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THE COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING OF TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12TH.
WOULD YOU ALL RISE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR OUR INVOCATION, I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
LORD, WE COME BEFORE YOU THIS AFTERNOON TO GIVE YOU THANKS.
WE THANK YOUR GOD FOR YOUR LOVE AND YOUR KINDNESS.
WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR TENDER MERCIES AND YOUR SAVING GRACE.
WE THANK YOUR GOD FOR BLESSING US TO SEE THIS DAY THAT WE YET ARE STILL AMONGST THE LAND OF THE LIVING.
WE ASK YOU NOW KNOW GOD TO BLESS THIS COUNCIL, THAT AS WE GO FORTH TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES THAT COME BEFORE US AND TO DELIBERATE THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA THAT WE WILL DO SO WITH OPEN HEARTS BEING EVER SO MINDFUL OF HOW EVERY DECISION THAT WE MAKE, HOW IT AFFECTS EVEN THE LEAST AMONGST US.
BLESS THIS CONGREGATION THAT IS GATHERED HERE THIS AFTERNOON THAT WE OR FATHER GOD MIGHT HEAR THEIR CONCERNS AND ADDRESS THEIR NEEDS.
BLESS US AS A CON, AS A WHOLE OR FATHER GOD.
AND WE WILL BE THE PEOPLE THAT YOU CALL US ALL TO BE.
AS YOU CAN SEE, UH, THE MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL SIT AT THE DEUS.
TWO MEMBERS OF COUNTY COUNCIL ARE ONLINE.
MR. CUNNINGHAM IS ONLINE AND MR. LAWSON IS ONLINE.
UH, MR. BAROLO IS ABSENT, BUT WE DO HAVE A QUORUM TO CONDUCT BUSINESS OF COUNTY COUNCIL AND PUBLIC NOTIFICATION OF THIS MEETING HAS BEEN PUBLISHED, POSTED, AND DISTRIBUTED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA FREEDOM MONTH INFORMATION ACT.
[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
UH, MAY I HAVE A MEMBER OF COUNCIL APPROVE TONIGHT'S AGENDA? MAKE A MOTION, SIR.MS. BROWN MADE THE SECOND DULY MOTION AND SECONDED.
IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, COMMENTS? SEEING NONE, THE AGENDA WILL BE APPROVED AS PROPOSED.
[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - October 14, 2024]
NEXT ITEM IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF OCTOBER THE 14TH, 2024.MS. TABER MAKES THE SECOND DULY MOTION.
AND SECOND, ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THE MINUTES? SEEING NONE, THE MINUTES WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION AND I SEE NO OBJECTIONS.
[6. ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT]
NUMBER SIX IS OUR ADMINISTRATOR REPORT.GOOD EVENING, MR. MOORE CHAIR.
UM, TONIGHT WE'D LIKE TO START WITH, UM, RECOGNITION OF SOME COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
SO FIRST OFF, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE FROM THE BEAUFORT MAGISTRATE COURT, MS. SHEILA HUDSON, IF SHE'S HERE.
UM, MS. HUDSON IS THE COURT SUPERVISOR, CIVIL DEPARTMENT.
UH, BEEN WITH THE COUNTY FOR 25 PLUS YEARS.
UM, SHE WAS PREVIOUSLY EMPLOYED WITH THE DISABILITIES AND SPECIAL NEEDS DEPARTMENT FOR EIGHT YEARS, AND SHE CAME TO THE MAGISTRATE COURT 17 YEARS AGO AS A JUDICIAL TECHNICIAN IN THE TRAFFIC AND CRIMINAL, UH, DEPARTMENT.
SHE IMPRESSED EVERYONE WITH HOW QUICKLY SHE MASTERED THE COMPLICATED CONCEPTS OF THE COURT SYSTEM AND HER EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE SKILLS.
ONE YEAR LATER, SHE WAS PROMOTED TO CIVIL TEAM LEADER, KNOWING ONE BEFORE, SINCE HAS BEEN PROMOTED FASTER, ESPECIALLY FROM AN ENTRY LEVEL POSITION TO ONE OF LEADERSHIP.
SHE EASILY GRASPED THE CONCEPT OF CIVIL PROCESS AND EMBRACED HER NEW ROLE.
AND CURRENTLY THE COURT SUPERVISOR FOR THE CIVIL DEPARTMENT OF THE BUFORT MAGISTRATE COURT.
UM, HER KNOWLEDGE OF CIVIL PROCEDURES DEEP AND WIDE, WHERE THERE ARE QUESTIONS OR PROBLEMS THAT NEED TO BE SOLVED.
SHEILA IS ALWAYS THE FIRST ONE THAT'S CALLED UPON BY THE JUDGES, THE STAFF, THE LEGAL COMMUNITY, AND THE PUBLIC.
SHE'S ALWAYS HAPPY TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT TO ALL, UH, THIRD MOST SENIOR MEMBER OF THE MAGISTRATE COURT AND HAS SEEN THE COURT THROUGH MANY CHANGES.
WHILE THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF JUDGES AND STAFF WHO HAVE COME AND GONE AND LAWS AND PROCEDURES HAVE GROWN MORE COMPLICATED AND TECHNOLOGY HAS ADVANCED, UM, SHEILA'S BEEN THERE AND THROUGHOUT ALL THIS AND COVID AND A BIG MOVE TO THE NEW OFFICE, SHE'S BEEN THERE A HUNDRED PERCENT SUPPORTING COWORKERS AND PROVIDING MEANINGFUL INSIGHT.
UM, YOUR IMPORTANCE, SHEILA TO THE MAGISTRATE COURTS IMMEASURABLE AND YOU DESERVE EVERY ACCOLADE AND
[00:05:01]
RECOGNITION.SO WE LIKE TO GIVE THAT TO YOU TONIGHT, AT LEAST IF IT'S JUST US, YOU BEING HERE WITH US.
UM, YOU ENJOY SPENDING QUALITY TIME WITH ASSISTING AND CARING FOR YOUR 98-YEAR-OLD GRANDMOTHER.
YOU ALSO ENJOY TRAVELING WITH THE DAUGHTER AS SHE COMPETES AT VARIOUS DANCE AND MODELING COMPETITIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
SO WE'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
IF I MIGHT, JUST FOR A MOMENT, SHEILA, DON'T GO AWAY.
UH, I DON'T, PEOPLE JUST DON'T KNOW THIS, BUT SHEILA, I KNOW SHEILA VERY WELL.
I WAS A JUDGE THERE FOR 10 YEARS, AND, UH, SHEILA WAS, UH, THERE FROM THE BEGINNING AND, UH, HELD US ALL TOGETHER.
AND EVERYTHING YOU'VE SAID IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE.
UM, UH, I CAN'T REALLY SAY ENOUGH ABOUT WHAT YOU'VE DONE OVER THERE ALL OVER ALL THESE YEARS, BUT I REMEMBER VERY FONDLY HOW WELL YOU TOOK CARE OF ME WHEN I FIRST SHOWED UP.
'CAUSE I WASN'T SURE WHICH WAY LEFT OR RIGHT WAS, AND YOU HELPED ME OUT QUITE A BIT.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND YOU DESERVE ALL THE RECOGNITION YOU GET.
NEXT, UM, FROM THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE, WE HAVE, UH, HEIDI LANE, WHO'S THE DEPUTY AUDITOR.
SO, UM, HEIDI'S BEEN WITH THE COUNTY FOR 25 YEARS, SERVING THE LAST NINE YEARS IN THE OTTER'S OFFICE AND THE PRIOR 16 IN THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE.
UM, HEIDI SUPERVISES THE STAFF AND OVERSEES DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS OF THE OFFICE.
UM, SHE ASSISTS IN KEEPING THE OFFICE RESPONSIVE TO TAXPAYERS AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH STATE AND LOCAL LAWS.
AND SHE PREVIOUSLY HELD A POSITION OF A SENIOR IT SPECIALIST, A LOT OF SKILLS, SOMETHING UNIQUE ABOUT, UM, HEIDI.
SHE ENJOYS PHOTOGRAPHING NATURE AND IS AN ASPIRING BEEKEEPER.
UNDER CONSENT AGENDA, UM, TWO OTHER THINGS I'D LIKE TO COMMENT ON, ON THE AGENDA, AND THEN ONE ANNOUNCEMENT, UM, ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT, WE HAVE A COUNCIL, UH, REQUESTING COUNCIL APPROVAL TO, UH, OFFER ADDITIONAL PAID HOLIDAY.
THEIR CONSIDERATION HAS DONE IN THE PAST ADMINISTRATIONS REQUESTING APPROVAL, ADDITIONAL PAID HOLIDAY.
UM, THE COUNTY IS CURRENTLY VERY GENEROUS WITH CHRISTMAS EVE AND CHRISTMAS DAYS, PAID HOLIDAYS.
HOWEVER, AS HAS BEEN DONE IN THE PAST, I'M BRINGING FORWARD THIS REQUEST.
UM, STAFF WORKS HARD EVERY YEAR AND, UM, FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, UH, SECONDARILY, UM, THERE'LL BE A, UH, A RECOMMENDATION TO IMPLEMENT AN EMPLOYEE CASH OUT OF PERSONAL LEAVE FOR 2024.
THIS IS ALSO SOMETHING THE COUNTY HAS DONE IN THE PAST, AND THIS IS ON THE AGENDA FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO ANNOUNCE THAT, UM, WE ARE GOING TO BE FILLING THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER POSITION.
UH, WE'RE GONNA BE BRINGING BACK MS. PINKY HARRIET, WHO MANY OF YOU MAY KNOW FROM PAST TIMES HERE.
SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT THAT'S GONE OUT TO STAFF.
I DID TALK TO THE FINANCE AND, UH, PURCHASING STAFF THIS AFTERNOON TO LET THEM KNOW, AND IT'S GONNA GO OUT PUBLICLY.
PINKY COULD NOT BE HERE TONIGHT, BUT WE WILL HAVE HER BACK AND SHE'LL BE STARTING ON NOVEMBER 25TH.
UM, PENNY, ANY QUESTIONS? THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT.
[7. PRESENTATION OF A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING AND COMMEMORATING 50 YEARS OF SERVICE OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE DEPARTMENT, ALSO RECOGNIZED AS NEXUS CARE OF BEAUFORT COUNTY - Council Member Gerald Dawson]
ITEM NUMBER SEVEN IS A PRESENTATION OF A PROCLAMATION, RECOGNIZING AND COMMEMORATING 50 YEARS OF SERVICE OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE DEPARTMENT.ALSO RECOGNIZING AS ALSO RECOGNIZED AS NEXUS CARE OF BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER GERALD DAWSON WILL READ THAT PROCLAMATION.
HOW ARE YOU ALL DOING? DOING WELL, THANK YOU.
THIS IS A PROCLAMATION ON RECOGNIZING THE ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE, UH, DEPARTMENT.
SO YOU TWO YOUNG LADIES, I'LL, UH, READ IT AND THEN I'LL PRESENT IT TO YOU.
THE PROCLAMATION READS, WHEREAS THE SOUTH CAROLINA ASSEMBLY PASSED ACT 3 0 1 IN 1973 DESIGNATING EACH COUNTY TO HAVE A SINGLE COUNTY AUTHORITY ON ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE.
AND WHEREAS THE BUFORD COUNTY ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE DEPARTMENT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1974
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AS A RESULT OF THE ACT, UH, THREE, UH, 3 0 1, AND AT UH, WHEREAS BEAUFORT COUNTY ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE DEPARTMENT HAS CONTINUALLY SERVED THE CITIZENS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY SINCE 1974.AND WHEREAS THE BEAUFORD COUNTY ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE DEPARTMENT ACKNOWLEDGE THE NEED TO ELIMINATE STIGMA AND BEGAN DOING BUSINESS AS NEXUS CARE OF BEAUFORT COUNTY IN 2024.
AND WHEREAS DESPITE MANY CHANGES OVER THE PAST 50 YEARS, BEAUFORT COUNTY ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE DEPARTMENT REMAINS AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE STEADFASTLY COMMITTED TO COMMUNITY SERVICE AND COMPASSIONS FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES AFFECTED BY SUBSTANCE MISUSE.
AND WHEREAS BEAUFORD COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA REMAINS DEDICATED TO ALLOCATING ITS RESOURCE TO ENSURE ONGOING ACCESS TO PREVENTION, INTERVENTION, TREATMENT, AND RECOVERY SERVICES FOR ITS CITIZENS, FOSTERING HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS, THRIVING COMMUNITIES, AND BRIGHTER FUTURES.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL HEREBY RECOGNIZES AND COMMEMORATE 50 YEARS OF SERVICE OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE DEPARTMENT, AND ALSO RECOGNIZED AS NEXUS CARE OF BEAUFORT COUNTY, DATED THIS 12TH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2024.
SIGNED BY CHAIRMAN JOSEPH PASSMAN.
I PRESENT THIS TO YOU ON BEHALF OF COUNTY COUNCIL.
ANYTHING EITHER ONE OF YOU WANNA SAY.
THIS PROCLAMATION, UH, IS BEING ACCEPTED THIS EVENING BY MRS. ARETHA HAMILTON.
MS. ARETHA HAS BEEN, UH, WITH THE COUNTY FOR 32 YEARS AND SHE IS OUR TREATMENT DIRECTOR.
[CITIZEN COMMENTS]
OKAY.WE ARE AT OUR FIRST CITIZEN'S COMMENTS.
THE FIRST PORTION IS, UH, DEDICATED TO ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE AGENDA.
WE HAVE ONE PERSON WHO WEEKS WANTS TO SPEAK ABOUT AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
THE SECOND ONE IS FOR, UH, INDIVIDUALS TO TALK TO US ABOUT ANYTHING.
AND WE HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT WANT TO TALK TO US ABOUT A PARTICULAR ITEM.
SO THAT ONE PERSON IS CARRIE MAJOR.
WOULD YOU PLEASE COME FORWARD? I THINK WE KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT.
GOOD AFTERNOON TO THE COUNCIL.
UM, GOOD EVENING, AND I'M SO GLAD THAT YOU ALLOWED ME TO DO THIS.
UM, I'VE BEEN COMING SINCE MARCH, AND I WILL CONTINUE UNTIL WE BREAK GROUND.
AND ON THE AGENDA, THE CONSENT AGENDA NUMBER TWO, UH, ABOUT A CONTRACT TO DESIGN BUILD TEAM MITCHELL CONSTRUCTION.
AND, UM, ANYWAY, SOMETHING FOR THE WESLEY FELIX COMMUNITY CENTER.
THE PROPOSED ADDITION TO THAT, UM, WITHOUT COMMUNITY INPUT, UH, WE HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THAT.
I THINK THAT IF WE ARE GOING TO BUILD ANYTHING ON ST.
HELEN ISLAND, UM, WE NEED TO HAVE THE COMMUNITY TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
THE SPACE THAT, UM, WAS, UH, SAID, I THINK 38,000 SQUARE FOOT OR SOMETHING IS GOING TO BE INSUFFICIENT.
SO WE ALREADY STARTING OUT WITH A BUILDING THAT WILL NOT, UM, UM, BE USED TO CAPACITY FOR, UM, THE ST.
AS I'VE SAID, OFTEN, UH, WE NEED A STATE OF THE ART BUILDING WITH ALL THE AMENITIES, UM, ROOM WITH COMPUTER ACCESS.
NOT ONLY, WE NOT ONLY LOOKING FOR SPORTS TO LEISURE, BUT SOMETHING WE CAN HAVE EDUCATIONAL, UM, UM, CLASSES AS WELL.
SO A YOUTH AND COMMUNITY CENTER ON S HENA ISLAND.
AND WE WANNA BE INCLUDED IN THE PLANS.
AND, UM, SOMEONE, UM, I WAS TRYING TO MEET WITH MR. BROWN AND WE HAVE NOT DONE THAT YET.
WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT A 22,000 SQUARE FOOT BUILDING, AND I KNOW YOU ALL ARE SAYING, BUT I KNOW BEFORD COUNTY HAVE THE MONEY IN ORDER TO BUILD THAT BUILDING FOR US THAT WE CAN USE ON ST.
HELENA ISLAND, UM, CENTRALLY LOCATED.
SO WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
ANOTHER ISSUE THAT I HAD, BUT I'LL LET SOMEONE ELSE SPEAK TO IT, IS A CONCERN IS ABOUT THE PARADE.
[00:15:01]
SO SOMEONE ELSE WILL SPEAK TO THAT ISSUE, BUT PLEASE, UM, WE NEED INPUT.WE DON'T NEED CONSTRUCTION TO START OUT WITH SOMETHING SMALL.
AND UNLESS YOU'RE GONNA DO PHASE TWO, IF IT'S A PHASE ONE, I CAN SEE IT.
AND THEN YOU GO FORTH TO PHASE TWO.
BUT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO YOU TREATING THE PEOPLE ON S HELENA ISLAND FAIRLY AND GIVE US OUR DOOF.
UH, IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WISHES TO DISCUSS ANYTHING ON THE AGENDA THAT DID NOT SIGN UP? YES, MA'AM.
COME FORWARD, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND WHICH ITEM YOU WANT TO DISCUSS.
DO I NEED TO TURN AROUND OR NO, NO, NO.
MY NAME IS, MY NAME IS LINDA GREEN.
I'M HERE TODAY REGARDING THE SAME THING THAT MS. MAJOR JUST SPOKE ABOUT.
AND IT INDICATES HERE THAT THE CONTRACT WOULD BE AWARD AWARDED TO, UH, TEAM MITCHELL CONSTRUCTION AND COLES ARCHITECTS.
I'M UNFAMILIAR WITH WHAT TYPE OF CRITERIA WAS USED AND AWARDING SUCH AN ENORMOUS CONTRACT.
UM, WHAT WAS THE BASIS OF THEM, UM, OBTAINING THE CONTRACT AND HOW WAS IT, UM, HOW WAS IT ACTUALLY AWARDED? UM, AND WHAT'S THE MAKEUP? WAS IT A SMALL BUSINESS OR WAS IT A BLACK OWNED BUSINESS? WHAT IS A, WAS IT A VETERAN OWNED BUSINESS? WHAT IS THE CRITERIA? BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IS WE GET PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT BUILD PROJECTS AND THEY JUST TAKE AWAY FROM THE COMMUNITY AND THEY GO ON WITH THEIR MONIES AND OUR TAX DOLLARS.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, IS IT A LOCAL CONTRACTOR OR IS IT SOMEONE FROM OUT OF STATE OR FROM OUT OF THE COUNTRY? YOU KNOW, THESE ARE OUR TAX DOLLARS.
I THINK THAT WE SHOULD KNOW WHO IS GETTING IT AND HOW IS IT BEING SPENT.
AND THERE SHOULD COME WITH A, A LARGE ACCOUNTABILITY BECAUSE THIS IS A LOT OF MONEY.
AND JUST LIKE MS. MAJOR MENTIONED, I THINK THAT MORE COMMUNITY INPUT SHOULD BE GIVEN PRIOR TO THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENING.
BECAUSE IF THERE WAS NOT A EVALUATION DONE BY THE COMMUNITY, HOW DO YOU KNOW BY THIS PROJECT BEING BUILT OR ESTABLISHED IS GOING TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY? BECAUSE I THINK IT'S SENSELESS TO BUILD SOMETHING THAT CANNOT BE FULLY UTILIZED.
UM, AND IT'S MANY, MANY TIMES THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE ON THIS SIDE ARE ALWAYS NEGLECTED.
WE, WE, WE DESERVE TO HAVE THE HIGHEST AND THE BEST QUALITY TOO, BECAUSE WE'RE THE STAKEHOLDERS AND THIS IS OUR COMMUNITY AND WE SHOULD GET THE BEST.
SO I, I, I THINK WE SHOULD GET AN EXPLANATION FOR THAT.
