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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY, TWO O'CLOCK.
UM, CALLING THIS MEETING THE COMMUNITY
[1. CALL TO ORDER]
SERVICES AND PUBLIC, UH, SAFETY COMMITTEE.MEETING TO ORDER THE MARCH 2ND, 2026.
UH, IF WE COULD ALL PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT SENDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL WITH LIBERTY AND THE JUSTICE FOR ALL.
SIR, THIS AGENDA HAS BEEN POSTED IN PUBLISHED IN COMPLIANCE WITH FOIL.
[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA, I'LL LEAVE THAT MOTION.UH, CAN THIS MOVE THE AGENDA BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION? YEAH.
SEEING NO OBJECTION, IT IS APPROVED.
[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
UH, CAN I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM FEBRUARY 3RD, 2026? SO, MOVE.IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO, UH, ACCEPTING THE MINUTES FROM FEBRUARY 3RD? NO.
UH, IS THERE ANYBODY SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? ALL RIGHT.
IS THERE ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME? ALRIGHT, SEEING NOBODY, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT AND MOVE INTO
[7. ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR REPORT]
THE ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR REPORT.GOOD AFTERNOON, AUDRA, FOR MY A CA REPORT.
TODAY I HAVE ASKED REBECCA WITH NEXUS CARE, THE DIRECTOR, TO PROVIDE A 2025 SERVICE REPORT, WHICH INCLUDES AN OVERVIEW OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PATIENTS SERVED AND THE PREVENTION AND OUTREACH EVENTS CONDUCTED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
AND SHE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SHARE THE RECENT INITIATIVE WITH SCORE MONEY.
HOW ARE YOU DOING? THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
IT'S ALWAYS, UH, EXCITING FOR ME TO COME BEFORE YOU AND GET TO SHARE THE SERVICE THAT WE PROVIDE TO THE CITIZENS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY AT NEXUS CARE OF BEAUFORD COUNTY.
AND I WANT TO JUST SORT OF THINK FOR A MOMENT ABOUT THE, THE VISION THAT WE HAVE AND HOW THE INFORMATION I'M GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU TIES TO ACHIEVING THE VISION WE HAVE, UH, WHICH IS A HEALTHY AND THRIVING COMMUNITY THAT'S FREE FROM THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF SUBSTANCES.
AND SO FOR THIS VISION, WE OFFER A CONTINUUM OF SERVICES THAT RANGES FROM PREVENTION, WHICH IS SO IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE NEVER START USING SUBSTANCES.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF FACTORS THAT GO INTO THAT.
WE ALSO OFFER INTERVENTION SERVICES FOR THOSE WHO ARE STARTING TO USE, BUT NOT TO THE LEVEL OF HAVING A DIAGNOSED SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER.
WE OFFER OUTPATIENT AND IN OUTPATIENT AND INTENSIVE OUTPATIENT TREATMENT, AND WE ALSO, OR, UH, HAVE PEER RECOVERY SERVICES BETWEEN JULY 1ST, 2025 THROUGH JANUARY 31ST, 2026.
OUR PREVENTION TEAM, WHICH CONSISTS OF FIVE FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES, UH, HAS ADDRESSED PRIMARY SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION, GIVING 28 SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS, REACHING ALMOST 1500 CITIZENS.
SO FAR, WE'VE COMPLETED 23 HEALTH FAIR EVENTS, REACHING NEARLY 1200 CITIZENS AND DISTRIBUTED ALREADY OVER 2000 PIECES OF PREVENTION LITERATURE.
WE HAVE 35 SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS.
WE'VE REACHED ALMOST 137,000 PEOPLE SO FAR.
WE HAVE PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS ON IMPAIRED DRIVING, REACHING 127,000 PEOPLE TO DATE.
WE'VE ALSO COMPLETED TWO FULL CYCLES OF A PROGRAM CALLED THRIVE.
THIS IS FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS AND THEY RECEIVE, UH, INSTRUCTION THROUGH A CURRICULUM FOR THEIR AGE TO PREVENT SUBSTANCE USE BY CREATING RESILIENCY, THINGS LIKE COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND HEALTHY HABITS.
WE'VE COMPLETED TWO CYCLES AND HOPE TO COMPLETE AT LEAST TWO MORE THIS YEAR.
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RETAILERS EDUCATION PROGRAM, WHICH IS EDUCATION ON SERVICE OF ALCOHOL FOR OFF PREMISE SALES.SO THIS WOULD BE TO YOUR OUTLETS THAT SERVE, THAT SELL, BUT DO NOT SERVE ALCOHOL ON PREMISES.
AND WE HAVE COMPLETED SO FAR NINE CLASSES AND REACHED 16 MERCHANTS WITH SEVERAL MORE SCHEDULED.
WE'RE ALSO PROUD THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO LAUNCH OUR TOBACCO EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR YOUTH, WHICH IS MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS VIRTUALLY.
THEREFORE, IT DOES NOT INTERFERE WITH THEIR INSTRUCTIONAL TIME DURING SCHOOL HOURS.
IT CAN BE DONE VIRTUALLY IN THE EVENINGS.
IT IS TWO SESSIONS AT A TOTAL OF SIX HOURS OF CURRICULUM THAT NOT ONLY HELPS PREVENT TOBACCO AND MARIJUANA USE, BUT ADDRESSES THOSE WHO ARE BEGINNING TO USE IT BUT HAVEN'T YET HAD A DIAGNOSED PROBLEM.
OUR OPIOID OUTREACH COORDINATOR HAS ALREADY COMPLETED 18 COMMUNITY EVENTS, DISTRIBUTED 262 DRUG DISPOSAL KITS FOR SAFE AT-HOME DISPOSAL OF SUBSTANCES, AND, UH, DISTRIBUTED 250 BOXES OR 500 DOSES OF LIFESAVING NALOXONE FOR OVERDOSE REVERSAL.
OUR INTERVENTION SERVICES BETWEEN JANUARY AND DECEMBER OF 2025, THE FULL YEAR HAS COMPLETED SERVICES WITH 279 INDIVIDUALS.
THIS PROGRAM IS THE ALCOHOL DRIVER SAFETY ACTION PROGRAM.
WE ARE THE ONLY ONES IN BEAUFORT COUNTY THAT PROVIDE IT.
THIS IS FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE A DUI OFFENSE AND HAVE HAD CONSEQUENCES WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES FOR THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSE BEING SUSPENDED UNTIL SUCH TIME.
THEY COMPLETE AN INTERVENTION PROGRAM AND WE'VE SERVED 279 PEOPLE, AND WE HAVE THAT IN BOTH ENGLISH AND IN SPANISH.
AS FOR TREATMENT IN 2025, WE ADMITTED ALMOST SEVEN HUNDRED, SIX HUNDRED AND NINETY SIX PEOPLE WERE ADMITTED INTO OUR TREATMENT SERVICES.
OF THOSE 144 WERE ADOLESCENTS FOR OUTPATIENT TREATMENT.
195 WERE ADMITTED TO ADULT OUTPATIENT AND 83 TO ADULT INTENSIVE OUTPATIENT, WHICH IS OUR HIGHEST LEVEL OF TREATMENT.
WE'VE ALSO SERVED 29 INDIVIDUALS WITH MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT.
AND AT OUR DETENTION CENTER BETWEEN JULY, 2025 AND FEBRUARY 20, 26, 24 OF THE RESIDENTS HAVE COMPLETED A CLINICAL INTAKE WHILE INCARCERATED NINE HAVE COMPLETED THE GROUP PROGRAM.
AND ON MARCH 16TH, WE WILL HAVE A NEW POSITION THERE, A PEER SUPPORT SPECIALIST, A PERSON IN LONG-TERM RECOVERY THAT WILL HELP THOSE RESIDENTS WITH TRANSITION PLANNING AND REENTRY AND WARM HANDOFFS TO COMMUNITY RESOURCES AND OUTPATIENT TREATMENT WHEN RELEASED.
CURRENTLY, THE DEPARTMENT, UH, EMPLOYS 28 FALSE TIME STAFF AND WE HAVE NO VACANCIES.
I LIKE TO SAY THAT AND I HOPE WE CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT IN RECOVERY.
IN 2025, WE SERVED 111 INDIVIDUALS WITH PEER SUPPORT SERVICES.
THOSE ARE PROVIDED IN A ONE-ON-ONE, UM, OR A GROUP SETTING TO OUR PATIENTS WHO ARE NAVIGATING THROUGH THE RECOVERY LIFESTYLE AND LEARNING TO BUILD RECOVERY CAPITAL SO THAT THEY CAN ACHIEVE AND SUSTAIN LONG-TERM RECOVERY.
AND THEY GUIDED BY CERTIFIED PEER PREVENTION SPECIALISTS WHO HAVE OVERCOME ISSUES WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS THEMSELVES AND ARE IN LONG-TERM RECOVERY.
AND THEY'RE A GREAT SOURCE OF SUPPORT.
AND PART OF OUR CLINICAL TEAM, OUR PATIENT SATISFACTION SURVEYS, OF THOSE PATIENTS WHO COMPLETED THE SURVEY, 100% REPORTED THEY ARE SATISFIED WITH OUR SERVICES AND LIKELY TO RECOMMEND TO OTHERS.
THAT IS SOMETHING WE ARE EXTREMELY PROUD OF.
AMONG THE PATIENTS COMPLETING DISCHARGE SURVEYS BETWEEN 70 AND 120 DAYS AFTER COMPLETING CARE, THE VAST MAJORITY REPORTED THAT THEY WERE EITHER IN REMISSION FROM SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER OR SAW A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN THEIR SUBSTANCE USE.
SHE PATIENTS COMPLETE A SURVEY AND ALSO, AGAIN, AT DISCHARGE UPON ADMISSION, ONLY 25% OF PATIENTS
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EXPRESSED THAT THEY HAD THE ABILITY TO HANDLE A CRISIS IN THEIR LIFE.ONLY 25% POST DISCHARGE, THAT NUMBER WAS 94% WERE ABLE TO MANAGE A CRISIS IN THEIR LIFE.
AT ADMISSION, ONLY 28% FELT GOOD ABOUT THE QUALITY OF THEIR LIFE.
AS A WHOLE POST DISCHARGE, THAT NUMBER INCREASED TO 95% SAW IMPROVEMENT IN THE QUALITY OF THEIR LIFE.
SO THOSE ARE GOOD OUTCOMES FOR US, VERY GOOD OUTCOMES FOR US.
IN 2025, WE HAD 21 FATALITIES THAT HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED BY THE CORONER'S OFFICE DUE TO OVERDOSES RELATED TO SUBSTANCE USE, TWO OF WHICH WERE CLASSIFIED AS DEATH BY SUICIDE.
BETWEEN 2021 AND 2025, WE HAVE SEEN A 57% REDUCTION IN FATALITIES RELATED TO SUBSTANCE USE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY PER THE CORONER'S DATA IN 2025, THE FATALITIES RANGED IN AGE FROM 18 YEARS OLD TO 69 YEARS OLD.
THAT IS A VERY WIDE AGE DEMOGRAPHIC.
WE KNOW THAT THE DRUG SUPPLY IS VERY LETHAL IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
THE COMPLEXITY OF SYNTHETIC SUBSTANCES IN THE DRUG SUPPLY PLY INVOLVED MEAN THAT OVERDOSES ARE EVEN HARDER TO PREVENT BECAUSE REVERSAL AGENTS LIKE NALOXONE WILL NOT WORK ON SYNTHETIC DRUGS THAT ARE NOT OPIOIDS.
FENTANYL IS SOMETHING THAT WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT.
FENTANYL IS STILL THE PRIMARY ACCELERATOR OF MORTALITY IN BUFORT COUNTY.
IT WAS PRESENT IN 65% OF THE TOXICOLOGY CASES COMBINED SUBSTANCES WERE IN 40% OF THOSE CASES SHOWING THAT STIMULANTS LIKE COCAINE ARE AN ADDITIONAL RISK FACTOR.
AND WE ALSO KNOW THAT SUBSTANCES CAN BE LACED WITH CHEMICALS LIKE FENTANYL, AND THERE ARE ALSO COUNTERFEIT PILLS, FENTANYL, HIDDEN AS OTHER PHARMACEUTICALS THAT ARE ACTUALLY FENTANYL AND NOT WHAT THE PERSON THINKS THEY ARE TAKING.
IT ONLY TAKES ONE OF THOSE COUNTERFEIT PILLS TO KILL YOU ON THE FIRST TIME YOU USE IT.
HOW ARE WE ADDRESSING THIS IN ADD, IN ADDITION TO THE VENDING MACHINE THAT I PREVIOUSLY REPORTED, WE WERE ABLE TO PLACE IN THE DETENTION CENTER, UM, WITH ACCESS TO FREE NALOXONE.
I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT WE JUST PLACED SEVEN NALOXONE KIOSKS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
THIS IS SOMETHING THE CITIZENS HAVE WANTED AND NEEDED TO PREVENT OVERDOSE AND REVERSE OVERDOSE FATALITIES.
THOSE KIOSKS ARE PLACED ONE AT EACH COUNTY LIBRARY OUTSIDE WHERE THERE'S 24 7 365 ACCESS TO FREE NALOXONE AND INFORMATION ON HOW TO GET HELP IF HELP IS WANTED.
WE ALSO PLACED ONE AT THE MYRTLE PARK BUILDING IN BLUFFTON, AND WE ARE ORDERING ANOTHER ONE FOR OUTSIDE THE HUMAN SERVICES BUILDING AT DUKE STREET.
LAST WEEK, WE DEPLOYED 350 BOXES OR 700 DOSES OF LIFESAVING FREE NALOXONE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THIS IS POSSIBLE DUE TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA OPIOID RECOVERY FUNDS FROM THE LAWSUIT SETTLEMENT WITH THE MANUFACTURERS, DISTRIBUTORS AND PHARMACIES THAT PERPETUATED THE OPIOID CRISIS IN THE UNITED STATES.
SO THE PATH FORWARD, OUR PATH FORWARD HAS REALLY FOUR PILLARS.
WE WANT TO FOCUS ON ADVANCED HARM REDUCTION WITH OVERDOSE RESPONSE STRATEGIES THAT DO INCLUDE THE USE OF SYNTHETIC DRUGS IN ADDITION TO THE OPIOIDS.
THE SECOND PILLAR IS THE INTEGRATION OF MENTAL HEALTH SCREENINGS IN PRIMARY CARE TO PREVENT SUICIDE OR PHARMACEUTICALLY INDUCED DEATH BY SUICIDE, AS WELL AS MENTAL SCREENINGS THAT CAN ALSO LEAD TO A SUBSTANCE USE.
THE THIRD PILLAR IS CHRONIC DISEASE MANAGEMENT OF OUR FATALITIES.
MANY ACCIDENTAL DRUG TOXICITIES OCCURRED IN PEOPLE THAT WERE SUFFERING FROM UNDERLYING MEDICAL CONDITIONS PER THE
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CORONER'S DATA.AND FOUR, WE NEED BROAD DEMOGRAPHIC OUTREACH SPANNING YOUTH TO SENIORS ACROSS DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS BECAUSE SUBSTANCE USE AND FATALITIES ARE ACROSS THE WHOLE SPECTRUM, NOT JUST ANY PARTICULAR GROUP.
AND TO CONCLUDE, OUR NEXT STEP IS TO COMPLETE A COMPREHENSIVE NEEDS ASSESSMENT THAT WILL IDENTIFY THE STRENGTHS AND GAPS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY AND TO USE THAT INFORMATION TO DEVELOP A THREE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN FOR OPIOID ABATEMENT.
WE ARE IN THE FINAL STAGE OF REVIEWING PROPOSALS TO PARTNER WITH PUBLIC HEALTH RESEARCH TO CONDUCT THIS STUDY WITH OUR KEY STAKEHOLDERS IN 2026.
I LOOK FORWARD TO UPDATING YOU WHEN WE HAVE THOSE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS AND A PROPOSED STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND WITH THAT, I'M PLEASED TO ASSIST YOU WITH ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
THANK YOU FOR THAT INFORMATION.
IS THERE ANYBODY THAT HAS A QUESTION RIGHT NOW? NO, I DO.
UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UH, UH, REPORT, UH, GIVING US AN UPDATE ON THE, UH, OPIOID SITUATION WE'RE DEALING WITH.
YOU TALKED ABOUT THE, UM, REDUCTION IN FATALITIES, UH, AND WAS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO NALOXONE? THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION, AND YES, THERE ARE MULTIPLE FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE.
SOME WOULD BE PREVENTION CAMPAIGNS, LETTING PEOPLE KNOW THE DANGERS ASSOCIATED WITH OPIOID USE.
UM, AND THERE OF COURSE, HAVING NALOXONE AVAILABLE, UM, FOR PEOPLE TO REVERSE AN ACCIDENTAL OVERDOSE OR A DRUG POISONING NATIONWIDE HAS LED TO A DOWNWARD TREND IN THE NUMBER OF OVERDOSE FATALITIES.
SO WE KNOW THAT NALOXONE DOES WORK, IT DOES SAVE LIVES.
YOU ALSO MENTIONED THE, UM, THE COUNTERFEIT PILLS.
SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE OUT IN THE MARKET.
THEY'RE SELLING THESE PILLS AS PHARMACEUTICAL PILLS? THAT'S CORRECT.
THEY'RE TYPICALLY SOLD TO LOOK LIKE SOMETHING LIKE, UH, ANOTHER MEDICATION TYPICALLY, UM, LIKE A, AN EITHER AN ANTIDEPRESSANT OR AN ANTI-ANXIETY TYPE MEDICATION.
UM, AND LIKE A BENZODIAZEPINE, WHICH IS, IS A, A ANTI-ANXIETY MEDICATION.
SO WITH THAT, A PERSON WHO TAKES A PILL FROM SOMEONE, THEN THEY DID, IT WASN'T PRESCRIBED TO THEM.
THEY DON'T KNOW FOR SURE WHAT THEY'RE GETTING.
OR IF THEY BUY IT ON THE MARKET AND IT'S NOT PRESCRIBED TO THEM, THEY CAN'T BE ASSURED THAT THAT PILL ISN'T ACTUALLY A COUNTERFEIT PILL THAT IS FENTANYL INSTEAD OF THE MEDICATION.
I RECENTLY READ ABOUT, EXCUSE ME, HE HEATED TOBACCO, TOBACCO PRODUCTS THAT THERE WAS A BILL ABOUT HOW THEY'RE GONNA TAX IT.
AND I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THAT, WHAT THOSE WERE.
I GUESS IT'S, UM, UH, IS THAT VAPING OR, I BELIEVE THEY'RE LOOKING AT PUTTING ATTACKS ON VAPE PRODUCTS AT THE SOUTH CAROLINA LEGISLATURE IS, DO YOU SEE WITH THE TEENAGERS A LOT OF THE VAPING, OUR NUMBER ONE ADMISSION REASON IS CANNABIS USE AMONGST ADOLESCENTS, AND SECOND IS TOBACCO OR VAPE.
SO THOSE ARE THE TOP TWO ISSUES THAT OUR YOUTH ARE STRUGGLING WITH IN BUFORT COUNTY.
I WAS GONNA ASK THE SAME QUESTION, UH, ABOUT VAPING BECAUSE IT IS A PROBLEM AMONG, UM, TEENAGERS.
UM, SO THE, THE OTHER THING, CONCERN, I HAVE NOT A CONCERN, BUT YOU, YOU TALKED BASICALLY A LOT OF STATISTICS YOU'VE PRESENTED TONIGHT, SO MY BRAIN CAN'T TAKE ALL THAT IN, BUT, UM, I'M HOPING THAT, UM, UM, YOU WOULD PROVIDE THAT TO US AT SOME POINT.
UM, BUT, UH, WHEN YOU STARTED TALKING ABOUT THE THRIVE PROGRAM OR THE THRIFT PROGRAM, WHICH ONE IS IT? THRIVE.
