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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.
GOOD MORNING AND THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US.
UH, THE TOWN OF BUFORT IS, UH, DOING THEIR RETREAT TODAY, SO THEY'RE NOT HERE WITH US.
IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS THAT ARE SITTING IN THE AUDIENCE, PLEASE JOIN US UP HERE.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, TWO GUESTS TODAY.
UM, THIS IS A TIME OF YEAR THAT WE ALL LOOK AT OUR GOALS FOR THE COMING YEAR.
AND SO WE'VE ASKED THE TWO COUNTIES TO PLEASE, UH, GIVE US AN IDEA OF WHAT THEY'RE PLANNING FOR THE COMING YEAR.
SO, UH, I PUT IT ALPHA ALPHABETICALLY AND SO I'M GOING TO, UH, TURN IT OVER TO TAB, UH, TAB.
SO THERE IS A POWERPOINT WHICH HE CAN SEND OUT TO YOU LATER.
I WANT IT TO BE MORE OF A CONVERSATION.
I'M AN EDUCATOR SO I DON'T WANNA LECTURE YOU.
THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.
AND UM, YOU ALL KNOW THAT ALICE AND I ARE NOW THE LEADERSHIP TEAM OF COUNCIL.
WE HAVE TWO GREAT BIG GOALS FROM THE GUT.
SO ALL OF YOU THAT ARE NEW UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT'S LIKE, RIGHT? SO ONE GOAL IS WE HAVE TO RESTORE, RESTORE THE TRUST FROM OUR COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE 200,000 RESIDENTS WHO EVERY TIME I TURN AROUND, SOMEBODY TELLS ME HOW CORRUPT WE ARE.
THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW ME AND THEY CALL ME CORRUPT.
SO WE HA WE ARE GOING TO COMMIT TO OUR CONSTITUENTS FOR TRANSPARENCY.
AND EVERYBODY USES THE T WORD, RIGHT? EVERYBODY.
BUT WE'RE REALLY COMMITTING TO IT.
AND WE'RE INCREASING COMMUNICATION WITH THE PUBLIC FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, WHICH HAPPENS TO BE MY PET PEEVE.
I'M A NUMBER GEEK AND WE WANNA DO MORE COLLABORATION WITH OUR MUNICIPALITIES AND JASPER COUNTY.
AND I WOULD ADD IN THERE ALSO BETTER COLLABORATION WITH OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS BECAUSE WE'VE HAD SOME ISSUES THERE.
SO WHAT IS TRANSPARENCY TO US? AND THIS IS OUR COUNCIL.
IT, UM, PROVIDES A PUBLIC WITH INFORMATION.
EVERYBODY DOES THAT WE HAVE, WE HAVE COMMITTED TO LIMITING OUR USE OF EXECUTIVE SESSION.
ONE THING WE HEAR, ANYTIME PEOPLE TALK AND IT'S BEEN IN THE NEWSPAPER, YOU GUYS GO BEHIND THE DOOR AND YOU MAKE DECISIONS AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SO LITERALLY WE'RE DOWN TO LEGAL MATTERS, PERSONNEL AND LAND ACQUISITION.
AND MOST OF OUR OTHER CONVERSATIONS ARE IN PUBLIC.
SO WE'RE CONDUCTING OUR BUSINESS IN PUBLIC AND WE'RE HAVING PEOPLE DO A VOTE.
A VOTE BY SHOW OF HANDS SO EVERYONE COULD SEE HOW THE REPRESENTATIVE VOTES.
AND ALSO WE'VE HAD PEOPLE IN THE PAST, AND I'M TELLING YOU A SECRET HERE, THAT AFTER MEETING'S OVER, THEY SAID, OH, I DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD HAVE VOTED THAT WAY OR I DIDN'T LISTEN.
WELL YOU'RE GONNA RAISE YOUR HAND TO VOTE.
WE'VE ALREADY HAD THREE IN TWO MONTHS.
SO WE HAD, OUR FIRST ONE WAS WHAT DO WE DO AS A COUNCIL? WE HAD JOHN DELO FROM SCAC TALK TO US.
WE DID ONE ON UH, WORKING WITH ADMINISTRATION ON WHAT ARE SOME STRATEGIC INITIATIVES.
WE DID ONE WITH THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS GREAT.
AND I THINK MAYOR PERRY FOR THAT.
WE HAD GREAT COLLABORATION ON THAT ONE.
AND WE HAD, WE HAVE ONE COMING UP MARCH 18TH.
IF YOU ALL WRITE ON YOUR CALENDAR AT 5:00 PM WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN OPEN WORKSHOP AND WE'RE GONNA INVITE ALL THE MUNICIPALITIES AND IT WILL BE OUR DISCUSSION AS A COUNCIL OF WHERE TO GO WITH A REFERENDUM.
'CAUSE I KNOW YOU'RE ALL THINKING ABOUT THAT.
MARCH 18TH, WE HAVE COMMITTED TO UM, WE HAVE A DEVELOPMENT DASHBOARD THAT'S NEITHER HERE NOR THERE.
SO THOSE ARE OUR THINGS TO OUR, UM, WE POST OUR MEETINGS AND YOU'LL SEE AFTER EVERY MEETING WE PUT SOMETHING OUT.
I NOTICED BLUFFTON SENDS US THEIRS.
WE ARE HOLDING COUNCIL MEETINGS IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.
LAST NIGHT WE WERE AT BURTON WELLS, NOT MY FAVORITE BECAUSE IT ECHOES, OKAY.
BUT WE HAD, I BET WE HAD 50 OR 60 PEOPLE THERE.
WE HAD A COUNCIL MEMBER FROM HILTON HEAD THERE.
WE HAVE HAD A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER THERE.
HELENA, BUCK WALTER HILTON HEAD.
EVERY OTHER MONTH WE'RE MOVING THE SHOW ON THE ROAD.
AND I GUESS I DIDN'T REALIZE TILL LAST NIGHT THE TESTAMENT TO OUR BROADCAST TEAM, HOW MUCH STUFF HAS TO BE MOVED.
UM, WE ARE INCREASING THE PUBLIC COMMENT TO 30 MINUTES.
WE USED TO HAVE 15, SO THAT MEANT FIVE PEOPLE COULD SPEAK.
IT WENT TO 30 WHEN THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT ONE ROAD THEY DON'T WANT BUILT.
UM, WE HAVE CHAT WITH COUNCIL EVERY MONTH.
WE HAD THE LAST ONE WAS IN BLUFFTON AT BLUFFTON LIBRARY.
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AND FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS, IT'S JUST AS MANY COUNCIL MEMBERS AS CAN ATTEND SHOW UP.AND WE, IF I GET MORE THAN FIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS, I HAVE TO READ THE FOIA.
BUT UM, THEY SHOW UP AND THEN I BASICALLY SAY, THIS IS A OPEN MIC NIGHT.
YOU CAN ASK A QUESTION, MAKE A COMMENT, OFFER A SUGGESTION, SAY SOMETHING GREAT ABOUT THE COUNTY.
I ALWAYS THROW THAT ONE IN THERE.
AND THEN PEOPLE COME UP AND THEY SAY THEIR THING.
AND THESE HAVE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL LAST YEAR WE ONLY GOT FIVE OF THEM OFF THE GROUND BECAUSE THEN WE SWITCHED INTO REFERENDUM MODE.
THIS YEAR WE HAVE ONE EVERY MONTH AND WE'VE NOT HAD A PROBLEM YET.
UM, WE'RE DOING EMAIL RESPONSES, YOU KNOW, HAVE YOU EVER HAD, UH, SOMEBODY SAY, I EMAILED THE COUNCIL AND NOBODY EMAILED ME BACK? WELL ONE OF US ALWAYS EMAILED SOMEBODY BACK.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO COLLABORATING WITH OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS SO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE A BODY OF 11, WHICH IS LIKE HERDING CATS OF COURSE.
BUT IN THE PAST SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS WEREN'T PRIVY TO EVERYTHING.
SO ALICE AND I DO A BIWEEKLY, I TYPE IT UP, A BIWEEKLY UPDATE THAT I SEND TO ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO LIKE I'LL SAY, WE WERE AT SO LOCO AND WE DID THIS, OR WE WENT HERE, WE DID THAT.
EVERYBODY'S AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
THERE'S NO SECRET WITH OUR COUNCIL PEOPLE, THEY ALL SHOULD HAVE THEIR HANDS IN THE POT.
SO YOU ALL REMEMBER HANSWORTH? SINKLER BOYD, RIGHT? THE HSB DREADED HSB CLOUD.
SO WE HAVE REDONE OUR PROCEDURES, OUR POLICIES FOR PROCUREMENT.
WE ARE ABSOLUTELY STICKING TO THAT RIGHT DOWN TO THE WIRE.
EVERY OTHER WEEK WE GET A BUDGET TRANSFER WORKSHEET AND IT'S AMAZING.
THEY'RE DOWN TO LITERALLY FOUR.
WHEREAS PEOPLE USED TO BUDGET TRANSFER ALL THE TIME.
UHUH, IT HAS TO GO THROUGH COUNCIL.
THE PCARD, WE WERE HIT PRETTY HARD WITH THAT.
