[00:00:04] . OKAY THE MEETING OF THE BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY CALLED TO ORDER IT'S 2:00 ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH SIX, 2025. CAN WE ALL RISE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO EVERYBODY JUST STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. OKAY, THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS PUBLIC COMMENTS AND I SEE THAT THERE ARE NO PUBLIC PRESENT TODAY SO WE'LL MOVE ON [III. Minutes from Meeting on:] MINUTES FROM THE MEETING ON FEBRUARY 26, 2025 THAT WAS A REGULARLY SCHEDULED BOARD MEETING. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT MINUTES MITCHELL SO MOVE THAT THE MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 26TH 2025 BOARD MEETING THE EXECUTIVE ANY DISCUSSION OKAY ALL IN FAVOR SAY I AM OKAY THANK YOU NEXT ARE MEETING MINUTES FROM THE MARCH TEN 2025 SPECIAL BOARD MEETING DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THESE MINUTES I MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT THE MINUTES THE MARCH 10TH SPECIAL MEETING 1/2 ANY COMMENTS ALL IN FAVOR SAY I AM [IV. Committee Reports (If Any)] FEELING OKAY AND NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS COMMITTEE REPORTS SO WE'LL START WITH BUDGET FINANCE . MR. BAKKER WE DID NOT MEET DURING THE PAST MONTH SO THERE'S NOTHING TO REPORT ON FROM A MEETING BUT WE DID DEVELOP KIND OF A REPORTING TEMPLATE GOING FORWARD THAT WE COULD USE FOR REPORTING FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE AND VARIANCES VERSUS BUDGET AND WE'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS YOU WITH MS. SMILES AND MR. ROBESON LOOKS LIKE THAT WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE AND WE WILL USE THAT FORM AT THE NEXT FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING WHICH WE PLAN TO HOLD IN EARLY APRIL TO COVER THE PAST QUARTER AND NINE MONTHS YEAR TO DATE. OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS NO QUESTIONS FOR MR. BAKKER. OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. FORD FACILITIES THE FACILITIES COMMITTEE WILL MEET TOMORROW MORNING AT 10:00 AT ELECTION CENTRAL AND WILL REPORT AFTERWARDS AFTERWARDS. OKAY. THANK YOU. LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS THAT'S THAT'S MY COMMITTEE. I HAVE NO UPDATE ON THIS. HOWEVER, TO THE MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE I WILL SCHEDULING MEETING WE CAN DO A VIRTUALLY TO TALK ABOUT A RESOLUTION REGARDING 36 WHICH I BELIEVE WAS DISTRIBUTED TO ALL MEMBERS PREVIOUSLY THAT'S THAT'S A BILL THAT INCREASES PRECINCT SIZES FROM 1500 TO 3000 AND ALSO GIVES THE FULL TO THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS TO CO-LOCATE PRECINCTS ON ELECTION FOR FOR POLLING PURPOSES. SO PLEASE WATCH FOR A MEETING INVITATION FOR THAT COULD REDISTRICT TO RESTORE THE RE PRECINCT IN COMMITTEE MET ON MARCH 3RD 2025 AT 230 AT THE BEAUFORT COUNTY VOTER REGISTRATION ELECTIONS OFFICE PRESENT AT THIS MEETING WERE THE FOLLOWING HERBERT FORD MEMBER ARLENE MITCHELL MEMBER JIM BAKKER MEMBER MARY SMALLS DIRECTOR AND BEVERLY DOOR YOURS TRULY THE COMMITTEE DISCUSSED THE THAT YOU WILL SEE ATTACHED AFTER BY THE REPRESENTING COMMITTEE WE REVIEWED AND MADE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM MODIFYING THE CHARTER AND A DESCRIPTION OF RESPONSIBLE REALITIES WERE ALSO REVIEWED AND A CONSENSUS WAS REACHED ON THE CHANGES AND WILL BE FORWARDED TO THE RULES COMMITTEE. THE COMMITTEE REVIEWED DISCUSSED PERTINENT LEGISLATION AND ANALYZED CURRENT TOTALS AS OF THREE 925 A DISCUSSION OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF 777 TEN WERE REVIEWED AND ANALYZED AND [00:05:03] PURSUANT TO SECTION SEVEN 717 SBC IS REQUIRED IN JANUARY THREE TO NOTIFY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PRECINCTS GREATER 1500 VOTERS THIS LAW FURTHER STIPULATES THAT IF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FAILS TO ACT BY APRIL THE SCC WILL NOTIFY COUNTIES OF THE REQUIREMENT TO CONFORM TO THE AFOREMENTIONED PROVISIONS AS OF THE DATE OF OUR COMMITTEE MEETING NO NOTIFICATION HAD RECEIVED BY THE BOARD. THEREFORE THE RE PRECINCT COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY IS AS FOLLOWS IF THE COUNTY BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS DOES NOT RECEIVE FROM THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION BY APRIL 1ST, 2025 REGARDING PRECINCTS THAT ARE NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH 777 TEN THE COUNTY BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS WILL OFFICIALLY RECOMMEND THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION TO SPLIT THE FOLLOWING EIGHT PRECINCTS NEW RIVER, WHICH HAS 2677 VOTERS BLUFFTON TO SEA, WHICH CURRENTLY 1865 VOTERS BLUFFTON SEVEN A WHICH HAS 1860 VOTERS WAS CREEK WHICH HAS 1697 VOTERS LADIES ISLAND TO BE WHICH HAS 1623 VOTERS BLUFFTON FOR A WHICH HAS 1642 VOTERS RIVERBEND WHICH HAS 1594 VOTERS AND ST HELENA ONE C WHICH HAS 1581 VOTERS RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED BEVERLY DORE CHAIRPERSON THANK YOU FOR THAT VERY COMPLETE AND DETAILED REPORT. THANK YOU. SO MR. DO I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT THERE MAY BE A MOTION FOR THE BOARD APPROVE A REQUEST TO THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION SPLIT THESE EIGHT LISTED PRECINCTS? RIGHT. IF WE RECEIVE NOTIFICATION BY APRIL 1ST. OKAY. MAY I ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THAT? IS THERE ANY LIMITATION IN THE CODE OF LAWS THAT STOPS US FROM MAKING A REQUEST PRIOR TO FIRST ? I'M JUST FOLLOWING THE LETTER OF THE LAW. I SEE. OKAY. THAT DATE WAS GIVEN. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO FOR THE BOARD ROOM AND BOARD OF BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION ELECTIONS TO IF THE BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION ELECTIONS DOES NOT RECEIVE NOTIFICATION FROM THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION APRIL 1ST, 2025 REGARDING PRECINCTS THAT ARE NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH SEVEN 710 THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS WILL RECOMMEND TO THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION TO SPLIT THE EIGHT PRECINCTS AND IT'S THE PRECINCTS LISTED HERE. YES. THESE ARE THE CURRENT VOTER TOTALS WHICH ARE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FROM THE ONES THAT YOU AND I RECEIVED FOR THE COMMITTEE. OKAY. AND JUST A QUESTION SO I ASKED IF THERE WAS A MOTION THEN TO SAY THERE IS A MOTION THIS IS THE RECOMMENDATION FROM OUR COMMITTEE SOMEONE FROM THIS BOARD NEEDS TO ADOPT OUR REPORT AND MAKE A MOTION. WELL, I'LL MOVE TO ADOPT THE REPORT. SO WE WANT A SECOND AND TO MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION THAT'S ADOPTED. YES. YES. THE RECOMMENDATION TO ADOPT THE REPORT. OKAY. DISCUSSION ABOUT ADOPTING THE REPORT. WELL, I HAVE A QUESTION BUT I'M NOT SURE IT'S NOT RELATED ADOPTING THE REPORT. IT'S A QUESTION RELATED TO AN ITEM THE STATUTE WHY DON'T WE FINISH THE DISCUSSION ADOPTING THE REPORT AND VOTE ON THAT AND THEN WE CAN HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSION AND WE DO NEED TO DISCUSS THE MOTION THE PROPOSED MOTION. SO ALL IN FAVOR OF ADOPTING THE REPORT. SEE I. OKAY. GO AHEAD. YES, SIR. IN THE REPORT SCC IS REQUIRED A MIDDLE MIDDLE PAGE PARAGRAPH [00:10:02] THREE SCC IS REQUIRED IN JANUARY TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE PRECINCT GREATER THAN 1500 VOTERS. DO WE KNOW IF THAT HAS BEEN DONE? THAT HAS NOT AS OF THIS DATE AS OF THE DATE THE COMMITTEE MET IT HAD NOT IT HAD NOT BEEN DONE . SO IT IF THE SCC DOES NOT NOTIFY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY THE GENERAL STILL HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY TO ACT BY APRIL ONE. IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S. RIGHT. BUT THEY MAY OR MAY NOT ACT EVEN THOUGH THE PRECINCTS ARE GREATER THAN THE 1500 SIZE. THANK YOU. SO THANK YOU. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATION BY THE RE PRECINCT COMMITTEE WITH AN AMENDMENT TO IT AND THAT AMENDMENT IS THAT WE DO NOT WAIT UNTIL APRIL 1ST TO SEE WHETHER WE HAVE RECEIVED A REQUEST FROM THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION TO DO THIS BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO ACT PRIOR TO GETTING NOTICE FROM THE LEGISLATORS IF WE ARE LOOKING COMPLIANCE WITH THE CODE OF LAWS AND THE 1500 VOTERS PER PRECINCT COUNT I. I DON'T SEE ANYTHING THAT PROHIBITS US FROM PROCEEDING A REQUEST TO THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION. SO AGAIN, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE THE PRECINCT COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION WITH AMENDMENT THAT WE PROCEED PRIOR APRIL 1ST WITH THE REQUEST TO SPLIT THESE PRECINCT PRECINCTS ONCE THE WHAT'S THE MOTIVATING FACTOR I MEAN APRIL 1ST WAS AROUND THE CORNER NEXT WEEK AND TUESDAY. WELL, I BELIEVE OUR INTENTION IS TO IMPLEMENT THE SPLIT PRECINCT EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1ST, 2026. SO FOR REFERENCE ACT 82 WHICH SPLIT ONE PRECINCTS AND ADDED 31 PRECINCTS TO BEAUFORT COUNTY . THE BILL FOR THAT WAS INITIALLY FILED ON MARCH 23RD, 2023. SO PRIOR TO THE APRIL 1ST DATE AND THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR IN LATE JUNE I DON'T REMEMBER THE EXACT DATE AND I DID HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH THE CHAIRMAN OF OUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION MR. KURZMAN AND HE BELIEVES THAT DO HAVE TIME DURING THIS SESSION TO FILE LOCAL LEGISLATION AND HAVE IT PASSED WITHIN THIS SESSION. BUT THE SOONER WE DO THAT THE BETTER. SO I DON'T SEE I DON'T SEE A BENEFIT OF WAITING A TABLE UNTIL APRIL 1ST AND I ALSO DON'T SEE ANY RESTRICTIONS THAT PREVENT US FROM REQUESTING THE BILL PRIOR TO APRIL 1ST. I HAVE A QUESTION IF WE JUST ADAPTED THE REPORT FROM THE RE PRECINCT IN COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE SAYS THAT THE COUNTY BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS DOES NOT RECEIVE NOTIFICATION THEN BY APRIL 1ST. SO HOW CAN WE ADOPT THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE COMMITTEE AND THEN TURN AROUND AND AND SAY WE'RE GOING TO PROCEED BEFORE APRIL 1ST? THAT'S JUST MY INTERPRETATION. IT SEEMS TO BE A CONTRADICTION THEY BELIEVE WE ADOPTED THE REPORT BUT RIGHT NOW. TALKING ABOUT A MOTION TO SPLIT THE PRECINCTS. OKAY. I JUST I JUST REALLY DON'T SEE THE URGENCY DO IT BEFORE THE APRIL 1ST DEADLINE. THAT'S ONLY A WEEK AWAY. SO I'M STILL PUZZLED FROM THE CHAIR AS TO AS TO THE URGENCY SEE AND HOW THAT'S GOING TO BE OF BENEFIT TO US. THAT'S I GUESS THAT'S WHERE MY PUZZLEMENT IS COMING IN. HOW IS IT GOING IF WE IF WE SUBMIT VERSUS SUBMITTING TUESDAY? WHY IS THAT? WHY IS THAT GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN TERMS WHETHER THE LEGISLATURE IS GOING TO ACT ON IT OR NOT? I GUESS I'M JUST A LITTLE PUZZLED IN YOUR CONVERSATION WITH WHAT LEGISLATOR DID THEY SAY THAT THEY WANTED SOMETHING FROM US SOONER RATHER THAN LATER? IS THAT THE IMPRESSION YOU RECEIVED WHEN YOU SPOKE THEM? GENERALLY SPEAKING, THERE WERE NO SPECIFIC DATES DISCUSSED EXCEPT THAT WE DID DISCUSS THE ACT 22 DATES IN 2023 AS A REFERENCE. SO DO THEY NEED US TO ACT IF [00:15:03] THEY ALREADY HAVE THE INFORMATION THEIR DISPOSAL WHY DON'T THEY GO AHEAD IN THAT WAY EVEN IF THEY DON'T GET A PROMPT FROM US? THEY ALREADY HAVE THE INFORMATION AT THEIR DISPOSAL AND IF THERE'S AN URGENCY TO ACT WHY WOULDN'T THEY JUST GO AND THAT WHY WOULD THEY NEED SOME NOTIFICATION FROM TO ACT UPON SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO EVENTUALLY ACT UPON ANYWAY? I GUESS THAT'S WHY I'M A LITTLE PERPLEXED BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY WILL ACT UPON IT ANYWAY. AND PERHAPS A QUESTION FOR THE DIRECTOR IN THE PAST HAVE WE RECEIVED A NOTICE FROM THE LEGISLATIVE ON APRIL 1ST ABOUT THESE THINGS THAT ARE GREATER THAN 1500 AND SHOULD BE SPLIT ON THINGS? NO SIR, WE'VE NEVER RECEIVED NOTIFICATION FROM THE DELEGATION ABOUT ANY OF THE PRECINCTS THAT WE SPLIT OVER THE YEARS. IT USUALLY COMES FROM THE IT'S USUALLY A RECOMMENDATION COMING FROM US AND OR THE FISCAL AND FISCAL AFFAIRS OFFICE. OKAY. THANK YOU. SO I BELIEVE IN THE WORLD OF LIMITED THAT OUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION IS NOT REALLY PAYING ATTENTION TO THIS SO SO THEY ARE LOOKING TO US TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION. SO MY MY PROPOSAL IS THAT WE NO NEED TO WAIT A WEEK. SO IF WE BELIEVE THESE EIGHT PRECINCTS NEED TO BE SPLIT, WE GO AHEAD AND MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION THEM AS SOON AS WE CAN. WHEN YOU SAY TO THEM WHO SPECIFICALLY ARE YOU REFERENCING THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION WE'RE MAKING A RECOMMENDATION TO THE BODY WHO ALREADY HAVE THE AND HAS A HISTORY OF NOT OF NOT RESPONDING. IS THIS GOING TO SERVE AS AN INCENTIVE FOR THEM RESPOND? I WOULD SAY THERE'S A HISTORY OF THEM RESPONDING TO THE REQUESTS FROM THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS. OKAY. SO AS MS. SMALL IN THE PAST WE HAVE THE BOARD HAS MADE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE DELEGATION AND THEY'VE TAKEN ACTION BASED ON THAT. AND MR. CHAIRMAN, IN THE RECOMMENDATION TO THE DELEGATION, WOULD YOU MAKE SURE IF YOU KNOW THE BOARD DECIDE TO DO THAT THAT FUNDING IS AVAILABLE FOR EQUIPMENT TO OPERATE THESE FACILITIES AS WELL. YES, WE'LL CERTAINLY MAKE THAT PART OF THE REQUEST. THANK YOU. SO LET ME MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND. SO THE LEGISLATURE IS SAYING THAT IF WE MAKE THIS REQUEST FOR THE SPLIT AND THE FUNDS THAT THEY WILL HAVE TIME TO SUBMIT THAT INTO THE UPCOMING BUDGET. THERE IS NO ASSURANCE ABOUT THAT AND IN MY DISCUSSIONS WE DID NOT TALK ABOUT BUDGET. SO IF THE REQUEST TO PROCEED A BILL TO SPLIT THESE PRECINCTS IS ACCOMPANIED BY A BUDGET IF THAT'S THE SUGGESTION THEN WE WILL DO THAT. OKAY. SO I'LL RESTATE THE MOTION. SO I MAKE A MOTION THAT OUR BOARD OF ELECTIONS RECOMMEND TO THE LEGISLATIVE THAT THEY SPLIT THESE EIGHT PRECINCTS EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1ST, 2026 AND THAT OUR REQUEST THE DELEGATION BE MADE PURSUANT TO A VOTE AT THIS MEETING RATHER THAN WAITING UNTIL APRIL 1ST. CAN WE INCLUDE AMEND THIS THE MOTION TO SAY REQUEST TO SPLIT THESE PRECINCTS AND PROVIDE FUNDS FOR THE ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT REQUIRED TO OPERATE THEM? CAN WE COMBINE THOSE TWO THINGS IN ONE MOTION? I THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT YOU SAID . I DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING ABOUT. I DID NOT STATE THAT IN MY IN MY RESTATED AMENDMENT IN THE MOTION BUT I CAN DO THAT. I CAN RESTATE THE MOTION AGAIN. OKAY. SO I MAKE A MOTION AND AFTER THE MOTION IF IF SOMEBODY COULD SECOND IT BEFORE WE HAVE MORE DISCUSSION. SO I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE DELEGATION TO SPLIT THE EIGHT PRECINCTS NEEDED LISTED IN THIS RE PRECINCT MEETING REPORT AND THAT OUR REQUEST TO THE DELEGATION INCLUDE A REQUEST FOR FUNDING TO PROVIDE VOTING EQUIPMENT FOR THESE ADDITIONAL PRECINCTS THAT SECOND OKAY ANY DISCUSSION? NO FURTHER DISCUSSION. OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR SAY I. I SO DID WE GET A COUNT THERE? LET'S PUT OUR HANDS UP AGAIN IN FAVOR. 1 TO 3 4567 IN FAVOR EIGHT IN FAVOR. OKAY. [00:20:05] UNANIMOUS. OKAY. ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE RE PRECINCT IN COMMITTEE? SO NO COMMENTS OTHER THAN WE MAY NEED ADDITIONAL STAFF KNOW YOU MENTIONED EQUIPMENT TO OPERATE THE BUT WE MAY NEED ADDITIONAL STAFF AS WELL. OKAY WELL THIS WOULD BE IN FINANCIAL YEAR 2026 THAT RIGHT. SO AND THAT BUDGET HASN'T BEEN FINALIZED YET BUT IT'S ALREADY SUBMITTED. IT'S OUR IS IT IS IT POSSIBLE TO AMEND THE SUBMITTAL IF ADDITIONAL POLL WORKERS ARE NEEDED? NOT AT THIS TIME. ALL WORK IN I THINK TWO ADDITIONAL STAFF PERSONS AND. IS THAT CORRECT MADAM DIRECTOR. YES. YOU TALKED ABOUT POLL WORKERS. NO, I'M TALKING ABOUT CERTIFIED FROM YOUR OFFICE. WHAT ABOUT THEM OR OR ADDITIONAL STAFF REQUIRED IF WE NO MAN PRECINCTS? NO. OKAY. OKAY. IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER COMMENTS REDISTRICTING WE'LL MOVE ON TO RULES. OKAY. THE RULES COMMITTEE HAS MET TWICE SINCE OUR LAST BOARD MEETING AND WE HAVE COMPLETED A DRAFT. THANK YOU, CHRIS. GIVING THIS TO EVERYBODY OF A NEW OPERATIONS MANUAL AND I KNOW THERE'S SOME CONCERN ABOUT SOME OF THE ITEMS IN THEM IN IT INCLUDED IN IT SO THAT WE POSSIBLY MAY NEED TO VOTE ON WHETHER WE FEEL THAT THEY SHOULD BE INCLUDED ONE IS APPENDIX I BELIEVE IT'S EITHER ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER SO IF THERE'S ANY DISCUSSION I'D LIKE TO KNOW IT HAPPENS. SENSE OF THE BOARD ABOUT INCLUDING ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER IN THIS OPERATIONS MANUAL DON'T HAVE AN OPINION ON THAT MOVE MA'AM I COULD COME OVER HERE JUST SO THE ENTIRE BOARD KNOWS WHEN WE MET WITH YOU I BELIEVE IT WAS UNANIMOUS THAT EVERYONE ON THE RULES COMMITTEE MADE RECOMMENDATION OR CONCURRED WITH THE RECOMMENDATION TO HAVE ROBERT RULES LISTED JUST FOR THE RECORD IF YOU WILL. OKAY SO YOU HEARD FROM DON THAT THE ENTIRE MEMBERS OF THE RULES COMMITTEE FELT THAT THIS SHOULD BE INCLUDED. DO WE HAVE DO WE HAVE ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT. I DIDN'T HEAR WHAT HE SAID. CAN YOU RESTATE YOUR. HE SAID THAT WHEN THE RULES COMMITTEE MET THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE WERE IN UNANIMOUS IN THEIR DESIRE TO INCLUDE ROBERT'S RULES. OKAY. JUST FOR THE RECORD, WE WERE UNANIMOUS IN THAT AND I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO DON'T FEEL IT'S APPROPRIATE. SO IF THERE'S ANY DISCUSSION I WOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE IF WE HAD A MOTION TO EITHER ACCEPT OR NOT PUTTING ROBERT'S RULES IN. MS.. JOHNSON CAN I JUST MAKE A CLARIFICATION? YES. AM I CORRECT THAT THE RULES COMMITTEE IS PROVIDING AN INTERIM REPORT ON THEIR UPDATE TO THE RULES AT THIS POINT? IN OTHER WORDS, THE THE DRAFT OPERATIONS MANUAL WE RECEIVED IS AN INTERIM COPY AND IT IS A COPY THERE WILL BE SOME CHANGES TO IT BOTH IN THE SENSE OF SOME TYPOGRAPHICAL AND SOME SUGGESTED CHANGES TO IT. I KNOW THAT MR. FORD AND YOU MAKE SUGGESTIONS. I APPRECIATE THE INPUT AND SOME OF THEM WITH MR. FORD. HE CAUGHT A SOMEWHAT EGREGIOUS TYPING MISTAKE. BASICALLY COMPLETELY CHANGING THE SENSE OF THAT PARAGRAPH DEALING THE SECRETARY AND HE HAD TWO OTHER QUESTIONS THAT HOPEFULLY WE CAN DISCUSS AT SOME OTHER TIME. KEEP ON DISCUSSING NOW WE'VE SEEN AND THEN MR. SWEENEY MADE MULTIPLE SUGGESTIONS FOR CHANGES. OKAY. SO I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT THE COMMITTEE IS NOT PUTTING THIS FORWARD OR NOT RECOMMENDING THAT WE'RE NOT RECOMMENDING TO. IT'S AT THIS TIME WE ARE TO GO BACK AND MEET AGAIN TO DEAL WITH SOME OF THOSE SUGGESTIONS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED. CAN I ASK A QUESTION, MR. CHAIR ? WHAT WAS THE REASON FOR NOT WANTING TO INCLUDE ROBERT'S ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER? I THINK I HEARD SOME DISCUSSION EARLIER ABOUT THAT. [00:25:01] I JUST WANTED TO KNOW FOR CLARITY. SO I'M THE ONE THAT STATED THAT THAT OBJECTION AND THE REASON IS ROBERT'S RULES SHOULD BE USED AS A GUIDE TO FILL IN THE GAPS OF OUR HOUSE RULES AND THIS OPERATIONS MANUAL IS ESSENTIALLY OUT THE HOUSE RIGHT AND ROBERT'S RULES IS REALLY THE PROCESS OF MEETINGS AND THE VOTING PROCESS AND IT'S REALLY FOR MAINTAINING ORDER AND FAIRNESS IN THE MEETINGS BUT IT'S A LET'S CALL A SELF-INFLICTED CHOICE TO USE ROBERT'S RULES AND WE DO WE USE IT TO FILL IN THE GAPS HERE AND HELP US RUN OUR PROCESS BUT IT'S NOT ROBERT'S RULES IS NOT REQUIRED BY SOUTH CAROLINA LAW AND ROBERT'S RULES IS SUBORDINATE TO OUR HOUSE RULES . SO IF WE LOOK AT THE ORDER OF PRECEDENCE THAT OUR BOARD WORKS UNDER THE MOST IMPORTANT IS SOUTH CAROLINA LAW. THE SECOND IS OUR HOUSE RULES WHICH IS THIS OPERATIONS AND THEN ROBERT'S RULES IS A GUIDE. IT'S NOT MANDATORY AND I BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE THREE PROBLEMS WITH INCLUDING ROBERT'S RULES IN OUR HOUSE RULES AT FIRST LET ME SAY I'M HAPPY TO HAVE A REFERENCE IN HERE TO ROBERT'S RULES. MY OBJECTION IS TO INCLUDING THE TEXT OF SOME PARTIES CONDENSED VERSION OF ROBERT'S RULES. OBJECTION IS TO PUTTING THIS ACTUAL TEXT IN HERE HAPPY TO PUT A REFERENCE TO ROBERT'S RULES BUT INCLUDING THIS TEXT I THINK HAS THREE PROBLEMS. ONE THE ROBERT'S RULES TEXT THAT'S HERE MAY CONFLICT WITH OUR HOUSE RULES. SO I DON'T KNOW IF THE RULES COMMITTEE LOOKED THIS TEXT THAT SOMEBODY ELSE CONDENSED TO IF THERE ARE ANY CONFLICTS WITH OUR HOUSE RULES. I DON'T THINK THAT WE WANT TO INSERT A POSSIBLE CONFLICT AND I DON'T WANT US TO BE AND COMPLIANCE OR NONCOMPLIANCE WITH THE WRONG THING. THE SECOND THING IS THAT THE OPERATIONS MANUAL DESCRIBES THE ROLE OF THE BOARD IN CARRYING OUT ELECTIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH SOUTH CAROLINA LAWS. SOUTH CAROLINA COULD HAVE LAWS PROVIDES NO FOR ROBERT'S RULES. IT'S JUST A TOOL THAT WE USE AND WE USE THAT TOOL JUST LIKE WE USE OUR KNOWLEDGE OF HOW TO DRIVE IN THE TRAFFIC RULES TO GET TO THE POLLING LOCATIONS AND CHECK ON THINGS WE ALL KNOW HOW TO FILL OUT AN EXPENSE FORM FOR MILEAGE BUT WE DON'T PUT THOSE INSTRUCTIONS IN HERE AND FINALLY IT IS THIRD PARTY DOCUMENT AND THIRD PARTY DOCUMENTS ARE SUBJECT TO AND THEY'RE NOT IN OUR CONTROL. SO I IT'S ALWAYS BEST WHEN REFERENCING THIRD PARTY INFORMATION TO POINT TO IT IN HOUSE RULES RATHER REPEATING IT. AND IN THIS CASE WE'RE REPEATING A TEXT THAT CAME FROM A THIRD PARTY. WE DON'T KNOW IF IT CONFLICTS WITH OUR HOUSE RULES OR NOT AND THEREFORE I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE IN HERE. MR. CHAIR, IF DOES CONFLICT I THINK THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE A DISCUSSION THE RULES COMMITTEE BUT MAKES BEING THAT ROBERT'S RULES HELPS US NOT NECESSARILY TO REACH CONSENSUS BUT THEY HAVE OPERATIONAL PROCEDURE WHERE EACH PERSON IS HEARD. DISCUSSIONS DON'T GO ON FOREVER AND. IT'S JUST AN ORDERLY WAY TO CONDUCT BUSINESS AND I DO THINK THAT COUNTY COUNCIL USES ROBERT'S RULES. I THINK WE NEED TO RESEARCH THAT BUT JUST TO NOT ANY PROTOCOL FOR REGION DECISION SESSIONS AND FACILITATING IN A SMOOTH MANNER AS A COLLECTIVE BODY APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR I THINK THAT THAT MAY BE A MISTAKE NOT TO HAVE THAT A REFERENCE NOT AS A GUIDING LIGHT NECESSARILY. SO PERHAPS I DIDN'T MAKE MYSELF CLEAR I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH YOU. I AGREE THAT ROBERT'S RULES BE USED FOR THE PROCESSES WE FOLLOW AND FILL IN GAPS THAT ARE IN THE HOUSE RULES. MY ONLY OBJECTION TO INSERTING SOME TEXT DRAFTED A THIRD PARTY THEIR IDEA OF A CONDENSED OF ROBERT'S RULES. IF THEY WERE APPOINTED BY YOU I THINK THAT WE IN THE HOUSE RULES WE SHOULD WE CAN SAY THAT WE REFER TO ROBERT'S RULES WHEN NECESSARY TO CONDUCT OUR MEETINGS, TO DO VOTES AND TO KEEP ORDER. AGREE WITH THAT BUT IT'S CONFUSING TO INSERT A THIRD PARTY DOCUMENT INSIDE OUR DOCUMENT HOUSE DOCUMENTS. SO YOU SAY HOUSE RULES IF I MAY. YES, WE'RE WHERE ARE THOSE HOUSE RULES WRITTEN? I USE HOUSE RULES A GENERIC DESCRIPTION OF OUR OPERATIONS. [00:30:04] OKAY, SO SO MOST OF THE SECTIONS IN THE OPERATIONS MANUAL ARE DRAFTED BY THE. OKAY. SO I CONSIDER THOSE TO BE THE HOUSE RULES. I THINK THEY JUST COMPLEMENT FACILITATE WHAT THE HOUSE RULES SUGGEST. I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU BUT MY OPINION THAT THE CONDENSED VERSION OF ROBERT'S IN THIS MANUAL IT'S A PRIMER FOR PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH RULES AND I THINK IT CAN BE INCLUDED IN THE ORIENTATION THAT'S GIVEN TO NEW BOARD MEMBERS RATHER THAN SITTING IN. WE DON'T KNOW IF IT CONFLICTS OR NOT IN OUR HOUSE RULES DOCUMENT AND IT'S INCLUDED AS AN APPENDIX BUT I THINK PART OF THE BODY OF THE HOUSE RULES WHICH POSSIBLY YOUR CONCERN I KNOW AN APPENDIX IS PART OF THE HOUSE RULES SO DO YOU HAVE A RIGHT SO I GUESS I'M LOOKING FOR A COMPROMISE THAT THAT SATISFIES WHAT THE RULES COMMITTEE MEMBERS OBJECTIVE WAS AS WELL AS TO NOT DO ANYTHING WOULD BE SECONDARY. THE HOUSE RULE SO IF WE GO AND GOING BACK WHAT YOU SAID IF IT'S STILL A GUIDE ALONG WITH THE HOUSE RULES IF WE PUT LANGUAGE IN THE OPERATIONS MANUAL THAT REFERS TO ROBERT'S RULES DOES THAT SATISFY THE INTENT OF THE RULES COMMITTEE TO HAVE ROBERT'S RULES USED IF YOU WILL? I THINK IF