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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BEAUFORT COUNTY.
THIS IS THE JUNE 20TH, 2025 BOARD MEETING OF THE BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY.
CAN WE ALL STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
FIRST ON THE AGENDA IS THE, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS SECTION, PUBLIC COMMENTS SECTION, UM, SEEING NO PUBLIC PRESENT.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT TOPIC, WHICH IS THE MEETINGS OF THE BOARD MEETING ON MAY 28TH, 2025.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE MEETING MINUTES? ELENE MITCHELL MOVES THAT THE MINUTE MEETINGS FROM MAY 28TH, 2025 BE ACCEPTED WITH ANY NECESSARY CHANGES.
AND AS FOR COMMENTS, I, I HAVE JUST ONE COMMENT, MINOR COMMENT IN THE LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS SECTION.
I'D LIKE TO, UM, EITHER STRIKE OR CORRECT THE BULLET THAT SAID S 36 RESOLUTION IS OUT.
UM, WHAT WAS DISCUSSED WAS A RESOLUTION FOR S 36 THAT WAS NOT YET PREPARED, BUT WOULD BE PREPARED IN THE FUTURE.
SO SINCE, ACTUALLY, SINCE IT'S MENTIONED IN THIS FIRST DRAFT, I, I'D LIKE TO, UH, JUST PROPOSE THAT THE BULLET BE REVISED TO RESOLUTION REGARDING S 36 TO BE PREPARED IN THE FUTURE.
OTHER THAN THAT, I HAVE NO, NO COMMENTS ON THESE MEETING MINUTES.
DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE COMMENTS? NOPE.
ALL ALL IN FAVOR OF ACCEPTING THESE MIN MEETING MINUTES, UM, INCLUDING THE CHANGE THAT I SUGGESTED.
SO WE'LL MOVE INTO COMMITTEE REPORTS STARTING WITH THE BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE WITH MR. BACKER.
UH, OUR PLAN WILL BE TO MEET PROBABLY MID-JULY SINCE THE, UH, FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET HAS BEEN APPROVED.
SO WE'LL REVIEW FISCAL YEAR 25 RESULTS AND THE 26 BUDGET THAT WAS APPROVED BY COUNTY COUNCIL.
UH, THERE'S NO FORMAL REPORT FROM THE FACILITIES COMMITTEE.
UM, HOWEVER, THERE ARE SOME CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS THAT, UH, THE FACILITY COMMITTEE WILL BE WORKING WITH STAFF ON, AS WELL AS IDENTIFICATION FOR ADDITIONAL PRECINCTS FOR VOTING.
FACILITY COMMITTEE WILL BE MEETING WITH STAFF ON THOSE PROJECTS AS WELL.
UH, FOR LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS, THERE IS NO REPORT.
HOW ABOUT REDISTRICTING MR. DOR? THERE'S NO REPORT AT THIS TIME.
AND MS. JOHNSON, HOW ABOUT RULES? THERE'S NO REPORT AT THIS TIME.
I HAVE RECEIVED, UH, CHARTERS FROM ALL OF THE COMMITTEES, SO, UM, I'M HOPING TO SCHEDULE A MEETING IN JULY AND FINALIZE THE OPERATIONS MANUAL.
SO DO YOU THINK THAT BY THE JULY MEETING WE'LL HAVE A REVISED DRAFT TO REVIEW, OR ARE WE LOOKING AT AT AUGUST? THAT IS MY HOPE.
UM, NEXT IS THE EARLY VOTING CENTER EVALUATION OR AD HOC COMMITTEE, MR. WICKE? YES.
OUR COMMITTEE, UM, ANALYZED A LOT OF DATA THAT WAS SUPPLIED BY THE, BY THE BEAUFORT, UH, ELECTIONS OFFICE.
AND BASICALLY IN CONCLUSION, THE COMMITTEE FINDINGS RECOMMEND THAT ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT AND HUMAN RESOURCES BE ALLOCATED TO REDUCE VOTER WAIT TIMES TO AN ACCEPTABLE MINUTES.
ADDITIONALLY, OTHER STRATEGIC INITIATIVES CAN'T BE IMPLEMENT IMPLEMENTED DEPENDING ON THE LOCATION AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
SO WHAT WE BASICALLY DID IS ANALYZE ALL THE EQUIPMENT
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IN EACH FACILITY, AND BY ADDING ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT AND STAFF, WE CAME UP WITH PRETTY CLOSE TO MATCHING ALL THE REQUIRED, UM, VOTERS THAT SHOWED UP AT EACH, EACH LOCATION.SO I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THE COMMITTEE DID A GOOD JOB AND I THINK WE HAVE A SOLUTION WITHOUT HAVING TO GO LOOK FOR A FIFTH, UH, UH, SITE.
AND IF YOU LOOK IN THE BOARD PACKET, THERE'S ALL THE INFORMATION, ALL THE DETAIL BACKGROUND OF WHAT WE DID.
SORRY, SO SMALL, BUT IT'S ALRIGHT.
YEAH, I I DO HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE, THE TABLE THAT SHOWS CURRENT VOTING EQUIPMENT AND PROPOSED VOTING EQUIPMENT.
IT LOOKS LIKE IN THE, THE BUSIEST EARLY VOTING CENTERS, BLUFFTON AND HILTON HEAD, THERE'S AN INCREASE OF ABOUT, UH, 40% FOR BMDS.
AND, UH, SINCE THROUGHPUT HAS BEEN CONSTRAINED BY THE BMDS, IT MAKES SENSE TO BE ADDING MORE BMDS.
BUT THE, THE 40% INCREASE, WHAT'S THE BASIS OF THAT RECOMMENDATION? THAT WAS, WELL, WE HAD, WE HAD, UM, TIME TO EACH OPERATION.
SO WE TOOK THE MAXIMUM THAT YOU COULD SPEND AT A BMD, WHICH IS FIVE MINUTES.
AND WHAT WE DID, WE USED THAT AS A BASIS POINT FOR, UM, INCREASING VOTERS.
SO IF WE COULD INCREASE THE EQUIPMENT, ALL, YOU OBVIOUSLY INCREASE VOTERS, WHICH WITH THE OTHER TIMES WE SET SHOULD GO THROUGH THE PROCESS FAIRLY QUICKLY, WHICH WOULD COVER, UM, BASICALLY, UH, A REDUCTION IN THE TIME IT TAKES FOR PEOPLE WAITING IN LINE.
AND, AND CAN ALL OF THE FACILITIES ACCOMMODATE THE ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT THAT'S RECOMMENDED HERE? YES, WE WENT THROUGH EVERY FACILITY AND WE ALL HAVE ENOUGH ROOM, ENOUGH POWER, AND ENOUGH STORAGE SPACE FOR THE EQUIPMENT.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. WICKE? UM, IN THAT CASE, I, I'D LIKE TO, TO MAKE A MOTION THAT THE, THE BOARD RECOGNIZED THE RECOMMENDATION BY THE AD HOC EVC COMMITTEE, AND, UH, I'D LIKE TO, UH, TAKE A VOTE TO SHOW OUR SUPPORT FOR THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.
UH, I HAVE A, A COMMENT FOR UNFINISHED BUSINESS REGARDING, THIS IS ATTACHMENT B FROM THE, THE MAY 28TH, UH, BOARD MEETING.
THIS IS THE PRECINCT COMPLIANCE REPORT FORMAT THAT WAS PROPOSED BY STAFF DURING THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT.
DO Y'ALL REMEMBER THIS? THIS IS A, A TABLE THAT LISTS EVERY, UH, PRECINCT NUMBER, PRECINCT NAME, THE POLLING LOCATION, UH, NAME OF THE POLLING LOCATION, THE ADDRESS VOTER REGISTRATION TOTALS, UH, WHETHER THIS POLLING, UH, RATHER, THIS, UH, PRECINCT IS COMPLIANT WITH THE REQUIREMENT FOR 1500 OR LESS VOTERS, WHETHER THE POLLING LOCATION IS INCLUDED, UH, IN THE PRECINCT AND WHETHER THE POLLING LOCATION MEETS A DA REQUIREMENTS.
SO I, I THINK THAT THIS IS A, A GREAT REPORT.
UM, I, I APPRECIATE THAT THE STAFF PREPARED THIS AND ALSO THE PARTICIPATION OF THE FACILITIES COMMITTEE FOR THIS REPORT.
I THINK OUR BOARD HAS MADE VERY GOOD, UH, PROGRESS IN COMPLIANCE WITH CERTAIN CODE OF LAW REQUIREMENTS OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, SPECIFICALLY 7, 7, 7 10, WHICH CALLS FOR NO MORE THAN 1500 VOTERS IN EACH PRECINCT.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH THE LATEST SPLIT OF EIGHT PRECINCTS, WE ARE A HUNDRED PERCENT IN COMPLIANCE WITH THIS 7 7, 7 10 CODE OF LAW SECTION.
UH, WE'VE ALSO BEEN PAYING GREATER ATTENTION TO 7, 7, 9, 10, WHICH STIPULATES VOTERS MUST VOTE WITHIN A PRECINCT OF THEIR RESIDENCE.
UM, AND NOTE THAT THERE'S ONLY A COUPLE OF COUNTIES IN SOUTH CAROLINA THAT ARE IN FULL COMPLIANCE WITH THAT SECTION.
UH, WE AS A BOARD HAVE ON TWO OCCASIONS ASKED THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION TO CONSIDER LOCAL LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ALLOW THE DELEGATION TO APPROVE ANY NON-COMPLIANCES WITH 7 7, 9 10 ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS WHEN THERE ARE NO SUITABLE POLLING LOCATIONS.
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UH, ONE EXAMPLE WHERE SUCH ALLOWANCE IS NEEDED IS SUN CITY.SO THAT'S A PURELY RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY WITH 10 PRECINCTS, BUT SUITABLE POLLING LOCATIONS AND ONLY TWO OF THOSE 10 PRECINCTS.
