[00:00:01]
CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.
[IV. ADOPTION OF MINUTES ]
ALL IN FAVOR, AYE.DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS THIS EVENING? OKAY.
[VII.1. Pickup USA Fitness Club (Development Plan Application): A request by Brad Buss of Ward Edwards Inc., on behalf of Eric Zwilsky of 1 Corinthians, LLC, for approval of a Preliminary Development Plan. The project consists of a 15,400 SF basketball-focused fitness facility with associated access, parking, utilities and stormwater infrastructure. The property is zoned General Mixed Use (GMU) and consists of approximately 6.0 acres identified by tax map numbers R610 031 000 0212 0000 and R610 031 000 0173 0000. (DP-10-24-019391) (Staff - Dan Frazier) ]
BUSINESS.PICK UP USA FITNESS CLUB DEVELOPMENT PLAN APPLICATION.
UM, THIS PROJECT CONSISTS OF 15,400 SQUARE FOOT BASKETBALL FOCUSED FITNESS FACILITY WITH ASSOCIATED ACCESS, PARKING, UTILITIES, AND STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, AS YOU STATED, THIS IS A 15,400 SQUARE FOOT, UM, BASKETBALL FOCUSED, UH, FACILITY.
I BELIEVE IT'S TWO FULL COURTS, ONE HALF COURT.
UM, SO WEIGHT TRAINING FACILITY AND, AND ANCILLARY USES IN THERE.
UM, THE PROPERTY IS SIX ACRES.
IT'S IN THE GENERAL MIXED USE.
SO THIS IS REGULATED BY THE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE.
THERE'S NO MASTER PLANS, NO PUDS, NO DEVELOPMENTS, UH, AGREEMENTS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UH, THE PROPERTY, YOU CAN SEE IT'S LOCATED HERE, HIGHLIGHTED IN RED OFF OF PLANTATION PARK DRIVE IN WESTBURY PARK, UH, WAY.
AND THAT'S, UM, RIGHT OUTSIDE THE ENTRANCE TO WESTBURY PARK NEIGHBORHOOD.
AGAIN, FROM AN AERIAL STANDPOINT, THIS IS, UM, AN A, UM, A VACANT LOT, UH, WOODED.
UH, THERE IS A, UH, SANTI COOPER EASEMENT THAT RUNS ALONG THE PROPERTY THAT'S ADJACENT TO THE RESIDENTIAL PORTION OF IT.
THERE IS A 25 FOOT BUFFER, UH, VEGETATIVE BUFFER AND BERM, UH, THAT'S IN THAT AREA RIGHT NOW THAT, UH, WILL NOT BE DISTURBED.
WE, WE HAVE FROM A STAFF LEVEL.
UM, AND, AND AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE PROCESS, UM, WE'VE RECEIVED SOME PEOPLE THAT HAVE QUESTIONED, YOU KNOW, UH, LIGHTS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, AT FINAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN, WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT ANY, THAT, ANY LIGHTING THAT IS IN THAT AREA, OBVIOUSLY CAST AWAY FROM THE RESIDENCE AND IS A LOWER, UM, UH, LUMENS THAN, UM, UM, THAN A, LIKE A, LIKE A GAS STATION OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO, UM, AGAIN, THIS IS FOR A PRELIMINARY DEVELOPMENT PLAN.
UM, IT IS A SINGLE STORY, UH, BUILDING THAT HAS TWO ACCESS POINTS TO IT OFF OF PLANTATION PARK AND WESTBURY.
UH, THEY HAVE STATED THAT THERE IS THE FUTURE, UH, A POTENTIAL FOR A FUTURE EXPANSION OF OVER A LITTLE OVER 6,000 MAYBE.
UM, AND THAT, UH, EXPANSION, UM, IF IT WERE TO HAPPEN FOR THE BUILDING, UH, THE PARKING HAS ALREADY BEEN, UH, CONTEMPLATED FOR THAT.
SO THEY WOULD NOT NEED TO EXPAND THEIR PARKING.
UH, AND IT WOULD FALL INTO THE FOOTPRINT OF, TOWARDS THE BUILDING AND, AND WOULD NOT AFFECT, UH, THEIR, THEIR CIRCULATION AT ALL.
SO, UH, THIS DID GO TO THE, UM, THE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE.
UM, AND THE APPLICANT DID PROVIDE, UM, REVISED SITE PLANS.
AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE, UH, HERE'S THE LOCATION OF THE BUILDING IN RELATION TO, UH, WESTBURY PARKWAY PLANTATION PARK WITH OUR ACCESS POINTS.
UH, THERE IS AN OVERFLOW PARKING LOT, UM, THAT'S CLOSE TO THE RESIDENCE.
BUT AGAIN, WE HAVE HAVE THAT 25 FOOT, UM, ALREADY ESTABLISHED, UH, BERM AND, UH, VEGETATION THAT'S IN PLACE.
