* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:02] THE FINANCE [1. CALL TO ORDER] ADMINISTRATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING TO ORDER. TODAY IS MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17TH, 2:00 PM THANK YOU. EVERYONE COULD PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO SPEAK THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, ANY THE VISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE PROBLEM. OH, OKAY. AND MS. OCTAVIA, [3. STATEMENT OF COMPLIANCE WITH FOIA] HAS THIS BEEN, UM, UH, RECORDED AS ACCORDING TO OUR, UH, COMPLIANCE WITH FOIA? YES, SIR. THANK YOU. UH, I FOR [4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA] SOMEONE TO APPROVE OUR AGENDA, PLEASE. SO MOVED. ALRIGHT. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. ALRIGHT. UM, ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? SEEING NO DISCUSSION? WE WILL PASS THIS WITHOUT OBJECTION. IS THERE ANY OBJECTION SEEKING NO OBJECTION. UH, IT HAS BEEN APPROVED. WE'LL THEN ASK [5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES] FOR SOMEONE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 8TH, 2025. I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU MR. TABER. NICK, IS THERE A SECOND, PLEASE? SECOND. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU, UM, JOE, AND, UH, UM, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, SEEING NO DISCUSSION OF THOSE MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 8TH, 2025? WE'LL PASS THOSE WITHOUT OBJECTION AND I SEE NO OBJECTION AND YOU ARE ON THE LINE OR IN PERSON. UM, AND, UH, WE WILL THEN MOVE ON THEN [6. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD – 15 MINUTES TOTAL] TO OUR PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. AND WE HAVE, UM, 15 MINUTES. I THINK WE HAVE THREE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP. UM, AND FIRST ONE I HAVE ON MY LIST IS, UH, MR. UH, DALE, DO THAT. UM, AND, UM, HAVE THREE MINUTES, SIR. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO ADDRESS THE, THE, UH, COMMITTEE. UM, I WATCHED THE, UH, FIRST OF ALL, I'M DALE DIN, I'M PRESIDENT AND CEO OF UNITED WAY BELOW COUNTRY. I WATCHED THE VIDEO OF THE LAST FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING AND, UH, NOTICED THAT SEVERAL OF THE MEMBERS RECUSED THEMSELVES FROM THE VOTE ON THE COMMUNITY SERVICES GRANT PROGRAM. I APPLAUD YOU FOR YOUR TRANSPARENCY ON SAYING, HEY, I'M INVOLVED WITH A NONPROFIT, BUT I THINK THAT IF YOU'RE GONNA RECUSE YOURSELF FROM STUFF THAT AFFECTS ALL NONPROFITS, IT WOULD BE SIMILAR TO RECUSING YOURSELF FROM A VOTE THAT AFFECTS ALL BEAUFORT COUNTY RESIDENTS WHEN YOU HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH ONE OF THEM. SO I'M HOPEFUL THAT YOU'LL RECONSIDER THAT SO THAT THE BUSINESS CAN GET DONE. THERE ARE MORE THAN 1800 REGISTERED NONPROFITS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, MANY OF WHICH HAVE THE SOLE PURPOSE OF SUPPORTING OUR, UH, COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO NEED ASSISTANCE. THESE ORGANIZATION, THESE ARE THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT THE COMMUNITY SERVICES GRANT PROGRAM ACTUALLY SUPPORTS. 39% OF HOUSEHOLDS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY ARE WHAT WE CALL ALICE POPULATION THAT STANDS FOR ASSET LIMITED, INCOME CONSTRAINED, EMPLOYED PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING BUT CAN'T AFFORD TO MAKE ENDS MEET WITHOUT SOME FORM OF ASSISTANCE. YOU SEE, THE REAL PROBLEM HERE IS THAT WE HAVE EMPLOYED HOUSEHOLDS THAT ARE WORKING THEIR TAILS OFF, BUT THEY CAN'T MAKE ENDS MEET WITHOUT SOME FORM OF HELP. A SINGLE MOTHER WITH TWO YOUNG CHILDREN IN THIS COUNTY NEEDS TO MAKE ALMOST $72,000 A YEAR TO GET BY WITHOUT ASSISTANCE. A LADY CLEANING HOTEL ROOMS CAN'T MAKE THAT A DRIVER FOR OUR EMS. UH, OUR AMBULANCES CAN'T MAKE THAT. A PARALEGAL IN THIS COMMUNITY CAN'T MAKE THAT. THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT THERE WORKING REAL JOBS THAT IMPACT US EVERY DAY. WE NEED TO SUPPORT THE EFFORTS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SO THAT WE CAN DIVERSIFY OUR JOB BASE. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, UNTIL WE CAN MAKE THIS COMMUNITY LIVABLE FOR EVERYBODY, WE NEED TO SUPPORT THE WORKERS THAT PROVIDE ESSENTIAL SERVICES TO US. SO THOSE, UH, THE SUPPORT THAT THOSE NONPROFITS GET FROM THE COMMUNITY SERVICES GRANT PROGRAM IS A DROP IN THE BUCKET TO THE COUNTY BUDGET, BUT IT'S LIFE AND DEATH FOR MANY OF THOSE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONSIDER NOT ONLY SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY SERVICES GRANT PROGRAM, BUT TO ACTUALLY INCREASE IT, TO PROVIDE MORE HELP. BECAUSE WHAT YOU'RE NOT, WHAT YOU'RE REALLY HELPING IS NOT THE NONPROFITS. YOU'RE REALLY HELPING OUR WORKFORCE, THE FOLKS THAT ARE OUT THERE WORKING IF THEY AREN'T MAKING THE ENDS MEET. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. I APPRECIATE YOU, YOU LISTENING. THANK YOU MR. DOT, APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. UM, AND LET'S GO ON TO, UH, SECOND ONE. AND, UM, THAT'S, UM, MR. LARRY CHUDA. CHUDA, THANK YOU FOR COMING. APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU, LARRY CHUDA. AND I'M HERE TO, TO MAKE A COMMENT REGARDING, UH, ITEM F, THE RESOLUTION APPROVING, THE BUFORT COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION USE OF $600,000, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH. OKAY. THE ONE THING I WANNA SAY ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR THING IS I THINK THE TIMELINE ITSELF IS CLARK, BEFORE THE HORSE, YOU'RE ALREADY BUYING PROPERTY AND YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE A REALLY GOOD PLAN OR WHERE YOU'RE GETTING THE MONEY. IF YOU LOOK AT THE FIRST YEAR PLAN IS, WELL, LET'S DO THIS AND LET'S, LET'S COME UP WITH A, UM, A 5 0 1 3 [00:05:01] C AND THEN WE GO OUT THE NEXT YEAR AND GET MONEY. AND THEN THE FINALLY YEAR, YOU'RE DOING DEVELOPMENT OF SOMETHING, A THREE YEAR PLAN. WHO'S GO, WHO'S GONNA MANAGE THIS WHOLE THING AT THE END TO BUY THE PROPERTY? WHAT IF THINGS FAIL COMPLETELY THAT DOESN'T GET PAST THE FIRST YEAR, EVEN THE SECOND YEAR? OKAY, THE IMPACT ASSESSMENT, THE WHOLE PROJECT IS PIE IN THE SKY. WHY NOT TEST THE MARKET FIRST? FIND LITTLE VENUES. GO TO A PLACE. YOU CAN HAVE A, A FARMER'S MARKET SOMEWHERE. FIND SOME PLACE TO HAVE IT. FIND SOME OTHER PLACES TO DO IT AND SEE WHAT'S REALLY, REALLY VIABLE FOR WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED HERE. EVERYTHING HERE IS JUST, THIS IS WHAT WE PLAN. YOU CAN GO OUT AND TRY IT FIRST. REAL BUSINESSES DON'T DO THIS KIND OF BUSINESS AND FARK OUT $600,000 FOR SOMETHING. AND THAT'S ONLY A DROP IN THE POCKET. THE REAL NUMBER IS 1.5 MILLION OR 1.6. UM, SO I'D SAY YOU SHOULD TEST THE MARKET. DETERMINE THE VIABILITY OF THINGS BEFORE YOU GO OUT AND JUST SAY, HERE'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO. AND I'D LIKE TO KNOW ALL THESE, ALL THESE, UM, STUDIES THAT WERE DONE WHERE SOME OF THESE NUMBERS COME BECAUSE IF YOU THINK PEOPLE ARE GONNA COME FROM SAVANNAH OR CHARLESTON FOR ONE DAY DRIVE A HUNDRED MILES, WHICH IS WHAT WAS SPECIFIED IN THERE, AND TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON, I THINK YOU'VE GOT ANOTHER THING COMING. NOT EVERYBODY'S GONNA DO THAT, EVEN FOR AN HOUR, SPENDING MAYBE SOME TIME, BUT NOT ALL THE TIME. YOU'RE NOT GONNA DO THAT. UM, WHAT IF IT CAN'T SUSTAIN ITSELF CONSTANTLY LEADS MORE FUNDING AND BAIL OUT FROM THE, FROM THE COUNTY. AGAIN, THAT HAPPENS EVEN IN HILTON HEAD WITH ARTS ART CENTERS THERE. THEY'RE ALWAYS CONSTANTLY ASKING FOR MORE MONEY OR NEEDING MORE MONEY THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN HERE IF, IF THINGS DON'T GO. SO YOU REALLY NEED TO TEST THIS MARKET AND FIND OUT WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING BEFORE YOU GO ABOUT DOING THIS. THIS THING SHOULD BE VIEWED AS A BUSINESS, NOT AS JUST, I MEAN, YOU'RE GETTING FUNDING. SO IT'S NOT A BUSINESS WHO'S ACCOUNTABLE? WHO'S GONNA, WHOSE HEAD'S GONNA FALL IF SOMETHING FAILS? WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN TO THIS WHOLE THING? WHERE, WHERE'S THE SKIN IN THE GAME? EVERYTHING HAS TO COME FROM GRANTS FILE, 5 0 1 3 CS OR COUNTY. IF IT FAILS, WHAT HAPPENS? WE WALK AWAY. DOES THIS COUNTY GET STUCK WITH IT? WHAT'S THE FALLBACK PLAN? UM, SHUTTER IT AND LET THINGS GO LIKE IT IS. WHY NOT GO TO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE SHUTTERED NOW AND TRY TO REVITALIZE THEM. TRY TO HELP BUSINESSES EVEN LIKE WILLIE'S THAT HAS A PROBLEM. IF YOU DON'T LIKE WHAT HE'S DOING, WHY AREN'T WE IN THERE TRYING TO HELP HIM FIGURE OUT WHAT MAKES SENSE FOR THE C FOR THIS COMMUNITY? AND VERIFY, TEST, MODIFY. UM, ONCE IT'S PROVEN, THEN YOU HAVE A LEG TO STAND ON AND CAN MOVE, MOVE FORWARD. THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PRIVATE FUNDING AND IT WAS REJECTED AND, AND THEY COULD HAVE, COULD HAVE GOTTEN SOME OF THE MONEY FOR, FOR THESE PARTICULAR PROJECTS. NO, YOUR, YOUR TIME IS UP. SO THANK YOU FOR COMING. ONE, ONE MORE COMMENT. OKAY. OKAY. REAL QUICK. THIS IS LIKE BETTING ON THE COME AND I DON'T WANNA SEE TAXPAYER'S MONEY USED FOR THIS KIND OF BET. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MR. UCH. THANK YOU FOR COMING. WE APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS. NEXT UP, UM, WE HAVE FELISE LAMARCA, MS. LAMARCA, WELCOME. THANK YOU MR. CHAIR. APPRECIATE IT. UM, I'M ALSO COMMENTING ON ITEM F THE, UM, PERFORMING ARTS CENTER ON ST. HELENA. AND, UH, YOU ALL MAY HAVE THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION, BUT WAS AN APPRAISAL DONE ON THIS LAND? IS IT WORTH $600,000 OF OUR TAXPAYER MONEY? AND WERE THERE TWO APPRAISALS DONE? 'CAUSE YOU SHOULDN'T ONLY RELY ON ONE SECOND IS, UH, THE COMMUNITY WAS SURVEYED. IT SAYS IN THE PRESENTATION AND THAT IT WAS, UH, WELCOMED AND FAVORABLE. I'M ASSUMING THAT WAS JUST THE ST. HELENA COMMUNITY. WHAT ABOUT THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY THAT'S GONNA PAY FOR THIS? THE REST OF US TAXPAYERS FROM BEAUFORT TO HILTON HEAD, WERE WE SURVEYED? NOW, MY HUSBAND MENTIONED THE ARTS CENTER. IT USED TO BE CALLED THE SELF FAMILY ARTS CENTER. AND THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE BEEN ON HILTON HEAD A LONG TIME, MR. MCKELLEN, YOU, UM, MAY REMEMBER HOW THAT ALL WENT DOWN IN 1996. THE SELF FAMILY DONATED THE LAND AFTER THAT MORTGAGES AND SUED AND PRIVATE DONATIONS. UM, THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD MAY HAVE CHIPPED IN MONEY. I DON'T RECALL. I DON'T BELIEVE THE COUNTY DID IT ALL. EVERY YEAR SINCE THEN, THEY HAVE COME BACK TO THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD FOR A TAX MONEY TO OPERATE. THEY CANNOT OPERATE ON THEIR OWN EVEN THOUGH THEY MAKE SIX TO $10,000 A WEEK WHEN THEY'RE IN PERFORMANCE. IT'S [00:10:01] A COSTLY OPERATION. AND MY FEELING IS THAT PRIVATE VENUES, PRIVATE MONEY SHOULD BE SUSTAINING IT. NOT TAXPAYER MONEY. NOT SAYING THIS ISN'T A WONDERFUL THING FOR EACH COMMUNITY. I KNOW BLUFFTON WOULD LIKE ONE. CAN WE AFFORD THEM? PRIVATE ENTERPRISE, NOT TAXPAYER MONEY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MR. LAMARCA. AND WHEN I SAID WE HAD THREE, I WAS WRONG. I HAD THREE PIECES OF PAPER. WE HAVE FIVE PEOPLE HERE, SO TWO MORE. UM, AND, UH, MR. DARRELL RA, DID I SAY THAT CORRECTLY MR. RAJ? YOU DID NOT. COULD YOU PLEASE CORRECT ME? , IT'S DARL RIDGE. OKAY RIDGE, THANK YOU AND GOOD AFTERNOON TO THE COMMITTEE. I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BEFORE YOU. UH, MY NAME IS DARL, OR AS I JUST SAID, I GREW UP ON ST. HELENA AND CURRENTLY RESIDE THERE. UM, WHEN I FIRST SAW A PLAN PRESENTED TO OUR TO DEVELOP THE CENTER, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ITEM F, EXCUSE ME, I'M TALKING ABOUT ITEM F ON THE AGENDA. UM, MY INITIAL THOUGHT WAS THAT THE COMMUNITY WOULD BE ABLE TO BRING, BRING TOWARD RESOURCES ITSELF. UM, AND, AND MY INITIAL THOUGHTS WERE, YOU KNOW, WHY WOULD WE HAVE TO BUY PROPERTY WHEN THERE IS PROPERTY THAT'S CURRENTLY BEING HELD BY NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS? AND MY THOUGHT WAS THAT WE, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO TAP INTO THAT. UM, MY POINT IS THAT HAS NOT MATERIALIZED. UM, SO AT THIS POINT, I WOULD IN FACT LIKE TO RECOMMEND TO THE COMMITTEE TO, TO ACTUALLY GO FORWARD WITH THE RESOLUTION, PROVIDE A PROPERTY OWENS AND HOME WITH THE INTENT OF BUILDING THE CENTER. UM, I THINK IT WOULD BE UTILIZED F FULLY BY THE COMMUNITY. I WOULD, AS A FARMER UTILIZE IT WHEN I, UM, HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY. I WOULD WOULD ALSO UTILIZE IT AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER FOR COMMUNITY WIDE EVENTS. UM, SO THERE'S OPPORTUNITY FOR USAGE THERE WITHIN. UM, SO AGAIN, MY, MY STATEMENT IS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE RESOLUTION GO FORWARD. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, SO THANK YOU FOR COMING. AND LAST, UM, WE'VE GOT, UM, MR. WILLIE TERRELL. MR. TERRELL, THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY. UH, ABSOLUTELY. UH, GOOD AFTERNOON. MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. UH, MY NAME IS WILLIE TERRELL. UM, I'M SPEAKING TO AGENDA ITEM F. I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, UH, YOUTH ENGAGEMENT PARTNERS AND LEADERS WHO WORK DAILY WITHIN THE CORNERS COMMUNITY. UM, FIRST I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE BEAVER COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND THE WORK THEY HAVE ALREADY INVESTED IN THIS EFFORT. UM, I WANNA PERSONALLY THANK MR. JOHN O'TOOLE FOR THE THOUGHTFUL AND PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATION HE AND I SHARED ON FRIDAY. UH, THROUGH THAT CONVERSATION, IT BE CLAIMED CLEAR THAT THERE IS A COOPERATIVE PATH FORWARD, ONE THAT ALIGNS, UH, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION'S GOALS WITH COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRESS ALREADY UNDERWAY IN THE CORNERS. UH, TODAY'S REQUEST FOR 600,000 IN JOBS SITE FUNDS, UH, SITE AND JOB FUNDS IS SIGNIFICANT. AND I UNDERSTAND THE INTENTION BEHIND SEEKING A LAND PURPOSE LAND PURCHASE. UH, HOWEVER, BEFORE COMMITTING ADDITIONAL TAXPAYER FUNDS TO ACQUIRE THE NEW PROPERTY, THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACHIEVE THE SAME, IF NOT GREATER OUTCOMES BY LEVERAGING THE BUILDINGS PARCEL AND ASSETS ALREADY LOCATED AT THE CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC HEART OF ST. HELENA. THE CORNERS COMMUNITY ITSELF, UH, WE BELIEVE THAT THERE'S A PLAN THAT SUPPORTS THE GOALS OF THIS GRANT, COMPLIMENTS THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION'S BROADER MISSION AND BRINGS THE SPIRIT OF THE DIGITAL CORRIDOR AND THE DOWNLINE CENTER DIRECTLY INTO ST. HELENA IN A PRACTICAL, IMMEDIATE, AND HIGH IMPACT WAY. UH, BUT ALSO I WANT TO BE CLEAR, THE CORNERS COMMUNITY ARE FACING AN URGENT AND VERY REAL SAFETY NEED. UH, WE'RE DEALING WITH UNLIT INTERSECTIONS, UNSAFE PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS PERMISSIBLE, UH, MISSING WALKABLE INFRASTRUCTURE AND CONDITIONS THAT ENDANGER BOTH RESIDENTS AND VISITORS. FURTHERMORE, AFTER ALL THE COMMUNITY HAS ENDURED IN RECENT MONTHS, ADDRESSING SAFETY CANNOT BE AN AFTERTHOUGHT. NO CULTURAL CENTER MARKETPLACE OR ECONOMIC INITIATIVE CAN SUCCEED UNTIL CORNERS ARE SAFE, LIT AND FUNCTIONAL FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE. WE ALL RECOGNIZE THAT THE PROPOSAL BEFORE YOU TODAY IS STILL IN ITS EARLY DEVELOPMENT. FOR THAT REASON, WE ARE RESPECTFULLY ASKING ADDITIONAL TIME, UH, TIME TO ALIGN THIS CULTURAL CENTER CONVERSATION WITH IMMEDIATE SAFETY PRIORITIES ON THE CORNERS AND TIME TO RETURN WITH A UNIFIED ACTIONABLE PLAN THAT ADDRESSES BOTH. UH, A BRIEF DELAY DOES NOT HARM THE COUNTY, UH, THE BEAUFORT COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OR THE GRANT. IN FACT, IT STRENGTHENS ALL THREE AND ENSURES THAT THE NEXT DECISION IS FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE, COMMUNITY ALIGNED SAFETY, FOCUS AND POSITION FOR REAL IMPLEMENTATION, NOT THEORETICAL PLANNING. THERE IS NO DOWNSIDE TO WAITING A SHORT PERIOD TO GET THIS RIGHT. THERE'S ENORMOUS DOWNSIDE TO MOVING FORWARD PREMATURELY. FOR THESE REASONS, I RESPECTFULLY ASK THE COMMITTEE TO DELAYS DELAY TODAY'S VOTE AND ALLOW ONGOING COLLABORATION BETWEEN BEAUFORD COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS, UH, TO CONTINUE IN GOOD FAITH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, YOUR CONSIDERATION, AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE FUTURE OF ST. HOLLAND ISLAND. THANK YOU, TERRELL. I DIDN'T SIGN UP, BUT CAN I SPEAK? UM, YES, SIR. YOU'LL BE OUR LAST SPEAKER, SIR. UM, UH, STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS. YES, SIR. I'M, I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT. IT'S ALL [00:15:01] RIGHT. UM, MY NAME'S JOHN TRASK. MY ADDRESS IS 200 DISTANT ISLAND DRIVE ON LADIES ISLAND. UM, I, THERE ARE ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE OWNERS OF THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY IN QUESTION FOR THE, FOR THE CENTER. UM, AND ME AND MY FAMILY, MY BROTHERS ARE ONE OF THEM. AND WE THINK IT'S A GOOD PROJECT FOR SEVERAL REASONS, NOT JUST BECAUSE WE THINK HOPE WE CAN SELL IT, BECAUSE WE COULD HAVE SOLD IT TO PRIVATE PERSON FOR NOT MUCH MORE MONEY, BUT A LITTLE BIT MORE MONEY. AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY WITH MR. O'TOOLE AND HIS GROUP TO GET TO THIS POINT, WHEREVER IT IS. BUT I GREW UP ON ST. HELENA AND, UM, THIS IS ABOUT 12 ACRES OR SOMETHING TOTAL. I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANOTHER PIECE OF PROPERTY OF THAT MAGNITUDE IN THE SPHERE WHERE YOU COULD, WHERE IT COULD BE ZONED TO DO THIS. UM, AND I THINK THAT WE NEED A, A NUCLEUS, WE NEED A, A CENTER OF GRAVITY TO, TO BUILD AROUND THE CULTURE THAT'S BEEN THERE FOR WHATEVER, HUNDREDS OF YEARS. UM, I SAY THAT AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN, I FEEL A LITTLE BIT FUNNY TRYING TO ADVOCATE FOR IT SINCE I'M THE SELLER, BUT I'M TRYING TO NOT BE CYNICAL TO, UM, ANYWAY, I JUST URGE THE COMMITTEE OR WHOEVER'S IN CHARGE TO, TO, UH, BELIEVE IN THIS PROJECT AND TO BELIEVE IT'S A LONG TERM PROJECT. YOU KNOW, IT AIN'T GOING TO BE DONE IN ONE YEAR OR FIVE YEARS, BUT THE WHATEVER GETS BUILT THERE, HOPEFULLY IT'LL BE THERE FOR DECADES. YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE WHITEHALL PARK, NOBODY WANTS TO PAY $10 MILLION FOR YOU AMORTIZE IT OVER A HUNDRED YEARS, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S BEEN A SUPER BOON FOR, FOR BEAUFORT, I THINK. SO ANYWAY, THAT'S MY SPIEL AND I APPRECIATE THAT. ALRIGHT, MR. STR, THANK YOU FOR COMING. ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA CLOSE OUR PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AND GO [7.a. Finance Report] ON TO, UH, NUMBER SEVEN ON OUR AGENDA, OUR REPORTS, AND OUR FINANCE REPORT FROM OUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER. UM, UH, MS. PINKY HART. MS. HART, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY. THANK YOU. HOW ARE YOU? I THOUGHT EVERYBODY WAS HERE FOR THE FINANCE REPORT. EXCITING. BIGGEST CROWD I'VE EVER HAD. ALL RIGHT. SO IS THAT LITTLE THING ON THE, NO, I CAN'T SEE IT. EVERYTHING'S OKAY. THANKS. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL START WITH THE GENERAL FUND REVENUES. UM, HERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW, OVERALL WE'VE GOT ABOUT 6% COLLECTED OR HIGH IN CERTAIN CATEGORIES, BUT NOT QUITE AVALARA. EVERYBODY KNOWS TAX BILLS JUST RECENTLY WENT OUT. SO, UH, THIS WILL SPIKE HERE OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT, UH, MONTH OR TWO. AND GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES, UH, WE'RE ABOUT 30%, UM, EXPENDED ON THE GENERAL FUND RIGHT NOW. WE ARE, UM, SLOWLY TRACKING FORWARD, QUICK OVERVIEW OF YOUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS, AND THESE ARE ALL YOUR REVENUES. WE HAVE OUR GARAGE FUND, UH, UP AND RUNNING AGAIN. STORMWATER IS AT ABOUT 1%. BUFORT EXECUTIVE IS 9%, AND HILTON HEAD AIRPORT IS 32%. AND YOUR ENTERPRISE FUND EXPENDITURES, UM, GARAGE IS ABOUT 17%. STORMWATER SEVEN, BUFORT, EXECUTIVE EIGHT, AND HILTON HEADED 22%. ANY QUESTIONS ON YOUR YEAR TO DATES? ALL RIGHT, OUR NEXT ITEM IS YOUR MAYBE SORRY, I NO, YOU'RE FINE. YOUR BUDGET TRANSFER REPORT. AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S SOME LOTS OF TRANSFERS HAPPENING. WE'RE SEPARATING OUT, UM, PRINTING COSTS FROM SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS JUST TO SEPARATE THOSE OUT. WATER DEPARTMENTS ARE PUTTING THOSE TRANSFERS IN. SO, UM, THIS WAS ALL IN YOUR BACKUP. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS SPECIFIC TO THE BUDGET TRANSFERS? ANY QUESTIONS? ANYONE ONLINE? I SEE NO ONE WITH QUESTIONS, SO GO AHEAD. ALRIGHT, AND YOUR FINAL IS A, OUR STATUS REPORT. UH, WE JUST HAD YOU SUBMIT FOR OUR OCTOBER REPORTING TO THE US TREASURY, UM, KEY HIGHLIGHTS NOTED DOWN THERE AT THE BOTTOM. UM, FOR THIS PERIOD, UH, WE OUT, WE REALLOCATED AS WE SPOKE AT THE LAST FINANCE, UH, COMMITTEE MEETING ABOUT SOME OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS THAT WE REAPPROPRIATED AND THEN SOME UPCOMING MILESTONES FOR THE TREASURY FOR THIS PERIOD FOR REPORTING IS THAT OUR BROAD BROADBAND PROJECTS, WHICH I BELIEVE WAS DISCUSSED AT THE BUDGET RETREAT LAST WEEK, UM, WHERE VERIFYING SPEEDS AND THEN WE'LL BE BEGIN PROCESSING PAYMENTS TO HARGRAVE. UM, PUBLIC HEALTH COMMUNITY CENTER CONSTRUCTION IS SET TO BEGIN IN NOVEMBER, WHICH NOW STONY CREEK SEWER EXPANSION PAYMENT [00:20:01] WAS MADE IN OCTOBER. SO WE'RE MAKING SOME PROGRESS TRYING TO GET THESE ARPA FUNDS SPENT DOWN. AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO SPEND THEM DOWN BY DECEMBER 31ST, 2026. ANY QUESTIONS? ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FOR MS. HARRIET? JUST QUICKLY, UM, THE BROADBAND EXPENDITURE, DO YOU EXPECT THAT TO HAPPEN BY 2026? OH, FOR SURE. YES. WE HAVE THREE PROJECTS FROM, UM, FOR BROADBAND IN ARPA AND WE, WE HOPE TO HAVE ALL OF THEM DONE. THEY'RE ON TRACK NOW. GOOD. OKAY. I HAVE TO BE COMPLETED. RIGHT. ALRIGHT. THEY HAVE TO BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF 26. YES. ALL, ALL FUNDS THAT ARE NOT EXPENDED BY 12 31 26 WILL BE RETURNED. YEAH, CORRECT. SO WE HAVE TO SPEND IT. ALL RIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? QUESTION? JUST COUPLE OF, UM, OTHER UPDATES. UH, AUDIT STATUS, AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE ARE 90% COMPLETE SUBMITTING OUR ITEMS TO THE EXTERNAL AUDITORS. AUDITORS ARE CURRENTLY PERFORMING TESTING ON ALL THE ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED. AND THEN TODAY, UM, OUR WANTED TO RECOGNIZE OUR PROCUREMENT DIRECTOR DAVE THOMAS IS IN THE BACK. HE WAS RECENTLY RECOGNIZED AT THE S SCPA, WHICH IS SOUTH CAROLINA ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTAL PROCUREMENT OFFICIALS, THE JAMES H. BARNES AWARD FOR SERVICE TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT. SO, CONGRATULATIONS TODAY. STAND UP. HE DIDN'T WANNA COME UP HERE. OKAY. I JUST WANNA SAY ONE THING. UH, I JUST WANTED TO THANK THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND PAST COUNCIL MEMBERS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS IN OUR CURRENT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND OUR CFO FOR THE SUPPORT OF THAT ORGANIZATION. IT, THAT ORGANIZATION PROVIDES ALL THE CERTIFICATION, WHICH GAINS TRUST FOR YOU ALL WHEN DOING PUBLIC PROCURE PROCUREMENT. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'M VERY HUMBLE TO HONOR, SO OVER SIX, OVER 900 MEMBERS OF THAT ORGANIZATION AND THEY AWARD TO ME THIS YEAR, SO I'M VERY HUMBLED. BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT. CONGRATULATIONS MR. THOMAS. THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR ME? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SEE NO QUESTIONS. LEMME GO BACK TO BROADBAND. AND MR. CHAIRMAN, IF YOU DON'T MIND. SURE. UM, AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND, UM, BROADBAND NETWORKING OR NOTHING OF THAT NATURE. MM-HMM . UM, QUESTION I ACTUALLY HAVE IS WHEN THE WILL BRANCH EARLY CHILDHOOD KIDS, UH, STUDENTS CAME BEFORE US, UM, AND THEY EXPRESSED A NEED FOR, I THINK, TOWER RIGHT. TO HAVE, UM, BEING ABLE TO GET, UH, CONNECTED MM-HMM . IS, IS THOSE FUNDS AVAILABLE TO HELP WITH THAT? WELL, I, I'M, I BELIEVE THE ADMINISTRATION HAS, UH, GOT IN CONTACT WITH THOSE STUDENTS. NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT WAS REQUESTED. I MEAN, WE CAN'T, FOR THIS PROJECT, AND I'LL LET HANK WEIGH IN ON IT, THESE ARE ALREADY COMMITTED. WE CAN'T CHANGE GOTCHA. THE PURPOSE OF THESE FUNDS, NOT FROM OUR BUDGET. IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE SOMETHING ELSE TO HELP. I GOT YOU. I MEAN, AS LONG AS I KNOW THE MONEY'S GOING RIGHT BE USED. THIS, OUR FUNDS WERE USED FOR BROADBAND. WHAT THEY'RE REQUESTING IS CELL PHONE COVERAGE, CELL SERVICE. AND THAT'S, THAT'S A DIFFERENT ANIMAL, RIGHT? THAT'S CELL TOWERS THAT HAVE TO BE DONE WITH THE CELL TOWER PROVIDED. AND SO WE WOULD HAVE TO GO OUT SEEKING OTHER FUNDING TO CORRECT. THE ARPA FUNDS ARE ALREADY COMMITTED. I BELIEVE THAT DEADLINE, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, WAS THE END OF, UH, 20. THAT'S TRUE. 12 20 21. 2024. YEAH. OKAY. OKAY, GOOD. SORRY ABOUT THAT, MR. CHAIRMAN. THAT'S ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? IF I MIGHT ADD, UM, CORRECTION, UM, MR. GLOVER, UH, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT UP, BUT FOR CORRECTION, IT'S NOT THE, UM, UM, IT'S NOT THE WILL BRANCH EARLY COLLEGE. I MEAN, UM, THE WILL BRANCH, IT IS THE WILL BRANCH EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL, NOT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. SO IT IS THE HIGH SCHOOL, BUT I, I HAD CONVERSATION WITH THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND I'M ENCOURAGING HIM TO, UM, HAVE DIALOGUE WITH THE, UM, UH, SCHOOL DISTRICT, UH, ADMINISTRATOR, MR. RODRIGUEZ, AND SEE IF WE CAN, UM, UNIFORMLY AND, AND JOINTLY APPROACH THIS ISSUE AND SEE IF WE CAN HAVE SOMETHING TO MATERIALIZE TO ACTUALLY SOLVE THAT PROBLEM. ALL RIGHT, GREAT. THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE, MR. DAWSON. UM, I THINK THAT'S IT. UNLESS THERE'S ANOTHER, A QUESTION IF I CAN JUST, I DIDN'T SAY THE LAST MEETING, BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANY OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO FOLLOW UP ON THE POLICIES OF OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. THEY PUT IN PLACE LAST YEAR. UM, THIS ISN'T THE ONLY SCHOOL THAT DOESN'T HAVE CELL PHONE SERVICE IN IT. NONE OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS DO ACROSS THE COUNTY. UM, THEY PUT IN A POLICY, I THINK IT WAS JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, THAT THERE'S ABSOLUTE NO CELL PHONE USE AND THEY'RE GONNA BE CONFISCATED INSIDE SCHOOLS UNLESS YOU HAVE A MEDICAL, A RELEASE FORM. AND THEN I BELIEVE THEY GET BEEN GIVEN THE STUDENTS ACCESS TO A [00:25:01] CERTAIN FORM OF WIFI INSIDE THE SCHOOL. SO I'M NOT SURE IF, MAYBE IT'S NOT SELF SERVICE WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT, BUT MAYBE IT IS THE BROADBAND AND ACTUALLY WIFI IN THE SCHOOL IF THAT'S WHAT'S LACKING. UM, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT WOULD BE CONTRADICTING TO WHAT THE SCHOOL BOARD IS PUSHING FOR AND HASN'T POLICY. I, I'D LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING. UM, IT, IT, IT IS TWO DIFFERENT THINGS AND, AND I'VE BEEN OUT TO WILL BRANCH FOR SEVERAL EVENTS. YOU CANNOT USE YOUR PERSONAL CELL PHONE EVEN BEFORE THIS NEW POLICY. THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS HAVE THE SAME POLICY. CHILDREN IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE THEIR CELL PHONES ON. UM, SO IT IS WHALE BRANCH I THINK HAS A VERY SPECIFIC PROBLEM, UH, AT THAT LOCATION. I'VE BEEN AT BUFORT HIGH SCHOOL AT EVENTS AND I COULD USE MY PERSONAL CELL PHONE INSIDE THE BUILDING AND ANYWHERE NEAR THE BUILDING. BUT AT WELL BRANCH, I'VE BEEN TO EVENTS THERE AND NO ONE'S PERSONAL CELL PHONES WILL WORK OUT THERE. IS THAT HOW YOU UNDERSTAND IT, MR. DAWSON? THAT IS CORRECT. OKAY. THANK YOU. UM, AND THAT, THAT'S ANOTHER TOPIC FROM THE DAY. SO