAT ONE IS.
THE, OH, IT'S SOMEWHERE IN THERE.
SO THE, IT'S USUALLY THE PURCHASING, IT PROBABLY SAYS THE PURCHASING DIRECTOR OR DESIGNEE.
UH, SO WHAT, WHAT THAT MEANS IS SOMEONE FROM THE PURCHASING OFFICE FACILITATES THOSE, UM, THE, UH, A BID, A BID MEETING, A PRE-BID MEETING, AND THE, THE COMMITTEES THAT, THE SELECTION COMMITTEE THAT REVIEW BIDS THAT COME IN.
UH, SO IN THE PAST THEY MAY NOT HAVE BEEN THERE.
THAT'S ALWAYS PART OF THE PROCESS.
SO WHAT YOU SEE WITH, WITH THE RED LINES HERE, REMEMBER WE DIDN'T TAKE THE OLD DOCUMENT AND CUT AND PASTE.
WE STARTED ANEW WITH A BRAND NEW, UM, DOCUMENT AND THEN EDITED THAT, UH, SO THAT WE WEREN'T BRINGING IN ANY KIND OF OLD INFLUENCE, ANY NEGATIVITY FORWARD.
SO WE TOOK THIS NEW DOCUMENT AND BEGAN TO EDIT THAT AND ADD FEATURES AND THINGS, UM, THAT WE ADDRESSED IN OUR OLD DOCUMENT.
SO WE DIDN'T THROW AWAY THE OLD DOCUMENT COMPLETELY, UM, BECAUSE THAT HAS MANY YEARS OF SUCCESS ON IT.
UM, BUT WE DID INCORPORATE AS MUCH OF THOSE SUCCESSES FROM THE OLD DOCUMENT INTO THIS NEW DOCUMENT.
THAT'S WHY YOU SEE SO MUCH RED.
I SPENT MANY, MANY, MANY HOURS PUTTING THOSE RED MARKS ON THAT DOCUMENT.
UNDER NEGOTIATE CONTRACTS, NEGOTIATE CONTRACTS FOR PERSONAL SERVICES, MY UNDERSTANDING OF PERSONAL SERVICES MEANS THAT PARTICULAR CONTRACT HAS SOME EITHER TECHNICAL OR UNIQUENESS TO IT, THAT THE CONTRACTOR HAS THAT CASE IN POINT, WHAT THE TREASURER WAS SAYING ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE DUTIES AND FUNCTIONS OF HER OFFICE OFTENTIMES HAS CONTRACTS WITH CERTAIN COMPANIES BECAUSE OF THE UNIQUENESS OF WHAT SHE NEEDS.
IS THAT THE KIND OF IDEA HERE?
[00:35:01]
IF IT IS, IT'S NOT REALLY NEGOTIATING A CONTRACT, IT'S MORE ALONG THE LINES OF APPROVING A CONTRACT THAT HAS THOSE UNIQUE FUNCTIONS? WELL, YES, SIR.UH, SOME OF THE NEGOTIATION WHILE, WHILE THIS, WHILE THE DOCUMENT MAKES THIS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PROCUREMENT DIRECTOR, UH, TO, TO NEGOTIATE, UM, THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY MEANS THAT THE, UM, PROCUREMENT DIRECTOR MUST DO THE NEGOTIATION.
SO THE PROCUREMENT DIRECTOR AS DESIGNEE MAY BE PRESENT DURING NEGOTIATION.
UM, THAT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR US TO BRING IN ONE OF OUR ATTORNEYS TO HELP NEGOTIATE, UH, A CONTRACT.
SO, OR A, UH, SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT.
UM, MAYBE THIS IS A, A BRIDGE PROJECT OR A CONCRETE PROJECT OR SOME KIND OF ENGINEERING PROJECT WHERE IT'S VERY CRITICAL TO HAVE THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT THERE.
IT IS ALSO JUST AS IMPORTANT THAT WE DOCUMENT THAT NEGOTIATION THAT WE MADE A FAIR ATTEMPT TO, OR, OR A VERY GOOD ATTEMPT TO FIND THE FAIR AND REASONABLE PRICE FOR A CONTRACT.
AND WE DOCUMENT THAT AND WE KEEP THAT DOCUMENTATION ALONG WITH THE FILE, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
SO JUST YOUR EXPLANATION, I THINK SHOULD SATISFY WHAT THE TREASURER YEAH, THAT'S WHAT THE TREASURER MEANS.
WHERE, WHAT, UM, SIR, WHAT SECTION WERE YOU READING THAT IN? 5 0 6.
THAT WAS, UM, BII OKAY, I GOTCHA.
I'LL MAKE A NOTE THERE AND SEE IF I CAN, UM, SEE IF I CAN ADJUST THAT LANGUAGE TO EXPRESS WHAT, WHAT I JUST TALKED ABOUT, YOU SAID.
BECAUSE THEN IT'S KNOW, IT'S A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT A PERSONAL SERVICE IS, BY DEFINITION, THAT ALLOWS THIS TO TAKE PLACE THAT WAY.
I ALREADY HAD A NOTE THERE, BUT NOW I HAVE A BIGGER ONE.
BUT LET ME ASK YOU ON 10, THIS IS WHAT, UM, MR. PASSMAN ASKED EARLIER ABOUT WHAT IS THE COMMITTEE'S LEVEL OF APPROVAL.
RIGHT? SO ON PAGE 10, THIS IS NUMBER, THIS IS ITEM NUMBER TWO UNDER SECTION TWO DASH 5 0 6.
NUMBER TWO IS DOLLAR LIMITATIONS FOR CONTRACT EXECUTION.
UH, SO THIS IS, THERE IS, THERE IS NO CHANGE HERE FROM OUR EXISTING POLICY THAT THE, UH, YOU'LL SEE A IS REALLY THE PROCUREMENT DIRECTOR AND CHIEF FINANCE OFFICER, AND THAT'S $50,000.
I THINK THE OLD WAS 35,000, IS THAT RIGHT? YEAH, ADMINISTRATOR.
AND THEN YOU'LL SEE THE, UH, THE NEXT IS THE ADMINISTRATOR'S AUTHORITY IS EQUAL TO, UH, EQUAL TO OR LESS THAN $150,000.
UM, THEN COMMITTEES OF COUNCIL IS 100 EQUAL TO OR LESS THAN BETWEEN 150,000 AND 200,000.
AND ANYTHING ABOVE $200,000 IS, UH, COUNCIL AUTHORITY.
AND I THINK THOSE ARE IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW.
BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES WHEN WE'RE IN COMMITTEE AND WE SAY, THIS HAS TO GO TO COUNSEL VERSUS THIS, WE JUST PUSHED THROUGH.
THAT'S, THAT'S, SO THIS WAS WHAT MR. PASSMAN BROUGHT UP BEFORE.
THEN, UM, NUMBER FOUR, THERE IS RATIFICATION.
SO WE, WE, UM, DISCUSSED RATIFICATION, UH, A LITTLE BIT AT THE BEGINNING WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THAT, UM, AFTER THE FACT TYPE OF PURCHASE.
AND I'LL JUST READ THROUGH THIS SECTION.
UH, TH THIS IS A NEW SECTION, UM, THE RATIFICATION.
UM, LET ME GO BACK TO THE DEFINITION AND SEE IF I HAVE THE DEFINITION OF RATIFICATION THERE.
SOME OF THEM AREN'T IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER BECAUSE I ADDED TO IT, BUT WE, WE'LL, WE'LL DO THAT LATER.
UM, ALL RIGHT, HANK, IT'S HOT.
UH, IN, UH, IT'S ON PAGE FIVE.
RATIFICATION MEANS THE ACT OF APPROVING OR OFFERING FORMAL CONSENT TO A TREATY CONTRACT OR AGREEMENT, MAKING IT OFFICIALLY VALID.
UH, EVERY TIME THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR SIGNS A CONTRACT, HE RATIFIES IT.
IN THIS CASE, UM, RATIFICATION IN REFERENCE TO AN AFTER THE FACT PURCHASE RATIFICATION SHALL ONLY BE
[00:40:01]
APPROVED BY THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR OR DESIGNEE.RATIFICATION MAY BE CONSIDERED FOR PURCHASES, WHICH DID FOR PURCHASES, WHICH DID NOT FOLLOW PROPER PROCEDURES OR APPROVALS UPON KNOWLEDGE OF AN AFTER THE FACT PURCHASE.
THIS IS, UH, MR. GLOVER GOING OUT AND BUYING A CAR WITHOUT PERMISSION UPON KNOWLEDGE OF AN AFTER THE FACT PURCHASE, OR THE PURCHASING DIRECTOR OR DESIGNEE SHALL NOTIFY IN WRITING A DEPARTMENT HEAD AND OR THE APPROPRIATE OFFICIAL OF THE PURCHASE, WHICH IS CONSIDERED AN AFTER THE FACT PURCHASE.
THE REASON WE WANT TO DO THAT NOTIFICATION IS IT COULD HAVE BEEN AS SIMPLE AS A MISTAKE, UM, THAT WE IDENTIFIED THAT, THAT THEY NEED TO FIX.
SO SOMETIMES A MISTAKE HAS NOT GONE TOO FAR THAT WE CAN'T CORRECT UPFRONT.
UH, AND THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO HAPPEN.
WELL, WE EXPECT TO BE PERFECT, BUT WE KNOW WE'RE FLAWED.
SO WE TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GIVE FOLKS THE OPPORTUNITY TO CORRECT THAT MISTAKE IN THE RIGHT WAY.
HOWEVER, WE NEED TO IDENTIFY THAT MISTAKE IN WRITING SO THAT EVERYONE KNOWS THAT NO ONE'S HIDING ANYTHING HERE.
WE FORWARD THAT IN WRITING AND, UH, WE, WE ALLOW THAT OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, TO MAKE THAT REPAIR.
I DO HAVE A, A COMMENT YES, MA'AM.
FROM THE TREASURER ON THAT FOUR, A RATIFICATION SHALL ONLY BE APPROVED BY THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR DESIGNEE.
UM, SHE NOTES, AND I'LL GIVE YOU ALL THIS, ELECTED OFFICIALS DO NOT CONTRACT ON BEHALF OF BEAUFORT COUNTY.
THEIR CONTRACTS ARE LISTED AS THE ELECTED OFFICE.
SO SHE HAD SOME DETAIL IN HERE THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT.
WELL, CERTAINLY, UH, WE CAN, WE CAN HAVE THAT, THAT, AND HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH HER ON THAT.
WE CAN HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
UM, AND SHE'S THE ONLY ELECTED OFFICIAL I HEARD FROM.
NOBODY ELSE CONTACTED US UNLESS THEY WENT TO YOU.
IF YOU WOULD GIVE US AN EXAMPLE OF, UH, FOUR B RATIFICATION MAY CONSIDERED FOUR RATIFICATION CONSIDERED FOR PURCHASES, WHICH DID NOT FOLLOW PROPER, UH, PROCEDURES OR APPROVALS.
WELL, I CAN REFER BACK TO, UM, LAST YEAR, UH, AND THIS WOULD BE OUR, UM, PARK, OUR SPECIAL NEEDS PLAYGROUND.
UM, SO WE WERE ALL QUITE AWARE OF THAT SPECIAL NEEDS PLAYGROUND.
AND, UM, THIS WENT, THIS CAME BEFORE COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL FOR BUDGET.
THE BUDGET FOR THE PLAYGROUND WAS APPROVED, BUT THE, UM, EXECUTION OF THE CONTRACT WAS NOT APPROVED.
UH, SO THIS IS THAT CASE WHERE A DEPARTMENT HEAD WAS DOING WHAT THEY THOUGHT WAS THE RIGHT THING BECAUSE THEY HAD APPROVAL FOR A TO, TO HAVE BUDGET MONEY, BUT THEY DIDN'T GO THROUGH THE PROPER PROCESS TO PROPERLY PROCURE THE VENDOR, TO PROPERLY PROCURE, PROCURE THE EQUIPMENT, AND ENTER INTO A CONTRACT TO SPEND THE DOLLARS THAT YOU HAD ALREADY AUTHORIZED.
SO THAT IS A CASE OF AN AFTER THE, AFTER THE FACT PURCHASE.
I WAS TYPING VERY FAST AND I MISSED THAT.
RAMIFICATION, UM, I, I AND D THE, THE LATTER PART, UM, MAY BE HELD LIABLE.
OH, WHAT IS THAT WORD? I'M JUST TELLING YOU.
MAYBE, UH, YOU, EITHER SHE OR, OR WILL OR YEAH.
YOU KNOW, BUT MAYBE SO SUBJECTIVE.
WELL, SO THERE, UM, YOU KNOW, AND I, I GOTTA PAY THE DIFFERENCE IN THAT CAR, BUT, UM, TAB WOULD DO THE SAME THING LATER ON AND DON'T HAVE TO PAY THE DIFFERENCE.
I CAN'T GET IN HIM
I, I CAN LOOK AT THAT LANGUAGE AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER YOU WANNA SAY SHELL, RIGHT, BECAUSE I THINK YOU WANNA LEAVE IT UP TO THE ADMINISTRATOR TO DEAL WITH IT AND STUFF.
WHEN YOU PUT MAY, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH IT'S SUBJECTIVE, UM, I JUST THINK, YOU KNOW THIS, IT WILL BE DEALT WITH APPROPRIATELY.
UM, SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE AND STUFF.
UM, JUST SORT AMBIGUOUS, BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA HANDLE IT AMBIGUOUS ANYWAY.
SO, AND, AND THAT'S WHY I THINK THE WORD MAY IS THERE VERSUS SHALL, SHALL, DOESN'T GIVE US ANY OPPORTUNITY.
NON-DISCRETIONARY AT THAT POINT SHALL, IS SHALL I KNOW.
