Mar 09, 2026 County Council

[00:00:04]

. I'D LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER THE MARCH NINTH MEETING OF 2026.

PLEASE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND INVOCATION BY GERALD DAWSON.

THANK YOU VERY. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND SUPREME COURT JUSTICES.

ONE NATION UNDER GOD. INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY. JUSTICE AROUND.

PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR THE INVOCATION. LET US PRAY.

FATHER GOD, WE COME YOU IN THE NAME OF YOUR SON JESUS CHRIST BECOME MORE GOD THAT YOU ARE GOD AND BESIDE YOU THERE IS NO OTHER. WE COME OF OUR GOD AND ASK YOU NOW TO INTERVENE IN THE WAR THAT IS IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND BRING IT TO AN END SAY.

OH, FATHER GOD. THE LIVES OF THE INNOCENT THE MEN AND WOMEN ON BOTH SIDES.

THOSE CONFLICT ENDED. OH FATHER GOD IS YOU CAN FOUR MORTAL MAN DOESN'T HAVE THE NOW WE PRAY FOR THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I GATHERED HERE TODAY WE THANK YOU FOR BLESSING US AND HAVING BROUGHT US TO THIS POINT IN THIS DAY WE ASK YOU TO GUIDE THROUGH THIS PROCESS NOW AND AS WE TAKE CARE OF THE BUSINESS THAT COME BEFORE COUNCIL THAT IS US DELIBERATE OF ALL GOD AND THE SPIRIT OF LOVE AND CAPACITY AND COMPANION FOR EVERY INDIVIDUAL IN THIS COUNTY THAT AS WE DISPOSE OF THESE ISSUES THAT COME BEFORE US WE DO SO IN A MANNER WITH UTMOST CONCERN AS TO HOW IT AFFECTS EVEN THE LEAST AMOUNT US IN JESUS NAME I PRAY.

AMEN. THANK. MR. BROAD WAS MEETING ADVERTISED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT .

[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

CONFIRM. ALL RIGHT. AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS PUBLISHED SO MOVED.

ALL RIGHT, A SECOND. NOW TO THANK YOU ALL IN FAVOR OF SIGN OF HANDS.

[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

THANK YOU. A SECOND THE SECOND LOOK BY COUNCILMAN GLOVER ALL IN FAVOR

[6. PRESENTATION]

WE WERE ALL NUMBER SIX ON OUR AGENDA AT THIS TIME. WE HAVE A PRESENTATION ABOUT THE TIME CAPSULE COMMEMORATING BEFORE ITS BICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION OF MARQUIS DE LAFAYETTE HISTORIC VISIT TO BEAUFORT IN MARCH OF 1825. AND IF YOU'LL SAY YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND YOUR WE I THINK MOST OF US KNOW YOU BUT JUST IN CASE LISA SANDOVAL A HISTORIC B FOR A FOUNDATION IT IS A DELIGHT TO BE WITH YOU HERE TONIGHT ALMOST EXACTLY A YEAR FROM OUR BICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION THAT WAS HELD ON MARCH 18TH, 2025 IN CELEBRATION OF THE MARQUIS DE LAFAYETTE VISIT TO BEAUFORT AS A PART OF HIS OF THE NATION IN 1824 AND 1825 AT THAT TIME HE BROUGHT WITH HIM A LOYALTY, A STEADFAST BELIEF AGAINST AGAINST SLAVERY. HE BELIEVED IN LIBERTY. HE BELIEVED IN JUSTICE FOR ALL.

AND WE WANTED TO COMMEMORATE THAT LAST YEAR WITH OUR CELEBRATION AND WE THANK THE COUNTY FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP IN THAT EFFORT AND FOR HAVING THE BEAUFORT COUNTY TV ON SITE TO FILM THE EVENTS THAT HAPPENED THAT DAY. OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY AND THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOLS SO WE THANK YOU ALL FOR FOR THAT LAST YEAR WE WELCOMED MORE THAN 3000 AND I THINK THE POLICE WERE 3 TO 5000 PEOPLE THAT CAME DOWN FOR CELEBRATION ON MARCH 18TH ON A TUESDAY AND WAS EXACTLY ON THE DATE THAT IT HAD HAPPENED AT 1925. WE ALSO WELCOME FROM THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOLS 505TH GRADERS AND WHAT WAS AMAZING WAS THAT YOUR BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM BUSSED THEM DOWN TO THE WATERFRONT SO THAT THEY COULD BE A PART OF THIS COMMEMORATIVE CELEBRATION AND RECOGNITION BUT ALSO UNDERSTANDING THE REASON, THE PURPOSE FOR THE CELEBRATION AND

[00:05:05]

SO WHAT WE'D LIKE DO FIRST IS I'D LIKE TO INVITE A FEW PEOPLE UP HERE WITH US DON A DINKY WHO IS VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD FOR HISTORIC BEAUFORT FOUNDATION AND SHE'S CARRYING THE VERY DELICATE BOX AND I'D LIKE TO INVITE COUNSEL DOWN HERE FOR THIS AND THEN ALSO WE'VE GOT GRACE CORDIAL FROM THE COUNTY LIBRARY WITH US TONIGHT AND WE HAVE STELLA SCOTT WHO WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN ENGAGING ALL OF OUR ARTISTS LOCALLY TO BE A PART OF THIS.

AND I DON'T THINK THAT THERE WAS ANYONE ELSE FROM THE COMMITTEE TODAY BUT IF YOU WOULD SHOW IT FIRST TO COUNCIL AND THEY CAN SEE OUR COMMEMORATIVE TIME CAPSULE AND OF COURSE WHEN GRACE GETS A HOLD OF IT ALL THE PRETTY BOWS WILL COME ON, IT'LL BE STUCK, YOU KNOW, AND IN AN ARCHIVE BUT THAT'S OKAY YOU KNOW I THINK THE THING IS IS THIS IS A PART OF OUR COMMUNITY AND WE'RE JUST SO PROUD TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BE A PART OF IT AND TO BE PARTNERS WITH YOU. WE ARE LEAVING THE BOX OPEN UNTIL THE END OF MARCH SO THAT MORE PIECES OF MEMORABILIA CAN BE PUT INTO THE BOX BECAUSE I KNOW A FEW PEOPLE JUST COULDN'T GET IT HERE IN TIME FOR TONIGHT SO WE'RE GOING TO GET THAT WORD OUT TO THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY PLEASE PLEASE LET US KNOW IF THEY HAVE ANYTHING OR THAT THEIR CHILDREN THE SCHOOLS AND AND AS A MATTER OF FACT KAREN APOLOGIZE. SHE COULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT AND SHE WANTED TO BE HERE WITH THE COUNTY AS A PART OF IT. BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT THIS CEREMONY TO THE COUNTY AND TO THE DISTRICT COLLECTION. THANK SO MUCH.

I'M GOING TO PUT YOU YEAH. DO YOU WANT TO SEND THE PICTURE? I KIND OF LOVE TO HAVE YOU THE PICTURE NOW I I REMEMBER WELL THE CHILDREN THEY HAD THEIR THERE THEY DRESSED UP DIDN'T THEY LEAST. YES SHE DID THEY DID THEY DID A GREAT FABULOUS IT WAS FABULOUS HOW MUCH IS HAD AND COORDINATE .

YEAH WHERE DO ALL THE TALL GUYS THEY GO BEHIND THE CAN YOU TELL US YOU SHOULD BE OUT HERE NEXT TO IT YOU KNOW WITH US. YEAH THAT OUT SOMEWHERE IN HERE.

YEAH WELL YOU KNOW THAT ONE TIME YEAH I GOT TO SAY RIGHT HERE NOBODY WOULD OPEN THEIR OR

[00:10:13]

[7. ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT]

PLEASE. GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR. COUNSEL.

TONIGHT WE HAVE A FEW RECOGNITIONS SO I'D LIKE TO START OFF WITH MAJOR SPENCER.

JEROME SPENCER WITH THE COUNTY SHERIFF'S THERE IS SO MAJOR SPENCER WAS EMPLOYED BY THE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE FROM OCTOBER 7TH, 1985 THROUGH FEBRUARY 20TH, 2026.

HE STARTED HIS CAREER THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AS A PATROL DEPUTY.

HE HELD VARIOUS EXTRA POSITIONS SUCH AS THE SWAT TEAM AND THE DOVE TEAM.

HE THROUGH THE RANKS THAT RANGE FROM SHIFT SUPERVISOR TO MASTER SERGEANT LIEUTENANT AND CAPTAIN. HE TRANSFERRED TO TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT AS A SUPERVISOR EVENTUALLY TRANSFERRING BACK TO NORTHERN ENFORCEMENT AS THE MAJOR OVER THE NORTHERN ENFORCEMENT BRANCH IN JULY OF 2022 HE HELD THAT POSITION UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT AGAIN ON FEBRUARY 20TH, 2026. SO WE LIKE TO RECOGNIZE FOR YEARS OF SERVICE YOU MAKE A FEW WORDS FOR US BIG RECOGNITION LOOKING FORWARD TO EVERY DAY BEING SATURDAY THANK YOU THANK YOU HAS CREATED THE PERFECT MAN FOR EVERY DAY NEXT I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR NEW DEPUTY COUNTY ATTORNEY MONICA MAINE. SHE'S COMING FORWARD NOW MONICA BEGAN HER EMPLOYMENT HERE COUNTY ON SECOND AS A DEPUTY COUNTY ATTORNEY SHE GRADUATED FROM THE JOSEPH F RICE SCHOOL OF LAW IN COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA 2020. SINCE GRADUATING SHE HAS WORKED IN SEVERAL AREAS LAW INCLUDING CLERKING FOR THE HONORABLE ROBERT BONDS IN WALTERBORO SOUTH CAROLINA AND PROSECUTING CRIMINAL CASES FOR THE 14TH CIRCUIT SOLICITOR'S OFFICE.

SO YES, WE GOT HER FROM DUFFY WHICH I'M SO GLAD TO HEAR THAT. SO YOU'LL ABOUT THAT LATER BUT WE'RE REALLY GLAD TO HAVE HER HERE AND WELCOME HER TO THE TEAM.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE OPPORTUNITY.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. PICTURE I DON'T KNOW.

OKAY. NEXT WE'VE GOT A RECOGNITION FOR JOHN REINBOLD FROM OUR AIR.

HE'S OUR AIRPORTS DIRECTOR EARNED THE ACCREDITED AIRPORT EXECUTIVE DESIGNATION.

SO I BELIEVE JOHN YOU CAN COME ON FORWARD HERE IN THIS FROM THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF AIRPORT EXECUTIVES WHICH IS THE HE IS THE HIGHEST PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIAL AND AIRPORT MANAGEMENT IS EARNED BY ONLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF AVIATION NATIONWIDE.

ACHIEVING THIS DESIGNATION REQUIRES COMPLETE RIGOROUS ACCREDITATION PROCESS INCLUDES A COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION PROFESSIONAL RESEARCH OR WRITING REQUIREMENT AND A FINAL INTERVIEW BEFORE A PANEL OF INDUSTRY LEADERS PRETTY EXTENSIVE PROCESS THIS ACCOMPLISHMENT FROM JOHN'S TO PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE AND LEADERSHIP IN AVIATION WHICH WE'VE SEEN HE'S BEEN HERE SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE ANYWAY AND HIS ACHIEVEMENTS STRENGTHENS THE AIR, THE EXPERTIZE GUIDING THE AIRPORTS AND HELPS ENSURE WE CONTINUE OPERATING SAFE, EFFICIENT AND HIGH PERFORMING AVIATION FACILITIES THAT SUPPORT OUR RESIDENTS BUSINESS AND THE REGIONAL ECONOMY. PLEASE JOIN US IN CONGRATULATING JOHN THIS OUTSTANDING ACCOMPLISHMENT. I DO A CERTIFICATE IT'S PROBABLY JUST THANK YOU.

IT'S A BIG HONOR TO DO THIS. IT DID TAKE A LONG TIME TO DO IT AND I HAVE TO THANK JANET CHRISTINE WHO'S THE CHIEF INFRASTRUCTURE OFFICER AT CHARLOTTE.

HE'S ONE WHO WAS MY PROFESSIONAL MENTOR TO GET ME THROUGH THIS.

YOU CAN'T CAN'T GET THROUGH WITHOUT A GOOD MENTOR. SO A LOT OF CREDIT GOES TO JACK AND THE OTHER FOLKS IN THE INDUSTRY WHO HELPED ME ALONG. SO I APPRECIATE THAT AND THANK

[00:15:02]

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. OKAY.

NEXT UP PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE WHICH MET ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4TH THAT THE NEW RIVERSIDE BARN IN BLUFFTON AND CONTINUE DISCUSSIONS AND OF LIST OF TRANSPORTATION RELATED PROJECTS FOR CONSIDERATION IN NOVEMBER 2026 DURING THE MEETING WE HAD TWO PRESENTATIONS ONE WAS OUR OWN COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE CHAIR CRAIG GORDON. HE PROVIDED AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAM AND DISCUSSED RECENT PAYMENT MANAGEMENT PLANNING EFFORTS. THIS IS FOCUSED ON COUNTY OWNED ROADS AS WELL AS CERTAIN LOW VOLUME ROADS MAINTAINED BY NCDOT AND WE'RE TAKING THAT INTO ACCOUNT SO WHEN WE LOOK AT RESURFACING WE WOULD LOOK AT WHAT KCTCS ALREADY FUNDED NEXT WE HAD THE BLUFFTON TOWN MANAGER STEPHEN SAEZ GIVE A PRESENTATION ON THE TOWN'S SIGNIFICANT GROWTH OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES A PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON CURRENT DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY IN THE BLUFFTON AND BELT BUCKWALTER PARKWAY CORRIDORS.

HE OUTLINED SEVERAL PROPOSED TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS THAT WOULD ADDRESS TRAFFIC DEMANDS BOTH WITHIN BLUFFTON AND THE BROADER REGION. THE COMMITTEE THEN FURTHER HAD DISCUSSIONS ON REGARDING ONGOING CONGESTION AND ROADWAY SAFETY CONCERNS ACROSS THE COUNTY INCLUDING CONCERNS THAT WERE SHARED BY RESIDENTS IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY AND AS MR. ASKED THE NEXT TEC MEETING WILL BE WEDNESDAY MARCH 2026 FROM 1 TO 3 THAT'S THIS WEDNESDAY IN HILTON TO THEIR TOWN HALL AND THEY WILL PRESENT THEIR PROJECTS AND LET'S PROGRAM MANAGER STEPHANIE ROSS HE WILL ALSO PRESENT THE NEXT TWO UPCOMING MEETINGS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AFTER THAT OR IN BEAUFORT TO CITY HALL AND THAT'S ON MARCH 18TH AND THEN THERE'LL BE TWO LOCATIONS NORTH AND SOUTH THE WORKING COMMUNITY MEETING SOUTH THE BROAD WILL BE ON APRIL 1ST 2026 AND THAT WILL BE EVENING MEETING FROM 530 TO 730 AND THEN THERE'LL BE A WORKING COMMUNITY IN THE NORTH THAT'S ON APRIL 22ND ALSO FROM 530 TO 730 TO ALLOW FOR THE PUBLIC TO THOUGH THEN HAVE A WORKING MEETING ON MAY SIX FROM 1 TO 3 WITH FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL ON MAY 11 2026. SO THAT'S AN UPDATE ON THE PROGRESS OF THE TAG. ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS WE KNOW LOCATION OF THE TWO EVENING MEETINGS WE DO NOT IT I DO NOT HAVE IT HERE.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S BEEN POSTED YET BUT WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT GETS OUT ANY OTHER FOR OUR ADMINISTRATOR JUST QUICKLY. YES, WE WOULD HOW DO YOU ASSESS THE PROGRESS BEING MADE AT THIS TIME? MY ASSESSMENT IS THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF REALLY GOOD DIALOG AMONG THE MEMBERS. I THINK ALL GETTING UP TO SPEED WITH ASSISTANCE OF OUR STAFF ON ON YOU KNOW PROJECTS THAT ARE OUT THERE THEY'RE HEARING FROM THE COMMUNITY.

SO I'D SAY SO FAR IT'S BEEN A GOOD DIALOG BUT I THINK THERE'S STILL QUITE A BIT OF WORK TO DO TO GET TO A PRIORITIZED AND SOMETHING THAT WE CAN GET TO THE VOTERS BUT SO FAR SO GOOD I WOULD SAY THANK YOU. LET ME JUST REMIND THE AUDIENCE THAT THEY ARE AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING. YES. ALL THE ALL THE MEETINGS ARE ONLINE. WE BROADCAST SOME OF THE MEETINGS SOME WE'VE NOT BROADCAST LIVE BUT THEY'RE ALL AVAILABLE IN THE ARCHIVES ON THE WEBSITE.

[8. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD]

SO WE HAVE EIGHT PEOPLE WHO SIGNED UP. IS THERE ANYONE WHO CAME LIGHT AND STILL WANTS TO SIGN UP? ALL RIGHT, LET'S WITH THE FIRST ONE WHO IS CHRISTINA WILSON AND IF YOU COME FORWARD IT WILL START A CLOCK WHEN YOU GET UP TO THE PODIUM PODIUM.

MADAM CHAIR, COUNCIL MY NAME IS CHRISTINA WILSON. I SERVE AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR THE CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION ASSOCIATION COPPA IS A NONPROFIT DEDICATED TO STRENGTHENING FAMILIES AND PREVENTING CHILD ABUSE NEGLECT THROUGH EDUCATION, FAMILY SUPPORT AND COLLABORATE ACTION WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS. WE ALSO OPERATE OPEN ARMS CHILDREN'S HOME AND 23 LOCAL FOSTER HOMES ALL OF WHICH HELP TAKE CARE OF VICTIMS OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT. FOR MANY YEARS COPPA HAS WORKED CLOSELY THE COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO SUPPORT FAMILIES FACING CHALLENGES. I ATTENDED THE RECENT CHAT

[00:20:05]

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO THE WELL-BEING OF ALL COUNTY RESIDENTS EVEN A SMALL THANK YOU. NEXT ON OUR LIST IS DALE DOUG THOR, MY SENIOR. RIGHT. OKAY.

WHEN YOU HAVE A WEIRD LAST NAME YOU REALLY DON'T CARE HOW ANYBODY PRONOUNCE THAT.

SO THANKS EVERYBODY FOR ALLOWING US TO SPEAK. MY NAME IS DALE DOUTHAT.

I'M THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF UNITED WAY OF THE LOWCOUNTRY SERVING BEAUFORT JASPER COUNTY'S. I'VE MENTIONED IN PREVIOUS COUNCIL MEETINGS THIS COMMUNITY JUST ISN'T LIVABLE FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE. FAMILIES ARE UNDER STRUCTURAL ECONOMIC STRESS THAT'S BEEN BUILDING FOR DECADES. HOUSING COSTS HAVE DRAMATICALLY OUTPACED WAGES. CHILD CARE NOW CONSUMES 20 TO 37% FOR A LOT OF FAMILIES AND INFLATION HAS ERODED PURCHASING POWER EVEN AS WAGES LAG BEHIND PRODUCTIVITY GROWTH.

WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF WEALTHY INDIVIDUALS IN THIS COMMUNITY BUT A LOT OF OUR COMMUNITY OR WHAT WE CALL ALICE POPULATION ALICE STANDS FOR ASSET LIMITED INCOME CONSTRAINED EMPLOYED. SO THESE ARE WORKING FAMILIES AND THEY EARN TOO MUCH TO QUALIFY FOR A LOT PROGRAMS BUT NOT ENOUGH TO ABSORB A MINOR SHOCK ONE RENT INCREASE, ONE FLAT TIRE, ONE MEDICAL BILL WILL SEND THESE FAMILIES INTO CRISIS AT THE SAME TIME PHILANTHROPY CAN'T ABSORB THE GAP MOST OF THE FOLKS DONATE MONEY OR MIDDLE INCOME INDIVIDUALS AND THEY ARE ALSO BURDENED WITH THE INCREASES IN IN THE COMMUNITY AND CHARITABLE GIVING HASN'T INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY OVER LAST FOUR DECADES.

THE RESULT IS PREDICTABLE AGENCIES ARE SHIFTING INTO EMERGENCY SERVICES WHICH MEANS THAT THEIR PROACTIVE PROGRAMS TO HELP PEOPLE SELF-SUFFICIENT ARE GETTING TABLED SOUTH OF THE BROAD SUPPORT AGENCIES ARE PULLING THEIR FUNDS AND THEY'RE KEEPING THEM LOCAL INSTEAD OF ASSISTING COMMUNITY WIDE NORTH OF THE BROAD SUPPORT THE AGENCIES UP HERE ARE SIMPLY RUNNING OUT OF MONEY TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE. THEY CAN'T DO IT ALL THE TIME.

THE SUPPORT SYSTEM IS NOT DESIGNATED FIRST IS NOT DESIGNED FOR SUCCESS.

IT'S DESIGNED TO SUPPRESS AND DEPRESS THE FAMILIES THAT WE ARE ACTUALLY TRYING TO SUPPORT.

THIS IS PRECISELY WHY INFRASTRUCTURE MATTERS AND IT'S WHY THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT THAT WAS DEVELOPED IN COUNTY IS BEING REPLICATED IN OTHER COMMUNITIES WE'RE NOT

[00:25:03]

THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT A DEPARTMENT. IT'S ABOUT WHETHER WE'RE INVESTING IN STABILITY OR WAITING FOR AN ESCALATION. THE DEPARTMENT REPRESENTS STRUCTURAL PROTECTION FOR WORKFORCES ALREADY UNDER STRAIN AND IF WE CHOOSE TO IGNORE THE SOLUTIONS ESPECIALLY ONES THAT ALREADY THEN WE'RE CHOOSING TO MULTIPLY EXISTING PROGRAMS PROBLEMS SORRY EXISTING PROBLEMS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT. I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. NEXT ON OUR LIST IS RON. I THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK PUBLICLY. THE DEPARTMENT'S CLOSURE AND MORPHING INTO NEXUS I THINK IT'S BEEN UNCLEAR HOW IT'S BEEN HANDLED SO FAR. I'VE BEEN TO ONE OTHER PUBLIC MEETING WHICH I REALLY APPRECIATE AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO SAY THAT I APPRECIATE YOUR STEERING OUR SHIP THAT IS BEAUFORT COUNTY AND. I REALLY APPRECIATE THE PRAYER BEFORE THIS PARTICULAR MEETING . I FIND THAT VERY APPROPRIATE.

SO YEAH OUR CHURCH HELPS WITH THE SHELTER AND WE'RE WONDERING HOW THAT'S GOING TO BE COORDINATED AND WHETHER OR NOT NEXUS IS GOING TO WORK WITH US THROUGH THAT PROCESS.

I THINK YOU CAN TELL I'M JUST A NORMAL GUY WONDERING HOW THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT IS ACTUALLY GOING TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER. I THINK YOU KNOW I WAS BORN AND BEAUFORT COUNTY HOSPITAL IT'S A NONPROFIT WE WANT TO KEEP IT GOING.

I'M GLAD MSD IS HERE I KNOW THAT THERE ARE MANY POLITICAL FOOTBALLS THAT YOU GUYS ARE MANAGING. WE DON'T WANT TO FUMBLE THIS ONE.

SO I THINK THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT DOES A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PREVENTION FOR OUR COUNTY. I THINK THAT COST IS VERY DIFFICULT TO CALCULATE AND AS THIS PROCESS OF MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS PARTICULAR DEPARTMENT CONCERNS WE AS THE PUBLIC ARE EXTREMELY CONFUSED. WE DON'T KNOW HOW THIS IS GOING TO WORK AND WE'RE WONDERING IS GOING TO WORK. SO I APPRECIATE THIS TIME OPPORTUNITY AND OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. SO THANK YOU. MR. SANDERS.

