[I. CALL TO ORDER]
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GOOD MORNING EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING.
WE CAN START NOW THAT MAYOR PERRY HAS ARRIVED.
[II.A. Presentation by Ms. Victoria Hoffman of the Beaufort County Recycling Program]
ALRIGHT.WE, TODAY WE ARE GONNA HAVE A, A PRESENTATION BY MS. VICTORIA HOFFMAN OF BEAUFORT COUNTY RECYCLING PROGRAM.
AND THIS IS A FOLLOW UP TO OUR PREVIOUS CONVERSATIONS ABOUT, UM, ABOUT LITTERING AND, UM, UH, TU MS. VICTORIA, PLEASE JOIN US AT THE PODIUM.
I'M LIKE, WHO DO I TALK TO? OKAY.
WELL, YOU'RE, YOU'RE BEING RECORDED AND, UH, SO YOU'RE, WHATEVER YOU SAY CAN AND WILL BE USED AGAINST YOU.
I'M JUST GONNA STOP NOW AND WE'LL HAVE IT ON VIDEO.
SO, UH, THEY'LL HEAR YOU IF YOU'RE TALKING TO THE MICROPHONE.
AND, UH, WE'LL BE POLITE UP HERE.
SO, MY NAME IS VICTORIA HOFFMAN.
I AM BORROWING A PRESENTATION FROM OUR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATOR, VALENTINA, UH, PALACIO.
SHE TYPICALLY GOES AND SPEAKS AT EVENTS LIKE THIS AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH, UM, SCHOOLS TO KIND OF DISCUSS RECYCLING AND NOT JUST RECYCLING IN SOLID WASTE, BUT STORMWATER AS WELL.
SO I'VE USED HER PRESENTATION SO YOU CAN USE HER CONTACT INFORMATION IF YOU WOULD LIKE FOR HER TO COME AND SPEAK AT A SIMILAR EVENT OR IF YOU HAVE A COMMUNITY GROUP THAT YOU THINK WOULD BE INTERESTED.
UM, BUT TODAY WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT SOME CHANGES THAT HAVE RECENTLY TAKEN PLACE WITH THE SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING PROGRAM IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
UM, THIS IS, WE ALWAYS WANNA TELL PEOPLE WHY YOU SHOULD RECYCLE.
UM, NOT ONLY IS IT GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, BUT IT CREATES JOBS.
WE CAN SERVE ENERGY AND THE BIGGEST FACTOR IS WE'RE ALL SHARING THE SAME LANDFILL AND WE WANNA REDUCE SPACE IN THAT LANDFILL.
UM, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I DON'T WANT A NEW LANDFILL IN MY BACKYARD.
SO OUR BIGGEST, UM, INCENTIVE TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO NOT ONLY RECYCLE BUT REDUCE WASTE IS TO CONSERVE THAT LANDFILL.
UM, SO RECENTLY WE HAVE MADE SOME CHANGES WITH BEAUFORT COUNTY AND RECYCLING AT OUR CONVENIENCE CENTERS.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT IT IS OUR COUNTY CONVENIENCE CENTERS.
UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY DOES NOT HOLD A CONTRACT FOR CURBSIDE RECYCLING AND COLLECTION SERVICES.
UM, BUT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED BECAUSE WE'VE RECENTLY, UM, CHANGED OVER OUR CONTRACT, UM, FOR 15, 20 PLUS YEARS.
WE'VE HAD A DIFFERENT VENDOR AND THE USE OF I TWO RECYCLE WITH MIKE BENNETT, UM, IS NEW FOR US.
UM, SO THERE'S BEEN, UM, SOME RECENT CHANGES, NOT TOO MANY, UH, BUT WHAT'S REALLY EXCITING IS THE FACT THAT HIS, UM, FACILITY OR MATERIAL RECOVERY FACILITY, MURPH, FOR SHORT, IS LOCATED HERE LOCALLY IN HARDY.
SO ALL OF OUR MATERIALS THAT WE'RE COLLECTING AT OUR BEAVER COUNTY CONVENIENCE CENTER GOES TO HIS FACILITY OR SOME OF THEM, UM, SOME HE SHIPS DIRECTLY TO MARKET, BUT YOU'RE ABLE TO GO THERE AND TOUR THE FACILITY.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING ON NOVEMBER 15TH.
UM, AND OUR, UM, CELEBRATION FOR AMERICA RECYCLES DAY, UH, WE ARE HAVING HOSTING EDUCATIONAL TALKS THAT YOU CAN GO ONLINE AND SIGN UP FOR, AND THEN ALSO A TOUR OF THE MERV AND YOU CAN EVEN GO BEHIND THE LINE AND HELP SORT THE RECYCLABLES, UH, THAT HE RECEIVES FROM OUR CONVENIENCE CENTERS TO SHOW YOU WHY THESE STANDARDS ARE IN PLACE AND HOW DIFFICULT IT IS WHENEVER YOU RECEIVE CONTAMINATION.
UH, SO, UM, SOME OF THE ACCEPTED ITEMS HERE, WE ALWAYS LIKE TO SAY THE BIG FIVE.
WE DO HAVE ADDITIONAL MATERIALS THAT WE ACCEPT, BUT THE BIG FIVE THAT WE ALWAYS WANT PEOPLE TO REMEMBER ARE PLASTICS ONE AND TWO ARE CORRUGATED CARDBOARD, UH, METAL FOOD AND BEVERAGE CANS, GLASS BOTTLES AND JARS AND MIXED PAPER.
WE ALSO PUT PLASTIC FILM ON HERE AND WE DO ALSO ACCEPT OUR BULKY METALS.
OTHER PEOPLE CALL IT WHITE GOODS.
AND THOSE ARE YOUR APPLIANCES.
AND THEN WE RECYCLE OTHER ITEMS TOO.
BUT THE MAIN THINGS THAT WE WANT PEOPLE TO REALIZE THAT WE CAN RECYCLE AT THE CENTERS ARE THESE, UM, THERE ARE SOME RESTRICTIONS SET IN PLACE.
UH, WHAT YOU CAN ACCEPT AT A MATERIALS RECOVERY FACILITY DEPENDS ON THE MATERIALS RECOVERY FACILITY.
AND, UM, SOME ARE MORE EQUIPPED TO HANDLE, UH, MORE ITEMS, UM, HEAVIER LOADS OF ITEMS. BUT ARE MRF ACCEPTS WHAT THEY CAN BECAUSE IT'S A MANUAL SORTER.
AND, UM, YOU CAN SEE FROM THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, MANUAL SORT SORTER IS EXACTLY WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE.
MANUAL LABOR, SORTING THE MATERIALS.
SO IF IT'S CONTAMINATED, THAT HAS TO SLOW DOWN THE PROCESS OF SORTING THE MATERIAL AND BAILING IT.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO GIVE US CLEAN ITEMS IN WHAT IT IS THAT WE ARE WANTING.
SO THESE ARE OUR BIGGEST ITEMS THAT CONTAMINATE OUR RECYCLING STREAM,
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AND I DO WANT TO DEFINITELY GIVE PRAISE TO OUR RESIDENTS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.LAST MONTH FROM OUR COUNTY CONVENIENCE CENTERS, WE ONLY HAD A 4%, UM, RATE OF CONTAMINATION.
SO ONLY 4% OF THE LOADS THAT WE RECEIVED FROM BEAVERT COUNTY CONVENIENCE CENTERS HAD TO BE LANDFILLED DUE TO CONTAMINATION.
AND THAT'S AMAZING IN YOUR TYPICAL SINGLE STREAM, USUALLY THAT'S A 50% CONTAMINATION RATE.
UM, TYPICALLY WHENEVER THEY RECEIVE SINGLE STREAM MATERIALS, THEY HAVE, UH, HEAVY DUTY MATERIALS TO SORT IT.
