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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.
[I. CALL TO ORDER]
ALRIGHT, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY.WE'RE GONNA CALL THIS, UH, MEETING TO ORDER THE BEFORD COUNTY LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION.
UH, I'M GONNA ASK REPRESENTATIVE RIVERS TO GIVE US THE INVOCATION, FOLLOWED BY SENATOR DAVIS WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE RIVERS.
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY.
WE THANK YOU FOR ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY.
WE THANK YOU FOR THE GIFT THAT THIS DAY IS.
FATHER, WE THANK YOU THAT THE BUSINESS THAT WE DO TODAY FOR BEING IN THE BEST INTEREST OF ALL OF THE CONSTITUENTS AND THE CITIZENS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, NOT ONLY SOUTH CAROLINA, BUT BUFORD.
LORD, WE JUST THANK YOU NOW FOR THIS BE OF DELEGATION.
WE THANK YOU THAT THE DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE BE DONE OBJECTIVELY AND NOT SUBJECTIVELY IN THE NAME AND NATURE OF JESUS OF CHRIST.
AMEN TO THE REPUBLIC FOR STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
UM, BEFORE WE GET INTO THE APPROVAL OF MEETINGS, I JUST WANNA WELCOME CHUCK, CHUCK.
HE WENT FOR A TEA, A NEW, A NEW BEAUFORT COUNTY RESIDENT.
HE SAW THE LIGHT AND MOVED DOWN HERE, SO CAN'T WAIT TO TAXI HIM.
[III. APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES – March 11, 2025]
SEE.WE'RE GONNA GO WITH THE APPROVAL OF, UH, OF THE MEETING MINUTES FROM MARCH 11TH, 2025.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THE APPROVAL? AYE.
[IV. SPECIAL RECOGNITION and PRESENTATIONS]
WITH A SPECIAL RECOGNITION AND PRESENTATIONS.YOU, MARIA WAS OUR, UH, DIRECTOR OF VOTER REGISTRATION FOR HOW MANY YEARS, MARIE? 20 YEARS.
I GOTTA TELL YOU WITH MARIE, IT WAS A, UH, IT WAS REALLY A JOY WORKING WITH YOU.
I MEAN, EVERY TIME THERE WAS AN ISSUE, WE'D CALL, WE'D GET AN ANSWER.
WE WERE ALWAYS UP HERE WITH THE PROGRAMS, VERY FORWARD THINKING WHAT YOU DID.
AND I'LL TELL YOU FROM THE DELEGATION STANDPOINT, WE CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH.
UM, WE DO, UH, WE HAVE A RECOGNITION FOR YOU, AND I'M JUST GONNA, WHAT I'M GONNA DO IS THANK YOU FOR MY PART AND I'M GONNA LET THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE DELEGATION THANK YOU BECAUSE FOR 20 YEARS YOU HAVE BEEN THE SMILING FACE OVER THE VOTER REGISTRATION.
WE DO HAVE A SENATOR DAVIS, IF YOU WOULD, BEAUTIFUL RESOLUTION FOR YOU HERE, RECITING ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT YOU'VE DONE AND PRESENTED TO YOU ON THIS DAY.
THANK OUR REPRESENTATIVE NEWTON.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS MIKE'S HOT MARIE.
YOU AND I GO BACK A LONG WAY FROM MY DAYS AT, UH, UH, COUNTY COUNCIL, AND WHILE THESE PRESENTATIONS THAT WE HAVE HERE AT THE DELEGATION ARE NOT QUITE AS AUSTERE AS THEY ARE IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS AND ON TELEVISION IN FRONT OF ALL THE COUNCIL, I'M SURE I SEE THE VICE CHAIRMAN BACK THERE.
I'M SURE THEY'LL BE GIVING YOU A TWO DECADES, BUT THAT'S JUST TWO DECADES IN THIS ROLE.
PRIOR TO THAT, YOU WERE WITH THE COUNTY IN ANOTHER CAPACITY AS WELL.
SO, UM, UH, AND OUR, AND OUR TIME TOGETHER GOES BACK THEN.
SO APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE, UH, ON BEHALF OF THE DELEGATION, WHEN I WAS ON COUNTY COUNCIL, THE FOLKS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY AND A LOT OF CHANGES IN THE VOTER REGISTRATION DEPARTMENT, THERE'VE BEEN PROBLEMS, ACCUSATIONS, CHALLENGES, TECHNOLOGY, FUNDING, ALL KINDS OF THINGS.
BUT YOU'VE WEATHERED THE STORM, YOU'VE KEPT THE SHIP HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
WE CAN ALWAYS IMPROVE, AND YOU'VE BEEN A LEADER IN TRYING TO HELP MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
SO THANKS FOR ALL YOU DID FOR THE FOLKS IN BEFORD.
DID YOU WANT TO ADD SOMETHING? UH, LI DIDN'T EXPRESS IT QUITE WELL, AND I PERSONALLY THANK YOU FOR SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE THEIR VOTING IRREGULARITIES CALLING YOU.
QUICK RESPONSE ALWAYS FOR THAT.
UH, MARIE, I AM GONNA MISS YOU.
MARIE IS, IS MY BEAUFORT CONSTITUENT FOR THE CUSA ISLAND AREA, AND A FRIEND, YOU HAVE BEEN, UM, A STEADY HAND AND,
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UH, A REALLY TUMULTUOUS TIME AND GROWTH COUNTY HAS EXPLODED.UM, YOU'VE, YOU'VE DONE A, AS MUCH AS YOU COULD DO WITH EVERY SINGLE ELECTION THAT YOU COULD WITH A TEAM, AND THANK YOU FOR HANDLING THAT TEAM AND KEEPING THE FOCUS ON THE VOTERS EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND, AND YEAH, ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT YOU'VE DONE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, YOU DESERVE A BREAK AND TO FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO WITH THE NEXT CHAPTER.
AND I HOPE I GET TO TAG ALONG FOR SOME FUN.
THANK YOU, REPRESENTATIVE BRADLEY.
MARIA, I CAN'T DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN SAY, DITTO FOR WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE HAS SAID, BUT EVERY TIME I HAD AN INTERACTION WITH YOU, IT WAS VERY PROFESSIONAL AND YOU DID IT WITH A SMILE.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE.
REPRESENTATIVE RIVERS, UH, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, UH, MARIE FOR ME, UH, IT'S, IT'S QUITE REFRESHING TO SEE YOU AT THIS STAGE, KNOWING YOU ALL MY LIFE.
AND WHAT'S EVEN MORE REFRESHING IS SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TAKEN THE BRUNT OF, UH, STUFF, UM, WHEN IT WASN'T EVEN YOUR FAULT.
AND, AND I CAN SAY THAT YOUR STAFF HAVING WORKED AS A POLL MANAGER, AND YOU GUYS ARE, UH, HARD WORKERS AND UNDERAPPRECIATED AND, UM, ENJOY YOURSELF AND, AND, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU AND HELP, UH, H HAVE SOME FUN.
THAT'S, IT'S A SCHOOL, SCHOOL JOKE FROM BACK IN THE DAY.
BUT
I'VE DONE SPEAK FOR ME, AND YOU HAVE DONE THAT SINCE.
AS IT HAGAR, I WANNA THANK YOU WHAT, FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE.
I WAS A RESIDENT OF HAMPTON COUNTY FOR 20 YEARS AND, AND, UH, ALWAYS HAD GREAT, UM, GREAT TIME WITH VOTING AND ALL THE POLL WORKERS AND AND STAFF ARE SO UNDERAPPRECIATED.
UM, I, UH, I LIVE IN HAMPTON NOW, BUT, SO I DON'T INTERACT WITH YOUR, YOUR POLL FOLKS ANYMORE, BUT I DO APPRECIATE WHAT Y'ALL DO AND, AND THE HARD WORK THAT, THAT IT TAKES TO PUT ON AN ELECTION.
I GOTTA SAY, WE ARE EXPECTING YOU TO, UM, CONTINUE YOUR HARD WORK AND KEEP YOUR HUSBAND A LITTLE BIT BUSY NOW THAT YOU'LL BE, UH, AND AT THIS TIME, I MEAN, MARIA, I WOULD, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU ALL FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE AND YOUR CONTRIBUTION TO MAKING SURE THAT ELECTIONS, UM, RUN SMOOTHLY.
I KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS BEGGING FOR MONEY, SO
AT THIS, AT THIS POINT, I WOULD LIKE EVERYBODY TO PLEASE STAND AND GIVE A STANDING OVATION TO MARIA FOR WORK.
THAT'S, UH, THAT'S SOME OF THE GOOD THINGS WE WE'RE ALLOWED TO DO OR WE GET TO DO UP HERE.
I DO WANNA THANK, UH, I DO WANT TO THANK THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON FOR ALLOWING US TO BE OVER HERE AND, UH, AND BEING SO HOSPITABLE AND OPENING THE DOORS HERE.
I WAS WONDERING WHERE I, UM, WE, UH, UH, IT'S SOMETIMES IT'S WITH EVERYONE'S SCHEDULE, IT'S KIND OF TOUGH TO FIND A PLACE AND THEY'VE REALLY STEPPED UP EVERY TIME WE'VE ASKED AND WE SO APPRECIATE IT.
[V. BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS UPDATE]
THIS TIME, WE'RE GONNA GO WITH THE, UH, REPORT FROM THE, UH, UM, THE BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS, AN UPDATE FROM MATT SWEENEY.UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SOME REMARKS TODAY.
MY NAME IS MATT SWEENEY, AND I HAD THE HONOR OF BEING ELECTED BY MY PEERS IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR TO BE THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF ELECT OF THE BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY.
UH, FIVE OF MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS ARE HERE TODAY.
YOU GUYS CAN RAISE YOUR HANDS.
UM, FIRST AND ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING MARIE SMALLS FOR THE MANY CONTRIBUTIONS SHE MADE OVER THE YEARS TO VOTERS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
DURING MARIE'S 20 PLUS YEARS WORKING IN THE VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT, SHE HELPED THE COUNTY TO ADAPT TO RAPID GROWTH AND SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN VOTING TECHNOLOGY.
TO PUT THE GROWTH IN PERSPECTIVE, IN THE 2004 GENERAL ELECTION, BEAUFORT COUNTY HAD JUST 75 PRECINCTS WITH 77,000 VOTERS.
TODAY WE HAVE 134 PRECINCTS WITH OVER 140,000 REGISTERED VOTERS.
WHILE THE NUMBER OF PRECINCTS, VOTERS, AND POLLING LOCATIONS NEARLY DOUBLED, AND AS VOTING METHODS CHANGED DRASTICALLY, MS. SMALLS
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ESTABLISHED AND CONSISTENTLY MAINTAINED A CULTURE OF ELECTIONS WITH INTEGRITY, THE SPIRIT OF OUTSTANDING CUSTOMER SERVICE, AND A CULTURE OF HARD WORK AND DEDICATION IS THE FINE LEGACY THAT MARIE WILL LEAVE WITH US.SO, ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, I'D LIKE TO AGAIN, THANK MARIE AND WISH HER THE VERY BEST AS SHE CONTINUES TO SERVE HER COMMUNITY OUTSIDE THE REALM OF GOVERNMENT.
