Jun 02, 2025 Community Services Committee (trimmed)

MOTION MADE BY JOE PASSMAN AND SECONDED BY TAB.

LET'S SEE HERE.

INTO NUMBER FIVE, THE APPROVAL OF THE AMENDMENT FROM APRIL 7TH, 2025.

UH, MOVING

[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES- April 7, 2025]

CAN I GET A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THOSE? FOR THE APPROVAL OF THAT? I'LL DO IT AGAIN.

THANK YOU JOE .

I'LL SECOND IT IF YOU NEED IT.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

AND IS THERE, UM, IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO ACCEPT TO ACCEPTING THOSE MINUTES? NO.

IF THERE IS THEY HAVE TO REWRITE 'EM.

ALL RIGHT.

THOSE ARE ACCEPTED WITHOUT OBJECTION.

AND MOVING INTO ITEM NUMBER SIX, WHICH IS, UH, CITIZENS' COMMENT, PERIOD.

ARE THERE ANY CITIZENS THAT HAVE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? NO.

PERIOD, AND WE'LL MOVE INTO THE ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR REPORT.

IS THERE ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK? SEEING NONE? I, WE WILL CLOSE THE CITIZEN'S COMMENT

[7. ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR REPORT]

UH, AND WHO IS GONNA BE GIVEN THAT REPORT? OH, HEY.

WELL, I'M NOT ACTUALLY, BUT I'M GOING TO INTRODUCE AMANDA DICKMAN.

SHE IS OUR DIRECTOR OF LIBRARIES, AND SHE'S HERE TO PROVIDE A FEW UPDATES ON FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS AND WHAT SHE HAS UPCOMING FOR SUMMER PROGRAMS. PERFECT.

MR. CHAIR.

MAY IF I INTERRUPT FOR JUST A MOMENT.

THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF PEOPLE IN THE LOBBY.

I THINK THEY WANTED TO SPEAK HERE AT PUBLIC.

THE COMMENT, WE ALL GOT STUCK IN TRAFFIC, AND WE'VE HEARD ABOUT THAT ROAD WORK OUT THERE.

I'M, I'M HAPPY TO OPEN IT BACK UP.

AFTER.

I'LL LET HER DO THE PRESENTATION.

JUST FYI AND I DON'T MIND OPENING IT BACK UP.

YOU, AND IF SOMEBODY CAN MAKE A MOTION, IF THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT WANNA SPEAK, WE'LL, WE'LL OPEN IT BACK UP.

ALL THE FLOOR IS YOURS.

WELL, THANK YOU.

UM, GOOD AFTERNOON.

I HOPE YOU ENJOY THE GOODIES THAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU.

I, UM, WE WENT LOW TECH FOR PER FOR THIS PRESENTATION.

I KNOW NORMALLY YOU'RE USED TO SEEING TONS OF POWERPOINT SLIDESHOWS.

SO FOR THIS, I WANTED TO GO OLD SCHOOL.

AND, UM, I DID, BECAUSE I WILL TALK ABOUT SOME NUMBERS.

I DID WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU HAD SOMETHING TO REFERENCE, BUT THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE YOU ON AN UPDATE OF THE, THE BEAUTIFUL WORK THAT YOUR LIBRARIES ARE DOING NOW.

UH, YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY THIS BEFORE, THAT LIBRARIES ARE MORE THAN JUST BOOKS.

WE ARE A PLACE TO BORROW BOOKS, BUT WE ARE SUCH MORE THAN THAT.

WE ARE VIBRANT COMMUNITY HUBS THAT FOSTER LEARNING ENGAGEMENT AND OPPORTUNITY.

TODAY.

I JUST WANNA BRIEFLY TALK TO YOU ABOUT A FEW OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE DO.

I WANNA DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THE STATS THAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU OVER THE PAST YEAR.

FROM THE STATS THAT WE'RE GONNA GO OVER.

IT SHOWS US THAT LIBRARY USAGE HAS REMAINED STRONG AND IT SHOWS YOU THAT BEAUFORT COUNTY RESIDENTS DO VALUE THEIR LIBRARIES.

OUR CARDHOLDERS BORROWED 880,000 ITEMS. UM, 72% OF THOSE WERE PHYSICAL ITEMS THAT YOU CAN HOLD IN YOUR HAND.

AND 28% OF THOSE WERE DIGITAL ITEMS YOU CAN DOWNLOAD AND ACCESS EITHER ON A COMPUTER OR A MOBILE DEVICE THAT SHOWS YOU THAT.

IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, WE STILL VALUE THE TRADITIONAL HOLD A BOOK IN YOUR HAND, BUT WE ALSO ARE EMBRACING THE DIGITAL TREND AS WELL.

OUR LOCATIONS WELCOME 373,000 VISITORS SHOWING THAT PEOPLE STILL VISIT THE LIBRARY.

I GET THAT QUESTION A LOT.

52 WEEKS OUT OF THE YEAR, THAT'S A LOT OF PROGRAMS. AND FOR THOSE 2000 PROGRAMS, WE HAD ABOUT 38,000 PEOPLE SHOW UP.

BUT PEOPLE STILL GO TO THE LIBRARY.

OUR, UM, TRAINED STAFF ANSWERED 51,500 REFERENCE QUESTIONS.

EVERYTHING RANGING FROM HELP WITH RESEARCH TO, UM, GENERAL INQUIRIES AS WELL AS HOW TO USE TECHNOLOGY.

WE PROVIDED 1,199 MEETING ROOM RESERVATIONS FOR COMMUNITY GROUPS.

THEY HOST THEIR PUBLIC MEETINGS IN OUR SPACES.

SOME OF YOU HAVE BEEN THERE USING FOR YOUR MEETINGS, AND WE APPRECIATE BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.

WHAT I'M REALLY PROUD ABOUT IS THAT WE GREW OUR CARDHOLDER NUMBERS TO 105,000 JUST OVER JUST NORTH OF 105,000 PEOPLE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY WHO HAVE LIBRARY CARDS.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT POPULATION AT THE TIME BEING ABOUT 185,000 TO 200,000, THAT SHOWS ME THAT AT LEAST 50% OF PEOPLE WHO CALL BEAUFORT COUNTY HOME ALSO FIND HOME IN THEIR LIBRARIES.

WOW.

WE ALSO HOSTED 2,400 PUBLIC PROGRAMS. AND THAT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT WHEN YOU START TO THINK ABOUT HOW MANY DAYS THE LIBRARY'S OPEN MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

ALSO, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT HOLIDAYS,

[00:05:01]

NOW, I HAVE GIVEN YOU THOSE STATISTICS AND MY, ONE OF MY BOARD CHAIR MEMBERS ALWAYS SAYS, AMANDA, WHAT DO THOSE NUMBERS MEAN? SO LET ME SHARE WITH YOU HOW THAT COMPARES TO OTHER LIBRARIES IN THE STATE.

BEAUFORT COUNTY IS NUMBER 11 IN TERMS OF POPULATION SERVED.

AND THE, AND THE LIBRARIES IN FRONT OF US ARE BERKELEY, A BBE, REGIONAL, WHICH IS A AND BARNWELL, UM, EDGEFIELD AND BAMBERG, AS WELL AS, UM, ALSO ANDERSON COUNTY IN THE UPSTATE BY THEIR NUMBERS AND OUR NUMBERS.

I DID A COMPARISON THIS MORNING.

BEAUFORT COUNTY REPORTS MORE ANNUAL VISITORS.

WE HAVE MORE PROGRAMS AND MORE ATTENDEES.

WE ALSO HAD MORE ITEMS BORROWED.

AND WE ARE THE ONLY LIBRARY IN THE STATE THAT HAS TWO BOOKMOBILES.

YAY.

I THOUGHT YOU WOULD LIKE THAT.

SO I WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THOSE PROGRAMS. UM, I KNOW YOU KNOW THAT WE DO BOOK CLUBS, LECTURES, PRESENTATIONS, THAT SORT OF THING, BUT YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT A FEW SPECIAL THINGS.

SO I WANNA CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO THOSE.

WE HAVE TEEN ADVISORY BOARDS THAT MEET AT THE ST.

HELENA LIBRARY AND ONE THAT MEETS AT THE BLUFFTON LIBRARY.

THESE ARE GROUPS THAT ARE LED BY TEENS.

WE HAVE A STAFF MEMBER WHO LEADS THEM, BUT THE TEENS GET TOGETHER AND THEY INVEST IN THEIR LIBRARIES THROUGH DIFFERENT THINGS, THROUGH ADVISING ON WHAT PROGRAMS OTHER TEENS MIGHT LIKE.

UH, THE ST.

HELENA TEENS, I GOTTA BRAG ON THEM.

MR. GLOVER, THE ST.

HELENA TEENS DECORATED STEPPING STONES THAT ARE IN THE BUTTERFLY GARDEN OUT THE BACK, OUT THE BACK WINDOW.

AND THEN IN BLUFFTON FOR, UM, TAB AND FOLKS, UM, THE BLUFFTON TEENS RECENTLY HOSTED THEIR OWN MURDER MYSTERY PARTY.

NO ONE DIED, OBVIOUSLY, BUT IT, THEY HAD THEIR OWN WHO DONE IT.

UH, THEY PUT IT TOGETHER THEMSELVES.

THEY ACTED IN IT THEMSELVES AND THEY FIGURED IT OUT THEMSELVES.

WE ALSO OFFER READ TO A DOG PROGRAMS. IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN BRING YOUR CANINE FRIEND.

IT MEANS THAT A, A QUALIFIED, CERTIFIED THERAPY DOG IS ON SITE AT OUR LIBRARY LOCATIONS AND CHILDREN CAN COME AND READ TO THAT DOG.

THAT'S A GREAT WAY FOR, FOR KIDS IN A, IN A NON-STRESSFUL WAY TO INCREASE THEIR LITERACY AND, UM, THEIR COMFORT WITH READING.

BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW PUPPIES LOVE ATTENTION, BUT WE DON'T LEAVE.

UM, THE CANINES AREN'T THE ONLY ONES THAT GET TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT.

WE ALSO DO READ TO A CAT EVENTS IN THE SUMMER AS WELL.

SO WE COVER ALL THE BASES.

I ALSO WANNA CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO A GAME BOARD THAT I PROVIDED TO YOU.

AS OF SATURDAY, THE LIBRARIES ARE HOSTED HOSTING OUR ANNUAL SUMMER READING PROGRAM.

LAST YEAR, JUST OVER 2000 INDIVIDUALS PARTICIPATED.

I'M GONNA SAY THIS ONCE AND MAYBE REPEAT MYSELF AGAIN.

THIS IS NOT JUST FOR KIDS.

YES, WE WANT KIDS TO READ, BUT IT'S ALSO FOR ADULTS.

AND WE INCENTIVIZE THAT.

MEANING YOU CAN WIN PRIZES IF YOU PARTICIPATE.

YOU CAN, UH, ENTER INTO WIN, UM, READER REWARDS.

BUT ALSO WE HAVE SOME GRAND PRIZES AT THE END THAT I KNOW, UM, ADULTS ALL THROUGHOUT BEAUFORT COUNTY AS WELL AS KIDS WOULD BE INTERESTED IN THROWING THEIR NAME IN THE HAT TO PARTICIPATE.

ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS READ 20 MINUTES A DAY.

I'VE SEEN YOUR BACKUP PRESENTATIONS, SO I KNOW Y'ALL ARE READING 20 MINUTES A DAY.

THIS IS A NO BRAINER FOR YOU.

I HOPE TO SEE ALL OF YOUR GAME BOARDS COMPLETED IN 30 DAYS.

BUT I HOPE THAT YOU'LL ALSO, UH, ENCOURAGE EVERYONE, YOU KNOW, TO PARTICIPATE AS, AS WELL.

MY PERSONAL GOAL IS THAT WE HIT OVER 3000 PARTICIPANTS THIS YEAR, BUT IF WE GO HIGHER THAN THAT, I CERTAINLY WILL BE HAPPY.

FINALLY, I WANNA PIVOT TO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE AND INNOVATION.

SO PUBLIC LIBRARIES DO REFLECT THE CHANGES IN THEIR COMMUNITY, UM, AND WE REMAIN COMMITTED TO KEEPING OUR SPACES MODERN, WELCOMING AND ACCESSIBLE.

RECENTLY, OUR FACILITIES AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, UH, TEAM HAVE BEEN BLESSING OUR LIBRARIES.

WE, YOU WILL PROBABLY NOTICE SOME, UM, CARPET CHANGING IN CERTAIN AREAS.

YOU'RE GONNA SEE SOME SPRUCING UP OF THE EXTERIOR, AND WE HOPE THAT THAT STARTS A MOMENTUM OF REFRESHING OUR LIBRARIES TO KEEP THEM WARM, WELCOMING AND INVITING SPACES.

YOU ALSO SEE INNOVATIONS LIKE THE LOCKERS AT BURTON WELLS.

HAVE ANYBODY SEEN THOSE? HAD A CHANCE TO SEEN THOSE.

UM, I GIVE, I'VE GIVEN YOU A BOOKMARK THAT SAYS, UNLOCK YOUR NEXT READ ON THE BACK.

IT GIVES YOU THE THREE EASY STEPS ON HOW TO HAVE YOUR REQUESTED ITEMS SENT TO THAT LOCKER FOR PICKUP.

SO WE'D REALLY LOVE PEOPLE TO EMBRACE THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY.

IT'S A ANOTHER WAY, A CONVENIENT WAY FOR PEOPLE TO PICK UP AND RETURN THEIR ITEMS. AND THEN ALSO, AND LASTLY, WE ARE EXPANDING OUR COLLECTIONS.

I BROUGHT WITH YOU, WITH ME A, UM, A WONDER BOOK.

SO ON THE FRONT, IT LOOKS LIKE A REGULAR PICTURE BOOK.

THIS IS MIXED BY ARI CHUNG, BUT IN THE INSIDE IT HAS A PLAYER.

SO IT'S A, IT'S A MERGER OF, IT'S STILL ON, IT'S A MERGER OF AN AUDIO BOOK AND A BOOK

[00:10:02]

YOU ARE IN.

READ ALONG.

SO THE BOOK WILL ACTUALLY READ, READ TO YOU.

SO A CHILD CAN SIT AND HAVE THE BOOK BEING READ TO THEM AS THEY FOLLOW ALONG.

IT'S A GREAT KIND OF A, I GREW UP WITH RECORD PLAYERS AND THE RECORD WOULD, WOULD GO BLING, RIGHT? TURN THE PAGE.

THIS IS THIS FOR A NEW GENERATION.

AND EACH ONE OF OUR LIBRARIES HAVE A COLLECTION OF WONDER BOOKS.

SO DO GO CHECK THOSE OUT.

LITERALLY GO CHECK THOSE OUT.

AGAIN, UNLESS THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS FOR YOU, I JUST WANTED TO END MY PRESENTATION BY SAYING THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR INVESTING IN OUR LIBRARIES.

I HOPE YOU'RE IMPRESSED WITH WHAT WE DO AND I HOPE YOU STAY TUNED BECAUSE WE'RE NOT DONE YET.

SO I, I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT INVESTING IN YOUR LIBRARIES IS AN INVESTMENT IN THE, IN THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE AND WORK IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.

ALRIGHT, I HAVE A QUESTION.

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

I JUST WANNA OPEN IT UP TO THE COMMITTEE.

SO AMANDA, WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT REFRESHING OUR FACILITIES IN BLUFFTON GRADE.

WE WERE AT HILTON HEAD THE OTHER DAY.

THE CARPET IN THE CONFERENCE ROOM IS VERY SAD.

IS THAT ON THE LIST? WE WOULD LOVE TO DO A FULL RENOVATION OF HILTON HEAD.

AND THAT IS ON OUR LONGER RANGE PLAN.

SO WHEN THAT COMES, BEFORE YOU THINK ABOUT THAT CARPET, YEAH, IT WAS AWFUL.

AND ARE THERE PLANS TO PUT LOCKERS AT ANY OTHER FACILITY? WE'RE STILL MONITORING AND LEARNING ON THE ONES THAT WE HAVE AT BURTON WELLS, BUT I CERTAINLY, UM, COULD SEE POTENTIAL USES ACROSS, ACROSS THE LIBRARY SYSTEM.

'CAUSE IT JUST EXPANDS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO PICK UP ITEMS. AND DIDN'T YOU GET A GRANT FOR THAT? IF YOU WERE WE DID.

WE WE RECEIVED A GRANT THROUGH THE INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES FOR THAT LOCKER SYSTEM.

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

UM, JUST WANTED TO OH, TURN IT ON.

JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU HOW MANY, HOW MUCH PEOPLE ARE APPRECIATING THE NEW LIBRARY IN PORT ROYAL, WHICH YOU PROBABLY ALREADY ARE AWARE OF THAT.

IT'S A GREAT LOCATION FOR ME PERSONALLY TO MEET CONSTITUENTS.

'CAUSE YOU HAVE THOSE PRIVATE ROOMS AND, UM, I SEE A LOT OF CHILDREN, CHILDREN THERE AFTER SCHOOL AND DURING, ON THE WEEKENDS.

I, I'M ASSUMING THEY'RE COMING FROM ALL OVER, BUT IT'S VERY CHILDREN ORIENTED TOO.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

WE DO, WE DO LOVE OUR PORT ROYALLE LIBRARY.

UH, YOU TALKED ABOUT ST.

HELENA, YOU TALKED ABOUT BLUFFTON.

YOU DIDN'T MENTION HILTON ED WITH WHAT'S GOING ON, BUT, UM, TO WHAT TAB HAS TO SAY.

WE DO AN AWFUL LOT OF MEETINGS THERE AS COUNCIL MEMBERS IN JUNE 4TH WEDNESDAY THIS WEEK.

WE HAVE OUR NEXT ONE.

IT'S BASED ON STORM WATER, BUT WE WANT TO THANK YOU.

IT, IT, IT'S, I THINK ANYWHERE FROM 80 TO A HUNDRED AND SOME ODD PEOPLE FIT THERE EASILY.

IT, IT, THE TECHNOLOGY'S GREAT.

AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS.

WELL, WE LOVE OUR HILTON HEAD LIBRARY AS WELL.

WELL, I HOPE SO.

I WAS JUST THERE LAST WEEK.

UM, I DID A PRESENTATION THERE MYSELF, SO.

EXCELLENT.

I'LL HAVE TO COME BACK AND DO IT AGAIN.

ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE? NO, NO, NO, NO, NO.

NO QUESTION.

UM, I APPRECIATE THE, UH, USE OF THE LIBRARY ON ST.

HELEN.

UM, I AM ACTUALLY GOING TO TRY TO, TO, TO COMPLETE THIS.

I AM READING ONE OF MY FAVORITE AUTHOR THAT, UM, I ACTUALLY, UM, GOT INTRODUCED AT, UH, THE BEAUFORT LIBRARY, UM, MAYBE 40, 50 YEARS AGO.

SO I'M READING THAT AUTHOR RIGHT NOW.

SO IT'S KEEPING ME UP AT NIGHT.

UM, THREE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.

I'M READING.

SO I'M GOING, I'M GONNA COMPLETE THIS HERE.

THAT'S THE BEST KIND.

I, MY ALL READING COUNTS THOUGH.

WE ALWAYS SAY READING TEXT MESSAGES.

THE BACK OF THE CEREAL BOX, WHAT YOU READ IS, IS YOUR BUSINESS.

SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO TWO, THREE AWARDS.

ALL RIGHT.

AT THREE PRIZES OR WHATEVER WE, WE NEED TO GET A PICTURE.

HANNAH WILL NEED TO GET A PICTURE OF THAT.

WITH, UH, IF THERE'S NO FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, UM, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

I APPRECIATE IT.

AND PLEASE KEEP US POSTED.

UM, I DO WANT TO OPEN BACK UP THE CITIZEN'S COMMENT, BUT I BELIEVE THERE'S ANOTHER PRESENTATION.

THAT DOES CON WELL, THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT.

SO IT'S, IT IS QUITE A CHANGE.

UM, BUT I DO THINK THAT WAS EMS DOING PRESENT? YES.

OH, OKAY.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

I'LL LET EMS GO.

UH, I'M GONNA INTRODUCE, UH, OUR DIRECTOR OF BEAUFORT COUNTY EMS, DONNA OWENBY.

SHE'S GONNA TALK FOR A FEW MOMENTS ABOUT, UH, EMS OPERATIONS.

UH, AS WELL, WE HAVE A STORY TO SHARE WITH YOU TODAY OF A PARAMEDIC AND ONE OF OUR PATIENTS, UH, THAT REALLY, UH, SENDS HOME THE MESSAGE OF THE VALUE OF OPERATIONS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY EMS. SO, GOOD AFTERNOON.

I'M JUST GONNA GIVE YOU A FEW BORING STATS, BUT THEN I HAVE THE GOOD PEOPLE COMING UP AND GIVING THEIR STORY.

BUT I THINK YOU'LL FIND VERY INTERESTING.

UM, AND BEFORE YOU, CAN YOU DO ME ONE FAVOR AND BRING THAT MIC DOWN.

I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYTHING'S CAPTURED ON THE AUDIO.

GO AHEAD.

NO HAS EVER SAID I WAS QUIET.

THAT'S I'M IMPRESSED.

SO WE HAVE 11 FRONTLINE UNITS AND, UH, OF THAT TWO ARE VANS THAT ARE IN DUSKY.

UM, WE HAVE FIVE QUICK RESPONSE VEHICLES, AND ALL OF THOSE ARE MANNED BY PARAMEDICS ONLY BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY ONE PERSON ON THE TRUCK.

AND JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE HISTORY, UM, IN 1974, IT COST JUST UNDER $11,000 TO BUY AN AMBULANCE.

TODAY IT'S ALMOST $400,000 WHEN WE PUT EVERYTHING IN IT.

[00:15:01]

UM, CALLS FOR SERVICE, WE DID SO FAR, AND THIS GOES UP JUST TO MAY 16TH, UM, 18,579.

BILLABLE CALLS IS 12,346.

AND THAT, THOSE ARE CALLS THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY CHARGE FOR.

AND ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT CALLS, WE HAVE 7,993 AND BLS CALLS 383,876.

UM, THIS JUST GIVES YOU A RUNDOWN.

