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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.
WELL LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, STAND FLAG, HARRY PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
IT'S TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO THE REPUBLIC, WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION, NATION UNDER, UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL I'M THINKING ABOUT.
BE SURE WE TURN OFF OUR PHONES.
UM, WE ARE GOING TO INTRODUCE THE BOARD MEMBERS.
UH, BRENDA, WOULD YOU LIKE TO START? POWELL, DISTRICT ONE.
CARRIE, WE'RE INTRODUCING OURSELVES.
MILLER DISTRICT 10, AND CHAIR AND PORTER.
DISTRICT EIGHT, SOON TO BE DISTRICT 11.
AND AMANDA DICKMAN IS OUR LIBRARY DIRECTOR.
WE HAVE BEEN TOGETHER TOO LONG, I GUESS.
I, I'VE BEEN, I'VE BEEN, I'M, I'VE BEEN TOGETHER TOO LONG.
UM, DO YOU WANT THIS, WOULD YOU LIKE FOR ME TO INTRODUCE OUR STAFF? PLEASE? WE ARE BLESSED TO HAVE OUR ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, AUDRA WITH US TODAY.
I ALSO HAVE ELIANA, WHO'S OUR ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT.
DARLENE SIMMONS, HEAD OF TECH SERVICES.
TRACY COX, WHO IS OUR MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS, UH, LIBRARIAN.
WE HAVE LEE RAMEY, WHO IS USER EXPERIENCE LIBRARIAN AND THERESA FURBISH, OUR, UM, PROGRAMS AND EVENTS LIBRARIAN.
WE ALSO HAVE A, AN ARMY OF TEAM BEHIND THE SCENES, UM, WHO ARE PUTTING THIS TOGETHER ONLINE FOR US.
IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? THERE IS NOT.
UH, MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES THAT WERE MAILED OUT TO YOU, JOE? SECOND.
UM, ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HANDS.
OPPOSED? UH, IS THERE ANY CORRESPONDENCE OR COMMUNICATION? AMANDA? YES.
EACH OF YOU HAVE A LETTER AT YOUR STATION, AND I WOULD LIKE TO READ IT, UM, SO THAT IT IS A PART OF YOUR MEETING RECORD TODAY, AND IT IS ADDRESSED TO YOU FROM ME.
SO, DEAR LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES, AS WE LOOK BACK ON THIS PAST YEAR, I WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO CELEBRATE ALL THAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED TOGETHER.
THE BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY HAS GROWN STRONGER, MORE VIBRANT, AND MORE CONNECTED TO OUR COMMUNITY.
UNDER YOUR GOVERNANCE, EACH OF YOU HAS PLAYED AN ESSENTIAL ROLE IN BOTH OUR PROGRESS AND OUR GROWTH.
BELOW JUST A FEW WAYS, YOUR LEADERSHIP HAS MADE A DIFFERENCE FOR OUR LIBRARY AND THE PEOPLE WE SERVE.
TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, YOUR STEADY OVERSIGHT HAS ENSURED THAT RESOURCES WERE MANAGED RESPONSIBLY THROUGHOUT FISCAL YEAR 2025.
THE COMMITTEE PROVIDED DETAILED REPORTS THAT REFLECTED THE LIBRARY'S STRONG FINANCIAL STANDING.
WE CLOSED THE FISCAL YEAR WITH 98% OF THE LIBRARY'S BUDGET, UTILIZED EFFECTIVELY, INCLUDING A RECORD $954,750 INVESTED IN LIBRARY MATERIALS.
THIS ESTABLISHED A NEW BENCHMARK FOR FUNDING OF BOOKS AND DIGITAL RESOURCES, OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE.
OVER THE PAST YEAR, YOU KEPT THE FOCUS ON OUR FORCED STRATEGIC GOALS OF SPACE, COMMUNICATION, USER EXPERIENCE, AND COLLECTIONS, WHILE ALSO PLANNING THE APPROACH FOR UPDATING THE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS.
THE HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS PAST YEAR INCLUDE UNDER USER EXPERIENCE, WE ISSUED 7,310 NEW LIBRARY CARDS, WHICH IS A 70% INCREASE OVER LAST YEAR.
WE ALSO INCREASED OUR SUMMER READING PARTICIPATION TO OVER 2,100 READERS.
IN TERMS OF COMMUNICATION, WE REACHED MORE THAN 50,000 RESIDENTS THROUGH THE LIBRARY'S NEWSLETTERS WITH A 45% OPEN RATE, WELL ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.
IN TERMS OF COLLECTIONS, WE INCREASED DIGITAL CIRCULATION BY NEARLY 8% AND ADDED NEW RESOURCES SUCH AS WONDER BOOKS AND BLOOD PRESSURE MONITOR KITS.
AND UNDER FACILITIES ACHIEVEMENTS REPORTED THROUGH THE FACILITIES COMMITTEE
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INCLUDED BRANCH IMPROVEMENTS THAT ENHANCE COMFORT TECHNOLOGY AND USABILITY FOR PATRONS.OUR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES COMMITTEE, YOUR WORK THIS YEAR STRENGTHENED THE LIBRARY'S POLICIES, KEEPING THEM CLEAR, CURRENT AND CONSISTENT WITH BEST PRACTICES.
THE COMMITTEE REVIEWED AND REVISED KEY POLICIES, INCLUDING THE REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION, COLLECTION, DEVELOPMENT, CODE OF CONDUCT, THE PHOTO RELEASE, AND DONATIONS AND GIFTS POLICIES.
THESE REVISIONS PROVIDE STAFF AND OUR PATRONS WITH A FRAMEWORK THAT SUPPORTS EQUITABLE SERVICE AND SMOOTH OPERATIONS.
THE REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION COMMITTEE, WHILE THERE WERE NO FORMAL CHALLENGES TO LIBRARY MATERIALS IN THE PAST YEAR, YOUR READINESS TO RESPOND REAFFIRMS THE BOARD'S ONGOING COMMITMENT TO INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM AND COMMUNITY TRUST.
OUR FACILITIES COMMITTEE THIS YEAR BROUGHT THE SUCCESSFUL SECOND YEAR OF SERVICE AT THE PORT ROYAL LIBRARY BRANCH, AS WELL AS IMPROVEMENTS ACROSS OUR OTHER BRANCHES, INCLUDING NEW CHILDREN'S FURNITURE AT THE HILTON HEAD LIBRARY, THE REPLACEMENT OF EXTERIOR BOOK RETURN BINS AT BUFORT LOKO IN ST.
HELENA, AND CONTINUATION OF PICKUP LOCKER SERVICE AT BURTON WELLS RECREATION CENTER.
EACH OF THESE PROJECTS EXPANDS ACCESS AND ENHANCES USABILITY FOR PATRONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY TO THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE.
YOUR LEADERSHIP IN RECRUITING THE SLATE OF OFFICERS PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN MAINTAINING STEADY AND EFFECTIVE BOARD LEADERSHIP THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
AND FOR THOSE THAT SERVE AS LIAISONS TO FRIENDS AND FOUNDATION GROUPS, BY MAINTAINING ACTIVE COMMUNICATION WITH OUR SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS, YOU HAVE STRENGTHENED THE VITAL RELATIONSHIPS THAT SUSTAIN THE LIBRARY'S PROGRAMS, EVENTS, AND COLLECTIONS.
THESE PARTNERSHIPS CONTINUE TO PROVIDE ESSENTIAL RESOURCES FOR SUMMER READING LITERACY PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN, THE LUCKY DAY COLLECTION AT EACH LOCATION AND THE INTRODUCTION OF WONDER BOOKS TO OUR CHILDREN'S COLLECTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO ADVANCING BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY AS A CORNERSTONE OF LEARNING, CONNECTION AND COMMUNITY.
THE MOMENTUM YOU HAVE CREATED IS PROPELLING US FORWARD INTO AN EXCITING NEW YEAR OF SERVICE, AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU HAD A COPY OF THAT AS WELL AS IT BE CELEBRATED TODAY IN YOUR MEETING.
I THINK WITH YOUR GUIDANCE, THIS BOARD HAS REALLY BEEN ABLE TO DO A GREAT JOB TO, WE HAVE A GREAT LIBRARY AND I THINK THE, THE, THE INCREASE IN LIBRARY CARDS AND IN PROGRAMS AND EVERYTHING IS, AS THE PUBLIC SEEMS TO BE VERY MUCH AWARE AND VERY MUCH ENJOY COMING TO THE LIBRARY.
SO NICE BOARD, NICE LEADERSHIP AS WELL.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO GIVE YOU A REPORT NOW? I WOULD.
UM, AS USUAL, I'LL START WITH, UM, OUR PERSONNEL UPDATE.
CURRENTLY WE HAVE, UH, THREE VACANCIES.
THAT WOULD BE THE LIBRARY OPERATIONS MANAGER, A LIBRARY SPECIALIST AT LABO IN A LIBRARY ASSISTANT PART-TIME POSITION AT HILTON HEAD.
WE HAVE, EXCUSE ME, THAT SHOULD BE FULL-TIME.
UH, WE HAVE TWO NEW HIRES THAT ARE IN THE PROCESS OF BEING SELECTED AND ONBOARDED.
THAT IS A LIBRARY ASSISTANT PART-TIME AT HILTON HEAD, SENIOR LIBRARIAN FOR YOUTH SERVICES AT THE ST.
AND I'M PLEASED TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT FOR THIS SPRING, WE HAVE BEEN, UM, AWARDED TWO INTERNSHIPS.
YOU MAY REMEMBER THAT LAST SUMMER WE HAD OUR FIRST IN INTERNS WITH THE COUNTY'S INTERNSHIP PROGRAM.
THIS INTERNSHIP IS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH OUR HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT, AND WE HAVE BEEN APPROVED FOR TWO SPECIFIC ROLES.
ONE IS A GRAPHIC DESIGN INTERN.
THEY WILL WORK WITH THERESA AND TRACY AND MAKE AND HELP TO MAKE OUR SUMMER READING PRINTABLES AND ONLINE, UM, IMAGES AND GRAPHICS, UM, REALLY POP THIS SUMMER.
SO THEY'LL BE LEARNING ALONGSIDE OUR EXPERTS IN PUTTING TO USE THEIR SKILLS AND HELPING US IN THAT EFFORT.
WE ARE ALSO ADVERTISING CURRENTLY FOR A PRESERVATION ASSOCIATE INTERN.
AND THAT PERSON WILL WORK WITH GRACE CORDIAL IN OUR BEAUFORT DISTRICT COLLECTION, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE LOCAL HISTORY ARCHIVE THAT'S ON THE SECOND FLOOR OF OUR LIBRARY.
