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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.
[1. CALL TO ORDER]
I'D LIKE TO CALL THE FINANCE ADMINISTRATION ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING TO ORDER.IT IS 2:00 PM IF EVERYONE COULD PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, THE INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
[3. STATEMENT OF COMPLIANCE WITH FOIA]
MS. SARAH, WE HAVE DONE EVERYTHING WE NEED TO DO TO COMPLY WITH FOIA.[ 4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
SOMEONE TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.UH, IS THERE A SECOND PLEASE? SECOND.
UM, AND, UH, I'D LIKE TO MAKE AN AMEND TO THE AGENDA.
I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE THAT WE MOVE ITEM EIGHT A, THE PORT ROYAL BUSINESS PARK TO BEFORE PUBLIC COMMENT SO THAT THE PUBLIC CAN HEAR WHAT THIS IS ABOUT AND ACTUALLY GET FACTUAL INFORMATION BEFORE COMMENT.
SO MY MOTION IS TO MOVE EIGHT A UNDER FIVE.
AND AGAIN, THAT THE, UH, EIGHT A IS JUST A, UH, PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF ITEMS. UM, CAN I HAVE A SECOND FOR THAT PLEASE? SECOND THAT.
ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION? SEE NO DISCUSSION.
CHANGE TO THE AGENDA WITHOUT OBJECTION AND I SEE NO OBJECTION.
UM, AND SO, UM, I THEN ASK FOR US TO APPROVE THE AMENDED AGENDA.
AND, UM, IS THERE ANY OBJECTION? ANY MORE DISCUSSION? SO, YOU KNOW, DISCUSSION OR OBJECTION? WE HAVE APPROVED THE AGENDA THAT HAS BEEN AMENDED.
UM, ALRIGHT THEN LET'S MOVE ON THEN.
AND THAT WOULD BE, UH, WHAT WE JUST DID.
EIGHT A WE IS NOW, UM, WE NEED MINUTES.
[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES ]
SOMEONE TO APPROVE, UM, THE MINUTES FROM APRIL 20TH, 2026.UM, ANY DISCUSSION? NO, SEE, NO DISCUSSION.
THEY WILL BE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION AND SEEING.
UH, THE MINUTES FROM APRIL 20TH, 2026, IT HAD BEEN APPROVED.
ALRIGHT, SO NOW AGAIN, UM, THE AMENDED AGENDA HAS US MOVING UP EIGHT A PRESENTATION
[8.a. Consideration of Port Royal Business Park (FISCAL IMPACT: Town requests $10,000,000 in funding approval payable in increments of not exceeding $1mm for a period lasting until the earlier of (i) 20 years, or (ii) full funding of the $10,000,000. Based on proportional millage, this represents 55.25% School District ($5.525mm), 20.25% County ($2.025mm), and 24.5% Town ($2.45mm).) - Lawrence Flynn, Pope Flynn, LLC – Bond Counsel to Town, Van Willis, Town Manager & Kevin Phillips, Mayor ]
DISCUSSION ITEMS. UM, AND THIS IS FOR, UH, CONSIDERATION OF PORT ROYAL BUSINESS PARK FISCAL IMPACT TOWN REQUEST $10 MILLION IN FUNDING APPROVAL PAYABLE IN INCREMENTS OF NOT EXCEEDING $1 MILLION FOR A PERIOD PERIOD LASTING UNTIL THE EARLIER OF 20 YEARS.OR FULL FUNDING OF $10 MILLION BASED ON PROPORTIONAL MILLAGE.
THIS REPRESENTS 55.25 SCHOOL DISTRICT.
I DON'T NEED TO GO THROUGH ALL THAT.
UM, AND UM, SO AGAIN, THIS IS JUST FOR DISCUSSION AS A PRESENTATION.
UM, DO WE NEED A MOTION TO BRING THIS FORWARD AS A DISCUSSION? WE SHOULD BECAUSE, UH, BASED UPON WHAT WE HEAR, WE MAY HAVE SOMEONE MAKE A MOTION TO OKAY.
WILL SOMEONE PLEASE MAKE THAT MOTION? I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION.
IS THERE A SECOND PLEASE? I'LL SECOND.
SO AT THIS TIME, UH, WE'D LIKE TO HAVE, UM, UM, MR. POPE FLYNN, OR EXCUSE ME, LAWRENCE FLYNN, UM, OF POPE FLYNN.
I THINK, UM, COME AND DO THE PRESENTATION ALONG WITH, UM, UM, KEVIN PHILLIPS, WHO'S THE MAYOR, AND ALSO VAN, UH, WILLIS, WHO IS THE TOWN MANAGER.
SO GENTLEMEN, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
HOW'S EVERYBODY DOING? THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO BE HERE, UH, AS YOUR, MY NAME'S KEVIN PHILLIPS, MAYOR OF THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL, UM, AND WHAT WE'RE HERE TO DO TODAY AND REQUEST, AND LIKE YOU SAY, YOU GOT A PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION ITEMS IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS IN THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL.
UM, OF COURSE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PORT PROPERTY THAT YOU ALWAYS HEAR ABOUT THERE AT THE END OF PARIS AVENUE.
UM, AND IT'S A REALLY EXCITING TIME.
IT'S BEEN GOING ON, UM, FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS.
AND JUST A REAL QUICK HISTORY, AND THEN I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO OUR, OUR ATTORNEY LAWRENCE.
WE'LL GO THROUGH THE PRESENTATION WITH Y'ALL.
SO, BACK WHEN THIS PROPERTY WAS, IT WAS OWNED BY THE STATE.
UM, IT WAS STATE SPORTS AUTHORITY PROPERTY.
UM, AND IN 2009 WHEN THEY DECIDED TO SELL IT, THIS PROPERTY WAS PUT INTO AN MPIC.
SO THAT WAS ESTABLISHED BY THIS COUNTY, UM, A MULTI MULTI, UH, MULTI-COUNTY INDUSTRIAL PARK, WHICH CREATED IN 2009 FOR THE PURPOSE OF PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING.
IN THIS PROPERTY, A TIF DISTRICT WAS STOOD UP IN 2012, AND THAT TOOK PRECEDENT TO FUND THE PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY, THAT TIF HAS NOW BECOME INVALID.
AND SO WE'RE HERE TODAY TO TALK
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ABOUT THE 2009 NPIC.AND THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT DISCUSSING STARTING SOMETHING NEW.
WE'RE NOT DISCUSSING STANDING UP SOMETHING NEW.
WE'RE LITERALLY JUST TALKING ABOUT TURNING ON THE FUNDING MECHANISM THAT, AGAIN, HAS BEEN IN PLACE SINCE 2009 THAT THE TOWN HAS BEEN USING AND WITH OUR PARTNERS AND, AND THAT DEVELOPING THE PROPERTY AND HOW WE GO FORWARD AND, AND, AND BUILD OUT THE PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE OF THIS PROJECT.
UM, IT'S A REALLY EXCITING TIME BECAUSE IT'S HAD A LOTS OF UPS AND DOWNS AND HIGHS AND LOWS, AND WE'RE REALLY AT, FINALLY, AT A REALLY GREAT SPOT WHERE WE'VE GOT A PARTNER.
UM, WE'VE CREATED A MASTER PLAN FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THIS PROJECT'S HISTORY.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF REALLY EXCITING THINGS THAT'LL BE INCLUDED IN IT COMING DOWN FROM THE SPANISH MOS TRAIL, TALKING ABOUT PUBLIC PARKS, WALKING PROMENADES ALONG THE WATER, UM, A SHRIMP DOCKS THAT WE'RE GONNA BUILD BACK, A PUBLIC SHRIMP DOCK, PUBLIC DATA DOCKS.
AND AGAIN, THE GOAL OF THE TOWN HAS ALWAYS BEEN FOR THIS PROJECT TO DEVELOP IN A WAY THAT IT PROVIDES AS MUCH PUBLIC ACCESS AS POSSIBLE.
WE WANT AS MANY PEOPLE FROM BEAUFORT COUNTY TO BE ABLE TO USE AS MUCH OF THIS PROPERTY AS POSSIBLE.
SO AGAIN, UM, WE ARE HERE REALLY, LIKE I SAID, NOT TO START ANYTHING NEW, NOT TO STAND UP ANYTHING NEW, BUT REALLY JUST TO KIND OF TALK ABOUT THE DISBURSEMENT OF THE, UH, THE NPIC THAT WAS, AGAIN, STOOD UP IN 2009 AND IT WAS JUST ALWAYS BEEN A PART OF THE DISCUSSION.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AGAIN, I'LL LET, UM, LAWRENCE KIND OF GO THROUGH THE DETAILS, BUT I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR PARTNERSHIP THAT STARTED IN 2009 ON THIS PROJECT.
IT'S A REALLY EXCITING PROJECT FOR, I MEAN, I HEAR IT FROM EVERYBODY I TALK TO.
WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT? WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT? SO, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UM, YOUR PARTNERSHIP STARTING IN 2009 ON THIS PROJECT, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THAT CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP GOING FORWARD AND, AND BRINGING THIS THING TO FRUITION.
UM, SO GUYS, I DO HAVE A SLIDE DECK HERE AND I WOULD WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS THAT Y'ALL MAY HAVE, UH, CLICKER'S RIGHT HERE.
UM, SO AT A REALLY HIGH LEVEL, WHAT WE AT LEAST WANNA TALK ABOUT IS, IS WHY WE'RE HERE.
AND THE MAYOR ALLUDED TO, UH, A A LOT OF THE, KIND OF THE, THE UNDERLYING REASONS FOR DOING SO, BUT THERE'S SOME REALLY TECHNICAL LEGAL ISSUES THAT WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO WORK THROUGH.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE JUST SIMPLY TRYING TO TAKE AN EXISTING STREAM OF REVENUES THAT THE TOWN HAS BEEN UNABLE TO UTILIZE, UH, SINCE THE ORIGINAL MCIP WAS PUT IN PLACE.
AND THEN THE TAX INCREMENT FINANCING DISTRICT SUBSEQUENTLY WAS PUT IN PLACE IN 2012.
AND SO HE ALLUDED TO A FEW OF THOSE THINGS EARLIER, BUT I THINK AT A REALLY HIGH LEVEL, THE FIRST THING TO START WITH, I'M SEEING IF MY CLICKER WORKS HERE, TRY AGAIN.
FIRST OF ALL IS STARTING WITH WHAT IS A MULTI-COUNTY BUSINESS PARK.
UM, AND SO YOU'LL HEAR THE ACRONYM MCIP AND IT STANDS FOR, UH, MULTI-COUNTY INDUSTRIAL OR COMMERCIAL BUSINESS PARK.
AND THE IDEA BEHIND IT IS, AND SO THE, THE COUNTY BECOMES THE TIP OF THE SPEAR AND SHE'S USUALLY USED IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RELATED PROJECTS.
AND SO THE REASON, THE ORIGINAL FEE IN LIEU OF TAX ARRANGEMENT OR THE ORIGINAL FEE IN LIEU OF TAX ARRANGEMENTS THAT WERE PUT IN PLACE FOR BMW AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY THIS MULTI-COUNTY BUSINESS PARK ARRANGEMENT, UH, WAS ORIGINALLY PUT IN PLACE, WAS TO EFFECTIVELY ALLOW FOR THE LEVEL SET OF PROPERTY TAXES AGAINST INDUSTRIAL PROPERTIES.
UM, SO AS WE ALL KNOW, PROPERTY TAXES AGAINST INDUSTRIAL PROPERTIES ARE ASSESSED AT 10.5%.
AND SO WHAT THE BENEFIT OF PUTTING A PROPERTY INTO A MULTI-COUNTY BUSINESS PARK DOES IS YOU EFFECTIVELY WAIVE THE MAGIC WAND.
AND SO YOU ACTING AS COUNCIL AND ONLY COUNTY GOVERNMENT CAN DO THIS.
SO THE 46 COUNTIES IN THE STATE ARE THE EXCLUSIVE LOCAL GOVERNING BODIES THAT HAVE THE, UH, AUTHORIZATION TO CREATE A MULTI-COUNTY BUSINESS PARK.
AND YOU DO THAT BY ORDINANCE WITH A SISTER COUNTY.
AND SO IN MOST CIRCUMSTANCES, AND IN THE 2009 VERSION THAT THE MAYOR ALLUDED TO EARLIER, UH, THAT WAS DONE WITH JASPER COUNTY AS A, AS A SISTER ORGANIZATION.
SO YOU HAVE A MULTI-COUNTY PARK, UM, AND IT'S, IT, IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S SOMETHING LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU, YOU HAVE A, A PARK THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BUILDING.
IT'S, IT'S ALL ETHEREAL, IT'S ALL ON PAPER.
IT'S IDENTIFYING TAX MAP NUMBERS THAT YOU BY ORDINANCE PUT INTO THIS MULTI-COUNTY BUSINESS PARK.
AND THAT EFFECTIVELY WAVES A MAGIC WAND OVER THE TOP OF THE PROPERTIES.
AND BY DOING SO, THAT MAGIC WAND CHANGES THOSE PROPERTIES FROM BEING, UH, A VALOREM TAX PAYING PROPERTIES, WHICH THEY PAY CITY MILL MILLAGE AND COUNTY MILLAGE AND SCHOOL DISTRICT MILLAGE.
IT CHANGES THEM TO FEE IN LIEU OF TAX PAYING PROPERTIES.
AND THE DISTINCTION IS, AND THIS IS AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION UNDER THE CONSTITUTION, IS THAT PROPERTY TAXES HAVE TO BE LEVIED ON THE BASIS OF A UNIFORM ASSESSMENT.
SO WHEN YOU LEVY THE MILLAGE THAT THE COUNTY LEVIES, EVERYONE WHO PAYS PROPERTY TAXES PAYS THAT SAME MILLAGE.
EVERYONE IN THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL WHO PAYS PORT ROYAL MILLAGE PAYS THE SAME AMOUNT OF MILLAGE.
EVERYONE WHO PAYS SCHOOL DISTRICT TAXES PAYS THE SAME AMOUNT OF MILLAGE.
THE DISTINCTION IS WHEN YOU MAKE PROPERTY GO INTO A MULTI-COUNTY BUSINESS PARK, YOU, IT'S NO LONGER TAXES.
IT IS NOW FEES AND FEES CAN BE DISTRIBUTED IN ANY METHOD OR MANNER THAT THE COUNCIL ULTIMATELY DETERMINES TO, FOR THAT MONEY TO TO BE DISTRIBUTED.
AND SO THE BENEFIT OF THAT IS, AND THERE'S A CASE CALLED, UH, UH, THERE'S A CASE AGAINST HORRY COUNTY, UH, THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IN HORRY COUNTY
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BROUGHT AGAINST THE COUNTY BASICALLY SAYING, HEY, NO, IF YOU'RE GONNA PUT THIS PROPERTY INTO MULTI-COUNTY BUSINESS PARK, YOU HAVE TO CONTINUE TO DISTRIBUTE THE PROPERTY TAXES ON A PRO RATA BASIS BASED ON THE WAY MILLAGE IS OTHERWISE ALLOCATED AS THOUGH IT WAS AN A FORM TAX PAYING PROPERTY.AND THE COURT AND THE COURT SAID, NO, IT'S NOT TAXES, IT IS FEES.
AND SO WE GET TO HAVE THE DISCRETION AS TO HOW WE WANT THAT MONEY TO MOVE, UH, UH, MANIPULATED.
NOW, THE IMPORTANT THING IS, AND THE WAY IT'S A LOT OF TIMES USED IN THE INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT CONTEXT IS YOU'LL GRANT SPECIAL SOURCE OF REVENUE CREDITS.
AND SO SPECIAL SOURCE REVENUE CREDITS ARE JUST SIMPLY A FANCY TERM FOR A TAX ABATEMENT.
THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR HERE.
WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR SAFE HARBORS.
UH, WHO IS THE LINE, THE, THE THE LARGEST, UH, PROPERTY OWNER IN THIS AREA? WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR SPECIAL CONSIDERATION FOR SAFE HARBOR.
THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO PAY FULL BORE TAXES.
AND SO YOU'LL ACTUALLY SEE THE REVENUES THAT HAVE BEEN GENERATED BY THIS PROPERTY, AND WE'LL SHOW SOME OF THOSE HERE IN A SECOND.
UM, HAVE GROWN THROUGH TIME, UH, BECAUSE IN THE HISTORY OF THIS PROJECT, IT WAS ORIGINALLY, UH, BOUGHT BY THE, UH, HAD BY THE STATE.
IT WAS SOLICITED FOR FOR SALE.
THAT WAS THE REASON WE HAD THESE, THESE LONG PERIODS OF TIME BETWEEN DEVELOPMENT.
SO JUST SO Y'ALL ARE AWARE, 2009, THIS PROPERTY WAS ORIGINALLY PUT INTO A MULTI-COUNTY PARK.
2012, THE PROPERTY WAS PUT INTO A TAX INCREMENT FINANCING DISTRICT, SAME AREA, SAME AREA AS THE MCIP, WITH THE IDEA OF FUNDING PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE AND SUPPORT OF THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE PORT SITE.
AND THEN, AS WE ALL KNOW, THE PORT DIDN'T ACTUALLY SELL UNTIL 2017 WHEN IT SOLD TO THE GREAT GHOSTS DEVELOPMENT.
THAT'S THE CHRIS BUTLER TEAM, UM, AND HI AND HIS DEVELOPMENT GROUP.
AND THROUGH, FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, THE PROPERTY DID NOT DEVELOP, IT WAS OTHERWISE ANTICIPATED.
AND THAT PROPERTY WAS ULTIMATELY SOLD TO SAFE HARBOR, THE BIG MARINA DEVELOPER BACK IN 2020.
UH, AND THEY'VE HAD, THEY'VE BEEN THE PROPERTY OWNER SINCE 2021.
AND THE CONVERSATIONS GOING BACK AND FORTH WITH SAFE HARBOR, ONE OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAD WAS WE HAD SOME OBLIGATIONS.
THIS PROPERTY IS PUT INTO A PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT, AND IT ALSO HAS A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT ON IT.
AND UNDER THAT DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, THE TOWN AND, AND SAFE HARBOR, AS THE NEW OWNER HAVE CERTAIN, UH, DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES THAT THEY HAVE TO MEET, THERE ARE THINGS THAT SAFE HARBOR HAS TO DO THROUGH TIME.
THERE ARE ALSO THINGS THAT THE TOWN HAD ORIGINALLY AGREED TO, AND A LOT OF THOSE ORIGINAL, UH, REQUIREMENTS WERE TO PHONE FUND, ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE AND PARK INFRASTRUCTURE.
UH, AND AS IT'S KIND OF TURNED OUT, SOME OF THOSE THINGS HAVE CHANGED.
THE, THE, THE DEVELOPMENT TIMELINE FOR ALL THESE PROJECTS HAS, HAS LARGELY ADJUSTED.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE NOW LOOKING AT IS, IS AS WE REALIZE THAT THIS PROJECT IS, UH, YOU KNOW, ALREADY IN OPERATION, YOU'VE SEEN THE DRY STACK, IF ANYONE'S BEEN DOWN THAT AREA BEFORE, THERE'S GOING TO BE A WORKING MARINA WATERFRONT.
AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IS HOW YOU, YOU INTERFACE THIS PUBLICLY OWNED PROPERTY.
THE TOWN OWNS LOT G, WHICH IS THE SPOT BETWEEN THE FISH CAMP RESTAURANT AND THE BREWERY THAT'S THERE, AND THE, AND THE PLANS THAT THEY HAVE FOR A LONG TERM SEAFOOD FACILITY, OPERATING FACILITY ON SITE, AND THEN THE BIG OPEN SPACE THAT'S THERE, UH, THAT IS, YOU KNOW, SUPPOSED TO BE AT LEAST A ONE ACRE PARK UNDER THE TERMS OF THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
UM, BUT WHAT WE QUICKLY REALIZED WAS, IS THE TIFF WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE VEHICLE FOR FUNDING THIS.
AND IN THE 2012 ARRANGEMENT, WHEN WE PUT THE TIFF IN PLACE, THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE TOWN, IT CAME IN FRONT OF COUNTY COUNCIL.
COUNTY COUNCIL AGREED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE TIF AT A HUNDRED PERCENT.
AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ALSO AGREED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE, IN, IN THE TIF.
THEY AGREED TO AT A CAP NUMBER OF THE FIRST $300,000 OF REVENUES THAT WAS GENERATED FROM THE TIF.
UH, SO THEY WERE AWARE OF IT IN 2012.
WE HAD THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM AT THAT TIME, WE SUBSEQUENTLY HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH MEMBERS OF, OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL AND MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT BECAUSE WE FINALLY HAVE GOTTEN TO A PLACE WHERE WE THINK THE SAFE HARBOR DEVELOPMENT IS READY TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND SO I I GAVE YOU THIS AND IT'S IN THE MATERIALS.
SO YOU CAN SEE KIND OF THE HISTORY OF THE SAFE HARBOR, UH, TIFF AND THE, AND, AND STARTING THROUGH THE CONVERSATION, ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE'VE NOW RUN UP AGAINST IS THE ORIGINAL TIFF STATUTE.
AND THE MAYOR ALLUDED TO THIS EARLIER, REQUIRES THAT YOU ISSUE THE INITIAL SERIES OF QUOTE UNQUOTE OBLIGATIONS, WHICH IS JUST A, YOU KNOW, IT'S ANOTHER TERM FOR BONDS, UH, TO ISSUE DEBT WITHIN THE FIRST 10 YEARS OF THE TIFF BEING PUT IN PLACE.
AND THAT'S IMPORTANT, RIGHT? BECAUSE THE IDEA BEHIND THE TIFF IS WHEN YOU PUT A TIFF IN PLACE, AND IT'S, IT'S UNIQUE WITH THIS SET OF PROPERTY, BECAUSE ORIGINALLY IT WAS OWNED BY THE STATE.
YOU PUT THE, THE MULTI-COUNTY PARK IN PLACE, AND THEN YOU PUT THE TIFF ON TOP OF IT, THE TIFF REVENUES TAKE, TAKE PRIORITY.
BUT THE IMPORTANT THING ABOUT THE WAY THIS PROPERTY IN PARTICULAR WAS DEVELOPED, BECAUSE ALL THAT WAS PUT IN PLACE IN ADVANCE OF THE PROPERTY SELLING, WHEN ALL OF THOSE ORIGINAL, UH, DEVELOPMENT, UH, ARRANGEMENTS WERE PUT IN THE PROPERTY, SAT ON THE TAX ROLLS AT $0.
AND SO EVERY SINGLE TIME ONE OF THOSE PROPERTIES GOT SUBDIVIDED.
SO WHEN IT, WHEN THE FISH CAMP PROPERTY SOLD, AND WHEN THE BREWERY PROPERTY SOLD, AND WHEN THE ORIGINAL PROPERTY SOLD TO SAFE, UH, TO, TO GR GHOST, AND THEN IT SUBSEQUENTLY SOLD AGAIN TO SAFE HARBOR, EVERY ONE OF THOSE INCREMENTAL SALES REPRESENTS NEW GROWTH FROM THE ZERO BASELINE THAT EXISTED ON ON THE FIRST DAY.
THAT'S THE IMPORTANT REASON THAT THE TIFF WORKED SO WELL, OR WE HAVE THOUGHT THE TIFF WOULD WORK SO WELL, IS BECAUSE EVERY DOLLAR THAT GENERATED OF TAX
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DOLLARS FOR THE TIFF WAS GOING TO BE DEPLOYED TO BEING USED FOR PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS TO BE ABLE TO BUILD THOSE IMPROVEMENTS OUT.THE PROBLEM IS, IS BECAUSE THE INITIAL SERIES OF BONDS WERE NOT ISSUED WITHIN THE FIRST 10 YEARS, THE STATUTE, UH, REQUIRES THAT THE TIFF BE TERMINATED.
AND SO WE KICKED AROUND THE IDEA OF, HEY, IS THERE A WAY TO EXTEND THIS? WE'VE WORKED ON TIFF ARRANGEMENTS IN THE PA PAST WHERE YOU REAUTHORIZED THE FINDINGS OF FACT THAT THE PRO PROPERTY HAS NOT BEEN DEVELOPED THE WAY IT WANTED TO, AND, AND WE COULD HAVE ISSUED BONDS AT, AT ANY POINT ALONG THE WAY.
THE PROPERTY GENERATES ABOUT $400,000 IN INCOME RIGHT NOW.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT'S NOT ENOUGH INCOME TO SUPPORT THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT NEED TO BE PUT ON SITE.
AND WE WEREN'T EXACTLY SURE WHAT SAFE HARBOR OR GRAY GHOSTS BEFORE THAT WAS PLANNING TO DO WITH THE SITE.
SO WHAT WE DIDN'T WANNA DO IS BUILD A PARK IN THE EXPECTATION THAT WE'RE GONNA SPEND A BUNCH OF PUBLIC DOLLARS THAT WAS OTHERWISE NOT GOING TO BE FORWARD FACING WITH THE MARINA DEVELOPMENT.
SO THE, THE BONDS WERE NEVER ISSUED.
WE NOW ARE REQUIRED TO TERMINATE IT.
IF WE WERE TO REAUTHORIZE THE TIFF, THE PROBLEM IS, IS THAT THE INITIAL EQUALIZED ASSESSED VALUE UNDER THE TIFF STATUTE IS NO LONGER AT $0.
