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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.
[1. CALL TO ORDER]
THE, UM, FINANCE ADMINISTRATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE DUTY ORDER.IT'S MONDAY, JANUARY 27TH, 2025.
UM, AND IF WE, WE DO HAVE A QUORUM.
WE HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE, UH, WE CAN EVERYONE JUST, UM, RISE FOR 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.
[3. STATEMENT OF COMPLIANCE WITH FOIA]
HAS BEEN, UM, SENT OUT IN COMPLIANCE WITH FOIA.[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
THEN FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.CAN I ASK SOMEONE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA? I THANK YOU.
UH, ANY MORE DISCUSSION? SEEING NO DISCUSSION.
WE'LL APPROVE IT WITHOUT OBJECTION.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION? I DO NOT SEE ANY OBJECTION.
[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - November 25, 2024]
TO APPROVAL OF MINUTES FOR NOVEMBER 25TH, 2024.IF I COULD ASK FOR SOMEONE TO APPROVE THOSE MINUTES, APPROVE THOSE.
I CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT, YEAH.
UM, AND AS A SECOND, UH, FROM MS. BROWN, UM, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? SEEING NO DISCUSSION? WE WILL APPROVE THOSE WITHOUT OBJECTION.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO APPROVING THE MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 25TH, 2024? I SEE.
SO THEY WILL BE APPROVED AND LIKE TO OPEN IT UP FOR
[6. CITIZEN COMMENTS PERIOD - 15 MINUTES TOTAL]
CITIZENS' COMMENTS.UM, IF THERE IS ANYONE HERE, UM, ANYONE SIGNED UP? SARAH, AS FAR AS YOU KNOW? NO SIR.
NO ONE SIGNED UP AND NO ONE ONLINE.
UH, IF THERE'S NO CITIZENS' COMMENTS, WE WILL THEN MOVE FORWARD THEN TO,
[7. CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER REPORT]
UM, UH, NUMBER SEVEN ON OUR AGENDA.AND THIS IS, UH, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER'S REPORT.
AND, UH, MS. HARRIET, WHICH IS OUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER.
AND THIS, THIS MIGHT BE YOUR FIRST OFFICIAL TIME COMING BEFORE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WELL, UM, AS REQUESTED, IN THE LAST FINANCE COMMITTEE, WE UH, PREPARED SOME GENERAL FUND REVENUES.
AS YOU CAN SEE, A VALIUM IS TRENDING PRETTY GOOD.
WE'RE AT 66% FOR COLLECTIONS LICENSES AND PERMITS ARE A LITTLE LOW.
I'M SURE THAT VARIES, UM, FROM THE FISCAL YEAR, DUE DATES AND SO FORTH.
UM, INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENTS ARE, OUR INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUE IS KIND OF LOW, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE POSTED SECOND QUARTER YET.
SO, UM, ALL OF OUR, OUR OVERALL TOTAL REVENUE IS AT 61% TO DATE.
I DID THIS BY FUNCTION SO THAT YOU COULD SEE WHAT, UM, EACH INDIVIDUAL FUNCTION, I KIND OF PRESENTED IT TO YOU IN, IN A WAY THAT WAS SUMMARIZED AND NOT SHOWING YOU EVERY SINGLE LINE ITEM IN EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT, EVERY SINGLE, UM, BUT WE CAN ALWAYS DRILL DOWN DEEPER IF YOU WOULD LIKE.
BUT GENERAL GOVERNMENT IS AT 47%, WHICH IS REALLY GOOD.
THAT'S MOST OF YOUR GENERAL FUND.
UM, AND PUBLIC SAFETY IS AT 52.
AS YOU CAN SEE, MOST OF THESE ARE TRENDING, UM, PRETTY HALFWAY THROUGH AS IT'S MIDYEAR.
SO OVERALL, UH, THE GENERAL FUND IS AT 49% OF EXPENDITURES.
SO WE'RE TURNING PRETTY GOOD, PRETTY GOOD, UM, MOVING THROUGH THE YEARS.
WE ARE DOING A QUICK OVERVIEW OF ENTERPRISE FUNDS, AND THESE ARE THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS REVENUES.
UH, THE FIRST ONE IS SOLID WASTE.
UM, WE'RE ABOUT 47%, WHICH LOOKS TO BE JUST ABOUT RIGHT.
I THINK THEY'RE A LITTLE HIGHER RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I THINK THEY HAD SOME CAPITAL EXPENDITURES THAT THEY HAD.
UM, BEFOR EXECUTIVE AIRPORT IS A LITTLE LOW.
UM, AND THEN WE'VE GOT HILTON HEAD AIRPORT, WHICH IS RIGHT AT 52%.
SO IT'S LOOKING PRETTY GOOD, PRETTY GOOD.
QUESTION BEFORE SHE GOES ON THIS.
JUST FOR THE PUBLIC WHO MIGHT BE WATCHING OR WILL BE WATCHING IN THE FUTURE.
WOULD YOU DESCRIBE TO THEM ENTERPRISE FUNDS VERSUS OTHER FUNDS? ENTERPRISE FUNDS ARE WHERE WE RECORD IN GOVERNMENT OR BUSINESS TYPE ACTIVITIES.
UM, I'M NOT GIVING YOU THE QUOTE RIGHT OUT OF THE DICTIONARY, BUT THAT IS EXACTLY WHERE WE WOULD RECORD ANY TYPE OF, UH, BUSINESS TYPE ACTIVITIES AND ENTERPRISE FUNDS.
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TYPES OF ENTERPRISE FUNDS.ALL OF THESE ARE JUST REGULAR, IT'S ENTERPRISE FUNDS ARE A TYPE OF PROPRIETARY FUND.
UM, AND RIGHT NOW WE HAVE THESE FOUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS.
WE USED TO HAVE AN INTERNAL SERVICE FUND, WHICH IS A DIFFERENT TYPE OF, UH, PROPRIETARY FUND, WHICH IS ALSO RECORDED THE SAME WAY.
DOES THAT HELP? THERE'S THE SAME, UH, BUT EXPENDITURES.
SO SOLID WASTE IS TRENDING RIGHT AT 50%.
UM, STORMWATER IS ACTUALLY UNDER AT 33%.
AND THEN WE'VE GOT BEAUFORT EXECUTIVE AIRPORT AT 21%.
AND THEN HILTON HEAD AIRPORT IS RIGHT AT 41.
SO THEY'RE TRAINING IN A GOOD DIRECTION.
UM, BEAUFORT EXECUTIVE IS THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS KIND OF A LOWER BALANCE, AND THAT'S BECAUSE SOME, UH, FUND TRANSFERS HAVEN'T OCCURRED YET AND SOME CAPITAL EXPENDITURES HAVEN'T OCCURRED YET.
AND ALSO AT THE LAST FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING, THERE WAS A REQUEST FOR MISCELLANEOUS REVENUES.
I'M NOT GONNA READ EVERYTHING OUT TO YOU.
I KIND OF TYPED UP YOUR COMMENTS TO THE RIGHT AND FULL DISCLOSURE.
UM, MUNICH RECORDS REVENUES IN A NEGATIVE NUMBER.
IT'S JUST THE WAY THAT OUR FINANCIAL ERP RECORD, UH, RECORDS IT.
SO, UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE, I'M TRYING TO READ THAT REALLY SMALL BACK THERE.
UH, A LOT OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF REVENUES THAT COME IN THAT ARE CLASSIFIED AS MISCELLANEOUS.
WE'VE GOT THE FOIA PAYMENTS AND THE FIRST, UM, LINE ITEM.
WE'VE GOT HEALTH INSURANCE AND PBU, WE KEEP THOSE SEPARATE BECAUSE PBU, OBVIOUSLY RETIREMENT.
AND OUR SELF, UH, SELF-FUNDED INSURANCE FUND, WE HAVE, UH, INSURANCE RESERVE FUND WHERE WE RECEIVE, WE KEEP LEGAL SEPARATE THAN ALL THE OTHER MISCELLANEOUS REVENUES THAT WE RECEIVE.
WE HAVE ONE IN VOTER'S REGISTRATION FOR STATE REIMBURSEMENTS FROM ELECTIONS.
UM, AND THEN I, UH, MAPPING AND GIS HAS ONE FOR MAP SALES WHEN THEY'RE PRODUCING MAPS ALL OVER THE COUNTY FOR WHOEVER.
