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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.
[I. CALL TO ORDER]
CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.TODAY IS TUESDAY, MAY 12TH, AND WE'LL START WITH PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE, FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE, THE FLAG, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO THE REPUBLIC, WHICH DISTAIN, WHY NATION GOD, INVISIBLE FOR LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.
DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, LORD, THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY AND FOR ALL OF YOUR MANY BLESSINGS.
THANK YOU FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS, OUR STAFF, AND MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS.
LORD, I PRAY THAT YOUR PRESENCE WOULD FILL THIS ROOM.
I SURRENDER THIS MEETING TO YOU AND PRAY THAT NOT OUR WILL, BUT YOUR WILL WOULD BE DONE.
LORD, I PRAY THAT WE WOULD BE A TOWN WHERE YOUR PRESENCE, LOVE AND PEACE ARE FELT.
DRAW US CLOSER TO YOU, LORD, TONIGHT I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO PRAY FOR OUR ASSISTANT TOWN MANAGER, HEATHER AND HER FAMILY.
LORD, I JUST PRAY THAT YOU WOULD CONTINUE TO BE WITH THEM, COMFORT THEM, AND HEAL THEM.
I PRAY THAT ALL THAT WE DO HONOR AND GLORIFY YOU.
OKAY, NEXT WE HAVE THE ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES.
COUNSEL, ARE THERE ANY CHANGES FOR STEVEN? NONE.
[IV. ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES ]
FOR REGULAR MINUTES OF 4 7 26? RULE SECOND.ANY DISCUSSION? UH, FAVOR SAY AYE.
NEXT WE HAVE THE MEETING MINUTES FOR THE QUARTERLY WORKSHOP ON 4 21.
ANY TONIGHT? COUNCIL MAKE IN NOT NECESSARY.
[V. PRESENTATIONS, CELEBRATIONS, AND RECOGNITIONS ]
HAVE PRESENTATION CELEBRATIONS, AND RECOGNITIONS OF COURSE WILL BE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT CHARACTER STUDENT OF THE MONTH, FOLLOWED BY STATE SAFE BLUFFTON SCHOLARSHIP PRESENTATION, FOLLOWED BY NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION MONTH PROCLAMATION.AND THIS NEXT ONE ALWAYS GETS ME, BUT I'LL GET IT BY THE TIME I GET UP THERE.
FIRST WE HAVE MR. FRANKIE, GO.
GARY, YOU READY? AND HE'S A FIFTH GRADER FROM RED CEDAR ELEMENTARY.
SO WE HAVE SOME, YOU HAVE SOME FANS HERE WHO'S, WHO'S GONNA TALK ABOUT YOU.
UM, I'M MRS. SO I'M FRANKIE'S, UH, TEACHER.
UM, I'M WRITING THIS RECOMMENDATION FOR FRANKIE, FOR THE STUDENT OF THE MONTH FOR SELF-CONTROL.
I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF TEACHING FRANKIE FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS IN MY ROLE AS A CLASSROOM TEACHER.
AND DURING THAT TIME, HE HAS CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATED THE CALM, THOUGHTFUL BEHAVIOR, AND STEADY DISCIPLINE THAT THIS AWARD SEEKS TO HONOR.
MY EXPERIENCE WITH MANY STUDENTS OVER THE YEARS GIVES ME A CLEAR PERSPECTIVE.
FRANKIE'S LEVEL OF SELF-CONTROL AND MATURITY PLACES HIM WELL ABOVE OTHERS.
FRANKIE IS RELIABLY ATTENTIVE AND FOLLOWS DIRECTIONS PROMPTLY AND ACCURATELY IN CLASS WHEN INSTRUCTIONS ARE GIVEN, WHETHER FOR INDEPENDENT WORK, GROUP, TASK, OR TRANSITIONS.
HE LISTENS CAREFULLY, CLARIFIES WHEN NECESSARY, AND PROCEEDS WITHOUT NEEDING REPEATED REMINDERS.
THIS ABILITY TO ABSORB GUIDANCE AND TO ACT ON IT CONTINUE CONTRIBUTES DIRECTLY TO A PRODUCTIVE CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT.
ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION, HE HAS TAKEN THE INITIATIVE TO MODEL EXPECTED PROCEDURES FOR CLASSMATES WHO WERE UNCERTAIN.
THIS COMPOSED MANNER OF DEMONSTRATING A TASK HELPS OTHERS TO SETTLE INTO ROUTINES QUICKLY BEYOND COMPLIANCE WITH INSTRUCTIONS.
FRANKIE EXHIBITS EXEMPLARY SELF-REGULATION UNDER PRESSURE DURING CLASSROOM ASSESSMENTS AND COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS.
HE REMAINS FOCUSED AND COMPOSED EVEN WHEN OTHERS AROUND HIM BECOME DISTRACTED OR FRUSTRATED.
RATHER THAN REACTING IMPULSIVELY, HE USES PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES.
WE HAVE PRACTICED BREATHING, PAUSING TO THINK, AND ASKING CONCISE, TARGETED QUESTIONS TO MAINTAIN
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PROGRESS TOWARDS THE TASK.THIS MEASURED APPROACH NOT ONLY HELPS HIM SUCCEED ACADEMICALLY, BUT ALSO STABILIZES GROUP DYNAMICS.
WHEN CHALLENGES ARISE, FRANKIE CONDUCT CONDUCT MAKES HIM A POSITIVE INFLUENCE AND A ROLE MODEL FOR OTHER STUDENTS.
CLASSMATES FREQUENTLY LOOK TO HIM FOR BEHAVIORAL CLUES.
THEY SEE HOW HE MANAGES SETBACKS, ACCEPTS CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK, AND TREATS PEERS RESPECTIVELY.
HE NEITHER SEEKS ATTENTION, NOR DOMINATES DISCUSSION.
INSTEAD, HE ENCOURAGES QUIETER STUDENTS TO INCUR, TO CONTRIBUTE AND OFFERS CONSTRUCTIVE PRAISE.
WHEN PEERS MAKE GOOD CHOICES, HIS PRESENCE RAISES.
ACCEPT EXPECTATIONS FOR BEHAVIOR IN INFORMAL WAYS TEACHERS AND STUDENTS ALIKE.
NOTICE THE SMOOTHER FLOW OF A CLASS WHEN HE IS ENGAGED IN SOME, FRANKIE EMBODIES THE ATTRIBUTES OF SELF-CONTROL, ATTENTIVE LISTENING AND RESPECTFUL COMPLIANCE THAT MAKE HIM AN OUTSTANDING CANDIDATE FOR STUDENT OF THE MONTH.
HE CONSISTENTLY FOLLOWS DIRECTIONS, LISTENS WITH PURPOSE, AND INFLUENCES HIS PEERS POSITIVELY THROUGH, THOUGH UNDERSTANDS BUT EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP.
I RECOMMEND HIM WITHOUT RESERVATION FOR THIS RECOGNITION, HONORING THIS EXAMPLE WILL BOTH ACKNOWLEDGE HIS CONTRIBUTIONS AND ENCOURAGE SIMILAR BEHAVIOR AMONG HIS CLASSMATES.
SO HERE WE GOT YOU A LITTLE GOODIE BAG.
IT TAKES A LOT TO GET THESE THINGS.
COME UP HERE TO SAY ALL THOSE NICE THINGS ABOUT YOU.
AND THESE ARE SPECIAL JUST FOR YOU.
HOLD ON TO 'EM UNTIL YOU BECOME MAYOR SELF.
ALL RIGHT, YOU READY? 1, 2, 3.
UM, NEXT WE HAVE, UM, THIS IS NOT
IT'S, IT'S, OH, SO, SO ARE ALL THESE STUDENTS HERE? OH, OKAY.
SO COULD WE CALL UP LAKE BUR ARCHER? DEWIG, MYA GREEN, COLEMAN, JACOBY AND REBECCA WON.
BLUFFTON, MAY RIVER, MAY RIVER, JOHN PAUL AND CROSS SCHOOLS.
SO ALL OF THESE, ALL OF THESE STUDENTS WILL BE RECEIVING A $1,500 SCHOLARSHIP, SCHOLARSHIP CHECK, AND A STAY SAFE CAR BAG WITH JUMPER CABLES AND TIRE KITS.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING ELSE GUYS.
ANYBODY WANT TO SAY ANYTHING? WELL, ALL I CAN SAY IS I'M PROUD OF IT.
WE'RE GONNA DO, IF I COULD ADD ONE THING, JUST CERTAINLY SO EVERYBODY KNOWS WHERE THESE FUNDS COME FROM, THEY'RE GENERATED EVERY YEAR WHEN WE DO THE CHRISTMAS PARADE AND OUR 5K AND STUFF DURING THE 4TH OF JULY.
ALL THE MONEY THAT COMES TO THAT IS DONATIONS TO THE STAY SAFE BLUFFTON SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.
AND THEN THE STUDENTS APPLY AND GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.
AND WE HAVE A COMMITTEE THAT REVIEWS, UM, BECAUSE OF HOW MUCH WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GENERATE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS FROM THE PARADE AND EVERYTHING, WE'VE RAISED THE SCHOLARSHIPS NOT ONLY FROM THREE TO FIVE, BUT FROM A THOUSAND DOLLARS TO $1,500 OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS.
SO IT, IT SPEAKS VOLUMES TO THE COMMUNITY'S INVESTMENT AND INTO THE FUTURE OF THE STUDENTS.
SO JUST WANTED TO SAY WHERE THE MONEY COME FROM AND HOW WE AWARD.
WANNA GET A PICTURE? THANK YOU.
CAN YOU NEED THE CHECKUP A LITTLE HIGHER FOR ME?
AND CAN WE ALSO DO AN IN INDIVIDUALS FOR EVERYBODY OKAY.
FOR, SO WE CAN SEND THEM TO YOUR SCHOOLS.
SO WHAT, WHOEVER WANTS TO START.
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READY? 1, 2, 3.UM, UP NEXT WE HAVE VIS STEVENS AND VICTORIA DEIS, TEENS FOR HEALTHY YOUTH MEMBERS.
THEY WILL ACCEPT THIS, I THINK THE MEDICAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH.
SO THIS IS TEENS FOR HEALTHY YOUTH NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH.
DURING THE MONTH OF MAY, A NATIONAL HEALTH OBSERVANCE IS DEDICATED TO INCREASING PUBLIC AWARENESS AND ACTION AROUND THE MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS OF YOUTH AND ADULTS.
ONE OUT OF FIVE CHILDREN EXPERIENCE A MENTAL HEALTH DISORDER IN A GIVEN YEAR.
TOWN COUNCIL, LOW COUNTRY COUNCIL, LOW COUNTRY ALLIANCE FOR HEALTHY YOUTH AND TEENS FOR HEALTHY YOUTH SUPPORT THE EFFORTS IN RAISING AWARENESS, COMBATING STIGMA, COMBATING STIGMA, AND PROMOTING MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS.
I MAYOR LARRY TUBER LONG WOULD LOVE TO TOWN COUNCIL DO DUE, HEREBY PROCLAIM MAY TO BE MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH.
AND YOU LADIES WOULD, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING TO THE CROWD? YES, CERTAINLY.
UM, HI, MY NAME'S IAN STEVENS AND THIS IS, OH, IT'S, UH, LIKE MARY TUR SAID, WE'RE FROM
WE'RE FROM TON HIGH SCHOOL, BUT OUR CLUB IS A PART OF ALL THE HIGH SCHOOLS AS WELL AS MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND BE FOR COUNTY AS WELL AS SOME OF THE PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN OUR AREA.
AND WE'RE REALLY HONORED TO BE HERE TOO, EXCEPT THE MATION.
WE WANTED TO THANK MARY TO AND THE TOWN COUNCIL FOR THIS PROCLAMATION.
IS SHE HERE? OH, TUBUS CIRRHOSIS.
IT'S TUBEROUS SCLEROSIS COMPLEX.
AN ESTIMATED 50,000 AMERICANS HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH TSC.
A GENETIC DISEASE WITH NO CURE.
THIS DISEASE CAUSES TUMORS TO FORM IN THE VITAL ORGANS, INCLUDING THE BRAIN, HEART, KIDNEYS, AND LUNGS.
THIS DISEASE IS A LEADING GENETIC CAUSE OF BOTH EPILEPSY AND AUTISM.
I, ME TUMOR ALONG WITH L ANDAL COUNSEL DUE, HEREBY PROCLAIM MAY 15TH STSC GLOBAL AWARENESS DATE.
AND YOU CAN FILL US IN ON SOME MORE INFORMATION IF YOU'D LIKE.
UM, MY DAUGHTER HAS TSC, UH, SHE WAS DIAGNOSED WHEN SHE WAS THREE WHEN SHE STARTED HAVING SEIZURES.
UM, WE TOOK HER TO MUSC WHERE SHE HAD A WHOLE BUNCH OF TESTS DONE.
SHE HAS TUMORS IN HER BRAIN, SKIN IN ONE EYE, AND SHE HAS CYSTS ALL OVER HER KIDNEYS.
UM, SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO NEED A KIDNEY TRANSPLANT BY HER TEENS OR EARLY TWENTIES, BUT, UM, THANKS TO THE TSC ALLIANCE AND GOD, SHE, UM, THANKFULLY WILL PROBABLY NEVER NEED A TRANSPLANT.
UM, WE, BECAUSE OF AWARENESS, UM, AWESOME.
UM, WE'VE RAISED A LOT OF MONEY OVER THE YEARS AND RESEARCH HAS, UM, THEY'VE DEVELOPED TREATMENTS.
UM, AND SHE, SHE TAKES A CHEMO PILL EVERY DAY THAT, UM, HAS SHRUNK HER BRAIN TUMOR AND, UM, SURPRISINGLY SHRUNK HER KIDNEY CYSTS.
UM, UM, IT, SHE HASN'T HAD A SEIZURE IN 13 YEARS AND, UM, SHE'LL NEVER, PROBABLY NEVER NEED THE KIDNEY TRANSPLANT, THANKFULLY.
AND, UM, AND NOW THEY ACTUALLY JUST ANNOUNCED THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON, UM, A NEW TREATMENT.
UM, UM, WHAT'S IT CALLED? UH, IV UM, GENE THERAPY.
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I'LL AWARENESS HELPS.WELL, HOPEFULLY THEY'LL FIND A CURE.
MAYBE IT'LL HOPEFULLY BE SOONER THAN LATER.
YOU HAVE
DAVID ROTH TOURETTE'S SYNDROME AWARENESS MONTH.
TOURETTE'S SYNDROME IS AN INHERITED NEUROLOGICAL DISORDER, TOURETTE'S SYNDROME AND OTHER PERSISTENT TIC DISORDERS AFFECT ONE IN 50 CHILDREN ACROSS ALL RACES AND ETHNIC GROUPS.
THERE IS AN IMPORTANT NEED FOR MORE PROFESSIONAL HELP TO IDENTIFY COUNSEL AND TREAT PEOPLE WITH TOURETTE SYNDROME.
I'M MAYOR LARRY TUBER ALONG WITH BLUFFTON TOWN COUNCIL DUE, HEREBY PROCLAIM MAY 15TH TO JUNE 15TH AS TOURETTE SYNDROME AWARENESS MONTH.
AND HOW ARE YOU TODAY? I'M GOOD.
YOU WANNA TALK TO THE FOLKS? YEAH, SURE.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I'M A FRESHMAN AT ME RIVER HIGH SCHOOL, AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACCEPT THE PROCLAMATION OF TOURETTE SYNDROME AWARENESS MONTH.
UH, YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF THE ADVOCACY MOVEMENT FOR TOURETTE SYNDROME IS A CRUCIAL PART OF FIGHTING THET STIGMATISM AND LACK OF AWARENESS AROUND THIS DISORDER.
UM, AS MAYOR TIM SAID, ONE IN EVERY 50 KIDS IS EFFECTIVE WITH TOURETTE SYNDROME, WHICH WE, WHICH MEANS, UH, HUNDREDS OF KIDS ENROLLED IN SCHOOL.
THE BLACKMAN SCHOOL SYSTEM ARE AFFECTED, MYSELF INCLUDED.
UM, THIS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ENSURES THAT THESE KIDS ARE SEEN AND SUPPORTED AND THAT THEY'RE NOT DEFINED BY THEIR DISORDER.
UH, WE ALL SINCERELY APPRECIATE THE ROLE THAT THE TIME OF BL PLAYS IN EDUCATED PEOPLE ABOUT THAT SYNDROME.
[VI. PUBLIC COMMENT ]
PUBLIC COMMENT.WE HAVE SOME RULES COMING UP DURING PUBLIC COMMENT.
EACH SPEAKER IS LIMITED TO A TOTAL OF THREE MINUTES PER MEETING, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE PERSON IS SPEAKING ON THEIR OWN BEHALF OR AS AN AGENT FOR OTHERS.
MEETING ATTENDEES MAY NOT DONATE, TRANSFER YIELD, OR GIVE ALL OR ANY PORTION OF THEIR SPEAKING TIME TO ANOTHER PERSON.
ALL PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE TO BE CONDUCTED FROM THE PODIUM AND DIRECTED TO THE TOWN COUNCIL AS A WHOLE AND NOT TO ANY MEMBER THEREOF.
ALL SPEAKERS SHALL BE MINDFUL AND RESPECTFUL OF THOSE PARTICIPATING IN OR PRESENT AT THE MEETING.
SPEAKERS SHALL BE EXPECTED TO BE CIVIL IN THEIR LANGUAGE AND SHALL REFRAIN FROM COMMENT OR BEHAVIOR THAT INVOLVES DISORDERLY SPEECH OR ACTION, NAME CALLING, PERSONAL ATTACKS, THREATS, OBSCENE OR INDECENT REMARKS AND OR DISRUPTIVE ACTIONS.
ALL SPEAKERS SHALL CONFINE THEIR COMMENTS TO ISSUES UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE TOWN COUNCIL.
SPEAKERS SHALL NOT USE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD TO PROMOTE OR ADVERTISE AWARDS, BUSINESSES, SERVICES, GOODS, OR CANDIDATES FOR PUBLIC OFFICE.
ANY SPEAKER THAT VIOLATES THESE RULES AND PROTOCOLS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT MAY BE RULED OUT OF ORDER BY THE PRESIDING OFFICER.
ANY PERSON WHOSE COMMENTS HAVE BEEN RULED OUT OF ORDER SHALL IMMEDIATELY CEASE AND DESIST FROM FURTHER IMPROPER COMMENTS.
THE REFUSAL OF AN INDIVIDUAL TO DESIST FROM FURTHER IMPROPER COMMENTS MAY SUBJECT THE INDIVIDUAL TO REMOVAL FROM THE MEETING AND OR A CITATION UNDER SECTION TWO DASH FOUR NINE OF THE TOWN CODE.
UM, BEFORE I START WITH, WE HAVE THREE PUBLIC COMMENTS AND I THINK I MIX 'EM UP.
NORMALLY WE TRY TO READ 'EM AS THEY COME IN AND I, I MIX THEM UP.
SO FIRST WE'RE JUST GONNA GO WITH ANDREW KYLE, I'M HERE.
MY NAME'S ANDREW KEEL, 22 TRAIL RIDGE RETREAT, LOUGHTON,
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SOUTH CAROLINA.THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TIME I ACTUALLY DON'T USE IT.
I JUST HAVE ONE, ONE COMMENT ON HERE ABOUT THE, UH, THE NEW
AND I LIVE IN MIDPOINT, UH,
AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO REQUEST THAT THE TOWN CONDITION, THE NEW CRUELTY DEVELOPMENT, UH, WHICH IS DOWN THE ROAD FROM MIDPOINT CONDITION, THE APPROVAL UPON CRUELTY COMMITTEE AND NOT USING THE MODEL HOMES AND THE SALES CENTER IN MIDPOINT DEVELOPMENT TO SELL THEIR NEW HOMES IN THE NEW DEVELOPMENT SINCE IT'LL CREATE TRAFFIC DOWN MIDPOINT BOULEVARD SINCE THAT'S THE, THE MAIN ACCESS WAY INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
GOOD EVENING TOWN COUNCIL AND PLANNING DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT NAME, NAME AND ADDRESS.
MY NAME IS MELISSA LINA AND I RESIDE AT HERITAGE AT NEW RIVERSIDE.
I'M HERE BECAUSE I WANT IT TO BE KNOWN THAT MANY OF THE RESIDENTS WHO RESIDE IN THE NEW RIVERSIDE, POA AREA, ARE REQUESTING THE TOWN AND ITS PLANNING DEPARTMENT TO TAKE A PAUSE ON A NEW DEVELOPMENT THAT IS FROM THE JUNE 20, UH, 2004 CONCEPT PLAN PER NEW RIVERSIDE.
ADDING A NEW COMMUNITY WITH 104 HOMES ON PARCEL EIGHT A WITH 14, UM, SORRY, WITH 10 46 DAILY EXTERNAL TRIPS IS DOING A DISSERVICE TO THE RESIDENTS WHO ALREADY LIVE IN THIS REGION.
I LOOK OVER THE TRAFFIC STUDY AND I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THE ROAD IS UNIQUE IN THAT IT IS A PRIVATE ROAD WITH ONLY RESIDENTIAL HOMES AND A HIGH SCHOOL.
THE STUDY THAT WAS CONDUCTED ON MARCH 27TH, 2025 FROM 4:00 PM TO 6:00 PM ACTUALLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN BUMPED UP TO THREE 30.
'CAUSE ANYONE WHO TRAVELS THAT ROAD WHEN THE HIGH SCHOOL DISMISSES, KNOWS HOW BUSY IT IS BY NOW ALLOWING, UH, UM, BY NOT ALLOWING FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO CATCH UP TO THE HIGH VOLUME OF BEAUTIFULS THAT ARE ON THAT ROAD ALREADY AND TRAVEL THE ROUNDABOUT AND THE TWO PALMETTO BLUFF ROADS.
THE RESIDENTS WHO LIVE HERE ALREADY STRUGGLE EVERY DAY TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES TO TAKE THEIR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL, HEAD TO WORK, OR SIMPLY RUN ERRANDS.
WE ALL KNOW THIS ISSUE DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR IN THE MORNING, FROM 8:00 AM TO 9:00 AM TRAFFIC BACKS UP FOR ALMOST TWO MILES TO TURN LEFT ONTO THE CAMPUS IN THE AFTERNOON.
THE TRAFFIC HEADING OFF CAMPUS AT AROUND THREE 40, WE'LL TAKE YOU ABOUT 20 MINUTES TO GET OFF CAMPUS ONTO NEW RIVERSIDE DRIVE.
AND I WANNA POINT OUT THERE NEEDS TO BE A LIGHT.
UM, NEW RIVERSIDE DRIVE HAS NOT EVEN SEEN THE IMPACT OF NEW RIVER ELEMENTARY WILL HAVE ON THE ROAD, STARTING AT 7:00 AM ISH.
AND AT 2:00 PM ISH, ALSTON PARK, PHASE THREE AND HOLLY HILL LANE, WHICH HAVE BEEN APPROVED ALREADY, HAVE NOT STARTED CONSTRUCTION YET.
AND I'M HOPING THAT HOLLY HILL NAME THAT THE HERITAGE WILL EVENTUALLY HAVE ACCESS TO NEW RIVERSIDE DRIVE.
THAT WE PAY THE HIGHEST POA AMOUNT OF NEW RIVERSIDE COMMUNITIES COMING IN AT 67,000 A YEAR.
THAT'S 25,000 MORE THAN THE OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS.
THE HERITAGE IS, UM, I'M GONNA SKIP THAT ONE BECAUSE I KNOW I THAT TIME.
I HOPE WE CAN AGREE THAT THE CONCEPT PLAN FOR NEW RIVERSIDE HAS MANY FLAWS TO CONTINUE FOLLOWING THE PLAN IS JUST CREATING BIGGER ISSUES.
BACK IN 2012, THE RDUS WAS 4,731 DWELLINGS, BUT IN 2016, THAT NUMBER WAS LOWER TO 3,651 DWELLINGS FROM THE NEW RIVERSIDE 2025 BUDGET.
IT SHOWS THAT THERE ARE 3,668 DWELLINGS.
SO IF I'M UNDERSTANDING THIS CORRECTLY, THE NUMBERS ARE OVER THE RDS, UH, RDS, THERE'S SMART GROWTH AND THEN THERE'S THIS WHICH FEELS OUT OF CONTROL.
