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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.
[1. CALL TO ORDER]
IT IS TWO O'CLOCK AND THE COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE MEETING FOR TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2ND, 2020 TO ORDER, UH, IF WE CAN STAND A PLEASE.THE UNITED STATES OVERLY ATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY.
[3. STATEMENT OF COMPLIANCE WITH FOIA]
THIS, UM, PUBLIC NOTIFICATION THIS MEETING HAS BEEN PUBLISHED, POSTED DISTRIBUTED COMPLIANCE WITH SOUTH CAROLINA FREEDOM INFORMATION ACT, CORRECT? YES SIR.[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA, I BELIEVE THERE MAY BE A MOTION ON THAT.I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO CHANGE ITEM EIGHT B SO THAT WE CAN, UH, PROPERLY HAVE THE DISCUSSION ON THIS TO READ, RECOMMEND TO COUNTY COUNCIL, UH, NOT TO RENEW THE AU SAMS POINT COMMUNITY CENTER LEASE AGREEMENT.
CAN I GET A SECOND ON THAT? I'M SORRY.
WAS THAT A NO FROM MR. DAWSON? SAY AGAIN? NO, THAT WAS A NO.
ALRIGHT, SO THAT'S, UH, EVERYBODY BUT MR. DAWSON ON THAT ONE.
CAN I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS AMENDED? SO MOVED.
[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
UH, MOVING INTO THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FOR THE JUNE 2ND, 2025 MEETING.UH, MAY I HAVE A MOTION? I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
MAY I GET A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
SHOW OF HANDS, THAT IS UNANIMOUS.
[6. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD – 15 MINUTES TOTAL]
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.DO WE HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? YES, SIR.
SEEING NOBODY, OH, I BELIEVE, YES MA'AM.
OH, UH, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME.
I'M LYNN BRYANT AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY, UH, I WANTED TO GET CLARIFICATION ON, UM, THE MEETING SEEMED TO JUMP AROUND.
IT WAS FOUR O'CLOCK THEN THE NOTIFICATION I GOT THIS MORNING ON FACEBOOK WAS TWO 30, THEN IT'S TWO O'CLOCK.
I JUST WONDERED WHY IT WAS CHANGED.
'CAUSE IT'S DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO CHANGE, MAKE PLAN, CHANGE AND ATTEND AND GIVE SUPPORT WHEN THEY GET IT THE LAST MINUTE.
SO I WAS JUST CURIOUS WHY IT WAS CHANGED LIKE THAT, THE TIME.
SEE, WELL, WE'RE REALLY NOT SUPPOSED TO ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM THE
BUT IF YOU WANT TO SEE WHAT THE STAFF, IT'S JUST MY CONCERN NO, I'S UNDERSTAND IF YOU WANT TO, UH, SPEAK WITH STAFF, THEY CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION AS FAR AS THE, THE CHANGE IN THE TIME.
ANY, ANYTHING FURTHER? NO, THANK YOU.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT WISHES TO HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT? SEEING NONE, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED AND WE'LL MOVE INTO THE NEXT
[7. ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR REPORT]
AGENDA ITEM, WHICH IS THE ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR REPORT, UH, DETENTION CENTER UPDATE AND THE FISCAL IMPACT ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.UH, MR. ROBINSON, THE FLOOR IS YOURS, SIR.
ALRIGHT, WE'VE GOT A LITTLE, UH, POWERPOINT PRESENTATION THAT WILL COME UP HERE IN A SECOND.
UM, SO WHAT I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU THIS AFTERNOON WAS A CONVERSATION THAT, UM, THAT WE STARTED LAST, LAST YEAR.
WE STARTED LAST SEPTEMBER, AND I THINK WE CAME TO, TO COUNCIL IN, UM, IN THE WINTER OR EARLY, UM, EARLY AT BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, AND TOLD YOU ABOUT SOME OF THE CONDITION OF THE DETENTION CENTER AND SOME OF THE REPAIRS THAT WE HAD TO DO.
UM, WE TALKED TO YOU IN SEP WELL, IN SEPTEMBER WE BEGAN WITH A, AN EMERGENCY PURCHASE ORDER REQUEST OR EMERGENCY PURCHASE ORDER TO DO SOME WORK INSIDE THE KITCHEN.
AND THEN, UM, WE CAME BACK TO YOU AND TOLD YOU ABOUT SOME OTHER REPAIRS, AND THESE WERE MOSTLY DRAIN REPAIRS THAT WERE GOING ON.
AND THEN WE CAME AND SHOWED YOU SOME OF THAT WORK IN APRIL WHEN WE DID A TOUR.
SO I'M GONNA TELL YOU ABOUT, ABOUT THOSE.
WHEN WE, UH, WHEN WE STARTED THE, THE PROCESS AND WE BEGAN TALKING WITH YOU ABOUT THE EMERGENCY REPAIRS THAT WERE REQUIRED, WE HAD FIVE EMERGENCY PURCHASE ORDERS AT THAT TIME.
AND OUR EXPECTATION, OUR ESTIMATED COST FOR
[00:05:01]
THOSE REPAIRS WAS AT 252,000.THE SCOPE OF THAT WORK WAS TO REPAIR THE PLUMBING IN THE, IN THE KITCHEN AREA, UH, THAT, UH, PLUMBING, UH, REPAIRS EXTENDED INTO THE HOUSING UNITS.
SO WE DID THE, THE WORK IN THE HOUSING UNITS, A ONE AND THEN A TWO.
AND THAT WORK THEN EXTENDED INTO THE B WINGING HOUSING UNITS.
SO WE ENDED UP, UH, REPLACING RIGHT ABOUT 90% OF ALL THE DRAIN PLUMBING FROM BOTH HOUSING UNITS INTO THE, INTO THE KITCHEN AREA.
THERE ARE SOME MORE REPAIRS HAPPENING NOW IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
BUT OUR COMMITMENT WAS TO COME BACK TO YOU AND DESCRIBE WHAT WE DID IN THE FY 25.
UM, SO OF SOME OF THOSE REPAIRS, WE, WE FIXED SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WERE, UH, RIGHT IN THE RIGHT SPOT AND IT MADE SENSE FOR US TO, TO MAKE THOSE REPAIRS AT THE SAME TIME.
SO WE FIXED, UM, SOME OF THE LAUNDRY UNITS THAT ARE INSIDE THE HOUSING UNITS.
WE REPAIRED THE, UM, LABORATORIES THAT WERE SPECIFICALLY FOR DETENTION OFFICERS THAT WERE IN THE OUTSIDE VESTIBULE, AR AREAS THAT YOU SAW SOME OF THOSE AREAS AS WELL AS SOME OTHER RESTORATION PROJECTS THAT WERE JUST THE TIMING AND THE, THE POSITION THAT WE WERE IN, IT MADE PERFECT SENSE TO GET THOSE DONE.
SO I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE.
UH, SO REMEMBER WE CAME TO YOU, WE TOLD YOU WE HAD EMERGENCY, UH, PURCHASE ORDERS.
WE WERE AT FIVE PURCHASE ORDERS.
WE THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA BE AROUND $300,000.
UM, WE DID OUR COST ESTIMATES AT $252,000.
AND I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT THEN CLEARLY AN EXPECTATION THAT WE WOULD PROBABLY FIND SOMETHING MORE AS WE TORE UP THE CONCRETE.
IT WAS VERY LIKELY WE WERE GONNA FIND SOME THINGS THAT WE COULD NOT SEE, UH, PRIOR TO THAT.
SO THESE ARE SOME OF THE PHOTOS YOU SAW LAST YEAR.
THIS IS SOME OF THE KITCHEN REPAIR.
