Apr 09, 2025 County Council Budget Workshop

[1. CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:07]

WHEN YOU GUYS ARE TRYING TO GET TO PETS. GOOD MORNING.

WE ARE HERE FOR THE COUNTY COUNCIL BUDGET WORKSHOP AND NOT ORDER.

WE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THANK YOU.

[3. STATEMENT OF COMPLIANCE WITH FOIA]

[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

A SECOND AMENDMENT SECOND. OKAY. WE HAVE ON ALL IN FAVOR BY SHOW OF HANDS TO FRAME THE AGENDA AND IT IS UNANIMOUS. WE HAVE ONE COUNCILMAN BR ON ONE. ALL RIGHT. DO WE HAVE ANYBODY SIGN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? NO, MA'AM. OKAY.

[6. PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF BEAUFORT COUNTY'S FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET]

THIS WILL BE DONE BY MS.. HARRIET PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF THE COUNTY'S FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET AND MISSOURI. DO YOU YOU WANT TO DO YOUR PRESENTATION AND THEN WE ASK QUESTIONS. OKAY.

THAT'S THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT. THANK YOU. WELL, GOOD MORNING.

MORNING. MORNING. WELL, IS THAT WONDERFUL TIME OF YEAR HERE GETTING READY FOR FULL FLEDGED DEEP INTO BUDGET SEASON SO I'M READY WHEN YOU'RE READY. ALL RIGHT. SO THIS IS A OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE GENERAL FUND AND SOME NEW POSITION REQUESTS AS WELL AS VEHICLES, EQUIPMENT AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR.

SO WE ARE STILL FINE TUNING OUR GENERAL FUND. SO THIS IS A OVERVIEW OF WHERE WE ARE AT THE MOMENT. SO WE'RE STILL ASKING FOR OF OUR DEPARTMENTS TO LOOK AT THEIR BUDGETS LINE ITEMS AND SEE WHERE WE CAN MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS.

THE ADMINISTRATOR IS STILL REVIEWING SOME OTHER SOME OF THE OTHER FUNDS SO WE ARE WE WANTED TO HAVE AT LEAST THIS READY FOR YOU TODAY. SO AS A PART OF THE STRATEGIC RIGHTS SORRY AS A PART OF THE STRATEGIC SESSION THAT WE HAD A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO THESE ARE SOME OVERVIEWS FOR THE UPDATES THE GENERAL FUND BUDGETS IN GENERAL.

SO WE DID IMPLEMENT ALL OF SALARY LINE ITEMS IN OUR BUDGET INCLUDE A 3% COST OF LIVING INCREASE REMINDER THAT WE'RE MOVING THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT BACK INTO GENERAL FUND FROM THE ENTERPRISE FUND WE ARE ALSO TAKING THE GARAGE AND MOVING IT BACK OUT TO AN ESF WHICH IS AN INTERNAL SERVICE FUND. IT IS A TYPE OF ENTERPRISE FUND SO YOU CAN START GENERATING AND START SERVICING VEHICLES THE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS AS WE USED TO DO PREVIOUSLY. WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER SOME NEW PERSONNEL REQUESTS AND THEN WE WILL GO OVER SOME VEHICLE AND CAPITAL EQUIPMENT AS WELL AS THE CIP AND THEN WE'LL HAVE AN OVERVIEW OF THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS.

SO EVERYBODY'S BEEN WAITING FOR THIS MAGIC NUMBER. SO WE HAVE ESTIMATED VALUE OF A MIL FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 IS $2.9 MILLION, 25 ESTIMATE WAS $2.7 MILLION.

SO THAT SAW AN INCREASE OF $275,000 AND A LITTLE OVER 10% INCREASE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR ARE ESTIMATED TAX REVENUE WILL INCREASE BY $11.6 MILLION IN THE GENERAL FUND.

SO THAT'S A PRETTY BIG JUMP FOR US. HERE'S AN OVERVIEW OF OUR GENERAL FUND REVENUES. I KNOW THAT'S KIND OF SMALL BUT I HOPE YOU CAN SEE IT.

FISCAL YEAR 25 ADOPTED BUDGET AFTER A BUDGET AMENDMENT MOVE $3.3 MILLION FROM FUND BALANCE FOR FLEET IT WAS ADJUSTED TO 160 MILLION 172 AND 15 UPCOMING PROJECTED AT THE CURRENT MOMENT BECAUSE WE'RE STILL FINDING REVENUES WILL BE AT 181,000,970 989 AND YOU CAN SEE THERE'S YOUR REVENUE SOURCES THESE ARE THE GENERAL FUND EXPENSES 25 IS ADOPTED IS 161 7215 CURRENTLY AS WE CONTINUE TO MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS WE A WE HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET BUT THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE ARE STILL AWAITING TO REVIEW WITH DEPARTMENTS BUT WE ARE WE'RE PRESENTING IT TO YOU IN A BALANCED BUDGET ONE 8197 988 BE A DOLLAR ALL RIGHT SOME.

OF THE NEW POSITIONS THE ADMINISTRATOR HAS GONE THROUGH EVERY DEPARTMENT'S REQUEST AND ARE THE POSITIONS THAT HE IS RECOMMENDING FOR APPROVAL FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR.

[00:05:04]

THOSE ARE INCLUDED IN EMS REQUEST RIGHT THERE. SO IN ADDITION TO THE GENERAL FUND WE HAVE NINE NEW POSITIONS IN THE HILLHEAD AIRPORT ENTERPRISE FUND DUE TO THE CANCELATION OF A CONTRACT AND THAT TOTAL COST IS HUNDRED $61,000.

SO AND THEY DO HAVE THE BUDGET AND REVENUES TO THAT RIGHT HERE ARE WE HAVE TODD IS HERE OUR FLIGHT DIRECTOR HE'S HERE IF YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS FOR OUR VEHICLES CAPITAL EQUIPMENT BECAUSE HE IS A SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT THIS IS A TOTAL AMOUNT OF REQUESTS THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED FROM. THE GENERAL FUND DEPARTMENT AS YOU CAN SEE SOLID WASTE HAS BEEN MOVED BACK IN HERE THE BCSO WHICH IS THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS ONLY THEIR GENERAL FUND DEPARTMENT, NOT THEIR HILTON HAD LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT WILL BE ON A DIFFERENT AMOUNT SO $4.9 MILLION FOR VEHICLES HERE IS OUR EQUIPMENT REQUEST THIS IS ALSO GENERAL FUND ONLY SO THERE ARE ALL OF THESE ARE FUND REQUESTS SO THEY ONLY IMPACT THE GENERAL SO ON THE OTHER FUNDS HAVE WILL BE ON AN UPCOMING SLIDE AND I THINK WE CUT ABOUT $2.5 MILLION FROM THE ORIGINAL REQUEST. THIS IS A REDUCTION FROM WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY SUBMITTED.

THESE ARE THE OTHER FUNDS STORMWATER UTILITY HAS 446 HILTON HEAD HAS 100,000 PUBLIC DEFENDERS REQUESTED SOME VEHICLES THAT SHE WOULD LIKE TO PURCHASE OUT OF HER FUND BALANCE. THE LIBRARY HAS AND IS UTILIZING THEIR IMPACT FEES TO MAKE A PURCHASE AND THEN THIS IS WHERE THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HILTON HEAD VEHICLE AND EQUIPMENT REQUEST IS EQUIPMENT EXCUSE ME RIGHT ON TO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS WE HAVE CAROLYN WALLACE HERE FROM OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS DEPARTMENT ANSWER ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY REGARDING THE 91 NEW PROJECTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 MIDDLE COLUMN REVENUES IS THE 3.2 MILLS AT THE CURRENT MILL VALUE VALUE OF THE MILL IS $9.5 MILLION WE REQUESTED BACK IN OUR PLANNING SESSION TO UTILIZE $50 MILLION OF GENERAL FUND FUND BALANCE FOR OUTSTANDING CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO GET COMPLETED AND THEN THE $28 MILLION IS CURRENT FUND BALANCE OF WHAT HAS NOT YET BEEN ENCUMBERED THAT ALREADY AWARDED TO THE SEATTLE PEOPLE AND SO THAT FUND IS COMPLETELY BALANCED AND ANY ONE OF THESE CAN LET ME UP HERE BY MYSELF BUT THEY CAN COME ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE SO 2428 749 ARE PROJECTS THAT WERE YOU PREVIOUSLY ALLOCATED FUNDS FOR THAT HAVE NOT STARTED BUT WILL START AND THEN 24 IS THE NEW NUMBER FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 ALL RIGHT HERE ARE SOME OTHER FUNDS RIGHT NOW THIS IS THE GARAGE FUND THAT WE'RE MOVING BACK OUT AN INTERNAL SERVICE FUND. OUR REVENUES ARE PROJECTED TO BE A $3.9 MILLION AND THEN EXPENDITURES ARE POINT NINE. ALSO NOTE THERE IS NO FUND TRANSFER THE GENERAL FUND TO FOR THE GARAGE INTERNAL SERVICE FUND THEY HAD A FUND BALANCE PREVIOUSLY OF ROUGHLY $810,000 THAT THEY'LL BE UTILIZING SO THE GENERAL FUND WILL NOT BE MOVING MONEY OVER TO THE GARAGE FUND DEBT SERVICE FUND SIGNS ARE $12.5 MILLION ARE REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES. WE ARE STILL WORKING THROUGH OUR SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS AND WE'RE STILL REVIEWING SOME OF THE REQUESTS THAT HAVE COME IN AND OUR CAPITAL PROJECT FUNDS ARE BEING FINALIZED AS WE SPEAK SO THOSE WEREN'T READY FOR TODAY'S PRESENTATION.

ALL RIGHT. HERE WE GO. HERE'S OUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS GARAGE AS YOU SAW CHANGED THE NUMBER. A LITTLE BETTER NEED TO MOVE THAT BACK TO THE PREVIOUS SLIDE BEFORE EXECUTIVE AIRPORT IS $2.3 MILLION REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES HILTON HEAD 6.2 AND STORMWATER IS 17.1 CURRENTLY AND WE ARE STILL FINE TUNING A FEW SO THAT'S WHY YOU'LL SEE DIFFERENT SET OF NUMBERS I NEED TO UPDATE THE PREVIOUS SLIDE TO REFLECT SOME CUTS MADE ON THE GARAGE. ALL RIGHT.

THIS IS OUR NEXT EPS OR ANY QUESTIONS. THIS IS WHAT'S COMING UP FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE BUDGET CALENDAR. I'M HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.

WE HAVE SOME OF OUR TEAM HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE SIR IN THE C IP PROJECTS ARE THEY SHOVEL READY? SO I'M GOING TO LET THE ONE WHO HELP ME PUT THIS BUDGET

[00:10:01]

GOOD MORNING. OKAY. SO YOUR QUESTION IS THEY SHOVEL READY? WE HAVE A MIXTURE. SO WE DO HAVE QUITE A BIT OF PROJECTS THAT ARE SHOVEL READY. MANY OF THEM CAN BE COMPLETED IN ONE FISCAL YEAR SO THEY ARE A BIT OF THOSE BUT THEN WE DO HAVE LARGER PROJECTS THAT ARE MORE THAT ARE GOING TO BE MULTI-YEAR. SO WE HAVE A MIXTURE THEM.

FACILITY HAS FACILITY MANAGEMENT HAS DONE A WONDERFUL JOB.

THEY BASICALLY SURVEY JUST ABOUT ALL OF THEIR BUILDINGS IN ALL OF THEIR ALL OF ALL OF OUR ASSETS AND THEY'VE COME UP WITH A COMPREHENSIVE LIST TO, BRING A LOT OF OUR MAINTENANCE UP IN THOSE BUILDINGS AND THAT'S REFLECTED A GREAT DEAL IN OUR LIST OF PROJECTS AND.

A LOT OF THOSE LIKE I SAID THOSE CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED IN ONE YEAR.

BUT THEN AGAIN LIKE I SAID THEY ARE SOME MULTI-YEAR PROJECTS EVEN AT 28 MILLION FOR WHAT WE ARE CARRYING FOR. THOSE ARE THOSE ARE ONGOING PROJECTS.

THAT IS JUST TAKEN A NUMBER YEARS TO GET THOSE COMPLETED. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I HAVE A QUESTION. ARE ALL THE FUNDS THAT YOU ANTICIPATE HAVING COMMITTED TO PROJECTS OR IS THERE ANY FLEXIBILITY THERE? THERE'S ONLY A LITTLE BIT OF FLEXIBILITY. WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A CONTINGENCY FEE.

OKAY. SO OUR CURRENT CONTINGENCY AGAIN THE MILL VALUE WAS PROVIDED ONE DAY THIS WEEK. SO WE HAVE NOT ASSIGNED A LITTLE OVER $1,000,000 BUT OUR CONTINGENCY TYPICALLY IS $1 MILLION BECAUSE THEY ARE ALWAYS OVERRUN THEIR EMERGENCY SEASON THAT COME UP AND WE BURN THROUGH THAT PRETTY QUICKLY. OKAY.

SO TO HELP ANSWER THAT, WHAT WE DID WAS ONCE WE GOT THE MILL VALUE OF A MILL THE INCREASE THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THAT MILLAGE, WE'RE PUTTING IT IN A CONTINGENCY SO WE DON'T END UP IN POSITIONS WHERE SOMETHING COST INCREASE AND THEN WE DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY TO PULL FROM.

GOOD LUCK. WE'VE GOT QUESTION IF I MIGHT. YEAH.

YEAH. OUR FUNDS CREATED FROM MY UNDERSTANDING TO OPERATE OF THE GENERAL FUND. CORRECT. AND IN THIS PRESENTATION I SEE YOU I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HOW MUCH OF THE GENERAL FUND IS TO SUPPORT OUR ENTERPRISE FUND ZERO. PARTICULARLY THE AIRPORT. CORRECT.

THERE'S AT WHAT POINT AT WHAT POINT HOW ADMINISTRATION INTENDS TO GET OUR ENTERPRISE DEPARTMENT INDEPENDENT OF FUNDS FROM THE GENERAL FUND AND A PART OF THIS YEAR'S BUDGET THERE IS $0 GOING FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO ANY OF THESE ENTERPRISE.

OKAY. SO WE HAVE NOTHING FROM OUR GENERAL FUND TRANSFERS OUT GOING TO ANY OF THESE ENTERPRISE FUNDS AT THIS POINT. ANY OTHER QUESTION JUST QUICKLY I SHOULD HAVE ASKED THIS QUESTION BACK IN THE WORKSHOP WE HAD WITH THE BUDGET YOU YOU RECOMMENDING AT THIS STAGE OR THE ADMINISTRATION IS RECOMMENDING TIME THE GARAGE BECOME UNDER THE COUNTY SEVERAL YEARS AGO THE WAS TAKEN OUT IN PLACE AS AN ENTERPRISE IS THERE ANY DOCUMENTATION THAT IS SO WHY WE ARE DOING IT THE REASON I'M ASKING IT BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO BE HERE. THE COUNCIL BEING HERE TWO OR THREE OR FOUR YEARS FROM NOW AND REVERSING THIS SO HOPEFULLY THAT YOU HAVE JUSTIFICATION WHY IT SHOULD BE IN THE COUNTY BUDGET TO STILL FORCES THE ENTERPRISE BUDGET. YEAH SO PREVIOUS YEARS PRIOR TO 23. CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG. 23 AND 22 BEFORE WE USED TO BE AN INTERIM POINT USED TO BE AN INTERNAL SERVICE FUND AND I THINK IT'S ONLY IN FISCAL YEAR 24 ABOVE. THAT'S CORRECT. ONLY IN 24 AND 25.

WE NO LONGER OPERATED IT AN INTERNAL SERVICE FUND USED TO OPERATE AS A PREVIOUSLY AND THEN WHAT TOD WAS ABLE TO DO WAS BUILD APARTMENTS AND BUILD OTHER ENTITIES.

CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG HE DOES THIS FOR A LIVING AND GENERATE REVENUE SO IT CAN BE SELF-SUPPORTING AND SO FOR THE GENERAL FUND HE'LL JUST CHARGE THE VEHICLE AND FULLY TO TO THE ACTUAL DEPARTMENT AND THAT'S HOW AN INTERNAL SERVICE IS SET UP TO OPERATE FOR AND THEN HE'LL BE ABLE TO START GENERATING EXTRA REVENUE I BELIEVE HE'S ALREADY DRAFTING SOME EMPLOYEES TO GET BACK IN BUSINESS WITH THE MUNICIPALITIES, THE SCHOOL

[00:15:01]

YEAH. USED TO BE BEFORE. CORRECT.

AND WE SOMEHOW THE WISDOM OF COUNCIL DECIDED TO GO AS AN ENTERPRISE FOR A BUDGET AND NOW WE'RE GOING BACK AND I'M JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.

WE'RE GOING BACK TO BEING AN ENTERPRISE FUND THAT'S WHAT THE GARAGE GOING BACK TO BEING AN ENTERPRISE FUND AS YOU USED TO HAVE IT BEFORE AND AND SAYING YOU DOING IT FOR A REASON RIGHT JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IS SO THAT IF IT COMES UP AGAIN YOU CAN SAY NO WE'VE BEEN HERE, WE'VE DONE THAT NO WE NEED TO BE HERE. THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING.

YEAH. RIGHT. AND IT'S A GOOD WAY FOR HIM TO GENERATE TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES TO THE OTHER AGENCIES AS WELL.

WE USED TO HAVE A CONTRACT FIRST INITIATED TO ME ASK THIS WAY IS A DECISION TO GO THIS ROUTE IS BECAUSE OF YOU OR. IS IT THE BEST THING FOR COUNCIL? IT'S THE BEST THING FOR THE FLEET DEPARTMENT, YES. OKAY.

THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING. YEAH. OKAY.

BECAUSE PERSONALITY CHANGES ALL THE TIME, OF COURSE. YEAH.

OKAY THANK YOU. YES. SORRY.

AND I GUESS BUILDING ON THAT, HOW ARE THE FEES GOING TO BE STRUCTURED? IS IT GOING TO BE THERE OR LIKE SOMEBODY JUST TO BE ABLE TO GO TO JIFFY LUBE IN COMPARISON TO GOING TO BE RIGHT NOW THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE CAN GO TO JIFFY LUBE FOR EMERGENCY OIL FROM DOWN SOUTH FROM THE HILTON HEAD AREA. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE COMPETITIVE PRICING COMPARED TO WHAT'S OUT THERE ON THE MARKET. OUR GOAL IS TO GET AS MANY MUNICIPALITIES COME IN TO GET OUR SERVICES BECAUSE WE'RE DOING MORE THAN JUST OIL CHANGES ROTATIONS WE'RE DOING UPDATING AS WELL. GOING BACK TO YOUR QUESTION IS WHEN WE HAD FIRST VEHICLE HERE FIRST YEAR OF A CONTRACT WE HAD ONE GALLON OF THAT FLUID IS $16. FIRST VEHICLE WAS CHARGING US $75 AN HOUR TO TAKE THAT THAT FLUID PLUS 50% HARDER TO INCREASE TO GO FILL IT UP JUST TO GO TAKE ONE GALLON TO GO PUT FUEL INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. NO, NO WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THAT.

SO YEAH, WE'RE NOT IN THE BUSINESS TO MAKE WE'RE IN THE BUSINESS TO MAKE MONEY BUT TO BREAK EVEN. BUT YOU'RE NOT A YOU'RE NOT A NUMBER OF COUNTY IS NOT A NUMBER THEY'RE COUNTY. WE'LL TRY TO BE AS SUPPORTIVE AS POSSIBLE.

SO YEAH I MEAN WE RELY ON STAFF TO MAKE RECOMMENDATION TO US AND SO APPARENTLY WE WENT THAT ROUTE BECAUSE OF RECOMMENDATION I MEAN HAVE BEEN AN AGREEMENT WITH YOU TO STUFF I HAVE BEEN BUT YOU KNOW IT'S GOOD TO KNOW THAT YOU'RE DOING FOR A REASON AND AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING FOR THE BEST REASON AND WHAT I'M HEARING FROM YOU IS THAT IT'S BETTER FOR US TO BE INTERNAL WITH WITH OUR GARAGE IF WE COULD ACTUALLY SERVICE A LOT OF THE MUNICIPALITIES AND ALL THE ENTITIES THERE AND I THINK THAT'S A GOOD THING.

YES, SIR. YEAH, I THINK BLUFFTON BLUFFTON ,BLUFFTON, BLUFFTON.

BLUFFTON FIRE DEPARTMENT ACTUALLY DOES THAT TOO, RIGHT? YES.

AND HE'LL DO IT OR HE'LL TURN IT OVER WITH MR. GLOVER JUST TO OFFER A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORICAL CONTEXT. SO WHEN FLEET WAS INSIDE OF PUBLIC WORKS WE DID HAVE THE FIRST VEHICLE SERVICES AND THEY HAD BEEN OUR CONTRACTOR FOR 20 PLUS YEARS.