UM, I WAS WONDERING, UM, ABOUT, I, I WROTE DOWN MEASUREMENTS, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU, UH, HOW ARE YOU GONNA MEASURE THESE PROGRAMS YOU IMPLEMENT AND STUFF? UM, SEE WHAT THE KIND OF RESULTS YOU GAVE SOME, UM, MEASUREMENTS, UH, AT THE END.
UM, BUT IT'S LIKE ONE YEAR AND, UM, I GUESS I'M MORE CONCERNED ABOUT, UM, UH, RELAPSE AND PEOPLE COMING BACK.
AND HOW DO YOU MEASURE THAT AND ARE YOU MEASURING THAT BECAUSE YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU'RE PROVIDING, UH, SUCCESS AND SO THEY 85% SAY THEY LIKE THE PROGRAM, ET
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CETERA, ET CETERA.UH, ARE YOU GETTING ANY RE RECURRENCE FROM THOSE SAME PEOPLE? UM, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I HAVE, UM, I, I DO HAVE RELAPSE.
YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M AN ADDICT MYSELF, AND SO I DO HAVE RELAPSES.
NOT THAT I, I KNOW IT'S WRONG, BUT, YOU KNOW, UM, UH, SOMEHOW
SO I THANK YOU I, FOR YOUR QUESTIONS.
I HEARD TWO THINGS THERE WITH, WITH THE THRIVE PROGRAM.
IT'S FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL AGE STUDENTS, AND WE HAVE FOUND THROUGH OUR DATA THAT THAT'S REALLY THE SWEET SPOT FOR EDUCATION, WHERE BY THE TIME THEY GET TO THE NINTH OR 10TH GRADE, THEY ALREADY DON'T PERCEIVE HARM WITH USING SUBSTANCES.
SO WE WANT TO GET AHEAD OF IT AT THAT SWEET SPOT.
MIDDLE SCHOOL AGE, I HAVE A MIDDLE SCHOOLER MYSELF, THE LAST OF FIVE KIDS.
AND MIDDLE SCHOOL IS REALLY WHERE PREVENTION MESSAGES ARE BEST RECEIVED TO, TO STOP OR CHANGE THEIR PERCEPTION THAT THERE IS HARM BEFORE THEY GET INTO HIGH SCHOOL AND THEY'RE SURROUNDED WITH IT.
SO WITH THE THRIVE PROGRAM, THE PREVENTION TEAM IS TRAINED TO ADMINISTER THIS PROGRAM, AND THE NEXT STEP WILL BE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO TRAIN OTHERS, PERHAPS IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OR IN THE PRIVATE SCHOOLS, TO BE ABLE TO ALSO ADMINISTER AND REPLICATE THAT PROGRAM SO THAT THIS CURRICULUM, THEY IMPLEMENT.
UM, THE STUDENTS TAKE A PRE-TEST AND THEN AFTER THEY'VE COMPLETED THE PROGRAM, THE, AND GRADUATED, THEY HAVE A POST-TEST AND IT SHOWS THE MEASURE OF THEIR INCREASE IN KNOWLEDGE ABOUT HOW TO LIVE A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE, MAKE GOOD DECISIONS, RESIST PEER PRESSURE, AND THOSE TYPE OF TOPICS.
SO THAT'S REALLY WITH THE THRIVE PREVENTION WITH MIDDLE SCHOOLERS.
UH, AS FOR OUTCOMES FOR TREATMENT AND, UM, AS YOU SAY, RELAPSE, UH, OR A RETURN OF SYMPTOMS OR A RETURN TO USING SUBSTANCES, WE KNOW THAT SUBSTANCE USE ADDICTION IS A CHRONIC HEALTH CONDITION.
AND SO BEING THAT IT IS A CHRONIC HEALTH CONDITION, THAT IS HOW WE APPROACH IT.
UM, AND THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF ADDICTION MEDICINE, UM, AD ADVISES US TO LOOK AT IT THAT WAY, APPROACH IT THAT WAY, AND NORMALIZE THE FACT THAT WHEN PEOPLE HAVE A RECURRENCE OF SYMPTOMS OF THEIR ADDICTION, THAT IT IS, IT IS NORMAL WHEN YOU HAVE A CHRONIC ILLNESS, UM, FOR SOMEONE WHO ALSO HAS A CHRONIC ILLNESS OF SOMETHING LIKE DIABETES OR HYPERTENSION OR HIGH CHOLESTEROL OR ASTHMA, THOSE ALL HAVE VERY SIMILAR RATES OF RELAPSE TO ADDICTION.
AND THAT IS WHY WE WORK VERY HARD AT FOCUSING ON REDUCING THE STIGMA OR ELIMINATING THE STIGMA ASSOCIATED WITH SUBSTANCE USE.
BECAUSE IT IS NOT A MORAL FAILING OF ANY KIND.
IT IS NOT JUST A MATTER OF HAVE ENOUGH WILLPOWER TO STOP.
IT IS ABOUT A DIFFERENCE IN THE BRAIN THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING AND TEACHING PEOPLE HOW TO LIVE THEIR LIFE WITH SUPPORT, UM, AND TO NOT JUST AB ABSTAIN, BUT TO HAVE A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE OVERALL.
BUT SOMETIMES SYMPTOMS COME BACK AND PEOPLE SLIP AND THEY HAVE USE, THEY HAVE BREAKTHROUGH USE OR EVEN A FULL RETURN.
UM, SO WHEREAS PEOPLE GO INTO REMISSION FROM CHRONIC ILLNESSES AND THEY NEED TO FOLLOW UP WITH THEIR DOCTOR BECAUSE MAYBE SOMETHING'S NOT WORKING OR THEIR BODY'S CHANGING, OR THEIR LIFE IS CHANGING AND THEY NEED HELP TO GET BACK ON TRACK.
WHEN PEOPLE COME BACK TO US HAVING COMPLETED A PRIOR TREATMENT EPISODE, THAT'S HOW WE APPROACH IT.
WE WANT THEM TO COME IN JUST LIKE YOU WOULD COME INTO YOUR FAMILY PHYSICIAN AND SAY, YOU KNOW, I HAD AN ASTHMA ATTACK.
MY MEDICINE THAT I'VE BEEN ON IS NOT WORKING FOR IT ANYMORE, OR MY BLOOD PRESSURE'S GOING UP AGAIN.
THAT'S HOW WE APPROACH TREATMENT WHEN PEOPLE DO RETURN TO US.
SO WE EXPECT THAT THERE WILL BE THOSE WHO DO COMPLETE TREATMENT AND DON'T HAVE FURTHER ISSUES WITH IT.
AND THEN THERE WILL BE THOSE WHO WILL, WILL RETURN TO US SEVERAL TIMES.
EITHER WAY, WE'RE THERE FOR THEM.
SO YOU DON'T HAVE A PROGRAM WHERE YOU WOULD, UM, ONCE A YEAR ANNUALLY, JUST CALL TO SEE HOW YOU'RE DOING? WE DO CALL.
WE HAVE BETWEEN 70 AND 120 DAYS POST DISCHARGE.
SO THAT'S ALMOST, YOU KNOW, SO A QUARTER AFTER, UH, THEY DISCHARGE FROM US, WE CONTACT THEM OR WE ATTEMPT TO CONTACT THEM AND WE SURVEY THEM AND ASK HOW THINGS ARE GOING.
AND AT THAT POINT, WHEN WE DO REACH THEM, IF THEY NEED ANYTHING ELSE, THEN WE CAN ALWAYS REOPEN THEM AND MEET THEM WHERE THEY ARE AT THAT POINT IN TIME.
AND WE ALSO FEEL THAT WHEN WE GIVE GOOD SERVICE, THAT PEOPLE, WHEN THEY NEED US IN THE FUTURE, THEY WILL FEEL COMFORTABLE COMING BACK TO US AND PICKING UP THE PHONE AND CALLING US, KNOWING THAT THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE MET WITH SHAME OR STIGMA, BUT THEY'RE GOING TO EMBRACE THEM AND MEET THEM
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WHERE THEY ARE.UM, MS. BURGESS, A COUPLE TIMES NOW, YOU'VE BEEN BEFORE US, AND I FIND MYSELF PAGES AND PAGES OF NOTES AND FOLLOW UP, WHICH I WILL NOT KEEP EVERYBODY HERE WITH, UH, BY ANY MEANS.
BUT WHAT YOU AND AUDRA ARE DOING FOR THIS COMMUNITY, FIRST OF ALL, YOUR APPROACH, YOUR FACTS, THE WAY YOU DELIVER 'EM, UM, IS PART OF THE REASON WHY YOU SEE SOME THINGS CHANGING FOR THE BETTER.
MY QUESTION FOR YOU IS THIS, UM, AND I THINK YOU'VE ANSWERED IT, DR. RODRIGUEZ AT THE SCHOOLS AND HEATHER GALVIN AT THE PROBATE, TWO PRIMARY DIRECT CONTACTS TO OUR FUTURE.
HOW ARE YOU MAKING OUT WITH THEM AND INROADS THAT WAY TO GET THESE THINGS OUT THERE IN PROGRAMS AND YEAH, IT'S GREAT.
WE VALUE OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS VERY MUCH, AND THERE'S TOO MANY TO NAME AT THE MOMENT BECAUSE I WOULD BE HERE FOR 20 MINUTES TRYING TO LIST ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, BUT WE DO HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
WE HAVE A FULL-TIME COUNSELOR AT THE RIGHT CHOICES ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL THERE TO SEE STUDENTS AT THAT SCHOOL.
UM, AND WE ALSO HAVE OUR PREVENTION TEAM GOING INTO THE ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL DELIVERING PREVENTION EDUCATION.
SO THAT IS, UH, THAT IS AN INITIATIVE THAT WE CONTINUE TO BUILD THAT BRIDGE WITH THEM.
UM, WE WOULD ALWAYS LIKE TO OFFER MORE WHATEVER THE SCHOOL DISTRICT NEEDS.
AND AS FAR AS PROBATE COURT IS CONCERNED, THEY'RE A GREAT, UM, COMMUNITY PARTNER WITH US TOO.
OUR DEPARTMENT DOES PROBATE PAPERWORK OR ORDERS ASSIST THE PRACTITIONER IN COMPLETING THOSE IN OUR OFFICE, SUCH THAT THE PROBATE COURT CAN THEN MAKE A DETERMINATION IF THERE NEEDS TO BE AN EMERGENCY PICKUP OR A NON-EMERGENCY ORDER FOR A PERSON TO PARTICIPATE IN SERVICES.
AND THEN WE ASSIST THAT INDIVIDUAL AND THE FAMILY THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
WE, OVER THE LAST NUMBER OF YEARS, WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH AND GET TO KNOW HEATHER GALVIN AND IF SHE'S GOTTA BE ONE OF YOUR STRONGEST SUPPORTERS, AND I DON'T EVEN, I LOVE IT.
SO, UM, YOU MENTIONED THE NUMBERS 137,000 AND 127,000.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT I'M REFERRING TO? THE, HOW DO YOU KNOW YOUR MESSAGE IS GETTING OUT THERE? GREAT QUESTION.
I, I'VE LEARNED A LOT FROM WORKING WITH OUR COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, HANNAH NICHOLS.
SHE'S HELPED TO EDUCATE ME AND, AND MY DEPARTMENT, BECAUSE THIS IS NOT, HAS NOT BEEN MY PRIMARY AREA OF EXPERTISE.
UM, BUT I HAVE LEARNED THAT WE CAN MEASURE OR HAVE METRICS FOR HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE SEEING OUR CAMPAIGN MESSAGES, WHETHER WE DO THAT ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
WE HAVE A FACEBOOK PLATFORM AND WE LAUNCH OUT COM CAMPAIGNS.
WE CAN BOOST THOSE MESSAGES, UM, SO THAT WE KNOW EXACTLY HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE SEEING THEM, HOW MANY ARE LIKING THEM, SHARING THEM, COMMENTING ON THEM.
WE ALSO DO, UM, RADIO CAMPAIGNS, STREAMING AUDIO ON THINGS, UM, THAT YOU WOULD LISTEN TO, WE, YOUR STREAMING MUSIC.
AND THOSE VENDORS CAN GIVE US IMPRESSIONS, HOW MANY PEOPLE HEARD THE MESSAGE THAT WE PUT OUT ON STREAMING AUDIO, AS WELL AS ON, ON STREAMING VIDEO ON NON CABLE PLATFORMS. SO IF YOU'RE WATCHING HULU OR YOU'RE WATCHING NETFLIX AND YOU SEE THOSE LITTLE ADS POP UP, WE HAVE VENDORS, UM, CURRENTLY WE'RE WORKING WITH WHHI AND THEY PROVIDE US MONTHLY DATA ON THE NUMBER OF IMPRESSIONS, HOW MANY PEOPLE SAW IT, HOW MANY TIMES THEY WATCHED IT THROUGH TO THE END.
AND MANY OF OUR ADS ARE NOT SKIPPABLE.
AND THEN FINALLY,
AND THIS WAS INCREDIBLE WHEN I LEARNED ABOUT IT, AND A LITTLE ODD AT FIRST.
UM, IF YOU'VE EVER GONE INTO A STORE AND WONDERED WHY SUDDENLY ON YOUR MOBILE DEVICE AN AD POPPED UP, IT WASN'T A COINCIDENCE, UH, OR A COUPON POPPED UP FOR THE COMPETITOR DOWN THE STREET.
GEOFENCING ALLOWS THE COMPANIES TO PUT AN INVISIBLE MOBILE FENCE AROUND AN AREA OR A STORE, A LOCATION SUCH THAT WHEN YOU ENTER THAT AREA, IT WILL PING YOUR MOBILE ID ADDRESS ON YOUR DEVICE AND IT'LL DELIVER A MESSAGE TO YOU, UH, IN THE FORM OF A TEXT MESSAGE, UH, ON YOUR PHONE.
AND WE DELIVER THOSE MESSAGES AND RECEIVE THE, THE METRICS MONTHLY ALSO.
SO THOSE ARE OUR PSAS, PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS ON THINGS LIKE TOBACCO PREVENTION FOR UNDERAGE OR, UH, SELLING ALCOHOL TO MINORS OR FOR, UM, IMPAIRED DRINKING AND, AND DRIVING.
AND YOU KNOW, WHAT THE, TO THE LAWS ARE AROUND THAT.
SO WE HAVE LOTS OF PREVENTION CAMPAIGNS, UM, THAT ALWAYS HAVE THE BEFOR COUNTY EMBLEM AND NEXUS CARES
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EMBLEM AND CONTACT INFORMATION.SO PEOPLE SEE THAT, AND THEY ALSO KNOW HOW TO REACH US IF THEY NEED ANY ASSISTANCE.
AND ON BEHALF OF THIS COUNCIL, IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN DO, UM, LET US KNOW.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT HAS A QUESTION? I I DO HAVE ONE, UH, LAST QUESTION.
UH, YOU'VE MENTIONED THE EDUCATION PIECE SEVERAL TIMES WITH THE, THE MIDDLE SCHOOLERS IN PARTICULAR.
HAS THE MODEL SHIFTED TO MORE OF A FACTUAL BASED EDUCATION COMPARED TO THE SCARE TACTICS? I, I'M A PRODUCT OF DARE IN THAT, THAT DIDN'T WORK.
WE DID FIND OUT FROM YEARS OF RESEARCH AND IMPLEMENTING THE DARE PROGRAM, AND I AM OF THAT ERA ALSO, UH, CHAIRMAN, I, I KNOW, UH, FROM DATA THAT THAT PROGRAM WAS NOT EFFECTIVE AND IN SOME CASES MAY HAVE DONE MORE HARM THAN GOOD.
AND WE DO NOT TAKE A SCARE TACTIC APPROACH TO OUR EDUCATION.
IT'S FACTUAL AND IT'S REALLY ABOUT BUILDING THE TYPE OF SKILLS THAT YOU NEED FOR A HEALTHY LIFE.
UM, HOW TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR PEERS, HOW TO ASK FOR HELP, HOW TO, UH, SAY NO THANK YOU.
I, I'M NOT INTERESTED IN, IN USING SUBSTANCES, UM, HOW TO LIVE A, A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE AND MAKE GOOD CHOICES, WHICH WE KNOW WHEN YOU'RE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL THAT IT'S A CRITICAL TIME WHEN YOU'RE STARTING TO MAKE SOME GROWNUP TYPE CHOICES AND THEN ON INTO HIGH SCHOOL AND ADOLESCENCE.
BUT THE ADOLESCENT BRAIN DOESN'T REALLY FINISH DEVELOPING TILL AGE 25.
AND A LOT OF BIG DECISIONS ARE MADE DURING THAT TIMEFRAME.
SO WHAT WE REALLY WANT TO DO IS PREVENT PEOPLE FROM GOING DOWN THE PATHWAY THAT'S GONNA LEAD TO SOME NEGATIVE OUTCOMES FOR THEM AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE A POSITIVE, HEALTHY, BRIGHT FUTURE.
SO OUR PREVENTION MESSAGING IS POSITIVE, NOT SCARE TACTICS.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.
UH, NOW WE'RE MOVING INTO THE, UH, SECTION EIGHT PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION ITEMS. UH, EIGHT A IS DISCUSSION OF HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT TRANSITION TO NEXUS CARE.
UH, AUDRA, ARE YOU COMING BACK UP? COME ON DOWN.
OR WE, WE STILL HAVE ONE, UH, A CA ITEM.
I'M SORRY, JOHN, COME ON DOWN.
HOW ARE YOU THIS AFTERNOON? JOHN ROBINSON DOING WELL, A CA FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
I'M GONNA SHARE WITH YOU, UM, SOME BRIEF ANNUAL, UM, DATA AS WELL FOR EACH OF THE, UH, FOR EACH OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS.
AND THEN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU, YOU MIGHT HAVE.
SO, UH, WE'LL START WITH MOSQUITO CONTROL.
IT'S BECOMING, IT'S ABOUT TO, TO BE MOSQUITO SEASON.
UH, OUR FOLKS HAVE ALREADY BEEN OUT THERE ACTIVE IN, UH, CALENDAR YEAR 2025.
THE MOSQUITO CONTROL DEPARTMENT SET 2,109 TRAPS.
UM, THEY IDENTIFIED OVER 300,000 MOSQUITOES AND SAMPLED 1,825 STANDING WATER SITES.
SO THESE ARE SOME, UH, STANDING WATER FROM ALL TYPES OF DIFFERENT THINGS, WHETHER IT WAS A POND OR STORM WATER POND OR DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT THAT ATTRACT, UH, MOSQUITOES.
OUR FOLKS GO IN THERE, SAMPLE THOSE AND, AND THEN, UH, DETERMINE WHAT TYPE, IF THERE ARE ANY OF MOSQUITOES ARE PRESENT.
AND THEN WHAT TYPE OF APPLICATION NEEDS TO BE, UM, UH, PUT IN THERE TO PREVENT THOSE.
UM, SO THAT'S ABOUT 40,000 MOSQUITOES, UM, THAT WERE, THAT WERE TESTED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
AND THE RESULTS OF THOSE 40,000 DID NOT REVEAL ANY VECTOR-BORNE DISEASES, WHICH IS VERY GOOD FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY.
THAT MEANS THAT THE PREVENTION PROGRAM, THAT MOSQUITO CONTROL IS WORKING.
I DO WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT, UM, WE CONDUCTED IN 20 25, 21 AERIAL MISSIONS.
UH, THOSE AERIAL MISSIONS COVERED A HUNDRED THOUSAND ACRES, 98,000 AND SOME CHANGE ACRES, WHICH IS A LOT OF, A LOT OF, UM, PROPERTY IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND WE ALSO DID, UM, 265 TRUCK MOUNTED MISSIONS, AND THOSE COVER ABOUT 70,000 ACRES.
THE, THE APPLICATION THROUGH THE AERIAL MISSIONS IS SO MUCH GREATER AND SO MUCH MORE EFFICIENT THAN THE TRUCK OPERATIONS, BUT THE TRUCKS GET PLACES THE AIRCRAFT JUST CAN'T GET, UH, SOME OF THE, UM, PRODUCT THAT IS USED, UH, FROM THE AIRCRAFT JUST DOESN'T GET THROUGH THE TREE CANOPY TO GET TO THE RIGHT PLACE.