NEXT ON OUR LIST IS FRED THE COUNCIL. MY NAME IS FRED LEIDER.

I'VE SERVED AS BEAUFORT COUNTY'S HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR FOR 28 YEARS UP UNTIL LAST YEAR 24. THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND ITS FOUNDATIONAL PROGRAM THE COLLABORATIVE ORGANIZATION SERVICES FOR YOUTH AND ADULTS ARE COZY WAS CREATED RESPONSE TO A TROUBLING REALITY IN BEAUFORT COUNTY IN THE LATE 1990S.

CHRISTINA ALLUDED TO IT AND SO DID DALE. DOZENS OF LOCAL CHILDREN WERE BEING PLACED IN RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES. MANY OF THOSE PLACEMENTS OCCURRED NOT BECAUSE CHILDREN LONG TERM CLINICAL TREATMENT BUT BECAUSE FAMILIES WERE ALREADY CRISIS. THERE WAS NO COORDINATED SUPPORT SYSTEM IN PLACE.

THOSE PLACEMENTS COST THE STATE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PER CHILD AND OPERATED OFTEN SEPARATED FAMILIES WHEN EARLIER SUPPORT COULD HAVE STABILIZED THEM AT HOME.

SO BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL TOOK A LEADERSHIP ROLE AND BUILT SOMETHING DIFFERENT A COORDINATED HUMAN SERVICES NETWORK APOLOGIZE. FOCUSED ON PREVENTION, STABILITY AND BETTER OUTCOMES FOR FAMILIES. IT WAS GROUNDED IN A UNIQUE HEALTH AND HUMAN PARTNER HELP IN HEALTH AND HUMAN PARTNERSHIP WITH MORE THAN JUST THE MULTIPLE STATE THAT HAVE RECENTLY MERGED. AND IT'S LONG BEEN VIEWED AS A MODEL WORTH REPLICATING STATEWIDE NATIONALLY. THIS WORK IS NOT SIMPLY INFORMATION REFERRAL. IT'S A NEUTRAL COORDINATION CONNECTING MORE THAN 100 COMMUNITY PARTNERS, NONPROFITS ,HEALTH PROVIDERS, FAITH ORGANIZATIONS AND PUBLIC AGENCIES WORKING TOGETHER TO HELP FAMILIES NAVIGATE COMPLEX SYSTEMS BEFORE ESCALATE.

WHEN PREVENTION WORKS, FAMILIES STAY TOGETHER. CHILDREN REMAIN AT HOME.

[00:30:03]

THAT'S A VERY SMALL INVESTMENT PROTECTING, VERY EXPENSIVE PUBLIC SYSTEMS PREVENTION PROTECTS TAXPAYERS FROM FAR MORE EXPENSIVE CRISES. PUT IF YOU ELIMINATE PREVENTION YOU DO NOT ELIMINATE COST. YOU SIMPLY MOVE THAT COST INTO LAW ENFORCEMENT DETENTION CENTERS, COURTROOMS, EMERGENCY ROOMS, AMBULANCES, FOSTER CARE PLACEMENTS, SHELTERS, CRISIS SERVICES AND COUNTLESS OTHER TAXPAYER FUNDED INTERVENTIONS. EVEN AND PARKS ARE NOT EXEMPT AS THEY INCREASINGLY SERVE AS DE FACTO REFUGES. REFUGES FOR SHELTERED RESIDENTS . THESE PROGRAMS WORK BECAUSE THE DEPARTMENT SERVES AS A NEUTRAL CONVENER BECAUSE AGENCIES TOGETHER TO STRENGTHEN THE ENTIRE HUMAN SERVICES ECOSYSTEM AND SOLVE PROBLEMS BEFORE THEY BECOME CRISES SOMETHING THAT NEXIS CAN'T DO NOT BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT QUALIFIED BUT BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT IN THAT POSITION.

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

NEXT ON OUR LIST IS ARNOLD AL BROWN. GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND THANK YOU FOR THE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG ALSO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS. I'M SURE YOU'VE SEEN HEADLINES. IT SAYS FEDERAL COURT DISMISSES CHALLENGE TO SAINT HELENA OR CPO. I'M SURE YOU'VE SEEN THAT SEVERAL TIMES. YOU PROBABLY SAW IT ON TELEVISION THE DISMISSAL OF THE CASE WAS BASED ON. THE JUDGE SAID IT WAS MOOT. IN OTHER WORDS MOOTS MEAN THAT IS NO CASE THE ISSUE IS DEAD . IT SETTLED. THAT'S THAT'S HOW I READ THE JUDGE'S DECISION DECISION WHICH I HAVE A COPY OF IT HERE. IF ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A COPY OF IT, LET ME KNOW. SO WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS? WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS? SPEAKING OF SAY THIS IS RAISED THIS IS A I THINK IS IN MY OPINION IT'S A ISSUE. EASTER IS COME IN GRACE WAS READ FROM THE DEAD .

IF ANYBODY IS GOING TO READ REASONS FROM THE DEAD LET IT BE CHRIST WE ASKING THAT THE COUNTY COUNCIL NOT RAISE THIS FROM THE DEAD WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS FROM THE THE LVL IN PINE ISLAND? WELL THEY CAN DROP THE STATE CASE PERMANENTLY DROP THE STATE AND THE FEDERAL CASE JUST WALK AWAY AND LEAVE IT ALONE OR. THEY CAN APPEAL TO BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL TO COME UP WITH SOME REASON TO RESCIND SOMETHING.

THE REVOTE. LET'S NEGOTIATE AGAIN. BUT I THINK WE'RE BEYOND THAT POINT WE DON'T WANT TO DRAG THIS THING OUT ANOTHER TWO OR THREE YEARS.

THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF BAILING OUT ANY PRIVATE END IN THE T.

MISTAKES HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE AND THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR BAILING OUT THEIR MISTAKES. THEY PROPOSE GOING WITH TWO OPTIONS THEY SHOULD GO WITH THEIR SECOND OPTION IF THAT'S ON THE TABLE THEY SHOULD GO WITH THE SECOND OPTION.

AND WE ASKED THE COUNCIL MEMBERS NOT TO DRINK KOOL-AID KOOL-AID IS COMING I THINK THAT HAS ALREADY STARTED ALREADY WHERE APPEALS ARE BEING MADE TO INDIVIDUALS TO COME UP WITH A REASON TO BRING THIS BACK IN FRONT OF COUNTY COUNCIL SO THEY CAN READ VOTE.

SO LET US NOT GO BACKWARDS. LET'S GO FORWARD. IT'S IN THE COURT SYSTEM.

LET'S CONTINUE IN THE COURT SYSTEM. WE HAVE FAITH IN THE COURT SYSTEM. LET THEM DECIDE. LET THEM DECIDE.

THIS THING HAS DRAGGED OUT TOO LONG. DON'T BE AFRAID.

THAT'S THE OTHER THING. JUST DON'T BE AFRAID. SOME MEMBERS HAVE EXPRESSED THAT THEY ARE AFRAID THAT THE CASE IS NOT GOOD. IT'S NOT SOLID.

MY OPINION I THINK IT'S A GOOD SOLID CASE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU, MR. BROWN. NEXT VICTIMS WE MIGHT COMMENT STERN ABOUT MY GOVERNMENT. I'M JUST GOING TO EXPLAIN THAT I NEED TO LEAVE AND I WILL BE OH OKAY. THAT'S RIGHT YOU TELL ME. OKAY, LOOK, YOU HAVE TO SOMEWHERE. OKAY. THANK YOU.

I APOLOGIZE. THOUGHT YOU WERE COMING. ALL RIGHT TO YOU.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. OUR NEXT PERSON IS LISA PRINCE . IS IT RISA? AM I SAYING THAT CORRECTLY? OKAY. OKAY. GOOD EVENING.

[00:35:09]

ACCORDING TO THE FBI A HATE CRIME IS A CRIMINAL ACT SUCH AS ASSAULT, VANDALISM OR ARSON COMMITTED AGAINST A PERSON OR PROPERTY AND MOTIVATED IN WHOLE OR IN PART BY BIAS RELATED TO RACE, RELIGION, ETHNICITY, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, DISABILITY, GENDER IDENTITY OR GENDER.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THESE LAWS DO AND WHAT THEY DO NOT DO.

HATE CRIMES DO NOT PUNISH BELIEFS OR SPEECH THEY APPLY ONLY WHEN UNDERLYING CRIMINAL ACT HAS OCCURRED AND WHEN BIAS MOTIVATION CAN BE PROVEN BEYOND A REASONABLE.

NATIONALLY WE KNOW THAT HATE CRIMES ARE INCREASING IN 2024 THERE WAS ABOUT ONE EVERY 45 MINUTES AND EXPERTS ALSO AGREE THAT THESE CRIMES REMAIN UNDERREPORTED.

BUT THE DATA SHOWS SOMETHING MORE IMPORTANT. ANYONE CAN BE A VICTIM.

JUST BECAUSE ROUGHLY WE HALF OF THE REPORTED INCIDENTS ARE RACE BASED DOESN'T MEAN THERE AREN'T INCIDENTS IN EVERY DEMOGRAPHIC. SOUTH CAROLINA REMAINS OF ONLY TWO STATES WITHOUT A HATE CRIME LAW. SOUTH REPRESENTS 1.7% OF THE US POPULATION BUT 100% OF SOUTH CAROLINIANS LACK THE PROTECTION OF A STATE HATE CRIME LAW.

SINCE ONE SENATOR HAS BLOCKED A STATE BILL AND THE PEOPLE CANNOT PLACE A REFERENDUM ON THE BALLOT, YOU'RE KIND OF OUR LAST CLOSER TO HOME WE'VE SEEN ANTI-SEMITIC VANDALISM, BEAUFORT HISTORIC JEWISH CEMETERY AND RACIST GRAFFITI A CONSTRUCTION SITE IN HARTSVILLE AND BOMB THREATS AT MY CONGREGATION IN BETHLEHEM. THESE ACTS ARE MEANT TO HARM MORE THAN ONE PERSON. THEY'RE MEANT TO TERRORIZE AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY.

TODAY JUSTICE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY DEPENDS ON GEOGRAPHY. THE CITIES OF BLUFFTON, BEAUFORT AND PORT ROYAL HAVE HATE INTIMIDATION ORDINANCES. BUT WHEN THE SAME CONDUCT OCCURS ELSEWHERE IN THE COUNTY, NO COMPARABLE CHARGES EXIST. AND UNTIL THE STATE ACTS YOU COUNTY COUNCIL ARE THE ONLY ONES CAN CLOSE THAT GAP. WE ASK YOU TO TAKE TWO STEPS FIRST DIRECT STAFF TO DRAFT A HATE WHITE HATE A COUNTYWIDE HATE INTIMIDATION ORDINANCE.

AND SECOND CONSIDER A SECOND ORDINANCE THAT ENHANCES PENALTIES WHEN CRIMES SUCH AS ASSAULT, ARSON OR BURGLARY ARE PROVEN TO BE MOTIVATED. AND ALSO STATE THAT TODAY IN BEAUFORT COUNTY VIOLENCE INTIMIDATION DRIVEN BY HATE WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.

YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU, MR. PRINCE. AND NEXT ASHLAND HOUSTON THE COUNCIL. MY NAME IS ASHLEY HOUSTON AND I AM THE PROGRAM COORDINATOR FOR THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT. AS YOU KNOW, MY DEPARTMENT IS BEING CLOSED JUNE 30TH.

AND WITH THAT MY POSITION HAS BEEN TERMINATED. I ATTENDED COUNCIL AND COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND LISTENED QUIETLY WHILE MY DEPARTMENT MY WORK AND MOST IMPORTANTLY THE PLAN FOR MY CLIENTS GOING FORWARD WERE DISCUSSED WITHOUT INPUT FROM FROM ANYONE WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT. I DO NOT WISH TO CRITICIZE THE DECISION TO CLOSE THE DEPARTMENT OR THE COUNTY IN ANY WAY AND I RESPECT THAT DECISIONS LIKE THESE ARE NOT EASY FOR ANYONE AND DO NOT COME LIGHTLY. HOWEVER, I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE MY INPUT ABOUT THE ROLL OUT AND THE EFFECTS I SEE OF SOMEONE ON THE INSIDE AND WHO WORKS WITH THE PEOPLE WHO WILL BE DIRECTLY IMPACTED. MY COWORKERS AND I WERE INDIVIDUALLY INFORMED OF THE CLOSURE ON JANUARY THIRD. IN MY MEETING WITH ADMINISTRATION I EXPLICITLY ASKED WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR OUR CLIENTS? I WAS INFORMED A PLAN WAS BEING DEVELOPED WITHOUT SPECIFICS. ON FEBRUARY 6TH AN ARTICLE WAS RELEASED ON THE ISLAND PACKET WITH INTERVIEW FOR MR. MOORE EXPLAINING THE CLOSURE AND THE MOVE OF OUR CASES TO NEXUS. THIS IS WHERE I LEARNED OF THE FINALIZED TRANSITION PLAN FOR OUR CLIENTS. I WORKED TO DEVELOP A RELATIONSHIP WITH AGAIN WITHOUT INPUT FROM FROM STAFF. THIS ARTICLE WAS RELEASED BEFORE OUR CLIENTS WERE NOTIFIED OF THE CLOSURE DEPRIVING ME AND MY COWORKERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO INFORM THEM OURSELVES IN A WAY THAT MADE SENSE FOR EACH DIVERSE CASE WE WORK WITH.

MOST RECENTLY THE COMMUNITY SERVICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING THE TOPIC OF SERVICES WAS MENTIONED MULTIPLE TIMES. I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH EVERY THAT NEXUS OFFERS BUT I DO NOT BELIEVE THEY HAVE ANY PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY FOR OUR UNHOUSED POPULATION WHICH IS THE ENTIRE DEMOGRAPHIC THAT OUR OUTREACH COORDINATOR WORKS WITH WHOSE JOB DESCRIPTION WAS LEFT OUT OF THAT PRESENTATION. I CAN ALSO SHARE THAT OF OUR

[00:40:01]

THANK YOU, MS.. HOUSTON. NEXT NEXT IS FRED WASHINGTON GIVING HIM MEANING? MY NAME IS FRED WASHINGTON JUNIOR.

I'M A NATIVE OF BEAUFORT. I'M THE FORMER DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES BEAUFORT COUNTY 27 YEARS. I SERVED ON BEAUFORT CITY COUNCIL.

I ALSO SERVED ON THE SCHOOL BOARD. SOME OF THAT TIME WAS OVERLAPPED. I WAS IN A POSITION WHERE AS AN ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT I DELIVERED ALL THESE SERVICES TO PEOPLE SUPPORTED WITH TAX DOLLARS AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL. I WAS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR LEVYING TAXES SO I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH THAT I WHEN SPEND MONEY VERY VERY OF THE IMPACT IT HAS ON THE TAXPAYER.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO COMPLIMENT COUNTY ON AND I WAS THE SSA DIRECTOR.

I CAME TO YOU I THINK IT WAS 1980 283 AND ASKED FOR $10,000 .

I WANTED $10,000 TO BE ONE OF ONLY TWO COUNTIES IN THE STATE AND IMPLEMENTED A WELFARE REFORM PROGRAM WAS CALLED SEAWELL. THAT INVESTMENT MADE A DIFFERENCE IN PEOPLE'S LIVES. THIS COUNTY COUNCIL KNEW THAT WE HAD TO INVEST IN PEOPLE.

WE HAVE MANY AGENCIES THAT PROVIDE SERVICES BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE CONNECT ABILITY.

THERE'S ONE CLIENT THAT NEEDS MANY SERVICES AND SOMETIMES YOU NEED SOMEONE TO HELP THOSE SERVICES TOGETHER TO GET YOU A MAXIMUM BENEFIT. I DON'T TAKE LEVYING TAXES LIGHTLY BUT I'M NOT A RICH PERSON. BUT I ALSO BELIEVE IN THE CITIZENS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY. I WAS BORN HERE IN PARIS NOW SO I'M A NATIVE.

I AM PROUD OF THIS COMMUNITY. I'M PROUD OF THE INNOVATIONS OVER THE YEARS AND THE INVESTMENTS THAT YOU'VE MADE IN PEOPLE. I'M ASKING THAT YOU TO MAKE THAT INVESTMENT. WHEN WE DEAL WITH PEOPLE PEOPLE ARE COMPLICATED.

THERE ARE MANY SERVICES AND REQUIREMENTS THEY HAVE. SOMETIMES YOU NEED A BROKER, A GATEKEEPER TO HELP STEER IN DIRECT THOSE TO MAXIMIZE THE RESULTS OR THE BENEFITS THAT PROGRAM. SO I'M ASKING THAT YOU CONSIDER RETAINING HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT WITH THAT GATEKEEPER ROLE. AND I THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPEAR BEFORE YOU. THANK YOU, MR. WASHINGTON.

DID WE HAVE ANYONE SIGN UP WHEN ? OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. NO, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYONE ELSE SIGN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AND ASK YOU, MR. SMITH. I THINK YOU SIGNED UP FOR A PUBLIC HEARING.

[9. LIAISON AND COMMITTEE REPORTS]

ALL RIGHT. AT THIS TIME WE WILL GO THE LINE FOR ANY LIAISON AND COMMITTEE REPORTS AND I'LL START WITH MR. COUNCILMAN BARTHOLOMEW.

NOTHING REALLY TO SHARE THE MOMENT. OKAY.

COUNCILMEMBER Y LARSON, DO YOU HAVE. WE HAVE A FINANCE COMMITTEE NEXT MONDAY AND THEN THERE IS A OLDROYD MEETING TO COVER ALL THINGS ALL JOY THIS THURSDAY AT THE BLUFFTON LIBRARY. WHAT TIME DOES THAT START? I THINK IT IS 530 STARTS AT 530. IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE AN HOUR LONG.

WE'LL COVER EVERYTHING AND GO THROUGH EVERYTHING FROM DRAINAGE AND SEWER AND LANDING THE BIKE PATH. EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE GOING ON THERE RIGHT NOW ALL THINGS ALL JOY THAT'S EASY TO REMEMBER. OKAY, COUNCILMAN, PASS.

DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? NOTHING. THE LIBRARY BOARD MEETING WILL BE COMING UP SOON. NELSON REES? YES.

JUST ONE THING ON THE WAY HERE TODAY FOR THIS MEETING I SAW A NOTE COME IN THAT PHASE ONE AND MR. RUMBOLD, THIS DEALS WITH YOU MY GOOD MAN. PHASE ONE OF THE AIRPORT IS COMPLETE WHICH WE WERE FOCUSING ON. DO YOU HAVE 1/2? DO YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING RIGHT NOW? OH, WE DON'T DO THAT.

GEEZ, I'M SORRY. LISTEN. NO.

[00:45:01]

THANK YOU. THERE YOU GO. WE GOT THAT STRAIGHTENED UP BUT GOOD THE WORK IS GOING WELL. THANK I MEAN WE ARE ON DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME.

OKAY. THANKS. ALL RIGHT.

WE'LL START DOWN ON COUNCILMAN MIKE ALLEN. THANK YOU.

REPRESENTING THE NATURAL RESOURCES WHERE THE GREEN SPACE ADVISORY REPORTS PRIOR TO COMING TO COUNCIL THE NEXT MEETING OF THE GREEN SPACE COMMITTEE WILL BE THIS FRIDAY, MARCH 13TH AND THE AGENDA WILL CONSIST OF THE FOLLOWING THE VICTORIA BLUFF TREKS IN THE WESTERN REGION WILL CONSIDERED FOR FUNDING THE CHELSEA TRACKS WHICH ARE OUT THE COUNTY REGION FOR CONSIDERATION OF FUNDING THE GRANGES WHICH IS IN THE EASTERN REGION FOR CONSIDERATION OF DUE DILIGENCE AND THE BULK WATER PARCELS IN BLUFFTON FOUR PARCELS FIVE A AND FIVE B WILL BE PRESENTED DISCUSSION AND THAT WILL TAKE PLACE ON MARCH 13TH HERE IN THIS BUILDING WRITING THE 13TH MARCH. RIGHT.

OKAY. WHICH HAS A VERY BAD RAP BY THE AND I THOUGHT WE HAD THE TIME AND IT WASN'T DAYLIGHT SO I'D GO INTO A LESSON IN HISTORY BUT I'LL DROP IT FOR THIS EVENING.

THANK YOU AGAIN, COUNCILMAN DAWSON. COUNCILMAN CUNNINGHAM? YES FIREBAUGH TOLD ME ON THE BLUFFTON TOWN FIRE WILL MEET ON THE 17 THAT WILL SWEAR IN A NEW MEMBER. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A PUBLIC MEETING I BELIEVE ON MONDAY.

COUNCILMAN BROWN THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I ATTENDED THE DESIGN BOARD MEETING LAST THURSDAY AND FOR ALL YOU THAT KNOW ABOUT MAYLAND CENTER IT'S GOING IN ON 170.

IT'S GOING TO BE THE POSITION OF THE MASTER PLAN TO THE BOARD AND IT'S VERY EXCITING UPSCALE AND SHOPS AND THEY'RE TALKING TO DIFFERENT GROCERY STORES GROCERY WILL BE GOING IN BUT WE'RE AT THIS POINT WE DON'T WHICH ONE SO I'LL TIME VICE CHAIR COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT THEY A MEETING ON MARCH 3RD. CHAIRMAN CARLTON DALLAS ON TOPICS THEY ATTENDED THE SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION COLONEL GEIER AND DR. RODRIGUEZ CONDUCTED A BREAKOUT SESSION ON HOW TO WIN A REFERENDUM AND IT WAS WELL RECEIVED AND GENERATED GOOD DISCUSSION. THE DISTRICT HELD THEIR FIFTH ANNUAL THREE DAY AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY EDUCATION WITH OVER 500 ATTENDEES.

THE CONFERENCE ALIGNS WITH THE DISTRICT'S STRATEGIC PILLAR OF QUOTE ENGAGEMENT BY PROVIDING OUR STUDENTS KNOWLEDGEABLE INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR LOCAL HISTORY.

THE CONFERENCE IT WAS VERY INTERESTING THE CONFERENCE A VARIETY OF TOURS TO SAINT HELENA ISLAND, BLUFFTON MITCHELL PARK AND HIDDEN TREASURES OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND WHICH I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY WERE BUT THERE WERE HIDDEN TREASURES.

THERE WERE ALSO STUDENT PERFORMANCES AND WHAT WE ALL MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN.

A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT SPOKE DURING THIS SECOND PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT THE TRAFFIC ISSUE GETTING INTO AND OUT OF MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL. HE WAS VERY ARTICULATE AND THAT JUST WAS A POINT OF INFORMATION. I ATTENDED MEMORIAL HOSPITAL BOARD MEETING. THEY GAVE AN UPDATE ON THE NEW THAT'S BEING BUILT IN BLUFFTON RIGHT THERE AT THE CORNER AND THE WORKFORCE HOUSING. THEY ALSO GAVE AN UPDATE ON THE URGENT MEDICAL CENTER PLANS FOR HILTON HEAD ISLAND AND YOU KNOW, THEY'RE STILL HIRING DOCTORS. SO THERE WAS AN INTERESTING ABOUT THAT.

SEVERAL US ATTENDED THE STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION FOR COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

I'M ON THEIR BOARD. WE HAD A LOT OF ELECTED THERE. WE TALKED ABOUT A FORWARD VISION FUNDING ISSUES AND THE FOCUS OF EDC. I MET WITH ROB WELLS ABOUT LOCAL HHS FUNDS AND THE RESOLUTION PASSED AND WE ALSO ATTENDED A ZOOM FOR FOR GRANTEES AND I WANT TO POINT OUT ALISON DID A GREAT JOB. SHE WAS STELLAR ON THE ZOOM AND THE LAST I'M SURPRISED I MEAN JOE WAS THERE ELLIS WITH OUR DELEGATION.