WE HAVE REMOVED SOME OF THOSE.
WE'VE TIGHTENED UP WHAT THE MAX IS AND THEY'RE REVIEWED.
WE HAVE SOFTWARE REVIEWING THAT.
UM, WE HAVE A SPENDING PORTAL ON THE COUNTY HOMEPAGE.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW THAT ANYBODY CAN GO IN AND SEE EVERY DEPARTMENT WHAT THEY SPEND.
WE'RE GETTING READY TO START IN MARCH.
IT WAS VERY EXTENSIVE LAST YEAR.
IF SOMEBODY WANTED MONEY, SO FOR EXAMPLE, I'M GONNA THROW THE SHERIFF OUT THERE 'CAUSE I LOVE TO HARASS A LITTLE BIT.
HIS CFO CAME AND EXPLAINED WHY HE NEEDED THE MONEY HE WAS ASKING COUNSEL FOR.
SO IT'S NOT JUST GIMME THREE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
AND AS A SOLICITOR CAME, EVERYBODY HAD TO COME FOR THAT.
UM, WE CAN, WE'RE GOING TO DO A RESERVE STUDY.
SO I WAS A LITTLE SURPRISED WE DON'T HAVE THIS IN THE COUNTY.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS IT.
WE HAVE THIS IN SUN CITY WHERE I'M ON THE BOARD.
EVERY ASSET WE OWN IS REVIEWED EVERY, EVERY THREE YEARS IN A STUDY, A PHYSICAL STUDY.
AND THAT THEY TELL YOU WHEN IT WAS PUT IN, HOW MUCH IT WAS, WHEN IT'S TERM OF LIFE IS OVER, HOW MUCH IT'LL BE TO REPLACE.
WELL THE COUNTY DIDN'T REALLY HAVE THAT.
AND THE REASON, I'LL SHOW YOU IN A MINUTE WHY THAT'S IMPORTANT.
SO OUT OF OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING, UH, WORKSHOP, THESE ARE THE TOP ITEMS WE TOLD ADMINISTRATION WE WANT TO FOCUS ON PEOPLE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT.
AND THAT MEANS OUR EMPLOYEES BECAUSE WITHOUT THE EMPLOYEES WE GO NOWHERE.
AND THEN YOU HAVE TO HAVE PLACES FOR THEM TO WORK.
THEN WE WENT INTO TRANSPORTATION, PROPERTY AND FUND.
SO PEOPLE, WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THERE? OBVIOUSLY BENEFITS, SALARIES.
WE ARE ALSO, WE DID A COMPING CLASS STUDY AND THEY RECOMMENDED EXAMINING STEPS.
I HAD STEPS THAT YOU AUTOMATICALLY PROGRESS ANYBODY FROM MILITARY OR THE GOVERNMENT YOU HAD THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING THAT.
UM, THE ISSUE WILL BE WHERE YOU PUT SOMEBODY ON A STEP AND HOW THEY MOVE AND DOES DO THEY BUMP UP TO SOMEBODY ELSE.
AND THEN PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS.
SO FUNDING'S THE MOST IMPORTANT OBVIOUSLY AS IT IS TO YOU.
SO WE HAD A REFERENDUM AND THEY VOTED NO.
SO THEY SAID JUST GO FIND YOUR MONEY IN YOUR BUDGET AS IF THERE'S LIKE SOME MAGIC POT UNDER THE BROAD RIVER BRIDGE THAT HAS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN IT, RIGHT? SO WE ARE GOING TO DISCUSS FUNDING IN A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT WAY.
WE'RE GONNA DO GENERAL FUNDS, THAT'S DAY-TO-DAY EXPENSES.
AND I PUT UP THERE OUR CURRENT MILLAGE AND YOU CAN CERTAINLY READ IT.
THIS IS HOW OUR CURRENT MILLAGE, IT'S 59.5 MILLS.
A MILL IS $2.7 MILLION BASED ON LAST YEAR'S REASSESSMENT.
SO OUR BUDGET'S ABOUT 161 MILLION IN OPERATING AND HERE IS HOW IT'S BROKEN OUT.
SO WE HAVE TO DO A LITTLE MORE EDUCATION WITH OUR RESIDENTS ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THEY SAY, WHAT DO YOU DO WITH ALL THAT MONEY?
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OKAY, THEN THEY CAN GO IN THE PORTAL AND LOOK AT IT.SO WE'RE GONNA DO GENERAL FUNDING.
SORRY, HOW DO I GO BACK IN THIS ONE? I GET IT BACK.
SO WE'RE GONNA DO GENERAL FUNDING, THE GENERAL BUDGET, THEN WE'RE GOING TO BREAK OFF EXISTING FACILITY FUND.
SO PART OF THE BUDGET'S OPERATING.
THE NEXT PART IS MAINTENANCE EXISTED EXISTING FACILITIES.
AND YOU COULD SEE WE HAVE 131 OCCUPIED BUILDINGS.
I'M SORRY TO SAY 900,000 SQUARE FEET OF BUILDING.
THAT'S A LOT OF STUFF TO MAINTAIN WHEN YOU LOOK AT HVAC LIGHTS, ELEVATORS, ROOFS, TECHNOLOGY, ALL OF THAT'S IN THIS FUND.
AND WE'RE LOOKING AT FUNDING IT, YOU KNOW, WITH A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE EVERY YEAR.
WE HAVE SOME LARGE SCALE MAINTENANCE ISSUES THAT YOU MAY KNOW ABOUT.
MYRTLE BEACH, MYRTLE PARK, I'M SORRY, MYRTLE PARK BUILDING THE ELEVATOR AND SO ON.
UM, LAST YEAR WE HAD A BOAT DOCK STUDY DONE.
AND THIS THIS GUY, HE'S AN ENGINEER.
I'M SORRY I DON'T KNOW HIS NAME.
HE STOOD UP AND HE SAID, YOU'RE GONNA NEED 13 MILLION FOR THE BROAD RIVER BRIDGE TO REDO THE BOAT RAMP AND THE PIER.
AND THEN HE SAID, AND YOU NEED 12 MILLION FOR THE WIMPY CREEK.
AND I'M SITTING THERE THINKING WHERE ARE GONNA GET $25 MILLION? SO I SAID TO HIM, HEY, DO YOU SEND DIVERS UNDER THE WATER? HE SAID YES.
AND I SAID, COULD YOU SEE IF THERE'S A TREASURE CHEST UNDER THERE FOR THESE $25 MILLION? BECAUSE PEOPLE USE THESE BOAT RAMPS, THEY USE THESE PIERS, BUT WHERE'S THE MONEY FROM? SO THAT WILL BE IN THIS EXISTING FACILITY FUND.
AND WE HAVE THE ADMIN BUILDING.
IF YOU'VE BEEN THERE, YOU KNOW IT NEEDS WORK.
AND OUR DETENTION CENTER, ANYBODY BEEN THERE? YEAH, I WOULDN'T ADVISE YOU GO, BUT UM, THE DETENTION CENTER NEEDS PLENTY OF WORK.
THERE'S SOME ISSUES WITH THE STUCCO WHERE CRITTERS ARE BURRING INTO THE STUCCO.
BUT ALL OF THAT IS A LOT OF MONEY.
THE THIRD FUND IS PARKS AND REC BECAUSE WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO FAMILIES, IF YOU WANNA KEEP FAMILIES HERE, PARKS AND REC.
I WAS JUST AT THE RIBBON CUTTING, I WAS TELLING MAYOR TWOS, I WAS AT THE RIBBON CUTTING FOR NEW RIVERSIDE PARK WONDER, THE BEST PLAYGROUND I'VE EVER SEEN.
AND I BET IF THEY RAISED THEIR MILLAGE 10 MILLS THAT DAY, NOBODY WOULD'VE COMPLAINED BECAUSE EVERYBODY WAS HAPPY.
AND WE NEED TO HAVE MORE OF THAT.
I WAS SO JEALOUS FOR THE COUNTY THAT WE DON'T HAVE A PLAYGROUND THAT LOOKS LIKE THAT.
AND LOOK RIGHT OUTSIDE HERE, THERE'S SPLASH PAD.
I'VE BEEN HARPING ON THAT FOR TWO YEARS AND WE STILL DON'T HAVE ONE.
BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, WE HAVE A MASTER PLAN FOR BURTON WELLS.
IT NEEDS WORK, IT NEEDS EXPANSION.
ANYBODY EVER BEEN TO BURTON WELLS? THERE'S ALL THAT OPEN LAND.
WE CAN USE BUCK WALTER REC, LOTS OF OPEN LAND.
WE NEED MORE BALL FIELDS SOUTH OF THE BROAD.
WE NEED SOCCER, WE NEED, UH, SOFTBALL, WE NEED IT ALL SOUTH OF THE BROAD.
WE, BECAUSE BECAUSE OF OUR HEAVY POPULATION GROWTH, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE US DO A SPORTS TOURISM FACILITY.
AND THERE ARE SEVERAL OF US ON COUNCIL THAT IS AN INCOME GENERATOR THROUGH AT A, WE HAD THE DIXIE TOURNAMENT HERE TWO YEARS AGO, GENERATED A MILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS OF ATEX OF YES OF FUNDS, ECONOMIC FUNDS.
AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NEW PARKS BECAUSE IF YOU WANNA KEEP FAMILIES HERE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOMEWHERE FOR THEM TO GO.
AND SOME PEOPLE SAY, WELL YOU HAVE A LOT OF PASSIVE PARKS, WHICH IS FINE.
BUT I TOOK MY TWO LITTLE GRANDDAUGHTERS.
ONE WAS FIVE AND ONE WAS TWO TO WID POINT.
AND AFTER 10 MINUTES, WHAT DO YOU THINK? THEY SAID TO ME, GRAMMY, WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE? BECAUSE IT'S A PASSIVE PARK.
THEY'RE NOT GONNA SIT AND LOOK AT BIRDS.
THEY WANNA COME TO A PARK LIKE THIS.
SO WE HAVE TO HAVE A PARKS AND REC FUND AND THEN WE HAVE TO HAVE A CAPITAL FUND.
NOW CAPITAL FUND, WE'RE REDEFINING IT.
IT'S CONSTRUCTION OF NEW FACILITIES.
SO THESE ARE TOYS WE DON'T HAVE, THAT'S THE WAY WE SAY IT IN SUN CITY.
THESE ARE NEW FACILITIES SUCH AS YOU'VE ALL HEARD ABOUT THE LAW ENFORCEMENT CENTER THAT WE DREAM ABOUT ON THE COOLER TRACK.
UH, SOMEBODY SAID THAT'S $300 MILLION.
THAT BLEW MY MIND RIGHT THERE.
WE HAVE TO EXPAND TERMINALS AT THE HILTON HEAD AIRPORT.
YOU ALL KNOW DUSKY ISLAND FERRY.
WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THE LAUNCHES AND PUBLIC WORKS HEADQUARTERS AND THEN FUTURE SERVICE SITES.
AND THEN WE HAVE ENTERPRISE FUNDS, WHICH, UM, WE EXPLAIN THIS AT MANY OF OUR MEETINGS.
THAT'S WHEN REVENUE COMES IN TO COVER THE EXPENSE.
THAT'S THE AIRPORTS SOLID WASTE.
WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA TAKE OUT OF ENTERPRISE AND PUT IT IN THE BASIC OPERATING FUND.
AND THE EXECUTIVE AIRPORT, FOR EXAMPLE, THE EXECUTIVE AIRPORT ASKED FOR $4.5 MILLION TO BILL MORE HANGERS.
AND MY COMMENT WAS, YOU'RE AN ENTERPRISE FUND, WHY WOULD THE OPERATING FUND GIVE YOU $4.5 MILLION? SO ANSWER THAT QUESTION FOR ME.
SO THAT'S ENTERPRISE FUNDS AND THEN OF COURSE TRANSPORTATION.
AND THIS ONE WE'VE ABOUT BEAT TO DEATH.
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SO WE'VE DONE THE AUTOPSY SEVERAL TIMES ON THE LAST REFERENDUM.I MEAN I THINK IT'S TIME TO PUT IT IN THE, THE MORTICIANS BAG AND PUT IT AWAY.
WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF INPUT FROM OUR MAYORS, OUR OTHER COUNCILS, FROM PEOPLE WHEN WE'RE ON THE ROAD FROM UH, OTHER GROUPS.
SO WE ARE HAVING THIS WORKSHOP ON THE 18TH AT 5:00 PM TO TALK ABOUT DO WE WANT A PENNY TAX FOR TRANSPORTATION ONLY? DO WE WANT IT FOR CAPITAL ONLY? DO WE WANT HALF PENNY CAPITAL, HALF PENNY TRANSPORTATION, WHATEVER.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE A DISCUSSION AND ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE INVOLVED IN THAT DISCUSSION.
THIS HAS TO BE ALL IN WITH EVERYBODY'S GOTTA TALK ABOUT IT.
SO THAT'S ONE OF OUR BIGGEST GOALS FOR ALICE AND I TO TAKE ALL OF OUR 11 MEMBERS AND BRING 'EM TO THE TABLE OVER AND OVER AND OVER.
AND I'M GONNA SAY FORCE THEM TO THINK ABOUT THE ISSUES FACING US.
YOU KNOW, NOT JUST RIDE THE TAIL OF SOMEBODY ELSE.
AND THE OTHER THING WE MET WITH, UM, AND I WANNA THANK THE MAYOR OF PORT ROYAL.
UM, THE OTHER MAYORS WERE THERE AND THE TOWN MANAGERS.
WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE 2018 REFERENDUM.
THERE ARE THINGS WE DIDN'T GET DONE.
AND I THINK THAT WAS ONE OF THE ANCHORS AROUND OUR NECK FOR THE LAST REFERENDUM.
SO RIGHT NOW, ADMINISTRATION'S MAKING A LIST OF WHAT DID WE NOT GET DONE YET.
AND WE KNOW IT'S NOT FULLY FUNDED 'CAUSE THE CROSS ROWS, BUT THE MAYORS HAVE AGREED THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE, FOR EXAMPLE, ON HILTON HEAD, MAYOR PERRY AND HIS COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHAT THINGS WERE ON THERE FOR HILTON HEAD.
AND THEY WOULD TELL US WHICH ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT.
SAME WITH BLUFFTON, SAME WITH BEAUFORT, SAME WITH PORT ROYAL.
SO, AND THEN WE GOTTA MOVE AND GET SOME SHOVELS IN THE GROUND SO PEOPLE SEE THAT MONEY BEING SPENT.
NOW WE HAD A CURVE BALL THROWN AT US WITH THIS UM, ONE ROAD IN ON LADIES ISLAND.
THE PEOPLE SHOWED UP SAID WE DON'T WANT THESE SIDEWALKS.
SO THAT'S STILL PART OF THE ISSUE.
BUT THE MAYORS AGREED IF WE CAN IDENTIFY WHAT WE NEED STILL FROM 2018 AND ALLOW THE TOWNS AND MUNICIPALITIES TO PRIORITIZE THAT WE CAN GET SOME SHOVELS IN THE GROUND.
IT'S, IT'S NOT USED, IT'S SITTING IN AN ACCOUNT.
BUT WE DON'T WANNA TELL HILTON HEAD OR BLUFFTON WHAT THEY NEED.
SO THAT'S A REAL PRIORITY COMING UP NEXT.
AND THEN WE HAVE OVER 120 COUNTY OWNED PROPERTIES.
OKAY? SO I SAID, WELL WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH THESE PROPERTIES? BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE SITTING AROUND GATHERING FLIES AND STUFF, I DON'T KNOW.
SO WE'RE GONNA GET A FULL LIST AND WE'RE GONNA DECIDE SHOULD WE KEEP THEM ALL, CAN WE USE SOME OF THEM SOUTH OF THE BROAD? FOR EXAMPLE, MR. WOODS SAID YOU HAVE ACREAGE DOWN HERE, MAYBE YOU CAN BUILD THERE.
SHOULD WE USE SOME OF THEM FOR NEW FACILITIES OR PLAYGROUNDS OR SHOULD WE SELL THEM AS SURPLUS AND GET 'EM ON THE TAX ROLL? THERE'S NO POINT IN SITTING ON A HUNDRED AND SOMETHING PROPERTIES IF WE'RE NOT GONNA USE THEM.
OKAY? AND SOME OF THEM MAY NOT BE USABLE.
SO THEY MAY END UP BEING, UM, RURAL AND CRITICAL.
BUT THAT'LL BE ANOTHER CONVERSATION WE'RE GONNA HAVE.
I HEARD ABOUT IT ONCE IN 2023.
SO THOSE ARE OUR PRIORITIES AND WE'VE AGREED WE'RE REACHING OUT TO THE MUNICIPALITIES IN JASPER COUNTY AS WELL.
WE HAVE TO KEEP TALKING TRANSPORTATION.
SO THE ONE 70 TRIANGLE IS THE BANE OF MY EXISTENCE.
'CAUSE I LIVE IN SUN CITY, BUT THE BRIDGE IS THE BANE OF MY EXISTENCE.
'CAUSE I GO TO HILTON HEAD ALL THE TIME.
AND WHAT DO I HEAR ALL THE TIME? ARGENT BOULEVARD, RIGHT? WE HEAR THESE, ALL THESE SAME THINGS.
SO WE HAVE GOT TO ADDRESS THIS COLLABORATIVELY.
AND WHAT DOES EVERY RESIDENT THROW IN OUR FACE? YOU GUYS NEED TO MANAGE GROWTH.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY THINK YOU MANAGE GROWTH MAGICALLY, BUT UM, THE IMPACT ON INFRASTRUCTURE.
THEY DON'T LIKE ALL THE NEW HOUSING.
THEY DON'T LIKE THIS, THEY DON'T LIKE THAT.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ALL OF THAT AND THE USE OF IMPACT FEES.
SO THAT WOULD BE OUR COLLABORATION.
OBVIOUSLY WORKFORCE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING'S ON EVERYBODY'S LIST.
WE'RE WORKING WITH THE BEAUFORT, JASPER HOUSING TRUST FUND.
WE HAVE SOME OTHER COLLABORATIONS.