UM, IN, IN SUCH A CASE, WE DEFINITELY NEED TO POOL POLLING, UH, PRECINCTS IN A POLLING LOCATION.
UM, THE PRECEDENT THAT WE POINTED TO IN OUR BOARDS JULY 23RD, 2023 LETTER AND ALSO THE MARCH 13TH, 2025 LETTER TO THE DELEGATION IS RICHLAND COUNTY'S LOCAL LEGISLATION 7 7 4 65.
THAT SECTION DESCRIBES HOW THEIR DELEGATION MAY APPROVE POOL, UH, POOLED POLLING LOCATIONS IF A SUITABLE LOCATION IS NOT AVAILABLE, AND IF THE POLLING PLACE IS, IS WITHIN FIVE MI UH, MILES OF THAT PRECINCT.
SO, KEEPING, UH, OUR REQUEST OF THE DELEGATION IN MIND, UM, I REVIEWED THIS DRAFT PRECINCT COMPLIANCE REPORT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF AN APPROVER SUCH AS THIS BOARD OR THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION.
AND I LIKE TO MAKE TWO ADDITIONS TO THIS TABLE.
UM, THE ADDITIONS ARE SIMPLY ADDING TWO COLUMNS TO HELP THE REVIEWER WHO DOES NOT HAVE A FIRSTHAND KNOWLEDGE OF THE PRECINCTS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S BEING PRESENTED.
UH, THE FIRST COLUMN ADDED WOULD BE A COUNT OF THE NUMBER OF PRECINCTS AWAY.
IN OTHER WORDS, IS THE POLLING PLACE IN THE ADJACENT PRECINCT, OR IS IT TWO PRECINCTS AWAY OR THREE PRECINCTS AWAY? THE SECOND COLUMN WOULD BE A, A SIMPLE YES OR NO ENTRY ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THE PRECINCT BOUNDARY IS MORE THAN FIVE MILES AWAY FROM THE POLLING LOCATION.
AND AGAIN, THAT TIES BACK DIRECTLY TO THE, UH, RICHLANDS LOCAL LEGISLATION, WHICH EXPRESSLY SAYS A POOLED POLLING PLACE SHALL BE NO MORE THAN FIVE MILES FROM THE, UH, THE BORDER OF THE PRECINCT.
SO WITH THE ADDITION OF THOSE, UH, TWO COLUMNS, UM, I, I LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ACCEPT THIS REPORT AS AN ANNUAL REPORT TO BE PREPARED BY STAFF AND PRESENTED TO THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL ANNUALLY.
AND, UM, IF AND WHEN WE CAN GET THE DELEGATION TO APPROVE OR TO, UM, PUT SOME LOCAL LEGISLATION IN PLACE SIMILAR TO RICHLANDS COUNTIES, THEY WILL BE REFERRING TO THIS FOR THEIR APPROVAL.
MR. CHAIR, CAN YOU EXPLAIN AGAIN, WHAT THE VALUES OF THOSE TWO ADDITIONAL COLUMNS, WHAT WILL THAT DO IN TERMS OF THE REPORT? UH, WELL, THE, THE, THE PRECEDENT LOCAL LEGISLATION THAT WE'VE REFERRED TO THE DELEGATION IS RICHLANDS, AND IT, IT EXPRESSLY SAYS THAT ANY POOLED POLLING LOCATION WILL BE NO MORE THAN FIVE MILES AWAY FROM THE BORDER OF THE PRECINCT THAT'S IN THAT POOLED LOCATION.
SO FIVE MILES IS KIND OF THE, THE STANDARD FOR THAT LEGISLATION.
SO THE ADDITIONS WOULD SHOW ON THIS TABLE FOR AN APPROVER WHO IS NOT INTIMATELY FAMILIAR WITH EACH LOCATION, IT WOULD SIMPLY SAY, IS THIS POLLING LOCATION WITHIN FIVE MILES OF THE POOLED POLLING LOCATION? YES OR NO? SO IS THE FIVE MILES, IS THAT STATUTE OR IS THAT JUST SOMETHING THAT WAS DONE IN THAT PARTICULAR COUNTY? WELL, RICHLAND COUNTY IS THE ONLY LOCAL LEGISLATION THAT HAS THE RIGHT OF THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION TO APPROVE POOLED POLLING LOCATIONS.
AND WE, BEAUFORT COUNTY IN THE TWO LETTERS THAT WE SENT TO OUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION, WE REFERRED TO THAT AS PRECEDENT.
PRECEDENTS AS, AS A PRECEDENCE, YES.
AGAIN, SO IT'S NOT A, IT'S NOT STATUTE, IT'S JUST THAT THIS IS WHAT HAS BEEN DONE IN ANOTHER COUNTY ESTABLISHED, BUT WE, AND WE THINK THAT IT'S WISE TO, TO EMULATE THAT IN BEAUFORT COUNTY? YES, YOU COULD SAY THAT.
EXCUSE ME, MR. CHAIR, WHAT WAS THAT FIRST, UM, COLUMN THAT YOU WOULD HAVE, WOULD YOU WOULD RECOMMEND ADDING? OH, THE FIRST COLUMN IS, IS HOW MANY PRECINCTS AWAY IS THE POLLING LOCATION? SO IS THE POLLING LOCATION IN THE IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT PRECINCT, OR IS IT TWO PRECINCTS AWAY OR THREE PRECINCTS AWAY? SO YOU'RE, SO IT'S REALLY TWO UNITS OF MEASURE.
THE NUMBER OF, I THINK YOU SAID COUNT THE NUMBER OF PRECINCTS PRECINCTS AWAY.
SO FROM FROM THE STUDY THAT WE DID LAST YEAR FOR THE GENERAL ELECTION, I, I BELIEVE THAT EVERY POOLED PRECINCT POLLING LOCATION WAS IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE PRECINCT WHERE THE POLLING LOCATION IS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF SUN CITY, WHERE WE HAVE, UH, 10 PRECINCTS VOTING IN TWO LOCATIONS.
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MR. CHAIR, I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, JUST INSERT, I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S GONNA MAKE A DIFFERENCE, BUT WHAT HAPPENED IF THE POLLING, THE ADJACENT POLLING LOCATION OR THE NEAREST POLLING LOCATION IS SIX MILES AWAY BECAUSE FROM ONE BORDER TO THE NEXT, IT COULD BE OUTSIDE THE FIVE MILES IF YOU HAVE A A, A CIRCUMFERENCE, AND IF MY POLLING LOCATION IS NOT IN THE CENTER, THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THAT THE ADJOINING POLLING LOCATION FOR A VOTER THAT'S ON ONE SPECTRUM OF THE CIRCUMFERENCE WOULD BE MORE THAN FIVE MILES AWAY.SO THE, THE MEASURE OF FIVE MILES IS FROM THE POLLING LOCATION TO THE FIRST, THE CLOSEST BORDER OF A PRECINCT THAT'S POOLED IN THAT LOCATION.
ARE WE ON, WE ON THE SAME PAGE THERE? IT'S NOT A, NO, IT'S NOT ABOUT THE VOTER THEN IT'S ABOUT THE POLLING LOCATION ITSELF.
YEAH, IT'S, THE POLLING LOCATION IS LESS THAN FIVE MILES TO THE NEAREST, UH, BORDER OF THE PRECINCT THAT'S VOTING IN THAT LOCATION AS THE CROW FLIES.
WOULD IT BEHOOVE US TO SAY APPROXIMATELY, UM, FIVE MILES OR LESS? WOULD THAT GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF FLEXIBILITY? UH, I, I SUPPOSE THAT WE COULD DO THAT.
SO WE, IT WON'T BE
AND IN THE EVENT THAT WE COME UP WITH SOME THAT'S MAYBE SIX OR SEVEN, WELL, THAT LANGUAGE IS NOT PART OF THE, THE MOTION THAT I'VE MADE.
BUT WHEN, WHEN WE PRESENT THIS AGAIN TO THE DELEGATION TO REQUEST THE LOCAL LEGISLATION, WE CAN TALK ABOUT REVIEWING THAT LANGUAGE TO BE APPROXIMATELY RATHER THAN LESS THAN.
YEAH, THAT'S, THAT WAS MY CONCERN IS BEING SO EXACT.
UM, WE ARE NOT GIVING OURSELVES ANY FLEXIBILITY.
BEAUFORT IS, IS A, A VAST AREA, AND I KNOW THERE ARE POLLING LOCATIONS WHO THAT MAY BE LOCATED RIGHT ON THE BORDER OF, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, THE BOUNDARY LINE AND YOU HAVE TO TRAVEL ACROSS THE ACTUAL BOUNDARY LINES OF THAT PRECINCT TO GET TO THE NEXT ONE.
IT COULD BE MORE THAN FIVE MILES.
AND SO IF, IF WE COULD GIVE OURSELVES A LITTLE BIT OF, UM, WIGGLING ROOM THERE, THAT WOULD PROBABLY HELP THINK LESS RESTRICTIVE LANGUAGE WOULD BE TO OUR ADVANTAGE TO SUCH HAVE THAT FLEXIBILITY.
MAYBE SOMETHING LIKE NO MORE, NO MORE THAN TO SUCCEED A MILE AND A HALF OR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, JUST AS A BUFFER VARIANCE.
SO THERE, THERE'S TWO, TWO SEPARATE PARTS HERE.
ONE IS THE LOCAL LEGISLATION, WHICH WE DON'T HAVE YET.
WE, WE'VE SENT TWO LETTERS WHERE WE HAVE REQUESTED IT.
WE WILL SEND A THIRD AND WE CAN BE MORE PRECISE IN THE LANGUAGE THAT WE WANT REGARDING THE TARGET FIVE MILES.
UM, THE MOTION THAT I MADE WAS JUST RELATED TO THIS REPORT, AND WE CAN ADAPT THE TITLE OF THAT COLUMN TO BE WITHIN FIVE MILES OR APPROXIMATELY FIVE MILES BASED ON WHATEVER'S IN THE LEGAL LEGISLATION.