WE HAVE A-L-S-B-L-S AND DECEASED PATIENTS ARE 127.

AND THIS IS JUST A LITTLE GRAPH AND IT JUST KIND OF TELLS YOU WHAT WE HAVE.

UM, THE FIRST ONE ABOUT THE GROSS CHARGES, THAT'S WHAT WE, UM, CAN BILL FOR.

AND THEN WE HAVE FORCED WRITE OFFS.

AND THOSE ARE MEDICARE, MEDICAID, VA UM, ANYTHING TRICARE OR ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE MILITARY, ANYTHING THAT THEIR INSURANCE DOESN'T COVER, WE HAVE TO WRITE IT OFF.

THERE'S NO WAY YOU CAN GO AFTER THAT.

THE AMOUNT OF REVENUE RE RECOVERY FOR FORCED RIGHT AFTER THAT IS EIGHT THOU $8 MILLION.

AND THEN THE NET REVENUE SO FAR THAT WE'VE COLLECTED THIS YEAR IS $5,214,000 AND 86.

UM, WE HAVE A AND SOMETIMES THAT 5 MILLION IS A LITTLE CONFUSING, BUT YOU GOTTA REMEMBER THAT THAT'S WHAT WE'VE COLLECTED SO FAR.

BUT WE ALSO, BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMY, ALLOW PEOPLE TO MAKE PAYMENTS AND PAYMENT PLAN BECAUSE OF, WE DON'T WANNA MAKE ANYBODY REALLY STRESS OUT BY HAVING TO PAY A LARGE BILL.

SO WE MAKE UP A PAYMENT PLAN THAT THEY CAN PAY ANYWHERE FROM $5 A MONTH TO WHATEVER THEY CAN AFFORD.

COMPLETELY OVERCOME WITH GRIEF AND SHOCK.

AND NOW ALL MY STATS ARE DONE.

I WANTED TO INTRODUCE, I KNOW IT'S DIFFICULT FOR SOME PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE DO AT EMS AND IT'S MORE THAN JUST WHAT SOME PEOPLE THINK.

AND I LOVE THIS JOB, AND I HATE TO SAY IT, BUT I'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR 40, ALMOST 44 YEARS.

I'VE BEEN DOING NURSING FOR 35.

UM, AND WHEN I HAD CHOOSE BETWEEN, I TOOK EMS 'CAUSE THIS IS MY FIRST LOVE.

UM, THIS IS THE ONLY JOB I KNOW THAT YOU CAN GO TO WORK IN THE MORNING AND HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO.

YOU, YOU MAY SAVE THE LIFE OF SOMEBODY, YOU'RE GONNA CHANGE THE LIFE OF PEOPLE, FAMILIES, AND PEOPLE THAT YOU COME IN CONTACT WITH.

AND YOU HAVE NO IDEA.

AND A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY IT'S, UH, KIND OF A JUNKIE TO LIKE, TO HAVE ALL THAT EXCITEMENT, BUT IT KIND OF TAKES THAT KIND OF PERSON.

BUT YOU ALSO, WHEN YOU GET ON THAT SCENE, YOU HAVE TO CONTROL THAT SCENE AND YOU HAVE TO BE, YOU KNOW, IN CONTROL OF EVERYTHING AND AROUND AWARENESS.

IT'S A HARD JOB THAT NOT EVERYBODY CAN DO.

BUT I'M, I'M PROUDLY TELL YOU THAT BEAUFORT COUNTY EMS HAS SOME OF THE BEST MEDICS THERE IS IN THE STATE.

WE'VE OFTEN WON MANY, MANY AWARDS FOR THIS.

IN FACT, THE YEAR BEFORE WE ACTUALLY WON THE PARAMEDIC OF THE YEAR, THE ADVANCED EMT YEAR AND THE BASIC, THAT'S NEVER BEEN DONE IN THE STATE.

ALL THREE CATEGORIES THAT WE GOT.

SO I'M VERY PROUD OF MY GROUP AND I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE JENNIFER CALORIE, WHO IS THE PARAMEDIC.

AND EVAN, YOU CAN COME UP WITH HER TOO.

JENNIFER'S, UH, ONE OF MY MEDICS AND SHE ACTUALLY'S NOW A TEACHER, AT ACE, BUT SHE STILL WORKS FOR US.

AND THEN I'LL, I'LL LET YOU GO AHEAD WITH YOUR STORY.

SO, GOOD AFTERNOON, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS, COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS, AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

I WANNA THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY ABOUT THE CRITICAL ROLE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES PLAYS IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND HOW THE PROFESSIONALS IN THIS FIELD CAN CHANGE AND EVEN SAVE LIVES.

EMS ISN'T JUST ABOUT RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES.

IT'S A LIFELINE.

IT'S A CRITICAL THREAD IN THE FABRIC OF PUBLIC SAFETY THAT ENSURES WHEN THE UNIMAGINABLE HAPPENS, TRAINED PROFESSIONALS ARE THERE, FAST, PREPARED AND UNWAVERING.

EVERY SECOND COUNTS, EVERY DECISION MATTERS.

EVERY TRAINED HAND CAN BE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH.

I'VE PROUDLY SERVED WITH BEAUFORT COUNTY EMS SINCE JANUARY OF 2008.

AND OVER THE YEARS I'VE RESPONDED TO THOUSANDS OF CALLS, MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES, SUICIDES, HOMICIDES, CARDIAC ARRESTS, EVEN WITNESSED THE MIRACLE OF LIFE, FIVE OF WHICH I HAVE DELIVERED, AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN.

SOME OF THOSE CALLS FADE WITH TIME.

OTHERS STAY WITH YOU SOMETIMES FOR BEAUTIFUL REASONS AND SOMETIMES BECAUSE THEY HAUNT YOU.

THERE IS ONE CALL IN PARTICULAR THAT HAS STAYED WITH ME EVERY DAY FOR NEARLY 10 YEARS.

ON SEPTEMBER 19TH, 2015, I WAS THE PARAMEDIC DISPATCH FOR WHAT WAS REPORTED AS A CRUSHING, INVOLVING A 12-YEAR-OLD CHILD WHO HAD BEEN RUN OVER BY THE BLADE DUCK OF A SMALL BUSH HOG.

AS WE PULLED OUT OF THE STATION, WE IMMEDIATELY LAUNCHED A HELICOPTER.

MY PARTNER AND I KNEW BASED ON HIS AGE AND THE SEVERITY OF THE INFORMATION THAT WAS BEING RECEIVED WHILE IN ROUTE, THAT HIS ONLY REAL CHANCE OF SURVIVAL WAS GETTING HIM TO A PEDIATRIC TRAUMA CENTER AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

WHEN WE ARRIVED ON SCENE, THE FIRST THING I SAW WAS A MOTHER SITTING IN THE DISTANCE ON THE GROUND ROCK ROCKING BACK AND FORTH,

[00:20:01]

IN THAT MOMENT, I SAW MYSELF AT THE TIME, MY OWN SON WAS THE SAME AGE.

IT CUT ME STRAIGHT TO MY CORE.

BEFORE OUR ARRIVAL, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD ALREADY LIFTED THE BLADE DECK UP AND OFF OF THE CHILD.

HE WAS UNCONSCIOUS, UNRESPONSIVE, LAYING ON HIS STOMACH WITH HIS HEAD TURNED TOWARDS US AS WE APPROACHED WITH ONE EYE ALREADY SWOLLEN SHUT, SEVERELY BRUISED.

I KNEW THAT HE HAD SUFFERED SIGNIFICANT HEAD TRAUMA.

AND THAT INSTANT I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, IS HE EVEN ALIVE? AND I DREADED THE APPROACH TO FIND OUT ON INITIAL ASSESSMENT.

HE HAD THE LARGEST OPEN SKULL FRACTURE I'VE EVER SEEN IN MY CAREER, EVEN TO THIS DAY.

YET HE WAS BREATHING AND HE HAD A PULSE.

SO IT WAS TIME TO MOVE.

WE QUICKLY JUMPED INTO ACTION.

WHAT UNFOLDED NEXT WAS A COORDINATED EFFORT INVOLVING EMS FIRE, LAW ENFORCEMENT, DISPATCH AND AIR MEDICAL TRANSPORT, EACH LINK IN THE CHAIN PERFORMING WITH URGENCY AND SKILL TO GIVE THIS YOUNG MAN A FIGHTING CHANCE.

IT WAS TRULY LIKE A WELL-OILED MACHINE.

TODAY, THAT CHILD WHO'S NOW A YOUNG MAN, IS HERE WITH US IN THIS ROOM.

YOU'LL HEAR DIRECTLY FROM HIM IN JUST A MOMENT.

BUT BEFORE HE SPEAKS, I WANT TO LEAVE YOU WITH THIS.

OUR JOB IN EMS IS NOT ALWAYS EASY TO EXPLAIN.

WORK IS NEVER ENDING.

THE HOURS ARE LONG, THE CALLS ARE UNPREDICTABLE, AND THE EMOTIONAL TOLL CAN BE HEAVY.

WE ARE NEEDED 24 7 365.

SO WE MISS TIME WITH OUR FAMILIES, OUR LOVED ONES, OUR FRIENDS, BIRTHDAYS, HOLIDAYS, CELEBRATION.

IT ALSO TAKES A TOLL ON OUR FAMILIES, JUST THE SAME.

BUT IT'S ALSO ONE OF THE MOST MEANINGFUL CAREERS A PERSON CAN UNDERTAKE.

THAT YOUNG MAN'S LIFE WASN'T SAVED BY LUCK.

IT WAS SAVED BY PREPARATION, BY TRAINING, BY TEAMWORK, AND THE SIMPLE FACT THAT HELP WAS AVAILABLE AND READY WHEN HE NEEDED IT.

MOST.

A LOT OF TIMES WE IN EMS DO NOT GET TO KNOW THE OUTCOMES OF PATIENTS WE PROVIDE CARE TO.

AND THAT CAN BE HARD TO NOT GET A SENSE OF CLOSURE.

I'VE BEEN PRIVILEGED TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECENTLY MEET THIS YOUNG MAN AGAIN.

IN MUCH BETTER CIRCUMSTANCES.

I'VE BEEN ABLE TO HEAR HIS STORY, WHAT HE REMEMBERS FROM THAT DAY, HIS PATH TO RECOVERY, AND THE CHALLENGES HE NOW FACES.

BUT EVEN MORE SO, I'VE HAD THE HONOR TO GET TO KNOW HIM AS THE WONDERFUL YOUNG MAN HE HAS BECOME SINCE THAT DAY.

I TRULY DO NOT THINK HE REALIZES WHAT THAT HAS DONE FOR ME IN MY HEART AND MY SOUL.

AS AN EMS PROFESSIONAL, I WAS ABLE TO GET WHAT OTHERS WOULD CALL CLOSURE FROM THAT DAY, WHILE ALSO OPENING THE DOOR TO A NEW CHAPTER, GETTING TO KNOW HIM AS THE PERSON, AS A COMMUNITY, WE MUST INVEST IN EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES, NOT JUST AS A SERVICE, BUT AS A VITAL AND TRULY LIFE-SAVING SYSTEM.

