[00:00:01]
EVERYONE COULD TAKE A SEAT.HE'S GONNA BE CALLED UP BY MIKE.
IS HE GONNA SPEAK UP ON SOMETHING? MIKE? WE'LL CALL HIM.
[1. CALL TO ORDER]
I'D LIKE TO CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.AT THIS TIME, WE'LL HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, MCKELLEN WILL LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
AND PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR THE INVOCATION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FROM WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL YOUR WISE AND LOVING GOD.
WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR MANY AND ABUNDANT BLESSINGS.
WE THANK YOU FOR LIFE ITSELF AND FOR THE MEASURE OF HEALTH GIVEN TO US TO FULFILL OUR DUTIES.
THANK YOU FOR THE ABILITY TO BE INVOLVED IN USEFUL WORK.
AND FOR THE HONOR OF BEARING SERIOUS RESPONSIBILITIES, WE ASK THAT AS A BODY, WE PROMOTE PEACE, ORDER, AND JUSTICE.
AND YOU GRACIOUSLY GRANT US THE WISDOM TO GOVERN AMID THE CONFLICTING INTERESTS AND ISSUES OF OUR TIMES, TO HAVE A SENSE OF THE TRUE NEEDS OF OUR CITIZENS, TO HAVE A KEEN THIRST, FOR JUSTICE, TO UNDERSTAND AND TO CLEARLY SEE WHAT IS GOOD FITTING AND APPROPRIATE TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO WORK TOGETHER IN HARMONY, EVEN WHEN THERE IS HONEST DISAGREEMENT, AND TO HAVE PERSONAL PEACE IN OUR LIVES AND JOY IN OUR TASKS.
FINALLY, PLEASE HELP US TO ENSURE OUR DELIBERATIONS HERE TONIGHT BENEFIT THOSE WHO LIVE AND WORK IN OUR EXTENDED COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN MCKELLEN.
THIS MEETING WAS ADVERTISED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.
WAS MS. BROWER, UH, I'D LIKE TO
[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.ALL IN FAVOR BY SIGNIFYING BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
THREE SETS OF MINUTES.ONE IS JULY 14TH, 2025 CAUCUS.
ANOTHER ONE IS JULY 14TH, 2025.
AND THEN THE SPECIAL CALL COUNCIL MEETING OF JULY 25TH, 2025.
ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE ALL THREE SETS.
I HAVE A MOTION BY, UH, COUNCILMAN LARSON.
ALL IN FAVOR BY SHOW OF HANDS.
TO APPROVE THOSE MINUTES AT THIS,
[6. PROCLAMATION]
AT THIS TIME, WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING THE HUNDREDTH BIRTHDAY OF MARY GREEN ROBINSON.AND I THINK MR. CLUBBER IS GOING TO READ IT.
IF SHE'S HERE, COULD SHE COME? NO, NO, NO, NO.
UM, CAN I GET THROUGH THERE? I GOTTA COME LISTEN.
UM, WELL, COUNCILMAN UH, YORK IS DOING THAT? THIS, DID ANYBODY FIND A PAIR OF GLASSES IN THEIR ROW? I WEAVED IN AND OUT AND SAYING HELLO TO A FEW PEOPLE AND I THINK MY GLASSES FELL SOMEWHERE.
IF YOU CAN HELP ME TAKE A LOOK FOR THOSE.
THIS PLEASE LOOK IN YOUR POCKET.
THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE DAY SPENT.
BUT THANK YOU MEAN I SAID THAT CHAIRMAN.
AM I, AM I ON THAT? YES, YOU ARE.
WHERE WERE THEY? APPRECIATE THAT.
THIS IS, UM, THIS IS MARY GREEN ESON AND HER FAMILY.
I MEAN, NOT, SHE'S NOT HERE, BUT A PICTURE IS HERE, SO YOU GET A CHANCE TO SEE A PICTURE.
UM, AND SHE WOULD TURN A HUNDRED, UH, IF GOD'S WILLING ON THE 4TH OF SEPTEMBER.
AND, UM, THAT'S A MILESTONE THAT
[00:05:01]
I THINK MANY OF US WOULD LIKE TO REACH.UH, I KNOW I WOULD, BUT, UM, BUT, UH, SHE HAS DONE IT.
SO, UH, SHE HAS PAVED THE WAY FOR THE REST OF HER FAMILY.
AND, UM, I'M GOING TO READ THE PROCLAMATION AND, UM, MRS. CHAPLAIN IS GOING TO, UM, INTRODUCE THE REST OF HER FAMILY.
UM, AND THEN, UM, IF THEY WANNA SAY ANY, A FEW WORDS, UH, BE ALLOWED TO SAY SO THE PROCLAMATION SAYS, WHEREAS, UH, LEMME TAKE THIS OFF.
UM, ON THIS REMARKABLE DAY, AUGUST THE 11TH, 2025, WE GATHERED TO CELEBRATE A TRUE LEAGUE'S EXTRAORDINARY MILESTONE, THE 100TH BIRTHDAY OF MARY GREEN ROBERTON.
AND WHEREAS MARY GREEN ROBINSON WAS BORN ON SEPTEMBER THE FOURTH, 1925, AND WAS SINCE GRACED THIS WORLD WITH A CENTURY OF LIFE, WISDOM AND EXPERIENCE.
AND WHEREAS THROUGHOUT THESE 100 YEARS, MARY GREEN ROBINSON WAS WI HAS, HAS WITNESSED PROFOUND HIST HISTORICAL CHANGES, DEDICATED HER LIFE, RAISING A FAMILY, SERVING THE COMMUNITY, A MEMBER OF THE ORANGE GROVE BAPTIST CHURCH FOR OVER 80 YEARS, AND LIVED A LIFE MARKED BY RESILIENCE, KINDNESS ON, UM, UM, UM, HUMOR.
HUMOR, UH, UNWAVERING SPIRIT DEDICATION.
AND WHEREAS IT IS A PRIVILEGE AND AN HONOR TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND CELEBRATE THIS RARE AND JOYOUS OCCASION.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE BEAUFORD COUNTY COUNCIL HAS HEREBY PROCLAIMED SEPTEMBER THE FOURTH, 2025 AS MARY GREEN ROBINSON DAY IN HONOR OF HER CENT CENTENNIAL BIRTHDAY.
UH, I CALL UPON ALL WHO KNOW AND CHERISH MARY GREEN ROBINSON TO JOIN IN CELEBRATING THIS MOMENTOUS OCCASION WITH JOY, APPRECIATION, HEARTFELT WISHES FOR CONTINUED HAPPINESS AND GOOD HEALTH.
MAY HER LEGACY OF SELFLESSNESS, SELFLESSNESS CONTINUED TO INSPIRE GENERATION TO COME HAPPY.
100TH BIRTHDAY DATED THIS DAY AND SIGNED BY OUR CHAIRPERSON, ALICE G. HOWARD, UH, OF BET COUNTY COUNCIL.
I DUNNO WHICH ONE OF YOU WANT SAY.
IT'S, I'M HAPPY AND PROUD TO BE HERE.
AND THIS IS MY SISTER FLORENCE DAVIS AND MY SISTER CHRISTINE BLACK AND LUCINDA LAGREE.
AND WE ARE SO HAPPY TO WITNESS THIS, UH, UPCOMING BIRTHDAY OF MY MOM.
AND SHE IS, LIKE SHE SAID, A SELFLESS PERSON.
SHE ALWAYS GIVE, THAT'S HER, THAT'S A LEGACY FOR HER.
SHE'S ALWAYS LOOKING FOR THE NEEDS OF OTHERS.
THANK YOU FOR THE PLAQUE AND EVERYTHING.
PICTURE, RIGHT? THAT'S WONDERFUL.
MY MOTHER'S BIRTHDAY SAME DAY.
OKAY, WELL THEY'RE TAKING SOME PICTURES.
[7. ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT]
GONNA COME AND GIVE ADMINISTRATORS REPORT.UH, GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR AND COUNSEL.
UM, WE DO NOT HAVE ANY RECOGNITIONS TONIGHT, BUT I DO HAVE SEVERAL IMPORTANT UPDATES I WOULD LIKE TO, TO PROVIDE TO YOU ALL.
UM, THE FIRST ONE I'D LIKE TO DISCUSS IS, UH, INTEREST PAYMENTS ON REAL PROPERTY TAX REFUNDS AND BACK TAX BILLS IN MAY OF THIS YEAR.
IT WAS BROUGHT, UH, TO THE ATTENTION OF THE CFO AND MYSELF THAT, UH, INTEREST CALCULATIONS ON REFUNDS AND APPEALS FOR REAL PROPERTY, UH, PREVIOUSLY CALCULATED IN THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE HAD CEASED BACK IN 2020.
UH, THE COUNTY ASSESSOR, MS. SANDERS, INFORMED US THAT, UH, SHE HAD BROUGHT THIS TO ATTENTION OF PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS, BUT IT HAD NOT BEEN RESOLVED.
AFTER DISCUSSION WITH THE ASSESSOR AND, AND THE AUDITOR, I ASKED THE, UH, ASSESSOR, UM, TO GO BACK AND, UH, ASSIST IN, IN GETTING THE COUNTY CAUGHT UP.
SO, UH, HER STAFF WENT BACK AND CALCULATED, MADE ALL THESE CALCULATIONS, UM, FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
[00:10:01]
AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 5,500 REFUNDS.UM, SO STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING WITH, UM, THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE AND AS WELL AS THE OTTER AND TREASURER'S OFFICE.
AND, UM, WE'RE IN A POSITION NOW WHERE WE'VE MADE THE CALCULATIONS AND WE'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD WITH THE, UM, WITH THE REFUNDS.
UM, AT PRESENT, THIS IS ESTIMATED AT $1.6 MILLION IN UNPAID INTEREST TO EFFECT TAXPAYERS.
UM, THIS HAS BEEN TURNED OVER TO THE, UH, TO THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE TO BE PROCESSED WITH THE TAX, WHO'S ALSO AWARE THE SITUATION'S PREPARED TO ASSIST FINANCE STAFF WITH THE REFUND CHECKS.
UM, WE HAVE THE CFO ASSESSOR AND THE AUDITORS HERE AS WELL.
IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS YOU ALL HAVE ON THAT, BUT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTOOD THE BUDGETARY IMPACT.
AND THEN IF CHECKS START GOING OUT, YOU MAY GET QUESTIONS.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS IS GOING TO DO TO BE, LET'S OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS.
SHIRLEY, SOMEBODY'S GOT A QUESTION.
I'M JUST, I'LL START WITH COUNCILMAN DAWSON.
MR. MOORE, YOU, YOU GAVE, UH, TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE REFUNDS TO TOTAL, DID YOU SAY? 1.6, APPROXIMATELY 1.6 MILLION, WHICH WOULD, UM, COME FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
AND SO I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE CFO IF WE'RE GONNA NEED TO DO A BUDGET AMENDMENT, WE'RE JUST GONNA HAVE TO SEE HOW THAT PLAYS OUT.
BUT WE DO INTEND TO MAKE THOSE REFUNDS TIMEFRAME, UM, NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS.
I DON'T HAVE A, A REALLY GOOD TIMEFRAME.
WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF PROCESSING THE REFUNDS NOW, SO WITHIN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS WE SHOULD BE STARTING TO ISSUE THE TAX.
UM, I DO HAVE, I DO HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, WHEN DID YOU SAY, WHEN DID THIS START? WHEN DID THE MISCALCULATIONS START? IT WAS BACK IN 2020.
SO ARE WE GOING TO, ARE WE GONNA GO BACK FARTHER THAN THE STATE LAW ALLOWANCE FOR THE REFUND PERIOD? SINCE IT WAS A MISTAKE ON OUR PART? 'CAUSE MY UNDERSTANDING IT WAS LIKE A THREE YEAR LOOK BACK.
IS THAT RIGHT? UM, IT'S MONEY THAT WE OWE THE TAXPAYERS.
WE'RE PLANNING TO GO BACK JUST BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY IS NOT, IT WAS A COUNTY ERROR THAT THAT WAS NOT OKAY.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THERE WAS A STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS OR SOMETHING BARRING THAT.
WE, WE JUST WANNA MAKE, MAKE AN EFFORT TO MAKE THE TAXPAYERS WHOLE THAT WE'RE AFFECTED BY THIS.
THANK YOU ALL FOR EVEN LOOKING INTO IT AND ACKNOWLEDGING THAT.
MR. CHAIRMAN DE I WAS GONNA THANK MS. SANDERS FOR DOING THAT.
IT IS MONEY WE OWE THE TAXPAYERS.
WE DIDN'T BUDGET FOR IT, BUT OUR CFO FIGURED THAT OUT.
BUT IN TRANSPARENCY, WE WANT THE TAXPAYERS TO KNOW YOU FOUND IT, YOU BROUGHT IT TO LIGHT, AND WE'RE ACTING ON IT.
WE WANTED YOU ALL TO KNOW AND THE PUBLIC TO KNOW AS WELL.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS? COUNCILMAN MAS? JUST, IT, WAS IT A SOFTWARE GLITCH? HOW, HOW DID DO, WHAT RESULTED IN THIS ERROR? I MEAN, I'M JUST LEARNING ABOUT IT NOW, BUT THIS IS GREAT.
IT WASN'T REALLY AN ERROR PER SE.
IT, THE CALCULATIONS WERE PREVIOUSLY DONE IN THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE, BUT AT SOME POINT THEY CEASED BEING DONE IN THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE.
SO WHEN WE GOT HERE, MIKE, UM, EBONY BROUGHT IT TO OUR ATTENTION.
EBONY, YOU WANT, UM, GOOD AFTERNOON OR GOOD EVENING? UM, IN 2020, AGAIN, LIKE MISS, UM, PINKY JUST, UM, REITERATED IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS DONE, UM, IN THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE TRADITIONALLY.
BUT IN 2020, THE COUNTY AUDITOR AT THAT TIME CHOSE TO CEASE DOING THE, UM, CALCULATION FOR INTEREST FOR PROPERTIES THAT WERE REFUNDS AND FOR LEGAL RESIDENCY ACCOUNT.
THESE WERE PRIMARY FOR, UM, REAL PROPERTY ACCOUNTS.
AND THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS DID GET A REFUND CHECK FOR THOSE, UM, CHANGES THAT WE MADE.
BUT WHAT WAS MINUS WAS THEY DID NOT GET THE ACTUAL INTEREST THAT WAS DUE TO THEM.
UM, THAT'S MANDATED BY STATE CODE.
SO IT SAYS YOU MUST PROVIDE THEM INTEREST ON THEIR MEMBERS AS AN OVERPAYMENT, AND THAT'S THE PORTION THAT THAT'S BEING SENT TO THE TAXPAYERS.
JUST A CRAZY QUESTION THAT COMES TO MY MIND IS WE GET AUDITED, WHY WOULDN'T THE AUDITORS NOT FIND THIS BEFORE? WHATEVER.
THAT'S A QUESTION I CANNOT ANSWER ABOUT AUDITING.
UM, I BROUGHT IT TO THE ATTENTION TO THE, ALL THE ADMINISTRATORS UP UNTIL THIS POINT.
UM, AND THE LEGAL TEAM, UM, THEY'VE BEEN AWARE OF IT SINCE, SINCE 2020.
SO TO ANSWER THE QUESTION OF WHY THAT WASN'T INCLUDED IN THE AUDIT, I CANNOT ANSWER THAT.
UM, DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE WAS MADE AWARE OF IT AS WELL.
SO WHY WAS, WHY OR WHY NOT? THAT'S NOT MY PURVIEW TO ANSWER THAT.
IT'S JUST MY RESPONSIBILITY TO THE SOUND NO LONGER.
I WILL SAY WE HAVE DISCUSSED THIS WITH OUR AUDIT FIRM.
PINKY'S ALREADY REACHED OUT TO THEM 'CAUSE WE KNOW IT'S GONNA BE A CORRECTION AND
[00:15:01]
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO BACK AND ISSUE CHECKS FROM THE PAST.WE HAVE BEEN PROACTIVE IN BRINGING THIS UP WITH OUR AUDIT FIRM.
COUNCILMAN GLOVER? I THINK IT'S, SURE.
UH, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU, UM, FOR UNVEILING THIS.
UM, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS THAT AUDITOR TO HAVE DONE THIS AND IS HE GONNA BE DOING IT IN THE FUTURE? BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S, THERE'RE GONNA BE REFUNDS, UM, CONTINUOUSLY DIFFERENT
SO IS HE GONNA BE DOING HIS JOB? WE WE'RE IN DISCUSSIONS WITH THE AUDITOR ABOUT THAT.
NOW, I KNOW, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN AN INITIAL INDICATION THAT, YOU KNOW, HE WOULD CONSIDER THAT GOING FORWARD.
I THINK IN THE PAST, FOR WHATEVER REASON, THE DECISION, YOU KNOW, HAD BEEN PERFORMING THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE, THERE WAS AN ISSUE.
I KNOW WE HAVE LOOKED STATEWIDE.
WHAT DO OTHER COUNTIES DO? AND I THINK IN A LOT OF CASES WE FOUND THE AUDITORS ARE PERFORMING THAT THAT FUNCTION, BUT IT'S NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT AND NOT IN ALL 46 COUNTIES.
SO IS IS THERE ANY WAY, BECAUSE SOMEHOW COUNCIL GETS THE BLAME.
UM, IS THERE ANY WAY THAT WE CAN BE ASSURED IN THE FUTURE THAT THINGS LIKE THIS HAPPEN AND WE ARE AWARE OF IT BEFORE IT COMES BACK FOUR YEARS LATER? WELL, YOU CAN BE SURE, AS LONG AS I'M HERE, THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN.
BUT I DO THINK TO YOUR AN TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, WE, I SHOULD CONSIDER, YOU KNOW, CODIFYING THIS IN SOME WAY, POLICY TO TO YES SIR.
TO, TO MAKE SURE THERE'S A CLEAR DELINEATION OF WHERE THE RESPONSIBILITY LIES.
'CAUSE AND I THINK BRIAN CAN CHIME IN HERE.
THERE'S NOTHING CLEAR ON, ON THAT THAT WE COULD FIND WHEN WE LOOK THIS UP.
THERE'S NOTHING CLEAR IN THE STATUTE AS FAR AS WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY IS.
AND THERE'S DISPUTE BETWEEN THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE AND THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE AS FAR AS WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR IT.
UH, SO WHEN THE ISSUE WAS RAISED, WE SAT DOWN, WE HAD DISCUSSIONS, UH, AND BECAUSE WE COULDN'T REACH AN AGREEMENT, THE ADMINISTRATOR JUST DIRECTED THE ASSESSOR TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM, MAKE THE CALCULATIONS, AND THAT'S BEEN DONE.
AND AS I UNDERSTAND IT, AT THIS POINT, THE ASSESSOR'S REALLY WILLING TO RESUME THE CALCULATIONS AT THIS POINT.
UM, AND THEY CEASED UNDER THE PREVIOUS AUDITOR WHO WE WERE IN LITIGATION WITH AND HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH, AS YOU KNOW.
