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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY
[Board of Voter Registration and Elections on April 23, 2025.]
MEETING'S CALLED TO ORDER.IT'S, UH, 3:00 PM ON WEDNESDAY THE 23RD.
THIS IS THE, UH, APRIL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS OF BUFORT COUNTY.
UM, I'D LIKE TO START WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
IF WE COULD ALL STAND PLEDGE OF ALL PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
NATION NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH WITH LIBERTY.
NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS PUBLIC COMMENTS AND, UH, I DON'T BELIEVE THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PRESENT AT TODAY'S MEETING.
SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO, UM, ITEM THREE ON THE AGENDA MINUTES FROM THE MEETING ON MARCH 26TH.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE MINUTES AS WRITTEN? MARCH 6TH.
DO I HAVE SECOND OF ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY.
UH, NEXT ON THE AGENDA ARE COMMITTEE REPORTS, AND WE'LL START WITH MR. BACKER FOR THE BUDGET AND FINANCE REPORT.
UH, THE FINANCE COMMITTEE MET ON APRIL 15TH.
WE PICKED TAX DAY TO YEAH, TO MEET, TO TALK ABOUT OUR FINANCES.
UM, AT THAT MEETING WE REVIEWED FISCAL YEAR TO DATE 25 PERFORMANCE THROUGH Q3 OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
UM, ACTUAL SPENDING IS AT ABOUT 75% OF THE FISCAL YEAR TO DATE BUDGET.
SO IN TERMS OF TRACKING VERSUS BUDGET WE'RE ON TRACK.
UM, WENDELL UH, REPORTED THAT HE HAD MOVED $20,000 FROM THE PRINTING BUDGET TO THE SUPPLY BUDGET TO COVER, UH, SOME ITEMS THAT HE WANTS TO PURCHASE AND GET ON ORDER BEFORE THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR.
AND COVERAGE IN THE PRINTING BUDGET TO DO THAT.
AND THE FORECAST FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR IS TO BE AT BUDGET.
UM, IN TERMS OF THE FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET SUBMITTAL, UM, WE RECEIVED SOME, WENDELL RECEIVED SOME FEEDBACK FROM THE CFO OF SOME MINOR ADJUSTMENTS, AT LEAST AT THIS POINT TO THE BUDGET REQUEST.
UM, REDUCED NON-CAPITAL EQUIPMENT FROM 12,000 TO 7,000 AND REDUCED REPAIRS FROM THREE AND A HALF THOUSAND TO 1000.
SO THE TOTAL PROPOSED PRODUCTION WAS $7,500 FROM THE BUDGET.
THOSE WERE THE ONLY TWO THAT HE'S RECEIVED SO FAR, AND HE NOTED IT'S THE FIRST TIME IN A VERY LONG TIME THAT HE'S RECEIVED ANY KIND OF HEADS UP ALONG THE WAY OF THE BUDGET PROCESS THAT THEY WERE MAKING SOME ADJUSTMENTS WITH THE ADMINISTRATION.
UH, THE FIRST READING OF THE FISCAL YEAR 26 COUNTY BUDGET WILL BE ON MAY 12TH.
MAY I ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THOSE? UH, THE MAINTENANCE BUDGET THAT WAS CUT, DO, DOES THAT BUDGET INCLUDE RECURRING ITEMS OR WERE THERE IDENTIFIED, UM, PROJECTS THAT'S NON-CAPITAL ITEMS, NON-CAPITAL.
WE DID SPEAK, TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT, UM, CAPITAL PROJECTS DURING THE FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING.
UM, MANY OF THE PROJECTS ARE NOT SEEING, UH, A WHOLE LOT OF PROGRESS AT THIS POINT.
THE GENERATOR PROJECT GOT SOME MOVEMENT WITH SOME IN, UH, INITIAL SPECIFICATION WORK BEING DONE IN SOME TOURS OF THE BUILDING.
UH, BUT NO, NO GENERAL, UM, PROGRESS OR REPORTS OF PROGRESS FROM THE NEW PROJECT MANAGERS.
UM, MARIE ALSO NOTED THAT SHE HAD GOTTEN FEEDBACK THAT THE BALLISTIC RESISTANT GLASS WOULD NOT BE PURCHASED AND THAT THEY WOULD BE PURCHASING A FILM TO SUBSTITUTE.
UH, THAT WAS KIND OF EYEOPENING AND VERY INTERESTING THAT THE PROJECT MANAGERS OR THE ENGINEERING FUNCTION WOULD, UH, CHANGE THE SPECIFICATION OF WHAT A CUSTOMER HAS REQUESTED WITHOUT HAVING SOME FOLLOW UP DISCUSSION WITH THE CUSTOMER.
IT'S, SO THAT WAS A UNILATERAL DISCUSSION BY THE PROJECT MANAGER? YEAH.
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DECISION.IT WAS A DECISION THAT WAS MADE.
AND GOING THROUGH THAT, UM, MR. FORD, UM, INDICATED THAT HE WOULD BE WILLING UNDER THE FINANCE COMMITTEE OR UNDER THE FACILITIES COMMITTEE, UH, TO SPEAK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THAT ISSUE.
BUT ANY OTHER, UM, CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT HAD KIND OF FACILITIES AROUND THEM AT THIS STAGE? THERE'S, THERE WERE SEVERAL PROJECTS THAT WE HAD NOTED IN OUR MEETING WITH, UH, MR. MOORE THAT WERE LISTED AS IN THE BUDGET BUT NOT FUNDED.
AND WE REALLY DO NOT HAVE, I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM AUDRA HER ON 14TH PROJECTS OF WHERE, WHERE, WHERE ARE THEY? OR DO WE HAVE ANY UPDATES ON THE STATUS SOLUTION?
SO, BUT IT, IT SEEMED LIKE IT WAS A DECISION MADE BY EITHER ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, THE PROJECT MANAGER.
WAS THERE ANY, WAS THERE ANY, UM, SPECIFICATIONS ON THAT WRAP? WHAT IT CAN DO, WHAT, WHAT IT CAN'T DO OR, UM, DON'T KNOW.
WHAT WAS THE QUESTION, MIKE? IS THERE ANY PARAMETERS ON THE, ON THAT, ON THAT, UM, COATING, IS IT BULLETPROOF? IS IT, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S IT CAN DO AND CAN'T DO? WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS? OH, OKAY.
ALL DEPARTMENTS RECEIVED THAT PER DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS AT THIS POINT.
AND A QUESTION FROM A HEADCOUNT PERSPECTIVE, UH, DID THE BUDGET SUBMITTAL INCLUDE ALL OF THE HEADCOUNT REQUESTED BY MS. SMALLS? YES.
AND HASN'T BEEN ANY SPECIFIC FEEDBACK AROUND THAT, SO I'M ASSUMING THAT THAT IS AT LEAST GOING FORWARD AND WE WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE FIRST READING.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR MR. BACKER? OKAY.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO ON TO FACILITIES.
THANK CHRIS, FIRST OF ALL FOR SENDING A COPY OF THE FACILITIES COMMITTEE REPORT TO EVERYONE.
ALL OF YOU HOPEFULLY HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO READ IT, UH, PRIOR TO THIS MEETING.
SO I'M NOT GONNA READ IT VERBATIM ABOUT ANYONE'S INTELLIGENCE, BUT WE MET ON THE 27TH AT 10 O'CLOCK HERE AT, UH, ELECTION CENTRAL.
UM, PURPOSE OF THAT MEETING WAS TO COME TO SOME TYPE OF CENSUS ON WHAT THE FACILITY COMMITTEE OPERATIONAL DESCRIPTION WOULD BE IN ORDER TO BE INCLUDED RULES, UH, THESE, UH, HANDBOOK FOR ALL.
AND THE, UH, CHARTER THAT WE DECIDED UPON, UM, AT THE COMMITTEE MEETING WAS THIS COMMITTEE IS ASSIGNED A RESPONSIBILITY TO SUPPORT THE DIRECTOR AND ENSURING THE OFFICE OPERATIONS HAVE THE NECESSARY SPACE AND SECURITY TO PERFORM DAILY ACTIVITIES AS REQUIRED.
THE COMMITTEE ALSO WILL ASSIST THE DIRECTOR IN SURVEYING COMMUNITIES FOR ADDITIONAL POLLING LOCATIONS THAT CAN BE USED POST NEW PRECINCTS, AND I'LL HAVE COURT.
UM, THERE WERE SEVERAL, UH, ISSUES THAT THE COMMITTEE WAS ASSIGNED TO, UH, DEAL WITH.
ALSO AT THAT MEETING, WE WERE, UM, ASSIGNED TO DEVELOP A FORM AND CONCERT WITH THE STAFF, UH, INCLUDING THE CONTENT AND TIMING OF A REPORT ON COMPLIANCE WITH THE RULING OF ONE LOCATION, ONE POLLING LOCATION, UH, FOR PRESET.
AND WE DISCUSSED THAT VERY, AND OUR, OUR RESPONSE, UH, FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AS A BOARD IS THAT THE DIRECTOR, UM, WITH INPUT FROM THE FACILITIES COMMITTEE, OF COURSE, UM, THE, UH, WORKING WITH THE DIRECTOR TO DEVELOP AN INTERNAL USE ONLY FORM,
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WE WANT TO KEEP THAT FORM TO THE BOARD AND NOT TO BE ALLOWED TO, UM, GO OUTSIDE OF THIS LOCATION.AND THAT FORM WILL REFLECT THE POLLING LOCATIONS AND THE PRECINCT COMPLIANCE, UH, ESSAY CODE OF LAW SECTION SEVEN DASH SEVEN DASH NINE ZERO.
THE OTHER ISSUE THAT WE WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR WAS THE, UM, THE CODE, UH, OF LAW SECTION SEVEN DASH SEVEN DASH NINE ONE, WHICH ALSO, UH, SPECIFIES THAT ELECTORS SHALL VOTE AT THE DESIGNATED POLLING SPACE WITHIN THE PRECINCT OF HIS OR HER RESIDENCE.
THIS IS AN ISSUE QUITE SOME TIME, AND WE FELT THAT THAT PARTICULAR, UH, ISSUE WAS, UH, COINCIDE WITH WHAT THE DIRECTOR WILL BE DOING IN QUERY NUMBER THREE.
SO WE INCLUDED THOSE TWO AS ONE.
UM, WE WERE ALSO ASKED TO DO AN ANNUAL REPORT DETAILING ALL PRECINCT AND POLLING LOCATION ALONG WITH THE COMPLIANCE STATUS, UH, TO BE PREPARED TO SUBMIT IT FOR THE BOARD TO APPROVE PRIOR TO ANY ELECTION.
AND THE BOARD WILL BE TRANSPARENT IN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE COMPLIANCE STATUS.
AGAIN, THIS IS AN ISSUE FOR AS TO THE DELEGATION AS WELL AS US AS A BOARD, AND WE HOPE WE WILL BE PROVIDING REPORT TO, AND THAT WILL BE PROVIDED FROM WITH THE BY DIRECTOR AND THE FACILITY COMMITTEE WILL BE PROVIDING INPUT, UM, AND THAT FORM THAT'S BEING DEVELOPED, THE CONTENT AND THE TIMING OF THE RECOMMENDATION WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE BOARD AT THE MAY MEETING, THE JUST REPORT.
NOW, THERE WERE SOME DISCUSSIONS REGARDING, UM, SECURITY PRECAUTIONS THAT WE HAVE REQUESTED.
UM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE, WE TRIED TO AVOID SPEAKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT SECURITY PRECAUTIONS IN THIS ROOM.
SO WHAT I HOPE THAT WE CAN DO IS WHEN WE HAVE, I KNOW THE, THE HAVE, UH, EXECUTIVE SESSION PLAN LATER ON, IF WE COULD REVER RESERVE OUR SPECIFIC COMMENTS ON THOSE SECURITY TO THAT TIME.
AND I'LL PROVIDE YOU WITH ALL THE DETAILS REGARDING THE MEMO THAT WE RECEIVED FROM ROBERT GAY WHO WAS CAPITAL PROJECTS.
I THINK EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND THE SENSITIVITY OF TALKING ABOUT THAT IN THIS FORM.
SO, AND SHE DID PUT SOME OF IT IN THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT TOO.
SO IF YOU ALL AGREE, WE CAN, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT AT THAT TIME.
UM, LEMME SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING, OH, IN ADDITION TO THE DISCUSS AT THE FACILITY COMMITTEE MEETING, UM, AS WE ALL KNOW, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF GROWTH IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
UH, A LOT OF NEW HOUSING COMPLEXES HAVE BEEN GOING UP.
