[00:00:03]
THIS MEETING IS CALLED TO ORDER.
[I. Call to Order]
1 0 3 ON WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17TH.THIS IS A REGULAR BOARD MEETING OF THE BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY.
UM, IF WE ALL COULD PLEASE RISE AND SAY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG.
FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
STANDS, ONE NATION, INDIVISIBLE WITH, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
SO ON THE AGENDA IS, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS AND SEEING NO PUBLIC PRESENT.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM,
[III. Oath and Introduction of New Board Member ]
UH, WHICH IS THE OATH AND INTRODUCTION OF A NEW BOARD MEMBER.SO, MR. DON LUCAS, UM, WELCOME BACK TO THE BOARD.
DO WE HAVE A OATH THAT I CAN READ? OATH? YEP.
RAISE YOUR RIGHT, RIGHT HAND REPEAT AFTER ME.
I DONALD LUCAS, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR.
I AM DULY QUALIFIED ACCORDING TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THIS STATE.
DULY QUALIFIED ACCORDING TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THIS STATE, TO EXERCISE THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE, TO EXERCISE THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE TO WHICH I HAVE BEEN APPOINTED TO WHICH I HAVE BEEN APPOINTED, AND THAT I WILL TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, THAT I WILL TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, DISCHARGE THE DUTIES THEREOF, DISCHARGE THE DUTIES THEREOF, AND PRESERVE, PROTECT, AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THIS STATE.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT MS. MITCHELL IS ON THE ROAD AND SHE WILL JOIN US, UH, AS SOON AS SHE CAN.
[IV. Minutes from Meeting on: ]
IS MEETING MINUTES FROM THE BOARD MEETING ON NOVEMBER 6TH.DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE MEETING MINUTES AS WRITTEN? MR. WICKE? IS THERE A SECOND? MS. JOHNSON? OKAY.
THAT MOTION FOR BOTH THE CANVAS HEARING MINUTES AND NO, WE'LL DO THE CANVAS HEARING MEETING MINUTES NOW.
SO NEXT IS THE NOVEMBER 6TH CANVAS HEARING MINUTES.
UM, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THESE MEETING MINUTES AS WRITTEN? SO MOVED.
ANY COMMENTS? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
[IV. Committee Reports (if any) ]
WE'LL MOVE ON TO COMMITTEE REPORTS, IF ANY, STARTING WITH, UH, BUDGET AND FINANCE.THE COMMITTEE JUST MET, UH, TODAY.
SO WE WILL REPORT BACK ON THE JANUARY MEETING.
UM, I'M HOPING ALL OF YOU GOT A COPY OF THE FACILITY COMMITTEE REPORT.
I ASKED, DID YOU GET A COPY? WANNA MAKE SURE THE FACILITY COMMITTEE MET ON THE, UH, 17TH OF NOVEMBER, UM, TO DISCUSS, UH, SHELL HALL, UM, CHANGES TO THE AWASA PRECINCT POLLING, UH, 20 20,000 CIP PROPOSALS, ELECTION CENTRAL PARKING, PEARL APARTMENTS, THE EMERGENCY GENERATOR, AND THE BARN AS A POTENTIAL, UM, NEW POLLING LOCATION.
UM, STAFF IS EVALUATING THE SHELL CLUBHOUSE AS A, AS A POTENTIAL SITE FOR BLUFFTON FOUR B.
UM, ACCESS RESTRICTIONS AND POA RULES PREVENT PINE CREST RESIDENTS FROM VOTING THERE.
SO, AS A RESULT OF STAFF IS CONSIDERING THE CROSS SCHOOLS AS AN ALTERNATIVE LOCATION FOR BOTH BLUFFTON FOUR AND FOUR E, UH, WE GET UPDATES REGARDING THE RESULTS OF THE STAFF EFFORTS.
AT THE JANUARY, 2026 MEETING, UH, THANKS
[00:05:01]
TO MR. BECKER, WE WERE ABLE TO, UH, PAY A VISIT OUT TO KASI TO INVESTIGATE THAT AS A, AS A POTENTIAL POLLING SITE.I BELIEVE STAFF WILL PROVIDE SOME RESULTS OF THAT, OF THAT, UH, UM, PROCESS, UM, EITHER TODAY OR AT THE JANUARY MEETING.
UM, THE FIRE ALARM SYSTEM WHEN NOTIFICATION PULLED DOWN WAS ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE DISCUSSED FOR THE 20 20 20 27 CIP BOTTLES FOR THE FRONT LOBBY, UH, THE GLASS WINDOW AREA.
AND I THINK, UH, STAFF IS GONNA PROVIDE AN UPDATE FOR THE BALLISTIC WINDOWS FOR THE FRONT AREA.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THAT SHOULD BE POTENTIALLY DONE BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
UH, ALSO LOOKING AT, AT THE POTENTIAL OF PUTTING BOLLARDS AS A SECURITY COUNTERMEASURE IN THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING.
UH, CAMERAS FOR THE WAREHOUSE.
AGAIN, AN ITEM THAT, UH, FACILITY COMMITTEE DISCUSSED, BUT STAFF HAS SOME UPDATE ON THAT AS WELL.
UM, A, A SECURITY CAMERA MONITOR AND A DEPUTY DIRECTOR AND IT SERVICE TO PROVIDE SOME TYPE OF, UH, ADVANCED NOTICE OF ANY POTENTIAL SECURITY THREATS.
UM, AND OF COURSE, IMPROVE LIGHTING NEAR THE AWNING OF THE, OF THE BUILDING, WHICH WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL LIGHTING FOR STAFF VISITORS AS WELL AS, UM, ANYONE ELSE THAT MAY COME TO THE BUILDING.
UH, WE ALSO DISCUSSED THE POSSIBILITY OF AN IMPROVE HVAC SYSTEM IN THE WAREHOUSE BECAUSE OF SOME POTENTIAL, UH, CLIMATE ISSUES IN THAT AREA THAT WOULD AFFECT OUR, OUR EQUIPMENT.
UM, AND ALSO THE POTENTIAL TO FORTIFY AND CLIMATIZE THE MEZZANINE AREA FOR ADDITIONAL STORAGE HERE AT ON SITE, AS OPPOSED TO USING A STORAGE SITE THAT WE ARE USING, UH, OFFSITE AT THIS TIME, WHICH, WHICH WOULD MAKE IT MORE CONVENIENT IF IT HAS ON SITE AS ALL.
DO YOU KNOW PARKING HAS BECOME AN ISSUE HERE? UH, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT AT OUR LAST MEETING.
THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY ADJACENT TO THE BUILDING, UM, DECIDED TO DEVELOP THAT PROPERTY.
UM, AS Y'ALL ALL OF YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN USING THAT PROPERTY, UH, PROBABLY SINCE WE'VE BEEN HERE AT THIS BUILDING.
UM, THROUGH THE GRACE, GOOD GRACES OF, OF, UH, OF, UH, ANOTHER OWNER.
THE STAFF IS ALSO LOOKING AT SOME OTHER POTENTIAL OPTIONS FOR PARKING, UH, INCLUDING THE OPEN SPACE ACROSS THE STREET FROM JOHN GAULT.
AND THEY WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR OTHER OPTIONS AS WELL TO SEE IF WE CAN MEET OUR PARKING REQUIREMENTS, ESPECIALLY ON ELECTION DAY.
ONE OF THE OTHER POTENTIAL SITES WE WERE LOOKING AT WAS THE PEARL APARTMENTS.
UM, THE OBJECTIVE WAS TO USE THAT FOR BEAUFORT ONE PRECINCT.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY, PEARL APARTMENT DECIDED THAT THEY DID NOT WANT TO BE UTILIZED, UH, FOR THAT PURPOSE, BUT THE STAFF IS GONNA CONTINUE TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM TO SEE IF THEY CAN CONVINCE THEM TO CHANGE THAT DECISION.
UM, EMERGENCY GENERATOR, SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS, IT LOOKS LIKE I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET INSTALLED THIS FISCAL YEAR BECAUSE OF THE COST, BUT POTENTIALLY IN FISCAL YEAR 2027.
THE OTHER BIG ITEM THAT WE DISCUSSED WAS THE BARN AT NEW RIVERSIDE FOR BLUFFTON TWO C AND BLUFFTON TWO F.
AND IF WE ARE SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING THAT, AND THAT WILL ALLOW US TO HAVE BLUFF TWO C TO HAVE ITS OWN PRECINCT AND BLUFFTON TWO F WILL B AND ADJACENT PRECINCT OF THE FACILITY REPORT QUESTION.
UH, I, I DO WANNA SPEAK MAYBE UNDER NEW BUSINESS.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT ADMINISTRATOR MOORE'S DECEMBER 1ST LETTER REGARDING THE BLUFF AND REC CENTER PARKING.
UM, IT'S RELATED TO FACILITIES, BUT WE'LL COVER THAT UNDER NEW BUSINESS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY, THANK YOU.
UH, LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.
UM, NO ACTION SINCE THE LAST MEETING.
AND, UH, I DID SAY THAT I WANTED TO GET A COMMITTEE MEETING TOGETHER BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.
THAT PROBABLY WILL NOT HAPPEN.
SO, UM, WE'LL PUSH THAT OUT TO JANUARY RE PRECINCT COMMITTEE, MS. DOR, AND AT THIS TIME OKAY.
AND THE RULES COMMITTEE, MS. JOHNSON REPORT AT THIS TIME.
[V. Unfinished Business ]
[00:10:01]
ON THE AGENDA IS UNFINISHED BUSINESS.UM, THE ONLY THING I HAD ON MY LIST WAS THE DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT CONSTITUTES A MEETING.
UH, AT THE LAST MEETING WE DISCUSSED, UM, HAVING TWO MEETINGS BACK TO BACK COUNTING AS TWO MEETINGS.
SO IF A BOARD MEMBER MISSED THAT DAYS OF MEETING THAT DAY OF TWO MEETINGS, UM, AND THEY MISSED A THIRD MEETING, UH, THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE REPORTED TO THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND REMOVED.
SO WE WANTED SOME CLARIFICATION ABOUT WHAT CONSTITUTES A MEETING.
CHRIS, YOU HAD YOUR HAND RAISED? YEAH.
WE HAVE SOME MEETING MINUTES FROM THE AD HOC, UH, DIRECTOR SEARCH COMMITTEE.
OKAY, HERE, IT'S, SO IT'S IN YOUR PACKAGE.
THESE ARE MEETING NOTES FROM OCTOBER 22ND.
