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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.
I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
UM, ACTUALLY, UH, TRAFFIC WASN'T BAD.
I'M GLAD WE DIDN'T PASS THAT 1 CENT.
THAT WAS COMPLETELY WHAT THAT WAS.
MARK
UM, WOULD LIKE TO, UH, AGAIN, WELCOME YOU TO THE FINANCE ADMINISTRATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.
UH, TODAY IS MONDAY, NOVEMBER 25TH, 2024.
IF EVERYONE COULD, UH, PLEASE RISE FROM PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
PUBLIC NOTIFICATION OF THIS MEETING HAS BEEN PUBLISHED, POSTED, AND DISTRIBUTED AND COMPLIANCE WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.
IF I COULD ASK SOMEONE TO APPROVE OUR AGENDA TODAY, I'LL MAKE THE MOTION.
IS THERE A SECOND PLEASE? I SECOND.
UM, ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NO DISCUSSION? WE WILL APPROVE THIS WITHOUT OBJECTION.
UM, SEEING NO OBJECTION, OUR AGENDA HAS BEEN APPROVED.
I'LL NOW ASK FOR SOMEONE TO APPROVE OUR MINUTES FROM OCTOBER 28TH, 2024.
UH, IS THERE A SECOND, PLEASE? I'LL SECOND.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION REGARDING THOSE MINUTES? SEEING NO DISCUSSION, WE WILL APPROVE THOSE WITHOUT OBJECTION.
UM, AND SEEING NO OBJECTION, THOSE HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO OUR, UH, CITIZENS COMMENT PERIOD.
IS THERE ANY ONE PERSON? UH, WE DO HAVE ONE PERSON WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TODAY.
AND AGAIN, UH, WE ASK THAT THEY LIMIT THEIR COMMENTS AND, AND, UH, SPEAK NO LONGER THAN THREE MINUTES.
COUNSEL, IN A RESPECTFUL MANNER, APPROPRIATE TO THE DECORUM OF THE MEETING.
REFRAINING FROM USE OF PROFANE, ABUSIVE, OR OBSCENE LANGUAGE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE BEAUFORT COUNTY RULES AND PROCEDURES.
GIVING HIM A SPEAKER'S TIME IS NOT ALLOWED, UH, TO ANOTHER GOOD AFTERNOON.
I WANNA THANK THE COMMITTEE FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TODAY.
MY NAME IS MARK FEINBERG AND I CURRENTLY SERVE AS CHAIRMAN OF THE STORMWATER UTILITY MANAGEMENT BOARD.
I HAVE HELD THAT POSITION FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS AND HAVE BEEN A MEMBER OF THAT BODY SINCE DECEMBER, 2014.
I'M ASKING YOU TODAY TO REAPPOINT MR. PATRICK MITCHELL TO THE STORMWATER UTILITY BOARD FOR ANOTHER TERM.
PATRICK HAS AN EXEMPLARY ATTENDANCE RECORD AND CONTRIBUTES GREATLY TO THE ISSUES THAT ARISE ON LADIES ISLAND AND STORMWATER ISSUES IN GENERAL.
IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT COUNCILMAN BARTHOLOMEW HAS PROPOSED A NEW RESIDENT OF BUFORT COUNTY FOR RECEIPT ON THIS BOARD.
I APPLAUD MR. PRESNELL FOR APPLYING, BUT HIS BACKGROUND AS AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER WILL NOT ADD ANY NEEDED EXPERTISE IN THE STORMWATER REVIEWS.
I WOULD LIKE TO GO ON RECORD AS THE NEWEST MEMBER OF THE SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING BOARD.
AND IT IS OBVIOUS THAT LADIES ISLAND NEEDS A REPRESENTATIVE FOR THAT BOARD.
PLEASE REMEMBER THAT SOLID WASTE BOARD DID NOT MEET FOR OVER A YEAR BECAUSE THE LACK OF MEMBERS, IT IS MY OPINION THAT THE COUNTY WOULD BE BETTER SERVED IF PATRICK MITCHELL WAS REAPPOINTED TO THE STORMWATER UTILITY BOARD AND MR. PRESNELL WAS APPOINTED TO THE OPEN SEAT REPRESENTING LADIES ISLAND ON THE SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING BOARD.
ALRIGHT, UH, ANY OTHER CITIZENS' COMMENTS? ALRIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON THEN.
UM, AND, UH, THIS WOULD BE FOR OUR ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR REPORT.
MR. JOHN ROBINSON, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
WE HAVE SEVERAL THINGS THAT COVER DURING THE A CA REPORT, BUT FIRST, UM, IT IS MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE TO YOU YOUR NEW COUNTY CFO PINKY HARRIET.
SHE'S, WE ARE FORTUNATE THAT, UH, THIS IS THE LAST FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING OF THE YEAR AND HER FIRST DAY OF WORK, SHE HAD ORIENTATION THIS MORNING.
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GOT TO, UH, UH, VISIT HER NEW OFFICE FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES.LOGGED INTO HER COMPUTER AND HER PHONE WITH A THOUSAND MESSAGES.
AND, UH, VISITED MY OFFICE FOR A LITTLE WHILE.
AND NOW HERE SHE IS, UH, TO SEE YOU, UM, HER QUICKLY ABOUT, UH, ABOUT PINKY.
SHE WILL ALSO BE INTRODUCED AT THE DECEMBER'S COUNCIL MEETING FOR A FULL COUNSEL.
WHERE IS SHE? SHE'S OVER THERE.
UM, SO, UM, PINKY IS A CERTIFIED, UM, GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICER, GFOA CERTIFICATION.
UH, SHE RECENTLY WAS THE VICE CHANCELLOR OF FINANCE AND HUMAN RESOURCES, UH, FOR USCB.
UH, PRIOR TO THAT SHE WORKED FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY AS OUR BUDGET, UH, MANAGER.
UH, ONE OF THOSE YEARS THAT SHE WAS A BUDGET MANAGER FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY, WE, UH, ACHIEVED A PRESTIGIOUS AWARD, UH, FOR HER WORK.
AMONG HER OTHER EXPERTISE AND TALENTS, SHE HAS ALSO PROVEN TO BE A GREAT LEADER.
SO WE ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE SOMEONE WITH HER TECHNICAL EXPERTISE AND FINANCE AS WELL AS SOMETHING, UH, SOMEONE WHO HAS PROVEN TO BE A GOOD LEADER, UH, TO HELP OUR FINANCE TEAM, UH, IMPROVE AND GROW.
UH, PINKY, DO YOU WANNA SAY HELLO? DID SHE LEAVE AGAIN?
UM, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE.
I'M GLAD TO BE A PART OF THE TEAM HERE AND LOOK FORWARD TO PUTTING NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET TOGETHER.
WELCOME, MS. HER, WE WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE HERE.
SO IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS WE'LL CONTINUE TO, UH, TO TRANSITION, UH, AND BY THE NEXT FINANCE COMMITTEE, SHE WILL BE UP TO SPEED AND YOU WON'T HAVE TO HEAR FROM ME AGAIN,
I WILL, I WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE THE COUNTY AS, UH, AS THE, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY DIRECTOR AND, UH, NOT AS INVOLVED IN FINANCE AS I HAVE BEEN.
IF WE COULD PUT UP THE PRESENTATION WE HAVE, PLEASE.
AT THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE? NO, THE, THE POWERPOINT FOR, UM, FINANCE.
SO I'M GONNA START WITH, UH, WITH A FEW MINUTES.
I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT, UH, BLUFF AND MCIP.
THEN WE'LL FOLLOW ON AND I'LL, UM, DO, UH, A QUICK, UH, PROCUREMENT SERVICES UPDATE.
DAVE THOMAS WAS OUT TODAY, SO I'LL DO THAT FOR HIM.
FOLLOWED BY THAT, VALERIE'S GONNA TALK ABOUT OUR TRANSFERS.
UH, AND THEN, UH, FINALLY WE'LL END, UH, THE, A CA REPORT WITH CHRISTINE WHO WAS GONNA TALK ABOUT OUR COUNTY FUNDS LIKE WE HAVE DONE A FEW TIMES IN THE PAST.
SO, THE BLUFFTON, MCIP, THIS IS A MULTI-COUNTY INDUSTRIAL PARK.
THIS, UH, THE MULTI-COUNTY INDUSTRIAL PARK BEGAN CONVERSATIONS, UH, THE FIRST ORDINANCE FOR THE PARK WAS IN 2008.
UH, IT WAS UPDATED AGAIN, UH, WITH BY ORDINANCE IN 2013, AND THEN AGAIN IN 2018.
AND THERE'S A FEW, UM, NOT ONLY ORDINANCES, BUT MOUS THAT, UM, ARE INCLUDED IN THAT PROCESS.
EARLIER THIS YEAR AND IN JUNE, UH, THE COUNTY RECEIVED A LETTER FROM BLUFFTON, THE TOWN OF BLUFF IN'S ATTORNEY, UH, CLAIMING THAT THERE WAS, UH, SOME DISCREPANCIES IN THE, IN THE PAYMENTS OF THE MCIP THAT BLUFFTON SHOULD, UH, RECEIVE.
SO, UH, THE COUNTY RECEIVED THAT LETTER.
WE WORKED WITH OUR ATTORNEY, THEN TOM NEY, WHO HAD KNOWLEDGE OF THAT M-M-C-I-P.
UM, AS YOU, AS YOU CAN SEE, WELL, AS YOU, AS YOU JUST HEARD, THIS IS FROM 2008 WITH SEVERAL REVISIONS IN BETWEEN.
SO THIS WAS HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF PAGES OF DOCUMENTS TO GO THROUGH AND UNDERSTAND HOW EACH ONE OF THOSE CHANGES AFFECTED THE CALCULATION OF THE MCIP.
SO THAT TOOK US ABOUT SIX WEEKS TO GET THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
SO WE DID OUR OWN ANALYSIS OF THE, OF THE MCIP, UH, AND THE ANALYSIS WE RECEIVED FROM BLUFF IN'S ATTORNEY.
UH, THERE WAS STILL SOME, SOME DIFFERENCES IN THE TWO INTERPRETATIONS.
SO AT THAT POINT, I REACHED OUT TO, UH, TO THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON.
UH, REACHED OUT TO CHRIS FORSTER, CHRIS FORSTER AND HIS TEAM, ALONG WITH MYSELF AND CHRISTINE MET.
WE WENT THROUGH ALL OF THESE DOCUMENTS TOGETHER AND WE CAME TO, UM, AN AGREEMENT OF HOW TO PROPERLY INTERPRET EACH ONE OF THE DOCUMENTS AS WE WENT FORWARD, UH, WHICH WAS REALLY CRITICAL TO GET DONE.
THE INTERPRETATION OF THOSE DOCUMENTS IS THE FOUNDATION FOR HOW THE, THE, UH, FUNDING
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IS CALCULATED.SO THEY WENT BACK AND DID THEIR CALCULATIONS.
WE WENT BACK AND DID OUR CALCULATIONS, AND WE RESOLVED THAT.
UM, D-M-C-I-P DOES OWE, UH, UM, THE BLUFFTON TOWNSHIP JUST OVER $400,000, ABOUT $405,000.
SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU, THE FINANCE COMMITTEE WERE AWARE OF THAT.
UH, WE, NOW THAT WE HAVE SETTLED ON A NUMBER, HOW WE RESOLVE THAT IS NEXT IN ONE OF THE 2018 ORDINANCE.
IT SPECIFIED THAT AN OVERAGE, THE COUNTY WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DEFICIT THAT WE WOULD PAY FOR THAT DEFICIT EITHER THROUGH OUR, UH, AVALOR TAXES, THROUGH OUR BUDGET, OR THROUGH, UM, ACCOMMODATIONS TAX.
AFTER I'VE SPOKEN WITH OUR ATTORNEY, WE DON'T BELIEVE THAT THAT IS A JUSTIFIABLE USE OF ACCOMMODATION TAX.
ALTHOUGH IT WAS WRITTEN IN THE ORDINANCE, IT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK ON THIS PROCESS AND COME BACK TO COMMITTEE, UM, TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WHERE WE ARE, UM, IN THE PROCESS AND HOW WE INTEND TO RESOLVE THIS.
BUT WE'VE RECENTLY, UM, FINISHED THE ANALYSIS PROCESS, UH, THAT WE'VE GONE THROUGH.
WE UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM, WE UNDERSTAND, UH, THE SOLUTION WELL, THE, WHERE WE NEED TO BE, AND NOW WE HAVE TO IMPLEMENT, UH, SOME SOLUTIONS TO, TO GET THERE.
UM, I DID, UH, HAVE A CONVERSATION, AN EMAIL CONVERSATION WITH, UH, CHRIS, UH, FORRESTER FROM BLUFFTON ON FRIDAY, AND LET HIM KNOW THAT I WAS, UM, GOING TO MAKE THIS PRESENTATION TO YOU AND DISCUSS THIS COLLABORATIVE EFFORT THAT WE'VE HAD OVER THE PAST, WELL, NEARLY SIX MONTHS AT THIS POINT, TO GET TO THIS, UH, TO THIS POSITION.
UH, THIS WAS NOT, UH, AN EASY TASK AT ALL.
THE COMPLEXITY OF THE MCIP TOOK US QUITE A WHILE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE BOTH COMFORTABLE ON EACH SIDE AND THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS A, THIS WAS A FAIR REPRESENTATION OF THE ORIGINAL INTENT.
YES, I WAS, I WAS REALLY, UM, LOST IN EVERYTHING YOU JUST SAID,
SO, UM, CAN YOU, CAN YOU DO AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU JUST SAID? I CERTAINLY CAN APPRECIATE THAT I'VE GOT, UH, QUITE A BIT OF INFORMATION IN WRITING.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, WE CAN GET YOU A COUPLE PAGE DOCUMENT THAT OUTLINES THAT, THAT'S PLENTY AS PART OF THIS PROCESS.
AND I CAN TELL YOU WHAT TOOK US QUITE SO LONG TO GET TO GET HERE IS THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS OF THIS, OF, OF, THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS OF THIS INTERPRETATION, THERE WAS VERY LITTLE WRITTEN DOWN.
SO WE HAD TO GO BACK THROUGH AND INTERPRET THE WAY CALCULATIONS WERE DONE VERSUS THE VERSUS, UM, THE MCIP.
SO WHAT WE D WELL, WHAT WE COMMITTED TO DOING WAS ONCE WE SETTLED THIS TO PUT IT ALL IN WRITING.
SO ALL THE DETAILS ARE THERE, SO PEOPLE WHO FOLLOW US CAN UNDERSTAND HOW WE GOT HERE.
THERE'S ONLY A FEW YEARS LEFT OF THE MCIP, BUT THERE'S NO REASON NOT TO DO IT.
JOHN, TELL US WHAT JOHN, THE MC IP, WHAT THE, IT IS A MULTI-COUNTY INDUSTRIAL PARK.
SO THIS ONE IS REFERRED TO AS THE BLUFFTON MULTI-COUNTY INDUSTRIAL PARK.
UH, THERE'S A PIECE OF PROPERTY INVOLVED IN THAT THAT IS BEHIND OUR MYRTLE PARK BUILDING, AS WELL AS, UH, THE CULINARY ARTS CENTER, WHICH WAS ADDED TO IT IN 2018 AND, AND SOME OTHERS.
AND THAT, THAT WAS PART OF THAT ORIGINAL AGREEMENT.
OH, THEY CONNECTED IT, IT IS PART OF THE, OF THE, UH, MULTI-COUNTY INDUSTRIAL PARK PART OF THAT FUNDING.
SO, SO OUR NEXT MOVE ON THAT IS WE'RE GONNA WAIT FOR YOU TO COME BACK WITH MORE INFORMATION.
IS THAT KINDA WHAT YOU'RE SAYING TO US? YES, SIR.
WE, WE WILL, UH, EXPLORE OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE UP THAT DIFFERENCE IN THE, UH, IN THE MCIP AS, AS JUNE COMES AROUND, THAT REVENUE COMES IN FROM THE MCIP.
SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE REVENUE, THE, THIS YEAR'S REVENUE WILL COVER THE CURRENT EXPENSES, UH, SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE A GREATER DEFICIT AS MOST, UH, MCPS.
THE, THE, THE MULTI-COUNTY INDUSTRIAL PARK, THEY REACH THE END OF THEIR LIFETIME.
SO THIS ONE WOULD EXPIRE IN 2028.
THEN THE, THE, THE REVENUE VERSUS THE EXPENSES TENDS TO GET VERY, VERY CLOSE BECAUSE IT'S NOT, UM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT BUILDING MORE THINGS IN THERE.
IT'S NOT GENERATING ADDITIONAL REVENUE.
SO WE'LL GET TIGHTER AND TIGHTER AS WE, AS WE CONTINUE FORWARD.
BUT THAT'LL BE THE NEXT THING WE DO IS ANALYZE WHAT THE NEXT FOUR YEARS LOOKS LIKE, WHAT WE THINK, WHETHER IT THE EXPENSES WILL COVER ITSELF OR THERE'LL BE ADDITIONAL DEFICIT THAT WE NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES, SIR.
IS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ALSO INVOLVED IN THIS? YES, SIR.
SO PART OF THAT, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, UM, I BELIEVE IT'S 125,000 THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT GETS FROM THAT
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MCIP 'CAUSE THAT THE TAX BURDEN, UH, THE TAXES THEY WOULD RECEIVE FROM THAT ARE DEFERRED.SO, SO WE DO, PART OF THAT AGREEMENT IS TO SUPPORT THE TAX, UH, SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UM, LET'S TALK ABOUT PROCUREMENT SERVICES.
UH, SO AGAIN, DAVE THOMAS IS OUT FOR THE HOLIDAYS, UH, BUT I WILL COVER HIS REPORT.
SO, UM, WHAT HAS HAPPENED, UH, IN THE, IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS OF PROCUREMENT SERVICES HAS BEEN WORKING HARD TO CONSOLIDATE SOME OF OUR, UH, PURCHASING PROGRAMS AND, UM, OUR SUBSCRIPTIONS.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE GOTTEN DONE RECENTLY, THIS WAS IMPLEMENTED IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS, UH, TRAINING WAS DONE FOR STAFF ON FRIDAY, IS WE, UM, WE CLOSED, WELL, NOT NECESSARILY CLOSED, BUT CONSOLIDATED ALL OF BEAUFORT COUNTY'S AMAZON ACCOUNTS INTO ONE CORPORATE ACCOUNT.
WHAT THIS DOES NOW IS FUNNELS ALL OF THOSE PURCHASES THROUGH ONE, THROUGH THE FINANCE OFFICE, THROUGH THE PROCUREMENT OFFICE.
SO ONE DEPARTMENT CAN SEE EVERY AMAZON PURCHASE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY AND VET THOSE PURCHASES TO MAKE SURE THEY COMPLY WITH OUR NEW CODE.
SO THIS IS A GREAT THING FOR US RIGHT NOW.
UM, WE ARE ONLY MAKING THOSE PURCHASES THROUGH PO SO THROUGH A PURCHASE ORDER.
AND ONCE WE GET THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND EVERYONE KNOWS HOW IT WORKS PROPERLY, THEN WE'LL OPEN THOSE BACK UP TO, UH, PCARD PURCHASES.
UH, BUT WE'RE GONNA BABY STEP THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
UM, THIS IS, WHAT ABOUT ELECTED, UH, ELECTED OFFICIALS? WHO DO THEY HAVE THEIR OWN AMAZON ACCOUNTS? SO WE OFFERED THE, THE SAME CORPORATE AMAZON ACCOUNT TO ALL OF OUR ELECTEDS, AND TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THEY HAVE ALL AGREED TO USE THAT ACCOUNT.
UM, UM, SO THIS IS ONLY THE FIRST STEP IN THIS TYPE OF CONSOLIDATION.
WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH SEVERAL OTHER COMPANIES.
UM, ULINE ULINE IS A, IS AN ONLINE SOURCE THAT WE CAN GET ANYTHING FROM PUMP PARTS, UM, MECHANICS, PARTS, TOOLS, APPLIANCES, SMALL EQUIPMENT, UH, AND, AND UNIFORMS. UH, SO ULINE IS ANOTHER COMPANY THAT THEY'RE WORKING WITH, UM, FOR SMALL PURCHASES AND SOME OTHERS.
AND THERE'S ACTUALLY A, A, A LARGE LIST THAT, UH, VICTORIA WITH THE FINANCE OFFICE HAS, UM, TAKEN THAT TASK ON.
UM, SHARON, YOU, YOU WERE INTRODUCED TO NOT, NOT LONG AGO, SHARON, UH, WAS HIRED AS AN ADDITIONAL, UH, A NEW, UM, EMPLOYEE IN THE PROCUREMENT OFFICE TO MANAGE OUR COMPETITIVE SOLICITATIONS.
SO THAT'S TAKEN SOME LOAD OFF OF VICTORIA AND ALLOWED HER THE FREEDOM TO WORK ON THESE PROJECTS.
UH, SO THIS IS A REALLY GOOD STEP FORWARD, UH, FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY.
UM, THEY'RE CONTINUED TO TO WORK ON OUR PCARD POLICY, PROCUREMENT POLICY AND THE TRAVEL POLICY.
SO ALL OF THESE HAVE NOW BEEN DEVELOPED WITHIN, WITHIN STAFF.
AND IT'S TIME FOR THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGAL STAFF REVIEW.
THEN WE'LL GO BACK AND MAKE THOSE CHANGES AND HOPEFULLY COME BACK FORWARD TO COMMITTEE TO PRESENT THOSE DOCUMENTS.
THE, UM, THE PROCUREMENT POLICY ITSELF, WHICH IS IN LINE WITH OUR NEW PROCUREMENT CODE, IS ABOUT 60 PAGES.
SO IT IS, IT IS PRETTY INTENSIVE.
AND THIS IS WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT WHEN WE PRESENTED THE PROCUREMENT CODE, THAT THE POLICY WOULD HAVE MUCH GREATER DETAIL THAN THE CODE DOES.
SO WE CAN GET RIGHT DOWN TO THE FINE, UM, DISCUSSION OF HOW THINGS WORK, UM, WHERE THE CODE COVERS WHY THEY WORK.
THE TRAVEL POLICY RIGHT NOW IS THE CURRENT ONE WE'VE HAD, IT IS NOT REVISED.
THE, THE, THE CURRENT POLICY IS THE, IS IS WHAT WE USE.
AND I THINK IT'S LIKE FOUR OR FIVE PAGES.
IT'LL BE A LITTLE BIT LONGER THIS TIME.
SO THE ACTIONS THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IN THE BACKUP MATERIAL, I GAVE YOU THE FULL LIST.
IT'S A LONG SPREADSHEET OF THE, OF THE, UM, COMPETITIVE AND NON-COMPETITIVE SOLICITATIONS.
UH, BUT RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 33 ACTIVE SOLICITATIONS.
UH, THERE ARE THREE IN DRAFT SEVEN ADVERTISED, EIGHT UNDER EVALUATION, EIGHT AWARDED, UM, FOUR CANCELED, TWO ON HOLD, AND ONE THAT WE RECEIVED NO BIDS.
AND YOU HAVE, UH, THAT FULL LIST IN THE, IN THE BACKUP MATERIAL.
SO I'M JUST CURIOUS WHY WE HAVE NO BIDS ON THE GOTH ROAD.
WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT THAT NOBODY WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT IT? UM, THE, THE TWO COMPANIES THAT WOULD NORMALLY BID, THEY DON'T HAVE TIME TO DO IT.
SO WE'LL HAVE TO RES SOLICIT WHEN THEY HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO PERFORM.
THAT'S THE INFORMATION THAT I GOT FROM OUR PROCUREMENT OFFICE ON THAT,
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ON THAT ONE IN PARTICULAR.AND I'M VERY HAPPY TO SEE THE FOURTH ONE FROM THE BOTTOM.
THE DESIGN BUILT FOR THE BLUFFTON STATION, 39 MM-HMM.
AND IT'S AN EVALUATION, SO IT IS.
SO WE'RE WAITING FOR BIDS TO COME IN FOR THAT.
UH, AND THE, THE REASON, WHILE THERE WAS ALREADY A DESIGN FOR THE STRUCTURE MM-HMM.
SO IS COUNTY PAYING FOR THAT OR IS BJ THE B-J-W-S-A, UH, MOVING TO PIPE? I DON'T KNOW YET.
ONCE THE DESIGN WORK IS DONE AND WE KNOW WHAT HAS TO BE DONE, THEN WE'LL NEGOTIATE THAT.
I WAS JUST THROWING THAT OUT FOR CHARLIE.
YEAH, CHARLIE SAID HE'S, HE'S GOT IT COVERED.
NOW LEMME ASK NOW HE'S GOTTA GO.
YEAH, JUST QUICKLY, UM, FOR MR. DAWSON, I, I SEE WHERE THE DEMOLITION FOR AGNES C MAJOR HAS BEEN CANCELED.
SO THAT IT, IT WAS CANCELED, BUT IT'S STILL GONNA HAPPEN.
SO WE, WE OPENED IT FOR SOLICITATION AND WE CANCELED IT BECAUSE, UH, COUNTY STAFF IS GONNA DO THAT DEMOLITION.
UH, SO WE HAD ALL THE HAZARDOUS MATERIAL REMOVED FROM IT.
IT'S AN INERT BUILDING AND WE'RE GONNA TEAR IT DOWN.
ALRIGHT, WELL NEXT UP IS VALERIE.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME BACK AGAIN.
I'M HERE TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE BUDGET TRANSFERS THAT HAVE OCCURRED SINCE OUR LAST MEETING.
UH, WE HAD THE DETENTION CENTER REQUEST FUNDS FROM NON-CAPITAL EQUIPMENT TO GO TO MAINTENANCE CONTRACTS, UM, FOR $11,701 TO PAY FOR AN INVOICE FOR SOFTWARE PURCHASE FOR MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS.
THE CLERK'S OFFICE REQUESTED, UH, 18,004 10 FROM PROFESSIONAL SERVICES TO DOS AND SUBSCRIPTIONS FOR SOME SOFTWARE AS WELL.
AND STORM WATER REQUESTED $224,403 FROM VEHICLE PURCHASES TO CAPITAL EQUIPMENT FOR A CAT 9 26 WHEEL LOADER FROM BLANCHARD THAT, UM, DIDN'T ARRIVE IN FY 24.
SO WE HAD TO MOVE THE MONEY, UM, OR FIND THE MONEY IN FY 25.
AND THEN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE MOVED, UM, 15,000 FROM NON-CAPITAL EQUIPMENT TO DUES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS TO PAY FOR DUES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS.
I REQUESTED MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT AND DID NOT RECEIVE IT.
IS THAT A VERY LOW NUMBER OF BUDGET TRANSFERS FOR THIS TIME OF, OF YEAR? THIS YES.
COME DECEMBER IT'S GONNA PICK UP FOR SURE.
SO I DO HAVE SOME PEOPLE THAT HAVE MADE SOME REQUESTS SINCE THIS REPORT WAS PREPARED JUST ON THURSDAY AND FRIDAY JUST TO, UM, KIND OF SHORE UP SOME OF THEIR ACCOUNTS.
APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TODAY.
SO THESE FINANCIALS ARE FOR THE GENERAL FUND, THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS FUND AND THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS.
AND WE ARE IN THE FIFTH PERIOD, AND THESE ARE AS OF NOVEMBER 20TH.
WE HAVE AN ENDING FUND BALANCE OF 41 MILLION AND AN ACTUAL NET LOSS OF 34.9.
AND THIS IS EXPECTED BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T, UM, RECORDED THE PROPERTY TAXES YET FOR DECEMBER AND JANUARY.
SO THE REVENUES WILL, UM, CATCH UP AND BELOW IS A SUMMARY OF WHAT'S IN YOUR PACKET AND YOUR DATA.
UM, THE ACTUAL BUDGET PERCENTAGE FOR REVENUES IS 12% FOR EXPENDITURES IS 34%.
AND TOTAL SPENT IN ENCUMBERED IS 38%.
AND BELOW WE HAVE, UM, A NET LOSS WITH ENCUMBRANCES OF ABOUT 40.9 MILLION.
SO I WANTED TO SHOW YOU BOTH WITH ENCUMBRANCES AND THE ACTUAL NET LOSS.
FOR THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS FUND, WE HAVE, UM, FUND BALANCE OF 16.4 AND A NET LOSS OF 2 MILLION.
AND THE ACTUAL IS A BUDGET PERCENTAGE.
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BUT I HAD TO TRANSFER IN THE 18.494 BECAUSE WE CLOSED FUND 10 40 INTO FUND FUND 4,000.SO THAT'S WHY I SHOWED IT AS A BEGINNING FUND BALANCE INSTEAD.
SO THE ACTUAL, UM, BUDGET PERCENTAGE FOR REVENUES IS LESS THAN 1% WITH THE FIVE 11,000 AND THE EXPENDITURES ARE 3%.
AND THOSE SPENT AND ENCUMBERED IS 8% IN THE NET LOSS OF 8 MILLION WITH EX IN WITH THE EXPENDITURES AND ENCUMBER SENSE.
FOR A SOLID WASTE FUND, WE HAVE A DEFICIT OF 852,000 AND A NET LOSS OF 4 MILLION, WHICH THE PROPERTY TAXES WILL HELP IN DECEMBER AND JANUARY.
AND THE REVENUE PERCENTAGE IS 2%, EXPENDITURES OF 35% TOTAL SPENT.
AND ENCUMBERED IS 74% WITH A NET LOSS OF 9 MILLION.
AND FOR OUR STORM WATER FUND, WE HAVE 17.3 ON BALANCE AND 2 MILLION NET LOSS WITH A REVENUES PERCENTAGE OF THREE TOTAL EXPENDITURES, 23% IN TOTAL SPEND AND COMFORT OF 33% AND A NET LOSS OF 3.3 MILLION.