YOU IF WE PUT THEM IN I THINK IT KIND OF GUIDES YOU EITHER USE OR DON'T USE THEM. I THINK IT BECOMES TOO AMBIGUOUS WHEN YOU HAVE RULES THAT ARE SITTING THERE AND THEN WE TRY TO DRIFT SOMEBODY SAYS WELL ROBERT'S RULES ARE IN THE BOOK. IT'S KIND OF MISGUIDED. I THINK THE THE BOARD UNLESS YOU MAKE A FLAT DECISION IS TO USE IT OR DON'T USE IT OR JUST USE IT AS A REFERENCE TO A MOTION THEN RELATED TO THE INCLUSION IN THE ROBERT'S RULES IF I MIGHT BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE RULES COMMITTEE, I BELIEVE IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE BOARD TO EITHER APPROVE OR NOT APPROVE IF YOU WILL, THE INCLUSION OF ROBERT'S RULES IN THIS PRELIMINARY OPERATIONAL MANUAL THAT WAS SUBMITTED TO THE BOARD FOR REVIEW. WE EITHER WE EITHER SAY YES OR WE SAY NO AS A BOARD TO INCLUDE ROBERT IN THE OPERATION AND OKAY SO WOULD YOU RESTATE THE MOTION IN THAT CASE? THIS IS STILL A DRAFT DOCUMENT, CORRECT? YES. YES. IT'S A CONCEPTUAL DISCUSSION. YES. SO WE'RE GOING FORWARD AND WE DID A MOTION AT THIS POINT IF IT'S A DRAFT DOCUMENT I THINK WE DO BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK AND AGAIN AND WHEN WE BRING THE COMPLETED DOCUMENT TO YOU WE DON'T WANT TO START TAKING APART PIECE BY PIECE AND SAY TAKE THIS OUT, TAKE THAT OUT. AND SINCE I KNEW THERE WAS SOME DIVISION OF OPINION ON THIS I THOUGHT WE COULD GET THAT SETTLED NOW THEN WE INCLUDED IN THE FINAL OR IF THAT'S THE CONSENSUS ON THE BOARD WE DON'T INCLUDE IT BUT WE WON'T HAVE TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION AND START RIPPING THE DOCUMENT APART THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR APPROVAL OF THE WHOLE DOCUMENT. THERE'S TWO OR THREE PHILOSOPHICAL QUESTIONS THAT I THINK WE TO DISCUSS SO WE KNOW HOW TO GO FORWARD AS WE CONTINUE TO EDIT THIS DOCUMENT. OKAY. JUST A POINT OF CLARIFICATION MR. CHAIR, IF ROBERT RULES OF ORDER IS NOT A PART OF THE DOCUMENT, WHAT IS THE POTENTIAL REPLACEMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR MEETINGS ARE OPERATED IN A SMOOTH AND ACCEPTABLE FASHION? [00:35:05] WHAT WILL BE BECAUSE THAT'S NOT IN THE THAT'S NOT IN THE MANUAL WHAT WOULD BE THE ALTERNATIVE TO ROBERT RULE SUPPORT? YEAH I GUESS I'M NOT MAKING MYSELF CLEAR I'M NOT LOOKING FOR ALTERNATIVE. WE WILL FOLLOW ROBERT'S RULES WHERE WE DON'T HAVE HOUSE RULES THAT COVER OUR CONDUCT. RIGHT. MY ONLY OBJECTIVE OBJECTION IS INSERTING A THIRD PARTIES CONDENSED VERSION OR CHEAT SHEET OF ROBERT'S RULES INTO OUR HOUSE RULES. AND WHEN I WHEN I READ THIS THIS APPENDIX IT REFERS TO A USEFUL GUIDE FOR NEIGHBORHOOD CHAIRS. SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE THIS THIRD PARTY DOCUMENT CAME FROM BUT IT DOESN'T SEEM APPROPRIATE FOR OUR BOARD OF ELECTIONS. OKAY. BUT THIS IS A DRAFT DOCUMENT THAT ARE GOING TO MAKE CHANGES. THEY WILL MAKE IT TO SUGGESTED CHANGES THAT WE'VE ALREADY SAID TO THEM AND WE CAN INCLUDE WE CAN MAKE THOSE CHANGES TO THIS DOCUMENT THAT MAKE IT PERTAIN TO US. THAT'S RIGHT. THAT'S DIFFICULT TO DO EVEN THOUGH IT'S A THIRD PARTY DOCUMENT AS AN EXEMPLAR. I THINK THE RULES COMMITTEE CAN TAKE THAT DOCUMENT AND MAKE IT APPLY TO THIS BOARD. I DON'T THINK THAT'S DIFFICULT TO DO. I MEAN ANOTHER IS POSSIBLY GIVING EVERY MEMBER OF THE BOARD WHEN THEY COME ONTO THE BOARD A COPY OF THE VERSION ROBERT'S RULES THAT WE WISH TO FOLLOW AND JUST REFERENCE THAT THAT DOCUMENT YOU KNOW THAT THAT DOCUMENT WHICH WOULD BE PROBABLY PURCHASING YOU KNOW ROBERT'S RULES HANDBOOK AND AS JEAN SAYS, ROBERT SCHOOLS ARE YOU KNOW, THIS THICK AND I LIKE THE FACT THAT IT'S ABBREVIATED. YEAH, WE NEED IT AND IT'S ATTACHED THEN IT'S JUST RELEVANT TO WHAT WE ARE DOING AS A BOARD WITHOUT HAVING TO GO A 300 PAGE. I MEAN YOU'RE A PARLIAMENTARIAN . RULES MEANS NOTHING TO ANY OF US REALLY. I MEAN THE BOOK IS THICK, RIGHT? I MEAN IT'S IT'S YOU WANT TO SIT THERE AND LOOK UP EVERYTHING THAT WE DO. RIGHT. IT'S TIME CONSUMING. SO I THINK THAT THE APPENDIX I WOULD JUST MAKE A MOTION TO USE IT AS A REFERENCE FOR BOARD APPROVAL. WE NEED TO CLARIFY SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO CLARIFY OURSELVES. SO SO MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THE RULES COMMITTEE PUT A REFERENCE TO ROBERT'S RULES IN OUR HOUSE RULES RATHER THAN INSERTING A THIRD PARTY CONDENSED VERSION OF IT SO AS AS MS. JOHNSON SAID, WE PROVIDE DURING ORIENTATION OUR PREFERRED CONDENSED VERSION OF ROBERT'S RULES TO NEW BOARD AND THAT IS REFERENCED AND USED BY THE BOARD GOING IS THAT THE SENSE OF THE BOARD? I MEAN WE NEED MOTIONS HERE. I MEAN ULTIMATELY I WOULD REQUEST THE THE RULES COMMITTEE TO MAKE AN ORDER OF PRECEDENCE IN OUR HOUSE RULES SO THAT IF THERE'S A CONFLICT WE KNOW WHICH PREVAILS. AND ALSO IF YOU IF THE THE BOARD DECIDES TO PUT IN A THIRD PARTY CONDENSED VERSION OF ROBERT'S RULES MAKE SURE THAT THEY VETTED IT AND SELECT IT AND IT'S ONE THAT THEY WANT RATHER THAN THE ONE THAT WAS JUST IN THE ORIGINAL VERSION FOR FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION. SO AT THIS POINT IN TIME I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE INCLUDE A CONDENSED OF ROBERT RULES OF ORDER IN THE OPERATIONS MANUAL. I'LL SECOND THAT SECOND CAN YOU CLARIFY CONDENSED FOR WHAT IS NOT REALLY WHAT IS A CONDENSED VERSION MEANS SOMETHING SMALLER THAN THE ONE INCH THICK OR TWO INCH THICK OFFICIAL SO WE'RE GOING TO PICK EITHER SOMETHING THIS ONE OR SOMETHING SIMILAR AND YOU KNOW WHAT WE NEED IS A RULES. WE'LL PICK ONE THAT WE THINK IS APPROPRIATE TO OUR SITUATION. OKAY. SO IT'S CONFUSING. SO IT'S BEEN IT'S BEEN SECONDED THAT WE'RE IN DISCUSSION NOW SO YEAH. OKAY. I WAS GOING TO SAY IF THIS MOTION IS APPROVED THEN I WOULD REQUEST NUMBER ONE. YES. THAT RULES COMMITTEE SELECTS THE CONDENSED VERSION THAT THEY FEEL THE MOST APPROPRIATE. AND NUMBER TWO, THAT THERE IS A SECTION IN OUR HOUSE RULE THAT DESCRIBES THE PRECEDENCE OF DOCUMENTS YOU HAVE FOR THE COMMENTS. NO FURTHER COMMENTS. I JUST KIND OF THINK IT'S CLEANER TO REFERENCE ROBERT'S RULES RATHER THAN THE DOCUMENT RATHER THAN TRYING TO GO THROUGH AND FIND THE MOST APPROPRIATE CONDENSED VERSION OF THE UNIVERSE THAT COULD APPLY TO US. IF ANYBODY WANTS THIS ABBREVIATED VERSION THEY CAN JUST RIP IT OFF AS ITS APPENDIX AND THAT CAN BE THEIR PERSONAL TEACHING. WELL PERSONALLY I SEE THAT THE APPENDIX THAT YOU HAVE INCLUDED [00:40:01] ARE FINE ME. I MEAN IT'S NOT THAT LONG AND I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND THE OBJECTION TO IT JUST A FEW MORE PAGES. OKAY. SO WAS A MOTION AND IT WAS SECONDED SO WE'LL TAKE A VOTE. SO ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND AND SAY I I'M. ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR. NO, BUT NOW I'M JUST NOT GOING TO VOTE BECAUSE BUT NO PROBLEMS SO WHAT IT'S BEEN FOUR IN FAVOR ALL OPPOSED. OKAY, THREE OPPOSED. OKAY. THE MOTION CARRIES SO JUST TO CONFIRM THAT MEANS THAT THE MOTION WAS TO INCLUDE A CONDENSED VERSION OF ROBERT'S RULES SELECTED THE RULES COMMITTEE AND AN ORDER OF PRECEDENCE STATEMENT PUT IN TO THE HOUSE RULES IN THE EVENT OF ANY CONFLICTS. OKAY ANOTHER ITEM THAT IS GOING TO BE WE NEED TO VOTE ON BEFORE WE PUBLISH THE FINAL COPY IS I KNOW THAT IN THE DRAFT I PUT IN OF WHAT YOU ORIGINALLY STATED AND I MR. FORD FROM FACILITIES AND BASED PAST PRACTICE DO WE INCLUDE IN HERE A STATEMENT THAT THE CHAIR OR HIS DESIGNEE WHICH GENERALLY WOULD MEAN VICE CHAIR AND WE CAN ACTUALLY SAY CHAIR SHOULD ATTEND EVERY COMMITTEE MEETING. AND LET ME JUST SAY THAT IF THE CHAIR OR THE VICE CHAIR OR AT LEAST THE CHAIR HAD BEEN AT THE MEETING A LOT THE CONCERNS ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT COULD HAVE BEEN ANSWERED WHEN WENT THROUGH IT LITERALLY. DID WE NOT READ IT LINE BY WE READ IT LINE BY LINE AND SO I LOOKED AT OUR STANDING COMMITTEES NOT LOOKING AT OUR YOU AD HOC COMMITTEES WE HAVE FIVE OF THEM AND IF WE APPOINTED PEOPLE TO THE CHAIR TO THE COMMITTEES STRATEGICALLY WE COULD HAVE THE CHAIR AND THE VICE CHAIR AT EVERY COMMITTEE MEETING JUST BY APPOINTING THE VICE CHAIR TO THREE IN THE CHAIR TO. BUT THE QUESTION IS DO WE WANT TO HAVE A STATEMENT SAYING THAT THE CHAIR OR HIS REPRESENTATIVE NEEDS TO BE AT EVERY