SO WHAT'S HAPPENED OVER THE LAST THREE OR FOUR YEARS IS WE SAID OKAY NOW'S THE TIME THAT WE THINK WE CAN STAND UP OUR OWN FLEET DEPARTMENT. AND WHEN WE DID THAT THERE WAS A TRANSITION OF OF HIRING NEW MECHANICS AND AND STANDING UP FROM PRETTY MUCH GROUND BECAUSE WE HADN'T HAD THAT FOR 20 YEARS. OKAY.

AND THEN IN THAT PROCESS WAS HOW ARE WE GOING TO WORK OUT THE BILLING HARASSMENT? SO IT OF AT THE TIME JUST I WAS WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CFO CHANGES AS WELL TO SIMPLIFY IT THAT WAS A MECHANICAL SIMPLIFICATION A GENERAL FUND VERSUS AN INTERNAL SERVICE FUND AND NOW THAT WE KIND OF HAVE OUR FEET SET BACK WE'VE GOT A DIRECTOR NOW WE'VE GOT PLAN, GOT A VISION AND NOW WE'VE GOT A NEW CFO NOW. THE DIRECTION IS OKAY, LET'S ACTUALLY SET THIS UP AS A PROPRIETARY FUND WHERE IT PRODUCES REVENUE THAT'S SELF-SUPPORTING SIMILAR TO HOW WE WERE BUT INSTEAD OF RUNNING THAT THROUGH A CONTRACTOR DO WE'RE RUNNING THAT THROUGH OUR INTERNAL FORCES. SO THAT'S KIND OF WHY THE TEAM THAT'S BEEN OVER THE LAST THREE I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I CAN STAND ON YOU AND THE STAFF NEXT TIME SOMEBODY ELSE COMES IN AND WANT TO KNOW THAT THAT'S IT. HOPEFULLY WE'RE SET WE'VE GOT WE'VE GOT GOOD LEADERSHIP NOW AND WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE WE'RE READY TO TAKE THIS CHALLENGE AND IT'S A BIT CONSTANT.

WE WON'T BE COMING BACK FOR CHANGES IN THE FUTURE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

THANK YOU. TWO OTHER QUESTIONS. I DO HAVE ONE MORE REGARDING THIS WITH THE OUTSIDE AGENCIES IS IT GOING TO BE ON A CONTRACT BASIS FOR THEM TO AND UTILIZE THE SERVICE OR IS IT JUST WE'RE GOING TO DO A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING THE OTHER

[00:20:03]

THAT'S I'M NOT SURE IS THAT ARE THEY ALL GOING TO BE APPROVED OR IS THAT JUST THE WISH LIST THAT THE REDUCED VERSION IT'S ALREADY BEEN SCRUBBED IS 90.9 AFTER YOU SCRUBBED IT? YES, IT WAS ORIGINALLY YOU REMEMBER THE NUMBER BEFORE POINT EIGHT IT WAS 9.8 MILLION BEFORE SO WE SCRAPED IT DOWN MUCH AS WE POSSIBLY COULD AND SO TOTAL VEHICLE AND EQUIPMENT IS 9.6 BUT YEAH 4.9 FOR THE GENERAL FUND. OKAY THE OTHER FUNDS HAVE THE THE CAPACITY TO ABSORB THEIR COST. MANY OF THOSE ARE REPLACEMENTS THAT THEY'RE USING I WOULD SAY AROUND PERCENT OF THEM JOURNALISTS ALL OF THE REPLACEMENT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

AND WE'LL SEE THOSE LESS TO BE ABLE TO GO THROUGH THEM. YES, YES, YES, SIR.

THIS WHERE SO THIS REQUEST WHERE DOES IT FALL IN LINE WITH THE PREVIOUS BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR FLEET WAS IT 3.3 MILLION. YES. LAST OR EARLIER YEAR THAT WAS FOR PURCHASES THAT THEY NEEDED DURING THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR 25.

SO THIS IS OUTSIDE OF THAT THIS IS NEW GOING INTO THE UPCOMING YEAR, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. LIKE A LOT OF YOU DOES GOT TO REDUCE 11% ROLLING ROLLING 1101 PER EMPLOYEE JUST BY YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE A VEHICLE I PROMISE YOU MAY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SCHEDULE FOR THE NEXT STEPS I YOU YES MA'AM SO PINK IN THIS SCHEDULE THE BUDGET PRESENTATIONS AND THE OUTSIDE AGENCIES AND SO ON WE WILL SEE THOSE IN ADVANCE SO WE'LL BE PREPARED TO ASK QUESTIONS RIGHT. IT WILL BE A PART OF YOUR AGENDA PACKET WHAT WE HAVE NOT ALL OF THE ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE SUBMITTED ACTUAL ACTUAL BUDGET SO I DIDN'T HAVE EVERY EVERY ONE OF THOSE THAT ARE PRESENTING TODAY WE HAVE SOME REQUESTS ON LETTERHEAD FROM SOME OF THEM SO BUT YES THIS IS BASED ON THE NEXT STEPS IS BASED ON WHAT'S ON OUR BUDGET CALENDAR COMING UP. SO 21ST IS PRESENTATION TO FINANCE COMMITTEE FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY BUDGET AND THEN BUDGET PRESENTATIONS ARE ALSO THAT DAY AS WELL AS MAY 12TH IS THE FIRST COUNTY COUNCIL FIRST READING A COUNTY COUNCIL FOR THE ORDINANCE AND THEN MAY 19 OUTSIDE ENTITIES WHERE ARE THE OTHER OUTSIDE AGENCIES YOU ONLY HAVE BARKSDALE ARE TO UCB TCO WOULD HAVE TO BE I THINK SOME OF THEM ARE PRESENTING AND SOME OF THEM ARE NOT CORRECT SOME OF THEM ARE JUST SENDING IN THEIR SAME REQUESTS THAT THEY GET EVERY YEAR. SO WHEN WE GET A LIST LIKE WE DID LAST YEAR THAT SAYS WHAT WE GAVE THEM THIS YEAR? YES. WHAT THEY'RE REQUESTING WHAT THE PERCENT OF IN COULD I ASK COULD YOU PUT THE 24 ON THERE TO 2425 AND WHAT THEY'RE REQUESTING FOR SIX BECAUSE I SORT OF REMEMBER WHAT WE ALL DID LAST YEAR OKAY I CAN'T REMEMBER EVERYTHING WE'VE GOT TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS ON LINE EITHER ONE OF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OPEN? OKAY. SO IT SEEMS LIKE WOULD WE'D HAVE MORE QUESTIONS BUT I GUESS NOT. DO YOU HAVE ONE AT THAT END LARRY GOOD. OKAY GIRLS FROM DAWSON NOBODY GOOD WE'RE OKAY.

YEAH, WE'RE WE'RE GOING TO GET A LOT MORE INFORMATION THROWN AT US TODAY BUT RIGHT BACK UP DOCUMENTATION RIGHT NOW I CAN SHARE THIS PRESENTATION WITH COUNSEL BUT OF COURSE NUMBERS ARE STILL BEING FINE TUNED SO WE'RE GETTING WE UNDERSTAND BY THE TIME THE 21ST AGENDA GOES OUT YOU'LL HAVE THE ENTIRE BUDGET. OKAY.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. READY TO GO ON TO NUMBER SEVEN THEN. THERE YOU GO. WELL, I, I I GAVE IT AN HOUR BUT THAT WAS TOO MUCH TIME. I NEVER LIKED IT. OFFICIALS ARE HERE YET SO BREAK WELL WE COULD GET REALLY UP TO HERE RIGHT OR NO LET'S DO A SHORT BREAK AND WE CAN SEE BENJAMIN. OKAY. WHEN YOU LET US KNOW WHEN YOU SURE WE STARTED SCHEDULING THEM AT 10 A.M. SO DAUGHTER WAS SCHEDULED TO GO TEN AND THEN I'M ASKED FOR AN EQUITY AS THE CHANGED ON YOUR AGENDA AT 1030 AND THEN THE SHERIFF REQUESTED 11 AND THEN THE OTHER TWO AFTER I THINK THE AUDITOR COULD COME I'M GOING TO RUN ACROSS THE HALL AND SEE IF YOU CAN GO. WE'LL TAKE A SHORT BREAK. WE SEE YOU AND SOME PEOPLE CANCELED RIGHT THIS MORNING. YES WE HAD ROSENBAUM THEN WE HAD A COUPLE OF ADJUSTMENTS ON YOUR AGENDA THAT I MISSED OR INEQUITIES COMING AND THE PUBLIC DEFENDER CANCELED IN THE WILL BE INSTEAD YEAH SO LET'S TAKE A READY MR. AUDITOR WHEN WE START

[7. FY 2026 BUDGET PROPOSALS FROM THE FOLLOWING ELECTED AND APPOINTED OFFICIALS]

[00:25:03]

YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT. JUST LET ME KNOW THAT WE DON'T SEE ANYTHING WEIRD SO YOU THINK YOU DO YOU WANT TO INTRODUCE WE'LL GET STARTED BACK. SURE.

YEAH. SO OUR FIRST PRESENTER WHO IS ABLE TO COME EARLY IS DAVID CADD, OUR AUDITOR. THANKS. GOOD MORNING.

GOOD MORNING. MORNING. WELL, I WISH I COULD TAKE UP THE WHOLE HALF HOUR BUT I'M NOT IF I CAN I ONLY GOT A COUPLE OF SLIDES BUT I'LL GO AHEAD TO START OFF BUT I WANT TO START WITH ACCOMPLISHMENTS FROM THE OFFICE THIS YEAR.

I CAN JUST TELL YOU SOME OF THE THINGS WE'VE WORKED THROUGH. WE SET UP A NEW WEBSITE.

IT'S HAD OVER 72,000 HITS AND HUNDRED AND 35,000 PAGE VIEWS. SO THEY'RE ACTUALLY USE OUR WEBSITE WE'RE GETTING PEOPLE TO USING THE ONLINE INFORMATION BECAUSE EVERYBODY CAN DO STUFF ONLINE. YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO WALK IN OUR OFFICE ANYMORE.

WE'VE GOT ZENDESK UP. WE'VE HAD 39,000 TICKETS OPEN AND ZENDESK ASKING US TO DO STUFF FOR THE PUBLIC AND 62% OF THOSE WERE SOLD IN ONE OUT WITHIN AN HOUR AND ABOUT 83% WERE SOLVED WITHIN 5 HOURS. SO WE'RE GETTING GOOD COMMUNICATION BACK FROM THE PUBLIC AS YOU KNOW BY PHONE CALLS. YOU KNOW, YOU HEAR IT EVERY YEAR IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER ABOUT ANSWERING PHONES. WELL, WE GOT OVER 30,000 PHONE CALLS AND THE HIGHEST DEMANDS ARE OBVIOUSLY IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER AND WE USUALLY GET ABOUT DURING THOSE TIMEFRAMES WE GET ABOUT 1500 PHONE CALLS DURING THE WEEK SO CIRCUIT BOARDS GET JAMMED THINGS JAMMED UP. SO UNFORTUNATELY WE CAN'T ANSWER THEM AS FAST AS OUR CALLING BUT THAT'S WHY WE GOT THE WEBSITE.

WE KIND OF TRIED TO PUSH THEM TO IT. WE SET UP WE DID A BUNCH OF SURVEYS YOU KNOW EVERY TIME THEY USE OUR STANDARDS WE ASKED THEM TO FILL OUT A SURVEY.

THEY DO WE HAVE A 95% APPROVAL RATE WHICH IS GOOD. WE'RE WORKING HARD ON THAT MAKING SURE YOU KNOW, WE'RE GETTING THE INFORMATION OUT A LOT OF THE DISAPPROVAL DON'T EVEN HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH OUR OFFICE THEY CONFUSE OUR OFFICE WITH THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE BECAUSE THEY WANT 4% OR WHY IT WAS TAKEN OUT BUT WE JUST KIND OF GET RAMPED UP IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL THAT BETWEEN THEM SO YOU TAKE THAT YOU TAKE SOME OF THOSE AWAY BUT IT'S 95%. I REALLY APPRECIATE OUR YOUR EMPLOYEES DOING A HECK OF A JOB. I CAN'T SPEAK I COULD TALK ALL DAY ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING BUT THEY'RE DOING THEIR JOB. THEY'RE DOING IT REALLY HARD AND TO MAKE YOU GUYS WE SET UP A NEW TAX CALCULATOR ONLINE. WHAT WE USE THAT FOR IS WE CAN'T GIVE ESTIMATES WHEN PEOPLE BUY STUFF THEIR OR THEIR CARS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT WE CAN'T GIVE ESTIMATES SO WE GOT A TAX CALCULATOR SO IT'LL TELL THEM ABOUT BASICALLY AROUND WITHOUT FEES THE STUFF WITH YOUR TAX BILLS ARE GOING TO BE SO WE GOT A NEW ONE UP SET UP IT WENT LIVE IN DECEMBER AND SINCE THEN WE HAVE ALMOST 16,000 VIEWS OF PEOPLE USING IT.

SO I CAN TELL YOU THEY'RE ENJOYING THAT FEATURE SO THEY HAVE THINGS TO WORK WITH TO GET A GOOD IDEA BEFORE THEY COME IN. EXCUSE ME.

GOOD IDEA BEFORE THEY COME IN ABOUT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AND WHAT THEIR TAXES KIND OF TAKES THE EDGE OFF BECAUSE YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE COME IN AND THEY'RE LIKE WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO WITH THIS $600 TAX BILL LIKE I DON'T KNOW. WE JUST WE JUST SAY IT'S A GOOD TAX. REALLY WHAT YOU DO WITH AFTER THAT'S UP TO YOU.

ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS WE HAVE FAR THIS YEAR? ALL RIGHT. I'M SORRY. YES, MR. KIDD I LOVE THE TAX CALCULATOR AND IT'S JUST THAT IF PEOPLE DON'T HOW TO FIND IT WE'RE ALWAYS IN THE WEBSITE'S NOT THE EASIEST TO WRITE NAVIGATE BUT IT'S A IT'S A REALLY NICE TOOL IT DOES IT TAKES THE EDGE OFF BECAUSE KNOW WHEN YOU BUY A CAR OR YOU BUY A HOUSE YOU START WORRYING ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO IN TAXES AND THEY REALLY LIKE IT. THEY REALLY USE A NEW ONES A LITTLE BIT USER BUT YES YOU HAVE TO DIRECT THEM TO THE WEBSITE TO GET IT AND I SEE LOTS A LOT OF THOSE PHONE CALLS ARE LIKE WELL DIRECT THEM TO IT TO SAY HEY USE TAX CUT LATER MINUS THE FEES, ROAD FEES AND STUFF LIKE THAT'S GOING TO GIVE YOU A GOOD IDEA WHICH I THINK IT WAS A GREAT ADDITION. THANK YOU. NOW MY BUDGET PROPOSAL I'M REQUESTED NEW PERSONNEL THIS YEAR WE DON'T HAVE THE ROOM SO I COULD IF I REQUESTED THEM I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY WOULD WORK. SO WE'RE NOT REQUESTING ANY NEW PEOPLE THIS YEAR. WE'RE DOING PRETTY GOOD WITH WHAT WE HAVE.

I HAVE ONE JOB HOUSE I HAD THE WHOLE YEAR. I CAN'T SEEM GET IT FILLED SO IF ANYBODY'S LISTENING WANTS TO BE A PROPERTY INSPECTOR LET US KNOW BUT MY JOB'S BEEN OPEN FOR A WHOLE YEAR. I CAN'T IT FILLED SO THAT MONEY OBVIOUSLY IT WASN'T SPENT REQUESTING THE BUDGET REQUEST TO REDUCE OUR BUDGET BY $50,000.

I WANT TO GET BACK TO THE TAXPAYERS. I WAS ABLE TO IF YOU WANT TO CALL IT DODGE OR WHATEVER YOUR BUDGET I WAS ABLE TO REDUCE OUR BUDGET 50,000 THIS YEAR.

I PLAN ON REDUCING IT SOME MORE NEXT YOU KNOW TRYING TO GET THE MOST FOR THE TAXPAYERS DOLLARS AND REALLOCATE THAT SOMEWHERE IF SOMEBODY NEEDS IT BECAUSE I DON'T AND I DON'T WANT TO HOLD ON TO IF I'M NOT GOING TO USE IT OPEN INVITATION. YOU KNOW LIKE I SAID BEFORE, A LOT OF TIMES IF YOU WANT TO COME AUDIT US I WOULD APPRECIATE I KNOW LISTENING TO

[00:30:02]

YES. YES, MA'AM. WITH YOUR YOU KNOW, THE ZENDESK AND EVERYTHING SO IS YOUR FOOT TRAFFIC GREATLY REDUCED? IT HAS IT HAS IT USED TO BE A LOT MORE AND A LOT OF MORE WILL COME IN. YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ON TIME CONSTRAINTS ARE LIKE YEAH YOU KNOW IF YOU JUST EMAIL US YEAH WE'LL YOU RIGHT BACK WITHIN 24 HOURS GET EVERYTHING SET UP AND DO EVERYTHING ONLINE YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT IN LINE OR DO THAT COME INTO YOUR LIFE AND IT HAS IT HAS REDUCED A LOT OF FOOT TRAFFIC WHICH THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS LESS FOOT TRAFFIC, MORE ONLINE PRESENCE SO THAT THE CUSTOMERS WASTING THEIR TIME STANDING IN THE LINES LIKE WE HATE THEM. YEAH.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO, NO. BRAVO ON THE REDUCTION OF 50,000 THANK YOU THAT VERY OFTEN YOU KNOW THAT'S WHAT LIKE YOU SAID IF WE CAN GIVE IT BACK GIVE IT BACK I'M SURE YOU GUYS CAN FIND BETTER PLACES TO PUT THAT MONEY.

OKAY QUICKLY YOU SAID THIS BEING BEING THE THE NEW KID THE BLOCK OH YEAH.

THAT PERSONALITY THAT I DON'T DEAL WITH PERSONALITY BUT RELATIONSHIPS.

OH HOW ARE THINGS WITH THE ASSESSOR THE AUDITOR AND THE TREASURER WORKING OUT FOR YOU.

OH LIKE I TOLD THEM BEFORE LIKE DURING ELECTION I CAN WORK WITH ANYBODY.

WE'RE WORKING OUT AS BEST AS WE CAN. WE CONSTANT COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE OFFICES AND THAT'S WHAT WAS CUT OFF BEFORE I AT COMMUNICATION BUT NOW WE'VE GOT OPEN COMMUNICATION WE'RE HAVING MEETINGS AND THINGS ARE WORKING OUT WELL THERE'S MANY TIMES HAS DEALT WITH EITHER EBONY MARIE AS PERSON PEOPLE AND YOU KNOW WE WORK OUT ANY ISSUES WE HAVE SOME STUFF CAN'T BE WORKED OUT IT'S WHY WE GOT TO COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR BUT 99.9% OF THE STUFF CAN AND WE'RE DOING GOOD . DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM OUR COUNCILMAN ONLINE LOGAN AND TOM NO QUESTION. THIS QUICK QUESTION IS THE WEBSITE OH THAT'S A LOADED QUESTION BECAUSE I CAN'T REMEMBER THE NAME.

IT WAS A COMPANY OUT BLUFFTON I PIXEL THREE AND PIXEL FOUR YEAH PEOPLE FREEZE I LEFT AND THEY DID IT THEY SENT ME WORK US SO YES THEY WERE THEY WERE VERY HAPPY TO WORK WITH US BUT YOU KNOW YOU KNOW, I'M HAPPY TO HEAR THEIR NAME BECAUSE I IT'S TIME OH YEAH OH YEAH.

THEY WERE A GREAT COMPANY THINK THEY WORKED ON SOME OF THAT I TREASURY'S WEBSITE ALSO BUT THEY DID A GREAT JOB FOR US OKAY THANK YOU SO MUCH APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU. THANK ALL RIGHT. WHAT'S NEXT NEXT? WELL, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE WAITING ON SOME OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS TO SEE IF THEY COULD GET HERE A LITTLE BIT EARLIER THAN THEIR SCHEDULED TIME. I BELIEVE WE'RE WAITING ON THE PROBATE AND THE SOLICITORS ON THE WAY. SO AND THEN I JUST SENT SOMEONE TO SEE IF MR. AN EQUITY WAS ABLE TO COME SOONER RATHER THAN LATER AND THEN SHERIFF TANNER WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT NEEDED TO PRESENT AT 11 SO THAT WAS THE ONLY TIME THEY WERE AVAILABLE.