UH, AND, AND MAY GIVES US SOME ROOM, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK AT THE LANGUAGE THERE.
YOU KNOW, THE INTENT IS ANYTIME YOU GOT SHELL IN ME, I JUST KIND OF, YOU KNOW, KIND OF, IT, IT IS SUBJECTIVE, BUT IT IT IS, YEAH.
IF WE'RE, IF WE'RE DOING THE RIGHT
[00:45:01]
THING AND, AND SOMEONE ACCIDENTALLY MAKES A MISTAKE THAT IS NOT NEFARIOUS IN THE, IN AN INVESTIGATION OF THAT.AND WHEN I, UH, WHEN WE TAKE A DEEPER DIVE INTO THAT PURCHASE AND WE, AND WE REALIZE THAT THIS ISN'T, THIS, THIS ISN'T ANYTHING NEFARIOUS, THIS WAS A MISTAKE, THAT DISCIPLINARY ACTION AND THE THE MAY THERE, UM, IT MEANS SHALL, SHALL, COULD BE, SHALL COULD STILL BE DISCIPLINARY ACTION.
THAT IS A, THAT IS, THAT IS A, UM, UM, MAY, MAY IS A GOOD WORD.
I JUST, EVERY TIME I SEE MAY I'M VERY SUBJECTIVE AND IF THERE'S ANOTHER WORD OTHER THAN MAY YEAH.
BUT I DON'T KNOW, MAY MAY BE THE ONLY ONE, THE BEST WORD.
IT'S, THERE'S POT THERE'S POTENTIAL FOR US TO DO SOME WORDING THERE.
BUT I'LL, I'LL CERTAINLY LOOK AT THAT.
UM, SO THAT, THAT SECTION KIND OF GOES ON IT.
THE, UH, IN E IT REQUIRES THE PURCHASING DIRECTOR AND THERE'S A SHALL THE PURCHASING DIRECTOR SHALL PREPARE JUSTIFICATION OF RATIFICATION DOCUMENTS, UM, UH, THIS AND BE PRESENTED TO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR, UH, FOR CONSIDERATION.
SO RATIFICATION IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
WE'RE WE, UM, ARE GOING TO ASK THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO RATIFY A PURCHASE THAT WAS DONE IMPROPERLY.
SO EVERY DETAIL ABOUT THAT NEEDS TO BE, UH, COLLECTED AND PREPARED IN A SUMMARY AND A JUSTIFICATION FOR THAT REQUEST FORWARDED TO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
UM, MUCH LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT, AND I'LL BRING UP THE PARK AGAIN.
UH, LAST YEAR I STOOD IN FRONT OF YOU, UH, STOOD IN FRONT OF COUNTY COUNCIL AND WE TALKED ABOUT THAT AND WHY WE, UH, WHY WE COULD JUSTIFY RATIFICATION OF THAT.
AND COUNSEL MADE THAT DECISION TO RATIFY THAT PURCHASE.
SO THERE ARE TIMES THAT YOU MAY FIND THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR WILL COME TO YOU FOR YOUR AGREEMENT WITH THIS JUSTIFICATION THAT'S PREPARED.
UH, BUT THAT SHOULD BE THE PURCHASING DEPARTMENT THAT DOES THAT RESEARCH AND PREPARES THAT DOCUMENT AND PREPARES THAT RECOMMENDATION, UH, AND PRESENTS THAT TO THE, UH, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR, UM, FOR HIS CONSIDERATION.
LOOKS LIKE I HAVE SOME SOMETHING THERE.
MR. DOES, JOHN, IF, IF YOU GO BACK TO FOUR D WHERE MR. GLOVER WAS MAKING A COMMENT YES, SIR.
ABOUT THE SUBJECTIVITY OF, UH, MAY VERSUS SHALL MM-HMM.
BUT IF, BUT IF YOU'VE GOT SHE IN IT, THEN IT DOESN'T LEAVE THAT SLIPPERY SLOPE TO ACTUALLY GET AROUND THAT PROCESS.
I, I, UH, I THINK I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT POSITION CERTAINLY, AND THAT'S A GOAL OF ALL THIS TO TIGHTEN EVERYTHING UP, RIGHT? YES.
UM, BE BECOMING, UM, COMPLIANT.
UH, YET THERE'S A BALANCE BETWEEN, UM, STRICT AND, UM, STRANGLING RIGID.
UH, WE, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR, UM, OUR DEPARTMENTS ARE COMFORTABLE THAT, UM, THEY CAN CONTINUE TO DO THEIR WORK, UH, IN, UM, IN A COMPLIANT WAY WITHOUT BEING RESTRICTED IN SUCH A WAY THAT DAMAGES OUR ABILITY TO SERVE JUDGE JOHN.
I DON'T WANNA BEAT THE DEAD HORSE, BUT, UH, HELP, HELP ME UNDERSTAND.
'CAUSE YOU USED THE SCENARIO MM-HMM.
UM, HOW DID THAT ACTUALLY HAPPEN? OH, MY, UM, WELL, I GUESS, LET ME ASK IT ANOTHER WAY.
UM, IF, IF, IF, IF EQUIPMENT IS PURCHASED, UH, SOMEBODY HAD TO SIGN A DOCUMENT, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
A CONTRACTOR IS NOT GONNA BRING THAT EQUIPMENT DOWN.
SHOULD NOT, A CONTRACTOR SHOULD NOT BRING EQUIPMENT DOWN WITHOUT A SIGNED CONTRACT.
DEPARTMENT HEADS SHOULD NOT SIGN CONTRACTS.
UM, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THAT THERE'S, SO WHEN THE PURCHASE THIS, RIGHT,
[00:50:01]
THIS, IF, IF WE ARE FOLLOWING OUR, OUR PROCESS PROPERLY, UM, THAT WOULD NOT HAPPEN.SO THE QUESTION BECOMES, I GUESS, DID THE PURCHASE DIRECTOR KNOW ABOUT THAT? NO, SIR.
THIS IS ONE OF THOSE, REMEMBER I DESCRIBED THIS AFTER THE FACT AND THE DEFINITION OF ACTION.
SO THE STRAIGHT TO FINANCES AND PAY THIS BILLS, UM, UH, MORE OR LESS THE BILL SHOWED UP FOR THIS SERVICE.
AND WITH NO PURCHASE ORDER, THIS, THAT BEGINS THIS PROCESS, SOMETHING IS WRONG.
UH, AND AND THAT BE, THAT'S THAT AFTER THE FACT PURCHASE.
THAT AFTER THE FACT DEFINITION, UH, IS EXACTLY THAT SITUATION.
AND, AND IS, IS THAT AN EXCEPTION OR WAS THAT A RULE GOING IN THE PAST? WHAT DO, WHAT DO YOU MEAN? THAT, THAT, THAT A DEPARTMENT HEAD COULD GO STRAIGHT TO FINANCES AND PAY THIS BILL? OH, ABSOLUTELY.
IN OTHER WORDS, THERE WAS A ONE ON OR A RARE EVENT.
ANY MORE COMMENTS THERE? UM, NO.
THERE IS A SECTION HERE, UM, UH, SECTION TWO DASH 5 0 7 7, WHICH IS RETENTION, UH, RETENTION OF PROCUREMENT INFORMATION AND PUBLIC ACCESS.
UM, THAT EXISTED IN OUR, IN OUR, UM, UH, IN OUR PREVIOUS ORDINANCE AS WELL, OUR PREVIOUS CODE AS WELL.
AND IT REFERENCES, UH, FOIA, IT REFERENCES, UM, OH, I HAVE A NOTE HERE.
THIS REFERENCES THE SOUTH CAROLINA STATE, UM, UH, HISTORY AND RECORD RECORDS MANAGEMENT, UM, UM, ACT AS WELL AS BEAUFORT COUNTY ORDINANCE.
UH, SO THAT IS PRETTY COMMON, UH, FOR THERE.
I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY, ANY NOTES ON THE NEXT FEW PAGES.
DO YOU HAVE ANY, ANY QUESTIONS? UH, THIS, THIS SECTION TALKS ABOUT THE, UM, UH, THE NEXT COUPLE OF OF PAGES TALK ABOUT THE SOLICITATION PROCESS.
ALL OF THE, UH, PART B TALKS ABOUT INVITATIONS FOR BID, REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS, SMALL PURCHASES, REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS, A REVERSE AUCTION, UM, EMERGENCY PROCUREMENT, SOLE SOURCE, PROCUREMENTS, AND, UH, AND A PRE-QUALIFIED LIST.
SO THESE ARE ALL VERY STANDARD, UH, SOLICITATION PROCESSES, UH, OR THAT, UH, THE PROCUREMENT OFFICE USES ROUTINELY.
UH, SO THERE'S A, EACH OF THESE SECTION KIND OF GOES THROUGH THOSE, UH, THOSE ACTIONS, UH, THAT THE PROCUREMENT OFFICE WOULD TAKE.
IT DEFINES IN A SENSE WHAT THEY DO FOR EACH OF THOSE INSTANCES.
IF THERE'S NOT ANY, ANY QUESTIONS ON THOSE OR YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC QUESTION.
UM, THE NEXT ONE I HAVE IS ON PAGE 15, SECTION TWO DASH 5 12 1.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS FROM THE TREASURER.
UH, IT STATES THAT THE PURCHASING DIRECTOR WILL ESTABLISH A SELECTION COMMITTEE.
HER POINT IS THEY MAY NOT BE IN A POSITION OF KNOWLEDGE TO SELECT THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS
SO, SO TYPICALLY, UH, TYPICALLY WHAT HAPPENS, AND, AND I, I GUESS I CAN UNDERSTAND THE, THE POSITION THERE.
IT'S NOT INTENDED TO BE RESTRICTIVE IN ANY WAY.
UM, THAT IS, UM, THE PURCHASING DIRECTOR, THE PURCHASING DEPARTMENT, ASSEMBLES, I THINK IS MAYBE A BETTER WORD, A COMMITTEE TO FACILITATE THE REVIEW OF BIDS.
UM, SO THE PROCESS IS, UM, THAT LET'S SAY, UM, MS. TABER, YOU HAD A PROJECT THAT YOU WERE GOING TO BE THE PROJECT LEAD ON.
YOU DEVELOPED THE SCOPE OF WORK.
AND THE PROCUREMENT DIRECTOR WOULD SAY, MS. TABER, WHO SHOULD BE ON YOUR SELECTION COMMITTEE? SHOULD IT BE ALL MEMBERS FROM YOUR DEPARTMENT? PROBABLY NOT.
SHOULD IT BE SOMEONE FROM, UH, UH, UH, NEIGHBORING MUNICIPALITY IS, DO WE NEED ALL SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS? WHAT DOES THE PANEL OF REVIEW NEED TO LOOK LIKE? SO THE PURCHASE AND DIRECTOR CAN MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON WHO SHOULD BE ON YOUR COMMITTEE SO THAT IT'S NOT ALL ONE SIDED, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMITTEE IS, IS APPROPRIATELY VETTING BIDS THAT COME IN.
SO IS NOT, SO YOU MIGHT WANNA REWORD THAT A LITTLE BIT.
IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S A LITTLE MORE RIGID THAN WHAT YOU JUST SAID.
CERTAINLY BECAUSE YOU GAVE A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBILITY THAN WHAT THIS STATEMENT SAYS.
[00:55:01]
MM-HMM.WELL, THERE ARE SOME TIMES THAT, UM, MS. TABER WOULD WANT TO LOAD HER COMMITTEE WITH, WITH PEOPLE THAT, UM, UM, I LIKE THAT.
AND THEN THE COMPETITIVE NATURE OF A SOLICITATION BECOMES DAMAGED, UM, BECAUSE OF THE SELECTION COMMITTEE ITSELF.
SO IT DOES BECOME THE PROCUREMENT PROCUREMENT DIRECTOR OR THEIR DESIGNEE'S RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, UM, UH, ENSURE THE FAIR AND COMPETITIVE NATURE OF A SOLICITATION.
UH, AND THAT, THAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THAT.
AND I, AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS IN THE REPORT THAT WE PUT OUT TO PUBLIC FAIR AND REASONABLE AND SO ON.
A LOT OF THESE ADDRESS WHAT WE PUT OUT TO THE PUBLIC.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE SOMETHING ON THAT? MM-HMM.
THAT I, I MADE SOME NOTES THERE, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE, THAT WE, THAT I DISCUSSED THAT, UH, ENOUGH OR ANSWER WHAT YOUR QUESTION WAS.
SO THIS MOVES ON TO, LIKE I SAID, THROUGH REVERSE PROCUREMENTS AND EMERGENCIES.
UM, PRE-QUALIFIED LIST OF BIDDERS.
THERE'S, UM, SOME STANDARD LANGUAGE IN THERE FOR CANCELLATION AND REJECTION OF SOLICITATIONS.
UH, WE ARE, UH, BEGINNING TO WORK ON SOME OF THIS.
THIS IS A LOT OF TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK IN THE PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT.
AND WE HAVE A VERY SMALL PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT.
UH, SO WE HAVE AT LEAST 11 SOLICITATIONS, UH, IN THE QUEUE RIGHT NOW FOR US TO DO WHILE WE'RE TRYING TO, UM, MAKE CHANGES WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO HELP VENDORS WITH PRE PREQUALIFICATION IS BUILD IN A CHECK SHEET TO THE, UM, TO THE SOLICITATION.
THAT CHECK SHEET IN THE SOLICITATION ALLOWS THE VENDOR TO SAY, YES, I'VE DONE THIS, I'VE DONE THIS, I'VE DONE THIS, AND I'VE PUT ALL THESE THINGS IN MY BID PACKAGE IN THIS ORDER.
YOU MIGHT CALL IT A SELF-EVALUATION.