UM, BUT, BUT FOR NOW, MY RECOMMENDATION JUST TO HAVE THIS FORM, THE FORM OF THIS REPORT COMPLETE IS TO ADD THE ONE COLUMN THAT SAYS, UM, THE, THE DISTANCE OF EACH PRECINCT FROM THE POLLING LOCATION.
IS IT IN THE PRECINCT? IS IT ADJACENT IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE PRECINCT, OR IS IT TWO OR THREE PRECINCTS AWAY? SO THAT'S ONE UNIT OF MEASURE.
AND THE SECOND COLUMN WOULD BE POLLING LOCATION LESS THAN FIVE MILES FROM THE BORDER OF A PRECINCT.
AND IF, IF I, I WOULD RATHER SAY AT THE MOMENT, LESS THAN FIVE MILES, IF THE LOCAL LEGISLATION THAT WE DO GET PASSED SAYS APPROXIMATELY FIVE MILES, THEN WE CAN JUST CHANGE THE HEADER OF THAT COLUMN, NOT SAY WHAT WE MAY PRESENT TO THE LEGISLATOR WOULD BE CONGRUENT WITH WHAT WE ARE ASKING OF THEM.
I MEAN, IF WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY RIGHT NOW TO SAY APPROXIMATELY NOT GIVE US THAT FLEXIBILITY RIGHT NOW.
SO WHAT I'M HEARING YOU SAY IS THAT THIS IS JUST FOR THE FORM WE HAVEN'T CONSIDERED WHAT WE'RE GONNA SUBMIT TO THE LEGISLATURE AT THIS POINT.
I WOULD SAY WE HAVEN'T RECONSIDERED, RIGHT? WE'VE ALREADY SUBMITTED A LETTER THAT SAID FIVE MILES.
WE, WE CAN RECONSIDER THAT WITH THE THIRD REQUEST.
IS THAT THE DESIRE? WHAT, WHAT I'M, I GUESS MY CONCERN IS I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IF WE, BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY QUESTIONS THAT ARE GOING ON NOW, IF WE SEND A LETTER, THE LETTER SHOULD BE REFLECTIVE
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OF WHAT WE REALLY WANT.AND SO I'M HOPING THAT BEFORE WE SEND THE NEXT LETTER, THAT STAFF WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOME INVESTIGATION TO MAKE SURE WE ARE NOT PUTTING OURSELF IN A SITUATION THAT WE ARE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO COMPLY WITH IT.
SO I DON'T MIND IT BEING PUT ON THE FORM BECAUSE THAT'S INTERNAL, BUT WHEN IT GOES OUT, I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE OUR, OUR DUCKS IN A ROW AND THAT IT'S REALLY WHAT REFLECTIVE OF WHAT WE WANT.
THAT'S JUST MY, MY ASSESSMENT.
I, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH IT GOING ON THE FORM BECAUSE THAT'S INTERNAL, BUT WHEN WE DECIDE THAT WE ARE GONNA SEND SOMETHING OUT, LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE ANSWER BEFORE WE SEND IT OUT AND WE, WE, AND WE AGREE WITH WHATEVER THE ANSWER MAY POSSIBLY BE, 'CAUSE THAT IT'S ON FIVE OR SIX OR SEVEN OR EIGHT.
I DON'T CARE AT THIS POINT, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE MADE A REQUEST THAT THAT REQUEST IS IN COMPLIANCE OF WHAT WE REALLY WANT.
AND I GUESS THAT BECAUSE I, I JUST BECAUSE FIVE MILES WORK IN ANOTHER COUNTY DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN IT'S GONNA WORK IN OUR COUNTY.
AND, AND THAT'S WHY I'M, I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT PUTTING A NUMBER OUT THERE UNTIL WE HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH ON OUR OWN TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WOULD WORK IN BUFORT COUNTY.
THAT'S MY ONLY, THAT'S MY ONLY CONCERN.
SO I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT BEING ON THIS FORM BECAUSE IT'S AN INTERNAL FORM, BUT ONCE WE SEND THAT LETTER OUT TO THE LEGISLATOR MAKING A REQUEST, LET'S MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE RIGHT ANSWER BEFORE WE MAKE THAT REQUEST.
THAT WOULD BE MY ONLY CONCERN.
MY CONCERN IS, UM, WHY WOULD WE NEED TO DO DOUBLE THE WORK? WHY DON'T WE JUST, UH, WAIT AND SEE AND THEN HAVE STAFF TO GO AHEAD ON AND IMPLEMENT IT BECAUSE OTHER THAN THAT, WE WILL PUT IT ON THAT FORM AND THEN WE'LL HAVE TO TURN AROUND AND, UM, REDO THE FORM BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT, UM, WE GET FROM OUR LEGISLATORS.
IT'S JUST THINKING ABOUT EXTRA WORK.
YOU KNOW, I'M ALL ABOUT TIME MANAGEMENT MANAGING THAT TIME TO DO THAT AND THEN HAVE TO TURN AROUND AND CHANGE IT.
WELL, THE, THE FORM IS, IS A DRAFT FORM AT THIS POINT, RIGHT? SO WHY CAN'T WE INCLUDE THAT ON THE FORM JUST FOR NOW INTERNALLY, BUT WHEN WE DECIDE IF WE ARE GONNA SEND A LETTER OUT, LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE ANSWER WE DESIRE BEFORE WE SEND A LETTER OUT TO MAKE SURE THAT FIVE MILES AT FIVE MILES WILL BE IT.
IF IT SHOULD BE SIX, IT'LL BE SIX.
IF IT SHOULD BE SEVEN, IT'LL BE SEVEN.
I JUST DON'T WANNA SEND A LETTER OUT WITHOUT US DOING THE NECESSARY RESEARCH INTERNALLY BEFORE WE FEEL AS IF THAT'S THE APPROPRIATE LETTER TO SEND.
I REALIZE WE'VE DONE IT ALREADY.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE RESEARCH WAS DONE BY STAFF, THEY CAN SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES, UM, AS TO WHETHER THE FIVE MILES IS THE RIGHT NUMBER, OR IT SHOULD BE FOUR, OR IT SHOULD BE THREE, OR IT SHOULD BE SIX, OR IT SHOULD BE SEVEN.
I'D LIKE FOR STAFF TO DO THE WORK FIRST AND THEN WE CAN, WE CAN MAKE A SUGGESTION FROM A POLICY PERSPECTIVE AFTERWARDS.
THAT'S JUST MY PERSONAL OPINION.
SO I, I AGREE WITH YOU MR. FORD.
UM, I, I THINK I, I WOULD LIKE TO GET THE COLUMNS ADDED TO THIS FORM FOR OUR INTERNAL APPROVAL AS A BOARD.
UH, WE NEED TO BEGIN, SINCE THIS BOARD NEEDS TO APPROVE ALL POLLING LOCATIONS FOR EVERY ELECTION ANYWAY, IT SHOULD BE PART OF OUR STANDARD PROCESS TO HAVE A TABLE LIKE THIS.
ONCE THE LOCAL LEGISLATION IS PUT IN PLACE, WE'LL HAVE TO MAKE THAT, THAT COLUMN, MAKE SURE THAT COLUMN IS IN SYNC WITH WHAT'S IN THE, IN THE LOCAL LEGISLATION.
AND, AND TO YOUR POINT, MR. FORD, I I, I EXPECT THAT THE DELEGATION WILL HAVE A MEETING IN JULY SOMETIME.
SO I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF THE STAFF WOULD, WOULD DO THE WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT THE POLLING LOCATIONS WHERE PRECINCTS ARE POOLED ARE WITHIN FIVE MILES OR X MILES OF THE BORDER OF THE PRECINCT THAT'S VOTING AT THAT LOCATION.
SO THAT, THAT RESEARCH WAS DONE IN 2024 AND ALL OF OUR POOLED PRECINCTS WERE LESS THAN FIVE MILES FROM THE BORDER OF THE PRECINCT VOTING THERE.
BUT IT WOULD BE BEST IF THE STAFF CONFIRMED THAT.
IS IT APPROPRIATE ALSO TO JUST PUT APPROXIMATELY IN THERE JUST FOR THE LEEWAY? AND THE PROBLEM IS WE DON'T KNOW WHAT APPROXIMATELY
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IS.YEAH, I WAS GONNA SAY IT COULD BE FIVE AND A HALF TO ONE PERSON, THEN 5.1 TO ANOTHER.
IF IT HAPPENS TO BE 5.1 AND IT'S SHOWN AS BEING NO, NOT WITHIN FIVE MILES, WE CAN ASK THE QUESTION, SAY, WELL, IT'S 0.1 MILES AND, AND WE'LL JUST NOTE THAT, UM, ONE, THE, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING FROM YOUR MOTION, YOU'RE VOTING ON THIS BEING AN ANNUAL REPORT.
COULD, COULD, COULD YOU CONSIDER THE A DA SIDE? BECAUSE WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO THAT TWICE EVERY TWO YEARS BY THE STATE.
LIKE THAT ONE, LIKE IF IT'S ANNUAL, WE DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE ANNUAL BEING THE OTHER THINGS, BUT THE ADA A SIDE OF IT EVERY TWO YEARS.
COULD WE, COULD YOU CONSIDER THAT YOU ALSO HAVE OTHER REPORTS TO DO BASED ON THAT ADA A REPORT? YEAH.
QUITE FRANKLY, IF WE COULD MAKE ANOTHER CHANGE, I WOULD RECOMMEND TAKING A DA OUT OF THIS REPORT.
SO, SO THIS REPORT IS SIMPLY ON POLLING LOCATIONS FOR UPCOMING ELECTIONS THAT THE BOARD APPROVES.
WE GIVE YOU THE A DA ON THAT TWO YEAR SURE.
