* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:01] SPEEDING [1. CALL TO ORDER] TO ORDER OF TUESDAY, MAY 26 COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING. PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO REPUBLIC FOR RELIGIOUS HANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH THE LIBERTY, JUSTICE STRONG. PLEASE REMAIN STANDING. MR. MC, COUNCILMAN MCALLEN HAS THE DEVOTION. THANK YOU. ON THIS, UH, MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND, I ASK HEAVENLY FATHER, ON THIS DAY OF REMEMBRANCE, WE PAUSE WITH GRATEFUL HEARTS. WE HONOR THE BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN WHO LAY DOWN THEIR LIVES SO THAT WE MIGHT LIVE IN FREEDOM. AND PEACE. BLESS THE FAMILIES WHO CARRY THE WEIGHT OF THEIR ABSENCE. WRAP THEM IN YOUR COMFORT. FILL THEM WITH YOUR PEACE, AND REMIND THEM THAT THEIR LOVED ONES SACRIFICE WAS NOT IN VAIN. GRANT US THE WISDOM TO CHERISH THE LIBERTIES. WE ENJOY THE COURAGE TO STAND FOR WHAT IS RIGHT AND JUST, AND COMPASSION TO SERVE OTHERS AS SELFLESSLY AS THEY DID. MAY THEIR LEGACY INSPIRE US TO LIVE WITH PURPOSE, TO LOVE DEEPLY, AND TO WALK HUMBLY BEFORE YOU. IN YOUR HOLY NAME WE PRAY, AMEN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCILMAN MCKELLAN. THAT WAS WONDERFUL. UM, MS. BROCK, UH, WE IN COMPLIANCE WITH FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT? YES, MA'AM, WE ARE. THANK YOU. [4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA ] AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA FOR TONIGHT. SO MOVE. I'LL SECOND IT. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN PASSMAN AND A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN LARSON. ALL IN FAVOR? BY SHOW OF HANDS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION BEFORE THAT VOTE? OH, YOU'RE RIGHT. WITH REGARD TO THE AGENDA, ARE WE DEALING YET WITH THE CONSENT AGENDA? YEAH. AGENDA. I'D LIKE TO REMOVE SOME ITEMS FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA. OKAY. FOR SPECIAL CONSIDERATION. ALRIGHT. BE ITEMS THREE, FOUR, AND SIX, PLEASE. THREE, FOUR, AND SIX. SO YOU'RE AMENDING THE, OUR AGENDA TO REMOVE THOSE FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA. ALRIGHT. FOR INDIVIDUAL, UH, ATTENTION. CORRECT. DO YOU HAVE A, DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THAT. OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE AMENDMENT TO THE AGENDA TO REMOVE ITEMS THREE, FOUR, AND SIX. IT'S FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA, RIGHT? THERE'S ALL, OKAY. YEAH. ALL IN FAVOR OF REMOVING THOSE FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA. BY SHOW OF HANDS. ALRIGHT. WE HAVE ONE WHERE WE PUT THEM. NOW WE'LL HAVE TO PUT 'EM AT THE BEGINNING ARE GONE PERMANENTLY? NO, NO. WE'LL HAVE TO PUT 'EM IN THE REGULAR AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION. DISCUSS INDIVIDUALLY. YEAH. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. SO YOU HAD FOUR HANDS RAISED. RAISE AGAIN, WHERE, WHERE IT'S CONVENIENT. I MEAN, IF THERE'S CONFUSION ABOUT IT, I CAN EXPLAIN THE REASON. I MEAN, UNLESS YOU'RE WELCOME TO YES, GO AHEAD. UM, THE, THE, UH, CHANGE ORDER FOR BUCK WALTER RECREATION IS 5 MILLION $132,000. SPORTS LIGHTING AT THE RECREATION COMPLEX IS ANOTHER $593,000. THE CONTRACT AWARD FOR UPGRADES TO THE BOAT LANDING IS $589,000. AND THE ISLAND REC CENTER HAS HAD IT BUDGET REDUCED BY $18,000. I THINK THERE'S SOME ROOM IN THE $10 MILLION THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO TAKE SOME OF THAT MONEY OUT AND GIVE IT TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ATTENDING THIS AT 600,000 VISITS A YEAR. BECAUSE WE HAVE NO OTHER FACILITIES ON, UH, ON HILTON HEAD. THIS IS THE ONLY THING WE MAKE A CONTRIBUTION TO, AND WE'VE REDUCED THAT. AND I THINK THERE MIGHT BE ROOM HERE TO REDUCE MAYBE THE 5 MILLION, 132,000 TO 5 MILLION 112,000 TO GET THAT MONEY. I'M SORRY. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE DISCUSSION, UM, WITH YOU. I'M, SO THE MR. MCCOLLUM, THAT IS FOR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, YOUR REQUEST THAT'S GOT UNDER TO DO WITH THESE. THAT WOULD BE FINE. YES. THEY, IN JULY, WE, SO WE GET TO NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET THAT WOULD COME UP. REMEMBER I TOLD YOU? YEAH. IT'S NOT GONNA BE TONIGHT. IT, IT IS TONIGHT ON NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET. RIGHT. WHEN WE GET TO THAT. BUT THESE ITEMS ARE IN, IT'LL BE OKAY. IT'S NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET. THEY WANT THE MONEY. THESE ARE THIS YEAR'S BUDGET. THEY'RE OUTTA THIS YEAR'S BUDGET. YEAH. OH, SORRY. THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET. THIS IS A REALLOCATION FROM THE CURRENT BUDGET. WE'VE ALREADY PASSED. WE PASSED IT THE LAST COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING TO UPDATE IT ALONG WITH THAT. WELL, I COULD TAKE IT HERE AND THEY COULD USE IT. THEY CAN APPLY IT TO NEXT YEAR. YOU TELL ME WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO DO FURTHER DISCUSSION. COUNCILMAN CUNNINGHAM? YEAH, I WOULD JUST SAY THAT I, I UNDERSTAND YOU WANT TO REMOVE, YOU CAN REMOVE 'EM IF YOU'D LIKE, OBVIOUSLY, BASED UPON A VOTE. BUT WHAT YOU'D BE REALLY LOOKING TO REMOVE IS ACTUALLY THE BUDGET ORDINANCE ITSELF, BECAUSE THIS IS JUST THE ALLOCATION OF THE FUNDS, BUT THE REALLOCATION FROM THE FUNDS ACTUALLY HAS TO COME FROM THE BUDGET AMENDMENT, WHICH NEITHER OF THESE THREE ARE THE AMENDMENT THEMSELVES FOR THE BUDGET, BUT ACTUALLY FOR THE, ALLOCATING THOSE FUNDS FROM THAT BUDGET, THAT'S ALREADY BEEN AMENDED. SO I'M HAPPY TO WAIT THEN RESTORE THEM. AND I CAN GO BACK WITH THE JULY ONE BUDGET. IF THAT NEEDS TO TAKE THE ADJUSTMENT. THAT WOULD FINE. THAT'D BE FINE. GIVE YOU A DO RESEND YOUR MO DO YOU STILL, LIKE I SAID, I'LL, [00:05:01] I'LL, I CAN, YOU CAN PUT THEM BACK ON. OKAY. ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? YEAH. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. SO SOMEBODY HAS TO WITHDRAW THEIR SECOND. OKAY. I'M FOLLOW. LARRY. IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE JULY ONE. OKAY. COUNCILMAN GLOVER, DO YOU, YOU AGREED. ALL RIGHT. SO ITEMS THREE, FOUR, AND SIX ARE BACK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. NOW GOING BACK TO THE REGULAR AGENDA, WE HAD A MOTION, DO A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA. AND WE HAD A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN LARSON. ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE AGENDA AS SHOWN. ALRIGHT. AND THAT COUNCIL COUNCILMAN MCKELLAN. OKAY. THAT IS UNANIMOUS. ALL RIGHT. SO, [5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES ] UM, NUMBER FIVE A ON THE AGENDA IS MINUTES FROM CAUCUS AND COUNTY COUNCIL DATED MAY 11TH, 2026. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN PASSMAN AND A SECOND BY, UM, COUNCILMAN CUNNINGHAM. ALL IN FAVOR BY SHOW OF HANDS TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AND AS UNANIMOUS. ALRIGHT. UM, [6. ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT ] AT THIS TIME WE HAVE ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT. MR. MOORE. GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR COUNSEL, I'M GONNA KEEP MY REMARKS SHORT 'CAUSE WE'VE GOT A LONG AGENDA. LOOK AT YOU, . I'M SURE YOU CAN APPRECIATE THAT. BUT I DID WANT TO POINT OUT THAT AS HURRICANE SEASONS APPROACHING, ONE OF THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT DEALS WITH, UH, DISASTER RECOVERY. AND I, I WANTED TO SAY WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH STAFF TO POSITION THE COUNTY FOR THE HURRICANE SEASON. WE HAVE OUR CONTRACTS IN PLACE WITH DEBRIS MANAGEMENT AND DEBRIS MONITORING. CONTRACTORS AND DEPARTMENTS ARE KNOWLEDGEABLE IN THE ROLES. HURRICANE SEASONS WILL OFFICIALLY BEGIN JUNE 1ST AND WILL RUN THROUGH NOVEMBER 30TH. WE EXPECT PTA ACTIVITY FROM AUGUST THROUGH OCTOBER, UH, FOLLOWING ANY STORM PASSAGE. UH, THE COUNTY WORK TO CONNECT RESIDENTS TO RECOVERY RESOURCES, INCLUDING INFORMATION ON DISASTER ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS AND THE REOPENING OF COUNTY SERVICES. WE ENCOURAGE ALL RESIDENTS TO USE THIS TIME TO BUILD THEIR OWN EMERGENCY KITS, REVIEW EVACUATION ROUTES AND VISIT BCSO.NET/STORM HYPHENATE CENTER TO VIEW AND DOWNLOAD THE 2026 SOUTH CAROLINA HURRICANE GUIDE. ANY QUESTIONS FOR OUR ADMINISTRATOR? WE'RE GOOD. ALRIGHT. NOT THAT CONCLUDES OUR REPORT. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, WE HAVE SEVERAL [7. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD - 30 MINUTES TOTAL ] PEOPLE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. I WILL, UM, LIKE TO REMIND THE PUBLIC THAT EVERY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC IS RECOGNIZED TO SPEAK SHALL LIMIT THEIR COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES AND OBSERVE THE FOLLOWING PROTOCOL, ADDRESS THE CHAIRMAN, AND IN SPEAKING, AVOID DISRESPECT TO COUNCIL AND ANY PERSONALITIES CONFINE THEMSELVES TO QUESTIONS UNDER JURISDICTION OF THE COUNCIL. BE MINDFUL AND RESPECTFUL OF THOSE WHO ARE PRESENT AND OTHERS WHO MAY BE WATCHING ON TELEVISION. UH, THE FIRST PERSON THAT SIGNED UP IS ROBERT NEW. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIRMAN CHAIRWOMAN. THANK YOU ALL FOR SUPPORTING THE CPOA COURAGEOUS DECISION. THIS IS TRULY A SAD DAY FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL ELECTIONS. AS YOU MAY BE AWARE, A SECRET OUT-OF-STATE DARK MONEY SUPER PAC WAS CREATED JUST LAST MONTH. ITS SOLE PURPOSE IS TO INFLUENCE OUR COUNTY COUNCIL ELECTIONS. THIS DARK MONEY IS BACKING FIVE CANDIDATES, INCLUDING TWO INCUMBENTS. MAYBE LEGAL, MAYBE NOT, BUT NO WORLD. NO WORLD. IS IT MORAL OR ETHICAL? IT IS SLEAZY BEYOND BELIEF AND DANGEROUS IS THE FUTURE TEMPLATE FOR OUR ELECTIONS THAT DEVELOPERS SECRETLY SPEND TENS OF THOUSANDS OR EVEN HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS SUPPORTING PRO DEVELOPMENT CANDIDATES. THESE ARE RACES WHERE, BUT A FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS IS NORMALLY SPENT. WILL COUNTY COUNCIL NOW BE BOUGHT AND PAID FOR WITH DEVELOPMENT MONEY? WE, AT A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT CROSSROAD, THE BEAUFORT COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY HAS CONDEMNED THIS DARK MONEY PACK IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS. NOW, I HUMBLY ASK THAT ALL CANDIDATES AND PUBLIC OFFICIALS CONDEMNED THIS AS WELL. THANK YOU. OKAY. NEXT ON OUR LIST IS MARIA WALLS, OUR COUNTY COUNCIL TREASURER. THANK YOU. FOR NEARLY 15 YEARS, THE VOTERS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY HAVE PLACED THEIR TRUST IN ME TO LEAD THE TREASURER'S OFFICE. I INHERITED A DYSFUNCTIONAL DISASTER OF AN OFFICE AND TURNED IT INTO ONE OF THE HIGHEST PERFORMING FINANCIAL OPERATIONS IN THE STATE. THERE COMES A POINT, THOUGH, WHEN REALITY CAN NO LONGER BE IGNORED. [00:10:01] OVER THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS, I'VE EXPLAINED TO YOU THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS CURRENTLY BEING ADVANCED BY ADMINISTRATION. IF THEY MOVE FORWARD, SUBSTANTIALLY UNCHANGED, OPERATIONS WILL DECLINE. I DO NOT WANT THESE THINGS TO HAPPEN, AND I BELIEVE REVENUES ARE BEING OVERLOOKED. THAT WOULD ENSURE THE BUDGET REMAINS BALANCED. SHOULD YOU APPROVE OUR REQUEST. I HAVE CONSISTENTLY EARNED OVER $4 MILLION IN INTEREST EACH YEAR FOR THE GENERAL FUND ALONE. BUT ADMINISTRATION BUDGETS LESS THAN 3 MILLION IN INTEREST REVENUE EVERY YEAR. BUDGETING A REALISTIC EARNINGS PROJECTION WOULD MORE THAN OFFSET OUR BUDGET REQUEST. DECISIONS THAT WEAKEN THIS OFFICE DO NOT SIMPLY ALTER SPENDING. THEY PUT AT RISK THAT PERFORMANCE SERVICE AND FINANCIAL RETURNS THAT OUR TAXPAYERS HAVE COME TO EXPECT AND EVERY PUBLIC ENTITY IN THE COUNTY RECEIVES. I'M ASKING COUNSEL TO AVOID THIS AND APPROVE THE TREASURER'S OFFICE BUDGET AS SUBMITTED BECAUSE IT IS OPERATIONALLY NECESSARY. THE TAXPAYERS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY DID NOT ELECT ME TO OVERSEE THE DETERIORATION BEING FORCED UPON OUR OFFICE AND THE INCREASING INTERFERENCE FROM AN UNSTABLE ADMINISTRATION. AND WHILE THEIR DECISIONS CONTINUE TO NEGATIVELY AFFECT OUR TEAM COUNCIL SIMULTANEOUSLY IS HAVING DISCUSSIONS REGARDING THE EMPLOYMENT STATUS AND LEADERSHIP OF THE VERY ADMINISTRATION MAKING THESE DECISIONS TO ASK IT SIMPLY IF THE ADMINISTRATOR'S PERFORMANCE AND JUDGMENT MAY BE DEFICIENT ENOUGH TO LOSE HIS JOB. WHY IS IT ACCEPTABLE FOR HIM TO CONTINUE MAKING UNILATERAL DECISIONS AFFECTING AN ELECTED OFFICE? THAT CONTRAST SHOULD CONCERN EVERY VOTER AND EVERY TAXPAYER. WHAT SHOULD CONCERN THEM EVEN MORE IS THAT OVER THE PAST NINE YEARS, BEAUFORT COUNTY HAS HAD EIGHT DIFFERENT ADMINISTRATORS, NEARLY ONE EVERY YEAR THAT'S ON TOP OF SIX DIFFERENT CFOS, FIVE DIFFERENT DEPUTY ADMINISTRATORS, AND FIVE DIFFERENT COUNTY ATTORNEYS ALL DURING THAT SAME TIME. AT SOME POINT, WE MUST ASK WHETHER THE REPEATED TURNOVER AND OPERATIONAL DISRUPTION OCCURRING WITHIN ADMINISTRATION ARE ISOLATED INCIDENTS OR EVIDENCE OF A MUCH DEEPER LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE PROBLEM. BECAUSE THE COMMON DENOMINATOR IS NO LONGER ANY SINGLE ADMINISTRATOR. AND WHILE THAT INSTABILITY CONTINUES, THE TREASURER'S OFFICE CANNOT BE EXPECTED TO ABSORB THE CONSEQUENCES INDEFINITELY, WHILE ALSO BEING SUBJECTED TO INTERFERENCE FROM UNELECTED BUREAUCRATS WHO REGULARLY USURP THE OFFICIAL ELECTED TO DO THE JOB. THE LARGER QUESTION BEFORE THIS COUNCIL IS NO LONGER SIMPLY WHAT KIND OF BUDGET YOU WILL APPROVE. IT IS WHAT KIND OF LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE BEAUFORT COUNTY IS WILLING TO ACCEPT. AND THE TAXPAYERS OF THIS COUNTY DESERVE BETTER. THEY DESERVE THE OPERATIONAL STABILITY AND HIGH STANDARD OF SERVICE THEY HAVE COME TO EXPECT FROM THEIR TREASURER'S OFFICE. THANK YOU MS. WALLS. UM, NEXT IS MS. WEATHERFORD SH. SURE. GOOD EVENING. I'M SHEMI WEATHERFORD AND I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE FREEDMAN ARTS DISTRICT. ON BEHALF OF THE FREEDMAN ARTS DISTRICT, I WANT TO EXPRESS OUR SINCERE GRATITUDE FOR THE AT TAX FUNDING THAT HELPS MAKE OUR CHALK IT UP BEAUFORT FESTIVAL POSSIBLE EACH YEAR AND KEEPS IT FREE FOR ALL TO ENJOY BECAUSE OF YOUR INVESTMENT. JUST THIS YEAR, WE WELCOMED OVER 50 PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS FROM ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES AND EVEN THE WORLD. THEY BROUGHT WITH THEM FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND FANS, AND THEY FILLED OUR HOTELS, THEY DINED AT OUR RESTAURANTS AND THEY SHOPPED AT OUR MERCHANTS. AS THE FESTIVAL ENDS, THEY WILL CONTINUE TO TELL THE BEAUFORT STORY TO HUNDREDS WELL OUTSIDE OF OUR CITY LIMITS, CHALK IT UP. BEAUFORT HAS BECOME ONE OF OUR MOST VIBRANT AND ANTICIPATED EVENT. IT ATTRACTS THOUSANDS EACH YEAR. IT DEMONSTRATES HOW ARTS AND CULTURE CAN DRIVE TOURISM, SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES, CREATE MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE AND STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITY PRIDE. THE FREEMAN ARTS DISTRICT IS A LOCAL NONPROFIT WORKING TO PRESERVE BUFORD'S RICH CULTURAL HERITAGE, EXPAND ARTS, EDUCATION, SUPPORT OUR LOCAL ARTIST AND CRAFTERS, AND USE CREATIVITY AS A TOOL FOR ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. AS EVIDENCED BY OUR PROGRAMMING, PEOPLE ARE STARVING FOR AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCES. ART ISN'T JUST DECORATIVE, IT'S CONNECTIVE. IT GETS US AWAY FROM OUR PHONES AND IN FRONT OF OUR FRIENDS. AS WE WORK TO CREATE OUR ARTS CULTURE AND CRAFT SCHOOL. WE ALSO PLAN TO CREATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ARTISTS [00:15:01] MAKERS, WHICH WILL STRENGTHEN BOTH OUR CREATIVE ECOSYSTEM AND OUR COMMUNITY. WE KNOW THAT ARTS IS A POWERFUL CATALYST FOR PRESERVING CULTURE, STRENGTHENING BOTH OUR AREA AND THOSE THAT WILL VISIT SOON. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP, THE ATEX FUNDS THAT HELPED MAKE ALL OF THIS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. WEATHERFORD. NEXT IS, UM, GREG SHELTON. GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR AND COUNSEL. MY NAME IS GREG SHELTON. I'M THE TREASURER OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION. AND THE REASON I'M HERE TONIGHT IS I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT A FEW THINGS THAT, UM, ARE A LITTLE BIT DISTURBING TO ME. BUT BEFORE I DO THAT, JUST TO PUT SOME THINGS IN CONTEXT, I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY BACKGROUND. I'VE BEEN IN A BUSINESS EXECUTIVE FOR 46 YEARS BEFORE RETIRING. UM, STARTING OFF BASICALLY AT CITIBANK, NEW YORK. I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR AN OVER OVERVIEW OF A $41 BILLION CREDIT CARD PORTFOLIO, INCLUDING MANAGEMENT OF THE INTERNAL FRAUD UNIT, AS WELL AS RECOVERIES, RECOVERIES OF THOSE ACCOUNTS THAT WE ULTIMATELY HAD TO SEND OUT TO 152 OUTSIDE PARTNERS. AND THAT THEY, THOSE PARTNERS ARE BASICALLY MANAGED BY A, UH, GROUP OF AUDITORS THAT'S ALSO REPORTED TO ME. SO THERE WERE ABOUT 27 TO 30 AUDITORS AT ANY ONE PARTICULAR TIME. I WAS THE CEO AND PRESIDENT OF A FINANCIAL SERVICES COMPANY WITH OVER 30 STRATEGIC ACQUISITIONS, BOTH THE PUBLICLY TRADED AND PRIVATELY HELD COMPANIES. THE REASON I BRING THIS UP IS I'M PRETTY WELL FAMILIAR WITH THINGS CALLED BALANCE SHEETS, INCOME STATEMENTS, AND A FEW OTHER THINGS AS IT PERTAINS TO THE FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF THOSE, UH, COMPANIES. UM, AS I SAID, I'VE BEEN A BOARD MEMBER NOW FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR FIVE AND A HALF YEARS IN THE TREASURER FOR THE LAST THREE. WHY AM I HERE? WELL, LATELY WE'VE BEEN HEARING A LOT OF DISTURBING COMMENTS ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. UH, ONE IN PARTICULAR WEEK AGREED LAST YEAR TO HAVE OUR FIRST AUDIT, UH, BOTH COUNCIL APPROVED AS WELL AS OUR BOARD APPROVED TO HAVE THAT AUDIT COMPLETED. AND IN DOING SO, THE AUDIT REALLY REQUIRES THAT SOMETHING COMES OUTTA THAT AUDIT. AND IT DID. WE HAD A POSTING ERROR, PRETTY LARGE ONE, BUT IT WASN'T NEFARIOUS. IT WASN'T INTENDED FOR ANYBODY'S GAIN, NOR WAS IT SOMETHING THAT WE LET GO. WE IMMEDIATELY PUT TOGETHER A POLICY TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS THAT WERE RAISED BY THE AUDIT. THERE WAS NO FRAUD, NO FINANCIAL GAIN, NO NEFARIOUS INTENTIONS. BUFORD E UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, HAS BASICALLY BROUGHT OVER $909 MILLION OF INVESTMENT IN BEAUFORD COUNTY WITH $32.1 MILLION OF INCENTIVE AND SITE DEVELOPMENT GRANTS, AND CREATED 3,388 JOBS. THE JOBS AVERAGE SALARY STARTED AT 46,021, AND MOST RECENTLY IN 2026, THOSE SALARIES ARE AT $87,590. THE REASON I BRING THAT UP IS THAT'S A SUBSTANTIAL TAX REVENUE TO THE COUNTY AND AS WELL TO THE STATE. UM, THE TRANSPARENCY ISSUE IN TERMS OF EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE DONE IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WE'VE PUT A LOT OF TRANSPARENCY GAINS IN PLACE, INCLUDING A FINANCIAL REVIEW THAT WE BRING TO YOU ALL, UH, FOR REVIEW OF CERTAIN, UM, TRANSACTIONS. BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. UM, WE HAD SOMEONE SIGNED UP FOR, FOR SPOT NUMBER FIVE, AND IT'S CROSSED THROUGH. THERE'S ANOTHER NAME TO SIGN IN. OH, ANOTHER NAME. OH, JOSH JOSHUA HOWER CHAIR, UH, THE COUNCIL. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS JOSHUA HOWER. I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT FIVE AND A CANDIDATE FOR THE COUNCIL SEAT IN THIS DISTRICT IN THE JUNE 9TH PRIMARY. I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT'S BEFORE THIS COUNCIL TONIGHT FROM THE BCSO BUDGET ORDINANCE TO THE BAY PINES DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE DETENTION CENTER HEALTHCARE CONTRACT, THESE ARE SUBSTANTIVE INVESTMENTS THAT AFFECT REAL PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTY EVERY DAY. I HAVE RESPECT FOR THE WORK THIS COUNCIL DOES, AND I INTEND TO WORK ALONGSIDE YOU AND SERVICE THIS COMMUNITY. I ALSO CAME TONIGHT TO SAY SOMETHING DIRECTLY ON THE RECORD AND IN PUBLIC BECAUSE THE PEOPLE OF DISTRICT FIVE DESERVE TO HEAR IT IN PERSON. THERE IS OUTSIDE DARK MONEY FLOWING INTO THE LOCAL BUFORT COUNTY RACES RIGHT NOW AT THE COUNTY LEVEL WHERE DECISIONS ABOUT OUR ROADS, OUR SCHOOLS, AND OUR NEIGHBORHOODS ARE MADE. VOTERS HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW WHO IS FUNDING THE PEOPLE ASKING FOR THEIR VOTE. AND I BELIEVE THAT STRONGLY. I WANNA BE CLEAR ABOUT WHERE I STAND. I HAVE NOT SOLICITED, I HAVE NOT COORDINATED WITH, AND I HAVE NOT ASKED FOR SUPPORT FROM ANY OUTSIDE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE. MY CAMPAIGN IS FUNDED BY INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTS, NEIGHBORS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO LIVE IN AND AROUND THIS COUNTY. EVERY CONTRIBUTION I'VE RECEIVED IS FULLY DISCLOSED TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA [00:20:01] ETHICS COMMISSION'S FILINGS, WHICH ARE PUBLIC RECORD AND AVAILABLE TO ANY VOTER WHO WANTS TO SEE THEM. I'M PROUD OF THAT RECORD AND I STAND BEHIND IT COMPLETELY. THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTY DESERVE ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO ANSWER TO THEM NOT TO OUTSET INTERESTS WITH NO STAKE IN THIS COMMUNITY. THAT IS THE STANDARD I'M HOLDING MYSELF TO. AND THAT AS THE STANDARD I WILL GOVERN BY EARLY VOTING IS OPEN TODAY THROUGH THE JUNE 6TH. ELECTION DAY IS JUNE 9TH. I'M ASKING FOR THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT FIVE FOR THEIR CHA FOR THEIR CHANCE TO EARN THEIR TRUST. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, NEXT AND LAST ON OUR LIST IS, UH, MS. AM BEL OH, COME UP HERE YELLING AT US NOW. OH, , YOU GONNA TAKE MY FUN AWAY? REALLY? I'M GONNA TRY . ALL RIGHT. I'M HERE TALKING ON BEHALF OF THE PROPOSED 2026 TRANSPORTATION SALES TAX. AND WE HAVE A BIG PROBLEM WITH THAT. THE MORE WE LOOK AT IT, THE MORE IT LOOKS LIKE A MESS. FIRST OFF, UH, THE CHAIR THAT WAS PUTTING THIS TOGETHER, LISA SOKA, UM, FORMER MAYOR, I DON'T REALLY TRUST, BUT SO MANY PROJECTS ARE NOW SOUTH OF THE BROAD AND VERY FEW ARE NORTH OF THE BROAD. WE ALSO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH APPROXIMATELY, UH, 23 PROJECTS FROM THE 2018. SALES TAX TRANSPORTATION SALES TAX HAVE NOT BEEN COMPLETED. SOME OF THEM ARE NOT EVEN ON THE BOARD. AND THOSE PROJECTS ARE NOW FLOWING OVER INTO THE 2026 SALES TAX. YOU TRIED IT IN 2021. WE KILLED IT. WE TRIED IT IN 2024 WITH US. WE KILLED IT. THEY DO NOT BELONG IN THE ANY OTHER SALES TAX REFERENDUM. THAT'S DOUBLE DIPPING FROM US. WE ALSO HAVE A PROBLEM, WHICH I ADDRESSED BEFORE WITH THE, UH, PROPERTY TAXES. CURRENTLY, COUNTY BUDGET IS SHORT 9.4 MILLION BECAUSE 30 BILL BUILDINGS IN THE COUNTY DO NOT PAY PROPERTY TAX. THE PRESERVE IN PORT ROYAL IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE. UM, WE HAVE RIGHT NOW THE HOUSE, I'M SORRY, THE SENATE PASSED S 8 53 TO TURN AROUND AND PUT ALL APPLICATIONS IN ABEYANCE. HOWEVER, THAT DOESN'T TAKE EFFECT UNTIL THE END OF JUNE. ON JUNE 30TH, THERE ARE APPLICATION APPLICATIONS LINING UP LIKE CRAZY. HOW MANY MORE BUILDINGS WILL WE LOSE TO PROPERTY SALES TAX, I'M SORRY, PROPERTY TAX. AND HOW MUCH MORE ARE WE GONNA PAY IN SALES, TAX FEES, FINES, OR MORE THAT YOU'RE GONNA RAISE TO CLOSE THAT LOOPHOLE? I'M TELLING YOU RIGHT NOW, IT IS NOT SMART TO PUT THIS ON THE 2026 BA UH, BALLOT UNTIL WE FILL ALL THESE OTHER PROBLEMS FIRST, UNTIL WE GET OURSELVES A, UH, ENGINEER, A PROJECT ENGINEER LOOKING AT THIS, CONTROLLING IT, CONTROLLING THE BUDGET, AND MAKING SURE EVERYTHING COMES IN ON TIME. THAT'S ANOTHER PROBLEM. THERE'S NOTHING IN HERE THAT MANDATES THE PROJECTS BE COMPLETED BY A CERTAIN TIME AND IN BUDGET OR UNDER BUDGET. NOT OVER. THAT'S, THAT SHOULD BE COMMON SENSE AT THIS POINT. BUT I'M NOT SEEING COMMON SENSE IN THIS AT ALL. AND WHEN IT COMES BEFORE THE PUBLIC ON THE 2020 SIXTH ELECTION IN NOVEMBER, I DON'T THINK YOU HAVE MUCH OF A CHANCE OF PASSING IT. IF YOU TRIM IT DOWN AND GIVE US SOMETHING THAT'S LOGICAL AND CLEAR AND HAS CONTROLS BUILT INTO IT, YOU MAY GET A PASSED. I'VE BEEN TELLING YOU THIS NOW FOR SIX YEARS. YOU GOTTA LISTEN TO THE PUBLIC. YOU GOTTA LISTEN TO THE VOTERS. THEY'RE GONNA SAY NO AGAIN. AND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU TRY AGAIN? THEY'RE NOT GOING TO TRUST YOU. BUILD TRUST. GIVE US A REFERENDUM. WE CAN STAND BEHIND AND HELP SUPPORT AND PASS. I'M NOT AGAINST THE SALES TAX, BUT I WANT THE MONEY USED REASONABLY. THIS IS OUR MONEY. THIS IS MY MONEY. SPEND IT WISELY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MS. BEL. NEXT [8. LIAISON AND COMMITTEE REPORTS ] ON OUR AGENDA IS LIAISON AND COMMITTEE REPORTS. UM, IF ANYONE WANTS TO JUST TAKE A BUY, 'CAUSE WE HAVE A VERY LONG AGENDA, UM, THAT'S FINE. BUT I WILL OPEN IT UP FOR ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO HAVE LIAISON AND COMMITTEE REPORTS TO DO SO AT THIS TIME. AND LIMIT YOUR TIME PLEASE. ANYONE HAVE ANY REPORTS? WE'RE ALL PASSING THE AGENDA. OKAY, THANKS. I JUST WANNA ANNOUNCE THAT, UH, THE NATURAL RESOURCE COMMITTEE WILL NOT MEET OKAY. THIS MONDAY. IT WILL NOT MEET NEXT MONDAY ONLY COMMUNITY SERVICES WILL MEET IN PUBLIC SAFETY. OKAY, GOOD. THANK YOU FOR THAT ANNOUNCEMENT. ALRIGHT. [9. APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA ] UM, NOW AT THIS TIME I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. SO MOVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN PASSMAN. DO WE HAVE SECOND? WHO'S THE SECOND? COUNCILMAN DAWSON. OKAY. CHAIR. CHAIR. JUST YES. ANY DISCUSSION? MM-HMM . JUST ONE IS I HAVE TO PROBABLY RECUSE MYSELF ON THREE AND SIX IN THAT CONSENT. CONSENT AGENDA. ARE YOU, ARE YOU PART OF NICK'S CONSTRUCTION? I THINK SO. YEAH. I'M GONNA WORK ON THAT WITH OUR CLERK DURING THIS WEEK. AND I'LL AND I'LL LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT NEXT [00:25:01] WEEK OR NEXT TIME WE GET TOGETHER, BUT OKAY. I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT I MAY HAVE TO RECUSE MYSELF, BUT I'LL WORK ON THAT AND LET YOU KNOW. O OKAY. I DIDN'T MEAN TO PUBLICLY ASK YOU SOMETHING, BUT, YEP. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. SO HAVE YOU SIGNED A RECUSAL? WE JUST DID IT. YOU GOT IT? GOT IT. ALL FIRST OR EVER? WELL, I THINK SO. RIGHT. I'LL ALL, ALL IN FAVOR OF, UH, ADOPTING THE CONSENT AGENDA. EX, EXCEPT FOR THE PERSON WHO RECUSED HIM HIMSELF. ALL RIGHT. IT'S TWO. YES. ALL RIGHT. THANK. IS THAT RIGHT JAN? TODAY? OKAY. YOU CAN RECUSE HIM HIMSELF ON ME TWO. I GOT IT ALL WRITTEN UP. IT'S GOOD. THANK YOU. OH, IT'S NINE AND THEN ZERO. AND THEN ONE RECUSAL. MM-HMM . IS WHAT? RIGHT? NINE AND ONE RECUSAL. ALL RIGHT. NOW [10.a. 2026/17: An Ordinance to amend Beaufort County’s Budget Ordinance for Fiscal Year 2026 (ordinance no. 2025/29) to appropriate General Fund Fund Balance for the purpose of purchasing a helicopter for BCSO; redemption of certain General Obligation Bonds; and fully fund the Buckwalter Recreation Athletic Complex Expansion project. PUBLIC HEARING ] WE'RE STARTING ON ORDINANCES FOR THIRD READING. AND UM, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO OUR VICE CHAIRMAN EXCEPT FOR ONE OF THOSE WHEN WE GET DOWN TO IT LATER. UH, I'LL, YOU KNOW THE ONE I'M TALKING ABOUT? YEP. YOU'LL TURN THAT ONE OVER TO ME 'CAUSE YOU HAVE SOME, UM, ACTIVE MOTIONS YOU WANNA MAKE. OKAY. IT'S ALL YOURS. OKAY. SO ORDINANCES FOR THIRD READING 2026 SLASH 17. AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND BUFORD COUNTY'S BUDGET ORDINANCE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026, WHICH WAS ORDINANCE 2025 SLASH 29 TO APPROPRIATE GENERAL FUND FUND BALANCE FOR THE PURPOSE OF PURCHASING A HELICOPTER FOR BCSO REDEMPTION OF CERTAIN GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS AND FULLY FUND THE BUCK WALTER RECREATION ATHLETIC COMPLEX EXPANSION PROJECT. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING, THE VOTE AT AT FINANCE NINE ZERO. THE VOTE AT FIRST READING WA ON APRIL 27TH WAS EIGHT TWO. AND THE VOTE AT SECOND READING ON MAY 11TH WAS TEN ONE. SO MOVED. SO CAN I MOTION BY MR. CUNNINGHAM? SECOND. SECOND BY MR. PASS. MR. PASSMAN, UM, IT, WHO'S SPEAKING ON THIS ONE? IT'S PUBLIC HEARING. YEAH, I KNOW IT IS, BUT I HAVE SOMEBODY SPEAK FIRST. THEN WE'LL GO TO PUBLIC HEARING. SANDY MS. NOVAK, JUST SO THE PUBLIC KNOWS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IN PLAIN ENGLISH VERSUS WHAT I JUST READ. SO IN PLAIN ENGLISH, WHAT WE ARE DOING HERE IS THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAD REQUESTED A HELICOPTER IN THE 27 BUDGET. WHAT THIS IS DOING IS AMENDING THE 26 BUDGET FOR 1,950,000 TO GO AHEAD AND PURCHASE THAT HELICOPTER. NOW, UM, INSTEAD OF IN 27, IT'S ALSO REDEEMING BONDS IN THE 2013 B 2014 A AND 2014 B UH, GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS. UM, REDEEMING THOSE IN THE AMOUNT, AMOUNT OF 11,570,000, UM, FROM FUND BALANCE AND THEN THE BUCK WALTER RECREATION COMPLEX. UM, OBLIGATING 26 FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF 5,207,000 FOR THAT PROJECT. OKAY. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING. UH, NO ONE SIGNED UP. IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO ASK A QUESTION OR ADDRESS THIS ORDINANCE? IF NOT, I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. ANYONE ON COUNCIL HAVE A COMMENT QUESTION? WE CAN, WE JUST, JUST SO YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS SEVERAL TIMES, THAT'S WHY NO ONE HERE HAS A QUESTION. CAN, CAN WE JUST TELL THE PUBLIC WHERE THE REST OF THE FUNDS ARE COMING FROM TO FUND THESE PROJECTS? THE TWO PROJECTS? SURE. GO AHEAD. OH, WANT ME TO OH, SURE. I CAN. I JUST WANTED TO, YOU KNOW WHERE THEY'RE FROM? PLAIN ENGLISH? YEAH. UH, PART OF IT'S COMING FROM THE FUNDS THAT ARE ALREADY ALLOCATED TO THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT TO GET IT TO 2.5 MILLION FOR THE HELICOPTER. THIS IS JUST THE REST OF THE FUNDS MOVING IT FORWARD. AND THEN THE OTHER FUNDS FOR THE REC CENTER ARE GONNA COME DIRECTLY FROM IMPACT FEES, A LITTLE OVER $9 MILLION. SO THE MAJORITY OF THAT PROJECT IS ACTUALLY BEING PAID FOR BY IMPACT FEES IN THE BLUFFTON AREA. UM, AND THE LAST PART OF IT WOULD BE, WE UPDATED IT A COUPLE WEEKS AGO TO DO THE ENTIRE CONSTRUCTION AT ONE POINT INSTEAD OF DRAGGING IT OUT. 'CAUSE IT WOULD'VE TAKEN ABOUT EIGHT TO NINE YEARS PLUS COST US ABOUT A TWO TO $2.4 MILLION EXTRA ON TOP OF THE YEARS TO BUILD IT. SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE ALLOCATING THE FUNDS NOW TO MOVE IT FORWARD. ALRIGHT. ANYBODY ELSE ON COUNCIL? QUESTION. COMMENT. ALRIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS ORDINANCE. RAISE YOUR HAND PLEASE. MR. MCALLEN'S. HESITATING. ALL OPPOSED? ONE IS OPPOSED. ONE OPPOSED. OKAY. THANK YOU. ORDINANCE [10.b. 2026/18: An Ordinance Authorizing the Purchase of Real Property from the Town of Hilton Head Island for the St. James Baptist Church Relocation Project. PUBLIC HEARING ] 2026 SLASH 18. AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE OF REAL PROPERTY FROM THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND FOR THE ST. JAMES BAPTIST CHURCH RELOCATION PROJECT. THE VODA PUBLIC FACILITIES ON APRIL 20TH WAS 10 ZERO. FIRST READING APRIL 27TH, 10 ZERO. [00:30:01] SECOND READING MAY 11TH, 11 ZERO. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING. CAN I HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED. SECOND. UM, MR. REEDS MOVED. MR. PASSMAN SECOND. UM, IS, SO I DON'T KNOW IF MR. F UH, FLI NEEDS TO EXPLAIN THIS ONE AGAIN. HE'S EXPLAINED IT A HUNDRED TIMES. IS THERE ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO ASK A QUESTION OR SPEAK ON THIS ORDINANCE? THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING. NO ONE SIGNED UP, BUT I'LL GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY. ALRIGHT. I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. ANYONE FROM COUNCIL HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT? ALRIGHT. ALL RIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS ORDINANCE, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THANK YOU. THAT'S ONE OFF YOUR BOOK. JARED. 2026 [10.c. 2026/19: An Ordinance Authorizing the Conveyance of Real Property to St. James Baptist Church Following Completion of the Relocation Project. PUBLIC HEARING ] SLASH 19 IS AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE CONVEYANCE OF REAL PROPERTY TO ST. JAMES BAPTIST CHURCH FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF THE RELOCATION PROJECT, THE VOTE AT PUBLIC FACILITIES. APRIL 20TH, 10 ZERO. FIRST READING. APRIL 27TH, 10 ZERO. SECOND READING MAY 11TH, 11 ZERO. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING. SO MOVED. MR. REEDS MOVED. MOVES IT. SECOND MR. PASSMAN. SECOND IT. ANYONE FROM, NO ONE SIGNED UP, BUT ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC WISH TO ASK A QUESTION OR COMMENT ON THIS ORDINANCE? OKAY. I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. AND ANY COMMENTS FROM COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS? ALRIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS ORDINANCE, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THAT'S UNANIMOUS. THANK YOU. [10.d. 2026/22: An Ordinance to amend the current Disaster Recovery Ordinance. PUBLIC HEARING ] OKAY. ORDINANCE 2026 SLASH 22 IS AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE CURRENT DISASTER RECOVERY ORDINANCE. UH, THE VOTED PUBLIC FACILITIES. APRIL 20TH, 10 ZERO. FIRST READING. APRIL 27TH, 10 ZERO. SECOND READING MAY 11TH. 11TH ZERO. AND I NEED, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING. I HAVE A MOTION, PLEASE. I'LL MAKE A MOTION. OH, MS. HOWARD, I'LL SECOND. AND MS. BROWN WILL, WILL, I'M GONNA LET HER SECOND IT. THANK YOU MR. PASSMAN. SO MADE BY MS. UM, HOWARD MO, SECOND BY MS. BROWN AND MR. KRAUS COUNSEL. HE'S IN CHARGE OF THIS ONE. THIS IS OUR DISASTER RECOVERY, UM, ORDINANCE, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT. YOU JUST HEARD MR. MOORE TALK ABOUT WE'RE IN HER COMING UP TO HURRICANE SEASON. GO AHEAD. HAVE YOU HAVE A FEW COMMENTS? OH, UH, NO. JUST, UH, WANTED TO BE HERE JUST IN CASE IN COUNSEL. OKAY. OR ANYONE ELSE HAD A QUESTION? NO ONE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. ANYONE HAVE A QUESTION OR A COMMENT ON THIS ORDINANCE? HOW HAPPY YOU THAT IT WAS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE AGENDA THIS TIME? YEAH. YOU DON'T HAVE STAND WE LIKE FOUR HOURS TO BE LIKE, NO, I'M GOOD. JUST SEE IF YOU GUYS NEED ANYTHING. YES. UH, THE ONLY THING I'LL TOUCH ON IS IT IS A TEAR FACE, FACE AT A CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING. NO PUBLIC HEARING. ALRIGHT. CLOSED PUBLIC HEARING NOW. COMMENT TO YOU. THE ONLY THING I'D LIKE TO TOUCH ON IS IT'S NOT JUST IN CASE WE DO HIT A MAJOR DISASTER. THERE IS A LOT OF TEARS TO THIS. SO WE DO HAVE TO PASS IT EVERY YEAR. 'CAUSE IT COULD BE FROM A THUNDERSTORM, TROPICAL STORM, ANYTHING ALONG THOSE LINES. SO, APPRECIATE YOU GUYS TAKING IT. 'CAUSE NOT MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE HOW IN DEPTH IT ACTUALLY GOES ON DIFFERENT LEVELS. SO THANK YOU GUYS. YOU COUNSEL. GOOD JOB ON IT. ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. KRAUS FROM COUNSEL? AND AGAIN, WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THIS SEVERAL TIMES, SO THAT'S WHY THERE'S USUALLY NO QUESTIONS AT THIRD READING. ALRIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS ORDINANCE, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. OKAY. IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S UNANIMOUS. THANK YOU. MR. KRAUS. 2026 [10.e. 2026/23: An Ordinance authorizing the County Administrator to execute all necessary documents to convey the County’s Right of Way Interest in a segment of Scheper Lane to SCDOT and to accept the SCDOT Right of Way Interest in a segment of Roosevelt Avenue into the County Road Inventory. PUBLIC HEARING] SLASH 23 IS AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS TO CONVEY THE COUNTY'S RIGHT OF WAY, INTEREST IN A SEGMENT OF SHEPHERD LANE TO S-C-D-O-T AND TO ACCEPT THE S-C-D-O-T RIGHT OF WAY, INTEREST IN A SEGMENT OF ROOSEVELT AVENUE INTO THE COUNTY ROAD INVENTORY, THE VOTE AT PUBLIC FACILITIES. APRIL 20TH, 10 ZERO. FIRST READING 10 ZERO, SECOND READING MAY 11TH, 11 ZERO. AND THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING. I MAKE THE MOTION MS. HOWARD MAKES THE MOTION. SECOND. MR. PASSMAN HAS THE SECOND. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING. NO ONE SIGNED UP. BUT IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO ASK A QUESTION OR HAVE A DISCUSSION ON THIS TOPIC? I'LL GIVE YOU TIME TO COME UP IF YOU WANT. OKAY. I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. ANYONE FROM COUNCIL HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT? ALRIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THIS ONE PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. ALRIGHT. [10.f. 2026/24: An Ordinance authorizing the County Administrator to execute any and all necessary documents for the acceptance of a portion of Airport Circle (S-776) which is to be abandoned by SCDOT. PUBLIC HEARING] UH, 2026 SLASH 24. I FEEL LIKE GROUNDHOG DAY. I KEEP READING THESE SAME THINGS EVERY TIME IN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING A COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE ANY AND ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS FOR THE ACCEPTANCE OF A PORTION OF AIRPORT CIRCLE S 7 76, WHICH IS TO BE ABANDONED BY S-C-D-O-T AND, UM, PUBLIC FACILITIES. APRIL 20TH, 10 ZERO. FIRST READING APRIL 27TH AT 10 ZERO. SECOND READING MAY 11TH, 11 ZERO. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING. CAN I HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVE SECOND. ALL RIGHT. I'LL GIVE IT TO MR. GLOVER TO MOVE. AND MR. PASSMAN TO SECOND. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING. NO [00:35:01] ONE SIGNED UP. WOULD ANYBODY LIKE TO ASK A QUESTION OR COMMENT ON THIS ORDINANCE BEFORE GOING FORWARD? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. I WILL CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING. ANY COMMENTS FROM COUNSEL OR QUESTIONS? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. 2026 [10.g. 2026/25: An Ordinance authorizing the conveyance of an undeveloped portion of real property adjacent to Nanny Cove Road located in a section of Palmetto Beach in Bluffton Township, Beaufort County. PUBLIC HEARING ] SLASH 25 TO MAKE SURE, YOUR HONOR, AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE CONVEYANCE OF AN UNDEVELOPED PORTION OF REAL PROPERTY ADJACENT TO NANNY COVE ROAD, LOCATED IN A SECTION OF PALMETTO BEACH IN BLUFFTON TOWNSHIP, BEAUFORT COUNTY, THE VOTE OF PUBLIC FACILITIES. APRIL 20TH, 10 ZERO. FIRST READING. APRIL 27TH, 10 ZERO. SECOND READING MAY 11TH, 11 ZERO. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING. I NEED A MOTION. SECOND IT. WHO MADE THE FIRST ONE? OH, MR. PASSMAN MADE THE MOTION. MR. LAWSON SECONDED. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING. NO ONE SIGNED UP, BUT ANYBODY HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT? WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU COME TO THE PODIUM. ALL RIGHT. I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ANYTHING FROM COUNSEL. QUESTION, COMMENT. ALRIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS ORDINANCE. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. HEY, GUESS WHAT? THAT'S THE END OF ORDINANCES FOR THIRD READING. NOW WE'RE [11.a. 2026/26: An Ordinance amending Chapter 38 Environment, Article VI Single Use Plastic Bags; Article VI Section 38-161 Purpose and Intent; Section 38-162 Definitions; Section 38-163 Regulations; Section 38-164 Exemptions; and Section 38-166 Effective Date and Review of the Beaufort County Code of Ordinances. PUBLIC HEARING] GOING TO ORDINANCE FOR A SECOND, READING 2026 SLASH 26 IN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 38, ENVIRONMENT ARTICLE SIX, SINGLE USE PLASTIC BAGS. ARTICLE SIX, SECTION 38 DASH 1 61, PURPOSE AND INTENT SECTION 38 1 62 DEFINITIONS, SECTION 38 1 63 REGULATIONS SECTION 38 1 64 EXEMPTIONS. AND SECTION 38 1 66 EFFECTIVE DATE AND REVIEW OF THE BUFORT COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES. THE VOTE AT NATURAL RESOURCE ON APRIL 6TH WAS FIVE TWO. THE VOTE AT FIRST READING MAY 11TH WAS SIX FIVE. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING. CAN I HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED. SECOND. SECOND. IT ALRIGHT. NO, I, I'M I, I. OH, OKAY. YEAH. OKAY. MR. PASSMAN MAKES A MOTION. MS. BROWN SECONDS IT. AND, UM, SO THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND, UM, WHAT I'D LIKE IS FOR YOU TO TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT CHANGES THAT YOU MADE SINCE THE LAST TIME. YES, ABSOLUTELY. UM, SO THERE WERE TWO CHANGES THAT WERE MADE BASED ON THE DISCUSSION AND FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE RECEIVED FROM YOU ALL DURING OUR LAST COUNCIL MEETING TWO WEEKS AGO. THE FIRST CHANGE IS TO SECTION 38 1 6 3 REGULATIONS, PARTICULARLY LETTER A. AND THIS IS TO CLARIFY, ADD CLARIFYING LANGUAGE THAT SAYS THAT A GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY IS ALSO HELD TO THE STANDARD OUTLINE AND LETTER A, WHICH BASICALLY MEANS THAT BEAUFORT COUNTY WOULD NOT, UH, JUST, JUST LIKE PEOPLE IN BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENTS WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE PLASTIC CARRYOUT BAGS OR STYROFOAM DISPOSABLE FOOD SERVICE WARE AT COUNTY FACILITIES, COUNTY SPONSORED EVENTS, OR ANY EVENT HELD ON COUNTY PROPERTY LOCATED WITHIN UNINCORPORATED BEAUFORT COUNTY. SO THAT WAS A DISCUSSION ITEM THAT CAME UP TWO WEEKS AGO. THE OTHER CHANGE THAT WAS ADDED BASED ON FEEDBACK, UM, IS TO SECTION 38 1 6 5 PENALTIES. THIS IS TO REPLACE THE REFERENCE TO A MISDEMEANOR WITH A CIVIL VIOLATION. SO IF A BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENT RECEIVES A WRITTEN WARNING AND MAKES NO CHANGE TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE, THEY WOULDN'T BE GUILTY OF A MISDEMEANOR. INSTEAD THEY WOULD BE ISSUED A CITATION OF A CIVIL VIOLATION. SO THAT WAS A, UM, A POINT THAT THAT CAME UP DURING THE LAST MEETING. THERE ARE SEVERAL INSTANCES THAT WERE NOT INCLUDED IN YOUR BACKUP MATERIALS WHERE THE WORD CIVIL WAS ADDED IN FRONT OF, UM, PENALTY IN THE SECOND SENTENCE OF LETTER A AND THEN IN THE FIRST SENTENCE OF B IN FRONT OF VIOLATIONS. I HAVE COPIES OF THIS, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S UP ON THE SCREEN THERE. OKAY, GREAT. UM, SO THOSE, THOSE WERE OPTIONAL EDITS THAT WERE MADE IN RESPONSE TO FEEDBACK AND IF YOU ALL ARE INTERESTED IN INCORPORATING THEM TO THE OVERALL AMENDMENTS, WE DO HAVE LANGUAGE PREPARED FOR A MOTION IF ANYONE IS SO INCLINED. OKAY. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND I HAVE TWO PEOPLE SIGNED UP. JOHN D IT LOOKS LIKE EATER, Y-E-T-E-R. IS THAT RIGHT? ER, T-E-T-E-T-E-T-R. OKAY. IT LOOKS LIKE A Y BUT OKAY. YOU'RE UP. MAD CHAIRMAN'S COUNCIL. UM, I, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING SPECIFIC ABOUT THIS. JUST GENERALLY, UM, REMINDING EVERYBODY THAT THIS SINGLE USE CONTAINERS OR A SCOURGE ON THE EARTH AND A SCOURGE ON OUR COUNTY. I'VE LIVED IN BEAUFORT NOW FOR 17 YEARS AND I'VE BEEN, UM, A, A RESIDENT OR A FREQUENT VISITOR FOR OVER 54 YEARS NOW. AND I'VE, AND I, AND I'VE WATCHED THE PROLIFERATION OF THIS AS RESTAURANTS GROW, ET CETERA. AND I'M NOT ANTI-GROWTH BY ANY MEANS, BUT WE NEED TO BE RESPONSIBLE WITH THESE KIND OF THINGS. UM, THE, THE, YOU'RE WELL AWARE OF THE COST TO, TO WILDLIFE, TO OUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND THEN TO OUR LIVED ENVIRONMENT IS WE HAVE TO, [00:40:01] I MEAN, I SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THE ROADS AND I SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THE WATERS AND IS AND IS DISCOURAGING TO SEE THIS. UM, CONSERVATION AND CONSERVATISM ARE ONE IN THE SAME. THEY GO HAND IN HAND, TOTALLY INTERTWINED. BEING CONSERVATIVE AND BEING A CONSERVATIONIST ARE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE. IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS STEWARDS OF OUR ENVIRONMENT TO BE AS RESPONSIBLE AS WE POSSIBLY CAN. AND THAT MEANS TO MINIMIZE, IF NOT DO AWAY WITH THESE THINGS. I THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL, UM, CHANGE TO THE PREVIOUS ORDINANCE FROM A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND I HOPE YOU ALL, UM, WILL SEE IT THAT WAY AS WELL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MR. JEAN ZAPP, YOU'RE UP. PLASTIC BAGS. HELLO THERE. UM, MY NAME IS GENE ZAPPLE. I LIVE ON HILTON HEAD. UM, LIVED HERE IN THE COUNTY FOR ABOUT THREE YEARS NOW. UM, FIRST I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO MR. TEETER. I LOVE THAT I DON'T HAVE TO SAY EVERYTHING HE SAID. SO THAT SAVES EVERYBODY SOME TIME. UM, SECONDLY, I AM THE CO-CHAIR OF KEEP BEAUFORT COUNTY BEAUTIFUL. AND I PARTICIPATED IN DRAFTING THE ORDINANCE. JULIANA LED THE TEAM AND WE WERE THERE TO HELP SUPPORT. UH, REALLY JUST WANNA MAKE THREE POINTS. UM, ONE, MR. TEETER ALREADY MENTIONED THE 2018 RULE ALLOWED A THICKER PLASTIC BAG TO BE USED. THIS IS NOW GONNA ELIMINATE THAT THICKER PLASTIC BAG. UM, SECOND ONE, UH, MISCONCEPTIONS. I THINK SOMETIMES I HEAR THAT STYROFOAM IS NO LONGER GONNA BE ALLOWED, BUT VERY INEXPENSIVE. NOT VERY ECO-FRIENDLY, BUT VERY INEXPENSIVE. PLASTICS ARE STILL OKAY TO USE. WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO USE THAT, BUT THAT IS NOT IN PART OF THE ORDINANCE. VERY IMPORTANT. 