IT MOVES TO THE CURRENT PURCHASE PRICE, WHICH IS ROUGHLY $21 MILLION OR $25 MILLION, EXCUSE ME, ROUGHLY $25 MILLION.
SO THAT MEANS YOU HAVE TO KIND OF START EVERYTHING OVER FROM SCRATCH.
AND THEN THE THING ABOUT A TIFF IS YOU'RE, YOU'RE BORROWING THE INCREMENTAL REVENUES ASSOCIATED WITH NEW GROWTH THAT HAPPENS ON THE SITE.
AND SO IF THERE IS, IF YOU RESET THE BASELINE TO CAPTURE ALL OF THE EXISTING REVENUES, THERE'S NO NEW INCOME TO GENERATE.
AND SO WHAT WE STARTED KICKING AROUND WAS, HEY, HOW DO WE GET TO THE SAME PLACE THAT WE ORIGINALLY WERE ON THE TIFF? AND SO THIS IS THE AREA EVERYONE'S FAMILIAR WITH IT, OBVIOUSLY THIS IS THE ORIGINAL 320 ACRES THAT WAS PUT INTO THE REDEVELOPMENT PLAN, UH, THAT IS CURRENTLY GENERATING THE INCOME THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AND SO THIS IS WHAT OUR REGULATING PLAN LOOKS LIKE.
THE AREA, JUST SO Y'ALL CAN SEE IT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOR BEING ABLE TO PUT, UM, MONEY INTO THIS AREA, THE SPANISH MOSS TRAIL IS SUPPOSED TO CONTINUE THROUGH.
YOU SEE THE, UM, AND IF I'M, IF Y'ALL EXCUSE ME, I CAN KIND OF WALK UP HERE.
YOU CAN SEE THE TRAIL CONVERSATION AROUND WHETHER THAT PEDESTRIAN PROMENADE AND THE SPANISH MOSS TRAIL OVERLAP ONE ANOTHER OR WHAT THAT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE.
BUT THAT'S BEEN A BIG CONVERSATION WITH COUNCIL FOR A LONG TIME.
AND THEN THE TWO MAIN PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS THAT NEED TO BE DEVELOPED, YOU'LL SEE THE TWO AREAS IN GREEN.
SO YOU'VE GOT THE LONDON AVENUE PARK, WHICH EVERYONE RECOGNIZES IS LARGELY NOT ABLE TO BE DEVELOPED.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S LOWLAND PROPERTY, UH, THAT I THINK EVERYONE INTENDS TO KEEP IN ITS RURAL STATUS, BUT WILL HAVE GREEN SPACE AND CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS SANDS BEACH.
BUT THE MAIN PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT, UH, AREA THAT WE WANNA DEVELOP, AND IT'S PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN, IS THE, IS THE TRIANGULAR PART RIGHT BESIDE THE PV FOUR AREA THAT OVERLOOKS THE MARINA AREA.
SO PV FOUR IS GONNA BE THE, THE WORKING MARINA AREA.
YOU SEE THE, UH, THE DOCKS THAT ARE IN THE WATER.
AND SO THE PLAN IS TO BUILD, TO, TO BUILD A PARK THAT TIES IN ALL OF THIS, THIS, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE WALKING TRAIL TO HAVE A LIVE WORK PLAY AREA THAT ALSO THEN TIES INTO THE EXISTING, UM, UH, PORT ROYAL, UH, TOWN HALL.
SO THAT'S KIND OF THE, THE CURRENT PLAN AND THE REGULATING PLAN.
THIS IS OUR NEW PROPOSED AREA FOR THE MCIP.
AND I WILL SAY THE MAYOR SAID EARLIER, THERE IS AN EXISTING MULTI-COUNTY BUSINESS PARK THAT EXISTS AS OF 2009.
THE CITY AGREED TO THAT, AND THE COUNTY AGREED TO THAT.
AND I WILL ALSO SAY ONE OTHER THING ABOUT MULTI COUNTY BUSINESS PARK.
THE COUNTY CAN CREATE ANY MULTI-COUNTY BUSINESS PARK THAT IT WANTS SUBJECT TO, UM, THE APPROVAL OF AN, UH, A SISTER COUNTY.
IT CANNOT CREATE A MULTI-COUNTY BUSINESS PARK WITHIN THE MUNICIPAL LIMITS OF A CITY WITHOUT ITS CONSENT.
SO OBVIOUSLY THE CITY IN 2009 CONSENTED TO THE CREATION OF THE PARK.
UH, A SCHOOL DISTRICT'S, UH, CONSENT IS NOT REQUIRED.
THAT IS NOT TO SAY WE ARE TRYING TO FORCE THIS THING THROUGH WITHOUT SCHOOL DISTRICT CONSIDERATION.
WE, WE WANT THEM TO BE A PART OF THIS PROCESS.
WE WANT THEM TO HAVE A SAY SO IN HOW THESE REVENUES ARE DISTRIBUTED.
WE WANT THEM TO GIVE US INPUT ON WHAT THESE PROJECTS LOOK LIKE.
BUT WHAT WE REALIZED AND THE REASON THAT WE'RE HERE ULTIMATELY TODAY, THE CONCERN WAS, IS THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR SOMETHING NEW AND NOVEL.
AND THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THE COUNTY HAS DONE A LOT OF FOR, UH, LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
UH, THIS IS A UNIQUE, UH, TOOL TO BE USED, UH, WITH, WITH SOME THOUGHTFUL CONSIDERATION AROUND HOW THE REVENUES WORK.
BUT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS CAPTURE THAT EXISTING REVENUE STREAM TO BE ABLE TO TURN AROUND AND DEPLOY THOSE REVENUES BACK INTO THIS PROJECT AS QUICKLY AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
SO THIS IS WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING AND WHAT WE'VE PULLED TOGETHER IN THE MATERIALS THAT WE'VE CIRCULATED BASICALLY TAKES THE 2009 MULTI-COUNTY BUSINESS PARK AND JUST BRINGS IT CURRENT.
AND SO IT IS CREATING A STANDALONE PARK FOR JUST THAT AREA, SUBJECT TO AN INTERGOVERNMENT AGREEMENT THAT WOULD BE BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND THE CITY THAT WOULD SPECIFICALLY DICTATE THE PROJECTS THAT CAN BE, UH, DONE IN THE AREA, WHICH WOULD BE LIMITED TO ONLY THOSE PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.
SO WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS A $10 MILLION PROJECT LIST.
THE MAIN ONE BEING PUBLIC PARKS, STREET STREET SCAPING, WATERFRONT ACCESS, UH,
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RECOGNIZING THERE MAY BE SOME ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION ON SITE, AND ALSO BUILDING THE SHRIMP DOCK AREA THAT'S SUPPOSED TO TIE INTO TO LOT G.THIS IS WHAT WOULD BE ATTACHED TO THE INTERGOVERNMENT AGREEMENT.
THIS WOULD BE EXPLICITLY WHAT THE MONEY COULD OTHERWISE BE USED FOR.
AND THE PROPOSAL WOULD BE WE WOULD GENERATE, UH, THIS MCIP FOR THE PERIOD OF THE NEXT 20 YEARS.
AND I WILL SAY IF THE TIFF WERE NOT TIFF EXPIRED, IT WAS GONNA, UH, EXPIRE BY ITS NATURAL TERMS IN 2032.
THE CITY HAS NEVER USED ANY OF THOSE TIF PROCEEDS.
IN FACT, WE'VE DISTRIBUTED THAT MONEY BACK TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE COUNTY.
UH, AND TO THE EXTENT THERE WAS ANY MONEY REMAINING IN THAT ACCOUNT, IT ALSO HAS TO BE DISTRIBUTED BACK AS SURPLUS REVENUES, UH, TO THOSE AFFECTED TAXING DISTRICTS.
SO THE, THE CITY HAS NOT USED ANY OF THE TIF MONEY AT ALL AT THIS POINT.
IT'S JUST BEEN DISTRIBUTING THAT MONEY BACK THROUGH TIME.
UH, SO IT'S NOT BEEN ABLE TO UTILIZE ANY OF IT.
SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS BRING FORWARD THESE PROJECTS.
SO WHAT WE THOUGHT WE COULD HAVE DONE FOR THREE OR $4 MILLION IN 2012, NOW WE THINK IT'S GONNA COST US ABOUT 10 MILLION BUCKS, WHICH I DON'T NECESSARILY THINK WOULD TAKE ANYONE BY SURPRISE THAT INFLATION HAS BEEN A REAL PROBLEM.
UM, AND SO OUR PROJECTS HAVE JUST GOTTEN MORE EXPENSIVE.
SO IN ORDER TO DO THAT, HOW DO WE SUPPORT TO GETTING TO 20, $20 MILLION, OR EXCUSE ME, TO $10 MILLION? WE WERE, AND, AND WE'LL COME BACK TO THIS, THIS IS ACTUALLY WHAT OUR SITE PLAN, THE, THE PLAN FOR THE DEVELOPMENT LOOKS LIKE.
THAT IS THE PARK THERE AS NUMBER ONE.
UH, AS WE'VE CURRENTLY HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH SAFE HARBOR ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
AND WE CAN CERTAINLY COME BACK AND Y'ALL OBVIOUSLY CAN HAVE ANY COPY OF THE SLIDE DECK THAT YOU WANT.
HERE IS THE EXISTING REVENUE STREAM.
SO THIS IS BASED ON THE CURRENT ASSESSED VALUE.
AS WE RECOGNIZE PROPERTY TAXES AND FEES FOR THAT MATTER, ARE NOT BASED ON MARKET VALUES.
WE TAKE THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY, WE MULTIPLY IT BY AN ASSESSMENT PERCENTAGE, AND THEN YOU MULTIPLY IT BY THE MILLAGE.
THIS IS THE EXISTING REVENUE STREAM, THE $400,000 WE ALLUDED TO EARLIER, THIS IS THE COLLECTION SINCE INCEPTION AND THAT MONEY HAS ALL BEEN DISTRIBUTED BACK.
I KNOW THIS IS HARD TO READ, BUT THIS IS, THIS IS THE, THIS IS WHERE WE'RE ULTIMATELY GETTING, AND I WILL SAY THE TOWN IS OPEN TO ANY NUMBER OF SOLUTIONS TO BE ABLE TO, TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM.
WHAT WE'RE HOPING FOR IS TO BE ABLE TO MAX OUT OUR PARTICIPATION AT $10 MILLION.
WE BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT THE COST IS GONNA BE.
THE ASSUMPTION WOULD BE WE WOULD BUILD TO A MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF $10 MILLION, OR EXCUSE ME, A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR.
THE ASSUMPTION IS, IS THAT SAFE HARBOR STILL HAS SOME SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT THAT IT NEEDS TO PUT INTO THE SITE.
WE DON'T EXACTLY KNOW WHAT THEIR TIMING IS, AND WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY TRYING TO TIE THIS AROUND THEIR TIME DEVELOPMENT, BUT WE'RE ASSUMING THAT THEY'RE GONNA PUT, YOU KNOW, 20, 30, $40 MILLION BACK INTO THIS SITE OVER THE NEXT FIVE TO 10 YEARS.
INCREMENTALLY, YOU'LL SEE THAT START TO ATTRACT ADDITIONAL REVENUE.
THEY ALSO INTEND TO DEVELOP THE UPLAND AREA, UH, THROUGH A SEPARATE DEVELOPMENT ARRANGEMENT.
BUT ANY RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY WOULD BE EXEMPT FROM THIS CONSIDERATION.
'CAUSE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY CANNOT WORK IN A MULTI-COUNTY BUSINESS PARK.
SO THAT PROPERTY WOULD BE EXEMPT.
SO THE ASSUMPTION WOULD BE YOU WOULD SLOWLY STEP UP TO A MILLION DOLLARS.
THE TOWN WOULD BE ASKING FOR THE FIRST MILLION DOLLARS.
NOW, UNDER THE MCIP STATUTE, YOU'VE GOTTA HAVE SOME DISTRIBUTION TO YOUR SISTER COUNTY AND TO THE OTHER AFFECTED TAXING DISTRICTS.
SO WE WOULD PROPOSE 1% TO JASPER COUNTY, 1% TO THE OTHER AFFECTED TAXING DISTRICTS UP TO THE FIRST MILLION DOLLARS.
AND THEN ONCE THAT MILLION DOLLARS IS HIT, EVERYTHING ELSE WOULD DISTRIBUTE PRO RATA.
THAT MILLION DOLLARS NUMBER IS US TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE QUICKEST WAY TO FUND THESE PROJECTS.
IF THAT NUMBER WAS NO, LET'S DO 900,000, OR LET'S DO 800,000.
I THINK THE TOWN IS OPEN TO HAVING ANY CONVERSATION.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE DON'T GET TO CONTROL THIS PROCESS, THE COUNTY DOES, UH, BUT WE WANT TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION AROUND HOW WE CAN BEST FUND THESE PROJECTS IN THE MOST EFFICIENT MANNER, UH, NECESSARY.
IF EVERYTHING BUILDS OUT THE WAY THAT THIS PROFORMA LOOKS, THIS ASSUMES THAT THESE DEVELOPMENTS ARE GONNA COME THROUGH TIME.
THE MONEY WOULD CAP OUT AT $10 MILLION IN YEAR 12.
THE MCIP WOULD COLLAPSE AND EVERYTHING WOULD, WOULD GO BACK TO THE NORMAL PRO RATA DISTRIBUTION.
IF IT DOESN'T WORK OUT LIKE THAT, THE LONGEST TERM THIS THING COULD OTHERWISE GO WOULD BE 20 YEARS.
AND THE MOST MONEY THE TOWN COULD GENERATE OUT OF IT WOULD BE $10 MILLION THROUGH A COMBINATION OF DEBT FUNDING AND PAY AS YOU GO CASH.
WE THINK THAT'S A FAIR APPROACH.
BUT WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THE TOWN IS LEVERAGING UP A PORTION OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S REVENUES AND A PORTION OF THE, THE, EXCUSE ME, A PORTION OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S REVENUES AND A PORTION OF THE COUNTY'S REVENUES.
WE ONLY REPRESENT ABOUT 25% OF THE TAX BASE ON THIS AREA.
NONE OF THAT HAS CHANGED SINCE WE CAME AND ORIGINALLY MADE THIS SAME REQUEST TO THE COUNTY AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT BACK IN 2012.
THE PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS ARE STILL THERE.
THIS IS A, A UNIQUE AND NOVEL WAY TO FUND IT, BUT IT'S EFFECTIVELY THE EXACT SAME REVENUE STREAM THAT WE ARE ORIGINALLY PROPOSING.
WITH THE ORIGINAL TIF, WE WERE GONNA HAVE TO COME AND MAKE THE REQUEST FOR A TIF EXTENSION, EVEN IF WE DIDN'T LOSE THAT ORIGINAL BASELINE.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE HOPING IS, IS THAT NO ONE IS HURT BY THIS.
THIS IS, NO ONE IS SEEING ANY REVENUES FROM IT RIGHT NOW.
NO ONE IS OTHERWISE USING THESE REVENUES, UH, TO BE ABLE TO FUND PROJECT INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND IF WE COULD CAPTURE THAT MONEY AND THEN DISTRIBUTE IT BACK OUT, BUILD THESE PUBLIC PROJECTS, WE THINK IT GOES A LONG WAY TOWARDS DO BEING A, A REALLY, REALLY GAME CHANGING REDEVELOPMENT FOR THE TOWN
[00:25:01]
OF PORT ROYAL.AND SO I KNOW THAT'S A TON OF INFORMATION TO KIND OF THROW AT YOU AT ONE FAIL SWOOP.
YOU KNOW, THE HOPE WAS TODAY WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR ANY IMMEDIATE ACTION.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT Y'ALL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SYNTHESIZE THIS INFORMATION, TO UNDERSTAND IT, TO LOOK AT OUR PRO FORMA, TO TAKE IT BACK TO YOUR FINANCE PEOPLE, TO TAKE IT BACK TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S FINANCE PEOPLE, BUT THE WAY THE PROCESS WOULD WORK.
NEXT STEPS, ASSUMING THIS REFERS BACK UP THROUGH Y'ALL'S REGULAR PROCESS, UM, WE WOULD WANNA MAKE SURE WE GET, UH, A CONSIDERATION WITH, WITH, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UH, WE WOULD WORK WITH SAFE HARBOR TO HOPEFULLY TIGHTEN UP SOME OF THE TIMING ON THE PROJECTS.
WE HAD A LITTLE BETTER SENSE OF THE WAY SOME OF THIS TIMING IS GONNA WORK.
AND THEN THERE WOULD BE AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL, AN ORDINANCE OF BEAUFORT COUNTY, AN ORDINANCE OF JASPER COUNTY TO CREATE THE NEW PARK.
AND THEN WE WOULD AUTHORIZE A NEW MASTER AGREEMENT FOR THESE PARTICULAR PROPERTIES.
AND THEN SEPARATELY, THE CITY AND THE COUNTY WOULD ENTER INTO AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT THAT SPECIFICALLY LIMITS THE PROJECT TO THOSE SPECIFICALLY IDENTIFIED AS I SHOWED A LITTLE BIT EARLIER AT THE $10 MILLION NUMBER WITH THOSE AUTHORIZATIONS.
AND THEN THE HOPE WOULD BE BASED ON THAT THE TOWN WOULD HAVE A DEF IDENTIFIED SOURCE OF REVENUES THAT IT COULD THEN USE TO DEBT FINANCE, LIKELY THROUGH AN INSTALLMENT PURCHASE REVENUE BOND, OR POTENTIALLY THROUGH SPECIAL REVENUE BONDS, UH, TO BE ABLE TO FUND THESE, THESE PROJECTS ON SITE.
SO AGAIN, I KNOW THIS IS A LOT OF INFORMATION TO THROW AT YOU AT ONE FAILED SWOOP, UH, WILL CERTAINLY ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE COMMITTEE MAY HAVE.
AND FIRST OF ALL, MR. FELIN, WHAT, WHAT'S THE TIMING ON THIS FOR Y'ALL? WHAT IS THERE? IS THERE A SO WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR 20 YEARS.
WE WILL, WE WILL WAIT AS LONG AS IT OTHERWISE TAKES TO, UH, TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE POLITICAL WINDS SHIFT IN THE DIRECTION THAT EVERYONE IS, IS DOING IT.
OBVIOUSLY, WE WOULD LOVE FOR IT TO HAVE BEEN DONE YESTERDAY.
UM, IT'S GETTING MORE AND MORE EXPENSIVE BY THE DAY.
UM, THE HOPE WOULD BE TO, TO GET THIS DONE BY THE FALL, UH, WAS, WAS WHAT THE HOPE IS.
BUT WE RECOGNIZE EVERYONE'S IN BUDGET RIGHT NOW.
THERE'S A LOT OF CONSIDERATIONS AROUND GROWTH THAT'S GOING ON.
UM, SO WE WILL TAKE OUR DIRECTION FROM Y'ALL AS TO WHAT THE TIMING NEEDS TO BE.
SO YOU, YOU'VE ANSWERED MY FIRST QUESTION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, YOUR PROJECTED TIMELINE.
UH, QUESTION NUMBER TWO IS THE, THE MAP THAT SHOWED THE MCIP, IS THAT THE SAME AS IT WAS IN THE ORIGINAL MCIP, UH,
THE PROBLEM IS THE PROPERTY WAS, UH, WHEN IT WAS ORIGINALLY SOLD, WAS UNDER A, BASICALLY A SINGLE TAX MAP NUMBER.
AND SO THERE'S BEEN A BUNCH OF SUBDIVISIONS AFTER THE FACT.
AND SO WE HAVEN'T GONE BACK THROUGH AND SPECIFICALLY TRACED ALL OF THEM.
YOU, YOU CAN SEE, UH, THIS, THIS IS THE MAP THAT IS THE, THE, UH, 30 SOME ODD TAX MAP PARCELS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THE DRAFT, UH, FEE AGREEMENT OR, UH, PARK AGREEMENT THAT HAS BEEN PROPOSED.
THIS IS THE ORIGINAL, UH, PLAN THAT WAS ATTACHED AS TO THE REDEVELOPMENT PLAN.
SO THIS IS FROM THE TIFF 320 ACRES.
I DON'T KNOW THE ACTUAL ACREAGE OFF THE TOP OF THIS, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY GET THAT INFORMATION BACK TO YOU.
THE NEXT QUESTION IN YOUR CONSIDERATION HERE, UH, THE PROPORTIONATE MILLAGE THAT IS BEING PROPOSED, IS THAT SIMILAR TO WHAT IT WAS IN THE ORIGINAL MCIP? UM, IT WAS, SO THE, THE ORIGINAL AUTHORIZATION, THERE HAS BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF INCREMENTAL, UH, PROPERTY TAX GROWTH, UM, WHERE YOU ACTUALLY SEE THE NUMBERS.
UM, AND WE CAN, WE CAN PROVIDE THOSE TO YOU AS WELL.
I ONLY AM SHOWING THE 2025, UH, BUT WHEN IT WAS ORIGINALLY DONE, THE NUMBERS WERE A LITTLE CLOSER TO, UM, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT REPRESENTED ABOUT 50%.
UH, AT THE TIME THE ORIGINAL MCIP WAS PUT IN PLACE AND THE ORIGINAL TIF WAS BEEN PUT IN PLACE.
AND THE, BOTH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY WERE BOTH ABOUT 25.
THE COUNTY'S MILLAGE HAS ACTUALLY DROPPED, THE CITIES HAS STAYED ABOUT THE SAME, AND THE, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS PICKED UP THAT DELTA.
SO IT, IT WAS, IT WAS PREVIOUSLY ABOUT A 50 25, 25 SPLIT AND NOW IT'S A 55, UM, 25, UH, 20 SPLIT.
ALRIGHT, TAB AND THEN ALICE, SO I'M STILL TRYING TO WRAP MY HEAD AROUND WHY JASPER COUNTY HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT CONTIGUOUS.
I KNOW MR. HALBERT EXPLAINED IT.
COULD YOU SAY IT ONE MORE TIME? SURE.
THAT IS JUST THE WAY THE STATUTE WORKS.
THE, THE STATUTE REQUIRES THAT IT IS A MULTI-COUNTY BUSINESS PARK.
SO YOU HAVE TO HAVE A SISTER COUNTY THAT SIGNS ON TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PARK ARRANGEMENT WITH YOU.
AND WHAT'S THE IMPACT TO JASPER? UH, THEY, THEY RECEIVE 1% OF THE REVENUES THAT ARE GENERATED FROM WITHIN THE AREA AS BASICALLY A PARTICIPATION CREDIT FOR THEM AGREEING TO PARTICIPATE.
AND SO MY NEXT QUESTION IS WHY, WHAT WOULD STOP BLUFFTON HILTON HEAD IN BUFORD CITY FROM DOING THIS AS WELL? UH, THEY DON'T HAVE THE INDEPENDENT AUTHORITY TO DO DO IT.
IT HAS TO COME THROUGH COUNTY COUNCIL.
THEY, THEY ABSOLUTELY COULD ASK FOR IT AS WELL.
SO MY QUESTION IS, ARE WE SETTING A PRECEDENT AND I'LL LEAVE THAT THERE.
AND MY THIRD ITEM IS I'M WAITING TO HEAR WHAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS SAY SINCE THEY WILL TAKE A HIT.
[00:30:01]
YOU GO BACK TO THE MAP, UM, JUST TO ORIENT THE PORT PUBLIC WHERE CITY HALL IS? YES MA'AM.YOU WANT THIS, WHICH, WHICH, WHICH, WHAT MAP DO YOU WANT ONE? LET GO TO THAT ONE.
UM, VAN DO YOU WANNA SHOW 'EM? SO I DON'T, I DON'T WANNA, I DON'T WANNA MESS IT UP.
SO BASICALLY WHERE YOU SEE PV THREE RIGHT ADJACENT AND WHAT'S EXISTING AS FAR AS THE MARINA NOW, JUST FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW, I MEAN, I KNOW I GO DOWN THERE ALL THE TIME.
THERE, THE DRY STACK EXISTS MM-HMM
AND TWO OF THE FINGERS NEAR THE BOTTOM WHERE THEY, AND THE REST WOULD BE DONE BY SAFE HARBOR.
AND THEN FURTHER NORTH IS THE DOCK PART OF, YOU SEE THE MV AND PART OF THESE FUNDS WOULD BE USED FOR THAT.
UM, AND WE, THIS WASN'T IN OUR PACKET, UM, READ AHEAD, BUT THAT, THAT'S OKAY.
'CAUSE WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT IT.
BUT IN THE FUTURE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT IT AGAIN, WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THAT.
I'M LOOKING TO SARAH 'CAUSE SHE'S THE ONE THAT GETS IT FROM Y'ALL
SO IT WASN'T IN, I DIDN'T SEE IT ONLINE.
YEAH, WE HAD IT AHEAD OF TIME.
YEAH, IT WASN'T ONLINE IN THE AGENDA UP DOWNLOADED MINE OFF ON, I'M LOOKING AT IT OUTTA LETTER.
BUT ONLINE, ON THE COUNTY SITE IT WASN'T, I I DID TOO.
WHAT I PULLED UP DIDN'T HAVE IT.
ONE OTHER THING I WOULD ALSO ADD.