SO WHY DON'T I RESTATE THE MOTION.
WE'RE JUST GONNA SUGGEST THAT
ONE STATES THE DISTANCE FROM THE POLLING LOCATION IN, IN COUNTS OF PRECINCTS.
SO IS IT ADJACENT OR IS IT ONE PRECINCT AWAY OR TWO PRECINCTS AWAY? AND A SECOND COLUMN THAT IDENTIFIES WHETHER OR NOT THE POLLING LOCATION IS WITHIN FIVE MILES OF THE BORDER OF THE PRECINCT.
I'LL SECOND, I'LL SECOND THAT.
FIRST, UH, ITEM OF NEW BUSINESS I HAVE IS, UM, ON FRIDAY, MAY 20TH, MS. SMALLS SENT TO ALL OF US A LETTER ABOUT HER PLANS TO RETIRE.
UH, MS. SMALLS RETIREMENT WILL BE EFFECTIVE AUGUST 1ST, 2025.
AND THAT DATE WILL CONCLUDE 43 YEARS OF HER DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE RESIDENTS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY.
ABOUT HALF OF THAT TIME WAS AS STAFF AND DIRECTOR OF THE BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY.
DURING MS. SMALL'S 20 PLUS YEARS WORKING WITH OUR BOARD, SHE SHEPHERDED IN DRASTIC CHANGES IN VOTING TECHNOLOGY FOR OUR QUICKLY GROWING COUNTY IN THE 2004 GENERAL ELECTION.
SO ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO,
UM, BEAUFORT COUNTY HAD 75 PRECINCTS WITH 76,000, ABOUT 77,000 REGISTERED VOTERS.
TODAY WE HAVE 134 PRECINCTS WITH 144,000 REGISTERED VOTERS.
SO WHILE THE NUMBER OF PRECINCTS, VOTERS, AND POLLING LOCATIONS NEARLY DOUBLED, AND WHILE THE VOTING METHODS CHANGED DRASTICALLY, MS. SMALLS ESTABLISHED AND CONSISTENTLY MAINTAINED A CULTURE OF ELECTIONS WITH INTEGRITY, THAT INTEGRITY AND A CULTURE OF HARD WORK AND DEDICATION WILL BE THE FINE LEGACY THAT MARIE WILL LEAVE US WITH IN AUGUST.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, I'D LIKE TO THANK MS. SMALLS AND WISH HER THE VERY BEST AS SHE CONTINUES TO SERVE HER COMMUNITY OUTSIDE THE REALM OF GOVERNMENT.
IT WILL BE A COMMUNITY VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE HER FULL ATTENTION.
AND WE'LL PROBABLY TALK MORE ABOUT THIS NEXT MONTH.
UM, ANY COMMENTS ON THAT TOPIC BEFORE I GO ON TO THE NEXT NEW ITEM? NO.
SO THE OPERATIONS MANUAL, IT CALLS FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF A DIRECTOR OF A DIRECTOR SELECTION AD HOC COMMITTEE TO OVERSEE THE PROCESS OF SOLICITING APPLICATIONS AND FILLING THE DIRECTOR'S POSITION.
TO AVOID HAVING A QUORUM, OUR SELECTION COMMITTEE WILL HAVE FOUR MEMBERS, AND I HAVE APPOINTED THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS, MR. DON COOPER, WHO WILL CHAIR THE COMMITTEE,
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MR. FORD, MS. JOHNSON, AND MYSELF.THE GOAL OF THIS COMMITTEE IS TO IDENTIFY A SHORT LIST OF THE MOST QUALIFIED CANDIDATES TO FILL THIS IMPORTANT ROLE FOR THE ENTIRE BOARD TO INTERVIEW AND MAKE A SELECTION.
THE OPERATIONS MANUAL ALSO CALLS FOR THE CHAIR TO REQUEST A MEETING WITH THE BEAUFORT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO COMMUNICATE THE BOARD'S PLANNED ACTIONS REGARDING BOARD SELECTION OF ACE OF A SUCCESSOR DIRECTOR.
MR. BACKER AND I HAVE SPOKEN WITH MR. MOORE AND MS. ANTONACCI.
AND ON JUNE 13TH, AFTER GETTING THE LETTER FROM MS. SMALLS, I HAD AN ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION WITH MS. ANTONACCI, UH, ABOUT OUR PLANS TO PUT TOGETHER A SEARCH COMMITTEE.
FINALLY, THE OPERATIONS MANUAL CALLS FOR THE CHAIR TO REVIEW ANY BOARD RECOMMENDED CHANGES TO THE POSITION DESCRIPTION OF THE DIRECTOR.
SINCE OUR BOARD APPROVED AN UPDATED DESCRIPTION IN APRIL AND THAT DESCRIPTION WAS USED WITHOUT REVISION IN THE POSTING, THERE'S NO FURTHER ACTION REQUIRED THERE.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY.
UH, THE LAST NEW BUSINESS ITEM HAVE, I, I HAVE IS REGARDING THE LETTER TO MR. MOORE THAT THE BOARD APPROVED, UM, AND WAS SENT TO HIM ON MAY 28TH.
THIS WAS THE LETTER THAT DESCRIBED THE TURNOUT FOR EARLY VOTING AND WHERE VOTERS CAME FROM IN RESPONSE TO HIS QUESTIONS.
AND IT ALSO PROVIDED HIM WITH SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THE PARKING SITUATION, SPECIFICALLY HERE AND IN BLUFFTON DURING EARLY VOTING.
UM, FROM MY DISCUSSION WITH MS. ANTONACCI, THAT LETTER WAS BEING DISCUSSED IN A STAFF MEETING EARLIER THIS WEEK, AND WE SHOULD EXPECT TO GET SOME FEEDBACK AND SOME FURTHER QUESTIONS, UM, FROM MR. MOORE'S STAFF.
I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU'VE HEARD ANYTHING.
MR. CHAIR, WHEN WAS THAT MEETING? WHEN DID THAT MEETING OCCUR? NOW THAT MEETING, UH, THE STAFF MEETING WAS TO HAVE OCCURRED ON MONDAY THIS WEEK.
DOES, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT NEW BUSINESS OR ANY OTHER NEW BUSINESS THEY'D LIKE TO RAISE? SO ONCE WE, UM, GET A RESPONSE BACK FROM MR. MOORE, THEN WE'LL, WE'LL KNOW WHETHER THERE'S SOME ACTION THAT THE STAFF AND FACILITY COMMITTEE NEED TO TAKE TO FOLLOW UP ON IT SINCE IT'S TALKING ABOUT THE PARKING LOT.
I, I, I BELIEVE THE FEEDBACK WILL GO THROUGH, UH, MS. SMALLS AND, AND AND HER TEAM.
AND, UH, WE AS A, UH, THE BOARD CHAIR, I SHOULD GET SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THAT FEEDBACK THAT'S GOING TO MS. SMALLS JUST TO HELP DURING THIS TRANSITION PERIOD.
AND SINCE WE AS A BOARD ORIGINATED THAT LETTER, SO I, I'M LEAVING IT IN MS. SMALL'S GOOD HANDS AT THIS POINT TO FOLLOW UP WITH MR. MOORE'S OFFICE.
SO WITH THAT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT.
GOOD EVENING AGAIN, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR WELL WISHES.
UM, IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT I, I'M TRYING TO JOIN THE NEW CLUB THAT YOU ALL ARE ALREADY IN
NO, I THOUGHT ABOUT THAT FOR A LONG TIME AND, UM, I THINK I'VE MADE THE, THE RIGHT DECISION.
SO IN REFERENCE TO THE BOARD REPORT TODAY, WE WILL NOT HAVE ANY LEGISLATIVE UPDATES BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANY
YOU KNOW, THE, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY IS OUTTA SESSION UNTIL JANUARY OF NEXT YEAR.
UM, THERE'S NOTHING REALLY GOING ON ON THE FEDERAL END OF ELECTION LAWS RIGHT NOW.
EVERYTHING IS AT A STANDSTILL.
SO WE ARE GOING TO, UM, JUST REALLY JUMP RIGHT INTO ELECTIONS UPDATE.
UM, SINCE WE MET LAST, WE'VE HAD, UM, TWO, UH, NEW POLL WORKERS TRAINING SESSIONS.
UM, THE MAY 31ST, UH, WE HAD 18 PEOPLE ENROLL AND 17 PEOPLE ATTENDED.
[00:35:01]
ON JUNE 18TH, WHICH WAS THIS WEDNESDAY, WE HAD 24 PEOPLE ENROLLED IN 18 PEOPLE ATTENDED.SO RIGHT NOW, WITH ALL OF THE SESSIONS WE'VE HAD SINCE MARCH OF THIS YEAR, WE HAVE GAINED 120 NEW EAGER WILLING TO WORK.
POLL WORKERS ARE, YES, THOSE FOLKS WHO, UH, SIGNED UP TO ATTEND BUT DID NOT ATTEND.
DO WE HAVE ANY FOLLOW UP WITH THEM OR DO WE HAVE A REASON AS TO WHY? YEAH, SOME OF 'EM HAD PERSONAL THINGS TO COME UP.
UM, SOME OF THEM HAVE RESCHEDULED ONE SESSION TO ANOTHER.
UM, MOST OF THE TIME, UM, IT, SOME EMERGENCY COMES UP THAT THEY TO ATTEND AND THEY TRY TO RESCHEDULE THEMSELVES IN ANOTHER SESSION.
SO ON THE NEXT, UM, SLIDE, UM, ON THE NEXT SLIDE WINDOW
AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE'VE, UM, BLUFFED AND MR. BECKER, YOU DOING, UM, MUCH BETTER
SO THERE'S HOPE, AND MR. COOPER OF COURSE IS ALWAYS DOING GOOD, BUT MS. JOHNSON, YOU HAD A BIG JUMP, I BELIEVE AS WELL.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE POLL WORKERS ARE COMING FROM ALL AREAS OF THE COUNTIES AND WE ARE STILL ASKING YOU ALL TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, TO STILL GO AHEAD AND SIGN UP.