SO ROBOTS, ALL TYPES OF ARMS AND MAGNETIC WAVES THAT THEY CAN ZAP, UH, CANS AND MAKE IT MAGNETIC AND SORT.
BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT WE HAVE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY ANYWAY.
OUR BIGGEST CONTAMINATIONS ARE PLASTIC FILM.
UM, SO WHENEVER YOU RECEIVE THOSE GARBAGE BAGS AT OUR CENTERS, WE DO HAVE A SEPARATE AREA THAT YOU CAN RECYCLE THEM.
I HAVE TOLD MY MOTHER-IN-LAW SO MANY TIMES THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, PLEASE DON'T THROW THAT IN THE RECYCLE BIN.
SHE WAS EVEN AT MY HOUSE AND I HOPPED AND TOOK IT FROM HER AND SHOWED HER AND DUMPED IT OUT.
IF YOU'RE ON THAT SORTING LINE AND YOU SEE A BAG GO THROUGH, ARE YOU GONNA RIP IT OPEN AND LIKE, SORT THROUGH IT? ABSOLUTELY NOT.
IT'S LIKE, UM, WHAT IS IT? I LOVE LUCY.
WHENEVER SHE'S GOING THROUGH THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE LIKE, YOU DON'T HAVE TIME TO EAT THE CHOCOLATES.
YOU DON'T HAVE TIME TO SORT THROUGH THE MATERIALS.
IF IT'S BAG, IT LOOKS LIKE TRASH, IT'S GONNA BE DUMPED, BULKY ITEMS. IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE COULD RECEIVE THESE ITEMS. YES, THAT'S A PLASTIC TOTE BIN, HOWEVER, IT'S NOT A NUMBER ONE OR TWO PLASTIC JUG OR JAR.
AND THEN CROSS-CONTAMINATION OF RECYCLING.
SO FOOD, UM, IF YOU HAD A DELICIOUS PIZZA BOX, UH, WE DON'T WANT THAT.
IT'S GOING TO CONTAMINATE THE REST OF THE STREAM.
IF YOU'VE GOT DIP IN A SPIT CUP, DEFINITELY NOT.
EW, PLEASE DON'T PUT IT IN THE RECYCLE BIN.
PEOPLE ARE TOUCHING IT, WE'RE HAVING TO SQUISH IT AND VEIL IT.
UM, SO THAT'S WHY WE SAY NO CROSS CONTAMINATION, WHICH IS BASICALLY FOOD OR OTHER MATERIALS, UM, IN THE RECYCLING.
AND UNFORTUNATELY THESE ARE THE TWO CENTERS THAT ARE, UM, CONVENIENCE CENTERS THAT HAVE THE MOST CONTAMINATION.
AND WE ARE WORKING WITH STAFF ON SITE.
OUR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATOR, UH, VALENTINA, UM, IS WORKING TOWARDS GOING OUT TO THE CENTERS TO EDUCATE THE RESIDENTS AS THEY COME IN.
AND THESE ARE OUR BEAUTIFUL NEW BINS.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE SEEN 'EM AROUND TOWN.
WE PAINTED THEM BRIGHT ORANGE.
UM, NOT SURE IF IT WAS A BLESSING OR A CURSE TO HAVE THEM SO HIGHLY VISIBLE.
BUT IF YOU DO SEE THEM, IT MA OUR WONDERFUL RERUN MASCOT IS ON THERE.
AND THAT'S HOW YOU KNOW THAT THEY ARE SENT BINS FROM OUR COUNTY CONVENIENCE CENTERS.
BUT WE ARE WORKING TOWARDS, UM, MORE CONTAMINATION PREVENTION AT THESE TWO, UH, RED CENTERS.
IS THAT WHAT WE'RE CALLING THEM? ALL RIGHT.
SO WHAT HAS CHANGED? WE'VE ALWAYS ACCEPTED PLASTICS ONES AND TWOS, UM, BOTTLES, JUGS JARS, UH, A BIT OF THE INTO WHAT'S CHANGED ABOUT 'EM.
UM, AND THIS ISN'T CAUSING CONTAMINATION, SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO POINT THAT OUT.
THESE ARE, UH, PREFERENCES FROM OUR VENDOR AT I TWO AND FOR SPECIFIC REASONS.
SO HE WOULD LIKE FOR US TO REMOVE ALL BOTTLE, ALL THE CAPS FROM THE JARS AND THAT SO WE CAN COMPRESS THE BALES MORE.
I ALWAYS LIKE TO TELL PEOPLE I LOVE TO MAKE WREATHS, BUT IF NOBODY'S BUYING MY WREATH, THEY'RE SITTING IN MY HUSBAND'S GARAGE AND THEN HE HAS TO DEAL WITH THAT PILE OF WREATHS.
IF WE DON'T HAVE A GOOD COMMODITY, IT, WE CAN'T SELL IT.
SO IN ORDER TO HAVE A BETTER COMMODITY TO GET MORE MONEY OUT OF OUR COMMODITIES, WE ASK THAT THESE THINGS.
SO REMOVING THE CAPS HELPS SQUISH THE LOADS A BIT MORE, SO WE'RE GETTING A HEAVIER WEIGHT ON THAT VEIL.
AND THEN THE ITEM OF MUST BE LARGER THAN A CUP AND NO LARGER THAN A GALLON IS BECAUSE OF THAT SQUISH RATE CONTAMINATION.
AND OF COURSE THE SORTING PROCESS.
AND THEN YOU DON'T WANNA FLATTEN THE MATERIAL BECAUSE THEN IT'S NOT LOOKING LIKE A BOTTLE AS IT MOVES ALONG THE SORTING LINE.
AND THEN FOR HIGHER, UH, QUALITY MURPHS, UM, IF IT'S CRUSHED LIKE THAT, IT'S NOT GOING TO FLOW LIKE A PLASTIC BOTTLE WAS.
SO THERE'S SEVERAL REASONS WHY YOU DON'T WANNA CRUSH THINGS.
UM, AND THESE ARE OUR COMMONLY FOUND ITEMS. UM, THE CARTONS THAT YOU RECEIVE, YOUR STRAWBERRIES OR BLUEBERRIES IN PLASTIC BAGS, THE SINGLE USE PLASTICS CUPS AND THEN LIKE THE LITTLE YOGURT CONTAINERS, REMEMBER THAT'S, UM, NOT AN EIGHT OUNCE CONTAINER.
SO WE REALLY DON'T WANT THAT IN OUR STREAM.
AND THEN CORRUGATED CARDBOARD, WOOHOO FOR AMAZON, BUT IT'S ALSO CREATED A PILE UP WITH OUR CARDBOARD.
THAT'S ONE OF THE, UM, THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT WE ARE DEALING WITH ON DUSKY ISLAND.
PEOPLE SHIP STUFF IN AND THEN WE HAVE TO SHIP THAT, UH, MATERIAL BACK OUT FOR CORRUGATED CARDBOARD.
WE LIKE FOR YOU TO FLATTEN IT.
IT JUST HELPS US, UM, DECREASE THE HAULS FROM OUR CENTERS.
THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST COSTS, UM,
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IS TO HAUL THE MATERIAL FROM OUR CENTER, UH, TO THE VENDOR.SO IF YOU FLATTEN IT PRIOR TO IT GETTING INTO THE COMPACTOR, IT HELPS US TO MAKE SURE THAT THE LOWS LEAVING OUR CENTERS, UM, ARE FULL AND HAS MAX AMOUNT OF WEIGHT.
AND THEN OF COURSE WE WANT IT TO BE CLEAN AND DRY AND THEN REMOVE ALL THE EXCESS STUFF AND RECYCLE IT IN A DIFFERENT AREA LIKE THE PACKING PILLOWS, UM, AND DIFFERENT THINGS THAT COME IN THERE.
WE ARE, IT'S SO GREAT THAT YOU HAD A WONDERFUL TAKEOUT MEAL, BUT WE DON'T WANT IT IN OUR RECYCLING STREAM.