SO WHEN THE BID COMES INTO OUR DEPARTMENT, WE CAN LOOK AT THAT SELF-EVALUATION SHEET AND, AND IF THE, UH, BIDDER HAS NOT COMPLETED AN ITEM, MAYBE THEY HAVE A JUSTIFICATION FOR WHY THEY HAVEN'T DONE THAT.
BUT IT MAKES IT, UM, SO THAT WHEN THE, UH, PROCUREMENT DIRECTOR DISQUALIFIES A BID, THAT'S REASON THERE'S A SPECIFIC REASON THAT'S BEEN DISQUALIFIED AND THAT SELF-EVALUATION FORM OF THAT BIDDER, THEY WOULD, THEY BASICALLY TELL ON THEMSELVES, I DIDN'T DO THIS PART.
IS THAT NEW? YOU ADDED THAT, UH, THAT SHEET.
IT'S NOT NEW YET, YET IT ADOPTED.
UH, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE WORKING FOR, UH, WORKING TO GET DONE TO ADD TO OUR SOLICITATIONS THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
UH, IT DOES TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF LOAD OFF OF THE PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT, UH, FOR THAT EVALUATION PROCESS AND PUT SOME OF THAT RESPONSIBILITY BACK ON THOSE BIDDERS THEMSELVES.
UH, AND, AND ALSO HELP THE BIDDER BE MORE COMPLIANT WITH THE SOLICITATION.
IT GIVES THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THAT, WELL I DIDN'T DO, YOU KNOW, NUMBER CI BETTER GET THAT DONE AND THEY SHOULD BE PRESENTED IN THAT ORDER.
AND TO GO TO MR. GLOVER'S POINT, IT'S MORE OBJECTIVE VERSUS SUBJECTIVE.
YOU'RE TELLING THEM WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR.
THEY KNOW EXACTLY HOW THEY SHOULD RESPOND.
SO THERE'S SOME OF THAT LANGUAGE IN THIS ORDINANCE AS WELL.
SO I AM, OH, I'M ALMOST TO THE END.
IT'LL SAY WE'RE PAGE I I'M AROUND 20.
I WELL, YOU PROBABLY HAVE MORE QUESTIONS 'CAUSE I DON'T HAVE ANY NOTES UNTIL AROUND PAGE 23.
NO, I WAS GONNA MAKE A COMMENT ON TWO DASH 5 15 6.
I THINK THAT WAS A GOOD ADDITION ABOUT THE ARCHITECTURAL AND ENGINEERING SERVICES.
THAT GOES BACK TO WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT.
SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS A GOOD ADDITION YOU PUT IN THERE.
I DON'T HAVE ANY COMMENT IN THAT.
I'LL PUT A CHECK MARK BY THAT ONE.
YOU GET A LITTLE STAR FOR THAT ONE.
I USED TO GIVE OUT STARS WHEN I WAS MIDDLE SCHOOL.
UM, IF YOU SCROLL DOWN TO TWO DASH FIVE 17.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS FROM THE TREASURER.
UM, SHE SAYS, SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT SPECIFIES ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO.
WHILE THIS IS CERTAINLY ACCEPTABLE FOR ADMINISTRATION, IT IS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR ADMINISTRATION TO DICTATE TO AN ELECTED OFFICE WHAT IS OR WAS NOT A SOLE SOURCE.
SO I'LL JUST LEAVE THAT FOR YOU.
SHE SAYS, I VIEW THIS AS VITAL TO MAINTAINING INVESTMENT SUCCESSES.
AND SO THAT MIGHT NOT BE SOMETHING ADMINISTRATION WOULD DO.
[01:00:01]
COMMENT.IS THE TREASURER, UM, LOOKING AT, UM, HOLD ON.
WHAT'S THE WORD? UM, UH, QUALIFIED OR, WELL, LET ME, LET ME, I GOT A NOTE THIS A CHECK MARK HERE ON SOLE SOURCE.
UM, YOU KNOW, JOHN, JOHN REBEL CAME IN WITH THE AIRPORT.
AND HE TALKED ABOUT MAYBE ONE OR TWO CONTRACTORS THAT COULD DO CERTAIN THINGS.
AND, AND, AND SO IS, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT AS A, AS A COUNTY, WE NEED TO ALSO EVALUATE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GETTING A GOOD BID EVEN THOUGH IT'S A SOLE SOURCE? ABSOLUTELY.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE TWO CONTRACTORS AND KNOWING THAT WILL TELL ONE ANOTHER, HEY, TAB, DON'T, DON'T BID ON THIS TODAY.
UM, LET ME DO IT
HOW DO WE KNOW WHETHER WE ARE REALLY GETTING A GOOD CONTRACT PRICE? SO, UM, WE, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE, UH, PAVING CONTRACT OR APAC, UH, THAT WE RECENTLY DID.
UH, AND, AND THERE ARE A FEW THAT, THAT, UH, THERE ARE A FEW, I GUESS, SOLICITATIONS THAT, THAT COME THROUGH THAT REALLY ONLY HAVE ONE BIDDER.
SO TYPICALLY THE PROCESS IS, UM, WE USE, UH, OPENGOV.
NOW, THIS IS A SYSTEM THAT REACHES OUT TO ALL THESE TYPES OF QUALIFIED BIDDERS.
THERE ARE TIMES THAT WE'LL REACH OUT TO THOUSAND DIFFERENT COMPANIES OR MORE FOR A SPECIFIC SERVICE OR, OR PRODUCT.
SO WE TRY TO CAST A VERY LARGE NET AND ATTRACT AS MANY BIDDERS AS POSSIBLE.
UM, WHEN WE GET A SINGLE BID SOLICITATION, SOMETIMES WE'LL EVALUATE THAT AND SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THIS SINGLE BID.
SO WE REBID THE PROCESS AND IT COMES BACK WITH THE SAME SINGLE BIDDER.
UM, SO IF WE, OR MAYBE WE ONLY GOT TWO BIDS AND THAT'S NOT ENOUGH, SO WE WENT BACK OUT.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO INITIALLY IS, UH, RES SOLICITATION, NOT ALWAYS, BUT THAT'S A, A COMMON THING THAT WE WOULD DO.
SO WE PUT IT BACK OUT FOR BID.
LET'S SAY WE DON'T PUT IT OUT FOR BID.
THEN WE HAVE TO REALLY JUSTIFY WHY IS THERE, WHY IS THIS A SOLE SOURCE OR WHY IS THIS, UH, UM, UH, A SINGLE BIDDER, UM, UH, SOLICITATION.
SO WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS OF WAS THERE, IS THERE PRICE FAIR AND REASONABLE? HAVE WE DONE ANY RESEARCH TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER VENDORS OUT THERE THAT WE CAN ENCOURAGE TO BID ON THIS PROJECT? UH, SO THAT WE GET AWAY FROM MAYBE TWO FOLKS AND SAY, I'LL BID ON THE NEXT ONE.
UH, I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT HAPPENS, BUT WE OF COURSE TRY TO DISCOURAGE THAT AND ENCOURAGE AS MANY BIDDERS AS POSSIBLE.
UH, SO AFTER WE, AFTER WE DO THIS AND WE JUSTIFY THIS SINGLE BID, WE CAN JUSTIFY THAT THEIR PRICE IS FAIR AND REASONABLE.
SO WE WOULD USE MAYBE AN ENGINEER, WE WOULD USE AN ENGINEER THAT WOULD LOOK AT THIS PROJECT AND EVALUATE THE MERITS OF THAT PROJECT AND TELL US THAT THEY THINK BASED ON THE SCOPE OF WORK, THAT IT SHOULD COST THIS MUCH.
UH, SOMETIMES WE HAVE STAFF MEMBERS THAT SAY IT SHOULD COST ABOUT THIS MUCH.
SO WHEN THEIR BID COMES IN AND IT'S TWICE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE'LL REBID THIS.
UH, SO, SO WE USE THAT PROCESS TO VET THAT FAIR AND REASONABLE, AND THEN FINALLY WE NEGOTIATE THAT PRICE BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE ONE BIDDER.
UM, WE, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO NEGOTIATE THAT PRICE WITH THAT BIDDER AND TRY TO GET THAT INTO WHAT MAY BE CONSIDERED A FAIR AND REASONABLE PRICE OR WITHIN OUR BUDGETED AMOUNT FOR THAT.
AND THAT WAS MY OTHER QUESTION, IS, UM, IS THERE ANY OPPORTUNITY FOR VALUE ENGINEERING ON PROJECTS THAT COME IN SOLE SOURCE? UH, ABSOLUTELY.
SO THERE, UM, THERE ARE TIMES WE COULD LOOK AT A LARGER PROJECT THAT MAY HAVE BEEN BID THAT WE COULD SPLIT INTO THREE PHASES, PERHAPS, AND WE COULD, UH, BID, UM, SOME, INSTEAD OF A DESIGN BUILD THAT STARTED WITH, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE WORK OR GROUND OR MULCHING, WE COULD SPLIT THAT PROJECT UP INTO A SPECIFIC, THIS, THIS TIME WE'RE ONLY GONNA DO SITE WORK, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA DO DESIGN WORK, THEN WE'RE GONNA DO INFRASTRUCTURE WORK.
SO THAT PROJECT CAN BE BROKEN UP TO ENCOURAGE COMPETITION.
INSTEAD OF ONE BIG COMPANY THAT CAN DO ALL THE PROJECT.
SO IT KIND OF HAPPENS BOTH WAYS.
A LOT OF THAT IS CONVERSATION BETWEEN OUR PROCUREMENT OFFICE AND IN ENGINEERING OR INFRASTRUCTURE, OR EVEN OUR PROJECT MANAGERS IN THE CIP.
SO THAT CONVERSATION THAT WE HAVE BETWEEN THE NEEDS OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS AND
[01:05:01]
THE, THE REALLY, IN THIS SENSE, THE, THE LEGAL COMPLIANCE PORTION THAT PROCUREMENT DOES IS, SO PROCUREMENT, THE PROCUREMENT OFFICE IS REALLY ABOUT COMPLIANCE WITH THE ORDINANCE.UH, AND, AND, AND THERE SOMETIMES CAN BE SOME, UH, SOME CONFLICT BETWEEN, I NEED THIS RIGHT NOW AND I NEED IT TODAY, AND I NEED MY ESCALADE RIGHT NOW.
AND PROCUREMENT DOESN'T OPERATE THAT WAY.
IT IS THE PROCESS AND PROCEDURE THAT HAS TO BE PROPER, UH, BEFORE WE PURCHASE THAT EQUIPMENT OR SERVICE.
THE WORD I COULDN'T THINK OF WAS EXPERTISE FOR THE, FOR THE, UM, TREASURY.
SO, MR. ROBINSON, THERE WERE A COUPLE TIMES DURING THE YEAR ON BIDS THAT WE HAD ONLY ONE BID.
AND REMEMBER I ASKED DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
AND SO THIS WOULD BE HELPFUL WHEN IT, WHEN YOU DON'T GO BACK FOR RES SOLICITATION.
BUT IF IT'S ONE BID, AND THE OTHER ISSUE IS JUST TO REMIND THE PUBLIC SOLE SOURCE WAS ONE OF THE TOPICS IN THE LETTER WE RELEASED.
SO MR. GLOVER'S QUESTION IS RIGHT ON TARGET.
BUT IT IS NOT TRUE BECAUSE THAT'S NOT THE ONLY PLACE THAT SELLS IT.
SO AUTOMOBILES OR, OR, OR MAYBE IT'S A DODGE THAT'S THE RIGHT FIT FOR US, YOU KNOW? YEAH.
UM, SO I, I WILL SAY, UH, TO, TO BACK UP JUST A LITTLE BIT, THE, UH, THE NUMBER OF SOLE SOURCE PURCHASES, UH, IN THE PAST, UH, I THINK WERE AFFECTED BY, UH, THE MARKET AT THE TIME.
UH, SO THERE WAS LOTS AND LOTS OF WORK OUT THERE, AND VERY FEW COMPANIES WILLING TO, TO DO WORK.
UH, SO OFTEN, UH, IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, WE'VE HAD TO ACCEPT, UH, THE, UH, SOLE SOURCE BIDS OR SINGLE SOLI SINGLE BIDS TO SOLICITATIONS JUST TO GET JOBS DONE.
WE SAW PRICES ESCALATE JUST ENORMOUSLY.
UH, AND, UH, AND THAT REALLY AFFECTED THE MARKET.
THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES THAT COMPANY HAVE, OR A COMPANY HAS, HAS AVAILABLE TO BE ABLE TO PERFORM THAT TYPE OF WORK AND THE NEEDS OF THE COUNTY.
WE, WE'VE SEEN, UM, CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT SHOULD HAVE ONLY TAKEN FIVE OR SIX MONTHS TO GET DONE, HAVE TAKEN MORE THAN TWO YEARS TO GET DONE.
AND THAT IS REALLY JUST PART OF THE ECONOMY THAT AFFECTS US IN THAT WAY.
SO THE IMPORTANT THING THAT FINANCE STAFF OR PROCUREMENT STAFF CAN DO IS TO MAKE SURE WE COME FORWARD TO COUNCIL AND PROPERLY GIVE YOU THE DOCUMENTATION THAT JUSTIFIES THIS DECISION OR THE RECOMMENDATION THAT'S COMING FORWARD FROM STAFF, UH, THAT WE APPROVE A GRANT OR ACCEPT A GRANT.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING TO IMPROVE ON THAT SO THAT YOUR COUNSEL AND COMMITTEE ARE WELL-INFORMED OF WHERE ON WHY THIS IS COMING FORWARD FOR RECOMMENDATION IN THAT WAY.
YOU TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, AND IT IS LATER ON IN, IN YOUR, IN YOUR, IN, IN THE POLICY, BUT YOU TALKED ABOUT IT, SO I'M JUST GOING TO RAISE IT.
