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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.
[I. CALL TO ORDER]
IS TUESDAY, FEBRUARY THE 10TH, 2026.YOU NOW CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
WE'LL PGI TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO THE REPUBLIC BEFORE WHICH IT STANDS.
ONE, A NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
YOU'LL JOIN ME IN PRAYER, PLEASE.
I JUST WANT SAY THANK YOU DEAR GOD.
THANK YOU FOR THE FACT THAT WE LIVE IN A GREAT COMMUNITY.
THAT WE ARE ALL FRIENDS AND WE TRY TO KEEP THAT IN PERSPECTIVE AS WE DO THE TOWN'S BUSINESS.
AND WE JUST ASK THAT YOU CONTINUE TO, TO GIVE US THE ABILITY TO MAKE WISE DECISIONS AND THE KNOWLEDGE TO DO THE THINGS WE NEED TO DO FOR NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE.
AND AGAIN, I'VE, I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THIS PEACE MARCH THAT'S BEEN GOING THROUGH THE UNITED STATES AND, AND IT JUST TELLS US ALL THAT WE JUST NEED HARMONY AND PEACE IN OUR HEARTS AND LOVE FOR EACH OTHER.
[IV. ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES]
WE HAVE, UM, ADOPTION OF, OF TWO MINUTES.UM, FIRSTLY THE REGULAR MINUTES, UM, IS THERE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE REGULAR MINUTES? SO MOVE.
[V. PRESENTATIONS, CELEBRATIONS, AND RECOGNITIONS]
WILL HAVE PRESENTATION, UM, IN CELEBRATION, IN RECOGNITION, STUDENT OF THE MONTH.JASON HALL, WILL YOU COME DOWN PLEASE? AND WITH ALL THE FAMILY MEMBERS AND TEACHERS ALL SUPPORTING CAST JACKSON.
WHO? WHO'S GOING TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF JACKSON? JACKSON? I'LL THE SCHOOL COUNSELOR.
AND, UH, ALONG WE HAVE FAMOUS MS. CROWLEY, THE PRINCIPAL WITH US TODAY.
ALL RIGHT, JACKSON, I AM SO HONORED TO JUST SHARE WITH YOU NOT ONLY SOME WORDS FROM YOUR FIFTH GRADE TEACH OR YOUR FOURTH GRADE TEACHING TEAM, BUT ALSO FROM YOUR FOURTH GRADE CLASSMATES.
THE FOURTH GRADE TEAM WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE JACKSON HARMS WITH THE COMPASSION STUDENT OF THE MONTH.
HERE'S WHAT HIS CLASSMATES SAID ABOUT HIM.
JACKSON IS ALWAYS THE FIRST TO OFFER TO HELP SOMEONE.
WHEN SOMEONE IS FEELING SAD OR DEPRESSED, HE INSTANTLY COMFORTS US.
HE'S NEVER MEAN TO ANYONE AND ALWAYS SAYS SORRY IF HE BOTHERS OR BUMPS INTO SOMEONE, HE HELPS ME WHEN I'M ALONE AND WHEN MY ART IS BAD AND I NEED HELP, HE DOESN'T EVEN CARE.
HE LOVES EVERYONE AND HELPS ME ALL THE TIME.
I THINK I FOUND THE BEST FRIEND EVER.
JACKSON IS ALWAYS POLITE AND LEAPS AT ANY OPPORTUNITY TO HELP A CLASSMATE, TEACHER, OR OTHER PERSON.
HE'S ALWAYS READY WITH A JOKE OR A COMPLIMENT.
IF SOMEONE'S HAVING A TOUGH TIME, HE WILL ALWAYS STOP WHATEVER HE'S DOING.
IF HE NOTICES SOMEONE IN NEED BECAUSE OF THIS, WE WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE JACKSON FOR THE DECEMBER STUDENT OF THE MONTH.
OH, JACKSON DESERVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
AND THAT'LL TAKE YOU A LONG WAY OF LIFE, I PROMISE YOU.
WHO ELSE DO YOU HAVE WITH MY DAD AND MY MOM.
ALRIGHT, WELL JACKSON, WE HAVE SOMETHING FOR YOU TOO.
YOU HAVE THESE SPECIAL PINS AND BADGES THAT YOU CAN'T GET NOWHERES, BUT HERE IN THE TOWN OF LOVE.
SO THESE ONLY GO TO SPECIAL PEOPLE.
WHAT ABOUT THAT? VERY GOOD MS. GOLDEN, GREAT STUDENT FROM A GREAT FAMILY, VERY
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SUPPORTIVE.THIS IS HIS TEACHER, BY THE WAY.
THIS IS MR. BEAN CAME ALONG TOO.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S IN THIS BLUE BAG, BUT IT'S YOURS TOO.
THANK YOU FOR BEING A GREAT GUY.
WILL THE GIRLS CROSS BASKETBALL TEAM JOIN US? I WANT ALL THE SHUT GIRLS BY ME.
WHERE IS RYAN? RYAN STAND? YOU CAN STAND BY ME.
HE COULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT, BUT HE, HE WANTS YOU TO KNOW HOW MUCH HE LOVE YOU.
HE IS WITH HIS WIFE WHO WAS HAVING SURGERY AS WE SPEAK.
BUT HE REALLY DO THINK A LOT OF THEM, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO TELL HIM? UM, YOU DON'T HAVE TO SAY IT.
AND THE S-C-I-S-A, UH, DIVISION TWO STATE BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR AS A JUNIOR.
SHE SCORED A THOUSAND POINTS IN JANUARY THE 15TH.
BUT RYAN COULDN'T DO IT BY HERSELF.
RIGHT? SO WE WANT YOU ALL TO INTRODUCE YOURSELVES SO THEY'LL KNOW WHO HELPED BRIAN TO ACHIEVE THIS.
I GAVE HER ALL HER ATHLETIC ABILITIES.
ALRIGHT, WELL RYAN, I'M SURE YOU ARE.
I THINK I'LL LOOK FOR YOU ON TELEVISION, UM, NEXT YEAR
SO CONTINUE TO DO GOOD AND, AND LET THESE GIRLS KNOW HOW MUCH YOU APPRECIATE THEM FOR HELPING YOU GET THERE.
TRYING TO SCOOT TOGETHER MORE.
AND NOW WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
AND FIRST WE HAVE, UH, WITNESS INTRODUCTIONS.
INTRODUCTIONS FOR THE NEW EMPLOYEES AND RECOGNITION OF PROMOTIONS.
UM, AND WE'LL START WITH KEVIN.
UH, MAYOR PRO TIM, UH, I'M GONNA START US OUT HERE.
UM, SO STARTING OUT FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE, WE HAVE, UM, HANNAH LES, UH, SHE STARTED WITH US UH, LAST MONTH.
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UH, JONES BROTHERS TREE SURGEON.UH, SHE HAS A DEGREE IN PUBLIC HEALTH, UH, FROM UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA BEAUFORT.
UH, SO WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE HER HERE.
UH, PROMOTION WISE, WE HAVE UM, WE HAVE CARRIE NCE.
UH, SHE WAS OUR GROWTH MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR AND IS NOW THE GROWTH MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS SUPERVISOR.
UH, SHE'S BEEN WITH THE TOWN FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS NOW, SO WE'RE EXCITED FOR HER PROMOTION.
AND THEN WE HAVE, UH, CAROLINE, LUKE AS SHE STARTED WITH THIS IN OCTOBER, IN OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR, UM, AS A PLANNER.
UH, SHE HAS HER MASTER'S IN PUBLIC SERVICE ADMINISTRATION IN PUBLIC MANAGEMENT FROM TEXAS A AND M UNIVERSITY.
SO WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE, UH, TWO NEW EMPLOYEES AND A PROMOTION.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, ONE OTHER, UM, WE HAVE A, UM, WE HAVE A BUILDING SAFETY, UH, BUILDING INSPECTOR WHO JUST STARTED PE THURSDAY, BUT UH, HE WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT TODAY.
SO, UH, AND THAT'S CRAIG BOWERS.
EVENING COUNSEL, I'M HAPPY TO INTRODUCE EVAN WELSH.
EVAN SERVES AS OUR INNOVATION MANAGER AT THE DON RYAN CENTER, WHERE HE LEADS OUR STARTUP AND GROWTH PROGRAMS. HE HAS MORE THAN 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE SPANNING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, MENTORSHIP, SALES COMMUNICATION, ORGANIZATIONAL TRANSFORMATION.
EVAN ACTUALLY STARTED WITH THE DON RYAN CENTER AS A MENTOR, ASSISTING SEVERAL BUSINESSES BEFORE ACTUALLY JOINING US AS THE INNOVATION MANAGER.
BEFORE JOINING THE DON RYAN CENTER, EVAN LED CISCO'S GLOBAL TALENT EXCELLENCE TEAM SUPPORTING SALES PROFESSIONALS AROUND THE WORLD.
PRIOR TO CISCO, EVAN SERVED OVER A DECADE AT SAP AND GLOBAL LEADERSHIP ROLES.
EVAN ALSO HAS SIGNIFICANT EXPERIENCE RUNNING FAMILY RUN BUSINESSES AND SUPPORTING BOTH HIS GROWN CHILDREN AND THEIR ENTREPRENEURSHIP ENDEAVORS.
ORIGINALLY FROM SWITZERLAND, EVAN HAS LIVED AND WORKED ACROSS EUROPE AND THE US HOLDS A DEGREE IN INTERNATIONAL POLITICS FROM PENN STATE AND IS CURRENTLY ALSO TEACHING INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS AT USCB.
I HAVE TWO AWESOME EMPLOYEES TO INTRODUCE.
FIRST I HAVE DAVID MASSES MARIN.
DAVID WAS HIRED AS TRADE SPECIALIST.
HE'S ORIGINALLY FROM COSTA RICA, BUT HAS GROWN UP HERE SINCE HE'S TWO YEARS OLD.
HAS GONE THROUGH BUFORT COUNTY SCHOOLS.
UH, HE RECEIVED A FULL SCHOLARSHIP TO ATTEND ARC LAB WELDING AND IS CERTIFIED FROM FIVE TYPES OF WELDING.
HE ALSO BRINGS EXTENSIVE KNOWLEDGE HAVING WORKED FOR TECO MANUFACTURING AS WELL AS PATTERSON CONSTRUCTION AND MITCHELL BROTHERS CONSTRUCTION.
AND THEN NEXT TO DAVID, WE HAVE COLLEEN HALL.
SHE WAS HIRED AS OUR PUBLIC SERVICES COORDINATOR, ORIGINALLY FROM BOSTON, BUT HAS LIVED ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES.
SHE HAD GRADUATED FROM THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD ACADEMY WITH A BACHELOR'S OF SCIENCE IN GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS.
SHE THEN SERVED AS A LIEUTENANT IN THE COAST GUARD FOR SIX YEARS.
COLLEEN AND HER HUSBAND HAVE THREE CHILDREN AT ALL ATTEND BLUFFTON SCHOOLS.