UM, THE AD HOC COMMITTEE OF MR. BECKER, MS. MITCHELL, MR. SOWICKI, AND MYSELF.
UH, THE MAJORITY OF THIS MEETING WAS DONE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION TALKING ABOUT THE PLAN PROCESS, UH, FOR THE SEARCH COMMITTEE.
SO MATTERS ARISING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION.
THERE WERE NO VOTES TAKEN THERE.
UM, WE ASKED TO COLLECT ANY COMMENTS ON THE JOB POSTING.
UM, MR. SOWICKI WAS ASKED TO DOCUMENT THE PREFERRED INTERVIEW QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW.
UM, AND THE NEXT MEETING WAS ON DECEMBER 3RD.
SO WE'RE HAVING ANOTHER COMMITTEE MEETING AFTER TODAY'S WORKSHOP.
SO THERE'S REALLY NOTHING MORE TO REPORT AT THIS TIME.
OKAY, BACK TO THE, WHAT CONSTITUTES A MEETING ISSUE? ANYTHING TO REPORT ON YOUR END? MR. ROBERTSON? I SPOKE WITH, UH, UH, THE PRESENTER AT SCARE, UH, UH, JOE DENEY IN CHARLESTON IN REFERENCE TO THE SITUATION OF WHAT DOES CONSTITUTE A MEETING.
AND BASICALLY WHAT Y'ALL IS, WHAT, WHAT YOU DID SAY, EVEN IF THE MEETINGS HAPPENED TO BE ON THE SAME DAY AND WERE SCHEDULED ON THE SAME DAY, WOULD CONSTITUTE TWO DIFFERENT MEETINGS, WHICH WOULD'VE TO BE COUNTED THAT WAY.
HE SAYS, UM, HE'S THE ONE THAT TEACHES THE BOARD CLASSES OR WHATEVER, BUT BASICALLY FROM HIS, UH, FROM THE DISCUSSION THAT HE AND I HAD, THAT WOULD ALWAYS CONSTITUTE A MEETING, EVEN IF IT HAPPENED TO BE ON THAT DAY AND SAY A PERSON SAID, WELL, I CAN'T BE THERE THAT DAY, DOES THAT COUNT AS ME MISSING TOO? HE SAID, YEAH, TECHNICALLY THAT'S WHAT WOULD HAPPEN.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, I DID FIND A 2019 ATTORNEY GENERAL OPINION, WHICH I CAN CIRCULATE TO THE BOARD.
AND IT, IT DISCUSSED THIS VERY ISSUE AND, UH, IT, IT CONFIRMS WHAT YOU DISCUSSED WITH MR. DENEY.
UM, SO WHEN A BOARD MEETS TO, UH, CONVENES TO DISCUSS MATTERS OVER WHICH THE BOARD HAS SUPERVISION, THAT'S CONSIDERED MEETING, UM, IF THERE IS A LACK OF A DEFINITION OF WHAT A MEETING IS, IT USUALLY MEANS, UM, A CUSTOMARY MEETING, WHICH, WHICH WE ARE DOING.
UM, AND A FOIA DEFINES A MEETING AS A QUORUM OF MEMBERSHIP.
SO, UH, IT JUST CONFIRMS THAT ANYTIME WE GET TOGETHER AS A BOARD, THAT COUNTS AS A MEETING.
I THINK THAT GOING FORWARD, I I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE, UM, SCHEDULE SEPARATE, BUT CONSECUTIVE MEETINGS ONLY WHEN ATTENDANCE BY ALL BOARD MEMBERS IS CONFIRMED.
OF COURSE, I KNOW THINGS WILL CHANGE, BUT WE'LL MAKE OUR BEST EFFORTS.
UM, ANOTHER POSSIBILITY IS TO TRY TO COMBINE, UM, MEETINGS INTO A SINGLE MEETING.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, TODAY'S WORKSHOP, FOLLOWING THIS BOARD MEETING, UM, COULD BE MADE PART OF THE BOARD MEETING, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
SO THAT WOULD MAKE IT ONE MEETING INSTEAD OF TWO SEPARATE ONES.
I YOU SAID, 'CAUSE THAT WAS GONNA BE MY QUESTION.
WE HAVE THREE MEETINGS SCHEDULED A DAY, AND IF TODAY A PERSON IS MISSING, THEY SORT OF OFF THE BOARD, UH, TWO MEETINGS.
WE HAVE THE BOARD MEETING AND A WORKSHOP.
WE HAD A FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING.
YEAH, COMMITTEE MEETINGS DON'T COUNT AS A, A BOARD MEETING.
COMMITTEE MEETINGS DOES NOT COUNT AS A, AS A BOARD MEETING.
IT'S AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING OF THE BOARD.
WELL THEN I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT YOU SAID THE MEETING THAT, THAT FROM THE GUY WHO MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT.
HE SAID ANYTIME THE, THE BOARD, IT WAS A CANVAS.
IT WAS A BOARD MEETING AND A CANVAS AT THE SAME TIMEFRAME.
[00:15:01]
THAT'S DIFFERENT THOUGH.SO SUBCOMMITTEE MEETINGS AREN'T CONSIDERED A MEETING? NOT FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE DISCUSSION Y'ALL HAVING RIGHT NOW.
BASED ON WHAT MR. SWEENEY SAID, THAT WAS IN THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OPINION, IT'S WHEN YOU HAD QUORUMS. YES.
I WOULD HAVE AN ACCIDENT ON THE WAY FROM BLUFFTON, THE HILTON HEAD AND MISSED THREE MEETINGS.
YES, BECAUSE THAT WOULD APPLY.
UM, NEXT, UH, ON NEW BUSINESS, OH, I'M SORRY.
ANY OTHER UNFINISHED BUSINESS? DID I MISS ANYTHING? NEXT ON THE AGENDA
[VI. New Business ]
IS NEW BUSINESS.UH, SO FIRST I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT, UH, COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS.
SO WE'VE HAD A CHANGE WITH MR. LUCAS COMING ON BOARD, UM, AND ON THE FACILITIES COMMITTEE, MR. FORD HAS, UH, REQUESTED TO STEP ASIDE AS THE COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN.
SO, UM, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A NEW APPOINTMENT.
WELL ACTUALLY APPOINT MR. LUCAS TO SEVERAL BOARDS AND MAKE SOME CHANGES.
SO, UM, BOARD ASSIGNMENTS ARE TYPICALLY TWO YEARS.
SO WE HAVE ONE MORE YEAR LEFT BEFORE THE COMMITTEES GET COMPLETELY REASSIGNED.
SO, UH, WHAT I'LL ANNOUNCE NOW WILL BE THE COMMITTEE, UM, MEMBERS, UH, THROUGH 2026.
SO FOR FINANCE, UH, THE ONLY CHANGE THERE IS THAT I, I'LL REMOVE MYSELF AND ADD MR. LUCAS.
SO FINANCE COMMITTEE WILL BE MR. BACKER AS CHAIR, MR. FORD, MS. JOHNSON AND MR. LUCAS FOR THE FACILITIES COMMITTEE.
UM, MR. SOKI WILL ACT AS THE CHAIRMAN.
UH, MS. DOR WILL REMAIN ON THE COMMITTEE.
MS. JOHNSON WILL REMAIN AND MR. LUCAS WILL BE ADDED, UH, FOR LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS.
SO I'LL REMAIN CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS WILL BE MR. BACKER, MS. DOR AND MS. MITCHELL FOR PRECINCT, UH, NO CHANGES.
MS. DOER WILL REMAIN THE CHAIRMAN, MR. BACKER.
MR. FORD AND MS. MITCHELL WILL BE MEMBERS.
AND FOR THE RULES COMMITTEE, WE'LL HAVE ONE CHANGE.
MS. JOHNSON WILL REMAIN THE CHAIRMAN.
UM, MS. MITCHELL WILL REMAIN, MR. SOWICKI WILL REMAIN, AND MR. LUCAS WILL BE ADDED.
WE'LL
UM, I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS MR. MOORE'S LETTER DATED DECEMBER 1ST, 2025.
THAT WAS IN RESPONSE TO, UM, A LETTER I SENT ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD EARLIER IN THE YEAR TALKING ABOUT EARLY VOTING CENTER TURNOUT, AND, UM, ASKING FOR SOME ASSISTANCE ON THE PARKING SITUATION, SPECIFICALLY IN, UH, BEAUFORT HERE AT THIS OFFICE AND AT THE BLUFFTON REC CENTER ENTER.
SO I BELIEVE YOU ALL RECEIVED A COPY OF MR. MOORE'S LETTER.
UM, AND IN, IN SUMMARY, UH, THE BLUFFTON RECREATION CENTER, UM, PARKING LOT WILL NOT BE PAVED.
UM, IT WILL CARRY OVER TO THE FINANCIAL YEAR 2027 LIST.
UM, SO WE'LL HAVE TO GET THROUGH 2026 WITHOUT A PAVED PARKING LOT THERE.
THE COUNTY IS LOOKING AT ADDING SOME GRAVEL AND LEVELING OUT THE, THE PARKING LOT, WHICH WILL ADD SOME ADDITIONAL SPACES, UM, AND PROPER MARKINGS.
AND MR. ROBERSON, YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING TO THAT? I, I WAS GOING TO ADDRESS SOME OF THAT IN THE, UH, REPORT.
SO I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T KNOW HOW FAR YOU WERE GOING WITH THAT.
SO I WAS GONNA ADDRESS SOME OF IT IN THE REPORT FAR AS THE, THE OKAY.
WE, WE CAN DISCUSS IT FURTHER THAN, OKAY.
UH, DURING YOUR REPORT, UH, UM, THE PARCEL ADJACENT TO 15 JOHN GALT, UM, AS MR. FORD MENTIONED, IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
SO WE ARE ESSENTIALLY LOSING ALL OF THE PARKING SPACE BESIDE 15 JOHN GALT.
NOT ONLY THAT WE'RE LOSING THE, THE RIGHT OF WAY, WHICH IS IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE PAVED PARKING LOT HERE.
SO WE HAVE LOST, I WOULD SAY, A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE PARKING FOR 15 JOHN GAULT.
SO WE HAVE A, A MAJOR ISSUE HERE.
THERE, THERE'S SOME THERE, YES.
I'LL ADDRESS IT IN THE REPORT.
'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO TALK ABOUT SOME OUT OF THE BOX IDEAS TOO, RIGHT? IF WE WANNA KEEP THIS AS A POLLING LOCATION FOR EARLY VOTING.
