[00:00:01]
CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.
WELL, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
WE DON'T REALLY HAVE MUCH OTHER THAN THE 2025, UM, MEETING SCHEDULED TO REVIEW AND APPROVE.
UH, SO WE'LL STILL HAVE OUR MEETING.
UM, ANY OF YOU WANT TO TAKE THE REINS AND BE THE CHAIRMAN AND DRAFT THE MEETING? IF NOT, I CAN.
I THINK BRAD WOULD SAID HE WAS LIKE, WE'VE BEEN ON THE LONGEST, RIGHT? YEAH, RIGHT.
UM, SO I GUESS IT'S THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.
DOES IT HAVE TO BE A BOARD MEMBER TO MAKE A MOTION? YOU CAN'T REALLY VOTE.
I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? THE AGENDA'S APPROVED.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY MINUTES TO APPROVE SINCE THIS IS THE FIRST ONE BACK IN OVER YEAR.
UH, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND GET SOME INTRODUCTIONS.
UM, VICTORIA HOFFMAN, WASTE RECYCLING PROGRAM MANAGER IN BEFORD COUNTY.
I'M THE RECYCLING COORDINATOR.
BRIANNA BERG, SOLID WASTE RECYCLING BUSINESS MANAGER.
SO ABOVE SENIOR, ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT PAM, CO.
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR PUBLIC WORKS.
I'M THE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION COORDINATOR.
PAUL WORKS DIRECTOR, UH, RODRIGUEZ LEADER, CONTROL SUPERVISOR, AND A A H UH, COORDINATOR.
DR. MIKE BENNETT, DISTRICT THREE
MARK FEINBERG, REPRESENTING DISTRICT NINE.
BRIAN DURT, CITY OF BUFORD PUBLIC WORKS.
UH, OPERATIONS MANAGER REPRESENTING DISTRICT ONE.
BRAD WOODS MARINE CORPS, RECRUIT DEPOT, PARIS ISLAND LIAISON.
ANY PUBLIC COMMENT?
I SAID YOU'RE DOING REALLY GOOD AS CHAIR ALSO
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET INTO THIS SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING REPORT.
UM, LOTS OF OBSERVATIONS WE HAVEN'T MET, SO I WILL TRY TO KEEP IT BRIEF.
UM, ONE UPDATE THAT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED, UH, TO ANNOUNCE IS THAT WE HAVE CHANGED OUR RECYCLING CONTRACT VENDOR.
I'M VERY EXCITED AND PROUD TO SAY THAT WE HAVE SELECTED I TWO RECYCLE AS OUR VENDOR FOR RECYCLING.
SO THEY HAVE BEEN OVERSEEING THAT CONTRACT, UM, SINCE OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR.
LIKE YOU HAVEN'T SEEN OUR BRIGHT ORANGE BINS ROLLING DOWN THE ROAD.
THAT IS THE RECYCLING FOR BEAVER COUNTY.
UM, SO GIVE RERUN A LITTLE WEIGHT WHEN YOU SEE THAT.
UM, WE ALSO PURCHASED THOSE NEW ROLL OFF CONTAINERS, UM, WITH THE ARPA FUNDS THAT WE RECEIVED.
UM, ARPA STANDS FOR AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT.
SO THOSE WERE FINES THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND USE THOSE TO PURCHASE THOSE ARMED BINS AND, UM, HAVE THEM WRAPPED WITH DEBRIS ONES.
AND THEN WE'RE USING THAT WITH OUR, WITH OUR RECYCLING CONTRACT.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE PURCHASED NEW COMPACTORS IN UNITS FOUR.
UM, SOME OF OUR CENTERS, UM, THOSE ALSO, UM, WERE PROCURED IN FY 25.
UM, IF YOU, UM, ROLLED OVER TO FY 26, NO, 24 AND 25 APOLOGIES.
UH, WE USE AONS FOR THOSE IN FY 26.
WE WERE GOING TO PROCURE SEVEN MORE.
UM, THE ONE UNITS THAT WE NEED, OR SHANKLIN AND ST.
ME, DO I HAVE TO REPEAT ALL THAT? I'M NOT GOING TO.
UH, SO IN FY 26, UH, WE'VE REQUESTED, UH, $413,206 TO PURCHASE SEVEN ADDITIONAL COMPACTOR UNITS.
UH, THAT WAS, UM, A BIG TO DO ON OUR LIST WITH THE CENTERS.
THOSE COMPACTOR UNITS ARE OVER 15 YEARS OLD.
UH, WE WERE SPENDING A LOT OF TIME AND ENERGY AND FUNDS, UM, IN REPAIRING THESE COMPACTORS.
UH, SO THE NEW ONES ARE WORKING WELL.
UM, THEY'RE INCREASING THE OPERATIONS THAT WERE AT THE CENTER.
[00:05:01]
COMPACTORS ARE FOR BOTH MSW AND, UM, CARDBOARD.IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN, UH, WE RECEIVED USDA FEDERAL GRANT FUNDS, $273,600.
THOSE FUNDS ARE GOING TOWARDS CREATING A COMPOST PILOT PROGRAM.
A PORTION OF THE FUNDS ARE GOING TOWARDS EDUCATION AND OUTREACH AND GETTING RESIDENTS AWARE OF WHAT THEY CAN COMPOST, UM, IN REGARDS TO FOOD WASTE DIVERSION.
AND THEN ANOTHER PORTION IS CREATING A COMPOST MASCOT CHARACTER, UH, TO ACCOMPANY RERUN IN ALL OF OUR ENDEAVORS.
AND THEN WE'LL BE OUTFITTING THE CENTERS TO RECEIVE THAT FOOD WASTE.
AND THEN HIRING A VENDOR TO TRANSPORT THE FOOD WASTE QUESTION.
IS THAT ONLY GONNA BE IN ONE PARTICULAR LOCATION, OR ARE YOU GOING TO EXPAND THAT TO VARIOUS LOCATIONS? AT THE BEGINNING OF THE, UM, SORRY, I'M JUST JOTTING DOWN THE QUESTION.
AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PILOT PROGRAM, OUR GOAL IS TO FIRST OUTFIT FOUR OF OUR CENTERS.
SO THE FOUR WERE CENTERS THAT WE RECEIVE RECYCLING AT.
WE'LL OUTFIT THOSE CENTERS TO RECEIVE THE FOOD WASTE.
UH, WE'D LIKE TO MIMIC THE CHARLESTON COUNTY, UM, PROGRAM THAT STARTED IN THE CITY OF CHARLESTON AND INCREASE THE DROP OFF LOCATIONS AND WORK WITH PARTNERS THROUGHOUT BEAUFORT COUNTY AND THEN EVENTUALLY GET INTO SCHOOLS.
THEN ALSO, UM, OFFER THAT TO BUSINESSES AS THE, UM, PILOT PROGRAM GROWS.
AND I GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS.
THE, UM, SO PRIMARILY EVEN WHEN YOU MOVE INTO THE SCHOOLS AND THE BUSINESS, WILL YOU STILL BE USING THE CONVENIENCE CENTERS FOR THE DROP LOCATION? IS THAT THE, THE STARTING POINT? OR IS THERE AN ALTERNATE SITE? UM, NO.
ONCE WE MOVE INTO, UH, SCHOOLS AND BUSINESSES, UM, WE WILL BE USING A VENDOR, SMART RECYCLING.
THEY'VE ALREADY GIVEN US A, UM, LETTER OF, UM, WHAT IS THE LETTER YOU GIVE THEM? WITH GRANTS? A LETTER OF INTENT, NOT A LETTER OF INTENT, BUT A PARTNERSHIP LETTER.
UM, SO THEY'RE INTERESTED IN, UM, EXPANDING THEIR, UM, LOCATIONS TO BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND SO THEY WOULD GO STRAIGHT TO THE BUSINESSES AND THE SCHOOLS AND ANY RESIDENTS WHO'D LIKE TO GET INTO THE PROGRAM FOR PICKUP BUSINESSES.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT RESTAURANTS? YES, SIR.
ANYBODY WHO WOULD BE INTERESTED IN DIVERTING FOOD WASTE AND SMART RECYCLING WOULD BE IN CHARGE OF CONTACTING THOSE BUSINESSES.
AND THE SCHOOLS, 'CAUSE THAT'S HOW THEY MAKE THEIR PROFIT IS OFF OF THAT HAULING OF THE MATERIAL.
AND THEN THEY ALSO PROVIDE, UM, EDUCATION, OUTREACH RESOURCES AS WELL.
THE, UH, DO YOU GUYS KNOW WHAT, WHAT TYPE OF, IS IT ALL FOODS OR YOU DO, DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA OF THE, THE FRAMEWORK OF THE FOOD, YOU KNOW, FOOD YOU WANT TO BE COMPOSTED? THE COLLECTION? UH, WE DON'T HAVE A FRAMEWORK YET.
SO BASICALLY WE'RE GONNA START IT, SEE WHAT WE GET, AND THEN PIVOT FROM THERE.
THAT'S A BIG, EVERYBODY'S ASKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE RUMOR'S OUT A LITTLE BIT.
AND SO EVERYBODY'S LIKE, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THIS? WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THIS GOING ON? YEAH.
IT'S IN THE PLANNING PHASE NOW.
SO, UH, PART OF THE GRANT FUNDS, UM, WERE ISSUED TOWARDS OUR CONSULTANT.
SO WE HAVE OUR ON-CALL, SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING CONSULTANT, HDR.
AND THEY'RE WORKING WITH US AND CREATING THE PILOT PROGRAM.
WHO, WHO'S THAT AGAIN? HDR, HOMER HO OMEGA.
NO, I SKIPPED ONE H,
YOU JUST LIKE, I'M, I'M HORRIBLE AT IT.
I ALWAYS LIKE DO ANIMALS AND THEN THE ANIMALS GET ME OFF BECAUSE THEN I START THINKING ABOUT THE ANIMALS.
ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THAT? I DUNNO, BECAUSE I REALLY WANTED STARTED SAYING RADIO.
I REALLY, I REALLY WANTED, THE MARINE GUYS WILL TELL HIPPOPOTAMUS.
THEN I WAS JUST AT UNIVERS AND I WAS THINKING ABOUT HOMER SIMPSON.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT? IS IS, UH, WASTE MANAGEMENT ON THAT CONVERSATION BY CHANCE? BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT BEEN, I HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT WASTE MANAGEMENT AS AN OPTION, POTENTIALLY TO PUT AN END VESSEL UNIT, BECAUSE THEY DO HAVE THAT LOCATION WHERE THEIR MURPH USED TO BE.
UM, SO RIGHT NOW I HAVEN'T REACHED OUT TO THEM YET.
UM, I WILL BE REACHING OUT TO THEM.
UM, 'CAUSE WE DO HAVE THE RFP COME IN, WHICH I'LL SPEAK A BIT MORE ABOUT, BUT THEY ARE AN OPTION.
THEY'RE, UM, KIND OF A BACKUP.
THERE IS A THIRD PARTY, UM, THAT'S KIND OF IN PLAY, UM, A COMPANY THAT'S WANTING TO BRING COMPOST AND THEY'VE GOT, UM, SOME THINGS MOVING BEHIND THE SCENES.
DON'T WANNA REALLY SPEAK TOO MUCH ABOUT THEIR PROPRIETARY THINGS GOING ON.
UM, BUT IT LOOKS REALLY PROMISING AND HOPING THAT I'LL BE ABLE TO GO AND PARTNER WITH THEM ONCE WE ISSUE RFPS FOR THE RECEIVING OF FOOD BASE.
I WOULD IMAGINE THAT WASTE MANAGEMENT MIGHT BE EXCITED TO REMOVE THAT FOOD WASTE OUT OF THERE FOR THEIR LANDFILL, YOU KNOW? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
[00:10:03]
OKAY.SO, UM, A BIT OF A PERSONNEL UPDATE, AS YOU ALREADY SAW WITH OUR INTRODUCTIONS.
OUR NEW PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR IS MR. BRADLEY.
UH, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE HIM AS OUR LEADER.
UM, HE'S BEEN WITH, UM, PUBLIC WORKS, UM, AS THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR AND HAS RECENTLY, ABOUT A MONTH OR SO AGO, MOVED INTO THE DIRECTOR ROLE.
AND THEN VALENTINA, UH, SHE'S OUR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATOR FOR SHORT.
SHE'S ALREADY INTRODUCED HERSELF.
UM, YOU'VE ALREADY BEEN INTRODUCED TO MR. JESUS, WHO IS OUR LITTER SUPERVISOR AND OUR ADOPT A HIGHWAY COORDINATOR.
UM, AND OUR BUSINESS MANAGER, BRI, TO MY LEFT, YOU'VE ALREADY, UM, BEEN INTRODUCED TO HER AND WE'RE VERY EXCITED.
UM, SALLY'S OUR SENIOR ADMIN ASSISTANT.
SO MOVING FORWARD ONCE SHE'S IN HER ROLE, UM, SHE'S VERY NEW.
DON'T SPRING HER WITH ANY CRAZY QUESTIONS, PLEASE.
UM, WE WOULD LIKE FOR HER TO STAY AROUND.
WE LIKE HER A LOT, BUT SHE WILL START OVERSEEING THIS ROLE AND BEING YOUR LIAISON FOR THE BOARD.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT'S ALL OF OUR NEW POSITIONS CURRENTLY IN SOLID WASTE.
UM, WE STILL HAVE OUR BELOVED, UM, BRAD MCABEE AS OUR SOLID WASTE SUPERINTENDENT.
THAT HAS NOT CHANGED, UM, DESPITE THE MANY POSITIONS THAT WE'VE HAD CHANGING RECENTLY.
UM, SO AS FAR AS THIS BOARD, UM, WE DO HAVE THREE AS LONG AS MR. BRIAN, UH, SIGNS HIS, UM, PAPERWORK TO EXTEND.
SO HE DID EXPIRE WHILE WE WERE ON OUR HIATUS.
UM, SO WITH THREE WE CAN STILL HOLD MEETINGS AND VOTE.
SO IF ANYBODY HAS HIS CONTACT INFORMATION, LET HIM KNOW.
WE NEED HIM TO SIGN THIS, UM, PAPERWORK.
AND THEN ONCE HE DOES COME BACK, WE'LL NEED TO HOLD, UM, A VOTE FOR OUR CHAIRMAN AND VICE CHAIR OR WOMAN LADY.
SO THAT IS KIND OF THE BEHIND THE SCENES ON THAT AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO CONTINUE WITH THE BOARD AND KEEP IT GROWING.
UM, WE ARE CURRENTLY BUDGETING AND PLANNING FOR FY 26.
