[1. CALL TO ORDER: Alice Howard, Chair]
[00:00:06]
AND THIS IS A MEETING OF COUNTY COUNCIL WORKSHOP AND I THINK MR. BERNANKE IS GOING TO DO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AGENDA SAYS I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE PUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. I WAS BUSY LOOKING AT THE PEOPLE NOW.
OKAY HAVE ONLINE COUNCILMAN MCGOWAN AND I DON'T THINK COUNCIL IN PARLIAMENT HE'S NOT ON IS THAT OKAY? WELCOME LARRY. HEY LARRY THIS WAS MY MEETING WAS ADVERTISED IN COMPLIANCE WITH FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT, CORRECT? YES, I AM. AND WE DO HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT BUT IT WILL BE AT THE END.
BUT YOU YOU'RE NOT PUBLIC COMMENT. YOU ARE A PRESENTER SO WE REALLY LIVE THE PUBLIC HAS ANY COMMENTS AT THE END AFTER THEY SEE THE PRESENTATION THAT'LL BE
[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
FINE I'D LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA SO MOVES I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN CUNNINGHAM TO HAVE A SECOND A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN LAWSON.ANY DISCUSSION THE AGENDA NO ONE IF NONE OF THE AGENDA IS APPROVED AS PRESENTED AT TIME
[5.a. Regional Smart Growth Poll Results Presentation]
WE ARE GOING TO SEE A PRESENTATION REGARDING A SURVEY A REGIONAL SMART GROWTH POLL THAT WAS INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKAGE AND IT WAS INCLUDED THE THINGS THAT WERE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC. YOU READY, BROOKS? OKAY.IF YOU'LL JUST INTRODUCE YOURSELF FOR THE AUDIENCE. REALLY? HI, I'M JOCELYN STEIGER. I'M THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS DIRECTOR FOR THE VIEW FOR JASPER COUNTY REALTORS AND THE HILTON HEAD AREA REALTORS. AND I CAN SAY I'M REALLY GLAD TO BE HERE WITH YOU ALL BECAUSE I'VE BEEN STUCK DEALING WITH THE MORATORIUM IN HILTON HEAD AND THIS IS MUCH NICER TO DEAL WITH RIGHT NOW. SO GOOD EVENING.
COUNCIL MEMBERS THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU TODAY.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE HILTON HEAD AREA REALTORS AND, THE BEAUFORT FOR JASPER COUNTY REALTORS. TOGETHER WE REPRESENT OVER 2000 PROFESSIONALS WHO LIVE AND WORK ACROSS BEAUFORT COUNTY AND WE'VE LONG BEEN COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING GOVERNMENT.
WE'VE PARTNERED WITH YOU BEFORE AND THINGS LIKE THE 2008 TEEN TRANSPORTATION SALES TAX ROAD REFERENDUM ORDINANCE REVIEWS AND HELPING FIND CONSULTANTS. THAT SAME SPIRIT OF PARTNERSHIP HAVE GUIDED US IN BRINGING THIS NEW RESOURCE FORWARD. SO DO LIKE TO ADD REMEMBER AND KEEP IN MIND THAT WE HAVE MULTIPLE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO US THROUGH THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS TO ASSIST LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN ALL KINDS OF WAYS.
SO PLEASE ANY TIME YOU'RE LOOKING AT SOMETHING TALK TO ME AND LET ME SEE IF ONE OF OUR RESOURCES MATCHES UP TO YOU GETTING THE DATA OR THE INFORMATION YOU NEED TO PROCEED ON AN ISSUE THROUGH A SMART GROWTH GRANT FROM THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS WE COMMISSIONED A SCIENTIFIC COUNTYWIDE POLL OF COUNTY VOTERS.
IT WAS CONDUCTED BY TWO TIER SOLUTION INNS, WHICH IS A NATIONALLY RESPECTED RESEARCH FIRM. THIS WAS NOT AN OPEN ONLINE SURVEY.
IT WAS A STRATIFIED REPRESENTATIVE POLL OF VOTERS ACROSS ARMENIA DISPARITIES AND UNINCORPORATED AREAS. IT'S THE FIRST TIME WE'VE HAD THIS KIND OF STATISTICALLY VALID COUNTY WIDE SNAPSHOT OF VOTER SENTIMENT GROWTH, HOUSING AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO I JUST OUT SOME OF WHAT I THOUGHT WERE THE IMPORTANT TAKEAWAYS TO HIGHLIGHT FOR THERE ARE 61 SLIDES TO THE PRESENTATION. I'M NOT GOING TO DO 61 SLIDES WITH YOU BUT I HOPE YOU WILL TAKE TIME TO GO THROUGH THEM BECAUSE THEY GIVE YOU A LOT OF REALLY GOOD INFORMATION. BUT LET ME JUST SHARE SOME KEY TAKEAWAYS IN LIGHT THE CONVERSATION YOU'RE GOING TO BE HAVING. QUALITY OF LIFE AND GROWTH IS THIS SLIDE SIX. 82% OF VOTERS SAY BE FOR COUNTY'S QUALITY OF LIFE IS GOOD OR EXCELLENT. THIS IS AWESOME YOU GUYS. I MEAN EVERYBODY LOVES IT HERE MOSTLY EVEN IN THE MUNICIPALITIES THAT NUMBER UP IN THE 90 SOME ODD PERCENT FOR SEVERAL OF THE MUNICIPAL SO OVERALL PEOPLE THINK QUALITY OF LIFE IS NICE HERE BUT THAT OPTIMISM IS FRAGILE AS. YOU CAN SEE ON SLIDE TEN 42% SAY THE QUALITY OF LIFE HAS ALREADY GOTTEN WORSE IN THE PAST THREE YEARS AND 46 EXPECT IT TO DECLINE FURTHER IN THE
[00:05:04]
NEXT THREE. A STRONG MAJORITY BELIEVE GROWTH HAS HAPPENING TOO FAST.74% SAY RESIDENTIAL GROWTH IS MOVING TOO QUICKLY AND. 55 SAY THE SAME ABOUT COMMERCIAL GROWTH. I THINK THE THING YOU NEED TO NOTICE HERE IS THAT 74% IS THE HIGHEST THAT THEY HAVE EVER GOTTEN WHEN THEY HAVE A POLL IN MANY DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE UNITED STATES, MANY DIFFERENT REGIONS THEY HAVE GOTTEN AS HIGH AS 74%.
SO THAT IS PEOPLE SPEAKING LOUD AND CLEAR. ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
WHEN ASKED WHAT CHANGE WOULD MOST QUALITY OF LIFE, THE TOP ANSWER BY FAR WAS TRAFFIC AND ROAD IMPROVEMENTS. 44% OF VOTERS WANTED TRAFFIC AND ROAD IMPROVEMENTS MORE THAN HALF 52% SAY THERE IS A GREAT FOR INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS.
AND WHEN YOU ADD IN THOSE WHO SEE AT LEAST SOME NEED THAT NUMBER RISES TO 2%.
WHEN ASKED HOW TO PAY FOR IT A MAJORITY 58% SAID IF ONE TAX HAD TO BE RAISED THEY WOULD PREFER THE SALES TAX OVER PROPERTY TAX. ONLY 15% WOULD SUPPORT RAISING PROPERTY TAXES AND. IMPORTANTLY, 25% SAID NO TAX SHOULD BE RAISED AT.
SO RIGHT AWAY YOU'RE STARTING WITH 25% OF THE VOTERS DON'T WANT ANYTHING ANY KIND OF TAX AT ALL WHATSOEVER. THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE STARTING WITH.
THE OTHER NUMBER THAT'S MISSING FROM HERE IS THERE WAS ALSO A QUESTION THAT COMPARED WHAT TAX THEY WANTED RAISED. THEY HAD IMPACT FEES, SALES TAXES AND PROPERTY.
OF COURSE EVERYBODY WENT FOR THE IMPACT FEES BUT ONCE WE BROUGHT IT DOWN TO JUST PROPERTY TAX VERSUS SALES, IT WAS CLEAR THAT SALES TAX WAS THE PREFERRED METHOD BUT NO TAX AT ALL IS ALSO PREFERENCE. THE VOTER THIS SHOWS VOTERS ARE WORRIED ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE AND WILLING TO HAVE A CONVERSATION HOW TO FUND IT BUT ONLY IF IT IS APPROACHED CAREFULLY. WE ALSO ASKED ABOUT SHORTAGES. VOTERS OVERWHELMINGLY BELIEVE THERE IS TOO HOUSING AVAILABLE FOR KEY PARTS OF OUR COMMUNITY. 69% SAY THERE'S TOO LITTLE FOR YOUNGER PEOPLE JUST STARTING OUT. 62% SAY TOO LITTLE FOR HOSPITALITY AND SERVICE WORKERS . 54% SAY TOO LITTLE FOR PUBLIC SERVICE EMPLOYEES AND HEALTH CARE WORKERS. SO VOTERS GENTLEMEN, HERE'S THE CONUNDRUM YOU'VE HAD FOREVER RIGHT? NOBODY WANTS GROWTH AT ALL.
BUT BOY, WE SURE DO NEED HOUSING AND THEY KNOW IT. INTERESTING.
THERE'S YOUR CONUNDRUM. TRUST IN GOVERNMENT. FINALLY, ONE OF THE MOST STRIKING FINDINGS IS THE ISSUE OF TRUST. WELL VOTERS RECOGNIZE THE NEED FOR ACTION ON GROWTH ROADS AND ,HOUSING. CONFIDENCE IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT REMAINS LOW. IN FACT, 56% OF VOTERS SAID THEY HAVE ONLY LITTLE OR NO CONFIDENCE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL TO MAKE THE RIGHT ABOUT GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT.