UM, SOMETHING THAT I READ THIS WEEK, UH, RELATING TO EARLY VOTING, AM I CORRECT IN MY RECOLLECTION THAT THE STATE LAW SAYS THAT THE, UH, ELECTION, MAIN ELECTION OFFICE HAS TO BE AN EARLY VOTING CENTER? I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE CASE, BUT I LOOKED THROUGH THE,
[00:20:01]
THE CODE OF LAWS AND I COULDN'T FIND THAT.SO, BECAUSE SOME OF THE IDEAS THAT IS, THAT WE TOSSED AROUND INVOLVED POSSIBLY MOVING IT, AND I JUST WANTED MAKE SURE BEFORE WE WENT, IF WE CHOSE TO GO DOWN THAT PATH, THAT THAT WOULD BE LEGAL.
AFTER THE MA LAST MEETING, I, I RESEARCHED THAT AND I COULDN'T FIND IT ANYWHERE.
UM, MR. MOORE'S NEXT BULLET WAS THAT THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT IS REVIEWING DATA PROVIDED BY THE EARLY VOTING CENTERS TO PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE TRAFFIC FLOW AND MANAGEMENT AT THESE LOCATIONS.
WE'VE TALKED AT A COUPLE OF MEETINGS ABOUT OUR DESIRE AS A BOARD TO HAVE A THIRD PARTY COME IN AND CONTROL THE TRAFFIC AND PARKING, UM, ESPECIALLY AT 15 JOHN GALT AND, UH, THE BLUFF AND REC CENTER FOR EARLY VOTING.
UM, SO MR. MOORE SAID THAT COUNTY EQUIPMENT HAS BEEN PURCHASED AND CAN BE UTILIZED FOR THE 2026 PRIMARY ELECTION AND EBCS.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S FINE, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S DATA THAT CAN BE USED AFTER THE FACT.
WE HAVE TO PREPARE FOR THESE, UH, VOTING EVENTS, UM, IN ADVANCE AND, AND WITHOUT THAT COUNTING EQUIPMENT.
SO I SUPPOSE WE'LL DISCUSS MOST OF THIS DURING YOUR PRESENTATION.
WHAT, WHAT CHANGES OR WHAT, BUT DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT MR. MOORE'S LETTER? NO.
UM, THE CALENDAR, SO WE ALL RECEIVE THE 2026 CALENDAR.
SO THE, UH, ELECTION DATES ARE, ARE AFFIRMED.
UM, THE, UH, BOARD DATES ARE, ARE DRAFT.
SO IF ANYBODY HAS LOOKED AT THIS AND HAS ANY COMMENTS, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THEM.
IF NOT, I ASK THAT EVERYBODY TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
AND BY THE NEXT MEETING, HAVE ANY COMMENTS, UH, ABOUT THE BOARD MEETING RELATED DATES? MATT, CAN I JUST, UM, MR. SWEENEY, CAN I BACK UP FOR A SECOND ON THE, ON THE PARKING? SURE.
DO WE HAVE ANY, UH, RECORD OF CORRESPONDENCE GOING BACK AND FORTH TO MR. WAR? SO, UM, IF THIS WAS THROWN IN OUR LAP, IT LOOKS LIKE WE MADE EVERY EFFORT TO GET ASSISTANCE FROM THE COUNTY ON, UH, UH, FINDING A NEW PARKING FACILITY OR PURCHASING THAT LAND.
SO IT'S NOT THROWN BACK ON THE, UH, ON THE BOARD THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT DID THE BOARD DO? THEY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING.
AND KNOWING THAT THAT LAND WAS GONNA BE SOLD SORT OF A CYA, YEAH, I THINK THAT, UM, LET'S, LET'S LISTEN TO WHAT MR. ROBERSON HAS TO TA TO SAY AND, AND WHAT THE PLANS ARE OF THE COUNTY TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES.
IF WE AS A BOARD ARE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THE ACTIONS THAT THEY HAVE PLANNED, UH, WE CAN TALK ABOUT, THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT STEPS, WHETHER THAT'S AN AD HOC COMMITTEE TO HELP WORK WITH THE COUNTY AND GET SOME SATISFACTORY PLANS, UM, OR, OR SIMPLY, UM, DISCUSS WITH STAFF ABOUT NEW IDEAS THEY CAN RAISE.
I AM LOOKING AT THIS CALENDAR AND IT SAYS THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A BOARD MEETING ON DECEMBER 23RD OF NEXT YEAR.
AND I STRONGLY SUGGEST WE DO NOT HAVE A BOARD MEETING ON THAT DATE, AND INSTEAD MODIFY THE CALENDAR.
THE NOVEMBER BOARD MEETING, IT'S THE DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING, SO IT HAD NOT GOTTEN THAT FAR.
SO I PROPOSE, UH, WE MOVE BOTH OF THOSE MEETINGS TO, TO THE ONE WEEK PRIOR, SO NOVEMBER 18TH AND, UH, DECEMBER 16TH.
MR. CHAIRMAN, IF YOU'LL NOTICE FOR THE NOVEMBER, THERE'S ALSO ONE SHOULD BE LISTED FOR THE CANVAS HEARING ALSO, BUT WE DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THAT'S GONNA BE ON THE 18TH AND WHAT DAY IN DECEMBER.
WHY DON'T WE MAKE, UH, NOVEMBER, MAKE IT NOVEMBER 19TH.
SO WE'LL DO THE BOARD MEETING AND THE CANVAS HEARING TWO SEPARATE MEETINGS ON THE SAME DAY.
UM, AS THAT DATE DRAWS CLOSER, IF THERE'S SOMEBODY WHO MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ATTEND THAT DAY, WE MAY RESCHEDULE THE BOARD MEETING.
YOU MEAN DOING 'EM BOTH ON THE SIXTH? DO THEM BOTH ON THE 19TH? THAT'S ONLY IF WE HAVE A, A RUNOFF.
SO THE SIX IS THE ACTUAL CANVAS HEARING FOR THE, WHEN IS THE OCTOBER BOARD MEETING THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.
THE SAME THING KEEP IN MIND AS WELL FOR JUNE AND MAY, MAY AND JUNE RATHER.
SO WHY DON'T WE SCHEDULE THE NOVEMBER BOARD MEETING ON THE SIXTH.
[00:25:05]
SO FOR CLARIFICATION, YOU WILL NOT HAVE A DECEMBER.NO, I'D LIKE TO PUT IT ON THE SCHEDULE FOR THE PRIOR WEEK.
SO THAT'S THE WHAT, 16TH? NO, 17TH.
LET'S, UH, LET'S MOVE THE NOVEMBER 25TH BOARD MEETING TO NOVEMBER 6TH INSTEAD.
AND THEN THE DECEMBER 23RD BOARD MEETING WILL BE MOVED TO THE 17TH.
THE 16TH
AND DID YOU SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE OCTOBER ONE? I JUST ASKED WHEN IT WAS.
BUT DO WE HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE JUNE MEETING AS WELL? JUNE MEETING IS THE MAY MEETING AND THE JUNE MEETING, I MEAN THE JUNE CANVAS, THOSE PRIMARY, SO YOU NORMALLY COMBINE THOSE TWO WHEN THAT SITUATION OCCURS AS WELL.
SO HOW DO WE FEEL ABOUT MOVING THE JUNE 24TH MEETING TO JUNE 11? NO, I'M TALKING ABOUT MAY AND MAY MEETING IN THE JUNE 11TH MEETING.
HISTORICALLY THE SEVENTH MEETING TO JUNE 11TH.
AND THEN KEEP THE JUNE 24TH MEETING.
BOARD MEETING IN MAY, THEN? CORRECT.
SO WE'LL MOVE THE MAY 27TH MEETING TO JUNE 11TH.
SO YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A BOARD MEETING ON JUNE 11TH? YES.
SO HISTORICALLY, AND, AND, AND HISTORICALLY, UH, IF THERE'S NO RUNOFF FROM THAT, THEN THERE WOULD NOT BE A A, A CANVAS HEARING ON THE 24TH.
YOU ALREADY HAD YOUR JUNE MEETING.
THIS SHOWS THE CANVAS HEARING IS THE 25TH.
JUST SO, SO JUST SO WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE WITH THE CHANGES, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE THE MAY 27 BOARD MEETING TO JUNE 11TH.
AND THEREFORE THERE WILL BE NO SCHEDULED BOARD MEETING IN MAY.
THERE WILL BE ANOTHER, UM, NO CHANGE TO THE JUNE 24TH BOARD MEETING.
SO WE MAY HAVE A MEETING, UM, TWO MEETINGS IN JUNE.
WHAT? NO CHANGE TO THE JUNE 24TH MEETING.
'CAUSE THE MAY ONE IS THE ONE THAT'S BEEN ROLLED INTO JUNE.
WE'LL DECIDE AS THAT, AS WE GET CLOSER, WHETHER WE NEED THAT 24TH MEETING OR IF THAT HAS TO BE RESCHEDULED TO THE 25TH.
AND THE OTHER CHANGE IS THAT NOVEMBER 6TH WILL NOW INCLUDE THE NOVEMBER 25TH BOARD MEETING, SO NO BOARD MEETING THE 25TH AND INSTEAD A REGULAR BOARD MEETING ON THE SIXTH BEFORE THE CANVAS MEETING OR AFTER.
AND THEN THE, UM, DECEMBER BOARD MEETING WILL BE RESCHEDULED TO DECEMBER 16.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OCTOBER? UH, NO CHANGE IN OCTOBER.
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A MEETING OCTOBER 28TH, THEN COME BACK A WEEK LATER.
I'D LIKE TO KEEP IT ON THE CALENDAR THAT WAY.
WE MAY, WE MAY CHANGE THAT AS THE TIME GETS CLOSER.
ARE WE GOING TO TRY, TRY TO CHANGE LOCATIONS BACK TO THE, UH, COUNTY COUNCIL BUILDING? 'CAUSE IT'S ALL, I THINK THEY'LL ALL BE HERE.
YEAH, WE ARE, WE ARE ACTUALLY GETTING THE, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE GETTING THE EQUIPMENT FROM THE EXECUTIVE ROOM OVER THERE, INSTALLED HERE, SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO BRING ALL THIS IN.
[00:30:05]
OKAY.THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER, MR. CHAIR.
WE'RE GONNA GET A REVISED COPY OF THIS EMAIL TO US.
I'VE WRITTEN ALL, ALL OVER MINE.
CHRIS, IF YOU COULD SEND THAT REVISED CALENDAR OUT, PLEASE.
I REALIZE I MISSED AN UNFINISHED BUSINESS ITEM, AND THAT'S JUST A BRIEFING ON THE INSURANCE SITUATION.