LET'S MOVE ON THEN, UM, AND CONTINUE FORWARD. UH, [8.a. Approval to purchase two (2) Type-1 F-450 ambulances intended to replace assets #38346 and #40272 for Beaufort County Emergency Medical Services. (FISCAL IMPACT: (Fiscal Impact: 5000-10-3500-54000-fleet service account purchase price $371,245 EACH, TOTAL $742,490. Available balance of $2,902,208.24 AS OF 10/17/2025) - John Robinson, Assistant County Administrator] WE ARE NOW AT OUR FIRST AGENDA ITEM. THIS IS, UH, AGENDA ITEM, A APPROVAL TO PURCHASE TWO TWO TYPE F FOUR 50 AMBULANCES INTENDED TO REPLACE ASSETS 38 34 6 AND 40 27 2 FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES. UM, AND, UH, MR. JOHN ROBINSON, IF YOU'RE COMING FORWARD TO, TO CANNABIS, I, I WILL MAKE THAT MOTION. OKAY. MOTION A SECOND. YEAH. IS THERE ANY REASON FOR US TO, UH, OH, MY MIC'S ON ON, SORRY. NO. ALRIGHT. UM, SO WE'RE GONNA APPROVE THIS WITHOUT OBJECTION. IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO US APPROVING THIS? NO. I HAVE A QUESTION FOR MR. MR. ROBINSON. YOU ARE BEING CALLED. SO THE TWO AMBULANCES OBVIOUSLY OF OUTLIVE THEIR LIVES OF SERVICE. ONE IS FROM 2014, 146,000 MILES, THE OTHER IS 15. I GUESS I WAS JUST STRUCK BY THE COST WE PAID FOR THOSE VERSUS THE COST WE'RE PAYING NOW. YES, MA'AM. I WOULD SAY, UH, IN 2014 THEY'VE PROBABLY DOUBLED OR IF NOT MORE, IT'S MORE YEAH. IN PRICE. AND ARE THESE THAN THEY ORIGINALLY COST. ARE THESE LONG TERM TO GET, I MEAN, LIKE THE FIRE TRUCKS TAKE A YEAR, THREE YEARS TO GET. YES MA'AM. THESE ARE THE SAME MM-HMM . MM-HMM . WOW. 12 TO 18 MONTHS. IF WE'RE LUCKY, WE'RE IN THE WRONG BUSINESS. YEAH. TELL ME ABOUT IT. ALRIGHT. UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. ROBINSON? JUST, JUST ONE QUESTION. UM, YES. WHAT'S THE PLAN FOR THE TWO THAT WE CURRENTLY ARE REPLACING? SO WE HAVE, UH, FIVE SPARES RIGHT NOW THAT ARE OLDER THAN THESE. SO WHAT WE, WE REPLACE OR REPURPOSE THESE? SO WE'LL TAKE THE BEST THAT WE HAVE, KEEP THOSE AS FAIRS AND THEN WE SELL THESE OFF. AND WHERE DO THE FUNDS GO AFTER WE SELL THE OTHER ONES TO REPLENISH THIS ACCOUNT? THEY GO BACK TO GENERAL FUND OR YES, THEY DO GO BACK TO THE INTERNAL SERVICE FUND BECAUSE WE RECREATED THAT INTERNAL SERVICE FUND. SO WHEN WE SELL OFF ANY PORTION OF OUR FLEET, WE'RE ABLE TO RECOUP THE FUNDS. PERFECT. JUST WANNA MAKE SURE IT OFFSETS THE BUDGET. YEAH. ALRIGHT, GOOD. SO WE'RE GONNA APPROVE THIS WITHOUT OBJECTION. MM-HMM . I THINK IT ALREADY DID, SO NO OBJECTION. UH, THIS HAS BEEN APPROVED. THANK YOU MR. ROBINSON. LET'S MOVE ON THEN [8.b. Approval to purchase a Knuckle Boom Truck for Solid Waste and Recycling ($206,736.10) (FISCAL IMPACT: 5000-10-3500-54000 as of 10/10/2025 $3,123,439.24 is available. This has been budgeted for FY2026.) - Victoria Hoffman, Solid Wate and Recycling Program Manager, and Bradley Harriott, Public Works Director] TO ITEM, UH, A ENGINE AGENDA. ITEM B APPROVED TO PURCHASE A KNUCKLE BOOM TRUCK FOR SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING $206,736 AND 10 CENTS. UM, AND UM, I'LL MAKE THE MOTION. THANK YOU FOR THE MOTION. AND IS THERE A SECOND? I WILL SECOND THAT. ALRIGHT. ANY REASON FOR US TO DISCUSS THIS? NO, I HAVE A QUESTION. I'M SORRY. WHO'S, WHO'S TALKING ABOUT THIS ONE? OH YES, SORRY. WE, WE HAVE ONE. SO I FINALLY LEARNED WHAT'S A KNUCKLE BOOM TRUCK. OKAY, GLAD YOU'RE NOT ASKING ME. THIS IS VICTORIA HOFFMAN. THANK YOU FOR COMING UP. HELLO, VICTORIA HOFFMAN IS ALL WASTE RECYCLING. THE PICTURES ARE IN THERE. I GET IT. YES, THERE ARE PICTURES AND NOBODY'S GONNA EVER LET ME DRIVE IT, SO I GET IT NOT GOING. I WE MIGHT, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GET SOME TRAINING. OH, NO, NO. BUT UM, WHY DO WE NEED A SECOND ONE? ONE ISN'T ENOUGH OR IS IT BECAUSE THE COUNTY'S SO SPREAD OUT. WHY DO WE NEED TO, SO WE'RE DISCUSSING THE KNUCKLE BOOM AND KNUCKLE BOOM. WE HAVE ANOTHER AGENDA ITEM ON THERE. AND THAT IS THE PACKER TRUCK. CORRECT. SO WE DO NOT CURRENTLY OWN A KNUCKLE BOOM. WE DO NOT CURRENTLY HAVE THAT. THAT'S THE ADDITION TO OUR FLEET. IT SAYS PRESENTLY WE HAVE ONE KNUCKLE BOOM TRUCK. AND THIS IS A SECOND. I'M READING THE A IS AND THIS IS THE SECOND KNUCKLE BOOM TRUCK. SORRY. THE A IS IS IS INCORRECT THEN WE DO NOT CURRENTLY HAVE A KNUCKLE BOOM TRUCK. THIS WILL BE IN ADDITION TO OUR FLEET. UH, THE ONE THAT WE ARE REPLACING IS THE SECOND AGENDA ITEM AND THAT IS THE PACKER TRUCK. OKAY. SO THAT ANSWERS MY QUESTION. THANK YOU. WE DO HAVE, WE, PUBLIC WORKS MAY OWN ONE, BUT SOLID WASTE DOES NOT HAVE ONE, UM, THAT WE CAN USE. SO WHEN WE DO USE ONE, UM, [00:30:01] IT'S FROM ANOTHER DEPARTMENT. GOT IT. ALRIGHT. UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MS. HOFFMAN? UH, WE WILL APPROVE THIS WITHOUT OBJECTION. IS THERE ANY OBJECTIONS? I WAS JUST REALLY EXPECTING A ELABORATE PRESENTATION, LIKE USUAL, BUT SHE'S GONNA STAND FOR THE NEXT ITEM SO I'M NOT ALREADY, THIS HAS BEEN APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION. UM, LET'S [8.c. Approval to purchase a Packer Truck (replacement for asset #40073) for Solid Waste and Recycling ($176,582.48) (FISCAL IMPACT: 5000-10-3500-54000 as of 10/10/2025 $3,123,439.24 is available. This has been budgeted for FY2026.) - Victoria Hoffman, Solid Wate and Recycling Program Manager, and Bradley Harriott, Public Works Director] MOVE ON NOW THEN TO C ON OUR AGENDA. AND, UM, WE HAVE, UM, OH NO, WE DON'T HAVE YOU COMING BACK UP HERE. MS. M SORRY, DID YOU COMBINE IT ALL? AND B THERE SHOULD BE TWO ITEMS. NO, THAT WAS B THEN C IS THE NEW ONE. THE PACKER TRUCK C OH IT IS PACKER TRUCK. I'M SORRY. SO THIS IS ONE REPLACE REPLACING A 26. SO APPROVAL TO PURCHASE A PACKER TRUCK REPLACEMENT FOR ASSET 473 FOR SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING $176,582. AND WE DO HAVE MS. HOFFMAN AGAIN, I WILL MAKE THAT MOTION. THANK YOU FOR THE MOTIONS. THERE A SECOND. I'LL SECOND IT. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU MR. VERNICK. UM, AND DISCUSSION, UM, MS. HOFFMAN, YOU GO AHEAD AND TELL US REAL QUICK ABOUT THIS. YEAH. ? YEAH, , UM, THERE ARE PICTURES. I'M, I'M HERE FOR FLEET . HERE, LET ME HELP YOU. IT ESTIMATED SERVICE LIGHTS. SO, SO MR. , TODD TALKED TO ME TODAY AND HE DID TELL ME THE DIFFERENCE, BUT WHEN I'M ON THE SPOT, YOU GUYS KIND OF MAKE ME NERVOUS. SO ONE HAS, UH, SO THE PACKER TRUCK, YOU CAN SEE RIGHT HERE, THIS IS JUST THE TRUCK WITH THE BOOM. THE OTHER ONE IS THE TRUCKS BOOM AND TRAILER KIND OF COMBINED. UM, WE USE THESE THAT ARE CONVENIENCE CENTERS TO HELP GRAB OUR WHITE GOODS RIGHT AND PLACE IT IN. UM, SO WE USED THEM, UH, NORTH AND SOUTH ABROAD. THEY STAYED CONSTANTLY BUSY AND THAT'S THE NEED THAT WE'RE REPLACING THE EXISTING ONE AND THEN ADDED THE OTHER ONE. SO WE HAVE KIND OF DUAL FUNCTIONS. THIS ONE CAN BE WITH OR WITHOUT THE TRAILER, THE OTHER ONE KIND OF TRAILER COMBINED. AND THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE IN THE PRICE. SO THIS ONE'S REPLACING ONE WE HAVE THAT'S CORRECT. AND THE OTHER ONE GIVES US MORE USE FLEXIBILITY. OKAY. GOT IT. I KNEW THAT. THANK YOU. WE USE IT FOR TIRES AS WELL. . ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? FOR THANKS, SHARON, MS. HOFFMAN OR MR. FRALEY SEEING NO QUESTIONS. UH, WE WILL THEN, UH, DISCLOSE THE DISCUSSION. WE'LL PROVE THIS WITHOUT OBJECTION. IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO US APPROVING THIS? NO, SEEING, NO OBJECTION. UH, THAT HAS BEEN APPROVED. ALRIGHT, LET'S GO ON THEN TO, [8.d. Approval to Contract & Purchase Hardware, Software, and Maintenance for Beaufort County Data Center Upgrade (FISCAL IMPACT: TOTAL PURCHASE — $793,642.88 to be paid from two accounts. Account # 4013-80-1150-54200 has a balance of $654,349 & Account #1000-10- 1150-54200 has a balance of $165,547.) - Shakeeya Polite, IT Director, Adam Phelps, IT Infrastructure Manager, and Jason Cox, Sr. Systems Administrator] UH, D ON OUR AGENDA. APPROVAL TO CONTRACT AND PURCHASE HARDWARE, SOFTWARE AND MAINTENANCE FOR BEFOR COUNTY DATA CENTER UPGRADE. UM, THE FISCAL IMPACT TOTAL PURCHASE IS $793,000. 642 80 8 CENTS TO BE PAID FROM TWO ACCOUNTS. UM, AND UH, I THINK WE HAVE MS. POLITE COMING UP TO, I WILL MAKE THAT MOTION. WELL, THANK YOU. UM, IS THERE SECOND? I'LL SECOND IT. I'LL SECOND IT. WE GOT A WHOLE GROUP COMING UP. YES, WE GOT IT. WE GOT IT. ALRIGHT. AND, UM, IF Y'ALL COULD JUST PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELVES. HI, I'M SHAKI POLITE. UH, MY NAME'S ADAM PHELPS. I'M JASON CO. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU FOR COMING. UM, AND UM, MS. POLITE, IF YOU CAN JUST GIVE US A REAL QUICK OVERALL OF WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE FOR THIS. OKAY. WE'RE JUST WANTING TO UPGRADE OUR DATA CENTER HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, MAINTENANCE AND MAKE IT ALL NEW. ALRIGHT. THE EQUIPMENT WE HAVE NOW IS, UM, YEAH, END OF LIFE. END OF LIFE AND SUPPORT. SO WE JUST WANNA ORDER ALL NEW EQUIPMENT, HARDWARE, AND SOFTWARE. OKAY. ANY, ANY QUESTIONS? UM, NOPE. FROM THE GROUP? YEAH. ALRIGHT, GO AHEAD. UM, WHEN WAS THE FIRST EQUIPMENT PURCHASE THAT WE'RE USING CURRENTLY? HMM. SO OVER, UH, I'D SAY THE LAST 10 YEARS, WE'VE GOT SOME VARIOUS, UH, TIMES THERE. SO 2014 IS PROBABLY THE OLDEST. UM, THERE WAS A PURCHASE IN 2018 AS WELL. SO IN IT TERMS, IT'S, IT'S ALL RELATIVELY OLD. SO IS THAT REPLACING BOTH OF THOSE, THE 2018 AND THE 2014? CORRECT. YEAH. YEAH. AND WHAT'S THE EXPECTED LI EXPECTED LIFETIME FOR THIS PROGRAM? IT VARIES. UM, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, UH, YOU COULD, WE COULD EXPECT TO GET ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, FIVE TO SEVEN PLUS YEARS DEPENDING ON WHAT SYSTEM YOU'RE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. SO ABOUT 125 KA YEAR? YES. ALRIGHT. I HAVE A QUESTION. SO YOU'RE TAKING THIS FROM TWO DIFFERENT ACCOUNTS, WHICH HAVE A TOTAL BALANCE OF 8 19 896. SO YOU'RE LITERALLY DEPLETING THESE DOWN TO $26,000, CORRECT? NO. NO. WHAT SAYS ONE ACCOUNT, UM, HAS 6 54, 3 49, RIGHT? THE, THE, THIS IS A PROJECT THAT WAS APPROVED AS A PART OF THE FISCAL YEAR 26 CIP LIST MM-HMM . UM, BUT THEY DECIDED TO COMBINE THE TWO PROJECTS TOGETHER AND DO IT ALL AT ONE TIME. AND SO THEY HAD A LITTLE BIT THAT THEY NEEDED TO PULL OUT OF THEIR OPERATING BUDGET, WHICH IS THE, UM, 1010, 1150 ACCOUNT CODE. MM-HMM . 'CAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH IN THE, UH, CIP. [00:35:01] OKAY, SO THAT'S FROM OPERATING. YEAH. YES SIR. I ONLY, I ONLY WANNA BE THEIR CHEERLEADER FOR A SECOND BECAUSE THEY'VE WORKED WITH SEVERAL VENDORS AND SEVERAL SYSTEMS OVER THE PAST YEAR TO MAKE THE BEST SYSTEM AND AT A FAR GREATER PRICE THAN WE ORIGINALLY STARTED AND THOUGHT THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO EXPEND. SO THESE THREE HAVE REALLY BEEN DOING A GREAT JOB AND I JUST WANTED TO GIVE THEM SOME PROPS FOR THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALRIGHT. WE WILL APPROVE THIS WITHOUT OBJECTION. IS THERE ANY OBJECTION? SEEING NO OBJECTION HAS BEEN APPROVED. THANK YOU Y'ALL, IT'S POLITE. THANK YOU FOR COMING MR. PHELPS. AND, UM, MR. COX, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO. WE APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON [8.e. A Resolution to approve recommendations to award FY26 Community Services Grant Program funds in the amount of $398,000 to community service organizations (FISCAL IMPACT: Council appropriated $398,000 in its FY2026 budget for the annual Community Services Grants Program (Public Welfare Subsidies 1000-50-1598-55000)) - Ben Boswell, Director, Human Services Department] THEN TO ITEM E UNDER OUR AGENDA, A RESOLUTION TO APPROVE RECOMMENDATIONS TO AWARD FISCAL YEAR 26 COMMUNITY SERVICES GRANT PROGRAM FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $398,000 TO COMMUNITY SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS. UM, AND AGAIN, I, WE'LL MAKE THAT MOTION. THANK YOU MR. PASSIT. AND IS THERE A SECOND PLEASE? I'LL SECOND. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU MR. GLOVER. YES. UM, AND, UM, UH, OPEN UP FOR DISCUSSION AND I JUST WANNA MAKE SOME COMMENTS. ROGER COMES UP, UM, WITH THESE GRANTS, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR COUNSEL TO RECOGNIZE THAT YOU MAY CONSIDER YOURSELF TO HAVE A CONFLICT WITH AN INDIVIDUAL GRANT RECIPIENT, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO EXPRESS THAT CONFLICT FOR THE ENTIRE LIST OF GRANT RECIPIENTS. YOU CAN MENTION THE ONE THAT YOU HAVE CONFLICT WITH AND THAT YOUR DISCUSSION AND YOUR VOTE WILL NOT, UH, BE ACCREDITED TO THAT ONE YOU HAVE A CONFLICT WITH, BUT IT IS FOR ALL THE OTHER ONES. AND THAT WAY YOU DON'T HAVE TO RECUSE YOURSELF FROM THE ENTIRE DISCUSSION. YOU JUST HAVE A CONFLICT FOR ONE PARTICULAR NONPROFIT OR TWO, WHATEVER IT IS. YOU MAKE KNOWN THAT YOU HAVE A CONFLICT WITH THEM AND YOUR DISCUSSION AND YOUR VOTE DOES NOT, UH, IS NOT ACCREDITED OR DOES NOT REFLECT THAT ORGANIZATION. IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS? YES, SIR. UH, TWO POINTS. NUMBER ONE, THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST WOULD NEED TO BE DEFINED. YES. OKAY. YOU HAVE TO NAME THAT ORGANIZATION AND FILL OUT YOUR CONFLICT OF INTEREST FORM, BUT THEN YOU MAKE CLEAR ON THE RECORD THAT YOUR RECUSAL IS ONLY RELATED TO THAT NON-PROFIT. CORRECT. IF THAT IS THE APPROACH YOU WANT TO TAKE, AND THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST WOULD BE BECAUSE YOU ARE GOING TO RECEIVE SOME BENEFIT BENEFIT OR YOU'RE A MEMBER OF THAT BOARD OR YOUR FAMILY MEMBER'S, A MEMBER OF THAT BOARD IN SOME WAY. YEAH. BUT ARE YOU TRULY RECEIVING A BENEFIT IF YOU MAKE, IF YOU MAKE DECISIONS OVER HOW THAT MONEY IS SPENT, THEN YES. RIGHT. SO, I MEAN, IF I MAY YEAH, GO AHEAD. YEP. MR. CHAIRMAN, UM, ROBERT RULE SAYS, WE SHOULDN'T HAVE EVEN CANCELED OUR LA WE SHOULDN'T HAVE REMOVED THAT ITEM LAST TIME BECAUSE JUST 'CAUSE YOU ACCUSED YOURSELF FROM YOUR VOTE DOESN'T MEAN WE REMOVED QUORUM. SO WE STILL COUNT AS INDIVIDUALS PRESENT TO QUORUM TO CONDUCT BUSINESS. SO WE STILL COULD HAVE TAKEN THAT VOTE. I'LL BE COMPLETELY HONEST. I'M THE ONE THAT HAS TO ANSWER TO SOMETHING THAT I'M CONFLICTED WITH OR NOT. SO NO OFFENSE STATEMENT IN THIS