UM, JUST JUST AS A REMINDER, WHAT HAD TO BE DONE, UM, THE NUMBER OF, OF, UH, TRADESMEN WORKING HERE WAS PRETTY INCREDIBLE.
WE HAD FOLKS THERE FROM CONSTRUCTION TO CUT THROUGH THE CONCRETE ELECTRICIANS TO MANAGE ALL THE ELECTRICAL WORK AND PLUMBERS EVERYWHERE, UM, DOING REPAIRS AND RESTORATION.
WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS FOR ME AND IMPORTANT TO SHARE WITH YOU IS THE COLLABORATIVE EFFORT OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS.
ALL OF THIS WORK COULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE IF IT WERE NOT FOR THE DETENTION CENTER STAFF.
UH, THE FACILITY STAFF, UH, DID AN INCREDIBLE JOB THROUGHOUT MANAGING THE PROJECT AND THE FUNDS.
UM, THEY WORKED ALONG WITH THE CAPITAL PROJECT STAFF.
THE FINANCE STAFF ARE CRITICAL FOR ANY OF THIS WORK BEING DONE.
AND ALL OF THE CONTRACTORS THAT BECAME OUR PARTNERS THROUGHOUT THIS LAST YEAR ARE VERY IMPORTANT.
I'LL TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF EACH ONE, EACH OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
UM, AGAIN, SOME MORE PICTURES OR PHOTOS OF WHAT, WHAT WAS, THIS WAS A SHOWER THAT WAS TORN UP, PLUMBING ALL THE WAY UNDERNEATH, UNDER THE GROUND TO, TO MAKE THESE, UH, UH, REPAIRS SERVICEABLE.
AND THIS IS AN AREA IN ONE OF THE HOUSING UNITS THAT, UM, THAT YOU TOURED IN IN APRIL.
THIS ISN'T A ONE, JUST AN EXAMPLE OF SOME OF THE WORK THAT WAS DONE.
SO SOME OF WHAT DID THE FACILITIES DEPARTMENT DO? NOT ONLY DID THE FACILITIES DEPARTMENT MANAGE THE EMERGENCY PROCUREMENT PROCESS, UM, THEY SOUGHT OUT EACH OF THE TRADES PEOPLE, OUR TRADES GROUPS THAT COULD GET THIS WORK DONE EFFECTIVELY.
THEY COORDINATED EVERY DAY WITH THE DETENTION CENTER AND THE MOVEMENT OF INMATES WITHIN THE DETENTION CENTER.
SO ALL THE TIMING OF ALL THESE THINGS ARE, ARE SO IMPORTANT TO GET DONE.
AND THEY DID THIS WHILE THEY WERE GETTING EVERYTHING ELSE DONE OVER 160 OTHER COUNTY BUILDINGS THAT REQUIRE THEIR TIME AND EXPERTISE WHILE, UH, FOR THE MOST PART, THE FACILITIES DEPUTY DIRECTOR, JASON INGER EVERY SINGLE DAY WAS IN THAT DETENTION CENTER, MAKING SURE THINGS WERE BEING DONE ON TIME AND APPROPRIATELY AND EFFICIENTLY.
THE WHOLE TIME THAT JASON IS INSIDE MAKING SURE THINGS ARE GETTING DONE CORRECTLY, THE FACILITIES DIRECTOR, FRANK STRONG CHECK IS WORKING ALONG WITH HIS TEAM IN THE FIELD, ALONG WITH JASON, ALONG WITH FINANCE, ALONG WITH, UH, THE DETENTION CENTER, MAKING SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS DONE PROPERLY, UH, WITHIN THE BUDGET AND THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING OUR, UH, COUNTY POLICY AND PROCEDURE.
SO ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE REALLY CRITICAL.
THIS, UH, PICTURE THAT WOULD BE ON YOUR LEFT IS A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO SEE, BUT YOU CAN SEE A WIDE TYPE PLUMBING THERE.
AND ALL THE CONCRETE, THAT PICTURE ON YOUR RIGHT, SHOWING THAT PIECE OF PLUMBING AND THAT PIECE OF CONCRETE INSIDE OF IT.
THIS IS AN AREA IN THE DETENTION CENTER BETWEEN THE TWO ALPHA UNITS THAT THE CORRECTIONS OFFICER'S LABORATORY WAS.
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PROPERLY SINCE THE BUILDING WAS BUILT.WHEN THEY BEGAN TO, TO, TO DO ALL THESE OTHER REPAIRS, THIS WAS ABOUT TWO FEET, TWO AND A HALF FEET FROM AN AREA THEY WERE WORKING ON.
SO THEY WENT AHEAD AND WENT THE EXTRA MILE AND TORE THIS UP.
AND WHAT THEY FOUND WAS CONCRETE DRIED INSIDE OF THAT PLUMBING.
SO NOW, UM, THAT IS A FUNCTIONAL AREA.
THE ADVANTAGE OF HAVING THESE THINGS DONE IS SO IMPORTANT FOR STAFF.
UH, EACH OF THE HOUSING UNITS HAS A, A, A, NOT A COMMERCIAL, BUT LIKE A HOUSEHOLD WASHER AND DRYER FOR THE INMATES TO BE ABLE TO WASH SOME OF THEIR OWN PERSONAL ITEMS. THAT IS A, REALLY HELPS THE HEALTH AND WELFARE AND, UH, MORALE OF THE INMATES THAT THEY HAVE A PLACE THEY CAN USE INSIDE THE FACILITY TO DO THAT.
OPERATING WATER FOUNTAINS AND CLEAN SERVICEABLE SHOWERS, UH, THAT ALL WORK, NO MORE WATER ON THE FLOOR.
ALL THE DRAINS ARE WORKING PROPERLY.
ALL THESE THINGS REALLY IMPROVE AND IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND WELFARE OF OUR GUESTS THAT ARE THERE.
AS WELL AS THAT TRANSLATES TO, UM, HELPING OUT OUR DETENTION OFFICERS, IT REALLY BRINGS DOWN THE STRESS LEVEL IN INSIDE THE FACILITY.
UH, SO THE, EXCUSE ME, THOSE ARE ALL BENEFITS.
SO THIS IS, UM, THAT I THINK YOU SAW ON THE TOUR, UH, JUST THE REPAIR THAT WAS DONE TO THE HALLWAY.
THIS, THIS WHOLE HALLWAY FLOOR WAS TORN UP TO GET TO SOME OF THE PLUMBING THAT WAS THERE.
UM, ANOTHER TEAM THAT REALLY WORKED WELL WITH OUR FACILITIES TEAM IS THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS TEAM WE HAD IN OUR BUDGET, UM, A FEW PHASES OF RESTORATION ALREADY FOR THE DETENTION CENTER, SOME PAINTING, SOME FLOORS, THE REPAIR OF SOME, UM, METAL WORK, THE REPAIR OF SOME DOORS, OTHER THINGS GOING ON.
ANYTIME WE DO REPAIRS LIKE THAT INSIDE THE DETENTION CENTER, WE HAVE TO MOVE INMATES FROM HOUSING UNIT TO HOUSING UNIT TO ALLOW ACCESS FROM THOSE AREAS.
SO THE COORDINATION HERE IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
WHILE THE FACILITIES TEAM WAS IN A HOUSING UNIT MAKING THE, UH, PLUMBING REPAIRS, THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS TEAM WAS ABLE TO COME IN BECAUSE THE HOUSING UNIT WAS ALREADY EMPTY, COORDINATE THAT AND COMPLETE THE WORK THAT THEY ALREADY HAD PLANNED FOR THAT.
SO WHAT YOU'LL SEE NOW IS, IS AN AMAZING TRANSFORMATION.