UM, WE HAVE SUBMITTED OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS AND OUR EQUIPMENT REQUESTS, AND THEN WE'RE CONTINUING, UH, TO WORK ON THE BUDGET.
AND BRIE IS, UH, REALLY WORKING HARD ON THAT.
AND THEN WE HAVE ESTABLISHED VISION, MISSION AND GOALS, UM, FOR THE DEPARTMENT.
UM, IF YOU GUYS WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT, I CAN EMAIL THEM OUT, PLEASE.
AND THEN WE ARE STILL OPERATING OFF OF THE SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING, UM, PROGRAM PLAN THAT WAS SIGNED IN 2021.
EXCUSE ME, I MAY HAVE MISSED IT.
IS THERE A, A, IS THAT UNDER HEAD COUNT, UH, ACTIVITY, UH, HOW MANY PERSONNEL YOU HAVE BY RECYCLING CENTER? SO WE'RE ACTUALLY EMPLOYEES, WE'RE WE'RE ONE EMPLOYEE FOR BEING FULLY STAFFED.
BUT WE HAVE ONE OPEN POSITION AND THAT'S, THAT HASN'T HAPPENED IN QUITE A WHILE.
SO THAT'S ABOUT WHAT, 48? YEAH, 48 I THINK TOTAL.
WE CAN YOU THAT KIND OF AN ORG CHART ON THAT IF YOU'D LIKE TO YEAH.
AND IT, IT'S EXCITING TO MENTION, UM, WE'RE REQUESTING IT.
REMEMBER BUDGET REQUESTS ARE EXACTLY THAT REQUEST, BUT WE ARE LOOKING INTO REQUESTING ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL TO OUTFIT, UH, THE CENTERS.
IT WAS VALENTINA'S GREAT IDEA, UH, TO INCLUDE, UM, CENTER ATTENDANCE THAT ARE STRICTLY AT THE RECYCLING AREA.
SO WE CAN TALK TO RESIDENTS AS THEY'RE RECYCLING AND HELP THEM SORT PROPERLY AND HOPEFULLY REDUCE OUR CONTAMINATION.
BUT IT IS A REQUEST WE CAN ALWAYS REQUEST IN THE SHORT TERM.
GOING BACK TO THAT BEING FULLY STAFFED.
SO IN THE SHORT TERM, WE'RE HOPING THAT BRAD MCAFEE THE FIELD KIND, MAYBE DO A LITTLE BIT OF SHIFTING AROUND SINCE WE'RE KIND OF FULLY STAFFED.
AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN MAYBE START WITH SOME OF OUR ALREADY EMPLOYEE AT RECYCLING AREAS.
AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN MAYBE START THAT.
UM, AND WE'D LIKE TO START IT KIND OF A NEW CYCLE SO WE CAN ACTUALLY TELL, YOU KNOW, LIKE RECYCLE, WE CAN SEE IF THERE'S A DIFFERENCE IN EDUCATING EM AT THE FACILITY VERSUS NOT EDUCATING 'EM AT THE FACILITY.
SO WE CAN SEE THAT DIFFERENCE AT THE THAT'S GOOD.
YEAH, THAT TEST BED THAT WE DID SHOWED THAT THERE IS AN IMPROVEMENT JUST BY TALKING TO PEOPLE.
SO NOW IT'D BE REALLY GOOD TO ACTUALLY TEST.
AND A LOT OF THESE IMPROVEMENTS ALSO ARE WITH TALKING WITH MIKE.
SO THAT'S WHY IT'S REALLY GREAT THAT WE HAVE A LOCAL VENDOR OVERSEEING OUR RECYCLING.
UM, WE'VE ALREADY SEEN IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, AND WE WORK WITH MIKE TO EDUCATE AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL REDUCE OUR CONTAMINATION, UM, MOVING FORWARD.
[00:15:01]
AND RFPS.UH, SO WE CURRENTLY HAVE, UM, TWO OPEN RFPS.
UH, CURRENTLY, UH, WE HAVE OUR END VESSEL COMPOSTING UNIT.
UM, SO A PORTION OF THAT USDA GRANT IS TO PURCHASE, UM, A COMPOSTING UNIT.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, PROPOSALS ARE DUE FOR THAT ON DECEMBER 10TH.
AND THEN OUR SECOND RFP THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE OPEN IS DIGITAL CONTENT AND CREATION.
AND THAT'S, UM, TO HELP US CREATE THAT, UH, COMPOSTING MASCOT CHARACTER AND THEN EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION AND PAMPHLETS FOR COMPOSTING.
UM, THE PROPOSALS ARE CURRENTLY BEING EVALUATED AND WE HAVE SCHEDULED INTERVIEWS WITH OUR TOP FOR PROPOSERS.
AND THEN WE HAVE SOME UPCOMING RFPS.
UM, SO THESE CONTRACTS ARE ENDING IN JUNE.
THEY'RE IN OUR FINAL PHASE AND THEY'LL BE PUBLISHED, UM, WITHIN THE COMING WEEKS.
UH, WE HAVE OUR MSW DISPOSAL CONTRACTS, SO THAT'S DISPOSING OF OUR MSW AT THE LANDFILL OR IF SOMEBODY COMES THROUGH WITH ANOTHER WAY TO DISPOSE OUR WASTE.
UM, LIKE I SAID, IT'S DRAFTED AND JUST WAITING TO BE PUBLISHED.
UH, WE HAVE OUR COMPACTOR MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS, UM, THAT'S ALSO DRAFTED.
WE'RE HOPING TO POST THAT IN JANUARY.
AND THEN OUR E-WASTE COLLECTION EVENTS AND RECYCLING, THAT'S ALSO DRAFTED AND WE'RE PLANNING TO POST THAT IN FEBRUARY TO KIND OF HOPEFULLY STAGGER THEM SO WE DON'T HAVE ALL THESE PROPOSALS THAT WE'RE HAVING TO READ THROUGH ALL AT ONE TIME.
'CAUSE IT IS VERY TIME CONSUMING TO DO THAT.
AND JUST TO CLARIFY, AND I'M, I'M PRETTY SURE I KNOW THIS, THE, UH, THE JUNE MSW, THAT'S THE LANDFILL? YES, SIR.
THAT'S BEEN 25 YEARS IN MAKING.
WHAT'S THE, DO YOU GUYS KNOW THE TERM MUNICIPAL, THE NEW TERM? SO THE NEW TERMS? NO, WE HAVE, WE HAVEN'T POSTED IT YET.
SO WE DON'T KNOW THE NEW TERMS. WE CAN REQUEST THAT THEY EXTEND IT.
SO THE NEW PROCUREMENT POLICIES ARE, UM, TRYING TO CAP CONTRACTS AT THREE YEARS WITH TWO ADDITIONAL YEARS FOR EXTENSION.
UM, WE CAN PROPOSE TO COUNTY COUNCIL THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO A LONGER CONTRACT SO WE CAN PROPOSE A 10 YEAR CONTRACT INSTEAD.
'CAUSE THE, THE CURRENT ONE'S 25.
SO YOU'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING TO REDUCE, UM, WELL, I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'LL LET ME SIGN A 25 YEAR CONTRACT.
IT'LL BE SOMETHING THAT WE DISCUSS WITH COUNTY COUNCIL.
BUT THAT'S WHAT FROM PROCUREMENT, THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY DO 10 OR 15 YEAR CONTRACTS.
SO THEY SHOULDN'T THROW OUT 25 YEARS.
UM, BUT WITH THEIR CURRENT LANDFILL EXTENSION BEING 10 TO 15 YEARS.
I THINK I ALREADY KIND OF HIGHLIGHTED OUR USDA GRANT COMPOST PILOT PROGRAM.
UM, HDR IS CREATING THE PLAN, UM, PORTION OF THE FUNDS ARE TO PURCHASE A COMPOSTING VESSEL, AND THAT'S EITHER FOR COUNTY OPERATIONS OR IF THERE'S A THIRD PARTY THAT COMES IN AND WOULD LIKE TO ASSIST IN THAT PLAN.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE THE EDUCATION OUTREACH FOR MASCOT MATERIALS.
AND THEN EDUCATIONAL VIDEO, UH, CENTER IMPROVEMENT.
SO BASICALLY BENDS AT THE CENTERS, UM, WITH LOCKS TO FULLY REDUCE CONTAMINATION UP.
UM, AND WE, UM, AS ALWAYS APPLIED TO AND CURRENTLY WORKING ON OUR SOUTH CAROLINA NOW DES GRANTS.
SO IF CASE YOU HAVEN'T HEARD, D HECK IS NOW DES, DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES.
UH, SO WE DID RECEIVE THE FY 25 GRANTS.
WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS USING THOSE FUNDS.
AND THEN, UM, PALMETTO PRIDE GRANT IN 2024.
AND I BELIEVE, UM, CHLOE VALENTINA HAVE AN UPDATE FOR REQUESTING PALMETTO PRIDE CALENDAR YEAR 2025 GRANTS.
SO, AND NOW WE CAN GO THROUGH OUR QUARTER ONE TOTALS.
APOLOGIES IF IT'S REALLY SMALL.
THE, UH, SO BACK IT UP ON ONE OF THOSE PROGRAMS CONTRACTS.
WE HAVE THE E-WASTE CONTRACT THAT WE HAVE, UM, POWERHOUSE.
SO WHEN WE STARTED A, I DON'T IF Y'ALL KNOW, WE STARTED THAT PILOT PROGRAM, UM, FOR ACTUALLY CITIZENS CAN SIGN UP TO BRING THEIR E-WASTE.
WE JUST TWO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.
IT'S ACTUALLY WORKING, IT'S WORKING REALLY GOOD.
SOMETIMES PEOPLE SHOW AND SOME, YOU KNOW, WE TELL WE'LL HAVE SOME PEOPLE WITH NO SHOWS, BUT YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE THAT.
UM, SO IT'S ACTUALLY WORKING REALLY GOOD.
AND WE'RE HOPING, MY GOAL WOULD BE BY THE TIME NEXT YEAR'S OVER
[00:20:01]
THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THESE E-WASTE EVENTS ANYMORE.AND THEN WHO'S THE, WHO'S THE CURRENT E-WASTE? IS IT POWERHOUSE? POWERHOUSE.
AND THAT'S THROUGH, AND IT COSTS US MONEY.
I MEAN, IT COSTS US MONEY TO HAVE THEM, RIGHT? YEAH.
WITH THE NEW CLEARING HOUSE, UM, EVENT, IT'S BASICALLY A LAW THAT STATES THAT SIMILAR TO TIRES, WHENEVER AN ELECTRONIC IS PURCHASED, A PORTION OF THOSE FUNDS GO TO RECYCLING THE ELECTRONICS.
UM, SO THE FUNDS THAT WE ARE SPENDING TOWARDS POWERHOUSE IS TO HOST THOSE ELECTRONIC RECYCLING EVENTS.
SO WHENEVER THE PUBLIC COMES THROUGH AND BRINGS THEIR MATERIALS AND THEN THEY HAUL IT AWAY, THAT'S WHAT'S COSTING US.
SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE STARTED THAT DROP OFF PROGRAM.
SO WE CAN EVENTUALLY, SO OUR GOAL AND HOPE IS AFTER FY 26, WE CAN, UM, GO DO AWAY WITH THE EVENTS AND THE COST.
UM, 'CAUSE THAT CURRENT, UM, PO I WANNA SAY IS OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS PER POWERHOUSE.
AND IT COULD COST US SIGNIFICANTLY LESS.
SO WHENEVER WE, WHENEVER WE RECEIVE AND PACKAGE THE MATERIALS OURSELF, UM, THE ONLY STIPULATION IS WE HAVE TO HAVE A SEMI-TRUCK LOAD FOR THEM TO COME AND PICK IT UP.
BUT THEY PROVIDE BECAUSE OF THE CLEARING HOUSE, UM, AND THE NEW LAW, THEY PROVIDE THE PACKING SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS AND THEN FREE TRANSPORTATION OF THE MATERIALS.
SO YOU DO THE LABOR AND FREE RECYCLING, YOU PROVIDE THE LABOR.
ALL WE DO IS PROVIDE A LABOR LOAD IT AND THEY COME LOOK IT UP.
AND THERE WILL BE A SMALL COST BECAUSE WE DO ACCEPT MATERIALS THAT AREN'T ON THE CLEARING HOUSE LIST.
SO, UM, TVS ARE ON THAT LIST, BUT OTHER, OTHER SMALL, JUST MISCELLANEOUS ELECTRONICS, THERE'S THAT WE STILL YEAH.
YOU KNOW, KEYBOARDS, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
'CAUSE I KNOW AS, AS CITIZENS THEY WANT TO DROP OFF ANYTIME.
I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT YOU DON'T GET A GREAT RESPONSE.
IS THAT BC CONNECT? HOW, HOW DO THEY MAKE THAT APPOINTMENT? UM, YOU GO ONLINE TO THE SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING WEBPAGE AND YOU CAN, UM, SELECT YOUR CALENDAR APPOINTMENT.
WOULD IT BE HELPFUL TO GO BACK TO OUR, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, OUR TOWNSHIPS OR WHATNOT AND TALK TO THEM AND PUSH THAT FORWARD A LITTLE BIT? DO YOU WANT THAT NOW OR IS IT SET UP TO HANDLE VOLUME? OR IS IT STILL REALLY VERY PILOT? I WOULD WE, IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN DO? IT'S, SO IT'S IN FIVE MINUTE INCREMENTS FROM EIGHT 30 TO NOON.
I WOULD SAY THAT THEY DO USUALLY FILL UP TWO WEEKS OUT.
SO, I MEAN, YOU CAN PUSH IT FORWARD, BUT YOU COULD BE GETTING INTO, YOU KNOW, LIKE JANUARY, FEBRUARY, WHICH IS LIKE FINE.
LIKE WE CAN HAVE 'EM SCHEDULED, BUT IT WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO JUST SHOW UP LIKE NEXT WEEK MOST LIKELY.
'CAUSE BE LUPTON IS A LITTLE SLOWER THAN BUFORT.
IT'S NOT YEAH, I FIGURED, I FIGURED PEOPLE WOULD LOVE TO.
NO, IT'S, THEY'RE, THEY'RE VERY LOVE TO JUMP ON THAT.
THEY'RE TAKING, THEY'RE TAKING WEALTH TO IT.
AND, AND LIKE I SAID, MOST PEOPLE LIKE IT BECAUSE THEY CAN GET RID OF IT.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO HOLD TO IT FOR, YOU KNOW, SIX MONTHS OR WHATEVER IT IS.
YOU KNOW, NOBODY WANTS A TWO TV SITTING IN THEIR GARAGE FOR SIX MONTHS.
SO BETTER SERVICE, COST REDUCTION.