SO I JUST WANT TO INFORM THE PUBLIC WHAT THE DELEGATION TALKED ABOUT AND I'M GIVING YOU A SNIPPET THE ONE THAT WAS OF INTEREST COURSE TO ME WAS THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.

THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT TAKING IT FROM 50000 TO 150000. SO OF COURSE WHAT DID WE THINK FIRST THING? WHO'S GOING TO COMPENSATE COUNTY FOR LOST TAX? SO THEY DID TALK ABOUT THAT AND WHETHER IT COMES OF FRUITION OR NOT.

WE'LL SEE. SENATOR DAVIS TALKED THE CONCURRENCY BILL IN THE SENATE.

HE'S BEEN A VERY EXPLICIT ON THAT AND THAT THERE WILL HAVE TO BE GUARDRAILS IN PLACE.

THE SENATE IS WORKING ON AMENDMENTS AND THEN THEY TALKED ABOUT ROADS.

THE CONVERSATION CAN THE COUNTY GET INFRASTRUCTURE MONEY TO HELP OUR ROADS THEY WERE

[00:50:01]

THAT'S BEEN A CONVERSATION. WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WITH THEM? HOW IS IT GOING TO PAY FOR THEM? WILL WE BE COMPENSATED? SO THAT WAS ON THERE. THEY TALKED ABOUT EXIT THREE AND I-95 YOU'VE ALL READ THE HOLD UP THERE. THEY'RE IN DISCUSSIONS OF A MEDICAL HEMP BILL.

THEY TALKED ABOUT FUNDING FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS AND THEN SENATOR DAVIS HAS BEEN OUT FRONT WITH HIS CONCERNS ABOUT DATACENTRES BEING BUILT IN THE USE OF ELECTRICITY AND WILL IT IMPACT THE AVERAGE CITIZEN AS FAR AS BILL'S TALKED ABOUT WORKFORCE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND REITERATED THE ABILITY FOR THE COUNTY TO USE A TAX FUNDS. MR. PASSMAN HAS TALKED THAT HE'S ASKED FOR THEM A POSSIBILITY TO WAIVE IMPACT FEES THAT WAS ON THERE AND THEN THEY TALKED ABOUT TRICARE REAL ESTATE FUNDED. IT WAS A PRETTY GOOD SESSION.

I MEAN A LOT OF IT WAS COVERED . I WAS THAT LAST TIME I WAS AT THE BARN OH THE BARN IN BLUFFTON THE BARN I HAD TWO THINGS OUT.

I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE JANET SHELLEY. SHE'S GOING TO BE OUR NEW APPOINTEE AFTER TONIGHT TO THE HOSPITAL BOARD IF YOU'LL RAISE YOUR HAND OR STAND UP.

WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING TO OUR MEETING, JANET. AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO FOR BEING PART OF THAT BOARD WOULD BE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL AND YOU LIVE IN PORT I THINK, RIGHT? SHE LIVES IN PORT ROYAL. THANK YOU.

THAT IS A BOARD. ALL OUR BOARDS TAKE A LOT OF DEDICATED VOLUNTEER TIME AND WE APPRECIATE YOU DOING IT. I WENT TO THE STATE ADVISORY COMMITTEE WHERE ALL THE LOCAL WHO HAVE MILITARY INTERESTS GO FOR A MEETING. A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION WAS SHARED WITH THAT AND I'LL SEND OUT AN EMAIL SOME MORE OF THE DETAILS.

ONE THING THAT WAS DISCUSSED WAS THE COAST COMING TO THE NAVAL HOSPITAL AND I'M TO SAY THAT THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. IT'S GOING TO GO TO BIRMINGHAM ,THE OLD BIRMINGHAM SOUTHERN COLLEGE CAMPUS IN BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

BUT THAT WAS DISCUSSED AT THAT MEETING AND EVERYONE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA BECAUSE WE ALREADY TRAINED MARINES AND IF WE COULD TRAIN COAST GUARD RECRUITS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN WONDERFUL BUT SO SO FAR THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. THE OTHER ANOTHER INTERESTING FACT THEY SHARED THAT IN THE UNITED STATES TODAY 23 OF 100 YOUNG PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY QUALIFY TO BE IN THE MILITARY AND SO RECRUITMENT IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE AN ISSUE NATIONWIDE. A LOT OF THEM CANNOT QUALIFY EITHER FOR REQUIREMENTS OR OTHER REQUIREMENTS. SO ALL RIGHT. ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE STATE OF THE COMMUNITY? YOU SPOKE? OH YEAH. AND FRIDAY I WAS WHERE WAS DAVID WAS THERE I WAS THERE.

HE WAS THERE AND YORK GLOVER TAB IT WAS A REALLY GOOD DISCUSSION AND WE'LL SHARE SOME OF THE FACTS AND ALSO A LOT OF OUR STAFF WAS AT THAT MEETING WE HAD A WHOLE TABLE AT THAT CHAMBER. IT WAS A FULL HOUSE DATAR AND I WILL MAKE SURE EVERYONE ON COUNCIL GET SOME OF THE FACTS FROM THAT MEETING I USED TO BE A FORGOTTEN HOW MANY PEOPLE FROM NORTHERN COUNTY COMMUTES SAT ANY ANYWHERE ELSE BUT NOW IT'S GONE UP TO MORE THAN 15%.

I HAVE IT RIGHT. JARON YEAH, MORE THAN IN NORTHERN COUNTY.

IF YOU'RE GOING TO WORK YOU GOT TO GET ON ROAD. SO THAT'S WHAT THAT'S WHAT IT WAS ONE OF THOSE FACTS AND OF COURSE THE ISSUES WERE THE SAME THAT WE'VE HEARD WORKFORCE HOUSING AND A NEED FOR MORE PEOPLE IN THE MEDICAL FIELD AS THE AS WE ALL KNOW OUR WHOLE NATION IS AGING. SO ANYTHING ELSE FROM WHERE I LEFT OUT WHO'S GOOD? THE DATA WAS REALLY GOOD. THE DATA WAS WONDERFUL AND GIVE IT TO COUNCIL.

[10. APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA]

ALL RIGHT. WE ARE AN ITEM THE CONCERN AGENDA.

DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA THE CONSENT AGENDA SO MOVED DO WE HAVE A SECOND A SECOND THAT I HEARD MARK LARSON OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR ANY DISCUSSION AND ALL IN FAVOR BY SHOW OF HANDS AND THAT IS UNANIMOUS NOW WE HAVE YOUR WORK ON THE SCREEN

[11.a. Discussion of a Hate Crime Ordinance]

[00:55:06]

SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE BACK HERE AND PART OF THE DISCUSSION INVOLVED LOOKING TO SEE ELSE WAS OUT THERE THROUGHOUT THE STATE AS FAR AS ANY ACTION OR THAT WAS TAKEN AT THE LOCAL LEVEL MEANING COUNTY OR MUNICIPALITIES RELATED TO HATE INTIMIDATION ORDINANCES.

SO WE'VE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT IN 2019 BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL ADOPTED A RESOLUTION SHOWING SUPPORT FOR THE HOUSE RESOLUTION FOR A HATE INTIMIDATION STATUTE ACROSS THE STATE OF COURSE THE HATE INTIMIDATION ORDINANCE DIDN'T PASS THE LEGISLATURE PASSED THROUGH THE HOUSE BUT IT DIDN'T GET THE SENATE. THERE'S BEEN A HOLD UP THERE.

IN 2025 CHARLESTON ADOPTED A SECOND RESOLUTION REINFORCING WHAT THEY PASSED BACK IN 2019 SHOWING SUPPORT FOR THE STATE LEGISLATURE TO ADOPT A STATEWIDE STATUTE FOR, HATE INTIMIDATION MAKING THAT A CRIME TO ENHANCE ANY VIOLENT THAT WAS COMPLETED WITH AN ACT THAT WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THE STATE LEGISLATURE AS FAR AS TARGETING SPECIFIC PROTECTED GROUPS LIKE GENDER RACE, ORIGIN, THINGS OF THAT NATURE TO DATE THERE HAVE BEEN TWO COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA THAT HAVE ADOPTED A INTIMIDATION ORDINANCE AND THEY'RE BOTH THE EXACT SAME WORDED SO RICHMOND COUNTY PASSED IT FIRST IN JUNE OF 2025 AND THEN IN AUGUST ORANGEBURG COUNTY THE SAME ORDINANCE THROUGHOUT THEIR COUNTY AND IT'S IN THE BACKUP. CAN YOU BRING UP THE RICHLAND COUNTY ORDINANCE OR I'M GOING TO READ YOU WHAT THE RICHLAND COUNTY CODE ORDINANCE ORDINANCES MAKES AN OFFENSE AND IT'S UNDER SECTION 1811 AND IT'S CALLED HATE INTIMIDATION AND IT SAYS AN OFFENSE DEFINE SHALL BE UNLAWFUL FOR ANY PERSON TO WITHIN THE UNINCORPORATED AREA OF RICHLAND COUNTY COMMIT A STATE CRIME STATE CRIME OR ORDINANCE OFFENSE WITH THE IN WHOLE OR IN PART TO CAUSE OR THE FEAR OF HARM INJURY OR DAMAGE TO THE VICTIM'S PERSON OR PROPERTY BECAUSE THE VICTIM'S ACTUAL OR PERCEIVED ETHNICITY NATIONAL ORIGIN COLOR, RELIGION, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER GENDER IDENTITY OR PHYSICAL OR MENTAL DISABILITY WHETHER OR NOT THE PERCEPTION IS CORRECT A PERSON FOUND IN VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION IS GUILTY OF A SEPARATE HATE CRIME OFFENSE OF HATE AND OF COURSE THE PENALTY BECAUSE IT'S A LOCAL WOULD BE $500 FINE OR UP TO 30 DAYS IN JAIL. NOW WHAT'S IMPORTANT IN THE TWO COUNTY ORDINANCES IS THAT THEY MAKE IT TO WHERE THE ORDINANCE COULD BE APPLIED TO EITHER A VIOLATION UNDER STATE STATUTE OR ONE OF THEIR LOCAL ORDINANCES. THE PROBLEM IS IF YOU LOOK AT THEIR LOCAL ORDINANCE IN RICHMOND COUNTY THEY GET ORDINANCES UNDER OFFENSES SUCH AS DISCHARGE OF A FIREARM IN A CERTAIN AREA LOITERING NOISE OR NOXIOUS VEGETATION CONSERVATION OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, BEER, WINE, SMOKING OR TOBACCO PRODUCTS ENHANCED TRIGGER DEVICES, ILLEGAL PUBLIC NUISANCES, FIREWORKS DESECRATION OF A GRAVESITE, CEMETERY OR BURIAL GROUND AND THEN INTIMIDATION THE ONLY ONE THAT WOULD REALLY BE APPLICABLE TO WOULD POTENTIALLY BE THE DESECRATION OF A GRAVESITE CEMETERY OR BURIAL GROUND AS MISS PRINCE TALKED ABOUT THAT AS FAR AS THERE HAS BEEN A VICTIM IN THIS AREA THAT THEY'RE AWARE OF AS I SAID AT THE COMMUNITY LEVEL I THINK THERE'S A THERE'S DIFFICULTY IN APPLYING A LOCAL ORDNANCE AS AN ENHANCEMENT TO A STATE OR FEDERAL CRIME.

UM, MY EXPERIENCE AS A PROSECUTOR YOU LOOK TO THE LEVEL OF THE LAW THAT YOU'RE ENFORCING FOR THE IN THE FEDERAL UH LAW YOU LOOK TO A FEDERAL LAW LIKE YOU HAVE A CHARGE OF MURDER IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. YOU LOOK TO THE AGGRAVATING

[01:00:01]

YOU WOULD NEVER LOOK TO THE STATE LAW FOR AGGRAVATING FACTORS TO ENHANCE YOU ONLY LOOK WITHIN THE STATUTE AT THE LEVEL OF THE GOVERNING BODY ADOPTED THAT LAW.

SAME FOR THE STATE I EXPECT MY EXPERIENCE IS THAT THE STATE WOULD ONLY LOOK TO OTHER STATE LAWS TO ENHANCE THAT NOT A LOCAL LAW OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD LIKELY ONLY LOOK TO A LOCAL LAW TO ENHANCE THE PENALTY IS WOULD BE MY OPINION YOU'LL FIND IN THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OPINION THAT I PROVIDED AGAIN THE BACK OF MATERIAL THAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL THINKS IS VERY QUESTIONABLE AS TO WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO ADOPT A LOCAL AUDIENCE FOR HATE INTIMIDATION. AND THAT'S BECAUSE THE STATE HAS FAILED TO PASS A STATE STATUTE AND SO INDIRECTLY THE IN THAT IT'S NOT A CRIME FOR TO COMMIT A HATE INTIMIDATION IN STATE OF CAROLINA AND THE STATE CONSTITUTION REQUIRES THAT THE STATE LEGISLATURE CREATE GENERAL CRIMES ACROSS THE STATE SO THEIR UNIFORM THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND WE POTENTIALLY BE IN WITH THAT. SO WE'D BE FIGHTING OFF CHALLENGES IF IT WAS EVER TO ENHANCE A LOCAL OR STATE CRIME IF WE ADOPTED THAT ORDINANCE YOU'D BE FIGHTING THAT EVERY TIME AND A COURT WOULD MAKE A DETERMINATION AND EITHER UPHOLD THE ORDINANCE OR THEY'D SAY THAT IT'S UNCONSTITUTIONAL. IT DOESN'T PASS CONSTITUTIONAL MUSTER AND KEEP IN MIND WE'D BE FIGHTING THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OPINION THAT'S OUT THERE AS FAR AS THEIR ANALYSIS INTERPRETATION THAT'S WEIGHING IN THE BACK OF THEIR MIND. SO THAT'S A CONCERN.

LIKE I SAID, ORANGEBURG ADOPTED THE EXACT SAME ORDINANCE AND THEN YOU'VE GOT SOME THREE LOCAL WANTS. YOU'VE GOT HARDY LITTLE BEAUFORT AND BLUFFTON HAVE PASSED HATE INTIMIDATION ORDINANCES LOCALLY. SO YOU'VE GOT THREE LOCALS AND THEN THE TWO COUNTIES ORDINANCES IN THE STATE. THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER MUNICIPALITIES ACROSS THE STATE THAT HAVE ADOPTED LOCAL ORDINANCES SO THERE'S BEEN MORE IN THE PAST TWO YEARS AND ADOPTING THOSE AND YOU GET LIKE TOWN OF ARCADIA LAKES, CITY OF BEAUFORT, BLUFFTON CITY OF CAMDEN CASE COLUMBIA CONWAY CHARLESTON THE CITY CITY OF CHESTER CITY OF CLEMSON CITY OF FLORENCE CITY OF GAFFNEY CITY OF GEORGETOWN.

CITY OF GREENVILLE. CITY OF HARTSVILLE IRMO OUR PALMS LAKE CITY MOUNT PLEASANT MYRTLE BEACH NORTH CHARLESTON. ORANGEBURG SPARTANBURG, SUMMERVILLE AND WOLFORD ACROSS THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA SO FAR SO SO YOU'RE GETTING TO WHERE IT'S NOT AS MUCH A PATCHWORK OF LOCAL CRIMES TODAY AS THERE WAS A FEW YEARS AGO. BUT YOU STILL HAVE THE PROBLEM WITH THE CONSTITUTIONAL THAT YOU HAVE TO GET OVER. SO I GUESS MY WOULD BE THAT YOU STRONGLY CONSIDER THE PATH THAT CHARLESTON AND THAT WOULD BE TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE REAFFIRMING OUR DESIRE FOR THE STATE LEGISLATURE TO ADOPT STATE LEGISLATION TO MAKE IT A UNIFORM CRIME ACROSS THE STATE IF COUNCIL DECIDES THAT'S NOT THE PATH THEY WANT TO GO TO AND YOU DIRECT THAT WE PASSED AN ORDINANCE WE'LL CERTAINLY WHAT WE'RE DIRECTED TO DO BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S VERY ON THE RECORD. THANK YOU.

THAT THERE ARE CONCERNS WITH OUR ABILITY TO ADOPT THAT ORDINANCE THAT BEEN EXPRESSED BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA. AND AS YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE HIGHEST AUTHORITY INTERPRETING THE LAW IN THE STATE, OPENING FOR QUESTIONS.

MAY I? YES, THE FIRST OF ALL, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OPINION THAT'S ALL IT IS IS AN OPINION THAT'S WHY ANYBODY READING THIS STATE THERE'S NO LEGAL PRECEDENT. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OPINION I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO BOTH THINGS. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE US PREPARE AN ORDINANCE HERE FOR OUR CONSIDERATION. AND I ALSO THINK THAT WE SHOULD SEND ANOTHER LETTER BECAUSE APPARENTLY THE FIRST ONE WAS IGNORED AND NOW FOUR YEARS HAVE GONE BY THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE WITH THE RESOLUTION INDICATING WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE A STATE HATE CRIME BILL PASSED SO PERHAPS WE COULD INCORPORATE THIS IN SOME KIND OF A RESOLUTION GOING FORWARD.

SO DO THE ORDINANCE YOU WOULD PREPARE FOR US USING THE MODELS OF ALL THOSE PEOPLE YOU'VE JUST REFERRED TO? LET ME FINISH AND ALSO SEND A NOTICE AGAIN GOES THE LAST ONE WE SENT IN 2022 APPARENTLY HAS NOT YET ACTED UPON LETTING ME KNOW HOW WE FEEL ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR THE GUIDANCE I WOULD LOOK FOR FROM COUNSEL IN DIRECTING THAT IN ORDER TO BE ADOPTED IS WHETHER YOU WANT TO FOLLOW THE MUNICIPALITY ROUTE WHERE IT JUST ENHANCES A LOCAL ORDINANCE OR THE TWO COUNTIES WHERE IT'S STATE CRIME OR LOCAL ORDINANCE.

YEAH WELL I'D HAVE TO FOLLOW THE BEST LEGAL ADVICE WE CAN GET IN THAT REGARD BUT WE BOTH OF THOSE THINGS IT MIGHT FUTILE SO PERHAPS WE SHOULD GO WITH THE WHAT PERCENTAGE YOU HAVE SO YEAH IT'S OBVIOUS THAT THE STATE IS NOT GOING TO PURSUE THE STATE CRIME BILL AND NOW WE

[01:05:03]

I'M I DON'T PUT A LOT OF STAKE IN THAT SO HAVING SAID THAT I THINK IT'S UP TO US AS COUNTY REPRESENTATIVES TO MOVE FORWARD WITH CREATING OUR OWN HATE CRIMES STATUTE TO MIRROR SOME OF THE OTHER COUNTIES THAT ALREADY HAVE HATE CRIMES. OTHER COMMENTS? YES, COUNCILMAN, ACTUALLY DIVING INTO THE LANGUAGE. THANK YOU, DAVID.

INTO THE LANGUAGE OF THE COUNTY THE RICHLAND COUNTY ONE I DEFINITELY HAVE SOME CONCERNS IN PARTICULAR WITH THE S.B. WHERE IT SAYS WHETHER OR NOT THE PERCEPTION IS CORRECT.

DID YOU FIND ANY INTERPRETATION OF WHAT THAT MEANT? OKAY.

BUT THAT'S NOT MY ISSUE WITH THIS. I JUST I DON'T LIKE THE OBJECTIVITY OF THAT LANGUAGE THE WAY I READ AND THEN ALSO SEE TO IT TALKS ABOUT MAKING PARENTS LIABLE DID EXTREMELY PROBLEMATIC TO MAKE SOMEONE ELSE LIABLE FOR A CRIME COMMITTED BUT AS YOU'VE SEEN IN THE NEWS FOR SOME OF THESE SHOOTINGS STATES ARE NOW PROSECUTING THE PARENTS WHEN THE KIDS GO OFF AND SHOOT OTHER POLICE SO SCHOOLS, WHATNOT.

I JUST CONVICTED A FATHER IN GEORGIA. I THINK THERE'S BEEN CONVICTIONS SO FAR. SO AND THE OTHER QUESTION IN BOTH OF THESE THE MUNICIPAL AND THE COUNTY THEY MENTIONED RESTITUTION IS THAT CAP A 70 $500 CAP IN BOTH MUNICIPAL AND COUNTY WOULD BE AT THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT SUMMARY COURT LEVEL THERE'S A 75 YEAH UNLESS THEY RAISE THAT BECAUSE I THINK THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT IN THE STATE HOUSE NOW.

YEAH. UNLESS THE STATE GAVE THEM AUTHORIZATION TO EXCEED 70 BUCKS WHICH THEY'RE NOT GOING TO DO BECAUSE THEY ONLY PASSED A STATUTE IT'S CAMDEN AND THEN MY MY LAST COUPLE OF QUESTIONS . ONE, HAVE ANY OF THESE MUNICIPAL OR COUNTY ORDINANCES THAT HAVE BEEN ADOPTED BEEN CHALLENGED IN COURT YET? I DON'T THINK IT'S EVER BEEN UTILIZED TO BE CHALLENGED NOW THAT WAS MY NEXT QUESTION HAVE THERE BEEN ANY CONVICTIONS OR TICKETS ISSUED? I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY CITATIONS ISSUED THROUGHOUT THE STATE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTIONS. YES, I DO. OH, SORRY.

GO AHEAD. I DO HAVE THE SAME CONCERN ABOUT PERCEPTION ONE.

I GUESS MY QUESTION IS WHO DICTATES IF THAT IS CORRECT OR NOT? AND THEN SECONDLY, I UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE STATES THAT ARE HOLDING PARENTS LIABLE FOR A SHOOTING AND THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A SHOOTING AND THEM GETTING THEIR HANDS ON A GUN BECAUSE OF A PARENT NOT PROTECTING THAT GUN THE WAY THEY SHOULD AND THEN SOMEBODY USING SOMETHING THAT'S READILY AVAILABLE IN A HOUSEHOLD OR OUTSIDE HOLDING A PARENT LIABLE. I THINK THOSE ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.

I THINK YEAH, I DON'T HAVE ANY OBJECTION TO ANY OF THE OBJECTIONS MEAN IF YOU DON'T LIKE THAT THOSE FEW WORDS TAKE THEM OUT BUT NEED TO HAVE SOMETHING TO LOOK AT TO TAKE IT OUT OF AND WE DON'T HAVE YET AND WE'VE BEEN ASKING FOR IT AND WE DON'T HAVE IT.

SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO RATHER THAN USING OTHER MODELS THAT WE HAVE IS GET A MODEL FOR US THAT WE CAN LOOK AT, HAVE AN ADEQUATE DISCUSSION ABOUT IT AND IF THERE ARE SOME OBJECTIONS ABOUT PARENTS ACCOUNTABLE TAKE IT OUT BUT LET'S DO SOMETHING GO ON THE RECORD THAT WE DO NOT BELIEVE THAT SHOULD BE HAPPENING. AND THEN I STILL THINK EVEN THOUGH A OF TIME HAS PASSED THERE'S ONLY ONE PERSON IN THE STATE WHO STANDING IN THE WAY OF THIS HATE CRIME BILL ONE AND THERE'S ONLY ONE OTHER STATE IN THIS COUNTRY THAT DOESN'T HAVE THIS BILL AND ONE OF THE TWO THAT'S IN WYOMING I DON'T THINK IT'S A WASTE OF TIME.

LET SOMEONE KNOW UP THERE MAYBE THAT ONE PERSON WHO'S STANDING IN THE WAY WE'D LIKE HIM TO CHANGE HIS MIND. I'LL THAT I'M GOOD WITH THAT AND I WAS GOING TO SAY I'LL SUPPORT THAT WELL AND I DON'T MIND ENTERTAINING ANYTHING AND LOOKING AT AND ANALYZING IT BUT I AGREE WE NEED TO MOVE IT FORWARD WITH THE STATE. I SAW A VIDEO RECENTLY THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT IT AGAIN SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT TRACTION IT WILL GET.