AGAIN, JUST TO, UM, HIGHLIGHT A LITTLE BIT CLOSER, THEY ARE USING, UM, PERVIOUS, UH, PARKING, UH, FOR THE PARKING SPACES.
UH, IT'S HELPING WITH THEIR STORM WATER REQUIREMENTS.
UM, SO WE DO HAVE THE REVIEW CRITERIA, UH, THAT ARE LISTED IN YOUR STAFF REPORT.
HAPPY TO GO OVER ANY, ANY OF THEM, THAT, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, THEY DO MEET ALL THE CRITERIA, UM, THAT'S LISTED OUT THERE.
UH, SO THIS EVENING, UH, YOUR ACTIONS ARE TO APPROVE THE APPLICATION AS SUBMITTED, APPROVED WITH CONDITIONS, UH, TABLE THE APPLICATION OR, UM, DENY THE APPLICATION.
UH, STAFF HAS STATED THAT THIS DOES, UH, MEET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS.
UM, WE'VE HAD A FEW SIDEBAR CONVERSATIONS DEALING WITH ACCESSIBILITY FROM THAT GRAVEL LOT.
WE'VE ALREADY TALKED TO THE APPLICANT.
WE'RE GONNA BE PICKING THOSE ITEMS UP AT FINAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN, UH, AS WELL AS THE DRC MEMBERS WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW IT AT THAT TIME.
UH, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.
UM, AND I DO HAVE A MOTION FOR YOU, UH, IF YOU SO CHOOSE.
THE LINE ON THE, IS THAT A PROPERTY LINE EXISTING AND THEN WE'RE COMBINING THE LOT? YES, MA'AM.
TWO, THERE'S, THERE'S TWO TWO PARCELS AND THEY WOULD BE, THE TWO LOTS WOULD BE COMBINED.
WHAT PART IN THE PROCESS DOES THAT HAVE TO BE COMPLETELY COMBINED? UH, WE WOULD, WE WOULD DO THAT PRETTY MUCH THAT FINAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT IS A, THAT IS A RELATIVELY EASY EXEMPT PLAT.
IT'S A ONE DAY TURNAROUND FOR EXEMPT PLATS.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR WOULD THEY LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT? NO, LET ME, LET ME JUST BRING UP THE ONE BEFORE.
UM, GO AHEAD AND GO ON BACK TO THE MAP.
I JUST WANNA POINT OUT TO COMMISSION WHAT, UM, KEVIN AND I TALKED ABOUT A LITTLE BIT EARLIER TODAY THAT I'M, I'M CONFIDENT STAFF WILL PICK IT UP AND TAKE CARE OF IT.
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PARK THERE AND YOU'RE GOING TO WALK TO GET IN THE BUILDING, THERE IS NO SIDEWALK, THERE'S NO WAY TO GET TO THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING OR THE, IF THERE'S AN ENTRANCE ON THE BACK THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.UM, 'CAUSE YOU DON'T WANT, IF YOU'VE GOT WHATEVER IT IS, 40 OR 50 PARKING SPOTS BACK THERE, YOU DON'T WANT PEOPLE TRYING TO WALK DOWN THAT DRIVEWAY OR ACROSS THAT LAWN WHILE CARS ARE COMING IN.
AND, AND WE CAN, WE CAN WORK ON, UM, UH, A ROUTE, UM, DURING FINAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN.
IF, IF THE FUTURE EXPANSION HAPPENS, WILL THERE NEED TO BE ANY AADA A PARKING OR DOES ALL THE AADA A OUT FRONT TAKE CARE OF THE FUTURE EXPANSION? UM, AT, AT THAT TIME, WHAT WE COULD EASILY DO IS, UH, WE COULD CONVERT, UH, TWO OF THE PARKING SPACES HERE.
UH, MOST LIKELY IF, IF AN ADDITIONAL ONE WAS NEEDED, IT WOULD ONLY BE ONE AND WE'D BE ABLE TO PICK IT UP THERE.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S AN EASY, EASY CONVERSION.
ANYTHING ELSE THE APPLICANT WANNA SAY? ANYTHING GOOD? I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANNA SAY.
THE ZACH AND THE COURT ATKINS GROUP.
I MEAN, I DON'T WANNA THINK, HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD.
WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE, IT'S GONNA BE BEAUTIFUL.
THE, THE GRAVEL PARKING LOTS WHEN THEY HOLD A TOURNAMENT, WE DIDN'T WANT TO BURDEN THE OTHER BUSINESSES, AND SO WE'LL MAKE SURE WE GET A PATH TO IT.
HOW OFTEN DO YOU THINK THAT ADDITIONAL PARKING WOULD BE USED? RARELY.
I MEAN, MOST OF THIS IS KIND OF PICKUP GAMES AND, AND TRAINING AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT THEY, THE FRANCHISE DOES HOST OCCASIONAL TOURNAMENTS.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING? NO.