SO THOSE TRUCK MOUNTED MISSIONS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT.
THERE ARE SOME NEW INFORMATION CONSTANTLY ON MOSQUITO CONTROL'S WEBSITE.
THERE'S A NEW CHART AND GRAPH THAT, UH, SHOWS YOU, UM, THE TYPES AND NUMBER OF MOSQUITOES THAT ARE IDENTIFIED THROUGHOUT EACH MONTH.
AND YOU'LL SEE, UH, THERE'S ANOTHER CHART ON THERE THAT SHOWS YOU SOME DEMOGRAPHICS WITH THE AREA THAT HAS TO DO WITH TEMPERATURE AND,
[00:35:01]
UH, HUMIDITY OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE RAINFALL, THOSE TYPE OF THINGS AS, UH, TO GO ALONG WITH A NUMBER OF MOSQUITOES FOUND.SO THERE'S SOME PRETTY INTERESTING DATA THERE.
UM, MOVING ON TO E-M-S-E-M-S, UH, IN THE CALENDAR YEAR 2025 RESPONDED TO 22,108 CALLS FOR SERVICE.
THAT'S, UH, THE AVERAGE IS 60 CALLS FOR SERVICE PER DAY, AND THAT'S FROM 11 AMBULANCES, TWO QVS AND TWO SUPERVISORS.
SO 27 MEDICS PER SHIFT, UH, RESPONDS TO THOSE 60,000 CALLS PER SHIFT.
UM, IN ON FEBRUARY 14TH, WE, UH, EMS BEGAN THE 24 72 HOUR SHIFTS.
UM, IT HAS BEEN A FEW SHIFTS, NOT RIGHT.
UH, THINGS ARE WORKING VERY WELL.
UM, WE, UH, CONTINUE TO HAVE SOME VACANCIES, BUT, UH, BECAUSE THE NEW 24 HOUR SHIFTS, WE HAVE, UM, UM, MORE I'D SAY NEW APPLICATIONS IN-HOUSE.
WE HAVE, UH, 10 VACANT PARAMEDIC POSITIONS AND WE HAVE FOUR THAT ARE RIGHT NOW HAVE JUST FINISHED THEIR IN-HOUSE TRAINING.
THEY'RE RIGHT ALONG PROGRAM, AND THEY SHOULD BE GOING OUT TO OUR, TO OUR AMBULANCES IN THE NEXT WEEK, FULLY READY TO GO AND, AND DO THEIR JOB.
SO WE SPEND A QUITE A BIT OF TIME WITH THEM, MAKING SURE THAT THEY WORK WITH A FIELD TRAINING OFFICER, AND THAT THEY'RE PREPARED TO GO IN THE FIELD BEFORE WE SEND THEM OUT.
NOT ON THEIR OWN BECAUSE THEY'RE ALWAYS WITH PAIRS, UH, BUT BEFORE WE SEND THEM OUT IN THE FIELD TO PERFORM THEIR DUTIES.
UH, DETENTION CENTER, THE DETENTION CENTER, HERE'S SOME BIG NUMBERS.
UM, THE INTAKE, JUST THE INTAKE OF NEW INMATES.
UM, IN 2025, 3,854, THAT'S NEW ARRIVALS.
AND THEN FOLKS THAT RELEASED, THAT'S ABOUT 10.3 PER DAY FOR RELEASES, EXCUSE ME, THREE 3000 SEVEN HUNDRED AND SEVENTY SIXTY SIX RELEASES.
UH, IN 2025, WE HAD, UH, HERE'S SOME DISTURBING NUMBERS.
WE HAD, UH, 24 INMATE VERSUS CORRECTION OFFICERS ASSAULTS, UH, 25 INMATE ON INMATE ASSAULTS.
SO THESE ARE WHAT'S CALLED A CODE RED IF SOMETHING GOES ON IN INSIDE THE DETENTION CENTER.
THAT'S THAT ALERT, 114 USES OF FORCE AS WE MAKE SURE THAT WE DOCUMENT EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS IN THE DETENTION CENTER.
AND A LOT OF THOSE RESULT IN AN IN-HOUSE DISCIPLINARY HEARING.
UH, SO SOMETHING, SOME ISSUE HAPPENS INSIDE THE DETENTION CENTER THAT INMATE WILL GO TO.
ITS, UH, TO THEIR OWN, UH, DISCIPLINARY HEARING.
WE CONDUCTED 827 DISCIPLINARY HEARINGS.
SOME OF THOSE ADULT RESULT IN SOME ADDITIONAL TIME OR, OR LOSS OF, OF, UM, FREEDOMS THAT THEY MAY HAVE INSIDE THE DETENTION CENTER.
THE STAFF MANAGED, UH, 775 INMATE VISITATIONS AND 4,500 VIDEO VISITS.
UH, LET'S SEE, ANIMAL SERVICES, AN OUR ANIMAL SERVICES HAS SPACE FOR A HUNDRED ANIMALS.
WE BEGAN 2025 WITH 116 DOGS IN HOUSE.
AND WE ENDED THE CALENDAR YEAR WITH 99.
IF YOU WENT TO THE, THE ANIMAL SHELTER, YOU WOULD SEE ANIMALS AND KENNELS IN THE HALLWAYS.
UH, AND, AND BEHIND THE ADMIN STAFF, THERE'S A LONG HALLWAY FULL OF ANIMALS.
UH, SO WE'VE DONE REALLY GOOD TO GET THAT NUMBER BACK INTO, INTO CHECK.
AND A LOT OF THAT IS, IS, UH, DONE THROUGH, UM, WORK WITH, UH, FOSTERS.
WE HAVE MANY ANIMALS, CATS AND DOGS BOTH OUT FOR FOSTERS WITH MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS SOME OF OUR PARTNERS.
SO WE PARTNER, UH, A LOT WITH THE A-S-P-C-A AND WITH OTHER LOCAL ANIMAL RESCUES TO MOVE THOSE ANIMALS FROM OUR SHELTER.
AFTER THEY'RE HEALTHY AND CARED FOR, WE MOVE THEM OUT TO OTHER PARTNERS FOR, UH, FOR ADOPTION.
UH, SO THAT'S REALLY, UH, IMPORTANT FOR US.
THAT WAS, UM, 1,593 ANIMALS THAT WERE TRANSFERRED OUT TO OTHER AGENCIES FOR ADOPTION.
SO THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US.
UH, FLEET SERVICES, UH, FLEET SERVICES.
THIS IN 2025, PROCESSED 2,777 WORK ORDERS.
UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY OR THE, THE, THE FLEET SERVICES MANAGE JUST OVER 1400 ASSETS.
BEAUFORT COUNTY ASSETS, SO ANYTHING FROM VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT TO, TO LAWNMOWERS AND GOLF CARTS, AND YOU NAME IT, IF WE OWN IT, IT'S GOT WHEELS OR A MOTOR.
SO FROM THE TIME THERE WAS A COMPLAINT LOGGED IN THE SYSTEM TO THE TIME THE, UH, THE ASSET IS REPAIRED AND BACK IN SERVICE IS 9.06 DAYS, UH, WHICH IS PRETTY GOOD FOR A FLEET THAT SIZE WITH NINE TECHNICIANS.
[00:40:02]
UM, THE, UM, THEY SERVICED, UH, JUST AN OIL CHANGES, 876 OIL CHANGES IN AIR FILTERS, FOR EXAMPLE.SO YOU THINK ABOUT HOW MANY TIMES PER YEAR YOU TAKE YOUR VEHICLE IN ONCE, MAYBE TWICE.
UH, AND THEY HAVE HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF ASSETS THAT NEED THIS PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE SERVICE.
PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE IS THE KEY TO A HEALTHY FLEET.
IF WE KEEP UP ON, UH, UM, ON OUR PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE, WE REDUCE DOWNTIME.
WE RE WE IMPROVE THE EQUIPMENT QUALITY, WE IMPROVE ITS VALUE, UH, SO THAT IF AFTER A IT'S YEARS OF SERVICE, IT STILL HAS RESIDUAL VALUE, WE CAN AUCTION THOSE ITEMS AND RECOVER SOME OF THOSE DOLLARS.
IF WE HAVE A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THAT HASN'T BEEN MAINTAINED WELL, TIME IT GOES TO AUCTION IS NOT WORTH AS MUCH.
UH, SO THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT, UH, TO WHAT WE DO.
THERE'S LOTS OF OTHER, UM, METRICS HERE AND I'M HAPPY TO SHARE THOSE WITH YOU.
BUT I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT YOUR PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS ARE DOING FOR YOU THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
AND THANK YOU FOR THAT UPDATE.
JOHN, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? I HAD A QUESTION.
AND DO YOU KNOW THE AVERAGE STAY IN THE DETENTION CENTER? YES, MA'AM.
I'LL LOOK AT THAT NUMBER FOR YOU.
UM, BUT WE HAVE REDUCED THAT TO NOW.
THE AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY IS EIGHT DAYS.
UM, IT, IT CHANGES, UH, THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
THE HIGH FOR THE YEAR WAS IN NOVEMBER AND IT WAS 237, UH, THE LOW FOR THE YEAR.
UH, AND THAT WAS IN APRIL OF LAST YEAR.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, OUR JAIL WAS BUILT IN 1992.
UM, WE, UH, CONTINUE TO DO LOTS OF WORK INSIDE THE JAIL.
ALL FACILITIES TEAM AND CIP TEAM SPENDS A LOT OF TIME, UH, MAKING SURE IT, IT FUNCTIONS AS IT AS IT SHOULD.
UM, WE, UM, HAVE, RIGHT NOW OUR MAXIMUM CAPACITY, UH, IS 255.
SO WITH 227 INMATES, MANY OF THOSE INMATES, UH, REQUIRE A SINGLE CELL.
WE DON'T HAVE VERY MANY SINGLE CELLS.
SO WHAT, WHEN WE HAVE AN INMATE THAT REQUIRES A SINGLE CELL THAT REMOVES ONE OF THE BEDS.
SO WHILE WE HAVE 255 BEDS AVAILABLE, UH, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THERE'S ALWAYS SPACE IN THE INN.
UH, SO FOLKS GET PILED UP IN THERE SOMETIMES.
UM, YOU, YOU MENTIONED, UM, UM, DETENTION CENTER IN YES, SIR.
I'M NOT TOO SURE WHETHER, UM, I'M AWARE THAT WE DO NOT HAVE, ARE WE STILL, HAVE YOU BROUGHT THE INMATES FROM CHARLESTON BACK IN? OH, YES, SIR.
AND I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT, UM, UNDER THE, UH, MOSQUITO CONTROL THAT THERE WAS NO, UM, DISEASE VECTOR OUT THERE AND STUFF, SO THAT'S RIGHT.
WE SAMPLED A LOT OF MOSQUITOES, BUT THERE'S MORE THAN WE CAN TOUCH, THAT'S FOR SURE.
I SIGNED UP FOR ALERTS, SO I FIND THAT VERY INTERESTING.
AND I PUT IT ALL OVER OUR FACEBOOK PAGES, SO THANK YOU.
GOD KNOWS HOW MANY PEOPLE SIGNED UP.
UH, THE SECOND QUESTION I HAVE HAS TO DO WITH ANIMAL SERVICES.
WE HAVE THAT MOA WITH JASPER COUNTY.
SO I KNOW THEY'RE UP TO DATE ON THEIR INVOICES, BUT WHAT PROGRESS ARE THEY MAKING AS FAR AS, I THINK THE MOA GOES TO THE END OF JUNE.
SORRY, THE MOA GOES TO THE END OF JUNE, CORRECT? IT IS SOON.
I DON'T, I DON'T REMEMBER THE, THE DATE, WHATEVER IT IS.
ARE THEY MAKING PROGRESS TO SOLVING THEIR ISSUE? YES, THEY ARE.
SO I LEARNED THIS WEEK, UH, THAT THEY HIRED THEIR STAFF, UH, AND THAT WAS THE CRITICAL STEP FOR THEIR, UH, THEIR COUNTY TO HIRE STAFF AND DEVELOP THEIR ORGANIZATION.
SO WE ARE TAKING THOSE STEPS BACK.
UH, AND WHEN I MEAN BEAUFORT COUNTY, WE DON'T HAVE TO SUPPORT THEM FOR STAFFING.
UH, WE'RE HELPING THEM CONTINUE THE TRANSITION, BUT IT WILL BE VERY SHORT ORDER THAT THEY WON'T NEED ANYTHING FROM US, BUT TO HELP ANSWER QUESTIONS.
UH, BUT THEY'LL BE ABLE TO MANAGE THEIR OWN ORGANIZATION.
BUT HAVE THEY, UM, I MEAN, I, I'VE SEEN THEIR, WHERE THEY PLACE THEIR DOGS MM-HMM
HAVE THEY IMPROVED THAT FACILITY BECAUSE, OH, IT'S DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT THAN IT WAS LAST YEAR.
IT IS STILL THE SAME FACILITY.
UM, BUT THROUGHOUT THIS, UM, MANY MONTHS, UH, THEY HAVE ALSO HELPED TO INVEST, UH, SOME MONEY IN THAT FACILITY.
IT IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THAN, THAN IT ONCE WAS.
[00:45:01]
IT'S A GOOD ENVIRONMENT FOR THE ANIMALS.IT IS STILL AN OUTSIDE ENVIRONMENT.
SO, SO THERE'S SOME WORK TO BE DONE, UM, BUT THEY'RE IN A VERY GOOD POSITION.
I'M GLAD TO HEAR THEY'RE MAKING PROGRESS.
I WAS CONCERNED THAT THEIR DOG CAGES, I'LL SAY THAT ARE OUTSIDE.
SO WHEN IT RAINS, THERE WERE ISSUES WITH MUD FLOODING, THAT KIND OF THING.
UM, UH, WELL THERE'S, WHEN IT COMES TO THE, UM, THE OUTDOOR FACILITY ITSELF, THE CARE OF THE ANIMALS IS, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO DRAINAGE AND RUNOFF AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS IS REALLY CRITICAL.
'CAUSE THERE'S OTHER BACTERIA AND DISEASES THAT CAN REMAIN IN THE GROUND.
SO WE DID HAVE SOME MANY PARTNERS WHO DONATED THEIR TIME AND DONATED, UM, THINGS ROCK AND LABOR TO CLEAN UP THAT AREA, MAKE THE DRAINAGE WORK PROPERLY, AND THEN, UH, INSTALLED SOME, UM, VENTILATION FANS.
SO SOME FANS IN THE OUTDOOR KENNEL.
AND THAT'S HELPFUL TO KEEP AIR MOVING.
AND, UM, IN THE WINTERTIME, SOME HEATERS, UH, THAT ARE ALSO IN THERE TO HELP WITH THAT.
UH, WE HAD A REALLY GREAT COMPANY, UH, FROM OHIO THAT BUILT SOME ALL WEATHER DOGHOUSES.
UM, NOW WE HAD TO PAY FOR THOSE.
UM, BUT DID AN, AN EXCELLENT JOB AND BROUGHT THOSE INTO THEIR KENNEL TO REALLY IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENT THAT THE ANIMALS WERE IN.
AND WE, I THINK WE REDUCED THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS THERE TO WELL OVER A, FROM WELL OVER A HUNDRED ANIMALS TO AROUND 40.
SO TAKING THE PRESSURE OFF OF THAT ENVIRONMENT REALLY HELPED.
JOHN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, YOU SPOKE BRIEFLY ABOUT THE, UH, STANDING WATER, UH, ISSUE WITH THE MOSQUITO.
POPULATION, AND UNFORTUNATELY LAST YEAR, UH, WE HAD SOME MOSQUITOES THAT, UH, I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.
I MEAN, THEY WERE
BUT, BUT ANYWAY, AS FAR AS STANDING WATER IS CONCERNED, WE, WE HAVE AN EDUCATIONAL PROCESS, I THINK ON OUR, ON OUR, OUR WEBPAGE, UH, APT TO ADDRESS STANDING WATER AS FAR AS PRIVATE PROPERTY AND PRIVATE HOMES ARE CONCERNED.
WHAT ARE WE DOING TO ADDRESS THE STANDING WATER ON ROADS AND HIGHWAYS? UH, UH, WHERE THAT CONTRIBUTES TO A LOT OF OUR MOSQUITO POPULATION AS WELL.
HOPEFULLY IN, IN DRAINAGE DITCHES AND THOSE THINGS, THEY DRY UP QUICKLY AND THAT'S MOVING WATER.
BUT ANY, ANY TYPE OF STANDING WATER, UM, IF THERE'S A COMPLAINT IN THAT AREA, WHAT WE DO IS WE TRY TO BE CAREFUL WITH CHEMICAL APPLICATION.
'CAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO JUST, UH, OVERDO IT.
SO WHAT WE DO IS WE START WITH A SAMPLE.
WE TAKE A SAMPLE DEVICE, WE SET IT UP IN THAT AREA.
WE'LL TAKE A MEASUREMENT OVER A FEW DAYS.
WE TAKE THAT SAMPLE, WE IDENTIFY THE TYPE OF, UM, UH, MOSQUITO THAT'S THERE, AND THEN WE CAN FIND THE CORRECT APPLICATION.
SO SIMPLY, IF A CITIZEN HAS A CONCERN IN AN AREA, THEY CAN MAKE A COMPLAINT.
WE WILL ADDRESS THAT COMPLAINT VERY QUICKLY BY COMING OUT AND PLACING A, UH, A, A DEVICE TO TAKE SAMPLES.
AND THEN WE'LL MAKE THE CORRECT APPLICATION, WHETHER THAT'S AN A, AN ADULTICIDE, WHICH IS MORE OF A CORRECTIVE MAINTENANCE KIND OF ISSUE, WHEN YOU ADD THOSE REALLY BIG MOSQUITOES, THAT'S AN ADULT ASIDE OR A PREVENTIVE MISSION WOULD BE A LARVICIDE.
SO A LARVICIDE IS REALLY WHERE WE WANT TO GO.
IT'S LESS HARMFUL TO THE ENVIRONMENT, LESS HARMFUL TO PEOPLE.
SO IF WE CAN GO OUT AND APPLY THAT LARVICIDE BEFORE IT HAPPENS, UH, THAT WOULD BE OUR GOAL.
I HAVE A, I HAVE A SITUATION WHERE THERE'S STANDING WATER, UM, AND THE ROADSIDE DITCH, BUT IT'S STATE, IT'S NOT THE COUNTY.
AND SO I'VE REPORTED THAT AND, AND, AND TRIED TO GET SOME ACTION ON IT AND NOTHING HAS HAPPENED TO THIS POINT.
SO I'D LIKE TO GET WITH YOU AFTER MEETING TODAY AND, AND CERTAINLY DISCUSS THAT.
IF I CAN, I CAN SHARE WITH YOU, UH, A DOCUMENT THAT WE'VE SHARED A FEW TIMES.
I'M, I'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE SHARE IT WITH ALL OF COUNSEL THAT HAS, UH, SEVERAL DIFFERENT WAYS TO, FOR CITIZENS, UH, TO GET IN TOUCH WITH MOSQUITO CONTROL AND MORE OR LESS OFFER A COMPLAINT OR A SER A REQUEST FOR SERVICE.
UH, THERE'S A, A WEBSITE, THERE'S A TELEPHONE APP, THERE'S A PHONE NUMBER.
THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS JUST TO CONTACT MOSQUITO CONTROL AND LET LET THEM KNOW THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM AND THEY WILL, UH, SEND A TEAM OUT IMMEDIATELY.
WE HAD TRIED TO ADDRESS THOSE VERY QUICKLY.
'CAUSE IT'S MUCH EASIER TO PREVENT THAT PROBLEM THAN IT IS TO TAKE CARE OF IT AFTER A MOSQUITO LAR HATCH.
YOU GAVE US AN UPDATE ON THE DETENTION CENTER.