AND GREEN SPACE HAS BEEN A REALLY WONDERFUL INITIATIVE.
WE ENDED UP COLLECTING I THINK 115 MILLION BECAUSE DOR DIDN'T CUT IT OFF.
I TALKED TO MAYOR TOMER ABOUT THIS.
SO THEY'RE CUTTING IT OFF FEBRUARY 28TH.
SO THEY WERE STILL RUNNING IT.
AND AS HE TOLD ME, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THEN THINK YOU GUYS LIED TO THEM.
'CAUSE WE SAID EITHER THIS DATE OR WHEN WE HIT A HUNDRED MILLION, WELL WE HIT A HUNDRED MILLION BEFORE THE CUTOFF DATE AND IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CUT OFF.
SO THE MONEY IS GOING IN THE GREEN SPACE PROGRAM.
IT WON'T GO FOR ANYTHING ELSE.
BUT GREEN SPACE HAS BEEN, UM, VERY WELL RECEIVED AND
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WE ARE COLLABORATING.HILTON HAS GOT A FEW, WE HAVE SOME OTHER AREAS AND THEY'RE LEVERAGING THAT MONEY.
THE BIGGEST ONE WE DID WAS GREGORY NECK AND THAT'S IN JASPER COUNTY.
YOU KNOW, WE PUT IN MONEY AND THEN THEY LEVERAGED IT ALMOST TENFOLD.
SO THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE RURAL AND CRITICAL LANDS IS ZEROED OUT, COMING TO ZERO OUT.
OH, AND THEN WE TELL EVERYBODY STAY INFORMED.
SO THAT'S OUR CONTACT INFORMATION.
AND THAT'S LITERALLY WHERE WE ARE.
AFTER TWO MONTHS, IT'S BEEN A ROLLER COASTER RIDE.
UM, BECAUSE EVERY DAY SOMETHING NEW COMES UP TO ME.
AND SO WE HAVE, UH, WE HAVE TOLD OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU WILL KNOW EVERYTHING WE KNOW AS CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR, BUT YOU GOTTA WEIGH IN AND YOU HAVE TO DO YOUR PART TO BE READY TO TALK AND INVESTIGATE AND HELP WITH THE LOAD.
SO I THINK WE'RE GETTING THERE, BUT OUR MAJOR THING RIGHT NOW IS REGAINING PUBLIC TRUST.
YOU KNOW, SO THAT PUBLIC TRUST, THE COUNCIL AND ADMINISTRATION RIGHT NOW, IT'S UP IN THE AIR.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE AT THIS AFTER TWO MONTHS IN, THAT'S THE BEST I CAN GIVE YOU.
UM, WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS, UH, NOW I ASK, UM, JASPER COUNTY CHAIR JOHN KEMP TO GIVE HIS PRESENTATION AND THEN ANY QUESTIONS WE HAVE FROM EITHER, UM, COUNTY WE CAN DO AT THE END.
SO, UH, JASPER COUNTY HAS HAD, UH, LEADERSHIP CHANGE AS WELL.
UM, MR. JOHN KEMP WAS ELECTED BY HIS FELLOW COUNCIL PE-PEOPLE, UH, TO BE CHAIR.
UM, AND UM, I THINK HE MIGHT BE THE FIRST REPRESENTATIVE FROM HARDY V TO HOLD THAT POSITION.
AND JOINING THE BOARD IS, UM, COUNCILMAN JOEY ROW, WHO'S WHO TOOK THIS ON AS A PART-TIME JOB AND NOBODY TOLD HIM THAT PART-TIME WAS 80 HOURS A WEEK.
SO, UM, WELCOME TO THE BOARD, JOEY.
THAT SOUNDS AFTER THE INTRODUCTION, BUT I'VE BEEN AT MEETINGS WHERE I'VE GONE THROUGH A WHOLE MEETING AND THE FIRST RAISING OF THE HAND SAYS, WHO ARE YOU? MY NAME IS JOHN KEMP.
I'M A CHAIRMAN OF JASPER COUNTY.
THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME TO SPEAK AT THIS MEETING.
I FIND A LITTLE SUSPICIOUS FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS, THIS ORGANIZATION HAS INVITED SOMEONE.
I SAY SOMEONE FROM JASPER COUNTY TO SPEAK IN FRONT OF THEM.
THIS TIME THE MAYOR HAS SPECIFICALLY INVITED THE CHAIRMAN OF JASPER COUNTY.
MANY PEOPLE KNOW HARRY IS AN EXPERT AT THROWING PEOPLE UNDER THE BUS, ESPECIALLY ME,
TO ME, I WONDER IF THIS INVITATION WAS JUST THAT, HARRY, I OWE YOU SOMETHING.
I OWE YOU
HE SAYS, JOHN, IT'S YOUR PROBLEM.
ANYWAY, THEY SAY HE SHOULD ALWAYS START A SPEECH WITH A JOKE OR ANECDOTE.
SO WHY DO SCIENTISTS TRUST THAT? DON'T TRUST ADAMS. DOES ANYBODY KNOW? BECAUSE THEY MAKE UP EVERYTHING.
OH, WELL,
THAT WAS PROBABLY, ANYWAY, LITTLE DID I THINK IN, IN, IN 2021 THAT I WOULD BE THE CHAIRMAN OF JASPER COUNTY COUNCIL.
BEFORE I BEGIN, I NEED TO PROVIDE SOME RELEVANT BACKGROUND INFORMATION.
SINCE JANUARY, JASPER HAS ESSENTIALLY ESTABLISHED A NEW COUNCIL, WHICH HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR A TOTAL OF 53 DAYS, 53 DAYS.
IN 2020, THE COUNCIL HAD A COMBINED EXPERIENCE OF APPROXIMATELY 60 YEARS.
FOUR YEARS LATER, THE COUNCIL HAS A TOTAL OF 19 YEARS, TWO MEMBERS HAVING A TOTAL OF 18 YEARS, AND THE OTHER THREE A TOTAL OF LESS THAN A YEAR.
THIS BEING SAID, OUR GOALS, OPPORTUNITIES ARE STILL BEING REVIEWED, FORMULATED, AND ADDRESSED.
OUR VISION FOR JASPER COUNTY STATES THAT OUR IDENTITY IS INTRINSICALLY ROOTED IN THE BEAUTY AND DIVERSITY OF OUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.
WE RECOGNIZE THE RICH LEGACY OF HISTORY AND SPIRIT OF OUR PEOPLE.
AS THE COUNTY CONTINUES TO GROW AND DEVELOP, WE WILL MAINTAIN OUR CONNECTION TO THE WATERS MARSHES AND LANDS SET THAT SUSTAIN US.
JAS COUNTY WILL WORK TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY TO ADDRESS ECONOMIC DISPARITIES, MAXIMIZE OUR OPPORTUNITIES,
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AND ENSURE ALL RESIDENTS ACCESS TO AN ELEVATED QUALITY OF LIFE.WE ENVISION JASPER COUNTY PROSPERING ECONOMICALLY, PHYSICALLY, AND SOCIALLY.
OUR MISSION STATEMENT IS TO PROVIDE EFFICIENT GOVERNMENT SERVICES AND MANAGED GROWTH WHILE PROTECTING JASPER COUNTY'S RICH ENVIRONMENT, HERITAGE AND QUALITY OF LIFE.
OUR COMMUNITY PRINCIPLES GUIDE OUR ACTIONS AND AND ENSURE THAT JASPER COUNTY RETAINS ITS UNIQUE CHARACTER.
OUR CITIZENS TAKE PRIDE IN OUR LAND AND STRIVE TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE ITS HISTORIC, NATURAL, AND CULTURAL RESOURCES.
THE COUNCIL WANTS TO REDUCE LITTER AND BLIGHT AND SUPPORT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES THAT CREATE JOBS, PROVIDE EDUCATION AND TRAINING AND FOSTER COMMUNITY GROWTH, PRIORITIZE THE MAINTENANCE OF EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE OVER DEVELOPMENT OF NEW INFRASTRUCTURE BY GUIDING GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT TO AREAS THAT ARE MOST SUITABLE TO A NEW DEVELOPMENT.
WE EMBRACE COLLABORATION WITH OTHER GOVERNMENT LEADERS, EDUCATIONAL PROVIDERS, NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO ADDRESS COMMUNITY CHALLENGES, SEIZE OPPORTUNITIES, PARTICULARLY IN THE AREAS OF EDUCATION, EQUITY, AND LEADERSHIP.
OUR COLLABORATION WITH THE LAND TRUST IN PASSING THE TRANSPORTATION TAX IS AN EXAMPLE OF THIS COMMITMENT.
THE NEW COUNCIL HASN'T OFFICIALLY ADOPTED SPECIFIC GOALS THAT ALIGN WITH THIS VISION AND COMMUNITY PRINCIPLES.
AFTER A COMPREHENSIVE TWO DAY STRATEGY PLANNING SESSION IN JANUARY, THE COUNCIL DISCUSSED OUR 10 OF GOALS, WHICH WILL EVENTUALLY BE OFFICIAL.
WE'VE BROKEN DOWN THESE GOALS INTO FOUR MAJOR AREAS.