AND, UM, THE PACKET THAT TALKED ABOUT THE GROWTH THAT HAS OCCURRED IN THE COUNTY AND, AND HOW THIS PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO DO SOME, IDENTIFY SOME NEW POLLING LOCATIONS WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT HOUSING COMPLEXES GOING UP IN ORDER FOR US TO BE
UM, ONE PARTICULAR, UM, SITE IS 2003 PEARL STREET APARTMENTS, WHICH IS GONNA BE OPENING IN IN AUGUST.
UM, THAT'S LOCATED IN PRECINCT P FOR TWO.
LOOKED AT THE, UM, USCB BOUNDARY.
IS THAT YOURS, MIKE? IS THAT YOUR PRESENT? LISA.
AND SO THE STAFF HAS AGREED TO CONTACT THE DEVELOPER OF THAT APARTMENT TO DISCUSS THE POTENTIAL OF USING THAT BALLROOM AS A, AS A POLLING LOCATION THAT THEY'LL BE WORKING
SO WE WILL BE MEETING WITH THE DIRECTOR AND THE STAFF, UH, VERY CLOSELY TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE NEW SITES AS WELL AS CURRENT SITES THAT SERVE AS PRECINCTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY MEET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS AND PARTICULARLY A DA REQUIREMENTS THAT THEY DO A SURVEY OF EVERY YEAR
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TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE, UH, ALL THE PRECINCTS MEET THE REQUIREMENTS.SO COMMITTEE WILL PLAY TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE TOWN TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THERE'S ANY POTENTIAL TO GET NEW LOCATION WITH THESE NEW CONSTRUCTION OR ANY OTHER CONSTRUCTION, UM, WHICH IS AN AREA THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY LOSE FOR PARTICULAR THRUST WILL BE MADE IN THE BLUFFING AREA BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE MOST OF THE GROWTH IS OCCURRING, TO SEE IF WE CAN IDENTIFY SOME POTENTIAL
I THINK THAT'S IT FOR NOW, AND I'LL COME BACK AGAIN DURING EXECUTIVE SESSION, TALK ABOUT THE SECURITY ISSUES.
YEAH, MR. FORD, I THINK IDEA TO INCLUDE BLUFFTON, UM, IN THAT ANALYSIS.
I, I DON'T KNOW SPECIFICS, BUT I KNOW THERE'S SOME NEW APARTMENTS BEING CONSTRUCTED JUST OUTSIDE OF HAMPTON LAKE, AND THAT COULD PUT A SQUEEZE ON THE HAMPTON LAKE PULLING LOCATION THAT WE WERE JUST CREATED LAST, THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GET LAST YEAR, SO THAT THERE MAY BE SOME SPACE INSIDE THOSE FACILITIES.
BUT THERE'S A NUMBER OF NEW APARTMENT COMPLEXES AND I THINK I NEED TO TAKE A RIDE AROUND AND GET SOME MORE DETAILS ON, ON WHAT, WHERE THEY ARE.
IF ANYONE SEES ANY NEW CONSTRUCTION AS YOU TRAVEL IN THE COUNTY AND, AND THINK THAT IT'S A POTENTIAL LOCATION FOR US, PLEASE, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
CHRIS HAS A FORM THAT SHE SENDS OUT, SO THEY CAN HAVE A COPY HERE AMONGST MY NOTES THAT, UH, ALLOW POTENTIAL, UH, UM, RESIDENTIAL AREAS OR COMMERCIAL AREAS TO ANSWER QUESTIONS THAT WE NEED ANSWERED IN ORDER TO IDENTIFY.
IF YOU NEED COPY THAT FORM, I THINK CHRIS COULD GET THAT TO US.
PLEASE, IF YOU SEE A PLACE, PLEASE LET US KNOW SO THAT WE CAN, WE CAN GO OUT AND SURVEY THERE.
THE STAFF WILL GO OUT AND SERVE.
THEY'LL TAKE THE POINT ON THIS, AND I WILL SUPPLEMENT THE EFFORTS AS BEST I CAN.
VERNON, YOU DON'T NEED ME, RIGHT?
NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS COMMITTEE REPORT FROM THE LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.
UM, UH, THE LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE MET IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THIS BOARD MEETING, SO THERE ARE NO FORMAL NOTES PREPARED, UH, BUT JUST TO GIVE AN UPDATE, PRIOR TO TODAY'S MEETING, THE LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE AGREED ON AN UPDATED CHARTER FOR THE OPERATIONS MANUAL UPDATE.
AND THE THREE MAIN OBJECT OF AFFAIRS COMMITTEE ARE TO, UM, TO, UM, REVIEW PENDING LEGISLATION THAT'S BEEN IDENTIFIED BY A MAJORITY OF THE COMMITTEE OR THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, OR THE COMMITTEE CHAIR OR THE DIRECTOR, UM, TO REVIEW LEGISLATIVE ISSUES RAISED BY THE BOARD THAT NECESSITATE COMMUNICATION WITH AND SUPPORT FROM THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION AND TO IDENTIFY DESIRED LEGISLATION, UM, IDENTIFY BY THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMITTEE, THE CHAIRMAN, UM, THE DIRECTOR OR THE COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN FOR PROPOSED TO THE COUNTY LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION.
SO AT THAT POINT IN THE MEETING, WE HAD COMMITTEE MEETING JUST PRIOR TO THIS BOARD MEETING, WE DISCUSSED H 43 50, WHICH WAS THE BILL FILED BY REPRESENTATIVE HURMAN AND OTHER MEMBERS OF DELEGATION ON APRIL 10TH TO SPLIT THE SINKS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED BY THE
WENT THROUGH FIRST READING ON THE 10TH.
IT SHOULD GO THROUGH SECOND READING TODAY AND THIRD READING TOMORROW IN THE HOUSE, AT WHICH TIME IT WILL BE PASSED TO, UH, SENATOR DAVIS, WHO WILL, IF ALL GOES WELL, SHEPHERD THAT THROUGH THREE READINGS, UM, IN THE SENATE AND HOPEFULLY THAT BILL WILL PASS THIS SESSION, UM, AND BE EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1ST, 2026.
UM, WITH THAT AND WITH THE CURRENT COUNTS OF REGISTERED VOTERS IN OUR 126 PRECINCTS, UM, WE SHOULD BE A HUNDRED PERCENT IN COMPLIANCE WITH SOUTH CAROLINA LAW REQUIRING 1500 OR FEWER VOTERS PER PRECINCT.
BUT, AND THAT WAS READ TODAY ALREADY? I LOOKED IT UP BEFORE THE MEETING.
UM, IN THE, UM, COMMITTEE MEETING, WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT S 36, WHICH IS A BILL THAT WAS SUBMITTED BY SENATOR CAMPSEN AND S 36, UM, INCLUDES PROVISIONS
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TO INCREASE PRECINCT SIZES FROM 1500 TO 3000, AND IT ALSO GIVES BOARD COUNTY BOARDS OF ELECTION THE DISCRETION TO CO-LOCATE, UH, VOTING, UH, LOCATIONS OR CO-LOCATE PRECINCTS AT VOTING LOCATIONS, UM, AS THEY WISH, UH, FOR ELECTION DAY VOTING.UM, AND THE PURPOSE OF DISCUSSING IT, DISCUSSING IT IN THE COMMITTEE WAS TO DETERMINE WHETHER WE WANTED TO MAKE A BOARD RESOLUTION ON OUR POSITION ON THAT BILL, BECAUSE THOSE TWO CHANGES WOULD BE SIGNIFICANT FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY AS WELL AS THE REST OF THE STATE.
UM, THE BRIEF SUMMARY OF THAT DISCUSSION IS THAT OUR COMMITTEE, UH, BELIEVES THAT WE DO NOT SUPPORT S 36.
UH, WE SUPPORT CONTINUING WITH 1500 OR FEWER VOTERS PER PRECINCT, UH, BECAUSE IT HELPS IN, UM, CONTROLLING POLLING LOCATION SIZE, WE'RE MORE LIKELY TO FIND POLLING LOCATIONS THAT CAN ACCOMMODATE UP TO 1500 VOTERS RATHER THAN 3000 VOTERS.
UH, WE BELIEVE THAT VOTERS PREFER TO VOTE WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITY ON ELECTION DAY RATHER THAN MOVING TO WHAT IS ESSENTIALLY A VOTING CENTER WITH TWO OR MORE PRECINCTS.
UM, AND ALSO WE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY HAVE MADE OUR VERY BEST EFFORT TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS TO HAVE FEWER THAN 1500 VOTERS AND HAVE ONE VOTING LOCATION PER PRECINCT.
WE WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE THOSE EFFORTS.
UH, IT'S THE LEGISLATOR'S RESPONSIBILITY TO DETERMINE POLLING LOCATIONS AS IT'S CURRENTLY WRITTEN IN THE LAW, AND WE SUPPORT DOING OUR BEST TO SUPPORT THAT AS IT IS.
SO, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, HAVE WE HAD ANY CONTACT WITH OUR SPECIFIC LEGISLATORS TO SEE HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR PIECE OF LEGISLATION? UH, MY DISCUSSION'S BEEN LIMITED TO, UM, SENATOR DAVIS, WHO WAS REALLY NOT UP TO SPEED ON THE INTENT OF THAT S 36, WHICH BY THE WAY, HASN'T GONE ANYWHERE.
IT'S STILL SITTING IN A SENATE SUBCOMMITTEE.
SO IT, THERE WERE ONLY, THERE WAS ONLY ONE PERSON WHO SPONSORED THE BILL, BUT NO ONE SIGNED ON TO IT, TO MY KNOWLEDGE.
SO OUR COMMITTEE, UH, AGREED TO DRAFT A RESOLUTION, UH, WITH A POSITION FOR THE BOARD TO REVIEW AND APPROVE AT, HOPEFULLY AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING, AND WE'LL PASS THAT ON.
UH, WE DISCUSSED OTHER INITIATIVES FOR THE LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR, AND WE AGREED THAT IT MAKES SENSE FOR US TO LOOK FOR PENDING LEGISLATION THAT WILL HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON BEAUFORT COUNTY AND MAKE OUR OPINION KNOWN TO OUR DELEGATION THROUGH RESOLUTIONS WHEN NECESSARY.
LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.
ANY QUESTIONS? WHEN THE NEXT LOCAL MEETING OF THE LEGISLATORS WILL BE AND IF WE, THAT, I DON'T KNOW WHEN IT WILL BE SCHEDULED, BUT WE OF COURSE ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND THAT IT'S PUBLIC HAVE A REQUIREMENT TO ADVERTISE A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME IN ADVANCE BEFORE THEY HAVE THE MEETINGS.
AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ON THE AGENDA, YOU REACH OUT TO THEM OR TO CYNTHIA, I BELIEVE, TO GET ON THE AGENDA SO THAT YOU MAY SPEAK, BUT THEY DON'T USUALLY INVITE.
WHAT ABOUT ATTENDANCE? IF ANYBODY CAN GO, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING, WHEN DO THEY ADVERTISE? LIKE A WEEK IN ADVANCE OR MONTH IN ADVANCE? YES.
DO THINK IT'S TYPICALLY A WEEK.
UM, BUT, BUT TO THAT POINT, MR. FORD, UH, WHEN THEY DO HAVE A DELEGATION MEETING, I, I WOULD LIKE FOR OUR BOARD TO MAKE A PRESENTATION TO THE DELEGATION REGARDING THE REQUEST WE SENT THEM IN 2023 FOR AN AMENDMENT TO, I THINK IT'S 7 7 9, 10 OR, OR ONE 10.
THE, THE ONE THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO REQUEST PERMISSION CO-LOCATE PRECINCTS ON ELECTION DAY WHEN NECESSARY, AND GET EXPRESS APPROVAL FROM THE DELEGATION TO DO THAT.
THAT WAS INCLUDED IN OUR REQUEST TO SPLIT THE EIGHT PRECINCTS.
UM, HOWEVER, THAT PROVISION WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE BILL, WHICH IS UNDERSTANDABLE BECAUSE THEY'RE TRYING TO GET THE BILL THROUGH AT THE END OF THE SESSION.
BUT I'D LIKE FOR US TO PLEAD OUR CASE ON THAT.
SO I'LL LETTING YOU KNOW WHEN THE NEXT DELEGATION MEETING IS SCHEDULED.
NEXT ON THE LIST IS REDISTRICTING.