UM, I WAS OUT OF TOWN WHEN THE COLONEL GRANT RETIRED AND WE HAD THE, UH, CEREMONY HERE FOR HER.
I WAS OUTTA TOWN, SO I MISSED IT.
BUT I DID CALL HER PERSONALLY AND THANK HER FOR HER YEARS OF SERVICE.
FOLLOWING UP ON THAT QUESTION.
WHO'S OUR NEW DIRECTOR AT DETENTION DETENTION CENTER NOW? WELL,
[00:50:01]
THANK YOU FOR ASKING.IS COLONEL GRANT'S LAST DAY? UH, SO SHE IS IN THE DETENTION CENTER RIGHT NOW.
UH, SO IN THE, IN THE INTERIM, WE HAVE OUR DETENTION CENTER, DEPUTY DIRECTOR WHO WILL MANAGE DAILY OPERATIONS AND I WILL BE IN THE, IN THE DETENTION CENTER TO MANAGE, UH, ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
UH, ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT THE COLONEL WOULD NORMALLY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR.
I WILL ASSUME THAT RESPONSIBILITY UNTIL WE HAVE A NEW DIRECTOR IN PLACE, UH, THAT WOULD BE THE TIP, NORMAL CHAIN OF COMMAND FOR, UH, FOR THE DETENTION CENTER.
WE HAVE POSTED THAT, UH, POSITION, UH, FOR WELL OVER 30 DAYS NOW.
WE'VE RECEIVED SEVERAL APPLICATIONS AND WE ARE IN THE INTERVIEW PROCESS RIGHT NOW.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT HAS A QUESTION? I HAVE ONE MORE.
DID WE DO ANYTHING ABOUT PAY FOR THE DETENTION CENTER WORKERS? REMEMBER WE HAD THIS BIG DISCUSSION.
WE HAVE DEVELOPED A, A COMPENSATION, WE HAVE COMPLETED A COMPENSATION STUDY.
UH, WE HAVE DEVELOPED A COMPENSATION PLAN, AND THAT IS ON OUR MEETING LIST FOR THE WEEK, UH, TO GET THROUGH THAT.
THERE'S HOPE TO RETAIN MORE PEOPLE AND GET MORE PEOPLE TO WORK IN THE DETENTION CENTER.
AS A FOLLOW UP, WHAT'S YOUR VACANCY RIGHT NOW? WELL, RIGHT NOW WE ARE AT THE DETENTION CENTER.
THE NUMBER OF FOLKS WE SHOULD HAVE ARE 79.
SO WE HAVE 70, 79 FUNDED POSITIONS AND WE HAVE CURRENTLY 33 VACANCIES STILL.
I I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR YOU.
ACTUALLY GOING OFF WHAT, UH, GERALD MENTIONED WITH THE STANDING WATER, HOW MUCH OF WHAT WE DO IS THE CHEMICAL INTERVENTION, UH, PESTICIDES VERSUS A NATURAL INTERVENTION OF STOCKING A POND OR, OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES.
DO WE HAVE ANY PROGRAM LIKE THAT? WELL, SO MOSQUITO CONTROL IS, IS VERY RESTRICTED.
UH, SO BY THE STATE, THERE'S A VERY SPECIFIC, UM, REGIMEN OF ALLOWABLE PRODUCTS.
SO TO SAY THAT THE PRODUCTS WE HAVE ARE ORGANIC, THEY ARE NOT, THERE ARE SOME CHEMICALS THAT ARE MORE CAUSTIC THAN OTHERS.
SO THE ADULTICIDE IS, IS A MORE, I WOULD, CAUSTIC IS NOT THE RIGHT WORD, BUT, UM, A MORE HARMFUL, UH, PRODUCT THAN A LARVICIDE.
HOWEVER, THE VOLUME OF THIS MATERIAL IS FRACTIONAL.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT HOW A ADULTICIDE WORKS, YOU HAVE TO AER REALIZE THIS CHEMICAL IN SUCH A SMALL DROP THAT IT'S INTENDED TO TOUCH A MOSQUITO TO KILL IT.
SO WHEN YOU MAKE THIS AIRBORNE, THIS IS SUCH A SUPER FINE MIST.
WE'RE TALKING MICROMETERS, UH, UM, OF, OF SIZE OF DROPLET IN ORDER TO TOUCH A MOSQUITO, UM, THE AIRCRAFT, UH, 200 GALLON CONTAINER, UH, 200 GALLONS OF OF WATER IN THE CONTAINER MIGHT HAVE A FEW OUNCES OF ADULTICIDE.
SO IT'S NOT MUCH THAT'S OUT THERE.
SO, I MEAN, DO WE, GOING BACK TO THE QUESTION THOUGH, IS IT ALL THE CHEMICAL INTERVENTION OR DO WE, DO WE HAVE ANYTHING THAT'S LIKE, LIKE I SAID, HELPING WITH STOCK PONDS WITH LIKE, OR LIKE A, A FISH OR RIGHT.
WHATEVER'S SOMETHING MOSQUITOES NATURALLY BIRDS.
THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT MOSQUITO CONTROL MANAGES.
NOW WE WOULD ENCOURAGE, UM, CITIZENS TO DO THAT, BUT THAT'S, THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT MOSQUITO CONTROL MANAGES.
I JUST WANNA MAKE A COMMENT THAT, UM, EVER SINCE I'VE PUT MY BIRD FEEDER IN MY WINDOW, I DON'T HAVE PROBLEM WITH MOSQUITOES AND STUFF.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT WORKS OR NOT, BUT I DON'T HAVE ANY MOSQUITO PROBLEM IN MY YARD.
THERE, THERE ARE SOME NATURAL THINGS OUT THERE.
BIRDS AND DIFFERENT TYPES OF FISH AND BATS AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS THAT ARE CERTAINLY HELPFUL.
PURPLE MARTIN HOUSE, BUT THEY DON'T.
BUT THEY DON'T COVER HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF ACRES OF LAND.
THEY MIGHT BE GOOD FOR YOUR YARD.
WE, WE'VE GOT ALL OF BEAUFORT COUNTY TO PROTECT.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE? I DON'T WANNA MISS ANYBODY ELSE COMING FORWARD.
THE PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION ITEMS, UH, EIGHT A IS DISCUSSION OF HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT TRANSITION TO NEXUS CARE.
UH, RA M PINKY, ARE Y'ALL COMING ON DOWN THE TOP?
[00:55:03]
GOOD AFTERNOON AGAIN.HEY, I DIDN'T KNOW IF, UM, YOU'D WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT THE FINANCIAL COMPONENT FIRST AND HAVE PINKY SPEAK, OR IT'S COMPLETELY UP TO Y'ALL.
DOESN'T MATTER WHICH ORDER FOR ME.
WHATEVER YOUR DESIRE IS, UM, SINCE YOU'RE STANDING RIGHT THERE, YOU WANNA JUMP INTO I GUESS THE TRANSITIONAL PHASE AND, AND KIND OF WHAT YOU EXPECT OUT OF THIS.
I THINK PART OF THE BACKUP WAS THE ORG CHART OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT FOR THIS INTEGRATION OF THE HUMAN SERVICES INTO NEXUS CARE.
CAN I GET THE, SARAH, ARE YOU PUTTING IT UP THERE? YEAH.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT, YOU KNOW, IN LOOKING AT THIS, UM, OR CHART, THERE IS NO WRONG DOOR APPROACH.
AND I'D LIKE TO COMMUNICATE THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, THAT REGARDLESS OF AN INDIVIDUAL THAT MIGHT NEED SERVICES FOR ALCOHOL AND DRUG, UM, NO ONE WILL BE TURNED AWAY.
REBECCA AND I HAVE WORKED ON THIS.
SHE DID, UM, A LOT OF WORK IN CREATING THIS ORG CHART TO INTEGRATE THE HUMAN SERVICES IN THE EXISTING FRAMEWORK OF NEXUS CARE.
SEE THAT TWO OF THE POSITIONS FROM HUMAN SERVICES WILL, UM, MOVE OVER TO NEXUS CARE AND THAT WILL BE THE DEPUTY DIRECT.
LIKE I SAID, THE TWO POSITIONS FROM HUMAN SERVICES WILL FALL UNDER NEXUS CARE.
THAT WILL BE THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR AND THEN THE CARE COORDINATOR.
THOSE IS, THAT IS TO ENSURE THAT THE, THE PROGRAMS WILL CONTINUE.
I WAS GONNA ASK, CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW, LIKE KIND OF WHAT THE ROLE BOTH, BOTH THOSE PARTIES ARE GONNA PLAY IN THUS? ACTUALLY, I THINK IT, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS BRING REBECCA UP HERE.
I, I THINK SARAH, EARLIER TODAY SHE EMAILED THE FLOW CHART.
I THINK IF REBECCA GETS UP HERE AND EXPLAINS THE, THE STRUCTURE AND THE FLOW OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, I THINK THAT MIGHT HELP A LOT.
AND THEN ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE WITH THAT FLOW CHART, SHE WILL BE ABLE TO, TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS.
REBECCA, AND CAN WE SEE YEAH, YEAH.
SEE THAT FLOW CHART 'CAUSE IT CAME OUT TODAY.
DO YOU WANT ME TO USE THIS OR YOU CAN.
AS I JUST STATED, NEXUS CARE HAS A, A A POINT OF ENTRY THAT IS NO WRONG DOOR.
MEANING THAT ANYBODY WHO CONTACTS US, WHETHER IT'S A THEY, THEIR, THEIR SELF OR THERE'S A FORMAL REFERRAL PROCESS, WE TAKE THOSE, UM, BY PHONE CALLS, WALK-INS, DURING OFFICE HOURS, FAX, EMAIL, AND UH, MEANS THROUGH OUR WEBSITE FOR PEOPLE TO REACH OUT TO US, UM, SUCH THAT WHETHER THEY COME INTO OUR AGENCY OR ANOTHER COMMUNITY PARTNER AGENCY, THAT WE HAVE REFERRAL PROCESSES IN PLACE WITH THOSE ORGANIZATIONS.
SO ONCE A PERSON COMES IN THROUGH THE POINT OF ENTRY, UH, THROUGH OUR DOORS, THEY GO THROUGH A MULTIDIMENSIONAL SCREENING PROCESS BY WHICH WE'RE ABLE TO TRIAGE WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE.
THE MULTIDIMENSIONAL SCREENING COVERS REALLY ALL THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTHCARE, INCLUDING A PERSON'S IMMEDIATE SAFETY, WHETHER OR NOT SUBSTANCE USE IS INVOLVED.
UH, IF THERE ARE MEDICAL ISSUES, MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, A NEED FOR FOOD, TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING, EDUCATION, VOCATION, UH, AND SUPPORT SYSTEMS. WHEN THE SCREENING IS COMPLETED AT THE POINT OF ENTRY, THEN WE TRIAGE IT.
IF WE IDENTIFY AN IMMEDIATE SAFETY NEED, IT GOES INTO CRISIS SUPPORT.
IT IS HANDED OVER AT THAT POINT TO A MEMBER OF THE CLINICAL TEAM.
THESE ARE LICENSED AND CERTIFIED, UH, MENTAL HEALTH AND, UH, ADDICTION COUNSELORS AS WELL AS A TREATMENT DIRECTOR.
UM, THEY WOULD TAKE OVER IF THE PERSON IS IN AN UNSAFE SITUATION AT RISK OF HURTING THEMSELF OR SOMEONE ELSE, IF THERE IS IMMINENT, UH, DANGER OR CHILD ABUSE NEGLECT, THAT NEEDS TO BE REPORTED AS PART OF MANDATED REPORTING.
UM, OR IF THERE IS A NEED FOR PROBATE,
[01:00:01]
UH, PROCESS.SOMETIMES THIS INVOLVES WORKING WITH OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND, AND EMERGENCY RESPONDERS.
UH, IT CAN ALSO INVOLVE WORKING WITH THE MOBILE CRISIS TEAM AT COASTAL EMPIRE COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES.
DEPENDING ON THE NATURE OF THE SITUATION.
ONCE CRISIS SUPPORT IS PROVIDED AND THAT IS RESOLVED, THEN AT THAT POINT, UM, WE GO BACK TO DECIDING WAS THERE SUBSTANCE USE INVOLVED OR NOT? IF THERE IS SUBSTANCE USE INVOLVED, EVEN IF IT IS TOBACCO USE OR GAMBLING, UH, OF ANY, UH, IN THAT CONTEXT, IT MOVES INTO CLINICAL CARE.
UH, THE PERSON IS SCHEDULED FOR AN INTAKE AND A CLINICAL DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENT THAT IS VERY THOROUGH AND IN DEPTH.
IT'S ABOUT 20 PAGES OF CONTENT THAT ASSESSES PRETTY MUCH EVERY PERSON'S LIFE IN DETAIL AS A RESULT OF THAT DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENT.
THEN WE PROVIDE AN INDIVIDUALIZED TREATMENT PLAN FOR CARE THAT INCLUDES COMPONENTS BASED ON NEED.
IT WOULD INVOLVE COUNSELING, MEDICATION CONSULT, WHETHER THAT WOULD BE FOR PRIMARY CARE MEDICATIONS, MENTAL HEALTH MEDICATIONS OR SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT MEDICATIONS.
UM, AND THEN FOR THOSE WHO HAVE COMPLEX NEEDS, TARGETED CASE MANAGEMENT, WHICH IS THE ROLE OF THE CARE COORDINATOR ON THAT ORG CHART.
THE CARE COORDINATOR WORKS AS A PART OF THE, THE CLINICAL TREATMENT TEAM AND THEY WOULD PROVIDE, UM, WRAPAROUND TARGETED CASE MANAGEMENT WORKING WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS THROUGH THE TREATMENT PROCESS.
AND THEN WE FOLLOW UP WITH AN INDIVIDUAL AFTER DISCHARGE FROM SERVICES, AGAIN, 70 TO 120 DAYS TO EVALUATE HOW THEY'RE DOING AND IF THEY NEED ANYTHING ELSE FROM US.
SO IF AT THE POINT OF SCREENING AND TRIAGE, THERE IS NO SUBSTANCE USE INVOLVED, OUR CURRENT PROCESS IS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION AND REFERRAL AND FOLLOW UP.
WHAT WE DO NOT HAVE CURRENTLY IS THE 180 DAYS OR LONGER OF WRAPAROUND, UM, CARE COORDINATION.
THIS IS WHERE THERE'S NO CLINICAL CARE INDICATED FOR US TO PROVIDE.
HOWEVER, THERE MAY BE, UH, WITH THEIR OTHER NEEDS, WHAT WE WOULD CALL A WARM HANDOFF AND REFERRAL PROCESS TO OUR COMMUNITY SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS AND OTHER STATE AGENCIES.
FOR EXAMPLE, UNDER THE 2025, UM, PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT ENACTED THE BE DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES AT THE STATE LEVEL, THAT CABINET, UM, BROUGHT UNDER IT THE, UM, OFFICE OF SUBSTANCE USE SERVICES, THE OFFICE OF MENTAL HEALTH AND THE, UH, DEPARTMENT OR OFFICE OF DISABILITIES AND SPECIAL NEEDS UNDER ONE ADMINISTRATIVE UMBRELLA TO REMOVE THE SILOS AND BARRIERS AT THE STATE LEVEL WITH THE INTENT THAT THAT WILL TRICKLE DOWN TO THE LOCAL LEVEL, SUCH THAT WE'RE WORKING SO WELL TOGETHER WITHOUT BARRIERS BETWEEN US, UM, THAT WE CAN REALLY HAVE AN INTEGRATED FLOW OF CARE WITH THAT OUR AGENCY, UH, PARTNERS AND THAT ARE PART OF THE STATE SYSTEM, THE OFFICE OF MENTAL HEALTH OR COASTAL EMPIRE COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES, UH, AND DISABILITIES AND SPECIAL NEEDS, AND SOME OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY PROVIDE WRAPAROUND CARE COORDINATION.
AND MOST OF THESE PEOPLE, UM, WOULD FALL UNDER THAT CATEGORY.
SO WE WOULD PROVIDE INFORMATION, REFERRAL, WARM HANDOFF, AND FOLLOW UP TRUSTING THAT OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS WOULD BE ABLE TO, UH, PROVIDE FOR THOSE NEEDS.
UM, SO THAT WOULD BE ONE OF THE, THE DIFFERENCES.
AND WITH THAT, THAT SORT OF OUTLINES WHAT THE POINT OF ACCESS LOOKS LIKE FOR PEOPLE COMING INTO OUR CURRENT, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE.
THIS WOULD NOT BE THE SHIFT OF THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT UNDER NEXUS CARE'S UMBRELLA TO CONTINUE TO DO EXACTLY AS IT CURRENTLY DOES AS A DIVISION OF NEXUS CARE.
IT WOULD BE FULLY IMPLEMENTED WITHIN OUR EXISTING FRAMEWORK SUCH THAT WE WOULD CONTINUE TO DO WHAT WE CURRENTLY DO.
COULD YOU REPEAT WHAT THEY DID AT THE STATE LEVEL AGAIN, WHAT, HOW THAT IMPACTS US LOCALLY? YES.
AT THE STATE LEVEL, THE, THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE ORDERED A SURVEY DONE BY THE BOSTON CONSULTING GROUP, AND THE OUTCOME OF THAT SURVEY WAS THAT SOUTH CAROLINA HAD A VERY FRAGMENTED CARE SYSTEM, A SERVICE DELIVERY SYSTEM, BECAUSE WE HAD THESE SILOS OF THINGS LIKE, UH, THE DEPARTMENT OF ALCOHOL
[01:05:01]
AND DRUG AND OTHER SERVICES AND, UM, THE DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH AND DISABILITIES AND SPECIAL NEEDS.AND SO THIS NEW CABINET WAS CREATED, THE DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES, OR BHDD UNDER THERE REALLY, UM, IS THE OFFICE OF SUBSTANCE USE SERVICES, WHICH IS A STATE PASS THROUGH FOR FEDERAL AND, AND STATE LEGISLATIVE FUNDING TO OUR LOCAL SYSTEMS. ALSO, THE, THE DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH IS NOW CALLED THE OFFICE OF MENTAL HEALTH AND THE, UM, DISABILITIES AND SPECIAL NEEDS, UH, OFFICE OF DISABILITIES AND, AND SPECIAL NEEDS IS THERE AS WELL.
SO THEY'RE ALL UNDER THE SAME ADMINISTRATIVE UMBRELLA TO REMOVE BARRIERS AND TO WORK TOGETHER MORE SEAMLESSLY SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE THAT FRAGMENTED CARE SYSTEM IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
UH, THAT WAS TO FOLLOW THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THAT BOSTON CONSULTING GROUP'S REPORT HAS BEEN FULLY IMPLEMENTED AT THIS TIME.
IT HAS BEEN FULLY IMPLEMENTED AT THIS TIME.
AND WE ARE TASKED WITH WORKING TOGETHER WITH OUR STATE AGENCIES AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO ENSURE THAT SEAMLESS CARE BETWEEN US SO THAT WE ARE HAVING MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM MEETINGS.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF A PERSON COMES INTO NEXUS CARE AND THEY'RE IN CLINICAL SERVICES, UH, PART OF THAT PROCESS INVOLVES, UH, MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM MEETINGS, WHICH IS SIM SOMETHING SORT OF SIMILAR THAT THE CONNECT MEETINGS WE'RE DOING, UM, WITH, OR ARE DOING WITH HUMAN SERVICES.
CURRENTLY, THOSE MULTIDISCIPLINARY MEETINGS INVITE PEOPLE LIKE FROM, UH, THAT ARE ALSO INVOLVED DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES, DSS, UM, OFFICE OF MENTAL HEALTH, COASTAL EMPIRE, UH, DISABILITY SPECIAL NEEDS.
SO WHOEVER ARE OTHER PROVIDERS IN THE CARE OF THAT PERSON.