ROOM, BUT THERE'S NOBODY IN THIS ROOM THAT'S GONNA TELL ME WHEN TO RECUSE MYSELF OR WHEN NOT TO. THAT'S FULLY MY DECISION. SO IF I WANNA RECUSE MYSELF FROM AN ENTIRE THING, BECAUSE I FEEL COMFORTABLE DOING THAT AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE, UM, AND BEING TRANSPARENT, THAT'S, THAT'S THE WAY I'M ALWAYS GONNA PLAY IT OUT. BUT EVEN IF WE HAVE RECUSALS FROM MEMBERS ON HERE THAT BRING US BELOW THE QUORUM AMOUNT, THEY'RE STILL PRESENT FOR THE MEETING. SO WE STILL SHOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE A VOTE TO MOVE THAT FORWARD TO COUNCIL. WELL, NOT TO ARGUE THAT POINT, BUT IN ANY TIME THERE'S A CONFLICT OF INTEREST, THAT'S A PERSONAL DECISION THAT EACH INDIVIDUAL HAS TO MAKE FOR THEMSELVES. CORRECT. OKAY. I AGREE. SO, YEAH, SO I WILL RECUSE MYSELF SINCE I'M ON THE BOARD OF STAYING CONNECTED IN SUN CITY, BUT I ALSO WANT TO SAY THE SAME THING I SAID AT THE LAST MEETING. I DO NOT AGREE WITH SPENDING MONEY, PUBLIC TAX MONEY TO SUPPORT NONPROFITS. IF I WANNA GIVE MONEY TO STAYING CONNECTED AS AN INDIVIDUAL, THAT'S MY RIGHT TO DO. AND IT'S TAX DEDUCTIBLE. I DON'T THINK WE EVER ASK THE RESIDENTS, ARE YOU OKAY WITH US GIVING OUT $400,000 TO NONPROFITS? I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST THE NONPROFITS. I DONATE TO SOME OF THESE. I JUST DON'T THINK THAT'S OUR JOB TO DO. SO I AM RECUSING MYSELF, BUT I'M ALSO, I'M GONNA VOTE NO ON IT. AND YOU CAN RECUSE YOURSELF FROM THE ONE YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A CONFLICT WITH AND STILL VOTE EITHER YES OR NO FOR THE REST OF IT. I'M STILL VOTE NO. YES. OKAY. THAT'S ALL I GOT TO MR. CHAIRMAN. YES, GO AHEAD, MS. BROWN DISCUSSION. UM, I AGREE WITH, UM, OUR VICE CHAIR, MS. TABER. UM, WE SHOULD NOT BE GIVING TAXPAYER MONEY TO NONPROFITS. THERE ARE SO MANY, UM, FOUNDATIONS HERE IN BLUFF, WELL IN BEAUFORT COUNTY. FOUND SO MANY FOUNDATIONS THAT GIVE MONEY TO A LOT OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS. [00:40:01] AND, UM, I'M VOTING NO FOR THIS. I MEAN, WE SHOULDN'T NOT BE GETTING TAXPAYER MONEY OUT TO NONPROFITS. THEY HAVE THEIR OWN WAY OF, OF RAISING MONEY AND, AND THERE'S SO MANY, WE LIVE IN SUCH A GENEROUS, GENEROUS COMMUNITY OF COUNTY HERE. AND, UM, IT SHOULDN'T COME FROM TAXPAYER MONEY. IT SHOULD COME FROM TAXPAYERS THAT WANNA GIVE THEM THE MONEY PRIVATELY. ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? AND LET ME JUST, UH, SAY THAT, UM, UH, MY FEELING IS, IS THAT I AM, FOR US GIVING NON-PROFITS MONEY, AND IF WE'RE SOMETHING WE'RE GONNA CHANGE, WE SHOULD LET THEM KNOW IN ADVANCE. WE JUST DON'T DO IT THE YEAR THAT, THAT IT HAPPENS AND WE VOTE IT DOWN THAT IT SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE TELL 'EM IN THE FUTURE. THAT IF WE ARE GOING TO, TO RESTRICT, YOU KNOW, FUNDS THAT GO TO A NONPROFIT, UM, AND, AND NOT, NOT DO IT, UM, IMMEDIATE OR KIND OF A, YOU KNOW, CUT 'EM OFF AT THE KNEES. UM, AND AGAIN, THERE, IT IT'S OUR JOB AS A COUNTY COUNCIL AND A A COUNTY TO, TO HELP THE CITIZENS. AND MOST OF THESE NONPROFITS ARE OUT THERE AND, UM, HELPING THE CITIZENS THAT WE DIRECTLY SEE THAT. UM, AND AGAIN, BEING GOOD STEWARDS OF OUR MONEY IS HELPING THE, THE CITIZENS. SO, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M GONNA VOTE YES FOR THIS. IS THERE OTHER COMMENTS BEFORE WE WE VOTE? UH, MR. CUNNINGHAM, GO AHEAD. I, I'M SORRY. OKAY. BUT GO AHEAD MR. CUNNINGHAM AND THEN WE'LL GET EVERYONE LINE. UM, I, I JUST WANNA SAY I ECHO WHAT MR. DAWSON SAID AT THE LAST MEETING. THERE ARE A COUPLE ON HERE THAT GIVE SERVICES, SO WE DO NOT HAVE TO PROVIDE IT AT THE COUNTY, WHICH ACTUALLY COST US LESS TAXPAYER MONEY. BUT WITH THAT SAID, I DO THINK IF WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT THIS AS A WHOLE, LIKE MS. TABER IS TALKING ABOUT, THEN WE SHOULD BE DOING THIS IN ADVANCE TO COMMUNICATE THIS WITH THESE ORGANIZATIONS. . UM, AND I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT MS. HOWARD, AND THEN I'LL COME BACK TO YOU. OH, I'M SORRY. OH, I, I WOULD REQUEST A ROLL CALL. VOTE PLEASE. AND I AM GONNA VOTE FOR THIS. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. AND, UH, MR. DAWSON? YES. IF I MIGHT, UH, TRY TO HELP US UNDERSTAND, AS I STATED, UH, UH, IN A PREVIOUS MEETING THAT, UM, THIS COUNCIL, THIS COUNTY, THIS COUNTY IS, UM, IT'S ONE OF THE RICHEST COUNTY IN SOUTH CAROLINA OUT OF THE 46 COUNTIES. MM-HMM . BEAUFORD IS, BEAUFORT COUNTY IS ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE RICHEST OUT THE 46. BUT I WOULD HAVE ALL OF US TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE POCKETS OF POVERTY. MM-HMM . AND MY DISTRICT, DISTRICT ONE AND COUNCILMAN GLOVER'S DISTRICT AS TWO OF THE, UH, POOREST COMMUNITIES IN THE COUNTY OF BEAUFORT. MINE IS PROBABLY THE, BUT THAT'S WHY IN OUR OPERATION, WE PROVIDE FUNDING TO INDIGENT CARE. INDIGENT CARE IS PART OF US TAKING CARE OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS, UH, THROUGH MEDICAL ASSISTANCE THAT CAN'T ACTUALLY AFFORD SOME OF THE SERVICES, UH, FOR GOOD HEALTH THAT THEY NEED. UM, THIS, THIS PROGRAM, UH, WE HELP TO FUND SOME OF THE NONPROFITS WHO PROVIDE OTHER ASSISTANCE TO THE INDIGENTS AND POOR PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTY. SO I AM, I, I SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM. I'M GOING TO VOTE ON THIS, AND I WILL, UH, RECUSE MYSELF WHENEVER, WHENEVER IT COMES TO, UM, UH, UH, UH, WHENEVER IT COMES TO ONE OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ACTUALLY EITHER I SUPPORT OR RUN THROUGH, UH, UH, UH, SOMETHING THAT I'M, THAT I'M AFFILIATED WITH. BUT OTHER THAN THAT, IT'S, IT'S A GOOD PROGRAM AND I WOULD, I WOULD ENCOURAGE ALL OF US TO FUND IT. SUPPORT IT CHAIR, IF I MAY. YES. I'D JUST LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT THAT THIS $398,000 WAS BUDGETED THIS FISCAL YEAR. I KNOW. OKAY, MS. BROWN, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE YOU WANNA SAY? I JUST, UH, YEAH, I'M NOT CLEAR. SO IT'S FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR 2026 COMING UP. WE, YOU CAN'T JUST, LIKE SOMEBODY SAID, JUST SAID, GOT 'EM OFF THE KNEES. SO NEXT YEAR WE CAN DECIDE NOT TO FUND THIS, IF THAT'S A CORRECT DISCUSSION, THAT'S A DISCUSSION. OH, OKAY. BUT FOR NOW, IT NEEDS TO BE FOR FISCAL YEAR 20. I STILL DON'T AGREE WITH IT. GIVING PRIVATE PUBLIC MONEY TO PRIVATE. ALRIGHT. ANY, ANY MORE DISCUSSION? UH, YES. YES. UM, I, I, I WANT TO ECHO WHAT, UM, THE GENTLEMAN FROM UNITED WAY SAID EARLIER. UM, THERE ARE POCKETS OF, UM, OF NEEDS, UH, THROUGHOUT BEAUFORT COUNTY. NOT ONLY IN MY DISTRICT, THERE'S THREE MR. DAWSON MENTIONED HIS AND DISTRICT ONE. BUT, UH, ON HILTON HEAD AND BLUFFTON, THERE ARE POCKETS OF NEEDS AND THESE ORGANIZATIONS SERVICE THOSE NEEDS, UM, IN A COLLECTIVE WAY. AND I'VE BEEN SUPPORTING THIS PROJECT, THESE PROGRAMS, EVER SINCE I GOT ON [00:45:01] COUNCIL, I WOULD GO AND, AND AT, AT, AT BUDGET TIME, UM, BE ASKING EVEN TO INCREASE THAT AMOUNT. SO I'M GONNA VOTE YES TO THIS. ALRIGHT. ANY, UH, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION BEFORE WE DO A, UM, A VOTE? ALRIGHT, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA DO A ROLL CALL. VOTE. UM, ALRIGHT. MS. OCTAVIA OR MS. ASHLEY WHO? ALRIGHT, MS. OCTAVIA, GO AHEAD PLEASE. OKAY. COMMITTEE MEMBER PASSMAN? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER GLOVER? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER REEDS? YES. AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, IF YOU HAVEN'T CALLED OUT YOUR CONFLICT, CALL IT OUT WHEN YOU MAKE YOUR VOTE. MM-HMM . OH, COUNCIL MEMBER BROWN. NO, LYNN, YOU'RE ON MUTE. LARRY. YEAH. THERE ARE A GREAT MANY FORTUNATE PEOPLE HERE IN THE COUNTY AND SOME LESS FORTUNATE THAN MOST. UM, THESE ORGANIZATIONS DO VERY GOOD WORK FOR PEOPLE. NOT WE. WE'RE VOTING. WE'RE VOTING. AND I'M GONNA, AND I'M GONNA VOTE YES ON THIS. THANK, THANK YOU LARRY. EX-OFFICIAL COMMITTEE MEMBER HOWARD. YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER TABER. NO. AND I'M RECUSED MYSELF. I'M ON THE BOARD OF STAYING CONNECTED COMMITTEE MEMBER DAWSON. YES. AND I RECUSED MYSELF WITH THE ASSIST PROGRAM COMMITTEE. VICE CHAIR CUNNINGHAM. YES. CHAIR LAWSON. MARK LAWSON. YES. TOTAL VOTE. IT'S EIGHT TWO. THE MOTION PASSES. ALRIGHT, SO THEN THIS WILL MOVE ON TO COUNTY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MR. REE DIDN'T VOTE. WHO'S MISSING? OH, HE, YES. ANYBODY? YES. OH, BERT ABSENT. YES. OH, OKAY, JOE. SORRY. YOU'RE RIGHT. ME? YES. SCARED ME JOE. UM, ALRIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON THEN TO OUR [8.f. A Resolution approving the Beaufort County Economic Development Corporation's use $600,000 of County Site & Jobs Funds for the purchase of land on St. Helena Island for the development of a Gullah Geechee Cultural Center & Entrepreneurial Market. (FISCAL IMPACT: $600,000. Balance in BCEDC Fund is $3,033,047.) - John O’Toole, Executive Director, Beaufort County Economic Development Corporation] NEXT ITEM. ITEM, UM, F AND THIS IS A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE BUFORT COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION TO USE $600,000 OF COUNTY AND SITE JOBS FUNDS FOR THE PURCHASE OF LAND ON ST. HELENA ISLAND FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A GALLOG, GEECHEE, GALLOG, GEECHEE CULTURAL CENTER AND ENTREPRENEURIAL MARKET FISCAL IMPACT $600,000. UM, BALANCE IN THE BALANCE IN THE BEAUFORT COUNTY. UM, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION FUND IS, IS $3 MILLION PLUS. UM, AND WE HAVE OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FROM BEAUFORT COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. MR. JOHN O'TOOLE WILL BE UP HERE, BUT HANK YOU GONNA SET THIS UP? I NEED A PROMOTION FIRST. MOTION I MOTION? YEAH. AND SECOND, PLEASE. UM, I, SECOND, SECOND. WHO, WHO MOTION IT? UM, UH, MS. BROWN. OH, OKAY. SO, UM, MR. GLOVER IS I SECOND. UM, AND, UM, LET'S GO AHEAD. UH, HANK, IF YOU COULD GO AHEAD AND LEAD US IN. I'M JUST GONNA INTRODUCE JOHN AND JUST TELL YOU THE REASON IT'S BEFORE YOU TODAY IS BECAUSE OF THE NEW POLICY THAT WE ESTABLISHED WHERE SITE AND JOB FUND USAGE HAS TO BE APPROVED BY COUNCIL, WHICH THEREFORE HAS TO COME THROUGH COMMITTEE. AND JOHN WILL EXPLAIN WHAT HIS BOARD HAS VOTED ON. BUT AS THE POLICY STATES, IT HAS TO COME TO YOU FOR APPROVAL OF THOSE USES. THANK YOU, MR. O'TOOLE. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU. UM, I BELIEVE I HAVE A POWERPOINT AND I'M GONNA BE PRETTY CALM WITH THE, UH, CLICKER HERE. BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE LAST MONDAY. , JUST AS THAT'S COMING UP, I DID WANT TO, UH, LET YOU KNOW LAST WEEK WHEN I WAS BEFORE YOU, I HAD INDICATED, UH, THAT, UM, WE HAD APPLIED FOR A GRANT TO DEFRAY THE USE OF THE SITE AND JOB FUND FOR THAT PAD SITE. UH, WE WERE LOOKING FOR A HUNDRED THOUSAND. WE GOT, WE, WE RECEIVED A GRANT FOR 75,000. SO THAT WILL DEFRAY, UH, THE COUNTY'S COST ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PAD. AS I, UH, UH, BEGIN, I WANT TO, UH, JUST REMIND THE COUNCIL THAT THIS QUESTION OF A PERFORMANCE CENTER WAS SENT TO US TO, UH, TO, UH, VET. AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE DONE. SO WE'RE BRINGING OUR BEST INFORMATION BACK TO YOU. UH, UH, HEARD SOME, UH, PRETTY GOOD FEEDBACK. UH, THOSE WHO SPOKE FOR, AND THOSE WHO SPOKE AGAINST, UH, BRING, BRING UP GOOD POINTS THAT I HOPE TO ADDRESS IN MY, UH, OVERVIEW. TODAY. WE HAD SEVEN MEETINGS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, SIT JUST IN THE MONTH OF, UH, AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER, UH, WHERE WE LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY. AND WHEN YOU, AGAIN, I'LL, I'LL REFRESH ON THE, UH, UH, CPO. UH, IF YOU GO TO PAGE 27 THINGS THAT, UH, THIS COUNCIL SET OUR PRIORITIES IS, UH, CELEBRATING CULTURAL DIVERSITY, UH, THE ASSORTED GEOGRAPHIES THROUGHOUT BEAUFORT [00:50:01] COUNTY, UH, SOCIOECONOMIC DIVERSITY, UH, PRESERVING HISTORIC, UH, CHARACTER AND, AND LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY'S VOICE. AND IN OUR APPROACH HERE, THAT'S WHAT WE'VE ATTEMPTED TO DO. AS I MENTIONED THIS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND I, YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY IT BEFORE, I COME FROM A FAMILY OF SEVEN KIDS, AND EACH, EACH CHILD HAS A DIFFERENT NEED. WELL, WHEN YOU GET INTO THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY, HOW DIFFERENT IS ST. HELENA FROM BLUFFTON? HOW DIFFERENT IS PORT ROYAL FROM HILTON HEAD AND, UH, UNINCORPORATED AREAS, UH, FROM YEMENI EVEN? SO THERE'S SO MUCH, UH, UH, DIVERSITY THROUGHOUT BEAUFORT COUNTY. UH, I'M ALSO REMINDED AS I GO INTO THIS PROJECT, ONE OF THE, UH, UH, THINGS THAT I HEARD WAS THE GREATEST SOCIAL PROGRAM IN THE WORLD IS A JOB. AND THAT'S WHAT WE TRY TO DO. UH, AS YOU RECALL FROM THE, UM, UH, SLIDES THAT WE SHOWED YOU, UM, UH, AT LAST MONDAY'S MEETING IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, INCOME HAS RISEN, UH, 53% ON THE JOBS THAT WE'VE BEEN ATTACHED TO. UH, SO WE'RE, WE'RE PROUD OF THAT. UH, I HEARD, UH, A GENTLEMAN SAY, AND, AND I RESPECT THAT RUN, RUN GOVERNMENT LIKE A BUSINESS. WELL, I WAS A, A, A MAYOR OF A SMALL TOWN IN MY THIRTIES, AND I, I RAN GOVERNMENT LIKE A BUSINESS. AND WHAT I LEARNED FROM THAT TIME WAS THAT IT'S GOOD TO RUN IT LIKE A BUSINESS, BUT IT'S EVEN BETTER AT THE END OF THE DAY WHEN WE BELONG TO A COMMUNITY AND PEOPLE, UH, WORK TOGETHER, UH, AND RESPECT EACH OTHER. BUT I WILL SAY THIS, AS YOU HEAR ME SPEAK TODAY, IF YOU WANT ME TO RUN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY LIKE A BUSINESS, I WILL. AND I TELL YOU THIS, THAT WHEN MR. TRASK STOOD UP HERE AND SAID HE HAD ANOTHER DEVELOPER WHO WOULD PAY MORE FOR THIS PROPERTY, I AM, UH, MYSELF AND MY STAFF ARE IN CONTACT WITH TWO DEVELOPERS. THE, THE OFFER WE HAVE BEFORE EVEN BEGINNING NEGOTIATIONS IS IF WE BOUGHT THIS PROPERTY AND WE PRESERVED IT AND WE BUILD OUT THE PLAN. I, I WILL CONCEDE AS A GENTLEMAN POINTED OUT THAT THE PLAN ISN'T ENTIRELY VETTED. BUT IF YOU WANT RUN IT LIKE A BUSINESS, IF WE BOUGHT IT TOMORROW, WE HAVE SOMEBODY WHO WOULD BUY IT THE NEXT DAY FOR A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS MORE. WE DON'T WANT TO BE A HEDGE FUND, BUT WE DO. WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU THINK OF THE PROJECTS, AND I'VE SEEN THEM COME BEFORE YOU, I LAID IN BED, WATCH 'EM ONE OF YOUR MEETINGS TILL TWO IN THE MORNING, , OKAY? THAT IF YOU CONTROL PROPERTY, IF YOU CONTROL PROPERTY, YOU OWN THE PROPERTY, THEN YOU CAN ACTUALLY DESIGN THE PROJECT THAT YOU LIKE TO SEE ON THE PROPERTY, AND YOU CAN GET WHAT YOU WANT AND YOU MIGHT GET TO SLEEP BEFORE MIDNIGHT. WHEN YOU LOOK AT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT THE BALANCE WHEEL, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE, I'VE BEEN WORKING IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR BETTER THAN 25 YEARS. IT INVOLVES TAKING CARE OF THE BUSINESSES YOU HAVE. IT INVOLVES COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, IT INVOLVES ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND, AND HELPING SMALL BUSINESSES, INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT, AND REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT. AND SO, UM, UH, IT'S INTERESTING THAT PEOPLE CALL THIS A PERFORMING ARTS CENTER THAT WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO LOOK AT WHEN WE LOOKED AT IT. AND THIS PROJECT WAS HANDED TO US IN MAY OF 24. AND, AND, AND AS I WAS SITTING BACK THERE, I THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE BEEN THIS COUNCIL, THIS COUNTY HAS BEEN FUNDING SITE, SITE FUNDS FOR US FOR EIGHT YEARS TO BUY PROPERTIES SO THAT YOU CAN DO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROPERTY, UH, PROJECTS ON, UH, UH, JUST IN 20, UH, FOUR, YOU APPROVED $3.5 MILLION A YEAR, A FIVE YEAR COMMITMENT, WHICH, UH, UH, FELL OFF THIS FISCAL YEAR. BUT YOU SENT IT TO US AND SAID, HEY, LOOK AT THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER. WHAT I WILL TELL YOU IS IT, IT IS NOT A PERFORMING ARTS CENTER. IT'S A CULTURAL CENTER WRAPPED BY AN ENTREPRENEURIAL MARKET THAT WOULD CELEBRATE THE GULLAH GEECHEE COMMUNITY. IS THAT WHAT IT IS GOING TO BE IN THE END? NO. BUT WILL HAVE GOOD BONES FOR AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT. AND AS MR. TERRELL SAID, UM, UH, THAT WE CAN CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION SO WE GET SOMETHING THAT IS OF VALUE. UH, BUT, UH, IF THE COUNCIL SENT IT TO US TO LOOK AT IT, TO SEE WHAT WOULD MAKE SENSE, I'VE NEVER GOTTEN THE MEMO TO SAY, KILL IT. THIS IS NOT A GOOD IDEA. SO WE HAVE FOLLOWED THROUGH AS BEST WE CAN. AND WITH THAT SAID, WE'LL RESPECT WHATEVER THE JUDGMENT OF THE COUNCIL IS. BUT WE, WE APPROACH THIS JOB IN EARNEST, AND WITH ALL SINCERITY, WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, IT'S A 10 AND A QUARTER [00:55:01] ACRE SITE. YOU KNOW, AND, UH, I, I, I, I BELIEVE MR. GLOVER, UH, UH, POINT, POINTS OUT FREQUENTLY, LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION. AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, UH, WE HAD COMMUNITY MEETINGS, AND THE LAST ONE WE HAD, WE HAD A LOT OF RESIDENTS FROM, UH, UH, UM, , UH, ATTEND THAT MEETING. AND THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT TRAFFIC. OBVIOUSLY, ALL THE CONSIDERATIONS OF TRAFFIC AND GOOD PLANNING HAVE TO COME TO EFFECT FOR THIS PROJECT TO MOVE FORWARD. AND YOU LOOK AT THE BUDGET, DO WE HAVE AN ANSWER TODAY ON HOW TO, HOW TO, HOW TO ACQUIRE THE PROPERTY AND CONTROL IT? UH, UH, SENATOR CHIP CAMPSEN, UH, UH, SPOKE FROM THE FLOOR OF THE SENATE AND CONVINCED HIS COLLEAGUES TO EARMARK OR, UH, GIVE US A GRANT FOR A MILLION DOLLARS. SO YOU GAVE US A PROJECT AND WE'RE A MILLION DOLLARS CLOSER TO ACHIEVING WHAT YOU GAVE US AS A PROJECT. IF THE COUNTY COUNCIL DECIDES IT DOESN'T WANT TO PURSUE THIS, WE CAN RETURN THESE FUNDS, OR WE CAN WORK ON, ON PROJECTS, AS MR. TERRELL SAID. UH, BUT IF WE, WE CAN RETURN IT QUITE EASILY TO THE STATE, AND THERE'S NO HARM, NO FOUL, IT'S JUST, IT, IT DID, IT WASN'T A PRIORITY OF, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY. BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, WE HAVE AN APPRAISAL THAT SAYS IT'S WORTH $1.7 MILLION. UH, AND WE'RE GETTING IT BELOW VALUE. WE KNOW WE HAVE DEVELOPERS IN THE WINGS THAT'LL PAY US MORE. AND WE HAVEN'T EVEN BEGUN NEGOTIATIONS, BUT WE KNOW WE'D COME OUT A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS HIGHER. UH, YOU, YOU, YOU COULD GET A, A GOOD DEVELOPMENT OUT THERE. UH, IN 2026, EASILY. WE HAVE BEEN APPROACHED BY VERY HIGH PROFILE PHILANTHROPISTS THAT ARE EXCITED ABOUT THIS. SO WHEN YOU SEE THE NUMBERS TO DEVELOP, DON'T BE TOO CONCERNED. BUT TO THE GENTLEMAN'S POINT, ARE THEY SKETCHES? YES. IS IT POSSIBLE? YES. DO WE HAVE A RESIDENT WHO GREW UP ON, ON ST. HELENA, WHO RAISED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM, UH, IN CHARLESTON, WHO BELIEVES THAT TO RAISE THESE FUNDS WOULD BE A VERY EASY TASK FOR THIS PROJECT? AND FOR PEOPLE WHO SAY, WELL, THIS IS, THIS IS JUST AN IDEA. IT'S, IT DOESN'T REALLY, IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. YOU CAN GO TO MA DAISY'S IN BLUFFTON AND SEE THAT, UH, UH, THAT THERE'S, UH, COMMERCE BUILT AROUND CULTURAL HERITAGE THERE. UH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHERE WE'VE BEEN, THIS IDEA DIDN'T JUST HATCH OVERNIGHT. UH, UH, UH, AS A MATTER OF FACT, UH, NINE ADMINISTRATORS HAVE PRESIDED OVER THIS SINCE IT BEGAN IN 2017. AND YOU CAN SEE, SEE THE HISTORY THERE. BUT WE ARE JUST FOLLOWING IT UP, UH, TO, TO SEE WHAT THE COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO DO WITH IT IN THOSE MEETINGS. UH, REALLY GREAT FEEDBACK. BUT WHAT PEOPLE ON ST. HELENA WANT TO SEE IS SOMETHING, UH, OTHER THAN A PIE IN THE SKY PROMISE, THEY'D LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING HAPPEN. THEY'D LIKE TO SEE A BUSINESS MODEL. THEY'D LIKE TO SEE COUNTY BUY-IN. THEY'D LIKE TO SEE MEASURABLE RESULTS. AND WHAT EXCITES 'EM ABOUT IT IS E ELEVATING, UH, AND PRESERVING ST. HELEN'S CULTURAL HERITAGE. I KNOW YOU'VE RECEIVED BOMBASTIC EMAILS SAYING THAT, UH, THE REACH RECENT TRAVESTY, UH, THAT OCCURRED ON ST. HELENA IS WHAT IT'S ABOUT. AND IT'S NOT. WHEN YOU MEET THE PEOPLE OUT THERE, THERE'S GOOD PEOPLE. THERE'S, UH, UH, A GREAT HISTORY AND, UH, A REAL TANGIBLE, UH, UH, PIECE OF AMERICANA THAT MORE PEOPLE VISITING OUR AREA, UH, SHOULD KNOW ABOUT. AND, UH, UH, PEOPLE OUT THERE ARE, ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT. WE HAVE A SKETCH, UH, OF IT IN YOUR FOLDER. THIS IS JUST A SKETCH. UH, BUT YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE WOULD BE RETAIL SPACE AROUND THE EDGE CREATING KIND OF A VILLAGE FEEL. AND AS YOU DRIVE DOWN BOUNDARY STREET HERE IN THE CITY OF BEAUFORT, YOU REALIZE WHAT STREET SCAPES AND COORDINATED, UH, ARCHITECTURAL, UH, UH, FEATURES CAN REALLY TRANSFORM A CORRIDOR. UH, WE BELIEVE, UH, AND AGAIN, GETTING BACK TO SOME OF THE COMMENTS OF MR. TERRELL LIGHTING SIDEWALKS, UH, TYING THE WHOLE CORNERS COMMUNITY TOGETHER, UH, COULD BEGIN WITH A PROJECT LIKE THIS. AND THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT ARE UNDERWAY, UH, UH, SYRAH GREENS, UH, UH, PROJECT, UH, SIRRAH REYNOLDS GREENS PROJECT, UH, BEHIND GULLAH GRUB AND, UH, THE OTHER PARTS OF THE CORNERS COMMUNITY. SO THERE'S A LOT OF EXCITEMENT OUT THERE. PEOPLE LOOK AT THE SPACES THEY COULD BE SUBDIVIDED, AND THE THIS CAN BE BUILT OUT OVER TIME. UH, ONE OF THE, UH, CON, UH, PIECES OF CONVERSATION WE HAD RECENTLY IS WHERE CAN PEOPLE GATHER? YOU REALLY CAN'T CLOSE THE [01:00:01] STREET OUT THERE. SO AS THIS IS BEING DEVELOPED, THIS COULD BE, UH, A, A MEETING PLACE, UH, OVER THE YEARS. AND SO, UH, WITH THAT, UH, WE, WE ONLY SUGGEST THIS, UH, A COUNCIL COULD DECIDE TO GO TO A DIFFERENT DIRECTION, UH, BUT WOULD BE TO SECURE THE PROPERTY, SPEND, UH, 24 MONTHS TO SEE IF IT, UH, IT CAN, UH, GAIN TRACTION AND, UH, BONES AROUND IT IN TERMS OF THE PLANNING. AND THEN, UH, IF THAT WASN'T THE CASE, THE COUNTY COULD, UH, HAVE IT DESIGNED, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORP COULD HAVE IT DESIGNED, UH, AND PUT IT OUT TO BID AS COMPONENT PARTS FOR THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO INVEST IN. SO, UH, UH, THERE, UH, THE WAY I LOOK AT IT, UH, THERE ARE THREE THINGS HE CAN DO. UH, ONE, YOU COULD HAVE NO DREAM FOR THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY AND FOR THAT AREA, UH, YOU COULD PURSUE THIS AND IT, IT, IT COULD TAKE OFF, OR YOU COULD PURSUE THIS AND DIVEST YOURSELF OF IT IN TWO TO THREE YEARS. SO, UH, I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. I, I HOPE I GAVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A BACKGROUND ON, ON WHY WE PURSUED IT, BUT JUST REMEMBER YOU SENT IT TO US. THIS IS OUR BEST ANSWER, UH, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. ALRIGHT, MR. OTO. THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. OTO? UM, MR. GLOVER, AND THEN, UH, NOT A QUESTION I JUST WANT TO ADD TO MR. OTOS PRESENTATION, IF I MAY. YES, GO AHEAD. YES. UM, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. UM, JUST WANT TO GIVE A BRIEF HISTORY. I THINK MR. O'TOOLE DID A GREAT JOB OF THE HISTORY, UM, OF THIS, UH, PROJECT AND THE CONCEPTION, THE IDEA, AND BRINGING IT FORWARD TO WHERE IT IS TODAY. UM, IT'S A EIGHT YEARS DISCUSSION TIMETABLE, UM, THAT WENT INTO THIS. BUT I WOULD SAY THIS, THAT, UM, WHEN, WHEN I CAME ON COUNCIL, UM, I WAS ON COUNCIL MAYBE 10 MONTHS BEFORE MR. O'TOOLE, UM, GOT HIRED. AND MR. O'TOOLE VISITED MY COMMUNITY AND WE TALKED ABOUT HOW DO WE BRING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO A RURAL COMMUNITY. AND, AND, UM, MR. O'TOOLE SAID HE WOULD GO HOME AND HE WOULD PULL OUT ALL HIS HAIR, UM, TO, TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. I HAD MORE. AND, UM, HE DID THAT. AND, AND, AND SO HE HAS WORKED WITH MY COMMUNITY OVER THE YEARS. UM, HE'S BROUGHT IN, UM, SUPPORT FOR THE, UH, FARMER'S MARKET THERE, THERE, UM, UM, AND HE'S ALSO, UM, BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS CONCEPT HERE. UM, AND, AND WHEN, WHEN YOU LOOK AT RURAL SOUTH CAROLINA, YOU LOOK AT RURAL BEAUFORT AND YOU LOOK AT MY COMMUNITY WITH THE COMP PLAN, WE, WE ARE LOOKING AT TRYING TO PRESERVE A COMMUNITY, PRESERVE A CULTURE, BUT ALSO WE WANT TO GROW. SO HOW DO WE DO THAT? AND, AND IN A RURAL COMMUNITY, AGRICULTURE IS PART OF THAT EQUATION. UM, WE HAVE SOMETHING UNIQUE ON ST. HELENA. WE ARE PROBABLY THE LAST LARGE AREA OF AFRICAN AMERICAN, UM, UM, THAT'S CENTERED IN A COMMUNITY. UM, WE, WE ACTUALLY CALL THAT THE, THE HEART OF THE, UH, THE GULLAH COMMUNITY ON ST. HELENA. HOW DO WE PRESERVE THAT? AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANTED TO DO WAS WE ALSO, WE WANTED TO TELL A STORY OF A PEOPLE OF A CULTURE. AND THAT'S WHERE THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, THAT'S WHERE THE CULTURAL EVENT CENTER. BUT I TOOK THAT TO MY COMMUNITY THREE YEARS AGO OR TWO YEARS AGO, AND THEY SAID, NO, WE DON'T WANT THAT. WE WANT AN EVENT CENTER. UH, WE WANT TO HAVE DIFFERENT KINDS OF EVENT AT THIS CENTER. AND SO, UM, JOHN CAME BACK TO ME AND SAID, YORK, YOU CANNOT BE FIGHTING YOUR COMMUNITY AND WE CAN TRY TO WORK BOTH OF THIS. AND WHAT CAME OUT OF THAT, UH, THROUGH THE CONSULTANT WAS YOU REALLY WANT A BLACK BOX CONCEPT OF A THEATER. SOMETHING THAT'S VERY VERSATILE, SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN, WITHIN 24 HOURS YOU CAN CHANGE FROM A PERFORMANCE TO A DINNER, THE, UH, UH, OPPORTUNITY. UM, AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE CAME IN WITH THE BLACK BOX THEATER, BUT THAT'S TO ATTRACT TOURISM. UM, ONE OF THE KEY THING IS WHERE CAN WE MAKE MONEY ECONOMICALLY ON TOUR? THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS. THE OTHER PART OF THIS IS LOOKING AT OUR FOOD, UH, CULTURE. UM, WHEN I SEE THE CITY OF NEW YORK, THE CITY OF, UM, BALTIMORE, I MEAN, UM, DETROIT, UM, SELLING AND MAKING MONEY ON WHAT WE CALL OUR DISH SHRIMP AND GRITS, SHRIMP OR FISH AND GRITS, THEY ARE MAKING MONEY ON THAT. WE DO NOT HAVE A GOOD PLACE TO HAVE THAT KIND OF, UM, [01:05:01] FOOD COURT, UM, TO ALLOW FOR THE VARIOUS DISHES. THE CULTURAL DISH THAT PEOPLE CAN EXPERIENCE. THIS WILL GIVE IT THAT OPPORTUNITY. UM, TO GO BEYOND THAT, THERE IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO LOOK AT HOW DO WE BRING IN, UH, ALL THE, UH, UH, CONNECTION TO AFRICA, TO ST. HELENA. THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT. AND ALL OF THIS IS WHAT WE WANT TO PLAN. SO WHAT WE ASKING COUNCIL TO DO IS TO THE NORMAL WAY OF DOING THINGS, MR. CHAIRMAN, I'M GOING TO BE QUIET IN A FEW MINUTES. THE NORMAL WAY OF DOING THINGS IS HAVE A BUSINESS PLAN COME FORWARD. UH, WE ARE NOT IN A POSITION TO DO THAT, BUT WE BELIEVE THAT IF WE ARE ASSURED THAT THE PROPERTY IS THERE, WE WILL COME BACK WITH A BUSINESS PLAN. WE WILL COME BACK WITH THE FUNDING, UH, THAT IS NECESSARY TO MOVE THIS FORWARD. BUT WE WANNA SECURE THE LAND. AND MR. TRASK IS HERE BECAUSE HE'S ONE OF THE PRINCIPAL PARTNERS IN THIS LAND ACQUISITION, BUT HE'S NOT THE MAIN PARTNER. THE MAIN PART PARTNER IS ANOTHER PERSON. WHEN WE MET WITH HIM, JOHN O'TOOLE AND I, HE SAID, I AM GLAD TO DO THIS BECAUSE IT WILL BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY. AND THAT'S WHAT WE ARE GOING FORWARD WITH, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY FOR SOMETHING TO BE, UH, FOR THE COMMUNITY AS AN INVESTMENT. AND ALL WE ASKING COUNSEL TO DO IS INVEST IN US. I'LL STOP RIGHT NOW. ALRIGHT. UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MR. CHAIR? I'M SORRY, JOE. YEP. NEXT YOU AFTER THAT, JOHN, THE PURCHASE PRICE IS 1,000,005 95, CORRECT? YES. A MILLION OF WHICH HAS BEEN SECURED NOW. YES. YES. SO IT REALLY IS $595,000 THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR. NOT 600,000. WELL, YEAH. SHY OF 5,000. YEAH. RIGHT. OKAY. SHOULD WE PURCHASE THIS? AND WHAT MR. GLOVER IS SAYING IS, WE SECURE THE LAND NOW WE'RE GONNA COME UP WITH A PLAN, HOW TO USE THAT ON THE BASIS OF THE MILLION DOLLARS THAT WE'VE GOTTEN. BECAUSE PARKS AND RECREATION SAID THEY WERE WILLING TO FUND THIS BASED UPON THE IDEA OF WHAT WAS GOING TO GO THERE. CORRECT. SO IF WE DON'T FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THAT, WE'RE GONNA BE OUT A MILLION DOLLARS. 