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THE, UM, RE PRECINCT, I THINK WE HAVE THREE TITLES HERE.REDISTRICTING AND REAPPORTIONMENT COMMITTEE, UM, MET AND ACTUALLY REPORTED AT OUR LAST MEETING.
UM, AT THAT TIME WE RECOMMENDED THAT EIGHT EIGHT PRECINCTS BE SPLIT IN ORDER TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH EXISTING LAWS.
AT THIS MEETING, HOWEVER, WE'RE INCLUDING A WRITTEN COPY OF THE CHARTER THAT OUR COMMITTEE, UH, REVIEWED AND REACHED CONSENSUS ON, AND IT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY SUBMITTED TO THE RULES COMMITTEE.
IF THERE ARE ANY, UM, COMMENTS OR RECOMMENDATIONS RE REGARDING THIS CHARTER, IF YOU WILL GET THOSE TO ME.
AND THEN THE COMMITTEE WILL MEET AGAIN TO CONSIDER, UM, WHATEVER CHANGES OR MODIFICATIONS.
BUT THE COMMITTEE ITSELF DID APPROVE BY CONSENSUS, THE CHARTER.
I DID SEND YOU, UH, A RED LINE VERSION OF THIS LAST WEEK.
WHICH I, I CAN RESEND RIGHT? I, AND I THOUGHT MAYBE THE ENTIRE COMMITTEE SHOULD CONSIDER THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU MADE.
SO THE RE RE PRECINCT COMMITTEE WILL REVIEW THOSE RIGHT? AT ANOTHER CALL MEETING.
RULES COMMITTEE, UM, MS. JOHNSON IS, UH, EXCUSED TODAY.
SO THAT'LL BE NO REPORT ON THE RULES CITY, EXCEPT THAT I WILL SAY THE, UM, REVISION OF THAT OPERATIONS MANUAL UNDER THE RULES COMMITTEE IS PROGRESS.
SO I, I BELIEVE MS. DOERS REVISED CHARTER FOR THE PRECINCT COMMITTEE AND OUR REVISED CHARTER FOR THE, UH, LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE AND FOR FACILITIES WILL BE, UH, FORWARDED TO MS. JOHNSON AND INCORPORATED IN THE ONGOING REVISION OF THE OPERATING MANUAL.
NEXT IS THE EARLY VOTING CENTER AD HOC COMMITTEE.
UM, THIS WAS A TEAM EFFORT THAT WE PUT TOGETHER AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE WERE MR. FORD.
UH, MS. DO, MS. MARIE, MS. JEAN, MS. WENDELL.
YEAH, MS. WENDELL
GOOD THING HE'S, AND, UH, WHAT WE DID KILL ME, WE DID, WE PUT TOGETHER A, A, A PRO VOTING PROCESS THAT WE FELT, UM, WHAT PERSON ENTERS A, THE VOTING, UH, FACILITY.
AND WE DEBATED BACK AND FORTH AND WE, WE ALL, I BELIEVE, AGREED ON THE TIMES THAT IT TAKES A PERSON TO VOTE FROM ONE STATION TO ANOTHER, UM, ON THE VOTING ON THE BMDS.
UM, AND WE KNOW THAT THE AVERAGE TIME BY THE, UH, THE STATE IS FIVE MINUTES.
AND MS. MARIE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PUT THE MAXIMUM TIME THAT A PERSON COULD SPEND IN A, IN A BMD.
AND WE WENT THROUGH EACH, LEMME MAKE THIS BIGGER, EACH ABILITY, EACH EARLY VOTING CENTER, AND WE CAME UP WITH, UH, AVERAGES OF TIMES.
AND AT THE, AT THE TOP, YOU CAN SEE THE, UM, THAT'S THE, THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF VOTERS THAT WENT THROUGH ON BLUFFTON WAS 23,651.
AND THEN AT THE TOP PAGE OF THE POLL BOOK, WE PUT THAT THE AVERAGE TIME A PERSON SPENDS GETTING A BALLOT IS ABOUT ONE AND A HALF MINUTES.
AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN DEBATE THIS FOREVER.
THE, THE GOOD THING IS THAT WE CAN CHANGE ANY OF THESE CHART IF WE WANTED TO GO TO A MINUTE.
WHAT IT DOES, IT, IT PROPAGATES ALL THE FIELDS, AND YOU GET A GOOD IDEA OF, UM, OF WHAT THE IMPACT WOULD BE TO THAT, TO THAT SPECIFIC, UM, OPERATION.
AND IF YOU NOTICE AT THE BOTTOM, UH, WHEN YOU GO THROUGH, WE, WE DID, YOU KNOW, THE 60 MINUTES IN AN HOUR AND THERE'S 140 VOTERS PER HOUR.
UM, WE SAID THAT IF WE HAD FIVE POLL BOOKS SET UP THERE, UM, WE'D GET 200 VOTERS, UH, PER HOUR TIME, NINE AND A HALF HOURS.
1900 VOTERS PER DAY TIMES 12 DAYS IS 2288, WHICH IS PRETTY CLOSE TO THE 2365.
AND AGAIN, YOU CAN ADJUST THE NUMBERS ANY WAY YOU WANT UP OR DOWN, BUT, UM, AND AT THE BOTTOM IN RED IS THE DELTA.
SO WE WERE RENDER EIGHT HUNDRED, EIGHT HUNDRED AND FIFTY ONE VOTERS FOR THE, YOU KNOW, FOR THE 12 DAYS, WHICH,
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WHICH IS PRETTY GOOD.AND THE SAME THING APPLIED TO THE BMD MACHINES.
UM, AGAIN, WE PUT DOWN THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF TIME A VOTER CAN SPEND INSIDE OF A BMD, WHICH IS FIVE MINUTES.
AND THE SAME MATHEMATICS GOES DOWN AT THE END OF THE EARLY VOTING PERIOD, IT COMES OUT TO 23, 2 56 VOTERS WITH THE, UM, WITH THE NUMBER OF MACHINES THAT WE'RE ALLOCATING FOR THAT FACILITY.
AND THERE'S ONLY A DELTA OR 395 VOTERS FOR THE 12 DAYS.
SAME THING APPLIES ON THE SCANNERS.
WE SAID AN AVERAGE PERSON GOES THROUGH A SCANNER IN ABOUT A HALF A MINUTE, AND WE COULD PUT THROUGH, UH, IN THE TOTAL TIME, 27,360, WHICH IS WELL OVER, UM, WHAT WE NEED.
AND THAT'S ADDING AN ADDITIONAL SCANNER AND ENDED UP WITH 37 0 9 IN EXTRA VOTING.
AND AGAIN, YOU'RE GOVERNED BY THE SLOWEST OPERATION, OBVIOUSLY, UM, FOR THIS.
AND AT THE BOTTOM IS THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF, UH, MACHINES THAT ARE AT EACH FACILITY CURRENTLY.
AND UNDERNEATH THAT WAS THE AVERAGE TIME THAT THE TEAM FELT THAT, UH, A PERSON WAITED IN LINE ANYWHERE FROM 45 MINUTES TO ONE ONE HOUR GO TO BUFORD.
THE SAME LOGIC CONTINUE CONTINUES.
LEMME JUST, AND WE USED THE SAME TIMES WHAT WE DID.
WE ADJUSTED THE NUMBER OF POLL BOOKS, THE NUMBER OF BMDS AND THE SCANNER, AND WE SAID WE ADDED OUR, UH, NINE, NINE FULL BOOKS, UH, THAT WE NINE FULL NINE NINE BMD MACHINES THAT WE'D EASILY HANDLE, YOU KNOW, THE NUMBER OF VOTERS THERE.
AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THE, THE DELTAS ON THESE ARE OVER 12 DAY, SO THEY'RE VERY MINUTE.
UM, AND, AND THE, UM, THE VOTE CURRENTLY USED DURING EARLY VOTING WAS DOWN THE BOTTOM THERE.
UH, AND AGAIN, WE, THE ASSUMPTION IS THAT, UM, 30 TO 40 MINUTES, AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WE DID WHEN I WAS HERE.
WE DID TRACK PEOPLE IN LINE FROM THE TIME THE LAST PERSON STOOD IN LINE TO THE TIME THEY GOT TO THE FRONT DOOR.
AND WE DID THAT QUITE OFTEN DURING, DURING THE 12 DAYS.
AND WE CAME UP WITH AN AVERAGE OF BETWEEN 30 AND 40 MINUTES, DEPENDING ON THE, ON THE PEAK TIMES.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, WE DID DISCUSS AND IS THAT, UM, IF WE COULD ADD A, UH, A POLL BOOK SPECIFICALLY FOR RESOLUTIONS.
AND ONE OF THE OBSERVATIONS THAT I MADE OVER THE, OVER THE COURSE OF THE, OF THE 10 DAYS I WAS HERE, IS THAT A LOT OF THE DELAYS THAT THE POLL BOOKS WERE DUE TO PEOPLE HAVING PROBLEMS AND THE POLL BOOK, UM, OPERATORS, YOU KNOW, HAVE VARYING DEGREES OF EXPERIENCE ON THEM.
AND SOMETIMES THEY WERE ABLE TO SOLVE THE PERSON'S PROBLEM RIGHT AWAY, AND OTHER TIMES THEY, THEY COULDN'T.
AND, UM, THE IDEA WOULD BE TO TAKE THAT PERSON AND THEN MOVE THEM TO A POLL BOOK WHERE WE HAVE A VERY EXPERIENCED CLERK ON THERE THAT COULD TAKE CARE OF THEM.
ONE OF THE, UM, ITEMS THAT IS DIFFERENT HERE THAN IT IS THE OTHER FACILITIES, IS WE HAVE A DEDICATED WINDOW UP HERE TO HANDLE RESOLUTIONS AND PROBLEMS. THE PROBLEM BEING IS THAT PEOPLE ARE COMING CONSTANTLY BRINGING IN EARLY VOTING BALLOTS.
THEY HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THEIR, UM, IDENTIFICATION.
AND WE ONLY HAVE ONE PERSON UP THERE AND IT GETS, IT GETS BACKED UP PRETTY QUICKLY.
AND WHAT IT DOES, IT BACKS UP INTO THE LOBBY AND THEN PEOPLE SITTING IN CHAIRS, AND IT, IT REALLY IS A, UH, KIND OF A CLUSTER.
UM, SO WE THOUGHT THAT WE COULD EXPEDITE PEOPLE A LOT QUICKER BY HAVING SOMEBODY, UH, NOT GO IN THE LINE AND GO TO ANOTHER POLL BOOK WHERE SOMEBODY WAS VERY EXPERIENCED ON HOW TO LOOK FOR THE DIFFERENT AVENUES ON THE POLL BOOK.
AND PERHAPS THIS IS A QUESTION FOR, UH, CHRIS AND JEAN, IS, WOULD YOU SAY THAT DURING EARLY VOTING, THE EARLY VOTING PROCESS IS MANAGED A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY HERE IN THE OFFICE THAN IT IS AT THE OTHER EARLY VOTING CENTERS? YES.
BECAUSE I'M THINKING ABOUT THIS RESOLUTION AND MY EXPERIENCE AT HILTON HEAD AND WHAT I SAW AT BLUFFTON, THE STAFF WHO ARE THERE HANDLE THE RESOLUTION ISSUES, ALL RESOLUTION.
AND THE STAFF THAT ARE THERE ARE 100% FOCUSED ON EARLY VOTING AT THAT FACILITY.
SO IS, IS THAT SOMETHING WE'RE MISSING HERE, IS HAVING A STAFF PERSON THAT'S A HUNDRED PERCENT FOCUSED ON THE EARLY VOTING
[00:35:02]
RATHER THAN ALL OF THE OTHER OFFICE ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE DEALT WITH? THAT IS A BETTER QUESTION FOR HER.I'VE ONLY WORKED EARLY VOTING IN HILTON HEAD, SORT OF, UM, BECAUSE ME AND THE REST OF THE STAFF IS DOING, OR THAT'S HERE, IS DOING THE EARLY VOTING STUFF, YOU KNOW, HELPING WITH RESOLUTION, THAT SORT OF THING.
BUT WE'RE ALSO HANDLING THE OFFICE STUFF TOO.
SO YEAH, IT WOULD HELP, BUT IT WOULDN'T BE GOOD TO HAVE A FULL-TIME, SOMEONE HERE 24 7, THAT SORT OF THING, UH, 24 7.
BUT WHAT IF THIS EARLY VOTING CENTER HAD A STAFF DEDICATED A HUNDRED PERCENT TO SUPERVISING EARLY VOTING, JUST LIKE IN THE OTHER THREE EARLY VOTING CENTERS? THE, THE OTHER ISSUE IS THAT WE HAVE TABLES SET UP FOR THE POLL BOOKS MM-HMM
AND THERE'S ONLY ONE WINDOW AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE TO GET IN LINE.