THIS IS A GOOD TIME TO SIGN UP WHERE THERE'S NO PRESSURE, UM, OF AN ELECTION COMING, UM, SOON.
THE NOVEMBER ELECTION IS NOT GOING TO BE AS STRESSFUL AS WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO, UM, HAVE IN 2026.
SO NOW IT'S A GOOD TIME AND GET OUR POLL WORKERS, UM, TRAINED, AT LEAST EXPOSED TO THE PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES AND COME ELECTION TIME, IT WON'T BE SUCH OF A HASSLE TO FIND POLL WORKERS.
SO LET'S CONTINUE OUR EFFORT IN RECRUITING YEAR ROUND MS MALLS.
UM, ARE, ARE YOU, MATT, BECAUSE YOU SAID THE, THE LEGISLATIVE MEETING NEXT WEEK, UH, NEXT MONTH THERE MAY BE ONE NEXT MONTH.
DO WE HAVE ANY INDICATION AS TO WHEN THIS VACANT SPOT WILL BE FILLED? ANY IDEA AT ALL? THEY, I I, THEY DON'T EVER COMMUNICATE THAT KIND OF INFORMATION TO US.
IT MAY BE ON THE AGENDA WHEN THEY, UM, CONVENE WHENEVER THAT MAY BE.
SO, UM, I AGREE WE WOULD HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE AGENDA NOW.
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT THE BOARD THEMSELVES WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT TO THE LEGISLATOR? I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE GO AHEAD AND CONTACT CINDY SO THAT WE CAN GET ON THE AGENDA IF WE NEED TO DO THAT.
SO YOU WANNA HAVE THAT ON THEIR TABLE BEFORE THEY ACTUALLY CREATE THEIR AGENDA? NOT THE APPOINTMENT, BUT THE INFORMATION LIKE WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT.
YEAH, ACTUALLY I WOULD LIKE TO GET ON THEIR AGENDA TO PRESENT OUR CASE AGAIN FOR LOCAL LEGISLATION, UH, AS WE'D REQUESTED IN THAT JULY, 2023 AND THE MARCH, 2025 LETTERS.
OH, SO YOU WANT ME TO DO THAT? YEAH, PLEASE.
IF YOU COULD, IF YOU COULD ADD THAT IN.
AND SORRY, THIS, UH, THIS PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN NEW BUSINESS.
UM, IF WE DO MAKE A PRESENTATION TO THE DELEGATION, WE'LL HAVE TO GET BOARD APPROVAL OF THAT.
AND DEPENDING ON
AND WE HAVE A EARLY MEETING IN JULY, REMEMBER THE 17TH.
SO IF IT'S BE, YOU KNOW, DURING THAT TIMEFRAME, UM, COULD YOU HAVE SOMEBODY, UH, PRINT OUT A COPY OF THAT JULY 26TH, 2023 LETTER? UM, YOU THINK YOU COULD FIND THAT? I DO.
SHOULD WE MAKE A MOTION NOW THAT, UM, A PRESENTATION FROM MY BOARD BE, UM, PRESENTED DURING THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION MEETING IN JULY? SURE.
[00:40:01]
I SO MOVE.ALL IN ANY DISCUSSION? WILL THAT MEETING BE LOCALLY OR IN COLUMBIA? UH, WE DON'T.
OH, I EXPECT IT WOULD BE LOCAL.
UM, CAN YOU REPEAT THE MOTION PLEASE? I MOVE THAT, UM, THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION, UM, THE BOARD MAKE A PRESENTATION BEFORE THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION AT THE JULY MEETING AND MAYBE JUST THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE MEETING.
'CAUSE YOU'RE NOT SURE IF IT'S GONNA BE JULY AT THE NEXT LEVEL AT THE NEXT UH, LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION MEETING.
AND ACTUALLY MAY I AMEND THAT MOTION TO SAY THAT THE PRESENTATION WILL BE IN SUPPORT OF THE TOPIC THAT WAS IN OUR JULY 26TH, 2023.
LETTER TO THE DELEGATION PRESENTATION WILL BE BY OUR CHAIR
DO YOU WANT TO RESTRICT YOURSELF TO THAT? 'CAUSE YOU MAY ELSE MAY COME MOVE, THERE MAY BE ADDITIONAL ITEMS YOU MAY WANNA DISCUSS AT THAT MEETING.
SOMETHING MAY COME UP BETWEEN NOW AND THEN.
SO I'M NOT SURE YOU WANT TO LIMIT YOURSELF.
YEAH, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
ALRIGHT, SO I, LET ME AMEND MY AMENDMENT.
SO THE PRESENTATION TO THE DELEGATION WILL BE, UM, RE RE REGARDING POOLED POLLING LOCATIONS AND ANY OTHER TOPICS THAT THE BOARD DEEMED APPROPRIATE.
THAT SOUND GOOD? I SECOND THE MOTION.
WILL SECOND IT BEFORE ANY OTHER CONVERSATION.
ANY OPPOSED? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.
I GOT ONE QUESTION, REE MM-HMM
IF, UM, DO WE HAVE ANY, I GUESS FOR JEAN, DO WE HAVE ANY SENSE OF THE 120 PEOPLE THAT ARE TAKING THE CLAP ACTUALLY SHOW UP FOR THE ELECTION? THERE'S REALLY NO WAY TO KNOW THAT BECAUSE THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT TRAVEL, THEN THERE'S THE EMERGENCIES THAT COME UP.
THERE'S THE WORK REQUIREMENTS.
SOME PREFER A SMALLER ELECTION, SOME ONLY WANNA WORK THE BIGGER ELECTION.
BUT THEY ARE ALL EXCITED TO WORK AND HAVE LOTS OF QUESTIONS AND THEY WERE ALL FEVERISHLY WRITING DOWN WHEN THE MANDATORY BRIEFINGS WOULD BE.
'CAUSE I TELL 'EM THEY'RE ROUGHLY A MONTH BEFORE THE ELECTION.
'CAUSE THAT'S SOMETIMES THE ISSUE.
SO TRAVELING DURING THE BRIEFING.
SO THEY'RE ALL EAGER AND READY TO WORK AND AS OF RIGHT NOW, THERE'S NO FORESEEN OBSTACLE THAT WOULD KEEP ANY OF THEM FROM WORKING.
YOU JUST NEVER KNOW UP UNTIL IT GETS CLOSER.
DO YOU HAVE ANY SENSE, LIKE FROM HISTORY, LIKE HOW MANY, HOW MANY SHOW UP? IT'S A GUESS, YOU KNOW, AROUND FIGURE 80%? I DON'T KNOW BECAUSE WHEN WE SEND OUT THE SURVEYS AND THEY TELL US THEY CAN WORK, WE DON'T INTUITIVELY KNOW, OH, THESE PEOPLE TOOK THE CLASS IN JUNE OF LAST YEAR AND NOW THEY'RE WILLING TO WORK.
OR IF THEY'VE BEEN WORKING FOREVER AND EVER.
WE JUST, I THINK IT'S PRETTY HIGH, YOU KNOW, MYSELF.
OH, I DEFINITELY, IT'S DEFINITELY HIGHER.
JANE, DO YOU HAVE A FLYER THAT WE COULD SEND OUT? WE DO HAVE A FLYER WITH THE, WITH THE UPDATED OR THE REMAINING DATES OF CLASSES.
YEAH, WE'LL JUST HAVE TO TAKE OUT THE DATES THAT HAVE ALREADY PASSED AND WE CAN GET THAT TO YOU.
YEAH, SEPTEMBER IS THE LAST DAY, LAST MONTH.
SO THIS YEAR ANYWAY, THERE'S FOUR MORE.
UM, FACILITIES UPDATE, UM, SO FAR AS THE 2026 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.
UM, OF COURSE WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED IN THE BUDGET RIGHT NOW IS STILL NOT A FINAL, UM, DECISION ON WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE ALL GOING TO BE.
WHAT WE HAVE IS THE ALARM SYSTEM, THE PAINTING AND CARPETING, UM, OF THESE FLOORS, UH, RESURFACING THE WAREHOUSE, UM, FLOORING AND SECURITY, UM, DOORS, SECURE DOORS.
SO, UM, ALL THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT WERE IN 2025, UM, WE STILL REALLY DON'T KNOW WHEN ALL OF THAT'S GONNA GET DONE.
LIKE THE, WE, WE DON'T LIKE TO TALK TOO MUCH ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE, UM, STILL WAITING ON IS THE GENERATOR.
AND WE KNOW THAT'S ONE OF THE BIG TICKETED ITEMS. SO I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHERE WE ARE WITH THAT.
THE LAST UPDATE WAS THAT IT WAS, WAS OUT BID.
[00:45:01]
SO, AND THE DUE DATE AT THAT TIME WAS JUNE 30TH BID.SO, WE'LL, EXCUSE ME, I WAS, THIS IS, THIS IS COUNTY GOVERNMENTAL
UM, I WAS WONDERING WHERE ARE WE IN TERMS OF THE WINDOWS TO THE OFFICES? THAT'S THE STUFF WE DON'T TALK IN THE ABOUT IN THE PARK.
UM, MR. FORD, I THINK IS, IS SOLICITING A MEETING IN THE MONTH OF JULY, UM, FOR
ARE YOU GONNA BE AROUND
I MEAN LIKE, ARE YOU GONNA BE IN TOWN AND NOT TRAVELING FOR THE SUMMER?
UM, I THINK I MENTIONED IN THE LAST MONTH REPORT THAT THERE WERE SOME DEFECTS IN THE DS THREE HUNDREDS THAT WE RECEIVED, UM, RIGHT BEFORE THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS.
AND, UM, THERE WERE SOME LITTLE CRACKS IN THE TOP OR THE HOOD OF IT.