THE, THE, THE TOWN DOES HAVE SOME RESIDUAL INSURANCE PROCEEDS, UH, FROM Y'ALL MAY REMEMBER THE ORIGINAL SHRIMPING FACILITY THAT BURNED DOWN.
WE'RE STILL SITTING ON THOSE INSURANCE PROCEEDS.
AND WE'VE ALSO RECEIVED AN APPROPRIATION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, UH, TO BE ABLE TO REBUILD SOME OF THOSE DOCK FACILITIES.
UM, THERE ARE OTHER EXAMPLES, AND YOU MAY NOT KNOW OF, I MEAN, BUT WE HAVE DONE MULTI-COUNTY AGREEMENTS ON OTHER SITES.
I CAN'T NAME 'EM OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
SOMEBODY ELSE ON COUNCIL MAY REMEMBER.
UM, BUT WE'VE DONE OTHERS WITH JASPER.
BUT T THE RECENTLY ONE IS THE TS TSL.
AND I THINK WHEN WE, WHEN THEY DID THE SOLAR FARM OUT IN GERALD'S DISTRICT YEAH.
THAT WAS ONE WITH JASPER COUNTY.
AND, AND I WILL SAY, SO THIS IS, THIS IS A BIT OF A, A, A NOVEL WAY OF USING THE MULTI-COUNTY BUSINESS PARK STATUTE.
HISTORICALLY, IT HAS BEEN USED AS A WAY TO INCENTIVIZE INDUSTRIAL AND TO A LESSER DEGREE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
AND MOSTLY WHAT YOU SEE IS USING THIS PROPERTY AS A WAY TO BAIT THE PROPERTY TAXES, UH, OF THE INDUSTRY THAT IS LOCATING IN THE LOCATION.
UM, THAT IS NOT WHAT THIS IS BEING PROPOSED FOR.
AND, AND FRANKLY, WE'VE, WE'VE USED THIS OPTION IN A VARIETY OF OTHER AREAS.
'CAUSE FRANKLY, THE FLEXIBILITY OF USING A MULTI-COUNTY BUSINESS PARK IS A LOT, THERE'S A LOT MORE FLEXIBILITY THAN THERE IS IN THE TIF STATUTE.
THE REASON BEING IS THAT UNDER THE MULTI-COUNTY BUSINESS PARK AUTHORIZATION, YOU DON'T HAVE THE SAME LIMITATION THAT YOU DO IN THE TIF STATUTE.
THAT EVERYTHING HAS TO BE PUBLICLY OWNED.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU WERE BUILDING, UM, ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE OR, OR, AND, AND WHAT WE'VE RUN INTO A LOT OF TIMES IS WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO UNDERGROUND, UH, ELECTRIC, UH, ELECTRIC LINES AND DOMINION OR, UM, OR, OR DUKE IS THE ELECTRIC PROVIDER.
THEY'RE NOT A PRIVATE ENTERPRISE, THEY'RE NOT A PUBLIC ENTERPRISE.
SO YOU CAN'T DO THAT BECAUSE YOU CAN'T SPEND THAT MONEY ON A, BECAUSE IT'S NOT A PUBLIC PROJECT.
SO HERE YOU WOULD HAVE MORE OF THAT FLEXIBILITY.
AGAIN, ALL OF THESE THINGS WE'RE PROPOSING ARE ALL DIRECTLY PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, BUT THAT IS A UNIQUE CONSIDERATION THAT I HAVE SOME OTHER CLIENTS IN OTHER AREAS OF THE STATE THAT HAVE USED THIS VEHICLE, UH, AS A MEANS OF, OF EFFECTIVELY, AND I DON'T WANNA USE THE TERM, BUT, BUT IT'S EFFECTIVELY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS AS A SYNTHETIC TIFF, IT'S IT'S USING THE SAME TIFF RELATED STRUCTURE TO FUND PROJECTS THAT YOU WOULD OTHERWISE NOW HAVE LOST THAT, THAT BASELINE ASSESSMENT.
AND I COULD, I COULD PUT THAT, 'CAUSE THAT, THAT THE PRECEDENT SET, IF IT IS A MULTI-COUNTY INDUSTRIAL PARK, AND THAT'S BEING PURSUED OUT OF NECESSITY BECAUSE AS YOU HEARD, THE TIFF THAT EVERYONE AGREED ON, UNFORTUNATELY BY STATUTE IS NO LONGER THERE.
SO EVERYBODY WAS IN AGREEMENT ON A TIFF, BUT IT'S NO LONGER IN THE CARDS.
BUT THIS IS TREATING AND DOING THE EXACT SAME THING AS THAT TIFF.
AND THEN I BELIEVE, AND, AND SPEAKING OF THE, THE PRECEDENT AMOUNT, I BELIEVE THERE ARE TIFF DISTRICTS ALL OVER BEAUFORT COUNTY.
UM, THE ONLY ONE IN PORT ROYAL IS THIS ONE THAT IS NOW DEFUNCT.
SO THIS WOULD BE OUR ONLY ONE.
SO IF, IF THAT SETS ANY PRECEDENT, I, I DON'T HAVE THE LIST IN FRONT OF ME, BUT I'M, I'M PRETTY SURE THERE ARE ARE OTHER ONES AROUND THE COUNTY.
'CAUSE TIFS ARE USED AND THIS ESSENTIALLY IS A SYNTHETIC TIF.
IT'S BEING, IT'S BEING CALLED THAT BECAUSE IT HAS TO BE.
BUT AGAIN, UM, AND THIS WOULD BE OUR, THIS WOULD BE OUR ONLY ONE.
SO MAKE THAT UP AS SYNTHETIC TIFF.
THIS IS WHAT THE CREATIVE BOND LAWYERS DID.
[00:35:01]
GERALD, ANYTHING ONLINE? GOOD.ALRIGHT, LET'S GO BACK AROUND THEN.
AND, AND JOE AND THEN, UM, THE, THE TIMELINE, THE ORIGINAL M-C-I-E-P WAS CREATED IN 2009 AND THEN A TIFF WAS DONE.
IN 2012, IS IT CONCEIVABLE THAT WE COULD DO ANOTHER MCIP AND LATER ON CONVERTED TO A TIFF? NO, I DON'T THINK IT WORKS NOW.
AND THE REASON BEING IS THAT YOU HAVE, UM, ASSESSED VALUE THAT IS ALREADY SET IN PLACE.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS, IS BASICALLY REESTABLISH THE BAR SO THAT THE REVENUES THAT EXISTED IN 2012 COULD CONTINUE TO COME TO THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL.
IF YOU CREATED A NEW TIFF, YOU'RE STARTING IT FROM SCRATCH.
SO ALL OF THAT UNDERLYING TAX REVENUE, THE $400,000 THAT EXISTS TODAY WOULD BE DISTRIBUTED 55, 25 20 AMONG THE EXISTING TAXING DISTRICT.
AND THEN ONLY ABOVE THE $400,000 WOULD THE TOWN BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE.
THAT'S THE REASON WE'RE TRYING TO RESET IT.
IT'S BASICALLY JUST TRYING TO MOVE THE BAR BACK TO ZERO.
AND ALICE, BY THE WAY, IT IT IS IN OUR AGENDA PACKET.
YEAH, I I FOUND THAT I, TO APOLOGIZE, WHICH HARD FINE, BUT IT'S THERE.
NO, I, EVERYTHING DOWNLOADED FINE FOR PUBLIC FACILITIES, BUT I WANTED TO APOLOGIZE TO THE CHAIR AND TO, AND TO YOU IT'S THERE.
IT'S MY MISTAKE THAT MR. GLOVER, THAT'S THE ONLY MISTAKE I MAKE TODAY.
IS IT JUST KIDDING? I'VE MADE A LOT WITH THE REST OF US.
MR. GLOVER, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING ALL HUMAN? SURE.
UM, LET, LET ME PUT MY HEAD AROUND THIS AS WELL.
UM, AND IT'S GONNA TAKE A WHILE FOR ME TO DO THAT.
WE'VE APPROVED, UM, UM, TIFF IN THE PAST.
UM, AND THE BENEFIT FOR OF THAT IS THE COMMERCIAL OPERATION GETTING A SORT OF A LOWER TAX BREAK.
UM, BUT THE ONES THAT, UM, WE I'VE APPROVED OR VOTED FOR, UM, THE, THE PERCENTAGE WAS ACTUALLY 6% OF THE ASSESSED VALUE IS THAT EQUIVALENT IN THIS PROPOSAL HERE.
SO A COUPLE THINGS TO UNPACK THERE.
UM, SO WITH, WITH A TIFF, THE UNDERLYING STATUS OF THE PROPERTY, AND SO YOU, YOU GOTTA REMEMBER IN SACRAMENTO WE DO KIND OF A WEIRD THING WITH THE WAY OUR PROPERTY TAXES ARE, ARE STRUCTURED.
SO YOU DON'T ACTUALLY PAY PROPERTY TAXES ON THE BASIS OF THE VALUE OF YOUR PROPERTY.
YOU PAY IT BASED ON THE USAGE OF YOUR PROPERTY, RIGHT? SO IF, IF YOU BUY A HOUSE AND YOU LIVE IN IT, IT'S YOUR PRIMARY RESIDENCE, YOU PAY A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR IT.
BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT OUR ASSESSMENT RATIOS WORK, THAT PROPERTY GETS ASSESSED AT 4%.
SO FOR TAX PURPOSES, THAT PROPERTY IS WORTH $4,000.
IF I COME IN AND I, AND I LIVE IN COLUMBIA AND I BUY THE HOUSE BESIDE YOU, AND IT'S NOT MY PRIMARY RESIDENCE, IT'S TREATED AS A COMMERCIAL ASSESSMENT.
AND THOSE HOUSES COULD BE IDENTICAL FOR EVERY SINGLE PURPOSE EXCEPT THAT IT'S YOUR PRIMARY RESIDENCE AND IT'S MY SECOND HOME.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, I GET ASSESSED AT 6%, WHICH MEANS THAT THAT SAME PROPERTY IS WORTH $6,000 FOR TAX PURPOSES.
AND THEN IF MR. PASSMAN BUYS THE HOUSE BESIDE US AND HE DECIDES HE WANTS TO PUT A WIDGET MANUFACTURING SHOP IN THERE AND HE PAYS A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR IT, AND IT IS IDENTICAL FOR ALL THE OTHER PURPOSES, EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT HIS USAGE CHANGE AND HE'S GONNA BUILD AN INDUSTRIAL WIDGET MAKING SHOP, HE GETS ASSESSED AT 10.5%, WHICH MEANS THAT THE TAX VALUE OF HIS PROPERTY IS $10,500.
SO JUST BY VIRTUE OF THE USAGE OF HIS PROPERTY, IT CHANGES THE AMOUNT OF TAXES THAT YOU PAY EFFECTIVELY BY A FACTOR OF THREE.
SO WHEN YOU APPLY MILLAGE, AND MILLAGE IN FRENCH MEANS 1000.
AND SO I DON'T KNOW HOW WE GOT TO THAT UNDER OUR CONSTITUTIONAL, BUT THAT THAT'S THE WAY IT WORKS.
MILLAGE, WHEN YOU APPLY ONE MILL AGAINST YOUR PROPERTY, YOU TAKE ONE 1000TH OF THE ASSESSED VALUE.
SO ONE MILL LEVI IT AGAINST YOUR PROPERTY WOULD BE $4.
ONE MILL AGAINST MY PROPERTY WOULD BE $6 AND ONE MIL AGAINST MR. PASSMAN PROPERTY WILL BE $10 AND 50 CENTS.
NONE OF THAT CHANGES IF YOU PUT THIS PROPERTY INTO A PARK.
IF YOU, YOU, IF, IF YOU WERE A TAXPAYER IN THE TIF, UH, YOU PAY YOUR PROPERTY TAXES AND YOU HAVE NO, I YOU WOULD HAVE NO IDEA THAT IT'S OTHERWISE THERE.
ALL OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF THOSE REVENUES IS DONE THROUGH YOUR AUDITOR AND YOUR TREASURER'S OFFICE WHO MANIPULATE AND DISTRIBUTE THOSE FUNDS BASED ON THE DOCUMENTATION THAT'S BEEN PUT IN PLACE.
THE SAME EFFECTIVE APPROACH ALSO APPLIES WHEN YOU HAVE A MULTI-COUNTY BUSINESS PARK.
THE ONLY CHANGE IS GONNA BE IS THAT WHEN YOU WAIVE THAT MAGIC WAND OVER THE TOP OF THAT PROPERTY, YOU CAN DO SOME THINGS THAT STATUTORILY YOU CAN'T DO WITH RESPECT TO TAXES.
SO THAT MEANS YOU CAN NEGOTIATE A FIXED PERCENTAGE OF THE MILLAGE, YOU CAN FREEZE VALUES FOR CERTAIN AMOUNTS OF TIME, YOU CAN GRANT TAX ABATEMENTS THROUGH SPECIAL SOURCE REVENUE CREDITS.
AND SO IT BECOMES A REALLY IMPORTANT VEHICLE WHEN COUNTIES ARE IN THE BUSINESS OF TRYING TO DEVELOP ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OR DO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND PROMOTE THE GROWTH OF INDUSTRY IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU'RE STILL PAYING A FEE AS IN THE FORM OF TAX.
AND IT DOES, THEY DON'T FEEL THE DIFFERENCE.
[00:40:01]
THEY'RE STILL WRITING A TA A CHECK TO THE COUNTY TREASURER'S OFFICE WHO IS COLLECTING IT.IT ONLY IS ONCE IT COMES INTO THE COUNTY TREASURER'S COFFERS THAT THE, THE CHANGE HAPPENS AND THE DISTRIBUTION METHODOLOGY GETS AFFECTED.
SO YOU'RE CREATING A, A A A VEHICLE BY ORDINANCE THAT CAPTURES THOSE REVENUES AND THEN GIVES YOUR DIRECTION TO YOUR COUNTY TREASURER TO DISTRIBUTE THOSE FUNDS AS YOU HAVE APPROVED BY ORDINANCE.
I APPRECIATE YOU EXPLAINING ALL THAT TO ME.
UM, BECAUSE, UM, WHAT I, MY QUESTION WAS IF WE WENT THIS ROUTE HERE, UM, WOULD THE THE LEASE AMOUNT BE EQUIVALENT TO 6% ASSESS AND, AND THAT'S WHERE I STAND AT THIS TIME.
I UNDERSTAND COMMERCIAL 10.5%.
UM, BUT IF WE WENT THIS ROUTE HERE, AT LEAST WE'LL GET 6% ASSESSED VALUE.
AND ON TOP OF THAT, I AGREE WITH MS. TABER THAT, UM, I LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT BECAUSE THEY WOULD PROBABLY BE THE ONE THAT WOULD LOSE THE MOST, OR WE WANNA MAKE SURE THEY GAIN THE MOST, UM, BECAUSE OF THE, WHETHER IT'S FEE OR TAXES, THE MONEY IS THE SAME.
AND, AND I WILL SAY THE ONE DISTINCTION, UM, ABOUT A TIFF VERSUS A MULTI-COUNTY BUSINESS PARK IS BECAUSE A MULTI-COUNTY BUSINESS PARK CAN ONLY BE APPLIED TO COMMERCIAL OR INDUSTRIAL PROPERTIES.
IT CANNOT APPLY FOR IN, UH, FOR, UH, RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES.
AND THERE'S A CASE OUTTA COLUMBIA, UH, FROM A COUPLE YEARS AGO THAT IS BEYOND THE SCOPE OF TODAY'S CONVERSATION, BUT JUST BASICALLY DETERMINES THAT COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES OTHERWISE APPLY.
THE REASON THAT'S IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE THE UPLAND PORTION OF THIS DEVELOPMENT IS INTENDED TO BE DEVELOPED INTO SOME FORM OF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY.
SO THAT PROPERTY WOULD NOT OTHERWISE BE AFFECTED BY THE, THE, UM, MULTI-COUNTY BUSINESS PARK THAT'S BEING PROPOSED.
THAT MONEY WOULD STILL BE TREATED AS AOR TAX PAYING PROPERTY AND WOULD BE DISTRIBUTED, UM, YOU KNOW, PRO RATA BASED ON EVERYONE'S PROPORTIONATE MILLAGE.
THAT HAS A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT BEARING ON THE SCHOOL DISTRICT BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT STATE LAW WORKS.
ABOUT 4% PROPERTY FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS, BUT FOR THE TOWN AND THE COUNTY, THAT MONEY WOULD BE JUST COLLECTED AS, AS ANY OTHER COLLECTIONS WOULD OTHERWISE BE.
UM, AND, UH, JUST ASKING RIGHT NOW IS SOMETHING THAT, THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS IMMEDIATELY.
AS, AS, UM, AND AGAIN, THIS WAS ALL NEW TO US.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE HEARD THIS CONVERSATION.
SO, UH, WHEN IT WAS ASKED TO BE PUT ON OUR AGENDA, IT WAS AGAIN, SOMETHING NEW FOR US HERE.
SO WE NEED TO GET, WOULD YOU INTRODUCE WHO'S HERE FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SO EVERYBODY KNOWS? YES.
UH, MY COLLEAGUES, UH, SUPERINTENDENT RODRIGUEZ, OUR CFO, MME. CROSBY BOARD MEMBER AND FORMER CHAIR COLONEL GEIER.
UH, DR. COX AND THEN I'LL GO THERE.
WELL, MR. SMITH, UH, VICE, UH, DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT.
PHILLIPS MS. PHILLIPS AND THEN MS. ABAR.
MR. ASK ME FOR NOT GIVING HIS NAME RIGHT.
AND THEN YOUR NAME AS WELL, SIR.
AND UH, SO THAT'S OUR CONTINGENT WHO'S BACK AT THE BUILDING.
SO I AM NOT A TECHNICAL PERSON IN TERMS OF THE MCPS, ALTHOUGH I HAVE DEALT WITH THEM.
I'M NOT A TECHNICAL PERSON IN TERMS OF THE TIFF.
ALSO I'VE EXPERIENCED THOSE AS WELL.
WHAT I AM IS A BUSINESS PERSON FROM THE PETROLEUM BUSINESS, WHICH IS A PARTICULARLY NUMERICAL AND EMPIRICAL INDUSTRY.
IT IS BASED ON DO YOU PRODUCE.
NOW IN THIS PRESENTATION THAT JUST OCCURRED, I COUNTED 45, HOPEFULLY THINK ABOUT THAT.
HOPEFULLY WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SPENDING $10 MILLION, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WOULD END UP HAVING TO CONTRIBUTE 55% OF THAT $10 MILLION.
SO IT BECOMES WHERE IS THE INVESTMENT COMING FROM? MCIP, JASPER COUNTY GETS 1% THAT IS JUST THEIR REMUNERATION FOR PARTICIPATING.
THE LAWS REQUIRE THAT IT HAS TO BE TWO COUNTIES AND ONE CAN GET AS LOW AS 1%.
SO THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH JASPER COUNTY.
I'VE NOT HEARD FROM ANYONE FROM JASPER COUNTY.
BY LAW IT REQUIRES TWO COUNTIES TO PROMULGATE THIS AND MOVE IT FORWARD WHERE THE OTHER COUNTY IF THEY ARE SO INVOLVED.
SO THIS IS AN EFFORT TO ACTUALLY LEVERAGE FUNDING FROM ENTITIES THAT REALLY NORMALLY WOULD NOT
[00:45:01]
HAVE A, A FIGHTER IN THIS FIGHT, SORRY TO USE IT, THAT TYPE OF, UH, TERMINOLOGY.BUT THE THING IS THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WE'RE SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY AND EFFORTS TO GIVE YOU THE BEST SCHOOLS IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
OUR, OUR LEADERS THAT YOU SITTING BEHIND ME, ARE WORKING TO BRING IN SOME OF THE BEST PROGRAMS THAT ARE GOING TO HELP OUR STUDENTS IMPROVE THEIR MARKETABILITY AND THEIR VALUE IN THE BUSINESS WORLD.
THAT'S WHY WE ARE VERY MUCH COVETING OUR FUNDING BECAUSE OUR ORGANIZATION IN THE LAST SEVEN TO EIGHT YEARS HAS WON AWARDS FOR FISCAL DISCIPLINE, FOR THE ABILITY FOR THE VOTERS AND TAXPAYERS TO RELY ON WHAT WE SAY IS INCURRING IN OUR FINANCIALS.
OUR PEOPLE HAVE WON AWARDS FOR THAT.
SO WHAT YOU'RE HEARING IN TERMS OF RESISTANCE FROM US IS WE JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO BUILD THE BEST SCHOOLS, HAVE THE BEST PROGRAMS TO ACTUALLY HELP BEAUFORT COUNTY AND OTHERS THE LOW COUNTRY ACTUALLY CONTINUE TO BE A DRAW FOR THIS AREA.
I'LL GIVE YOU ONE TIDBIT OF INFORMATION BEFORE I SHARE SOME OTHER DETAIL POINTS WITH YOU.
A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, THE US DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AWARDED MY WIFE AND MYSELF OWNERSHIP OF THE PHRASE THE SILICON GARDEN.
THAT IS BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE STATISTICS, THIS AREA IS GROWING SO PRODIGIOUSLY, SO IT'S GOING TO BE YES, A VERY VIBRANT AREA.
EVEN MORE SO, THE PARTNER THAT MY FRIEND MENTIONED IS SAFE HARBOR.
SAFE HARBOR IS A $6 BILLION CORPORATION.
WHAT YOU SAW AND CAN ANYBODY PULL UP SLIDE SEVEN.
OKAY, SO WHEN YOU SEE IF I COULD POINT TO IT, SORRY.
THAT'S THE ONLY AREA STRETCHING UP TO THE RV.
WHY IS THAT? THEY ALREADY OWN MAJOR PORTIONS OF THAT WHOLE COLORED AREA THERE.
SO AS AN INVESTMENT, IF IT'S SO LUCRATIVE FOR ME WHEN I WAS WORKING, I WOULD JUMP ON THIS, I'LL SIGN IT THAT DAY.
THIS IS WHERE AN OPPORTUNITY EXISTS BY LAW SCHOOL DISTRICT.
WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT, BUT THE ONLY WAY WE CAN SORT OF REFUTE IT IS POLITICALLY THAT'S NOT WHAT WE WANT.
BUT LEGALLY, THE STATUTES, WHICH I STUDIED VERY CLEARLY SAY THE LIKELIHOOD OF WINNING A LEGAL BATTLE AGAINST A-M-C-I-P IS VERY MARGINAL.
SO WE'RE NOT GOING THAT ROUTE, THAT'S NOT OUR INTENTION.
BUT WE DO WANT YOU TO KNOW WHAT OUR THOUGHTS ARE.
SOMETHING ELSE IS THAT, UM, IN MY CONVERSATIONS WITH HOW DO YOU OPTIMIZE THAT PARTICULAR AREA, WHEN I LOOKED AT THE FINANCIALS OR HEARD THE FINANCIALS, I'M NOT SEEING A LOT OF THE FINANCIALS.
BUT WHEN I HEARD THE PROJECTIONS IS WHAT I HEAR IS WE NEED TO GET MORE REVENUE AND THERE ARE WAYS TO GET MORE REVENUE BY CHARGING A MEMBERSHIP, A PREMIER MEMBERSHIP SO THAT PEOPLE CAN COME AND GATHER THERE AND THEY GET RIGHTS AND ACCESS THAT THE AVERAGE PERSON WILL NOT GET.
SO WHAT I SUGGEST IS LET'S LOOK AT WAYS THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY MONETIZE THAT ASSET.
AS A BUSINESS PERSON, I WANNA MONETIZE EVERY ASSET AND I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY THERE.
THE OTHER THING I'D LIKE TO SAY IS THAT THE PART, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THE PARTNER OWNS A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THAT AND THEY HAVE THE FINANCIAL WHEREWITHAL IF THEY ARE SO INCLINED TO ACTUALLY FUND THIS ALMOST IMMEDIATELY.
I RAN A BUSINESS IN AFRICA, AFRICA, MIDDLE EAST, PAKISTAN, AND EUROPE.
REVENUES WERE $13 BILLION A YEAR.
AND SO 33 COUNTRIES, IT'S A CHALLENGING WORLD, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT THE OPPORTUNITY IS, HERE IT IS, YES, IT IS A GROWTH OPPORTUNITY.
I SUGGEST THAT THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL TAKE THAT HEAD ON AND THEY WILL BE THE PRIMARY BENEFICIARY AND WE COULD CONTINUE TO BUILD OUR SCHOOLS AND TRAIN THESE STUDENTS SO THAT THEY BRING COMPANIES HERE.
GOING BACK TO THE CONCEPT OF SILICON GARDEN, LOOK AT ALL THE ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING HERE.
SO WE PROJECTED THAT MORE THAN TWO YEARS, BUT THIS IS A VIBRANT AREA.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO CAPTURE IT, BUT NOT THROUGH AN MCIP.
UM, AND WHAT I'D PROBABLY SUGGEST IS THAT, UM, SURE.
[00:50:01]
I DICK GEIER, I'M SPEAKING TO YOU AS A INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBER CHAIR OF THE SCHOOL BOARD'S FINANCIAL COMMITTEE.THE, UH, THE TIFF THAT WE HAD WITH PORT ROYAL WAS A MUTUAL AGREEMENT.
WE BOTH CAME, CAME TO AN AGREEMENT ON WHAT WE WOULD SUPPORT AND FOR HOW LONG WE WOULD SUPPORT IT.