UM, DISADVANTAGED CON CONTRACTORS.
UM, IS THERE ANY WAY, PARTICULARLY LOCAL CONTRACTORS FOR US AS A COUNTY, TO ENCOURAGE, TO ENGAGE WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU START LOOKING MAYBE AT LOOKING AT, UM, UH, DISSECTING A CONTRACT, UM, TRY TO BRING SOME, SOME, SOME, SOME, SOME SMALL CONTRACTORS IN.
THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL FOR COMMUNITY BECAUSE THAT MONEY STAYS HERE.
UM, VERSUS, UM, UM, GOING OUT, YOU KNOW, RIGHT.
IS THERE ANY WAY THAT CAN HAPPEN? AND AS A COUNTY, CAN WE WORK TOWARD THAT? AND I KNOW THAT AT SOME POINT IN TIME, GIFFORD COUNTY DID DO SOMETHING WITH MM-HMM.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN RESURRECT, UH, BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF CONTRACTORS OUT THERE THAT JUST PROBABLY NEED A LITTLE BIT OF ENTICEMENT AND ENCOURAGEMENT, SOME ENCOURAGEMENT TO APPLY? YEAH.
WELL, I'M GONNA, I'M REALLY HAPPY YOU ASKED THAT QUESTION.
SHE'S OUR DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PROCUREMENT VICTORIA.
SO IN THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, SHE'S BEEN WORKING ON THIS NEW PROGRAM, UH, OPENGOV, UH, OPENGOV IS THIS SOLICITATION PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS VENDORS TO ENTER, UH, ENTER IN THEIR PROGRAM AND SUBMIT THEIR BIDS ELECTRONICALLY.
SO IT'S A, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S PRETTY NEAT SYSTEM.
THOSE ARE THE FORM IN THERE FOR THEM TO FILL OUT.
AND IT, IT'S BASICALLY A QUESTIONNAIRE AND IT, IT, UM, IT HIGHLIGHTS THAT THAT IS A LOCAL OR
[01:10:01]
DISADVANTAGE DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS THAT'S COMING FORWARD FOR THAT BID.SO THEY'RE STILL PART OF THE COMPETITIVE NATURE, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO REACH OUT, UH, TO ENCOURAGE MORE LOCAL BIDS.
AND ENCOURAGE, UH, DISADVANTAGED BUSINESSES TO DO WORK WITH THE COUNTY.
THEY STILL HAVE TO MEET ALL, THEY HAVE TO BE, HAVE TO BE QUALIFIED, HAVE TO BE PREPARED TO DO THE WORK AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
BUT WE CERTAINLY WANT TO ENCOURAGE THAT TYPE OF ACTIVITY IN, UH, FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY CONTRACTS, UH, ARE THERE SOME THINGS THAT THE COUNTY CAN DO TO, UM, ENCOURAGE OR TO, TO, TO WORK TOWARD? I MEAN, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, UM, I MEAN, YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE THE, THE CHAMBER.
IS THERE A, IS THERE AN INCENTIVE TO SAY TO THE CHAMBER, YOU KNOW, WE WANT YOU TO REACH OUT TO WORK WITH SMALL BUSINESSES, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, TO GET THEM SO THE, THE, UH, THE POSITION TO BID ON OUR PROJECTS, WHAT WE NEED TO DO, AND, UH, AND YOU CAN DO THIS, UH, FOR BUSINESS OWNERS THAT YOU, THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN ENCOURAGE THEM TO REGISTER IN OPENGOV.
SO THEY, WHEN THEY REGISTER IN OPENGOV, THEY TALK ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS AND THEIR ABILITIES OF THEIR BUSINESS.
AND WHEN WE DO A SOLICITATION, IT MAY BE, UH, MAYBE IT'S, UH, FENCING, WE'RE GONNA, WE NEED TO PUT UP A TYPE OF FENCE.
SO THAT WILL KIND OF GO INTO THE SYSTEM AND WE'LL SEARCH EVERY COMPANY THAT, UH, THAT IS REGISTERED IN THAT BUSINESS, AND IT WILL REACH OUTSIDE OF THAT.
THERE'S A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT THE, THAT THEY COLLECT THESE CAPABLE VENDORS, AND IT WILL SEND THEM EMAILS, UH, AND, AND REQUESTS AND LET THEM KNOW THAT BEAUFORT COUNTY HAS GOT A FENCING CONTRACT THAT'S OUT, PLEASE APPLY.
AND THAT IT SHOW, GIVES THEM A LINK HOW TO APPLY, HOW TO GO TO THE OPENGOV PROCESS AND FILL THAT OUT.
SO, ENCOURAGING, UM, LOCAL VENDORS OR ASSOCIATIONS TO ENCOURAGE THEIR MEMBERS TO REGISTER FOR THE PROGRAM.
DID I GET THAT RIGHT? IT IS FREE FOR THE VENDORS TOO.
IT'S REGISTER, IT'S FREE FOR THEM TO REGISTER.
COULD WE MAYBE HAVE MS. MOYER WORK WITH OUR PIO HANNAH AND PUT SOMETHING OUT TO ENCOURAGE THAT? ABSOLUTELY.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS AND THIS IS WHERE YOU WOULD GO TO REGISTER.
THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO THE COMMUNITY OPEN GOV, BECAUSE I THINK MS. MOYER TOLD ME THAT SOMETIMES WE, WE PUT IT OUT TO 150 PEOPLE, BUT NOW IF YOU'RE USING OPEN GOV, IT GOES TO HOW MANY, WELL, IT, WHEN WE WERE USING THE OLD SYSTEM, UM, FOR SOME PROJECTS, MAYBE ONLY A HUNDRED OR 150 VENDORS, WHICH VERIFIED THAT THEY, BECAUSE THEY WERE REGISTERED AND THERE WASN'T A FARTHER REACH, UM, WITH OPENGOV, THEY ACTUALLY INVITED A FURTHER NET OF, OF VENDORS.
UM, SO FOR A SIMILAR PROJECT THAT MAYBE ONLY A HUNDRED OR 150 VENDORS WOULD HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED, UM, LIKE 4,900 HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED INSTEAD, UM, WE ARE SEEING A REALLY, A BIG UPTICK IN INTEREST IN OUR PROJECTS THAT I HAVE PUT OUT, UM, LATELY AND, UM, SOME NEW VENDOR PARTICIPATION.
SO IF WE COULD PUT OUT SOMETHING THROUGH HANNAH, ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE A VENDOR, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF GOING INTO OPENGOV AND WHATEVER.
THAT'S PART OF THAT CASTING, THAT BIGGER NET WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE PAST.
IN THE PAST, WE, UM, WE ADVERTISED, UH, SOLICITATION FOR, UH, MINORITY AND SMALL BUSINESS.
AND WE DID A WORKSHOP WHERE WE ADVERTISED A WORKSHOP AND BROUGHT THEM ALL IN TO THAT WORKSHOP.
AND FROM THAT WE DEVELOPED A, A VENDOR LIST OF SMALL AND MINORITY BUSINESSES THAT WERE ACTUALLY, UH, ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THE, UH, IN THE BIDDING PROCESS AND THE, AND THE CONTRACTS THAT WAS COMING THROUGH THE COUNTY, BUT SOMEWHERE DOWN THE LINE THAT FELL APART.
WE COULD, WE COULD CERTAINLY, UM, UH, WHAT I'M SUGGESTING DO AN OPENGOV CLASS AND ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO COME IN AND REGISTER IN GENERAL'S IS TO, UM, SOMETIME THESE BUSINESSES JUST NEED A LITTLE HELP.
UM, YOU KNOW, HOW TO KEEP BOOKS, HOW TO DO RECORD, HOW TO DO BIDS, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, THAT, YOU KNOW, SOMEPLACE LIKE THE CHAMBER CAN HELP WITH.
I DON'T WANNA DO THAT AFTER SEASON.
YOU KNOW, UM, BOTH OF OUR CHAMBERS IN BEAUFORT HAVE BUSINESS INCUBATORS.
AND, AND THEY, AND THEY DO HAVE SOME CLASSES TO HELP WITH, UH, UM, UH, BUSINESS PLAN DEVELOPMENT, UM, MANAGING, UH, THEIR, UH, TAXES THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE TO PAY AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
[01:15:01]
TAX MANAGEMENT.IF YOU'RE A SMALL BUSINESS AND YOU'RE NOT DOING YOUR SALES TAX RIGHT, YOU WON'T GET IN TROUBLE.
SO, UH, SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, THAT FOLKS THAT HAVE SMALL BUSINESSES UNDERSTAND THAT AND, AND KEEP UP WITH THOSE.
AND SOME OF THOSE, THE CHAMBERS, I, I THINK DO HAVE THOSE BUSINESS INC.
EXCAVATORS ALSO GOODMAN, UH, MARTIN GOODMAN WITH THE MM-HMM.
JUST NEED A LITTLE PUSH, A LITTLE ENCOURAGEMENT.
ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING ON THE REMAINING PAGE? THAT PRETTY MUCH WAS THE END RIGHT THERE.
ANYBODY ELSE? SO, UH, UM, IF WE'RE, IF WE'RE AT THE END, I, I, THE PURPOSE HERE WAS WAS TO, IS TO HAVE AN OPEN PUBLIC DISCUSSION ABOUT THE ORDINANCE DRAFT THAT'S COMING FORWARD.
UM, UH, I'LL STILL ENCOURAGE, UH, ANYONE TO, TO SEND INPUT TO, TO MY EMAIL OR GIVE ME A CALL.
UH, AND WE CAN, UH, CONSIDER THAT AS WE GO FORWARD.
THE INTENT IS TO, UH, ACCEPT THE COMMENTS THAT WE HAD TONIGHT.
I'LL WORK WITH, UH, TOM AND BRITTANY AND DO SOME RESEARCH A AS TO, UH, SOME OF THE, THE COMMENTS THAT WE, THAT WE WROTE DOWN AND MAKE SURE THAT IT'S APPROPRIATE.
THE ORDINANCE HAS TO BE COMPLIANT WITH STATE LAW AS WELL.
AND, AND OUR PURCHASING BEST PRACTICES.
SO THOSE THINGS ARE CRITICAL THAT WE DO.
UH, SO WE WON'T, UH, WE'LL BE CAREFUL NOT TO, UH, MAKE ANY MISTAKES WHEN IT COMES TO THERE.
UM, SO ANY NEW COMMENTS OR, OR ANY COMMENTS THAT COME FORWARD, PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND WE'LL WORK THEM IN.
AND THE INTENT IS TO BRING THIS TO FINANCE COMMITTEE FOR CONSIDERATION ON THE 26TH.
DO THAT PART NOT DO YOU A FIVE MINUTE BREAK, BECAUSE WE YES, ABSOLUTELY.
WE'LL COME BACK AT 4 21 AND DO AT TAX.
BEFORE WE DO THAT, UM, UH, I WANNA GO BACK TO, UH, YES, WE'RE GOOD.
I WANNA GO BACK TO, UM, SOLE SOURCE.
UM, WHAT, WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE LEGAL DEFINITION OF SOLE SOURCE? HMM.
HAVE IT, DO WE HAVE IT IN THERE, TOM? BUT IT'S PRETTY RARE.
WOULDN'T IT BE, IF NOT, WE MIGHT ADD IT.
I MEAN, WOULDN'T YOU SAY THAT SHOULD BE PRETTY RARE? IT SHOULD BE.
THE EXCEPTION, NOT THE NORM, BUT SOLE SOURCE IS WHEN THE PURCHASING DIRECTOR HAS DETERMINED THERE'S ONLY ONE VENDOR THAT CAN PROVIDE THE SERVICE OR THE PRODUCT THAT WE'RE SEEKING.
THAT'S WHAT OUR CURRENT DEFINITION IS.
NOW, WE'VE DISCUSSED THAT WE SHOULD EXPAND THAT DEFINITION, UH, TO WHERE IT'S MORE BENEFICIAL TO THE COUNTY TO WHERE WE SHOULD INCLUDE SOMETHING TO THE EX, UM, EXTENT WHERE IT SAYS, OR WHEN A VENDOR IS UNIQUELY QUALIFIED TO PERFORM A SERVICE OR PROVIDE A PRODUCT.
AND THERE'S CERTAIN INSTANCES WHERE THAT'S APPROPRIATE.
LAST WEEK, OUR ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT HAD A CHANCE TO WHERE THEY COULD HAVE PAVED A ROAD ON DUSKY ISLAND WITH A CONTRACTOR THAT'S ALREADY ON THE ISLAND DOING WORK FOR HAGUE POINT IN THE PRIVATE COMMUNITY.
WE DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO COMPETE AND GET THAT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEIR BEING THERE.
BUT IF WE HAD THE UNIQUELY QUALIFIED OR CIRCUMSTANCES BENEFICIAL TO THE COUNTY LANGUAGE IN OUR CODE, WE COULD HAVE SAVED THE COUNTY A BUNCH OF MONEY BY NOT HAVING TO PAY FOR THE MOBILIZATION COSTS TO GO OVER FOR THEM TO GO OVER THERE.
SO WE COULD'VE GOT THAT WORK DONE, OR WE HAVE TO GET THE CODE MODIFIED AND ADD THAT LANGUAGE.
NOW, CURRENTLY, THE LANGUAGE BEFORE YOU DOESN'T HAVE THAT.
BUT WE'VE PROVIDED THAT TO JOHN FOR HIM TO INCLUDE THAT.
SO WHEN IT COMES TO COMMITTEE, YOU'LL HAVE THAT LANGUAGE AND WE WILL ASK YOU TO PUT THAT IN THERE.