AND THEY WILL BE ABLE TO WORK ON DIGI DIGITIZING, UM, SPECIFIC ITEMS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR COLLECTION THAT ARE PHYSICAL, THAT WE WANT TO MAKE DIGITAL AND ALSO WORK IN PRESERVING THEM FOR THE FUTURE.
SO THOSE POSITIONS ARE POSTED AND WE'RE ACTIVELY SEEKING APPLICANTS.
AMANDA, I WORKED WITH ONE OF THE INTERNS LAST YEAR.
SHE WAS DELIGHTFUL, AND I'M SO GLAD WE HAVE THIS PROGRAM AGAIN.
I HOPE THAT IT CONTINUES AND I HOPE THEY'RE AS GOOD AS SHE WAS.
SO NOW I WILL PIVOT TO FRAMING THE REST OF MY, UM, CONVERSATION WITH YOU.
MY UPDATE WITH YOU IN TERMS OF OUR FOUR GOALS OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH ARE COMMUNICATION, USER EXPERIENCE, SPACE AND COLLECTION UNDER COMMUNICATION AS WELL AS USER EXPERIENCE, WE KINDA HAVE A TWOFER IN THAT.
WE'VE BEEN SPENDING A LOT OF TIME IN PREPARATION FOR AN UPCOMING REDESIGN OF OUR WEBSITE, AS WELL AS THE LAUNCHING
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OF AN IMPROVED MEETING ROOM, RESERVATION AND CALENDAR EVENT, UM, LISTING.SO ON, ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY THE 28TH, WHEN YOU LOG ONTO BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY.ORG, IT WILL LOOK DIFFERENT THAN IT DOES RIGHT NOW.
FOR THOSE THAT ARE INTERESTED IN, UH, RESERVING MEETING ROOMS, WE HOPE YOU WILL ENJOY THE IMPROVED LOOK, FEEL, AND OPERATION OF THE SYSTEM.
AND FOR THOSE WHO WILL LIKE TO ATTEND LIBRARY PROGRAMS, WE THINK YOU'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT IS HAPPENING ACROSS OUR LIBRARY SYSTEMS IN AN IMPROVED WAY.
TO SHOW YOU THAT I HAVE A FEW SCREENSHOTS, SO EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT LIVE, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU COULD KIND OF GET A TASTE OF WHAT'S TO COME.
ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE IS THE CURRENT VERSION OF OUR EVENT CALENDAR ONLINE.
HAS ANYONE VISITED SEEN IT? MM-HMM
THAT WILL BE WHAT THE NEW HOMEPAGE OR LANDING PAGE OF THE EVENT CALENDAR LOOKS LIKE.
YOU CAN AUTOMATICALLY SEE A WAY TO FILTER ON THE SIDE IF YOU'RE ONLY LOOKING FOR CHILDREN OR PERHAPS YOU'RE LOOKING FOR PARTICULAR, UM, LOCATION, OR YOU CAN PUT IN A KEYWORD.
SO IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR BOOK CLUB, YOU CAN JUST TYPE IN BOOK CLUB AND IT'LL TAKE YOU TO THAT.
YOU CAN ALSO SEE A DIFFERENT ARRAY OF HOW IT'S DISPLAYED ON THE SCREEN ITSELF.
LET'S SAY YOU FOUND AN, AN EVENT THAT WE HAVE ADVERTISED THAT YOU WANNA LEARN MORE ABOUT.
CURRENTLY A POPUP BOX WOULD DISPLAY AND YOU WOULD SEE KIND OF AN IN INFO, A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION.
YOU'D HAVE TO SCROLL DOWN TO SEE MORE WHEN YOU CLICK AN EVENT IN THE NEW SYSTEM, YOU GET IT ALL, YOU GET ALL THE DETAILS OF THE EVENT, BUT YOU ALSO GET A GPS LOCATION OF WHERE THAT EVENT IS GOING TO BE HELD.
YOU ALSO GET, UM, STAFF INFORMATION ABOUT WHO TO CONTACT WITH.
MORE QUESTIONS IN TERMS OF MEETING ROOMS. ONE OF OUR MOST POPULAR COMMUNITY RESOURCES AND SERVICES IS THE USE OF MEETING ROOMS. RIGHT NOW IT IS A WEBSITE OR A PAGE OF OUR WEBSITE THAT SHOWS A PICTURE OF ALL OF OUR MEETING ROOMS. AND IT IS HAS, UM, SIX INDIVIDUAL CALENDARS TO TRACK THE EVENTS THAT ARE HELD AT EACH INDIVIDUAL LIBRARY LOCATION.
ON THE NEXT SIDE, IF YOU, ON, ON THE NEXT SIDE OF THE SCREEN, IN THE NEW SYSTEM, WHEN YOU CLICK, I WANT TO RESERVE A MEETING ROOM.
IT TAKES YOU TO THIS, OR YOU HAVE TWO QUESTIONS OR TWO, TWO OPTIONS.
RESERVE A MEETING ROOM EITHER BY THE ROOM OR BY THE DAY.
SOME PEOPLE MAY WANT THE OPTION OF, I JUST NEED A ROOM ON JANUARY THE 28TH.
SO WE DO HAVE TWO OPTIONS TO BEGIN YOUR REQUEST.
THIS IS WHAT THE NEW RESERVATION SIDE WILL LOOK LIKE WHEN YOU CLICK A ROOM.
THIS ONE IS THE ROOM WE'RE CURRENTLY IN RIGHT NOW, THE BUFORT LIBRARY.
IT TELLS YOU THE CAPACITY AND THEN YOU'LL SEE RIGHT AT A GLANCE WITHOUT HAVING TO CLICK ANYWHERE ELSE, THE AVAILABILITY FOR THIS ENTIRE WEEK.
YOU COULD SEE THE AREAS THAT ARE GRAYED OUT OR AREAS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN RESERVED.
THE AREAS THAT ARE IN THE WHITE COLOR, THOSE ARE OPEN, THE ROOM IS OPEN ON THAT TIME.
IF YOU WANTED TO MAKE A REQUEST, IF CLICK THE PLUS BUTTON THERE AND YOU'RE MAKING YOUR REQUEST, THIS IS WHAT THE ACTUAL REQUEST LOOKS LIKE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SCREEN.
AND THAT IS KIND OF A PREVIEW OF OUR, OUR NEW MEETING ROOM, CALENDAR AND EVENT SYSTEM.
ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE I MOVE ON TO OTHER FUN THINGS HAPPENING? I HOPE THAT YOU'RE IMPRESSED WITH THE NEW LOOK AND FEEL.
UH, WE ARE CERTAINLY EXCITED FOR THIS.
IT LOOKS, IT LOOKS MUCH IMPROVED AS THIS NEW APPROACH IS, IS ROLLED OUT.
WILL EXISTING LOG ON CREDENTIALS ROLL OVER TO THE NEW WEBSITE? I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOU MEAN BY THAT, EXCEPT FOR, YOU MEAN TO ACCESS YOUR SOUTH CAROLINA LENS, LIKE YOUR LIBRARY CARD ACCOUNT.
THE BEST WAY I CAN EXPLAIN THAT, UM, SC LENS AND OUR CATALOGING SYSTEM IS KIND OF THE, UM, THE PLANE THAT SITS ON THE CARRIER SHIP AND OUR WEBSITE IS THE CARRIER SHIP.
SO, SO IT DOESN'T AFFECT THE ACTUAL, UH, IT, YOUR, YOUR USERNAME AND LOGIN TO HOW YOU ACCESS YOUR LIBRARY CARD INFORMATION SHOULD NOT BE AFFECTED.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? I, I JUST WANNA SAY, YOU KNOW, IN THIS STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS LAST TIME, THREE YEARS AGO, AND NOW, I THINK AGAIN, THIS TIME, YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE LIBRARY BEING SO MUCH MORE OF THAN JUST BOOKS AND HOW MUCH IT SERVES AS A COMMUNITY CONVENING CENTER.
SO I THINK WHAT WE'RE, DO I THINK THAT BOTH THE INCREASE IN PEOPLE USING ROOMS, I MEAN, ACCORDING TO THIS, IT ALMOST THE DOUBLED.
AND I THINK THAT, UM, THE IMPROVEMENTS YOU'VE JUST MADE REALLY, UM, PUT AN ACCELERANT AROUND THAT, UH, NOTION THAT WE WANNA BE A COMMUNITY CONVENING PLACE.
WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO, TO HAVE THIS PROCESS.
NOT ONLY DO WE HOPE THAT IT HAS A A BETTER USER EXPERIENCE, WE HOPE THAT IT WILL CREATE FASTER RESPONSE TIMES AND MORE EASIER
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OF USE FOR EVERYBODY INVOLVED, INCLUDING OUR STAFF AND COMMUNITY GROUPS WHO UTILIZE THIS SERVICE.SO, JAN CIRCLE AND MARK JANUARY 28TH AND SEND US DONUTS AND YOUR PRAYERS AS WE, UM, ADJUST TO A NEW WEBSITE AND A WHOLE NEW PLATFORM.
THEY WERE, THEY, THEY NODDED THEIR HEAD ON THE DONUTS.
SO
SO MUCH SO THAT AT YOUR STATION, I HAVE GIVEN YOU PRE VIP ACCESS TO OUR WINTER READING PROGRAM.
THE READING LOGS HAVE NOT BEEN RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC, BUT BECAUSE YOU ARE OUR BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND OUR MOST IMPORTANT GOVERNORS, WE WANNA MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE FIRST INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE.
WINTER READING OFFICIALLY BEGINS ON JANUARY THE 20TH AND IT WILL GO THROUGH FEBRUARY THE 20TH.
IT'S, UM, ONE OF THERESA'S PROJECTS AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE STARTED LAST YEAR AND WE HAD A SIGNIFICANT INTEREST IN BRINGING IT BACK.
AND SO IT'S BACK FOR ROUND TWO.
WE ONLY ASK THAT YOU READ A TOTAL OF SIX HOURS BETWEEN THAT TIME, YOU CAN CHOOSE WHICH SIX HOURS THOSE ARE.
AND ON YOUR READING LOG, YOU'LL SEE SNOWFLAKES FOR EVERY 30 MINUTES THAT YOU READ COLOR IN OR INITIAL OR BE YOUR OWN ARTIST ON THAT SNOWFLAKE TO PROVE THAT YOU'VE, THAT YOU'VE READ WHEN YOUR READING LOG IS COMPLETE, BRING THAT INTO TO ONE OF YOUR LIBRARY LOCATIONS, WHICHEVER ONE YOU ARE VISITING AT THE TIME, AND YOU'LL BE ENTERED INTO WHEN A GRAND PRIZE.