COLLEEN TRULY HIT THE BLUFFTON TRIFECTA.
SHE LIVES, WORKS AND PLAYS IN TOWN OF BLUFFTON.
OKAY, SO WE HAVE SOME FAMILIAR FACES AND A NEW FACE.
UM, FIRST VICTORIA, VICKY SMALL.
SHE'S BEEN WITH THE TOWN FOR ABOUT EIGHT YEARS.
SHE STARTED AS THE GROWTH MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR AND THEN, UM, GREW INTO AFFORDABLE HOUSING MANAGER AND NOW, UM, TO REALLY FOCUS ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS A STRATEGIC INITIATIVE, UM, AND RESPOND TO THOSE NEEDS.
SHE HAS BEEN PROMOTED TO THE AFFORD AFFORDABLE HOUSING DIRECTOR AND SHE WILL BE REPORTING, UM, DIRECTLY TO THE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, SO TO PUSH THE FORWARD THOSE INITIATIVES.
UH, AND THEN WE HAVE A NEW FACE HERE.
THIS IS, LEMME MAKE SURE I GET YOUR LAST NAME RIGHT.
SHE IS A STORMWATER TECHNICIAN.
SHE'LL BE REPORTING TO BETH LEWIS IN HER NEW ROLE.
AND SHE COMES TO US WITH PRIOR EMPLOYMENT WITH HYDRAULIC TECHNICIAN AND DATA ANALYSIS WITH THE USDA FOREST SERVICE.
AND SHE HAS TWO MASTER'S DEGREES, ONE IN SCIENCE AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY STUDIES, AND ONE IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION FROM THE COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON.
THAT'S, AND THEN HERE'S SOME MORE FAMILIAR FACES.
SHE WAS PROMOTED FROM THE MS FOUR PROGRAM MANAGER TO THE WATERSHED MANAGEMENT
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DIVISION MANAGER.SO SHE WILL TAKE ON ALL OF THOSE, UM, FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
AND SHE'S BEEN WITH THE TOWN ALMOST 11 YEARS, SO THANK YOU.
SHE IS PROMOTED FROM THE WATER QUALITY PROGRAM MANAGER TO THE WATERSHED RESILIENCE MANAGER.
SO TO PUSH FORWARD THOSE INITIATIVES THAT COUNCIL HAS IDENTIFIED, UM, TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND SHE HAS BEEN WITH THE TOWN ALMOST 13 YEARS.
FOR THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, I'M HAPPY TO, UM, WELCOME JEREMY BULLOCK.
HE IS OUR NEW GRANTS ADMINISTRATOR, UM, FOR THE TOWN OF LEPTON.
AND HE HAS JUST STROLLED RIGHT INTO THAT POSITION.
WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO HAVE HIM HERE.
HE COMES FROM, UM, UNION MISSION IN SAVANNAH, GEORGIA, AND ALSO HAS A BACHELOR'S OF ART IN HISTORY.
AND THEN AMANDA WAS RECENTLY PROMOTED, WELL ACTUALLY OVER THE SUMMER, WAS PROMOTED TO, UM, TREASURY, GEN GENERALIST AND HAS DONE A REALLY GREAT JOB IN THE BUSINESS LICENSE DIVISION.
TODAY, TODAY I HAVE AN INTRODUCTION, A PROMOTION.
ALEXIS KENARD WAS RECENTLY PROMOTED FROM HR GENERALIST TO SENIOR HR GENERALIST.
UH, WE APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK WITH THAT, UH, ALEXIS HAS DONE FOR THE HR DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING OUR, UM, NEW AND IMPROVED INTERN PROGRAM.
SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT ALL THE INTERNS THAT WE HAVE HERE AT THE TOWN.
UH, SHE HAS BEEN WITH THE TOWN SINCE 2023, SO GOING ON THREE YEARS NOW.
I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR NEWEST ADDITIONS TO THE EVENTS AND VENUES DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE JENNIFER FREEMAN, JENNIFER FREEMAN AS THE PART-TIME EVENTS AND VENUES COORDINATOR.
SHE WAS PREVIOUSLY THE LEAD LOGISTICS MANAGER AT OUTSIDE HILTON HEAD.
JENNIFER REPORTS TO EILEEN MCCOLLUM.
SHE HAS AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE IN BUSINESS FROM THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE OF THE LOW COUNTRY.
AND SHE'S DONE A GREAT JOB FOR US.
AND NEXT I'D LIKE TO, UH, WELCOME JESSICA S SHE'S RETURNING TO THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON.
AGAIN, I JUST GOT AN S BECAUSE I KNEW I WOULD BUTCHER HER NAME AND I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE YOU ALREADY RECOGNIZE HER AND WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO HAVE HER BACK FOR THE SECOND TIME.
SHE WAS WITH, UH, THE DON RYAN, DON RYAN CENTER PREVIOUSLY AND THEN WAS MOST RECENTLY CAME FROM MAY RIVER RECRUITING.
SO SHE IS THE, UH, WELCOME CENTER ASSISTANT COORDINATOR.
SHE HAS A BUS BUSINESS MERCHANDISING DEGREE FROM EAST CAROLINA UNIVERSITY.
AND WHAT TODAY WAS YOUR SECOND DAY? THIRD DAY.
SO WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO HAVE JESSICA BACK.
AND THEN WE HAVE DAVID BERBER.
DAVID BERBER WAS PROMOTED FROM, UH, GARVIN GARVEY HOUSE DOCENT TO WELCOME CENTER ASSISTANT COORDINATOR.
AND THAT, UH, TRANSITIONED HAPPENED, UH, BACK IN, UH, OCTOBER, I BELIEVE.
AND THEN I, EILEEN MCCULLUM, WHO IS NOT WITH US TONIGHT, SHE'S NOT FEELING WELL, WAS PROMOTED FROM THE PART-TIME VIDEO EVENTS AND, UM, COORDINATOR TO THE ASSISTANT EVENTS AND VENUES MANAGER.
AND SHE TOOK THAT POSITION IN JULY AND SHE'S BEEN WITH THE TOWN FOR ABOUT THREE YEARS.
SO WE HAVE A GREAT TEAM AND WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE THEM WITH US.
SO GOOD EVENING, UH, INTRODUCTION TO TWO NEW OFFICERS.
UH, FIRST START OFF WITH OFFICER WILLIAM CARTER.
UH, CARTER WAS A RETIRED SERGEANT MAJOR IN THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS.
HE WAS ALSO COMMUNITY DIRECTOR AT HAUNT MILITARY COMMUNITIES IN BEAVERT, SOUTH CAROLINA.
HE HAS A BACHELOR'S IN BUSINESS MANAGEMENT FROM EXO SIR UNIVERSITY, ALSO ALEJANDRO SANDOVAL.
UM, HE IS A COMMUNITY SERVICE OFFICER, OR PREVIOUSLY WAS A COMMUNITY SERVICE OFFICER WITH THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA.
HE HAS AN ASSOCIATES IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE FROM LOS ANGELES PIERCE COLLEGE.
AND AS WE MOVE ON TO PROMOTIONS, I'M PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT BOTH CARTER AND SANDOVAL HAVE COMPLETED THEIR TRAINING AND THEY'LL BE PROMOTED TO OFFICER EFFECTIVE TOMORROW.
UH, CARTER WILL BE REPORTING AS SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER TO RED CEDAR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND SANDOVAL, YOU'LL SEE WORKING THE ROAD.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO BOTH OF THEM.
OTHER PROMOTIONS WE HAVE MR. CHRIS
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CASH, UH, PROMOTED FROM POLICE RECRUIT, UH, TO POLICE OFFICER BACK IN JULY OF THIS PAST YEAR.HE'S BEEN WITH THE TOWN SINCE 2024.
UH, MATTHEW COLLINS PROMOTED FROM POLICE RECRUIT TO POLICE OFFICER IN AUGUST OF THIS PAST YEAR.
HE'S BEEN WITH THE TOWN SINCE 2024 AS WELL.
WE ALSO HAVE WILLIAM FROM WILLIAM FARELLI PROMOTED FROM POLICE LIEUTENANT TO POLICE CAPTAIN.
HE WILL BE, UH, RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SUPPORT DIVISION.
AND HE HAS BEEN HERE, UH, FOR WORKING FOR THE TOWN AND SERVING THE TOWN SINCE 2007.
UH, WE HAVE RYAN FKI PROMOTED FROM POLICE LIEUTENANT TO POLICE CAPTAIN, AND HE WILL OVERSEE THE PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS UNIT.
UM, HE HAS BEEN WITH THE TOWN SINCE 2017, SO SERVING THE TOWN FOR EIGHT YEARS.
WE HAVE HELEN BURKE PROMOTED FROM POLICE CAPTAIN TO DEPUTY CHIEF.
UM, SHE IS MY
UM, SHE'S BEEN WITH THE TOWN SINCE 2021, SERVING THE TOWN FOR ALMOST FIVE YEARS.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE ANTHONY POLO PROMO PROMOTED FROM POLICE RECRUIT TO POLICE OFFICER.
UH, HE'S BEEN WITH THE TOWN SINCE 2025 FOR ONE YEAR.
AND WE ALSO HAVE SMALLEY WHO PROMOTED FROM POLICE RECRUIT TO POLICE OFFICER.
UH, HE'S BEEN WITH THE TOWN SINCE 2025, ALMOST ONE YEAR AS WELL.
[VI. PUBLIC COMMENT]
AND NOW WE'LL HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT.WOULD YOU LISTEN TO THE RECORDING, PLEASE? DURING PUBLIC COMMENT, EACH SPEAKER IS LIMITED TO A TOTAL OF THREE MINUTES PER MEETING, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE PERSON IS SPEAKING ON THEIR OWN BEHALF OR AS AN AGENT FOR OTHERS.
MEETING ATTENDEES MAY NOT DONATE, TRANSFER YIELD, OR GIVE ALL OR ANY PORTION OF THEIR SPEAKING TIME TO ANOTHER PERSON.
ALL PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE TO BE CONDUCTED FROM THE PODIUM AND DIRECTED TO THE TOWN COUNCIL AS A WHOLE AND NOT TO ANY MEMBER THEREOF.
ALL SPEAKERS SHALL BE MINDFUL AND RESPECTFUL OF THOSE PARTICIPATING IN OR PRESENT AT THE MEETING.
SPEAKERS SHALL BE EXPECTED TO BE CIVIL IN THEIR LANGUAGE AND SHALL REFRAIN FROM COMMENT OR BEHAVIOR THAT INVOLVES DISORDERLY SPEECH OR ACTION, NAME CALLING, PERSONAL ATTACKS, THREATS, OBSCENE OR INDECENT REMARKS AND OR DISRUPTIVE ACTIONS.
ALL SPEAKERS SHALL CONFINE THEIR COMMENTS TO ISSUES UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE TOWN COUNCIL.