'CAUSE YOU SAID WE COULD SELL IT TO ANOTHER DEVELOPER AND FOR ANOTHER $250,000, BUT WE'D HAVE TO GIVE THAT MILLION DOLLARS BACK. CORRECT. WE WOULD THEN HAVE TO COME UP WITH A MILLION DOLLARS. NO, NO. WHEN YOU SELL IT, THE BUYER, UH, THE BUYER GIVES YOU THE MILLION DOLLARS. RIGHT. BUT WE WOULD HAVE TO RETURN A MILLION DOLLARS TO PARKS AND RECREATION. YEAH. BUT THE BUYER I HAVE IN THE WINGS WILL PAY $1.885 MILLION, UH, 1,850,000. OKAY. ALRIGHT. SO IF, IF WE, UH, UH, DOWN THE ROAD DECIDE THIS WAS FOOLHARDY, IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE, WE SELL IT AT MARKET RATE. AND WE, WE, WE CAN DO THAT PRETTY QUICKLY. UH, AND WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER DEVELOPER IN THE WINGS WHO, WHEN THEY READ ABOUT THE IDEA OF A, A CULTURAL CENTER ON ST. HELENA, THEY WANTED TO DO THE PROJECT. I'M NOT SURE THAT THE, THEY WOULD BE THE RIGHT PERSON, UH, FOR THE PROJECT, BUT WE WOULD HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY. BUT TODAY WE KNOW WE COULD GET $1.85 MILLION FOR THE PROPERTY. AND IF WE DIDN'T DO WHAT THE STATE EXPECTED, WE WOULD, UH, WE WOULD, UH, RETURN 1 MILLION TO THE STATE AND EIGHT 50 TO THE COUNTY'S SITE FUND. OKAY. QUESTION CHAIRMAN. UM, RIGHT AFTER MS. BROWN GOES, UH, OH. NO, LET, LET, THERE I GO. MR. MCKELLAN. GO AHEAD. YEAH. UH, RESPECTIVE BUYERS, NOT WITHSTANDING, AND IF THE CREEKS DON'T RISE WITH REGARD TO THIS PROJECT, OUR CONTRIBUTION DOESN'T MATCH WHAT THE STATE IS PROVIDING BECAUSE YOU'RE ASKING FOR LESS. BUT WHAT WILL THE OVERALL COST OF THIS PROJECT BE IN THE OUT YEARS? AND WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF YOU FAIL TO RAISE THE MONEY WITH REGARD TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF WHAT SHOULD BE A RATHER IMPRESSIVE, UH, BUILDING OR NUMBER OF BUILDINGS, UH, ON ST. HELENA? HOW LONG YOU THINK IT WILL ACTUALLY TAKE? UM, AND WHAT IF YOU ONLY RAISE HALF THE MONEY AND YOU CAN'T DO WHAT YOU EXPECT TO DO WITH REGARD TO FULFILLING THE PROMISE OF A CULTURAL CENTER? E ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT? LET'S JUST TAKE, UH, [01:10:01] 3 0 2 PARKER DRIVE, RIGHT? A COMPANY DECIDES THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BUY THIS 83,000 SQUARE FOOT BUILDING. THIS HAPPENED FOUR YEARS AGO, AND THEIR BUSINESS MODEL DIDN'T WORK. SO NOW THE BUS, THE BUILDING IS EMPTY. AND NOW WE'VE GOT AN AEROSPACE COMPANY LOOKING AT OCCUPYING IT. THAT IS THE NATURE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. IF WE CAN, IF WE CAN RAISE FUNDS, UH, UH, MR. MCCLELLAN AND, UH, HAVE SOMETHING BUILT, THEN WE HAVE AN ASSET, RIGHT? AN ASSET THAT WE'RE COLLECTING TAXES ON AND AN ASSET THAT CAN BE REFILLED. WE'RE DOING THE SAME THINGS ON, ON HILTON HEAD. UH, AND LET'S USE BOUNDARY STREET AS AN EXAMPLE. YOU, YOU DO THE STREET SCAPES, AND THEN YOU SEE IT PRECIPITATES, UH, OTHER INVESTMENTS ALONG THAT CORRIDOR. I BELIEVE THAT, UH, SIMILARLY IF, UH, SOME INVESTMENTS ARE MADE IN THE CORNERS COMMUNITY, UH, UH, BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF, UH, SERVICES THAT, UH, NEEDS OF RESIDENTS OUT THERE THAT AREN'T BEING MET TODAY, THAT THE MARKET WILL, WILL FILL THAT IN. UH, UH, BUT, UH, IF, IF WE DON'T RAISE ALL THE FUNDS, YOU CAN DO COMPONENTS OF THE PLAN IN STAGES. AND I, I, I THINK MR. TRASK MENTIONED THAT, BUT, UH, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE OPTIMISTIC. UH, AGAIN, UH, I, WE HAVE A, A, A GRAMMY AWARD WINNER, UH, UH, PHILANTHROPIST WHO, UH, UH, IDENTIFIED THIS PROJECT HAS INDICATED IT'S GONNA BE IN THEIR 2026 WORK PLAN. UH, AND IN PARTICULAR, THIS ARTIST IS REALLY FOCUSED ON, UH, UH, WOMEN ENTREPRENEUR OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS. SO, UH, WE DIDN'T EVEN PUT IT OUT THERE. THIS WAS, UH, UH, UH, CAME TO US VIA LINKEDIN. UH, AND WE THINK THERE ARE OTHER GREAT FOUNDATIONS OUT THERE THAT WE CAN REACH OUT TO. SO MY QUESTION REALLY, WHICH I HAVE AN ANSWER, IS, WHERE WILL YOU EXPECT TO GET THIS MONEY? AND HOW WILL THE CULTURAL CENTER BECOME AN ECONOMIC DRIVER IN THAT COMMUNITY? UH, WHEN IT'S EVENTUALLY BUILT, CONSIDERING THE INFLATIONARY PRESSURES WE'RE ALL FACING, IS THE $14 MILLION THAT YOU'RE EXPECTING TO RAISE A REASONABLE NUMBER. THE, THE GENTLEMAN WHO RAISED, UH, ALL OF THE FUNDS FOR THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM IN CHARLESTON BELIEVES THAT IT, THAT $14 MILLION WOULD BE A EASY LIFT. UH, BUT TIME WILL TELL. UH, AND I DO THINK THAT THE, UH, CULTURAL CENTER, UH, WOULD NEED TO CONTINUE TO BE SUPPORTED BY PHILANTHROPISTS OVER TIME. SO ONCE THIS IS BUILT, THEN WHO WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING IT AND PAYING THE BILLS THERE? WHO'S GONNA MANAGE ALL THIS? WILL THIS BECOME A COUNTY ISSUE? OR WILL IT BE A PRIVATE SECTOR ISSUE? UH, IN OUR SKETCH, UH, WE, WE PLAN FOR IT TO BE OPERATED BY ITS OWN 5 0 1 C3. UH, IT COULD EASILY, UH, UH, WORK WITH THE PENN CENTER OR THE, UH, BLACK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. UH, MIGHT BE A, A LOGICAL PARTNER ON THE PROJECT. I WOULD, I WOULD THINK THAT, DO YOU THINK THAT ALL OF THE MONEY TO OPERATE THIS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS WILL COME FROM DONATIONS TO A 5 0 1 C3 TO OPERATE? UH, NO. UM, MOST OF THE REVENUE OVER TIME WILL ACTUALLY COME FROM THE RETAIL OUTLETS. OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, LET'S, BUT THAT'S ALL IN CONCEPTUAL RIGHT NOW. AND, UM, THAT'S WHERE THE BUSINESS PLAN WILL ACTUALLY COME IN, UH, TO ACTUALLY SAY EXACTLY HOW THIS WOULD WORK. ALRIGHT, LARRY, UH, YOU, YOU COMPLETED WITH YOUR QUESTIONING? YES, I HAVE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALRIGHT. GOOD. UH, MS. BROWN, I THINK YOU WERE NEXT. OKAY. HEY, JOHN, IT'S GOOD TO TO SEE YOU. HI. HI, COUNCIL MEMBER. UM, LET'S GO BACK ALL THE WAY TO MAY, 2024. UM, WHO FROM THE COUNTY GAVE YOU THIS PROJECT? I BELIEVE, UH, CONVERSATIONS WITH HANK EDMONDSON, IF I'M CORRECT. OKAY. THAT, THAT FAIR? SO YOU SAY IT CAME TO YOU IN MAY, 2024, BUT COUNSEL, LEMME ANSWER THIS QUESTION REAL QUICK. THAT'S ALRIGHT. I'M, I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S MAY, BUT I KNOW THAT THERE WAS A NATURAL RESOURCE COMMITTEE THAT REVIEWED THE PLAN THAT CAME BACK FROM A FEASIBILITY STUDY FROM JOHNSON CONSULTING, IF I'M NOT WRONG. RIGHT. AND THERE WASN'T SUFFICIENT IN THE GROUP MADE A MOTION AND VOTED ORIGINALLY WAS TO GIVE A LETTER OF SUPPORT TO, FOR THE CO, UH, CORPORATION TO DO IT. BUT THE MOTION WAS MADE TO NOT ISSUE A LETTER OF SUPPORT, BUT TO SEND IT TO THE CORPORATION FOR FURTHER. BUT THAT LETTER NEVER WAS SIGNED BECAUSE THE MOTION WAS MADE IN THE MEETING THAT SAID, WE'RE GOING TO SEND THIS TO THE CORPORATION FOR FURTHER VETTING AND NOT ISSUE A LETTER OF SUPPORT. OKAY. 'CAUSE IT'S DATED JUNE 27TH, 2024. RIGHT? I, I DON'T KNOW THE MONTH, I JUST KNOW, AND MICHAEL MOORE'S NAME'S [01:15:01] ON HERE, BUT IT'S NOT SIGNED. IT WASN'T SIGNED BECAUSE COUNSEL MOVED TO NOT DO THAT. WELL, YEAH, HE, MICHAEL DIDN'T COME ON BOARD UNTIL JULY 1ST. WELL, THE, THAT ACTUAL MEETING, I DON'T THINK IT WAS MAY, SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER. I THINK IT WAS SEPTEMBER, BECAUSE IT WAITED. I'M GONNA GET TO THAT. MR. MOORE WAS HERE. I'M GONNA GET TO THAT. OKAY. SO SEPTEMBER 9TH, 2024, COUNSEL HEARD THE ENTIRE PRESENTATION BY JOHNSON ASSOCIATES AND THEY CLEARLY SAID IT WAS ON PAGE 10. IF MY MEMORY SERVES ME RIGHT, IT WOULD BE A $250,000 LOSS FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS. AND I ASKED AT THAT TIME, HOW ARE WE GOING TO COME UP WITH 250,000 A YEAR? AND THEY SAID YOU WOULD GO OUT TO, UM, FOUNDATIONS AND RAISE THE MONEY? I WOULD, RIGHT? YEAH. YEAH. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT. NOT YOU. NO, NO, NO, NO. THAT, THAT WE, WHATEVER. I'M SORRY. I DIDN'T MEAN YOU, I'M SORRY. I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. THAT IT WOULD COST A $250,000 LOSS FOR 10 YEARS. UM, AS MRS. LAMARCA POINTED OUT EARLIER, THE ART CENTER THAT'S ON HILTON HEAD, WHICH I'M SURE YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH, UM, AND LARRY AND TOM, UH, TAKES A LOT OF MONEY TO SUSTAIN. AND THE LAND WAS DONATED. THIS, YOU'RE ASKING THE COUNTY TO, TO PURCHASE TO PUT UP $600,000. AND ALSO, I WANNA POINT OUT, UM, THIS ON PAGE 1 36 OF THE AGENDA PACKET, THE REAL ESTATE VALUATION AND COUNSELING, IT SAYS PARTIAL OH FIVE OH A APPRAISED IN 2022 OF $288,600. THE NEXT YEAR IT APPRAISED FOR 1.13 400,000, $1,134,000. HOW DID THAT GO UP? FIVE ALMOST. WELL, FOUR TIMES MORE THAN FOUR TIMES. IF, IF I COULD, I'LL YOU'VE RAISED TWO POINTS. SO THE FIRST ONE WAS THAT THIS IS A PERFORMING ARTS CENTER. IT'S NOT, IT REALLY CREATES A VILLAGE, UH, IN THE CORNERS COMMUNITY AND CREATES ENTREPRENEURIAL SPACE. AS FAR AS THE APPRAISALS, I HAVE A, AN APPRAISAL HERE FROM AR MARTIN SAYING THAT, UH, IT'S WORTH $1.7 MILLION. WHO IS YOUR APPRAISAL FROM? IT'S AR MARTIN COMPANY. IT'S PAGE 1 36. IT SAYS, COMMENT ON ASSESSOR VALUE 20 22, 280 $8,600. AND THEN IN THE NEXT YEAR, APPRAISAL ARE ALMOST OVER A MILLION. THE APPRAISAL I HAVE HERE, IT HAS 51 PAGES, SO I'M NOT SURE, UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO TELL. IT'S, I DON'T KNOW. CAN WE BRING THIS UP? I DON'T KNOW. ARE YOU REFERRING TO PAGE 1 36? PAGE NUMBER IAIS PACKET? IT'S ACTUALLY IN, THAT'S FROM OUR PACKET. 36 YOU SAID 201,000? YEAH, RIGHT HERE. SEE THIS? THAT'S PER ACRE. WELL, OKAY. SO HOW DID IT GO FROM HERE TO HERE? APPRAISERS ARE PRETTY GOOD. NOT READING THIS. USUALLY IN THE FIRST, UH, FEW PAGES OF THE APPRAISAL TELLING YOU WHAT THE ENTIRE PARCEL YOU'RE LOOKING AT IS WORTH. AND SO IF YOU GO TO, UH, THE, UM, UH, THIRD, UH, WE'LL CALL IT THE FOURTH PAGE, IF YOU HAVE THE TITLE PAGE, UH, INDICATES THAT, UH, IT'S 164,000 PER ACRE, UH, ROUNDED TO $1.7 MILLION. OKAY. BUT RIGHT, IT DOES. AM I, AM I WRONG IN READING THAT, MARCUS? YOU NO, YOU'RE, YOU'RE CORRECT. AND THEY SPELL THAT OUT SAYING AS, AS, AS APPRAISERS THAT THEY WAS CONS CONSIDERABLY LESS FOR 2022. I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT HAPPENED. AND BECAUSE OF, AGAIN, WE KNOW BECAUSE OF VALUES AND COVID AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT HAPPENED THAT IN 2023 THINGS, UH, PROPERTY VALUES WENT THROUGH THE ROOF. SO, AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE ADDRESSING THAT IN HERE. YOU SPELL THAT OUT. OKAY. SO THE, THE APP, UM, JOHNSON ASSOCIATES THAT DID THE STUDY, THEY DID IT FOR PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, BUT WE CHANGED THAT TO A CULTURE CENTER WITH RETAIL STORES, SORT OF LIKE, UM, A DEVELOPMENT'S GOING UP IN BLUFFTON OR BUCK WALTER PARKWAY, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. UH, WITH RETAIL STORES. IT REMINDS ME OF A DEVELOPMENT I SEE ON, ON 17 IN POLLY'S ISLAND, THE PORCH AREA WHERE YOU HAVE SHOPS. OH, I, YEAH, YEAH, I WOULDN'T KNOW ABOUT THAT. OKAY. AND THEN I ATTENDED A BUFORT COUNTY EDC MEETING, AND WE VOTED ON, EVERYONE VOTED ON THIS. AND I VOTED NO. ALONG WITH SOMEONE ELSE IN THE MEETING VOTED NO, BECAUSE I ASKED SOMEONE THAT WAS IN THE MEETING AT THE TIME WHO WAS IN THE MORTGAGE BUSINESS, [01:20:01] WOULD HE LOAN MONEY TO ANY LAND, ANY REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT OR REAL ESTATE PERIOD THAT DID NOT HAVE THE COMPS? AND HIS ANSWER WAS NO. SO HE WOULDN'T HAVE LOANED MONEY FOR THIS, BUT HE VOTED YEAH. THAT THIS IS A GOOD IDEA. I AGREE. THIS IS A GREAT IDEA. I DO. I JUST FEEL THAT WE SHOULD NOT BE USING PUBLIC MONEY TO FUND IT. AND ACCORDING TO THE COMPS THAT I JUST RECEIVED TODAY FROM SOMEONE OUT THERE, UM, WHO WOULD THAT BE? I DON'T LIKE TO MENTION NAMES, BUT I'M HAPPY TO HAND YOU THIS. UM, THE AVERAGE, THE AVERAGE FOR SALE RIGHT NOW IS 58,000 AN ACRE. THE AVERAGE SOLD PRICE IS 48,000 ACRE. UM, AT THE 1500 BLOCK COMING FROM THE CITY, I USE BLOCKS. UM, FOUR ACRES SOLD FOR 300,000. I JUST THINK WE'RE PAYING WAY TOO MUCH. AND AFTER THIS APPRAISAL, I MEAN THIS PAGE OCTOBER 29TH, 2024, OF COURSE THIS WAS A YEAR AGO. DO YOU AGREE WITH ME, MR. CHAIR? I, I JUST FEEL IT'S A GREAT IDEA. WE SHOULDN'T BE USED PUBLIC MONEY. ESPECIALLY ONE WAY YOU, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET AROUND THAT THOUGH, IS IF YOU SAID WE WERE GETTING 10 ACRES, BUT YOUR NET COST WAS 600,000, THEN YOU COULD SAY IT'S ONLY COSTING YOU 60,000 AN ACRE. WHAT? OH, OKAY. NOW YOU'RE GONNA CONFUSE ME, RIGHT? NO. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO, SO THE STUDY THAT WAS DONE IN SEPTEMBER, 2024, IT SAID $250,000 A LOSS REALLY DOESN'T APPLY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NOW. IT'S NOT APPLES TO APPLES. OH, OKAY. ALRIGHT. ALRIGHT. THAT'S NOT MY QUESTION. SO, UM, AGAIN, COMPS DON'T, THEY DON'T SUPPORT THIS 1.6 MILLION. I THINK IT'S WORTH MAYBE 700,000 AT BEST. I MEAN, AFTER LOOKING AT THIS, DO YOU AGREE WITH THE, THE MORTGAGE BANKER THAT YOU REFERENCED THOUGH VOTED IN FAVOR OF THE PURCHASE. BUT HOW DO WE GET FROM THIS FIGURE TO THIS FIGURE? THAT'S A DIFFERENT TOPIC, BUT THAT'S WHAT IT'S BEING APPRAISED FOR TOO. YOU HAD THOSE TWO UP TWO PARCELS. YEAH, BUT I, AND THAT'S YOUR PROFESSIONAL. I THINK IT'S HARD. APPRAISER HAS GIVEN YOU THAT, THAT NUMBER. BUT HE, DID HE USE THE COMPS? I'D LIKE TO SEE THE COMPS HE USED. IF YOU WANT, WE COULD GET A, AN ANOTHER APPRAISAL IF THAT WOULD HELP YOU. I DON'T WANT APPRAISAL IF ON ON PRINCIPLE YOU JUST NOT TO COME UP THIS APPRAISAL. THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING. MM-HMM . THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING FOR. I WANT THE COMPS THAT HE USED TO COME UP WITH THIS APPRAISAL. THEY'RE, THEY'RE THROUGHOUT THIS DOCUMENT, THEY ARE, YOU MAY NOT AGREE WITH THEM, BUT THEY'RE THE, UH, THEIR THOUGHT PROCESSES THROUGHOUT THE APPRAISAL. BUT IF YOU WANTED TO SEE ANOTHER APPRAISAL, WE COULD GET THAT FOR YOU. NO, I DON'T WANT ANOTHER SPEND MONEY FOR ANOTHER APPRAISAL. NO PROBLEM. CAN WE MOVE ON? ARE YOU GOOD? YEAH. OKAY. ALRIGHT. I THINK, UM, MR. CUNNINGHAM, MR. TAB, OH, I MIGHT TAB GO FIRST AND THEN, UH, ANYONE ELSE THAT'S ONLINE THAT HAVEN'T GOT A CHANCE TO SPEAK YET WILL THEN GO TO THEM. 