THIS IS INSIDE ONE OF THE B UNIT HOUSING, HOUSING UNITS.
SO WHILE THE FACILITIES TEAM IS THERE REPLACING REPAIRING PLUMBING, THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS TEAM WAS ABLE TO SEND THEIR FOLKS IN AND PAINT, REPLACE SOME OF THE FLOORING, REPLACE SOME OF THE CARPET.
WHEN THE INMATES MOVE BACK INTO THIS SPACE, IT IS NEARLY COMPLETELY RESTORED AREA.
WE STILL HAVE SOME, SOME WORK TO DO, UM, FOR SURE, BUT THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT OUR INMATES ARE MOVING BACK INTO AT THIS POINT.
UM, HERE'S JUST A ANOTHER VIEW OF THE, UH, OF COMPLETED SHOWERS.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THEY'RE FULLY RESTORED, ALL OPERATIONAL NEW LIGHTING.
THERE'S A, ANOTHER SET OF SHOWERS, UM, THAT YOU SEE, THE A DA COMPLIANT SHOWER DOWN AT THE END IS ROLL IN.
UM, SO WE REALLY, UM, THESE FOLKS WHO REALLY DID A GREAT JOB IN THERE.
UH, WHAT DID THE DETENTION CENTER STAFF DO? SO THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, THE DAILY ROUTINE OF ENSURING THAT THE, THE HEALTH AND WELFARE OF THE INMATES, THE HEALTH AND WELFARE OF DETENTION OFFICERS, AS WELL AS ALL THE CONTRACTORS THAT WERE IN AND OUT EVERY DAY, THE DETENTION CENTER STAFF MANAGED THAT EVERY SINGLE DAY, MAKING SURE THAT ALL THE INMATES HAD WHAT THEY NEEDED.
WE HAD ENOUGH SPACE TO MOVE THEM BACK AND FORTH, AND THAT WE MAINTAINED THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF THE INMATES AND OFFICERS WHILE WE WERE DOING THAT.
SO THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT TASK TO GET DONE.
SO IN THE END, WE SPENT MORE MONEY THAN WE TOLD YOU WE WOULD.
WE, UH, WE ESTIMATED $252,000.
UH, THE, UM, WE, UH, HAD ONE ADDITIONAL PURCHASE ORDER.
SO OF THE FIVE WE ENDED UP WITH SIX, SIX EMERGENCY PURCHASE ORDERS IN 2025 THAT TOTALED THAT $367,000.
AND HERE'S WHERE THE FINANCE TEAM BECOMES SO IMPORTANT FOR US.
UH, THEY ENSURED THEIR TASK WAS TO ENSURE THE FUNDS WERE TRANSFERRED PROPERLY, UM, UH, FROM AND, AND HELP US FIND, UH, ALLOCATIONS FOR THOSE.
AS WE GOT TOWARDS THE END OF THE BUDGET YEAR, UM, A FINANCE TEAM REALLY HELPED US MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD FUNDS AVAILABLE TO FINISH THESE PROJECTS.
UM, ALL OF THIS HAPPENED UNDER THE WATCHFUL EYE OF THE CFO AND THE FINANCE OFFICE OF FINANCE STAFF TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DID THINGS CORRECTLY.
SO THE FUNDING FOR THESE, MOST OF THE FUNDING CAME FROM FACILITIES, EMERGENCIES FUNDS.
SOME OF THOSE AS PROJECTS CROSSED OVER, CAME FROM, UH, THE CIP DEPARTMENT.
AND SOME OF THEM WERE REALLOCATED FUNDS FROM WITHIN THE, UH, DETENTION CENTER ALREADY.
SO WE WERE ABLE TO GET ALL THIS, UH, DONE WITHOUT COMING BACK TO YOU AND ASKING YOU FOR MORE MONEY.
THIS WAS DONE WITHIN THE BUDGET.
NOW HERE'S THE, HERE'S MY FAVORITE PART MM-HMM
[00:15:01]
OR RESTORED, UM, CLEAN SERVICEABLE SHOWERS AND LAUNDRIES INSIDE THE HOUSING UNITS.THE OPERA OFFICERS NOW HAVE OPERATIONAL LABORATORIES WITHIN THE HOUSING UNITS.
THAT ALONE SAVES US ON OVERTIME.
SO IF FOR AN OFFICER TO HAVE TO USE THE RESTROOM, THEY WOULD HAVE TO GO ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE MUSTER ROOM, UH, BECAUSE THEIR LABORATORY WAS INOPERABLE.
SO THAT MEANT ANOTHER OFFICER HAD TO COME IN AND COVER AND IT WAS CHALLENGING.
NOW WE, WE HAVE REALLY IMPROVED THAT SITUATION.
AND FINALLY, THE, UM, WELL, THERE'S LOTS MORE POSITIVES, THE WATER BILL.
SO WHILE WE WERE DOING ALL THIS PLUMBING WORK, WE'RE WORKING ON ALL THIS DRAIN, WE WERE ALSO TOOK THAT OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ON THE, ON THE WATER CONTROL VALVES.
EACH WALL OR EACH HALLWAY IN THE, UH, DETENTION CENTER HAS A WATER CONTROL CLOSET.
AND THAT WAY WE CAN ISOLATE WATER TO INDIVIDUAL CELLS.
AND WE FOUND, UH, MANY, MANY LEAKS, UH, OF THINGS THAT NEEDED TO REPAIR ALL SMALL LEAKS, BUT THEY ALL ADD UP.
SO, UH, VANESSA O'DONNELL IS THE OFFICE MANAGER FOR THE FACILITIES DEPARTMENT.
UH, SHE KEEP, SHE KEEPS A VERY CLOSE TRACK ON ALL OF OUR UTILITY BILLS.
UH, TOOK A LOT OF TIME, BUT SHE WAS ABLE TO CONNECT EACH ONE OF OUR UTILITY BILLS TO A SPECIFIC METER AND THEN CONNECT EACH ONE OF THOSE METERS TO EVERY ONE OF THE OCCUPIED BUILDINGS THAT BEAUFORT COUNTY MAINTAINS.
SO SHE STARTED REALLY PAYING ATTENTION TO THE WATER BILL.
THE WATER BILL IN THE, UH, IN THE DETENTION CENTER IN JULY OF 2024.
JUST BEFORE WE STARTED THIS PROJECT PEAKED ABOUT $53,000 A MONTH.
NOW REMEMBER, THERE'S A LOT OF LABORATORIES IN THE DETENTION CENTER THAT'S, IT'S A VERY BUSY PLACE.
WHEN WE WERE GETTING TO THE END OF THIS PROJECT IN JUNE AND JULY OF THIS YEAR, THAT WATER BILL FELL ALL THE WAY TO $14,000 A MONTH.
THAT'S $39,000 PER MONTH SAVINGS, UH, WHICH WE'LL PROJECT THIS YEAR TO BE $468,000 IN SAVINGS IN JUST THE WATER BILL.
SO WE DID SPEND THAT $367,000 TO MAKE THESE REPAIRS.
BUT WE'LL, UM, LIKELY RESULT OF THIS AS WE IMPROVE THE CONDITIONS ALL OVER THE DETENTION CENTER FOR INMATES AND OUR OFFICERS.
AND WE'RE GONNA SAVE NEARLY A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS IN THE WATER BILL.
UM, THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SHARED WITH YOU, WE TOLD YOU LAST YEAR WE WERE GOING TO, UM, WHAT WE WERE GONNA DO.
THEN WE WENT AND DID IT AND WE TOLD YOU WE WERE GONNA COME BACK AND, AND, UH, GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? NO, I JUST COMMENT THAT RECOMMENDATIONS.