SPEAKERS SHALL NOT USE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD TO PROMOTE OR ADVERTISE AWARDS, BUSINESSES, SERVICES, GOODS, OR CANDIDATES FOR PUBLIC OFFICE.
ANY SPEAKER THAT VIOLATES THESE RULES AND PROTOCOLS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT MAY BE RULED OUT OF ORDER BY THE PRESIDING OFFICER.
ANY PERSON WHOSE COMMENTS HAVE BEEN RULED OUT OF ORDER SHALL IMMEDIATELY CEASE AND DESIST FROM FURTHER IMPROPER COMMENTS.
THE REFUSAL OF AN INDIVIDUAL TO DESIST FROM FURTHER IMPROPER COMMENTS MAY SUBJECT THE INDIVIDUAL TO REMOVAL FROM THE MEETING AND OR A CITATION UNDER SECTION TWO DASH FOUR NINE OF THE TOWN CODE.
NEXT WE'LL HAVE MR. LEWIS BROWN STATE'S NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE PUBLIC.
UM, RESIDE AT 37 POSES COURT IN BLUFFTON, SOUTH CAROLINA.
UM, I EMAILED THE COUNSEL, UM, PICTURES AND I DO HAVE SOME COPIES HERE IF AND COUNSEL DO NEED THOSE.
UH, MY CONCERN IS THE FACT THAT, UH, NEXT TO MY PROPERTY, I ACTUALLY HAVE TWO, ONLY ONE I IN MENTIONED IN THE EMAIL, BUT THE MAIN ONE THAT I MENTIONED IN THE EMAIL WAS ABOUT THE DRAINAGE THAT THEY HAVE FROM WHERE THEY'RE PUTTING THE APARTMENTS ON SIMMONS ROAD.
PRESENTLY, WELL NOT PRESENTLY, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN PUMPING THE WATER FROM WHERE THEY'RE PUTTING A POND OVER ONTO THE PROPERTY ADJACENT TO IT, WHICH HAPPENS TO BE MY PROPERTY PLUS MY NEIGHBOR'S PROPERTY AND IT'S FLOODING MY AREA.
AND THAT'S WHAT YOU CAN SEE DEPLETED IN THE PICTURES.
THEY HAVE STOPPED PUMPING AND THEY SAID THAT THEY HAD PUT A, I THINK THEY CALLED IT A SKIMMER OF FABRIC SKIMMER OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
IT'S, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THAT IS, BUT ANYWAY, IT HELPS CONTROL THE WATER LEVELS ON THEIR SIDE.
BUT, UH, MY CONCERN IS, IS THAT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT ONCE THEY'RE FINISHED AND THEY HAVE MOVED ON, I DON'T WANT THAT PROBLEM TO COME BACK ON ME WITH THEM TAKING WATER OFF OF THEIR PROPERTY, PUTTING IT ON MY PROPERTY.
UM, I DID ASK WHEN I TALKED TO MR. WILDER WAGNER, I'M SORRY, WHO IS THE GENERAL CONTRACTOR, UH, SUPERVISOR ON THEIR PROPERTY.
HE DID STOP THE WATER AND HE SAID HE TALKED TO HIS ENGINEERS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
I SPOKE WITH, UM, MS. LEWIS AND MR. CEASE
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A LITTLE BIT RIGHT BEFORE THE MEETING AND THEY DID ADDRESS THE ISSUE.I DON'T KNOW IF THEY TALKED WITH HIM OR NOT, BUT THEY SAID THEY ARE ADDRESSING THE ISSUE.
LIKE I SAID, MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IT'S NOT A CONTINUOUS PROBLEM AND IT'S JUST A TEMPORARY FIX AT THIS TIME.
AND THEN, UM, ALSO I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE COUNCIL IF YOU COULD PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT WHENEVER SOMEBODY APPLIES FOR A, ANY TYPE OF PERMIT THAT ACTUALLY MOVES WATER FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER, PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT IT GOES AWAY AND NOT JUST BECOME SOMEBODY ELSE'S PROBLEM.
AND LAST THING I'D LIKE TO ASK IS, UM, ON THE PROPERTY THAT THE TOWN IS DOING THAT THEY'RE PUTTING THE HOUSES AT, UH, ONE OF MY PROPERTY CORNERS WERE MOVED WHEN THEY DID IT AND IT HAS NOT BEEN PUT BACK.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHEN THAT PROPERTY CORNER WOULD BE PUT BACK.
MR. KEYS, YOU'RE GONNA HANDLE THAT, RIGHT? YES, SIR.
ALRIGHT, MR. BROWN, WE ARE SORRY FOR YOUR INCONVENIENCE, BUT WE'LL MAKE SURE WE TAKE CARE OF IT.
NOW WE HAVE, UH, COMMENTS FROM, FROM THE COUNCIL, MAYOR, COUNCIL.
MAKE SURE WE PUT THAT ON RECORD.
[VIII. WORKSHOP AGENDA ITEMS]
WORKSHOP, AGENDA ITEMS, DISCUSSION AND DIRECTION OF PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO CHAPTER 23, UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE ARTICLE THREE, APPLICATION PROCESS REGARDING CRITERIA FOR DEMOLITION OF NON-CONTRIBUTING RESOURCE TO THE OLD TOWN BLUFFTON HISTORIC DISTRICT.SO WE HAVE TWO ITEMS THIS EVENING.
UM, I'M GONNA GO OVER THE FIRST ITEM, UH, THAT WE JUST DISCUSSED.
AND THEN THE SECOND ITEM, I'M ACTUALLY GONNA BRING GLENN UP AND HAVE HIM, UH, GO THROUGH THAT PRESENTATION.
SO, UH, THE FIRST ITEM I'D LIKE TO DISCUSS WITH YOU THIS EVENING IS, UM, TO GET SOME FEEDBACK FROM YOU AS PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE AS IT RELATES TO NON, UH, CONTRIBUTING RESOURCES AND THE ABILITY FOR DEMOLITION OF SUCH, UM, UH, SUCH STRUCTURES.
SO, UH, THE ISSUE THAT WE'RE BEING FACED WITH IS THE FACT THAT, UM, IT'S A VERY LENGTHY PROCESS RIGHT NOW FOR SOMEONE TO GO THROUGH IN ORDER TO, UH, UH, DEMOLISH A A NON-CONTRIBUTING RESOURCE.
SO REMEMBER WE'VE GOT THE, UH, I BELIEVE 84 84 STRUCTURES THAT ARE CLASSIFIED AS CONTRIBUTING RESOURCES.
SO THOSE ARE THE, THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT WE DEFINITELY, UM, PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO.
UH, BUT THERE ARE OTHER STRUCTURES IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT THAT ARE NOT CONTRIBUTING RESOURCES.
AND THE ISSUE THAT WE'RE STARTING TO, UM, TO SEE, AND I'M GONNA SKIP AROUND HERE JUST A LITTLE BIT, IS THAT THE PROCESS TIME, UH, FOR SOME OF THESE APPLICATIONS AND WHILE THEY'RE ALL BEING APPROVED, UM, IS TAKING A VERY LONG TIME.
AND IT'S, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT TRYING TO FIND, FIND WAYS OF EFFICIENCY.
UH, IF THESE STRUCTURES, UM, IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE OF THE HISTORIC DISTRICT, UH, YOU'RE SUBMITTING A BUILDING PERMIT AND CHECKING THE BOX FOR DEMOLITION, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, IT GOES THROUGH THE PROCESS AND THEN IT GETS, UM, IT GETS APPROVED AND YOU'RE ALLOWED TO REMOVE THAT STRUCTURE.
UM, SO WE'RE TRYING TO SEE IF YOU AS TOWN COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE THE STRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, UM, IN ORDER TO REMOVE A CON, REMOVE THE REQUIREMENT FOR RECEIVING A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS FOR DEMOLITION THROUGH, UM, THROUGH THE HPC OR HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION, AND THEN MOVE THAT ACTUALLY, UM, TO A, UH, ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS WHERE ULTIMATELY THE UDO ADMINISTRATOR, UM, IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE, FOR STAFF.
UM, SO WE WOULD, UH, REQUIRE A SITE FEATURE, WHICH IS ADMINISTRATIVELY, UH, DONE.
IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK, UM, LOOK AT THE APPLICATION REQUEST.
UH, IF SOMEONE HAS A PROPERTY THAT, UM, MAY OR MAY NOT IN THE FUTURE, UH, BE, UM, ON THE LIST, OR IF WE HAD SOME I INFORMATION THAT WE WANTED TO COLLECT ON THAT PROPERTY, UH, WE COULD DO THAT AT THAT TIME, BUT THEN WE WOULD BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE APPROVAL OF THAT DEMOLITION.
UH, SO IT'S A CHECKS AND BALANCES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, UM, WE'RE RECEIVING THIS INFORMATION, UM, AND THEN THEY COULD MOVE FORWARD WITH RECEIVING THEIR DEMOLITION PERMIT.
UM, SO, AND, AND AGAIN, WHEN YOU HAVE A NON-CONTRIBUTING RESOURCE, UM, IF YOU WERE TO SUBMIT FOR THAT, WHAT WE REFER TO THE KOFA, THE KOFA DEMOLITION, UH, THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING FOR.
THE CONSTRUCTION DATE HISTORY OF OWNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT USES, UH, THE REASON FOR THEIR DEMOLITION REQUEST, AND THEN JUST THE COMPLIANCE WITH OUR, UM, APPLICABLE, UM, UH, APPLICATIONS MANUAL.
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COULD EASILY BE COLLECTED AND REVIEWED ON A STAFF LEVEL.UH, SO WE FELT THAT, UM, AND FROM AN EFFICIENCY STANDPOINT, WE COULD REMOVE THIS, UH, FROM THE, UM, FROM THE LENGTHY PROCESS THAT WE'RE SEEING THESE, SOME OF THESE GO THROUGH.
UH, YOU KNOW, AS YOU COULD SEE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD SOME OF 'EM OVER, OVER A HUNDRED DAYS, UM, TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND WE FELT THAT IT'S NOT APPROPRIATE.
UM, SO WITH THAT, UM, SHOULD IT MEET, UH, SHOULD THE U-D-U-D-O BE AMENDED, UM, TO ALLOW FOR THE DEMOLITION OF NON-CONTRIBUTING RESOURCES, UM, AND THAT IT WOULD FALL UNDER THAT SITE FEATURE PERMIT INSTEAD OF A CERTIFICATE APPROPRIATENESS.
AND IF SO, WHAT WE WOULD DO IS WE WOULD WORK ON CREATING THE NECESSARY EDITS AND BRING THEM BACK TO YOU THROUGH THE AMENDMENT PROCESS.
AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, KIND OF WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE TONIGHT, WE'RE HERE FOR THE WORKSHOP.
UH, WE WOULD PRESENT THIS INFORMATION FOR A DISCUSSION ONLY WITH HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION.
UH, 'CAUSE THEY HAVE NO, UM, REGULATORY AUTHORITY, UM, FOR THAT.