THE MCIP IS NOT A MUTUAL AGREEMENT THERE.
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS NO CONSENT POWER OVER AN MCIP, YOU, THE COUNTY COUNCIL, YOU, YOU HAVE THE WILL AND THE RIGHT, UH, TO INITIATE AN MCIP AND WE HAVE TO LIVE WITH IT.
WE, AND THE PROBLEM IS, IF YOU THINK, AND, UH, MS. TABERNAC UH, MENTIONED THIS, IF YOU THINK THAT IF YOU PASS THIS, THAT PHIL KROMER WON'T BE HERE IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO, TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WE NEED SOME HELP ON OUR WATERFRONT PARK.
AND THAT COULD BE A EXCELLENT MCIP AND THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD, WHO WANTS TO DO A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT AROUND THE AIRPORT, WOULD LIKE TO HAVE AN MCIP AND THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON WHO WOULD LIKE TO HAVE JOINT USE, ATHLETIC FIELDS, WOULD LIKE TO HAVE AN MCIP.
AND WHERE'S IT GONNA STOP? ARE YOU PREPARED FOR THE RESPONSIBILITY AND THE BLAME? BECAUSE MCIP FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA IS A FOUR LETTER PROFANITY BECAUSE ACCORDING TO OUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR, THERE'S ONLY BEEN ONE WHERE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND ALL THE ONES IN THE STATE, THERE'S ONLY BEEN ONE IN DORCHESTER COUNTY WHERE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WAS NOT ADVERSELY AFFECTED IN REVENUE BY THE MCIP.
THE OTHER ISSUE IS TAXPAYER TRANSPARENCY.
THE MAGIC WAND I'VE HEARD A NUMBER OF TIMES IN MY TAX BILL, IT SAYS I HAVE SCHOOL OPERATIONS DEBT AND SCHOOL DEBT.
IT DOESN'T SAY SCHOOL OPERATIONS AND SCHOOL DEBT ALONG WITH A LITTLE BIT FOR PORT ROYAL OR ANY PLACE ELSE.
THIS TAX IS HIDDEN WITHIN OUR MILLAGE AND WE MANAGE THE LARGEST AMOUNT OF OPERATIONAL BUDGETS IN THIS COUNTY WITH BETWEEN OUR, OUR STATE, LOCAL, AND FEDERAL FUNDS.
IT'S, IT'S MORE THAN, MORE THAN ALL OF YOUR OPERATIONS AND ALL THE CITY OPERATIONS COMBINED.
OUR DEBT THAT WE MANAGE IS MORE THAN YOUR DEBT AND ALL THE CITIES AND ALL THE FIRE DISTRICT'S DEBT COMBINED.
WE HAVE TO PAY A GREAT DEAL OF ATTENTION TO OUR BUDGET BECAUSE WE HAVE TO KEEP THE TRUST OF THE TAXPAYER.
AND THE TAXPAYER HAS SHOWN THEIR TRUST IN PASSING OUR LAST TWO REFERENDUMS BY A 68 AND 72% MARGIN.
SO WE JUST HEARD, WE JUST GOT TOLD ABOUT THIS LAST WEEK.
THE SCHOOL BOARD WILL MEET TOMORROW NIGHT.
WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS THIS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION AND PERHAPS WE WILL HAVE A VOTE IN OPEN SESSION TO SAY HOW WE FEEL ABOUT THIS.
BUT, UH, AS AN INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBER, I HAVE GREAT CONCERN.
UM, ANYONE ELSE FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? ALRIGHT.
UM, SO AGAIN, THIS WAS A, A DISCUSSION.
UM, WHAT I'D PROBABLY RECOMMEND IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS IS GET THOSE TO SARAH.
AND, UM, UH, WE'LL GET THAT TO SARAH IF ANY MORE QUESTIONS SO WE CAN GET THEN TO THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL.
UH, AND THEN, UH, WE WILL LOOK AT PROBABLY PUTTING THIS BACK ONTO A, UH, FINANCE, UM, AGENDA AT SOME TIME, UM, IN, IN THE FUTURE.
UH, MAYOR WILL GIVE YOU A COUPLE MINUTES, 'CAUSE AGAIN, WE, WE'VE ALREADY BEEN ON THIS NOW FOR 15 MINUTES AND WE NEED TO GET MOVING HERE SO WE CAN, YOU KNOW, REALLY QUICK AND I'LL KEEP IT SHORT.
'CAUSE AGAIN, UM, WHY WE'RE HERE IS TO BE PARTNERS.
AND LIKE YOU SAID, IT'S A DISCUSSION, IS A PRESENTATION.
THAT'S ALL WE'RE DOING HERE TODAY.
AND THAT'S WHERE, WHERE THIS STARTS OUT IS WITH THAT DISCUSSION.
SO, UM, WE DID, WE WANTED TO HAVE THE SCHOOL BOARD INVOLVED IN THIS.
UM, AS YOU HEARD, YOU KNOW, JUST THE WAY THIS IS DONE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE WANTED THEM TO BE INVOLVED.
WE'VE, WE'VE MET WITH, WITH CHAIRMAN, UH, PREVIOUS CHAIRMAN GEIER, MET WITH, WITH MR. UH, MR. CARLTON.
WE'VE SENT INFORMATION TO THE SUPERINTENDENT AND AS, UM, CFO IF THEY'RE HAVING A COUNCIL MEETING TOMORROW NIGHT, WE'D LOVE TO BE A PART OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
[00:55:01]
WE'D LOVE TO BE A PART OF THAT.UM, AGAIN, WE WANT TO DO THIS, LIKE I SAID, AS OPEN AND HONEST AS POSSIBLE IN A TRANSPARENT WAY.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S HOW WE ALWAYS ARE.
SO HOPEFULLY AGAIN, THIS IS JUST A DISCUSSION.
WE WANT TO CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION AND AGAIN, JUST KEEP, JUST CONTINUE THIS PARTNERSHIP THAT, AGAIN, BEGAN IN 2009 AND HERE WE ARE NOW REALLY CLOSE TO GETTING THINGS MOVING.
BUT YEAH, HOPEFULLY WE JUST KEEP THE DISCUSSION GOING, SO.
[6. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD – 15 MINUTES TOTAL ]
GONNA MOVE ON TO OUR PUBLIC COMMENT AND, UM, PUBLIC COMMENTS NUMBER SIX IN OUR AGENDA.AND I THINK WE'VE GOT, UH, THREE OR FOUR PEOPLE SIGNED UP.
AND THE FIRST ONE IS, UH, MR. MICHAEL ANDERSON.
UM, IF YOU CAN UP SPEAK YOUR, UH, UH, NAME AND, AND ADDRESS.
AND, UM, UH, AGAIN, UH, UM, UH, SPEAKER SHALL BE PERMITTED NO MORE THAN THREE MINUTES TO COMPLETE THEIR COMMENTS TO COUNSEL.
EVERYONE SPEAKING BEFORE COUNSEL WILL BE REQUIRED TO DO SO IN A CIVIL MATTER.
COUNSEL WILL NOT TOLERATE PERSONAL ATTACKS ON INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBERS, COUNTY STAFF, OR ANY PERSON OR GROUP.
RACIAL SLURS AND PROFANITY WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.
COUNSEL WILL LISTEN TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT NOT RESPOND.
I LIVE AT 9 0 4 MC TIER CIRCLE IN THE CITY OF BEAUFORT.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIRMAN, COUNSEL AND STAFF.
I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE I BELIEVE THE COUNTY HAS MADE A SERIOUS MISTAKE BY REMOVING THE CFO ONE OF THE FIRST WORST FINANCIAL, UH, TIME PERIODS FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY.
THIS DECISION DOES NOT INSPIRE CONFIDENCE.
RIGHT NOW, THE COUNTY IS FACING SIGNI SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL ISSUES TO INCLUDE THE HR MANAGED HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM AS REPORTEDLY FIVE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
IN THE WHOLE, THERE WAS ROUGHLY A $20 MILLION PROBLEM WITHIN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND THAT HAD TO BE CORRECTED.
ADDITIONALLY, MULTIPLE ERRORS WITHIN THE GENERAL LEDGER REPORTEDLY REQUIRED ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION AND CORRECTIVE ACTION JUST TO GET THROUGH THE AUDIT PROCESS.
THOSE ARE MAJOR FINANCIAL FAILURES ACROSS THIS COUNTY THAT DEMAND EXPERIENCE, FINANCIAL LEADERSHIP AND STABILITY.
INSTEAD, THE COUNTY CHOSE THIS EXACT MOMENT TO REMOVE THE PERSON WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR HELPING IDENTIFY CORRECT AND NAVIGATE THESE PROBLEMS. THE FORMER CFO HELPED BUFORT COUNTY EARN THE GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION DISTINGUISH BUDGET PRESENTATION AWARD, NOT JUST ONCE, BUT TWICE AN AWARD THAT REFLECTS TRANSPARENCY, PROFESSIONALISM, AND SOUND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT.
THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN BY ACCIDENT.
IT HAPPENS BECAUSE SOMEONE IS DOING THE HARD WORK OF MAINTAINING STANDARDS, ASKING DIFFICULT QUESTIONS, AND ENSURING ACCOUNTABILITY.
AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHY THIS DECISION IS SO CONCERNING BECAUSE WHEN GOVERNMENT BEGINS REMOVING EXPERIENCED FINANCIAL LEADERSHIP DURING PERIODS OF FINANCIAL INSTABILITY, THE PUBLIC NATURALLY STARTS ASKING QUESTIONS, WHO IS BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE? WHO IDENTIFIED THESE PROBLEMS? WHO PUSHED FOR CORRECTIONS? AND WAS THE CFO REMOVED BECAUSE THESE PROBLEMS WERE BEING EXPOSED RATHER THAN IGNORED? THOSE ARE FAIR QUESTIONS THAT ALL THE TAXPAYERS DESERVE ANSWERS TO.
A CFO'S RESPONSIBILITY IS NOT TO PROTECT POLITICAL COMFORT.
IT IS TO PROTECT THE FINANCIAL INTEGRITY OF THE COUNTY AND THE TAXPAYERS WHO FUND IT.
AT A TIME WHEN BEAUFORT COUNTY SHOULD BE DOUBLING DOWN ON FINANCIAL OVERSIGHT AND PUBLIC TRANSPARENCY, THIS ACTION SENDS THE EXACT OPPOSITE MESSAGE.
THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTY DESERVE CONFIDENCE THAT THEIR GOVERNMENT IS ACTING RESPONSIBLE RESPONSIBLY WITH PUBLIC FUNDS.
AND RIGHT NOW, THIS DECISION UNDERMINES THAT CONFIDENCE.
I URGE THIS COUNSEL TO PROVIDE THE PUBLIC WITH TRANSPARENCY SURROUNDING THIS DECISION AND TO REMEMBER THAT ACCOUNTABILITY DOES NOT BEGIN WITH REMOVING PEOPLE WILLING TO DOCUMENT AND CONFRONT FINANCIAL PROBLEMS. THANK YOU.
UM, LET'S MOVE ON TO, UH, OUR SECOND, UM, PUBLIC COMMENTS.
AND THAT WOULD BE, UH, MR. ROBERT LAWTON.
UM, MR. LAWTON, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY, SIR.
I LIVE AT ONE 40 DAVIS LOVE DRIVE ON FRIPP ISLAND.
AND I CAME DOWN, UH, WE'VE JUST KIND OF HAD A LESSON ABOUT, UH, PROPERTY TAXES AND STUFF.
WE APPLIED FOR A GRANT, UH, FOR LIKE $150,000 TO, UH, HELP US WITH ONE OF OUR BOARDWALK.
MR. GLOVER CAME AND LOOKED AT IT.
I THINK IT'S BEEN DENIED BECAUSE IT, UH, THEY SAY WE ARE A PRIVATE, UH, GATED COMMUNITY, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.
UH, THE, THE 2000 HOMES ON FRIPP ISLAND, 1200 OF THOSE HOMES ARE BY THE ATTORNEY FOR, UH, FOR PORT ROYAL, WHAT HE SAID, 6%.
WE PAY, WE PAY BEAUFORT COUNTY APPROXIMATELY 25 TO $30 MILLION A YEAR IN PROPERTY TAXES AND SCHOOL TAXES, WHICH WE HAVE THE SCHOOL HERE.
SO IT'S KIND OF APPROPRIATE THAT I LISTEN TO ALL THAT AND THEN GET UP TO ASK FOR $150,000 TO HELP US.
BUT THERE'S A MILLION CARS THAT GO ACROSS THE, THE BRIDGE AT REPP ISLAND.
THOSE PEOPLE EAT IN YOUR RESTAURANTS, BUY YOUR GAS, ASKS, UH, GO TO YOUR BUSINESSES AND PAY TAXES.
[01:00:02]
AND I THINK THAT, UH, OR I'M ASKING YOU JUST TO RECONSIDER OUR GRANT, YOU KNOW, POSSIBLY.UH, I JUST THINK THAT, UH, WE ARE, WE'RE NOT A GATED COMMUNITY.
WE'RE NOT A PRIVATE COMMUNITY.
I THINK WE ARE A GOLDEN GOOSE.
UM, NEXT GO ON TO OUR THIRD, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT.
AND ACTUALLY, MR. GEER, DID YOU WANNA SPEAK AGAIN? NO, YOU'RE GOOD.
MS. BRADLEY, THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY.
UM, MR. CHAIRMAN AND COUNTY COUNCIL, CAN YOU HEAR ME? IT'S SHORT
UM, I'M HERE TODAY, UM, TO APPEAL TO YOU TO ALSO, OH, ACTUALLY I'M AT 71 FORT FREMONT.
UM, I'M HERE TODAY TO APPEAL TO YOU TO GRANT RIP ISLAND A LITTLE OF THE ACCOMMODATIONS TAX MONEY.
IT'S TO HELP, IT'S TO HELP WHAT DRAWS MANY TOURISTS TO OUR ISLAND.
THE SAW GRASS, MARSH WALK AND BRIDGE RESTORATION PROJECT.
I JUST HEARD A STATEMENT THAT RESONATED WITH ME, AND IT WAS, DO YOU PRODUCE? YES.
RIP ISLAND PRODUCES, UM, AND RIGHT NOW WE NEED A LITTLE HELP.
UM, FRIPP ISLAND IS SIMPLY NOT A PRIVATE RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION.
IT FUNCTIONS AS A RECOGNIZED TOURIST DE DESTINATION IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
WE WELCOME GUESTS, VACATION RENTERS, VISITORS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AS PART OF THE COUNTY'S COASTAL VISITOR ECONOMY.
WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 2200 HOMES AND ROUGHLY 800 SERVING AS SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
AND I BELIEVE THAT WOULD BE TAXED AT 6%.
BRINGING VISITORS TO THE COUNTY YEAR AFTER YEAR.
ANNUAL GATE TRAFFIC EXCEEDS 800,000 AND CLOSER TO THE 1 MILLION MARK.
UM, THESE ARE VEHICLES THAT ARE COMING TO FRE FROM OTHER PLACES ALL OVER THE NATION.
THESE VISITORS DINE IN OUR BEAUFORT RESTAURANTS, SHOP LOCALLY, HIRE SERVICE PROVIDERS, SUPPORT TOURISM JOBS, AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE HOSPITALITY ECONOMY THAT BENEFITS THIS COUNTY.
AND WHAT WE'RE ASKING YOU TO HELP PRESERVE IS NOT A LUXURY FEATURE.
IT IS ONE OF THE MOST MEANINGFUL VISITOR EXPERIENCES ON OUR ISLAND.
FOR MANY FAMILIES, THE SAWGRASS MARSH WALK IS THEIR FIRST TRUE ENCOUNTER WITH THE LOW COUNTRY MARSH.
IT IS WHERE A CHILD CATCHES THEIR FIRST CRAB, WHERE GRANDPARENTS TEACH THEIR GRAND GRANDCHILDREN TO FISH, WHERE VISIT VISITORS WATCH FIDDLER CRABS WAVING IN THE MUD AND MIGRATORY BIRDS CROSSING OVERHEAD.
AND TIDAL WATERS RISE AND FALLS IN A WAY THAT THEY'VE NEVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE BECAUSE THEY'RE FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.
I'M SORRY, IS THAT IT FOR 30 SECONDS? YOU WAS THINKING.
UM, IT'S AN OUTDOOR CLASSROOM.
UM, I AM ASKING YOU TO RECONSIDER THIS RECOMMENDATION BECAUSE WE, IT, IT'S NOT A LOT OF MONEY IN THE BIG SCHEME OF THINGS, AND IT'S CERTAINLY NOT $10 MILLION.
AND WE, WE ARE WORTH THIS MONEY.
WE ARE VALUABLE TO FRIPP, I, I MEAN TO BEAUFORT COUNTY'S ECONOMY, THEIR TOURIST ECONOMY.
ALRIGHT, THAT'S GONNA CLOSE, UM, OUR PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, SO IF WE CAN MOVE ON THEN,
[7.a. FY2026 YTD Budget Report and Budget Transfer Report - Sandra Novak, Finance Director ]
UM, TO OUR REPORTS AND, UH, SEVEN A, UH, FISCAL YEAR, 2026 YEAR TO DATE BUDGET REPORT AND BUDGET TRANSFER REPORT.AND, UM, WE HAVE MISS SANDRA NOVAK COMING FORWARD.
MISS, MISS NOVAK, SHE'S OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR.
SO WE HAVE, AND WE'LL GET RIGHT INTO IT.
SO, UM, OUR GENERAL FUND REVENUES ARE AVALOR TAXES ARE ABOUT A HUNDRED, A LITTLE OVER A HUNDRED PERCENT.
SO WE'RE MOVING ALONG NICE AND STEADY.
YOUR INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUES ARE, UM, ANOTHER 2.3 CAME IN AFTER THIS REPORT WAS DONE.
SO WE'RE ACTUALLY RIGHT NOW AT ABOUT 63% THIS CA THIS CATEGORY USUALLY HAS A LAG BECAUSE OF REPORTING, UM, FROM GRANTS, ET CETERA.
SO THOSE ARE LOOKING REALLY GOOD.
YOUR CHARGES FOR SERVICES ARE ABOUT 77%.
UM, THE TWO LARGEST WITHIN THAT
[01:05:01]
CATEGORY ARE COUNTY RECORDINGS, WHICH ARE AT ABOUT 93% OF BUDGET AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL FEES.EMERGENCY MEDICAL FEES WAS PART OF WHAT WAS DRAGGING THIS DOWN.
AND AT THIS POINT WE WERE LESS THAN 50%.
UM, AS OF THIS AFTERNOON, WE'RE ABOUT 73% OF, UM, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND COLLECTION OF THOSE FEES.
SO THOSE ARE ALSO LOOKING GOOD.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON GENERAL FUND REVENUES? QUESTIONS? MY ONLY QUESTION IS, WE DIDN'T RECEIVE THIS IN ADVANCE UNLESS I'M MAKING THE SAME MISTAKE MS. HOWARD DID.
I DON'T HAVE THIS IN THE PACKET.
I'LL HAVE TO APOLOGIZE WITH HER.
UM, IS THAT A LAGGING ONE AS WELL? NO.
WELL, IT'S MISCELLANEOUS, SO THERE'S MULTIPLE THINGS THAT COULD GO INTO IT.
AND IT WAS A SMALL DOLLAR AMOUNT.
I DIDN'T CHECK, BUT I CAN LOOK INTO IT IF YOU'D LIKE.
FINALLY, THE TRANSFERS IN WAS MM-HMM
AND A LOT OF THOSE WILL HAPPEN IN JUNE.
UM, AND WE'RE WORKING ON THOSE.
ANY, UM, OTHER QUESTIONS? IF NOT MS. ICK, WE CAN MOVE ON.
GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES, YOUR PERSONNEL SERVICES ARE MOVING ALONG, UM, AS EXPECTED.
UM, AND ALL OF YOUR, UM, YOUR OTHER SERVICES ARE PRETTY STEADY.
YOUR TRANSFERS OUT, AGAIN, THOSE ARE THOSE YEAR END TRANSFERS THAT ARE GOING TO HAPPEN IN JUNE.
SO WE EXPECT IT TO BE REALLY LOW AND THEN POP UP, UM, IN JUNE.
HOW DOES EVERYTHING LOOK ON EXPENDITURES FOR THE GENERAL FUND? ANY QUESTIONS ON EXPENDITURES? SEE NO GOING HERE.
OKAY, SO ENTERPRISE FUND REVENUES, UM, STORM WATER LOOKS REALLY LOW, BUT THEY HAVE ABOUT $13.4 MILLION OF CONTRIBUTION FROM PRIOR YEAR FUND BALANCE.
SO IF YOU TAKE THAT OUT, THEY'RE ACTUALLY ABOUT, UM, THEY'RE ACTUALLY A LITTLE OVER A HUNDRED PERCENT OF EXPECTED REVENUES.
AND THAT CONTRIBUTION FROM PRIOR YEAR FUND BALANCE, YOU'LL SEE ON THE NEXT SLIDE WHEN WE GET INTO THEIR EXPENDITURES, UM, THAT HAS NOT BEEN SPENT YET.
AND THEN THE CONTRIBUTION FROM PRIOR YEAR FUND BALANCE AND THE AIRPORTS ARE ALSO, UM, AFFECTING THOSE PERCENTAGES.
AND, UH, BEAUFORT EXECUTIVES ABOUT 80, 80% WHERE HILTON HAD AIRPORTS ABOUT 73% OF THEIR CURRENT YEAR RESOURCES COMING IN, NOT USING FUND BALANCE.
ALRIGHT, ANY QUESTIONS? AND THEN ENTERPRISE FUND EXPENDITURES, UM, LIKE I SAID, THE, UH, RENOVATION TO BUILDINGS, THAT WAS ABOUT 10, $10 MILLION IF YOU TAKE THAT OUT.
THEY'RE ABOUT 70, 75% OF EXPENDITURES FOR STORM WATER.
AND HILTON HAD, HASN'T HAD CAPITAL, UM, DEPRECIATION, ET CETERA, THAT ARE ALL YEAREND AS, UM, ADJUSTMENTS THAT ARE MADE.
SO ANY QUESTION ON ANY QUESTIONS FROM MR. BENNETT? BUDGET REPORT? MR. LEVER? GO AHEAD.
I'M JUST LOOKING AT THE BEAUFORD EXECUTIVE AIRPORT, AND I KNOW THAT THEY GOT PROJECTS OUT THERE, BUT THE EXPENDITURE LINE IS 74%, THAT SHOULD BE LESS THAN 50%, RIGHT? OR IS THAT SOMETHING ELSE SOMEWHERE ELSE? I'M JUST LOOKING AT THE PERCENTAGE NUMBERS.
YEAH, THEIR, THEIR PERCENTAGE, THAT'S THEIR OPERATING.
THAT'S THE OPERATING, RIGHT? MM-HMM
THE BUDGET IS AT 23 2 0.3 MILLION AND THEY EXPENDED, UH, ONE LITTLE UNDER A MILLION.
THE PERCENTAGE, I'M JUST SAYING SHOULD BE UNDER 50% VERSUS 74.
YEAH, THAT MATH DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT'S MATH, DOES IT? UM, I PULLED IT.
THAT'S MY PERCENTAGE IS MY MATH IS OFF, BUT ANYWAY, YEAH.
THAT REVENUE IS DIFFERENT, BUT YEAH.
I WILL SEND YOU A, A CORRECTION ON THAT.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM YOU ONLINE? OKAY.
AND OUR NEXT ITEM IS TRANSFERS.
THESE ARE TRANSFERS FOR DEPARTMENTS WITHIN, WITHIN THEIR BUDGET.
[01:10:01]
THEY'VE MOVED SOMETHING FROM ONE LINE TO ANOTHER WITHIN WHAT THE SPENDING AUTHORITY THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN THEM.AND YOU HAVE THE MOST RECENT ONES FROM, UM, THE MIDDLE OF APRIL TO THE MIDDLE OF MAY.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THEM IN THE, UM, UH, TREASURER? MM-HMM
THERE IS A $10,000 MOVEMENT FROM SUBSCRIPTIONS TO OVERTIME.
UM, OVERTIME IS USUALLY ASSOCIATED WITH HOURLY EMPLOYEES.
THEY DO HAVE HOURLY EMPLOYEES, UM, WITHIN THE TREASURER'S OFFICE.
THANK YOU MS. NOVAK, AGAIN FOR, FOR COMING FORWARD TODAY.
[9.a. FY2026-2027 Budget Presentation (FISCAL IMPACT: $203,338,263 appropriated to the Beaufort County General Fund to fund County operations.) - Michael Moore, Beaufort County Administrator ]
WE GOT A LOT OF THINGS ON OUR AGENDA, SO LET'S KEEP MOVING.AND, UM, AGENDA ITEMS. WE'RE DOWN NOW TO, UH, NINE A.
UM, WE'VE ALREADY DONE THE EIGHT A, SO FISCAL YEAR, 2026 TO 2027, BUDGET PRESENTATION AND, UM, UH, FISCAL IMPACT 203,338,000, UM, TWO HUNDRED THIRTY TWO HUNDRED, TWO HUNDRED AND SIXTY $3 APPROPRIATE TO THE BEFORD COUNTY GENERAL FUND TO FUND COUNTY OPERATIONS.