UM, SO THE COUNTY PURCHASED ON OUR BEHALF EFFECTIVE NOVEMBER 1ST, A, A PUBLIC OFFICIAL'S LIABILITY AND EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES LIABILITY INSURANCE.
UM, AND IT IS A, A VERY GOOD POLICY.
UH, THERE WAS, THERE'S A QUESTION THOUGH ABOUT ITS, UH, COVERAGE FOR GENERAL LIABILITY ISSUES.
UM, THE POLICY AS WRITTEN, THIS PUBLIC OFFICIAL'S LIABILITY, WHICH IS A COMMERCIAL PRODUCT, IT DOES HAVE, UM, LIABILITY INSURANCE INCLUDED UP TO A MILLION DOLLARS.
UM, SOUTH CAROLINA TORT LAW LIMITS, UM, TORT PAYOUTS TO 300,000 FOR INDIVIDUAL EVENTS AND 600,000 TOTAL EVENTS.
SO THIS $1 MILLION DOES COVER OUR EXPOSURE FOR COVERED EVENTS.
UM, IT ALSO COVERS EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES LIABILITY AND THIRD PARTY, THIRD PARTY LIABILITY, AND, UH, PUBLIC OFFICIALS CRISIS MANAGEMENT INSURANCE AS WELL.
SO, UM, I HAVE BEEN SPEAKING WITH RISK MANAGEMENT ABOUT SOME CONCERNS I HAVE, UM, RELATED TO, TO GAPS.
AND THE GAPS WOULD BE ESSENTIALLY THE DEDUCTIBLES THAT WOULD BE PAYABLE, THEY CALL THEM RETENTIONS, UH, OF $5,000 IN THE EVENT OF A CLAIM.
UM, AND ALSO POSSIBLY A GAP, UH, RELATED TO, UH, PERSONAL INJURY.
SO BODILY INJURY IS, UM, EXPRESSLY EXCLUDED FROM THIS LIABILITY POLICY THAT WE HAVE.
IT DOES INCLUDE, UM, PERSONAL INJURY, HOWEVER.
SO RISK MANAGEMENT IS LOOKING INTO THE DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN THOSE TWO.
AND I'VE ASKED, UH, RISK MANAGEMENT AND THE COUNTY TO INDEMNIFY THE BOARD FOR ANY GAPS BETWEEN COVERAGE THAT WE HAVE IN THIS POLICY AND ANY CLAIMS THAT MIGHT ARISE.
SO, UH, RIGHT NOW THE, THE COUNTY IS LOOKING AT BASICALLY, UM, SELF-INSURING TO INDEMNIFY THE BOARD OR PROCUREMENT OF THE, UH, IRF, THE SOUTH CAROLINA INSURANCE RESERVE FUND TORT LIABILITY POLICY.
UH, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF REDUNDANCIES BETWEEN THAT TORT POLICY IN THIS POLICY WE HAVE.
SO IT'S REALLY UP TO RISK MANAGEMENT AND THE COUNTY TO DECIDE WHICH WAY THEY WANNA GO.
SO, UH, MS. AUDRA SENT ME AN EMAIL YESTERDAY AND SAID THAT THEY'RE STILL REVIEWING THIS AND THAT SHE WOULD GET BACK TO ME AS SOON, AS SOON AS SHE CAN CHAIR.
UM, WILL WE BEGIN A COPY OF THAT FOR REVIEW OF THE INSURANCE POLICY? YES.
I THOUGHT I SENT THAT, BUT I, I'LL RE I'LL RESEND IT, I'LL RESEND IT TO EVERYBODY.
I KNOW I GOT THE LETTER THAT YOU SENT.
IS THERE ANY OTHER NEW BUSINESS? I, OKAY, LET'S
[VII. Deputy Director's Report ]
GO ON TO THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR'S COMMENTS.UH, TODAY WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT SOME AIR UPDATES, POLLING LOCATIONS, VOTER REGISTRATION CARDS, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS IN PUBLIC OUTREACH.
UM, OH GOD, THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE FOUR BOARD MEMBERS SCARES.
THE LAST WEEK OF JANUARY, WE HAVE NINE STAFF AND FOUR BOARD MEMBERS ATTENDING.
ONCE AGAIN, THE THEME IS OLYMPIC GAMES, WHICH CELEBRATES TEAMWORK, PREPARATION IN THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE.
THERE'S FOUR, OH, THERE'S FOUR BOARD MEMBERS.
WHO ARE THE FOUR BOARD MEMBERS? UH, MS. DO MS. JOHNSON, MS. MITCHELL, AND MR. BACKER.
WAS MR. LUCAS GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY? YEAH, HE SAID HE COULDN'T GO.
[00:35:01]
I'M OUT OF TOWN UNTIL THE NIGHT BEFORE THAT TUESDAY, AND I CAN'T GET THERE BY 9:00 AM OKAY.UM, THE NEW VOTER REGISTRATION CARDS, THE REQUEST HAS BEEN SENT TO MAIL OUT.
ME AND CHRIS LOOKED THEM OVER.
THEY HAD TO MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT.
HE JUST SENT, HE, HE TRIED TO SEND ME A PROOF THIS MORNING, BUT IT WASN'T RIGHT.
BUT AS SOON AS I LOOK IT OVER AND MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS STRAIGHT ON THERE, WE'RE GONNA GET THOSE OUT TO THOSE PEOPLE.
AND THOSE ONLY FOR THOSE VERIFIED PRECINCTS THAT WE HAVE ALREADY, UH, FOUND.
WHICH OF THESE RIGHT HERE, UH, AND THESE REPORT AS FAR AS TWO C AND TWO F WILL BE AT THE BARN AT NEW RIVERSIDE, UH, FOUR SIDE AT PEPPER HALL.
THAT'S GONNA TAKE ONE OF 'EM OUT OF ST.
UM, BATTERY CREEK IS GONNA BE TAKEN ONE OUT OF ROBERT SMALLS AND THE TWO BLUFFTON, UH, THE BLUFFTON FOUR B AND FOUR E.
WE ARE STILL RESEARCHING THAT, BUT RIGHT NOW WE HAVE TO GIVE OUR VOTERS SOMEWHERE TO GO.
SO WE'RE HAVING THEM GO TO BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL.
THOSE ARE THE ONES WE'RE LOOKING AT TRYING TO PUT INTO CROSS.
CROSS HAS NOT CALLED US BACK YET.
I'VE CALLED THEM A COUPLE OF TIMES.
THEY, THE FIRST TIME THEY WERE ON VACATION AND THEY HAVEN'T RESPONDED SINCE I CALLED BACK.
UM, THIS ALSO WAS IN THE MR. FORD FACILITY REPORT.
THE STAFF AND TWO BOARD MEMBERS VISITED THE CLUBS ON KWASSA ISLAND, DETERMINED THEIR VIABILITY FOR LOCATION, A POLLING LOCATION.
UH, THE KWASSA RIVER CLUB WAS THE ONE THAT WAS DEEMED SUITABLE FOR IT.
I SPOKE WITH THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE STAFF FROM MR. WILL ROBERTS.
AND, UH, HE AND I LOOKED AT THE LINE, I I COULDN'T FIND A GOOD MAP.
HE TOLD ME WHICH ONE TO LOOK AT.
AND, UH, HE SAID IT SHOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM.
HE SAID THEY WISHED THEY HAD DONE IT WHEN THEY FIRST LOOKED AT IT, THEY MISSED IT.
AND, UH, BASICALLY, UM, THEY'RE GOING TO, THEY WANT TO GO FORWARD WITH IT.
ALL THEY NEED, MR. SWEENEY IS FOR YOU TO TALK WITH MR. HERB KIRWIN TO HAVE HIM BRING IT UP THE LEGISLATION.
HE SAID IT CANNOT BE PRE-FILED.
COULD THAT DEADLINE IS TODAY, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY.
BUT HE SAID IF YOU TALK TO HERB KURTMAN AND HAVE HIM BRING IT UP, THIS WILL TAKE, SHOULD TAKE LESS THAN A MONTH TO GET THIS DONE, TO GET THE LINE REDRAWN.
SO IS A BILL REQUIRED FOR THIS? YES.
SO HE SAID ALL, HE SAID THESE GO THROUGH ALL THE TIME.
HE SAID IF YOU JUST BRING IT UP TO HERS, CURTIS AS THE CHAIR OF THE DELEGATION AND HAVE HIM TO BRING IT FORWARD, IT SHOULDN'T HAVE A PROBLEM GOING THROUGH.
HE'LL SHOW 'EM WHERE THE LINE IS.
I I WANTED TO SHOW EVERYBODY THE LINE HERE.
RIGHT NOW, HERE IS THE CURRENT LINE FOR CHASSI ONE.
ALL THESE PEOPLE RIGHT HERE ARE IN CHASSI THREE.
SO WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS MOVE THAT LINE OUT.
HE SAID THEY'LL MOVE THE LINE INTO THE MARSH.
JUST MOVE IT INTO, MOVE IT INTO THE MARSH AND MAKE CHASSI ONE ALL INCLUSIVE.
AND ALL THESE PEOPLE WILL BE IN CHISI, STILL BE IN CHASSI THREE.
SO THIS WOULD ALLOW US TO MAKE THIS ONE WHERE THE LOCATION, THE POLLING LOCATION IS INSIDE THE PRECINCT AT THE RIVER CLUB.
AND CHASSI THREE WILL BE INSIDE THE LOCATION.
THE LOCATION WILL BE INSIDE, WHICH WILL THOMAS, UM, BARN RUN? NO.
SO BOTH OF THOSE WILL BE WHERE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE BASED ON THEM DRAWING THAT LINE.
HE, HE ACTUALLY SAID THAT THEY MESSED UP 'CAUSE HE SAID THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE SEEN IT WHEN THEY DID IT AND THEY MISSED IT.
WENDELL, CAN YOU GET ME A, A SIMPLE MAP SHOWING THE CHANGE AND I'LL DRAFT A BILL FOR MR. HERB URMAN? WELL, HE, HE, HE, HE'LL DO IT.
HE SAID, OH, HE'LL DO THE BILL.
HE'LL, YOU JUST GOTTA GET, HE SAID IF YOU GET HERB URMAN TO TALK TO HIM TO CALL HIM, YES.
AND WENDELL THAT THE OTHER LINE HAS TO BE BEFORE THE UH, BRIDGE TO SPRING ISLAND SO THAT WE EXCLUDE YEAH, RIGHT HERE.
SEE? YEAH, HE'S GONNA CUT IT RIGHT HERE.