THIS TRUST IS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE EVEN WHEN VOTERS ACKNOWLEDGE A PROBLEM LIKE TRAFFIC OR HOUSING THEY ARE HESITANT TO SUPPORT SOLUTIONS UNLESS THEY FEEL CONFIDENT IN HOW GOVERNMENT WILL HANDLE THEM. IN OTHER WORDS, BUILDING TRUST WILL BE JUST AS IMPORTANT AS BUILDING ROADS. IF THE COUNTY WANTS TO MOVE MAJOR INITIATIVES FORWARD WHY THIS MATTERS? THIS POLL GIVES US FOR THE FIRST TIME A COUNTY WIDE STATISTICAL VALID PICTURE OF VOTER ATTITUDES ON GROWTH AND INFRASTRUCTURE. REALTORS NOW HAVE THIS DATA AND WE'RE MAKING IT AVAILABLE YOU BECAUSE WE BELIEVE IT CAN HELP GROWN FUTURE DISCUSSIONS AND DECISIONS.
INCREDIBLE COMMUNITY BASED INSIGHT LAST MONTH WE BROUGHT IN JOE BIRD FROM SATARA SOLUTIONS, THE RESEARCH FIRM THAT CONDUCTED THE POLL TO PROVIDE A MORE DETAILED BRIEFING. I TRULY ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO PLEASE WATCH THAT IT'S AVAILABLE ON YOUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL OR YOUR ON DEMAND VIDEO FOR COUNTY TV.
HE I DO WHAT HE DOES AND I DON'T PRETEND TO DO WHAT HE DOES.
HE TRUTHFULLY WAS ABLE TO ANSWER VERY GOOD QUESTIONS TALK ABOUT THE VALID OF THIS STATISTICALLY AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO WATCH THE VIDEO. OUR GOAL SIMPLE TO BE A RESOURCE FOR COUNSEL AS YOU NAVIGATE THESE CHALLENGING AND TO CONTINUE OUR LONG HISTORY OF PARTNERSHIP WITH COUNTY. SO I THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH AND I KNOW IF I CAN ANSWER A QUESTION IF I CAN I'LL TELL YOU I CAN'T I'LL OFFER COUNCILMAN MCKELLEN THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY.
[00:10:02]
DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS WHERE I'M SORRY I'M TALKING ECONOMY? YES, SIR. SORRY. WHAT DID YOU SAY, ALICE? DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR MS.. JOBS? YEAH, HAVE ONE. THANKS, JOCELYN FOR COMING OVER.I WAS AT YOUR REGIONAL MEETING AND IT WAS EXTREMELY INFORMATIVE.
THANKS FOR ARRANGING THAT. IT WAS IT WAS REALLY VERY BENEFICIAL WITH ALL OF THE PAGES THAT ARE THERE LONG ON WHICH STRUCK ME THE MOST AND I'D JUST LIKE YOU TO COMMENT ON IT WAS THE 600 PEOPLE'S REACTION TO GROWTH WHAT DID THEY SAY ABOUT THEIR POSITION ON GROWTH AND WHAT WAS THE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE I BELIEVE EXPRESSED SOME OPPOSITION TO GROWTH OR OTHERWISE? WELL, AS I SAID A STRONG MAJORITY BELIEVE GROWTH IS HAPPENING TOO FAST. IT WAS 74% SAID THAT RESIDENTIAL GROWTH IS MOVING TOO QUICKLY AND 55% SAID THE SAME ABOUT COMMERCIAL GROWTH. AND I THINK HIGHLIGHTED A FEW MINUTES AGO FOR YOU THAT THAT TRULY WAS THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE AGE THAT THIS FIRM HAD EVER GOTTEN AS ANTI-GROWTH IN ALL OF THESE SURVEYS THEY HAD DONE IN VARIOUS AREAS.
YEAH, I SPECIFICALLY ASKED YOU THAT BECAUSE I THINK IT DESERVES TO BE REPEATED.
IT'S AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT NUMBER US TO CONSIDER AS WE DEAL WITH ALL THESE UP ZONING REQUESTS. SO REQUEST FOR INCREASED DENSITY NOW I'M SURE REAL ESTATE PEOPLE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE MORE DENSITY HAS MORE HOMES SELL BUT THE REALITY IS EVERYBODY WHO LIVES HERE A MAJORITY ALMOST 70% SAY THAT IT'S TOO MUCH GROWTH AND WE NEED TO TURN IT DOWN. SO I THINK THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT THING FOR ALL OF US.
REMEMBER AND I DO HOPE THAT EVERYBODY TAKES THE TIME TO WATCH THE VIDEO THAT'S BECAUSE IT WAS EXTREMELY INFORMATIVE PARTICULARLY IN A NUMBER OF OTHER AREAS THAT WE DEAL WITH ALMOST ON A DAILY BASIS. THANKS JOHNSON. YEAH WITH WITH ALL DUE RESPECT COUNCILMAN I DO HAVE TO CORRECT ONE THING. I CAN'T LEAVE IT SITTING OUT THERE. REALTORS ARE NOT ABOUT DENSITY THAT'S NOT TRUE STATEMENT AT ALL. REALTORS ARE ABOUT BUILDING HEALTHY COMMUNITIES.
WE CARE ABOUT SCHOOLS. WE CARE ABOUT GOOD INFRASTRUCTURE, GOOD GOOD BRIDGES. WE DON'T WANT COMMUNITIES THAT ARE OVERBUILT AND OVERCROWDED WHERE PEOPLE ARE MISERABLE. I WOULD BE REMISS IF I HAD WALKED AWAY AND LET YOU THINK THE DENSITY IS WHAT WE'RE ABOUT. NOW WE HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT DENSITY WHEN IT COMES TO HOUSING AND I THINK THE SURVEY SHOWED CLEARLY THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS YOU NEED HOUSING AND THE TYPING HOUSING WE NEED NOBODY WANTS IT SO NOBODY WHAT NOBODY WANTS THE HOUSING THEY KNOW WE NEED IT BUT. THEY DON'T WANT IT IN THEIR BACKYARD. I'LL START WITH COUNCILMAN DAWSON.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NO, MA'AM.
OKAY OF VICE-CHAIR DEVIN. WELL, FIRST THANK YOU AND THE REALTOR GROUP FOR DOING THIS.
I KNOW WE TALKED IT THE REGIONAL GROUP BUT THE THE SHORT PACKET HELPS EVERYBODY SEE COUNTY AND THEN THE DIFFERENT MUNICIPALITIES BLUFFDALE BEAUFORT AND ONE THING THAT STOOD OUT FOR ME I LOOKED AT THE BEST WAY TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE ALMOST HALF WHICH IS 44% SAID THAT THE ONE CHANGE MOST TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE IS TRAFFIC ROAD AND OUR REFERENDUM IN 24 WAS 54% AGAIN. SO THIS IS ON TARGET TO WHAT WE HAD AND THE ONE THE OTHER DISTURBING ONE TO ME IS SLIDE 23 THE VOTERS LACK OF TRUST IN GOVERNMENT BESIDES MANAGING GROWTH JUST TRUST IN BEING FOR COUNTY GOVERNMENT 45% AND ALWAYS MOST OF THE TIME PEOPLE 4% ONLY SO YOU DON'T. SO WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE SOME MORE WORK TO DO. I THOUGHT THERE WAS A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION HERE, A LOT OF IT FOR US TO DIGEST AS WE'RE DISCUSSING WHETHER OR NOT TO HAVE A 2026 REFERENDUM WHICH WAS THE POINT TO DO ONE OF THIS THE ONE OF THE POINTS OF THIS I REMEMBER YOU TELLING US WAS TO GIVE US ACCURATE PULSE OF THE COMMUNITY SO WE WOULD KNOW WHAT PEOPLE ARE THINKING.
EACH OF US TALKS TO PEOPLE IN OUR AREAS BUT THIS GIVES YOU JUST AN OVERALL VIEW AND.
WHAT I REALLY LIKED WAS SPLITTING IT OUT BY MUNICIPALITY.
YOU CAN CLEARLY SEE WHERE EVERYBODY IS. SO TO ME THIS IS VERY GOOD INFORMATION AND I APPRECIATE I KNOW YOU DROVE THIS THE WHOLE BUS ALL THE WAY AND YOU GOT THE FUNDING FOR IT AND PUSHED IT AND LIKE MR. MCGOWAN SAID I WAS THERE WAS HOWARD THERE A COUPLE OTHERS THIS WAS VERY GOOD INFORMATION SO I APPRECIATE YOU COMING HERE TO VISIT AND SHARE
[00:15:01]
IT. ABSOLUTELY AND I'M ALWAYS TO HELP WITH ANYTHING I CAN OUR ASSOCIATION OUR ASSOCIATION IS IS THERE FOR YOU TO HELP YOU TELL THEM.COUNCILMAN BARTHOLOMEW, YOU HAVE QUESTIONS COMMENTS. SO JUST NEED TO HONESTLY GO BACK AND DIGEST SOME OF THIS STUFF AND REALLY HAD A CHANCE TO SORT OF LOOK THAT DEEP INTO IT. BUT I APPRECIATE YOU DOING IT. I'LL TELL YOU WHAT THAT VIDEO IT'S GREAT. YEAH PROBABLY DOES BETTER THAN ME.
COUNCILMAN CUNNINGHAM YEAH I GUESS I HAVE A COUPLE I APPRECIATE WITH WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT DENSITY I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THAT THERE'S A LOT OF REALTORS YOU THINK LIKE THAT I BELIEVE 100% YOU DO BECAUSE YOU'RE HERE ALL THE TIME AND YOU DO CARE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY JUST LIKE EVERY TYPE OF CAREER FIELD THOUGH NOT EVERYBODY DOES UNFORTUNATELY.