MS. GREEN, WOULD YOU, UH, BEFORE YOU LEAVE, GIVE YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER TO THE CLERK AND WE'LL GET YOUR NUMBER TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HANDLING THIS MATTER.
AND SOME WILL GIVE YOU A CALL TO ANSWER SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU POSED.
ARE WE, ARE WE AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW TO TALK ABOUT COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT THAT WE RECEIVED ON THIS? OR IS IT WHEN WE, WHEN WE GET TO THAT PORTION? VERY GOOD.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WISHES TO DISCUSS AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA? YES, I'M GLAD I CAME TONIGHT BECAUSE THERE'S AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA THAT INVOLVES PROPERTY, UM, ON SHEPHERD ROAD AND I OWN PROPERTY ON SHEPHERD ROAD.
IT'S ITEM NUMBER 18 ABOUT THE PUBLIC HEARING AND SECOND READING OF AN AUDIENCE ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE ANY AND ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS FOR THE ACCEPTANCE OF RIGHT OF WAY PROPERTIES ON PARCEL R 200 0 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 0 0 0 ASSOCIATED WITH SHEPHERD ROAD.
I'M A PROPERTY OWNER ON SHEPHERD ROAD AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE HEARD ABOUT THIS, SO I KIND OF MAKES ME WONDER WHAT IS GOING ON WITH BEAUFORT COUNTY.
OKAY, NOW WE ARE DEALING WITH BEAUFORT COUNTY.
SEEMS TO HAVE FORGOTTEN THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE COMMUNITIES AND WHO HAVE KEPT THIS COMMUNITY GOING.
SO I, I ALSO WANNA SPEAK ON SOMETHING ELSE, BUT I JUST HAD TO
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SAY THAT BECAUSE I HAVE PROPERTY THERE AND I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT BEAUTIFUL COUNTY PLAN IS.WELL, THERE IS A PUBLIC HEARING PORTION, SO WHEN WE GET TO THAT, WE WILL HAVE, YOU CAN STATE ANYTHING ELSE THERE.
YOU WILL BE ABLE TO LISTEN TO EXACTLY WHAT IS GOING ON THERE AND WHY.
SO, BUT AS A PROPERTY OWNER, I SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED THAT THEY INTEND TO DO WORK IN THAT AREA.
UH, THIS IS NOT WORK IN THE AREA, THIS IS CONVEYING OF THE PROPERTY RIGHT AWAY.
SO WHEN WE GET TO THAT, WE'LL BE ABLE TO ANSWER MORE QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
ANYONE ELSE ABOUT AN AGENDA ITEM? OKAY, WE WILL CLOSE THE FIRST SESSION
[9. LIASION AND COMMITTEE REPORTS]
AND MOVE ON TO THE LIAISON AND COMMITTEE REPORTS.MS. HOWARD, UH, I ATTENDED THE FOR ROYAL WORKSHOP ON THE 6TH OF NOVEMBER AND ON THE 6TH OF NOVEMBER, THE MEMBERS OF THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE OF THE LOW COUNTRY BOARD AND MYSELF MET WITH OUR, OKAY.
ON NOVEMBER 6TH, I MET, UH, I WENT TO THE PORT ORAL WORKSHOP, WHICH WAS HELD THAT EVENING.
AND ON NOVEMBER 6TH, UH, MR. MOORE, OUR NEW COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, MET WITH, UH, THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE OF THE LOW COUNTRY BOARD AND MYSELF AND ALSO I ATTENDED THE FINANCE MEETING AND THE, UH, REGULAR MEETING OF THE BEAUFORT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL BOARD AND SOME OF THE NEWS FROM BEAUFORT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL.
THEY CONTINUE TO RECRUIT NURSES.
THEY ARE RECRUITING FROM CANADA AND THE PHILIPPINES.
THEY ARE DOWN, WHICH IS GOOD NEWS.
THEY CURRENTLY HAVE 32 AGENCY NURSES, WHICH MEANS CONTRACT NURSES.
BUT THAT IS A GREAT, THAT IS A REDUCTION FROM WHAT THEY HAD, UM, ABOUT A YEAR AGO.
AND, UM, THE HOSPITAL IS ALSO WORKING FOR LOOKING AT A NEW KINDA IV PUMPS.
AND THAT WILL BEGIN IN THE IMP IMPLEMENTATION IN 2025.
THEIR EXPRESS CARE, UH, VISITS CONTINUE TO INCREASE THE PATIENT VOLUMES IN SEPTEMBER WERE 1,615.
THAT'S ALL OF THEIR EXPRESS CARE AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH CLINICS IN THE COUNTY.
ANYONE ELSE, MS. TABER? SO REPORTING FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD, I JUST WANNA NOTE THAT FIVE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE BEFORD COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD, FIVE OF THE SEATS HAVE TURNED OVER.
DISTRICT ONE, IT GOES TO ISAAC GORDON AND THAT MS. MR. CAMPBELL IS RETIRING FROM LONG SERVICE ON THAT SCHOOL BOARD.
DISTRICT SIX, THAT'S MY DISTRICT.
ALFONSO SMALL IS GOING TO BE THE NEW REPRESENTATIVE.
SECRETARY ANGELA MIDDLETON RETIRED.
SHE WAS IN THE OLD SIX, THAT'S NOW THE NEW FIVE.
RACHEL WISNESKI HAS MOVED OUT OF THE STATE.
SO THEY HELD A SPECIAL ELECTION AND DAVID CARR TAKES OVER THAT SEAT.
DISTRICT NINE, UH, THE CHAIR, DR.
CHRISTINA GU IS RETIRING FROM THAT SEAT.
AND LEAH FRAZIER WILL BE THE NEW REPRESENTATIVE.
AND DISTRICT 11, INGRID BOATWRIGHT IS RETURNING AS THE REPRESENTATIVE AND THEY'RE MEETING TONIGHT.
SO I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER REPORT.
ANYONE ELSE? UM, YES JOE, THANK YOU FOR COUNTY.
I'M AYAAN AND THEY HAVE PUT UP BILLBOARD SIGNS ON 1 74 62.
SO AS THE TAURUS COME UP INTO, UH, COME DOWN 4 4 62 TO GO TO HILTON HEAD, THEY'LL SEE THE SIGNS AND THE SIGN SAYS, UM, LET OUR TRASHES EVERYONE.
ANYONE ELSE? YES, JOE, THIS IS MARK.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? MR. LAWS GO ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
WE DO HAVE A COUPLE THINGS COMING OUT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
ONE IS, UM, APPROVAL OF, UH, ACCEPTING A GRANT FROM THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF UH, COMMERCE, THE AMOUNT OF A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR PROJECT MICRO.
UH, AND THEN WE DO HAVE APPROVAL OF, UH, THE, UM, WHAT MS. MAJOR HAD MENTIONED, THE DESIGN BUILD TEAM, UH, MITCHELL AND COAST ARCHITECTS FOR, UM, THE AGNES MAJOR AND WESLEY FELIX COMMUNITY CENTERS.
UM, AND THEN LASTLY, WE DO HAVE SOME BOARD APPOINTMENTS.
UM, AND I ENCOURAGE, UM, UH, ANYONE THAT, UH, WOULD LIKE TO SERVE ON A BOARD AND BECOME MORE INVOLVED JUST TO GO TO OUR WEBSITE, LOOK FOR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, AND THERE WILL THEN BE A LIST OF OPENINGS, UH, ON OUR COMMITTEES THAT PEOPLE CAN THEN, UH, BECOME MORE INVOLVED AND HAVE MORE INPUT OF WHAT WE DO AND HOW WE DO THINGS, UM, WITH, WITH THE COMMITTEE ACT ASPECT THAT, THAT, UH, GUIDES, UH, COUNCIL, UM, WHEN, WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT WE DO.
UH, ANYONE ELSE? JUST TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW, UH, SOMETHING THAT YOU PROBABLY ALREADY
[00:25:01]
KNOW.WE DID ALSO HAVE AN ELECTION OF SCHOOL COUNTY COUNCIL.
COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS, JUST LIKE THE SCHOOL BOARD HAD THEIR MEMBERS.
WE ALSO HAD TWO QUESTIONS ON THE REFERENDUM.
BOTH OF THOSE QUESTIONS WERE DEFEATED, BUT THE THREE INCUMBENT COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE REELECTED.
AND THAT'S MR. CUNNINGHAM, WHO IS ONLINE.
MR. GLOVER, WHO IS OVER THERE, AND MR. DAWSON WHO IS OVER THERE.
AND SO CONGRATULATIONS TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
[10. APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA]
OKAY.UH, WE ARE NOW READY FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS AND ACTION ITEMS. AND ITEM NUMBER 10 IS THE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
MR. CHAIR, CAN I ASK A PROCEDURAL QUESTION? YES, MA'AM.
SO ON THE CONSENT AGENDA IS THE CONTRACT FOR THE FELIX, THE WESLEY FELIX COMMUNITY CENTER? CORRECT.
MR. GLOVER HAS BEEN A, AN ADVOCATE AND I'M AN ADVOCATE OF HAVING A RECREATION CENTER THERE.
MM-HMM,
MM-HMM,
SO CAN, ARE WE CONSIDERING THIS PHASE ONE? I LIKE THAT YOU PUT THAT OUT THERE.
CARRIE IS THIS PHASE ONE AND THEN WE'LL GO BACK AND MAKE, UH, CREATE A REC CENTER.
THE BEST WAY FOR US TO DO THAT IS TO PULL IT FROM THE CONSENT.
JIM, THAT'S WHAT I WAS JUST GONNA SAY.
OR, OR CAN WE SPLIT IT SO THAT MR. DAWSON'S GOES THROUGH RIGHT.
HIS IS THE, UM, AG THE MSS MAJOR.
I MEAN WE ALL AGREE TO MR. DAWSON'S COPACETIC WITH THAT.
UM, WE WITH NEED LEGAL ADVICE, I KNOW REGARDING THE SPLITTING OF THAT BECAUSE IT IS ONE SINGLE ITEM.
OR DO WE TAKE THE WHOLE ITEM OUT AND THEN SPLIT IT? I WOULD REMOVE THE WHOLE ITEM FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.
TAKE IT OUT, REMOVE IT, HAVE A DISCUSSION, AND THEN WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION AND SPLIT HAVE A DISCUSSION.
WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST AS TWO SEPARATE ITEMS. OKAY.
SO I SHOULD MAKE A MOTION TO REMOVE IT FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.
AND SECOND TO REMOVE ITEM NUMBER THREE.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? SECOND CHAIRMAN.
UM, THE SECOND WAS, UH, MS. BROWN, UH, DULY.
MOTIONED AND SECONDED AND WITHOUT ANY OTHER OBJECTION.
ITEM NUMBER TWO WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.
IT WILL BE PUT ON, UH, FOR DISCUSSION, UH, UNDER THE PUBLIC HEARINGS AND ACTION ITEMS ONCE WE BEGIN THOSE.
UH, SO NOW I NEED, UH, APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA AS AMENDED.
SO NOW WE HAVE TWO ITEMS, ITEM ONE AND ITEM THREE.
MR. MCKELLEN MAKES THE MOTION.
MR. DAWSON MAKES THE SECOND DULY MOTION AND SECONDED.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT THOSE TWO AGENDA ITEMS? SEEING NONE, THOSE TWO ITEMS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION.
WE NOW PROCEED ON FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.
I WOULD NOW LIKE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER TWO.
WE THEN CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION AND AMENDING THAT TO BIFURCATE THOSE AND MOVE ON FROM THERE.
SO WE MOVED IT TO THE AGENDA ALREADY? YES, IT'S BEEN MOVED TO THE AGENDA.
SO I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND FOR THE APPROVAL OF A CONTRACT TO AWARD A DESIGN TEAM BUILD, UH, TEAM MITCHELL CONSTRUCTION AND COASTAL ARCHITECTS FOR IFB AGNES, ME, AGNES MAJOR, AND WESLEY FELIX, UH, COMMUNITY CENTERS.
MS. HOWARD MAY THE SECOND DULY MOTION AND SECONDED.
YOU, UH, YOU ASKING FOR MOTION TO NOW YOU CAN MAKE THE MOTION TO SEPARATE THOSE INTO TWO SPECIFIC ITEMS. THAT'S MY MOTION.
I'LL TO AMEND THE MOTION TO DO THAT.
SO MR. GLOVER MAKES THE MOTION AND, UH, MS. TAVERN MAKES THE SECOND TO SEPARATE THEM BETWEEN AGNES MAJOR AND WESLEY FELIX COMMUNITY CENTERS.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? SEEING NONE THAT WILL BE ACCEPTED WITHOUT OBJECTION.
SO NOW WE HAVE TWO SEPARATED ITEMS. WE WILL GO FOR A MOTION AND SECOND TO ACCEPT A DESIGN BUILD FOR AGNES MAJOR.
[00:30:01]
SECOND.MR. GLOVER MAKES THE SECOND DOLLAR TO THAT FRONT.
UM, DO WE HAVE TO SPLIT THE AMOUNT? YES.
DO WE KNOW WHAT, WHAT THE MR. ANDERSON'S COMING UP TO DISCUSS THE CONTRACT? THREE OR SOMETHING.
COMING UP IT'S MORE THAN 1.5, 1.7.
I DON'T BELIEVE IT WOULD BE AS EASY AS JUST SPLITTING IT IN HALF.
'CAUSE IT WAS BID AS ONE PROJECT, ONE CONTRACT FOR TWO.
UM, I CAN SPEAK TO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS IF YOU'D LIKE.
AT THIS POINT, OR I CAN COME BACK WHEN YOU GUYS DISCUSS IT.
WE, THESE ARE ARPA FUNDS, RIGHT? YES MA'AM.
SO WE'RE NOT GONNA LOSE THEM, ARE WE? WE WILL.
IF WE DON'T GET A CONTRACT, WE GOTTA GET MOVING.
SO I CAN EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT IF YOU WANT TO, IF YOU'RE CONSIDERING, BUT YOU GUYS ARE CONSIDERING THE OTHER QUESTION ABOUT SPLITTING, I THINK CURRENTLY.
UM, I WOULD ASK THE, THE, UH, MOTION AND SECOND TO REMOVE YOURS.
WE'LL HAVE A DISCUSSION AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK WITH AN APPROPRIATE MOTION DEPENDING UPON OUR DISCUSSION.
SO THE MOTION AND SECOND HAS BEEN REMOVED.
SO NOW WE HAVE THE MOTION AND SECOND APPROVING SPLITTING THEM.
NOW WE ASK YOU GIVE US SOME MORE INFORMATION.
AS IT WAS BID, THERE WERE, UM, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 COMPANIES THAT BID THIS PROJECT THAT WE WENT DOWN TO TWO AND THEN CHOSE ONE.
BUT THAT'S NOT MATERIAL TO THE SPLITTING BECAUSE IT WAS BID AS ONE PROJECT.
'CAUSE THEY'RE BOTH MAINLAND IT, WE FIGURED, WE KNEW THAT IT WOULD BE LESS MONEY TO HAVE ONE MOBILIZATION, ONE DESIGN TEAM, ONE CONSTRUCTION TEAM THAT IS FROM THE LOW COUNTRY REGION.
UM, TO THE POINT ABOUT A PHASE ONE.
AND WE'VE SPOKEN ALREADY WITH OUR PROJECT MANAGEMENT TEAM AND OTHER INDIVIDUALS ABOUT DESI BECAUSE IT'S A DESIGN BUILD.
THERE IS NO FINAL BUILDING DESIGNED TODAY.
THE PROJECT PLANNING BEGINS ONCE WE ALLOCATE THESE FUNDS AND SIGN THE DESIGN TEAM UP.
AND SO THAT'S WHEN THE COMMUNITY INPUT CAN BE SOUGHT.
THAT'S, WE'VE ALREADY SPOKEN TO THE DESIGN TEAM AND TO OTHERS ABOUT BUILDING THIS IN A WAY, JUST LIKE THEY DO INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS WHERE YOU DESIGN A PORTION, THIS WOULD BE THE BUILDING TODAY BECAUSE THAT'S HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAVE TODAY.
BUT YOU WOULD DESIGN IT INTENTIONALLY FOR EXPANSION, WHETHER THAT'S IN ONE OR TWO DIRECTIONS.
SO THAT AS COUNTY COUNCIL ALLOCATED FUNDS GOING FORWARD, THEY COULD EXERCISE THOSE OPTIONS.
DOES THAT INCLUDE, UH, SPORTS LEISURE AND UM, UH, SCHOOL WORK? IS IT
WE, THAT'S WHY THIS WOULD BE AT A PARK.
WESLEY FELIX IS A VERY NICE PARK.
THERE'S JUST NO PERMANENT STRUCTURE TO HAVE ANYTHING FROM SENIOR SERVICES TO AFTER SCHOOL TO SUMMER CAMPS, ET CETERA.
AND THAT'S WHERE THE THOUGHT WAS TO HAVE THIS THERE, I KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN A PLAN LONG TERM IN THE MASTER PLAN FOR THERE TO BE A LARGER FACILITY.
AND THAT'S WHY WE THOUGHT OF MAKING THIS, AGAIN, WE HAVE THE ARPA FUNDS TODAY THAT ARE FINITE, BUT WE COULD DESIGN IT IN A WAY THAT'S EXPANDABLE TO HELP FULFILL THE VISION FOR WHAT COULD BE THERE.
AND WE WOULD DO THE SAME THING WITH THE SHELDON CENTER BECAUSE 'CAUSE IT'S ONE TEAM, WE CAN MAKE IT SO THAT YOU CAN DO CERTAIN THINGS.
UH, THAT SEEMS TO BE MORE CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE WOULD WANT TO DO.
THIS NOW IS ALERTING EVERYONE.
THIS IS JUST TO HIRE THE FIRM.
AFTER THE FIRM IS HIRED, WE ARE NOW GOING TO GO TO THE COMMUNITY TO SAY, OKAY, WE'D LIKE YOUR INPUT ABOUT THE PROCESS AND PROCEDURE WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH TO DEVELOP THESE TWO SPECIFIC PARTS.
I'D LIKE TO HEAR MR. GLOVER ON THIS.
WELL, ONE OF THE COMMENTS I MADE, UM, TO THE ADMINISTRATOR, UM, IS THAT THEY, THERE IS A STRUCTURE FOLLOWS FUNCTION.
SO, UM, YOU'RE DESIGNING SOMETHING BASED ON WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THAT FACILITY.
AND THAT'S WHERE THE COMMUNITY HAS TO HAVE A INPUT INTO WHAT WE SEE HAPPENING IN THAT NOT ONLY TODAY, BUT INTO, INTO THE FUTURE.
SO WE CAN DESIGN IT JUST LIKE YOU SAID, THROUGH PHASES, BUT THE INITIAL PLANNING FOR THAT HAS TO OCCUR SO THAT WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE.
AND WE ARE HOPING THAT THE FUTURE IS NOT THAT FAR AWAY.
UH, ONE OF, ONE OF THE PROBLEMS IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DO THINGS TODAY AND WE MOVE FORWARD AND WE FORGET IT.
UM, THIS COMMUNITY WANTS TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT COUNCIL WANT TO DO, BUT IT'S BASED ON THEIR INPUT AND, AND THEY MUST HAVE AN INPUT
[00:35:01]
IN WHAT'S GONNA BE IN THAT BUILDING.UM, THERE ARE A LOT OF ACTIVITIES THAT'S OUT THERE IN THE, IN, IN THE COMMUNITY AND THEY BASICALLY WANT TO MAKE THAT A PART OF THEM.
UM, LAST COUNCIL MEETING, UH, WE, WE, WE HAD, I THOUGHT IT WAS OVER 40, BUT IT WAS UNDER 40 CHILDREN HERE WHO BASICALLY, MOST OF THEM WERE REALLY FROM THAT COMMUNITY AND ACTUALLY LIVE IN THAT SAME GENERAL AREA.