YEAH I'M SURE BUT I WILL SAY AS WE WAIT THE GRAND TOTAL FOR THE GENERAL FUND I INADVERTENTLY LEFT THE PROBATE COURT NEW POSITION REQUEST IT WAS INCLUDED IN THE TOTAL I JUST LEFT HER NAME OFF AT THE TOP. OH OKAY. JUST WANTED TO LET YOU ALL KNOW POSITION SHE WAS A LITTLE WORRIED ABOUT THAT SO SO ELSE WHO DO WE HAVE? I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY ELSE THINKS WE MIGHT NEED TO IMPROVE COUNCIL WEBSITE BUT IF WE DO CAN MAKE THAT DECISION AMONG OURSELVES TO INVESTIGATE IF WE SHOULD AND THEN WHO WE CAN HIRE TO DO THAT I THINK WE HAVE WELL I KNOW WE DO. YEAH WE HAVE SOME IF WE MAY HE CAN ADDRESS SOME OF THIS AND GOOD QUESTION BEFORE HE STARTS I'VE NOTICED MYSELF VARIOUS LOCATIONS WE GET A FOUR OR FOUR ERROR TRYING TO CLICK ON THE LINK NO QUESTION.

SO YOU KNOW THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS YOU TALKED ABOUT IN THE STRATEGIC PLANNING AND I CAN TELL YOU WHAT THE YES, I'VE BEEN IN CONTACT OUR I.T. DEPARTMENT AND WE'RE GOING TO BE PUTTING A BIG BUDGET REQUEST IN FOR AN RFP FOR AN ENTIRELY NEW WEBSITE FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR. SO IF THAT'S APPROVED, IT'LL BE THE ENTIRE COUNTY'S WEBSITE.

[00:35:01]

SO THAT'S GOOD. THAT'S A GOOD START. YEAH.

THANKS. AND DAVID HAD BROUGHT UP OF WHEN WE WERE TALKING ON BREAK ABOUT THE FEES TO FOR DIFFERENT THINGS IF THEY CAN BE I KNOW THE COUNTY SITE AND THEIR FEES ON THEIRS BUT YEAH THAT'S DEFINITELY A FEATURE WE COULD LOOK AT INCORPORATING INTO THE RFP BUT WE'VE PUT IT INTO THE NEXT YEAR SO THE PROCESS WOULD BE THEY'LL THEY'LL TALK TO US ABOUT WHAT WE THINK MIGHT BE NEEDED FOR IMPROVEMENT WITH REGARD TO WHAT WE BELIEVE. YEAH YEAH NOT THE WHOLE BUT THEY'LL GO AROUND AND TALK TO EVERYBODY WHO HAS SOME INPUT RIGHT I THINK SO YES. OKAY WE CAN WHAT'S THE TIMEFRAME ON THAT. SO IF THE BUDGET IS APPROVED WE COULD GET THAT RFP OUT I BELIEVE AS SOON AS AS SOON AS WE HAVE CONFIRMATION BECAUSE WE'RE NOT THAT I KNOW OF WE'RE NOT BOUND TO ANY CONTRACT TERM OKAY. WE PAY AS WE GO.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

THANKS. THE OTHER PRESSING WHILE WE'RE I JUST WANTED TO IT MIGHT BE GOOD TO CIRCLE BACK ON THAT ON THE COLA AND I KNOW THERE ARE SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT IN BETWEEN WHAT OUR INTENTIONS ARE AND THE COLA THE 3% WOULD BE DISTRIBUTED PERCENTAGE WISE.

WE ARE ALSO GOING TO INITIATE A STUDY WE TALKED ABOUT WITH THE WITH OUR CONSULTANT ON MERIT BASED PAY RAISES AND STEP SYSTEM BUT WHAT WAS PRESENTED WOULD BE AT 3% ACROSS THE BOARD FOR ALL EMPLOYEES AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT THAT'S OUR DIRECTION HERE.

THAT'S OUR RECOMMENDATION. ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT IN THE LAST TIME WASN'T THERE A SINGLE DOLLAR AMOUNT FOR ALL EMPLOYEES THAN I BELIEVE THERE WAS AND THAT'S WHY I HIGHLIGHT THIS ISSUE BECAUSE LAST YEAR WE IMPLEMENTED CLASS COMP WHICH YOU KNOW EVERYBODY GOT THE BUMP AS PART OF THAT BUT THIS YEAR WE DON'T WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED THE OTHER PARTS THE MERIT BASED IN THE STEP SYSTEM THIS WOULD BE 3% ACROSS THE BOARD BUT I BELIEVE COUNCIL IN THE PAST DONE A FLAT DOLLAR AMOUNT FOR ALL EMPLOYEES 3000 WELL I THINK THE LOGIC THERE IS $100,000 3% IS A CERTAIN FIGURE AND THEN FOR A $30,000 POSITION IT'S A DIFFERENT FIGURE.

SO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT RECEIVING THE HIGH SALARIES WERE ACTUALLY GETTING LESS OF A COLA BASED PARTLY ON THE LOWER SALARY THEY SO I THINK THAT THE FLAT RATE WAS A LOT MORE GENEROUS BRING PEOPLE UP TO WHERE THEY TO BE. SO IS THIS A FINAL DECISION ALREADY IS 3% THAT WE'RE DOING THIS WAS IN THE BUDGET WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IT TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY OTHER DIRECTION FOR US TO COME BACK WITH. ANOTHER OPTION IF THERE'S SUPPORT FOR THAT WE CAN COME BACK A ON LOGAN HAS HIS HAND RAISED WAS THERE SOMETHING THAT WE DID LAST YEAR AND YOU KNOW THE TEAM WORKED REALLY HARD TO FIGURE IT OUT LAST MINUTE FOR US TO GIVE A FLAT RAISE ACROSS THE BOARD BECAUSE PERCENTAGES CAN EASILY BE SKEWED AND EXACTLY LIKE MARY JUST WROTE DOWN THE ONES THAT USUALLY YOU WOULD THINK WOULD NEED THE CALL ABOUT THE MOST THE ONES ACTUALLY GET IN THE LEAST AMOUNT WE DO A PERCENTAGE CORRECT. NOW THERE IS ENOUGH ROOM FOR US TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT TO SEE WHAT KIND OF FLAT RATE IT IS AND MAYBE IT'S NOT 3000 MIGHT WORK FINE.

IT'S SOMETHING ELSE IN THE MIDDLE WHAT THE ACTUAL PERCENTAGE WOULD BE BUT I'D BE OPEN TO TAKING THAT CONVERSATION AND THAT'S WHY BRING IT UP NOW SO WE CAN LOOK AT IT BEFORE WE GET TOO FAR ALONG IN THE PROCESS AND ONEROUS THING LIKE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION TO DEAL WITH I'M LOOKING AT THE CFO HERE WE WERE JUST HAVING A CONVERSATION ON THAT AND I THINK YOU KNOW WE'D HAVE TO LOOK AND I'LL INVITE KATHRYN TO COME UP AND TALK TO BECAUSE AS IT STANDS NOW IF YOU DO 3% YOU KNOW THE OTHER PART OF THIS WOULD BE YOU'RE GOING TO CHANGE THE BANDS AS WELL, RIGHT? THE THE CLASS THE NEW PAY BANDS WOULD MOVE ALONGSIDE THE PERCENTAGE BUMP WHEREAS IT WOULD BE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT IF YOU DID A DOLLAR AMOUNT SO RIGHT SO CURRENTLY THE FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET DOES HAVE THE 3% COLA BUILT INTO IT DOES NOT A FLAT AMOUNT ASSOCIATED IT BECAUSE I BELIEVE I'M GOING TO LET CATHERINE TALK TO IT SHE WAS CONSULTING WITH THE FIRM. YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT, RIGHT? SURE. SO YES.

AND I WANT TO SAY IT WAS AUGUST OF 2023 WE DID A THREE OR 3000 FLAT INCREASE ACROSS THE BOARD FOR FULL TIME AND 1500 FOR PART TIME EMPLOYEES. AND AS PINKY MENTIONED THIS YEAR WE WERE GOING TO GO FORWARD WITH THE 3% AND AS MIKE MENTIONED, WE REENGAGING WITH MAG TO LOOK AT A STEP SCALE AND WE CAN IMPLEMENT MERIT INCREASES PAY FOR PERFORMANCE FORWARD IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR. SO THINK FISCAL YEAR 27 2027.

YES. SO WE WANTED TO HAVE ANOTHER OPTION WE COULD LOOK AT YOU KNOW WHAT IS THE PERCENT INCREASE DOLLAR AMOUNT DIVIDE THAT BY HOW MANY EMPLOYEES WE

[00:40:05]

A SUBSEQUENT RETREAT COMMITTEE ANY THOUGHTS ON LOGAN HIMSELF? WHAT WHAT'S BEST FOR MAJORITY OF EMPLOYEES? WELL, THE FLAT AMOUNT WHAT THINK THE WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO YEAH BECAUSE RIGHT YOU'RE 3% ON A $200,000 SALARY IS NOT THE SAME AS A 3% ON A $40,000 EMPLOYEE LOGAN HAS A YOU WON'T SAY SOMETHING LOGAN YEAH.

I MEAN I DON'T WANT TO THROW OFF YOUR GUYS THE NUMBERS OR ANYTHING.

I GUESS MY QUESTION IS IS THERE WAYS AROUND THAT TO SAY MAYBE THIS IS A BONUS UNTIL WE GET TIME TO DO THE MERIT BASED PAYING GO ON THAT ROUND BUT THAT LEADS TO MY SECOND QUESTION IS THAT MERIT BASED COMPENSATION WAS ON TWO YEARS AGO WE COME INTO EFFECT SO HOW FAR ARE WE ON THAT? I KNOW WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CHANGE IN EVERYTHING BUT WE'RE GOING TO JUST ABOUT THE STARTING SALARY. THAT'S FINE.

I'M NOT AGAINST IT AS LONG AS WE CAN MAKE IT WORK WITHOUT RAISING THE MILLAGE BUT HOW DO WE GO ABOUT GETTING THE BALL ROLLING ON THAT MERIT BASED PAY SO IT'S NOT EVERY SINGLE YEAR COMING OVER THE COLA OR A PLANT PAY RAISE EVERY SINGLE TIME I WANT TO ADDRESS IT I THINK YOU'RE GOT THE BALL ROLLING ON THIS. YEAH I AM 100% MERIT INCREASE AND I THINK WE NOW HAVE A COUNCIL THAT IS ON BOARD THAT AND SO I ANTICIPATE YOU KNOW HAVING THAT STEP SCALE IN PLACE OR AT LEAST PRESENT IT TO YOU ALL AS COUNCIL BY THE FALL AND THAT AND JUST TO CLARIFY CATHERINE, THAT FUNDING IS IN THE BUDGET FOR YOUR STUDY IT IS SO THAT THAT STUDY WILL KICK OFF AND IT WILL YIELD RESULTS FOR YOU.

ALL RIGHT AND IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A FULL FLEDGED COMMON CLASS STUDY.

WE JUST DID THAT. THIS IS JUST LOOKING AT CONVERTING OUR OPEN SCALE TO A PAID OUT OF STEP SCALE TO IMPLEMENT ALSO A MERIT POLICY TO GO ALONGSIDE THAT SO IT WILL BE MUCH QUICKER. OKAY YOU HAD SOMETHING IT'S NOT GOING TO THROW YOUR NUMBERS OFF BY DOING THE FLAT RATE ACROSS IF IT'S RAISING YOUR SALARIES FOR THE FUTURE NOT FOR THE NEXT BUDGET. NOT IF WE DO THAT WE FIGURE WHAT IS THE 3% TOTAL AND THEN JUST DIVIDE THAT EVENLY ACROSS EMPLOYEE COUNT AND USE THAT METHOD VERSUS PULLING A NUMBER OUT OF THE THIN BLUE SKY. I LIKE IT. YEAH, YEAH.

THANK YOU. I THINK WE HAVE TO BEFORE YOU GO, GO, GO.

DO YOU LIKE ME? I LIKE THE IDEA OF TAKING THE 3% ACROSS THE BOARD TO FIND OUT HOW MUCH DOLLARS THAT IS AND THEN ALLOCATING THAT FLAT AMOUNT PER EMPLOYEE.

I THINK PINKY WILL LIKE TOO. YES. OH YEAH.

YEAH. JUST TO PIGGYBACKING ON MR. CUNNINGHAM TALK ABOUT INCENTIVE . ISN'T IT PART OF THE CURRENT PLAN TO PEOPLE FOR INCREASING EDUCATION CERTIFICATION AND THAT SORT THING WHERE IF THEY ACHIEVE THOSE GOALS THEY WOULD BE SORT OF COMPENSATED AS WELL ? THAT COULD BE AN INCENTIVE JUST TO GET PEOPLE MORE EDUCATED AND THE MORE EDUCATED STAFF IS THE BETTER THEY'RE GOING TO WORK FOR US AND STILL I YES. SO THE POLICIES THAT WE WERE GIVEN MAG IN THE LAST STUDY THAT WERE A PROPOSAL HAD NOT GONE THROUGH A FULL VETTED YET BECAUSE IT DOES OBVIOUSLY AFFECT YOUR BUDGET. THE CFO NEEDS TO KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND I THINK I'VE SHARED THAT WITH AND WE'LL PROBABLY GET TOGETHER MORE DETAILS ON IT BUT YES.

ARE SECTIONS IN THERE TO INCENTIVIZE CERTIFICATIONS IN EDUCATION? WELL EVEN THAT IS GOING TO IMPACT THE BUDGET IS TO ME IS AN INVESTMENT.

OH YEAH YES. SO WE'RE GOING TO REAP FROM THAT INVESTMENT SO YOU KNOW ABSOLUTELY ABSOLUTELY AND I GET THE PHONE CALLS FREQUENTLY THE STAFF IS READY TO SEE US MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT. SO YOU KNOW, PLANNING FOR THAT IN YOUR BUDGET IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW YEAR FOR YEAR WHAT CERTIFICATIONS YOUR EMPLOYEES ARE GOING TO GET OR WHERE THEY GO TO ADVANCE THEIR EDUCATION. NOW THERE'S ANOTHER PROGRAM THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED TO IF THERE'S ANY APPETITE THE COUNCIL ON A TUITION REIMBURSEMENT BUT NOW THE PROPOSAL IS JUST TO CERTIFY OR TO INCENTIVIZE WITH ADDITIONAL FOR EMPLOYEES OBTAINING CERTIFICATIONS AND ADVANCING THEIR DEGREES.

[00:45:02]

ANY OTHER COMMENTS. YES ME I'M IN SUPPORT WHAT YOUR POSITION SAID SEE WHAT THE 3% IS ACROSS THE BOARD. I WAS IN SUPPORT OF THE 3000 FLAT FEE LAST TIME AND SO AND I ,I LOOKED AT THE NUMBERS SO IF YOU'RE MAKING 30,000 I'M JUST THROWING THAT OUT THERE YOU'RE GOING TO GET $900 ADDED 3% IF YOU'RE IF GIVING YOU 3000 YOU'RE GETTING AN EXTRA 2100.

SO WHAT, LARRY IS CORRECT THE PEOPLE ON THE LOWER END OF OUR PAY SCALE GOING TO GET A LARGE RAISE. THE BREAK EVENS AT 100,000. THE 3% IS EQUAL TO THE 3000.

SO THERE'S A BREAK EVEN. SO EVERYBODY ABOVE 100,000 GETS LESS THAN 3%.

THAT'S THE OTHER OF IT. BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS GREAT WHEN WE DID THE LAST TIME AND I'M SUPPORTIVE OF IT THIS TIME. IF YOU COULD LOOK AT THE NUMBERS WE WE WILL GET ON THAT.

OKAY. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I THINK MR. WEGMAN'S HERE AND YES WE DO WE DO HAVE TO DO TWO OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD ABLE TO TELL YOU KNOW FIRST WE'LL GO WITH MR. JIM WEGMAN HE IS NEW MASTER IN EQUITY OKAY WELL I'LL BE DARNED BUT THIS WAS MORE OF JUST I FIGURED I'D WALK OVER AND SAY HELLO.

I KNOW SOME OF YOU FROM AN HOUR A LONG TIME BUT I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU ALL HAD ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON MY UNDERSTANDING BUDGET WISE AND I'VE JUST BEEN THROWN INTO THIS I WAS JUST SWORN IN A MONTH BUT I UNDERSTAND BUDGET WISE IT ESSENTIALLY IS IDENTICAL TO WHAT IT'S BEEN THROUGH THE PAST YEARS THERE WASN'T MUCH OF A CHANGE AND MISS HEATHER IN THE OFFICE SUBMITTED THAT AND I HAVEN'T REALLY HAD A GOOD CHANCE TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT BUT CAN'T IMAGINE THERE'S GOING TO BE ANY EARTH SHATTERING CHANGES IN THE INEQUITIES OFFICE.

DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I DIDN'T KNOW IF ANYBODY HAD ANY QUESTIONS.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN THERE? I WAS SWORN IN ON THE 28TH OF FEBRUARY AND STARTED I THINK ON THE 3RD OF MARCH THIS YEAH. WELL WELCOME. YEAH AND GOOD LUCK AND THANK YOU DAVID. WELL I THINK THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY YOU MOVE FORWARD.

I KNOW YOU'RE BRAND NEW IN THE POSITIONS BUT IF YOU SEE ANY DEFICIENCIES THE COURTHOUSE OR ANYTHING THAT YOU NEED PLEASE LET US KNOW AND INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET I'VE MR. ROBERT GATES COMING OVER THIS AFTERNOON IN TALKING TO JUDGE DUKES WHO'S STILL AROUND ABOUT THE CERTAIN HALLWAY AND THE ACCESS AND HOW EASY IT IS FOR THE PUBLIC TO GET BACK INTO THE HEARING ROOM AND INTO THE INTO THE CLERK'S OFFICES. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT SO AFTERNOON. BUT REALLY THE ONLY THING THAT I'VE SEEN AND I PRACTICED THAT COURT FOR 27 YEARS SO BUT I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND YES, IF I SEE ANYTHING ELSE I WILL WHO HAS OVERSIGHT FOR THE FAMILY COURT QUARTERS OVER THERE? THAT'S NOT YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. NO, I'VE GOT OFFICE SPACE UP.

MR. ROSENSTEIN. YEAH. I'VE ALWAYS SAID THAT JERRY OWNS THE COURTHOUSE. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S REALLY TRUE.

JERRY OWNS AND KIND OF RUNS THE QUARTER. OKAY, SO CONGRATULATIONS DO I DIDN'T I WASN'T AWARE. YEAH, IT'S A LONG PROCESS BUT BUT YEAH ALL BRAND NEW BUT I JUST WANTED TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME OVER I KNOW SOME OF YOU FROM THE PAST WHEN I WAS ON THE MAC IN THE MAC CHAIR BUT I HAVEN'T BEEN IN FRONT OF COUNSEL IN A VERY LONG TIME SO I FIGURED I'D COME BY AND SAID ARE YOU TEACHING ME ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COME BE CAREFUL OUT THERE AND I'LL LEAVE IT TO JUDGE GALVIN BECAUSE HER BUDGET IS UNIQUELY DIFFERENT THAN MINE. THANK YOU FOR COMING. AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, HIS BUDGET WAS COMPLETELY OUT. THERE WAS NO CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR.

NOW WE HAVE JUDGE GALVIN LOOK. GOOD MORNING, JUDGE. GOOD MORNING.

IT'S SO NICE SEE EVERYONE AND I JUST THANK YOU ALL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT.

I WANT TO JUST SAY THAT THE BUDGET PROCESS HAS BEEN I LOVE OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND THE BUDGET TEAM. EVERYBODY'S SO PATIENT AND KIND AS WE LEARNED A NEW SOFTWARE PROGRAM THAT MADE US EVEN BETTER AND THEY WERE VERY PATIENT WITH OUR MANY QUESTIONS AND WE'RE GRATEFUL TO FOR TO OF YOU HOPEFULLY FOR ALLOWING US THE ADDITIONAL PERSON AND A HALF AS WELL AS I LIKE TO SAY A PART TIME AND A FULL TIME PERSON.

WE SEE THAT CASELOAD YOU KNOW, AS POPULATION INCREASES. YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY WE ARE SEEING AN INCREASE IN PEOPLE AWAY IN OUR COMMUNITY AND WE REALLY WANT TO GIVE THOSE FAMILIES THE TIME, DEDICATION AND RESOURCES THAT ARE NEEDED AND WHAT OUR CLERKS DO IS UNIQUE IN THE PROBATE COURT AND THAT WE REVIEW INVENTORY'S ACCOUNTINGS WE GO THROUGH FINANCIALLY ANALYZE EVERYTHING IN ON OUR GUARDIANSHIP AND CONSERVATORSHIP.