OKAY, OUR BOARD IS STILL WORKING THROUGH THE SEARCH PROCESS FOR MARIE'S SUCCESSOR, AND WHILE I DON'T HAVE ANY UPDATES FOR YOU ON THAT TODAY, I WILL LET YOU KNOW AS SOON AS THE SUCCESSOR HAS BEEN FINALIZED.
NEXT, I'D LIKE TO THANK CHAIRMAN HERB KERMAN AND THE REST OF THE DELEGATION FOR FILING H 43 50 ON APRIL 10TH, 2025, AND BRINGING IT ACROSS THE FINISH LINE AS ACT 53 ON MAY 19TH, THAT BILL SPLIT EIGHT PRECINCTS AS RECOMMENDED BY MS. BEVERLY DORIS RE PRECINCT COMMITTEE AND SUPPORTED BY THE FULL BOARD TO BRING US TO A TOTAL OF 134 PRECINCTS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AT THE TIME THE BILL WAS PASSED, BEAUFORT COUNTY WAS 100% IN COMPLIANCE WITH SECTION 7 7 7 10 OF THE CODE OF LAWS, WHICH REQUIRES PRECINCTS TO HAVE FEWER THAN 1500 VOTERS.
WE WERE THE ONLY COUNTY OF THE LARGEST 20 COUNTIES THAT WAS IN FULL COMPLIANCE WITH THE CONTINUED GROWTH IN THE NEW RIVER AREA.
HOWEVER, WE NOW HAVE ONE PRECINCT WITH MORE THAN 1500 VOTERS, UH, BUT WE'RE STILL AT 99% COMPLIANCE.
FOR REFERENCE, GREENVILLE IS ONLY AT 15% COMPLIANCE, ORI IS ABOUT 30%, AND CHARLESTON IS AT 62% COMPLIANCE.
NOW I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THREE ISSUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO OUR BOARD AND FOR WHICH YOUR SUPPORT IS REQUESTED.
UM, MARIE MENTIONED, WE'RE ALWAYS BEGGING FOR MONEY.
I THINK ONLY ONE OF THESE IS AN ASK FOR MONEY
UM, YOU SHOULD HAVE A ONE PAGE HANDOUT FOR EACH OF THE THREE ISSUES.
AND THOSE SHEETS HAVE MORE DETAIL THAN I'LL STATE IN MY REMARKS.
SO LET'S START WITH THE ONE ENTITLED POLL WORKER PAY.
THE FIRST TOPIC IS REGARDING POLL WORKER PAY, AND THIS IS A STATEWIDE ISSUE, NOT A BEAUFORT COUNTY ISSUE.
AS YOU KNOW, CITIZEN POLL WORKERS ARE CRITICAL TO SUCCESSFUL ELECTIONS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
FOR EXAMPLE, OUR STAFF OF 11 BECAME RESPONSIBLE FOR MORE THAN 825 POLL WORKERS ON NOVEMBER 5TH LAST YEAR.
POLL WORKERS ATTEND FOUR TO 10 HOURS OF TRAINING BEFORE ELECTION DAY, AND THEN ARE EXPECTED TO WORK A 15 HOUR DAY FLAWLESSLY.
NO MISTAKES, MINIMAL BREAK TIME, NO MISTAKES, EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE, AND NO MISTAKES.
AND THE JOB IS GETTING MORE AND MORE CHALLENGING WITH THINGS LIKE THE NEW DRIVER'S LICENSE PROCESS THAT DELAYS ISSUANCE OF PHOTO LICENSES AND MAKES VOTER ID VERIFICATION MORE COMPLICATED.
AND THINGS LIKE MORE DETAILED AUDIT AND OVERSIGHT REQUIREMENTS THAT WERE CODIFIED BY ACT ONE 50.
THEY MAKE PRECISION AND COMPLIANCE OF OUR CO OUR POLL WORKERS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER.
MOST OF THE INCREASED REQUIREMENTS ON POLL WORKERS ARE GOOD, BUT THEY REQUIRE CAPABLE, DEDICATED, AND NEWER GENERATIONS OF CITIZEN POLL WORKERS ACROSS THE STATE.
AT THE SAME TIME, REGULAR LIFE IS GETTING MORE COMPLICATED FOR MOST PEOPLE AS GDP PER CAPITA RISES ACROSS THE STATE.
SO DO OPPORTUNITY COSTS FOR PEOPLE'S TIME.
HIGHER WAGES MEANS PEOPLE'S TIME IS MORE VALUABLE AT THEIR REGULAR JOB, AND WHETHER RETIRED OR STILL WORKING, THE THINGS PEOPLE DO AFTER WORK HAVE A HIGHER VALUE.
THESE OPPORTUNITY COSTS ARE HIGHER THAN EVER.
THE FULL FORCE OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF WERE NEEDED TO RECRUIT THE 825 WORKERS AT THE LAST GENERAL ELECTION.
AND IT IS ONLY GETTING MORE DIFFICULT.
IT IS A TRULY DAUNTING TASK TO RECRUIT, TRAIN, MONITOR, AND RETAIN.
POLL WORKERS BASE POLL WORKER PAY ACROSS THE STATE IS $135 FOR TRAINING AND WORKING.
THAT WORKS OUT TO ABOUT $6 AND 75 CENTS AN HOUR.
FOR REFERENCE, BEAUFORT COUNTY'S AVERAGE WAGES FOR OTHER JOBS ARE 25 TO $35 AN HOUR.
NOW, A SENSE OF CIVIC DUTY IS THE REASON THAT MOST PEOPLE WORK THE POLLS.
HOWEVER, THAT'S NOT ENOUGH IN THE FACE OF RISING OPPORTUNITY COSTS.
OUR ASK TO YOU IS TO SUPPORT THE NEXT STATE ELECTION COMMISSION'S BUDGET REQUEST FOR INCREASED POLL WORKER PER DIEMS. IN YOUR LAST SESSION, PROVISO 1 0 2 0.2 INCLUDED AN INCREASE OF ABOUT $2 PER HOUR FOR POLL WORKERS, BUT IT DID NOT PASS.
SO WE ARE ASKING YOU TO SUPPORT THE SEC'S BUDGET REQUEST FOR INCREASED POLL
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WORKER STIPENDS IN THE NEXT SESSION.OR IF THAT FAILS, WE ASK THAT YOU SUBMIT AND APPROVE A PROVISO FOR INCREASES IN POLL WORKER PAY.
SO BEFORE I GO ON TO THE NEXT ISSUE, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT? ANY QUESTIONS? NO.
YOU SAID THAT, UH, 25 TO $30, THAT'S PER HOUR, THAT'S THE, THAT'S, THAT'S NORMALIZED IN BUFORD AS FAR AS SALARY.
IS THAT, DID I HEAR YOU CORRECTLY? WELL, FOR, YEAH, FOR MY RESEARCH WORKING A AVERAGE JOB IN BEAUFORT COUNTY PAYS 25 TO $35 PER HOUR.
MATT, IS THE PROPOSED NEW NUMBER FOR PAY GONNA MOVE THE NEEDLE IN RECRUITING PEOPLE? IS THAT GONNA EVEN MAKE A DIFFERENCE? REALLY, BECAUSE, BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE THESE PEOPLE ARE PAID ABOUT WHAT WE'RE PAID ON AN HOURLY BASIS,
WELL, BUT THE DI BIG DIFFERENCE IS THAT THEY, THEY MAY MAKE CORE BIG DIFFERENCE IS THAT WE NEED ALMOST A THOUSAND PEOPLE IN BUFORT COUNTY.
AND IF YOU MULTIPLY THAT ACROSS THE STATE, IT'S A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE.
SO WE'VE RELIED ON THE CIVIC SENSE OF DUTY IN THE PAST, BUT IT'S JUST GETTING MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT TO RECRUIT PEOPLE.
AND I BELIEVE IT'S IN THE NOTES THERE, THE AVERAGE AGE OF OUR POLL WORKERS IS 67, AND THE MEDIAN AGE IS 72.
SO WE REALLY NEED TO TRY TO FIND YOUNGER PEOPLE AND, AND THE MONEY WILL MOVE THE NEEDLE.
SO RIGHT NOW, POLL WORKERS GET A TOTAL OF $135.
THE PROVISO, UM, LAST SESSION WOULD'VE ADDED $40 TO THAT.
AND, AND IN THE INTEREST OF FULL DISCLOSURE, IN BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNTY COUNCIL HAS APPROVED A SUPPLEMENT OF A HUNDRED DOLLARS PER POLL WORKER.
AND THAT'S VERY HELPFUL FOR US IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
BUT WE'RE RAISING THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION AS A STATEWIDE ISSUE.
OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MATT? FAIR ANSWER.
LET'S LOOK AT THE POOLED POLLING LOCATIONS DOCUMENT.
THE SECOND TOPIC IS REGARDING POOLED POLLING LOCATIONS ON ELECTION DAY.
THIS ISSUE, UM, IS SPECIFIC TO BEAUFORT COUNTY.
THE CODE OF LAWS STATES THAT VOTERS SHALL VOTE AT A POLLING LOCATION WITHIN THE PRECINCT OF THEIR RESIDENCE.
THAT MEANS EVERY PRECINCT SHOULD HAVE ITS OWN POLLING LOCATION ON ELECTION DAY.
THAT WAS PRACTICAL AND PROBABLY ACHIEVABLE WHEN SOUTH CAROLINA WAS MORE RURAL AND PRECINCT BOUNDARIES WERE GEOGRAPHICALLY LARGE.
BUT AS OUR STATE HAS DEVELOPED DENSE RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES, THE GEOGRAPHIC BORDERS OF PRECINCTS HAVE SHRUNK DRAMATICALLY, AND THERE ARE SIMPLY FEWER FACILITIES SUITABLE TO HOST ELECTIONS.
THE TRADE OFF, UH, WITH COMPLIANCE WITH THAT 7 7 7 10, WHICH IS FEWER THAN 1500 VOTERS PER PRECINCT, IS THAT MORE POLLING LOCATIONS ARE NEEDED IN AREAS WHERE THEY'RE SIMPLY NOT AVAILABLE.
SO SUN CITY IS AN EXTREME EXAMPLE.
SUN CITY HAS 10 PRECINCTS, ALL OF WHICH ARE FEWER THAN 1500 VOTERS EACH, BUT THERE ARE VIABLE POLLING LOCATIONS AND ONLY TWO OF THOSE 10 PRECINCTS.
WE HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO CO-LOCATE PRECINCTS.
SO WE'VE HAD TWO POLLING LOCATIONS WITH FIVE PRECINCTS EACH.
WE SPLIT PRECINCT TO COMPLY WITH THE LAW REGARDING PRECINCT SIZE.