AND THEY REALLY DON'T HAVE A LOT TO DO.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE FUNCTION OF OUR COMMUNITY, UH, WILL FIT THE DESIGN OF THE BUILDING, UH, AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
SO I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT COMMITMENT.
AND I, AND I'M HEARING THAT FROM YOU AND THE ADMINISTRATION AT THIS TIME, UH, THAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO DESIGNING A BUILDING.
WE MAY NOT DO IT ALL TODAY, BUT WE ARE DESIGNING A FOOTPRINT THAT WE KNOW THAT IN THE FUTURE, THIS IS WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
AND THERE WILL NOT BE A RUSH TO CONSTRUCTION.
THE, THE ONLY THING THAT'S CLOSE TO A RUSH TIMELINE IS TO GET A CONTRACT SIGNED TO ALLOCATE THE FUNDS, BUT THEN THE PLANNING PROCESS CAN ROLL OUT IN THE METHODICAL MANNER TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AND HANK, THERE IS A BREAKDOWN IN THE BACKUP.
I SAW THAT ON THE, ON THE DESIGN COURSE FOR AGNES MAJOR AND WESLEY, WESLEY FELIX.
THEY HAVE THOSE DIFFERENT NUMBERS AND THEN THEY HAVE ACTUALLY, UH, A CONCEPTUAL DESIGN CONSTRUCTION COST THAT WAS 1.2 MILLION FOR AGNES MAJOR AND 1.3 MILLION FOR WESLEY FELIX.
BUT WE WOULD HAVE TO ASK THEM IF WE WOULD PUT THIS OFF TO THE DECEMBER MEETING OR MAYBE TO WHETHER THERE'S A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING.
YOU JUST COMPRESS THE CONTRACTING PERIOD TO GET A CONTRACT SIGNED BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.
BUT WE WOULD HAVE TO ASK 'EM IF THOSE ARE HONORED INDIVIDUALLY.
I HAVEN'T READ TODAY THAT, BUT THAT'S GENERAL BECAUSE THEY BREAK DOWN IN THEIR PROPOSAL, THEY BREAK DOWN LIGHT ITEMS FOR ELECTRIC AND PLUMBING.
AND SO THAT'S WHY THEY PROBABLY BROKE IT OUT THAT WAY.
SO IT WOULD SEEM, AFTER HEARING WHAT YOU ARE SAYING, THAT IT MAY WELL BE APPROPRIATE FOR COUNSEL TO TAKE ACTION TO APPROVE THE CONTRACT FOR BOTH OF THEM.
BECAUSE THIS REALLY IS THE BEGINNING OF THIS.
BY HIRING THE FIRM THAT IS GOING TO DO THE DESIGN AND BUILD, WE'RE OBLIGATING THE FUNDS, OTHERWISE WE LOSE THOSE FUNDS AND YET WE'RE NOT EXCLUDING THE COMMUNITY.
IT'S JUST THE BEGINNING PORTION.
IS THAT A FAIR SUMMARY? YES, SIR.
AND IF WHAT WE SHOULD DO AND AS IF THE PLAN GROWS OR CHANGES, IT COULD BE BROUGHT BACK TO COUNCIL FOR ADDITIONAL ASK.
IS THERE OTHER QUESTIONS? YES.
WELL, NO, MY OTHER COMMENT WOULD BE, WE HAVE TO GO AHEAD WITH THIS BECAUSE OF OUR DEFENSE.
BUT ARE WE GOING TO MAKE A COMMITMENT THAT WE WILL HAVE TO COME UP WITH OTHER FUNDS? SHOULD IT BE EXPANDED AS MR. GLOVER WAS TALKING ABOUT? THIS WON'T COVER AN EXPANDED NO.
WE, WE KNEW WE WEREN'T GOING TO BUILD THIS THIS YEAR.
WELL, I THINK THERE'S A STRONG COMMITMENT HERE ON THIS PANEL TO MOVE FORWARD.
IN PHASE ONE OR PHASE TWO OR PHASE THREE, WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET THAT REC CENTER ESTABLISHED OVER THERE, MS. HOWARD.
SO I DON'T THINK THERE'S REALLY ANY, ANY, I I THINK WHEN WE GET INPUT ON THE DESIGN, IT WILL CHANGE, PARTICULARLY THE ONE ON ST.
HELENA WHEN WE GET MORE INPUT ON THAT.
AND AND THAT'S WHY IT'S CALLED DESIGN BUILD.
IT'S NOT, YOU'RE STILL DESIGNING IT.
AND I, I THINK THIS IS A GOOD APPROACH AS FAR AS COMMITMENT OF MORE FUNDS.
I THINK WE HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT, WHAT, WHAT COMES, WHAT, WHAT THE FINAL PRODUCT IS.
WE NEED TO BE, WHAT THE FINAL PRODUCT IS.
WE CAN'T COMMIT TO SOMETHING WE DON'T KNOW YET.
WE, WE HAVE, THE COMMUNITY HAS TOLD US WHAT THEY WANT, BUT WE NEED TO GET THAT DESIGN.
JUST, JUST BRIEFLY, UH, TO ANSWER SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE SAID IN PUBLIC COMMENT, UM, FROM LOOKING AT THE BACKUP DOCUMENTS, THIS IS ACTUALLY A LOCAL COMPANY.
IT'S THE COMPANY DONE A LOW COUNTRY.
UM, AND I DO JUST WANNA REMIND PEOPLE THAT ANY BUSINESS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY IS CONSIDERED LOCAL BECAUSE THEY ARE LOCAL PEOPLE WORKING AT THE BUSINESS.
KROGER MIGHT BE A NATIONAL CHAIN, BUT LOCALS WORK AT THAT BUSINESS.
SO IT IS STILL A LOCAL CONTRACT.
UM, IT WOULD STILL BE LOCALS WORKING ON THE PROJECT ITSELF.
UM, BUT TO ANSWER THE QUESTION, I WOULD SAY LIKE ONE STEP, WE, THIS IS ARPA FUNDS.
THIS ISN'T NECESSARILY JUST LOCAL TAX DOLLARS THAT WE'RE USING ON THIS, BUT I WOULD BE CAREFUL WITH, ESPECIALLY WITH THE WAY NOVEMBER JUST WENT, UM, WITH OUR REFERENDUM OF EXACTLY WHAT PROMISES WE SAY FOR STEP ONE OR STEP TWO, WE CAN'T GUARANTEE WHAT FUNDS ARE COMING DOWN THE PIPELINE.
SO EXACTLY WHAT MS. HOWARD, MS. HOWARD SAID I AGREE WITH, DEPENDING ON WHAT TYPE OF FUNDING WE HAVE, IT, IT, IT HAS TO DO WITH, UM, IMPACT FEES DONE FOR REC CENTERS.
IT HAS TO DO WITH WHAT OTHER FUNDS WE CAN ALLOCATE TOWARDS IT FOR WHATEVER FUTURE PROJECTS.
NOT ONLY THIS ONE, BUT OTHERS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
[00:40:01]
IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE CAN PROMISE AND SAY, THIS IS STEP ONE BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA GET THIS MONEY TOMORROW.UM, SO I, I WOULD JUST SAY I WANNA BE CAREFUL ON THAT AND SAY THAT I STAND ON THAT POINT.
I WOULD LIKE THIS TO BE STEP ONE, BUT IT'S NOT A GUARANTEE.
WE CAN SAY THAT YES, WE HAVE ARPA FUNDS TO FUND THIS ONE, BUT DOESN'T MEAN WE HAVE FUNDS TOMORROW TO BUILD EVERYTHING ELSE.
UM, IT, IT, IT MIGHT BE A COUPLE YEARS DOWN THE ROAD BEFORE WE HAVE THIS IN OUR FUTURE PROJECTIONS.
LET, LET ME KIND OF RESPOND TO, UM, A STATEMENT.
UM, THIS COMMUNITY, UH, HAS BEEN WAITING, UM, SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL.
I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL FOR EIGHT YEARS.
THIS COMMUNITY, MY SECOND PUBLIC MEETING I HELD WAS ON RECREATION, UM, IN 2017.
UM, AND THIS COMMUNITY WAS TOLD THAT WE WERE GOING TO GET A PLAN, A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR RECREATION.
WE HAVE THAT AND THEN NOW WE ARE MOVING FORWARD.
AND I AM HOPING THAT, UM, WITH THE RECREATION PLAN THAT WE HAVE PROPOSED, THAT CAME TO US FROM THE CONSULTANT THAT WE WERE GOING TO FUND, UH, THOSE PROJECTS, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
SO THE MONEY THAT WAS COMMITTED TO DO THAT IS STILL THERE.
THIS IS THE FUND THAT YOU ARE USING IS NOT COUNTY MONEY, IT'S FEDERAL MONEY.
SO MONEY IS THERE FOR COMMITMENT TO RECREATION.
AND ALL WE ARE SAYING IS THAT WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS HERE NOW USING FEDERAL FUNDS.
BUT COUNTY HAS ALREADY COMMITTED SOMETHING.
THEY HAVEN'T SAID HOW MUCH OF COUNTY FUNDS TO WORK TOWARD RECREATION, BUT THEY HAVE COMMITTED TO DOING AND FUNDING THAT CONSULTANT PROJECT.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? SO I WOULD ASK THAT MR. GLOVER AND MS. TABERNAC WITHDRAW THE SEPARATION OF THESE TWO AND THAT WE'RE AT THE ORIGINAL MOTION, WHICH IS TO APPROVE THE CONTRACT IN TOTAL AS THE BEGINNING PROCESS.
I THINK WE ALREADY WITHDREW IT.
I THOUGHT WE DID, BUT NO, WE ATE, WE WITHDREW.
SO EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE DOING.
WE ARE HIRING THE FIRM TO COMMIT THESE FUNDS TO BEGIN THE PROCESS OF A DESIGN BUILD AT THOSE TWO SITES.
WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO THERE AT THIS POINT IN TIME, ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION AND I SEE NO OBJECTIONS.
[11. APPROVAL TO AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO OFFER A BUYBACK OR EMPLOYEE PERSONAL LEAVE FOR FY2025 - Katherine Mead, Beaufort County Human Resources Director]
NEXT.ITEM NUMBER 11 IS THE APPROVAL TO AUTHORIZE THE COUNTY ADMINISTER ADMINISTRATOR TO OFFER A BUYBACK OR EMPLOYEE PERSONAL LEAVE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025.
YOU WERE THE SECOND MR. GLOVER.
I, UH, MR. MCKELLEN WAS THE MOTION DULY MOTIONED.
AND SECOND, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE.
THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION AND I SEE NO OBJECTION.
[12. APPROVAL TO OBSERVE MONDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2024 AS AN ADDITIONAL CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY EMPLOYEES - Michael Moore, County Administrator]
ITEM NUMBER 12 IS THE APPROVAL TO OBSERVE MONDAY, DECEMBER 23RD, 2024 AS AN ADDITIONAL CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY FOR BUFORD COUNTY EMPLOYEES.MS. BROWN MAKES THE SECOND DULY MOTIONED AND SECONDED.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I, UM, I, I SUPPORT US, UM, GIVING DECEMBER 23RD, UM, AS AN ADDITIONAL DAY FOR OUR EMPLOYEES TO CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS.
SO I THINK, UH, THEY DESERVE IT AS, AS, AS WELL NEEDED.
UM, BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, I'D LIKE TO AMEND THIS, THIS, UH, MOTION, UM, TO ADD ALSO, UM, JUNE 19TH AS A NATIONAL HOLIDAY TO BE OBSERVED BY COUNCIL, UM, FOR BUFORT COUNTY.
UM, AND, AND THE 2025 CALENDAR YEAR.
I THINK WE DISCUSSED THAT WHEN WE GET TO THAT CALENDAR.
THAT SHOULD BE, IT'S ON THE BOTTOM.
NOT, NOT PART OF THE COUNCIL'S MEETING CENTRAL CALENDAR.
THE, IT'S NOT ON HOLIDAY CALENDAR FOR 2025 AS YET.
SO YES, THAT'S, THAT IS APROPOS WHEN WE ACTUALLY SET THE CALENDAR FOR 2025
[00:45:01]
AS TO ALL OF THE HOLIDAYS THAT WE'RE GOING TO ASSIGN.I'M SORRY, I DON'T USUALLY VOTE ON THAT CALENDAR.
THAT ADMINISTRATION DOES YOU VOTE ON THE MEETING SCHEDULE, SO RIGHT.
HIS MOTION WOULD BE FURTHER TO INCLUDE IT, YEAH.
BUT THE, WE'RE KIND OF CONVOLUTED THERE.
THIS SHOULD BE TAKEN SEPARATE AND THEN WE COULD HAVE A SEPARATE ITEM FOR THAT INSTRUCTING ADMINISTRATION THAT COUNSEL WOULD LIKE TO PUT THAT IN AS A HOLIDAY.
SO WITH YOUR PERMISSION, YOU WILL WITHDRAW THAT.
WE WILL VOTE STRICTLY ON THIS AND THEN WE WILL FIND AT THE END THE APPROPRIATE, UH, TIME TO DO THAT VERY WELL.
A KIND OF A TECHNICAL QUESTION.
DOES THIS APPLY TO, UH, PE PEOPLE SUPERVISED BY AN ELECTED OFFICIAL SUCH AS THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT? THE, THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE WILL APPLY TO THEM TOO.
I MEAN, IT'S A COUNTY HOLIDAY.
IT SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD, BUT YEAH, IT WOULD APPLY TO ALL COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
INCLUDING THE ELECTED OFFICIALS EMPLOYEE.
ALRIGHT, SO DULY MOTIONED AND SECOND TO OBSERVE MONDAY THE 23RD AS A HOLIDAY THIS YEAR.
UH, IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION AND I SEE NO OBJECTION.
[13. DISCUSSION OF THE US 278 CORRIDOR PROJECT STATE INFRASTRUCTURE BANK (SIB) INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT (FISCAL IMPACT: The total project cost is $488M. Currently, there is $298M in available funding which leaves a $190M shortfall) - Jared Fralix, Assistant County Administrator, Infrastructure]
ITEM NUMBER 13, THIS IS A DISCUSSION OF THE S 2 78 QUARTER PROJECT, STATE INFRASTRUCTURE BANK INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT, UM, FOR THE PUBLIC.UH, UH, SARAH, CAN YOU PUT UP THE LETTER WE HAVE RECEIVED? YEP.
UM, ON NOVEMBER 7TH, COUPLE DAYS AFTER THE REFERENDUM WAS DEFEATED, WE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE INFRASTRUCTURE BANK CHAIRMAN DIRECTED TO MR. MOORE, OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
UM, I WILL READ THAT LETTER TO YOU SO THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THE DISCUSSION WE'RE GOING TO HAVE IN YOUR JULY 3RD, 2024 LETTER TO ME, YOU INFORMED THE BANK, THE ESTIMATED FUNDING SHORTFALL FOR THE US 2 78 PROJECT WAS APPROXIMATELY $190 MILLION.
YOU INDICATED THE COUNTY INTENDED TO FUND THE APPROXIMATELY 90 MILLION FROM A TRANSPORTATION SALES TAX REFERENDUM TO BE PLACED ON THE NOVEMBER GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT ON NOVEMBER 5TH.
THE BOND REFERENDUM FAILED BY A SUBSTANTIAL MARGIN OF 55% TO 45%.
AS YOU KNOW, THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN BEAUFORT COUNTY AND THE BANK PROVIDES THAT BEAUFORT COUNTY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY OVERAGES FOR THE TOTAL COST OF THE PROJECT.
THE TOTAL COST REFERENCED IN THE IGA IS $292,350,000.
THE BANK'S COMMITMENT IS A GRANT OF 120 MILLION.
AN UPDATED TOTAL PROJECT COW, UH, COST NOW RANGES BETWEEN 425 AND $480 MILLION DEPENDING UPON THE DESIGN OF THE PROJECT.
YOUR LETTER INDICATED THAT BUFORT COUNTY WOULD ALLOCATE $90 MILLION TOWARDS, TOWARDS THE OVERAGE WITH FUNDING COMING FROM THE TRANSPORTATION SALES TAX.
NOW THAT THE TRANSPORTATION SALES TAX HAS BEEN SOUNDLY REJECTED.
PLEASE PROVIDE A DETAILED AND COMPLETE EXPLANATION HOW BEAUFORT COUNTY INTENDS TO FUND THE APPROXIMATELY 200 AND MILLION DOLLARS REQUIREMENT.
YOUR LETTER REQUESTED THE BANK TO PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL GRANT OF 90 MILLION TO GO TOWARDS THE FUNDING OF THE SHORTFALL.
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THE BANK BOARD MUST OBTAIN BETTER INFORMATION FROM BUFORT COUNTY, HOW IT INTENDS TO FUND THE SHORTFALL BEFORE THE BANK CAN CONTEMPLATE WHETHER TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL GRANT DOLLARS TO THE PROJECT.
PLEASE RESPOND WITHIN 15 DAYS SO THE BANK BOARD CAN MAKE A DECISION ON HOW TO BEST PROCEED WITH THIS PROJECT.
SIGNED BY JOHN B. WHITE, JUNIOR, JUNIOR, CHAIRMAN OF THE SIB.
I WILL NOW ASK, UM, MR. MOORE AND MR. REEKS, YOU'RE GONNA DO IT AS
[00:50:01]
WELL TO COME FORWARD AND GIVE US SOME INFORMATION.UM, MR. CHAIR, COUNSEL, UM, THE LETTER'S BEEN READ AND I WANTED TO ENSURE THAT ALL COUNSEL HAD THAT AND THE PUBLIC HAS HAS HEARD THIS.
UH, MR. FRICKS IS GONNA PROVIDE ADDITIONAL DETAILS ON THE PROJECT WHERE WE ARE IN TERMS OF FUNDING AND WHERE WE ARE IN TERMS OF SHORTFALL.
HOWEVER, AS, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THIS PUTS THE, THE PROJECT IN A POSITION WHERE AT THIS POINT WE DON'T HAVE A PATH FORWARD.
SO I'LL NOW TURN IT OVER TO MR. FRA FOR ADDITIONAL COMMENTS.
I ACTUALLY HAVE SOME PREPARED, UM, SPEAKING POINTS THAT I WANT TO SHARE AND THEN WE'LL SHARE 'EM ON THE SCREEN FOR EVERYBODY.
THAT ONE? EVERYBODY HAVE ONE? MM-HMM.
IT SHOULD JUST BE ONE PAGE FRONT AND BACK.
UM, THE OPPORTUNITY THAT THE COUNTY WOULD HAVE, ESPECIALLY IN THE SHORT TIMEFRAME TO ADDRESS THIS, IS BOND FUNDING.
GO BOND FUNDING IE PROPERTY TAX.
CURRENTLY THE COUNTY HAS A BONDING CAPACITY, UH, OF $155 MILLION AVAILABLE.
SO WITHOUT AN ADDITIONAL REFERENDUM, THAT'S HOW MUCH THE COUNTY CAN ISSUE WITHOUT GOING BACK TO THE VOTERS TO ISSUE ADDITIONAL DEBT.
SO THAT IN ITSELF DOESN'T PROVIDE ENOUGH TO CLOSE THE GAP OF WHAT'S AVAILABLE FOR THE PROJECT.
UH, A LITTLE DETAILS ON THE PROJECT.
UH, THE CURRENT TOTAL COST OF THE PROJECT IS 488 MILLION.
WE HAVE IN FUNDING IN THE BANK, UH, UH, 298 MILLION, WHICH PROVIDES THE GAP OF 190 MILLION.
TODAY WHAT'S BEEN EXPENDED IS $11 MILLION.
SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING OUT THIS PROJECT FOR ABOUT SEVEN YEARS, AND THIS HAS BEEN TOWARDS THE DESIGN ELEMENT.