UM, WE HAVE THE VEHICLE ONE UNDER RISK MANAGEMENT BECAUSE THAT'S WHO MANAGES OUR, UM, RISK OUR INSURANCE POLICIES.
AND THEN WE'VE GOT ONES SEPARATED OUT FOR GARAGE BECAUSE GARAGE HAS VARIOUS DIFFERENT REVENUE SOURCES THAT THEY, UH, GENERATE REVENUE FROM.
SO WE LIKE TO KEEP THEM SEPARATE.
I THINK THAT WAS ALREADY CREATED PREVIOUSLY BECAUSE THEY USED TO BE IN AN INTERNAL SERVICE FUND, WHICH AGAIN, IS ANOTHER TYPE OF PROPRIETARY FUND.
UM, AND WE ALSO KEEP THE SHERIFF'S, UH, STUFF DIFFERENT BECAUSE HE'S GOT A, HE'S UNDER PUBLIC SAFETY AND WE LIKE TO KEEP HIS DIVISION SEPARATE.
SO SOMETIMES THEY UTILIZE THOSE REVENUES IN, IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF THEIR BUDGET.
SO, OH, AND OUR LAST SLIDE IS AN UPDATE OF OUR 2025 BOND ISSUANCE.
UH, WE HAD OUR FINAL CALL, I THINK THE TUESDAY MORNING WE WERE CLOSING
UM, SO WE ARE CURRENTLY GOING TO BE ISSUING THE 68.6 MILLION, UM, TOTAL.
UH, WE HAVE A $3.2 MILLION, UM, IN A PREMIUM.
OUR FINAL TRUE INTEREST COST IS GOING TO BE 3.9, WHICH IS GREAT BECAUSE IT'S ABOUT 0.25% LESS THAN WHAT WE HAD PREDICTED PREVIOUSLY.
WE WERE PREDICTING 4.16, SO THIS IS GREAT.
UM, OUR OFFICIAL CLOSING DATE FOR THE BOND BOND ISSUANCE WILL BE FEBRUARY 6TH.
SO AS HE PUT RIGHT THERE,
SO, UM, AS WE KNOW, THIS IS A PART OF THE ISSUANCE THAT WE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN APPROVED AND DISCUSSED.
ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. ELLIOTT? NO.
UM, I'M GONNA COVER, OH WAIT, I GOTTA GO BACK TO BUDGET TRANSFERS.
UM, VALERIE IS NOT HERE TODAY, BUT IT DOES NOT WANT TO NO, LEMME GO BACK ONE SPREADSHEET.
YEAH, WHICH I HAVE IT, BUT I WAS LOOKING FOR IT.
OH, IT'S NOT, IS IT NOT IN THIS? I HAVE MY COPY, BUT I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF THEY WANTED TO SEE IT.
THE OTHER, OH, IT'S, IT'S BEFORE THE POWERPOINT.
THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT'S IN THE BACKUP.
WELL, SHE'S FINDING THAT, UM, IT IS YOUR BUDGET TRANSFER RECAP, UH, FOR SINCE THE DECEMBER FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING.
UM, THIS TOWARD WHEN IT GETS TO BE MIDYEAR.
THAT'S KIND OF SMALL, BUT IT'S IN YOUR BACKUP, UM, TOWARDS THE MIDYEAR.
SO WE HAVE, UH, PROVIDED YOU A DATE, THE DEPARTMENT, THE FROM ACCOUNT, THE TO ACCOUNT, UM, AND A BRIEF JUSTIFICATION THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE DEPARTMENT,
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UM, FOR THEIR TRANSFER.SO I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
I KNOW IT'S A VERY SMALL DOCUMENT, BUT FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS,
UM, AND OBVIOUSLY, UM, MS. HART WILL BE, UM, GIVING US A, A, UM, OFFICER'S REPORT AT MOST OF OUR FINANCE MEETINGS.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UH, WHENEVER SHE COMES FORWARD? I THINK THIS IS PRETTY THOROUGH, SO THANK YOU.
[8. PROCUREMENT UPDATE]
MOVE ON TO NUMBER EIGHT IN OUR AGENDA.AND IT'S OUR PROCUREMENT UPDATE WITH, UH, MR. DAVE THOMAS, WHO IS OUR PROCUREMENT DIRECTOR.
MR. THOMAS, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, EVERYBODY.
UM, GLAD THE WEATHER'S GETTING A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
UH, JUST WANTED TO BASICALLY GO OVER, UH, THREE AREAS.
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE I'VE TALKED ABOUT THESE AREAS, BUT, UH, ONE IS THE PCARD PROGRAM, UH, THE, THE PROCUREMENT POLICY MANUAL THAT WE DON'T HAVE OUT ON THE STREET YET.
AND, UH, GIMME AN UPDATE ON OUR SUBSCRIPTIONS AND DUES AND WHAT I CALL BASICALLY CONSOLIDATING THE ACCOUNTS.
SO I KINDA WANTED TO GO OVER THAT.
SO IF YOU CAN GO TO THE FIRST SLIDE, THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
UH, TO KIND OF GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THE PCARD PROGRAM, IT'S A BIG TEAM EFFORT.
YOU KNOW, IT TAKES, UM, STAFF, THE PROCUREMENT CARD, CO COORDINATOR, THE, UM, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR GETS INVOLVED, THE DEPARTMENT HEADS GET INVOLVED.
THE EMPLOYEES ACTUALLY, UH, WANT, UH, ARE REQUIRED CARD FOR THEIR JOB, GET INVOLVED.
AND IT ALL WORKS OFF OF TWO SYSTEMS. THE BANK OF AMERICA SOFTWARE AND IMMUNO SOFTWARE.
THE BANK OF AMERICA SOFTWARE BASICALLY ACTS AS, UM, OUR WAY TO REQUEST CARDS, UH, TO PUT IN OUR DATA FOR, UM, BUDGET.
AND THEN ONCE THAT, AND IT BASICALLY COORDINATES WITH BANK OF AMERICA, EVERYTHING WE SPEND PROVIDES US REPORTS AND SENDS IT BACK TO US.
THE MUNIS PART IS WHERE WE GET THE BANK OF AMERICA SOFTWARE TO ACTUALLY TALK TO MUNIS AND KEEPS OUR BUDGET ON TRACK WITH WHAT WE SPENT.
SO I KIND OF WANTED TO GIVE YOU THAT KIND OF SITE PICTURE.
UH, WE CURRENTLY HAVE 173 CARDS OUT THERE THAT WE MANAGE.
THAT'S NOT TOO BAD FOR THE AMOUNT OF EMPLOYEES WE HAVE.
AND WE USE THE PCARD FOR A LOT OF AREAS.
TRAVEL, UM, OFFICE SUPPLIES, SMALL PURCHASE OWNER $1,500.
BUT I DID DID WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE DO USE IT FOR LARGE ITEMS LIKE PAYING UTILITIES.
AND THE REASON WHY WE DO THAT IS SO WE CAN GET THAT REBATE.
AND EVERY YEAR OUR REBATE HAS GONE UP WHEN WE, WE DON'T USE THE P CARD, BUT WE USE AN ELECTRONIC PAYMENT THROUGH THE BANK AMERICA CARD SYSTEM.
AND WHAT THAT DOES IS, LIKE THIS YEAR FOR FISCAL YEAR 24, WE GOT $27,000 BACK THAT WE COULD BACK PUT BACK INTO THE GENERAL FUND.
SO I WANTED YOU TO KNOW THAT THAT'S KIND OF HOW SOME OF THE SYSTEM WORKS.
UM, WITH THAT SAID, WE HAVE UPDATED THE NEW PCARD MANUAL.
IT'S IN OUR STAFF'S, UM, INTRANET, SHAREPOINT WHERE THEY CAN GO IN AND THEY CAN, THEY CAN RE-READ IT, REVIEW IT.
UH, WE HAVE, UM, UH, WE HAVE, UH, WE'VE GOT THAT ON THE SYSTEM, BUT WE, WE HAVE NOT FINISHED WITH THE VIDEO.
WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE A NICE VIDEO SO THEY CAN LOOK, IT'S, IT'S GONNA BE GREAT.
AND ALSO WE HAVE NOT FINISHED WITH THE ACTUAL EXAM.
NOW THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY DON'T, THEY ARE REQUIRED TO READ THE CURRENT MANUAL.
THEY'RE REQUIRED TO SIGN OFF ON THAT CONTRACT THAT MAKES THEM SAY THAT, HEY, I AM AWARE THAT I CAN ONLY USE THIS PCARD FOR BUSINESS PURCHASES.