AND ALL OF THOSE THAT WERE CRACKED WERE REPLACED.
THEY REPLACED 88 OF THOSE DEFECTED TOPS.
AND ALONG WITH THAT THEY ADDED 134 LITTLE BUMPERS.
THIS IS A LITTLE GUARD THING THAT GOES ACROSS THE FRONT OF THE MACHINE TO HELP, UM, SAFEGUARD THE LATCHES THAT'S ON THERE.
AND UM, SO THOSE WERE DONE JUST THIS PAST WEEK.
UM, THE, THE BUMPERS WERE, THE LAST OF THE BUMPERS WERE INSTALLED ON THE 17TH AND THE TOPS WERE DONE ON THE 10TH OF JUNE.
IS THAT ALL WARRANTY? WAS THAT A WARRANTY? YES.
THEY ALL ON THE WARRANTY SCAN.
MIDYEAR CONFERENCE IS SCHEDULED IN GREENVILLE.
UM, THE 23RD THROUGH THE 25TH, UH, FIVE STAFF MEMBERS WILL BE ATTENDING.
AND I THINK IT'S THREE BOARD MEMBERS OR MAYBE NOW JUST TWO BECAUSE I THINK WE COUNTED YOU AND YOU'RE NOT GOING RIGHT GOING MS. MITCHELL, AND I'M NOT GONNA GO.
WHO IS THAT ONE? ME, ALI FOR NOW.
WHO STAFF FOR NOW? UM, MYSELF, WENDELL, JEAN ROSALYN, AND VERNON.
AND THE ONLY REASON I'M GOING IS BECAUSE AT THE CONFERENCE, UM, I'M THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE MORE AWARDS COMMITTEE AND SO
AND, UM, MISCELLANEOUS UPDATES.
WE HAVE COMPLETED THE STREET FILES IN OUR VOTER REGISTRATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, THE EIGHT NEW PRECINCTS.
UM, WE'VE RECEIVED THAT INFORMATION FROM, UM, THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
IT WAS SENT OVER TO OUR GIS DEPARTMENT.
THEY HAVE IN, IN, IN TURN PRODUCED THE UPDATED STREET FILES AND THE STREET FILES WERE SENT TO US AND WE HAVE UPDATED THEM IN OUR SYSTEM.
AND NOW WE HAVE REQUESTED WHAT WE CALL A REDISTRICTING, UM, FROM THE STATE SEC.
WHAT THEY WILL DO IS THEY WILL RUN THAT REPORT AND MOVE ALL OF THOSE VOTERS THAT NEEDS TO BE MOVED INTO THE, INTO THE, UM, INTO THEIR NEW PRECINCTS.
AND ONCE THEY HAVE DONE THAT, WE WILL GO BACK, DOUBLE CHECK, TRIPLE CHECK AND CHECK AGAIN TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE'S IN THEIR RIGHT HOMES.
AND WE ARE ALSO IN THE PROCESS OF, UM, ADDING OR ADD ADDING, YEAH, MAYBE ADDING SOME ADDITIONAL POLLING LOCATIONS IN THE BLUFFTON AREA.
SO WE ARE GONNA TRY AND SEE ONCE WE GET APPROVAL FROM THOSE FACILITIES, WHICH WILL BE A PART OF THE JULY REPORT AS WELL, UM, WE WILL SEND OUT NEW VOTER REGISTRATION CARDS FOR THOSE FOLKS ALONG WITH THE FOLKS THAT ARE IN THE NEW PRECINCTS.
AND IF WE DON'T GET NEW PRECINCTS FOR
[00:50:01]
THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE MOVING, THEY WILL BE IN THE, IN THEIR CURRENT POLLING LOCATION.MARIE, FOR THIS, UM, REDISTRICTING UPDATE AND THE VERIFICATION PROCESS PROCESS, IS THAT DONE MANUALLY BY STAFF? OR ARE WE USING IT USING AI TO DO IT FOR
WHAT HAPPENS? UM, WHAT HAPPENED IS WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR VOTERS ARE IN THOSE PRECINCT.
WE GOTTA VERIFY THAT DISTRICT INFORMATION, MAKE SURE THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S CORRECT.
AND, UM, BUT THAT'S THE MANUALLY IT'S BEEN DONE BEFORE.
MR. FORD, THERE IS MORE THAN ONE STAFF MEMBER GOING OVER THE RECORDS.
THERE'S ACTUALLY ABOUT FOUR OF THEM AND THEN IT IS DOUBLE CHECKED BY THE DIRECTOR AND VERNON ALSO.
SO IT'S NOT JUST ONE PERSON DOING IT.
HOW ARE WE DOING A CHECK AND BALANCE SYSTEM TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THE NUMBERS ARE COMPARABLE? YEAH, WE, WE DO THAT.
I JUST WANTED TO KNOW WHAT THE SYSTEM LAWS
YEAH, WELL, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS, UM, YOU KNOW, STREET UPDATES ARE DONE ON A DAILY BASIS MM-HMM
UM, WE GET CHANGES TO OUR STREETS DAILY BLUFF TO THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON IS ALWAYS BRINGING ON NEW SUBDIVISIONS.
WE'VE GOT, I MEAN, ALL PROJECTS ALL OVER THE COUNTY.
AND OUR GIS COORDINATES WITH ALL THE GIS FROM THE TOWN AND MUNICIPALITIES TO MAKE SURE OUR STREETS ARE UPDATED.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE JUST DON'T, YOU KNOW, WE DO THIS ALL THE TIME.
UM, SO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT PROCESS? I KNOW WE WERE KIND OF CONCERNED ABOUT, UM, NOTIFICATION TO THE VOTER, BUT WE REALLY DO HAVE TIME.
WE MAY NOT BE SENDING THAT INFORMATION OUT TO THEM UNTIL AUGUST, POP AUGUST, JUST TO MAKE SURE WE CAN VERIFY THE NEW POLLING LOCATIONS, GET THEM ONLINE, AND IF WE NEED TO MOVE VOTERS INTO NEW POLLING LOCATIONS, THAT WILL BE DONE ALONG WITH THE NEW PRECINCTS.
APPROXIMATELY, EXCUSE ME, APPROXIMATELY HOW MANY, HOW MANY INDIVIDUALS YOU THINK IS GONNA BE AFFECTED BY THIS PROCESS? UM, YOU MEAN THE, THE NEW, THE NEW EIGHT, THE EIGHT NEW PRECINCTS? YES.
WE HAD A FIGURE, MR. SWEENEY, DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS? UM, EIGHT TIMES SIX, EIGHT, 5,000 PEOPLE TOTAL.
UM, I, I DON'T REMEMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
WELL, ONLY HALF OF THOSE WILL BE AFFECTED, BUT, BUT ONLY, ONLY HALF OF THOSE WILL BE AFFECTED.
SO WHAT WE WILL DO THAT YOU WILL KNOW WHAT THOSE ARE WHEN WE GIVE OUR REPORT NEXT MONTH, BECAUSE BY THEN EVERYBODY WOULD HAVE BEEN MOVED AND YOU WILL KNOW WHERE THEY ARE, HOW MANY THEY WERE AND EVERYTHING.
UM, MISCELLANEOUS UPDATES, UM, THIS IS MY REPORT THAT I NEED TO, IT'S THOUGHT IT WAS A PART OF THE PACKET.
I THOUGHT I SAID KRISTEN, YOU ALRIGHT? THE ATTACHMENT A, THESE ARE THE GOALS THAT WE CAME UP WITH WHEN STAFF AND I MET.
UH, WE TRY TO COME UP WITH THINGS THAT, UM, WE KNOW NEEDS ATTENTION AND, UM, WE TRY TO MAKE THINGS, WE TRY TO LOOK TO IMPROVE OPERATIONS AND WE WANNA COMPLY WITH SECURITY NEEDS.
WE WANNA COMPLY WITH SEVERAL DIFFERENT AREAS.
SO, UM, I DIDN'T GO INTO DETAIL IN THE BOARD REPORT BECAUSE YOU HAVE A COPY OF IT IN THAT ATTACHMENT.
[00:55:01]
UM, THE AREAS THAT WE, UM, LOOKED AT WAS F UH, FACILITIES, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, VOTER EDUCATION, COMMUNITY OUTREACH, YOU KNOW, UM, EARLY VOTING, ELECTION PREPARATION, VOTER REGISTRATION, AND ELECTION SECURITY AND POLL WORKERS MANAGEMENT.THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE ARE FOCUSING ON IN, UM, 20 26, 20 20 25, 20 26.
AND SO IF THE BOARD, ONCE YOU REVIEW IT, IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER IDEAS OF THINGS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD OR INCLUDE, UM, PLEASE LET US KNOW BECAUSE WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS STAY AHEAD OF THE GAME AND MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER WE DO, IT'S BENEFICIAL TO THE OFFICE AND TO THE VOTERS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY.
THIS, UH, HISTORICALLY THESE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FOR THE DEPARTMENT HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED TOGETHER WITH THE BUDGET, UM, AFTER THAT SUBMITTAL, TYPICALLY, HOW ARE THESE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES USED DURING THE YEAR? WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THEM? WELL, I CAN SAY, UM, I DON'T KNOW WHY THE COUNTY ALWAYS ASKS FOR THEM, BUT I KNOW WE DO 'EM SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A, A FLOOR PLAN OF WHAT WE NEED TO DO AS A DEPARTMENT.
UM, IT WILL BE SUBMITTED AGAIN.
UM, MATTER OF FACT IT'S OVERDUE, SO, BUT I HAVE TO LIMIT IT TO THREE GOALS.
I THINK I HAVE HOW MANY ON HERE? 10, SEVEN.
SEVEN GOALS WITH SOME SUBSECTIONS.
AND SO AS A PART OF THE BUDGET FOR 2026, I NEED TO SUBMIT THREE GOALS TO BE, I GUESS, UM, PRINTED ALONG WITH THE BUDGET NARRATIVE FOR THIS DEPARTMENT.