'CAUSE IT'D BE VERY BENEFICIAL TO THE COUNTY TO HAVE UNIQUELY QUALIFIED CIRCUMSTANCES OR CIRCUMSTANCES THAT BENEFIT THE COUNTY TO MAKE IT WORTH IT BEING THE SOLE SOURCE FOR THEM, RATHER THAN SENDING IT OUT FOR COMPETITION.
THERE'D BE NO COMPETITION, BUT IT BENEFITS THE COUNTY, UH, IN CERTAIN SORT.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? SURE.
BUT YOU MEAN YOU COULD NOT, UM, COME HERE TO THIS COUNCIL WITH AN EMERGENCY DECLARATION TO, IT'S NOT AN EMERGENCY FORWARD BECAUSE OF, IT'S NOT AN EMERGENCY.
IT WAS FIXING THE ROAD IN FRONT OF THE FIRE STATION.
CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, IT'S A $300,000 CONTRACT.
SO WE HATE TO SPEND $400,000 TO MOBILIZE FOR $300,000 WORTH OF WORK.
IF WE HAD THAT LANGUAGE, WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE IT.
IT'S NOT URGENT TO GET IT DONE.
NOW WE CAN HAVE IT IN THERE TO WHERE WE CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT THE NEXT TIME.
COULD WE ADD THAT DEFINITION TO THE SECTION, SOLE SOURCE TO THAT SECTION? YES, SIR.
THANK YOU, BRIAN, FOR THAT EXPLANATION.
UM, BRIAN SENT ME SOME OF THAT LANGUAGE,
[01:20:01]
UM, EARLIER THIS WEEK, SPECIFICALLY FOR THAT JOB, UH, BECAUSE OF THAT JOB THAT WE WILL, UH, MAKE SURE WE INCLUDE IN, IN, UH, THE POLICY AS WELL.AND I DID ADD THAT SOLE SOURCE IN THE DEFINITION LIST.
CAN I JUST ASK IF ANYONE IN THE PUBLIC WANTS A COMMENT? OH, ON THE POLICY WE JUST WENT THROUGH? OR MAYBE YOU'RE ALL HERE FOR AT TAX.
UM, BUT BEFORE WE, UH, BEFORE WE MOVE ON, MR. GLOVER, ASK A A QUESTION ABOUT DISADVANTAGED BUSINESSES.
AND THERE IS A SECTION, UH, NOT ONLY IN OUR OPENGOV SYSTEM, BUT THERE'S A SECTION ON PAGE 29.
IT'S SECTION TWO DASH 5 38 THAT SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSES, UM, DISADVANTAGED BUSINESSES.
[7. DISCUSSION OF A NEW ACCOMMODATION TAX AND HOSPITALITY TAX POLICY- John Robinson, Interim CFO ]
MOVE ON TO, UM, A AND H TAX.SO SPECIFICALLY LOCAL A AND H TAX, NOT THE STATE, UH, A TAX LOCAL A TAX.
SO WHERE, WHERE, UM, WHY THIS, UH, POLICY, UH, DRAFT WAS DEVELOPED? UM, LAST YEAR WE BEGAN LOOKING AT OUR LOCAL A AND H TAX.
WE HAD SOME CHANGES TO THE ORDINANCE THAT CAME FORWARD TO COUNCIL.
UM, AND THOSE ORDINANCE, UH, THOSE ORDINANCE CHANGES INSPIRED THIS, THIS TYPE OF WORK.
SO THIS IS A, A PROCESS MOVING FORWARD WHERE WE HAD FIRST AN ORDINANCE CHANGE, AND THEN YOU HAD A BUDGET FOR EACH OF THE LOCAL A AND ACCOMMODATIONS AND HOSPITALITY TAX THAT'S A AND H TAX.
UM, I WANNA MAKE SURE I, I SAID THAT OUT LOUD SO FOLKS KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
THAT, UM, THAT BUDGET FOR ACCOMMODATIONS TAX AND HOSPITALITY TAX CAME FORWARD FOR COUNCIL.
UH, IT HAS BEEN THE SECOND, UH, FIRST AND SECOND READING, UH, IT COMES FORWARD, UH, AT THE, UM, AUGUST 26TH, 26TH COUNCIL MEETING, UH, FOR THIRD READING AND PUBLIC HEARING.
IT HAD TO KIND OF STRETCH OUT THERE.
SO WE GOT THE, THE CORRECT NOTIFICATIONS FOR THE BUDGET.
AND FOLLOWING THAT IS THIS POLICY, WHICH IS HOW WE WILL DISTRIBUTE THOSE FUNDS THAT WILL BE, UM, UM, APPROPRIATED AT THIS POINT.
SO THAT IS WHERE WE ARE WITH THIS, UM, WITH THIS CONVERSATION.
UM, HOPEFULLY, AGAIN, THIS IS LOCAL.
ONLY LOCAL AND, AND, UH, LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS AND HOSPITALITY TAX.
WE HAVE AN ENTIRELY INDEPENDENT COMMITTEE TO MANAGE OUR STATE ACCOMMODATIONS AND HOSPITALITY TAX APPROPRIATION.
UM, THIS IS NOT QUITE AS LONG AS THE OTHER, UM, BUT YET IT'S A FEW PAGES.
SO HOW DO YOU WANT TO BEGIN THIS DISCUSSION? WELL, I MEAN, I'LL PRESUME EVERYBODY READ IT.
I HAVE SOME EDITING THINGS THAT I'LL JUST SEND YOU PERSONALLY.
BUT THEN I HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS.
AND IF OTHER OTHER PEOPLE DO, UM, I CONTINUED TO THROW IN UNINCORPORATED IN VARIOUS AREAS.
IT SAYS, WITH THE PRIORITY OF FUNDING, THOSE AREAS WHERE THE A TAX AND H TAX ARE COLLECTED TO ME, I PUT, UM, IN UNINCORPORATED BEAUFORD COUNTY, I'M NOT SURE EVERYONE IN THE PUBLIC KNOWS THAT WE COLLECTED IN UNINCORPORATED BEAUFORT COUNTY.
HILTON HEAD COLLECTS THEIR OWN, BLUFFTON COLLECTS THEIR OWN CITY OF BEAUFORT COLLECTS THEIR OWN.
SO THAT'S WHY YOU'LL KEEP SEEING UNINCORPORATED IN HERE.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLEAR FOR PUBLIC AND OUR COMMITTEE.
SO YOU WANNA GO TO YOUR YELLOW PART THERE? SURE.
UM, SO THE, UH, THE FIRST PART IS UNDER GRANT ALLOCATION REQUIREMENTS.
UM, WHAT'S HIGHLIGHTED THERE IS THIS, THE, I'LL JUST READ IT FOR THE AMOUNTS DISTRIBUTED UNDER THE ACCOMMODATING ACCOMMODATION AND HOSPITALITY TAX GRANT AWARD PROGRAM FUNDS WILL BE DISTRIBUTED WITH A GOAL OF 75% DEDICATED TO ORGANIZATIONS AND PROJECTS THAT GENERATE TOURISM IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY, WHERE, UH, ACCOMMODATIONS TAX AND HOSPITALITY TAX REVENUE ARE CREATED BY THE COUNTY.
AND THESE SHALL INCLUDE, AND THEY'RE LISTED.
SO THAT 75% GOAL IS, UM, IS FROM THE ORDINANCE.
UH, THAT WAS ALREADY APPROVED.
SO THAT'S WHERE THAT COMES FROM.
AND IT'S HIGHLIGHTED THERE JUST, UM, JUST TO IDENTIFY WHAT YOU TALKED ABOUT.
UM, A IS ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE PHYSICALLY LOCATED IN AREAS WHERE THE COL, WHERE THE COUNTY COLLECTS A AND H TAX REVENUES PROVIDED.
THE ORGANIZATION ALSO SPONSORS PROJECTS OR EVENTS IN THOSE AREAS.
ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE NOT PHYSICALLY LOCATED IN THOSE AREAS WHERE THE COUNTY COLLECTS A AND H TAX REVENUE.
HOWEVER, THE ORGANIZATION SPONSORS PROJECTS OR EVENTS WITHIN THOSE
[01:25:01]
AREAS.AND C IS REGIONAL MARKETING ORGANIZATIONS WHOSE PRIMARY MISSION IS TO BRING TOURISTS TO THE REGION, INCLUDING AREAS WHERE THE COUNTY COLLECTS A AND H TAX REVENUE.
AND IN THOSE I JUST KEPT PUTTING ON INCORPORATED INSTEAD OF AREA.
'CAUSE I THINK AREA MIGHT MISLEAD SOME PEOPLE.
BUT I CAN GIVE YOU THOSE LATER.
UH, THE NEXT HIGHLIGHTED, UH, SPOT TALKS ABOUT THE, THE GOAL OF THAT 25% MM-HMM.
SO THAT IS 25% OF THE COUNTY, UM, PROMOTIONS FUNDS WOULD BE, UH, ALLOCATED TO ORGANIZATIONS AND PROJECTS IN THE INCORPORATED AREAS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY, MEANING CITY OF BEAUFORT, TOWN OF, UH, BLUFFTON TOWN OF PORT ROYAL, UH, HILTON, HEAD ISLAND, AND YAMMA YY.
SO, UM, THE INTENT THERE IS THAT WE, UH, DON'T EXCLUDE THOSE AREAS, BUT ALSO GIVE THEM SOME OPPORTUNITY, UH, FOR THOSE, UH, COUNTY, UH, GENERATED A AND H TAX DOLLARS TO BRING PROGRAMS TO THEIR AREA THAT WOULD ALSO BENEFIT BEAUFORT COUNTY AS THEY ARE INSIDE OF BEAUFORT COUNTY.
THOSE THAT IS ALSO CONSISTENT WITH THE ORDINANCE THAT YOU APPROVED EARLIER IN THE YEAR.
AND WITH THIS, I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT TO PUBLIC AND EVERYBODY ELSE THAT, UM, A TOURIST IS CONSIDERED SOMEBODY WHO LIVES 50 MILES OR FARTHER AWAY.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, I LIVE IN SUN CITY.
I CAN COME HERE AND EAT AT THE RESTAURANTS, GO TO THE OYSTER FESTIVAL, BUT I'M NOT CONSIDERED A TOURIST FOR ATEX.
BUT WHEN I, UH, AND I RENTED ON PALMETTO DUNES, I'M STILL NOT A TOURIST.
BUT THAT I WANTED TO THROW THAT 50 MILE AN HOUR OR 50, UH, MILES, NOT 50 MILE AN HOUR.
I THINK THAT'S CALLED A STAYCATION, RIGHT? YES.
IS THAT RIGHT?
I, I, I HAVE A, UM, ISSUE, UM, THAT, UM, AND I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO GET THERE, ESPECIALLY WHEN A LOT OF THE, UM, AT TAX MONEY IS GENERATED, UH, IN A, IN A PARTICULAR AREA.
BUT, UM, BECAUSE OF STATUE AND LAWS LAWS, UM, UM, WE ARE RESTRICTED AT THIS TIME TO, TO, TO KIND OF HELP THAT AREA.
AND SO I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
UM, AND I'LL JUST USE THE AREA.
UM, WE GET A LOT OF OUR ETEX DOLLARS OUT OF FRI ISLAND.
UM, BUT IT GENERATE A LOT OF AT TAX MONEY.
OH, THAT'S, AND, AND, AND SO THERE ARE, THERE ARE SOME NEEDS THERE, UH, THAT ARE FACING.
AND SO I JUST, I WRESTLE WITH HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE, BECAUSE IF FOR ISLAND IS NOT FUNCTIONING FOR AT TAX MONEY, RIGHT.
WE'RE NOT GONNA GET THE MONEY.
SO, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE HELP THEM, UH, AT THE SAME TIME STAY WITHIN THE LAWS AND THE STATUES IN MOVING FORWARD WITH STUFF? SO THAT'S WHAT I WRESTLE WITH.
UH, WELL, I, I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND, AND WE'VE HAD SOME OF THESE CONVERSATIONS BEFORE AND, AND MET WITH, UH, LEADERS ON TRIP ISLAND AND THE RESTRICTION THERE IS, UH, PUBLIC ACCESS, UH, THE USE OF DOLLARS OF A AND H TAX DOLLARS IN AREAS THAT ALLOW FOR PUBLIC ACCESS.
SO INSIDE THE GATED COMMUNITY, UM, THERE'S THAT RESTRICTION IS, UH, THERE'S NO PUBLIC ACCESS BECAUSE THESE ARE PUBLIC DOLLARS.
UM, THERE, WE, SO WE WOULD HAVE TO BE CAREFUL THAT WE COMPLY WITH THE LAW.
UM, BUT THERE'S, UM, PERHAPS A CREATIVE OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO USE SOME OF THESE TAX DOLLARS TO DEFRAY OTHER COSTS THAT THEY MAY HAVE.
BUT THEY WOULD, UH, BY ANY MEANS, THEY WOULD HAVE TO COMPLY WITH THE, UM, WITH OUR ORDINANCE, WITH CODE AND, AND STATE LAW FOR SURE.
THAT'S WHERE MY STRUGGLE IS RIGHT NOW.
SO I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT ON THE TABLE.
MAYBE WE CAN ENCOURAGE HIM TO HAVE AN EVENT WHERE THE GATE'S OPEN.
I DON'T KNOW
BUT WE'RE A PRIVATE GATED COMMUNITY.
SO YEAH, WE STRUGGLED WITH THAT ONE ALREADY.
I CAN HELP A LITTLE BIT IF YOU, UH, LIKE TO HEAR IT.
[01:30:01]
YEAH.A BIG WAY THAT, UH, THEY COULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE LOCAL ACCOMMODATION TAX DOLLARS.
AND HOSPITALITY TAX DOLLARS IS LIKE, WHEN THE MONEY IS PROVIDED TO NON-PROFITS TO HOLD, LIKE FESTIVALS LIKE ON ST.