WE'RE LOOKING AT THE, THE WHOLE PERSON'S CARE SIMULTANEOUSLY SO THAT WE'RE NOT TREATING THEM OR PROVIDING SERVICES CLINICALLY IN A VACUUM.
AND IT'S, UM, WORKING TOGETHER, UM, FOR THIS, FOR THE OUTCOME THAT THE INDIVIDUAL NEEDS OR THE FAMILY NEEDS.
UM, SO THAT'S THE KEY DIFFERENCES THAT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT WHAT WE CAN DO TO EXPAND OUR PARTNERSHIPS, UM, AND EMBED SERVICES IN OTHER PLACES AND MAKE CARE MORE ACCESSIBLE AND SO NOT SO SILOED BETWEEN, THAT'S MENTAL HEALTH OVER THERE, AND THAT'S DSN OVER THERE, AND THAT'S SUBSTANCE USE OVER THERE, BUT TO MAKE IT A MORE INTEGRATED APPROACH.
AND WE'RE ALSO TASKED TO WORK TOWARD IMPLEMENTING PRIMARY CARE AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
AND WE HAVE COMMUNITY PARTNERS, FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE GOOD NEIGHBOR FREE MEDICAL CLINIC THAT BOTH HUMAN SERVICES AND NEXUS CARE WORK WITH, UH, WHO DO PROVIDE WRAPAROUND TARGETED CASE MANAGEMENT JUST AS WE DO.
AND, UH, IF I BELIEVE THAT DISABILITIES AND SPECIAL NEEDS AS WELL AS, AND I KNOW, UH, THAT, THAT THE OFFICE OF MENTAL HEALTH, THEY HAVE A WHOLE TEAM OF CARE COORDINATORS AND WE WILL TOO.
SO THAT ONE, A PERSON WOULD NOT BE GETTING TARGETED CASE MANAGEMENT FROM TWO AGENCIES AT THE SAME TIME.
THEY WOULD, THE PATIENT OR THE FAMILY WOULD CHOOSE A CASE MANAGEMENT HOME.
THEY WOULD CHOOSE ONE ORGANIZATION TO DO ALL OF THE COORDINATION FOR THEM ON THEIR BEHALF, UM, AND TO HELP NAVIGATE THE PROCESS, RATHER THAN FOR US TO HAVE DIFFERENT AGENCIES NOT KNOWING WHAT THE OTHER IS DOING.
UM, MS. BERG IS, UM, HELP ME UNDERSTAND, UM, HOW THE MISSION OF NEXUS AND THE MISSION OF HUMAN, UH, SERVICE PROGRAM, UH, INTERCONNECT.
I MEAN, HOW DO YOU BRING THE TWO TOGETHER TO FORM A, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT, UM, THE BUZZWORD YOU USE IS THE INTEGRATED APPROACH.
UM, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT, UH, THE HUMAN SERVICE PROGRAM ACTUALLY WAS DOING THAT, UH, INTEGRATED, UH, APPROACH TO HELPING A PERSON.
AND, UM, AND THEY BROUGHT THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES BECAUSE THEY WERE ALL IN THE COMMUNITY, MAKING SURE THAT THOSE TYPE OF SERVICES, UH, CAN BE APPLIED TO A PATIENT, UM, AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY, THEY WERE BEING, THEIR, THEIR, THEIR NEEDS WERE BEING MET, ALTHOUGH IT WAS NOT COMING FROM ONE AGENCY, BUT IT CAME FROM A VAST MAJORITY OF COMMUNITY SERVICES.
UM, SO TO HELP ME UNDERSTAND HOW THOSE SERVICES WILL BE PROVIDED UNDER NEXUS, UM, THAT'S CURRENTLY BEING PROVIDED NOW, SO HOW DO YOU FOLD THAT INTO
[01:10:02]
YOUR PROGRAM, WHAT THEY'RE DOING, AND THEY'RE NOT BEING DIMINISHED THE WAY, THE WAY I EVEN SEE THE ORGANIZATIONAL CHART, I DON'T SEE THAT SERVICES BEING PROVIDED, THE OUTCOME.UM, SO HELP ME UNDERSTAND HOW YOU BRING THE TWO PROGRAMS INTO ONE, AND THE OUTCOME IS, IS, IS, IS SATISFACTORY AS IS OR BETTER THAN WHAT IS CURRENTLY BEING DONE NOW.
THAT'S A VERY COMPLEX QUESTION, SIR.
AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER IT RIGHT NOW.
I'LL DO MY BEST TO, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
SO THERE ARE OF COURSE, VERY, UH, SIMILAR PROCESSES FOR WHAT HUMAN SERVICES DOES AND WHAT NEXUS CARE CURRENTLY DOES.
THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE DO, UH, VERY SIMILARLY.
THEY ALSO OFFER THE MULTI-DIMENSIONAL SCREENING WHEN SOMEONE, UH, WALKS IN OR IS REFERRED TO THEM, AND THEN THEY ALSO ESTABLISH WHAT THE NEEDS ARE, AND THEY COME UP WITH A COMPLEX, UH, CARE PLAN FOR THAT INDIVIDUAL FAMILY, UM, SUCH THAT THEN THEY, THEIR PROGRAM IS TO CONNECT THEM TO SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED BY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
SO THEY PROVIDE THE, THE SCREENING AND THE EVALUATION SERVICE, AND THEN THEY CONNECT THEM TO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDE WHAT AN INDIVIDUAL OR FAMILY NEEDS.
WE ALSO DO THAT, UH, ONE OF THE KEY DIFFERENCES IS THAT OUR FOCUS IS, UM, ON IF THERE'S SUBSTANCE USE INDICATED IT GOES INTO CLINICAL SERVICES.
IF THERE IS NOT, THEN WE STILL PROVIDE THE INDIVIDUAL FAMILY WITH THE SCREENING AND INFORMATION REFERRAL WARM HANDOFF TO OTHER AGENCIES SO THAT THEN THEY TAKE OVER THE CARE, WHAT HUMAN SERVICES IS.
MY UNDERSTANDING THROUGH THEIR MEETING WITH, UM, MR. BOSWELL IS THAT THE, THE HUMAN SERVICES TEAM, UM, PROVIDES WRAPAROUND CASE MANAGEMENT, UM, FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS FOR SIX MONTHS TO ENSURE THAT THEY'VE MADE THOSE CONNECTIONS WITH, UM, AND THEY HAD THOSE, UH, CONNECT MEETINGS, WHICH WE'VE BEEN A PART OF.
UH, NEXUS CARE TEAM HAS BEEN PART OF, OF THE CONNECT MEETINGS, WHICH WERE FORMALLY COZY AND COSA.
AND SO THAT IS, UH, HOW WE WOULD INTEGRATE THAT ALSO WITH THE, UM, REACH PROGRAM THAT, UH, CURRENTLY EXISTS UNDER HUMAN SERVICES, THE, THE REACH PROGRAM, UM, FOR UNHOUSED INDIVIDUALS, AS, AS WE KNOW, THERE'S A, A LOT OF NEED, UM, FOR THAT IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND THEY CURRENTLY HAVE THE OUTREACH SYSTEMS COORDINATOR POSITION, WHICH WE WOULD BE ABLE TO, UNDER NEXUS CARE, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO ENTER PEOPLE INTO HMIS HOMELESS MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM.
AND TYPICALLY WHAT WE WERE DOING ANYWAYS IS WE WOULD HAVE AN UNHOUSED PERSON.
WE WOULD JUST WALK THEM DOWN THE HALL, A COUPLE DOORS DOWN TO, UM, HUMAN SERVICES SO THAT THE OUTREACH SYSTEMS COORDINATOR COULD ENTER THEM IN THE SYSTEM AND TAKE A, A LOOK AT WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE.
IF THE PERSON CHOOSES THAT, UH, NOT EVERYBODY CHOOSES THAT PATH.
UM, AND WE WERE WORKED CLOSELY SIDE BY SIDE ON A LOT OF CASES THAT WAY, JUST SORT OF WALKING ONE DOWN TO EACH OTHER'S OFFICE, UM, BETWEEN OUR DOORS AND THEIRS.
UM, WE WOULD CONTINUE TO DO, UM, HMIS AND MAINTAIN THAT DATABASE, UM, FOR PEOPLE IN, IN BEAUFORT COUNTY WHO COME THROUGH OUR NO WRONG DOOR APPROACH.
SO WE WOULD BE ABLE TO, TO SUSTAIN PUTTING THAT DATA INTO THE SYSTEM.
AND THAT DATA IS CRITICAL, UH, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, FOR THE PURPOSE OF MEETING THE CURRENT NEEDS, AND THEN LOOKING AT THE, THE BIGGER PICTURE AND POSSIBLY, UH, IF THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUNDING AND THINGS DOWN THE ROAD TO, TO MEET THOSE UNMET NEEDS.
SO THAT'S WHAT THE, THE TWO PRIMARY PROGRAMS CONNECT AND REACH UNDER HUMAN SERVICES CAN LOOK LIKE UN WITHIN, AND I DON'T WANNA SAY UNDER THE NEXUS CARE UMBRELLA, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT JUST MOVING IN DEPARTMENT OVER, WE'RE INTEGRATING IT, UM, WITH WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE, SO THAT WE ARE STICKING TO OUR MISSION, AS YOU SAID.
UH, I THINK THE, THE KEY IS THAT YOU HAVE A MISSION.
SO I'M GONNA ASK THIS QUESTION HERE, AND UM, I WANT YOU TO BE TRUTHFUL.
UM, UM, YOU SAT AT THE TABLE AND THE HUMAN SERVICE, YOU WERE ONE OF THE AGENCIES THAT SAT AT THE TABLE, UH, PROVIDING THE WRAPAROUND.
[01:15:01]
SEE THAT YOUR SERVICES AND THE HUMAN SERVICES WAS A DUPLICATION? AS I SAID, AT TIMES, WE DO THINGS SO SIMILARLY MM-HMMTHAT WE HAVE TO THEN MAKE A DETERMINATION WHO'S GOING TO TAKE OVER AT THAT POINT, RIGHT.
SUCH THAT IF THEY GOT THE INITIAL REFERRAL AND THEN THEY HAD THE CONNECT MEETING AND WE WERE INVITED, THEN THEY HANDED THEM OVER TO US.
WE HAD THE CAPACITY ONCE THE PERSON OR FAMILY BECAME UNDER OUR CARE TO PROVIDE CARE COORDINATION.
AND 'CAUSE YOU WERE THE RIGHT PROGRAM FOR THAT? YES.
BUT WE ALSO DO COORDINATE CARE WITH OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS, JUST AS HUMAN SERVICES DOES.
SO WE DID SEE A LOT OF SIMILARITIES, AND AT TIMES, I DON'T WANNA SAY DUPLICATION, BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION, AS WE ALWAYS DO WITH OTHER AGENCIES THAT ARE PROVIDING CARE COORDINATION.
JUST LIKE, UM, THE OFFICE OF MENTAL HEALTH.
IF THEY'RE GETTING THAT THROUGH THEIR OR GOOD NEIGHBOR CLINIC OR ANOTHER STATE ENTITY, THEN WE HAVE TO DECIDE WHO IS GOING TO BE THE ONE PROVIDING THE CARE COORDINATION, UM, INVITING THE OTHER PEOPLE TO THE MEETINGS, TO THE TABLE.
UM, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE CLINICAL STAFFING EVERY TUESDAY AFTERNOON, AND IT'S VIRTUAL.
AND WE DO INVITE OTHER, UM, PROVIDERS TO PARTICIPATE WHO ARE INVOLVED IN CARE.
UH, OF COURSE IT IS, IT IS UP TO THEM IF THEY'RE, THEY'RE ABLE TO HOP ON THOSE VIRTUAL MEETINGS AND DO THOSE CLINICAL STAFFINGS WITH US AND GIVE US UPDATES ON HOW CARE IS GOING WITHIN THEIR, UH, ORGANIZATION, ON THEIR CARE PLAN, UM, SO THAT WE HAVE A COORDINATED EFFORT.
UM, IT CAN BE CHALLENGING TO NAVIGATE THAT, UH, TO HAVE MULTIPLE AGENCIES ALL WORKING TOGETHER.
UM, BUT THAT IS THE END GOAL IS FOR ONE AGENCY TO COORDINATE.
AND HUMAN SERVICES WAS, UM, COORDINATING THOSE CONNECT MEETINGS SO THAT THEY COULD GET PEOPLE CONNECTED.
AND THEN, UH, AT, AT SOME POINT THEY'RE ABLE TO THEN SAY, OKAY, WE'VE DONE OUR PART.
AND NOW IT'S, IT'S UP TO THOSE SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS, UH, TO CONTINUE THE WORK ONCE WE'VE CONNECTED THEM.
AND THAT'S WHAT I UNDERSTAND THE HUMAN SERVICE PROGRAM DOES.
AND, UM, AT SOME POINT IN TIME IN THIS COUNTY, UM, THERE WAS A NEED, UH, FOR THAT.
UM, AND, UM, THIS COUNCIL HERE, UM, SAW FIT TO FUND THE HUMAN SERVICE PROGRAM BACK IN BEFORE MY TIME.
AND, UM, THAT PROGRAM HAS BEEN, IS, HAS, HAS MIRTH INTO SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN VERY BENEFICIAL TO THIS COMMUNITY.
UM, THEY INCREASED STAFF A COUPLE YEARS AGO BECAUSE THIS COUNCIL WAS CONCERNED ABOUT, UM, SOME CLINICAL ISSUES THAT WERE OUT THERE, PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT BEING SERVED.
SINCE THAT TIME, I HAVE NOT HEARD OF A LOT OF PROBLEMS IN THE DETENTION CENTER OR AT THE HOSPITAL, OR FOLKS ACTUALLY WALKING THE STREETS OR WHATEVER.
I'M NOT SAYING IT IS NOT THERE, I JUST HADN'T HEARD THAT.
SO TO ME, IT'S BEEN A GOOD THING.
UM, AND I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT SERVICE IS BEING, WILL CONTINUE AND THAT, UM, UM, UM, WE DO NOT LEAVE ANYBODY BEHIND.
AND THAT'S WHAT I SAW HUMAN SERVICE PROGRAM DO.
UM, SO THAT'S WHERE I COME IN FROM AND THAT'S WHERE I AM.
YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? PLEASE DO.
AND, AND YOU CAN, YOU HEARD FROM REBECCA'S REPORT THAT HER AND HER TEAM, THEY CARE.
UM, THERE WILL BE NO INDIVIDUAL THAT FALLS THROUGH THE CRACK, NO FAMILY THAT WILL FALL THROUGH THE CRACK.
UM, AND THAT, THAT FRAMEWORK, THAT FOUNDATION OF THE HUMAN SERVICES, IT'S THERE AND IT WILL CONTINUE, AND REBECCA AND HER TEAM WILL CONTINUE TO GROW.
SO NOT ONLY DID THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT GROW FROM ONE INDIVIDUAL TO FIVE, BUT YOU'LL ALSO HAVE THE TEAM OF NEXUS CARE THAT WILL BE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE AND CONTINUE THAT CONNECTION WITH THE INDIVIDUALS, WHATEVER THEY NEED.
THAT'S, IS THAT A GUARANTEE? OR, I MEAN, ARE YOU GUARANTEEING THAT OR, UM, IT'S JUST A STATEMENT YOU'RE MAKING.
UM, YOU KNOW, NOBODY WILL BE LEFT BEHIND, BUT, UH, YOU GONNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU PUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THOSE NEEDS, AS MUCH AS THAT CAN BE MET, IS, WILL BE MET
[01:20:01]
IF THE INDIVIDUAL WANTS THAT.IT'S THEIR, IT'S THEIR CHOICE.
IF THEY WANT TO MOVE FORWARD AND RECEIVE THOSE CONNECTIONS, IF THEY WANT THAT, WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
JOEL, YOU DO KNOW THAT THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS THAT, UM, MAY NOT WANT IT, BUT IT'S BEST FOR THEM, AND YOU HAVE TO PURSUE THEM.
I MEAN, IT'S, WE CAN'T FORCE THEM, BUT WE WILL.
BUT WE'LL MAKE SURE, JUST LIKE NOW IN HUMAN SERVICES, WE CAN'T FORCE ANY, INDIVI, ANY INDIVIDUAL TO, YOU KNOW, WE MAKE THE CONNECTIONS TO PROVIDE THE, TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES TO COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
UNDERSTAND YOU CAN'T FORCE ANYONE.
BUT, BUT WE WILL LET THEM KNOW THAT IT IS STILL, THAT IT IS THERE.
WE CAN WORK WITH THOSE FAMILIES, WE CAN WORK THOSE INDIVIDUALS TO MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS, LETTING THEM KNOW, I WISH YOU WOULD SAY THAT.
YOU WILL MAKE SURE THAT THEY DO NOT FALL AND THAT WE PROVIDE THE CARE.
UH, BECAUSE SOMETIME THEY CAN'T MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION FOR THEMSELVES.
BUT, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU JUST NEED TO, YOU KNOW, UM, HOLD PEOPLE'S HAND EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE.
THAT'S WHAT THE CARE COORDINATION, THAT'S, THAT IS WHAT IT IS DESIGNED TO DO.
THIS IS A DISCUSSION OF WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING.
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR FROM US? DO YOU WANT INPUT OF HOW THIS ORGANIZATION CHART SHOULD WORK? ARE YOU ASKING US TO SAY YES, NO, MAYBE THIS IS AN ADMINISTRATIVE DECISION.
YOU ARE THE PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE GOING TO MAKE THIS TASK WORK.
I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS, REBECCA, WHEN YOU, UH, ANNOUNCED BEFORE YOU HAD 28 POSITIONS, THIS CHART SHOWS 30, I'M ASSUMING THE TWO POSITIONS THAT CAME OVER MAKE IT THE 30.
NUMBER TWO, I SEE ON THE CHART, THERE ARE THREE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE NOBODY THAT REPORTS TO THEM.
TO ME, THAT'S NOT A RED FLAG, BUT A BIT OF A CONCERN.
NEXT, THERE IS A PERSON WHO IS AN ALCOHOL AND DRUG PROFESSIONAL THAT IS NOT WITH THE OTHERS.
SO THE QUESTION WOULD BE, WHY IS THAT PERSON UNDER A DIFFERENT PERSON? ARE THEY DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE CONSIDERED AN ALCOHOL AND DRUG PROFESSIONAL? SO THOSE ARE THE ONLY THINGS I WOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT.
IT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO DO WITH THIS, HOW YOU ARE GOING TO RUN THIS PROGRAM EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY.
YOU KNOW, PINKY CAN SPEAK FOR THE FINANCIAL COMPONENT.
AND THAT'S WHEN ALL THIS, YOU KNOW, CAME TO FRUITION IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE DEPARTMENT IS A SPECIAL REVENUE FUND.
AND WHEN WE WERE APPROACHED WITH THIS AND SPEAKING WITH MR. MOORE, UM, HOW CAN WE BEST CONTINUE THESE PROGRAMS AND, AND NOT LOSE THE CONTINUATION OF THESE PROGRAMS? 'CAUSE WE KNOW IT'S IMPORTANT.
IT'S BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
UM, ESPECIALLY COZY THAT IS NOW CONNECT REACH IS FAIRLY NEW.
BUT, BUT THAT WAS OUR GOAL IS TO HOW CAN WE INTEGRATE THESE PROGRAMS INTO ANOTHER COUNTY DEPARTMENT AND HAVE THEM CONTINUE TO THRIVE.
UM, AND, AND THAT'S WHAT, YOU KNOW, I HAVE DONE REBECCA MEETING WITH REBECCA TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE PROGRAMS WILL CONTINUE, UM, IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
BEFORE WE GET TO THE FINANCIALS, UM, COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, CHAIR, HOWARD, VICE CHAIR TAB, AND I HAD A, UM, CHAT WITH COUNCIL IN BEAUFORT AND WE MET A BUNCH OF THESE FOLKS HERE AND THEY ASKED THESE QUESTIONS AND, UM, I THINK YOU ANSWERED WELL.