ANYONE WANNA MAKE A MOTION? I'LL MAKE A MOTION.
USA FITNESS CLUB PRELIMINARY DEVELOPMENT PLAN APPLICATION AS SUBMITTED.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
[VIII. DISCUSSION ]
DO WE HAVE ANY DISCUSSION? UM, WE DO.UM, SO, UM, AS SOME OF YOU JUST FOUND OUT THIS EVENING, UH, THIS IS ALAN, UH, AMANDA'S LAST MEETING.
SHE'S DECIDED TO STEP DOWN AFTER WE SAID EIGHT PLUS YEARS.
UM, SO YOU'VE BEEN HERE FOR ALMOST AS LONG AS ME, UH, WHICH IS EXCITING.
YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB OVER THE YEARS AND A LOT OF INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE THAT, UM, THAT WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA MISS.
AND IT'S, WE KNOW THAT I'M JUST RETIRING FROM MY UNPAID JOB.
I'M KEEPING, AND YOU'LL STILL BE IN HERE TO PESTER US.
YOU WILL STILL SEE ME COME UP HERE AND ASK FOR APPROVALS.
SO WE GOT, WE GOT A JUST A, A, A, A, A FEW SMALL THINGS FOR YOU.
UM, AND WE JUST, UH, WE'VE APPRECIATED ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE OVER THE YEARS AND YOU WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU.
SO WE DEFINITELY APPRECIATE IT.
SO, I MEAN, I APPRECIATE ALL YOU GUYS AND LIKE WE'RE ALL GONNA WORK TOGETHER ANYWAY, SO YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET RID OF ME.
I WISH I COULD JUST RETIRE, BUT THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN
THAT'S WHEN YOU HIT THE LOTTERY.
YOU WOULD'VE RETIRED FROM THE OTHER JOB AND GET THIS ONE.
AND WITH THAT, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN QUESTION? DO YOU WANNA BRING UP LYDIA OR THAT POSITION, OR ARE YOU GONNA WAIT TILL OH, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT ONE.
WHEN WE DO APPOINTMENTS, DO I HAVE A, I CAN'T A SECOND.
ANY FURTHER MOTION A SECOND? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I REFUSED A MOTION OR SECOND.
ALRIGHT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? LAST ONE.
YOU'RE WATCHING BEAUFORT COUNTY TV LIVE, WORK, PLAY, JOE, GOOD TO SEE YOU, DALE.
UH, I WE'RE, WE'VE GOT A LOT TO TALK ABOUT AND WE'RE GONNA TRY TO TALK ABOUT AND A ALL OF THIS AND A VERY SMALL KIND OF PRESENTATION TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT WE WANT TO DO.
UH, IF Y'ALL REMEMBER, UH, WE STARTED WORKING ON A NEW SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER OPPORTUNITY LAST YEAR, UM, BECAUSE WE KNEW, AND WE HAVE KNOWN THAT TRYING TO RECRUIT LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO BE CLASS ONE CERTIFIED, WHICH IS WHAT THE STATE REQUIRED.
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KNOW, TO BE IN OUR SCHOOLS AS SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS, WHICH ARE, IS, IS A SPECIAL, I THINK WE ALL AGREE THAT THAT IS REALLY A SPECIAL CANDIDATE, UH, THAT WE CONSIDER TO BE THAT CLOSE AN ASSOCIATION TO OUR KIDS.UM, AND, BUT WE KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER PROGRAM BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY FACTORS IT CREATES, NOT ONLY IN OUR SCHOOLS, BUT WHAT OUR WHAT WHAT OUR COMMUNITIES AS WELL, BECAUSE THE SCHOOL IS A MELTING POT OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE.
SO HAVING THAT RIGHT PERSON IN THAT JOB AND THAT ROLE TO PROVIDE SECURITY TO OUR KIDS LEADERSHIP, TO OUR KIDS, UH, AND GIVING THE CONFIDENCE TO THE STAFF TO WORK IN THE SCHOOLS.
I MEAN, IT'S IMPORTANT TO FIND THAT RIGHT PERSON.
SO IT'S DIFFICULT TO FIND A CLASS ONE AND A CLASS ONE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW, IS ONE THAT GOES TO THE ACADEMY FOR 12 WEEKS, SPENDS 12 WEEKS FOR THE MOST PART IN COLUMBIA.
AND WE DO SOME OF THE TRAINING HERE LOCALLY, BUT EVERYTHING ELSE, UH, HAS TO BE DONE IN COLUMBIA.
AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ATTRACT TO BE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS THAT REALLY DON'T WANT TO GIVE UP THEIR LIFE AND THEIR FAMILY TO GO TO COLUMBIA AND GO THROUGH BOOTCAMP TO BE A CLASS ONE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER.
SO I HAD OUR TRAINING STAFF PUT TOGETHER A TRAINING SYLLABUS FOR A, WHAT WE CALL A CLASS THREE.