BECAUSE WHEN HEALTH EMERGENCIES OR TRAGEDIES STRIKE EMS IS THE ANSWER, I I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I NOW INVITE THIS YOUNG MAN TO SHARE HIS STORY.

MR. EVAN HEFTY, UH, MY NAME IS, YOU CAN BEND THAT UP A LITTLE BIT.

I HAVE ONE MORE CLASS TO TAKE AND I'LL HAVE MY ASSOCIATES IN GENERAL TECHNOLOGY, UM, IN HVAC.

OKAY, THANKS, .

UH, MY NAME IS EVAN HEFTY.

UH, I WAS THE ONE WHO GUY RAN OVER.

I WAS 12 YEARS OLD.

THIS WAS, AS SHE SAID, ALMOST 10 YEARS AGO.

AND ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT THINGS THAT I'VE EVER HAD TO GO THROUGH IN LIFE.

UM, IF EMS DIDN'T MAKE THE CHOICES THAT THEY MADE, LIFE LIGHTING ME, HELPING ME, STABILIZING ME, AND ASSISTING ME, I WOULD EITHER BE DEAD RIGHT NOW OR IN A WHEELCHAIR IN A VEGETABLE STATE.

SO I REALLY DO WANNA GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO EMS AND A VERY, VERY GRATEFUL THANK YOU, UM, FOR WHAT THEY DID TO HELP ME.

UM, IT HAS BEEN THE LONGEST 10 YEARS OF MY LIFE, LEARNING HOW TO WALK AGAIN, TALK AGAIN, UH, HAVING TO WAIT, YOU KNOW, AND LEARN HOW TO SEE AGAIN WITH MY EYES BEING SWOLLEN SHUT.

UM, JUST ANYTHING YOU COULD THINK OF.

UM, AND I WOULD SAY IT, IT'S STILL VERY HARD TO THIS DAY.

AND THE HARDEST PART IS, UH, DOING THE BEST THAT I CAN, BUT STILL BEING JUDGED OR SHAMED AND PUNISHED FOR BEING, UH, DIFFERENT PER SE.

JUST BECAUSE I WALK DIFFERENT I CAN, DOESN'T MEAN I AM DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, I CAN STILL DO THE SAME THING.

UM, AT THIS MOMENT, UH, I AM GOING TO SCHOOL AT TCL.

[00:25:02]

UM, I DID FROM APRIL OR MARCH TILL THE BEGINNING OF MAY, I DID AN INTERNSHIP WITH PUBLIC WORKS FOR THE CITY.

UM, I'VE ALSO APPLIED FOR THE COUNTY TO DO AN INTERNSHIP OR POSSIBLY GET A JOB.

UM, MOST JOBS THAT I HAVE APPLIED FOR, THOUGH I HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE RUNAROUND, THE WHOLE, IT'S NOT YOU, IT'S US OR YOU'RE A LIABILITY SPEECH.

AND I HAVE NEVER BEEN GIVEN THE CHANCE.

UH, SO I DID REALLY WANT TO THANK, UH, PUBLIC WORKS, THE CITY OF BEAUFORT FOR TAKING ME IN AND TEACH ME EVERYTHING THAT THEY DID, UH, AND ALLOWING ME TO GROW STRONGER, LEARN MORE, AND BE A BETTER PERSON.

UM, EVERY DAY IS A NEW DAY, NEW STORY.

UM, I MEAN, I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT TO SAY NOW.

I'M VERY NERVOUS.

IT'S HERE.

HANG ON, HANG ON ONE SECOND.

LET'S, UM, IS THERE ANYBODY THAT THEY CAN MAKE A COMMENT AT THIS POINT? TOM, PLEASE.

JUST A REAL QUICK ONE.

APPRECIATE YOU COMING FORWARD.

THAT'S FIRST OF ALL JENNIFER AND EVAN, THANKS FOR BEING HERE.

AND IT'S, UH, I'LL SAY THIS HUMBLY, I THINK YOU JUST HAD, UH, A TREMENDOUS INTERVIEW.

SO I, YOU KNOW, I'M, I HOPE PEOPLE ARE HEATING THIS AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK BACK TO 12 YEARS OLD AND, UH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT, DO YOU REMEMBER GOING THROUGH WHAT YOU DID? UH, YEAH, I, I REMEMBER THAT DAY ALL UP UNTIL IT HAPPENED.

SO YOU, YEAH.

I REMEMBER I WAS AT MY MOM'S HOUSE DOING YARD WORK IN THE YARD.

UH, MY STEPDAD GOT THE TRUCK IN THE TRAILER, PUT THE TRACTOR ON AND EVERYTHING SAID HE WAS GONNA GO OUT, UH, BEHIND THE OLD PUBLIX AND WE WERE GONNA DO SOME, OR HE WAS GONNA DO SOME LAWN WORK.

AND LAWN CARE ASKED IF I WANTED TO COME AND I AGREED.

UH, AND WHEN I WENT THERE, UH, TRAGEDY STRUCK MY MOM AND SISTER, ONE OF MY YOUNGER SISTERS, AND MY MOM CAME TO VISIT.

UM, AND I GOT OFF THE TRACTOR.

I TURNED THE BUSH HOG OFF.

I PUT THE TRACTOR AND PARKED, BUT DID NOT TURN THE TRACTOR OFF.

UH, SO AS I GOT OFF AND WAS STANDING NEXT TO IT, WAVING TO MY MOM AND SISTER, UM, THE TRACTOR JUMPED GEARS, CREPT FORWARD, GRABBED ME BY THE BACK OF MY ANKLE, AND THE BLADES WERE STILL WINDING DOWN.

GOD BLESS.

I DON'T REMEMBER THAT MUCH, BUT I REMEMBER EVERYTHING ELSE.

WELL, GOD BLESS YOU.

UH, LISTEN, GOING FORWARD, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, YOU HAVE A COUNCIL AND A STAFF THAT CARES.

AND DON'T EVER FORGET THAT.

ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? I JUST, I WANNA THANK YOU SINCERELY FOR STEPPING FORWARD TO SHARING THAT STORY.

IT TAKES A LOT TO SHARE IT.

AND THANK Y'ALL FOR BEING THERE.

THANK Y'ALL.

I WANTED TO THANK Y'ALL FOR ACTUALLY LETTING ME COME HERE TO TELL MY STORY.

THIS IS PROBABLY THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER HAD TO ACTUALLY TELL MY STORY TO SOME PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY HEAR ME OUT AND ACTUALLY VOICE A REASON AND NOT JUST JUDGE ME AND SAY, OR MAKE UP THEIR OWN STORY OF WHAT HAPPENED TO ME.

YOU KNOW? SO THANK Y'ALL.

YEP.

ABSOLUTELY.

NO JUDGMENT OVER HERE.

IS, UH, ANYTHING FURTHER FROM EMS? THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO AND, AND THE PRESENTATION AS WELL.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE FOR EMS SPECIFICALLY? ALRIGHT.

UM, I DO, I NOTICED THERE WAS A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT CAME IN AFTER WE CLOSED CITIZENS' COMMENT.

IS THERE ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS FOR CITIZENS' COMMENT? COME ON.

SORRY.

UH, THAT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA.

UH, WE'LL JUMP INTO NUMBER EIGHT, WHICH IS AN UPDATE FROM THE GULLAH GEECHEE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS. UH, THE PRESENTER IS GONNA BE MARILYN HEMINGWAY, UH, IF SHE COULD COME FORWARD, AND MA'AM, I KNOW WE SPOKE EARLIER, UH, LAST WEEK ABOUT THE TIME THAT YOU, YOU REQUESTED, IF WE CAN ACTUALLY LIMIT THAT A LITTLE BIT SO WE CAN STAY ON SCHEDULE.

SO WE WILL NOT BE REOPENING CITIZEN'S COMMENT.

AND IF THAT CLOSES THE ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR REPORT,

[8. UPDATE FROM THE GULLAH GEECHEE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS - Marilyn L. Hemingway, CEO & President]

WE'RE AT TWO 30 NOW AND THE NEXT MEETING STARTS AT, UH, THREE O'CLOCK.

I DO HAVE SOME FOLKS WITH US, BUT WE CAN KEEP IT AS TIGHT AS WE NEED IT TO BE.

UM, I WANT YOU TO HAVE SUFFICIENT TIME, BUT ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE WE STAY ON TRACK, TRACK FOR THE SCHEDULE.

AND I APPRECIATE THAT.

IF WE COULD PASS THOSE OUT, UM, TO THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND WE'LL JUST GET ROLLING, IF YOU DON'T MIND.

SOUNDS GOOD.

YES, MA'AM.

ALSO WITH SOMEONE WHO IS HEAVILY INVESTED IN THE COMMUNITY IN MANY WAYS.

ARE WE READY? YES, MA'AM.

LYNN, THANK YOU.

FIRST I WANNA SAY THANKY THANKY.

THANK YOU GRA, FOR ALLOWING THE GULLAH GEECHEE CHAMBER OF KARMA TO COME BEFORE YOU TODAY AND SHARE WITH YOU THE WORK THAT IS BEING DONE IN COLLABORATION WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, AND

[00:30:01]

PLACE IN THE BIGGER PICTURE OF THIS, THAT I WAS WILLING TO SACRIFICE SOMETHING THAT QUITE FRANKLY WASN'T THAT IMPORTANT WHEN IT CAME TO THE COMMUNITY.

'CAUSE I WANT TO BE FRANK WITH, UH, MY INVOLVEMENT WITH BEAUFORT COUNTY AND THE THINGS THAT ARE DOING IN ST.

HELENA ISLANDS.

I WANT TO START WITH THIS QUOTE.

WE MUST UNDERSTAND THE POLITICS OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE MUST KNOW WHAT POLITICS IS SUPPOSED TO PRODUCE.

WE MUST KNOW WHAT PART POLITICS PLAY IN OUR LIVES.

AND UNTIL WE BECOME POLITICALLY MATURE, WE WILL ALWAYS BE MISLED LED ASTRAY OR DECEIVED OR MANEUVERED INTO SUPPORTING SOMEONE POLITICALLY WHO DOESN'T HAVE THE GOOD OF OUR COMMUNITY AT HEART.

THAT'S A QUOTE BY MALCOLM X, AND I WANTED TO AVOID THAT, BUT I ALSO HAVE ANOTHER QUOTE THAT I'M GONNA GET TO.

BUT I FIRST WANNA TALK ABOUT GRIEF VERY BRIEFLY.

GRIEF CAN BE ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS AND ON A COMMUNITY BASIS.

GRIEF HAS FIVE STAGES, DENIAL, ANGER, BARGAINING, DEPRESSION, AND ACCEPTANCE.

AS AN INDIVIDUAL, I'M SURE WE HAVE ALL EXPERIENCED GRIEF, ESPECIALLY IF YOU LIVED LONG ENOUGH.

BUT WE ALSO EXPERIENCE GRIEF AS A COMMUNITY.

AND THAT GRIEF COMES FROM LOSS.

IT COULD BE LOSS OF IDEALS, IT COULD BE LOSS FROM LEARNING NEW INFORMATION AND ACCEPTING INFORMATION YOU MAY NOT HAVE HAD BEFORE.

AND WE GO THROUGH THESE STEPS, AND I DARE SAY, AND IT MAY BE A BIT ARROGANT OF ME, AND I HOPE YOU DON'T TAKE IT THAT WAY, THAT ST.