AND WE HAVE OUR, UH, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, MR. MOORE.
GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR LAWSON AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
IT'S, IT'S MY PLEASURE TO PRESENT THE, UH, UH, FISCAL YEAR 2027 PROPOSED BUDGET.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE OUR STAFF, NOT ONLY OUR FINANCE AND BUDGET STAFF, BUT OUR OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO'VE WORKED REALLY HARD THIS YEAR, UH, TO PUT TOGETHER THE BUDGET FOR YOU ALL.
SO, WE'LL GO ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE, AND I'VE GOT THE CONTROL HERE.
SO,
SO, THE, UH, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2027, UH, BUDGET, UH, THIS GOES BACK TO OUR DISCUSSIONS BACK IN NOVEMBER WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, UH, WHAT ARE OUR GOALS FOR THIS YEAR.
UM, AND MANY OF THOSE WE ARE, WE HAVE INCORPORATED INTO THIS BUDGET, WHICH IS A MERIT, UH, PAY SYSTEM.
UH, OUR ASSUMPTION IS 2% IN THOSE, UH, THOSE PAY, UH, ACCOUNTS AND A 1% COLA, UH, ACROSS THE BOARD FOR ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES.
UH, WE IMPLEMENTED A RETIREE HEALTH, UH, REIMBURSEMENT PLAN.
THE GAP INSURANCE, UH, THAT'S FUNDED AT 109,000 BASED ON THE EXPECTED NUMBER OF TAKERS OF THAT.
AND AS A REMINDER, THAT WOULD GO INTO EFFECT WITH THE NEW BUDGET YEAR, UH, RECOMMENDED NEW, UH, PERSONNEL REQUEST 29.
UH, WE ADDED IN YOUR BACKUP TO THIS PRESENTATION, ALL OF THE PERSONNEL REQUESTS WE HAD RECEIVED THAT ADMINISTRATION HAD RECOMMENDED, AND WHAT ADMINISTRATION DID NOT RECOMMEND.
SO YOU HAVE ALL THAT IN YOUR BACKUPS, UH, CAPITAL EQUIPMENT REQUESTS, VEHICLES AND, AND, UH, EQUIPMENT AS WELL.
A FOUR YEAR CIP PLAN FOR OUR OUTSTANDING PROJECTS.
AND WE'RE GONNA REMAIN, UH, MILL RATE NEUTRAL AT 59 AND A HALF MILLS, WHICH IS WHAT, UH, THE GOAL WAS IN OUR STRATEGIC, UH, PLANNING SESSION.
OUR ESTIMATED VALUE OF THE MILL FOR FY 27 IS $3,178,083.
AND, UH, IN FISCAL YEAR 26, THAT ESTIMATE WAS, UH, 2.98 MILLION ROUGHLY.
SO THAT'S INCREASED, UH, APPROX CLOSE TO 200,000, $197,677, THE VALUE OF ONE MIL AND TOTAL INCREASE OF, UH, 11.7 MILLION IN, UH, ESTIMATED REVENUES.
SO THESE ARE OUR MILLAGE RATES, WHICH YOU WILL SEE IN THE BUDGET ORDINANCE, WHICH IS ON THE NEXT ITEM.
UH, BUT THIS IS A BACKGROUND OF, OF HOW WE, UH, GOT TO WHERE WE ARE.
SO OUR COUNTY OPERATIONS HAS GONE UP, UH, THREE MILLS HAVE COME FROM CAPITAL AND, UH, 0.9 MILLS FROM, UM, UH, DEBT SERVICE.
UM, AND OUR DEBT SERVICE, UH, WE'RE, WE'VE REDUCED THAT TO THREE MILLS BASED ON, UH, THE DEFEAT OF SOME OF THE BONDS WE HAD, AND, UH, CREDIT TO STAFF FOR THAT.
AND, UH, REDUCED AND MOVED TO, UM, OPERATING.
A REAL PROPERTY DEBT HAS BEEN REDUCED TO 1.9 MILS, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS 0.2, AND MOVED SOME INTO OPERATING.
[01:15:01]
UH, WE'VE KEPT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WHICH I KNOW MAY BE A SUBJECT OF DISCUSSION AT 0.3.AND, UH, HIGHER EDUCATION, BOTH USCB AND TCL, WE RECOMMEND AT, UH, 1.1 MIL, UH, FOR A TOTAL OF 59 POINT, UH, FIVE MILS.
SO THESE ARE OUR REVENUE BREAKDOWNS, UH, FOR AVALOR TAXES, FY 27, PROJECTED $162,400,041, UM, LICENSE AND PERMITS, UH, UH, 4,555,500 WITHIN OUR GOVERNMENTAL, UH, 13 MILLION 104,181.
FINES AND FORFEITURES AT 767,295.
OUR INTEREST REVENUES IS 2.95 MILLION, AND OUR MISCELLANEOUS IS 1.483, UH, MILLION, ROUGHLY IN TRANSFERS IN WILL BE $226,167 FOR A TOTAL OF, UH, $203,338,263.
NEXT SLIDE HAS GOT OUR BREAKDOWN OF OUR, UH, CATEGORIES, BOTH GENERAL FOR GENERAL GOVERNMENT, PUBLIC SAFETY, PUBLIC WORKS, PUBLIC HEALTH, PUBLIC WELFARE, CULTURE AND RECREATION.
AND TRANSFERS OUT FOR A TOTAL, AGAIN, OF $203,338,263.
YOU CAN SEE, UH, A BREAKDOWN OF THOSE, UH, UP ON THE, THIS SLIDE.
UM, THAT TOTAL IS ONE POINT OR $1,302,731, INCLUDING FRINGE ON THAT.
SO THAT'S WHY IT DOESN'T QUITE ADD UP ON THAT SLIDE.
OR IF THERE'S ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ON THESE POSITIONS, UH, I COULD CERTAINLY GIVE YOU MORE DETAILS ON THAT.
I'LL JUST POINT OUT A COUPLE FOR ENGINEERING.
UH, THAT'S GONNA BE A DESIGN ENGINEER, A PROJECT MANAGER, AND A SURVEYOR.
AND, UM, THAT'S THREE POSITIONS, UM, FOR, UH, PUBLIC WORKS.
UH, WE'VE GOT SOME ROADS AND DRAINAGE FOREMAN AND, UH, OTHERS, UH, FOR, UM, OUR, UM, RECYCLING CENTER, UH, GROUNDS MAINTENANCE, I SHOULD SAY.
AND, UM, AND THEN PARKS AND REC ARE KIND OF SPREAD ACROSS THE BOARD, INCLUDE LIFEGUARDS, UM, AND, UH, REC AIDS.
SO THOSE ARE OUR NEW RECOMMENDED NEW POSITIONS FOR IN OUR GENERAL FUND.
NEW POSITIONS FOR OTHER FUNDS.
OUR SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS, UH, THOSE ARE BROKEN DOWN HERE.
I'LL JUST POINT OUT FOR FLEET, THAT INCLUDES AN UPFITTER AND TWO VEHICLE TECHS, TWO FLEET VEHICLE TAX.
AND STORM WATER, UH, I THINK IS A GOOD ONE, IS THE MS FOUR PLAN REVIEWER, UH, PROJECT MANAGER, STORM WATER FOREMAN, AND A VACUUM TRUCK, UH, OPERATOR TO GET MORE MAINTENANCE DONE OUT IN, UH, OUR STORM WATER IN OUR COUNTY.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE GRAND TOTAL THERE, 585,246, INCLUDING THE FRENCH NEXT SLIDE.
SO ALSO IN YOUR BACKUP, YOU'VE GOT A LIST OF THE VEHICLE REQUESTS, UH, THAT WERE ALL SUBMITTED TO INCLUDE THOSE THAT WE HAVE RECOMMENDED AND THOSE THAT WE HAVE DEFERRED, EITHER BASED ON MILEAGE OR AGE, UH, TO NEXT YEAR.
UM, BUT WE'VE GOT, UH, A BREAKDOWN OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS WITH NEW, UH, VEHICLES, UM, FOR GRAND TOTAL OF 4,789,004 $16 53 CENTS, UH, AND THEN EQUIPMENT'S FOUR $61,000.
OUR OTHER FUNDS, UH, PUBLIC DEFENDER, UH, HAS $184,957 FOR NEW VEHICLES, BUT THAT'S COMING OUTTA THEIR FUND BALANCE.
SO THAT WAS DOLLARS WERE GONNA APPROPRIATE FOR THE PURCHASE OF THOSE VEHICLES.
UH, SHERIFF, UM, HAS 410,000 AND, UH, YOU CAN SEE A BREAKDOWN OF, UM, THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS LISTED FOR A TOTAL OF 1 MILLION, UH, $30,908 AND 66 CENTS, AND EQUIPMENT IS $317,500.
NEXT SLIDE, CIP IS, UH, 0.2 MILLS.
WE REDUCED THE MILLAGE FOR THIS FUND WITH REVENUES PROJECTED AT $635,617.
WE'RE ALSO GONNA APPROPRIATE PRIOR YEAR FUND BALANCE, UH, FOR $9,785,994.
AND THE EXPENSES FOR THE PROJECTS, UH, YOU CAN SEE THERE, UH, 10,546,611 FOR 19 TOTAL PROJECTS.
UM, YOU, YOU HAVE THE, UH, CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT WERE APPROVED IN YOUR BUDGET BOOK, WHICH WE'LL TALK ABOUT NEXT.
BUT WE ALSO SENT YOU SEPARATELY VIA EMAIL, ALL THE CIP PROJECTS IN THE EVENT THAT THERE'S SOME DISCUSSION YOU WANT TO HAVE SUBSEQUENTLY IN THAT AREA FOR ENTERPRISE FUNDS.
SO THIS IS WHAT WE'RE PREDICTING, UH, OR, UH, FORECASTING FOR FY 27 IN REVENUES FOR OUR GARAGE, UH, UH, FUND, UM,
[01:20:01]
A BEFOR EXECUTIVE AIRPORT, UH, THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND AIRPORT AND STORM WATER FUND.SO NEXT STEPS, UM, MAY 26TH WILL BE FIRST READING OF THE, UH, FISCAL YEAR 2027 BUDGET ORDINANCE.
SO THAT'S THE ITEM WE WILL TAKE UP NEXT ON THIS AGENDA.
AND THEN JUNE 8TH WILL BE OUR COUNTY COUNCIL, UH, SECOND READING WITH PUBLIC HEARING.
AND JUNE 22ND WILL BE THIRD AND FINAL READING OF THE BUDGET ORDINANCE.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION SUBJECT TO YOUR QUESTIONS.
ALRIGHT, QUESTIONS, MS. MA'AM, MR. TAB? UH, I DON'T HAVE QUESTIONS.
I HAVE COMMENTS WHICH I SENT TO ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MR. WHICH WE CAN TAKE UP.
I WOULD RECOMMEND ON THE NEXT ITEM IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT, OR WE COULD TAKE IT UP HERE, WHICHEVER YOU'D LIKE.
YEAH, WELL, IT'S A DISCUSSION ITEM.
I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYBODY AGREES.
AND I APPRECIATE COURTNEY RESPONDING.
AND SHE'S PREPARED TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS IF, YEAH, IF YOU HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS, I APPRECIATE YOU SAID I WAS CLOSE.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
UH, I DID IT LIKE AT THREE IN THE MORNING, SO GOD ONLY KNOWS WHAT I SAID, BUT I HAND IT OUT TO ALL OF COUNSEL.
I'M MAKING SOME SUGGESTIONS THAT WOULD TWEAK IT THIS YEAR AND GOING FORWARD WOULD SET A DIFFERENT STANDARD.
THE FIRST THING I'M GONNA SAY IS WE ALL AGREED IN JANUARY TO PUT PERSONNEL FIRST.
SO WE HAVE GET, WE HAVE DONE A 2% MERIT RAISE FOR STAFF AND A 1% COLA TWO PLUS ONE IS THREE.
SO 3% FOR STAFF AND YET SOME OF OUR AGENCIES ARE GETTING 6.5% AND SO ON.
AND I DIDN'T FEEL THAT WAS EQUITABLE.
SO TO USCB AND TCL, THEY'VE HAD A 22% INCREASE OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS.
AND I'M RECOMMENDING WE NOT PUT IT TO MILLAGE BECAUSE WHEN IT INCREASES, THE MILL INCREASES, THEY GET AN AUTOMATIC INCREASE.
NO ONE SHOULD BE GETTING THAT.
AND JUST ONE COMMENT ON THAT, WHAT WE WOULD DO AT THIS POINT IS IF YOU WANNA MODIFY THAT, WE WOULD ADJUST THE MILLAGE VALUE THIS YEAR.
WE COULD LOOK AT WHAT WE WOULD DO.
WE WOULD TALK ABOUT THAT IN THE NEXT STRATEGIC PLAN.
BUT IT WOULD AMOUNT TO, AND COURTNEY VERIFIED $434,888 SAVINGS.
I RECOMMENDED WE REMOVE THE ALLOCATION OF 398,000 IN COMMUNITY SERVICE GRANT FUNDS.
I'VE SPOKEN ABOUT THIS THREE TIMES.
THE ELECTORATE DOES NOT PAY A VALOREM TAXES FOR US TO GIVE TO PRIVATE NONPROFITS.
SO I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH THAT AGAIN.
I'M SUGGESTING WE REMOVE THE 0.3 MILLS FOR THE JOB AND SITE FUND FROM THE BBC.
MS. ERICK, YOUR QUESTIONS ARE UP ON THE SCREEN NOW.
FOR THE B-C-E-D-C, UM, AND COURTNEY, SCROLL BACK DOWN.
SARAH, OR UP, WHATEVER YOU WANNA CALL IT.
SO COURTNEY, I HAD THE WRONG NUMBER HERE.
IT'S A SAVINGS OF 9 53 4 25 FOR B-C-E-D-C THERE A LITTLE BIT MORE RIGHT THERE.
SO WE WOULD SAVE ALMOST A MILLION DOLLARS THERE.
THEY HAVE ABOUT $3 MILLION IN THEIR SITE FUND.
I SEE NO REASON TO PUT ANOTHER MILLION DOLLARS IN.
AND IN ADDITION, I'VE ASKED REPEATEDLY FOR THE ADMINISTRATOR TO LOOK AT VIGOROUSLY PURSUING, BRINGING THEM IN HOUSE.
UM, I MAY ADD ON THAT THE OTHER, THE MUNICIPALITIES AS FAR AS I KNOW RIGHT NOW, ARE PLANNING TO FUND FOR NEXT YEAR.
ARE AND MS, I THINK MR. O'TOOLES HERE TO AND ONE IS, IS NOT.
AND I STILL AM CONFUSED HOW SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER INTERSECTS WITH SCORE.
THEY, NEITHER ONE KNOWS WHAT THE OTHER DOES.
I WOULD DEFUND THAT THAT'S 50,000 WHAT THE OUTSIDE AGENCIES ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDED A 5% INCREASE.
AGAIN, WHY WOULD WE INCREASE MORE THAN WE DID PERSONNEL COSTS? SO I WOULD TAKE IT TO 3% AT A MAXIMUM.
AND I MIGHT ADD THAT WAS LESS THAN WHAT MANY OF 'EM REQUESTED.
BUT TO BE EQUITABLE WITH OUR PERSONNEL, I WOULD TAKE IT DOWN TO 3%.
UM, NOT THE 5% LRTA YOU JUST SAW IN, UH, THE, IN SANDY'S REPORT THAT WE HAD A BUDGET ADJUSTMENT OF $81,000 THAT THE MAJORITY OF THIS COUNCIL VOTED TO GIVE.
AND WE ARE NOT INCREASING THEIR COST FOR NEXT YEAR.
BUT YOU'VE OPENED THE DOOR TO DO THIS AGAIN.
SO I'M JUST CAUTIONING THAT, UM, LOW COG DUES ARE GOING UP.
AND WE, THAT WOULD BE A CORRECTION TO OUR OUTSET AGENCIES.
WE WILL NEED TO GO BACK AND WE CAN DISCUSS THAT WHEN WE GET TO THE BUDGET.
SO WE WILL, BECAUSE THAT'S FIXED.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING WE'LL HAVE TO CORRECT.
SO WE'RE, AND WE HAVE TO PAY IT.
I RECOMMENDED THEY NOT DO THE SIGNS, BUT MR. MOORE HAS ADVISED THAT OUR, WE DON'T HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO THE SIGNS.
SO IF WE WANNA CONTINUE THAT HAS TO STAY THE REC CENTER, I WOULD APPROVE A 3%
[01:25:01]
INCREASE.THEY SERVE THE ISLAND, UH, BMH AND BJH COMP HEALTH STAY AS IT IS.
SO THE NUMBERS YOU SEE HERE, COURTNEY ADJUSTED THEM SLIGHTLY.
AND MA'AM, IF I MAY ADD THAT TCL NUMBER, THAT'S THE REDUCTION YOU'RE PROPOSING.
AND SO IN THE, WHICH WE WOULD ADJUST TO A MILL THAT WE WOULD ADD TO IF, IF THAT SOMETHING COUNCIL WANTS, WE WOULD CHANGE THE ORDINANCE TO REFLECT THAT MILLAGE.
SO IN THE END, COURTNEY AGREED WITH ME, WE WOULD SAVE, ACTUALLY SHE SAID MORE $1,732,616 $1,732,616.
AND SHE WROTE ME THAT, I MEAN I SUGGESTED WE PUT THAT MONEY IN CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS SINCE WE HAVE A GIGANTIC LIST THAT WE'VE PUSHED OUT FOR YEARS.
UM, SHE SUGGESTED WE COULD DO THAT OR REALLOCATE OR ACTUALLY REDUCE MILLAGE BY 0.545.
BUT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO PUTTING IN, IN CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT.
SO THAT WOULD BE MY SUGGESTION.
AND I DID LOOK AT YOUR CAPITAL LIST, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS GOOD.
I JUST HAD A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
AND UH, WE HAVE, I BELIEVE MR. STR HERE.
SO IF YOU GOT SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ON CIP, HE'S READY TO HELLO, FRANK.
DID WE NOT TALK ABOUT TAKING THE ADMINISTRATIVE PARKING LOT? 1.4 MILLION? AND THAT IS, THAT IS AN OPTION.
WE, THAT WAS ADDED ON HERE AS A, UH, PRIORITY.
BUT THAT IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING WE COULD DISCUSS SENDING FORWARD TO COUNSEL.
IF THAT'S A DISCUSSION, MR. UM, STRACHE, WE CAN ADDRESS THAT.
THAT IS A LARGE AMOUNT, AND I'M NOT GONNA SPEAK FOR ENGINEERING, BUT WE COULD LIKELY DEFER THAT TO ANOTHER YEAR.
AND WE, WHO WANTS, I'M LOOKING AT JARED.
WHAT? WE'RE GETTING A HEAD NOD.
SO IF WE DIVERTED, I RECOMMENDED TO THE ADMINISTRATOR THAT MONEY BE PUT INTO MC RILEY PARK.
THE TOWN IS ANXIOUS TO DO, UH, AN MOU WITH US AND PAY FOR DEVELOPMENT OF THE MAJORITY OF THE PARK.
BUT WE WOULD KEEP THE BALL FIELDS, WHICH WE CAN'T RELEASE.
SO WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.
I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW THAT OUR ADMINISTRATIVE PARKING LOT IS IN DIRE NEEDS YET, BUT IT'S NOT IN GREAT SHAPE.
BUT IT COULD CERTAINLY BE DEFERRED.
WELL, EVERYBODY WATCHES THEIR STEP WILL BE GOOD.
UM, BLUFFTON PARKWAY RES SERVICING.
ISN'T THAT PART OF TAC? I JUST LOOKED IN THE TAC THIS WAS DEVELOPED FOR TECH.
THIS WAS DEVELOPED FORT WELL, IT'S THREE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
SO I KNOW IT'S ON T THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING.
BUT IF THE, IF THE REFERENDUM GOES THROUGH CORRECT, WE COULD, WE COULD MODIFY THIS.
SHOULD, SHOULD THAT OCCUR, SHOULD THE REFERENDUM PASS.
THOSE WERE MY QUESTIONS ON THE CIP.
YOU WANT ANYTHING TO THAT? OKAY, SO LET ME JUST, UH, THOSE ARE TABS RECOMMENDATIONS.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT EVERYONE ON THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS ALL THOSE.
MR. CHAIRMAN, CAN I ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THAT? YEAH, LEMME LEMME JUST GO AHEAD AND FINISH.
UM, LARRY, AND THEN I THINK, UH, ALICE WAS NEXT AND THEN YOU, YOU'LL BE AFTER ALICE.
UM, IS THE FACT THAT OKAY FOR US TO MAKE THESE THAT'S FINE.
TO MAKE THESE CHANGES WOULD'VE TO ACTUALLY GO THROUGH AND ACTUALLY HAVE A VOTE ON EACH OF THESE ITEMS TO MAKE THE CHANGE.
SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND QUESTIONS, CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION.
IF I MAY ADD, UM, AND I'M LOOKING AT COURTNEY, WE WOULD ADJUST YOUR BUDGET BOOK AND WHEN WE GET TO THE NEXT ITEM, THAT'S HOW WE WOULD GO IN AND ADJUST THAT WITH THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION.
IF WE, THAT'S GONNA CHANGE FROM ADMINISTRATOR.
SAY WE HAVE, WE HAVE, WE'VE HEARD WHAT ALICE WANTS.
THAT DOESN'T, I MEAN, ALICE, THE TAB WANTS, I JUST KIND OF, THAT'S A PATH FORWARD BECAUSE SHE'S GONNA HAVE TO GET THAT ALL PUT TOGETHER AND GET IT OKAY.
FOR THE AGENDA NEXT MONDAY SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME TO GET THAT TURNED AROUND.
UM, ALICE, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR NEXT THEN.
LARRY, YOU'RE GONNA BE AFTER ALICE, I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
REGARDING EQUIPMENT, UM, THE REQUEST FROM THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT NUMBER AND THEN THE RECOMMENDED NUMBER WAS QUITE DIFFERENT, UM, ON EQUIPMENT.
IS THERE, WAS THERE JUSTIFIC? I MEAN, WHAT KIND OF JUSTIFICATION FOR THE LARGE NUMBER OF REPLACEMENT ON EQUIPMENT FOR THE SHERIFF ON VEHICLES DO YOU RE RECALL? UM, AS I RECALL, WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE SHERIFF'S VEHICLES, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THEM HAD HIGH, THEY, THEY ACCRUE THE MILEAGE.
MILEAGE AND SO, AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE HEAVILY USED.
SO A LOT OF THOSE WE, WE WOULD RECOMMEND REPLACING JUST BECAUSE OF THE USAGE.
AND THAT'S WHAT THE NUMBER, THAT'S HOW YOUR NUMBER IS DIFFERENT THAN WHAT HE REQUESTED.
WHAT THEY REQUESTED YOUR, BUT YOU BASED YOUR REQUEST ON THE MILEAGE.
THAT'S HOW YOU CUT, CUT AND MILEAGE OR AGE.
AND UM, DO YOU, DOES ANYONE RE KNOW HOW MUCH THE DS, I KNOW THEY'RE VERY EXPENSIVE, THE DSN VEHICLES, HOW MANY VEHICLES DOES THAT BUY FOR? UH, AND THEN I KNOW THEY'RE HIGH.
WHERE TOO? UH, UP HERE? YES MA'AM.
COURTNEY, FOUR VEHICLES AND THEY'RE ABOUT, OKAY.
[01:30:01]
YOU KNOW, UM, MS. KAEPERNICK DID AN EXCELLENT JOB WITH ALL THESE RECOMMENDATIONS, I DON'T NECESSARILY AGREE WITH ALL OF THEM.UM, AND CHAIRMAN, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU WANT TO ADDRESS THAT OR TODAY OR NOT.
WELL, AND, AND YEAH, SO, SO WE NEED TO ADDRESS IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE'RE UNDER A GUIDE THE TIME THAT WE, WE DO NEED TO GET IT TO COUNCIL NEXT WEEK TO STAY ON TRACK.
UM, THE ONE, THE MAIN ONE I'M, I'M SURE, UM, TCL AND USCB ARE ALREADY WORKING ON THEIR BUDGETS.
I DON'T NECESSARILY DISAGREE, UH, WITH GOING TO A FINITE NUMBER IN THE FUTURE, BUT THIS YEAR I'D LIKE TO KEEP IT AS IT IS 'CAUSE THEY'VE PROBABLY ALREADY FIGURED THAT OUT IN THEIR BUDGET.
SO, UM, I'D LIKE TO MAKE THAT COMMENT.
AND, UM, THE LOW COG, THAT'S A GIVEN.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO REVISE THAT ON THE OUTSIDE AGENCY.
AND THEN, UM, THERE WAS ONE THAT SHE HAD ON HERE.
HOW DOES NEXUS CARE INTERSECT WITH BEAUFORT, JASPER HAMPTON MENTAL HEALTH? UM, I KNOW THEY WORK CLOSELY TOGETHER, BUT IF MAYBE THAT COULD BE ADDRESSED, THINK DER CAN, UH, ADDRESS THAT.
HOW DOES, THAT WAS HER QUESTION.