UH, AND IT WAS A CLASS THREE DESIGNATION FOR SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER.
WHAT THAT DID IS IT ALLOWED US TO CREATE A TRAINING SYLLABUS THAT WE COULD TAKE A PERSON, UM, YOU KNOW, OF, OF ANY AGE.
UM, AND THAT WE WOULD BRING THEM INTO LAW ENFORCEMENT ENVIRONMENT, YOU KNOW, WITH BLUFFTON OR BEAUFORT OR PORT ROYAL OR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
UH, AND WE WOULD TRAIN THEM HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
ALL OF THEIR TRAINING WOULD BE DONE RIGHT HERE.
UH, IT WOULD BE EIGHT WEEKS, MAYBE A LITTLE MORE THAN EIGHT WEEKS OF TRAINING.
UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO START THIS, UH, THE, OUR FIRST CLASS.
WE'D LIKE TO START IT IN JUNE.
UH, THAT WAY WE CAN GET 'EM THROUGH THE PROGRAM AND BE READY FOR DEPLOYMENT, UH, WHEN SCHOOL STARTS IN AUGUST.
UH, I, I THINK IT'S AN AWESOME PROGRAM.
WE, WE, WE SENT THE TRAINING SYLLABUS TO THE ACADEMY THAT TRAINS ALL OF OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
THEY APPROVED IT, UH, WITH THE BLESSING OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA TRAINING COUNCIL.
SO WE ARE READY TO GET THIS THING MOVING AND GET IT STARTED.
AND I THINK FOR US, UH, WE JUST NEED TO KIND OF TELL OUR CITIZENS, YOU KNOW, WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR? UH, THE ROLE IS SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER.
IT'S A CLASS THREE LAW ENFORCEMENT DESIGNATION.
UH, THEY HAVE ARREST POWERS, UH, AND THEY HAVE ALL THE POWERS OF ANY OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER ON THE SCHOOL GROUNDS, UH, THAT THEY'RE ASSIGNED TO.
SO WHAT DO YOU THINK, JOE, SHERIFF? I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA, AND THANK YOU FOR TAKING LEAD ON THIS.
UM, WE HAVE FOUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN BLUFFTON THAT CURRENTLY ARE NOT STAFFED BY CLASS THREE OR HIRE OFFICERS.
AND I THINK THAT THIS PROGRAM IS GONNA ATTRACT PEOPLE TO THESE POSITIONS AND IT'S GONNA PROVIDE MORE OF A SECURITY BLANKET FOR OUR SCHOOLS TO INCLUDE OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
SO WE'RE DEFINITELY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
WE'RE EXCITED TO BE PART OF IT.
WHO, WHO DO WE WANT TO ATTRACT? I THINK WE'VE GOT A, WE'VE GOT AN ENORMOUS NUMBER OF RETIRED MILITARY FOLKS HERE MM-HMM
THAT ARE ABLE TO RETIRE FAIRLY YOUNG AND MAY BE LOOKING FOR THAT JOB.
THEY MAY HAVE CHILDREN IN OUR SCHOOLS AND WITH THE, WITH THE PROGRAM THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO PUT TOGETHER.
UM, THEY'LL BE HOME WHEN THEIR CHILDREN ARE HOME, NOT IN SCHOOL.
AND, UM, AND I'VE ALWAYS SAID, YOU AND I HAVE HAD THIS CONVERSATION, SHERIFF, WE, WE NEED TO GET INTO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IF WE, IF WE WAIT UNTIL HIGH SCHOOLS WERE TOO LATE.
I'M, I'M GLAD THAT YOU TOOK THE LEAD ON IT.
UM, I'M EXCITED TO SEE IF WE CAN GET SOME PEOPLE IN, BUT I REALLY THINK THE YOUNG RETIRED MILITARY PEOPLE, OR THEY'RE JUST MADE FOR THIS, YOU KNOW, AND WE'VE GONE THROUGHOUT OUR CAREERS, UH, IN THE COUNTY OF BEAUFORT AND WE'VE HAD CONVERSATION AFTER CONVERSATION WITH DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT SAY, YOU KNOW, I'M RETIRED, I'D LIKE TO FIND SOMETHING TO DO.
AND THEN YOU START TALKING TO 'EM AND THEY'RE RETIRED TEACHER OR RETIRED LAW ENFORCEMENT, RETIRED FIRE DEPARTMENT, RETIRED MILITARY, RETIRED BANKERS, RETIRED, I MEAN, RETIRED, THIS, THAT, AND THE OTHER.
THEY'RE STILL, STILL AT AN AGE THAT THEY COULD, UM, THEY COULD DO THIS JOB WITH NO PROBLEM AT ALL OF ANY KIND.
UM, AND THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT, THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE.