NOW IN THE SUMMER, YOU'RE, YOU'RE USED TO US HAVING TONS AND TONS AND TONS AND TONS OF PRIZES AND DRAWINGS FOR THE WINTER.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE LOW KEY, BUT EACH ONE OF OUR LIBRARY LOCATIONS WILL HAVE A GIFT CARD OR A GIFT CERTIFICATE TO A BOOKSTORE.
SO WE HOPE THAT WE ARE REWARDING YOU FOR YOUR READING WITH MORE READING.
THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE, UM, STRATEGY BEHIND THE GAME.
SO I HOPE THAT THIS WILL BE YOUR INVITATION TO, TO JOIN US IN WINTER READING.
I ALSO HAVE A FEW THAT ARE A FEW ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS THAT I THOUGHT WOULD BE OF INTEREST TO YOU.
AND SO THOSE WATCHING AT HOME, SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I HIGHLIGHTED THOSE UPCOMING AT OUR BEAUFORT ST.
HELENA IN PORT ROYAL LOCATIONS.
SUSAN AND TELL ME HOW TO PRONOUNCE HER LAST NAME.
WE'RE GONNA CALL IT EI DON'T WANNA, BUT I DON'T WANNA BUTCHER IT OR, UM, INAPPROPRIATELY PRONOUNCE IT.
BUT SHE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT THE WOMEN'S ORCHESTRA OF AUSCHWITZ.
UM, AND I THINK THAT WILL BE A TOPIC OF INTEREST TO PEOPLE IN SOMETHING YOU DON'T HEAR EVERY DAY.
SO THOSE ARE THREE LOCATIONS, THREE DATES, SAME PRESENTATION, BUT THREE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU TO SEE THAT.
ALSO WITH THE SPRING COMING BACK, WE WILL BE HOSTING BIRDING HOTSPOTS OF THE LOW COUNTRY ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26TH AT OUR HILTON HEAD LIBRARY.
WE HAVE A MEMBER OF THE AUDUBON SOCIETY WHO WILL BE COMING TO TALK ABOUT BIRDING.
AND THEN ALSO SOMETHING YOU DON'T HEAR EVERY DAY IS A OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A DOCENT HISTORIAN LED, UM, FIELD TRIP THROUGH THE NATIONAL CEMETERY.
AND SO ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY THE SEVENTH AT ONE O'CLOCK, OUR LOCAL HISTORY STAFF, GRACE CORDIAL AND HER TRUSTEE ASSISTANCE WILL BE AT THE BEAUFORT NATIONAL CEMETERY FOR A TOUR.
SO PLEASE MARK THOSE DATES AT THOSE OF INTEREST TO YOU AND, AND COME JOIN US FOR THOSE EVENTS.
THE NEXT TWO PILLARS OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN ARE SPACE AND COLLECTION.
AND SO I DID WANNA SHARE A FEW UPDATES ON THAT.
AT LONG LAST, MR. BOGAS, THE STUDY BOOTHS ARE ON THEIR WAY AND WE EXPECT TO RECEIVE THEM ON MONDAY, JANUARY 26TH.
AS A REMINDER FOR ANYONE JUST TUNING INTO THAT PART OF IT, A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, WE RECEIVED THE AWARD NOTIFICATION THAT THE STATE LIBRARY WITH FUNDS FROM THE INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICE AWARDED US A GRANT TO PURCHASE TWO MOBILE, OR THEY DON'T, THEY'RE NOT MOBILE AS IN A BOOKMOBILE, BUT THEY ARE MOVE MOVABLE WITHIN A SPACE, UM, TWO STUDY BOOTHS.
AND THEY ARE VIRTUALLY SOUNDPROOF, FULLY SELF-CONTAINED AND PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE STUDY ROOMS AT OUR BEAUFORT AND OUR BLUFFTON LIBRARY LOCATIONS WHERE CURRENTLY THERE IS NOT A STUDY ROOM.
WE HAVE MEETING ROOMS THERE, BUT NOT SMALL SPACES FOR STUDY.
WE HOPE TO SEE THEM IN PERSON ON MONDAY THE 26TH AND, UH, SEE IF THEY LIVE UP TO EVERYTHING WE HOPE AND DREAM THEY WILL BE.
I WANTED TO SHARE A VERY IMPORTANT UPDATE AND SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS WITH OUR SC LYNNS EXECUTIVE TEAM.
AND THAT IS THAT, UM, BEHIND THE SCENES, A LOT OF PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT BEAUFORT COUNTY PARTICIPATES IN A NEARLY
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STATEWIDE LENDING CONSORTIUM OF LIBRARIES.SO WHEN YOU GO ON OUR WEBSITE AND REQUEST A PARTICULAR TITLE, MOVIE OR AUDIO BOOK ON CD, UM, IT MIGHT COME FROM A BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY OR IT MIGHT COME FROM FLORENCE, OR IT MIGHT COME FROM ANDERSON OR ONE OF THE OTHER PARTICIPATING COUNTIES.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS BEHIND THE SCENES THAT HAS BEEN ONE OF OUR POLICIES HAS BEEN THAT WHEN ONE OF THOSE COUNTIES ACQUIRES A BOOK OR AN AUDIOBOOK, A PHYSICAL ITEM, IT WON'T LEAVE THAT COUNTY UNTIL AFTER SIX MONTHS.
SO WE COULD BE HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY AND REALLY WANT THAT ITEM THAT'S AT ANDERSON, BUT WE WOULDN'T BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE THAT FOR YOU UNTIL THAT LIBRARY HAS OWNED IT FOR SIX MONTHS.
SO WITH, AFTER A LOT OF CONVERSATION AND BACK AND FORTH, WE'VE DECIDED AS A CONSORTIUM TO REDUCE THAT WAIT TIME FROM SIX MONTHS TO FOUR MONTHS.
AND THE HOPE IS THAT THAT WILL HELP KEEP ITEMS MOVING MORE FREQUENTLY AND, UM, BE MORE OF A, A TRUE RESOURCE SHARING CONSORTIUM INSTEAD OF HOLDING THINGS CLOSER TO HOME FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME.
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT? I WANNA MAKE SURE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS THAT I ANSWER THOSE.
I DID ALSO WANNA SHARE WITH YOU THAT AT, AT, AT THIS TIME OF THE YEAR, FROM JULY TO DECEMBER, COMPARISON TO JULY DECEMBER THE PREVIOUS YEAR, OUR OVERALL CIRCULATION IS UP 21,618 ITEMS. SO JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT AS WE'RE TRACKING IT MONTH TO MONTH, WE ARE CIRCULATING MORE ITEMS OVERALL THAN WE HAD AT THIS POINT LAST YEAR.
NOW, MY FAVORITE THING AT THE END OF THE YEAR TO DO IS I GET THIS REPORT FROM OUR CATALOG AND FROM HOOPLA, UM, AND IT TELLS US HOW MUCH WE SAVED OUR COMMUNITY IN DOLLARS IN BORROWING.
UM, WHEN YOU VISIT OUR LIBRARY, SOMETIMES YOU, YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED THAT YOU GET A RECEIPT THAT TELLS YOU YOUR DUE DATE, BUT AT THE BOTTOM IT TELLS YOU YOU SAVED X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS.
SO THIS REPORT THAT I GET CALCULATES ALL OF THE ITEMS THAT CIRCULATED AND THE DOLLAR AMOUNT ASSOCIATED WITH EACH ONE OF THOSE ITEMS, AND THEN IT BREAKS IT DOWN BY BOOKS FOR ADULTS AND YOUTH AND DVDS AND AUDIOS.
AND IT GIVES US A NUMBER OF WHAT THAT TRANSLATES TO IN TERMS OF A MONETARY VALUE.
SO FOR 2025, FOR ALL THE BOOKS, ADULT YOUTH NONFICTION, UM, BIOGRAPHY VIDEOS AND DVDS AND AUDIO BOOKS, THE DOLLAR AMOUNT IS NEARLY $4 MILLION.
THAT'S NOT HOW MUCH WE PAID FOR IT.
I WANNA BE CLEAR THAT THAT'S HOW MUCH THOSE ITEMS ARE WORTH.
AND IF PEOPLE WHO HAD BORROWED THOSE HAD PURCHASED THOSE, THAT'S WHAT IT WOULD'VE COST TO PURCHASE ALL OF THOSE CIRCULATIONS.
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SCREEN, YOU SEE THE SAME TYPE OF IDEA, BUT IN TERMS OF DIGITAL, SO FOR ALL OF THE AUDIO BOOKS ON THE EBOOKS, THE MOVIES, THE TVS SERIES THAT WERE STREAMED OR VIEWED IN HOOPLA, THE VALUE OF THAT EQUALS $3.5 MILLION.
SO WHAT YOU GET WHEN YOU ADD BOTH OUR PHYSICAL IN-HOUSE COLLECTION AND OUR DIGITAL 24 7 COLLECTION IS THAT BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY IS RETURNING NEARLY $7.5 MILLION IN VALUE IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU'RE BORROWING.
I THOUGHT IT MIGHT COME FROM MR. BOAS, BUT I APPRECIATE IT COMING FROM YOU.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S NOTEWORTHY THAT OUR COUNTY BUDGET IS A LITTLE OVER $7 MILLION AND WE HAVE, WE, THE LIBRARY SYSTEM IS RETURNING OVER $7 MILLION BACK IN VALUE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO IN A SENSE, IT'S ALMOST A WASH IN THAT WHAT THE TAXPAYERS PAY FOR THE LIBRARY SERVICES IS RETURNED DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR IN TERMS OF VALUE OF SERVICES, AS AMANDA HAS POINTED OUT.
I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION.
I LIKE TO THINK OF IT TOO, UH, WITH, BY TAKING IT ONE STEP FURTHER, AND, AND YOU'RE CORRECT THAT OUR OVERALL OPERATING BUDGET IS $7 MILLION, BUT WHEN I LOOK AT HOW MUCH WE INVESTED IN LIBRARY MATERIALS, WHICH WE TALKED ABOUT BEING JUST UNDER $1 MILLION, THAT'S A 7.82, UH, $7 AND 82 CENTS RETURN ON THAT $1, WHICH IS REALLY IMPRESSIVE WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE POWER OF LENDING AND BORROWING AND RESOURCE SHARING.
MADAM CHAIR, THAT, THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT, UNLESS THERE ARE ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS,
UH, NEXT WE HAVE MR. BOGUE AND YOUR FINANCE REPORT, AND HEY, THANK YOU.
AND OH MY GOSH, WELL, CONTINUING WITH THE UPLIFTING CONSIDERATIONS OF THE LIBRARY, I'M GONNA GO THROUGH THE FINANCE REPORT.