AND IF IT MAKES YOU WONDER WHO IS REALLY BENEFITING, THERE IS NOT A HOUSING SHORTAGE TO JUSTIFY THE NEED FOR MORE NEW COMMUNITIES AND HOMES IN THIS AREA.
CURRENTLY, THERE ARE A COUPLE HUNDRED HOMES FOR SALE OFF JUST IN NEW RIVERSIDE SECTION ALONE.
NEW BUILDS ARE SELLING WHILE BUILDING HOMES ARE SITTING.
CAN I JUST, I HAVE, SO AGAIN, I'M ASKING THE TOWN.
TAKE A PAUSE ON APPRO THE NEW COMMUNITY AND THE NEW RIVERSIDE SECTION.
LET'S WAIT TILL MAY RIVER ELEMENTARY OPENS.
WAIT TILL THE HERITAGE LAKES MIDPOINT AND OLSON PARK START TO FINISH UP THEIR CONSTRUCTION BEFORE WE ADD ANYMORE.
AND LET'S HOPE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT DOES A REZONE FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL.
AND IF SOUTH CAROLINA DOT IS LISTENING, PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, FIX THE ROUNDABOUT.
MAKE IT TWO LANES HEADING INTO THE ROUNDABOUT ON BOTH SIDES FOR 46 AND A RIGHT TURN ONTO NEW RIVERSIDE DRIVE, PLEASE.
AND, AND THERE IS A LOT GOING ON ON SOME OF THOSE ITEMS THAT YOU MENTIONED.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CONTACT OUR TOWN MANAGER OR MYSELF, I, I'D BE MORE THAN GLAD TO BRING YOU UP TO DATE.
THERE ARE SOME VARIOUS PROGRESS.
UM, UP NEXT WE HAVE THERESA COWARD.
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GOOD EVENING.UH, FIRST LET ME THANK YOU, UH, TO THE COW NAME, NAME.
THERESA COWARD, 23 PINE CREST WAY.
THANK YOU TO THE COUNCIL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
I LIVE IN THE PINE CREST SUBDIVISION.
IT'S BEEN A FEW MONTHS SINCE WE'VE HAD ONE OF US COME AND SPEAK BEFORE YOU AND TO SHARE OUR APPRECIATION OF YOUR PAST UN UNANIMOUS SUPPORT OF NO DEVELOPMENT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD TO CATCH YOU UP.
IT'S BEEN MONTHS NOW THAT WE HAVE HEARD FROM A REPRESENTATIVE OF MR. TOPPER, THAT OWNER OF THE LAND.
HE CLOSED THE PINE CREST PUB AT THE END OF OCTOBER AND THE GOLF COURSE HE CLOSED BEFORE CHRISTMAS.
HE HAD PREVIOUSLY SENT OUT A SURVEY SOLICITING FEEDBACK ABOUT BUILDING APARTMENTS, ET CETERA, WITHIN THE PINE CREST NEIGHBORHOOD.
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD OVERWHELMINGLY REPLIED AGAINST ANY BUILDING AT ALL.
MR. TOPPER'S REPRESENTATIVES COMMUNICATED THAT WE WOULD HEAR FROM THEM IN JANUARY OR FEBRUARY AS THEY WANTED TO HOLD MEETINGS WITH SMALL GROUPS OF PINECREST RESIDENTS.
DESPITE THE OVERWHELMING NEGATIVE RESPONSE FOR THEM ON THEIR OWN SURVEY.
THAT WAS OUR LAST COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM THEM.
THE END OF DECEMBER, THE MAJORITY OF PINE CREST RESIDENTS ARE FINE WITH NO COMMUNICATION AS WE ARE RESOLVED THAT WE WOULD RATHER HAVE A CLOSED PUB AND A CLOSED GOLF COURSE IN OUR BACKYARDS AND NEIGHBORHOODS VERSUS APARTMENTS, CONDOS, OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT OR BUILDING.
MY HUSBAND AND I LIVE ON THE DRIVING RANGE.
MR. TOPPER IS STILL TAKING CARE OF THE LAND BY MOWING, WATERING, FERTILIZING THE RANGE AND THE COURSE ITSELF.
WE SEE AND HEAR THIS EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK, JUST LIKE WE DID PRIOR TO THE COURSE CLOSING.
IN OUR DREAM WORLD, HE WILL SELL THE COURSE TO ANOTHER WHO WOULD IMPROVE AND REOPEN THE COURSE IN THE PUB.
AND PINE CREST WILL ONCE AGAIN BE THE GOLF COMMUNITY THAT WE THOUGHT WE HAD EACH BOUGHT INTO.
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THERE ARE ALWAYS RUMORS ABOUT PINECREST STILL AND WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN AND WHEN IT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
ONE THING THAT YOU ALL HAVE HELPED US WITH IS THE SQUASHING OF THE RUMOR OF HIS BUILDING ON THIS LAND BY YOUR UNANIMOUS SUPPORT AGAINST HIS PLANS, AS YOU STATED DURING PAST MEETINGS.
ONCE AGAIN, WE, THE RESIDENTS OF PINECREST, WANT YOU EACH TO KNOW HOW APPRECIATIVE WE REMAIN OF YOUR UNANIMOUS SUPPORT FOR NO DEVELOPMENT IN OUR BACKYARDS AND IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
[VII. COMMUNICATIONS FROM MAYOR AND COUNCIL ]
NEXT WE HAVE COMMUNICATIONS WITH COUNCIL.LET'S START WITH YOU, BRIDGET.
I JUST WANTED TO EXTEND HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES TO OUR TWO COLLEAGUES, HEATHER AND TO COUNCILWOMAN.
EULOGIZING YOUR FATHER, UM, AND JUST HANNAH, WE'RE DEFINITELY HERE FOR YOU ALL.
I MEAN, MR. UM, WHAT'S YOUR NAME? WOOD
UH, I KNOW, I JUST WANNA SAY IT WAS A MOTHER'S DAY WEEKEND AND UM, THERE'S A LOT OF BEAUTIFUL MOTHERS IN THIS ROOM THIS EVENING AND I STILL HOLD MINE IN HIGH REGARD.
SHE LEFT ME A YEAR AND A HALF AGO AT 90.
AND I KNOW SOME OF YOU HAVE LOST YOUR MOTHERS ALONG THE WAY, BUT STILL, I DON'T THINK YOU'VE EVER REMOVED 'EM FROM YOUR HEART.
'CAUSE GOD BLESS 'EM AND GOD BLESS EVERY ONE OF YOU THAT ARE MOTHERS AND THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO, DAN.
AND I'M JUST GOING GET OTHER TWO.
WE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO GET THROUGH HERE TONIGHT, SO HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL YOU MOTHER.
ALRIGHT, UP NEXT FORMAL AGENDA
[X. FORMAL AGENDA ITEMS ]
ITEMS. WE HAVE CONSIDERATION OF INORDINANCE APPROVING THE TOWN OF TON FISCAL YEAR 2027, PROPOSED CONSOLIDATED BUDGET, FIRST READING MR. STEVEN FEES.GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I COME IN FRONT OF YOU TONIGHT TO PRESENT THE FISCAL YEAR 26 27, UH, PROPOSED CONSOLIDATED BUDGET FOR THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON.
THIS IS THE, UM, BEING PRESENTED FOR FIRST READING TONIGHT.
WE DO HAVE TWO WORKSHOPS COMING UP.
THIS IS ONE WE'LL DIVE DEEPER INTO THE GENERAL FUND AND, UM, SOME AND THE OTHER FUNDS.
AND THEN THE 28TH, THIS ONE WILL GET MORE INTO CAPITAL PROJECTS AND,
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UH, ANYTHING THAT CARRIES FORWARD FROM THE 21ST MEETING.UM, SO, AND THEN JUNE 9TH, WE'LL BE BACK FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING AND SECOND MEETING.
SO I'M GONNA GO THROUGH, UH, HIGH LEVEL AND TRY TO, UH, GO THROUGH THIS PRETTY QUICK SINCE WE HAVE A LOT ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT.
LIKE I SAID, IF ANYBODY HAS QUESTIONS, THIS WILL, UM, THIS WILL BE, THIS IS AVAILABLE AND, UM, WE WILL ALSO HAVE THE PUBLIC WORK, THE PUBLIC WORKSHOPS THAT WE'LL HOLD WHERE WE'LL GO INTO FAR MORE DETAIL IN, UH, A COUPLE WEEKS.
SO JUST SOME ECONOMIC FACTORS THAT WE ALWAYS CONSIDER AS WE GO FORWARD.
AS WE, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT OUR MEDIAN HOUSING COST INCOME PER CAPITA.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ACTUALLY CHANGED THIS YEAR THAT WAS A LITTLE OFF GUARD FOR US WAS UNEMPLOYMENT RATE.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN MANY, MANY YEARS THAT WE ARE HIGHER IN THE COUNTY THAN THE STATE IS.
UH, REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S CAUSING THAT, BUT THAT'S BASED ON THE CURRENT DATA IS, UH, WE'RE JUST RIGHT ABOVE WHAT THE STATE UNEMPLOYMENT LEVEL IS.
UM, AGAIN, OUR ECONOMIC DRIVERS, AND THIS HAS CHANGED, UH, QUITE A BIT OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
UM, WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE FIVE YEARS AGO, I THINK CONSTRUCTION WAS NUMBER TWO AND MADE UP ABOUT 15%.
IT'S NOW DOWN TO 6.8 AND ACTUALLY DOWN FROM WHERE IT WAS LAST YEAR, 7.1% OF, UH, UH, JOBS, HEALTHCARE AND EDUCATION HAS, UH, CONTINUED TO MOVE UP AND BECOME NUMBER ONE ACCOMMODATIONS.
FOOD AND ENTERTAINMENT IS NUMBER TWO.
AND YOU CAN, UH, SEE, UH, PROFESSIONAL SCIENTIFIC AND MANAGEMENT THERE NEXT.
AND RETAIL HAS A LITTLE BIT OF A PICKUP.
SO THESE ARE OUR TOP SIX DRIVERS FOR, FOR THE ECONOMY.
UM, WE DO CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN AN EXCELLENT CREDIT RATING.
THIS, UH, TALKS, THIS TALKS TO COUNCIL'S, UH, PHILOSOPHY ON BUDGETING AND MANAGING THE PUBLIC DOLLARS.
WE CARRY A AAA BOND RATING FROM MOODY'S.
I THINK WE'RE ONE OF, WE'RE STILL ONLY FIVE IN THE STATE, I THINK CHRIS, THAT CARRY AAA BOND RATING FOR MUNICIPALITIES.
AND, UM, WE HAVEN'T HAD TO GO BACK TO STANDARD BOARDS, BUT I ASSUME WE'RE, WE'RE DOUBLE A PLUS RIGHT NOW THAT THAT WOULD GO UP
UM, THE, UH, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY USE THAT WHEN THEY EVALUATE THAT IS THEY'RE GROWING TAX BASE.
OUR, UH, FISCAL MANAGEMENT, OUR FINANCIAL POSITION AND HOW IN OUR, UH, MODEST DEBT IN OUR PENSION.
SO THE BUDGET THAT'S BEING PRESENTED TONIGHT CONTINUES TO FOCUS ON TOWN COUNCIL'S STRATEGIC PLAN PRIORITIES, OUR VISION AND OUR MISSION FOR THE TOWN.
UM, SO, UH, SOME OF THOSE IN HERE.
WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING, LONG RANGE PLANNING.
UH, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE A BUDGET IN HERE TO UPDATE OUR OLD TOWN MASTER PLAN FOR NEXT YEAR.
AND, UH, SEVERAL OTHER DOCUMENTS THROUGHOUT THE TOWN THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO RESEARCH.
WE'RE CONTINUE WITH OUR REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS TO PROTECT RIVERS AND WATERSHEDS AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT.
WE HAVE LAND ACQUISITION, UH, FINISHING UP THE NEW RIVER LINEAR TRAIL, WHICH WE'LL TALK ABOUT LATER TONIGHT.
UH, STREETSCAPE PROJECTS AND OTHER THINGS THAT ARE COMING UP.
UH, FOR THE NEXT, UH, YEAR OR TWO, WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH ALL THE FUNDS, UM, AT A HIGH LEVEL.
SO THE FIRST ONE WE GO THROUGH IS OUR GENERAL FUND.
UM, OUR GENERAL FUND IS WHAT MOST PEOPLE THINK OF WHEN THEY THINK OF OPERATING THE TOWN.
IT'S WHAT'S MADE UP OF, UM, PROPERTY TAXES AND ALL OF THAT.
UM, SO BEFORE WE GET INTO THAT, HERE'S THE OVERALL PROPOSED CONSOLIDATED BUDGET.
YOU CAN SEE WHERE WE WERE FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 AND WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING FOR FISCAL YEAR 27.
IT IS A SLIGHT INCREASE OF ABOUT 4.4%.
UM, A LOT OF THAT IS IN THE GENERAL FUND WHEN WE GET TO THERE, UH, WE'LL GO OVER WHAT THAT IS, BUT A LOT OF IT IS CARRYING, UH, FUNDS FORWARD FOR LAND ACQUISITION.
UM, YOU CAN SEE OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS IS DOWN SLIGHTLY.
THAT MEANS WE'RE, UH, COMPLETING PROJECTS AND NOT ANTICIPATING AND CARRYING FORWARD AS CARRYING AS MANY FORWARD.
UM, AND WE WILL, UM, EXCUSE ME, SORRY, I'M GETTING AHEAD MYSELF.
SO AS WE GO INTO, UH, THE CONSOLIDATED REVENUES, WE COULD SHOW HOW, UM, INTO THE PIE CHART HERE ON HOW THE REVENUES ARE GENERATED.
YOU CAN SEE PROPERTY TAXES MAKE UP ABOUT 15% OF OUR OVERALL BUDGET.
YOU CAN SEE LOCAL HOSPITALITY ACCOMMODATIONS, LICENSING PERMITS AND SO FORTH.
WE ALSO SHOW THAT TO YOU AS NUMBERS BECAUSE THE PIE CHART JUST GIVES ONE VIEW OF THAT.
HERE'S THE ACTUAL BREAKDOWN OF NUMBERS.
SO YOU CAN SEE PROPERTY TAXES CONTINUE TO INCREASE WITH THE GROWTH THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE TOWN.
UM, IT IS UP ABOUT PROPOSED TO BE ABOUT 6%.
SAME THING WITH LOCAL HOSPITALITY AND ACCOMMODATIONS.
TAXES GOING UP ABOUT 6% LICENSE AND PERMITS INCREASING.
UM, WE DO SEE OUR GRANTS AND ENTITLEMENTS GOING DOWN.
PART OF THAT IS WE HAD A FEDERAL GRANT TO HELP WITH SOME POLICE EQUIPMENT.
WE'VE ACTUALLY SPENT THE MAJORITY OF THAT, SO THAT WON'T BE CARRYING FORWARD UNTIL THE NEXT YEAR.
UM, INTERGOVERNMENT TOTAL IS GOING DOWN AS WELL.
[00:35:01]
MORE IN DETAIL, BUT, UM, IN, IN A MINUTE.AND THEN, UH, YOU CAN SEE SERVICE REVENUES SO FORTH.
UM, OVERALL, AGAIN, THE BUDGET IS PROPOSED TO BE ABOUT 113, CLOSE TO $114 MILLION.
AND THIS IS A 4.8 MILLION INCREASE OR 4.4% OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
SO WHERE DOES THAT MONEY GO? UM, YOU CAN SEE A LOT OF IT GOES TO CAPITAL OUTLAY.
ABOUT OVER A THIRD OF OUR BUDGET GOES TO CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT WE DO.
ABOUT 20% GOES TO PERSONNEL AND BENEFITS THAT WE PROVIDE TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO THE RESIDENTS.
THE OTHER, UH, 13% GOES TO OPERATING AND THEN A LOT OF IT IS TRANSFERS THAT GO BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS TO DO THINGS LIKE CAPITAL, UH, PROJECTS OR THAT ARE OWED BACK FOR DIFFERENT OPERATIONS.
AND WE'LL GO THROUGH EACH OF THOSE WITHIN EACH OF, UH, THE BUDGET SHEETS.
SO THIS GIVES YOU WHERE THE EXPENDITURES ARE GOING.
YOU CAN SEE, UM, YEAR OVER YEAR PERSONNEL BENEFITS OPERATING AND SO FORTH.
UM, JUST A COUPLE YOU CAN SEE WITH CAPITAL OUTLAY FROM, UM, THAT THAT'S DECREASING.
UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS ARE GOING UP SLIGHTLY.
SAME THING WITH FACILITY PROJECTS AND YOU CAN KIND OF GO THROUGH LINE BY LINE AND SEE EACH OF THOSE.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WILL POINT OUT IS THE NUMBER FOR LAND ACQUISITION.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THAT NUMBER IS HIGH.
AS WE'VE CONTINUED TO PUT PROPERTIES UNDER CONTRACT, UM, WE HAVE INCREASED THAT NUMBER.
SO WE'LL BE CARRYING FORWARD A LARGE NUMBER THAT 11,000,600 IS TO PAY, UH, FOR THE PROPERTY OBLIGATIONS THAT WE HAVE UNDER CONTRACT AS OF NOW.
UM, AND THEN YOU CAN KIND OF LOOK THROUGH THE REST OF THOSE.
SO WE TALKED ABOUT INTER FUND TRANSFERS A MINUTE AGO.
THIS IS WHERE THOSE FUNDS ARE COMING FROM AND GOING TO.
SO YOU CAN SEE, UM, WHERE THE CIP FUND TRANSFERS, UM, WHERE THEY'RE GOING.
SAME THING WITH HOSPITALITY TAX, THE GENERAL FUND, UM, IT'S TRANSFERRING IN THOSE COVER THINGS LIKE STAFF.
THEY COVER THINGS LIKE EVENTS, UM, THE OPERATIONS FOR, UM, THE WELCOME CENTER AND SO FORTH AND UH, THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, WE'LL GO THROUGH EACH OF THESE INDIVIDUALLY.
THIS IS JUST AN OVERVIEW RIGHT NOW.
SO SOME OF THE CONSOLIDATED BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS, WE ARE PROPOSING TO KEEP THE PROPERTY TAX MILLAGE THE SAME, WHICH IS 36 MILLS.
UM, AGAIN, WE CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON TOWN COUNCIL PRIORITY PROGRAMS AND THOSE ARE SOME LISTED THERE.
THAT'S NOT AN ALL ENCOMPASSING LIST, THAT'S JUST SOME OF THE PRO THE TOP PRIORITIES.
UM, WE CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP OUR PAY COMPETITIVE.
WE ARE PROPOSING A COST OF LIVING INCREASE OF 3%.
WE'RE ALSO PROPOSING A MID-YEAR MERIT INCREASE OF UP TO 4% WITH A $3,000 CAP.
UM, JUST AS A REMINDER, WE DID THE SAME THING IN THIS CURRENT YEAR, BUT WE CAPPED IT AT 2,500.
SO WE'VE RAISED THAT A LITTLE BIT AT 3000.
SO AS WE HAVE DONE THE 4% FOR THE LOWER, UM, INCOMES, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THEY'RE CONTINUING TO MOVE FORWARD, THAT WE ARE PICKING UP MORE AND MORE PEOPLE AND NOT LIMITING.
SO, UM, WE'RE POSING THAT INCREASE A LITTLE BIT, UM, OVER LAST YEAR AND WE CONTINUE TO INVEST IN PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, SOME OF THE INTERAGENCY PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE CONTINUE IS PALMETTO BREEZE.
UM, THEY DO HAVE A LOCAL MATCH REQUEST.
UM, WE ALSO CONTINUE OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH USCB FOR THE, UM, WATER QUALITY LAB AND MICRO GIRL SOURCE TRACKING.
AND WE ALSO CONTINUE OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND ONE LOCAL PRIVATE SCHOOL WHERE WE PROVIDE SROS IN EVERY SCHOOL THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS.
UM, IT ALSO CONTINUES OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BRANCH, WHICH IS DRCI AND ALSO CONTINUES WITH OUR ACCOMMODATIONS TAX, WHERE UNDER STATE LAW WE'RE ALLOWED TO MOVE 15% OF UM, OUR STATE ACCOMMODATIONS TAX TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS AND 15% OF OUR LOCAL TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS.
SO THE STATE WE USE IT TO GO TO OUR CIP PROJECT LIST.
THE LOCAL GOES TO SUPPORT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, AND THEN WE CONTINUE OUR DESTINATION MARKETING, UM, WITH OUR DMO, WHICH IS THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND LEFT IN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
SO WE'RE GONNA GET INTO THE GENERAL FUND A LITTLE BIT RIGHT NOW.
UM, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHERE THE VALUE OF A MILL IS, HOW IT'S CONTINUING TO INCREASE WITH, WITH THE GROWTH WE'VE HAD, UM, LAST YEAR, UH, OR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR WE'RE NOW, IT WAS AROUND $447 MILLION OF ASSESSED VALUE THAT IS ANTICIPATED TO GO UP TO AROUND $488 BILLION OF ASSESSED VALUE.
THAT IN TURN SHOWS THAT OUR MILL IS INCREASING BY ABOUT $40,000.
SO IN OTHER WORDS, FOR EVERY MILL THAT WE HAVE ON OUR TAX RATE, IT GENERATES ABOUT $488,000 FOR THE TOWN.
UM, AGAIN, WE ARE, UH, PROPOSING TO KEEP OUR TAX MILLAGE FLAT.
[00:40:01]
34.3 FOR OPERATIONS AND THEN 1.7 THAT GOES INTO OUR DEBT MILLAGE.THIS IS WHERE THE REVENUES FOR OUR GENERAL FUND, UH, COME FROM.
YOU CAN SEE THE VAST MAJORITY COME FROM PROPERTY TAXES, PROPERTY TAXES AND LICENSE AND PERMITS.
THEY MAKE UP ABOUT A TOTAL OF ABOUT 65% OF OUR OVERALL BUDGET.
UM, YOU CAN ALSO SEE THAT WE'RE CARRYING FORWARD SOME PRIOR YEAR FUND BALANCES WE TALKED ABOUT.
THAT'S MOSTLY LAND ACQUISITION.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE TRANSFER ENDS FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO HELP OFFSET EXPENSES.
THOSE ARE OUR BIGGEST, UH, UH, REVENUES FOR THE GENERAL FUND.
THIS IS WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AS NUMBERS.
SO AGAIN, PIE CHART AND THEN WE'LL GO THROUGH THE NUMBERS.
AND THIS GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF THE PERCENTAGE CHANGE OF YEAR OVER YEAR.
UM, YOU CAN SEE PROPERTY TAXES ARE UP ABOUT 3.2%.
WE'RE SEEING A BIG INCREASE IN BUSINESS LICENSES YEAR OVER YEAR RIGHT NOW.
UM, SO WE'RE SEEING THAT, UM, CONTINUE TO INCREASE.
SAME THING WITH FRANCHISE FEES AS WELL AS OUR MUNICIPAL INSURANCE TAX.
THAT IS, UM, IT'S CATCHING UP NOW THAT WE'RE GETTING MORE PROPERTIES AND WE'RE GETTING MORE, UH, UH, INSURANCE TAX ON THE BOOKS.
WE'RE UNDERSTAND THAT NUMBER CATCH UP.
AND THEN, UM, OVERALL YOU CAN SEE THE GENERAL FUND IS UP AS PROPOSED TO INCREASE BY ABOUT 13%, UM, I'M SORRY, UH, 12.2% YEAR OVER YEAR.
SO WHERE DOES THAT MONEY GO? THE MAJORITY OF OUR GENERAL FUND DOES GO TO OPERATE THE TOWN.
SO ABOUT 60% OF IT GOES TO OUR SALARIES AND BENEFITS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.
AND THEN 35% GOES INTO OPERATIONS, ABOUT 5% GOES TO CAPITAL OUTLAYS.
THIS IS WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AS NUMBERS.
AND THEN THIS IS JUST SOME HIGHLIGHTS AS WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER.
IT DOES INCLUDE A 3% COLA FOR ALL EMPLOYEES, THE COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT.
AND THEN WE TALKED ABOUT THE 4% MERIT INCREASE WITH THE UP TO $3,000 CAP.
AS NOTED, THAT IS UP FROM $2,500 FOR CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.
IT DOES INCLUDE THE PTO BUYOUT THAT WE DO OFFER EMPLOYEES FOR 25 HOURS.
UM, WE OFFER THAT USUALLY RIGHT AROUND THANKSGIVING EVERY YEAR.
THERE ARE SOME PROPOSED POSITIONS THAT ARE RECOMMENDED WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND.