AND BECAUSE IT IS IN OUR CONTROL, BUT FINDING A SUITABLE POLLING LOCATION IN EVERY PRECINCT IS SIMPLY NOT POSSIBLE.
THAT IS NOT TO SAY WE'RE NOT, THAT IS NOT TO SAY WE'RE LOOKING FOR A FREE PASS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
WE DO MAKE BEST REASONABLE EFFORTS TO FIND A POLLING PLACE IN EVERY PRECINCT TO COMPLY WITH THE LAW.
BUT VOTING LOCATIONS MUST MEET A DA REQUIREMENTS, HAVE SUFFICIENT PARKING, AND BE AVAILABLE TO US FOR 15 HOURS DURING A NORMAL WORKING DAY, AS WELL AS BE AVAILABLE FOR ANY RUNOFF ELECTIONS.
IT'S A TALL ORDER, AND WE'VE DONE A MEASURABLY GOOD JOB BETWEEN 2022 AND 2024.
WE WENT FROM 56 POLLING LOCATIONS TO 83 POLLING LOCATIONS WITH VIRTUALLY NO CHANGE IN THE TOTAL NUMBER OF REGISTERED VOTERS.
OUR ASK HERE IS FOR THE DELEGATION TO PASS LOCAL LEGISLATION, ALLOWING US TO CO-LOCATE PRECINCTS ON ELECTION DAY UPON TWO CONDITIONS.
FIRST CONDITION IS JUSTIFICATION BY OUR BOARD, MEANING THAT OUR BOARD ATTESTS TO MAKING BEST REASONABLE EFFORTS TO MEET THE ONE POLLING PLACE PER PRECINCT REQUIREMENT.
LAST YEAR, WE PRESENTED TO YOU SUCH AN EXPLANATION BEFORE THE GENERAL ELECTION, AND THE SECOND CONDITION WOULD BE, UH, APPROVAL BY A MAJORITY OF YOUR DELEGATION.
SO SECTION 7 7 10 OF THE CODE SAYS THAT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY HAS THE SOLE AUTHORITY TO DESIGNATE LOCATIONS
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OF POLLING PLACES.AND WE BELIEVE YOUR APPROVAL OF POOLED POLLING LOCATIONS BASED ON OUR BOARD'S JUSTIFICATION, PRESERVES THE SPIRIT OF THAT SECTION OF THE CODE RICHLAND COUNTY.
AND AS OF 2024 LAST YEAR, PICKENS COUNTY HAVE LOCAL LEGISLATION THAT SET A PRECEDENT FOR THIS REQUEST.
SO WE WILL BE HAPPY TO SEND YOU A DRAFT OF THE BILL FOR THIS LOCAL LEGISLATION.
IT WOULD BE AN AMENDMENT TO 7 7 1 10, WHICH IS THE DESIGNATION OF VOTING PRECINCTS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT? ANY QUESTIONS, SIR? CHAIRMAN, SIR, MAY I, HAS ANYBODY, UH, YOU AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN, IN THE PAST, THIS ISSUE.
YOU KNOW, I, I STRUGGLE CONCEPTUALLY WITH THE IDEA OF WE CAN'T MEET THE LAW, SO LET'S JUST CHANGE IT.
UM, I MEAN, JUST FUNDAMENTALLY, AND YOU ALL HAVE DONE AN AWESOME JOB FROM WHEN WE FIRST TALKED ABOUT THIS TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY AND NOW DOING IT.
I, I, I RECOGNIZE, UM, THE CHALLENGE.
WHY THE, I MEAN, I GUESS THE QUESTION IS WHY THE NEED FOR LOCAL LEGISLATION? WHY THE NEED TO, WHAT DOES IT MATTER IF YOU ALL CAN'T? I MEAN, HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF ANY COUNTY OR ANY JURISDICTION BEING HELD IN, UH, TO ACCOUNT BY SOME WAY FOR THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION? I MEAN, I'M JUST LOCAL LEGISLATION IS, IT DOESN'T SOLVE A PROBLEM THAT MAY EXIST STATEWIDE.
I MEAN, IT JUST, SO, SO I GUESS I'M JUST ASKING IF RICHLANDS DONE IT EASILY HAS DONE IT, OR PICKENS.
NOW BUFORT WANTS TO DO IT AND SAY, LOOK, THIS LAW'S TOO TIGHT.
UH, IF WE WRITE YOU A LETTER AND TELL YOU WE CAN'T LIVE BY IT, YOU CAN WRITE IT, YOU CAN GIVE US A PASS.
UM, WHY? WELL, IT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
MAY MAYBE IT SHOULD BE STATEWIDE LEGISLATION AND NOT LOCAL LEGISLATION.
IN WHICH CASE WE, WE WOULD NEED YOUR SUPPORT AND WE WOULD SUPPORT YOU ANYWAY.
UM, I DO KNOW THAT, UH, SENATOR CAMPSEN HAS S 36, WHICH WAS FILED LAST YEAR, WHICH GIVES, UM, UNILATERAL RIGHT TO THE BOARDS OF ELECTION TO CO-LOCATE PRECINCTS.
UM, THAT'S, THAT'S A BIG CHANGE FROM THE CURRENT SPIRIT OF THE LAW, WHICH SAYS THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY APPROVES POLLING LOCATIONS.
SO I THINK THAT GETTING DELEGATION APPROVAL IS A MIDPOINT STEP.
THERE IS, IS IT YOUR BELIEF THAT 1500 IS THE, IS THE RIGHT NUMBER? I MEAN, SEPARATE FROM WHETHER IT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED OR NOT, AND THEN SEPARATE FROM THIS IDEA, I MEAN, THERE, THERE IS A REASON WHY WE HAVE A LAW THAT SAYS WE DON'T WANT CO-LOCATE POLLING PLACES.
AND THAT THEY OUGHT TO BE SEPARATE.
WE, UM, IS THAT, UH, IS THAT A, A GOOD NUMBER? I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THAT MAYBE WAS A NUMBER WHEN PEOPLE WERE PUNCHING HOLES IN A, UH, CARDBOARD PAPER WITH POWER FOAM UNDERNEATH.
THAT'S, THAT'S MY GUESS IS THAT, UH, THEY DIDN'T WANT CO-LOCATING CO-LOCATION BACK IN THE DAY WHEN PRECINCTS WERE HUGE GEOGRAPHICALLY, AND PEOPLE SIMPLY COULDN'T GET FROM WHERE THEY WERE TO, UM, ANOTHER, UH, PRECINCT FOR VOTING.
BUT, BUT THINGS HAVE CHANGED SO MUCH SINCE THEN.
I MEAN, SUN CITY IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE.
UM, AND THERE, THERE IS A TRADE OFF.
WE, WE COULD NOT SPLIT PRECINCTS AND WE COULD END UP WITH PRECINCTS WITH 3000, 4,000, 5,000 PEOPLE, WHICH IS NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE LAW, BUT THEY COULD ALL VOTE WITHIN THEIR PRECINCT IN THAT CASE.
SO FAR WE HAVE CHANGED WHAT, BUT BUT ENTRY RELATIVE TO AMOUNT OF EQUIPMENT AND THE NUMBER OF PRECINCTS AND THE PEOPLE PER PRECINCT AS WELL.
I MEAN, THE BETTER ALTERNATIVE IS TO ADDRESS THE POLLING PLACES AS YOU'RE SUGGESTING.
I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IF, IF RATHER THAN CREATE AN EXCEPTION THAT ALLOWS A LOCAL PASS FOR BUFORT, IF WE SHOULDN'T BE LOOKING AT THIS HOLISTICALLY IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT.
UM, SENATOR CAMPSEN? YEAH, I DO, WELL, I CHAIR THE ELECTION LAWS SUBCOMMITTEE IN THE SENATE, AND I DO HAVE A BILL THAT WOULD INCREASE THE, UM, NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT CAN, THAT CAN VOTE AT A PARTICULAR PRECINCT.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF REASONS WHY THIS IS, IT IS THE CURRENT, THE, THE CURRENT LAW IS, IS KIND OF OBSOLETE.
I MEAN, ONE THING IS EARLY VOTING MADE IT MORE OBSOLETE.
I MEAN, YOU HAVE, 'CAUSE YOU HAVE PEOPLE COMING IN, THERE'S MORE DAYS.
IT USED TO BE ONE ELECTION DAY, EVERYONE COMES IN AND YOU HAD TO HAVE, YOU COULDN'T HAVE A BUNCH OF PEOPLE IN A POLLING PLACE.
SO, UM, NOW YOU HAVE EARLY VOTING.
AND SO IT'S, IT'S MUCH EASIER.
MOST PEOPLE, I MEAN, THE ELECTION'S ALMOST OVER BY THE TIME ELECTION DAY COMES.
AND THEN ALSO IT'S, IT, IT'S OFTEN IN IMPOSSIBLE.
AND THESE THINGS FILTER UP TO ME BECAUSE I CHAIR THE, THE ELECTION LAW
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COMMITTEE AND THE SENATE, BUT OFTEN IT'S NOT POSSIBLE EVEN TO GET ANOTHER POLLING PLACE IN A PARTICULAR PRECINCT.THERE'S NO FACILITY THAT'S CAPABLE.
UM, AND, AND, AND YET YOU HAVE TOO MANY PEOPLE IN THE PRECINCT.
YOU WANNA SPLIT IT THE POLLING PLACES, AND THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO PUBLIC BUILDING THAT'S, THAT'S EVEN AVAILABLE.
AND SO, UM, I HAVE THAT BILL THAT I INTEND TO TRY TO MOVE NEXT YEAR, AND HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, WE'LL GET THAT DONE.
BUT THIS IS A LAW THAT HAS BEEN ON THE BOOKS A LONG TIME, AND EARLY VOTING HAS MADE IT SOMEWHAT OBSOLETE.
AND THE REALITY OF, OF PUBLIC POLLING PLACES WHERE YOU COULD HAVE A POLLING PLACE, A BUILDING, YOU CAN HAVE A POLLING PLACE IN NOT ALWAYS AVAILABLE ALL AROUND THE STATE.
AND, AND SO THOSE ARE THE TWO ISSUES THAT REALLY MAKE THIS DIFFERENT.
BUT WE ARE GONNA TRY TO GET THIS BILL PASSED, UM, OUT OF THE SENATE AND HOPEFULLY A HOUSE GO ALONG WITH IT, UM, NEXT YEAR.
I, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, RESPECTFULLY MAKE A CLARIFICATION ABOUT EARLY VOTING.
SO PRIOR TO ACT ONE 50, THERE WERE ACTUALLY 29 DAYS EARLY IN-PERSON ABSENTEE VOTING.
UH, BUT PRIOR TO 2020, THERE WAS NO MEASUREMENT.
THERE WERE NO METRICS PUBLISHED ABOUT WHAT THE TURNOUT WAS FOR THAT 29 DAYS EARLY IN-PERSON VOTING.