UH, BUT HOPEFULLY ALL THAT'S BEHIND US WILL WORK AS A TEAM AND GET THE JOB DONE AND THE PEOPLE WILL GET THEIR MONEY IN A TIMELY FASHION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? CA UM, COUNCILMAN LARSON? YEAH, JUST, JUST TO BE CLEAR, SO, UM, THE PEOPLE REFUNDED THEIR MONEY, BUT THIS IS ACTUALLY FOR THE INTEREST, RIGHT? THIS IS THE INTEREST ON THE REFUND MONEY.
RIGHT? FOR EXAMPLE, IF THEY, THEY FILED SOMETHING WITH THE ASSESSOR AND IT TOOK A MONTH OR TWO OR SIX OR HOWEVER MANY MONTHS TO PROCESS, AND THEY GOT MONEY BACK, THERE WOULD'VE BEEN INTEREST THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ALSO ISSUED.
THE REFUND WAS GIVEN AS THE INTEREST PART WAS NOT CALCULATED, WHICH IS A STATE LAW THAT YOU'VE, WE MUST HAVE AN INTEREST.
THEY'VE GOT THE REFUND, THEY JUST DIDN'T GET THE INTEREST.
THIS IS CORRECTING A SINCE 2000, 20, 20 25.
SO AGAIN, THAT, THAT AMOUNT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OVER FIVE YEARS IS ACTUALLY NOT A, NOT A HUGE AMOUNT, BUT STILL EVERYONE NEEDS TO GET THEIR MONEY BACK.
APPROXIMATELY 1.6 MILLION AND NO ONE HAS TO FILE FOR IT.
WE HAVE FOUND THE HEIRS, WE KNOW WHERE THE HEIRS ARE AND WE'LL SEND OUT A CHECK TO THE CONSTITUENTS.
SO, OKAY, MR. WE'VE IDENTIFIED EVERYBODY THAT'S OWED THE INTEREST.
WILL YOU, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? COUNCILMAN AVER? YEAH.
WILL YOU PUT A LETTER WITH THE CHECK? BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE ARE GONNA THINK, WHY AM I GETTING THIS CHECK AND ARE THEY GONNA TAKE IT BACK? ARE WE GONNA LITTLE EXPLANATION? WE CERTAINLY WILL.
THIS IS, THIS IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO FOR ALL THE RIGHT REASONS.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT? OKAY, THANK Y'ALL.
AND WE, WE HAVE MORE, RIGHT? THERE'S MORE.
SO, UM, THE DETENTION CENTER, I WANT TO BRING TO YOU ALL'S ATTENTION THAT, UH, OUR CURRENT MEDICAL SERVICES PROVIDER MEDIC HAS PROVIDED US WITH A 60 DAY NOTICE THAT THEY WILL NOT RENEW THE CONTRACT.
THIS IS FOR MEDICAL SERVICES IN THE DETENTION CENTER.
UH, THIS IS DUE TO EXPIRE ON AUGUST 28TH, 2025, WHICH IS COMING UP VERY SHORTLY.
SO, UM, JOHN ROBINSON AND COLONEL AND THE STAFF HAS WORKED VERY HARD TO WORK, UM, VIABLE OPTIONS ALONG WITH PURCHASING.
AND, UH, LAST FRIDAY, UM, I HELD A MEETING WITH JOHN AND PINKY AND, UH, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE, UH, UH, I'M GONNA DIRECT THAT, UH, AN EMERGENCY CONTRACT BE, UH, MADE WITH, UH, ADVANCED CORRECTIONAL HEALTHCARE.
AND THAT'S GONNA BEGIN ON THE 21ST OF AUGUST.
SO THAT'S A SEVEN, SEVEN DAYS IN ADVANCE OF THE, UH, EXPIRATION.
THAT WILL BE FOR A ONE YEAR PERIOD, WELL, ACTUALLY LESS THAN ONE YEAR, BUT IT'LL EXPIRE ON JUNE 30TH, 2026.
SO THEN, UH, SO WE DO HAVE A DRAFT CONTRACT THAT'S, UH, BEING WORKED THROUGH FINANCE, PROCUREMENT, AND LEGAL.
AND, UH, WE EXPECT TO HAVE THAT CONTRACT LEFT BY THE END OF THE WEEK.
[00:20:01]
UM, THERE WILL BE AN INCREASE IN THE MONTHLY COST OF THE CONTRACT BY APPROXIMATELY, UH, 26,000 PER MONTH.UM, STAFF BE WORKING TO ADDRESS INCREASED COST.
WE'RE ALSO GOING TO WORK TO GET A BID OUT TO REBID THIS, AND THAT WOULD GO INTO EFFECT NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
THAT'S WHY WE HAD THE END ON JUNE 30TH, 2026.
SO THEN WE CAN PLAN FOR THAT IN THE BUDGET AND, AND ACCOUNT FOR THAT.
SO I WANNA MAKE SURE YOU ALL ARE AWARE OF THAT ISSUE.
WE DON'T EXPECT ANY INTERRUPTION OF SERVICES THERE, BUT, UH, JUST FOR YOUR AWARENESS.
ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THAT? OBJECTION? YES, SIR.
UH, HAVE Y'ALL REACHED OUT TO BMH? I KNOW THEY HAD PREVIOUSLY PUT IN A BID TO TAKE OVER, UH, THOSE SERVICES AND I KNOW, I THINK THEY STILL HAD INTEREST IN IT.
WE, WE, UH, I HAVE HAD PERSONALLY SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH THE, UH, BEAU FRONT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, CFO, UM, THE TYPE OF SERVICES THAT'S BEING PROVIDED AND THE IMMEDIACY THAT WE NEED IT.
WE NEED A COMPANY THAT IS READY TO COME IN AND DO THAT SERVICE.
SO THEY'RE NOT PREPARED FOR THAT AT THE TIME.
BUT AS MR. MOORE SAID, WE ARE, UH, GOING TO FOLLOW THIS UP WITH OUR COMPETITIVE BID PROCESS.
SO WE'LL PUT THIS OUT FOR BID SOMETIME IN THE, IN THE NEXT MONTH, I HOPE, SEPTEMBER, UM, MAYBE THE END OF SEPTEMBER AT THE LATEST, AND THEN OPEN THAT UP.
WE'LL FINISH THAT SCOPE OF WORK, PUT IT OUT FOR BID AND PROPERLY PROCURE A CONTRACT FOR THE PROCEEDING FIVE YEARS AFTER, UH, JUNE 30, 20, 26.
AND IF A FOLLOW UP TO THAT, UM, DID I UNDERSTAND THAT RIGHT? A $26,000 INCREASE PER MONTH? CORRECT.
UM, SEVERAL ARE, ARE WE SURE WE WANT TO DO A YEAR CONTRACT WITH THEM ON AN EMERGENCY BASIS AT THAT RATE.
IT'S VERY, RATHER THAN DOING A BID QUICKER IN THE REVIEW TODAY, I JUST GOT IT THIS AFTERNOON, THAT WAS ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I ASKED, DO YOU WANT DO A SHORT TERM, TWO OR THREE MONTH CONTRACT, PUT IT OUT FOR BID AND COMPETE IT TO SEE IF WE HAVE INTEREST.
SO I'VE TOSSED THAT QUESTION BACK TO ADMINISTRATION AND UH, WE'LL GET AN ANSWER.
AND MORE ITEM THIS MORNING, CHAIRMAN? OH, YES SIR.
UM, YOU, YOU TALKING ABOUT WAITING FOR ANOTHER YEAR? MOST INSURANCE COMPANY, UM, RE-UP DURING THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER, RIGHT? I'M EXCUSE YOU.
WELL, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE ALWAYS ASKED ME IF I'M GONNA CHANGE MY INSURANCE COMPANY OR CHANGE MY PLAN.
SO IS THAT THE ANNUAL DATE FOR MOST INSURANCE COMPANY OR IS THIS SOMETHING DIFFERENT OR IT THIS IS DIFFERENT.
I MEAN, THIS IS A ME THIS IS A CONTRACT FOR MEDICAL SERVICES THOUGH.
IT'S FOR MEDICAL DOCTOR, FOR THE LICENSE FOR THE MEDICAL DOCTOR TO PRESCRIBE MEDICATION NURSING STAFF.
AND SO IT'S NOT, IT'S, IT'S DIFFERENT.
AGAIN, IN, IN A SHORTER TERM OPTION, YOU KNOW, MAY BE BETTER IF, UH, WE CAN GET MY, THE MAIN CONCERN I HAVE IS BEING ABLE TO GET IT BID AND, AND MAINTAINING MEDICAL CARE.
I THINK THAT'S, YOU KNOW, MY PRIMARY FOCUS HERE.
SINCE THIS IS AN EMERGENCY CONTRACT, UH, CAN WE NOT PUT IN THE CONTRACT THAT WE HAVE THAT WE ARE GOING TO GO OUT TO BID AND THAT WE WILL HAVE A 60 DAY CLAUSE TO GET OUT OF THE EMERGENCY CONTRACT? WE DID HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AS WELL.
THE PROBLEM IS THERE'S LARGE STARTUP COSTS FOR THIS COMPANY TO GET THE TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES TO COME THERE AND OB OBLIGATE THE PERMANENT EMPLOYEES TO HANDLE THE CONTRACT.
SO THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH THEY'RE GONNA NEGOTIATE WITH MR. ROBINSON FOR, UH, ON THIS CONTRACT.
SO WE CAN ASK, BUT THEY'VE GOT A LOT OF LEVERAGE 'CAUSE WE HAVE THE NEED UN UNDERSTOOD.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IF WE COULD DO IT, UM, SIX MONTHS RATHER THAN A YEAR WITH AN OUT CLAUSE AND, AND WE MAY BE ABLE TO PUT IN MORE THAN 60 DAYS, WE MAY BE ABLE TO GIVE A LONGER OUT ON THIS, BUT, OR SHORTER.
WE WILL HAVE TO WORK THAT WITH THEM.
I'VE SUGGESTED THEY HAVE DISCUSSIONS FOR THREE MONTHS.
UH, THAT GIVES US ENOUGH TIME TO DO THE COMPETITION, TO GET THE BID OUT THERE, UH, AND GET RESPONSES, HOPEFULLY.
UM, NEXT ITEM IS, UH, I THINK SOME GOOD NEWS.
THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MILITARY ENHANCEMENT GRANT PROPOSAL.
UM, IN OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NAVY MARINE CORPS TEAM, UH, WE'RE WORKING WITH, UM, BEAUFORT JASPER WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY TO APPLY FOR $5.7 MILLION.
UH, MILITARY ENHANCEMENT GRANT TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO REPLACE THE WATER LINES AT THE, UH, MARINE CORPS RECRUITING AG PARIS ISLAND, UH, THE MILITARY ENHANCEMENT FUNDS CREATED BY THE SOUTH CAROLINA LEGISLATURE TO IMPROVE INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORTING MILITARY INSTALLATIONS.
THESE PARTICULAR WATER LINES, I, I BELIEVE THEY GO BACK TO THE FIFTIES.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE OLD AND THEY'RE AT RISK, RISK OF DEGRADATION OR FAILURE, WHICH THAT'S CERTAINLY NOT SOMETHING WE WANT TO HAVE.
[00:25:01]
A CRITICAL INSTALLATION LIKE THE, LIKE PARIS ISLAND, UH, CURRENT LINES DELIVER 175 MILLION GALLONS ANNUALLY.UM, THIS REPLACEMENT WILL ENSURE THAT, UH, THE INSTALLATION HAS RELIABLE SOURCE OF WATER FOR THE NEXT 50 YEARS.
IT'S JUST ANOTHER PROJECT IN THE LONG LIST OF THE COUNTY IS EITHER ENDORSED OR SPONSORED.
AND, UM, WE'VE GOT OTHERS WHICH INCLUDE THE PARASAILING, LIVING SHORELINE, THE MULTI-USE PATHWAY, THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT, PLANT REVITALIZATION PLAN THAT SUPPORTS THE TRI COMMAND AND A STUDY REGARDING THE NAVAL HOSPITAL.
AND I WANNA EMPHASIZE THIS IS NO COST TO THE COUNTY, JUST THE COUNTY HAS TO APPLY FOR THE GRANT ON BEHALF OF, UM, BEAUFORT JASPER IN AND THE INSTALLATION.
AND, UM, WE'VE WRITTEN A LETTER OF SUPPORT, SUBMIT THE GRANT APPLICATION ON BEHALF OF BEAUFORT JASPER WATER.
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT? ALRIGHT, GREAT.
WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THE INGO MORE AGREEMENT WITH JASPER COUNTY TO SUPPORT THEIR NEEDS, UM, FOR, UM, UH, JASPER COUNTY, UH, ANIMALS.
AT THAT TIME, WE DID NOT HAVE THE IGA, BUT IN INTEREST OF TRANSPARENCY, THE IGA IS NOW IN YOUR, UM, IN YOUR, UH, UH, AGENDA PACKAGE THAT WENT OUT.
SO EVERYBODY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THAT.
AND, UM, JUST AS A RECAP, UH, WE HAD MET WITH A JASPER COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND, UM, WHO HAD REQUESTED ASSISTANCE, UM, THAT WAS DISCUSSED HERE AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING.
UM, THE, I WAS, I WAS AUTHORIZED BY, BY COUNCIL TO PROCEED.
AND, AND ON THE 15TH OF, UH, JULY, WE PROVIDED A DRAFT IGA TO JASPER COUNTY.
UM, THEY ACCEPTED THE, THE EDITS AND, UM, IT WAS PRESENTED TO THEIR COUNSEL ON JULY 21ST, AND IT WAS APPROVED.
WHO APPROVED THE ADMINISTRATOR ENTER THE IGA.
UM, SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS ARE, UM, BEAUFORT COUNTY AGREES TO ASSIST WITH THE INTAKE AND SHELTERING OF ANIMALS FROM JASPER COUNTY, UH, SUPPORT JASPER COUNTY, ENSURING ALL ANIMALS RECEIVE PROPER VETERINARY CARE AND TO COLLABORATE ON INTAKE PROCEDURES AND RECORD KEEPING.
AND JASPER COUNTY AGREED TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO THEIR FACILITIES, RECORDS AND TRANSFER OF CUSTODY OF ANIMALS.
UH, MAINTAIN THE ROLE AS A MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY RESPONSIBLE FOR ANIMAL CONTROL ENFORCEMENT IN JASPER COUNTY.
PROVIDE LIAISON FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES, AND THEN PAY ALL BEAUFORT COUNTY INVOICES FOR PERSONNEL COSTS, CAPITAL EQUIPMENT USE, AND ANIMAL CARE.
AND FROM AUGUST 1ST THROUGH THROUGH AUGUST 8TH, WE'VE DOCUMENTED 36 HOURS ON BEHALF OF JASPER COUNTY, AND WE'LL BE SENDING OUR FIRST INVOICE, UH, AT DURING THIS WEEK, UH, FOR SERVICES.
SO ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ADD ON THAT, MR. ROBINSON? IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, QUICKLY INTRODUCE, UM, F FOR ANY FROM HILTON HEAD HUMANE.
UM, SO WHAT, UH, MR. MOORE JUST DESCRIBED IS AN INCREDIBLE EXAMPLE OF AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT WHERE TWO NEIGHBORS REACHED OUT TO HELP ONE ANOTHER IN, IN THIS CASE, BEAUFORT COUNTY, ASSISTING JASPER COUNTY THROUGH OUR ANIMAL SERVICES DIRECTOR TO TOULA AND OUR INCREDIBLE PARTNERS, UH, HILTON HEAD HUMANE.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE INCREDIBLE SERVICES A LOT THROUGH DONATIONS, UH, FROM HILTON HEAD HUMANE PROVIDING, UH, SERVICES AND, UH, VOLUNTEERS TO HELP, UM, UH, STABILIZE THE JASPER COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER.
WHAT WE HAVE TODAY IS COLE, UM, MR. LULA'S GONNA BRING COLE AROUND TO SEE YOU.
UH, YEAH, HE CAME FROM JASPER COUNTY.
UH, WE FOUND HIM ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.
THIS IS OUR THIRD SURGERY OF HIT BY CARS THAT WERE FINDING DITCHES.
AND THANKS TO HILTON AND YOU MAY, HIS LEG WAS AMPUTATED.
OBVIOUSLY HE'S 10 BECAUSE WE JUST FOUND HIM.
IT'S NOT BECAUSE WE DON'T, ANYWAY, SO, UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF DOGS THERE IN THE SHELTER.
'CAUSE WE'RE, YOU KNOW, INTAKING A LOT OF INJURED ANIMALS.
PART POSITIVE IS HUGE IN JASPER COUNTY.
THERE'S A LOT OF EDUCATION THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
UM, AND SO AGAIN, WE COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT HILTON HEAD HUMANE, BUT TO TURN OUR BACKS ON A KNEE LIKE THIS, UH, BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE CAPACITY.
UM, I'M PROUD OF BEFORD COUNTY FOR STEPPING UP.
ADRIAN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY, DID YOU, YOU'VE DONE A LOT.
PLEASE STAND UP AND STOP
AND I, I'LL JUST SAY THAT, UM, NOT ONLY ALL OF THIS COLLABORATION, ALL THE SUPPORT WE'VE GOTTEN, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO ALSO MENTION THAT, UM, THE, UM, REGIME THAT WAS AT JASPER COUNTY, THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD AND HIS WIFE MICHELLE, HAVE ALSO BEEN IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH US.
UM, THEY ARE VERY MUCH IN SUPPORT OF EVERYTHING THAT WE DO.
WE HAVE A MEETING OUT THERE ON TUESDAY TO GO OVER THE GROUNDS AND DO SOME IMPROVEMENTS OF WHICH KEITH HUGHES HAS BEEN INVITED TO PARTICIPATE.
SO, I MEAN, I, SO I THINK I'D LIKE TO SQUASH ALL OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE RUMORS THAT GO AROUND THAT THERE'S A LOT OF INFIGHTING AND FIGHTING.
THIS IS, THIS HAS BEEN A VERY WONDERFUL COLLABORATION OF EVERYONE COMING IN AND GOING OUT AND STILL BEING TOGETHER.
[00:30:01]
AS WELL.SO JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY KNEW THAT, UM, WE'RE ALL PARTICIPATING TOGETHER.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING COLE, BUT I'LL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.
FRAN, IS THIS THE FIRST, UM, COOPERATION YOU HAVE WITH BUFORT ON WAVE ANIMAL SERVICES, UH, WITH JASPER? UM, WELL, UM, WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN A PART OF JASPER AS FAR AS HELPING WITH SPAY AND NEUTER.
UM, WE'VE HELPED WITH EMERGENCY SURGERIES WITH, WITH JM FOR MANY YEARS.
WE'VE BEEN IN RELATIONSHIP WITH SEVERAL OF THEIR DIRECTORS AS THEY'VE GONE THROUGH, COME AND GONE.