SO THE BOARD CAN CHOOSE WHAT THREE THEY WANT TO SUBMIT, OR I CAN CHOOSE WHAT THREE NEEDS TO BE SUBMITTED.
BUT I, THEY DID LIMIT ME TO THREE.
WELL, IT SEEMS, UH, AS DEPARTMENT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES THAT ARE SHARED WITH THE ADMINISTRATOR'S OFFICE, IT SEEMS LIKE THE GOALS SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON THE GOALS THAT REQUIRE INTERACTION WITH OTHER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS.
MANY OF THEM HAVE WORKED WITH COUNTIES, FACILITY MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT OR WORK WITH THE COUNTY TO FIND AN ALTERNATE LOCATION FOR THE SATELLITE OFFICE.
WORK WITH THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT DEPARTMENT FOR, FOR X, Y, ZI, I THINK THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE ADMINISTRATOR'S OFFICE ABOUT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES WE HAVE THAT REQUIRE THEIR SUPPORT SO THAT THEY CAN BE REVIEWED DURING THE YEAR AND SEE HOW WE'RE DOING AGAINST THEM.
SO AS YOU CHOOSE THE DEPARTMENT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE ADMINISTRATOR'S OFFICE WITH THE BUDGET, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO INCLUDE THE ITEMS THAT REQUIRE THE ASSISTANCE OF OTHER COUNTY DEPARTMENTS.
UM, I THINK WE, WE AS A BOARD HAVE DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY ABOUT THE DIRECTOR'S INDIVIDUAL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES, WHICH WILL BE SEPARATE FROM THESE.
SO THESE ARE DEPARTMENT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES THAT COINCIDE WITH THE FINANCIAL YEAR.
ACCORDING TO OUR OPERATIONS MANUAL, THE DIRECTOR'S, UH, GOALS AND OBJECTIVES SHOULD BE DONE WITH THE CALENDAR ANNUAL REVIEW, YOU KNOW, JANUARY THROUGH DECEMBER.
SO THOSE WILL BE SEPARATE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FOR THE DIRECTOR.
SO JUST TO RESTATE, I MY MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT YOU, AS YOU PRIORITIZE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES TO SHARE WITH THE ADMINISTRATOR'S OFFICE, YOU FOCUS ON THOSE OBJECTIVES THAT REQUIRE SUPPORT FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? BECAUSE THE, THE DIRECTORS IN INDIVIDUAL OBJECTIVES WILL BE SEPARATE.
AND I ASSUME THAT THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES THAT ARE PREPARED FOR EACH OF YOUR STAFF MEMBERS WILL ALSO BE SEPARATE AND, AND, AND ENCAPSULATE MANY OF THE STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES THAT ARE IN THIS DRAFT.
BUT THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY USEFUL FOR THE ADMINISTRATOR'S OFFICE WITH WHOM YOU'RE SHARING THIS AND PRESUMABLY DISCUSSING AS THE YEAR GOES ON.
[01:00:03]
I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT THE, UM, EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AT BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOLS AND HOW THEY, WE RELY ON THEM FOR FACILITIES TO CONDUCT ELECTIONS.SO I'M THINKING MAYBE ONE GOAL TO WE WORK WITH THOSE IS, IS THAT YOUR LINE OF THINKING WHEN YOU WERE SAYING THE INTERAGENCY SUPPORT? MM-HMM
A LOT OF WHAT WE DO BECAUSE WE ARE NOT, UM, WE DON'T HAVE THE, THE MANPOWER OR THE RESOURCES TO, TO DEAL WITH THE PHYSICAL ASPECT OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEED DONE.
AND SO BY DEFAULT WE HAVE TO, UM, WORK ALONG WITH, UM, COUNTY GOVERNMENT AGENTS, COUNTY AGENCIES AND UM, INTERCOUNTY GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES TO ACCOMPLISH LIKE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE LIBRARY IS A PART OF THE COUNTY SYSTEM AND SO THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM.
I MEAN, LIKE I SAID, WE CAN'T DO THESE THINGS ON OUR OWN.
I I CAN'T JUST GO TO THE STORE AND BUY A, A, UM, UH, A GENERATOR BECAUSE I WANT ONE.
YOU KNOW, THERE ARE PROCESSES AND PROCEDURE IN PLACE, SO WE HAVE TO COORDINATE AND WORK WITH COUNTY GOVERNMENT TO GET A LOT OF WHAT WE DO DONE.
SO I I I UNDERSTAND WE WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE.
SO DO YOU, DO, DO WE NEED TO GO OVER ALL OF THIS OR ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH WHAT YOU SEE, UM, AS SOME OF OUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR? OR DO YOU HAVE OTHER IDEAS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO, UM, JUST THROW OUT THERE TO SEE IF I, I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO GO THROUGH THIS IN DETAIL.
IF ANYBODY HAS A SPECIFIC IDEA THEY MIGHT WANT TO ADD TO THIS, UH, WE'RE WELCOME TO HEAR IT.
BUT I, I'D APPRECIATE IF, IF YOU HAVE TO DISTILL THIS DOWN TO THREE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FOR THE DEPARTMENT, UM, IF, IF YOU COULD DO THAT AND SHARE IT WITH THE BOARD MEMBERS BEFORE YOU SHARE IT WITH THE ADMINISTRATOR'S OFFICE.
IT WAS DUE LAST WEEK,
SO I, I WOULD, IF NOTHING ELSE, IF WE COULD JUST, IF YOU HAD A CHANCE, YOU HAD IT OVERNIGHT, IF YOU HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT, IS THERE SOMETHING IN PARTICULAR, BECAUSE I NEED YOUR APPROVAL BEFORE I MAKE THE SUBMITTAL.
AND SO I SAID LAST WEEK, I THINK IT WAS DUE.
SO I, I'D LIKE TO SEE YOU DISTILL THIS DOWN TO THE THREE ITEMS YOU THINK ARE MOST APPROPRIATE.
AND WE AS A BOARD WILL TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
MOST FACILITIES ALWAYS,
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND SIX.
NOW, IS THERE ANY REASON WE CAN'T DO THAT BY EMAIL? IF YOU DISTILL THIS TO THE THREE GOLD CATEGORIES THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SUBMIT, CAN YOU SEND THAT TO US AND WE CAN PROVIDE EMAIL APPROVAL? IF NOT, IS IT OKAY TO GET JUST THE CHAIR'S APPROVAL? WELL, WELL THE BOARD WOULD HAVE TO SAY THAT BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, I DON'T THINK WE CAN APPROVE THINGS BY EMAIL.
IT HAS TO BE DONE IN THE PUBLIC.
WAIT, WE CAN'T DO UNANIMOUS CONSENT.
WE CAN'T DO UNANIMOUS CONSENT BY EMAIL.
I, I I NEED A MEETING BY EMAIL
NO, I, I I, I, I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THAT.
WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND IS THAT, UM, WE CAN DELAY IT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IF THEY WOULD ACCEPT IT BEYOND THE DEADLINE AND WAIT FOR THE JULY MEETING.
I DON'T KNOW WHEN THE BOOK IS GONNA BE PUBLISHED.
UM, BUT WE, WE HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION IN A COUPLE OF MINUTES.
COULD YOU GO THROUGH IT AND IDENTIFY THREE AND WE APPROVE IT WHEN WE GET BACK AFTER EXECUTIVE SESSION? YEP.
THAT, THAT, THAT'S A POSSIBILITY.
IF THAT'S OKAY WITH THE CHAIR.
WE CAN APPROVE IT AFTER WE GET BACK FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION.
THAT'LL GIVE, UM, MS. SMALLS TIME TO GO THROUGH IT.
IF YOU'RE CONCERNED WITH IT BEING THINGS THAT INTERACT OUTSIDE WITH THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
I, I NOTICE RIGHT AWAY TWO, TWO OR THREE THAT STOOD OUT SOME OF THE THINGS, THE, IT LIKE THE, THE WEBSITE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THAT WAS AN OUTSIDE DEPARTMENT.
AND THEN YOU HAVE A COUPLE THINGS WITH THE FACILITIES COMMITTEE.
ALRIGHT, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.
PERHAPS DURING THAT TIME, IF YOU'VE ALREADY DRAFTED IT, IT'LL BE EASIER FOR YOU, BUT YOU COME UP WITH YOUR RECOMMENDED THREE TOPICS.
OKAY, THEN THAT'S IT, I THINK.
[01:05:01]
MORE THING.THE BIGGEST THING OF ALL YOU GUYS ARE GETTING A PAY RAISE IN JULY.
THE, THE LEGISLATORS DID PASS THAT IN THE STATE BUDGET.
SO THE BOARD EFFECTIVE JULY ONE WILL, UM, RECEIVE AN INCREASE IN THEIR STIPEND FROM 1500 TO 2,500.
WERE THERE INCREASES IN THE REIMBURSEMENT FOR POLL WORKERS? NO.
OR IS IT JUST THE BOARD MEMBERS? JUST THE BOARD MEMBERS.
POLL WORKERS DIDN'T GET THROUGH.
CAN WE? SO SO THAT'S SOMETHING YOU ALL CAN TALK TO THE LEGISLATORS ABOUT AS WELL.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS ABOUT TO SUGGEST.
THAT'S SOMETHING I THINK WE NEED TO TALK TO OUR LEGISLATOR ABOUT.
I MEAN, I DON'T, I THINK THE POLL WORKERS, I'LL SAY THIS AGAIN, NEED TO, TO RAISE FAR MORE THAN US AS COMMISSIONERS.
BE CAREFUL WITH THAT BECAUSE IT MAY BE, UM, WHAT'S THE TERM? UM, 'CAUSE OF WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE FOR OUR POLL WORKERS.
YOU DON'T WANT IT TO BE A, UM, WHAT DO YOU CALL IT? SELF SOMETHING MANDATED.