COMMITTEE MEETING? SO WHEN YOU SIT EVERY COMMITTEE, EVERY SUBCOMMITTEE THE STANDING COMMITTEE YEAH. I MEAN WHEN WE HAVE A FACILITIES COMMITTEE MEETING WITH THE CHAIR OR THE VICE HIS DESIGNEE WHICH IS USUALLY VICE CHAIR AGAIN WHEN WE HAVE A RULES COMMITTEE MEETING OR REPRESENTING IN COMMITTEE WOULD THE CHAIR OR THE VICE CHAIR IN THE PAST I BELIEVE THAT WAS THE PRACTICE. I KNOW THAT CURRENT CHAIR WANTS TO CHANGE IT BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT IF WE'RE AS I SAID, STRATEGIC ABOUT HOW WE MAKE COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS IT DOESN'T REALLY REQUIRE ATTENDING MORE COMMITTEES. SO SO IS IT A QUESTION OF ATTENDING THE COMMITTEE MEETINGS OR BEING MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE? AND AGAIN, THAT WOULD BE PART OF THE DISCUSSION BEING A PART OF THE COMMITTEE AND WHICH MEANS THEY ARE INVOLVED IN THE AND IN THE VOTING AND I'M NOT SURE AND I MAY NEED SOME WHEN YOU DEAL WITH A QUORUM IF THE CHAIR ATTENDS DOES NOT VOTE AND DOES NOT SPEAK OR JUST OBSERVES THEM. IF WE HAVE FOUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS PLUS CHAIR, DOES THAT VIOLATE THE RULES OF THE FORUM? YES. OKAY. SO WHAT IT WOULD MEAN IS THAT PROBABLY THE HE WOULD HE OR SHE WOULD HAVE TO A MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE AS A QUESTION BECAUSE YOU CAN'T HAVE SOMETHING WE HAVE TO HAVE THE RIGHT NUMBERS AND RIGHT NOW WE HAVE COMMITTEES WITH FOUR PEOPLE SO IT REQUIRES SOME READJUSTMENT BUT AS I LOOKED AT IT THE COMMITTEES THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE I BETWEEN THE CHAIR AND THE VICE CHAIR THAT THEY ONLY COVERED MAYBE THREE COMMITTEES SO IN THE PROCESS OF REDUCING THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS SO THAT THE CHAIR OR THE VICE CHAIR COULD ATTEND WE'D HAVE TO MAKE SOME REARRANGEMENTS ANYWAY AND THAT AS I SAID IF WE WORKED SO THAT THE VICE CHAIR AS THE CHAIR SAYS SHE WAS ON THREE DIFFERENT COMMITTEES THEN OF THE CHAIRS TWO COMMITTEES WE COVER THAT REQUIREMENT ANYWAY. LET ME ASK A QUESTION BUT YOU KNOW, THE QUESTION IS SHOULD BE ON THE VOTING MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEES I GUESS SINCE THEY CAN'T BE OBSERVERS, HOW WILL THIS AFFECT THE AUTONOMY OF THE COMMITTEE AND THE INDEPENDENCE IN MAKING DECISIONS AND PRESENTING THEM AT MEETINGS LIKE THIS? THE BOARD I'M JUST ASKING THAT QUESTION TO EILEEN WHO WAS THE [00:45:04] CHAIR BEFORE? DID YOU WERE YOU A MEMBER OF ALL THE COMMITTEES WHEN YOU WERE EX-OFFICIAL EX-OFFICIO? THE COMMITTEE'S EX-OFFICIAL ITSELF IS YOU SO YOU WERE EX-OFFICIO. SO BASICALLY THAT I WAS AT THE MEETINGS YOU WERE AT THE MEETING AS EX-OFFICIO PERSON SO THAT MEANS EACH COMMITTEE WOULD HAVE THREE MEMBERS AND THE NEW ATTENDANCE EX-OFFICIO WOULD BE THREE VOTING MEMBERS. SO WE HAVE LANGUAGE IN HERE RELATING TO THIS. WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT WE WANT AS OUR PROCEDURE GOING FORWARD BECAUSE WE EITHER TAKE OUT TOTALLY OR THE BOARD COMES TO A CONSENSUS ON THE LANGUAGE. SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT INSTEAD OF HAVING MEMBERS WE SHOULD HAVE THREE MEMBERS WITH THE CHAIR OR THE CHAIR? YES. EX-OFFICIO MEMBER. RIGHT. AND THERE WOULD BE THREE VOTING MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. OKAY. AND AS I SAID, THAT'S HOW IT FUNCTIONED WHILE SHE WAS THE CHAIR GOING BACK FURTHER IN TIME I GUESS JEAN WAS THE CHAIR BEFORE EILEEN. SO IS THAT HOW IT FUNCTIONED WHEN YOU WERE THE CHAIR. YES. AND THAT'S HOW IT FUNCTIONS. SO THERE'S HISTORICAL PRECEDENTS FOR THAT. THE QUESTION IS DO WE WANT TO GO BACK TO THAT METHOD OR HAVE FOUR VOTING MEMBERS AND UNLESS THE CHAIR OR THE VICE CHAIR ARE ACTUALLY ONE OF THOSE BOARD MEMBERS, NO REPRESENTATION FOR THEM. AND THAT'S A PHILOSOPHICAL ISSUE THAT I DON'T THINK THE RULES COMMITTEE SHOULD SOLVE IT SHOULD BE THE WHOLE THE SENSE OF THE WHOLE BOARD. CAN I ASK WHAT WOULD THE PURPOSE WOULD BE? WHAT'S THE BENEFIT? I HAVE THE SAME QUESTION FOR HER. I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A PERFECT CHAIR A CHAIR PRESIDENT AT ALL AND ALL THE COMMITTEE MEETINGS AS EX-OFFICIO. WHAT'S THE BENEFIT OF DOING IT? I THINK YOU GET THE INPUT OF THE CHAIR BUT IT'S ALSO GOING TO SAVE ME FROM GETTING THINGS LIKE IF THE CHAIR HAD BEEN THERE AND WE WENT WHILE WE WERE GOING THROUGH IT LINE BY LINE. I THINK THAT THE FOUR MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE WOULD AGREE WITH PRETTY MUCH READ THIS LINE BY LINE THAT THE CHAIR WOULD HAVE HAD HIS INPUT IN AT THAT TIME AND THE AMOUNT OF EDITING WOULD BE LESS AND IT WOULD SAVE THE CHAIR ALL THE TIME THAT IT TOOK HIM TO READ THIS TO MAKE HIS COMMENTS ON THE FINANCE COMMITTEE THE SAME THING. I THINK SOMETIMES THE CHAIR WOULD PROBABLY WANT TO HAVE INPUT ON THE BUDGETING PROCESS THAT WE DO AND AS WE STAND NOW I'M JUST LOOKING AT IT AND CURRENTLY MR. SWEENEY IS THE CHAIR OF ONE COMMITTEE BUT MR. BARBER IS ON THAT SAME COMMITTEE SO BASICALLY WE DON'T GET THEIR INPUT ON TWO COMMITTEES. WE GET IT ON ONE AND WE HAVE THAT KIND OF YOU KNOW, WE'RE MORE STRATEGIC ABOUT WHERE WE PLACE THOSE TWO PEOPLE. IT REALLY WOULDN'T BE THAT BIG OF A HARDSHIP I THINK FOR PEOPLE TO BE PART OF THE EVERY COMMITTEE. ONE OF THE TWO OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS. I DON'T KNOW. I JUST TO HAVE COMMITTEES. THAT'S MY QUESTION. I JUST FOUND KIND OF UNREALISTIC TO SIT IN FRONT OF A MONITOR AND READ A DOCUMENT ONE PAGE AT A TIME AND APPROVE IT WITHOUT HAVING THE ENTIRE BOOK IN FRONT OF YOU TO READ THE WHOLE THING GO THROUGH IT AGAIN. I MEAN I DIDN'T THINK THERE WAS A TIMELINE THAT WOULD BE IN A RUSH TO PUT THIS TOGETHER AND THAT IT WOULD TAKE SEVERAL MEETINGS TO BE ABLE TO REVIEW IT AND TO MAKE MAKE THE PROBABLY CHANGES BECAUSE I MEAN WE ALL KNOW WE SAT THERE FOR TWO, 3 HOURS BLINDED BY YOU KNOW, JUST MAKING THE CHANGES IT WAS I FIND IT EXTREMELY CONFUSING MYSELF AND THEN WE HAD ALL THE LINES GOING THROUGH THE CORRECTIONS AND WHO MADE THE CORRECTIONS. IT WAS BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, IMPOSSIBLE UNTIL YOU GET A SEMI FINISHED DOCUMENT FOR YOU AND THEN GO THROUGH AND SAY OH THIS DOESN'T LOOK RIGHT OR SO I THINK THAT'S WHY WE'RE CALLING THIS AN INTERIM DRAFT AND WE'RE DISCUSSING IT. AND ON THE ONE CASE YOU MENTIONED MS.. JOHNSON WHERE THE CHAIRMAN MADE A LOT OF COMMENTS I DON'T THINK THOSE COMMENTS WERE RELEVANT TO HIS POSITION AS THE CHAIRMAN THAT THAT MEANT THAT MEMBER OF BOARD WOULD HAVE MADE THOSE COMMENTS ANYWAY BUT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE EFFICIENT IF. THEY WERE MADE DURING THE MEETING AND WHAT I'M SAYING IS I DON'T KNOW WHICH COMMITTEES YOU'RE GOING TO PLAN TO ATTEND AND I DON'T IT'S NOT MY BUSINESS IN A SENSE WHICH ONES YOU WANT TO ATTEND BUT I THINK IT'S BEEN WE JUST NEED TO DECIDE WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO [00:50:03] ADOPT A NEW PRECEDENT OR A NEW PROCEDURE OR GO BACK TO THE HISTORICAL PRECEDENT SET. SO MY OPINION THAT WE HAVE FIVE STANDING COMMITTEES AND ONE AD HOC AND WE WILL PROBABLY HAVE AN AD HOC OCCASIONALLY YOU HAVE THE EARLY VOTING CENTER AD HOC. SO THAT'S SIX COMMITTEES THAT'S 24 COMMITTEES. BUT I THINK IT'S UNREASONABLE FOR THE CHAIRMAN TO TAKE SIX OF THE 24 COMMITTEE SPOTS. RIGHT. WE HAVE SIX COMMITTEES TIMES FOUR. THAT'S 24 SPOTS AND IT'S UNREASONABLE FOR A CHAIRMAN OR VICE CHAIRMAN TO TAKE SIX OF THOSE 24 SPOTS. I THINK TO MISS DAWES POINT SOME AUTONOMY OF COMMITTEE IS WE SHOULD BE SELECTING PEOPLE FOR COMMITTEES WHO HAVE STRENGTHS FOR THOSE COMMITTEES NOT NECESSARILY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE VICE CHAIRMAN BECAUSE THAT'S ALL PERSONALITY ANYWAY. WELL, THE POINT THAT WE HAVE 24 SLOTS I AM CURRENTLY ON I BELIEVE FOR THREE COMMITTEES OR FOUR COMMITTEES BASICALLY YOU WOULD STILL EACH ONLY HAVE THREE OR FOUR COMMITTEES SO YOU WOULD JUST BE STRATEGICALLY PLACE SO THAT EITHER THE CHAIR OR THE VICE CHAIR COULD ATTEND INSTEAD OF THE CHAIR AND THE VICE CHAIR BEING ON THE SAME COMMITTEES. I THINK WE'VE GOT RUN THE RISK OF A FEW PEOPLE RUNNING THE WHOLE IF WE START THAT AND I REALLY BELIEVE IN COMMITTEE DISCUSSION AND COMMITTEE DECISION MAKING AND IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT FOR EXAMPLE IF THE CHAIR OUTLINES WHAT THE COMMITTEE AGENDA IS, WHAT OUTCOME YOU SHOULD REACH THEN WHAT'S THE LET ME FINISH WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THE COMMITTEE AND I THINK WE NEED TO VALUE THE DIVERSITY AND THE OPINIONS OF THE COMMITTEE THE COMMITTEES WHICH THE CHAIR APPOINTED AND WE NEED TO REALLY THINK ABOUT WHAT WE ARE DOING HERE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THAT YOU FEEL THAT THE PREVIOUS IS PROBABLY NOT THE BEST WAY. I DIDN'T SAY ANY OF THAT. I JUST SAY WHAT I SAID. I DIDN'T SAY ANY OF THAT. OKAY. AND ALSO SOME OF THESE COMMITTEES NOT EVEN MEET BUT MAYBE ONCE A YEAR MAYBE NOT EVEN AT ALL. YEAH. LIKE FOR INSTANCE REPRESENTING I'M LOOKING AT THIS IN REDISTRICTING ABOUT REPRIS SANTEE HOW OFTEN WILL THAT COMMITTEE BE MEETING OKAY FACILITIES WELL MATTER OF FACT ONCE YOU HIT IT ONCE WE GET THIS MANUAL AND EVERYTHING PUT DOWN FROM RULES IT SEEM LIKE WE'LL JUST PUT THE AND FINANCE LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS YOU SEE WHAT I'M GOING SO WE WE ARE BEATING THIS TO DEATH WITHOUT THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE HAVING A LOT OF MEETINGS SO YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? ARE YOU SAYING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO STAY WITH THE HISTORIC PRECEDENT AND ASK THAT THE CHAIRMAN ATTEND THE COMMITTEE MEETING? YES, CHAIRMAN OF THE VICE CHAIR BECAUSE THERE'S NOT THAT MANY MEETINGS THAT IS GOING TO BE HELD. I JUST GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF REPRESENT THING. SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THERE'S A VISION OF THE BOARD AS FAR AS THE YOU KNOW WHAT WANTED TO PUT IN A MANUAL WHICH WOULD BE OUR OPERATING PROCEDURES. SO WE PROBABLY NEED A VOTE FOR ONE WAY OR THE OTHER AND SEE WHAT THE CONSENSUS THIS THE IS . I'M TRYING TO GET SOME CLARITY WHAT THE COMMITTEES ARE LOOKING FOR. WE EACH COMMITTEE HAS A CHARTER IT DOES THE CHAIR HAS HAS IDENTIFIED SOME PROJECTS FOR EACH COMMITTEE SO THE COMMITTEES HAVE PROJECTS TO GO WORK ON. SO I'M NOT I'M NOT SURE WHAT HAVING ATTENDANCE AT MEETINGS WERE AND I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOU WERE GETTING AT WITH THE TONE OF THE COMMITTEE THE COMMITTEE COMMITTEE IN MY MIND SHOULD BE WORKING ON ACTIVITIES AND NOT PROJECTS AT THE DIRECTION OF THE BOARD AND THEN COMING BACK TO THE BOARD WITH THEIR INPUT. SO DO YOU I MEAN I'M GETTING A FEEL FOR WHAT DIFFERENT PEOPLE BELIEVE BUT WE NEED A STATEMENT SO THAT WE CAN PUT IN HERE THAT REFLECTS THE CONSENSUS OF THE BOARD ABOUT WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO HAVE FOUR MEMBERS AND WHETHER THE CHAIR OR THE VICE CHAIR LANDS THERE IS TOTALLY RANDOM OR BASED ON THE CHAIR'S DECISION ON WHO BEST IN ONE [00:55:04] POSITION OR THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE COMMITTEES OF THREE PEOPLE WITH THE FOURTH PERSON BEING EITHER THE CHAIR THE VICE CHAIR THOSE ARE THE TWO WAYS WE CAN GO AND IT'S UP TO THE CONSENSUS THE BOARD WHICH WAY WE GO BUT WE NEED SOME GUIDANCE BECAUSE IF WE PUT IT IN HERE THAT IT'S GOING TO BE THIS WAY THAT'S MAY NOT BE THE SENSE ABOUT HOW THE BOARD WANTS US TO DO IT. SO AS A AS A COMMITTEE WE NEED SOME GUIDANCE FROM THE BOARD AS A WHOLE I HAVE A QUESTION IS IT PROTOCOL THAT A WHEN A COMMITTEE SUBMITS THEIR RECOMMENDATION, DOES THE ENTIRE BOARD GET A COPY OF THAT OBVIOUSLY BEFORE IT'S VOTED ON OR IT IS PROTOCOL SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD MY COMMITTEE REPORT WAS INCLUDED IN THE REPORT THAT CHRIS SUBMITTED TO ALL OF YOU. SO I DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S THE HOUSE RULES BUT IT PROBABLY SHOULD BE IF A COMMITTEE IS MAKING A RECOMMENDATION THE BOARD TO VOTE ON SOMETHING. RIGHT? RIGHT. SHOULD BE X NUMBER OF DAYS BEFORE THE BOARD MEETING SO. I THINK THAT'S A GOOD ADDITION . YEAH I WOULD THINK SO BEFORE YOU VOTED ON IT IF YOU WANT TO READ IT HAVE TIME TO READ IT. TIME TO DIGEST WHAT IT IS YOU'RE VOTING ON SO BE PART THE BOARD PACKET SO TO SPEAK BUT IT DISTRIBUTED DAYS BEFORE THE BOARD MEETING SO IN MY OPINION WE SHOULD NOT BE BOUND BY THE WAY THIS BOARD OF ELECTIONS HAS DONE THINGS IN THE PAST IF THEY MAKE SENSE WE SHOULD FOLLOW. IF THEY DON'T MAKE SENSE THEN WE SHOULDN'T BE BOUND BY THEM. I THINK THE BENEFIT OF HAVING THE CHAIRPERSON ON EVERY EVERY COMMITTEE EX-OFFICIO IS THAT THE CHAIRMAN CAN THEN SEE ACROSS ALL THE COMMITTEES ABOUT WHAT THE DISCUSSIONS ARE AND PERHAPS BRIDGE SOME DISCUSSION OR DIRECTION IN THOSE COMMITTEES. ON THE FLIP SIDE OF THAT THE CHAIRMAN MAY NOT ALWAYS BE THE BEST PERSON TO CONTRIBUTE TO A GIVEN COMMITTEE BASED ON THEIR THEIR SKILLS AND AS MS. DORT MENTIONED IN CASES THERE'S NEED FOR A FULL INDEPENDENCE OF A COMMITTEE FOR A PROJECT GROUP. SO MY MY SUGGESTION IS THAT RULES BE AMENDED TO SAY THAT THE FOURTH MEMBER OF EVERY COMMITTEE SHALL BE THE CHAIRMAN EXCEPT THAT THE CHAIRMAN MAY HAVE THE OPTION TO APPOINT ANOTHER BOARD MEMBER TO TAKE THAT FOURTH SEAT. SO THE AD HOC COMMITTEE EBC EARLY VOTING CENTER IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT. I WAS PREVIOUSLY ON THAT COMMITTEE BUT BECAUSE THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT I NEED TO BE WORKING ON, ZWICKY HAS THE EXPERIENCE AND ANALYSIS AND BUSINESS MANAGEMENT SO I APPOINTED HIM TO TAKE THAT FOURTH SEAT ON THE ABC. I BELIEVE THAT IF IF THERE'S FOUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND ONE COMMITTEE MEMBER CANNOT ATTEND A MEETING THE CHAIRMAN COULD BE GIVEN THE OPTION TO ATTEND AS AN OBSERVER IN THAT COMMITTEE BUT NOT AS A VOTING MEMBER. OKAY. SO IS THAT A MOTION OR JUST OBSERVATION BECAUSE I'LL MAKE IT A MOTION. SO SO YOU UNDERSTAND NOW I KNOW I READ THE DRAFT DOCUMENT BUT YOU SAID LESS. ARE YOU SAYING THAT IN THE DOCUMENT YOU HAVE FOR MEMBERS IS YOU STANDING COMMITTEE AND YOU THINK IT SHOULD GO TO BE THREE PLUS EITHER PLUS THAT A CHAIR OR HIS DESIGNEE WHO WOULD NORMALLY BE THE VICE CHAIR OKAY AND WE COULD MAKE IT EXPLICIT THERE IS THE VICE CHAIR SO I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT EXCEPT THE STIPULATION OF THE VICE CHAIR SHOULD BE AN APPOINTMENT OF THE CHAIR SO SO AND FOUR FOR PRECEDENCE. SO I LOOKED AT THE COUNCIL IN COUNTY THERE ARE FOUR COMMITTEES AND THE CHAIRWOMAN IS EX-OFFICIO ON EACH OF THOSE FOUR COMMITTEES. I AGREE THAT'S FOUR VERSUS OUR SIX. I LOOKED AT HILTON HEAD TOWN THEY HAVE THREE COMMITTEES AND THE THE MAYOR IS IS NOT EX-OFFICIO AND ANY OF COMMITTEES SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT OTHER BOARDS OF ELECTION DO. I CAN'T REALLY SAY WHETHER WHAT OUR BOARD'S BEEN DOING IS TYPICAL OR NOT. BUT IN REVIEWING THESE RULES I SEE MORE OF A SLIGHT CHANGE TO WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING THAN JUST CONTINUING ON WITH IT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE WE'VE ALWAYS DONE. SO IF I MAY BE CLARIFY EMOTION OF EMOTION IS THAT THE CONCEPTUALLY RULES BE REVISED TO SAY THAT EACH STANDING COMMITTEE SHALL HAVE THREE BOARD MEMBERS AS MEMBERS PLUS [01:00:06] THE CHAIRMAN EXCEPT THAT THE CHAIRMAN MAY APPOINT ANOTHER BOARD MEMBER TO TAKE THAT ROLE. TAKE THAT SEAT. OKAY, VERY GOOD. YOU WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO REMOVE ONE OF THE MEMBERS FROM THE RE PRECINCT IN COMMITTEE BECAUSE RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE FOUR ON THE COMMITTEE FOR ALL FOUR BUT I'M JUST SAYING WE MEET AGAIN I MEAN WHEN MR. SWEENEY APPOINTED MEMBERS HE POINTED FOUR TO SEVERAL OF THE COMMITTEES AND IF HE IS IF I UNDERSTAND THIS MOTION CORRECTLY IS CHOOSING NOT TO PARTICIPATE ONE OF THOSE MEMBERS IS THE PERSON THAT WAS APPOINTED IN DEATH. IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. THE DEFAULT THAT THE CHAIRMAN IS THE FOURTH MEMBER OF EVERY COMMITTEE EXCEPT THAT THE CHAIRMAN HAS THE DISCRETION TO APPOINT ANOTHER BOARD MEMBER TO TAKE HIS OR HER PLACE ON A STANDARD GIVE ME I WAS JUST SAYING MY COMMITTEE HAD FOUR AND YOU'RE VICE-CHAIR IS NOT REPRESENTING YOU BECAUSE HE WAS A VOTING OF MY PARTY SO. HE'S A REGULAR COMMITTEE MEMBER. OKAY SO IRRESPECTIVE THE VICE-CHAIR RIGHT. BUT I'M SAYING THAT SHE'S SAYING THAT ONLY THREE MEMBERS OF A COMMITTEE AND THEN THE FOURTH MEMBER WOULD BE EITHER THE CHAIR OR SOMEONE THAT THE CHAIR OF FOUR. YES SO THAT THAT'S THE MOTION I'VE MADE FOR A CHANGE TO OUR HOUSE RULES. OH YEAH. OKAY IS THERE A SECOND I'LL SECOND ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION. OKAY ALL IN FAVOR SAY I OKAY IT'S UNANIMOUS CONCEPTUAL CHANGE. OKAY. OKAY AND I THINK THAT'S THE EXTENT OF THE THINGS THAT REQUIRE A CONSENSUS FROM THE BOARD SO THAT THE RULES DON'T VIOLATE THE BOARD'S INTENT I THINK WE'RE GOOD NOW. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. OKAY. AND ALSO MS.. JOHNSON, ARE A FEW CHARTERS STILL MISSING? THE ONLY THING I HAVE OUR FINANCE AND RULES AND I KNOW THAT IT IS MEETING TOMORROW MR. FORD INTENDS TO WORK ON THE CHARTER WE WOULD SEND OUT AN EMAIL TO MEMBERS AND I INCLUDED THAT AS A DRAFT BECAUSE I MY THOUGHT WAS THIS WAS ONE OF YOUR DELIBERATIONS WE HAVE RECEIVED NOTHING FROM EITHER LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS OR REPRESENTING THE ORIGINAL DUE DATE BASED ON THE COMMITTEE PROJECTS WAS APRIL 10TH. IS THAT STILL A GOOD DATE OR WOULD YOU LIKE THOSE DRAFTS BEFORE THE GOOD DAYS AND LOOK AT THE FACILITIES COMMITTEE THIS YEAR WILL BE COMPLETED TOMORROW. I JUST NEED MY COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO VOTE IT AND REACH CONSENSUS THAT WE CAN PASS IT ON TO YOU IMMEDIATELY BRING UP WANTING TO HELP HELP YOU. THEY KNOW IT'S A NIGHTMARE WHAT WOULD IT HELP IF ANY IN THE SUGGESTIONS THAT WE MAKE TO CHANGE SUBMIT THE ENTIRE PARAGRAPH AND I JUST REALLY IT WOULD DEFINITELY THE PAGE NUMBER BECAUSE THE PAGES ARE NUMBERED AND IT'S YOU KNOW SOMEONE WANTS TO SUBMIT A SUGGESTION FOR A CHANGE I KNOW THE PAGE NUMBER IT MAKES IT EASIER TO FIND. YES THE PARAGRAPH ADDITIONALLY MAKES IT EASIER IN ORDER TO MAKE CHANGES BASED ON THE BOARD'S RECOMMENDATIONS. SO SMITH THE WHOLE PARAGRAPH WITH THE CHANGE I SHOULD POINT OUT THAT I WILL NOT BE AT THE APRIL MEETING AND SO UNLESS ONE OF MY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS WANTS TO PRESENT OR DELIBERATIONS IN OUR FINAL WHAT WE HOPE WILL BE OUR FINAL DRAFT IT MAY HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL MAY. I MEAN I'LL GO EITHER IF SOMEONE ELSE WANTS TO PRESENT IT OTHERWISE IT WILL BE MAY BUT COULD SAY IF YOU COULD READ THIS AND HAVE ALL YOU PROPOSED IN BY APRIL 10TH THEN HOPEFULLY OUR COMMITTEE CAN MEET BEFORE I LEAVE ON THE 18TH FOR MY MONTH LONG THREE I WOULD REQUEST THAT THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS COMPLY WITH THAT AND THAT YOU APPOINT SOMEBODY ON THE COMMITTEE TO [01:05:01] PRESENT THAT LIST FOR INSTANCE. AND I KNOW THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I HAVEN'T SEEN. OKAY. MOVING ON THE AGENDA NEXT IS COMMITTEE REPORT FROM THE EARLY VOTING CENTER EVALUATION COMMITTEE. WE HAD OUR FIRST MEETING THIS AFTERNOON JUST BEFORE OUR REGULAR BOARD MEETING WE DISCUSSED THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT AND WHERE WE WERE, WHAT OUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES WERE IN THE PROCESS WHEN RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF GATHERING ADDITIONAL DATA AND WE CAN BEGIN SETTING SOME AND OBJECTIVES. OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU OKAY NEXT IS UNFINISHED BUSINESS. I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE ANY WE OKAY ANY NEW BUSINESS I HAVE NONE ANY COMMENTS ADDRESS I DO OKAY. NEXT AS DIRECTOR'S REPORT AND [VII. Director’s Report] MS. MODELS BY THE WAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR SUBMITTING THIS VERY HELPFUL AND YOU'RE WELCOME SIR. WE WILL GO THROUGH ALL FOUR CATEGORIES THAT WE TYPICALLY GO THROUGH LEGISLATIVE UPDATES, ELECTION FACILITY AND ANY MISCELLANEOUS THINGS THAT MAY BE OUT THERE. THE ONLY BILL THAT I SAW SINCE THE LAST MONTHLY BOARD MEETING WAS 41 THE HOUSE BILL 4140 THAT WAS INTRODUCED ON THE FIFTH ON ON THE FIFTH OF THIS MONTH AND I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S GOING TO GO ANYWHERE. NONE OF THEM HAVE BEEN DOING ANYTHING SINCE THE LAST TIME MET. SO THIS WAS INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE NEWTON AND IT'S RELATING EARLY VOTING AND WHAT I UNDERSTAND IT TO BE BECAUSE WAS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WERE DISCUSSED THAT SCARE WAS THEY WERE PROPOSING CHANGING THE EARLY HOURS IN TIME FOR PRIMARIES INSTEAD OF IT BEING FIVE DAYS CLOSING AT FIVE THEY ARE PROPOSING SIX DAYS CLOSING AT SIX. SO THAT'S WHAT'S OUT THERE RIGHT NOW. EXCUSE ME THE HOUSE MET TWO WEEKS AGO TO TALK ABOUT THEIR BUDGET AND THESE ARE THE CHANGES THAT WERE BEING RECOMMENDED IN THE HOUSE BUDGET FOR ELECTION? IT WAS AN $11 MILLION ONE TIME MONEY FOR STATEWIDE VOTING EQUIPMENT UPGRADES $4 MILLION FOR REOCCURRING MONEY OF REOCCURRING MONEY FOR ANNUAL ELECTION COST AND THESE ARE BIG PROPOSALS IN THE HOUSE BUDGET. THERE'S NOT SENATE THE HOUSE IS ALSO RECOMMENDING UPGRADES. NO ACTUALLY NO UPGRADE TO TO THESE ONE OR 2.1 AND THEY DID NOT RECOMMEND WE ALL KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT AT ONE POINT THERE WAS A BILL BEING INTRODUCED TO INCREASE THE STIPEND FOR BOARD MEMBERS. WELL, THAT WAS NOT IN THE BUDGET IN THE HOUSE VERSION AT LEAST AND INCREASE IN POLL WORKERS PAY FROM $75 A DAY TO WORK ON ELECTION DAY TO $100 A DAY AND THAT WAS NOT IMPROVE NOR WAS THE $60 FOR TRAINING THAT'S BEING OFFERED NOW GOING TO $75. NONE OF THIS WAS IN THE HOUSE BUDGET. CAN YOU DO YOU CAN YOU PROVIDE ME KIND OF DATA AS TO WHY THAT IS WHY WHY THERE'S NOT SUPPORT TO PROPOSE CHANGE FOR THE POLL WORKER PAY INCREASE? NO, SIR, I CANNOT IS THIS SOMETHING THAT I REALLY I FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT? I THINK THE REST OF US FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT THIS. IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN TO TO TALK TO OUR DELEGATION REGARDING THIS IN YOUR OPINION? I CAN CERTAINLY RAISE THE QUESTION THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE WERE CHAMPIONED ALSO CHAMPIONING IN SCALE THE INCREASE FOR BOARD MEMBERS AND INCREASE FOR POLL WORKERS EXPANSION. BUT REMEMBER YOU HAVE TO WORK WITH OUR DELEGATION AND OUR [01:10:07] LEGISLATORS AND THIS IS NOT JUST COUNTY DELEGATION. THIS IS ALL THE REPRESENTATIVE IN THE HOUSE WHEN THEY BROUGHT THE BUDGET FORWARD THESE THINGS WERE NOT IN IT SO YOUR DELEGATION MEMBERS CAN HAVE AN IMPACT BUT IT HAS ALREADY LEFT THE HOUSE IT'S NOW GOING TO BE DISCUSSED IN THE SENATE. THE SENATE CAN MAKE CHANGES TO WHATEVER THE HOUSE IS RECOMMENDING AND THEN THEY WILL HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE HOUSE AGAIN FOR APPROVAL SO THESE ARE ALL POLITICAL ACTIONS YOU GUYS WILL HAVE TO SOLICIT THE LEGISLATORS TO PROMOTE WHAT WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN ELECTION LAW CHANGES. YEAH I MEAN PERSONALLY SPEAKING NOT THAT I'M NOT THAT MUCH IN SUPPORT OF STIPEND FOR THE BOARD MEMBERS TO BE UPGRADED BECAUSE I'M PRETTY COMFORTABLE WHAT WE GET BUT I THINK THE POLL WORKERS CONSIDERING THAT THE LENGTH OF TIME THAT ASKED OUR POLL WORKERS TO SHOW UP TO WORK ON ENTIRE DAY $100 PER DAY IS NOT ASKING A LOT SO I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THAT I THINK THE ENTIRE ELECTION COMMUNITY AGREES WITH YOU EXCEPT WE DON'T MAKE THE LAWS SO THE LAWMAKERS ARE GOING TO BE THE PEOPLE THAT WILL MAKE THE DIFFERENCE AND MS. SMILES CAN I JUST CONFIRM COUNTY COUNCIL APPROVED BEAUFORT COUNTY POLL WORKERS TO GET AN ADDITIONAL $100 A DAY? YES, THAT IS IMPACTED AT ALL BY NO SIR. BY THIS PROVISO NO. SO AND SO WHATEVER ADDITIONAL PAY THEY GET THROUGH THE PROVISO IT WILL BE ON TOP OF THE $100 THAT THE FOUR COUNTIES APPROVED. THAT'S CORRECT. IF A COUNTY PERMANENT OR THAT'S JUST FOR FOR THE LAST ELECTION, WE CAN SAY THAT WE HAVE REQUESTED IT IN THE 26 BUDGET SO WE DON'T KNOW YET. NO. SO WE DON'T YET BUT WE FEEL GOOD THAT IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO GO THROUGH BUT AGAIN WE DON'T KNOW. THE NEXT THING IS POLL WORKERS TRAINING AND WE'VE BEEN CONDUCTING NEW POLL WORKERS TRAINING AND I THINK IT'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL ADVERTISED THAT'S GOING ALL OVER THE COUNTY