SO WE'VE ALWAYS HAD A NICE RELATIONSHIP WITH CHARM.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN PART OF VOLUNTEERING AND NOW WORKING? HOW MANY YEARS HAS THAT BEEN? MYSELF PERSONALLY? YEAH.
OH, I, WELL,
I WOULD SAY, UH, OVER 20 YEARS.
AND I KNOW ULA, WHERE DID TALLULAH GO? HEY, BACK THERE.
YEAH, LISTEN, WELL LISTEN, GOTTA GO TO THE BATHROOM, RIGHT? WE GET THAT.
BUT LISTEN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND IF I COULD JUST SAY ONE MORE THING, UH, UH, WITH, UH, TULA MCGEE, SHE IS REMARKABLE.
AND SO I THINK THAT BUFORT COUNTY SHOULD BE VERY PROUD OF WHO THEY HAVE IN LEADERSHIP THERE WITH ANIMAL SERVICES.
I'VE, I'VE NEVER WORKED WITH A PARTNER THAT IS AS REMARKABLE AS SHE IS AND I HAVE NOTHING BUT TOTAL RESPECT FOR HER.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? MADAM CHAIRMAN, I JUST WANNA COMMENT THAT, UM, THE FACILITY THAT WE HAVE IS AN IDEAL LOCATION FOR GOOD COLLABORATION WITH JASPER COUNTY.
SO I SEE THE WORD TEMPORARY I HOPE WILL CHANGE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENT? COUNCIL, HOW OFTEN WILL WE BILL, UM, JASPER COUNTY? THIS YOU DID ONE WEEK AND SO YOU HAVE AN INVOICE? YES, MA'AM.
HOW OFTEN ARE WE GONNA INVOICE? YES MA'AM.
I HAVE AN INVOICE PREPARED NOW.
SO WE, WE HAVE AN INVOICE, UH, ABOUT THREE WEEKS OF ANIMAL CARE.
AND, UH, FOR THE FIRST WEEK WE, WE, BEAUFORT COUNTY STAFF STARTED REALLY ON AUGUST 1ST.
SO BY FRIDAY WE'LL HAVE TWO WEEKS AND WE'LL INVOICE THEM FOR THAT TIME.
BUT THERE WE HAVE THE INVOICE PREPARED NOW FOR ANIMALS.
SO YOU'RE GONNA INVOICE ONCE A MONTH, ONCE A WEEK, EVERY TWO WEEKS.
WE'LL SEND THEM EVERY TWO WEEKS.
WE'LL SEND THEM, UH, THAT, THAT INVOICE JUST SO THEY KNOW WHAT'S COMING.
'CAUSE THE CARE OF SOME ANIMALS ARE EXPENSIVE AND WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE THEM ANY SURPRISES.
CAN I JUST WANNA SAY, UH, FRAN'S, UH, COMMENTS, THANKS FOR THE POSITIVE COMMENTS ABOUT TALLAH, BUT I WILL SAY THAT WE ARE ALL VERY WELL AWARE OF THE CONTRIBUTION THAT SHE MAKES, UH, THE VALUED AND VALUE VALUABLE EMPLOYEE THAT SHE IS.
BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THOSE COMMENTS.
THAT JUST REINFORCES FOR US AGAIN, UH, HOW TERRIFIC SHE IS.
LAST THING I I WANT TO SAY IS THAT, UH, WE CONTINUE TO WORK WEEKLY WITH, UH, THE BEAUFORT, UH, WITH THE JASPER COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
AND WE ARE ALREADY WORKING ON A TRANSITION PLAN, UH, FOR JASPER COUNTY TO RES ASSUME THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES.
LAST, THAT'S, UH, ONE THING I WAS, WE WERE GOING TO AT, AT REQUEST HAVE THE AUDITOR JUST COME UP AND GIVE AN UPDATE ON, UH, THE TAX BILL.
SO SINCE HE'S HERE, I WOULD INVITE MR. KAD TO COME UP.
UM, QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TAX BILL? YES, IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN.
UM, EVERYTHING LOOKS ON TRACK.
HOWEVER, SOME OF THE THINGS CAN HAPPEN.
YOU KNOW, THOSE LITTLE SPINNY THINGS OUT IN THE WATER COME IN AND DISRUPT EVERYTHING WE DO.
WE END UP HAVING TO SHUT THE OFFICES DOWN IF WE DON'T GET THE FILES IN TIME FROM THE OTHER OFFICES.
UM, BUT WE'RE DOING PRETTY GOOD AND WE'VE BEEN GETTING THE STORM WATER FILED EARLIER, EARLIER EVERY YEAR.
THAT'S USUALLY THE LAST THING WE WAIT FOR BEFORE WE DO THE BILL CYCLE AND DO EVERYTHING.
BUT THAT'S BEEN COMING EARLIER.
SO WITH PERFECT WORLD, WE HAVE NO ISSUES UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT WEATHER DICTATING AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
IT'S JUST, UM, VERY UNPREDICTABLE.
'CAUSE A HURRICANE HAS STOPPED, UH, THE, THE BILL RUN LIKE TWO SEPARATE YEARS JUST 'CAUSE OF WHEN THE HURRICANE HIT.
I USUALLY GET 'EM DONE BY THE, UH, 30TH OF SEPTEMBER WHEN WE CAN I GET 'EM DONE RIGHT THERE AND THEN, UM, AFTER THAT I, I HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MAILING, BUT I THINK THEY GO OUT SOMETIME IN NOVEMBER.
OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS FOR THE AUDITOR.
SO AS PASSED IN OUR, UH, THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, THE TAX BILLS WILL BREAK DOWN THE 59.5 MILS OKAY.
[00:35:01]
DOESN'T MAKE ME FEEL I WOULDN'T HAVE.MY BEST THING I CAN SAY IS, UM, IT'LL BE BROKE OUT IN THE COMPUTER THAT WAY I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PROBLEM WOULD BE THEN.
IS IT THAT WHAT SPITS 'EM OUT? THERE'S SOME PROBLEMS, BUT AS FAR AS GET, I DO IT INTO THE COMPUTER AND I, I BREAK IT OUT AFTER THAT.
I HAVE NO CONTROL WHO HAS CONTROL THE TREASURER'S OFFICE.
I WOULD POINT OUT THAT THE UH, BUDGET ORDINANCE DIRECTS THAT THE AUDITOR PREPARE THE TAX BILLS.
WITH AND WE SAID WITH THE MILLAGE BROKEN OUT THIS MUCH FOR THIS, THIS, THIS.
THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING THE QUESTION.
SO THE INTENT WHETHER THE AUDITOR PRINTS THE BILLS AND MAILS THEM OR IF THE TREASURER PRINTS AND MAILS THE BILLS, THE INTENT IS CLEAR FROM COUNSEL TO BREAK OUT THAT MILLAGE, UM, THAT IS PREPARED ON THE DUPLICATE PREPARED BY THE AUDITOR.
THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL? YES.
WHAT COULD WE DO TONIGHT TO MAKE SURE THAT DOES HAPPEN? WHY LEAVE THIS MEETING WITHOUT GETTING THAT DONE? Y YOU'VE ALREADY DONE THAT.
THEN WHY IS THERE EVEN A QUESTION OF THAT? UH, IT'S JUST EDUCATE ME.
I JUST PASSED ISSUES AS FAR AS THE PREPARATION OF THE TAX BILLS.
UH, AND THE MAILING OF TAX BILLS THAT HAVE OCCURRED, UH, IS CAUSING THE OUT CHAIR CONCERN AT THIS TIME AS FAR AS WHAT'S GOING TO OCCUR.
SO WE'LL JUST HAVE TO SEE WHAT PLAYS OUT THIS TAX CYCLE.
BUT WE DID EVERYTHING WE COULD.
WE PUT IT INTO BUDGET ORDINANCE AND MADE IT CLEAR THAT THE AUDITOR'S THE ONE TO PREPARE THE BILL AND YOU WANT THE MILLAGE BROKEN OUT AND YOU EXPECT THAT TO BE ON THE TAX BILL THAT'S MAILED TO THE UH, CITIZENS.
LISTEN, THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU, BUT I'M STILL CONFUSED WHY IT'S NOT GOING OUT, BUT I'LL LET IT GO.
I MEAN WE GOTTA ADDRESS THAT AND TAKE CARE.
ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING.
IF, IF I MAY, I JUST LIKE YES SIR, TO TALK ABOUT MY APPEAL PROCESS.
IT DEALS WITH THIS INTEREST RATE STUFF, OUR APPEAL, MY APPEAL PROCESS.
WE HAVE 70 DAYS TO COMPLETE THE APPEAL PROCESS.
THAT'S FROM THE START TO BEGINNING THEM COMING IN.
'CAUSE THEY APPEAL ALL PERSONAL PROPERTY OR REAL PROPERTY.
SO YOU HAVE 70 DAYS TO GET THAT DONE.
IF YOU DON'T GET IT DONE WITHIN 70 DAYS, INTEREST CRUISE.
SO THAT'S WHERE YOU START PICKING UP THE INTEREST.
'CAUSE THE GOVERNMENT SAYS, I GIVE YOU 70 DAYS.
YOU CAN'T MEET THAT TIMELINE BY LAW.
I HAVE TO GIVE YOU INTEREST FOR THE DATES PAST THAT.
SO THAT'S WHERE THE WHOLE INTERESTING COMES IN AS FAR AS THE TEXT GOING ON.
BUT THREE WEEKS I DON'T THINK THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
UM, 'CAUSE WE'RE IN THE EFFICACY, THE SMALLEST STAGE RIGHT NOW AND I'VE BEEN MAKING PHONE CALLS AND I THINK THERE'S GONNA BE, GONNA HAVE TO RECALCULATE THESE, UH, INTEREST PAYMENTS.
THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO GET RECALCULATED ON SOME OF THE QUALS I HAVE.
I'M JUST TRYING TO VERIFY WITH THE STATE IF THAT'S THE WAY I SHOULD DO IT.
UM, SO THEY MAY HAVE TO GET RECALCULATED.
AND AGAIN, WHEN WE PUT 'EM IN THE SYSTEM, THE SYSTEM'S SO OLD, EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT.
SO LIKE SPEND THE MONEY TO GET THE NEW ONE.
THE SYSTEM'S SO OLD WE HAVE TO PUT 'EM IN LINE BY LINE.
SO IT TAKES THE MONEY FROM MUNICIPALITY, TAKES THE MONEY FROM THE COUNTY, IT TAKES THE MONEY FROM THE SCHOOL AND IT SEPARATES IT OUT.
WE HAVE TO DO IT LINE BY LINE.
IT TAKES US ABOUT FIVE OR SIX MINUTES PER ACCOUNT PER HIT TO DO THAT.
AND WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE ROSTER TODAY, I GOT 6,113 HITS OR LINE ON NUMBERS THAT I HAVE TO DO TO GET THAT IN THERE.
SO IF YOU COST FIVE MINUTES PER, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE TAX BILLS ARE COMING UP.
SO IT'S NOT GONNA, IT'S GOING TO BE A LITTLE CONCERNING AND HARD 'CAUSE WE GOT OTHER PRIORITIES GOING ON.
UM, I'VE JUST THAT MR. CAD, FOR YOUR INFORMATION, UM, I'VE HEARD COMPLIMENTS ON YOUR NEW WEBSITE FROM SOME OF MY CONSTITUENTS, SO THANK YOU.
AND, UM, I ENCOURAGE THE PUBLIC TO GO TO IT AND, AND, UM, LOOK AT IT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR THE AUDITOR? YOU TALKED ABOUT HAVING TO HAVE NEW SOFTWARE.
IS THAT IN THE PIPELINE? IT IS.
WE ALREADY CHOSE TO SEE IF I CAN TALK ON IT.
THEY'RE JUST FINISHING UP WITH THE CONTRACTS.
IT WAS APPROVED IN THE FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET.
BUT LIKE EVERYTHING, IT TAKES A WHILE, TWO YEARS PLUS TO GET THAT STUFF.
BUT RIGHT NOW WE REACHED OUT TO, UM, MENTUM AND THEN TOLD 'EM OUR ISSUES WE'RE HAVING WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO PUT THIS INFORMATION IN THERE AND IT'S KICKING IT BACK OUT OR PUTTING A NEGATIVE THERE.
AND, UM, SO THEY OPENED UP A CASE, BUT WE CAN'T MAKE IT OUR PRIORITY BECAUSE WE GOT PROBLEMS WITH THE TAX BILLS.
RIGHT NOW WITH THE SAME SYSTEM IS THE PENALTY DATES, IT COULD SAVE $5 ON THE TAX BILL OR IN THE SYSTEM.
WHEN YOU PRINT IT OUT, IT'LL SAY $7.
HOW'D THAT HAPPEN? SO THERE ARE THE ISSUES WE'RE HAVING.
SO THAT'S A PRIORITY RIGHT NOW.
AND YOU'RE ALLOWED TO HAVE ONE PRIORITY AT A TIME WITH THE SOFTWARE COMPANY.
AS AS LONG AS YOU HOLD THE MONEY, THE INTEREST WILL ACCRUE, RIGHT? CORRECT.
THAT'S WHAT I'M GETTING IS OKAY.
FOR EVERY DAY WE HOLD THE MONEY, TAKE YOUR TIME OR FROM EVERY DAY TO THE POINT.
[00:40:01]
THE THE PAYMENT.YEAH, IT'S GOT IT DOES IT, IT ACCRUES.
TAKE YOUR FIVE MINUTES ON EACH ACCOUNT.
OH, WHOA, YOU GOOD TIME, PERIOD.
MR. MOORE, DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER THAT'S, THAT'S ALL.
[8. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD]
TIME WE ARE GOING TO, UH, OPEN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.IN THE ORDER THAT PEOPLE SIGNED UP, I'D LIKE TO REMIND THE PUBLIC THAT EVERY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO IS RECOGNIZED TO SPEAK SHALL LIMIT COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES AND OBSERVE THE FOLLOWING PROTOCOL, ADDRESS THE CHAIRMAN.
AND IN SPEAKING, AVOID DISRESPECT TO COUNSEL AND ANY PERSONALITIES CONFINE THEMSELVES TO QUESTIONS UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE COUNCIL.
BE MINDFUL AND RESPECTFUL OF THOSE WHO ARE PRESENT AND OTHERS WHO MAY BE WATCHING ON TELEVISION.
THE FIRST PERSON TO SIGN UP TONIGHT IS MS. CARRIE, MAJOR.
COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK AGAIN.
I, AGAIN BRING YOUR ATTENTION TO ST.
HELENA ISLAND AND OUR LACK OF, UH, RESOURCE FOR OUR CHILDREN, UM, IN THE FORM OF A COMMUNITY OR YOUTH CENTER AND OR RECREATION CENTER, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT.
WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY HAVE ONE IN THE WORKS, UM, PHASE ONE, BUT WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT HAPPENING.
AND ALSO PHASE TWO, WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE A GYM FOR OUR CHILDREN ROOMS FOR AFTERSCHOOL TUTORING.
COMPUTER ROOMS. UM, A LARGE CONFERENCE ROOM FOR MEETINGS AND ACTIVITIES.
AND, UM, WE WANT TO BASICALLY MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A RECREATIONAL FACILITY AND EDUCATIONAL, UM, COMPONENT SO OUR COMMUNITY WILL HAVE A PLACE FOR OUR YOUTH TO GO AS WELL.
AND I'M HOPING AND PRAYING THAT THIS BE DONE SOONER, UM, MORE THAN LATER.
NEXT IS ROBERT ADAMS. GOOD EVENING, UH, COUNTY COUNCIL.
I'M ROBERT ADAMS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT THE PENN CENTER.
AND, UM, I'M JUST COMING HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT, UM, THE SITUATION WITH THE, WITH THE CULTURAL PROTECTION OVERLAY.
UM, AT PENN CENTER WE CONTINUE TO, UH, CHECK IN WITH OUR AUDIENCE, WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS ON ST.
HELENA TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE IN ALIGNMENT WITH, UH, THEIR NEEDS AND DESIRES.
AND WHAT WE'RE PASSING OUT NOW ARE SOME OF THE LETTERS THAT WE'VE BEEN SOLICITING FROM ST.
HELENA RESIDENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY SUPPORT THE CONTINUATION OF THE CPO.
AND, UM, THIS IS JUST A SAMPLE OF THOSE LETTERS THAT WE'VE COLLECTED, YOU'LL BE GETTING MORE LATER.
UM, BUT IT'S JUST TO KIND OF LET YOU KNOW THAT PENNER DOES NOT TRY TO GET AHEAD OF THE CONSTITUENTS OF ST.
WE ARE A, UH, WE'RE A REFLECTION OF WHAT'S GOING ON ON THE ISLAND.
AND THE ISLAND IS SOLIDLY FOR, UH, UPHOLDING THE CPO.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR EFFORTS IN THAT, IN THE UPHOLDING OF THE CPO.
ALRIGHT, NUMBER THREE ON OUR LIST IS, UM, FAR MARQUEE.
UM, AS ALL OF YOU KNOW, I AM IN, UM, SUPPORT OF THE CPO BEING UPHELD.
UM, WE CONTINUE TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR ALL THE SUPPORT THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US UP TILL NOW, AND WE ASK THAT YOU CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
UM, WE KNOW THAT, UM, YOU GUYS DISCUSSED, UM, THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT TODAY.
UM, WE ARE HOPING THAT YOU WILL TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION LATER ON.
BUT WE NEED THE CPO TO STAND ON ITS OWN MERITS BEFORE YOU CONSIDER OTHER, UM, OFFERS OR YOU, UM, LOOK AT OTHER THINGS.
LOOK AT WHAT THE CPO HAS DONE IN THE PAST AND CONSIDER WHAT IT WILL DO FOR THE COMMUNITY IN THE FUTURE.
I'M GETTING A LITTLE BETTER AT PRONOUNCING IT.
DO I NEED TO, I JUST WANTED TO HOLD THIS UP.
THIS WAS IN THE PAPER ON WEDNESDAY AND IT WAS, UH, IT'S AN AD, NOT AN AD, IT'S AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF TALKING ABOUT THE CPO.
AND UM, BASICALLY WHAT THIS SHOWS IS
[00:45:01]
THAT ALL OF THESE LITTLE RED MARKS THAT ARE ON THIS MAP ARE GOLF COURSES THAT ARE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.AND, UH, I THINK IT'S PRETTY CLEAR THAT THERE ARE QUITE A FEW.
BUT WHAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT MORE IS THAT IT'S HARD FOR ME TO COMPREHEND THAT ONE PERSON OR ONE BUSINESS OR ONE DEVELOPER CAN COME INTO A COMMUNITY AND BASICALLY DESTROY IT.
THIS IS THE LAST PART OF THE GULLAH GEECHEE PEOPLE.
THIS IS WHERE THE PENN CENTER IS.