I AGREE WITH YOU MR. DAWSON YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF FAITH IN THAT FRONT BUT IT'S WORTH ENTERTAINING I THINK ON OUR END AND PASSING A RESOLUTION.

SO I'M BACK TO COUNCILMAN MCCLELLAN'S SUGGESTION THAT WE DO TWO THINGS IS THAT I MEAN WE'RE NOT WE DON'T HAVE A MOTION BUT IS WHAT WE WANT TO DIRECT STAFF TO DO A RESOLUTION AND CREATE SOMETHING US AND THEN DRAFT ORDINANCE OKAY ALL RIGHT.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I THINK WE APPRECIATE SO WE'LL DRAFT QUESTIONS OF US AND WE'LL TAKE IT BACK TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE FOR THE DISCUSSION TO OCCUR THERE. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. THAT WAS THAT WAS AN INDEPENDENT TO A LETTER TO OUR LEGISLATURE RIGHT TO LEGISLATURE CAN BE DONE IMMEDIATELY.

COUNCILMAN WAS AS I UNDERSTOOD IT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT A RESOLUTION AND AN ORDINANCE NOT A LETTER LETTER WITH THE RESOLUTION. WELL HOWEVER YOU WANT TO HOWEVER YOU WANT TO TITLE IT IT'S OKAY WITH ME AS LONG AS SOMETHING GETS DELIVERED UP THERE TO THE STATE WE COULD HAVE A WE COULD HAVE A I THINK A RESOLUTION WOULD BE MOST APPROPRIATE WOULD I THINK A RESOLUTION WOULD BE MOST BECAUSE IT IS THE WORD OF COUNTY COUNCIL EVERYONE AGREE EVERYONE AGREED TO OTHERWISE IT WOULD JUST BE A LETTER WOULD BE BETTER FOR EVERYBODY IF THEY SHOWED IF WE SHOWED SOME UNANIMITY HERE AND

[01:10:05]

[12.a. Appointment of Janet Shelley to the Beaufort Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees for a four-year term with an expiration date of February 2030.]

WE'RE ON AGENDA ITEM 12 A THIS IS APPOINTMENT OF JANET SHELLEY TO THE FROM MEMORIAL BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR A FOUR YEAR TERM WITH AN EXPIRATION OF FEBRUARY 2030.

DO I HAVE A MOTION OR MOVE? I HAVE A MOTION BY SECOND AND A SECOND ANY DISCUSSION SAYING NONE ALL IN FAVOR OF APPOINTING JANET SHELLEY TO THE BEAUFORT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL WARD THANK

[12.b. Appointment of Alice Howard to the Southern Carolina Alliance Board of Directors and the Southern Carolina Alliance Board of Directors Executive Committee for a three-year term with an expiration date of February 2029.]

AND I'M GOING TO LET OUR VICE CHAIRMAN DO WELL. I'M GOING TO TAKE 12 BE I'D LIKE A MOTION APPOINTMENT OF ALICE HOWARD TO THE SOUTH SOUTHERN CAROLINA ALLIANCE OF DIRECTORS AND THE SOUTHERN CAROLINA ALLIANCE BOARD OF DIRECTORS COMMITTEE FOR A THREE YEAR TERM WITH AN EXPIRATION OF FEBRUARY 2029 A MOTION THANK YOU SECOND I'LL SECOND AND I JUST COMMENT WHY WE'RE DOING THIS IT IS TRADITIONALLY TRADITIONAL THAT THE CHAIR COUNCIL SITS ON THE SCA AND SITS ON THE EXECUTIVE. THAT HAS NOT BEEN THE CASE IN COUNTY AND WE ARE RECTIFYING THAT TO BE IN LINE SO ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS MOTION PLEASE

[12.c. Approval of Funding to allow for Subsidies of Impact Fees for Qualified Affordable Housing pursuant to Ordinance 2015/28 and Chapter 82 Section 33 of the Beaufort County General Code of Ordinances.]

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

WELL SEE IS APPROVAL OF FUNDING TO ALLOW FOR SUBSIDIES OF IMPACT FEES FOR QUALIFIED AFFORDABLE HOUSING PURSUANT TO ORDINANCE 20 1528 IN CHAPTER 82 ,SECTION 33 OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY GENERAL CODE OF ORDINANCES. ALL RIGHT.

THE COUNCIL REFERRED THIS WAS A VOTE JANUARY 12TH. THEY REFERRED IT BACK TO THE NATURAL RESOURCE COMMITTEE DURING THE LIAISON AND COMMITTEE REPORT AT THE COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING ON JANUARY. THE VOTE AT THE NATURAL RESOURCE COMMITTEE WAS FIVE TWO AND I THINK MR. ATKINSON IS GOING TO SPEAK TO THIS CHAIR. I'LL BE HAPPY TO.

I NEED A MOTION IN THE EMOTION SO. A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN DAWSON.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I USE THAT. OKAY.

COUNCILMAN MIKE ALLEN. OKAY. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. FOR DISCUSSION. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO THIS WAS DISCUSSED AT THE COUNCIL RETREAT BACK IN THE I WOULD SAY FALL OR EARLY WINTER. IT WAS THAT WE BRING THIS FORWARD TO GIVE COUNCIL AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS IT. WE DID IN JANUARY AND IT STATED IT WAS REMANDED BACK TO NATURAL RESOURCES AND WAS DISCUSSED STAFF MADE A PRESENTATION ANSWERING NUMBER OF QUESTIONS AT THE FEBRUARY 3RD MEETING THE WHAT WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD IS THE OPPORTUNITY COUNTY COUNCIL UNDER THE CURRENT IMPACT FEE ORDINANCE TO FUND A SUBSIDY PROGRAM SO THAT INDIVIDUALS WHO QUALIFY BASED ON INCOME CAN RECEIVE A SUBSIDY TO OFFSET IMPACT FEES FOR DEVELOPMENTS IN COUNTY AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.

OKAY. I WAS HOPING FOR ANY QUESTIONS OVER A DISCUSSION POINT.

SO FIRST OF ALL, JUST TO RECTIFY EVERYBODY IN THE AIR FORCE, THE OLD A'S, WE DO NOT ANY LONGER HAVE 72,000 IN CONTINGENCY. THE COUNCIL GRANTED THE WATER RESCUE 40,000. SO WE'RE DOWN TO I BELIEVE 32 FIVE OR WHATEVER IN CONTINGENCY WITH FOUR MONTHS LEFT AND I'LL SPEAK AS I DID AT THE COMMITTEE MEETING AM NOT IN FAVOR OF THIS. I DO NOT SUPPORT USING AD VALOREM PUBLIC FUNDS FOR THIS EVENT. ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS I DO HAVE QUESTION I FEEL LIKE I REMEMBER NOW THE LAST TIME WE DISCUSSED THIS SCENE WITH THE JASPER HOUSING FUND COULD COULD HELP WAS RUNNING OUT AND NOW THAT THEY HAVE AN IMPACT FEE SUBSIDY PROGRAM AND THEY DO NOT AND THOSE THOSE FUNDS GO TOWARD THEIR PROGRAMS TO CREATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING NOT TO SUBSIDIZE THE IMPACT FEES BASED ON INCOME. SO THEY'RE BOTH THEY BOTH HAVE AN AFFORDABLE COMPONENT. BUT THIS IS FOR COUNTY COUNCIL TO TAKE OUT WARM TAXES AND REDIRECT IT TO PAY ON BEHALF OF INDIVIDUALS WHO QUALIFY. AND YES, OUR COUNCIL WAS THE AMOUNT YOU WERE ASKING FOR ORIGINALLY IT WAS $30,000. WELL I THINK YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT'S AVAILABLE I BELIEVE THE DISCUSSION WAS AROUND 30,000 FOR THE REMAINDER OF THIS FISCAL YEAR AND THEN PLAN ACCORDINGLY FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR.

AND JUST TO CLARIFY ORIGINALLY WHEN THIS WAS DISCUSSED AT FEBRUARY'S FINANCE COMMITTEE

[01:15:02]

I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION WHAT IS THE SHORT IS THERE IN THE WHEN WE HAVE OUR COMMUNITY FUNDINGS THAT COME THROUGH IN THE FALL IS THERE A501C3 OUT THERE THAT COULD MAKE AN APPLICATION FOR THIS MONEY IN THAT PROGRAM? CHUCK SO BASED ON HOW THE ORDINANCE IS WRITTEN NOW NO IT IS BASED THE INDIVIDUAL THERE IS A SEPARATE PROVISION WITHIN THE ORDINANCE THAT ALLOWS WHAT'S CALLED DEVELOPERS BUT ANY DEVELOPMENT ON A LOT CONSIDERED DEVELOPMENT SO SOMEONE LIKE HABITAT OR YOU KNOW GROUP LIKE HABITAT COULD COME BACK AND ASK SEPARATELY A DIFFERENT SET OF CRITERIA FOR COUNCIL TO OFFSET EXPENSES UNDER OUR ORDINANCE.

BUT THERE ARE TWO SEPARATE THINGS SO WHEN THEY MAKE THAT REQUEST IN THE OCTOBER FUNDING REQUEST TO COME IN AND 25 OR 30 COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS GET IT, THERE'S NO ONE WHO COULD SHEPHERD THIS THROUGH AND HAVE THE MONEY COME WITH THEM OR ADMINISTRATION TO GET US OUT OF IT. SO CURRENTLY NO SIR WE HAVE THE PROGRAM INTERNALLY IF WE WANTED TO SET UP SOME KIND OF A GRANT PROGRAM WE COULD BUT THE ORDINANCE CURRENTLY SAYS THAT COUNCIL CAN PROVIDE SO WE WOULD HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THE LEGALITIES OF SETTING UP A GRANT PROGRAM IF YOU WANTED TO DO THAT TOPIC FOR ANOTHER DAY. YES, SIR.

THANK YOU. AND ALSO I THINK I SAW HAND YEAH.

I AM GOING TO REMIND AND ONE OF OUR SPEAKERS REFERRED TO EARLIER THAT IN BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNTY IS ONE OF THE RICHEST COUNTY IN IN THE STATE OUT OF THE 46 COUNTIES.

BUT WE DO HAVE POCKETS OF POVERTY IN COUNTY AND BASICALLY THIS PROGRAM OVER THE HAS ACTUALLY ASSISTED IN BENEFIT UM IN MY PRAYERS YOU HEAR ME REFER TO THE LEAST US THE LEAST OF US ALL THE POOR PEOPLE AND BEFORE COUNTY OKAY WHO CAN AFFORD A 300 $400,000 HOME BUT THEY CAN AFFORD TO BUY A MODULAR HOME OR EVEN A MOBILE HOME AND THEN AND INSTANCES WHERE BUY THESE PURCHASED THESE HOMES WHEN THEY SET IT UP ON A LOT THEN THE IMPACT ORDINANCE KICKS IN AND SO THEY HAVE TO PAY THIS IMPACT FEE RIGHT. YEAH.

BEING POOR IN NATURE THIS IS AN ASSISTANCE TO HELP THEM WITH THAT PROCESS.

OTHER THAN THAT WE WOULD HAVE HOMELESS PEOPLE INCREASE IN COUNTY.

RIGHT SO I NEED US TO UNDERSTAND WHEN WE SAY WE'RE NOT GOING TO SUPPORT US I NEED US TO UNDERSTAND THE JUST OF IT ALL AND IF THAT DOESN'T CHANGE YOUR MIND AND SO BE IT.

YEAH. COUNCILMAN CUNNINGHAM YEAH. I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THE SAME QUESTIONS I HAD THE FIRST TIME HOW MANY THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN WE FOUND OUT THIS PROGRAM A COUPLE PEOPLE IN COUNCIL HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE.

HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE USED THIS PROGRAM IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS? SO IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS I DON'T THINK ANY PREVIOUS TO THAT IT WAS FOUR OR FIVE PER YEAR.

RIGHT AND THEN THE OTHER ONE IS WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS TO APPROVE FOR THIS? IS IT JUST FINANCIALS THAT ARE PUT IN THE MEDIUM THE 60% AND UNDER IT SHOULD BE 61 AND 79 AND THEN 80 AND OVER RIGHT. CORRECT. SO THERE'S NO REQUIREMENTS OUTSIDE THAT NOT NO THEY ALREADY HAVE TO BE A RESIDENT SO COULD BE ANYBODY MOVING TO THIS AREA THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE TO BE A RESIDENT OF COUNTY CURRENTLY BUT IT WOULD BE FOR HOMES BEING SET UP IN COUNTY, CORRECT BUT I'M SAYING ANYBODY THAT'S NOT EVEN A COUNTY RESIDENT COULD APPLY FOR THIS IF THEY'RE MOVING INTO COUNTY AND BUYING IF THEY'RE THE APPLICANT. YES. OKAY.

AND THEN I GUESS TWO MORE QUESTIONS. WHO GIVES THE FINAL APPROVAL WHO'S OVERSEEING IT? SO OUR BUILDING CODES DEPARTMENT HISTORICALLY HAS DONE THAT AND DONE THE REVIEW ON THE TAX RETURNS AND QUALIFIED WHETHER THEY MEET OR DO NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS THE CRITERIA. AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION I THINK MR. MCCALLUM TOUCHED ON A LITTLE BIT CAN A BUILDER APPLY FOR THIS IF THE HOMEBUYERS THE

[01:20:07]

I GUESS MY ONLY LAST QUESTION WOULD BE THEN BEFORE MAKING A PUSH FOR OUR WORKFORCE OR AFFORDABLE HOUSING WHATEVER TERM YOU WANT TO USE THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE WE'RE OUTSOURCING THAT PROJECT TO LIKE WE DID BEFORE MEMORIAL WHOEVER IT IS IF THEY'RE THE ONES BUILDING THESE THRESHOLDS AND SAYING THEY'RE GOING TO HOLD IT UNDER 80 OR 60 AM I CAN THEY APPLY ON THE HALF THE PERSON THEY'RE GOING TO PUT INTO THAT HOUSE AND THEY KNOW THAT THEY HAVE TO MEET THAT REQUIREMENT. SO THERE'S TWO SEPARATE PROVISIONS. THERE IS A PROVISION IN THE ORDINANCE FOR DEVELOPERS THAT COUNTY COUNCIL HAS THE OPTION TO PROVIDE A SUBSIDY BACK TO THE CONTRACTOR AS AN INCENTIVE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO 100% OF THE IMPACT FEE IF THEY MAKE LESS THAN 60 AND THE RENT IS NOT MORE THAN 30% OF THEIR GROSS INCOME. NOW THAT ENCOMPASSES A WHOLE PROGRAM AS PART OF WHATEVER THE DEVELOPMENT IS THAT THEY HAVE TO PUT RESTRICTIONS ON FOR I BELIEVE THE TERM IS 20 YEARS AT THIS POINT THAT'S A TOTALLY SEPARATE PROGRAM AND STIPULATION IN THE ORDINANCE THAN WHAT THIS IS SO JUST BECAUSE THOSE IN THE INDIVIDUALS WOULD QUALIFY DOES NOT MEAN THEY WOULD GET THIS MONEY THAT WOULD BE FOR THE ENTIRE DEVELOPMENT WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A SURETY THAT THEY'RE NOT JUST GOING TO PASS THAT SAVINGS TO THE NEXT OWNER AND THEN SOMEHOW GET A WINDFALL AND THAT'S A VERY COMPLICATED MATTER. WE'VE DONE IT IN THE PAST BUT LOCKED DOWN FOR A COUPLE OF DECADES AND WE HAVE AUDITS THAT TAKE PLACE WITH THOSE AND IT'S NOT THIS PROGRAM.

IT'S SEPARATE PROGRAM. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OH, I MARK LARSON WAS NEXT BUT LOGAN KIND CAUGHT SOME OF IT THERE BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT DOES NOT GO TO DEVELOPERS CANNOT COME IN AND QUALIFY BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, THIS IS THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT'S ONLY GOING HELP A FEW PEOPLE WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT THE 200,000 PEOPLE THAT'S IN COUNTY AND MY MY FEELING HAS ALWAYS BEEN THAT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF BY THE PRIVATE MARKET AS OPPOSED TO GOVERNMENT HOWEVER IF WE CAN DO THE AMA WHERE WE'RE HELPING SOME OF THE LEAST FORTUNATE PEOPLE AS AS MR. DAWSON HAD MENTIONED THAT WE'RE SURE THAT THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE QUALIFYING AND IT'S NOT THE SMARTEST THE QUICKEST THEY CAN GET THERE AND APPLY FOR IT BEFORE EVERYONE ELSE DOES.

THAT'S KIND OF MY FEELING AGAIN I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM IF IT IS GOING TO THE TO LEAST FORTUNATE PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT THERE AND IT'S NOT GOING TO DEVELOPERS AND WE CAN CONTROL YOU KNOW THAT WE REALLY HELPING THE POOREST OF THE POOR YOU KNOW YES I HAVE A QUESTION AND THAT'S IF IT'S HYPOTHETICAL OF A SIXTH GENERATION GALA IS BUYING A MOBILE HOME TO PUT ON HER HEIRS PROPERTY WOULD SHE QUALIFY FOR THIS MONEY AND IF SO HOW? DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH MONEY THEY MAKE. HOW MUCH HOW MUCH MONEY THEY MAKE, HOW MUCH OF WHAT THE INCOME IS, WHAT DOES THE INCOME HAVE TO BE LIKE? YEAH SO I'LL BE 100,000 OVER TO 50 OR WHAT. NO NO I'LL GO THROUGH IT.

SO THE AMISH TABLE FOR 2025 THE TYPICALLY WHAT WE SEE IS SORRY TYPICALLY WHAT WE SEE ARE TWO WAGE EARNER APPLICATIONS. OKAY THE 60% AM I FOR TWO WAGE EARNERS IS 52,920.

OKAY THE 80% IS 70,500. SO IF THEY'RE BETWEEN 60 AND 80 THEY GET A 60% REDUCTION IF IT'S UNDER 60% THEN IT WOULD BE 100% AND THE IMPACT FEE FOR A 2000 SQUARE FOOT HOUSE SOUTH IS 40 $500 NORTH IS 50 $100 IN ROUND NUMBERS IS ANOTHER QUESTION.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU WILL COMBINED INCOME 54 THAT FOR THE TWO WAGE EARNERS YEAH THAT WOULD BE IN EACH THAT'S COMBINED CORRECT. YES.

ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES.

COUNCILMAN, JUST LAST TO UNDERSTAND THE HISTORY OF THE PROGRAM, IT LOOKS LIKE IT WAS

[01:25:02]

SO THIS CURRENT ORDINANCE BUT THE HOUSING TRUST FUND WAS SET UP IN 2021 THEREABOUTS.

I'M NOT SURE BUT THEY'RE TWO SEPARATE PROGRAMS. RIGHT.

BUT MY THING IS I FEEL LIKE WAS DONE AND I WASN'T THERE OBVIOUSLY AS FAR AS THE INTENT WAS TO PROVIDE SOME RELIEF WHEN BEAUFORT HOUSING JASPER HOUSING TRUST FUND WASN'T AVAILABLE, I THINK I HAD MENTIONED THAT I'D BE FINE SUPPORTING THIS YOU KNOW AS A STOPGAP MEASURE UNTIL THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I TALKED ABOUT IS I THINK YOU SAID SOMETHING AT A GRANT PROGRAM WHY NOT EXPAND THE AUTHORITY THE BEAUFORT JASPER HOUSING TRUST AND HAVE THIS FALL UNDERNEATH THEIR THEIR CATEGORY OF THEY DO THAT TAKES COUNCIL OUT OF IT THEY CAN HELP THE APPLICANT OUT ON THE PROCESS AND PROBABLY HAVE MORE MORE THAN $30,000 TO THROW AT IT. I WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT SO ANY YOU BEAUFORT HAS A GRANT PROGRAM THAT IS ADMINISTERED BY THE HOUSING TRUST FUND TO DO REPAIRS TO INDIVIDUAL HOUSES AND AGAIN IT'S A VERY LOW INCOME THE REPAIRS ARE THAT WAS FUNDED BY BEFORE CITY COUNCIL IT'S ADMINISTERED BY THE HOUSING TRUST FUND SO THESE ARE HOUSES IN THE NORTHWEST QUADRANT OH THEY HAVE TO BE OWNER OCCUPIED AND IT IS WORKING OUT PRETTY GOOD FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND BUT IT WAS A IT WAS A GRANT GIVEN THE CITY GRANTED THE MONEY TO TO THE HOUSING TRUST FUND FOR THEM TO ADMINISTER IT DOESN'T IT DOESN'T COVER IMPACT FEES THIS IS JUST REPAIRS TO HOUSES BUT WE COULD ESSENTIALLY BASED OFF THAT MODEL EXPANDED AND TAKE ESSENTIALLY THIS ORDINANCE TAKE THE VIEW FOR JASPER TRUST FUND GET PARTNER BUY IN FROM OTHER FROM JASPER COUNTY FROM THE MUNICIPALITIES AND EXPAND THIS PROGRAM THAT DIRECTLY HELPS PEOPLE OFFSET WHERE WE COULD JUST DO IT INDEPENDENTLY JUST TO SAY YOU KNOW OUT EITHER WAY OKAY SO AS MY THOUGHT WAS ON I KIND OF HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION AND PIGGYBACK OFF MISS BROWN SO IF THE ONLY REQUIREMENT YOU'RE SAYING IS A FINANCIAL ASPECT SO NO REQUIREMENT TO PROVE WHO THE HOMEOWNER IS THEN? NO, THE HAS TO BE THE OWNER OF THE HOME.

RIGHT. BUT THE QUESTION WAS ABOUT THE FINANCIALS.

SO IT HAS TO BE THE PERSON THAT EITHER HAS THEIR NAME ON THE DEED OR THE PERSON THAT FILED FOR THE LOAN. IT'S GOING TO BE REQUIRED TO THEIR NAME BE ON IT SO.

FOR EXAMPLE, YOU CAN HAVE SOMEBODY CIRCUMNAVIGATE IT SAY OKAY TOGETHER EARN 70,000 BUT I CAN SEPARATE MINE, I'LL EARN 20 SO WE CAN GET 100% AND THEY JUST KEEP THAT NAME OFF OF IT ANYBODY LISTED ON THAT APPLICATION IS COUNTED BUT THEY CAN CHOOSE WHICH NAMES GO ON THE APPLICATION. OKAY, SO LET'S TALK ABOUT MOBILE HOMES.

BEAUFORT COUNTY TAKES TITLE AND WE REGISTER MOBILE HOMES WHOEVER IS ON THAT TITLE IS PART OF THE APPLICATION. SO WHOEVER THE OWNER OF THE TITLE OWNER COMERFORD YES, MOBILE HOMES ARE A LITTLE DIFFERENT BECAUSE THEIR OWN LIKE PERSONAL PROPERTY NOT PROPERTY. SO YEAH WE HAVE THE TITLE WE REQUIRE THE TITLE PART OF THE APPLICATION AND THE REGISTRATION. YES.

ALL RIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS UNTIL THE END OF THIS PHYSICAL YEAR. YES. COUNCILMAN DAWSON, IF I MIGHT RESPOND TO DAVE'S CONCERNS ABOUT THE HOUSING TRUST PARTICIPATING IN THIS IN THIS PROGRAM, I DON'T THINK WE SET UP THE HOUSING TRUST TO DEAL WITH WHAT WAS BEING PRESENTED BEFORE US NOW SO I THINK WE SHOULD KEEP SEPARATE. YES WE DO DO DO WE HAVE A WELL HE HAD EMOTIONALLY SPEAKING ON THE FLOOR I THINK HE'D TAKE ACTION NOW ABOUT I'D LIKE TO MAKE ONE MORE COMMENT WHAT DAVID SUGGESTED MIGHT BE A GOOD LONG TERM THING TO WORK ON BUT WE'D HAVE TO HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH HOUSING TRUST FUND. THIS WOULD TO ME THIS IS JUST UNTIL THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR IN MY MIND THAT'S HOW BUT WE NEED TO CALL I'M SURE HOW DO WE HAVE ANY APPLICANTS? NO, NO. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE I THINK WE I I KNOW MR. AGUSTIN DO YOU THINK WE WOULD IF WE IF HIS PART I MEAN IF WE SO WHAT WE WOULD DO IS WOULD CONTACT THE MOBILE HOME DEALERS DIFFERENT ONES HAVE HISTORICALLY PARTICIPATED WE WOULD GO BACK AND LOOK THOSE CONTACT AND LET THEM KNOW IT'S AVAILABLE.