'CAUSE AS I TALK TO PEOPLE, YOU MEAN WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO TO SPECIAL, VERY EXPENSIVE, UH, CONTAINERS. THAT IS JUST NOT THE CASE. THIRD POINT, LAST POINT. UM, WITH THE PLASTIC UTENSILS AND STRAWS, THERE IS NO DEFINITION OF CHANGING THE MATERIAL OF THE STRAW. ALL IT'S DOING IS HAVING PEOPLE ASK FOR THOSE STRAWS IN PLASTIC UTENSILS. THAT'S ALL IT'S DOING. NOT CHANGING THE COMPOSITION, NOT FORCING PEOPLE TO BUY DIFFERENT STRAWS. WHEN YOU LOOK AT STUDIES OF ORGAN OF COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE DONE THAT, IT SAVED SOME MONEY. SO THAT PART OF THIS ORDINANCE SHOULD BE A GOOD THING. SO, OTHER THAN THAT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AND, UM, I HOPE Y'ALL VOTE IN FAVOR. THANK YOU. AND THANKS FOR SERVING ON THE KEEP YOU FOR BEAUTIFUL BOARD. THANK YOU. IT'S A PLEASURE. AS YOU KNOW, THAT SIGN IS COMING UP. AND, AND THANK YOU. SORRY FOR I HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME. THE, UM, I SAW IN YOUR EARLIER YOU'VE APPROVED THE MOUI THINK THAT MAY BE THE LAST STEP OF APPROVALS. THANK YOU. YEP. THANK YOU JARED. THE LAST APPROVAL STEP, SO WE'RE GETTING A NOD FROM JARED. SO 20 MONTHS LATER WE'RE, WE'RE ALMOST THERE. THANK YOU TO JARED FOR THAT. OH, IT TAKES FOREVER FOR ROADS. THAT WAS FOR A SIGN. 20 MONTHS TO GET APPROVAL FOR A SIGN. OKAY. ANYBODY ELSE, UM, FROM THE AUDIENCE WANNA SPEAK ON THIS PLASTIC BAG ORDINANCE OR ASK A QUESTION? ALRIGHT, I'M GONNA CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. IT COMES TO COUNTY COUNCIL. GO AHEAD MR. PASSMAN. I MAKE MOTION. I WOULD LIKE TO AMEND THE MOTION THAT WE MAKE THE CHANGES AS OUTLINED. WOULD YOU LIKE THE MOTION LANGUAGE? OKAY. OKAY. UH, I MOVE TO AMEND IN SECTION 38 DASH 1 63 REGULATIONS. PARAGRAPH ONE. NO PERSON BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENT OR GOVERNMENT ENTITY MAY PROVIDE PLASTIC CARE BAGS OR EPF DISPOSABLE SURFACE WARE AT ANY COUNTY FACILITY. COUNTY SPONSORED EVENT OR EVENT HELD ON COUNTY PROPERTY LOCATED WITHIN UNINCORPORATED BUFORD COUNTY IN SECTION 38 DASH 1 6500 PENALTIES. PARAGRAPH A. ANY BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENT THAT VIOLATES OR FAILS TO COMPLY WITH ANY PROVISIONS OF THIS CHAPTER AFTER A WRITTEN WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THAT VIOLATION SHALL BE ISSUED A CITATION FOR A CIVIL VIOLATION. THE CIVIL PENALTY SHALL NOT EXCEED A HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR THE FIRST VIOLATION. 200 FOR A SECOND VIOLATION WITHIN, WITHIN ANY 12 MONTH PERIOD. AND 500 FOR EACH ADDITIONAL VIOLATION WITHIN ANY THAT VIOLATION CONTINUES WILL CONSTITUTE A SEPARATE OFFENSE. THE WORD CIVIL WILL BE ADDED IN FRONT OF THE WORDS PENALTIES IN THE FIRST WE HAVE A MOTION. CAN I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND. MS. HOWARD WILL SECOND. OH, I SHOULD LET FORWARD. THAT'S OKAY. ANYBODY ON COUNCIL? QUESTION? COMMENT? I HAVE A NO. OH, SORRY. I, THE AMENDMENT. I CAN MAKE A COMMENT ON THE AMENDMENT BECAUSE IT'S UNINCORPORATED. UM, WHEN THE MUNICIPALITY'S ADOPTED, THEY COULD CHOOSE NOT JUST WANNA POINT THAT OUT. THEY COULD CHOOSE NOT TO [00:45:01] DO THAT AND LEAVE THAT PART OUT. AND, AND THAT'S THEIR OPTION. SO THAT STILL LEAVES AN OPTION TO THEM. THAT'S ALL I HAD TO SAY. YOU GONNA BE MORE DISCUSSION AFTER THIS AMENDMENT OR WE MOVE ON? NO, IT'LL GO TO THE MO ORIGINAL MOTION AS AMENDED. THANK YOU. YEAH. FAIR ENOUGH. ALRIGHT. ALL VOTING ON THE AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION. ALRIGHT, THAT PASSES. NOW WE'RE BACK TO THE ORIGINAL MOTION AS AMENDED. ANYONE HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT? IS THERE ANOTHER, UH, UH, JUNE, ANOTHER AMENDMENT, UH, PENDING? NOT, DID YOU READ TWO TONIGHT WHEN YOU CAME UP? YES. YES. THE TWO, THE ONE WAS, UM, CHANGING IT FROM A MISDEMEANOR TO A CIVIL PENALTY. AND THEN THE OTHER WAS CLARIFYING THAT GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES WOULD BE HELD TO THE SAME STANDARD. THAT'S ALL CONTAINED IN THE MOTION. THAT YES, SIR. OKAY. WE HAD A BIG DISCUSSION AT THE LAST, UH, FIRST READING HERE ABOUT A NUMBER OF CHANGES AND I SAW THAT YOU HAD SOME UP ON THE, UH, SCREEN. UM, WILL, WILL THOSE BE COMING BACK AGAIN FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION FOR INCLUSION? SO THE, THE ONES THAT WERE ON THE SCREEN WERE THOSE TWO SPECIFICALLY THAT STAFF WORKED WITH LEGAL TO UPDATE, ADD AS AN OPTION, WHICH WAS, UM, JUST VOTED ON. AND THEN ALL OF THE ORIGINAL, UH, PROPOSED CHANGES ARE STILL INCLUDED. ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT AT THE LAST MEETING ARE INCLUDED OR NOT? NO. JUST THOSE TWO THAT SHE SAID. JUST THOSE TWO ITEMS? YES SIR. WE JUST APPROVED THEM. ALRIGHT, WELL, ANY MORE BE COMING FORWARD. THAT IS, UM, UP TO THE COUNCIL. WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE FOR THIRD READING COMING UP. MM-HMM . SCO THREE. I KNOW. SO THAT THERE MAY BE ADDITIONS AS WELL THERE. I WOULD HOPE IT WOULD BE NOW INSTEAD OF A THIRD READING, BUT, OKAY. OKAY. DO YOU HAVE ONE MR. MCALLEN? NO, I JUST REMEMBER THAT THERE WERE AT LEAST FOUR OR FIVE OF THOSE THINGS DISCUSSED. THERE WERE, OH, GO AHEAD. GO AHEAD. I WAS JUST GONNA MAKE A COMMENT. THE THINGS LIKE OPTIONAL FOR PLASTIC FORKS AND SPOONS, OPTION FOR PLASTIC STRAWS UPON REQUESTS, THAT'S STILL IN. YES. THAT'S IN THE NEW REVISED ORDINANCE. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? COUNSEL? THERE'S, THEY'RE IN THERE NOW. AND IF THERE ARE ANY ADDITIONAL CHANGES LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER TABER NECK SAID, WE CAN MAKE THOSE TONIGHT. OKAY. MR. CUNNINGHAM? UH, YEAH. I WON'T GO AS LONG AS LAST TIME. I PROMISE. UM, I, I WAS, I WAS AGAINST IT THE FIRST TIME. I'M, I'M AGAINST IT AGAIN. UH, PLASTIC AND STYROFOAM ARE ABOUT THE SAME TIME. 450 YEARS TO 50 OR 50 TO 450 DEPENDING ON WHAT TIME OF PLASTIC, WHAT TIME OF STYROFOAM. SO IT'S THE SAME PRODUCT. UM, BUT THERE IS A DIFFERENT COST. IT IS ON AVERAGE OF THREE AND A HALF TIMES MORE TO GO FROM STYROFOAM TO PLASTIC IF YOU GO TO US FOODS OR CISCO. UM, 'CAUSE YOU ALSO HAVE TO TAKE CONSIDERATION OF HOW MUCH ITEMS ARE IN THAT PRODUCT COMPARED TO HOW MUCH OUR ITEMS ARE IN THE OTHER PRODUCT. SO JUST 'CAUSE THE PRICE SHOWS THAT IT'S EQUIVALENT DOESN'T MEAN THE QUANTITY'S THE SAME. SO YOU HAVE TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION. UM, THAT'S ONE OF THE BIG REASONS I'M AGAINST THIS. THE OTHER THING IS, I DON'T BELIEVE THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE GETTING INVOLVED IN IT IN OUR BUSINESSES DAY TO DAY. AND THIS IS STRICTLY ONLY AGAINST BUSINESSES. YOU COULD STILL GO INTO A GROCERY STORE AND BUY A STYROFOAM, PLATES, CUPS, ANY OF THOSE THINGS. IT DOES NOT STOP IT ANYWHERE. THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT IT REGULATES IS PROFITING BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND TO SHOW THAT THIS ORDINANCE ALSO BACKS IT UP, THAT THEY KNOW IT COSTS MORE. ONE OF THE THINGS DISCUSSED IN THE LAST MEETING THAT I ASKED THE QUESTION ABOUT WAS NONPROFITS. WHY ARE THEY EXEMPT? THEY'RE STILL EXEMPTS. THAT WAS NOT BROUGHT FORWARD. BUT THE COUNTY COUNT COUNTY OFFICIALS WERE, 'CAUSE WE'RE NOT TECHNICALLY A NONPROFIT. SO THE ONLY REASON YOU'RE GONNA EXEMPT A NONPROFIT IS 'CAUSE YOU KNOW IT'S GONNA COST MORE MONEY. THAT'S THE ONLY REASON. SO WE'RE GONNA SIT HERE AND SAY WE'RE IN ONE OF THE HIGHEST INFLATIONS WE'VE EVER BEEN THAN WE'RE GONNA PUT MORE STRAIN ON OUR BUSINESSES. 75% OF RESTAURANTS CLOSED DOWN IN THE FIRST YEAR OF OPERATION. WE'RE MAKING IT EVEN MORE DIFFICULT NOW. SO NOT TO EVEN BELABOR THE POINT MORE, THINK ABOUT HOW MANY OF THESE RESTAURANTS NOW RELY ON GRUBHUB OR DOORDASH OR UBER EATS. THAT ENTIRE PRICE JUST WENT UP AGAIN TOO, BECAUSE NOW THE PRODUCT HAS TO BE CHANGED THAT IT'S SENT OUT IN, I DON'T THINK THAT'S REALLY AN UP FOR THE CONVERSATION. SO REALLY THIS WHOLE THING COMES BACK TO WHY IS OUR GOVERNMENT GETTING INVOLVED IN DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS. IF A BUSINESS WANTS TO OUTLAW A CERTAIN THING IN THEIR BUSINESS, THEY'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO DO THAT. AND IF A PERSON DOESN'T WANT TO PARTAKE IN A BUSINESS BECAUSE OF THAT, THEY'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO THAT AS WELL. YOU CAN TAKE IT FROM PLASTICS OR THIS, OR DURING COVID, SAME THING. OUR OPERATIONS, WE WIDE OPEN. WE DECIDED WE HAVE PEOPLE GET MAD. YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO BE HERE AND NOT BE HERE, BUT THIS IS HOW WE'RE GONNA OPERATE. I'M NOT GONNA DICTATE HOW THE, MY NEIGHBOR BUSINESS OR MY NEIGHBORS IN THE COUNTY SHOULD OPERATE THEIR BUSINESS, ESPECIALLY HERE ON COUNCIL. THAT'S NOT OUR PLACE AS COUNCIL MEMBERS. SO WE'RE BASICALLY TELLING 'EM THAT THEY HAVE TO EAT MORE OF THE COST OR RAISE THE PRICE ON THEIR ITEMS TO US. SO EFFECTIVELY WE'RE PAYING MORE. UM, I, I, I CAN'T SUPPORT IT. WE SHOULD LET OUR BUSINESSES OPERATE. BUT I DO AGREE WITH GETTING RID OF THE PLASTIC BAGS THAT ARE TWICE AS THICK BECAUSE [00:50:01] THOSE DECOMPOSE IN A HUNDRED YEARS, WHICH THE ORIGINAL PLASTIC BAGS THAT WE HAD BEFOREHAND WERE 20 YEARS. SO I DON'T KNOW HOW WE MULTIPLIED THAT BY FIVE, BUT WE DEFINITELY DID. SO I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT. THANK YOU MR. CUNNINGHAM. OH, MR. LAWSON. UM, YES. AND I SPOKE OUT, UH, BEFORE AGAINST THIS. UM, I THINK THAT, UH, THIS IS A GOVERNMENT OVERREACH ON OUR SIDE. UM, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT COUNTY GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE GETTING INTO. AND WHEN THE FIRST ORDINANCE CAME OUT IN 2018, UM, I WAS AGAINST HIM THEN. I WAS NOT ON COUNTY COUNCIL AT THAT POINT. SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE CONSUMER DRIVEN. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU AS A, AS A CITIZEN SHOULD GO TO WHEREVER YOU'RE BUYING YOUR, UM, UH, YOUR MEAL FROM AND REQUEST THIS, THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE IMPOSING ON PEOPLE AND SAYING, YOU MUST DO THIS AS A COUNTY COUNCIL. WE'RE MAKING YOU DO THIS. YOU HAVE TO DO THIS, THIS, THIS SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT, THAT AS A CONSUMER, YOU'RE GOING OUT AND SAYING, HEY, LISTEN, I'M GOING HERE. I'M BUYING FROM YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE PROVIDING THIS SERVICE. THAT'S WHAT I WANT. AND PEOPLE LOOK AT ME AND SAY, WELL, HOW CAN YOU NOT SUPPORT THIS? AND I, I'VE MENTIONED THIS BEFORE. I, FOR THE PAST SEVEN, EIGHT YEARS, I HAVE CLEANED UP TWO MILES OF THE BLUFFTON PARKWAY. I PICKED UP THE TRASH OUT THERE FOR, FOR TWO YEARS ON THOSE TWO MILES FROM BURNT CHURCH ROAD DOWN TO, UM, PLANTATION, UM, ACTUALLY BUCKINGHAM PLANTATION DRIVE. SO I KNOW WHAT'S OUT THERE. I KNOW WHAT'S BEING PICKED UP. UM, AND I'VE SAID BEFORE, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF TRASH BAGS. YOU KNOW, I GET WATER BOTTLES AND CANS AND, AND STUFF THAT BLOWS OUT OF CONSTRUCTION TRUCKS. UM, SO WHEN WE DO THIS, WE'RE ACTUALLY PENALIZING OUR OWN PEOPLE BY, BY, BY PUTTING THIS INTO PLACE. SO IT'S NOT THAT I'M NOT A A A A CONSERVATIONIST, 'CAUSE AGAIN, I'M OUT THERE CLEANING THINGS UP MYSELF. I THINK I'VE MISSED TWO MAY RIVER CLEANUPS IN THE PAST 10 YEARS, PROBABLY, UM, THAT I HAVEN'T BEEN OUT THERE FOR. SO AGAIN, GOING BACK TO, UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU AS A CONSUMER SHOULD BE THE ONE THAT DECIDES MY WIFE CARRIES HER BAGS TO THE GROCERY STORE, TAKES 'EM WITH HER, HER REUSABLE BAGS. I'M THE GUY THAT GOES IN THERE AND USES THE PAPER BAGS AT FOOD LION THAT ARE PROVIDED. SO, SO AGAIN, I, WE SHOULD HAVE THAT CHOICE THAT SHE CAN TAKE HER BAGS IF SHE WANTS TO. AND IF I WANNA USE THE, THE, THE PAPER DISPOSABLE, I CAN DO THAT. SO AGAIN, I'M GONNA VOTE AGAINST THIS, NOT BECAUSE I I I'M AGAINST LITTER OR, OR AGAINST, YOU KNOW, LITTER OUT THERE. I'M DOING IT BECAUSE AGAIN, I THINK IT'S A RIGHT THAT WE'VE GOT AND YOU AS A CONSUMER SHOULD CHOOSE WHAT YOU WANNA DO. THANK YOU MR. LASON. MR. UM, RES, UM, ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND, WE HAVE IN EXCESS OF 200 RESTAURANTS. I HAVE A NUMBER OF MEETINGS SET UP ALREADY. PLUS GOING FORWARD, I'M GONNA ACTUALLY FIND OUT FROM THE FOLKS THAT BUY THESE VERY INEXPENSIVE PLASTICS, IF, IF THAT'S A REAL OPTION. I APPLAUD STAFF AND GENE AND MR. TEETER, UH, FOR THEIR PASSION TO CLEAN UP AND HELP US DO THAT. I BELIEVE THAT GOVERNMENT SHOULDN'T BE IN AN OVERREACH CAPACITY AS WELL AS MY COLLEAGUES. SO, BUT WHAT I'M GONNA DO FOR THE THIRD READING FOR YOU IS I'LL HAVE SOME REAL DATA, REAL LIVE DATA ON HOW THESE ALTERNATIVES THAT YOU OFFER HERE WILL FARE WITH WHAT YOU'VE TOLD US. SO I'M GONNA VOTE NO AGAIN TONIGHT, BUT WE STILL HAVE A THIRD READING. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS. I APPRECIATE IT. MR. GLOVER, I THINK YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP. UH, YES MA'AM. THANK YOU MADAM CHAIRMAN, I, UM, I'M, I'M GONNA BE THE OPPOSITE. I'M GONNA VOTE YES FOR THIS ORDINANCE. UM, I AM NOT A CONSERVATIONIST. I'M MORE OF A NATURALIST. I BELIEVE IN NATURE. AND, UM, UM, I DO THROW OUT ORANGE PEELS, BANANA PEELS OUTSIDE THE WINDOW BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO GO BACK TO NATURE. UM, I DON'T THROW PAPER OUT AND IF YOU LOOK IN MY TRUCK, YOU'LL SEE THAT. UM, BUT I DO BELIEVE IN, IN, IN BIODEGRADABLE. AND ONE OF THE COMMENTS I'LL MAKE, UH, MADAM CHAIRMAN IS THAT CHARLESTON PASSED US AND I WAS IN A RESTAURANT, UH, RECENTLY. AND, UM, THEY HAD BIODEGRADABLE STRAWS. SO MAN HAS A WAY OF MAKING WHAT IS NECESSARY. UM, WE JUST GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT THEY COME TO, UH, THE AID OF PLASTIC, PLASTIC, THIS, PLASTIC THAT, AND LOOK AT NATURAL STUFF. UH, THAT WILL DEF DEFINITELY GO BACK TO NATURE. THANK YOU MADAM. MS. BROWN. I WAS AGAINST THIS IN THE GETTING, AND THEN IN THE LAST, LAST COUNCIL MEETING, UM, I ASKED TO TAKE THE MISDEMEANOR OUT, BUT SINCE THEN, AND I STILL HAVE GONE AROUND AND MARK, YOU DO AN EXCELLENT JOB WITH THE BLUFFTON PARKWAY. YOU REALLY DO. AND I MEAN, I GO BY THERE ALL THE TIME AND IT'S CLEAN. BELIEVE ME, IT'S CLEAN. BUT HAVING SAID THAT, I HAVE CONSTITUENTS THAT CLEAN UP IN FRONT OF THEIR PLANTATION AND THEY SAID THE MAJORITY OF WHAT THEY CLEAN UP IS STYROFOAM CUPS AND STYROFOAM CONTAINERS. AND THEY WOULD LIKE ME TO VOTE YES ON THIS. SO THAT'S [00:55:01] WHO I LISTEN TO. BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, I HAVE GONE AROUND TO SOME OF THE RESTAURANTS I GO TO FREQUENTLY. UM, AND NO ONE, THERE'S ONLY ONE RESTAURANT I GO TO THAT YOU STILL USE THE STYROFOAM, MOST OF 'EM USE THE CARDBOARD BOXES OR THEY USE THE TIN, THE TINT, ALUMINUM FOIL, BOTTOMS AND PLASTIC TOPS. MM-HMM. OR WHATEVER, ONE THAT USES STYROFOAM. AND AGAIN, MY CONSTITUENTS HAD ASKED ME YES TO VOTE YES ON THIS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY PICK UP THE MOST OF IN FRONT OFF OF 2 78 THOUGH. UM, AND IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION PEOPLE OR WORKERS THAT WORK AND THROW THEIR STUFF OUT THE, AND SO I'M VOTING YES FOR THIS. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE ON FIRST ROUND BEFORE I GO BACK TO MR. CUNNINGHAM? ALRIGHT, GO. UH, JUST COMMENT ON A COUPLE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE. ONE TO PIGGYBACK OFF MARK, THAT WOULD BE THE EQUIVALENT OF SAYING, I DRIVE ELECTRIC CARS, SO I SHOULD REQUIRE ALL OF YOU TO DRIVE AN ELECTRIC CAR. NO, EXACTLY. WHAT WAS IT? THE WORD IS YOU CAN'T WHAT CAN'T, CAN'T AFFORD YOU. TESLA. AND YOU SAID NO FOR WHATEVER REASON, BUT WHAT IF I GOVERNMENT TOLD YOU YOU HAD TO, WHICH WE HAD AN ADMINISTRATION TALK ABOUT THAT BEING DONE BY 2030, JUST A COUPLE YEARS AGO. SO THAT'S NOT FARFETCHED TO SAY THAT'S A CONVERSATION THAT IT HASN'T BEEN HAD IN THIS COUNTRY BEFORE. UM, SECONDLY, GOING TO, UM, CHARLESTON, UM, CHARLESTON PASSED IT, YOU'RE RIGHT, CHARLESTON DID PASS IT. AND THEIR COST OF LIVING IS HIGHER THAN OURS, MUCH LARGER THAN OURS, AS WELL AS THEIR BIODEGRADABLE THAT THEY REQUIRE IS FIVE TO SEVEN TIMES MORE EXPENSIVE THAN THE STYROFOAM WE CAN CURRENTLY PURCHASE HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY. AND THEN TO MS. BROWN'S, UM, STATEMENT OF THE MOST THINGS SHE FINDS IS STYROFOAM. THINGS THAT ARE THROWN OUT ARE STILL BEING THROWN OUT. SO WHETHER IT'S STYROFOAM NOW OR PLASTIC LATER, THEY'RE STILL BIODEGRADABLE AT THE SAME TIME. YOUR ALUMINUM CAN THAT YOU'RE ACTUALLY DISCUSSING IS 200 YEARS TO BE BIODEGRADED. THE ALUMINUM CONTAINERS ARE STILL ALLOWED IN THIS ORDINANCE, BUT ALUMINUM IS 200 YEARS JUST LIKE PLASTIC AND STYROFOAM. COMMENT. COMMENT. ALRIGHT, MS. HOWARD, GO AHEAD. I, ALUMINUM CANS ARE ALMOST ONE-TO-ONE RECYCLABLE IN THE UNITED STATES BECAUSE OF THE HIGH VALUE. I DON'T, I DON'T DISPUTE HOW LONG IT TAKES FOR IT TO BUY TO, TO GO AWAY, BUT PEOPLE ARE PICKING 'EM UP BECAUSE THEY'RE VALUABLE. UM, AND IT'S A ONE-TO-ONE FOR ALUMINUM CANS, JUST LIKE TO POINT THAT OUT. BUT I WILL BE VOTING. YES. ANYBODY ELSE? DID YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP, JULIAN? I DID. I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT, UH, STYROFOAM AND PLASTIC BAGS ARE NOT RECYCLABLE THROUGH OUR TRADITIONAL MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE MEANS STYROFOAM IS NOT RECYCLABLE AT ALL. SO IF IT'S OUT THERE, IT'S OUT THERE FOR, EVEN AS IT BREAKS DOWN, BIODEGRADABLE ISN'T A REALLY APPROPRIATE TERM BECAUSE AS IT BREAKS DOWN, IT'S STILL PLASTIC, IT BECOMES MICROPLASTICS. AND THAT'S A REALLY, UM, BIG RESEARCH FIELD THAT'S UP AND COMING. WE'RE JUST BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPLICATIONS OF ALL OF THAT, THE PLASTICS THAT MAY BE SWITCHED OVER TO HAVE A HIGHER LIKELIHOOD OF BEING RECYCLABLE THAN STYROFOAM. JUST, I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT. I I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS THERE, BUT STYROFOAM IN AND OF ITSELF NOT RECYCLABLE AND WAS VERY LARGELY SUPPORTED THROUGH OUR SURVEYS, UM, TO BE BANNED. ALRIGHT. MS. BROCK WOULD GO AHEAD, MR. I I REMEMBER THE, UH, DISCUSSION WE HAD AT THE END OF THE EVENING, THE, ON THE LAST RING, AND I FOUND TO HEAR THAT PEOPLE COULD STILL GO TO A GROCERY STORE AND BUY A FEW DOZEN STYROFOAM PLATES TO TAKE HOME AND THEN DISPOSE OF. AND I WAS HOPING THERE WOULD BE SOME LANGUAGE IN THERE TO PREVENT THAT. SO I'M DISAPPOINTED TONIGHT THAT IT'S NOT THERE, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS HOPE FOR THE FUTURE. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. WON'T BE DONE BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GONNA TELL A BOX STORE WHAT TO DO. OKAY. I'D LIKE A ROLL CALL. MS. BROCK, PLEASE. COUNCIL MEMBER PASSMAN. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER BROWN. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER RES? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER MCALLEN? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER LAWSON. MARK LAWSON? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER GLOVER? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER DAWSON? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM? NO. VICE CHAIR TABER? YES. CHAIR HOWARD? YES. THE MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, JULIANA. THANK YOU ALL. OKAY. THAT WAS SECOND READING. ALRIGHT, [12.a. 2026/27: 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.] ORDINANCES FOR FIRST READING, UH, 2026 SLASH 27. 