AND TO HAVE SOMEBODY FROM THE OUTSIDE THAT MAY NOT HAVE KNOWN VERY MUCH ABOUT THE GULLAH GEECHEE TO COME HERE AND BASICALLY DESTROY THE END OF A CULTURE, I FIND THAT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT KIND PEOPLE AND PEOPLE THAT SUPPORT YOU ALL IN YOUR OFFICES AND VOTE YOU IN AND, AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS WOULD BE PROUD OF THAT.
UM, I THINK IT'S THE, THE GULLAH GEECHEE PEOPLE NEED TO BE SUPPORTED.
HELENA WHERE THEY HAVE BEEN FOR 300 YEARS.
THEY'VE BEEN ERADICATED FROM NORTH CAROLINA, GEORGIA, HILTON HEAD AND OTHER LITTLE SMALL POCKETS.
AND SO THIS IS PRETTY MUCH IT.
SO I JUST FEEL LIKE I KNOW THE CPO IS FOR PINE ISLAND, BUT I THINK THE DESTRUCTION OF PINE ISLAND WITH A GOLF COURSE AND MULTIMILLION DOLLAR HOMES IS NOT GOING TO HAVE THE POSITIVE EFFECT ON THE GULLAH GEECHEE CULTURE.
THAT SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT IT WILL, IT MIGHT CO MIGHT MAKE SOME JOBS, MIGHT DO THIS, MIGHT DO THAT.
I'M SURE YOU ALL HAVE HEARD EVERYTHING ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON THERE AND ALL THE LAWSUITS.
AND I GUESS I JUST FEEL LIKE IF SOMEBODY HAS TO FIGHT SO HARD WITH LAWSUIT AFTER LAWSUIT AFTER LAWSUIT TO MAKE SOMETHING THAT BASICALLY THE PEOPLE OF ST.
HELENA DON'T WANT, IT'S HARD FOR ME TO UNDERSTAND.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK THIS AFTERNOON.
WELL, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS DURING THIS FIGHT TO SAVE OUR LIVES IN OUR COMMUNITY WITH THE CPO.
BUT THERE ARE THREE DOORS I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT YOUR DAY.
I'M GONNA OPEN THE FIRST DOOR ABOUT THE DEVELOPER COMING IN, RIDING ON A WHITE HORSE, TRYING TO SAVE THE COMMUNITY.
UM, RIGHT NOW HE WANTS TO CARVE OUT FROM THE CPO.
WE SAW GREEN CHURCH, THE AGITATORS IN OUR MEETING, DISRUPTORS COMING TO OUR MEETINGS.
AND WE HAVE SOME WHO HAVE LEFT THE POSSE 'CAUSE THEY FOUND THE ERROR OF THEIR WAYS.
AND NOW THEY REALIZE THAT WE HAVE TO BE SELF-SUFFICIENT IN OUR CULTURE TO MAKE IT.
AND THERE'S DOOR NUMBER TWO, SURPRISE DOOR.
WE DON'T KNOW WHO'S COMING HERE.
THESE SECRET INVESTORS, UM, THEY COME HERE, THEY DON'T KNOW OUR LANGUAGE, DON'T KNOW OUR CULTURE, DON'T HONOR OUR ANCESTORS.
THEY'RE DIGGING UP IN ON GRAVES AND BUILDING UN ABOVE IT.
BEACHFRONT REALTORS ARE COMING HERE PROFITING FROM THE VIEW.
THIS IS, THIS IS CULTURAL ERASED IN DISGUISED.
WHY WE ENTERTAIN THIS MADNESS.
AND THERE'S DOOR NUMBER THREE, THE PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE.
I REALLY, THE WOMEN WOMAN CAME BEFORE ME.
SHE SAID IT ALL, LIVING ON THIS ISLAND, LOOKING TO YOU FOR THE TRUTH TO FATHER COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, CARVING OUT FOR DEVELOPMENT WILL NOT WORK.
YOU'LL BE CREATING A DOMINIC EFFECT ERA.
OUR CULTURE AND MORE WILL COME.
WE WANNA THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE IN THE PAST IN OUR BATTLES TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT OUR WAY OF LIFE.
YOUR VOTE ON NOTE WILL BE THE PATH OF STOPPING THE DESTRUCTION OF THE CULTURAL ERASING OF OUR CULTURE.
UM, I WOULD, I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE PINE ISLAND THING, BUT MORE ABOUT THE GULLAH GEECHEE CULTURE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH AND YOU KNOW, Y'ALL HAVE HEARD THIS A BUNCH OF TIMES, BUT FOR ME, WHAT THIS HAS ALL
[00:50:01]
COME DOWN TO IS HAVING COMPASSION AND EMPATHY.AND THERE'S NOT ENOUGH OF THAT GOING ON IN THIS WORLD TODAY.
BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE COMPASSION AND EMPATHY FOR EVERYBODY.
AND, AND I PERSONALLY HAVE A WHOLE LOT FOR THE GULLAH PEOPLE AND THEIR HISTORY AND THEIR CULTURE.
AND, UM, SO I KNOW THIS IS GOING TO COME UP AGAIN, BUT I JUST THOUGHT I'D THROW THAT OUT THERE.
IT'S, UM, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME TO BE VERY MINDFUL OF THAT AND, AND I WOULD ASK THAT AND PRAY THAT YOU ALL DO AS WELL.
THANK YOU FOR READING MY EMAILS AND LETTING ME SPEAK TODAY.
IT IS A VERY GOOD THING WHEN WE SAVE ANIMALS.
THAT'S MY PASSION, NUMBER ONE.
SO THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH ASSISTING JASPER COUNTY IN THE INTAKE AND THE HELP WITH THEIR ANIMALS.
MY CONCERN, AND IT STILL IS AFTER YOUR RESPONSE TO ME, I'VE SENT YOU ANOTHER EMAIL, IS THAT YOU STILL DON'T KNOW WHY YOU DID IT.
YOU STILL DON'T HAVE ALL OF THE INFORMATION.
I CAN'T EXPECT YOU TO VOTE IF YOU DON'T HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION.
I WAS ENCOURAGED TONIGHT TO HEAR YOU, ALL OF YOU ASK QUESTIONS OF MR. MOORE ON SOME OF HIS PRESENTATIONS.
I WISH YOU WOULD ASK MORE QUESTIONS BECAUSE I NOW FEEL THAT STAFF DOESN'T GIVE YOU ALL THE INFORMATION.
AND IF THEY DON'T KNOW IT, WHY NOT? SO PLEASE CONTINUE DOING GOOD THINGS, BUT PLEASE DON'T DO IT AT THE EXPENSE OF OTHER TAXPAYERS IN THIS COMMUNITY.
I WILL HAVE TO HOLD IT, I GUESS.
UH, GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND THANK YOU FOR THE POSSIBLE REFUND CHECK IF I, YOU HOPE YOU'RE ON THE LIST,
UM, WHAT I'VE HEARD OVER THE, THE MONTHS AND YEARS FROM, UH, DIFFERENT COUNCIL MEMBERS AND JUST IN THE ATMOSPHERE THAT WHEN YOU, WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING A MAJOR DECISION, PEOPLE HAVE CRITERIA.
PEOPLE HAVE CERTAIN THINGS THAT'S IMPORTANT TO THEM.
AND WHAT I'VE HEARD OVER THE MONTHS AND YEARS IS, UH, JOBS FOR THE COMMUNITY, RESPONSIBLE DENSITY, COMMUNITY RELATIONS, UH, INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY RECREATIONAL CENTER, UH, CONSTITUTIONAL.
I'M GONNA START WITH THE LAST ONE FIRST.
UH, WE BELIEVE THAT THE CPO IS CONSTITUTIONAL.
THE SUPREME COURT MADE A DECISION WHETHER IT WAS CONSTITUTIONAL OR NOT.
UH, SO IF IT WAS A LAW, THEN THAT LAW DID NOT EXPIRE.
IF THERE IS AMBIGUITY AND THERE IS NONE, THEN THE AMBIGUITY, THE DECISION GOES TO THE PERSON THAT WROTE THE LANGUAGE, NOT THE CHALLENGER.
IT GOES TO THE PERSON THAT WROTE IT.
IF THERE'S AMBIGUITY, UH, COMMUNITY RELATIONS OR COMMUNITY INPUT, THE COMMUNITY HAS TURNED OUT TIME AND TIME AGAIN SAYING THAT THEY SUPPORT THE CPO THAT'S IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT TO YOUR COMMUNITY.
IT SHOWS YOUR COMMUNITY THAT YOU LISTEN TO WHAT THE RESIDENTS AND THE PROPERTY OWNERS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE.
RESPONSIBLE DENSITY, THAT'S A NEW ONE THAT CAME UP, UH, RECENTLY THIS YEAR.
IF A DEVELOPER CAN BUILD 150 HOUSES, RESPONSIBLE DENSITY MEANS THAT THEY ONLY GONNA BUILD 50, 33%.
I DON'T THINK THAT FUTURE DEVELOPERS
[00:55:01]
WILL BE SATISFIED WITH THAT, BUT THAT'S THE DEFINITION OF RESPONSIBLE DENSITY THAT WHAT'S BEEN PRESENTED BY THE DEVELOPER FROM PINE ISLAND.UH, IT WAS PRESENTED TO THE PLANNING COMMITTEE THAT, UH, JOBS WOULD BE AVERAGE OF $80,000 A YEAR.
NOW, I'M NOT GONNA GO INTO THAT.
I'M NOT, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT.
UH, RECREATIONAL CENTER, WHEN THAT CAME UP, WE SAID WE ARE NOT INTERESTED IN, UH, OPENING THAT CAN OF WORMS OR GOING IN ON OF THAT RABBIT HOLE BECAUSE WE DON'T BELIEVE IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN OF A DONATION OF $202.5 MILLION.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY AND KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.
NEXT IS, UM, JOSEPH MCDERMICK.
I MADAM CHAIR LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, COUNSEL, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK.
HALL AND LADIES ISLAND SINCE 1964.
I SERVED NEARLY 30 YEARS AS A PEOPLE COUNTY MAGISTRATE.
I'VE BEEN HONORED TO WORK WITH PENN CENTRAL LAND DEVELOPMENT PROJECT.
MY ROOTS IN THIS COMMUNITY RUNS DEEP.
I RIGHT TO EXPRESS MY STRONG OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSED MAP AMENDMENT.
WE SEEK TO REMOVE PROPERTY FROM THE CULTURAL PROTECTION OVERLAY.
THIS IS NOT SIMPLY A MATTER OF ZONING, THIS IS A MATTER OF CULTURAL PRESERVATION, COMMUNITY INTEGRITY, AND JUSTICE.
THE GULLAH GIGE COMMUNITY, DESCENDANTS OF ENSLAVED AFRICANS WHO ESTABLISHED THEIR HOMES AND HERITAGE ALONG THE SEA ISLANDS, HAS MAINTAINED ITS CULTURAL IDENTITY THROUGH CENTURIES OF STRUGGLES.
HELENA ISLAND REMAINS ONE OF THE MOST CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT AREAS IN THE LOW COUNTRY.
IT IS A PLACE WHERE ORAL TRADITIONS, LANGUAGE LAND, STEWARDSHIP, AND HISTORICAL CONTINUITY HAVE TO SURVIVE AGAINST ENORMOUS ODDS.
THE CAUSE OF PROTECTION OVERLAY ESTABLISHED IN 1999 WERE DESIGNED TO SHIELD THIS IRREPLACEABLE HERITAGE FROM UNCHECKED DEVELOPMENT.
AS DR. ROBERT ADAMS, XAVIER, DIRECTOR OF THE PENSION STATED, WE DON'T BELIEVE THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN BRING IN $18 MILLION THAT YOU GET TO MAKE RULES, NEW RULES FROM THE RULES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE 25 TO 27 YEARS AGO.
THE GULL OF PEOPLE HAVE ENDURED SLAVERY.
JIM CROW'S SYSTEMIC EXCLUSION AND LAND LOSS TO NOW BE THREATENED BY SPECULATIVE DEVELOPMENT IN THE 21ST CENTURY.
IF BOTH HEARTBREAKING AND UNACCEPTABLE, I URGE YOU TO PROTECT THE CULTURAL PROTECTION OVERLY IN ITS ENTIRELY STAND WITH THE PEOPLE OF ST.
STAND WITH THE GULLAH GEECHEE COMMUNITY.
STAND FOR THE PRESERVATION OF A LIVING CULTURE WHOSE ROOTS OR URGE IS SEPARABLE FROM THIS LAND.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.
NEXT, NEXT IS, UM, KEVIN DUKES.
I'M AN ATTORNEY WITH THE LAW FIRM OF HARVEY AND BATTY.
AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE PINE ISLAND PLAN.
UH, ONE THING I WANTED TO JUST START OUT WITH IS TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE IS THIS PROCESS.
AND I'VE BEEN ONE RECENTLY TO THINK THAT IT'S ACTUALLY A VERY GOOD, UH, PROCESS.
I KNOW THAT WE'RE MOVING INTO IT FOR KIND OF THE FIRST TIME IN BEAUFORT COUNTY IN A LONG TIME.
BUT WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT IS THAT WHAT IT DOES IS IT CREATES, IF WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS KIND OF FAIR, TIMELY PROCESS, IT CREATES AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE WHAT WE'VE HAD TONIGHT, THE PUBLIC EN ENGAGEMENT INVOLVEMENT.
UH, THAT WOULD NOT COME FROM A DEVELOPMENT UNDERNEATH, UH, THE EXISTING ZONING OR JUST BY RIGHT ZONING.
AND SO THAT INTERACTIVE PROCESS, THAT GUARANTEED OUTCOME THAT YOU GET AT THE END OF THE PROCESS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T GET OUTSIDE OF THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT PROCESS.
SO I KNOW THAT IT, THERE'S BEEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE AND LOOK AND SAY, WELL, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS IS A, IS A TERRIBLE THING.
WE SHOULDN'T BE MAKING THESE DEALS.
IT'S BEEN OUT IN THE OPEN AND I THINK THAT EVERYBODY'S SEEN IT.
[01:00:01]
THAT THAT'S IMPORTANT.AND I THINK THAT ONE CRITICAL PART OF THAT IS TO UNDERSTAND THAT WITHOUT WHAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH, THERE WOULD BE NO OPEN PROCESS LIKE THAT FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE SEE SO OFTEN, WHICH IS UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE THAT GETS TO THE OUTCOMES, WHICH SO MANY OF US DISLIKE IN THIS COMMUNITY WHERE YOU GET NATIONAL BRANDS, BIG BOX STORES, THEY MOVE IN, THE TREES COME DOWN, THE BUILDINGS GO UP, AND NOBODY KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON UNTIL IT'S TOO LATE.
SO HERE WE ARE, WE'RE PUTTING FORWARD WHAT'S, WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE A REASONABLE GOOD PLAN, A GREAT ALTERNATIVE TO WHAT COULD BE BUILT.
AND WHAT WE ARE SHOWING IS REALLY WHAT WE CAN DO, WHICH IS MORE WITH LESS, WITH LESS IMPACTS.
AND THIS STARTS WITH THE GREATEST OF WHICH IS THE 66% REDUCTION IN DENSITY.
UH, THAT REDUCTION DRIVES MANY OF THE POSITIVE OUTCOMES THAT WE'VE SHOWN IN OUR PLAN.
AND IT'S REALLY REPRESENTED BY THREE NUMBERS.
AND THIS IS SOME STUFF THAT I'VE RUN THROUGH IN THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS AS I'VE GONE AROUND AND TALKED TO FOLKS, IS THAT 16 1.1 AND 516,000 IS THE ANNUAL TAX REVENUE FROM THIS 500 ACRES EVERY YEAR FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS.
1.1 MILLION IS THE ANNUAL TAX REVENUE FROM THIS PROPERTY UNDER OUR PLAN.
AND $500,000 IS THE ADDITIONAL TAX REVENUE OVER AND ABOVE THE CPO PLAN OF 149 HOMES.
SO LESS HOMES, LESS STOCKS, LESS IMPACTS, AND HALF A MILLION DOLLARS OR MORE INCREASED REVENUE.
THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE CAN ACHIEVE AND WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE THOSE THINGS.
THE OTHER THING I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH, I HAVE AN OUTLINE OF SOME OF THE ITEMS IN THE PLAN.
I'VE HEARD FROM SOME PEOPLE THAT THOSE AREN'T REAL.
THEY'RE HERE, THEY'VE BEEN HERE SINCE APRIL.
I'VE GOT THE PAGE AND SECTION NUMBER THAT THEY ARE IN OUR DOCUMENTS AND I WILL EMAIL THOSE TO YOU AND THEY HAVE HYPERLINKS SO THAT YOU CAN GO RIGHT TO 'EM AND SEE THAT THEY'RE THERE AND THAT THEY'VE BEEN THERE FOR THE LAST FOUR MONTHS.
WHEN YOU WERE TALKING EARLIER ABOUT THE, UH, NOVEMBER, UM, DEADLINE, SORRY TO SHOW YOUR AGE, BUT THAT'S FOR THE OVER 65 MARKET.
I LIVE DOWNTOWN, BUT MY FARM IS ON, UH, ST.
HELENA ISLAND, RIGHT BY PINE ISLAND.
UH, I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY THAT CAME ON MY FARM TOUR.
I HAD DAVID THERE, THE TAB, AND ALICE AND, UH, AND, UM, SHANNON ERICKSON CAME AS WELL.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO SHOW Y'ALL ON THAT TERM, THAT WHEN I TOOK ON THAT TOUR, AS Y'ALL MET SOME OF THE LARGEST FARM OWNERS ON ST.
HELENA ISLAND, 500 ACRES IS VERY SMALL IN THE SCHEME OF THINGS, OF WHAT THESE PEOPLE OWN, THESE PEOPLE'S PROPERTIES WERE OWNED BEFORE THE CPO EVEN CAME INTO EFFECT.
SO THE THING THAT SCARES ME IS THAT IF WE TAKE THIS PURCHASE, THIS AGREEMENT, AND WE DON'T UPHOLD THE CPO, AND WE HAVE LAWYERS INVOLVED, THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN THE OTHER DEVELOPERS ARE GONNA COME TO THESE MASSIVE LANDOWNER OWNERS THAT DON'T HAVE 500 ACRES, BUT HAVE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF ACRES, 500 ACRES ON ST.
THESE PEOPLE OWN THOUSANDS OF ACRES.
WE'RE GONNA BE IN THE EXACT SAME SITUATION BECAUSE THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN SOMEBODY THAT'S SITTING ON 4,000 ACRES HAS A DR. HORTON OR ANOTHER DEVELOPMENT COME ALONG AND SAY, I'LL GIVE YOU A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS.
IT'S GONNA BE HARD TO SAY NO, THAT'S GENERATIONAL WEALTH.
SO WE'RE NOT VOTING ON JUST ONE PARTICULAR DEVELOPMENT, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN TO THE FUTURE OF ST.
AND IN THE BUSINESS THAT I'M IN, I RUN INTO PEOPLE ALL THE TIME.