WE, UH, A LOT OF THEM ARE TRANSITIONING PART-TIME TO FULL-TIME.
THAT INCLUDES THE DRCI WHERE THEY'RE LOOKING TO TAKE PART-TIME INNOVATIONS MANAGER AND FULL-TIME WITH THE NEW FACILITY COMING ONLINE.
THIS WILL HELP THEM MANAGE AND THEY'VE ALSO HAD GROWTH IN THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS WITHIN THE PROGRAM.
IT WILL HELP THEM OFFSET THAT.
UM, I WILL ALSO SAY IT IS WITH, EVEN WITH THE NEW POSITION GOING FROM PART-TIME TO FULL-TIME, WE ARE GOING TO SEE A DECREASE IN THE AMOUNT THAT THE GENERAL FUND IS HELPING.
DRC IS TRANSFERRING DRCI TO OPERATE BECAUSE OF THE ANTICIPATED REVENUE FROM THE NEW FACILITIES THAT WE'RE OPERATING.
UM, WE ARE ALSO PROPOSING FOR A PART-TIME POSITION TO GO TO FULL-TIME WITHIN EVENTS AND VENUES.
PART OF THAT IS WE ARE GOING TO BRING WHAT WAS FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE LEFT AMBASSADOR PROGRAM WITH USCB IN HOUSE.
SO THAT PERSON WILL OVERSEE THAT PROGRAM AND WE'LL USE THE REVENUES THAT WE WERE, OR THE, THE, UH, FUNDS THAT WE WERE, UH, PARTNERING WITH USCB FOR THAT PROGRAM TO OFFSET THE COST FOR THAT INCREASE OF THAT POSITION.
UM, IN IT WE'RE LOOKING FOR AN ADDITIONAL, UM, LAW ENFORCEMENT SYSTEMS ANALYSIS.
THIS IS SIMILAR TO, IF YOU KNOW BOB, SIMILAR TO BOB.
UH, JUST SO WE CAN, UM, HELP WITH THE GROWTH THAT THEY'VE HAD OVER IN THAT DEPARTMENT AND HELP, UM, MANAGE SOME OF THE OTHER, UM, REQUIREMENTS THAT WE HAVE WITH OPERATING WITH THE STATE, UM, PUBLIC SERVICES AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW OUR FACILITIES THAT WE HAVE.
WE'RE LOOKING TO ADD ONE NEW ADDITIONAL FULL-TIME PUBLIC SERVICE WORKER.
UM, SOME OF OTHER EXPENDITURE HIGHLIGHTS.
IT DOES CONTINUE OUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND STAFF CERTIFICATIONS.
DOES CONTINUE TO CONTRACT FOR GARBAGE WITH WASTE MANAGEMENT FOR, UH, WEEKLY PICKUP ON TRASH AND BIWEEKLY FOR RECYCLING.
UM, CONTINUES TO SORT OF RE UM, SUPPORT OUR PROGRAMS FOR RECRUITMENT RETENTION AND MENTAL HEALTH WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND AGAIN, IT FOCUSES ON SOME OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE THINGS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE FUTURE.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOING A PARKS AND RECREATION STUDY THAT WILL GO UNTIL THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
AND WE HAD CONVERSATION AT, UH, LAST QUARTERLY WORKSHOP ABOUT PERFORMING ARTS STUDY THAT WILL CONTINUE INTO THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR AS WELL.
UM, IT ALSO CONTINUES SUPPORT FOR OUR SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS AND OTHER PROGRAMS WITHIN, UM, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND OUR STAY SAFE BLUFFTON, UM, INCLUDES FUNDING FOR REVIEW OF OUR TOWN CODE.
WE ALREADY TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE OLD TOWN MASTER PLAN REVIEW SUPPORTS OUR HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROGRAMS, INCLUDING OUR GRANT PROGRAM CONTINUES OUR VEHICLE LEASE PROGRAM WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND IT MAINTAINS OUR EMPLOY SOME OF OUR EMPLOYEE PROGRAMS WHERE WE'VE JUST STARTED UP OUR HOME SITE WELLNESS CLINIC AS WELL AS THE HOME BUYING ASSISTANCE THAT WE DO FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.
[00:45:02]
SO THE NEXT IS SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS.SO, UH, THESE ARE OUR HOSPITALITY FUND BUDGET.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE, ALL OF THEM PRETTY MUCH EXCEPT FOR INTEREST INCOME COMES FROM OUR, UH, HOSPITALITY TAX, WHICH IS 2% ON PREPARED FOOD AND BEVERAGE.
WE ARE SEEING THIS KIND OF HOLDING FLAT, UM, OVER THE CURRENT YEAR.
SO YOU CAN SEE IT'S A VERY, VERY MINIMAL INCREASE, ABOUT 0.3%, ONLY ABOUT $10,000.
BUT WE ARE SEEING OUR INTEREST FROM WHERE WE'RE DOING OUR INVESTMENTS.
UM, WE ARE SEEING OUR INTEREST INCOME INCREASE.
SO IT IS A SLIGHT INCREASE OF 1.4% OVER THE CURRENT.
SO THIS TRANSFERS OUT TO OUR CIPA LOT OF MONEY AND THEY GO TO A LOT OF OUR PARK PROJECTS AS WELL AS TO, UH, FUND OUR PUBLIC ART PROGRAM, PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS AND SO FORTH THAT HELP, UH, WITH TOURISM.
YOU CAN SEE THERE'S SEVERAL, SEVERAL PROJECTS THAT ARE COME THAT ARE FUNDED BY HOSPITALITY TAX.
WE ALSO TRANSFER OUT TO THE GENERAL FUND TO HELP COVER SOME OF THE SALARIES AND BENEFITS FOR MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS, UH, COMMUNICATIONS, UH, EVENTS AND VENUES, UM, EXECUTIVE FINANCE, GROWTH MANAGEMENT, AND THIS IS MOSTLY FOR THE SERVICES THEY DO TO PROVIDE, UH, COVERAGE FOR EVENTS AND VENUES AND THE TOURIST, UH, INCREASE FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.
SO YOU CAN SEE THOSE HERE TOTALING ABOUT 3.2 MILLION.
AND WE ALSO HAVE LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS TAX FUNDS.
THIS IS, UH, 3% ON GROSS PROCEEDS FROM RENTAL, UH, ON UH, ACCOMMODATIONS.
WE'RE SEEING THIS ACTUALLY, UH, INCREASE OVER THIS CURRENT YEAR.
SO IT IS LOOKING AT ABOUT A 25% INCREASE, WHICH IS A LOT, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY TRUING UP TO WHAT WE'RE SEEING FOR REVENUE FOR THIS YEAR.
UM, BUT WE ARE, UH, SEEING A LITTLE BIT OF THE INTEREST COME DOWN ON THIS ONE BECAUSE WE'VE, UH, TRANSFERRED SOME OF THE FUNDS OUT TO COMPLETE CAPITAL PROJECTS AND THIS IS WHERE SOME OF THE FUNDS TRANSFER OUT FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS.
YOU SEE THE SARAH RILEY HOOKS COLLEGE COTTAGE, UH, OSCAR FRAZIER PARK.
UM, WE HAVE A COUPLE NEW ONES THAT ARE COMING OUT OF HERE, THE ROTARY COMMUNITY CENTER IMPROVEMENTS, OYSTER FACTORY PARK, RESTROOM EXPANSIONS, UM, AND SO FORTH.
WE ALSO TRANSFER OUT SOME OUT TO THE GENERAL FUND TO COVER, UH, PERSONNEL AND EVENTS.
AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THE 15% IS TRANSFERRED OUT FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO WITH THE LOCAL ACCOMMODATION TAX, THIS ONE IS GOING TO, UH, SUPPORT THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
THESE ARE GENERATED THROUGH OUR STORMWATER FEES THAT WE CHARGE ON PROPERTY THROUGHOUT THE TOWN.
THIS GIVES YOU A COMPARISON ON STORMWATER RATES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
YOU CAN SEE BEAVER COUNTY AND EVERYBODY ELSE.
WE ARE PROPOSING TO MAINTAIN THESE FLAT, UM, WHICH IS AT $115 PER UM, UNIT.
AND THIS IS WHERE THE REVENUES, UH, ARE GENERATED FROM.
YOU CAN SEE STORMWATER UTILITY FEE GENERATES WHAT'S PROPOSED FOR THE BUDGET NEXT YEAR, ABOUT 43%.
YOU CAN SEE A LOT OF IT IS, UH, PROJECTS THAT ARE CARRYING FORWARD WHERE WE'RE TRANSFERRING FUNDS IN FROM THE PRIOR FUND YEAR FUND BALANCE TO COMPLETE PROJECTS.
THIS IS WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AS NUMBERS.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE STORM WATER FEES AND INCREASING BY ABOUT 2%, BUT YOU CAN ALSO SEE THAT NOW THAT WE'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF FUND BALANCE IN THERE AND WE'RE INVESTING, WE'RE ACTUALLY SEEING THE INTEREST INCOME INCREASE AS WELL.
SO WHERE ARE THESE FUNDS GOING? ABOUT 43% GOES TO OPERATIONS.
ONLY ABOUT 27% GOES TO SALARY AND BENEFITS.
AND THEN ABOUT 11% TRANSFERS OUT TO, UH, CIP.
THAT'S REFLECTED HERE IN THE NUMBERS.
AND THEN THIS IS SOME OF THE PROJECTS AND, UH, THAT IT IS, UM, OR SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS WITHIN THERE.
UM, IT CONTINUES TO SUPPORT THEM.
AS FOR PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION, OUR DRAINAGE AND DITCH PROGRAM AS WELL AS OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH USCB FOR MONITORING SERVICES AND MICROBIAL TRACKING.
UM, WE'RE ALSO IN THE PROCESS OF DOING THE ROSE CREEK DRAINAGE STUDY, WHICH IS OUR THIRD ONE THAT OUR FOURTH ONE THAT WE'VE DONE.
THIRD ONE THAT WE'RE DOING, IT'S A VERY LARGE DRAINAGE BASIN, SO IT'S TAKEN A WHILE AND IT WILL SUPPORT THE RESILIENCY PLAN THAT IS ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT.
THIS THE, SHOULD THE RESILIENCY PLAN BE APPROVED, IT'S A THREE, IT'LL GO OVER THREE FISCAL YEARS.
SO THIS CARRIES IT FORWARD INTO NEXT FISCAL YEAR FOR THAT FUNDING.
[00:50:01]
TO SUPPORT OUR DEBT SERVICE PAYMENT FOR THE STORMWATER GO BONDS.UM, THERE ARE, UM, TWO POSITIONS THAT ARE RECOMMENDED IN HERE.
ONE IS A FULL-TIME MS FOUR PROGRAM MANAGER.
THIS IS TO REPLACE BETH FROM WHERE SHE WAS PROMOTED UP WHENEVER, UH, BILL RETIRED.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE AN EMPLOYEE, DAN
AND THIS WILL ALLOW THEM TO OVERLAP PART OF THE YEAR.
AND THEN WE WILL RECOMMEND THAT PROJECT MANAGER POSITION, UM, DISAPPEAR IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEARS.
AND THIS WILL JUST BE THERE AS AN OVERLAP SO THAT WE CAN ALLOW THEM TO WORK TOGETHER BEFORE HIS RETIREMENT.
UH, WE DID SIMILAR IN FINANCE WHENEVER CINDY RETIRED AND SOME OTHER DEPARTMENTS WHERE WE KNOW THAT WE WANTED TO OVERLAP AND LET THEM LEARN AND GET SOME EXPERIENCE IN THE INTERIM.
AND THEN THE NEXT YEAR WE DROP THE POSITION OFF.
SO NEXT IS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND.
UM, ALL OF THIS IS MADE UP FROM A WHOLE BUNCH OF TRANSFER ENDS FROM DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS TO COMPLETE OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS.
YOU CAN SEE A LOT OF IT COMES IN FROM OUR TIFF.
IT COMES IN FROM FUND BALANCE AND IT ALSO OUR CFE FUND BALANCE AND FROM THE GENERAL FUND MAKES UP THE MAJORITY OF IT.
THIS IS WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE ON WHERE THE SOURCE OF FUNDS ARE TOTALING ABOUT $39 MILLION.
AND THIS IS WHERE THOSE USE OF FUNDS ARE GOING.
ABOUT 30% IS FOR LAND ACQUISITION NEXT YEAR.
UM, AND THEN YOU HAVE ROAD PROJECTS, STORMWATER, SEWER, UH, PARK, AND THOSE MAKE UP, UM, OUTSIDE OF THAT FACILITIES, THEY MAKE UP THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE PROJECTS.
THIS IS WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FINANCIALLY.
SO AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE LAND ACQUISITION IS OUR LARGEST GOING INTO NEXT YEAR.
THESE ARE THE PROPOSED CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS FOR NEXT YEAR.
UM, YOU'LL SEE THERE ARE A FEW NEW ONES.
UM, THERE'S ROTARY COMMUNITY CENTER IMPROVEMENTS.
THIS IS WORKING TO IMPROVE, UM, THE RESTROOMS. THE, THERE'S WIND, THE WINDOWS AND THE SEALS NEED TO BE REPLACED.
WE HAVE A LOT OF ROT WITHIN THERE.
UM, SO THIS IS A LARGE, UM, UPFIT AND REPAIRS TO THE ROTARY COMMUNITY CENTER.
UM, WE'RE REPLACING THAT, UH, HVAC AT THE LAW ENFORCEMENT CENTER.
AND THEN WE ARE LOOKING, UM, THE OYSTER FACTORY PARK RESTROOM IMPROVEMENT.
THIS IS THE, UH, UPFIT EXPANSION OF THE RESTROOMS AT OYSTER FACTORY PARK.
UM, ONE OF THE OTHER NEW ONES IS THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT.
WE'RE SETTING FUNDS ASIDE FOR ONE 15 TON ROAD.
THAT'S WHAT'S OUT FOR RFP RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S OUR 10 ACRES THAT WE HAVE.
UM, AND VICKY IS GOING THROUGH THE PROPOSAL PROCESS FOR THAT NOW AND THEY CLOSE THE END OF THIS MONTH AND WE'LL WORK THROUGH THOSE AND BRING THAT FOR COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL FOR A PROJECT GOING FORWARD.
THERE AGAIN, LAND ACQUISITION, UM, NEW RIVER LINEAR TRAIL, THOSE ARE SOME OF THE OTHER BIG ONES.
AND THEN YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE OTHER PROJECTS WITHIN THERE.
LASTLY, SOME OF OUR ROAD PROJECTS, A LOT OF THESE ARE STREET SCAPES AS WELL AS THE WASHINGTON SQUARE CONNECTOR.
THIS IS A ROAD THAT WE'LL RUN BETWEEN WASHINGTON SQUARE AND, AND, UH, BUCK COMP, BUCK WALTER PLACE, UM, THAT IS IN DESIGN AND WE'RE EXPECTING, UM, TO HOPEFULLY GET IT MOVING FORWARD, UH, SHORTLY.
HOLLY HILL LANE IS IN DESIGN AND ENGINEERING AND WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING WITH THE COUNTY AND THE DEVELOPER AS WELL AS HERITAGE AT NEW RIVERSIDE TO CONNECT HOLLY HILL, HILL END TO HERITAGE AT NEW RIVERSIDE AS WELL.
UH, THAT NUMBER THERE REPRESENTS OUR PORTION OF THAT PROJECT.
DO YOU HAVE ANY CONCEPT ON THOSE TWO WASHINGTON SQUARED VALLEY HILL LANE WHERE THEY MIGHT FALL INTO THE CONSTRUCTION CALENDAR? WHAT YEAR? SO WASHINGTON SQUARE IS IN DESIGN ANDING RIGHT NOW.
I KNOW, UM, GROWTH MANAGEMENT'S ALREADY RECEIVED SOME QUESTIONS ON STORM WATER AND A COUPLE OTHER THINGS.
UH, HOLLY HILL, THEY'RE IN DESIGN AND ENGINEERING AND WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT WE'LL HAVE THE ENGINEERING PLANS, UM, PROBABLY WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH.
BUT WE ALSO DID NOT PLAN ON BUDGETING FUNDS.
WE DIDN'T HAVE FUNDS BUDGETED IN THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, SO THEY KNEW WE COULD NOT START THE PROJECT UNTIL THE NEW FISCAL YEAR.
SO ONCE THE ENGINEERING IS DONE, THEN, THEN WE WILL, UH, BRING BACK A NEW MOU FOR THE, UH, COST SHARE FOR THAT PROJECT COUNCIL.
AND OUR HOPE IS THAT WE CAN BRING THAT RIGHT AFTER THE FISCAL YEAR STARTS AND BEGIN, BEGIN THAT ONE THIS YEAR.
BUT THIS MONEY ALLOCATED IN HERE IS FOR THAT.
THAT'S, THAT, THAT SHOULD BE OUR PORTION ESTIMATED.
YEAH, THAT'S BASED ON THE ENGINEERING'S ESTIMATE.
THE, THE, THE PRELIMINARY ESTIMATES FOR THE COST FOR CONSTRUCTION.
UM, THAT'S OUR PORTION THAT, THAT'S A THIRD OF THE PROJECT.
SO THAT'S OUR PORTION OF THE PROJECT THAT WE'RE ANTICIPATING.
SO AGAIN, UM, THE GOAL WITH THAT ONE IS TO GET IT DONE, UM, SOON AS POSSIBLE.
[00:55:01]
THEM.AND, UH, THEY'RE BOTH, LIKE I SAID, THEY'RE BOTH IN ENGINEERING RIGHT NOW AND ONCE ENGINEERING'S COMPLETE, THEY'LL GO, UM, WASHINGTON SQUARE WILL PROBABLY GO FASTER, UH, BECAUSE WE'LL HAVE TO DO WITH THE COUNTY AND THE UM, UH, DEVELOPER FOR HOLLY HILL TO FINALIZE EVERYTHING, UH, TO MOVE FORWARD ON THAT ONE.
BUT IT, IT IS BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR.
UM, AND THEN UNDER STORMWATER AND SEWER, YOU CAN SEE THERE'S SOME STREET SCAPES AS WELL AS FINISHING UP PRITCHARD STREET DRAINAGE PROJECT AND STREET SCAPE.
THIS SHOWS YOU A LOCATION OF WHERE THE CAPITAL PROJECTS ARE WITH A LITTLE BIT OF ZOOM IN INTO OLD TOWN AND THEN YOU CAN SEE WHERE THEY'RE SCATTERED OUT THROUGHOUT
HERE'S THE ZOOM IN ON OLD TOWN.
THIS IS, UH, OUR DEBT LIMIT BASED ON STATE LAW.
WE'RE ALLOWED TO BOND UP TO, UM, 8% OF THE REVENUE OF THE TOWN'S, UH, ASSESSED VALUE.
UM, OF THE DEBT LIMIT THAT WE HAVE, WHICH IS GOING INTO FISCAL YEAR 26, 27, ESTIMATED TO BE ABOUT $39 MILLION.
UH, WE ONLY HAVE ABOUT A LITTLE OVER $6 MILLION OF THAT OBLIGATED.
SO WE'RE ONLY ABOUT 16% OF OUR, OUR DEBT LIMIT.
SO WE STILL HAVE UM, SHOULD WE NEED TO BOND.
WE HAVE PLENTY OF CAPACITY IN THERE.
WE HAVE ABOUT 32, UH, EXCUSE ME, ABOUT $26 MILLION LEFT IF WE NEEDED TO.
UM, I'M SORRY, 32 MILLION IF WE NEEDED TO BOND ANYTHING.
SO RIGHT NOW, WHERE'S THAT DEBT? WE HAVE A GEO BOND FOR STORMWATER CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT WE DID.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE THE GEO BOND FROM WHERE WE CONSTRUCTED THE LAW ENFORCEMENT CENTER THAT IN UH, JULY OF 2010, UH, THE STORMWATER CAPITAL BOND WILL WRAP UP IN 2040 AND THE LAW ENFORCEMENT CENTER IS 2034 AND YOU CAN SEE THOSE ON THE RIGHT.
UM, WE HAD A, UM, AND WE HAVE ONE ADDITIONAL, WE HAVE OUR TIFF SPECIAL REVENUE BOND AND THAT ONE WAS DONE FOR THE NEW RIVERSIDE BARN IN FISCAL YEAR 2023.
I SAY BARN, BUT THE BARN PARK PROJECT.
UM, AND THAT ONE WILL CONTINUE FORWARD UP UNTIL 2030, I THINK.
2032 OR, UM, SO THE OTHER THING IS WE HAD OUR TIF SPECIAL REVENUE BOND FROM 2014 THAT ACTUALLY WAS PAID OFF THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.
AND SO THE MONEY THAT WE WERE USING IN THAT TIF WILL NOW GO TO THE NEW ONE WE DID AND AND ALLOW IT TO BE PAID OFF AT A FASTER, AT A, AT A HIGHER RATE, WHICH WAS PLANNED FOR WHENEVER WE DID THE BONDING IN 2022.
SO THIS SHOWS YOU WHERE THE REVENUES FROM THE DEBT SERVICE COME FROM.
A LOT OF IT, MOST OF IT IS PROPERTY TAXES THAT COME IN TO PAY OUR, UH, GEO DEBT.
AND THIS IS SHOWN HERE FINANCIALLY AND THIS SHOWS YOU WHERE MONEY IS GOING.
AND THIS DOES THE SAME WITH JUST THE NUMBERS.
AND THEN LASTLY, WE GO OVER OUR FUND BALANCE.
SO YOU CAN SEE WHERE WE WERE ACTUAL AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR 24, 25, AND WHERE WE ESTIMATE TO BE AT THE END OF THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.
UM, AND THEN WHERE WE'RE PROJECTED TO BE AT THE END OF NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
UM, SO YOU CAN SEE WHERE THOSE FUND BALANCE NUMBERS ARE.
UM, ONE THING I WOULD POINT OUT IS ONE YOU CAN SEE DECREASING IS THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM FUND THAT IS ANTICIPATING US COMPLETING PROJECTS AND NOT HAVING TO CARRY AS MUCH MONEY FORWARD, WHICH I KNOW IS SOMETHING WE WANT TO DO.
SO, UM, THAT IS SEEING THAT NUMBER DECREASE SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
SO BASICALLY GO BACK TO THAT ONE.
SO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT OR GOING AWAY QUICKLY, WELL OUR GOAL IS TO SPEND THE MONEY.
SO JUST TO SUMMARIZE, THIS IS THE PROPOSED CONSOLIDATED BUDGET TOTALING 113,000,913 $988 AS PROPOSED COUNCIL FISCAL YEAR 26 27.
UM, LIKE I SAID, WE WILL GET INTO A FAR MORE DETAIL AT THE FIRST BUDGET WORKSHOP, WHICH WILL BE HELD MAY 21ST, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE THE SECOND ONE, MAY 28TH TO DIG INTO ANYTHING ADDITIONAL THAT WE NEED TO THE COUNCIL MAY BRING UP OR THERE MAY STILL BE QUESTIONS ON.
AND THEN WE'LL BE BACK NEXT MONTH ON JUNE 9TH FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING AND HOPEFULLY SECOND READING PENDING ANY QUESTIONS THAT COUNCIL MAY HAVE.
I DO HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE FOR FIRST READING
[01:00:01]
IF COUNCIL, SO FEELS IS INCLINED, UH, FROM COUNSEL, UH, MR. GREG? YES, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS WITH THE, UM, PIE CHART WHERE YOU GAVE THE BREAKDOWN OF THE PERCENTAGE OF THE BUDGET, UH, IT GOES TOWARDS OPERATION AND UM, MOSTLY THE SALARIES AND BENEFITS.DID THAT ESTIMATE ALSO INCLUDE THE PROPOSAL FOR THE COVID INCREASE AND SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WERE MENTIONED? YES MA'AM.
THAT INCLUDES THE COLA AND MERIT INCREASES YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE FOR THE GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES? YEAH.
THAT'S GONNA INCLUDE, UM, YOU'LL SEE THE INCREASE IN HERE OF ABOUT, UH, $1.4 MILLION THAT INCLUDES ALL THE
UM, AND MY OTHER QUESTION IS SOMETHING THAT WAS MENTIONED, UM, LAST YEAR DURING THE BUDGET CYCLE, UM, MAY RIVER HIGH, UH, POPULATION WARRANTS THAT THEY NEEDED, UH, TO SROS.
AND I KNOW THAT, UM, I CURRENTLY JUST HAD A SRO AND I PICK A PRIVATE SECURITY PERSON.