HELENA OR HERE IN BEAUFORT, UH, BY FUNDING THAT THE PEOPLE IN FRI OR
ANOTHER WAY IS LIKE IF WE BUILD A CIVIC CENTER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT ON ST.
HELENA, THEY WOULD'VE ACCESS TO THAT BUILDING THERE.
SO IF SOME OF THESE FUNDS ARE USED FOR THAT, THEY'RE GETTING THE BENEFIT OF THOSE DOLLARS, UH, WITH QUICK, EASY ACCESS.
OR IF WE BUILT A SPLASH PAD YES, MA'AM.
OR WATER, ANYTHING IN THE AREA WHERE THEY COULD TRAVEL TO AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.
SPLASH PAD, THEY'RE GETTING THE BENEFIT OF IT.
WELL, MR. GLOVER DOESN'T WANT HIS SPLASH PAD.
THIS IS NEW NOW, THE COMMITTEE, RIGHT? YES.
WOULD YOU EXPLAIN HOW IT WAS DONE IN THE PAST? SO HERE'S THE MEAT OF, OF THE, OF THIS POLICY IS HOW, HOW DO WE, UM, EQUITABLY DISTRIBUTE THESE FUNDS TO, UM, OUTSIDE AGENCIES WHO ARE SEEKING OUR SUPPORT, YOUR SUPPORT OF THESE DOLLARS.
THAT'S WHAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT.
SO THIS IS, WE'LL CALL THIS THE GRANT AWARD PROCESS HERE, UH, TO BE CONSIDERED FOR FUNDING AND APPLICATION MUST BE SUBMITTED, UH, TO OUR WEBSITE.
UH, LAST YEAR WE DIDN'T, IN, IN FY 24, WE DID NOT, UM, DISTRIBUTE OR ISSUE OR AWARD ANY LOCAL A OR H TAX DOLLARS BECAUSE WE WERE WORKING ON THIS POLICY TO COME FORWARD.
AND NOW THAT WE'RE IN THAT PROCESS THIS YEAR MIGHT BE DIFFERENT THAN FUTURE YEARS.
UM, THAT AS WE, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, SO OUR APPLICATION PROCESS WAS OPEN UNTIL, WAS IT MAY 1ST, THE END OF MAY, MAY 31ST.
OUR APPLICATION PROCESS WAS STILL LEFT ONLINE, SO WE WERE ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS TILL MAY 31ST, BUT THERE IS NO DISTRIBUTION POLICY, WHICH WITH, TO, UH, ADDRESS THOSE REQUESTS FOR DOLLARS.
UM, SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANTED TO DO IS EMULATE THE SUCCESS OF THE STATE AT TAX COMMITTEE AND CREATE, UM, A LOCAL OR A COMMITTEE, UM, THAT WOULD HELP US DETERMINE THOSE RE THE, THE VALIDITY OF THOSE REQUESTS OF DOLLARS AND HELP PRIORITIZE THOSE REQUESTS, UH, FROM OUTSIDE AGENCIES FOR THOSE DOLLARS.
UM, IN THE PAST, THIS WAS DONE BY STAFF, UH, LOCAL A AND H TAX DOLLARS.
WE WOULD GET SOME REQUESTS IN AND STAFF WOULD SAY, YEP, WE CAN, UH, WE CAN AWARD ALL OF THEM, OR SOME OF THEM AT DIFFERENT RATES.
UM, BUT, UM, I, I WOULD SAY, UH, WHILE IT WAS SUCCESSFUL IN THE PAST, THIS IS A MORE EQUITABLE WAY TO MOVE FORWARD.
UM, OF COURSE, THIS IS A DRAFT.
SO THESE ARE SUGGESTIONS THAT, UH, THAT WE HAD COMING FORWARD WAS TO, UH, PUT TOGETHER THIS ACCOMMODATIONS AND HOSPITALITY TAX ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
UH, AND THE, THE, UH, SUGGESTION IS AT LEAST A MEMBER OF THE, UH, COUNTY COUNCIL'S FINANCE COMMITTEE, UH, AT LEAST ONE STAFF MEMBER FROM THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, UM, WHICH WOULD PROBABLY BRYSON
WOULD THAT BE CONFLICT OF INTEREST? IS I, WELL, I, I THINK AT THIS POINT, UM, WE NEED SOMEONE ON STAFF TO BE PRESENT TO, UM, UM, TO KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE COMMITTEE AND WHETHER OR NOT IT'S APPROPRIATE TO VOTE ON THERE.
UM, SO MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK AT OF VOTING MEMBERS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT WE, WE'VE GOTTA HAVE SOME STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT, UH, BECAUSE STAFF MEMBERS ARE GONNA BE RESPONSIBLE FOR TAKING ACTION BASED ON THE COMMITTEE'S DECISION.
UH, SO MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN ADDRESS VOTING MEMBER OR, OR, OR, OR NOT.
YOU KNOW, UM, CERTAINLY IF, IF, IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY COMMENT OR INPUT, UH, WE, I'D LIKE TO HEAR WHAT, WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE AS WELL.
UH, THIS IS A, THIS IS A DRAFT, THIS IS ALL NEW FOR US.
SO, UM, SO, UH, A MEMBER OF THE STATE AT TAX COMMITTEE.
SO I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY, UH, IMPORTANT AND ON TAB, AND I TALKED ABOUT THIS, TO BRING SOMEONE FROM THE STATE ATEX COMMITTEE WHO HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR MANY YEARS, UM, AND TO, TO, UM, BE A MEMBER OF THIS BOARD.
AND THEY CAN ALSO HELP WITH THIS CROSS OF APPLICATION.
SO A LOT OF AGENCIES APPLY, UM, UH, NOT ONLY TO THE COUNTY, BUT TO MUNICIPALITIES AS, AS WELL AS STATE AND LOCAL ATAC.
AND, AND THAT COULD BE VERY PURPOSEFUL.
IT COULD, IT'S CERTAINLY ALLOWABLE.
UH, BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, UM, UNDERSTANDING ALL OF THE APPLICATIONS THAT COME INTO US.
UM, THEN, UM, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, CCFO OR A DESIGNEE, SO SOMEONE FROM THE EXECUTIVE STAFF,
[01:35:01]
UM, WAS, UM, WAS A THOUGHT THAT IT'S NOT NECESSARY, BUT, AND THEN, UM, A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC, UH, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR TRANSPARENCY AS WELL THAT WE, UM, UM, CONSIDER ASKING A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC TO BE, UH, PART OF THIS, UH, PART OF THIS ADVISORY COMMITTEE OR BOARD.WOULD WE TAKE APPLICATIONS FOR THAT? IS THAT YOUR THOUGHT? I DON'T KNOW.
BECAUSE THEN WE'RE GONNA BE INTERVIEWING 50 PEOPLE.
IT COULD BE, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S, UH, THIS HASN'T BEEN DONE BEFORE.
SO THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR, FOR YOU TO CREATE WHAT YOU WANT.
UH, SHOULD IT BE A RECOMMENDATION FOR A COUNCIL MEMBER AND MAYBE WE HAVE 11 RECOMMENDATIONS OR NINE RECOMMENDATIONS, AND, AND WE, WE LOOK AT THOSE? OR SHOULD WE DO A, UH, ACCEPT, UM, APPLICATIONS THROUGH A BOARD, UM, UH, TYPE OF BOARD THAT, UH, THAT WOULD BE MANAGED BY OUR, UM, CLERK STAFF? OKAY.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? UM, MINE, MINE IS THAT I, I, I LOVE THE PUBLIC.
UM, I LOVE THE PUBLIC'S INVOLVEMENT, SO I'M, LEAVE IT LIKE THAT.
SO, MR. GLOVER IS THERE FOR A PUBLIC, UH, PUB MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC TO BE ON THIS COMMITTEE.
I, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
SO WE WOULD HAVE TO LITERALLY EXCLUDE PEOPLE THAT ARE ON STATE A TAX COMMITTEE, OR, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? IF YOU LOVE PUBLIC, YOU WANT SOMEBODY NEW.
IS THAT WHERE YOU'RE GOING? NO, NO, NO, NO.
I'M SAYING, UM, UM, AN INDIVIDUAL.
YOU GOT ONE MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC.
UM, I JUST LOVE PUBLIC, YOU KNOW, SO THE WHOLE WORLD.
UM, I TAKE MORE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
UM, BUT YOU CAN ADD AS MANY AS YOU WANT COMMITTEES.
UM, IT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND THAT BY CREATING THIS COMMITTEE, YOU KIND OF CREATING A PUBLIC BODY.
SO WHEN YOU'RE GONNA APPOINT MEMBERS, PROBABLY COUNSEL'S GOING TO APPOINT THEM.
AND THE ONLY WAY TO BE FAIR BY APPOINTING A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC IS TO DO THROUGH THE APPLICATION PROCESS GOES FOR AND INTERVIEW CLERK'S OFFICE, AND THEN HAVE THE APPROPRIATE INTERVIEWS, OR AT LEAST THE, UH, CONSIDERATION FOR COUNSEL TO RECOMMEND, UH, WHO TO APPOINT AND THEN TO APPOINT THEM.
I WOULD ENVISION IT LIKE WE DID FOR GREEN SPACE, PEOPLE COULD APPLY.
AND THEN THERE WAS IN A SCREENING, THEN THERE WAS INTERVIEW, AND THEN THERE WAS APPOINTMENT.
IF THERE WAS ENOUGH THAT THERE WAS A NEED FOR INTERVIEWS.
IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THE INTEREST IS GONNA BE.
UH, AND THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH YOU GOING OUT AND ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO APPLY AS WELL, BUT WE'LL HAVE TO CREATE THE APPLICATION.
'CAUSE WE HAVE APPLICATION PROCESSES FOR OUR BOARDS ALREADY, JUST TO FORMAT SOMETHING BASED ON THAT.
AND THEN WE GIVE THE EXPERIENCE THE CONCERN ABOUT HAVING SOMEONE FROM THE STATE ATEX COMMITTEE BEING A PART OF THIS LOCAL ATEX COMMITTEE.
LET ME JUST TAKE A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THAT TO MAKE SURE IT'S NOT DUAL OFFICE.
I DON'T THINK THEY'RE EXERCISING THE SOVEREIGN, BUT THEY ARE MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNSEL ON THE EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS.
I JUST WANNA CONFIRM THAT IT'S NOT A VIOLATION OF THE CONSTITUTION BY BEING A DUAL OFFICE BY EACH HAVING AN OFFICE.
SO, BUT I'LL HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU.
BECAUSE ALSO THE POINT TO HAVE SOMEONE FROM THE STATE COMMITTEE, THE STATE, A TAX, THEY HAVE A GOOD KNOWLEDGE OF ABSOLUTELY.
AND IF NOTHING ELSE, THEY COULD BE AN ADVISOR OR AN EX-OFFICIAL MEMBER.
UM, YEAH, YOU THINK OF ANY, ANYTHING ELSE WE NEED TO ADD TO THAT DECISION? OBVIOUSLY WE'RE GONNA DO SOME MORE RESEARCH AND HAVE SOME MORE DISCUSSION THERE.
UM, I, I, I REALLY LIKE THE IDEA OF HAVING A, UM, AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
UM, THAT, THAT IS, UM, MADE UP OF A, OF SEVERAL DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES AND FOLKS FROM, UH, FROM THE PUBLIC AS WELL.
AND THE INTENT THERE THAT THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE WOULD REVIEW THE APPLICATIONS, UH, MAKE THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS TO, UM, COUNTY COUNCIL FINANCE COMMITTEE, UH, FINANCE COMMITTEE WOULD REVIEW THOSE AND THEN FORWARD THOSE TO COUNTY COUNCIL FOR ADOPTION.
THE ONLY THING I WOULD, THERE'S ONLY FIVE MEMBERS HERE, UHHUH
SO WE GOT, WE WERE IN A JAM WITH STATE BOARD A TAX COMMITTEE.
'CAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE.
I MIGHT CONSIDER TAKING THIS TO SEVEN.
'CAUSE SOMEBODY MIGHT HAVE TO RECUSE THEMSELVES OF ONE OF THE VOTE.
AND JUST TO MAKE IT FAIR, WE COULD HAVE MORE PUBLIC PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, ADD ANOTHER PUBLIC IF YOU LIKE, AND MAYBE ADD ANOTHER COUNCIL PERSON OUTSIDE OF FINANCE.
NOT, I THINK MR. GLOVER JUST, JUST VOLUNTEERED.
THAT'S, IS THAT WHAT I HEARD? NO, NO, HE DOESN'T WANNA DO THAT.
WE COULD ADD LIKE TWO MEMBERS FROM THE PUBLIC.
YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE A SIX MEMBERS, SO YOU GOTTA PICK SOMEONE ELSE.
BUT THAT'S MY THOUGHT APPROVING AUTHORITY FOR ANY APPLICATION GRANT.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE IT TO SEVEN IN CASE SOMEBODY'S NOT THERE.
YOU'RE DOWN TO THREE OR TWO OR, WE JUST LIVED THAT DREAM LAST YEAR.
[01:40:01]
ALL RIGHT.WELL, I TELL YOU WHAT, I WILL, UM, I WILL WORK WITH BRIAN ON THAT AND SEE WHAT WE CAN COME UP WITH FOR A SEVENTH MEMBER AND SEE WHAT, WE CAN FLESH THAT OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE.
SO WE'LL REFINE THAT SECTION A LITTLE BIT.
SO WE WILL, THE, THE SELECTION COMMITTEE NEEDS TO BE A LITTLE MORE FORMALIZED, UH, IN, IN, IN SIMILAR TO A, A PROCUREMENT PROCESS, UH, AN EVALUATION FORM THAT EACH, UH, MEMBER WOULD INDEPENDENTLY SCORE.