I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND WE'VE SEEN COME LIGHT IN OTHER COUNTIES WE ARE VERY STRICT IN HOW WE REQUIRE FUNDS TO GO IN AND OUT TO PROTECT THE ASSETS INDIVIDUALS

[00:50:01]

WE GET RECEIPTS FROM BILLS TO NURSING HOME INVOICES AND WE ITEMIZE, RECALCULATE THEM AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE ALL CORRECT ALL TO BETTER SERVE OUR CITIZENS AND ALL TO BETTER SERVE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE INCAPACITATED. BUT SO I'M GRATEFUL TO ALL OF YOU THE ADDITION OF ANOTHER ASSOCIATE JUDGE HAS ALLOWED US TO BE MORE PROACTIVE IN CLOSING ESTATES AS WELL AS EMBRACING AND ENHANCING OUR MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE MENTALLY ILL OR CHEMICALLY IN OUR COMMUNITY.

WE ADOPTED A 24 HOUR ON CALL SYSTEM BETWEEN MYSELF AND THE OTHER TWO JUDGES WHERE IF THERE'S A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS WE BE THERE TO ANSWER THE PHONE AND TO WORK TO GET THEM EMERGENCY PLACEMENT AT OUR LOCAL HOSPITALS AS NEEDED AND BEEN PARTNERING WITH MENTAL HEALTH AND ALCOHOL AND DRUG TO DO THAT. SO GRATEFUL TO ALL OF YOU TO ALLOW US TO SERVE OUR CITIZENS WITH RESPECT TO THE BUDGET, YOU KNOW WE, AGREE WITH WHAT'S BEEN PROPOSED. YOU KNOW THE PERSON AND A HALF WILL BE WONDERFUL FOR US WE ARE THANKFUL FOR EVERYTHING YOU KNOW TRAINING AND CONFERENCE IS IS ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT I AM THE CURRENT PRESIDENT OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA ASSOCIATION OF PROBATE JUDGES IN THAT ROLE BETTER SERVE BEAUFORT COUNTY BECAUSE WE'RE WORKING ON OUR MENTAL HEALTH CODE WE'RE WORKING ON AT A LEGISLATIVE DIFFERENT BILLS AND THINGS LIKE THAT WHICH WOULD IMPACT OUR COMMUNITY WHEN I'M IN THAT LEADERSHIP ROLE THAT CERTAINLY HELPS.

THAT DOESN'T TELL ME GOING TO MORE EVENTS AND DOING MORE THINGS FOR THE COUNTY IN THAT REGARD I'M ALSO ON THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE NATIONAL OF PROBATE JUDGES AND I'M THE LIAISON TO THE AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION OPEN FOR AND SO WE DO NATIONAL LEGISLATION AS WELL AS PART OF THOSE COMPONENTS AND I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S TIME AND PATIENCE AND KINDNESS AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER LET'S OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS. I'M GREAT. FIRST OF ALL THE TIME SO IT'S GREAT LOOKS DOWN HERE WITH I LIKE QUESTIONS SO BRING IT ON SO CONGRATULATIONS I DON'T THINK ANYBODY REALLY UNDERSTANDS THE COMPLEXITY OF THE PROBATE BECAUSE THEY HEAR THAT WORD AND THEY FIGURE WELL SHE LOOKS AT WILLS. YOU KNOW I KNOW BUT YOU KNOW THE MENTAL ILLNESS PORTION OF IT YOU NEVER EVEN MENTIONED THE FACT YOU ISSUE MARRIAGE LICENSES. I HAVEN'T AND THAT IS YOU KNOW I'M GLAD YOU MENTION THAT.

I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED THAT, COUNCILMAN, BECAUSE WE THANKS TO ALL OF YOU HAVE BEEN BEING ABLE TO OPEN ALL THREE OF OUR OFFICES HILTON HEAD BLUFFTON AND BEFORE FULL TIME SO SOMEONE IS ALWAYS THERE ALWAYS IN PERSON ALWAYS BEING ATTENDED TO SO WHEN AND WE'RE DOING THAT FOR OUR MARRIAGE LICENSES AND WITH THE PERSON AND A HALF WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO BROADEN THAT TO ESTATES AS WELL IN THOSE OTHER TWO OFFICES AND WE'RE WE'RE GEARING TOWARDS THAT THAT'S KIND OF OUR GOAL BUT YEAH OUR MARRIAGE LICENSE BUSINESS IS BOOMING.

LOVE IS IN THE AIR AS I LIKE TO SAY. SO IT'S DEFINITELY GOOD AND WE DO TRUST WORK AS WELL AND I WORK WITH THE COUNCILMAN HERE AS WELL.

HE'S PHENOMENAL AND IT'S ALWAYS NICE HE GOT TO SEE FIRSTHAND WHERE LITTLE PARTICULAR WHEN WE GO THROUGH EVERYTHING BUT IT'S BECAUSE WE CARE AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING'S GREAT AND I HELPED WRITE THE ARTICLE FIVE CODE THAT WAS PUT INTO LAW SO SOME OF THAT STUFF IS A LITTLE NUANCED I WENT FOR THE LESS THE MORE SIMPLE BUT I DIDN'T WIN AND EVERYTHING BUT DEFINITELY THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP MARRIAGE IS IS HUGE AND THAT IN A LOT OF REVENUE FOR OUR COUNTY AND IT'S GOOD WE DO MARRIAGE APPLICATIONS IN PERSON SOME COUNTIES LIKE CHARLESTON HAVE CHOSEN TO DO A VIRTUAL ONLINE BUT IN MY MIND THAT LEADS TO IDENTITY FRAUD AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO BE REALLY CAREFUL WHEN NOT ACTUALLY SEEING INDIVIDUALS THAT THEY WANT TO GET MARRIED AND THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THE CAPACITY TO GET MARRIED AND THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND WE LOVE TO SERVE THE PUBLIC AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE DO. GOOD QUESTION.

BUT YEAH, I'M GOING TO ASK YOU THE SAME QUESTION. SURE.

AND ONE THANK YOU FOR THAT VERY, VERY KIND OF YOU TO SAY BUT I'M NOT ASKING THE SAME QUESTION ARE THERE ANY DEFICIENCIES THAT YOU'VE SEEN AT THE THAT THAT CAN BE ADDRESSED? IT COULD BE BETTER. YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOING RENOVATIONS DETENTION CENTER. I'M GLAD YOU ASKED. I IT'S A DEFINITE GREAT QUESTION WE THREW THE CLERK OF COURT WE WERE SO EXCITED THAT SHE ALLOWED US TO A RENOVATION TO ONE OF OUR BATHROOMS. WELL, WE HAVE 12 PEOPLE SHARE ONE RESTROOM AND SO I ALLOW THEM I, I HAVE ANOTHER BAG WE WELL WE HAVE A SECOND ONE NOW THAT WE'RE ABLE TO BUT THAT ONE'S IN PRETTY POOR CONDITION SO WE'RE RENOVATE IT IT'S LIKE THE SIZE OF A CLOSET. SO THAT'S WHAT SHE ALLOWED US TO DO OUR COURTROOM, YOU KNOW, EVENTUALLY PERHAPS WOULD BE NICE BUT WE'VE HAD SOME TECHNOLOGY UPGRADES THAT HAVE BEEN SUPER HELPFUL BUT. YOU'VE SEEN THE COURT COURTROOM ITSELF.

IT'S A LITTLE OLDER BUT. OTHER THAN THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR

[00:55:01]

IF YOU RECALL WE WENT FROM CINDERBLOCKS WHERE DEATHS WERE ON CINDER BLOCKS TO NOW YOU KNOW, A DESK THAT PEOPLE CAN STAND AND SET AND ADJUST TO THEIR THEIR INDIVIDUAL LEVELS.

SO I'M GRATEFUL TO ALL OF AND THAT'S BECAUSE OF ALL OF YOU. SO THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS COMING? SO JUST ONE AND YOU DO WANT YOUR NEW JOB ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS COME UP IS WE HAVE A LARGE SENIOR CITIZEN POPULATION WHEN THE SPOUSE PASSES AWAY THE TITLE TO THE CHANGES BECAUSE IT CHANGES OUR OFFICES AUTOMATICALLY NOW CHANGE THE 4% TO 6% BECAUSE THEY JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT THE SITUATION WAS. DOES YOUR OFFICE HELP THEM IN THAT WAY? WE THAT WOULD BE THROUGH THE REGISTER OF THE AUDITOR ASSESSOR. YOU I THINK IS TYPICALLY HOW THAT HAPPENS WITH THE PERCENTAGE CHANGE BUT IF THERE'S ANY COMMUNICATIONS THAT CAN BE GIVEN IT ALL DEPENDS ON IF PEOPLE CHOOSE TO OPEN AN ESTATE SO WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE DEATH UNLESS THEY COME IF THERE IS YOU KNOW, A PAMPHLET OR A BROCHURE THAT SOMEONE WOULD PUT TOGETHER FROM THOSE DEPARTMENTS, WE'D BE HAPPY TO INCLUDE IT THE ESTATE PACKET I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA AND SO YEAH THAT'S GREAT. SO WE CAN INCLUDE SOMETHING SAYING YOU KNOW WE'RE SO SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT THE PASSING YOU KNOW MAYBE THE AUDITOR ASSESSOR PREPARE THAT HERE ARE THE STEPS YOU NEED TO TAKE AND THESE OVER THERE TO GET EFFECTUATE PERCENTAGE CHANGE THAT'S A GREAT POINT THAT'S A BIG THAT'S A REAL BIG ISSUE THOSE CALLS CONSTANTLY OH PEOPLE FOR YEARS HAVE BEEN PAYING 6% CHANGE AND THEY SOMETIMES HAVE THEIR OWN WORKERS AND THEY CALL US EARLY THEY CAN GET A REFUND BUT THEN SOMETIMES YOU CAN'T. SO THAT'S SO THAT'S A REAL AND SO MANY OF THOSE COME CAUSED BY THAT ISN'T IT. AND SO YEAH THE AUDITOR OR ASSESSOR COULD PUT TOGETHER A PAMPHLET FOR US WE'D WE'D HAVE IT AND PUT IT AS PART OF OUR STATE PACKETS. WE'D BE HAPPY TO DO THAT. I THAT YEAH MR. SANDERS HAS HELPED A LOT OF PEOPLE. EBONY SO YEAH AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WITHOUT YOU KNOW IT'S AT THEIR WORST TIME IN THEIR LIFE AND THEY GET A BILL CHANGES YEAH AND IF WE ALL TALK ABOUT PUTTING LANGUAGE IN OUR LETTER AS WELL TO CONTACT THE APPROPRIATE TO DISCUSS YOU KNOW REAL ESTATE PERCENTAGE YOU KNOW WISE BECAUSE THAT'S A GOOD POINT BUT IT WOULD BE A LOT OF TIMES THEY DON'T READ OUR LETTERS WISH THEY DID SO IF WE HAD A BROCHURE THAT WAS SOMETHING HELPFUL. I'M AN OLD SCHOOL PERSON I LIKE BROCHURES BUT YOU CAN HAVE LIKE A LITTLE PAMPHLET PAMPHLETS PROBABLY THE BETTER WORD AND THAT THEY COULD PULL OUT AND SAY OH OKAY I NEED TO DO THAT. TOM HAD A OR COMMENT. SURE.

MS. GALVIN I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION. I JUST WANT TO SAY ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE YOU SERVE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PASSION IN ALL THAT YOU BRING TO IT.

IT'S IT'S A JOY TO WORK WITH YOU AND HELP YOU IN ANY WAY WE CAN.

AND YOU KNOW WHAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID DON'T HESITATE TO BRING IN ANYTHING YOU NEED.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. I'M GRATEFUL ALL OF YOU. I CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT A DIFFERENCE THE WORK YOU MAKE AND HAVE DONE FOR US HAS MADE IN PEOPLE'S LIVES.

IT JUST I EVEN OH WE'RE ABLE TO BETTER SERVE THEM BECAUSE OF ALL OF YOU SO.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. I DON'T KNOW WHO GALVIN IN LINE WITH WHAT MR. PASTOR AND MR. MCCLELLAND TALK. ARE YOU GOING TO INITIATE THAT OR WHO'S GOING TO INITIATE THIS PROCESS? WE WILL INITIATE IT SO WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND REACH OUT TO THE AUDITOR AND ASSESSOR, SEE IF WE CAN LIAISE WITH THEM AND I'LL SAY, YOU KNOW, WE ABOUT IT TODAY I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA AND SEE IF WE CAN GET PUT TOGETHER AND THEN WE CAN GET THAT DISTRIBUTED. I LOVE IT EXCELLENT IDEA. I SURE WASN'T JUST GOING TO DIE. OH NO I'M GLAD LITERALLY YEAH AND I WILL DOING IT YEAH AND I'LL KEEP YOU POSTED SO I'LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN IT'S DONE SO THAT SURE IS AN INCREASE BECAUSE OF YOUR WORKLOAD WHICH I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND IS IT PRIMARILY BECAUSE WE'RE AN AGING POPULATION OR IS IT A COMBINATION? YOU SAID YOU HAD A LOT OF MARRIAGE LICENSES TOO. IT'S JUST BECAUSE WE'RE GROWING IN POPULATION.

YOU THINK IT'S BOTH AND GROWTH WE'RE GOING TO SEE THAT EXPLOSION, YOU KNOW, WITH THE BABY BOOMERS, YOU KNOW, GOING UP INTO AGE RANGES WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT ADDITIONAL SERVICES, WHETHER IT BE GUARDIANSHIPS CONSERVATORSHIPS OR YOU KNOW, PEOPLE PASSING.

AND SO WE'VE SEEN THAT CASELOAD INCREASE. I MEAN THANK GOODNESS YOU ALLOWED US TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, SOME ADDITIONAL PEOPLE IN THE PAST BECAUSE OTHERWISE I MEAN OUR FILES KEEP YOU KNOW, IT JUST KEEPS INCREASING. WE GET SOMETIMES 20 ESTATES A DAY AND WE JUST WE TRY AND WE TAKE EACH ONE. IT'S NOT JUST A MATTER OF FILING SOMETHING WE HAVE TO READ THE WILL. WE HAVE TO ANALYZE WHO IS GETTING WHAT UNDER THE WILL THEN WE HAVE TO TELL YOU KNOW IF IT'S A PRO SE OR THE ATTORNEY YOU KNOW IT APPEARS THERE MAY BE A CORRECTION NEEDED TO THIS SCHEDULE THIS

[01:00:03]

IT HAS BEEN A SUCCESS. I CANNOT WAIT TO TELL YOU ABOUT AND I'M HOPING IT'S COMING BACK NEXT YEAR BECAUSE WE HAD THE COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING COMING UP.

WE HAVE TWO PHENOMENAL INTERNS THAT WILL BE THERE. ONE IS A VETERAN AND HE WENT BACK TO SCHOOL AND ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL IS A NURSING STUDENT BUT SHE LEARNED ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH AND THERAPEUTIC SIDE BECAUSE SHE SEES THAT IN THE HOSPITALS AND IT'S BEEN PHENOMENAL AND WE HAVE ANOTHER INTERN RIGHT NOW SO WE'RE BEYOND GRATEFUL AND OUR INTERNS ARE AS WELL AND THERE ARE SOME OF THEM ARE THINKING ABOUT CHANGING PRE LAW AND LOOKING AT THAT BECAUSE OF IT SO THANK YOU GOOD TO HEAR ENDING THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU. CATHERINE SMILING OVER THERE. YES AND THANK YOU TO THAT OKAY MS. AREA I SAW SOLICITOR COME IN AND ONE MORE THAT JUST WAS ABLE TO ADJUST THEIR SCHEDULE SO AS EVERYONE THE 14TH CIRCUIT SOLICITORS MR. DUFFY STONE THANK YOU DO I KNOW THANK YOU FOR COMING IT'S NOT A PROBLEM AT ALL. THANK YOU MADAM CHAIRWOMAN.

WE'VE GOT EXTRA COPIES OF THE REPORTS. I KNOW A NUMBER OF YOU CAME TOURED MY OFFICE AND I KNOW A COUPLE OF YOU WERE NOT ABLE TO AND HAD SOME OF WHOM HAVE BEEN THROUGH THERE BEFORE. SO I BROUGHT EXTRA COPIES FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WERE NOT THERE AND. I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT ONCE I WE SPENT PROBABLY 4 HOURS GOING THROUGH EVERYTHING THAT WE WERE DOING HOW WE WERE DOING IT, THE NUMBER OF CRIMINAL PROSECUTIONS THE NUMBER OF DIVERSION CASES YOU NAME IT. AND THEN I READ THE NEWSPAPER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS AND IT SAID STONE WANTS MORE MONEY. THIS SORT OF SUMMED 4 HOURS UP IN AND NOTHING AND I GOT A LITTLE UPSET ABOUT THAT HONESTLY I KIND OF SAT THERE AND I WENT WELL I CAN'T BELIEVE WE SPENT 4 HOURS AND NOW THE THING THAT THEY GOT OUT OF THAT WAS THAT AND THEN I REALIZED THAT IT'S ACTUALLY NOT THE REPORTER'S FAULT.

IT'S MY FAULT AND IT WAS MY FAULT BECAUSE I DIDN'T TELL YOU WHAT AND I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S ANY REAL EASY WAY OF ME TELLING THIS OTHER THAN TELLING YOU MY EXPERIENCE.

I WENT TO LAW SCHOOL TO BE A PROSECUTOR AND I MEAN THAT I WHEN, I GOT THERE I WANTED TO CLERK IN THE FIFTH CIRCUIT SOLICITOR'S OFFICE WHICH WAS RIGHT NEXT TO THE LAW SCHOOL AND I WAS ABLE AFTER MANY, MANY PHONE CALLS AND BEGGING AND PLEADING.

I FINALLY GOT IN THERE AND WHOPPING $5.50 AN HOUR AND I WENT TO WORK IN THE VERY FIRST CASE I WORKED ON WAS A CASE WHERE THE VICTIM'S NAME WAS BOBBY ROSSI.

BOBBY ROSSI WAS A COED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA WHO WAS ABDUCTED FROM A PARKING LOT. SHE DROVE A VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. I REMEMBER THOSE LITTLE BROWN CARS. SHE WAS ABDUCTED. SHE WAS FORCED TO DRIVE HER CAR INTO THE WOODS WHERE THE TWO ASSAILANTS KILLED HER, RAPED HER AND HER.

MY JOB THAT FIRST DAY IN THE SOLICITOR'S OFFICE WAS TO COPY THE FILE THEY SENT ME TO A FILE ROOM IN THE VERY BACK AND I MADE COPIES OF THE CRIME AND THE AUTOPSY AND THE MOTIONS AND EVERYTHING THAT WENT ALONG WITH IT BECAUSE WE'D ALREADY PROSECUTED CASE CONVICTED THE TWO DEFENDANTS IT WAS A DEATH PENALTY IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE COURT OF APPEALS THE SUPREME COURT AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE WAS GOING TO REVIEW EVERYTHING THAT THAT OUR OFFICE AND I REMEMBER THAT SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE ALTHOUGH ALL I WAS DOING WAS COPYING A FILE THAT $5.50 AN HOUR I KNEW I WAS HOME. I KNEW THAT'S WHERE I NEEDED TO BE. AND I SAT THERE THAT OFFICE AND THE MORE I WORKED IN THAT OFFICE THE MORE I WAS CONVINCED THAT THAT'S WHERE I NEEDED TO BE.

AND IN JANUARY OF 1989 THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE I WENT AND I PRETTY MUCH BEEN IN PROSECUTION MY WHOLE LIFE. IT'S BECAUSE IT'S WHAT I LOVE. I SIT THERE AND I KNOW THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING IS IMPORTANT. IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE FAMILY MEMBERS LEFT BEHIND.

IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE COMMUNITY IT'S IMPORTANT FOR OUR VERY SOURCE OF GOVERNMENT AND CREDIBILITY OF OUR GOVERNMENT IN MANY WAYS THAT IS THE ONLY THAT PEOPLE WILL ACTUALLY INTERACT WITH THEIR GOVERNMENT BUT THEY WILL WHEN THEY DEAL WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THEY DEAL WITH THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE AND THEY GO THROUGH OUR COURT SYSTEMS, I TELL YOU THAT BECAUSE THAT'S THE WHY WHAT I'M DOING. I WANT AN OFFICE THAT PEOPLE THAT THINK THE SAME WAY I DO AND I TO RETAIN THOSE PEOPLE I WANT AN ENTIRE OFFICE OR PROFESSION OR PROSECUTORS PEOPLE WHO CANNOT IMAGINE DOING ANYTHING ELSE.

[01:05:07]

BUT I DON'T KNOW ONCE THEY GET HERE IF THEY STILL HAVE THAT MENTALITY THAT THEY NEED TO HAVE. SO WE PUT A THREE MONTH TRAINING PROCESS AND WE'RE THE ONLY SOLICITORS OFFICE IN SOUTH CAROLINA THAT DOES THAT. WE TRAIN THESE FOR THREE MONTHS AND DURING THAT TIME NOT ONLY ARE WE TRAINING THEM WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT THEM TO DETERMINE WHERE WE SEND THEM ALL BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY I WANT AN OFFICE IN WHICH.