HELENA ISLAND COMMUNITY BEAUFORT HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING GRIEF.

I CERTAINLY KNOW BEING GULLAH GEECHEE.

AND BECAUSE OF THE FORMATION OF OUR COMMUNITY, OUR ANCESTORS BEING ENSLAVED AND BROUGHT HERE, WE HAVE ALWAYS HAD A FORM OF GRIEF, GRIEF, TRAUMA, IF YOU WILL.

AND IF YOU DON'T WORK THROUGH THESE FIVE STEPS, YOU TEND TO GET STUCK.

I FOUND IT IRONIC TODAY AS I WAS DRIVING IN AND DRIVING TO ST.

HELENA ISLAND THAT ON ITS SIGN IT SAID GULLAH GEECHEE SEAT OF THE GULLAH GEECHEE.

IF YOU'RE NOT CAREFUL, WHEN YOU TAKE A SEAT, YOU CAN GET EMBEDDED IN SOMETHING AND NOT MOVE.

BUT AS YOU GO THROUGH THE STEPS OF GRIEF AND YOU GROW HOPEFULLY, AND YOU MOVE THROUGH THOSE STEP, THOSE STEPS, YOU UNSEAT YOURSELF TO BIGGER AND BETTER THINGS.

AND THAT IS THE LEGACY THAT OUR ANCESTORS LEFT US.

THEY EVOLVED INTO A NEW LANGUAGE THAT THEY CREATED BECAUSE THEY HAD THE INTELLECT TO DO THAT.

THEY WERE THE ENGINEERS AND THE TECHNICIANS WHO KNEW HOW TO MANAGE WATER AND MAN TO CONTROL THE WATER, EXCUSE ME, AND MANAGE THE LAND TO CREATE A WHOLE NEW CULTURE, TO GROW THE INDIGO AND RICE.

THAT IS THE GIFT THAT WAS LEFT US.

THAT IS THE MOVEMENT AND THE MOTION AND THE DANCE AND THE SONG AND THE LANGUAGE THAT WAS MET LEFT US.

SO HAS HUMANS IN 2025.

WHAT DOES THAT REALLY MEAN? IT MEANS THAT IF WE VIEW THE WORLD THE SAME AT 50, THE SAME AS WE DID AS 20, WE DIDN'T LEARN A THING.

BUT WE ARE A COMMUNITY OF EVOLUTION.

WE'RE A COMMUNITY THAT LEARNED.

WE ARE A COMMUNITY THAT STILL LEARNS.

AND I GRIEVE ME, GETTING INVOLVED HAS BEEN QUITE A WHILE, BUT IN THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION, WHILE WE'RE DOING THE WORK HAS COLLABORATION ON ST.

HELENA ISLAND, IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, IN SHELDON, BLUFFTON AND BEYOND, IT'S BECAUSE WE WORKED THROUGH OUR GRIEF.

EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE WITH ME TODAY, HAVE WORKED THROUGH THEIR GRIEF AND THEY'VE ACCEPTED IT.

AND IN THEIR ACCEPTANCE, THEY SAID, I SEE CHALLENGES AND I WANT TO ADDRESS THOSE CHALLENGES.

MY GRIEF ON A PERSONAL LEVEL IS KNOWING THAT WHEN I BECAME INVOLVED IN THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION AND ST.

HELENA ISLAND, LET'S CALL IT FOR WHAT IT IS, PINE ISLAND DEVELOPMENT IS KNOWING THAT WHEN I FIRST RECEIVED INFORMATION, KNOWING LATER THAT IT WAS INCORRECT INFORMATION, I WAS MISINFORMED.

AND I TOOK RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT AND LEARNED MORE INFORMATION AND CAME BACK AND SAID I HAD CHANGED MY MIND.

THAT'S ACCEPTANCE.

I HAD TO DEAL WITH GRIEF WHEN BEING ON THE BOARD OF SCALP COASTAL CONSERVATION LEAGUE, KNOWING THAT I CHANGED MY MIND AFTER DOING MY RESEARCH, ASKED FOR ME NOT TO RUN FOR A SECOND TERM.

I CHOOSE NOT TO BECAUSE I ACCEPTED MY

[00:35:01]

AND I LET IT GO.

BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT BECAUSE IT'S AN EXAMPLE OF THE MISINFORMATION THAT'S BEEN OUT THERE.

POINT OF ORDER, MR. CHAIRMAN, WE'VE BEEN, WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S POINT OF ORDER? I'M LOOKING AT THE, UM, TITLE HERE.

UPDATE FROM THE GULLAH GEECHEE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.

UH, YES SIR.

AND I BELIEVE SHE'S, SHE'S GETTING TO THE PROGRAM ITSELF.

I DO HAVE THAT TIME BACK.

I HOPE.

GREETINGS, GOOD AFTERNOON.

ANYTIME YOU WANT.

SO WE ARE HERE NOW.

AND THE WORK THAT IS BEING DONE THROUGH THE CHAMBER AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS NOT DONE JUST AS A INDIVIDUAL.

IT'S DONE AS A COMMUNITY.

THOSE WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH THE FIVE STEPS OF GRIEF ACCEPTED THAT AND SAID, LET'S DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

AND THAT'S SHOWING UP IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

IN HERE.

ON PAGE THREE, YOU SEE THINGS THAT I'VE DONE.

OUR MISSION FOR THE CHAMBER IS TO CREATE GLOBAL AWARENESS, SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FOR BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITIES ALONG THE GULLAH GEECHEE CORRIDOR.

THERE'S BEEN PUSHBACK ON THAT, BUT WE CONTINUE THE WORK FOR OVER TWO YEARS, ORGANIZATIONS AND COLLABORATION HAVE BEEN DEEPLY INVESTED IN ENGAGED IN ADVANCING COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

TODAY WE PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THAT WORK, EXTENSIVE WORK INCLUDING INDIVIDUALS, LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, BUSINESSES AND BUSINESSES, WORK THAT ALIGNS WITH THE BEAUFORT COUNTY STRATEGIC GOALS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

HAS, I TRAVELED THROUGHOUT THE GULLAH GEECHEE CORRIDOR IN MY WORK MEETING EVERYONE IN THESE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES, MEETING THE RESIDENTS AND THE STAKEHOLDERS.

WE ALL HAVE THESE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE, BUT I ALSO HAVE FOUND THOSE WHO ARE ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGES.

AND THESE ARE THE FOLKS WHO ARE WITH ME TODAY.

WE FIND THESE CHALLENGES BEING ADDRESSED ON ST.

HI HELENA THROUGH RECOGNIZING THAT THERE'S A NEED FOR A CENTRALIZED, ADEQUATE, COMMUNITY ORIENTED FACILITY.

AND THAT IS HAPPENING THROUGH THE COMMUNITY AT 8 0 8 SEA ISLAND PARKWAY ON ST.

HELENA ISLAND.

IT IS SERVING AS A STARTER COMMUNITY AND RECREATION CENTER.

THE RESULTS ARE MORE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, MORE SMALL BUSINESSES RECEIVING INVESTMENT, NONPROFITS, HAVING A SPACE TO DO THE WORK.

AND IT'S UPLIFTING THE COMMUNITY AND OTHERS ARE RECOGNIZING THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.

BUT LET'S TALK ABOUT THOSE AND LET'S RECOGNIZE THOSE WHO ARE DOING THE WORK NOW.

BUT LET'S ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT WE NEED INVESTMENT IN THIS COMMUNITY.

WE NEED INVESTMENT OF ALL THESE COMMUNITIES.

AND WE'RE GOING TO TALK TODAY ABOUT THAT INVESTMENT AND MEET SOMEONE, MR. ALVEO ANO, WHO HAS MADE THAT INVESTMENT OF HIS TIME LISTENING SKILLS, AND ALSO, UM, WORKING TO MAKE A, UM, SEE PINE ISLAND DEVELOPMENT.

EXCUSE ME, TO HAPPEN.

FIRST I WANT TO INTRODUCE MS. GENA BLUNT, WHO IS DOING THE WORK WITH VETERANS.

MS. BLUNT, IF YOU COULD PLEASE COME FORWARD.

THANK YOU, MS. MARILYN.

MY NAME IS JENIA BLUNT AND TODAY I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU THE INCREDIBLE WORK BEING DONE THROUGH THE VETERANS HELPING VETERANS CLAIMS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM LED BY MYSELF WITH THE STEADFAST SUPPORT OF MR. ROY BROWN.

THIS FREE SERVICE IS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO ASSIST OUR VETERANS, PARTICULARLY THOSE IN RURAL AREAS LIKE ST.

HELENA, WHO OFTEN FACE BARRIERS SUCH AS DISTANCE EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION GAPS WHEN ACCESSING THEIR VA BENEFITS.

MANY OF OUR VETERANS HAVE SELFLESSLY SERVED OUR COUNTRY, BUT HAVE NEVER BEEN RATED FOR THEIR SERVICE CONNECTED DISABILITIES.

THIS IS WHERE MY INITIATIVE STEPS IN, LOCATED AT 8 0 8 SEA ISLAND PARKWAY ON ST.

HELENA ISLAND.

OUR TEAM HAS BEEN COMMITTED TO PROCESSING SEVERAL TYPES OF CLAIMS AND APPLICATIONS FOR OUR LOCAL HEROES.

WE'VE SEEN A REMARKABLE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF CLAIMS PROCESSED, DESPITE WHERE

[00:40:01]

THESE VETERANS MAY STAND ON VARIOUS ISSUES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, WHICH HAS MADE A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF MANY FAMILIES.

I'M TRULY HONORED TO HAVE THE RESOURCES TO SERVE OUR VETERANS, AND I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT OUR MODEL IS SCALABLE, ALLOWING US TO REACH EVEN MORE VETERANS IN SUCH AREAS LIKE HAMPTON COUNTY, WHICH IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF WHERE WE HAVE UNDERSERVED VETERANS.

OUR MISSION IS ROOTED IN HONOR, SERVICE AND IMPACT AS A NAVY VETERAN WITH A BACKGROUND IN IT, ALONG WITH MY HUSBAND.

WE LEVERAGE OUR MILITARY EXPERIENCE AND PASSION FOR HELPING OTHERS TO UPLIFT OUR COMMUNITY.

WHETHER THROUGH COACHING WITH SMOKE ATHLETIC LEAGUE, ADVOCATING FOR THE BETTERMENT OF OUR YOUTH WITH HENRY CLAY FOUNDATION, OR ASSISTING WITH VA CLAIMS. OUR WORK IS DRIVEN BY A COMMITMENT TO SERVICE AND JUSTICE.

ONE OF OUR PROUDEST MOMENTS WAS HELPING A VETERAN GO FROM A 0% RATING TO A 60% DISABILITY RATING, RESULTING IN A $27,000 BACK PAY DEPOSIT AND OVER $3,000 PER MONTH FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE.

THIS IS JUST ONE OF THE MANY SUCCESS STORIES WE'VE HAD.

IN FACT, WE'VE ASSISTED OVER 70 VETERANS WITH MORE THAN ONE THIRD OF THEM ACHIEVING TOTAL AND PERMANENT DISABILITY RATINGS OF A HUNDRED PERCENT.