FOR BEAUFORT EXECUTIVE AIRPORT, WE HAVE END FUND BALANCE OF 3.2 AND A NET LOSS OF 49,000.
AND THE REVENUES PERCENTAGE IS 13%.
EXPENDITURES 15% TOTAL SPENT IN ENCUMBERED IS 36% WITH THE NET LOSS WITH ENCUMBRANCES OF 600, 6,000 FOR HILTON HEAD AIRPORT FUND, WE HAVE 29 MILLION FOR END FUND BALANCE AND A NET GAIN OF 380,000.
AND THE REVENUES PERCENTAGE IS 37% EXPENDITURES, 29% IN TOTAL SPENT AND ENCUMBERED 45% WITH A NET LOSS OF 440,000.
ANY QUESTIONS? AND MAYBE IF YOU WANNA SEE DIFFERENT FUNDS NEXT TIME, JUST LET ME KNOW.
I JUST GAVE, GAVE YOU THE SAME ONES.
ANY QUESTIONS? I, I SEE YOU PUT, UM, ON THE NEXT PAGE, JUST LIKE A ZILLION LINE ITEMS THAT WAS JUST TO KEEP US UP ALL NIGHT OR, UH, OH, YOU HAVE EVERY LINE ITEM HERE.
OH, AFTER THAT IN YOUR, IN YOUR DATA.
I JUST GAVE YOU EVERY I KNOW LINE ITEM FOR, SO YOU CAN SEE THE ACTIVITY FOR EACH FUND.
SO I WAS A LITTLE CURIOUS ON PAGE 27, IF YOU CALL IT UP, WE HAVE ALL KINDS OF MISCELLANEOUS FEES, MISCELLANEOUS REVENUE.
IT'S JUST BASICALLY EVERYTHING THAT'S NOT CATEGORIZED IN ANY OTHER, SO WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THOSE ARE.
WELL, I MEAN, I GET WHAT MISCELLANEOUS, WELL, THERE ARE SOME FOR, YOU KNOW, LIKE INSURANCE PROCEEDS OR JUST OTHER TYPES OF REVENUE THAT DOESN'T FIT THE VALOREM.
THE, SOME ARE KIND OF SUBSTANTIAL.
SO WHICH LINE ITEM DO YOU WANT? WELL, MISCELLANEOUS REVENUES $250,000, $400,000 IN LEGAL.
THAT'S KIND OF A LOT OF MONEY.
OH, THOSE ARE THE LEGAL FEES? YES MA'AM.
THE REIMBURSEMENTS FOR REVENUE.
INSURANCE OR THE, FOR THE LEGAL INSURANCE THAT THEY RECEIVE.
YEAH, IT'S A LOT OF BEFORE, YEAH, BEFORE THEY WERE SHOWING IT IN EXPENDITURES, BUT WE ARE PROPERLY RECORDING IT AS REVENUE, SO THAT'S WHY IT'S A MISCELLANEOUS REVENUE.
AND I JUST NOTICED WE HAVE LIKE G ZILLION DUES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS.
IT'S NOT, I'M EXAGGERATING A ZILLION, BUT IT'S MORE THAN I CAN BELIEVE.
I KNOW IT IS, BUT STILL IT'S A LOT.
DO WE KNOW IF ANY OF THOSE ARE REDUNDANT? I'M SURE THERE PROBABLY ARE, BUT PROCUREMENT IS WORKING ON THAT.
BECAUSE IF THERE BY DEPARTMENT AND BY, UM, PROJECT PROJECT BY PROJECT.
'CAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE TOLD WAS LIKE NEWSPAPER SUBSCRIPTIONS, DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS ALL HAD AND WHY ARE WE DOING THAT AND SO ON.
OR MAYBE SOME CERTIFICATION DUES THAT MIGHT BE IN THERE.
MR. CHAIRMAN, MAYBE AT THE NEXT FINANCE MEETING WE COULD KIND OF GET A, A REPORT BACK ABOUT THE SUBSCRIPTIONS.
'CAUSE THAT WAS ONE OF THE FINDINGS.
[00:30:01]
IT WAS HOW MANY SUBSCRIPTIONS? IF, IF, IF THAT'S ENOUGH TIME.I KNOW IT'S A LOT TO GO THROUGH SUBSCRIPTIONS.
IF NOT ANOTHER FINANCE MEETING ANOTHER DAY.
IT'D BE GOOD TO HEAR A SUMMARY OF THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY DOES THINGS DIFFERENTLY WHEN THEY REPORT.
UM, YOU KNOW WHAT, WHAT WOULD BE, UM, HELPFUL FOR ME, UM, AND I KNOW THAT REVENUE IS STILL COMING IN AND REVENUES 'CAUSE THE TAXES NOTICE IS GOING OUT.
SO WE REVENUES COMING IN, BLAH, BLAH.
AND THE GOVERNMENT, I DON'T NECESSARILY SEE IT AS NET LOSS.
NET GAIN, BUT THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
UM, WHAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL, MR. CHAIRMAN, IS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE BUDGET X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS.
SO OF GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THINGS.
SO YOU WANT CATEGORIES WHERE THINGS ARE.
SO MORE IN CATEGORIES LIKE PERSONNEL OR YOU, YOU, WHAT YOU HAVE HERE IS FINE, IT'S JUST THAT I KNOW THAT REVENUE, UH, BUDGETED, UH, REVENUE AND GENERAL FUND IS X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS AND UM, WE, UM, WE ONLY RECEIVE X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS.
UM, THE MAIN THING WAS EXPENDITURE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE, UH, FIVE MONTHS INTO THE YEAR, UH, HOW MUCH EXPENDITURE HAVE WE EXPENDED, UM, OH.
FOR THE FIVE MONTHS COMPARED TO WHAT WAS BUDGETED.
YOU SEE, IT GIVES ME A BETTER A FEEL FOR, OKAY.
I'LL BREAK IT DOWN SOME MORE FOR THE GENERAL FUND.
I'LL BREAK IT DOWN FOR YOU SOME MORE FOR THE GENERAL FUND.
IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT? JUST GIMME A, A GOOD PERCENTAGE OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S LEFT.
IT JUST, I DO KNOW I GET A BETTER FEEL FOR IT.
I I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR.
JUST GIVE A BIT OF FEEL FOR WHERE WE ARE.
YEAH, WHEN I LOOK AT THIS AS LIKE, OH WE GOT A NET LOSS AND YEAH, IT JUST, OKAY, I'LL, OKAY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MS. WEBB AND I, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A PROPER INTRODUCTION.
CHRISTINE, THANK YOU FOR COMING AND THANK YOU.
YOU'RE DIRECTOR OF COMPLIANCE IS YOUR OFFICIAL TITLE.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
OH, UM, ALRIGHT, UH, LET'S MOVE ON THEN.
IF, UM, NOTHING ELSE FOR THE ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT.
UH, LET'S GO TO NUMBER EIGHT ON OUR AGENDA, THE ARPA UPDATE.
AND, UM, MR. MUNSON, HANK, IF YOU CAN COME FORWARD PLEASE.
I'VE BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS REPORT.
THIS IS HOPEFULLY THE FINAL REPORT OF, OF THE LAST TWO YEARS OF OBLIGATING THE FUND.
AND SO WE HAVE A, THE ASSESSOR WAS SUPPOSED TO PRESENT BEFORE YOU.
I WOULD LOVE TO SIT DOWN AND LET RENY GO.
SHE'S MS. SANDERS, I'M SO SORRY.
I JUMPED RIGHT OVER THE TOP OF YOU.
YOU MS. SANDERS, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
UM, JUST A QUICK, UM, I'M TRYING TO GO OVER THE SLIDE.
I HAVE, UM, ABOUT LEGAL RESIDENCY.
I'VE BEEN INVITED TO ACTUALLY KIND OF BRING YOU UP TO DATE OF WHERE WE AT WITH LEGAL RESIDENCY AND LEGAL RESIDENCY EXEMPTION.
I KNOW THAT'S A HOT TOPIC EVERY YEAR AND SO I'M PREPARED TO KIND OF GO OVER WHERE WE ARE AT WITH OUR OFFICE WITH REGARDS TO THOSE APPLICATIONS AND THE IMPACT WITH REGARDS TO, UM, THE ADJUSTMENTS AND VALUES THAT WE'VE THUS SO FAR SEEN.
COULD I JUST MAKE SURE EVERYBODY COULD HEAR HER IN THE BACK? OKAY.
OKAY, I'LL SPEAK UP BECAUSE THIS IS IMPORTANT STUFF
NOT THAT THE OTHERS WASN'T, BUT
SO WHERE WE'RE GONNA START, UM, BRIEFLY KIND OF GIVE YOU AN IDEA WHAT THE LEGAL RESIDENCY IS ABOUT.
UM, FOR THOSE WHO ARE LISTENING, UM, LEGAL RESIDENCY SPECIAL ASSESSMENT, SOME PEOPLE MAY LOOK AT THAT OR REFER TO IT AS UM, HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.
BUT IN SOUTH CAROLINA IS THE LEGAL RESIDENCY SPECIAL ASSESSMENT.
IT'S, IT'S GOVERNED BY THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAW.
UM, AND BASICALLY FOR PRIMARY OWNERS TO APPLY FOR THIS EXEMPTION, THEY HAVE TO MAKE APPLICATION.
THEY MUST OWN AND OCCUPY THE, UM, PROPERTY TO CLAIM THE UM, THE EXEMPTION.
AND THE EXEMPTION IS ACTUALLY VETTED, UM, THROUGH THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE AND IS GRANTED TO A PROPERTY OWNER AND IT, UM, IT EXEMPTS THEM FROM PAYING SCHOOL OPERATIONS
[00:35:01]
MEALS.SO IT'S MORE THAN JUST A 2% DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE FOUR AND THE 6%.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS TODAY.
SO THIS IS KIND OF GIVE YOU AN UPDATED IDEA WHERE WE'RE AT IN, UM, BEAUFORT COUNTY.
UM, THE NEXT, THE SLIDES ARE KIND OF REDUNDANT, BUT I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU A DIFFERENT VIEW OF THEM, OF HOW WE ARE LOOKING WITH REGARDS TO OUR PROPERTY OWNERS THAT ARE RECEIVING THE EXEMPTION.
AS YOU CAN SEE FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS I PRESENTED, UM, WHERE WE'VE CHANGED AND ARE THE NUMBER OF PROPERTY OWNERS THAT ARE RECEIVING THE EXEMPTION.
THIS SLIDE IS PARTICULARLY DEALING WITH THE LEGAL RESIDENCY PROPERTIES THAT ARE IMPROVED.
COMPARISON TO THOSE PROPERTIES ARE IMPROVED COMMERCIAL OR RESIDENTIAL, IT HAD TO HAVE SOME KIND OF STRUCTURE ON THE PROPERTY, UM, EXCLUDES ANYTHING VACANT OR ANYTHING THAT IS, UM, THAT DOES NOT HAVE AN ACTUAL STRUCTURE ON THE PROPERTY.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE WHEN YOU'RE MAKING THOSE COMPARISONS, UM, FOR 2024, UM, WE HAVE EXCEEDED THE NUMBER OF PROPERTY OWNERS WHO ARE RECEIVING THE LEGAL RESIDENCY VERSUS PROPERTIES THAT ARE, UM, IMPROVED THAT ARE AT 6%.
THAT WOULD INCLUDE COMMERCIAL IMPROVE, UM, SECOND HOMES THAT ARE IMPROVED, THOSE TYPE OF PROPERTIES.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE TREND WHERE IT'S GOING FROM 22 TO 24 AND WHERE WE AT WITH THE NUMBER OF PROPERTY OWNERS THAT ARE RECEIVING THE LEGAL RESIDENCY AND COMPARED TO NON-LEGAL RESIDENCY.
SO WE'VE REACHED THAT, WE'VE ACTUALLY EXCEEDED THAT AMOUNT.
THE NEXT SIDE KIND OF GIVE YOU ANOTHER DEPICTION OF THAT, UM, THE KIND OF, YOU KNOW, GIVE YOU, UH, ANOTHER VISUAL, SAME INFORMATION, JUST A DIFFERENT VISUAL.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE TREND AND HOW IT HAS CHANGED OVER A PERIOD OF TIME WITH REGARDS TO IMPROVED RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES RECEIVING LEGAL RESIDENCY AND THOSE THAT ARE NOT APPROVED IN OUR COUNTY.
I'M GONNA HAVE A SLIDE FURTHER ALONG THAT SHOWS BASED ON YOUR DISTRICTS HERE ON THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE IN FRONT OF YOU.
GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT THE ASSESSED VALUE IS FOR THE PROPERTIES.
NOW THERE'S THREE TYPES OF VALUES THAT WE, WE HOUSE IN THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE.
WE HOUSE YOUR MARKET VALUE, WE HOUSE YOUR TAXABLE VALUE, BUT WE ALSO HOUSE YOUR ASSESSED VALUE.
EACH PROPERTY, UM, IS USED WITH THE MILLAGE RATE TO COME UP WITH YOUR TAXABLE TAX AMOUNT.
UM, SO THE AMOUNTS THAT YOU SEE HERE UNDER THE ASSESSED VALUE IS A MINUS EXEMPTIONS OR MINUS EXEMPT PROPERTIES.
LET'S SAY IT LIKE THAT EXEMPT PROPERTY.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, UM, IF IT'S A GOVERNMENT OWNED PROPERTY, IT WOULD BE ZERO.
UM, IT WOULD BE, UM, IF A PROPERTY OWNER IS, UM, A VETERAN.
THAT ASSESSED AMOUNT HAS ALREADY BEEN FACTORED IN FOR THOSE, UM, PROPERTY OWNERS THAT RECEIVE LEGAL RESIDENCY.
SO HERE, ANA, GIVE A HISTORICAL VIEW OF THE ASSESSED AMOUNTS, UM, COMPARED TO LEGAL RESIDENCY AND NON-LEGAL RESIDENCY ACCOUNTS.
KEEP IN MIND THAT WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THESE ASSESSED AMOUNTS, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE LEGAL RESIDENCY ASSESSED AMOUNTS, THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS ARE NOT PAYING TO THE SCHOOL OPERATION MILLS.
SO THO THAT'S THE AMOUNTS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT.
THERE ARE NOT ANY, THAT MONEY IS NOT BEING CONTRIBUTED TO THE OPERATIONS.
SO YOU CAN SEE FOR 2024 YOU CAN SEE THE NON-LEGAL RESIDENCY.
UM, IT'S OUR LEGAL RESIDENCY IS SLIGHTLY BELOW, SO IT'S INCH, IT IS INCHING UP THERE WITH THOSE LEGAL RESIDENCY ACCOUNTS THAT WILL NOT BE PAYING INTO THE SCHOOL OPERATION MILLS.
THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE VET THESE APPLICATIONS BECAUSE THAT'S LOST TO OUR SCHOOLS OR OUR CHILDREN IN WITH REGARDS TO THE OPERATION MILLS.
THEY'RE NOT BEING PAID INTO IT.
SO I WANTED TO KIND OF GIVE YOU A HISTORICAL VIEW OF THE CHANGES.
YOU CAN SEE IN 2022, UM, YOU SEE WHERE IT WAS $711 BILLION, NO MILLION.
BUT YOU SEE WHERE WE AT NOW, IT'S A MILLION, A BILLION, 25 MILLION.
HOPE I'M LOOKING AT MY NUMBERS CORRECTLY.
UM, SO YOU CAN SEE HOW IT'S CHANGING.
UM, OUR DENIED THE NUMBER OF PROPERTY OWNERS THAT ARE RECEIVING THIS EXEMPTION, UM, HAS DRAMATICALLY CHANGED SINCE 2022.
AND I'LL BRIEFLY GO OVER OUR THEORY AS TO WHY.
IT KIND OF GIVES YOU A, A CHART OF SEEING WHERE THE TREND IS LYING BASED ON THE NUMBERS THAT I JUST PROVIDED TO YOU.
YOU CAN SEE THE CHANGES IN 22 VERSUS 24, UM, WITH THE NUMBER OF PROPERTIES LEGAL VERSUS NON-LEGAL RESIDENCY WITH THEIR ASSESSED AMOUNTS.
HERE'S, HERE'S, UM, A BREAKDOWN BASED ON YOUR DISTRICT FROM 22, 23 AND 24.
UM, I TRIED TO CAPTURE, UH, THE NUMBER OF PROPERTY.
ALL OF THESE ARE LEGAL RESIDENCY HERE.
I DIDN'T BREAK IT DOWN FOR NON-LEGAL RESIDENCY.
I WANTED YOU TO SEE THE NUMBER OF PROPERTY INSTEAD OF RECEIVING THE EXEMPTION IN YOUR PARTICULAR DISTRICT.
SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE AT 57,000, ALMOST 58,000.
I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO EMPHASIZE THAT AS WE SPEAK, PEOPLE ARE APPLYING FOR LEGAL RESIDENCY.
THIS DATA IS AS OF THURSDAY OF LAST WEEK.
SO WE ARE, OUR SITE IS UP 24 7
[00:40:01]
AND THEY HAVE UNTIL JANUARY 15TH TO APPLY FOR THE EXEMPTION.AND OUR STAFF IS CURRENTLY VETTING THOSE.
SO THE NUMBERS THAT YOU SEE HERE ARE OLD AS OF THE TIME THAT I PUT IT TOGETHER ON THURSDAY.
SO THAT KIND OF GIVES YOU AN IDEA.
YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE MAJORITY OF OUR PROPERTY OWNERS ARE AT.
UM, WHO'S RECEIVING THE, THE EXEMPTION, THE LEGAL RESIDENCY EXEMPTION PRIMARILY IN BLUFFTON.
YOU CAN SEE THE DISTRICTS AND HOW THE DIFFERENT YEARS.
OH, WE'RE WONDERING HOW DO WE TELL WHAT OUR DISTRICT IS? DISTRICT OKAY, SO 100, OKAY, LET'S SEE.
SO YOU HAVE 100, 1 10 AND ONE 20 IS ON THIS IN SOUTH.
SO LET'S LOOK AT IT FROM THIS PER, SO EVERYTHING ABOVE ONE TO 400 IS ON OUR, THE BEAUFORT INN AND EVERYTHING FROM 1 5 0 1 THROUGH 7 6 50 IS ON THE SOUTH END.
THEN YOU HAVE 700, WHICH IS SHELDON, MR. DAWSON'S AREA AND 800 IS THE FUSSY.
DOES THAT HELP? SO WHICH ONE OF THOSE IS BLUFFTON VERSUS HILTON HEAD? HILTON HEAD IS 5 25 10 THROUGH FIVE 50 AND BLUFFTON IS 600, 6 10 AND SIX 50.
OH AND CITY OF BEAUFORT? PORT ROYAL CITY OF PORT, UM, YOU HAVE PORT, WE HAVE ONE 20, WHICH WOULD BE LADIES ISLAND 1 23 IS PARTIALLY I THINK SOMETHING THAT WAS ANNEX AND BUFORT.
YOU TESTED MY KNOWLEDGE, YOU TESTED MY KNOWLEDGE.
YOU RULE BUFORT YOU WOULD THINK A BURDEN.
SO YES, SOME OF THAT'S BUFORT.
SO THAT'S HOW YOU CAN GAUGE YOUR DOES THAT HELP 300 IS UM, ST.
RIGHT? 200 IS LADY ISLAND HAVE ONE 20.
SO YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE INFLUX OF PROPERTY OWNERS THAT ARE RECEIVING THE ACTUAL EXEMPTION IS IN OUR BLUFFTON AREA.
THAT'S WHERE THE 4% IS GOING TO MORE OF OUR PROPERTY OWNERS WHO IS SEVEN, 10, AND 800.
800 IS THE FUSSY 700 ISH, UM, SHELDON.
AND PART OF I THINK THEY ANNEXED SOME ARE PART OF MC AND TWO MM-HMM.
I APPRECIATE YOU DOING BAR GRAPHS.
VERY EASY TO INTERPRET AT A GLANCE.
I, MS. SANDERS, THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION.
UM, LET ME, LET ME ASK YOU THIS.
YOU YOU, 'CAUSE YOU GAVE SOME ANALYSIS HERE.
UM, AM I TO ASSUME THAT AS WE, AS YOU, UM, OR AS PEOPLE COME IN TO CONVERT TO LEGAL RESIDENCE AT 4%, UM, THE, THE NON-LEGAL RESIDENCE WOULD BE AT THE 6%? CORRECT.
UM, SO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TAX ONLY NON-LEGAL RESIDENTS ON THERE FOR PROPERTY TAXES TO PAY FOR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
RIGHT? WELL, LET ME SAY LIKE SCHOOL OPERATIONS.
SCHOOL OPERATIONS, SCHOOL DEBT IS NOT NO, NO, NOT SCHOOL DEBT.
THAT'S MY SCHOOL OPERATIONS CALLING.
EVERYBODY WOULD ASSUME THAT THE SCHOOL OPERATIONS BASICALLY THE 6%, SO THE, WHEN WE HAVE LESS SIX PERCENTERS, THE VAST MAJORITY, EVERYBODY IS PAYING A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE SCHOOL TAXES.
WELL, THE 4% PROPERTIES OWNER ARE EXEMPT FROM IT.
THE ONLY PROPERTY OWNERS AT 4% THAT PAY SCHOOL OPERATIONS IS AG USE.
SO WE ARE NOT EVEN CONSIDERING THAT IN THIS CONVERSATION WITH REGARDS TO LEGAL RESIDENCY.
THAT'S THE PART OF THE LEGAL RESIDENCY.
THEY'RE EXEMPT FROM THAT, THAT LINE OUT, THAT MILIT RATE.
THAT'S WHERE I WOULD TELL, I WOULD SAY THAT'S WHERE THE, THE, THAT'S WHERE THE, THE THE, THE BENEFIT OF THE EXEMPTION IS AT NOT THAT 2%.
SO WHEN, WHEN SOMEONE COMES IN AND SAY, MY TAXES JUST WENT UP MM-HMM
IT COULD BE A, IT COULD BE A NUMBER OF FACTORS.
IT COULD BE A CHANGE IN MILLAGE BECAUSE, OR IT COULD BE A CHANGE IN A FEE.
THERE COULD BE A CHANGE IN WHAT IS NEED TO RUN THAT AIR.
THE LOCAL, IT COULD BE A MUNICIPALITY CHANGE.
WE'VE HAD THAT INCIDENT AS WELL.
THERE WAS CHANGE IN MUNICIPAL MISS MUNICIPALITY FEES.
SO WE LOOK AT IT, UM, I WOULDN'T SAY HOLISTICALLY, BUT WE LOOK AT THE ACCOUNT WHEN THEY COME IN AND SAY, WELL MY TAXES WENT UP.
IF IT'S A LEGAL RESIDENCY ISSUE AND THEY'RE CLAIMING THAT PROPERTY IS THEIR PRIMARY RESIDENCE, THE FIRST THING
[00:45:01]
WE DO IS SAY, LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET YOU, UM, APPLYING FOR THAT LEGAL RESIDENCY TO FILE AND SEE IF YOU CAN QUALIFY FOR THAT TO BRING THAT DOWN.BUT IN SOME CASES THEY ALREADY HAVE THE EXEMPTION AND IT'S OTHER FACTORS AND WE HAVE TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
WHAT I WAS GETTING AFTER IS THAT, UM, AS MORE AND MORE LEGAL RESIDENTS RECEIVE THE 4%, UH, WE HAVE FEWER AND FEWER NON-LEGAL RESIDENTS WHO'S PAYING SCHOOL DISTRICT OPERATION.
THAT'S ALL CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
AND IF I CAN, YOU KNOW, AND OBVIOUSLY THAT'S OUT OF OUR CONTROL 'CAUSE IT'S, THAT COMES FROM THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA ACT 3 88 IN WHICH THEY, THE ONES THAT SPECIFIED THAT SCHOOL TAXES ARE, ARE ONLY THE SCHOOL OPERATIONS ARE, ARE TO COME FROM NON-LEGAL RESIDENCES, COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES, VACANT PROPERTY.
SO WHATEVER THE SCHOOL BUDGET IS, IT'S THEN DIVIDED UP AMONG THOSE, THAT GROUP.
SO I KNOW YOU, YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT.
WHENEVER SOMEONE'S TAX BILL GOES UP DRAMATICALLY, THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE THAT FOR SOME REASON THEY WERE, THEY, THEY'VE FEWER BEEN PUSHED TO THE 6% AND THEY GET PUSHED TO THE 6%.
THAT MEANS THEY ALL START UP THAT ARE PAYING FOR THE SCHOOL OPERATIONS TAX.
WHICH IS WHY IT IS SO MUCH, SO MUCH MORE.
SO, UH, AGAIN, THAT'S WHY YOU SEE PEOPLE, THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FOUR AND 6%.
UM, AND IT'S BECAUSE OF, MOSTLY BECAUSE OF THE, AS AS, AS MS. SANDERS SAID, THE TWO PERCENT'S NOT THAT BIG A DEAL.
IT'S THE SCHOOL OPERATIONS TAX THAT GETS PUSHED TO THOSE PEOPLE.
THAT'S THE BIG, BIG DIFFERENCE.
AND I BELIEVE, UM, PART OF IT COULD BE THE REEVALUATION THAT WAS DONE, SOME PEOPLE'S PROPERTY WILL BE ASSESSED HIGHER.
WELL, WELL PRIMARILY THE, THE REEVALUATION THAT OCCURRED IN 2023, THE CAP VALUE WAS OUR PROPERTIES THAT WERE KEPT IN BEFOR COUNTY AS A WHOLE 70 OVER ABOUT 73, 70 4% OF THE PROPERTIES RECEIVED SOME SORT OF A CAP.
UM, SO THEREFORE THEY DIDN'T EXPERIENCE, THEIR MAJOR INCREASE DID NOT COME FROM THE REASSESSMENT.
AS MANY BELIEVED, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, THE IMPACT DID NOT IMPACT TAXPAYER.
WE ONLY RECEIVED A LITTLE OVER 3000 APPEALS, SURPRISINGLY.
UM, AND MAJORITY, AND SOME OF THOSE APPEALS, I WOULD SAY ABOUT HALF OF THOSE WERE INDIVIDUALS SEEKING THE LEGAL RESIDENCY AND JUST FILLED THE FORM OUT AND SAID, HEY, I LIVE HERE.
AND THEY SAW 6% ON THEIR ASSESSMENT NOTICE.
SO TO, YOU KNOW, THE IMPACT BECAUSE, BECAUSE THEY WERE SHELTERED BY THE CAPPING, YEAH, THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN MARKET VALUE, BUT THE CAPPING SHELTERED THEM AND THEREFORE THEY DIDN'T GET IMPACTED SO MUCH FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE.
BUT IF MILLAGE CHANGES OF COURSE, OR FEES INCREASE OR ADDED ON, OF COURSE, THEN THEIR TAXES WILL INCREASE.
SO THERE'S OTHER FACTORS THAT COULD PLAY INTO THAT NUMBER OR THE TAX BILL.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MS. SANDERS? VERY GOOD.
CAN I CONTINUE SIR? SIR? CONTINUE.
OKAY, SO CONTINUING ON, UM, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA.
UM, YOU'RE PROBABLY GONNA ASK, WELL, AND MS. SANDERS, YOU JUST SAID THAT WE ARE HAVING AN INCREASE IN NUMBER OF PROPERTY OWNERS RECEIVING THE LEGAL RESIDENCY IN BEAVERT COUNTY.
BUT WHY DOES THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS ARE DECREASING? DECREASING? AND THERE'S SEVERAL FACTORS TO THAT.
THE APPLICATION WINDOW FOR 2024 STILL OPEN.
IT'S OPEN UNTIL JANUARY 15TH, 2025 FOR THE 2024 TAX SHARE.
ALSO, WITHIN OUR OFFICE, WITHIN WORKING WITHIN THE CODE, I'VE MADE THE DECISION TO MAKE SOME CHANGES AND ON OUR PROCESSING CHANGES.
SO WHEN I SAY PROCESSING CHANGES IN THE PAST, UM, IT WAS A POLICY IN OUR OFFICE TO, IF A TAXPAYER HAD TO BRING BACK THEIR SC 10 FORTIES BECAUSE IT WAS A PART YEAR OR THEY JUST MOVED HERE, THEN WE WOULD HAVE THEM FILL OUT A WHOLE ENTIRE COMPLETE APPLICATION AND START FROM THE BEGINNING WITH DRIVER'S LICENSE, VEHICLE REGISTRATION, AND IT WAS DAUNTING.
WELL, I MADE THE DECISION THAT THEY JUST NEED TO BRING THAT ONE PIECE BACK, BRING BACK WHEN YOU FILE YOUR, YOUR FULL YEAR TAX RETURN, BRING THAT, AND THEN WE'LL ACCEPT THAT.
AND TYPICALLY WHAT HAPPENS, WE REVIEW IT AND MAKE THE ADJUSTMENT ON THE ACCOUNT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CONTINUE TO RECEIVE THEIR EXEMPTION.
SO NO ADDITIONAL APPLICATION IS NEEDED.
UM, THERE ARE OTHER PROCESSES, CHANGES THAT I MADE WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT MILITARY, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY ONLY HAVE TO COME BACK TO BRING THEIR, UM, ID WHEN IT EXPIRES WHEN THEY GO TO DO THEIR SECOND OR THIRD OR FOURTH, UM, REENLISTMENT.
UM, SO THEY'LL JUST BRING THAT ID BACK TO SHOW, HEY, I GOT ANOTHER FOUR OR EIGHT YEARS.