I KNOW PEOPLE ALL OVER BEAUFORT COUNTY AND THE PEOPLE OF ST.
HELENA ISLAND THAT I WENT TO SCHOOL WITH, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, MIDDLE SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL WITH, THEY DON'T WANT IT.
THEY UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S NOT, WHETHER IT'S A GOLF COURSE OR LESS HOUSES, IT'S THE FUTURE OF ARE WE GONNA UPHOLD THE CPO OR ARE WE GONNA LET ST.
HELENA ISLAND BECOME WHAT THE ROUND REST OF THE COUNTIES BECOME? AND I THINK THE REST OF THE COUNTY'S GREAT.
THERE'S, THERE'S GREAT THINGS.
I WENT TO COLLEGE WITH ELLIOT FRAZIER FRAZIER, WHO CREATED THE FIRST GOLF COURSE.
I ACTUALLY GOT HIM OUT OF A FIGHT, GREAT KID.
BUT, UM, AND I, AND I LOVE IT, AND I BLUFFTON, I LOVE IT.
I, SUN CITY, I'VE MET SOME OF THE MOST LOVELY PEOPLE I'VE EVER MET, BUT ST.
HELENA ISLAND IS THE GULLAH CULTURE IN THE AGRICULTURE SECTION OF THIS COUNTY.
AND, AND ALSO I TOOK Y'ALL TO THE SHRIMP BOATS, THE SHRIMP DOCK PEOPLE, THEY JUST, THEY WANT, EVERYBODY WANTS THE SAME THING.
I, I'M, I'M NOT ANTIGO COURSE, I'M JUST PRO HAVING A PART OF THE COUNTY THAT PEOPLE CAN BREATHE IN AND IF THEY WANT FIVE ACRES TO GROW THEIR VEGETABLES, THEY HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
BUT IF WE ALLOW FOR ONE, WE'RE ALLOWING FOR EVERYTHING.
[01:05:01]
Y'ALL WITH THIS.THE REASON THAT I CAME HERE TONIGHT, AND I BROUGHT MY DAUGHTER MAISIE, IS A LONG TIME AGO.
UH, MY MOM, UM, WHEN THEY WERE BUILDING, UH, WHERE GRACO IS TODAY IN FOOD LION.
THE DEVELOPERS WANTED TO BULLDOZE ALL THE LIVE OAK TREES.
BUT MY MOM DRUG ME ALONG, AND IT WAS A TON OF KIDS, AND WE WERE PLAYING IN THE TREES.
AND SURE ENOUGH, WHEN Y'ALL GO TO THOSE SPOTS TODAY, IT'S A FEW, IT'S, THEY'RE STILL THERE.
THERE'S VERY LITERALLY SOME OF THE ONLY SHOPPING CENTERS IN THE COUNTY WHERE THERE ARE GORGEOUS LIVE OAKS.
SO I KNOW Y'ALL HAVE A VERY BIG DECISION GOING ON TODAY, BUT I JUST WANT Y'ALL KNOW THAT I'M HERE, NOT FOR MYSELF, BUT I'M HERE FOR THE PEOPLE OF ST.
HELEN ISLAND THAT HAVE ACTUALLY TALKED TO.
AND IF Y'ALL WOULD COME ON A TOUR WITH ME SOMETIME, I'D LOVE TO SHOW YOU.
AND YOU COULD ACTUALLY HEAR FROM THE LANDOWNERS AND THE PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AND, AND HIS, HIS SPEECH WAS ONE OF THE MOST PHENOMENAL THINGS.
I THINK I GOT TEARY EYED, WHICH HAS, THAT HAPPENED IN A LONG TIME.
SO I KNOW YOU'ALL HAVE A TOUGH DECISION.
I UNDERSTAND THERE'S PROS AND CONS OF EVERYTHING, BUT IT'S, IT'S, IT'S WHETHER WE'RE GONNA KEEP THE FUTURE OF ST.
HELENA THE WAY IT IS, OR WE'RE GONNA TURN A COURSE, AND ULTIMATELY THAT'S Y'ALL'S CHOICE.
AND WE RESPECT Y'ALL VERY MUCH SO.
SO I HOPE Y'ALL HAVE A GOOD DAY.
WE, UH, HAVE TWO SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS HERE TONIGHT THAT SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
AND, UM, BUT I THINK MS. ASHLEY, IS THERE ANOTHER PERSON THAT SIGNED UP? YES, MA'AM.
WHO IS THAT? WE'RE GONNA LET THE TWO SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS OUTTA RESPECT FOR YOUR POSITION SPEAK CLASS, IF THAT'S OKAY.
WE DIDN'T SEE YOU COME IN THERE.
REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL RIVERS.
UH, THANK YOU MADAM CHAIRMAN AND EVERYBODY ON THE COUNCIL.
MY REPRESENTATIVE MR. GLOVER, AS WELL AS MR. DAWSON SIN HALL.
DALE, THE REASON WHY I'M HERE TODAY, IF SOMEONE COULD HOLD THIS UP FOR ME, I'D APPRECIATE IT.
UM, SCRIPTURE SAYS THAT OUT OF ABUNDANCE OF THE HEART, THE MOUTH SPEAKS.
AND WHY AM I HERE TODAY? I'M HERE TODAY, SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE OF THE PENN CENTER HERITAGE DAY PARADE.
WHAT MY BROTHER'S HOLDING HERE IS FIRST LEGISLATION THAT WAS PASSED WAS MAKING PENN CENTER, UM, HERITAGE DAY, A STATE HOLIDAY, SO TO SPEAK, THE SECOND SATURDAY IN NOVEMBER.
CURRENTLY, THERE'S LEGISLATION TO MAKE SURE THAT PARADE STARTS AT ST.
WHY AM I HERE TODAY? I KNOW SOME PEOPLE GONNA SAY, WELL, IT'S, IT'S THE STATE, IT'S THE COUNTY.
EVERYTHING THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT TODAY, NOTHING CAN BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN MAKING SURE THAT WE RESPECT SOMETHING FOR 40 YEARS.
AND THAT'S THE PENN CENTER HERITAGE DAY PARADE.
AND I'M LISTENING TO SOME OF THE THINGS FIGHT SO HARD, ERASE OUR CULTURE, UM, PRIORITY, ALL THESE THINGS IS WHAT PENN CENTER HERITAGE DAY PARADE IS ABOUT, QUITE FRANKLY, EVERYTHING ELSE THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT.
UM, AND THAT'S WHY I SAID THE BACK DOOR, WE'RE FOCUSING ON THE FRONT DOOR RIGHT NOW ABOUT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT.
BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS, IN MY OPINION, AND I THINK FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE ON ST.
HELEN, IS THE BACK DOOR OF TRYING TO, UM, ERADICATE, UM, DESTROY, UM, MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO HAVE THE PARADE.
IF YOU SAY THAT THE REASON WHY THE PARADE ROUTE SHOULD BE CHANGED, UM, BECAUSE OF THE TIME, WELL, I DIDN'T DO THAT WELL IN, IN MATH, BUT IF YOU INCREASE THE DISTANCE, YOU'RE GONNA INCREASE THE TIME.
SO, AND IF FAR AS THE STAGING AREA, I ASSUME MY SCHOOL BOARD BUDDIES HERE, UM, WE MOVED THE SKIP, JUST GIMME A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME PLEASE.
UH, WE MOVED THE STAGING AREA FOR THE SCHOOL BUSES FROM BEFORD HIGH SCHOOL TO ST.
THERE'S ADEQUATE SPACE FOR STAGING AT ST.
AND THE ONLY, BUT LET'S, LET'S, IF YOU WANT TO, UM, STRENGTH, WEAKNESS, OPPORTUNITY THREATS, RIGHT.
SWAT OPPORTUNITY, SWOT ANALYSIS TWO YEARS AGO.
LOGISTICALLY, THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN FIXED LAST YEAR.
FOR THE COUNTY TO ALLOW TRAFFIC, DOING THE PARADE, I REALLY THINK IS A LEGAL LIABILITY.
AND I THINK WE SHOULD NOT, SHOULD NEVER DO THAT AGAIN, AS FAR AS THE PARADE GOES.
UM, AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, WELL, THE INCONVENIENCE OR FOR SOME WHO LIVE OTHER PLACES, TRIP ISLAND OR WHEREVER, SIX MONTHS OUT, THE, LEMME SAY IT LIKE THIS, IT'S 12 MONTHS IN A YEAR, RIGHT? AND I KNOW, EXCUSE ME, MS. MADAM, BUT P PRIVILEGE, UM, AT LEAST
[01:10:01]
SIX MONTHS, SIX TIMES OUT OF 12 MONTHS, THERE'S GONNA BE AN ACCIDENT ON 2112 MONTHS OUTTA THE YEAR.AT LEAST SIX TIMES IN PARTICULAR DURING THE FARMING SEASON, RIGHT? RIGHT.
AS FAR AS PENN CENTER HERITAGE DAY PARADE GOES, IT'S ONE TIME A YEAR, AND IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR 40 YEARS.
AND I THINK STATE LAW SAYS THAT WE HAVE AN HOUR TO HAVE A PARADE.
EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, ABOUT THE CULTURE AND RESPECT AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF, UM, IT'S REALLY, UM, GIBBERISH.
UM, BECAUSE SOMETIMES WHEN YOU'RE TALKING TO PEOPLE WHO ARE COMMITTED NOT TO HEAR YOU, YOU ARE WASTING YOUR TIME.
BUT IF YOU DO NOT, IF YOU DO NOT ENFORCE WITH US HAVING THE PARADE ROUTE FROM ST.
HELEN ELEMENTARY TO PENN CENTER CAMPUS, WHICH YOU'RE NOT ASKING FOR A WHOLE LOT, WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR A WHOLE LOT.
AND WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BE BEGGING FOR THAT.
THE WATER FESTIVAL IS 10 DAYS.
I KNOW THAT THAT'S IN THE CITY.
10 DAYS YOU EVEN CLOSED THE STREET DOWN FOR PEOPLE TO RACE WITH A, WITH A, WITH A BAD, WITH A BAD RACE.
ALL WE ARE ASKING, ALL WE ARE ASKING RESPECT THAT DAY FOR ONE HOUR ANNUALLY.
AND IF YOU CAN'T DO THAT, THEN WE WONDER ABOUT EVERYTHING ELSE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
IS IT JUST OPTICS? SO I'M ASKING YOU, UM, NORMALLY I DON'T GET INVOLVED AS A STATE REPRESENTATIVE IN THESE KIND OF ISSUES.
UM, BUT SEE, I WAS GULER BEFORE.
IF YOU'RE TRYING TO ERADICATE OR DESTROY THE PARADE NOW, WHAT WILL YOU DO IN 30 OR 40 YEARS WHEN SOME OF US ARE NO LONGER AROUND? SO REALLY, I ASK YOU, I IMPLORE YOU AND I'M EVEN SOUND LIKE THE TEMPTATIONS.
I AIN'T TOO PROUD TO BEG
WHERE IS MR. DAVIS? WE EVEN HAVE THIS YEAR, THERE WAS LEGISLATION THAT, THAT I, THAT I SUBMITTED, LIKE I SAID ABOUT THE, UH, UH, THE ROUTE, THE BUFORD DELEGATION.
AS I UNDERSTAND IT, MY COLLEAGUES ARE BEHIND THE PARADE ROUTE BEING ESTABLISHED, UM, IN PERPETUITY FROM ST.
HELEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THE PENN CENTER CAMPUS.
AND I APPRECIATE YOU IN ADVANCE FOR SUPPORTING US IN THIS AS WELL AS A LETTER OF SUPPORT.
AT THIS TIME, WE HAVE AND ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA 19 77, 19 76 BY ADDING SECTIONS, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.
SO AS TO DESIGNATE THE SECOND SATURDAY OF NOVEMBER OF EACH YEAR AS PENN CENTER HERITAGE DAY IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
SO IF WE CAN DO IT IN COLUMBIA AND WE HAVE CRAZY UP THERE.
REPRESENTATIVE RIVER, THANK YOU FOR THE TIME.
AT THIS TIME I'LL HAVE THE TWO SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS COME FORWARD.
DO ARE YOU GONNA SPEAK SEPARATELY OR, OKAY, WE'RE GONNA TAG TEAM.
AND, UH, I'M DICK GEIER, UH, BUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT NUMBER FOUR.
AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH.
AND I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU, I THINK, SOME GOOD NEWS ABOUT DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH.
'CAUSE I WANNA FOCUS ON PORT ROYAL ISLAND AND THE GROWTH ON PORT ROYAL ISLAND FROM THE, UH, BROAD RIVER TO THE BEAUFORT RIVER, TO THE WHALE BRANCH.
I WANNA GIVE YOU, UH, THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT YOU NEED FOR TO SUPPORT GROWTH IN ONE AREA.
AND THAT IS SCHOOL CAPACITY ON, THERE ARE 11 SCHOOLS IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND ONE, UM, CHARTER SCHOOL THAT'S CHARTERED TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THERE'S ANOTHER CHARTER SCHOOL, A BRIDGES CHARTER SCHOOL.
THERE'S LOW COUNTRY MONTESSORI AND THERE'S HOLY TRINITY.
UH, CLASSICAL, I CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT THE CAPACITY OF BRIDGES, LOW COUNTRY MONTESSORI AND TRINITY, UH, CLASSICAL.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE TOTAL CLASSROOM CAPACITY ON PORT ROYAL ISLAND IS 8,020 STUDENTS RIGHT NOW, I SHOULD SAY
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45 DAYS FROM THE START OF LAST YEAR'S SCHOOL.THAT'S WHEN WE COUNT, UH, ENROLLMENT.
59% CAPACITY IN THOSE SCHOOLS.
NOW, SCHOOL YEAR JUST STARTED.
AND OUR IN INDICATIONS ARE WE ARE HAVING GROWTH IN ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS, ESPECIALLY IN OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
UM, UH, BATTERY OR PORT ROYAL ELEMENTARY, UH, HAS F 50 MORE STUDENTS THIS YEAR, WHICH IS A CONSIDERABLE JUMP, UH, FROM PREVIOUS YEARS THAT ALLOWS US TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT GROWTH BY HAVING CLASSROOM SPACE.
NOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT IF THERE IS A MORATORIUM, AND HOPEFULLY THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THERE MAY, MAY OR NOW NOT BE ON THE AMOUNT OF HOUSING THAT'S GOING TO COME IN.
IF WE HAD A MORATORIUM, WE WOULD HAVE TO CONSOLIDATE SCHOOLS AND WE'D HAVE TO CONSOLIDATE, FOR EXAMPLE, BUFORT MIDDLE AND WHEEL BRANCH MIDDLE.
BATTERY CREEK HIGH SCHOOL AND WILL BRANCH HIGH SCHOOL WOULD HAVE TO BE CONSOLIDATED.
GROWTH AND STUDENT GROWTH AND STUDENT ENROLLMENT WILL KEEP THOSE SCHOOLS OPEN.
AND I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT, NOT ONLY FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE COMMUNITY.
I'VE GIVEN EVERYBODY A COPY OF THIS PLAN.
AND BEAUFORT CITY COUNCIL HAS IT.
PORT ROYAL CITY COUNCIL HAS IT.
AND THE NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY PLANNING COUNCIL HAS A COPY OF THIS.
THERE'S A LOT OF DATA IN THERE.
THE DATA AND THE PROJECTIONS IN THAT DATA ARE BASED ON WHAT YOU TELL US AND WHAT YOU GIVE IN, UH, DEVELOPMENTAL AGREEMENTS.
AND RIGHT NOW WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH CAPACITY TO HANDLE THE DEVELOPMENTAL AGREEMENTS THAT WE KNOW ABOUT RIGHT NOW FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS AT LEAST.
AND I THINK, UH, IN THE NEXT FIVE TO 10 YEARS, UH, WE WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO BUILD ANOTHER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
NOW, WE ALSO HAVE, UH, ISSUES ON ST.
HELENA ISLAND AND LADIES ISLAND THAT ARE GONNA BE GROWING.
BUT ON PORT ROYAL ISLAND, WE CAN HANDLE THE GROWTH.
AND HOPEFULLY YOU ALL CAN GIVE US RESPONSIBLE GROWTH AND THE IMPACT FEES THAT WILL HELP SUPPORT THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT THAT GROWTH.
UH, MR. DALLAS, YOU WANNA CONTINUE ON? THANK YOU, UH, CHAIR AND THE REST OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL.
REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME SPEAK FOR YOU TODAY.
I CERTAINLY EMPATHIZE WITH THE CONVERSATIONS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE THIS AFTERNOON.
TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY PERSONAL HISTORY.
I GREW UP ON A FARM IN EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA.
DAD, FIFTH GRADE, MOM 11TH, NEITHER FINISHED HIGH SCHOOL.
LITTLE CARLTON COULD NOT COME HOME.
AND THE TEACHER SAID, SENT A NOTE THAT CARLTON DIDN'T PAY ATTENTION IN CLASS,
BUT WHAT THAT DID WAS THEY STRESSED DISCIPLINE.
AND MY FATHER HAD A SEVERAL SAYINGS, BUT ONE OF THEM WAS, BOY, THE FASTEST DOLLAR YOU'LL EVER MAKE IS ONE YOU DON'T SPEND.
SO THAT CARRIED ON INTO MY ADULT LIFE.
RIGHT NOW, I'M A MISER, ADMITTEDLY, BUT IN MY LIFE, WE OWN A FARM, 30 ACRES IN EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA.
MY GREAT-GRANDFATHER WAS A SLAVE.
AND WHEN THE OWNER OF THE FARM WENT TO WAR IN THE CIVIL WAR, HE DID NOT LOSE HIS FARM.
SO WHEN HE CAME BACK FROM THE CIVIL WAR, HE WAS SO GRATEFUL.
HE SOLD MY GREAT-GRANDFATHER AND GREAT-GRANDMOTHER, 50 ACRES AT 25 CENTS AN ACRE.
10TH GENERATION IS ON EARTH NOW.
AND THAT 30 ACRES, WHICH USED TO BE VERY PROFITABLE DURING ALLOTMENTS, IS BASICALLY USELESS UNLESS YOU DEVELOP IT.
SO WHAT YOU HEAR HERE TODAY, TONIGHT, MY FAMILY WAS FACED WITH THE SAME THING.
SO WHAT DO WE'VE DONE? AND THIS IS A RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL AND TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ASSEMBLED HERE.
THIS AFTERNOON, WE HAD TO FIGURE OUT A WAY HOW TO MONETIZE THAT ASSET.
IT'S ONLY 17 MILES FROM GREENVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA.
WHEN I GREW UP, GREENVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA WAS 30,000.
[01:20:01]
POPULATION IS NOW 94.EAST CAROLINA UNIVERSITY, WHICH IT USED TO BE 10,000 IS NOW RIGHT AT 25,000.
THE HOSPITAL, WHICH USED TO BE A VERY LOCAL HOSPITAL.
NOW IT'S A SATELLITE HOSPITAL FOR NORTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA.