BUDGET AND WE KNOW MOVE THINGS AROUND AND IT'S GOING GOOD, BUT FUN EVEN WITH THE EXTRA LABOR WILL FUNDAMENTALLY BE CHEAPER.
WE, YOU OFFSET, YOU COULD HAVE PART TIME.
WELL WE CAN HAVE PART TIME EMPLOYEE DOING IT.
IS THERE, SO IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO, TO HELP PUSH THAT? I DON'T KNOW.
OR IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN HELP WITH? UH, WE CAN, WE, WE CAN ROLL IT OUT MORE DAYS A WEEK.
I MEAN, WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN PUBLISHING, PUBLISHING IT AND POSTING IT.
UM, SOCIAL MEDIA, WE'VE GOT OUR OUTREACH AND THEN, UH, WHEN OUR, UM, PUBLIC NOTICE EMAIL STREAMS, WE'VE GOT LAUREN ELLI SENDING IT OUT.
UM, BUT WHENEVER WE CAN ISSUE MORE DAYS, UH, WE WOULD DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE THE EXTRA PUBLICITY ON IT.
THAT'S, YEAH, I GET THAT CALL ALL THE TIME TOO.
THAT'S THE ONE, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO I DO? WHY EVERYBODY WANTS THAT E-WASTE.
SO, ALRIGHT, SO THIS IS A QUARTER ONE OVERVIEW.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'VE GOT OUR CENTER TRAFFIC INFORMATION HERE.
THE ASTERISKS DO INDICATE THAT, UH, WE HAD A TUBE COUNTER DOWN.
UH, SO LUBI GO, IT LOOKS, UM, LIKE IT'S A LOT SMALLER THAN THE OTHER CENTERS.
UM, BUT WE ARE STILL SEEING A DECREASE IN CENTER ACTIVITY AND TRAFFIC, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE, UM, EXPERIENCING A POPULATION INCREASE.
BUT THE, THE TOTAL IS THAT BECAUSE OF MORE CURBSIDE PICKUP? THAT'S YEAH.
THE ONLY ONE I SEE DISCREPANCY ARE THE SHANKLIN AND ST.
[00:25:01]
OF AN INCREASE.UH, BUT THAT COULD JUST BE DUE TO TUBE COUNTER DOWN COUNTS DOWN IN QUARTER ONE OF FY 24 2.
AND I THINK FOR, IF I GO BY POPULATION SHANKLIN, THERE'S MORE POPULATION GROWING OUT THIS WAY AND THERE'S MORE POPULATION ON ST HALL NOW.
I MEAN, THE POPULATION IS DEFINITELY GROWING.
AND THEN, UM, JUST A REMINDER IN FY 21 WAS WHEN THE DECAL PROGRAM IMP WAS IMPLEMENTED.
SO WE DID HAVE THAT, UM, MAJOR DECREASE WHEN IT WAS IMPLEMENTED.
MAN, THAT WAS UNDER THOSE MONTHS.
WE, WE GOT BEAT UP FOR IT, YOU KNOW, AND WE KNEW, WE ALL KNEW THE NUMBERS WOULD COME OUT, BUT MM-HMM.
PEOPLE IT LOSING IN THEIR MINDS AND IT REALLY WORKED OUT REALLY WELL ALL THE WAY AROUND.
YEAH, THEY'RE SLIGHTLY INCREASING BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, UM, POPULATION INCREASE.
EVERYBODY WANTS TO COME AND LIVE IN BEAUFORT.
UM, BUT WE DO STILL HAVE A MAJOR, A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN, UH, THE USE OF THE CENTERS PRIOR TO THE DECAL PROGRAM.
AND HERE'S SOME OF OUR TONNAGE DATA.
APOLOGIES FOR THE WAY THAT IT'S FORMATTED.
I'M WORKING WITH IT ON USING POWER BI.
UM, SO THIS INFORMATION WILL BE ON OUR WEBPAGE FOR FULL TRANSPARENCY OF RESIDENTS.
AND THEN ALSO IT'LL LOOK, UH, A BIT MORE DOLLED UP FOR YOU GUYS NEXT HOPEFULLY.
I DON'T WANNA SAY NEXT TIME EVENTUALLY.
UM, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, OUR TONNAGE FROM OUR CONVENIENCE CENTERS AND THEN CURBSIDE IS SIGNIFICANTLY, UM, INCREASED FROM THAT.
AND THEN THE SAME WITH OUR C AND D WASTE AND YARD WASTE.
CURBSIDE HAS A BIT LESS ACTUALLY.
AND THESE FIGURES DO RELY UPON OUR, UM, RESIDENTIAL HAULERS.
BUT AS OF QUARTER ONE, WE DID RECEIVE ALL OF OUR DATA FROM THEM.
AND THEN HERE'S THE WASTE, UH, TONNAGE, UM, BROKEN OUT BY CLASS OF WASTE.
AND THEN THE DISTRICTS, AM I WRONG IN THINKING THE RESIDENTIAL, LET'S SEE, RESIDENTIAL RECYCLING TONNAGE.
DID THE NUMBERS GET BETTER? DID YOU GUYS, WERE YOU ABLE TO COLLECT BETTER NUMBERS SINCE WE MET LAST
SO I THINK MAYBE IN QUARTER TWO YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THAT.
SO WE CAN GO AHEAD ONTO RECYCLING.
YOU HAVE MS. WASTE, WASTE IS CONSTRUCTION.
APOLOGIES IF YOU WANT ME TO MIN MAXIMIZE ANY SPECIFIC CATEGORY I CAN.
UM, BUT OVER HERE WE HAVE OUR HAULING COSTS AND WE ARE COMPARING IT, UH, TO FY 24.
SO A BIT OF AN INCREASE IN JULY.
THIS IS WHEN, UM, WASTE MANAGEMENT HAD OUR CONTRACT.
AND THEN ALSO REMEMBER IN JULY, UM, IT'S HEAVY, UH, TOURIST SEASON.
SO, UM, INSTEAD OF LIKE A BELL CURVE WITH RECYCLING AND WASTE, IT'S MORE LIKE A BAR BELL CURVE, UM, WITH THOSE HIGHER RATES AT THE HOLIDAYS AROUND THIS TIME OF YEAR.
AND THEN THE HIGHER RATES AT THE, UM, IN THE SUMMER MONTHS WITH OUR TOURISTS.
AND THEN HERE WE'VE GOT OUR DISPOSAL COSTS.
UM, AND THIS IS FOR SOLID WASTE.
AND THEN OUR POOLS AND THEN OUR, EXCUSE ME, WHAT IS TONNAGE DISPOSAL, DID YOU SAY? WHAT, WHAT IS POLES? POOLS IS WHEN, UM, A CONTAINER IS PULLED.
SO WE'VE GOT 20 YARD CONTAINERS AND 40 YARD CONTAINERS AT OUR CONVENIENCE CENTERS.
SO WHEN YOU PULL ONE OF THOSE, EVERY TIME THAT CONTAINERS GOING INTO A YES.
WE PAY, UM, EVERY TIME IT'S PULLED AND HAULED TO THE LANDFILL, THAT'S AT THE COST.
AND THEN EVERY TIME A CONTAINER GOES OVER THE SCALE AT THE LANDFILL AND IS WEIGHED, THAT'S AN ADDITIONAL COST.
SO WE PAY TWICE FOR MATERIAL TO BE FIRST TRANSPORTED THROUGH THE LANDFILL AND THEN ACTUALLY DUMPED AT THE LANDFILL.
AND SIMILAR TO, UM, RECYCLING PAY FOR IT TO BE HAULED AND THEN PAY FOR IT TO BE DUMPED.
[00:30:01]
UM, THIS IS RECYCLING ACTIVITY SEPARATED OUT, UM, BY DISTRICT AND TONNAGE.AND THEN, UM, CONVENIENCE CENTER TONNAGE HERE, AND THEN RESIDENTIAL ROUTE.
SO THIS IS CURBSIDE DATA TONNAGE HERE.
AND THEN CONVENIENCE CENTER TONNAGE HERE.
SO 450 TONS COLLECTED FROM OUR CONVENIENCE CENTERS IN QUARTER ONE AND 1200 TONS COLLECTED, UH, CURBSIDE.
THAT'S ACTUALLY WHAT I WAS, I WAS LOOKING AT THE WRONG CHART EARLIER WHEN I MADE THAT QUESTION.
YEAH, I WAS WONDERING IF YOU WERE LOOKING AT I WAS ACTUALLY REFERRING TO, THIS IS MM-HMM.
I DON'T DID DID THAT REPORTING GET BETTER SINCE WE LAST MET OR WAS THOSE I JUST, FOR OUR CURBSIDE? YEAH.
FOR CURBSIDE AS OF QUARTER ONE, I RECEIVED ALL THE DATA FROM RESIDENTIAL CURBSIDE HAULERS.
SO I'M NOT, I DON'T, I JUST DON'T REMEMBER IT BEING, YEAH.
SO THIS, THIS DATA IS ACCURATE AS OF NOW.
A QUESTION FOR YOU ABOUT THE RESIDENTIAL ROUTES VERSUS CONVENIENCE CENTERS.
WHEN I FIRST MOVED HERE, I GUESS MAYBE NOT 15 YEARS, MAYBE 10 YEARS AGO OR SOMEWHERE IN THAT TIME PERIOD, THERE WAS A MOVEMENT TO GO THE WHOLE COUNTY TO CURBSIDE.
IS THAT A DEAD ISSUE? IS THAT SOMETHING
IT, IT COULD STILL BE UP FOR DISCUSSION.
THERE'S SOME AREAS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE CURBSIDE.
UM, I THINK I'LL DO A LITTLE QUICK BACKDROP AND YOU GUYS TELL ME IF I'M, I'M WRONG ON THIS.
BUT IT CAME UP AS A DISCUSSION AND THEY REALLY QUITE MOVED FORWARD TO SINGLE HALL OR ACROSS COUNTYWIDE.
UM, THE FUNDAMENTAL ISSUE I THINK THAT THIS BOARD HAD IN FRONT OF THEM WAS THE, UH, THE LANDFILL AND THE WAY THE RECYCLING AND THE LANDFILL WERE WORKING AND HOW THINGS WERE GETTING PAID FOR.
AND SO AT THE TIME, IT JUST DIDN'T SEEM LIKE IT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO SET UP A CONTRACT WHERE, UH, RECYCLING IN THAT SIDE WAS DISINCENTIVIZED.
AND SO, UM, I THINK IT KIND OF GOT SQUASHED FROM THAT LEVEL.
PLUS THERE'S A LOT MORE COMPLEXITIES BY HOW ARE YOU GONNA PAY FOR IT? A LOT OF OTHER THINGS THAT GO TO IT.
DOES THAT, DOES THAT SOUND, IS THAT WHAT YOU GUYS REMEMBER? WELL, YEAH.
AND ALSO IT WOULD HAVE PUT A LOT OF SMALL BUSINESSES OUT OF BUSINESS.
SO, AND IT WOULD COST A LOT MORE.
SO RAISING TAXES AND PUTTING PEOPLE OUT OF BUSINESS WASN'T REALLY THE BEST LEVEL.
WHO, WHO WOULD IT AFFECT FROM A BUSINESS STANDPOINT? ALL THE LOCAL WE HAVE, WE HAVE SEVERAL SMALLER, SMALL HAULERS THAT OVERSEE.
WE HAVE SEVERAL LOCAL HAULERS.
UM, PRIMARILY IT MAYBE JUST IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE THAT ARE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT USE THE CONVENIENCE CENTERS OR MAYBE THEY'RE NOT NO WASTE HAULERS.
THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO, BUT THEY DO BECAUSE THEY JUST DON'T HAVE MARKED TRUCKS.
NO WASTE HAULERS THAT WE HAD THAT HAVE DECALS.
THAT WAS THE, FOR BUFORT COUNTY TO DISPOSE OF RESIDENTIAL WASTE.
I THINK, UH, HILTON HAD HAD A, HAD A GREAT FAILURE MODEL YEAH.
THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD DID IT.
BUT I, I DO, I, YOU KNOW, THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD REALLY MOVING FORWARD, REVISITING THIS AGAIN.
I HEARD THEY WERE GOING FORWARD, NOT THERE.
WE WOULD, IT IT WOULD, IT WOULD DEFINITELY BENEFIT THE COUNTY.
UH, THEY COST US, UH, VICTORIA CAN PROBABLY GET THE NUMBERS, BUT IT IS VERY, VERY EXPENSIVE FOR THE HAULING THAT WE DO FROM THE HILTON HEAD CONVENIENCE CENTER.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S RIGHT HERE.
IF YOU LOOK AT THAT NUMBER, YEAH, IT'S PRETTY BIG.
BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE INTERESTED LEARNING FROM THOSE MISTAKES.
PART OF THAT WAS THE SMALL BUSINESS.
'CAUSE THAT WAS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF WHAT HAPPENS WHEN, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU GO INTO BIG TO, AND, AND REALLY TRYING TO, TRYING TO SURGICALLY FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE THAT WORK.
AND IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE TILTED HEAD, YOU KNOW, SOME TYPE OF A SUSTAINABILITY HILTON HEAD.
AND, AND THEY'VE BEEN, THEY'VE BEEN DISCUSSING A LOT OF OPTIONS.
LOOKING AT THAT CONVENIENCE CENTER.
THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF GOING ON.
THERE'S LOT IDEAS OUT THERE ON THE TABLE, WHICH JUST, YEAH, I WAS, WHEN I FIRST CAME HERE, IT WAS TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE HAD THESE CONVENIENCE CENTERS THAT PEOPLE COULD DROP OFF WHITE METAL AS OPPOSED TO PUTTING IT BACK IN THE FOREST ON, YOU KNOW, LATE NIGHTS AND DUMPING REFRIGERATORS.
AND WE, WE TAKE ALL THE WHITE GOODS AS WELL.
BUT IN, IN THE PAST, UH, UH, RURAL AREAS TENDED TO THAT YOU DON'T SEE AS MUCH OF TODAY BECAUSE THERE'S CONVENIENCE CENTERS.
WHICH IS, WELL IT DEFINITELY HELPED WITH LITTER.
IT'S HELPED WITH THAT TYPE OF LITTER.
WE STILL HAVE IT, BUT IT, THEY HELP.
SO THERE'S THERE, THERE'S A YIN AND YANG THERE ALWAYS.
IF YOU HAD TO PAY FOR IT, MAYBE I'LL JUST GO ON SUNDAY NIGHTS AND DUMP IT SOMEWHERE.
SINGLE HAUL I THINK HAS A PLACE.
[00:35:01]
IT'S GOTTA BE YOU, YOU GOTTA, YOU KNOW, YOU SEE, YOU HAVE SEVERAL, THERE'S SEVERAL SINGLE HAUL PROGRAMS AROUND HERE.YOU KNOW, TOWN OF L HAS ONE, POOR OIL HAS ONE.
THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ITEMIZED AND THEY'RE SMALL.
BUT WHEN YOU START LOOKING AT LIKE RURAL LANDSCAPES MM-HMM.
AND THERE'S, AND LIKE SHE SAID, THERE'S A LOT OF SMALL HAULERS THAT SURVEY PURPOSE IN THESE INSTANCES AND YOU CAN'T, YOU'VE GOT SO MANY LITTLE AREAS YEAH.
THAT DRS YOUR PRICE UP, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, WITH DENSITY, THAT'S EASIER TO DO.
AND THEN THIS IS OUR REVENUE AND THEN ALSO JUST WHAT IT'S COSTING US, UM, TO RECYCLE.
SO, UH, WE ALSO, UM, CHANGED CONTRACTORS FOR OUR METALS.
SO WE ARE NOW USING BUFORT METAL SLASH HARDY METAL.
SO ANY, UM, BULKY WHITE GOODS, UM, MATERIALS THAT ARE RECEIVED, UH, SOUTH OF THE BROAD, UH, GO STRAIGHT TO HARDY V AND THEN ANYTHING RECEIVED NORTH OF THE BROAD GOES TO BEAUFORT METAL.
UM, AND THEN NOW WE'RE RECEIVING MONTHLY REPORTS AND MONTHLY REVENUE CHECKS FROM THEM AS OPPOSED TO WHEN WE HAD WITH CHARLESTON STEEL WAS KIND OF LIKE A QUARTERLY THING.
UH, SO WE'RE REALLY HAPPY WITH THAT.
UM, CLEANING UP OUR SHANKLIN WHITE GOODS, UM, PAD TWO TO MAKE THAT A BIT MORE, UM, SLIGHTLY.
AND THEN WE ALSO RECEIVE OUR REVENUES FROM UNIVERSAL ENVIRONMENTAL, WHICH IS OUR USED OIL, UH, SUNOCO.
I DO THINK THAT WE JUST RECEIVED A CHECK, SO IT DIDN'T QUITE MAKE IT INTO QUARTER ONE REPORT, BUT WE'RE NO LONGER BAILING CARDBOARD, SO WE REALLY DON'T RECEIVE A LARGE REVENUE CHECK FROM THEM ANYMORE.
UM, IT'S PRIMARILY BOOKS THAT WE ARE COLLECTING FROM OUR LIBRARIES.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE THE DOR TIRE FUND, THAT ALSO WAS RECEIVED LATE, SO IT DIDN'T QUITE MAKE IT INTO QUARTER ONE REPORT, BUT WE DID RECEIVE REVENUES FROM THOSE TWO.
AND THEN, UM, WITH OUR WASTE MANAGEMENT PROCESSING AND HAULING, UM, THOSE ARE COMBINED HERE.
UM, AND IN THE MONTH OF JULY, THAT WAS OUR LAST MONTH WITH THEM.
AND THEN MOVING FORWARD FROM AUGUST, THIS IS OUR MONTHLY PROCESSING COSTS.
SO ACTUALLY TO TIP THE MATERIALS AND HAVE THEM PROCESS AND THEN TO HAUL THOSE MATERIALS FROM THE CONVENIENCE CENTERS TO THE IFI TO FACILITY.
AND THEN, UM, SKIMMING OFF OUR REBATE AMOUNT AS YOU CAN SEE HERE WITH WASTE MANAGEMENT.
UH, THAT WAS, UM, UM, IN A NOT APPLICABLE, UH, SO HERE YOU CAN SEE NOW IS OUR RECYCLING COSTS NET WITH OUR REBATE INCLUDED.
AND THEN THIS FIGURE DOWN HERE IS OUR COST WITH, UM, THE EXCEPTION OF THE REVENUES THAT WE RECEIVE PRICE OF DOING BUSINESS.
UM, AND THEN WE DID HAVE ONE ITEM TO VOTE ON FOR TODAY.
UM, IT'S FINE IF WE DON'T VOTE.
UH, WE CAN STILL STAND WITH THIS, UM, MEETING SCHEDULED FOR 2025.
UH, BUT THIS IS THE PROPOSED MEETING SCHEDULE FOLLOWING, UH, THE SAME FORMAT, UM, THIRD THURSDAY OF EVERY OTHER MONTH.
AND THEN I DID TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION, UM, HOLIDAYS.
SO HOPEFULLY WE WON'T HAVE ANY MEETINGS THAT NEED TO BE RESCHEDULED.
UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE CAN VOTE WHY WITHOUT OUR THIRD MEMBER HERE.
SO THE THREE MEMBERS ARE YOURSELF AND THE SALLY.
AND THEN OUR OTHER MEMBERS THAT YOU'RE SITTING NEXT TO ARE LIAISONS AND EX OFFICIOS OFFICIOS.
SO NOT TECHNICALLY VOTING MEMBERS.
UM, BUT WE CAN KEEP THIS ON THE TABLE.
UM, I WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT AS LONG AS YOU DON'T HAVE ANY OBJECTIONS OR EDITS.
AND JUST CONFIRM WITH, UM, BOARDS AND COMMISSION, UH, TO JUST RESERVE THE ROOM, UH, FOR THESE MEETINGS SO IT LOOKS GOOD FOR YOU.
NEXT WE HAVE, AND APOLOGIES I DIDN'T COME TO THE PODIUM.
I HAVE TO KIND OF DRIVE THE COMPUTER OVER HERE.
UM, BUT WE ALSO, WE NOW HAVE, UM, OUR LETTER SUPERVISOR, MS. ZEUS, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THE STAND.
WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.
I AM THE LETTER CONTROL SUPERVISOR AND ALSO THE, UH, ADOPT HIGHWAY COORDINATOR.
UM, I'VE BEEN ON BOARD FOR A LITTLE OVER A MONTH, STARTED OCTOBER 14TH OF THIS YEAR.
UM, SO JUST SORT OF GIVE YOUR BRIEFING AS TO WHAT I HAVE GOING ON.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, WHILE ONBOARDING, I WANTED TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING BASICALLY OF HOW THE PROGRAM WAS RUNNING TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M DOING MY JOB,
[00:40:01]
OF COURSE.AND TO HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE NEEDS ARE FOR THE ADOPT THE HIGHWAY PROGRAM.
SO WITH THAT SAID, THE FIRST INITIATIVE THAT I TOOK WAS CONDUCT A SURVEY, SEND IT OUT TO ALL THE MEMBERS, AND I GOT A RESPONSE.
NOT ALL THE, NOT ALL OF THEM RESPONDED, BUT I GOT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF REPLIES.
FOR THE MOST PART, EVERYTHING WAS GOOD.
WE GOT, UH, OVER 80% SATISFACTORY RATE ON THE PROGRAM ITSELF.
UM, THE, THE, UH, CONS ON IT WAS LACK OF COMMUNICATION AND SAFETY PRECAUTIONS TAKEN WHEN PEOPLE ARE OUT ON THE ROADS THAT CAN, UH, PERTAIN FROM LACK OF SIGNAGE TO HEAVY TRAFFIC NOISE.
UM, UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE TO EACH OTHER AS THEY'RE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.
SO OBVIOUSLY THAT'S A SAFETY ISSUE GOING ON.
UM, SO WITH THAT SAID, I DID REACH OUT TO THE POINT OF CONTACT THE INFORMATION OFFICER FOR BUFORT COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
I BELIEVE HER NAME IS LINDSEY.
AND WE'RE SORT OF WORKING A PLAN TO SORT OF COMMUNICATE TO OUR MOTORIST VIA SOCIAL MEDIA OR THROUGH OUR EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS, HOPEFULLY GET THE WORD OUT, HEY, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE PEOPLE OUT HERE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH CHLOE TO GET SOME, UH, SIGNAGE OUT THERE IN SPANISH.
YOU KNOW, A HEAVY POPULATION OF, UH, LATINOS IN THE COMMUNITY WILL BE HELPFUL.
SO WITH THAT SAID, UH, CONVERSING OVER TO, OR MOVING OVER TO THE, UH, CLEANUP EFFORTS.
I DO, UH, HAVE SOME QUICK, UH, QUICK STATISTICS FROM THE AH PROGRAM THIS YEAR SO FAR IN COMPARISON TO LAST YEAR.
SO, SO FAR THIS YEAR WE'VE COLLECTED 56,749 POUNDS OF TRASH.
IT'S CALENDAR YEAR, CORRECT? YES, FOR THIS YEAR SO FAR, FOR WHAT I ACCUMULATED IN COMPARISON TO LAST YEAR, AND I'M NOT SURE HOW ACCURATE THESE NUMBERS ARE 'CAUSE I DID FIND A LOT OF DUPLICATES FROM LAST YEAR.
SO I KIND OF LIKE MIMICKED WITH THE NUMBERS.
AND THE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IS 95% OVER 95% AS OPPOSED TO LAST YEAR OF THIS DURING THIS TIME.
SO IT'S A, IT IS SIGNIFICANT CHANGE.
OBVIOUSLY NUMBERS ARE GONNA CLIMB AS THE, UH, END OF THE YEAR APPROACHES.
SO WITH THAT, WE'RE ALSO LIKE TO GIVE YOU THE BC CONNECT COMPLAINTS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED AND CLOSED OUT THIS YEAR.
FROM WHAT I'M SEEING WITH THE NUMBERS, UM, THERE'S JUST A SLIGHT, UH, INCREASE IN, UH, THE COMPLAINTS THAT WE RECEIVED AND CLOSE OUT.
UM, SO WITH THOSE COMPLAINTS, UH, TOTAL TODAY, AS OF THIS YEAR UNDER MY, UH, LITTER CONTROL, EXCUSE ME, UNDER LITTER AND ILLEGAL DUMPING COMPLAINTS, IT'S A TOTAL OF 104 MINUS THE DUPLICATE COMPLAINTS FROM DIFFERENT PEOPLE ASSOCIATED WITH THE SAME ISSUE.
SO IT'S 104 COMPARISON TO 101 LAST YEAR.
THAT'S A SLIGHT INCREASE OF JUST 3%, JUST UNDER 3%.
UM, ALSO IN ADDITION TO ADDING, UH, MORE TOOLS TO COMBAT OUR, OUR LITTER, UH, OR CONTROL, OUR LITTER OUT IN THE COUNTY WHERE ONBOARDING TWO ADDITIONAL MEMBERS ONTO OUR CREW, I BELIEVE THEY START MONDAY THROUGH ORIENTATION.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE ARE IN CURRENT DISCUSSIONS, WE HAVE A, THIS A MEETING, UH, COMING THIS MONDAY, UM, WITH THE DETENTION CENTER IN ADDITION TO THE COURT WITH THE COMMUNITY SERVICES.
UM, SO WE'LL BE WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH THEM TO, UH, HAVE OUR, UH, COMMUNITY SERVICE MEMBERS SHOULD I SAY, I DON'T WANT TO CALL 'EM INMATES 'CAUSE THAT'S NOT WHAT THEY ARE.
SO WE'RE BRINGING BACK THE PROGRAM IN HOPES TO, YOU KNOW, ASSIST US WITH CLEANING THE ROAD.
SO THE MORE TOOLS WE HAVE OUT THERE, I THINK IT'S, IT'S A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO COMBAT THE LITTER OUT THERE AND KEEP, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY LOOKING BEAUTIFUL.
YOU KNOW, UH, THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH, I WANNA SAY SOMETHING.
UM, I, I'VE NOTICED IN THE PAST MONTH ON THE ADOPT A HIGHWAY THAT YOU'VE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB WITH THE, UH, THE COMMUNICATION THAT YOU, IT IS DEFINITELY BEEN AN INCREASE AND FOR THE BETTER.
SO I, I APPRECIATE IT BEING, BEING ONE OF I NO, I THINK I APPRECIATE THAT.
AND THEN DID YOU GUYS, DID YOU, I'M GOING BACK A YEAR, WE HAD ENFORCEMENT TOO.
IS THAT STILL, ARE YOU STILL PART OF, DO YOU STILL HAVE AN ENFORCEMENT ARM? ARE YOU ALLOWED TO ISSUE TICKETS? ARE YOU SO I HAVEN'T GONE, I HAVEN'T GONE TO THAT ASPECT YET.
THAT WILL BE SO YEAH, WE'RE THAT'S IN THE WORKS RIGHT NOW.
WE'VE BEEN PRETTY MUCH, I MEAN, ANYTHING THAT WE FIND AND WE CAN WRITE A WHAT IS, UM, AN ORDINANCE YEAH.
SO WE CAN DO AN ORDINANCE VIOLATION,
[00:45:01]
BUT THEN WE HAVE TO TURN THAT OVER TO, UM, SERGEANTSO IF WE FIND A SPOT THAT'S, UH, ILLEGAL DUMPING REGULAR SPOT, OR HE DOES WE'LL SET CAMERAS UP AND THEN, BUT, BUT YES, JESUS WORKS DIRECTLY WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT WITH AND THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL, THAT'S WHAT IT IS.
HE WORKS HAND IN HAND WITH THEM TO KIND OF GET THAT NOW.
UM, BEEN OUT THERE A FEW TIMES ALREADY.
PROBABLY, PROBABLY NOT THE TOP PRIORITY'S A LOT OF OTHER THINGS GOING ON THAT'S NOT LIKE A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE, IT'S KIND OF A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF IT.
'CAUSE EVEN WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, I MEAN, SERGEANT COMMEND ME, IT IS VERY HARD TO, UM, BRING THOSE TICKETS TO PERMISSION.
IT IS JUST, YOU GOTTA HAVE SO MUCH EVIDENCE.
YOU GOTTA, YOU LITERALLY HAVE TO HAVE A PICTURE OF SOMEBODY DOING IT AND PROVE THAT IT'S THAT PERSON THAT ACTUALLY SET THE GARBAGE ON THE GROUND.
OR LIKE, EVEN IF YOU DIG THROUGH TRASH AND FIND AN ENVELOPE WITH A NAME ON IT, IT, WHO CAN SAY WHO PUT IT THERE.
WE'VE BEEN, I MEAN, RECENTLY PAST TWO WEEKS I'VE WORKED WITH NOT ONLY, UH, MATT, ECSO, WAS IT RICK CONVENIENCE'S LAST NAME, SORRY ABOUT THAT.
UM, AND WE DID INSTALL CAMERAS OUT IN TRADER'S WAY AND DEER RUN, WHICH IS ONE OF THE, I BELIEVE ONE OF THE LAND TRUST THAT COUNTY OWNS WITH APPLIANCES BEING THROWN TO THE SIDE.