THE FINANCE DOCUMENTS ARE SHOWN ON THE SCREEN, BUT FROM WHERE I
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SIT, THAT'S PRETTY SMALL READINGTHE DOCUMENTS IN YOUR PACKET HERE, AND WE'LL BEGIN WITH THE, UH, DOCUMENT THAT'S SHOWN UP ON THE SCREEN THERE IS NOTEWORTHY THAT AT THIS POINT IN TIME WE'RE HALFWAY THROUGH OUR FISCAL YEAR, SO WE HAVE SORT OF A FEEL FOR, FOR WHERE WE ARE AND WHAT, WHAT THE END OF THE YEAR NUMBERS ARE GOING TO LOOK LIKE, AT LEAST RESPECTIVELY HERE.
AND WE'LL GO OVER THIS IN IN OUR USUAL WAY.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS TO START ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE SPECIAL FUNDS REPORT THAT YOU HAVE HERE AND LOOK AT STATE AID.
AT THIS POINT IN TIME, WE, WE'VE RECEIVED OUR SECOND INSTALLMENT OF STATE AID 257,000.
UM, JUST AS A REMINDER, IN THIS STATEWIDE SCHEME AT THIS YEAR, WE'VE RECEIVED SEMI-ANNUAL AT INSTALLMENTS.
WE'VE RECEIVED EVERYTHING FOR THE YEAR.
AT THIS POINT, WE'VE ONLY SPENT 12,000 OF THAT TOTAL.
SO WE HAVE A VERY HEALTHY CARRY OVER $502,000.
THIS IS NOT REALLY A CONCERN BECAUSE ALL THIS MONEY IS DEVOTED TOWARDS LIBRARY MATERIALS AND MOST OF OUR LIBRARY MATERIAL SPENDING OCCURS IN THE LATTER PART OF OUR FISCAL YEAR.
SO THIS IS, THIS IS QUITE NORMAL AND QUITE TO BE EXPECTED HERE IN TERMS OF IMPACT FEES.
MIDDLE COLUMN HERE, YOU'LL SEE, AND AMANDA HAS THIS SORT OF FOOTNOTE NUMBER AT THE BOTTOM RIGHT HAND CORNER HERE.
ALTOGETHER WE'RE AT $5.5 MILLION.
IN TERMS OF IMPACT FEES, THIS IS A VERY, VERY HEALTHY NUMBER HERE.
UM, WE HAVE OUTSTANDING COMMITMENTS, IF YOU WOULD, OF ABOUT 2.4 MILLION IN TERMS OF THE FEES, WHICH LEAVES US WITH A $3 MILLION UNCOMMITTED BALANCE, WHICH ALSO MEANS THAT WE HAVE SUFFICIENT RESILIENCY TO LOOK AT AND PICK UP ANY LIBRARY OPPORTUNITIES THAT MAY OCCUR IN THE FUTURE HERE.
SO WE'RE VERY HEALTHY IN THAT REGARD.
MOVING OVER TO THE LEFT HAND COLUMN HERE IN SPECIAL TRUSTS, FEW MINOR CHANGES HERE.
WE HAD ABOUT $1,400 IN INTEREST ON THE, ON THE ENDOWMENT, $56 SPENT OUT OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY DISTRICT COLLECTION.
AND $462 DONATION TO THE, TO THE COUNTY LIBRARY THAT'S REFLECTED HERE.
UM, THE GRANT NUMBERS HAVE EDGED UP A BIT ABOUT $1,200.
SO AS AMANDA SAID, WE HAVE THE $30,000, WHICH HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED FOR THE STUDY PODS.
WE ALSO HAVE $2,500 FOR, UH, THE STRATEGIC PLAN PREPARATION, ANOTHER $1,200 IN TERMS OF A HUMANITIES GRANT, UH, FOR THE AUTHOR FESTIVAL.
SO WE'RE LOOKING GOOD ON ALL OF THESE REGARDS HERE.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO THEN IS TO TURN OVER TO THE NEXT PAGE, WHICH IS OUR OPERATING BUDGET, THAT WE ARE HALFWAY THROUGH THE YEAR, LOOKING DOWN AT THE BOTTOM RIGHT HAND CORNER ALTOGETHER, COMBINED SPEND, WE'RE AT 44%, WHICH MEANS THAT WE REALLY HAVE 6% UNSPENT OF OUR BUDGET.
AND YOU LOOK DOWN AT THE BOTTOM, UM, RIGHT HAND COLUMN, FINAL NUMBER HERE.
YOU SEE THAT WE HAVE UNSPENT MONEY OF 452,000.
SO IT'S LOOKING AS IF WE WILL GO INTO THE END OF THE YEAR WITH REALLY A BUDGET SURPLUS UNSPENT.
UM, THE RE THE VACANCIES THAT AMANDA POINTED OUT EARLIER REALLY CONTRIBUTE TO THE UNDERSPENDING THAT WE HAVE HERE.
WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE PERSONNEL SERVICES LINE, WE'RE AT 43% SPENT.
WHEN WE GET DOWN TO OPERATING EXPENSES, WE'RE AT 53%.
NOTHING REALLY JUMPS OUT HERE.
THAT'S, THAT'S EXTRAORDINARY HERE.
UH, THE HIGHER SPENDING NUMBERS ON THE OPERATING EXPENSES ARE REALLY IN TWO LINES, MAINTENANCE CONTRACTS AND LIBRARY MATERIALS.
BUT MOST OF THE LIBRARY MATERIALS HERE, AS YOU NOTICE HERE, IS REALLY CARRY OVER INTO THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR.
SO WHEN WE TAKE A LOOK AT OUR BUDGET, WE'RE LOOKING VERY GOOD, VERY GOOD.
IF WE CAN MOVE OVER TO THE FINAL PAGE, WHICH IS REALLY OUR MATERIALS EXPENDITURES FOR THE YEAR, WHICH IS REALLY MY FAVORITE REPORTS HERE.
SO, SO FAR THROUGH THIS YEAR, WE SPENT $315,000, UM, WHICH IS PRETTY MUCH ON TRACK.
AS I SAID, MOST OF THE MATERIAL SPENDING OCCURS IN THE LATTER PART OF OUR FISCAL YEAR.
WHAT IS INTERESTING TO NOTE IS THAT 75% OF OUR YEAR TO DATE SPENDING IS ON HOOPLA.
OKAY? UM, THIS COMPARES LAST YEAR WE WERE AT 70%, SO WE SPENT A LITTLE BIT MORE ON HOOPLA.
AGAIN, NOTHING EXTRAORDINARY, NOTHING TO TO JUMPS OUT HERE.
[00:30:01]
WHEN I TAKE A LOOK AT THIS AND REALLY FORECAST OUT, WHERE ARE WE GONNA BE AT THE END OF THE YEAR? SO WE HAVE A REMAINING COUNTY MATERIALS BUDGET, UNSPENT NUMBERS, WHICH I TALKED ABOUT.IT'S ABOUT 236,000 UNSPENT STATE AID.
AS I POINTED OUT HERE, WE GOT ANOTHER HALF MILLION DOLLARS HERE.
AND IF WE GET SOME MONEY FROM THE FANS, FROM FRIENDS, WE'RE LOOKING AT A CUMULATIVE YEAR END POSSIBILITY OF 1.1 MILLION, WHICH IS REALLY AN EXTRAORDINARY.
NOW, AS AMANDA HAS POINTED OUT IN HER OTHER, YOUR COMMENTS, UM, TO THE BOARD HERE ON OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS LAST YEAR, WE SPENT 954,000.
THIS YEAR WE'RE LOOKING AT KIND OF BREAKING THE $1 MILLION MARK, WHICH IS EXTRAORDINARY HERE.
OKAY? SO AT, AT THIS POINT, AT THIS POINT, SUMMED IT ALL TOGETHER, IMPACT FEES.
OUR OPERATING BUDGET IS, IS UNDERSPENT HERE, AND OUR LIBRARY BUDGET IS LOOKING AT A MILLION.
OUR MATERIALS BUDGET IS LOOKING AT A MILLION DOLLARS.
AND ON THAT HIGH NOTE, AND I ALSO HAVE TO SAY THIS IS GOING TO BE, THIS IS MY LAST PRESENTATION TO THE BOARD, AS YOUR FINANCE CHAIR SAY, IT ISN'T SO.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO REALLY IS TO THANK SPECIAL THANKS, PERSONAL THANKS TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE THAT HAS SUPPORTED ME THROUGHOUT THIS TIME HERE, THE LIBRARY BOARD FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND LISTENING TO ME
AND FOR AMANDA HAS BEEN REALLY BEING, YOU KNOW, A WONDERFUL DIRECTOR HERE AND, AND SUPPORTIVE.
UM, WHEN I LOOK BACK AT THOSE OF US THAT ARE ROLLING OFF THE BOARD AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME, WE'VE COME A LONG WAY.
I THINK OUR LIBRARY IS IN MUCH BETTER SHAPE THAN IT'S EVER BEEN.
WE'RE FINANCIALLY SOUND, WE HAVE SOLID AND GOOD LEADERSHIP, AND THAT'S PROBABLY THE BEST LEGACY THAT WE COULD HOPE FOR HERE.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
AND IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE FINANCE DOCUMENTS, WE'LL DO OUR BEST.
AND IF NOT, BACK TO THE CHAIR.
I WANNA SAY SOMETHING, JOE, YOU JOINED THE BOARD IN 2014 AT A TIME WHEN THE BUDGET WAS FACING SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES.
I, I REMEMBER YOU WALKING INTO THE BUFORT LIBRARY SAYING, WHERE ARE THE BOOKS? THERE'S NO BOOKS ON THE SHELVES.
UM, YOU PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN BUILDING A STRONG WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COUNTY AND I IMPROVING THE ORGANIZATION'S FINANCIAL POSITION.
AND WE WOULD ALL LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION ABOVE AND BEYOND.
YOU'VE GONE TO BUDGET MEETINGS, YOU'VE SUPPORTED AMANDA, YOU'VE DONE A FABULOUS JOB.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
AND WE STILL HAVE YOU ON SPEED DIAL
UM, NEXT WE HAVE BEEN ASKED, WE HAVE BEEN ASKED TO, UM, LOOK AT, AT THE TERM, AT OUR TERMS. SO, UM, THE, THE LIBRARY BOARD MEMBERSHIP HAS, UH, TERMS OF THREE, LET'S SEE, IT'S, IT'S THREE, FOUR YEAR TERMS. THEY ARE ASKING US IF WE WANT TO KEEP THAT, UH, THREE, FOUR YEAR TERMS OR IF WE WANNA CHANGE THAT TO SOMETHING ELSE.