PEOPLE COME HERE BECAUSE WE'RE THE BEST NOT JUST IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND NOT JUST IN THIS REGION BUT IN THIS COUNTRY. I WANT PEOPLE TO TELL OTHER PROSECUTORS OFFICES I'M NOT GOING TO LET YOU KNOW IF I'M GOING TO TAKE A JOB WITH YOU OR NOT BECAUSE I'M WAITING ON THE 14TH CIRCUIT. THAT'S HOW IMPORTANT THIS OFFICE IS TO ME.

THAT'S WHAT I AM AFTER. THAT'S WHAT I WANT. I WANT A PROFESSIONAL OFFICE AND I WANT IT TO BE THE BEST. DOES THAT INVOLVE DEALING WITH THE BACKLOG? ABSOLUTELY DOES THAT INVOLVE CUTTING DOWN THE OVERALL CASELOAD? ABSOLUTELY. AND I GAVE YOU THE STATISTICS WHEN YOU WERE IN THE OFFICE OF HOW WE'VE DONE THAT SO FAR BUT NOT THE WHY THE WHY IS WHAT WE WANT TO HAVE AS THE END PRODUCT HOW DO WE DO THAT? WE DO IT TWO WAYS AND THIS IS SOMETHING AGAIN IT'S JUST IT'S BEEN A CHALLENGE FOR PROSECUTORS AROUND THE COUNTRY BUT I THINK THEY'RE MISSING THE BOAT ON THIS. YOU DO IT TWO WAYS. ONE IS YOU PAY THEM I STARTED AT $5.50 AN HOUR. I WAS COPY AND PAPER BUT. I REALIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT WORK BUT I COULDN'T STAY THERE AND MAKE A LIVING THAT WAY.

I COULD NOT RAISE MY FAMILY. I COULDN'T KIDS TO COLLEGE AND HAVING HAD THREE CHILDREN IN COLLEGE THE SAME TIME IT'S QUITE A CHALLENGE TODAY. YOU CAN'T DO IT UNLESS YOU PAY THESE PEOPLE THE PROFESSIONAL THAT THEY DESERVE NUMBER ONE. AND THAT'S FOR BOTH PROSECUTORS AS WELL AS PUBLIC DEFENDERS. YOU'VE GOT TO ABLE TO PAY THESE PEOPLE A PROFESSIONAL WAGE BUT NUMBER TWO IS THE PART THAT I THINK EVERYBODY ELSE MISSES. YOU'VE GOT TO THEM A JOB THAT IS FULFILLING WHAT I WAS DOING AND WHAT I'VE DONE MY WHOLE CAREER.

I RECOGNIZED AS FULFILLING. IF I ENJOY COPYING A FILE I'M GOING TO ENJOY PREPARING WITNESSES. I'M GOING TO ENJOY SITTING IN MY OFFICE AND THINKING THROUGH THE LEGAL ASPECTS OF THE CASE THAT I'M ABOUT TO PROSECUTE I'M GOING TO ENJOY WALKING INTO THE COURTROOM. I'M GOING TO ENJOY MAKING THOSE ARGUMENTS.

BUT IT'S GOT TO BE FOR EVERYONE. AND IN ORDER TO DO THAT IT CANNOT BE AND THAT'S WHERE WE GET TO THE CASELOAD. IT IS NOT UNUSUAL IN OUR OFFICE IS NOT UNUSUAL AND PROSECUTOR'S OFFICES SOUTH CAROLINA FOR FOR PROSECUTORS TO HAVE A CASELOAD OF THREE FOUR 500 CASES CAN'T BE FULFILLING IF YOU'RE OVERWHELMED THE ENVIRONMENT HAS TO BE A GOOD ENVIRONMENT AND WITH WHICH THESE PEOPLE HAVE THE TIME WHICH THE NUMBER ONE RESOURCE IN ORDER TO HANDLE THESE CASES THE WAY THEY NEED TO BE HANDLED PROFESSIONALLY SO I GAVE YOU ALL A COPY AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WEREN'T THERE I'VE GOT IT WITH ME OF THE NOW THE NEW SOUTH CAROLINA SUPREME COURT ORDER SUPREME COURT ORDER STARTS OUT WITH THE CONCEPT THAT IN AN EFFICIENT CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM CASES SHOULD TO FRUITION IN A MATTER OF MONTHS INSTEAD OF A MATTER OF YEARS. AMEN. THE SECOND THING IT ALSO SAYS AND YOU HAVE TO READ THROUGH IT A LITTLE BIT IT SAYS EVERY NEEDS TO BE HANDLED WITH AN EYE TOWARD JUSTICE. IT'S YOU KNOW, WE CAN MOVE THE DOCKET TOMORROW BY DISMISSING ALL THE CASES THAT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO. WE CAN TAKE ALL OF GUILTY PLEAS AND MOVE THEM THAT WAY. THAT'S NOT THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

IT TAKES TIME TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND IT TAKES PROSECUTORS THAT THE RESOURCE OF TIME WHEN YOU LOOK THROUGH THAT ORDER IT TALKS ABOUT A THREE TIER SYSTEM IN WHICH PROSECUTORS TIME TO TRIAGE CASES AS THEY COME IN A MONTH TO THOSE CASES AND THEN MONTHS TO ACTUALLY TRY THEM.

THAT THREE TIER SYSTEM IS THE SYSTEM THAT WE PUT INTO PLACE IN 2010 AND BEAUFORT THE SOUTH CAROLINA SUPREME COURT HAS NOW ADOPTED WHAT WE DID IN 2010 AND IN 2010 AND THOSE THREE YEARS INVOLVED 2009, TEN AND 11 WE REDUCED THE DOCKET BY 45% BUT IT WAS ALL PROPPED UP BY FEDERAL GRANT MONEY AND WE COULDN'T KEEP IT. THAT'S WHY WE DON'T HAVE IT NOW WHAT THE SUPREME COURT ORDER SAYS IS ONCE YOU GET THE RESOURCES WE WOULD REALLY LIKE

[01:10:01]

THIS IS THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT EVERY COUNTY COUNCIL FUNDS THEIR SOLICITOR'S OFFICE.

THIS COMES FROM THE SOUTH CAROLINA PROSECUTION COORDINATION COMMISSION.

THESE ARE STATE THEY'RE ON THEIR WEBSITE. IF YOU'VE GOT A QUESTION ABOUT THEM AND AS YOU LOOK THROUGH THIS REPORT AT THE VERY END YOU'LL FIND THAT THE STATE AVERAGE IS $14.10. I WILL TELL YOU THAT JASPER COUNTY IN THE MIDDLE OF THEIR BUDGET SEASON LAST YEAR ACTUALLY IT WAS AFTER THEIR BUDGET SEASON WAS OVER.

I MET WITH THEM AND I TALKED ABOUT THREE TIER SYSTEM AND HOW I WANTED TO PUT IT INTO JASPER COUNTY AND I WANTED TO BE DEDICATED TO JASPER COUNTY. THEY MOVED UP THEIR FUNDING TO WHAT IS NOW $17.56 PER CAPITA COLLISON COUNTY HAVE HAD THE SAME CONVERSATION WITH THEM I AM EXPECTING THEM TO MOVE THEIRS UP AT THIS NEXT BUDGET CYCLE TO $17 AND 50 AND $0.79.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE I GET THAT RIGHT. I WANT TO TELL YOU I REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST STARTED MAKING BUDGET PRESENTATIONS I DIDN'T NEED THESE I'VE NOW AGED THEIR NUMBER WILL BE $17.98 PER CAPITA. JASPER ARE $17.59 AND YOURS IS $8.97 NOW I MET THIS AND I HOPE IT'S OKAY THAT I SAY THIS. LAST WEEK I MET WITH PINKY AND I WENT OVER THIS WITH THEM AFTER TALKING TO MANY OF YOU I SAID LOOK WHAT CAN WE DO HOW DO WE GET TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE? I WANT TO WORK WITH COUNCIL. I WANT TO WORK THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION. I DON'T WANT TO JUST DO PRESS CONFERENCES AND SAY LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, THIS KIND OF STUFF BUT WHAT CAN WE DO WHAT PINKY TOLD ME AND WHAT WE AND AGAIN I SAID I GUESS I'M ALREADY OUT THERE NOW OUR WHAT DONE IS WE'VE DECIDED TO AT LEAST PROPOSE TO YOU THAT WE FOLLOW JASPER LEAD IN THIS WAY WE CANNOT GET TO JASPER COUNTY $17 OR $0.50 PER CAPITA. WHAT I'VE ASKED IS THAT WE START AT THE STATE AVERAGE WHICH IS $14.10 AND THEN AS WE DID WITH JASPER COUNTY ENTRANCE AND MEET WITH COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR THAT EVERY YEAR FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS IT INCREASES BY 7% THAT IS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FEDERAL PAY SCALES STEPS WHICH IS WHAT I HAVE ALL OF MY LAWYERS UNDER UNDER THE THEORY THAT I HAVE TO PAY THEM A PROFESSIONAL WAGE. IT'S NOT WHAT I WANTED BUT IT'S REASONABLE AND IT'S WORKING WITH AND NOT AGAINST YOU. AND I HOPE THAT THE COUNCIL WILL TAKE THAT INTO SERIOUS CONSIDERATION AND VALIDATE THAT I WILL BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS I KNOW THAT'S NOT GIVING YOU A LOT OF DETAILS ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING, WHAT WE'VE DONE AGAIN A LOT OF THAT IS IN THIS REPORT. I WILL ALSO TELL YOU THAT IF YOU'VE GOT ANY QUESTIONS WANT YOU TO LOOK AT IT. YES, BUT I CAN I'M SURE MORE ROOM WHEN WE ASK PEOPLE YOU ARE YEAH MARK ARE YOU HAVING YOU GOT THREE DON'T YOU.

I GOT I GOT AND THANK YOU AND AGAIN I'VE GOT AN EXTRA IF IF YOU'VE GOT ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY OF THAT THAT'S IN THERE YOU KNOW PLEASE ME KNOW I'LL BE GLAD TO ANSWER IT BUT THAT IS THAT'S THE WHY AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH AND I WILL PROMISE YOU ONE WAY OR THE OTHER THAT'S WHAT WE ARE GOING TO ACCOMPLISH.

I CAN JUST DO IT A LOT SOONER IF EVERYBODY WORKS WITH ME. OKAY LET'S OPEN IT UP FOR.

QUESTIONS YES MA'AM. MISS HARRIET HOW MUCH IS THIS, SIR? BUDGET INCREASE. JUST GIVE ME THE FLAT NUMBER SO I DO THE MATH TO EIGHT $2,805,604 WHICH IS THE STATE $14.10 PER CAPITA. AND I APPRECIATE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND WE CAN'T GO UP TO WHERE COLLINS AND JASPER IF THE IF YOU WERE AT JASPER COUNTY IT WOULD BE 3.5 MILLION. YEAH, WELL I WILL SAY THAT HE DIDN'T SHE DIDN'T HELP ME HE TRIED I MEAN I'D EXPECT NOTHING LESS BUT SO THIS IS WORKABLE SO YOU'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE AGAIN I THINK ONCE WE SEE HERE'S HERE'S WHAT I HAVE TO DO I HAVE TO PLAN TO BE ABLE TO PLAN.

I HIRE LAWYERS BEFORE THEY TAKE THE BAR AND THE BAR IS IN JULY AND SO I HAVE TO KIND

[01:15:05]

I KNOW I ARGUED LAST LAST YEAR TO GIVE YOU THE 5% INCREASE I WORKED THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE. IT WAS NOT A LIVING WAGE. NO.

AND WHEN I HAD MY FIRST SON I HAD TO CHANGE I HAD TO CHANGE JOBS.

BUT I ALSO KNOW FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE THAT WHEN YOU SOMEBODY THAT DOCKET BACKS UP EVEN FURTHER YOU LOSE THAT EXPERTIZE YOU LOSE THE PLACE IN THE DOCKET AND YOU HAVE TO START OVER AND I THINK INCREASING THE IS A MUST. I THINK WE NEED TO DO IT I THINK TO SUPPORT YOUR STAFF AND SUPPORTS A LIVING WAGE HERE IN INDIA BUT I'M FULLY BEHIND IT.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTI&-P? SO YOU KNOW I FOLLOW MR. LEWIS WELL, YOU DID RAISE YOU ME IN NEW YORK FIRST OF THE DUFFY STONE MR. STONE APPRECIATE YOU.

YOUR PRESENTATION OF EVEN APPRECIATE YOUR COMPASSION FOR YOUR JOB YOU KNEW EXACTLY WHAT HE WANTED TO BE EARLY ON IN LIFE AND SO TO OBTAIN THAT YOU ACTUALLY WENT TO SCHOOLS TO DO SO I CAN TELL YOU THAT MY WIFE ALSO WHEN SHE WAS EIGHT YEARS OLD THAT SHE WANTED TO BE A TEACHER AND THAT WAS HER PASSION AND SHE BECAME AN EDUCATOR AND TODAY SHE'S STILL LIVING THAT DREAM BECAUSE SHE IS A EDUCATOR. SO I APPRECIATE HOW DO YOU SO MY QUESTION REALLY AND I AGREE WITH YOU IT IF YOU IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT THAT'S THE PERSON YOU WANT TO HIRE HOWEVER I PROBABLY KNOW THAT YOU ARE HIRING PEOPLE JUST THE INCOME THE JOB AND NOT REALLY FOR THE PASSION. IF YOU HAD THE PASSION THE FAN OUT OF IT THE SENSE DIDN'T DETER YOU BECAUSE YOU WANTED TO BE COME THAT'S SOLICITING STUFF SO I COMMEND YOU FOR THAT. HOW DO YOU HOW DO YOU KNOW HOW YOU DON'T I MEAN I WISH I COULD TELL YOU WHAT YOU KNOW WHAT IS INTERESTING I WILL TELL YOU THIS ABOUT HALF OF THE LAWYERS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR OFFICE HAVE BEEN WITH ME NOW FOR OVER 14 YEARS NOW THAT'S NOT TO SAY HAVEN'T LOST THEM. I MEAN WE'VE LOST SOME AND USUALLY WE LOSE THEM WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR OR TWO. NOW WE LOST ONE JUST RECENTLY TO A JOB IN CHARLESTON THAT'S PAYING MORE I'M MAKING SO YOU KNOW TO THAT I CAN SORT OF UNDERSTAND THAT BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING THEY LEARN PRETTY AND THAT'S A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE TRAINING FACILITY SO WE'VE HAD THEM LEAVE DURING TRAINING BECAUSE IT'S VIGOROUS AND IS ALL DAY AND IT IS THREE MONTHS AND IF YOU LIVE WITH ME FOR THAT LONG THEN AND YOU STILL WANT TO DO THIS JOB YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO STAY A WHILE BUT IT'S HARD AND IT'S VERY FOR US TO KNOW.

BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT FIRST THING STARTS WITH SURE THEY'RE TRAINED SO THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GETTING INTO AND THEN NUMBER TWO MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE DOING THE PROCESS.

YOU KNOW WHAT WE DO IS AND THIS IS THE JOB DESCRIPTION THAT I GIVE EVERYBODY YOU TO DO THE RIGHT THING THE RIGHT WAY. IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT DOING THE RIGHT THING.

EVERYBODY THINKS THEY'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING. ARE YOU DOING IT THE RIGHT WAY? AND SO THIS THREE TIER SYSTEM IS A IS A PROCESS THAT YOU HAVE TO DO EXACTLY LIKE IT SAYS IF YOU DON'T YOU'RE GOING TO GET BEHIND. AND SO YOU KNOW THESE THINGS WE TRY TO TEACH THEM EARLY, WE HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR DOING IT THAT WAY AND IF THEY DON'T THEY USUALLY ELIMINATE THEMSELVES ACTUALLY BUT AGAIN FORTUNATELY GOT RIGHT NOW I DON'T REMEMBER THE EXACT NUMBER OF TIMES I HAVE IT ABOUT HALF OF OUR LAWYERS HAVE BEEN WITH US FOR OVER 14 YEARS THEY KNOW WHAT THEY WANT TO DO AND THEY'RE THERE AND THEY'RE AND THEY'RE DIALED IN. THIS IS WHAT THEY WANT TO DO AND I KNOW IT BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE IT IN THEIR WORK PRODUCT. SOME OF YOU CAME TO WHEN YOU CAME TO THE OFFICE YOU SAW THE WAR ROOMS. THE WAR ROOMS WHERE YOU PREPARE AND THAT'S HOW YOU WRITE UP YOUR STUFF. I LOVE IT I LOVE DOING THAT. I LOVE ACTUALLY WRITING THE STUFF UP ON THE WHITEBOARD THAT'S NOT EXCITING. THERE'S NO CAMERAS THERE.

THE LIGHTS AREN'T ON. NOBODY'S DANCING. IT'S JUST WORK BUT IT'S GREAT AND WHEN I LOOK THROUGH WHEN I WALK THROUGH MY OFFICE AND I HEAR THEM WHAT WE CALL WHITEBOARDING CASES I KNOW THAT THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE DOING TOO. THEY LOVE WHAT THEY'RE DOING IN THAT IN THAT ENVIRONMENT AND THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE TO LIKE BECAUSE JUST BEING IN THE

[01:20:04]

THIS IS WHAT SIMILARLY SITUATED SOLICITORS OFFICES ARE GETTING. I THINK YOU'VE GOT YOUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR CAME FROM YORK COUNTY. I THINK THEY ARE AT $22 PER CAPITA. I WILL ALSO TELL YOU THAT THAT SOLICITORS OFFICE IS EXCELS IN JUST ABOUT EVERY STATISTICAL CATEGORY YOU CAN FIND THEY HAVE THE CASES TO COURT TIME THEY THE FEWEST CASES PER PROSECUTOR AND THEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE GRAPHS THAT THE SUPREME COURT KEEPS THEY HAVE BEEN FOR QUITE THE GOLD STANDARD AND QUITE FRANKLY THAT BOTHERS I'M NOT INTERESTED IN SOMEBODY ELSE BEING THE GOLD STANDARD. I WANT TO BE THE GOLD STANDARD . THE BALANCING ACT FOR ME IS HOW DO YOU HOW DO YOU BALANCE YOUR OFFICE WITH THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE SO THAT YOU ARE NOT NECESSARILY ROBBING FROM PETER RIGHT. AND SO HOW DO YOU HOW CAN WE AS COUNSEL YOU KNOW, I TELL PEOPLE ALL THE TIME WHEN I WAS ON THE SCHOOL BOARD I THE CITIZENS OF HILTON HEAD PLEASE PLACE A GREAT DEMAND ON ON THE SCHOOL BOARD. THEY WANTED THIS.

THEY WANTED THAT. THEY WANTED THIS AND I HAD TO TELL PEOPLE SEE HELENA DON'T UPSET WITH HILTON HEAD BECAUSE ONCE THEY GET ALL THE COMPUTERS ,THE CLASSROOM, GUESS WHAT? IT'S GOING TO TRICKLE DOWN TO YOU TOO, RIGHT? SO HOW DO WE BALANCE THAT ACT AND STUFF? BECAUSE YOU COULD NOT WE COULD NOT AS A SCHOOL BOARD FUND HILTON HEAD THE MAN YOU JUST HAD THE FUND TO THE EXTENT THAT WE COULD AFFORD BUT KNOWING THAT SEE HELENA WAS GOING TO ALSO REQUEST SEE FUNDING SO YOU HAD THE SHERIFF WELL I'LL ANSWER THAT IN THREE DIFFERENT WAYS. THE FIRST THE FIRST ONE IS THE EASIEST WE PROSECUTE EVERY CRIMINAL CASE THAT COMES IN TO BE FOR COUNTY THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE DEFENDS ABOUT 70% OF THAT NOW THAT NUMBER CHANGES JUST ABOUT EVERY DAY AND I CAN GO RUN THOSE NUMBERS AND FIND OUT BUT PRETTY CONFIDENT OF THAT.

IN FACT I'M SO CONFIDENT OF THAT. I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE OFFICE OF INDIGENT DEFENSE COLUMBIA WORKS WITH THE PROSECUTION COORDINATION COMMISSION EVERY WHEN THEY TAKE THEIR BUDGET TO THE STATE TO THE STATE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, IT IS BASED ON A 70% DEFENSE OF HUNDRED PERCENT PROSECUTION. SO THAT NUMBER IS USED THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND I THINK IT'S I THINK IT'S EXACTLY DEAD ON AS FAR AS BE FOR COUNTIES CONCERNED BUT AGAIN I CAN RUN THOSE NUMBERS BUT I'M GOING TO TELL YOU IT'S GOING TO COME OUT TO BE REALLY CLOSE TO THAT IF NOT LESS SO ANSWER NUMBER ONE AND NUMBER TWO IS THIS I THINK PUBLIC DEFENDERS SHOULD BE PAID WELL. I TOLD THE SOUTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY THE SAME THING THEY NEED A LIVING AS WELL. YOU HAD TO LEAVE THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE NOT BECAUSE YOU WANTED TO BECAUSE YOU RAISE A FAMILY.