AND SO THEY'RE NOT PUTTING IN A WHOLE ENTIRE ANOTHER APPLICATION.
SO WE, WE'VE CHANGED THOSE KIND OF PROCESSES SO IT'S NOT AS DAUNTING ON OURSELVES AS WELL AS THE TAXPAYER.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE MAJOR REASONS WHY IT WENT FROM 10,542 APPLICATIONS DOWN TO 6,300 SO FAR.
ADDITIONALLY, WE, BASED ON OUR OBSERVATIONS AND WATCHING AND STUDYING THE NUMBERS OR THE NUMBER OF APPLICANTS, COVI DREW A LOT OF PEOPLE TO BEAUFORT.
THEY CAME IN, DROVE, AND THEY CAME AND MADE BEAUFORT THEIR HOME.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE CLAIMING THE LEGAL RESIDENCY.
SO IN 2022, WE, WE ARE, WE WERE FEEL CONFIDENT THAT A LOT OF THAT HAD TO DO WITH THE MIGRATION SOUTH
[00:50:01]
AND, UM, PEOPLE APPLYING FOR THE EXEMPTION AND RECEIVING THE EXEMPTION.SO THAT'S WHY THE NUMBERS ARE THERE.
BUT THE WINDOW IS STILL OPEN FOR 24 AND THEY CAN STILL APPLY FOR THE LEGAL RESIDENCY.
SO, UM, I'M NOT GONNA READ THROUGH ALL OF THIS, BUT I WANNA GIVE YOU PROACTIVE, REACTIVE THING.
EVERY, WHEN I COME BEFORE THE GROUP, I TALK ABOUT OUR PROACTIVE TAXPAYERS AND REACTIVE TAXPAYERS AND WE PUSH PROACTIVE TAXPAYERS.
AGAIN, THE WINDOW TO APPLY FOR LEGAL RESIDENCY BEGINS LIKE JANUARY 16TH THROUGH JANUARY 15TH, THE FOLLOWING TAX YEAR.
OUR PROACTIVE TAXPAYERS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT PERIOD OF TIME.
THEY TRY TO GET THOSE APPLICATIONS IN THE MAIL OR APPLY ONLINE TYPICALLY TO OUR OFFICE AND GET THAT TO US SO WE CAN VET THOSE APPLICATIONS.
UM, IN, IN NON REASSESSMENT YEARS, WE SEND OUT NOTICES TO TAXPAYERS LETTING THEM KNOW THAT, UM, THEIR LEGAL RESIDENCY WAS REMOVED FOR WHATEVER REASON, SO THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME IN AND APPLY BEFORE TAX BILLS GO OUT.
BUT I WILL SAY THAT WE DO PIGGYBACK OFF THE AUDITOR, UM, THE AUDITOR AND SENDS OUT ANNUAL NOTIFICATION TO PROPERTY OWNERS AT 6% SO HE CAN GENERATE THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX BILLS TO GET THAT DATA.
I APPRECIATE WHEN THEY DO THAT BECAUSE IT HELPS US, BECAUSE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, IT'S ANOTHER WAY OF SAYING, HEY, YOU AT 6%, COME ON, VISIT THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE.
UM, THEN WE ALSO SEND OUT THESE POSTCARDS THAT WELCOME PEOPLE TO BEAUFORT WHEN THEY HAVE A DEED TRANSFER AND TELL THEM THE DIFFERENT, UM, EXEMPTIONS IN OUR DEPARTMENT.
THAT'S ANOTHER NOTIFICATION THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO BE MORE PROACTIVE.
UM, SO THEY HAVE A DEED TRANSFER.
WE'RE NOT LOOKING, WE JUST SEND OUT A LITTLE POSTCARD, UM, HOPEFULLY THAT THEY'LL RESPOND TO THAT CARD.
SO, UM, THEN WE ALSO DO OUTREACH PROGRAMS. Y'ALL ARE AWARE THAT WE'RE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE HAD THREE ADDITIONAL EVENTS, UM, IN DECEMBER.
SO IF ANYONE LISTENING, IF YOU HAVEN'T MADE ONE OF OUR EVENTS, PLEASE CHECK OUR WEBSITE AND COME TO ONE OF OUR EVENTS STAFF AT THE EVENTS WILL SIT DOWN WITH THE TAXPAYER AND HELP THEM FILL OUT A 4% APPLICATION ONLINE.
OKAY? IF THEY'RE HAVING DIFFICULTY OR IT'S NOT COMFORTABLE WITH TECHNOLOGY OR CANNOT MAKE THAT DRIVE OVER, MEET US AT ONE OF THE EVENTS AND THEY WILL HELP HELP YOU THROUGH THAT AND TAKE YOUR APPLICATION ONLINE WHILE YOU'RE THERE.
UM, THE DEADLINE IS JANUARY 15TH.
UM, SO THEY HAVE UNTIL JANUARY 15TH OF 25 TO APPLY FOR 24.
NOW, THE REACTIVE TAXPAYER, THEY WAIT TILL THE TAX BILLS ARE MAILED.
UM, THIS YEAR THEY WENT OUT SOMETIME AFTER THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER, FIRST WEEK OF NOVEMBER.
I CAN'T REALLY, UH, SPEAK TO THAT DATE WHEN THEY WENT OUT.
BUT SINCE THEN, UM, BEFORE THE MAILING OF THE, OR THE ISSUANCE OF THE TAX BILLS, WE WERE GETTING ABOUT 30 APPLICATIONS A DAY AND OUR STAFF WAS CAUGHT UP AS OF THE MAILING OR THE ISSUING OF THE TAX BILLS, WE RECEIVED ALREADY 708 APPLICATION AS OF THURSDAY OF LAST WEEK.
UM, WE'RE GETTING ABOUT 65 TO 70 APPLICATIONS A DAY.
OKAY? AND THOSE TAX, THOSE STAFF MEMBERS THAT ARE WORKING THOSE APPLICATIONS OR VENDOR APPLICATIONS DO HAVE TO SPEAK TO OUR TAXPAYERS WHEN THEY CALL OR THEY COME BY THE OFFICE.
SO WHEN TAXPAYERS ARE REACTIVE, THE PROBLEM LIES IN FOR THEM IS THAT IT ONLY GIVES THEM TWO MONTHS TO APPLY FOR LEGAL RESIDENCY.
REMEMBER THE DEADLINE DATE JANUARY 15TH.
SO HERE WE ARE, NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, JANUARY 15TH.
SO IF YOU CAN ENCOURAGE THE DIFFERENCE IN YOUR COMMUNITIES AND YOUR CONSTITUENTS, LET THEM KNOW, BE PROACTIVE AND NOT REACTIVE AND TO TAKE YOU, TAKE GOOD USE OF THAT TIME SO THEY'RE NOT IN THAT PILE OF PEOPLE LIKE 700 AND SOME APPLICATIONS THAT WE HAVE TO REVIEW.
NOW TO TALK ABOUT, BRIEFLY ABOUT REFUNDS, UM, REFUNDS.
TAXPAYERS CAN QUALIFY FOR A REFUND IF THEY PAY THE TAX BILL.
THEY APPLY FOR THE LEGAL OF RESIDENCY PRIOR TO JANUARY 15TH.
AND WE HAVE NOT REVIEWED IT AS OF YET.
ONCE WE ADJUST THE ACCOUNT, WE WILL HAVE A REFUND ISSUED OR WE WILL SEND OUT A REBI IF NECESSARY.
UM, THOSE ARE DONE WITHOUT PENALTY BECAUSE THEY'VE, THEY'VE PAID IT ALREADY.
IF IT'S A, IF THEY HAVEN'T PAID IT, THEY WILL IN CURRENT PENALTY.
BUT IF THEY PAID THE BILL BEFORE JANUARY 15TH, HAVE AN APPLICATION IN BEFORE JANUARY 15TH, THEY WILL GET A, AN ADJUSTED AN ADJUSTMENT.
AN ADJUSTMENT WILL BE SENT TO THEM.
IF AN APPLICATION IS RECEIVED AFTER THE DEADLINE OF JANUARY 15TH, THEN THE OWNER MUST PAY THE AMOUNT THAT'S OWED ON THE BILL AND REQUEST FOR A REFUND AND GO THROUGH THE LEGAL RE LEGAL RESIDENCY REFUND PROCESS.
NOW, WHEN WE GET DOWN TO WAIVER OF PENALTIES AND INTERESTS, UM, PENTON'S INTEREST CANNOT BE WAIVED BECAUSE A DELAY IN APPLYING FOR THE LEGAL RESIDENCY OR BECAUSE THE, UM, TAX BLOWS WENT OUT LATER IN
[00:55:01]
THE YEAR.THAT THOSE TWO I, THOSE TWO OCCURRENCES IS NOT A COUNTY ERROR.
THE COUNTY LAW IS VERY CLEAR IN ORDER FOR AN ADJUSTMENT OR TO A PENALTY OR INTEREST TO BE WAIVED, IT MUST BE A COUNTY ERROR.
INUNDATION OF A, OF APPLICATIONS RECEIVED BY THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE IS NOT A WAIVING, DOES NOT WARRANT A WAIVING OF PENALTIES.
THE CODE OF LAW DOES ALLOW FOR TAXPAYERS TO RECEIVE A REFUND.
IF THEY DETERMINE THAT THEY MAY QUALIFY FOR THE LEGAL RESIDENCY, THEY CAN MAKE AN APPLICATION IN OUR OFFICE.
THEY STILL HAVE TO PROVIDE THE DOCUMENTS THAT WE ARE REQUIRED AND DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY ARE QUALIFIED FOR THAT EXEMPTION AND THEY CAN ACT, THEY CAN ACTUALLY GET A RE REFUND FOR UPWARDS OF THREE YEARS IN THE ARREARS.
ADDITIONALLY, UM, WHEN A REFUND IS SOUGHT BY TAXPAYER, THE REFUND REQUEST IS, IT GOES BEFORE.
IF IT'S AFTER JANUARY 15TH, IT GOES BEFORE THE COUNTY AUDITOR ASSESSOR, THE ASSESSOR AUDITOR AND TREASURER FOR A VOTE FOR THE REFUND.
THE COMMITTEE IS ONLY VOTING ABOUT THE REFUND.
THE COMMITTEE DOES NOT APPROVE THE LEGAL RESIDENCY APPLICATION.
THE LEGAL RESIDENCY APPLICATION APPROVAL IS HOUSED, UM, WITH THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE EMBEDDED BY THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE.
PER THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAW COUNTY COUNCIL DOES NOT HAVE THE STATUTORY, UM, AUTHORITY TO WAIVE PENALTIES OR DELAY THE PAYMENT OF PENALTIES OR WHEN PENALTIES ARE APPLIED.
I THINK THAT'S A CONCLUSION OF MY SLIDE.
YES, I HAVE A QUESTION ON THIS ONE, EBONY.
MM-HMM,
HOW IS IT NOT A COUNTY ERROR IF IT WAS A LATE ISSUANCE OF TAX BILLS? WELL, IT IS NOT A COUNTY ERROR BECAUSE IN THE LATE ISSUANCE, IF THE PROPERTY ON, IF THE COUNTY RECEIVE THE TREASURY RECEIVES A, A, UM, PERMISSION FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE TO, TO EXTEND WHEN THEY'RE GONNA MAIL THOSE TAX BILLS OUT, THAT'S NOT A COUNTY ERROR.
UM, BECAUSE AS LONG AS THEY'RE, THEY'RE DUE AND PAYABLE BY JANUARY 15TH.
SO AS LONG AS THEY HAVE THAT BILL BEFORE ENOUGH TIME IN THE, IN THE FIRST PENALTIES APPLIED JANUARY 15TH, THAT IS NOT A COUNTY ERROR.
NOW THE REASONING FOR DELAYING THAT, THAT DELAYING THE MAILING, THAT TAX BILL, THAT'S A DISCUSSION FOR THE COUNTY TREASURER BECAUSE FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, THAT IS NOT A COUNTY ERROR, UM, WHEN THE BILLS GO OUT.
BUT AGAIN, THAT MAY BE BETTER ANSWERED BY THE COUNTY TREASURER WITH REGARDS TO THE LATENESS OR WHEN, I WOULDN'T SAY LATENESS WHEN THE BILLS ARE MAILED.
I GOT CAUGHT UP IN THAT LAST YEAR FOR A CONSTITUENT.
LITERALLY THERE'S NO COUNTY ERROR.
SO LET'S JUST BE CLEAR ON THAT.
MR. BUSMAN, THERE IS A SITUATION THAT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME.
UH, HOMEOWNER PUTS THEIR HOUSE IN A TRUST TRUST, WHICH NOW CHANGES THE DEED, WHICH THEN TRIGGERS YOUR OFFICE TO SAY, WE'VE GOTTA TAKE A LOOK AT THIS.
IS THIS NOW A 6% PROPERTY? AND SO THAT'S ONE.
AND OBVIOUSLY THE DEATH OF A SPOUSE CHANGES THINGS.
THOSE ARE TWO CRITICAL HAPPENINGS THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT AWARE OF THAT THEY NEED TO COME TO YOU TO REAPPLY FOR THE 4%.
AND YOU KNOW, CAN I HELP, I CAN HELP YOUR THE ANSWER WAS NOT A QUESTION.
YOUR STATEMENT TO ADD TO YOUR STATEMENT OR TO ELABORATE ON YOUR STATEMENT.
IF THE PROPERTY'S JOINT TENANTS RIGHT OF SURVIVORSHIP AND ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE INDIVIDUALS PASS AWAY, WE DO NOT REMOVE THE LEGAL RESIDENCY.
IF IT HAS JTRS ON IT, WE JUST KEEP THAT IN PLACE.
UM, WITH REGARDS TO THE TRUST.
BECAUSE THE TRUST OWNS THE PROPERTY.
WE ACTUALLY FOLLOW THROUGH, REMEMBER WE HAVE A, UM, MAILING FROM THE COUNTY AUDITOR 'CAUSE WE ALREADY MOVED THAT PROPERTY 6%.
SO THEY CAN, THEY'LL GET THAT AUDITOR NOTIFICATION, THEY HAD THAT OPPORTUNITY.
THEY WILL GET THE LITTLE POSTCARD THAT SAYS, WELCOME TO BEAUFORT.
'CAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHO'S IN THE TRUST.
THEY GET A LITTLE POSTCARD, THEY'RE WELCOME BUFORT AND HERE ARE ALL THE BENEFITS THAT YOU COULD APPLY FOR.
THEN THEY'RE GONNA GET AN ASSESSMENT NOTICE THAT'S GONNA SAY IN THE TOP RIGHT, IN A NON REASSESSMENT YEAR IS GONNA SAY, UM, 4% REMOVED.
AND THEN FINALLY THEY'LL GET THE TAX BILL.
SO THERE'LL BE MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES TO ALERT THEM TO SAY, HEY, COME IN AND LET'S ADDRESS THIS BEFORE THEY GET THE TAX.
WHEN THAT DEACON WE DON'T, WE DO NOT KNOW WHO'S THE, UM, BENEFICIARY OF THE TRUST.
WE NEED TO KNOW WHO'S THE INCOME BENEFICIARY OF THE TRUST.
SO HOPEFULLY PEOPLE WHO ARE WATCHING THIS OR WILL VIEW THIS LATER ON WILL BE INFORMED CORRECT.
THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THEY MAY WELL EXPERIENCE AT SOME TIME.
LEMME JUST SAY THAT, THAT, UM, I ACTUALLY HAD THIS HAPPEN TO ME WHERE I REFINANCED AND WE ADJUSTED THE DEED AND WE, WHEN WE ADJUSTED THE NAME ON THE
[01:00:01]
DEED, THEN IT KICKED BACK THE 6%.AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT IT'S BETTER TO GO AHEAD AND, AND PAY WHATEVER YOU THINK OR PAY THE TAX BILL BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T PAY THE TAX BILL COME JANUARY 15TH, YOU WILL HAVE PENALTIES THEN TO START TO ACCRUE.
AND YOU'LL, AGAIN, PEOPLE CALL ME ON THE TIME AND WANT ME TO GET RID OF THEIR PENALTIES ON THEIR TAX BILLS.
AND I SAY, I CANNOT BREAK THE LAW THAT IS ACTUALLY WRITTEN BY THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND HOW THAT OPERATES.
SO AGAIN, WE CANNOT EVER GET RID OF TAX PENALTIES FOR, FOR FOLKS.
SO PEOPLE ARE BETTER OFF GOING AHEAD AND PAYING THE FULL AMOUNT OR AS MUCH AS THEY THINK THEY OWE WHILE THEY WAIT THEN FOR, FOR THE, UM, FOR IT TO BE APPROVED OR WHEN THEY ACTUALLY DO THE REFINANCING.
I'M GONNA BE A LITTLE BIT MORE PROACTIVE.
GO AHEAD AND JUST VISIT OUR WEBSITE AND GO AHEAD AND JUST PUT THE APPLICATION IN.
WE COULD ALWAYS LOOK AT IT FROM A DUPLICATE STANDPOINT, BUT IF YOU JUST GO AHEAD AND BE PROACTIVE AND PUT THE APPLICATION IN, APPLY AND GET IT, THEN THAT'D BE THAT, THAT'S THE BEST SCENARIO THERE WITH THAT SITUATION.
UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO, VERY.
UM, SO IF MY SPOUSE PASSES AWAY, MY TAXES WILL GO TO 6%.
IF YOU HAVE J-T-R-O-S ON THE PROPERTY, IT WILL NOT, BUT IF YOUR SPOUSE, BUT IF YOUR SPOUSE PASSES AWAY AND YOU DO NOT.
LEMME GIVE YOU A PRIME EXAMPLE.
MY HUSBAND AND I, THIS IS A REAL LIFE EXAMPLE.
MY HUSBAND E I'M EBONY SANDERS.
HIS FATHER IS JOE SANDERS, AND OUR SON IS JOE SANDERS
AND NEITHER OF 'EM HAVE JOE ONE, TWO OR THREE.
THEY'RE JUST JOE SANDERS, JOE SANDERS AND JOE SANDERS.
WHILE WE KEEP REPEATING THE SAME THING, I DON'T KNOW, BUT
WE ARE NOT INTO GENEALOGY LIKE THAT,
SO WE HAVE THEM REAPPLY TO RECERTIFY TO SEE WHO ALL THE INDIVIDUALS ARE AND TO MEET THOSE CRIME.
BUT UNLESS THEY HAVE NOW, IF THEY HAVE JTRS, THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN OF, OF COURSE WE DO.
WE WILL LEAVE THE 4% ON THE PROPERTY AND WE'LL LEAVE THE 4%.
ONCE YOU FILE, YOU HAVE TO FILE A DEATH CERTIFICATE AND THEN WE'LL REMOVE AT THAT POINT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MS. SANDERS? AND MS. SANDERS IS, IS OUR ASSESSOR FOR YOU, FOR COUNTY.
AND I, AGAIN, WE APPRECIATE YOU DOING THOSE COMMUNITY EVENTS AND GETTING OUT THERE AND EDUCATING PEOPLE.
I THINK THAT'S BEEN WONDERFUL.
JUST WANTED TO JUST THANK MS. SANDERS.
UH, SHE'S BEEN VERY HELPFUL TO ME, SO I JUST WANT PUBLIC TO SAFE.
SHE'S GONNA GET A LOT OF CALLS ABOUT JOINING.
WE'VE ONLY INCREASED THOSE, UH, DAILY.
UH, AND LET'S MOVE ON THEN TO NUMBER, UM, EIGHT.
IT'S, IT'S TO WHERE AT? OH, RIGHT UP FRONT.
SO I'M STILL EXCITED TO MAKE THIS REPORT.
UM, I HAVE SOME SLIDES HERE IN A SECOND.
I'VE GIVEN YOU A FEW MONTHS AGO, I GAVE A VERY LONG ONE THAT WENT THROUGH ALL THE EXPENDITURES OF ARPA LAST MONTH.
I GAVE A SHORTER ONE THAT SAID WHAT WE HAD TO DO TO MAKE SURE WE OBLIGATED ALL THE FUNDS.
AND TODAY WE'LL SHOW HOW WE OBLIGATE ARE OBLIGATING ALL THE FUNDS.
THEIR NUMBER HAS BEEN THE NUMBER SINCE WE GOT IT IN 2022 OF $37,317,446.
AND THAT'S, WE HAVE A COUPLE ITEMS ON THIS AGENDA TODAY.
AND RESULTING FROM THAT ON DECEMBER NINE, THAT WILL CLOSE OUT THE REMAINDER.
UH, THE LAST PART IS THAT HAS TO BE SPENT BY 2026 MM-HMM.
SO THAT'S OUR NEXT JOB IS TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE TIMELINES STAY.
SO FINAL READING FOR THE PURCHASE OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT BUILDING FOR THAT TWO POINT, IT WAS ENDED UP BEING 2.72, BUT THERE'S SOME, BEEN SOME OTHER EXPENDITURES FOR THE INTERIM MOVE OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WHICH ACTUALLY IS UPSTAIRS.
THE ADMINISTRATION IS UPSTAIRS AND THE VITAL RECORDS IS AT OUR DUKE STREET BUILDING, JUST IN CASE ANYBODY'S LOOKING FOR THEIR VITAL RECORDS.
YOU CAN GET IT AT OUR HUMAN SERVICE BUILDING ON DUKE STREET.
AND, UH, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT ITSELF, THE ACTUAL CLINICAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS STILL ON THE KING STREET PROPERTY.
THAT'LL BE THE, WE'RE ONLY GONNA MOVE THEM ONE TIME NEXT YEAR ONCE WE FINALLY UPFIT THIS BUILDING.
THE INITIATIVE IS COMING TO YOU ALSO TODAY.
THE RFP, WE GOT THE BIDS LAST WEEK, VETTED.
THE BIDS WENT FROM FOUR TO TWO TO ONE, AND THAT'LL BE BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE TO OBLIGATE THOSE FUNDS.
YOU ALSO HAVE ON YOUR AGENDA TONIGHT THE BROADBAND LONG DRIVEWAY PROGRAM, WHICH YOU APPROVED LAST YEAR IN A RESOLUTION.
HOWEVER, THE END DATE OF THAT RESOLUTION WAS 2024, AND IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE 2026.
AND THAT ACTUALLY IS TIMED OUT.
WELL, YOU HAVE AN AMENDMENT TO THAT RESOLUTION BECAUSE WITH SOME PROJECTS I'LL TALK ABOUT LATER IN RUNNING THESE NEW LINES, THIS WILL ALSO BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REMARKET THAT LONG DRIVEWAY PROGRAM.
SO WHEN SOMEBODY GETS IT IN FRONT OF THEIR HOUSE AND IT'S TOO FAR FOR THE PROVIDER TO PAY TO GET IT TO THEIR HOUSE, WE CAN HELP THEM WITH THAT.
[01:05:01]
HERE SHORTLY.THAT WAS A PRE-APPROVED PROGRAM.
THIS IS AN AMENDMENT TO THAT YOU'RE ALSO GONNA HEAR FROM, UH, CAPTAIN FROM THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT ABOUT, WE MENTIONED LAST MONTH, WHICH IS TO REUSE THE FUNDING THAT WE HAD ORIGINALLY SET ASIDE FOR THE RECONSTRUCTION ERA SIGNAGE PROGRAM.
THAT THEY DECLINED IN THE END TO HELP WITH A PUBLIC SAFETY PROGRAM TO MATCH SOME OF THE EFFORTS WITHIN THE MUNICIPALITIES TO INCREASE PUBLIC SAFETY AND CONTRACT COVERAGE.
THAT IS FOR, WE HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM IN THE DETENTION CENTER.
AND THE WAY THAT THAT AGREEMENT WAS WRITTEN DIDN'T OBLIGATE A NUMBER.
AND WE WORK AGAINST, AS WE SPEND IT, IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING ELSE.
WE DO A CONTRACT FOR A TOTAL NUMBER AND WE SPEND AGAINST THAT.
THERE'S A BUDGETED AMOUNT OF A MILLION, BUT WE ONLY CAN OBLIGATE AS WE GO SO THAT IT WILL BE MORE THAN, THAT'LL BE EXPENDED IT ALMOST TO THE DOLLAR.
AND THAT'S WHY THAT NUMBER AT THE BOTTOM IS A ZERO, WHICH IS 'CAUSE THERE IS NO MORE MONEY TO OBLIGATE.
AND SO I'LL SHOW YOU ONE MORE SLIDE.
I'VE SHOWN IT EVERY TIME BECAUSE THERE'S STILL TWO YEARS TO SPEND THIS AND THINGS CAN HAPPEN.
SO WE'RE STILL GONNA MAINTAIN SOME OPTIONS IN CASE SOMETHING FALLS THROUGH A PROJECT, BECOMES DELAYED, RUNS INTO A PROBLEM, ET CETERA.
WE STILL, THE WAY THE RULES ARE OBLIGATE BY DECEMBER 31ST, 2024, IF, AND THIS IS FROM THE FEDERAL WORKSHOP THAT WE WATCHED WHENEVER IT WAS WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES.
IF SOMETHING DOESN'T COME THROUGH, YOU CAN MOVE THOSE FUNDS TO A PROJECT OR EXPENDITURE THAT EITHER WAS OBLIGATED OR EXPENDED PRIOR TO DECEMBER 31ST, 2024.
SO THESE ARE JUST A COUPLE EXAMPLES OF EXPENDITURES THAT WE MADE FROM GENERAL FUND PURCHASES THAT WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR REPAYMENT.
SO WE WOULD GUARANTEE THAT WE WOULDN'T LOSE MONEY.
SO THAT IS THE END OF MY REPORT.
ANY QUESTIONS? UH, OR HANK? I HAVE ONE.
MS. BROWN, WHAT IS THE BUCK WALTER PROPERTIES? WHAT, WHAT WAS THAT? THAT'S THE PROPERTY THAT WE RECENTLY, I BELIEVE IT WAS EITHER LAST MONTH OR MONTH BEFORE, UH, OR CONTRIBUTING TO BEFOR MEMORIAL HOSPITAL FOR MEDICAL OFFICE BUILDING AND WORKFORCE HOUSING.
THEY IN, UH, BUCK WALTER PARKWAY BY THE YES MA'AM.
THANK YOU HANK UH, GOOD JOB ON ALL THIS AND KEEPING THINGS GOING.
UH, IT'S BEEN COMPLICATED AND, AND WE'VE WORKED TOWARDS, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UM, LET'S MOVE ON THEN IN OUR AGENDA.
NEXT UP IS UPDATE FROM BUFORT JASPER WATER, SEWER AND AUTHORITY.
AND WE HAVE, UM, MR. STONE, CHARLIE STONE, WHO IS THE DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS FOR AN UPDATE.
UH, MR. STONE, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
SO I, I HAVEN'T EVEN PRESENTED YET.
AND MS. TABER, NICK ALREADY ASKED ME FOR A FINANCIAL COMMITMENT, AND THEN I'VE BEEN HECKLED BY JOHN O'TOOLE.
UH, SO IT'S A TOUGH CROWD HERE TONIGHT.
UM, WELL, I WOULDN'T BE DOING MY JOB IN DISTRICT SIX IF I DIDN'T.
THANKS FOR YOUR SENSE OF HUMOR.
BUT, UH, CHARLIE STONE, I'M THE DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS AT BEAUFORT, JASPER WATER AND SEWER.
UM, I DID WANT TO MENTION THAT MS. VERNA ARNETTE, OUR GENERAL MANAGER, SHE HAD PLANNED ON BEING HERE THIS AFTERNOON, BUT SHE DID HAVE A CONFLICT.
AND I THINK I SPEAK FOR, UH, MS. ANETTE AS WELL AS ALL OF OUR LEADERSHIP AT BEAUFORT, JASPER, AND OUR STAFF.
WHEN I, WHEN I SAY THAT WE TRULY APPRECIATE THE PARTNERSHIP OF THE COUNTY, AND WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, COME HERE THIS AFTERNOON AND UPDATE YOU ON THE, UH, ON THE AUTHORITY.
UM, UH, JARED AND HANK WARNED ME THAT Y'ALL HAVE A PACKED COMMITTEE AGENDA.
AND SO I'M GONNA DO MY BEST TO BREEZE THROUGH THESE SLIDES.
I'M NOT GONNA SPEND A WHOLE LOT OF TIME ON THIS SLIDE, BUT I DID WANT TO JUST PROVIDE A QUICK OVERVIEW ON OUR SYSTEM, OUR ORGANIZATION SERVICES ON INCORPORATED BEAUFORT COUNTY AND JASPER COUNTY.
WE ALSO SERVE THE MUNICIPALITIES OF BEAUFORT HARDY, UH, PORT ROYAL, UM, AND, UH, THE, UH, TOWN OF BLUFFTON.
UH, WE ALSO SERVE THE PSDS OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND AS WHOLESALE CUSTOMERS.
AND WE HAVE TWO WATER TREATMENT PLANTS.
ONE THAT SITS ON THE SAVANNAH RIVER AT BURG, AND THEN A SECOND WATER PLANT ON ONE 70 AT CHELSEA, WHICH I THINK IS, UH, WHERE MOST OF OUR, OUR CUSTOMERS ASSOCIATE BEAUFORT JASPER AS BEING.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE THREE MECHANICAL WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS.
WE HAVE A PLANT IN PORT ROYAL, A PLANT AT CHERRY POINT, AND THEN A WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT IN HARDY BILL.
IN TERMS OF THE AUTHORITY AND WHERE WE'RE AT, UH, PRESENTLY, UH, THESE ARE OUR REALITIES, OUR CHALLENGES.
UH, IT'S NO SECRET THAT BEAUFORT COUNTY AND JASPER COUNTY ARE GROWING AREAS, UH, NATIONALLY.