SO ALL OF THAT, ONCE THEY DRAW THAT LINE HERE IS NOW TO CHESS ONE AND THE VOTING WILL, WHEREVER THAT WHERE, WHEREVER THE CLUB IS IN HERE,
WENDELL, WENDELL, IF YOU COULD PLEASE SEND ME THE CONTACT INFO FOR MR. HERB KERMAN TO CONTACT AND IF YOU HAVE A SIMPLE MAP THAT I CAN SPEAK WITH HIM ABOUT, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
WELL, HE KNOWS HIM ALREADY KNOW, HE KNOWS YOU JUST GOTTA TALK TO HIM AND HE'LL CALL HIM AND BECAUSE HE'S ON THE, SORRY, WHO IS HE CALLING? WHAT'S THE NAME? WILL ROBERTS.
HE KNOWS THEY, THEY DO THIS ALL THE TIME.
HE SAID, HE SAID JUST TELL HERB CHRISMAN TO CALL ME
WELL THEN'S BASICALLY WHAT HE SAID.
IF HE CAN JUST SEND ME, YEAH, I'LL SEND MAP AN EXCERPT OF THIS MAP.
AND WERE THERE ANY, JEAN DID YOU IDENTIFY, HAVE YOU PROVIDED ANY BACK TO MS. COOLER AND MR.
[00:40:01]
SPENT BACK FROM MM-HMM.WE WERE JUST WAITING ON, I KNOW YOU SAID THAT THE BOARD DOESN'T MEET TILL NEXT WEEK.
WELL, THE 29TH WE MEET ON THE 20.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU HAD TOLD ME THE 29TH.
SO I WAS JUST WAITING TO HEAR WHAT THEY DECIDED.
WELL, I THINK WHAT WE PROBABLY NEED IN ADVANCE BEFORE THE BOARD MEETING IS THE CALENDAR WITH ALL THE POTENTIAL.
WHAT, WHAT WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL, WE'LL GET A, UM, FACILITY USE PACKAGE TOGETHER AND EVERYTHING.
'CAUSE WE'VE ALREADY DONE THE A DA AND IT'S DONE SO WE CAN GET A FACILITY USE PACKAGE TOGETHER AND THAT WOULD BE THE INFORMATION THAT WE WOULD SEND THEM SO WE CAN GET THEIR POC AND WHAT REQUIREMENTS THEY, THEY HAVE FOR US.
AND, AND AS FAR AS VIABILITY, IT WAS ALREADY PASSED WITH NO PROBLEM.
AND LOCATION IS OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, BETTER SITU.
WENDELL, CAN YOU GO BACK TWO SLIDES? ONE MORE? OKAY.
SO, UH, NEW VOTER REGISTRATION CARDS WERE SENT TO PEOPLE IN THESE PRECINCTS.
THEY WILL BE SENT, WILL BE SENT BECAUSE THEY HAVE NEW POLLING LOCATIONS.
UM, FOR THE EIGHT NEW PRECINCTS THAT WE ADDED IN 2025, HAVE THE VOTERS WHO HAVE A NEW PRECINCT BUT NOT A NEW POLLING LOCATION, HAVE THEY RECEIVED THEIR CARDS? AND IF NOT, WHEN WILL THOSE BE SENT OUT? WAIT, SAY IT AGAIN.
'CAUSE SO FOR, FOR VOTERS WHO ARE IN A NEW PRECINCT RIGHT? BUT NOT A NEW POLLING LOCATION, HAVE THEY RECEIVED THEIR VOTER REGISTRATION CARDS? OR ARE WE PLANNING TO SEND THOSE OUT SOON? I HAVEN'T RECEIVED ONE.
THE LADIES ISLAND TWO B IS NOW 2D BUT OUR VOTING, OUR POLLING LOCATION DID NOT CHANGE.
SO THEY'RE STILL IN THE SAME PLACE.
RIGHT? WE DON'T, BUT WE HAVE A NEW PRECINCT NUMBER, BUT THEIR PRECINCT IS NEW NOW 2D INSTEAD OF TWO B DID.
HOW DO WE, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT.
WE SAID PRECINCT, WE CHANGED THE CARD IF THEY CHANGED THE LOCATION, WASN'T THAT WHAT WE SAID? MM-HMM
THAT WAS THE, THE ONLY CHANGE WE SAID WE WOULD DO BECAUSE OF THE COST WAS WHEN THEY CHANGED LOCATION, WE WOULD CHANGE THEIR CARD.
IF THEY'RE STILL VOTING IN THE SAME PLACE, WE WEREN'T GONNA CONFUSE THEM.
I, I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE IF SOMEONE IS MOVED INTO A NEW PRECINCT, THEY SHOULD GET A NEW VOTER REGISTRATION CARD THAT REFLECTS THEIR NEW CURRENT PRECINCT.
WE'RE GO AND LOOK AT THAT AND GET AND SEE IF THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T.
WE'LL LOOK AT, YEAH, THANK YOU.
SO I WAS JUST, OKAY, LET'S SEE WHERE, OKAY.
REFERENCE TO THE EARLY VOTING CENTER.
THE INFORMATION WE HAVE RIGHT NOW FOR BLUFFTON, THAT WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING, THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO PAVE IT, PAVE IT.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, THEY SAY THEY WANNA PUSH THAT TO 2027, BUT THEY DO HAVE A STOP GAP AND THEY WANT TO PUT, UM, SOME CRUSHED RUN IN THERE.
UM, COMPACTED, CRUSHED RUN FOR THE PARKING AREA.
THEY'RE ALSO LOOKING AT, UH, SETTING UP AN ALTERNATIVE DRIVING PATTERN ONE WAY IN ONE WAY OUT TO MAKE IT SAFER AND MORE EFFICIENT.
AND THEY'RE ALSO LOOKING AT, UH, PARTNERSHIP WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THAT AREA TO MANAGE THE TRAFFIC.
AND I THINK MR. SUKI SAID HE HAD ALREADY TALKED WITH SOMEBODY IN THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT YES.
THAT THEY WERE WILLING TO DO THAT.
SO WE GONNA TALK WITH BOTH OF THEM ON BOTH ENDS HERE IN BLUFFTON.
AND ON THAT END, AS FAR AS, UH, TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT, WHEN THE SITUATION ARISES, YEAH, THEY, THEY SAID THEY WOULD COVER BOTH.
NOW, AS FAR AS THE BUFORT, THESE WERE THE, THESE WERE SOME, WE STILL HAVE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE STILL THROWING AROUND, BUT WE HAVE NOT FOUND ANYMORE YET.
UM, IT'S ME AND AUDRA WERE TALKING,
[00:45:01]
WE'RE LOOKING OVER THERE.IT'S A WAREHOUSE AND A PARTS STORE AND THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE PARKING FOR THE WAREHOUSE AND THE PARTS STORE.
SO AS SOON AS IT IS REASONABLE TO GO AND TALK TO THEM, WE'RE GONNA APPROACH THEM ABOUT BEING ABLE TO USE THAT BECAUSE IT'S NOT GONNA BE ONE OF THOSE HIGHLY TRAFFICKED TYPE UH, BUSINESSES.
UH, AND I'M NOT SURE WHAT KIND OF PARTS STORE IT IS, BUT THE IMPRESSION THAT WE'RE GETTING IS GONNA BE LIKE ONE OF THOSE, YOU KNOW, ELECTRIC PLACE OR WHATEVER WHERE IT'S NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE, A LOT OF TRAFFIC GOING IN THERE.
SO WE'RE GOING TO GO AND APPROACH THEM ABOUT BEING ABLE TO USE THEIR PARKING WHEN THAT TIME COMES FOR THAT TWO WEEK PERIOD.
ALSO, TO KEEP IN MIND THE, THIS END OF THAT WHOLE AREA OVER THERE IS STILL WIDE OPEN.
SO, UH, IF, IF THAT'S THE SAME OWNER, WE WILL APPROACH THEM ABOUT STILL BEING ABLE TO USE THE PARKING ON THAT SIDE.
THERE'S NOTHING OVER THERE WHERE THAT, WHERE THAT MESH FENCE STOPS.
IT'S ALL CLEAR TO THAT SIDE OF THE ROUNDABOUT OF, OF THAT ROUNDABOUT.
AND WHEN THE CAUSEWAY IS FINISHED AS WELL, PARKING ON EITHER SIDE OF THE CAUSEWAY WILL STILL BE AVAILABLE TO US.
UM, THE, THE LITTLE STRIP THAT COMES THAT WAY.
THE OTHER, THE OTHER PLAN I HAVE APPROACHED THEM ACROSS.
I HAVE APPROACHED THE OWNER ON THAT SIDE, UH, WELL, I THOUGHT WAS THE OWNER.
AND I GOT, I TESTIFIED EARLIER, THE GUY WHO HAS THE DETAILING SHOP AND HE IS NOT THE OWNER, BUT HE SAID THE OWNER WOULD TALK TO ME, BUT I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO CONTACT THE OWNER.
AND, UM, I'VE ASKED FOR A GOOD NUMBER.
THEY HAVEN'T GIVEN ME A GOOD NUMBER YET, BUT I'M NOT STOPPING THAT.
I'M GONNA KEEP GOING OVER OR SEE IF I YEAH, YEAH, ACTUALLY WE, WE WILL WORK ON THAT TO GET IN TOUCH WITH HIM.
ONE OF THE LAST RESORTS THAT YOU BROUGHT UP WAS, UH, JOHNSON, WAS TO ACTUALLY MOVE THE EARLY VOTING SETTER FROM HERE TO ANOTHER LOCATION.
UM, AND THAT IS SOMETHING WE'RE CONSIDERING.
THE ONLY ISSUE WITH THAT IS THE SAME ISSUE WE WOULD'VE HAD IF WE HAD DONE THE, UH, THE UH, ALMOST LIKE THE FIFTH EBC BECAUSE STAFFING HERE IS NOT AN ISSUE.
STAFFING SOMEWHERE ELSE BECOMES AN ISSUE BECAUSE YOU'RE TAKING THAT PERSON OUT.
THE PEOPLE OUTTA HERE WHO WOULD'VE BEEN HERE ANYWAY WORKING IN THE OFFICE.
SO WE WANT TO USE THIS AS THE LAST, USE THAT AS THE LAST RESORT.