UM, AND SENATOR SEN'S, UH, CORRECT, ESPECIALLY FOR THE 2024 ELECTION, EARLY VOTING MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
ABOUT 60% OF BALLOTS WERE CAST DURING EARLY VOTING, WHICH WAS A CHANGE FROM THE FOUR OR FIVE ELECTIONS BEFORE THAT WHEN WE WERE AT ABOUT 35 OR 36% EARLY VOTING.
SO NOBODY KNOWS WHETHER WE'LL GO BACK TO MID THIRTIES OR IF WE'LL STAY AT 60% EARLY VOTING, BUT IT DOES CERTAINLY, UM, REDUCE THE PRESSURE ON ELECTION DAY.
UM, AND ONE OTHER, UH, FINAL COMMENT ABOUT LOCATING, UH, PRECINCTS ON ELECTION DAY.
THERE ARE SOME ECONOMIES OF SCALE IN TERMS OF THE EQUIPMENT.
SO THE, THE LAW PRESCRIBES HOW MANY BALLOT MARKING DEVICES PER VOTER YOU SHOULD HAVE.
SO THAT'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF ECONOMIES OF SCALE IF YOU'RE FOLLOWING THE LAW THERE.
UM, BUT IN TERMS OF SCANNERS AND THE ELECTRONIC POLL BOOKS TO CHECK PEOPLE IN, YOU CAN, UH, GET BY WITH, UH, FEWER PIECES OF EQUIPMENT PER VOTER THAN IN A STANDALONE PRECINCT.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER BENEFIT OF CO-LOCATING.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY, NEXT ONE.
PROCUREMENT OF VOTING EQUIPMENT.
THE THIRD ISSUE RELATES TO PROCUREMENT OF VOTING EQUIPMENT.
UH, THIS, THIS IS AN ISSUE VERY RECENTLY IMPORTANT TO BEAUFORT COUNTY, BUT IT IS A STATEWIDE ISSUE.
WHEN BEAUFORT COUNTY SPLIT PRECINCTS IN 2024, AND AGAIN IN 2025, WE CREATED A TOTAL OF 39 NEW PRECINCTS.
IN THEORY, THAT CREATED A NEED FOR 39 NEW SCANNER TABULATORS, 78 NEW ELECTRONIC POLL BOOKS AND 156 NEW BALLOT MARKING DEVICES.
SOME OF YOU MAY RECALL A MID-YEAR STRUGGLE WITH THE SEC ABOUT WHO WOULD BUY THE DEVICES THAT WE NEEDED.
THE SEC TOLD US THAT OUR COUNTY SHOULD BUY THE NEW EQUIPMENT.
BUT UP TO 2024, AND EVEN UNTIL TODAY, OUR COUNTY HAS NEVER BUDGETED FOR OR PROCURED THE CURRENT GENERATION OF THE STATE'S VOTING EQUIPMENT.
THE STATE ROLLED OUT THE CURRENT TECHNOLOGY IN 2019, AND THE SEC HAS PROVIDED BEAUFORT COUNTY WITH VIRTUALLY EVERY DEVICE WE'VE NEEDED SINCE THEN.
THE SEC SPECIFIES TESTS, PRICES AND SOURCES, ALL OF THE TECHNOLOGY.
THE SEC ALONE DETERMINES THE MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS AND THE LIFECYCLE OF OUR VOTING SYSTEM, ENSURING THAT WE HAVE A STANDARDIZED SYSTEM STATEWIDE.
WE ARE FORTUNATE, INCIDENTALLY, THAT SOUTH CAROLINA IS ONE OF ONLY A HANDFUL OF STATES THAT HAS A STANDARDIZED VOTING SYSTEM, BUT WE DON'T THINK IT'S EXPECTED OR REASONABLE FOR 46 COUNTIES TO GET INVOLVED IN SPECIFICATIONS OR LIFECYCLE ASSESSMENTS OR SOLE SEARCHING, UH, SOLE SOURCING PURCHASE AGREEMENTS FOR VOTING SYSTEMS THAT ARE SIMPLY NOT UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE COUNTIES.
IT IS, HOWEVER, REASONABLE FOR COUNTIES TO FORECAST THEIR EQUIPMENT NEEDS FOR PLANNING AND BUDGETING PURPOSES.
SO WHAT WE ARE REQUESTING IS YOUR SUPPORT TO HELP ESTABLISH A STATEWIDE PROCESS FOR PROCUREMENT OF VOTING EQUIPMENT.
COUNTIES CAN FORECAST THEIR NEEDS.
THE SEC CAN DETERMINE WHAT TECHNOLOGY IS NEEDED AND AT WHAT UNIT COST.
AND THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY CAN HELP FIGURE OUT WHICH POCKET AT THE STATE LEVEL OR THE COUNTY LEVEL IS USED TO PURCHASE THE EQUIPMENT OUR BOARD IS STANDING BY IN ANY WAY WE CAN TO HELP CREATE A CLEAR,
[00:30:01]
DOCUMENTED AND WELL COMMUNICATED PROCESS FOR COUNTIES STATEWIDE.ANY QUESTIONS FOR CHAIRMAN ON THAT, MATT? THANK YOU.
UM, BEFORE YOU GO, WE HAVE SOMETHING FOR YOU AS WELL.
EXCUSE? NO, MATT, UH, ACT 53, UH, WHICH WAS HOUSE BILL 43 50, WHICH YOU PERSONALLY WORKED SO HARD ON, WE FOUND OUT WAS THE RECORD OF A, A BILL BEING PASSED IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA ACCORDING TO CHUCK.
SO WE HAVE, WE HAVE THE ACTUAL BILL FOR YOU, UH, FOR THAT.
SO WE APPRECIATE YOU AND THE WHOLE AND YOUR WHOLE CREW.
I I NEED TO GIVE CREDIT TO THE FULL BOARD FOR THIS AND, AND MARIE AND HER TEAM WHO HELPED TO, TO DOCUMENT THE NEED AND, AND GET IT DONE.
BEFORE YOU GO, CAN I ASK YOU JUST A QUICK QUESTION? YES, SIR.
AND I, I DON'T DISAGREE THAT THE VOTING EQUIPMENT, SENATOR CAMPS AND I WERE TALKING WHEN YOU WERE, I MEAN, THE LAW ACTUALLY SAYS THAT THE COUNTIES ARE SUPPOSED TO DO IT.
CORRECT? THAT THE COUNTIES ARE SUPPOSED TO PROCURE THE EQUIPMENT, PAY FOR THE PAY FOR THE VOTING EQUIPMENT.
MAYBE WE HAVE SOMEONE IN JUDICIARY.
I MEAN, I, I I THINK IT IS AND, AND WE BOTH THINK IT IS.
THERE HAVE BEEN OCCASIONS WHERE THE STATE, BECAUSE OF EITHER REQUIREMENTS TO CHANGE TECHNOLOGY, I MEAN, IT HAPPENED ONCE WHEN I WAS ON COUNTY COUNCIL.
AND ONCE SINCE I'VE, I'VE BEEN IN COLUMBIA WHERE THE STATE DECIDED BECAUSE OF THE NEED TO HAVE U UNIFORMITY ACROSS THE STATE OR THE CHANGE IN THE STATE STEPPED UP AND PAID FOR IT.
BUT I THINK THE LAW ALREADY PROVIDES THAT IT'S A COUNTY RESPONSIBILITY THAT, YOU KNOW, AND THE ABSENCE OF SOME CHANGE BEING MADE ACROSS THE STATE, THAT PERHAPS THE, UH, THE COUNTY HAS THAT INFORMATION NOW TO BE ABLE TO BUDGET AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THOSE EXPENSES WILL BE AS POPULATION GROWS IN THE ABSENCE OF, UM, SOME NEW MANDATE STATEWIDE TO CHANGE ACROSS THE STATE.
AND I THINK, I THINK THAT'S FINE AS LONG AS THE PROCESS IS CLEAR TO EVERYBODY.
SO IF OUR COUNTY KNOWS THAT WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR FORECASTING FIVE YEARS, WHATEVER OUT THAT THE AMOUNT OF EQUIPMENT THAT WE NEED, THEN WE CAN JUST FIGURE OUT WHO'S GOING TO SPECIFY IT.
I'M SURE BETWEEN THE TWO OF, WE'LL, WE'LL LOOK AT THE LAW AND SEE IF IT'S, IT'S AN ISSUE OF THE LAW'S NOT CLEAR OR THE PEOPLE COMPLYING WITH THE LAW, UH, AREN'T SURE OF WHAT THEIR OBLIGATIONS ARE, BUT ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, I APPRECIATE YOU OKAY.
SHARING THAT WITH US, AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THAT IF ACTION IS, IF IF SOMETHING'S NEEDED TO CLARIFY THE LAW, WE CAN DO THAT.
SO IF I CAN JUST GIVE O UH, ONE, ONE MORE EXAMPLE TO SHOW HOW IT WASN'T CLEAR, AND PERHAPS IT SHOULD BE LAST YEAR WHEN WE HAD THE NEED FOR ALL THE NEW EQUIPMENT FOR THE 31 NEW PRECINCTS.
AT THAT TIME, WE NEEDED 31 NEW, UH, DS 200 SCANNERS.
UH, WE WERE, UM, AT THE LAST MINUTE TRYING TO FIND THE MONEY HERE IN THE COUNTY TO BUY 31 DS TWO HUNDREDS.
BUT THE SEC AT THE LAST MOMENT DECIDED TO REPLACE ALL THE SCANNERS STATEWIDE WITH THE DS THREE HUNDREDS.
WE WOULD HAVE NO ABILITY TO FORECAST THAT AND MAKE A SPECIFICATION AND SELECTION, BUT, AND THAT'S THE POINT.
BUT THE STATE THEN STEPPED UP AND PAID FOR IT.
I, I MEAN THAT'S THE, I THINK WHEN THE STATE HAS DONE THAT, THEY'VE STEPPED UP AND PAID FOR IT.
BUT OTHERWISE IT'S A THINK IT'S A, I THINK IT'S FAIRLY CLEAR IT'S A COUNTY OBLIGATION, BUT YEAH, I'M JUST GONNA SAY I THAT'S TRUE.
IN THE LAST PROBABLY 15 YEARS, I THINK HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES WHERE THE STATE HAS FUNDED IT IN THE BUDGET.
UM, BECAUSE THEY, BECAUSE THEY HAVE NEW MACHINES, THEY'RE GETTING NEW MACHINES AND, AND YOU CAN'T COUNT ON THAT BECAUSE IT IS A COUNTY RESPONSIBILITY.
BUT THE STATE HAS DONE THIS PRETTY MUCH WHENEVER THERE'S NEW MACHINES THAT ARE PUT IN PLACE, OTHER THAN THAT, IT'S THE COUNTY'S RESPONSIBILITY.
SO IT SEEMS WE HAVE TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN DEPLOYMENT OF NEW TECHNOLOGY AND INCREMENTAL GROWTH IN A COUNTY, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
WE'LL HELP MAKE SURE IT'S CLEAR.
THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND YOUR WHOLE COMMITTEE'S.