BUT STILL WE WANT TO BRING IT IN FRONT OF THEM.
UH, I WOULD GO FROM A PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION BACK TO YOU FOR A FIRST AND SECOND READING.
UM, I'M HAPPY TO, UM, ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE OR IF THERE'S ANY ADDITIONAL DIALOGUE YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THERE.
ANY QUESTIONS, CONCERNS? YES, I HAVE UM, TWO QUESTIONS.
SO WITH WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED HERE IN TERMS OF THE UDO AMENDMENT, UM, KEVIN, I'D LIKE TO KNOW, I HAVE, WE AS A TOWN INITIATED ANY CONVERSATIONS WITH, UH, OWNERS OF THESE NON-CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURES, UM, IN TERMS OF GETTING AN ASSESSMENT FROM THEM, UM, WHY THEY WANNA COME OFF OF THE DESIGNATION? NO, MA'AM.
THIS IS, THAT'S, THERE'S NO DESIGNATION.
SO THIS IS NOT, THIS IS REFERRING TO PROPERTIES THAT ARE NON, NON-CONTRIBUTING RESOURCES.
SO THIS, UM, THIS DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH, WITH GETTING ANY FEEDBACK FROM ANY ONE, UH, PARTICULAR PERSON.
NO ONE'S ASKING TO FOR, FOR THIS INFORMATION.
THIS IS MORE OF JUST A PROCESS AND IT'S JUST MAKING IT A MORE EFFICIENT PROCESS FOR THE REMOVAL.
UH, EXCUSE ME, FOR THE DEMOLITION.
SO THE ONES THAT ARE LISTED UP HERE ARE ONES THAT WE'VE STATED PRETTY MUCH ARE, THESE ARE, NO, THESE ARE ALL EXISTING, THESE ARE EXISTING, UH, PROPERTIES THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN DEMOLISHED IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER.
AND WE PUT THIS SLIDE UP HERE JUST TO SHOW YOU THE, HOW LONG IT TOOK FOR EACH ONE OF THEM TO GO THROUGH IT, UM, AND FOR IT TO BE APPROVED.
AND WHAT THESE PARTICULAR PROPERTIES, UM, BECAUSE I'M TRYING TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING, WERE THEY ALREADY, THEY WERE ALL NON-CONTRIBUTING? NON-CONTRIBUTING.
YEAH, THEY WERE ALL NON-CONTRIBUTING, UM, PROPERTIES.
UH, SO THEY WERE NOT PART OF THE, WHILE THEY ARE IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT, THEY ARE NOT A CONTRIBUTING RESOURCE AND ONLY WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS BECAUSE THEY ARE IN HISTORIC DISTRICT AND CORRECT.
GONNA DO A DEMOLITION ON THEIR OWN.
AND IT WAS JUST TAKING A LOT OF TIME FOR SOMETHING THAT JUST WASN'T NECESSARY.
I, UM, I LIKE THE CONCEPT, THE PROCESS TO BE FINALIZED, THE WAY IT'S PRESENTED.
UM, IT TAKES A BURDEN OFF OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE TO GO THROUGH SOMETHING THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY THAT THEY NEED TO GO THROUGH.
UH, IT MAKES IT EASIER FOR STAFF.
YOU STILL HAVE THE SITE VISIT BUILT INTO IT, WHICH ALLOWS STAFF TO REVIEW WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT IN THE EVENT SOMETHING IS CREDIBLE, THAT IT MAY NEED TO BE REVIEWED AND BROUGHT BACK TO COUNCIL AT SOME POINT.
AND, UH, HOPEFULLY THIS COUNCIL WILL AS WELL.
I AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN WOODS.
UM, I THINK IT, UM, IS MORE EFFICIENT STREAMLINING PROCESS, WHICH HELPS OUR RESIDENTS.
IT HELPS STAFF A LOT TO ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE PRESSURE OFF OF YOU.
UM, AND IT SEEMS LIKE EVERYBODY THAT APPLIES FOR GETS IT ANYWAY.
SO WE'RE BASICALLY JUST TREATING THESE AS IF THEY WEREN'T IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT, WHICH IS A FEW DAY APPROVAL.
UM, I APPRECIATE Y'ALL THINKING ABOUT THIS AND I'D LIKE TO SEE IT MOVE FORWARD.
THIS IS GOOD HOUSEKEEPING STAFF.
SO THAT'S WE ALL IN AGREEMENT.
AND NOW I'M GONNA, UM, HAVE GLEN COME UP FOR THE SECOND ITEM.
SO, UH, THE SECOND QUESTION WE HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU, UM, IS A DISCUSSION ON THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT, AGAIN TO THE CHAPTER 23 OF THE UNITY UDO, UH, REGARDING ADDITIONAL, ADDITIONAL EVALUATION CRITERIA FOR CONTRIBUTING RESOURCES, UM, TO THE OLD TOWN BLUFFTON HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UM, THE ISSUE IS, ARE THESE CURRENT CRITERIA SUFFICIENT IN DETERMINING THE STATUS OF A QUOTE, CONTRIBUTING RESOURCE? OR SHOULD WE ADOPT A WEIGHTED POINT SYSTEM TO ADD, RETAIN, OR REMOVE FROM THE LIST OF CONTRIBUTING RESOURCES?
[00:35:01]
UM, JUST BY BACKGROUND, IT ALWAYS HELPFUL TO KNOW WHAT A CONTRIBUTING RESOURCE IS.UM, THESE ARE ANY BUILDINGS, STRUCTURES, SITES, OBJECTS, FEATURES OR OPEN SPACES AS DESIGNATED BY YOU TOWN COUNCIL.
UM, THAT AS THE HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS ARCHITECTURAL QUALITIES OR ARCHEOLOGICAL ARCHEOLOGICAL VALUES THAT RELATE TO THE DOCUMENTED SIGNIFICANCE OF THE OLD TOWN BLUFFTON HISTORIC DISTRICT, UH, CONTRIBUTING RESOURCES ARE SHOWN ON THE CONTRIBUTING RESOURCES MAP.
UM, WE USE THAT MAP AS THE LIST, UM, OF CONTRIBUTING RESOURCES THAT US TOWN COUNCIL APPROVES AND, UH, AMENDS FROM TIME TO TIME.
UM, AGAIN, THIS IS A FAMOUS LIST OR THE MAP OF ALL, UM, 86 CONTRIBUTING RESOURCES.
UM, 84 OF WHICH ARE STRUCTURES.
UM, AS IT STANDS CURRENTLY IN THE UDO UNDER SECTION 3.25, WE USE THESE CRITERIA FOR DESIGNATING NEW CONTRIBUTING RESOURCES.
UM, THESE MIRROR SIMILAR CRITERIA THAT ARE USED BY THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE WHEN SOMETHING IS PLACED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES.
UM, BUT THESE ARE WHAT WE USE RIGHT NOW TO DESIGNATE NEW CONTRIBUTING RESOURCES.
UM, YOU LAST SAW THIS LIST OR THIS CRITERIA BACK IN 2022 WHEN WE DESIGNATED TWO NEW CONTRIBUTING RESOURCES AT THAT TIME.
SO STAFF HAS THE FIRST QUESTION.
UM, SHOULD WE USE A TIER APPROACH WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH CONTRIBUTING RESOURCES? UM, SHOULD WE USE COLOR CODES, FOR EXAMPLE, ON THE MAP TO INDICATE A CONTRIBUTING RESOURCES EITHER INDIVIDUALLY LISTED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES, UM, ELIGIBLE FOR LISTING IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTRIBUTING TO THE BLUFFTON HISTORIC DISTRICT, WHICH IS THE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT, UM, UM, A RECIPIENT OF A TOWN OF BLUFFTON HISTORIC PRESERVATION GRANT, OF WHICH THERE ARE, UM, ABOUT A DOZEN OF THOSE.
UM, WHETHER OR NOT THAT RESOURCE SURVIVED THE BURNING OF BLUFFTON IN JUNE OF 1863.
UM, LISTING FOR CRITERIA FOR AGE, WHETHER OR NOT IT'S 50 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER.
UM, DOES IT CURRENTLY MEET THE DESIGNATION CRITERIA THAT WE JUST LOOKED AT UNDER SECTION 3.25 A? UM, DOES IT POSSESS HISTORIC INTEGRITY? UM, IS THERE A HISTORIC BACKGROUND THAT WE SHOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT? AND, UM, DO WE HAVE OWNER CONSENT? UM, IF WE USE A COLOR CODE ON THE MAP, IT MIGHT LOOK SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
UM, THE CURRENT MAP WOULD BE AUGMENTED TO HAVE COLORS, UM, KEY TO WHAT THOSE VARIOUS, UM, UM, CRITERIA OR CATEGORIES ARE AS YOU DETERMINE WHAT THOSE CATEGORIES ARE.
SO IN THIS EXAMPLE, I USED GREEN AS A HISTORIC NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES AS AN INDIVIDUAL LISTING.
UM, WE HAVE TWO OF THOSE HERE IN THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON.
UM, ONE IS CAMPBELL CHAPEL, A ME LISTED IN 2019, UM, IN THE BLUFFTON HISTORIC DISTRICT, WHICH IS AGAIN, THE NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT.
UM, WE CLASSIFY THOSE AS THE ORANGE ONES.
IN THIS CASE I'M HIGHLIGHTING HAYWARD HOUSE AND THE ASSOCIATED TWO OUTBUILDINGS ON THAT PROPERTY AT 70 BOUNDARY STREET.
UM, AND THEN EVERYTHING ELSE WOULD FALL UNDER THE LOCAL OLD TOWN BLUFFTON HISTORIC DISTRICT OR THE LOCAL DESIGNATIONS.
UM, THERE'S EVERYTHING THAT YOU SEE IN RED.
UM, WE CAN CHANGE THIS MAP TO REFLECT DIFFERENT CATEGORIES BASED ON WHAT DIRECTION YOU GIVE US.
UM, BUT JUST FOR ILLUSTRATION PURPOSES, I PICKED THREE, UM, TIER 1, 2, 3, FOR EXAMPLE.
UM, THE GREEN, THE ORANGE, AND THE RED.
THE SECOND QUESTION IS, INSTEAD OF THAT COLOR CODING, SHOULD WE USE A POINT SYSTEM, UM, AND GIVE A NUMERIC VALUE TO VARIOUS CATEGORIES SUCH AS, UM, A POINT ASSIGNED VALUE FOR INDIVIDUALLY LISTED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES, UM, ELIGIBLE FOR LISTING IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER, UH, CONTRIBUTING TO THE BLUFFTON HISTORIC DISTRICT THAT, AGAIN, THAT NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT, UM, CONTRIBUTING TO THE LOCAL DISTRICT, NON-CONTRIBUTING TO THE HISTORIC DISTRICT, UM, THE NATIONAL DISTRICT, UM, SURVIVING THE BURNING OF BLUFFTON, UM, AGE DESIGNATION CRITERIA, INTEGRITY AND HISTORIC BACKGROUND, ALL WOULD GET A POINT ASSIGNED TO IT.