I HAD TO LEAVE THE SOLICITOR'S OFFICE IN THE FIFTH CIRCUIT BECAUSE I WANTED TO BUY A HOUSE THAT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE. THESE ARE PROFESSIONS. THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO FOR THREE YEARS AFTER COLLEGE JUST TO GET TO DO A JOB THAT YOU'VE GOT TO LOVE IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT WELL. SO THEY NEED TO PAID WELL AS YOU KNOW THEY NEED TO PAY TO BE PAID WELL ALSO. AND THEN I THINK THE THIRD THE THIRD ANSWER TO THE AND I WOULD THROW THIS OUT THERE WHAT I PUT IN THESE PAPERS IS A REPORT FROM OUR SECOND APPEARANCE AS A SECOND APPEARANCE IS WHEN ALL THE DISCOVERY HAS SENT TO THE DEFENSE THE DEFENSE HAS LOOKED AT IT. THEY SHARED IT WITH THEIR CLIENT AND THEN THEY TELL THE JUDGE IS THIS A GUILTY PLEA? IS THIS A TRIAL? WHATEVER YOU KNOW DO, I NEED A MENTAL EVALUATION. VARIOUS OTHER ANSWERS THEY CAN GIVE 85% OF THE CASES THAT ARE ACTUALLY HAVING A SECOND APPEARANCE IN WHICH THERE IS A HEARING AND THE JUDGE SAYS

[01:25:04]

WHAT DOES THAT TELL YOU? THAT TELLS YOU THAT IF YOU HAVE A PROFESSIONAL PROSECUTOR AND A PROFESSIONAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY AND THEY HAVE TIME IS THE NUMBER ONE RESOURCE THEN YOU'RE GOING TO YOU'RE GOING BE AN EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT COURT SYSTEM AND THAT'S WHAT THAT TELLS YOU. THE THIRD IS IS DOESN'T REALLY APPLY SO MUCH THE PUBLIC DEFENDER I WILL TELL YOU THIS ABOUT FIVE OR 6% OF THE CASES THAT WE BRING IN ARE DISMISSED.

THE PUBLIC DEFENDER NEVER SEES THEM BECAUSE WE LOOK AT THEM OR WRITE IT EITHER IT'S NOT VIOLATION OF STATE LAW. IT'S IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE LOOK INTO AND WE START INTERVIEWING WITNESSES AND FIND OUT THAT THE WITNESSES DIDN'T TELL LAW ENFORCEMENT EXACTLY THE TRUE FULL STORY AND THOSE WE ARE ETHICALLY BOUND TO DISMISS NOT JUST THROW THEM UP AGAINST THE WALL AND SEE IF THEY STICK. SO THE PUBLIC DEFENDERS WILL NEVER SEE THOSE CASES. BUT I THINK THIS COUNSEL HAS SOME TOUGH DECISIONS TO MAKE AND AS EVERY COUNSEL DOES AND MAINLY YOU WILL HEAR REQUESTS FROM EVERY AGENCY YOU CAN IMAGINE FOR MONEY AND YOU AS A COUNTY COUNCIL WILL DETERMINE WHAT'S IMPORTANT IN OUR COMMUNITY AND IT WILL INEVITABLY BE EDUCATION. IT WILL INEVITABLY BE SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, IT WILL BE HOME OWNERSHIP. IT WILL BE ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT EVERY GOOD COMMUNITY NEEDS IF YOU'RE NOT SAFE IN YOUR BUSINESS FROM SOMEBODY STICKING GUN IN YOUR FACE AND TAKING YOUR PROFITS, BUSINESS IS GOING TO BE VERY IF YOU'RE NOT SAFE IN YOUR HOME FROM SOMEBODY BREAKING INTO IT AND FOR HEAVEN FORBID IF YOUR CHILDREN AREN'T SAFE IN SCHOOL NONE OF THAT MATTERS PUBLIC SAFETY HAS TO BE YOUR NUMBER ONE CONCERN THAT STARTS WITH THE SHERIFF BUT. IT DOESN'T END WITH THE SHERIFF.

IT ENDS WITH ME. OKAY OH THAT'S YEAH THAT IS OKAY ON THAT EVERYTHING OKAY? THANK YOU. LET'S SEE IF EITHER ONE OF OUR COUNCILMAN WAS ONLINE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR YOU COULD BOTH OF YOU. OH, YOU'RE GOOD.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU COMING UP YOU GOT ONE MORE NOW AND SO MR. STEELE, THANK YOU FOR COMING IN PERSON. WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING OUT HERE TAKING THE TIME TO DO THAT AND I CAN I DID NOT MAKE I KNOW I'VE TAUGHT WITH YOU YEARS PAST YOUR FACILITIES BUT.

I APPRECIATE YOU PUTTING THIS IN WRITING. SO SOMETHING I THINK WE'VE ASKED FOR IN THE PAST THIS I THINK OUR BIGGEST CONCERN HAS ALWAYS BEEN IS IS ARE WE OUR FAIR SHARE OR ARE WE PAYING MORE THAN OUR FAIR SHARE? AND THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN AN ISSUE WITH ME WITH THE NUMBERS AND AGAIN YOU PUT IN HERE EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE RECEIVING NOW FROM POOR FAMILIES AND YOU KNOW, SEEING WHO'S LESS THAN US AND EVEN ON A PER CAPITA, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY YOU KNOW, YOU YOU ADD THAT UP AND AND WE'RE ABOUT 66% OF YOUR INCOME IS COMING FROM COUNTY. BUT I LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF PENDING CASES AND WE'RE ABOUT TWO THIRDS OF THE PENDING CASES. SO THAT FALLS IN LINE THERE.

SO AGAIN, WE WANT YOU TO BE SUCCESSFUL BUT THAT OBVIOUSLY EVEN WITH JASPER COUNTY PAYING MORE, YOU KNOW YOU KNOW WE ARE FUNDING A LARGE PORTION OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

SO IN YOUR NUMBER OF $2.8 MILLION IT COMES FROM THE COUNTIES.

HOW MUCH MORE THAN COMES FROM STATE AND FEDERAL THAT'S THAT IS WELL IF YOU CAN ME WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH FEDERAL GRANTS THIS TIME NEXT YEAR THEN THEN YOU KNOW YOU NEED TO GO BUY A LOTTERY TICKET BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW I WILL TELL YOU THAT OUR ENTIRE SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT IS ON A FEDERAL GRANT THAT'S $242,000. WE WILL NOT LOSE OUR SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT. OUR NURSE WAS SOME OF MET WHO DOES SEXUAL ASSAULT EXAMINATIONS ON CHILDREN IS ALSO ON A GRANT AND I AGAIN I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE SITUATION AND FEDERAL GRANTS ARE GOING TO BE NOT OVERLY OPTIMISTIC ABOUT IT BUT I WILL NOT LOSE EITHER AND SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE SOME TOUGH DECISIONS IF THOSE GRANTS GO IN THE DIRECTION THAT I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO GO FROM THE STATE STANDPOINT, I'LL BE GLAD TO RUN THE NUMBER AND GIVE YOU THE EXACT PERCENTAGE. GENERALLY SPEAKING, IF YOU LOOK THE STATE MONEY GOES TO OBVIOUSLY EVERY SOLICITORS SO WHEN I GIVE YOU THE APPLES TO APPLES COMPARISON WHAT THAT IS IS THAT IS COUNTY COUNCIL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE SOLICITOR TOTALLY SEPARATE FROM HOW MUCH MONEY THEY GET FROM THE STATE OR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

AND SO THAT I CAN YOU KNOW, WALK UP THOSE PERCENTAGES IF YOU NEED ME TO BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY I NEED TO REMIND YOU OF SOMETHING ELSE. WHEN I TOOK OVER THE SOLICITOR'S OFFICE IN 2006 EVERYTHING WAS IN HAMPTON. YOU DIDN'T HAVE A SOLICITOR'S

[01:30:02]

WE NOW HAVE AN OFFICE HAS THE VERY FIRST FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER IN SOUTH CAROLINA WITH VICTIM SERVICES EVERY VICTIM SERVICE YOU CAN IMAGINE UNDER ONE ROOF SO THAT WHEN A VICTIM COMES HERE THEY ARE ABLE TO GET WHATEVER VICTIM THEY NEED AND THAT INCLUDES CIVIL WE'RE THE ONLY ONE IN THE STATE THAT HAS THAT BUT IT'S IN COUNTY. BILL HARPER HIRSHMAN HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING MONEY FROM THE STATE TO BUILD A TRAINING FACILITY FOR TRAINING . I THINK THAT WILL NOT ONLY HELP IN THE TRAINING OF MY PROSECUTORS BUT, IT ALSO HELP IN RECRUITMENT THAT'S GOING TO BE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY THE OPERATIONS ITSELF, EVERYBODY THAT WORKS IN OUR OFFICE JUST ABOUT EVERY ONE OF THEM LIVE, WORK AND PAY TAXES IN BEAUFORT COUNTY YOU POPULATION IS YOUR RIGHT YOU POPULATION IS ABOUT 65% OF THE OVERALL CIRCUIT YOUR CASELOAD IS ABOUT HALF AS WELL AND A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN THAT BUT EVERYTHING IS DONE IN COUNTY AND THE PEOPLE THAT WORK IN THAT OFFICE ARE ALL PAYING TAXES IN COUNTY. MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT THAT. THE THE CORE OF OUR SOLICITOR'S OFFICE IS BEAUFORT COUNTY AND SO YOU KNOW I THINK IF YOU WANT TO I DON'T THINK YOU CAN COMPARE THE MONEY THAT GIVES TO ALLENDALE UNLESS YOU WANT TO BE ALLENDALE AND I DON'T THINK YOU WANT TO DO THAT. SO I REALLY FROM OUR STANDPOINT WILL TELL YOU THAT THIS OPERATION I BELIEVE IS DOING GREAT THINGS FOR THIS COUNTY. I THINK I HOPE WE'RE DOING GREAT THINGS FOR ALL OF OUR COUNTIES. BUT BUT BEAUFORT COUNTY IS IS OUR CENTER CORE OF EVERYTHING AND THOSE PEOPLE ARE LIVING RAISING FAMILIES HERE AND PAYING TAXES HERE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

WELL AND JUST TO FOLLOW BACK UP AND I AGREE WITH YOU AND WANT TO SEE YOU SUCCEED, I WANT TO SEE IF THINGS DO WELL AND THAT HAS BEEN AGAIN WE LOOK AT YOU MENTIONED ALABAMA.

WE DON'T WANT TO BE ALLENDALE IN THE PAST THE YEAR 2020. YEAH.

YEAH, RIGHT. 1.71.8 AND OBVIOUSLY IF WE GO AHEAD AND INCREASE WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THAT PUTS US THEN IT AT BEING 80% OF YOUR OF YOUR BUDGET BUT HAVING DONE SO I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH US SPENDING MORE MONEY FOR THE SOLICITOR AND MORE MONEY FOR THE PUBLIC DEFENDER. I THINK THOSE ARE THOSE ARE WELL-SPENT DOLLARS FOR THE COMMUNITY. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR COMING, MR. STONE.

I'M SURE THANK YOU WE APPRECIATE ALL THE DATA THAT YOU GAVE US ON OUR VISIT WHAT WAS PASSED OUT TODAY? VERY USEFUL. EXCELLENT.

THANK YOU. APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. OKAY, ONE MORE.

THIS IS IT JUST THIS STATEMENT OVERALL DOING BETTER. THANK YOU.

WOULD YOU JUST LIKE MY STAMP ON TREES? YOU KNOW? OKAY. MR. STONE, ARE YOU STILL USING THAT STAMP? THERE ARE THREE PEOPLE IN THE STATE THAT HAVE THAT STAMP A FAMILY COURT JUDGE.

THE OF THE HOUSE AND ME. I HAVEN'T USED IT AGAIN RECENTLY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU AGAIN.

THANK ALL RIGHT. OUR FINAL PRESENTATION IS SHERIFF TANNER.

I'LL LET HIM COME UP AND INTRODUCE SUZANNE. WELL, OKAY.

SO IN A SITUATION WITH SUZANNE I'LL START OUT WELCOME WELCOME MR. LIBBY FOR MONEY.

NO, I HAVE HIGH HOPE YOU ARE WELL AND I THINK I AM THE LAST ONE.

YES. SO I'VE GOT AN HOUR RIGHT, RIGHT YOU GO THEY'LL SIT BACK ON ANY WATER, ANYTHING A GOOD CHUNK OF COFFEE OR ANYTHING BEFORE WE GET STARTED ME LET ME LET ME DO A LITTLE HISTORY FIRST AND THAT OF SETS THE STAGE ON WHAT I'M GOING TO MAKE REMARKS ABOUT. I'M NOT WE'LL TALK ABOUT DOLLARS BECAUSE I HAVE SUZANNE HERE SHE'S THE SHE'S THE DOLLAR TALKER SO I'M JUST GOING TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY AND A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION. YOU KNOW, IN 1998 WHEN I WAS ELECTED I SPENT FROM NOVEMBER TO JANUARY WORKING ON A COMPENSATION PLAN FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. BUT MY KNOWLEDGE AND HISTORY OF THE SHERIFF'S, YOU KNOW, CAME FROM SERVING AS A DEPUTY WITHIN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE FROM 81 UNTIL 1995.

SO WHEN I TOOK OFFICE IN 1999 I HAD A PRETTY GOOD UNDERSTANDING ON HOW COMPENSATION DEALT WITH

[01:35:04]

DEPUTIES THAT CAME ON BOARD MYSELF, 21 YEARS OLD STARTED THIS JOB.

JANE WERE IN 1981, MADE IT THROUGH MY FIRST YEAR, GOT MY W-2S MY FIRST YEAR FULL YEAR WORK AND MY SALARY WAS FOR THAT FULL YEAR $8,565 $4.11 AN HOUR. WE DIDN'T HAVE OVERTIME YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T QUALIFY FOR OVERTIME EVEN THOUGH WE WORKED PLENTY OF IT.

WE DIDN'T QUALIFY FOR WORK. WE DIDN'T HAVE HOLIDAY PAY. WE DIDN'T HAVE ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TODAY. THANK GOODNESS MY CHIEF DEPUTY MIKE HATFIELD SITTING HERE AND WE WERE ACTUALLY TALKING IN AN OFFICE THIS MORNING AND YOU KNOW, HE'S A OF OLDER AND I AM AND HE'S GOT A FEW MORE YEARS I THINK HE'S GOT SEVEN YEARS. STARTED IN 9074.

RIGHT. AND HE WAS MAKING $3 AN HOUR AS A DEPUTY SHERIFF BEFORE ACCOUNTING. SO WE'VE MADE A LITTLE BIT OF PROGRESS BUT I TAKE YOU BACK TO THAT $3 AN HOUR 1974 6000 SOME OUT OF THE BLUE IT WAS $250.

YEAH I'M SURPRISED HE CAN REMEMBER THAT BUT AND THEN WE TRANSITION TO 1981 AND YOU SEE THE DIFFERENCE ABOUT TWO GRAND STARTING PAY FOR A DEPUTY SHERIFF AND B FOR COUNTY WHEN I TOOK OFFICE IN 1999 AND I HAD MULTIPLE MEETINGS WITH COUNSEL FROM THE ELECTION IN 1998 IN NOVEMBER TO BE TAKEN OFFICE IN JANUARY I THINK IT WAS JANUARY 5TH, 1999 IMPLEMENTED THE COMPENSATION PLAN ON THAT DATE AND I TOOK OFFICE ACTUALLY IN THIS ROOM RIGHT HERE AND WE MADE A LOT SALARY ADJUSTMENTS FOR THE STAFF. WELL A PART OF THE CONVERSATION I HAD AND OF YOU WERE ON COUNCIL AT THE TIME BUT THE PART OF THE CONVERSATION I HAD WITH COUNSEL WAS I SAID THIS IS A GOOD PLAN. THIS IS A ROAD MAP FOR 25 YEARS PLUS SERVICE. IT GIVES A DEPUTY AN OPPORTUNITY WHICH I NEVER HAD TO COME TO WORK FOR AN ORGANIZER IN A PROFESSION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND ACTUALLY HAVE A DOCUMENT SAYS WE IF YOU IF YOU DO A GOOD JOB AND YOU GET PROMOTED AND YOU GO THE RANKS OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND YOU GIVE 25 YEARS TO THE CITIZENS OF YOU FROM COUNTY THEN THIS IS A RANGE OF WHAT YOUR WILL BE AND WE HAVE USED SAME COMPENSATION PLAN FOR 26 YEARS AND IT WORKS THE DOWNSIDE TO IT AND THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD IN 1998 AND EARLY 9099 IS THAT IF WE DON'T OFFER A COLA COST OF LIVING INCREASE EVERY YEAR THEN THE COMPENSATION PLAN GOES BACKWARDS AND UNFORTUNATELY THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE SINCE 1999 AND IT'S NO FAULT OF YOURS IT'S JUST A LOT OF IT HAD TO DO WITH THE ECONOMY WE WENT THROUGH YOU KNOW A DOWNWARD ECONOMY AND 2007 EIGHT, NINE, TEN AND YOU KNOW WE'VE ALL STRUGGLED ON THAT BUT THE REALITY IT ALL IS THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THAT WE'VE HAD TO GO IN AND MAKE CHANGES IN THE CURRENT PLAN THAT WE HAVE AT SHERIFF'S OFFICE BECAUSE OF NOT GETTING THOSE COST OF LIVING INCREASES ONLY BASIS A CONSISTENT BASIS THE COST OF LIVING IN COUNTY IS IS GOING UP EVERY YEAR BUT WE HAVE APPLIED THAT SAME COST OF LIVING TO THE EMPLOYEES THAT RECEIVE SALARY AND BENEFITS FROM COUNTY SO WE HAVE FALLEN BEHIND AND YOU KNOW WHEN I USE THAT SCALE OR FALLEN BEHIND I LOOK AND I GO BACK AND I DIG THROUGH DIFFERENT SALARY STARTING SALARIES THAT THEY HAVE AT AGENCIES AND WHO ARE WE COMPETING WITH AND WHAT'S COMPETITION NUMBER LOOK LIKE YOU KNOW AND I LOOK AT THE CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION AND IN THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE OVER THE YEARS THE MOST RECENT STUDY THAT THEY DID REQUESTED BY THE GOVERNOR WAS TO LOOK AT STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT IT WAS STUDY WAS DONE IN 2023 AND I THINK IT WAS PUBLISHED 2024 AND IT RECKONED THE RECOMMENDED ON THAT 2024 RELEASE WAS THAT SLED AGENTS AND LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT SLED AGENTS SLED AGENTS OR ABOUT 75% OF SLED AGENTS THAT WORK FOR SLED CAME FROM A SHERIFF'S OFFICE, A MUNICIPAL

[01:40:07]

YOU DON'T HAVE A LOT OF SLED AGENTS TO TRANSFER OVER TO A PROBATION OR PAROLE DNR OR SOME OF THE OTHER AGENCIES AND SLED AGENTS OR FORMER DEPUTIES AND POLICE OFFICERS FROM OTHER AGENCIES IN SOUTH CAROLINA. AND WHY IS THAT? IT COULD BE THE LOGO ON THE UNIFORM BUT MOST OFTEN YOU'LL FIND THE SALARY AND BENEFITS OR GREATER THAN WHAT OUR COUNTY IS OR PROVIDING FOR OUR SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS OUR MUNICIPALITY IS PROVIDING FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS. GIVE AN EXAMPLE STARTING PAY CURRENTLY FOR A A STARTING PAY FOR A PERSON WALKS IN THE DOOR WANTS TO BE A DEPUTY SHERIFF HAS NO FORMAL EDUCATION HAS NO EXPERIENCE SO YOUR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE WHICH THEY HAVE TO BE COMES IN THE DOOR HISTORICALLY PAY IS 50 TO 345 STARTING PAY AT SLED TODAY IS 58,000 AND IT HIGHWAY PATROL WAS 56 PLUS AND THE SOUTH FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE 58,000 THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS 58,000. SO WE'RE COMPETING WITH THE STATE AND THE STATE NOT P.J. TANNER BUT THE STATE RECOMMENDS A SEPARATE STUDY OFFERED TO THE GOVERNOR BY THE SOUTH. ONE FORMER ADMINISTRATION SAYS WE SHOULD BE PAYING OUR STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT AT THESE RATES . STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT GETS THEIR STAFF FROM COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES SO WE'RE COMPETING WITH THAT LOW.