ONE, PROMOTE PHYSICAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY.
WE'VE COMPLETED AN ANNUAL AUDIT WITH A NEW AUDITING FIRM.
THE COUNCIL HAS RETIRED ITS DEBT BY $4 MILLION IS REVIEWED.
THE HANDLING OF TAX SALE OVERAGES AND SELL SELLING OF LEGACY PROPERTY ADDRESSED AS TREASURER'S.
POLICY MADE SOME PROGRESS ON THE AIRPORT SITUATION AND STRESSED NEED FOR CODE ENFORCEMENT.
JASPER'S CURRENTLY UPDATING THE CREDIT CARD POLICY, REVISING PURCHASING ORDINANCES, AND CREATING TRANSPARENCY PAGES ON OUR WEBSITE, WE HAVE MADE THE CHECK REGISTER PUBLIC AND ARE REDUCING THE NUMBER OF EXECUTIVE SESSIONS.
OUR MOTTO IS TO THIS END, WHY DIDN'T, WHEN IN DOUBT IT'S MADE PUBLIC? NUMBER TWO, IN THE REALM OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE NOW ENTRUSTED WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF ATTENDING VARIOUS MEETINGS AND REPORTING BACK TO COUNCIL.
WE HAVE STRATEGICALLY ASSIGNED INDIVIDUALS TO ATTEND MEETINGS IN HARDY RIDGELAND, THE SCHOOL BOARD AND OTHER BOARDS WITHIN JASPER COUNTY.
MOREOVER, WE ARE ACTIVELY DEVELOPING AND AND IMPLEMENTING PLANS TO STRENGTHEN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE JASPER LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION.
WE ARE INCREASING OUR ATTENDANCE AT THE NONPROFITS, ENSURING REPRESENTATION AND REGIONAL GROUPS TO ENHANCE OUR ENGAGEMENT.
WE ARE MAKING PROACTIVE APPOINTMENTS TO VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS TCL, ELCO, LATS AND THE HOUSING TRUST.
DURING THE INTERVIEWS, WE REQUEST THE APPOINTEES ENSURE THAT THEY KEEP THE COUNCIL INFORMED ABOUT THE HAPPENINGS IN THEIR APPOINTED ORGANIZATIONS.
THESE APPOINTEES ARE REPRESENTATIVES AND REQUIRE INTERACTION.
ADDITIONALLY, WE ARE STRESSING THE PLANNING OF JOINT MEETINGS WITH MUNICIPALITIES SUCH AS OUR PLANNING COMMISSIONS AND ADMINISTRATOR AND CITY MANAGERS, AND PLAN TO SCHEDULE ADDITIONAL MEETINGS BETWEEN THE COUNTY CHAIRMAN, MAYORS ADMINISTRATOR, AND CITY MANAGERS.
THESE MEETINGS ARE INTENDED TO MAIN MAINTAIN CONSISTENTLY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, EXPLORE JOINT SERVICES AND ADDRESS MUTUAL PROBLEMS. COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE ACTIVELY PARTICIPATED IN AT LEAST FIVE TOWN HALLS AND ARE COMMITTED TO HOLDING MORE IF AND WHEN REQUESTED.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THE COMMUNITY SEES THE COUNCIL OUTSIDE OUR MEETINGS.
FURTHERMORE, WE ARE CO CONSISTENTLY CONSIDERING ESTABLISHING A PROGRAM TO EDUCATE CITIZENS ABOUT THE FUNCTIONING OF THEIR GOVERNMENT.
THREE, IN TERMS OF GROWTH AND MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT, OUR GUIDING PHILOSOPHY IS TO GUIDE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT TO THE MOST SUITABLE LOCATIONS THAT CONSERVE NEW DEV DEVELOPMENTS.
WHILE PRESERVING HISTORICAL, NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES.
WE AIM TO REDUCE LITTER AND BLIGHT, SUPPORT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES THAT PROVIDE JOBS, EDUCATION, AND TRAINING TO OUR COMMUNITY AND CONTINUOUSLY DEVELOP THE ORGANIZATION TO BE PREPARED FOR FUTURE GROWTH.
IN SUPPORT OF THIS PHILOSOPHY, THE COURT COUNTY HAS BEEN ACTIVELY ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGES AND ISSUES RELATED TO
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CODE ENFORCEMENT, DEVELOPING A PARKS AND RECS MASTER PLAN, CONSTRUCTING NEW FACILITIES AND RENOVATING EXISTING COUNTY FACILITIES.WE ARE IMPROVING BOAT LANDINGS AND SPORTS FIELDS, DEVELOPING A JASPER ANIMAL RESCUE PLAN TO MANAGE, PRESENT AND FUTURE GROWTH OF THE POPULATION OF ANIMALS.
THE REVIEWING THAT THE COUNTY CAN DO TO ENHANCE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS BEING CURRENTLY REVIEWED ALONG WITH THE REZONING OF THE BROAD RIVER YHA DISTRICT.
WE ARE ALSO DEVELOPING A MASS PLAN FOR A LEVY SPECIAL AREA TO ADDRESS GROWTH, WHICH IS ANTICIPATED.
ADDITIONALLY, WE ARE CONDUCTING AN ONGOING COUNTYWIDE STORM STUDY IN THE REALM OF NUMBER FOUR IN THE REALM OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
JASPER GOT MISSION IS TO INVEST IN FACILITIES, EQUIPMENT, AND PERSONNEL TO PROVIDE THE BEST EMERGENCY AND MANAGEMENT, FIRE, RESCUE, LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND DETENTION CENTER SERVICES.
CURRENTLY, WE ARE CONSIDERING CONSTRUCTING A NEW HEADQUARTERS AND TRAINING FACILITY FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, UNDERTAKING REPAIRS AND RENOVATIONS TO THE DETENTION CENTER, BUILDING A NEW SATCHIE FIRE STATION AND TEMPORARILY REPLACING THE TILLMAN FIRE STATION.
ADDRESSING IMPROVEMENTS AT THE LEVY FIRE STATION.
THE RECENT TRANSPORTATION REFERENDUM PASSED PROVIDE PROVING A MAJORITY OF THE CITIZENS OF THE REC, EXCUSE ME, A MAJORITY OF THE CITIZENS OF JASPER, RECOGNIZED THE NEED FOR INVESTMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT THE GROWTH AND IMPROVE SAFETY OF THE COUNTY AND THE MUNICIPALITIES.
THE TRANSPORTATION TAX ADVISORY COMMITTEE MET YESTERDAY, THE COMMITTEE MADE UP OF JASPER COUNTY CHAIRMAN, THE MAYORS OF HARVILLE AND RIDGELAND AND THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SCHOOL BOARD AGREED TO THE FOLLOWING PRIORITIES.
ARJUN BOULEVARD 2 78, WIDENING FROM 95 TO THE BUFORD COUNTY LINE, ROUTE 36 AND GLOVER ROAD IN RIDGELAND EXIT 18 AND LEVY ROAD.
THESE PRIORITIES WILL BE USED TO CREATE AN RFP FOR A PROGRAM MANAGER.
WE ARE ALSO DISCUSSED THE HANDLING OF AND SELECTION OF GREENBELT PRIORITIES.
JASPER COUNTY AND ITS PARTNERS ARE COMMITTED TO TO BE, TO BE TRANSPARENT AND MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO ENSURE THE PUBLIC IS ABLE TO VIEW THE PROGRESS OF THE MONEY BEING COLLECTED SPENT AND THE PROGRESS OF THE PROJECTS IN THE REFERENDUM.
THE PASSING OF THIS REFERENDUM WAS AN EXAMPLE OF THE RESULT OF A COLLABORATION BETWEEN JASPER COUNTY AND THE MUNICIPALITIES.
TO SUMMARIZE, THE COUNCIL HAS PLACED SIGNIFICANT EMPHASIS ON CODE ENFORCEMENT.
OUR PLANS ORDINANCES, GROWTH INITIATIVES HAVE A POSSIBILITY OF FAILURE.
THE COUNCIL WANTS TO BE PROACTIVE, REVIEW POLICY, UPDATE ORDINANCES, AND STRESS UNITY WITHIN THE COUNTY.
OUR 10 YEAR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN STRESSES GROWTH AND MUNICIPALITIES WHILE KEEPING JASPER RURAL.
AS HARDY GROWS, DEVELOPMENT WILL MOVE NORTH, THIS WILL BE A CHALLENGE TO ADDRESS IN THE FUTURE.
AS A GUIDE, THE GU, THE COUNCIL IS LOOKING FORWARD TO ADDRESSING EVERYTHING.
ON A BUSINESS LEVEL, WE MUST LOOK AT MELDING.
THE OLD WITH THE NEW JASPER IS NOT A COLLECTION OF ISOLATED ISLANDS.
THE COUNCIL RECOGNIZES THAT WE NEED IMPROVED COMMUNICATION, SHARED SERVICES, AND A STRONG SENSE OF UNITY.
I THINK JASPER CAN BE THE CATALYST TO PROVIDING THIS UNITY.
WE ARE STRONGER WHEN WE ARE TO WORK TOGETHER.