WE ARE APPROXIMATELY 30% IN THE DESIGN.
UM, AND WE ARE CLOSING IN ON CLOSING OUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESS.
SO WE HAVEN'T EXPENDED THE CONSTRUCTION FUNDS.
UM, THE ONLY FUNDS TO DATE THAT HAVE BEEN EXPENDED ARE BOTH DOT FUNDS AND COUNTY FUNDS, ABOUT 5 MILLION FROM THE COUNTY AND 6 MILLION FROM DOT.
DARREN, FOR YOU ONE, CAN I JUST CLARIFY ONE THING? YES, SIR.
WHEN THIS WHOLE THING STARTED, WHAT WAS THE TOTAL COST ESTABLISHED THEN? IN 2016, THERE WAS AN ESTIMATED ABOUT 240, BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE A FINALIZED ALTERNATIVE.
WHEN WE HAD THE AGREEMENT ESTABLISHED IN 2021, IT WAS 292 MILLION AND NOW IT'S 4 88.
'CAUSE INFLATIONARY PRESSURES AND THE COST OF GOODS.
SO THE SIB FUNDS THE $120 MILLION STATE INFRASTRUCTURE BANKS, UH, WERE EARMARKED TOWARDS CONSTRUCTION.
SO AT PRESENT, THERE HAVE BEEN NO EXPENDITURE OF THOSE FUNDS.
UM, ONLY THE 11 MILLION FROM DOT AND THE COUNTY.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON STATEWIDE.
SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THE CIVS PERSPECTIVE IS THEY HAD SEVEN PROJECTS THAT WERE AWARDED IN 2020, OF WHICH BEAUFORT COUNTY WAS ONE OF THOSE PROJECTS.
ALL OF THOSE PROJECTS HAVE SOME LEVEL OF OVERFUNDING BECAUSE OF THE INFLATIONARY PRESSURES.
UM, THREE OF THE SPONSORS HAVE ASKED FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDS, ONE BEING BEAUFORT COUNTY AND THE SIB HAS ALSO RECEIVED APPLICATIONS FOR AN ADDITIONAL PROGRAM, A RURAL ROAD PROGRAM OF $200 MILLION.
SO ALL IN ALL, THEY HAVE ABOUT A $600 MILLION REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDS THAT IS BEING MADE STATEWIDE.
SO WE HAVE OUR OWN PROJECT, BUT WE'RE NOT IN A VACUUM STATEWIDE.
THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE CONSIDERING.
UM, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROJECT.
AS MENTIONED, WE ARE FINISHING UP THE NEPA PROCESS.
WE ARE AWAITING A DECISION FROM FEDERAL HIGHWAY ON A FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS, UM, FROM THIS MOMENT IN TIME, SHOULD WE RECEIVE THAT APPROVAL FROM THE FAA, WE HAVE ABOUT TWO AND A HALF YEARS OF DESIGN PERMITTING, RIGHTWAY ACQUISITION AND UTILITY COORDINATION THAT WILL SET US UP TO BID THE PROJECT.
SO, UM, THE PROJECT ITSELF IS EXPECTED TO TAKE TWO AND A HALF TO THREE YEARS OF CONSTRUCTION.
SO THAT PUTS US APPROXIMATELY THE
[00:55:01]
END OF 2030 BEFORE THE PROJECT WILL BE CONSTRUCTED.UH, THERE ARE SOME SCENARIOS THAT ARE BEYOND OUR CONTROL, UM, THAT THERE'S THREE MAJOR FUNDING STAKEHOLDERS, THE SIB, THE DOT AND OURSELVES.
EACH OF US HAVE OUR OWN CONCERNS THAT MAY AFFECT THE PROJECT.
SO DOT'S CONCERN IS THERE ARE FOUR SPANS THAT CURRENTLY GO OVER THE TWO CREEKS ON 2 78.
THEY'RE INDEPENDENT OF ONE ANOTHER.
SO THOSE FOUR BRIDGES OF WHICH ONE IS IN A VERY DEFICIENT MANNER.
SO THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING SOME EXISTING, SOME, SOME ADDITIONAL DETERMINATION HOW LONG THAT ONE SPAN WILL REMAIN IN A SATISFACTORY CONDITION.
WHAT THEY DO NOT WANT TO DO IS IF IT DETERIORATES, THEY WILL BE FORCED TO MAKE A, UM, LOAD RESTRICTED BRIDGE.
IE THERE WOULD NOT BE INTER, UH, 18 WHEELERS ARE ALLOWED TO CROSS THE BRIDGE.
THEY DO NOT WANT TO MAKE THAT.
SO THEY'RE GOING TO ACT IN A MANNER SO THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE TO LOAD, RESTRICT THAT BRIDGE.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS IT MAY NOT BE UP TO THE COUNTY OR THE SIB AS TO WHETHER THIS PROJECT, AS IT'S DESIGNED RIGHT NOW, REMAINS IN TOW.
UH, IF THEY HAVE A DETERMINATION THAT IT WILL NOT SUSPEND FOR THE NEXT FOUR TO FIVE YEARS UNTIL OUR NEW CONCEIVED PROJECT IS CONSTRUCTED, THEY MAY TAKE THEIR FUNDING AND REALLOCATE IT TO A BRIDGE REPAIR PROJECT AND REPAIR THAT ONE SPAN.
SIB HAS A SHORTFALL ON MULTIPLE PROJECTS THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY'RE GONNA DO FROM A STATE.
SHOULD THEY FUND THIS OR ANOTHER PROJECT OR SHOULD THEY FUND ANY OF THE OVERAGES? OUR AGREEMENT SAYS PRESENTLY THAT THE COUNTY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY OVERAGES.
SO BY CONTRACT THEY ARE NOT REQUIRED TO FUND ANY OF OUR OVERAGES, BUT, UH, THAT IS THEIR SCENARIO THAT THEY HAVE TO LOOK WITH.
AND THEN THE COUNTY SCENARIO IS THE SHORTFALL.
WHAT OTHER FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE, UH, TO SHORE UP THE SHORTFALL.
SO WE HAD MADE A PETITION TO THE STATE INFRASTRUCTURE BANK THAT WE KNEW WE HAD $190 MILLION SHORTFALL EARLIER IN THE YEAR.
WE HAD ASKED THAT THEY COME ALONG IN A PRO RATA STATUS WHEN THE PROJECT WAS AWARDED BY THE SIB AND THE GRANT APPLICATION PROCESS IN 2021 TO CONTINUE THAT PRO RATA STATUS, UM, TO TODAY'S PROJECT VALUE.
AND WHAT THAT WOULD DO, THAT WOULD MEAN THAT WE WOULD NEED TO COME UP BY 90 MILLION.
THEY WOULD COME UP BY 90 MILLION AND DOT BY APPROXIMATELY 10 MILLION.
AND THAT WAY IT WOULD BE THE SAME AS IF WHEN WE DID IT AS A $240 MILLION PROJECT NOW HAS A $488 MILLION PROJECT.
UM, BUT WE HAVEN'T GOT ANY DETERMINATION ON THAT.
SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE, WE ARE, UM, HAVE TO LOOK AT NOT JUST THE 90 MILLION, BUT THE FULL 190 MILLION.
SO WHAT ARE OUR OPTIONS? HOW ELSE NOW THAT SALES TAX, TRANSPORTATION SALES TAX HAS FAILED? WHAT OTHER OPTIONS DO WE HAVE? AS MENTIONED, WE DO NOT HAVE THE FULL AMOUNT TO BOND WITH PROPERTY TAXES.
WE COULD BOND UP TO $155 MILLION, BUT THAT WOULD COMPLETELY TAX OUT THE AVAILABLE CAPACITY.
THE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THERE, AGAIN, TO REQUEST THE 90 MILLION AND USE 90 MILLION OF THAT 55 AND ASK THE STATE SIB FOR THE DIFFERENCE.
UM, OTHER OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDE A LARGE, UH, FEDERAL GRANT APPLICATION.
THIS PROJECT IS, IS AT A POSITION TO, UH, ACCEPT FEDERAL GRANTS.
UM, THERE'S A LARGE BRIDGE GRANT APPLICATION, UH, IN THE FALL OF NEXT YEAR.
IT, IT WOULD ALLOW FOR, IT HAS TO BE A PROJECT OF A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS OR GREATER, WHICH OURS COMPLIES WITH.
AND THERE'S NO UPWARD LIMIT ON HOW MUCH YOU CAN APPLY FOR.
SO YOU COULD APPLY FOR UP TO THE HOPEFUL FULL $190 MILLION.
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES ARE A SPECIFIC GO BOND REFERENDUM, SIMILAR TO WHAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT DID.
YOU CAN DO THAT IN ANY CALENDAR YEAR.
SO THAT COULD BE DONE AS SOON AS NEXT NOVEMBER, IF SO CHOSEN THAT WOULD ALLOW YOU TO EXPEND OVER YOUR 8% CAPACITY.
YOU NEED BUYING REFERENDUM FOR THAT.
IS THAT THAT PROPERTY TAX YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT A MOMENT AGO? YES.
SO IT WOULD STILL BE A PROPERTY TAX, BUT IF THE COUNTY CHOOSES, IF COUNCIL CHOOSES TO, YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO, UH, WITHOUT VOTER APPROVAL, VOTER REFERENDUM TO SPEND UP TO 8% OF YOUR ASSESSED VALUE ISSUE DEBT TO THAT.
IF YOU CHOOSE TO GO ABOVE THAT, YOU STILL HAVE THAT AUTHORITY, BUT YOU HAVE TO GET VOTER APPROVAL ON THAT.
SO IT WOULD BE A, A REFERENDUM, JUST LIKE WE HAD IN THIS PAST NOVEMBER IN SOURCED BY SALES TAX.
[01:00:01]
IT WOULD BE SOURCED BY PROPERTY TAX UP TO THAT DOLLAR THRESHOLD.SO THAT CAN BE DONE IN ANY CALENDAR YEAR.
OTHER OPTIONS ARE A FUTURE TRANSPORTATION SALES TAX IN, IN EVEN YEARS.
SO AS SOON AS 2026 OR A CAPITAL PROJECT SALES TAX, WHICH CAN BE FACILITIES, BUILDINGS, OR ROADS AND ROADS.
AND THAT'S IN EVEN YEARS AS WELL.
AND LASTLY, THERE'S A HODGEPODGE OF FUNDING.
UM, THEY'RE LISTED AND, AND I WON'T NECESSARILY GO THROUGH ALL OF IT, BUT, UM, AND OTHER PROJECTS ACROSS THE STATE THAT HAVE, THAT HAVE DEALT WITH THIS ISSUE, UM, THEY'VE USED A MYRIAD OF SOURCES, LOCAL SOURCES TO FUND THAT GAP AND BASICALLY HAVE SAID, FOR INSTANCE, OUR MPO FUNDS LATS GUIDE SHARE FUNDS AND OBLIGATED THOSE FOR FOUR OR FIVE, SIX YEARS.
SO THAT'S THE ONLY PROJECT THAT GETS FUNDED BY THE MPO FOR A PERIOD OF TIME.
UH, OUR MPO UM, RECEIVES ABOUT $8 MILLION A YEAR.
SO THE ISSUE THAT WE HAVE IS THE GAP IS SO LARGE THAT THERE'S NO ONE FUNDING SOURCE OR EVEN THE COMBINATION OF THESE SMALLER FUNDS THAT WOULD ADEQUATELY ACHIEVE THAT GAP FUNDING SHORTFALL.
UM, SO THOSE ARE THE PROJECT SCENARIOS.
I I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS, GREAT.
RECOMMENDATIONS TO PROVIDE OTHER THAN CONTEXT AND ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE, I CAN ANSWER OR ATTEMPT TO ANSWER THOSE.
I HAVE ONE IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT THE PEOPLE SPOKE AND VOTED NO FOR THE TAX REFERENDUM.
I THINK WE SHOULD COME TO AN AGREEMENT TONIGHT THAT RAISING THEIR PROPERTY TAX OR MILLAGE AS SOME CALL IT IS OFF THE TABLE.
WHY WOULD THAT BE AN OPTION AFTER THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN AND SAID NO TO THAT.
SO MY GOAL, MY JOB AS STAFF IS TO PROVIDE ALL AVAILABLE OPTIONS AS COUNSEL, YOU DECIDE WHETHER THAT'S AN APPROPRIATE OPTION.
SO THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING FOR COUNSEL TO DISCUSS AND CONSIDER.
I, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, I'D SAY WE COME TO TERMS TONIGHT THAT WE LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE.
I HAVE A, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION.
IT'S AN IMPORTANT CONCEPT TO UNDERSTAND.
IN 2018, WE, UH, REFERENDUM SUCCESSFULLY PASSED AND WE RAISED MONEY.
THE GREAT, THE GREAT MANY PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY BELIEVE THAT WE RECEIVED ALL THAT MONEY AND IN FACT, WE SPENT IT ON SOMETHING.
HOW MUCH MONEY DID WE ACTUALLY HAVE IN THE BANK FROM THAT REFERENDUM? GOOD QUESTION.
WE COLLECTED, SO IT WAS FOUR YEARS AND $120 MILLION.
THERE WAS SOME OVER COLLECTION BEFORE EVERYBODY TURNED IT OFF AT THE REGISTER.
OF THAT, UM, $30 MILLION HAS BEEN SUSPENDED TO DATE ON VARIOUS PROJECTS.
SO THEIR DELTA IS $115 MILLION THAT'S IN THE BANK.
AND THERE ARE PROJECTS IN THE 2018 REFERENDUM THAT WERE DELAYED BECAUSE OF THE TWO YEAR HIATUS CAUSED BY COVID WHERE PEOPLE WERE STILL ABLE TO DO THE WORK.
THEY JUST COULDN'T WORK WITH EACH OTHER.
AND THEN AFTER COVID CLEARED AND WE TRIED TO HIRE PEOPLE TO DO THE WORK, INFLATION HAD KICKED IN AND THE COST OF THE THINGS WE WANTED TO DO GOT TO THE POINT WHERE WE WERE CONSIDERING THE EXTRA COST.
AND WHILE WE WERE CONSIDERING IT, THE PEOPLE WE WERE GOING TO HIRE WERE HIRED BY OTHERS WHO COULD AFFORD THAT COST WITHOUT REALLY MUCH QUESTION.
SO MY MY POINT IS, WE HAVE THIS MONEY, WE HAVEN'T SPENT IT, WE HAVE PROJECTS WE'VE IDENTIFIED AND WE NOW HAVE TO USE THAT MONEY TO PRIORITIZE THE TASKS WE IDENTIFIED, PUT THEM IN A, IN AN ORDER SO WE CAN ADDRESS THEM WITH THE AVAILABLE FUNDS THAT WE HAVE.
WE MAY NOT HAVE ENOUGH TO DO EVERYTHING, BUT WE CERTAINLY CAN GO BACK AND DO THE THINGS WE CONSIDER TO BE MOST IMPORTANT AND GO DOWN THAT LIST AND USE THAT MONEY TO DO WHAT WE SAID WE WERE GOING TO DO.
THE, ALL OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE, UM, WE HAD PROPOSED ADDITIONAL FUNDING FROM THE SALES TAX THAT THAT RECENTLY FAILED.
UM, SO IN ORDER TO GO DOWN THAT LIST, THERE WOULD NEED TO BE SOME REPOSITIONING OF FUNDS TO AND DIRECTION THAT WELL, BETWEEN THE WHOLE LIST.
BUT WE MAY, WE MAY ACTUALLY RUN OUTTA MONEY BECAUSE OF THE INFLATIONARY PRESSURES, BUT WE CAN PRIORITIZE THOSE THINGS AND DO THE ONES THAT ARE MOST IMPORTANT AND GET THAT DONE AND, AND MOVE ON TO, TO OTHER THINGS.
ONCE WE EXPEND ALL THAT CASH, UNLESS WE CAN GET MORE AND THEN DO EVERYTHING CORRECT TO THAT, THAT'S GONNA BE A PROBLEM.
TO THAT POINT, IT HAS TO BE THE THINGS THAT WERE LISTED IN THE 2018.
SO PER THE STATUTE UNDER TRANSPORTATION SALES TAX, IF A PROJECT GOES UNFUNDED OR IS, UM, DOESN'T REQUIRE EVERYTHING THAT WAS ALLOCATED, THOSE FUNDS WOULD COME BACK TO COUNCIL TO REAPPROPRIATE.
SO FIRST YOU HAVE TO, IT WOULD SHIFT TO OTHER PROJECTS THAT ARE VOTED IN THE SAME REFERENDUM.
[01:05:01]
THE 2018, THE 2018, AND THEN IF ALL THE PROJECTS ARE COMPLETED IN 2018 AND THERE'S REMAINING FUNDS, WHICH I DON'T SEE BEING THE ISSUE HERE, THEN IT WOULD COME BACK TO COUNCIL AGAIN TO BE REAPPROPRIATED TO OTHER TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS.BUT THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY NOT THE SITUATION WE'RE IN.
I THINK IT'S PROBABLY IMPORTANT TO SAY ON THIS 2 78 PROJECT, WE HAVE A CONDEMNED BRIDGE HERE.
THAT BRIDGE IS GOING TO BE REPAIRED OR REPLACED BY THE STATE, NOT FROM THE FUNDS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE.
BECAUSE THEY'VE COMMITTED THE FUNDS TO REPLACE THAT BRIDGE, CORRECT? YES.
THEY HAVE $75 MILLION OUT OF THE 300 THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE.
SO THAT 75 IS SPECIFICALLY TOWARDS THE ONE SPAN.
SO IF THE PROJECT CHANGES SHAPE THEY WOULD USE, THEY WOULD REALLOCATE AND PUT THOSE FUNDS TO WHATEVER IMPROVEMENTS TO THAT ONE FAILING SPAN.
SO THAT'S A FOUR LANE ROAD, TWO LANES EAST, TWO LANES WEST.
I'M NOT SURE HOW THEY'LL PROCEED.
THEY'VE ONLY CONDEMNED ONE SIDE OF IT.
SO THEY'LL TAKE THAT DOWN AND WE'LL HAVE ONE LANE IN EACH DIRECTION GOING EAST AND WEST FOR A PERIOD OF TIME.
WHEN THEY BUILD THAT, REPLACE THE CONDEMNED PART, WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE ANOTHER ONE LANE IN EACH DIRECTION FOR A PERIOD OF TIME.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO PARTICIPATE FULLY IN THE DECISIONS THAT THEY MAKE WITH REGARD TO HOW THEY'RE GONNA ADDRESS THE REPAIR OF OR REPLACEMENT OF THAT BRIDGE.
BECAUSE FOR US TO HAVE ONE LANE OF TRAFFIC ON AND OFF HILTON HEAD FOR THREE YEARS IS GOING TO HURT THE RESIDENTS, THE PEOPLE WHO WORK THERE, UH, THE TOURISTS WHO COME THERE, AND ALL THE BUSINESSES THAT FLOURISH ON HILTON HEAD.
SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, I THINK, FOR US TO TAKE A STAND AS BEST WE CAN WITH WHOEVER'S GOING TO BE REPAIRING THAT BRIDGE TO LET THEM UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO KEEP THAT FLOW OF TRAFFIC GOING.
'CAUSE IF WE HAVE A THREE YEAR REDUCTION TO ONE EASTBOUND, ONE WESTBOUND, THAT'S GOING TO REALLY AFFECT THE ECONOMY OF THAT WHOLE AREA.
SO THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE THAT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS.
YEAH, I THINK DOT RECOGNIZES THAT AGAIN, THEY, THEY DON'T WANT IT TO EVEN BE LOAD RESTRICTED, SO THEY WANT TO BE PROACTIVE IN THEIR APPROACH SO THEY UNDERSTAND, UH, THE DAMAGES THAT WOULD OCCUR AND WILL WORK BEST.