WELL, I TELL YOU IT WASN'T ME AND THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT ALL OF THE FOLKS WHO WERE VERY INVOLVED.
AND THAT'S WHAT'S IMPORTANT HERE.
THE COLLABORATION OF COUNTY STAFF WAS INCREDIBLE.
THEY DID A GREAT JOB, UH, AND VERY EFFICIENT.
AND THE RESULT IS, I THINK WE'RE GONNA MAKE MONEY BY MAKING REPAIRS.
CAN YOU, CAN I MAKE ONE QUICK COMMENT? SURE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS INFORMATION.
YOU SHOWED A PICTURE BEFORE ABOUT A PIPE THAT WAS BLOCKED UP FROM THE DAY IT WAS BUILT.
ARE YOU SAYING ALL THESE SAVINGS WE COULD HAVE BEEN SAVING THIS YEARS AGO? I MEAN, THIS IS INCREDIBLY GOOD NEWS THAT, THAT ONE PIPE, YEAH, THAT, THAT AREA, IT WAS OPERATIONAL, BUT THEY ALWAYS KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH IT.
BECAUSE IT NEVER ACTED QUITE RIGHT UNTIL WE REALLY TORE UP ALL THE FLOOR AND THE CONCRETE AND ALL THE PLUMBING AND FINALLY WENT, I KNEW IT.
[8. AGENDA ITEMS]
HAVE, UH, GIVEN TO THE AGENDA ITEMS HERE, EIGHT A IS A PRESENTATION ON THE CHILDREN'S CENTER, I BELIEVE TOM, HI, UH, HENS AND JOHN SCH ARE HERE TO GIVE THAT PRESENTATION IF YOU CAN COME ON FORWARD.GOOD AFTERNOON AND GOOD AFTERNOON.
AND Y'ALL, I THINK THE, THIS IS NOT, THE MATERIAL THEY SUBMITTED IS NOT IN YOUR PACKET, BUT IT WAS CIRCULATED VIA EMAIL, SO EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE IT.
BUT, UH, ONCE AGAIN, THE FLOOR IS YOURS, MR. CHAIRMAN.
I'M WITH THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND BLUFFTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND I'M A FELLOW MEMBER OF THE SOLO COS SUBCOMMITTEE ON CHILDCARE.
ALONG WITH JOHN SCO, RETIRED ADMIRAL AND CHIEF COUNSEL OF THE COAST GUARD.
WE'RE GOING TO TAG TEAM A REQUEST FOR YOU TO SIGN THIS RESOLUTION, UM, ALONG WITH JASPER COUNTY AND THE OTHER, UH, SOLO CO MUNICIPALITIES, UM, IN SUPPORT OF A STATE CHILDCARE FUNDING DEMONSTRATION PROJECT HERE IN OUR LOCAL AREA CALLED TRI SHARE.
TO DEFINE THAT CHILDCARE FUNDING PROBLEM, I'M GONNA REFER TO AN ARTICLE ON LAST WEEK'S WALL STREET JOURNAL.
UH, CHILDCARE IS EXPENSIVE BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE EXPENSIVE.
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CHILDCARE AND CHILDCARE IS VERY LABOR INTENSIVE WITH STRICT STAFFING RATIOS TO ENSURE SAFETY AND QUALITY.YOU CAN'T USE AI TO REPLACE THEM.
IT'S HARD FOR CHILDCARE FACILITIES TO PASS ON THESE HIGH COSTS TO YOUNG WORKING PARENTS.
SO CHILDCARE WORKERS ARE SOME OF THE NATION'S LOWEST PAID WORKERS, OFTEN WITHOUT HEALTHCARE BENEFITS, WHICH MAKES FINDING AND RETAINING GOOD TEACHERS A DIFFICULT CHALLENGE.
IN ANOTHER RECENT ARTICLE ON THE WALL STREET, UH, IT STATES THAT THE CHILDCARE INDUSTRY IS A CRUCIAL PIECE OF WHAT MAKES THE US RUN.
THE ECONOMY NEEDS WORKERS TO FUNCTION.
THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TAX PAYING CITIZENS TO FILL ITS COFFERS.
BUT IN THE US THE COST OF CARING FOR AND EDUCATING YOUNG CHILDREN TENDS TO FALL SOLELY ON THE PARENTS.
AND MANY OF THOSE FAMILIES CAN'T MAKE THE MATH WORK IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
THE MEDIAN COST TO SEND ONE CHILD TO DAYCARE UNTIL KINDERGARTEN IS $54,000.
I'D LIKE TO REFER AGAIN TO A RECENT STUDY BY THE US CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE, THE SOUTH CAROLINA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES.
IT'S CALLED UNTAPPED POTENTIAL IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
HOW CHILDCARE IMPACTS SOUTH CAROLINA'S WORKFORCE PRODUCTIVITY AND THE STATE'S ECONOMY.
IT RECOGNIZES THAT CHILDCARE IS A TWO GENERATION ISSUE, ESSENTIAL FOR SUPPORTING TODAY'S LABOR FORCE AND DEVELOPING TOMORROW'S.
SEVERAL KEY FINDINGS OF THE STUDY INCLUDE ONE, INSUFFICIENT CHILDCARE AVAILABILITY COSTS SOUTH CAROLINA $997 MILLION A YEAR, AND LOST ECONOMIC ACTIVITY.
TWO, SOUTH CAROLINA RANKS 47TH AND LABOR FORCE LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION RATE, MANY NOT BEING ABLE TO WORK BECAUSE OF INADEQUATE CHILDCARE OPTIONS.
SO CHILDCARE ALSO DEVELOPS OUR NEXT GENERATION WORKFORCE.
90% OF A CHILD'S BRAIN IS DEVELOPED BEFORE THEY EVEN ENTER KINDERGARTEN.
YET ONLY 5% OF PUBLIC EDUCATION DOLLARS ARE SPENT ON EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.
AN ESTIMATED 52% OF SOUTH CAROLINA CHILDREN ARE UNPREPARED FOR KINDERGARTEN AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO CATCH UP.
OUR PROPOSED SOLUTION IS MODELED AFTER MICHIGAN'S TRI SHARE PROGRAM LAUNCHED IN 2021 AND BEING FOLLOWED IN OTHER STATES WHERE CHILDCARE COSTS ARE SHARED BETWEEN THE PARENTS, UH, THE STATE AND THE PARENT'S EMPLOYER.
ALTHOUGH MICHIGAN'S MODEL CALLS FOR SHARING COSTS EQUALLY, WE BELIEVE THAT A 50 25 25 MODEL IS PREFERABLE WHERE PARENTS COVER HALF THE COST OF THE CHILDCARE AND THE OTHER HALF IS SPLIT EQUALLY BY THE STATE AND BY THE EMPLOYER.
WE CALCULATE THAT THIS COST WOULD ADD AN ADDITIONAL DOLLAR 50 PER HOUR FOR THE STATE AND A DOLLAR 50, UH, PER HOUR FOR THE PARENT'S EMPLOYER.
THE BENEFIT TO THE PARENTS IS EVIDENT.
THE BENEFIT TO THE STATE IS THE ABILITY TO CALL BACK SOME OF THAT $997 MILLION IN LOST ECONOMIC ACTIVITY.
THE BENEFIT TO THE EMPLOYER IS ATTRACTING AND RETAINING AN APPRECIATIVE EMPLOYEE WITH LESS CHILDCARE ABSENCES.
THE BENEFIT TO THE CHILDCARE INDUSTRY IS A MORE STABLE REVENUE STREAM THAT ENABLES THE HIRING AND RETENTION OF QUALIFIED TEACHERS.