SO YOU COULDN'T HAVE ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, THE, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S THREE WINDOWS THERE, YOU COULDN'T HAVE ANOTHER WINDOW 'CAUSE THE POLE BOOKS IS SITUATED RIGHT THERE.
AND YOU WOULDN'T WANT SOMEBODY STANDING IN LINE BEHIND THE POLE BOOK, YOU KNOW, SO IT DOES PRESENT A PROBLEM.
SO IT, AND UM, IT COULD POSSIBLY WORK, BUT WE'D HAVE TO DO SOME REARRANGING, MAYBE A LITTLE TABLE.
AND IT IS JUST, IT'S SUCH A TIGHT AREA BECAUSE OTHERWISE PEOPLE WOULD HAVE TO RUN OUT THERE.
THE RUN BACK IN THROUGH HERE, INTERRUPTING THIS PROCESS TOO, WHILE TRYING TO DO IT THAT WAY.
PEOPLE THAT RETURNING EARLY VOTING BALLOTS DO NOT WAIT IN LINE.
THEY COME DIRECTLY STRAIGHT INTO THE OFFICE.
MAYBE THEY COULD COME TO A SIDE ENTRANCE, BUT SECURITY.
WELL, THE ONE SIDE ENTRANCE IS WHAT WE'D USUALLY USE FOR CURBSIDE.
WE HAVE PEOPLE RETURNING BALLOTS TO THE OTHER THREE LOCATIONS TOO, THOUGH.
THAT'S NOT SPECIFIC TO BUFORD.
US HAVING THEM COME IN ANOTHER DOOR IS, IS A SECURITY ISSUE TOO THAT WE TRY TO AVOID HAVING A DOOR.
THEN YOU'D ALSO NEED TO HAVE ANOTHER STAFF MEMBER THERE ALWAYS MONITORING THAT, BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE A SECURITY ISSUE, RIGHT? WE WORK TOGETHER AND LOOK INTO THIS AND, AND SEE WE WORK FOR THE STAFF AS WELL AS FOR
IT'S ONLY FOR GENERAL ELECTIONS.
THE NORMAL ELECTION PERIOD IS YOU DON'T HAVE THE VOLUME.
SO IT'S NOT A, IT'S NOT A BIG DEAL.
WE TRIED TO COVER AS MANY, MANY OPTIONS ON HOW TO HANDLE THE, THE CROWDS AND PUSH 'EM THROUGH THE VOTING PROCESS AS FAST AS POSSIBLE.
HELENA, UM, WHICH ONLY, UH, SERVICED, UH, 86, 43 AND PRETTY MUCH I THINK THE EQUIPMENT THEY HAVE CAN HANDLE, UH, CAN HANDLE A LOT MORE.
HELENA IS NOT REALLY A PROBLEM.
AND AGAIN, SOME OF THE, WE GO INTO THE ASSUMPTIONS.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE NEED TO DO IS TRY TO STEER PEOPLE THAT LIVE OUT THAT WAY TO GO TO THAT FACILITY.
AND WE DID TURN AWAY A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE WHO DIDN'T KNOW THAT.
SO, UM, WHEN WE GET INTO THE ASSUMPTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS, WE CAN, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT.
UM, AND THEN THE LAST EARLY VOTING SITE WAS HILTON HAD, UM, WHICH AT 16,547 VOTERS.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT ADDING SOME MORE EQUIPMENT OVER THERE.
UM, I SUPPOSE, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE, WE DID DEBATE A LOT WAS, YOU KNOW, UM, HAVING TO GO OUT AND FIND ANOTHER, ANOTHER EARLY VOTING CENTER VERSUS HAVING, UH, ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT TO MAXIMIZE TO STAFF IT HERE TO TRY TO MAXIMIZE EVERY FACILITY AS WE CAN.
UM, WE MADE SURE THAT EVERY FACILITY THAT WE TALKED ABOUT COULD HANDLE THE EXTRA EQUIPMENT SIZE, ELECTRICITY, UH, ANYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH, WITH THE VOTING PROCESS THAT, UH, EVERY FACILITY WAS CAPABLE OF HANDLING MORE EQUIPMENT THAN THEY CURRENTLY HAD.
SO WE DIDN'T LOOK THAT AS A, AS A BARRIER TO, UM, THE ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT.
UM, IF WE HAD TO ADD ANOTHER VOTING CENTER, WHAT WOULD THAT REQUIRE? AND IT DEFINITELY WOULD REQUIRE ANOTHER STAFF MEMBER.
YOU COULDN'T USE A CLERK OR A POLL MANAGER.
IT WOULD HAVE TO BE STAFFED BY A FULL-TIME PERSON.
UM, THAT WORKS HERE, WHICH WE DON'T HAVE.
[00:40:01]
UH, UH, MS. MARIE, YOU KNOW, MAKING A DECISION TO HIRE SOMEBODY OR, UM, BORROW SOMEBODY FROM THE SEC FOR SOMETHING, BUT IT WOULD, IT WOULD BE A BARRIER TO OPENING ANOTHER FACILITY.PLUS OBVIOUSLY THE PROBLEMS WITH TRYING TO FIND A FACILITY FOR THAT, FOR THE, UM, GENERAL ELECTION.
UH, NUMBER TWO IS, UM, ON LINE ITEM FOUR, UH, WE ALL AGREED THAT WE COULD DO A BETTER JOB AND SHOULD TRY TO DO A BETTER JOB.
AND, UH, EDUCATING VOTERS, EVEN THOUGH WE DO A MONUMENTAL JOB HAVING MEETINGS ALL OVER THE COUNTY WITH PEOPLE, UM, OBVIOUSLY YOU GET A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT DON'T PAY ATTENTION.
AND SO WE, WE SAID WE'D GO TO, YOU KNOW, TRY TO USE SOCIAL MEDIA BETTER, PRINT MEDIA, RADIO, TELEVISION, UH, POST SIGNS TO PUBLICIZE THE ELECTIONS AND VOTING LOCATIONS IN CERTAIN AREAS, ESPECIALLY IF WE COULD PUSH PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT IN THE ST.
HELENA AREA TO VOTE AT THE ST.
HELENA ART LIBRARY INSTEAD OF COMING ALL THE WAY OVER HERE.
UM, SO I THINK THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD HELP SOMEWHAT TO GET THOSE NUMBERS UP OVER THERE AND DECREASE THE, THE FLOW INTO HERE, UM, ENSURE EACH EVC LOCATION CAN ACCOMMODATE THIS EQUIPMENT, WHICH IS
ELECTRICITY AND SECURITY REQUIREMENTS.
UM, WOULD HAVE TO DO ANOTHER, A SECOND CHECK JUST TO ENSURE THAT THAT WAS THE CASE.
BUT, UM, OUR PRELIMINARY, UM, ANALYSIS IS THAT IT'S NOT A PROBLEM.
UH, SOME PEOPLE THAT I SPOKE TO CAME UP WITH A, AN IDEA OF CREATING A, UH, A VIDEO OF A BALLOT MARKING DEVICE SHOWING VOTERS HOW TO INSERT THEIR BALLOT AND BEGINNING, BEGIN THE VOTING PROCESS.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY FELT THAT, UM, ONE OF THE BIG, UH, ISSUES WITH PEOPLE IS, IS THEY INSERT THE BALLOT ONCE THEY GET IT IN AND THEY STAND THERE WAITING, EVEN THOUGH YOU TELL 'EM, PRESS THE GREEN BUTTON AND, AND START, THEY, THEY STAND THERE.
AND, UH, I DUNNO IF THAT WOULD HELP.
THAT WAS AN IDEA FROM SOME PEOPLE THAT WORKED AT SOME OF THE FACILITIES.
SO AGAIN, IN BUFORT, LIKE I I MENTIONED BEFORE, ESTABLISHED A DEDICATED RESOLUTION POLL BOOK STATION TO ADDRESS VOTER IDENTIFICATION ISSUES, ESPECIALLY AT HEADQUARTERS.
'CAUSE I KNOW THAT WAS A, THAT WAS A MAJOR PROBLEM HERE.
WE, WE ENDED UP GETTING A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT HADN'T VOTED IN A LONG TIME.
AND, UM, I KNOW WHEN I RAN THE, THE CURBSIDE VOTING, YOU KNOW, I WAS, UH, BOTHERING DOLORES CONSTANTLY TO TRY TO LOOK UP AN ADDRESS BECAUSE PEOPLE HADN'T VOTED FOR A LONG TIME AND, AND THEY WEREN'T IN THE REGISTRY.
AND, UM, A GREAT JOB IS ASSISTING ME TO GET, GET THE PEOPLE, UH, THEIR IDENTIFICATION.
UM, THE EXPRESSED GROWTH IN BEAUFORT COUNTY IS PROJECTED BETWEEN ONE IN 3% OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS.
AND I GOT THESE FIGURES FROM THE, UM, BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD.
UH, I'M WAITING FOR SOME, UH, FIGURES.
I GOT A REQUEST IN AT PORT ROYAL AND AT BEAUFORT TO TRY TO VERIFY THAT'S IT.
BUT THEY'RE ONLY EXPECTING CHILDREN OF ONE TO 3% GROWTH GROWTH RATE.
UM, I DID LEARN THAT IN BEAUFORT ALONE, THERE'S BETWEEN 3000 AND 4,000 NEW APARTMENTS BEING BUILT RIGHT NOW.
SO THERE IS GOING TO BE AN INFLUX OF PEOPLE IN ALL THESE DIFFERENT APARTMENT COMPLEXES, WHICH I THINK IS GONNA BE A, A WILL BE AN ISSUE.
AND AGAIN, ONCE I GET THE FIGURES BACK FROM, UH, PORT ROYAL AND FROM BUFORT, I'LL SHARE THOSE WITH EVERYBODY.
UM, WE ALSO DISCUSSED ISSUING POLL WORKERS A STANDARDIZED SCRIPT TO MAINTAIN PROFESSIONALISM AND CONSISTENCY WHEN SPEAKING AND INSTRUCTING VOTERS TO DO, YOU KNOW, EVEN GENE GIVES 'EM A CLASS AND TELLS 'EM WHAT THEY DO WHEN THEY GET
YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY DO, I'M NOT GONNA SAY WACKY THINGS, BUT THEY DO THINK THAT, THAT THEY WEREN'T TRAINED TO DO.
AND YOU KNOW, THE THOUGHT WAS THAT IF WE PRINTED UP A LITTLE CARD AND SAID, HERE, THIS IS WHAT YOUR GUIDE WILL BE WHEN YOU TAKE A, TAKE A VOTER TO THE BMDS, OR YOU DO THIS, YOU DO THAT, I THINK, I THINK IT WOULD HELP OUT, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD LIMIT SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE, UH, SOME OF THE THINGS THEY DO MAKE UP OR SAY.
UM, SO, AND CREATE A COMMUNICATION FEEDBACK LOOP BETWEEN THE BOARD MEMBERS, POLL CLERKS AND POLL WORKERS WHEN VISITING A POLLING LOCATION.
I THINK IT'D BE A GREAT IDEA TO GIVE JEAN AND THE STAFF A LOT OF FEEDBACK OF WHAT THEY HEAR.
UM, SPEAKING WITH THE, NOT ONLY THE CLERKS, BUT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ON THE FRONT LINE THERE TO SEE SOME OF THE ISSUES THEY SEE, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH THE CLERK OR THEY'RE HAVING, THEY SEE SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T SEE.
UM, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO GIVE JEAN THAT FEEDBACK.
'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY SHE'S NOT IN EVERY FACILITY FOR THESE THINGS.
UM, ALSO IS A PARCEL LAND ON JOCK ALL FOR SALE AND IF SO, PURSUIT PURCHASE.
[00:45:01]
MATT SENT ME THE, AND I LOOKED IT UP MYSELF AND I FOUND THE, UM, COMPANY THAT OWNS THE LAND AND I CAN'T GET A PHONE NUMBER.SO I SPOKE TO MY, A FRIEND OF MINE TODAY WHO'S IN REAL ESTATE AND I'M GONNA SEND HIM THE, THE LISTING.
HE'S GONNA GET THE NUMBER FROM ME SOMEHOW.
THEY HAVE A LOT MORE, UM, UH, INFORMATION THAN, AND THEN I THINK THAT IT'S, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT EVEN THOUGH WE'VE GONE IN FRONT OF THE, THE COUNTY COUNCIL, THEY REFUSED US.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DO IT AGAIN OR TRY TO DO IT AGAIN AND GET SOMETHING IN WRITING FROM THEM THAT THEY'RE NOT GONNA APPROVE IT.