WE COULD GO THROUGH A HANNAH AND DO A PRESS RELEASE ON IT SO THAT FOLKS WOULD KNOW WHAT'S OUT THERE. DO I THINK PEOPLE WOULD APPLY? YES.

THANK YOU. YES, MA'AM. OKAY.

WE'RE READY FOR ROLL CALL VOTE COUNCILMEMBER DAWSON. YES.

COUNCILMEMBER MCALLEN COUNCILMEMBER NO COUNCILMEMBER PASSMAN YES.

COUNCILMEMBER LAWSON. MARK LAWSON YES. COUNCILMEMBER GLOVER AND

[01:30:01]

[13.a. 2026/03: An Ordinance authorizing the acceptance of a drainage easement located on Leo Green Rd.]

OKAY ORDINANCE IS FOR THIRD READING WE HAVE 2020 603 WHICH IS AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE ACCEPTANCE DRAINAGE EASEMENT LOCATED ON LEO GREEN ROAD. THE VOTED PUBLIC FACILITIES ON JANUARY 20 WAS TEN ZERO. WELL IT WAS UNANIMOUS AND EACH OF THESE EVEN A FIRST READING WE HAVE THE SECOND READING IN PUBLIC HEARING FEBRUARY THIRD IT WAS 11 ZERO SO DRIVER MOTION FOR THIS ORDINANCE SO MOVED THANK YOU MR. PASSMAN SECOND HERE AND I HEAR THE SECOND TERM IS OH DAWSON OH YOU'RE SO QUIET OVER THERE. OKAY, MR. DAWSON MAYBE THE SECOND ANY QUESTIONS ON? THIS ONE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT SEVERAL TIMES QUESTIONS COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL. ALL RIGHT, ALL IN FAVOR. PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND FOR

[13.b. 2026/05: An Ordinance authorizing the abandonment of a drainage easement recorded in Deed Book 3695 at Pages 3345-3347 & Deed Book 3695 at Pages 3348-3350 located off Gumwood Drive in northern Lady's Island.]

ANY QUESTIONS FROM ANYONE OR COMMENTS ALL RIGHT ON FAVOR PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

[14.a. 2026/06: An Ordinance adding a new Section 54-8 to the Beaufort County Code of Ordinances so as to prohibit and make unlawful the discharge of firearms in certain unincorporated areas of the county, to provide the penalty pertaining to such violations, and to provide certain expectations and limitations thereto. PUBLIC HEARING]

CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO PUT THIS ON THE FLOOR PLEASE. SO MOVED.

THANK YOU MR. PASSMAN SECONDED BY MR. MCGOWAN. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND I DO HAVE PEOPLE SIGNED UP FOR THE PUBLIC. ERIC BERMAN YOUR NUMBER ONE.

THANK YOU. YOU'RE I FOUND OUT THAT THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION IS SO I PUT 30 MINUTES NEXT TO MY NAME. OKAY. I HOPE OKAY WITH IT.

THAT'S A JOKE. THAT'S A JOKE. I KNOW.

I SAW YOU WROTE 30 MINUTES. YES. YEAH.

OKAY. CHAIR HOWARD COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT . MY NAME IS ERIC BIRMINGHAM. THE GRADUATE OF THE CITADEL SERVED FOR EIGHT YEARS IN THE MARINE CORPS. A LOCAL BUSINESS OWNER.

I'M A MEMBER OF THE CITY OF BEAUFORT HISTORIC DISTRICT REVIEW BOARD AND I'M ALSO ON THE LAND COUNCIL FOR THE CHAMBER. I FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS NOT TOO LONG AGO AND FELT COMPELLED TO PUT SOME WORDS TOGETHER AND SPEAK WITH YOU GUYS.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, I'M THE FATHER OF TWO KIDS. I HAVE A THREE YEAR OLD AND A SIX YEAR OLD. LET ME BE VERY CLEAR A AS A FATHER OF TWO LITTLE KIDS I WOULD BE THE ONE HERE TO COME TO YOU ASK YOU ALL TO DO SOMETHING IF SOMEBODY SHOT ROUNDS INTO MY HOUSE BUT I THINK THIS DRAFT ORDINANCE IS NOT IT THIS DRAFT ORDINANCE IS NOT ACCOUNTABILITY. IT'S AN ILLUSION OF SAFETY. WE'VE ALL HEARD THE JUSTIFICATIONS FOR THIS PROPOSAL. WE'VE HEARD ABOUT THE INCIDENT AT SHADOW MOSQUES ABOUT NEW RIVERSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE CLAIMS ABOUT BULLETS FLYING OVERHEAD BUT THE ACTUAL FACTS ARE TENUOUS. IN THE RIVERSIDE CASE THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE COULDN'T EVEN FULLY INVESTIGATE THE MATTER SO WE DON'T KNOW THE FULL STORY THERE. FURTHERMORE, LEAST ONE OF THE NEIGHBORS SPOKE OUT SAYING THAT THEY THOUGHT THE CLAIMS WERE BASELESS I THINK ARE WE REALLY ABOUT TO PASS A SWEEPING COUNTYWIDE ORDINANCE THAT RESTRICTS PROPERTY RIGHTS OF THOUSANDS BASED ON AN ISOLATED AND ISOLATED UNVERIFIED COMPLAINT FROM ONE NEIGHBOR?

[01:35:01]

I DON'T THINK WELL SORRY. EVEN IF THOSE CLAIMS WERE PERFECTLY DISCHARGING A WEAPON INTO A DWELLING IS ALREADY A FELONY UNDER SOUTH CAROLINA STATE LAW RECKLESSLY HANDLING FIREARM THAT ENDANGERS OTHERS CAN ALREADY BE PROSECUTED AND SEVERE CIVIL LIABILITY.

WE DO NOT NEED A NEW ORDINANCE TO MAKE AN ILLEGAL ACT ILLEGAL IF LAW ENFORCEMENT CANNOT CURRENTLY INVESTIGATE OR PROSECUTE AN EXISTING FELONY. WHAT MAKES THIS COUNCIL THINK THEY WILL CATCH SOMEONE UNDER A BRAND NEW HIGHLY SPECIFIC 500 FOOT BOUNDARY LAW THEY WANT? YOU CAN MAKE ARGUMENTS ABOUT IT BEING A DETERRENT. I THINK THERE'S PLENTY OF FOUNDING FATHER DOCUMENTS AND LETTERS WRITTEN ABOUT CURTAILING PEOPLE'S LIBERTIES IN THE NAME OF DETERRENCE. SO I THINK THAT'S ALSO A BAD ARGUMENT TO MAKE.

LET ME ADDRESS THAT RULE DIRECTLY THE 500 FOOT RULE THE ORDINANCE PROPOSES TO MAKE IT UNLAWFUL TO DISCHARGE OF FIREARM WITHIN 500 FEET OF ANY BUILDING, DWELLING, PARK OR PLAYGROUND AND THE PENALTY WOULD BE A $500 FINE OR 30 DAYS IN JAIL.

I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR SO THAT MY WORDS ARE NOT TWISTED. NOBODY IN THIS ROOM SUPPORTS RECKLESSLY SHOOTING NEAR A PLAYGROUND OR A PARK THAT'S DANGEROUS.

I DON'T SUPPORT IT. IT'S COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE IN HANDLING A FIREARM IN THAT WAY ENDANGERS FOLKS HANDLING FIREARM IN THAT WAY THAT ENDANGERS PEOPLE IS ALREADY ILLEGAL. ANYONE WHO DOES IT SHOULD BE PROSECUTED TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW BUT WE ALREADY HAVE LAWS TO DO THAT THIS DRAFT ORDINANCE USES A BLUNT 500 FOOT INSTRUMENT TO ADDRESS A PROBLEM OF INDIVIDUAL NEGLIGENCE.

A 500 FOOT RADIUS IS MASSIVE. MORE THAN ONE AND A HALF FOOTBALL FIELDS IN EVERY DIRECTION IN THE RURAL LOWCOUNTRY THIS ARBITRARY BOUNDARY DOESN'T JUST PROTECT PARKS IT EFFECTIVELY STRIPS RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS OF THE RIGHT TO SAFELY PRACTICE ON THEIR OWN PRIVATE LAND SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY MIGHT BE 400 FEET FROM A NEIGHBOR'S UNOCCUPIED SHED PASSING SWEEPING RESTRICTIVE LAWS TO CREATE THE APPEARANCE OF ACTION IS LAZY GOVERNANCE. BENJAMIN FAMOUSLY WARNED THOSE WHO WOULD GIVE UP ESSENTIAL LIBERTY TO PURCHASE LITTLE TEMPORARY SAFETY DESERVE NEITHER LIBERTY NOR SAFETY.

YOU'RE TRADING THE PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS OF NORMAL FOR AN ENFORCEMENT NIGHTMARE AND ENFORCEMENT NIGHTMARE. OUR DEPUTIES REALLY EXPECTED TO PATROL THE DENSE WOODS WITH TAPE MEASURES GOING FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE 499 FEET 501 FEET OR ARE PEOPLE GOING TO BE GOING AROUND WITH VIDEO CAMERAS, TAPING PEOPLE SAFELY PRACTICING THE USE OF THEIR FIREARMS? IS THAT WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO ACHIEVE? FURTHERMORE, THIS DRAFT CREATES AN ARBITRARY TWO TIERED SYSTEM OF PROPERTY RIGHTS. IT INCLUDES EXEMPTION ALLOWING LANDOWNERS TO PROTECT THEIR PROPERTY FROM ANIMALS. HOWEVER, EXEMPTION STRICTLY MANDATES THAT THE PROPERTY MUST BE A PARCEL OF LEAST 25 CONTIGUOUS ACRES.

HOW ABOUT WITH 24 ACRES 15 ACRES? THEIR PROPERTY RIGHTS ARE NOT AS VALID. WHAT IS A FAMILY ON 24 ACRES HAVE FEWER RIGHTS TO DEFEND THEIR LIVESTOCK OR PETS THAN A FAMILY ON 25. IT'S PURE IT'S BUREAUCRATIC OVERREACH COMPLETELY DISCONNECTED FROM THE REALITIES OF RURAL LOW COUNTRY LIVING.

I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO SEES IT THIS WAY. I'VE SPOKEN WITH OUR LOCAL AND AT THE STATE HOUSE AND THEY'RE ALSO DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE OVERREACH OF THIS DRAFT ORDINANCE. SOUTH CAROLINA HAS A LONG STOOD TRADITION AND FOUR STRONGHOLD CONSERVATIVE LIBERTARIAN VALUES . WE DO NOT PUNISH THE VAST MAJORITY OF RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS BECAUSE OF THE RECKLESS ACTIONS OF A FEW.

WE DON'T HAVE TO TRADE OUR RIGHTS FOR SAFETY. WE JUST NEED SMARTER.

I KNOW ONE OF THE COUNCILMEN HERE, MR. HAS PROPOSED AN ALTERNATIVE DRAFT THAT PERFECTLY BALANCES SAFETY WITH CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AND FOCUSES ON INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNTABILITY NOT GEOGRAPHY INSTEAD OF AN ARBITRARY GEOGRAPHIC BOUNDARY.

HIS DRAFT EXPLICITLY CRIMINALIZES DISCHARGING A FIREARM INTO A DWELLING NEGLIGENTLY RECKLESSLY OR WITH WANTON DISREGARD FOR THE SAFETY OF OTHERS AND TARGETS THE BEHAVIOR NOT THE GEOGRAPHY. IT CREATES A PATH FOR CIVIL LIABILITY AND CRUCIALLY IT MANDATES THAT ANYONE CONVICTED MUST SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE A APPROVED FIREARM SAFETY TRAINING THAT MAKES SENSE THAT ACTUALLY ADDRESSES THE CAUSE. I URGE THIS COUNCIL TO EMBRACE PRINCIPLED DO NOT PUNISH THE MASSES FOR THE SINS OF A FEW REJECT THIS ORDINANCE.

[01:40:03]

THANK YOU, MR. BERMAN. JEFF MYERS. HELLO, MR. MYERS, YOU'RE LOOKING VERY OFFICIAL I FEEL VERY OFFICIAL. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE.

I'LL BE VERY BRIEF. I AM HERE AS THE POLICE CHIEF OF FORT MYERS.

THIS ORDINANCE IS FOR THE COUNTY I WOULD NOT PRESUME TO SAY WHAT IS ENFORCEABLE IN THE COUNTY AND WHAT ISN'T WHAT I REALLY JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT IS WHAT DID HAPPEN IN SHADOW MOTH JUST URGE THE COUNCIL THAT SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IS UP TO YOU ALL AND WE ALL TRUST YOU WITH YOUR BEST JUDGMENT THE SUNDAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS ABOUT 1:30 P.M. ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON IN SHADOW MOTH A YOUNG FAMILY WAS SITTING AROUND.

ALL OF A SUDDEN SHOTS RANG THROUGH THEIR HOUSE. THEY CALLED, THEY CALLED THE POLICE. NOW OFFICERS GOT THERE THE HOMEOWNERS WERE CAUGHT BEHIND THE CAR IN THE DRIVEWAY SEEKING SHELTER. SEVERAL ROUNDS WENT THROUGH THEIR HOUSE, WENT THROUGH FENCES, WENT THROUGH THE BEDROOM AS YOU CAN SEE WENT THROUGH THEIR EXTERIOR FENCE INTO. THE WALL WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE FOUR YEAR OLD DAUGHTER STANDING RIGHT THERE WENT THROUGH THAT WALL, WENT UPSTAIRS TO THE UPSTAIRS BEDROOM ACTUALLY, SHATTERED A GLASS JAR THAT WAS SITTING ON A DRESSER.

THE PARK IS LOCATED DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET ALSO HAD A ROUND IN THE TREE WHERE THE KIDS WERE PLAYING. LUCKILY NO KIDS WERE THERE THAT DAY.

THIS AREA IS GROWING SO I THAT'S REALLY WHAT I WANTED TO SHOW IT WAS THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THIS INCIDENT DID OCCUR AND IT CAN HAPPEN AGAIN THE AREA DISTANCE BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENED WAS AS FAR AS ENFORCEABLE HE GOES AGAIN I'M NOT THIS IS GOING TO BE A COUNTY ORDINANCE FOR A SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT ENFORCE SO I DON'T WANT TO SAY WHAT THEIR RECOMMENDATION IS BUT AS FAR AS ENFORCEABILITY AT LEAST IN THIS INSTANCE ENFORCEABILITY OF ANY TYPE OF ORDINANCE WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY EASY WHEN OFFICERS GOT THERE THEY STILL HEARD A BARRAGE OF GUNFIRE THAT. PEOPLE WERE SHOOTING AIR 15 PISTOLS, A NINE MILLIMETER PISTOL. THE AIR PISTOL HAD A 30 ROUND MAGAZINE.

THEY QUICKLY WENT TO THE OTHER STREET WHICH WAS IN THE COUNTY. PEOPLE WERE STILL THERE SHOOTING GOOGLE MAPS. EVERYBODY'S IT ON HER PHONE AUTOMATICALLY CALCULATES THE DISTANCE 397 FEET. SO AT LEAST FOR THIS INSTANCE IT WOULD HAVE WORKED NOT SAYING THIS IS THE ORDINANCE I'M NOT SAYING IT'S NOT I REALLY JUST SAYING THAT SOMETHING NEEDS BE DONE ENFORCEABILITY IT WOULD HAVE WORKED AND WOULD HAVE BEEN EASY THE PEOPLE WERE COOPERATIVE. THEY WEREN'T INTOXICATED. THEY SET UP STRAW BALES PUMPKINS AS THEIR BACKSTOP. SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT HAPPENED FOR REALLY JUST WANT TO TAKE THE TIME TO LET YOU KNOW AS FAR AS THE CITIZENS OF PORT ROYAL IT'S GROWING.

IT'S NOT ALL RURAL ANYMORE. THERE'S A LOT OF AREAS THAT ARE BUT THE POPULATION IS HERE.

THE DEVELOPMENTS ARE GROWING AND THEY'RE THERE SO WE ALL HAVE TO LIVE TOGETHER AND COME UP WITH A COMPROMISE WHAT CAN WORK. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS.

I LIKE THE START OF THIS ORDINANCE. I WON'T GIVE YOU MY OPINION ON WHETHER THIS IS THE WAY TO GO OR NOT. LIKE I SAID, I THINK THAT'S REALLY FOR THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT TO DECIDE SINCE IT'S THEIR JURISDICTION AND FOR YOU ALL AS A GOVERNING BODY THE COUNTY. BUT SOMETHING DOES NEED TO BE DONE THIS HAVE BEEN A CHRISTMAS TRAGEDY. I WENT TO THE HOME.

I SAW THE BULLET HOLES. I TALKED TO THE FAMILY. THIS CANNOT HAPPEN AGAIN AND SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE AND IT NEEDS TO BE DONE FAIRLY QUICKLY BECAUSE.

WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A TRAGEDY. SO THAT'S ALL I THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR WAITING ALL THIS TIME TO THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM. MIKE MCSHANE THAT IS DUCKPIN I'LL GET IT.

MADAM CHAIRMAN COUNCIL MEMBERS ON MY MACSHANE I'M ACTUALLY A RESIDENT CHARLESTON COUNTY BUT I'M HERE THIS EVENING NOT IN MY GREEN SPACE BUT ACTUALLY AS A CONCERN LANDOWNER HERE ON PROPOSED ORDINANCE I IMPLORE THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER SLOWING DOWN THIS PROCESS WHO'S A FORMER CHAIRMAN THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES FOR A DECADE THAT WAS INTIMATELY INVOLVED IN LAW ENFORCEMENT ASPECT I HEARD THE THIRD STATE'S SECOND LARGEST LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION REPORTING TO ME, YOU KNOW, ALSO PLAYED A ROLE IN THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO FISH AND IN THIS STATE AND THIS IS BEYOND JUST A HUNTING OR FISHING ISSUE IN YOUR PROPOSED LANGUAGE WHERE YOU TALK ABOUT A FARM WITHIN 500 FEET OF ANY BUILDING, DWELLING PARK OR PLAYGROUND EXCEPT THE EXPRESS PERMISSION OF THE OWNER.

THERE ARE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS THAT I WOULD OFFER FOR THAT IF IN FACT IS EARLIER SPOKEN THAT IF YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING HERE LANGUAGE SUCH DIRECTED AT OR TOWARDS ANY BUILDING WITHOUT EXPRESS PERMISSION WOULD ALLOW THIS. I CAN TELL YOU FROM EXPERIENCE

[01:45:05]

I ALREADY HAVE EXPERIENCES TODAY WHERE STATE LAW REQUIRES 300 YARDS, 900 FEET.

IT'S ILLEGAL TO SHOOT WITHIN A RESIDENCE NOW AND EVEN WITH THAT STATE LAW WE HAVE DIFFICULTY HAVING THAT ENFORCED IN HERE. SO WHAT I ASK COUNCIL TO CONSIDER IS SIMPLY SLOWING THIS PROCESS DOWN. LET US HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH SOME LAW ENFORCEMENT PROFESSIONALS AND SOME OTHER STAKEHOLDERS AND BRING BACK A RECOMMENDATION UNDERSTANDING THE OBJECTIVE RESPECTFULLY UNDERSTANDING THE OBJECTIVE AND TO SEE IF THERE MIGHT BE SOME BETTER LANGUAGE THAT DOESN'T PREVENT OR EXCUSE ME PREVENTS UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES WHICH I THINK IS AS CURRENTLY STATED WOULD OCCUR.

THANK YOU, MR. MCSHANE OR HAIG GUERRERO COME ON DOWN. WE KNOW HIM.

OH, HI. HOW ARE YOU, SIR? HOWARD COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS R.J. THEN I COME YOU TONIGHT AS A RESIDENT OF THREE CHICAGO STREET AND CHATEAU MOSS COMMUNITY. AND AS MUCH AS IT PAINS ME TO SAY THIS, I COULDN'T AGREE MORE WITH FRIEND ERIC BERMAN WHEN WE USED TO SERVE TOGETHER IN UNIFORM WAS NEVER SOMETHING THAT WOULD COME OUT OF MY MOUTH. WE DO APPROACH THIS PROBLEM AS A COMMUNITY AND WE DO APPRECIATE THE TIME THAT YOU GUYS HAVE GIVEN.

AND AGAIN I ECHO WHAT MY POLICE CHIEF SAYS WHEN SPEAK FOR THE TOWN OF ROYAL THAT THIS IS A VERY REAL PROBLEM TO OF US THAT ARE CLOSER TO THOSE UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY WE IT DOESN'T AFFECT EVERYBODY AND THIS ISN'T A GUN GRAB.

THIS IS JUST ACCOUNTABILITY BASED TACTICS ESSENTIALLY TO BRING THAT ARE WANTONLY DISCHARGING THEIR FIREARMS INTO COMMUNITIES OR INTO HOMES SPECIFICALLY IN THIS CASE IN SOME OF THESE CASES TO ACCOUNT AND THAT THAT MEASURES ALREADY IN PLACE IF WE'RE GOING TO EVERY UNIT IF WE'RE GOING TO ENFORCE THAT THING IF WE'RE NOT THEN YEAH THIS IS COMPLETELY APPROPRIATE. I AGREE WITH THE GENTLEMAN THAT WAS JUST BEFORE ME ABOUT SLOWING THIS THING DOWN. WITHOUT THAT IT LOOKS LIKE LIKE A KNEE REACTION AND WE'RE FLIPPANTLY JUST TELLING FOLKS YEAH, WE'RE GOING TO GET IT FOR YOU AND JUST KIND OF MOVE ALONG . THAT'S ABSOLUTELY NOT WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS ASKING FOR.

WE'RE ASKING FOR MEANINGFUL REFORM. THAT'S WHAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE AND WE'RE WILLING TO TAKE THAT TIME. SO THAT WAY OUR SHERIFFS ISN'T GOING TO BECOME OVERBURDENED WITH LIKE ERIC SAID, RUN AROUND A TAPE MEASURE TRYING TO DO THOSE THINGS AND HAVING FOLKS VIDEOTAPE EACH OTHER. THAT'S NOT WHAT WE WANT TO CREATE IN A COMMUNITY. WHAT WE WANT TO CREATE IS A SENSE OF EDUCATION REMOVING WORDS LIKE ACCIDENTAL DISCHARGES IS SOMEWHERE I'D NEVER CAME FROM IN THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS I SERVED 24 YEARS IN THE MARINE CORPS. I RETIRED TO START MAJOR 16 OF THOSE IN COMBAT ENVIRONMENTS WE NEVER USE ACCIDENTAL THEY'RE NEGLIGENT.

YOU UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HAVE A WEAPON OF WAR INSIDE YOUR HAND. YOU'RE HOLDING THAT THING AND IT DOESN'T JUST GO OFF ON ITS OWN. THERE ISN'T A PISTOL RIFLE IN THIS DAY AND AGE THAT WILL FALL AND DISCHARGE ITSELF. IT'S JUST NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

THOSE ARE THE THINGS WE NEED TO CONSIDER WERE ERIC MENTIONED THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE AN EDUCATION BASED SYSTEM WHERE IF YOU ARE GOING TO DO SOMETHING A SLED APPROVED COURSE THAT SAYS YOU TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE DOING, WHERE YOU'RE FACING, WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT AND WHAT'S THAT THAT'S THE IMPORTANT PART HERE. I CAN APPRECIATE SOMEBODY WANTS TO USE THEIR WEAPON ON THEIR OWN THEIR OWN LAND. I CAN.