[VI. SCDNR SMALL GAME PROJECT]
THE, UH, S SOUTH CAROLINA DNR SMALL GAME PROJECT.DOES ANYBODY HERE FROM DNR EXPLAIN THAT? IF NOT, I'M GONNA ASK, UH, REPRESENTATIVE ERICKSON TO EXPLAIN IT.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, YOU'VE GOT BEFORE YOU, UM, GENTLEMEN, A LETTER FROM, UH, MR. MICHAEL PAUL THOMAS SUBMITTED TO US ON MAY 5TH, 2025, UM, FOR SHOOTING PRESERVE LICENSE APPLICATION.
IT MEETS ALL OF THE QUALIFICATIONS AND HAS PASSED INSPECTION.
AND I'M GETTING TO THE LAST PAGE.
UM, ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN ASSESSED,
[00:35:01]
AND ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS APPROVE WHAT, UH, DNR HAS ALREADY PUT IN PLACE.I WOULD MOVE FOR PASS IT SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR? A MOTION PASSES.
UH, ALSO ON THE DNR, JUST A SMALL REPORT.
WE EXPECTED, UM, TO BE ABLE TO REPORT ON THE DERELICT BOAT ISSUE HERE IN, UH, HERE IN BLUFFTON, IN BEFOR, IN ALL OF BEAUFORT COUNTY.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE THAT UPDATE.
I TALKED TO MICHAEL PAUL THOMAS THE OTHER DAY.
WE WON'T HAVE AN UPDATE PROBABLY UNTIL THE END OF THE MONTH ON THAT, BUT WE'RE WORKING DILIGENTLY ON IT.
I KNOW CHARLESTON HAS DONE A YAMAN JOB ON THAT, AND WE EXPECT TO, UH, UH, EXPECT TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON THAT AS WELL.
SO WE WILL HAVE MORE OF AN UPDATE FOR YOU ON THAT AS WE MOVE ALONG.
[Additional Item]
JUST, UM, CHANGE UP.DO A LITTLE CHANGE UP HERE AND, AND GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT, UH, ON THE SIGN.
AND, BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, I WANNA RECOGNIZE, UH, SOME OF THE OTHER, UM, PUBLIC OFFICIALS HERE.
BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL, WOULD YOU ALL STAND UP? LET EVERYBODY SEE WHO YOU ARE.
UM, THE, UH, COUNTY OFFICE OF VETERANS AFFAIRS WHO? DR.
UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD HERE.
UH, THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL, NOT JORGE.
UM, FIRST RESPONDERS ARE LAW ENFORCEMENT.
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE JUDGES AND JUDICIAL CANDIDATES UP HERE TO SPEAK IN A SECOND.
SO WE APPRECIATE ALL YOU BEING HERE.
BUT, UM, FIRST UP IN THE PUBLIC, UH, COMMENT, THE SIGNUP SHEET ON THE SIGNUP SHEET IS THE CHARTER SCHOOL FOLKS.
AND, UH, MEMBERS CAMERON RUNYON, SUPERINTENDENT OF THE CHARTER INSTITUTE AT ERSKINE, UH, ONE OF YOUR STATEWIDE CHARTER SCHOOL AUTHORIZERS.
AND I APPRECIATE BEING HERE TODAY.
APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT ALL Y'ALL DO ON BEHALF OF THIS COUNTY AND THE PEOPLE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
UM, I HAVE WITH ME TODAY A COUPLE OF OUR INCREDIBLE SCHOOL LEADERS THAT ARE DOING WORK IN AND AROUND, UH, THE COUNTY.
AND SO I'D LIKE TO, IF I COULD, UH, ASK THEM TO SPEAK AND SHARE SOME OF THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING, UH, SPECIFICALLY, UH, IN BEAUFORT COUNTY AND SOME OF THE FAMILIES THAT, THAT THEY'RE SERVING.
KAREN WICKS, WHO IS THE, UH, FOUNDER AND PRINCIPAL LEADER FOR ROYAL I OAKS ACADEMY, WHICH IS ACTUALLY HEADQUARTERED IN HARDY BILL, UH, IN THE HEART OF JASPER COUNTY, AND HAS LONG BEEN THE HIGHEST PERFORMING SCHOOL, UH, IN THAT COUNTY, AND DRAWS SOME STUDENTS FROM BEAUFORT COUNTY AS WELL.
AND THEN ALSO HAVE MR. DAVID CROOK, WHO I'D ASKED TO COME SPEAK FIRST, WHO IS THE HEAD OF TWO OF OUR STATEWIDE VIRTUAL SCHOOLS, UH, THE HERON ACADEMY AND CYBER ACADEMY OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
SO IF I MAY, I'LL LINK TO THEM.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
UH, AS CAMERON SAID, I, UM, I OPERATE THE HERON INSTITUTE, WHICH IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT OPERATES THOSE TWO STATEWIDE CHARTER SCHOOLS.
UM, HERE IN VIRTUAL ACADEMY IS AT ITS THIRD YEAR OF OPERATION.
THAT'S AN ALTERNATIVE ED CAMPUS.
IT'S THE ONLY STATEWIDE, UH, AT RISK, UH, HIGH SCHOOL IN THE STATE, AND IN THAT SCHOOL, WE ACTIVELY LOOK FOR EXPELLED STUDENTS, DROPOUT STUDENTS, OR THOSE AT RISK OF GOING DOWN THAT PATH.
UM, SO IF I MAY, I'D LIKE TO TELL YOU ABOUT A COUPLE OF STUDENTS AND THEN A COUPLE OF PROGRAMS, SOME OF WHICH ARE IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD.
UM, JUST IN THE LAST 10 DAYS, UH, WE'VE ENROLLED IN THE LOW COUNTRY, A STUDENT WHO IS IN FOSTER CARE.
SHE'S BEEN IN 30 FOSTER, UM, SITUATIONS, AND SHE'S 16 YEARS OLD.
AND SHE TOOK A PICTURE WITH US AS WE DID AN IN-PERSON ORIENTATION.
SHE'S AT ONE OF OUR MICRO SCHOOL PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE SETTING UP AROUND THE STATE, WHEREVER WE CAN.
SHE TOOK A PICTURE WITH US AND SHE SAID SHE'S TRYING TO REMIND HERSELF TO SAY DIPLOMA NOW INSTEAD OF GED.
SHE'S ONLY PLANNED ON GED, HER WHOLE, HER WHOLE HIGH SCHOOL CAREER.
AND SO WE'RE GONNA GET HER ACROSS THE STAGE.
ANOTHER STUDENT, 16 YEARS OLD, UM, A COUNTY REACHED OUT TO US.
SHE WAS IN THE COUNSELOR'S OFFICE, AND THEY WERE REFERRING HER TO US AND HELPING HER WITH OUR, WITH HER APPLICATION FOR US.
SHE'S AN UNACCOMPANIED MINOR AT 16 WITH NO CREDITS, AND SHE HAD A BABY OVER THE SUMMER.
AND SO THOSE STUDENTS WE'RE GONNA WRAP AROUND WITH SERVICES, WITH SOCIAL WORKERS, COUNSELORS, ADVISORS, UM, SMALL GROUP, UM, UH, COUNSELING, UH, TO HELP HER ALONG THE PATH.
BOTH OF THOSE STUDENTS, ALL OF THOSE THINGS COST MONEY.
[00:40:01]
UM, THE, THE STUDENT I TALKED ABOUT FIRST, SHE'S IN A MICRO SCHOOL HERE IN THE LOW COUNTRY MICRO SCHOOL IS ESSENTIALLY WHERE WE HAVE A POD OF STUDENTS THAT ARE, THAT ARE WORKING TOGETHER.SO THIS ONE'S A RESIDENTIAL FACILITY WITH FOSTER STUDENTS.
ANOTHER ONE, UM, THAT WE, THAT WE JUST, UM, CLOSED THE DEAL ON, UM, IS, UM, IT WAS SEA ISLAND HERITAGE CHARTER SCHOOL THAT WAS OPEN FOR ONE YEAR OF OPERATION.
I LOVE THE MISSION DRIVEN WORK THAT THEY DO, THE COMMUNITY PLACE BASED WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING.
THEY COULDN'T GET THE ENROLLMENT UP WHERE THEY NEEDED TO SUSTAIN AN ENTIRE SCHOOL.
WE'VE GOT 4,000 STUDENTS IN EVERY SINGLE COUNTY OF THE STATE.
AND SO WE HAVE THAT CAPACITY TO OPERATE THAT.
AND SO WE'RE HELPING THEM WITH THEIR FACILITY.
UM, SO WE'RE ONE OF THE LARGEST CHARTER SCHOOLS IN THE STATE, AND WE WANT TO BE THE LARGEST, THE SMALLEST SCHOOL IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO WE'VE GOT A ONE ROOM SCHOOLHOUSE OPEN WITH SEA ISLAND CHARTER SCHOOL, 15 STUDENTS WHERE THEY CAN DO WHAT THEY DO BEST, WHICH IS THE CULTURAL WORK, THE PLACE-BASED WORK, UH, THE SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING THAT THEY WANTED TO DO IN THAT SMALL GROUP.
AND WE'VE OUTFITTED THEM WITH THE CUTTING EDGE, UH, COMPUTER, UM, COMPUTER LAB IN THAT SCHOOL.
SO THEY'VE GOT A ONE ROOM SCHOOLHOUSE.
IT'S REALLY A BLEND OF, UM, PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION AND AI, UM, AI, UH, TUTORING AND SOFTWARE.
UM, ALL OF THOSE THINGS COST MONEY.
THOSE ARE AREAS, UM, THAT WE HAVE HAD TO EITHER SCALE BACK OR MONITOR HOW MUCH WE CAN INVEST.
UH, BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE LAST MINUTE CHANGES, UH, TO THE, UH, TO THE FUNDING.
OUR BOARD, UH, HAD APPROVED A BUDGET TO INVEST, UH, TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS INTO THOSE MICRO SCHOOL PROGRAMS. WE HAVE FIVE NOW, AND WE'VE HAD TO PUT A PAUSE ON THAT UNTIL WE JUST SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE FUNDING.
UH, SIMILARLY WITH THAT, WE ARE MONITORING IF WE CAN GO AHEAD WITH AN INVESTMENT INTO A TECHNICAL COLLEGE OF THE LOW COUNTRY, WHERE WE WANT TO PROVIDE FREE ASSOCIATES DEGREES FOR OUR STUDENTS WHO QUALIFY, INCLUDING AT OUR AT RISK SCHOOL.
WE WANT TO DO THAT AT NO COST BECAUSE WE ARE AT 70 TO 80% POVERTY RATE.
UM, WE WANT TO GET THOSE STUDENTS ON A CAMPUS SO THAT THEY FEEL LIKE THEY BELONG IN SOMEWHERE.
UM, AND THAT'S ANOTHER PROGRAM THAT WE'RE MONITORING TO SEE IF WE CAN STILL DO THAT FULL INVESTMENT, UM, BECAUSE OF THE FUNDING CHANGES.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THOSE WITH YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
WHERE IS THIS SCHOOL HOUSE LOCATED? RIGHT NOW? IT'S AT THUMBS UP LEARNING CENTER, WHICH IS A TEMPORARY CENTER THAT THEY'RE WORKING AT.