BECAUSE WE DISCUSSED YESTERDAY, IF THERE'S EVER A, A RAINSTORM SAY, OR THE UH, UM, LET'S SAY A LANDLORD GETS IN THERE AND SAYS, I DON'T WANT YOU GUYS USING MY LAND ANYMORE.
UM, THEN WE'RE IN BIG TROUBLE.
'CAUSE WE HAD NO PLACE TO PARK CARS.
AND I THINK IT WOULD, YOU KNOW, COVER A CYA FOR THE BOARD TO SAY, HEY, WE MADE A PROPOSAL, THEY DIDN'T WANNA DO IT.
SO, YOU KNOW, UM, THERE'S NOTHING WE COULD DO.
SO THE, THE FAULT, 'CAUSE UM, AS WE ALL KNOW, UM, PEOPLE HAVE SHORT MEMORIES SOMETIMES AND IT'S JUST, IT'S A WAY TO, UM, SHOW THEM THAT WE PUT THE EFFORT IN IF WE DIDN'T GET SUPPORT AND THAT'S IT.
UM, THE OTHER THING WAS, UH, PARKING SIGNS THAT WILL INSTRUCT VOTERS WHERE TO ENTER INTO EXIT.
YOU KNOW, THAT WAS AN, AN ISSUE WHERE WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH SIGNS AND PEOPLE WERE, UH, PULLING OUTTA THE PARKING LOT AND COMING BACK THE WAY THEY CAME IN AND PEOPLE WERE COMING IN AND IT, IT CREATED A, A, A REAL HASSLE.
AND, UH, A COUPLE PEOPLE ALMOST GOT HIT BY CARS OUT THERE FOR PEOPLE PULLING IN REALLY, REALLY QUICKLY.
SO I THINK HAVING SIGNS WOULD MAY NOT ELIMINATE IT, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY GONNA HELP.
AND I THINK THAT IT'LL SHOW, AT LEAST IF, IF THERE IS AN ACCIDENT OR SOMETHING, THAT WE DID OUR BEST TO MAKE SURE THAT THE TRAFFIC FLOW WAS, WAS GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
UM, AND SEPARATE CURBSIDE VOTING STATIONS TO ALLEVIATE CONGESTION WITH THE LINE OF VOTERS.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DID HERE THAT, UM, CHRIS PUT TOGETHER.
AND WE, WE DID IT ON THE SECOND DAY.
AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU, IT WAS, IT WAS GREAT.
WE DIDN'T HAVE TO COME IN HERE AND BOTHER THE PEOPLE THAT WERE IN HERE.
WE HANDLED IT IN THE BACK ROOM THERE.
WE GAVE OUT BALLOTS TO, UM, TWO CARS AT A TIME.
SO WHEN THE, UH, VOTERS, UM, DIDN'T HAVE TO WAIT, THEY, WHEN WE HAD, UH, UH, THE BMDS GO FROM ONE CAR TO THE OTHER, THEY NEVER HAD TO WAIT FOR A, FOR A BALLOT.
WE HAD A WATCHER TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PERSON DIDN'T PULL OUT.
SO IT, IT WORKED OUT REALLY, REALLY WELL.
YOU KNOW, UM, AS WE RESOURCES REQUIRED TO ADD ADDITIONAL EVC, WE SET A DOES REQUIRE A PERSON OR WE RELOCATED STAFF PERSON FROM ANOTHER VOTING LOCATION.
UM, AND CAN ANOTHER QUESTION CAME UP, WHICH IS A GREAT ONE WITH THE, ALL THE ADDED EQUIPMENT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
CAN THE WAREHOUSE STORE ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT TO THE CURRENT INVENTORY TO THE COVERED IN INVENTORY, WHICH IS VERNE'S GONNA HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT AND THAT IS IT.
SO MIKE, JUST TO CONFIRM, THIS IS A IN PROGRESS REPORT.
PROGRESS REPORT, RIGHT? RIGHT.
SO, UM, Y'ALL ARE STILL WORKING TO MAKE THE ULTIMATE RECOMMENDATION, WHICH IS TO EITHER INCREASE THE THROUGHPUT AT THE EXISTING EBCS OR SUGGEST THAT WE ADD A FIFTH EVC.
WITHOUT, WITHOUT GETTING INTO THE DETAILS OF WHERE, RIGHT.
I THINK IT'D BE HOOVER US TO MEET ONE MORE TIME AND REALLY GO THROUGH THESE NUMBERS AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS WHAT OUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO ADD THIS, THIS, AND THIS TO THE EACH FACILITY.
AND TO COME UP TO A CONSENSUS ON, UM, AT LEAST TRYING OUT A RESOLUTION POLL BOOK TO SEE IF THAT, IF THAT MAKES SENSE TO DO.
BUT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE HAD A GREAT, GREAT INPUT FROM THE TEAM AND DID A GREAT JOB.
WELL I I, I'D ASK YOU TO JUST WITH LIMITED RESOURCES, KEEP FOCUSED ON THE MAIN GOAL, WHICH LOOK AT THE THROUGHPUT IN EARLY VOTING AND THE BEST WAY TO MAXIMIZE CURRENT FACILITIES OR WHETHER WE SHOULD RECOMMEND A FACILITY.
AND IF WE RECOMMENDED THE FIFTH, WHAT WOULD BE THE COST, THE IMPACT ON STAFF? WE HAVE 11 FULL-TIME STAFF, SO A FIFTH EARLY VOTING CENTER WOULD TAKE 10 OUT OF OUR 11 EXISTING STAFF AWAY, WHICH IS NOT, NOT MANAGEABLE.
ONE OF THE, THE, UM, UH, MS. MARIE WASN'T HERE YESTERDAY, SO SHE COULDN'T, YOU KNOW, HELP US OUT WITH THAT, THE ADDITIONAL STAFF PERSON AND WHAT OUR, WHAT OUR OPTIONS WOULD BE.
AND, UM, MR. BACKER AND I MET WITH ADMINISTRATOR MOORE, UH, ABOUT SIX WEEKS AGO AND WE DID TALK ABOUT THAT PERS PARCEL OF LAND NEXT DOOR.
UM, WHEN MS. SMALLS IS BACK, I'LL TALK WITH HER ABOUT HOW WE SHOULD GET BACK TO MR. MOORE WITH THE INFORMATION HE REQUESTED.
UH, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THIS FACILITY AS AN EARLY VOTING
[00:50:01]
FACILITY, WHICH IS REQUIRED BY SOUTH CAROLINA LAW, IT'S NOT LIKE WE COULD MOVE THIS TO ANOTHER PLACE IN BEAUFORT.WE HAVE 130 VOTERS AN HOUR COMING THROUGH THIS BUILDING WITH ONLY ABOUT 10 PARKING SPOTS.
IF, IF WE THINK 60% OF TURNOUT IN EARLY VOTING IS THE NEW NORMAL, WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO MANAGE THAT WITH THE PROPERTIES AVAILABLE.
OKAY, MIKE, THANKS FOR THAT REPORT.
ANY, ANY QUESTIONS FOR MIKE? OKAY.
THAT CONCLUDES THE COMMITTEE REPORTS.
NEXT IS UNFINISHED BUSINESS AND I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE ANY, ANYBODY KNOW OF UNFINISHED BUSINESS TURN.
UH, ONE ITEM I HAD FOR THE NEW BUSINESS IS BOARD APPROVAL OF THE UPDATED, UH, VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTION DIRECTOR JOB DESCRIPTION, WHICH WAS UPDATED FOR THE FILE AT BEAUFORT COUNTY AND ALSO FOR THE ONGOING UPDATE OF THE OPERATIONS MANUAL.
UM, EVERYBODY RECEIVED A, A RED LINE VERSION AND A CLEAN COPY BY EMAIL AND HARD COPY TODAY.
SO MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THIS REVISED JOB DESCRIPTION, MR. COOPER? A SECOND? SECOND BY MR. BACKER.
ANY DISCUSSION? JUST NOTICE, UM, IN THE THIRD PARAGRAPH, UM, REPORTS INSTEAD OF REPORTING, I THOUGHT WAS THE GRAMMATICALLY CORRECT WORD TO USE AND THAT WAS THE ONLY SUGGESTION I WOULD HAVE.
SO, UM, CAN THE MOTION BE AMENDED TO ACCEPT THE REVISED JOB DESCRIPTION WITH A REPLACEMENT OF REPORTING WITH REPORTS IN THE THIRD PARAGRAPH? SECOND.
MR. BECKER? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
OKAY, NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.
SO WE'LL ADJOURN THE GENERAL MEETING NOW AT 3:52 PM THERE WILL BE NO VOTES TAKEN IN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION AND WE'LL COME BACK ON THE AGENDA'S.
THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT, OH, I'M SORRY, EXED ON THE AGENDA DIRECTOR'S REPORT.
SO WHO'S GIVING THAT? CHRIS? ME, UH, JEAN.
I'M NO RAY BUT I THINK THEN WE'LL GET IT DONE JUST FINE.
SO AN OVERVIEW, WE'LL GO OVER SOME OF THE LEGISLATIVE UPDATES THAT UM, AFFECT US OR AT LEAST MOVING RIGHT NOW.
ELECTION UPDATES, FACILITY UPDATES.
AND THEN WE HAVE SOME MISCELLANEOUS UPDATES.
SO THE LEGISLATIVE UPDATE FOR THE HOUSE BUDGET FOR THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION, WHICH IS STILL THE SAME FROM THE MARCH MEETING IS THAT UM, THE SEC WAS ASKING FOR 11 11,000,001 TIME MONEY FOR STATEWIDE VOTING SYSTEM UPGRADES THAT THEY HAD TO MAKE LAST MINUTE LAST YEAR WITH 4 MILLION BEING GIVEN TO THEM IN RECURRING MONEY FOR ANNUAL ELECTION COSTS.
THE SENATE BUDGET FOR THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION AS OF APRIL 10TH ONLY INCLUDES THE 4 MILLION IN RECURRING MONEY FOR ANNUAL ELECTION COSTS.
SO THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE WORKING WITH RIGHT NOW.
UM, THE HOUSE PROVISOS FOR THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION, UM, 1 0 2 0.1 DID NOT PROPOSE A CHANGE FOR THE BOARD MEMBER STIPEND FROM 1500 TO TWENTY FIVE HUNDRED AND ONE OH TWO 0.2 DID NOT PROPOSE CHANGES TO POLL WORKER PAY FROM 75 TO A HUNDRED DOLLARS PER DAY AND 60 TO 75.
UM, NOW THAT WAS AS OF MARCH 13TH, SO THAT'S THE SAME AS THE LAST BOARD MEETING AS OF APRIL 10TH.
UM, THE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE AMENDED THE EXISTING PROVISO TO INCREASE THE COMPENSATION FOR BOARD MEMBER STIPENDS FROM 1500 TO 2,500.
SO THAT WOULD BE A TOTAL OF 22,500 PER COUNTY, WHICH ALLOWS FOR THE NINE BOARD MEMBERS.
CAN I ASK A QUESTION? SURE, SURE.
UM, HAS ANYBODY GIVEN ANY REASONS WHY THEY WON'T INCREASE THE POLL MANAGER AND POLL WORKERS? THEY NEVER GIVE REASONS.
YOU JUST DON'T JUST VOTE IT DOWN, HUH? YEAH, I HAD A DISCUSSION WITH THE LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS PERSON AT THE SEC RECENTLY MM-HMM
SO IF IT'S BELIEVED THAT POLL WORKERS DO NEED AN
[00:55:01]
INCREASE, THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE BOARDS OF ELECTION GO BACK TO THEIR COUNTIES TO REQUEST THAT.HOUSE BILL 3, 5, 5, 6, UM, POLITICAL PARTIES AND PRIMARIES.
AND THIS BILL ALLOWS FOR THE STATE EXECUTIVE COMMISSION TO HEAR COMMISSION TO HEAR THE PROTEST RELATED TO PARTISAN COUNTY OFFICES.
AND THE COMMITTEE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR A NUMBER OF THINGS INCLUDING HANDLING APPEALS OF ITS DECISION AND THE TIMELINE FOR CONDUCTING THESE HEARINGS.
UM, IT CLARIFIES UNDER WHICH SECTIONS OF THE CODE THE MUNICIPAL PRIMARY PROTEST AND CONTEST WILL BE FILED, HEARD AND DECIDED.