SO JUST LIKE IF YOU TOUCH IT, IT GETS ON YOUR HAND.
IF THAT TOUCHES OTHER RECYCLING MATERIALS, IT'S CONTAMINATING THEM.
AND THEN OF COURSE, WET BOXES AND METAL FOOD AND BEVERAGE CANS.
WE'VE ALWAYS ACCEPTED THESE, BOTH STEEL AND TIN.
WE'D JUST LIKE FOR YOU TO RINSE OUT ANY RESIDUE AND THEN DON'T CRUSH.
AND FOR THE SAME REASONS, UM, NOT CRUSHING THEM, UH, IT LOOKS LIKE A PIECE OF TRASH, IT'S NOT GONNA BE SORTED CORRECTLY.
AND THEN OF COURSE TO RINSE IT OUT BECAUSE IT'S GONNA CAUSE CONTAMINATION.
AND SOME OF THE BIGGEST ITEMS IS RECEIVING SCRAP METAL IN OUR ALUMINUM TIN.
IT'S SOMETHING WE RECEIVE A LOT.
OF COURSE THE CRUSH CANS AND THEN THE PAINT CANS.
WE HAVE SEPARATE AREAS FOR EACH OF THESE COMMODITIES AT OUR CENTERS.
AND THEN GLASS BOTTLES AND JARS.
WE'VE ALWAYS ACCEPTED THIS MATERIAL.
THE ONLY CHANGES WE'VE MADE, WHICH THIS HAS ACTUALLY BEEN IMPLEMENTED, UH, BEFORE NOW, UH, BUT WE'VE ALWAYS ASKED FOR YOU TO REMOVE THE CAPS BECAUSE YOU ARE THEN MINGLING TO DIFFERENT COMMODITIES AND UH, THE CENTERS WE SOURCE SEPARATE.
SO IF YOU HAVE A GLASS JAR AND THEN A METAL LID, UM, THAT'S NOT THE SAME COMMODITY.
AND UM, THIS ACTUALLY MATERIAL GOES STRAIGHT TO THE VENDOR HERE IN BEAUFORT AT GLASSWORKS AND THEN RINSE OUT THE RESIDUE.
I THINK FOR OBVIOUS REASONS, UH, IF ANYBODY'S BROKEN A GLASS AT THEIR HOUSE.
UM, AND THEN ONLY ITEMS THAT WE WANT TO RECEIVE ARE THE BOTTLES AND JARS.
UH, IF YOU HAVE A WINDOW THAT IS NOT GOING TO GO IN OUR GLASS BIN.
AND THEN CONTAMINANTS, LIKE I SAID, WE RECEIVED IS JUST ITEMS THAT AREN'T BOTTLES, JUGS OR JARS.
UM, WE CAN'T ACCEPT ANY BROKEN POTTERY, DISHWARE, ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
AND THEN MIXED PAPER, THIS IS ONE THAT WE RECEIVED A LOT OF FEEDBACK FROM.
UM, I TOO WOULD LIKE FOR IT TO BE LARGER THAN A STANDARD ENVELOPE.
UM, IT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE TRASH, IT'S NOT EASY TO SORT.
AND THEN ALSO IT REALLY CAN, UM, STARTS TO BECOME, UH, LITTER ONCE IT IS SMALL.
SO SHREDDED PAPER WE DON'T WANT IN OUR RECYCLE BIN, YOU SHOULD EITHER TRASH OR COMPOST THAT.
AND THEN ANYTHING SMALLER THAN THE ENVELOPE, JUST GO AHEAD AND TRASH THAT.
AND I WAS HEARTBROKEN ABOUT THIS WITH MY STICKY NOTES.
UM, TRYING TO NOT USE THEM AS MUCH ANYMORE.
UH, OR I STICK 'EM TO MAYBE A PIECE OF PAPER.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S GETTING AROUND THE SYSTEM, SO DON'T QUOTE ME ON THAT.
AND THEN OF COURSE FOR IT TO BE CLEAN AND DRY.
AND THEN YOUR PAPERBOARD BOXES ALSO GO IN WITH THE PAPER.
IT'S NOT THAT CORRUGATED PAPER, IT'S THE PAPERBOARD BOXES THAT YOU CAN STICK IN WITH THE PAPER AS WELL AS WITH THE, UM, NEWSPAPERS IN SOME CONTAMINATION THAT WE RECEIVE OUR BOOKS.
YOU CAN TAKE BOOKS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY TO THE LIBRARIES.
WE COLLECT THEM FROM THE LIBRARIES AND DO SHIP THEM OFF, BUT THEY CAN'T BE PUT INTO OUR MIXED PAPER BIN.
AND AS I SAID, SHREDDED PAPER NOT ACCEPTED IN OUR BIN, IT REALLY JUST CAUSES LITTER, UM, SHOULD BE COMPOSTED.
AND THEN OF COURSE THE SINGLE USE NAPKINS, CUPS AND RECEIPTS ARE NOT, UM, ANYTHING WITH THAT LIKE PLASTIC COATING WE'RE NOT WANTING IN OUR PAPER.
AND THEN WE DO ACCEPT PLASTIC FILM.
UH, WE HAVE THE BINS AS YOU CAN SEE AT EACH OF THE FOUR MAIN CENTERS WHERE WE DO ACCEPT RECYCLING AND THEY CAN BE PLACED IN A SEPARATE RECEPTACLE.
AND A LOT OF GROCERY STORES ALSO ACCEPT THIS.
BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO USE REUSABLE BAGS 'CAUSE WE'D REALLY LIKE TO GO AWAY FROM USING THOSE SINGLE USE PLASTIC BAGS.
AND WE DO HAVE, UM, SOME PERSONNEL IN THE COUNTY NOW.
OUR KEY BEAUFORT COUNTY BEAUTIFUL BOARD IS WORKING TOWARDS, UH, REDUCING THE USE OF PLASTIC BAGS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO MOVE AWAY FROM THAT SOON.
AND HERE IS JUST A BIT ABOUT RECYCLING, THAT'S MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT WE'RE NOT RECYCLING.
IT, THIS CAME OUT THROUGH SOUTH CAROLINA NOW DES, UM, NOT JUST BEAUFORT COUNTY COMMON, BUT SOUTH CAROLINA AS A STATE.
THESE ARE THE COMMON, UH, CONTAMINANTS THAT ARE FOUND IN THE RECYCLING STREAM.
SO YOU DEFINITELY DON'T WANNA PUT THOSE IN YOUR CURBSIDE BIN OR AT THE COUNTY CONVENIENCE CENTERS.
AND THAT IS IS ABOUT ALL I HAVE.
UM, I'LL GO AHEAD AND FAST FORWARD TO UM, 'CAUSE I THINK EVERYBODY KNOWS ALL OF THIS, BUT FAST FORWARD TO VALENTINA'S, UM, CONTACT
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INFORMATION IF YOU WOULD LIKE FOR THIS SIMILAR PRESENTATION.SHE WILL GO A BIT MORE INTO, UM, THE DO'S AND DON'TS AND, UM, 1 0 1 OF RECYCLING.
BUT IF YOU WOULD LIKE FOR THIS OR A SIMILAR PRESENTATION, UH, TO COME TO YOUR AREA ABOUT EITHER SOLID WASTE OR STORM WATER, VALENTINA WOULD BE A GREAT CONTACT, UM, TO REACH OUT TO AND SHE CAN COME AND SPEAK TO A VARIETY OF AUDIENCES.
SO ANY QUESTIONS FOR ANY OF YOU? OKAY, I'M GONNA OPEN UP TO THE BOARD AND THEN THE PUBLIC FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, I'M GOING TO ASK ONE QUESTION BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO EVERYONE ELSE.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT IS DIFFERENT FROM WHAT YOU JUST PRESENTED BETWEEN BUFORT AND JASPER COUNTY? NO.