THEY'VE GOT TWO OTHER LOCATIONS THAT THEY'D LIKE TO EXPAND TO, AND WE'RE GONNA TRY TO HELP 'EM GET THEM.
BUT EACH ONE OF THOSE WE TRY TO OUTFIT WITH, UH, BANDWIDTH BECAUSE ALL THE STUDENTS ARE, ARE IN LIVE CLASSES A GOOD PORTION OF THE DAY.
AND SO WE OUTFIT THEM FOR NO COST TO THEM AT ALL.
UH, WE BRING IN LAPTOPS ONE-TO-ONE, A FULL SET OF THE CLASSROOM MATERIALS THAT THEY ALSO GET AT HOME, BUT WE WANTED TO HAVE 'EM A SCHOOL, UH, SET AS WELL.
AND, UH, BANDWIDTH FOR, FOR, FOR MIFI.
SO THEY'RE LOOKING AT THOSE OTHER TWO LOCATIONS.
THEY'VE GOT 20 TO 30 OTHER FAMILIES THAT ARE REALLY INTERESTED IN THAT PROGRAM BECAUSE THEY KEEP THE CULTURAL HERITAGE, THE, THE, THE, THE SMALL GROUP, THE FAMILY MENTALITY THAT THEY WANTED.
I WENT THERE LAST WEEK AND THEY ALL DO CHORES AROUND THE HOUSE OR THEY'RE DOING CHORES.
THEY MAKE LUNCH FOR EACH OTHER, AND THEN THEY GET ON AND THEY'RE IN A VIRTUAL REALITY ROOM DOING, UH, SCIENCE LAB.
SO AS IT RELATES, EXCUSE ME, AS IT RELATES TO, UM, SPECIAL NEEDS AND IDA, WHAT'S THE RELATION, WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP THERE WITH THESE STUDENTS? WE COVER ALL OF THAT.
UM, AND FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, WE'VE HAD ONE OF THE HIGHEST SPECIAL ED POPULATIONS IN THE STATE.
UM, AND DURING COVID, WE WERE TEACHING BRICK AND MORTAR SCHOOLS HOW TO DO SPECIAL EDUCATION IN THE VIRTUAL SPACE.
SO WE'RE EXPERTS IN THAT FIELD.
AND WHAT WE DO WITH THE BLENDED LEARNING LABS AND THE MICRO SCHOOLS IS SEND OUR STAFF THERE.
SO THEY'RE GONNA HAVE IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION THERE, BUT ALSO VIRTUAL SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES, SPEECH SERVICES, ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE PROVIDED.
AND AGAIN, NONE OF THAT, THEY DON'T PAY A DIME FOR ANY OF IT.
THEY JUST HAPPEN TO HAVE THE PLACE THAT THEY COULD, UM, THAT THEY COULD OCCUPY.
WE HELP THEM WITH THE COST OF THOSE FACILITIES.
SO IT'S ABSOLUTELY FREE PUBLIC EDUCATION.
THEY GET TO KEEP THEIR MISSION CENTERED WORK THAT THEY'RE GOOD AT, AND WE CAN PIPE IN THE, THE, THE, UM, 21ST CENTURY LEARNING AT NO COST TO THEM.
MR. QUESTION? MR. I'M SORRY, SIR.
UH, WE HAD ONE MORE QUESTION FOR YOU.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN BRADLEY, I THE COST FOR THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE.
IS THAT BORN BY THE STUDENT? THE YOUR SCHOOL OR THE TECHNICAL SCHOOL? OUR, OUR, I THINK IT'S A BLEND.
SO THE STUDENTS QUALIFY FOR SOME OF THE FUNDING THAT ANY STUDENT WOULD DO IF THEY'RE IN DUAL ENROLLMENT.
AND SO USUALLY IT, WITH, WITH THE AGREEMENT, WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM, IT LOOKS LIKE AT ABOUT A THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR TWO CLASSES, AND ABOUT HALF OF THAT WOULD FALL ON THE STUDENT APP IF THEY QUALIFY FOR THE OTHER THINGS.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO COVER THAT COST.
SO ON THE, ON THE STUDENT SIDE.
ON THE STUDENT SIDE, NORMALLY IT WOULD GO TO THE FAMILY.
WE HAVE AN MOU WITH GREENVILLE TECH WHERE ANY STUDENT THAT GOES THERE, WE COVER AT A REDUCED RATE.
AND WE WERE TRYING TO DO THE SAME THING IN THE LOW COUNTRY.
OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE PLACE-BASED A ASSOCIATES DEGREE AND VIRTUAL, UH, ASSOCIATES DEGREE, SO THAT A HUNDRED PERCENT OF OUR STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE THINGS.
BUT RIGHT NOW, WE'RE KIND OF ON A PAUSE TO SEE HOW MANY STUDENTS WE THINK WE CAN PILOT IT WITH.
BUT WE KNOW THAT THERE'S MORE INTEREST IN IT.
I ACTUALLY KNOW A COUPLE OF YOU, THREE OF YOU HAVE SPOKEN
[00:45:01]
AT ONE OF OUR GRADUATIONS, SO MM-HMMUM, SOME OF YOU MIGHT KNOW, NOT KNOW, UH, THE STORY OF ROYAL ISLAND OAKS.
MY HUSBAND AND I LIVED IN NEW JERSEY.
MY HUSBAND WAS AN AVID READER OF THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, AND HE SAW AN ARTICLE ABOUT THE QUARTER SHAME, ABOUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ALONG THE I 95 QUARTER IN SOUTH CAROLINA THAT WERE NOT SERVING ALL OF THE STUDENTS AS WELL AS THEY SHOULD.
AND, UH, WE BOUGHT THE DOCUMENTARY AND OUR HEARTS WERE TUGGED AND WE MOVED TO SOUTH CAROLINA.
MY HUSBAND PASSED AWAY LAST YEAR.
AND, UM, THIS IS, UH, GOING INTO OUR 15TH, WE'RE IN OUR 15TH YEAR NOW AT RURAL EYE OAKS.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT THE SCHOOL, BUT, UM, THERE ARE ABOUT 1,578 FAMILIES, UH, EXCUSE ME, PARENTS WHOSE CHILDREN GO TO OUR SCHOOL.
LAST YEAR WE HAD 683 OR SO STUDENTS.
THIS YEAR, 725, UH, THERE'S A GROWING DEMAND FOR OUR SCHOOL.
WE HAVE A LARGE WAIT LIST, AND ABOUT 80% OF OUR STUDENTS ARE PUPILS IN POVERTY.
ABOUT 40% OF THEM NEED ACADEMIC ASSISTANCE.
AND, UM, WE HAVE ROUGHLY A 95, 90 6% GRADUATION RATE.
OUR SPECIAL ED POPULATION IS AROUND 10%.
OUR GOAL HAS ALWAYS BEEN BASED ON WHAT MY HUSBAND AND I STARTED OUT WITH, THE THOUGHT THAT EVERY CHILD DESERVES A HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION.
UM, WE HAVE SERVED WITH OUR HEARTS AND WE HAVE SERVED WITH LESS MONEY TO DO THE WORK WITH, UH, WITH THE, UM, THE CHANGE IN THE FUNDING FORMULA FOR VIRTUAL SCHOOLS.
IT HAS AFFECTED THE BRICK AND MORTAR SCHOOLS AS WELL.
I HAVE ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS LESS THIS YEAR TO OPERATE.
AND AS YOU KNOW, WE RECEIVE NO LOCAL FUNDS, ONLY THE STATE AID CLASSROOM.
AND THEN, UH, THE TITLE ONE, IF WE QUALIFY FOR TITLE ONE FUNDS AND FOR THE, UH, SPECIAL ED FUNDS FOR THE, UH, SO KEEPING THAT IN MIND, THIS YEAR I WAS NOT ABLE TO HAVE A THIRD INTERVENTIONIST READING INTERVENTIONISTS, WHICH I HAD LAST YEAR.
THIS YEAR, I WAS NOT ABLE TO HAVE PARAPROFESSIONALS IN EACH CLASSROOM, K THROUGH FIVE, ONLY K THROUGH THREE THIS YEAR FOR OUR CAREER IN TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION, I WAS NOT ABLE TO HIRE ANOTHER TEACHER THAT I REALLY NEEDED.
WE ARE MAKING DO WITH WHAT WE HAVE, WHICH WE ALWAYS HAVE.
SO I HAVE ONLY TWO REQUESTS FOR YOU.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE NEVER BEEN TO OUR SCHOOL, I REALLY WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO SEE WHAT OUR CHILDREN ARE DOING.
REPRESENTATIVE, UM, HAGER, YOU CAN SPEAK TO THAT.
YOU HAVE SPOKEN IN CLASSROOMS. YOU HAVE, UH, VISITED WITH US MULTIPLE TIMES, WHICH WE APPRECIATE.
YOU'VE SPOKEN AT ONE OF OUR GRADUATIONS, UH, SENATOR DAVIS, YOU'VE SPOKEN AT A GRADUATION.
AND SO IF YOU LET ERICKSON, WE APPRECIATE THAT, BUT YOU NEED TO SEE WHAT WE'RE DOING.
WE'RE IN A STATE-OF-THE-ART 70,000 SQUARE FOOT FACILITY ON 26 ACRES OF LAND THAT MY HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO, UH, CONVINCE THE GRAY FAMILY OF GRACO TO DONATE TO THE SCHOOL.
AND WE PAY FOR THAT OUT OF THE STATE AID TO CLASSROOM FUNDS.
WE DON'T RECEIVE EXTRA FUNDS FOR THOSE THINGS, BUT WE MAKE IT WORK.
SO I WOULD ASK IF YOU WOULD PLEASE VISIT OUR SCHOOL, AND I WOULD ASK YOU WHEN YOU VOTE TO THINK ABOUT THE IMPACT DIRECTLY ON CHILDREN AND BRICK AND MORTAR SCHOOLS, AS WELL AS VIRTUAL SCHOOLS, AND TO RESTORE THE FUNDING AT TO WHAT IT WAS BEFORE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, PRESIDENT ERICKSON.
UM, IT IS SO GREAT TO HAVE YOU HERE.
AND I, I KNOW ALL THE, THE WONDERFUL THINGS YOU'RE DOING.
I SEE THE STUDENTS COMING OUTTA YOUR SCHOOLS.
I I DO HAVE TO ASK YOU THOUGH, DID YOU REALIZE THAT OUR SKIN WAS THE ONLY AUTHORIZER THAT REMOVED THE FUNDING FROM ALL OF THE SCHOOLS IN THEIR NETWORK AND NOT JUST THE VIRTUAL? WELL, IT'S A PROPORTIONAL FUNDING, AND SO THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH MONEY IN THE POT.