SO WE DO HAVE CAMERAS OUT THERE AS WE SPEAK.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, ALSO BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH OUR PASSIVE PARKS, UH, RANGERS, THOSE CAMERAS JUST, AND THIS IS JUST BEING CURIOUS.
SO THE CAMERAS ARE, THEY EASILY SET OUT? LIKE IF YOU, IF YOU LIKE, YOU GET A REPORT FROM A PLACE FOR LIKE, JUST CONSISTENTLY FOR A MONTH AND A HALF, CAN YOU EASILY GO OUT AND SET UP CAMERAS AND STUFF? SOME SORT OF, IT'S CAMERA, PERFECT FIELD CAMERAS.
IT'S NOTHING, UH, CONNECTED TO THE CLOUD BASE OR ANYTHING.
WE'LL SET IT UP AND HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST CONCEAL IT TO WHERE, YOU KNOW, THEY WON'T FIND.
AND THEN FROM THAT POINT, I'LL GO OUT THERE MAYBE A WEEK LATER, SEE WHAT THE INFORMATION I GATHER FROM THERE AND GO FROM THERE.
WELL, EVENTUALLY WE'D LIKE TO HAVE SOME THE CELL READY ONE, BUT WE'RE, THAT'S GOTTA GO THROUGH IT AND THAT'LL HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, I MEAN THAT WE MIGHT HAVE THE CELL RATING BECAUSE THEN IT AUTOMATICALLY GIVES YOU A SIGNAL.
IT TELLS YOU WHEN ALL THAT'S TRIGGERED AND WHO'S DOING IT.
SO AT THAT POINT, YOU KNOW, WE MAYBE CAN RESPOND A LITTLE QUICKER IF NEED BE, IF IT'S A, YOU KNOW, HABITUAL PERSON.
OH, THAT'S, THAT'S GOOD THOUGH.
AND LIKE, UM, MIKE SAID THAT IT'S, HE'S BEEN IN THIS POSITION A MONTH AND HAS ALREADY JUST HIT THE GROUND RUNNING.
SO WE'RE REALLY HAPPY TO, I'VE SEEN A HUGE, HUGE, VERY GOOD JOB.
UH, VALENTINA, OUR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATOR IS NEXT ON OUR AGENDA.
I'M THE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION COORDINATOR AT PUBLIC WORKS.
I WORK WITH BOTH SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING, UM, AND STORMWATER WITH OUTREACH EFFORTS AND WHATNOT.
UM, SO THIS MONTH I'VE ALREADY, I'VE BEEN DOING A FEW.
I STARTED IN JUNE, SO GETTING TO ALMOST SIX MONTHS.
BUT I'VE BEEN DOING OUTREACH EVER SINCE.
I STARTED GOING TO COMMUNITY EVENTS, HAVING TABLES.
UM, AND THEN THIS WEEK, THIS MONTH I HAVE DONE A FEW OUT VARIOUS OUTREACH EVENTS.
UM, SOME CONSISTED OF AFTER SCHOOL, UM, LITTLE, IT WAS LIKE LITTLE KIDS ESSENTIALLY, AND GIVING THEM RECYCLING PRESENTATIONS.
AND THEN I ALSO WENT TO BAT BATTERY CREEK HIGH SCHOOL CAREER EXPO, GET EXPOSURE THERE EXPLAINING WHAT I DO, UM, WHY I DO IT.
AND THEN JUST RECENTLY WE HAD A GREAT COLLABORATION WITH IT, RECYCLING WITH MIKE.
UM, WE HAD AN EDUCATIONAL, UM, MUR RF FACILITY TOUR.
UM, WE HAD REALLY EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT FEEDBACK.
IT WAS REALLY FUN, UM, LOOKING TO MAKE THIS SOMETHING MORE, UM, LIKE MAKE IT REOCCURRING RATHER WHETHER THAT BE TWICE A YEAR OR QUARTERLY.
UM, REALLY LOOKING INTO POTENTIALLY DOING THAT 'CAUSE THERE WAS SUCH EXCELLENT FEEDBACK.
UM, AND ENTHUSIASM FROM THE COMMUNITY, BEING ABLE TO GET THE INSIDE LOOK AND THE BEHIND THE SCENES.
I ALSO HAVE BEEN, UM, WORKING WITH THE GREEN STEPS PROGRAM, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY, UM, THIS PROGRAM THAT SOUTH CAROLINA HAS WHERE SCHOOLS CAN GET CERTIFIED FOR GREEN STEPS SCHOOLS, WHICH THEY ARE, IT'S SU IT'S ESSENTIALLY LIKE HAVING EXCELLENCE IN SUSTAINABILITY, SO GARDENING OR RECYCLING AT THE SCHOOL, UM, DOING LITTER CLEANUPS AT THE SCHOOL.
SO I'VE BEEN DOING MENTORING WITH BLUFFTON MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THEN, UM, AS WELL AS LOW COUNTRY MONTESSORI.
SO GETTING INVOLVED WITH THE KIDS THAT WAY, WHICH HAS BEEN GREAT.
UM, AND ALSO AS A TEAM WITH, UM, CHLOE AND I AND EVERYBODY, BUT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON CONTINUING DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS.
SO WHETHER THAT BE PRESENTATIONS OR, UM, LIKE PAMPHLETS AND WHATNOT TO DISTRIBUTE TO THE COMMUNITY TO HAVE THOSE KIND OF REFERENCE GUIDES AND AS MANY TOOLS AS WE CAN TO FACILITATE
[00:50:01]
BETTER SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.UM, AND AS VICTORIA SORT OF MENTIONED, WE, ME AND CHLOE ARE WORKING ON APPLYING FOR THE PALMETTO PRIDE LITTER PREVENTION GRANT.
UM, THAT'S DUE IN DECEMBER AND WE GET WORD BACK IF WE GET IT IN JANUARY.
SO THAT WILL BE INCLUDING SOME OF THE SIGNS THAT, UM, JESUS MENTIONED FOR THE ADOPT A HIGHWAY GROUPS FOR SAFETY PRECAUTIONS, UM, AND A FEW OTHER THINGS THAT HELP WITH THEIR PREVENTION.
AND UM, YEAH, THAT'S A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON, BUT THAT'S IT.
ARE YOU GETTING ANY PUSHBACK FROM USUALLY THE PRINCIPLES OR THE HIERARCHY AND EACH INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL, UH, IN THE PAST, SOMETIMES I KNOW STORMWATER EDUCATION, PEOPLE IN ELLEN
YEAH, I WOULD THINK THAT WITH THE NEW, UH, COMPOSTING, GETTING THE KIDS INVOLVED WITH THEIR PARENTS IS, IS THE WAY TO GO.
THE SAME THING OF THROWING CIGARETTE BUTTS OUT THE WINDOW, START WITH THE KIDS AND THEY TELL MOM AND DAD, HEY, DON'T DO THAT.
THERE'S BEEN HONESTLY NO NEGATIVE PUSHBACK ON TALKING TO PEOPLE AT THE SCHOOLS OR ALSO LIKE, JUST IN GENERAL.
UM, IT'S HONESTLY BEEN KIND OF GREAT TO SEE THE SCHOOLS THAT I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BE IN CONTACT WITH AND SEE WHAT THEY'RE DOING, UM, LIKE THEY'RE REALLY ALL IN AND HONESTLY HAS BEEN SURPRISING TO ME TO SEE HOW COMMITTED THEY ARE TO LIKE THE, LIKE REALLY GETTING THE KIDS' HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE WITH SCHOOL GARDENS, WITH RECYCLING WITH THEM GOING OUT AND LITERALLY PICKING UP LITTER FROM THEIR CAMPUS.
UM, IT'S BEEN REALLY COOL ALSO TO BE ABLE TO TALK TO, FOR EXAMPLE, I WENT TO THE GREEN STEPS CLUB MEETING FOR BLUFFTON MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND THEY WERE JUST SAYING, THEY'RE LIKE, I DON'T KNOW WHY MY CLASSMATES THROW TRASH ON THE GROUND.
LIKE, THAT'S JUST SO CRAZY THAT THEY WOULD DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO THERE'S BEEN, THERE'S REALLY, REALLY GREAT, UM, FACILITATORS AT SCHOOLS.
I MEAN, I WOULD THINK WITH, WITH THE EXPANDING SCHOOL PRESENCE OF, OF, YOU KNOW, WE KEEP EXPANDING OUR SCHOOLS HERE AT MCCRACKEN AND ALL THE OTHERS THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S AN AUDIENCE FOR YOU.
AND ALSO THERE'S REALLY EXCELLENT, LIKE, KUDOS TO ALL THE, THE TEACHERS OUT THERE THAT IT, IT HONESTLY STARTS WITH THAT.
LIKE, IT'S MOSTLY THE PASSION COMING FROM THE TEACHERS THAT SEE IT AS BEING IMPORTANT AND WANTING TO HAVE P PRESENTERS COME IN AND TALK ABOUT THIS AND HAVE SPECIAL THINGS FOR THE KIDS THAT WILL RESONATE WITH THEM AND PROVIDE THEM WITH MORE EDUCATION ON THESE MATTERS THAT ARE CRUCIAL AND VERY, UM, APPLICABLE, ESPECIALLY TO THE ENVIRONMENT THAT WE LIVE IN HERE IN THE LOW COUNTRY.
HEY, VAL, QUESTION I, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS YOUR, UM, IT WOULD BE IN YOUR ARENA, BUT IT, YOU KNOW, I GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT WHY IS THERE NOT RECYCLING IN THE, IN THE SCHOOLS AND BEING COUNTY THING? I, I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ACTUAL ANSWER IS.
YOU KNOW, LIKE IS IT, IS IT, THERE'S A, THERE'S A, I'M NOT A SMALL ANSWER TO THAT.
I DON'T KNOW THE WHOLE ANSWER.
UM, AND I MAY BE ON THAT TERM, BUT I'M JUST KIND OF WHAT I'VE LEARNED.
I THINK BEAVER COUNTY GIVES A CERTAIN PORTION OF MONEY TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO DO SOME OF THIS, THIS, SOME OF THIS, UM, EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABILITY.
ME AND VALENTINA BRIEFLY TALKED ABOUT IT.
I TALKED TO JARED AC ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT.
I WANNA HAVE A MEETING WITH JARED, SOME OF THE KEY PLAYERS IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE AND WHAT WE'RE DOING.
'CAUSE IF VALENTINA'S DOING SOMETHING THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WE WANT HER DOING DOUBLE DUTY.
YOU KNOW, IF SOMEBODY'S ALREADY DOING IT OR SOMEBODY'S GETTING, SHE, IF THEY NEED HELP TO COORDINATE TOGETHER, TRY TO MAKE THAT, UM, MAKE IT A TEAM EFFORT.
DO THE, NOW THE SCHOOLS, SO ARE THE, ARE THE, THE WASTE CONTRACTS WITH THE SCHOOLS, ARE THEY ACROSS THE BOARD? 'CAUSE DO THEY HAVE DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT PROVIDERS? SAY IT WOULD PROBABLY BE ONE CONTRACT.
IT'D BE A CONTRACT, THE SCHOOL BOARD.
AND THAT MIGHT BE ONE OF THE REASONS TOO.
BECAUSE SCHOOLS IN GENERAL, THEY'RE LIKE A SEPARATE ENTITY WITH BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AND THEN, UM, I'VE TALKED TO A FEW SCHOOLS, LIKE THE LEFT AND MIDDLE, FOR EXAMPLE.
I'VE JUST BEEN VERY INVOLVED WITH THEM.
THAT'S WHY I KEEP REFERENCING THEM.
UM, BUT THEY, LIKE THE TEACHER, OR SHE ISN'T A TEACHER, BUT SHE WORKS IN THE, THE SCHOOL OFFICE AND SHE ORGANIZES THE RECYCLING.
LIKE SHE HAS PARENTS, UM, HELP HER TAKE IT TO THE CONVENIENCE CENTER DOWN THE ROAD, THE BLUFFTON CONVENIENCE CENTER.
UM, BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE, THEY DON'T PAY.
THEY DON'T WANNA PAY FOR IT, I GUESS.
UM, SO IT'S, IT'S PRETTY MUCH THAT.
IT'S NOT THAT THERE'S NOTHING ACROSS THE BOARD DISTRICT, DISTRICT LEVEL RIGHT.
THAT ARE REQUIRING THE STU THE SCHOOLS TO PAY FOR THE WASTE HAULING OF THAT.
YEAH, BECAUSE I, I THOUGHT I, I WAS TALKING TO SOMEBODY AND I THOUGHT THERE WAS SOMETHING LIKE THAT GOING ON.
[00:55:01]
UNIVERSAL NO, IT'S NOT.IT'S VERY AND THERE'S NO STANDARDIZATION OF IT.
BUT YEAH, IT'S ESSENTIALLY LIKE WITH THE GREEN STEPS PROGRAM, IT KIND OF PROMOTES THAT WITH THE SCHOOLS.
UM, IT'S CALLED E-E-A-E-E-A-S-C.
AND, UM, WITH THESE PROGRAMS, RECYCLING IS A HUGE PART.
SO IF THEY HAVE, UM, MULTIPLE STREAMS OF RECYCLING THAT THEY TAKE AND THEY HAVE TO, IT'S KIND OF, IT'S PUTS A LOT ON THE TEACHERS ESSENTIALLY TO LIKE FACILITATE THAT.
UM, BUT YEAH, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO TRY AND SEE SOMETHING MORE OVERARCHING UMBRELLA OF RECYCLING IN SCHOOLS BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF THAT.
THERE WAS ONE MEETING WHERE, REMEMBER THEY WERE TALKING LIKE THERE'S SOME KIND OF CURRICULUM THAT THEY HAD LIKE A STATEWIDE ABOUT RECYCLING FOR THE SCHOOLS.
THAT WAS A LONG TIME AGO, BUT I REMEMBER THAT BEING HAD DISCUSSION.
I'M CERTAIN, YOU KNOW, THEY, UH, SCHOOLS, I MEAN KIDS, IT'S SO FUNNY WHEN YOU GO TO TEACH KIDS, LIKE THEY JUST NATURALLY GET, YOU KNOW, I NEED TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT I TAKE IN.
IT'S VERY EASY TO TEACH THEM ABOUT.
IT'S HARDER TO TEACH ADULTS
YEAH, I'VE DEFINITELY SAID THE SAME THING.
START IN ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL, YOU'LL GET, YOU GET TO THE HIGH SCHOOL AND YOU GET AN 18-YEAR-OLD, YOU CAN'T TEACH THEM MUCH ANYMORE.
IT'S NOT THE YOUNG KIDS, THEY'LL TAKE IT HOME TOO.
YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY'LL, THEY TAKE OWNERSHIP.