DID WE EVER LOOK INTO THAT IN TERMS OF SEEING IF THE DISTRICT WAS GONNA SUPPORT AN ADDITIONAL SRO THERE OR IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEEDED TO, UM, TO FIND ON OUR END? I, I KNOW THE CHIEF HAD A CONVERSATION WITH DR. RODRIGUEZ ON THAT AND I THINK THAT'S WHEN THEY BROUGHT IN THE, THE PAID POSITION.
BUT HAS THEY, HAVE THEY LOOKED AT HAVING ANOTHER SRO OUT THERE YET? NO, SIR.
THEY'RE STILL NOT WILLING TO DO IT UNTIL THEY FILL ALL THE SCHOOLS IN THE STATE, WHICH THEY'RE STILL TRYING TO DO WITH THROUGH THE GRANT PROCESS.
SO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, THEY GET A GRANT FROM THE STATE TO DO THAT.
SO THE ONLY WAY UNTIL THEY ARE WILLING TO GET THE FUNDS FROM THERE FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO PAY FOR IT WOULD BE IF THE TOWN WANTED TO COMMIT ADDITIONAL POSITION FOR SRO OUT THERE AND COVER THAT COST.
IS IT POSSIBLE, UM, IN TERMS OF, I KNOW IT WOULD, YOU KNOW, BE A FULL CONVERSATION WITH THE REST OF COUNSEL, BUT FOR US TO LOOK AT SEEING WHAT THAT RESPONSIBILITY IS ONLY 'CAUSE I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF SAFETY CONCERNS IN REGARDS OF, UH, PRIVATE SECURITY OFFICER IS VERY LIMITED IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY'RE ABLE TO DO OPPOSED TO A TRAINED OFFICER AND, YOU KNOW, A SCHOOL THAT'S AT CAPACITY OF ALMOST 2000 STUDENTS WITH ONE OFFICER.
UM, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT IF WE HAVE THE FUNDS OR THE MANPOWER IN TERMS OF, WE ALREADY HAVE OFFICERS THERE, IF WE COULD APPROPRIATE EITHER FUNDS OR THAT ADDITIONAL POSITION THERE.
UM, BECAUSE EVEN IF THEY DON'T PICK THAT UP, IT SITS IN OUR JURISDICTION AND I DON'T WANT, UM, I WOULDN'T WANT THAT TO BE AN ISSUE IN TERMS OF LIKE IF, IF THERE'S A NEED OF FIGHT, WHATEVER BREAKS OUT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE PROTECTION.
UM, WE CAN HAVE THAT CONVERSATION BETWEEN NOW AND THE FIRST RE FIRST WORKSHOP AND HAVE YOU SOME FOR COUNSEL TO DISCUSS WHAT THAT OPTIONS MAY LOOK LIKE, WHETHER IT'S REPURPOSING IS A CURRENT POSITION OR WHETHER IT WOULD BE A NEW POSITION, WHICHEVER, AND HAVE THE, HAVE THAT FOR COUNSEL TO DISCUSS AND NUMBERS.
MR. HAMILTON, I THINK WE ARE DOING, UM, A GREAT JOB AS FAR AS BEING FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR TAXPAYER MONEY AND, UH,
UM, YOU KNOW, TO WHAT FRED SAID, I THINK, UM, I I REMEMBER ASKING, I SEE IT ON HERE, I, I'D LOVE TO SEE THAT INTEREST.
YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT THAT HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY OR ANYTHING, BUT THAT TELLS ME THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE TRYING TO DO THE BEST YOU CAN WITH WHAT WE'VE GOT.
SO, WELL, I I WILL SAY THAT THAT INTEREST REVENUE ACROSS ALL THE FUNDS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE, SINCE WE'VE GOT THAT INVESTMENT THAT COUNCIL APPROVED US FOR, I WOULD SAY WE, WE CAN PULL THE NUMBERS TOGETHER AHEAD OF THE FIRST, UH, WORKSHOP, BUT I, I WOULDN'T HESITATE TO SAY THAT IT'S PROBABLY GENERATED A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS PER YEAR ADDITIONAL.
WOULD THAT BE REASONABLE, CHRIS? YEAH.
UM, A FEW HUNDRED THOUSAND, LIKE MAYBE THREE OR $400,000 OF ADDITIONAL REVENUE FROM BEING MILLION DOLLARS EVERY THREE YEARS FROM, FROM TAKING THE FUND BALANCE AND, AND, AND INVESTING WITH THE, UM, AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT THE VALUE OF A MILL IS, THAT, AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S ABOUT ABOUT ONE MILL THAT WE'RE GETTING FROM INVESTING THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD TO PROPOSE IN, UH, FOR COUNCIL.
AND AGAIN, THE ECHO, WHAT COUNCILMAN HAMILTON SAID, THANK YOU, CHRIS, HEATHER, FINANCE STAFF FOR EVERYTHING THEY'VE DONE TO HELP GET THIS PREPARED FOR FIRST READING.
[01:05:01]
WORK AHEAD OF US, BUT FEEL COMFORTABLE, CONFIDENT, AND THE BUDGET THAT THEY, WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER TO PRESENT TO COUNSEL.DO WE HAVE A MOTION? YES, SIR.
SOMEONE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION.
I MAY, TO APPROVE THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 AFFAIRS CONSOLIDATED BY JENNIFER ROONEY.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
UP, UP NEXT WE'LL MOVE ON TO CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL OF INITIAL MASTER PLAN FOR NEW RIVERSIDE PARCEL AA CONSISTING OF 104 SINGLE FAMILY LOTS ON APPROXIMATELY 100.69 ACRES OF LAND LOCATED IN THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE INTERSECTION OF NEW RIVERSIDE ROAD AND MYRTLE FORD ROAD AND ZONE, NEW RIVERSIDE PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT, MR. EKER.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR COUNCIL, UH, AS YOU JUST STATED, WE ARE HERE FOR INITIAL MASTER PLAN.
UH, THIS IS, UH, FOR A PULTE HOMES, UH, COMPANY, LLC.
UH, SO THEY'RE THE APPLICANT, UH, ON BEHALF OF THE OWNER, WHICH IS PIONEER LAND AND TIMBER.
UM, THIS IS A HUNDRED ACRE PARCEL THAT THEY'RE LOOKING TO HAVE 104 SINGLE FAMILY UNITS.
UM, THERE ARE SOME OTHER AMENITIES, UM, AND LAGOONS, RECREATIONAL AREAS, PARK AND NETWORKS OF, UH, A NETWORK OF SIDEWALKS, UH, IN THIS COMMUNITY.
JUST TO GIVE YOU CONTEXT FROM THE, UH, VICINITY MAP HERE, YOU CAN SEE THE PARCELS HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW, UH, OFF OF NEW RIVERSIDE ROAD.
UM, IT, UM, WE'LL HAVE ACCESS ACROSS FROM THE LAKES AT NEW RIVERSIDE.
UH, AND THEN THE, THE AREA THAT'S IN THE PINKISH COLOR, UH, THAT IS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S PROPERTY.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THE PROPERTY AND THE MAJORITY OF THE SITE IS, UH, PLANTED PINES.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF PLANTED PINES.
THERE ARE SOME TREES IN THERE.
AND I'LL HAVE A, A TREE EXHIBIT HERE IN A SECOND TO SHOW YOU, UH, FROM THE, UH, THE NEW RIVERSIDE LAND USE MA, UH, MASTER PLAN OR THE CONCEPT PLAN HERE.
UH, YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED, UH, ON THE SOUTHERN AREA.
UH, SO THEY, UH, FROM A A PROJECT STANDPOINT, UM, THE ARCHITECTURAL GUIDELINES WILL BE FOLLOWED, UH, WHICH IS CONSISTENT THROUGHOUT FOR, FOR PULTE AS WELL AS THE NEW RIVERSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, SINGLE LOTS WILL VARY IN SIZE, UH, RANGING FROM, UH, EITHER 45 TO 90 FEET WIDTH AND 110 TO 140 FEET IN DEPTH.
UM, THERE ARE, UM, A COUPLE OF BUFFERED AREAS HERE.
YOU CAN SEE THAT, UM, IF YOU JUST GIMME A SECOND, WE'VE GOT A 50 FOOT PUD, UM, ON THE SOUTHERN PROPERTY LINE.
UH, THAT'S A BUFFER AS WELL AS 150 FOOT VEGETATIVE BUFFER ALONG, UM, THE, UH, NORTH AND EASTERN PARK PORTIONS OF THE PROPERTY.
AND, AND THAT'S CONSISTENT THROUGH, UM, ALL OF NEW RIVERSIDE, ALONG NEW RIVERSIDE DRIVE FOR THE COMMUNITIES.
UH, ROADS RIGHT OF WAY WILL BE, UH, MAINTAINED, UM, UH, FOR THE PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION WITH A MINIMUM WIDTH OF 60 FEET.
YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE TWO ACCESS POINTS OFF OF THE REVERSE SIDE ROAD.
UH, THE PRIMARY ACCESS IS A FULL ACCESS ACROSS FROM LAKESIDE RIVERSIDE, AND THEN WE HAVE A SECONDARY ACCESS POINT THAT IS AT RIGHT END, RIGHT OUT ONLY, UH, FOR A TREE SAFE.
UH, WE ALWAYS TRY TO SAVE AS MANY TREES AS WE CAN, UH, DURING DEVELOPMENT.
UM, APPLICANTS ARE AWARE OF THAT, WE'RE AWARE OF THAT.
UH, AND AS I STATED, THERE'S A LOT OF PLANTED PINES.
UM, SO, UH, THE APPLICANTS DID WORK THROUGH, UH, FROM A DEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT, UH, ASSESSING WHICH TREES ARE THE PRIORITY TREES.
UM, AS ALWAYS, THIS IS FROM A MASTER PLAN STANDPOINT, CONCEPTUAL, AS WE GO THROUGH THE PROCESS FOR THE ACTUAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS, WE WILL, UM, HAVE A, UH, YOU KNOW, A FINER LOOK AT THAT.
AND IF THERE ARE TREES THAT CAN BE SAVED DURING THAT PROCESS, THAT'S ABSOLUTELY SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GONNA DO.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU SEE QUITE A FEW AREAS HERE WHERE THEY'VE CONGREGATED FOR THEIR AMENITIES AS WELL.
UH, TYPICAL, UH, CROSS SECTION, UH, ONE CONCERNS THAT WE'VE ALWAYS HAD IS MAKING SURE THAT, UH, THERE'S AMPLE PARKING.
SO EACH, UM, EACH LOT WILL HAVE, IN ESSENCE FOUR PARKING SPACES.
AND THERE'S SUFFICIENT SPACE IN THE DRIVEWAY FOR VEHICLES TO BE PARKED THAT WILL NOT ENCROACH INTO THE ROAD OR ENCROACH ACROSS THE SIDEWALKS.
DID, YOU MENTIONED A MOMENT AGO.
SO MS. PINES, IT'D PROBABLY ALMOST BE CLEARED OUT.
I'M ASSUMING WE HAVE A GOOD TREE PLANTING SCHEDULED AT SOME POINT SOMEWHERE TO DO SOMETHING.
AND, AND ONE OF THAT WAS BROUGHT UP DURING PLANTING COMMISSIONS.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WE'VE BEEN FACED WITH IN THE PAST IS, UM, MAKING SURE THAT THE TREES THAT ARE REPLANTED ARE PLANTED APPROPRIATELY.
UH, THERE'S BEEN SOME CONCERNS IN OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THEY'VE HAD ISSUES OF THE PROXIMITY OF THE TREES TO THE SIDEWALKS AND TO THE BUILDINGS.
UM, SO ONE OF THE CONDITIONS THAT YOU'LL SEE IS THAT WE WORK WITH THE APPLICANT DURING THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN PROCESS TO MAKE SURE THAT AS TREES ARE BEING PLANTED, UM, THAT THEY'RE PLANTED IN THE APPROPRIATE LOCATION SO AS TO NOT MESS WITH ANY UTILITIES OR SIDEWALKS.
I'VE HAD A CONVERSATION WITH PULTE TODAY.
UH, THEY'RE FULLY AWARE OF THAT AND ARE HAPPY TO WORK THROUGH THAT, ESPECIALLY WITH, UM, THE,
[01:10:01]
THE POA MANAGEMENT GROUPS TO MAKE SURE AS PEOPLE ARE PURCHASING THESE HOUSES THAT THEY KNOW, UM, THEY KNOW, UH, THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TREES.THEY KNOW HOW TO TAKE CARE OF THE TREES.
UM, SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS DEFINITELY, UM, BEING REVIEWED AT THAT DEVELOPMENT PLANNING PROCESS.
UM, FROM A TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS, WE DID, UH, REVIEW THIS.
WE HAD, UM, AN INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF IT WHERE, UH, WE ARE LOOKING AT HAVING THE FULL ACCESS POINT, UH, THAT'S ACROSS FROM, UH, UH, LAKESIDE NEAR RIVERSIDE, AND THAT'S SECONDARY ACCESS POINT THERE.
UM, ALSO FROM A CONNECTIVITY STANDPOINT, YOU CAN SEE THEY HAVE, UM, THE, UH, NETWORK OF SIDEWALKS THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THEN IT WILL CONNECT INTO THE EXISTING 10 FOOT WIDE MULTI, UM, USE PATH THAT'S ON THE NORTH SIDE OF NEWER SIDE ROADS.
SO THEY'LL PROVIDE A CONNECTION, UH, OUT THERE AS WELL.
UH, WE HAVE THE REVIEW CRITERIA HERE.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OF ANY ONE OF THOSE, BUT THEY ARE CONSISTENT WITH THAT FROM A PLAN REVIEW PROCESS.
UM, WE'VE GONE THROUGH PRE-APP APPLICATIONS, UH, APPLICATION, UH, CHECK-INS, OUR DEVELOPMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION, UH, WHICH IS PROVIDED IN HERE AS WELL AS WE ARE HERE THIS EVENING FOR A FINAL VOTE.
UH, SO YOUR AUTHORITY IS TO APPROVE THIS APPLICATION, APPROVE THE CONDITIONS, OR TO DENY THE APPLICATION AS SUBMITTED.
UH, WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT IT'S APPROVED WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS.
THIS IS THE ONE WE REFER TO IS THAT DURING THE DEVELOPMENT, UH, PLAN REVIEW PROCESS, UM, THAT WE WORKED THROUGH THE LONGEVITY OF THESE STREET TREES AND, UH, WHERE THEY'RE, THEY'RE BEING PLANTED.
UH, AND THE OTHER ONE THAT HAS BEEN COMING UP, UM, AND YOU'VE NOTICED ON PREVIOUS PLANS, AND WE'VE BROUGHT THIS TO YOU MULTIPLE TIMES, UH, THAT, THAT P THAT IS LOCATED ON THESE, ON THIS PLAN HERE.
UM, SO AS OF RIGHT NOW, THIS PLAN, UM, HAD 16, UM, LIKE I'LL REFER TO 'EM AS ON STREET PARKING PODS.
WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS THROUGH A LOT OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS IN NEW RIVERSIDE.
UM, WE WE'RE WORKING WITH THE APPLICANT TO INCREASE THAT NUMBER OF SPACES TO ROUGHLY 20% OR 21 SPACES.
AND THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WE BROUGHT IN FRONT OF YOU FOR MASTER PLANS.
SO, UH, PRIOR TO WE, PRIOR TO STAFF, UH, STAMPING THESE PLANS APPROVED, UM, WE'RE GONNA WORK WITH THE APPLICANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY SHOW THOSE 21 PARKING SPACES ON THE MASTER PLAN, THEN WE'LL STAMP IT APPROVED, UH, JUST BECAUSE OF A TIMING STANDPOINT, WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME, UH, TO HAVE THE APPLICANT MAKE THOSE CHANGES AND THEN GET THOSE INTO THE PACKET FOR YOU.
SO, UH, WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE IT ONE OF THOSE ITEMS OF CONDITIONAL APPROVAL, GET IT TAKEN CARE OF, AND THEN STAMP THOSE PLANS, UM, PRIOR TO SENDING THEM OUT.
UM, SO WITH THAT, UH, THAT'S OUR RECOMMENDATION.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
MS. BUR, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS AND THEN COMMENTS.
UM, AND KEVIN, THEY'RE NOT ALL GOING TO BE DIRECTED AT YOU.
I THINK TERRY'S PROBABLY FOR SOME OF THESE AND POSSIBLY THE APPLICANT, BUT, UM, DOES THE DEVELOPER CURRENTLY HAVE THE LEGAL RIGHT TO BUILD THE 104 HOMES UNDER THE EXISTING DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT? BELIEVE THE CONCEPT PLAN AUTHORIZE, IS THAT YES, CORRECT.
UM, AND THEN DO WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO TELL THE DEVELOPER IF THEY CAN OR CANNOT USE THE MODEL HOME IN MIDPOINT FOR THIS? AND AGAIN, THAT MIGHT BE A TERRY QUESTION THAT, THAT'S PROBABLY A TERRY QUESTION, AND IT'LL TAKE ME, UH, A LITTLE BIT OF LOOKING AT, AT CONCEPT PLANS TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
SO I'LL TRY TO GET BACK TO YOU VERY PROMPTLY ON THAT.
I THINK IT'LL BE DIFFICULT, BUT PERHAPS POSSIBLE.
UM, AND THEN DO YOU KNOW WHY THE TRAFFIC STUDY WAS NOT DONE DURING BUSY SCHOOL TIME? NO, THAT'S OKAY.
UM, IT'S A STANDARD, THE STANDARD TIMEFRAME FOR 46.
YEAH, THERE, THERE, THERE'S A, THERE'S A FORMULA THAT'S, THAT'S USED, UM, AND THE TRAFFIC ENGINEER USED THAT FORMULA.
UM, I, I HAVE SOME CONCERNS OVER THE AMOUNT OF ON STREET PARKING SPOTS.
UM, I'M NOT SURE THAT PARKING SPOTS FOR TEENAGE DRIVERS OR GOLF CARTS HAS BEEN TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.
UM, TO ME IT DOES NOT SEEM LIKE ONE SPOT, ONE EXTRA SPOT PER FIVE HOMES IS ENOUGH.
UM, AND AFTER RESEARCH, IT SEEMS LIKE ONE EXTRA SPOT FOR TWO HOMES SEEMS TO BE MORE APPROPRIATE, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU DO CONSIDER THESE TEENAGE DRIVERS.
UM, IN GOLF CARTS, I DON'T WANT TO SET UP A NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, TO HAVE PARKING ISSUES.
AND I, I THINK THAT THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD BE DOING IF WE APPROVE THIS WITH JUST 21 EXTRA SPOTS.
AND SO THAT IS, UM, MY CONCERN.
CAN YOU SHOW THE POCKETS AGAIN, KEVIN? SO, AS WE'VE STATED, THEY'RE SHOWING APPROXIMATELY 16 AT THIS POINT.
UM, WE'RE GONNA WORK WITH THE APPLICANT TO GET THAT UP TO THE 21 THAT'S AT A 20%, WHICH IS CONSISTENT WITH OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS.
UH, I WILL STATE THAT THE, UM,
[01:15:01]
THE PUD DOCUMENTS, UH, STATE THAT THE MINIMUM PARKING REQUIREMENTS ARE TWO.UM, SO LEGALLY THEY'RE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE TWO PARKING SPACES.
SO, UH, THEY'RE PROVIDING FOUR ONSITE AND THEN ADDITIONAL SPACES THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, WHEN WE, WHEN WE CAME UP WITH THE, UH, 20% THAT CALCULATION WAS, UM, AFTER, OR BEFORE THE 16? UH, I'M NOT SURE.
AFTER, AFTER, AFTER THEY OH YEAH.
YOU RECOMMENDED WHAT PERCENTAGE, WHAT PERCENTAGE WAS 16? UH, IT'S ROUGHLY 16 ISH PERCENT.
THIS BURDEN OF CONCERN OR 16%, UM, 16.
IS THERE, WITHOUT CHANGING, UM, UM, THE HOUSING OF THIS PROJECT, IS THERE MEANINGFUL MORE PART? UM, I BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE SOME AREAS WHERE, UM, FROM, AGAIN, THIS IS A CONCEPTUAL PLAN, UM, THAT DURING THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN PROCESS THAT WE COULD FIND ADDITIONAL AREAS TO PROVIDE SOME PARKING.
UM, NOW WITH THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE UNDERSTANDING IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT A, LIKE LARGE PARKING LOT AREAS, UH, THESE SMALLER AREAS.
UH, ONE EXAMPLE YOU SEE WHERE IT SAYS THE PUMP STATION, UM, THAT'S AN AREA WHERE WE COULD POTENTIALLY LOOK TO HAVE SOME, SOME PARKING WHILE STILL PROVIDING ACCESS FOR THE, UH, SEWER COMPANY TO, TO ACCESS THE SITE.
BUT THERE MAY BE AN AREA WHERE WE COULD PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL, UH, SPACE THERE, UH, TO PUT SOME PARKING IN.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE MIGHT BE ONE OR TWO OTHER AREAS, UM, THAT WE CAN, CAN LOOK TO SEE WHERE IF THERE'S, LIKE, THERE'S AN AREA WHERE THERE MIGHT BE A SIGNIFICANT TREE THAT COULD BE SAVED IN BETWEEN HOUSES AND WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME, UH, YOU KNOW, LIKE A TUCKED IN, UH, TYPE OF SPACES THERE.
UH, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, AT THIS TIME FROM A CONCEPTUAL LEVEL, IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT WITHOUT GETTING INTO THE, YOU KNOW, THE ACTUAL CIVIL ENGINEERING, UM, COMPONENT TO IT.
AND, AND I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOU, BUT IN THE PAST WE HAVE, UM, GONE OUT WITH THE APPLICANTS AND AND DONE TREE ASSESSMENTS, UM, ON A, ON A STAFF LEVEL, UH, DURING THAT DEVELOPMENT PLAN PROCESS WHERE WE WALK THROUGH AND, AND, AND IDENTIFY TREES THAT THAT CAN BE SAVED.
THERE MIGHT BE SOME TREES THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY MIGHT BE DAMAGED AND NEED TO BE REMOVED, BUT IF WE CAN SAVE TREES, UM, IN ADDITION TO WHAT WAS SHOWN ON THAT TREE SURVEY, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DEFINITELY DO.
AND THE APPLICANTS, UM, UNDERSTAND THAT AND, AND WORK, WE WORK WITH THEM ON THAT.
UM, ANY HELP? NO, I'M GLAD YOU SAID THAT THE APPLICANT UNDERSTAND THE RULES OF WORK WITH US, SO, UM, LET THEM KNOW PLEASE.
UM, THAT MS. BURDEN CONCERN IS ALSO MINE.
SO BACK TO WHAT WE ACTUALLY RECEIVED IN THE STAFF REPORT, HOW MANY PARKING SPACES? 16.
OKAY, SO YOU'VE INCREASED IT TO 21? CORRECT.
AND YOU'RE SAYING TYPICALLY IT'S 20% THE WAY THE COUNCIL HAS ALWAYS ACTED IN THE PAST.
AND ANOTHER QUESTION I HAD WAS, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, SOME OF THE PREVIOUS PROJECTS YOU HAD, BASICALLY, THEY DIDN'T HAVE LONG DRIVEWAY OR PARKING DRIVEWAYS.
THEY HAD SHORT DRIVEWAYS IN THE GARAGE THERE, AND SO THEY COULD MAYBE PUT TWO IN, BUT THEN TWO RIGHT THERE, UM, AND STANDING, AND THAT WAS IT.
SO NOW CAN THEY PACK MORE IN THE PARKING SPOT WHERE THE HOUSE IS OR TWO IN THE TWO IN THE GARAGE AND TWO IN THE FRONT OF THE GARAGE? YEAH, YOU KNOW, IN THE PAST, UH, KIND OF WHAT WE DID IS THAT WE SAID THAT THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE FRONT SETBACK OF THE, OF THE STRUCTURE ITSELF COULD BE AT 15 FEET, BUT WHEREVER YOUR GARAGE WAS BEING PLACED, THE GARAGE HAD TO BE PLACED AT LEAST 20 FEET BACK.
AND WHAT THAT DID IS THEY GAVE, GAVE AMPLE SPACE.
NOW THERE ARE SOME, SOMETIMES WHERE THEY, THERE IS MORE SPACE, IT'S MORE THAN 20, BUT AT A MINIMUM IT IS 20.