I DO KNOW THE NATURE OF THE BRIDGE, UH, DEFICIENCIES ARE IN THE STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS.
SO IT IS STILL TO BE DETERMINED WHAT THOSE REPAIRS AND HOW, HOW THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO CONSTRUCT THOSE REPAIRS.
AND THAT'S WHAT DOT'S EVALUATING RIGHT NOW.
NOW, I KNOW YOU'RE COMPLETELY CLEAR ON WHAT THIS WHOLE ISSUE DEALS WITH, AND WE REALLY, I HATE TO SAY IT THIS WAY, WE'RE REALLY GONNA BE RELYING ON YOU AN AWFUL LOT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE CLEAR, AS CLEAR AS YOU ARE ON HOW THIS IS ALL GONNA PROCEED OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
NOW I DO WANT TO HEAR FROM EVERY SINGLE PERSON, UH, MR. CUNNINGHAM, YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP? UH, YES, MR. CHAIRMAN.
UM, FIRST I'LL APOLOGIZE FOR ANYTHING I SAY BEFORE THIS BECAUSE MY FRUSTRATION IS BEYOND, WE SAID THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN MONTHS AGO, THAT IT COULD COME DOWN TO, TO PROPERTY TAXES, THAT IT COULD RESTRICT FUTURE TAX DOLLARS.
AND WE HAD COUNCIL MEMBERS, INCLUDING COUNCIL MEMBER THAT JUST GOT DONE SPEAKING, NOT MR. MCKELLEN, UM, MR. RES THAT CAME OUT OPPOSING THE REFERENDUM.
AND I SAID THAT THIS IS WHAT COULD HAPPEN, THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PROPERTY TAXES NEXT.
AND HE SAID, THOUGH, THAT WOULDN'T HAPPEN.
THEN I, I ASK THAT QUESTION IN THAT COUNCIL MEETING, THEN WHAT WE DO IT, AND I'M STILL WAITING FOUR MONTHS LATER FOR AN ANSWER FOR THAT, STILL DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER FOR THAT.
AND NOW WE'RE COMING TO THE POINT WHERE WE HAVE A BRIDGE THAT'S GONNA BE CONDEMNED.
HELENA WHO RIGHTFULLY SO WE'RE ASKING FOR A WRECK CENTER AND WE'RE ABOUT TO CUT DOWN OUR TAX REVENUE BECAUSE WE CAN'T EVEN GET THE TOURISTS ON THE, ON THE ISLAND OR INTO THE AREA BECAUSE 50% OF THAT, UM, REFERENDUM WAS GONNA BE PAID BY TOURISTS.
SO WE'RE IN A POSITION NOW, WE'RE GONNA GO DOWN TO 6% ON OUR SALES TAX, WHICH IS THE STATE MINIMUM.
WE'VE ONLY HAD 1%, WHICH WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN AN INCREASE, WOULD'VE BEEN THE SAME 'CAUSE THE OTHER ONE'S ABOUT TO DROP OFF.
AND NOBODY'S YET BEEN ABLE TO GIVE ME AN ANSWER OTHER THAN THE ONE THAT I SAID IN THAT COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING OF RAISING PROPERTY TAXES.
SO WE HAD MULTIPLE MEMBERS ON COUNCIL, ACTUALLY HAD ETHICS COMPLAINT FILED AGAINST US SAYING THAT WE ARE THREATENING THAT IT'S NOT A THREAT, IT'S JUST A REALITY OF THE SITUATION.
THERE IS NO OTHER OPTION IF WE'RE GONNA FUND THIS UNLESS THE STATE'S GONNA COME IN, WHICH THE STATE'S COMING AND TELLING US NOW, WHICH WE SAID COULD HAPPEN IF WE DON'T GET A MOVE ON, ON THE BRIDGE, THAT THEY'RE GONNA PULL FUNDING ALL TOGETHER.
SO I'M GONNA ASK THE QUESTION NOW, AND I'M PROBABLY GONNA ASK YOU ON THE VERY NEXT, UM, ITEM ON THIS AGENDA.
HOW ARE WE GONNA FUND THIS WITHOUT RAISING PROPERTY TAXES? BECAUSE WE ARE TALKING MILLIONS AND MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT WE ARE GONNA LOSE.
FORGET ABOUT RAISING THAT WE'RE GONNA LOSE IN REVENUE FOR ALL OF BEAUFORT COUNTY BECAUSE
[01:10:01]
HILTON HAS GONNA BE INOPERABLE WHEN WE'RE ONE LANE IN AND OUT FOR THREE TO SIX YEARS, LIKE MR. MCKELLAN SAID, AND HE'S SPOT ON.THEY'RE GONNA FIX ONE HALF AND GO ONE LANE EACH WAY, AND THEN THEY'RE GONNA FIX THE OTHER HALF AND GO ONE LANE EACH WAY.
AND THEN IN 15 TO 20 YEARS AFTER THAT, WE'RE GONNA BE THE SAME SITUATION.
'CAUSE THE REPAIR IS NOT A COMPLETE FIX.
WELL, SO I'M GONNA ASK THE QUESTION AGAIN THAT NOBODY'S BEEN ABLE TO GIMME AN ANSWER TO.
WHERE DOES THE FUNDING COME FROM IF THIS REFERENDUM DOES NOT PASS WHEN WE HAD COUNCIL MEMBERS NOT SUPPORT THIS REFERENDUM? WELL, LET ME JUST ANSWER ONE PORTION OF WHAT YOU SAID.
I'M NOT RECOMMENDING THE ONE LANE TRAFFIC IN EACH DIRECTION.
YOU'RE RIGHT THOUGH, LARRY, WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS BE CAREFUL THAT THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN BECAUSE MAYBE WE NEED TO EXPLORE SOME OTHER ALTERNATIVE TO BE SURE THAT THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC INCREASES.
THAT'S JUST, UH, A LARGE, A REASONABLE POSITION TO, TO TAKE TO TRY AND AVOID THAT FACTION WITH REGARD TO THE PROPERTY TAX.
UM, YOU KNOW, AVALOR TAXES, I DON'T THINK YOU'RE GONNA GET ANYBODY TO RAISE TAXES, UH, ON A SITUATION LIKE THIS, BECAUSE WE WOULD'VE NEEDED THE, LISTEN, IF THE BOND HAD PASSED AND WE HAD IT FOR TWO YEARS, AND IN 26 THE REFERENDUM FAILED AGAIN, WE WOULD'VE HAD TO RAISE TAXES TO RETIRE THE BOND.
NOBODY IS GOING TO AGREE TO RAISE AVALOR TAXES FOR THE 4% RESIDENTS AND THE 6% INVESTORS.
IT'S NOT JUST, IT'S NOT JUST, IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
SO WE ARE FACED NOW WITH A SITUATION WHERE IT APPEARS AS IF THIS IS GONNA FAIL.
AND THAT'S THE REALITY OF WHERE WE ARE.
LOGAN, I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO GO FORWARD WITH ANY RECOMMENDATION FOR A RISE IN ABOR, TEXAS FOR EVERYONE IN THE COUNTY TO FIX THE BRIDGE ON HILTON HEAD BECAUSE, UH, UH, I WOULDN'T WANNA COME IN HERE AND RECOMMEND THAT THEN TRY AND GET OUT OF HERE, UH, WITH MY SCALP INTACT.
YOU KNOW? SO THE REALITY IS I THINK WE STYMIED HERE.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS THEY'RE GONNA FIX THE BRIDGE.
AND I'M NOT GONNA VOTE ANYTHING THAT COULD LEAD TO RAISING PROPERTY TAXES IF WE CAN'T FUND A BOND.
I REFUSE TO DO IT, WHICH IS WHY I WAS PUSHING FOR THE REFERENDUM.
I KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE A DEBATE BETWEEN COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT QUESTION I'M GONNA HEAR FROM EVERY SINGLE COUNCIL MEMBER.
AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO MAKE A DECISION.
MR. LAWSON, I'M GONNA GO TO YOU NEXT.
UM, AND, UH, YEAH, IT IS DISAPPOINTING THAT WE, UH, DID NOT PASS THE REFERENDUM.
AND THE LAST THING IS EVERYONE SAID HERE IS, IS THAT I WANNA RAISE TAXES ON, ON MY PEOPLE THAT I REPRESENT IN DISTRICT NINE.
SO WE DO NEED TO LOOK AT OTHER OPTIONS AND THAT RIGHT NOW, UM, I'VE, I'VE GOT A COUPLE COMMENTS AND THEN JARED, A COUPLE QUESTIONS FOR YOU IS, UM, YOU KNOW, AT, AT, AT THIS POINT THEN WE NEED TO LOOK AT TRYING TO SCALE THIS BACK.
UM, AND I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT WORKS.
UM, I ALSO, UM, LOOK AT, UH, TRYING TO FUND THIS, UM, A A AND REALIZE IS, IS, AND YOU CAN ANSWER THIS QUESTION AFTER I FINISH, IS, IS, IS A TOLL BOOTH A TOLL ROAD, EVEN A POSSIBILITY? UM, WHICH I KNOW NOBODY WANTS.
UM, BUT AGAIN, WE GOTTA PAY FOR THIS SOMEHOW.
AND YOU LOOK AT OUR, OUR COUNTY BUDGET, UM, PER YEAR, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR COUNTY BUDGETS, YOU KNOW, 160 MILLION, 165 MILLION, 155 7 MILLION, UM, AND WE NEED 190 MILLION THAT WOULD BE DOUBLING OUR TAXES TO PAY FOR THIS IN ONE YEAR.
WHICH AGAIN, WE WOULD NOT DO THAT.
SO IS IS, UM, A TOLL ROAD EVEN SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED? AND THEN SECONDLY, UM, KNOWING THAT WE HAVE TO SCALE THIS BACK, WE, WE, JOE, READ THE LETTER THAT WE GOT, UM, FROM THE SIV, UM, AND, UM, WHAT DO WE NEED TO GET THEM? OR WHAT KIND OF DECISIONS CAN WE MAKE IN THE NEXT 14 DAYS? WHICH AGAIN, THIS LETTER HAD THE 14 DAY, UM, WANTING A RESPONSE.
SO WHAT IS OUR, OUR TWO THINGS OR THREE THINGS WE NEED TO DO TO HAVE INFORMATION SO WE CAN MAKE AN INTELLIGENT DECISION OF WHAT OUR NEXT STEP IS IN THE NEXT 14 DAYS? UM, SO AGAIN, THAT'S MY TWO QUESTIONS I'VE GOT FOR YOU, JARED.
AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, WAS NOT WANTING TO RAISE TAXES AND I STILL DON'T WANNA RAISE TAXES, BUT, BUT WE DEFINITELY, ABSOLUTELY NEED TO HAVE A, THE BRIDGE REPLACED TO HIL NET.
AND AGAIN, IT'S BECAUSE OF COVID, WHICH MADE THE PRICE RISE.
AND THEN WE HAD DELAYS FROM THE A, A, A THIRD PARTY OUT THERE THAT, THAT, THAT STOPPED EVERYTHING THAT WE COULD HAVE HAD.
THIS WE COULD HAVE BEEN THREE YEARS IN ALREADY.
UM, IF WE WOULD'VE STARTED, WE THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA START.
SO THE FIRST ANS THE FIRST QUESTION TO THE TOLL ROAD, THAT WAS SOMETHING WE CONSIDERED AS FAR AS WHEN I WAS LISTING THE DIFFERENT FUNDING OPTIONS.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, THE TOLL ROAD IS NOT APPLICABLE.
AND THE REASONING BEHIND THAT IS YOU CAN'T TAKE A FREE LANE THAT THERE ARE CURRENTLY FOUR FREE LANES OF TRAVEL AND SUDDENLY TOLL THAT AND MAKE IT A PAY FOUR LANE.
SO THE, THE EXAMPLE IS THE CROSS ISLAND PARKWAY THAT WE ALL HAVE.
SO THE IDEA OF MAKING THAT A TOLL WAS FEASIBLE BECAUSE
[01:15:01]
IT WAS CURRENTLY, UM, NO ROAD THERE.AND WE HAD TWO FREE LANE, FOUR FREE LANES ON WILLIAM HINTON PARKWAY.
SO TOLL ROAD IS, IS NOT AN OPTION AS FAR AS SCALING IT BACK.
SO THE IDEA OF SCALING IT BACK AND, AND I GUESS THINKING OF WHAT THAT COULD LOOK LIKE, WOULD BE JUST REPLACING THE BRIDGES.
DON'T, DON'T DO ANY OTHER WORK.
SO THE BRIDGES, AS WE'VE WENT THROUGH THE COURSE OF THE PROJECT, EVEN IN TODAY'S ENVIRONMENT WITHOUT ANY GROWTH, ARE IN NEED OF ADDITIONAL LANES.
AND THE BRIDGES THEMSELF ARE A 75 YEAR DESIGN.
SO DOT DOESN'T INTEND TO SPEND MONEY ON REPLACING THE STATUS QUO.
THEY WOULD REPLACE TO WHAT IS NEEDED AND FUTURE, WHICH IS THE SIX LANES.
SO REPLACING THE, THE BRIDGES THEMSELF AND NOT DOING THE REST OF THE PROJECT IS STILL ABOVE THE $300 MILLION THAT WE HAVE.
MOST OF THE COST IN THE PROJECT ITSELF IS IN THE BRIDGE.
SO THE BRIDGE BY ITSELF IS THREE 50 TO $375 MILLION RANGE.
SO THERE WOULD STILL BE A DELTA OF 50 TO $75 MILLION THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED BY COUNSEL TO MEET THE AGREEMENT OF THE SIB AGREEMENT.
UM, AND THEN THE RESPONSE AS FAR AS RESPONSE BACK.
SO ONE RESPONSE IS, IS WHAT YOU HAVE OR WHAT YOU DON'T HAVE.
LIKE WE, WE INTEND TO PUT THIS MONEY TOWARDS THE PROJECT.
BASICALLY THEY'RE ASKING WHAT, HOW YOU PLAN TO SHORE UP TO $200 MILLION AND YOU CAN PROVIDE A TEMPORARY RESPONSE, A A LONG-TERM RESPONSE.
THERE'S NO REQUIREMENTS ON WHAT THAT RESPONSE LOOKS LIKE, OTHER THAN HOW ARE YOU GOING TO SHORE UP $190 MILLION? AND SO I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'RE REQUESTING THAT YOU HAVE THAT IMPLEMENTED.
SO THERE'S NO WAY WE CAN GO TO THE BANK IN THE NEXT 15 DAYS AND PULL $190 MILLION OUT OF THE BANK EVEN IF WE HAD IT.
SO I DON'T THINK THE EXPECTATION IS THAT WE PASS AN ORDINANCE AND, AND HAVE THAT READY FOR OUR RESPONSE, BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE LOOKING IN MY OPINION, FOR SOME EDUCATED RESPONSE ON HOW YOU PLAN OR NOT PLAN TO MEET THAT DELTA.
I AM, I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
UM, THE TOLL ROAD AND THE INCREASE IN TAXES IS A NON-STARTER.
UM, I WOULD NEVER SUPPORT, UM, EITHER ONE OF THOSE.
UM, I WOULD TAKE THE POSITION OF, UH, S-C-O-D-S-C-D-O-T FIXING THE FAILING BRIDGE AND BUY SOME TIME TO ACTUALLY DO WHATEVER ELSE IS NEEDED TO THE OTHER THREE SPANS.
BUT, BUT CLEARLY, UM, I DON'T HAVE A SOLUTION FOR US MOVING FORWARD OTHER THAN OTHER THAN S-C-A-D-O-T HELPING TO FIX THE, THE FAILING SPAN AND GO WITH THAT.
THE, UM, I THINK YOU FOLKS HAVE ALREADY CHRIS, UH, UM, NO DESIRE TO RAISE PROPERTY TAXES.
UM, WHEN I LOOK AT WHAT'S ON THE TABLE HERE, UM, SIB HAS $120 MILLION COMMITTED AND UNLESS THEY WILL WILLING TO EXTEND THAT FOR ANOTHER TWO YEARS, UM, FOR THE COUNTY TO GO BACK OUT WITH ANOTHER REFERENDUM, UM, DO BETTER MARKETING, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, YOU KNOW, UM, THAT'S THE ONLY THE OPTION I SEE.
UM, ANYTHING ELSE BASICALLY PUTS THIS COUNTY IN A STALEMATE AS FAR AS TRAFFIC FLOWING ON HILTON HEAD AND OFF OF HILTON HEAD.
AND THERE IS A MAJOR PROBLEM NOW WITH THE BRIDGE THAT'S INADEQUATE.
AND THEN WHEN YOU START LOOKING AT JUST ONE LANE, ONE BRIDGE, I DON'T SEE PEOPLE GET INTO WORK, YOU WOULD JUST KILL THAT WHOLE ENTIRE ISLAND.
SO I, I THINK THAT THE ONLY THING MR. CHAIRMAN I SEE IS THAT, UM, UM, DO A BETTER JOB OF MARKETING GOING BACK TO THE PUBLIC.
BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IF YOU GOT, UM, SALE TAXES PAYING FOR THIS AND HALF OF THAT MONEY IS COMING FROM TOURISTS, THAT'S GONNA BE BETTER FOR MY POCKET THAN TRYING TO GET MONEY ON TAXES
[01:20:01]
FROM ME ON PROPERTY TAX.THAT'S WHERE I AM, MR. CHAIRMAN, MS. TABER, WELL, WE PUT IT UP FOR A VOTE TO THE PUBLIC, WHICH IS WHAT WE SHOULD DO.
IT'S A DEMOCRATIC PROCESS AND THEY VOTED IT DOWN.
I WILL NOT VOTE TO INCREASE PROPERTY TAX.
THERE IS NO OTHER PLACE TO GET THE MONEY.
UM, SO I GUESS THE BRIDGE IS GONNA HAVE TO BE WITH THE STATE.
BUT THE OTHER THING I THINK WE NEED TO DO IS SIT WITH OUR PUBLIC IN FORUMS AND SO ON AND GET THEIR FEEDBACK AS TO WHAT HAPPENED.
AND WE NEED TO DO AN AUTOPSY ON IT.
OTTS NOT GONNA BE AROUND
AND MAYBE IT WAS PEOPLE JUST DON'T WANNA PAY ANY MORE MONEY.
AS ONE COUNCIL MEMBER SAID, MAYBE IT WAS PEOPLE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND OR THEY DON'T LIKE THAT WE DIDN'T TAKE CARE OF 2018.
WE HEARD ALL THESE OVER TIME, BUT I THINK WE OWE IT TO THE PUBLIC TO LISTEN AGAIN, BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO SOMETHING IN THE FUTURE.
BUT RIGHT NOW I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF, I WOULD JUST LET THE STATE TAKE THE BRIDGE TO FIX MS. HOWARD, YOU'RE NEXT.
UM, BRIEFLY, I AN AUTOPSY'S A GREAT TERM.
UH, ANOTHER TERM WOULD BE A HOT WASH.
I'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF FEEDBACK.
ALL OF MY PRECINCTS VOTED, UM, ANYWHERE FROM 60 TO 68% AGAINST, AGAINST IT.
SOME OF THAT IS A DISTRUST OF US OF COUNCIL.
IT DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH ANYBODY ELSE.
BUT, UM, THERE'S, THERE'S, I GOT A LOT OF FEEDBACK.
SO, UM, I CAN'T RAISE, I CAN'T VOTE TO RAISE PROPERTY TAXES FOR THIS WITH THE RE MY DISTRICT WAS A RESOUNDING NO TO IT.
I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, WE GOTTA FIX A FAILING BRIDGE.