SO AT THE STATE LEVEL WE HAVE COMPETITION AT THE LOCAL LEVEL WE HAVE COMPETITION WE'VE GOT ABOUT 40 SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES IN THAT SHERIFF'S OFFICE CURRENTLY THAT CAN RETIRE ANY DAY THEY WANT TO. AND WHEN I SAY RETIRED THEY'VE GOT WELL OVER 25 YEARS.

MIKE HATFIELD'S GOT TWO YEARS AND HE'S STILL WORKING HERE TODAY AND A LOT THOSE MEN AND WOMEN YOU KNOW WE'RE IN THE MID THIRTIES CLOSE TO 40 YEARS OF SERVICE AND WE WANT TO KEEP THEM AND I WANT TO STAY SO TO RETENTION FOR THAT GROUP NOT REALLY A CHALLENGE OKAY BUT WHEN YOU GO DOWN THE LINE AND YOU GO FROM 0 TO 5 YEARS AND THEN YOU GO FROM YOU GO FROM 5 TO 10 AND 10 TO 15 THEN YOU SEE THE RETENTION LEVEL REALLY CHANGES ESPECIALLY FROM THAT THAT 5 TO 10 YEAR MARK BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN IN THE GAME FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS THEY KIND OF KNOW THEY'VE BEEN THEY'VE BEEN CERTIFIED BY THE ACADEMY THEY KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS PROFESSION AND NOW THEY'RE GOING TO START LOOKING AT WHAT'S THE FUTURE FOR ME? WHERE CAN I GET THE MOST MONEY THE BIGGEST BANG FOR THE BUCK AND DO THE LAST WORK? A LOT OF TIMES THEY WE FIND THAT THEY TRANSITION OVER TO ANOTHER ORGANIZATION NOW LARRY YOU KNOW BETTER THAN ANYBODY WE CAN NOT COMPETE WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

IT'S IMPOSSIBLE. IT'S THE SALARY AND BENEFITS THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OFFER IN THE FORM OF LAW ENFORCEMENT IS FAR GREATER THAN IN ANY STATE, COUNTY OR MUNICIPALITY WOULD BE ABLE TO OFFER. AND WE NOW WITH THE NEW ADMINISTRATION AND THE FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION WE'RE SEEING AN UPTICK, A HUGE INTEREST IN THE MILITARY UNLIKE. WHAT WE SAW SOME YEARS PAST WE'RE SEEING AN UPTICK NOW WE'VE GOT 18 YEAR OLDS LOOKING AT THE MILITARY GOING TO COLLEGE BECAUSE THEY'RE LOOKING FOR A CAREER IN THE MILITARY NOT GOING TO COLLEGE AND WE'RE KIND OF WANTING THOSE GUYS AND GALS GO TO COLLEGE, TURN 21 AND BECOME SHERIFF'S DEPUTY IN BEAUFORT COUNTY OR A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER IN CAROLINA BECAUSE WE ALL BENEFIT FROM THAT.

SO THE FEDERAL SIDE IS THAT ONE WE'RE COMPETING WITH THE MILITARY.

WE HAVE A NEWFOUND INTEREST IN THE MARINE CORPS, AN ARMY AND AN AIR FORCE.

THANK GOODNESS WE DO. I'M VERY GLAD FOR THAT AND WE'RE GOING TO LOSE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY IN THERE. BUT WE ALSO SEE THAT THE FEDERAL SYSTEM IS OFFERING A LOT OF FEDERAL JOBS. SO YOU'LL SEE UPTICK IN FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT ESPECIALLY WITH BORDER PATROL, DEA, CUSTOMS, YOU KNOW, ICE AND AND FBI. SO YOU'LL SEE AN BECAUSE THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF OPENINGS IN THAT ARENA. SO THOSE ARE TARGETED MORE FOR THE 2122, 23, 24 YEAR OLD BECAUSE YOU ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE A DEGREE AND IT'S A FOUR

[01:45:03]

RIGHT. IS THAT RIGHT YOU CAN'T COMPETE WITH THAT SO WE KNOW WE KNOW WE CAN'T SO LET'S COMPETE WITH OUR LOCAL AGENCIES. LET'S JUST ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE LOCALLY. WE'RE NO WE'RE COMPETING WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

WE KNOW WE'RE COMPETING WITH THE STATE AND NOW WE'RE COMPETING WITH THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON TO STARTING PAY US $56,000 SO 52 345 BLUFFTON PD'S AT 56 WE'VE LOST PROBABLY WITHIN THE LAST YEAR YEAR AND A HALF PROBABLY MORE THAN A YEAR AND A HALF WE'VE LOST SIX DEPUTIES TO THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON FOR SALARY SALARY INCREASE FOR RURAL PD IS 51 TO 59000 AND PORT ROLE IS 52,000. THEN WE LOOK AT OUR NEIGHBORING COUNTY JASPER.

JASPER STARTING PAY IS 55 PLUS HARDY VEHICLES IN THAT SAME RANGE.

CARLTON COUNTY IS A LITTLE BIT LOWER THAN US, YOU KNOW AND SO WE JUST GO AROUND AND WE'RE LOOKING AT I WHO WE'RE COMPETING WITH. ALL RIGHT.

LET'S TAKE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFF THE TABLE WHO ELSE ARE WE COMPETING WITH THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE INDUSTRY THE SERVICE INDUSTRY, BARTENDERS, BAR BACKS AND WAITERS MAKE BETWEEN 75 AND $100,000 A YEAR AND THEY WORK LESS HOURS. SO WE'RE COMPETING WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR JUST AS MUCH AS WE'RE WITH OUR OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN THE STATE AND AND AROUND THE COUNTRY. SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THE COMPETITION THAT WE HAVE. WHY DO WE THINK WE NEED TO INCREASE SALARIES? WE DEFINITELY NEED TO INCREASE OUR SALARIES TO, RECRUIT MORE THAT LOOK AT THAT ONE LOOK AT LAW ENFORCEMENT AS A PROFESSION AND AT THE SAME TIME WE NEED TO RETAIN THOSE THAT WE HAVE MADE HUGE INVESTMENT IN EVERY DAY THESE DEPUTY SHERIFFS, MEN AND WOMEN WORK WE INVEST SO WE'VE GOT TO RETAIN THEM. HOW DO WE DO IT? WELL, WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO RAISE TWO BRACKETS. WE GOT TO MAKE SURE THOSE BRACKETS ARE FAIR SO WE'VE GOT TO HAVE A FAIR STARTING SALARY, QUITE FRANKLY THAT'S BETTER THAN ANY AGENCY IN THE STATE I'M. STARTING SALARY NEEDS TO BE HIGHER THAN SLAB.

IT NEEDS TO BE HIRED AND HOW WE PATROL WHAT NEEDS TO BE HIRED THE LOCAL AGENCIES WE NEED THE CREAM OF THE CROP COME INTO BEAUFORT COUNTY SO OUR STARTING SALARY NEEDS TO BE AT $60,000 TO DAY UNDERSTAND UNDERSTANDING WE CAN'T GET THERE UNTIL JULY TWO WAYS TO DO IT SUZANNE I'LL TALK ABOUT WHAT THOSE NUMBERS ARE WE CAN HAVE A STARTING SALARY OF EIGHT AND CHANGE AND THEN IF YOU DO THE 3% COLA WHICH WE RECOMMENDED YOU DO THAT YOU DO THAT 3% GO THAT GOES ON TOP OF THE 58 AND YOU'VE GOT A MAGIC NUMBER OF 60 .

WE'RE NOT ASKING YOU TO DO 60 AND DO A CALL ON TOP OF THAT. SO WE'RE GIVING YOU NUMBERS AND YOUR NUMBERS OR OUT THERE AND WE CAN WORK WITH THOSE BUT BUT THE SALARY IS GOT TO INCREASE YOU KNOW OFTEN TIMES AND I KNOW Y'ALL HAVE ALL BEEN TO MEETINGS AND I KNOW I'VE BEEN A PART OF THOSE MEETINGS AS WELL WHERE THEY'VE ALWAYS ABOUT WORKFORCE HOUSING WELL MOST OF US ARE FORTUNATE THAT WE OWN OUR HOME AND WHEN I SAY OWN OUR HOME IF YOU DON'T OWN IT FLAT OUT AND YOU'RE MAKING A MORTGAGE PAYMENT ON IT YOU HOPEFULLY YOU GOT A GOOD INTEREST RATE AND HOPEFULLY YOUR MORTGAGE PAYMENT IS NOT, YOU KNOW, KEEPING YOUR HOME EVERY DAY DURING THE MONTH BUT REALITY TO BE FOR COUNTY IS IT COST YOU AN ARM AND A LEG TO RENT A ONE BEDROOM FLAT AND THAT RENTAL FOR A ONE BEDROOM FLAT WE MOVE ASKING PEOPLE TO COME TO COUNTY AND INVEST IN YOU AND BEAUFORT COUNTY THE WHAT THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY WANT TO LIVE WE ACTUALLY TELL OUR DEPUTIES THAT COME ON BOARD SAID LOOK DON'T MAKE A DON'T MAKE RASH DECISION RIGHT NOW UNDERSTAND THE COUNTY WE'RE TO DO WHERE DO YOU WANT TO LIVE IN THE COUNTY WHAT COMMUNITY DO YOU WANT TO LIVE IN IN THE COUNTY MAKE A DECISION AND THEN BUY A HOME? WE ALWAYS ENCOURAGE THESE MEN AND WOMEN BUY A HOME, INVEST IN THE COUNTY AND DO IT WHEN INTEREST ARE GOOD. BUT BETWEEN NOW AND THEN THAT'S AROUND 1800 AND IT IS RANGES FROM 1800 TO 20 $200 A MONTH AND FOR A ONE BEDROOM FLAT, YOU KNOW, MY WIFE TOOK A JOB SHE'S

[01:50:06]

BUT THE VOLUME OF OPPORTUNITY AND BECAUSE YOU KNOW THIS IS A COLLEGE COLLEGE TOWN IT'S SO MUCH HIGHER THAN WHAT WE HAVE LOCALLY. AND EVEN THOUGH EVEN WHEN YOU RIGHT AROUND THE COUNTY ALL YOU SEE NEW CONSTRUCTION THE REALITY IS THAT NEW CONSTRUCTION COMES AT A PRICE AND THE PRICE IS ALMOST UNAFFORDABLE FOR THESE MEN AND WOMEN THAT ARE ONE JUST GETTING OUT OF THE MARINE CORPS. THEREFORE YOUR STATE DECIDED PARRIS ISLAND WAS GREAT AND I LOVED EATING OUT SO I BURIED A FEW WHILE I WAS THERE BUT YOU KNOW IT'S NOT MY CUP OF TEA. I STILL WANT TO STAY IN A PARAMILITARY ENVIRONMENT SO LAW ENFORCEMENT IS WHERE I WANT TO GO AND WE HAVE WE HAVE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY TO RECRUIT THOSE MEN AND WOMEN. BUT WE'VE GOT MEN AND WOMEN NOT ONLY ON THE ENFORCEMENT SIDE WHICH ARE YOUR COMMISSION OFFICERS BUT WE HAVE NONCOMMISSIONED POSITIONS AS WELL THAT ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO THE ORGANIZATION AND OUR COMMUNICATIONS CENTER IS THE IS THE LIFELINE FOR ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PUBLIC SAFETY COUNTY BECAUSE OUR COMMUNICATIONS CENTER SHERIFF'S OFFICE DISPATCHERS FOR ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIRE AND EMS COUNTYWIDE, THE ONLY EXCLUSION TO THAT IS THAT THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD HAS A COMMUNICATIONS CENTER TO DISPATCHERS FOR THE FIRE AND RESCUE.

SO THERE'S A LOT GOING ON AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WE NEED TO RETAIN. WE'RE COMPETING WITH A LOT OF FOLKS WE'RE ASKING FOR A BIG NUMBER. I DON'T MIND TELLING YOU IT'S A BIG NUMBER.

PROBABLY ONE OF THE BIGGER NUMBERS I'VE EVER ASKED FOR OF THIS COUNCIL.

BUT WE'RE AT A POINT IN TIME RIGHT NOW THAT WE HAVE WORKED OURSELF INTO THIS COMPLICATION BUT IT IS MY FAULT I'M NOT BLAMING ANY OF YOU. I IT'S IT'S MY FAULT FOR NOT ARGUING ENOUGH AND PROVIDING THE INFORMATION TO COUNCIL OVER THE YEARS PASSED LAST YEAR.

AND SUZANNE KNOW SHE'LL CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG BUT LAST YEAR KNOWING WHAT WE KNEW THAT WHAT OUR COMPETITION WAS WE ASKED FOR A 3% COLA. THE COUNTY DIDN'T GIVE A 3% GO LAST YEAR BUT WE ASKED FOR A 3% COLA IN OUR BUDGET AND IT WAS APPROVED AS A PART OF OUR BUDGET BUT THAT'S THE ONLY YEAR THAT WE'VE DONE THAT AND YOU KNOW OF COURSE WE WERE PREPARED TO DO IT AGAIN THIS YEAR BECAUSE WE KNEW THE BENEFITS THAT IT HAD IN NOT ONLY RECRUITING BUT RETENTION BECAUSE EVERY EMPLOYEE AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE BENEFITS FROM COLA BUT NOT EVERYONE IN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS GOING TO BENEFIT FROM THE SALARY ADJUSTMENT BECAUSE. EVERY TIME YOU INCREASE THE BASE SALARY YOU CREATE COMPRESSION. SO WHAT SUZANNE HAS DONE AS SUZANNE HAS GONE THROUGH THIS AND WE'VE USED THE BRACKETS OF 0 TO 5, 5 TO 10, 10 TO 15 RIGHT ON UP TO MIKE HATFIELD AT 52 WHICH HE WON'T GET ANYTHING HE'LL A THANK YOU AND A PAT ON THE BACK AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO. BUT WHEN YOU GO DOWN TO THAT LOWER BRACKET THAT 1 TO 5 AND 5 TO 10 AND 10 TO 15 THAT'S THAT'S TOO CRITICAL THE TIME RANGE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.

SO WHEN WE INCREASE BRACKETS WE HAVE TO INCREASE ALL THE BRACKETS BY PERCENTAGE TO KEEP COMPRESSION AT BAY SO SUZANNE CAN ADDRESS WHAT THOSE NUMBERS AND THE BENEFITS.

BUT JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, 205 BRACKET THE BENEFIT WILL BE THE 53 EMPLOYEES THAT'S SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES AND IT WOULD ALSO BE 24 DISPATCHERS WILL BENEFIT FOR THAT BRACKET MOVEMENT FROM 0 TO 524 WILL BENEFIT FROM 5 TO 10 YEARS 16 WILL BENEFIT FROM THE 10 TO 15 AND THE 15 TO 20 WILL BE 11 AND THEN IT GOES DOWN TO FOUR AND THEN IT GOES DOWN TO 0000. WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT MAKING SEASON LAW ENFORCEMENT.

I'M NOT LOOKING AT THOSE 40 THAT I TOLD YOU EARLIER COULD RETIRE AT ANY TIME NOT ONLY BASED ON AGE BUT BASED ON AGE AND TIME AND. WE'RE NOT LOOKING WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT OUR SALARIES. WE'RE LOOKING THOSE SALARIES FOR RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION SO THAT WE'RE AT A CRITICAL POINT. IT A LOT OF COMPETITION AND IF WE DON'T DEAL WITH WHAT WE KNOW TO BE A REALITY HERE IN THE FORM OF SALARIES ALL ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING IN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WHEN IT COMES TO TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE AND EQUIPMENT AND TRAINING AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE WORKING.

[01:55:01]

AND I'VE HAD A LOT OF DEPUTIES ASK IF THEY CAN MOVE OUTSIDE OF COUNTY INTO JASPER BECAUSE RENT IS MUCH CHEAPER IN JASPER ALTERNATIVES AND BEAUFORT AND I SAID I'M SORRY I CAN'T DO IT.

THEY JUST CAN'T DO IT. I'VE TAKEN THAT POSITION FOR 26 YEARS AND I DON'T I DON'T PLAN TO CHANGE IT. WE JUST NEED TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR MEN AND WOMEN IN PUBLIC SAFETY NOT ONLY THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE BUT IDIOMS AND I KNOW FIRE DEPARTMENTS DO A PRETTY GOOD JOB BECAUSE I THINK MOST FIRE DEPARTMENTS ARE FUNDED THROUGH ACTIVE AND THEY DO A PRETTY GOOD JOB OF DOING THAT. BUT THE IMPACT OF Y'ALL WILL HAVE ON PUBLIC SAFETY WHEN IT COMES TO SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES, CORRECTIONS OFFICERS AND OF COURSE EMT IS AN EMS IS US ALMOST I DIDN'T REALIZE AND I JUST THOUGHT ABOUT IT YOU KNOW I TALK ABOUT ALL THIS COMPETITION THAT WE'RE HAVING TO DEAL WITH BUT I DIDN'T REALIZE UNTIL I SOLD THIS AND THESE ARE JOB OPENINGS WOULD BE FOR COUNTY AND I'M LOOKING AT THEM AND ONE IS AN ASSISTANT SECURITY COORDINATOR I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THAT WAS I HAD TO READ THE DESCRIPTION AND IT'S IT'S MORE OR LESS A CLERK AND THE STARTING PAY AND THIS BE FOR COUNTY HILTON AIRPORT STARTING PAY IS FROM 53 FOR 50 TO 69 FOR 75 I GO BACK AND I LOOK AT THE STARTING PAY FOR SHERIFF'S THAT FOR 32, 3045 AND I SAID WELL I'M COMPETING WITH AIRPORT FOR A SECURITY COORDINATOR AND THEN I LOOK AND I SAY OKAY WELL WE GOT HERE WE GOT A CORRECTIONS QUARTER SO WE GOT A CORPUZ FOR THE JAIL STARTING PAY 60,000 NOW 760,000 736 TO A RANGE OF 78,000 977. NOW LET ME REMIND YOU OF AND I'M NOT I'M NOT TALKING DOWN ON THE DEPARTMENT CORRECTIONS OR COUNTY JAIL OR I'M NOT TALKING THEM DOWN ON THE AIRPORT.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? WE ISSUE OUR OUR MEN AND WOMEN THAT WORK AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WHEN THEY WHEN WE BRING THEM IN AND WE THEM TO AN FTO AND IT TAKES ABOUT A FULL YEAR TO GET THEM SPUN ON EVERYTHING BUT WE FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT AND BE A MATTER CELLS THINK ABOUT THIS FOR A MINUTE WE ISSUE A PURSUIT VEHICLE, WE ISSUE A SIDEARM.

THEY'RE ISSUED OTHER GUNS AS WELL SHOTGUNS AND OTHER TYPE WEAPONS.

WE ISSUE A BULLETPROOF VEST. WE SHOOT TASERS, WE ISSUE ALL THIS EQUIPMENT.

IT'S NOT A RUN OF A MILL JOB. YOU'RE ACTUALLY TAKEN A YOUNG MAN OR WOMAN OR MIDDLE AGED MAN OR WOMAN AND YOU BRING THEM INTO AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE YOU HAVE ISSUE STUFF TO NOT ONLY PROTECT THEM BUT ALSO PROTECT THE GENERAL PUBLIC. SO WE ISSUE ALL THIS EQUIPMENT AND TRAIN THEM HOW TO USE IT, TRAINING THEM HOW TO USE IT IN MULTIPLE WAYS THE USE OF FORCE SHOOTING WE TAKE THEM TO THE RANGE, WE DO ALL THESE THINGS AND SEEMS LIKE AT TIMES WE'RE ASKING TO DO SO MUCH AND WE'RE PAYING THEM SO LITTLE TO REQUIRE THAT THEY DO THIS JOB AND HERE'S THE WAY YOU DO IT NOW WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE TRAINED AND WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU THE EQUIPMENT. BUT BY THE WAY, WE GAVE ALL THIS EQUIPMENT, WE GAVE YOU ALL THIS TRAINING BUT WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO PAY YOU A SALARY THAT YOU CAN LIVE, PLAY AND WORK IN THE SAME COUNTY. THAT'S OUR CHALLENGE RIGHT NOW . AND UNTIL WE CAN GET A LITTLE BIT BETTER THE SALARIES AND AGAIN NOT YOUR FAULT NONE OF THIS IS YOUR FAULT. THIS IS MY FAULT BUT THIS IS HOW WE REPAIR IT. IT'S A BIG NUMBER. I KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE HARD TO SWALLOW BUT WE'RE JUST WE'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO CHOKE IT DOWN AND MAKE IT WORK.

AND I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME, SUZANNE. I'M SURE THERE'S PROBABLY STUFF THAT THAT YOU CAN OFFER AS WELL AND I AM RIGHT HERE AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT

[02:00:01]

QUESTION IS THIS YOUR BECAUSE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE SHERIFF I DO YES, MA'AM.