SO THE HOUSE HAS ADOPTED THIS, UM, ADOPTED A COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS WHO REQUIRE THAT THE STATE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ADOPT A RESOLUTION MANDATING THAT ASSURITY BOND ACCOMPANY ANY PROTESTS UNDER THIS CONTEST BEFORE GIVING IT A SECOND AND THIRD READING.
SO IT HAS BEEN READ A SECOND AND THIRD TIME AND HAS BEEN PASSED OFF TO THE SENATE AND THE FIRST SENATE READING WAS ON APRIL 1ST.
SO JEAN, IF THIS PASSED, WOULD IT HAVE A MATERIAL IMPACT ON OUR BOARD OR DOES IT PRIMARILY IMPACT THE, THE CANDIDATES AND THE CHALLENGERS? UM, I THINK IT'S A LITTLE OF BOTH.
'CAUSE AS OF RIGHT NOW HOW IT SITS IS A BOARD DOES THE PROTEST HEARINGS.
SO THIS WOULD CHANGE IT TO WHERE THE STATE EXECUTIVE, UM, THE STATE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE WILL HEAR THE PROTESTS.
SO THAT'S HOW I THINK THAT IT AFFECTS US COLUMBIA OR PROTESTS.
I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE END RESULT WILL BE
UM, BUT THIS IS JUST THE WAY THAT IT'S WRITTEN RIGHT NOW AND I LOOKED IT UP TO MAKE SURE I WASN'T MISUNDERSTANDING IT AND THERE'S REALLY NO MORE INFORMATION AT THE STATE HOUSE WEBSITE THAN THIS.
THIS ADDRESSES THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR CANDIDATES RUNNING IN GENERAL ELECTIONS.
THEY'RE TRYING TO SHORTEN THE CANDIDATE FILING PERIOD AND REQUIRE THAT ALL CANDIDATES FROM EACH POLITICAL PARTY IN THE STATE PAY A FILING FEE.
THE BILL ALLOWS POLITICAL PARTIES TO CHARGE A CERTIFICATION FEE TO ALL CANDIDATES AND IT AMENDS SECTION SEVEN ACK 11 2 10, WHICH PERTAINS TO THE FILING OF PARTY PLEDGES BY CANDIDATES TO CHANGE THE DEADLINE FOR FILING A PARTY PLEDGE.
SO THE PLEDGES ARE DUE AFTER THE ACTUAL FILING DEADLINE.
IT DID NOT SPECIFY NECESSARILY WHAT THAT TIMELINE WOULD LOOK LIKE, BUT THIS ONE ALSO HAS PASSED THE HOUSE AND WAS READ THE FIRST TIME IN THE SENATE ON APRIL 1ST.
SO THIS ONE MOSTLY IMPACTS THE CANDIDATES AND THE PARTIES.
IT REALLY DOESN'T MATERIALLY IMPACT US.
NO CANDIDATES ALREADY, UM, PAY A FILING FEE.
SO I MEAN FOR SOME, FOR SOME, SOME PARTIES NOT ALL OF THEM DO.
SO THAT'S WHAT THIS IS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY CANDIDATE FOR EVERY POLITICAL PARTY DOES PAY THAT FEE.
'CAUSE RIGHT NOW IT'S NOT LIKE THAT AND IT DOESN'T AFFECT THE BOARD SPECIFICALLY.
THIS AFFECTS US BECAUSE THEY COME TO US TO FILE SO.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE MY KNOWLEDGE WAS CORRECT.
MM-HMM
SO I WON'T GO INTO THAT MUCH, BUT AGAIN, I DID LOOK THIS ONE UP.
IT WAS READ THE SECOND TIME TODAY NEW POLL WORKER TRAINING.
SO MARCH 12TH AND 22ND, YOU GUYS WERE ALREADY APPRISED OF, WE HAD ONE THIS MORNING.
THERE WERE ORIGINALLY, THIS SAYS 24 ONLY BECAUSE AT THE TIME WE WERE CREATING THE REPORT THERE WAS A POSSIBLE NEW POLL WORKER THAT WAS GOING BACK AND FORTH.
DO I ATTEND THE 23RD OR IN MAY? SO I HAD HER DOWN AS THE 23RD.
UM, BUT SHE DIDN'T END UP WANTING TO REGISTER FOR THAT CLASS.
UM, ONLY TWO OF THOSE, THOSE FOUR THAT DIDN'T SHOW UP WERE NO SHOWS.
BUT FOUR HAD TOLD ME BEFOREHAND THAT THEY WEREN'T GONNA MAKE IT.
SO ESSENTIALLY I WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE 18 TODAY, BUT TWO THAT WERE NOT REGISTERED SHOWED UP.
SO WE ENDED UP HAVING 20 TODAY
SO, UM, I'VE UPDATED ALL THE NUMBERS FOR HOW MANY TO DATE YOU GUYS IN YOUR SECTIONS ARE GETTING.
SO MR. BACKER AND MS. JOHNSON ARE LEADING THE CHARGE WITH AS FAR AS CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS WITH 10, UM, THE VACANT PRECINCTS ON HILTON HEAD,
[01:00:01]
UM, FOR THE NORTH END HAVE 12 AND THEN MR. COOPER EIGHT NEW ONES MS. DO FIVE, MR. FORD TWO, YOU'RE UP FROM ONE FROM LAST MONTH.UM, MS. MITCHELL, FIVE, MR. SWEENEY FOUR AND MR. SOWICKI THREE.
SO WE'VE HAD 59 NEW TRAINEES WITHIN THE LAST MONTH.
UM, NOW FOR, I HAVE TWO CLASSES NEXT MONTH ON MAY 14TH AND 24TH, THERE ARE 23 AND NINE REGISTERED FOR THOSE CLASSES SELECTIVELY.
NOW THE MAY 14TH CLASS, I'VE ADDED A TON PEOPLE THIS WEEK, SO I EXPECT THE SAME WILL HAPPEN FOR THE MAY 24TH CLASS.
AS WE GET CLOSER, THOSE NUMBERS WILL DRASTICALLY INCREASE.
MAYBE MY NUMBERS ARE DOUBLE
IS HAVE YOU GOTTEN ANY INDICATION AS TO WHEN THIS, THAT NOT SUPPOSED TO BE FILLED? THERE'S NOT NECESSARILY A DEADLINE, BUT TYPICALLY ONCE THE DELEGATION, THE BEAUFORT COUNTY DELEGATION MEETS, UM, THAT IS WHEN THEY WILL EITHER CHOOSE TO APPOINT A NEW ONE OR DISCUSS APPOINTING OF A NEW ONE.
SO WE'LL JUST HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THEY MEET AGAIN.
I DON'T THINK THEY'VE MET SINCE THEY HAD A MEETING IN COLUMBIA RIGHT.
BUT YEAH, THEY PROBABLY, BUT AS FAR AS A NORMAL, THEY, I DON'T THINK THEY'LL MEET TILL LATE MAY AT THE EARLIEST.
UM, SO OUR POLLING PLACE SURVEYS, THE THOMAS E BARNWELL BUILDING IN OAK AND D OKEE IS UNDER RENOVATION.
SO IT IS INCOMPLETE STILL AT THIS POINT.
UM, HILTON HAD CHRISTIAN ACADEMY, SO YEP.
BEFORE YOU MOVE NOW THAT'S A CRITICAL BUILDING.
DO YOU KNOW IF THAT WILL BE YEAR LONG PROCESS OR IS THAT YOU THINK IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS THAT'LL BE I DON'T, YEAH, THERE WAS SOME UM, HEAVY RENOVATIONS IN THAT ROLE OUT AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE A, UH,
UM, REAL QUICK, ELECTION WISE, I DON'T, VERNON, THEY'RE NOT IN THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON AREA.
SO THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE ANYTHING AT ALL THIS YEAR FOR US ELECTION WISE.
SO WE DON'T HAVE TO, WE DO HAVE A LITTLE TIME.
UM, HILTON HEAD CHRISTIAN ACADEMY, SO THEY WERE A NEW ONE THAT WE BROUGHT ON.
UM, THEY HAVE SINCE INDICATED TO US THAT THEY ARE NO LONGER INTERESTED IN REMAINING A POLLING LOCATION.
THEY WERE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THEY WERE ONLY GONNA DO IT FOR THAT YEAR.
UM, SO WE MAY, WE'RE STILL GONNA TALK TO THEM, BUT WE MAY NEED TO FIND A NEW LOCATION FOR THOSE PRECINCTS THAT ARE AT HILTON HEAD CHRISTIAN ACADEMY.
DID, DID THEY STATE ANY ISSUES ABOUT THEIR CONCERNS FOR HAVING ONGOING? THEY LITERALLY JUST SAID, WE DIDN'T KNOW THIS WAS GOING TO BE, UH, PERMANENT THING.
AND THEY HAVE, THEY MAKE THEIR CALENDARS EARLIER, LIKE PRIOR TO JANUARY, FEBRUARY AND SHE, THEY WOULD BE INVOLVED IN THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON ELECTION IN NOVEMBER AND SHE SAID THEY DIDN'T SCHEDULE THAT DAY TO BE CLOSED AND THEY'RE NOT COMFORTABLE HAVING THE POTENTIAL OF 1500 OR MORE VOTERS IN THAT LOCATION WHILE THEY HAVE STUDENTS ON CAMPUS.
THAT'S THEIR CONCERN FOR THIS YEAR MOVING FORWARD.
I DON'T KNOW 'CAUSE I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO SPEAK TO THEM YET.
WE FAR AS WHERE THERE MIGHT BE SOME CLOSE LOOK CAN THEY JUST LET US KNOW WHAT YESTERDAY? YEAH, IT'S BEEN THIS WEEK.
SO WE HAVEN'T REALLY HAD THE CHANCE TO YET BUILD A RELATIONSHIP WITH SOMEBODY IF THEY ARE IMPACTED WITH THE BLUFF AND, UH, BLUFF ELECTION, THIS UPCOMING ELECTION NOVEMBER.
CHRIS, WHAT PRECINCTS WERE THEY AT? THAT BLUFFTON FOUR, B AS IN BOY AND
[01:05:01]
FOUR E AS IN EDWARD.I THINK ONE HAD LIKE 726 AND THE OTHER HAD LIKE 7 82 IN THE BLUFFTON LO UM, TOWN LIMITS AND COUNTING.
RIGHT, BECAUSE THEY GOT, THEY GOT A LOT OF NEW HOUSES.
ALRIGHT, WELL LET'S JUST HOPE THIS IS A PLANNING ISSUE.
AND THAT THEY WILL BE WILLING TO ACCOMMODATE US IN THE FUTURE.
YEAH, I WOULD THINK THAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO BE A GOOD MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY.
SO LIKE I SAID, WE WILL SPEAK TO THEM BEFORE ANY FINAL DECISIONS ARE MADE.
UM, BUSKEY IS BEING SCHEDULED FOR NEXT WEEK.
UH, SO TO TOTAL SURVEY, 96% COMPLETE TOTAL, NOT SURVEYED 4%.
THAT'S THREE PLACES NOT YET SURVEYED.
UM, PROJECT UPDATES, UPGRADE IN THE GLASS AT THE FRONT COUNTERS OF THE LIBRARY.
UM, REPLACE THE FIVE DOORS IN THE MAIN VOTING ROOM TO COMMERCIAL STEEL FRAME DOORS, WHICH WOULD BE MORE SECURE THAN THE WOODEN RESIDENTIAL STYLE.
UM, INSTALL ADDITIONAL SECURITY FEATURES IN THE INTERIOR OF THE FACILITY IN EARLY FY 26.
AND THEN THEY'VE ADDED A PROJECT TO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT LIST FOR FY 26 TO LOOK AT INSTALLING COMMERCIAL WINDOWS FOR IMPROVED SECURITY.
UM, MR. FORD, I BELIEVE HAS MORE DETAILS ON THESE THAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT.
SO MARIE SMALLS IS ATTENDING THE US ELECTION COMMISSION LOCAL LEADERSHIP COUNCIL MEETING IN CHARLOTTE.
WENDELL IS AT THE ELECTION CENTER SPECIAL WORKSHOP IN PITTSBURGH AND HE'LL BE THERE THROUGH THE 27TH.
AND THEN CHRIS IS ATTENDING ELECTION CENTER CERTIFICATION CLASSES.
FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW, THESE ARE THE SARAH CLASSES, HOW WENDELL AND MARIA, SARAH CHRIS WILL BEGIN HER CERTIFICATION.