THEY WANT, THEY WANNA DO SOMETHING, THEY WANNA BE RESPONSIBLE FOR SOMETHING AND THAT'S A PERFECT THING, YOU KNOW,
AND THEY'RE STILL SO CURIOUS ABOUT THE WORLD.
I WAS JUST AT, UM,
AND I WAS LIKE, HOW ARE YOU SO SMART? WE WERE TALKING ABOUT ENERGY CYCLE AND HOW GRASS IS EATEN BY COWS.
WE EAT COWS, THE SUN POWERS THE GRASS AND ALL THAT.
AND THEY WERE ABLE TO JUST KIND OF ASSIMILATE ALL OF THIS STUFF.
UM, AND IT WAS PRETTY, IT'S PRETTY CRAZY.
AND THE QUESTIONS AND THE COMMENTS THEY HAVE ARE SO RAIL YOU'RE LIKE, WOW, I NEVER EVEN THOUGHT OF THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR ME? GREAT JOB YOU GUYS, AND, AND I MEAN, I'M A LITTLE BIASED, BUT THAT, THAT EVENT AT THE, THE, THE RECOVERY FACILITY
YEAH, IT WAS A GREAT FACILITY, BUT I WANT TO NOT, NOT ON THAT END, BUT ON, ON ON VAL'S PART, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT TAKES A LOT OF ORGANIZATION TO FIT THOSE SLOTS AND TO DO ALL THAT.
YOU, YOU CAME OUT, IT WENT SO SMOOTH.
SHE SAID THAT WAS REALLY SMOOTH.
THEY, THEY HANDLED THAT SO ORGANIZED.
YOU GUYS DID A GREAT JOB GETTING THAT SET UP AND DOING IT.
IT WAS, THANK YOU SO MUCH AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR COLLABORATION.
TEAMWORK MAKES A DREAM WORK FUN.
VALENTINE HAS BEEN DOING A GREAT JOB.
UH, WE'RE REALLY LUCKY TO HAVE HER.
NEXT UP IS MS. BRIE KLIENBERG, OUR BUSINESS MANAGER.
AS THE BUSINESS MANAGER, I OVERSEE THE ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS RELATED TO FINANCIAL AND PROCUREMENT MANAGEMENT FOR OUR SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING DEPARTMENT.
SO A FEW OF MY KEY RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE BUDGET MANAGEMENT, PROCUREMENT, AND FINANCIAL OVERSIGHT.
AND I ALSO ASSIST WITH OUR DECAL PROGRAM.
I'M HERE TODAY TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON OUR CURRENT BUDGET NUMBERS FOR OUR DEPARTMENT OF SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING AS WE PROGRESS THROUGH THE SECOND QUARTER OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
THIS OVERVIEW, UM, THAT YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN HERE WILL INCLUDE A COMPARISON OF OUR EXPENDITURES AGAINST THE APPROVED BUDGET, HIGHLIGHT ANY VARIANCES AND DISCUSS FACTORS INFLUENCING OUR FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE.
I'M ALSO GOING TO TOUCH ON HOW I'M PLANNING AND PROJECTING FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026.
SO THE FIGURES WITHIN THE TABLE REFLECT OUR CURRENT FINANCIAL STANDING, AND THEY PROVIDE A CLEAR PICTURE OF HOW WE ARE PROGRESSING WITH DISPOSAL AND HAULING COSTS.
WE'RE SEEING INCREASED COSTS DUE TO CONTINUAL POPULATION GROWTH WITHIN BUFORT COUNTY, WHICH HAS LED TO HIGHER OPERATIONAL DEMAND.
WE ALSO TRACK SEASONAL FLUCTUATIONS AND TRENDS IN THE AMOUNT OF WASTE BEING GENERATED FROM TOURISM OUR LOCAL EVENTS AND HOLIDAYS.
AT THE END OF QUARTER TWO, WE WOULD EXPECT OUR EXPENDITURES WOULD BE OUT OR SLIGHTLY UNDER 50%.
OUR CURRENT RATES INDICATE THAT WE ARE MANAGING DISPOSAL, HAULING, AND RECYCLING COSTS EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY.
WITH NEARLY HALF OF QUARTER TWO COMPLETED, WE'RE TRACKING UNDER BUDGET IN ALL CATEGORIES, WHICH IS POSITIVE.
AS WE MOVE INTO DECEMBER, WE ANTICIPATE THAT DISPOSAL HAULING AND RECYCLING EXPENDITURES MAY HAVE A SLIGHT INCREASE DUE TO HIGHER WASTE VOLUMES ASSOCIATED WITH OUR UPCOMING HOLIDAY SEASON.
TOURISM, OF COURSE, HERE IN BEAUFORT AND POPULATION GROWTH AS WELL.
WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO KEEP AN EYE ON OUR BUDGET AND ADJUST OUR FORECAST AS NECESSARY.
AND SO NOW, AS WE LOOK INTO FISCAL YEAR 26, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE STILL NOT DONE WITH FISCAL YEAR 25, OUR FOCUS IS ON DEVELOPING ACCURATE PROJECTIONS THAT ACCOUNT FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY POPULATION GROWTH AND THEIR INCREASING DEMAND FOR SOLID WASTE, WASTE AND RECYCLING SERVICES.
[01:00:01]
SO I'VE BASED THIS, UM, OFF FIVE DIFFERENT FACTORS.THE FIRST ONE IS POPULATION GROWTH.
I AM LOOKING AT MY BUDGET AND ADJUSTING MY BUDGET TO ACCOMMODATE RI RISING WASTE GENERATION AND RECYCLING PARTICIPATION.
UM, WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD EDUCATIONAL TEAM WHO'S GONNA CONTINUE TO EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITY OPERATIONAL COSTS.
I'M CURRENTLY PROJECTING FOR HIGHER DISPOSAL AND HAUL HAULING COSTS, AND ALSO LOOKING AT POSSIBLE FLUCTUATIONS WITHIN THE RECYCLING, PROCESSING COSTS, CAPITAL INVESTMENT.
WE'RE LOOKING AT EXPENDITURES NECESSARY FOR INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES.
SO VICTORIA EARLIER MENTIONED, UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT PURCHASING SEVEN NEW COMPACTORS FOR OUR FACILITIES AND ANY NEW EQUIPMENT THAT WE MAY NEED TO MAINTAIN OUR SERVICES.
CONTINGENCY PLANNING, THAT'S ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO ACCOUNT FOR, FOR ANY UNEXPECTED CHALLENGES, PRICE INCREASES AS WELL.
AND THEN ONCE AGAIN, GOING BACK TO WHAT CHLOE AND VALENTINA DO HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY WITHIN SOLID WASTE SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS AND OUR CURRENT GOALS.
SO WE HAVE OUR PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE IMPLEMENTING AS A DEPARTMENT THAT ARE AIMED AT IMPROVING AND MEETING OUR LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY OBJECTIVES WITHIN SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING.
AND SO BY ALIGNING OUR BUDGET WITH OUR CURRENT TRENDS AND FUTURE NEEDS, I'M VERY CONFIDENT THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION.
UH, HOW MUCH ARE YOU PLANNING FOR FOR A BUDGET INCREASE? AND, AND DID YOU BREAK IT DOWN? LIKE YOU SAID THAT THAT INCREASED, UH, UH, RESIDENTS GROWTH AND THEN YOU HAVE INFLATION, YOU HAVE PERSONNEL, THEY'RE GOING TO GET RAISES, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
DO YOU HAVE LINE ITEM BREAKOUTS OF THOSE? YES, SIR.
SO WE HAVE, I MEAN I SEE, I SEE THAT FROM ANOTHER BOARD THAT I ATTENDED.
SO EVERYTHING THAT WE REQUEST IS JUSTIFIED BY A LINE ITEM.
SO WE, WE HAVE MULTIPLE DIFFERENT ACCOUNTS WITHIN SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING.
SO WE'VE GOT SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS.
WE HAVE OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, UM, AND THEN OF COURSE EQUIPMENT.
SO WHEN WE REQUEST FUNDING, SO $400,000 FOR SEVEN NEW COMPACTORS, WE DO BREAK DOWN THOSE COSTS.
SPEAKING OF THE, THE CAPEX, THE, UM, ARE YOU GUYS, DID I HEAR THAT YOU GUYS ARE GETTING A, IS HOW MUCH OF IT IS GRANTS VERSUS HOW MUCH IS COUNTY FUNDING THOSE, UH, CAPITAL EXPENDITURES? UM, IS THERE SOMETHING THAT WAS GRANTS THAT I HEARD EARLIER? THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION, SIR.
UM, GRANTS ARE, UH, A SEPARATE ENTITY FROM WHAT WE REQUEST WHEN IT COMES TO CAPITAL PROJECTS.
I THINK SPECIFICALLY THE PROJECT VICTORIA WAS MENTIONING EARLIER FOR COMPOSTING IS GRANT FUNDED.
BUT THINGS LIKE OUR COMPACTORS AND EQUIPMENT REQUESTS ARE, UM, COUNTY REQUESTED FUNDS.
SO THAT WOULDN'T SHOW UP IN THIS? THAT'S CORRECT.
GRANT FUNDING AND THE GRANT, THE, THE EQUIPMENT WOULD SHOW UP.
SHE'S ALSO ANOTHER MVP, UH, WITH THE SALARY WASTE DEPARTMENT.
WE'RE REALLY FORTUNATE TO HAVE AMAZING PERSONNEL.
UH, WE HAVE A REALLY, UM, STRONG TEAM, UM, MANAGING OUR WASTE PROGRAM AND PUBLIC WORKS IN GENERAL.
SO THAT'S ALL FOR OUR STAFF REPORTS.
UM, IF THERE'S ANY NEW BUSINESS.
KNOWING I WAS GOING TO JOIN THIS BOARD, UH, I WAS RECENTLY, THIS IS JUST FOR PUBLIC EDIFICATION.
SOMETHING WE MAY WANNA START CONSIDERING IN THE FUTURE.
UH, WE CAN MANDATE THE ENTIRE EU EUROPEAN UNION HAS GONE TO THESE BOTTLE CAPS.
YOU CAN'T SELL A PLASTIC BOTTLE WITHIN THE EUROPEAN UNION.
AND I BROUGHT BACK TO, UH, SHOW AND TELLS, UH, YOU SHOULDN'T CRUSH YOUR BOTTLES LIKE THE FYA
AND EVERY COUNTRY IN THE EU HAS PASSED THAT LAW.
SO THINGS CAN CHANGE FOR LARGE AREAS.
I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ALMOST ALL OF EUROPE HAS ADOPTED THIS.
UH, WHEN I GOT BACK FROM EUROPE, THERE WAS AN ARTICLE FRONT PAGE, WALL STREET JOURNAL WAS BELOW THE FOLD, BUT IT WAS TALKING ABOUT AMERICAN TOURISTS WHO WERE ALL UPSET ABOUT THIS, UH, CONFIGURATION BECAUSE WHEN THEY WENT TO TAKE A SIP OF WATER, THE CAP GOT IN THEIR FACE AND THEY DRIBBLED DOWN THEIR SHIRTS AND WERE ALL UPSET.
UH, BUT IT'S ANOTHER ONE OF THESE THINGS.
AND UH, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN GET BEHIND IT, UH, IN, IN A SMALL WAY OR, OR A BIGGER WAY.
BUT IT'S, IT'S ANOTHER THING THAT WHEN, UH, 'CAUSE I WORK, UH, ON ADOPT A HIGHWAY EVERY OTHER MONTH
[01:05:01]
WE PICK UP A LOT OF CAPS THAT ARE JUST STREWN.AND THE OTHER THING, FROM A A, A SCHOOL PERSPECTIVE, UH, WE SEE CIGARETTE BUTTS AND WE SEE THEM ALL DUMPED IN THE SAME SPOTS.
WHEN PEOPLE MAKE LEFT HAND TURNS, IT'S AMAZING.
THEY DON'T THROW THEM SINGULAR OUT ANYMORE, BUT THEY WAIT UNTIL THEY MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN AND THE CAR IS STOPPED WHEN THEY DUMP THEM, UH, OUT THE DOOR.
AND SO THERE'S ALWAYS A PILE ALONG 2 78 AT EVERY TURN LANE.
SO, UH, AGAIN, UH, I JUST LOOK AT THIS AS, AS SOMETHING THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE THE US EVENTUALLY WILL GET TO MM-HMM.
THAT'S DEFINITELY A GREAT INITIATIVE TO TAKE TO STATE LEGISLATORS.
UH, 'CAUSE IT WOULD BE A MANUFACTURER, UM, RESPONSIBILITY.
ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? I SNEAK IN, UM, ACTUALLY, IF IT'S OKAY, BEFORE WE MM-HMM.
SO IT IS THE, I, UM, THE SEA ISLANDS AND THEN PORT ROYAL.
SO THOSE ARE OUR TWO LOCATIONS.
SO IF YOU DO KNOW ANYBODY WHO'S INTERESTED, UM, COUNTY COUNCIL, I KNOW THAT THEY WILL, UM, ALLOW FOR A REPRESENTATIVE TO, UM, REPRESENT A DISTRICT THAT THEY DON'T RESIDE IN.
UM, IN THE SOLID WASTE DISTRICTS ARE A BIT DIFFERENT FROM COUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICTS.
WE HAVE, UM, TWO MORE VACANCIES FOR THAT.
AND THEN HOPEFULLY NOT A THIRD IF MR. BRIAN WANTS TO COME BACK.
UM, BUT TECHNICALLY, AS LONG AS HE SIGNS HIS PAPERWORK AND WANTS TO EXTEND HIS TERM, IT WOULD BE JUST TWO VACANCIES TO GET A FULL BOARD.
BUT WE CAN'T OPERATE, UM, WITH THREE.
AND THEN, UH, WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE TYPICAL, UM, PROCEDURE FOR CHAIRMAN AND VICE CHAIR TO TO, YEAH.
WE, WE AT THE STORMWATER BOARD, UH, EVERY YEAR, UH, I BRING IT UP, UH, IN DECEMBER FOR THE ENSUING YEAR AND SAY, YOU KNOW, I, I POLL ALL MY MEMBERS, UH, AND SAY, YOU KNOW, WHO WOULD LIKE TO RUN FOR CHAIRMAN OR OR VICE CHAIR.
AND WE, WE GET A SENSE AND, YOU KNOW, I BRING IT TO A VOTE IN, IN IN OPEN FORUM, BUT OF THE MEMBERS OF, OF THE COMMITTEE.
SO WE PROBABLY NEED TO HAVE A DISCUSSION AT SOME POINT ON HOW WE WANT.
WELL, VICTORIA'S DOING A GREAT JOB.