IF WE WANNA ADD A TERM, WE WANNA MAKE IT FOUR, FOUR YEAR TERMS IF WE WANT TO MAKE IT TWO, TWO YEAR TERMS OR NO TERM OR, OR CONTINUOUS NOT HAVING ANY END TO THE TERMS. UM, UH, SO I, I GUESS I, UM, CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO DISCUSS? A MOTION TO, I GUESS I WOULD SAY, CAN WE HAVE A MOTION TO CHANGE THE TERMS, UH, FOR THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR THE LENGTH OF STAY THAT THEY ARE ON THE BOARD? CAN I JUST HAVE A MOTION FOR THAT AND THEN WE CAN DISCUSS IT.
CAN COULD YOU CLARIFY SOMETHING FOR US, LYNN? YES.
UM, CAN WE DECIDE THIS ON OUR OWN, OR DOES THIS CHANGE IN TERMS, WHICH IS A CHANGE IN THE BYLAWS? GO TO THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO DETERMINE WHAT TERM LINKS YOU WANT.
THEY DO YOUR TERM LINK, LIKE THE LENGTH NEEDS TO BE FOUR YEARS, BUT THE AMOUNT OF TERMS, LIKE THE NUMBER OF TERMS YOU CURRENTLY HAVE, THREE, YOU GET TO CHOOSE WHETHER THERE ARE, UM, THE PERSON CAN BE REAPPOINTED ONCE, TWICE, OR IF THERE IS NO LIMIT AT ALL, THERE'S NO LIMIT.
AND ON THE SCREEN, UM, UH, MS.
[00:35:01]
JANINE, UH, HAD ASKED, UH, ME TO POLL THE AUDIENCE OF OTHER LIBRARY DIRECTORS IN THE STATE TO FIND OUT WHAT THEIR BYLAWS SAY.AND SO THERE ARE, UH, SIGNIFICANT DISPARITY ACROSS THE STATE ABOUT WHAT THEY HAVE ADOPTED IN THEIR CODE OF ORDINANCES, UM, BEAUFORT BY THOSE THAT HAVE RESPONDED.
THIS IS NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT RESPONSE, BUT BY THOSE WHO RESPONDED.
BEAUFORT COUNTY IS THE ONLY COUNTY RIGHT NOW WITH THREE TERMS. UM, THERE'S SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS OF COUNTIES WHO HAVE TWO FOUR YEAR TERMS, ONE HAS ONE TERM AND, AND THAT'S IT.
UM, AND SEVERAL HAVE NO TERM LIMITS.
WE NEED A MOTION TO DISCUSS THAT.
NO, I THINK WE NEED TO DISCUSS IT AND THEN MAKE A MOTION AND THEN SOMEBODY NEEDS TO MAKE A MOTION AND THEN SECOND IT AND THEN YEAH.
UM, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT? I'M NOT SURE I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH THE NO TERM LIMITS BECAUSE I THINK, I THINK NEW BLOOD INTO A BOARD IS HELPFUL.
I DON'T, I'M NOT SAYING HOW OFTEN, BUT I DO THINK THAT I'VE SEEN BOARDS GO ON AND ON AND ON, AND IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO CHANGE THINGS.
I WANNA SAY, YOU KNOW, A BEST PRACTICE IN GOVERNANCE IS THAT YOU HAVE TERMS DIFFERENT LENGTHS, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT LENGTHS, DIFFERENT RENEWAL, BUT THAT YOU HAVE TERMS. SO I, I WOULDN'T WANT US TO GO TO NO TERM LIMITS EITHER.
I WOULD PERSONALLY SECOND THAT, UH, FROM MY OWN EXPERIENCE HERE.
I THINK IT'S, IT'S HELPFUL TO BRING FRESH EYES, FRESH IDEAS, A NEW PERSPECTIVE TO THE SITUATION HERE.
YOU ESSENTIALLY HAVE INCUMBENTS THAT GO ON AND ON AND ON.
AND I THINK IN, IN TERMS OF GOVERNMENT GOVERNANCE HERE, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE SOME TURNOVER, SOME FRESH IDEAS BROUGHT TO IT.
AND, AND THE THING TOO IS THAT WE DO GET BURNED OUT.
UH, WHEN YOU HONOR A BOARD LIKE THIS OR ANY OTHER BOARD, YOU KNOW, YOU DO SPEND A LOT OF TIME AND ENERGY ON IT.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE SOME CIRCULATION IN TERMS OF REPRESENTATION.
BRENDA, IN ADDITION TO THAT, I JUST FEEL THAT, YOU KNOW, WE SERVE AN ENTIRE DISTRICT.
WHEN THERE IS TURNOVER, THEN YOU GIVE OTHERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE THEIR VIEWPOINT OF THIS ORGANIZATION.
THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE PROBABLY IN DISTRICT ONE THAT DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT I SERVE AS OTHERS OF YOU HAVE THE SAME INSTANCE.
WE NEED TO ALLOW OTHER PEOPLE TO GIVE INPUT.
OH, IF WE WANT TERMS, AND ACCORDING TO THE LAW, STATE LAW OR BEAUFORT COUNTY LAW, THE TERMS HAVE TO BE FOUR A YEAR.
THEN THE ONLY QUESTION IS HOW MANY FOUR YEAR TERMS WE WANT PEOPLE TO SERVE TERM.
I DO WANT PEOPLE TO BE AWARE OF ONE GLITCH IN THIS THOUGH, THAT CAN WE TALK ABOUT BRENDA? YEAH.
SO, SO LET ME, LET ME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE THAT SOMETHING YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT WITH THIS.
'CAUSE 12 YEARS SEEMS LIKE A LONG TIME IS BRENDA WAS APPOINTED TO FILL A PARTIAL TERM AND THE COUNTY REC RIGHT NOW RECOGNIZES THAT AS A FULL FOUR YEAR TERM, EVEN THOUGH SHE ONLY SERVED LIKE ONE YEAR THERE.
SO WE, MANY OF US, SOME OF US WOULD LIKE BRENDA TO BE ABLE TO SERVE ANOTHER TERM, BUT THEY'RE COUNTING A ONE YEAR TERM AS IF IT WAS A FOUR YEAR TERM.
DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT? MM-HMM
BECAUSE THEY'RE SAYING PARTIAL FULL, IT'S ONE TERM.
SO I KNOW 12 YEARS SOUNDS LIKE A LONG TIME, BUT I WOULD BE ADVOCATING THAT WE CONSIDER THINKING ABOUT FOUR, FOUR YEAR TERMS, UM, BECAUSE THIS WILL HAPPEN TO OTHER PEOPLE TOO.
THAT DOES SEEM IT SEEMS LIKE THAT THAT'LL BE 16 YEARS.
AND I KNOW I THAT'S A LONG TIME BECAUSE WELL, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO REAPPOINT PEOPLE.
YOU DON'T GET ASKED IF THEY GET REPOINT.
AFTER THE THREE, FOUR YEAR, I'M NO LONGER ELIGIBLE.
I CAN SERVE UNTIL SOMEONE ELSE FILLS THE POSITION, BUT I CANNOT BE REAPPOINTED.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE BEING ASKED IF WE WANT TO MAKE IT FOUR, FOUR YEAR TERMS. WHAT I'M SAYING, WAIT A MINUTE.
YOU'RE SAYING THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE, I SOMEBODY IS SERVING, UH, THEIR FIRST FOUR YEAR TERM AND ISN'T REALLY WORKING OUT FOR WHATEVER REASON ISN'T ATTENDANCE IS HORRIBLE OR WHATEVER, THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAY THAT THEY CAN'T BE REAPPOINTED.
YOU, YOU, AT ANY TIME YOU CAN APPROACH YOUR COUNCIL PERSON ABOUT REMOVAL OF A, OF A BOARD MEMBER FOR WHATEVER REASON THAT MIGHT BE.
WHAT SHE'S TALKING ABOUT IS THAT, UM, ACCORDING TO THE BYLAWS, YOUR MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF NUMBER
[00:40:01]
OF TERMS ARE THREE TERMS. RIGHT? AND THE QUESTION BEFORE THIS BODY IS WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANNA CONTINUE TO HAVE THREE TERMS AS THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF TERMS OR WHETHER YOU'D LIKE TO INCREASE THAT OR REDUCED THAT.I HAVE A QUESTION OF CLARIFICATION.
DO THE COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS VOTE ON WHETHER A PERSON IS REAPPOINTED FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEAR TERM? OR IS THAT UP TO US? THE, UM, THE INDIVIDUAL WHO IS SERVING GETS THE OPPORTUNITY TO REQUEST REAPPOINTMENT, AND THAT IS REVIEWED BY COUNTY COUNCIL.
BUT WE DON'T DETERMINE WHETHER, IF PERSON A IS APPOINTED TO THE BOARD AND THEY'RE NOT WORKING OUT AND WE DON'T GET TO, AND IF THEY WANNA CONTINUE TO SERVE, WE DON'T GET A VOICE IN THAT.
WE DON'T GET ASKED YOU, YOU WOULDN'T GET ASKED IF YOU WOULD LIKE, THEY, THAT INDIVIDUAL, IT'S THAT INDIVIDUAL'S CHOICE WHETHER OR NOT THEY CHOOSE TO REQUEST RECONSIDERATION AT THE POINT THAT THEIR TERM IS EXPIRING.
AT ANY POINT, IF THERE IS A CONCERN ABOUT A BOARD MEMBER SERVING, YOU MAY CALL YOUR COUNCIL PERSON AND EXPRESS YOUR CONCERN AND THEY CAN BE REMOVED OUTSIDE OF THEIR TERM LIMIT.
SO IT CAN BE, UM, IF I'M, IF I'M REAPPOINTED IN MARCH, IF I'M SERVING ON THE BOARD YET, I FAIL TO SHOW UP TO MEETINGS IN A ROW, ACCORDING TO YOUR BYLAWS, THAT'S GROUNDS FOR REMOVAL.
UM, IN THAT FALL, YOU, YOU COULD CONTACT YOUR COUNCIL PERSON AND SAY, I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT AMANDA SERVING ON THIS BOARD, AND REGARDLESS OF IF I'VE BEEN APPOINTED OR UP FOR REAPPOINTMENT, I CAN BE REMOVED AT ANY TIME FOR JUSTIFICATION I BEGAN, IT WAS A CASE OF SOME.
AND SO, UM, WHERE IT'S A LITTLE BIT CONFUSING THIS TIME AROUND, AND YOU MENTIONED SPECIFICALLY BRENDA'S CASE AND SHE MENTIONED AND POINTED OUT THAT HER FIRST TERM WAS, WAS THREE YEARS.