THE STATE DEPENDS ON HILTON HEAD FOR A LOT OF, A LOT OF PEOPLE IN OUR COUNTY, ALLENDALE COUNTY ALL ACROSS THE REGION LIVE DON'T LIVE ON HILTON HEAD, BUT THEY WORK ON HILTON HEAD.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE GOTTA GET, I, I CAN'T SEE US RAISING PROPERTY TAXES EITHER THOUGH.
THANK YOU MR. BE I I DON'T HAVE ANY APPETITE TO RAISE PROPERTY TAXES, MR. BE HONEST WITH YOU ON THAT ONE.
UM, I THINK WHAT YOU'D SAID, WHAT EVERYBODY'S ECHOING IS THE PEOPLE TOLD US EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANT.
AND THAT'S FOR US TO FOCUS ON THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE AND WE'RE WITHIN THE MEANS THAT WE HAVE.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, I THINK A COORDINATED EFFORT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE REQUIRED TO GET THIS DONE.
I THINK I WOULD MUCH RATHER HAVE A, A LARGER BRIDGE REPLACEMENT AND THINK TOWARDS THE FUTURE THAN JUST REPAIR WHAT WE HAVE.
I WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF TRYING TO SCALE BACK THE SCOPE OF IT IF WE CAN, TO GET THE COST DOWN AND THEN GO OUT FOR THE, UH, FEDERAL FUNDING TO TRY TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY GRANT APPLICATION OUT THERE.
AND SO I THINK THAT COORDINATED EFFORT OF SCALING IT BACK, GOING TO, TO SEEK FEDERAL FUNDING.
AND THEN IN CONJUNCTION WITH THAT, IS THERE ANY WAY THAT WE COULD DO A SPECIAL TAX DISTRICT FOR HILTON HEAD AREA ITSELF TO FUND THAT? COULD THE TOWN DO THAT? I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S FEASIBLE, FEASIBLE OR NOT, BUT I HOPE NOT.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY CAN I HEAR YOU.
I'M JUST, I THINK THEY VOTED IN THAT AREA.
I THINK HILTON HEAD VOTED FOR THE REFERENDUM.
THEY COULD VOTE WITHIN THEMSELVES TO TAX THEMSELVES TO REPAIR THAT BRIDGE.
THAT MAY BE ANOTHER VIABLE OPTION TO, TO RAISING FUNDS WITHOUT BURDENING THE REST OF THE COUNTY, EVEN THOUGH IT WILL BENEFIT THE REST OF THE COUNTY.
UM, COULD WE JUST HAVE THE STATE COME IN, REPAIR THE BRIDGE FOR NOW AND THEN AND NEXT YEAR OR WHATEVER, PUT ON THE, ON THE BALLOT SO WE CAN START SAVING MONEY, BE NEXT YEAR TO ACTUALLY REDO THE BRIDGE? NO, MR. CUNNINGHAM, YOU DON'T THINK SO? I MEAN, JUST HAVE NEXT YEAR YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED AT THE LEGAL, THE STATE COME IN 26, THE STATE COME IN AND REPAIR THE BRIDGE FOR NOW.
AND SEE ABOUT FEDERAL FUNDING.
'CAUSE I THINK THAT'S AN EXCELLENT IDEA, DOESN'T IT? HARD TO ASK.
AND DI I THINK THE STATE GAVE IT, I MEAN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GAVE THE STATE SOME MONEY A YEAR OR SO AGO FOR BRIDGES, RIGHT? YEAH.
SO ON THE FEDERAL FUNDING, I GUESS, LET ME EXPLAIN THAT OPPORTUNITY.
SO WE ARE IN WHAT NEXT YEAR WILL BE THE FIFTH YEAR OF A FIVE YEAR TRANSPORTATION LAW.
SO OUT OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE TAX, THE 1.9 TRILLION OR UM, LAW $1.9 TRILLION NEXT YEAR WILL BE ENTERING INTO THE FIFTH YEAR.
SO THE LARGE BRIDGE GRANT PROGRAM IS A FIVE YEAR PROGRAM.
NEXT YEAR IS TO LAST AND FINAL YEAR TO PUT PETITION INTO THAT.
[01:25:01]
YOU ARE CORRECT.DOT WAS JUST AWARDED, I FORGET EXACTLY HOW MUCH, BUT ABOUT $150 MILLION FROM THE LARGE BRIDGE GRANT PROGRAM TO FUND, UM, THE REPLACEMENT OF THE BRIDGES ON I 95 ACROSS LAKE SANTEE.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE, THERE'S ANOTHER SIMILAR BRIDGE GRANT PROGRAM THAT THE STATE HAS ALSO BEEN AWARDED, UH, I BELIEVE THREE YEARS AGO ON A GROUP OF BRIDGES TO REPLACE ACROSS THE STATE.
I THINK IT WAS SIX, A PACKAGE OF SIX BRIDGES.
SO THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA HAS RECEIVED TWO GRANTS.
THE INTENT OF THAT PROGRAM IS TO SPREAD THOSE GRANTS TO ALL 50 STATES.
WE HAVE RECEIVED THOSE GRANTS IN OUR STATE, ALTHOUGH IT WASN'T US.
HOWEVER, UM, IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE NOT PRECLUDED FROM APPLYING.
AGAIN, JUST THAT'S ONE THING THAT IS EVALUATED.
WHEN, WHEN THE GRANT APPLICATION IS RECEIVED BY THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY, THE DOT IS PREPARING TO APPLY FOR ANOTHER GRANT IN THE LARGE BRIDGE GRANT PROGRAM NEXT YEAR, NOT ON 2 78.
SO THE COUNTY CAN APPLY FOR ANOTHER GRANT.
WE WOULD BE COMPETING WITH SC, DOT AND ALL THE OTHER DOTS AND, UH, JURISDICTIONS IN THAT SAME BRIDGE GRANT PROGRAM.
OUR PROJECT, AS IT STANDS TODAY, IS VERY WELL CONCEIVED TO RECEIVE FEDERAL GRANTS BECAUSE WE'RE NEARING THE END OF THE NEPA PROCESS, WHICH BASICALLY SAYS YOUR PROJECT READY.
LIKE YOU HAVE GONE THROUGH THE DIFFICULT PART, WHICH WE'VE ALL EXPERIENCED TOGETHER OVER THE LAST SEVEN YEARS.
THE DIFFICULT PART TO GET A PROJECT TO BASICALLY BE IT THERE, IT'S READY TO GO.
SO IT IS AN ATTRACTIVE PROJECT, BUT THE REALITY OF IT, ACCEPTING FEDERAL GRANTS, THAT'S THE BIGGEST OPPORTUNITY THERE IS.
AND IT IN ITSELF HAS ITS OWN HURDLES.
I WOULD ECHO THE SENTIMENTS OF COUNSEL.
THERE ISN'T THE OPPORTUNITY TO TELL OUR TAXPAYERS, WE'RE GONNA THUMB OUR NOSE AT YOU AND WE'RE GONNA GO 8% AND YOU HAVE NO CHOICE.
IT'S NOW GONNA BE IN THE HANDS OF S-C-D-O-T.
S-C-D-O-T WILL REPLACE ONE BRIDGE.
IT COULD COST UP TO $75 MILLION TO REPAIR OR REPLACE THAT BRIDGE.
IT'S 56 WAS THE YEAR IT WAS DESIGNED.
IT HAS TO BE MEET THE NEW STANDARDS.
MY CONCERN IS THIS, HOW THEY DO THAT.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT TRAFFIC GOING ONE WAY ON THE OTHER BRIDGES, THAT'S GONNA BE A HARDSHIP, BUT THERE ARE THREE OTHER BRIDGES TO COME AFTER THE FIRST ONE.
WE'RE GONNA PUT THIS COUNTY THROUGH THIS FOUR TIMES, SHOULD WE GO DOWN THIS PATH? WE'RE COMMITTED BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A BRIDGE PROJECT WHERE WE WOULD SPEND $75 MILLION TO REPLACE ONE BRIDGE AND THEN BUILD A NEW THREE LANE EACH SIDE BRIDGE AROUND THAT.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WOULD STAND FOR THAT EITHER.
SO WE'RE CAUGHT BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE.
SHOULD WE TAKE ACTION TONIGHT TO SAY TO THE, UM, SIB WE'RE OUT THAT SETS THE COURSE OF ACTION? UM, MY PERSONAL OPINION WOULD BE TO SEE IF WE COULD GET THE SIB TO HOLD THE $120 MILLION, GIVE US MORE TIME TO SAY, HERE'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO FOR THE FUTURE.
BUT I'M GONNA LEAVE THAT UP TO COUNSEL TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
WITH THAT IN MIND, WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF COUNSEL? I WILL NEED A MOTION.
IF IT IS THE DESIRE OF COUNSEL TO DIRECT OUR ADMINISTRATION TO SAY TO THE SID BECAUSE THE SIB DIRECTED THE LETTER TO MR. MOORE, WE WOULD THEN BE DIRECTING MR. MOORE TO RESPOND BACK TO THE SIB IN THE FOLLOWING MANNER.
THAT WE DO NOT HAVE THE CAPACITY TO, UM, MEET THE NEARLY $200 MILLION SHORTFALL AND THEREFORE WE WILL NOT MOVE FORWARD WITH THE BRIDGE PROJECT.
I THOUGHT THE PURPOSE OF THIS WAS DISCUSSION ONLY.
I THOUGHT I I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST TO OPEN IT UP, LISTEN TO EVERYTHING AND FROM THERE, BUT WHY DO WE HAVE TO GO RIGHT TO A DECISION RIGHT NOW? WE HAVE 15 DAYS.
[01:30:01]
SO, OKAY.AND IF WE'RE, IF WE DONE, AS EVERYBODY HAS SAID, THE MAJORITY OF COUNCIL HAS SAID, WE'RE NOT GOING TO COMMIT A $90 MILLION BOND, WHICH IS A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE.
THE SIB IS SAYING TO US, WHAT IS YOUR PLAN? WE'RE NOT GOING TO GROW $90 MILLION OUT OF THIN AIR.
IT CAN ONLY COME FROM PROPERTY TAXES.
I'LL MAKE THE MOTION THAT THE ADMINISTRATOR ADVISED THE S WE ARE NOT MOVING FORWARD.
I MEAN IT NOTHING, WHAT'S GONNA CHANGE IN BY THE 22ND? NOTHING.
SO I MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE ADVISE HIM TO TELL THE SIB WE'RE, WE'RE JUST NOT GONNA GO FORWARD.
WHAT IS THAT GONNA DO? YOU SEE, WE ARE NOT GOING TO, WE ARE NOT THAT THE SIV, WE CAN'T USE, WE CAN'T, UH, COME UP WITH A PROMISE.
MS. KAEPERNICK MADE THE MOTION.
AND MS. HOWARD MADE THE SECOND YOUR, ARE YOU CLEAR ON IT? YOU CLEAR ON IT? NO, I'M NOT.
COULD WE, UH, DO YOU WANT TO GIVE HIM AGAIN SO HE'S CLEAR ON IT? SO I'M MAKING THE MOTION TO ADVISE THE ADMINISTRATOR TO CONTACT THE SIB IN RESPONSE TO THE LETTER THAT WE CAN'T GO FORWARD, WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDS AND THEY CAN WITHDRAW THEIR FUNDS.
OR IF THEY WANNA SIT ON IT IN THE FUTURE, THAT'S FINE.
BUT WE'RE ADVISING THE SIB, WE ARE NOT GOING FORWARD WITH ANY MONEY.
SHOULD THAT MOTION INCLUDE A REQUEST IN THE, UH, RESPONSE TO ASK THEM IF THEY WOULD HOLD THE MONEY FOR US? I WOULD LOVE THAT TO BE IF, ARE WE SURE THAT YEAH, WE CAN DO THAT.
YOU CAN MAKE THAT, THAT WOULD BE FOR THEM TO, I WOULD SUPPORT DECIDE.
SO THE MOTION WILL BE TO ADVISE THE ADMINISTRATOR TO TELL THE S CIB.
WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING RIGHT NOW, BUT WE WOULD LIKE FOR THEM TO HOLD IT FOR THE FUTURE.
AND WE'RE EXPLORING OPTIONS AND WE'RE EXPLORING OPTIONS.
OVER, BUT NOTHING, IT'S GONNA CHANGE IN SEVEN DAYS.
SECOND, IT, IT'S BEEN DULY MOTION.
AND SECOND, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS? IF I MAY? I'M SORRY, IF I MAY.
UM, I WOULD SUGGEST ADDING IN SOME ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE STATING THAT THE CURRENT FUNDING THAT THE COUNTY HAS COMMITTED TO IT WILL REMAIN AS WELL.
THAT WE HAVE ALL CURRENT FUNDING THAT WE HAVE SHOWS WE CANNOT, WE WE DO NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES TO COVER THE SHORTFALL TO PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? DO WE NEED A ROLL CALL OR CAN THIS BE DONE BY ACCLIMATION? I DON'T OBJECT.
THIS WILL BE DONE WITHOUT OBJECTION.
UH, IS MR. CUNNINGHAM ON? NO, HE HAD TO JUMP OFF, BUT HE OKAY.
THIS WILL BE DONE WITHOUT OBJECTION AND I SEE NO OBJECTIONS.
MR. MOORE, YOU, YOU UNDERSTAND, YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT COUNSEL WOULD LIKE YOU TO DO IN THE FORM OF A LETTER.
OUR UNDERSTANDING IS THAT, UH, OUR CURRENT COMMITMENT REMAINS, WE'RE GONNA COMMIT NO ADDITIONAL FUNDING AND TO CONSIDER DELAYING AND, AND HOLDING OUR, THEIR COMMITMENT TO US.
UNTIL WE CAN LOOK AT SOME OTHER OPTIONS.
THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE, WE ARE FIRM IN OUR CURRENT COMMITMENT.
AS A RESULT OF THE, UH, DEFEAT OF THE REFERENDUM, WE DO NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES AT THIS TIME TO COMMIT ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDS.
SHOULD, SHOULD THAT WE'D LIKE THEM TO HOLD OUR PLACE AND THAT WE WILL TRY AND COME UP WITH A PLAN IN THE FUTURE.
[14. PUBLIC HEARING AND THIRD READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO PROVIDE FOR THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF NOT EXCEEDING SEVENTY MILLION DOLLARS ($70,000,000) GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS OF 2025 OF BEAUFORT COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA; TO PRESCRIBE THE PURPOSES FOR WHICH THE PROCEEDS SHALL BE EXPENDED; TO PROVIDE FOR THE PAYMENT THEREOF; AND OTHER MATTERS RELATING THERETO]
WE ARE NOW AT SOME PUBLIC HEARINGS.OUR FIRST ONE IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND THIRD READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO PROVIDE THE ISSUANCE AND SALE, NOT EXCEEDING $70 MILLION GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS OF 2025 OF BEAUFORT COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA TO PRESCRIBE FOR THE PURPOSES FOR WHICH THE PROCEEDS SHALL BE EXPENDED TO PROVIDE FOR THE PAYMENT THEREOF AND OTHER MATTERS RELATED THERETO.
MR. GLOVER MADE THE SECOND DULY MOTION.
AND SECOND, I WILL TURN TO THE PUBLIC.
IS THERE ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WISH TO COMMENT ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM? SEEING NONE, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
ANY COMMENTS FROM COUNSEL? SEEING NONE? NO.
I JUST WANNA PUT OUT THERE THAT WE DON'T HAVE MONEY TO GO FORTH WITH OUR BRIDGE YET.
WE'RE COMMITTING TO $70 MILLION OF BONDS.
SO I'M JUST THROWING THAT ON THE
[01:35:01]
TABLE.WE JUST HAD A LENGTHY DISCUSSION AND NOW WE'RE COMMITTING TO THESE BONDS.
THIS, THIS IS THE THIRD AND FINAL READING.
MR. AND THERE ARE PROJECTS ALREADY PLANNED FOR.
AND MR. CHAIRMAN, IF I MAY, UH, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN OUR STRATEGIC RETREAT BACK IN JANUARY IS WHERE THIS FIRST STARTED, RIGHT? SO IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF RESEARCH INTO IT.
AND WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH IS A LOT OF DEFERRED MAINTENANCE.
RIGHT? SO THIS, THIS GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND IS GONNA MOVE US FORWARD AND GET OUR FACILITIES UP TO BAR HOPEFULLY.
SO IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING.
UM, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? SEEING NONE.
THIS WILL BE APPROVED AT THIRD READING WITHOUT OBJECTIONS AND I SEE NO OBJECTIONS.
[15. PUBLIC HEARING AND SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY FOR THE ACCEPTANCE OF A DRAINAGE EASEMENT LOCATED AT 1 FLAMINGO COVE ON PARCEL R200 005 00A 0040 0000]
ITEM NUMBER 15 IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE.ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS FOR THE ACCEPTANCE OF A DRAINAGE EASEMENT LOCATED AT ONE FLAMINGO COVE ON PARCEL R 200 0 0 5 0 0 A, 0 0 4 0 AND FOUR ZEROS.
MAY I HAVE SUCH A MOTION? SO MOVED.
CHAIRMAN, MR. BAROLO MAKES THE MOTION TO SECOND.
MS. TABER MAKES THE SECOND DULY MOTION.
IS THERE ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WISHES TO COMMENT ON THIS ONE? SEEING NONE, I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
ANY COMMENTS FROM COUNSEL? YEAH, I, YES SIR.
UM, AND I'LL BASICALLY SAY, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, UH, THE METHOD OF GETTING EASEMENTS AT THIS TIME, UM, I OBJECT TO.
UM, AND SO, UH, I WILL PROBABLY VOTE, UH, ON THE FINAL READING IN THAT, IN THE FORMATIVE ACTION.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITH ONE OBJECTION.
IS THERE ANY OTHER OBJECTIONS? OBJECT.
IT PASSES ON SECOND READING WITH ONE OBJECTION.
[16. PUBLIC HEARING AND SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE ACCEPTANCE OF A DRAINAGE EASEMENT LOCATED AT 10 QUAIL RIDGE CIRCLE SOUTH ON PARCEL R100 030 000 0268 0000]
NEXT ITEM, PUBLIC HEARING AND SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE ACCEPTANCE OF A DRAINAGE EASEMENT LOCATED AT 10 QUAIL RIDGE CIRCLE SOUTH ON A PARCEL R 130 TRIPLE 0 2 68 4 ZEROS A MOTION PLEASE.I'LL MAKE THE MOTION MR. CHAIRMAN.
MS. BROWN, ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WISH TO MAKE A COMMENT ON THIS ONE? SEEING NONE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
ANY MEMBER OF COUNSEL? UM, MR. CHAIRMAN, JUST FULL DISCLOSURE, UH, THIS EASEMENT IS, UM, ON PROPERTY OF A COUNTY EMPLOYEE, BUT THAT'S ALL BEEN DISCLOSED THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS, SO THANK YOU.
AND I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S ANY MONETARY VALUE IN EXCHANGE FOR THIS.
THIS WILL BE APPROVED AT SECOND READING WITHOUT OBJECTION.
THIS IS APPROVED WITH ONE OBJECTION.
[17. PUBLIC HEARING AND SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE ANY AND ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY TO ACCEPT RIGHT OF WAY ON FISH HAUL ROAD]
ITEM NUMBER 17 IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE ANY AND ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY TO ACCEPT A RIGHT OF WAY ON FISH HALL ROAD MOTION.I'LL MAKE THE MOTION THAT ONE SECOND.
SECOND THAT MS. TABER MAKES THE MOTION.
MR. REE MADE THE SECOND DULY MOTION.
AND SECOND I TURN TO THE PUBLIC.
ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WISH TO COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, I'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.
ANY COMMENTS FROM COUNSEL? SAME THING.
WE WILL APPROVE THIS AT SECOND READING WITH ONE OBJECTION MR. GLOVER.