AND WE OUTLINE, AND I'M NOT GONNA, I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH THE WHOLE DOCUMENT 'CAUSE IT'S IN YOUR PACKET, BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THERE, WE CAN GO TO EACH CHAPTER.
SO WHERE IT'S ONLY 11 PAGES, THE FIRST PAGE IS JUST THE COVER PAGE.
BUT IT EXPLAINS BASICALLY THE AREAS THAT NEED TO BE COVERED.
YOU KNOW, WHO'S RESPONS, WHO'S RESPONSIBLE, WHO'S INVOLVED, WHO APPROVES IT, HOW IT WORKS, WHO TO CONTACT, WHAT FORMS TO FILL OUT.
'CAUSE I THINK I WAS SAYING WE HAVE A LOT OF NEW ELECTRONIC FORMS THAT WE USE TO KEEP.
'CAUSE WHAT'S GREAT ABOUT THOSE, IT GIVES US A MATTER OF RECORD.
WE CAN GO ON AND CHECK THAT LIBRARY TO SAY, YES, THAT PERSON HAS BEEN BRIEFED, THAT PERSON HAS TAKEN A TEST, THAT PERSON HAS SIGNED OFF ON THAT CONTRACT SAYING THAT THEY WILL USE THAT PCARD, WHICH WILL BE IN LINE WITH OUR POLICY.
SO THAT'S SOME OF THE THINGS WE GOT GOING ON.
AND I'M, I'M GONNA GET INTO HOW, HOW THE WORK FOR, HOW THE, THE CARD IS, IS BEING, UM, APPROVED OR HOW THEY GET IT.
THEY FILL OUT A PCARD REQUEST FORM THROUGH THEIR DEPARTMENT.
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ONCE THAT DEPARTMENT HEAD DECIDES THAT, HEY, THIS EMPLOYEE NEEDS A PCARD, UH, TO HELP US WITH OUR BUSINESS OPERATION.IT GOES THROUGH THE SYSTEM, GOES THROUGH THE ELECTRONIC APPROVAL PROCESS, COMES TO, UH, THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
THEY REVIEW IT AND MAKE SURE IT'S WITHIN, UH, WHATEVER LEVEL OR THRESHOLD.
'CAUSE WE, AGAIN, MOST PEOPLE ARE SET AT $1,500 MONTHLY.
AND, UH, ONLY A COUPLE OF OUR DEPARTMENTS ARE HIRING THAT LIKE OUR LIBRARY.
'CAUSE THEY BUY A LOT OF SUBSCRIPTIONS AND VIDEOS AND, UH, DSNS A LITTLE BIT HIGHER 'CAUSE THEY BUY A LOT OF FOOD FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES, OR EXCUSE ME, FOR THEIR, UM, UM, PEOPLE THEY TAKE CARE OF.
SO IT GOES THROUGH THE SIGNING PROCESS.
UM, THEN IT GOES, SO ONCE THAT APPROVED, WE MAKE SURE WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO WITH HR SINCE THEY'VE BEEN VARYING KUDOS TO CATHERINE MEAD AND, UH, AMBER BLACK AND, UH, MY NEW PCARD ADMINISTRATOR, THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT VIDEO AND A NEW TEST.
BUT IT'S ALL GONNA GO THROUGH HR AS WELL.
SO WE HAVE A MATTER OF RECORD AND THAT INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEE IS NOT GIVEN A CARD UNTIL THEY'VE ACTUALLY TAKEN THE TEST AND AND PASSED.
THEY MUST, YOU KNOW, THEY MUST PASS IT BY 80%.
UM, ANYTHING LESS THAN THAT, THEY HAVE TO BE RETRAINED AND TAKE THE TEST AGAIN.
SO JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I'M COVERING EVERYTHING.
QUESTION ALWAYS HAS A QUESTION I READ.
I READ IN THERE YOU HAD MINOR IN MAJOR VIOLATIONS.
UM, IT WOULD BE LOOKED AT A LOT HARDER.
AND, UM, OUR JOB AS CURRENT PROFESSORS IS JUST TO CATCH IT.
AND THEN THE ACTUAL DECISION ON WHATEVER IS GONNA HAPPEN LEGALLY OR THROUGH HR WILL BE THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S DECISION.
WE'LL JUST DO THE INVESTIGATION, MAKE IT A MATTER OF RECORD, BRING IT TO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S, UM, VENUE FOR HIS APPROVAL.
I, I DIDN'T KNOW, UM, BUT WE KIND OF MADE IT, THE WAY WE WROTE IT IS KIND OF LIKE THREE STRUCTURE OUT UHHUH,
'CAUSE EVEN SINCE, UH, THIS SUMMER ONLY, ONLY MINOR MISTAKES WE'VE HAD IS SOMEBODY, UH, NEEDING TO PUT GAS IN THE VEHICLE AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE THEIR CARD IN A COUNTY VEHICLE AND OR THEY PULLED OUT THE WRONG ONE AND PAID FOR IT WITH GAS WITH THAT CARD.
SO WE WENT THROUGH THE RATIFICATION PROCESS AND MADE SURE IT WAS COVERED AND AND TRACKED.
SO WE DO HAVE THE, THE PROCESSES THAT ARE TRACKING THE, NOW IT'S ALL ELECTRONIC, ALL SEEN IN THE LIBRARY.
AND IF YOU WANT REPORTS, WE CAN PROVIDE THOSE A LITTLE BIT LATER.
QUESTION, YOU SAID WE HAVE 173 P CARDS AT THIS TIME.
IS THAT MORE OR LESS THAN LAST YEAR? I BELIEVE THAT HAS LAST LESS THAN LAST YEAR.
I THINK WE HAD LIKE 200 PLUS LAST YEAR.
SO WE REALLY ASKED THE DEPARTMENT OF HEAD HEADS TO REALLY TAKE A LOOK AT THEIR STAFF AND SAY, HEY, DO YOU REALLY NEED, DOES THAT PERSON REALLY NEED A P CARD? UM, NOW KEEP IN MIND WE DO, WHEN THEY GO ON TRAVEL, IF A, A EMPLOYEE DOES GO ON TRAVEL, IT IS EASIER FOR THEM IF THEY HAVE THEIR OWN P CARD TO USE AS A TRAVEL CARD TO PAY FOR THEIR REGISTRATION, PAY FOR THE HOTEL AND SO ON.
BUT THEY GET, THEY DO GET PER DIEM, SO THEY DON'T NEED THEIR P CARD FOR THAT.
UM, BUT UH, BACK TO YOUR QUESTION, UH, LOSE MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT HERE.
UM, IT'S MAINLY USED, UH, FOR BUYING OFFICE SUPPLIES, SMALL ITEMS. UM, WE DO USE IT FOR COUNTY COUNCIL WHEN THEY GO TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA, UH, COUNTY, UH, ASSOCIATION CONFERENCES.
AND CHERYL HARRIS, I MEAN, SHE, SHE'S GOT, I THINK SHE'S GOT LIKE $10,000 ON HER CARD 'CAUSE IT COSTS A LOT OF MONEY TO GO TO THOSE, THOSE CONFERENCES.
SO WE MADE SURE THAT WE HAD HER LEVEL SET APPROPRIATELY.
I HAD AT THIS POINT, BASICALLY NOT TO SHOW YOU THE P CARD MANUAL, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT'S NECESSARY UNLESS YOU WANNA PICK OUT CHAPTERS BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, IT'S ONLY 11 PAGES, BUT IT DOES, YOU KNOW, POINT OUT AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THE RESPONSIBILITIES.
IT TELLS THEM BASICALLY WHAT THE, UH, WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY MAKE A VIOLATION.
IT TELLS THEM THE DOS AND DON'TS OR WHAT THEY CAN BE USED FOR.
UM, SO I THINK IT'S A, A PRETTY GOOD DOCUMENT.
UM, BY ALL MEANS IF YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS, IF YOU, SOMETHING'S NOT RIGHT, WE CAN MAKE THOSE CHANGES.
BUT IT'S BEEN RE REVIEWED BY OUR LEGAL COUNSEL AND OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND SIGNED OFF BY MYSELF.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FOR MR. THOMAS? THANK YOU.