HOW MANY OPENINGS DO YOU HAVE RIGHT NOW? WE HAVE AND I HAD THAT PIECE OF PAPER I DON'T WANT TO GIVE YOU A BAD NUMBER. I'LL NEVER KNOW THE DIFFERENCE WELL, I WILL. THANK YOU. HERE IT IS.

THERE SHE IS. WE SIX ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION OPENINGS THAT'S TWO CIVILIAN ONE WARRANT CLERK AND THREE OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS. WE HAVE 20 TO LAW ENFORCEMENT POSITIONS THAT ARE VACANT AND THOSE OF COURSE ARE PART OF THAT BRACKET WE'RE LOOKING AT AS WELL. SO ONE OR TWO LAW ENFORCEMENT, SIX ADMINISTRATIVE AND AN INMATE TOTAL EMPLOYEES. DO YOU HAVE IN YOUR WHOLE DEPARTMENT? WELL, IF WE'RE TO IF WE HAVE EVERY POSITION FILLED, WE HAVE 341.

OKAY. BUT CURRENTLY WE HAVE THE 341 -228.

RIGHT. THANK OKAY. AND YOU KNOW AND LET ME SAY THIS TOO THAT 28 THAT NUMBER HAS BEEN A FLUID NUMBER FOR THE THREE YEARS WE WILL HIRE FOUR OR FIVE SIX AND THEN WE HAVE A OF LEAVE TO GO TO SLED COUPLE GO TO THE HIGHWAY PATROL COUPLE GO TO BLUFFTON WILL HAVE THREE OR FOUR RETIRE AND THEN WE'RE RIGHT BACK AT THE SAME NUMBER AGAIN WE'LL IT WHITTLE IT DOWN IT COMES RIGHT BACK UP. SO THERE'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF A ROLLER COASTER. THANK YOU. OTHER QUESTIONS THE SHERIFF.

SURE. SHERIFF, I APPRECIATE YOU COMING IN PRESENTING YOUR PROPOSAL TO US IN YOU NEEDS AT THE SAME TIME THE COUNTY REQUESTED SEVERAL YEARS AGO OR SO AT SOME POINT IN TIME THE SHERIFF BEING A PART OF OUR COMP PLAN STUDY YOU OPTED NOT TO PARTICIPATE IN IT. I'M AND SO WE MOVE FORWARD THINKING THAT I'M THINKING FOR ME NOW THAT YOU OKAY WITH YOUR YOU KNOW YOUR PLANS YOU KNOW YOUR SALARY SO YOU NEVER REQUESTED ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDS ETC. NOW YOU COMING FORWARD ASKING AND YOU RIGHT YOU PROBABLY HAVE A A WHOPPING REQUEST AND WHEN WE DID OUR COMP PLANS IT WAS AT A POINT THAT IT WAS A WHOPPING REQUEST IN COUNCIL WITH THE GOAL IS TO SAY HEY WE GOT TO DO AND SO WE AT THE POINT DOWN THAT YOU MAKING THE REQUEST THE SOLICITING MAKING REQUEST AND WE PROBABLY HAVE TO LOOK AT IT AND SAY HEY WE ARE AT THIS POINT NOW THAT WE HAVE TO DO THE SAME THING FOR THE SHERIFF PARTICULARLY THAT WE DID FOR A LOT OF INCOMING COUNTY EMPLOYEES. WE JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT NUMBER IS BUT I DID I WOULD LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION AFTER THAT OR TWO CAN'T PLAN BECAUSE WE HAVE A PLAN THAT'S FLUID.

IT'S THE WORDS IF IT'S FUNDED AT THE TIME AND I WANT TO SAY THAT THE COUNTY LOOKED AT THIS COMPENSATION WHAT, THREE YEARS AGO? MM HMM.

AND AT THE TIME WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR COMPARISONS TO WHAT WE SEE IN AT THE STATE LEVEL AND OTHER JURISDICTIONS AROUND US WE WERE IN GOOD SHAPE AND OUR COMPENSATION PLAN AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS SOMETHING HIS WORK THEN FOR 23 YEARS AND IS WORKING AT 26 IT WORKS IF IT'S FUNDED BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE A CONSISTENT ANNUAL COLA YOU'RE NOT FUNDING IT YOU KNOW SO THAT IS WHAT TAKES TO BOTTOM LINE UP YOU EITHER MOVE BOTTOM LINE BY US COMING IN HERE AND ASKING AT THE BOTTOM LINE BE MOVED AND THEN WE DEAL WITH THE COMPRESSION OF THE OTHER BRACKETS OR YOU A CONSISTENT COLA EVERY YEAR AND THAT COLA IS RESPONSIBLE FOR NOT ONLY MOVING THE BOTTOM LINE BUT IT MOVES EVERYONE LINE THREE SO WHEN YOU DON'T DO THAT THEN REQUIRES ME TO COME IN HERE AND ASK FOR THOSE NUMBERS AND THEN WHEN THOSE NUMBERS THE DEPARTMENT ADMINISTRATION I THINK WHAT THE JOB THEY DID FOR THE GOVERNOR OUTSTANDING AND I APPRECIATE THE WORK THEY DID AND TOLD EVERY SHERIFF IN OUR LAST CONFERENCE THAT WE WENT TO YOU NEED TO TAKE THE DEPARTMENT ADMINISTRATION STUDY THAT YOU DIDN'T ASK FOR AND TAKE IT TO YOUR COUNTY COUNCIL AND SAY HEY YOU NEED TO MATCH THIS IF YOU DON'T MATCH THIS WE LOSE DEPUTIES. THE REALITY IS THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO REASON WHY.

MARK KEOUGH, THE DIRECTOR OF SLED AND THE DIRECTOR THE HIGHWAY PATROL CAN'T FILL THEIR POSITIONS WITH SHERIFF AND POLICE OFFICERS SO DUFFY DOES A PART OF THE COMPLAINT AND I

[02:05:06]

ALL RIGHT. BUT COLLECTIVELY WE HAVEN'T DONE ENOUGH TO ENSURE THAT OUR COUNTY EMPLOYEES ARE EITHER ATTACHED TO AN ELECTED OFFICIAL OR NOT HAS NOT BEEN COMPENSATED APPROPRIATELY AND AT LEAST GIVE THEM A COLA, YOU KNOW AND IF YOU DO THAT ON A REGULAR BASIS YOU CAN YOU CAN KEEP ON MOVING UP BUT IF YOU'RE NOT DOING COLA AND THEY HAVE NO COMPENSATION PLAN AVAILABLE TO THEM TO ADVANCE EITHER IN SENIORITY OR PROMOTION OR LONGEVITY OR PERFORMANCE THEN IT'S A DISSERVICE TO THOSE EMPLOYEES AND.

WE HAVE A LOT OF EMPLOYEES AND BEFORE CALLING MY JOB OF COURSE IS TO LOOK AFTER THE STAFF AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE BUT AT THE SAME TIME THOSE OFFICERS THE DEPARTMENT, OUR JAIL AND PUBLIC WORKS AND THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY DESERVE THE SAME TREATMENT. SO AGAIN IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT BUT COLLECTIVELY THAT THAT COST OF LIVING INCREASE IN A COUNTY IT GROWS RIGHT AROUND THE COUNTY YOUR STAFF DOES YOUR EMPLOYEES RIGHT AROUND THE COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES ARE IN THIS COUNTY EVERY DAY WE SEE THE GROWTH, WE SEE THE CHALLENGES.

SO I JUST SEE THIS THAT WHEN I FIRST GOT ON COUNCIL ALMOST EIGHT YEARS AGO A LITTLE EIGHT YEARS AGO I DID MEET WITH YOU DEPUTY MR. HATFIELD AND. HE WAS PLEASED WITH THE SALARY AT THE TIME SO I'M JUST GOING TO LEAVE IT LIKE THAT. YEAH, WELL, YOU KNOW, THINGS CHANGE YOUR DAYS AND WE'RE AT THAT MOMENT RIGHT NOW WHERE THINGS HAVE CHANGED AND WHEN TALK ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO IT'S NOT THREE YEARS AGO. YEAH IT WASN'T 2025 THINGS HAVE CHANGED. WE GOT TO MOVE FORWARD TO A SHERIFF TWO QUESTIONS.

NUMBER ONE, HOW DID THE OTHER 45 COUNTIES GET AROUND STATE LAW IN THE CONSTITUTION REQUIRING THEIR OFFICERS LIVE IN THE COUNTY? YOU KNOW, I'D PROBABLY BE BETTER OFF JUST NOT SAYING ANYTHING ABOUT THAT BECAUSE IT'S IT'S BEEN A HUGE CONVERSATION AND IN SOME OF OUR MEETINGS IN COLUMBIA THERE'S THERE'S PROBABLY THERE'S A DOWN SIDE THERE'S A BIT THERE'S A DOWNSIDE TO IT AND I'VE ALWAYS TAKEN THE POSITION SO YOU KNOW WHAT BECAUSE THE LAW SAYS THAT YOU HAVE TO LIVE IN THE COUNTY OF THE ELECTED DOOR.

I MEAN THE LAW IS BLACK AND WHITE AND CONSTITUTION SAYS THE SAME THING.

SO I'M NOT GOING TO ALLOW YOU TO LIVE OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTY WHEN THE LAW AND THE CONSTITUTION SAY YOU'RE GOING YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME THERE'S SOME CASE LAW OUT THERE THAT THAT SUGGEST THAT EVEN POLICE OFFICERS AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS HAVE TO LIVE IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. SO MEAN THERE'S A BUT ALL OF THOSE ARE MAYBE GRAY AREAS AND POINTS THAT NEED TO BE TALKED ABOUT BY GENERAL ASSEMBLY WE ASK WE HAVE LOOKED AT ASKING THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FOR YEARS NOW TO GO IN YOU HAVE TO CHANGE THE CONSTITUTION ON A REFERENDUM. THE VOTERS HAVE TO CHANGE THEIR AND WE HAVE ASKED THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO GO IN AND LOOKING AT CHANGING THE LAW ASKING THAT THE CONSTITUTION COULD BE AMENDED BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY OUT THERE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT NOT OUT OF STATE WITHIN STATE THAT THEY LIVE IN OTHER COUNTIES WHICH IS MORE AFFORDABLE OR THERE ARE SOME HISTORY WITH THAT COUNTY WITH FAMILY OR SOMETHING AND BE ABLE TO WORK ON ANOTHER BUT RIGHT NOW I JUST CAN'T ALLOW IT AND I DON'T KNOW.

THE SECOND PART OF THAT IS DOES EVERY EMPLOYEE OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WHETHER YOU'RE AN OFFICER BECAUSE YOU WORK WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE YOU HAVE TO LIVE IN THE COUNTY.

NO, JUST THERE'S JUST A COMMISSION OFFICERS. JUST YOU KNOW, THE NONCOMMISSIONED CIVILIAN PERSONNEL DO NOT. OKAY.

THANK YOU. OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE SHERIFF ,OKAY.

MM HMM. MM HMM. LET'S YOU GET WHAT YOU THINK, WARREN. WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. I'M HERE.

EVERYBODY UP. SUZANNE THANK YOU. NEED HELP? YES. YOU WANT US TO DO THEM? YEAH.

OKAY. YEAH, WE'LL DO THAT. EVERYBODY GETS ONE OF THE FEATURES YOU HERE FROM? THE NUMBERS? YEAH, ONE OF EACH.

GOOD MORNING. WHILE THE PAPERS ARE BEING PASSED AND HER SOLICITORS PHONE

[02:10:02]

SO YOU DID SIR. CAN YOU GET THAT UP THERE? NO, YOU DON'T.

NO, I DIDN'T GIVE IT TO HER. WELL, YOU KNOW OKAY. YEAH.

AND I'M FOR IT BECAUSE THERE'S A K POSSIBILITY THESE NUMBERS MAY JUST CHANGE WHERE THEY ARE.

THAT'S ANOTHER REASON WHY I JUST DIDN'T WANT TO GIVE IT OUT.

BUT CURRENTLY WHAT WE ARE ASKING FOR IS A TOTAL INCREASE OF 4.1 MILLION AND I'M ROUNDING HOWEVER GENERAL FUND INCREASE IS ONLY ABOUT THREE TO THE REMAINING BETWEEN THE TWO NUMBERS COME FROM OTHER SOURCES REVENUE FOR EXAMPLE THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ALSO, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ACE AND SOME OTHER INTEREST IN SOME FEES THAT DENISE HAD PUT INTO THE BUDGET PROCESS FOR THIS YEAR. WITH THAT BEING SAID, AS YOU CAN SEE THE BREAKDOWN IN FRONT OF YOU AND I DIDN'T KEEP THAT AREA AS SHERIFF HAD ALREADY THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT THE SALARY ADJUSTMENT AFFECTS AND AS YOU CAN SEE THE BREAKDOWN OF THE YEAR HE IS COMPLETELY CORRECT IT IS AFFECTING THE ENTRY LEVEL PEOPLE ARE THE OFFICERS IN THE DISPATCHERS WHO HAVE THE LEAST AMOUNT OF TIME AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AT THIS POINT YOU CAN SEE THAT IT DOES AFFECT 139 PEOPLE WHICH IS ALMOST HALF OF OUR STAFF AND THE OTHER HALF OF COURSE THEY'RE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE SALARY ADJUSTMENT AT THIS POINT WE HAVE INCLUDED A 3% COST OF LIVING. WHAT WE DID IN WHAT WE HAVE CHANGED IS WE TOOK THE ENTRY LEVEL SALARY UP TO $58,000 AND CHANGE AND THEN TAKE 3% TO GET IT TO 60,000.

SO LIKE THE SHERIFF MENTIONED, WE'RE NOT ADDING A 3% COST OF LIVING ON TOP OF THE $60,000 IT'S INCLUDED. SO I'LL JUST TAKE QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT.

OKAY. OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS. RAISE LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS.

YES, YOU GOT JUST A QUESTION. I KNOW THAT THE COUNTY DOES THINGS DIFFERENTLY WHEN WE DON'T HAVE POSITIONS FILLED OBVIOUSLY JUST BY SHERIFF TANNER'S NUMBERS OF HAVING 28 FOLKS NOT FILLED. AND IF WE JUST GO WITH AN AVERAGE OF 50,000 PER PERSON FOR THE YEAR, THAT'S 1.4 MILLION. SO WHERE IS THAT MONEY SINCE ALL THOSE POSITIONS HAVE BEEN OPENED EVERY SINGLE YEAR THE PAST YEAR I MEAN THAT WOULD THAT WOULD EQUAL ONE ONE THIRD OF WHAT YOU'RE ASK IS IS THOSE POSITIONS SO SO I'M JUST KIND OF CURIOUS HOW THAT FALLS INTO YOUR BUDGET EVERY YEAR. AND FIRST LET ME SAY TO BOTH YOU AND SHERIFF TANNER AT FIRST GOT HERE THINGS WERE DIFFERENT. Y'ALL NOW HAVE BEEN DONE A GREAT JOB OF LINE ITEMS AND GETTING US INFORMATION BECAUSE AGAIN IF THERE WAS A BRICK WALL WE FIRST GOT HERE FROM PREVIOUS COUNCILS THAT WERE HERE. SO AGAIN YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A WONDERFUL JOB OF PROVIDING US INFORMATION AND BEING FORTHRIGHT AND AND SHOWING US WHICH THEN MAKES OUR JOB MUCH EASIER TO BE ABLE TO SAY TRANSPARENCY AND YOU WHAT YOU WANT SO THAT WE SET THAT FIRST BUT THEN GO TO THE QUESTION THAT THAT I ASK JUST KIND OF CURIOUS HOW THAT PLAYS IN EVERY YEAR BECAUSE AGAIN IF YOU HAVE 30 PEOPLE YOU'RE NOT EMPLOYED. IF WE JUST DO AN AVERAGE OF 50,000 PER YEAR THAT'S 1.4 MILLION THAT YOU'D HAVE EXTRA YEAR BECAUSE AGAIN IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY YEAR YOU'RE ABOUT 30 PEOPLE BEHIND COUNCILMAN LAWSON WOULD BE CORRECT IF WE BUDGETED FOR ALL OF THOSE VACANCIES WE DON'T FOR ALL VACANCIES CURRENTLY WE ONLY HAVE 15 BUDGETED FOR FOR NEXT YEAR SO WE DON'T HAVE 100% OF THE SALARY. NO SIR.

AS YOU KNOW, REALISTICALLY WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE ALL 30 POSITIONS FILLED.

HOWEVER, WE ARE ALSO BEING REALISTIC THAT MORE LIKELY THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE AND I KNOW THE SHERIFF HAS MENTIONED IF WE THESE 15 BUILT HE WILL COME BACK TO YOU GUYS AND ASK FOR MORE FUNDING. YEAH. YES.

THAT AND SHERIFF WE THE COUNTY TOWN COUNCIL DECLINES TO GIVE EMPLOYEES A 3% RAISE BASED ON THEIR SALARY BUT INSTEAD AGREES TO GIVE EVERY EMPLOYEE A $3,000 RANGE.

[02:15:03]

SO WHAT'S MY RATE? NOT A PERCENT FLAT RATE, NOT 3% THAT WE'RE TAKING 55? WELL, IT COULD DO TWO THINGS. WE EITHER GO BACK AND WE ADJUST WHAT THAT ADJUSTMENT WE WE'RE MAKING ON THE COMPENSATION PART OF IT AND OR WE ADD $3,000 TO THE 58 TO 50 8 TO 52 ADJUSTMENT WHICH IS GREATER THAN 3% AND I KNOW THAT'S WHY I SAID SOMETHING WE'VE DISCUSSED TODAY. YOU KNOW WE DISCUSSED A LITTLE EARLIER AND I CAN SEE THE BENEFIT IN THE COUNTY DOING IT BECAUSE A LOT OF EMPLOYEES AT 3% YOU KNOW, LIKE MICHAEL MOORE 3% MUCH AS HE MAKES I MEAN MY GOSH SIT THERE GOING LIKE NO DON'T DO THAT BECAUSE I'M MONEY BUT I CAN SEE HOW WHEN YOU DO THAT THE HIGHER PAID SECTION JUST LIKE THOSE I HAVE AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE 3% OF THEM OF COURSE IS A BIG NUMBER COMPARED TO A DEPUTY 3%.

SO I CAN UNDERSTAND HOW A FLAT 3000 ACROSS THE BOARD COULD BE AN EASIER YEAH.

AND A CONTROLLING NUMBER. YEAH BUT WOULD WE COULD WORK WITH THAT NUMBER AGAIN THAT WOULD REQUIRE SUZANNE TO GO IN AND HAVE A CAP OF 60,000 AND THEN REDUCE IT BY NEARLY EVERY ADJUSTMENT AT 57 AND THEN WITH THE 3000 YOU GET YOU TO SIX SO 452 TO 57 +36 IS THAT OKAY AND AND THAT'S DOABLE YEAH OKAY BUT AND AS MATHEMATIC MATHEMATICALLY EASIER TO DO YEP. SO THAT'S ALL THAT'S DOABLE JUST GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO RUN THE NUMBERS FOR YOU AND WE'LL GET SUZANNE AFTER YEAH THAT'S THAT'S THAT'S ABSOLUTELY NO GOOD GOOD GOOD QUESTION. AND MRS. HARRIET AND I ARE GOING TO GET TOGETHER WE STILL HAVE A COUPLE MORE THINGS JUST TALK ABOUT BUT THEY WILL NOT INCREASE THE BUDGET SO ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON TOM'S DO YOU HAVE ANY YOUR OWN LINE? YOU'RE GOOD. OH, HE HAS A QUESTION, TOM. NO, I DON'T THINK I WANT TO SAY SHAREPOINT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL THE AND ALL THAT YOU DO SO WE APPRECIATE IT AND WE WILL THINK VERY SOON. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU SIR. I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.

THANKS FOR COMING IN, MR. HARTSFIELD. HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY TO? YOU MAKE IT THROUGH 20 YEARS AGO I CAN'T REMEMBER. OKAY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU AGAIN. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. MS..

HARRIET. WHAT ELSE? I BELIEVE THAT IS THE END OF OUR PRESENTATIONS TODAY SO WE HAVE SOME ADJUSTING. WE HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.

OH, SORRY. WE CANNOT TALK ABOUT THIS FOR PUBLIC AWARENESS SO I'LL BE ASKING THE REAL. SURE. COME ON UP.

GOOD MORNING. FOR THOSE THAT I HAVEN'T MET ALREADY MY NAME IS TANYA WARD.

I'M THE DEPUTY TREASURER AND ON BEHALF OF THE TREASURER'S OFFICE WE WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR THIS INVITATION FOR THE PRESENTATION BUT UNFORTUNATELY MS. WILES WAS NOT ABLE TO ATTEND TODAY AND WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING ABLE TO POSTPONE THAT TO A LATER DATE AND JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. THANK YOU THAT IS THE CONCLUSION OF OUR PRESENTATION TODAY SO WE HAVE ADJOURNED MR. SOMETHING FURTHER THANK YOU

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.