I MEAN SAME THING WITH PEOPLE IN MY INDUSTRY. SOME PEOPLE ARE JUST THERE FOR THE QUICK BUCK NOT THE SUCCESS OF THE BUSINESS LONGEVITY. SO BUT I LOVE THE MINDSET AND I HOPE THAT THAT CONTINUES TO SPREAD THROUGH ELSE I GUESS TO TWO STATEMENTS THEN IN QUESTION ONE TO CALL IT KIND OF EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAID AND PEOPLE SAY WE'RE GROWING TOO FAST BUT YET WE NEED MORE HOUSES. WHAT'S THE SOLUTION NO MATTER WHAT I SAID THIS IN OUR LAST COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING NO MATTER WHAT WE DO SOMEBODY'S GOING TO BE MAD AND SOMEBODY IS GOING TO BE HAPPY. IT'S A LOSE LOSE SITUATION. I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE I ALWAYS GET MAD LIKE STOP APPROVING HOUSES, STOP APPROVING NEW HOUSES, START THIS COMMUNITY, STOP ALL THIS STUFF AND THEY YELL AT US ALL THE TIME. YOU SHOULD SEE MY EMAILS.
THE BEST PART IS WE'RE NOT APPROVING HOUSES IT'S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED.
THIS HAS BEEN DONE 15 AND 20 YEARS AGO BEFORE MOST OF US WERE EVEN HERE TOWN OF BLUFFTON ESPECIALLY OVER 25 YEARS AGO. SO WHEN PEOPLE SAY THEY HAVE LACK OF TRUST IN THE GOVERNMENT BECAUSE THEY CONTINUE TO APPROVE HOUSES. MY QUESTION TO YOU IS HOW DO WE GO ABOUT EDUCATING MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN EDUCATE THE PUBLIC THAT WE'RE APPROVING HOUSES, WE'RE NOT IMPROVING GROWTH. ALL THIS WAS APPROVED 15, 20 YEARS AGO.
YEAH. AND THEY DIDN'T SAY THEY HAVE A LACK OF TRUST BECAUSE YOU'RE APPROVING HOUSING THAT WAS NOT HOW THE QUESTION WAS WORDED AT ALL.
SO THIS WAS TRULY JUST TRUST IN GOVERNMENT ON ANY ISSUE SO I'VE BEEN ASKING COUNCILS ANYONE THAT KNOWS ME I HAVE BEEN ASKING COUNCILS FOR TEN YEARS. WHY DO YOU KEEP SAYING YOU'RE FOR FORCED AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING BUT YET YOU WANT TO BUY UP DENSITY AND PRESERVE OPEN SPACE AND I'VE BEEN ASKING EVERY COUNCIL I GO BEFORE FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS YOU CAN'T KEEP DOING BOTH SO I CAN'T HELP YOU ANSWER THAT. I WOULD SAY IF YOU NEED IT IF YOU TRULY NEED THE HOUSING THEN COUNCIL'S GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE A STRONG BACKBONE NO MATTER WHAT AND GET IT BUILT AND KNOW THAT YOU'RE GOING FACE A WHOLE BUNCH OF SQUATTERS BUT.
YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO GET A BUNCH OF PEOPLE TO WALK IN THIS ROOM AND SAY PLEASE BUILD WORKFORCE PLEASE. WE REALLY WANT YOU TO BUILD WORKFORCE HOUSING.
WE SUPPORT THAT YOU'RE NOT THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. SO PEOPLE HAVE TO IN MY HUMBLE OPINION HAVE TO TRULY DO WE NEED IT AND IF WE NEED IT WE'RE GOING TO JUST HAVE TO DO AND I THINK IF YOU'RE OPEN AND HONEST WITH THE AND YOU EXPLAIN THESE THINGS TO THEM I DON'T LIKE SAID I DON'T THINK PEOPLE REALIZE THAT HILTON HEAD IS 97.1% DEVELOPED ALREADY LIKE DONE NOT UNDER AN AGREEMENT DONE YEAH YOU'RE IN THE 90% WHAT AND BLUFFTON IS UNDERDEVELOPED WHEN AGREEMENTS HARRISVILLE I THINK THEY'RE SAID TO HAVE OVER 100,000 PEOPLE MAYBE BY THE TIME THEY'RE DONE WITH WHAT THEY HAVE GOING ON SO YEAH EVERYBODY'S GROWING EVEN THOUGH NOBODY WANTS GROWTH BUT WHAT MIGHT BE A BETTER QUESTION IS WHAT MAKES GROWTH SO BAD FOR PEOPLE WHY DO THEY NOT WANT GROWTH? AND I WOULD SAY TRAFFIC AND CONGESTION AND I WONDER WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE ALLEVIATED TRAFFIC AND CONGESTION AND HAD ROADS AND BRIDGES THAT COULD CARRY SOME OF THIS? WOULD PEOPLE BE UPSET AT GROWTH ANYMORE? SO THERE'S MORE THAN ONE WAY TO SKIN A CAT RIGHT? YEAH. I DON'T KNOW.
JUST KNOW YOU'RE GOOD. I WAS JUST CURIOUS YOUR THOUGHT .
I MEAN, I'M NOT GOING TO DEBATE AND GO BACK AND FORTH BECAUSE WE COULD DO THAT FOR HOURS, ENJOY THAT. SO NOW WELL OH IT'S IT'S THE TRUTH ALL OF US DO IF WE DON'T WE WOULDN'T BE IN THIS JOB AT I DO APPRECIATE THAT. NO BUT I DO APPRECIATE IT.
THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND THE INFORMATION.
RIGHT. OKAY. COUNCILMAN LAWSON TERM AGAIN.
[00:20:01]
IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE THIS INFORMATION. THERE'S ACTUALLY NOTHING THAT SURPRISES ME EVEN THE YOU KNOW EVEN THE THE CONFIDENCE IN COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND COUNTY OFFICIALS. I GUESS THE ONE THING THAT THE ONLY THING THAT I CAN SAY SURPRISED ME. I THOUGHT OKAY, WHAT IS IT IS IS THE ONE THAT THEY TALKED ABOUT UM THE $0.01 SALES TAX OR THE SALES TAX TO PAY FOR INFRASTRUCTURE WHICH IS WE TRIED TO DO LAST YEAR. YOU KNOW I HAVE AND I HAVE HEARD SOME OTHER MUNICIPALITIES NOW THAT SAY THAT THEY'D RATHER HAVE US GO BACK AND DO THAT TRY THE TRANSPORTATION AGAIN BECAUSE JUST LIKE WHAT WE SAW THERE WHAT'S HERE AND YOU HAVE 25% THAT ARE AGAINST IT, THOSE PEOPLE ARE AGAINST IT NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO. DEFINITELY SO SO SO YOU KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING I AGREE WITH THAT AND WHEN I SAW THAT I WENT OKAY THAT MAKES SENSE BECAUSE OTHERWISE YOU'RE RIGHT WHEN IT COMES TO DENSITY AND BUILDING IT'S LIKE WE'RE A DOG CHASING OUR OWN TAIL. I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT YOU KNOW I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL ENOUGH FOR SIX YEARS EVEN BEFORE THAT THAT JASPER COUNTY WAS GOING TO BE THE WHERE OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING WAS GOING TO END UP AND THAT'S OF WHERE WE'RE GOING ESPECIALLY IF WE CAN THEY CAN HELP FIX THE SCHOOLS OUT THERE . THAT'S THE REASON WHY JASPER COUNTY HASN'T EXPLODED IS BECAUSE OF THE SCHOOLS AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR PEOPLE HAVE YOUNG KIDS. NO. AND YOU KNOW WHAT WANTS TO GO THERE AND OR HAVE TO PUT THEIR KIDS IN A PRIVATE SCHOOL SO? I STILL THINK THAT THAT WILL FIX ITSELF ONCE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS IS FIXED OUT THERE DOESN'T MEAN WE STILL CAN'T TRY TO DO OUR STUFF HERE. SO WE NOW CAN. NO SURPRISES.VERY INFORMATIVE. IT'S ALWAYS FUN TO SEE THESE THINGS AND HOPEFULLY MAKE US BE BETTER COUNCIL PEOPLE. YEAH AND PLEASE ANYTHING WE CAN DO AT ANY TIME WE'RE HAPPY TO DO WITH OUR RESOURCES I CAN GO THROUGH THEM WITH WITH ANYONE. YOU MAY BE SURPRISED WE COULD FUND FOR YOU OR HELP GET DONE. I'D JUST TO SAY THANK YOU AGAIN.