I'D LIKE TO SEE, UH, THOSE THAT ARE STILL, THAT STILL FEEL LIKE THEY CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE, THAT MAYBE HAVE ALWAYS LOOKED AT LAW ENFORCEMENT AS BEING A JOB, BUT BECAUSE OF THE PAY AND BECAUSE OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE WORKING CONDITIONS AND FAMILIES AND, AND ALL THAT, THEY JUST DIDN'T WANNA DO IT.
BUT HERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO MAKE $45,000
[00:15:01]
A YEAR STARTING PAY TO WORK.BASICALLY THE SCHEDULE OF THE TEACHING AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHICH IS A PRETTY GOOD SCHEDULE.
IT IS, UH, TO HAVE BENEFITS, UH, TO BE IN THE RETIREMENT SYSTEM AND TO BE ABLE TO BRING THEIR MATURITY, UH, THEIR LIFE EXPERIENCE AND, AND, YOU KNOW, TO, TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AGED KIDS WHO WILL BENEFIT GREATLY FROM JUST HAVING THAT OPPORTUNITY TO SOCIALIZE AND BE AROUND, UH, THESE FOLKS THAT BRING A LOT TO THE TABLE.
AND I, WE AND OUR COMMUNITIES.
YOU TAKE BLUFFTON AND BEAUFORT AND, AND IN THE COUNTY AND IN PORT ROYAL, THOSE PEOPLE ARE HERE.
AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THINGS TO DO.
AND I JUST THINK THIS IS AN AWESOME OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO, YOU KNOW WHAT, JUST DO IT KINDA LIKE NIKE.
UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S, THE TRAINING IS, I THINK THEY'LL ENJOY THEIR TRAINING.
AGAIN, IT'S ALL DONE RIGHT HERE.
THEY, THEY'LL STAY AT HOME, THEY'LL SLEEP IN THEIR OWN BED OR HAVE THEIR OWN PILLOW, AND THEN THEY CAN COME TO TRAINING.
AND ONCE THEY'RE CERTIFIED, UH, THEN THEY'LL START THE SCHOOL YEAR, UH, AUGUST OF THIS YEAR.
SO, I MEAN, I KNOW YOUR COMMUNITY REPRESENTS THAT OPPORTUNITY AS WELL.
SO WHAT ELSE, WHAT ELSE YOU THINK THIS, UM, THIS PROGRAM'S GONNA DO IN TOTALITY FOR WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH? I THINK, I THINK THIS PROGRAM, ONE WILL BE ABLE TO GET US OVER THE TOP.
I THINK WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET, WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET A POLICE OFFICER IN EVERY SCHOOL IN BUFORT COUNTY, WHICH IS IMPORTANT.
A POLICE OFFICER AND I, AND I, AND YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS.
THERE'S A LOT OF TRAINING THAT GOES ALONG WITH THIS JOB.
AND YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT A SECURITY OFFICER.
THIS IS A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, UH, THAT'S GONNA BE WELL TRAINED, UH, IN THIS.
AND I, I THINK THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT'S, IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
AND I THINK WHAT THE YOUNG CHILDREN TARGETING THE RETIREES MM-HMM
WHETHER THEY'RE RETIRED TEACHERS, RETIRED MILITARY IS IMPORTANT.
THEY'VE GOT THE LIFE EXPERIENCE FOR THE, FOR THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
AND, AND TO GET THAT STARTED OFF.
SO
POSSIBLY A THIRD COMING ON BOARD.
SO, I MEAN, IN TOTAL, AND HERE'S THE THING.
IT, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU WORK AT THE CITY OF BEAUFORT OR THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, UH, OR PORT ROYAL, OR FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
YOU KNOW, WE WANT YOU TO COME TO WORK.
AND LAW ENFORCEMENT TO BE A CLASS THREE SRO, DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU GO, DOESN'T MATTER WHO YOU ARE EMPLOYED BY.
THE WORK ENVIRONMENT'S BASICALLY THE SAME.
THERE MAY BE A DIFFERENCE IN UNIFORM THAT YOU WEAR AT THE SCHOOL THAT YOU'RE ASSIGNED TO, UH, THE PAY.
I MEAN, EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE BASICALLY THE SAME.
SO ALL WE WANT PEOPLE TO DO IS PUT THEIR APPLICATIONS IN, GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN AND EXPLAIN THE PROGRAM IN DETAIL.
AND IF YOU REALLY HAVE AN INTEREST IN IT, UH, THEN LET'S, LET'S, LET'S GET STARTED.
AND, AND ONE THING THAT I WANT TO HIT ON IS THIS PROGRAM IS IMPORTANT AND, AND REASON BEING IS NONE OF OUR KIDS SHOULD FEEL AFRAID GOING TO SCHOOL.
UM, THEY SHOULD BE GOING TO SCHOOL TO LEARN AND NOT WORRYING ABOUT THEIR SAFETY.