AND THE LAST THING ON THE PCARD, I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE DID, UH, LET'S SEE, WE ARE USING, UH, ANOTHER TOOL, THEIR CARD, UH, PCARD INTEGRITY AND THEY PROVIDE SOME REALLY GOOD REPORTS ON HOW WE'RE SPENDING OUR MONEY, WHAT VENDORS WE'RE SPENDING OUR MONEY WITH.
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UM, THEY ALSO LOOK FOR, THEY ALSO NOT ONLY LOOK AT THE PAR, THEY ALSO LOOK AT THE MUNI SPENDING TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY DOUBLE INVOICING.UH, THEY ALSO LOOK TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY VIOLATIONS OUT THERE THAT MIGHT THROW UP A FLAG.
AND, UM, SO MYSELF, THE PAR ADMINISTRATOR AND THE CFO, WE, WE BASICALLY LOOK AT THOSE THAT SPIN EVERY MONTH TO MAKE SURE THAT NOTHING, UH, IS REPORTED.
OKAY, THE NEXT NEXT SLIDE IS JUST REAL SHORT.
UM, THE NEW, UH, PROCUREMENT POLICY MANUAL IS, IT'S UNDER REVIEW BY LEGAL RIGHT NOW.
IT HAS 10 CHAPTERS, IT'S 64 PAGES.
IT'S A LITTLE LARGER THAN THE PCARD MANUAL.
UH, BUT IT'S, THAT'S NECESSARY BECAUSE OF THINGS OF THE PROCESSES THAT WE DO.
IT NEEDS TO BE EXPLAINED EVERYTHING, UH, IN DEPTH AND IT'S IN LINE WITH THE PROCUREMENT CODE THAT WE JUST, UH, APPROVED LAST YEAR.
AND THE LAST THING I THINK THERE YOU RARELY WANNA LOOK AND TALK ABOUT IS WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH OUR SUBSCRIPTIONS, UH, AND DUES? WELL, I LOOK AT THOSE AT ACCOUNTS.
WE'RE TRYING TO UPDATE THOSE TO WHERE THERE'S ONLY ONE ACCOUNT.
SO WE'RE ONLY PAYING WITH ONE CHECK.
UM, UH, KUDOS TO MY STAFF VICTORIA.
UM, MOY MOYER, SHE REALLY WORKED HARD ON GETTING TO AMAZON AND WORKING WITH THE DEPARTMENTS TO GET THE REPRESENTATIVE TO PUT IT IN ONE ACCOUNT.
UM, WE CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH THE REPORTS ON HOW THE COUNT THE COUNTY IS SPENDING THEIR MONEY WITH AMAZON.
UH, WE DID THE SAME THING WITH UNLINE.
THERE WERE 30 ACCOUNTS AT ONE TIME.
UM, WE'RE STILL, UM, WORKING WITH FSI, BUT WE'VE, WE'VE MOVED ONE ACCOUNT FOR THAT, BUT WE'RE STILL WORKING WITH UH, I THE PACK AND A STAPLE.
UM, I THINK THAT'S GONNA BE MORE FOR THE UNPACKING THAT'S GONNA BE MORE OF A DEPARTMENT HEAD PRESSURE SITUATION.
WHERE DO YOU REALLY NEED THAT NEWSPAPER AND SO ON.
SO THAT'S KIND OF HOW WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT.
OTHER THAN THAT, UH, WE HAVE SOME WATER COOLER CON, UH, ACCOUNTS OUT THERE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO CONSOLIDATE.
SO THAT'S KIND OF A WORK IN PROGRESS.
SO I KNOW I KIND OF RAMBLED ON A LITTLE BIT AND KIND OF WENT KIND OF QUICK, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAD AN UPDATE THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS.
WE'VE MADE SOME, SOME VERY GOOD IMPROVEMENTS I THINK ON THE P MANUAL, PCARD MANUAL.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SHOWING YOU THE NEW, UH, UH, PROCUREMENT POLICY MANUAL WHEN IT COMES OUT.
AND I HOPE TO HAVE THAT IN FEBRUARY.
UM, DID I SEE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. THOMAS? I THINK WE ARE GOOD.
MR. THOMAS, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION SIR, AND ALL YOUR BACKUP DOCUMENTS.
SO THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR COMING.
[9. VACANCIES AND ATTRITION RATE UPDATE]
TO, UM, NUMBER NINE ON OUR AGENDA.AND THIS IS REGARDING VACANCIES AND ATTRITION RATE UPDATE.
AND UH, THIS IS OUR HR DIRECTOR, MS. CATHERINE MEAD.
CATHERINE, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
I WILL START AND PREFACE THIS WITH SOME APOLOGIES YOU DID NOT GET THIS DECK SLIDE IN YOUR BACKUP AGENDA, BUT IF YOU HAVEN'T RECEIVED IT BY EMAIL, I'LL ENSURE YOU GET THAT BY THE END OF THE DAY.
I WILL START OUT WITH JUST A QUICK SUMMARY OF THE 2024 PLT CASH OUT PROGRAM THAT COUNCIL APPROVED BACK IN NOVEMBER.
UM, FOR OUR WORKFORCE, WE HAD AN APPLICATION PERIOD OF APPROXIMATELY THREE WEEKS FROM NOVEMBER 13TH TO DECEMBER 3RD, 2024.
THE ELIGIBILITY PARAMETERS THAT WERE ON THIS PROGRAM WERE THE SAME AS LAST YEAR, WHEREAS THAT YOU HAD TO HAVE A 24 HOUR PLT BEGINNING BALANCE AND YOU WERE ONLY ABLE TO CASH OUT A MAX OF 40 HOURS OR ONE HALF OF YOUR CURRENT BALANCE, WHICHEVER IS LESS, EXCUSE ME, THE HR OFFICE RECEIVED AND PROCESSED 496 EMPLOYEE APPLICATIONS.
WE APPROVED 19296.25 HOURS AND THE CASH VALUE ON THAT WAS $658,475 AND 47 CENTS.
WHEN WE BROUGHT THIS TO YOU IN NOVEMBER, WE ANTICIPATED IT TO RUN AROUND 6 65, 4 0 5.
THE EMPLOYEES RECEIVED THEIR CASH OUT ON THEIR DECEMBER 13TH PAYCHECK AND THE FUNDING WAS APPLIED TO THE DEPARTMENTAL SALARY, UH, BUDGETS.
AND IF THEY RUN SHORT DUE TO THE CASH OUT, THERE WILL BE A BUDGET TRANSFER FROM THE PAYROLL CONTINGENCY FUND.
A COUPLE OF REPORTS THAT I'LL START PRESENTING TO COUNTY COUNCIL AND TO STAFF ON A MONTHLY BASIS IS OUR VACANCY REPORT.
I'LL ALSO PROVIDE A QUARTERLY TURNOVER REPORT, UM, AND THEN I WILL PROVIDE AN ANNUAL TURNOVER REPORT FOR THE PREVIOUS YEAR, NO LATER THAN THE END OF THE FIRST QUARTER OF THE FOLLOWING CALENDAR YEAR.
VACANCY AND TURNOVER REPORTS WILL ALSO INCLUDE DEPARTMENTAL BREAKDOWNS AND THE TURNOVER REPORT WILL HAVE A COUNTYWIDE SUMMARY.
AND I HAVE AN EXAMPLE, WE'LL GO OVER HERE SHORTLY,
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BUT IT WILL INCLUDE THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES, THE TOTAL SEPARATIONS, AND FOR THE COUNTYWIDE SUMMARY.WE WILL BREAK THAT DOWN TO LET YOU KNOW OF THAT TURNOVER RATE, WHAT PERCENTAGE IS DUE TO RETIREMENT AND VOLUNTARY SEPARATIONS.
OUR GOAL SHOULD BE LESS THAN 10% VOLUNTARY TURNOVER ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
I AM SO SORRY, THAT'S VERY SMALL
UM, SO THIS IS OUR VACANCY REPORT THAT I PULLED AS OF YESTERDAY WITH THE ASSUMPTION THAT EVERYONE CAME TO THEIR NEW HIRE ORIENTATION TODAY AND I THINK THEY DID.
LET ME PULL OUT MY PRINTOUT TO MAKE SURE I'M TELLING YOU RIGHT BECAUSE I CAN'T READ THOSE NUMBERS.
237 VACANCIES COUNTYWIDE AND 14 PENDING HIRES.
SO, SO THAT YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SEE THESE REPORTS IN THE FUTURE, A PENDING HIRE ARE THOSE THAT WE HAVE OFFERED AND THEY HAVE ACCEPTED THE EMPLOYMENT ARE AND ARE IN PROCESS TO BE SCHEDULED FOR THEIR FIRST DAY.