AND THEN THOSE SCORES KIND OF, UH, UH, UH, ACCUMULATED, COUNTED, WHATEVER YOU WANNA CALL IT.
AND, AND THEN, THEN WE PRIORITIZE THOSE, UM, THOSE AWARDS.
UH, FROM THERE, UM, THERE'S A PROPOSED GRANT TIMELINE.
OF COURSE, THIS YEAR IS GONNA BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FOR US, UH, BECAUSE THIS WILL BE THE, THE FIRST YEAR.
SO WE MAY HAVE SOME MODIFICATIONS, UH, TO GET THROUGH THIS YEAR.
BUT THE INTENT, IF WE GET THIS, UM, WE GET ALL THIS IN PLACE.
WE HAVE OUR ORDINANCE IN PLACE, WE HAVE OUR BUDGET IN PLACE, AND WE HAVE OUR DISTRIBUTION POLICY IN PLACE COMING INTO, INTO NEXT YEAR.
YOU CAN SEE THAT WE WOULD, UM, HAVE, UM, ESSENTIALLY OPEN OUR, UM, APPLICATIONS, OUR REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS IN EARLY JANUARY, GIVING FOLKS PLENTY OF TIME TO, UH, COMPLETE THEIR APPLICATIONS.
WE MAY EVEN WANT TO CONSIDER IN BETWEEN THAT JANUARY AND THAT, UM, MAY, UH, DATE, UM, UH, TRAINING OPPORTUNITY, UH, SIMILAR TO WHAT THE STATE HAS, HAS DONE THIS YEAR, TO ENCOURAGE, UH, SOME OF THOSE APPLICATIONS TO COME IN, UM, UH, AND MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE SIGNING UP FOR AND THE COMPLIANCE REQUIRED, UH, IF THEY WERE TO RECEIVE AN AWARD.
AND, AND I THINK THAT HAS, HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE IN THE PAST.
UM, I THINK THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.
AND IT BRINGS US IN SYNC WITH THE STATE COMMITTEE.
AND THAT WAY PEOPLE KNOW WHAT THEY'RE APPLYING FOR.
AND LIKE YOU SAID, THE COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS.
AND WE COULD JUST STEAL WHAT THE STATE COMMITTEE'S DOING.
MR. STEWART WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT.
I'VE NEVER USED MORE THAN THAT.
A COUPLE OF THINGS ABOUT WHAT'S PUBLIC AND WHAT'S NOT.
IF A HOTEL IS LOCATED IN THE UNINCORPORATED PORTION OF THE COUNTY, THAT HOTEL DOESN'T PROVIDE PUBLIC ACCESS.
THEY DON'T WANT PEOPLE JUST WANDERING THE HALLS.
THEY HAVE A FORM OF RESTRICTION.
THAT MEANS YOU CHECK IN AT THE FRONT DESK.
IN PLACES LIKE HILTON HEAD, WHERE I UNDERSTAND 82% OF THE GEOGRAPHIC PROPERTY IS WITHIN GATES, THEY'VE INTERPRETED PUBLIC ACCESS TO MEAN THAT IF YOU RENT A SHORT TERM RENTAL, YOU GET THE RIGHT TO GO IN THERE AND ACCESS THE RENTAL THAT YOU RENT IT.
AND STATE LAW AND FEDERAL LAW PROTECT FOLKS FROM BEING DENIED THE OPPORTUNITY TO RENT THOSE ON THE BASIS OF ANY NUMBER OF CRITERIA.
SO IF YOU INTERPRET PUBLIC MEANING THAT SPACE IS OFFERED TO PEOPLE, AND THAT'S WHAT'S REQUIRED FOR YOU TO COLLECT HOSPITALITY TAXES AND A COMBINATION TAXES THAT REMOVES THE ISSUE THAT YOU RAISED ON FIP AND REMOVES THE ISSUE ON HARBOR AND REMOVES THE ISSUE ON DUSKY.
AND I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT CRITERIA THAT I'D ASK YOU TO LOOK AT AS IT RELATES TO THE STATE BOARD.
THE STATE CAN BE A GREAT RESOURCE AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT JUST AS YOU'RE PROPOSING.
BUT I'M ALSO AWARE, AS SOME OF YOU ARE, AND BY THE WAY, THE REASON I'M SPEAKING AND UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, IS BECAUSE I'M THE COUNTY'S REPRESENTATIVE ON THE CVB BOARD, AND WE DEAL WITH THESE THINGS ALL THE TIME, AND ALSO IN A COUPLE OF HOTELS.
SO I KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT THAT SIDE OF THE BUSINESS.
BUT WHAT WE ARE OCCURRING RIGHT NOW IS A NUMBER OF JURISDICTIONS IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA IS SUING THE, ARE SUING THE STATE PARK RECREATION TOURISM DEPARTMENT AND OR AIRBNB BECAUSE AIRBNB HAS REACHED AGREEMENT TO SEND THEIR AT TAX MONIES TO, UH, THE PARKS, RECREATION TOURISM FOLKS.
AND THEY SEND YOU A CHECK EVERY SO OFTEN IN AMOUNT THAT THEY DEEMED TO BE APPROPRIATE.
AND SOME OF THE FOLKS TO FILE SUIT TO SAY THAT THAT DEEMING WHAT'S APPROPRIATE MAY NOT IN FACT BE WHAT'S FAIR.
SO WHEN YOU ASK THOSE FOLKS TO BE INSIDE THE HOUSE ADVISING YOU ON HOW YOU SUSPEND YOUR MONEY, THAT SEEMS REASONABLE AND RESPONSIBLE.
BUT YOU MIGHT CHECK WITH THE FOLKS THAT ARE SUING THEM TO FEEL LIKE, SEE IF THEY'RE THE FOLKS YOU WANT INSIDE THE HOUSE, OR IF YOU MAY END UP PUTTING YOURSELF ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT SUIT AT SOMEPLACE IN THE FUTURE.
HAVING SAID THAT, I AM WITH YOU ON THIS TO THE PUBLIC, AND ONE OF THE CONCERNS I WOULD HAVE IS WHAT WE HAD WHEN I WAS ON COUNTY COUNCIL BACK WHEN I THINK MR. DAWSON, YOU AND I CAME ON AT THE SAME TIME.
UH, AND THAT WAS AT, IF YOU END UP WITH THE COUNTY FOLKS DECIDING AMONG THEMSELVES OF VARIOUS PET PROJECTS AND WHAT THEY'RE GONNA DO WITH THEIR, UH, THE FUNDS, THEN THAT INDIVIDUAL PERSON SITTING THERE SORT OF FEELING LIKE THEY'RE NOT REALLY A PART OF THE PROCESS.
THEY'RE JUST SORT OF THERE FOR, UH, OUR EYESHADOW.
[01:45:01]
CONSIDER AT LEAST THREE PEOPLE FROM THE PUBLIC BECAUSE YOU GOT GEOGRAPHIC DISPERSITY, YOU GOT IN, UH, DISPERSITY, AND YOU GOT A LEGITIMATE, UH, ISSUE.LAST THING, AND I WANNA MAKE THIS BECAUSE I KNOW EVERYBODY CARES ABOUT DEEPLY, AS DO I, IS WHEN YOU LOOK AT USING ACCOMMODATION TAXES, 2% AND 3% STATE AND LOCAL FOR THINGS LIKE WORKFORCE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR REMEMBERING HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS TO THE SUCCESS OF THIS COUNTY AND THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE THAT IN THE ORDINANCE FOR, UH, THE, IT IS THE TAX.
I DIDN'T SEE IT, BUT THAT'S WHY WE THANK YOU.
OH, BECAUSE IT'S IN THE ORDINANCE.
BUT IT'S NOT IN THIS DOCUMENT WE'RE LOOKING AT THINK IT'S COMING OUT IN 3% OR 2%.
AND THEN IT'S COMING OUTTA STATE TOO.
SO THE, THE 15%, UH, THAT'S ALLOWABLE BY THE STATE, WHERE WE IS IN, UH, IS IN THE, UH, ORDINANCE NOW AS AVAILABLE.
WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THE APPLICATION PROCESS, BUT THE FUNDS HAVE BEEN, UM, RESERVED FOR THAT AND EARMARKED.
THANKS FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR COMMENTS, SIR.
I, I LIKE THE CREATIVE, UH, UM, COMMENTS ABOUT THE GATED COMMUNITIES AND, AND THAT ACCESS.
SO WE'LL, WE'LL EXPLOIT THAT, UH, WORK WITH LEGAL TEAM AND SEE IF THERE'S SOME, UH, IF THERE'S SOME ROOM THERE.
BUT THAT, THAT'S CERTAINLY, UH, MR. STEWART'S CREATIVE MIND, UH, FINDING WAYS, UH, TO GET THINGS DONE.
UH, ANY OTHER COMMENT FROM ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE? I CAN'T BELIEVE MR. WELLS ISN'T GONNA COMMENT.
SO, UM, THE, WE CAN, UM, LET'S SEE.
I THINK WE CAN MOVE ON FROM THE, I WENT DOWN TO CRITERIA FOR PROJECT ELIGIBILITY.
SEE THAT SENTENCE THAT YOU HAVE? ONE SENTENCE.
THAT'S WHERE I PUT ACCORDING TO, UH, S-C-P-R-T, THE TRAVEL INSTITUTE OF AMERICA AND OTHER AGENCIES, TRAVEL DISTANCE IS GENERALLY DEFINED AS 50 MILES FROM HOME.
SO THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND I'M NOT A TOURIST.
SO, UH, UM, WE'LL BETTER DEFINE THAT IN THE YEAH.
BUT I THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE A GOOD PLACE TO PUT THAT.
THIS NEXT PART'S RIGHT FROM THE CODE.
SO YES, IT IS, UH, IT IS DIRECTLY FROM THE CODE AND COMPLIANT WITH THE, UH, STATE CODE AS WELL.
UH, SO THERE'S NOT, THERE'S NOT ANYTHING WE CAN CHANGE THERE.
WE'VE KIND OF BEAT THIS ONE UP IN THE PAST.
SO THE, THE SECTION THERE ON FUNDING, UH, PRIORITIES, THAT, THAT IS ESSENTIALLY WHAT THE, UM, COMMITTEE OR THAT WE WOULD PUT TOGETHER THE, UM, THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE WOULD USE AS THEIR REFERENCE, UM, FOR CONSIDERATION OF APPLICANTS.
WHAT WE EXPECT, UH, AN APPLICATE AN APPLICANT TO PROVIDE.
UH, THIS IS PRETTY CONSISTENT WITH OUR APPLICATIONS NOW, RIGHT.
UH, WITH OUR EXISTING APPLICATION PROCESS.
SO WE DIDN'T NEED TO CHANGE THAT MUCH, BUT IF WE DO TRAINING, WE'LL HAVE TO PUT IT IN HERE SOMEWHERE.
UH, ABSOLUTELY WE CAN DO THAT.
UH, I DID MAKE A NOTE OF THAT.
'CAUSE I THINK THAT'S A PRETTY IMPORTANT TO DO.
UM, I, I THINK THAT'S A, A GREAT MEASURE THAT THE, UH, STATE AT TAX COMMITTEE IS DOING.
AND, UH, I THINK THAT'S GONNA BE REALLY SUCCESSFUL AND WE SHOULD STEAL THAT IDEA FROM YOU.
AND I REALLY HOPE IT ENCOURAGES MORE GROUPS TO APPLY.
MAYBE THEY WOULD APPLY FOR THESE FUNDS AS MUCH AS IT, UH, AS IT SHOULD BE ABOUT TRAINING.
UH, IT SHOULD, UH, BE IN GREAT PART DISCUSSION ABOUT EXPECTATION OF COMPLIANCE.
UH, FOR, UH, FOR FOLKS WHO ARE AWARDED, UH, SO THAT THEY ARE NOT SURPRISED THE COUNTY'S EXPECTATIONS OF REPORTING, UH, FOR THESE, UH, FOR THESE DOLLARS, UH, THE BUDGET AND ELIGIBLE EXPENSES, UM, IS, IS, UH, SECTION IS PRETTY CLEAR.
UH, I THINK, UM, DID YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS THERE? I DON'T WANNA BELABOR THIS, UH, ANYMORE THAN WE NEED TO.
LET ME, LET'S GO BACK TO, UM, QUICKLY, UM, THE TIMELINE.
UM, AND YOU GOT THE CALENDAR YEAR THERE AND JUST LET ME, LET ME WALK THROUGH AN EVENT, UM, TWO EVENTS.
AND THEN THERE'S THE GOLF FESTIVAL
[01:50:01]
THAT USUALLY HAPPENED HERE, GENERALLY IN MAY.UM, TIMEWISE THE, IF I LOOK AT THIS CALENDAR TIMELINE HERE, UM, THE SHRIMP FESTIVAL WOULD PROBABLY BE OKAY IN PLACING THE APPLICATION IN, UM, SOMETHING LIKE THE GULLAH FESTIVAL THAT HAPPENED IN MAY.
THEY WOULD HAVE TO DO IT A YEAR IN ADVANCE.
SO THAT CAN BE CHALLENGING A LOT OF TIMES BECAUSE THEY, THEY'RE PROBABLY GOING THROUGH THE CURRENT EVENT AND THEN THEY'RE ASKING TO BE OH, RIGHT.
SO I'M JUST THROW, I WANT TO THROW THAT OUT THERE AS BECAUSE WE, BECAUSE WE MISSED IT, WE MISSED A YEAR FOR APPROPRIATION THERE, AND THEIR APPROPRIATION THIS YEAR WOULDN'T REALLY GET THEM ANY DOLLARS UNTIL NEXT YEAR.
FIRST YEAR MIGHT BE A LITTLE TOUGH IF WE GET THROUGH, BUT, UH, WE CAN LEAVE SOME OPPORTUNITY IN THERE FOR SOME SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES.