THE OTHER ISSUE THAT, AND I DON'T THINK Y'ALL WERE IN ME, MR. SWEENEY TALKED ABOUT IT, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS AUDRA ACTUALLY BROUGHT UP WAS THE POSSIBILITY OF FINDING, UM, LIKE MAYBE THE COUNTY PARKING LOT AND BUSING VOTERS OVER, YOU KNOW, WORKING OUT SOME SORT OF PROCESS WHERE VOTERS UNDERSTAND THAT IF THEY WANNA PARK OVER THERE, WE COULD, THERE'D BE A SHUTTLE TO BE GOING BACK AND FORTH, BUT ONLY UNDERSTANDING HOW THE TIME SCHEDULES FOR THE BUS MOVING BACK AND FORTH TO GET VOTERS OVER HERE.
I MEAN, WE GOT ALL AT ALL, ALL IDEAS.
SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE IDEAS THAT HAD BEEN THROWN OUT AS WELL.
SO DUST, EXCUSE ME, DOES ANYONE CONSIDER IT THE ROBERT SMALLS, UM, LOCATION AS POSSIBLY, UM, SOMEWHERE THAT COULD SORT OF COMPLIMENT THIS FACILITY IN TERMS OF PARKING AND BUSING? WELL, I THINK THAT WOULD BE THE SAME.
THAT'S, THAT WOULD BE UNDER THE SAME VENUE.
YOU KNOW, SHE JUST, SHE BROUGHT UP THE COUNTY PARKING AREA.
ANYWHERE WE COULD FIND A PARKING AREA THAT WOULD BE CONVENIENT AND WE COULD RUN A ROUTE.
THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING WE WOULD CONSIDER.
JUST THINKING THERE'S A LOT OF NEW PARKING AND NOT A LOT OF NEW SPACE, UM, DUE TO THE RECENT ADDITIONS.
SO, SO, SO THAT'S, THAT'S ANOTHER OPTION THAT WE CAN LOOK AT AS WELL.
WALMART ACTUALLY, IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THE BACK END OF THE WALMART PARKING LOT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHERE PEOPLE GET PICKED UP TO GO TO BLUFFTON AND EVERYTHING.
SO, YOU KNOW THAT ALL, ALL, ALL ALL OPTIONS ARE ON THE TABLE RIGHT NOW.
UM, I WAS JUST, I WAS THINKING OF ROBERT SMALLS 'CAUSE IT'S A COUNTY FACILITY, RIGHT? SO ALL YOU KNOW ALL, WHEN IF, IF THAT'S THE ROUTE THAT SEEMS THE MOST PROBABLE, THEN WE ARE GONNA RESEARCH EVERY OPTION AS FAR AS WHERE WE COULD PARK CARS.
BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH THERE MAY BE AN OPEN PUBLIC PARKING LOT, WE STILL PROBABLY GOTTA GET PERMISSION FOR CERTAIN, LIKE WALMART, IF WE WERE DOING WALMART, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WOULD HAVE TO GIVE US PERMISSION TO DO ROBERT SMALLS BECAUSE THAT ADDS ANOTHER WRINKLE TO THEM CLOSING OUT ANOTHER AGENCY, A COUNTY AGENCY, ROBERT SMALLS IS.
SO ALL OF THOSE WOULD BE ON THE TABLE WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO LOOKING AT THAT SITUATION.
UM, BUT I WANNA REITERATE, ACTUALLY MOVING THE EVC FROM HERE IS LIKE, WE WANNA MAKE THAT THE LAST RESORT.
IF NOTHING ELSE CAN WORK, WE, WE, YOU KNOW, WE WERE LOOKING, WE'RE ALWAYS GONNA BE LOOKING FOR IT, BUT IT WOULD, WE WOULD LIKE TO TRY TO MAKE THAT THE LAST RESORT, WENDELL AND, AND IS ONLY A LAST RESORT BECAUSE YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT STAFF BEING PRESENT
[00:50:01]
AT THAT NEW LOCATION.AND HOW MANY STAFF ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? TWO.
AT LEAST TWO BECAUSE YOU STILL HAVE TO CARRY ON BUSINESS.
YOU HAVE TO CARRY ON BUSINESS AT AN EARLY VOTING SITE, FOR INSTANCE, CHANGE ADDRESSES AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.
SO IT HAS TO BE A STAFF MEMBER THERE AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, THE POLL WORKER'S NOT A PROBLEM.
IT'S THE STAFFING, THE THE PERMITING STAFF OR WHATEVER.
AND, AND WE WOULD NOT, I WOULD NOT VENTURE TO PUT A TEMPER OUT THERE.
IT HAVE TO BE, AND SEE, AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS CHRIS, IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT.
SO, WELL I, I HAVE SERIOUS, UH, RESERVATIONS ABOUT OUR ABILITY TO USE THIS RIGHT OF WAY, WHICH IS CURRENTLY NOT AVAILABLE AND RESERVATIONS ABOUT HAVING THE PUBLIC PARK ON A PRIVATE PIECE OF PROPERTY FOR TWO WEEKS DURING EARLY VOTING.
AND TO DO THAT PROPERLY, WE WOULD NEED WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM THE, THE OWNER.
WE WOULD NEED TO, UH, NAME THAT AS AN INSURED PROPERTY FOR THE COUNTY'S INSURANCE.
AND THE FINAL CONCERN I HAVE THERE IS WEATHER.
WE WERE BLESSED LAST NOVEMBER TO NOT HAVE ANY RAIN, BUT IF WE HAD A RAINY SEASON DURING EARLY VOTING, IT WOULD BE VERY DANGEROUS FOR ANYBODY TO PARK ON THE GRASS.
SO I I I THINK THAT WE NEED TO LOOK MORE SERIOUSLY AT AN ALTERNATE LOCATION.
AND MY, MY PROPOSAL AND IT'S OPEN FOR DISCUSSION HERE, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE EITHER AN AD HOC COMMITTEE TAKE A LOOK AT THIS AND ASSIST THE STAFF IN THESE DISCUSSIONS.
UM, OR HAVE THE FACILITIES COMMITTEE TAKE IT ON.
UM, THERE ARE ALSO COST ISSUES.
SO I KNOW, UM, SOME PEOPLE HAVE TALKED WITH, UH, THE BLUFFTON POLICE AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE ABOUT SUPPORTING US WITH THE TRAFFIC AND PARKING ISSUE.
HOWEVER, WE NEED TO GET SOME REAL SPECIFICATIONS THAT'S TWO SOLID WEEKS, UH, 14 HOURS A DAY, TWO TO THREE PEOPLE MANAGING ALL THAT.
EVEN IF IT'S A BLUFFTON POLICE, THERE'S GOTTA BE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, THAT WE HAVE TO GET INTO THE BUDGET AND, AND A TIMELINE TO DO THIS.
SO I THINK THERE'S QUITE A LOT OF WORK TO GET READY.
UM, FOR THE JUNE PRIMARY ELECTIONS, MR. SWEETIE BRING, JUST TO REITERATE OR BRING BACK IT DID, WE DID HAVE, UH, EARLY ELECTION.
I MEAN, UH, THERE HAS BEEN EARLY VOTING WHEN THE, THE, UH, AREA WAS MUDDY OR WHATEVER THE SAME, WE WERE PARKING OVER THERE BEFORE.
YOU WITH THE THINGS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WE HAD ALREADY BEEN DOING, THAT'S JUST ANOTHER PART OF THIS AREA OVER HERE.
WE HAD PARKING OVER THERE AS WELL.
WE HAD WRITTEN AGREEMENT AND WE HAD THEM AS INSURED.
HE TOLD, HE TOLD IT WAS, HE SAID, Y'ALL CAN GO AHEAD AND PARK OVER THERE.
YEAH, I, BUT I'M SAYING YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BRINGING NEED TO BE MORE FINALIZED UP NOW.
BUT WHAT I'M SAYING BEFORE ALL OF THAT WAS ALWAYS THE CASE.
WE HAD IT ACTUALLY, WE ACTUALLY MADE A ROAD FROM ALL OF THE PARK.
FROM ALL OF THE, YOU WERE THERE WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION.
I MEAN HIS AUTHORIZATION, YES.
WELL, I, I CONSIDER, I WAS VERY LUCKY THAT WE HAD NO INCIDENTS IF IT WAS MUDDY AND WET OVER THERE.
SO WE CAN'T PLAN ON THAT BEING.
SO FOR FOR THE BOARD'S DISCUSSION, DO WE THINK WE SHOULD HAVE AN AD HOC COMMITTEE TAKE A LOOK AT THIS OR PUT IT UNDER THE FACILITIES COMMITTEE? ADD IT TO THE FACILITIES COMMITTEE.
SO MR. CHAIRMAN, UH, WELCOME TO TO THE COMMITTEE.
I DO HAVE A GOOD FEEL FOR EARLY VOTING.
SO I, I I PRETTY MUCH KNOW WHAT WE NEED.
SO I, I RECOMMEND, UM, MIKE, MAYBE YOU AND, UH, MR. ROBERSON CAN SIT DOWN AND YEAH, I WAS GONNA ASK UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE AND WHAT THE ROADMAP IS.
WE JUST HAD, UH, UH, THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, I HAD BEEN WAITING FOR SOME INFORMATION, WHICH I DID RECEIVE.
UM, AS FAR AS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT IN FACILITIES, I KNOW MR. FORD SPOKE ABOUT THE GENERATOR.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE SITUATION WITH THE GENERATOR, UM, THE HEARD THEM IN THERE JUST NOW.
WELL, LASERS ARE IN THERE LOOKING AT THE DESK RIGHT NOW, AND THE PLAN IS TO HAVE IT IN BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.
SO THAT'S A GOOD, THAT'S A GOOD THING.
UM, AS FAR AS, AS WE'VE HAD THE VENDORS COME IN TO GIVE QUOTES TO THE COUNTY AS REFERENCE TO THE FLOORING OR THE PART, THE CARPETING PAINTING AND ANY RESTRUCTURING ON THE WALLS OR ANYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
HE SAYS HE'S GONNA GIVE THE VENDOR THE THIRD VENDOR TILL THE END OF THE WEEK.
IF HE DOESN'T GIVE HIM A QUOTE BY THE END OF THE WEEK, UH, HE'S GONNA GO AHEAD AND CHOOSE ONE OF THE TWO QUOTES THAT HE DOES HAVE SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
[00:55:01]
I HAVE A CONNECTION, I MEAN A, A CONTACT IN CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, MR. MARILLO.AND BASICALLY, UM, WE RELAYED TO THEM THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE EVERYTHING HOPEFULLY DONE BEFORE THE MIDDLE OF MARCH WHEN FILING STARTS.
'CAUSE ONCE FILING STARTS, I CONSIDER THAT ELECTION SEASON AND WE DON'T WANNA BE DOING ANYTHING IN THE BUILDING ONCE ELECTION SEASON STARTS.