JASPER LOOKS FORWARD TO ENHANCING OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE MUNICIPALITIES AND I HOPE THEY RECIPROCATE IN OUR EFFORTS.
OUR GOAL IS TO ESTABLISH MUTUAL BENEFICIAL, BENEFICIAL RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN JASPER COUNTY AND WITH OUR NEIGHBORING COUNTIES.
THE COUNCIL IS ALSO WORKING ON IMPROVING OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COUNTY STAFF AND PROVIDE DIRECTION FOR FUTURE ENDEAVORS.
JASPER COUNTY IS EAGER TO COLLABORATE WITH EACH OF YOU IN THE FUTURE.
SEE, I CAN PAY YOU A COMPLIMENT.
UM, AND JOHN, IF, IF UM, AND TAB, IF WE COULD HAVE, UH, THE POWERPOINT AND TRANSCRIPT OF OF YOUR COMMENTS WE'LL PUT ON, UM, BOTH THE BLUFFTON AND HARDY V SO LOKO, UH, TAB.
AND, AND JOHN, I'LL IF YOU WANT ME TO GET THAT TYPED UP, I'LL I'LL DO THAT.
WHAT YOU GET TYPED UP, IT'S ALREADY TYPED STORY TYPED UP.
YOU TYPED IT YOURSELF? YEAH, I DID MYSELF.
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LIKE TO, UH, FIRST OF ALL SAY THANKS TO, UH, BOTH COUNTIES FOR, FOR GIVING US THIS INFORMATION.AND I'D LIKE TO OPEN UP FIRST TO THE BOARD AND THEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR ANY QUESTIONS OF EITHER COUNTY, ANYONE FROM THE BOARD.
YEAH, I, I, I DO, UH, REAL, REAL QUICKLY TO ADD, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WHICH I'M, I KNOW YOU'RE AWARE OF IN REGARDS TO STORMWATER.
AND YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE HAD THE, THE CONVERSATION WITH, UH, THE ADMINISTRATOR ABOUT HOW DO WE WORK TOGETHER? 'CAUSE WE'VE GOT PRIVATE PUDS, WE'VE GOT TOWN PROPERTIES, WE'VE GOT COUNTY PROPERTIES.
AND THEN THOSE THAT ARE JUST KINDA LOST IN THE MIDDLE THAT WHILE THEY, THEY PAY A, A STORMWATER FEE, NOBODY KNOWS WHO'S TO TAKE CARE OF IT.
SO, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE CONVERSATIONS WE'VE HAD FROM A TOWN LEVEL IS HOW DO WE WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT, THAT IT'S BEING TAKEN CARE OF AND MAYBE LET THE TOWN BE THE LEAD WITH A REIMBURSEMENT BACK FROM THE COUNTY.
UM, THAT WAY IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE MORE CENTRALIZED AND UNIFIED IN TERMS OF ITS RESPONSE.
SO, YOU KNOW, I ASK THAT AS Y'ALL HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS, THAT YOU THINK ABOUT THAT AS TO WHERE THE MUNICIPALITIES CAN HELP OUT, UH, IN A DIFFERENT WAY TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, UH, ACTIONABLE.
ANYONE ELSE FROM THE BOARD? I'LL JUST SAY, UM, TAB, I'M VERY IMPRESSED WITH YOUR, UM, ENERGY AND, UH, I'M, I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHAT WE, THE TOWNS AND, AND THE COUNTY THAT WE COULD GET ON THE SAME PAGE FOR ONCE, UM, AND WORK TOGETHER.
LIKE YOU SAY YOU WANT TO, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'VE BEEN SAYING FOR YEARS AND I THINK IT'S, UM, AS I SAID, BREATH OF FRESH AIR TO HEAR YOUR INTENTIONS MOVING FORWARD.
WELL, THAT'S OUR COMMITMENT, ALLISON AND I AND THE ENTIRE COUNCIL.
SO YES, THAT'S OUR COMMITMENT.
MR. HAMILTON, IN BOTH OF OF YOUR PRESENTATION, UM, YOU SAID THAT YOU WERE PLANNING FOR FUTURE GROWTH AND IN BOTH OF, UH, ONE AND TABS OF PRESENTATION SAID MOST OF THE CONSTITUENTS IS ASKING HOW TO CONTROL GROWTH.
SO HOW, HOW WE, HOW WE MANAGE, UH, UH, HOW WE ATTACK BOTH, BOTH SIDES OF THAT COIN IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT FOR, UM, FOR US AND THAT'S WHY IT'S SO LOCAL I THINK WAS ORIGINALLY GENERATED.
SO WE CAN ALL UNDERSTAND TOGETHER HOW WE, UM, HOW WE GROW TOGETHER.
UM, MOST OF YOU MAY KNOW THAT, SO LOCAL CAME ABOUT BECAUSE OF THAT SAME REASON.
UM, ONE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS FROM BEAUFORT AND I SAT DOWN AND DECIDED THAT WE CAN'T CONTINUE TO BE, UM, EVERYBODY'S IS, IS, UH, LOOKING AT THEIR OWN FRONT DOOR.
WE HAVE TO SEE THIS THING TO TOTAL SO THAT WE CAN, UM, PLAN FAR OUT AHEAD ENOUGH TO BE EFFECTIVE IN HOW WE LOOK AS A REGION.
UM, SO AT SOME POINT, UM, I I'M SURE YOU DON'T HAVE THAT ANSWER TONIGHT, UH, TODAY, BUT AT SOME POINT THAT HAS TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE TALK ABOUT.
UM, MANAGING GROWTH AND SEEING WHERE WE ARE TOTALITY WITH FUTURE GROWTH THAT'S COMING, THAT'S, THAT'S GOING TO, UH, AFFECT US.
ANYONE ELSE FROM THE BOARD? STEVEN? SORRY, GOTTA GET A MIC.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I TOOK A NOTE ON, AND I KNOW WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS AND YOU EVEN MENTIONED WITH WHAT THE TOWN WAS DOING FOR PARKS AND REC.
UM, WE'VE TRIED, WE'VE BEEN REACHING OUT TO THE COUNTY SINCE I KNOW SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE ABOUT SOME PARKS AND TRYING TO WORK TOGETHER.
UM, WOULD LOVE TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY I APPRECIATE YOU MAKING THAT A PRIORITY AND UM, LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING HOW WE CAN HELP MAKE THAT WORK OUT.
'CAUSE I KNOW THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HEAR A LOT FROM THE COMMUNITY IS OUR PARKS ARE VERY PASSIVE AND WE, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE PROGRAMMING TO BE ABLE TO DO IT, BUT THE NEED FOR WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING TO DO.
SO ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND HELP SPER 'EM AND WHETHER IT'S LAND OR WHATEVER, I'D BE GLAD TO HAVE THOSE.
YEAH, AND I'M SURE YOU'LL BE INCLUDED WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR PARKS AND REC PLAN.
I JUST SPOKE TO THE MAYOR AND I SPOKEN TO MR. WOOD ABOUT MC RILEY PARK.
SO WE HAVE SOME WORK TO DO AND SOME CONVERSATIONS TO HAVE.
AND AGAIN, IF WE WANNA KEEP YOUNG FAMILIES
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HERE, WE BETTER HAVE SOMETHING TO ATTRACT THEM.ANYONE ELSE FROM THE BOARD? I, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, SAY THAT, UM, I REALLY, JOHN AND I, WE'VE BEEN FRIENDS FOR A LONG TIME AND WE KID EACH OTHER.
UH, WE HAVE THAT KIND OF RELATIONSHIP.
BUT, UM, IF YOU LOOK AT, AND WHAT'D HE SAY 53 DAYS, WHAT JOHN AND HIS COUNCIL HAVE DONE IN TERMS OF CHANGING THE WHOLE APPROACH OF JASPER COUNTY.
UM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE HAVING MEETINGS IN, IN THE MUNICIPALITIES AND NOT JUST IN THEIR, THEIR HOME OFFICE THERE.
UM, THEY'RE, UH, WE'RE HAVING JOINT MEETINGS WITH THEM.
WE HAD A GREAT MEETING YESTERDAY.
UM, JOHN'S CALLED FOR, UH, LUNCHES WITH THE MAYORS TO, TO JUST SIT AROUND AND, AND CHAT.
UM, WE WERE GONNA HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT SHARED SERVICES.
THE COMMUNICATION LEVEL OF THIS NEW ADMINISTRATION IN 53 DAYS WITH THE MUNICIPALITIES IS SOMETHING I I REALLY COMMEND NOT ONLY JOHN BUT HIS, HIS FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR UM, WHAT THEY'RE, WHAT THEY'RE INITIATING.
SO, UM, JOHN, I'LL PAY FOR IT, BELIEVE ME.
NOW ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS? UH, HONOR, UH, YEAH, THIS IS FOR TAB, UH, AND THANKS.
UH, CLEARLY THE EASIEST WAY I THINK TO CONTROL GROWTH IS, IS TO BUY LAND AND, AND TAKE IT OUT OF DEVELOPMENT.