MADAM CHAIRMAN, I WOULD LIKE, UH, TO TRY TO ASK AND ANSWER TWO QUESTIONS.
FIRST, WHY IS THIS ISSUE IMPORTANT? AND SECOND, WHY IS YOUR VOICE IMPORTANT? TO ANSWER THE FIRST, LET'S LOOK AT WHO BENEFITS BUSINESSES HERE IN THE COUNTY.
YOU HAVE JUST UNDER 5,000 EMPLOYER BUSINESSES.
THEY'RE ALWAYS, IT SEEMS, IN THE HUNT FOR WORKERS, BUT THE LACK OF AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE CHILDCARE MEANS THAT SOME POTENTIAL WORKERS ARE PREVENTED FROM SEEKING EMPLOYMENT BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO STAY HOME AND TAKE CARE OF THE KIDS.
OVERCOMING THAT BARRIER MEANS THAT THEY CAN JOIN THE WORKFORCE.
YOUR CONSTITUENT BUSINESS OWNERS ARE THE FIRST TO BENEFIT
[00:25:01]
CHILDREN.THERE ARE ABOUT 3000 CHILDREN UNDER FIVE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY AND AN ESTIMATED 500 OF THEM ARE WAITLISTED FOR CHILDCARE.
THESE CHILDREN AND OTHERS WILL BENEFIT WHEN THEY GET TO SCHOOL WITH A SKILL SET NECESSARY TO BEGIN A LIFETIME OF SUCCESSFUL LEARNING.
THEIR PARENTS WILL BENEFIT WHEN TRI SHARE MAKES CHILDCARE AFFORDABLE AND THEY CAN GO TO WORK.
THE FAMILY'S STANDARD OF LIVING IMMEDIATELY GOES UP WITH THAT ADDITIONAL INCOME.
AND TEACHERS WILL BENEFIT FROM HAVING STUDENTS WHO CAN DO THE WORK RATHER THAN BEING PERPETUALLY FRUSTRATED BY FALLING BEHIND.
AND FINALLY, THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA AS A WHOLE WILL BENEFIT.
UM, THE, THE NUMBERS I'VE SEEN NUMBERS AS HIGH AS 1.4 BILLION AS THE PENALTY PAID.
UH, BECAUSE OF THE ABSENCE OF ADEQUATE AFFORDABLE CHILDCARE, SEEING CHILDCARE AND EARLY LEARNING FIXED MEANS YOUR BUSINESSES AND YOUR CONSTITUENTS WILL BE BETTER OFF.
WHY IS YOUR VOICE IMPORTANT? WE ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE REPRESENTATIVE SHANNON ERICKSON LEADING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE TASK FORCE ON CHILDCARE AND EARLY LEARNING.
HER TASK FORCE HAS BEEN HOLDING HEARINGS OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF, BUT NOT MUCH HAS HAPPENED TO DATE.
THE LEGISLATURE DID NOT INTEND TO TAKE UP CHILDCARE AND EARLY LEARNING IN THE LAST SESSION.
BUT AS WE UNDERSTAND IT, THERE IS AN INTENT TO DO SO.
IN THE SESSION THAT BEGINS THIS JANUARY, WE HAVE PUT FORWARD A PROPOSAL FOR THE TRI SHARE INITIATIVE THAT WILL ENABLE FACILITIES TO GROW AND MORE CHILDREN TO GET IN SEATS.
THIS WILL ENABLE THE STATE'S MONEY TO BE USED MORE EFFECTIVELY AND MORE EFFICIENTLY.
IT IS ONE FACET OF A SOLUTION SET.
THERE ARE OTHERS, BUT IS A POSITIVE OUTCOME ORDAINED TO HAPPEN IN THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION? I AM NOT SURE FOR EVERY REPRESENTATIVE LIKE SHARON ERICKSON, WHOSE HEART IS IN THE RIGHT PLACE, THERE SEEMS TO BE A LEGISLATOR WHO ONLY WANTS TO REDUCE TAXES AND FUEY WITH THE NECESSARY FUNCTIONS OF GOVERNMENT THAT DESPITE THE FACT THAT GOVERNOR MCMASTER REPORTS, UH, THAT THIS YEAR THERE'S A $1.8 BILLION SURPLUS IN THE STATE BUDGET.
UH, THAT'S 650 MILLION RECURRING AND 1.2 ON A ONE-TIME BASIS.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW IT WILL COME OUT.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY A VERY POWERFUL LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION.
THEY ARE REPRESENTATIVES WHO BY VIRTUE OF SENIORITY AND SERVICE, HAVE ACHIEVED CHAIRMANSHIP OF IMPORTANT COMMITTEES.
WE WANT THEM IN THE FIGHT ON THE SIDE OF CHILDCARE AND EARLY LEARNING.
MY TINY TASK FORCE DOESN'T HAVE THE WEIGHT TO ENSURE OUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION IS ON BOARD.
BUT YOU AND YOUR SOLO CO COLLEAGUES DO.
WE'RE NOT ASKING YOU FOR ANY MONEY, NOR WILL WE, BUT WE ARE ASKING THAT YOU TAKE A POSITION AND VOICE YOUR SUPPORT.
WHO KNEW I COULDN'T TURN A PAGE? SO CO HAS THE BEST MISSION STATEMENT I'VE EVER READ.
IT SAYS IN PERTINENT PART TO BE A REGIONAL THINK TANK THAT WILL IDENTIFY THE PROBLEMS AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT FACE THE ENTIRE SOUTHERN LOW COUNTRY AND PROPOSE ACTION PLANS TO APPROPRIATE LEGISLATIVE BODIES.
PURSUANT TO THE MISSION STATEMENT, SOKO HAS IDENTIFIED CHILDCARE AS A PROBLEM AND THE OPPORTUNITY FOR SOLUTION IN COLUMBIA.
NOW IS THE TIME FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THEIR CONSTITUENTS.
NOW IS THE TIME TO TELL THE DELEGATION THAT YOU THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT AND THEY SHOULD UNDERTAKE A SOLUTION.
WE ASK THAT COUNSEL PASS THE RESOLUTION.
I THANK YOU FOR YOUR, THE PRIVILEGE OF YOUR TIME AND UH, IF THERE ARE ANY, TOM AND I WILL ENDEAVOR TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THIS BODY RIGHT NOW? I HAVE A COMMENT.
FIRST, UH, I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME, YOUR PRESENTATION.
I DO BELIEVE, UH, IN WHAT YOU JUST SAID, UH, CHILDCARE IS A CRITICAL NEED THROUGHOUT BEAUFORT COUNTY, UH, ESPECIALLY IN MY DISTRICT WHERE, UM, ONE OF OUR MAJOR PROBLEMS IS
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FACILITY.UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE CHILDCARE, VERY EXPENSIVE, BUT WE ALSO LACK FACILITIES.
AND WE ARE HOPING TO TRY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THAT, UH, SOON.
BUT, UM, I DO AGREE WITH WHAT YOU JUST SAID.
AND, UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF EMPLOYEES THAT JUST CANNOT, UH, AFFORD, UM, CHILDCARE.
UM, IT'S ALMOST WHAT THEY ARE ACTUALLY MAKING.
AND SO HAVING A A, A PARTNERSHIP WITH, UH, WITH YOUR BUSINESSES AND STUFF MAKES A LOT OF SENSE, UM, IN SUPPORTING, UH, A WORKFORCE.
'CAUSE WE DO NEED, UM, THOSE PEOPLE TO GO TO WORK.
THEY WANT TO GO TO WORK, BUT IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO GO TO WORK WHEN YOU GOTTA PAY A VERY EXPENSIVE CHILDCARE.