UM, SO I KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD THAT IS ISSUE.
UM, AND THEN, UH, ACROSS NEW RIVERSIDE ROAD, AT THE LAKES AND NEW RIVERSIDE, THAT WAS ONE WHERE, UM, THEY ACTUALLY, UM, IF THEY HAD NARROWER LOTS, THEIR, THE WIDTH OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, THE WIDTH OF THEIR ROADS WERE WIDER.
AND THAT PROVIDED FOR ON STREET PARKING, BUT THAT WAS SPECIFIC TO THAT ONE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO THAT WAS THE, THE DESIGN THAT THEY WENT FOR.
THIS ONE THERE, THERE'RE JUST, IT IS THE TWO LANE, TWO LANE ROADS, UH, WITH THE TOTAL OF THE FOUR, UM, OFF STREET PARKING SPACES THAT THEY'RE PROVIDING.
[01:20:01]
I'M IN FOLLOWING MS. BURDEN.I'M IN FAVOR IF THEY CAN SQUEEZE SOME MORE OUT, THAT'S GREAT.
I, I PERSONALLY, I MEAN, I, I KNOW SHE JUST THREW A NUMBER OUT.
I DON'T KNOW THAT ONE PER TWO IS, IT'S PRETTY HIGH.
UM, SO I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S PRACTICAL.
IT MAY BE, BUT UH, IF WE CAN GET A LITTLE EXTRA OUT OF IT, I SUPPORT THAT, WHAT SHE SAID.
YEAH, SO THAT'S WHERE THAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE CAN GET THAT AT, AT A MINIMUM, THE 21.
AND THEN FROM A STAFF LEVEL, WE'LL DEFINITELY WORK WITH THEM TO SEE IF THERE'S AREAS THAT WE CAN, CAN GET ADDITIONAL SPACES.
MS. FRAZIER, UM, YES, I HAVE A, MY QUESTION, UM, IS NOT DIRECTED TOWARDS KEVIN OR THE APPLICANT APPLICANT, BUT MAYBE MORE SO A STEVEN QUESTION OR COMMENT.
UM, WHERE ARE WE IN HAVING, LIKE IN, UH, INTERGOVERNMENT INTERGOVERNMENTAL CONVERSATION ABOUT, UM, LIKE TRAFFIC AND ROAD ACCESS IN THIS AREA? 'CAUSE FROM A EARLIER COMMENT, I AM CONCERNED IN TERMS OF LIKE, AS WE'RE ADDING ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT HERE, UM, WHAT'S GONNA BE THE INPUT FROM THOSE IN ADDRESSING OUR CONCERNS OF, YOU KNOW, THERE NEEDS TO BE BETTER, UM, ACCESS TO LIKE ADDING ADDITIONAL EITHER, UM, WIDENING ROADS OR ENTRY POINTS TO WHERE IT ALLEVIATES THE CONGESTION THAT'S ALREADY THERE.
AND THEN IMPENDING CONGESTION THAT'S GONNA COME FROM THIS.
AND I KNOW THE APPLICANT CAN'T ADDRESS THAT BECAUSE IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT THEY HAVE PURVIEW OVER.
SO WHEN IT COMES TO THIS AREA, IT'S A DIFFICULT CONVERSATION BECAUSE IS A PRIVATELY ON ROAD BY NEW RIVERSIDE, LLC.
SO THERE IS NO STATE OR COUNTY OR US AGENCY THAT REALLY CAN DIRECT 'EM.
UM, I DO KNOW WE HAVE REQUIREMENTS IN AS PART, AND PULTE IS PART OF ONE OF THOSE IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT THEY'RE WORKING TO GET A RED LIGHT IN AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT RIGHT THERE.
UM, WE'RE WORKING, AS WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, WITH THE DEVELOPER TO MAKE THE CONNECTION IN WITH HOLLY HILL.
UM, THERE HAS BEEN WORK WITH DOT AND I THINK IT IS MOVING FORWARD TO PUT A RED LIGHT IN AT PALMETTO PALMETTO BLUFF OR OLD PALMETTO.
IT'S OLD, OLD PALMETTO BLUFF ROAD.
WHICH TECHNICALLY THE NEW ROAD.
THE NEW ROAD THAT'S CALLED, CALLED.
THE NEW ONE, THE OLD, UM, SO I KNOW THERE'S, UH, THE DOTI BELIEVE THEY'VE SET FUNDING ASIDE AND THEY'RE MOVING FORWARD TO PUT A RED LIGHT IN AT THAT INTERSECTION.
SO THERE ARE SOME IMPROVEMENTS AS WELL AS, UM, THE TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE WHERE THEY'RE PUTTING OUT THE PENNY REFERENDUM FOR THIS YEAR.
THE, SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT WERE PUT ON THERE WERE TO, UM, WIDEN 46 FROM THE TRAFFIC CIRCLE OUT TO JASPER COUNTY, AS WELL AS MAKE IMPROVEMENTS IN INTERSECTIONS AT, I THINK IT'S STARDUST, UM, HERITAGE, OR NOT HERITAGE, UM, PALMETTO BLUFF AND MILLER ROAD, AND SOME OTHERS ALONG THERE.
SO THOSE SHOULD, THE PENNY TAX PASS, THOSE ARE ALL IMPROVEMENTS WITHIN THAT AREA THAT ARE PART OF THAT PROJECT, WHICH THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE STUDIES, UH, THROUGHOUT THE, THE AREA, I'LL SAY THE SUB REGION.
UM, SO FROM A TRANSPORTATION STANDPOINT, YOU DO THE STUDY FIRST TO DETERMINE WHAT THE ISSUE IS.
UH, AND THEN NOW WITH THE, HAVING THOSE STUDIES IN PLACE WITH THAT REFERENDUM, IF IT WERE TO PASS, THEN THE MONEY WOULD THEN BE AVAILABLE FOR, TO MAKING THOSE IMPROVEMENTS.
I I ALWAYS LOVE HAVING CONVERSATIONS LIKE THAT JUST SO THE GENERAL PUBLIC CAN UNDERSTAND AND HEAR THAT THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO ON OUR END, BUT WE'RE NOT, UM, THE SOLE DECISION MAKER WHEN IT COMES TO ISSUES LIKE THAT.
SO WE ARE CONSIDERATE OF SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY SEEING.
AND SO FROM AN INFRASTRUCTURE STANDPOINT, UM, THAT ISN'T SOMETHING THAT WE ARE JUST NEGLIGIBLE ON.
THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH THAT WE CAN'T DO, BUT WE DO RECOGNIZE THAT IT IS A PRIORITY AND SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO SEE ADDRESSED AND RESOLVED FOR THE RESIDENTS, UM, IN THAT AREA.
ONE LAST QUESTION, MAYOR, PLEASE.
UH, MAYBE, MAYBE IT'S ALREADY OUT, MAYBE IT HASN'T.
BUT, UH, SO THE SCHOOL ITSELF KNEW IT, UM,
AND THERE, THERE ARE ACTUALLY SOME MINOR, UM, IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE REQUIRED, UM, ASSOCIATED WITH THEIR DEVELOPMENT.
UH, THAT'LL HAPPEN PRIOR TO THE CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY.
UH, THERE'S SOME IMPROVEMENTS FOR, UH, AT NEW RIVERSIDE ROAD AND, AND OLD PALMETTO BLUFF ROAD.
UH, JUST MINOR IMPROVEMENTS OF LIKE, UH, I THINK IT'S LIKE UPDATING THE, THE, LIKE THE TURN LANE, UM, THE RIGHT TURN LANE GOING INTO NEW RIVERSIDE.
UH, THERE'S A FEW OTHER, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE HAVING, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, RIGHT HAND TURN LANE, LEFT HAND TURN LANES ALONG NEW RIVERSIDE ROAD THAT WILL ALSO, UH, BE COMING UP.
AND THE, UM, JUST SO YOU, I THINK I'VE TOLD YOU, BUT I, I'VE BEEN TALKING TO DR. RODRIGUEZ TRYING TO PUSH TO GET THE RED LIGHT AT THE SCHOOL SOONER THAN LATER.
[01:25:01]
IT'S REQUIRED TO BE THERE BEFORE THEY GET A CO ON THE SCHOOL.SO WE'VE BEEN EMPHASIZING WITH HIM AND HE SEEMS VERY SUPPORTIVE.
IF SO, HOPEFULLY THIS IS GONNA HAPPEN SOONER THAN LATER.
UM, AND WHAT I EMPHASIZED ON WAS THE CONSTRUCTION TRAFFIC THAT HAS INCREASED ON THE RIVERSIDE ROAD WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE SCHOOL IS, IS THERE'S A LOT.
AND I, I GO OUT THERE ALMOST EVERY DAY, AT LEAST THREE DAYS A WEEK, MORNING AND EVENING.
AND I KNOW IT, I SEE IT WITH MY OWN EYES.
SO IT'S, IT'S NOT, UM, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE DRAGGING OUR FEET ON AND WE'RE TRYING TO URGE THEM TO GO AHEAD AND, AND GET THAT LIGHT IN MY QUESTION ABOUT, UM, THE PARKING.
WE MIGHT AS WELL SPEAK TO THE APPLICANT.
'CAUSE IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT, YOU KNOW, THE LONGER YOU SIT UP HERE, THE MORE YOU HEAR FROM THE PEOPLE AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE UNHAPPY ABOUT THE WAY THINGS WERE DONE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.
IT THAT Y'ALL WANNA BUILD EVERY HOUSE THAT YOU CAN ON EVERY INCH OF LAND THAT YOU CAN, MAKES YOU MORE MONEY.
PEOPLE HAVE BOATS, PEOPLE HAVE GOLF CARTS.
SO THOSE EXTRA TWO THAT YOU'RE GOING TO PUT INSIDE THE GARAGE, FORGET IT, BETWEEN THEIR BICYCLES AND TOYS AND FISHING GEAR AND EVERYTHING ELSE, THE GARAGE IS GOING TO BE FULL BEFORE YOU GET HOME.
SO ALL YOU HAVE IS THOSE TWO PARKING SPOTS.
AND IF YOU HAVE KIDS LIKE I DO, THEY HAVE FRIENDS AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE MORE CARS, WHETHER IT'S THEIR MOM AND DAD'S BRINGING THEM OVER FOR A BIRTHDAY PARTY OR WHETHER IT'S THEIR FRIENDS FROM HIGH SCHOOL DRIVING OVER FOR WHATEVER THEY MAY BE TO IT.
UM, THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, THESE, THESE ARE ISSUES THAT WE HEAR AND SEE AND EXPERIENCE EVERY DAY.
SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE TRYING TO BE AS HARD AS WE POSSIBLY LEGALLY CAN TO MAKE YOU BUILD AS MANY PARKING SPOTS AS YOU CAN SOMEHOW.
IF YOU WANT TO BE ON THE TEAM WITH US, THEN THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ASKING.
UM, ANOTHER THING IS, HOW ABOUT STORAGE, YOU KNOW, FOR YOUR RESIDENT THAT'S GOT A CAMPER OR A BOAT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WHERE, WHERE'S, YOU KNOW, ANY, ANY DEVELOPMENT, YOU GO TO PEOPLE THAT LIVE AROUND HERE ON THE WATER UNIT, THEY GOT BOATS, THEY GOT, UH, A CAMPER OR SOMETHING.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU, IF YOU JUST LOOK AROUND, EVERYBODY'S GOT, MOST DEVELOPMENTS HAVE A STORAGE YARD.
IS THERE ANYTHING ON THIS TO TAKE ANY OF THAT PRESSURE OFF? OR THE ONLY COMMUNITY? YES.
YEAH,
AND AS A MATTER OF FACT, UM, IN ALL THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE BUILT IN BEAUFORT, THE ONLY ONE THAT I'M AWARE OF THAT ACTUALLY HAD A BOAT IN RV STORAGE WAS SUN CITY.
SO, UM, AND THAT'S BEEN CONSISTENT ACROSS THE BOARD FOR YEARS THAT WE'VE, THAT WE'VE DEVELOPED.
WELL, I KNOW WE DON'T, WE CAN'T MAKE YOU DO ANYTHING, BUT I'LL GIVE YOU SOME ADVICE.
MAYBE IF YOU PUT IN SOME OF THOSE AMENITIES AND COULDN'T BUILD, BUT, YOU KNOW, JUST A HANDFUL LESS HOMES, BUT YOU COULD CHARGE MORE FOR 'EM.
SO YOU'D MAKE THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY ANYWAY FOR PEOPLE WOULD LIKE THAT ANYWAY.
THAT'S, UM, THE PARKING 2021, UM, YOU KNOW, IS 20%.
SEE IF WE CAN'T FIND SOME, SOME MORE.
WE'LL WORK WITH THE TOWN, SEE IF WE CAN
HOW MANY PHASES ARE YOU PLANNING? TWO IN THIS? YEAH, TWO PHASES.
ALL WITH SUB PHASE, ALL PARTIES.
ONE PHASE DOES BE DONE BEFORE THE COS ARE GIVEN.
SO WHEN WOULD THIS COME BACK TO US? OR WOULD IT COME BACK TO US FOR APPROVAL FOR HOWEVER MANY MORE PARKING SLOTS YOU'LL FIND? OR WE JUST KIND OF TRUSTING THAT IT'S GONNA GET FIGURED OUT? UM, I'M, I'M SAYING THAT YOU'RE TRUSTING YOUR STAFF TO, TO WORK, TO LOOK THROUGH AND FIND ADDITIONAL PARKING SPACES, SO YOU CAN SET A MINIMUM.
SHOULD YOU, UM, A AGAIN, YOU'VE HEARD THE, WE'VE HEARD THE CONCERN FROM COUNSEL, IF YOU WANT TO SAY WE NEED TO RAISE THAT TO 25 OR 30%.
YOU CAN, YOU CAN DO THAT IF YOU WANT TO.
TO ME, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE, UH, MOST OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, EXCEPT FOR A FEW OF THE NEW ONES IN NEW RIVERSIDE, DO ALLOW FOR ON STREET PARKING.
SOME LIMIT THE HOURS, BUT WHEN YOU DRIVE THROUGH THE ONES THAT DO NOT HAVE ON STREETE PARKING, IT'S AN ISSUE A LOT OF TIMES.
AND SO I'M CONCERNED WITH THAT, THAT THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT ROAD IS SO NARROW THAT'S ONLY TWO LANE AND THAT 20%.
[01:30:01]
A NUMBER AT THIS MEETING RIGHT NOW, BUT AGAIN, WITH THE RESEARCH I DID, IT'S ONE EXTRA SPOT FOR TWO HOMES, UM, WHICH WOULD PUT YOU AT 52.UM, AND SO THAT'S FOR ME, AGAIN, WHETHER THAT'S WIDENING THE ROADS TO OFFER THAT ON STREET PARKING, THAT AGAIN, A LOT OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS DO HAVE, IT'S JUST SOME OF THESE NEWER ONES THAT GOT APPROVED WITHOUT IT.
UM, SO THAT'S WHERE I'M AT ON THAT RESPOND.
AS FAR AS ACHIEVING THAT, WE, WE'VE STAYED CONSISTENT FROM THE LANDINGS TO SAME AS MIDPOINT AND PROVIDING THAT, THAT ADDITIONAL PARKING, YOU KNOW, REACHING IT UP TO THE 20%, UM, HE SAID IT US THAT 21 ADDITIONAL SPACES, AS HE STATED IT, IS 2% MINIMUM.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE THE, THE DRIVEWAY PARKING AS WELL.
UM, NOW I CAN'T SPEAK, SOME PEOPLE USE IT, SOME PEOPLE DON'T.
I'VE HEARD PART OF THE GARAGE, YOU KNOW, IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE, THE, THE CASE THAT'S THERE.
BUT WE ARE MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS AND WE ARE UTILIZING THE SAME PROCESSES THAT WE'VE DONE IN BOTH EXISTING COMMUNITIES THAT WE BROUGHT BEFORE, UM, THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON.
AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
WE'LL ALSO CONTINUE TO FIND ADDITIONAL PARKING SPACES, BUT TO GAIN THE TYPE OF SPACING THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU'RE, YOU'RE LOSING, I'D HAVE TO GET THE CIVIL ENGINEER TO LOOK AT THIS, BUT I DON'T SEE WHERE YOU WOULD BE GRABBING THAT UNLESS YOU'RE ELIMINATING HOME SITES TO BE ABLE TO TRY TO, TO GET TO SOME TYPE OF SPACE LIKE THAT, WHICH IN, IN TURN, IT DRIVES VALUES OF THE LAND EVEN HIGHER FOR, YOU KNOW, PURCHASING.
LET, LET ME ASK THE, UH, SHE BROUGHT THIS UP A MINUTE AGO.
THE, IS THIS THE SAME ROAD WIDTH AS ALL THE OTHER PROJECTS? YES.
24 24 PULTE USUALLY DO, DOES A 24 FOOT ROAD WITH TWO FOOT CURB.
UM, JOHN PAUL MOORE WITH THOM HUTTON, IF I CAN DIVE INTO THE DATA A LITTLE BIT.
I CRUNCHED THE NUMBERS ON MIDPOINT.
UM, THAT OBVIOUSLY ISN'T A HUNDRED PERCENT BUILT OUT YET, BUT THAT'S THE LAST ONE THAT WE DID AN IMP ON DURING THAT MASTER PLAN THAT IP HAD 50 ADDITIONAL OVERFLOWED PARKING SPACES THAT DID NOT INCLUDE THE AMENITY CENTER.
SO THAT WAS THE LAST ONE Y'ALL APPROVED.
THAT WAS EVEN MORE SO THAN THE LANDINGS HAD.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS ANY ISSUES IN THE LANDINGS AT THE RIVERSIDE OR NOT.
I'LL DEFER TO Y'ALL THAT LIVE AROUND HERE FOR THAT.
BUT MIDPOINT HAD A MORE THAN THE LANDINGS HAD.
SO, UM, THE 16 SPACES PUT US AT 15.4%.
AGAIN, WE'RE AGREEABLE TO PUT THAT AT 21.
WE CAN DEFINITELY ACCOMMODATE 21, UM, TO PUT IT AT, AT 20% SPACES PER HOMES.
I THINK THAT YOU'VE HEARD FROM COUNSEL WAS 21 WON'T DO IT.
UM, BUT WE'RE, I WANTED TO POINT OUT WE'RE, WE'RE ABOVE WHAT THE OTHER IPS HAVE HAVE PROPOSED.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT IS AN ISSUE IN SOME OF THESE NEWER NEIGHBORHOODS.
I, I I DON'T KNOW THAT OR IS, OR IS THE, THE ISSUES IN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE ZERO, UM, OVERFLOW PARKING.
BUT, UM, I WANTED TO OFFER THAT DATA FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
I THINK I KNOW WHAT YOUR QUESTION'S GONNA BE A PERCENTAGE STANDPOINT.
SO, UM, WE INCLUDED, UM, THE PARKING THAT'S AT THE AMENDING CENTER TO GET IT UP TO THAT 20%.
UM, THIS, AS YOU'LL SEE, THIS DEVELOPMENT DOES NOT HAVE AN AMENITY CENTER.
SO, UM, I PRESSED THE APPLICANT TO TELL THEM 20%.
SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE AT THAT 21 PARKING, 21 PARKING SPACES AT 20%.
YOU GAVE MY MIND PRETTY GOOD, BUT, UM, BUT YOU, YOU'LL POINT DOESN'T HELP US.
WE, WE ARE NOT LOOKING TO, UM, TO COMPARE WITH THE OTHER, UM, PROJECT THAT WE SHOULDN'T, THAT WE DIDN'T DO BETTER ON.
SO WE, WE NOW, WE IN A DIFFERENT PLACE NOW.
SO, AND, AND THAT COMPARISON IS ALMOST WHAT THE MAYOR SAID.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T THINK ABOUT HOLIDAYS, WE DON'T THINK ABOUT KIDS, UM, NEEDING MORE KIDS GOING TO, HE'S 16 TO 17, THEY NEED A CAR.
WE DON'T THINK ABOUT THAT AND AS WHEN WE PLAN IT.
BUT TODAY WE REALIZED, AND I, UM, THAT WHEN YOU HAVE TWO CARS AND YOU GOT FOUR KIDS, THOSE NUMBERS CHANGE.
SO, SO THAT'S WHY WE, WE ARE TRYING TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE PROACTIVE AND, AND, AND, UH, PROGRESSIVE THINKING FOR THE FUTURE PLUS.
YEAH, I, I, I, I HOPE, UH, YOU APPRECIATE WE ARE TRYING, WE ARE WILLING TO WORK WITH
[01:35:01]
THE COUNT ON THIS.UM, I THINK EVERY COMMUNITY WE PUT A LITTLE, WE PUT MORE INTO, UM, PULTE DOES.
THEY, THEY TRY HARD TO DEVELOP A, A GOOD PRODUCT THAT KEEPS EVERYBODY HAPPY.
UM, IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS, UH, I HAVE A PROPOSED MOTION UP HERE.
UM, AND, UM, ENTERTAINED, I HAVE A QUESTION.
ALRIGHT, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE WE'RE, UH, IT'S KIND OF STILL UN ANSWERED A LITTLE BIT.
YOU HAVE A MINDSET OF WHICH NUMBER YOU MIGHT GO FOR AND YOU HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO CONSIDER THAT.
UM, I LIKE THE, I DO LIKE THE MINIMUM OF 21.
I'LL ALSO STATE THAT WHEN, YOU KNOW, AGAIN FROM A CONCEPTUAL STANDPOINT, UM, AND YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE NOT INVESTED ALL OF THE MONEY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THEIR CIVIL, WHILE THEY HAVE CONCEPTUAL CIVIL DESIGNS, THE, THE FINE TUNED, UH, PLANS UNTIL THEY GET THROUGH THIS MILESTONE.
SO WITHOUT THIS APPROVAL THEY CAN'T MOVE FORWARD WITH ANYTHING ELSE.
NOW THEY, THEY DO PRELIMINARY PLANS.
UM, I WOULD STATE THAT, YOU KNOW, MY GOAL IS WHENEVER THEY DO COME IN FOR THE PRELIMINARY DEVELOPMENT PLANS THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH THEM, WE ARE TRYING TO FIND THOSE ADDITIONAL AREAS.
'CAUSE THEY WILL EXIST, UM, OUT THERE THAT WE CAN, UM, GET SOME ADDITIONAL PARKING SPACES, UH, THROUGHOUT THERE.
UH, IT, IT ALSO IS A FINE LINE OF THEY ARE, UH, REQUIRED A MINIMUM OF TWO PARKING SPACES.
UM, THEY'RE PROVIDING THE FOUR THEY'RE PROVIDING THEN THE ADDITIONAL, UM, YOU KNOW, 21 ON TOP OF THAT.
UM, AND THEN OUR GOAL IS TO TRY TO FIND MORE.
NOW WHAT THAT MAGICAL NUMBER IS, I DON'T KNOW, BUT YOU KNOW, WE WILL TRY TO FIND MORE.
SO, SO THE FACTS ARE THAT TECHNICALLY THEY'RE ONLY REQUIRED LEGALLY BY THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT TO HAVE TWO PER UNIT.
WE'RE SAYING FOUR MINIMAL AND NOW WE'RE SAYING 20% SOMEWHERE, YOU KNOW, FOR OVERFLOW PARKING.
I MEAN, EVEN THOUGH I DIDN'T LIKE THE COMPARISON AT, AT THE OTHER DEVELOPMENT THAT YOU MENTIONED, UM, WHAT WAS THAT? UM, LANDINGS MID POINT.
MID POINT IF THAT HAD THE IMMUNITY CENTER? IF, IF THEY HAD THE IMMUNITY CENTER? NO, NO, NO.
WHAT, WHAT WAS, WHAT WAS THE DEVELOPMENT THAT HAVE AMENITY CENTER? OH, UM, SO, SO MIDPOINT HAS, HAS AN AMENITY CENTER.
DOES, DOES THE AMENITY CENTER HAVE RESTRICTION ON PARKING? UM, I, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S THE CASE.
UM, BECAUSE WHERE I LIVE, THERE'S A MINI CENTER THAT HAVE RESTRICTIONS ON
OH, LIKE YOU CAN'T PARK RESTRICTIONS.
THERE'S A MOTION ON THE TABLE, ON THE SCREEN IF SOMEBODY WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IT SOME MORE OR MAKE A MOTION MOVE TO RECOMMEND, UH, WITH CONDITIONAL APPROVAL OF THE NEW RIVERSIDE PARCEL AA INITIAL MASTER PLAN SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING CONDITION.