AND, AND SO MY QUESTION IS FOR THE, UH, 2022, UH, GREEN, GREEN SPACE TAX, HOW MUCH IS LEFT IN THE KITTY IN HOW, HOW FAST IS THAT ANTICIPATED TO GET SPENT? IS, IS IT EASY TO FIND LAND AND, AND OBVIOUSLY THE, THE SOONER YOU, YOU FIND, FIND IT AND BUY IT, THE EASIER I WOULD, I WOULD.
SO THAT'S A REALLY GREAT QUESTION AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT BECAUSE, SO FOR EXAMPLE, HILTON HAS BEEN VERY AGGRESSIVE AND THEY CAME OUT OF THE GATE RUNNING AND THEY HAVE LAND AND WE'VE PUT IT IN GREEN SPACE.
WE HAVEN'T HAD AS MUCH IN OTHER PLACES.
OUR FIRST ONE WAS GREGORY NECK FOR WITH JASPER COUNTY.
BUT AGAIN, IT EITHER HAS TO COME FROM THE MUNICIPALITY THAT OWNS IT OR WE JUST APPROVED ONE LAST NIGHT, IT'S GONNA BE A FARM AND THE OWNER PUT 20% IN AND THEN THE STATE PUT IN, SO ON.
SO THAT'S THE KIND OF CONSERVATION WE'RE LOOKING AT.
BUT AGAIN, THEY HAVE TO APPLY AND I WOULDN'T SAY WE'RE DELUGED WITH, UM, APPLICATIONS.
SOME OF THEM COME IN AND THEY'RE NOT REALLY WHAT IT SHOULD BE.
HILTON HEAD IS A GREAT EXAMPLE AND I THINK BLUFFTON HAS GOT ONE COMING UP, BUT SOME PEOPLE PUT IT IN AND DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND THE POINT OF GREEN SPACE AND DON'T UNDERSTAND THE COLLABORATION.
WE TAKE APPLICATIONS AND THE COMMITTEE RUN, YOU KNOW, MEETS AND SO ON, AND THEN IT COMES TO COUNCIL.
BUT WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE MORE, WHICH IT'S UP TO THE OWNERS OF THE LAND.
BUT, OH, AND YOU ASKED HOW MUCH IS IN THERE? SO I FORGOT TO ASK THAT QUESTION LAST NIGHT.
I THINK, I MEAN, I DON'T THINK WE'VE SPENT, I'M I'M GONNA SAY WE'RE ABOUT 87 MILLION IN THERE.
'CAUSE WE BOUGHT A BIG PROPERTY.
WE BOUGHT, UM, THE BIG PROPERTY WAS MITCHELLVILLE AND I THINK WE WERE IN FOR TENS, FIVE OR 11, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND THEN WE SPENT A MILLION IN JASPER COUNTY, SO WE'RE MAYBE 15 MILLION OUT OUT.
AND THAT INCLUDES, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO DUE DILIGENCE FEES AND SO ON.
SO MAYBE WE'RE AT 85 MILLION, BUT WE TAPPED OFF I THINK 115 MILLION.
UM, THE, THE NEXT, THE, AS FAR AS THE MARCH AGENDA, UH, I'M SORRY THIS IS A LITTLE CONFUSING, BUT MY NOTES SHOWED THAT, UM, WE, FOR THE MARCH AGENDA, WE WILL PUT THE SURVEY RESULTS FROM THE, UM, WHAT THE COUNTY HAS THROUGH NEXT WEEK.
YEAH, IT'S JUST BEEN EXTENDED.
ALICE HAD ASKED TO RECAP OF THOSE RESULTS
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AND THEN, UM, WE WOULD GET UPDATES FROM THE CHILDCARE SUBCOMMITTEE, UH, GROWTH COMMITTEE, UH,UM, SO IF THAT'S OKAY, IF THE BOARD IS THAT AGENDA STILL.
UM, AND WHAT I'M GONNA BE ASKING, I'LL ASK THESE, UH, CHAIRS TO, TO COME, UM, AND I BROUGHT THIS UP BEFORE, UM, I'D LIKE SOME BOARD MEMBER AND IT'S NOT HEAVY TO HAVE ONE BOARD MEMBER READ THE REPORT TO THE SUBJECT THEY HAVE, IF ANYBODY A QUESTION, UH, ABOUT OR A NEED FROM SO LOCO THEY HAVE SOMEONE OTHER THAN ME TO GO TO.
UM, SO WITH ALL THE THINGS GOING, IT'S A, IT'S A LITTLE MUCH.
SO IT'S, IT'S NOT A HEAVY LIFT, BUT I'D LIKE AT THAT TIME TO HAVE SOMEONE COME FORWARD FOR EACH SUBCOMMITTEE.
SO IF, UH, YOU WANT TO EMAIL ME IN ADVANCE OR, OR WE'LL DO, WE'LL HAVE IT ALREADY FOR NEXT MEETING.
NOW THESE SUBCOMMITTEES AND THE, THE LITTER IS A, A GOOD ONE TO GO, UH, UH, SPRING OFF THIS NEXT, UM, CONVERSATION.
THE, AS WE SAW FROM LAST MEETING WITH CHILDCARE, OUR CHILDCARE SUBCOMMITTEE GOT TOGETHER WITH A SUBCOMMITTEE FROM GIC AND, AND THEY ARE STARTING TO COLLABORATE.
UM, IN TALKING WITH THE REGIONAL, UH, CHAIR OF, OF THE REGIONAL COMMITTEE FOR GIC MS. JENNY JOHNSON, UM, WE TALKED ABOUT HOW OTHER COMMITTEES LIKE GIC COULD COLLABORATE AND TAKE OVER SOME OF THE, UH, RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SO LOCO SUBCOMMITTEES, AS YOU, WE ALL KNOW, WHEN WE FORMED THESE SUBCOMMITTEES, WE PUT IT BACK ON OUR STAFFS.
AND LOOK, ALL OUR STAFFS ARE, ARE REALLY, REALLY, UM, DRAINED.
BUT IF WE CAN GET HELP OUTSIDE HELP THAT OUR STAFF DOES NOT HAVE TO DO ALL THE SUBCOMMITTEE WORK, I THINK THAT WOULD BROADEN WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH AND WE GET MORE IDEAS.
SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS, UM, MS. UH, INVITE MS. JENNY JOHNSON TO COME UP, UM, AND GIVE HER THOUGHTS ON HOW THE, UH, GIC AND SO LOCO COULD COLLABORATE TOGETHER.
THANK YOU MAYOR, GRAB A OH, GO.
I'M CHAIR OF THE GREATER ISLAND COUNCIL REGIONAL COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU MAYOR WILLIAMS FOR GIVING ME FIVE MINUTES TODAY AND I PROMISE TO STAY THAT UNDER IT.
YOU CAN YOU HEAR ME? HOW'S THAT? BETTER? OKAY.
UM, I'M GONNA DESCRIBE TODAY'S THE UPCOMING PLANS OF OUR COMMITTEE AND HOW WE MIGHT WORK WITH SO LOCA, GIC UTILIZES TASK FORCES TO EXAMINE ISSUES, DEVELOP RESOURCES, RESEARCH, AND ADVOCATE FOR POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS TO SOME OF OUR THORNY PROBLEMS IN THE LOW COUNTRY.
YOU'VE HEARD FROM JOHN SCORE, JOHN SCOS STANDUP PLAYS, UM, OF G'S EDUCATION COMMITTEE WHOSE TASK FORCE COMPLETED A THOROUGH STUDY OF A LOCAL CHILDCARE ISSUE WITH A PROPOSED SOLUTION THAT PROVIDED A MODEL FOR ADDRESSING A HUGE PROBLEM.
THE REGIONAL COMMITTEE IS SETTING UP TASK FORCES FOR 2025, AND WE'D LIKE TO EXPLORE COMMON ISSUES WITH SO LOCO THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR A TASK FORCE.
THE, THE GIC REGIONAL COMMITTEE IS CURRENTLY COMPOSED OF AROUND 20 VOLUNTEERS.
WITH EXPERTISE IN PLANNING, RESEARCH MANAGEMENT AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT, WE CAN AND WILL RECRUIT OTHERS WITH SPECIFIC EXPERTISE AS NEEDED.
THE BEAUTY OF TASK FORCES IS THAT THEY CAN BE SET UP QUICKLY.
THEY'RE ATTRACTIVE TO BUSY PEOPLE WITH NEEDED SKILLS AS THE TIME COMMITMENT IS CONSTRAINED AND THEY HAVE A SENSE OF URGENCY.
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IN OUR WORLD, A TASK FORCE HAS A CLEARLY DEFINED PROBLEM OR ISSUE TO SOLVE USING A 60 TO 90 DAY TIMELINE.THAT TASK FORCE DOES THE RESEARCH AND LOOKS AT WAYS THAT THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN HANDLED ELSEWHERE AS APPROPRIATE.
IT THEN FORMULATES POTENTIAL MEANS OF ADDRESSING THE ISSUE.
ANY IMPLEMENTATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS AND MODELS IS UP TO THE GOVERNING BO BODIES THAT REPRESENT OUR CITIZENS.
IT'S OUR BELIEF THAT ALL ISSUES AROUND GROWTH ARE REGIONAL, NOT SOLVABLE ON A PIECEMEAL BASIS.