SO AS A GRANDMOTHER WHO SUPPORTS MY DAUGHTER IN PAYING HER CHILDCARE, UM, I CAN SPEAK TO THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS.
I SEE MY GRANDDAUGHTERS FLOURISHING IN THE CENTERS.
SO I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A HUGE BITE OUT OF PEOPLE'S SALARY.
MY, MY ONE COMMENT, AND I'M ON THE SOKO BOARD, SO SPEAK ABOUT THAT IS MY UNDERSTANDING IS WE'LL PASS THE RESOLUTION.
BUT DOES IT, I I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME.
DID IT INCLUDE THE FACT THAT HARDY WAS TO BE THE PILOT? BECAUSE BUFORT COUNTY IS A LARGER AREA AND SHOULD REALLY BE THE PILOT PROGRAM.
THE, UM, AND MR. WILLIAMS WILL NOT LIKE ME FOR SAYING THAT, BUT THAT'S OKAY.
WHAT WE SAID WAS, UH, THAT, UM, WE WERE ASKING THROUGH THE DELEGATION THAT SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES, WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ESTABLISH AND CONDUCT A CHILDCARE DEMONSTRATION PROJECT USING THE TRI SHARE FUNDING MODEL IN BEAUFORT AND JASPER COUNTIES AND SUCH OTHER AREAS AS MAY BE APPROPRIATE.
THE THOUGHT WHEN WE TALKED WITH, UH, SHANNON ERICKSON SOME TIME AGO AND OTHERS MM-HMM
UH, WAS THAT IF COLUMBIA'S GOING TO DO IT, PROBABLY IT HAD TO BE MORE THAN JUST BUFORT AND JASPER.
AND SO THE GOAL WOULD BE TO DO PILOT PROJECTS IN 2, 3, 4 DIFFERENT AREAS ACROSS THE STATE.
I'M JUST SUPPORTING THAT A PILOT PROGRAM SHOULD BE IN BEAUFORT.
I'M JUST THROWING THAT OUT THERE.
WE'RE WITH YOU AND UH, WE HAVE GOT IT IN RIGHT.
WHO WOULD'VE THOUGHT WE'RE GONNA FIGHT OVER DOING A PILOT PROGRAM FOR YOU? I LIKE THAT YOU'RE TALKING DOLLARS.
UM, MR. SCOR, IT'S OUR FIRST TIME MEETING AND I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE AND I VALUE THE INFORMATION.
UH, MR. HENS, YOU'VE COME TO ME THREE YEARS NOW.
I'VE BEEN ON THIS COUNCIL AND NO MATTER WHAT YOU GET INVOLVED WITH, YOU BRING A LOT OF CREDIBILITY AND I THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
I LOOK FORWARD TO LEARNING A LOT MORE FROM ME.
UM, DID I HEAR CORRECTLY, 500 CHILDREN ON A WAIT LIST? 500 CHILDREN ARE ON A WAIT.
I REALLY THOUGHT IT WOULD BE EVEN MORE THAN THAT FROM TALKING TO SOME PEOPLE THAT I KNOW.
WELL, THE, UM, WHO PUT THEIR CHILDREN'S NAMES ON THE LIST AS SOON AS THEY FIND OUT THEY'RE EXPECTING.
I USED TO WORK FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND UH, WE USED TO TALK ABOUT WIG WAGS AND A WIG WAS A WELL-INFORMED GUESS, AND A WAG WAS A DIFFERENT KIND OF GUESS.
UM, THIS IS FROM AN INFORMAL POLLING.
THE CHILDREN'S CENTER ON THE NORTH END OF HILTON HEAD WITH WHICH I'M UH, MOST FAMILIAR HAS BEEN RUNNING A WAIT LIST OF ABOUT A HUNDRED.
AND JODY IN INFORMAL CONTACTS WITH HER COLLEAGUES RUNS THE NUMBER OUT TO ABOUT 500.
IT, IT, IT, WELL COULD BE MORE.
WELL, YOU, BEAUFORT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, YOU KNOW, BUILT THEIR OWN, ESPECIALLY FOR THE BABIES.
THAT'S WHERE THE BIG GAP IS APPARENTLY, UM, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
AND NOT EVERYBODY HAS GRANDMOTHERS OR GRANDMOTHERS WHO LIVE HERE
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT HAS ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YES, JUDGE, UH, COMMENT, UH, SINCE WE HEARD THIS AND THERE IS A SAMPLE RESOLUTION, I THINK IT DEEMS IT APPROPRIATE THAT WE DO HAVE US PASS IT THAT RESOLUTION.
SO WE CAN SEND IT ON TO COUNTY COUNCIL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
BUT JOE, IF YOU COULD, COULD YOU ACTUALLY MAKE THE MOTION TO SEND IT TO STAFF? 'CAUSE THIS IS A TEMPLATE.
AND ACTUALLY COMPLETE THE TEMPLATE AND HAVE A FINISHED PRODUCT.
WHAT I THINK WE CAN DO IS TO STATE THAT IN FACT, THIS COMMITTEE WILL APPROVE THE TEMPLATE WITH THE, YOU KNOW, CHANGING THE TEMPLATE TO BEAUFORT COUNTY WHERE NECESSARY TO MOVE IT TO COUNTY COUNCIL.
AND THAT WOULD BE MY RESOLUTION.
IS THERE A SECOND? IS THERE A SECOND TO MS? I SECOND THAT CLARIFICATION
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IF I MAY.IS, IS THAT SAYING JOE, UH, YOUR MOTION THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE COUNTYWIDE EFFORT? THIS BE COUNTYWIDE EFFORT IS FOR ESTABLISHMENT? YES.
THIS WOULD, THE BEAUFORT COUNTY WOULD BE ONE OF THE DEMONSTRATION COUNTIES WHERE IN THE COUNTY YET TO BE DETERMINED.
IT MAY BE MORE THAN ONE PLACE WE DON'T KNOW, BUT WE WOULD BE PART OF THE DEMONSTRATION.
THAT'S, THAT'S MY, THAT'S WHAT I'M INQUIRING RATHER IT'S JUST GONNA BE HILTON HEAD OR NORTH OF BROAD OR ARE WE CONSIDERING COUNTYWIDE SOUTH OF ABROAD AS WELL? WELL, WE'RE SIGNING A RESOLUTION AS A COUNCIL.
HILTON HAD, HAS SIGNED, BLUFFTON HAS SIGNED, RIGHT.
BUFORD CITY SIGNED OR THEY'RE GOING TO AND PORT ROYAL.
SO EVERYONE IN THE COUNTY IS SIGNING THIS RESOLUTION WITHOUT DETERMINING WHERE IT'S GONNA BE OTHER THAN IN THE COUNTY.
AND I THINK THE ANSWER TO WHERE IT'S GOING TO BE HAS TO PIN FUTURE DISCUSSIONS WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES.
ONCE, ONCE THEY GET THE MESSAGE TO GET OFF TOP DEAD CENTER AND PURSUE THIS, THEN THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO UNDERTAKE DISCUSSIONS WITH COUNTY, UH, AND, AND ALL TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS A PROJECT THAT IS ACCEPTABLE.
AND SO IF I CAN, IF I CAN, MAYBE I SHOULD SHED SOME CLARIFICATION.
THE STATE HASN'T ACTUALLY TAKEN ANY ACTION ON THIS YET.
THIS IS TO HELP PUSH THE ACTION TO THE RIGHT.
THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE LOOKED AT IT.
UM, IS THERE A SECOND TO JOE'S MOTION SECOND? SURE, HE DID.