WE'RE A LEADING AREA FOR GROWTH.
WE HAVE A GREAT LEVEL OF MIGRATION.
PEOPLE WANT TO BE A PART OF OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR INFRASTRUCTURE CHALLENGES AT THE AUTHORITY.
THEY'RE NOT EXCLUSIVE TO OUR ORGANIZATION.
[01:10:01]
INVESTMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN NECESSARY ON THE TRANSPORTATION SIDE.UH, WE'VE ALSO SEEN, UH, THE RECENT SCHOOL BOND REFERENDUM IN, IN 2023.
AND I'M SURE MANY OF THE, UH, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, MANY OF THE, THE STAFF AND AND RESIDENTS IN THE ROOM, UH, PROBABLY SAW OVER THE SUMMER.
THERE WAS AN ISLAND PACKET ARTICLE THAT WAS PUBLISHED.
AND IT HIGHLIGHTED THAT ON JUNE 21ST, THE AUTHORITY, UH, REACHED AN ALL TIME HIGH FOR WATER CONSUMPTION AT JUST OVER 35 MILLION GALLONS OF OUR 39 MILLION GALLON PLANT CAPACITY.
UH, SIMILARLY ON THE WASTEWATER SIDE, UH, WE ALSO HAVE CHALLENGES WITH CAPACITY.
OUR CHERRY POINT WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT IS AT, AT ABOUT JUST AT 90% CAPACITY.
AND IN ADDITION TO OUR, UH, LARGE WATER AND WASTEWATER PLANTS, WE ALSO HAVE CRUCIAL REHAB AND REPLACEMENT PROJECTS ACROSS THE REGION THAT ARE OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE.
UM, IN ADDITION, UH, TO SOME OF THESE, UH, CAPACITY CHALLENGES, WATER AND WASTEWATER CONSTRUCTION IS EXTREMELY SPECIALIZED CONSTRUCTION.
FROM 2019 TO 2024, WE'VE SEEN ABOUT A 250% INCREASE IN COST.
UH, JUST TO PROVIDE ONE PROJECT AS AN EXAMPLE.
THE, UH, DESIGN OF OUR CHERRY POINT WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT, UH, BEGAN IN 2020.
AND AT THE TIME THAT WE BEGAN THAT DESIGN, WE RECEIVED AN ESTIMATE OF, UH, JUST AT $31 MILLION.
UH, OVER THE SUMMER, WE BID THAT PROJECT, AND OUR LOW BID WAS $107 MILLION MM-HMM.
AND SO WE WENT FROM $31 MILLION TO $107 MILLION ON A SINGLE PROJECT IN A FOUR YEAR SPAN.
AND I KNOW THAT'S A REALITY THAT THE COUNTY'S FACING AND OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES, UH, ACROSS THE REGION ARE, UH, ARE ALSO FACING.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE SOME NEW UNFUNDED MANDATES THROUGH, UH, EPA THAT WERE HANDED US, HANDED TO US IN APRIL.
AND IN SHORT, WE'RE IN A SCENARIO WHERE CAPACITY FEES, RATES NEED TO KEEP PACE WITH OUR COST AS WELL AS, UM, KEEP PACE WITH THE, THE NECESSARY INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE NEED ACROSS, ACROSS THE REGION.
SO WITH OUR, WITH OUR REALITIES AND, AND WHERE WE'RE AT, UM, IT'S NECESSARY FOR US TO INVEST IN OUR SYSTEM.
OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM IS REALLY OUR TOOL THAT ALLOWS US TO INVEST IN OUR SYSTEM, BUT ALSO INVEST IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND I WANTED TO NOTE THAT IT'S BEEN A, A VERY EXHAUSTIVE PROCESS OVER THE PAST 12 MONTHS.
UH, OUR ENGINEERING LEADERSHIP TEAM, UM, OUR STAFF, THEY'VE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB.
THEY'VE CONDUCTED A NEEDS ASSESSMENT ON, UH, EVERY SINGLE PROJECT.
AND OUR CIP UH, PRESENTLY, WE HAVE 102 PROJECTS IN OUR CIP THAT ACCOUNT FOR, UH, JUST AT $590 MILLION.
MANY OF OUR PROJECTS ARE REGIONAL IN NATURE.
THEY IMPACT MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS.
UH, THIS IS JUST A, A CHART THAT SHOWS THE LARGE WATER AND WASTEWATER TREATMENT, PLANT EXPANSIONS, AND, UH, NEW CONSTRUCTION THAT IS WITHIN THAT THREE YEAR CIP.
AND I DID WANT TO HIGHLIGHT JUST QUICKLY SOME OF OUR, OUR NOTEWORTHY PROJECTS THAT ARE IN PROCESS.
UH, THE PERRYSBURG WATER PLANT EXPANSION IS, IS PROBABLY OUR, UM, OUR MOST NOTEWORTHY PROJECT.
AND IT'S REALLY A TOP PRIORITY FOR THE AUTHORITY, BUT ALSO, UH, FOR ALL OF OUR GOVERNMENTAL, UH, AGENCIES ACROSS THE REGION.
UH, THIS PROJECT IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE ANTICIPATING A COMPLETION OF SUMMER OF 2025.
I MENTIONED THAT THIS SUMMER WE HIT AN ALL TIME HIGH FOR WATER CONSUMPTION.
THIS PROJECT IS HOW WE ADDRESS THAT ISSUE.
CHERRY POINT, UH, THIS IS PROBABLY NUMBER TWO ON THE LIST BEHIND PERRYSBURG.
UH, WE'RE PLANNING A GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY COMING UP, BUT THIS WILL EXPAND THE CHERRY POINT WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT FROM SEVEN AND A HALF MILLION GALLONS TO 11 AND A QUARTER.
UH, WE'RE ANTICIPATING COMPLETION OF THIS PROJECT DECEMBER OF 2026.
UH, THIS IS THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT THAT SERVICES BLUFFTON.
IT ALSO SERVICES HARDY AND PORTIONS OF UNINCORPORATED BEAUFORT COUNTY AND JASPER COUNTY.
UH, AT BUCKWALTER, WE'RE UNDER CONSTRUCTION WITH AN ELEVATED STORAGE TANK.
IT'S GONNA ADD ONE AND A HALF MILLION GALLONS TO OUR ELEVATED STORAGE.
UH, THIS PROJECT'S ALSO GOING TO HELP US WITH, UM, JUST STABILIZING FLOW AND PRESSURE IN OUR SYSTEM.
AND SO IT'S A, A GREAT PROJECT FOR, FOR BLUFFTON AND, AND REALLY ALL OF SOUTH OF THE BROAD.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'M, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT.
UH, WE HAVE ABOUT $45 MILLION IN OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, UH, PRESENTLY THAT'S RELATED TO INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WILL, UH, BENEFIT OUR MILITARY INSTALLATIONS.
AND WE RECENTLY WORKED WITH THE COUNTY.
WE WORKED WITH JARED AND, AND HANK, UH,
[01:15:01]
TO APPLY FOR SOME GRANT DOLLARS THROUGH VETERANS AFFAIRS.AND WE WERE AWARDED $4.6 MILLION FOR, UH, TWO SEPARATE PROJECTS.
UM, I, I REALLY WANTED TO COMMEND COLONEL PLI, UH, 'CAUSE HE'S JUST BEEN FANTASTIC THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE PROCESS, AND HELPED US GO UP TO COLUMBIA AND GRAB DOLLARS AND BRING THEM BACK DOWN HERE.
REALLY, FOR EVERY DOLLAR THAT WE CAN GET FROM THE STATE OR FROM THE FEDERAL LEVEL, IT'S A A DOLLAR THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO PUT ON THE BACKS OF, OF OUR CUSTOMERS.
AND, UH, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE $45 MILLION IN OUR, IN OUR CIP.
UM, BUT I'VE SPOKEN TO OUR LEADERSHIP AT BEAUFORT, JASPER, AND OUR ENGINEERS, AND WE TRULY BELIEVE THAT WE'RE, UM, JUST SCRAPING THE SURFACE, THE SURFACE ON, ON WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING IN TERMS OF, UH, SUPPORTING OUR INSTALLATIONS AND SUPPORTING, UH, MISSION ASSURANCE.
UM, WE'VE BEEN IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH DAVID TRAIL AND MARY RYAN AND OUR COMMANDING OFFICERS AT THE BASE.
UH, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A, A, A MEETING COMING UP ABOUT A, A WATERLINE PROJECT ON BERKELEY BRIDGE.
THAT'S THE MAIN WATER LINE GOING ONTO PARIS ISLAND.
BUT, UH, LOOKING AT REPLACING THAT LINE AND JUST REALLY CONTINUING THIS PARTNERSHIP MOVING FORWARD AND, AND CONTINUING THE EFFORT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IS, IS UP TO THE STANDARD OF THE MILITARY, UM, AND IS SUPPORTING THEM CONTINUING TO BE IN, IN BEAUFORT FOR, UH, A VERY, VERY LONG TIME.
SO HOW DO WE FUND THESE PROJECTS? UM, LAST WEEK ON NOVEMBER 21ST, OUR BOARD APPROVED A $100 MILLION BOND ISSUANCE.
AND WE'RE PLANNING ON COMPLETING BONDING, UH, IN PHASES OVER THE NEXT THREE FISCAL YEARS.
RIGHT NOW, WE'RE ANTICIPATING ABOUT $450 MILLION IN BONDING.
UM, WE ARE GOING TO EVALUATE THIS ON A CONTINUAL BASIS.
AND SO AS NEW PROJECTS ARISE, OR IF WE DISCOVER EXTERNAL FUNDING, UM, IT WILL INFORM OUR, OUR, OUR MOVES AND OUR STRATEGY, UH, AS WE, UH, GET FURTHER INTO THIS PROCESS.
UH, TO SUPPORT OUR LEVEL OF BONDING.
UH, THIS YEAR WE RAISED RATES BY ABOUT NINE TO 10% ACROSS THE BOARD.
UH, RIGHT NOW WE'RE ANTICIPATING A 5% RATE INCREASE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026, AND THEN SUBSEQUENT RATE INCREASES IN THE FUTURE.
UM, IN ADDITION TO RATES, WE ALSO HAD A EXTREMELY LENGTHY PROCESS AROUND OUR CAPACITY FEES.
UH, OVER THE SUMMER MONTHS, WE HOSTED DEVELOPER WORKSHOPS, UH, WITH THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY.
UM, OUR GOAL WAS TO BE AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.
UH, I UNDERSTAND FROM MY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DAYS THAT CAPACITY FEES CAN BE A BURDEN TO THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY.
UM, SOMETIMES THEY CAN BE A BURDEN TO, TO WORKFORCE HOUSING.
AND SO WE HAD THESE WORKSHOPS AND WE ASKED THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN WE MAKE THIS, UH, MORE BEARABLE? AND WE, WE HEARD A FEW THINGS.
THE, THE FIRST WAS WE HAD NOBODY TELL US TO STOP BUILDING CAPACITY.
I THINK THERE WAS A REAL UNDERSTANDING FROM THE DEVELOPERS THAT THESE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS ARE A NECESSITY FOR, FOR EVERYBODY ACROSS THE REGION.
UM, THE SECOND THING WE HEARD WAS, IS THERE A WAY TO PROVIDE CERTAINTY AND A FUTURE OUTLOOK? UM, AND SO WITH THAT IN MIND, WE APPROVED A THREE YEAR PHASE IN PLAN.
OUR BOARD APPROVED A THREE YEAR PHASE IN PLAN.
AND WITH THAT FIRST INCREASE ON FEBRUARY 1ST, 2025, UM, THE THIRD ITEM WE HEARD FROM THOSE WORKSHOPS WAS, IS THERE A WAY TO MITIGATE THE CARRYING COST? AND SO RIGHT NOW AT BEAUFORT, JASPER, A HUNDRED PERCENT OF YOUR CAPACITY FEE IS PAID AT PRECON.
AND SO IF YOU'RE A DEVELOPER, YOU PAY THAT FEE AT PRECON, AND THEN YOU CARRY THAT DEVELOPMENT FEE ALL THE WAY TO THE END OF CONSTRUCTION UNTIL YOU MAKE A DOLLAR.
AND SO WHAT WE DID, AND OUR NEW PLAN IS WE STAGGERED THE INCREASE TO BEING PAID AT METERS.
AND SO YOU PAY ESSENTIALLY THE SAME CAPACITY FEE AT PRECON, AND THEN THE INCREASE IS AT METERS.
AND SO YOU GET FURTHER INTO YOUR PROCESS BEFORE YOU PAY, UH, THAT SECOND PAYMENT.
THIS IS A, THIS IS ANOTHER ITEM THAT I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT, AND I WANTED TO COMMEND THE COUNTY, UH, FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP ON THE PROJECT OUT IN LECO, THE WATERLINE EXTENSION THEY'RE USING, Y'ALL ARE USING ARPA FUNDS, AND IT'S, IT'S TRULY A PROJECT THAT IS GOING TO IMPACT PEOPLE'S LIVES OUT THERE.
AND SO, BEAUFORT JASPER, WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO SUPPORT THE COUNTY'S EFFORT OUT IN DALE.
UM, LAST MONTH, THE COUNTY AGAIN STEPPED UP AND SHOWED A LOT OF LEADERSHIP IN THE $1 MILLION SETASIDE FOR AJOY.
UM, AND THEN WE'VE ENJOYED A, A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON AND THE COUNTY ON THE STONY CREEK PROJECT.
BUT I KNOW CHAIRMAN PASSID SPOKE TO IT QUITE A BIT ACROSS BEAUFORT COUNTY AND JASPER COUNTY, WE HAVE SOME UNS SEWARD AREAS, AREAS THAT LACK PUBLIC SEWER OR PUBLIC
[01:20:01]
WATER.AND OFTENTIMES THERE'S SOME SORT OF, UH, PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH THAT OR AN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE.
AND SO, BEAUFORT, JASPER, WE'VE FORMED AN AD HOC UNDERSERVED COMMITTEE THAT'S, UH, FOCUSED ON IDENTIFYING THESE AREAS AND THEN WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR OTHER JURISDICTIONS TO FIND A SOLUTION.
SO I THINK WE'RE, WE'VE GOT A GREAT BEGINNING OF THIS INITIATIVE WITH THESE THREE PROJECTS, BUT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH THE COUNTY IN THE, UH, IN THE FUTURE AND THE, THE STATE AS WELL.
AND SO HOW, HOW CAN Y'ALL HELP? I, I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, REALLY JUST THROUGH PARTNERSHIP, I THINK EVERYBODY'S KIND OF HEARD ABOUT WHAT BEAUFORT JASPER'S GOING THROUGH.
AND, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF PARALLELS WITH SOME OF THE, THE COUNTY'S, UM, CHALLENGES AROUND TRANSPORTATION.
BUT, UH, WE TRULY APPRE APPRECIATE THE COUNTY.
WE APPRECIATE OUR MUNICIPALITIES AND, UM, I THINK WE HAVE A, A GREAT TEAM AT BEAUFORT, JASPER WITH, YOU KNOW, VERNA'S NEW AT THE HELM AT BEAUFORT, JASPER, AND WE HAVE, UH, NEW LEADERSHIP WITH PAUL VINSON AND MICHAEL HANSON.
BUT, UM, JUST CONTINUING TO WORK TOGETHER FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR, OF OUR RESIDENTS.
SO, AND I'LL FIELD ANY QUESTIONS? I HAVE A QUESTION.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR? YEAH, GO AHEAD.
GOING BACK TO YOUR SLIDE ABOUT CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS AND RAISING THE CAPACITY FEES, YOU SAID YOU HAD WORKSHOPS WITH DEVELOPERS.
WERE THOSE ADVERTISED AS WORKSHOPS PUBLIC PUBLICLY ADVERTISED? UM, I DON'T, I DON'T WANT TO MISQUOTE.
I KNOW WE HAD A, WE HAVE A DEVELOPER LIST DEVELOPERS THAT HAVE COME, GONE THROUGH OUR PROCESS, AND I KNOW WE SENT IT OUT TO EVERYBODY ON THAT LIST.
I'M NOT SURE IF WE HAD A PUBLIC, UH, IF WE PUBLISHED THAT, BUT I CAN FIND OUT AND, AND LET YOU KNOW.
YEAH, I'LL BE INTERESTED IN THAT BECAUSE, UM, I HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME HAVE BEEN SAID THEY WERE, THEY WERE SURPRISED BY IT.
AND I FIND THAT A LITTLE ODD THAT THEY WOULD BE SURPRISED IF THEY HAD, IF YOU HAD WORKSHOPS IN PUBLIC MEETINGS.
SO, AND THAT INCLUDES COMMERCIAL AND LIKE HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS? THAT'S CORRECT.
WE HOSTED THEM THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF MAY AND JUNE, AND THEN WE DID HAVE TO HAVE, UM, PUBLIC MEETINGS ON THE ACTUAL RATE INCREASES, AND THE RATE INCREASES AND THE CAPACITY FEE INCREASES WERE, WERE ABSOLUTELY PUBLISHED.
UM, AND WE HAD A, WE HAD A GREAT TURNOUT TO OUR DEVELOPER MEETINGS, UH, AND IT WAS REALLY, UM, DIFFERENT, UH, CONTRACTORS, ENGINEERING FIRMS FROM THE BUILD COMMUNITY THAT WE OFTEN WORK WITH.
SO CHARLIE, WHEN WE MET, I DID ASK YOU A QUESTION, I'M GONNA ASK IT AGAIN.
WITH ALL THE GROWTH HAPPENING, PARTICULARLY IN HARDY V, DO YOU ANTICIPATE RAISING A POINT WHERE YOU CAN'T PROVIDE WATER? UM, SO WE ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE SERVICE THROUGH STATE STATUTE.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU CAN'T MEET CAPACITY? SO WE ARE, SO THE, THE BURG PLANT EXPANSION'S GOING TO TAKE OUR WATER, OUR PLANT SYSTEM FROM 39 MGD, TO 54 MGD.
AND SO WE HIT THAT ALL TIME HIGH AT 35 RIGHT THIS SUMMER.
AND SO OUR EXPANSION OF PERRYSBURG AND THEN OUR EXPANSION AT CHERRY POINT AND OUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS THAT ARE PRESENTLY IN OUR CIP, UH, THEY'RE PURPOSEFULLY MEANT TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES AROUND GROWTH AND PREPARE US FOR THE FUTURE.
UM, IN TERMS OF OUR REQUIREMENTS, WE ARE REQUIRED BY STATE STATUTE TO SERVE OUR CUSTOMERS.
AND WE DON'T BEAUFORT JASPER WATER AND SEWER.
WE ARE NOT INVOLVED WITH LAND USE POLICY.
UM, SO THE MUNICIPALITIES, THE COUNTIES, AS THEY'RE PERMITTING DEVELOPMENTS, UM, WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO THE CUSTOMER TO SERVE THAT DEVELOPMENT.
SO, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF HOW IT GETS THERE, YOU KNOW, THERE MAY BE A A ABSOLUTELY, THERE COULD BE SOME COST ON THE RESIDENT OR THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY.
UM, BUT AGAIN, WE'RE NOT INVOLVED WITH LAND USE POLICY.
I HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION, MS. MS. HOWARD, AND THEN MR. UM, YOU MENTIONED, OH, DO YOU WANNA GO FIRST? YOU GO AHEAD.
YOU MENTIONED UNFUNDED MANDATES BY EPA.
COULD YOU JUST GIVE US A FEW EXAMPLES OF, UM, WHAT, I KNOW YOU DON'T KNOW THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS PROBABLY, BUT JUST WHAT THOSE WERE THAT HAVE COME UP RECENTLY? YEAH, SO THE, THE UNFUNDED MANDATE THAT I REFER TO IS, UM, IT WAS HANDED TO US IN APRIL, AND IT'S REGARDING PFAS, WHICH IS THE, THE FOREVER CHEMICALS.
AND SO, UM, RIGHT NOW, UH, I BELIEVE THE INITIAL ESTIMATE WAS RIGHT AROUND A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS FOR US TO GET OUR SYSTEM, UH, IN PAR TO UP TO PAR TO, UH, UH, TREAT THE WATER UP TO STANDARD.
UM, JUST WANT TO SOMETIMES, UM, IN MAKING A PRESENTATION, YOU CAN'T SAY WHAT YOU REALLY WANT TO SAY.
UM, SO ONE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, CHARLIE DIDN'T MENTION IS THAT, UM, BEFORD JASPER IS NOW ON THE NEW LEADERSHIP.
[01:25:01]
THAT LEADERSHIP IS, IS CRUCIAL.UM, PREVIOUS LEADERS DID NOT ADDRESS THE PROBLEM.
THERE IS A LOT OF PROBLEM AT BEAUFORD JASPER DEALING WITH THE INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
UM, AND THEN THEY'RE TRYING TO EXPAND AT THE SAME TIME, UM, AND IT'S GONNA BE DIFFICULT TO DO ALL OF THAT, BUT THEY ARE, RIGHT NOW, IN MY OPINION, THEY'RE ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM.
THEY RECOGNIZE THAT THEY HAVE TO INVEST IN INFRASTRUCTURE RIGHT NOW, AND I THINK THAT'S WHY THEY'RE ISSUING THE BONDS TO JUST CATCH UP AND THEN EXPAND AS THEY GO ALONG.
BUT IT'S NOT GONNA BE, I DON'T THINK, IN MY OPINION, ANY MAJOR EXPANSION RIGHT NOW IN BEFORD JASPER.
I THINK THEY REALLY GOTTA DEAL WITH INFRASTRUCTURE AND RESOURCES THAT THEY CURRENTLY HAVE.
BUT THEY DO HAVE A LEADERSHIP TEAM NOW, AND IT'S ALL FRESH, AND I THINK THEY ARE NOT BEARING THEIR HEADS IN THE SAND, THE ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM.
WELL, MR. GLOVER, I APPRECIATE YOU SAYING THAT.
AND, AND JUST TO, JUST TO HIGHLIGHT ONE ADDITIONAL PROJECT, THE PROJECT THAT WE WORKED WITH THE COUNTY ON, IT'S ACTUALLY TO DECOMMISSION THE LAUREL BAY WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT, WHICH IS A 0.35 MGD PLANT.
THAT PLANT WAS BUILT IN THE EARLY 1960S, AND SO IT'S IN POOR CONDITION.
UM, AND IT'S AMAZING THAT THAT'S THE PLANT THAT SERVICES THE MAIN HOUSING COMMUNITY FOR THE AIR STATION.
AND SO, UM, THROUGH THE STATE DOLLARS AND THROUGH THE, THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COUNTY AND COLONEL P POLICE'S EFFORTS, UH, WE'RE ABLE TO DECOMMISSION THAT PLANT.
WE'RE GONNA BUILD A PUMP STATION OF FORCE MAINE, BRING THEM INTO OUR PORT ROYAL, UH, WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT AND, AND BRING THAT UP TO, UH, 20, 24 STANDARDS.
AND SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE, BUT THERE'S, THERE'S PROJECTS ACROSS BEAUFORT COUNTY AND JASPER COUNTY SIMILAR TO THAT.
AND THIS $590 MILLION CIP THAT'S OUR, OUR TIER ONE PROJECTS.
THERE'S CERTAINLY OTHER NEEDS, UH, DOWN THE ROAD THAT WE WILL, WE WILL HAVE TO FACE, UH, WHEN THE TIME COMES.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? AND AGAIN, MR. STONE, I THINK YOU'RE DOING A, A GREAT JOB.
I MEAN, WE'VE SEEN MORE FROM YOU FOR JASPER IN MY, THE PAST YEAR SINCE YOU'VE BECOME, UH, WITH THEM.
AND OBVIOUSLY I KNOW YOU WERE A GREAT LOSS FOR, FOR, UM, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UM, COMMUNITY.
SO, UM, BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT TODAY AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR, UH, YOUR TIME.
WE APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S PATIENCE HERE.
WE'RE GONNA NOW MOVE ON TO OUR ACTUAL AGENDA.
UM, AND, UH, AGENDA NUMBER, ITEM NUMBER 10, RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO COUNSEL OF A, UH, ARPA PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SAFETY SUPPORT, THE PURCHASE OF LICENSE PLATE READING CAMERAS FOR THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, FISCAL IMPACT $262,291 AND 34 CENTS.
UM, AND WE HAVE, UH, THE, WE NEED A MOTION, MAKE THE MOTION SECOND.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THAT.
AND WE HAVE SOMEONE HERE FROM THE BUFORT COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
YOU CAN PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
I'M SORRY THAT, UH, I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE YOUR INFORMATION.
UH, I AM BRIAN BAIRD WITH THE BEAUFORD COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
I'M ALSO THE SPECIAL PROJECTS OFFICER FOR THE SHERIFF.
UH, AND BASICALLY, AS YOU MAY WELL BE AWARE, THAT OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF OR SO, WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASE IN SOME GUN VIOLENCE, UH, WHAT MOST PEOPLE REFER TO AS DRIVE-BY SHOOTINGS OCCURRING THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY AND THE MUNICIPALITIES.
UH, EARLIER THIS YEAR, WE HAD WHAT WE FEARED WHERE ON JANUARY 1ST, A 14-YEAR-OLD BOY WAS PLAYING A VIDEO GAME IN HIS HOUSE WHEN PEOPLE PULLED UP IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE AND DISCHARGED WEAPONS INTO THE HOUSE, UH, STRIKING HIM AND KILLING HIM ON THE SPOT.
UH, LJ LIKE I SAID, HE PASSED RIGHT AT THE SCENE.
AND AT THAT POINT, WE KNEW WE HAD TO TAKE ACTION, AND THE SHERIFF DIRECTED ME TO START RESEARCHING WAYS TO DEAL WITH THIS INCREASE IN GUN VIOLENCE.
I REACHED OUT TO THE MUNICIPALITIES, UH, FOUND OUT THAT MOST OF THEM WERE IN THE EARLY STAGES OF IMPLEMENTING LICENSE PLATE READERS AND CAMERAS.
UH, I THEN BEGAN TO LOOK AT WHAT THEY WERE USING OR LOOKING TO USE, AS WELL AS GOING TO SOME OTHER MUNICIPALITIES LIKE CHARLESTON THAT WAS DEALING WITH, UH, A LOT OF GUN VIOLENCE, UH, SAVANNAH, NORTH, CHARLESTON HARDY, BILL, JAPER COUNTY.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THREE DIFFERENT COMPANIES THAT ARE REALLY THE LEADERS IN THE INDUSTRY, I WOULD SAY, FOR LICENSE PLATE READERS, CAMERAS, AND SUCH.
AND WE INVITED THOSE COMPANIES TO COME TO BEAUFORT,
[01:30:01]
DO PRESENTATIONS TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.UH, SHERIFF ACTUALLY SAT IN ON EVERY ONE OF THOSE PRESENTATIONS AS WELL AS MY GENERAL COUNSEL AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
UH, WE STARTED RESEARCHING COST, LOOKING AT IDENTIFYING LOCATIONS WHERE WE FELT WE REALLY NEEDED, UH, CAMERAS, MORE CAMERAS AND, UH, LICENSE PLATE READERS.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW WHAT A LICENSE PLATE READER IS, IT IS A DEVICE THAT WHEN A LICENSE PLATE PASSES IN FRONT OF IT, IT CAPTURES A PICTURE OF THE LICENSE PLATE, THE BACK OF THE CAR, MAYBE A LITTLE VIDEO CLIP OF THE CAR PASSING BY.
UH, IT, YOU DON'T SEE THE PEOPLE IN THE CAR OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S ABLE TO LOOK INSIDE YOUR CAR OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
IT'S JUST CAPTURING A, A CLIP OF THE BACK OF THE CAR WITH THE LICENSE PLATE.
UH, AT THAT POINT, WE, THE FIRST PRESENTATION CAME FROM A COMPANY, REFERRED COMPANY NAMED FLOCK CAMERAS.
IT'S A VERY POPULAR COMPANY WITH A LOT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.
UH, THEIR PRESENTATION WAS, WE WERE LOOKING IDENTIFIED APPROXIMATELY 65 LOCATIONS WHERE WE FELT WE REALLY NEEDED EITHER A CAMERA OR A LICENSE PLATE READER, OR BOTH.
UH, AT THE SAME TIME, WHILE THESE PRESENTATIONS WERE ONGOING, WE WERE LOOKING AT FUNDING OPTIONS.
WE FOUND A DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY, SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY GRANT THAT WAS OPEN.
WE APPLIED, UNFORTUNATELY, WE WERE NOT GONNA HEAR BACK FROM THEM UNTIL OCTOBER.
AND WE PROCEEDED FORWARD WITH HOSTING THESE COMPANIES.
UH, FLOCK CAME IN, GAVE AN ESTIMATE TO INSTALL THE 65 CAMERAS AT ABOUT $550,000.
UH, WE THEN, UH, HAD, I BELIEVE IT WAS VETA CAMERA THAT CAME NEXT.
THEY WERE THE NEXT COMPANY THAT CAME IN.
WE WERE LOOKING AT, AT THEM FOR A LITTLE BIT LESS.
WE WEREN'T LOOKING AT THEM TO PROVIDE LICENSE PLATE READERS.
WE WERE LOOKING AT THEM TO PROVIDE CAMERAS.
UH, WE RECEIVED SOME ESTIMATES FROM THEM.
AND THEN, UH, CORP, ANOTHER LICENSE PLATE READER COMPANY WAS THE LAST ONE TO COME IN.
AND WE RECEIVED THEIR ESTIMATE.
AGAIN, WE WERE LOOKING AT 65 CAMERAS.
IT WAS ALMOST IDENTICAL TO, UH, FLOCKS FOR THE FIRST YEAR.