UM, HER FIRST TRAINING IS MAY 12TH THROUGH 17TH AND THEN YESTERDAY, UM, BEAUFORT LIBRARIES HAS A STAFF DAY EVERY YEAR AND THEY USED TO BE UNDER, AS FAR AS ALL THE DEPARTMENTS BEING GROUPED UNDER CERTAIN UMBRELLAS.
THEY USED TO BE PART OF DEVELOPMENT.
THEY HAVE SINCE BEEN MOVED TO COMMUNITY SERVICES ALONG WITH US.
AND THEY, AND AUDRA IS THEIR A DA AS WELL.
UM, SO THEY HAD THEIR STAFF DAY YESTERDAY AND SINCE THEY MOVED, UM, AMANDA DICKMAN, THEIR, THEIR DIRECTOR THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD BE PRUDENT TO INCLUDE A MEMBER FROM EACH DEPARTMENT UNDER THAT COMMUNITY SERVICE TO COME IN AND TELL THE LIBRARIES A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THEY DO AND HOW THEY CAN WORK TOGETHER OR CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER.
SO I WENT THERE YESTERDAY AND IT WAS AMAZING.
SHE HAS A STAFF OF 82 PEOPLE, SO 82 PEOPLE WERE THERE ALONG WITH THESE OTHER REPRESENTATIVES FROM LIKE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, NEXUS VETERANS AFFAIRS.
AND AMANDA GAVE US A LIST OF QUESTIONS AHEAD OF TIME SO WE COULD BE PREPARED, WHICH I THOUGHT WERE GREAT.
IT OPENED UP THE CONVERSATION WITH THE EMPLOYEE, THE LIBRARY EMPLOYEES, AND THEY WERE ABLE TO GIVE US RECOMMENDATIONS LIKE, WE WOULD LOVE IF YOU GUYS WOULD BRING YOUR RESOURCES TO OUR BRANCH SO THAT WE CAN HAND THEM OUT.
AND IT WAS JUST, IT WAS REALLY GREAT.
TO BE ABLE TO SHARE VOTER REGISTRATION WITH THEM.
AND THERE ARE THINGS THEY DIDN'T KNOW.
SOME OF THEM HAVE ALREADY SIGNED UP TO BE POLL WORKERS, SOME OF THEM ARE GOING TO NOW.
UM, SO I THINK THAT THAT WILL BE GOOD TO CONTINUE THAT RELATIONSHIP THAT WE'VE ALREADY ESTABLISHED WITH THEM.
UM, THE SEC INVENTORY AUDIT, SO THE VERIFIED NUMBERS OF OUR VOTING EQUIPMENT IS DS THREE HUNDREDS, 136 E POLL BOOKS, 2 75 DS FOUR FIFTIES.
AND THE BALLOT MARK AND VICES, WE HAVE 739.
SO THE CONFIRMATION CARDS THAT ARE SENT OUT WHEN A VOTER HASN'T VOTED IN A NUMBER OF GENERAL ELECTIONS.
UM, THE SEC MAILED OVER 190,000 OF THEM STATEWIDE TO INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVEN'T VOTED SINCE 2020.
THESE MAILINGS WERE CONDUCTED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION ACT OF 93 TO HELP CONFIRM WHETHER VOTERS STILL RESIDE AT THEIR REGISTERED ADDRESS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
WE HAVE A LOT OF, UM, A LOT OF TIMES WE GET QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT DO THOSE CARDS LOOK LIKE? THIS IS WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN SEE THAT FAR.
IT'S IN YOUR REPORT THOUGH, WHERE IT JUST SAYS, CHECK ONE OF THESE, YOU STILL LIVE AT THESE.
[01:10:01]
IF WE DON'T RECEIVE 'EM BACK WITHIN THAT DEADLINE, THAT'S WHEN THEIR STATUS IN REMS COULD CHANGE TO INACTIVE ELIGIBLE, WHICH MEANS WE THINK THEY COULD HAVE MOVED, BUT WE'RE NOT REALLY SURE.UM, SO, SO THAT IS WHAT WAS SENT OUT FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY 5,827.
ANY QUESTIONS? THAT'S THE END.
UM, I, I HATE TO GET MY NEWS FROM SOCIAL MEDIA, BUT ON
AND I SHOULD KNOW THIS, BUT WHAT IS THE LATEST DATE THAT WE WOULD BE NOTIFIED OF A COUNTYWIDE ELECTION FOR A REFERENDUM QUESTION? THE DATE? UM, I THINK AUGUST.
IT'S LIKE 15TH OR 17TH OR SOMETHING.
YOU HAVE IT WHERE IT SHOULD BE MORE INFORMATION.
IS THE FILING CLOSING FOR EVERYTHING? DO YOU ALL KNOW IF THERE'S BEEN A FIRST READING OR ANY DISCUSSIONS OF THAT AT THE COUNTY LEVEL? COUNTY COUNCIL? IT'S THE FIRST TIME HEARING ABOUT IT.
MEETING COMING UP AS SOCIAL MEDIA? YEAH.
I HAVEN'T HEARD IT ON, ON ANYTHING.
ON, ON THE COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING.
THEY WOULD ALREADY HAVE IT NOW, SO THEY WOULD'VE, YEAH.
THERE'D HAVE TO BE THREE READINGS AT COUNTY COUNCIL BEFORE IT CAME THROUGH.
SO I JUST ASK EVERYBODY TO KEEP YOUR EAR TO THE GROUND.
IF, IF YOU HEAR ANYTHING, WE DON'T WANNA FIND OUT ON AUGUST 15TH THAT WE HAVE A COUNTYWIDE ELECTION.
THEY MAY MENTION IT THAT THEIR NEXT COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING, 'CAUSE I SAW SOMETHING.
I KNOW THEY'VE HAD WORKSHOPS, BUT I DON'T KNOW IN DETAIL WHAT THOSE WORKSHOPS WERE ABOUT.
BUT AT THE NEXT COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING, THEY PROBABLY WILL ADDRESS IT.
I WAS AT AN INFORMAL COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING LAST NIGHT AND THERE WAS NO MENTION OF IT.
THEY DIDN'T WANNA ASK THE QUESTION.
THEY, THEY TALKED ABOUT THE PREVIOUS, UM, REFERENDUM
SO I DUNNO IF THEY'RE A BIT SHY RIGHT NOW OF, UH, INTRODUCING A NEW ONE.
THERE WAS AN AUDIENCE ASKED THE QUESTION BECAUSE I'VE HEARD THE SAME THING MATT HEARD, NOT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, BUT I'VE HEARD PEOPLE SAYING THE SAME.
WELL, A LOT OF PEOPLE ASK QUESTIONS THAT WOULD REQUIRE FUNDING FOR IT AND THEY KEPT ON SAYING, WELL, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH FUNDING.
BUT THEY DIDN'T MENTION ANOTHER REFERENDUM TO RAISE THE MONEY FOR IT.
DID IT CONFESS THAT, THAT THINKING IN THAT REGARD.
NOW NEXT ON THE AGENDA, I BELIEVE IS THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.
SO WE'LL, UH, UH, ADJOURN THE FIRST PART OF THE MEETING, 4:13 PM HELLO, BEAUFORT COUNTY.
MY NAME'S DAVID BARTHOLOMEW AND I'M THE NEW REPRESENTATIVE FOR DISTRICT TWO.
FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW, DISTRICT TWO IS PREDOMINANTLY LADIES ISLAND, PARTS OF DOWNTOWN BEAUFORT AND THE MARINE CORPS AIR STATION.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING FROM MY CONSTITUENTS AND HOPEFULLY RESOLVING A LOT OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE IN THIS AREA.
I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM EVERYONE AND THANK YOU.
WE ARE BACK IN SESSION OF THE REGULAR, UH, BOARD MEETING.
UH, NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS CLOSING COMMENTS.
AND, UM, MY COMMENTS ARE, ARE SIMPLY, UH, THANKING ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS AND THE STAFF WHO HAVE BEEN SUPPORTING THEM WITH THE COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS.
[01:15:01]
COMMITTEES HAVE BEEN VERY BUSY THE FIRST QUARTER OF THIS YEAR, AND, UH, I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY FOCUSING ON YOUR CHARTERS AND TRYING TO GET THINGS DONE.UM, SO EARLY IN THE YEAR, UH, ANNOUNCEMENTS, THE NEXT BOARD MEETING IS MAY 28TH, 2:00 PM AND CHRIS, WILL WE BE HERE AGAIN? YES, SIR.
UM, AND I ASSUME EVERYBODY SUBMITTED THEIR REPORTS TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA ETHICS COMMISSION ON TIME? YES.
ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER COMMENTS BEFORE WE ADJOURN? I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT I WILL BE HAVING A KNEE REPLACEMENT SURGERY ON MONDAY.
AND IF, UM, AT THE NEXT MEETING, IF WE COULD DO WEBEX OR PROVIDE SOME MEANS OF ME TO PARTICIPATE, BECAUSE I'M NOT GONNA BE HERE.
DO I HAVE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? I SO MS. DO SECOND.
UH, I WE'RE, WE'VE GOT A LOT TO TALK ABOUT AND WE'RE GONNA TRY TO TALK ABOUT IN A, ALL OF THIS IN A VERY SMALL KIND OF PRESENTATION TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT WE WANT TO DO.
UH, IF Y'ALL REMEMBER, UH, WE STARTED WORKING ON A NEW SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER OPPORTUNITY LAST YEAR, UM, BECAUSE WE KNEW, AND WE HAVE KNOWN THAT TRYING TO RECRUIT LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO BE CLASS ONE CERTIFIED, WHICH IS WHAT THE STATE REQUIRED.
UH, YOU KNOW, TO BE IN OUR SCHOOLS AS SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS, WHICH ARE, IS, IS A SPECIAL, I THINK WE ALL AGREE THAT THAT IS REALLY A SPECIAL CANDIDATE, UH, THAT WE CONSIDER TO BE THAT CLOSE IN ASSOCIATION TO OUR KIDS.
UM, AND, BUT WE KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER PROGRAM BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY FACTORS IT CREATES, NOT ONLY IN OUR SCHOOLS, BUT WHAT OUR WHAT OUR COMMUNITIES AS WELL, BECAUSE THE SCHOOL IS A MELTING POT OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE.
SO HAVING THAT RIGHT PERSON IN THAT JOB AND THAT ROLE TO PROVIDE SECURITY TO OUR KIDS LEADERSHIP, TO OUR KIDS, UH, AND GIVING THE CONFIDENCE TO THE STAFF TO WORK IN THE SCHOOLS.
I MEAN, IT'S IMPORTANT TO FIND THAT RIGHT PERSON.
SO IT'S DIFFICULT TO FIND A CLASS ONE OR A CLASS ONE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW, IS ONE THAT GOES TO THE ACADEMY FOR 12 WEEKS, SPENDS 12 WEEKS FOR THE MOST PART IN COLUMBIA.
AND WE DO SOME OF THE TRAINING HERE LOCALLY, BUT EVERYTHING ELSE, UH, HAS TO BE DONE IN COLUMBIA.
AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ATTRACT TO BE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS THAT REALLY DON'T WANT TO GIVE UP THEIR LIFE AND THEIR FAMILY TO GO TO COLUMBIA AND GO THROUGH BOOTCAMP TO BE A CLASS ONE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER.
SO I HAD OUR TRAINING STAFF PUT TOGETHER A TRAINING SYLLABUS FOR A, WHAT WE CALL A CLASS THREE.
UH, AND IT WAS A CLASS THREE DESIGNATION FOR SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER.
WHAT THAT DID IS IT ALLOWED US TO CREATE A TRAINING SYLLABUS THAT WE COULD TAKE A PERSON, UM, YOU KNOW, OF, OF ANY AGE.
UM, AND THAT WE WOULD BRING THEM INTO LAW ENFORCEMENT ENVIRONMENT, YOU KNOW, WITH BLUFFTON OR BEAUFORT OR PORT ROYAL OR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
UH, AND WE WOULD TRAIN THEM HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
ALL OF THEIR TRAINING WOULD BE DONE RIGHT HERE.
UH, IT WOULD BE EIGHT WEEKS, MAYBE A LITTLE MORE THAN EIGHT WEEKS OF TRAINING.
UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO START THIS, UH, OUR FIRST CLASS.
WE'D LIKE TO START IT IN JUNE.
UH, THAT WAY WE CAN GET 'EM THROUGH THE PROGRAM AND BE READY FOR DEPLOYMENT, UH, WHEN SCHOOL STARTS IN AUGUST.
UH, I, I THINK IT'S AN AWESOME PROGRAM.