I LOVE THAT. THAT'S THE GREATEST IDEA OF THIS I'M A COMBAT INFANTRY MARINE UNDERSTANDING HOW DANGEROUS THOSE THINGS ARE CAUSED ME NOT TO HAVE A WEAPON THE ENTIRETY OF MY CAREER BECAUSE A GOVERNMENT ISSUED ME ONE IF THEY NEEDED ME TO USE ONE. I RETIRED AND SIX MONTHS LATER I BUY MY VERY FIRST WEAPON BECAUSE. I'M LIKE EVERY OTHER AMERICAN THAT DESERVES AND HAS THE RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS IN SELF-DEFENSE OF MY FAMILY, IN MY HOME, IN MY STEAD THAT'S WHAT THAT THING IS USED FOR. BUT FOR ME TO STEP UP IN THE BACK YARD TO JUST START FLIPPANTLY SHOOTING IS PROBABLY NOT GOING TO EVER BE SOMETHING THAT YOU SEE ME DO OR ANY OF THOSE THAT I KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO DO THAT THEY'RE GOING TO CONSIDER WHAT'S BEYOND THAT TREE LINE AND THEY'RE GOING TO SAY HEY MAN, MAYBE WE SHOULD IN THIS DIRECTION AND THAT'S THE EDUCATION OUR FOLKS NEED BECAUSE CHIEF SAID DEVELOPMENT IS COMING AND IT'S NOT SLOWING DOWN. IT'S GOING ENVELOP US HERE PRETTY QUICK AND HAVING ONE OF THOSE PROPERTIES LANDLOCKED WHERE CAN'T FIRE IN ANY DIRECTION THAT THE SAME WAY THAT WE'RE DOING DEVELOPMENT WAY THEY WERE THE SAME WAY WE'RE DISCUSSING THIS NOW IS AS RELIEVING SOMEBODY THEIR PROPERTY RIGHTS IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN THROUGH DEVELOPMENT WE'RE GOING TO LANDLOCKED THEM AND. THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING WITH THAT LAND AND THAT'S ONE THAT WE DON'T WANT TO SEE AND WE CAN PRETTY MUCH CURTAIL THAT AGAIN, EDUCATION ACCOUNTABILITY, RESPONSIBILITY AND JUST BEING NEIGHBORLY TOWARDS ONE ANOTHER AND UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE IS SOMEBODY THAT COMMUNITY'S BEEN THERE 14 YEARS AND SOMEBODY SAYS I DIDN'T KNOW THERE WAS A HOUSE THERE THAT'S NEGLIGENT.

THAT'S NEGLIGENT WANTON USE OF A RIFLE OR ANYTHING. THAT 300 BLACKOUT AROUND THAT THEY'RE SHOOTING OUT OF THAT AND LARGE PLATFORM FOR THAT IT TAKES AN IN LARGE PLATFORM NOT AN HOUR 15 THAT'S AN HOUR TEN FRAME AT THIS POINT IF YOU UNDERSTAND WEAPONS SYSTEMS

[01:50:01]

SO AGAIN THE FACT THAT IT MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE HAPPENED IN BLUFFTON, THAT'S SOMETHING BLUFFTON TO DEAL WITH. I'M COMING TO YOU AS A AS A RESIDENT OF SOMEONE NORTH OF THE BROAD TO TO CONSIDER THOSE THINGS BECAUSE I KNOW THAT IT HAPPENED THERE.

I WALKED RIGHT OVER TO THAT HOUSE AND AS A REAL ESTATE AGENT I'LL TELL YOU WHAT I TELL MY CLIENTS THIS IS HAPPENING OVER HERE BECAUSE IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE PROPERTY CONDITION DISCLOSURE THAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO REPORT TO THEM IF THERE'S ANY DAMAGE TO THAT HOUSE AND ANYTHING HAS BEEN FIXED IN THAT HOUSE. YEAH WE ACTUALLY PATCHED UP SIX GUN HOLES RIGHT HERE AND. TELL ME IT'S NOT GOING TO START AFFECTING WHERE AND HOW PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE. JUST WANT TO PUT IT OUT THERE FOR EVERYBODY.

I APPRECIATE THAT AGAIN. I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. I THINK WE SHOULD PUMP THE BRAKES ON THIS THING AND GIVE IT THE TRUE DEBATE THAT IT DESERVES WITH THOSE VIABLE GET GET THE POLICE AND THE MUNICIPAL POLICE IN HERE AND HAVE THEM CONTRIBUTE TO THIS.

THEY'RE THE ONES LOOKING AT THESE COMMUNITIES. THEY'RE INVOLVED WITH THEM EVERY DAY ON THEIR BEAT. THEY KNOW WHERE COULD AND COULD NOT BE AFFECTED AND AGAIN IT'S NOT ABOUT A LAND GRAB. IT'S NOT ABOUT A GUN GRAB. IT'S GOT TO BE RESPONSIBLE GUN OWNERSHIP. THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ABOUT AT THE END OF THE DAY AND IT'S GOT TO WE GOT TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE. I'M 100% WITH ERIC ON THIS ONE.

THOSE BAD ACTORS THEY TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS NOT OKAY IT IS NOT OKAY FOR FAMILIES TO LIVE IN FEAR IF ANOTHER ROUND'S GOING TO COME THROUGH THEIR BEDROOM WINDOW THAT'S NOT OKAY . THERE'S A WORD FOR IT. I'M NOT GOING TO SAY IT BECAUSE I THINK IT WOULD BE A STEP FAR. BUT WHEN YOU LIVE IN CONSTANT FEAR OF AN ACTION THERE'S A WORD FOR THAT I AM AND I HOPE WE CAN SLOW THIS DOWN JUST A LITTLE BIT.

IT REQUIRES OUR RESPONSIVE OUR RESPONSIBLE ATTENTION. THANK YOU MUCH.

THANK YOU, MR. GRILLO. THANKS FOR COMING. MIKE MCDONALD.

COME ON DOWN. MIKE MCDONALD A LITTLE NERVOUS HERE WHEN I FIRST CAUGHT WIND OF THIS IT I READ ABOUT THE INCIDENT THERE I CAN'T REMEMBER THE NAME OF A SUBDIVISION BUT INITIAL REACTION WAS TO HAVE THIS COUNTY WIDE BANNED. I THOUGHT THAT WAS A GOOD IDEA BUT MY NEIGHBOR NEXT TO ME I THINK SHE'S NEXT TO SPEAK CONVINCED ME THAT IT WOULD BE ENFORCEMENT NIGHTMARE. I AM A GUN OWNER. I ENJOY SHOOTING SPORTS AND HUNTING. I THINK NOW AFTER CONSIDERATION HEARING EXCUSE ME HEARING THESE OTHER SPEAKERS THEY PROBABLY DO NEED TO SLOW THIS DOWN A LITTLE BIT BUT THE ULTIMATE GOAL IN MY MIND IS TO PROTECT NEIGHBORHOODS NEIGHBORHOODS. NOW ONE GENTLEMAN FROM CHARLESTON COUNTY, THE OTHER TO MAN WHO MADE GREAT POINTS NORTH OF THE BROAD I LIVE SOUTH OF THE BROAD I LIVE RIGHT BY THE HILTON HEAD BRIDGES AND MY BIGGEST CONCERN HERE IS PEOPLE SHOOTING IN NEIGHBORHOODS AND THAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.

BUCKINGHAM LANDING SEEN HERE BEFORE THERE AT END ONE OF THE STREETS THERE ARE PEOPLE CONSTANTLY SHOOTING DOWN. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY SHOOT. I MEAN I HAVE A PRETTY IDEA NINE MILLIMETER SHOTGUNS, RIFLES, THE HOUSES IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD ON A HALF ACRE LOTS ARE 20 TO 50 FEET APART. OKAY. 22 LONG RIFLE EFFECTIVE RANGE 3 TO 400 YARDS TO 23 3 TO 500 YARDS 556 WHICH THE SERVICE MEMBERS WOULD BE FAMILIAR WITH 1000 YARDS, A NINE MILLIMETER PISTOL, 100 YARDS, 45 CALIBER PISTOL 50 TO 75 YARDS AN EFFECTIVE RANGE. I'M HERE BECAUSE I THINK I WANT SOMEBODY TO PROTECT MY NEIGHBORHOOD. OKAY. NORTH OF THE BROAD IS MUCH MORE RURAL AND SOUTH OF THE BROAD AND YES, THESE COMMUNITIES ARE GETTING LANDLOCKED WHERE I LIVE IS A SMALL ISLAND. THERE'S A STRIP OF LAND A STRIP OF MARSH DIRECTLY FROM THAT IS THE OLD SOUTH COMMUNITY WELL WITHIN RANGE OF ANY OF THESE WEAPONS THE BLUFFTON FLYOVER AND TO 78 WELL WITHIN RANGE OF ANY OF THESE FLYOVERS THEN IT IS WEAPONS ON MY OVER HERE I

[01:55:02]

ANY OF THOSE WEAPONS COULD HIT OF THOSE BUILDINGS. I DON'T WANT TO ANYBODY LOSE THEIR RIGHTS TO BEAR ARMS. I THANK THE MEN THEIR SERVICE. MY SON WAS A CAPTAIN IN THE ARMY. HE HAD COMBAT SERVICE AS WELL. I KNOW WHERE THESE GUYS ARE COMING FROM I JUST THINK I'M SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE I THINK THE NEIGHBORHOODS NEED TO BE PROTECTED FROM THESE SHOOTINGS SHOOTERS WE'VE CALLED MULTIPLE TIMES TED LAW ENFORCEMENT ENFORCEMENT THERE THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN DO IS WHAT THEY SAY.

THERE'S ANOTHER INCIDENT AND I'M GLAD TO THE OUR OFFICERS HERE THESE GUYS ARE SHOOTING CLAY OVER THE MARSH UNLESS THEY'RE USING LIKE DUCK SHOT STAINLESS STEEL OR NON LED SHOT I'M CORRECT THAT'S ILLEGAL YOU CAN SHOOT LED SHOT OVER THE MARSH WELL THEY'RE SHOOTING IT TOWARDS OLD SELF OKAY AND I KNOW PEOPLE IN OLD SOUTH THAT BRING THEIR KIDS IN WHEN THEY START TO SHOOT SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU. MR. MCDANIEL APPRECIATE IT. JULIE FRANKLIN FRANKLIN I'M ON THE EVENING OF MONDAY AND I HOPE TO BE SOMEWHAT SHORT SO WE HAVE HEARD LOTS OF COMMENTS ALL WE'VE HEARD FROM A GENTLEMAN WHO HAS A THREE YEAR OLD AND A SEVEN YEAR OLD WHO SELF ADMITTEDLY WOULD BE RIGHT UP HERE IF SOMETHING WERE OCCURRING IN HIS FAMILY DYNAMIC THAT GAVE RISE TO HIM FEELING LIKE HE WAS THREATENED ON HIS OWN HOME.

I HAVE THREE YEAR OLD AND A SEVEN YEAR OLD AND I LIVE IN BUCKINGHAM AND MY NEIGHBOR ADJACENT OFTEN SHOOTS VARIOUS FIREARMS OF ALL KINDS THEY GO BOOM AND I HAVE A THREE YEAR OLD AND A SEVEN YEAR OLD THAT CAN'T PLAY OUTSIDE AND HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO PLAY OUTSIDE SINCE THIS REALLY BEGAN APPROXIMATELY A YEAR AND A HALF AGO. I'VE MADE COUNTLESS CALLS PERSONALLY TO THE SHERIFF'S SOME THROUGH THE 911 AND THROUGH SOME THROUGH NON-EMERGENCY. THEY ASKED ME TWO QUESTIONS WHO DID AND WHAT KIND OF FIREARM? I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THESE QUESTIONS AND I HONESTLY AS A MEMBER OF THE BAR I AM AN ATTORNEY IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND GEORGIA IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK. I HAVE TO SAY HONESTLY WHEN I'M ON THE PHONE WITH DISPATCH I DON'T KNOW I DO NOT HAVE A LEGAL RIGHT TO SURVEIL MY NEIGHBOR NOR WOULD I WANT TO LIVE IN A COMMUNITY WHERE I WAS REQUIRED TO DO SO WHAT I DO WANT IS ACTION.

I HAVE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH MS. BROWN AND I AM SO GRATEFUL YOU GUYS FOR BRINGING THIS TO TO THE POINT WHERE IT IS AT THE SECOND READING WHERE THERE IS A PUBLIC HEARING I HAVE LONG I'VE THROWN UP MY HANDS. WE'VE GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE IT'S ACTUALLY BETTER AND SAFER FOR OUR FAMILY TO GO SPEND THE WEEKEND IN SAVANNAH WITH THE CRIME RATE BEING WHAT IT IS BECAUSE WE DON'T FEEL SAFE IN OUR OWN BACKYARD THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE. THERE ARE ALSO SURE VOYA REQUESTS RECORDINGS OF ME COMMUNICATING WITH DISPATCH IN THE 911 AND NON-EMERGENCY LINE CONTEXT WHERE LITERALLY SAY FRUSTRATED LEAD TO THE INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS THE UNLUCKY AND UNFORTUNATE TASK OF ANSWERING MY CALL I LIVE IN GAZA. I DON'T KNOW WHY THIS IS HAPPENING BUT I DON'T FEEL SAFE. THE OTHER MAJOR TO ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAWS THAT HAVE BEEN TO LIGHT IN THE OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS IS YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN ACTUAL PARTY WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE NEGLIGENT DISCHARGE OF THE FIREARM.

IF YOU PUT A WITNESS ON THE STAND AS THE SHERIFFS, YOU KNOW DEA AND YOU CAN'T GET SOMEBODY COMMIT TO SEEING AN INDIVIDUAL SHOOT, THEN YOU DON'T HAVE A CASE EVEN IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ESTABLISH SOME SORT OF PROXIMATE CAUSE. I HAVE A BULLET OUR OUR HOUSE CHIEF FROM THE GUN SHOT BUT I DON'T HAVE WITNESS TESTIMONY IN THE FORM OF EYEWITNESS TESTIMONY. AND WHEN WE DO CALL THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE THEY DO RESPOND. BUT YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT SOME SLICK SHADY PEOPLE WHO

[02:00:01]

ONE OF THEM I BELIEVE IS A 17 YEAR OLD BUT THEY'RE VERY QUICK TO PUT UP THE GUIDANCE WITH THE SHERIFF COMES AND THERE'S NO GUN SHOOTING WHEN THE SHERIFF IS THERE AND THEN ALMOST IN RETALIATION OF THE FACT THAT WE TRIED TO REACH OUT TO THE SHERIFF TO GET THIS CONDUCT TO CEASE AND DESIST AS SOON AS THE SHERIFF LEAVES OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

POP, POP, POP, POP, POP, POP, POP, POP, POP, POP, POP, POP, POP.

I HAVE VIDEOS I HAVE SHARED THEM WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. I HAVE COUNTLESS FOI REQUESTS, PHONE CALLS AGAIN AS I INDICATED, I HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THIS PARTICULAR PROPOSED ORDINANCE. I DO AGREE THIS IS GOOD. OKAY.

IT'S APPROPRIATE. IT HAS TO BE DEALT WITH AS THE THE CHIEF SAID.

THIS IS GOING TO PREVENT AN INEVITABLE TRAGEDY IF IT IS NOT DEALT WITH SWIFTLY AND DEFTLY.

HOWEVER THE 500 YARDS IS GOING TO BE A PROBLEM BECAUSE I ALSO IN BUCKINGHAM 5 MINUTES FROM TANGIER 9 MINUTES FROM WINDMILL HARBOR. OKAY I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT IN A RURAL AREA IN RIDGELAND I AM VERY CLOSE TO VERY MANY PEOPLE. I DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO SEE WHO SHOT THE GUN NOR DO I HAVE THE ABILITY TO PREVENT THEM FROM PUTTING ALL OF THE IMPLEMENTS BEFORE THEY GET CAUGHT. OKAY.

SO IN THE CONTEXT OF 500 YARDS OR 500 FEET OR A THOUSAND YARDS OR A THOUSAND FEET THERE IS AN ANALOG THAT WAS PASSED BY THE COUNTY OF BOULDER IN COLORADO. NOW COLORADANS MUCH LIKE SOUTH CAROLINIANS ARE BIG BELIEVERS IN THEIR SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS AND DO NOT EVER WISH FOR THOSE TO BE TAKEN AWAY. OKAY. BUT IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS PARTICULAR RESOLUTION AND THERE WERE THREE THAT WERE PASSED SIMULTANEOUSLY IN BOULDER IN UNINCORPORATED AREAS SPECIFICALLY ONE OF WHICH IS RESOLUTION 2020 2-095I HAVE SUBMITTED THAT ORDINANCE TO MISS BROWN AND IT HAS A STATUTORY ANALOG THAT IS REFERENCE IN THAT PARTICULAR COUNTY ORDINANCE. IT SAYS THAT THE COUNTY COUNCIL MAY DESIGNATE AREAS WHERE THERE IS TO BE NO DISCHARGE OF FIREARMS UNLESS LAW ENFORCEMENT A SHOOTING GALLERY OR PRIVATE GROUNDS OR A PERSONAL RESIDENCE UNDER CIRCUMSTANCES WHEN SUCH DISCHARGE CAN DONE SO AS TO NOT ENDANGER PERSONS OR PROPERTY AND IN SUCH A MANNER TO PREVENT PREVENT PROJECTILES FROM DISCHARGE FROM TRAVERSING ANY SPACE OR GROUNDS OUTSIDE THE LIMITS OF SUCH SHOOTING GALLERY GROUNDS OR PERSONAL RESIDENCE NO AREA SHALL BE DESIGNATED UNLESS HAS AN AVERAGE POPULATION DENSITY OF 100 PERSONS PER SQUARE MILE. WHAT THIS DOES IS IT DOESN'T ALLOCATE A PARTICULAR NORTH OF THE BROAD OR SOUTH OF THE BROAD MENTALITY OR RESTRICT PEOPLE'S RIGHTS TO DO WHAT THEY SEE FIT ON THEIR OWN PROPERTIES AS THEY ARE ALLOWED TO BY LAW WHAT IT DOES IS IT SAYS WE HAVE A DENSER POPULATION NOW THAN WE DID FIVE, TEN, 20 YEARS AGO IN THESE PARTICULAR UNINCORPORATED AREAS THAT JUST HAVE SLIPPED THROUGH THE GAPS AND WE ARE GOING TO ANALYZE THESE PARTICULAR AREAS AND THEIR AVERAGE DENSITY AND POPULATION TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT WE FEEL THAT IT IS NECESSARY RESTRICT THIS CONDUCT. ABSOLUTELY.

OKAY. NOW WITHIN THIS PROVISION BECAUSE COLORADO AND LIKE SOUTH CAROLINIANS LOVE THEIR GUNS, IT'S STATES NOTHING HERE CAN BE CONSTRUED TO RESTRICT CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS TO BEAR ARMS OR TO DEFEND ONE'S FAMILY PERSON OR PROPERTY THEY IS IT IS A HARD CARVE OUT BUT WHAT IT ALSO SAYS IS WHEN YOU LIVE IN A VERY DENSELY POPULATED AREA WHETHER IT IS INCORPORATED OR UNINCORPORATED IT IS A NO DISCHARGE OF FIREARMS IN THESE PARTICULAR. AND AS I HAVE MADE CLEAR TO MS..

BROWN, MY OTHER CONCERN IS WHO DO WE DEEM RESPONSIBLE? ALL RIGHT.

I HAVE A BUDDY THAT COMES TO MY PROPERTY AND HE PULLING OUT HIS FIREARM AND I SAY NO, NO, NO, YOU'RE NOT TO DISCHARGE FIREARMS AND HE DOES IT ANYWAY .

I'M CALLING I'M CRIMINALLY TRESPASSING HIM. HE'S NO LONGER AN INVITEE BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT THE NEGLIGENT OWNER THAT DOES INVITE THIS PERSON OVER THAT WATCHES THEM

[02:05:06]

THAT IS WHY MY KIDS DON'T REALLY GET TO PLAY OUTSIDE AND WE HAVE TO GO ON WALKS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND I HEAR POP POP BUT AT LEAST I KNOW I'M LIKE TWO BLOCKS AWAY FROM MY BACKYARD WHERE THIS COULD HAPPEN AND QUITE FRANKLY I, I THAT TO BE UNACCEPTABLE.

I ALSO AM SO TO YOU ALL FOR SUE DESPITE BRINGING THIS UP WHETHER IT'S TO DEAL WITH THIS SHADOW MASS POPULATION OR THE NEW RIVERSIDE POPULATION OR OUR LONG STANDING BUCKINGHAM BLANDING UNINCORPORATED AREA BUT WE CALLED THE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE THERE 30, 45 MINUTES AWAY WHERE THEY HAPPENED TO BE AT THEIR SATELLITE LOCATION.

IT GIVES SOMEBODY AMPLE OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE WE HAVE FLY BRIDGES.

IT'S VERY CLEAR THAT WHEN THERE IS AN OFFICER COMING INTO MY NEIGHBORHOOD WE KNOW ABOUT IT IN ADVANCE NOBODY'S BEEN CAUGHT . WE KNOW EXACTLY WHO IT IS BUT WE DON'T HAVE VIDEO AND WE HAVE TREES IN BETWEEN OUR PROPERTY LINES AND.

I DON'T GET TO LIE AND SAY THAT I SAW SOMEBODY DO SOMETHING WHEN DIDN'T SEE IT MYSELF.

THAT IS THE PROBLEM. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR YOU ALL FOR HAVING THIS ORDINANCE AT LEAST SET DOWN. I DO ASK THAT YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE BOULDER ORDINANCE AND THE RELEVANT STATUTE THAT IS CODIFIED WITHIN THAT ORDINANCE AND THAT RATHER THAN DO SOME SORT OF ARBITRARY YARDAGE OR WE DO A NO FIREARM DISCHARGE CHARGE WITH VERY BIG EXCEPTIONS FOR POPULATION DENSITY FOR SHOOTING GALLERIES, FOR PERSONAL RESIDENCE WHERE PROJECTILES ARE DEAD CERTAIN NOT GOING TO TOUCH ANY ADDITIONAL IN A WAY THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY ARM OUR SHERIFF'S WITH THE ABILITY TO ENFORCE IT AS TO THE PROPERTY OWNER BECAUSE IN THE EVENT THAT YOU KNOW ROACHES ,SCATTER IN DAYLIGHT THERE'S NOBODY ELSE THERE BUT THE PROPERTY OWNER AND THERE'S GOT TO BE SOMEBODY RESPONSIBLE THAT AND IT'S DELUSIONAL TO THINK THAT YOU COULD HAVE SOMEBODY COME YOUR HOUSE WITHOUT YOUR PERMISSION DISCHARGE A FIREARM AND, NOT KNOW ABOUT IT. SO THANK YOU ALL SO VERY AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU.

BUT I DO IMPLORE YOU I KNOW WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF VOICES ABOUT SLOWING THIS DOWN.