THIS PROGRAM HAS THRIVED DUE TO THE SELFLESS VISION OF VEO TRO, WHO HAS WORKED TIRELESSLY BEHIND THE SCENES TO ENSURE THAT OUR TEAM, OUR COMMUNITY, OUR YOUTH, AND OUR VETERANS, RECEIVE THE HELP THEY DESERVE.

HE HAS DONE SO WITHOUT SEEKING RECOGNITION AND HAS INTENTIONALLY REMAINED ANONYMOUS OUT OF FEAR THAT PEOPLE WHO WILL MAKE THE ASSOCIATION AND WOULD DISCOURAGE THEM FROM ACCESSING THESE VALUABLE RESOURCES THAT WE OFFER.

HOWEVER,

[00:45:27]

ALL VOTES HAS INDICATED BY RELEASED RECENT ANNOUNCEMENTS IN THE COMMUNITY WITH A CULTURAL MARKETPLACE, PENN CENTER, UM, NAMING A BUILDING AFTER MR. RY CAMPBELL.

SO THESE THINGS CAN ACTUALLY WORK TOGETHER WITH GOOD INVESTMENTS.

AND ONE OF THOSE INVESTMENTS IS PINE ISLAND, AS INDICATED THROUGH THE DOWN ZONING PLAN THAT WAS PRESENTED.

THE GALLAH GEECHEE CHAMBER HAS CONSISTENTLY SUPPORTED THAT.

ONCE WE GET RECEIVED MORE INFORMATION FROM THE COMMUNITY, MET WITH THE DEVELOPER, MET WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND UNDERSTOOD WHAT THE NEEDS WERE OF THE COMMUNITY AND RECOGNIZING THOSE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE DOING THE WORK TO CREATE ECONOMIC UPLIFT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THIS MOMENT.

WE CONTINUE THE GOAL TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY OF COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT WAS CREATED.

WE'RE MEETING THOSE GOALS, WE'RE MEETING THEM THROUGH COLLABORATION, COOPERATION AND COORDINATION, ADVOCATING FOR ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL GROWTH, FOSTERING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES, PROMOTING YOUTH ENGAGEMENT, ADVANCING EDUCATION AND INITIATIVES, AND PROVIDING A PLATFORM TO DISCUSS THE NEEDS IN OUR RURAL AREAS SEATED IN ST.

HELENA ISLAND TO FORM A VISION AND A PLAN.

AND WE ARE EXECUTING AND DELIVERING ON THESE NEEDS.

MY RACE NEEDS NO SPECIAL DEFENSE FOR THE PAST.

HISTORY OF THEM IN THIS COUNTRY, PROVES THEM TO BE THE EQUAL OF ANY PEOPLE ANYWHERE.

ALL THEY NEED IS AN EQUAL CHANCE IN THE BATTLE OF LIFE.

A QUOTE FROM ROBERT SMALLS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR CAN WE MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SUBJECT? NEXT TOPIC.

UH, WE'RE GONNA MOVE INTO ITEM NUMBER NINE, WHICH IS A DISCUSSION OF LONG-TERM LEASE TO BUILD PICKLEBALL COURTS IN THE ROYAL PINE SUBDIVISION.

SEEING NONE,

[9. DISCUSSION OF A LONG-TERM LEASE TO BUILD PICKLEBALL COURTS IN THE ROYAL PINES SUBDIVISION. (FISCAL IMPACT: Approximate cost $450,000 – No funding source in this fiscal year). - Audra Antonacci – Ogden, ACA, & Eric Brown, Director of Parks and Recreation]

UH, IT HAS A APPROXIMATE FISCAL IMPACT OF 450,000.

THERE IS NO FUNDING SOURCE IN THIS FISCAL YEAR.

UH, DO I NEED TO MAKE A MOTION FOR THIS DISCUSSION? OPEN IT UP.

CAN I GET MOTION? I'LL MAKE A MOTION.

CAN I GET A SECOND? THANK YOU.

UM, IF YOU WANNA, ARE YOU DOING THE PRESENTATION OR WHO'S PRESENTING THIS ONE? UH, BROWN.

WELL, WELL, WE BOTH ARE, BUT MR. BROWN, HE'S THE EXPERT AND IN RECREATION.

SO, UM, I DIDN'T KNOW HOW YOU WANTED TO START THE DISCUSSION.

I SAID I KNOW WE'RE LIMITED IN TIME.

I KNOW.

IF YOU JUST WANT, LET JUST JUMP ON THE DETAILS.

AND I THINK IF SARAH WANTS TO BRING UP REAL QUICK THE, UM, THE MAP OF THE MAP YEAH.

OF THE LOCATION THAT WE'RE REFERRING TO.

AND I, I, OH, THERE, THERE'S RON.

IT'S NOT EVENING YET.

SO WE ARE OUT HERE FOR A DISCUSSION FOR A LONG TERM, UH, LEASE AGREEMENT.

UM, AND AS YOU GUYS KNOW, BEAUFORT COUNTY HAS BEEN PROACTIVE IN, UM, PLANNING PICKLEBALL FACILITIES, UH, THROUGHOUT BEAUFORT COUNTY.

UM, IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION ABOUT PINE, ABOUT ROYAL PINES, A WELL ESTABLISHED COMMUNITY WITH A GOLF COURSE IN LADIES ISLAND.

UM, I WENT OUT AND WE, UH, SURVEYED THE AREA AND WE GOT, UM, ONE OF THE CONTRACTORS TO GO OUT AND TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND APPROXIMATE APPROXIMATELY THE COST IS ABOUT A HUNDRED AND, I'M SORRY, $450,000, UM, TO REFURBISH THIS AREA.

UM, I THINK IT IS, UM, A GREAT PROJECT FOR THE LADIES ISLAND AREA.

WE DON'T HAVE ANY PICKLEBALL, UM, COURTS IN THAT, UM, AREA OF THE COUNTY.

SO STAFF DOES RECOMMEND IT IF FUNDING WAS AVAILABLE WITH OTHER PLACES OF, UH, PICKLEBALL ON NORTH OF, ON SOUTH OF ABROAD AS WELL.

UM, PICKLEBALL IS HERE TO STAY, MY OPINION, IT IS THE FASTEST GROWING SPORT IN AMERICA, IN THE COUNTRY.

AND, UH, I, I HAD A MEETING THE OTHER DAY AND I TOLD SOMEONE THAT MY OPINION IS PICKLEBALL IS HERE TO STAY.

SO, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S A DISCUSS, THAT'S THE COMMENTS THAT I HAVE AS FAR AS, UM, THIS SITE IS CONCERNED.

WELL, PERFECT.

THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT FORWARD AND LOOKING INTO IT.

AND LIKE I SAID, THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY IS ACTUALLY SITTING RIGHT THERE, SO I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL WANNA HAVE A CONVERSATION OUTSIDE OF THIS.

WORK ON MOVING FORWARD AND SEE IF WE GET FUNDING FOR IT.

SO THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH.

UH, WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT MCGEE IS HERE, WHO PUT IN A LOT OF EFFORT AS WELL AS STAFF MEMBERS AND, UH, STAKEHOLDERS FROM COMMUNITY GROUPS.

SINCE THERE WAS NO ACTION

[00:50:01]

COMING OUTTA THAT, WE'LL

[10. AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 14 ANIMALS, ARTICLE II ANIMAL CONTROL, SECTION 14-27, DEFINITIONS; SECTION 14-28 COUNTY PET LICENSE; SECTION 14-30 DECLARATION OF RESTRICTED DOG, APPEAL OF BREED DETERMINATION; SECTION 14-32 DANGEROUS ANIMALS; SECTION 14-34 NUISANCE PETS OR LIVESTOCK; SECTION 14-35 ANIMAL CRUELTY AND NEGLECT; SECTION 14-43 LIVESTOCK; SECTION 14-45 RABIES CONTROL ACT; SECTION 14-47 DANGEROUS ANIMALS NOT TO GO UNCONFINED ON PREMISES OR OFF PREMISES UNLESS SAFELY RESTRAINED; AND SECTION 14-48 ENFORCEMENT AND PENALTIES OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES. (FISCAL IMPACT: There would be no direct fiscal impact on the County) - John Robinson, ACA and Dylan Kidd, Deputy County Attorney]

MOVE ON TO NUMBER 10.

[*A portion of this video is without audio*]

SO WE REALLY REACHED OUT DEEPLY TO TRY AND INVOLVE AS MANY FOLKS AS POSSIBLE.

I'LL TRY TO BE REALLY BRIEF.

UM, AS, UH, MR. BARAL AND YOU READ, THERE'S A LOT OF CHANGES THROUGHOUT THE DOCUMENT.

A LOT OF IT IS A, UH, A NEW SECTION ON COMPLIANCE THERE.

UH, ALL OF THAT OFTEN REFERS, UH, BACK TO THE MAGISTRATE COURT JUDGE TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS BASED ON THE ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICER'S ASSESSMENT, UH, OF THOSE ANIMALS.

NEXT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO SECTION 1432, WHICH IS A DANGEROUS ANIMALS, UH, SECTION.

UH, YOU'LL SEE THAT ALL HIGHLIGHTED THAT'S, UH, JUST STRICKEN THROUGH.

AND THAT SECTION WAS, WAS REWRITTEN.

IT WAS MUCH EASIER TO DO THAT THAN IT WAS TO EDIT ALL THE, ALL THE FINE PRINT.

BUT WHAT YOU'LL SEE IS A REPLACEMENT OF THIS SECTION.

UM, THIS IS AN ADDITION OF LEVELS OF DANGEROUS DOGS LEVELS ONE, TWO, AND THREE IN THE DESCRIPTION OF EACH OF THOSE LEVELS.

AS WELL AS A SECTION FOR APPEAL OF DANGEROUS DOGS, UM, AND REGULATION OF THOSE.

SO SOME OF, UH, SOME TIMES A DANGEROUS DOG AND, AND OUR CURRENT WARRANTS CAN BE DEEMED A DANGEROUS DOG AND THEY'RE STUCK WITH THAT LABEL FOR A LIFETIME.

AND IT'S NOT JUST THAT ANIMAL, BUT ALSO THE HARDSHIP ON THE OWNERS.

UH, AND THESE COULD BE ONE TIME INCIDENTS.

SO THIS GIVES US SOME DIFFERENT LEVELS OF THAT DANGEROUS DOG.

AND THEN, UH, SOME OPPORTUNITY FOR OWNERS TO CORRECT THAT BEHAVIOR, TO RETRAIN THAT BEHAVIOR AND THEN GO BACK TO THE COURT FOR THAT APPEAL.

SO THE APPEAL IS NOT SOMETHING THAT OUR ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICERS DO.

THAT APPEAL IS DONE THROUGH THE COURT THAT ADJUDICATED THAT FIRST INCIDENT, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.

UM, MOVING RIGHT ALONG.

THERE'S SOME ADDITION OF LANGUAGE IN SECTION 1434, WHICH IS THE NUISANCE PETS OR LIVESTOCK.

AND THIS REALLY HAS TO DO WITH ANIMAL NOISE ORDINANCE, THE ANIMAL NOISE PROBLEM.

UM, SO THERE'S A, A NEW PARAGRAPH THAT TALKS ABOUT THAT.