YOU KNOW YOU WORKED REALLY HARD TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN AND. I WAS THERE AND I WOULD
[5.b. Follow-Up Discussion on 2026 Capital Projects Sales Tax Referendum]
ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO WATCH THE VIDEO TOO. AND NOW NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS MORE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE 2026 CAPITAL PROJECT SALES TAX REFERENDUM.AND I THINK OUR IS GOING TO LEAVE THAT DISCUSSION AND THEN IF ANY THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE SOME THOUGHTS YOU'D LIKE WE'D LIKE TO HEAR THEM ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
WE WANTED TO GET THIS PRESENTATION TO YOU ALL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE INFORMATION AND WE KNOW THAT WE TALKED ABOUT SINCE WE PASSED THE COUNCIL PASSED RESOLUTION IN JUNE AUTHORIZING ADMINISTRATION TO TAKE NECESSARY STEPS TO PLACE THE REFERENDUM QUESTION ON THE 2026 BALLOT. THERE'S PROBABLY BEEN DISCUSSION YOU'VE HAD IN YOUR DISTRICTS AND WITH YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND SO WE'RE GETTING TO A POINT IF WE'RE GOING TO DO A 2026 CAPITAL SALES TAX WHICH IS WHAT WHAT YOU ALL PASSED PREVIOUSLY NEED TO WE'RE GOING HAVE TO START PUSHING THAT ALONG BECAUSE WE DO HAVE THE CALENDAR I BELIEVE. CAN WE PUT THAT UP? WE DO HAVE A TIMELINE JUST TO SHOW YOU ALL WHERE WE ARE BUT IT ALL HAS TO BE DONE SO THAT IT CAN GET ON THE BALLOT IN THE JULY TIMEFRAME. AS WE STATED IN THE AIR WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO THE MUNICIPALITIES. WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THEIR WITH THE MANAGEMENT STAFF ADMINISTRATION STAFF, ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF. WE ALSO DISCUSSED THIS AT THE QUARTERLY MAYOR MANAGERS MEETING KNOW WE GOT FEEDBACK THERE BUT WHAT YOU SEE ON ON THE CHART HERE IS THE TIMELINE WHERE IF WE WERE TO MOVE FORWARD ON THE NEXT MEETING IN SEPTEMBER THERE COULD BE A TO ESTABLISH THE COMMISSION AND THEN THERE'S ABOUT A 30 DAY PERIOD WHERE WE'D HAVE TO GET THOSE COMMISSION MEMBERS NAMED AND IDENTIFIED.
YOU ALL WOULD HAVE TO VOTE ON THEM AND THEN WE WOULD WANT TO HAVE THE COUNTY AND THE MUNICIPALITIES DEVELOP THEIR PROJECTS AND THEN YOU'VE GOT FROM MARCH TO MAY FOR THE COMMISSION TO GO AND MEET WITH ALL THE MUNICIPALITIES, TAKE ALL THAT INFORMATION, COME BACK IN MAY FORMULATE THE REFERENDUM QUESTION WITH THE PROJECT LIST AND YOU CAN SEE THERE'S COMMITTEE AND COUNCIL READINGS. THERE'S THREE READINGS PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN THE EDUCATION CAMPAIGN SO THE DISCUSSION WE JUST WANTED TO GET FEEDBACK WE STAFF HERE HEY JARED AND OTHERS TO DISCUSS WHERE WHAT COUNCIL'S THOUGHTS ARE ON THIS AT THIS POINT BECAUSE WE DO HAVE DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL TO CONTINUE TO PURSUE THIS UNTIL WE HEAR OTHERWISE SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE NOW. SO WITH THAT SAID ANY DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS MIGHT HAVE OKAY. I'M GOING TO START AGAIN WITH COUNCILMAN MCGOWAN.
ANY THOUGHTS? YOU'RE ON MUTE, LARRY. THANK YOU.
[00:25:07]
I START OUT BY SAYING OH, LUCKY ME, THANK YOU, ALICE. I THINK THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT PROBABLY BE PUT TOGETHER IN CATEGORIES. ONE IS A LIST OF THE ITEMS THAT WE CONSIDER TO BE IMPORTANT IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE AREA WITH A LIST OF THE ONES THAT ARE PRIORITIES. I'M NOT SURE IF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH WOULD INCLUDE FOOD CAPITAL EXPENSES. I WOULD DISCOURAGE THAT PERSONALLY AND FOCUS MORE ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE I THINK 170 IS ESSENTIAL ADDRESS TO 78 IS ESSENTIAL TO ADDRESS THE BRIDGES ARE CERTAINLY ESSENTIAL AND THERE'S A GREAT MANY ROADS THAT ARE SUFFERING TERRIBLE DAMAGE FROM PROBABLY IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICES AND SO MANY POTHOLES AROUND THERE.IT'S JUST REMARKABLE WITH REGARD TO THE PROTOCOL JUSTICE CENTER I THINK THERE'S BEEN SOME BACK CHANNEL DISCUSSION ALREADY NOT TO INCLUDE THAT BECAUSE IF WE PUT THAT ON THE REFERENDUM THAT WOULD GET US BIG NO AND IT'S ALMOST A THREE OR 400 MILLION MAYBE BY THE TIME WE GET IT ORGANIZED THE $500 MILLION PROJECT WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE TO GO TO BOND TO HANDLE THAT. BUT THAT IS MY GENERAL DISPLEASURE WITH PUTTING CAPITAL EXPENSES ON THERE BECAUSE I THINK WE NEED TO FIND ANOTHER WAY TO ADDRESS.
AND FINALLY I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT IF IF WE'VE LEARNED A LESSON FROM JASPER THEY HAD THREE ONE PENNY SALES TAX PASS SO THE TAXES NOW IN JASPER AND 9% WE COULDN'T GET ONE OF THEM PASSED AND IT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH PEOPLE'S BELIEF THAT WE'VE ABANDONED THE PROJECTS IN 2018 AND SPENT THE MONEY ON SOMETHING ELSE AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO LIST THOSE THINGS WE'RE GOING TO DO OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND ALSO LET PEOPLE KNOW WE DID NOT SPEND THE MONEY ON SOMETHING ELSE, WE STILL HAVE IT AND WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES THAT WERE ESTABLISHED NOW AS PRIORITIES AFTER ALL THAT TIME HAS PASSED AND INFLATION HAS CAUSED THE PRICE OF DOING BUSINESS TO GO UP REVERTING TO THE EXAMPLE OF JASPER I REALLY BELIEVE CAN'T RELY ON INTERNAL STAFF MEMBERS TO SELL THE PROGRAM WE HAVE TO HIRE A GROUP TO SPREAD THE MESSAGE EVERY DAY LEADING UP TO THAT REFERENDUM. IT CAN'T SOMETHING WE DO IN LIBRARIES AROUND THE COUNTY WE HAVE TO HAVE THEM GO EVERYWHERE AND PAPER THE PLACE WITH IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON WHY IS SO IMPORTANT JASPER DID THAT AND IT WORKED TO THEIR ADVANTAGE AND I THINK WE CANNOT IGNORE HIRING A PROFESSIONAL OR PUBLIC RELATIONS FIRM TO BE AN ADVOCATE FOR US TO ADDRESS THE ADVERSARIES WE WILL COME UP AGAINST OUT THERE AND ALSO CONVINCE PEOPLE WHO NEVER REALLY EXPRESS THEIR OPINION TO UNDERSTAND IMPORTANT THIS IS SO THEY VOTE POSITIVELY IN REFERENDUM IF WE DECIDE TO DO THIS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. I'M NICK'S COUNCILMAN LAUGHS AND I THINK THAT I VOTED TO PUT THE CAPITAL PENNY YOU KNOW ON ON THE REFERENDUM IF WE COULD AND JUST AS MR. MCCULLEN SAID AND AS WE JUST SAW IN THIS REPORT I MEAN I DON'T KNOW IF ELSE HAS THE HAS THE THOUGHTS OF CHANGING FROM CAPITAL BACK TO TRANSPORTATION BECAUSE AGAIN THAT'S WHAT I'M HEARING FROM EVERYBODY AND PEOPLE THAT HAD SECOND THOUGHTS AND I'M VOTING FOR WHY THEY DIDN'T VOTE FOR IT LAST TIME SO I THINK WE ALL WE'RE ALL KIND OF GUN SHY FROM LOSING TIME SO YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT TO GO THROUGH THAT AGAIN BUT THAT'S THE BIGGEST NEED OF THE COUNTY SO NOT TO TRY TO CHANGE THE SUBJECT FROM CAPITAL SOMETHING ELSE WE'RE STILL GOING BE THE SAME TIME ON THE MATTER WHICH WE DO BUT AGAIN I, I THINK WE JUST NEED TO ALL SIT BACK AND NOT NECESSARILY MAKE A DECISION TODAY BUT MAKE A DECISION IF THAT'S THE THAT WE WE WANT TO GO. SO IT'S JUST KIND OF WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW AND AFTER YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON AND KNOW THEY FEEL THE SAME WAY TRANSPORTATION IS WHAT THEY THINK.
ANOTHER CONVERSATION WITH TYLER HILTON HEAD I THINK THEY ALSO WOULD RATHER HAVE A SCHOOL AND AGAIN YOU HAD YOUR MEETINGS WITH THEM I'M SURE WHAT WHAT CAME VERY SIMILAR FEEDBACK.
THAT'S THE KIND OF FEEDBACK THAT I GOT AFTER YOU HAD MEETING I KIND OF JUST THEY BROUGHT IT TO ME SO AGAIN THAT'S JUST KIND OF SOMETHING I'M HAVING SECOND THOUGHTS ON.
OKAY. AND OF COURSE WE CAN'T MAKE ANY DECISIONS TODAY BUT WE JUST WANT TO GET OPINIONS. GREAT. OKAY.
COUNCILMAN LOGAN CUNNINGHAM YEAH. ONE I'M HESITANT IN 26 TO BEGIN WITH I DON'T AND IT'S MIDTERMS SO I'M A LITTLE INCLINED BUT ANY OFF ELECTION I DON'T LIKE
[00:30:02]
WE DON'T A GOOD TURNOUT WE DON'T GET THE COUNTY THE TURNOUT AND NO DISRESPECT TO SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE PUT OUT REFERENDUMS WITH THE NOTORIOUS FOR DOING IT ON AND OFF ELECTION SO THEY CAN GET IT THROUGH KNOW THAT COULD BE DONE I'M JUST NOT A FAN OF THAT I'VE SAID BEFORE I ENJOY SLEEPING AT NIGHT AND TO ME I LIKE BEING OPEN AND UPFRONT AND EVERYBODY VOTING ON IT AND NOT JUST PLAYING THE GAME SO. I AM A LITTLE HESITANT ABOUT THAT TO BEGIN WITH THAT PART BUT LET'S SAY I IF AM ON BOARD AND WANT TO MOVE FORWARD TO SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES I DO LIKE THE IDEA MORE OF A TRANSPORTATION I BELIEVE WHOLEHEARTEDLY AND PEOPLE MIGHT DISAGREE WITHOUT TOWN OF BLUFFTON SUPPORTING THIS THIS IS NOT GOING TO PASS. IT'S NOT THAT'S WHERE ALL THE GROWTH IS.THAT'S WHERE MOST OF THE MONEY IS GOING TO GET FUNDED TO FOR YOU FIGURE IMPROVEMENTS OF 170 AND 278 OR BLUFFTON PARKWAY OR BUCKWILD OR WHATEVER MIGHT BE THAT'S WHERE THE BIGGEST NEEDS ARE THE HIGHEST TICKET ITEMS SAME AS MR. LAWSON SPEAKING WITH PEOPLE AT THE OR THE MAYOR IF THERE'S NOT A SPECIFIC LIST THEY'RE NOT ON BOARD AND I DON'T BLAME THEM.