AND SO IT IS NOT THIS BODY TO DETERMINE WHETHER THAT'S A WHOLE TERM OR NOT.
THAT IS UP TO THE BOARDS AND COMMISSION'S OFFICE TO DETERMINE THE NUMBER OF TERMS THAT A PERSON HAS SERVED.
SO IN THIS CASE, BOARDS AND COMMISSION OFFICE RECEIVED HER REQUEST.
THEY VERIFIED HOW MANY TERMS THAT SHE HAS SERVED.
THAT IN THEIR OPINION IS THREE TERMS. SO SHE'S INELIGIBLE FOR REAPPOINTMENT BECAUSE YOU MAX OUT, ACCORDING TO YOUR BYLAWS, AT THREE TERMS, I'D BE WILLING TO SERVE AND HEAR YOU.
I WILL BE WILLING TO SERVE AND TELL A REPLACEMENT IS, AND THAT PROVISION IS IN THERE IN YOUR BYLAWS AS WELL, SO THAT IT DOES ALLOW FOR A BOARD TO CONTINUE OPERATION DURING A SEASON OF TRANSITION.
SO ARE WE COMFORTABLE WITH, UH, THREE, FOUR YEAR TERMS? WHAT ABOUT TWO FOUR YEAR TERMS? DO YOU THINK THREE IS TOO MANY? I DON'T THINK THREE IS TOO MANY.
AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE I'VE JUST BEEN ON THE BOARD FOR A LITTLE OVER A YEAR NOW, AND IT TAKES A YEAR TO START TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE DOING, WHAT THE DYNAMICS ARE.
I, I REALLY THINK IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
FOUR YEARS IS, IS, I MEAN, FOUR TERMS IS TOO LONG.
BUT THREE, I'M COMFORTABLE WITH ANYONE ELSE.
I CAME TO THE BOARD, LYNN WAS HERE.
JOE WAS HERE, AND TAB WAS HERE.
AND YOU KNOW, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE THINGS THAT HAVE FROM WHERE OUR BUDGET WAS IN A TOTALLY DIFFERENT PLACE WHEN I STARTED.
AND WHEN COVID AND WE WENT THROUGH WHEN, YOU KNOW, LIBRARIES WERE GONNA CLOSE FOR CERTAIN HOURS AND WE HAD THE COMMUNITY COME OUT LIBRARY, YOU KNOW, SO I DON'T, DIFFERENT PHASES AND STAGES, YOU KNOW, SO I DEFINITELY AGREE BECAUSE WHEN, UM, I THINK IT WAS BERNIE COLE WHO RECOMMENDED ME, I REMEMBER THAT THEY VERY WELL AT THE YMCA, HE HAD ASKED ME AND BOOKS, I'LL TELL ANYBODY THAT
AND I'M WITH YOU, I DEFINITELY AGREE WITH YOU ON THAT.
IT DOESN'T TAKE LIKE ONE OR TWO MEETINGS.
IT TAKES LIKE A YEAR, MAYBE A YEAR.
FOR ME IT WAS LIKE ALMOST TWO YEARS TO GET IN THE SWING OF THINGS AND TO LEARN THINGS AND LEARN THE BUDGET AND EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW? YEAH.
SO I, I DEFINITELY AGREE WITH THAT.
I'M IN, I'M INDEFINITELY IN FAVOR WITH THE THREE, FOUR YEAR TERM.
AND WHEN I LOOKED AT THE NUMBER OF YEARS WHEN AMANDA SENT THE EMAIL, I THOUGHT
[00:45:01]
WHOA, THIS COULDN'T POSSIBLY HAVE BEEN THIS NUMBER OF YEARS.WELL, DESPITE THE FACT THAT WE HAVE THAT THREE, FOUR YEAR TERM POSITION RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE POTENTIALLY FIVE PEOPLE WITH BRENDA INCLUDED, GIVEN THE TERM HER TERM RESTRICTION, AND JOE AND, UM, LYNN AND THEN, UM, ROSALIE AND, AND, UM, BERNIE LEAVING THIS YEAR.
WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE BRAIN DRAIN.
YOU KNOW, AND NOT, NOT TO SAY THAT THE REST OF US WHO ARE LEFT DON'T HAVE BRAINS, BUT, YOU KNOW.
BUT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE REALLY, WE'RE GONNA LOOK LIKE A VERY DIFFERENT BOARD.
YOU KNOW, WHEN WE MEET IN MARCH, BECAUSE OF HOW MANY, EVEN THOUGH PEOPLE HAVE SERVED THAT LONG, WE STILL HAVEN'T HAD, YOU KNOW, AN OLD STODGY GROUP.
AND SO I, I, UM, I WOULD BE KEEP IN FAVOR OF KEEPING IT TO THREE, FOUR YEAR TERMS. LOOK AT BYLAWS IN THE FUTURE, YOU KNOW, AS I'VE MENTIONED, I THINK ONE MEETING WE TALKED ABOUT ONE OF OUR FRIENDS GROUPS, THE WAY THEY ENSURE THERE'S A TRANSITION OF KNOWLEDGE OR WHATEVER, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW? THAT'S TRUE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU'RE GONNA DO THAT, BUT
WELL, CAN I HAVE A MOTION THEN TO KEEP THE BYLAWS OR TO, TO KEEP THE TERMS AT, UH, THREE, FOUR YEAR TERMS FOR THE TRUSTEES? SECOND.
A MOTION THAT WE LEAVE IT AT THREE, FOUR YEAR TERMS. OKAY.
SO
AND WE APPRECIATE THAT MITIGATE YEAR.
YOU KNOW, YOU JUST DON'T KNOW
ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO KEEP AYE.
AND I AGREE WITH YOU, I THINK, UH, THREE, IT TAKES A WHILE TO GET ACCLIMATED BECAUSE WE DON'T MEET EVERY MONTH.
SO I THINK YOU KINDA LOSE A LITTLE BIT IN, IN BETWEEN, BUT, AND IF THAT'S TOO MUCH FOR SOMEONE, THEY ALWAYS HAVE THE CHOICE TO LEAVE AFTER ONE OR TWO TERMS. RIGHT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ALL OF YOU.
UM, UH, REQUEST FOR CONSIDERATION, JANET PORTER, WE DON'T HAVE ANY REQUESTS FOR CONSIDERATION.
SHAUNA, IS THERE ANY INFORMATION? UM, I DON'T BELIEVE SO.
UM, WE, I THINK YOU FORGOT STRATEGIC PLANNING.
BUT I WILL GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON WHAT'S HAPPENING.
DO I HAVE GLASSES?
UH, WE RECEIVED A RECOMMENDATION FOR A, ANOTHER, UM, UH, CONSULTANT POSSIBILITY FROM THE DORCHESTER LIBRARY.
AND AMANDA REACHED OUT TO THEM THAT WOULD BE LOUDER, NONPROFIT STRATEGIES.
UM, SHE JUST RECEIVED THEIR PROPOSAL AND SHE SENT IT OUT TO THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND WE'RE REVIEWING IT.
AND WE HAVE A MEETING SCHEDULED NEXT WEEK TO DISCUSS THAT AND OTHER, OTHER THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON.
AMANDA AND HER TEAM HAVE DRAFTED A SURVEY, THE UPCOMING SURVEY THAT'LL BE IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.
AND WE'VE SENT THAT OUT TO THE COMMITTEE TO LOOK AT REVIEW AND MAKE COMMENTS ON, UM, IN YOUR PACKET, YOU HAVE A COPY OF OUR TIMELINE THAT AMANDA, UH, UH, PUT TOGETHER AND WE'RE ON OUR TIMELINE.
AND FINALLY OUR SCORE, UH, MENTOR CHRISTINE JOINED OUR DECEMBER MEETING AND WE'RE GOING TO INVITE HER TO, UH, COME TO OUR MEETING NEXT WEEK.
AND SHE'S ALSO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH AMANDA, WHICH IS GOOD.
UM, AMANDA'S VERY IMPRESSED WITH HER ABILITIES.
I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING ELSE.
AMANDA, DID I LEAVE ANYTHING OUT? YOU GOT IT ALL.
QUE ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY.
AND THAT MEETING BLUFFED IN THE THREE 30 ON FRIDAY.
THE NEXT MEETING WILL BE ON THE 23RD, CORRECT.
UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT REPORT AND FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THAT'S, THERE'S A LOT TO THAT, TO THAT JOB.
UM, NEXT WE HAVE OUR NOMINATING COMMITTEE.
WHAT WOULD, UM, BECAUSE SEVERAL OF US ARE, UH, ON THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ARE
[00:50:01]
GOING OFF, WE ARE A NOMINATING COMMITTEE.IT HAS, UH, HAS SOME NEW PEOPLE COMING ON THAT WE WILL BE VOTING ON.
THE CHAIR WILL WILL BE DONE IN SECRET BALLOT, BUT IN THE MEANWHILE, UM, WE WILL HAVE THE VICE CHAIR AND THE TREASURER VOTED ON.
CAN, UH, DO YOU WANNA TAKE IT OVER NOW? MM-HMM
UM, ON MARCH IN, IN MARCH, TWO MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE WILL BE GOING OFF THE BOARD.
THE FOLLOWING ARE THE NOMINATIONS FOR THE VICE CHAIR AND TREASURER.
THE CHAIR WILL BE VOTED ON BY SECRET BALLOTS.
BALLOTS WILL BE HANDED OUT, AND THEN WE WILL VOTE ON OTHER NOMINEES.
JANET PORTER HAS BEEN NOMINATED FOR CHAIR OF THE LIBRARY, BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS FROM THE FLOOR? AND PLEASE INDICATE A YES OR A NO ON YOUR BALLOT, AND WE WILL COLLECT THEM.
UM, SHE HAS BEEN NOMINATED AND HAS ACCEPTED THE TREASURER'S POSITION.
AND ARE THERE ANY NOMINATIONS FROM THE FLOOR? AND ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
AND ALL OPPOSED? WE'RE IN FOUR.
SO JANINE IS, AND SHE HAS ACCEPTED THAT, RIGHT? YES.
AND THEN WE HAVE MS. BRENDA LATSON, POWELL, VICE CHAIR.
ARE THERE ANY NOMINATIONS FROM THE FLOOR OTHER THAN MS. BRENDA? OKAY.
ALL IN FAVOR? PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND IN.
ANY OPPOSED? I HAVE A QUESTION.
ARE YOU GOING OFF OR ARE YOU STAYING? SO SHE'S STAYING, I'M STAYING UNTIL A REPLACEMENT.