UM, AND WHAT THIS DOES IS THIS PROVIDES ANOTHER LAYER OF SAFETY FOR ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS, ESPECIALLY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
UM, IT ALSO PROVIDES PEOPLE WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO MENTOR THESE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN MM-HMM
UH, AS THEY'RE COMING UP THROUGH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
AND SO, LIKE THE SHERIFF SAID, IF YOU TRULY WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, UH, THIS IS A POSITION THAT YOU REALLY, REALLY WILL BE MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
I JUST HOPE THE APPLICATION START POURING IN.
AND IF YOU GET MORE THAN, THAN YOU NEED THEN AND, AND WE NEED TO GO TO BEAUFORT OR WE NEED TO GO TO, UH, THE, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE OR, OR PORT ROYAL, WE JUST NEED, WE NEED TO PUT THESE PEOPLE TO WORK.
WE NEED TO FILL THESE VACANCIES, UH, AND LET'S MAKE OUR SCHOOLS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY AS SAFE AS THEY POSSIBLY CAN.
AND I THINK THE UNIQUENESS OF THIS PROGRAM, THESE OFFICERS WILL BE TRAINED BY PEOPLE THAT HAVE CHILDREN IN THESE SCHOOLS.
THEY HAVE THE SAME DESIRES, THE OUTCOMES THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
SO I'M, I'M LOOKING FORWARD, LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.
WELL, I MEAN, THE GREAT THING ABOUT IT IS THAT WE ARE, WE WILL BE DOING THE TRAINING TOGETHER.
IF YOU GET, IF YOU GET, IF YOU HIRE ONE OR TWO AND YOU HIRE FOUR, AND YOU KNOW, AND I CAN FILL THE NINE THAT WE NEED, WE'RE ALL GONNA BE TRAINING TOGETHER.
SO THIS IS GONNA BE ONE TRAINING SYLLABUS TO BENEFIT, UH, THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER PROGRAM.
I MEAN, THIS IS GOING TO BE, THIS, THIS PROGRAM IS FOR SOUTH CAROLINA AS A WHOLE.
THIS IS NOT JUST FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY.
BUT I'M EXCITED THAT WE'RE GOING TO START THIS AND INITIATE, YOU KNOW, THE SRO CLASS THREE POSITION HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND WE'RE GONNA SHOW THE STATE IT WORKS.
AND THE GREAT THING ABOUT THE TRAINING TOGETHER, SHERIFF, IS YOU'RE CREATING A NETWORK BEFORE YOU EVEN GET STARTED.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO KNOW PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT SCHOOLS WHERE
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IF YOU CAN RUN INTO A PROBLEM, YOU HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE THAT YOU CAN CALL AND GET SOME ADVICE OR TALK TO THEM ABOUT THINGS GOING ON IN THEIR SCHOOL AND CURRENT TRENDS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THEIR SCHOOL.SO IT'S A GREAT COLLABORATION OF ALL THREE DEPARTMENTS IN THE ENTIRE COUNTY GETTING TOGETHER, BECAUSE HAVING THAT NETWORK AND PEOPLE THAT YOU CAN RELY ON FOR ADDITIONAL ADVICE IS INVALUABLE.
WELL, I TELL YOU WHAT I MEAN, I WANT, I WANT PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO, TO MAKE THOSE PHONE CALLS OR GO ONLINE AND RESEARCH, YOU KNOW, UH, JUST THE, THE, THE CLASS THREE SRO, UH, THROUGH ALL AGENCIES.
SO I THINK LINDSEY, IF WE CAN, I MEAN, AT THIS POINT, I THINK IF WE PUT THAT INFORMATION ON THIS VIDEO FOR BLUFFTON, BEAUFORT, PORT ROYAL, AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WEBPAGE AND PHONE NUMBERS, UH, I THINK, WE'LL HOPEFULLY WE'LL START GETTING CALLS.
THAT SOUND GOOD TO Y'ALL? YES, SIR.
THE BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO INCREASE VOTER REGISTRATION AND INCREASE VOTER TURNOUT.
AND IN OUR COMMUNITY, UH, WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH SOME OF OUR CIVIC ORGANIZATION AND SOME OF OUR SOCIAL ORGANIZATION TO HELP US EDUCATE OUR VOTERS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF VOTING.
WE PARTNERED WITH THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF REGISTRATION AND ELECTION IN THIS PROJECT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE OBSERVED IN SOUTH CAROLINA IS THAT, LIKE IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, NOT AS MANY PEOPLE WHO SHOULD BE, ARE REGISTERED TO VOTE AND INVOLVED IN THE, UM, IN THE ELECTION PROCESS.
SO WE TOOK A LOOK AT YOUNG PEOPLE IN PARTICULAR AND HOW DID THEY GET INVOLVED WITH VOTING AND DECIDED WE'D START THERE RATHER THAN TO START VOTER REGISTRATION WITH OLDER ADULTS.