UM, SO ANYONE FROM THE BOARD HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. VICTORIA? I GOT JUST ONE QUICK ONE AND, AND, UH, PLEASE TURN YOUR BUTTON ON TALKING TO THE MICROPHONE.
DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING TO GET AWAY WITH IT OR NOT?
I WAS JUST CURIOUS, UM, THE, THE PICTURES YOU HAD LIKE GALLON MILK JUGS.
SO IF ONE OF US, SOME OF US OR WHATEVER, DON'T TAKE THE CAP OFF AND RINSE.
NOTHING, NOTHING CAN BE MORE CONTAMINATED, I DON'T THINK, THAN SOUR MILK.
UM, SO IF THE TOPS NOT TAKEN OFF AND THE JUGS NOT RINSED OUT, WHERE DOES IT GO? UM, WELL IF IT'S, IF IT'S GOT A HALF A GALLON OF MILK IN IT, OH,
UM, BUT MOST LIKELY THAT WILL STILL BE RECYCLED.
SO AS LONG AS IT'S NOT CONTAMINATING, UM, THE MAJORITY OF THE STREAM, SO LIKE A LITTLE BIT OF RESIDUE IN THE BOTTOM OF YOUR BIN FOR THE CAP OFF, IT'LL MI MOST LIKELY STILL BE SORTED, UM, AND BE PROCESSED.
IT'S JUST THAT LOAD, UH, MAY NOT BE CONDENSED AS MUCH BECAUSE THE CAP IS ON.
AND THAT'S A MORE VALUABLE YEAH.
SO IT GETS CRAZY WITH PLASTIC.
UM, YOU CAN SORT IT ALL SEPARATE ALL DIFFERENT WAYS.
SO, UM, JUST CLEAR PLASTIC WILL BE A DIFFERENT COMMODITY THAN THE COLORED.
UM, BUT I, I TOO, UH, THEY CO-MINGLE IT.
UM, SO IT WOULD STILL BE RECYCLED, UM, UNLESS YOUR, UM, CONTAMINATION WAS JUST PROFOUND.
SO 15% IS WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT IN OUR THANK YOU.
ARE YOU HAVING ANY ISSUES SELLING THE COMMODITIES BECAUSE OF CHANGING, UH, ACCEPTANCE LEVELS FOR CONTAMINANTS? SO I AM SO LUCKY AND PROUD TO SAY THAT WE MANAGE THAT CONTRACT.
SO IF I TWO IS RECEIVING ISSUES, UM, OF COURSE I'M SURE HE WOULD TELL US LIKE, HEY, YOU'RE GONNA RECEIVE LESS OF A REVENUE CHECK THIS MONTH.
BUT, UM, FORTUNATELY I TWO HANDLES ALL OF THE COMMODITIES, SO HE'S REALLY WORKING WITH THE MARKETS AND BECAUSE HE IS A PRIVATE ORGANIZATION, HE'S ABLE TO KIND OF WORK WHICH E WITH EACH VENDOR TO GET THE BEST PRICE.
WHEREAS AT THE COUNTY, UH, WE HAVE TO FOLLOW PROCUREMENT PROCESSES AND CAN ONLY STICK WITH ONE OR TWO VENDORS.
UM, SO, UM, THE MARKET DOES FLUCTUATE, BUT WE DON'T SEE THAT ISSUE.
I TOO REALLY HAS THAT ON THEIR SHOULDERS, UM, TO GET THE BEST PRICE.
UM, BUT HE DOES RELAY ANY INFORMATION.
UM, WE'RE EXPECTED TO SEE AN INCREASE IN OUR REVENUES BECAUSE COMMODITIES IN CERTAIN MATERIALS HAVE RECENTLY GONE UP.
WHAT'S THE, EXCUSE ME, WHAT'S THE LIFESPAN OF THE, UM, THE, UH, LANDFILL? EXCUSE ME.
UM, I CAN'T QUOTE IT ENTIRELY.
I DO KNOW THAT THEY RECENTLY REQUESTED FOR AN ADDITIONAL CELL AND THEY WERE APPROVED OF THAT.
UM, SO I WANT TO SAY THAT INCREASED IT BY 15 YEARS, BUT I CAN'T BE QUOTED ON THAT.
WE ARE REALLY FOCUSING ON DIVERTING THE WASTE AND REDUCING WHAT WE SEND THERE.
SO THAT KIND OF BRINGS A QUESTION TO, UM, NOT SURE YOU CAN ANSWER THIS, BUT, YOU KNOW, AT THE LANDFILL, HOW ARE THEY DOING WITH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE HAULERS THAT ARE BRINGING IN SUPPOSEDLY RECYCLABLES, UM, THAT ARE PROBABLY MOSTLY COMMINGLED.
UM, HOW IS THAT BEING VIEWED ADDRESSED? YEAH, I'M NOT SURE, UH, WHAT WASTE MANAGEMENT IS DOING.
UM, I DO BELIEVE THAT A MAJORITY OF VENDORS TAKE IT TO THEIR RECYCLING FACILITY, WHICH IS BASICALLY A TRANSFER STATION.
UM, BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A MUR RF ON SITE.
SO FROM WHAT I KNOW WHEN WE WERE LAST WORKING WITH WASTE MANAGEMENT, THEY DO HAUL THEIR MATERIALS TO CHARLESTON COUNTY AND THAT'S A LARGER MR THEY HAVE, UM, REALLY GREAT EQUIPMENT THAT CAN, UM, SORT BETTER.
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AT THE CENTERS.'CAUSE YOU DO GET A HIGHER YIELD WHENEVER IT'S ALREADY SOURCED, SEPARATED AND YOU'RE TAKING IT TO A RF.
UM, BUT I DO KNOW THAT WASTE MANAGEMENT TAKES THEIR MATERIALS TO CHARLESTON COUNTY AND THAT MURPH IS MUCH LARGER AND IT HAS A LOT MORE CAPABILITIES TO SOURCE TO SEPARATE THAT SINGLE SOURCE MATERIAL.
UM, BUT YEAH, I CAN'T SPEAK ON ON THEM WITH WHAT THEY'RE RECEIVING.
BUT I DO KNOW THAT THEY WERE TAKING THEIR MATERIALS TO CHARLESTON COUNTY AND THEY HAVE A REALLY GREAT FACILITY.
IF YOU HAVEN'T, UM, TOWARD THAT, YOU DEFINITELY SHOULD GO OUT THERE AND SEE WHAT THEY'RE DOING ON THE WASTE MANAGEMENT OR THE CRUSHING, LIKE A MILK, UH, MILK BOTTLE, PLASTIC MILK BOTTLE QUESTION.
IS THAT STANDARD THROUGH THIS INDUSTRY OR IS IT JUST BUFORD IT NOT TO CRUSH THAT MATERIAL? RIGHT.
WELL, I CAN'T SPEAK ON EVERYBODY, BUT IT'S SPECIFICALLY BUFORT.
I TOO WOULD LIKE FOR YOU NOT TO CRUSH THAT.
UH, TYPICALLY A MRF WOULD NOT LIKE FOR YOU TO CRUSH MATERIALS, UM, BECAUSE OF THE SEPARATING PROCESS.
SO WHENEVER IT GOES THROUGH THE DIFFERENT CONVEYOR BELTS, DEPENDING ON WHAT TECHNOLOGY THEY HAVE, IF IT'S CRUSHED, IT MAY NOT BEHAVE LIKE A PLASTIC WATER BOTTLE SHOULD AS IT TRAVELS ALONG THAT MURF, UM, CONVEYOR BELT.
SO TYPICALLY YOU REALLY SHOULDN'T CRUSH IT BECAUSE OF HOW IT ACTS.
BUT JUST DEPENDING ON THE MURF, LIKE IF IT'S A CRUSHED CAN, UM, THEY HAVE LIKE THIS TECHNOLOGY, I WON'T GO TO SCIENCE NERD INTO IT, BUT THEY CAN MAGNETIZE MATERIALS THAT AREN'T.