AND I THINK REBECCA ANSWERED WELL ABOUT INTEGRATION.
I HEARD ABOUT WE'RE NOT GONNA LEAVE, LOSE PEOPLE THROUGH THE CRACKS, THE FAMILIES.
WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE PART OF HUMAN SERVICES? AND I THINK MR. PASSMAN TALKED ABOUT A COUPLE COMING OVER.
ARE THOSE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT AT COUNCIL, ARE THEY, DID YOU GUYS GET TOGETHER? DID YOU TALK ABOUT THOSE ISSUES YOU HAD? UM, AND HOW DID THOSE TALKS GO? I MEAN, THAT WAS TWO WEEKS AGO.
I I THOUGHT THAT MEETING, THERE WAS SOME CONCERNED CITIZENS, AND THERE ARE A COUPLE IN THE AUDIENCE THIS AFTERNOON, RIGHT.
I THINK IT WAS A, A GOOD MEETING.
YOU KNOW, I, I UNDERSTAND THEIR CONCERN.
ADMINISTRATION UNDERSTANDS THEIR CONCERNS, BUT I HONESTLY THINK IT WAS, UM, IT WAS A GOOD MEETING.
WE HEARD A LOT FROM, IS IT LOLITA AND ALL THAT REALLY BROUGHT UP SOME STUFF, UM, AND OTHERS AND JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE CONNECT.
AND I THINK INTEGRATION ABOUT WHAT YOU TALKED ABOUT, I THINK YOU DID THAT, I HOPE.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? IT DOES.
AND AND I WILL SAY THAT NEXUS CARES IN THE HUMAN SERVICES BUILDING.
THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT IS IN THE HUMAN SERVICES BUILDING THAT WILL CONTINUE, YOU KNOW, THEY WILL STAY IN, IN THE BUILDING.
[01:25:01]
UM, AND LIKEI DO HAVE A QUESTION, JOE, THIS IS KIND OF PIGGYBACK ON WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SO I GUESS PART OF THIS WAS TO SEE IF THERE WAS A, OR HELP SHAPE, A FORMALIZED PLAN, UM, TO TRANSITION THE HUMAN SERVICES INTO THE NEXUS CARE.
UM, BUT MY QUESTION IS THE CURRENT CASELOAD OF HUMAN SERVICES, IS THAT COMING OVER TO NEXUS, OR IS THAT CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF BEING OFFLOADED? WE ARE EVALUATING THOSE ACTIVE CASES.
AND SO IF THEY STILL NEED, UM, CONNECTIONS, FOLLOW UPS, THAT WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN.
I'M WORKING WITH REBECCA RIGHT NOW, AND BEN, THE DIRECTOR, TO LOOK AT THOSE CASES.
REBECCA MET WITH THOSE IN THE INDIVIDUALS, UM, LAST WEEK.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT RIGHT NOW.
SO JUST BECAUSE THE INTEGRATION WILL HAPPEN, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE CASES WILL STOP AND WE WON'T FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THOSE ACTIVE CASES.
MR. DAWSON, IF, IF I MIGHT, UM, ASK FOR SOME CLARITY.
I, I THINK I CAN SPEAK FOR MYSELF, BUT I THINK THE COUNCILORS OF THE COMMITTEE AS A WHOLE, WE WEREN'T CLEAR ON WHY THE CONSOLIDATION WAS BEING MADE.
AND SO WE WANTED TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION TO HAVE STAFF EXPLAIN TO US THE NEED TO INTEGRATE THE PROGRAMS FROM HUMAN SERVICES OVER TO, TO N IUS.
OVER THE YEARS, COUNTY COUNCIL HAS FUNDED WHAT WE CALLED OUTSIDE AGENCIES, THE OUTSIDE AGENCIES, WHERE THESE AGENCIES THAT WERE OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTY OPERATION THAT WE FUNDED FOR THE NEED AND THE CARES OF OUR CITIZENS.
SO WHEN WE HEARD AND, AND UNDERSTOOD THAT THE INTEGRATION WAS BEING IMPLEMENTED OR BEING SUGGESTED BY STAFF, THEN WE NEED A CLARIFICATION.
I NEED A CLARIFICATION TO MAKE SURE AND UNDERSTAND THAT IF, IF THESE PROGRAMS THAT ARE IN THE HUMAN SERVICES UNDER THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT ARE BEING INTEGRATED INTO THE NEXUS, THEN WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT NO ONE FALLS THROUGH THE CRACK.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT ALL THOSE AGENCIES ARE TRANSFERRED OVER AND CONTINUED.
SO, UM, I SAW IN THE, IN THE, IN THE BEGINNING OF THE, UM, PRESENTATION WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT TWO, UH, TWO EMPLOYEES BEING TRANSFERRED OVER TO NEXUS, BOSWELL, AND I FORGOT THE OTHER YOUNG LADY, BUT WEREN'T, WEREN'T THERE THREE EMPLOYEES IN THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT? WHAT HAPPENED TO THE THIRD ONE? THERE'S A TOTAL OF OF FIVE.
UH, WHERE ARE THE OTHERS? WELL, I, I'D LIKE TO CLARIFY FOR WHAT YOU'RE SPEAKING ABOUT IS THE COMMUNITY SERVICES GRANT PROGRAM.
AND WE DO, WE PLAN TO PUT THAT ON OUR BUDGET.
AND SO THAT WILL MOVE FORWARD, YOU KNOW, IF COUNCIL DESIRES TO, TO FUND THAT COMMUNITY SERVICES GRANT PROGRAM.
AND THAT'S THE ALLOCATION OF FUNDS.
IT'S A, IT'S A GRANT THAT IS, UM, CONDUCTED EVERY YEAR.
UM, 5 0 1 C THREES THAT QUALIFY.
THEY'RE ABLE TO APPLY FOR THAT AND IT GOES THROUGH COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.
WE, WE STILL PLAN TO BUDGET FOR THAT.
AS FAR AS THE POSITIONS, YEAH.
WITH THIS INTEGRATION, UM, UNFORTUNATELY THREE OF THE POSITIONS WERE ELIMINATED DUE TO THIS INTEGRATION.
WE LOST THREE EMPLOYEES, EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE, THAT ARE TRANSFERRING OVER TO NEXUS.
HAVE THEIR SALARIES REMAINED THE SAME? YES OR NO? YEAH.
WAS IT INCREASED, DECREASED? WELL, DUE TO THE RECENT COMPING CLASS TO FIT THE, UM, THE PAY GRADE, IT WAS ACTUALLY AN INCREASE, A STEP TO THE STEP THAT COUNCIL APPROVED.
AND I THINK GOING, JOE, TO TRY TO GET SOME CLARIFICATION BEYOND JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE DECISION, UH, I'D ALSO MADE A REQUEST THAT THE JOB DESCRIPTIONS COME INTO THE BACKUP MATERIAL TO HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT HUMAN SERVICES WERE DOING.
I DID NOTICE IT LOOKS LIKE THE OUTREACH SYSTEMS COORDINATOR WAS NOT LISTED ON HERE FOR THE BACKUP MATERIAL.
IS THAT, CAN SOMEBODY EXPLAIN WHAT THAT ROLE IS CURRENTLY? UM, I DON'T KNOW WHY IT WASN'T IN BACKUP, BUT IT, IT'S, IT'S, A LOT OF THE DUTIES ARE THE SAME AS WHAT THE CARE COORDINATOR, UM, WITH THIS INTEGRATION WILL BE TO MAKE CONNECTIONS FOR THE INDIVIDUALS THAT, UM, NEED SERVICES FOR OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
AND MY, MY ONLY OTHER QUESTION, WHICH WILL I MAYBE SEGUE INTO THE FINANCE PART OF THIS, THE, DOES NEXUS CURRENTLY HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THE SC UH, D HS? UH, DHHS? NO, THEY DO NOT.
ARE THEY, ARE THEY PLANNING ON RENEWING THAT CONTRACT THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE? 'CAUSE IT'S GOOD THROUGH, I THINK JUNE 30TH, 2026.
UH, NO, WE DO NOT PLAN TO CONTINUE,
[01:30:01]
UH, THE CONTRACT, WHICH, WHICH IS A MATCHING GRANT.THAT, AND THAT'S A MEDICAID GRANT, ISN'T IT? YES.
I THINK THAT SEGUES INTO THE FINANCE PORTION OF THIS.
UNLESS, DID ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FOR RA? NO.
WELL, THERE WERE WITH DIFFERENT CLASSIFICATION NUMBERS.
THERE WAS A HUMAN SERVICE DIRECTOR, DAVID, AND THEN, UM, A THREE 16 AND A THREE 18 I THINK SO.
I'M NOT SURE WHICH ONE WERE YOU SAYING WAS MISSING.
UH, OUTREACH SYSTEMS COORDINATOR, I THINK IS WHAT IT WAS CALLED.
I THINK JUST ONE OF THE JOB DESCRIPTIONS WAS LEFT OUTTA THE BACKUP ON ACCIDENT.
I DON'T THINK, THINK IT WAS INTENTIONAL.
YEAH, I THINK WHAT, WHAT YOU ASKED, WELL, WHAT YOU ASKED FOR WAS THE CURRENT POSITIONS IN HUMAN SERVICES AND THEN THE TWO POSITIONS THAT WILL BE INTEGRATED INTO NEXUS CARE.
SO THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A TOTAL OF FIVE.
I THINK THERE'S ONLY, I THINK, I THINK SEVEN ACTUALLY.
WELL, I'M KIND OF REALLY GLAD THAT YOU SAID EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY BECAUSE THAT IS THE PURPOSE OF WHAT I HAVE, WHAT I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR, WHICH IS YOUR GENERAL LEDGER.
UM, AS I MENTIONED AT THE BUDGET RETREAT BACK IN OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, SORRY, IN NOVEMBER, THAT WE WERE TAKING A DEEP DIVE INTO SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS.
WE HAD SEVERAL THAT ENDED IN THE RED IN FISCAL YEAR 25.
AND IN ORDER TO AVOID AN AUDIT FINDING, I WAS GOING TO BE LOOKING AT SEVERAL OF 'EM.
UM, THIS JUST HAPPENS TO BE ONE OF 'EM.
WE HAVE OTHERS THAT HAVE MUCH BIGGER PROBLEMS. UH, FOR EXAMPLE, THE DUSKY ISLAND FERRY CONTRACT, THAT IS A SPECIAL REVENUE FUND.
ALL WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW IS TAKING AVALOR TAXES AND MOVING IT INTO A SPECIAL REVENUE FUND.
THAT IS NOT THE FUNCTION OF A SPECIAL REVENUE FUND.
WE ARE DOING EXACTLY THE SAME THING IN THIS CASE.
IN THIS CASE, I'M NOT GONNA SPEAK TO THE PROGRAM 'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT THESE WONDERFUL LADIES ARE FOR.
BUT IT HAPPENED TO FIT WELL HERE BECAUSE ALCOHOL AND DRUG IS ALREADY A SPECIAL REVENUE FUND.
SO INSTEAD OF TAKING IT, MOVING INTO A GENERAL FUND, THEY WERE ABLE TO MERGE SERVICES TOGETHER FOR, I'M NOT GONNA SAY DUPLICATION, BUT SIMILAR SERVICES BEING PROVIDED.
UM, BUT FOR THE FINANCIAL SIDE, WE DO HAVE TO ADDRESS THE FACT THAT IT DOES IT, IT HAS ENDED IN THE, IN THE RED FOR MULTIPLE YEARS.
THE BACKUP IS IN, IN YOUR, OR THE, THE REPORTS ARE IN YOUR BACKUP.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, 49 100, WHICH IS THE TRANSFER IN IT, HAS STEADILY INCREASED ITS TRANSFERS IN FROM FISCAL YEAR 2019.
THESE ARES, BY THE WAY, CAN I PAUSE YOU REAL QUICK AND SEE IF THE CLERKS CAN PULL THAT UP FOR US? OH, THERE'S NO, AND, AND PLEASE, I HATE TO SAY THIS, I, I'M A LAWYER, NOT ACCOUNTANT.
CAN YOU, CAN YOU GO THROUGH THAT? I WILL DO MY BEST TO DUMB IT DOWN.
REALLY? HEY, I, I CAN SEE YOU BUT I'M NOT GOOD AT MATH
SO THE CONTRACT YOU'RE REFERRING TO EARLIER IS, UM, RIGHT THERE IN 4 7 6 2 0, WHICH IS THE OBJECT CODE.
THAT IS THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.
THESE GIRLS KNOW THE ACRONYM BETTER THAN I DO.
UM, THAT IS OFFSET BY THE EXPENDITURE, WHICH IS DOWN AT THE BOTTOM, WHICH IS 55 0 0 0 DIRECT SUBSIDIES.
WE HAVE TO BUDGET THAT MATCH IN ORDER TO GET THAT 1 97 UP TOP.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? SO OF THAT ONE NINETY SEVEN, A HUNDRED AND THREE IS OF YOUR OWN MONEY, WHICH IS COMING FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
SO THAT'S THE ONLY WAY WE MAKE THAT, THAT CONTRACT REVENUES, IF WE DON'T MATCH IT, WE DON'T GET IT.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? MM-HMM
UM, THE OTHER ONE IS THE TRANSFERS IN RIGHT BELOW THAT, THE 49 100, THOSE WERE FUNDS IN FISCAL YEAR.
2019 WAS 181,000 GREW TO 180 6, STAYED FLAT FOR 21.
REMEMBER COVID, NOT MUCH WAS CHANGING IN THAT TIMEFRAME.
JUMPED TO 2 25, JUMPED TO 3 46.
AND THEN, UH, YEAR TO DATE ACTUAL IN 25 WAS 1 91.
BUT WE HAVE A LITTLE OVER 400,000 BUDGETED FOR FISCAL YEAR 26.
AND I THINK THERE WAS AN, AN INCREASE OF ONE STAFF MEMBER.
IS THAT RIGHT? AUDRA? I'M SPEAKING FOR A YEAR.
UM, BUT ANYHOW, AS YOU CAN SEE, IT HAS JUST STEADILY INCREASED OVER TIME AND WHICH IS ADDING TO THE NEGATIVE FUND BALANCE.
SO IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THIS, I BROUGHT IT TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE'S ATTENTION.
THIS PLUS OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS THAT WE'RE FINISHING IN THE RED YEAR AFTER YEAR, UM, THAT WE NEEDED TO ADDRESS.
AND IN THIS CASE, IT SEEMS LIKE THE MERGER BETWEEN HUMAN SERVICES AND NEXUS, I STILL CALL IT ALCOHOL AND DRUG, BUT, UM, SEEMS TO WORK, UH, AS A BETTER FIT BECAUSE THEY'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE SIMILAR SERVICES.
I KNOW THIS IS A LOT OF NUMBERS AND A LOT OF
THESE ARE THEIR YEAR TO DATE ACTUALS FOR EVERY FISCAL YEAR SINCE FISCAL YEAR 2019.
UM, THE YELLOWS ARE A FEW ANOMALIES.
IN FISCAL YEAR 22, WE ONLY RECEIVED 55,000 FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES CONTRACT WHEN WE BUDGETED 98, UH, FOR THE MATCH, BUT DID NOT SPEND IT.
[01:35:01]
BALANCE IN THAT YEAR IS A POSITIVE NUMBER.IN FISCAL YEAR 23 AND 23, THE MATCH WAS SUBMITTED TO THE STATE, UH, FOR THE D-H-S-C-D-H-H-S CONTRACT.
BUT IN FISCAL YEAR 22, WE ONLY RECEIVED 96.
IN FISCAL YEAR 20, UH, THREE, WE RECEIVED 103.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, THAT'S WHEN IT STARTED GOING NEGATIVE.
AGAIN, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY FINANCIAL QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT I'VE JUST SAID.
UM, THESE GRANT FUNDS FROM THE STATE, WHAT ANY OTHER COUNTY RECEIVE THOSE IN THE STATE? NOT VERY MANY COUNTIES HAVE HUMAN SERVICES.
I'VE WORKED IN ANOTHER COUNTY AND WE DID NOT HAVE A HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT AT ALL.
SO DOCTOR, YOU, DO YOU KNOW, I MAYBE I'M ASKING A QUESTION.
IS THAT YOU SEE WHAT I'M, I DO.
I MEAN, IT IS A CONTRACT AND THAT CONTRACT IS A MATCHING GRANT.
UM, I CAN'T ANSWER IF ANY OTHER COUNTY IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA IS DOING THAT.
UM, I WOULD GUESS NO, BUT I CAN'T DEFINITELY SAY THAT THEY ARE OR THEY'RE NOT.
WELL, WE DON'T RECEIVE IT UNLESS WE MATCH IT.
QUICKLY, UM, HARRIET, UM, SO I UNDERSTAND THE LINE, 49, 100 MM-HMM
TO TRANSFER IN, WHAT MONEY IS THAT? THAT IS THE MONEY COMING FROM THE GENERAL FUND FROM YOUR A VALARA TAXES, BUT THAT'S COUNTY APPROPRIATION.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THE ONE, UM, THE TRANSFER IN, AND THEN YOU HAVE THE DIRECT SUBSIDY.
THAT IS THE MATCHING TO THE CONTRACT THAT MS. UM, AUDRA WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT.
UM, FOR ME, AND DAVE HELPED ME TO UNDERSTAND, UM, SO WE PUTTING IN TO THIS PROGRAM, UM, THE TRANSFER IN AS WELL AS THE SUBSIDY.
SO THAT'S ROUGHLY $400,000 COMING OUTTA GENERAL FUND OR 26.
IT'S MORE BECAUSE WE ADDED AN ADDITIONAL POSITION TO EVEN, I'M JUST TAKING ONE, I'M TAKING, I'M ACTUALLY TAKING 2019, SO I'M JUST ADDING UP THE TRANSFER IN AND THE DIRECT SUBSIDY COMING FROM GENERAL FUND, IN ESSENCE, IT'S COMING FROM GENERAL FUND.
IT IS COMING FROM GENERAL FUND, CORRECT.
IT IS COMING FROM GENERAL FUND, THE 103,000 DOWN AT THE BOTTOM WHERE IT SAYS DIRECT SUBSIDIES, THAT IS INCLUDED IN THE 1 97 UP AT THE TOP WHERE THE REVENUES ARE.
BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T PAY THE 103, YOU DON'T GET THE CONTRACT REVENUE FROM THE STATE.
SO, SO YOU'RE PAYING 103 TO GET THE, THE MATCHING.
SO THE DIRECT PORTION IS REALLY 1 0 3 MINUS TO 180 1 THAT'S COMING OUTTA GENERAL FUND? NO, SIR.
OH, THE 180 1 IS THE TRANSFERS IN COMING FROM THE GENERAL FUND, BUT THE REST OF THIS B THIS BUDGET, NO, I'M SORRY.
THE, THE CONTRACT REVENUE, UM, THE 1 97 THAT'S COMING FROM THE STATE.
THAT INCLUDES, YOU TAKE THE 1 0 3 FROM THAT, TAKE THE 1 1 0 3.
THAT'S, YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I WAS GETTING AFTER.
UM, AND SO, UM, WE HAVE A PROGRAM THAT WE WANT TO HAVE THAT'S REALLY NOT COSTING US A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY, BUT LET ME STOP RIGHT THERE.
UM, WE DID NOT SEND ANY DIRECT SUBSIDY IN THAT YEAR.
WE DID NOT, WE BUDGETED IT, BUT FOR, I CAN'T SPEAK TO WHO, WHAT, WHAT THE ANSWER TO THAT IS.
BUT THIS IS BASED ON WHAT WAS RECORDED AS REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES.
WE DID NOT EXPEND THE FUNDS, BUT WE DID COLLECT 55,000 FROM, FROM THE STATE DHHS.
BUT WE DID NOT SEND ANY MATCHING FUNDS AT ALL.
NO, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE VERY NEXT COLUMN WHERE YOU SEE 205 20.
THAT'S BOTH FISCAL YEAR 20 TWOS EXPENDITURE AND 20 THREES EXPENDITURE.