THEY LIKE THE ONE THAT WENT IN 20 THE 2018. THERE'S A SPECIFIC LIST WE DIDN'T DO THAT. WE KEPT IT MORE BROAD THE LAST TIME AROUND.
SO I DO THINK NEED TO FIGURE AND IRON THAT OUT WHETHER IT IS EVERY MUNICIPALITY OR, WHATEVER THAT LIST IS IT NEEDS TO BE CLEAR WHERE WE'RE PLANNING ON PUTTING THE MONEY AND VERY SPECIFIC TO THAT THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHERE I'LL LEAVE IT AT. I THINK I, I GUESS OF MR. LAWSON SO I'M NOT AFRAID OF LOSING I MEAN IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN I'M LOST BEFORE I'LL LOSE AGAIN AT SOME POINT SO I BELIEVE THE COMMUNITY NEEDS IT. I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WITHIN THE GUIDELINES THAT WE'RE ALLOWED TO ADVOCATE WHY WE SHOULD DO IT OR WHAT'S ON IT THAT WE TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF THOSE. I KNOW LAST TIME RIGHT, WRONG AND DIFFERENT WE WERE TOLD NOT TO TALK ABOUT IT NOT TO GIVE OUR OPINIONS THIS THAT ALL THAT STUFF SO WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN DO THAT AND BEST USE OUR TOOLS OF THE COUNTIES TO ADVERTISE AND MAKE THE COMMUNITY AWARE BECAUSE THE ONLY THING THAT WE REALLY LAST TIME WAS AN ANTI-TAX CAMPAIGN THERE WAS NO PRO TRANSPORTATION TAX CAMPAIGN THAT WAS OUT THERE WHATSOEVER. WE DIDN'T RUN ONE NOBODY ELSE IN THE COMMUNITY DID BUT THEY WERE TOO AGAINST IT. THE SIGNS WERE ALL OVER THE PLACE SO I JUST WENT WE NEED TO START THINKING ABOUT THE BEHIND THE SCENES OF HOW WE CAN ACTUALLY PUT PEOPLE INTO ACTION OR WHAT GROUP IT IS AND ACTION SOCIAL MEDIA AND BOOTS THE GROUND TO ACTUALLY GET THAT DONE. OKAY. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN BARTHELEMY. YOU KNOW, I I WAS HESITANT TO VOTE TO EVEN PUT THE LAST ONE ON THE BALLOT. BUT I DID IT BECAUSE I THINK THE PEOPLE DO HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE ON IT. AND LIKE I SAID, I'M NOT AFRAID OF LOSING BUT I'D PREFER TO WIN . YEAH, BUT I CAN TELL YOU MY CONSTITUENTS WERE ONE OF THOSE GROUPS THAT SPENT THOUSANDS OF THEIR OWN DOLLARS TO FIGHT AGAINST THIS AND IT WAS NOT A FRINGE GROUP OF PEOPLE. IT WAS THE CORPS OF LADIES IRELAND DID NOT WANT THAT TAX BECAUSE QUITE FRANKLY THE COUNTY HAD NOT DELIVERED AND STILL HAS NOT REALLY DELIVERED ON THE 2018 REFERENDUM. I DON'T THINK YOU'LL GET LADIES IRELAND ON BOARD UNTIL YOU ACTUALLY COMPLETE OR AT LEAST SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETE THE 2018 ITEMS ON THAT REFERENDUM AND I KNOW WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS THAT BUT WITH THIS AND I BELIEVE THIS WHERE THE EDUCATION GOES INTO THIS I'M INCLINED TO GO FORWARD WITH THE 2026 AND PUT IT ON THERE.
I WOULD LEAVE IT AS A CAPITAL AND THE REASON I THINK THE CAPITAL IS BECAUSE WE HAVE WATERFRONT THE WATERFRONT THAT NEEDS A COMPLETE REVAMP. WE HAVE THE BROAD RIVER FISHING PIER. WE HAVE MULTIPLE OTHER FISHING PIERS AND COMMUNITY CENTERS WHICH IS OUR OUR CAPITAL BUILDINGS AND EVERYTHING ARE STARTING TO FAIL BUT WE CAN ALSO USE THAT FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AS WELL IS THAT IS THAT CORRECT ON THAT FRONT, YES, TRANSPORTATION. SO I THINK WE GET MORE USERS OUT OF THE CAPITAL, PENNY.
BUT LIKE LOGAN SAID, I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE NARROWLY TAILORED AND DEFINED NOT NECESSARILY HAVING A BUDGET ON THERE BUT IT NEEDS TO BE CLEARLY DEFINED WHAT WE'RE GOING TO USE IT FOR AND HAVE A GOOD INDICATION AND TIME LINE TO ACTUALLY GET IT DONE.
AND THAT'S LIKE I SAID I'M BOUND TO PUSH BACK TO 2028. I AGREE WITH WITH LOGAN.
YOU KNOW I'D RATHER HAVE MORE PEOPLE OPINING ON IT AND VOTING ON IT IN GENERAL BUT IF WE NEEDED 2026 JUST TO GET IT DONE BECAUSE OF THE COLLECTION PHASE AND THE IMPLEMENTATION PHASE, I'M OKAY DOING THAT TOO BUT I CAN TELL YOU STAFF DOESN'T NEED TO BE DOING IT WE DO NEED TO GO OUTSIDE AND HIRE SOMEBODY TO GET THERE AND DO THAT WORK. IT'S NOT FAIR TO PUT THAT BACK ON STAFF WHEN THEY'RE ALREADY CONSTRAINED WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW.
SO VERY FAIR. OKAY. THANK YOU.
VICE CHAIRMAN TOM BURNETT. SO I MEAN I AGREE WITH A LOT OF WHAT WE SAID IN 2024 IT WAS
[00:35:03]
NOT GOING TO BE AN ADDITIONAL TAX. IT WAS A SWAP OUT GREEN SPACE WAS GOING OFF. IT'S A COME ON IT'S AN EVEN UP NOW IT'S AN ADDITIONAL TAX IN MY DISTRICT AND SOME OF IT'S ON CITY SOME OF IT'S BLUFFTON SUN CITY THIS TEN PRECINCTS PASS IT ONE PRECINCT VOTED EVEN UP SO THERE WAS SUPPORT THERE BUT BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND THE 117 DEBACLE I'LL JUST SAY I THINK THE FACT WE HAVEN'T COMPLETED ALL THE 2018 PROJECTS IS STILL A ROCK AROUND OUR NECK THAT SOME PEOPLE SAY WE CAN'T TRUST YOU, YOU DIDN'T GET THEM DONE.AND YES, THERE WERE REASONS AND WE'VE SAID IT HUNDRED TIMES I'M NOT SURE IT RESONATED AND DON'T MEAN TO GO BACK TO TRUST WHICH ARE SOME TALKED ABOUT THEY DON'T THAT THE MONEY'S STILL THERE THE WAY IT WAS DEDICATED SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THE 278 PROJECT WHICH WAS AN INFINITE IN GETTING TO CONCLUSION I GET IT I WASN'T HERE FOR THE WHOLE THING BUT WE WON'T EVEN HAVE A SHOVEL IN THE GROUND BY NEXT YEAR.
SO PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SAY I GAVE YOU A 180 MILLION. YOU HAVEN'T DONE THAT ONE EITHER. I DON'T I DON'T THINK UNTIL I GOT IN HERE.
I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND HOW LONG IT TAKES THINGS HAPPEN AND JARED HAS EXPLAINED THAT ESPECIALLY LIKE PATHWAYS BUT I'M NOT SURE RESONATES AGAIN SO I'M HESITANT TO GO FOR 26 I WOULD GO FOR A TRANSPORTATION FOR A LIMITED I DON'T THINK PEOPLE ENJOYED WILL ENJOY HEARING IT'S AN EIGHT YEAR CAPITAL PENNY YEAH EIGHT YEARS IS A LONG TIME AND IN THE EIGHT YEARS WHO KNOWS WHAT WILL EVEN GET DONE AND AGAIN THEN YOU'RE GOING TO FACE THAT SO IF I CONSIDER ANYTHING WOULD BE TRANSPORTATION ONLY LIMITED TIME SPECIFIC PROJECTS SUCH AS 170 LADIES ISLAND HAS THAT YOU KNOW ISSUE THERE YEAH THE PARKWAY SO THOSE BIG TO ME AND THE COMPLETION OF THE PROJECTS IS HANGING OVER OUR HEAD AND THEN WHAT WE JUST HEARD IS THE TRUST LEVEL AND THESE PEOPLE SAY THAT IT'S NOT THAT THEY DON'T US THEY JUST DON'T TRUST BECAUSE WE DIDN'T DO THE 2018 PROJECTS HOW MANY TIMES HAVE WE HEARD WHERE'S MONEY DID YOU SPEND IT EVEN THOUGH PINKY SAID THERE JARED HAS SAID IT'S THERE IT'S NOT IT'S NOT BEING ASSIMILATED.