HOWEVER, DURING THE SECOND YEAR IS WHEN WE STARTED TO SEE A VAST DIFFERENCE IN THE PRICE FLOCK WAS GONNA COST APPROXIMATELY 181,000 FOR THE SECOND YEAR.
UH, CORP WAS, WE WERE LOOKING AT THEM, THEY WERE GOING TO BE, WE, WE BELIEVED AT THE TIME, SOMEWHERE FOR THE 65, AROUND 35, 40 TO 40,000.
UH, PRETTY MAJOR DIFFERENCE RIGHT THERE.
AND DURING THE FLOCK PRESENTATION, UH, WHEN THE SHERIFF HIMSELF ASKED, WELL, WHAT ARE WE RECEIVING FOR 181,000 THE SECOND YEAR? AND HE TOLD US THAT IF SOMETHING HAPPENED TO THE CAMERAS, THEY'D BE REPLACED.
THE SHERIFF SAID, OKAY, IF A HURRICANE WIPES 'EM OUT, YOU'RE GONNA REPLACE THEM.
NO, YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH YOUR INSURANCE FOR THAT.
IF A CAR RUNS ONE OVER, YOU'RE GONNA REPLACE IT.
NO, YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE INSURANCE COMPANY FOR THAT.
BUT IF ONE WERE TO BREAK DOWN, THEN WE'D COME REPLACE IT.
AND THE SHERIFF LITERALLY ASKED, DO YOUR CAMERAS BREAK DOWN THAT OFTEN? DO WE HAVE TO PAY 181,000? WHEN RECO CAME IN AND SAID THEIR ESTIMATE FOR THE SECOND YEAR WAS THE LOW ESTIMATE, IT WAS ACTUALLY 31 SOMETHING, BUT UP TO 40, DEPENDING ON PRICE INCREASES, UH, THAT THAT WAS, UH, GOOD INFORMATION FOR US.
AND, AND WE WERE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
UNFORTUNATELY, DURING EARLY PART OF OCTOBER THIS YEAR, WE FOUND OUT WE DID NOT RECEIVE THE GRANT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY, WHICH CHANGED EVERYTHING FOR US.
WE, I WAS REALLY HOPING FOR THAT.
UH, HOWEVER, THE SHERIFF, SPEAKING WITH THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR STEPPED UP AND, AND SAID, WE MAY HAVE SOME LEFTOVER OPERA FUNDS, WHICH LITERALLY TOOK ME FROM ALMOST DESPAIR TO EXCITEMENT WHEN, UH, UH, HE ANNOUNCED, UH, THE SHERIFF CALLED ME ABOUT THAT.
UH, THEN SPEAK WITH MR. ROBINSON AND MR. MUNSON.
WE'VE BEEN COMING UP WITH A, A PLAN.
WE CUT BACK OUR CAMERAS QUITE A BIT DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WAS AVAILABLE.
UH, WE CURRENTLY ARE LOOKING AT USING RECALL HAVING 23 CAMERAS AT 20 SITES.
THREE SITES WOULD HAVE TWO CAMERAS AT EACH SITE SPREAD OUT FROM HILTON
[01:35:01]
HEAD THROUGH BEAU.WELL, THROUGH THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS.
NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT TRYING TO KEEP PACE.
BUFORT CITY HAS THEIR OWN CAMERAS, THEY'RE INSTALLING.
BLUFFTON HAS THEIR OWN CAMERAS, THEY'RE INSTALLING.
AND HILTON HEAD HAS CHOSEN TO GET THEIR OWN CAMERAS AND THEY ARE INSTALLING.
SO WE WERE LUCKY ENOUGH THAT WITH THEM DOING THAT, IT WOULD CUT DOWN ON THE NUMBER OF CAMERAS WE'D NEED INITIALLY.
SO I WAS ABLE TO COME UP WITH A DRAFT THAT KEEPS US CLOSER TO THE AMOUNT, UH, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TOLD ME TO LOOK AT OR TOLD THE SHERIFF TO LOOK AT, UH, 23 OF THEIR CAMERAS, UH, USING APPROXIMATELY $199,000 OF THE MONEY.
AND THAT IS WITH THAT COMPANY GIVING US A, UH, 23% REDUCTION IN THE COST AND EXCHANGE FOR US AGREEING TO PARTICIPATE AND GIVE THEM FEEDBACK AND, AND HELP THEM MAKE THEIR THEIR SYSTEMS EVEN BETTER.
AND THEN AT THE SAME TIME, UH, VERTA CAMERAS CAME OUT WITH A NEW PRODUCT CALLED THE COMMAND CONNECTOR THAT ALLOWS THE FEED FROM OUR TRAFFIC CAMERAS TO PROCESS THROUGH ONE OF THEIR DEVICES TO MAKE IT SO WE CAN SEARCH THAT FEED AND, AND GO BACK AND LOOK AT THINGS.
RECORE HAS THEIR SYSTEM THAT WE CAN SEARCH AND ADA HAS THEIR SYSTEM THAT WE CAN SEARCH.
AND THE COMBINATION OF THE TWO, UH, WE, THE, THE RECO CAMERAS AND THE, UH, RICOTTA COMMAND CONNECTOR DEVICE, WE NEED TWO OF THOSE DEVICES IN LITERALLY EVERY OF OUR, EVERY ONE OF OUR TRAFFIC CAMERAS FOR THE COUNTY COULD FEED THROUGH THEIR DEVICE THAT THE TOTAL COST FOR 2024.
THAT'S INCLUDING MOUNTING CAMERAS ON SOME OF DOMINION ENERGY'S GONNA ALLOW US TO MOUNT CAMERAS ON THEIR WOODEN POLES AND CONNECT TO THEIR ELECTRICAL FEEDS.
UH, PALMETTO ELECTRIC HAS THE SAME TYPE PROGRAM, SO WE'RE GONNA DO THAT.
THE SIM CARDS WE HAVE TO BUY TO CONNECT UP TO THE, THE FEED FOR THE, THE CAMERAS AND SUCH.
THE WHOLE COST FOR THE FIRST YEAR WE'RE LOOKING AT IS, IS RIGHT ABOUT $230,000.
THE SECOND YEAR LICENSING AND SUCH WOULD COME UP TO ABOUT 131,000, EXCUSE ME, TO JUST 31,000, BRINGING OUR TOTAL TO ABOUT TWO 62,000, WHICH IS THE NUMBER YOU SAW MR. MUNSON PUT UP EARLIER.
AND, AND THAT IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO.
WE, WE WANT TO HAVE THE SAFEST AREAS OF THE UNINCORPORATED, JUST LIKE THE, THE INCORPORATED AREAS.
THE MUNICIPALITIES ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH THEIR CAMERAS AND THEIR APRS.
WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP PACE WITH THEM AND, AND, AND WORK WITH THEM LITERALLY TO COVER THE ENTIRE COUNTY.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS PROJECT'S ACTUALLY ABOUT.
ANY, UH, ANY QUESTIONS? I HAVE A QUESTION.
SO, UM, I WANNA MENTION FOR THE PUBLIC, THIS IS SOLE SOURCE PURCHASE.
THEY'RE, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE PROPRIETARY SOFTWARE.
SO WOULD YOU ANTICIPATE IN THE FUTURE, UM, PURCHASING MORE CAMERAS? I CERTAINLY HOPE SO.
WE INTEND TO INCLUDE IT IN OUR, OUR, UH, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS FOR NEXT YEAR.
AND WHEN WE TALKED EARLIER, I ASKED, WHAT WAS THE TIMELINE? YOU SAID MAYBE JANUARY.
UH, THE PLAN AT THIS POINT IS IF THE COUNTY COUNCIL APPROVES THIS ON DECEMBER 9TH MM-HMM.
AND THEY HAVE ASSURED ME THAT WE CAN AFFECT THE PURCHASE, GET THE CONTRACTS ALL IN PLACE BEFORE DECEMBER 31ST, AND THEN THEY PLAN TO BE HERE THE SECOND WEEK OF JANUARY TO START INSTALLING THESE.
AND WOULD YOU MAKE A PUBLIC, UM, LIKE A PRESS RELEASE IN JANUARY WHEN THEY'RE INSTALLED AS POSSIBLE? DETERRENT TO PEOPLE WHO NOW KNOW THAT WE HAVE LICENSE PLATE READERS IN UNINCORPORATED COUNTY? I KNOW IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY ACT AS A DETER, BUT MAYBE SOMEBODY MIGHT THINK IT IS.
UH, UH, WE CAN ONLY HOPE THAT THIS IS GOING TO HELP DECREASE WHAT'S GOING ON CURRENTLY.
WELL, APPRECIATE YOUR WORK ON THIS.
TELL THE SHERIFF WE THANK YOU FOR COMING.
IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO HEAR FROM THIS OFFICE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
I THINK IT'S MORE OF, UM, I'M GLAD TO HEAR THIS, UM, BECAUSE IN MY AREA THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, DRIVE BY SHOOTING
[01:40:01]
AND YES, SIR, I'M ASSUMING THAT YOU'RE GONNA STRATEGICALLY PLACE IT SOMEPLACE SO THAT, UH, IT'D BE, I DON'T KNOW, HOT POCKET AREAS OR WHAT.UM, BUT I GUESS MY CONCERN OR MY QUESTION IS, UH, HAVE YOU SEEN IN AREAS WHERE THEY HAVE IMPLEMENTED THIS CAMERA SYSTEM, UH, SHOOTING CRIME IS GOING DOWN OR YES, SIR.
SPECIFICALLY IN NORTH CHARLESTON? UH, NORTH CHARLESTON USES THE RECORD AND THE ADA A COMBINATION OF THE TWO.
AND THEY HAVE ACTUALLY, ACTUALLY CAPTURED THREE MURDERS ON VIDEO.
UH, AND CLEARLY THEY, THEY, WHEN THE DAY I WAS THERE SECOND TIME I WAS VIEWING THEIR PRODUCT AND IT HAPPENED THE NIGHT BEFORE, AND THEY WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO SHOW US THE MURDER HAPPENED AND THEN THE TRACKING OF THE VEHICLE LEAVING THERE, AND THEY CAUGHT THE VEHICLE DOWN THE ROAD BECAUSE THE SYSTEM IS CONNECTED.
SO WHEN, LIKE, IF, IF THERE'S A STOLEN VEHICLE THAT WE ENTER IT AND YOU PASS BY THAT TAG, IT'S GONNA NOTIFY US IMMEDIATELY.
THIS TAG JUST WENT BY AND IT'S LISTED AS STOLEN.
IT SENDS OUT AN EMAIL AND A TEXT MESSAGE.
SO OUR, LIKE PATROL DEPUTIES, FOR INSTANCE, THAT ARE OUT PATROLLING, THEY CAN CONNECT UP WITH THEIR PHONE AND RECEIVE THAT MESSAGE OR OVER THEIR MDC IN THEIR CAR, THEY CAN RECEIVE THAT MESSAGE AS IT'S HAPPENING.
SO WITHIN SECONDS OF THAT CAR PASSING BY, THEY NOW KNOW THIS IS THE CAR THAT WENT BY, THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
SO THEY KNOW THE AREA IT'S IN, THEY CAN PROCEED INTO THE AREA.
UH, IF NOT, PARK DOWN WHEN YOU TYPE IN A REPORT PARK IN A STRATEGIC SPOT WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE AMOUNT, THE THREE OR FOUR SECOND DELAY.
THE CAR'S PROBABLY GONNA BE IN THIS AREA.
SO I'M GONNA WRITE MY REPORT HERE AND SEE WHAT PASSES BY WHAT COMES UP ON MY PHONE AND, AND, AND, UM, UH, AND I SAW WHERE YOU, YOU ACTUALLY GONNA BE WORKING WITH, UM, UTILITY COMPANIES TO MAYBE UTILIZE THEIR POLES, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
SO I, I, I'M JUST, I'M TRYING TO IMAGINE, UM, ON AN AREA LIKE ST.
HELEN, UM, I DON'T WANT TO KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GONNA PUT IT, BUT I'M JUST TRYING TO IMAGINE THAT AND STUFF.
SO MAYBE ONE DAY I'LL JUST GIVE THE SHERIFF A CALL AND MAYBE HE MIGHT JUST UNVEIL TO ME WHERE I'D BE HAPPY TO SIT DOWN WITH YOU, SIR.
YEAH, I, I HAVE A VERY NICE MAP.
I'M REALLY GLAD TO SEE SOMETHING HAPPENING BECAUSE, UM, A LOT OF ELDERLY PEOPLE, I MEAN, JUST IN MY AREA, UM, FAMILY GATHERING, ET CETERA, AND THEN YOU GOT DRIVE BY SHOOTING AND, UM, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING.
UM, BUT HOPEFULLY WE CAN START DETERRING SOME OF THOSE ACTIONS FROM HAPPENING.
BUT I REALLY, I'M GLAD TO HEAR SOMETHING IS BEING DONE, HOW EFFECTIVE IT IS.
I HOPE YOU'LL COME BACK IN A YEAR OR SO TO TELL US THAT IS REALLY A CHANGE, SIR.
UH, I COULD TELL YOU WE HAVE ONE DEMO CAMERA RIGHT NOW.
UH, WE ACTUALLY WERE ABLE TO HELP SAVANNAH FIND A MURDER SUSPECT AND, AND WE WERE ABLE TO CAPTURE, I BELIEVE IT'S THREE OR FOUR STOLEN VEHICLES NOW.
AND A DEMENTIA PATIENT FROM SUN CITY WHO LEFT HER HOUSE WHILE HER HUSBAND WAS TAKING A SHOWER AND DROVE AWAY.
YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHERE SHE WENT.
SO I THINK, UM, IT CLEARLY SHOWS THEY WORK AND THAT WASN'T ME.
LEMME SAY, I KNOW THAT THE TOWN OF BLUFFING ACTUALLY HAS THIS TECHNOLOGY ALREADY AND THERE'S SOMETIMES THEY'VE CAUGHT PEOPLE AND I'VE SAID HOW IN THE WORLD, AND THEY'VE SAID THE LICENSE PLATE READERS THAT COME ACROSS.
SO AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S BEING EFFECTIVELY USED CURRENTLY AND WE HAVE SO MANY BRIDGES, EVERYTHING NARROWS DOWN TO THOSE AREAS.
SO THERE'S ONLY SO MANY PLACES ON 'EM IN AND OUTSIDE OF, UH, BEFORD COUNTY.
BUT WANT ME TO GET OFF THE, SO, UM, ALRIGHT.
UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, DAVID? ACTUALLY, UH, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS.
UM, ONE, LEMME FIRST SAY I, I KNOW WE ALL WANT TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS AND HELP LAW ENFORCEMENT AND, AND MAKE THIS COMMUNITY SAFER.
MY BIGGEST CONCERN THOUGH IS IN BALANCING THE LAW ENFORCEMENT ASPECT OF THIS.
HOW ARE Y'ALL BALANCING THE CIVIL LIBERTIES 'CAUSE THAT THOSE, THOSE CAMERAS ARE PICKING UP EVERYBODY'S LICENSE PLATES? I, I KNOW THERE'S NO EXPECTATION OF PRIVACY WHEN YOU'RE OUT ON THE ROAD, BUT HOW'S THIS DATA BEING STORED? HOW'S IT BEING ACCESSED? WHO HAS ACCESS TO IT? UM, JUST KIND OF THE MYRIAD, IS THERE ANY GUIDING LEGISLATION OUT THERE AS TO HOW THIS IS BEING MANAGED AND HANDLED FROM
[01:45:01]
THE STATE LEVEL? CONFER THAT TO GENERAL COUNSEL, SHERIFF.UM, SO RIGHT NOW IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, THERE IS NO LEGISLATION.
THERE WAS A PROPOSED BILL LAST YEAR THAT DID NOT MAKE IT OUT OF THE HOUSE REGARDING LEGISLATION.
SLED HAS A NETWORK OF ALPS THAT THEY'RE CURRENTLY BEING SUED OVER, UM, REGARDING A LACK OF LEGISLATION.
NOW, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SLED LAWSUIT AND WHAT WE ARE PLANNING TO DO IS SLED WAS STORING THE INFORMATION INDEFINITELY.
AND THIS IS THROUGHOUT THE STATEWIDE, WE'VE CONTRACTED WITH RECO AND RICOTTA.
IF WE, IF WE GO THROUGH WITH IT FOR A 30 DAY RETENTION PERIOD, THAT IS NOT GONNA BE OWNED BY THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
IT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO BE WITH A PRIVATE COMPANY THAT ALLEVIATES ANY CONCERNS, FOIBLE ISSUES, UM, WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
SO THE PERSONAL DATA THAT IS CONTAINED WITHIN THE APRS IS NOT GONNA BE A PUBLIC DOCUMENT UNDER FOIA.
IT IS GONNA BE WITH A THIRD PARTY HOUSE.
UM, WHO HAS ACCESS TO IT WITHIN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WILL BE REGULATED AND HOUSED BY THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
IT'S NOT GONNA BE EVERY SINGLE ROAD DEPUTY OR EVERY SINGLE EMPLOYEE OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAS ACCESS AND ACCOUNT TO LOG INTO ADA OR, OR, OR ADA OR RECO TO ACCESS THAT INFORMATION.
IT IS GONNA BE, UM, SENSITIVE INFORMATION.
OF COURSE, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS CIS COMPLIANCE.
THIS INFORMATION IS CGIS COMPLIANCE.
FOR THOSE OF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT CI STANDS FOR.
SO, UM, CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND I WROTE IT DOWN, CRIMINAL JUSTICE INFORMATION SERVICES.
SO ALL OF THAT INFORMATION IS STORED AND REGULATED PROCEDURES AS WELL.
UM, AND WILL BE REGULATED AS SUCH THROUGH RECO AND RICOTTA.
UM, AS FAR AS ANY SORT OF LEGAL CHALLENGES, OF COURSE, EVERYTHING THAT YOU KNOWINGLY EXPOSE TO THE PUBLIC, IE YOUR LICENSE PLATE, THERE'S NO FOURTH AMENDMENT PROTECTIONS THERE.
UM, THIS, A APRS HAVE BEEN LITIGATED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE ARE TRYING TO, UM, CREATE HERE IN BUFORT COUNTY.
WE'RE JUST SIMPLY MODELING EVERYTHING THAT IS BEING DONE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AS FAR AS APRS GO.
SO IT'S BEEN CHALLENGED AS OF RECENTLY.
THERE WAS A FOURTH CIRCUIT CASE THAT CAME DOWN IN OCTOBER 11TH WHERE IT UPHELD THE USE OF A LPR DATA IN CRIMINAL MATTERS.
SO FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, AS AS WELL, WE'RE NOT CONCERNED.
AND LIKE I SAID, I'M, I'M MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE CIVIL LIBERTY SIDE OF THINGS WITH THE MOSAIC THEORY TAKEN TO ACCOUNT, THE COLLECT MASS COLLECTION SURE.
AND DRAG NETTING OF PEOPLE'S INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR, THEIR GOINGS AND COMINGS.
YOU KNOW, THE EVERYDAY YOU CAN GATHER A LOT, YOU KNOW, I KNOW IT'S NOT QUITE AS, YOU KNOW, INTENSE AS A CELL PHONE HOOKING UP TO A, TO A TOWER.
BUT NONETHELESS, YOU CAN, YOU CAN DEVELOP A LOT OF INFORMATION AS PICKED UP FROM THOSE CAMERAS IN YOUR DAY-TO-DAY ACTIVITY, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
BUT AS FAR AS THE DRAG NETTING, THIS IS IN NO WAY COMPARISON TO A DRAG NET.
THESE ARE CENTRALIZED LOCATIONS THAT ARE GONNA BE PLACED IN A STRATEGIC MANNER BASED OFF OF STATISTICS, UH, WHERE CRIME IS GOING ON.
AND IT'S GONNA BE A POINT A, IT'S NOT GONNA BE A POINT A THROUGH Z, IT'S GONNA BE A POINT A AND THEN SOMEWHERE OVER HERE, IT'S GONNA BE ANOTHER LOCATION.
IT'S NOT GONNA BE SYSTEMATICALLY SET UP WHERE WE CAN TRACK YOU ALL THE WAY THROUGH.
UM, IT IS GONNA BE MORE SO, UH, A PLACE STRATEGICALLY BASED OFF OF HIGH CRIME AREAS.
AND AGAIN, TO COUNCIL MEMBER GLOVER'S POINT, YOU KNOW, SHERIFF HAS BEEN OUT TO THESE COMMUNITIES WHERE WE'VE HAD THESE CONSISTENT SHOTS FIRED DRIVE BY SHOOTINGS.
AND WE HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY AND THEY WANT TO KNOW WHY WE DON'T HAVE CAMERAS.
WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO MAKE SURE, WHO DO WE NEED TO TALK TO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THESE CAMERAS? WHAT FUNDING DO WE NEED? BECAUSE QUITE HONESTLY, THAT'S THE QUESTION THAT WE GET ASKED A LOT IS WHY ISN'T THERE MORE SURVEILLANCE? WHY ISN'T THERE MORE CAMERAS? WHY CAN'T WE CAPTURE THESE? I I WALKED IN THIS BUILDING HERE THIS MORNING AND SAW SURVEILLANCE ON THE, ON THE, ON THE CAMERAS OF THIS BUILDING WHEN I WALKED BY THE LITTLE DOME SECURITIES.
IT'S JUST THE REALITY OF TODAY'S WORLD.
AND YOU KNOW, THERE'S CERTAINLY CIVIL LIBERTIES AND THERE'S A BALANCING ACT AND I COMPLETELY APPRECIATE THAT FROM THE LEGAL PERSPECTIVE.
BUT WE'RE ALSO LAW ENFORCEMENT.
WE'RE ENTRUSTED WITH THE SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF INFORMATION THAT THE NORMAL, GENERAL PUBLIC IS NOT ENTRUSTED WITH.
AND THERE HAS TO BE SOME, UH, APPRECIATION FOR THAT.
AND I, AND I GUESS THE OTHER QUESTION, WITH THESE PARTICULAR TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE BEING BROUGHT FORWARD, WHAT ARE THE ERROR RATES FOR, FOR THESE TAG READERS? THAT, THAT I COULDN'T TELL YOU, BUT I, I WILL SAY, YOU KNOW, AS CAPTAIN BARRY HAD TALKED TO YOU ABOUT, AND HE MAY KNOW IT, BUT AS CAPTAIN BARRY HAD TALKED ABOUT, IF WE GET AN ERROR RATE FOR A TAG READER, SAY WE GET A POP ON A, ON A STOLEN VEHICLE, IT'S NOT GONNA BE AN AUTOMATIC PULL OUT, EBOLA WILL BE SENT OUT TO OUR DEPUTIES WHO WILL GET BEHIND THE VEHICLE, WILL RUN THE TAG AND MAKE SURE THAT THAT TAG IS ACTUALLY IN FACT COMING BACK TO A STOLEN VEHICLE AND THEN A PROBABLE CAUSE STOP WILL, WILL TAKE PLACE.
BUT THIS ISN'T GONNA BE, OH, WE'VE GOT A POP AND NOW WE AUTOMATICALLY HAVE PROBABLE CAUSE A STANDARD PURSUANT TO THE FOURTH AMENDMENT THAT JUSTIFIES A TRAFFIC STOP.
THEY'LL STILL NEED, NEED TO BE FURTHER DUE DILIGENCE.
WHAT WE ENVISION THESE, THESE APRS TO BE USED FOR IS PUBLIC SAFETY, OF COURSE.
SO YOUR STOLEN VEHICLES, YOUR AMBER ALERTS OF, OF CHILDREN STOLEN FROM DIFFERENT PLACES, YOUR MISSING PERSONS WITH DEMENTIA WHO HAVE LEFT THE FACILITIES.
WE HAD THE ONE SUN CITY LADY HARDY HAD THE PERSON WHO WENT MISSING THREE OR FOUR MONTHS AGO AGO THAT WAS POPPING UP ON FLOCKS, HARDY BILL CAMERAS, THOSE IDEAS.
AND THEN OF COURSE THE SHOTS FIRED WHERE WE GET A VEHICLE DESCRIPTION.
IF WE HAVE A CAMERA OUT THERE THAT CAN PICK UP A LPR AND AND COULD PICK UP A LICENSE PLATE, WE CAN RUN
[01:50:01]
THAT VEHICLE DESCRIPTION OF A GRAY FORD FOUR DOOR TRUCK THAT DROVE BY THIS PARTICULAR AREA IN A COUPLE HOUR TIMEFRAME AND GO BACK AND LOOK AT THOSE TRUCKS, SEE IF WE HAVE A LICENSE PLATE, WHO THE VEHICLE IS REGISTERED TO, REGISTERED TO, AND CONTINUE OUR INVESTIGATION AND CORROBORATE THAT INFORMATION AND GO FROM THERE.AND THE REASON I ASKED YOU ABOUT THE ERROR RATES IS MM-HMM.
AS CAPTAIN BARRETT EXPLAINED, THERE ARE THREE OR FOUR DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT CAMERA SYSTEMS THAT WE REVIEWED.
WE FEEL LIKE CORP AND ADA FIT OUR NEEDS MORE FOR THE CITIZENS OF BUFORD COUNTY.
THEIR TECHNOLOGY IS SIGNIFICANTLY MORE ADVANCED IN OUR OPINION, THAN FLOCK.
UM, THAT'S NOT TO TALK BAD ABOUT FLOCK, ANYBODY'S GOING WITH FLOCK.
IT MAY BE FLOCK THAT THEY'RE REFERENCING IN HERE.
BUT I GUESS THAT LEADS ME TO MY NEXT POINT IS BOTH OF THESE SYSTEMS INTEGRATE AI.
HOW IS THAT BEING REGULATED? HOW IS AI BEING REGULATED? LIKE WHERE, WHAT SYSTEM IS THAT? WHO'S INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY? IS THAT AI THAT WOULD BE THE COMPANY'S INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY.
AND ARE WE GONNA BE ABLE TO SEE THE CONTRACTS THAT Y'ALL ARE ENTERING PRIOR TO ENTERING THEM? Y'ALL WILL PROBABLY, Y'ALL WILL BE ABLE TO SEE THE CONTRACT.
CERTAINLY AS FAR AS THE LOCATIONS OF WHERE WE'RE GONNA BE PUTTING A LPR, PROBABLY NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO SEE CONTRACT.
BUT AS FAR AS THE ACTUAL CONTRACT, SURE WE CAN YOU A COPY OF THE CONTRACTS THAT'S NOT, AND SHOULD WE APPROVE THIS AND, AND MOVE IT FORWARD THROUGH THE
'CAUSE I KNOW WE GOT A, YOU KNOW RIGHT.
BUT IF WE MOVE FORWARD WITH IT, SINCE THERE IS NO GUIDING LEGISLATION FROM THE STATE, I THINK IT'D BE ADVISABLE TO PUT TOGETHER A CITIZENS TASK FORCE COMMITTEE, HAVE WHATEVER YOU WANNA CALL IT, AND HAVE THE COMMUNITY SET THE STANDARDS FOR, FOR HOW THAT DATA'S STORED AND HOW IT'S, HOW IT'S PROCESSED AND THE LIMITATIONS AND HOW THE COMMUNITY COME IN AND, AND MANAGE THAT.
OR AGAINST THE EXPECTATIONS THEREOF.
WELL, WELL AGAIN, YOU'RE TALKING AGAIN, LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS DATA THAT IS SENSITIVE SPECIFICALLY TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.
SO YOU'RE ESSENTIALLY IMPLYING SOME SORT OF MOUTH FEES AND SOME MISFEASANCE ON BEHALF OF LAW ENFORCEMENT.
DATA, I'M SAYING IT IMPACTS ALL OF US.
AND THIS IS A ADVANCING TECHNOLOGY THAT WE'RE IMPLEMENTING HERE.
AND WE NEED TO HAVE A FRAMEWORK OF GUIDANCE OF HOW THIS TECHNOLOGY'S GONNA BE USED BECAUSE THE SLIPPERY SLOPE ARGUMENT, BECAUSE NEXT, NOW YOU HAVE THE, NOW YOU HAVE THE CAMERAS UP, WHAT'S GONNA STOP US FROM 10 YEARS FROM NOW, 15 YEARS, FROM 15 YEARS FROM NOW, FROM HAVING, UM, FACIAL RECOGNI TION SOFTWARE ON THE CAMERAS.
WELL, THAT SAME ARGUMENT COULD BE MADE WITH ANY CAMERAS IN ANY
WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY NOW TO ADDRESS IT.
AND SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS SINCE THERE'S NO LEGISLATION FOR GUIDANCE AT THE STATE LEVEL, IF WE'RE GONNA BE DOING THIS, I THINK IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET THE COMMUNITY INVOLVED TO, TO PUT SOME FRAMEWORKS IN THERE AND SOME BOUNDARIES.
WELL, I BELIEVE THE FRAMEWORK THAT WE HAVE, WE'RE, WE'RE CONTRACTING WITH A PRIVATE COMPANY.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, TO, TO CONTRACT WITH A PRIVATE COMPANY, IT'S, IT'S TRYING TO FIND A COMPANY THAT'S FLEXIBLE AND AND MODIFYING THEIR TERMS WITH THE CONTRACT.
AGAIN, WE'VE, WE'VE AGREED WITH CORP, IF WE GO THROUGH WITH THIS CONTRACT TO MAINTAIN THE DATA FOR 30 DAYS, LOOKING AT STATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE LEGISLATION DEALING WITH APR A LPRS, THE DATA MAINTAIN BETWEEN 120 DAYS TO 30 DAYS.
SO WE'RE ALREADY GOING ON THE FRONT END OF THAT 30 DAYS WHERE WE'RE BEING ADVANTAGEOUS ON AS FAR AS HOW LONG SHOULD WE STORE THIS DATA.