WE, WE, WE SENT THE TRAINING SYLLABUS TO THE ACADEMY THAT TRAINS ALL OF OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
[01:20:01]
THE BLESSING OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA TRAINING COUNCIL.SO WE ARE READY TO GET THIS THING MOVING AND GET IT STARTED.
AND I THINK FOR US, UH, WE JUST NEED TO KIND OF TELL OUR CITIZENS, YOU KNOW, WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR? UH, THE ROLE IS SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER.
IT'S A CLASS THREE LAW ENFORCEMENT DESIGNATION.
UH, IT'S A UNIFORM POSITION, IT'S AN ARMED POSITION.
UH, THEY HAVE ARREST POWERS, UH, AND THEY HAVE ALL THE POWERS OF ANY OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER ON THE SCHOOL GROUNDS, UH, THAT THEY'RE ASSIGNED TO.
SO WHAT DO YOU THINK, JOE, SHERIFF? I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA, AND THANK YOU FOR TAKING LEAD ON THIS.
UM, WE HAVE FOUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN BLUFFTON THAT CURRENTLY ARE NOT STAFFED BY CLASS THREE OR HIGHER OFFICERS.
AND I THINK THAT THIS PROGRAM IS GONNA ATTRACT PEOPLE TO THESE POSITIONS AND IT'S GONNA PROVIDE MORE OF A SECURITY BLANKET FOR OUR SCHOOLS TO INCLUDE OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
SO WE'RE DEFINITELY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
WE'RE EXCITED TO BE PART OF IT.
WHO, WHO DO WE WANT TO ATTRACT? I THINK WE'VE GOT A, WE'VE GOT AN ENORMOUS NUMBER OF RETIRED MILITARY FOLKS HERE MM-HMM
THAT ARE ABLE TO RETIRE FAIRLY YOUNG AND MAY BE LOOKING FOR THAT JOB.
THEY MAY HAVE CHILDREN IN OUR SCHOOLS AND WITH THE, WITH THE PROGRAM THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO PUT TOGETHER.
UM, THEY'LL BE HOME WHEN THEIR CHILDREN ARE HOME, NOT IN SCHOOL.
AND, UM, AND I'VE ALWAYS SAID, YOU AND I HAVE HAD THIS CONVERSATION, SHERIFF, WE, WE NEED TO GET INTO THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IF WE, IF WE WAITED UNTIL HIGH SCHOOLS WERE TOO LATE.
I'M, I'M GLAD THAT YOU TOOK THE LEAD ON IT.
UM, I'M EXCITED TO SEE IF WE CAN GET SOME PEOPLE IN, BUT I REALLY THINK THE YOUNG RETIRED MILITARY PEOPLE ARE, THEY'RE JUST MADE FOR THIS, YOU KNOW, AND WE'VE GONE THROUGHOUT OUR CAREERS, UH, IN THE COUNTY OF BEAUFORT AND WE'VE HAD CONVERSATION AFTER CONVERSATION WITH DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT SAY, YOU KNOW, I'M RETIRED, I'D LIKE TO FIND SOMETHING TO DO.
AND THEN YOU START TALKING TO 'EM AND THEY'RE A RETIRED TEACHER OR RETIRED LAW ENFORCEMENT, RETIRED FIRE DEPARTMENT, RETIRED MILITARY, RETIRED BANKER, HAS RETIRED, I MEAN RETIRED, THIS, THAT AND THE OTHER.
AND THEY'RE STILL, STILL AT AN AGE THAT THEY COULD, UM, THEY COULD DO THIS JOB WITH NO PROBLEM AT ALL OF ANY KIND.
UM, AND THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT, THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE.
I'D LIKE TO SEE, UH, THOSE THAT ARE STILL, THAT STILL FEEL LIKE THEY CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE, THAT MAYBE HAVE ALWAYS LOOKED AT LAW ENFORCEMENT AS BEING A JOB, BUT BECAUSE OF THE PAY AND BECAUSE OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE WORKING CONDITIONS AND FAMILIES AND, AND ALL THAT, THEY JUST DIDN'T WANNA DO IT.
BUT HERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO MAKE $45,000 A YEAR STARTING PAY TO WORK BASICALLY THE SCHEDULE OF THE TEACHING AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHICH IS A PRETTY GOOD SCHEDULE.
IT IS, UH, TO HAVE BENEFITS, UH, TO BE IN THE RETIREMENT SYSTEM AND TO BE ABLE TO BRING THEIR MATURITY, UH, THEIR LIFE EXPERIENCE AND, AND YOU KNOW, TO, TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AGE KIDS WHO WILL BENEFIT GREATLY FROM JUST HAVING THAT OPPORTUNITY TO SOCIALIZE AND BE AROUND, UH, THESE FOLKS THAT BRING A LOT TO THE TABLE.
AND I, WE AND OUR COMMUNITIES.
YOU TAKE BLUFFTON AND BEAUFORT AND, AND IN THE COUNTY AND IN PORT ROYAL, THOSE PEOPLE ARE HERE.
AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THINGS TO DO.
AND I JUST THINK THIS IS AN AWESOME OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO, YOU KNOW WHAT, JUST DO IT KINDA LIKE NIKE.
UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S, THE TRAINING IS, I THINK THEY'LL ENJOY ITS TRAINING AGAIN, IT'S ALL DONE RIGHT HERE.
THEY, THEY'LL STAY AT HOME, THEY'LL SLEEP IN THEIR OWN BED, THEY'LL HAVE THEIR OWN PILLOW, AND THEN THEY CAN COME TO TRAINING.
AND ONCE THEY'RE CERTIFIED, UH, THEN THEY'LL START THE SCHOOL YEAR, UH, AUGUST OF THIS YEAR.
SO, I MEAN, I KNOW YOUR COMMUNITY REPRESENTS THAT OPPORTUNITY AS WELL.
SO WHAT ELSE, WHAT ELSE DO YOU THINK THIS, UM, THIS PROGRAM'S GONNA DO IN TOTALITY FOR WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH? I THINK, I THINK THIS PROGRAM, ONE WILL BE ABLE TO GET US OVER THE TOP.
I THINK WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET, WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET A POLICE OFFICER IN EVERY SCHOOL IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, WHICH IS IMPORTANT.
A POLICE OFFICER AND I, AND I, AND YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS.
THERE'S A LOT OF TRAINING THAT GOES ALONG WITH THIS JOB.
THERE IS, AND YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT A SECURITY OFFICER.
THIS IS A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, UH, THAT'S GONNA BE WELL TRAINED, UH, IN THIS.
AND I, I THINK THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT'S, IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
AND I THINK WITH THE YOUNG CHILDREN TARGETING THE RETIREES MM-HMM
WHETHER THEY'RE RETIRED TEACHERS, RETIRED MILITARY IS IMPORTANT.
THEY'VE GOT THE LIFE EXPERIENCE FOR THE, FOR THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
AND, AND TO GET THAT STARTED OFF, SO HOW, HOW MANY, HOW MANY OPENINGS DO YOU HAVE FOR THIS PROGRAM? FOR THIS PROGRAM, WE, WE ONLY HAVE TWO CURRENTLY.
POSSIBLY A THIRD COMING ON BOARD.
I'VE GOT NINE JOE, I HAVE FOUR.
[01:25:01]
TOTAL, AND HERE'S THE THING.IT, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU WORK AT THE CITY OF BEAUFORT OR THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, UH, OR PORT ROYAL, OR FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
WE WANT YOU TO COME TO WORK YES.
IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, TO BE A CLASS THREE SRO.
DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU GO, DOESN'T MATTER WHO YOU'RE EMPLOYED BY.
THE WORK ENVIRONMENT'S BASICALLY THE SAME.
THERE MAY BE A DIFFERENCE IN UNIFORM THAT YOU WEAR AT THE SCHOOL THAT YOU'RE ASSIGNED TO, UH, THE PAY.
I MEAN, EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE BASICALLY THE SAME.
SO ALL WE WANT PEOPLE TO DO IS PUT THEIR APPLICATIONS IN, GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN AND EXPLAIN THE PROGRAM IN DETAIL.
AND IF YOU REALLY HAVE AN INTEREST IN IT, UH, THEN LET'S, LET'S, LET'S GET STARTED.
AND, AND ONE THING THAT I WANT TO HIT ON IS THIS PROGRAM IS IMPORTANT AND, AND REASON BEING IS NONE OF OUR KIDS SHOULD FEEL AFRAID GOING TO SCHOOL.
UM, THEY SHOULD BE GOING TO SCHOOL TO LEARN AND NOT WORRYING ABOUT THEIR SAFETY.
UM, AND WHAT THIS DOES IS THIS PROVIDES ANOTHER LAYER OF SAFETY FOR ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS, ESPECIALLY THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
UM, IT ALSO PROVIDES PEOPLE WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO MENTOR THESE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN MM-HMM
UH, AS THEY'RE COMING UP THROUGH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
AND SO, LIKE THE SHERIFF SAID, IF YOU TRULY WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, UH, THIS IS A POSITION THAT YOU REALLY, REALLY WILL BE MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
I JUST HOPE THE APPLICATION START POURING IN.
AND IF YOU GET MORE THAN, THAN YOU NEED THEN AND, AND WE NEED TO GO TO BEAUFORT OR WE NEED TO GO TO, UH, THE, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE OR, OR PORT ROYAL, WE JUST NEED, WE NEED TO PUT THESE PEOPLE TO WORK.
WE NEED TO FILL THESE VACANCIES, UH, AND LET'S MAKE OUR SCHOOLS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY AS SAFE AS THEY POSSIBLY CAN.
AND I THINK THE UNIQUENESS OF THIS PROGRAM, THESE OFFICERS WILL BE TRAINED BY PEOPLE THAT HAVE CHILDREN IN THESE SCHOOLS.
THEY HAVE THE SAME DESIRES, THE OUTCOMES THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
SO I'M, I'M LOOKING FORWARD, LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.
WELL, I MEAN, THE GREAT THING ABOUT IT IS THAT WE ARE, WE WILL BE DOING THE TRAINING TOGETHER.
IF YOU GET, IF YOU GET, IF YOU HIRE ONE OR TWO AND YOU HIRE FOUR, AND YOU KNOW, AND I CAN FILL THE NINE THAT WE NEED, WE'RE ALL GONNA BE TRAINING TOGETHER.
SO THIS IS GONNA BE ONE TRAINING SYLLABUS TO BENEFIT, UH, THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER PROGRAM.
I MEAN, THIS IS GOING TO BE, THIS, THIS PROGRAM IS FOR SOUTH CAROLINA AS A WHOLE.
THIS IS NOT JUST FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY.
BUT I'M EXCITED THAT WE'RE GOING TO START THIS AND INITIATE, YOU KNOW, THE SRO CLASS THREE POSITION HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND WE'RE GONNA SHOW THE STATE IT WORKS.
AND THE GREAT THING ABOUT THE TRAINING TOGETHER, SHERIFF, IS YOU'RE CREATING A NETWORK BEFORE YOU EVEN GET STARTED.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO KNOW PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT SCHOOLS WHERE IF YOU CAN RUN INTO A PROBLEM, YOU HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE THAT YOU CAN CALL AND GET SOME ADVICE OR TALK TO THEM ABOUT THINGS GOING ON IN THEIR SCHOOL AND THE CURRENT TRENDS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THEIR SCHOOL.
SO IT'S A GREAT COLLABORATION OF ALL THREE DEPARTMENTS IN THE ENTIRE COUNTY GETTING TOGETHER, BECAUSE HAVING THAT NETWORK AND PEOPLE THAT YOU CAN RELY ON FOR ADDITIONAL ADVICE IS INVALUABLE.
WELL, I TELL YOU WHAT, I MEAN, I WANT, I WANT PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO, TO MAKE THOSE PHONE CALLS OR GO ONLINE AND RESEARCH, YOU KNOW, UH, JUST THE, THE, THE CLASS THREE SRO, UH, THROUGH ALL AGENCIES.
SO I THINK LINDSEY, IF WE CAN, I MEAN, AT THIS POINT, I THINK IF WE PUT THAT INFORMATION ON THIS VIDEO FOR BLUFFTON, BEAUFORT, PORT ROYAL, AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WEBPAGE AND PHONE NUMBERS, UH, I THINK WE'LL HOPEFULLY WE'LL START GETTING CALLS.
THAT SOUND GOOD TO Y'ALL? YES, SIR.
NOBODY LIKES AN AWKWARD SILENCE.
YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE IT FOR SOMETHING GOOD.
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