UM, SO THAT'S ANOTHER WAY TO EVALUATE, UM, OR CO OR QUALIFY THE VALUES OF THESE HISTORIC CONTRIBUTING RESOURCES.
UM, I KNOW THAT'S VERY COMPLICATED, SO I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.
BUT I KNOW WE GONNA FIGURE IT OUT FIRST.
YOU'RE STARTING WITH ME ON THE COMPLICATED ONE.
I'M STARTING WITH YOU WITH THE COMPLICATED ONES,
UM, THIS IS COMPLICATED AND IT'S, I WOULD LOVE FOR IT TO BE BLACK AND WHITE, BUT IT'S VERY, VERY GRAY.
UM, AT FIRST I DID THINK THAT THE RANKING OR, UM, THE POINT SYSTEM WAS A GOOD IDEA, BUT NOW IT SEEMS RATHER COMPLICATED AND I DON'T THINK THAT, IN MY OPINION, IT IS THE WAY TO GO.
[00:40:01]
STILL SEEMS LIKE ON SO MANY OF 'EM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO TAKE THEM ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS.UM, SO I HAVE NO PROBLEM KEEPING IT THE WAY THAT IT IS.
BUT WHENEVER SOME, UM, ONE OF THESE CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURES DOES COME IN FRONT OF US FOR CONSIDERATION, UM, WHETHER, WHATEVER THAT IS, I THINK HAVING STAFF TO, UM, A VERY THOROUGH IN DEPTH ANALYSIS BASED ON YOUR 11 QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAD UP ON THE SCREEN, UM, WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL FOR US.
UM, SO I GUESS FOR YEARS MOST PEOPLE HAVE HEARD ME ON THIS TOPIC POSE, SUGGEST A A POINT SYSTEM, A TIER SYSTEM.
AND, UH, I'VE BEEN VERY VOCAL ABOUT THAT.
AND THIS MORNING I MET WITH STAFF AND, UH, I HAVE A DIFFERENT VIEW ON THE WHOLE TOPIC NOW BECAUSE IT IS COMPLICATED.
AND I THINK WHEN YOU JUST WENT THROUGH IT, YOU HIGHLIGHTED THE, THE FACT THAT IT GETS COMPLICATED.
UM, THE OTHER PART OF IT IS, YOU KNOW, I'VE ALWAYS LOOKED AT HISTORY IN A, FORTUNATELY FOR ME, IN A NARROW VIEW, UH, YOU KNOW, LIKE I LOOK AT THE BURNING OF BLUFFTON AND, YOU KNOW, THE CHURCH OF THE CROSS OR A ME OR THE, YOU KNOW, THE ALLEN LOCKWOOD HOUSE OR SEVEN OAKS.
AND, AND IT GOES WAY BEYOND THAT, OBVIOUSLY.
AND THAT'S WHAT THE, UH, THE 84 ITEMS IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT SHOW.
UM, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER EXAMPLE WOULD BE, UM, LET'S JUST TAKE SEVEN OAKS VERSUS THE SARAH RILEY HOOKS HOUSE.
WELL, WHAT I'VE COME TO LEARN, YOU KNOW, GOING THROUGH ALL OF THIS PROCESS, SITTING AT THE TABLE, THERE ARE PEOPLE SITTING AT THIS TABLE THAT SARAH RILEY HOOK'S HOUSE WAS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TOO IN THE HISTORY TO BE MAINTAINED.
UH, SO I'VE, I'VE BACKED AWAY FROM THE POINT SYSTEM AND I'M LIKE, MS. BIRD, I THINK IT'S, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANNA MAKE IT MORE COMPLICATED THAN IT ALREADY IS.
AND, UM, I THINK AGAIN, WHAT I HEARD WAS WE'RE GONNA BE PROACTIVE.
UM, AND MAYBE LOOKING FOR THOSE THAT MAY BE IN NEGLECT, THAT'S IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
I THINK STAFF'S WHAT I HEARD THIS MORNING, STAFF'S GOING TO TRY TO IDENTIFY SOME OF THOSE LOCATIONS.
SO I THINK THAT WILL HELP COUNCIL BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT HAS BEEN HARD FOR US AS A COUNCIL THE YEARS THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON AND, YOU KNOW, EACH ONE IS UNIQUE AND EACH ONE IS CONTROVERSIAL AND, UH, YOU KNOW, SO I'M ANXIOUS TO SEE US MOVE FORWARD AND HOPEFULLY IT WON'T BE AS PAINFUL, BUT IT, THEY ARE.
BUT I, I DO BELIEVE THAT THE POINT SYSTEM MIGHT MUDDY THE WATER AND MAKE IT MORE PAINFUL.
UM, I LIKE THE TIERED SYSTEM, THE FIRST ONE, HOW GLEN THAT WAS PROPOSED ON THE SCREEN.
UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS A COMPLICATED PROCESS.
THERE ARE CERTAIN CRITERIA IN THERE.
UM, I THINK THAT MAKE IT EASY AS WE'RE LOOKING AT THE DESIGNATION.
SO FOR INSTANCE, UM, MANY PEOPLE WERE AUTOMATICALLY PLACED ON THAT IF THE STRUCTURE WAS 50 YEARS, UM, OR OLDER.
AND SO IT HAS NO HISTORICAL VALUE OUTSIDE OF IT WAS DATED AT THAT TIME FOR CONSTRUCTION PURPOSES.
SO I THINK LOOKING AT A STRUCTURE WITH JUST THAT CRITERIA TO BE ON, ON THE LIST TO BE ELIGIBLE OPPOSED TO A STRUCTURE THAT EXISTED DURING THE BURNING OF BUFTON, UM, SHOULD NOT BE WEIGHTED THE SAME WAY.
OR A STRUCTURE THAT'S GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS LIKE CAMPBELL CHAPEL, UM, AND HAS A NATIONAL HISTORIC REGISTRY DESIGNATION, WHICH REQUIRES ITS OWN LABOR OF, UM, OR ITS OWN PROCESS OF, UM, EXCLAIMING ITS HISTORICAL VALUE, UM, SHOULD NOT BE WEIGHTED AGAIN WITH ONE THAT WAS JUST PLACED ON THERE FOR THE, JUST THE DATE OF THE, THE STRUCTURES, UH, CONSTRUCTION.
I THINK IF WE LOOK AT IT AT A TIERED APPROACH AND, UM, AND IDENTIFY, YOU KNOW, STRUCTURES JUST IN THAT MANNER, I THINK IT MIGHT MAKE IT EASIER TO GET DOWN TO THE ONES THAT, UM, HAVE HISTORICAL VALUE FOR SOME OF THE HIGHER, UM, UH, ITEMS THAT YOU HAVE ON THAT TIERED LIST.
UH, WHEN SPEAKING WITH A LOT OF, UM, OWNERS WHO HAVE INHERITED THESE STRUCTURES, UH, MANY'S FIRST QUESTIONS, I NEVER EVEN ASKED TO BE ON THERE.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THE DESIGNATION ITSELF MEANS OTHER THAN I KNOW I CAN'T, UM, REHAB OR DO ANYTHING TO MY STRUCTURE.
SO I THINK IF WE LOOK AT IT FROM THAT ANGLE AND MAKE IT A LITTLE LESS COMPLICATED TO WHERE PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND HOW THAT TIERED SYSTEM WOULD WORK, I THINK IT WOULD BE AN EASIER APPROACH THAN TO JUST BACK OFF AND LET IT BE CASE BY CASE.
UM, 'CAUSE MANY FOLKS STILL WON'T, WON'T
[00:45:01]
ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES UNLESS IT'S EITHER A PROBLEM WE PRESENT TO THEM, UM, OR THEY COME AND, YOU KNOW, HAVE AN ISSUE, UM, WHERE THEY GO IN FRONT OF THE BOARD.OTHER THAN THAT, I THINK IT'S JUST GONNA BE US KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD WITH THIS PROCESS.
UM, ONLY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M ONE OF THE ONES WHO ARE LIKE, IN THIS SITUATION, I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE INHERITING A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE AND IT'S A VERY CUMBERSOME PROCESS, VERY EXPENSIVE, UM, YOU KNOW, VERY LABORIOUS AND IT IS INTIMIDATING TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.
AND SO, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US HAVE A WAY TO MAKE THAT PROCESS A LITTLE LESS COMPLICATED AND HELP THOSE, UM, WHO DO NOT HAVE A DESIGNATION THAT WOULD MAKE IT HISTORICAL, UM, STRUCTURE.
AND TO MAKE THAT PROCESS EASIER TO BE ABLE TO EITHER COME OFF OF THAT, UM, THAT LIST AND HELP US, UM, IDENTIFY ONES THAT ARE MORE SO JUST SUB BLIGHT, UM, THAT DO NOT NEED TO BE REPAIRED.
UM, AND FOLKS THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT LITANY OF, OF DOING ALL THAT WORK, JUST TO GET TO A POINT TO SAY, YOU'RE RIGHT, IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE HERE.
SETH, I KNOW YOU GUYS SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THIS, UM, BUT FROM WHAT I'M HEARING, IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE STILL NOT READY TO MAKE A DECISION.
SEEMS LIKE WE STILL THINK WE HAVE TO GO BACK AND WORK THIS SOME MORE TO GET A CONSENSUS.
UM, I WILL, ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT I'VE ALWAYS HAD WAS THE HARDSHIP THAT WE MIGHT POSE ON A PROPERTY OWNER.
UM, WHEN, WHEN IS OUR DECISION TO, TO LABEL IT AS A CONTRIBUTING INSTRUCTION WITHOUT, WITHOUT CONVERSING WITH, UM, THE PROPERTY OWNERS AND EXPLAINING TO THEM, UM, HOW MUCH VALUE THEY HAVE OR, AND EXPLAINING TO THEM HOW MUCH, UM, INVESTMENT THEY MAY, THEY MAY PUT THEMSELVES IN IF THEY SAY YES.
UM, THERE WERE A TIME WHEN WE SAID WE WERE GOING TO HAVE SOME FUNDING THAT WE COULD ASSIST, UM, WHEN WE DECIDE THAT, UM, WE WANT TO I GUESS DRAW A SANDAL LINE, A LINE IN THE SAND, BUT I'VE ALSO REALIZED THAT THAT FUNDING, UM, STILL IS JUST A DROP IN THE BUCKET, RIGHT? SO I THINK I'M HEARING ALL THE COUNCIL SAYING WE NEED SOME MORE WORK.
ALSO, IT'S NOT, I WAS SAYING I LIKE THE TIERED, THE FIRST TIERED APPROACH THAT GLEN PRESENTED, FIRST TIERED APPROACH THAT, OKAY.
UM, I THINK DAN WAS SAYING HE WANTED TO SEE, UM, THAT DO SOME MORE WORK ON THE PROCESS.