SO IF IT WERE CRUSHED, IT WOULD STILL BE RECYCLED BECAUSE IT'S BEING ACCEPTED BY THAT MAGNET.
BUT IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE MURF.
AND THAT'S WHY WE REALLY TELL RESIDENTS, UH, PAY ATTENTION TO WHO YOUR VENDOR IS IF YOU HAVE CURBSIDE SERVICES, BECAUSE IT DOES CHANGE.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING INTO IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
WE WOULD LIKE FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY TO BE ABLE TO AT LEAST OVERSEE ALL OF THE MATERIALS BEING COLLECTED SO THEN EVERYBODY IN BEAUFORT COUNTY CAN FOLLOW THOSE SAME STANDARDS.
UH, DOES, UH, DO YOU COLLECT EVERY WEEK OR EVERY OTHER WEEK? WE, BEAUFORT COUNTY DOES NOT HAVE THEIR OWN HAULING FLEET, SO WE DON'T DO ANY COLLECTIONS.
SO EACH MUNICIPALITY HAS THEIR DIFFERENT VENDORS WHO COLLECT MATERIALS.
UM, I KNOW WHERE I LIVE IN CITY OF BEAUFORT, IT IS AN EVERY OTHER WEEK, UM, COLLECTION FOR CURBSIDE.
BUT BEAUFORT COUNTY DOES NOT OPERATE ANY OF THOSE HAULING SERVICES.
WE JUST OVERSEE OUR, UH, CONVENIENCE CENTERS.
DO YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE STOR STORAGE OF THE EVERY TWO WEEKS? FOR EXAMPLE, I LIVE IN SUN CITY AND SOMETIMES IT'S REALLY STRETCHED AND YOU GOTTA CRUSH MILK BOTTLES OR THE MILK CONTAINERS BECAUSE IT TAKES UP SO MUCH ROOM.
SO, SO WE MAKE SURE IN MY HOUSE WE RECYCLE A LOT AND WE FLATTEN ALL OF OUR CARDBOARD BOXES, ANY BOX, WE FLATTEN IT.
UM, AND THEN IF OUR MAT, IF OUR BIN IS FULL, UM, YOU CAN EITHER POTENTIALLY ASK FOR A SECOND RECYCLE BIN.
I KNOW WE'VE DONE THAT IN THE PAST OR IF I, MY BIN AT HOME STARTS TO FILL UP.
LUCKILY I ALSO AM A RESIDENT AND I HAVE A DECAL SO I CAN GO AT OUR, TO MY CENTER AND RECYCLE MATERIALS IF OUR BIN FILLS UP.
BUT, UM, WE TRY OUR BEST TO JUST, UM, COMPRESS THE BOXES OF THINGS THAT CAN BE FLATTENED AND THEN, UM, OF COURSE NOT BAGGING YOUR RECYCLABLES ALSO THAT WILL INCREASE THE STORAGE SPACE.
BUT I DEFINITELY ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS OF BEAVER COUNTY TO USE OUR CENTERS IF THEIR CURBSIDE BIN FILLS UP.
AND THEN YOU CAN ALSO REACH OUT TO THE VENDOR WHO ACCEPTS YOUR, UM, CURBSIDE TO SEE IF YOU CAN GET A SECOND BIN.
SO YOUR RECYCLE, YOUR CENTERS DON'T WANT IT CRUSHED.
WHAT DOES WASTE MANAGEMENT SAY? DO THEY SAY THE SAME THING? UM, OR DO YOUR VENDOR, ANY OF YOUR VENDORS THAT YOU USE? WHEN WE USED WASTE MANAGEMENT, THEY DIDN'T SPECIFY ON CRUSH.
THEY WERE MORE JUST ONES AND TWOS IN THE COMMODITIES THAT WE ACCEPTED.
WHEN WE WENT INTO CONTRACT WITH I TWO, HE HAD THESE PREFERENCES.
UM, SO WITH WASTE MANAGEMENT, UM, THEY DIDN'T SPECIFY WHETHER OR NOT THEY WANTED IT CRUSHED OR WHOLE.
UM, BUT I KNOW WITH, UM, THE MERV AT CHARLESTON, I DON'T FORESEE THAT BEING AN ISSUE JUST BECAUSE OF THE, UH, EQUIPMENT THAT THEY DO HAVE THAT SOURCE THAT SORTS THEIR MATERIALS.
ANYONE ELSE FROM THE BOARD? UH, I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS, BUT THE FIRST ONE, UM, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE MR. LENNY SANSONE, WHO'S THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES COORDINATOR WITH JASPER COUNTY AND REPRESENTING JASPER COUNTY REPRESENT, UH, ADMINISTRATION HERE TODAY.
LENNY ARE, DO YOU KNOW, UM, IS THERE A VICTORIA IN JASPER COUNTY? I KNOW WE HAVE REFUGE CENTERS, KIND OF LIKE WHAT SHE DESCRIBED, UM, THROUGH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT THAT GETS MANAGES, MANAGES THAT.
UM, THAT, UM, IF YOU COULD, LENNY AGAIN, BECAUSE
[00:25:01]
CERTAINLY SIR, WE'RE GONNA HOLD EVERY STATEMENT AGAINST YOU.SO WE'RE GONNA, WE WANNA MAKE SURE YOU HAVE IT ON TAPE AND WE'LL CRUCIFY YOU LATER AND WHEN OKAY.
SO, UM, THE, UH, I DO KNOW WE HAVE, UH, THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT HAS A REFUSE CENTERS THAT DO SORT THE, THERE'S BINS, KINDA LIKE WHAT SHE DESCRIBED.
SHE SHOWED THE PICTURE OF THOSE ORANGE BINS ON THE SLIDESHOW.
OURS ARE BROWN, BUT, UM, THEY DO HAVE THAT, UH, AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
I THINK THERE'S, UH, I DON'T REMEMBER THE NUMBER AND PROBABLY THREE OR FOUR OF THOSE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY THAT HAVE THOSE, I DON'T KNOW THE LOCATIONS, UM, OFF, OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD THOUGH.
UH, 'CAUSE I, I KNOW THERE ARE SOME DIFFERENCES AND THE REASON I ASK, UM, I THINK JASPER COUNTY IS STILL KEEPING LIDS ON AND I HAVE SOME BOTTLES LIKE PROPEL I DRINK, THE CAP SAYS RECYCLE WITH THE CAP ON, YOU KNOW, SO THERE'S A NUMBER OF, THERE COULD BE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENCES.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE RULES ARE AROUND THE, THE REFERENCE.
I ACTUALLY HAVEN'T VISITED SOME OF THOSE CENTERS MYSELF.
SO IT, IT, IT, IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL THAT WE ALSO HAVE SOME SORT OF, UM, UNDERSTANDING OF JASPER COUNTY AS WELL.
'CAUSE WE TRY TO DO THIS FOR BOTH COUNTIES AND I KNOW THERE ARE SOME DIFFERENCES.
I DEFINITELY THINK IT IS GOOD FOR US TO CONTINUE TO COMMUNICATE WITH NOT ONLY OURSELVES, BUT ALSO WITH THE PUBLIC ON WHAT THOSE RULES ARE.
AND THAT, I'M GLAD YOU SAID THAT BECAUSE THAT WAS MY OTHER COMMENT.
NUMBER ONE, VICTORIA, WHAT, UH, WE DO, UH, IS TRY TO GET THESE PRESENTATIONS ON, ON THE SO LOKO TAB.
I KNOW BLUFFTON, UH, HARDY HILTON HEAD HAVE HAVE A SO LOKO TAB.
I THINK THIS WOULD BE VERY INFORMATIVE TO EVERYONE, UM, TO HAVE THAT AND ALERT PEOPLE TO GO IN AND LOOK AT IT.