AND IT IS FIVE TIMES BIGGER THAN WHAT THE PREVIOUS HOSPITAL WAS.
THE ECU HAS ADDED A MEDICAL SCHOOL, A DENTAL SCHOOL.
SO NOW IT IS AN ECONOMIC JUGGERNAUT.
SO WHAT WE ARE DOING WITH OUR FARM, AND MAYBE THIS CAN BE INSTRUCTIVE FOR COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE NOT HAD EQUITY PARTICIPATION IN DEALS BEFORE, IS WE ARE NOT SELLING OUR LAND.
WHAT WE ARE DOING, ALBAN UNIVERSITY IS A LEADING, UH, COLLEGE INSTITUTION IN THE US FOR SMALL HOMES.
SO WE ARE WORKING WITH A FORMER TOWN MANAGER IN SOUTH CAROLINA, WHO MANY OF US KNOW TO PARTNER WITH US.
WE'RE BUILDING RENTABLE HOMES ON THAT LAND, AND WE ARE CREATING ENTITIES SO THAT FUTURE GENERATIONS ARE PARTICIPANTS.
SO WHAT I WILL SUGGEST TO YOU IS THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL THE GROWTH THAT'S COMING INTO THIS AREA, AND I HAVE SOME EXAMPLES, ONE OF THE FIRST IS LOOK AT THE GROWTH IN CHARLESTON AND SAVANNAH.
NOW I'M FORTUNATE TO HAVE A FEW MOMENTS ON WHHI ONCE A MONTH.
AND IN THE MONTH OF MAY, I TOTAL, HOW MANY ANNOUNCEMENTS WERE THERE ABOUT ECONOMIC INFLOW INTO THE LOW COUNTRY FROM CHARLESTON TO SAVANNAH? ONE MONTH, $600 MILLION, 1500 JOBS.
LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN RICHLAND RIDGELAND.
WHEN I LOOKED AT SOME RENTAL PROPERTIES UP THERE SEVEN YEARS AGO, I DIDN'T SEE THE GROWTH.
NOW LOOK AT IT, THOSE PROPERTIES AND MULTIPLIED IN VALUE.
AND I THINK WHAT YOU HAVE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY IN CERTAIN AREAS WILL DO THE SAME.
LOOK AT THE JASPER OCEAN TERMINAL.
NOW, COMING FROM THE TROLL MINISTRY, WE SHIP A LOT OF PRODUCT ON BIG CARGOES.
CURRENT CARGOES SHIPS, CONTAINERS ARE GOING TO BE PASSE.
NEW PANAMAX TERM SHIPS ARE THREE FOOTBALL FIELDS LONG.
WHEN YOU GO OVER THAT BRIDGE TO SAVANNAH AND YOU LOOK TO YOUR RIGHT WHERE THOSE CRANES ARE, THOSE BIG SHIPS WON'T FIT UNDER THE BRIDGE, WHICH IS THE AIR DRAFT.
IT WILL COST A BILLION DOLLARS TO GET THOSE SHIPS UNDER THE BRIDGE.
AND WHEN THEY GET UP THERE, WHETHER YOU SEE THOSE CRANES, THEY CAN'T TURN AROUND.
SO THE JASPER OCEAN TERMINAL IS VERY MUCH LIKELY TO OCCUR.
YES, THERE'S POLITICAL PUSHBACK, BUT THAT'S WHERE THINGS ARE GOING AND WE WILL BENEFIT FROM IT.
THE OTHER THING IS CREATING AN INVESTMENT VEHICLE SO THAT GROUPS OF PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT HAVE COMMUNICATED OR PARTICIPATED BEFORE, HELP THEM CREATE ECONOMIC VEHICLES, LLCS, UH, S CORPS SO THAT THEY CAN PULL ALL THEIR ENTITIES AND LAND TOGETHER AND THEN GIVE THEM A PART OF THE INVESTMENT AS, AND THAT'S HAPPENED.
SOME PEOPLE SAY, WELL, THAT CAN'T HAPPEN.
BUT LOOK AT THE NBA, REMEMBER THE NBA, THE OWNERS WERE JUST KILLING IT.
THEY STILL ARE BECAUSE OF THE FRANCHISE IS SO VALUABLE NOW.
BUT WHAT DID THEY DO? THEY SAID, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THE PLAYERS 55% OF THE REVENUES AND ALL OF A SUDDEN LOOK HOW PLAYERS HAVE ABSOLUTELY EXPONENTIALLY BECOME VERY PROFITABLE THEMSELVES.
SO I THINK THAT'S A MODEL FOR US, FOR YOU TO CONSIDER.
THE GROWTH IS COMING AS MY COLLEAGUE AND OUR CHAIR HAS SAID IS COMING INEVITABLE.
AND MAYBE THERE'S A WAY TO FIGURE OUT HOW OTHERS CAN PARTICIPATE WHO TRADITIONALLY HAVE NOT PARTICIPATED.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD TONIGHT.
UH, DO YOU WANNA ASK SENATOR DAVIS? SENATOR DAVIS, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? NO, MA'AM.
WE WANTED TO RECOGNIZE YOU TOO, FOR BEING HERE.
[9. LIAISON AND COMMITTEE REPORTS]
DO WE HAVE ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO GIVE LIAISON AND COMMITTEE REPORTS? I'LL MADAM CHAIR, I HAVE, I HAVE ONE THAT, UM, ON JULY 24TH WE ATTENDED, WE MEANING, UM, MADAM CHAIR HOWARD, VICE CHAIR, TABER NECK, UH, HANK AMON AND OUR ADMINISTRATOR MICHAEL MOORE, ATTENDED THE BEAUFORT COUNTY PROPERTIES IN THE AREA ARE SELLING FOR.WE ALSO LEARNED THEY WANT TO GIVE GRANTS TO ORGANIZATIONS THAT DON'T NEED BEAUFORT COUNTY TAXPAYER MONEY.
UM, SO ON NEXT FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING, HANK IS GONNA COME UP AND, UM, PRESENT SOME GUIDE NEW GUIDELINES FOR THEM.
AND THEN WE WILL VOTE ON SEPTEMBER 8TH FOR A NEW RESOLUTION.
AND I HOPE THAT MY COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL, UM, VOTE WITH ME ON THIS.
[01:25:01]
YOU.ANY OTHER REPORTS? UM, COUNCILMAN REITZ? YEAH.
AIRPORT, I GUESS, UH, AIRPORT.
UM, THE, THE PHASE ONE BUILD OUT IS GOING EXTREMELY WELL.
ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO, I HAD A TOUR AND THERE'S GONNA BE SOME VERY UNIQUE FEATURES TO THIS AIRPORT.
UH, UM, AND, AND SOMEHOW I CAN'T HELP BUT THINK THAT THE STARS ARE LINED UP HERE TONIGHT WITH THE GOOD SENATOR HERE IN THE BACK AND CARL, UH, MR. DALLAS AND COLONEL GEIER.
UM, I, I WAS AT THIS AIRPORT ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND, AND THE, THE ATRIUM, THE, THE ENTRANCE TO IT AND THE EXIT, THEY'RE ALL IN THE SAME.
AND, AND I, I SAID, WHY CAN'T WE PUT TOGETHER A LITTLE SHOWCASE OF OUR STUDENTS AND ALL THE GOOD WORK YOU'RE DOING, UH, DR. RODRIGUEZ AND YOURSELVES ARE DOING WITH THEM.
AND SOMEHOW, UH, MR. REBOLT AND I TALKED ABOUT IT, UH, THEN I WAS, UH, WITH, UH, DR. RODRIGUEZ.
THEN THESE TWO GENTLEMEN HERE TONIGHT JUST HAPPENED TO BE HERE TONIGHT.
WE MET THE OTHER DAY AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA, UH, THIS COUNCIL, I LIKE TO WORK WITH ALL OF THEM.
WE'VE GOT LIFELONG EDUCATORS HERE.
UM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A PRO, I'D LIKE TO SAY FROG MORE AS WELL, SHOULD HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
BUT WE'LL HAVE, UM, A SHOWCASE, GOD WILLING.
UH, AND SENATOR DAVIS, I MENTIONED YOU BECAUSE WE GOTTA WORK ON SOME FUNDING FOR THIS AND GET SOME DESIGN BUILD GOING, BUT APPRECIATE YOUR THOUGHTS.
UM, SO A A AGAIN, I BELIEVE THE BUILD OUT IS GONNA MAINTAIN OUR LOW COUNTRY FEEL VERY UNIQUE.
NOT TOO BIG, BUT JUST PERFECT FOR WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND I GIVE JOHN RUMBLE A LOT OF CREDIT FOR THE WORK HE AND STEVE PERRY AND THAT GROUP ARE DOING.
BUT I, I THINK GOING FORWARD AS WE GET INTO PHASE TWO, WE'RE GONNA REALLY TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN SHOWCASE OUR KIDS AND, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE OUR FUTURE LEADERS.
AND FOR YOU TO BE HERE TONIGHT TO TALK THE WAY YOU DID AND, AND MR. DALLAS, LET ME SAY SOMETHING TO YOU RIGHT NOW.
THREE YEARS I'VE BEEN ON THIS COUNCIL, AND I THINK I'VE MET JUST ABOUT EVERYBODY IN THE COUNTY.
AND FOR THIS HUMBLE SERVANT TO WORK WITH SOMEBODY THAT HAD A GRANDFATHER THAT WAS A SLAVE.
I'M, I'M HONORED TO WORK WITH YOU AND EVERYBODY HERE, AND I GOTTA TELL YOU WHAT A, YOU LOOK AT 1862, YOU LOOK AT FISH ALL PARK, RIGHT? MITCHELLVILLE OKAY.
LISTEN, THE LAST ONE I'LL DO ALICE, UH, MS. CHAIR ONE.
UM, THE BREEZE, THE PALMETTO BREEZE, UM, THEY, THEY HAVE A PRETTY GOOD BUDGET SHORTFALL THAT I'VE, UH, GOT, UH, MR. MOORE AND PINKY INVOLVED WITH.
AND YOUR TALK WITH MR. SULLIVAN.
ANYTHING WE CAN DO, LET ME KNOW HOW I CAN HELP IN THAT REGARD.
I, I'D LIKE TO CALL ON, UM, COUNCILMAN MCALLEN.
I KNOW GREEN SPACE MET LAST WEEK.
IS THERE ANYTHING TO REPORT? YEAH, THERE'S, UM, SOME MATTERS THAT WERE DISCUSSED THERE.
THERE'S A PHASE ONE APPLICATION, UH, BEING CONSIDERED FOR SOME OF THE CHILTON PROPERTIES THAT ARE ACTUALLY IN BEAUFORT, JASPER, AND HAMPTON COUNTIES.
AND THE, UH, PHASE ONE AREA, UH, PROBABLY WILL HAVE A COST OF ABOUT $7 MILLION.
IT WILL BE, UH, A TOTAL OF ABOUT $2,900 IN FA UH, 2,900 ACRES IN PHASE ONE AND TWO.
AND IT WILL JOIN OTHER PROTECTED, UM, UH, PROPERTIES IN THAT AREA IN YEE AROUND THE EMBASSY AREA THAT ACTUALLY TOTAL ABOUT 40,000 ACRES, UH, WITH PROPERTY THAT'S ALREADY BEEN PURCHASED.
AND THIS, UH, WILL BE COMING FOR THE NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE ON SEPTEMBER 2ND.
THE OTHER ONE IS, UM, IN THE WESTERN SECTION IN BLUFFTON.
UH, THERE ARE SOME AREAS, UM, BEING CONSIDERED FOR A, UH, PURCHASE.
UH, THEY CALL IT SECTION FIVE A, B, AND C.
UM, AND THE TOTAL IS ABOUT 300 ACRES.
THE, UH, TOTAL THAT'S BEING CONSIDERED PRESENTLY IS ABOUT THREE $3,860,000.
AND THAT TOO WILL BE COMING FORWARD TO, UH, SEPTEMBER 2ND.
NATURAL RESOURCES FOR CONSIDERATION AT THE, UM, THE SEPTEMBER 22ND I THINK IS THE, UH, COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING.
UH, ANY ANYONE THAT WAS AT THE NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY REGIONAL PLAN IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO REPORT? I DIDN'T WANNA REPORT ON THAT ONE.
I HAVE THREE THINGS I WANT UPDATE ON, BUT, UH, COUNCILMAN DAWSON OR, OKAY.
UM, SO, UH, BRIEFLY WANT TO SAY WITH, UH, TCL, THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE OF THE LOW COUNTRY, UH, THE SOUTH CAROLINA, SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS ISSUED A CERTIFICATE OF GOLD GRADE, UH, FOR THEIR, UM, THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS.
IT WAS SUPPORTING SERVICE MEMBERS, VETERANS AND RESERVE NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERS, AND THE FAMILY MEMBERS AS WELL.
SO I THINK THAT WAS WORTH ACKNOWLEDGING.
UH, ALSO WITH THE SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING BOARD, I WANT TO THANK ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR GETTING
[01:30:01]
THE WORD OUT THERE.WE FINALLY HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE TO HAVE A QUORUM BUSINESS IS BEING CONDUCTED IN THERE.
SO IT'S WONDERFUL TO SEE THAT MOVING FORWARD.
AND, UM, I WAS APPOINTED TO THE WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD FOR THE CITY OF BEAUFORT.
WE JUST HAD SOME INFORMATION COME OUT TODAY.
I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO GO THROUGH 75 PAGES OF THE ENGINEERING REPORT.
UM, I'LL GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT ONE.
BUT, UH, THINGS ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT COMMITTEE AND WE'RE GONNA BE, UH, DELIVERING SOME RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
AND I'M GONNA BE COMING BACK HERE AND PROBABLY ASKING FOR SOME ALLOCATIONS AT SOME POINT TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP 'EM OUT AS WELL.
SO I ATTENDED, SO LOCO, THAT'S THE SOUTHERN LOW COUNTRY REGIONAL BOARD.
AND FOR PEOPLE WHO DUNNO, THAT'S SOME MUNICIPALITIES, JASPER COUNTY, BEAUFORT COUNTY, AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES.
UM, THERE WAS A REPORT FROM THE CHILDCARE SUBCOMMITTEE, WHICH WILL COME TO THIS COUNCIL IF WE WISH TO SUPPORT THAT.
IT'S LOOKING AT HOW TO SUBSIDIZE CHILDCARE WITH THE STATE AND EMPLOYERS.
THERE WAS ALSO A REPORT BY OUR OWN ROB MERCHANT ON THE REGIONAL GROWTH PLAN.
UM, ALLISON AND I ATTENDED THE BEAUTIFUL MEMORIAL HOSPITAL BOARD MEETING.
THEY CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT RECRUITMENT OF NURSES AND DOCTORS, VERY IMPORTANT.
AND THEIR BUILDING IN BLUFFTON ON THE BLUFFTON PARKWAY IS PROGRESSING NICELY.
UH, I ATTENDED THE, AND, UH, ALICE AND PAULA WERE WITH ME, THE LOW COUNTRY AREA TRANSPORTATION MEETING WE CALL LATS.
AND THEY, WE GOT, WE ALWAYS GET UPDATES FROM S-C-D-O-T ABOUT I 95 CONSTRUCTION BRIDGE REPLACEMENT QUARTER IMPROVEMENTS.
AND ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO SEE ANY OF THESE, ALL THE AGENDAS ARE ONLINE.
SO LOCO LATS, THEY'RE ALL ONLINE.
AND WHAT WAS THE TOPIC OF DISCUSSION WAS THEY REVEALED THE RESULTS OF THE STUDY FOR THE BLUFFTON PARKWAY CORRIDOR, WHICH IS WHAT RESIDENTS CALL FIVE B.
THEY CALL IT A LOT OF NAMES, BUT FIVE B IS WHAT IT'S CALLED.
UH, THE STUDY DETAILED, THE BEST LEVEL OF SERVICE REDUCTION TECHNIQUES TO PURSUE IT WAS VERY INTERESTING AND BASICALLY SHOWED THERE'S NO FUNDING, BUT ALL OF THEIR REPORTS ARE ONLINE AND SO EVERYONE COULD SEE IT.
UM, THEN SEVERAL OF US ATTENDED THE SOUTH CAROLINA ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES AND THE BEST CLASS I TOOK WAS CRISIS MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES AND COMMUNICATION.
I REALLY ENJOYED IT AND I ENJOYED THE, UM, AI CLASS AS WELL.
AND SEVERAL OF US GRADUATED LEVEL ONE, LEVEL TWO.
SO THERE IS CONTINUING EDUCATION AMONG US.
AND THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IS, COUNCILMAN BARTHOLOMEW AND CHAIR HOWARD AND MYSELF HAVE BEEN IMMERSED IN TAKING THE PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE CLASS ONLINE.
THROUGH THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PARLIAMENTARIANS.
AND, UH, COUNCILMAN BARTHOLOMEW HAS BEEN SELECTED AS OUR PARLIAMENTARIAN.
SO HE WILL KEEP US STRAIGHT GOING FORWARD.
AND IT'S A BIG RESPONSIBILITY.
THAT'S A TALL, THAT'S A TALL TASK RIGHT THERE.
ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE SOME? YES.
UM, AND JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU A COUPLE PIECES OF INFORMATION ABOUT OUR LIBRARY SYSTEM.
BOTH PRINT AND DIGITAL CIRCULATION GREW BY 43,701 PIECES OF MATERIAL.
WE ARE NOW UP TO 885,000 PIECES OF MATERIAL IN OUR LIBRARIES.
THE PHYSICAL COUNT, THAT'S PEOPLE GOING TO OUR LIBRARIES INCREASED TO 401,379.
PEOPLE VISITED THE LIBRARIES THIS YEAR.
FURTHERMORE, BECAUSE OF THE GROWTH IN OUR COUNTY, WE NOW HAVE 7,310 NEW LIBRARY CARDS ISSUED.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE A LIBRARY CARD, GET ONE.
THE LIBRARY JUST IN INSTITUTED, UH, A CONCEPT CALLED FLIPSTER.
IT IS ALL OF THE MAGAZINES THAT YOU OVER THE COURSE OF YOUR LIFETIME MAY HAVE WANTED AND COULDN'T AFFORD.
THEY'RE NOW ONLINE, INCLUDING THE LATEST ONE THAT CAME ONLINE THIS MONTH.
[10.a. 2025/36: 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. The vote at the Community Services Committee on June 2, 2025 - 7:0 The vote at the First Reading and Public Hearing on June 23, 2025 - 11:0 The vote at the Second Reading on July 14, 2025 - 9:0]
UM, ORDINANCES FOR THIRD READING.[01:35:01]
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 14 ANIMALS.ARTICLE TWO, I GUESS THAT IS ANIMAL CONTROL.
SECTION 14 DASH 27 DEFINITIONS.
SECTION 14 DASH 28 COUNTY PET LICENSE SECTION 14 DASH 30, DECLARATION OF RESTRICTED DOG, APPEAL OF BREED DETERMINATION, SECTION 14 DASH 32, DANGEROUS ANIMALS 14 DASH 34 NUISANCE PETS OR LIVESTOCK SECTION 14 DASH 35, ANIMAL CRUELTY AND NEGLECT.