NOT ONLY THAT, AGAIN, WITH THE DATA ITSELF, IT'S GOING TO BE REGULATED AND RESTRICTED TO ONLY CERTAIN PERSONNEL WHO HAVE ACCESS TO IT.
SO WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL AND SENSITIVE AS TO WHAT WE ARE ACTUALLY EXPOSING TO THE COMMUNITY AS FAR AS REGULATIONS AND INFORMATION THAT WE'RE PROVIDING.
ARE WE GIVING THE COMMUNITY TOO MUCH INFORMATION THAT THEY DON'T SIMPLY NEED TO KNOW ABOUT IN THIS SITUATION? YEAH, IT'S, IT'S ALPR.
IT'S FOR PUBLIC SAFETY PURPOSES ONLY.
THERE'S NO OTHER, YOU KNOW, NO OTHER USE FOR IT, QUITE FRANKLY, OTHER THAN FOR PUBLIC SAFETY PURPOSES.
WELL, I I I, IN MY LIMITED RESEARCH I HAVE READ WHERE THEY HAVE BEEN ABUSED, WHERE PEOPLE HAVE GONE ON THEIR OWN PERSONAL VENDETTA AND, AND I DON'T KNOW THIS COMPANY.
WHO INTERNALLY HAS ACCESS TO THAT DATABASE? WELL, I GUESS THE ONLY THING I WOULD SAY IS WALKING IN HERE THIS MORNING WITH THE, OR THIS AFTERNOON WITH THE SURVEILLANCE VIDEOS, DOES COUNTY COUNCIL KNOW WHO HAS ACCESS TO YOUR SURVEILLANCE VIDEOS? HOW LONG IT'S BEEN RECORDED? I THINK Y'ALL WHO ALL, WHO ALL QUESTION.
EVERYTHING IS RIGHT FOR ABUSE LAW ENFORCEMENT THOUGH, UNLIKE ANYBODY ELSE, HAS ACCESS TO SENSITIVE INFORMATION.
I HAVE ACCESS TO INFORMATION THAT YOU DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THROUGH CGIS.
WE ALREADY HAVE THOSE REGULATIONS IN PLACE.
WE HAVE A STATEWIDE GANG DATABASE, WE HAVE A DNA DATABASE, WE HAVE ALL SORTS OF DATABASES THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO THAT THE GENERAL PUBLIC DOES NOT HAS ANYTHING POTENTIAL FOR TO BE ABUSED.
BUT YOU'RE ASSUMING THAT IT WILL BE ABUSED.
THERE'S NO, I I CAN'T TELL YOU IN GOOD FAITH THAT THERE'S NOT A POTENTIAL FOR SOMETHING TO BE ABUSED IF IT WANTS TO BE ABUSED.
IF YOU HAVE A BAD ACT, THERE'S NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE THAT WOULD PREVENT ABUSE OTHER THAN PUTTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES IN PLACE THAT WE ALREADY HAVE THROUGHOUT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE THAT WILL CONTINUE TO BE THROUGHOUT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO PREVENT ANY POTENTIAL ABUSE.
[01:55:01]
COMES DOWN TO TRUSTING THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.LOOK, HILTON HAD BEAUFORT CITY BLUFF AND ALL HAVE THIS.
I'M QUITE SURE YOU'VE TALKED TO ALL OF THEM.
YES, I WAS A LITTLE ASTOUNDED WHEN I READ THIS THAT WE DON'T HAVE IT AND THEY ALL DO.
I THOUGHT WE WERE KIND OF THE LEADER IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, SO OKAY.
BUT I'M QUITE SURE THEY'VE ALL TOLD YOU WHAT THEY DO AND IF WE FIND OUT THERE'S AN ISSUE, IT'LL COME BACK TO US.
BUT I TRUST THAT THEY'RE GONNA DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO.
MY SON'S IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, THEY HAVE IT.
THEY DIDN'T GO TO A COMMUNITY TO ASK, HOW DO YOU LIKE IT OR WHAT SHOULD WE DO? IT'S PART OF LAW ENFORCEMENT.
SO, AND I CAN TELL YOU, SIR, THAT THE, THERE IS AN AUDIT TRAIL WITHIN BOTH THESE COMPANY SOFTWARE PROGRAMS THAT I CAN LOOK AT ANY POINT AND SEE WHO ACCESSED ANYTHING.
AND I HAVE IT DESIGNED IN SUCH A WAY THAT IN ORDER FOR ANY OF THE LIMITED NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO WILL HAVE ACCESS TO SEARCH SOMETHING, IF THEY WANT TO SEARCH SOMETHING, THEY MUST CONNECT IT TO AN ACTIVE INVESTIGATION CASE NUMBER.
SO IT'S A WAY FOR ME TO GO AND MONTHLY AUDIT WHAT EVERYBODY IS LOOKING AT AND, AND LITERALLY MAKE SURE THAT ONLY PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT THINGS THAT THEY SHOULD BE LOOKING AT.
WILL YOUR CONTRACT DEFINE EXACTLY WHERE THESE CAMERAS AND READERS ARE GONNA GO? NO, SIR.
DON'T YOU? DO YOU HAVE THE LAW HERE? AND I DON'T KNOW, I ONLY KNOW FROM OHIO THAT IF AN OFFICER TURNS THEIR LIGHTS ON, THEIR BUBBLES ON, THEY HAVE TO HAVE A REASON THEY DON'T GET TO JUST RUN YOUR PLATE JUST BECAUSE THEY DON'T LIKE YOU.
UM, IS THAT SAME HERE? THERE HAS TO BE SOME TYPE OF REASONABLE SUSPICION.
SO I MEAN, THEY WOULDN'T, YOU CAN'T USE THIS JUST BECAUSE YOU WANT TO USE IT.
NO, WITH THE WAY THAT WE, THIS ISN'T GONNA BE, UH, A CARD RIDES THROUGH A-A-O-P-R AND WE CHECK TO SEE IF IT'S A TAG IS EXPIRED.
WE DON'T HAVE SOMEBODY SITTING, THEY'RE MONITORING THESE CAMERAS 24 7 TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.
WE HAVE IT SET UP TO BE ABLE TO, WE HAVE 30 DAY WINDOW IF WE GO THROUGH WITH THIS CONTRACT, IF WE HAVE A SHOOTING OR A DRIVE BY SHOOTING, WE'VE GOT 30 DAYS HOPEFULLY, TO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY A SUSPICIOUS VEHICLE OR A VEHICLE THAT WAS INVOLVED IN THE SHOOTING TO GO BACK THROUGH OUR A LPR TO SEE IF WE COULD FIND A VEHICLE THAT MATCHES IT AND HOPEFULLY GETS CAUGHT ON AN A LPR AND THEN WE CONDUCT OUR INVESTIGATION AND CORROBORATE THAT INFORMATION.
OR IF SOMEBODY'S DRIVING IN A STOLEN VEHICLE WITH A STOLEN LICENSE PLATE AND IT GOES THROUGH A-A-L-P-R, IT'S GONNA POP UP.
AND I WOULD ASSUME THAT WE ALL WANT THOSE STOLEN VEHICLES CALLED, AND, AND THIS IS NOT A SITUATION WHERE WE'RE SITTING THERE MONITORING CAMERAS, SPYING ON INDIVIDUALS OR CITIZENS OF BUFORT COUNTY.
WE DON'T HAVE THE TIME, NOR DO WE HAVE SORT OF DESIRE TO DO THAT.
THIS IS SOLELY FOR A PUBLIC SAFETY PURPOSE.
DON'T, AND LOOK, I UNDERSTAND THAT, AND THAT SOUNDS LIKE A, A GOOD JUSTIFICATION FOR THE APPLICATION OF THIS TECHNOLOGY.
MY CONCERN IS, LIKE I SAID, THE 5, 10, 15 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, WHAT IS HE GONNA BE USED FOR? WELL, WHAT'S, WHAT'S HE GOING TO EXPAND TO? WE DON'T KNOW.
WE, I CAN'T PREDICT THE FUTURE.
I WISH I COULD HAVE A VERY RICH MAN, WHICH IS WHY WE NEED TO BE TALKING ABOUT IT NOW.
WELL, I'M KIND OF ALARMED THAT NOBODY ELSE, THERE'S GONNA BE LEGISLATION 5, 10, 15 YEARS FROM NOW THAT IS GOING TO JUSTIFY OR ENHANCE OR DE DETAIN OR DETRACT FROM WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.
AND I THINK THAT LEADS ME TO MY LAST POINT THAT I BELIEVE THE STATE HOUSE I TALKED TO MEMBERS OF, OF OUR DELEGATION TODAY, I THINK THEY'RE ACTUALLY TAKING THIS ISSUE BACK UP NEXT YEAR.
AND AS SUCH, I DON'T THINK I CAN GET BEHIND ALLOCATING ARPA FUNDS ON THIS WITHOUT THE REGULATION FROM THE STATE AND THE FACT THEY'RE PICKING IT BACK UP.
WITH THAT, CAN I CALL THE QUESTION PLEASE? UH, YES.
UH, WE HAVE A WHOLE AGENDA YOU CALL THE QUESTION.
AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE THIS COMMENT ON DEFENSE OF, UM, OF THE SHERIFF.
AND I DON'T, I DON'T, HE DOESN'T NEED MY ME DEFENDING HIM, BUT I I WOULD SAY THIS, THAT, UM, THE SHERIFF RIGHT NOW HAS CAMERAS ALL OVER THE COUNTY AND, UM, UH, THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THERE ARE TRAFFIC VIOLATION, LAWYERS ARE ASKING FOR THOSE CAMERAS, THOSE VIDEOS.
THE SHERIFF HAS SAID NO TO THAT.
HE DOES NOT WANT TO GET INVOLVED, UH, IN THAT KIND OF LITIGATION.
SO LAWYERS GONNA HAVE TO FIND OUT ON THEIR OWN WHAT HAPPENED.
UM, SO I TRUST THE POLICY OF THE SHERIFF, UH, AT THIS TIME.
AND, UM, IF HE'S MOVING THIS FORWARD, UH, HE'S GOING TO BASICALLY DO THE RIGHT THING AND USE IT FOR THAT PUR PURPOSE AND STUFF.
AND THAT'S REALLY TO DE UM, TO DEAL WITH A LOT OF SHOOTING AND DRIVE-BYS AND STUFF.
AND TO THAT POINT, IF I MAY, JUST FOR, 'CAUSE WE'RE IN A PUBLIC SETTING AND EVERYTHING'S BEING RECORDED, WE DON'T RECORD RIGHT NOW ON OUR TRAFFIC CAMERAS.
SO FOR ANY OF THE CIVIL ATTORNEYS THAT WANT TO GET A LAWSUIT GOING, WE DON'T RECORD.
SO PLEASE DON'T SEND US ANY SUBPOENAS OR FOR YOUR REQUESTS.
THE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT CAMERAS DO NOT RECORD THE FLAT CAMERAS.
THE A LP OR THE ALPS WILL RECORD, THEY WILL STORE DATA FOR 30 DAYS.
THEY'LL BE HELD BY A PRIVATE COMPANY THAT WILL BE ACCESSIBLE ONLY TO BCSO EMPLOYEES THAT
[02:00:01]
ARE DESIGNATED BY CAPTAIN BAIRD AND THROUGH ALL THE TRAIL.ALRIGHT, LET'S, UH, YOU'S NO MORE DISCUSSION.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND, AND, UH, CALL THIS, UM, UH, AND, AND OBVIOUSLY DAVID, YOU'VE MENTIONED, UM, BEING AGAINST IT.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT OBJECTS TO WE NEED TO DO A ROLL CALL ON THIS? NO.
SO THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITH ONE OBJECTION AND THAT'S MR. BARTHOLOMEW.
WE'LL PUSH THIS TO COUNTY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL, UM, TO BE APPROVED FOR FUNDS.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN HERE TWO HOURS.
UH, WE PROBABLY HAVE ANOTHER HOUR TO GO WITH THE 10 THINGS THAT WE'VE GOT REMAINING.
UM, DO WE NEED TO TAKE A BREAK? IS EVERYONE GOOD TO GO? YEAH, LET'S MOVE.
SO CAPTAIN BARRETT, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
I JUST WALK OFF, WAS WAITING FOR THIS ONE MINUTE.
AND AGAIN, I, I LISTEN AS FINANCE, UM, COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN, I ALWAYS TRY TO LET THE DISCUSSIONS GO AS LONG AS THEY NEED TO GO.
SO SOMETIMES WE'RE HERE A LITTLE LONGER, SO I APPRECIATE THE, THE PATIENCE FROM STAFF AND EVERYONE ELSE THAT'S HERE.
UM, SO AGAIN, WE WILL TRY TO MOVE THROUGH OUR OTHER ITEMS. IT MIGHT BE ONE OR TWO THAT HAS A LONGER DISCUSSION, BUT LET'S GO AHEAD.
NUMBER 11, RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO COUNSEL OF RESOLUTION AMENDING THE BEAUFORT COUNTY PERSONNEL HANDBOOKS POLICY SECTION 4.2 HOLIDAYS AND HOLIDAY PAY AS AMENDED TO ADD JUNETEENTH NATIONAL INDEPENDENCE DAY AS A CO COUNTY OBSERVED HOLIDAY.
UM, MS. CATHERINE MEAD, WHO IS OUR BEAUFORT COUNTY HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR.
AND SECOND, FIRST, SO I WILL BE VERY, SO LET, LEMME WE NEED A MOTION, PLEASE.
I'LL MAKE, MAKE THE MOTION AND A SECOND.
ON JUNETEENTH NATIONAL INDEPENDENCE DAY IS RECOGNIZED EVERY YEAR ON JUNE 19TH, WE ARE ASKING FOR US TO AMEND OUR HOLIDAY SCHEDULE TO INCLUDE THIS IN FOR OUR COUNTY EMPLOYEES TO OBSERVE AS A PAID HOLIDAY.
IF THE HOLIDAY WAS TO FALL ON A SATURDAY, WE WOULD OBSERVE ON FRIDAY.
IF IT IS TO FALL ON A SUNDAY, WE WOULD OBSERVE ON MONDAY.
UM, AND JUST A TIDBIT OF NOTE HERE, EVERYONE IN OUR, UH, COUNTY, THE LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES ARE RECOGNIZING THIS HOLIDAY IN ADDITION TO JASPER COUNTY AND CHARLESTON COUNTY.
SO I'LL OPEN THE FLOOR FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
ARE ANY DISCUSSION, ANY QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT.
UM, WE WILL PASS THIS WITHOUT OBJECTION.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION? NO SEEING NO OBJECTION.
THIS WILL BE MOVED TO COUNTY COUNCIL.
THANK YOU MS. MEAD FOR BEING HERE.
LET'S MOVE ON THEN TO NUMBER 12.
UH, RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO COUNCIL OF RESOLUTION, ACCEPTING THE DONATIONS OF A LIVE OAK TREE AT WHITEHALL PARK FROM THE FRIENDS OF WHITEHALL PARK.
AND MS. NAGAR, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
THANK YOU FOR BEING NO MOTION.
AND SECOND OH, WHEN I DO THAT, I'LL MOTION IT.
YOU JUST WANT TO JUMP DECK? I
ALRIGHT, NOW, UH, SUPER SIMPLE.
UM, THERE WAS A TREE THAT FELL IN DECEMBER OF 2023.
DURING THE CHRISTMAS STORMS, I WAS A VERY LARGE TREE.
UH, THE FRIENDS OF WHITEHALL PARK HAD FUNDING FROM DONATIONS THAT THEY WANNA REPLACE IT.
THEY WERE, AT THE TIME THAT I SUBMITTED THE A IS THEY WERE ANTICIPATING REPLACING IT ON ARBOR DAY, WHICH WAS DECEMBER 6TH.
HOWEVER, THE CONTRACTOR THEY HIRED TO, UM, BUY THE TREE FROM AND INSTALL IT HAD AVAILABILITY, UM, AND TIMING, UH, LAST FRIDAY.
SO THE TREE'S ACTUALLY ALREADY BEEN INSTALLED, BUT THE FRIENDS DID FULLY FUND AND PAY FOR THE INSTALLATION OF THE TREE.
IT DOES STILL FALL UNDER THE CITY OF BUFORD'S MAINTENANCE POLICY OR MAINTENANCE LEASE FOR THE PARK.
UM, SO THE CITY, THE FRIENDS, COUNTY STAFF ARE ALL IN AGREEMENT THAT THIS IS A GOOD THING AND WE HOPE TO CELEBRATE ITS PLANTING IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
ALRIGHT, ANY MORE DISCUSSION? ALRIGHT.
WE WILL THEN APPROVE THIS WITHOUT OBJECTION AND SEEING NO OBJECTION.
RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO COUNCIL OF AN ORDINANCE TO INVEST $4.3 MILLION FROM THE GENERAL FUND IN AN INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT AS BEAUFORT EXECUTIVE AIRPORT TO FUND CONSTRUCTION OF AIRCRAFT HANGERS.
UM, AND, UH, MR. REBEL, UM, WE'VE GOT YOU HERE.
DO I NEED A MOTION FIRST? I'LL MAKE THE MOTION.
ALRIGHT, UM, OPEN THIS UP FOR DISCUSSION AND A PRESENTATION.
SHE'LL ONLY TAKE 45 MINUTES TO AN HOUR.
SO,
BE QUICK, RIGHT? UM, NO, JUST TO REFRESH YOUR MEMORY, WE CAME, WE'RE BEFORE YOU ABOUT A MONTH AGO AND GOT SOME GOOD FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMITTEE.
AND WE'VE SINCE, UH, KIND OF RETOOLED OUR, UH, OUR NARRATIVE AND OUR REQUEST.
SO I'LL GO THROUGH SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THE PACKET THAT YOU'VE GOT.
UH, FIRST TO REFRESH YOUR MEMORY OUT AT BEAUFORT EXECUTIVE AIRPORT.
NOW, UH, THAT'S BEEN THE CASE FOR OVER THE LAST, UH, PROBABLY ABOUT THE LAST 15 TO 18 YEARS.
[02:05:01]
AT 100% OCCUPANCY, AND WE'VE ALWAYS HAD A WAITING LIST.WE'VE CURRENTLY GOT A WAITING LIST OF 68 PEOPLE, UM, WHICH EQUATES TO PROBABLY ABOUT A 22 YEAR WAIT.
YES,
SO, UM, IT'S, UH, IT'S A, IT'S A HIGH DEMAND FOR A HANGAR SPACE AND IT'S, IT IS TOUGH TO GET THAT.
UM, WE ALSO FILL UP THE AIRCRAFT PARKING APRON, UH, QUITE OFTEN, ESPECIALLY IN, IN THE SPRING OF THE FALL.
THEY'RE REAL BUSY TIMES A YEAR.
UH, WE JUST, UH, TWO WEEKENDS AGO DID THE SOUTH CAROLINA BREAKFAST CLUB.
WE HOSTED THE BREAKFAST CLUB, WHICH IS A FLY IN SOCIAL EVENT ON SUNDAY MORNING.
WE HAD 38, UH, AIRPLANES FLY IN WHO ARE NOT BASED HERE.
SO WE COMPLETELY FILLED OUR PAVED APRON.
AND WE HAD, I THINK, 10 TO 12 AIRCRAFT IN THE, THE GRASS AREA.
SO WE WERE INTO OVERFLOW, UH, GRASS PARKING.
SO ADDITIONAL HANGERS PUT SOME OF OUR TENANTS WHO ARE CURRENTLY TIED DOWN INTO THE HANGERS AND THEN FREEZE UP SOME OF THE APRON SPACE.
BUT THE REVENUE FROM THE, THAT HANGAR PROJECT ALSO WILL HELP US TO EXPAND THE, THE APRON AREA FOR ADDITIONAL PARKING, THE SITE WORK CONTRACT.
SO THE, THE WORK THAT WILL BRING THAT PROJECT UP TO, UH, PAD LEVEL, BUT NOT SLAB LEVEL YET HAS BEEN, UH, APPROVED.
AND WE'LL BE AWARDING THAT SOON.
THAT'S FULLY FUNDED BY SOUTH CAROLINA AERONAUTICS COMMISSION GRANT AND ARPA FUNDS AT THE AIRPORT HAD AVAILABLE.
AND SO WITH THAT HAPPENING SOON, UM, WE THINK THAT THE BEST COURSE OF ACTIONS TO FOLLOW THROUGH AND COMPLETE THE VERTICAL COMPONENT OF THIS, SO THAT WE DO HAVE ADDITIONAL HANGERS OPEN FOR, UH, FOR AIRCRAFT USE.
A FEW LESSER KNOWN FACTS ABOUT THE AIRPORT THAT I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND.
WE DO HAVE A, UH, CIVIL AIR PATROL, UH, SQUADRON WHO'S ACTIVE, UH, OUT OF BUFORD EXECUTIVE AIRCRAFT.
THEY DO BASE AN AIRCRAFT THERE.
WE DO NOT CHARGE THEM ANY FEES TO TIE DOWN.
IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A GOOD SERVICE TO HAVE OUT THERE.
IT SERVES, UH, DURING A STORM AFTERMATH.
THEY DO, UH, DAMAGE ASSESSMENT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF OTHER, UH, FUNCTIONS THAT THEY PERFORM WHEN THEY'RE NOT STORMS. UM, WE ALSO HOUSE MECU CONTROL.
UH, THEY'VE GOT A HANGER ON THE AIRPORT.
UM, THEY DO NOT PAY A GROUND LEASE.
IT IS ON AIRPORT PROPERTY, BUT THEY DON'T PAY A GROUND LEASE THERE.
SO IT'S ANOTHER, IT'S A PUBLIC HEALTH FUNCTION THAT THE AIRPORT SERVES THERE FREE OF CHARGE.
UH, AND WE DO HAVE SOME GREAT SERVICE BY THE BEAUFORT COUNTY, UM, SHERIFF'S OFFICE OUT THERE.
THEY'VE GOT A SUBSTATION IN OUR TERMINAL IN AN AREA THAT WOULD BE OTHERWISE A RENTABLE LEASEABLE SPACE THAT WE DO NOT CHARGE, UH, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT FOR.
WE CERTAINLY LOVE TO HAVE THEIR PRESENCE OUT THERE.
IT'S A FANTASTIC DETERRENT TO HAVE THEIR, THEIR CARS IN THE PARKING LOT AND HAVE THEIR PERSONNEL OUT AT THE AIRPORT.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE THE BEFORD COUNTY SHERIFF'S AVIATION DEPARTMENT OUT THERE.
YOU KNOW, IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, THEY STARTED AN AVIATION DEPARTMENT AND A COLONEL BAXLEY FLIES, UH, THE HELICOPTER OUT THERE.
AND THAT'S A, A PRIME PIECE OF ROAD OF HIGHWAY FRONT PROPERTY ON HIGHWAY 21, UH, THAT IS AVAILABLE TO THEM AT NO RENT AND NO GROUND LEASE CHARGE AS WELL.
SO I JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT.
THOSE ARE FOREGONE REVENUE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE AIRPORT.
UM, THE, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT LAST TIME ABOUT THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX REVENUES THAT COME IN FROM THE, UH, FROM THE AIRCRAFT THAT ARE BASED THERE.
WE TALKED WITH, UM, THE, THE AUDITOR AND GOT SOME GOOD FIGURES FROM THE AUDITOR'S DEPARTMENT.
AND CURRENTLY BOTH AIRPORTS TOGETHER WITH THE BASE AIRCRAFT GENERATE JUST OVER A MILLION DOLLARS IN PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES, UH, FROM AIRCRAFT.
ABOUT 40% OF THAT IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO BEAUFORT EXECUTIVE AIRCRAFT OR BEAUFORT EXECUTIVE AIRPORT.
AND SO AFTER THE, FROM THE LAST 10 YEARS, THAT EQUATES TO ABOUT ALMOST TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF AIRCRAFT PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX REVENUES FROM BEAUFORT EXECUTIVE AIRPORT INTO THE GENERAL FUND.
AND NONE OF THAT IS RE REINVESTED INTO THE AIRPORT CURRENTLY.
WE HOPE TO CHANGE THAT AT A FUTURE MEETING.
UM, WE DO GET ASKED VERY FREQUENTLY BY TENANTS AT THE AIRPORT, UM, ABOUT THAT PROPERTY TAX BECAUSE THEY ASK US QUESTIONS ABOUT MAINTENANCE PROJECTS AT THE AIRPORT AND THE PROLONGED SCHEDULE FOR SOME OF THOSE.
UM, AND SO OUR QUE OUR ANSWER TO THEM IS THAT, THAT YES, THEY DO PAY PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES, BUT NO, THE AIRPORT DOESN'T BENEFIT FROM THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES.
SO THEY, THEY ARE TUNED INTO THIS AND THEY ARE EXCITED TO SEE THIS PROJECT GO, HOPEFULLY.
SO, UM, THAT'S, UH, SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO.
WE ALSO KIND OF DID A ROUGH PROJECTION THAT AS WE BUILD OUT THIS PROJECT AND FILL THOSE HANGERS, WE WOULD INCREASE THE NUMBER OF, UH, BASED AIRCRAFT BY SOMEWHERE AROUND 15 TO 20%.
THAT'S GONNA EQUATE TO SOMEWHERE
[02:10:01]
BETWEEN, UM, 90 AND A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN ADDITIONAL PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX.AND THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A GUESS BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT TYPE OF AIRCRAFT WOULD GO IN THERE.
IT COULD, IT COULD, YOU KNOW, VARY WIDELY DEPENDING ON WHAT GOES IN THERE.
SO IT COULD VASTLY OUTPACE OUR, OUR PREDICTIONS.
UM, AND SO TO KIND OF COME FULL CIRCLE, WE DID GET SOME GOOD FEEDBACK LAST TIME AT THIS MEETING.
SO LIKE I SAID, WE WENT BACK THROUGH AND KIND OF RETOOL OUR PROPOSAL.
WE STILL PRESENTED YOU WITH THREE OPTIONS.
WE DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE THE, THE OPTION OF THE, THE FULL INVESTMENT IN THE, OF THE PROJECT OFF THE TABLE JUST IN CASE YOU HAD A, A, UH, EUREKA MOMENT IN THE LAST MONTH.
BUT WE DID, UM, TAKE SOME OF THAT ADVICE AND PUT TOGETHER KIND OF A 50 50 SPLIT OPTION, WHICH YOU SEE IN THERE.
SO THAT, THAT WOULD SPLIT THAT $4.3 MILLION, UH, RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE.
AND THERE WOULD BE THE INVESTMENT FROM THE GENERAL FUND OF 2.15 MILLION AND THEN THERE WOULD BE A, A, UH, LONG-TERM LOAN TO THE AIRPORT FOR THE ADDITIONAL 2.15 MILLION THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO COMPLETE THAT PROJECT.
SO WHEN I'M READING THE BACKUP DOCUMENTATION, IT SAYS THE PREFERRED OPTION IS ONE, BUT I'M HEARING THAT TWO IS MORE ADVANTAGEOUS.
AND SO YOU'RE PROPOSING OPTION TWO RATHER THAN ONE BASED ON THE FEEDBACK WE PROPOSE.
OPTION TWO, CERTAINLY THE AIRPORT WOULD PREFER OPTION ONE, BUT WE REALIZE IN IN REALITY OPTION TWO IS PROBABLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT BASED ON FEEDBACK FROM COMMITTEE.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO AMEND THIS TO SAY THAT THE, THE RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO ADOPT OPTION TWO.
IS THERE A SECOND FOR THAT? I'LL SECOND THAT.
ALRIGHT, SO WE HAVE A, YEAH, WHAT WAS THE ORIGINAL MOTION? IT'S THE ORIGINAL MOTION, BUT IT SPECIFIES THAT OPTION TWO IS THE ONE THAT WE WANT TO INCLUDE IN THE APPROVAL TO COUNTY COUNCIL.
SO I DO HAVE A QUESTION ON THAT.
I, I'M UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE INTEREST RATE OF 0.5%.
AND I'M, I'M NOT SURE THE PUBLIC WOULD THINK THAT'S OKAY TO LOAN THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR 30 YEARS AT A HALF OF A PERCENT.
AND I, I SEE THE TABLE ON PAGE 81.
THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT, THE DEBT SERVICE, I WAS LOOKING MORE AT A 2% INTEREST.
WELL, FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE, WE DID PROVIDE A TABLE IN THE, THE NARRATIVE THAT THAT'S SPELLS OUT SEVERAL DIFFERENT INTEREST RATES.
SO, BUT WE WANT TO BREAK THAT DOWN JUST SO THAT YOU COULD SEE IF, IF YOU WANTED TO CHOOSE A, UH, A DIFFERENT INTEREST RATE THERE, IT WOULD SHOW YOU WHAT THAT DEBT SERVICE WOULD BE AND THEN YOU KNOW WHAT THE REVENUE WOULD BE TO THE AIRPORT.
'CAUSE THIS GOES TO COUNSEL FOR FIRST READING OF THE ORDINANCE.
AND THEN WE COULD ASK QUESTIONS TO ASK YOU TO DO CERTAIN OTHER THINGS BEFORE WE ADOPT THAT.
BUT THE, THE IDEA IS TO DO OPTION TWO, WHICH IS A HALF THIS, HALF THAT CORRECT.
AND WHAT HAPPENS TO THE UNSTRUCTURED LOAN THAT STALLONE'S STILL ON OUR BOOKS? WE IT'S STILL ON THE BOOKS.
SO ARE WE EVER GONNA STRUCTURE IT? WE CAN BRING THAT BACK TO YOU ALL.
BUT WE TOOK THAT OUT OF THIS BECAUSE IT WAS A BIT CONFUSING.