WELL, BUT THE, AND VIRTUAL, THE FUNDING FROM WAYS AND MEANS WAS DIRECTED TOWARD VIRTUAL FUNDING.
SO THE OTHER AUTHORIZERS ONLY DIRECTED THE FUND PORTIONS BE KEPT FROM THE VIRTUAL SCHOOLS AND THEIR TRADITIONAL BRICKS AND MORTAR, WHICH HAD THE HIGHER OPERATING COSTS THAN THE VIRTUALS REMAINED AT THEIR SAME FUNDING.
SO I, I WOULD TELL YOU THAT PERHAPS WE NEED TO CLARIFY WHAT
[00:50:01]
ALL THAT INFORMATION WAS, BUT YOUR DISTRICT WAS DIFFERENT THAN THE OTHER DISTRICTS THAT ARE OUT THERE IN HOW THE FUNDING WAS DONE WITH BRICKS AND MORTAR SCHOOLS.SO, WELL, I BELIEVE THAT, LET'S CIRCLE UP LATER AND TRY TO WORK THAT OUT, IF I MAY.
UH, UM, SARASON, I, I THINK THAT IS BECAUSE THERE ARE A LARGER PERCENTAGE OF VIRTUAL STUDENTS WITHIN THE CHARTER INSTITUTE AT ERSKINE.
SO IN TERMS OF HOW THAT AFFECTS THE WHOLE, WHEN YOU HAVE FAR MORE VIRTUAL STUDENTS IN THE CHARTER INSTITUTE THAN YOU DO IN THE OTHER, UH, DISTRICTS, IT WOULD AFFECT EVERYWHERE.
I'M NOT ARGUING THAT IT, THAT IT WOULD OR WOULDN'T.
I'M SAYING THAT, THAT THE OTHER DISTRICTS CHOSE, AND THE, THE WILL OF WAYS AND MEANS IN THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WERE HAD IN, IN ALL OF THE BUDGETING WERE THAT THE VIRTUAL SCHOOLS HAVE A LOWER COST OF OPERATION OP, YOU KNOW, YOUR, YOUR BRICKS AND MORTARS TAKE OTHER THINGS.
UM, INSURANCE POLICY, SO THAT WAS WHERE THE DISCUSSION WENT AND HOW ERSKINE AND Y'ALL DECIDE TO DO IT, IS ABSOLUTELY UP FOR DISCUSSION, BUT IT WASN'T MANDATED FROM THE STATE THAT EVERYONE, AT LEAST I DON'T BELIEVE IT WAS.
AND I'M HAPPY TO RESEARCH THAT FOR YOU.
IN OUR DISCUSSIONS THAT I SAT IN ON, I, I BELIEVE I SAT IN ON AUGUST, ALL OF THEM.
UM, IT WAS GEARED TOWARD, LET'S COME UP WITH WHAT THE VIRTUALS ACTUALLY ARE, BECAUSE THEY WERE RECEIVING THE SAME FUNDING AS THE FUNDS FOR OUR, OUR BRICKS AND MORTAR.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE YOU REALIZE THERE WAS A DIFFERENCE.
I I DO UNDERSTAND THAT DIFFERENCE.
AND I DO KNOW THAT THE, THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAT THE VIRTUAL SCHOOLS WITHIN THE CHARTER INSTITUTE PROVIDE TO STUDENTS IS MAYBE HIGHER THAN IT THAN OTHER DISTRICTS CHOOSE, OR THOSE SCHOOLS AND THE OTHER DISTRICTS CHOOSE TO PROVIDE TO THOSE STUDENTS.
THEY PROVIDE FAR MORE SERVICES THAN YOU MAY BE AWARE OF.
BUT I KNOW THAT, UH, SUPERINTENDENT RUNYON COULD EXPLAIN IN TERMS OF THE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE POT AND THE, I I REALLY DON'T WANNA TAKE ANY MORE TIME OF THE DELEGATIONS UP ON THIS, THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE.
BUT, UM, I WOULD TELL YOU THAT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE DIFFERENT AUTHORIZERS AND EVERYONE GETS TO DO THOSE SYSTEMS THAT ARE, THAT, AND THEY, YOU GET TO CHOOSE YOUR AUTHORIZERS.
SO THAT'S HOW YOUR CHOSE TO DO THE FUNDING.
SO IT WASN'T MANDATED FROM THE STATE THAT IT GO THAT WAY.
I UNDERSTAND IT WAS NOT MANDATED FROM THE STATE, BUT I DO OUR FEAR AS, AS BRICK AND MORTARS ALSO IS THAT WHEN IT COMES TIME TO VOTE AGAIN, THAT THEN MORE FUNDING WILL BE TAKEN FROM BRICK AND MORTAR SCHOOLS, AND WE'RE ALREADY WORKING WITH LESS.
I DON'T THINK, I DON'T THINK YOU'LL SEE FUNDING REMOVED FROM EDUCATION WE HAVE IN THIS GROUP HERE.
SO EVER, I THINK EVER, EVER, UM, I DON'T THINK YOU'LL SEE THAT.
I THINK IT WAS RIDING THE SHIP ON THE PROPORTIONS OF THE FUNDING AND TRYING TO GET THE PER PUPIL AMOUNT.
BUT I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU DO, AND I AM, I AM VERY AWARE OF ALL THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE WERE CLEAR THAT NOT EVERY SCHOOL HAD THE SAME CIRCUMSTANCE, UM, AS, AS YOU WERE PUT UNDER.
WICKS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR GOOD WORKS CHAIRMAN.
I WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME TO YOU, UH, PLEASE AS WELL, I GUESS THIS IS FORMAL, BUT EVEN BE MORE INFORMAL AND NOT, YOU CAN JUST SHOW UP
LOOKING FORWARD TO COMMUNICATING WITH YOU.
NO MORE TIME ON THIS CAMERA, PLEASE, MR. CHAIRMAN, WE HAVE JUST SOME, SOME LEAVE BEHINDS.
AND WOULD LOVE TO TALK WITH Y'ALL ABOUT THE, UH, WHEN IT'S NOT IN THIS VENUE FOR, UH, THE, THE FUNDING AND HOW IT, HOW IT WORKS.
YOU CAN LEAVE THOSE WITH, UH, CINDY.
UM, BEVERLY, DO MS. DORE, DID SHE LEAVE? NO, I HEAR YOU.
OH, YOU WERE? OH, YOU DIDN'T? OKAY.
SHE JUST WANTED MAKE SURE WE KNEW SHE WAS HERE.
ANYBODY WANNA TAKE HER TIME?
UM, WENDELL, WENDELL ROBERTSON.
HE JUST, HE NOT MADE THE SAME.
WE THOUGHT IT WAS A SIGN TO ROSTER.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE A COUPLE JUDICIAL CANDIDATES, WHICH WE'RE GLAD ARE DOWN HERE.
WELCOME, MR. CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF DELEGATIONS.
[00:55:01]
HAPPY TO MEET YOU.UH, I'M KIND OF A FAR AWAY FROM HOME.
I LIVE UP IN YORK, SOUTH CAROLINA, CURRENTLY RUNNING FOR, UH, SEAT NUMBER TWO IN YORK COUNTY IN THE 16TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT.
AND JUST WANTED TO COME AND SAY HELLO.
AND, UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO YOU AND, UH, PROVIDE SOME MORE INFORMATION TO YOU, UH, REGARDING MY INTEREST IN THAT SEAT.
THANK YOU FOR MAKING THAT WELCOME DOWN.
THAT'S ALL, YOU ALL PUT A LOT OF WORK INTO, UH, RUNNING FOR THE JUDICIAL, FOR THE JUDGESHIP, SO WE APPRECIATE THAT.
I'M SCARLET MOORE AND I'M RUNNING FOR FAMILY COURT, UM, DOWN HERE IN THE 14TH CIRCUIT SEATS THREE AND FOUR.
IT'S A PLEASURE TO APPEAR BEFORE YOU TODAY.
UM, LIKE, UH, MR. BARTON, I, I LOOK FORWARD TO A FUTURE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO DISCUSS MY QUALIFICATIONS MORE IN DEPTH, BUT I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, APPEAR TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR THE TIME YOU PUT IN TO DOING THIS TOO.
UM, WAS THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT DIDN'T GET ON THE LIST? OH, I'M SORRY.
THAT'S, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
I'M A JUDICIAL CANDIDATE FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE LAW COURT, SEAT FOUR.
UH, JUDGE JORDAN JUST RETIRED RECENTLY AND IT'S AN OPEN SEAT.
UM, VERY BRIEFLY, I'M, UH, BEEN PRACTICING FOR 17 YEARS IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
MOST OF THAT TIME I HAVE BEEN LITIGATING IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE LAW COURT, EITHER AS AN IN-HOUSE COUNSEL FOR, UH, SEVERAL STATE AGENCIES, OR MOST RECENTLY, UH, IN PRIVATE PRACTICE WITH MAYNARD NEXON.
UH, AND I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO HAVE A FAIR AND EFFICIENT, UH, FORUM FOR STATE AGENCY CHALLENGES WHEN YOUR CONSTITUENTS INTERESTS RUN, UM, RUN INTO CONFLICT WITH THOSE AGENCY DECISIONS.
SO I'D LOVE TO TALK WITH Y'ALL AT SOME OTHER POINT ABOUT MY QUALIFICATIONS FOR THIS POSITION.
JUDGE HEWITT, CAN I GET YOU FROM BACK HERE TO SAVE TIME? UH, YOU CAN COME ON UP, SORRY.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
IT'S GREAT TO BE IN THE LOW COUNTRY.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, I'VE, UH, SERVED ON THE COURT OF APPEALS, REALLY THE, UH, GREAT BLESSING OF MY PROFESSIONAL LIFE.
UM, BEEN THERE FOR FIVE AND A HALF YEARS AND I'M RUNNING FOR THE SUPREME COURT.
ANYBODY ELSE THAT DIDN'T GET ON THE LIST THAT LIKE SAYING? OKAY.
SO WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO OUR, GO BACK
[VII. CONSIDERATION OF BOARDS & COMMISSIONS APPOINTMENTS]
IN ORDER TO THE, UH, CONSIDERATION OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, UH, AND APPOINTMENTS.THE FIRST ONE'S, UH, ONE MILITARY AFFAIRS REPRESENTATIVE, ERICKSON.
YOU WANNA, WE HAVE, UH, ONE NAME SUBMITTED.
UH, THE INCUMBENT MR. NEIL PSI, UH, IS UP FOR, UH, REAPPOINTMENT TO THE MILITARY BOARD.
PRIOR TO THIS, UM, MR. CHAIRMAN, THE PERSON WAS CHOSEN FROM, UH, THE CHAMBER OF BEAUFORT, UM, MILITARY ENHANCEMENT COMMITTEE.
THE NEW STATUTE REQUIRES THAT THE DELEGATION CHOOSE A BEAUFORT COUNTY RESIDENCE.