AND THEN IT'S FISCAL YEAR 22 AND 20 THREES EXPENDITURE.
THE VERY NEXT COLUMN UNDER 23 ON THE BOTTOM, THE ONE THAT'S YELLOW.
AND WE GOT NO REVENUE IN 23, NO REVENUE.
SO SOMETHING HAPPENED THERE, RIGHT? YES.
I I I'M NOT GONNA SPEAK TO WHAT OCCURRED DURING A YEAR.
I WASN'T HERE, BUT WE DIDN'T RECORD ANY REVENUE.
BUT WE SPENT 22 AND 20 THREES FUNDS IN FISCAL YEAR 23.
AND I THINK THERE'S SOME TIMING WITH SOME REVENUE OR INVOICES.
IS THAT RIGHT? AUDRA? WHAT HAPPENED THERE? THE TIMING OF GETTING INVOICES FROM THE STATE
[01:40:02]
SEEMS TO CROSS OVER SOMETIMES IN FISCAL YEARS, WHICH IS PROBABLY WHY WE PAID 22 AND 23 IN FISCAL YEAR 23.BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE DID NOT COLLECT ANY REVENUE THAT YEAR AS YOU CAN.
AND I'M JUST WONDERING WHY THOSE TWO YEARS, WHICH WE SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN CONTRACT REVENUE FOR, UM, TWO YEARS, 400,000, ROUGHLY $400,000.
SO THAT'S WHERE YOUR DEFICIT CAME IN, RIGHT? IT STARTED IN FISCAL YEAR 22.
REALLY? BECAUSE YOU PAID FOR TWO YEARS, BUT YOU DID NOT RECEIVE REVENUE FROM THE STATE.
YOU DON'T KNOW WHY THAT MISHAP HAPPENED, BUT YOU PICKED IT BACK UP, UM, IN 24, AND I'M ASSUMING YOU PICKED IT BACK UP IN 25.
AND, AND IN THOSE YEARS, SO THERE WAS A GLITCH THAT HAPPENED THAT CAUSED A VERY MINOR MAJOR DEFICIT IN THOSE YEARS.
WE DID NOT, I CAN'T SPEAK TO WHY WE DIDN'T RECEIVE THE REVENUE FROM THE STATE.
I, THAT'S A STATE AGENCY DECISION.
WE DID MA WE DID PAY OUR MATCH.
BUT IN FISCAL YEAR 24, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE INCREASED OVER 120,000 FROM THE TRANSFERS IN FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
AND IT STILL CONTINUED TO OPERATE IN THE WRECK.
SOMETHING HAPPENED 22 AND 23 THAT CAUSED US TO REALLY HAVE A DEFICIT.
UM, AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHY WE HAD THAT, BUT SOMETHING HAPPENED.
UH, GOING BACK TO THAT, HAVE ALL THE, UH, REVENUES AND AND RECEIPTS BEEN ACCOUNTED FOR PROPERLY THROUGH FISCAL YEAR 25? YES.
THE DEPARTMENT SENT EVERYTHING TO YOU FOR Y'ALL TO REVIEW MM-HMM
WELL THEY SUBMIT THE INVOICE TO THE STATE.
I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR THEIR PROGRAM, BUT THEY, THEY SUBMIT THE MATCH AND THEY GIVE US, UH, A DISBURSEMENT.
WE CUT THE CHECK AND THEN I THINK SOMETIMES GETTING THE REVENUE IS A LITTLE BIT DELAYED FROM THE STATE.
UH, LOOKS LIKE ON THE, THE CONTRACT REVENUE RIGHT HERE, THE 2024 MM-HMM
THE 2 0 7 2 32, DID THAT COMBINE THE 2023 AND THE 20, I GUESS 2024 INVOICES? IT DID NOT THE 2 0 7 20, THE 2 0 7, 2 32 YOU RECEIVED IN CONTRACT REVENUE.
BUT OF THAT 1 0 3 6 1 6 IS YOUR OWN MONEY DOWN AT THE BOTTOM.
YOU HAVE TO PAY THE 1 0 3 TO GET YEAH.
SO REALLY YOU'RE NETTING, DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? RIGHT? MM-HMM
SO IT SEEMED TO ME, MR. CHAIRMAN, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IF THE PROGRAM SUSTAINED ITSELF, UH, BUT HE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF GLITCH IN 22, 23, ONCE YOU GOT BACK ON TRACK, YOU SUSTAINING YOURSELF.
UH, BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST GONNA, AND THAT'S INCLUDING FIVE EMPLOYEES IN THAT NUMBER, RIGHT? THAT'S SUSTAINING ITSELF.
I THINK THE ISSUE IS THE PROGRAM IS ONLY SUSTAINING ITSELF WITH SUPPORT FROM THE GENERAL FUND, RIGHT? CORRECT.
THAT'S THE, THAT'S, THAT'S THE BUDGETED AMOUNT THAT WE HAVE FOR THE PROGRAM.
I MEAN, WHEN WE STARTED THE PROGRAM, WE HAD TO BUDGET SOME FUNDING TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAM.
BUT IT'S A SPECIAL REVENUE FUND.
IT'S NOT GENERATING SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS DIFFERENTLY.
AND SO IT'S, HER HEAD IS ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK WHEN THE AUDITOR COMES AND SAYS, YOU HAVE A SPECIAL REVENUE FUND AND IT'S NOT BEING FUNDED PROPERLY.
AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT NOW.
MY QUESTION IS FOR 26, WE'RE FALLING BEHIND AGAIN.
UM, YOU'RE LIKELY GONNA SEE THE DEFICIT INCREASE.
BECAUSE WE DID ADD A NEW POSITION AND WE INCREASED THE, UH, TRANSFER FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
SO ONCE WE'RE WRAPPING UP AND GETTING READY FOR 20 SIX'S AUDIT, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO A TRANSFER IN FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO COVER THE DEFICIT SO WE CAN CLOSE THE FUND.
AND MY OTHER COMMENT IS IT'S, WE CHARGE THE ADMINISTRATOR IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN TO LOOK AT ALL THE DEPARTMENTS, LOOK AT ALL THE BUDGETS, AND DO WHATEVER YOU NEED TO DO TO STREAMLINE THINGS.
THAT WAS OUR, OUR CHARGE TO HIM.
BECAUSE WE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE AVALOR TAXES ARE APPROPRIATELY USED.
SO, AND, AND I WOULD ADD MR. CHAIR, THE PLAN IS TO, YOU KNOW, GOING FORWARD, THIS WOULD BECOME PART OF THE, THE NEXUS CARE SPECIAL REVENUE ACCOUNT, WHICH IS SELF-SUSTAINING AND CONTINUES TO SU SUSTAIN ITSELF.
AND WE WOULD ELIMINATE THIS SPECIAL REVENUE ACCOUNT, AND THAT WOULD BE THE FIX TO THIS ISSUE WITH THE FINANCIALS.
I'D JUST LIKE TO MAKE, UM, HEARING WHAT WE HEARD, UH, MS. REBECCA SAY EARLIER, WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE STATE LEVEL WITH THE, UM, I'LL CALL IT CONSOLIDATION, WHICH I'M REALLY GLAD TO HEAR BECAUSE I
[01:45:01]
REMEMBER, UM, WE HAD THE PICNIC MAN, ANYBODY REMEMBER THE PICNIC TABLE? MAN,WE COULDN'T GET HIM IN ANYWHERE.
HE LIVED AT OUR PICNIC TABLE FOR MONTHS MM-HMM
AND THAT WAS A SILO EFFECT, UM, THAT WAS HAPPENING AT THE STATE LEVEL.
WE COULDN'T GET HIM WHERE HE NEEDED TO GO.
THIS, THIS UMBRELLA THAT THEY HAVE DONE AT THE STATE LEVEL, IT WHAT I'VE HEARD TODAY, THIS DRAFT PROPOSAL, UM, REINFORCES WHAT WE NEED TO DO LOCALLY TOO.
WE'RE STILL PROVIDING THE SERVICE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO NEED IT.
WE ALL KNOW THE REVOLVING DOOR THAT WE USED TO SEE WITH MENTAL HEALTH HEALTH PATIENTS, WITH FAMILIES WHO ARE IMPACTED BY SOMEONE IN THEIR FAMILY, UM, WHO ABUSES SUBSTANCES OR NOT, OR CHILD ABUSE, EVEN CHILD ABUSE, UM, THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED WHEN, UH, COZY AND ALL THAT WAS FIRST CREATED.
UH, I, I, I THINK WE HAVE COME UP WITH A GOOD PLAN AT THIS POINT TO INTEGRATE ALL THESE SERVICES TOGETHER SO THAT PEOPLE OF BUFORT COUNTY GET THE BEST SERVICES THAT THEY CAN GET.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE? COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? MOVE ON.
TELL ME THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN IS THE DISABILITY SPECIAL NEEDS A SPECIAL REVENUE PROGRAM AS WELL? YES, IT IS.
SO WE GONNA BE CUTTING THAT TOO? NO, IT'S NOT NEGATIVE.
NOW THAT ONE'S SELF-SUSTAINING.
I I DO HAVE ACTUALLY ONE OTHER QUESTION.
A SPECIAL REVENUE FUND IS NOT REQUIRED TO BE SELF-SUSTAINING LIKE AN ENTERPRISE FUND, RIGHT.
IT JUST HAS TO BE SEPARATE ACCOUNTING.
BECAUSE IT'S SUPPOSED TO GENERATE SPECIAL REVENUE, BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE SELF-SUSTAINING.
IT SHOULD BE, BECAUSE IF NOT, YOU'RE GONNA END UP IN A NEGATIVE FUND BALANCE.
IT SHOULD BE AND, AND MANDATORY TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
BECAUSE ENTERPRISE FUND FUNDS SUPPOSED TO STAND UP ON ITS OWN.
BUT, BUT THIS IS NOT A ENTERPRISE FUND.
SO THERE WAS NEVER AN EXPECTATION FOR IT TO BE COMPLETELY SELF-SUFFICIENT.
AND THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOME EXPECTATION OF GENERAL FUND, WHICH IS, WHICH IS HOW WE'VE BEEN TRANSFERRING THE FUNDS OVER, OVER AGAIN, BUT OVER AFTER SO MANY YEARS.
AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S NOT, IT'S THE, THE EXPENSES HAVE GROWN, BUT THE REVENUE HAS NOT.
AND ALL WE'RE ESSENTIALLY DOING IS MOSTLY FUNDING THIS BY GENERAL FUND, GENERAL FUND REVENUES.
I, I THINK FROM WHAT WE CAN TELL WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, WE DON'T WANNA BACKSLIDE.
I THINK WE UNDERSTAND THE FINANCES.
I THINK WE WANT TO TRY TO SAVE TAXPAYER MONEY, BUT NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF HURTING PEOPLE.
I I, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, OF COURSE, I'M NOT AN EXPERT IN THIS FIELD, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THE PROGRAMS ARE JUST GONNA BE INTEGRATED IN WITH, UM, ALCO, UH, NEXUS CARE.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT HAS A QUESTION OR A COMMENT? NO.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE FOR THE PRESENTATION? ALRIGHT, THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR THE UPDATE AND UM, HOPEFULLY WE CAN HEAR SOMETHING ELSE AS THIS PROGRESSES.
ALRIGHT, MOVING INTO THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM, WHICH IS EIGHT B.
THE DISCUSSION OF THE POTENTIAL DONATION OF SURPLUS PROPERTY TO HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF THE LOW COUNTRY TO BE USED FOR AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT AND A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP TO DEVELOP A VETERAN'S VILLAGE.
UH, THERE ARE NO FUNDS AVAILABLE FROM ARPA FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THERE ARE FUNDS AVAILABLE FROM ARPA FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING WE WOULD UTILIZE FOR THE VETERANS VILLAGE PROJECT DESIGN.
THERE IS NO FISCAL IMPACT FOR THE DONATION OF R 100 0 3 3 0 0 A 0 2 1 B 0 0 0 0, UH, TO HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF THE LOW COUNTRY FOR AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT, I BELIEVE.
HEATHER WRATH, ARE YOU COMING UP AND PINKY? YEAH.
SORRY I RAN OUT SO FAST AND DIDN'T REALIZE THAT WAS THE NEXT GOOD.
UM, SO I'M GONNA QUICKLY PICK UP, UH, IF YOU GUYS REMEMBER BACK IN OCTOBER, HANK AND, UM, HAD PROVIDED A LIST OF SURPLUS PROPERTIES, WHICH IS, UM, THIS GREEN SHEET RIGHT HERE.
SO, UM, THE, THE, THE FIRST FOUR AND THE THREE AT THE BOTTOM WERE IDENTIFIED AS PROPERTIES THAT WE COULD USE.
I BELIEVE YOU TEST AT THE TIME HANK WITH, UM, PRESENTING OPTIONS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS.
AND, UM, ONE HANK TRANSITIONED OUT.
UM, HEATHER AND I HAD WORKED PREVIOUSLY TOGETHER IN ARPA, SO I KIND OF PICKED UP ON THIS PROJECT.
AND CURRENTLY FOR THIS AGENDA ITEM, WE ARE LOOKING AT TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
UM, THE R 100, THE ONE THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED, WHICH IS NUMBER 12 ON THIS LIST IN THE BACKUP, IT'S THE PALM PALMETTO RIDGE STREET LAW.
THIS IS A PROPERTY THAT WE ARE PLANNING TO BRING FORTH, UM, AN OR, UH, ORDINANCE TO DONATE TO HABITAT FOR HUMANITY FOR AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT.
UM, BUT NUMBERS TWO AND THREE IS, UH, A PROJECT THAT WE'RE GONNA DO AS A PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP, PRIVATE PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP.
AND I'LL LET HEATHER PRESENT ON THAT BECAUSE, UH, SHE
[01:50:01]
PRESENTED BACK IN OCTOBER AS WELL.UM, WE'RE GONNA UTILIZE THE, THOSE TWO PROPERTIES FOR WHAT IS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN BEAUFORT COUNTY HABITAT FOR HUMANITIES, AND WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA HAVE SOME OTHER, UH, PARTNERS IN THE, IN THE MIX OF THIS TO DO A VETERAN'S VILLAGE.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'M GONNA LET HEATHER TALK TO THAT ONE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHAIRMAN AND THANK YOU COMMITTEE FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK, SARAH.
AND SHOULD I JUST TELL YOU WHEN I WANT IT FORWARDED THE CLICKER.
YEAH, BUT IT, IT NEVER WORKS FOR ME.
UM, SO HEATHER WRATH, UM, FOR THE RECORD, PRESENTING ON BEHALF OF HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, UM, I HAVE WITH ME IX CAST WHO IS OUR PROGRAM DIRECTOR, BRENDA DOOLEY, WHO IS OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND JUDGE GUTIERREZ, WHO IS ON OUR, UM, BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND IS ALSO A JUDGE IN THE CITY OF HARDY.
UM, SO THAT'S WHO I HAVE WITH US FROM HABITATS WITH US TODAY.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT IS A VETERAN'S VILLAGE? SO WE ARE PROPOSING A VETERAN'S VILLAGE AND WE WANT TO RETAIN VETERANS EXITING SERVICE IN OUR AREA.
THIS PROJECT WILL ADDRESS OUR HOUSING NEEDS AND HIGHLIGHT THE POWER OF COLLABORATION.
WE'RE SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THE PARTNERS THAT WE CAN BRING TO THE TABLE.
UM, THESE VETERANS VILLAGES ARE NOT JUST PLACES TO CALL HOME, WHICH OF COURSE IS VERY IMPORTANT, BUT THEY ALSO PROVIDE WRAPAROUND SERVICES TO OUR VETERANS.
AND, UM, THIS IS A KEY FOCUS FOR HABITAT FOR HUMIDITY INTERNATIONALLY.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THE HOUSING CHALLENGE FOR VETERANS.
4 MILLION VETERANS SPEND OVER 30% OF THEIR INCOME ON HOUSING.
1.5 MILLION VETERANS PAY OVER 50% OF THEIR INCOME ON RENT OR MORTGAGE.
AND THEN FEMALE VETERANS, ESPECIALLY SINGLE MOTHERS, FACE SIGNIFICANT HOUSING CHALLENGES.
AND WE'VE SEEN SOME OF THOSE SUCCESSES, UM, IN TERMS OF BUILDING VETERANS VILLAGES IN BREVARD COUNTY, UH, DOWN IN FLORIDA WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, A, A FEMALE VETERANS VILLAGE.
SO WE HAVE SOME GOOD FRAMEWORKS TO WORK OFF OF HERE.
SO WHY DOES THIS MATTER TO BEAUFORT COUNTY? I MEAN, OUR PROXIMITY TO MILITARY INSTALLATIONS MAKES US THE PRIME CANDIDATE FOR BUILDING SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
UM, VETERANS REPRESENT 11% OF OUR POPULATION.
THEY, UM, LEAVE THE WORK FOR, OR THEY LEAVE THEIR, UM, THEIR POSITION IN THE MILITARY AND THEY'RE RIPE FOR OUR AREA TO CONTINUE WORKING IN OUR AREA.
UH, WE HAVE RISING HOUSING COSTS.
EVERYBODY IN OUR AREA KNOWS THIS, INCLUDING THIS COUNCIL.
AND WE'RE LOOKING AT 1300 SOLDIERS SEPARATING ANNUALLY.
UM, AND I PUT IN THE LAST LINE, THEY KNOW OUR AREA.
SO THIS SLIDE TALKS ABOUT THE STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF RETAINING VETERANS.
OF COURSE, WE HAVE THE NEW VA CLINIC COMING ONLINE IN PORT ROYAL.
UM, THIS ALSO, UM, POSITIONS BEAUFORT COUNTY AS A COMMUNITY THAT PROACTIVELY SUPPORTS VETERANS TRANSITIONING TO CIVILIAN LIFE.
AND OF COURSE, WE'RE BIDDING FOR THE COAST GUARD INSTALLATION.
AND THIS COULD, UM, YOU KNOW, HELP US WITH THAT COMPETITIVE ONGOING PUSH.
AND AGAIN, IT'S MORE THAN JUST HOUSING, IT'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, IT'S MILITARY SUPPORT, AND IT'S COMMUNITY BUILDING.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT OUR EXPERTISE.
WE HAVE BUILT ALMOST 200 AFFORDABLE HOMES IN OUR AREA IN THE LAST 36 YEARS.
WE BUILD SUSTAINABLE, ENERGY, EFFICIENT AND HIGH QUALITY STANDARDS, AND WE HAVE THE CAPACITY AND THE DRIVE AND THE PARTNERSHIPS TO DO THE WORK.
LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THOSE PARTNERS IN SUCCESS.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AND WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO SO MANY DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS WHO HAVE ALL SAID YES.
WHEN, UM, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EVERYBODY FROM MEETINGS WITH, UM, UH, NANCY MACE, TIM SCOTT, SENATOR GRAHAM, OF COURSE, OUR STATE DELEGATION, THE HOUSING TRUST, UM, THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WITH THE MET COMMITTEE, Y'ALL KEY, KEY, UM, KEY PARTNER IN THIS, UM, VETERANS AFFAIRS, THE GARY SINISE FOUNDATION.
UM, AND WE ARE PREPARED TO WORK WITH THEM ALONGSIDE WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO PULL TOGETHER A TASK FORCE TO, UM, MOVE THIS FORWARD.
THIS IS OUR WORK PLAN OVERVIEW.
SO WE HAVE OUR PLANNING AND PREPARATION, WHICH INCLUDES THE TASK FORCE ASSEMBLY.
THIS WOULD BE AN ACUTE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ENGINEERING.
UM, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT IF WE GO ON SITES TWO AND THREE AS WE, UM, WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST, UM, THAT WE HAVE THAT ENGINEERING DONE.
AND THEN SETTING OUT OUR KPIS AND THEN FOLLOWING OUR PROJECT DEVELOPMENT CONSTRUCTION, OUR INTEGRATION, AND THEN OF COURSE MONITORING AND EVALUATING THOSE KPIS.