AND THAT, THAT GOES TO MY LAST COMMENT.
THIS IS SO INFORMATIVE AND SO MANY PEOPLE ARE DOING THINGS WRONG.
I, I BELIEVE I HAVE MY WIFE'S LIKE, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, I HAVE TO PICK OUT WHEN SHE THROWS THE BAG IN THE, IN THE GARBAGE.
UH, 'CAUSE I'M A FANATICAL RECYCLER.
UM, HOW DO WE GET TO JOHN AND JANE DOE EVERY, IN, EVERY HOUSEHOLD, SOME EDUCATION.
AND THAT'S, I GUESS A CHALLENGE FOR ALL OF US IS THIS IS GREAT FOR US TO KNOW, BUT IF THE PEOPLE WE SERVE DON'T KNOW, WE HAVEN'T SOLVED ANYTHING.
AND THAT'S WHAT OUR BOARD IS HERE TO DO IS TO SOLVE THESE KIND OF PROBLEMS. ABSOLUTELY.
UM, SO WE HAVE OUR EDUCATION AND OUTREACH EFFORTS.
UM, WE HAVE VALENTINA AND SHE IS GETTING INTO THE SCHOOLS CON UH, GOING INTO COMMUNITY, UM, JUST REALLY TRYING TO SPREAD THE WORD.
WE USE OUR EMAIL LISTSERV THAT WE HAVE, UH, SENT OUT TO ALL RESIDENTS.
AND THEN, UM, ALSO SOCIAL MEDIA IS A BIG PLATFORM THAT WE USE.
UM, BUT YEAH, I THINK JUST SPREADING THE WORD.
SO DEFINITELY SHARING VALENTINA'S, UH, CONTACT INFORMATION.
AND THEN ANOTHER BIG THING THAT SOUTH CAROLINA DES RECENTLY, UM, IS ROLLING OUT WITH THEIR SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT IS THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE REGIONAL EFFORTS.
AND SO THAT IS WHY I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE I'D REALLY LIKE TO GET IN CONTACT WITH MORE OF OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS.
UM, DES IS ABOUT TO ISSUE, UM, A BIG, A SIZABLE GRANT FOR, OR SOME SORT OF A REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP.
AND THAT'S WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS FOR, UH, DIFFERENT COUNTIES TO WORK TOGETHER TO CREATE SOMETHING BIG SO THESE CAN ROLL OUT.
UM, SO THAT'S ACTUALLY A GRANT THAT'S GONNA BE COMING OUT, UM, THE BEGINNING OF 2025.
AND I WANNA SAY IT'S PRETTY SIZABLE, A COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, UM, FOR THAT REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT.
SO THAT'S KIND OF ON OUR LIST OF, TO-DOS IS TO REACH OUT TO, UM, OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS WITH JASPER, HAMPTON, COLTON, I THINK I'M MISSING ONE.
UM, BUT TO REACH OUT TO THEM AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO WORK TOGETHER, UH, TO HAVE THE SAME STANDARDS THEN ALSO INCREASE THE DIVERSION RATE.
SO LENNY AND, AND JOEY AND JOHN, IF, IF I COULD RECOMMEND, I THINK WHOEVER IS JASPER COUNTY'S, UH, LEAD ON THIS, HAVING A A A CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTIES WOULD BE, I THINK WOULD BE HELPFUL.
AND JOHN DID THROW, UH, A LITTLE MORE AT YOU.
UH, AND MIKE, WE HAVE REGULAR MEETINGS IN FRONT OF SUNSET, FIRST FRIDAY AND, AND ALSO AT MARGARITA,
[00:30:01]
MIKE MARGARITAVILLE.IF WE COULD GET THIS PRESENTATION IN FRONT OF, UM, THESE HOMEOWNERS, I THINK IT WOULD BE, WOULD BE, UH, HELPFUL.
SHE WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO GO OUT AND GIVE THIS PRESENTATION TO ANYBODY WHO WOULD LIKE FOR HER TO.
HARRY, I, I, I THINK WE NEED SOME MORE INFORMATION REALLY, BECAUSE WHAT, YOU KNOW, THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, WE PROVIDE RECYCLING WITH THE BIG BINS PICK UP TWICE.
I MEAN, ONCE EVERY TWO WEEKS, EVERY OTHER WEEK.
BUT, YOU KNOW, JUST THINKING IF WASTE MANAGEMENT WOULD RATHER HAVE IT CRUSHED AND LOGISTICALLY, I WOULD THINK IF THEY'RE GOING ALL THE WAY TO CHARLESTON, THAT THEY WOULD MUCH RATHER HAVE A COMPACT TRUCK GOING, YOU KNOW, WITH, YOU KNOW, 10 TIMES MORE WEIGHT THAN IT BEING NOT CRUSHED.
SO, AND I DON'T HAVE THE, I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THIS, BUT IT'S SOMETHING IF WE'RE GONNA TRY TO TEACH THE PUBLIC, WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT THE RULES ARE IN EACH SPECIFIC AREA BECAUSE I, I I'M THINKING THAT THERE'S PROBABLY TWO DIFFERENT WORLDS HERE.
COULD BE, I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE A WASTE MANAGEMENT REP COME IN AND SAY, THIS IS HOW THEY DO IT AT THE LANDFILL SO THAT THOSE THAT DO GET CURBSIDE, YOU KNOW, IT'S UNDERSTOOD THAT THAT'S HOW IT'S DONE THERE.
SO, SO WE, UH, IN HARDY V WE HAVE TWO CONTRACTS.
UM, ONE IS WITH WASTE MANAGEMENT IN SUN CITY 'CAUSE OF PRE-EXISTED, BUT THE REST OF THE CITY IS WITH CAPITAL WASTE SERVICES AND, AND WE, WE GO OUT TO BID AND GET THE LOWEST RATE FOR THE ENTIRE CITY.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER, UH, COMPANIES THAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE BESIDES WASTE MANAGEMENT AND CAPITAL WASTE COME IN? YEAH, THERE'S SEVERAL THROUGHOUT BUFORT COUNTY THAT COLLECTS CURBSIDE.
SO, UM, YOU'VE GOT THE WASTE MANAGEMENT CAPITAL, WASTE WASTE, PRO WASTE, PRO TROPICAL TRI.
THERE'S, THERE'S THAT, THERE'S SEVERAL.
PRO DISPOSAL TURNED INTO COASTAL.
SO PRO DISPOSAL, IF YOU, UM, IF, IF YOU DON'T MIND, SO I DON'T PUT YOU ON THE SPOT TO HAVE TO, I CAN'T THINK OF RECITE EVERYTH.
BUT LENNY AND VICTORIA, IF YOU DON'T MIND SENDING ME AN EMAIL ON, ON EVERY WASTE DISPOSAL, AND MAYBE WE CAN HAVE ONE MEETING, WE'LL GET, GET THEM ALL IN.
UM, BECAUSE I, I THINK THIS IS CRITICAL.
THERE'S PROBABLY SO MUCH FILL IN OUR LANDFILLS THAT WE COULD ELIMINATE IF THE PUBLIC IS AWARE OF WHAT TO DO.
THIS IS, I, I THINK THIS IS A TERRIFIC, TERRIFIC TOPIC AND, AND, AND CONVERSATION.
CAN I OPEN, UH, OFFER THE PODIUM TO ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC? WOW.
YOU'RE LETTING US OFF THE HOOK,
OH, THAT MEANS I DID A GOOD JOB.
UH, THAT'S BECAUSE YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.
VICTORIA, YOU, YOU WERE SO THOROUGH THAT.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DOING THIS.
UM, I, I REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT.
I THINK THIS WILL BEAR, BEAR FRUIT.