UM, BUT ON THAT REPORT, OBVIOUSLY IT WILL BREAK IT DOWN BY DEPARTMENT AND JUST SOME TIDBITS.
WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 1,621 BUDGETED POSITIONS AND 1,549 FTES TES, OKAY, WE'VE GOT SOME MORE SMALL REPORTS FOR YOU.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE TURNOVER REPORT.
I'VE ALREADY SHARED THIS WITH FULL COUNSEL BY WAY OF MR. MOORE'S BIWEEKLY STATUS REPORTS, I BELIEVE EARLY DECEMBER.
UM, BUT AT THE TOP IS WHERE I MENTIONED THAT YOU'LL HAVE A COUNTY-WIDE SUMMARY WHERE WE HAVE THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES, THE TOTAL SEPARATED AND THE THREE DIFFERENT RETIRE, UH, TURNOVER RATES.
AND THEN BELOW THAT IT'LL HAVE THE BREAKDOWN OF THE DEPARTMENTS.
BUT THIS IS JUST THE PERCENTAGE RATE AS A WHOLE.
IT DOESN'T BREAK DOWN THE DEPARTMENT TO SHOW OF THAT.
WHAT'S RETIREMENT, WHAT'S VOLUNTARY AND WHAT'S INVOLUNTARY? THAT FIRST, LEMME GO BACK TO THAT ONE.
THIS ONE WAS A REPORT RAN FOR A YEAR FROM NOVEMBER 1ST, 2023 THROUGH OCTOBER 31ST, 2024.
UM, THE TOTAL TURNOVER RATE FOR VOLUNTARY SEPARATION WAS 14.21%.
SO WE'VE GOT SOME WORK TO DO THERE.
THE MOST RECENT ONE I WORKED ON FOR YOU ALL IS FOR NOVEMBER 1ST, 2024 THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST, 2024.
THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES WAS 1,383.
WE HAD A TOTAL OF 33 EMPLOYEES.
SEPARATE EMPLOYMENT 0.5% OF YOUR TURNOVER RATE WAS DUE TO RETIREMENT.
0.22% WAS DUE TO INVOLUNTARY SEPARATION AND 1.66 WAS DUE TO YOUR VOLUNTARY SEPARATION.
UM, SOME TRENDS THAT WE ALWAYS LOOK AT IS THROUGH THE, UM, THE JOLTS REPORT, THE JOBS OPENING AND LABOR TURNOVER SURVEY.
I CAN TELL YOU FOR THE NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER PERIOD OF LAST YEAR, WE ARE ON TRACK WITH WHAT WE SEE ACROSS THE NATION WITH STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
WE WERE A LITTLE HIGH FOR THE YEAR BEFORE, BUT I THINK WE'RE MAKING A SOME PROGRESS HERE.
NEXT STEPS ON HOW WE TACKLE SOME, SOME CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE THERE.
WE'RE GONNA DO A POSITION AUDIT FOR THE FY 26 BUDGET.
I'LL BE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH PINKY AND HER TEAM TO TALK WITH DEPARTMENTS ONE-ON-ONE AND REALLY TAKE A, A LOOK AT WHAT POSITIONS THEY HAVE AVAILABLE, WHAT'S BEEN SITTING VACANT ON THE BOOKS FOR SEVERAL MONTHS.
SOME DEPARTMENTS MAY EVEN HAVE POSITIONS THAT AREN'T CURRENTLY BEING ADVERTISED.
SO WE'RE GONNA TAKE A GOOD, GOOD LOOK AT THAT AND SEE IF WE CAN TRIM SOME OF THESE POSITIONS BACK.
AND THEN FOR THE ATTRITION RATE, WE WILL BE LAUNCHING A COUNTYWIDE CLIMATE ASSESSMENT THIS SPRING.
WE DID A PILOT PROGRAM WITH PUBLIC WORKS LAST YEAR.
WE'LL HAVE A PEOPLE'S OPINION SURVEY, WHICH WILL BE VERY, UM, OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS TO HEAR FROM THE STAFF ON WHAT WE'RE DOING WELL, WHERE CAN WE IMPROVE.
AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A PULSE SURVEY APPROXIMATELY SIX MONTHS AFTER THE PEOPLE'S OPINION SURVEY, JUST TO CHECK IN AND SEE HOW WE RESPONDED TO THE FIRST SURVEY.
WE WILL CONTINUE DOING EXIT INTERVIEWS IN THE HR OFFICE.
THE PARTICIPATION FOR ALL THREE OF THESE INTERVIEWS AND SURVEYS, UM, ARE OPTIONAL AND THEY WILL REMAIN ANONYMOUS.
THE RESULTS WILL BE ANALYZED BY OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, AMBER BLACK.
AND THEN SHE WILL TURN THAT, UM, INTO A SUMMARY FINDING REPORT TO TAKE ACTION.
UM, KIND OF PRIORITIZE SOME ISSUES THAT WE MAY HAVE FOUND, PUT THEM IN BUCKETS OF IMMEDIATE FIXES, SHORT-TERM GOALS AND LONG-TERM GOALS.
AND OF COURSE WE'LL BE COMMUNICATING THOSE FINDINGS WITH AND ACTIONS WITH ALL THE STAFF.
[00:30:01]
YES, GO AHEAD.I APPRECIATE YOU PUTTING THIS TOGETHER BECAUSE I'D LIKE TO SEE OUR, UM, VACANCY RATE, WHICH IF YOU GO BACK TO THAT SLIDE PLEASE, SARAH, I SAW THERE THE BIGGEST VACANCIES ARE DETENTION CENTER, EMS SURPRISE, ME AND SHERIFF.
SO THOSE ARE PUBLIC SAFETY KIND OF THINGS, BUT THAT WAS, YEAH, IT'S RIGHT THERE ON THAT ONE.
BUT I ALSO APPRECIATE SEEING THE TURNOVER REPORT BECAUSE TO ME, IF WE HAVE A LOW TURNOVER, LIKE YOU'RE AIMING FOR UNDER 10%, THAT MEANS OUR EMPLOYEES GENERALLY ARE SATISFIED.
WE'RE PAYING THEM APPROPRIATELY.
THEY HAVE GOOD BENEFITS, THEY'RE HAPPY WORKING FOR THE COUNTY AND THAT'S WHAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE.
I KNOW YOU HAD TO PUT THAT TOGETHER FOR US.
AND DO YOU DO NEW HIRE ORIENTATION WEEKLY? I THINK MR. MOORE SAID EVERY WEEK, EVERY MONDAY.
THAT'S HOW MANY PEOPLE KEEP ONBOARDING.
AND WE AVERAGE ANYWHERE FROM SEVEN TO 10 WEEKLY AND EXIT INTERVIEWS.
DO YOU FIND MOST OF THE PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO DO AN EXIT INTERVIEW? NO.
UM, WE'VE, WE'VE TRIED TO BE CREATIVE AND, AND TO INCREASE THE RESPONSES, WE'VE MADE IT TO WHERE YOU CAN JUST MAIL US BACK THE INFORMATION IF YOU DON'T WANNA COME IN.
WE'VE TRIED TO, TO CATCH PEOPLE BEFORE THEY LEAVE AND, AND IT'S JUST A STRUGGLE WE HAVE.
I DON'T KNOW IF PEOPLE ARE JUST AT THAT POINT CHECKED OUT AND READY TO MOVE ON OR JUST WITH EVERYTHING ELSE, WITH OFFBOARDING WITH THEIR DEPARTMENTS.
JUST DON'T FIND THE TIME TO DO IT.
AND BEFORE THEY KNOW IT, THEY'VE STARTED A NEW JOB.
AND, UM, SO THAT'S BEEN CHALLENGING TO GET THOSE RESPONSES BACK.
I DO APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK YOU PUT IN TO COMPILE THIS REPORT.
I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO SEE.
AND I'M OPEN IF THERE'S ANYTHING ADDITIONAL YOU'D LIKE TO SEE ON HERE.
ONE THING I DID THINK ABOUT THIS MORNING, UM, I, MIKE COULD INCLUDE WHAT BUDGETED FTES THE DEPARTMENTS HAVE SO YOU KNOW WHAT THEY HAVE AND WHAT'S VACANT.
ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO SEE? I HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, SO THE EXIT INTERVIEWS ARE NOT MANDATORY? NO, MA'AM.