THE, I'M TELLING YOU,
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE EACH UNIQUE AND YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, HERE'S, HERE'S ONE FOR EXAMPLE.
UM, WE ALL AGONIZE OVER THE FINANCIAL, FINANCIAL APPLICATION OF TRYING TO SALVAGE THESE THINGS.
WE DON'T WANNA PUT A FINANCIAL BURDEN ON SOMEBODY.
BUT THEN AGAIN, IF WE DON'T HAVE STANDARDS IN PLACE, WE ALREADY KNOW THERE'S THOSE OUT THERE THAT WILL LET A BUILDING FALL DOWN BECAUSE THEY'RE LOOKING AT A DIFFERENT FINANCIAL GAIN IN USE FOR IT.
THEY WON'T MAINTAIN THE BUILDING, IT'S JUST WILL OUTWEIGH THE TOWN AND LET THE BUILDING FALL DOWN.
WE'VE ALREADY SEEN SOME OF THAT.
AND THEN GOING BACK TO, TO BRIDGET.
BRIDGET ARGUED THE CASE FOR TIER SYSTEM STRONGLY.
UM, SO I'M A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED THOUGH.
IS THE TIER IS A TIER SYSTEM, THE VERBIAGE TIER EQUAL TO RANKING EVERYTHING.
IS THAT WHAT WE'RE, IS IT THE SAME EXACT THING OR, OR NOT? I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT I GOT.
SO CAN YOU GO BACK TO SCREEN MORE ACKNOWLEDGING IT'S MORE OF A YEAH.
NOT THIS ONE'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN THAT ONE.
IT'S UM, WHEN WILL YOU GO BACK TO THE 11 CRITERIA? NO, THAT'S, NO, THAT'S WHAT, TO THE MAP THE COLOR CODED TO THE COLOR CODED ONE.
SO WHEN YOU SAY TIERED, YOU JUST MEAN YOU'RE RECOGNIZING WHAT'S ON THE TWO THAT ARE ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER, RIGHT.
[00:50:01]
THIS, UM, ILLUSTRATION.IT'S YES, IF YOU'RE ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER.
UM, AND IN THIS CASE I WOULD ALSO ADD, IF YOU'RE ELIGIBLE FOR LISTING IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER, 'CAUSE WE HAVE ONE OF THOSE, THOSE THREE WOULD ACTUALLY GET A GREEN COLOR CODE ON THE MAP.
UM, IF YOU'RE CONTRIBUTING TO THE NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT, WHICH ON THE MAP IS EVERYTHING IN THAT ORANGE AREA, YOU WOULD JUST GET THE ORANGE COLOR AS KIND OF, OF A SIGNIFIER THAT YOU'RE IMPORTANT BECAUSE YOU'RE ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OR YOU'RE CONTRIBUTING TO THE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
EVERYTHING ELSE, UM, IN THIS SCENARIO WOULD FALL INTO THAT, THAT RED CATEGORY BEING YOU'RE CURRENTLY ON THE LIST OF CONTRIBUTING RESOURCES TO THE OLD TOWN BLUFFTON HISTORIC DISTRICT.
NOW, WE CAN ADD, UH, YOU KNOW, OTHER, UM, CRITERIA.
SO IF YOU WANT EVERYTHING THAT'S AGED 50 YEARS OR OLDER, GET A, A DIFFERENT COLOR OR THINGS THAT SURVIVE THE BURNING OF BLUFF AND GET A DIFFERENT COLOR, WE CAN DO THAT.
THIS IS JUST AN ILLUSTRATION OF WHAT A THREE-TIER CATALOGING SYSTEM MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
AND THEN YOUR LIST OF 11 WOULD BE IF, IF WE WANTED YOU TO RANK THAT YOU WANNA DO SOMETHING, WHICH I DON'T HEAR IF YOU WANNA DO SOMETHING ELSE, NOBODY SAID THAT THEY THINK THAT, WELL, WE ALWAYS WANTED A SEPARATE WORKSHOP WHERE WE CAN FIGURE OUT HOUSE BY HOUSE OR PROPERTY BY PROPERTY WHAT'S IMPORTANT, UM, AND HOW THAT COULD, HOW WE COULD, UM, HELP THE PROPERTY OWNERS TO BE A PART OF THAT DISCUSSION.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS, WHAT WE CAN DO IS, AGAIN, WE HAVE THE LIST THAT'S THE, THE SPREADSHEET VERSION OF THAT.
AND THEN WE CAN EXPAND ON, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THESE, THESE ITEMS HERE AND IT'S ALMOST LIKE CREATING A MATRIX WITH LIKE A CHECK MARK.
UM, I THINK WHAT THAT WAY SOMEONE COULD THEN GO THROUGH THE LIST AND LOOK LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHILE IT'S, YOU KNOW, NATIONAL REGISTER, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S PART CHECK, YOU KNOW, BERNIE A BLUFFING CHECK, UM, YOU KNOW, MEETS THESE CRITERIA, CHECK, UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE CAN, WE CAN HAVE THAT SYSTEM SET UP.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN EASILY BE CREATED AND IT'S MORE FOR JUST INFORMATION.
UM, SO THAT WAY IT HELPS TO EDUCATE PEOPLE AS TO WHAT ALL OF THEM ARE, ARE WHAT THEY ALL MEET.
UM, YOU MIGHT HAVE SOME THAT ARE IN THE LOCAL.
UH, A GREAT EXAMPLE IS, UH, CAMPBELL A ME.
IT IS, UH, LISTED ON THE, UM, INDIVIDUALLY LISTED THE NATIONAL REGISTRY, BUT IT'S NOT IN THE, UM, NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
IT'S ACTUALLY IN THE LOCAL DISTRICT.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, SO WE COULD ACTUALLY, THOSE WE'LL BE ABLE TO, WE CAN CREATE THAT MATRIX TO SHOW THAT, UM, OUR CONCERN IS THAT IF YOU STARTED TO CREATE A WEIGHTED SYSTEM, UM, THAT YOU'RE THEN IN ESSENCE SAYING, WHILE ALL OF THEM ARE EQUAL, THIS ONE IS MORE EQUAL THAN THAT ONE.
UH, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO NOT NECESSARILY CREATE.
UM, I THINK THAT THEY ALL STAND ON THEIR OWN MERIT.
UM, AND THEN IF, IF SOMEONE WANTED TO INITIATE EITHER GOING ONTO THE LIST OR COMING OFF OF THE LIST AS STAFF, WE'D BE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU AN IN-DEPTH REPORT ON EACH ONE OF SOME, EACH ONE OF THEM.
BOTH THE CRITERIA CRITERIA THAT ARE IN THE UDO, BUT THEN THIS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION HERE TO BE ABLE TO HELP YOU, UM, AS YOU MAKE THAT DECISION.
CAN, CAN WE, CAN WE SAY TENTATIVELY THAT, UM, EVERYONE THAT WE HAVE ON OUR LIST NOW IS AWARE OF THEIR STATUS, THE THE PROPERTY OWNERS, RIGHT? SO IF I CANNOT MAKE THAT REPRESENTATION, I, I, WE CAN SAY THAT WE, WE, WE SENT, WHEN WE DID THE GRANT PROGRAM, WE DID SEND OUT INFORMATION TO ALL OWNERS TO SAY, HEY, YOU HAVE A CONTRIBUTING RESOURCE HERE, THE STATE GRANT PROGRAM.
SO YES, THEY, THEY, THEY ACKNOWLEDGED IN ESSENCE, NOW THEY DO, THEY READ THAT.
WE DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW THAT THEY READ THEIR MAIL OR NOT, BUT YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SENT OUT NOTIFICATIONS.
I THINK THAT TO ME IS A RABBIT HOLE.
UM, YOU COULD GET OUTTA CONTROL VERY QUICKLY AND UM, AGAIN, THEY'RE GONNA GET HURT BY COUNCIL.
IF THEY COME FORWARD AND HAVE A HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT, THEY'RE GONNA GET HURT.
AND WE'VE ALWAYS WEIGHED INDIVIDUALLY ON EACH OF THESE TOPICS.
UM, AGAIN, WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S LIKE SAY I'M BEING WAY OUT THERE.
I WAS GONNA USE THE A ME CHURCH, BUT JUST SAY SEVEN OAKS FOR EXAMPLE, OR EVEN WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH ALLEN LOCKWOOD HOUSE.
UM, THERE WAS HOPE AT ONE TIME THE ALLEN LOCKWOOD HOUSE WOULD PROBABLY FALL
[00:55:01]
DOWN AND BE TURNED INTO A PARKING LOT.AND YOU KNOW, I KNOW YOU HAVE PROPERTY RIGHTS, BUT THAT IS ONE I WOULD STAKE A FLAG INTO SAYING PERSONALLY ON HISTORY, JUST AS I WISH AT A ME CHURCH, I WOULD NEVER WANT TO SEE ANYTHING HAPPEN TO MAKE THE A ME CHURCH GO AWAY.
SO IT GETS REALLY COMPLICATED.
UM, I THINK WE STILL HAVE TO TAKE THOSE TOPICS ONE AT A TIME PER INDIVIDUAL NOT ADDING ANYTHING.
I MEAN NOW WHERE IT REALLY GETS, WHERE IT REALLY GETS SOMETHING IS SOME OF THESE HOUSES OR MAYBE APPROACHING YEAR MARK, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE HAVE TO PUT IT ON THERE, RIGHT? SO NEXT MONTH YOU WILL SEE THE UPDATED 2025 HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY.
UM, THAT'S A NEW SET OF DATA THAT OUR CONSULTANTS LOOKED AT.
UM, AND THEY LOOKED AT EVERYTHING THAT WAS BUILT, UM, PRIOR TO 1986.
SO NOT QUITE 50 YEARS, BUT, UM, SO WE WILL HAVE NEW DATA, UM, TO IDENTIFY SOME OF THOSE POTENTIAL NEW CONTRIBUTING RESOURCES AT SOME POINT DOWN THE ROAD.
SO THIS 50 YEAR MARK DIDN'T STOP SOMEWHERE.
WE DIDN'T CUT IT OFF LIKE SAY 50 YEAR FROM, FROM 10 YEARS AGO IS, SO EVERY 50, EVERY HOUSE THAT'S BEEN 50-YEAR-OLD WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE ASSUMED AS, OKAY, GOOD.
SO THE 50 YEAR MARK IS ACTUALLY WHAT THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE USES FOR NATIONAL REGISTRAR.
SOME OTHER JURISDICTIONS IN THE COUNTRY USE A 30 YEAR MARK FOR LANDMARKING OR FOR DESIGNATION OF TREATMENT RESOURCES.
UM, WE JUST HAVE ADOPTED 50, UM, IN THIS CASE WITH THE CONSULTANTS.
WE ADOPTED THE 1986 STATE JUST TO SEE WHAT HAS ALREADY ACHIEVED 50 YEARS OLD, BUT WHAT MIGHT ACHIEVE 50 YEARS OLD BEFORE THE NEXT TIME WE DO A RESOURCE SURVEY.