[18. PUBLIC HEARING AND SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE ANY AND ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS FOR THE ACCEPTANCE OF RIGHT OF WAY PROPERTIES ON PARCEL R200 011 000 0007 0000 ASSOCIATED WITH SHEPPARD ROAD, CAUSEY WAY AND DOCK BUILDERS DRIVE ON LADY’S ISLAND]
UH, ITEM NUMBER 18 IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE ANY AND ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS FOR THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE RIGHT OF WAY PROPERTIES ON PARCEL R 211 TRIPLE 0 7 4 ZEROS ASSOCIATED WITH SHEPHERD ROAD CAUSEWAY AND DOCK BUILDERS DRIVE ON LADIES ISLAND A MOTION PLEASE.SO MR. MCKELLEN MADE THE MOTION, I SECOND THAT MS. BROWN MADE THE SECOND I WILL TURN TO THE PUBLIC.
ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WISH TO COMMENT ON THIS ONE, MA'AM? YES.
IS YOUR CHANCE TO ASK A QUESTION? I'M NOT GUIDING YOU, BUT
FIRST OF ALL, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.
WOULD YOU DO THAT, PLEASE? YES, MA'AM.
WHO WOULD BE THE BEST PERSON TO ADDRESS THAT? JARED, MR.
[01:40:01]
FRA WILL ADDRESS THAT.I'M GONNA SPEED THIS WAY JUST SO I CAN TALK IN THE MICROPHONE, BUT I'M TALKING TO YOU.
SO THIS PARCEL, UM, WAS A ROAD THAT GOT PLACED ON THE TAX SALE, UH, MANY YEARS AGO.
IT WAS OWNED BY A PRIVATE OWNER, UM, AND HE THOUGHT HE HAD DEEDED IT OVER TO THE COUNTY AND THEN IT ENDED UP GOING TO THE TAX SALE BECAUSE HE QUIT PAYING THE TAXES.
A GENTLEMAN BOUGHT THE PARCEL AT THE TAX SALE, THE ROADS THEMSELVES, AND THEN TRIED TO ASK THE COUNTY TO PAY A LARGE FEE FOR THOSE ROADS OR THAT HE WOULD CUT OFF ACCESS OR CLAIM THEY WERE PRIVATE ROADS, UM, AND HOLD, HOLD, UM, ACCESS, LIMITED ACCESS.
SO AT THAT TIME, THE COUNTY ENTERED INTO NEGOTIATIONS TO TRY TO OBTAIN THE ROADS BACK SO THEY'RE PUBLICLY ACCESSED ROADS.
UM, WE WERE UNSUCCESSFUL TO NEGOTIATE THAT WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER.
SO COUNTY COUNCIL GAVE AUTHORITY TO STAFF TO UTILIZE ALL MEASURES, AN IMMINENT DOMAIN TO OBTAIN THAT PRIVATE ROAD BACK AS A PUBLIC ROAD.
DURING THAT PROCESS, UM, THE COUNT WE, WE HAD THAT AUTHORIZATION FROM COUNTY COUNCIL STAFF CONTINUED TO TALK WITH THE LANDOWNER AND WE WERE ABLE TO REACH A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT OR A SETTLEMENT AMOUNT TO ACTUALLY PURCHASE IT WITHOUT GOING THROUGH IMMINENT OBEYING.
SO THIS PROCESS TODAY, THIS ACTION IS TO GIVE STAFF THE FUNDING AND THE ORDINANCE REQUIRED TO OBTAIN PROPERTY AND TIME WE OBTAIN PROPERTY.
WE HAVE TO HAVE A ORDINANCE TO AUTHORIZE THAT.
AND SO THIS HAS GIVEN THE AUTHORIZATION TO OBTAIN THAT PARCEL BACK FOR THAT $10,000 THAT WAS NEGOTIATED WITH THE LANDOWNER SO THAT WE CAN SECURE THIS AS A PUBLIC ASSESSABLE ROAD INTO THE FUTURE.
SO THAT DOES NOT DEAL WITH THE PROPERTY, JUST THE ROAD? THAT'S CORRECT.
THERE'S NO PROPERTY, THERE'S NO PROJECT.
THIS IS SIMPLY SECURING THE ROAD BACK SO IT CAN RETAIN AS A PUBLIC ACCESSIBLE ROAD TO ALL THE PARCELS THAT LIVE BEYOND SHEPHERD ROAD AND CAUSEY WAY IN THAT WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD.
BECAUSE MY PROPERTY IS ON SHEPHERD ROAD.
AND SO WHEN IT GOES BEYOND SHEPHERD ROAD, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, PRIVATELY OWNED STUFF.
SO THIS WOULD NOT BE ACQUIRING ANY PRIVATE PROPERTY OTHER THAN THE ROAD THAT IS OWNED BY THE SINGLE LANDOWNER HE BOUGHT AT THE TAX SALE.
AND IT'S BEYOND SHEPHERD ROAD.
IT IS SHEPHERD ROAD AND CAUSEY.
THE ROAD ITSELF IS WHAT WAS PURCHASED AT THE LA AT THE TAX SALE AND THE COUNTY IS ACQUIRING IT BACK.
SO IT CAN REMAIN A PUBLIC ROAD THERE.
CAN YOU PULL MAP? COULD YOU PUT THE MAP UP THERE? MAYBE? I THINK THAT'S WHERE YOU NEED TO SEE MA'AM.
I THINK SHE'S GONNA PUT THE MAP UP.
I THINK SHE'S GONNA PUT THE MAP UP FOR YOU.
MA'AM, CAN YOU SEE THE MAP WHAT'S HAPPENING? YOU'LL HAVE TO EXPLAIN IT.
SO AGAIN, WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THIS IS THE HIGHLIGHTED AREAS ARE WHAT WE ARE ARE REGULAR ROADS THAT WERE BOUGHT AS PRIVATE ROADS.
AND SO NOW A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL OWNS THE HIGHLIGHTED AREA.
SO THIS ACTION IS PROVIDING STAFF THE DIRECTION AND FUNDING TO GO AND OBTAIN THE HIGHLIGHTED AREAS SO THAT ALL THE LANDOWNERS THAT LIVE ON THOSE AFFECTED ROADS CONTINUE TO HAVE ACCESS.
OTHERWISE, THE PRIVATE LANDOWNER COULD CUT ACCESS OFF TO ALL THOSE RESIDENCES.
UM, WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND, WE'VE HAD DISCUSSION.
THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITH USE MYSELF IN THIS ONE.
MR. GLOVER, ARE YOU OBJECTING? NO.
SO THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITH ONE RECUSAL.
[19. PUBLIC HEARING AND SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS TO PURCHASE AND TO FUND THE PURCHASE OF THE REAL PROPERTY LOCATED AT 247 ROBERT SMALLS PARKWAY (FISCAL IMPACT: $2,720,000 to be funded by ARPA funds)]
ITEM NUMBER 19 IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS TO PURCHASE AND TO FUND THE PURCHASE OF REAL PROPERTY LOCATED AT 2 4 7 ROBERT SMALLS PARKWAY.AND THIS MONEY, $2,720,000 WILL BE FUNDED FROM
[01:45:01]
ARPA FUNDS.MR. CHAIRMAN, MS. HOWARD MADE THE MOTION.
MR. GLOVER MADE THE SECOND I WILL TURN TO THE PUBLIC.
IS THERE ANY COMMENT ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM? SEEING NONE, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
ANY COMMENTS FROM COUNSEL? SEEING NONE, THIS WILL BE APPROVED ON SECOND READING WITHOUT OBJECTION.
AND IF YOU COULD BRING THAT DOWN SO I CAN SEE MR. LAWSON IF HE'S NODDING OFF OR IF HE'S FULLY ENGAGED.
[20. PUBLIC HEARING AND SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS TO ACCEPT CONVEYANCE OF A PORTION OF PROPERTY OWNED BY THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON LOCATED AT 140 BUCK ISLAND ROAD WITH TMS NO. R610-031-000-00003-0000 ]
ITEM 20.UH, PUBLIC HEARING AND SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS TO ACCEPT CONVEYANCE OF A PORTION OF PROPERTY OWNED BY THE TOWN OF BLUFFING BLUFFTON LOCATED AT ONE 40 BUCK ISLAND ROAD.
MR. MCKELLEN, I WILL TURN TO THE PUBLIC SINCE THIS IS DULY MOTIONED AND SECONDED.
IS THERE ANY COMMENT ABOUT THIS ONE? SEEING NONE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC PORTION.
IS THERE ANY COMMENT FROM COUNSEL? SEEING NONE, THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION AND I SEE NO OBJECTIONS.
[21. FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING FUNDS FROM THE STATE A-TAX FUNDS AS RECOMMENDED BY THE STATE A-TAX COMMITTEE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS]
ITEM 21 IS THE FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING FUND FUNDS FROM THE STATE AT TAX FUNDS AS RECOMMENDED BY THE STATE AT TAX COMMITTEE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS.MR. DAWSON MADE THE SECOND DULY MOTIONED.
AND SECOND, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE.
THIS WILL BE APPROVED ON FIRST READING WITHOUT OBJECTION AND I SEE NO OBJECTIONS.
[22. FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE AMENDING BUDGET ORDINANCE 2024/25, TO REFLECT THE APPROVAL OF USE OF GENERAL FUND -FUND BALANCE FOR $3,300,000 FOR FLEET SERVICES VEHICLE AND EQUIPMENT PURCHASES. (FISCAL IMPACT: $3,300,000. If approved by Council, the finance department will amend Budget Ordinance 2024/25 to reflect the funding option selected by council)]
ITEM 22 IS A FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE BUDGET ORDINANCE 2024 SLASH 25 TO REFLECT THE APPROVAL OF THE USE OF GENERAL FUND FUND BALANCE IN THE AMOUNT OF $3,300,000 FOR FLEET SERVICES.VEHICLE EQUIPMENT PURCHASES A MOTION.
SO, MR. CHAIRMAN, MR. GLOVER MAKES THE MOTION A SECOND.
MS. TABER MAKES THE SECOND JULIE MOTION AND SECONDED.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION BEING NONE? THIS WILL BE APPROVED ON FIRST READING WITHOUT OBJECTION.
[23. APPROVAL ONE OF TWO PROPOSED OPTIONS FOR THE 2025 COMMITTEE AND COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING CALENDAR]
OBJECTION.ITEM NUMBER 23 IS APPROVAL OF ONE OF THE TWO PROPOSED OPTIONS FOR THE 2025 COMMITTEE AND COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING CALENDAR.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND A DISCUSSION AND THEN SOMEBODY WILL AMEND THE MOTION, PROVE ONE OF THE PARTICULAR CALENDARS.
I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO GO TO DISCUSS.
UM, THEY ARE ACTUALLY QUITE SIMILAR.
UH, THERE IS A TIME CHANGE ON ONE AND A LOCATION CHANGE.
WELL, YOU, YOU MADE THE MOTION.
SO FIRST OF ALL, I FIND IT EXTREME AND I'M SITTING HERE, BUT I FIND IT EXTREMELY, UM, ANNOYING THAT WE PUT ALL THESE IN HERE.
WE DON'T TAKE OFF THE ONES FROM LAST TIME, BUT, OKAY.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO SEE US ADD ON HERE, UM, OUR CHAT WITH COUNCIL.
I THINK WE NEED TO GO BACK AND TALK TO PEOPLE.
WE STARTED IT, WE HAD FOUR SUCCESSFUL CHATS.
TWO NORTH OF THE BROAD, TWO SOUTH OF THE BROAD.
AND I'D LIKE TO SEE IT ON OUR SCHEDULE SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW IT'S COMING AND WE ADHERE TO IT AND THOSE THAT CAN COME COME AND THOSE THAT CAN'T, CAN'T.
I I HAD SOME THOUGHTS ON WHEN THE WEEKS WOULD BE.
WHAT I, WHAT I DID WAS I LOOKED AT, WHEN WE DON'T HAVE A COUNCIL MEETING, IT WOULD BE THAT WEEK.
SO ON THE SAME DAY MONDAY, UH, WHATEVER IS THE PLEASURE OF COUNCIL.
BUT FOR EXAMPLE, IN FEBRUARY, I'D PUT THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 3RD NORTH OF THE BROAD.
WHAT DAY OF THE WEEK IS THAT? MONDAY.
BUT I MEAN IT COULD BE ANY DAY OF THE WEEK.
THEN IN THE NEXT ONE, UH, SOUTH OF THE BROAD WOULD BE MARCH, THIRD WEEK.
THEN YOU GO BACK TO NORTH BROAD SOUTH ABROAD.
AND I SKIPPED JULY 'CAUSE WE'RE OUT AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE IN AND OUT.
BUT I WOULD LIKE US TO CONSIDER PUTTING THOSE ON THE CALENDAR.
WHAT ARE THE LAST TWO DATES? WELL THEN IT GOES APRIL 7TH, NORTH MAY 5TH SOUTH.
AUGUST 25TH BECAUSE WE HAVE TO SWITCH THE WEEK GOES NORTH SEPTEMBER 1ST,
[01:50:01]
WHICH WOULD BE THE NEXT WEEK SOUTH.OCTOBER 6TH, NORTH NOVEMBER 3RD SOUTH.
HOW MANY TOTAL IS THAT? 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 4.
NORTH OF THE BROAD AND FIVE SOUTH OF THE BROAD.
AND WE COULD DO WHATEVER WE WANT WITH IT.
I'M JUST PUTTING IT OUT THERE.
THERE IS NO AGENDA WITH THOSE.
NO, THOSE ARE OPEN FORMS. SO THE PUBLIC KNOWS WE JUST HAVE, IT'S LIKE A OPEN MIC NIGHT ONLY.
UM, IT'S JUST A, YOU KNOW, TIME TO INTERACT WITH COUNSEL.
UM, WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE THEM BUILT INTO A CALENDAR, WHICH MEANS WE MAY HAVE TO, UH, TAKE ALL OF THIS INTO CONSIDERATION.
HAVE A CALENDAR SET UP FOR US TO SEE SO THAT WE MAKE SURE EVERYBODY KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
BECAUSE IT'S HARD TO VISUALIZE ALL OF THOSE RIGHT THERE.
SO WE'RE ALL IN AGREEMENT THAT THE CHAT WITH THE COUNCIL SHOULD BE PART OF ONE OF THESE SCHEDULES.
'CAUSE WE HAVE TO DECIDE WHICH SCHEDULE.
AND COULD I ASK THE PLEASURE OF COUNCIL WHAT TIME YOU WANNA START AND HOW LONG YOU WANT IT TO BE? WELL THAT'S GONNA DEPEND UPON, YOU KNOW, HOW WE RUN THE MEETINGS.
CURRENTLY OUR MEETINGS ARE THREE O'CLOCK FOR UH, COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND FIVE O'CLOCK FOR COUNCIL MEETINGS.
NOW PEOPLE ARE ASKING FOR FOUR AND SIX.
THE ROOM IS FILLED BECAUSE THEY HAVE AN ISSUE.
AND WE STARTED THIS MEETING AT FIVE O'CLOCK.
IF WE STARTED THE ME THIS MEETING AT SIX O IT'S ALMOST SEVEN O'CLOCK RIGHT NOW.
IS THAT REALLY NECESSARY? MR. CHAIRMAN? I, YES, I HAVE AN OPINION ABOUT THAT.
UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE WORK, UM, AND FIVE O'CLOCK IS TOO EARLY FOR COUNTY COUNCIL TO START.
I THAT'S MY OBJECTION TO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
UM, MR. CHAIRMAN, IF I MAY, UM, I WAS LATE TODAY 'CAUSE I WAS AT WORK, BUT I COULDN'T EVEN GET HERE ON TIME.
MEDIATION THAT RAN UNTIL FIVE 30.
BUT WE CAN ADD THE CHAT WITH COUNCIL NO MATTER WHICH TIME WE DECIDE BE SIX O'CLOCK.
RIGHT? 'CAUSE IT'S GONNA BE ON A DIFFERENT DAY.
TWO HOURS IS WAY TOO LONG FOR A CHAT.
I THINK MOST OF US, WHEN WE HAVE COMMUNITY MEETINGS, WE DO EITHER UM, HOUR AND HOUR, AN HOUR, HOUR AND A HALF.
OH, I MEAN, COUNCILMAN DAWSON DOES 'EM HOUR AND A HALF.
WHAT DID WE DO LAST? WHAT? YEAH.
SO WHICH CALENDAR DO YOU WANT THIS PUT TO? AND THEN WE'LL HAVE HER DO THAT AND THEN COME BACK WITH THE FULL CALENDAR FOR A VOTE.
WE HAVE TO FIVE OR SIX O'CLOCK START, CORRECT? YEAH.
I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE START THE COMMITTEES AT FOUR AND THE MEETINGS START AT SIX.
ANY DISCUSSION? I KIND OF, I'D LIKE IT BECAUSE AGAIN, I'M SOUTH OF THE BROAD AND WHEN WE HAVE MEETINGS HERE, PEOPLE WHO WORK CAN'T GET HERE BY FIVE O'CLOCK.
YOU'RE LUCKY IF YOU CAN GET HERE AT ALL ON ONE 70 FRANKLY.
BUT, UM, I LIKE THE SIX O'CLOCK START.
DOES THIS INCLUDE WHERE THE OTHER LOCATIONS ARE GONNA BE? I WAS JUST ABOUT TO ASK THAT.
UM, CAN WE SAY WHERE THAT IS? YES.
SO IF YOU LOOK, I'M LOOKING AT THE FOUR AND SIX.
SO IN JANUARY THE FINANCE MEETING IN COUNTY WOULD BE AT HILTON HEAD.
MARCH, EVERYTHING WOULD BE HERE.
I ORIGINALLY THOUGHT WE SHOULD PUT A ST.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE HILTON HEAD IN JANUARY, FEBRUARY AND THEN MARCH AND THEN APRIL'S IN BUCKWALTER.
AND THEN YOU HAVE UH, MAY IS HERE.
JULY IS, JULY IS A DEAD MONTH.
OH, IT'S AT HILTON HEAD LIBRARY.
[01:55:01]
IS WHAT, IT'S THE LAST TIME WE HAD ONE AT ST.THAT'S WHAT I WAS WHY LEAVE IT OUT? WHAT I I SUGGESTED WE HAVE IT.
SO WHAT, WHAT I UNDERSTAND THAT I DIDN'T TAKE IT OUT.
I REMEMBER IT BEING VERY WELL ATTENDED.
IS THERE A PLACE WE CAN PUT, CAN WE PLACE ONE OF THOSE THERE? YES, WE ABSOLUTELY CAN ANYBODY OBJECT TO THAT? NO, THAT SEEMS GREAT.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE FOUR O'CLOCK, SIX O'CLOCK ONE I WOULD SUGGEST, UM, AND THE OTHER THING IS I WAS TOLD BROADCAST IS GOOD AT HI AT ST.
HELENA HILTON, HEAD AND BUCKWALTER.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE CALENDAR, JANUARY AND HILTON HAD, YOU COULD DO FEBRUARY OR MARCH IN ST.
IS THIS AN ADDITIONAL MEETING? NO.
ONE OF OUR REGULAR MEETINGS I WOULD SUGGEST FEBRUARY COMMUNITY SERVICES AT ST.
CAN WE SKIP FEBRUARY AND GO IN MARCH? IS THERE A MEETING IN IN APRIL? UH, UH, ON THE ROAD? YES.
OKAY, SO EITHER FEBRUARY OR MARCH SHOULD BE ST.
I DON'T, IT DOESN'T MATTER TO US, I DON'T THINK.
SO YOU WANNA DO A FEBRUARY AND JUST PUT IT IN THERE AND THEN TAKE A MONTH OFF.