AND THEN WE'LL JUST HAVE TO DO THE VICE CHAIR AGAIN.
CAN YOU, YOU WANNA PASS YOUR BALLOTS DOWN TO ME? IT'S FOUR.
I NEVER HAD ACCESS TO THE CHECKBOX.
JANET PORTER WILL NOW BE YOUR NEW CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
JANINA WILL BE TREASURER FINANCE CHAIR.
AND, UM, BRENDA LATSON, VICE PAUL.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH ALL OF YOU.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE GONNA GIVE ME WE LOVE YOU BRENDA.
WE'LL NOW TALK ABOUT THE LIAISONS TO THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY, UH, BUFORT COUNTY.
UH, BRENDA, WERE YOU ABLE TO ATTEND A MEETING OR NOT ALWAYS.
WHEN, UH, AMANDA'S BEING EVALUATED, IF SOMEBODY ELSE DOESN'T MAKE IT, SHE WILL BE THERE.
UM, THEY, UH, THE FRIENDS OF BUFORT LIBRARY MET LAST THURSDAY ON JANUARY THE EIGHTH FOR THEIR FIRST MEETING OF 2026.
UH, THEY HAVE ANNOUNCED ON THEIR WEBSITE, AND WE'LL BE ALSO ANNOUNCING THROUGH PRINT MEDIA, THE PRESENT, THE, THE PEOPLE WHO WILL BE PRESENTING, UM, THIS YEAR FOR THEIR BOOK SANDWICHED IN LECTURE SERIES.
UM, SO I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE YOU HERE AND THOSE WATCHING ONLINE TOO, TO LOOK AT THE PRESENTER, PRESENTERS WHO WILL BE TALKING AND WHAT BOOKS THEY'LL BE TALKING ABOUT.
YOU'LL SEE SOME NOTABLE FIGURES, UH, IN THE LIST.
UH, WE, THEY HAVE ENLISTED, UM, A LOCAL SHRIMPER FROM CI, UH, SEA EAGLE, UH, CAPTAIN CRAIG, AS WELL AS THE SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION, DR. RODRIGUEZ.
SO THE ROSTER IS, IS QUITE, UH, FULL OF HIGH CALIBER PRESENTERS.
SO IT'S A, IT'S A GREAT UPCOMING SERIES.
UM, BLUFFTON WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND THE BLUFFTON MEETING.
I ALSO ATTENDED THE, THE BLUFFTON MEETING.
UM, IT WAS HELD PRIOR TO THE CONCLUSION OF 2025.
THEIR NEXT MEETING WILL BE FEBRUARY THE FIFTH
[00:55:01]
AT THE BLUFFTON LIBRARY.UH, HILTON HAD, UM, THEIR, CAN I JUST MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT THAT? YES.
THIS INDICATES THAT ROSALIE, WHO'S NOW OFF THE BOARD, IS STILL THE LIAISON WITH BLUFFTON FRIENDS.
DON'T WE NEED SOMEONE ELSE TO BE THE LIAISON? RIGHT.
AND WE HAVE SOME NEW PEOPLE COMING ON THE BOARD IN THAT AREA.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'M HOPING, BECAUSE IS THERE ANYONE ELSE FROM BLUFFTON? I DON'T THINK I OH, YOU'RE FROM BLUFFTON? YES.
I THINK THEY MEET DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY.
AND MEET TYPICALLY AT NINE 30 ON A THURSDAY MORNING.
AND I BELIEVE SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE LADIES COMING ON THAT ARE IN THE BLUFFTON AREA MIGHT BE ABLE TO TAKE THAT POSITION.
SO THAT'S WHY WE DID, WE CAN TAKE, UM, HILTON HAD MEETS NEXT WEEK, AND THE PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION MEETS NEXT WEEK AS WELL.
UH, ANY OLD BUSINESS? NO NEW BUSINESS.
UM, I JUST WANNA MENTION THAT, UM, BOARDS AND BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, UH, HAS BEEN REEVALUATING.
THE, THE BOARDS, THERE'S, THERE'S SEVERAL BOARDS THAT, THAT THE COUNTY IS RE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR, UM, PROCURING, UM, WHAT DO I WANNA SAY? THERE'S, THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE SEVERAL BOARDS THAT THEY HAVE TO APPOINT VOLUNTEERS FOR TO BE ON THE BOARD.
I THINK THERE'S PROBABLY 15 OR 20 OF 'EM.
UM, THEY'RE TRYING TO WORK ON PUTTING THOSE, THE STRUCTURE OF APPOINTING PEOPLE TO THE BOARDS INTO SOME KIND OF A STRUCTURE THAT WORKS FOR ALL THE BOARDS AT THE SAME TIME.
UM, SO THEY'RE MAKING CHANGES.
AND ONE OF THE CHANGES THAT THEY ARE MAKING IS THAT, UM, WHEN A JOB IS POSTED, THIS IS MY UNDERSTANDING, WHEN A JOB IS POSTED, UM, UH, APPLICATIONS COME IN AND THOSE APPLICATIONS WILL, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS WILL GET THOSE APPLICATIONS AND THEY'LL GO DIRECTLY TO THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OR THE COUNTY COUNCIL.
THEY, THEY WILL, WE WILL NO LONGER BE INVOLVED.
I DON'T THINK AT, AT THIS POINT THIS MAY CHANGE, BUT WE WILL NO LONGER BE INVOLVED IN, UM, IN, IN MEETING THE INTERVIEWING THE APPLICANT OR MAKING A RECOMMENDATION OR NOT MAKING A RECOMMENDATION.
SO I THINK WE JUST HAVE TO KIND OF WAIT AND SEE HOW IT PLAYS OUT.
I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT'S GONNA WORK FOR, I DON'T THINK IT'S, WELL, I DON'T KNOW.
IT MIGHT WORK, BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S KIND OF IN FLUX.
SO WE'LL SEE WHETHER IT WORKS OR NOT.
BUT, BUT THE, THE PROBLEM, NOT THE PROBLEM, BUT WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW IS ALL THE, ALL OF THE APPLICATIONS THAT WE RECEIVED, WE DID INTERVIEW THE PEOPLE, BUT ALL OF THAT INFORMATION WENT BACK TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS WITH OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND NOW THAT'S GONNA GO TO THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF COUNTY COUNCIL AND THEY'RE GONNA MAKE THE FINAL DECISION.
SO WE JUST HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE, UH, IF, WELL, WE JUST HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
IS THAT FOR ALL FIVE OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO BE LEAVING? THAT IS FOR WE WERE ABLE TO, YEAH, THERE'S FIVE.
LET'S SEE, HOW DID THAT WORK? ONE, SO THERE WAS, THERE'S FIVE P THERE'S FIVE POSITIONS WE'RE GONNA BE OPEN OR FOUR PHYSICIANS? FOUR PHYSICIANS.
ONE OF THE POSITIONS SOMEONE HAD MOVED, JANET HAD MOVED INTO JOE'S DISTRICT.
THEN WE HAVE FOUR OTHER PHYSICIANS.
WE HAD APPLICANTS FOR ALL OF THEM, UM, EXCEPT ONE OF THEM, THE PERSON WITHDREW IT.
SO WE HAVE THREE GOOD CANDIDATES COMING ON IF EVERYTHING GETS APPROVED.
AND THAT SHOULD COVER OUR BASES FOR QUITE A WHILE.
UM, SO WE'RE JUST HOPING THAT BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, UH, IS DILIGENT ABOUT GETTING THIS DONE BY THE MARCH MEETING.
WE'RE TRUSTING THAT THEY'RE, THOSE THREE ARE GONNA BE PUT THROUGH.
THEY'VE BEEN VERY PATIENT, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE INTERVIEWED LIKE MONTHS AGO BEFORE CHRISTMAS.
AND, UM, SO WE'RE HOPING TO FILL THOSE THREE SPOTS.
WE END UP STILL HAVING TWO OTHER SPOTS, ONE DISTRICT THAT WASN'T FILLED.
AND THEN BRENDA'S DISTRICT, ALTHOUGH SHE WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE UNTIL WE GET A A, EVEN IF WE GET OUR THREE ON BY MARCH, WE'RE STILL TWO DISTRICTS SHORT.
UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SO ONE MORE QUESTION.
SO THE CHAIR AND THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE, OR WHOEVER IT IS THAT HAS INTERVIEWED IN THE PAST, OR THE CHAIR AND THE VICE CHAIR WILL NO LONGER BE DOING THAT.
THIS WILL GO DIRECTLY TO COUNTY COUNCIL AND WE WON'T EVEN KNOW UNTIL THEY TELL US WHO THE NEXT PERSON ON THE BOARD WILL BE.
IS THAT YOUR UNDERSTANDING, AMANDA?
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THIS IS NOT JUST FOR THE LIBRARY BOARD.THIS WOULD BE ACROSS ALL BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS BOARD, WHICH TO ME, HOWEVER IT IT DOES, UM, IT DOES NOT STOP YOU FROM HAVING RELATIONSHIPS AND WITH YOUR COUNTY COUNCIL PERSONS TO, TO HELP IDENTIFY AND HELP THEM UNDERSTAND YOUR, YOUR, THE QUALITIES THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR IN BOARD MEMBERS.
IT, IT DOES SEEM TO ELIMINATE A VERY IMPORTANT AND ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONAL REVIEW OF THE CANDIDATE BY THE AFFECTED AGENCY.
IN OTHER WORDS, YOU HAVE AS I UNDERSTAND IT NOW.
SO IF I'M APPLYING FOR A POSITION WITH HIM, SAY I WANNA BE A MOSQUITO ABATEMENT BOARD, RATHER THAN MY QUALIFICATIONS BEING REVIEWED BY THE BOARD ITSELF LOOKING AT MY SKILLS AND BACKGROUND AND KNOWLEDGE, IT'S GONNA GO TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL OF THE COMMISSION, BOARD COMMISSION WHO HAS NO IDEA.
SO THAT FUNCTIONAL OPERATIONAL REVIEW IS MISSING.
IT SEEMS TO BE A CRITICAL STEP THAT'S BEING TAKEN OUT OF THE PROCESS.
WELL, I WANNA SAY WE HAD, AS LYNN MENTIONED, WE HAD SEVEN CANDIDATES AND FOUR, THREE OR FOUR OF THEM WERE FOR THE SAME DISTRICT.
FOUR, FOUR OF THEM WERE FOR THE SAME DISTRICT.
SO INTERVIEWING THOSE CANDIDATES TO DECIDE WHICH OF THE FOUR WE WANT FOR THAT PARTICULAR DISTRICT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT.
SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE COULD INTER, YOU KNOW, THAT WILL HAPPEN IN ON, IF THEY'VE GOT 15 BOARDS AND MANY VACANCIES ON LOTS OF BOARDS, THAT'S LOTS OF INTERVIEWINGS THEY WOULD HAVE TO DO.
OR THEY'D JUST BE PICK PICKING PEOPLE BASED ON THEIR RESUMES.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, WE WOULD SAY THAT THE INTERVIEWING, WHICH WE'VE DONE FOR YEAH.
FOR PEOPLE ON THE BOARD IS A, IS AN IMPORTANT PART IN TERMS OF DECIDING WHETHER PEOPLE ARE REALLY GONNA BE A GOOD FIT, WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE REALLY COMMITTED, THEY UNDERSTAND THE DIME COMMITMENT, ET CETERA.
SO PERHAPS WE SHOULD CONTACT OUR, UH, DISTRICT LIAISON ON THE BOARD AND LET THEM KNOW PERHAPS THIS, WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A BE, UH, MORE OF A PIECE OF DECIDING IT MIGHT BE WORTH IT.
AND IF ENOUGH PEOPLE CONTACT THEM, THEY MIGHT CHANGE THEIR MIND IF THAT'S WHERE THEY ARE NOW.
WE DID TALK TO HIM THIS MORNING ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THE, THAT, THAT WE WERE CONCERNED WE, THAT THE MARCH THAT WE NEEDED THESE PEOPLE APPROVED BY MARCH 3RD.
AFTER WE GET THAT DONE, THEN I THINK, UM, WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT, ABOUT OUR CONCERNS ABOUT THE PROCESS.
BUT LET'S GET, LET'S, LET'S GET MARCH 3RD OUT OF THE WAY.
AND THEN I, I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU.
I THINK, UM, WE COULD PROBABLY LAY OUT WHAT OUR CONCERNS ARE.
I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY CARE.
I SHOULDN'T SAY THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE DOING, BECAUSE THEY'RE DOING THE WHOLE WHOLE COUNTY.
BUT I THINK WE CAN STILL MAKE A PLEA THAT THIS IS OUR CONCERNS AND WHY WE'RE CONCERNED.
I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO KNOW THAT I WAS MUCH, I WAS, WE HAD A GOOD MEETING THIS MORNING TO EXPRESS OUR STRONG DESIRE TO HAVE THESE THREE CANDIDATES PUT THROUGH AND SETTLED SOON.
AND ALSO HOW WE FELT ABOUT THE PROCESS CHANGING WITH COUNTY OFFICIALS.
I THINK, UH, WE CAN DO THAT WITHOUT, WITHOUT ANY PUSHBACK.
I THINK WE LET THEM KNOW THAT WHAT WE THINK, WHAT, WHAT OUR ISSUES ARE.
UM, SO THAT'S, IS THERE ANY OTHER NEW BUSINESS? OKAY.
WE ARE GOING TO GO INTO AN EXECUTIVE SESSION NOW.
UM, SO IF ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS WOULD STAY AND WE'LL SAY GOODBYE TO ALL OF OUR VISITORS.
COME OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION.
I WANNA SAY WE HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH JOE GANSON.
STRONG BOARD MEMBERS, BOTH HAVING SERVED 12 YEARS.
YOU KNOW, WE ALL KNOW WHAT JOE HAS DONE AND HOW HE'S EMBRACED, YOU KNOW, FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE AND UNDERSTANDING.
I THINK HE EATS, BREATHES AND SLEEPS IT AND, UH, HAS BEEN SUCH A LEADER AND DONE SO MUCH FOR THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTY.
AND YOU SHOULD BE VERY PROUD AT
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THE IMPROVED FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE.'CAUSE YOU'VE BEEN A BIG PART OF THAT.
BIG PART OF LYNN LYNN'S TENURE HERE PRECEDES HER TENURE ON THE BOARD BECAUSE SHE WAS VERY ACTIVE WITH FRIENDS OF HILTON HADN AND CHAIRED THE FRIENDS OF HILTON HEAD FOR YEARS.
SO SHE HAS A EVEN A MUCH LONGER HISTORY IN TERMS OF SUPPORTING OUR LIBRARIES AND WE HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH THEIR COMMITMENT TO HELPING PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY HAVE RESOURCES AND BE ABLE TO READ WHAT THEY WANNA READ.
AND SO I THINK WE REALLY OWE THEM A GOOD, A DEBT OF GRATITUDE.
TOLD I LEARNED A LITTLE BIT FROM YOU.
MOTION YOU ADJOURN NOW WE MEET A MOTION.
KATHY MOVED THAT WE WOULD ADJOURN.
THANKS FOR WATCHING BEAUFORT COUNTY TV.
THE COUNTY IS ONE OF THE OLDEST FORMS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN THE UNITED STATES.
EARLY SETTLERS FROM ENGLAND BROUGHT THE TRADITION OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT TO AMERICA.
TODAY MORE THAN 3000 COUNTY GOVERNMENTS PROVIDE SERVICES THAT AFFECT ALMOST EVERY CITIZEN'S LIFE.
SOUTH CAROLINA'S 46 COUNTIES ARE VERY REPRESENTATIVE OF HOW COUNTY GOVERNMENT HAS EVOLVED NATIONALLY.
THE COUNTY UNIT IN SOUTH CAROLINA WAS REGARDED AS THE LOCAL EXTENSION OF STATE GOVERNMENT, BUT A STATE CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM MOVEMENT IN THE EARLY 1970S LED TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY, PASSING THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT LAW, ALSO KNOWN AS THE HOME RULE ACT.
IN 1975, THE HOME RULE ACT GREATLY EXPANDED COUNTY AUTHORITY AND CHANGED THE NATURE OF COUNTY ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION TO WHAT WE KNOW TODAY.
BEAUFORT COUNTY WENT FROM HAVING A BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO A COUNTY COUNCIL.
MEMBERS OF THE 1975 COUNCIL INCLUDED CHAIRMAN ARTHUR HORN, VICE CHAIRMAN GRADY THAMES, LEROY BROWN, GARY FORDHAM, WILLIAM GRANT, HARRIET KEISLING, DAVID JONES, BILL MCBRIDE, AND BOOKER WASHINGTON.
AS THE NEW COUNCIL SOUGHT TO DISTINGUISH ITSELF, COUNCIL MEMBERS DESIRED AN OFFICIAL SYMBOL THAT WOULD REPRESENT THE JURISDICTION'S IDENTITY AND UNIQUE CHARACTER COUNCIL APPOINTED AN AD HOC COMMITTEE TO UNDERTAKE THE TASK AND CARRY OUT A CONTEST FOR THE BEST COUNTY SEAL DESIGN.
HARRIET KLIN WAS A MEMBER OF COUNTY COUNCIL AND IT WAS HER IDEA BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING THAT COULD SIGNIFICANTLY IDENTIFY OUR BEAUTIFUL BEAUFORD COUNTY.
WE MET THEN UP AT, UH, I THINK IT WAS A CAROLINA BANK AND SOME YEARS AGO BACK THERE ON WEST STREET, AND THEN WE PUT 'EM IN PILES.
YOU KNOW, LIKE, GOOD, BAD MAYBE UNTIL WE FINALLY GOT IT DOWN TO THE ONE THAT WE NOW USE.
COUNTY COUNCIL APPROVED THE SEAL COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION, WHICH REFLECTED THE COUNTY'S HISTORY, TRADITIONS, AND NATURAL BEAUTY.
THE SEALS COLORS OF BLUE AND GREEN REPRESENT THE COLORS OF THE COUNTY'S OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENT WITH ITS MANY WATERWAYS, MARSHLANDS, AND MARITIME FOREST.
THE FIVE IMAGES WITHIN THE SEAL DEPICT SOME OF THE COUNTY'S DISTINGUISHING FEATURES.
ANCIENT LIVE OAK TREES, THE SEAFOOD INDUSTRY, RICH NATURAL RESOURCES, AND A RARE MARINE ECOLOGY, LOW COUNTRY ARCHITECTURE AND MILES OF RIVERS, CREEKS, AND INLETS.
I THOUGHT IT ENCOMPASSED WHAT THE, WHAT WE AS A BODY WERE LOOKING FOR A SEAL THAT WOULD, WHEN YOU LOOKED AT IT AND JUST THOUGHT ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT, IT REALLY COVERS THE ASPECTS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY.
SO HE DID A GOOD JOB OF BRINGING TOGETHER THE THINGS THAT WE, UH, WHOLE SO THERE AND WHAT WE REALLY LIKE ABOUT BEAUFORT COUNTY.
COUNCILMAN BILL MCBRIDE WAS IN OFFICE WHEN THE CONTEST WAS HELD AND WAS PRESENT WHEN THE COMMITTEE REVEALED THE WINNING DESIGN.
I THINK COUNCIL WAS ECSTATIC ABOUT IT.
UH, WE THOUGHT THAT THE, THE SIMS ON THE SEAL REPRESENTED,
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UM, ASPECTS OF LIFE IN BUTT COUNTY.THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANGE IN THE ORIGINAL, UM, DRAFT THAT WAS PRESENTED TO US WHERE YOU HAVE THE SHRIMP BOAT TODAY.
INITIALLY, THAT WAS A PLEASURE CRAFT, A SAILBOAT YACHT TYPE BOAT.
AND, UH, IT WAS CHANGED BY COUNTY COUNCIL BECAUSE WE FELT THAT THE SHRIMP BOAT WAS A BETTER REPRESENTATION, UM, OF A MORE COMPREHENSIVE, UH, ASPECT OF BEAUTIFUL COUNTY LIFE BECAUSE YOU HAD OTHER THINGS ON THE SEAL THAT REPRESENT THE PLEASURE AND RECREATION, THE FISHING AND THE BEACH.
SO THEY THOUGHT THE SHRIMP BOAT, WHICH WAS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF BEAUFORD COUNTY CULTURE, SHRIMPING, ESPECIALLY AT THAT TIME, WOULD BE REFLECTED ON THE SEAL.
THE WINNER OF THE CONTEST WAS AN ARTIST FROM HILTON HEAD ISLAND, THE LATE LEE PAYNE, WHOSE DESIGN WAS SELECTED FROM MORE THAN 126 CENTURIES SUBMITTED FROM AS FAR AWAY AS INDIANA AND TENNESSEE.
HE WAS AWARDED $250 FOR HIS DESIGN.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, HE CAPTURED THE LEGACY OF OUTDOOR BEAUTY, CULTURE, AND HISTORY THAT HELPED TO DEFINE IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF LIFE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
TO SEE MORE BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENTS GO TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY HOMEPAGE AND CLICK ON THE LOCAL HISTORY TAB.