'CAUSE TYPICALLY SPEAKING, WE DO RESOURCE SURVEYS GENERALLY ONCE EVERY 10 YEARS.
SO WE WANT TO SEE IF WE COULD CAPTURE SOMETHING THAT'S NOT QUITE 50 YET, BUT MIGHT BE COMING UP 50 BEFORE YOU DO ANOTHER SURVEY.
AND, AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, JUST BECAUSE IT HITS THE 50 YEAR MARK DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY MEAN THAT IT'S A CONTRIBUTING RESOURCE.
SO I, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT'S MY POINT.
YEAH, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT'S, THAT WAS CLEAR BECAUSE I, I COULDN'T TELL YOU IN YOUR HEAD IF YOU'RE THINKING LIKE IF I, IF IT HITS 50 YEARS OLD, IT'S AUTOMATICALLY CONTRIBUTING.
IT'S STILL GOTTA MEET OTHER CRITERIA.
BUT THE FIRST ONE IS IT'S GOTTA BE 50 YEARS OLD AND ULTIMATELY BE APPROVED BY COUNSEL.
WOULD YOU PLEASE SHOW THE MAP AGAIN? I WANNA REALLY SHAKE MR. HAMILTON UP.
WOULD YOU GO DOWN TOWARD THE BOTTOM WHERE 35 B ON THOMAS HAYWARD IS OH, NUMBER 82 AND, AND BLOW THAT UP ON THE MAP.
THE ACTUAL PRINT? YEAH, OVER HERE WHERE IT'S WRITTEN.
I'M FROM NO, GO, GO BACK KEVIN.
RIGHT THERE ON THE, RIGHT THERE.
WHERE'S THAT AT? IT'S, UH, IT'S 82 82.
REALLY THE REASON, THAT'S ALL, THAT'S WHERE I USED TO LIVE.
AND YOU'RE GONNA PUT A BRONZE PLAQUE OUT IN FRONT 'CAUSE I WAS HISTORIC
SO THAT, THAT'S THE HOUSE I USED TO LIVE IN.
AND THAT'S ONE THAT WE HAVE TO REMOVE.
THAT'S THE ONE WHERE WE REALIZED THAT THAT WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 2002.
SO THAT WILL BE AMENDED THE NEXT TIME WE DO A, A MAP OF AMEND.
I AM GLAD TO SEE THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
I THINK, UM, IT'S DEFINITELY GONNA BE GOOD SOONER THAN LATER TO REALLY GET THIS STREAMLINED BECAUSE MY FEAR ULTIMATELY IS AS WE'RE SEEING MANY OWNERS WHO, UM, HAVE INHERITED THESE STRUCTURES, UH, LIKE THE CORDY HOUSE, WHO REALLY DON'T KNOW THE PROCESS OR UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE AND TRY TO OUTFIT IT THEMSELVES AND THEN, YOU KNOW, HIT A ROADBLOCK BECAUSE THEY ARE TAKING AWAY WHAT'S CONSIDERED HISTORICAL, BUT THEN DON'T HAVE THE MEANS TO GO BACK AND REDRESS ANY OF IT.
SO IT'S LIKE WE'VE CODIFIED COMPLICATIONS, UM, OURSELVES HERE WITH THE PROCESS, BUT MANY OWNERS ARE COMPLETELY, UM, IGNORANT TO THE PROCESS ITSELF.
THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT COMES WITH THIS DESIGNATION.
I THINK WE HAVE TO DO A BETTER JOB IN TRYING TO SAY WE WANNA PROMOTE PRESERVATION, BUT ALSO MAKING SURE THAT, UM, THOSE WHO HAVE THESE STRUCTURES ARE, UM, EITHER ABLE TO DO IT OR CAN BE HANDHELD THROUGH THIS
[01:00:01]
PROCESS.AND WE CAN, WE CAN, WE CAN PUSH OUT A LOT OF INFORMATION, BUT IT IS, THE OWNERS HAS BEEN ON THE OWNER TO ACTUALLY ALSO COME TO US AND INITIATE CONVERSATIONS.
SO IF YOU, IF YOU KNOW OF INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, PLEASE SEND 'EM TO US.
WE ARE HAPPY TO SIT DOWN FOR HOWEVER LONG IT TAKES, ORDER THEM TO UNDERSTAND PROCESSES.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN, WHAT CAN THEY DO? UM, SO WE'RE, WE'RE ABSOLUTELY HAPPY TO DO THAT.
WITH YOU BEING THE EXPERT AT THIS, WHAT DO Y'ALL THINK, WHAT'S YOUR OPINION ON TIERED VERSUS RANKING VERSUS MY PROFESSIONAL OPINION? IF IT'S ON THE LIST, IT IS ON THE LIST.
SO WHILE THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN PUT ON THE LIST FOR A DIFFERENT REASON OR MEETING A DIFFERENT CRITERIA.
UM, SO FOR, FOR EXAMPLE, SEVEN OAKS, MR. WIT'S FAVORITE EXAMPLE IS, UM, IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
IT CONTRIBUTES TO THE NATIONAL REGISTER, CONTRIBUTES TO THE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT HAS THE SAME WEIGHT IN THE EYES OF THE SECRETARY OF INTERIOR AT NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AS THE JENNY KITING MUNICIPAL BUILDING, WHICH IS ELIGIBLE FOR LISTING AS AN INDIVIDUAL IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER AS A NATIONAL REGISTER LISTED.
SO THEY'RE BOTH ON THE LIST AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL.
THEY'RE BOTH VIEWED IN THE EXACT SAME WAY.
SO PROFESSIONAL OPINION IS, IF IT'S ON OUR LIST, IT GOT ON THE LIST FOR A REASON.
GLEN, I I I, I RESPECT WHAT YOU SAID, BUT I, WE HAVE FOUND OUT THAT THERE'S SOME PEOPLE THAT WAS PUT ON THE LIST AND WASN'T AND SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ON THE LIST.
SO I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND FROM YOUR VIEW, YOU HAVE TO WORK WITH, SO THAT COULD BE A DIFFERENT EXERCISE.
TO GO BACK TO WHAT KEVIN HAD JUST MENTIONED, DOING A MATRIX, WE CAN DO A MATRIX USING THESE 11, UM, CATEGORIES.
AND WE CAN GO THROUGH AND WE CAN TRACK THOSE AND SEE HOW EACH OF THE 84 TRACK ON THOSE, THOSE 11 CATEGORIES, WHICH ONE OF THEM WAS, DID THEY APPLY TO BE ON THERE? I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD EXERCISE.
YOU STILL WANT TO ADD ANYTHING? NO, THAT WAS, THAT WAS WAS I WAS GONNA SUGGEST TO MATRIX USING THE 11 AND IF THERE'S ANY OTHER FACTORS, PUT 'EM IN THERE TOO.
AND JUST, SO IF YOU LOOK AT NUMBER ONE, YOU CAN SEE IF THEY MADE EIGHT OF THE 11 OR I THINK THAT WOULD BE A, A GREAT RESOURCE FOR THE, FOR, FOR BOTH, FOR STAFF AND FOR COUNCIL.
KEVIN, WHAT'D YOU THINK? UH, I MEAN, I, I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH GLEN.
UM, I THINK THAT THE, FROM THE EDUCATIONAL STANDPOINT, IT'LL HELP TO SEE IT ALL ON, ON ONE SHEET, SO TO SPEAK, SO THAT WAY WE HAVE AN IDEA, UH, FOR MOVING FORWARD.
UM, AND THEN ALSO YOU CAN USE THAT FOR PROJECTS THAT MAY BE ELIGIBLE IN THE FUTURE.
UM, AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, FROM AN EDUCATIONAL STANDPOINT, WE CAN GET ALL THIS INFORMATION TO YOU.
UM, AND THEN THE BIG THING IS ALSO IS OWNER CONSENT, UM, AND IS MAKING SURE WE IN THE FUTURE, UM, PERSONALLY I WAS NOT HERE IN 1994 TO 1996, SO I CAN'T, I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW, HOW THEY WENT THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
I MEAN, WE CAN GO BACK AND TRY TO FIND RECORDS, BUT I MEAN, AS, AS GLEN SAID, IT'S ON THE LIST.
SO IT, I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S ON THE LIST.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE, WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T CHANGE RIGHT NOW.
WHEN WE DID ADD THE NEW CONTRIBU RESOURCES IN 2022, THERE WAS TWO OF 'EM.
WE HAD OWNER CONSENT FOR BOTH OF THOSE BEFORE WE WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS.
WE WERE ALSO ONE OF THE OWNERS.
WELL, YEAH, ONE OF THE COUNSEL, WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? I, I BELIEVE WHAT I HEARD IS MR. FINGER WAS SAYING IT, AS DID KEVIN.
I THINK THEY REVIEW THIS LIST, PUT THE CRITERIA TOGETHER, PUT IT IN THE BOX, SEE WHAT IT BATCHES IT, AND TURNS OUT, AND THEN BRING THAT BACK TO COUNCIL AND SAY, HERE'S WHERE WE ABSOLUTELY THAT.
WE'LL HAVE THAT AS ANOTHER WORKSHOP, GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK THROUGH THAT.
UM, AND IN THE MEANTIME, IF THERE'S ANY OTHER, UM, ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE FOR US TO INCLUDE INTO THIS MATRIX, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
THESE ARE THE, THIS IS KIND OF THE ITEMS THAT WE CAME UP WITH, UH, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO ACTUALLY, I BELIEVE THE, UM, SURVIVED THE BURNING OF BLUFFING, UH, COUNCILMAN WOOD, THAT WAS THE ONE THAT YOU, YOU KNOW, DEFINITELY, YOU KNOW, YOU WERE HANGING YOUR HEAD ON AND WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO INCLUDE THAT ONE.
SO YEAH, ONE I DON'T SEE, UH, HERE, UM, MAY, THAT MAY BE OVERLOOKING IT.
KEVIN, WE, WE TOUCHED ON THIS THIS MORNING.
UM, YOU COULD HAVE A, MAYBE
[01:05:01]
SOMEBODY OF GREAT NOTORIETY IN, AS A CITIZEN OF SOMEBODY FROM THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, UH, A PROMINENT INDIVIDUAL OF, OF THE PAST MAYBE, OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES LIVED IN A HOUSE THAT ACTUALLY BROUGHT VALUE TO THE SITE.I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S THE CRITERIA WE NEED TO HAVE ON THERE OR NOT.
SO IT, IT'S JUST, SAY NUMBER, NUMBER EIGHT HERE ON THIS LIST SAYS MEET DESIGNATION CRITERIA.
AND THAT REFERENCES BACK TO THIS, THIS WHOLE SECTION RIGHT HERE.
WE, WE DO IT, DO IT IS INCLUDED IN THERE.
UM, AND THEN THAT WOULD BE TWO.