SECOND THAT, UH, BY SHOW OF HANDS, UH, IN, IN FAVOR OF PASSING THE, SO COUNSEL, ALRIGHT, I BELIEVE THAT'S UNANIMOUS.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
ALRIGHT, MOVING INTO THE AMENDED, UH, EIGHT B, WHICH IS A RECOMMENDATION NOT TO RENEW THE LEASE, UH, ON THE OSA, SAMS POINT COMMUNITY CENTER.
AND I BELIEVE AUDRA, ARE YOU DOING THAT PRESENTATION? OH, LET'S PUT IT ON THE FLOOR WITH THE MOTION AND I WILL MAKE THAT MOTION.
IS THERE A SECOND ON THAT ONE? I'LL SECOND IT.
AND AUDRA, ARE YOU MAKING THE PRESENTATION? WHO'S MAKING THE PRESENTATION? ERIC.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. CHAIRMAN AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS, LIKE YOU STATED, THE ITEM IN FRONT OF YOU IS A DISCUSSION ON THE KUOL SAMS POINT COMMUNITY CENTER LEASE AGREEMENT WITH BEAUFORT COUNTY PARKS AND REC.
THE LEGAL ADDRESS IS SEVEN ETHEL GRANT LANE ON LADIES ISLAND.
THIS AGREEMENT WAS ENTERED INTO BY COUNSEL'S APPROVAL ON DECEMBER 8TH, 2008, AND EXPIRED ON DECEMBER 1ST, 2024.
THE, IF, IF I MAY, IF THERE'S NO QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW, UH, I KNOW WE'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THIS.
MY ONLY CONCERN THAT CAME UP, UH, YOU'VE ADDRESSED IT, BUT IF YOU COULD ADDRESS IT PUBLICLY, IS THE POLLING LOCATION.
UM, I KNOW YOU SAID THAT'S OUTSIDE OF THE PURVIEW OF THIS, BUT ARE, DO YOU KNOW IF THERE'S ARRANGEMENTS TO BE MADE, UH, TO KEEP THAT A POLLING LOCATION OR WORK THAT OUT AT ALL? YES.
SO THAT IS SEPARATE FROM THIS ITEM.
UM, IT IS A POLLING LOCATION AND NOT RENEWING THIS LEASE WILL NOT AFFECT THAT AT ALL.
THAT WILL BE, UM, WITH THE VOTER REGISTRATION OF BOARD OF ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT AND A FACILITY USE AGREEMENT WILL, UM, TAKE PLACE, UM, TO CONTINUE THAT.
AND THIS IS AN ANNUAL SAVINGS OF APPROXIMATELY, I KNOW IT'S NOT MUCH, BUT APPROXIMATELY 6 6500 ISH.
THAT'S FOR THE, UM, UTILITIES NOW PARKS AND REC ABSORBS THE COST TO MAINTAIN THE PROPERTY.
UH, ARE THERE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR, OR COMMENTS ON, THIS ONE IS FAIRLY, I GUESS, STRAIGHTFORWARD ON THIS.
JUST, JUST QUICKLY, UM, THE COMMUNITY ITSELF BASICALLY IS, IS MOVING FORWARD TO, TO NOT EXTEND OR NOT BE WILLING TO OR CONTINUE THE REC CENTER THERE, THE COMMUNITY? WELL, I WILL SAY IN WE'VE DONE OUR RESEARCH AND THERE HAVE NOT BEEN, THERE HAS NOT BEEN PROGRAMMING AT THAT LOCATION IN THAT FACILITY FOR OVER A DECADE.
NOW, ERIC HAS DONE SOME RESEARCH AND HE COULD PROVIDE THE DATA AS FAR AS, UM, THE, THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THAT, BUT NO, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT WHERE THE COMMUNITY APPROACHED US.
GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL CHAIRMAN.
SO, AS AUDREY WAS, UM, SAYING ABOUT PROGRAMMING, UM, I'VE BEEN HERE FOR A YEAR AND A HALF NOW AND WE HAVE NOT DONE ANY PROGRAM.
AND AS I RESEARCHED IT, IT'S BEEN ABOUT A DECADE SINCE ANY PARKS AND RECREATION PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN IN THIS FACILITY.
ALTHOUGH THERE'S BEEN VOTING IN THE FACILITY TO MY UNDERSTANDING, UM, WE WENT AND LOOKED AT HOW CAN WE PROVIDE PROGRAMMING.
WE NEVER WANT TO END PROGRAMMING
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OR NOT END ANYTHING WITHOUT COMING BACK TO SAY, HOW CAN WE PROVIDE, SO WE DID, WE LOOKED AT THE CENSUS AND IT'S ANYWHERE FROM TWO TO 3000 RESIDENTS IN THIS AREA.AND SOME PLACES IT'S ABOUT 600 SOMETHING RESIDENTS, ABOUT 300 KIDS.
UM, AND SO WE WERE LOOKING AT HOW CAN WE SURVEY AND MAKE SURE WE HAVE PROGRAMMING.
WELL, THERE HAVEN'T BEEN ANY PROGRAMMING FOR, UM, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG, I CAN'T REALLY SAY HOW LONG I, I KNOW I CAN SAY FOR A YEAR AND A HALF.
UM, AND SO MY GOAL NOW IS TO SAY IF THE LEASE, IF THE AGREEMENT IS NOT GONNA BE RENEWED, THAT'S FINE.
I'M, I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT.
BUT WHAT I WOULD DO, OR WHAT I WILL DO IS LOOK AT WAYS OF MEETING WITH THE COMMUNITY ON HOW CAN WE COME AND REVISIT THAT AT A LATER DATE.
UM, WE NEVER WANNA WALK AWAY FROM ANY COMMUNITY, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE COST SUFFICIENT.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT JUST OUT THERE OPENING UP A FACILITY AND NEVER HAVING ANYTHING GOING ON.
I CAN'T COME BACK TO AUDRA OR MIKE AND SAY, YEAH, I NEED, YOU KNOW, $6,000 AND, BUT I'M NOT PROGRAMMING ANYTHING THERE.
AND SO THEREFORE, I SPOKE WITH SOME OF THE REPRESENTATIVES THIS MORNING.
I TOLD 'EM I'D GIVE THEM A CALL THIS AFTERNOON AND WE'LL LOOK AT WAYS TO MAYBE REVISIT THIS IN A YEAR IF THERE IS SOME PROGRAMMING, WHETHER SENIOR OR WHATEVER, EVEN THE SENIORS THAT'S IN THIS AREA, THEY'RE COMFORTABLE WITH GOING TO ONE OF OUR OTHER SENIOR SITES.
'CAUSE I SURVEYED AND ASKED THEM, YOU KNOW, IF WE WERE TO START A SENIOR PROGRAM HERE, WOULD YOU GUYS BE OPEN TO COMING IN HERE? AND THEY SAID NO.
SO AT THAT, AT THIS TIME, WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, YOU KNOW, NOT RENEW.
WELL THE LEASE, THE RELEASE SHOULD HAVE BEEN RENEWED DECEMBER OF 24 AND IT WASN'T.
UM, AND IT WAS ONE OF THOSE LEASE AGREEMENTS THAT WE HAVE 'EM ALL NOW UNDER CONTROL BECAUSE WE KNOW WHEN THEY WILL BE RENEWED.
BUT IT WAS ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHEN I GOT HERE, I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW KU SAW EXISTED.
SO NOW THAT I DO KNOW, AND NOW THAT I KNOW THAT THERE'S NOTHING THERE, I WILL BE MEETING WITH THE COMMUNITY AND SAYING, HOW CAN WE COME UP WITH SOMETHING IF THAT'S EVEN FEASIBLE.