I ALSO AGREE WITH LOGAN TOO THAT THE MIDYEAR IS A LOW TURNOUT SO A GROUP COULD SWAY IT EITHER WAY. I'M NOT AFRAID OF LOSING IT EITHER BUT I JUST THINK WE'D HAVE A BETTER AFTER WE DEAL WITH THE 2018 PROJECTS AND GETTING IT DOWN TO A TRANSPORTATION. MAYBE EVEN THEN IF WE PUT A TRANSPORTATION TAX UP LET'S SAY FOR YEARS AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH IT WOULD GENERATE WE'RE NOT GOING TO THOSE PROJECTS DONE IN FOUR YEARS EITHER MOST LIKELY. SO THEN WHEN YOU COME BACK FOR ANOTHER TAX PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SAY WELL NOW YOU DIDN'T GET THOSE DONE EITHER BECAUSE THERE IS NO UNDERSTANDING OF HOW LONG TAKES THESE TO DEAL. I MEAN I'VE LEARNED A LOT SITTING IN COUNCIL BUT THE GENERAL POPULATION JUST SAYS WHAT'S THE PROBLEM I JUST GO DIG UP 170, PUT THE STRIPES BUT YOU KNOW JUST DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY AND LIKE I SAID THE BRIDGE WON'T BE A SHOVEL IN THE GROUND SO THAT'S GOING TO BE ON THEIR NECK TOO.
SO I'M REALLY WAVING AGAIN. FIRST OF ALL, I'M I'M MOVING OFF OF CAPITAL A POSSIBLE TRANSPORTATION BUT SECOND OF ALL I'D BE OKAY PUSHING IT TO 28 OKAY OKAY COUNCILMAN DAWSON YES HE SAID LOOK INITIALLY WHEN WE WHEN WE HAD BEEN DISCUSS MOVING FORWARD WITH THE CAPITAL SALES TAX REFERENDUM ON THE FIRST PART OF THE YEAR I I WASN'T ON BOARD BUT I WENT WITH IT JUST FOR THE CONSENT BUT I VOICED MY CONCERNS THEN THAT BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE THAT I REPRESENT AND THEIR DISAPPROVAL OF THE 2018 PROJECT HAVEN'T BEEN COMPLETED SO EVEN THOUGH IT'S ONLY A PENNY AND WE WE TAKE A PENNY LIGHTLY BUT OUR CONSTITUENTS DON'T THEY THEY SEE A PENNY THAT'S MONEY AND WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SPENDING MONEY FOR PROJECTS THAT SPEND THEIR MONEY FOR PROJECTS THAT WE HAVEN'T COMPLETED SO IF WE IF WE MAKE A LIST OF THE 2018 PROJECTS AND LOOK AT HOW MANY PROJECTS WE HAVE VERSUS HOW MANY PROJECTS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED, SOME HAVE BEEN STARTED AND NOT COMPLETED.
SOME HAVE EVEN STARTED AS OF YET AND WHEN PEOPLE SEE THAT THE FIRST THING THEY SAY IS YOU HAVE YOUR THEY SAID ALL YOU ALL HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING WITH THE 2018 PROJECT HERE AND YOU THINK
[00:40:01]
WE WON'T SUPPORT ANOTHER WANTS TO TAX IT ANYMORE NOW AND SO WE DO IT IN A GENERAL ELECTION THE OFF YEAR ALWAYS SUPPORT MOVING FORWARD THE GENERAL ELECTION BUT FOR US TO DO ANYTHING PRIOR TO THE NEXT GENERAL ELECTION I IS AWFUL REALLY. I THINK WE'VE SET OURSELVES FOR FAILURE WE SAID AND THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR HIS STAFF UP SAY WE'RE SETTING THE COUNTY UP FOR THE PEOPLE THE COMMUNITY RATHER IT'S OUT OF THE RURAL AREAS SO THEY ALL KNOW SHELDON GORDON'S FORMER GRAYS WHO ARE BLUFFTON HILTON HEAD THE PEOPLE THE COMMUNITY IS NOT READY FOR A SALES TAX RATHER IS TRANSPORTATION OF CAPITAL IT DOESN'T MATTER SO I ME PERSONALLY I WOULD JUST PUSH THIS UNTIL THE NEXT GENERAL ELECTION AND THAT'S WHAT I WOULD REALLY MISS ABOUT. THANK YOU COUNCILMAN DAWSON. I THINK I'VE REPEATED THIS SEVERAL TIMES MY DISTRICT WAS ALL MY PRECINCTS 100% AGAINST IT IN 2018 I MEAN NOT 100% VOTERS BUT YOU KNOW IT WAS DEFEATED. I THINK SOME OF THOSE SIGNS FROM LADY'S ISLAND ARE STILL IN MY DISTRICT TOO. ONE OF THE ANTI-TAX IN THE MONEY WAS SPENT AND IT HAD A LOT TO DO WITH SO WITH YOU KNOW, JUST BEING AGAINST AGAINST TAX I DON'T KNOW THAT THE THAT MY DISTRICT'S HAVE AN APPETITE MY PRECINCT TO HAVE AN APPETITE FOR THIS EVEN IF IT WAS CAPITAL. I DO AGREE WITH DAVID THAT THE DOWNTOWN WATERFRONT PARK WOULD BE A SELLING POINT BUT WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT IS GOING TO COST AT THIS POINT. AND AND TO GERALD NELSON'S POINT THAT IT MIGHT BE BETTER TO WAIT TILL THE GENERAL ELECTION YOU KNOW THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE THEY'VE HAD VERY GOOD ESTIMATES AND TIME ONCE AND ONLY IF WE CAN DO THAT.I DON'T SEE IT BEING SUCCESSFUL AT THIS POINT IN OFF YEAR SO THAT'S MY THOUGHTS.
ANY OTHER LAST THOUGHTS I'LL JUST SAY THE ONE THING WE DEFINITELY NEED TO DISCUSS IS THE TIME FRAME AND I'LL BE OPEN WITH YOU GUYS ANYTHING OVER FOUR YEARS I WILL NOT SUPPORT JUST SO ANYBODY THAT IS ONE THAT PUSHES FOR IT I'M BEING WITH YOU GUYS.
I JUST LOVE MEGABUS. THE AMOUNT OF GROWTH, THE AMOUNT OF CHANGE THAT COULD HAPPEN AFTER THAT AND I GET THE BENEFITS OF IT GOING EIGHT YEARS BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT BUT IF WE DO SOMETHING THE LINES OF 2 TO 4 THAT DOES GIVE US AT LEAST SOME OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD BACK TRUST WITH THE COMMUNITY. LAST THING YES SIR AND THIS IS DIRECTLY TO YOU LIKE YOU'VE BEEN HERE LONG AND YOU CAME IN AT A VERY, VERY ROUGH POINT IN THIS COUNTY AND I THINK YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB. BUT YOU'VE GOT A LONG WAY TO COME AND WE ALL DO TO GET TRUST BACK IN THIS COMMUNITY. BUT WE'RE I MEAN WE'RE DOING IT YOU'RE DOING RIGHT THING. BUT I SAID IT BEFORE WE'VE GOT TO HAVE SOME AGGRESSIVE COMMUNICATION WITH THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE GOOD THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING.
OTHERWISE THE NEGATIVE CAMPAIGNS WIN AND THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF GOOD GOING ON AND IT NEEDS TO GET OUT THERE AND I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT AND I'D LIKE TO MAKE ONE OTHER POINT.
YOU KNOW, WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF MONEY LEFT IN GREEN SPACE. SOME SOME OF MY CONSTITUENTS SAID, WELL, WHY WASN'T GREEN SPACE ON THE BALLOT? WELL, BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF FOR THAT AND I DON'T THINK WE DON'T WANT TO MIX MIX IT UP UNLESS IT'S IF WE DO A REFERENDUM WE STILL HAVE LOTS OF MONEY LEFT IN SPACE RIGHT NOW.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT DID THAT REALLY DIDN'T GIVE YOU AN ANSWER BUT WE DIDN'T. YES, SIR. YES, SIR.
ARE THERE ANY THOUGHTS THEY HAD FOR US EITHER HANK OR MR. MOORE? SOMETHING FOR US TO CHEW ON FOR THE NEXT WEEK OR SO. THAT WAS OUR JEREMY CECIL BACK THERE. I'M SORRY. I'M SORRY.