HOW I, I KIND OF KNOW BECAUSE I USED TO GO TO LIAISON MEETINGS WITH, UM, SOME OF THOSE, BUT HOW DOES NEXUS CARE INTERSECT WOULD BE FOR JASPER HAMPTON MENTAL HEALTH? SO COASTAL EMPIRE COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER, UM, IT'S A REFERRAL PROCESS, BUT THE CLINICIANS AT NEXUS CARE, THEIR DEGREE AND, UM, EXPERIENCE CAN DO THE BASIC MENTAL HEALTH.
AND IF IT GOES BEYOND THEIR SCOPE OF PRACTICE, THEN THEY WILL REFER TO COASTAL.
LIKEWISE FOR COASTAL, IF A INDIVIDUAL GOES TO COASTAL EMPIRE AND IT EXCEEDS WHAT THEIR, UM, PRACTICE IS, THEN THEY WILL REFER TO NEXUS CARE FOR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT, NOT DOING REDUNDANT.
NO, IN OTHER WORDS, THEY COMPLIMENT EACH OTHER.
AND, UM, ONE CAN DO CERTAIN THINGS AND ONE CANNOT CORRECT.
I I, IF I RE RECALL CORRECTLY.
AND, UM, THEIR, THAT BEAUFORT, JASPER HAMPTON MENTAL HEALTH COASTAL GETS STATE SOME STATE MONEY.
BUT WHEN THEY BRIEFED US, I THINK THEY HAD BEEN THEY ARE A STATE AGENCY.
BUT THAT IS, THAT IS THEIR FUNDING SOURCE.
AND AS I OFTEN LIKE TO REMIND PEOPLE, PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN, UM, ALL OF THESE AGENCIES INTERACTING TOGETHER HELPS KEEP US, KEEPS PEOPLE OUT OF THE HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM AND ALSO OUR DETENTION CENTER IF THEY HAVE ISSUES, UM, IF WE GET 'EM ADDRESSED SOONER THAN LATER.
THAT'S ALL I ALRIGHT LARRY, GO AHEAD LARRY.
YEAH, JUST A A BRIEF OBSERVATION.
UM, WE HAVE NO, UH, RECREATIONAL FACILITIES THAT WE PROVIDE ON HILTON HEAD FOR THE RESIDENTS THERE WHO CONTRIBUTE TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN REVENUE TO US ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
SO I'D LIKE TO GET SOME AIR ON WHAT EXACTLY THE DISCUSSION WAS ABOUT, WHAT THEIR REQUEST WAS AND WHAT WAS REDUCED TO IN THAT BRIEF PRESENTATION ABOUT THE ISLAND REC CENTER.
SO THEIR, UM, ORIGINAL REQUEST WAS, UH, 200,000.
UM, AND WE RECOMMENDED $182,379 BASED ON A 5% INCREASE.
WE, UH, APPLIED A 5% INCREASE AS MS UH, TABER MENTIONED ADMINISTRATION'S RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, TO THOSE, UH, OUTSIDE AGENCIES THAT DID NOT AUTOMATICALLY, UH, GO UP OR WERE REQUIRED TO GO UP.
SO, UM, THAT IS HOW WE CAME UP WITH A 5% RECOMMENDATION.
SO IT DOES, UH, BRING THEM UP FROM WHERE THEY WERE LAST YEAR, WHICH IS $173,694.
THEY'RE GETTING A PERCENTAGE INCREASE.
THEY'RE JUST NOT GETTING THE FULL AMOUNT.
YEAH, I KNOW THAT THEIR REQUEST WAS ABOUT 200,000 AND THE ONLY REASON WE'RE USING A BASE OF 1 73 IS THEIR UH, UH, AMOUNT WAS CUT FROM THE ORIGINAL REQUEST THEY MADE FOR THEIR AQUATIC PROGRAM.
BY THAT, UH, $27,000, UH, AT A MEETING THAT I FAILED TO ATTEND.
SOME ACTION WAS TAKEN TO CUT THAT, UH, BACK TO 1 73.
AND SO NOW YOU'RE GIVING HIM A 5% RAISE ON AN ITEM THAT WAS CUT BY $27,000.
AND I'LL REPEAT, WE DO NOT HAVE ANY FACILITIES ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
THEY PAY TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN REVENUE TO THE COUNTY.
THEY WANT $200,000 FOR AN AQUATIC PROGRAM THAT COVERS CHILDREN OF ALL AGES RIGHT UP TO SENIOR CITIZENS $200,000.
AND WE ARE QUIBBLING ABOUT, WHAT IS IT A REDUCTION TO, UH, FROM 200 TO, TO WHAT $18,000 WE'RE DOING THAT WHEN EVERYTHING THAT WAY THEY BUY FOR THE AQUATICS PROGRAM THAT GOES ON YEAR ROUND, UH, IT HAS TO DO WITH SALARIES AND CHEMICALS.
[01:35:01]
WOULD DO THAT AND CLAIM WE'RE GIVING THEM AN INCREASE WHEN WE CUT THEIR ORIGINAL REQUESTS FROM 200 TO 1 73 AND NOW WE'RE BEING SO GENEROUS WITH A 5% INCREASE, UH, WHICH REDUCES THEIR REQUEST BY $18,000.WE'RE REALLY IN THE WEEDS ON THIS ONE AND I FIND IT TO BE VERY OFFENSIVE.
UM, YORK, YOU WANTED TO SPEAK, I THINK YOU RAISED YOUR HAND.
AND THEN, UM, I'LL MAKE A DECISION HOW WE'RE GONNA FORWARD WITH THIS.
I'LL, I'LL JUST FOLLOW UP ON, UM, LARRY'S COMMENT.
UM, I DO SUPPORT THE 200,000 FOR THE REC CENTER ON, BECAUSE WE DON'T DO MUCH WITH THEM AND THEY DO A WHOLE LOT FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UM, AND THEY ARE HAVING A VERY, UM, GRAND, UM, ONE DAY, OH, FORGOT WHAT IT'S CALLED THAT'S COMING UP, BUT IS AN INTERNATIONAL, UH, EVENT, UM, ON WORKING WITH SWIMMERS ALL OVER THE COUNTY TO BE THERE AND STUFF.
SO I DO SUPPORT THE, UH, REC CENTER, UM, IN THAT AMOUNT, UH, OF 200,000.
HOWEVER, I ALSO, UM, SUPPORT WHEN COUNCIL ESTABLISHED THE MILLAGE FOR THE IMAGING CARE AND ALSO FOR THE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.
AND THEY BASICALLY SAID TO THOSE INSTITUTIONS, UH, WE KNOW YOU GOING TO COME BACK EVERY YEAR FOR AN INCREASE INCREASE.
YOU CAN LIVE WITHIN THOSE MILLS.
YOU KNOW THE VALUE, YOU KNOW THE AMOUNT THAT'S COMING LIVE WITHIN THAT.
AND THEY HAVE ALWAYS COME BACK FOR MORE MONEY.
I REMEMBER LAST YEAR THEY CAME BACK, UM, FOR AN INCREASE AND WAS TOLD YOU PROBABLY GOT IT WITHIN YOUR MILLAGE INCREASE AND THEY WERE SATISFIED WITH THAT.
I THINK THAT MILL SETTING IS, IS IS REALLY GOOD PLANNING IS GOOD MANAGEMENT.
THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE GONNA RECEIVE AND THEY KNOW THEY DON'T HAVE TO COME AND ASK US FOR INCREASE LIKE THEY ALWAYS DID.
THEY KNOW THAT IT'S ALREADY IN THERE AND STUFF.
SO WHEN I SUPPORT THAT MILLAGE, I'M SUPPORTING THEIR INCREASED REQUESTS AS WELL.
UM, SO I I'M GONNA LEAVE IT RIGHT THERE.
UM, MY RECOMMENDATION AT THIS POINT IS, AND AGAIN, THIS IS WHAT OUR COMMITTEE DOES AND AGAIN, WE ALWAYS SEEM TO TAKE LONG AND WHAT, WHAT MY FAULT IS.
I SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD AS MANY THINGS ON THIS AGENDA AS WHAT WE'VE GOT ON HERE WHEN IT COMES TO A PRESENTATION, UH, AND SOME OTHER THINGS THAT, THAT THAT, THAT WE HAVE THERE.
BUT, UM, I WOULD LOOK AT TAKING EACH OF THESE ITEMS SEPARATE AND WE, WE DO IT UP AND DOWN VOTE.
DO WE HAVE TIME FOR THAT? AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT AS, AS, AS QUICK AS WE CAN.
SO, UM, I THINK TAB ON HERE YOU RECOMMEND NUMBER 13 AS WELL, WHICH IS PROVIDE THE TREASURER OF 1.7.
NEEDED TO IMPLEMENT YOUR SOFTWARE.
I FORGOT TO MENTION, I THINK WE SHOULD PROVIDE THE TREASURER 1.70 PERSONNEL INCREASE.
WE, I'M GONNA USE, SUGGESTED SHE TAKE THE NEW SOFTWARE.
IT'S NOT, I KNOW SHE HAS SIX VACANCIES AND I KNOW YOU DIDN'T INCLUDE ION, SHE HAS FEWER NOW SHE HAS FILLED, UM, SHE'S TWO, 2.5 AT THE, SHE'S GOT HOW MANY, SHE'S FILLED THREE POSITIONS.
SO THAT'S WHY I WOULD PUT THIS 1.70 BACK BECAUSE SHE'S STILL GOTTA HAVE THESE PEOPLE TO IMPLEMENT THE SOFTWARE AND THAT'S GONNA BE A HIT TO THE BUDGET.
JUST TO REMIND EVERYBODY, WE HAVE TO BE BUDGET NEUTRAL, OTHERWISE LIFE GETS BAD HERE.
ALRIGHT, SO, UM, AGAIN, LET'S TAKE THESE THINGS ONE AT A TIME.
UH, I GUESS I NEED TO HAVE A A MOTION FOR US TO, TO DO THAT.
UM, AND IF THERE'S ANY OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS WE CAN ADD THOSE AS WELL.
BUT AGAIN, WE NEED TO HANDLE THESE THINGS 'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE'VE GOT FOLKS WITH DIFFERENT IDEAS ON EACH ITEM.
WE'RE GONNA TRY TO DO THIS WITH WITHOUT A LOT OF DISCUSSION IF WE CAN.
SO AGAIN, WE CAN JUST SEE IF PEOPLE ARE FOR IT OR AGAINST IT.
UM, AND AGAIN, DEBBIE WILL MAKE A MOTION WE CONSIDER YOUR LIST.
NO, WE HAVE TO BREAK 'EM DOWN INDIVIDUALLY THOUGH.
BUT I'M SAYING WE HAVE A LIST, BUT WE'RE GONNA BREAK DOWN EACH INDIVIDUALLY, BUT, AND THE, AND THE BUDGET BOOK IS ON THE NEXT ITEM, ACTUALLY IT'S ON THE ORDINANCE.
THIS WAS JUST DISCUSSION, JUST TALKING WITH CONSULTING WITH BRIAN.
THAT WOULD BE OUR THOUGHT AS WE MOVE TO THE BUDGET ORDINANCE, THEN YOU COULD AMEND THE BUDGET ORDINANCE AS OPPOSED TO DISCUSSION BEING ON A DISCUSSION ITEM.
SO, SO I HAVE A QUESTION, UH, MR. CHAIRMAN? UH, YES.
SO IF WE'RE GONNA BE GOING THROUGH THIS LIST, THEN CAN I SUBMIT MY LIST FOR EVERYBODY TO VOTE ON AS WELL? I'M NOT SURE.
NO ONE TOLD ME WE WERE MAKING LISTS, BUT I'M HAPPY TO GIVE YOU MY LIST.
IT HAS AS MANY THINGS ON IT AS THE OTHER LIST.
UM, WE HAD ALL THE BUDGET OPPORTUNITIES, SO YEAH, YOU COULD, WE CAN, YOU CAN MAKE THAT SAME RECOMMENDATION WHATEVER THE BUDGET COMES UP, SO, SO WELL WE'RE NOT GONNA DO IT TODAY, YOU MEAN? NO, WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH THE BUDGET NEXT, LARRY.
ALRIGHT, SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON THEN TO THE ACTUAL, THE BUDGET BOOK.
SO I THINK WE NEED A MOTION TO NEED TO READ THE ITEM AND THEN CALL IT
[01:40:02]
THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM.[9.b. An Ordinance to make appropriations for County Government and Special Purpose Districts for Beaufort County for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027; to levy taxes for the payment thereof; to adopt service and user fees; to provide for the expenditure of said taxes and other revenues coming into the county; and other matters related thereto (FISCAL IMPACT: The Ordinance will outline the revenues to be collected and estimated expenditures for the Fiscal Year 2026 - 2027.) - Michael Moore, Beaufort County Administrator ]
UM, AND UM, IT'S AN ORDINANCE, THE ORDINANCE TO MAKE APPROPRIATE APPROPRIATIONS FOR COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND SPECIAL PURPOSE DISTRICTS FOR BUFORT COUNTY FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, BEGINNING JULY 21ST, UM, 2026 AND ENDING JUNE 30TH, 2027 TO LEVY TAXES FOR THE PAYMENT THEREOF TO ADOPT SERVICES AND USER FEES TO PROVIDE FOR THE EXPENDITURES OF SAID TAXES AND OTHER REVENUES COMING INTO THE COUNTY AND THE MATTERS RELATED THERETO.IS THERE A SECOND PLEASE? I'LL SECOND.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU MR. GLOVER.
SO NOW WE'RE ON TO THE ORDINANCE ITSELF.
SO I WILL, UM, THIS ORDINANCE IS ESSENTIALLY THE SAME AS WHAT WE HAD LAST YEAR WITH A COUPLE OF CHANGES AND I THINK BRIAN'S GONNA ADD SOME LANGUAGE FOR FIRST READING, UH, TO THIS.
SO, UM, WHAT THIS IS, UH, IT HAS ALL THE MILLAGE RATES ESTABLISHED, UM, IN SECTION TWO.
YOU'VE GOT YOUR COUNTY OPERATING REVENUES, UM, LISTED IN SECTION THREE, COUNTY OPERATIONS APPROPRIATIONS, SECTION FOUR, SPECIAL DISTRICT TAX LEVY, SECTION FIVE.
IT'S GOT ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, UM, FOR THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND I MISSED ONE SECTION, SIX AS BOARD'S, AGENCIES AND COMMISSIONS.
SECTION EIGHT, ONE THING I WILL NOTE HERE IS WE CHANGE THE LANGUAGE TO STATE THAT TRANSFERS INTO OR FROM OBJECTS 5 0 0 2 0 THROUGH 5 0 1 3 0, WHICH THE PERSONNEL CODES WOULD NOT BE PERMITTED UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE WITHOUT THE APPROVAL OF THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR CFO OR THEIR DESIGNEE.
SO I JUST WANNA POINT THAT OUT TO YOU ALL.
SECTION NINE, WE ADDED FISCAL COMPLIANCE ON THE TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT AND UH, EVERYTHING ELSE IS ESSENTIALLY THE SAME ON THE AUDIT.
THE CARRYOVER RATES AND AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT UNIFORM, UH, SERVICE CHARGER FEE, WHICH I WILL ADD HERE THAT WE ARE GOING TO RECALCULATE THIS 'CAUSE WE HAD SOME CHANGES TO THE BUDGET NUMBERS.
WE'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH TISCHLER BIAS, WHO'S THE, UH, DOES A STUDY FOR THIS.
AND SO WE'RE GONNA, THESE NUMBERS MAY CHANGE WHEN WE GET THE FIRST READING AND THEY'LL CHANGE AND THE TAXPAYER'S FAVOR MOST LIKELY WILL COME DOWN SOME.
SO WE'LL HAVE THAT UPDATE FOR YOU WHEN THAT COMES IN.
AND SO THEN, UM, AS PART OF THAT IS THE BUDGET BOOK ITSELF, SO THAT'S WHERE YOU CAN GET INTO THE INDIVIDUAL ITEMS AS WELL AS, UM, THE OUTSIDE AGENCIES AND, UM, THE MILL RECEIVING ENTITIES.
SO WITH THAT, OVER TO YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
IN THE PRIOR BUDGET WE DESIGNATED THAT THE AUDITOR WAS TO PREPARE THE BILL SUCH THAT IT FULLY EXPLAINED EVERY SINGLE ITEM THAT'S NOT IN THIS ONE.
YOU KNOW WHICH PAGE? I GUESS THIS IS THE DAY OF.
OKAY, SO THAT, SO THAT WOULD BE TO BREAK OUT ALL THE MILLAGES ON THE TAX BILLS LIKE WE DID THIS YEAR.
CURRENTLY THE BUDGET IS NOW BALANCED, THE REVENUES AND THE YES SIR, EXPENDITURES ARE BALANCED.
WHATEVER WE DO, YOU WANT TO PUT SOMETHING IN OR TAKE SOMETHING OUT? WE HAVE TO ADJUST EITHER THE REVENUE SIDE OR THE EXPENDITURE SIDE OR BOTH SIDES.
SO IT IS A ZERO SUM GAME, ASSUMING YOU WANNA KEEP IT KNOWLEDGE NEUTRAL AND HAVING DONE THIS FOR 30 YEARS, THIS IS NOT FUN FOR ADMINISTRATION HAVING TO PREPARE.
HEY COURTNEY, WHO'S, UM, WE HAD THIS DISCUSSION EARLIER, SO, UH, WE'LL HAVE TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES QUICKLY.
ALRIGHT, SO THE QUESTION I HAVE, UM, UM, CHAIRMAN HOWARD, IS OBVIOUSLY WE NEED TO FIGURE THIS OUT BEFORE NEXT MONDAY.
SO IT'S EITHER WE DO THIS TODAY YES.
OR WE DO THIS IN THE MEETING NEXT MONDAY.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT MEETING NEXT MONDAY.
SO, UM, WE LET THE SCHOOL BOARD SIT HERE AND SIT HERE.
YOU KNOW, YOU CAN CUT THIS MEETING A LITTLE SHORTER.
CORRECT? CAN WE, WE GOT ISSUES ON ATEX TOO.
YOU COULD DEFER THAT ITEM TO THE NEXT.
WE DEFER NO MATTER WHAT WE DO HERE.
COUNTY COUNCIL HAS TO MAKE, THEREFORE THIS REALLY BELONGS AT COUNTY COUNCIL.
FOR THE FIRST READING OF THE BUDGET AND THAT'S THE OTHER OPTION IS YOU JUST GO THROUGH IT AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING AND YOU JUST GO WITH THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS OR THE ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATIONS.
[01:45:01]
LIKE TO HANDLE THAT.WE MAY STILL NEED TO DEFER THE ACCOMMODATION JUST TO GET YEAH, I THINK WE DEFER THAT.
YEAH, I, I JUST MADE A MOTION.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE US TO DO TODAY TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR NEXT MONDAY? NEVERMIND ALL TO NEXT MONDAY.
SO THE SCHOOL BOARD THAT'S HERE, OBVIOUSLY JUST AN EVEN THE FIRST THING THAT TAB HAS HAS RECOMMENDED.
I'VE HEARD DIFFERENT, WE'VE HEARD OTHER LARRY SAY HE HAS A LIST TOO.
JUST TRANSFER I TAKEN TO COUNSEL.
I THINK WE SHOULD PASS THIS TO MOVE IT FORWARD TO COUNCIL BECAUSE THAT'S, GET THE DETAILS.
YOU CAN HAVE THE DISCUSSION BECAUSE IT IS A COUNCIL DECISION.
WE CAN'T ALSO ALWAYS A COUNCIL DECISION.
ALRIGHT, SO I GET THE, IT'S A LITTLE SHORT BEATING THEN.
UM, WE GET, I GET THE PUNT THEN.
UH, SO PUNTING THIS TO, UH,
I THINK THE VOTE WOULD BE THEN JUST TO MOVE IT FORWARD TO COUNTY COUNCIL, CORRECT? THAT'S RIGHT.
UM, ALRIGHT, SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE ORDINANCE THAT THE ADMINISTRATOR JUST PRESENTED.
AND Y'ALL ARE ABOUT TO VOTE ON THIS, CORRECT? CORRECT.
WHICH INCLUDES THE BUDGET BOOK AS WELL.
ALRIGHT, SO ANY MORE DISCUSSION AT THIS POINT? NO.
SO SEEING NO DISCUSSION, WE WILL MOVE THIS TO COUNTY COUNCIL WITH NO OBJECTION.
SO LEAVE ME OFF ONE OBJECTION.
ARE YOU STILL DOING? YOU CAN OBJECT AND GIVE YOUR LIST.
YOU CAN BRING YOUR LIST NEXT MONDAY.
YOU CAN BRING YOUR LIST ON MONDAY, SIR.
I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO IT TONIGHT THOUGH.
UM, WE SHOULD HAVE PUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ON FIRST SO WE HAVE ONE OBJECTION AND UH, WE'RE GONNA THEN PASS THIS, UH, TO FIRST READING AT, AT COUNTY COUNCIL AND, UH, PREPARE FOR A, UH, WELL WHAT, WHAT ARE WE PA ARE WE PASSING THE SUGGESTIONS FORWARD OR NO? NO SIR.
AS IT IS NOW WE HAVE A BALANCED QUESTION AS IT IS, AS IT IS BEFORE ALL THOSE SUGGESTIONS WERE MADE.
ALRIGHT, SO ONE OBJECTION, UH, OTHERWISE UN UNANIM MOVE THAT FORWARD.
[9.c. An Ordinance to provide for the levy of tax for school purposes for Beaufort County for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027, and to make appropriations for said purposes (FISCAL IMPACT: ) - Dr. Frank Rodriguez, BCSD Superintendent; & Tonya Crosby, CPA, BCSD Chief Financial Officer ]
TO OUR, UM, NUMBER LETTER C ON OUR AGENDA.UH, NINE C AND OR EVERYBODY HAS THEIR SHEET.
AN ORDINANCE TO PROVIDE FOR THE LEVY OF TAX FOR SCHOOL PURPOSES FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, BEGINNING JULY 1ST, 2026, AND ENDING JUNE 30TH, 2027.
AND TO MAKE APPROPRIATIONS FOR SAID PURPOSES.
UM, THAT WAS, UH, MR. PASSMAN THEN MR. GLOVER BEAT MS. BROWN.
UM, AND UM, WE HAVE OUR BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL, UM, SUPERINTENDENT, UH, MR. FRANK RODRIGUEZ.
AND, AND ACTUALLY ALSO MS. TANYA CROSBY, UH, WHO IS THE, UM, UM, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SO, UH, AS MS. TABER MENTIONED, UH, WE DID PREPARE A ONE PAGE FLYER THIS, UH, THIS YEAR, UH, SIMILAR TO THE PRIOR YEAR THAT GIVES ALL OF THE, THE BASIC DETAILS OF THE BUDGET.
AND I'LL GO THROUGH, UM, I'LL GO THROUGH THOSE THIS EVENING.
UM, BUT THAT WILL HIT HIGHLIGHTS IN CASE YOU NEED IT, UM, FOR TALKING WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
SO THIS IS THE 26 27, UH, PROPOSED GENERAL FUND BUDGET FOR THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UH, WE HAVE THE ORDINANCE UP HERE, UH, AVAILABLE FOR YOU.
THERE IS NO MILLAGE INCREASE, UH, REQUESTED THIS YEAR.
WE ARE WORKING WITHIN THE GROWTH OF THE VALUE OF THE MILL, UH, ON THE OPERATIONS.
AND OUR, OUR DEBT SERVICE MILLAGE IS, IS ALSO, UH, FLAT AT 36.3 MILLS.
SO 1 26 0.1 ON SCHOOL OPERATIONS AND 36 POINT UH THREE ON, UH, DEBT SERVICE.
UH, WE DO HAVE MILLAGE AVAIL, UH, AVAILABLE, UH, AS YOU SEE IN THE RED LINE, UH, THE FAR RIGHT HAND SIDE.
UH, WE HAVE AVAILABLE 11.9 MILLS IN THE BANK.
UH, THE BANK BALANCE, UH, BUT WE ARE NOT UTILIZING THAT, UH, EXCESS THIS YEAR IS OUR FLYER.
AND, UH, SO WE'RE GONNA GET STARTED.
AND, UH, BASICALLY WE ARE, UH, VERY FOCUSED ON THE MISSION OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AS WE ARE EACH YEAR.
BUT EVERY BUDGET LINE ITEM IS CENTERED AROUND THIS MISSION ABOUT PREPARING GRADUATES TO COMPETE AND SUCCEED IN AN EVER-CHANGING GLOBAL SOCIETY AND CAREER MARKETPLACE.
OUR STRATEGIC PLAN HAS FOUR PILLARS THAT SUPPORT OUR MISSION, SUPPORT, ENGAGEMENT, ACHIEVEMENT, AND STEWARDSHIP.
THIS IS THE FRAMEWORK THAT WE HAVE DEVELOPED WHERE EVERY DOLLAR IS SPENT WITH THESE PILLARS IN MIND.
SO, UH, WE HAD A VERY EXTENSIVE, UH, FEEDBACK CAMPAIGN AS WE DO EACH YEAR, BUT WE STARTED A LOT EARLIER.
UH, WE TALKED WITH MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IN PUBLIC FORUMS. WE HAD ONLINE SURVEYS, SENIOR LEADERSHIP, STUDENT ADVISORIES, AND THE FIRST GROUP
[01:50:01]
WE ACTUALLY MET WITH THIS YEAR WERE OUR PRINCIPALS.UM, SO WE HAD SOME VERY EXTENSIVE FEEDBACK FROM THEM, VERY, UH, THOUGHTFUL AND WE WERE ABLE TO COMPILE THAT VERY QUICKLY.