I MEAN, NOW THAT WE FOUND IT OUT THERE, WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF IT.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THE NEW CFO MENTIONED TO ME IS WE MIGHT WANNA LOOK AT THAT AGAIN.
SO WE WILL LOOK AT THAT AGAIN.
SO WE NEED TO VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT TO SEE IF THAT'S GONNA PASS TO DO OPTION TWO AND THEN VOTE ON THE WHERE DO YOU WANNA CHANGE IT? MINE SAYS OPTION, CORRECT.
I KNOW IT SAYS OPTION TWO THERE, BUT THE BACKUP DOCUMENTATION SAYS THE PREFERRED OPTION IS ONE.
THAT'S WHAT THEY WOULD PREFER HONOR.
I THINK YOU NEED A MOTION TO AMEND ANYTHING.
I JUST NEED TO MAKE A MOTION AS TO WHICH OPTION YOU COMMEND THE COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL IS ALL YOU HAVE TO DO.
AND THEN WITHIN THAT OPTION, ARE YOU HAPPY WITH THE TERM OF YEARS BEING 30 YEARS? ARE YOU HAPPY WITH THE INTEREST RATE BEING HALF PERCENT OF AN INTEREST RATE FOR THOSE 30 YEARS? AND ARE YOU HAPPY WITH $2.15 MILLION BEING THE LOAN OVER 30 YEARS? THOSE THREE THINGS ARE THE MAIN THING, RIGHT? YOU CAN SEE IN THE BACKUP THERE IN THE, IN THE PROJECT
AND, AND THAT'S WHY I SAID I HAD TO AMEND BECAUSE THE MOTION WAS JUST WHAT WAS READ.
THE MOTION SAYS YOU PUT IT ALL FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
WELL, LET'S GO AHEAD WITH FOR THIS IN INVESTMENT, THAT DOESN'T TELL YOU HOW YOU, HOW YOU INVESTED.
2.15 IS FROM THE GENERAL FUND AND 2.15
[02:15:01]
IS FROM A LOAN, UNLESS YOU CHANGE THOSE NUMBERS.BUT THE INVESTMENT THAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR IS $4.3 MILLION.
SO UNLESS YOU'RE CHANGING THAT 4.3, YOU DON'T NEED A NAME.
YOU JUST NEED TO SAY WHAT YOU WANT IN YOUR RECOMMENDATION TO COUNSEL AS FAR AS THE LOAN AND THE GRANT, THE AMOUNT, THE INTEREST RATE AND THE TERMS OF YEARS.
I THINK YOU'VE SAID OPTION TWO.
THAT'S WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE, CORRECT? UM, WHO WAS THE SECOND? I DID MR.
SO THEN THE QUESTION IS INTEREST RATE TERM OF THE LOAN.
AND THEY'RE RECOMMENDING 30 YEARS AND A HALF PERCENT, 2.15 MILLION IN THE FORM OF A LOAN AND THEN JUST A STRAIGHT OUT PRE 2.15.
SO ANY MORE DISCUSSION? AND WE HAVE A, UM, RIGHT, AN AMENDMENT ON THE TABLE.
RIGHT? AND, AND SO WHAT HE'S SAYING IS THE BASIS OF THAT IT IS A OPTION TWO FOR 30 YEARS WITH A HALF PERCENT.
MS. TABER SAID SHE DOESN'T LIKE THAT, BUT WE CAN MAKE A CHANGE BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA SEND IT TO COUNSEL FOR FIRST READING OF THE ORDINANCE.
WHATEVER WE'RE DOING TONIGHT IS NOT THE END OF IT.
AND SO IT MAY BE A SUGGESTION THAT YOU BE PREPARED FOR OTHER INTEREST RATES TO GIVE EVERYBODY A CHANCE TO THINK ABOUT IT AND LOOK AT THE CHART ON PAGE, WHATEVER THAT IS.
SO THAT THE, THE QUESTION THEN IS DO WE WANT TO GO AHEAD AND HAVE AN AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDMENT OR JUST GO AHEAD WITH IT AT THE HALF PERCENT OPTION TWO AND WE PUSH IT TO COUNCIL.
BRIAN'S GONNA TELL YOU THERE'S NO AMENDMENT RIGHT.
SO AGAIN, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE, UH, IF THERE'S NO MORE DISCUSSION, UM, THE, THE MOTION IS THAT WE WOULD GO, WOULD RECOMMEND OPTION TWO TO GO TO COUNSEL? NO.
UM, IS THERE ANY OBJECTIONS TO THAT? NO.
SO WE WERE GONNA MOVE THIS TO COUNCIL.
AND THIS HAS AS, AS IT'S AMENDED AND NOW WE HAVE TO VOTE ON THE ORIGINAL AMENDMENT AS AMENDED.
BRIAN, YOU OKAY WITH THAT? YOU GOT THE LOOK ON YOUR FACE, LIKE, NOPE.
WE'LL GET TO THE SAME RESULTS.
ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA GET THE RESULTS.
WE HAVE THE AMENDED A MOTION MOTION, WHICH IS TO PUSH THIS TO COUNCIL AS OPTION TWO.
UM, AS, AS IT'S WRITTEN, IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO THAT? SEEING NO OBJECTION.
THEN THIS WILL GO TO COUNSEL FOR FREE.
AND WILL ALL BE PREPARED TO DISCUSS THE TERMS? YES.
ALRIGHT, LET'S, LET'S MOVE ON THEN.
UM, AND THAT ONE WAS EASIER THAN I THOUGHT IT WAS GONNA BE, SO, OH NO.
SO, UH, NUMBER 14, UM, RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF COUNCIL OF RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO ACCEPT OPERATIONAL GRANT AWARD FROM THE COASTAL COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS ER FUND GRANT PROGRAM.
AND, UH, WE HAVE, UH, MR. BEN BOSWELL COMING UP, UM, FROM HE'S DIRECTOR OF HUMAN SURFACES.
AND WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND HAVE A MOTION.
IS THERE A MOTION FOR THIS? I'LL MAKE A MOTION.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND IT.
AND, UM, WE'LL OPEN UP FOR DISCUSSION.
I DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT TO SAY JUST THAT.
UH, WE SUBMITTED THIS, UH, IN, IN THE SPRING.
UM, THIS IS A GENERAL OPERATIONS GRANT FROM THE COASTAL COMMUNITY FOUNDATION.
WE'VE APPLIED HISTORICALLY, UM, CERTAINLY FOR THE PAST 11 YEARS I'VE BEEN HERE.
UM, I THINK LONGER THAN THAT, UH, FOR THIS PARTICULAR FUND, UM, THE, UH, GRANT APPLICATION ITSELF IS, UH, PROVIDED IN THE BACKUP, UM, PRIMARILY JUST FOR ACTIVITIES AS IT RELATES TO SUPPORTING, UH, BUFORD COUNTY FAMILIES.
ANY MORE DISCUSSION OR ANY QUESTIONS? NOPE.
I WAS JUST WONDERING WHY WE ONLY GOT 15,000.
I KNOW YOU DON'T MAKE THAT DECISION, BUT IT WAS KIND OF WEIRD.
WE ASKED FOR 25 AND WE GOT 15.
THAT'S STANDARD PROCESS FOR MUCH ALL GRANT, UH, PROCESSES ACROSS THE BOARD.
YOU ALWAYS SHOOT FOR THE MOON AND THEN YOU JUST GET WHAT YOU GET.
I THINK WE'RE WORTH MORE THAN 15, BUT, OKAY.
ALRIGHT, SO YOU NOTICE DISCUSSION WILL APPROVE THIS WITHOUT OBJECTION.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION? SEEING NO OBJECTION.
MR. BOSWELL, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
YOU WAITED ALL THAT TIME FOR TWO MINUTES.
LET'S MOVE ON THEN TO NUMBER 15.
RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO COUNSEL FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY TO ENTER INTO A SPECIAL SOURCE REVENUE CREDIT AGREEMENT WITH PROJECT MICRO.
UM, THE FISCAL IMPACT COMPANY WILL BE OFFERED EQUIVALENT TO BASE FEE LOW 6% OVER A 20 YEAR PERIOD.
WE HAVE, UH, MR. JOHN O'TOOLE, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, SIR TOOL, THANK YOU FOR COMING AND INTRODUCE YOUR COUNTERPART.
HE IS OUR, UH, OUR ATTORNEY AND, UH, MOST KNOWLEDGEABLE ON S SRCS AND PHS.
[02:20:01]
BRUNSON'S WITH US AS WELL.SO, UH, YEAH, I'LL GIVE A, A LITTLE EVENT MOTION.
I'LL MOTION JUST PUT A BIG SIGN UP.
AND, UH, MR. GLOVER IS THE SECOND.
I FELT LIKE IT WAS IN THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT, BUT, UH, UH, IT'S, UH, IT'S GREAT TO BE WITH YOU.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, AND I'VE, I'VE GIVEN A, UM, A LITTLE OVERVIEW PROBABLY ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO WILL CAME DOWN AND GAVE THE COUNCIL A PRIMER ON IT.
SO I WOULD IMAGINE DAVID, UH, AND PAULA DIDN'T HEAR THAT AS WELL AS TAB.
SO, UH, IF YOU WANT TO DO A DEEP DIVE, I'LL GIVE YOU THE, UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROFESSIONAL'S OVERVIEW OF WHY WE DO IT.
SO IN 1895, THE CONSTITUTION WAS WRITTEN.
DO I HAVE THE RIGHT YEAR? SURE.
I MAY TURN IT OVER TO COUNCIL SOONER THAN I EXPECTED.
BUT BASICALLY IN OUR CONSTITUTION, THERE ARE ARE WEIGHTY TAX RATES THAT REALLY WOULD'VE KEPT, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OUTTA SOUTH CAROLINA.
SO WHEN YOU SEE THE BMWS AND THE, UH, BOEINGS AND THE BEHEMOTH PROJECTS THAT HAVE COME TO SOUTH CAROLINA, UH, THE ONLY WAY SOUTH CAROLINA COULD COMPETE WAS FOR THOSE HOST COMMUNITIES TO USE FILOS, WHICH IS A FEE IN LIEU OF TAXES AND SSRC, WHICH IS SPECIAL SOURCE REVENUE CREDITS TO WORK AROUND IT.
MORE RECENTLY, THE LEGISLATURE, UH, CHANGED, UH, SOME OF THE TAX, UH, LAWS SO THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO USE THE FILO AS MUCH.
SO THERE ARE SOME, UH, REBATES IN PLACE AT THE STATE LEVEL.
UH, THE S SRCS ARE OFTEN USED ON AN EXISTING STRUCTURE.
ON A NEW STRUCTURE YOU MIGHT USE FILOS.
UH, WHAT WE'VE TRIED TO DO IS MAKE BUFORD AS WELCOMING AS ANY COUNTY IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
AND, UH, WE TRY TO TREAT EACH PROJECT EQUALLY.
UH, AND SO WITH THAT, LET ME TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, UH, UH, PROJECT MICRO.
THE PROJECT IS ALREADY HERE, AND SO YOU HAVE LIKE A YEAR AT THE, AND THEY'RE IN THE MIDST OF BUILDING OUT THE FACILITY.
THEY, UH, HAVE A BASICALLY A 15,000 SQUARE FOOT FACILITY, UH, WHERE THEY EXPECT TO EXPAND BY ANOTHER 15,000 SQUARE FEET.
THE NAME OF THE COMPANY IS TL AND CO.
THEY'RE A DISTRIBUTOR TO DEFENSE AND AEROSPACE.
SO IT'S LIKE RIGHT IN ONE OF OUR, OUR, OUR, OUR PRIME SECTORS, UH, 42 JOBS, AVERAGE COMP $125,000.
UH, THEY ARE GOING TO INVEST, UH, $7.1 MILLION INTO THE FACILITY.
AND OUR ECONOMIC ANALYSIS SAYS THAT, UH, IT'LL RESULT AFTER THREE YEARS IN 75 DIRECT AND INDIRECT JOBS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, IT'LL, UH, PRODUCE, UH, INCOME OF $17.6 MILLION FOR THE PEOPLE ACROSS THOSE 75 JOBS.
AND, UH, THERE'LL BE AN ADDITIONAL FIVE, FIVE, UH, MILLION DOLLARS IN BUSINESS SPEND.
SO IT'S A GREAT PROJECT AND IT'S IN A SECTOR WHERE WE SHOULD BE DOING MORE.
AND, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF OUR MEETINGS WITH, UM, TIM DE DONATO, HE SAID, THIS IS GREAT.
WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU? UH, IT WAS A LUNCH WITH, UH, GERALD DAWSON, WHOSE DISTRICT IT'S IN, AND WE SAID, WE WANT YOU TO BRING US FIVE MORE LEADS.
SO THAT'S HOW WE, WE GEN GENERATE BUSINESS IS BY TREATING PEOPLE WELL AND THEN ASKING THEM TO HELP US BRING THEIR SUPPLIERS.
SO, UH, WE HOPE THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF, UH, MORE GOOD THINGS TO COME.
AND NOW WILL, CAN CORRECT ALL THE FACTS.
I MAY HAVE GOTTEN WRONG,
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE BEAUFORT COUNTY.
I, I KNOW WE'RE LATE, SO I'LL MAKE IT REALLY QUICK.
SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN YOUR COUNTY AS A CHILD AT VANDERMEER TENNIS CENTER BEFORE I REALIZED I DIDN'T HAVE A FUTURE THERE, HENCE LAWYER.
AND, UH, HERE TODAY IN ANOTHER CAPACITY, UM, YOU HAVE A, UH, SPECIAL SOURCE OF REVENUE CREDIT INSTEAD OF A FEE IN LIEU OF TAX, UM, AGREEMENT HERE.
AND, UM, AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO'VE BEEN, UH, ON COUNCIL FOR A WHILE, YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN FEE IN LIEU OF TAX AGREEMENTS.
UM, THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT MORE STRAIGHTFORWARD.
UM, THE REASON THAT WE HAVE A SPECIAL SOURCE REVENUE CREDIT AGREEMENT HERE WITH A 12% SSRC FOR 20 YEARS, UM, IS BECAUSE THIS PROJECT INVOLVES AN EXISTING BUILDING.
THERE'S A NUANCE IN THE SOUTH CAROLINA FEE IN LIEU OF TAX LAW THAT SAYS COUNTIES CAN'T USE TRADITIONAL FEE IN LIEU OF TAX AGREEMENTS WHERE AN EXISTING BUILDING IS INVOLVED.
AND ONCE A PROJECT IS 45 BILLION OR MORE, MOST COUNTIES ACROSS THE STATE ARE VERY HAPPY TO SUPPORT COMPANIES COMING INTO EXISTING BUILDINGS, FIXING THEM UP.
BUT IT REQUIRES US TO USE A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT TOOL.
SO WHAT WE DID HERE, THE REASON THAT YOU SEE A 12% SSRC FOR 20 YEARS IS WE RAN
[02:25:01]
THE NUMBERS DOWN TO THE PENNY TO TRY TO GET THIS AS CLOSE AS, AS IT POSSIBLY COULD BE, UM, TO WHAT A BASIC TRADITIONAL FEE IN LIEU OF TAX AGREEMENT WITH NO S SRCS WOULD DO.SO THAT'S, UM, THAT'S THE BACKGROUND ON HOW WE GOT TO THAT NUMBER.
UM, I'M HAPPY TO GO INTO MORE DETAIL, BUT MINDFUL OF YOUR TIME.
SO I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU, LIKE.
ANY QUESTIONS, SEEING NO QUESTIONS WE WILL CALL OR ANY DISCUSSION, WE'LL CALL THE, UM, UM, CALL TO CALL TO, TO QUESTION TO QUESTION.
AND IS THERE ANY OBJECTION? NO SEEING, NO OBJECTION.
YOU NEED AN ENERGY DRINK? I WAS HOPING FOR AN AMENDMENT.
THANK YOU FOR COMING, UH, MR. JUUL.
NUMBER 16, RECOMMENDED APPROVAL TO COUNCIL TO PLACE AND PURCHASE BY PROJECT MICRO INTO AN EXISTING MULTI-COUNTY INDUSTRIAL PARK PROJECT MICRO, UM, SAME THING.
AND THIS WOULD, ALLOCATION OF REVENUE WOULD BE 99% TO BEAUFORT COUNTY AND 1% TO JASPER COUNTY AND THE BEAUFORT COUNTY PORTION OF THE PARK.
AND 99% TO JASPER COUNTY, 1% TO BUFORT COUNTY AND THE JASPER COUNTY PORTION OF THE PARK.
THIS PROJECT WOULD FALL WITHIN THE BEAUFORT COUNTY PORTION OF THE PARK.
UM, DO I HAVE A A MOTION PLEASE? I'LL MAKE A MOTION.
UH, OPEN UP THE DISCUSSION AND PRESENTATION.
SO IN ORDER TO PROVIDE SPECIAL SOURCE REVENUE CREDITS, IT'S, IT'S REALLY A LEGAL FORMALITY, BUT YOU HAVE TO DESIGNATE THE PROPERTY AS A MULTI-COUNTY PARK.
SO THIS SECOND STEP, I WOULD SAY IS A VERY MUNDANE, JUST FOLLOW THIS LOGICALLY FROM OFFERING THE SSRC AGREEMENT.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? SEE NO QUESTIONS.
WE WILL CALL THE QUESTION TO ORDER.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION? WE'LL PASS THIS WITHOUT OBJECTION.
ALRIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON THEN TO NUMBER 17.
RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO COUNSEL TO AWARD A CONTRACT FOR BROADBAND EXPANSION TO SERVE UNDERSERVED AREAS OF BUFORT COUNTY TO CONNECT HOLDING, UM, LLC UH, AKA BRIGHT SPEEDED FOR RFP 1 1 1 8 2 4 AND IN THE AMOUNT OF 367,000, UH, $69 TO BE FUNDED WITH ARPA FUNDS.
UH, AT THIS I'LL MAKE THE MOTION.
IS THERE SECOND? I'LL SECOND THAT.
ALRIGHT, AND, UH, FOR FOR DISCUSSION, MR. HANK, IF YOU COULD PLEASE GO FORWARD AND GIVE REAL QUICK, UH, OVERVIEW OF WHAT THIS IS.
ALRIGHT, YOU HAVE A, A COUPLE THINGS ATTACHED TO YOUR DOCUMENT PACKET, WHICH IS THE BID TABULATIONS.
UH, WE'VE SPOKEN A COUPLE TIMES DURING MY ARPA REPORTS ABOUT PUTTING OUT THIS RFP FOR THE UNDERSERVED AREAS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY.
YOU ALSO HAVE A MAP OF THE WINNING PROPOSAL OF WHERE THE AREAS THEY'RE GONNA SERVE.
SO IT COVERS ACTUALLY OUT ON ST.
IT COVERS SOME OF NORTHERN END OF LADIES ISLAND AND ALL THE WAY UP INTO LEKO, UP TO THE FARTHEST REACHED, UH, UNDERSERVED AREA OF A PENINSULA NORTH, THE NORTHEAST PART OF THE COUNTY.
UM, WE ORIGINALLY HAD FOUR PROPOSERS AND AFTER THE FIRST ROUND IT WAS REDUCED TO TWO, TWO OF 'EM WERE A LOT ARE HEAVY WIRELESS WHERE WE WANTED TO HAVE FIBER TO THESE AREAS.
AND THEN AFTER REVIEW OF THE SECOND OF AN INTERVIEWING OF THE FINAL TWO TEAMS, IT WAS CLEAR TO ALL THREE BY OUR SCORES THAT WE SUBMITTED THAT THE BRIGHT SPEED PROPOSAL, UH, WAS THE WINNER.
AND UM, JUST SO YOU KNOW, THAT THEY QUOTED A NUMBER OF SERVED UNDERSERVED, NOW SERVED HOUSES AS A PART OF THIS.
THAT IS THE, I I'M COLORBLIND, BUT I, THEY'RE EITHER YELLOW OR GREEN DOTS AT THE END OF THE LINE.
THE POINT IS, THEY, THEY, THEY AIMED TO THE END OF THE LINE BECAUSE EVERY HOUSE ON THE WAY GETS SERVED.
SO WHILE THAT NUMBER SAYS, UH, ON THE HIGH ONES, MAYBE LOW TWOS, THERE'S ACTUALLY MORE THAN 2000 HOMES THAT ARE GONNA HAVE A LINE RUNNING BY IT BY THIS.
AND SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROPOSAL.
WE COMPETED IT, WE PUT IT OUT THIS TIME.
WE HEARD YOU LAST TIME ON OUR LAST TIME WE AWARDED AND WE FEEL LIKE WE GOT THE BEST PRODUCT FOR THE UNDERSERVED AREAS OF THE COUNTY.
DO WE HAVE BRIGHT SPEED IN OTHER AREAS OF THE COUNTY? I NEVER HEARD OF THAT ONE.
BRIGHT SPEED IS A COMPANY THAT'S AN AMALGAMATION OF SEVERAL OLDER COMPANIES, WHICH I THINK IT INCORPORATES CENTURYLINK AND SPECTRUM AND DIFFERENT COMPANIES THAT HAVE GONE TOGETHER.
THAT'S, DON'T QUOTE ME, BUT THAT IS A NEW, IT'S A NEW COMPANY.
THAT WAS PART OF THEIR PRESENTATION, UM, IS HOW MUCH THEY ARE THE CULTURE AND GROWTH AND SERVICE OFFERING.
AND SOME HOUSES ON THIS, ON THESE LINES WILL HAVE MORE THAN ONE OPTION AT THIS POINT, WHICH THEN BREEDS COMPETITION, WHICH BREEDS BETTER PRICES FOR ACCESS.
ANY MORE DISCUSSION? ANY MORE QUESTIONS? THIS YEAH, JUST QUICKLY, I THINK, UM, WHEN, WHEN I LOOK AT ST.
HELEN THERE, THIS IS THE NORTHERN PART OF ST.
HENA, ISN'T IT? THERE IS SOME NORTHERN AND ON THE MAP, YES, BUT IF YOU, I WANT, I'M GLAD YOU ASKED BECAUSE THERE'S ACTUALLY THREE PROJECTS
[02:30:01]
THAT HAVE HAPPENED.HA THERE WAS ONE PROJECT THAT WE FUNDED EARLIER THIS YEAR IN MAY FOR CAR GREG, WHICH IS NOW SPARK LIGHT.
THEY ARE DOING, IF YOU LOOK AT WHERE THIS MAP ENDS, THEY'VE CONTINUED DOWN FARTHER SOUTH, JUST A LITTLE FURTHER.
A LITTLE FARTHER SOUTH AND WEST.
ADDITIONALLY, COMCAST WAS AWARDED A STATE GRANT, WHICH IS WHAT LIMITED OUR MAP THAT THEY'RE GONNA SERVE SEVERAL HUNDRED MORE HOMES ON ST.
AND WE CAN SEND THAT MAP OUT TO YOU, WHICH THEN ALLOWED US TO FOCUS OUR FUNDS ON THE REMAINING UNDERSERVED AREAS.
TWO OF 'EM WE FUNDED ONE WITH HARRAY SLASH SPARK LIGHT, ONE WITH BRIGHT SPEEDED TO DO THESE AREAS.
AND THEN THE, THE BIGGEST ONE IS ACTUALLY THE COMCAST STATE FUNDED PROJECT THAT IS GETTING READY TO KICK OFF.
WHEN, WHEN, WHEN COULD I SEE THAT MAP? UH, AS SOON AS I, AS SOON AS I GET BACK TO MY COMPUTER.
IF WE, IF SHE DID SEND IT TO US, WE REQUESTED A MAP 'CAUSE THEY WANTED TO TALK TO US ABOUT RIGHTS OF WAY AND POLL USAGE, BUT IT TRULY WAS A-D-O-T-A DOMINION ISSUE.
AND, AND, AND IF WE APPROVE THIS HERE, I'LL ASSUME COULD THEY GET STARTED? 'CAUSE I, I, I GOT PEOPLE'S ON IT.
WELL, I'LL LOOK AND I'LL LOOK AT THE TIMELINE THAT THEY PUT IN IT, BUT THEY'RE GONNA IMMEDIATELY BEGIN PLANNING AND PERMITTING PROCESSES IN THE COMING YEAR.
DID ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR, I JUST, I I HAD ONE MORE.
ON PAGE 1 78, IT SAYS ALL RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL SERVICES WITHIN THE TERRITORY ARE ABLE TO REQUEST AND RECEIVE SERVICE INSTALLED PERPETUALLY AT NO COST FOR THE FIBER.
IT'S NOT, IT'S LIKE WHAT? NO COST FOR THE PHYSICAL FIBER.
HOUSEHOLDS THAT INITIALLY DECLINED SERVICE AT ROLLOUT CAN STILL, WELL WE, THE GOOD PART IS IN, IN THEIR INTERVIEW PROCESS, WE MADE SURE THAT NO PROMOTIONAL, THERE WON'T BE A DROP DEAD DATE TO SIGN UP.
JUST LIKE, UH, WITH ANY PROVIDER.
THEY SAID IT, IT MAY CHANGE, BUT IT WON'T CHANGE SPECIFIC TO THESE LOCATIONS.
SO, UH, I HAVE A DIFFERENT PROVIDER AND EVERY YEAR I MIGHT GET A NEW PROMOTION AND, AND IF YOU BUY NEW SERVICE, YOU MIGHT GET A BETTER PROMOTION THIS TIME.
BUT EVERYBODY FLOATS TOGETHER.
THEY SAID IT WILL BE A STANDARD PRODUCT SYSTEM-WIDE.
NOT TO HOLD THE PEOPLE HOSTAGE, BUT IT'LL GO TO COUNSEL FOR FINAL APPROVAL.
AND I CAN ASK, I CAN MAKE SURE TO ASK THAT QUESTION FOR YOU.
YOU'VE BEEN DEALING WITH, UM, ALL OF THESE PROVIDERS, UM, ARE THEY BASICALLY, UH, EQUITABLE AT THIS TIME AS FAR AS, I DON'T KNOW THE WORD BANDWIDTH.
QUE SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS IN OUR RFP, WE REQUIRED THAT THEY HAVE A MINIMUM.
SPEED UP AND SPEED DOWN OFFERED.
AND THAT LIMITED SOME OF THE SERVICE.
AND WE ALSO WANTED, THAT'S WHY WE WANTED THE HARD FIBER FOR RED, FOR RELIABILITY, ET CETERA.
AND THAT'S REALLY THE ONLY, I MEAN THAT'S, THAT'S HOW YOU GET THOSE FASTER UP AND DOWN SPEEDS.
I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THIS OUT TO BED AND, AND DOING IT COMPETITIVELY.
ALRIGHT, ANY MORE DISCUSSION? ANY MORE QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE, UM, WITHOUT OBJECTION.
WE WILL PASS THIS ON TO COUNCIL.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION? NO, DO NOT SEE ANY OBJECTION.
SO THIS WILL BE MOVED TO COUNCIL.
UM, ALRIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON THEN.
UM, TO NUMBER 18, RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO COUNCIL OF RESOLUTION TO EXTEND THE BROADBAND EVERYWHERE CATEGORY, UH, THREE GRANT PROGRAM END DATE, AND ALLOW US TO EXPAND THE REMAINING $170,000 OF AREA FUNDS IN ORDER TO SERVE NEW CUSTOMERS EACH BY ONGOING AND UPCOMING BROADBAND EXPANSION PROGRAMS. UM, AND MR. UH, AMUNSON COMING BACK AGAIN? CAN I HAVE SOMEONE MAKE A MOTION? I'LL MAKE A MOTION.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU MR. GLOVER.
UM, ONE WORD I WANT TO CORRECT THERE.
WHERE, WHERE WAS THAT BRIAN? HE SAID YOU TO EXPEND EXPEND NOT EXPAND, EXPEND THE REMAINING 170,000.
THAT WAS TO EXPEND THE REMAINING $170,000.
I'D LOVE TO EXPAND IT, BUT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO EXPEND IT.
I'VE GOT IT HERE, HAS EXPANDED.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S RIGHT FOR Y'ALL.
THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT YOU APPROVED LAST YEAR.
HOWEVER, IN LOOKING BACK TO MAKE SURE WE DOCUMENTED AND OB OBLIGATED ALL OF OUR FUNDS PROPERLY, I FOUND THE, OR THE UH, UH, RESOLUTION SET AN END DATE OF 2024, WHICH IS NEXT MONTH DECEMBER.
UH, THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY GOOD TO, TO EXTEND THE TIMELINE TO MATCH AND GIVE TIME FOR THOSE THAT WERE RUNNING NEW HIGH SPEED INTERNET PAST THEIR PROPERTY.
SOME OF THEM, SOME PEOPLE MAY HAVE IT NOW BUT DOES DON'T WANT TO AND ARE UNABLE TO PAY TO RUN IT DOWN A QUARTER MILE DRIVEWAY.
SO WE SPOKE TO DURING THE RFP PROCESS AND THROUGHOUT THIS LAST YEAR AND TALKING TO THE INTERNET COMPANIES TO SAY, BLESS YOU, BLESS YOU, BLESS YOU.
[02:35:01]
UH, YOU KNOW HOW FAR EVERYBODY HERE WHO MIGHT LIVE IN A MORE URBAN SETTING.THE COMPANY USUALLY COVERS UP TO A COUPLE A HUNDRED FEET.
THERE'S USUALLY A STANDARD THEY'LL COVER TO HERE, INCLUDED IN YOUR INSTALL FEE IF THEN YOU HAVE TO START PAYING MORE TO GET IT DOWN A LONG DRIVEWAY.
SO THIS IS CALLED THE LONG DRIVEWAY PROGRAM THAT YOU PASS.