HE'S GOT A IN TEARS AND SWEAT IN THE LAST REFERENDUM HIS THOUGHTS GO QUICK IF I COULD JUST KIND OF SUMMARIZE WHAT I HEARD THERE A MAJORITY THAT ARE PRESENT HERE TODAY WE ARE LEANING 2028 VS 2026 WHICH YOU UNDERSTAND WOULD BE A DIFFERENT COUNCIL BECAUSE OF THE ELECTION AND A MAJORITY SEEM TO BE LEANING TOWARDS TRANSPORTATION TAX RATHER THAN CAPITAL PROJECTS TAX FOR MONDAY THE PLAN WAS TO BRING FORTH CREATING THE CAPITAL PROJECTS COMMISSION COMMITTEE WOULD YOU LIKE US TO BRING FORTH AS A POSSIBLE AMENDMENT IN CASE THE VOTE IS TO GO IN 2026 A TRANSPORTATION SALES TAX COMMITTEE COMMISSION WHERE IT CAN BE AMENDED TO THAT IN CREATED THEN AND IT'S A DONE DEAL THE OPTION WOULD BE THAT WILL YOU JUST COME BACK THE NEXT YEAR IN OCTOBER WITH A NEW RESOLUTION FOR TRANSPORTATION
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IF COUNCIL VOTES TO GO FORTH IN 26 WITH THE TRANSPORTATION I GUESS MADAM CHAIR FOR ME YES QUESTION AS FAR AS AND PLEASE REMIND ME OF THIS CAN WE STAND UP THAT COMMITTEE EARLY AND LET THEM GO THROUGH THE PROJECT AND WORK WITH STAFF AND DEVELOP A TIMELINE AND GO AHEAD AND GET IT LIKE CAN WE DO THAT EARLY OR DOES THAT HAVE TO BE CLOSER IN PROXIMITY TO WHEN THE VOTE IS TAKEN LIKE FAR AS THE IN THIS CASE BECAUSE THERE IS GOING TO BE A GENERAL ELECTION IN THE COUNCIL WILL CHANGE I WOULD RECOMMEND NOT EARLY UNLESS IT'S GOING TO BE THE 2026 IT WAS ABOUT 2028 THAT COUNCIL SHOULD GIVE THE COMMISSION AT VERNON AND WITH CAPITAL CAPITAL HAS TO FOLLOW SPECIFIC YEAH TRANSPORTATION DOES NOT EVEN REQUIRE A COMMISSION YOU DO HAVE TO HAVE A COMMITTEE. WE HAVE DONE THAT IN THE PAST BUT IT IS NOT A STATUTORY REQUIREMENT SO YOU CAN SELECT THEM AND PUT THEM ON THERE YOURSELF.CAN WE LET MR. PASSMAN TALK ABOUT OH YEAH COUNCILMAN BASEMENTS BACK.
THANK YOU. GO AHEAD COUNCILMAN BASEMENT OH I'M JUST JOINING NOW SO I WILL CATCH UP AS WE GO FORWARD. WE JUST TALKED ABOUT OPTIONS 2026 2028 CAPITAL VERSUS TRANSPORTATION AND WE'VE HEARD FROM EVERYBODY ON THE COUNCIL EXCEPT TO OKAY.
SO THERE ARE ADVANTAGES TO BOTH OF THEM YES A CAPITAL REQUIRES THAT YOU A GROUP THREE FROM FAIRFIELD COUNTY UNINCORPORATED AND THEN THE OTHER THREE MAKE UP THE MUNICIPALITIES SO THERE IS INPUT FROM THEM WHICH IS A GOOD THING THE OTHER POSITIVE TO A CAPITAL PROJECT IS THAT IN FACT IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE TOTALLY CAPITAL IT CAN HAVE A TRANSPORTATION COMPONENT TO IT.
SO THOSE ARE THE TWO POSITIVES. THE NEGATIVE TO A CAPITAL IS IT HAS A DEFINED TIMELINE TO EIGHT YEARS RAISING THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE NEED IN EIGHT YEAR PERIOD OF TIME IS GOING TO BE DIFFICULT TO DO. WE NEED TO DO WITH THE ROADS. YOU KNOW AND I UNDERSTAND PEOPLE THINK THE ROADS ARE A REAL PROBLEM AND YES THEY ARE AND I SEE THAT WITH A CAPITAL PROJECT DURING THE ROADS WE CAN SPEND THAN HALF OF THE MONEY ON ONE ROAD ALONE AND THAT'S 170.
SO TRANSPORTATION IS WIDE OPEN WE CAN DECIDE THE NUMBER OF YEARS WE CAN DECIDE THE PROJECTS THAT WE WANT IN THERE . SO I'M REALLY TORN BETWEEN THOSE AND YEARS 2026, 2028 DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ABOUT THAT? WELL, YOU KNOW THE REASON I'M LEANING TOWARDS 26 IS BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO GET WORSE AND MORE EXPENSIVE IN 28 AND BY THE WAY IN 28 YOU DON'T START 28 IS WHEN YOU LITERALLY WELL IT'S ACTUALLY 29 YOU START COLLECTING THE MONEY SO THAT'S THAT'S A LONG TIME.
OKAY AND WE DESPERATELY NEED TO DO SOMETHING WITH GOOD POINT. OKAY.
ALL RIGHT. FEEDBACK. YEAH, I JUST HAD KIND OF TWO QUICK COMMENTS TO TELL YOU. ONE AS FAR AS THE TIME OF 2018, BRIAN, OR HAVING THOSE DISCUSSIONS, WE'LL BRING THAT BACK COUNCIL OVERALL SCHEDULE BUT JUST A GENERAL SCHEDULE WE WILL HAVE MOST A LOT OF THE PROJECTS OUT TO BID AND UNDER CONSTRUCTION STARTING IN 26.
SOME OF THEM WILL BE COMPLETE BEFORE NOVEMBER. A COUPLE OF PATHWAYS BUT MOST OF THEM WILL NOT BE COMPLETE BEFORE NOVEMBER 26. ALL OF THE PROJECTS WHAT WE HAVE SCHEDULED RIGHT NOW PRELIMINARILY ALL OF THE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF 278 WILL BE FULLY COMPLETE BY 20TH NOVEMBER 2028. THE 278 PROJECT WOULD BE JUST STARTED GO OUT TO BID IN IN THE FALL OF 2017 CONSTRUCTION TO START AT 28 SO THAT'S THAT'S THE UPDATE ON 2018 OTHER THING I HAD TO OFFER IS CHARLESTON COUNTY THEIR SALES TAX FIELD AS WELL IN 24 WHAT THEY ARE PLANNING TO DO IS GO BACK OUT FOR 26 TRANSPORTATION SALES TAX MARCH. THEY PUT OUT AN RFQ AND HAVE ALREADY AWARDED IT FOR A TRANSPORTATION SALES TAX PROGRAM EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT PLAN ALSO INCLUDED IN THAT WAS A POST MORTEM OF WHY THE 24 FAILED. WE'RE KIND OF GETTING TO A YEAR LONG SO IT'S A LITTLE TOO LATE TO DO THE POST MORTEM BUT I THINK THE REALTORS ASSOCIATION OF GAVE YOU THAT POST MORTEM INFORMATION BUT THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE DOING FOR AS FAR AS
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FUTURE ENGAGEMENT. IF YOU DO DECIDE TO LOOK AT 26 AS FAR AS TRANSPORTATION ANOTHER OPTION TO CONSIDER WHICH KIND OF IS A BLEND 26 AND 28 IS YOU COULD EVERYBODY IN THE ENTIRE ROOM SAID 170 YOU COULD SAY TWO YEARS FOR ONE SEVEN IT WILL NOT BE COMPLETE IN TWO YEARS BUT IT WILL COLLECT THE MONEY TO GET THEM 170 PROBABLY PROJECT STARTED THEN IF YOU WANTED TO YOU COULD COME BACK WITH ANOTHER INCREMENTAL SALES TAX OF WHATEVER TIME TRANSPORTATION OR CAPITAL FOR HOW MANY YEARS IN 28 AND ESTIMATED ESTIMATED PROJECT VALUE IS IS ABOUT $150 MILLION WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT TWO YEARS OF COLLECTIONS WOULD COLLECT. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE YEARS YOU GUYS DO MORE LEGWORK THAN ALL OF US? I THINK FOUR YEARS IT IS LOW AND THE REASON IS YOU KIND OF GET IN THE YO YO EFFECT WHICH IS EXACTLY WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW 2018 SO YOU GET THE COLLECTION BUT THE EDUCATION ALL KNOW IS A STRUGGLE AND TO EDUCATE SOMEBODY THAT NOT GOING TO HAVE THE PROJECTS COMPLETED IN FOUR YEARS IS A DIFFICULT TASK.SO IF YOU CAN MEASURE UP THE THE TIMELINE WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION AND YOU CAN PUT IN SOME PROJECTS THAT ARE FASTER MOVING PROJECTS LIKE RESURFACING OR INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS BUT THEN HAVE YOUR BIG PROJECTS WHETHER IT'S 170 OR OR WHATEVER THAT MIGHT BE YOU CAN IMPLEMENT A 170 WITHIN EIGHT YEARS. WHAT ABOUT WHEN WE SHOULD PUT UP 2628 SORRY I SHOULD HAVE CLARIFIED THAT BETTER. I MEAN YOU PROBABLY KNOW YOU JUST DON'T ANSWER. YEAH THE PROJECT ON 2018. YOU GUYS HAVE ALL MENTIONED THAT AND AS MR. PARSON IT JUST MENTIONED, IT'S NOT GOING TO GET ANY WORSE EVERYBODY SO 170 IS COMPLETELY IN UNINCORPORATED IS NOT IN I GUESS IT'S IN PARTY VILLE PARTIALLY BUT IT'S NOT IN BLUFFTON. IT'S REALLY SO THAT BEHIND THE 278 BRIDGE THAT'S THE MOST PROJECT WITH THE MOST NEED IN THE ENTIRETY OF COUNTY. OKAY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM ANYONE THOUGHTS? YOUR THOUGHTS? YES, SIR. GO AHEAD. YEAH, ANOTHER QUESTION THE THE CORNER TRACK PART OF THAT PURCHASE WITH ALL THE THERE WAS A REQUIREMENT AT SOME POINT IN TIME A NEW EMS FIRE STATION THAT PROPERTY AND THERE WAS A TIMELINE ON THAT HOW THAT AFFECT A FUTURE REFERENDUM IN 28 SO THE COMMITMENT INSIDE THAT PURCHASE AGREEMENT WAS THAT WE HAD TEN YEARS TO CONSTRUCT A EMS CENTER. I THINK WE'RE TWO YEARS INTO THAT AND SO WE JUST NEED ACCESS. WE NEED A FULL ROAD TO BE ABLE TO WE JUST HAVE DON'T HAVE TO BUILD A FULL LAW ENFORCEMENT CENTER JUST FIRE RESCUE IN THIS SOME EMERGENCY SERVICES STATION. SO AGAIN DON'T HAVE TO BUILD A $100 MILLION PROJECT. YOU COULD BUILD STATION 39 RIGHT THERE ON SITE AND THAT WOULD THAT REQUIREMENT WOULD THAT INCLUDE THE REALIGNMENT OF THE ROAD? SO THE REALIGNMENT OF THE ROAD SO WE'RE WE HAVE THE FUNDING RIGHT NOW AND ARE MOVING FORWARD ON THE DESIGN OF REALIGNING 170 BETWEEN THE TWO SCHOOLS ARE TWO FOR 62 AND WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING FOR THAT SO YOU CAN BUILD INTERIM ACCESS FOR DRIVEWAYS IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT PROJECT CONSTRUCTED ALSO THAT PROJECTS FULLY IN JASPER SO THEY HAVE FUNDING TO DO ROAD IMPROVEMENTS ON FOR 62 FROM 170 ON THE SNAKE ROAD SO WE MAY BE DESIGNING BUT THEY MAY BE A PARTNER IN ACTUALLY FUNDING THAT CONSTRUCTION.