MY OTHER QUESTION WAS, UH, HAVE WE TALKED TO THE ADMINISTRATOR OF PORT ROYAL? I MEAN, I KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW THAT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, HEY, YOU GUYS, YOU KNOW, COULD HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE.
YOU KNOW, MAYBE YOU SHOULD TALK TO YOUR, YOU KNOW, FELLOW CONSTITUENTS, YOU KNOW, RESIDENTS.
IT'S DEFINITELY, UH, WORTH MENTIONING TO MAYBE THE COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBER IN THAT AREA TO LET THEM KNOW THAT WE DO HAVE THE VACANCY.
THAT'S JUST LIKE, I THINK I WOULD REACH OUT TO Y'ALL, TO YOUR REPRESENTATIVE IS MM-HMM.
I MEAN THAT'S WHAT I, THAT'S WHAT I DID TO GET HERE.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I WOULD DO.
I MEAN, WE WOULDN'T REACH OUT DIRECTLY, YOU KNOW, FOR THAT.
WE DON'T MIND YOU IF SOMEBODY POPS UP.
WELL, I THINK PROBABLY BE FAIR, WE SHOULD PROBABLY TRY TO GET THOSE TWO SEATS GIVEN A MONTH OR TWO TO GET THOSE SEATS PULLED FILLED.
AND THEN THAT WAY WE CAN HAVE A FULL PANEL TO DECIDE.
UM, BOARDS AND COMMISSION, THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR ADVERTISING AND ASSISTING IN GETTING THEM FILLED.
UM, US BEING, UM, SOLID WASTE EMPLOYEES AREN'T REALLY ABLE TO SOLICIT SOME PEOPLE.
WELL, I, I CAN CALL VAN WILLIS AND ASK HIM WHAT'S GOING ON.
I'M SURE SHE SITS ON MY BOARD.
SO YEAH, GETTING SOMEBODY THERE FOR PORT ROYAL AND THEN ALSO THE SEA ISLANDS OR EVEN IF THEY DON'T LIVE IN THAT, UH, DISTRICT, ANYBODY WHO THINK THAT WOULD BE INTERESTED.
I THINK ON MONDAYS, I BELIEVE MONDAY AFTER FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING, I THINK BOARDS AND COMMITTEE, THEY KIND OF MEET AFTER THAT FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING.
SO, UM, LIKE I SAID, THE PUBLIC, SO IF YOU KNOW ANYBODY THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTED, THAT'S BE A GOOD TIME FOR LISTEN IN AND SEE WHERE, WHERE ALL THE BOARDS AND COMMITTEE ARE FOR ALL OF THEM.
SO IT'S A GOOD TIME TO SIT IN.
AND THERE IS THE EVENT ON DECEMBER 5TH, I BELIEVE.
SO IF YOU HAVEN'T RECEIVED THE EMAIL FROM BOARDS AND COMMISSION ON DECEMBER 5TH FROM 46 OPEN HOUSE, THEY HAVE A A, A BOARDS HOLIDAY DROP IN.
SO THAT WOULD BE A NICE TIME TOO TO SPEAK TO PEOPLE AND LET THEM KNOW THAT WE DO HAVE TWO VACANCIES ON THIS BOARD AND THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO, UM, HAVE THEM FILLED DECEMBER.
YOU SAID THAT THAT DID GO OUT? YES.
WHERE'D IT COME FROM? I THINK IT CAME
[01:10:01]
FROM BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED IT FROM BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
I THINK WE'RE HAVING IT RIGHT OUTSIDE HERE.
LAST TIME THEY HELD IT IN HERE, THOSE WAS PICKING TABLES RIGHT THERE.
WELL THE LAST TIME THEY HELD IT IN HERE AND IT WAS MORE OF A BRUNCH THING WAS UM, SEA ISLANDS.
WAS THAT WHERE DEREK WAS? WAS DEREK SEA ISLANDS? DEREK WAS BLUFFTON.
SO HE'S NO LONGER BLUFFTON NOW.
THAT'S UM, WHO IS HERE? THE NAME'S OVER THERE.
I GONNA SAY WE HAD THAT ONE LADY WAS, UM,
I DON'T THINK THAT ONE'S BEEN YEAH, FOR A WHILE.
THAT'S GONNA BE A HARD TRYING TO FIND, I THINK.
WELL, THEY DON'T HAVE TO LIVE THERE.
THE COUNTY COUNCIL, IT'S BEEN A VACANT POSITION.
IF WE WOULD LIKE FOR IT TO BE SOMEBODY WHO DOESN'T LIVE IN THAT DISTRICT.
WE'VE HAD THAT ON KEEP BEAUFORT COUNTY BEAUTIFUL BOARD WHERE, UM, THE BOARD MEMBERS DON'T NECESSARILY LIVE IN THAT DISTRICT, BUT JUST WILL REPRESENT THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE THAT VACANCY AND KEEP, UH, UH, KEEP BEAUFORT BEAUTIFUL.
WHAT'S THEIR STRUCTURE LIKE? DO THEY HAVE DISTRICTS? DO THEY, THEY PULL FROM EACH LOCATION AS WELL? THEIR DISTRICTS ARE, UM, COUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICTS.
BUT THEY DO HAVE MEMBERS WHO REPRESENT DISTRICTS THAT THEY DON'T RESIDE IN.
IT'D BE INTERESTING TO TALK TO THEM TOO.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY IT'S A VERY SIMILAR, SIMILAR FACET.
DO YOU KNOW WHO, WHO'S LIAISON
I'LL MENTION TO MR. GLOVER LIKES TO CALL ME A LOT.
SO NEXT TIME I TALK TO HIM I'LL MENTION HIM TO MM-HMM.
AND THAT'S HIS AREA TOO, WHEN HE WANTS A DITCH.
WHEN HE WANTS A DITCH CLEARED.
'CAUSE IF WE TRY NEED SOMEBODY ON OUR BOARD, DITCH CLEARED, GIMME SOMEBODY ON THAT BOARD.
FIND TWO PEOPLE TO FILL THAT, THAT WAY WE CAN THEN GET A CHAIRMAN AND GET FUNCTIONING.
IT'S VERY NICE TO SEE ALL THE FAMILIAR FACES.
AND YOU GUYS, YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A LOT AND I MEAN THERE'S, THAT'S A LOT GOING ON RIGHT NOW.
I I, I TELL THIS TO FOLKS AT THE TOWN, THE TOWN'S ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE UH, UM, THEY'RE SUSTAINABLE INITIATIVES AND THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, CULTURE HAS REALLY, REALLY STEPPED UP THE PLATE.
THEY'RE LOOKING AT SINGLE HAULER.
UM, SAME WITH THE COUNTY THOUGH.
YOU GUYS HAVE REALLY, REALLY STEPPED UP THE PLATE.
REALLY PAY ATTENTION TO THESE ISSUES.
AND, AND WORK TOGETHER ACROSS THE, YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE BORDERS, ACROSS THE RIVER, YOU KNOW,
ACROSS THE BRIDGES, ACROSS THE RIVER, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER IT IS.
AND SO, UM, I REALLY GOTTA COMMEND YOU GUYS ON THANK, ON THAT 'CAUSE IT'S, UH, IT'S DEFINITELY NOTICEABLE.
WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A LONG TIME AND I I I SEE A BIG DIFFERENCE.
I SEE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN MY TOWN TOO, WHICH IS GREAT.
OUR GOAL IS TO BE THE BEST AND WE, UH, ARE REALLY EXCITED FOR, UM, TJ JET WITH HIS POSITION AS THE CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER FOR HILTON HEAD.
UM, SO HIM AND I ARE RELAYING TOGETHER AND WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA START, UM, A MONTHLY MEETING TO DISCUSS WHAT HILTON HEAD NEEDS AND WHAT BEAVER COUNTY'S WANTING, AND THEN ALSO GET OUR MUNICIPALITIES INVOLVED SO WE CAN HAVE JUST MORE TRANSPARENCY AND MORE COMMUNICATION AMONGST COUNTY AND THEN MUNICIPAL PARTNERS.
SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED FOR THAT.
APPRECIATE THE, UM, WELL, I THINK IT'S GREAT YOU'RE HERE.
UH, AND, AND IF THERE'S PEOPLE HERE REPRESENTING VARIOUS AREAS, UH, WE HAVE ALL THE INDEPENDENT TOWNS OR EX OFFICIOS ON MY BOARD, AND YET THEY DON'T ALWAYS COME TO THE MEETINGS.
AND WE JUST HAD A, A SITUATION WHERE WE HAD A MAJOR IMPACT AREA AND NOBODY WAS COMMUNICATING TO THE COUNTY THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM, YOU KNOW, AND NOW, UH, IT'S, IT'S SURFACED, BUT IT WAS A LACK OF, OF, OF REPRESENTATION BEING FORTHCOMING WITH ISSUES THAT MIGHT HAVE BROUGHT THIS, UH, UH, UH, PROBLEM, UH, TO TO TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE TO GET IT FIXED SOONER.
SO THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT WITH SOLID WASTE IS TRANSPARENCY AND, UH, COMMUNICATION.
SO WE CAN FORESEE PROBLEMS HOPEFULLY BEFORE THEY ARISE.
AND THEN AS THEY DO OCCUR, UH, MITIGATE THEM AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
WELL IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU GUYS NEED FROM US TOO, YOU KNOW, AS WE GO BACK TO OUR, OUR AREAS, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU GUYS NEED TO OR SOMETHING ABSOLUTELY US MEETING, WE REGULAR, SOME POSITIONS.
YEAH, LET'S FILL THESE POSITIONS AND IF YOU ANYBODY TALK TALKS TO MR. BRIAN, TELL HIM THAT WE'VE MISSED HIM.
ALRIGHT, WELL IF THERE'S NOTHING FURTHER WE CAN ADJOURN AT 3 50 14, UH, PM UM, OUR NEXT MEETING, UM, IS GOING TO BE HELD ON JANUARY 23RD AT 2:00 PM UM, THE SAME LOCATION, UNLESS ANYTHING CHANGES, I WILL LET YOU KNOW.
'CAUSE WE DO NEED THAT 2025 SCHEDULE APPROVED, UM, BY
[01:15:01]
OUR, UM, BOARDS AND COMMISSION WHO, WHO'S GONNA CONTACT THIS GENTLEMAN BECAUSE EVERYBODY ELSE SAYS IT'S OKAY AND WE'RE ONLY WAITING FOR THIS.YEAH, I EMAILED HIM TWICE AND HAVEN'T YET HEARD.
UM, I'LL LOOK AND SEE IF I CAN FIND A PHONE NUMBER AND THEN ALSO JUST DOUBLE CHECK WITH BOARDS AND COMMISSION, UM, BECAUSE IT IS A LITTLE SQUIRRELY, UM, WITH UM, WHO'S ALLOWED TO REALLY CONTACT WHO ON UM, TERMS WHEN WE'RE NOT HAVING BOARD MEETINGS.
SO I'LL JUST DOUBLE CHECK WITH THEM AND TO MAKE SURE THAT HE'S RECEIVING THE INFORMATION.
UM, AND MAYBE NEXT TIME I SEE HIM AT MY DAUGHTER'S SCHOOL WITH HIS GRANDDAUGHTER, I'LL LET HIM KNOW TOO.
IT WAS REALLY LOVELY SEEING YOU ALL AGAIN.
IT WAS DEFINITELY TOO LONG, BUT WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN IN JANUARY.
SO IF I DON'T HEAR STEVE SPEAK TO YOU, HAVE A HAPPY HOLIDAY.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING, HAPPY CHRISTMAS.
MERRY HANUKKAH,
THE OLD TOWN MASTER PLAN WAS DEVISED IN PROBABLY OR 2006, RIGHT AROUND THERE.
WE WERE STARTING TO SEE THE GROWTH EFFECT, OUR SMALL TOWN COMING WEST OFF OF HILTON HEAD AND MOVING ITS WAY INTO BLUFFTON.
AND BLUFFTON WAS JUST THIS SMALL, SOMEWHAT OF A SQUARE MILE, BUT GROWING.
SO WE DECIDED TO PUT SOME MONEY AND A LOT OF OUR EFFORTS INTO WHAT IS CALLED THE OLD TOWN MASTER PLAN.
IT WAS ADOPTED IN 2006 AND IT REALLY IS A BLUEPRINT FOR ALL OF OUR POLICIES, IMPROVEMENTS AND IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR HISTORIC DISTRICT.
SO THE GARVIN HOUSE IS BEHIND US.
IT'S THE, PROBABLY THE LAST FREEDMAN'S COTTAGE THAT'S ON THE RIVER.
SO YOU LOOK AT IT AND PEOPLE THINK, TEAR IT DOWN.
WELL, AGAIN, IF YOU GO BACK TO THIS OLD TOWN MASTER PLAN, IT WOULD TELL YOU ENHANCE YOUR STRUCTURES, PUT YOUR TIME AND EFFORT IN YOUR MONEY INTO PLACES THAT CAN'T BE DUPLICATED.
MY WIFE AND I LIVE HERE IN BLUFFTON.
AND, UM, THIS HAS BEEN A, A, A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT SINCE ABOUT 2008 AND, UH, BEFORE THE RESTORATION AND RENOVATION STARTED.
AND, UH, SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN INTERESTED IN SEEING PROGRESS OVER TIME.
WELL, IT'S, IT'S VERY INTERESTING.
UM, THE, THE HAR THE HOUSE HAS BEEN CALLED THE GARVIN HOUSE FOR JUST KIND OF FOLKLORE VERNACULAR.
AND AS, UH, MELANIE MARKS MY WIFE, WENT THROUGH THE, THE GENEALOGY, IT BECAME CLEAR THAT HIS REAL NAME WAS CYRUS GARVEY.
BUT THROUGH TRANSFER OF DEEDS AND OTHER, OTHER, THE WAY PEOPLE WROTE THINGS THAT HIS NAME IS ACTUALLY CYRUS GARVEY.
AND AT TIMES YOU SEE GARVIN, AT TIMES YOU SEE GARVEY, BUT HIS REAL NAME AS YOU TRACK BACK HIS FAMILY AND SO FORTH IS, IS TRULY CYRUS GARVEY.
YOU KNOW, THE HISTORY SAYS THAT HE BUILT THE HOUSE IN 1870, SHORTLY AFTER, UM, YOU KNOW, HIS FREEDOM, UH, ON PROPERTY THAT BELONGED TO JOSEPH BAYNARD, WHO WAS A PLANTATION OWNER.
HIS SUMMER HOME WAS HERE ON THIS PROPERTY, BUT HIS PLANTATION WAS NEAR OR POSSIBLY IN THE BOUNDS OF PALMETTO BLUFF, THE DEVELOPMENT.