ONE, WORK WITH STAFF DURING THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN PROCESS TO ENSURE THE LONGEVITY OF THE PROPOSED TREE SCAPES, BOTH SAVED AND PLANTED.
NUMBER TWO, UPDATE THE INITIAL MASTER PLAN PRIOR TO STAMPING TO INCLUDE A MINIMUM OF 21 LAWN STREET PARKING SPACES OR ROUGHLY 20% THROUGHOUT THE DEVELOPMENT.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND IT.
ANY MORE DISCUSSION? UM, I WONDER IF WE SHOULD AMEND THE MOTION.
UM, BECAUSE WE'RE SPECIFICALLY STATING THE MINIMUM OF 21 ON STREET PARKING SPACES AT 20% IT'S WRITTEN.
UM, WE COULD AMEND IT SOME VERBIAGE, TERRY, TO SAY THAT STAFF IS WHATEVER THE VERBIAGE WOULD BE IS GOING TO WORK WITH THE DEVELOPER TO INCREASE THAT NUMBER.
WELL, I THINK ABSENT PUTTING A SPECIFIC NUMBER IN AN AMENDED MOTION OF THE NUMBER OF SPACES THAT YOU WOULD WANT AND REQUIRE, UM, I, I DON'T THINK IT, IT MAKES SENSE TO JUST TELL STAFF TO GET AS MANY AS THEY CAN.
UM, WELL THAT'S WHY I WAS TRYING
[01:40:01]
TO GO A MINUTE AGO, RIGHT? I WAS TRYING TO GET TO A, A NUMBER BECAUSE IT'S ARBITRARY OTHERWISE.SO, SO IF THEY CAN'T GET MORE THAN THE 20 THAT'S ON THE TABLE THAT THEY'RE AGREEING TO, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? WELL, WHAT I'VE, WHAT I'VE HEARD, AND EVEN I THINK I'VE HEARD EVEN FROM THE DEVELOPER AND KEVIN, THAT THEY'RE ALL GROOMED TO, THERE'S STILL SOME ROOM, UM, THAT THEY POSSIBLY CAN DO MORE, RIGHT? YES.
POTENTIALLY IT IS JUST A MATTER OF GETTING, GETTING, I HATE TO SAY IT, GETTING INTO THE WEEDS TO BE ABLE TO, TO SEE THOSE PLANS, TO SEE WHERE WE CAN, UM, MAKE THOSE AREAS YOU AND AS IT'S COMING UP, I THINK BEFORE WE, UM,
WE KNOW THAT EVERYONE SEEMS TO BE IN AGREEMENT THAT 21 IS NOT SUFFICIENT.
UM, I ALSO WOULDN'T WANT US TO KIND OF LIKE CAGE OURSELVES BY JUST SAYING, WE'LL ADD 40 SPACES AND 40 MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENT.
I THINK, UM, AS A MOTION IS WORDED WHERE, UH, STAFF IS GONNA BE WORKING AND THEY'VE HEARD WHAT THE CONSENSUS OF COUNCIL IS TO COME BACK WITH SOMETHING THAT'S MORE ADEQUATE THAN WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE, UM, I THINK LEAVES THAT BETTER THAN JUST THROWING A NUMBER OUT.
THAT MAY NOT BE WHAT ANY OF US WANT.
UH, THE APPLICANT HAS JUST STATED THAT THEY'RE WILLING TO GO UP TO THE 25%.
SO IF WE WANTED TO, UM, IF YOU WANTED TO AMEND, UM, YOUR MOTION, UM, YOU COULD DO SO TO CHANGE THAT TO THE MINIMUM OF, AND, AND SINCE I WOULD SAY UPDATE THE MASTER PLAN, UM, PRIOR TO STAMPING THE ZOO CLINIC, A MINIMUM OF 25%, UM, OFF ON STREET PARKING SPACES THROUGHOUT THE DEVELOPMENT.
SO THE MOTION WAS MADE AND THERE WAS A SECOND, BUT THERE WASN'T A VOTE.
SO IS SHE ABLE TO AMEND THIS NOW SINCE IT WASN'T VOTE? YES, SHE IS.
IT COULD BE AMENDED AT THIS POINT.
YOU WANT REDO YOUR I MOVE TO RECOMMEND WITH CONDITIONAL APPROVAL OF THE NEW RIVERSIDE PARCEL EIGHT.
A INITIAL MASTER PLAN SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING CONDITION.
WORK WITH STAFF DURING THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN PROCESS TO ENSURE THE LONGEVITY OF THE PROPOSED TREE SCAPES BOTH SAVED AND PLANTED, AND TO UPDATE THE INITIAL MASTER PLAN PRIOR TO STAMPING TO INCLUDE A MINIMUM OF 25% ON STREET PARKING SPACES THROUGHOUT THE DEVELOPMENT.
SO DO WE HAVE TO GO BACK ON THE OTHER? YOU HAVE TO APPROVE THIS AMENDMENT.
SO SHE, YOU HAVE AN AMENDED MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE FLOOR NOW.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ALRIGHT, UP NEXT WE HAVE NUMBER THREE, CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SENATOR AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TOWN OF BLACK AND SECOND FINAL READING.
I WILL NOT BE NEARLY AS EXCITED.
WE DON'T HAVE MUCH PATIENCE LEFT NOW.
UM, FIRST ONE IS THE SECOND READING FOR AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EXTENDED GRANT YOU SAW LAST COUNCIL MEETING FOR THE BLUFF ORTHODONTICS.
SECOND READING, NOTHING HAS CHANGED AS YOU LAST SAW THIS.
UH, $773,000 INVESTMENT OVER 1 0 7 SEVENTH STREET.
TWO NEW JOBS IN YEAR TWO TO YEAR THREE.
SO JUST MORE MEDICAL, UM, UH, FACILITIES FOR OUR CITIZENRY.
UH, THE GRANT OVER A FIVE YEAR, AND THIS IS A REIMBURSEMENT GRANT.
A FIVE YEAR TOTAL BENEFIT IS ESTIMATED TO BE $17,000 OF BENEFIT TO THE, UH, APPLICANT.
AND THE PANEL MAKES A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY OFF THAT.
SO, AGAIN, NO CHANGE FROM LAST TIME.
IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS, SINCE YOU'VE SEEN THIS BEFORE, YOU HAVE A MOTION IN FRONT OF YOU IF YOU'D LIKE TO CONSIDER THAT.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION FOR COUNSEL? SO WOULD WE MAKE A MOTION, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE SECOND FINAL READING OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE TOWN MANAGER TO ENTER INTO AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GRANT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TOWN BLUFF AND ABOVE ORTHODONTICS.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
[01:45:02]
THANK YOU.THE NEXT ONE IS A FIRST READING FOR A REALLY COOL COMPANY, STERLING HELICOPTER.
THIS IS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
YOU MAY WHAT'S THAT? I'M SUPPOSED TO READ THAT.
YOU CAN TAKE MY SEAT AND I CAN
I'M MORE COMFORTABLE DOWN HERE, SIR.
NOW WE'RE AT NUMBER FOUR, CONSIDERATION OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SENATE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, THE STERLING CORPORATION.
THIS COMES, UH, WITH A PARTNERSHIP THROUGH THE ECONOMIC BEAUFORT COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, AS WELL AS EXHIBITS OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THAT ORGANIZATION.
UH, STERLING HELICOPTER IS A VERY WELL KNOWN, UH, UH, PLAYER IN THE INDUSTRY, ESPECIALLY IN THE NORTHEAST FOR HELICOPTERS.
THEY ESSENTIALLY DO MOST OF THE MAINTENANCE ON MOST OF THE HELICOPTERS IN THE NORTHEAST.
MOST OF THE POLICE FORCES, MOST OF THE, UH, THE PRIVATE HELICOPTERS.
AND THEY WANT TO START A SMALL BLUFF IN OFFICE, 3000 SQUARE FEET OVER NEAR THE DON RYAN CENTER ON THE COVE BUILDING ON THE INNOVATION DRIVE.
UH, THIS IS A VERY IMPRESSIVE COMPANY.
UH, I'VE BEEN IN AVIATION FOR 37 YEARS AS A PILOT AND, UH, I'VE TALKED TO THESE GUYS FOR A WHILE AND THEY, THEY ARE REALLY GOOD AT WHAT THEY DO.
THE FACT THEY'RE ESTABLISHING AND WANT TO ESTABLISH A OFFICE HERE IN BLUFFTON IS GOOD FOR BLUFFTON.
UH, AEROSPACE, AS YOU MAY KNOW, HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN ASPIRATIONAL INDUSTRY FOR THE DON RYAN CENTER, ESPECIALLY WITH, UM, BLOWING UP IN CHARLESTON AND, UH, GULF TREATMENT SAVANNAH.
UH, SO THIS IS GREAT TO HAVE THEM, UH, COMING INTO BLUFFTON.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE, AS YOU MAY KNOW, NOT YOU GET TOO FAR OFF TRACK, WE ALSO HAVE A COMPANY CALLED JET ZERO AT THE LANDING PAD.
SO WE'RE GETTING MORE AEROSPACE IN BLUFFTON, WHICH IS GREAT.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S PARTICULAR ABOUT THIS HELICOPTER COMPANY IS THEY HAVE WHAT'S CALLED AN ODA DESIGNATION.
UH, WHAT THAT MEANS IS THEY CAN ESSENTIALLY TAKE OVER CERTAIN TASK OF THE FAA ON THEIR, ON THEIR ON BEHALF AND CERTIFY AND DO DIFFERENT, UH, AIRWORTHINESS UH, OPERATIONS.
SO THE FAA HAD DOESN'T HAVE TO DO THAT FOR THEM.
THEY WOULD BE THE ONLY SOUTH CAROLINA BASED OTHER THAN BOEING, THE ONLY SOUTH CAROLINA BASED, UH, AEROSPACE COMPANY THAT CAN DO THAT.
SO ANYWAY, I JUST THOUGHT YOU'D LIKE TO KNOW THAT.
SO IT'S A SMALL GRANT BASED ON, UH, 15 NUMBER 15 EMPLOYEES AND THEY'RE IN THE BLUE.
YOU CAN SEE THE MATRIX AS TO THEIR DIFFERENT GRANT PERCENTAGES THEY WOULD RECEIVE, BUT THE ACTUAL NUMBER, IT IS OVER A FOUR OR FIVE YEAR INVESTMENT.
UH, AGAIN, A REIMBURSEMENT GRANT.
THEY HAVE TO PAY THESE UH, FEES BEFORE WE REIMBURSE THEM FOR IT.
AND THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF REVENUE FOR THE TOWN.
SO, UH, JUST AN EXCITING ONE IN MY PERSONAL OPINION, BUT HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
BUT IF YOU, IF THERE ARE NONE, THERE IS A MOTION FOR FIRST READING FOR THIS GRANT APPLICATION.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL BRIDGET? FIRST? ANY QUESTIONS DOWN HERE? NO QUESTIONS, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE A PILOT.
BEEN A PILOT LONGER THAN I'VE BEEN MARRIED 37 YEARS.
WHEN, OR LET'S SEE, BEFORE THAT ONE, WHAT THEY'RE GONNA DO AND THE JOBS AND ALL THAT STUFF.
I THINK I SAW WHERE THE AVERAGE SALARY IS 41,600.
WHERE ARE THEY GONNA FIND THOSE PEOPLE AT? I CAN'T, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN I DO THINK THAT LIVE IN THIS FACILITY AND MAKE THAT KIND OF MONEY.
THAT'S THAT'S THE NUMBER THAT SHOWED ON THEIR SHEET.
I THINK I I FIND THAT LOW MYSELF.
ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING IF THEY THINGS THEY NEED TO DO.
UM, YEAH, I I I DON'T HAVE A GOOD ANSWER FOR THAT RIGHT NOW.
I'M JUST GOING ON WHAT THEY TOLD ME.
I THINK THEY HAVE A HARD TIME FINDING THAT SALARY FOR THAT SKILL SET DOWN.
WELL, I, IT, IT CAUGHT MY EYE IN THE, THE FIRST ONE, I JUST DIDN'T WANT TO HOLD UP OUR, OUR PROGRAM BECAUSE THE, THE ORTHODONTICS? YEAH, THE ORTHODONTICS.
THEY WERE, I THINK THEY WERE AT 40,000 YEAH.
SO I I THINK THEY WILL FIND THAT THEY'RE GOING HAVE TO PAY MORE THAN THAT.
I JUST WANT, IF THEY CAN FIND PEOPLE TO WORK FOR THAT, I HOPE THEY CAN FIND A BUNCH OF THEM.
AND, AND WE, WE DON'T MIND GOING BACK AND RAISING THAT QUESTION THEN BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND READING TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT NUMBER'S
[01:50:01]
ACCURATE.AND I WILL SAY IF THEY'RE GOING THROUGH EDC, IF THEY'RE DEALING WITH THE STATE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT AS WELL, SOMETIMES THEY LIKE TO KEEP THOSE NUMBERS DOWN SO THAT WHATEVER THEY HAVE TO MEET FOR THE STATE SO THEY DON'T CALL BACK ON THEIR STUFF CAN BE YEAH.
BUT WE DON'T MIND GOING BACK AND ASKING THEM TO VALIDATE THAT NUMBER.
THAT'S NOT GOOD BUSINESS EITHER.
I THINK THAT'S WORTHY BECAUSE STEVEN, THESE ARE TECHNICAL JOBS.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I WROTE UP ON THEIR LITERATURE TODAY AND WENT THROUGH THEIR SITE AND UH, YEAH, I I THINK THAT'D BE GOOD INFORMATION TO KNOW ON THE SECOND READING I'LL FIND OUT.
WELL, OKAY, WHAT TYPE JOB, WHAT TYPE OF JOB WOULD, IS THIS, WHAT DO THEY LOOK THE CLERKS? UH, I IT IS A VARIETY OF JOBS.
A LOT OF THESE ARE PROBABLY GONNA BE OFFICE JOBS IN THE FIRST ITERATION.
UH, I THINK THEY DO WANT TO EXPAND OVER TIME TO HAVE MORE TECHNICAL SKILLED JOBS, UH, AS THE, AS THE ORGANIZATION GROWS AND LEFT.
BUT I DON'T HAVE THE DETAILS ON THAT YET, BUT I CAN FIND OUT AND BRING THAT BACK A SECOND.
YOU CAN GO BACK TO THE MOTION.
SOMEBODY LIKE TO MAKE THOSE MOTIONS.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE TOWN MANAGER TO ENTER INTO AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GRANT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TOWN OF LOUGHTON AND STERLING HELICOPTER.
I'M GOING, I'M GOING TO SECOND IT WITH CHANGE YOUR MIND.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
UP NEXT, NUMBER FIVE, APPROVAL TO AUTHORIZE A CONTRACT WITH ROMO LEPER KYLE, L-L-P-R-K, PLUG, WHATEVER K TO DEVELOP IT TOWN BLUFF RESILIENCE PLAN, FISCAL IMPACT, $358,604.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
UM, SO I'M GONNA KIND OF JUST JUMP RIGHT INTO THE BACKGROUND, UM, REGARDING THIS AGENDA ITEM.
SO THE TOWN'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN REFERS TO RESILIENCE AS A COMMUNITY'S ABILITY TO WITHSTAND AND RECOVER FROM ENVIRONMENTAL, ECONOMIC, AND SOCIETAL DISRUPTIONS.
UM, THE TOWN'S FISCAL YEAR 25 AND 26 STRATEGIC PLAN INCLUDES DEVELOPING A TOWN RESILIENCE PLAN THAT IS FOCUSED ON PRESERVING OUR NATURAL RESOURCES, PROMOTING SUSTAINABILITY, RESTORING WETLANDS, AND ADVANCING LONG-TERM ENVIRONMENTAL PRINCIPLES.
AND SINCE 2022, TOWN STAFF HAVE ACTIVELY BEEN IMPLEMENTING A RANGE OF RESILIENCE INITIATIVES.
AND THIS INCLUDES A VERY LONG LIST OF STUDIES, WHICH YOU CAN SEE HERE, INCLUDING A RESILIENCE PLANNING ANALYSIS, AN UPDATE TO OUR MAY RIVER BASELINE ASSESSMENT.
UH, WE HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTING THE MAY RIVER WATERSHED ACTION PLAN AND RECENTLY COMPLETED A WATER QUALITY STORM WATER PC SWIM MODEL, UM, HAYWARD COVE COMPREHENSIVE DRAINAGE STUDY.
WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF CONDUCTING THE CROOKED AND
WE DID HEAT MAPPING WITH FURIN UNIVERSITY TREE CANOPY MAPPING, UM, AND WETLAND AND RESILIENCE PROTECTIONS.
AND THEN WHILE WE ARE NOT OVERSEE, WE ARE, UM, INVOLVED SLIGHTLY IN THE STATE AND REGIONAL STUDIES, WHICH INCLUDE THE SOUTH CAROLINA OFFICE OF RESILIENCE, LOWER SAVANNAH SATCH RIVER BASIN PLAN, THE LOW COUNTRY COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS TRANSPORTATION STUDY, AND THEIR 2026 HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN UPDATE.
SO IN NOVEMBER OF 2025, A REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES WAS POSTED IN ACCORDANT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TOWN'S PURCHASING ORDINANCE.
UH, WE HAD 10 FIRMS SUBMIT PROPOSALS TO THAT RFQU.
UM, RUMMEL, KLEPPER AND COLE ARE WHAT I LIKE TO REFER TO AS RK AND K, UH, WITH BIO HABITATS, UM, AS THEIR SUB-CONSULTANT WAS SELECTED AS THE MOST QUALIFIED FIRM.
SO WHAT WILL A RESILIENCE PLAN DO FOR THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON? IT WILL DEFINE RESILIENCE, IT WILL IDENTIFY RESILIENCE GOALS AND PRIORITIES.
IT WILL INTEGRATE RESILIENT STRATEGIES ACROSS THE TOWN BY CONNECTING DEPARTMENTS TO REMOVE BARRIERS AND ALIGN POLICIES.
UM, IT WILL CONSOLIDATE ALL OF THAT PREVIOUS TECHNICAL WORK WE JUST SPOKE ABOUT INTO A SINGLE VULNERABILITY PRO PROFILE AND HELP US IDENTIFY ANY DATA GAPS.
UM, IT WILL TAKE A LOOK AT CLIMATE SCENARIOS THAT WILL IMPACT SEA LEVEL RISE, STORM INTENSITY, EXTREME HEAT, AND ULTIMATELY OUR NATURAL RESOURCES AND OUR RESIDENTS.
UM, IT WILL GUIDE INVESTMENTS, SUPPORT NEW PROGRAMS AND POLICIES, AND IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES
[01:55:01]
FOR PARTNERSHIPS AND OPERATIONAL INTEGRATION AS A WHOLE.UM, AND THIS IS A PROACTIVE MEASURE THAT AIMS TO PROTECT OUR NATURAL RESOURCES AND IMPLEMENT MITIGATION MEASURES.
UM, THIS PROCESS UH, INCLUDES A ROBUST STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT COMPONENT, UM, TO REALLY REFLECT OUR COMMUNITY PRIORITIES AND BUILD CONSENSUS.
UM, THAT WILL START WITH COUNCIL AND LEADERSHIP THROUGH SURVEYS.
UM, AND THEN THROUGH ONGOING THROUGH PUBLIC MEETINGS, UM, IT WILL INCLUDE INITIATIVES DESIGNED TO ENGAGE ALL CITIZENS, INCLUDING INCLUDING OUR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.
UM, WE WILL HOLD TWO IN-PERSON WORKSHOPS.
UH, WE WILL HAVE AN INTERNAL WORKING GROUP MADE UP OF TOWN STAFF.
UM, AND IT INCLUDES, UM, INVOLVING OUR REGIONAL UTILITY AND AGENCY PARTNERS.
UM, AGAIN, TO NOT ONLY, UM, FACILITATE DATA SHARING, BUT WHERE WE CAN ALIGN THAT OPERATIONAL INTEGRATION.
AND THEN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A TECHNICAL ADVISORY BOARD, WHICH IS VERY STANDARD PRACTICE FOR THESE TYPES OF PLANS TO ENSURE THAT, UM, YOU HAVE THE TECHNICAL RIGOR AND TRANSPARENCY.
SO IT WILL DELIVER GIS MAPS THAT SHOW OUR VULNERABILITIES, OUR ASSETS, UM, OUR HAZARDS AND IDENTIFIED ADAPTATION STRATEGIES.
IT WILL PRIORITIZE KEY RESILIENCE PROJECTS AND STRATEGIES THAT WILL SUPPORT MULTIPLE STRATEGIC FOCUS AREAS, UM, THAT INCLUDE COST ESTIMATES AND FUNDING OPTIONS.
IT WILL COMBINE ALL OF THESE ELEMENTS INTO AN ACTIONABLE DOCUMENT WITH STEPS, TIMELINES, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND INTEGRATION TOWN WIDE.
AND SO JUST SOME EXAMPLES OF POTENTIAL OUTCOMES.
UM, SO THERE COULD BE OPPORTUNITIES TO ENHANCE OUR, UH, RESILIENT TRANSPORTATION, WHICH INCLUDE ROADS AND BUS STATIONS, UM, TO INTEGRATE RESILIENCE INTO OUR PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE AND OUR CRITICAL FACILITIES, UM, TO STRENGTHEN ORDINANCES AND BUILDING CODES TO ADDRESS MULTIPLE HAZARDS.
UM, THINGS LIKE EXPLORING A DEVELOPER PARTICIPATION PROGRAM THAT WOULD ENCOURAGE INVESTMENT IN STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE BEYOND A PROJECT.
UM, AND THEN KIND OF TAKING A LOOK AT OUR TRANSFER OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS PROGRAM, UM, AND STRENGTHENING IT WHERE POSSIBLE.
AND THEN IDENTIFYING INCENTIVES FOR RESILIENT DEVELOPMENT.
SO STAFF IS REQUESTING THAT TOWN COUNCIL AUTHORIZE THE TOWN MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH RUMMEL KLEPPER AND CALL LLP OR RK AND K FOR $358,604 FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A TOWN RESILIENCE PLAN.
THE TOTAL FISCAL IMPACT FOR THE PROJECT IS $358,604.
WE DO HAVE, UH, APPROVED FISCAL YEAR 26 FUNDING, UM, OF $150,000.
WE HAVE PROPOSED IN 27, UH, ANOTHER 150,000, AND THEN THE REMAINING AMOUNT OF 58,604 WOULD BE PROPOSED IN OUR 28 BUDGET.
AND SO JUST TO GIVE YOU, UM, KIND OF THE PROJECT, THE ANTICIPATED PROJECT TIMELINE, IF COUNSEL APPROVES THIS CONTRACT, WE WOULD IMMEDIATELY, UH, WORK CONDUCT A KICKOFF MEETING, UM, AND KIND OF BEGIN THAT PHASE ONE, WHICH IS KIND OF REVIEWING ALL THE DATA THAT WE'VE ALREADY COLLECTED AS WELL AS SERVING COUNCIL.
UM, AND THEN VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT AND HAZARD PROJECTIONS WOULD BEGIN IN JULY OF THIS YEAR.
UH, STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT IS GONNA BE THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS THROUGH, UM, SPECIAL INITIATIVES, BUT ALSO THROUGH OUR PUBLIC MEETINGS.
UM, THE DRAFT PLAN DEVELOPMENT WOULD BE IN FEBRUARY OF 27 WITH FINAL PLAN DEVELOPMENT AND ADOPTION IN, UM, BY JUNE, 2028.
SO NEXT STEPS FOLLOWING COUNCIL APPROVAL, UH, STAFF WILL SUBMIT CONTRACT FOR SIGNATURES AND INITIATE THE PROJECT KICKOFF MEETING, CREATE AN INTERNAL WORK GROUP, UM, OR STEERING COMMITTEE AND CONDUCT TOWN COUNCIL AND LEADERSHIP SURVEYS TO HELP GUIDE THE PLAN DEVELOPMENT.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? DISCUSSION, MS. PARDON? UM, I JUST WANT, AND I THINK IT WAS ON ONE OF YOUR SIDES, BUT I'M JUST WANNA CONFIRM THAT THE MONEY PART OF IT WAS IN THE FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET AND IS IN OUR CURRENT NEW PROPOSED BUDGET.
SO WE'RE NOT, IT'S NOT AN ADDITIONAL ASK.