IT IS, UH, UNDER THAT IT IS SECTION D NUMBER ONE, A AND B, YOU'LL SEE THOSE ADDITIONS THERE.

UM, FOLLOWING DOWN, UM, ON, IN THAT SAME SECTION, 1435, UH, SECTION E IS, UH, ANIMAL TETHERING.

SO THE TETHERING OF AN ANIMAL.

AND WE CHANGED THAT.

IT USED TO JUST SAY DOG, NOW IT'S ANIMAL.

SO IF YOU TETHER A GOAT,

[00:55:01]

UH, THAT IS, MAY NOT BE IN IMPROPERLY DONE, THAT APPLIES NOW.

SO TETHERING IS THE ATTACHMENT OF AN ANIMAL VIA A, A LINE OR CORD OR SOMETHING TO ANOTHER, DIRECTLY TO A STATIONARY OBJECT.

IT, IT SIGNIFICANTLY RESTRICTS THEIR MOVEMENT.

UM, THE BEST PRACTICE NOW IS TO USE A TROLLEY SYSTEM OR A PULLEY SYSTEM.

SO THIS IS A CABLE OR A ROPE OR OTHER DEVICE THAT'S ATTACHED TO TWO ENDS.

THE ANIMAL CAN BE ATTACHED TO THAT LINE AND HAVE MORE FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT.

SO THIS IS A, A, A MODERN BEST PRACTICE, UM, THAT WE HAVE INCLUDED IN THIS ORDINANCE.

THE SHELTER HAS BEEN ENCOURAGING THIS BEHAVIOR OR ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICERS HAVE BEEN ENCOURAGING THIS BEHAVIOR FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

AND, UH, AND OFFERING THOSE DEVICES AND HELPING TO INSTALL THOSE DEVICES WHERE THEY'RE APPLICABLE.

UM, SO THAT'S AN, A NEW ADDITION TO OUR ORDINANCE.

UH, THE NEXT SECTION THAT I'LL BRING YOUR ATTENTION TO IS 1443.

AND THIS IS, UM, UH, AN ADDITION, UH, IN THE LIVESTOCK, UH, SECTION.

THIS IS SECTION A AND THIS IS REFERENCE TO THE, UH, STATE LAW 4 7 4 1 60.

UM, THE STATE LAW REFERS TO ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND, UM, AND THE CARE OF LIVESTOCK AND POULTRY.

AND BASICALLY WHAT THIS SAYS IS THIS, UM, THAT OUR ORDINANCE, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO THE HUSBANDRY OR CARE OF LIVESTOCK OR POULTRY, IS SUPERSEDED BY THE STATE LAW.

UM, NOW THAT DOESN'T PRECLUDE OUR OFFICERS FROM, UH, STILL MONITORING AND ISSUING TICKETS, UH, BASED ON, UH, ABANDONMENT AND FAILURE TO CARE, UH, PROPERLY FOR THE WELFARE OF ANIMALS.

BUT AS FAR AS IT COMES TO ANIMAL HUSBANDRY, THAT WOULD BE THE THE STATE'S POSITION.

LET'S SEE.

UH, ARE THERE ANY THINGS SPECIFIC THAT YOU READ IN THE HIGHLIGHTED AREAS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS? I JUST WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE MAJOR ONES.

'CAUSE THERE'S A LOT HERE.

I HAVE A QUESTION.

UM, IT, IT'S MORE OVERALL, UH, THESE CHANGES.

WILL THEY BE COORDINATED WITH THE MUNICIPALITIES? 'CAUSE I, I KNOW THE MUNICIPALITIES HAVE SOME MORE RESTRICTIONS THAN OUR COUNTY ORDINANCE DOES, BUT, UM, I, I SEE SOME GOOD CHANGES AS FAR AS NOISE FROM ANIMALS THAT I THINK MIGHT WORK WELL IN THE MUNICIPALITIES TOO.

YES, MA'AM.

UM, ARE Y'ALL GONNA COORDINATE THAT? SO WE, WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO MUNICIPALITIES.

THEY HAVE A COPY OF THIS DOCUMENT.

NOW EACH MUNICIPALITY'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT RIGHT.

WHILE OUR ORDINANCE IS OVERREACHING, UH, FOR THE MUNICIPALITIES, UH, I WANT TO SAY IT WAS 2015, BETWEEN 2014 AND 2016 WHEN THE, UH, MUNICIPALITIES ACCEPTED THE COUNTY ORDINANCE AS THAT, AS THEIR, UH, ORDINANCE.

SO IT WOULD BE UP TO EACH OF THE MUNICIPALITIES WHETHER OR NOT THEY FELT LIKE THEY NEEDED TO READOPT THE AMENDMENT MM-HMM .

OR IF THEIR ADOPTION OF THAT SECTION IN CHAPTER ALREADY APPLIED.

OUR FEELING IS THAT THEIR ORIGINAL ADOPTION OF THAT SECTION IN CHAPTER APPLIES TO THE AMENDMENT.

SO WE DIDN'T REPLACE THE OLD, THE ENTIRE ORDINANCE.

WE'VE JUST AMENDED THAT ORDINANCE.

UH, AND THERE ARE SOME MUNICIPALITIES WHO HAVE A, A, A LITTLE STRICTER UM, UH, LANGUAGE.

SOME OF THAT LANGUAGE WAS NEGOTIATED WHEN THIS ORIGINAL POLICY WAS DONE AND STILL EXISTS.

THAT DID NOT CHANGE.

I HAD ONE MORE COMMENT.

UM, PARTICULARLY I GET COMPLAINTS ABOUT ROOSTERS.

IN BOTH PORT ROYAL AND CITY OF BE.

YES MA'AM.

THAT CAME UP IN OUR IT HAS.

AND I CAN TELL YOU, UH, PROBABLY LAST YEAR BRIAN AND I HOPPED IN THE CAR AND WENT TO VISIT A ROOSTER OURSELVES TO HELP MANAGE THAT.

UM, OUR ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS WERE OVERWHELMED AT THE TIME AND THIS WAS RIGHT DOWNTOWN.

SO IT WAS CLOSE ENOUGH FOR US TO GO TAKE A RIDE.

SO WE SURE DIDN'T GO LOOK AT A ROOSTER.

SO I'LL PREFACE MY STATEMENT BY SAYING, UM, YOU DEFINE A BROOD OF DOG DEFINED AS A PIT BULL THAT IS THE ONLY DANGEROUS ANIMAL.

I MEAN, AND I'M GONNA PREFACE THIS BY SAYING BOTH OF MY KIDS HAVE RESCUE PIT BULLS AND THEY'RE AS MILD AS COULD BE THEIR LAP DOG.

SO WHAT ABOUT ROTTWEILERS? WHAT ABOUT GERMAN SHEPHERDS? THEY CAN EQUALLY, THEY'RE IN THE TOP THREE DANGEROUS DOGS.

ABSOLUTELY.

BUT YET WE ONLY IDENTIFY A PIT BULL.

SO, SO IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE, THE DANGEROUS BREED.

DOES IT SAY DANGEROUS BREED OR IS IT JUST ? UM, IT'S UNDER DECLARATION OF RESTRICTED DOG APPEAL OF BREED DETERMINATION.

A RESTRICTIVE DOG SHALL BE ANY BREED, WHICH IS THE GUY PIT BULL.

AND US THAT ARE SITTING THERE FOR SIX AND EIGHT MONTHS.

WE DON'T LIKE THE WORD RESTRICTED.

'CAUSE IT DOES SOUND LIKE THAT.

IT DOES, YEAH.

BUT IT'S, IT'S, WE HAVE TOO MANY PIT BULLS.

SO IT'S, IT'S MORE ABOUT MANDATORY SPAY NTER.

WE'RE NOT BANNING THE BREED.

WE'RE NOT SAYING IT'S NOT THE DEED, IT'S JUST A BREED.

IF YOU GO DOWN THE SHELTER, WE HAVE 120 BETWEEN HELTON HEAD

[01:00:01]

MM-HMM .

SO WE CAN EITHER EUTHANIZE A PROM DOWN OR SPAY A NEUTER IT.

SO IT'S A MANDATORY SPAY NEUTER, NOT BECAUSE OF THE DI PRO, IT'S JUST THE BREED.

IS THAT THE ONLY DOG WE HAVE AN ABUNDANCE OF? LET ME SAY THAT WE HAVE MAYBE THREE TWEERS A YEAR.

WE, IT USED TO BE CHOWS AND ROTTWEILERS IN THE EIGHTIES.

HOW ABOUT GERMAN SHEPHERDS? NO, GERMAN SHEPHERDS HAVE DIED OUT A LOT.

SO IT CHANGES.

I MEAN, IN THE EIGHTIES IT WAS CHOWS AND ROTTWEILERS.

NOW IT'S PIT BULLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

IT'S NOT JUST HERE.

IF YOU LOOK IT UP ONLINE, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH 'EM.

IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION.

WE LOVE 'EM, BUT THEY'RE VERY HARD TO MISS.

SO IT'S NOT RESTRICTED, IT'S JUST RESTRICTED FROM, I'M JUST READING WHAT IT SAYS HERE.

RESTRICT.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT A RESTRICTED BREED IS NOT A DANGEROUS DOG, NECESSARILY.

A DANGEROUS DOG IS A SEPARATE CLASSIFICATION.

THAT'S A DOG THAT'S ATTACKED ANOTHER ANIMAL OR A PERSON.

UH, AND IS TAKEN TO COURT FOR DETERMINATION AS A DANGEROUS DOG.

RESTRICTED BREED DEALS WITH THE DETERMINATION COUNTY COUNCIL MADE YEARS AGO THAT THERE'S TOO MANY PIT BULLS AS TALLULAH SAID.

AND SO THEY WANTED TO LIMIT THEIR, UH, PIT BULLS WITHIN THE COUNTY.

SO FOR THIS, ANY PIT BULL HAS TO BE SPAYED OR NEUTERED.

YES, THAT'S CORRECT.

NO OTHER BREED.

SO THANKS FOR COVERING THAT.

'CAUSE THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE I WAS GOING.

IT'S NOT ABOUT THE DANGEROUS ANIMAL, IT'S ABOUT THE ABUNDANCE OF THAT TYPE OF BREED OF ANIMAL.

I HAVE TWO MYSELF AND THEY'RE BOTH ANGELS.

EXCEPT IT READS THAT, THAT READS THE OTHER WAY.

I MEAN, EVERYTHING ON STARTING ON PAGE 24, 23 IS PIT BULL RESTRICTED.

BUT NOT IN REFERENCE TO, TO A DANGEROUS ANIMAL.

IT'S A BREED RESTRICTION.

WELL, WHEN YOU START PUTTING THREE, FOUR PAGES ABOUT PIT BULLS, THAT KIND OF MAKES PEOPLE THINK THEY'RE DANGEROUS.

AND I MEAN, THAT'S HOW I WOULD READ IT AND I KNOW WHAT PEOPLE THINK ABOUT PIT BULLS.

I GET IT.

EXCEPT THE ONES I KNOW.

ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS ON THIS END OVER HERE? OH YEAH.

UM, I WANT, I WANT THANK YOU AND MR FOR MEETING WITH THE FARM BUREAU.

INPUT.

I, IT WAS A VERY PRODUCTIVE MEETING.