THIS IS JUST TO EXTEND THE DEADLINE SO THAT WHEN WE DO GET THESE LINES IN FRONT OF HOUSES, WE CAN HELP GET IT TO THE HOUSES THROUGH AN APPLICATION PROCESS THAT ACTUALLY GOES TO THE PROVIDER.
SO WE DON'T JUST HAND MONEY OUT THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHERE IT'S GOING.
THE PROVIDER WOULD THEN GET AN APPLICATION FROM THE PERSON, PASS IT TO US AND WE'D VERIFY PAY FOR THAT.
WHAT'S THE DEFINITION OF A LONG DRIVEWAY? ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF THE NORMAL, THE WHATEVER THEY COVER.
AND SO WE TALKED TO A FEW COMPANIES JUST TO GET BALLPARK NUMBERS.
SO WE FEEL LIKE WE CAN REALLY SERVE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WITH THIS NUMBER.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS? NO, THIS IS REALLY NECESSARY FOR RURAL AREAS BECAUSE IT IS, YEAH, IT COULD BE COST PROHIBITIVE TRYING TO GET TO MY HOUSE FROM THEIR LINES AND STUFF.
ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA MOVE THIS FORWARD WITHOUT OBJECTION IF THERE'S NO OBJECTIONS TO MOVE TO COUNSEL, I SEE NO OBJECTIONS.
ALRIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON NOW TO NUMBER 19.
AND UM, THIS IS A RESOLUTION TO ESTABLISH THE BUFORT COUNTY LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS TAX AND LOCAL HOSPITALITY TAX, FISCAL YEAR 25 LIST OF COUNTY PROPERTIES.
UM, AND THE FISCAL IMPACT, NONE, UH, ALL PROJECTS MUST BE PROPERLY PROCURED AND COME BACK TO COMMITTEE AND AS COUNSEL, UH, AND COUNSEL AS APPROPRIATE PRIOR TO FUNDS BEING COMMITTED, DOLLAR AMOUNTS LISTED IN THE SCHEDULE ARE ESTIMATES, WHICH MAY MUST BE FULLY VESTED VIA THE PLANNING AND PROCUREMENT PROCESS.
ALRIGHT, WE HAVE A, IS THERE A SECOND PLEASE? I'LL MAKE A SECOND.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? CAN WE MOVE THIS TO COUNCIL AS IS OR WE LIKE TO HEAR MR. ROBINSON AND, AND I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT THIS FOR THE LONG, ISN'T IT? YES WE DID.
UM, IS ANY MORE DISCUSSION? SEEING NO DISCUSSION, WE WILL THEN APPROVE THIS WITHOUT OBJECTION.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO MOVING THIS TO COUNSEL? AND I SEE NO OBJECTION.
SO THIS WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION.
ALRIGHT, AND THEN, UM, LET'S MOVE ON THEN TO NUMBER 20.
RECOMMEND APPROVE OF COUNCIL TO AUTHORIZE A COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO ACCEPT THE FEDERAL SUB-AWARD GRANT FROM THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH FOR $23,229 AND 60 CENTS.
UH, THIS SAYS, UH, NO FISCAL IMPACT, NEW MATCHING FUNDS ARE REQUIRED.
AND UM, IS THERE A MOTION FOR THIS PLEASE? I'LL MAKE MOTION MR. CHAIRMAN.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND IT.
UM, IS THERE ANY, ANY MORE DISCUSSION? NO, NO, WE CAN APPROVE THIS WITHOUT OBJECTION.
SO THIS ALSO WILL BE APPROVED AND MOVED TO COUNTY COUNCIL AND THEN THAT BRINGS US TO NUMBER 21, UH, ON OUR AGENDA DISCUSSION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF PATRICK MITCHELL OR MARK PRESNELL TO THE STORM WATER MANAGEMENT UTILITY BOARD FOR A FOUR YEAR TERM WITH THE EXPIRATION DATE OF NOVEMBER, 2028.
I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE, UM, PATRICK MITCHELL.
ALRIGHT, UM, SO WE HAVE A, UH, MOTION AND A SECOND.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION FOR THAT? YES.
UM, SO I JUST WANT TO KIND OF GET CLARIFICATION.
I KNOW THE CHAIR CAME IN AND, AND ADVOCATED FOR MR. MITCHELL.
UM, AND I BELIEVE I GAVE A BRIEF BACKGROUND OF WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE.
SO MR. MITCHELL MISSED TURNING IN HIS APPLIC OR HIS REAPPOINTMENT PAPERWORK IN A TIMELY FASHION.
UH, THE COUNTY AND MYSELF HAD COMMUNICATED WITH MR. PRESNELL.
HE ACTUALLY WAS IMPACTED BY DEBBIE.
HE HAD SIGNIFICANT STORMWATER FLOODING ON HIS PROPERTY.
UH, AND FROM THERE WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THAT THERE'S A, A CASCADING FAILURE IN A LOT OF PLACES ON LADIES ISLAND FOR STORMWATER, UH, THAT HAVE NOT BEEN ADDRESSED.
SO SINCE BOTH PARTIES HAVE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE COUNTY ABOUT BEING REAPPOINTED, BUT ALSO THE NEW APPOINTMENT, I THOUGHT IT'D BE FAIR FOR US TO DISCUSS BOTH OF THEM AND, UH, HAVE THEM BOTH BE HEARD.
I THINK WE'RE GONNA WIN EITHER WAY.
UH, PATRICK'S WOULD BE REAPPOINTED AS YOU KNOW, WITH EXPERIENCE, WHEREAS MR. PRESNELL DOES HAVE AN ENGINEERING BACKGROUND.
I THINK HE DOES BRING, HE UNDERSTANDS STORM WATER.
UM, AND I THINK GETTING A NEW PERSPECTIVE WOULD BE BENEFICIAL AS WELL.
SO I THINK EITHER WAY THE DISTRICT WINS, I THINK THE COUNTY WINS.
UH, BUT I THOUGHT IN THE INTEREST OF FAIRNESS, IT WOULD BE BEST FOR EVERYBODY TO DISCUSS, UH, OPENLY.
AND AT THIS POINT I WOULD, I WOULD NOMINATE MR. PRESNELL, UH, TO, FOR A NEW APPOINTMENT FOR THIS.
ALRIGHT, SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR MR. MITCHELL.
AND IF THAT, I HAVE A QUESTION AND IF THAT FAILS THEN THAT'S
[02:40:01]
WHENEVER WE WOULD THEN COME BACK FOR ANOTHER, UM, AMENDMENT TO, UH, APPOINT, UH, MR. PLL AND MS. BROWN, GO AHEAD.SO WHO WAS MARK FEINBERG RECOMMENDING? THAT WAS, THAT WAS THE CHAIRMAN, BUT I KNOW WHO HE IS.
YEAH, HE WAS RE HE WAS RECOMMENDING PATRICK MITCHELL.
HE WAS RECOMMENDING BELIEVE 2012 WAS WHEN PATRICK WAS ON THERE.
SO BUT YOU'RE RE YOU'RE RECOMMENDING MR AND PP YEAH, MR. PNE JUST BECAUSE, UH, HE WAS, HIS HOME AND HIS PROPERTY WAS PHYSICALLY IMPACTED TO STORMWATER.
AND I THINK WITH HIM HAVING AN ENGINEERING BACKGROUND BACKGROUND AND PHYSICALLY BEING IMPACTED BY STORMWATER FAILURES, I THINK HE'D BRING A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE, UH, TO THE STORMWATER BOARD.
SO YOU AS THE COUNCILMAN WANT MARK, NOT PATRICK, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? I YEAH, I I WOULD, I'D PREFER TO, TO GET, ALTHOUGH MARK FEINBERG WOULD LIKE PATRICK NUT, CORRECT? RIGHT.
AND LIKE I SAID, EITHER WAY I THINK THE COUNTY WINS.
UH, BUT IN THE INTEREST OF FAIRNESS, I WANTED EVERYBODY TO BE HEARD AND DISCUSSED QUESTION OF THE NUMBER OF VOTES NEEDED.
THAT'S WHEN IT GOES TO FULL COUNCIL.
WE'RE, WE'RE MAKING A RECOMMENDATION.
PATRICK MITCHELL IS, UM, HAS LIVED ON LAYS ISLAND ALL HIS LIFE AND HIS FAMILY HAS, BUT HE'S ALSO IN THE CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS.
AND HE, HE, HE, I GO, I'M THE LIAISON TO STORMWATER AND HE, HE FULLY PARTICIPATES, UM, IN EVERYTHING AND HE KNOWS A LOT OF, I MEAN, HE'S NOT AN ENGINEER, BUT HE'S IN CONSTRUCTION.
SO, UM, HIS COMP, HIS COMPANY'S MITCHELL BROTHERS AND THEY, THEY'RE SECOND GENERATION.
SO, AND LIKE I SAID, I THINK HE HAS A LOT OF EXPERIENCE.
I, I THINK YOU KNOW, EITHER ONE.
UM, BUT I THINK THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MR. PNE TO BE ON ANOTHER BOARD AND COMMISSION TOO.
UM, AND I APPLAUD, I APPLAUD ANYBODY STEPPING UP, WILLING TO SERVE AND THIS IS NOT A CONTENTIOUS THING.
YOU KNOW, JUST IN THE INTEREST OF FAIRNESS, WANTING TO BE HEARD.
AND I THINK THE COUNTY WINS EITHER WAY.
IS ANY MORE DISCUSSION? YOU SEE? NO DISCUSSION.
UM, SARAH, I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A, A VOTE FOR THIS.
IF YOU COULD PLEASE CALL THE ROLE PLEASE.
AND AGAIN, WHAT HAPPENS IS, IF OBVIOUSLY IF, IF MR. MITCHELL WHO'S UP RIGHT NOW GETS THE, UH, MAJORITY VOTES, THEN HE'D BE RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL.
BUT AGAIN, COUNCIL WILL HAVE THE FINAL VOTE.
IF FOR SOME REASON MR. MITCHELL DOES NOT GET THAT, THEN WOULD HAVE TO LOOK OPEN UP THE FLOOR AGAIN TO MAKE ANOTHER NOMINATION.
COUNCIL MEMBER HOWARD? UH, YES.
COUNCIL MEMBER BARTHOLOMEW? UH, NO.
ALRIGHT, SO THAT WILL BE MOVED TO COUNSEL, UH, FOR APPROVAL.
UM, AND THEN, UM, LET ME JUMP BACK HERE.
WE'VE GOT, UM, COUPLE OTHER, UH, NUMBER 22 BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, APPOINTMENTS AND REAPPOINTMENTS AND WE'LL TAKE ALL THESE AT ONE TIME.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO US HANDLING ALL AT ONCE? IS THERE ANY REASON SOMEONE WANTS TO SEPARATE THESE OUT? LEMME SEE.
I JUST LOST MY, IT'S JOHN AND DENISE.
SO WE HAVE, UH, APPOINTMENTS, UM, A RECOMMENDATION APPROVAL FOR DESIGN REVIEW BOARD AND THAT WOULD BE, UM, THE APPOINTMENT OF JOHN, UH, TEETER TO THE DESIGN REVIEW BOARD FOR A FOUR YEAR TERM WITH THE EXPIRATION DATE OF NOVEMBER 20TH, 28TH FOR DISTRICT FOUR.
AND THEN ALSO A RECOMMEND APPROVAL FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF DENISE PROA TO THE DESIGN REVIEW BOARD.
REVIEW BOARD FOR A FOUR YEAR TERM WITH THE EXPIRATION DATE OF NOVEMBER, 2028.
UM, SO I NEED A MOTION TO ACCEPT THOSE.
IS THERE A SECOND PLEASE? I'LL SECOND.
ALRIGHT, ANY MORE DISCUSSION? I JUST HAVE A COMMENT.
I NOTICED BOTH OF THESE ARE BRAND NEW, SERVING A FIRST TERM AND THAT WAS, THAT KIND OF INFLUENCED ME ON THE LAST VOTE WE DID BECAUSE WE HAVE TO KEEP IN ENGAGING OUR RESIDENTS INSTEAD OF KEEPING PEOPLE ON FOUR TERMS, FIVE TURNS, SIX, SIX TERMS. HERE WE HAVE TWO NEW PEOPLE, WHICH IS GREAT, WITH TWO NEW VOLUNTEERS.
ALRIGHT, ANY MORE DISCUSSION? WE WILL APPROVE THEM WITHOUT OBJECTION.
SEEING NO OBJECTION, THEY ARE APPROVED.
UM, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT WOULD NEED TO, CAN I JUST CLARIFY SOMETHING ON THE LAST VOTE? NOT THIS ONE, BUT ONE PREVIOUS.
BOTH NAMES VOTED COUNSEL, UH, IF YOU FIND THAT THEY'RE QUALIFIED, AND THE REASON THAT'S IMPORTANT IS AS ALICE WAS ALLUDING TO, BECAUSE IT IS A, UH, REPEAT TERM, YOU'LL HAVE TO HAVE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF VOTES.
SO IF HE DIDN'T GET THE REQUIRED NUMBER OF VOTES, THEN YOU WOULD CONSIDER THE OTHER QUALIFIED APPLICANT TO SEE IF HE GOT THE QUALIFIED NUMBER OF VOTES.
[02:45:01]
BOTH NAMES WILL GO UP THERE IF YOU FIND QUALIFIED.SO IT DETERMINES THAT THEY VOTE QUALIFIED TO GO TO COUNCIL SO WE DON'T HAVE TO BRING IT BACK.
ALRIGHT, SO IT'S NEVER BEEN EXPLAINED TO US LIKE THAT BEFORE.
SO WHAT, WHAT DO WE NEED TO CHANGE MEAN THAT? YEAH, BECAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE IT HAPPENED.
WE JUST VOTED TO RECOMMEND ONE PERSON.
YEAH, BUT IF THE COUNCIL DOESN'T GET THE REQUIRED NUMBER OF VOTES, IT GOES REQUIRED NUMBER OF VOTES, IT STOPS RIGHT THERE.
BUT THEN YOU DON'T HAVE THE MEMBER YOU HAVE TO COME BACK.
IF YOU FIND THAT THEY'RE BOTH QUALIFIED, YOU CAN BOTH GO UP THERE AND THAT THE FIRST ONE THAT YOU'RE RECOMMEND APPROVAL ON NO.
DOESN'T GET THE 10 OF 11 VOTES THAT ARE REQUIRED.
RIGHT? MM-HMM,
IF YOU BELIEVE THAT HE'S QUALIFIED IT SHOULD BE FOUR.
SO, SO, SO WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO THERE? I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO DO ANYTHING IF BOTH NAMES WILL GO UP WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF PATRICK MITCHELL BY FINANCE COMMITTEE VOTE.
I WOULD FEEL BETTER IF SOMEONE MADE A MOTION THAT THEY WERE BOTH QUALIFIED, THAT BOTH THINGS COULD GET FORWARD BECAUSE THERE ARE TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS THERE AND THEN THEY'RE BOTH UP THERE FOR CONSIDERATION.
BUT THE OTHER NAME IS QUALIFIED.
HE'S JUST NOT THE ONE THAT THIS COMMITTEE IS RECOMMENDED.
SO WE CAN ADD, WE CAN DO A, A MOTION OR AMENDMENT TO OUR, JUST A MOTION TO FIND THAT UH, MR. BRUNELL IS ALSO QUALIFIED AND THAT UH, HE WOULD BE A QUALIFIED CANDIDATE.
UH, SO I GUESS I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO AMEND WHAT ITEM NUMBER IS IN.
UM, IT WAS, I DON'T THINK YOU NEED TO AMEND THAT MOTION.
I THINK THE MOTION SHOULD STAY ON OWN JUST A NEW MOTION.
IF YOU WANT TO, IF YOU WANT FORWARD ANOTHER NAME, IT'S A DIFFERENT STORY.
YOU, YOU MADE A MOTION RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF MR. MITCHELL.
CORRECT? I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMITTEE FINDS THAT MR. PERNELL IS QUALIFIED AS WELL IN CASE MR. MITCHELL DOESN'T GET THE REQUIRED NUMBER OF VOTES THAT THE COMMITTEE AT THE COUNCIL ALL THEN WE CAN GO AHEAD AND VOTE AFTER.
I WOULD JUST MAKE A MOTION, ASK FOR A SECOND, HAVE THAT VOTE AND THEN HE'S GOT
SO IF THE, IF MR. MITCHELL DOESN'T GET 10 OF 11 AT COUNCIL, THEN THE SECOND GUY GOES UP, WHAT IF HE DOESN'T? HE NEEDS SIX OF 11.
IF HE DIDN'T GET MAJORITY, OH, THEN WE HAVE VOTE FOR ANOTHER APPLICANT.
BUT THERE ISN'T ANY OTHER APPLICANT.
YOU JUST KEEP YOUR SEARCH GOING.
SO THE, THE QUESTION IS, MR. MITCHELL WAS TO BE SENT TO COUNSEL BY THIS COMMITTEE, RIGHT? OKAY.
WHY WOULD WE NOT VOTE ON HIM IF HE DOESN'T GET THE REQUIRED NUMBER OF VOTES? THEN WE'RE GONNA START THE PROCESS, THE PROCESS OVER, OVER AGAIN.
AND IT DOESN'T MATTER IF WE DO IT AT THAT MEETING OR SEND IT BACK.
IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR RULES OF PROCEDURE UNDER, UH, APPOINTED TO AGENCIES, BOARD OF COMMISSIONS AND AUTHORITIES, RIGHT? PARAGRAPH TWO NOMINATIONS.
IT SAYS THE APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES SHALL REVIEW THE APPLICATIONS ON FILE AND SELECT NOMINEES TO BE SUBMITTED TO FULL COUNSEL.
INTERVIEWS MAY BE SCHEDULED AT THE REQUEST OF THE CHAIRMAN OR COMMITTEE CHAIR.
IN SITUATIONS WHERE TECHNICAL OR OTHER SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS ARE REQUIRED WITHIN THE CHARTER FOR APPOINTMENT, THE COMMITTEE WILL REVIEW AND ANALYZE THE TECHNICAL S QUALIFICATIONS OF THE APPLICANT AND WILL RECOMMEND AND FORWARD TO COUNSEL ONLY THOSE NAMES OF QUALIFIED CANDIDATES.
THAT'S WHAT A RULE PROCEDURE SAYS.
SO I'M JUST TRYING TO GET IT TO WHERE IF MR. MITCHELL DOESN'T GET THE 10 OUT OF 11 VOTES THAT'S REQUIRED BECAUSE YOU HAVE TOO NEGATIVE HERE THAT ONCE IT'S UP THERE, THEN YOU'LL HAVE ANOTHER NAME AS AN OPTION TO CONSIDER TO SEE IF HE GETS THE MAJORITY VOTE WITHOUT HAVING TO GO BACK TO THE COMMITTEE LEVEL NAME.
YOU'VE ALREADY GOT THE APPLIC CASE, YOU'RE CONSIDERED THIS COMMITTEE IS RECOMMENDING MR. MITCHELL THAT MAY OR MAY NOT CARRY THE DAY AT THE FULL COUNCIL.
FULL COUNCIL IS THE ONE THAT GETS TO DECIDE.
YOU'RE JUST RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF A CERTAIN CANDIDATE OF THE TWO CORRECTS.
SO I GUESS I, I'D BE MAKING A MOTION TO, TO FIND THAT MR. LL IS ALSO QUALIFIED CANDIDATE.
THAT ONE, THAT MOTION RIGHT THERE, RIGHT? IS THERE
IS THERE A VOTE TO FIND? IS EVERYBODY, IS EVERYONE OKAY WITH BEING CONSIDERED A QUALIFIED CANDIDATE AS WELL? NO, I'M NOT.
I MEAN, I I THINK WE HAD A MOTION TO BRING FORWARD A NAME.
AND IT SHOULD, AND IF WE DECIDED IF HE DOES HE GET 11 VOTES ON 10 VOTES, IT GOES BACK TO THE PROCESS.
UM, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND I THINK YOU WANNA BE EXPEDIENT.
SO I DON'T, I DON'T AGREE WITH SENDING ANOTHER NAME UP AT THIS TIME.
IF WE SET UP ANOTHER NAME, WE MAY AS WELL
[02:50:02]
NOT EVEN COME TO THE COMMITTEE.JUST GO TO THE WHOLE ENTIRE BOARD.
WE GOT TWO QUALIFIED PEOPLE, WHICH, WHICH ONE DO YOU WANT? AND WE WENT HAVE THE DISCUSSION IN COMMITTEES.
BUT I THINK HE'S READING OUR PROCEDURE.
THE PURPOSE OF COMMITTEE IS TO CONSIDER THE APPLICANT TO THEN MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNSEL.
COUNSEL WE DID DECIDES WHO TO APPOINT.
YOU DID, BUT THEN YOU HAD 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 5 OUT OF SEVEN BEFORE THAT.
THAT'S NOT EVEN A MAJORITY OF CHEMICAL.
WHAT IF THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL DON'T AGREE AND THEY WANT THE NEW BLOOD LIKE MR. BAR AND MS. D UH, PUT FORTH THEN, THEN WE'RE GONNA FIND OUT.
BUT IF THE NAME IS ALREADY THERE AS A QUALIFIED APPLICANT, THEN IT CAN ALL OCCUR RIGHT THERE AT THAT VOTE.
HE'S SAYING OTHERWISE THEY HAVE TO OPEN IT BACK UP AGAIN.
AND, AND THE BACKUP MATERIAL WOULD JUST SHOW THIS, THIS BODY'S, THIS BODY'S VOTE FOR MR. MITCHELL.
BUT THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS MR. MITCHELL IS WHAT WOULD BE, SO THEY WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE MR. MITCHELL AND IF IT CARRIES THE DATE, GREAT.
IF NOT YOU GET THE OTHER APPLICANT.
DOES HE HAVE ENOUGH VOTES OR NOT? IF NOT, WE GO BACK.
ALRIGHT, LET'S DO A ROLL CALL.
WHAT ARE WE VOTING ON? YEAH, WE ARE VOTING ON QUALIFIED APPLICANT WHETHER HE HAD, UH, MR. UH, PLL IS GONNA BE LISTED AS QUALIFIED APPLICANT LISTED AS A QUALIFIED APPLICANT ON THE COUNTY COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEETING WITH PATRICK MITCHELL BEING THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE FINANCE COMMITTEE? CORRECT.
IS UH, WE NEED COUNCIL MEMBER BAR ON YOU.
COMMITTEE, VICE CHAIR, TABERNAC.
UM, I'M TRYING TO WRAP MY HEAD AROUND.
SO WE'RE SETTING BOTH NAMES UP? YES, WE WE'VE MADE A RECOMMENDATION THAT IT'S MR. MITCHELL.
UM, BUT, BUT THIS WOULD ALSO SEND THE SECOND NAME UP AS HE IS QUALIFIED.
COUNCIL MEMBER HOWARD? UM, YES.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE TO COME BEFORE THIS CATH, THIS COMMITTEE? WE HOPE NOT.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE BE HERE.
THE SCALE OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM IS DIFFICULT TO FATHOM.
WHEN SCIENTISTS SAY OUTER SPACE, THEY MEAN SPACE.
SO TO GET AN IDEA OF WHAT THE SIZE OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM IS LIKE, WE'RE GONNA CREATE A SCALE MODEL USING LANDMARKS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
WE'RE GONNA SHRINK THE SOLAR SYSTEM DOWN FROM 3.5 BILLION MILES TO THE SIZE OF THE DISTANCE FROM THE HUNTING ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE TO THE YEE TRAIN STATION, WHICH IS ABOUT 32 MILES.
WE ARE STARTING HERE AT THE CENTER OF A SOLAR SYSTEM.
OUR SUN, THE SUN IS THE ONLY STAR IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM, BUT MORE ON THAT LATER.
ALL OF THE PLANETS AND EXTRA SOLAR OBJECTS LIKE ASTEROIDS AND COMETS AND OUR SOLAR SYSTEM ORBIT AROUND THE SUN.
AT THE SCALE WE ARE USING THE DIAMETER OF THE SUN WOULD BE ABOUT ONE THIRD OF THE HEIGHT OF THIS LIGHTHOUSE.
THE FIRST FOUR PLANETS ORBITING AROUND THE SUN ARE ROCKY PLANETS AND RELATIVELY CLOSE.
AND ON OUR SCALE ONLY ABOUT A THIRD OF A MILE AWAY FROM THE SUN AND SMALL ABOUT THE SIZE OF A PING PONG BALL.
[02:55:01]
MERCURY IS THE SMALLEST PLANET IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM, AND IT TAKES ONLY 88 EARTH DAYS FOR IT TO MAKE A COMPLETE REVOLUTION AROUND THE SUN.BECAUSE IT IS SO CLOSE TO THE SUN, ITS SURFACE TEMPERATURES ARE EXTREME RANGING FROM HUNDREDS OF DEGREES BELOW FREEZING AT NIGHT TO SEVERAL HUNDRED DEGREES DURING THE DAY.
NEXT COMES VENUS, A LITTLE MORE THAN HALF A MILE AWAY FROM THE LIGHTHOUSE ON OUR SCALE AND ABOUT FOUR INCHES IN DIAMETER.
VENUS HAS A VERY THICK ATMOSPHERE CREATING A GREENHOUSE EFFECT THAT RESULTS IN EXTREMELY HOT TEMPERATURES ON THE PLANET'S SURFACE.
IT ALSO HAS VOLCANOES, SOME OF WHICH ARE THOUGHT TO BE ACTIVE.
VENUS IS ONE OF THE PLANETS THAT IS EASILY VISIBLE IN THE NIGHT SKY FROM EARTH.
IN FACT, IT IS THE BRIGHTEST OBJECT OTHER THAN THE MOON.
NOW HERE WE ARE AT EARTH'S LOCATION.
JUST LESS THAN A MILE AWAY FROM THE SUN.
EARTH WOULD BE JUST A LITTLE BIT LARGER THAN VENUS.
THE EARTH IS HIGHLY UNIQUE AMONG ALL PLANETS.
IT SUPPORTS A VAST DIVERSITY OF LIFE JUST OVER ONTO HARBOR ISLAND.
HERE WE ARE AT MARS, A LITTLE MORE THAN A MILE AWAY FROM OUR SUN.
MARS IS THE LAST OF THE ROCKY PLANETS.
IT IS A PLANET SIMILAR TO EARTH.
HAVING AN ATMOSPHERE, SIMILAR GEOLOGY, AND EVEN FROZEN WATER PRESENT, IT TAKES ABOUT TWICE AS LONG FOR MARS TO GO AROUND THE SUN THAN THE EARTH DOES.
NASA'S CURIOSITY ROVER HAS BEEN ON THE SURFACE OF MARS SINCE 2012.
EXPLORING AND ANALYZING THE PLANET BETWEEN MARS AND THE GIANT PLANETS IS AN ASTEROID BELT.
ON OUR SCALE, THE ASTEROIDS WOULD BE TINY LIKE THE GRAINS OF SAND WASHING IN AND OUT WITH THE TIDE.
JUPITER IS COMPARATIVELY FAR AWAY, MORE THAN FIVE TIMES THE DISTANCE FROM THE SUN AS EARTH.
IT'S MORE THAN TWICE THE MASS OF ALL THE PLANETS COMBINED.
CONVECTION FROM THE INTENSE HEAT IN JUPITER'S CORE CREATES VIOLENT WEATHER ON THE PLANET.
THE RED SPOT IS A HUGE STORM, LARGER THAN THE DIAMETER OF EARTH.
JUPITER ALSO SPINS VERY RAPIDLY, WHICH IS WHAT CREATES ITS STRIPED APPEARANCE.
NEXT COMES SATURNS TWICE THE DISTANCE FROM THE SUN.
AS JUPITER AND A LITTLE BIT SMALLER, SATURN IS SURROUNDED BY RINGS MADE UP OF ICE, DUST AND CHUNKS OF ROCK.
AND WE REACH URANUS ON OUR SCALE ABOUT 15 MILES AWAY.
AND THE SIZE OF THE BEACH BALL.
URANUS IS UNIQUE FROM THE OTHER PLANETS BECAUSE IT ROTATES ON ITS SIDE IN RELATION TO THE SUN.
NEXT NEPTUNE, THE OTHER ICE GIANT IS ONCE AGAIN NEARLY TWICE THE DISTANCE FROM THE SUN AS ITS NEAREST NEIGHBOR.
NEPTUNE AND URANUS ARE ABOUT THE SAME SIZE, AND BOTH PLANETS HAVE METHANE IN THEIR ATMOSPHERES, MAKING THEM APPEAR BLUE.
LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT THEM DUE TO THEIR EXTREME DISTANCES FROM EARTH.
HERE AT THE YEE TRAIN STATION, WE'VE REACHED THE END OF OUR JOURNEY THROUGH THE SOLAR SYSTEM.
THIS IS THE HOME OF THE KUPER BELT, AN AREA OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM CONTAINING COMETS, ASTEROIDS, AND OTHER SMALL ICY OBJECTS.
THE KUPER BELT IS HOME TO PLUTO ONCE THE LAST PLANET IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM.
BUT NOW CONSIDERED A DWARF PLANET.
PLUTO WOULD ONLY BE ABOUT THE SIZE OF A WALL NUT ON OUR SCALE, BUT THIS IS NOT THE EDGE OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM.
THE FURTHEST KNOWN OBJECT THAT IS PART OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM IS THREE TIMES FURTHER AWAY FROM THE SUN THAN PLUTO.
AND THE ACTUAL EDGE OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM EXTENDS EVEN FURTHER.
SO THE NEXT TIME YOU TAKE A TRIP, IMAGINE YOU'RE TAKING A TRIP TO THE SOLAR SYSTEM AND THINK ABOUT ALL THE SPACE OUT THERE.