SO OUR ASK TODAY IS A VOTE TO SET UP THE PARAMETERS FOR THE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP FOR THE VETERANS VILLAGE.
THIS IS THE PAGE POINT AREA NUMBERS TWO AND THREE ON YOUR SPREADSHEET.
AND WITH THAT, UM, WE WOULD TRY AND GO AFTER SOME, UM, THERE'S LOWE'S COMMUNITY IMPACT
[01:55:01]
GRANT, A A RP.UM, I TALKED WITH THEIR LOBBYIST UP IN COLUMBIA LAST WEEK.
THE FISHER HOUSE FOUNDATION, SOMEBODY FROM COUNCIL SENT ME THAT.
SO THERE'S JUST A LOT OF MOMENTUM AROUND ASSISTING VETERANS WITH HOUSING.
AND, UM, WE, WE ARE READY TO GO WHENEVER YOU ALL ARE.
AND OF COURSE, TESTAMENT TO COLLABORATION.
WE HAVE QUOTE QUOTES FROM CLAUDE AND JOHN O'TOOLE AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL.
NO, BUT IT IS NOT, UH, AN AGENDA ITEM.
AND THAT'S ACTUALLY WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
WELL, I DIDN'T KNOW IF GERALD HAD ANY QUESTIONS WITH THE TWO LARGER PARCELS AND ALICE, I BELIEVE THE OTHER SMALLER PARCELS IN YOUR DISTRICT.
GERALD, DID YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UM, I, I'VE TALKED TO HEATHER, UM, BRIEFLY, UH, ABOUT, UH, THE PROPOSAL.
UM, I DON'T, UH, ASIDE FROM THE PRESENTATION RIGHT NOW, I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF DETAILED INFORMATION.
UM, THESE ARE FOR, UM, OUR RETIRED, UH, VETERANS.
SO THAT WOULD BE WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR TODAY IS ESTABLISH THE FRAMEWORK FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD TO ESTABLISH THE FRAMEWORK.
AND THAT WOULD ALL COME OUT IN TERMS OF WHAT THAT FRAMEWORK LOOKS LIKE IF WE CAN GET EVERYBODY TOGETHER AT THE TABLE.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT THE ASK IS TODAY.
AND SO IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE A DESIRE OF YOURS, THEN ABSOLUTELY WE CAN BRING THAT TO THE TABLE.
UM, THIS IS JUST FOR A DISCUSSION.
SO I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE COULD MOVE FORWARD WITH THEM BRINGING A PROPOSAL AS TO, UH, ALL THE DETAILS OF WHAT THEIR INTENT ARE.
BUT I, I CAN'T SAY DEFINITELY THAT I WOULD SUPPORT IT UNTIL I TAKE IT TO THE COMMUNITY AND GET THEIR INPUT AND THEIR BUY-IN.
IF NOT, THEN, UM, I, I CAN'T, I WON'T SUPPORT IT.
SO COUNCILMAN DOSEN, IF, UM, IF THAT, IF THIS WOULD WORK FOR YOU, WE WOULD LIKE TO COME AND HAVE A COMMUNITY MEETING TO SEE WHAT THOSE PARAMETERS WOULD BE ACCORDING TO THE COMMUNITY.
YOU CAN SEE COUNCILMAN DAWSON RIGHT THERE.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR PARTNERS FOR SUCCESS, NUMBER ONE IS NEIGHBORS COMMUNITY NUMBER TWO IS BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF.
WE REALLY WANT MEMBERS FROM THIS COMMITTEE, OR I'M SORRY, FROM THIS COUNCIL TO BE PART OF THIS PARTNERSHIP AND PART OF THIS TASK FORCE.
AND THEN OF COURSE YOU GO TO VETERANS AFFAIRS, CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE, HOUSING TRUST, ET CETERA.
BUT NUMBER ONE ON THERE STRATEGICALLY IS THE NEIGHBORS IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO IF I READ THE AGENDA ITEM TODAY, IT'S TWO PART ONE WOULD BE AN ORDINANCE TO TRANSFER THE ONE PLOT OF LAND.
AND THE OTHER WOULD BE TO SET PARAMETERS FOR THE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP, WHICH MR. DAWSON'S TALKING ABOUT.
SO THE ORDINANCE WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD COME FORWARD.
SO THERE'S KIND OF TWO PATHS THAT WE'RE GOING CORRECT.
ONE IS THE PARCEL, THAT'S AN INFO LAW IN, UM, COUNCIL OR AND CHAIRMAN CHAIRWOMAN, I AM SO SORRY.
THAT'S JUST A ONE-OFF HABITAT BILL THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, WE CAN, WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH.
THE SECOND IS THE LARGER PROJECT, WHICH IS THE VETERANS VILLAGE, WHICH IS WHERE WE WOULD DO THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS.
AND DO YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE COMMUNITY INPUT? HOW LARGE WOULD VETERANS VILLAGE BE? SO THERE'S VETERANS VILLAGES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY RAGING FROM EIGHT HOUSES TO 16 HOUSES.
UM, THERE'S ONE THAT'S BEING WORKED ON RIGHT NOW THAT'S 40 HOUSES.
THE, THE LAND THAT WE WOULD WANNA LOOK AT IF WE MOVE FORWARD, UM, WE WOULD WANT TO GO AHEAD AND GET ENGINEERING DONE ON IT SO THAT WE CAN COME BACK AND SAY THIS IS WHAT WE CAN FIT ON IT.
I MEAN THERE'S, THERE'S, THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT ASPECTS TO THIS BECAUSE THE LAND, WHERE THE LAND IS AND ALSO BECAUSE WE WANNA HONOR, UM, NOT ONLY WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS, BUT ALSO WHAT VETERANS NEED, WHETHER IT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, MOBILITY ISSUES OR, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S A WHOLE, UM, VARIOUS AMOUNT OF, UM, INPUT THAT NEEDS TO GO INTO THAT.
AND THAT'S WHERE WORKING WITH CAROLYN FURMAN AND EVERYBODY ELSE WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.
SO THE PALMETTO RIDGE IS ONLY 0.38 ACRES? YEAH.
BUT THE OTHER TWO NUMBERS, TWO AND THREE TOGETHER ARE ALMOST 13 ACRES.
[02:00:01]
SO, OKAY.AND BASICALLY THE, THESE TWO PROPERTIES AND, AND THE PAGE POINT AREA TOTALS ABOUT 13 ACRES AS WELL.
SO YOU, IF THE ZONING APPLIES, THEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT PROBABLY SIX HOMES.
SO WE, AGAIN, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT ONCE WE GET IN THERE AND, AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
UM, IF I'M, I'M SURE I COUNCILMAN DAWSON KNOWS THERE'S NO SEWAGE AT PAGE POINT, RIGHT? IT'S JUST WATER.
IT'D BE, AND THERE'S NO SEWAGE AT PALMETTO RIDGE.
MR. WRATH, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UM, I, I WOULD LOVE, UM, FOR YOU TO CONSIDER, UM, PROPERTY NUMBER 15.
PART OF YOUR DISCUSSION MAY BE WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE GONNA SEEK A UP ZONING, UH, BECAUSE 13 ACRES IS VERY LIMITED IF IT'S UH, ONE HOUSE PER THREE ACRES.
WELL I DID, I DID SEE AS WELL.
UM, MR. GLOVER MENTIONED THE 15, WHICH IS 4.7 OFF OF BALLPARK ROAD.
WOULD WE WANT TO INCLUDE THAT AS WELL? I WOULD LOVE FOR HER TO CONSIDER
WELL, I, I MEAN THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY.
DO WE WANT TO EXPAND THIS VISION AND PUT SOME ON ST.
HELENA, HAVE SOME IN, IN UH, DAWSON'S DISTRICT AND MAKE A BIGGER IMPACT? I MEAN, IF WE HAVE THIS LAND JUST SITTING THERE, WHY NOT PUT IT TO GIVE NOT HELP FOR VETERANS? I MEAN IS THERE ANY, I MEAN THIS IS STILL DISCUSSION ONLY, SO LET'S TALK ABOUT IT.
I THINK THAT VERY POSSIBLE TO DO THAT FOR A SEPARATE PROJECT.
BUT FOR THE ONE FOR THE VETERANS VILLAGE IS THE TWO PROPERTIES AT PAGE POINT.
I MEAN, IF WE GOT ARPA MONEY TO PLAN FOR IT, WHY NOT INCORPORATE IT? WELL THAT'S ANOTHER REASON WHY I WANTED TO BRING THAT UP IS BECAUSE AS WE START THIS AND START DOING THE ENGINEERING AND DESIGN AND ALL OF THAT, WE HAVE THE ARPA AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUNDS THAT WE DO NEED TO SPEND DOWN BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.
SO THIS SEEMED TO BE IMPECCABLE TIMING FOR THIS.
WOULD WE, I KNOW WE CAN'T REALLY MAKE A MOTION HERE OR NECESSARILY, BUT WOULD THE WILL OF COUNCIL OR A COMMITTEE HERE BE TO EXPAND THAT AND INCORPORATE IT? THIS THIS COMMITTEE CAN IN FACT MAKE A MOTION BECAUSE WE'RE NOT THE COUNCIL THAT REQUIRES A TWO THIRDS, IT'S A SIMPLE MAJORITY OF US THAT CAN MAKE A DECISION TO MOVE TO COUNCIL.
OBVIOUSLY THE ONE PIECE OF PROPERTY.
WE'D LIKE THAT ORDER STATEMENT TO COUNCIL AND, UM, YOU KNOW, DIRECT OUR ADMINISTRATION TO WORK WITH HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, EXPLORING THE OTHER PIECES OF PROPERTY THAT ARE ON THIS PAGE FOR THE ABILITY OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR VETERANS HOUSING.
IS THAT A MOTION? I WAS JUST ABOUT TO SAY MOTION? IS THAT A MOTION? SECOND.
IS THERE ANY, ANY OBJECTION TO THAT? OH, HOLD ON.
JUST TO BE CLEAR, THE MOTION YOU'RE TALK ABOUT IS TO FORWARD BOTH ISSUES THE ORDINANCE FOR THE 0.38 ACRES AND THEN FOR NUMBER TWO AND THREE AS FAR AS A VETERANS VILLAGE TO COUNSEL FOR DISCUSSION AND POTENTIAL DIRECTION TO STAFF TO BRING STUFF FORWARD.
AND WOULD THAT BE TO INCLUDE NUMBER 15? YEAH.
M 15 ACTUALLY I WOULD LIKE TO INCLUDE ALL OF THE PROPERTIES THAT ARE IN GREEN BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW.
IF ALL OF THESE MAY BE SUITABLE FOR SOME TYPE OF HOUSING, WHETHER IT'S VETERANS HOUSING OR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND WHAT ABOUT NUMBER ONE, YOU THAT, ISN'T THAT ALL IN THE SAME? WHY WOULDN'T YOU PICK UP ONE? UM, THAT'S WHAT MR. PASSMAN IS TALKING ABOUT.
AND I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT I DON'T THINK THAT ONE IS RIGHT BY THE OTHER ONE.
GERALD ISN'T THAT NUMBER ONE RATHER BEND AROUND THE CORNER OF IT? IT IT IS MAYBE.
UM, BUT ANYWAY, WITHOUT LOOKING AT THE MAP, I CAN'T TELL MS. MS. CHAIRMAN CALL NUMBER NUMBER, UM, FOUR ON THE, IN THE INDUSTRIAL PARK.
THAT ONE IS, IS IN THE, I THINK IN THE ACCIDENT POTENTIAL ZONE.
SO IT WOULD NOT BE APPROPRIATE FOR HOUSING.
AND THEN I, BUT I AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN PASSMAN.
WHY NOT DO 'EM ALL? THE ONLY THING WITH THE FORMER WATER SLIDE IS IT'S RIGHT ON, RIGHT ON THE HIGHWAY, BUT, UM, IT'S A, IT'S ON ST.
BUT I WOULD NOT INCLUDE NUMBER FOUR ON THE LIST.
WELL DO, DO WE WANT TO INCLUDE IT AND JUST HAVE IT YEAH.
AND THEY, THEY WILL BE ABLE TO COME BACK TO US AND SAY IT IS NOT SUITABLE.
RATHER THAN JUST TAKE IT OFF AND LATER FIND OUT WELL WE COULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING.
WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T
I MEAN IF IT'S, IF IT'S ACO SO THEY'LL CONFIRM IT.
NO, IT'S ACCIDENT POTENTIALS ON, WHICH IS WORSE THAN I COULD.
YEAH, IT'S, YEAH, WHICH IS YEAH, FORBIDDEN.
[02:05:01]
I MEAN NOT FORBIDDEN, BUT IT'S AGAINST OUR OWN ORDINANCE.WELL, UH, JOE, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE, I KNOW WE KIND OF CHANGED THE INFORMAL MOTION THERE, BUT IS THAT THE MOTION IS TO MOVE FORWARD TO COUNCIL THE ONE PROPERTY THAT'S ON PALMETTO RIDGE STREET.
AND FOR US TO HAVE, UH, MOVE TO COUNCIL FOR DISCUSSION, THE ABILITY TO USE TWO PIECES OF LAND ON PAGE POINT ROAD FOR A VETERAN'S VILLAGE DIRECTING ADMINISTRATION TO BEGIN THAT PROCESS.
AND THE PLAN WOULD BE FOR THE SECOND NOTE, THE, UH, FIRST MEETING IN APRIL? YEAH.
AND DID THAT INCLUDE THE OTHER PROPERTIES? WHAT? ABOVE THE OTHER PROPERTIES AND EXPLORE THE OTHER PROPERTIES.
FOR SUITABILITY AND YOUR, YOU, YOU SECOND THAT.
I KNOW IT CHANGED, BUT JUST WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S STILL SECOND ON THAT.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO THAT? NO.
ALRIGHT, THEN I'LL MOVE FORWARD TO COUNSEL.
THANK YOU ALSO VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS PARTNERSHIP AND DOING SOME GOOD OUT THERE.
UH, NOW MOVING INTO THE ACTUAL AGENDA ITEMS, UH, NINE A, WHICH IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO ENTER INTO A MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT WITH MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT OF PARENTS ISLAND FOR MUTUAL EMERGENCY MEDICAL RESPONSE.
THERE IS NO FISCAL IMPACT AND I BELIEVE JOHN, YOU'RE GONNA BE DOING THE PRE ALRIGHT.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND IT.
AND I'M, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
IT'S A PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD RECIPROCAL MUTUAL AID, UH, CON, UH, AGREEMENT BETWEEN, UH, PARIS ISLAND AND BEAUFORT COUNTY IN THIS CASE FOR SPECIFICALLY BEAUFORT COUNTY EMS. ALRIGHT, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? YES, I HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, IS THERE AN EXISTING ONE WITH MCAS BEAUFORT? UM, THERE IS.
UM, BUT IT'S SPECIFIC TO FIRE SERVICE.
THIS WOULD JUST ASSIST, UH, THE MILITARY AND, UM, AND BACKUP AS WELL AS NORMAL OPERATION, ASSISTING THEM WITH, UM, UH, EMERGENCY TRANSPORT.
SO THIS WOULD ALLOW, UM, THE, UM, PARAMEDICS AND WHICH IS PART OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ON PARIS ISLAND, HELP SUPPORT BEAUFORT COUNTY EMS AS WELL AS BEAUFORT COUNTY EMS SUPPORT THE OPERATIONS ON UH, PARIS ISLAND.
ALRIGHT, LET'S TAKE A, TAKE A VOTE ON THAT.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO MOVING THAT DOESN'T NEED TO MOVE FORWARD TO COUNCIL, RIGHT? THAT'S JUST RESOLUTION.
NO, IT DOESN'T NEED TO GO TO COUNCIL.
ANY OBJECTION, SEND THAT TO COUNCIL? NO.
SO I KNOW THAT WE'LL BE MOVED FORWARD TO COUNSEL, UH, MOVING FORWARD TO NINE BA RESOLUTION RECOGNIZED IN APRIL IS FAIR HOUSING MONTH AND NO FISCAL IMPACT.
CAN I GET A MOTION AND A SECOND? I'LL MAKE THE MOTION.
IS THERE ANY REAL REPORT ON THIS? I KNOW IT'S JUST A RESOLUTION, RIGHT? YES, SIR.
IT'S, IT'S OUR, UM, ANNUAL RESOLUTION WE'RE REQUIRED TO FOR THE COMMUNITY BLOCK GRANTEES.
IS THERE ANY, ANY QUESTION, COMMENT, ANY ON THIS? ALL RIGHT.
UH, ONCE AGAIN, DOES THIS HAVE TO GO RESOLUTION OF COUNCIL? ALRIGHT THEN, UM, ANY OBJECTION TO MOVING THIS FORWARD TO COUNSEL? NOPE.
SEEING NONE, IT WILL BE MOVED FORWARD TO COUNSEL.
UH, NINE C IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO ENTER, ENTER INTO A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE PORT ROYAL SOUND FOUNDATION FOR COLLABORATION ON NATURAL RESOURCE MONITORING AND OUTREACH, INCLUDING WORK ON THE NATIONAL FISH AND WILDLIFE FOUNDATION GRANT AWARDED TO THE COUNTY.
UH, THERE IS NO FISCAL IMPACT.
UH, THE PORT ROYAL SOUND FOUNDATION IS INCLUDED AS A NAME, PARTNER AND SUB AWARDEE ON THE NATIONAL FISH AND WILDLIFE FOUNDATION GRANT THAT WAS AWARDED TO BE FOR COUNTY IN 2024.
THE BUDGET INCLUDES THE MOTION, LET ME FINISH READING THE ITEM.
HANG ON NOW YOU DO THE SAME THING.
THE, THE BUDGET INCLUDES 15,100 FOR PORT ROYAL SOUND FOUNDATION TO SUPPORT EDUCATION AND OUTREACH FOR THE PROJECT OUTCOMES.
UM, I HAVE ROB MERCHANT DOWN, BUT YOU LOOK LIKE CHUCK.
THE MOTION SOMEBODY NEEDS SECOND IT.
SO THIS IS A, UH, MULTIFACETED PROJECT.
THE TOTAL PROJECT COST TO INCLUDE WHAT IS BEING CONTRIBUTED BY BUFORT COUNTY COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON, THE SEAGRASS CONSORTIUM AND THE PORT ROYAL SOUND FOUNDATION IS $322,721 AND 50 CENTS.
THE TOTAL AWARDED GRANT FUNDS IS WE GOT WHAT WE REQUESTED, WHICH IS $169,667 AND 50 CENTS.
[02:10:01]
KIND CONTRIBUTIONS OF ALL THE PLAYERS WITH BEAUFORT COUNTY MAKING, UH, THE MOST CONTRIBUTIONS FOR IN KIND BECAUSE THEY'RE USING OUR GIS SYSTEM.THEY'RE USING SOME PUBLIC WORKS EQUIPMENT IS 153,000, UH, $54.
AND WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR TODAY IS THE MOU TO ALLOW THE PORTO SOUND, UH, FOUNDATION TO USE THE $15,100 AS A WORKING PARTNER IN THE PROJECT.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NO.
WELL, CAN THIS BE, BE MOVED FORWARD TO COUNCIL WITH NO OBJECTION? YES, SIR.
SEEING NONE, IT WILL MOVE FORWARD TO COUNCIL.
AND IS THERE ANY FURTHER BUSINESS COME BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE? SEEING NONE, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
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 AND SOUTH CAROLINA WAS REGARDED AS A 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
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 PALS, 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 FORESTS.
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 WAS LOOKING FOR A SEAL.
IT 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 DEAR AND WHAT WE REALLY LIKE ABOUT BEAUFORT COUNTY.
COUNCILMAN BILL MCBRIDE WAS AN 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, UM, ASPECTS OF LIFE IN BUTT COUNTY.
THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANGE IN THE
[02:15:01]
ORIGINAL ON 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, BUT 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 BEFORD 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.