SO WE STARTED WORKING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY THOSE AGES 16 AND ABOVE, AND EDUCATE THEM ABOUT THE VOTING PROCESS AND WHAT IT MEANS TO VOTE AND HOW VOTING IMPACTS YOUR LIFE.
AND IN DOING THAT, WE PARTNERED WITH THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS.
YOU KNOW, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE? IT'S IMPORTANT TO US TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PROBLEMS OUT THERE, AND WE WANNA DO OUR FAIR SHARE OF MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
THAT'S THE MAIN THING THAT WE WANT TO DO AS THIS ORGANIZATION.
AND WE WENT INTO TWO MIDDLE SCHOOLS THIS YEAR, AND, UH, WE WENT THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS OF VOTING FROM REGISTERING TO VOTE, UH, WITH A VOTER REGISTRATION DEADLINE, ISSUING VOTER REGISTRATION CARDS.
AND THIS WAS ALL DONE WITH THE SCHOOL GUIDANCE COUNSELOR.
SO AS SCHOOL COUNSELOR, I'M ALSO THE, UM, ADVISOR FOR THE LEADERSHIP GROUPS AND FOR STUDENT GOVERNMENT.
THIS SCHOOL YEAR, I WANTED TO INVOLVE THE WHOLE SCHOOL AND GIVE A REAL LIFE EXPERIENCE ABOUT VOTING.
YOU KNOW, VOTING IS LIKE, UM, DEMOCRACY IN ACTION.
THAT'S HOW WE, EVEN THE PLAYING FIELD, A LEVEL OF PLAYING FIELD HERE IN AMERICA.
SO THAT'S YOUR ONE VOICE, BUT BRINGING MANY VOICES TOGETHER, YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING CHANGE.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE OUR STUDENTS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE HOW THAT ACTUALLY ALL WORKS.
THE STUDENTS, THEY REALLY GOT INVOLVED.
UM, MOST OF THEM WERE NERVOUS, AND SOME OF 'EM, WE ACTUALLY RAN A REGISTRATION PROCESS.
SO WE SAT UP IN OUR CAFETERIA MAYBE FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS, AND THE STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO COME OVER AND VISIT THE TABLE AND ACTUALLY FILL OUT A VOTER REGISTRATION CO CARD IS WHAT WE CALLED IT.
THIS IS A, AN ENLARGED VERSION OF THE VOTER REGISTRATION APPLICATION.
UM, AT THE TOP IT SAYS, ARE YOU A STUDENT AT ROBERT SMALLS INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY? THE STUDENT WOULD CHECK YES OR NO.
IF YES, WILL YOU BE, BE BETWEEN FOURTH AND EIGHTH GRADE ON ELECTION DAY.
AND AT THE BOTTOM, THEY WILL NEED TO REVIEW ALL THE INFORMATION THAT THEY FILLED OUT.
AND IF IT WERE TRUE TO THE BEST OF THEIR KNOWLEDGE, THEY WOULD SIGN IT.
THEY BROUGHT IN FOUR MACHINES AND, AND THEY SET UP IN, UH, CLASSROOM C ONE STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO FILTER THROUGH C ONE WITH THEIR REGISTRATION CARD.
AND WITH THEIR REGISTRATION CARD, THEY WERE ABLE TO WALK TO THE TABLE, SIGNED IN, AND THEN WALK OVER TO THE VOTING MACHINES TO VOTE FOR PRESIDENT, VICE PRESIDENT, SECRETARY, OR TREASURER.
THE KIDS WERE ECSTATIC ABOUT DOING THIS BECAUSE THEY REALIZED AT THAT MOMENT HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS.
THE, THE CANDIDATES WERE CAMPAIGNING, THEY MADE POSTERS, UM, CAMPAIGN POSTERS, AND THEY WERE GOING OUT GIVING SPEECHES, HELLO, MY NAME IS NATHAN TE AND I'M
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RUNNING FOR STUDENT COUNCIL PRESIDENT.STUDENTS WERE ALLOWED TO CAMPAIGN.
SO WE RECORDED SOME CAMPAIGN ADS FOR OUR MORNING TELEVISION NEWS SHOW, RSIA TODAY.
UM, THOSE ADS, UH, ROTATED AND AIRED DAILY, JUST AS IF IT WOULD'VE BEEN FOR, FOR THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS.
WE ACTUALLY GOT THE TICKET FROM THE, UH, BOARD OF REGISTRATIONS.
THEY PRINT A TICKET WITH ALL THE RESULTS FROM THE POLLS.
SO WE GOT THE POLL REPORT AND THEN, UH, AND THEN WE CREATED THAT AND TURNED THAT INTO A GRAPHIC AND, UH, SHARED THE RESULTS OF THE ELECTION THAT WAY.