SECTION 14 DASH 43 LIVESTOCK 14 DASH 45 RABIES CONTROL ACT, UH, 14 DASH 47.
DANGEROUS ANIMALS NOT TO GO UNCONFINED ON PREMISES OR OFF PREMISES UNLESS SAFELY RESTRAINED.
AND SECTION 14 DASH 48 ENFORCEMENT AND PENALTIES OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES.
THE VOTE AT THE COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE ON JUNE 2ND WAS SEVEN ZERO THE VOTE AT FIRST READING, WHICH WAS ALSO A PUBLIC HEARING.
AND THE VOTE AT THE SECOND READING ON JULY 14TH WAS NINE ZERO.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS ORDINANCE AS READ AND SHOWN ON THE SCREEN? MADAM CHAIR, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS AS READ AND SHOWN ON THE SCREEN.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
UM, FOR THE PUBLIC, WE'VE ALREADY CHEWED THIS ONE AND SPIT IT OUT LIKE A HUNDRED TIMES.
SO ARE THERE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? MATT? I GO AHEAD.
THINK THERE WAS SOMEBODY DOWN THERE? YEAH, I I DO HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER JOHN OR OR DAVID WHEN I ASKED THIS ONE, I THOUGHT WE TALKED ABOUT IN, IN SECTION, UM, 14 DASH 32, UH, SECTION E THE, UH, OFFICER MAY BE, UM, MAY MODIFY OR REMOVE THE CLASSIFICATION LEVEL THREE.
I THOUGHT WE TALKED ABOUT TAKING THAT AWAY FROM THE OFFICER AND PUTTING IT BACK IN THE HAND OF THE MAGISTRATE.
I'M JUST, I THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT LAST TIME.
THAT WAS THE SUBJECT OF, OF THE AMENDMENTS THAT WE MADE TO SECTION D AND SECTION E.
THAT WAS, IT WAS, UH, AMENDED AS A SECTION D AND DE SO THAT'S BEEN CHANGED IS THE, I I DON'T KNOW IF YOU MIGHT HAVE ONE OF THE EARLIER VERSIONS OF, UM, THE ORDINANCE BEFORE IT WAS OH, IT WAS CHANGED? YES.
AS OF THE, SO I GOT AN OLD COPY YES.
AS OF WHEN THE AGENDA WAS REPUBLISHED.
I'M SORRY WE HAD AN OLD VERSION IN THERE, BUT AS THE NEW VERSION THAT WAS SUBMITTED AS YOUR BACKUP TONIGHT.
THEN, UM, OKAY, I'M GONNA STOP 'CAUSE I MAY HAVE THE OLD COPY.
MR, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING OR NOAM CHAIR? I DID HAVE A CONSTITUENT REACH OUT TO ME EARLIER TODAY AND SHE ACTUALLY SHOWED UP TODAY AS WELL WITH THE SAME QUESTION, BUT I'M ASSUMING IF SHE HAS A QUESTION, OTHER FOLKS WILL AS WELL.
UH, FOR 14 DASH 35, UM, THERE WAS A MARK THROUGH WHERE IT SAYS AT ALL TIMES.
UH, CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT IT'S ABOUT PROVIDING FOOD AND WATER, UM, AND I BELIEVE THE ENFORCEMENT AND THE INTENT BEHIND A DISTILLED GOING TO, UH, REQUIRE THE ENFORCEMENT AND, AND THE PROVISION PROVIDING OF THAT WA FOOD AND WATER.
BUT SHE HAD CONCERN ABOUT THAT LANGUAGE CHANGE.
WE, UH, WE DID LOOK AT THAT SECTION AND THAT IS THAT SECTION IN THE ANIMAL CRUELTY SECTION.
UM, AND, UH, SO WE, WE WANTED, WE NEEDED TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, OUR ORDINANCE WAS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE STATE LAW.
UH, AND IT, IF YOU READ THAT SECTION, IT ADDRESSES FOOD AND WATER AVAILABLE AT ALL TIMES.
UH, SO THE AT ALL TIMES WAS STRICKEN THROUGH AND THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT, UH, THE ANIMAL SHOULD NOT HAVE WATER AT ALL TIMES.
BUT HAVING FOOD OUT ALL THE TIME IS, UM, PROHIBITIVE FOR, UH, FOR FOLKS.
UM, SO IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE WON'T, UM, AS WE ENFORCE THIS, THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT ANIMALS AREN'T CARED FOR PROPERLY, THAT THEY HAVE WHAT THEY NEED.
UH, BUT THAT'S JUST THAT THOSE, UH, COUPLE OF WORDS THAT YOU WERE REFERRING TO IN THAT SECTION.
ANYONE ELSE? COMMENT OR QUESTION QUICKLY? UM, YEAH, ONE, ONE MORE.
UM, WANNA MAKE SURE, UM, WHERE WE TALK TO THE FARMERS AND, UM, WE BASICALLY HAVE THE, UM, EVACUATION OF THOSE LIVESTOCK, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
UM, HOW, HOW DO WE COMMUNICATE THIS TO, OR WHO COMMUNICATE THIS TO THE FARMERS? OH, SO WE, UM, BEFORE WE BROUGHT THIS, UH, ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS TO, TO, UH, COUNTY, THE COMMITTEE OF COUNTY COUNCIL, WE HAD A STAKEHOLDERS MEETING WITH THE FARM BUREAU STAFF.
THE QUESTION OF THE LANGUAGE HERE, HOW WOULD THE FARMERS BE NOTIFIED WHO'S GOING
[01:40:01]
TO DO THAT TO MAKE SURE THOSE WITH LARGE ANIMALS KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S REQUIRED OF THEM? YES, SIR.WE ADDRESSED THAT WITH THE FARM BUREAU WHILE WE WERE THERE.
UH, WHEN WE MADE THOSE CHANGES IN THE INITIAL ORDINANCE THAT WENT TO FIRST READING, I REACHED BACK OUT TO THE SAME FARM FARM BUREAU STAFF, THE FOLKS THAT CAME TO THAT MEETING AND SHARED THAT INFORMATION WITH THEM.
SO YOU'LL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR COMMUNICATING TO THE FARM BUREAU? YES.
THE CHANGES THAT'S HERE? YES, SIR.
UH, WE MADE SURE THAT THEY KNEW IT.
NO, NO, I'M TALKING ABOUT ONGOING.
BUT YOU KNOW, FARMERS WHO MAY COME TOMORROW MAY NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
WE CAN MEET WITH THEM AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE KEPT UP AB KEPT ABREAST.
ANY OTHER CALENDAR? COUNSEL MADAM CHAIR, I JUST HAVE ONE MORE THING.
I, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU AGAIN, UH, TO STAFF AND LEGAL AND ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS THAT CAME.
I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING, BUT THANK YOU.
ALRIGHT, ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ORDINANCE 2025 SLASH 36.
[10.b. 2025/39: An Ordinance authorizing the execution and delivery of Holly Hill Road Utility, Drainage, Signage, and Access Easement Agreement for Holly Hill Road located in Bluffton Township off New Riverside Road The vote at the Public Facilities Committee on June 16, 2025 - 8:0 The vote at First Reading on June 23, 2025 - 11:0 The vote at Second Reading and Public Hearing on July 14, 2025 - 9:0]
SLASH 39 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF HOLLY HILL ROAD UTILITY DRAINAGE, SIGNAGE AND ACCESS EASEMENT AGREEMENT FOR HOLLY HILL ROAD LOCATED IN BLUFFTON TOWNSHIP OFF NEW RIVERSIDE ROAD.THE VOTE AT PUBLIC FACILITIES WAS ON JUNE 16TH, WAS EIGHT ZERO THE VOTE AT FIRST READING JUNE 23RD, 11 ZERO.
AND THE VOTE AT SECOND READING IN PUBLIC HEARING HELD JULY 14TH WAS NINE ZERO.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS ORDINANCE AS READ AND SHOWN ON THE SCREEN? I'LL MAKE THE MOTION.
CHAIRMAN HOWARD AND MS. BROWN.
SO THE MOTIONS, UH, MADE AND SECONDED.
ANY QUESTION OR COMMENT FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS? ALL RIGHT.
ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THIS 2025 SLASH 39 ORDINANCE.
[10.c. 2025/40: An Ordinance authorizing the abandonment of an undeveloped portion of Coffin Bluff Road located off Fripp Point Road on St. Helena Island The vote at the Public Facilities Committee on June 16, 2025 - 8:0 The vote at First Reading on June 23, 2025 - 11:0 The vote at Second Reading and Public Hearing on July 14, 2025 - 9:0]
SLASH 40 IS AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE ABANDONMENT OF AN UNDEVELOPED PORTION OF COFFIN BLUFF ROAD LOCATED OFF FRIPP POINT ROAD ON ST.THE VOTE AT PUBLIC FACILITIES ON JUNE 16TH WAS EIGHT ZERO THE VOTE AT FIRST READING ON JUNE 23RD, 11 ZERO.
AND THE VOTE AT SECOND READING, WHICH WAS ALSO A PUBLIC HEARING, JULY 14TH WAS NINE ZERO.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS ORDINANCE AS READ AND SHOWN ON THE SCREEN? I SO MOVE MADAM CHAIRMAN.
GLOVER AND COUNCILMAN BARTHAM MU, IT'S BEEN MOTIONED AND SECONDED.
ANY COMMENT OR QUESTION ON THIS ORDINANCE? OKAY, SEEING NONE.
ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ORDINANCE 2025 SLASH 40.
[11.a. 2025/37: An ordinance amending the zoning map for 11 acres located on Burnt Church Road (R600 039 000 1552 0000, R600 039 000 0056 0000, R600 039 000 0269 0000) from T3 Hamlet Neighborhood (T3HN) and T4 Hamlet Center (T4HC) to T3 Neighborhood (T3N) The vote at the Natural Resources Committee on June 2, 2025 - 4:1 & 1 abstained The vote at First Reading and Public Hearing on June 23, 2025 - Failed 6:5 The vote for Motion to Reconsider at July 14, 2025 County Council Meeting - passed 8:1]
WE HAVE ONE ORDINANCE FOR FIRST READING.2025 SLASH 37 IS AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE ZONING MAP FOR 11 ACRES LOCATED ON BURNT CHURCH ROAD R 600 0 3 9 0 0 0 15 52 4 ZEROS.
AND THE OTHER ONES ARE ALL LISTED FROM T THREE HAMLET NEIGHBORHOOD AND T FOUR HAMLET CENTER TO TT THREE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE VOTE AT NATURAL RESOURCE COMMITTEE ON JUNE 2ND WAS FOUR ONE AND ONE PERSON ABSTAINED THE VOTE AT FIRST READING IN WHICH WAS ALSO A PUBLIC HEARING ON JUNE 23RD.
THE VOTE? WELL, THE, UH, ORDINANCE FAILED SIX FIVE AND THE VOTE FOR MOTION TO RECONSIDER AT JULY 14TH.
COUNCIL MEETING PASSED EIGHT TO ONE.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS ORDINANCE AS READ AND SHOWN? YES.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THAT MOTION.
IS THERE ANY, UH, ANY COMMENT OR QUESTION FROM COUNSEL? NO.
I NEED TO READ THE REASONS WHY I BELIEVE THIS ORDINANCE SHOULD BE MOVED FORWARD.
I MOVE THAT WE GRANT THE REQUEST FOR REZONING FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS.
ONE, IT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE GOALS AND POLICIES OF THE COMPREHENSIVE CODE AND THE PURPOSES OF THE DEVELOPMENT CODE.
IT IS NOT IN CONFLICT WITH PROVISIONS OF THE DEVELOPMENT CODE AND OR OUR CODE OF ORDINANCE.
IT DOES ADDRESS DEMONSTRATED COMMUNITY NEED.
IT IS REQUIRED BY CHANGED CONDITIONS.
IT IS COMPATIBLE WITH EXISTING AND PROPOSED USE OF LAND SURROUNDING THIS LAND.
IT WOULD NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT NEARBY LAND SEVEN.
IT WOULD RESULT IN LOGICAL AND ORDERLY DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS.
IT WOULD NOT RESULT IN ADVERSE IMPACT ON THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.
AND NINE, IT WOULD RESULT IN DEVELOPMENT THAT IS ADEQUATELY SERVED
[01:45:01]
BY PUBLIC FACILITIES.ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS? MR. LAWSON? LEMME JUST SAY THIS IS IN, IN MY DISTRICT.
AND, UM, FIRST LOOKING AT THIS, UM, UH, YOU LOOK AT THE DENSITY THAT'S ALLOWED FOR THESE TWO ZONINGS AND AFTER LOOKING AT IT CLOSER, UM, THIS IS ACTUALLY LOWERING THE DENSITY THAT WOULD BE ALLOWED AT ITS MAXIMUM.
SO AGAIN, UH, IT'S RIGHT ACROSS FROM MC RALLY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
UM, SO AGAIN, LOCATION, UM, IS, IS PERFECT FOR THIS.
SO AGAIN, LOOKING AT THIS AS A WHOLE, UM, WE, WE ARE, WE ARE, UM, PUTTING THIS HOLE THREE PIECES OF PROPERTY AS ONE.
AND BY DOING THAT, THE DENSITY THAT WE'RE GONNA BE APPROVING IS LESS THAN WHAT WOULD'VE BEEN ALLOWED IF THE P THREE PIECES WOULD'VE BEEN DONE SEPARATELY.
ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBER QUESTION OR COMMENT? THE LAST, UH, TIME WE HAD THIS, WE ASKED ABOUT THE, UH, WHETHER DEVELOPMENT WOULD BE CONNECTED TO SEWERS AND I THINK THE ANSWER IS YES.
ANYONE ELSE? OKAY, SO THERE IS A MOTION, UM, TO RECONSIDER THIS AND WE HAVE A FIRST, A MOTION AND A SECOND.
SO I'D LIKE TO DO A ROLL CALL SINCE THIS IS A RECONSIDER OF A MOTION.
DO YOU RECALL THAT THE LAST TIME THE APPLICANT SAID THAT HE WASN'T AT THE MEETING AND HE WANTED TO? YES.
IS HE HERE? IS THE APPLICANT HERE? YES, THE APPLICANT IS HERE.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK? WHERE IS HE? DO YOU WANNA SPEAK? OH, OKAY.
OH, SO YOU DO HAVE SOME WORDS FOR US SENATOR.
UM, MR. PASSMAN DID A GOOD JOB OF, OF RECITING ALL OF THE REASONS WHY, UM, IT'S COMPATIBLE AND WHY IT SHOULD BE APPROVED.
UH, THE OVERALL DENSITIES IS REDUCED.
UM, THERE CURRENTLY ARE 40 SEPTIC TANKS FROM THE PROPERTY.
IT'S GONNA BE PUT ON REGIONAL SEWER.
I MEAN IT'S ALSO GOOD FOR A TRANSITIONAL, UH, AREA FOR RESIDENTIAL AS YOU GO INTO THE ALL JOINT NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO, VERY GOOD SUMMARY GIVEN BY MR. PASSMAN.
BUT, UM, UH, THE DEVELOPER IS HERE IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE, BUT YOU ALREADY HAVE A GOOD SUMMARY BEFORE YOU DOES, WOULD THE DEVELOPER LIKE TO SPEAK? NOT NOT UNLESS HE NEEDS TO.
WELL I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY MORE QUESTIONS ARE THERE FROM ANYONE HERE? ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA DO A ROLL.
ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THAT? COUNCIL MEMBER DAWSON? YES.
COUNCIL MEMBER BARTHOLOMEW? YES.
[12. Discussion surrounding scheduling of Special County Council meetings related to Discussion of Pending Development Agreements of Pine Island Golf LLC and Ramsey Farms (98 Jennings Road) and selection of dates for Public Hearings for each Development Agreement.]
THE LAST ITEM, WHICH IS DISCUSSION SURROUNDING SCHEDULING.AND WE CAN MAKE IT BY EIGHT O'CLOCK MAYBE.
MAYBE ARE YOU GONNA SPEAK TO THIS? YOU GOT THE, OH, YOU'VE GOT MR. DEBO ATTORNEY JOHN DEBO IS ONLINE AT ZOOM.
UM, I'VE PROVIDED EACH COUNCIL MEMBER A PROPOSED SCHEDULE AND I'LL CAVEAT THAT WITH, UH, YOU'LL RECALL THAT THE PREVIOUS MOTION FROM COUNSEL WAS TO HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING FOR EACH DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
AND THAT'D BE THE ONLY THING ON THE AGENDA.
AND THAT IS NOT MY RECOMMENDATION.
AND THE REASON FOR THE CHANGE IN THE RECOMMENDATION TO COUNSEL HERE TONIGHT FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND YOUR CONSIDERATION ONLY, IS THAT IN REREADING THE STATUTE, YOU ONLY NEED TO HAVE TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS IF YOU'RE GOING TO ENTER INTO A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
AND YOU WON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE GONNA ENTER INTO A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT UNTIL AFTER THAT FIRST READING.
AND BOTH PARTIES REALLY WANTED TO MARRY UP THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, UH, PUBLIC HEARING AND THE ZONING MAP AMENDMENTS.
AND IF YOU FOLLOW THE SCHEDULE THAT I DID OR SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THAT, WE WILL ACCOMPLISH THAT.
AND IF YOU DECIDE TO ENTER INTO A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, UH, THE DISCUSSIONS, I PROPOSE THE SECOND HEARING BE A MONTH LATER APPROXIMATELY.
AND THAT GIVES YOU TIME TO START THE NEGOTIATIONS, UH, AND ENTER THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
IF YOU CHOOSE NOT TO ENTER INTO A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
AND RECALL, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE BRIEFS NEXT WEEK FROM LEGAL COUNSEL AUGUST 18TH CONCERNING RAMSEY FARMS AND AUGUST 20TH FROM PINE ISLAND.
SO YOU'LL GET YOUR LEGAL BRIEFS.
SO WE HAVE A GOOD THOUGHTS IN YOUR MIND AS FAR AS WHAT YOU WANT TO DO.
AND THE GOAL AFTER THAT LEGAL BRIEF IS FOR YOU TO DECIDE DO YOU WANT TO ENTER INTO DISCUSSIONS OR NOT.
AND THAT GIVES US ADDITIONAL TIME PRIOR TO THE FIRST READINGS.
SO THAT'S WHY I PROPOSED MARRYING UP THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT AND ZONING MAP AMENDMENTS AT THE FIRST READING, UH, FOR EACH.
AND THE FIRST READING FOR PINE ISLAND WOULD BE SEPTEMBER THE, THE SECOND MEETING IN SEPTEMBER.
IS THAT RIGHT? AND FOR RAMSEY FARMS,
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I THOUGHT IT SHOULD BE A DIFFERENT WEEK.SO I ALTERED THE WEEK AND MADE IT THE WEEK BEFORE.