AND, UH, SOMEHOW CYRUS WAS ABLE TO WORK THIS LAND, BUILD HIS HOUSE IN 1870, BUT DIDN'T GET DEEDED THE PROPERTY UNTIL 1880 BY JOSEPH VAYNER.
UH, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THIS HOUSE AND HE WAS LIVING HERE IN THE VIEW THAT HE HAD, IT'S, IT'S AMAZING.
MY WIFE AND I GOT TOGETHER AND WE SAID WE HAVE TO BECOME PART OF THIS.
SOMEHOW WE HAVE TO COME TO COME DOWN HERE AND SPEND TIME HERE AND TRY AND FACILITATE AND BRING MORE AWARENESS TO THE FACT THAT THIS IS IMPORTANT, THIS IS HISTORY AND HOW COULD WE HELP? WELL, WHAT BRINGS US TO BLUFFTON IS THIS MAGNIFICENT HOUSE HERE, THE GARVIN HOUSE.
UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING AS, AS DIRECTOR OF THE PALMETTO TRUST.
I'M ALL OVER THE STATE WORKING WITH MUNICIPALITIES AND, AND UH, COMMUNITIES AND THIS HAS BEEN ON OUR RADAR EVER SINCE I CAME ON IN 2007.
AND THIS WAS AN AMAZING STORY.
THIS FAMILY AFTER FREEDOM WE'RE ABLE TO BUILD THEIR OWN LIVES HERE AND THEIR OWN PROPERTY.
UH, THIS IS KIND OF A UNIQUE SITUATION 'CAUSE MOST OF THE PROPERTIES WE WORK WITH
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DO GET TURNED INTO PRIVATE HOMES.THIS IS ONE WHERE IT REALLY IS GONNA BE LIKE A MUSEUM, UH, SITUATION WHERE THE PLACE IS SAVED AND THE COMMUNITY CAN PARTICIPATE IN LEARNING ABOUT IT AND THE TOWN CAN LEVERAGE IT AS PART OF THEIR HISTORIC CHARACTER THAT IS SO KNOWN IN BLUFFTON.
SO, WELL, BASICALLY WHEN WE TOOK OVER THIS PROJECT, THERE WAS A STABILIZATION PROJECT, WHICH BASICALLY MEANS WHERE THE SIX BY SIXES CRIBBING CARRIES A STEEL BEAM THAT PRETTY MUCH RUNS THROUGH THE LENGTH OF THE HOUSE.
SO YOU'VE GOT ONE HERE AND YOU'VE GOT ONE PRETTY MUCH THAT RUNS DOWN THE CENTER.
AND THIS WAS BASICALLY TO GIVE SUPPORT BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE THE STRUCTURE GOT TO THE POINT OF WHERE IT REALLY COULDN'T STAND BY ITSELF.
NOW THIS IS NEW PRODUCT, BUT WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE WERE ABLE TO SALVAGE ALL OF THE, UH, ORIGINAL FLOORING.
SO WE BASICALLY REMOVED IT FROM THE HOUSE, WRAPPED IT UP, DOCUMENTED IT, AND NUMBERED IT SO THAT IT CAN GO BACK DOWN IN THE SAME PLACE.
AND WHAT WE'LL END UP DOING IS PAINTING THE PLYWOOD FLOOR BLACK SO THAT YOU CAN'T SEE DOWN THROUGH THE CRACKS.
AND IT GIVES THE ILLUSION OF WHAT IT USED TO LOOK LIKE.
WE'LL INSTALL AS MUCH OF THE ORIGINAL STUFF AS POSSIBLE.
SO YOU CAN SEE IT'S NOT TOO HARD TO PULL DOWN.
BUT WE'LL TAKE THIS DOWN, PHOTOGRAPH IT, DOCUMENT IT, AND WE PUT IT BACK IN THE SAME PLACE.
THIS IS SOME OF THE ORIGINAL OLD BEAM AND BASICALLY IT'S ANYWHERE FROM SIX INCHES TO SIX AND A HALF INCHES 'CAUSE IT'S ALL ROUGH U IT WAS ALL DONE BY AX AND BASICALLY OUR HAND SAW.
SO IT'S NOT PERFECT, SO IT'S GOT A LITTLE BIT OF A STA OR A LITTLE BIT OF A WAVE HERE AND THERE.
SO WE'VE INTERLOCKED AND TIED IT IN.
WHEN WE DUG THE FOOTING, WE CAME ACROSS A LOT OF INTERESTING THINGS.
SO JUST VARIOUS BOTTLES, LITTLE BABY PERFUME BOTTLES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
JUST, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, PRECIOUS TO THEM BACK IN THE DAY.
AND THESE ARE SOME OF THE OLD ORIGINAL LIDS FROM THE CANNERY, FROM THE, UH, OYSTER FACTORY.
I KIND OF ALWAYS ENJOYED THE CHALLENGE OF LOOKING AT SOMETHING AND TRYING TO LOOK AT, OKAY, WHY DID THEY DO THIS? OR HOW DID IT DEVELOP INTO THIS AND HOW IT PROGRESSED AND CHANGED.
AND JUST EVEN STANDING HERE, YOU NOTICE THAT THIS IS EXTERIOR SIDING.
SO THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE USED TO END HERE.
THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL BACK DOOR.
HAD A FRONT PORCH ON THE FRONT SIDE.
SO AS TIME PROGRESSED THEY NEEDED MORE ROOM.
THEY BASICALLY JUST NOTCHED IN, ADDED TO THE FOUNDATION, BROUGHT A NEW ROOF OUT.
AND NOW THIS BECAME BASICALLY ANOTHER ROOM, BEDROOM, LIVING ROOM AREA, KIND OF A KITCHEN AREA HERE.
AND OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE NOT RUNNING DOWN TO HOME DEPOT AND LOWE'S, YOU CAN SEE THEY ACTUALLY JUST WENT DOWN TO THE BEACH, GOT SAND AND BASICALLY MIXED A SAND MORTAR.
AND YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE OYSTER SHELL PIECES IN IT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
WHAT THEY WOULD DO IS BASICALLY BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT WE'VE GOT A HEAVY DUTY FOUNDATION LIKE WE HAVE NOW, AND THIS USED TO BE BASICALLY WHAT THEY WOULD DO IS TAKE A CYPRESS STUMP, HOPEFULLY CYPRESS BECAUSE IT WOULD LAST LONGER AND THIS IS 1870.
BUT THEY WOULD BURY THIS INTO THE GROUND AND THEN THEY WOULD START ALL OF THEIR HEAVY BEAM AND FRAMING AND BASICALLY SIT ON TOP OF THIS.
YOU HAVE MILESTONES EVERY DAY AND YOU THINK AFTER, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR CLOSE TO 30 YEARS THAT YOU KNOW IT, IT'S DIFFERENT EVERY DAY.
SO WE HAVE A STAIRCASE THAT WAS INTACT, SO INSTEAD OF HAVING TO REMOVE IT, WE KIND OF KEPT IT IN PLACE.
WE WORKED UNDER IT, AROUND IT IN IT.
AND I, WE TEMPORARILY SECURED THIS THING EIGHT DIFFERENT TIMES WHILE WE PUT THE FLOOR SYSTEM UNDER IT.
SO WHEN WE ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY TAKE SOMETHING OFF THE STRUCTURE, WE WANNA KNOW WHERE IT IS AND WHAT IT WENT.
SO WHAT WE WOULD DO IS WE WOULD PHYSICALLY REMOVE IT, PHOTOGRAPH, AND THEN WE WOULD GO AHEAD AND JUST LABEL THIS PIECE, WHAT SIDE OF THE HOUSE IT WAS ON, WHERE IT WAS AT.
AND IT BASICALLY GIVES US A GUIDE TO PUT THIS GIANT PUZZLE, YOU KNOW, BACK TOGETHER AGAIN.
MOST OF THE TYPE OF THINGS THAT ARE DONE ARE RENOVATION OR REHABILITATION THAT ALLOWS THEM TO BE MODERN USE.
WE DO HAVE MODERN CODES THAT HAD TO BE IMPLEMENTED HERE BECAUSE OF ITS PUBLIC ACCESS.
UH, BUT EVERY EFFORT WAS MADE TO TRY TO ENSURE IT COMMUNICATED WHAT THESE PEOPLE HAD TO BUILD.
SO WE DIDN'T PUT IN THESE BIG BRICK PIERS UNDERNEATH.
UH, BUT EVERYTHING IS WORKED TO GIVE THE AESTHETIC LOOK OF THE TYPE OF HOUSE.
THIS THING WOULD'VE BEEN WHEN IT WAS BUILT TO CAPTURE A POINT IN TIME TO CAPTURE WHAT IT WOULD'VE BEEN LIKE.
AGAIN, THIS IS A PIECE OF A BROADER PICTURE TO CAPTURE WHAT A FAMILY CYRUS GARVEY WAS LIVING IN HERE WITH HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN.
AND THESE RECLAIMED WOOD AT THE TIME IT WAS RECLAIMED.
IT COULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN FROM HOUSES THAT WERE BURNED AFTER THE WAR ENDED AND PUT THIS TOGETHER WHERE
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HE LIVED.AND THEN THAT'S WHY THE GENEALOGY AND THE HISTORY OF HIM AND HIS FAMILY IS SO IMPORTANT.
'CAUSE IT ISN'T JUST A BUILDING, IT'S A MAN AND HIS FAMILY IN A TIME OF OUR HISTORY WITH A BUILDING AND A COMMUNITY AT A TIME OF MOVEMENT.
AND SO YOU WANNA MAKE IT AS REAL AS POSSIBLE.
IT COMMUNICATES A TIME AND PLACE THAT NOT MANY PLACES DO ANYMORE.
YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN, UM, IN THE LOW COUNTRY WHERE YOU HAVE SUCH DEVELOPMENT PRESSURES, USUALLY LITTLE WOODEN BOXES LIKE THIS GET DESTROYED AND LOST.
AND SO THIS COMMUNICATES SOMETHING, UH, POST CIVIL WAR, UM, POST ENSLAVEMENT, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S ABOUT, IT'S ABOUT THESE PEOPLE SURVIVING AND OVERCOMING ENSLAVEMENT INTO A PLACE OF FREEDOM AND THEIR NICHE IN PROPERTY AND THEIR OWN HOUSE.
AND, AND THAT TRANSITIONAL STORY IS NOT TOLD ENOUGH IN THE STATE AND WE'RE SO GLAD IT COULD BE DONE HERE.
THE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE AGAIN, AS YOU KNOW, IS WORKING IN ALL OF THE OLD LUMBERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE'RE TO THE EXCITING PART OF IT NOW WHERE WE'RE BASICALLY DONE WITH THE FRAMING, NOW WE'RE KIND OF PUTTING THE PUZZLE BACK TOGETHER.
YOU GET A FEEL FOR WHEN THEY ACTUALLY PUT IT TOGETHER AND YOU CAN SEE THEIR FRUSTRATIONS WHEN THEY RAN OUT OF A PARTICULAR SPECIES OF LUMBER OR SOMETHING TO USE AND THEY JUST CHANGED IT UP AND, AND STILL KEPT GOING AND PUSHED FORWARD.
I KNEW THE HOUSE WOULD BE HERE WHEN WE GET BACK.
JUST THE, THE METHODICAL WAY THAT WE PUT IT BACK TOGETHER.
MY BIGGEST CONCERN WAS THESE BEAUTIFUL OAK TREES THAT HAVE SURROUNDED THIS.
'CAUSE I DID COME DOWN HERE THREE DAYS AFTER THE STORM AND THERE WAS TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN.
I COULDN'T EVEN SEE THE HOUSE.
I, I GOT DOWN THE ROAD AS FAR AS I COULD AND LOOKED AT THE HOUSE AND I WAS LIKE, OH MY GOSH.
IT JUST BLEW ME AWAY THAT THE THING WAS STILL HERE, HIGH AND DRY, NO LEAKS, NO NOTHING, NO DAMAGE.
AND THAT WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, LUCKY, VERY LUCKY.
IN NOVEMBER OF THIS YEAR, I PRESENTED THE TOWN WITH OUR FINISHED REPORT.
UM, AND I KNOW THE TOWN IS PLANNING ON USING THAT MATERIAL TO PROMOTE THE, THE HISTORY OF THE, THE HOUSE THROUGH BROCHURES, THROUGH, YOU KNOW, SIGNAGE TO MAKE IT A TRUE DESTINATION FOR TOURISTS.
I THINK, I THINK WE HAVE TO APPLY THE BLUFFTON PRESERVATION SOCIETY FOR KNOWING THE VALUE AND OF THE HISTORIC INTEGRITY OF THIS HOUSE.
FOR THE TOWN IN THIS COMMUNITY AND IN THIS COUNTRY THESE DAYS IS A VERY IMPORTANT THING BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH STRIFE AND THERE'S SO MUCH CONFLICT AND FRICTION TO ACTUALLY HAVE A COMMUNITY LIKE THIS SAY, THIS IS IMPORTANT, IT'S IMPORTANT TO PUT OUR MONEY HERE.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO SHOW HOW PEOPLE OVER TIME DID WORK TOGETHER AND RESPECT EACH OTHER.
AND WE'RE RESURRECTING NOT ONLY A HOUSE, BUT REALLY A, A LEGACY FOR AN INDIVIDUAL THAT ROSE ABOVE A BIG CHALLENGING TIME.
THOUGHT YOU GUYS MIGHT GET A REAL KICK OUT OF THIS.
SO THIS IS A CORN SINK THAT I JUST CAUGHT, I MEAN, MINUTES AGO.
AND I PUT HIM ON THE SIDE OF THE TREE BECAUSE I WANTED YOU GUYS TO SEE HOW GOOD A CLIMBERS THEY ARE.
NOW I'M GONNA MOVE IN JUST A LITTLE BIT CLOSER.
AND YOU NOTICE HOW THE EDGE OF THE SCALES ARE SLIGHTLY CURVED AND SO ON A CORN SNAKE, THEY CAN USE THOSE IRREGULAR SCALES TO GRIP ROUGH PARTS IN THE BARK AND GO STRAIGHT UP THE TRUNK OF A TREE.
AND OF COURSE THIS WORKS REALLY WELL FOR RAT SNAKES AND CORN, SNAKES THAT CAN GET UP HIGH WHERE THEY CAN CATCH MICE AND RATS AND THINGS LIKE THAT AND BIRDS.
AND YES, OCCASIONALLY BLUE BIRDS, ALTHOUGH YELLOW RAT SNAKES ARE GENERALLY THE ONE THAT, UH, GETS INTO TROUBLE FOR THAT.
ANYWAY, CORN SNAKE, NON VENOMOUS.