'CAUSE AGAIN, THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC AND EVERYONE HAS THEIR, ANYBODY ONLINE WANNA SPEAK BEFORE I DO? GO AHEAD. IF, IF I'M NOT ASKING YES, MR. DAWSON, GO AHEAD. WHAT YOU GO FOR JOHN, OF THE 10 ACRES, HOW MUCH OF IT IS, UH, USABLE FOR, UH, THIS PROJECT? GOOD QUESTION. THERE, THERE, UH, IN OUR DESKTOP THERE LOOKS LIKE ABOUT A THIRD OF IT THAT MIGHT BE USED FOR WATER RETENTION. 'CAUSE IT'S, IT'S, UH, BUILT FOR THAT OR NOT BUILT FOR DEVELOPMENT OR, OKAY. ALRIGHT. NOW LET'S GO AHEAD THEN TO MR. TAVERNER. SO, UM, MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS THERE ARE NO DETAILS FLUSHED OUT. AND I SAID THIS AT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE. UM, IT'S ALL SPECULATION. I'M NOT INTERESTED IN INVESTING $600,000 OF PUBLIC MONEY FOR SOMETHING I DON'T KNOW THAT'S GONNA COME TO FRUITION. AND I'LL SAY IT AGAIN. AT EVERY COUNCIL MEETING WE HAVE SOMEONE THAT STANDS UP AND SAYS, ST. HENA NEEDS OR ST. HELENA NEEDS A RECREATION CENTER. WE HAVE NOTHING FOR OUR YOUTH TO DO OUT THERE. I'D RATHER FUNNEL MONEY INTO A RECREATION CENTER. UH, THIS HAS NO, NO BONES ON IT. AS YOU SAID IN THE FIRST MEETING WITH THE COMMUNITY WHERE I WENT TO, THERE'S NO DETAILS, NO SPECIFIC. AND I'M WONDERING IF, UH, CHIP CAMPSEN WOULD SAY, OKAY, IF YOU'RE NOT GONNA DO THIS, WE'LL GIVE YOU THE MILLION FOR A REC CENTER OUT THERE. NOT DOESN'T HURT TO ASK, BUT I BELIEVE THEY NEED A REC CENTER. SO I WILL BE VOTING NO ON THIS PROJECT. ALRIGHT, MR. CUNNINGHAM, I FEEL FOR YOU RIGHT NOW. I REALLY DO BECAUSE YOU LED WITH SAYING THAT I WAS TASKED WITH THIS. YOU NEVER SAID THIS IS SOMETHING YOU BROUGHT FORWARD, THIS WAS YOUR IDEA, ANYTHING LIKE THAT. SO I APPRECIATE YOU PUTTING THE TIME AND EFFORT ONTO THIS, UM, GENUINELY. 'CAUSE THAT'S NOT AN EASY THING [01:25:01] TO DO. AND I'LL TELL YOU, YOUR POKER FACE IS GREAT BECAUSE YOU HAVE YET TO DECIDE IF, OR EXPRESS IF YOU'RE LIKE YES OR NO, YOU SAID EITHER WAY WE'RE COMFORTABLE WITH IT. SO MEANING YOU WERE GIVEN A TASK BY OUR STAFF TO BRING THIS FORWARD AND YOU DID YOUR JOB HONESTLY AND UPFRONT. SO I DO APPRECIATE THAT. UM, I WON'T BEAT YOU UP LIKE THE REST OF THEM DID. UM, I AM GONNA ADDRESS A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WERE SAID BY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND BY YOU AS WELL. UM, I, WE USUALLY DON'T SPEND MONEY WITHOUT HAVING A PLAN, BUT WE'VE HAD AN OPTION ON ST. HELENA FOR TWO YEARS NOW THAT SOMEBODY BROUGHT A PLAN WAS OFFERING TO PAY FOR ALL OF IT WAS OFFERING TO PUT $17 MILLION BACK IN THE COMMUNITY. AND WE WERE TOLD THAT WE DON'T WANNA, WE DON'T WANNA LANDOWNER TO DICTATE WHAT WE DO, BUT YET WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBERS QUOTING A LANDOWNER SAYING THAT THIS IS A GOOD IDEA AND WE SHOULD SUPPORT THAT LANDOWNER BECAUSE THEY WANT TO DO SOMETHING THAT IS THOSE CONTRADICT. THEY, THEY DON'T GO TOGETHER AT ALL. UM, SO ALL I, I'VE ALWAYS SAID TO PEOPLE, I'M GONNA STAND WHERE MY BELIEFS ARE. I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH, YOU KNOW, DEVELOPING AND GIVING BACK IN ST. HELENA OR ANYWHERE ELSE ACROSS THIS COMMUNITY. BUT WITH THAT HAS TO COME OTHER CAVEATS AND OTHER MOVEMENTS WITH IT. AND IT SEEMS TIME AND TIME AGAIN, WE WANTED TO JUST PICK AND CHOOSE, BUT YOU WERE ALL IN AND YOU'RE ALL OUT. UM, THE QUOTE WAS THAT BALTIMORE, DETROIT AND NEW YORK SELL THEIR FOOD AND MAKE MONEY OFF THEIR FOOD. WELL, THE GROWTH IN BALTIMORE, DETROIT AND NEW YORK ISN'T THE GROWTH THAT ANYBODY WANTS IN ST. HELENA. SO THERE, THERE IS THAT GIVE AND TAKE. THEY HAVE A BUSINESS PLAN IN PLACE. THEY HAVE A MODEL, THEY MAKE A TON OF MONEY OFF IT, BUT CITY LIFE IS NOT WHAT'S WANTED IN ST. HELENA. UM, AT LEAST THAT THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN TOLD. UM, THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS OUT THERE. UM, ONE OF THE THINGS SAID WAS PENN CENTER COULD MAYBE BE THE ONE MANAGING THIS PROPERTY. WELL, PENN CENTER HAS THE OPTION TO DO THIS EXACT BUSINESS MODEL RIGHT NOW. UM, AND, AND I DON'T SEE THAT BEING DONE. I, I'LL BE HONEST, THIS, IT JUST HAS BAD WRITTEN ALL OVER IT. ME PERSONALLY. IT'S NOT THAT YOU DIDN'T DO A GOOD JOB. IT'S NOT LIKE YOU DIDN'T ADVOCATE FOR IT OR DO THE RESEARCH, BUT I JUST DON'T SEE HOW THIS SERVES THE PURPOSE OF THE ULTIMATE GOAL IN ST. HELENA. IF WE'RE LOOKING TO PUT MARKETS OUT THERE, UM, TO SELL WHAT'S EVER BEING PRODUCED OR GROWN OR ANYTHING OTHER, THAT'S GREAT. WE DO THE SAME THING IN BLUFFTON. IT'S CALLED OUR FARMER'S MARKET. AND IT DOESN'T COST US A DIME TO DO WE ACTUALLY MAKE MONEY OFF AND IT'S SELF-SUFFICIENT. UM, I GUESS MY BIGGEST, BIGGEST QUESTION IS, ARE WE GONNA SPEND TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO BUILD BASICALLY A, A BUSINESS PLAN SO OTHER PEOPLE CAN START THEIR OWN BUSINESS ON THE TAXPAYERS OF ALL OF BEAVER COUNTY? AND I JUST DON'T SEE HOW WE CAN DO THAT, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE JUST TURNED DOWN A PLAN TO PRESERVE 500 ACRES AND GET EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT HERE FOR FREE. MM-HMM . TO ME, THAT'S JUST, IT'S ALMOST IRRESPONSIBLE. ME PERSONALLY, I, UM, I I WON'T SUPPORT THIS. I'D RATHER USE THESE FUNDS FOR, UM, ANOTHER LOCATION IN ST. HELENA WHERE IT, IT'S ALREADY THERE. WE HAVE A PLAN. WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE SOMETHING TANGIBLE WITH IT AND NOT A HOPE AND A PRAYER IF SOMEBODY COMES THROUGH WITH FUNDRAISING. UM, I WANNA REITERATE AGAIN 'CAUSE I KNOW YOU AND I HAVE COME BACK AND FORTH, BUT OTHER PROJECTS ACROSS THE COUNTY FOR OVER A YEAR NOW. I THINK YOU DID A FANTASTIC JOB WRITING THIS FORWARD. YOU BROUGHT CONCEPTUAL PLANS, YOU WERE TASKED WITH SOMETHING FROM OUR STAFF, WHICH I APPRECIATE THEM ADVOCATING FOR AND YOU DOING THE LEGWORK. I I JUST DON'T SEE HOW WE SPEND $600,000 DOING THIS. MY QUESTION TOO WAS ONE OF THE MR. MCKELLEN PUT OUT EARLIER, IF WE HAVE THIS ON AN AGENDA AND THE RESOLUTION SAYS THAT IT'S GOING FOR A GULLAH GEECHEE CULTURE CENTER AND AN ENTREPRENEURIAL MARKET, WHICH I DON'T BELIEVE WE SHOULD BE FUNDING EITHER OF THOSE THIS WAY, BUT DOES THAT MEAN WE'RE ON THE HOOK TO BUILD THEM? AND IF WE DON'T, ARE WE RESPONSIBLE FOR GIVING THAT MILLION DOLLARS BACK WHETHER WE SELL THE PROPERTY OR NOT? WHAT'S THE CAVEAT OF THAT MILLION DOLLARS? IT DOESN'T JUST COME FOR FREE, BUY THE LAND. THE COUNTY CAN SAY, COOL, WE OWN IT. WE'RE NEVER GONNA DO ANYTHING WITH IT. SO I GUESS THAT'S A BIG QUESTION THAT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT'S WHAT MR. KELLEN WAS LEANING TOWARDS, UM, WHEN HE WAS ASKING THIS QUESTION. UM, FULL CIRCLE WITH THIS. I DON'T THINK IT'S OUR JOB TO SPEND TAXPAYER DOLLARS ON THAT LAND JUST TO BUILD A BUSINESS PARK. NOW WITH THAT SAID, IF THIS WAS TO BE AMENDED AND SOMEBODY SAY, OKAY, IT'S AMENDED, LET'S GO BUY THIS PROPERTY. AND THE STATE TELLS US WE CAN BUY THIS PROPERTY AND RESELL IT FOR THE 1.8 OR 1.9 MILLION AND POCKET AN EXTRA 200,000 TO PUT TOWARDS ST. HELENA AND PUT TOWARDS OTHER CENTER NEEDS AND STUFF AT ST. HELENA. YOU'RE RIGHT. I'LL RUN IT LIKE A BUSINESS. WHY NOT? WE'D BE SILLY NOT TO. [01:30:01] SO IF YOU TELL ME WE CAN TAKE OUR 600,000 WE ALREADY HAVE AND GET ANOTHER 250 OUT OF IT FOR THE PEOPLE IN ST. HELENA, I'D BUY THIS PROPERTY AND SELL IT TOMORROW. ALRIGHT. UM, LET ME, UH, THIS IS A RESOLUTION. SO, UH, WHATEVER HAPPENS WITH THE VOTE HERE, IT GOES TO THEN COUNTY COUNCIL FOR A VOTE. SO AGAIN, THIS IS, THIS IS JUST US, UM, PUSHING IT TOWARDS COUNTY COUNCIL WITH A YES OR A NO. AND MY FEELING ON THIS IS, IS OBVIOUSLY, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, ST. HELENA HAS, HAS SAID IN THE PAST THAT THEY, THAT THEY DON'T WANT HUGE DEVELOPMENT OUT THERE. WE KNOW THAT, UM, UM, HOWEVER, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE THAT WOULD CREATE SOME ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR THAT AREA. AND MR. OTILIA, YOU AND I, WHEN I FIRST CAME ON, WE'VE BUTTED HEADS MANY, MANY TIMES AND YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE WON ME OVER, UM, OVER THE YEARS. AND, UH, AGAIN, WE, WE'VE SEEN THE UM, UH, APPRAISALS. UH, WE KNOW THAT WE CAN GET INTO THIS PROPERTY, UH, $600,000 FOR A 1.6, UM, MILLION DOLLARS PROPERTY. AND, AND AGAIN, WE'RE, WE'RE PURCHASING IT TO LOOK AT TRYING TO DO SOME TYPE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN, IN ST HELLO. SO I WILL VOTE YES FOR IT TO MOVE IT FORWARD, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY IF THINGS CAN'T WORK OUT WELL THEN WE HAVE TO LOOK AT SELLING IT OR LOOK AT DOING SOMETHING ELSE. DO I WANT TO HAVE US RUN A, UM, A A UH, SELF FAMILY ART CENTER? NO, I DON'T WANT THAT. UM, AND I EVEN HAD SAID THAT I THINK JOKINGLY ONE TIME TO, TO, UM, UM, MR. GLOVER, WHERE, WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT THAT AND I SAID, LISTEN, HILTON HAS ONE THAT GIVE YOU TOMORROW IF THEY COULD. SO, UM, YOU HAVE TO REALIZE THAT, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT, THAT WE DON'T WANT TO BE IN THIS, UM, TO, TO RUN IT. HOWEVER, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WISE, THERE ARE SOME THINGS WE CAN DO OUT THERE AND CREATE OUT THERE AND CREATE SOME OF THE STUFF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH THE, WITH THE GALLOG GEECHEE. SO WE'RE GONNA DO A, A ROLL CALL VOTE ON THIS. UM, AND UM, UH, SEE WHERE WE COME OUT. SO, UM, MISS OCTAVIA, IF WE COULD DO ROLL CALL, VOTE PLEASE. YES. JUST TO BE CLEAR, IF YOU VOTE FOR IT, THAT MEANS YOU RECOMMEND AN APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION. MM-HMM . CAN I, CAN WE GET THAT ONE QUESTION ANSWERED BEFORE THE ROLL CALL? IF THO THAT WORDING IS IN THE TITLE, ARE WE OBLIGATED TO FULFILL THAT OR WE HAVE TO PAY THE MILLION DOLLARS BACK? NO, THAT WOULD BE MY, I DON'T THINK SO. YOU'RE, YOU'RE SAYING NO FROM THE CROWD, BUT NOBODY'S GIVEN US AN ANSWER. I, I UNDERSTAND. WE CAN SELL IT. GIVE THE MILLION DOLLARS BACK. I'M SAYING IF WE DO NOT SELL IT AND WE DO NOT DEVELOP IT, ARE WE OBLIGATED TO GIVE THE MILLION DOLLARS BACK TO THE STATE? I I, IF YOU START PLAYING THAT GAME, YOU JEOPARDIZE GETTING GRANTS IN THE FUTURE IF THEY DON'T TRUST YOUR PURPOSE. EXACTLY. WHICH IS MY ENTIRE ISSUE WITH THIS. BUT WE CAN'T FULFILL THIS. MR. CUNNINGHAM, LET ME JUST EXPRESS THIS. UM, I I, I, UM, I TALKED TO THE SENATOR ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND SEVERAL TIMES AND HE WAS ADAMANT ABOUT IT BEING USED FOR THE CULTURAL CENTER. HE CONNECTS THAT CULTURAL CENTER OPPORTUNITY, UH, WITH THE, UH, AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM IN CHARLESTON THAT HE BASICALLY SAID, I HELPED FUNDRAISE THAT THROUGH THE LEGISLATION. SO I THINK THE CULTURAL CENTER IS A KEY, UM, LINK TO THIS PROJECT. YEAH, I, I APOLOGIZE. I I DID HAVE SOME NOTES, BUT THEN THE CONVERSATION MOVED ON, UH, SECTION TWO OF THE, UH, GRANT AGREEMENT SAYS PROJECT DESCRIPTION PURCHASE A PROPERTY ON ST. HELENA FOR MARKETPLACE AND PERFORMING ART CENTER. SO WE FEEL OBLIGATED TO LIVE, LIVE UP TO THE, I I FEEL OBLIGATED AS A HUMAN BEING TO KEEP, KEEP MY WORD. AND SO, UH, UH, UH, WE ARE GOING TO LIVE WITHIN THAT NOW TO, UH, UH, VICE CHAIR, UH, TABER, NICK'S POINT, IF THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY, IF, IF THIS DOESN'T GO FORWARD AND THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO THE, THE, UH, SENATOR, BUT PROBABLY MORE IMPORTANT THE, UH, GRANTING OPER, UH, UH, UH, THE GRANT TOUR, UH, SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF PARKS RECREATION AND TOURISM WOULDN'T BE OUR THOUGHT TO BE SPITEFUL AND JUST KICK THE MILLION DOLLARS BACK TO THE STATE, BUT TO SEE IF IT COULDN'T BE USED FOR SOME PURPOSE, FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMMUNITY. SO, RIGHT. AND UH, LAST THING, I DON'T MEAN TO BE A POKER FACE. I HAVE, I I HAVE WORKED REALLY HARD ON THIS AND I HAVE PRAYED ON THIS AND I THINK THIS IS A REALLY GOOD PROJECT. THANK YOU. I HAVE JUST ONE MORE THING. ALRIGHT, LAST, LAST COMMENT AND THEN WE'RE GONNA VOTE. UM, JOHN, AM I RIGHT IN SAYING THAT THIS MILLION DOLLARS EXPIRES 11 25 25 THAT SAW SOMETHING? WE, WE HAVE JUST BEEN UPDATING THEM QUARTERLY. WE, WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE COMPLETE BUY NOW, BUT AS LONG AS WE PROVIDE QUARTERLY UPDATES, THEY'VE BEEN VERY PATIENT WITH THEM. SO YOU, YOU'LL MAKE THAT 1125. 'CAUSE TODAY'S THE 17TH, IS THAT RIGHT? WHAT'S THAT? YOU'LL MAKE THE, UH, THE DEADLINE FOR 1125. WELL, IF, IF COUNTY STAYS ON TRACK TO UH, GO THROUGH ITS APPROVAL PROCESS, WE HAVE TO, DOESN'T WE HAVE TO CLOSE [01:35:01] ON THE PROPERTY BY THE MIDDLE OF DECEMBER. OH, OKAY. THAT MAY BE ONE DEADLINE. BUT THE, THE GRANT MONEY JUST CONTINUES AS LONG AS WE'VE BEEN PROVIDING THEM UP UPDATES, I THINK, FOR THREE YEARS. IS THAT RIGHT? I, I THINK FOR THREE YEARS WE'RE KIND OF BEYOND WHEN WHAT THEY YEAH, IT DOESN'T MATTER ORIGINALLY THOUGHT, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING WITH THE STATE. WE'RE NOT AT OPPOSITION WITH THE STATE. RIGHT? YEAH, EXACTLY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, LET'S GO AHEAD WITH THE, UH, VOTE PLEASE. OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER BROWN. NO. COUNCIL MEMBER MCG GLOVER. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER REEDS NO. COUNCIL MEMBER MCN. OH. WITH THE MONEY PROVIDED, UH, AS SEED MONEY AND WITH OUR MONEY BUYING LAND, I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT US GETTING, UH, OUR MONEY'S WORTH. UH, AS TIME PASSES, EVEN IF THIS PROJECT DOES NOT GET THE PRIVATE FUNDING IT'S SEEKING. SWIPE UP. YES. EX OFFICIAL COMMITTEE MEMBER HOWARD? NO. COMMITTEE MEMBER TABER? NO. COMMITTEE MEMBER PASSIT? YES. COMMITTEE MEMBER DAWSON? YES. COMMITTEE VICE CHAIR CUNNINGHAM? NO. COMMITTEE CHAIR LAWSON. MARK LAWSON. YES. IT'S A TIE. IT'S, YES, IT IS A TIE. IT MEANS IT'S DEFEATED. SO IT FAILS. FAILS? IT FAILS. MOTION FAILS. FAILS BECAUSE THE MOTION WAS FOR APPROVAL. IT WILL GO FORWARD RECOMMENDING DISAPPROVAL. YEP. ALRIGHT. UM, NOW THE FAILURE MEANS THAT IT GOES TO COUNSEL. YEAH, IT STILL GOES TO COUNCIL. OKAY. IT WON'T BE RECOMMENDED BY THE RIGHT. ALRIGHT, SO LET'S [8.g. Appointment of Council Member Anna Maria Tabernik to the Beaufort Economic Development Corporation Board to fill the County Council Seat. (FISCAL IMPACT: N/A) - Octavia Evans, Senior Administrative Specialist] MOVE ON THEN, UM, TO, UH, OUR AGENDA ITEM G AND THIS IS APPOINTMENT OF COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, ANNA TABER TO THE BUFORT COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BOARD TO FILL THE COUNTY COUNCIL SEAT. UM, AND TIME A MOTION FOR THIS PLEASE? A MOTION. AND IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND. ALRIGHT, I THOUGHT WE WERE GETTING A SECOND THERE. IT'S OKAY WITH ME. OH, SORRY. ALRIGHT. IS THERE ANY, ANY DISCUSSION? IF THERE'S NO DISCUSSION, WE'LL APPROVE THIS WITHOUT OBJECTION AND I SEE NO OBJECTION FROM ANYONE ONLINE OR HERE IN THE CHAMBERS. SO THAT HAS BEEN APPROVED. UM, [8.h. Discussion of potential funding sources for USCB's Convocation/Arena (FISCAL IMPACT: N/A as we are exploring options.) - Pinky Harriott, Chief Financial Officer] AND THEN OUR LAST THING IS A DISCUSSION, AND AGAIN, WE'LL TRY TO KEEP THIS AS SHORT AS WE CAN DISCUSSION OF POTENTIAL FUNDING SOURCES FOR USCB CONVOCATION ARENA. UM, AND AGAIN, UH, MS. HARRIET, I KNOW THAT WE TALKED ABOUT THIS AT OUR WORKSHOP HERE JUST LAST FRIDAY, RIGHT. UM, AND WE SAID WE'D AT LEAST GIVE YOU SOME DIRECTION HERE TODAY. SO, UH, RIGHT. GO AHEAD. IF YOU'D LIKE TO, UH, JUST KINDA ENLIGHTEN US ON, ON WHAT DIRECTION WE NEED TO GO OR WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP YOU. I, I BELIEVE YOU WANTED TO HAVE THIS BROUGHT TO FINANCE COMMITTEE IMMEDIATELY SO THAT WE COULD MEET A DEADLINE THAT THE UNIVERSITY HAS, UM, KIND OF PUT OUT THERE FOR THEIR A AND E DESIGN. SO, UM, WE HAD DECIDED TO BRING IT TO FINANCE COMMITTEE, UM, TO GET DIRECTIVE DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL IF YOU WOULD LIKE US TO SEEK FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE, FOR THEIR REQUEST OF $47 MILLION FOR THE CONVOCATION CENTER AND SPORTS PARK. ANYONE LIKE TO, UM, OPEN UP DISCUSSIONS? SO AGAIN, WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT WAS $47 MILLION. IS THAT, IS THE REQUEST FROM THAT IS THEIR NEW REVISED REQUEST? YES. AND AGAIN, THEY ARE GETTING MATCHING FUNDS FROM, THEY HAVE $47 MILLION ALREADY FROM THE STATE LEGISLATURE, FROM THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA. AND THEY'RE AGAIN LOOKING AT DOING THEIR FIRST PHASE, WHICH THEY EXPECT TO BE A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS, UM, TO DO, UH, 94 MILLION TOTAL, I BELIEVE PHASE ONE. SO AS I SAID AT THE MEETING ON, ON FRIDAY, UM, OUR COMPLETE GENERAL BUDGET IS LESS THAN $200 MILLION. SO THIS IS ONE FOURTH OF OUR NEXT SLIDE OF OUR, UH, BUDGET AMOUNT. SO COMING UP WITH THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. SO ANY, I GUESS WHAT WE, WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT IS WHAT AMOUNT, IF ANY, WE'D LIKE TO, AND IF WE DID WANT TO, WHERE WOULD THAT MONEY COME FROM TO TO, TO MAKE IT HAPPEN? SO ANY, ANY RECOMMENDATIONS OR SUGGESTIONS FROM, SO OUR COMMITTEE HERE, I BELIEVE OUR CHARGE WOULD BE TO DIRECT ADMINISTRATION COME UP WITH THE FUNDING SOURCES THAT WOULD BE POSSIBLE OPTIONS TO BE UTILIZED. THE OPTIONS THAT COULD BE UTILIZED. $47 MILLION IS NOT GOING TO BE DONE IN ONE YEAR. IT IS GOING TO BE DONE OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. AND IT WOULD BE YOUR JOB TO TELL US THE FUNDING SOURCE, HOW MUCH WE WOULD BE EXPECTED TO EXPEND ON AN ANNUAL BASIS FOR A PERIOD OF TIME FOR US TO DIGEST AND DETERMINE WHAT NUMBER WOULD BE BEST FOR THE COUNTY. CORRECT. A PART OF THAT IS HOW MUCH [01:40:01] DOES THE COUNTY WANT TO CONTRIBUTE TO THIS ENTIRE PROJECT? RIGHT. SO THAT IS, YOU KNOW, YOUR DISCUSSION TO HAVE OF WHETHER YOU WANNA DO 10 MILLION, 20,000,047 HOWEVER, YES, MR. GUNEY, GO AHEAD. NOBODY ELSE WANTS TO GO FIRST. NO. UM, I MEAN Y'ALL, I'VE BEEN UP FRONT, THIS IS MY ALUMNI AND STILL I'M A HARD SELL ON THIS . THEY ORIGINALLY ASKED FOR I BELIEVE A HUNDRED MILLION, THEN DROPPED IT TO 80 MILLION AND ORIGINALLY 1 20, 1 20 THEN TO 80 WHEN WE HAD THAT WORKSHOP THEN IT WAS 80 80 PER 80 MILLION WAS SUPPOSED TO COME FROM THE PROPOSED MCIP AND THEN NOW THE 47 MILLION. CORRECT. 'CAUSE THEY RECEIVED 47 FROM THE STATE. UM, YEAH, I DO NOT STRAIGHT UP, I DON'T BELIEVE WE SHOULD BE FUNDING $47 MILLION FOR THIS. UM, WE HAVE IT IN OUR GENERAL FUND, BUT THAT WOULD BE IRRESPONSIBLE SPENDING ALL THOSE FUNDS FROM OUR GENERAL FUND ON THAT FROM THAT. AND THERE'S SO MUCH MORE THAT WE COULD DO IN THIS AREA, WHETHER IT IS FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING OR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE THAT WE SHOULD BE USING THAT MONEY FOR. NOW I DO THINK USCB IS A HUGE ASSET TO THE COUNTY. I DO BELIEVE GROWING LOCAL TALENT AND KEEPING THEM HERE IS A BIG PART OF OUR JOB. YES, WE KNOW WE CAN MAKE TAXPAYER MONEY OFF OF THEIR ARENA IF IT'S DONE RIGHT WITH THE 3,500 SEATS AND DOING EVENTS AND ALL THAT STUFF. BUT A LOT OF THE SALE SELLING POINTS ON THAT, HONESTLY, I THINK THEY'RE JUST TRYING TO FILL A PAPER AND THEY SAY IT ALLEVIATES TRAFFIC AND SAFER FOR PEOPLE TO GET TO THE BALL FIELD. AND WE ALSO ADDING TRAFFIC ONTO OUR ROAD AND MAKING IT UNSAFE FOR OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE TO DRIVE TO IT. SO IT'S COUNTERPRODUCTIVE. THE OTHER PART, THE SHELTERS, UM, FOR HURRICANES AND DISASTERS, I GET THAT WE NEED TO HAVE PLACES, UM, THE NATIONAL GUARD AND THE POLICE STATION HAVE USED MY ESTABLISHMENT FOR THE LAST TWO. UM, SO I, I GET THE NEED. UM, WITH THAT SAID, HOW MUCH RETURN ARE WE ACTUALLY GETTING AND HOW MUCH HELP ARE WE GETTING FROM OUTSIDE COUNTIES THAT ARE ALSO GONNA BENEFIT FROM THIS? AND THE LAST I HEARD IS NONE. UM, SO UNLESS THAT'S CHANGED IN THE LAST WEEK, THE ONLY PLAYERS OF THE STATE AND BEAVER COUNTY CORRECT. AND WE'RE ALL GOING GONNA BENEFIT OF THIS. I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM LOOKING AT 15 20 MILLION AND SEE IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COULD JUMPSTART THEM. I FULLY BELIEVE THAT THEY HAVE OTHER SOURCES, THEY HAVE OTHER WAYS TO RAISE MONEY. THERE'S NO WAY THEY'D BE AS SUCCESSFUL AS THEY HAVE BEEN WITHOUT THAT. BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND THEM TAKING THE POSITION THEY ARE BECAUSE YOU KNOW, THEY'RE TRYING TO GET AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. THEY WOULDN'T BE GOING FOR PHASE ONE IF THEY DIDN'T BELIEVE THEY COULD FUND PHASE TWO AND WE BETTER BELIEVE THEY'RE PROBABLY COMING TO US FOR PHASE TWO AND THEIR DONORS AS WELL. SO THAT'S JUST ME PERSONALLY. I MEAN MY CAP WOULD PROBABLY BE ABOUT THAT 20 MILLION RANGE AND I'M NOT EVEN A HUNDRED PERCENT YES ON THAT. BUT I GUESS I WOULD WANT STAFF TO LOOK AT HOW WOULD WE BE ABLE TO FUND THAT WITHOUT RAISING THE MILLAGE, WITHOUT HURTING OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT ALREADY. UM, AND IS THERE A WAY TO EVEN MAKE THAT HAPPEN AND WHAT THAT TIMEFRAME WOULD LOOK LIKE? THAT'S JUST MY SENSE. BUT I'M ONE OF 11, SO. OKAY. ALRIGHT MS. STABBER, GO AHEAD. SO, UM, I'M A 37 YEAR EDUCATOR, SO I'M ALL FOR EDUCATION. HOWEVER, WITH THIS PROJECT WE MET WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. THEY WERE A FIRM NO ON THE MCIP. CORRECT. THEY'RE VERY CONCERNED OF WHAT OUR DECISION MIGHT MAKE. THEY HAVE MADE IT PERFECTLY CLEAR TO DR. PNU AND THE COLLEGE, THEY WILL NOT USE THE FACILITY FOR GRADUATION. SO THAT'S OFF THE TABLE. UM, I ALSO HAVE A CURRENT ZONE I RAISED LAST WEEK. FORT WENTWORTH IS OPENING UP A $46 MILLION CENTER AND THEY'RE BUILDING IT FOR 46 MILLION OPENING NEXT WEEK, NEXT MONTH, UH, YEAR RATHER. SO THERE'S NO WAY THIS IS GONNA COME IN AT THIS BUDGET AMOUNT. COLONEL GUYER TOLD ME WHAT IT COSTS JUST TO PUT ONE FIELD AT ONE SCHOOL. SO THIS BUDGET AMOUNT IS PROBABLY NOT EVEN REALISTIC. I DO NOT WANT TO FUND IT AT ALL AT THIS TIME. WE HAVE OVER A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS I BELIEVE IN CAPITAL PROJECTS. WE HAVE ALL KINDS OF THINGS TO FUND FOR OUR RESIDENTS. IF WE WERE TO GIVE MONEY TO USCB, UH, I THINK THE RESIDENTS WOULD SAY, WHY ARE YOU ASKING FOR MONEY FOR TRANSPORTATION WHEN YOU GAVE IT TO A COLLEGE? I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. SO AT THIS TIME IT'S NOT A GO FOR ME ALL. ALRIGHT. ALRIGHT, MS. HOWARD, YOU'RE ON MUTE. I I WANT TO SEE OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS LIST REDUCED AND THERE'S SO MANY ITEMS ON THERE THAT WE CANNOT DO AT THIS POINT IN TIME. UM, BECAUSE, AND I THINK THAT SHOULD BE OUR PRIORITY IF WE WERE GONNA SPEND MORE MONEY AND, UM, IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT SOME OF THESE HAVE BEEN ON THE LIST FOR MANY, MANY YEARS AND UM, AND WE ALSO NEED TO REDUCE OUR BONDS LIKE OUR CFO HAS RECOMMENDED RETIRE SOME OF OUR EXISTING BONDS. SO I WILL NOT BE VOTING. MR. CHAIRMAN? YES, MR. GLOVER? UH, YES. I WANT TO PIGGYBACK ON MR. [01:45:01] PASSMAN RECOMMENDATION THAT WE TASK THE STAFF TO COME BACK WITH SOME KIND OF, UM, PLAN TO SEE HOW WE COULD FUND THIS. SO I'M NOT GONNA SAY NO TO THIS. UM, 'CAUSE I SEE IT AS AN INVESTMENT IN IN IN THIS COMMUNITY. AND EVEN THOUGH I'M NORTH OR BROAD AND THAT'S GONNA BE SOUTH OF ABROAD, I STILL SEE IT AS A INVESTMENT OR IN THIS ENTIRE COMMUNITY. SO, UM, I'M, I'LL SUPPORT MR. PASSMAN SUGGESTION. ALRIGHT. IS THERE ANY ANYONE ELSE WHO'D LIKE TO SPEAK? YEAH, I WOULD. MR. MACALLAN, GO AHEAD. YEAH, I'M VERY SYMPATHETIC TO DR. PANNUS PLEA. THEY WOULD NOT HAVE BECOME A FOUR A FOUR YEAR COLLEGE WITHOUT OUR SUPPORT. UH, IT SEEMS THAT THE ONLY PEOPLE REALLY SUPPORTING THEM IN THE STATE AND THE COUNTY AND NO OTHER COUNTIES, EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE A GREAT MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE BENEFITING FROM THAT. UM, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT I HAVE YET HEARD THE, UH, BEST PLAN AVAILABLE FOR THEM TO RAISE THIS MONEY, USE THIS MONEY OR WHAT THEY REALLY NEED THE OUT YEARS IN ADDITION TO THIS MONEY. BUT, UH, FOR ME IT WOULD HAVE TO BE AN EIGHT TO 10 YEAR PLAN WHERE WE ARE MAKING A MINIMUM AMOUNT OF MONEY AVAILABLE EVEN WITH AN EIGHT YEAR PLAN AT 6 MILLION A YEAR. THAT'S A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT, BUT THERE ARE WAYS TO DO THAT. IT WOULD BE AN IMAGINATIVE WAY TO PROVIDE THIS TO ASSISTANCE IF WE COULD GET AN EIGHT TO 10 YEAR PLAN. BUT ON THE CON ON THE OTHER HAND, IT COULD, UH, COULD RESULT IN A MILLAGE RATE, UH, INCREASE AND WHICH I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF, BUT IF WE'RE GONNA RETIRE SOME BONDS AS THE, UH, AS ALICE HOWARD JUST SAID, IT MIGHT BE A WAY TO HELP THEM DO THIS, BUT IT'S GONNA HAVE TO BE OVER AN EIGHT TO 10 YEAR PERIOD AND I NEED A BETTER, AND I NEED A BETTER IDEA OF EXACTLY WHAT THE WHOLE PROJECT'S GOING TO COST AND WHAT THE BENEFITS WOULD BE BEFORE I WOULD VOTE YES. ALRIGHT. ANYBODY ELSE? ALL RIGHT. SO, SO AGAIN, WE'VE HEARD $20 MILLION. WE'VE HEARD AN EIGHT TO 10 YEAR PLAN. UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT TO SEE WHAT OUR MAXIMUM IS EACH YEAR THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY DO. WHETHER IT IS A, A, A, UM, A PLAN THAT IS, UM, YOU KNOW, EIGHT YEARS AND IT'S $20 MILLION, OR AS MR. MCCLELLAN SAID, IT'S EIGHT YEARS AND IT'S THE, THE THE, YOU KNOW, FIVE OR $6 MILLION A YEAR, UM, TO GET TO THAT POINT. BUT I KNOW THAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR IT SOONER THAN THAT. BUT, BUT AS I MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, FOR US, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE NEED TO KEEP OUR, OUR, UM, OUR FUNDING WHERE IT IS RIGHT NOW FOR EMERGENCIES, FOR HURRICANES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND WE DO HAVE THINGS IN OUR RESERVE FUND, BUT AGAIN, THAT'S WHY THEY'RE THERE IS FOR EMERGENCIES. SO, UM, SO WHAT O OTHER THINGS CAN WE, CAN WE GET YOU INFORMATION WISE, MS. HARRY, WHAT DO YOU, WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT YOU NEED BESIDES JUST THAT VAGUE STUFF THAT WE JUST KIND OF HANDED YOU HERE? WELL, I'VE SEEN A FEW NUMBERS COME OUT, BUT THEIR REQUEST IS 47. RIGHT. WOULD YOU LIKE US TO SEE WHAT THE OPTIONS ARE OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO NOT MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT? I, I THINK WE, WE, WE DON'T WANNA SPEND A LOT OF YOUR TIME 'CAUSE YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW TIME CONSUMING IT IS, BUT WE WOULD OBVIOUSLY LIKE TO ALL OF US SEE AS MANY OPTIONS AS, AS THE YOU AS THE EXPERT, YOU KNOW, ALONG WITH, WITH, UM, OUR, OUR, OUR STAFF AND MR. MOORE OF, OF WHAT CAN AND CAN'T AND WHAT THE POSSIBILITIES ARE. AND I CAN'T, 'CAUSE YOU LOOK AT IT AND SAY, OKAY, WE COULD ALWAYS RAISE THE MILLAGE RATE JUST FOR THE SCHOOL AND HAVE A MILLAGE RATE INCREASE OR WE COULD, YOU KNOW, INSTEAD OF DOING OUR TRANSPORTATION, THERE'S A 1 CENT SALES TAX THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU SEE ALL THE TIME PLACES DO UNTIL THEY RAISE THE FUNDS AND ALL THOSE THINGS THAT, THAT OBVIOUSLY MONEY HAS TO COME FROM SOMEPLACE, WHICH IS OUR, OUR OUR, OUR, OUR COUNTY COUNT. I MEAN OUR, OUR OUR COUNTY, UM, UH, CONSTITUENTS THAT IT'S THEIR MONEY ULTIMATELY. SO IF I COULD JUST TRY TO HELP HER SAVE TIME, THE MAJORITY OF COUNCIL, I HAVE A SENSE IS NOT GONNA SUPPORT A MILLAGE INCREASE. SO TO KEEP YOU FROM GOING DOWN ALL THAT AND RUNNING THE NUMBERS ON IT, IF, IF THE MILLAGE IS GOING UP, I'M, MOST PEOPLE ARE NOT GONNA SUPPORT THAT AT ALL. SO I DON'T SEE THAT PASSING YOU. SO IF THAT MEANS SAVING YOU TIME FROM GOING TO LOOK AT THIS MUCH MILLAGE WOULD INCREASE THIS MUCH TO GIVE US FIVE, SIX, $7 MILLION A YEAR, WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE, I CAN TELL YOU I WON'T SUPPORT IT. SO, AND I KNOW A MAJORITY OF COUNCIL BASED OFF THE LAST COUPLE OF MEETINGS WOULDN'T EITHER. SO HOPEFULLY THAT CAN SAVE YOU 12 DAYS OF WORK. AND I ALSO DON'T SUPPORT USING FUND BALANCE FOR THIS. AND I ALSO DON'T SUPPORT GOING OUT TO BOND FOR THIS, WHICH IS STILL A TAX ON THE PEOPLE. SO I'M A NO, YOU'RE SO MUCH FUN TAB. I KNOW. ALL RIGHT. ANY MORE DISCUSSION? AGAIN, THIS WAS JUST A DISCUSSION FOR US TO KINDA GET THINGS ROLLING, SO, UH, NO MORE DISCUSSION. I THINK THAT WAS OUR LAST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA. YEP. UM, AND WE ARE OFFICIALLY OH, THANK YOU. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.