SURE SO AND THEY HAVE THAT MONEY IT'S JUST NOT ONE OF THEIR HIGHER PRIORITY PROJECTS. 170 HAS AN EFFECT. EVERYBODY I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. 170 IS IN UNINCORPORATED BEAUFORT COUNTY.
BUT WE KNOW FOR A FACT THAT PEOPLE FROM THE NORTH WHETHER THEY'RE IN THE CITY OF BEAUFORT OR OTHER AREAS FOR THEM TO GET TO WORK THEY HAVE TO COME 170 YOU SEE THAT FIRST THING IN THE MORNING THE IN BLUFFTON WHO ARE COMING FROM THEIR 170 PORTION TO GET TO TO 78 THAT'S A MESS THERE AND THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS IT IS OUR EVAC ROUTE AND THAT IS OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE AS WE MOVE FORWARD. OKAY OKAY. ANY OTHER I WOULD JUST ASK ONE THING, JEROD, IN TERMS OF 170 TIMELINE, YOU COLLECT THE MONEY WITHIN WHAT'S A REALISTIC TIMELINE FOR A PROJECT THAT SAYS IT'S PROBABLY A SIX YEAR IMPLEMENTATION BETWEEN DESIGN WE WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH WE WOULD FEDERALIZE THAT PROJECT SO WE WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH
[00:55:02]
THE SAME NEPA PROCESS. THE GOOD THING IS WE'RE NOT GOING TO INCUR THE SAME IT'S NOT IN THE MUNICIPALITY, IT'S UNINCORPORATED AND THERE'S LIMITED MAJOR I MEAN THERE'S BUT YEAH SO IT WOULD BE SIMILAR TO THE 278 SCALE AND TYPE OF PROJECT BUT TO DELIVERY WOULD BE A FASTER AND IT DOESN'T HAVE BRIDGE WORK SO IT'S A FASTER CONSTRUCTION TIMELINE TO MCCLOUD YOU KIND OF LIKE THAT IDEA THOUGH THAT TWO YEAR IF WE WANTED TO GO FOR JUST SOMETHING TO GET THE BALL ROLLING AND BUILD BACK WELL WE DID IT FOR GREEN SPACE TWO YEARS AND LOOK HOW MUCH WAS GENERATED YOU KNOW THE OTHER THING WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER IS RIDGELINES CONSIDERING INDEX AND PROPERTY THAT WILL IMPACT 172 THAT'S A BIG PROJECT.TICK TICK TICK TICK TICK TICK HALL AND SO IMPACTS TO JOE'S POINT EVERYBODY IN NORTHERN COUNTY IS TRYING TO GET BLUFFTON BECAUSE SNAKE ROAD AND ALL THAT WILL BE COULD BE DEVELOPED WILL BE AND THE PRESSURES ARE 174 6246 AS CONSTRUCTION BEGINS ON I-95 WELL WHAT SO PEOPLE COMING FROM THE NORTH GET OFF FOR 62 AND WITH CONSTRUCTION OF I-95 FIVE THE PEOPLE FROM THE SOUTH THEY'RE GOING TO COME IN THE BACK WAY DUE TO COME INTO THIS AREA IT PUTS MORE PRESSURE ON 170 CAME DID DID YOU ALL GET THE INPUT FROM WASHINGTON OR DID IT HANK HAVE ANYTHING HAVE ANYTHING DIFFERENT FROM THE HISTORIC WORKSHOPS THAT WE'VE HAD FROM THE BEGINNING FROM TALKING ABOUT 2018 WHETHER WE DID CAPITAL OR TRANSPORTATION? THE POINT HAS BEEN THIS IS KIND OF A PRUDENT PHASE AND THAT'S WHY CAPITAL WAS ATTRACTIVE BECAUSE THEY'RE VERY DEFINED. THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN'T HAVE A TRANSPORTATION ROAD THAT'S ALSO NARROWLY DEFINED AND WHAT YOU DO AND THEN THE DISCUSSION THAT WE HAD OVER THE LAST MONTH WAS THE IDEA OF MAYBE A SHORT SINGLE OR 170 PLUS SOME VISIBLE RESURFACING TO PROVE IT BECAUSE IT'S BACK TO THE EARNING THE TRUST AND PROVING THAT WE CAN DO IT IT WITH YOUR FUNDS WHAT YOU WANT US TO DO AND BY HAVING DEFINED PROJECTS OR, DEFINED TIMELINES THOSE ARE THE DECISION FOR YOU GUYS TO MAKE BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY SO YOU GUYS AS ELECTED OFFICIALS BUT ALSO AS A STAFF CAN PROVE IT THAT WE CAN GET IT GET IT DONE AND THAT HELPS BY HAVING THE ADJUSTABLE SIZE IT'S GREAT TO THINK ABOUT 25 YEARS AND A NUMBER THAT I'M NOT GOING TO SAY OUT LOUD BUT IT'S ANOTHER THING TO PREVENT SO THAT THERE'S NO QUESTION TO DO THAT LATER, YOU KNOW AND IT'S GOOD TO KNOW THAT CHARLESTON COUNTY IS DOING THAT BUT CONTRACTING THAT OUT AND I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT NO MATTER WHAT WE DECIDE TO DO WE CAN. OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE IF I'M HEARING YOU RIGHT, THERE'S NO NEED TO BRING THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE FORWARD AND NEXT MEETING IF IT IS VOTED TO DO THAT IN 2016, NOBODY COULD. IF THERE'S A NEW ONE, IT'S UP TO YOU TO BE HONEST. BUT I DO THINK THAT ESPECIALLY AFTER JUST HEARING THEM THAT THERE IS DISCUSSION THAT MAYBE THERE IS SOMETHING WE DO IN 26. IT'S JUST NOT WHAT WE ORIGINALLY DISCUSSED WALKING IN THIS ROOM TO BEGIN WITH COULD BE SOME A SMALLER YOU YEAH YOU JUST DO THE 170 LIKE JARED TALKED ABOUT IN TWO YEARS YOU DON'T NEED A COMMITTEE FOR THAT OBVIOUSLY BUT SHOULD WE HAVE A COMMITTEE THAT'S FOR COUNCIL BUT WHAT WOULD IT BE FOR AT THAT POINT THE COMMITTEE BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT IDENTIFYING PROJECTS THAT'S TRUE ENDLESSLY THE PROBLEMS OF MOVING WATERFRONT WATERFRONT WHICH WOULD BE A CAPITAL THAT WOULD BE TO HAVE A 170 IN THE WATERFRONT AND THE INTERIM COMMITTEE THAT'S COMING FORWARD . RIGHT. QUESTION IS DO YOU NEED A BACKUP IN CASE COUNCIL GOES TRANSPORTATION VICE THE CAN WE HAVE TWO CHOICES IT COULD BE JUST IT COULD BE JUST RESURFACING THAT IS AN OPTION AS WELL GET RESURFACING DONE IN TWO YEARS YES YOU CAN PATCH THE BLUFF TO DO ALL OF THAT IN TWO YEARS AND SO WE CAN BE ACCOUNTABLE AND EFFICIENT. 117 IS NOT GOING TO GET DONE IN TWO YEARS YOU JUST SAID IT WE HAVE QUITE FEW COUNCIL MEMBERS NOT HERE SO IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE TWO OPTIONS.
YOU KNOW WHAT JARED TALKED ABOUT AND WE CAN JUST RESURRECT THE ONE THAT WE HAD TWO YEARS AGO AND BRING THAT FORWARD FOR 2026 TO 2024. SO SOMETHING SIMILAR I WOULD NOT WORDED THE SAME WAY FOR YOU. YEAH I WOULDN'T EVEN TRY TO ASSOCIATE IT WITH 2024 AT ALL. OKAY WE KNOW THAT'S THE TEMPLATE SO YEAH NO NEW TEMPLATE. NO, NO BUT. EVEN IF YOU'RE DOING RESURFACING YOU'RE GOING TO WANT TO NAME THOSE ROADS SPECIFICALLY SO BE CALLED OUT AND THEY COULD BE SPREAD OUT THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY AND THAT'S MY LAST JOB.
THAT'S HOW IT WAS DONE. THERE WERE A OF RESURFACING THAT WAY AND THEY WERE NAMED I'LL TAKE YOU DOWN. YEAH. OKAY.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS FOR? THE WORKSHOP OF COUNCILMAN DAWSON.
[01:00:03]
HE'S GOOD. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.THOSE ON ZOOM. WE'RE GOOD. ALL RIGHT, WE ARE ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU MUCH. YOU'RE
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.