SO IF YOU DID THE FIRST READING FOR PINE ISLAND, UM, AND SYNC THAT UP.
THEN SEPTEMBER 8TH WOULD BE YOUR ZONING MAP, AMENDMENT FIRST READING, UM, AND YOUR PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
AND YOU RECALL THAT YOU DEFERRED THE FIRST READING WHEN IT CAME FOR YOUR FIRST TIME.
FIRST READING ON RAMSAY FARMS. SO YOU WOULD HAVE BOTH OF THOSE.
SEPTEMBER 8TH IF YOU WANTED TO ENTER IN DISCUSSIONS AND NEGOTIATIONS FOR DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, THEN YOU WOULD HAVE A MONTH FOR OCTOBER 13TH FOR THE SECOND READING.
AND IF YOU HAVEN'T FINISHED THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, THAT'S NOT A BIG DEAL BECAUSE YOU CAN ALWAYS BRING IT BACK.
AND AN ORDINANCE TAKES THREE READINGS TO PASS.
AND THERE'S AN ORDINANCE FOR BOTH THE ZONING MAP AMENDMENT AND THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
SO YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL TIME TO DETERMINE WHEN THAT MEETING WOULD BE AND IF YOU WANT TO ENTER INTO IT OR NOT, YOU CAN ALWAYS DISAPPROVE THE ORDINANCE AT ANY OF THOSE THREE READINGS IF YOU PASS IT ALONG.
AND AGAIN, JUST TO REPEAT, THERE'D BE SEPARATE DATES FOR RAMSEY FARM AND SEPARATE DATE FOR PINEAU? YES MA'AM.
THE DATES I PROPOSED AND IT'S FOR COUNCIL TO DECIDE IF YOU LIKE THAT CALENDAR OR NOT, IS SEPTEMBER 8TH FOR THE ZONING ME AMENDMENT.
FIRST READING AND UM, FIRST PUBLIC HEARING FOR DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
AND OCTOBER 13TH WOULD BE THE SECOND READING OF THE ZONING MAP AMENDMENT.
IF COUNCIL VOTED TO APPROVE BOTH OF THOSE GOING FORWARD, THE ORDINANCE AND THE SECOND PUBLIC HEARING FOR DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
AND IF WE HADN'T CONCLUDED OR FINALIZED THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, WE'D HAVE TO BRING IT BACK FOR ANOTHER READING AND POTENTIALLY A THIRD READING IF WE, BECAUSE IF WE AREN'T READY WITH DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, UM, THEN WE'D HAVE TO BRING IT BACK.
YOU CAN HAVE MORE THAN TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS, BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE A MINIMUM OF TWO IF YOU'RE GOING TO ENTER INTO A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
DO YOU NEED A MOTION FROM US TONIGHT ABOUT THESE DATES? YES.
SO THAT WE CAN DISCUSS IT AND, AND SO EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
SO A QUESTION BRIAN, I WOULD LIKE WELL LET'S MAKE A MOTION TO DISCUSS IT.
WE NEED A MOTION, DON'T WE? I DISCUSS IT.
WE REALLY SHOULD HAVE A MOTION TO PUT IT ON THE FLOOR, I THINK TO PUT IT ON THE FLOOR.
I NEED A MOTION TO PUT IT ON THE FLOOR.
ALREADY PUT ON THE FLOOR FOR DISCUSSION AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION, FOR DISCUSSION OF, ALRIGHT.
DID YOU MAKE A MOTION, PAUL, A MOTION TO DISCUSS? I WOULD LIKE TO MEET JOHN DUBOSE, THE ATTORNEY THAT THE COUNCIL HIRED.
'CAUSE WE HAVE NOT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET HIM YET.
I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM HIM SOON AS WE PUT IT ON THE FLOOR.
YOU'RE MAKING A MOTION TO YES.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND TO DISCUSS? DO I HAVE A SECOND? A SECOND.
UM, COUNCILMAN REESE? OKAY, NOW WE CAN OPEN UP FOR DISCUSSION.
AND CAN YOU SEE THE SCREEN? UH, HE'S ON SCREEN BY ZOOM.
BRIAN, UH, WHEN YOU WERE DISCUSSING ALL THE DATES I THOUGHT YOU MENTIONED, CAN I GET A COPY OF THAT, SOMETHING TO OCCUR BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE ONE TO OCCUR ON THE 22ND OF SEPTEMBER.
AND THEN YOU WENT FROM SEPTEMBER 8TH TO OCTOBER 13TH AND 22ND KIND OF FELL OFF THE TABLE.
IS THAT YEAH, I KNOW THAT, BUT WHEN HE WAS TALKING ABOUT IT, HE DIDN'T MENTION IT.
THAT ONE? NO, THEY'RE, THEY'RE TWO SEPARATE ONES.
NO, PINE ISLAND IS SEPTEMBER 22ND, LET AND OCTOBER 27TH, LET'S LET OUR ATTORNEY AND MR. DUBBO ANSWER THAT.
AND JOHN'S GOT A COPY OF THIS ONLINE AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS AFTERNOON, RIGHT.
BUT THE DATES I GAVE YOU FOR THE SEPTEMBER 8TH AND OCTOBER 13TH WOULD APPLY TO THE RAMSEY FARMS. OKAY.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE FIRST PAGE OF THE HANDOUT I GAVE YOU, THE DATES THAT I RECOMMEND ARE SEPTEMBER 22ND FOR THE FIRST READING OF THE ZONING MAP, AMENDMENT, ORDINANCE, AND THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE, UH, DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
AND THEN IT WOULD BE OCTOBER 27TH, WHICH WOULD BE THE SECOND MEETING IN OCTOBER.
FOR THE SECOND READING OF EACH OF THOSE.
I JUST DIDN'T HEAR THE MENTION OF THE 22ND, UH, IN YOUR, IN YOUR, THE LAST THING YOU SAID.
AND THE REASON I PICKED THE 22ND WAS, 'CAUSE IT'S GONNA BE AT THE NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE ON SEPTEMBER 2ND.
AND THE NORMAL COURSE OF BUSINESS IS THAT IT COMES TO THE SECOND COUNCIL MEETING AFTER NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE.
IF I CAN TAKE THE SEGUE RIGHT, UH, REAL QUICK TO MAKE A MOTION TO EXTEND PAST OUR EIGHT O'CLOCK.
IT IS 7 54 AND I WAIT, HAVE A SECOND FOR THAT MOTION.
AND SECOND BY MS. PAULA BROWN.
ALL IN FAVOR OF EXTENDING PAST EIGHT O'CLOCK.
UH, WE'RE GONNA DO A ROLL CALL.
ALL IN FAVOR OF EXTENDING PAST EIGHT O'CLOCK BY SHOW OF HANDS.
AND IT IS, YOU MAY HAVE TO ROLL CALL.
WE DO A ROLL CALL AND EXTENDING PAST EIGHT O'CLOCK.
THE FIRST AND THEN WHO SECONDED? NO, IT WAS, NO, NO, IT WAS ALREADY ON THE FLOOR.
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COUNCIL MEMBER BARTH? YES.COUNCIL MEMBER REEDS M THESE GUYS? NO.
WHAT WAS IT? COUNCIL MEMBER DAWSON? YES.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UM, BUT WE HAVE A MOTION.
I'VE BEEN TOLD BY OUR PARLIAMENTARIAN WE DIDN'T HAVE TO HAVE A MOTION, BUT WE DO HAVE A MOTION, SO TO DISCUSS.
CAN WE ASK, DISCUSS IT? WET HAVE VOTE MADAM CHAIR? YES.
WHAT ABOUT, I HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, WHAT ARE THE DATES FOR THE LEGAL BRIEFS? WELL, WE HAVE THAT, NEVERMIND.
THE LEGAL BRIEFS TO COUNSEL OR JOHN, DO YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT YOUR, UH, PLANNING COMMISSION ISSUES WITH, UH, THE RAMSEY FARM STATES? YES, CORRECT.
UH, BRIAN AND I DID REVIEW THESE, UM, TIMELINES.
I DO THINK THAT THEY ARE A GOOD SUGGESTION AND THAT THEY, UM, CONTAIN SOME BREATHING ROOM FOR, UH, COUNCIL DISCUSSIONS AND, UM, IF THESE EITHER OF THESE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS LOOK LIKE THEY GAIN MOMENTUM, UM, FOR NEGOTIATION WITH THE DEVELOPERS.
UH, ON THE SEPTEMBER 8TH AND OCTOBER 13 MEETINGS, I HAVE A, UH, PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING THAT IS, UH, PLANNING COMMISSION MEETINGS SCHEDULED ON THOSE DATES.
MY PLANNING COMMISSION MEETINGS ARE TYPICALLY OVER BY SEVEN OR SEVEN 30, UM, AT THE LATEST.
AGAIN, CANNOT PROMISE THAT THEY WILL END AT THOSE TIMES, BUT, UM, CAN CERTAINLY AGAIN, CALL IN AT A CONCLUSION OF THOSE MEETINGS AND, UM, EVEN PERHAPS GET COVERAGE FOR ONE OF 'EM.
I KNOW THE SEPTEMBER MEETING IS, UH, WHEN THE, UH, THE CONFLICTED JURISDICTION HAS A COMP PLAN, UH, FOR CONSIDERATION AND RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL.
SO I SUSPECT THE NINE EIGHT MEETING WILL BE, UM, SOMEWHAT INVOLVED.
AGAIN, ONE OF THAT PUT ON Y'S RADAR, UM, THAT SEPTEMBER 8TH AND OCTOBER 13.
UH, IT MIGHT JUST BE TOWARDS THE LATTER PART OF ANY OF Y'ALL'S MEETINGS, UM, ON THESE MATTERS.
BUT AGAIN, I'M BRIEFING Y'ALL NEXT WEDNESDAY.
NEXT WEDNESDAY THE 20TH, AND UM, NEXT MONDAY THE 18TH RESPECTIVELY ON THESE.
AND UM, AGAIN, I I THINK BRIAN IS ON THE RIGHT TRACK WITH UH, BUILDING IN A LITTLE BIT OF BREATHING ROOM ON, UH, BOTH DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS.
AND WHAT TIME ON THE 18TH AND THE 20TH? ON THE 18TH? IT WAS GONNA BE AT NOON BEFORE THE TWO COMMITTEE MEETINGS THAT AFTERNOON.
AND ON WEDNESDAY AT ONE O'CLOCK.
AND THE OTHER ONES ALL THE SEPTEMBER 22ND IS DURING REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING.
SO THOSE MEETINGS ARE GONNA BE LONG.
THEY ARE, THAT'S BUT I PUT THEM OUT THERE BECAUSE THAT'S THE NATURAL COURSE FOR THE ZONING MAP AMENDMENTS.
NOW NOTHING SAYS OR PREVENTS YOU FROM PULLING IT FROM YOUR REGULAR COUNCIL MEETINGS WHERE YOU WOULD NORMALLY HEAR IT TO A SPECIAL MEETING IF YOU WANTED TO, BUT BECAUSE WE HAD THE REQUEST TO MARRY THEM UP AND IT MADE MORE SENSE IF ALL THE PUBLIC IS COMING TO SPEAK, THAT THEY SPEAK AT THE SAME MEETING INSTEAD OF MULTIPLE MEETINGS OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
WELL, MY CONCERN IS WE'LL HAVE COMMITTEE ITEMS COMING TO AGENDA.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE A WHOLE AGENDA THAT OF WORK AND THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE THIS.
SO WE'RE GONNA EXTEND TO 10 O'CLOCK.
NO, WE HAVING THIS BEFORE THE COMMITTEE MEETING.
COULD WE STOP THE MEETING EARLIER AT SIX O'CLOCK? YES SIR.
WE COULD, UH, FOREGO CAUCUS IF NECESSARY AND START AT FIVE.
YOU YOU CAN START AT ANY ANYTIME.
IT'S AT COUNCIL'S PREROGATIVE.
YOU WANT TO SIX O'CLOCK TO MAKE IT AVAILABLE FOR THE PUBLIC.
NOW THESE ARE GONNA BE LONG MEETINGS 'CAUSE THE PUBLIC WANTS TO BE HEARD RIGHTFULLY SO.
AND YOU WANT TO HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC.
UH, BUT THERE'S JUST GONNA BE A LOT OF WORK IN HEARING BOTH OF THESE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS AND ZONING MAP AMENDMENTS FOR YOU TO MAKE YOUR DECISION, UM, OVER THE COURSE OF THE TIME THAT THEY'RE UNDER CONSIDERATION.
IT'S GONNA BE A VERY LONG MEETING.
BUT YOU WANT TO HEAR FROM ALL OF THE PUBLIC THAT WANTS TO SPEAK.
SO YOU CONSIDER EVERYTHING AND MAKING YOUR DECISION.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? I HAVE QUESTION EXCEPT COUNSEL IF THEY AGREE WITH THESE DATES OR IF THEY WANT DIFFERENT DATES.
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OKAY.I HAVE QUESTIONS FOR MR. DEVO.
AND, UM, THE ZONING MAP AMENDMENT WILL BE AT THE NATURAL RESOURCES SEPTEMBER 2ND.
WASN'T THAT SUPPOSED TO BE IN WITH THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT? AM I, I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED ON THAT.
SO WE DO THE ZONING MAP AMENDMENT FIRST.
AND WHAT IF THAT DOESN'T PASS IN? UH, NATURAL RESOURCES THEN WHAT? SO MY DECISION IS NATURAL RESOURCE IS NOT THE ULTIMATE DECISION MAKER, UM, ON THAT.
SO, UM, REGARDLESS OF RESOURCES, UH, APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL OF ANY ZONING MAP AMENDMENT, IT WOULD STILL COME TO, UH, COUNTY COUNCIL FOR THAT, UM, FIRST READING ON TIME.
AND YOU'LL RECALL THAT ORIGINALLY WE HAD THEM SCHEDULED BOTH TO BE AT THAT SEPTEMBER 2ND MEETING, BUT THEN COUNCIL VOTED TO SEPARATE THEM RIGHT.
AND HAVE THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS PRESENTED TO ALL OF COUNCIL.
WHEN WILL WE SEE YOU IN PERSON, MR. BOSE?
I BE TIRED OF SEEING ME BY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON, BUT, UM, YES.
I'LL, I'LL SEE YOU ALL IN PERSON NEXT WEEK.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION THAT, DO YOU HAVE WHAT YOU NEED NOW, MR. MOORE FROM US AND BRIAN ALBERT? UM, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A VOTE, UH, TO ADOPT THE CALENDAR AS PRESENTED AND DISCUSSED IF COUNSEL IS HAPPY WITH THAT.
AND THEN THE PUBLIC KNOWS WHAT THE PLAN IS GOING FORWARD.
NEED TO NOTICE THE HEARINGS IS FOLLOW AND WAIT.
AND THE REASON THAT'S IMPORTANT IS WE HAVE TO ADVERTISE FOR THESE MEETINGS AT THE PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT AND ZONING MAPS AND WE HAVE TO POST IT ON SITE.
THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT HAS TO BE DONE, SO THAT'S WHY I NEED SOME FIRMNESS TO DATE.
SO WE NEED TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADOPT THE SCHEDULE.
MADAM CHAIRMAN, BEFORE WE DO THAT, UH, QUICKLY.
THIS, THIS, WAIT, WE NEED A SECOND.
OH, DID SOMEBODY MAKE THE MOTION? COUNCILMAN GLOVER DID.
AND YOU SECOND? NO, I'LL SECOND.
JUST I WANT TO GET MY DATES AND TIME.
THE, UM, AUGUST LEGAL BRIEFING ON THE 18TH.
TILL WHEN? TILL COMMITTEE MEETING AT TWO.
OR IF YOU END EARLIER, IT'S AS LONG AS IT GOES.
BUT YOU HAVE A HARD DATE TIME FOR YOUR COMMITTEE MEETING.
AND THEN THE 18TH, THE 20TH LEGAL BRIEFING.
UH, THAT'S FROM ONE O'CLOCK UNTIL, UNTIL THE DANCE.
THAT WILL BE A LONGER BRIEFING.
SO THAT PLAN FOR SEVEN? UH, NO, I WOULD SAY THE GOAL WOULD BE TWO TO THREE HOURS.
BUT, UH, IT'S DEPENDS HOW MANY QUESTIONS EACH OF COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE GOT YOU.
AND THOSE SESSIONS ARE GONNA BE IN OPEN? NO, SIR.
YOU'RE GETTING LEGAL ADVICE AND MR. DEBO WILL BE BRIEFING YOU.
WHEN WOULD THE PUBLIC GET THAT INFORMATION? THEY WON'T, THEY WON'T.
EXECUTIVE THAT'LL BE ATTORNEY CLIENT PRIVILEGED INFORMATION.
SO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS REGARDING THE ADOPTING THIS SCHEDULE? ALL RIGHT.
WE READY TO VOTE BY SHOW OF HANDS? ALL IN FAVOR OF ADOPTING THIS SCHEDULE FOR PINE ISLAND AND FOR RAMSEY.
FARM DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT MEETINGS.
ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER BUSINESS? OH, WE HAVEN'T DONE ANY OTHER.
WE WILL ADJOURN THE MEETING AND THANK YOU FOR ALL WHO ATTENDED TONIGHT, WE SAY YES.
THANKS FOR WATCHING BEAUFORT COUNTY TV.
I AM DENNIS ADAMS, AND THIS IS A BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENT.
FORREST GUMP, THE PRINCE OF TIDES, THE GREAT SANTINI.
THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE BIG HOLLYWOOD MOVIES FILMED IN BEAUFORT COUNTY DURING THE 1980S AND 1990S.
BUT THE EARLIEST BIG SCREEN PRODUCTION, A SHOT HERE DATES BACK NEARLY A CENTURY.
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LATE IN NOVEMBER, 1917, AMERICAN FEATURE FILMS OF GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA SENT A COMPANY OF ACTORS ON LOCATION TO ST.HENA ISLAND AND AMONG THE ANTEBELLUM MANSIONS OF BEAUFORT.
IN THE WORDS OF THE BUFORT GAZETTE, THE RISE AND FALL OF THE CONFEDERACY IS ONE OF THE MOST REMARKABLE AND STUPENDOUS MOTION PICTURE SCENARIOS EVER ATTEMPTED BY ANY DRAMATIST.
IT CERTAINLY WAS A COSTUME DRAMA WITH OVER 640 PIECES OF PERIOD CLOTHING SHIPPED IN FOR THE ACTORS.
JOINING THE PRODUCTION JUST BEFORE FILMING WAS ONE WILLIAM CUNNINGHAM OF PEERLESS FILM COMPANY OF LOS ANGELES.
HE LENT A HOLLYWOOD TOUCH TO THE PRODUCTION.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE FILM HAS DISAPPEARED.
IT WOULD SEEM THAT THE STUDIO EXAGGERATED ITS CLAIMS OF THE MOST IMPRESSIVE MOVING PICTURE SINCE THE BIRTH OF A NATION.
I'M DENNIS ADAMS, AND 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.