YEAH, IT, AS YOU CAN SEE THERE, UM, IT'S IN THE CURRENT BUDGET, IT'S IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET, AND THEN IN 27, 28 WE'LL COME BACK AND ASK FURTHER REMAIN.
[02:00:02]
NO.MY, UM, QUESTION IS SOMEWHAT OF A LAYERED ONE.
SO I KNOW THERE'S SOME ITEMS THAT WE CAN ISOLATE AND WE CONTROL, LIKE OUR BUILDING CODES, HAZARDOUS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT DO REQUIRE, UM, PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE NEIGHBORING JURISDICTIONS.
DO WE HAVE OUR OWN CONTINGENCY PLAN OR DOES THIS RESILIENCY PLAN, UH, WILL IT INCLUDE OUR CONTINGENCY PLAN IN THE EVENT THAT NEIGHBORING JURISDICTIONS, UM, AREN'T AS ADVANCED AS WE ARE IN TERMS OF CREATING, UM, A RESILIENCY PLAN TO ADDRESS HOW THEY'RE GOING TO, UM, HANDLE SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT YOU ALL ARE, ARE GONNA FIND OR DISCOVER IN THIS? UM, SO THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS I THINK COUNCIL PROBABLY KNOWS BETTER THAN ANYONE THAT WE CONTROL A MINIMAL AMOUNT.
UM, AND SO THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE BUILT IN THAT REGIONAL UTILITY, UTILITY AND AGENCY PARTNER COMPONENT.
UM, BECAUSE WE DON'T OWN OR OPERATE EVERYTHING.
UM, AND SO AS WE'RE TRYING TO FIND AVENUES TO BUILD RESILIENCE IN ACROSS THE TOWN THAT'S GONNA TAKE UNDERSTANDING WHAT THEIR BARRIERS ARE, WHAT THEIR PROCESSES, UM, SO THAT WE CAN HOPEFULLY IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE THINGS LIKE PARTNERSHIPS, RIGHT? AND WHERE THEY, WHERE THEY MAY NOT, UM, FORMULATE IN A SENSE OF, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T URGE OR FORCE SOMEONE THAT'S NOT WITHIN OUR JURISDICTION TO DO CERTAIN THINGS.
UM, THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING LIKE, DO WE HAVE I, WHAT'S THAT? WHAT'S THAT WORST CASE SCENARIO? LIKE HOW ARE WE GOING TO PROTECT THE THING THAT WE DO HAVE CONTROL OF IN THE EVENT THAT SOMEONE ELSE WHO WE MAY RELY ON WON'T MOVE? HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT THROUGH THIS PLAN THAT WE ARE GONNA BE TAKEN CARE OF? WHAT'S OUR CONTINGENCY? AND I'M JUST TRYING TO ASK LIKE, DOES THIS UH, PLAN, WILL IT INCLUDE THAT, THAT THOUGHT PROCESS AS WELL? WE CAN DEFINITELY AS WE WORK WITH THIS CONSULTANT, ENSURE THAT THAT IS A, LIKE THE FOREFRONT OF OUR INITIAL DISCUSSIONS UNDER THE PROJECT KICKOFF.
UM, I DO THINK THIS ENGAGEMENT IS SO ROBUST THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE PROBABLY OPPORTUNITIES FOR US RIGHT, WITHIN THIS BUDGETED AMOUNT TO DO TO DO THAT.
AND ONCE THIS PLAN IS CREATED, UM, WHAT'S THE TIMEFRAME IN TERMS OF LIKE, WHAT DO YOU ANTICIPATE THE VALIDITY OF IT WILL BE? LIKE IS IT SOMETHING WE'LL LOOK TO UPDATE EVERY 10 YEARS OR 20 YEARS OR WILL THIS BE A STANDING PLAN? I THINK IT'LL BE VERY SIMILAR TO THE ACTION PLAN.
THE MAY RIVER WATERSHED ACTION PLAN IN WHICH IT IS INTENT IS TO BE A LIVING DOCUMENT.
I THINK A LOT OF TIMES WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE SCIENCE CHANGES OVER TIME.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, I I DON'T KNOW IF I KNOW SPECIFICALLY WHAT THAT TIMEFRAME LOOKS LIKE, BUT I DO ENVISION THAT THIS WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT EVERY FIVE TO 10 YEARS THAT THE TOWN WOULD WANT TO KIND OF CRACK BACK OPEN, SEE HOW, YOU KNOW, WE ARE MEETING THOSE KPIS OR THOSE, THOSE GOALS AND, AND REVISE BASED ON WHAT WE'VE LEARNED.
ANYTHING ELSE FROM COUNCIL QUESTION, SIR? YES, SIR.
YOU MENTIONED LOW A MINUTE AGO AND THEY ARE DOING A RESILIENCE C STUDY.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHEN IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE COMPLETE, BUT OBVIOUSLY Y'ALL WOULD TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
UM, SO THEY DID DO A, UM, TRANSPORTATION STUDY IN WHICH THEY WERE LOOKING AT FLOODING.
UM, AND SO IN THAT REVIEW OF DOCUMENTS, WE DID INCLUDE THE TRANSPORTATION STUDY BECAUSE WE WANT THAT DATA.
OBVIOUSLY WE DON'T WANT TO GO OUT AND HAVE TO COLLECT IT AGAIN.
SO WE WANT THEM TO REVIEW THAT DATA AND BUILD IT INTO OUR PLAN.
UM, THEY ARE WORKING ON THE HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN THAT IS A LI LIKE A VERY HIGH LEVEL, UM, REGION-WIDE PLAN.
UM, THAT IS REALLY, UH, KIND OF VIEWED MORE FOR LIKE FEMA COMPLIANCE.
SHOULD, SHOULD THERE BE A NAME STORM.
UM, BUT YES, WE WILL BE, UM, LOOKING TO INCLUDE A LOT OF THESE, THE REGIONAL WORK THAT IS GOING ON.
YOU, YOU WILL HEAR THE HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN IN THE FUTURE CALLS.
WE'LL BE COMING BACK PROBABLY ASKING COUNSEL TO ADOPT THAT ONCE COMPLETE.
ANYTHING ELSE FROM, SO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION.
I WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE AS SHOWN ON THE SCREEN BY STAFF.
[02:05:01]
ALRIGHT EX UP NEXT.NUMBER SIX, WE HAVE APPROVAL TO AUTHORIZE A CONTRACT WITH BEAUFORT CONSTRUCTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA LLC FOR CONSTRUCTION OF A SECOND PAVILION AT OSCAR FRAZIER FIELD OF GREEN PHYSICAL IMPACT $214,656.
MR. GOOD EVENING MAYOR COUNCIL, I'M HERE.
UM, I THINK IF YOU REMEMBER BACK TO OCTOBER WORKSHOP WE CAME TO YOU WITH SOME IDEAS OF PROVIDING A
AND THAT, UM, AT THAT TIME WE PRESENTED YOU A CONCEPTUAL DESIGN OF A, UM, OF A PAVILION AND YOU TOLD US TO GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED ON PERMITTING CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS FOR CONSTRUCTION IN 2026.
IF YOU REMEMBER BACK TO THAT, UH, THAT WORKSHOP.
THESE ARE, THIS IS THE LOCATION THAT YOU SELECTED FOR THE PAVILION, RIGHT? JUST TO THE WEST OF THE EXISTING PLAYGROUND BETWEEN ROTARY CENTER AND THE PLAYGROUND.
THIS PAVILION IS A 25 BY 25 OPEN AIR PAVILION, IT'S A BIG ENOUGH TO ACCOMMODATE SIX PICNIC BENCHES OR PICNIC TABLES.
UM, THE DESIGN IS, UM, TAKEN FROM SOME OF THE CHARACTER OF THE EXISTING PAVILION AT OSCAR FRAZIER PARK.
IT'S GOT A HIP ROOF WITH A OLA, AND SOME OF THE DETAILS WILL MATCH WITH, AT, UH, THE EXISTING PAVILION OUT THERE.
SO WE FINISHED THOSE CONSTRUCTION DOC DOCUMENTS AND PUT IT OUT TO BID IN MARCH OF THIS PAST YEAR.
UH, WE HAD A BID OPENING IN APRIL AND WE HAD THREE COMPLIANT BIDS THAT CAME TO US.
THE, THE, THE MOST, UH, RESPONSIVE, RESPONSIBLE AND MOST PRICE OF THE TOWN BIDDER WAS BUFORD CONSTRUCTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA LLC AND $178,880.
UM, THAT IS WHAT IS TO BE EXPECTED FOR THIS.
FOR A CUSTOM PAVILION LIKE THIS.
THE PAVILION OUT AT THE SMALL PAVILION OUT AT NEW RESIDE WAS 215,000.
SO, UH, STAFF REQUESTS THAT TOWN COUNCIL AUTHORIZE THE TOWN MANAGER TO EX EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH BUFORD CONSTRUCTION.
UH, FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A SECOND PAVILION ON OSCAR FRAZIER PARK, POST-CONTRACT AMOUNT WOULD BE $178,880.
ADDITIONALLY, STAFF CLOSE TO 20% ANCY.
UM, AND SO THE TOTAL FISCAL IMPACT FOR CONSTRUCTION WOULD BE $214,000 656.
AND THAT IS WITHIN THE BUDGET FROM FISCAL.
AS FAR AS NEXT STEPS, UM, FOLLOWING COUNCIL APPROVAL, STAFF WILL SUBMIT A CONTRACT FOR SIGNATURES FOR TOWN MANAGER AND THE CONTRACT TO SIGN, AND THEN WE'LL SET UP A PRECONSTRUCTION MEETING.
AND AT THAT PRECONSTRUCTION MEETING, WE'LL SET A NOTICE TO PROCEED.
WE EXPECT THE, THE NOTICE TO PROCEED INTO BE IN JUNE, AND WE EXPECT THE DURATION TO BE ABOUT 120 DAYS FOR CONSTRUCTION.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANYTHING I WANT.
MAKE A COMMENT FIRST HERE, IF I MAY, AND THEN WE'LL GET TO THE JUSTICE OF COUNCIL.
UM, PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT IT'S NOT SLICK AND SLIPPERY WHERE KIDS AND THEIR OWN PEOPLE AND OLD KID GOING FALL DOWN AND BREAK THEIR HIP.
LIKE WE HAVE DONE BEFORE, IT NEEDS TO BE A, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S BEEN TALKED ABOUT OR NOT.
UH, WE TOTALLY DID THE RESEARCH, RESEARCH WITH THE EXISTING PAVILION, UM, WHEN THE FLASH PAD OPENED UP.
I'VE HEARD, BUT ALMOST ALL OF THEM, YOU KNOW, AT TIMES PEOPLE RUN UNDERNEATH THERE WHEN IT STARTS RAINING, SO THEIR FEET ARE ALREADY WET AND NEXT THING YOU KNOW, THEY'RE FALLING DOWN AND SLIDING IT.
JUST QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL, MS. VERNON? I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
WE NEED THAT TO BE BACK AT 10.
YOU MAKE THE MOTION FOR ATTEMPTED, UH, $178,000 EIGHT $880 WITH A 10% COMMISSION OR A 10% CONTINGENCY.
WE BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO 20%, MAINLY BECAUSE WE, WELL, YOU'LL FIND IN THE NEXT EXAMPLE
[02:10:02]
I NEED MORE MONEY FOR ANOTHER PROJECT BECAUSE RIGHT.AND THOSE TYPE PROJECT WASN'T ENOUGH.
I, I UNDERSTAND THOSE PROJECTS WHERE THEY'RE UNFORESEEN, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY IN OLD TOWN WHERE YOU DIG IN AND ALL THAT.
BUT THAT PLACE OUT THERE, I MEAN, IT'S A SLAB 25 BY 25 SLAB AND THEY, I'M SURE THEY'VE COVERED THE COST OF THE BUILDING MATERIALS IF IT GOES UP.
SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING YOU RUN INTO.
YOU NEVER KNOW, BUT I'D BE WILLING TO, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE THE MOTION TO THE AMOUNT OF $178,880 WITH WHICH, UM, PLUS IS THAT SOMETHING Y'ALL? I'LL MAKE THAT ON THE SCREEN.
HOW'D YOU GET THAT NUMBER FIGURED SO QUICK? WELL, I KNOW THAT THE, THE CONTRACT AMOUNT IS 178 AND I JUST SAID LITTLE BERNIE TURN YOU THAT PLUS 10% DON'T HAVE HIM CHANGE IT.
UM, FRED, IF YOU'RE GONNA COME BACK WHEN HE COMES BACK AND YOU'RE GONNA BE CRYING ON HIM ASKING FOR MORE MONEY IF SOMETHING COMES UP, I RATHER HE COME BACK THEN, THEN GET A CONTRACTED, OKAY, PAT, YOU HEARD THAT.
SO HE'S NOT GOING, HE'S NOT GONNA GIVE YOU GRIEF.
I MEAN, 20% IF THERE'S MONEY LEFT OVER, WHICH THERE PROBABLY WILL BE, I'M SURE NOW HEAR COMPLAINTS GOOD.
BUT I DO WANNA SAY TO FRAZIER'S POINT TO THE MAYOR'S POINT, AND TO FRED'S POINT, I THINK THE REASON HE'S ASKING FOR THAT IS THIS IS A PRETTY CUT AND DRY COOKIE CUTTER JOB.
BUT I, FOR ONE, I KNOW WHEN I WORKED AND I DID BIG PROJECT, SO I HAD A 20%, UH, CONTINGENCY FUND IN THERE.
AND WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT BECAUSE ESPECIALLY INFLATION'S UP COST IS UP, MATERIALS ARE UP.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I, I CAN GO ALONG WITH THE CHANGE HERE.
AND YOU HAD BEEN WORKING SO LONG, YOU REMEMBER I HAD SOME PROJECTS THAT COST OVER THE RUNS TOO.
I FILLED OUT MY CAR THE OTHER DAY AND THEY WERE BIG $8 AND I THOUGHT, OH BOY, I WONDER WHAT, HOW MUCH OF THE ASPHALT JUST WENT UP FOR MM-HMM
SO THOSE THE KIND OF THINGS I THINK ABOUT.
AND THAT'S WHY THE 20% THERE IT IS ON THE SCREEN.
I MOVE TO APPROVE THE, UM, MOTION THAT'S ON THE SCREEN CHAIR.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
OKAY, MOVING ON TO NUMBER SEVEN.
AUTHORIZATION TO AMEND CONTRACT NUMBER 2025 DASH FIVE THREE FOR THE NEW RULE,
UM, Y'ALL FAMILIAR WITH THE NEW RIVER AND THE NEW TRAIL? THERE'S, IT GOES FROM THE, UH, NEW RIVER ALL THE WAY TO SUN CITY.
PHASE ONE IS FROM NEW RIVER, THE HIGHWAY 46 AND PHASE TWO IS FROM 46 TO, UM, SUN CITY.
SO IN OUR CURRENT BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR OF 26, WE PUT, WE HAVE $4.6 MILLION APPROVED.
WE WENT TO BID AND WE GOT BIDS BACK AND WE GOT A, UM, BID BACK FROM NICK'S CONSTRUCTION WHO'S WORKING ON THE PROJECT RIGHT NOW OF 1.4 0.108, $508 AND 9 CENTS, WHICH, YOU KNOW, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE TWO IS WHAT'S, WHAT'S APPROVED, WHICH YOU ALL APPROVED IS BUDGET.
AND WHAT WAS BID WAS ABOUT 660,000.
SO WE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE PROCEEDED FORWARD THAT CONTRACT.
IN ADDITION, WE, AS YOU KNOW, WE RECEIVED $2 MILLION LEG LEGISLATIVE AWARD FROM, UH, THE STATE TOOK TOWARDS THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS AND 412 DO DOLLARS AND 70 $412,720 FROM CENTRAL ELECTRIC FOR THE RECONSTRUCTION AND FUTURE MAINTENANCE OF THE THREE BRIDGES THAT HAVE BEEN BILL.
[02:15:01]
WE STARTED CONSTRUCTION ABOUT NINE MONTHS AGO, AND WE, WE FOCUSED ON THE VERTICAL CONSTRUCTION, WHICH IS THE BRIDGES AND THE, UM, THE PEER HEAD AND THE BOARDWALK THAT'S BEEN COMPLETED.AND THE CONTRACTOR STAKED OUT THE, THE PATH LOCATION.
AND, UM, WE BEGAN GEOTECHNICAL WORK TESTING ON THAT LOCATION AND DETERMINED THAT, UH, UM, WE NEEDED ADDITIONAL LOOK AND FILL FOR THIS PROJECT TO BUILD THE, THE PATHWAY.
ESSENTIALLY WHAT HAPPENED IS WHEN WE STARTED, UH, THE DESIGN OF THIS PROJECT, WE ALWAYS GO OUT AND DO OUR OWN GEOTECHNICAL TESTING AND WE GIVE IT TO THE DESIGNERS TO DETERMINE WHAT THE SOIL CONDITIONS ARE AND THEY DESIGN THE PATHWAY TO THAT.
AND THE, THE GEOTECHNICAL WORK IS DONE KIND OF STRAIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE, THE RAILROAD BED.
IT'S WHERE WE ASSUME THE, THE, THE PATHWAY WOULD BE.
BUT THE UM, UH, WHEN WE DID NEGOTIATIONS FOR THE EASEMENTS FOR, UH, WAS ANTI COOPER AND CENTRAL ELECTRIC, THEY REQUIRED US TO MOVE THAT PATHWAY OVER A MINIMUM OF 15 FEET FROM THE POWER POLES SO THAT THE GEOTECHNICAL WE DID WAS AT LEAST 10 FEET, ONE DIRECTION, 10 TO 15 FEET, ONE DIRECTION, UH, TO THE EAST OF WHERE THE ACTUAL PATHWAY WENT.
SO BEING OUT THERE AND SEEING THE CONDITIONS OUT THERE AND SEEING THAT THAT GROUND HAS BEEN PRETTY STABLE FOR 50 YEARS, BEGIN TO THINK THERE WOULD BE MUCH DIFFERENCE IN THE SUBSURFACE CONDITIONS.
SO THE CONTRACTOR HAS GOING OUT THERE AND DONE ADDITIONAL GEO AND DETERMINE THAT WE ARE GONNA NEED A LOT MORE UCK FILL FOR THIS PROJECT.
IT STARTED OUT IN, IN THE ORIGINAL GEOTECHNICAL, UH, REPORT TO BE ABOUT 1400 C YARDS, AND THAT'S BEEN INCREASE TO ABOUT 15,000.
UH, AND SO THIS IS THAT EXPLANATION OF, YOU KNOW, HOW WE STARTED ORIGINAL GEOTECHNICAL WORK AND HOW, AND THEN HOW WE GOT A SHIFT IN WHERE THE PATH WE NEEDED TO GO AND HOW WE GOT TO THIS POINT WHERE WE, WE NEED ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR THIS CONTRACT, UM, TO ACCOMMODATE, UM, THE MUCK AND FILL FOR THE PROJECT.
THE EXISTING CONTINGENCY THAT WE HAVE, WE'LL PAY FOR THE ENTIRE MUCK AND FILL OPERATIONS FOR THE FIRST PHASE.
WHERE WE NEED ADDITIONAL MONEY IS FOR THE SECOND PHASE, WHICH WE HAVEN'T EVEN STARTED ANYTHING TOWARDS THAT.
YOU SAY THE CONTINGENCY, THE 20%, THE CONTINGENCY, THE 20% CONTINGENCY WITH THE HAVE ON THE EXISTING CONTRACT, $4.1 MILLION.
THERE'S A 20% CONTINGENCY IN THERE THAT WILL PAY FOR THE MILK AND FILL FOR THE FIRST PHASE.
WE HAVE, WE DON'T HAVE, BEYOND THAT, WE NEED TO GET ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO DO THE SECOND PHASE MILK AND FILL, WHICH IS THREE, 320,000.
SO I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, THE HOW MUCH MORE MONEY WE NEED, NOT COUNTING THE CONTINGENCY, I MEAN, WHAT, WHAT ARE THEY SAYING? $320,000 WE NEED? WELL, THAT'S, THAT'S USING THE CONTINGENCY, THAT'S IN ADDITION TO WHAT YOU'VE ALREADY APPROVED.
THE CONTINGENCY WAS BUILT INTO THE 4.1 CONTRACT PRICE THAT THEY GAVE YOU MM-HMM
BUT THAT, SO THEY'VE USED THAT, THE 20%, WE USE THAT IN PHASE ONE.
SO THIS IS A WAY MORE EXPENSIVE THAN 320,000
UM, YEAH, BECAUSE THE CONTINGENCY, THE CONTINGENCY WAS TO COVER ANY OF THIS UNFORESEEN ISSUES.
THAT'S WHAT THIS WHOLE THING IS ALL ABOUT.
SO WHAT I'M SAYING, WHAT WAS THE CONTRACT FOR WITHOUT THE CONTINGENCY CLUE? I DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER.
IT'S, IT IS IN THE 300,384,000, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WHERE DO YOU HAVE A CO AN ESTIMATED COST OF WHAT THIS, UM, THE MUCK AND THE FILL.
THAT'S WHAT FROM 1400 TO 15,000, LIKE WHAT'S THE ADDITIONAL COST THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT TOTAL? OBVIOUSLY IT'S THIS 320, BUT IT'S PLUS THAT 20% CONTINGENCY.
BUT YOU HAVE A TOTAL NUMBER FOR THAT FROM HIM.
I KNOW THE ORIGINAL 20% CONTINGENCY WAS SOMEWHERE AROUND 600,000.
I CAN'T GIVE YOU THE EXACT NUMBER.
I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME THEN.
SO NOW WE'RE ASKING BACK IT OUT.
IT'S PROBABLY ABOUT 7 320 ADDITIONAL TO THAT WOULD BE, SO THIS MISQ IS A MILLION DOLLAR MISTAKE.
AM I SAYING THE TRUTH QUESTION? YES.
'CAUSE THE CONTINGENCY THAT WAS OVER AND ABOVE THE
[02:20:01]
CONTRACT, THE TOTAL ADDITIONAL COST FOR THE BUNKING FIELD BETWEEN BOTH PHASES WILL BE CLOSE TO A MILLION DOLLARS.THE, IF YOU LOOK INSIDE THE PACKET, THERE WAS A SPENDING AUTHORIZATION DETAIL.
THE INITIAL CONTRACT, THE BASE CONTRACT AMOUNT WAS A LITTLE OVER 3.4.
AND THIS WILL, THE, THE THREE 20 DOES GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF BUFFER, BUT IT'S ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS TO DO.
THAT'S THE WAY I WAS TRYING TO, YES.
IT HAS A CONTINGENCY IN IT TOO.
THE, THE 320 HAS CONDITION CONTINGENCY IN IT AS WELL.
CAN WE GO BACK TO YOUR FIRST SCREEN? SURE.
NOW WE'VE GOT SUPPORT OF THE PROJECT FROM THE LEGISLATIVE AWARD AND THE CENTRAL ELECTRIC.
DO THEY, DO THEY, DID WE GO BACK TO THEM TO ASK FOR MORE MONEY?
AND THEY GAVE US TWO YEARS TO SPEND IT.
AND, AND, AND THE MONEY FOR THE 412,000 IS REALLY RELATED TO CONSTRUCTION OF THE BRIDGES.
SO I DON'T KNOW THAT THIS ADDITIONAL COST THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH AT
AND ALSO, JUST TO CLARIFY, THE, WE'RE NOT ADDING FOR, WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR MORE BUDGET.
WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS A CONTRACT AMENDMENT AMOUNT.
SO WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR MORE MONEY, WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR THE CONTRACT TO BE AMENDED TO ACCOMMODATE THE UNFORESEEN COSTS.
SO THIS WILL TAKE THE TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT TO 4,428,000 AND THERE'S 4.76 BUDGETED.
SO THERE'S, AGAIN, WE'RE STILL WITHIN BUDGET OF WHAT WAS ESTIMATED WHAT COUNCIL APPROVED FOR THIS PROJECT.
WE JUST, THE CONTRACTOR IS OVER CONTINGENCY BASED ON THE MUCK AND FIELD.
IS THERE A CERTAIN AREA OF THE TRAIL WHERE THE MAJORITY OF THIS KNOCK AND FILL IS NEEDED? I THINK IT'S PRETTY MUCH THROUGHOUT.
IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT THING HAS A RAILROAD BED.
SO IT WAS ROCK IN THE MIDDLE AND THEN IT TAPERS DOWN TO ONE.