IS IT YOUR UNDERSTANDING TOO THAT THE CHURCH THAT'S RIGHT NEXT TO IT, HAVE THEY ABSORBED SOME OF THAT CAPACITY? 'CAUSE I I IT'S UNDER YOU.
IT'S UNDERUTILIZED RIGHT? THE FACILITY.
BUT HAS THAT CHURCH TAKEN OFF OF THAT? I'M NOT SURE.
AND A LITTLE OFF TOPIC IF I MAY, BUT I, I KNOW THE, UH, ST.
HELENA AND THE DALE COMMUNITY CENTERS WERE VERY IMPORTANT TO GET OFF THE GROUND.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A CENTRALIZED COMMUNITY CENTER OUT THERE ON THE SPRINGFIELD, UH, LOCATION OF COURSE.
SO JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE.
MR. CHAIRMAN, COULD I FINISH MY ABSOLUTELY.
UH, MR. BROWN, I APPRECIATE, UH, YOUR WILLINGNESS TO CONTINUE THE EFFORT TO MEET WITH PEOPLE MM-HMM
I DO KNOW THAT, UM, I FORGOT THE NAME OF THAT ROAD, THAT THERE IS A FACILITY, UH, RECREATIONS, NOT A FACILITY, BUT A RECREATION SITE THAT'S NOT TOO FAR ON LAKE ISLAND.
DON'T WE HAVE THAT AS WELL? TALKING ABOUT BROWNFIELD? BROWNFIELD, THERE'S BASEBALL FIELDS.
THERE'S NOT A CENTER, BUT THE RIGHT, THE THE BASEBALL FIELDS.
BASEBALL FIELDS AND THE TENNIS COURT AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
CAN'T REMEMBER THE, IT'S SPRINGFIELD.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WAS JUST ABOUT TALKING ABOUT.
UM, SO I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT YOU'RE STILL GOING TO BE WORKING WITH, UM, FOLKS IN THAT COMMUNITY, SEE WHETHER THERE IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE.
UM, I HATE TO LIKE YOU TO GIVE UP SOMETHING IF WE CAN DO SOMETHING IN A COMMUNITY AS FAR AS SUPPORTING RECREATION.
I DO KNOW, AND I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE IN THE PAST SINCE YOU'VE BEEN HERE, IS TO REACH OUT FOR COMMUNITY RECS.
AND THIS IS A SITE THAT WOULD SUPPORT A COMMUNITY DIRECTOR.
IF THERE'S NO ACTIVITY THERE, THEN THERE'S NO ACTIVITY THERE.
SO I WANT TO STAND ON WHAT YOU RECOMMENDING AND SUPPORTING.
AND THAT WAS MY INITIAL CONCERN WHEN I VOTED AGAINST THE, UH, INITIAL MOTION TO, UH, NOT RENEW, RENEW THE LEASE.
UM, THE THOUGHT OF US ABANDONING, SUPPLYING, UM, UH, RECREATION, UH, ACTIVITIES IN ANY COMMUNITY.
AND SO WITH THE CLARIFICATION THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE FROM THE COMMENTS THAT MADE, DAVE, THIS IS YOUR DISTRICT? YES, SIR.
SO, UM, HAVING, HAVING HEARD THE DISCUSSION, I'M, I'M GOOD.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER COMMENT ON THIS? ALRIGHT, UH, ABOUT A SHOW OF HANDS.
ALRIGHT, SO I BELIEVE THAT'S UNANIMOUS AND IT WILL NOT BE RENEWED.
AND MOVING INTO AGENDA ITEM EIGHT C, THE APPOINTMENTS OF ARIEL PERRY AND CHRISTIAN KATA TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD FOR PARTIAL TERM WITH AN EXPIRATION DATE OF FEBRUARY, 2026.
UH, MAY I HAVE A MOTION? I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO HAVE THOSE TWO APPOINT INSTEAD OF PARKS AND REC BOARD.
ALRIGHT, IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
[00:45:01]
ON THIS? SEEING NO DISCUSSION, UH, CAN THIS BE MOVED FORWARD UNANIMOUSLY? YES.ALRIGHT, THIS IS UNANIMOUS, UH, MOVING INTO EIGHT D APPOINTMENT OF MARY CHRISTIAN, UH, OR RANDY, UH, BOWEN TO THE BEAUFORT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR A FOUR YEAR TERM WITH AN EXPIRATION DATE OF AUGUST, 2029.
UM, MAY I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO PUT FORWARD TO CHOOSE ONE OF THESE TWO FOR THE APPOINTMENT.
MAY I HAVE A SECOND ON THAT? I'LL SECOND.
AND ARE THERE ANY NOMINATIONS OF THOSE TWO THAT WOULD LIKE TO BE RECOMMENDED? I, I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS? OKAY.
SO ALICE AND I SIT ON THE BEFORD MEMORIAL HOSPITAL BOARD.
ALICE WAS INVOLVED IN THESE INTERVIEWS.
I'D LIKE TO RECOMMEND MY COUNCIL MEMBERS, MARY CHRISTIAN.
SHE HAS, I REALLY LIKED HOW SHE RESPONDED.
HER EXPERIENCES, UH, PROVIDING, SHE'S LOOKING AT TALENT, RETENTION, ATTRACTION AND DEVELOPMENT.
THOSE ARE THREE THINGS, BMH CRITICALLY NEEDS.
SHE HAS BEEN WORKING ON THE QUALITY IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE FOR BEAUFORT MEMORIAL AND SHE'S BEEN AN ASSET TO THE CAPACITY OF THE HOSPITAL.
SO I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND HER FOR THIS CHOICE.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I'LL SECOND THERE.
ALRIGHT, SO, UH, WE HAVE A RECOMMENDATION AND A SECOND FOR MARY CHRISTIAN TO BE APPOINTED.
UH, IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS? SEEING NONE BY SHOW OF HANDS.
UM, IN FAVOR OF MARY CHRISTIAN BEING APPOINTED.
AND MOVING INTO ITEM EIGHT E, WHICH IS THE APPOINTMENT OF STEVEN, UH, MARVA OR LAWRENCE HERLONG TO THE BEAUFORT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR A PARTIAL TERM WITH AN EXPIRATION DATE OF FEBRUARY, 2028.
UH, MAY I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO OPEN DISCUSSION ON THIS? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO OPEN DISCUSSION ON THIS.
AND IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THE CANDIDATES? JUST A SECOND.
UM, MR. MABO HAS, BOTH OF THESE PEOPLE ARE HIGHLY QUALIFIED, BUT, UM, TURN THE INTERVIEW PROCESS HIS SKILLS WITH, UM, FINANCIAL, UM, AND SIX SIGMA AND THINGS LIKE THAT, UM, STOOD OUT.
SO I'D LIKE TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION THAT IT GO FORWARD FOR MR. STEVEN MA.
IS THERE A SECOND FOR THAT RECOMMENDATION? I'LL SECOND THAT ONE.
IF I'M PRONOUNCING THAT CORRECTLY.
I APOLOGIZE IF HE'S LISTENING, IF I MISPRONOUNCE IT.
SO WE HAVE A, UH, MOTION AND A SECOND TO MOVE, UH, STEVEN MARVA AS A RECOMMENDATION TO THE BUFORD MEMORIAL HOSPITAL BOARD.
UH, IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THESE CANDIDATES OR THIS PARTICULAR INDIVIDUAL? ALRIGHT, SAYING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION BY SHOW OF HANDS.
UM, CAN WE VOTE TO APPOINT STEVEN MARVIN, RECOMMEND.
UH, IS THERE ANY ADDITIONAL BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE? RIGHT NOW? SEEING NONE, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT TWO 40.