SO, UM, THAT, THAT IS THE PLAN.
UH, ALL OF OUR, ALL OF OUR 2027 CIP REQUESTS HAVE BEEN TURNED IN.
UM, WE GAVE THEM SOME GUESSTIMATES THE BEST THAT WE COULD DO.
A LOT OF THEM ARE LOW HANGING FRUIT.
UM, THE A CA AUDREY SUGGESTED THAT THEY PROBABLY WILL GO TO DEPARTMENTS LIKE, LIKE IT AND FACILITIES AND PUBLIC WORKS TO GET DONE, BUT WE SUBMITTED THEM THROUGH THE CIP PROCESS.
SO THEY WOULD BE MORE, UH, THEY CAN BE FARMED OUT FROM CIP VERSUS US ASKING FROM A, FROM A COUNTY DEPARTMENT THAT GIVES IT TO THE DEPARTMENT TO GET DONE VERSUS US MAKING A REQUEST TO GET IT DONE.
SO HOPEFULLY BECAUSE THEY ARE LOW, LOW HANGING FRUIT THE DAY WE CAN GET THOSE DONE WITHIN THE TIMEFRAME THAT WE ASK FOR.
THE ONLY ONES THAT I SEE US HAVING AN ISSUE WITH ARE THE, THE MEZZANINE REQUESTS INSTRUCTION INVOLVED WITH THAT AND CLIMATIZING AND THE HVAC SYSTEM FOR THE OLD PART OF THE WAREHOUSE.
PART OF THE WAREHOUSE, BECAUSE HVAC SYSTEMS TAKE A LOT TO PUT UP AS WELL.
SO THOSE ARE THE ONLY TWO I FIGURED THAT WOULD HAVE ISSUES.
IF YOU WILL TAKE A, IF YOU, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU TAKE A BREAK, WE DID GET OUR MONITOR SET UP IN HERE THE RIGHT WAY AND IT IS WORKING SO YOU CAN SEE AN IDEA HOW THAT LOOKS WITHOUT GOING INTO TOO MUCH DETAIL.
UM, AND ALSO I'D LIKE TO JUST, WE HAD FIRE DEPARTMENT IN, IN REFERENCE TO WE, WE DO NOT FIT THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR PULL DOWN FIRE ALARMS. HOWEVER, THEY DID COME IN AND LOOK IN REFERENCE TO OUR REQUESTS ABOUT, UM, FIRE DETECTORS, SMOKE DETECTORS.
SO THEY DID COME IN AND LOOK, WE HAVE NOT HEARD BACK FROM THEM YET.
UM, I AM STILL AT WAITING FOR SOME ANSWERS FOR THAT AS WELL.
WHAT ME AND CHRIS DID TALK ABOUT, AND CHRIS TOOK IT UPON HERSELF AND SHE, I THINK SHE DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE TWO DOORS, WE DO HAVE LOCATION, UH, INFORMATION FOR FIRE EXIT OR FIRE, YOU KNOW, OR NOT EXIT IN CASE FIRE ESCAPE ROUTE, FIRE ESCAPE ROUTE OR WHATEVER.
AND WE HAD THAT ALL OVER THE BUILDING.
SO, UM, WE, YOU KNOW, WE JUST NEVER ADDRESSED IT BEFORE.
BUT I THINK SHE DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, SHE TOOK THE TIME OUT TO DO THAT.
SO I, LIKE I TOLD HER AND I APPRECIATED HER DOING THAT.
SHE DID OUT STANDING JOB WITH THAT.
WENDELL, HAVE YOU DONE A, UM, A FIRE DRILL HERE? NO, WE HAVE NOT DONE A FIRE DRILL HERE.
THE GOOD IDEA TOO, I WOULD RECOMMEND YOU DO ONE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU NEED ANY HELP WITH IT, LET ME KNOW.
UH, CHRIS DID AN INFORMATIONAL TABLE AT THE, UH, MOTORCYCLE TOY RUN ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER THE SIXTH.
HOW MANY PEOPLE DID YOU GET
I MEAN SECOND CEL CELESTIAL CHURCH OF LOKO.
AND THEY ASKED US IF WE COULD COME OUT AND JUST SET UP A TABLE IN CASE PEOPLE WANTED INFORMATION.
SO SHE WAS OUT THERE SATURDAY FOR ABOUT FOUR HOURS, UH, DOING THAT ALSO, UH, JEAN AND I WERE SITTING IN THE OFFICE Y YESTERDAY MM-HMM
AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT OUR FORUMS AND WHATEVER, AND SHE KIND OF SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, IF LIKE THERE'S A GOVERNMENT CLASS AND WE CAN GET THE KIDS TO COME TO THE FORUM AND GET EXTRA CREDIT FROM THE GOVERNMENT TEACHER FOR COMING OUT TO THE FORUM, UM, YOU KNOW, I GET SOME OF THE KIDS IN THE HIGH SCHOOL OR WHATEVER.
AND SO I CALLED MY FRIEND AT BATTERY CREEK, THE PRI ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OF BATTERY CREEK, AND SHE GAVE US SOME OUTSTANDING INFORMATION AND THEN SHE GAVE ME THE NAME OF SOMEONE OR THE CHIEF OF, UH, STUDENT SERVICES, WHO HAPPENS TO BE A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE.
AND SO WE TALKED AND HE SAYS, MAN, JUST SEND ME AN EMAIL AND WE'LL SET THIS UP.
AND WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO IS SET IT UP WHERE JEAN AND I WHO BOTH HAVE OUR, UH, VOLUNTEER CERTIFICATION FOR THE COUNTY, COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT WILL GO AND SPEAK.
LIKE, SAY THEY'LL HAVE A A A WHERE ALL OF THE PRINCIPALS OR WHATEVER, WHENEVER THEY HAVE A TRAINING FOR THEM, WE WILL GO AND TALK TO THEM, PRESENT OUR PROPOSAL TO COME INTO THE SCHOOL AND TALK ABOUT ELECTIONS AND VOTING AND EVERYTHING ABOUT ELECTIONS THAT THEY NEED.
AND THEN THEY'LL SET THAT UP AND THEN WE CAN COORDINATE WITH ALL THE PRINCIPALS TO GO IN AND ACTUALLY DO OUR FORUMS WITH HIGH SCHOOL KIDS, WHICH IS ALSO A BREEDING, NOT BREEDING GROUND, UM, RECRUITING
I'M SORRY, RECRUITING GROUND, RECRUITING GROUND FOR POLL WORKERS, FOR STUDENT POLL WORKERS.
[01:00:01]
SO, SO WE'RE HOPING THAT THIS, YOU KNOW, MR. COX IS VERY, DR. COX IS VERY, UH, GOOD AT THIS, SO HOPEFULLY HE'LL GET THIS WITHIN THE NEXT, YOU KNOW, RIGHT.THAT SCHOOL STARTS BACK UP IN JANUARY AND WE CAN GET STARTED WITH THAT IN ADDITION TO THE FORUMS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING.
UM, IF YOU'RE DOING THESE FORUMS, UH, GOVERNMENT CLASSES, USUALLY SENIORS, AM I CORRECT JUNIORS AND SENIORS THAT IT'S KIDS? IT DOESN'T, BUT TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, YOU KNOW, WE CAN SEE ALL OF 'EM.
WE JUST, ONLY THE 16 YEAR OLDS AND UP WILL BE ABLE TO WORK.
WELL, WHAT I WAS ALSO GONNA SAY, IN ADDITION TO RECRUITING POLL WORKERS, THE STUDENTS THAT ARE OF THE APPROPRIATE AGE REGISTERING THE VOTE AS PART OF IT.
I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT, UM, SENATOR TOM DAVIS SAID ABOUT A YEAR AGO THAT ONLY 30% OF THE TEACHERS IN BEAUFORT OR MAYBE IN SOUTH CAROLINA OR REGISTERED TO VOTE, SO.
SO WHEN WE SET UP A VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE FOR SENIORS AT BEAUFORT HIGH, WE HAD A LOT OF TEACHERS TO ALSO SIGN UP TO REGISTER.
BUT SO JUST DON'T FORGET THAT WHEN YOU GO INTO A SCHOOL, TEACHERS NEED THE VOTER REGISTRATION FORMS AND THEY NEED TO REGISTER.
IT'S A VERY LOW PERCENTAGE THAT ARE REGISTERED.
ALL OF THOSE, ALL OF THOSE, ALL OF THOSE, UM, OPPORTUNITY, WE GONNA TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ALL THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.
I MEAN, WE NORMALLY, YOU KNOW, BIG ELECTION YEARS, WE WOULD GO INTO THE SCHOOL ANYWAY AND, AND, AND JUST SIMPLY RECRUIT FOR POLL WORKERS.
BUT I THINK THIS PROCESS IS PROBABLY A BETTER WAY TO DO IT BECAUSE, UM, IT, IF THEY UNDERSTAND BECAUSE THEY'RE STUDENTS ARE FUTURE, HOPEFULLY ARE FUTURE VOTERS, ESPECIALLY THE 18 YEAR OLDS.
SO THEY'RE ARE FUTURE CANDIDATES,
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS, BUT IT'S A VERY LOW PERCENTAGE.
WELL, WE WILL, THAT ARE REGISTERED, WE'LL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT THIS COULD PRESENT US WITH.
SO, UM, WE ARE JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.
WE WERE EXCITED ABOUT IT AND HOW QUICKLY THEY SAID, YES, LET'S, LET'S, LET'S DO THIS.
THE ONLY ISSUE THEY HAD BASICALLY WAS ABOUT POLITICS.
AND I SAID, WELL, WE DON'T DEAL IN POLITICS, YOU KNOW, AND I EXPLAINED HE KNOWS THAT AND, YOU KNOW, WE'LL EXPLAIN THAT WHEN WE TALK TO THE PRINCIPALS OR WHATEVER AS WELL.
BUT, UH, BUT THEY'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS OPPORTUNITY AND THEY, THEY LIKE THE IDEA OF IT.
HERE ARE OUR CURRENT COMMUNITY FORUMS THAT WE HAVE SET UP BEFORE, UH, JUNE OF NEXT YEAR.
UH, THE FIRST ONE IS GOING TO BE HERE IN JANUARY IN THIS ROOM.
UM, BUT THEN AFTER THAT WE'RE GOING TO ALL THE THREE LIBRARIES AND THE MINIATURE LOCATIONS AT THE FORMS. AND THIS IS GOING, THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN, IT'S ALREADY BEEN SENT TO HANNAH, RIGHT? YEAH, IT'S ALREADY BEEN SENT TO HANNAH.