[III.A. Update on Growth Sub-Committee by Rob Merchant]
NEXT WE HAVE ONE, UH, ADDITIONAL, UH, SPEAKER TODAY.UM, MR. ROB MERCHANT IS, UH, FOLLOWING UP, IF YOU RECALL, WE HAD, UH, TALKED ABOUT THE, UM, THE GROWTH BOUNDARIES AND, AND UNDERSTANDING THE REGION AS A WHOLE.
AND, UH, SO ROB'S GOING TO GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF, UH, AN UPDATE.
AND THANKS FOR, UH, PUTTING ME ON THE AGENDA.
UH, AS YOU SAID, EVERYTHING I SAY WILL BE HELD AGAINST ME, SO I'LL TRY TO BE REALLY BRIEF
UM, UH, I DIDN'T WANNA SCARE YOU OFF.
SO, UM, AS YOU, UH, AS THE CHAIRMAN MENTIONS ABOUT A YEAR AGO, SO LOCO PUT TOGETHER A GROWTH SUBCOMMITTEE TO LOOK AT REGIONAL GROWTH AND LOOK AT SOME RECOMMENDATIONS THAT MAY COME OUT OF THAT.
AND I WILL SAY, UM, WE HAD A VERY SUCCESSFUL START OF THE PROCESS, BUT, UM, WE'VE BEEN HAVING SOME CHALLENGES.
IT BEING A STAFF DRIVEN PROCESS.
WE ARE ALL, I COULD SPEAK FOR MY, UH, YOU KNOW, PEERS AND THE MUNICIPALITIES.
AND, UM, WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER, UM, SOME INFORMATION ABOUT EXISTING GROWTH BECAUSE I THINK ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO BE ABLE TO GET A HANDLE ON IS WHAT WE'VE ALREADY PERMITTED, WHAT OUR CAPACITY IS FOR FUTURE, FUTURE GROWTH BASED ON WHAT, WHAT IS ALREADY PERMITTED.
AND THEN USING THAT AS A, AS A STARTING POINT FOR
[00:35:01]
WHERE DO WE WANNA GROW INTO THE FUTURE.AND, UM, WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO DO, RATHER THAN DEVELOP A PLAN AT THE STAFF LEVEL AND BRING IT TO SO LOCO, WHICH I THINK IS, UM, THERE'S TWO, TWO THINGS THAT MAKE THAT DIFFICULT.
ONE IS JUST THE, YOU KNOW, THE STAFF CAPACITY TO DO THAT WORK.
THE OTHER IS THAT WE REALLY BELIEVE THAT THERE'S SOME IMPORTANT QUESTIONS THAT NEED TO BE CONSIDERED.
AND BRINGING IN THE DECISION MAKERS AND STAKEHOLDERS INTO THAT PROCESS IS, IS GOING TO BE KEY.
SO WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO IS GET ON A FUTURE AGENDA WHERE, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE THINKING IS THE JANUARY OR FEBRUARY TIMEFRAME, ONCE WE GET PAST THE ELECTION AND WE MAY HAVE SOME NEW FACES OR WE MAY NOT, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT A SNAPSHOT OF WHERE WE ARE TODAY WITH THE GROWTH REGIONAL GROWTH ISSUES, AND THEN HAVE A PROPOSAL FOR WHAT WE THINK IS THE BEST METHOD TO MOVE FORWARD.
SOME OF OUR DISCUSSIONS HAVE BEEN CENTERING AROUND HAVING SOMETHING WE REACHED RECENTLY HAD A SUCCESSFUL WORKSHOP ON THE ISSUE OF RESILIENCY, WHERE WE HAD ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS IN THE SAME ROOM HAD A FACILITATOR, UM, ASK SOME REALLY TOUGH QUESTIONS.
AND I THINK THAT OUR, THAT TYPE OF MODEL, WHETHER IT'S ONE WORKSHOP OR A SERIES OF WORKSHOPS WITH A, WITH A GOOD FACILITATOR WHO HAS A HANDLE ON THE ISSUES, WOULD BE A GOOD MODEL FOR THIS EFFORT SO THAT EVERYONE HERE IS AT THE TABLE ASKING SOME TOUGH QUESTIONS.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THAT PROCESS, I THINK THAT WE WILL HAVE MUCH MORE BUY-IN IF, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY WE WILL, UM, YOU KNOW, COME TO SOME AGREEMENTS, YOU KNOW, COMPROMISES ABOUT WHERE WE, WHERE WE WOULD LIKE FUTURE GROWTH TO BE.
BUT THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO BRING FORWARD IS, IS KIND OF SNAPSHOT OF WHERE WE ARE, WHAT WE THINK WOULD BE THE BEST POSSIBLE PATH FORWARD.
AND EVEN LOOKING AT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN TERMS OF FUNDING SOURCES, YOU KNOW, HOW WE, HOW WE COULD, UH, DO THAT.
BUT I BELIEVE THAT THE, UM, QUESTION OF HAVING A SHARED VISION IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
I THINK WE'RE GONNA LEARN AFTER THE NEXT ELECTION.
EITHER WE'RE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE WE HAVE, UM, ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO SPEND TO PAY FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND, AND, UM, GROWTH MANAGEMENT THROUGH, UH, PRESERVING LANDS.
OR WE'RE GONNA HAVE A CHALLENGE AND WE'RE GONNA BE, YOU KNOW, IT'S GONNA EVEN BE MUCH GREATER, UH, COMPELLING, UH, YOU KNOW, MUCH GREATER IMPORTANCE TO WORK WITH WHAT WE HAVE TODAY.
YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, UH, WORKING WITH THE GREEN SPACE PROGRAM OR YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA HAVE LESS MONEY FOR INFRASTRUCTURE IF, IF, YOU KNOW, THE, IF THE, UH, REFERENDUMS ARE IN UNSUCCESSFUL AND THAT, THAT JUST FURTHER PLACES IMPORTANCE ON THIS PROCESS.
WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO COME BACK TO, TO THIS BOARD IN THE JANUARY, FEBRUARY TIMEFRAME AND, UM, BE ABLE TO PRESENT OUR PROGRESS AND, AND HOW WE BELIEVE WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD.
ROB, DO YOU HAVE ANY, UH, OR SHOULD I JUST FOLLOW UP WITH YOU? DO YOU HAVE ANY, UH, PREFERENCE JANUARY, FEBRUARY.
FEBRUARY? WELL, THE ONLY REASON I ORIGINALLY, YOU KNOW, WE MET AS A GROUP AND THOUGHT WELL JANUARY, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHETHER, IF WE DO HAVE SOME NEW FACES, IF YOU THINK AN EXTRA MONTH FOR PEOPLE TO GET, I REALIZE THERE'S A PRETTY BIG LEARNING CURVE TO, ESPECIALLY TO REGIONAL PLANNING ISSUES.
I, AND I'LL, I'LL BE CONTACTING THE WASTE COMPANY, SO WE'LL SEE.
SO EITHER JANUARY OR FEBRUARY ONE, ONE WILL BE ONE AND ONE WILL BE THE OTHER.
SO, UH, I'LL WORK THAT OUT WITH YOU OKAY.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL BE READY EITHER CASE, UH, BOARD.
ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ROB? I THINK IT IS WISE TO, UM, WAIT TO SEE WHAT THE REFERENDUM, UH, WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE A CLEARER PICTURE OF WHAT OUR CHALLENGES ARE FOR THE FUTURE.
UH, I'D LIKE TO OFFER THE PUBLIC, UH, TO COME FORWARD IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR ROB.
AND, UM, I WAS EXCITED TO LEARN TODAY.
I DON'T HAVE, I DON'T HAVE TO PEEL LABELS OFF, UH, BOTTLES IN CANS.
THIS IS, SO IT'S A PRACTICAL JOKE.