IF YOU WANTED TO GO ON THE, LIKE WHAT WE WERE CALLING THE ROAD SHOW, ROAD SHOW, WE CAN ROTATE BETWEEN THE FOUR PLACES YOU IDENTIFIED AND BRING A NEW CALENDAR BACK AT THE FINANCE MEETING IT WAS STATED Y'ALL WANTED HIMSELF AS PRODUCT.
SO THAT'S HOW THIS CALENDAR LOOKS.
WELL WELL THAT'S WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST.
WE'LL TAKE THE FOUR SITES, PUT IN THE CHAT WITH THE COUNCIL, BRING IT TO THE NEXT MEETING FOR FINAL APPROVAL.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS I NOTICED IS WHEN WE ROTATE, SO LIKE HILTON HAD, YOU WOULD DO FINANCE ONE MONTH AND THEN COMMUNITY SERVICE A DIFFERENT MONTH.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? DON'T DO BOTH FINANCE AT HILTON HEAD AND ROTATE 'EM AROUND SO WE CAN LOOK AT PUTTING THAT TOGETHER.
WE USED TO, WE NEVER DID THE COMMITTEE JUST RIGHT.
THERE IS A MOTION ON THE FLOOR THAT MS. HOWARD MADE THAT WAS TO DO THE FOUR O'CLOCK.
YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S THE ONE THAT'S BEING APPROVED.
RIGHT? JUST WANNA MAKE SURE RIGHT.
EVERYBODY IS IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT.
THAT'S BEING DONE WITHOUT OBJECTION.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE FOUR ROTATING PLACES TO BE RE RECONSTITUTED WITH THE CHAT WITH COUNSEL.
MR. CHAIRMAN, WHERE, WHERE DO WE ADD THE JUNE 19TH.
YOU DIDN'T SEE THAT ON THERE? THAT WAS IN, UM, NO, WE DIDN'T SEE THAT ON THERE.
UH, I WOULD NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO PUT ON THE HOLIDAY SCHEDULE CALENDAR JUNETEENTH AS A COUNTY HOLIDAY MOVE.
UH, MR. DAWSON, MR. BARTH, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? I WOULD SAY FOR DISCUSSION I LOOKED UP LAST YEAR.
I INQUIRED WHY WE WEREN'T CLOSED.
BUT HILTON HAD BLUFF IN HARVILLE, CITY OF BUFORD AND CITY OF PORT ROYAL ARE ALL CLOSED ON THAT DAY.
JASPER COUNTY, RICHLAND COUNTY, HAMPTON COUNTY, CHARLESTON AND YORK COUNTY ARE ALL CLOSED ON THAT DAY.
SO WE WERE KIND OF THE ODD MAN OUT.
SO THE, THE HOLIDAYS ARE SET IN OUR EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK, WHICH IS ADOPTED BY COUNTY COUNCIL VIA RESOLUTION.
SO IF I MAY CHAIRMAN MAKE THE SUGGESTION THAT WE HAVE ADMINISTRATION BRING IT BACK AT THE NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING.
WHICH IS AN ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE.
SO WE'VE HAD THE DISCUSSION THAT WILL BE AN AGENDA ITEM FOR THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING AS A RESOLUTION TO ADD THAT INTO THE EMPLOYEE HANDLE.
SO YOU TWO WILL WITHDRAW YOUR MOTION.
WE, WE'VE DIRECTED, UH, ADMINISTRATION WHAT TO DO.
[CITIZEN COMMENTS]
UH, WE ARE AT OUR SECOND CITIZEN COMMENTS AND THERE ARE SEVERAL OF YOU WHO WISH TO COMMENT ABOUT THE HERITAGE PARADE.UM, AND I WILL BE GLAD TO ENTERTAIN ALL OF THAT.
UH, YOU DO KNOW THAT COUNTY COUNCIL DOES NOT DICTATE THAT.
SO, UM, I IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER, UH, I WILL CALL YOU UP.
WE WILL HAVE 15 MINUTES PLEASE.
EVERYBODY PROBABLY WANTS TO SAY THE SAME THING.
UH, I'M GONNA TALK, ASK PASTOR JACK TO COME UP FIRST.
[02:00:02]
A PASTOR TO SCOTTSVILLE BAPTIST CHURCH ON ONE FOR THE PAST 23 YEARS.SPEAK SO THEY CAN HEAR YOU IN THE MIC.
AND I WAS BORN AND RAISED ON SHE HELEN ISLAND.
I WITNESSED SOMETHING SATURDAY THAT I COULDN'T SLEEP OVER.
I HAD A ROUGH NIGHT, GOING TO SLEEP SATURDAY NIGHT.
I DIDN'T THOUGHT I WOULD LIVE TO WITNESS THIS ON SUN ALLEN ISLAND, THEY HAVE WHAT THEY CALL A HERITAGE PARADE ONCE A YEAR IN NOVEMBER.
I LEAVE SOUTH CAROLINA IN 55 AND MY MIND NEVER TO RETURN BACK TO LIVE.
BUT 43 YEARS AGO, GOD SENT ME BACK HERE AND I DIDN'T THOUGHT I WOULD LIVE TO SEE HOW BUFORT COUNTY TREAT ONE ANOTHER.
THE BIBLE THAT I READ IT SAID DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU HAVE THEM DO TO YOU IN BUFORT COUNTY.
I TRAVELED FROM CHURCH TO CHURCH IN THE MONTH OF DECEMBER.
I GENTLY GO TO EITHER BURTON OR GRACE HILL MINISTERING TO DIFFERENT CHURCH.
THEY HAVE A PARADE AND A CELEBRATION IN BEAUFORT.
THE BRIDGE, CLOSE RIDGE STREET IS BLOCKED.
YOU EITHER GO DOWN ACROSS THE MAC TAIL BRIDGE OR COME DOWN REBO OR PARIS ISLAND GATEWAY TO GET WHERE YOU'RE GOING ON ST.
YOU DON'T HAVE A ONE WAY IN AND ONE WAY OUT.
AND IT SEEMS LIKE Y'ALL CARED OR SO MUCH TO THOSE PEOPLE ON PREP ISLAND BECAUSE SOME OF YOU'ALL DON'T KNOW THE HISTORY.
THE PEOPLE ON HILTON HERE, I MEAN ON TRIP ISLAND THEY GOT TO COME IF YOU PUT A SIGN OR GIVE THEM A TIME FOR THAT PARADE.
IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE IN BEAUFORD, THEY SHOULD PREPARE TO BE IN BUFORD.
BUT TELL THE PARADE OVER WITH, THEY HAD ONE LANE OPEN.
I NEVER SEE A PARADE LIKE THAT IN MY LIFE.
NOT ONE WAY AND THE CHILDREN TRAVELING THE OTHER.
AND KIDS COULD HAVE GOT RUN OVER.
WE HAVE OTHERS THAT WE, WE I DON'T APPRECIATE IT.
NOW LET ME SAY THIS FOR, I SAID I HEARD Y'ALL TALK ABOUT THE TAX.
I DIDN'T COME HERE TO MENTION TAX.
I RECEIVED MY TAX BEFORE I CAME HERE.
Y'ALL SAID THE TAX DIDN'T GO UP.
MY PROPERTY TAX WAS MY WAY I LIVED WAS 400 AND SOMETHING DOLLARS LAST YEAR.
I JUST GOT IT TO SEE IN THE MAIL.
YOU GONNA TELL ME IT DIDN'T GO UP? LOOK, CHECK YOUR BOOK.
I'M AFRAID TO SEE MY, YEAH, I DON'T SEE WHAT, YEAH, I'M DIVING IN RIGHT WHERE, UH, PASTOR LATSON LEFT OFF.
IT SHOWED JUST HOW MUCH BEAVER COUNTY CARE FOR THE PEOPLE ON ST.
AND I KNOW IT STARTED WITH THE, SO-CALLED FEW PEOPLE FROM THE HERITAGE DAY COMMITTEE.
I ALSO SPOKE TO UM, UH, SHERIFF TANNER OFFICE WHO TOLD ME HOW THESE PEOPLE CAME IN AND VOLUNTEERED THAT ROUTE AFTER HE GAVE THEM A CHOICE ON AND TO TELL HIM WHAT WOULD THEY DO TO CORRECT THE PROBLEMS OF LAST YEAR WITH ALL THE LAGGING.
NOBODY WANTED TO BE A LEADER WHO WOULD LEAD BY EXAMPLE AND SAY, I WILL BE THERE.
I WILL MAKE SURE THINGS ARE IN ORDER.
I INSTEAD THEY CUT WHAT WAS A 40 YEAR HISTORICAL GRANDFATHERED IN CULTURAL EVENT.
THEN TO TOP IT OFF, YOU HAVE ONE LANE OPEN WHERE TRAFFIC IS RUNNING THROUGH, BUT YOU HAVE KIDS WALKING IN THIS STREET, IN THIS PARADE.
SO I MEAN, FOR A PEOPLE ON ST.
HELENA ISLAND, WHO, WHO JUST LIKE HE SAID, ONCE A YEAR THIS ROAD IS UM,
[02:05:01]
CUT OFF FOR ONE HOUR.BUFORD COUNTY SHUTS DOWN THESE ROADS IN THIS WHOLE DOWNTOWN, TWO AND A HALF TO THREE HOURS.
THEY SHUT DOWN BAY STREET, FOUR OR FIVE, SIX HOURS TO HALF DANCES IN THE STREET, HOSPITAL BED RACES, DRAGON RACES AND ALL THESE THINGS.
BUT FOR ONE HOUR ON ONE DAY OF EVERY YEAR FOR ONE HOUR, WE CAN'T CLOSE DOWN THE STREET.
AND THE PEOPLE CAN'T MOVE TO BE WHERE THEY NEED TO BE FOR THAT ONE HOUR OF TIME.
THEY CAN'T, UM, THE SAME WAY YOU PUT OUT IN THE NEWS.
THERE WILL BE A PARADE AT THIS TIME.
THE STREETS ARE GONNA BE CLOSED AT THIS TIME UNTIL THIS TIME.
THEY CAN'T ABIDE BY THAT FOR ONE HOUR TO THE POINT THAT YOU'LL HAVE TRAFFIC OPEN AS KIDS ARE WALKING DOWN THE STREET IN A PARADE AND THEN TELL THEM, OH, DON'T CROSS THE YELLOW LINE IN THE MIDDLE 'CAUSE YOU CAN GET KILLED.
THAT SHOWS EXACTLY HOW MUCH BEAUFORT COUNTY GIVES A CRAP ABOUT THE PEOPLE OF ST.
HELENA ISLAND AND TO THE PEOPLE OF ST.
WELL, YOU DON'T ST HELENA ISLAND, LADIES ISLAND, WHEREVER YOU ARE, WE GOTTA REMEMBER IT IS US WHO PUT THESE PEOPLE IN POSITION.
AND IF THEY CAN'T LEAD BY EXAMPLE.
'CAUSE I HAD ONE LIE TO ME IN MY FACE AND SLAM THE PHONE.
TELL ME THEY AIN'T EVEN HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT.
BUT THEY KNOW THEY WENT DOWN THERE AND DID IT.
START 'EM WITH SHERIFF TANA AND EVERYBODY ELSE BECAUSE IT'S US WHO PUT THEM THERE SO WE DON'T HAVE TO ABIDE BY WHAT THEY SAY.
THEY GOTTA ABIDE BY WHAT WE ASK FOR.
MY NAME IS DR. CYNTHIA GREGORY SMALLS.
GOOD EVENING TO ALL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, I'M HERE TO ADDRESS THE SAME CONCERNS OF THE INDIVIDUALS.
THAT WAS THAT, UH, JUST FINISHED ADDRESSING YOU.
I'M HERE TO ADDRESS THE CONCERN OF THE 40TH CELEBRATION OF THE HERITAGE PARADE ON ST.
HELENA'S ISLAND ON NOVEMBER THE NINTH.
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT THIS CELEBRATION HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS.
MY FATHER, MR. WENDELL P GREGORY, AND I'M SURE OTHER MEMBERS THAT SIT HERE TODAY CAN IDENTIFY WHAT THEIR FATHERS HAVE TOLD THEM.
HE CAN REMEMBER THE STORIES OF THAT CELEBRATION AT THE PARANORMAL AND INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL WHEN HIS UNCLE, MY GRAND UNCLE, WOULD WIN A BLUE RIBBON EVERY YEAR FOR THE STALLION THAT HE PUT IN THIS PARTICULAR PARADE.
HE ALSO REMEMBERS AND WAS FASCINATED BY THE LOCAL GREASE POLE.
THOSE WERE JUST A FEW OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT WE WERE ABLE TO HEAR FROM THE ANCESTORS.
THIS CELEBRATION HAPPENS ONCE A YEAR OF 365 IS JUST ONE DAY.
IT'S ALWAYS THE SECOND WEEKEND IN NOVEMBER.
THE CELEBRATION IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR CULTURE.
THIS CELEBRATION SHOULD BE KEPT SAFE AND SECURED.
THE TRAFFIC DURING THE PARADE SHOULD BE STOPPED WITH THE EXCEPTION OF EMERGENCIES ONLY.
I WAS A LITTLE PERPLEXED ON THE DISRUPTION THAT OCCURRED WITH CHILDREN AND ADULTS WALKING BETWEEN CARS, TRUCKS, AND MOTORCYCLES.
CANDY AND TREATS WERE DISTRIBUTED, BUT REALLY IT WAS DANGEROUS.
I WISH AND HOPE THAT YOU CAN GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND FIND ANOTHER WAY AND SAFE WAY TO RESPECT OUR CULTURE AND CONTRIBUTION TO OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH MEANS A LOT.
WE HAVE FOUGHT HARD TO PRESERVE OUR GULLAH GEECHEE COMMUNITY AND HOPE YOU ALL CAN DO THE SAME AND RESPECT OUR ONE DAY OUTTA 365.
THANK YOU REVEREND SIMMONS AND COUNCIL MR. CHAIRMAN.
UH, MY NAME IS JOELLE SIMMONS.
[02:10:01]
I'M A NATIVE OF ST.I ATTEND PENN NORMAL AND INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL IN 1951 AND 1952.
THE PENN CENTER, FORMERLY THE PENN SCHOOL, IS AN AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL CENTER IN THE CORNERS COMMUNITY OF ST.
FOUNDED IN 1862 BY QUAKER AND UNITARIAN MISSIONARIES FROM PENNSYLVANIA.
OF COURSE, I THINK MOST OF YOU KNOW THIS, IT WAS THE FIRST SCHOOL FOUNDED IN THE SOUTHERN UNITED STATES, SPECIFICALLY FOR THE EDUCATION OF AFRICAN AMERICAN.
THIS HISTORIC AND CULTURAL INSTITUTION IS A NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK DISTRICT AND COMPRISED OF TWO OF THE FOUR SITES, UH, IN RECONSTRUCTION AREA NATIONAL PARK ONCE A YEAR.
DURING THE SECOND WEEK IN NOVEMBER, PENN CELEBRATES THE ST.
HELENA ISLAND COMMUNITY CELEBRATES PEOPLE WHO HAD LEFT THIS ISLAND SEEKING BETTER JOBS, HIGHER EDUCATION RETURNS.
DURING THIS CELEBRATED TIME TO REMEMBER AND TO REFLECT ON HOW THINGS WAS AND HOW IT IS TODAY, PEOPLE COME FROM ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES, AFRICA, EVEN THE BAHAMAS.
THERE IS 24 HOURS IN A DAY, 168 HOUR, UH, HOURS IN A WEEK, 52 WEEKS IN A YEAR, 365 DAYS IN A YEAR, 8,760 HOURS IN A YEAR.
AND THE PARADE ON THE SECOND SATURDAY OF NOVEMBER IS FROM NINE TO 11, TWO HOURS.
ALL YOU HAVE TO BE, BE STILL IS FOR TWO HOURS.
ONE YEAR OUT OF, OUT OF THE WHOLE YEAR.
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS BE STILL FOR TWO HOURS, NOT INTERRUPTING TRAFFIC.
THE FOUR HOURS THAT THOSE PEOPLE, EVERYBODY IS INCONVENIENCED IS NOT THE PARADE.
IT'S THE GETTING THINGS BACK IN CIRCULATION.
SO I THINK IT'S DISRESPECTFUL TO GO ALL OVER THESE UNITED STATES AND SEE TIMES STANDS STILL TO CELEBRATE.
HELEN ISLAND, WE HAVE DISRESPECTED HISTORY.
SO DOES THAT MEAN I GET MORE THAN THREE MINUTES?
BY THE WAY, YOU HAVE A VERY PRETTY OUTFIT ON YOU.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
I'M NOT GONNA TALK ABOUT THE PARADE, ALTHOUGH IT WAS MASS CONFUSION.
IT WAS THE WORST THING I'VE EVER SEEN ON ST.
BUT I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT THE COUNTY AND THE COUNTY'S REACH TO TAKE PROPERTY THAT DOES NOT BELONG TO THE COUNTY FOR COUNTY USE.
NOW, THERE IS SUCH A THING THAT WHEN YOU USE PRIVATE PROPERTY, THAT THE PERSON IS PAID FOR THE PRIVATE PROPERTY AND THAT HAS NOT BEEN THE CASE.
UH, STEALING PROPERTY THROUGH THE COURT SYSTEM SHOULD BE AGAINST THE LAW.
BEAUFORT COUNTY HAS TAKEN PROPERTY FROM A GENTLEMAN 85 YEARS OLD.
BEAUFORT COUNTY HAS NO DEED, HAS NO EVIDENCE THAT THEY'VE EVER DONE ANYTHING ON THE PROPERTY, BUT THROUGH THE COURT SYSTEM, THEY'RE CLAIMING THE PROPERTY AS THEIRS AND IT'S WRONG.
IT'S SHAMEFUL AND IT SHOULD NOT HAPPEN.
IT REFLECTS ON THE COUNTY COUNCIL AND IT REFLECTS ON THE PEOPLE WHO SERVE THE PEOPLE ON ST.
HELENA PAY THEIR TAXES AND THE TAXES FOR THE NORMAL PERSON IS HIGH.
THIS MAN IS PAYING TAXES ON THIS PROPERTY THAT THE COUNTY HAS CLAIMED IT'S BEEN IN HIS FAMILY FOR 38 YEARS.
IN ORDER FOR DAW TO BE BUILT, THEY USED HIS PROPERTY, THEY RENTED HIS PROPERTY, NOT A PIECE OF IT.
THEY RENTED THE ENTIRE PIECE OF THE PROPERTY.
THEY WENT THROUGH THE COURT SYSTEM.
[02:15:01]
YOU HAVE TO GIVE THIS FAMILY MEMBER A PIECE.THAT FAMILY MEMBER GOT 1.054 ACRES AND THAT FAMILY MEMBER ENDED UP WITH THE PROPERTY GOING UP ON TAX SALE, BUT IT DIDN'T AFFECT THE REST OF THE PROPERTY UNTIL BEAUFORT COUNTY CAME IN.
OLD PEOPLE HAVE NO FUNDS TO FIGHT THE COUNTY.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS TO BLACK PEOPLE.
LAND, NOT JUST IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, BUT ALL OVER THE SOUTH.
IF YOU WANT THE PROPERTY AND YOU FEEL YOU'VE GOTTA HAVE IT 'CAUSE YOU'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET IT FOR YEARS AND FOR YEARS, YOU WERE TOLD THAT YOU DIDN'T OWN IT, PAY HIM WHAT THE PROPERTY IS WORTH.
THAT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO AND THAT'S THE EXPECTED THING TO DO FROM ANYONE.
WHETHER YOU ARE A COUNTY COUNCIL PERSON OR JUST AN AVERAGE CITIZEN, MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.
OKAY, WE ARE CONCLUDED WITH OUR SECOND SESSION OF, UH, COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.
THERE BEING NO FURTHER ACTION FROM COUNTY COUNCIL.
THE MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED AT 7:15 PM SAFE DRIVING HOME.