ISN'T THE PRIVATE SECTOR THEY HOLD YOUR LAST PAYCHECK? I THINK THEY DO WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS WELL.
OH REALLY? I I, I THINK I'VE HEARD, OR AT LEAST WITH THE MILITARY
DO THEY MIKE, WE JUST HAD THE SAME DISCUSSION HERE.
I MEAN, WE DON'T CURRENTLY WITHHOLD A PAYCHECK AS A CONDITION OF THAT.
IT HELPS HR, RIGHT? WE NEED TO KNOW THAT, DON'T YOU THINK? ABSOLUTELY.
HR LIKE, OH YEAH, WE HAD THIS PROBLEM BUT WE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT OR WHATEVER.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO GAIN WITH THE CLIMATE, UM, SURVEYS, YOU KNOW, AND THE EXECUTIVE TEAM IS VERY EXCITED ABOUT DOING THIS.
'CAUSE I SHARED WITH THEM, IF WE DO THIS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO BE COMMITTED TO RESPOND.
WE DON'T WANNA COLLECT ALL THIS DATA AND THEN SHELF IT AND, AND EMPLOYEES DON'T SEE RESPONSES.
SO, LIKE I SAID, PUBLIC WORKS, UM, WORKED WITH US ON IT AND, AND I THINK IT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL THEY EVEN CREATED THEIR OWN INTERNAL EMPLOYEE RESOURCE GROUP SO PEOPLE COULD HAVE THAT FRONT LINE TO GO TO BEFORE NEEDING TO COME TO HR.
UM, SO LOT, LOT THAT WE LEARNED FROM IT AND THEN WE'RE EXCITED TO ROLL IT OUT.
MS. MEAD, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING.
YOU TALKED ABOUT ONBOARDING EVERY MONDAY.
HOW MANY EMPLOYEES ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? WHAT IS IT, WHAT'S YOUR GOAL WITH THAT 273 WOW.
OR WHATEVER THAT VACANCY COUNT WAS.
YEAH, AND WE CAN'T, WE, WE, WE LOGISTICALLY WE CANNOT DO MORE THAN 12, BUT WE WILL TAKE 12 AND IF WE HAVE TO DO AN AFTERNOON SESSION, WE'LL DO THAT.
IF THERE'S MORE THAN 12, WE WILL WELL APPRECIATE.
BUT WE'RE LOOKING TO FILL ALL THE VACANCIES WE HAVE, SO APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS AND TOTAL EMPLOYEES.
WE HAVE, I THINK YOU MENTIONED 1621 AND 1549 OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE.
SO WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 1,621 BUDGETED POSITIONS, BUT OF THAT WE HAVE 237 ARE VACANTS.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT, MS. MEAD, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
APPRECIATE YOUR, YOU BEING AS IN AS, AS, UM, INTRICATE AS YOU HAVE BEEN WITH ALL THOSE REPORTS.
ALRIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON THEN, UH, TO, UM, NUMBER 10 ON
[10. APPROVAL OF HAWKERS AND PEDDLERS LICENSE FEES FOR 2025]
OUR AGENDA.AND THIS IS APPROVAL OF HAWKERS AND PEDDLERS LICENSE FEES FOR 2025.
CAN I ASK, ASK SOMEONE FOR A MOTION TO, UM, UH, FOR US TO TALK ABOUT THIS? A MOTION? IS THERE A SECOND? NO SECOND.
UM, AND, UH, THAT ALLOWS US FOR DISCUSSION.
WE'LL OPEN THE FLOOR UP TO YOU, MR. ATKINSON.
SO THIS IS A HOUSEKEEPING ITEM.
IT'S AN ANNUAL ITEM WE BRING FORWARD IN JANUARY FOR EVERY YEAR TO ADOPT THE HAWKERS AND PEDALERS LICENSE FEES FOR THAT CALENDAR YEAR.
UH, THIS YEAR WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD THE SAME FEES THAT WE HAVE ADOPTED OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, WHICH IS IN COUNTY $75 OUT OF COUNTY, $500 OUT OF STATE, A THOUSAND DOLLARS.
THIS IS NOT A BIG REVENUE COLLECTOR FOR US.
[00:35:01]
WE RECEIVED $450 IN TOTAL FEES FOR HAWKERS AND PEDDLERS.SO THIS IS THE SAME FEE FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS.
SO WE'RE JUST MOVING IT FORWARD.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UM, CAN WE APPROVE THIS WITHOUT OBJECTION? DO I SEE ANY OBJECTION? I SEE NO OBJECTION.
SO THIS WILL BE APPROVED AND MOVE TO COUNTY COUNCIL.
UM, AND SO THAT CONCLUDES OUR AGENDA FOR TODAY.
I DO WANNA SAY, UH, THANK YOU TO OUR COUNTY STAFF AND COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
UM, AFTER THE STORM LAST WEEK, UM, AND EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED AND THE EXTRA HOURS AND, AND WHAT WENT ON.
I CAN SAY I'VE LIVED HERE FOR 35 YEARS AND, UH, THERE WAS A SNOW IN 1989.
AND THEN WE HAD THE SNOW THIS YEAR.
AND AGAIN, IN MY 35 YEARS, THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT'S EVER ACCUMULATED ON THE GROUND.
SO I'VE HAD PEOPLE ASK ME WHY WE DON'T HAVE SNOW PLOWS AND WHY WE DON'T HAVE SALT.
SO AGAIN, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT, UH, OBVIOUSLY FOR US, WE CAN SUFFER THROUGH THE, THE DAY OR TWO SINCE WE ONLY HAVE THESE STORMS EVERY SO OFTEN.
AND OF COURSE THE STATE IS IN CHARGE OF STATE ROAD.
SO AGAIN, THAT'S A LOT OF THE COUNTY IS, IS STATE MAINTAINED THROUGH SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
BUT AGAIN, UM, I WANNA COMMEND OUR, OUR, OUR COUNTY EMPLOYEES AND OUR STAFF.
MR. MOORE, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING.
'CAUSE AGAIN, I KNOW IT'S NEVER EASY WHEN, WHEN THESE THINGS COME ALONG.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU TO YOU AND I'M SURE ALICE WILL, WILL DO THE SAME THING AGAIN IN THE, IN THE, IN THE, UM, COUNCIL MEETING TONIGHT AT, AT SIX, UM, AND THANKING EVERYONE.
BUT I JUST WANNA POINT THAT OUT.
ANYTHING ELSE TO COME BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE TODAY? SEEING NOTHING, WE ARE ADJOURNED.
I'M THE OFF PARK RANGER HERE AT DREW ISLAND STATE PARK.
COME SPEND THE DAY WITH ME HERE WE ARE AT DREW ISLAND STATE PARKS MARINA.
I AM OVER MANAGING THE SLIPS HERE AT THE MARINA.
48 OF 'EM ARE 25 BY 15 FOOT SLIPS, AND THEN WE HAVE TWO 50 FOOTER SLIPS.
UM, I'VE BEEN OVER THE MARINA PROGRAM FOR A FEW YEARS NOW, AND, UH, WHEN I FIRST STARTED WE HAD EIGHT SLIPS FILLED OUT OF 50.
AND, UM, AFTER RUNNING IT FOR ABOUT 13 MONTHS, WE WERE ABLE TO REACH FULL OCCUPANCY.
UM, AND AS OF RIGHT NOW, I'VE HAD A WAIT LIST WITH ABOUT 15 EVER SINCE.
UM, WE GIVE SPECIAL OFFERS ON, UH, SLIP PRICES FOR THE 25 BY 15 FOOT SLIPS.
UM, IF YOU, YOU CAN DO A SIX MONTH OR A 12 MONTH IS THE ONLY TWO WE OFFER.
IF YOU DO THE 12 MONTH AND YOU CHOOSE TO PAY UP FRONT, YOU GET A 10% DISCOUNT.
IT'S $2,700 RATHER PAYING, UM, MONTH BY MONTH IS TWO 50 A MONTH, WHICH ADDS UP TO THREE GRAND.
AND THEN THE SIX MONTH LEASE IS $1,500.
UM, WHETHER YOU PAY IT ALL UP FRONT OR $250 PAYMENTS.
I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR GENERATING INVOICES FOR OUR CURRENT LEASERS AS WELL AS SETTING UP NEW CONTRACTS, UM, AS WELL AS RESPONSIBLE FOR CLEANING OF THESE PEDESTALS, CHECKING THE UTILITIES, THE WATER, THE POWER.