BRIDGET, ANY FINALS WHEN THIS DOES COME BACK FOR WORKSHOP? NO, NOT NOT FROM WHAT I'VE ALREADY ALREADY STATED.
WHEN THIS DOES COME BACK AGAIN IN FRONT OF US, MAYBE YOU COULD INCLUDE WHAT SOME OF THE SURROUNDING HISTORIC DISTRICTS DO.
I THINK THAT INFORMATION COULD BE HELPFUL.
GLEN, WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM US RIGHT NOW? I THINK I HAVE MY MARK.
DO WE HAVE TO PUBLIC HEARING FINAL READINGS? YES.
FOR THE, UM, NO, THESE ARE FIRST READINGS.
ALRIGHT, WELL ITEM NINE IS NOT IMPORTANT.
THERE'S NOTHING UNDERNEATH THERE.
[X. FORMAL AGENDA ITEMS]
ITEMS NEXT.UM, I AM HAPPY TO PRESENT THE SECOND BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR FISCAL YEAR 26.
UM, AND SO JUST OVERALL, UM, THERE WILL BE A BUDGET ADJUSTMENT IN THE GENERAL FUND FOR $50,000, WHICH THE TOWN RECEIVED A GRANT, UM, FROM THE BUFORT BUFORT, JASPER HOUSING TRUST FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
AND THEN USE OF PRIOR YEAR FUND BALANCE FROM GENERAL FUND AND DEBT SERVICE.
SO LOOKING AT THE GENERAL FUND, UM, AS NOTED, THAT GRANT IS INCLUDED IN THERE.
AND THEN THE PRIOR YEAR FUND FUND BALANCE, THE PRIOR YEAR FUND BALANCE WILL BE USED, UM, IN THE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT FOR THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UM, WHICH WE WERE JUST RECOGNIZING, UM, VICTORIA WITH, AND THEN THE PARKS PLAN AND STUDY.
UM, AND THEN ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE WE HAVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR THE USAGE OF THAT GRANT.
AND THEN, UM, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN INCREASE IN LEGAL SERVICES AND THEN A TRANSFER OUT TO CIP FOR THE HOLLY HILL LANE CONNECTOR.
IN CIP WE ARE RECOGNIZING, UM, AN INCREASE IN THE COVE BUILDING OF $150,000, WHICH WILL COME FROM DEBT SERVICE.
AND THEN THAT NEW PROJECT FOR THE HOLLY HILL CONNECTOR, WHICH IS THE TRANSFER IN FROM GENERAL FUND.
AND THEN DEBT SERVICE IS JUST RECOGNIZING THAT USE OF PRIOR FUND BALANCE AND TRANSFERRING OVER TO CIP IN TOTAL.
UM, THIS BUDGET AMENDMENT IS AN INCREASE OF $536,300 AND WILL BRING THE OVERALL CONSOLIDATED BUDGET TO JUST UNDER 109,000,075 $75,000.
AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY, MAY HAVE.
I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE FIRST READING OF THIS ORDINANCE AMENDING THE TOWN OF LEFT AND FISCAL YEAR 2026.
BUDGET, PROVIDE FOR THE EXPENDITURES OF CERTAIN FUNDS AND ALLOCATE SOURCES OF REVENUE FOR THE SET FUNDS.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO PRESENT ANOTHER CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT FOR YOUR REVIEW AND APPROVAL.
[01:10:01]
UM, AS A REMINDER, YOU UM, PURCHASED THE PROPERTY IN 2021.IT BECAME A CIP PROJECT IN 2022 AND WE BEGAN, FIRST THING WE DID IS BEGAN A STRUCTURAL ASSESSMENT OF THE COTTAGE ITSELF AND WE PRESENTED THAT IN 2023.
AS FAR AS CURRENT CONSTRUCTION, UM, THE COTTAGE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW.
WE SIGNED A CONTRACT IN APRIL AND WE STARTED CONSTRUCTION IN JUNE, 2025.
AND WE EXPECT IT TO BE COMPLETE, UH, IN JUNE, 2026.
UM, THE WINDOWS AND DOORS ARE ON SIDINGS UP.
UH, WE'RE MAKING GOOD PROGRESS AND WE EXPECT IT TO BE DONE ON TIME.
UH, THIS IS THE MASTER PLAN THAT YOU SAW IN 2024.
UH, THE, THE BULLET POINTS ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE SLIDE, ALL SEVEN OF THE, THE LAST SEVEN IN THE, IN THE LIST ARE REALLY THE SCOPE OF THIS PARTICULAR CONTRACT.
IT'S A UTILITY IN STORM WATER IMPROVEMENTS, THE DRIVEWAY PARKING AND PATHWAYS, THE OBSERVATION DECK OVERLOOKING THE COVE, UH, ARBOR, TRELLIS SWINGS, SITE FURNISHINGS AREA, LANDSCAPE LIGHTING, INTERPRETIVE SIGNAGE AND LANDSCAPING AND IRRIGATION.
SO WE'VE COMBINED BOTH SITE AND LANDSCAPE INTO THIS PARTICULAR CONTRACT REQUEST.
UH, WE FOLLOWED THE TOWN'S PURCHASING ORDINANCE.
UH, WE SUBMITTED AN RFP AND WE RECEIVED TWO UH, QUALIFIED BIDS, ONE WITH NICK'S CONSTRUCTION AND ONE WITH GERALD BROTHERS CONSTRUCTION.
UM, THERE WAS AN EVALUATION TEAM THAT, UH, LOOKED OVER THE PROPOSALS AND WE SELECTED, UH, NICK'S CONSTRUCTION IS THE MOST QUALIFIED, RESPONSIBLE, AND RES UH, OFFERER WITH THE LOWEST PRICE TO THE TOWN.
SO THIS REQUEST IS FOR TOWN COUNCIL TO AUTHORIZE THE TOWN MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH NICK'S CONSTRUCTION, UH, FOR THE SITE IN LANDSCAPE CONSTRUCTION OF THE SARAH RILEY HOOKS PROJECT.
THE, UH, PROPOSED CONTRACT AMOUNT WHEN NICK'S CONSTRUCTION IS $573,229.
UH, ADDITIONALLY WE'RE REQUESTING A 20% CONTINGENCY TO ALLOW FOR ANY UNFORESEEN CHANGES THAT MAY ARISE DURING CONSTRUCTION.
UH, AND THEN SO THE TOTAL FISCAL IMPACT FOR THIS CONSTRUCTION WOULD BE IF WE WERE TO USE A CONTINGENCY, WOULD BE, UH, 687,874, UH, DOLLARS AND 80 CENTS.
AND THAT IS WITHIN THE 20 FISCAL YEAR, 26, 6 AND 27 BUDGET.
UH, NEXT STEPS, UH, FOLLOWING COUNCIL APPROVAL, STAFF WILL SUBMIT THE CONTRACT FOR SIGNATURE AND INIT INITIATE A PRE-CONSTRUCTION MEETING.
AT THAT PRE-CONSTRUCTION MEETING, WE WOULD, UH, ISSUE A NOTICE TO PROCEED.
UH, WE EXPECT THE PROJECT TO, UH, COMMENCE IN MARCH AND IT'S A HUNDRED DAY, UH, CONSTRUCTION PERIOD.
SO WE EXPECT IT TO BE COMPLETED THE END OF AUGUST.
UH, IF ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE OR MORE DISCUSSION ON THIS TOPIC.
IT WAS OPEN FOR QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSIONS.
ANYONE HAVE ANY BURNING THOUGHTS, SIR? NO.
IS THERE A MOTION I MOVE TO APPROVE THE MOTION AS UM, RIGHT ON THE SCREEN? I'LL SECOND WE MOVE PROPERLY.
[XI. CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS]
OKAY.IS THERE, UH, ANYTHING ON THE CONSENT AGENDA THAT WE WANT TO REMOVE? MOTION TO APPROVE THIS CONSENT AGENDA? SO MOVED.
OPPOSED? AYES HAVE IT A EXECUTIVE
[XII. EXECUTIVE SESSION]
SESSION.SECOND SESSION TO DISCUSS RELATING TO PROPOSED LAND ACQUISITION IN THE AREA WITHIN THE BUCK WATER PUD PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA FREEDOM INFORMATION ACT 30 DASH FOUR DASH
[01:15:01]
78 DASH TWO THERE.WE ARE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION SESSION.
[XIII. ACTION FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION]
NO VOTE WAS TAKEN, NO DECISION WAS MADE, BUT WE DO HAVE ACTION OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION.UM, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION.
I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE TOWN MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND SIGN A PURCHASE AND SALE SALE AGREEMENT FOR ACQUISITION OF THE THREE ADJACENT LOTS.
R SIX 10 DASH 0 2 2 DASH 0 0 0 DASH 0 1 3 A DASH 0 0 0 0 AND R SIX 10 DASH ZERO TWO DASH 0 0 0 0 0 3 5 DASH 0 0 0 AND R SIX 10 DASH 0 2 2 DASH 0 0 0 DASH 0 0 4 9 DASH 0 0 0 0.
AND ALL DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE LOTS, COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE WILLOW RUN TRACK OWNED BY INDIAN HILL ASSOCIATES, LLC IN THE AMOUNT OF $11 MILLION.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN, SIR.
SECOND, THANKS FOR WATCHING BC TV.
I AM MARY CAMPBELL AND THIS IS BEFORD COUNTY MOMENTS.
I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FOOD TODAY.
THE FOOD HAS BEEN A GREAT PART OF OUR LIFE IN TERMS OF GATHERING FOOD AND PREPARING THEM.
OUR FOOD IS BASED ON THE LAND AND THE SEA.
THE LAND FOOD HAS ALWAYS BEEN RICE.
WE DON'T FEEL WE HAVE EATEN DINNER UNLESS WE'VE HAD RICE.
RICE WAS MIXED WITH VARIOUS ITEMS FROM THE SEA, LIKE OYSTERS OR SHRIMP.
AND WHEN THEY COOKED WITH RICE IN ONE POT, WE CALL IT A RICE OR SHRIMP OR AN OYSTER PERLOW.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE WATERMELONS AND THE SWEET POTATOES.
SWEET POTATOES WAS ALWAYS EATEN WITH FISH AND FRESH FISH WITH GRAVY AND A SWEET POTATO.
OKRA HAS ALWAYS BEEN A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR FOOD WAYS.
WE, WE, WE RAISE THEM AS WELL AS WE PREPARE THEM WITH SHRIMP AND TOMATOES.
AND SOME PEOPLE WOULD CALL THAT A GUMBO.
AND THAT'S WHAT EXACTLY WHAT IT IS.
AND SO ENJOY THE FOOD OF THE LOW COUNTRY BECAUSE IT'S BEEN VERY MUCH A PART OF OUR HISTORY.
THIS HAS BEEN YOUR BEAUFORD COUNTY MOMENT.
TO SEE MORE BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENTS GO TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY HOMEPAGE AND CLICK ON THE LOCAL HISTORY TAB.