AND, UH, AND SORT OF SORT THAT AND CATEGORIZE IT INTO FORM FOUR MAIN PRIORITIES.
STAFF COMPENSATION, UH, IS OUR FIRST PRIORITY.
ACADEMIC PROGRAMS, OPERATIONAL SERVICES, AND A SAFE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
UH, THESE ARE ALL LEADING BACK TO THE STRATEGIC GOALS.
UH, SO THE FIRST AREA, OUR FIRST PRIORITY IS STAFF COMPENSATION.
SO WE'RE MAKING A STRATEGIC INVESTMENT IN OUR COMPENSATION TO MAINTAIN ONE OF THE HIGHEST STARTING TEACHER SALARIES IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
AND I'LL SHOW YOU WHERE WE ARE, WHERE WE FALL IN, IN THAT RANKING.
WE WANNA ATTRACT AND COMPETE FOR HIGHLY QUALIFIED QUALITY, UH, INSTRUCTIONAL TALENT, IMPROVE RETENTION, REDUCE TURNOVER COSTS, STRENGTHEN OUR WORKFORCE STABILITY AND INSTRUCTIONAL CONTINUITY AND SUPPORT IMPROVED STUDENT OUTCOMES THROUGH EXPERIENCED EDUCATORS.
WE ALSO HAVE A TARGETED INVESTMENT IN ACADEMIC PROGRAMS. UH, WHILE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS MADE MEANINGFUL GAINS IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS AND MATHEMATICS, WE KNOW THERE'S MORE WORK TO DO AND GUIDED BY OUR STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK.
WE'RE SHARPENING OUR FOCUS IN THE COMING YEAR TO TWO PRIMARY AREAS, SPECIAL EDUCATION, STAFFING AND SUPPORTS AND MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS.
ALSO, THERE ARE SOME EXPANSIONS OF, UH, MONTESSORI PROGRAMS. WE HAVE, UH, PROVIDED AND BEHAVIOR INTERVENTIONISTS TO SUPPORT NOT ONLY SPECIAL ED, BUT REGULAR EDUCATION CLASSROOMS, CTE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND EXTENDED SCHOOL YEAR AND TARGETED SUMMER LEARNING SUPPORTS THAT PROVIDE LEARNING BEYOND THE REGULAR SCHOOL DAY.
ESSENTIAL OPERATIONS CONTAINS MANY THINGS PRIMARILY.
UH, THERE ARE LARGE CONTRACTS IN THIS CATEGORY, UH, AS YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, THEY'RE VERY LABOR INTENSIVE, UH, AND INCREASINGLY AFFECTED BY INFLATION.
THAT IS CUSTODIAL, UH, IS PROBABLY OUR LARGEST, MOST COSTLY, UM, CONTRACT THAN MAINTENANCE.
UH, AND THEN WE HAVE ALSO GROUNDS CONTRACTS AS WELL, MANY OTHER SMALLER ONES.
BUT THESE ARE SOME OF THE THREE PRI PRIMARY CONTRACTS WE MANAGE.
YOU ARE PROBABLY ALSO EXPERIENCING THE UTILITY INCREASES, PARTICULARLY WATER AND SEWER.
THAT SEEMS TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE ARE FACING THIS YEAR AS WELL.
UH, PROPERTY AND LIABILITY INSURANCE INCREASES WE'RE SEEING, PARTICULARLY BECAUSE WE'RE IN A COASTAL COUNTY, THOSE, UH, CONTINUE TO RISE.
UM, OUR, OUR SYSTEMS CONTINUE TO RELY ON TECHNOLOGY, INFRASTRUCTURE AND SOFTWARE.
WE'RE CONSTANTLY TRYING TO MAKE THINGS MORE EFFICIENT, AS YOU ALL I'M SURE ARE AS WELL.
UM, MAKING THINGS MORE EFFICIENT.
YOU REQUIRE A LOT OF TIMES SOFTWARE INCREASES OR MODULES THAT ARE IN SOFTWARES THAT WE ALREADY HAVE.
UH, AND THEN WE HAVE THE ONGOING REQUIRED PROFESSIONAL SERVICES LIKE AUDITING, LEGAL, AND COMPLIANCE.
UM, SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS IN OUR ESSENTIAL OPERATIONS.
UM, AND, AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF OUR ROLES IS TO MAINTAIN A LEARNING, A SAFE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
IT'S WORTHY OF NOTING THAT MANY OF OUR OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES ALSO SERVE A DUAL PURPOSE WITH SAFETY AND SECURITY.
YOU WANT A SAFE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT THROUGH WITH HVAC SYSTEMS, CLEAN FACILITIES AND MANAGING PEST CONTROL AND OTHER MAINTENANCE AND, UH, MAINTENANCE OF THE BUILDING.
UM, SO NOT ONLY WE HAVE THOSE, SO THE TWO KIND OF GO HAND IN HAND.
UM, BUT WE ALSO, UH, HAVE BUDGETS FOR, UM, CONTINUED BUDGET, CONTINUED FUNDING FOR SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS, SECURITY GUARDS AND SAFETY CONTRACTS SUCH AS, UH, BADGE ACCESS, UH, ALARM SYSTEMS, SPRINKLER SYSTEMS, AND SO ON.
UH, AND THEN SPAN, UH, WE HAVE AN EXPANSION OF OUR SAFETY INITIATIVES THAT WE HAVE PLANNED TO ACTUALLY ADD WEAPONS DETECTION SYSTEMS IN MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
WE HAD THEM, UH, WE IMPLEMENTED THEM IN THE HIGH SCHOOLS THIS PAST YEAR.
UH, THE IMPLEMENTATION WAS VERY SMOOTH AND SUCCESSFUL.
THE, UH, STUDENTS AND STAFF CAUGHT ON VERY QUICKLY, AND WE DO INTEND TO, UH, UH, LOOK AT THAT GOING FORWARD FOR OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
AND THEN WE DO INTEND TO MAINTAIN OUR HEALTH AND WELLNESS SUPPORTS IN THIS BUDGET AS WELL.
SO, AS MENTIONED BEFORE, UM, THIS IS OUR TOP 10 STARTING TEACHER SALARIES IN, UH, UH, CROSS SECTION, UH, FROM THE, IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
SO OF COURSE, OUR CHARLESTON NEIGHBORS ARE AT $64,782 IN THE CURRENT YEAR.
UH, FOR THE BUDGET, WE DO EXPECT THAT NUMBER TO GO UP ABOUT 2002 TO 2,500 IN THE NE IN THE COMING YEAR.
[01:55:01]
AT NUMBER TWO WITH $60,087 AS THE STARTING TEACHER SALARY, AND THEN BERKELEY IS RIGHT BEHIND US.UM, AND THEN, UH, THEN THE OTHERS FALL OFF A, A BIT, A LITTLE LOWER.
UH, AND SO THE TOP THREE ARE SORT OF RUNNING NECK AND NECK HERE.
UH, IT IS, IT IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT, UH, ASPECTS OF OUR BUDGET IS TO ENSURE THAT THAT STARTING TEACHER SALARY IS AN ATTRACTIVE NUMBER.
SO THEY, UH, WE DO ATTRACT THE HIGHEST QUALITY TEACHERS.
AND SO AGAIN, THIS IS ANOTHER CROSS SECTION OF WHAT WE'RE MOVING FROM AND GOING TO THE 60,000.
OH 87 IS THE CURRENT YEAR'S, UH, STARTING TEACHER SALARY ON THE SALARY SCHEDULE, UM, THAT WE WOULD MOVE BY $2,500 TO 62,587.
THIS IS TYPICALLY A FLAT INCREASE, FLAT DOLLAR INCREASE FROM THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSALS.
GOVERNOR'S PROPOSING $2,000 INCREASE, BUT WE ARE ABOVE THE, UH, STATE MINIMUM SALARY SCHEDULE.
UH, IF YOU COUNT THE LOCALITY SUPPLEMENT, WE HAVE A $1,500 SUPPLEMENT THAT'S BEEN IN PLACE FOR SEVERAL YEARS, I WOULD SAY ALMOST 10 YEARS.
UH, AND THAT AMOUNT IS $1,500 IN TWO INSTALLMENTS, DECEMBER AND MAY.
SO I DON'T NECESSARILY REPORT IT.
IT'S NOT ON THE, UH, TEACHER SALARY SCALE OR THE SCHEDULE.
IT IS A SEPARATE SUPPLEMENT, BUT THE TOTAL COMPENSATION PACKAGE DOES BRING US TO 64,000, $87 FOR THAT STARTING TEACHER SALARY.
SO WE BELIEVE THAT THAT'S GOING TO CONTINUE OUR RECORD AND OF, UH, HAVING A RETENTION RATE THAT IS FALLING, UM, OR RETENTION RATE, EXCUSE ME, THAT IS INCREASING.
UH, AND SO WE'LL, UH, HAVE FEWER AND FEWER VACANCIES AND HAVE LESS TURN TURNOVER FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UH, AND THEN THESE WERE, UH, CROSS SECTION, UH, JUST A SUMMARY OF TEACHERS AND THEN CLASSIFIED PROFESSIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF.
SO TEACHERS, AGAIN, 2,500, UM, IN INCREASE TO THE BASE STATE MANDATED TEACHER STEP INCREASE FOR THOSE AT STEPS FIVE.
AND, UH, TO THE 31, UH, WE WOULD EXPAND THE MAXIMUM STEP TO FROM 30 TO 31, UM, CLASSIFIED PROFESSIONAL, WE RECEIVE A 3% COST OF LIVING INCREASE AND AN ANNUAL STEP INCREASE.
AND WE WOULD ALSO EXPAND THE MAX STEP INCREASE FROM 30, UH, MAX STEP FROM 30 TO 31 ON THAT GROUP AS WELL.
SO I COME BEFORE YOU EVERY YEAR WITH A, A LIST OF CHALLENGES, AND THEY MIGHT CHANGE ONE OR TWO, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, THEY'RE THE SAME.
UH, STATE FUNDING HAS CERTAINLY BEEN A CHALLENGE.
UH, AND YOU'LL SEE IN A MOMENT.
I HAVE A, A GRAPHIC ON STATE REVENUES.
UM, WE TEND TO HAVE, UH, AFTER A FEW GOOD YEARS, THE LAST FEW YEARS HAVE BEEN, UH, WE'VE BEEN SHOWING SHORTFALLS.
SO OUR PROJECTIONS EARLY IN THE YEAR, LIKE NOW, THE HOUSE WAYS MEANS PROJECTIONS MAY SHOW AN AMOUNT.
AND THEN OUR ACTUAL PROJECTIONS ARE ADJUSTED BASED ON THE HUNDRED AND 35TH DAY OF SCHOOL, WHICH IS USUALLY IN MARCH.
AND WE ARE SEEING ABOUT A THREE TO $4 MILLION INCREASE, UH, EXCUSE ME, DECREASE IN, UH, THE FUNDING AS WE ORIGINALLY PROJECTED.
SO THE LAST TWO YEARS, WE'VE FALLEN SHORT ON FUNDING, UH, THERE.
SO, UH, WE ARE BASICALLY, THE ACTUALS ARE FLATTENING OUT.
THERE IS NOT MUCH INCREASE OVERALL, UH, IN THE LAST THREE YEARS.
UH, WE CONTINUE TO HAVE UNFUNDED MANDATES.
WE'RE WATCHING VERY CLOSELY WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE STATE LEGISLATIVE LEVEL, UM, AND SOME THINGS, UM, THERE HAVE BEEN AT LEAST, UH, I CAN'T COUNT HOW MANY, BUT THREE OR FOUR THAT I'VE BEEN LOOKING IN PARTICULAR, BUT, UH, MANY OTHERS THAT WERE, UH, CREATING FISCAL IMPACTS ON AND DETERMINING WHAT THE COST MAY BE FOR THE DISTRICT.
SO WE'RE HAVING TO BUILD IN EXTRA DOLLARS IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE, ARE ABLE TO COVER SOME OF THE MANDATES THAT COME FORWARD.
MOST OF THEM COME WITH NO FUNDING, UM, LABOR SHORTAGE.
WE CONTINUE TO SEE THAT, PARTICULARLY IN THE AREA OF TEACHING.
UH, RISING COST OF CONTRACTED SERVICES.
UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS ANOTHER, UH, INCREASE IN COST OF CONSUMER GOODS.
AND THE LATEST, UH, CHALLENGE HAS BEEN PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTIONS, AND YOU ALL ARE, ARE AWARE OF THAT.
WE SAW 'EM IN PORT ROYAL, AND I THINK WE'LL CONTINUE TO SEE THEM IN OTHER AREAS OF THE COUNTY AND ACROSS THE STATE.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, UM, WE'RE ALL, UM, SPEAKING UP AND HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION AND OTHERS TO, AND OUR COLLEAGUES, WHICH I, I'M DOING AT MY LEVEL TO, UH, CONTINUE TO GET THAT MESSAGE OUT SO THAT OTHERS ARE AWARE OF, OF THE ISSUE THAT IS, UH, WILL BE ERODING THE TAX REVENUES FROM OUR, UH, FROM ALL OF THE GOVERNMENTS AND THAT WILL BE AFFECTED IN OUR COUNTY.
SO, SUMMARIZING ALL OF THIS, UH, THIS, THE PROPOSED EXPENDITURES, UM, THE CURRENT YEAR IS 376, UH, MILLION 980,000.
[02:00:01]
UH, OUR EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION INCREASES IN THIS BUDGET ARE $15 MILLION, WHICH ARE 83% OF THE WHOLE, UH, ALL INCREASES IN THIS BUDGET.UH, 2.9 MILLION ARE FOR THE ACADEMIC PROGRAMS SUCH AS MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS, SPECIAL EDUCATION, UM, MONTESSORI AND SO ON.
OPERATING ACTIVITIES, 3.4 MILLION, WHICH ARE THOSE, UH, OPERATIONAL, CUSTODIAL AND SO ON, AND SAFETY AND SECURITY OF 1.2 MILLION.
AND THEN WE HAVE SOME OFFSETS AND REDUCTIONS, WHICH WE WERE ABLE TO, UH, UH, IDENTIFY SOME AREAS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO REDUCE.
AND, UH, THOSE ARE 4.3 MILLION.
SO THE NET INCREASE IN THIS BUDGET IS 18.3 MILLION.
PROPOSED BUDGET, IT TOTAL IS 395,321,600.
AND AGAIN, ALL OF THESE ARE BASED, UH, THE TOTALS ARE, ARE, UH, BASED ON THE HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS BUDGET.
SO THE INVESTMENTS ALMOST, ALMOST 70% ARE INSTRUCTIONAL AND THEN INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT.
SO THOSE ARE GOING DIRECTLY TO STUDENTS.
WE HAVE LEADERSHIP AND OTHER ARE 12% OPERATIONS ARE 19.4%.
SO THE LION'S SHARE GOING DIRECTLY TO INSTRUCTION.
SO WHERE DOES THE FUNDING COME FROM? UM, SO, UH, THE 65, ALMOST 66%, TWO THIRDS OF THIS BUDGET ARE DIRECTLY, UH, ALLOCATED FROM LOCAL TAX REVENUES.
SO BASICALLY TWO THIRDS, ONE THIRD OF THIS BUDGET.
AND, AND BASICALLY IS, UH, HOW IT IS FUNDED.
THESE ARE ALMOST A 2% SHIFT FROM THE STATE, UH, FROM LOCAL TO STATE, UH, EXCUSE ME, VICE VERSA FROM STATE TO LOCAL.
SO LAST YEAR WE HAD MORE LIKE 36%, UH, FROM THE STATE SIDE.
AND THIS YEAR IT HAS FALLEN AS WE CONTINUE TO FLATTEN OUT ON THE STATE REVENUES.
SO THIS IS WHAT STATE REVENUES ARE LOOKING LIKE.
UH, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE HAD A COUPLE OF GOOD YEARS WHERE THE BUDGETS IN WHITE WERE EXCEEDED, UH, IN, BY THE ACTUALS IN YELLOW FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 23 AND 24 SCHOOL YEARS.
UH, SO IN 25, 26, UH, AGAIN, WE, WE SHOWED THAT WE HAD BUDGETS THAT WERE ALLOCATED AND PROJECTED IN THE SPRING DURING BUDGET TIME, AND WE FELL SHORT BOTH YEARS, 2.6 MILLION AND 3.8 THE OTHER.
SO WE ARE HAVING TO BUDGET VERY CONSERVATIVELY, UM, TO CONSIDER THAT.
UH, WE HAVE A PATTERN AND A TREND OF FALLING SHORT ON THE STATE REVENUES.
UM, SO REVENUES, UH, THE REVENUE PLAN WITH EXISTING MILLAGE.
SO ON THE LOCAL SIDE, WE DO EXPECT TO PRODUCE $259 MILLION FROM THE 126.1 MILLS.
SO OUR MILL VALUE ON OPERATIONS IS ABOUT $2 MILLION.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S, UH, DIFFERENT THAN THE COUNTY'S OPERATION MILLAGE BECAUSE WE DO NOT RECEIVE, UH, FUNDING FROM THE 4% PRIMARY HOMEOWNERS.
SO THE MILL VALUE IS MUCH LESS ON THE, UH, LOCAL SIDE FOR SCHOOL OPERATIONS.
UH, ALSO, UH, STATE REVENUES, UH, DOES SUPPORT THIS BUDGET OF 135 MILLION, AND WE HAVE A SMALL AMOUNT OF FEDERAL AND OTHER REVENUE SOURCES IN THE GENERAL FUND.
MOST FEDERAL FUNDS ARE IN SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS, GRANTS, AND OTHER ALLOCATIONS.
UH, SO AGAIN, WE HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET WITH $395 MILLION, UH, 395,321,600.
THE GROWING RELIANCE ON LOCAL REVENUES REINFORCES THE IMPORTANCE OF STABLE AND PREDICTABLE PROPERTY TAX BASE.
SO AS, AS WE ARE UNCERTAIN WHAT STATE REVENUES WILL DO, IT IS INCREASINGLY, WE'RE INCREASINGLY RELIANT ON THE STABILITY OF THE LOCAL TAX BASE.
AND IT, AND WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE THAT IT HAS GROWTH.
UM, OPERATING MILLAGE AVAILABLE BY STATE LAW, I ALWAYS JUST REPORT IT.
JUST SO YOU KNOW, WHAT'S AVAILABLE TO THE DISTRICT IS 138 MILLS.
BUT AGAIN, WE'RE STAYING AT THE 1 26 0.1 IN OPERATIONS.
SO, UH, TOMORROW EVENING, UH, WE WILL HAVE A BUDGET CERTIFICATION.
UM, WE, UH, ON THE AGENDA FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S BUDGET, THEY HAVE TWO ITEMS TO APPROVE.
UH, YOURS, UH, THE COUNTY'S BUDGET ONLY, OR THE COUNTY'S APPROVALS ONLY INVOLVE, UH, THE ORDINANCE, WHICH DO ALSO INCLUDE THE DEBT SERVICE AS WELL.
BUT, UH, SO WE HAVE TWO BUDGETS TO, UH, APPROVE 395 FOR THE OPERATIONS MILL, AND 120 MILLION FOR OUR DEBT SERVICE BUDGET AS WELL.
AND AGAIN, IT'S TOMORROW EVENING, UM, AS AT WE'LL BE AT HILTON HEAD ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL.
[02:05:01]
WE DO HAVE THE BUDGET CERTIFICATION ON THE BUDGET FOLLOWED BY THE COUNTY COUNCIL FIRST READING, UH, ON THE 26TH, AND THEN SECOND ON THE EIGHTH AND THE 22ND AS THE FINAL READING.SO WITH THAT, I CONCLUDE MY PRESENTATION.
I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. CROSBY? NO.
UM, I JUST GOT A STATEMENT DOING MR. CHAIRMAN, BUT GO AHEAD.
I, A QUESTION I GO AHEAD, MS. BROWN.
UM, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE FEDERAL FUNDING.
WAS THAT CUT? BECAUSE THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION WAS CUT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
UM, THERE IS NO CUT IN THE GENERAL FUND FOR FEDERAL.
UH, THE, THE FEDERAL, UH, FUNDING IN THE OPERATIONS IN THE GENERAL FUND IS ONLY TWO ITEMS, IMPACT AID AND E-RATE FUNDING.
SO THEY'RE VERY TWO FEDERAL COMPLEX, UH, CATEGORIES WHERE WE HAVE TO CLAIM AND APPLY FOR FUNDING, FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS, AND FOR FEDERALLY IMPACTED STUDENTS.
SO FOR, UM, MILITARY BASES, THE MOST FUNDING FEDERAL FUNDING THAT WE HAVE SITS IN SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS OUTSIDE OF THIS BUDGET.
UM, SPECIAL REVENUES, UH, TOTAL ABOUT $35 MILLION, AND THEY MUST SUPPLANT, UH, SUPPLEMENT THE GENERAL OPERATING BUDGET.
UM, SO THERE ARE NO, UH, UH, WE ARE UNCERTAIN OF ANY CUTS AT THIS TIME FOR NEXT YEAR.
SO THAT THOSE HAVE NOT BEEN FINALIZED.
UM, SO THE, WHAT YOU'RE SEEING TODAY IS NOT A REDUCTION.
IT'S ABOUT THE SAME AS WE HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST.
ALRIGHT, MR. GLOVER? UH, NO, MS. CROSBY, I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UH, THANK YOU FOR PROPOSING A GOOD SOLID, UM, BUDGET REQUEST.
UM, AND I WILL JOIN ME WITH YOU, UM, IN DEALING WITH WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO, UM, DEAL WITH THE 6%, UH, BECAUSE MORE AND MORE EXEMPTIONS ARE HAPPENING IN THE COUNTY, UM, FROM 6% TO 4%.
MORE AND MORE CITIZENS ARE ACTUALLY CLAIMING RESIDENTS HERE IN BEAUFORT.
UM, UH, WHICH TAKES AWAY FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AND, UM, AND IT'S AS WELL AS THE STATE FUNDING.
UH, I, I WOULD ASSUME THAT, UM, IN YOUR BUDGET PRESENTATION WHERE YOU'RE SEEING A, A DECLINE IN STATE FUNDING, I'M JUST WONDERING WHETHER A LOT OF THAT FUNDING IS BEING SHIFTED TO CHARTER SCHOOLS INSTEAD OF LOCAL SCHOOLS.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S, IF THAT IS THE CASE, THAT'S GONNA BE AN ISSUE THAT WE ARE GONNA HAVE TO DEAL WITH BECAUSE THE, THE BALANCE COMES FROM THE SIX PERCENTERS AND WE ARE PUTTING MORE AND MORE BURDEN ON THE SIX PERCENTERS, UH, BECAUSE THAT NUMBER IS DECLINING EVERY YEAR.
SO THAT MEANS THAT THEY ARE PAYING MORE AND MORE EVERY YEAR IN TAXES.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU, AND I WILL DO ANYTHING I CAN TO SUPPORT THE WHATEVER AT THE STATE LEVEL THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO KIND OF TAPER THAT KIND OF, UM, IMPACT ON LOCAL LEGISLATION.
UM, MR. MCKELLEN OR MR. DAWSON? YEP, GO AHEAD.
I, I COULDN'T SEE YOU THERE FOR A SECOND.
IF, IF I MIGHT, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.
MS. CROSBY, I WANT TO THANK YOU, UH, THE SUPERINTENDENT RODRIGUEZ AND THE SCHOOL BOARD FOR THE FINE WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE, PUTTING YOUR BUDGET TOGETHER.
UM, I COMMEND YOU, UH, WITH THE COMPETITIVE STARTING SALARY FILE, UH, STARTING TEACHERS THAT ARE BEING COMPETITIVE WITH, UH, CHARLESTON AND BERKELEY COUNTY.
AND, AND, AND I'D LIKE TO KNOW HOW IS THAT WORKING THUS FOR AS FAR AS YOUR RECRUITMENT PROCESS AND, AND GETTING GOOD TEACHERS, UH, THAT ARE ACTUALLY COMING TO THE, UH, BEFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UH, BUT FI MY FINAL POINT IS THAT I COMMEND YOU ALL ON PRESENTING A BUDGET WITH NO MILL INCREASE.
UH, I, I GO BACK TO THE DAYS AND, AND TANYA, YOU PROBABLY, UH, YOU PROBABLY REMEMBER THIS.
I GO BACK TO THE DAYS WHEN YOUR BUDGET PROCESS, UH, BEING PRESENTED TO CONING COUNCIL WASN'T, WASN'T ANYTHING LIKE IT IS TODAY.
IT WAS BASICALLY A, A DOG FIGHT, A MORE OR LESS A KNOCKDOWN DRAG OUT FIGHT.
AND SO I COMMEND THIS COUNCIL AND I COMMEND THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR US HAVING SOME, UH, UH, UNANIMITY COMING TOGETHER TO ACTUALLY FUND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO EDUCATE THE CHILDREN OF BEAUFORD COUNTY.
I'D LIKE TO JE OUTTA THAT TOO.
UM, AND, AND I'D LIKE TO, TO CHIME IN AS WELL AND, AND JUST SAY AGAIN, Y'ALL HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB.