IN DIFFERENT VENUES WE HAVE HAD TWO SESSIONS ALREADY FROM MARCH THE 12TH WE HAD 23 PEOPLE ATTENDING AND ON MARCH 22ND THIS PAST SATURDAY WE HAD 60. SO RIGHT NOW WE'VE GOT 39 NEW POLL WORKERS THAT WE CAN ADD TO OUR DATABASE. AND I WANT TO THANK JEAN AND WENDELL FOR THEY DO WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO RECRUITING AND TRAINING THESE POLL WORKERS IF YOU LOOK THE NEXT SLIDE THIS IS TELLING YOU EXACT OF THOSE POLL THE 39 POLL WORKERS THAT WERE TRAINED WHAT AREA THAT THEY LIVE IN SO SOME OF THEM ARE NOT VERY GOOD. SO NOW IN THE MIDST OF ALL WHAT YOU ONLY HAD ONE THAT SHOWED UP SO FAR BUT YOU KNOW THIS JUST THE FIRST ONE SO WE'VE GOT SEVERAL MORE TRAINING SESSIONS AT ONE SIGNIFIES AND HELEN IS GOOD TO GO IS NUMBER ONE YEAH OH THAT'S WHAT IT IS YES. OKAY YEAH WHATEVER MAKES YOU FEEL BETTER. OH ALL RIGHT. ONE OF THE PROJECTS WE'VE BEEN WORKING IN THE LAST MONTH HAS BEEN POLLING PLACE SURVEYS. WE HAD THREE TEAMS FROM THE OFFICE GO OUT ACROSS THE AREA SURVEYING OUR POLLING PLACES TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE COMPLYING WITH ADA AND YOU KNOW, OUTLETS AND WHATEVER ELSE WE NEED TO RUN OUR ELECTIONS AND SO FAR THERE'S BEEN A CORRECTION TO THE REPORT BECAUSE WE CONDUCTED TWO SESSIONS I MEAN TWO SURVEYS ON YESTERDAY SO FOR THE HILTON HEAD THE MUSKIE AREA INSTEAD OF 20 ON YOUR REPORT YOU WILL SHOW 21 THERE REALLY 23 THAT'S BEEN COMPLETED AND SO WE HAVE A 96 COMPLETION. THERE'S ONLY THREE POLLING LOCATIONS THAT STILL NEED TO BE SURVEYED. SO I WOULD TO THANK THE STAFF FOR BEING DILIGENT GOING OUT CONDUCTING THESE SURVEYS AND DOING IT IN A TIMELY MANNER [01:15:07] THAT'S GREAT. THAT'S A HUGE EFFORT. MS. SMALLS THAT'S A LOT OF POLLING PLACES. CAN I ASK YOU HOW HOW WELL ARE WE DOING IN THE SURVEYS? THEY ALL GOOD? WELL, I SHOULDN'T SAY ALL GOOD. WE STILL HAVE THE BLUFFTON RECREATION CENTER. THERE'S SOME CONCERNS ABOUT ONE OF THE DOORWAY BEING COMPLYING BUT THERE IS A SECOND DOORWAY THAT IS COMPLYING. SO IF WE NEED TO WE COULD SWITCH OVER TO USING THE SECOND DOORWAY SO BUT OTHER THAN THAT WE I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING DID YOU WINDOW I THINK EVERYTHING WAS FINE GOOD TO HEAR. THANK YOU. CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS WE'VE OUR CERP PROJECT MANAGERS TO COME OVER AND SURVEY OUR OFFICE FOR FOR SOME SECURITY EQUIPMENT AND I DON'T LIKE TO REALLY TALK IN DETAIL PROJECTS CONCERNING SECURITY IN AN OPEN FORUM BUT THEY HAVE COME OVER AND SURVEYED THE OFFICE AND THEY WILL BE MAKING SOME SECURITY CHANGES TO OUR BUILDING AND I WILL GIVE THAT TO YOU ALL IN WRITING SO YOU CAN HAVE WHAT THOSE CHANGES ARE. BUT I DO NOT I DO NOT WANT TO DISCUSS IT RIGHT NOW. OKAY. I CAN DISCUSS SO FAR AS FACILITY IS CONCERNED THE INTERIOR OF THE THE BUILDING THEY WILL BE REPLACING FIVE OF OUR DOORS INSIDE THE WOODEN DOORS WILL BE CHANGED OUT TO STEEL DOORS AND SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE REQUESTED IN THE DOORS WERE ONE OF THEM IN FISCAL YEAR 26 WHICH IS COMING UP IS BEING DONE NOW THE DOORS IS ONE OF THEM SO THEY DO HAVE THE MONEY ON HAND NOW TO REPLACE THOSE DOORS. SO THAT'S THAT'S GOOD. AND SO SOME OF THE OTHER PROJECTS FOR 26 THE WINDOWS AND ALL OF THAT WILL PROBABLY BE IF NOT FINISHED BY THIS FISCAL YEAR IT WILL BE DONE IN THE NEXT YEAR BUDGET CYCLE AND I WILL GIVE YOU ALL A WRITTEN REPORT FROM THEM FOR YOUR INFORMATION THE GENERATOR I HAVE NOT GOTTEN ANY UPDATES ON WHERE WE ARE WITH THE GENERATOR . HOPEFULLY BY THE NEXT BOARD MEETING WE WILL HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ON THAT. WE THIS IS MISCELLANEOUS STUFF JUST FOR YOUR INFORMATION AND YOU ARE INVITED IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COME THERE WILL BE AN END OF LIFE PLANNING SEMINAR ON A VOTER REGISTRATION TRAINING ROOM ON THE 14TH FROM 10 TO 12 IT WILL BE CONDUCT IT BY ONE OF OUR FORMER BOARD MEMBERS WHO IS NOW THE DIRECTOR OF THE VETERANS AFFAIRS ADMINISTRATION HERE IN BEAUFORT AND SHE WILL BE PROVIDING STAFF WITH SOME INFORMATION ON LIFE PLANNING AND OF LIFE PLANNING SO ALSO WE HAD DEFENSIVE DRIVING CLASSES FOR STAFF SIX OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS ATTENDED ON THE 13TH OF MARCH AND THAT WAS CONDUCTED BY OUR RISK MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT. SO ALL OF OUR STAFF SHOULD KNOW HOW TO DRIVE COUNTY WITHOUT GETTING INTO ANY INCIDENTS AND ALL RIGHT. I THINK MOST OF US I THINK CHRIS ME THAT ALL OF YOU HAVE COMPLETED YOUR STATEMENT OF ECONOMIC INTEREST SO WE SHOULD BE GOOD TO GO BECAUSE THE DEADLINE IS MARCH THE 30TH AND JUST A NOTE YOU ALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS WILL BE AVAILABLE TO US IN APRIL BECAUSE OF RENOVATIONS AND I AM RECOMMENDING THAT WE USE OUR OFFICE FOR BOARD MEETINGS UNTIL THE RENOVATION PROJECTS IS COMPLETE. SOUNDS GOOD TO ME AND [01:20:08] CONGRATULATIONS TO MISTERS MIKE SO WE HE IS OFFICIALLY A CERTIFIED BOARD FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS HE DID IT IN RECORD NUMBER TIME THAT'S GOT TO BE THIS Y'ALL LET'S GIVE MY TWO HAND CHRIS THIS IS DURING THE CLASS AND AFTER THE NEXT MEETING WE SHOULD HAVE ANOTHER CERTIFIED BOARD MEMBER I BELIEVE. ALL RIGHT, SO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? GREAT QUESTION. LOOKING AT THE CALENDAR FROM THE BOARD MEETING DATES FOR 2025 NOVEMBER 26 IS THANKSGIVING WEEK IS THERE ANY REVIEW TO CHANGE THAT DATE OR COMBINE IT WITH THE DECEMBER MEETING THAT WILL BE UP TO THE BOARD. I'M THE BOARD WILL MAKE A RECOMMENDATION ON WHAT YOU WANT TO DO TYPICALLY THAT'S DONE WHEN WE GET CLOSER TO THAT DATE BUT YOU ALL CAN MAKE THAT CHANGE RIGHT NOW IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE THE CALENDAR WE GOT TO GET SOME PLANE TICKETS NOW WE DO HAVE AN ELECTION IN NOVEMBER IN NOVEMBER OR WHAT'S THE DATE AND YOU WILL BE RESPONSIBLE CERTIFYING ONE OF THOSE ELECTIONS WE HAVE TWO ELECTIONS. OKAY SO THE DATE FOR THAT ELECTION IS THE FOURTH AND THE FOURTH AND THE CERTIFICATION IS THE SIXTH THE SIXTH. AND IF THERE WERE A RUNOFF WHEN THAT ONE IS NOT A RUNOFF WON'T BE AROUND IT WON'T BE A RUNOFF. BUT THE OTHER ONE THAT IS A POTENTIAL RUNOFF THEY HAVE THEIR OWN COMMISSION SO THEY WILL CERTIFY THEIR OWN ELECTION RESULTS AND IF THERE'S A RUNOFF THEY WILL ALSO CERTIFY THOSE RESULTS AS WELL. SO NO THANKSGIVING PLANS AND GO AFTER THE SIXTH. SO IF THEY IF THE CHAIR WANTS TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO CHANGE THAT MEETING OR SUSPEND THAT MEETING, THAT'S THAT'S THAT'S OKAY. MR. FORD HAD A QUESTION AS WELL I HAD A QUESTION BUT NOT NECESSARILY DIRECTED TO YOU BUT IN REGARDS TO THE FROM THE CHAIR BUT THE VICE CHAIR YOU ALL HAD A MEETING WITH MR. MOORE THIS GENERATOR THAT YOU ALL GET ANY ANY REPORT THAT YOU CAN SHARE WE HAD NO IMMEDIATE FEEDBACK FROM MR. MOORE AT THAT TIME SO OKAY. ON THE BOARD MEETING ISSUE, I'LL SEND AN EMAIL TO EVERYBODY TO CANVASS THEIR AVAILABILITY IN LATE NOVEMBER EARLY DECEMBER AND THEN WE'LL DECIDE AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING OR ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE DIRECTOR. OKAY. [VIII. Executive Session] NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS AN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS A PERSONNEL ISSUE AND. THERE WILL BE NO VOTES TAKEN DURING THIS MEETING OR THIS SESSION. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO MOVE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION? I MOVE THAT WE MOVE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AT THIS TIME SECONDED BY MISS JOHNSON. OKAY IN FAVOR SAY I CAN THE GENERAL BOARD MEETING IS BACK IN SESSION WE WERE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION WHERE NO [X. Announcements] VOTES TAKEN. THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS ANNOUNCEMENTS. AS MS. SMALL MENTIONED, ETHICS FORMS ARE DUE MARCH 30TH. THE NEXT BOARD MEETING IS SCHEDULED APRIL 23RD 2:00 AND THAT WILL BE AT THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS OFFICE AT 15. JOHN GAULT. AND WITH THAT DO I HAVE A MOTION ADJOURN? OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR I THA * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.