A LOT OF FESTIVALS HAPPENED IN THE SPRING AND THE FALL OF THE YEAR.
VERY SELDOM WE HAVE FESTIVALS IN THE ROOM MONTHS.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE CALENDAR COULD BE BROUGHT BACK TO LIKE A NOVEMBER APPLICATION OCTOBER APPLICATION, YOU KNOW, BUT THAT'S JUST ME AND MY, DON'T FORGET, THEY CAN STILL APPLY FOR THE STATE APAX THE 2% CORRECT? MM-HMM.
SO THEY STILL APPLY, THEY APPLY FOR THE 2%.
THEY WOULD, UH, BE ON TRACK FOR THIS YEAR.
UM, BUT FOR NEXT YEAR TO GET LOCAL A TAX FOR THE PROCESS PROCESS WE OCCUPIED BY A CERTAIN DEADLINE.
IT'S THE SAME THING FOR A STATE.
2% THEY'VE GOT ONE YEAR, THEN WHAT YEAR THING IS YOU MAY HAVE TO APPLY YOU'RE IN ADVANCE THAT WE, WE DON'T EVER GET A REQUEST FROM.
UM, BUT I'M GONNA USE THEM AS EXAMPLE.
WE DON'T EVER GET A REQUEST FROM THE WATER FESTIVAL COMMITTEE.
STATE ATECH, DIDN'T WE HAVE IT? MM-HMM.
I'M THINKING OF THE, UM, OYSTER FESTIVAL.
I'M JUST SAYING I'M USING IT AS AN EXAMPLE.
UH, BUT IF WE, WE OF THEIR ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE, UM, THEY COULD FIT ANY TIMELINE WE GOT.
PROBABLY THERE WAS A LOT OF, LOT OF FESTIVAL.
THAT'S ONLY COMMON I'M GONNA MAKE.
I WANT MR. WELLS, HE RAISED HIS HAND BECAUSE I, YOU'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THE TIMING OF FESTIVALS.
MAYBE WE TALK ABOUT TIMING OF FESTIVALS AT ANOTHER, AT ANOTHER DAY TIME.
BUT AS FAR, FAR AS THIS LOCAL ORDINANCE, THIS LOCAL EXACT HA, THE QUESTION IS, IS IT A REIMBURSED GRANT? YES.
FESTIVALS WILL STILL APPLY IN THE TIMELINE AND MANNER WILL THEIR LEVEL OF REIMBURSEMENT WILL TAKE PLACE POST.
SO FESTIVAL MAY, THEY MAY BE RIDING THAT REIMBURSEMENT IN JUNE, JULY IF THEY HAVE THEIR DUCKS IN ROW.
SO THEY TECHNICALLY COULD, I WOULD ENCOURAGE MY FRIENDS AT THE GOLD FESTIVAL TO APPLY FOR VOTES STATE ATAC AND LOCAL ATAC, UH, BECAUSE VOTES SET FOR REIMBURSEMENT.
YOU DON'T WANNA TALK ABOUT THE TIMING OF FESTIVALS, IF IT INCREASES TOURISM.
I MEAN, THAT'S SOMETHING FOR THE COMMITTEE TO GO THROUGH.
AS THE COMMITTEE SAT DOWN, WE'D LOVE TO SHARE SOME INFORMATION ABOUT WHY ECONOMIC LIFT IS IMPORTANT, WHY INVESTMENT IN CUSTOMERS ARE IMPORTANT FOR THAT TIMING AND WHAT TIME HAPPENS.
THAT'S PROBABLY BECAUSE WHAT I LEARNED FROM ALL THIS, FROM ESPECIALLY YOU TWO, IT'S A RETURN ON INVESTMENT.
SO WE'RE JUST NOT PUTTING MONEY OUT THERE TO DO SOMETHING.
THE QUESTION IS, DOES IT PUT HEADS IN BEDS AND IS IT BRINGING REVENUE? AND IF WE HAVE ALL THE FESTIVALS IN MAY, THAT'S NOT INCREASING TOURISM.
SO THAT'S A COMMITTEE DECISION.
THEY DO PROVIDE ECONOMIC IN CERTAIN CAPACITY.
NOW, IF THE, IF THE GRANT LOCAL IS GONNA BE A, AT THE END, THE, THAT WOULD BENEFIT THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR FESTIVALS BECAUSE THEY ARE AT COUNCIL SHARED, THEY'RE ORGANIZED WATER FESTIVAL HAVE THE, UH, FUND BALANCE TO MM-HMM.
ALRIGHT, SO, UM, RE REIMBURSEMENT PROCEDURES ARE ADDRESSED, UM, ON THE LAST PAGE.
UM, SO IN BETWEEN, UM, IN BETWEEN WHERE WE ARE AND THERE IS, UH, FUNDING PRIORITIES, UH, BUDGET ELIGIBLE, UM, EXPENDITURES, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS THAT IS COMPLIANT WITH THE, UH, STATE LAW.
UM, THAT IS, THAT IS NOT NEW, UM, STATEMENT
[01:55:01]
OF ASSURANCE.UH, THIS IS THE, THE APPLICANT OR THE APPLICATION MUST BE SIGNED ELECTRONICALLY BY A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ORGANIZATION TO THE NOTE THAT ALL THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE APPLICATION IS ACCURATE, COMPLETE, AND TO THE, UH, BEST OF THE APPLICANT'S KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITY.
SO THIS IS REALLY THAT APPLICATION PROCESS WE GO ON TO TALK ABOUT THE EVA, UM, APPLICANT EVALUATION.
SO THIS WOULD BE, UH, SOME DISCUSSION, UM, OF THE, UH, UM, COMMITTEE.
THE SCORING CRITERIA? UH, WELL, WE, WE HAVEN'T, UH, WE HAVEN'T REALLY DONE THIS BEFORE.
THIS WAS A STAFF DECISION BEFORE.
SO THE CRI SO THE CRITERIA, THE EVALUATION CRITERIA, UM, WAS REALLY MODELED AFTER SOME OTHER AGENCIES THAT USED THIS FORMULA.
AND THIS REALLY SUPPORTS THE CREATION OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
SO THERE'S SOME GUIDANCE FOR THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE, UM, APPLICATION EVALUATION.
TELL
SO THAT'S THE EVALUATION CRITERIA.
AND THEN, UH, AND THEN THE, UH, THE, UH, APPLICATION PACKAGE.
UM, SO THERE'S UH, THREE, THREE BULLET POINTS THERE THAT REALLY HAVE THE APPLICATION PACKAGE.
WHAT IS THE EXPECTATION FOR INCLUSION IN THE APPLICATION PACKAGE, WHICH WOULD BE A REFLECTION OF THE APPLICATION EVALUATION.
UH, YOU TO SEE THEY'VE COMPLETED ALL THE REPORTING DEPARTMENTS FOR THE, UH, PRIOR YEAR.
SO YOU CAN'T RECEIVE ANY FUNDS FROM A NEW GRANT WITHOUT A COMPLETE PACKAGE FROM THE PRIOR YEAR.
THAT'D JUST BE SOMETHING TO CONSIDER.
THAT'S SOMETHING FOR THE FINANCE COMMITTEE I'LL HAVE TO DISCUSS.
I I DO AGREE THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME TEETH IN THERE FOR EXPECTATION OF COMPLIANCE OR REPORTING.
UH, WE, WE SHOULD NOT BE IN THE BUSINESS OF, UH, AWARDING, UH, FUNDS WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT'S BEING DONE WITH THE DOLLARS THAT, UH, THAT YOU REPRESENT, UH, ON BEHALF OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
SO WE CAN PUT SOME LANGUAGE IN THERE.
I'M, I'M KIND OF IN BETWEEN YOU AND, AND BRIAN.
I KNOW I LIKE, I LIKE TO UH, I LIKE TO GIVE FOLKS THE OPPORTUNITY TO CORRECT THEIR MISTAKE.
UM, AND THEN IF WE'VE COMMUNICATED CLEARLY AND GIVEN THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO REMEDY THEIR ISSUE AND THEN WE SHARPEN OUR TEETH, IF WE DO THE TRAINING, IT'LL BE CLEAR THEN.
AND I'M JUST LOOKING AT ACCOUNTABILITY TO OUR RESIDENTS THAT WE'RE NOT JUST GIVING, YOU KNOW, JOHN ROBINSON $50,000 FOR SOME FESTIVAL.
THERE'S A LITTLE, THERE'S AN ELEMENT OF ACCOUNTABILITY TO BE RIGHT.
THE REIMBURSEMENT PART PROTECTS US FROM THAT.
UM, SO THE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS IS WHAT IS WHAT FOLLOWS? BEAUFORT COUNTY REQUIRES GRANTEES TO COMPLETE ONE QUARTERLY REPORT, UM, EACH QUARTER, EVEN IF REIMBURSEMENT BUN UH, FUNDS ARE NOT BEING SOUGHT AT THAT TIME.
[02:00:01]
ONCE A PROJECT IS COMPLETE AND ALL FUNDS ARE RECEIVED FOR THE PROJECT, EVENT, GRANTEES ARE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT PROOF OF GRANT EXPENDITURE WITH EACH DRAWDOWN, INCLUDING THE DETAILED INVOICES OR PROOF OF PAYMENT, UH, PROOF OF PAYMENT ADDITIONAL TO THE PROGRESS REPORT.UH, DOCUMENT FUNDS WILL NOT BE PROVIDED UPFRONT NOR WITHOUT PROPER DOCUMENTATION AS STATED ABOVE.
UM, AND THEN, UM, LASTLY IS, UM, THE GRANTED ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, UH, GRANTEE MUST ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT OF THE ACCOMMODATION TAX AND H TAX FUNDING BY INCLUDING, UH, THE, THE BEAUFORT COUNTY LOGO, OR BY STATING THAT THE FUNDS WERE PROVIDED BY BEAUFORT COUNTY, UM, ESPECIALLY IN THE DEGREE INTO WHICH YOUR PROJECT CONTRIBUTES TO BEAUFORT COUNTY TOURISM.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THESE EVENTS TO ACKNOWLEDGE WHERE THEIR DOLLARS CAME FROM, WHERE THEIR DOLLARS, UH, SUPPORT THIS.
AND HOPEFULLY THAT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, UM, GARNERS SOME POSITIVITY THAT WE'RE HELPING, UH, HELPING GET THESE, UH, PROGRAMS OFF THE BOARD AND GENERATING MORE DOLLARS.
I REMEMBER NOT LONG AGO, UM, MR. STEWART TALKED ABOUT THE DOLLARS GENERATED HERE AND THE, IT WAS, UM, FOR $1 SPENT, UH, TOURISM WAS GENERATING, UH, BACK $11.
IS THAT RIGHT? UM, SO THAT, THAT IS SIGNIFICANT, UH, INVESTMENT IN, UM, IN THESE TOURISM PROGRAMS AND THEY'RE REALLY IMPORTANT.
DID YOU REQUIRE THIS NOW THAT THEY ACKNOWLEDGE WHERE THEY GOT THE GRANT MONEY? UM, I BELIEVE THAT WE ASK FOR THAT, BUT IT'S NOT IN AN ORDINANCE OR A POLICY.
DID WE DO IT WITH THE STATE FUND? STATE CODE? NOT WITH THE STATE.
UH, THERE'S NO REQUIREMENT ON LOGO, UM, ON THAT'S SO, UM, I WOULD, I WOULD, THAT WOULD BE A CONVERSATION ABOUT, MAKE SURE THAT'S CLEAR ABOUT WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS ARE.
WE HOPE THAT IT COULD BE PUT BACK ON THE WEBSITE SO THAT WE CAN POINT BACK OFFICERSHIP.
NOT, NOT LANDSCAPING WATER AS OPPOSED TO LOGO, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
BUT I CAN ACKNOWLEDGE ON WEBSITE OR IN SPONSORSHIP.
SO THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD DEFINITELY NEED TO BE CLARIFIED, ESPECIALLY WITH THOSE WHO ARE SORTING OUT ADS.
SO WE'LL HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT? THIS WAS REALLY GOOD, MR. ROBINSON.
WELL, TO, TO, UM, I DIDN'T DO IT.
UM,
UM, CHRISTINE DID THE BULK OF THIS WORK AND I GOT TO READ IT TO YOU.
SO, UH, THEY, UM, DID ALL THE WORK.
AND AGAIN, TO ACKNOWLEDGE BRIAN DID A LOT OF THE WORK ON THE FRONT END WITH THE STATE THING.
THIS, UH, THE COUNTY TEAM IS, UH, IS VERY IMPORTANT, VERY PROFESSIONAL AND GET A LOT OF THINGS DONE.
WE WOULD NOT GET ANYTHING DONE ON OUR OWN.
AND EVEN IF WE ARGUE SOMETIMES WE STILL GET IT DONE.
WELL, WE APPRECIATE THIS WORK.
UM, I WAS ASKED BY, UM, MR. MCALLEN, ARE YOU GOING TO PRESENT THE PROCUREMENT POLICY AT THE COUNTY COUNCIL ON THE 26TH? UM, THAT IS THE INTENT, YES.
SO, UH, IT WILL NOT BE AT COUNTY COUNCIL, IT WILL BE AT THE FINANCE COMMITTEE FIRST.
FOR FINANCE COMMITTEE'S CONSIDERATION TO FORWARD TO COUNTY COUNCIL.
BUT YES, THAT IS, THAT IS OUR GOAL.
ANYBODY ELSE? QUESTION, COMMENT FROM THE COUNCIL? WELL DONE.
LARRY, ANYTHING FOR YOU? OKAY.
ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE? OKAY, THEN I THINK WE ARE ADJOURNED.
I WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN, MR. ROBINSON.
THAT WAS A LOT OF WORK, A LOT OF TIME.