WHAT EACH GOVERNMENT ENTITY DOES IMPACTS ALL THE OTHER COMMUNITIES AND A LACK OF COORDINATION CAN TEND TO LEAN TOWARDS CHAOS.
WE ARE PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN WORKING WITH, SO LOKO IS YOU REPRESENT THE GOVERNING BODIES, WHICH WILL BE CHARGED WITH SOLVING OUR REGION'S MOST PRESSING ISSUES OF GROWTH.
OUR INTEREST AREAS SO FAR INCLUDE INFRASTRUCTURE, PRIMARILY TRANSPORTATION, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, PARTICULAR HOUSING, AND LONG RANGE PLANNING PARAMETERS.
WE ARE OPEN TO DISCUSSING OTHER AREAS OF REGIONAL INTEREST AND IMPACT.
THIS PAST YEAR, THE REGIONAL COMMITTEE FOCUSED ON INTERNET CONNECTIVITY AND THE BEAUFORT COUNTY REFERENDUM.
OUR INTERNET TASK FORCE, UH, COORDINATED WITH THE STATE OFFICE AND COMPLETED ITS WORK.
WE ALL KNOW THE RESULTS OF THE REFERENDUM.
WE LEARNED A LOT FROM THAT EXPERIENCE.
WE OFFER OUR TASK FORCE APPROACH AND OUR FOLKS TO WORK WITH YOU ON MUTUAL INTERESTS.
WE WOULD RESEARCH THE ISSUES AND DEVELOP POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS TEAMING WITH SO LOCO WE CAN HAVE JOINT TASK FORCES OR, OR AGREE ON AREAS OF MUTUAL INTEREST AND SPLIT UP THE WORK.
TO BE CLEAR, OUR TASK FORCES WILL SUGGEST SOLUTIONS AND POTENTIALLY ADVOCATE FOR THOSE SOLUTIONS.
HOWEVER, WE ARE NOT IMPLEMENTERS.
THAT'S THE PURVIEW OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
WE BELIEVE A TRUE REGIONAL APPROACH TO GROWTH IS THE BEST WAY TO ENSURE THAT THE COMING GROWTH IS STRUCTURED AND COORDINATED TO BENEFIT ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES AND WHICH WILL BEST UTILIZE OUR FINITE RESOURCES.
I HOPE YOU'LL AGREE AND SEE OUR TASK FORCES AS A MEANS OF ENHANCING AND EXPANDING YOUR CURRENT RESOURCES.
SO THANKS FOR MY FIVE MINUTES AND I'D BE GLAD TO TAKE QUESTIONS.
UH, DOES ANYBODY FROM THE BOARD HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR JENNY? I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST, UH, AND JENNY AND I HAVE OBVIOUSLY TALKED AND I DO, UH, ATTEND HER, UH, COMMITTEE MEETINGS ONCE A MONTH, AS DOES, UH, COUNCIL CHAIR KEMP.
UM, WE, WE'VE HEARD THAT LITTER AND, AND THE SOLID WASTE PROBLEM THAT WE'LL BE FACING IN THE FUTURE IS NOT BEL UNRELATED.
SO I SUGGEST TO THE BOARD THAT WE USE THE RESOURCES OF JENNY'S COMMITTEE, TAKE WHATEVER, UH, MEMBERS WE CAN, WE CAN GARNER FROM OUR STAFFS AND, AND COLLABORATE AND LET THEM BE THE LEAD FOR THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON LITTER AND, AND SOLID WASTE AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO IN THE FUTURE.
BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF PROGRAMS PICKING UP LIT LITTER, BUT I'M NOT SURE WE HAVE A LOT OF PROGRAMS ON HOW TO PREVENT LITTER.
AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, JENNY WAS, UM, UH, CONSIDERING.
SO, UH, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT? I LIKE THE IDEA, SIMPLE SUPPORT.
UH, I, I'LL TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF WORKING WITH JENNY AND, AND TAKING NEXT STEPS AND GIC DOES HAVE A SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE THAT IS WORKING ON NOT JUST LITTER, BUT BEYOND THAT INTO THE WHOLE ISSUE OF WHAT DO WE DO WITH THE SOLID WASTE LANDFILLS, ET CETERA.
SO WE HAVE EXPERTISE AND PETER CHRISTIAN'S BEEN, UM, HEADING THAT UP.
I'VE ALREADY SPOKEN WITH HIM AND HE'D BE DELIGHTED TO WORK WITH YOU.
THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
AND THEN YOU COULD, YOU COULD REPORT BACK TO THE COMMITTEE JUST LIKE ANY OF OUR SUBCOMMITTEES.
[00:55:01]
UH, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF MINUTES AND I'LL USE THAT TO OFFER THE PUBLIC TO, UH, COME FORWARD WITH ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS.UM, WELL, SEEING NONE, IT IS 10 57 AND IT IS TIME TO GO ON WITH OUR DAY.
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR, FOR JOINING US TODAY.
YOU'RE WATCHING BEAUFORT COUNTY TV, LIVE, WORK, PLAY.
HERE'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
WE RECENTLY PURCHASED, UM, 10 NEW LUCAS'S AND, UM, WE'VE GOT ONE OF 'EM SET UP HERE BEHIND US AND WE JUST WANTED TO GIVE A LITTLE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS PURCHASE OF EQUIPMENT WE'VE MADE.
THE LUCAS IS ACTUALLY A MECHANICAL DEVICE AND WHAT IT DOES IS IT PROVIDES COMPRESSIONS DURING CPR ANYTIME YOU'RE PROVIDING MANUAL COMPRESSIONS DURING CPR, IT, UM, ONLY TAKES ABOUT TWO MINUTES BEFORE THE RESCUER BEGINS TO BECOME FATIGUED AND THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION RECOMMENDS A RATE OF A HUNDRED WITH A DEPTH OF TWO INCHES IN THE ADULT ARREST PATIENT.
AND YOU'RE JUST NOT ABLE TO CONTINUE THAT RATE VERY LONG BECAUSE OF IT, YOU KNOW, NOT BEING LIKE THE HUMAN BEING AND TIRING IT CAN CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THOSE COMPRESSIONS AT THE RATE AND DEPTH THAT YOU NEED.
IT CAN CONTINUE WHETHER YOU'RE BRINGING A PATIENT DOWN A SET OF STAIRS, WHETHER YOU'RE COMING DOWN A NARROW HALLWAY.
A LOT OF TIMES WE HAVE DIFFICULTY WHEN WE LOAD THE PATIENT OUT OF THE HOUSE AND BRING 'EM TO THE EMS UNIT AND YOU WOULD HAVE TO STOP COMPRESSIONS FOR SOME REASON.
WITH THE LUCAS, ONCE YOU APPLY IT, THERE'S NO REASON TO STOP UNLESS OF COURSE YOU HAVE RETURN OF, YOU KNOW, SPONTANEOUS CIRCULATION.
ANYTIME THAT THE HANDS COME OFF THE CHEST DURING CPR FOR EVERY 10 SECONDS THAT YOU'RE NOT DOING COMPRESSIONS, YOU HAVE A 50% DROP IN THE CHANCE OF RETURN OF SPONTANEOUS CIRCULATION.
THE SUCTION CUP ACTUALLY SERVES SEVERAL DIFFERENT PURPOSES.
ITS SEATS ON THE CHEST WHERE YOU WANT THE COMPRESSIONS TO BE DELIVERED, AND IT ALSO PULLS THE CHEST BACK UP.
AND WHAT THIS DOES IS IT ALLOWS FOR FULL RECOIL AND WITH THAT FULL RECOIL, YOU GET THE COMPLETE FILLING OF THE HEART SO THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THAT CYCLE OF FILLING AND RELEASE WITH THE HEART.
INITIALLY, WITH THE TWO THAT WE HAD, WHAT HAPPENED WAS WHEN A UNIT HAD A CARDIAC ARREST, A SUPERVISOR WOULD RESPOND IN A QRV AND THEY WOULD, YOU KNOW, ARRIVE ON THE SCENE AND THEN THE LUCAS WOULD BE APPLIED OR THE UNIT WOULD BE TRANSPORTING THE PATIENT.
THEY WOULD MEET UP WITH THE SUPERVISOR AND THEN THEY WOULD, YOU KNOW, PUT THE LUCAS ON AT THAT TIME.
WELL, OBVIOUSLY THAT'S A DELAY DURING THAT TIMEFRAME CPR WAS BEING PERFORMED, BUT, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY NOT AS WELL AS IF THE LUCAS WAS BEING USED.
OUR DIRECTOR, DONNA OWENBY, SHE WORKED, UM, TIRELESSLY.
SHE UNDERSTOOD THAT THERE WERE, WOULD BE A REAL ASSET FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
SHE WENT AND SPOKE WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE.
SHE WORKED VERY HARD DURING BUDGET TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD GET THIS EQUIPMENT THAT WE NEEDED.
THE CITIZENS OF BUFORD COUNTY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF EMS AND EMS PERSONNEL IS VERY DEDICATED, YOU KNOW, TO OUR CITIZENS AND OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE TAXPAYERS AND OUR CITIZENS FOR SUPPORTING US.
AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.