THAT FILL THAT'S ON THE SIDE IS PRETTY STABLE FILL, BUT IT MUST NOT BE GOOD QUALITY.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE'RE, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE KIND OF GOING OVER TO THAT SIDE OF THE ROCK FIELD OR THE ORIGINAL RAILROAD DECK.
BUT WE ARE STILL ON THIS LEVEL GROUND.
WE'RE NOT GOING OFF THE SIDE OF THE SLOPE.
SO ONCE YOU GET DOWN TO THE RICE FIELDS, ARE YOU AT ALL GOING OFF OF WHERE THE GRASSY TRAIL CURRENTLY IS? NO.
ONCE WE, SO YOU WOULD NOT MESS WITH THE RICE BEDS? OH, NO, NO.
WE'RE NOT GONNA GO IN THE WETLANDS.
WE'RE NOT GONNA GO OFF THE, THE, THE, THE TOP OF BANK WHERE IT IS.
BUT IT IS, YOU KNOW, FURTHER TO THE WEST THAN WHERE THE EXISTING WALKWAY IS, WHICH IS KIND OF A GRASS TRAIL.
SO IT'S ALL GRASS RIGHT NOW, BUT WE'RE JUST, WE HAD TO SL IT, SLIDE IT OVER BASED ON CONDITIONS PLACED UPON US BY SANDY COOPER AND CENTRAL ELECTRIC.
SO DID WE KNOW THESE CONDITIONS BEFORE WE SURVEYED AND DID? NO, WE DIDN'T.
SO WE DID, WE DID, WE DID CLAIM, WE DID GEOTECHNICAL INVESTIGATION DOWN THE CENTER OF THE, OF THE RAILROAD.
SO WE DID THAT AND THE, THE CONTRACTOR BID ON THE JOB WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT THE POWER COMPANY WAS GONNA TELL US TO DO.
NORMALLY IT IS NOT UNUSUAL ON A ROADWAY OR PROJECT WITH THIS LENGTH WITH THE CONTRACTOR.
WELL, IT'S, IT'S IN THEIR CONTRACT TO TEST WHERE THEY'RE GONNA PUT THE PATHWAY.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
THEY'VE DONE THEIR TESTING AND THEY'RE TELLING US THE SOIL IS NOT ADEQUATE TO SUPPORT THE SUPPORT, THE, UH, THE PATHWAY.
SO NO, THAT WASN'T KNOWN AT THE BEGINNING.
WHAT THEY KNEW AT THE BEGINNING WAS THE GEOTECHNICAL, UH, SURVEYS THAT WE GAVE THEM AT THE BEGINNING.
THAT'S WHAT THEY DID THEIR BID ON.
SO IT IS THE TRAIL BEING BUILT TO HANDLE POWER COMPANY TRUCKS? NO, NOT REALLY, BUT NOT AT ALL.
THAT'S ANOTHER REASON WHY IT'S 15 FEET AWAY FROM THE POLES BECAUSE IT GIVES THEM A, A PLACE TO DRIVE THEIR TRUCKS DOWN WITHOUT GOING OVER OUR PATHWAY.
NOW THE BRIDGES ARE BUILT TO HANDLE THE TRUCKS BECAUSE THERE IS NO OTHER PATH.
BUT, AND THAT'S WHY THEY GAVE MONEY FOR THE BRIDGES BECAUSE THEY HAD TO BE BUILT TO STANDARDS TO HANDLE THE TRUCKS DRIVING OVER THAT.
AND THE, AND THE DIRECT APPROACHES TO THE BRIDGES ARE A THICKER PAVEMENT, BUT
[02:25:01]
THE REST OF IT IS A STANDARD BIKE BIKE CAP PAVEMENT QUESTION.WHAT'S THE WIDTH OF THE, OF THAT TRAIL? AGAIN, IT IS 10 FEET.
AND, UM, THAT IS ANOTHER CONSIDERATION.
UH, EMILY HAS BROUGHT THAT UP TO TOWN MANAGER ABOUT, WELL WHAT ABOUT WE REDUCE THE PATHWAY WIDTH? UM, WHEN WE STARTED THIS PROJECT, WE DID A LOT OF RESEARCH ON OTHER MULTI-USE PATHWAYS AND LINEAR TRAILS, AND WE DETERMINED THAT 10 FOOT WAS THE PREFERRED WIDTH BECAUSE IT ALLOWS FOR TWO-WAY TRAFFIC FOR ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT MODES.
A PEDESTRIAN VERSUS BICYCLE VERSUS ROLLER BLADE VERSUS WHEELCHAIRS.
IT GETS A LITTLE ENCROACHMENT INTO LANES AND HAPPEN.
UM, THE OTHER FACTOR IN THERE IS THAT THIS LINEAR TRAIL COULD POTENTIALLY BE IN THE FUTURE PART OF THE EAST COAST GREENWAY.
THE EAST COAST GREENWAY GOES DOWN ONE 70, IT GOES TO TRAFFIC, SEVEN GOES UP 46.
THIS COULD TAKE OFF A GOOD SECTION OF THAT AND BE A SAFER, UH, METHOD OF TRANSPORTATION, UM, FOR THE EAST COAST GREENWAY.
AND THEIR STANDARDS ARE, THEY PREFER 12 FEET, BUT THEY HAVE A MINIMUM REQUIREMENT OF 10.
SO WE'VE ASKED THE CONTRACTOR TO GIVE US THE PRICE OF WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO GO DOWN TO EIGHT.
IF, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU ALL DECIDE TO DO.
UM, WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN THAT NUMBER YET, BUT I I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S GONNA BE ANY MORE THAN 25, 30 OR 25% OF THE, OF THE ASIN RIGHT HERE.
IS THE SPANISH MOS TRAIL JUST FOOT ONE 10 AND 12 AND IT GOES 12 MILES IN SWAMP RABBIT TRAIL? OTHER MAJOR TRAILS IN THE STATE? YEAH, I, I, I MEAN, I, I THINK WHEN WE ALL GOT OUR PACKET, UM, I DON'T THINK THERE WAS A PERSON SITTING HERE THAT DIDN'T SEE THAT AND GOT GET A LITTLE HEARTBURN ABOUT IT.
UM, HOWEVER, I, I MEAN, WE'RE INTO IT.
WE'RE STILL WITHIN THE BUDGET.
UM, I, I PERSONALLY WOULD STILL LIKE TO SEE THE 10 FOOT IF WE, IF COUNCIL GOES ALONG WITH THAT.
YOU PERSONALLY LIKE TO SEE THE 10 FOOT FOOT, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE 10 FOOT, JUST STAY AT 10 FOOT.
LIKE, LIKE I SAID, THE SPANISH MOSS TRAIL'S PRETTY, PRETTY FAMOUS OVER THERE IN THE BEAUFORD AREA AND UH, GETS A LOT OF RECREATIONAL USE.
AND THE EAST COAST GREENWAY, I JUST WROTE AN ARTICLE RECENTLY ABOUT SOME PEOPLE THAT WERE WRITING IT AND MADE COMMENT TO THIS VERY AREA WHEN THEY HIT THE ONE 70 QUARTER, THERE'S A PIECE MISSING.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS LONG RANGE PLAN THAT WE WERE DOING WITH THIS PATHWAY ULTIMATELY WILL TIE BACK INTO TO ONE 70.
AND YOU KNOW, AND I, I SAY THIS, I DON'T TAKE IT LIGHTLY.
I DON'T TAKE MISSING BUDGETS AND SPENDING MONEY LIKELY.
UM, BUT I JUST LIKE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE 17 JOB GOING OVER TO SAVANNAH, THAT WAS A DISASTER.
THAT THING WENT MILLIONS OVER BECAUSE OF THE SOIL, YOU KNOW, THE MUCKING AND EVERYTHING THEY HAD TO DO.
SO I MEAN, IT DIDN'T GO AS PLANNED.
I MEAN, IT HAD TO SETTLE AND IT HAD TO REDO IT AGAIN.
AND SO THE COST ON THAT IS JUST GOING CRAZY BECAUSE OF THE SOIL CONDITIONS.
AND I THINK WHAT I HEARD FROM YOU IS WHEN WE WERE PLANNING THIS, WE ALL JUST ASSUMED WE WERE GONNA GO DOWN THAT RAILROAD PATH.
RIGHT? AND THEN WE, WHEN DID WE GET TOLD BY THE UTILITIES THAT WE HAD TO MOVE IT SOME IN THAT PROCESS? WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER THAT EASEMENT NEGOTIATION WITH SAN COOPER TOOK.
WELL, WE HAD A LOT OF THE NEGOTIATIONS.
WE WENT BACK AND FORTH FOR MONTHS AND MONTHS AND MONTHS.
I THINK WE FINALLY GOT A RESOLUTION.
AND PART OF THIS IS THAT RESOLUTION, YOU, YOU CAN'T HAVE ANYTHING ANY CLOSER THAN 50, 15 FEET FROM OUR POLE.
AND THAT HAPPENED PROBABLY SHORTLY BEFORE WE BOOM.
WE WANTED TO GO TO, WE WANTED TO SEND IT OUT TO CONSTRUCTION BECAUSE WE WERE WAITING FOR THAT DOCUMENT FOR MONTHS TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE COULD BID THE PROJECT.
AND THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF PRESSURE ON US TO BID THE PROJECT AT THE TIME AS OF THE STATE APPROPRIATION AND WANTED TO SEE ACTION.
PAT, WHY DIDN'T THEY, WHY DO I LOOK AROUND AND I SEE POWER POLES RIGHT ON THE EDGE OF THE SIDEWALKS EVERYWHERE I GO.
SO WHAT, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE IN THAT SIDEWALK THROUGH THE WOODS TO THE POWER LINES AND THE ONE THAT THE POWER LINES ARE? DAN, YOU THE ELECTRIC EXPERT AROUND HERE, TELL ME NO TRANSMISSION LINES.
IT'S A TRANSMISSION LINE AND IT'S, IT'S A DIFFERENT ANIMAL.
IT'S BIGGER, BIGGER POLES, BIGGER WIND LOADING, BIGGER.
[02:30:01]
THEY HAVE TO LOOK AT THE SOIL CONDITIONS OF EVERY POLE THEY PUT IN THE GROUND.DO, I MEAN WE, WE, WE ALSO LOOKED AT OTHER MITIGATION EFFORTS COULD BE FILLED OVER TOP AND THAT WAS ALSO NON-COMPLIANT WITH OUR AGREEMENT WITH SANDY COOPER AS WELL.
SO IT, IT FINALLY CAME DOWN TO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO LIVE WITH A MONTH AND UNTIL SITUATION AND, UM, LIVE WITH THAT ONE BENEFIT IS TO LIKE, LIKE CHRIS SAID, WE DID HAVE THAT MONEY APPROVED IN THE BUDGET TO HANDLE ALL OF THIS.
WHERE WERE WE? WELL, I JUST WENT THROUGH THIS.
THIS WAS A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE 10 FEET VERSUS EIGHT FEET THAT'S ON THE SCREEN RIGHT NOW.
OUR NORMAL SIDEWALKS LIKE BUCK, WALTER, BLUFFTON PARKWAY, ARE THOSE ALL SIX? I THINK, I THINK THEY MIGHT BE 10 FEET IF THEY'RE THE MULTIPURPOSE TRAIL THERE.
WELL, JUST ALONG THE, YOU KNOW, ALONG, UH, UH, ONE 70 IS 10 FEET.
AND BUCK WATER LOOKS LIKE IT'S 10 FEET SIDEWALK.
USUALLY INTERNAL, LIKE WHAT WE PUT IN ON A HOLD DOWN'S GONNA BE AROUND FIVE OR SIX FEET DEPENDING ON WHAT WE HAVE ROOM FOR.
YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I THINK DOT REQUIRES THAT TOO.
SO IT'S PRETTY MUCH A STANDARD ONCE DOT REQUIRES IT'S PRETTY MUCH A STANDARD.
I I, I MEAN I THINK THIS WAS A BIG MESS FROM HAVING TO INCREASE FROM 1400 CUBIC YARDS TO OVER 15,000.
UM, WITH OVER A MILLION DOLLAR IMPACT THAT THIS IS COSTING.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT DIFFERENT OPTIONS.
ONE BEING REDUCING THE WIDTH OF IT AND MAKING IT NARROWER TO SEE WHAT THAT WOULD DUE TO THE COST OF IT.
UM, I ALSO WOULD LOVE TO SEE A MAP OF EXACTLY DOWN TOWARDS THE RICE FIELD, LIKE WHERE THIS IS GOING BECAUSE I, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IT'S NOT GONNA AFFECT ANYTHING WHATSOEVER.
AND I THINK THAT IF YOU HAVE TO MOVE IT OFF TO ONE SIDE BY 10 OR 10 FEET OR MORE, LIKE IT SEEMS TO ME FROM BEING DOWN THERE THAT IT'S GONNA GET AWFULLY CLOSE TO THE SIDE.
AND SO THAT IS ANOTHER CONCERN OF MINE.
I HAVE, YEAH, THE LAST TIME I WAS OUT THERE WITH COUNSEL WAS NOT THIS LAST TIME, THE PREVIOUS TIME, BUT WE DID HAVE SOME FLAGS IN THE GROUND AND I TRIED TO TELL PEOPLE I WAS IN MY CAR.
IT'S NOT RIGHT, IT'S NOT RIGHT HERE, BUT IT'S OVER HERE, BUT IT'S STILL ON, IT'S STILL ON THE TOP OF THE BANK.
IT'S NOT OFF THE SIDE OF THE BED.
OKAY, SO, WELL, I GUESS WHAT I'M HEARING IS THERE, THIS NEEDS SOME ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD WITH ANY KIND OF, UNLESS THERE'S OTHER PEOPLE THAT PREFER MOVE ON WITH THE MOTION.
SO WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO HERE? GUYS? STARTED FINISH IT.
WHAT'D YOU SAY? SAID THE PRODUCTS STARTED.
MINE'S BEEN APPROPRIATE AND WE NEED TO FINISH IT.
I MEAN, IT IS, I DON'T LIKE IT, IT SOMEWHAT OF A SURPRISE, YOU KNOW, FOR TO BE OFF BY THAT LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY.
BUT THIS SPREAD ALL OF THIS, I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T REALLY THINK THAT MAKING IT TWO FOOT NARROW IS GONNA SAVE US MUCH, IF ANY.
WELL, I I'M SURE IT SAVE SOME, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT WOULD GET US IF THE POINT WHERE WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO SPEND THAT EXTRA MILLION DOLLARS YOU'D HAVE.
IF YOU THINK OF A 10 FOOT SIDEWALK, I MEAN IT'S ABOUT 20% AT THE SAME COST.
ABOUT 1.1 MILLION IS THE ADDITIONAL.
THAT SEEMS LIKE WITH THE MATH, I MEAN, YOU'RE GETTING CLOSE TO IT.
I MEAN, IT'S GETTING PRETTY CLOSE TO IT.
UM, BUT I THINK IT'S, I THINK THAT SHOULD, WHETHER YOU PREFER TO HAVE AN EIGHT FOOT PATHWAY VERSUS A 10 OR DO YOU THINK IT'S A
I THINK WE SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE MOTION AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
I'LL MAKE THE MOTION AND SEE WHERE IT GOES.
UM, I MOVE TO APPROVE AUTHORIZING THE TOWN MANAGER TO AMEND THE CONTRACT 20 25 53 FOR THE NEW RIVER LINEAR OR TRAIL CONSTRUCTION WITH NICK'S CONSTRUCTION TO INCREASE BY $320,000 TO ACCOMMODATE UNFORESEEN FIELD CONDITIONS.
NEXT NUMBER EIGHT, APPROVAL TO AUTHORIZE A
[02:35:01]
CONTRACT WITH MALVIN AND JENKINS FOR FINANCIAL AUDIT SERVICES BEGINNING ON JULY 1ST, 2026 FOR FISCAL YEARS 2026 THROUGH FISCAL YEAR 2020 EIGHTH.MS. NATALIE, GOOD EVENING MAYOR.
UM, I'M HERE TO PRESENT A REQUEST, UM, TO AUTHORIZE THE TOWN MANAGER VETERAN INTO A CONTRACT, UM, TON JENKINS.
UM, GF O'S BEST PRACTICE IS TO GO OUT, UM, FOR BID FOR AUDITING SERVICES, WHICH WE DID THAT BEEN POSTED ON MARCH 12TH, 2026 AND CLOSED ON APRIL 8TH.
WE RECEIVED ONE PROPOSAL WITH THAT.
WE WENT OUT, UM, TO SEE WHO HAD DOWNLOADED THE RFP, UM, AND REACHED OUT TO THOSE QUALIFIED FIRMS AS WELL AS TWO LOCAL FIRMS, BUT THERE JUST WASN'T, UM, THERE WAS A LACK OF INTEREST IN EQUITABLE RESOURCES TO PERFORM THE AUDIT NEEDED FOR THE TOWN.
THEREFORE, WE ARE REQUESTING THAT MULDEN AND JENKINS BE AWARDED THE CONTRACT.
THEY HAVE PERFORMED THE AUDITING SERVICES SINCE FISCAL YEAR 2018.
THEY HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH US, UM, AND THEY ALSO ASSIST US WITH GETTING, UM, OUR ACT FOR PREPARED IN TIME FOR AWARD.
UM, IT ALSO, THEY ALSO, UM, OFFER EDUCATIONAL SERVICES FOR TOWN STAFF FOR ANY KIND OF CREDITS FOR OUR CERTIFICATIONS AS WELL.
UM, THEREFORE THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO AUTHORIZE THE TOWN MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE CONTRACT.
THIS IS OVER THREE FISCAL YEARS WITH THE ADDITIONAL, UM, $4,000 PER YEAR IF A SINGLE AUDIT IS NEEDED.
AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
YOU MAY NOT QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL? I HAVE NO, WELL, IS THIS IN OUR BUDGET? IN THE BUDGET? IT'S BUDGET EVERY YEAR? YES.
UM, SO WE ARE GOING TO USE THEM AGAIN IN 27 AND 28? THAT'S CORRECT.
TYPICALLY IT IS A FIVE YEAR, UM, CONTRACT, BUT WE ARE PROPOSING A THREE YEAR CONTRACT WITH THEM.
I THOUGHT, I THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO FIND DEALING WITH THEM FOR HOW LONG NOW? THEY BEGAN DOING OUR AUDIT IN 2018.
SO IT'S BEEN, IT'S BEEN SEVEN YEARS.
AND CHRIS AND I AND NATALIE ARE ALL IN AGREEMENT THAT WE SHOULDN'T USE ANYBODY MORE THAN 10 YEARS.
SO AFTER, THAT'S WHY WE'RE ONE OF THE OTHER RE REASONS WE'RE ONLY RECOMMENDING THREE YEARS IS AT THAT POINT IN TIME, WE WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE CHANGE AUDITORS TO MAKE SURE YOU WANT TO HAVE SOME VARIATION IN THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE STAYING, UM, UP TO DATE AND GETTING THE TRUE REVIEW OF OUR FINANCES.
AND IF I MAY, UM, WHILE IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT WE HAVE A ROTATION, A CHANGE IN AUDITING FIRMS, UM, THE APPETITE JUST WAS NOT THERE, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS ADVERTISED.
UM, SO THE RECOMMENDATION THEN WOULD BE TO CHANGE THE SENIOR MANAGER WHO OVERSEES THE AUDIT, WHICH WILL OCCUR OH, WITH THEM? YES.
SO WE'LL HAVE A DIFFERENT, YOU'LL HAVE A DIFFERENT PERSON REVIEWING AND PRESENTING THAN YOU'VE HAD THE PAST THAT PAST FEW YEARS.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS FROM THAT? YOU SAID YOU DIDN'T HAVE, IT WASN'T AN APPETITE FOR THE, FOR ANOTHER OTHER COMPANIES TO, UM, BASED ON, BASED ON WHAT, WHEN WE HAD OUR SOLICITATION OUT THERE FOR ADVERTISEMENT 20, WE HAD 20, UM, IP ADDRESSES THAT HAD LOOKED AT IT.
OF THOSE, WE HAD A HANDFUL THAT DOWNLOADED THE DOCUMENTS, SIX OF WHICH WERE ACTUAL CPA FIRMS. SO WE REACHED OUT TO THOSE AS WELL AS TWO LOCAL FIRMS, BUT THEY JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE, THE BANDWIDTH TO PERFORM OUR AUDIT.
I MOVE TO AUTHORIZE THE TOWN MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT.
MALDEN AND JENKINS, LLC FOR AUDIT SERVICES FOR FISCAL YEARS ENDING JUNE 30TH, 2026.
OKAY, UP NEXT WE HAVE A CONSENT AGENDA.
[XI. CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS ]
COUNSEL, IS THERE ANYONE WANTING TO REMOVE ANYTHING OFF OF THIS? THAT ME? ANYBODY WANNA REMOVE ANYTHING OFF THE CONSENT? IF NOT, IS THERE[02:40:01]
A MOTION TO APPROVE? UH, SO MOVED.[XII. EXECUTIVE SESSION ]
IN A EXECUTIVE SESSION.WELL, WE NEED A MOTION TO MOVE INTO DO.
IS THERE ONE? TELL ME ABOUT OH, THAT'S RIGHT.
WE GOT, OH, I NEEDED A MOTION TO MOVE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION DISCUSSING RELATE DISCUSSION RELATED TO PROPOSED CONTRACTUAL MATTERS REGARDING LEASE AGREEMENTS FOR THE TOWN OWNED PROPERTY AT 97 PROGRESSIVE STREET, PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA FREEDOM LAND INFORMATION ACT 30, DASHBOARD DASH 70 AND PERSONNEL MATTERS RELATING TO TOWN MANAGER ANNUAL REVIEW PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA FREEDOM ACT INFORMATION ACT 34 DASH SEVEN A1.
[XIII. ACTION FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION ]
TO MAKE I MOVE TO AUTHORIZE THE CEO OF THE DON RYAN CENTER TO NEGOTIATE AND ENTER INTO LEASE AGREEMENTS AT 97 PROGRESSIVE STREET, BLUFFTON, SOUTH CAROLINA WITH THE BEAUFORT COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, THE HISPANIC BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, THE GREATER BLUFFTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.WELL, WELL THEN, WELL, WELL THANK YOU.
TWO LLC AND KW G CREATE LLC PROVIDED THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS ARE SUB, SUB, SORRY, I'M LIKE NOW CANNOT NOT READ THIS EITHER CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WAS PROVIDED TO COUNSEL FOR REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION.
ANY CONVERSATION, REMARKS? AND COUNCIL? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
WHO AGREED THAT? I'LL APPROVE THAT.
WE INCREASE THE, UH, TOWN MANAGER'S SALARY, 5% TO 2 0 1 600.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IF FAVOR SAY AYE.
IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED.
YOU'RE WATCHING BEAUFORT COUNTY TV, LIVE, WORK, PLAY.
I AM MEMORY CAMPBELL AND THIS IS BEAUFORD COUNTY MOMENTS.
I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FOOD TODAY.
THE FOOD HAS BEEN A GREAT PART OF OUR LIFE IN TERMS OF GATHERING FOOD AND PREPARING THEM.
OUR FOOD IS BASED ON THE LAND AND THE SEA.
THE LAND FOOD HAS ALWAYS BEEN RICE.
WE DON'T FEEL WE HAVE EATEN DINNER UNLESS WE'VE HAD RICE.
RICE WAS MIXED WITH VARIOUS ITEMS FROM THE SEA, LIKE OYSTERS OR SHRIMP.
AND WHEN THEY COOKED WITH RICE IN ONE POT, WE CALL IT A RICE OR SHRIMP OR AN OYSTER PERLOW.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE WATERMELONS AND THE SWEET POTATOES.
SWEET POTATOES WAS ALWAYS EATEN WITH FISH AND FRESH FISH WITH GRAVY AND A SWEET POTATO.
OKRA HAS ALWAYS BEEN A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR FOOD WAYS WE, WE, WE RAISE THEM AS WELL AS WE PREPARE THEM WITH SHRIMP AND TOMATOES.
AND SOME PEOPLE WOULD CALL THAT A GUMBO.
AND THAT'S WHAT EXACTLY WHAT IT IS.
AND SO ENJOY THE FOOD OF THE LOW COUNTRY BECAUSE IT'S BEEN VERY MUCH A PART OF OUR HISTORY.
THIS HAS BEEN YO BEAUFORD COUNTY MOMENT.
[02:45:02]
TO SEE MORE BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENTS GO TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY HOMEPAGE AND CLICK ON THE LOCAL HISTORY TAB.