WE HAD A COLD SNAP RECENTLY HAD TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, I SET A DRIP SO THESE WOULDN'T BE WITHOUT, UM, RUNNING WATER FOR THE, UM, PEOPLE THAT COME OUT HERE OFTEN.
UM, AS WELL AS, UM, YOU KNOW, KEEPING UP WITH THE LEASERS THEMSELVES AND GETTING KNOW 'EM ON A FACE TO FACE BASIS.
AND KNOWING, UM, KNOWING WHO I HAVE HERE AT THE MARINA, WE HAVE A FEW REGULARS, UM, AND THEY'RE A VITAL PART IN KEEPING THE, UH, MARINA UP TO DATE.
THEY LET ME KNOW IF SOMEONE'S BOATS COME LOOSE OR IF THERE'S BEEN DAMAGE TO A STORM.
UM, THE WATER'S DOWN RIGHT NOW, SO IT'S, UH, UM, IT IS A BIT OF AN ISSUE KEEPING TRACK OF, UM, THE SAFETY OF THESE BOATS.
UM, THE MARINA'S LIKE MY BABY, I'VE HAD A CHANCE TO, UM, WATCH IT GROW.
UM, A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY ABOUT THE MARINA.
UM, WE HAD AN OLD MARINA THAT USED TO BE RIGHT HERE.
UM, AND THEN IN 2008 WE HAD A REALLY BAD STORM THAT CAUSED ENOUGH DAMAGE THAT OVER THE YEARS AFTER THAT, UM, THE MARINA BEGAN TO SINK.
UM, LATER WE GOT THE BUDGET TO REDO THE MARINA, UM, WHICH IS WHAT YOU SEE HERE, AS WELL AS REDOING THE, UH, BATHHOUSE UP ON THE HILL, REMODELED ALL THE BATHROOMS, UM, SHOWERS,
[00:40:01]
ALL THAT GOOD STUFF, ADDED HEAT AND AIR TO IT.SO NEXT WE'RE GONNA GO TO ANOTHER FACILITY WHERE I'LL DEMONSTRATE SOME OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES I HAVE AS OUR SAFETY OFFICER HERE AT DRY ISLAND STATE PARK.
HERE WE ARE AT DRY ISLANDS GAS STOCK RIGHT NEXT TO OUR TACKLE SHOP.
UM, AND HERE I'M GONNA SHOW YOU ONE OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES AS SAFETY OFFICER IS CHECKING ALL OF OUR FIRE EXTINGUISHERS.
UM, THIS IS THE BIGGEST ONE WE HAVE ON PARK.
UM, IT'S RATED SPECIFICALLY FOR THE GAS DOCK.
AND WHAT WE DO WHEN WE INSPECT A FIRE EXTINGUISHER, UM, IS FIRST YOU TAKE IT OFF ITS STAND AND YOU CHECK THE GAUGE, UM, SEE IF IT'S NOT UNDER OR OVERCHARGED.
BUT THE MAIN THING THAT YOU WANT TO CHECK, UM, AS SOMEONE WHO'S NOT A, UM, A CERTIFIED FIRE TECH IS, UM, IF YOU TURN IT UPSIDE DOWN, LIKE SO IF THE WEIGHT SHIFTS GRADUALLY, THAT MEANS YOU KNOW THAT THE CONTENTS ISN'T CLUMPED UP TOGETHER.
YOU CAN KEEP DOING THAT JUST TO SEE, BUT IF YOU FEEL A BIG CLUMP, THAT MEANS IT'S CLUMPED UP TOGETHER.
UM, AND I DO THIS WITH ALL 42 FIRE EXTINGUISHERS WE HAVE ON PARK, WE HAVE 'EM IN THE CAMPGROUNDS, EVERY FACILITY, OUR CABINS, VILLAS, UM, OUR TACKLE SHOP, AS WELL AS THE GAS DOCK.
AND THE MAIN THING IS TO CHECK THAT AND TO CHECK THE CHARGE.
AND THEN WHEN YOU'RE DONE, YOU CAN JUST HANG IT BACK UP AND THEN YOU CAN SIGN OFF ON THIS SPECIFIC MONTH, UM, WHICH THIS IS JANUARY.
UM, AND I'LL NOTE THAT ONCE A YEAR I HAVE, UM, A CERTIFIED FIRE TECH COME OUT AND HAVE THESE SERVICED.
I JUST HAD THIS ONE SERVICED, UM, IN DECEMBER, RIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS.
SO THIS ONE'S PRETTY MUCH GOOD FOR A WHOLE NOTHER YEAR.
UM, ANOTHER ASPECT OF BEING THE SAFEST OFFICER HERE AT DREW ISLAND STATE PARK IS, UM, FACILITY INSPECTIONS, MAKING SURE EVERYTHING'S SAFE, MAKING SURE WE'RE STAYING UP TO DATE ON, UM, SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE ON OUR, UM, HVAC, ON ANYTHING THAT NEEDS IT, LOOKING FOR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE, LOOKING FOR ANYTHING THAT MIGHT NEED REPLACING OR ATTENTION.
UM, AND OF COURSE FILING THE, UM, MONTHLY PAPERWORK FOR OUR FIRE EXTINGUISHER INSPECTIONS AS WELL AS THE FACILITIES.
UM, SO WE CAN STAY UP TO DATE AND BE OFFICIAL.
NEXT, WE'RE GONNA GO AND WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THE LAKE.
HERE WE ARE ON OUR MAIN CAUSEWAY BRIDGE HERE AT DREW ISLAND STATE PARK.
UM, PERSONALLY THIS IS MY FAVORITE PART ABOUT COMING TO WORK, IS DRIVING ACROSS THIS CAUSEWAY BRIDGE AND LOOKING OUT AT THE LAKE EVERY DAY.
UM, AS I SAID EARLIER, THE LAKE'S DOWN PRETTY LOW RIGHT NOW.
UM, EVERY WINTER THEY DROP THE LAKE A FEW FEET, BUT THIS YEAR IS THE 10 YEAR LOW.
EVERY 10 YEARS THEY DROP THE LAKE SIGNIFICANTLY LOW, UM, TO KILL AN INVASIVE HYDRILLA PLANT AS WELL AS FOR PEOPLE TO WORK ON THEIR DOCKS.
AND SINCE THE DAM AND THE TOWERS ARE SO OLD, IT GIVES THEM A CHANCE TO MAINTENANCE THOSE AS WELL.
UM, LAKE MURRAY IS 50,000 ACRES, UM, OF MANMADE LAKE ANDRE ISLAND.
UM, BENEFITS FROM THIS LAKE HEAVILY.
UM, IT BRINGS SO MUCH, SO MANY GUESTS TO OUR PARK.
UM, THEY COME TO HANG OUT HERE AT THE SHELTERS.
UM, PITCH A HAMMOCK LAY OUT AT THE LITTLE BEACHY AREA WE HAVE AT OUR OLD OFFICE.
UM, IT BRINGS A LOT OF VISITORS COME SUMMERTIME.
UM, ALSO IN THE SUMMERTIME, UM, BRINGS ALL OF OUR BIG GAME TOURNAMENTS.
DREW ISLAND'S KNOWN FOR ALL OF ITS FISHING TOURNAMENTS.
WE HAVE 'EM YEAR ROUND, JUST ABOUT EVERY WEEKEND.
UM, TO HIGHLIGHT ONE BIG ONE, DREW ISLAND GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO HOST THE WORLD BASS CHAMPIONSHIP WHERE WE HOSTED 25 COUNTRIES, UM, FOR A WEEK AND WATCHED THEM SHOOT OUT EVERY DAY AND COME IN AND SAW THE BIG WEIGH-INS.
AND THAT'S JUST ONE OF THE MANY BIG ONES THAT WE HAVE HERE.
UM, THAT'S A BIG JOB FOR OUR OPENING SHIFT HERE AT DREW ISLAND IS TO, UM, DIRECT ALL THE BOATERS FOR THOSE TOURNAMENTS AND, AND PARK 'EM AND MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN HOUSE ALL THOSE FISHERMEN FOR, UH, FOR THOSE TOURNAMENTS.
WE HAVE THE BIG BASS, UH, CHALLENGE AND WE HAVE A BUNCH OF SMALL TOURNAMENTS RANGING ANYWHERE BETWEEN 15 BOATS ALL THE WAY UP TO 150.