I DON'T THAT THE MOMENTUM SHOULD BE SLOWED. I THINK THAT GREAT CONSIDERATION AND HOMAGE SHOULD BE PAID TO THE COMMENTS THAT BEEN MADE TODAY AND THAT THE BEST WAY TO LOOK AT SOMETHING IS TO LOOK AT SOMEONE ELSE WHO'S DONE IT BEFORE YOU AND FIGURE OUT WHERE THEIR GAPS AND POTHOLES WERE. I DID TRY TO REACH OUT TO THE COUNTY D.A. ON OUR WAY OVER BECAUSE COLORADO IS BEHIND US AND I LEFT A VOICEMAIL BUT HAVEN'T HEARD BACK. BUT I'M HAPPY TO CONTINUE TO REACH OUT TO THE PUBLIC RELATIONS TEAM FOR THE COUNTY D.A. WHO DOES REPRESENT THAT SHERIFF'S OFFICE BECAUSE I WANT TO FLESH OUT AND UNDERSTAND MORE FULLY WHAT RAMIFICATIONS ARE OF VIOLATIONS IN THE CONTEXT THAT I'M HOW DOES THAT WORK? I WANT US TO CREATE WITHIN THIS AMENDMENT ORDINANCE THAT IT THOSE PITFALLS THAT THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED SINCE THEY'RE INITIATION AND ACCEPTANCE OF THIS THREE YEARS AGO LEARN AND EVOLVE FOR OUR PURPOSES AND ENSURE THAT THIS IS NOT BORNE OUT OF A DESIRE TO NOT HAVE PEOPLE SHOOT THEIR GUNS WHERE THEY ARE ENTITLED TO SHOOT THEM BUT THAT WE ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO POPULATION TO DENSITY TO CHANGING AND EVOLVING NEIGHBORHOODS AND IMPORTANTLY CREATING A SAFE AND CONGENIAL ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR CHILDREN SOME OF WHOM LIKE TO PLAY EVEN THOUGH IT'S 2026 WE LIKE TO KEEP OFF THEIR PETS AND WE CAN'T DO IT IF WE'RE AFRAID THEY'RE GOING TO GET SHOT IN OUR OWN BACKYARD. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION ASKING YOU JEREMY BRATCHER, YOU'RE OUR LAST ONE. COME ON DOWN.

MADAM CHAIR COUNSEL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I THINK WE FOUND A GREAT CONSULTANT FOR HELPING WITH OUR WORDSMITHING OF THIS ORDINANCE THAT KUDOS TO HER.

THAT WAS FABULOUS. I GREW UP IN KENTUCKY SURROUNDED BY GUNS GOING TO SCHOOL AND SEEING THE TRAIL OF BLOOD ON THE STREET BECAUSE SOMEBODY KILLED DEER THAT

[02:10:04]

THAT'S I LIVED IN VIRGINIA BEACH IN NORFOLK, ONE OF THE HUBS OF OUR MILITARY LARGE WORLD'S LARGEST NAVAL BASE. AND I'VE LIVED HERE FOR THE LAST 17 YEARS.

YOU GUYS DIDN'T KNOW ME AND I DIDN'T KNOW YOU FOR THE FIRST 16.

THE REASON WE EACH OTHER NOW IS IT'S HARD TO PHYSICALLY CONFIRM THIS BUT BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T KNOW ME AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I'M IN YOUR FACE TONIGHT TALKING TO YOU WITH RESPECT OF COURSE IS BECAUSE I WAS WALKING DOG AND AS I'VE SAID TO A COUPLE IN THE PAST IS I'VE NEVER BEEN ON THE WRONG END OF A BULLET UNTIL THAT NIGHT. IS IT PROBABLY 536 I WAS WALKING MY DOG AND GUNSHOTS BEEN GOING ON FOR 2025 MINUTES AS I DO A LOT AND ALL OF A SUDDEN LEANED BY MY HEAD. IT WAS A SURREAL MOMENT AND EVERY EVERYBODY HAS A COUPLE OF THOSE IN THEIR LIFE. YOU'RE LIKE WOW SOMETHING MONUMENTAL COULD HAVE JUST HAPPENED AND IT DID FORTUNATELY IT WAS HIGHER THAN MY HEAD I YOU COULD TELL BY THE BUZZ KIND OF GENERALLY WHERE IT WAS LOCATED AND BUT IT HAPPENED WHERE ENDED.

I DON'T BUT IT HAPPENED A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER I WAS IN MY BACKYARD WITH MY WIFE AND OUR DOG AND GUNSHOTS WERE GOING AGAIN AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN SECOND TIME ONLY TWICE BUT TWO TOO MANY IN MY OPINION. WHEN I HEARD THAT BUZZ MY WIFE LOOKED AT ME IT WAS LIKE WAS THAT I WAS GET INSIDE. SO WE GO INSIDE THAT'S THAT'S NOT THAT'S NOT WHERE WE LIVE.

AND AND I PREFERRED PREPARED A COUPLE OF NOTES KNOW ONE I'M PERSONALLY NOT SUGGESTING BY ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM THAT RESPONSIVE FIREARM USE SHOULD DISAPPEAR FROM COUNTY.

I DON'T FIREARMS MANY MY LIFE WOULD TELL YOU TOO MANY I OWN SEVERAL I'M THE FIRST PERSON THAT DOESN'T WANT THAT REMOVED . IT'S ILLEGAL TO DISCHARGE A FIREARM IN BLUFFTON WHERE I LIVE IT'S ILLEGAL WITH A COUPLE OF EXCEPTIONS IT'S ILLEGAL TO THAT IN BEAUFORT IT'S ILLEGAL TO DO THAT IN HILTON HEAD. SO THERE ARE PARTS OF THE COUNTY WHERE IT IS UNILATERALLY ILLEGAL FOR PROTECTION AND THAT TYPE OF THING, RIGHT? SO WE'RE NOT EVEN ASKING FOR THAT IN UNINCORPORATED COUNTY RATHER THE SPIRIT OF THE ORDINANCE KNOWING IT'S STILL IN FLUX HAS SOME MASSAGING TO DO. THE SPIRIT OF THAT ORDINANCE SIMPLY RECOGNIZES THAT WHEN HOMES IN NEIGHBORHOODS NOW IN AREAS THAT WERE ONCE RURAL BASIC SAFETY BUFFERS SHOULD EXIST AS WELL. WHAT SHOULD THIS ORDINANCE DO? THIS ORDINANCE SHOULD ESTABLISH REASONABLE DISTANCE. I LOVE THE IDEA OF POCKETS MY IS CREATED BECAUSE OF A DONUT HOLE WHERE AN UNINCORPORATED GARY OF BEAUFORT COUNTY IS NOW THROUGH ANNEXATION BY TOWN OF BLUFFTON. THIS ONE LITTLE POCKET STILL ACTS AS THOUGH THIS IS STILL PINELAND FOREST, RIGHT? SO WE HAVE TO HAVE A PLAN ON HOW TO RATIONALLY AND REASONABLY ADDRESS THAT. SINCE 2010 THE COUNTY'S POPULATION HAS GROWN OVER 20%. IT'S NOT GOING TO STOP FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS.

AND WHAT SHOULD THE ORDINANCE NOT DO? IT SHOULD NOT AFFECT LARGE PORTIONS OF RURAL BEAUFORT COUNTY WHERE HOMES REMAIN SPREAD APART FARMLAND.

YOU KNOW YOU'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, ACRES AND ACRES AND YOU'VE YOU'VE LIVED THAT WAY.

THERE'S DEVELOPMENT THERE YET ANYWAY AND IT SHOULD NOT PROHIBIT LAWFUL OWNERSHIP HUNTING AND RESPONSIBLE FIREARM . WE JUST REALLY NEED TO ADDRESS THE NEGLIGENT DISCHARGE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO RESIDENTIAL AREAS.

AND AS WE'VE HEARD AND I AGREE THAT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME WORK. I LOVE THE FACT THAT YOU KNOW SOME RESEARCH HAS BEEN DONE ON SOME OTHER MUNICIPALITIES LIKE BOULDER.

I RECOGNIZE CONCERN ABOUT ENFORCEABILITY AND ENSURING THE ORDINANCE THE APPROPRIATE TEETH. THOSE DETAILS SHOULD CERTAINLY REFINED IN COORDINATION WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND LEGAL COUNSEL BUT THAT RESPONSIBILITY ULTIMATELY RESTS WITH THOSE OF YOU ON THIS BODY TO MAKE THAT THE NEW LAW AND RELY ON INFORMED EDUCATED COUNSEL TO

[02:15:05]

I UNDERSTAND THIS IS THE SECOND READING. THERE'S STILL HOPEFULLY WILL BE A THIRD READING. THERE'S TIME BETWEEN NOW AND THEN.

IT WOULD BE A TRAGEDY FOR US TO PRESS THE PAUSE BUTTON. SOMETHING HAPPEN WHILE WE'VE GOT THE PAUSE BUTTON PRESSED RIGHT. NOT SAYING JUST TO PUT SOMETHING OUT THERE TO MAKE EVERYBODY FEEL GOOD ABOUT OURSELVES ON THE BACK END.

CHECKED THE BOX. LET'S MOVE ON. THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M SAYING.

WE NEED TO KEEP THAT MOMENTUM BUT WE'VE GOT A GOOD THING START AND LET'S NOT STOP HERE.

LET'S NOT PAUSE. LET'S KEEP FULL SPEED BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TRAGEDY TO FORCE OUR HAND. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME CONSIDERING AND AND FOR FOR NOT JUST THE COUNCIL BUT THOSE BEHIND THE SCENES ON THE STAFF WHO HAVE DONE A LOT OF WORK ON THIS IT DOESN'T GO UNAPPRECIATED. AND LET'S WORK TOGETHER FOR SOLUTION THAT PROTECTS BOTH RESPONSIBLE FIREARM AND OWNERSHIP WITH THE SAFETY OF RESIDENTS IN A GROWING BEAUFORT COUNTY. THANK YOU.

YOU MR. BRADSTREET. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING. ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK? MR. SMITH, I'LL SAY THAT I'M ACTUALLY I WON'T HOLD TOO MUCH IN TIME BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN A LOT SAID TONIGHT I WILL SAY THAT THE GUY FROM CHARLESTON, MR. ERIC GA.

I WOULDN'T SAY LOT OF A LOT OF . THEY TOOK A LOT OF MY COMMENTS.

BUT ONE THING I WANT TO JUST POINT OUT TO THIS COUNCIL IS THAT I'M SURE EVERYONE KNOW ME, NOT KNOW ME. YOU KNOW THAT I DEFINITELY CARE ABOUT KIDS AND FAMILIES BUT ALSO I DO CARE ABOUT OUR RIGHTS AS CITIZENS TOO AS WELL AND A LOT OF LIVING RULES AND AREAS BECAUSE WE DO LIKE TO DO DIFFERENT. WOULD LIKE TO DO DIFFERENT THINGS IN IN OUR AREA AND LIKE I SAID I WON'T GO BACK IN TO SEE A LOT OF WHAT THEY SAID.

I DO. DITTO WHAT THEY SAID. BUT YOU JUST DO REMEMBER THOSE AND SOME ACTUALLY WILL ACT FOR YOU TO KIND OF SLOW DOWN ON THIS.

SPEAKING OF SLOW DOWN AS SAT IN MY SEAT AND THEN THINK ABOUT THE TRACTION THAT SINGLE HANDED SITUATION GOT THE ENERGY OF GALVANIZED IN THIS ROOM AND IN THIS COMMUNITY AND IN THIS COUNTY. AND YET WE HAVE PEOPLE LIKE ME AND MRS. MAJOR COME IN WE SPEAK ABOUT THE KIDS AND DIFFERENT THINGS IN TERMS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND WE JUST CAN'T GET THAT KIND OF TRACTION. SO AMAZING THAT THIS SITUATION BOUGHT THE TRACTION AND WE COME WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE SAME SITUATIONS KIDS AND PEOPLE WHO ARE DYING IN THE COMMUNITY AND IT DIDN'T GET THE TRACTION THAT THIS SITUATION HAD GOT TODAY.

TONIGHT WE EVEN GOT A FIRST READING A SECOND READING OR NOT EVEN I THINK OF A REASONING TO HELP SOME OF THE SITUATION THAT WE THAT WE'VE THAT WE BROUGHT UP AND THEN JUST BEFORE THE SITUATION EARLIER IT WAS IT WAS TALK IT WAS TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT THE AND OF SPEAKING THIS UP AND MOVING THIS ABOUT A AND IN THE LAND THE LAND AND THE LAND LAST OF MY BUILDING THE FOR ABOUT ABOUT A THE THE IMPACT FEE WE TALKED ABOUT THE IMPACT FEES IN THIS IN THIS COUNTY BEFORE YOU EVEN PUT A HOUSE OR BEFORE YOU CAN EVEN PUT A HOUSE ON ON ON LAND COULD COST ARE OWN IMAGINE A SINGLE PARENT A YOUNG 20 YEAR OLD BECAUSE I'M ABOUT 40 TO 30000 MILES TO EVEN BEFORE BEFORE THEY CAN PUT THE HOUSE UP. THAT'S JUST MOVE SOME OF THE DIRT AROUND TO FIGURE OUT NOBODY THEY CAN EVEN GET A HOUSE ALL LAND.

WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT FOR MONTHS BUT THAT HAVEN'T GOT NO TRACTION AND SOME PEOPLE MAY HAVE CAME HERE BEFORE ME TO ASK YOU TO TO SLOW THIS SITUATION DOWN AND GET LAW ENFORCEMENT EVOLVING INTO INTEGRATE LET SOME OTHER PEOPLE TAKE THIS ON. BUT WHAT AMAZES ME THE MOST OUT OF THIS IS THAT THE TRACTION THAT THIS THAT THAT THIS SITUATION HAS GOTTEN AND WE'VE BRINGING SITUATIONS BEFORE YOU THAT HADN'T GOT THIS KIND OF KIND OF TRACTION.

SO I'M JUST HERE I'M JUST HERE. THE FIRST THING THAT I DO AGREE WITH THEM BUT IT ME WHAT IT

[02:20:03]

SO THAT'S WHY HE'S ON TOPIC. SO NO, I CAN'T SAY AND I'M ACTUALLY YOU TO DIG IN YOUR HEART AND REALLY UNDERSTAND WHY WE HERE WHAT'S YOUR WHY BECAUSE OF YOUR WISE MOVE THIS FORWARD THEN WHAT ELSE COMES WITH THIS? WELL LIKE SAID I DO AGREE WITH WHAT WAS SAID WHAT WAS WHAT WAS SAID FROM GUY FROM CHARLESTON AND THEN AND THEN THERE HAVE BEEN THE FIRST SPEAKER AND A COUPLE OF SPEAKERS BECAUSE OUR OUR RIGHTS SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN AWAY.

THAT'S WHY WE LIVE IN THE RULE AREAS AND I UNDERSTAND SOME PEOPLE MOVE HERE BUT WHEN YOU MOVE YOU UNDERSTAND THE RULES THAT ARE THERE BEFORE YOU GET THERE RESPECTFULLY THEY KIND OF COUNCIL YEAH THEY DEBATE ME WHAT I SAY HOPEFULLY YOU START GIVING US THE SAME RESULTS THAT YOU'RE GIVING OTHER PEOPLE IN OTHER POCKETS OF THIS COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU, MR.. ANYONE ELSE ON THE GUN DISCHARGE ORDINANCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK DURING A PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY, I WILL CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING ANY COMMENT FROM COUNSEL? OH, SURPASSED MINUTES.

YES. IT WAS ENLIGHTENING TO HEAR WHAT THE PUBLIC HAS TO SAY WE WE NEED TO WORDSMITH IT'S NOT THAT WE DON'T NEED AN ORDINANCE WE NEED THE APPROPRIATE ORDINANCE WE WE ABSOLUTELY NEED TO MOVE FORWARD. IT'S GOING TO BE MY SUGGESTION AFTER WE LISTENED TO EVERYONE THAT WE SET THE TIMELINE AS FOLLOWS THAT WE HAVE THE SECOND READING APPROVED AND THAT WE HAVE IT GO BACK TO THE COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE MEETING ON APRIL THE SIXTH TO ENSURE THAT ALL OF THE WORDSMITHING THAT HAS BEEN PROPOSED IS IN THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE THAT WE HAVE CONTACTED ALL OF THE THAT WOULD BE INVOLVED IN THIS WE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR SHERIFF IS ON BOARD WITH BEING ABLE TO ENFORCE THIS. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR SOLICITOR IS ON BOARD BECAUSE HE WOULD HAVE TO PROSECUTE THIS AND THAT WE HAVE THE THIRD AND FINAL READING ON APRIL THE 13TH. ANOTHER DISCUSSION. MR. MCGOWAN I AGREE WE CAN'T LOSE THE MOMENTUM. I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT TOPIC THAT HAS TO BE ADDRESSED WITHOUT WITHOUT LOSING THE MOMENTUM BUT. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE CAN'T SLOW IT DOWN FOR SMARTER LEGISLATION. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WE MAY ALREADY HAVE IT HERE AND THAT IN THE FORMAT THAT IT CURRENTLY EXISTS IT PROBABLY NEEDS TO BE INSPECTED MORE DEEPLY AND I THINK YOU HAVE A VERSION OF THAT IN MR. BARTHOLOMEW AVAILABLE FOR US TO CONSIDER. JOE I DON'T KNOW WHAT OUR REQUIREMENTS ARE TO GET TO THE THIRD READING BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S ENOUGH TIME DO THAT. SO I THINK PUTTING A DATE ON IT MAY NOT MAYBE WE CAN DO IT QUICKER. MAYBE IT'S THE 13TH WOULD BE

[02:25:03]

THERE'S SO MANY THINGS TO CONSIDER HERE WITH REGARD TO THE USE OF GUNS, GUN SAFETY AND GUN RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR GUN OWNERSHIP. BUT I THINK THAT SLOWING IT DOWN TO REVIEW THE SMARTER LEGISLATION MAY BE THE WAY TO GO.

BUT KEEPING IN MIND WE WE CAN'T LOSE OUR ABILITY TO GET THIS DONE.

YOU'VE ASKED FOR A LOT OF THINGS TO BE CONSIDERED. SOMEONE HAS TAKE HOLD OF THIS AND GET THAT DONE AND I DON'T KNOW WHO ON THE STAFF THAT WILL FALL TO BUT I THINK IT MIGHT BE EVEN TOO MUCH FOR ONE PERSON TO DO SO IF WE HAVE TO PUT TOGETHER A SMALL TASK FORCE TO GET THIS THING MOVING WITHOUT GETTING A LOT OF PEOPLE INVOLVED WOULD GET THE INFORMATION WE NEED BE CONSIDERED. I WOULD I WOULD SUPPORT YOUR MOTION WITH THOSE CONSIDERATIONS IN MIND. NOW THEY HAVE TO BE IN THE MOTION BUT WE CERTAINLY HAVE TO CONSIDER THEM. THAT'S ALL.

AND THE REASON I CHOSE APRIL 13 WE ONLY HAVE TWO MEETINGS A MONTH.

THERE'S NO MOTION FOR. MR. BARTHOLOMEW'S NEXT. I THINK IF YOU WANT TO YOU WANT TO FINISH? THAT'S RIGHT. THE ONLY REASON I SAID APRIL 13TH IS OUR COUNTY COUNCIL MEETINGS ARE APRIL 13TH AND APRIL 27TH AND THAT'S WHEN THE THIRD READING HAS TO OCCUR FOR APPROVAL IS A COUNTY MEETING. SO WHETHER IT'S THE 13TH OR 27TH ME MATTERS NOT IT'S THE PROCESS GOING TO NEED TO GO THROUGH.

WE'VE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR FROM INDIVIDUALS YOU COUNTY COUNCIL NEED TO DO SOMETHING BUT HERE ARE SOME THINGS SHOULD CONSIDER AND NOW WE HAVE TO TAKE THE LANGUAGE THAT WAS PROPOSED BY SOME PEOPLE. OBVIOUSLY PAULA RECEIVED SOMETHING.

DAVID HAS SOMETHING IT'S GOT TO GET TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE TO PUT THIS ORDINANCE TOGETHER SO THAT WE A COUNCIL HAVE A VERSION THAT WE ACCEPTABLE TO EVERYONE .

WE COME IN HERE THAT NIGHT. YES. YEAH.

IF WE WOULD ALLOW MR. BARTHOLOMEW WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS AND HE'S GOING TO MAKE A MOTION. WELL, I ACTUALLY HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT IT FALLS RIGHT IN LINE WITH WHAT YOU WERE SAYING. MY ISSUE WITH HAVING THE VOTE ON THE SECOND READING RIGHT NOW IS I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN ACTUALLY MAKE MAJOR MODIFICATIONS IT BETWEEN SECOND AND THIRD. SO MY MOTION I'LL HAVE IN A MINUTE WOULD BE TO POSTPONE THE ACTUAL VOTE ON THE SECOND READING UNTIL THE NEXT THE NEXT REGULAR COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING WHICH WOULD BE THE 13TH AND ALLOW A MEETING TO TAKE PLACE WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WANT TO ATTEND ALONG WITH OUR SHERIFF SOLICITOR POTENTIALLY IF THEY'D LIKE TO COME AND GET THE BY AND HAVE THAT COMMUNITY CONVERSATION.

I THINK BRIAN I THINK YOU'RE INVITED AS WELL TO IT AS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THIS.

BUT TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION THAT KEEPS MOMENTUM GOING, THAT ALLOWS FOR MODIFICATION MAJOR AND GETS EVERYBODY ON THE SAME PAGE A DID SEND AND I'M NOT KNOW LET'S HAVE SOME TROUBLE CONVERTING A PDF TO A WORD DOC AND SO I HAD SOME FORMATTING ISSUES I APOLOGIZE I DID SEND THAT TO ALICE LAST WEEK TO SEND TO OUR COUNCIL WE HIRED HOW GIBSON HUGHES OVER THE WEEKEND I THOUGHT OF SOME MORE POTENTIAL EXCEPTIONS THAT SHOULD BE IMPORTANT TO INCORPORATE. I'LL TRY TO GET THAT A WORKABLE FORMAT AND SEND OFF TO THE ATTORNEYS BUT IN THE MEANTIME THOUGH I THINK WE'RE ALL IN AGREEANCE WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING AND GOT THE IMPRESSION I WANTED TO SEND IT BACK KIND OF SLOW IT DOWN TO COMMITTEE LAST TIME BUT THAT DIDN'T SEEM TO BE THE WILL OF COUNCIL SO THIS GIVES US A LITTLE BIT OF A BUFFER ALLOWS US TO WORK ON IT AND THEN COME BACK TO THE TABLE AND GET EVERYBODY ON THE SAME PAGE SO AT THIS POINT I WOULD MOVE TO POSTPONE THE VOTE ON SECOND READING OF ORDINANCE 20 TO 20 2606 WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY AN ORDINANCE ADDING A NEW SECTION 54 AID TO THE COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCE TO THE NEXT REGULAR REGULARLY SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING WHICH IS APRIL THE 13TH MARCH 29 I'M SORRY MARCH 29TH THIRD SORRY MARCH 23RD IN ORDER TO BRING BACK THE SECOND READING WITH THE POTENTIALLY AMENDED LANGUAGE FOR ALL THE COUNCIL TO READ BUT I'LL SECOND THAT. OKAY MR. BARTHOLOMEW IS CORRECT IF THERE'S ANY MATERIAL SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE AFTER THE SECOND READING YOU HAVE TO BRING IT BACK FOR A REVISED SECOND READING BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO HAVE AT LEAST TWO READINGS WHEN YOU MAKE A MATERIAL CHANGE . SO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR AND SECONDED BY MR. READ YES NOW DISCUSSION FROM COUNSEL PAUL AND DAVID FORWARD IS FRANKLIN'S EMAIL TO YOU SO HOPEFULLY THERE CAN BE SOME KIND OF A GUIDELINE BECAUSE I THINK WHAT YOU SAID WAS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THE OTHER COMMENT MR. CUNNINGHAM SO WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS DURING THAT TIME WHAT'S THAT PROCESS LOOK LIKE?

[02:30:05]

I NEED TO I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS I WANT TO SAY THEN WE'RE GOING GO THAT ROUTE.

I UNDERSTAND THE COMMENTS ON BOTH SIDES I WAS ONE OF THE VOTES AGAINST THIS FOR THE FIRST REASON I DON'T BELIEVE IN TAKING AWAY RIGHTS JUST BECAUSE MUNICIPALITIES DO IT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S WORKING. CRIME RATES IN THOSE AREAS HAVE GONE UP.