WHATEVER WE HAVE FOR OUR POLL WORKERS, THEY DESERVE IT AND MORE.
NO, NO, I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU.
WHAT I'M SAYING IS WHEN YOU GO TO THE LEGISLATORS DON'T HAVE A HABIT.
MONEY THAT HAS TO COME IN VERSUS MONEY COMING FROM WHERE WE ALREADY HAVE IT COMING FROM.
THEY MAY MANDATED BUT MAKE THE COUNTY PAY THEM ADDITIONAL MONIES IS WHAT HE'S TRYING TO SAY.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW,
AS LONG AS THE POLL WORKERS GET PAID MORE.
I'M NOT PARTICULAR ABOUT WHO PAYS THEM.
AS LONG AS THEY GET PAID MORE, WHETHER IT'S THE STATE OR THE COUNTY, THEY DESERVE MORE AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.
WELL, WELL, LIKE FOR INSTANCE, SHE WAS SAYING WE, WE, THE COUNTY IS DOING MUCH MORE.
WE'RE PROBABLY ONE OF THE BETTER ONES.
SO YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE STATE, UM, BECOME IF LEGISLATORS MAKE SURE THEY GET IT FROM THEM, NOT THE COUNTY.
AGAIN,
UM, I JUST THINK THE POLL WORKERS DESERVE MORE MONEY IF IT COMES FROM THE COUNTY.
IF IT COMES FROM THE STATE, IT COMES FROM THE STATE.
SO I THINK IF WE HAVE A MEETING WITH THE DELEGATION, WE SHOULD STATE OUR SUPPORT FOR A BILL THAT'S ALREADY BEEN INTRODUCED TO INCREASED, UH, POLL WORKER PAY STATEWIDE.
UH, WE WON'T ADDRESS THE ADDITION THAT BEAUFORT COUNTY IS ALREADY PROVIDING SUPPLEMENT.
'CAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO SOUND LIKE WE, UM, WANT TO SHIFT WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN MM-HMM
OKAY, WELL THAT ENDS MY REPORT.
UM, MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO MOVE INTO EXECUTIVE? I SO MOVE.
WE'LL MOVE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, UH, WHERE WE WILL NOT TAKE ANY VOTES.
UM, CALL THE MEETING BACK TO ORDER.
UH, WE'VE COME OUT OF A EXECUTIVE SESSION WHERE THERE WERE NO VOTES TAKEN.
SO REVISIT THE TOPIC OBJECTIVES.
SO MR. PREPARED A PROPOSED THREE 20 DOCUMENT FOR SUBMITTAL WITH THE BUDGET.
[01:10:15]
DID EVERYONE HAVE A CHANCE TO READ THE THREE POINTS ON THIS GOALS AND OBJECTIVES DOCUMENT? ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? I HAVE A QUESTION IN NUMBER ONE, MARIE.UM, YOU MENTIONED THE PARKING PLAN FOR, FOR FOR BUFORT.
WHAT ABOUT THE BLUFFTON REC CENTER? OR IS, IS IT ASSUMED THAT YOU PAVED AND TAKEN CARE OF? YEAH, I THINK THAT'S ALREADY ON THEIR AGENDA.
I MEAN IT'S, IT'S THEIR FACILITY.
SO, UM, YEAH, I I I THINK THAT'S ALREADY A DONE DEAL NOW.
UNLESS, UNLESS THE BOARD IS THINKING ABOUT SOMETHING MORE DETAILED THAN WHAT THE COUNTY HAS ALREADY PROPOSED AND THAT'S BEING HANDLED BY THE DEPART, THE RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
THEY, THEY TOLD US THEY ARE PAVING ALL OF THAT.
THEY WAS SPECIFIC, THAT'S ONE.
I DON'T THE HOW EVER CAME UP, BUT THEY, THEY POINT LIKE AND SAY, OH, WE WERE NAMING ALL OF THAT.
SO THAT KIND OF JUST SOMETHING WE DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT TO GIVE YOU A DATE AS TO WHERE GIVE OR ANYTHING THAT MOTION ACCEPT THESE DEPARTMENT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.
JUST HAVE A QUESTION ON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY.
IS THE SECA POTENTIAL RESOURCE FOR SUPPORT WITH WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT? NOT FOR P COUNTIES, NO.
I MEAN THEY, THEY, THEY CAN GIVE US SOME POINTERS.
WE JUST, WE JUST LINKED TO STUFF ON THEIR WEBSITE.
OUR GUYS ARE SOME OF THE BEST
OUR WEBSITE DOESN'T REFLECT THAT.
YOU TALKING ABOUT OUR CURRENT, WE BILL OUR CURRENT WEBSITE, BUT WE ARE GOING TO CONSULT WITH THE IT DEPARTMENT THAT MANAGES THE WHOLE COUNTY, ALL OF THE COUNTY WEBSITES.
AND, UM, WE LINK ALL OF OUR, I GUESS, UM, FINDINGS TO THE STATE WEBSITE.
I MEAN, IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THEM COMING DOWN AND TELLING OUR COUNTY HOW TO DO IT, THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
SO I MOVE THAT WE ADOPT THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FOR THE VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS COMMISSION OF BEAUFORT COUNTY FOR 20 FISCAL YEAR 20, 25, 26.
AND THEN DISCUSSION THAT WE HAD EARLIER ABOUT
UH, I DO HOPE THE DELEGATION WILL HAVE A MEETING TOWARD THE END.
DON'T HAVE ANY INFORMATION THAT SAYS THAT THEY WILL, BUT I'M, I'M HOPING THEY DO.
UM, NUMBER ONE, I HOPE IT'S AFTER OUR JULY 17TH BOARD MEETING SO THAT AT THE BOARD MEETING WE CAN APPROVE THE PRESENTATION.
BUT BASED ON TODAY'S DISCUSSION, OUR PRESENTATION TO THE DELEGATION, WE'LL INCLUDE THREE PARTS.
THE FIRST PART IS A, A RENEWED REQUEST FOR LOCAL LEGISLATION LIKE THE RICHLAND LEGISLATION TO ALLOW CO-LOCATED POLLING LOCATIONS.
AND, UM, I THINK THAT THE REQUEST SHOULD STICK WITH THE FIVE MILES THAT WE HAD IN THE ORIGINAL REQUEST AND IS IN THE PRECEDENT RICHLAND, UM, ARTICLE IF THE STAFF WAS RESEARCHED.
AND I WOULD LIKE THE STAFF TO DOUBLE CHECK THAT ALL OF THE CO-LOCATED POLLING LOCATIONS ARE WITHIN FIVE MILES OF THE PRECINCT BORDERS.
IF THE STAFF COMES BACK AND SAYS, OH, WE'VE GOT ONE THAT'S EIGHT MILES, WE CAN REVISIT THE FIVE, BUT FOR NOW, LET'S ASSUME THAT IT IS FIVE.
SO THE FIRST TOPIC IS THE CO-LOCATED, UH, POLLING LOCATIONS AND GETTING LOCAL LEGISLATION TO APPROVE THAT.
THE SECOND TOPIC WOULD BE, UM, STATEMENT OF SUPPORT FOR THE BILL THAT'S ALREADY BEEN SUBMITTED TO INCREASED POLL WORKER PAY.
AND THE THIRD TOPIC WOULD BE REGARDING FUNDING OF VOTING EQUIPMENT.
SO WE HAVE ADDED EIGHT NEW PRECINCTS AND OUR PRESENTATION SHOULD REQUEST THE DELEGATION TO MAKE FUNDS AVAILABLE TO ADD VOTING EQUIPMENT FOR THOSE EIGHT PRECINCTS.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THAT TO THE LEGISLATORS BECAUSE THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION ALREADY SAID THAT THEY WILL NOT.
SO MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THOSE THREE TOPICS? I MOVE, EXCUSE ME.
I MOVE THAT WE, UH, ACCEPT THE PROPOSED TOPICS FOR THE PRESENTATION TO THE LEGISLATIVE
[01:15:01]
DELEGATION.ANY COMMENTS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
UH, NEXT BOARD MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR JULY 17, TWO O'CLOCK, STILL IN THIS OFFICE.
AND DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE CLOSE ANY CLOSING COMMENTS? GREAT MEETING.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? I SO MOVE.
YOU'RE WATCHING BEAUFORT COUNTY TV, LIVE, WORK, PLAY.
I'M NATALIE HEFTER AND THIS IS YOUR BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENT.
THE LEMINGTON LIGHTHOUSE ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND WAS COMPLETED BY THE EARLY 1880S.
BY THE 1930S, THE CAMP AROUND THERE WAS CALLED CAMP MCDOUGALL.
IT WAS USED BY THE MARINE CORPS DURING WORLD WAR II.
THERE WERE BARRACKS, A HOSPITAL, AND EVEN A BOXING RING FOR ENTERTAINMENT.
LATER ON, THERE WERE ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUNS PLACED ON THE BEACHES OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND AND THE COAST GUARD MOUNTED PATROL PATROLLED THE BEACHES.
THERE WERE A LOT OF AMMUNITION SUPPLIES THERE ON THE ISLAND, SO THE MEN WERE NOT ALLOWED TO SHOOT THE RATTLESNAKES THAT ABOUNDED THE ISLAND.
ALL OF THAT AMMUNITION WAS VERY HEAVY, AND GETTING IT FROM THE DOCK DOWN TO CAMP MCDOUGALL CAUSED PROBLEMS. THE MARINES ARE CREDITED WITH PAVING OUR FIRST ROAD ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND TO MAKE IT EASIER TO GET THAT AMMUNITION DOWN TO THE CAMP.
I'M NATALIE HEFTER FROM COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM.
THIS HAS BEEN YOUR BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENT.
TO SEE MORE BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENTS GO TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY HOMEPAGE AND CLICK ON THE LOCAL HISTORY TAB.