IF YOU'LL NOTICE, OVER HERE IS OUR FRONT CAMPGROUND, WHICH IS NEWLY RENOVATED.
UM, IT RECEIVED, UM, UPGRADES FOR ELECTRICAL, UP TO 50 AMP SERVICE, UM, NEW WATER, AND EVEN ADDED, UH, SEWER HOOKUPS AS WELL.
SO, UM, WHEN THIS ONE OPENS UP, HOPEFULLY EARLY SPRING, UM, IT'LL BE OPEN FOR THE GUESTS TO ENJOY A BRAND NEW CAMPGROUND WITH, UM, BRAND NEW FACILITIES.
UM, NEXT WE'RE GONNA GO AND WALK THROUGH ONE OF OUR VILLAS AND MAKE SURE IT'S READY FOR A GUEST CHECK-IN.
IN HERE WE ARE AT DREW ISLANDS VILLAS.
UM, THIS IS VILLA ONE BEHIND ME, BUT WE HAVE FIVE VILLAS, UM, VILLAS ONE, THREE AND FIVE ARE THREE BEDROOMS AND VILLAS TWO AND FOUR ARE TWO BEDROOMS. UM, THESE ARE A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, AREN'T INTO THE, THE CAMPING LIFE OR THE TENT LIFE, UM, GLAMPING AS PEOPLE CALL IT.
UM, THESE PRICES RANGE ANYWHERE BETWEEN 1 35 A NIGHT TO MAYBE EVEN, UH, AS FAR AS TWO 50 A NIGHT, DEPENDING ON TIME OF YEAR, TWO BEDROOM, THREE BEDROOM.
UM, IF IT'S A WEEKEND WEEKDAY OR IF IT'S THE ONLY ONE LEFT.
UM, VILLAS ONE AND TWO ARE THE NEWLY REMODELED INSIDE AND OUT, NEW FURNITURE, NEW PAINT FLOORS, ALL THAT
[00:45:01]
GOOD STUFF.UM, THERE IS A DOCK BEHIND VILLA ONE.
IT IS THE ONLY DOCK THAT WE HAVE, UM, HERE AT THE VILLAS, BUT IT IS A COMMUNAL DOCK.
AND THE REASON THAT IT'S, IT'S ONLY BEHIND VILLA ONE IS BECAUSE VILLA ONE IS OUR HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE VILLA.
UM, BUT ANY VILLA CAN USE THAT DOCK AS THEY PLEASE.
UM, BUT WE'RE HERE TO DO A WALKTHROUGH OF THE VILLA, SO IF YOU WANNA FOLLOW ME, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO A WALKTHROUGH AND, UH, I'LL LET YOU KNOW EVERYTHING THAT GOES IN WITH THAT.
SO, AS YOU'LL SEE, I USED A KEY CARD.
WE WERE ABLE TO INSTALL, UM, KEY CARD LOCKS AT ALL OF OUR VILLAS AND OUR CAMPER CABINS, AS WELL AS THE BATH HOUSES FOR THOSE.
UM, MAKES IT EASIER IN CASE, UH, OUR METAL KEYS GET LOST.
UM, AND IT'S BEEN A REAL, UH, TREAT TO USE.
SO THIS IS THE INSIDE OF VILLA ONE.
UM, WHAT I'M IN HERE TO DO IS TO WALK THROUGH IT AND MAKE SURE THAT IT'S READY FOR A GUEST, UM, DOWN TO THE NITPICKY STUFF.
UM, MAKE SURE THAT THE, UM, IT WAS CLEANED PROPERLY AND THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY COMPLAINTS OUT OF OUR GUEST WHILE THEY STAY WITH US.
SO THEY HAVE THE BEST, UM, EXPERIENCE, UM, TOTAL.
SO WE ALWAYS, UH, CHECK THE FIREPLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WORKS GREAT, WHICH IT DOES REMOTES PROGRAMMED AND EVERYTHING.
I'LL TURN THAT BACK OFF BECAUSE IT IS A LITTLE WARM IN HERE.
UM, WE TRY TO CHECK EVERY LAMP TO MAKE SURE THAT IT LIGHTS UP.
UM, EVERY LIGHT IN THE VILLA, WE WANNA MAKE SURE WORKS.
UM, OF COURSE WE, WE CHECK THE TV, MAKE SURE THEY WORK.
AND IN THE BATHROOM WE'RE GONNA CHECK AND MAKE SURE ALL THE LIGHTS WORK LIKE THE REST OF THE VILLA.
MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE TOWELS HAVE BEEN, UH, PUT IN PROPERLY AND, AND STORED.
WE'RE GONNA CHECK THE CLEANLINESS OF THE, UH, THE TUBS AND MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NO DIRT HAIR OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD.
UM, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WE HAVE RUNNING WATER, FLUSH THE TOILETS, YOU KNOW, CHECK BEHIND, MAKE SURE EVERYTHING'S CLEAN.
THEN WE GO IN TO CHECK IN THE FIRST BEDROOM.
I LIKE TO DO IT IN A BIG CIRCLE SO I DON'T MISS ANYTHING WALKING THROUGH THESE VILLAS.
WE CHECK ALL THE DRAWERS TO MAKE SURE THAT A GUEST DIDN'T LEAVE ANYTHING BEHIND IN PREVIOUS STAY.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE WANNA CHECK UNDER THE BEDS TO MAKE SURE THERE'S NOTHING UNDER THERE THAT, UM, WE'RE CAUSING ISSUE FOR A GUEST.
CHECK AROUND IN THE NIGHTSTAND AS WELL.
WANNA RUN OUR HAND ACROSS THE TABLE? MAKE SURE THERE'S NO DIRT OR CRUMBS LEFT FROM ANY PREVIOUS DAY.
WANNA CHECK THESE LIGHTS RIGHT HERE? MAKE SURE ALL THAT DON'T TURN ON.
WE'LL GO OUTSIDE REAL FAST AND WE'LL CHECK THE, UM, PORCH TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD.
MAKE SURE THE LIGHTS OUT HERE WORK FOR OUR GUESTS.
ALSO DO A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE FIRE PIT AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING ON OUR OUTDOOR PATIOS WORK PROPERLY.
ONE, TWO, AND THREE ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT HAVE THIS, UH, OUTDOOR PATIO RIGHT NOW, BUT, UH, IT IS A PLAN FOR THE FUTURE TO HAVE THE REST OF THEM INSTALLED.
WE'LL GO BACK IN AND FINISH THE WALKTHROUGH.
SOMETIMES THERE'S SOME DISHES THAT ARE STILL LEFT IN HERE.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE, UM, CLEAN AND IF SO, PUT THEM AWAY, UM, AND WIPE DOWN ANYTHING THAT NEEDS IT.
UM, ON THE COUNTERS, WE WANT TO RUN OUR HAND ACROSS THE COUNTER, MAKE SURE THERE'S NO CRUMBS OR ANY RESIDUE STILL LEFT.
UM, AS WELL AS CHECKING THE MICROWAVE AS WELL.
YOU ALWAYS WANT TO CHECK THE DISH, MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NO, UM, STUCK ON STAINS OR ANYTHING, ANY KIND OF SPATTER INSIDE THE MICROWAVE.
[00:50:01]
MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NOTHING THAT SHOULDN'T BE IN THERE AND THAT EVERYTHING'S WHERE IT SHOULD BE.THE MIRROR AND EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD IN HERE.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE LAST BEDROOM.
ALL RIGHT, NOW THIS WAS THE LAST ROOM IN THE VILLA TO WALK THROUGH.
NOW THAT EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD, I'LL RADIO THE OFFICE UP FRONT AND LET THEM KNOW THAT THE GUESTS CAN CHECK IN.
THANKS FOR JOINING ME TODAY HERE AT DRY STATE PARK.
I'M GONNA GO BACK TO THE OFFICE AND FINISH UP SOME ADMINISTRATIVE STUFF WHERE I HEAD OUT FOR THE DAY.
UM, WHAT YOU SAW HERE TODAY WAS JUST A FEW OF THE MANY THINGS WE GET TO DO AND EXPERIENCE HERE AT DREW ISLAND.
SO I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO COME OUT, ENJOY THE STATE PARKS AND SEE IT FOR YOURSELF.
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 A 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, UM, 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 A 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 WANTED TO 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 CA 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 IN THE 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 RUNNING FOR STUDENT COUNCIL
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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.
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, WELL, 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 OUR 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.