[00:40:01]
SOMEONE CHECK HIS, UH, RECYCLE BIN.I SORT THROUGH ALL THE WINE BOTTLE
[IV.A. November Agenda]
UM, NEXT MONTH WE, I I HAD BEEN ASKED A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, UH, FOR THAT, UH, RICH GOFF COME AND TALK FOR, UH, UH, REPRESENTING, UH, TCL AND I, I ASSUME IT'S ABOUT THE WORKFORCE TRAINING CENTER.UM, RICH'S WIFE IS HAVING SOME SERIOUS HEALTH ISSUES AND, UH, I SPOKE TO MARY LEE ENS LAST NIGHT AND, UH, UH, IF RICH DOESN'T JOIN US, IT IT, THERE WILL BE MARY LEE.
UM, SO, UM, AND ALSO JOE PASSMAN ASKED FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES TO, UH, OFFER SUGGESTIONS FOR 2025 AGENDA ITEMS. SO, UM, IF THAT'S OKAY WITH THE BOARD OR IF THE BOARD HAS ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS FOR ALTERNATIVE SUGGESTIONS FOR NOVEMBER, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE CONSERVATION AS A AREA SITUATION.
MS. JASPER AND BEAUFORT HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER, ESPECIALLY NOW.
WELL, I THINK AS ROB SAID, UH, JOHN, WE'LL WE'LL HAVE A CLEARER PATH WITH THAT AFTER NOVEMBER 5TH.
I WILL HAVE A PATH FOR THAT, BUT I STILL THINK WHATEVER HAPPENS, WE STILL, NO, I'M NOT SAYING, YEAH, I JUST, AFTER THE ELECTION, AFTER THE ELECTION, BUT I JUST THINK WE SHOULD PUT THAT ON THE AGENDA.
ALSO SOMETIME DURING THE, THE, UH, YEAR AT, AT THE BEGINNING, MAYBE GET THE, LIKE LAPSE IN HERE AND ELCO AND BRIEF EVERYBODY, THE NEW PEOPLE, IF THERE'S ANY NEW PEOPLE ON HERE, DEPENDING ON HOW THE ELECTIONS GO, AN UPDATE ON THEM SO THEY CAN COME UP TO SPEED.
SO WE HAVE, UH, A LOT OF SUGGESTIONS ALREADY FOR THE BEGINNING OF NEXT YEAR.
UM, JUST, UH, TWO MORE ITEMS. UH, FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT THIS IS THE LAST, SO LOCO MEANING FOR MR. MICHAEL J ZIBO OF HARVILLE.
UM, HE'S BEEN HERE FROM THE BEGINNING OF, OF SO LOCO AND HE SERVED HARVILLE, UH, HONORABLY FOR THE LAST NINE YEARS.
AND, UM, SO THANK YOU MIKE FOR YOUR SERVICE TO HARDY V AND AND TO THE REGION BECAUSE YOU, YOU'VE BEEN A BIG PART OF THIS REGION.
UM, AND SPEAKING OF THE REGION, UH, THROUGH ALL FAULT OF MY OWN, OUR QUARTERLY, UM, MAYOR MANAGER MEETING IS, UH, JOSH GRUBER'S FIRST DAY AND WE HAVE A STAFF BREAKFAST TO INTRODUCE HIM.
AND ON THE SAME DAY THAT WE WERE PLANNING TO HAVE A, A MEETING HERE IN HARDY V SO IS THAT JUST A SLAM ON US? NO, IT'S SLAM ON ME.
WHAT I GOT IS WE'RE NOT INVITED
I'LL HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE VIDEO TAPE AND SEE HOW I PHRASED THAT.
UH, OBVIOUSLY WRONG, BUT ANY RATE, THE, THE MAYOR MANAGER MEETING WILL NOT HAPPEN NOVEMBER 4TH.
UM, AND SPEAKING TO, UH, A FEW BEFOREHAND, UH, MR. MAYOR PERRY IS THE 1ST OF JANUARY.
I THINK I CAN GET THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS WITHOUT, WITHOUT HAVING TO BE WITH YOU MORE SO I THINK IT'S OKAY.
DOES THIS MEAN I'M NOT INVITED TO THANKSGIVING DINNER AT THE PRAIRIE HOUSE? WELL, WE, WE WILL BE IN JASPER COUNTY,
UH, BEFORE WE, WE CLOSE, UH, UH, DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANYTHING TO OFFER EITHER THE BOARD OR THE PUBLIC? YES MA'AM.
YOU NEED JOHNNY TO COME? OH, ABSOLUTELY.
UH, TAYLOR LATT, I'M THE PLANNING MANAGER FOR BEFOR JASPER WATER AND SEWER.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY THAT RECENTLY I WAS INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN A STAKEHOLDER MEETING WITH THE PARKS AND REC MASTER PLAN, UM, THE CONSULTANT WHO'S WORKING ON THE PARKS AND REC MASTER PLAN FOR JASPER COUNTY.
[00:45:01]
VERY GOOD TEAM.AND ALSO, UM, I DO HAVE A PARKS AND REC BACKGROUND.
SO WHEN I SAY THAT THIS IS A GREAT CONSULTANT AND IT'S AN INCREDIBLE EFFORT AS THE FIRST EVER PARKS AND REC MASTER PLAN FOR JASPER COUNTY, I HOPE YOU GUYS WILL INVITE SOMEONE WHO'S A REPRESENTATIVE OF THAT ORGANIZATION WHO'S WORKING ON THIS OR JASPER COUNTY TO COME IN AND SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT IT.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT THE RESULTS ARE, AND I THINK IT'S A VERY GOOD PROJECT AND BENEFICIAL FOR THE REGION AS WELL AS DISCUSSIONS ON GROWTH AND IN JASPER COUNTY.
AND THANK YOU FOR THAT SUGGESTION.
I THINK WHATEVER WAYS WE CAN INCLUDE REGIONAL CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE TRULY REGIONAL, MEANING HAVING JASPER AND BEAUFORT COUNTY PART OF THE CONVERSATION IS A, IS ONE OF THE GOALS OF, OF THIS BOARD FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT SUGGESTION.
AND AS A PLANNING MANAGER FOR A UTILITY, IT WAS, IT WAS REALLY NICE INVITATION FOR THEM TO INCLUDE US IN THE DISCUSSION AND THE, UH, THE OTHER, UH, SUGGESTION AND, UM, THAT WE NEED, WE WILL FOLLOW UP AS MAYORS.
UH, MAYOR KROMER HAS, UH, SOME, UH, SUGGESTED FOLLOW UPS TO REVIEW THAT LAST TWO HURRICANES AND, AND WHAT, WHAT OUR UTILITIES, UM, UH, I'LL, I'LL LET MR. KROMER SAY TO SEE WHAT THE ISPS, SO, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING WE MAY BE INVITING, UH, THE, PARTICULARLY THE INTERNET, UH, PROVIDERS TO COME IN, UH, IN A FUTURE AGENDA.
SO ANYONE ELSE? UH, LENNY, I'M SORRY.
UH, THANK, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP ABOUT THAT.
I'M REALLY CLOSE TO THAT PROJECT THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED AND I ACTUALLY WAS THINKING ABOUT ADDING THAT YOU WERE ASKING FOR AGENDA ITEMS. UM, I THINK ONE AREA THAT I THINK WOULD BE GOOD FOR THIS BOARD TO REVIEW IS, UH, A COMMUNICATION AROUND, UH, PARKS AND RECREATION AND DEVELOPING KIND OF A, A REGIONAL OR, UH, CONVERSATION AS TO HOW BEAUFORT AND JASPER COORDINATE WITH THEIR PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITIES.
'CAUSE WE DO SHARE TWO ENDS OF THE, OF RIVER, OF THE RIVERS AND STUFF.
AND I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, KIND OF HOW WE CAN COLLABORATE ON THAT AS WELL.
ANYONE ELSE? OKAY, IN THAT CASE, UH, HAVE A WONDERFUL REST OF THE WEEK.
THE EARLY VOTING HAS STARTED AND, UM, THAT'S IT.