THE CRIME RATE IN BOULDER IS VERY HIGH AS WELL. NO OFFENSE BOULDER'S NOT BEAUFORT COUNTY. I UNDERSTAND THE LEGISLATION BUT IT'S THAT'S NOT THE OLD COLORADO THAT COLORADO USED TO BE IN BOULDER AND I BELIEVE THEIR ATTORNEY GENERAL IS ACTUALLY RUNNING RIGHT NOW ARE THERE HE'S PROBABLY NOT CALLING YOU BACK BECAUSE HE'S RUNNING FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL. THE STATE. BUT WITH THAT SAID, IF WE CAN'T ENFORCE THE LAW NOW WHERE THERE IS NO DISTANCE, HOW ARE WE EVEN HAVING A DISCUSSION ABOUT ANY ENFORCEMENT RIGHT NOW IT IS A FELONY TO SHOOT IN A HOUSE. HE SAID IT HAPPENED IN CHATEAU AND AS FAR AS I KNOW WHERE WERE YOU ABLE TO ARREST PROSECUTE? HE SAID NO, NO.

BUT THEY WHO THE SHOOTER WAS THEY WERE COOPERATIVE AND STILL DID NOT WE'RE NOT ABLE TO PROSECUTE THE STATUTE DOES SAY THEY WERE BOOKING HIM AROUND AND THE STATUTE IN OF SHOOTING INTO A HOUSE THERE AND THAT THAT'S A RESPONSE JUST ANSWER THE QUESTION THAT WAS BROUGHT UP IN THE FIRST MEETING WHEN DANIEL HAWLEY WITH SHERIFFS WAS HERE THE 1623 FOR 46 AND A AND B FOR THE DISCHARGE A DWELLING AND A VEHICLE REQUIRE SPECIFIC INTENT.

THE MENS REA HAS TO BE THERE IN ORDER FOR THEM TO PROSECUTE. SO THERE IS GAP IN THE LAW WHICH IS WHY I INITIALLY SENT MY PROPOSED CHANGES UP TO THE STATE HOUSE TO TRY TO AMEND 1623 440 BY ADDING A SECTION C AND D OBVIOUSLY THE STATE HOUSE WHEELS MOVE VERY SLOW AND THAT'S OKAY. WE HAVE THIS ORDINANCE COMING FORWARD.

THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ON IT AND SEE IF WE COULD CLOSE GAP MY OBJECTIVE LEGISLATIVE INTENT IF YOU WANT TO CALL IT WOULD BE TO EDUCATE. I MEAN NO MATTER WHAT WORDS WE PUT A PIECE OF PAPER WE'RE NOT GOING TO STOP IDIOTS FROM DISCHARGING THEIR GUNS NEGLIGENTLY. BUT AT LEAST HEAVEN FORBID NOBODY GETS HURT WHEN SOMEBODY DOES NEGLIGENTLY NEGLIGENTLY DISCHARGE A FIREARM? HOPEFULLY WE CAN AT LEAST GET OUT IN FRONT OF IT, GET THEM SOME EDUCATION NOT TO TRY TO CHARGE OR JAIL THEM BUT JUST TO I THINK TO ME THAT'S THE BEST BEST CASE SCENARIO WHEN THIS WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. THERE'S NO DOUBT IN MY MIND IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN.

BUT THERE IS THERE DOES APPEAR TO BE A GAP IN THE LOAN AND I DON'T KNOW I HAD HEARD THAT MAYBE DNR HAD HAD A STATE STATUTE THAT THEY OPERATE UNDER AS THEY HAD BEEN WORKING ON THAT THEY MAY IF DEMAND MUST COME TO THE MICROPHONE SO WE CAN HAVE YOU HERE CHAIR HOWARD DO MODIFYING COMES UP NOW DO YOU IF YOU JUST SAY YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD TOO.

YEAH I'M JUST AGAIN FOR SERGEANT FOR DNR THERE IS A STATE STATUTE BUT ENTAILS WITH HUNTING OKAY SO IT'S DONE UNDER TITLE 57 GRAFFITI DASH ONE DASH 85 SO THAT'S NEGLIGENT USE A FIREARM. SO BUT IN ORDER TO DO THAT JUST BE DISCHARGED INTO A DWELLING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. IF YOU'RE OUT HUNTING AND YOU'RE AROUND A STRIKE, A STRUCTURE OF SOME SORT BUT THAT'S ONLY WHEN YOU'RE IN THE ACTIVE HUNTING AND CAN YOU REPEAT THAT STATUTE SECTION IT'S A 50 DASH ONE DASH 85 OUNCE DAVID VERSUS THE LAWSUIT . AND I THINK THIS IS A GOOD THING EVEN THOUGH WE WANT THIS MOVE FORCE QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. BUT WE NEED TO GO BACK AND MAKE SURE WE ARE NOT TRAMPLING ON THE RIGHTS OF OF PEOPLE JUST FOR A SECOND, I JUST WANT TO ASK YOU A QUESTION.

PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY WHEN WE WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS I MEAN IF WE PASS THIS IN THE NEXT TWO READINGS, THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S GOING TO STOP AS DAVE JUST SAID FROM SOMEONE GETTING SHOT BECAUSE AGAIN IT ALL GOES TO PROPER HANDLING OF GUNS AND WHAT PEOPLE ARE AND WHAT'S OUT THERE. SO AGAIN, I THINK IT'S GOOD IF WE GET EVERYONE INVOLVED AS DAVID HAS MENTIONED, DNR DUCKS UNLIMITED, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE BECAUSE AGAIN WE HAVE TO

[02:35:01]

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. AND ANY OTHER QUESTION WHILE WE HAVE A CAPTIVE AUDIENCE HERE FIRST I'M SO GLAD YOU CAME TONIGHT BACK AND SPEAK FOR A MINUTE. I APOLOGIZE HOWEVER UNORTHODOX ANYONE ELSE I COUNSEL QUESTION COMMENTS PRETTY MUCH THANK YOU FOR STAYING HERE. ALL RIGHT.

ANY OTHER COMMON QUESTION THERE ? YOU SAID THE MEETING WAS GOING TO BE MARCH 12TH. IT'S THURSDAY AND THE SOLICITOR'S OFFICE IT'S THURSDAY 12TH WE SHERIFF YES. WITH THE SHERIFF IN SOLICITOR BUT WE CAN'T HAVE A QUORUM.

NO I UNDERSTAND THAT OKAY THAT'S OKAY AND JUST AS LONG AS WE HAVE IT WE HAVE THE MEETING THAT'S THE END FOR GOING TO HAVE A MEETING AND IT CAME REAL QUICK OKAY.

YEAH YEAH IT WAS LIKE A LAST MINUTE PUT TOGETHER BECAUSE WE KNEW THIS WAS COMING THIS TODAY AS WE HAVE THE MEETING SO THAT WE CAN SELL THIS ON YEAH OKAY. OKAY.

SO COULD YOU REPEAT YOUR MOTION MR. BARTHOLOMEW AND ALMOST THE CLERK TO READ IT TO ME? YES, MR. POSTPONE THE SECOND READING UNTIL MARCH THE 23RD WHICH IS THE NEXT MEETING TO NOT HAVE THE SECOND READING APPROVED TONIGHT BUT TO MOVE IT TO MARCH 23RD FOR APPROVAL AND IN BETWEEN TIME TO HAVE MEETINGS TO WORDSMITH THIS SO THAT WE CAN GET A PREPONDERANCE OF SUPPORT. THAT WAS MY MOTION OKAY MR. CUNNINGHAM ASSUME THE QUESTION I'M OBVIOUSLY I'M NOT GOING TO HAVE THE MEETING CAN'T HAVE A QUORUM TOO I DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH NOTES OF THE MEETING BUT WITH THAT SAID, I JUST HOPE WHATEVER YOU GUYS TAKE THAT IT IS SOMETHING ENFORCEABLE BECAUSE IT'S NOT ENFORCEABLE JUST ON PAPER BECAUSE YOU CAN'T FIX STUPID LIKE YOU SAID IF YOU WANT TO TAKE OFF THE STREET YOU GOT IT.

WHAT DO YOU DO BAN ILLEGAL GUNS? PEOPLE ARE GETTING ILLEGAL GUNS SO PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BREAK THE LAW ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BREAK THE LAW.

SO IF WE CANNOT ENFORCE THE LAW IT'S COMPLETELY POINTLESS AND WE'RE WASTING TIME AND WE'RE PRETENDING LIKE PROTECTING OUR CITIZENS WHEN WE'RE SURE AS NOT IF THAT'S THE CASE.

SO I JUST THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO GO IN THERE AND TAKE THAT TIME AND DO IT AND FOR US UP HERE A SHOW BUT IT CAN'T JUST BE A PIECE OF PAPER THAT SAYS THAT IF IT CANNOT BE SO I HOPE THAT CAN GET DONE ON THURSDAY AND THAT'S WHY THE SHERIFF IS GOING TO BE THERE SOLICITOR'S GOING TO BE THERE OUR ADMINISTRATOR AND ATTORNEY SOMEONE FROM DNR WILL BE THERE IS HOW IS GOING TO INVITE CHIEF MEYERS I MEAN WILL BE PEOPLE THERE NEEDS TO HAVE GOOD TEETH IN IT ABOUT TOWN OF BLUFFTON PLACE AS WELL WILL THEY BE THERE? I HAVEN'T BEEN INVITED. I MEAN YOU CAN'T HAVE 100 PEOPLE BUT YEAH I MEAN IT DOESN'T MEAN WE CAN'T HAVE SOMEBODY. ALL RIGHT.

THINK ABOUT WHAT THIS PROBLEM IS. THIS THE DENSITY TOO SMALL, RIGHT? YEAH. YEAH, I'VE BLUFFTON ALREADY HAS THEIR OWN ORDINANCE. YEAH, BUT THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON ALREADY HAS THEIR OWN ORDINANCE IN PLACE THAT THEY ENFORCE WHETHER THEY ARE OR NOT IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY INPUT IN OUR

[02:40:01]

YEAH AND YOU KNOW WHAT I WAS TELLING MRS. BROWN BEFORE WAS A LOT OF THE HOUSES WHERE I LIVE FOR EXAMPLE YOU CANNOT DISCHARGE OF A FIREARM THAT IS AND SO WHEN THEY DO DEER CALLING AND SO ON IT IS NOT BY FIREARM. WE'RE HAVING THAT PROBLEM RIGHT NOW IN ROSELLE. WELL ANOTHER OF MY DISTRICT THEY CAN CHANGE THE RULES.

OKAY, MOVE ON. WE HAVE A ED SECONDED. WE HAD A DISCUSSION ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION AS READ BY MS.. BRUCK PLEASE DO I NEED A ROLL CALL? ALL RIGHT. RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU'RE IN FAVOR. OKAY. IT'S UNANIMOUS.

THANK YOU. THERE WAS GREAT DISCUSSION AND ,GREAT INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU ALL FOR SEEING SO LATE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU AND MR. GLOVER, DID YOU VOTE YES.

HE'S I THINK HE'S FROZEN. I THINK HE'S FROZEN. FROZEN.

[14.b. 2026/07: An ordinance amending the Zoning map for 5 acres (R300 016 000 0063 0000, R300 016 000 0064 0000, R300 016 000 0065 0000) from T3HN to T4VC. PUBLIC HEARING]

SO SEVEN AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE ZONING MAP FOR FIVE ACRES ARE 300 06000006340 IS OUR 300 ZERO 16 ETC. ETC. FROM T3H AND TO T FOR V C THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING CAN I HAVE A MOTION PLEASE? I'LL MAKE THE MOTION. THANK YOU.

MISS HOWARD. A SECOND, SECOND AND SECOND AND THE VOTED NATURAL RESOURCE ON THE 23RD WAS SIX ZERO AND ONE RECUSAL. MR. GLOVER RECUSED AND AT FIRST READING IT WAS 8 TO 1 MR. GLOVER RECUSED AND SO THE PLANNING COMMISSION VOTED EIGHT ZERO RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF THE REZONING SO HAVE A MOTION WE HAVE A SECOND DISCUSSION ON THIS ONE I NOTE FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING NO ANYONE WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT THERE IS NO ONE SIGNED UP ANYWHERE ON MY PUBLIC HEARING. OKAY I'M GOING TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. YES, MR. QUINN READ THE REASONS.

YEAH, THEY HAVE TO READ THE REASONS WHY MR. CUNNINGHAM'S GOT A I YOU DO THAT FIRST THAT'S FINE. I'M GOING TO MAKE THE SAME POINTS I MADE LAST TIME.

OKAY I MOVE THAT WE GRANT THE REQUEST FOR REZONING FOR THE FOLLOWING IT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE GOALS AND POLICIES OF A COMPREHENSIVE CODE AND THE PURPOSES OF DEVELOPMENT CODE .

IT IS NOT IN CONFLICT WITH PROVISIONS OF THE DEVELOPMENT CODE AND OR OUR OF ORDINANCES.

IT DOES ADDRESS A DEMONSTRATED COMMUNITY NEED. IT IS REQUIRED BY CHANGE CONDITIONS. IT IS COMPATIBLE WITH EXISTING AND PROPOSED USE OF LAND SURROUNDED THIS LAND IT WOULD NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT NEARBY LAND AND IT WOULD IT WOULD RESULT IN LOGICAL AND ORDERLY DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS. IT WOULD NOT RESULT IN ADVERSE IMPACT ON THE NATURAL THAT IS THE WATER AIR NOISE, STORMWATER MANAGEMENT, WILDLIFE, VEGETATION, WETLANDS AND THE NATURAL FUNCTIONING THE ENVIRONMENT IT WOULD IT WOULD RESULT IN THE DEVELOPMENT IS ADEQUATELY SERVED BY PUBLIC FACILITIES STREETS PART OF A WATER SEWER, STORMWATER MANAGEMENT SOLID WASTE COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL SCHOOLS, PARKS, POLICE, FIRE AND MEDICAL FACILITIES. ALL RIGHT, MR. CUNNINGHAM? YEAH. I CAME OUT AGAINST THIS THE FIRST TIME FOR ONE.

I THINK IT'S JUST GOING TO START THE CHAIN REACTION UNTIL REACHES THE RIVER.

THEY SAID IT'S NOT SPOT ZONING BUT IF YOU LOOK AT ONE PROPERTY MATCHES IT THE REST OF THE SURROUNDING PROPERTIES ON THE SIDE OF THE STREET AND THEN FULLY DOWN DO NOT MATCH IT ONLY ONES IS A COUPLE THREE THAT ARE RIGHT ABOVE IT. SECONDLY I DO THINK IT CREATES MORE IMPACT IF YOU'RE GOING TO IMPROVE THIS LAKE WHETHER IT'S SCHOOL OR INCREASE OF DENSITY CANCER THAT DOESN'T INCREASE STORMWATER OR RUNOFF ON THE ROAD IT ALSO DOES NOT HAVE ANY IMPROVEMENTS OR FURTHER ROAD AND IF THIS ONE IS APPROVED THERE'S NOTHING TO STOP US FROM IMPROVING THE OTHER SURROUNDING PROPERTIES. AND LASTLY WE'VE BEEN TOLD TIME TIME AGAIN BY OUR COUNCIL TO NOT APPROVE THINGS WITHOUT A CONTRACT ON HAND SO THAT THE PERSON CANNOT SELL THE PROPERTY. SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT UP ZONING A PROPERTY THAT COULD BE SOLD. THEY'RE NOT RESTRICTED TO BUILDING WHAT THEY SAY GOING TO BUILD. THERE'S NO AGREEMENT, THERE IS NO CONTRACT. SO ANYTHING WE ARE DOING IS THAT THE UP ZONING AND THAT ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN WITH THAT LAND AFTER THAT NOT SAYING IT'S TODAY I'M NOT SAYING IT'S TOMORROW BUT ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN SO WE'RE UP ZONING TO THE HIGHEST DENSITY POSSIBLE BY COUNTY CODE ON A PROMISE SOMEBODY SAYS THEY'RE GOING TO DO X, Y AND Z.

I CAN'T SUPPORT THAT OR ANYONE ELSE AND SURE YES YES THERE NO ABILITY FOR AN ADDITIONAL BUILDINGS OR HOMES TO BE ADDED TO THIS PROCESS THIS THIS REZONING IS PART OF THE LOCAL CHURCH ON THE ON THE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CHURCH THERE'S A HOME WHICH IS FORMER

[02:45:01]

WHERE EXACTLY IS THIS LOCATED? WE PULL THE MAPS UP. YEAH, YEAH.

JUST BEFORE WE ASKED THE COUNCILMAN GLOVER. OH YES.

HE'S BACK ON COUNCILMAN GLOVER CAN YOU DROP THIS IS FROM THE ISSUE YOU REFUSED YOURSELF FOR HOUSING MR. GLOVER CAN YOU DROP OFF THIS IS THE ISSUE YOU RECUSED YOURSELF FOR WHERE I THINK HE I DON'T THINK IT AIRS AFTER YOU DROP HIM OFF CAN YOU CUT HIM OFF? TERRIBLE THING TO SAY. I HAVE A CAR OKAY TOO ONCE WE GET THE MAPS UP YOU GO AHEAD.

OH, LAST TIME WE TALKED ABOUT THIS I ASK THE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TRAFFIC AND IT WAS ANSWERED. IT'S NOT IT'S THIS AREA I, I MAY HAVE TO ASK ROB OR CHUCK AGAIN ON YOUR DO YOU WANT TO ANSWER THAT AGAIN HERE ABOUT THE TRAFFIC? I THINK THERE WAS A TRAFFIC IT'S A SCHOOL OF COURSE I WOULD HAVE TO COMPLY WITH THE STORMWATER REGULATION. I DON'T UNDERSTAND COUNCILMAN CUNNINGHAM'S COMMENT TO THAT AND. I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS PROPERTY OUT HERE AS I'M SURE MANY US ARE. THIS IS THIS PROPERTY HAS BELONGED TO THE CHURCH SINCE THE END OF THE CIVIL WAR. I MEAN IT'S BELONGED IN A THE NAME OF THAT CHURCH IS BUT THAT IS CHRISTIAN. SO I DON'T THINK THERE'S IMPACT OF STORMWATER.

I WOULDN'T HAVE READ THESE CONDITIONS TRAFFIC. DO YOU WANT TO ADDRESS THAT AGAIN? SURE. SO JUST THAT COMMENT FIRST.

NO, I'D LIKE FOR HIM TO ANSWER IT PLEASE IF YOU DON'T MIND. MY QUESTION IS ABOUT THE TRAFFIC BECAUSE I DON'T RECALL WHAT YOU TOLD ME LAST TIME. I CAN ADDRESS IT KIND OF ALL AT ONE TIME. SO WHAT WE'RE DOING WE'RE CHANGING THE ZONING.

WE'RE NOT APPROVING A PARTICULAR ON THE SITE SO IT WILL BE AN ALLOWED USE BUT IT IS NOT AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF A PERMIT. THEY WILL STILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE COMPLETE PROCESS OF APPLYING A DEVELOPMENT PERMIT AND ANY SUBSEQUENT BUILDING PERMITS AND WOULD TO APPLY WITH ALL APPLICABLE LAWS FOR THOSE PERMITS.

THIS NOT AUTHORIZE THE ISSUANCE OF IT. IT JUST ALLOWS THE USE ON THE OPEN UP ZONING REQUIRE THE EXACT THING. OH ABSOLUTELY YES.

SO ANY ZONING WE BRING IN WOULD BE THE SAME. WE'RE NOT ISSUING THE BUILDING PERMITS. WE'RE STILL GIVEN THE RIGHT TO APPLY FOR IT AND WE HAVE NO GROUNDS TO STOP IT IF THEY MEET THE REQUIREMENTS FOR STORMWATER OR ANYTHING ALONG THOSE LINES WE DO HAVE GROUNDS WHEN IT GOES TO THE PROCESS OF BEING REVIEWED AS IT GOES THROUGH THE PERMIT PROCESS IF THEY THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE PERMITTING THEY GET THE PERMIT BASED THE ZONING ON THAT PROPERTY BECAUSE IT'S AN ALLOWED USE CORRECT. CORRECT.

SO JUST THAT'S THE POINT OF UP ZONING IT RIGHT IS TO 100% AGREE THAT'S THE POINT ABOVE ZONING THAT'S YOUR PROBLEM WITH IT AND IT WOULD BE THERE WOULD BE A REQUIREMENT FOR T A TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS BASED ON IF IT MET THE THRESHOLD DEPENDING ON THE SIZE BUT IT WOULD HAVE TO MEET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE ORDINANCE THAT ARE IN EXISTENCE.

YEAH ALL RIGHT. ANYTHING ELSE? YEAH, I JUST AGAIN, I'D LIKE TOT HELENA THERE'S A CORNER'S COMMUNITY. IT'S WHERE THE PARKERS GAS PARKERS GAS STATION YOU TAKE A RIGHT AND IT'S ABOUT RIGHT BEHIND THEM.

IT'S FOUR OR FIVE INDIVIDUAL LOTS DOWN ON THE RIGHT PROBABLY 700 FEET FROM THE LIGHT TO FAR FROM WHERE THE MASS SHOOTING WAS. IT'S IN THE VICINITY.

YEAH. THIS IS A CHURCH. WELL IT'S FAR THE CHURCH THE PICTURE OF THE CHURCH IN THE PARKING OKAY AND THE CHURCH IS WHERE THEY'RE JUST GOING TO ADD ON TO IT. SO WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS NOW THE PASTOR.

OH THE PEN SIR IT'S DOWN NEAR THE PEN CENTER AND THE STATED PURPOSE IS TO ADD A LARGER FELLOWSHIP HALL AND ATTENTION FOCUSED SCHOOL. ALL RIGHT.

OUR SCHOOL TOO. YEAH. SO WITH THE OKAY AND THAT'S WHAT'S ZONE FOUR RIGHT IT WOULD BE MOVED FROM THAT IF UP ZONE YEAH ROB IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO THE EVENING JUST REAL QUICKLY ORDINANCE MAKES A DISTINCTION BETWEEN MEETING PLACES AND PLACES OF WORSHIP UP TO 15,000 SQUARE FEET AND THEN OVER 15,000 SQUARE FEET.

SO THIS CHURCHES AND I DON'T YOU KNOW OUR ASSESSOR'S DATABASE SAYS 1938 BUT I THINK THE CHURCH PRECEDES THAT TIME SO THERE'S BEEN A CHURCH ON THE SITE AND IT'S EXPANDED SEVERAL

[02:50:01]

I THINK THERE'S I'M ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS ONE YOU YOU WANT A ROLL CALL? I DO A ROLL CALL THERE ME CHAIR HOWARD YES COUNCILMAN BROWN YES.

COUNCIL MEMBER IT'S NO COUNCILMEMBER PASSING IT. YES COUNCILMEMBER MCGOWAN COUNCILMEMBER LAWSON? MARK LAWSON YES. COUNCILMEMBER DAWSON YES.

COUNCILMEMBER CUNNINGHAM OH. COUNCILMEMBER BARTHOLOMEW YES. VICE CHAIR TABACHNICK YES THE.

MOTION PASSES EIGHT TO BY THE WAY THERE'S NOTHING IN OUR YEAH IT'S OKAY SOMETHING IS IT'S ON

[15.a. 2026/06: A Resolution authorizing the County Administrator to enter a Memorandum of Agreement with Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island for Mutual Emergency Medical Services Response.]

[15.b. 2026/07: A Resolution Recognizing April As Fair Housing Month]

[15.c. 2026/08: A Resolution authorizing the County Administrator to 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.]

DO I HAVE A MOTION SO MOVE MADAM CHAIR IN MOTION BUT DAVID WE HAVE A SECOND I'LL SECOND IT ALL IN FAVOR ANY DISCUSSION? NO ALL IN FAVOR BY SHOW OF HANDS AND THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. OKAY WE ARE ADJOURNED. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. MOTION THROUGH MR. GRANT I'M

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.