AND WE ARE SIMPLY, UM, REAPPOINTING MR. PSI, WHO HAS BEEN SERVING ON THAT, THAT COMMITTEE, I SHOULD TELL YOU AS LETTER OF RECOMMENDATIONS FROM BOTH THE NAVY AND THE MARINE CORPS.
UH, SEVERAL OF OUR MEMBERS AS WELL AS, UM, A CONGRESS MEMBER.
I CAN SAFELY SAY HE IS DONE A WONDERFUL JOB.
UM, VOTE OF BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS.
MR. NEWTON, MR. MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU.
JUST TO MAKE THIS EASY, I I, I THINK THAT WE'VE GOT ONE VACANCY, UH, ATTENDANT TO MR. WEDGWORTHS.
UH, AND WE HAVE, UH, MS. MITCHELL WHOSE TERM HAS EXPIRED.
THOSE ARE THE ONLY TWO THAT WE HAVE, RIGHT? CORRECT.
AND THERE'S MS. MITCHELL BACK THERE.
I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE, UH, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE HERE IN YOUR BACKYARD, IN OUR BACKYARD BEING HERE IN BLUFFTON.
SO, UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, IF APPROPRIATE, I'M HAPPY TO MAKE A MOTION, UM, UH, AND TO SAVE SOME TIME AS WELL THAT THE MOTION INCLUDE THE REAPPOINTMENT OF MS. MITCHELL AND THE APPOINTMENT OF DON LUCAS TO FILL THE UNEXPIRED TERM OF MR. WEDGWORTH.
ANY, ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SERVICE YOU'VE BEEN.
UM, NEXT UP WE HAVE, UM, THE, UM, MR. CHAIRMAN, I'M SORRY.
VETERANS AFFAIRS IS GONNA TAKE A LONG TIME.
WE'LL HAVE A LOT TO PONDER OVER THAT ONE.
[01:00:01]
DON'T WE ASK HER TO GIVE US A LITTLE NOT ON WELL, WE'RE NOT ON THAT YET.I'M JUST GETTING A LITTLE LEVITY TO THE ROOM.
MINUTE, MR. WHILE WE'RE DOING THIS, WE'RE GOING TO THE, UH, COASTAL EMPIRE COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH.
YOU WANNA DO THAT, SHANNON, MS. ERICKSON? THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
UM, THE FIRST THING I'D LIKE TO DO, MR. CHAIRMAN, IS THANK THE MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD, BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE FOLKS HAVE BEEN SERVING A REALLY LONG TIME.
AND IF ANYONE'S LISTENING, PLEASE KNOW, WE NEED FOLKS TO SERVE ON THIS BOARD.
UM, IT SEEMS TO ALWAYS HAVE VACANCIES, AND WE HAVE BEFORE US TWO NAMES TODAY OF, OF TWO REALLY INCREDIBLE PEOPLE.
I'D LIKE TO THANK CASSIE KILPATRICK AND, AND BOB LAFAVE, WHO HAVE OFFERED THEMSELVES FOR THIS POSITION.
AND, UM, THERE'RE TWO OUT OF A FEW VACANCIES, SO I WOULD MOVE THAT WE APPOINT, UM, BOB FAVE AND CA CASSIE KILPATRICK TO THE COASTAL EMPIRE MENTAL HEALTH BOARD, PLEASE.
CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU.
THE, ACTUALLY THE BEAVER COUNTY, UH, VETERAN'S AFFAIRS OFFICE.
DOCTOR, WOULD YOU LIKE TO GIVE A, JUST A REPORT OR WOULD YOU WANT JUST WANT US TO VOTE YOU IN? WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE DELEGATION.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
UM, I WANNA GIVE A SPECIAL THANKS TO BEAUFORT COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
SINCE MY APPOINTMENT, MY, UH, BUDGET HAS INCREASED BY 82% AND MY PERSONNEL BY 200%.
IF I COUNT THE TWO NEW PEOPLE THAT I RECEIVED THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, THEN IT GOES UP TO 300%.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT FROM THE COUNTY AND ALSO THE DELEGATION.
UM, THE BA PROVIDES NEARLY $300 MILLION EACH YEAR IN COMPENSATION, EDUCATION, AND HEALTHCARE SERVICES TO OUR VETERANS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
THE GDX, WHICH IS WHAT IT'S DRAWN FROM, IS PUBLISHED EVERY, IT'S A, THE REPORT IS TWO YEARS OLD, BUT I CAN TELL YOU IN THE LAST YEAR, WE'VE BROUGHT IN $4.3 MILLION JUST IN COMPENSATION BENEFITS TO THE VETERAN.
UM, WE CONTINUE TO INCREASE OUR INTERACTIONS.
LAST YEAR'S NUMBERS WERE 5,173.
THIS YEAR WE, WE, UH, INTERACTED WITH 7,648 VETERANS.
SO WE'RE INCREASING OUR NUMBERS.
AND, UM, THE, SO WHAT FACTOR WITH THE, THE MONETARY COMPENSATION IS THE MONEY THAT THESE VETERANS RECEIVE STIMULATE THE ECONOMY.
THEY'RE SHOPPING IN OUR STORES, THEY'RE EATING IN OUR RESTAURANTS.
SO IT'S NOT ONLY MAKING, UM, THE VETERAN HEALTHIER, BUT IT'S MAKING THE COMMUNITY HEALTHIER.
UM, WITH THAT I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION I MOVE TO REAPPOINT, UM, DR.
CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU.
THIS IS THE, UM, THANKS FOR ALL YOU'RE DOING.
UH, FIRST STEPS, UH, PARTNERSHIP BOARD.
YOU WANNA DO THAT? FIGURE OUT WHO EXACTLY GOTTA WRITE.
UM, WE HAVE RECEIVED ONE APPLICATION, UH, AND THIS IS OUR REPRESENTATIVE FROM OUR NEW DEPARTMENT OF OF HEALTH.
UM, IT USED TO BE, UH, DEC AND THEN IT SPLIT.
AND SO NOW WE HAVE, UH, MICHELLE LENOR, WHO IS NOMINATED, AND THAT SPACE IS, UM, ALLOCATED FOR SOMEONE IN THAT AGENCY TO FILL.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE TWO OTHER VACANCIES, MR. CHAIRMAN, SO I'M GONNA PUT OUT THE CALL TO PEOPLE IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO SERVE ON THE FIRST STEPS BOARD.
IT IS A BOARD WITH VACANCIES, AND WE WOULD APPRECIATE VOLUNTEERS FOR THAT.
BUT I WOULD MOVE AT THIS TIME, SIR, THAT WE APPOINT MICHELLE LENOR FROM DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.
[01:05:01]
UM, NEXT WE HAVE THE LOW COUNTRY TOURISM COMMISSION.UH, WE HAD A RESIGNATION, UM, MR. JONATHAN SULLIVAN RE RESIGNED.
UH, AND WE HAVE ONE APPLICATION AND I'M, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS ONE.
UM, MR. CHAIRMAN, BECAUSE, UH, MS. KIRBY BRADY IS OUR NEW PARK MANAGER AT HUNTING ISLAND, AND SHE HAS APPLIED TO SERVE ON OUR LOW COUNTRY AND RESORT ISLAND TOURISM COMMISSION.
AND I THINK THAT'S IN, THAT'S JUST A WONDERFUL THING FOR HER TO VOLUNTEER TO DO.
AND I WOULD MOVE THAT WE APPOINT, UH, MS. KIRBY KIRBY BRADY TO THAT OPEN POSITION.
IS THERE A SECOND? ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
AND WE HAVE THE, UM, SOUTH ISLAND PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION.
MR. NEWTON, WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO THAT? UM, I'M HAPPY TO, UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, I GOT IT RIGHT HERE.
WE, UH, GOT TWO APPOINTMENTS, UH, FOR RECONSIDERATION.
UH, AND THOSE ARE, UH, JIM VAUGHN, UH, AND PAMELA OVENS, EITHER ONE OF THEM HERE.
THE MOTION REAPPOINTMENT SECOND MOTION HAS BEEN SECONDED.
AND THEN THE LAST ONE IS, UH, SOUTH CAROLINA, UH, AERON COMMISSION.
I THINK MR. BRADLEY HAS THAT ONE.
UH, LET ME PASS THIS ON IF I COULD.
UM, MR. CHAIRMAN, I HAVE KNOWN MR. SELLS FOR 20 PLUS YEARS.
HE COMES OUT OF THE, UH, TRANSPORTATION BUSINESS WITH NORTHWEST AIRLINES.
HE HAS A, A CAREER OF EXPERIENCE IN THIS WORLD AND, UM, WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE HIM FOR THIS POSITION.
ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE? I, I, I DO, OH, I'M SORRY.
THIS IS FOR WHICH DISTRICT? IS IT FIRST DISTRICT? YES.
UM, DOES NOT EVERYBODY IN THE FIRST DISTRICT HAVE TO VOTE? OR IS EVERYBODY HERE FROM WE WOULD THEN MOVE IT TO THE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
WHICH SENATOR? GROOM'S CHAIRS.
AND THEN IT WILL GET THE REST.
THIS IS JUST OUR, OUR DELEGATIONS REQUEST.
I'VE GOT ONE IN THE SIXTH DISTRICT THAT I'VE GOT TO DEAL WITH TOO.
SO I'M JUST CURIOUS WHY
HAVING HEARD REPRESE, MERRICK'S EXPLANATION, WE, UH, THE MOTION WAS MADE.
UM, ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
SO WE'LL MOVE UP TO SENATOR GROOMS FOR FINAL APPROVAL, I GUESS WITH NO OBJECTIONS.
UM, YOU NEED, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE? DON'T BELIEVE SIR? UM, NEWTON? YEAH.
JUST A, A QUESTION ON OUR VOTER REGISTRATION METRICS THAT ARE MATRIX THAT WE KEEP, THAT LISTS EVERYBODY.
UM, IF, IF I MIGHT JUST, UM, UH, ASK MS. MAXEY THERE DESIGN, THERE'S, IN THE NOTES IT SAYS SEAT BUFORT FOR MOST OF THEM, AND THEN SEAT AT LARGE.
NONE OF THOSE ARE ASSIGNED SEATS.
THEY'RE NINE ELECTED FROM THE WHOLE COUNTY AT ONE POINT IN TIME.
THEY, WE, WE, WE WERE ACKNOWLEDGED REGIONS BECAUSE THEY MIGHT BE WORKING WITHIN THE REGION, BUT JUST IF YOU'LL CLEAN THAT UP, IT MAKES IT A LITTLE CON CUMBERSOME AND CONFUSING TO LOOK AT AND THINK WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? WHY THERE THREE AT LARGE? WHY THE REST OF 'EM BEAUFORT.
AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? I MEAN, THEY'RE ALL, THEY'RE ALL JUST COUNTY AND THERE ISN'T, THERE IS NO GEOGRAPHIC, UM, ASSIGNMENT FOR THEM.
UM, IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE, UH, FOR THE GOOD OF THE PEOPLE WE SERVED, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
IN FAVOR BE DONE FOR THE PEOPLE WE STAND ADJOURNED.