IT'S BEEN SENT TO THE PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER FOR THE COUNTY, AND IT'S GONNA BE PUT ON ELECTRONIC ANNOUNCEMENTS AND UH, WE'LL FIND OTHER VENUES TO GET IT OUT AS WELL.
I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, I KNOW SOMEBODY'S GONNA ASK.
I AM GOING TO CREATE A FLYER AND GET 'EM TO THE HOAS.
WHAT I KNOW, DO WE KNOW WHAT KNEW IT, WE KNEW IT WAS COMING, WAS GONNA, BESIDES THAT, WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO TO ENCOURAGE BETTER TURNOUT THAN WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST? IN THE PAST WE'VE HAD HALF DOZEN PEOPLE, MOST OF WHICH ARE POLL WORKERS.
SO HOW, HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET BIG TURNOUT, UH, TO THESE VENUES? WELL, SHE'S ALREADY BEEN ON ONCE WHEN THE REST OF ELECTION.
WE'VE ALREADY, WE TOLD HER WE COME.
WHO WAS THAT YOU WERE TALKING WITH? THAT WAS, UM,
HUH? IT WAS WHH? NO, UM, BEFORD.
WHICH ONE WAS IT? WELL, BCTV AND WHHI.
WE'RE GONNA TRY GET WITH PIO AND, AND TRY TO GET SOME INROADS INTO THOSE CON AND ALL OF 'EM ACTUALLY, NOT JUST THEM.
UM, THE OTHER, IT'S NOT UP HERE.
AND THERE'S ONE THAT, THAT, THAT SHE AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT AS WELL.
UM, ONE THAT WE WANT TO HAVE MS DO MYSELF, JEAN
AND, UM, THAT IS, UH, HISTORICALLY BLACK UNI, UH, SORORITIES AND FRATERNITIES IN THE COUNTY.
AND THERE'S NINE, THERE ARE NINE IN THAT GROUP AND THERE, BEAUFORT COUNTY HAS A VERY ACTIVE PANHELLENIC COUNCIL.
AND YOU TALK ABOUT MS. DORA, HOW MANY OF Y'ALL HAVE LIKE FOUR OR 500
UH, ANOTHER, ANOTHER SORORITY HAS ABOUT 200, I MEAN ABOUT 500 AKS, ABOUT 500.
[01:05:01]
WE'RE GONNA DO ONE THAT IS GEARED TO THAT GROUP.AND ONCE WE GET TO THEM AND THEY'RE COMM THEY'RE ALL SERVICE ORIENTED GROUPS, SO ONCE WE TALK WITH THEM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE THEM GO OUT AND PUSH THE MESSAGE EVEN FURTHER ABOUT OUTREACH TO SOME OTHER COMMUNITY GROUPS LIKE THE ROTARY CLUBS, LIKE THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
WE WE'RE GONNA REACH OUT TO ALL OF 'EM.
ANYBODY, ANY? WE HAVE, THESE ARE THE ONES THAT WE HAVE SET UP.
BUT WE WANT TO TRY TO GET PEOPLE TO ATTEND THESE.
SO, UH, RIGHT, YOU'LL, YOU'LL DO THE OUTREACH TO THE POAS WITH THE FLYER, RIGHT.
AND THE PANHELLENIC, UH, GROUPS.
UM, IT'D BE HELPFUL IF YOU COULD, COULD YOU PREPARE BASICALLY A PLAN FOR OUTREACH FOR THESE EVENTS AND LET US KNOW, KNOW WHO YOU'RE GOING TO BE CONTACTING AND PERHAPS THE BOARD MEMBERS CAN COME UP WITH SOME IDEAS ABOUT OTHER GROUPS WHO COULD HELP TO ENCOURAGE TURNOUT.
SO IF YOU COULD PLEASE GET A PLAN TOGETHER, LET'S SAY BY THE END OF THE YEAR SO THAT IN JANUARY WHEN WE ALL COME BACK, WE CAN BRING SOME IDEAS WITH US.
UH, I REMEMBER THIS YEAR, JEAN, AND I THINK YOU CAN PROBABLY HELP ME.
WE HAD, UH, MS. ANNA TABER NECK AND SHE SAID SHE WAS SO DISAPPOINTED.
SHE LIVES IN SUN CITY AND SHE WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED.
SHE WAS THERE, UM, AT THE FORUM.
AND, UM, PEOPLE JUST DON'T SHOW UP AND THE INFORMATION GOT OUT TO THEM.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THOSE ARE THE AREAS AND THE PEOPLE THAT NEED IT, BECAUSE DOING EARLY VOTING, AND EVEN THIS YEAR, WE HAD FOLKS THAT LIVED IN SUN CITY CAME AND WANTED TO VOTE IN THE TOWN OF BLUFFING THE ELECTION.
AND, UM, THEY WERE NOT NEW FOLKS NOW.
'CAUSE SOME OF 'EM, I KNEW THEM.
THEY'VE BEEN LIVING IN SUN CITY FOR OVER 25 OR 30 YEARS.
SO EVEN WHEN THE INFORMATION GET TO THEM, I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, I WONDER WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO? I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THEY JUST DIDN'T WANT TO DRIVE TO THE LIBRARY BECAUSE SHE WAS SORT OF DISAPPOINTED.
AND SHE, SHE SAID, I THINK THAT DAY WE ONLY HAD WHAT, FIVE PEOPLE? ALMOST.
IT WAS JUST FIVE AND INCLUDING THE TRAINERS AND HER AND MYSELF.
SO WE'LL START WITH AN OUTREACH PLAN.
IF YOU COULD SEND IT TO THE BOARD BY THE END OF THE YEAR AND THEN THE BOARD CAN GET BACK TO YOU WITH SOME IDEAS TO INCLUDE, UH, TO INCREASE THAT TURNOUT.
AND HERE ARE THE NEW POLL WORKER DATES.
UM, WE'VE ALREADY, WE'VE GOT THAT OUT WITH, UH, EIO FOR THE COUNTY.
AND THERE'S A FLYER THAT'S ALREADY, WELL, HERE'S THE FLYER OR WHATEVER OUT.
AND ALSO IT'S GOING ON ON ELECTRONIC BILLBOARD FOR THE COUNTY OR WHAT HAVE YOU AS WELL.
AND WE WILL THOSE FOUR BOARD MEMBERS TO PASS OUT ELECTRONIC.
DO YOU WANT THE PAPER ONE TOO OR JUST ELECTRONIC? ELECTRONIC.
AND QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING? ANYBODY.
[X. Closing Comments ]
AGENDA IS CLOSING COMMENTS.UM, 2026 IS GOING TO BE AN EXTREMELY BUSY YEAR FOR US.
SO THE, THE HIGHEST TURNOUT THAT I COULD FIND IN SOUTH CAROLINA'S HISTORY FOR MIDTERM ELECTIONS WAS 2018 AND WE HAD A 58% TURNOUT.
SO NEXT YEAR WE HAVE AN OPEN GOVERNOR'S SEAT, OPEN CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT ONE OPEN ATTORNEY GENERAL.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE A VERY EXCITING ELECTION.
AND I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF WE TOP THAT RECORD HIGH OF 58% WITH SOMETHING LIKE A 60% TURNOUT.
UM, EAR EARLY VOTING, WHO KNOWS, COULD BE ANYWHERE BETWEEN 35 TO 65% OF TOTAL VOTER TURNOUT.
I THINK WE AS A BOARD NEED TO PLAN ON 60% LIKE WE HAD FOR NOVEMBER, 2024.
UM, HOWEVER, THE PENDULUM SWINGS BOTH WAYS.
I THINK A LOT OF VOTERS WILL SEE THAT THE LINES WERE NOT SO BAD ON ELECTION DAY IN 2024.
SO THEY MAY
UM, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT 60% TURNOUT LOOKS LIKE, UH, BY NEXT NOVEMBER, THAT'LL BE ABOUT 87,000 BALLOTS.
SO COMPARE THAT TO NOVEMBER, 2024 WHEN WE HANDLED 106,000 BALLOTS.
19,000 DIFFERENCE, THAT'S, THAT'S FEWER BALLOTS THAN WE HAD AT THE MUNICIPAL ELECTION.
SO BOTTOM LINE IS THE GENERAL ELECTION NEXT NOVEMBER WILL FEEL AS BIG AS, UH, THE 2024 GENERAL ELECTION.
[01:10:01]
TO DO TO GET READY FOR THE EARLY VOTING AND, UH, FOR ALL THE NEW VOTING LOCATIONS, WHICH YOU'VE BEEN HARD AT WORK, UH, ASSEMBLING FOR US, WHICH IS GREAT.SO, UM, MY CLOSING COMMENT IS THAT I HOPE EVERYBODY HAS A GREAT, UH, CHRISTMAS OR HANUKKAH, UM, AND A GREAT END OF THE YEAR CELEBRATION.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING ALL OF YOU BACK HERE AGAIN IN JANUARY.
UM, AND THE NEXT MEETING, SO THE NEXT SCHEDULED
[XI. Announcements]
BOARD MEETING, OH, THE NEXT SCHEDULED BOARD MEETING IS FEBRUARY 25TH.SO I SENT ALL OF YOU, UM, A, AN EMAIL ASKING YOU TO HAVE PLACEHOLDERS FOR SPECIAL CALLED MEETING, UH, WHAT WERE THE DATES THERE? THE JANUARY 13TH, 14TH, 13TH, 14TH AND 15TH.
SO, UM, I, I GUESS AT THIS POINT WE DON'T NEED A, UM, GENERAL BOARD MEETING SCHEDULED IN JANUARY, BUT WE MAY HAVE A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING, UM, TO DO SOME FULL BOARD INTERVIEWS OF, OF CANDIDATES.
SO STAY TUNED FOR SOME MORE SPECIFIC DATES.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I HAVE ONE REAL QUICK ONE.
UM, I WAS DISCUSSING THE POSSIBILITY WITH OUR BOARD, UH, OF THE DAR ABOUT JEAN COMING TO SPEAK.
AND ONE OF THE PEOPLE SAID, OH, IS SHE THE LADY WHO DID THE POLL WORKER TRAINING? AND I SAID, YES.
AND SHE SAYS, OH, SHE SAID, EVERYBODY, OH, SHE'S A FABULOUS SPEAKER, FABULOUS PRESENTER.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM HER.
SO ONE OF YOUR, AND THEN SHE SAID, WHY DIDN'T I GET
MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN, MS. DOER? SECOND.