I'VE HAD A CHILD IN THE BEAUFORT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM STARTING WHEN I FIRST MOVED HERE IN 1990, I THINK I WENT ONE YEAR, UM, BEFORE I
[02:10:01]
HAD A GRANDCHILD IN THIS SYSTEM.SO I'VE HAD A, A, A CHILD OR A GRANDCHILD IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR 36 YEARS.
THAT THE BIGGEST THING THAT, THAT I DID NOT REALIZE WHEN I FIRST MOVED HERE WAS THE FACT THAT IF YOU ARE A FOUR PERCENTER, YOU DON'T PAY ANY TAXES TO THE SCHOOL, UM, UM, SCHOOL BOARD AT ALL.
I MEAN, IT'S SOMETHING THAT ALL THE GENERATED REVENUE, AND I GUESS IT'S BECAUSE OF TAX, UM, ACT 3 88, THIS IS OUR LEGISLATURE.
AND AGAIN, THEY, THEY WILL NOT CHANGE IT BECAUSE THERE, THERE'S OTHER COUNTIES THAT LIKE ACT 3 88, BUT THAT MEANS THAT ALL, UM, SCHOOL TAXES ARE PAID BY COMMERCIAL PROPERTY PAID BY EMPTY LOTS.
'CAUSE THEY ALSO THEN HAVE THE, THE 6% AND THEN PEOPLE THAT ARE THE PART-TIME RESIDENTS THAT ARE SIX PERCENTERS.
AND THAT'S WHERE ALL THE SCHOOL FUNDING COMES FROM.
UM, I LIVED HERE AS A PERMANENT RESIDENCE AND FINALLY REALIZED THAT NONE OF MY TAXES I EVER WENT TO SCHOOL BECAUSE I WAS A FULL-TIME RESIDENT.
SO AGAIN, SOMETHING THAT WE TRY TO EDUCATE PEOPLE ON AND, AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND, BUT Y'ALL HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB.
WE HAVE SOME OF THE, UH, HIGHEST RATED SCHOOLS, UH, IN THE, IN THE STATE.
UM, DR. RODRIGUEZ, WHO WAS JUST AWARD AS, UH, WHAT WAS IT, THE, THE BEST SUPERINTENDENT IN THE STATE.
IS THAT WHAT THAT WAS? THAT'S QUITE A, TO GET CONGRATULATIONS.
IT'S, UH, WE, WE APPRECIATE THAT.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU'VE WORKED HARD FOR.
AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, DON'T PLAN ON LEAVING AND GOING ANY PLACE ELSE.
UM, BUT, BUT AGAIN, UH, SO AT THIS POINT, UH, MR. MR. MCCALLAN, I SEE YOUR HAND UP.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK, I'M FINISHED.
I JUST WANTED TO, UH, CONGRATULATE THE, UH, SCHOOL BOARD ON REACHING A CALCULATION ON THE, UH, SALARY FOR STARTING TEACHERS AND LET THEM KNOW AS A FORMER TEACHER IN NEW YORK CITY, I SUPPORT THAT EFFORT AND I WILL VOTE IN FAVOR OF THAT, UH, INCREASE FOR, UH, STARTING TEACHERS WHEN IT'S PRESENTED.
ALRIGHT, ANY MORE DISCUSSION? IF NOT, WE WILL CALL THE, UH, QUESTION.
UM, AND, UH, DO WE NEED A ROLL CALL? IS EVERYONE, UH, ANY OBJECTION? NO OBJECTION.
THIS WILL BE THEN MOVED TO COUNTY COUNCIL.
SITTING THROUGH THE MEETING? YES.
LET'S TRY TO GET THROUGH, UM, UH, OUR OTHER ITEMS HERE.
AND I KNOW, UM, UH, OUR ITEM NUMBER NINE
[9.d. An Ordinance to appropriate and issue a refund of impact fees paid for the Garden Oaks Apartments affordable housing development (FISCAL IMPACT: $176,961.16) - Emily Zackon, Attorney for GDA Development Partners ]
D AND, UM, THIS AN ORDINANCE TO APPROPRIATE THE ISSUE OF A REFUND OF IMPACT FEES PAID BY THE GARDEN OAKS APARTMENTS, AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, UM, FISCAL IMPACT $176,961 16 CENTS.AND WE DO HAVE EMILY ZAKO HERE, ATTORNEY FOR THE GDA DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS.
CAN I HAVE A MOTION PLEASE? I'D LIKE THE MOTION SECOND.
ALRIGHT, IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND IT ALL.
UM, IF COMMITTEE PLEASES I, I'LL JUST GIVE YOU A LITTLE INTRODUCTION FROM THE COUNTY SIDE AND THEN ALLOW, UM, THANK YOU MR. EMILY.
GO AHEAD WITH THE PRESENTATION.
THIS IS A REQUEST FOR THE REIMBURSEMENT OF DEVELOPMENT IMPACT FEES FOR THE GARDEN OAKS AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.
UM, I THINK MANY OF YOU MAY BE AWARE OF WHERE IT IS OVER SORT OF BEHIND THE LOWS LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF BEAVERT.
UM, A LARGE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT THAT WAS COMPLETED CONSTRUCTION IN 2025 AND, UM, HAD THEIR FINAL COVENANTS AND RESTRICTIONS RECORDED EARLIER THIS YEAR, I BELIEVE.
UM, THIS, JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME HISTORY ON IT FROM THE COUNTY'S SIDE.
SO BACK IN 2022, THERE WERE SOME DISCUSSIONS WITH THE PRIOR ADMINISTRATOR AND PRIOR COUNTY ATTORNEY WITH THE DEVELOPER AND THEIR COUNSEL ABOUT THIS REQUEST, UM, FOR A REIMBURSEMENT OF THE, UM, A LITTLE OVER $176,000 IN IMPACT FEES THAT HAD BEEN PAID DURING THE TIME OF, OF PERMITTING.
UM, AT THAT TIME, THE DECISION WAS, AND THE PARTIES AGREED THAT THE DEVELOPER WOULD WAIT TO SUBMIT THE REIMBURSEMENT REQUEST TO COUNTY COUNCIL AFTER CONSTRUCTION HAD BEEN COMPLETED AND THE FINAL COVENANTS HAD BEEN RECORDED JUST SO THAT THE COUNTY HAD ITS ASSURANCES THAT A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF UNITS WOULD REMAIN AFFORDABLE, UM, AND, AND THAT WE WOULD GET THE ASSURANCES THAT WE NEEDED ON THAT FRONT.
UM, THAT HAS NOW HAPPENED AND THE DEVELOPER IS NOW BACK BEFORE YOU THROUGH COUNSEL, UH, MAKING THIS REQUEST.
UM, JUST WANTED TO POINT YOU TO THE RELEVANT SECTIONS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY'S CODE OF ORDINANCES THAT, UH, APPLY HERE.
SO 82 32 PROVIDES THAT A CERT A DEVELOPMENT, UM, IS EXEMPT FROM DEVELOPMENT IMPACT FEES IF THE PROJECT IS DETERMINED TO CREATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND THE PORTION OF THE PROPORTIONATE SHARE OF SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS IS FUNDED THROUGH A REVENUE SOURCE OTHER THAN IMPACT FEES.
SO THAT WOULD REQUIRE COUNSEL TO FUND IT FROM ANOTHER SOURCE.
AS WE ARE AWARE, WE CANNOT WAIVE IMPACT FEES OR OTHERWISE NOT PAY THEM.
THEY HAVE TO BE PAID FROM SOMEWHERE.
SO THAT WOULD REQUIRE COUNCIL ACTION IF YOU WERE PROCEEDING UNDER THAT SECTION.
82 33 ALSO HAS A PROCEDURE BY WHICH, AND THIS IS ONE WE'VE DISCUSSED BEFORE, THAT COUNCIL CAN DISCOUNT IMPACT FEES.
OF COURSE, THAT ALSO DOES REQUIRE THAT THOSE IMPACT FEES GET PAID FROM SOMEWHERE, BUT THERE'S A DIFFERENT CRITERIA, UM, SET FORTH UNDER 82 33.
THAT'S A, A CALCULATION BASED ON, UM, A MI THRESHOLDS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
THERE WERE, UH, DISCUSSIONS, AS I MENTIONED BACK IN 2022 ABOUT THIS, UM,
[02:15:01]
ABOUT HOW THE PARTIES WOULD GO ABOUT THIS.UM, SO THAT'S WHY IT'S BACK BEFORE YOU THIS AFTERNOON AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AFTER, UM, EMILY GIVES HER PRESENTATION.
UM, CAN EVERYBODY HEAR ME OKAY? YES, MA'AM.
UM, THAT WAS, THAT WAS A GREAT OVERVIEW AND COVERED A LOT OF THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT I WAS GONNA, UM, EXPLAIN IN, IN MY PRESENTATION.
SO I'M HAPPY IF IT PLEASES THE COMMITTEE, UM, JUST TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
UM, BUT I'M HAPPY TO PROCEED EITHER WAY.
DONE, MS. HOWARD, THIS, YOU KNOW, UM, THIS IS BECOMING AN ISSUE LOCALLY AND IT THE STATE LEVEL BECAUSE OF A LOOPHOLE, UM, WHERE, UM, MAYBE ONE OR TWO UNITS MEET THE CRITERIA FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UH, A MI DO THESE UNITS, ARE THEY, IS THERE ANY, UM, ARE ALL THE UNITS CONSIDERED AT WHAT INCOME LEVELS OF A MI? YES MA'AM.
A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE UNITS ARE, UM, RESERVED FOR TENANTS WHO MAKE 60% OR LESS OF A MI.
AND HOW MANY, AND IT'S A 30 YEAR, UM, FROM YOUR PACKET, IT'S A 30 YEAR, UM, CLIENTS, CORRECT? THAT THAT'S CORRECT, YES.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO ONE ONLINE.
AND SO WHEN, WHEN DID THE 30 YEARS, UM, START MS. DACKER? UH, THE 30 YEARS STARTED IN DECEMBER OF 2021.
UM, ALRIGHT, I'D JUST LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT AND IF NO ONE ELSE HAS A COMMENT, GO BACK TO ALICE.
I, I HAVE, UM, SOME MISGIVINGS DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF THE MONEY.
UH, WHEN WE FIRST DID THIS, I THINK OUR INTENTION WAS TO, TO DO IT FOR UNITS SUCH AS, UM, HABITAT FOR HUMANITY THAT ARE OWNED, YOU KNOW, BY THE OWNER WHO ARE GONNA BE PAYING
UH, I MADE THE MOTION, UM, BUT I, I, YOU KNOW, I, WE, WE SAY WE'RE, WE'RE DOING THINGS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT THIS IS A LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY TO COME UP.
SO, AND THE ONLY THING THAT I, I WOULD ADD TO THAT IS THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW THAT WE'RE TRYING TO HELP WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND IT'S MORE ON INDIVIDUAL UNITS FOR DIFFERENT PLACES AND NOT NECESSARILY ON A CORPORATE LEVEL.
UM, WHICH MAKES IT TOUGHER FOR US THAT PEOPLE LOOK AT US AND SAY, OH, WE'RE GIVING MONEY BACK TO CORPORATIONS AS OPPOSED TO, UM, INDIVIDUALS.
WE, WE ARE LOOKING TO TRY TO, UM, UH, HELP THE, THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITH, WITH THE AMOUNTS.
UM, BUT, UH, AGAIN, SO IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO, TO TALK ABOUT AND, AND DISCUSS, BUT AGAIN, IT'S BROUGHT BEFORE US.
YOU'RE SMART BY BRINGING THIS TO US.
BEFORE WE GO AHEAD AND, AND CLOSE OUR DISCUSSION, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE, UH, MR. DAWSON? GO AHEAD, BUT MS I'LL GIVE YOU THE LAST, UH, WORD, MS. SAFFRON ONCE, UH, MR. DAWSON GOES.
I'M, I'M JUST CURIOUS AS TO, UH, WHO MONITORS AND VERIFY THAT THE, THE, UH, OWNER OF THE, UH, DEVELOPMENT ACTUALLY KEEP THOSE, UH, APARTMENTS AT A MI UH, OUR LEVEL? THAT'S A, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
SO THE, UM, SOUTH CAROLINA STATE HOUSING FINANCE AND DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY WILL MONITOR, UM, THE, THE PROPERTY IS IN COMPLIANCE FOR THAT PERIOD OF TIME.
UM, THERE'S SIGNIFICANT RAMIFICATIONS FOR THE DEVELOPER FOR FAILING TO DO SO.
UM, ONE OF WHICH INCLUDES, UH, TAKING BACK THE, UH, LI LITECH EQUITY.
UM, SO IT IS IN THEIR BEST INTEREST TO CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THEM TO BE AFFORDABLE FOR THAT ENTIRE, UM, ENTIRE PERIOD THEY HAVE, UH, QUARTERLY REPORTING TO, TO THEM.
I, I'VE GOT ONE MORE QUESTION AND THEN, UH, I'LL, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU, MS. MS. AKON TO GO AHEAD AND GIVE US A FINAL, BUT THIS IS ACTUALLY A DIFFERENT SUBJECT, BUT HAVE YOU APPLIED FOR THE, UH, EXEMPTION OF, UM, TAXES, UH, FOR YOUR COMMUNITY? LIKE, UH, SOME OTHER FOLKS HAVE DONE IN OUR, OUR, OUR AREA, THIS, THIS ONE HAS ACTUALLY BEEN EXEMPT SINCE 2021.
UM, SO IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THE SEVERAL THAT HAVE ROLLED OFF THE BOOKS IN, IN RECENT YEARS, IT'S ACTUALLY A HUNDRED PERCENT OWNED BY A NONPROFIT.
UM, SO THIS IS KIND OF A DIFFERENT SCENARIO THAN, THAN WHAT YOU'VE BEEN SEEING RECENTLY.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE WE GO AHEAD AND VOTE? UH, NOPE.
HAPPY TO ANSWER OTHER QUESTIONS.
I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME THIS AFTERNOON.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND CALL THE QUESTION, DO WE NEED TO DO A ROLL CALL? IS THIS CAN BE DONE? PROBABLY NEED TO DO A ROLL CALL.
UM, LET'S, LET'S GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL.
[02:20:01]
COUNCIL MEMBER PASSMAN? YES.COUNCIL MEMBER DAWSON? YES, I CAN TRY.
ALRIGHT, SO BRIAN, IS THAT WITHIN THIS COMMITTEE TO PASS THAT OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT GOES TO COUNCIL? THIS IS A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNSEL, YEAH.
FOR WHO IS THE ORDINANCE? ALRIGHT, SO THEN THIS WILL BE RECOMMENDED TO COUNSEL.
WOULD IT GO AS AN ORDINANCE? IS THAT, THAT'S, YOU SAID NOT A RESOLUTION? YES, IT'S IN YOUR PACKAGE.
[9.e. A Resolution to Award FY26 Local 3% Accommodations Tax Grants (FISCAL IMPACT: Fund 2001 has a Fund Balance of $8,978,182.06 and actual revenues of $1,791,550.47 as of May 13, 2026. $2,000,000 has been allocated for the FY2026 grant cycle.) - Allison Kirby, Grants Administrator (20 minutes) ]
ITEM ON OUR AGENDA, I WOULD ASK FOR SOMEONE TO POSTPONE THAT FOR US TO OUR NEXT FEE.I MADE A, WELL GO AHEAD MR. MAKE ONE.
I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO PUSH THIS, THIS TO YOUR NEXT FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING.
UM, EVERYONE NEEDS TO GO THROUGH IT WITH A FINE TOOTH COMB.
TOOK ME HOURS, SO I DON'T KNOW THAT EVERYBODY'S READY.
UH, ANY MORE DISCUSSION WITHOUT DISCUSSION? WE'LL MOVE THIS TO THE NEXT FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION, I SEE ANU OBJECTION.
WE'LL MOVE THAT THEN TO OUR NEXT FINANCE MEETING.
[9.f. Award of two contracts to Dominion Energy for Electric Vehicle Chargers at two Beaufort County locations: Buckwalter Recreation Park and Admin Building. (FISCAL IMPACT: $80,000.00) - Frank Stroncheck. Facilities Director & Allison Kirby, Grants Administrator]
OUR FINAL ITEM.AND THIS IS, UH, F UH, NINE F AWARD, UH, OF TWO CONTRACTS TO DOMINION ENERGY FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGERS AT TWO BUFORT COUNTY AT LOCATIONS.
BUCK WATER RECREATION PARK, AN ADMINISTRATION BUILDING.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND IT.
AND WE HAVE, UH, MR. FRANK, UH, STR, UM, WHO'S OUR FACILITIES DIRECTOR AND WE HAVE ALLISON KIRBY, WHO IS OUR GRANTS ADMINISTRATOR.
UH, THIS IS A, UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT AWARDING CONTRACTS TO DOMINION ENERGY TO INSTALL ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGER LOCATIONS AT CHARGER STATIONS AT TWO LOCATIONS, FOUR AT REBUILD ROAD, AT THE ADMIN CENTER, AND SIX AT BUCKWALTER RECREATION CENTER.
THE TOTAL COST IS ACTUALLY $81,396.
UM, JUST A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON THIS INFORMATION WE CAN ON, ON THIS PROJECT, WE CAN GET A REBATE OF $80,150 ON THESE FROM A, UH, GRANT FROM THE US DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY, ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION BLACK GRANT PROGRAM.
THAT GRANT WAS AWARDED, UM, BACK IN 2023, SIGNED, UM, THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS IN FEBRUARY, 2024.
IT WAS SET TO EXPIRE AFTER TWO YEARS BACK IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER.
UM, I WAS WORKING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY TO GET A NO-COST EXTENSION AND PINKY WAS WORKING WITH PINKY, HARRIET WAS WORKING WITH FRANK TO GET THE PROJECT BACK ON TRACK AND CONVERSATIONS GOING WITH DOMINION ENERGY.
AND THIS IS A 10 YEAR CONTRACT FOR OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE OF THE EQUIPMENT, CHARGING FACILITIES AT THESE LOCATIONS.
AND JUST TO, UH, FOLLOW UP, UH, WITH A FEW MORE POINTS, UH, AGAIN, THERE ARE SIX CHARGING STATIONS THAT ARE GOING TO BE INSTALLED AT BUCKWALTER REC, FOUR OF 'EM INSTALLED HERE.
UH, IN ADDITION TO HAVING CHARGING STATIONS HERE, WHAT IT DOES FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY, IT SHOWS THAT WE ARE BEING, UH, THOUGHTFUL FORWARD THINKING AND ALSO INVOLVED IN SUSTAINABILITY.
UM, IT, IT ALSO ALLOWS US TO PROVIDE, UH, ELEC UH, ELECTRICITY OR ELECTRIC CHARGING FOR VEHICLES THAT QUITE FRANKLY, THERE'S ONLY A HANDFUL IN BEAUFORD COUNTY.
SO, UM, YEAH, SO, UM, AND YOU'RE RIGHT, THE PEOPLE THAT COME HERE ON VACATION, THEY, THEY DRIVE THEIR VEHICLES AND THEY HAVE NO PLACE TO CHARGE.
SO, UM, AND, AND WE'VE TALKED BEFORE ABOUT, UM, WE HAD ONE THAT WAS SOLAR POWER THAT WE DID NOT CHARGE FOR, BUT I THINK THAT, UM, MY OPINION IS, IS THAT LAST LOOK AT THE REST IS THAT WE WOULD CHARGE, THERE'S A CHARGE FOR THIS, CHARGE FOR THIS.
THE, UH, COUNTY WOULD DETERMINE THE CHARGING AND HOW MUCH, UH, AND SET THE STANDARDS WE CURRENTLY HAVE, UH, WITH FLEET, UH, A DOCUMENT WHICH OUTLINES OUR POLICY AND HOW WE COULD JUST AMEND THAT.
HOWEVER WE WISH WE WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT AMENDMENT OR MAKE THOSE AMENDMENTS TO THAT.
UM, YEAH, AND THERE'S ANOTHER, WE NEED DO THAT WITH THIS.
UM, THIS WOULD BE APPROVED AT THE COMMITTEE LEVEL, BUT IT MIGHT BEHOOVE YOU TO MAKE A MOTION TO DIRECT STAFF TO COME BACK TO COUNSEL WITH A RESOLUTION, SETTING THE FEES FOR ANY CHARGE.
WOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO MAKE THAT MOTION? I'LL MAKE THE MOTION, YEAH.
SO ALICE, I MEAN, UH, TAB, SORRY TO TWICE TODAY.
UM, TAB AND THEN, UH, SECONDED BY JOE.
SO WE'RE ASKING, UH, FOR Y'ALL TO COME BACK TO US WITH A FEE SCHEDULE FOR US TO CHARGE, UM, AT THOSE UH, STATIONS WHENEVER THEY'RE OPERATIONAL.
[02:25:01]
I GUESS THAT MONEY THEN WOULD HELP THEM PAY FOR MAINTENANCE OF THOSE AND UPKEEP OF THOSE, UH, OF, OF THE MONEY THAT THAT'S GENERATED WITH THAT.UM, ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU MISSED OR YOU'D LIKE TO ADD? THE ONLY THING I WOULD ADD TOO IS THAT THE, UH, CURRENT SOLAR, UH, EV CHARGER THAT'S OUT THERE OUTSIDE, UH, IT'S BEEN OUT THERE FOR TWO MONTHS NOW SHOWING THAT THE, THE, THE DEMAND IS GREAT.
SO IT'S, UH, BEEN USED UH, QUITE A BIT AND SO IT SORT OF SUBSTANTIATES WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE THAT WE, UH, DO NEED IT.
THAT ONE'S FREE, CORRECT? THIS ONE IS FREE, CORRECT? I DON'T, I'M INTERESTED WHAT THE DEMAND WILL BE WHEN IT'S A FEE WHEN WE CHARGE FOR IT, IT'S NOT GONNA BE LIKE THIS.
BUT I, BUT I STILL THINK JUST BASED ON THAT, THAT YOU DEFINITELY WOULD HAVE A, A GREAT NEED AND, AND, AND AGAIN, THE OTHER THINGS THAT IT, IT'S, IT HELPS WITH OUR GREEN INITIATIVE SUSTAINABILITY.
LOTS OF COUNTIES ARE DOING THIS AND UH, IT'S, UH, IT'S, UH, IN OUR, IN OUR MINDS A SMART THING.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL BRING THE QUESTION.
UH, IS THERE ANY REASON FOR US TO DO ROLL CALL? IS THIS SOMETHING APPROVED? WITHOUT OBJECTION.
IT IS APPROVED AND WILL BE SENT TO COUNTY COUNCIL.
BEFORE YOU APPROVED THAT THE COMMITTEE.
THIS IS, OH, THIS IS THE COUNTY COUNCIL WILL ACT ON THE FEES.
BEFORE YOU ADJOURN, I, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, YOUR MOTION INCLUDES THE REQUIREMENT FOR STAFF TO BRING YOU BACK THAT RESOLUTION WITH A FEE SCHEDULE, RIGHT? YEAH.
THIS, THIS, THIS IS A QUICK COMMENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN I GO INTO A SHOPPING AREA, IF I TOOK MY CAR, I'D BE CHARGED UP.
WHAT THEY GONNA DO WHEN THEY PARK AT THE PARKING LOT OUTSIDE THE CUSTOMERS WHEN THEY COME IN TO CHARGE? HANG ON, READ THE BOOK
JUST CURIOUS WHAT, THAT'S ALL JIM.
UH, IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE, THEY COME BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE AGAIN.
THANKS FOR WATCHING BEAUFORT COUNTY TV.
I'M DENNIS ADAMS AND THIS IS A BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENT.
CALL IT FROGMORE STEW LOW COUNTRY BOIL BEAUFORT BOIL, WHATEVER YOU PLEASE.
THIS ZESTY POT OF SHRIMP, SAUSAGE AND CORN ON THE COB MAY BE OUR BEST KNOWN SPECIALTY, BUT THE RECIPE IS LESS THAN A HUNDRED YEARS OLD.
IN FACT, HISTORIAN GERHARD SPEER SAID THAT THE KIND OF LINKED SAUSAGE USED IN THE STEW CAME TO THIS AREA WITH IMMIGRANTS NO EARLIER THAN THE 1940S.
BEFORE THAT TIME, ONLY PATTY STYLE SAUSAGE COULD BE BOUGHT.
THE SPEER THINKS THAT THE RECIPE WAS THE ACCIDENTAL INVENTION OF SHRIMPERS THROWING EVERYTHING THEY HAD ON HAND TOGETHER.
ALTHOUGH BOILED SHRIMP HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PART OF SEA ISLAND DAILY LIFE.
THE 1847 CHARLESTON COOKBOOK, THE CAROLINA HOUSEWIFE HAD NO RECIPES LIKE PRESENT DAY FROGMORE STEW, BUT FOR A BATCH OF WHAT HAS BECOME THE TASTE OF THE LOW COUNTRY BOILED CORN AND SAUSAGE IN WATER WELL SPICED WITH SEAFOOD SEASONING POWDER, ADDING RAW SHRIMP AT THE LAST MINUTE, DRAIN FAST, AND SERVE HOT.
I'M DENNIS ADAMS, AND THIS HAS BEEN YOUR BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENT.
TO SEE MORE BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENTS GO TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY HOMEPAGE AND CLICK ON THE LOCAL HISTORY TAB.