THEY HAD A CHANCE TO INTERFACE WITH ASKED OF QUESTIONS AND HAVE OUR CONCERNS.

I THINK WE RESOLVED THAT, I BELIEVE, TO HOPEFULLY THEIR SATISFACTION.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THE FARM BUREAU DEPARTMENT BE SATISFIED.

BUT I THINK WE AT LEAST HAVE A DIALOGUE TO, I WANT THESE THANK YOU AND YOUR STAFF AND THE ATTORNEY INVOLVED, AND ALSO ONE AND TAB FOR THEIR LUNCHING DINNER TO GET THIS.

AT LEAST LET THEM KNOW THAT WE, WE, WE, WE, WE WANT TO ADDRESS THAT CONCERN AND STUFF.

SO, AND THEY HAD SOME LEGITIMATE CONCERN.

WELL, THANK YOU.

I APPRECIATE THAT COMMENT.

WE DID WORK VERY HARD TO, UH, TO BRING IN, UH, AS MANY PEOPLE, UH, AS POSSIBLE WHO HAD CONCERNS ABOUT THIS.

UH, OWNERSHIP, UH, WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS IS CRITICAL AND, AND WE WORKED HARD TO MAKE SURE WE, UH, WE LISTENED.

I APPRECIATE YOU DOING THAT BEFORE.

UH, WELL, WE'RE INTO HURRICANE SEASON.

THIS IS A PREREQUISITE FOR ANY, UM, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM.

BUT THAT WAS THEIR MAJOR CONCERN.

IT WAS.

AND BEFORE WE GO TO THEIR DINNER IN SEPTEMBER, THAT'S GREAT.

AND I, AND I TELL YOU, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU AND IT LOOKS LIKE THE, UH, THINGS THAT WE DISCUSSED AT THAT MEETING HAVE, HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED.

THE REENTRY PASS I THINK BEEN ADDRESSED.

THE, THE STATE PREEMPTION.

WE, WE DID WORK ON THAT.

I SAW A MAY IN THERE.

YOU SEE THE LANGUAGE IN THERE? YEAH, I SAW THE MAY.

IT LOOKS LIKE IT WAS STILL, AT LEAST IT'S ADDRESSED.

AND THEN IT LOOKS LIKE THE ONLY QUESTION I HAD, I, I CAN'T SEEM TO FIND IT AGAIN, OF THE DANGEROUS DOG DETERMINATION.

I BELIEVE Y'ALL WORKED THAT IN THERE, BUT I, IF YOU CAN EXPLAIN, I CAN'T FIND, IT'S THERE.

I SAW IT.

IT IS THERE.

I KNOW IT'S IN THERE.

I JUST CAN'T FIND IT AGAIN.

IT'S UNDER, UM, SECTION 1432.

IT'S LIKE PAGE 11 IN YOUR, IN THE DOCUMENT.

IT'S UNDER F AND G.

ALRIGHT, GOTCHA.

F SHOULD BE THE APPEAL.

I'VE ONLY READ THIS A FEW TIMES, SO YEAH.

SO, YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE'RE KIND OF CRUNCHED ON TIME, SO I I THINK THERE'LL PROBABLY BE MORE QUESTIONS THAT COME OUT IF THIS GETS FORWARDED TO COUNCIL.

YES, MS. HOWARD.

WELL, I, I, I NOTICED THERE WAS ONE CONDITION, IT'S NOT A WEATHER CONDITION, BUT IT CAUSES, UH, WE'VE SEEN IT HAPPEN IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY AND IT COULD HAPPEN HERE IN CASE OF WILDFIRE.

COULD WE ADD WILDFIRE IN THERE WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT HURRICANE? YOU KNOW, WE CAN LOOK AT THAT, LOOK AT THAT FROM A LEGAL STANDPOINT.

IF IT'S NOT INCLUDED UNDER THE ADVERSE WEATHER SECTION.

CERTAINLY I DON'T THINK IT'S IN THERE UNDER THERE'S POTENTIAL.

THERE'S POTENTIAL.

I THOUGHT WE COVERED A LOT OF WELL THANK YOU SO MUCH.

YEAH, NO THANK Y'ALL FOR THE WORK YOU PUT IN.

I DID NOT MENTION WHAT I SHOULD.

WE ALSO WORKED ALONG WITH ALL THREE ATTORNEYS FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND WITH EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND WE'D LIKE TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR INPUT AND HELP AS WELL.

I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU PUT INTO IT.

UM, SO I GUESS WE NEED TO TAKE

[01:05:58]

, SORRY,

[11. A RESOLUTION TO ESTABLISH BEAUFORT COUNTY’S COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PRIORITY LIST. (FISCAL IMPACT: None). - Audra Antonacci-Ogden, Assistant County Administrator- Community Services ]

ALRIGHT, UH, IS THERE ANYTHING, UH, SPECIFIC THAT YOU WANNA PULL ON OF THAT TO SHARE WITH THE COMMUNITY OR IS IT, I MEAN, IT'S PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.

IT IS, IT IS STRAIGHTFORWARD, SIR.

UH, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS, ANY CONCERNS, COMMENTS? NO, BUT I THINK THE PUBLIC CAN CERTAINLY READ THE PACKET STARTING ON PAGE 50 49 THAT SAYS THE DETAILS OF IT, UM, WHAT IT COVERS.

I AGREE.

UM, IT WOULD NO OTHER QUESTIONS OR ANY CONCERNS? CAN THIS BE MOVED FORWARD? I THAT THE COUNSEL WOULD, CAN THIS BE PASSED HERE? YES, IT GO, IT GOES TO COUNCIL.

NOW WE'RE GONNA GET INTO A SERIES OF REAPPOINTMENTS.

WELL, UH, IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO MOVING THIS FORWARD TO COUNCIL? NO SAYING NO OBJECTION.

IT'S SUPPOSED BE MOVED FORWARD TO COUNCIL.

[12. REAPPOINTMENT OF MARY ANN RADKE TO THE DISABILITIES AND SPECIAL NEEDS BOARD FOR A FOUR-YEAR TERM, PENDING APPROVAL BY THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE; TERM TO EXPIRE JUNE 2029 ]

UH, NUMBER 12 IS THE REAPPOINTMENT OF MARY ANN, UH, RADKEY, I HOPE I PRONOUNCED THAT CORRECTLY.

UH, TO THE DISABILITIES AND SPECIAL NEEDS BOARD FOR A FOUR YEAR TERM PENDING APPROVAL OF THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.

THE TERM TO EXPIRE JUNE, 2029.

I'LL MAKE A MOTION APPOINTMENT.

SECOND.

ALRIGHT, ALICE AND YORK FOR THE MOTION.

A SECOND.

UM, IS THERE ANY OBJECTION DISCUSSION? ANYBODY WANNA DISCUSS THIS FURTHER? NO.

MOVING ON TO ITEM 13, APPOINTMENTS OF THOMAS PEP AND STEVE SWANBERG TO THE DUSKY ISLAND FIRE DISTRICT FOR FOUR YEAR TERM WITH THE EXPIRATION DATE OF MAY, 2029.

UH, CAN THIS BE MOVED FORWARD TO COUNSEL WITHOUT OBJECTION? YES.

I, SO YOU HAVE NO OBJECTION.

THIS WILL BE MOVED FORWARD TO COUNSEL.

UH,

[13. APPOINTMENTS OF THOMAS PETH AND STEVE SWANBERG TO THE DAUFUSKIE ISLAND FIRE DISTRICT FOR A FOUR-YEAR TERM WITH THE EXPIRATION DATE OF MAY 2029.]

MAY I GET A, UH, MOTION TO SECOND? A MOTION? ALRIGHT, THAT'S PAULA SECOND.

AND TOM IS A SECOND.

IS THAT WORKING? IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, CONCERN, COMMENT ON THIS ONE.

THESE APPOINTMENTS.

UH, MOVING INTO ITEM 14, THE REAPPOINTMENTS OF BURNETT DO AND DIMITRI JANE KOKI.

CAN THIS BE FORWARDED TO COUNSEL WITH NO OBJECTION? YES.

AND SEEING NO OBJECTIONS, THIS WILL BE FORWARDED TO COUNSEL,

[14. REAPPOINTMENTS OF VERNITA DORE AND DEMETRAJANE KOKINAKIS TO THE BEAUFORT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR A FOUR-YEAR TERM WITH THE EXPIRATION DATE OF MAY 2029.]

I HOPE I PRONOUNCE THAT CORRECT AS WELL, TO THE BEAUFORT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR A FOUR YEAR TERM WITH THE EXPIRATION DATE OF MAY, 2029.

MAKE MOTION ALICE AND I'LL SECOND ALICE AND TAB WITH MOTION TO SECOND.

IS THERE ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, CONCERNS? SEEING NONE, CAN THIS BE MOVED FORWARD TO COUNSEL WITHOUT OBJECTION? YES.

REAPPOINTMENTS OF DANA MARSH.

I SEEING NO OBJECTION.

THIS WILL BE FORWARDED TO COUNSEL AND MOVING

[15. REAPPOINTMENTS OF DANA MARSH AND PAUL HAMILTON TO THE BLUFFTON TOWNSHIP FIRE DISTRICT BOARD FOR A FOUR-YEAR TERM WITH THE EXPIRATION DATE OF MAY 2029.]

INTO ITEM 15,

[*A portion of this video is without audio*]

AND PAUL, I, IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS, YOUR HONOR OR CONCERNS? ONE APPOINTMENTS, SIR.

SEEING NINE.

CAN THIS BE FORWARDED TO COUNSEL WITHOUT OBJECTION? YES.

SO HAVE NO OBJECTION.

THIS WILL BE FORWARDED TO COUNSEL AND I BELIEVE THAT'S THE LAST THING.

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE TO COME BEFORE THIS BODY? UH, YES, SIR.

MR. CHAIRMAN, SIR.

MR. CHAIRMAN, I, UM, POINT OF ORDER, UM, AND, UH, MY POINT OF ORDER IS THAT, UM, ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, UM, WAS SORT OF VAGUELY NOT CLEAR.

UM, I WOULD JUST ASK AS CHAIR THAT YOU BE MORE CLEAR IN PUTTING AGENDA ITEM LIKE THIS ON BECAUSE WHAT I, WHAT I HEARD WAS ACTUALLY, UH, MORE, MORE THE, UM, PUBLIC, UM, COMMENT SECTION, UH, IN SUPPORT OF PINE ISLAND.

AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S, UH, THE WHAT WE, WHAT YOU THOUGHT THE PRESENTATION WAS.

UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS MY FORTE.

I REALLY WANNA SEE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

HOLLAND.

THE QUESTION BECOMES HOW IS DONE? AND, UM, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER MRS. HEMINGWAY HAS EVER MET WITH JOHN OTO.

UM, SHE DIDN'T EVEN TALK ABOUT EVEN MEETING WITH, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

UM, BUT YET SHE MADE A PRESENTATION FOR ST.

HELENA IN A SORT OF TWISTED WAY, IN MY OPINION.

SO JUST BE

[01:10:01]

CAREFUL AS YOU PUT AGENDA ITEMS ON THE THAT, UM, IT'S CLEARLY WHAT IT SAYS IT'S GONNA BE.