THE VOTES ARE IN, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S MAYBE NOT SURPRISING, IT KIND OF REINFORCED THE REASON WHY WE'RE DOING THIS IS HOW MANY PEOPLE THERE ARE THAT ARE NOT ENGAGED IN THE PROCESS BECAUSE THEY'VE EITHER LOST FAITH IN THE SYSTEM OR THEY DON'T BELIEVE THAT THEIR VOTE COUNTS AND THEY PASS THAT ON TO YOUNG PEOPLE SUCH THAT YOUNG PEOPLE NOW FEEL AS THOUGH, WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE IF I VOTE ARE NOT VOTE? AND THAT'S WHO WE'RE TRYING TO WORK WITH.
SO WE CAN CHANGE THAT KIND OF THINKING AND PERHAPS EVEN GET THEM TO REENGAGE THEIR CAREGIVER OR THEIR PARENTS OR OTHER ADULTS IN THE WHOLE PROCESS.
I WANTED TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE I WOULD'VE BEEN A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT.
SO I RAN AND I HAD TO DO A SPEECH FOR, UM, TO GO ON OUR DAILY NEWS.
AND SO AFTER I DID THE SPEECH, I WAITED ABOUT A WEEK OR TWO, AND THEN WE VOTED AND I GOT THE PAPER LIKE EVERYONE ELSE DID, AND I HAD TO DO THE PAPER, AND I GOT MY CARD AND WE WENT TO GO VOTE.
AND OBVIOUSLY I VOTED FOR MYSELF.
SO I USUALLY SEE, LIKE, MY PARENTS USUALLY TELL ME, OH, I'M GONNA GO VOTE.
AND I ALWAYS WONDER LIKE, WHAT IS IT LIKE? SO TO ACTUALLY GET THE EXPERIENCE AND ACTUALLY USE IT, IT FELT, IT FELT REAL DURING THE PROJECT.
UM, THE STUDENTS WHERE I WAS KIND OF HELPING OUT AT, AT THE BOOTH, THEY KIND OF CAME OVER AND ASKED, UM, WAS IT THE POLL THAT THEIR PARENT ACTUALLY USED? SO IT KIND OF GAVE THEM THAT REAL LIFE EXPERIENCE OF WHAT MOM AND DAD DO DURING THE VOTING, VOTING TIME.
IN THE PAST, WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS WORK WITH, UM, OUR AGING POPULATION.
WE WENT OUT TO, UM, NURSING AND ASSISTED LIVING HOMES, REGISTERING PEOPLE, EDUCATING THE RESIDENTS THERE ON, UM, VOTING REGISTER, UH, IN OUR COUNTY, AND, UH, MAKING SURE THAT THEY WERE ALL READY FOR MAJOR ELECTIONS.
AND WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW, AND IT'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL.
AND WE ARE ALSO PLANNING TO DO IT, UH, CONTINUE TO DO IT FOR OUR, UH, CITIZENS IN THE HIGH SCHOOL, DOING GENERAL ELECTION YEARS.
WE GO OUT TO THE HIGH SCHOOL, 16 AND 17 YEAR OLDS, AND WE TRAIN THEM ON BECOMING POLL MANAGERS AND THEY PARTICIPATE WITH US DURING OUR GENERAL ELECTIONS, WORKING THE PRECINCT AS A POLL MANAGER.
AND THESE ARE SOME OF THE BRIGHTEST KIDS, UM, THAT WE HAVE WORKING AT THOSE PRECINCTS, WORKING WITH ALL CITIZENS.
BUT THE PART THAT WAS MOST, I THINK, IMPORTANT FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE WAS TO ACTUALLY HAVE THEM VOTE.
MANY OF THEM HAD NEVER SEEN A VOTING MACHINE.
THEY OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE OF THEIR AGES HAD NOT VOTED.
SO WENDELL WAS VERY ACCOMMODATING.
AND COMING IN AND DOING A TUTORIAL WITH THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE AND EXPLAINING THE PROCESS, THE STAFF, UH, THEY WERE JUST EXCITED.
THE STUDENTS, UM, THE SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHERS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TEACH SOME OF THE LESSONS.
UM, AND JUST TO SHOW WHERE THINGS WERE IN THE FIFTIES AND SIXTIES AND HOW VOTER VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVES CAME ABOUT.
UM, IT TAKES EVERY, EVERY VOTE THAT'S OUT THERE VERSUS JUST ME SAYING, YOU KNOW WHAT, I'M NOT GONNA VOTE TODAY.
SO WITH US INSTILLING, UM, THIS AUTHENTIC LESSON IN LIFE OF BEING ABLE TO VOTE, UM, WE HOPE THAT IT RESONATES THROUGHOUT THEIR LIVES SO THAT WHEN IT'S TIME FOR THEM TO VOTE AT 18, THEY MAKE IT AS MEANINGFUL AS POSSIBLE AND TAKE IT SERIOUSLY SO THAT THEY CAN DO WHAT'S BEST FOR THEM AND FOR THE COUNTRY.