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, THE PRESENTATION AT FINANCE COMMITTEE ON MAY 18TH WAS ACCEPTED. EIGHT ZERO. TANYA CROSBY'S HERE, THE CFO FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. I KNOW DR. RODRIGUEZ IS HERE. WOULD YOU LIKE TO STAND UP AND COME UP FRONT? OKAY. COME ON UP. I WILL MAKE THE MOTION. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A MOTION, A SECOND AND A SECOND. AND YOU HAVE, UM, A COUPLE OF OTHER BOARD [01:00:01] MEMBERS HERE. COULD YOU INTRODUCE THEM, DR. RODRIGUEZ? YES. WE HAVE, UH, COLONEL GEIER AND, UH, MR. UH, VICTOR NAY, WHO'S OUR BOARD SECRETARY. AND YOU HAVE CANDACE BACK THERE. I SEE HER CANDACE COMMUNICATIONS. OKAY. WE HAVE ROBERT ING, UH, WHO'S HERE, OUR CHIEF, UH, OPERATIONS OFFICER. AND WE HAVE TONYA'S, UH, STAFF THAT'S HERE AS WELL TODAY. OKAY, GREAT. I THINK DESERVE WHAT THOSE PEOPLE DO HERE IN THE COUNTY. WELL DONE. THANK YOU. OKAY, MISS, YOU GUYS ARE UP SECOND THAT I'LL GIVE HIM THE HARD QUESTIONS. . SO, GOOD EVENING. UM, AS, UH, MS. TABER, NICK MENTIONED, UH, WE DID, UH, UH, PROVIDE THIS PRESENTATION FOR YOU THIS EVENING. UM, AT OUR LAST, AT YOUR LAST FIN UM, FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING ON MAY 18TH, AND ON TUESDAY, MAY 19TH, THE BOARD, BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION DID APPROVE AND CERTIFY THIS BUDGET, BOTH THE OPERATIONAL BUDGET AND THE SCHOOL DEBT SERVICE BUDGET. UH, TONIGHT WILL BE THE FIRST OF THREE READINGS AND WITH, HOPEFULLY WITH PLAN OF FINAL APPROVAL ON JUNE 22ND. SO THE ORDINANCE YOU SEE, UH, ON THE SCREEN PROVIDES A FEW CHANGES FROM THE PRIOR YEAR. AND ONE, UH, WELL, UH, FIRST OF ALL, THE SCHOOL OPERATIONS AND SCHOOL DEBT SERVICE MILLAGE HAVE NO CHANGE. SO THERE THEY ARE NOT READ HERE. UH, THERE IS NO MILLAGE INCREASE REQUESTED AS A RESULT OF THIS BUDGET. UH, IT DOES PROVIDE THE LAST ROW. IT, UH, WE HAVE AN ALLOWABLE MILLAGE THAT IS BANKED EACH YEAR. THAT IS THE RED CHANGE IN RED. UH, WE HAVE AN ALLOWABLE MILLAGE INCREASE OF 11.9 ON OPERATIONS. UH, AGAIN, WE WILL NOT BE REQUESTING ANY INCREASE THIS YEAR. AND ON THE SECOND PAGE, UH, WE WILL BE, UH, CHANGING THE AMOUNTS OF THE, UM, BUDGET. THE TOTAL AMOUNT WILL BE 395.3 MILLION, AND THE VARIOUS, SO SOURCES OF TAX REVENUE ARE LISTED THERE, AND WE WILL DISCUSS THEM LATER IN THE PRESENTATION. SO WE'LL GET STARTED. UH, THIS IS A FLYER THAT WE'VE CREATED THIS YEAR, UM, AND IT PROVIDES JUST THE, THE BASIC DETAILS, UH, BASIC SUMMARY, I WOULD SAY, OF THE BUDGET AGAIN, UH, WITH THE TOTAL DOLLAR AMOUNT THERE, UH, WITH THE VARIOUS SOURCES OF REVENUE, AND AGAIN, REITERATION OF A NO MILLAGE INCREASE, IT HAS A PROPOSED INCREASE OF $18 MILLION. BUT THE MAIN, UM, MAIN SOURCE OF INFORMATION THAT WE WANNA HIGHLIGHT IS THE TEA STARTING TEACHER SALARY WOULD MOVE, UH, TO 62,587, WHICH WE THINK WILL BE A VERY COMPETITIVE, UH, RATE THROUGHOUT THE STATE. AND SO, UM, THE ULTIMATE MISSION OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS TO, UH, THROUGH A PERSONALIZED LEARNING APPROACH, PREPARE GRADUATES WHO COMPETE AND SUCCEED IN AN EVER CHANGING GLOBAL SOCIETY AND CAREER MARKETPLACE. EVERY ITEM IN THIS BUDGET IS CENTERED DIRECTLY AROUND THIS MISSION. THE DISTRICT'S STRATEGIC PLAN PLAYED A VITAL ROLE IN THE BUDGET PROCESS AND DOES EACH YEAR. UM, IT PROVIDES FOR FOUR PILLARS, SUPPORT, ENGAGEMENT, ACHIEVEMENT, AND STEWARDSHIP. UH, THE BUDGET FRAMEWORK WAS DEVELOPED AROUND THIS, UH, THESE PILLARS AND TO MEET GOALS WITH EACH, WITH EACH OF THE, UM, SPECIFIC, UM, AND THEY MAKE UP THESE FOUR, UH, CATEGORIES OF THIS PLAN. WE STARTED WITH EXTENSIVE FEEDBACK IN OCTOBER, BEGINNING WITH OUR PRINCIPALS, UH, THROUGH A NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND WENT ON TO, UH, GAIN FEEDBACK FROM PUBLIC FORUMS, ONLINE SURVEYS, SENIOR LEADERSHIP, STUDENT ADVISORY MEETINGS, AND PARENTS, WHAT'S THAT? TEACHERS AND TEACHERS, YES. PUBLIC, UH, THAT, THAT WOULD BE IMPORTANT. . UM, WE WERE ABLE TO QUICKLY SUMMARIZE THIS FEEDBACK. AND BASICALLY, UH, THE SUM, THESE WERE SUMMARIZED INTO FOUR MAIN PRIORITIES. SO THE FEEDBACK, UM, THAT WE RECEIVED PROVIDED STAFF COMPENSATION WAS A PRIORITY. ACADEMIC PROGRAMS, OPERATIONAL SERVICES, AND A SAFE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. 80% OF SCHOOL SALARIES AND BENEFITS AND, UH, ACADEMIC ARE THE CORE OF INSTRUCTION, OPERATION, AND SAFETY AND SECURITY REALLY GO HAND IN HAND. IT BEING ESSENTIAL TO HAVE CLEAN, WELL-MAINTAINED, UH, FACILITIES. OKAY. UH, WELL-MAINTAINED FACILITIES, UH, AND SAFE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS FOR OUR STUDENTS. SO THESE ARE OUR FOUR CATEGORIES THAT WE ARE BEGINNING TO EXPLORE. SO THE FIRST PRIORITY IS STRATEGIC INVESTMENT IN STAFF COMPENSATION. UH, THE GOAL IS TO MAINTAIN ONE OF THE HIGHEST STARTING TEACHER SALARIES IN SOUTH CAROLINA. WE'VE MAINTAINED, UH, AT [01:05:01] LEAST, UH, WE MOVED FROM THE FOURTH SPOT TO NUMBER TWO IN THE CURRENT YEAR. SO THE LAST FEW YEARS, WE'VE MAIN BEEN, UH, MAINTAINED, UH, WITHIN THE TOP FOUR IN THE STATE. WE WANNA ATTRACT AND COMPETE FOR HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTIONAL TALENT, IMPROVE RETENTION, AND REDUCE HIGH TURNOVER COSTS, STRENGTHEN WORKFORCE STABILITY AND INSTRUCTIONAL CONTINUITY, AND SUPPORT IMPROVED STUDENT OUTCOMES THROUGH EXPERIENCED EDUCATORS. UH, MR. JOHNSON ASKED A QUESTION IN OUR LAST MEETING, AND I'M GONNA RESPOND THAT EVENING. UH, OUR SURVEY DATA SHOWS THAT WE'VE IMPROVED FROM AN 81% RETENTION RATE TO AN 88 PER PERCENT RETENTION RATE IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS. WE'VE MADE SOME SIGNIFICANT GAINS IN THE MOVEMENT OF THE, UH, UH, TEACHER'S SALARIES IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS INTENTIONALLY. AND THAT HAS PAID OFF, UH, 88% RETENTION RATE. AND WE BELIEVE THAT, UH, WHAT OUR CONTINUING THESE EFFORTS WILL ONLY INCREASE THAT AS WELL, TARGETED INVESTMENT IN ACADEMIC PROGRAMS. SO, WHILE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS MADE SOME ME MEANINGFUL GAINS IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS AND MATHEMATICS, WE KNOW THERE'S STILL MORE WORK TO DO, UH, GUIDED BY STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK. WE'RE SHARPENING OUR FOCUS IN THE COMING YEAR TO TWO POPULATIONS, SPECIAL EDUCATION AND MULTILINGUAL LEARNER LEARNERS. WE'RE ALSO EXPANDING A MONTESSORI PROGRAM. THEY'RE CURRENTLY IN BLUFFTON, BUFORD. WE'LL BE MOVING INTO THE HILTON HEAD AREA AS WELL, AND ROLLING OUT BEHAVIOR INTERVENTIONS TO SUPPORT STUDENTS ACROSS THE DISTRICT. CTE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND EXTENDED SCHOOL YEAR, AND TARGETED LEARNING SUPPORTS ARE ALSO COVERED AS, UH, CHANGES IN THIS BUDGET TO ENHANCE THOSE AREAS. AND THEN THE ESSENTIAL OPERATIONS OF THE DISTRICT. UH, WE, WE WILL MAINTAIN OUR CORE DISTRICT OPERATIONS. WE HAVE SOME RATHER LARGE CONTRACTS IN OUR DISTRICT. CUSTODIAL MAINTENANCE AND GROUNDS ARE SOME OF THE LARGER ONES. UM, UTILITIES ARE ALSO INCREASING, UH, UH, AT A, UH, IN SOME CASES A RAPID RATE, PARTICULARLY IN THE WATER SEWER AREA. UM, AND THEN PROPERTY AND LIABILITY INSURANCE INCREASES AS WELL. UM, TECHNOLOGY WITH, UH, SO MUCH SOFTWARE AND, UH, THE TECHNOLOGY THAT WE HAVE THESE DAYS, IT IS CRUCIAL TO, UH, MAINTAIN THE TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE. AND THEN WE HAVE THE REQUIRED PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, AS USUAL, THE AUDIT, UH, LEGAL AND OTHER COMPLIANCE. SO MAINTAINING A SAFE, SAFE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. WE WILL CONTINUE FUNDING FOR SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS, SECURITY GUARDS, AND SAFETY CONTRACTS. UH, AND WE WILL EXPAND SAFETY INITIATIVES SUCH AS WEAPONS DETECTION SYSTEMS IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS, AND MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS SUPPORTS. THIS SHOWS, UH, WHERE WE STAND IN THE CURRENT YEAR, UH, FOR STARTING TEACHER SALARY IN SOUTH CAROLINA. I MUST SAY THAT THIS STANDS WAY WELL ABOVE THE NATIONAL, THE STATE AVERAGES AND ABOVE NATIONAL AVERAGES AS WELL. UH, SO WE'RE CURRENTLY AT 60,087, UH, WITH, UH, NUMBER AT NUMBER TWO. AND CHARLESTON BEING, UH, THE TOP, UH, TOP TEACHER SALARY IN THE STATE AND BERKELEY, UH, A LITTLE BEHIND. UH, AND THEN, UH, THIS PROPOSES THAT WE WILL INCREASE TEACHER SALARIES FROM THE 60,087 TO $62,587 BY AN INCREASE OF 2,500. UH, LOCALITY BONUS IS A SUPPLEMENT THAT HAS BEEN PROVIDED FOR MANY YEARS, UH, I WOULD SAY ALMOST 10 YEARS. UH, AND THAT IS, UH, GIVEN IT $1,500 IN TWO INSTALLMENTS OF SEVEN 50. SO THE TOTAL COMPENSATION PACKAGE FOR TEACHERS IS CURRENTLY 64,087 WITH THAT LOCALITY. 62 IS THE AMOUNT THAT'S ON THE SALARY SCHEDULE THAT'S POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE. AND IT, IT IS COMMUNICATED TO OUR, UM, NEW EMPLOYEES. SO, SUMMARY OF THE COMPENSATION GROUPS, AS I MENTIONED, UH, TEACHERS ARE ON THE LEFT HAND COLUMN HERE, $500. UH, THEY WOULD ALSO RECEIVE, UH, AT STEPS FIVE THROUGH 30. ONE WOULD RECEIVE A, UH, STEP INCREASE. AND A, WE WOULD MOVE THE MAX 31 TO HOLD ON TO OUR MOST SENIOR, UH, LEADERS IN OUR TEACHING GROUPS. AND ALSO IN THE CLASSIFIED PROFESSIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE WOULD BE A 3% COST OF LIVING INCREASE, ANNUAL STEP INCREASE, AND EXPANDING THAT MAX STEP AS WELL. SO, AS ALWAYS, WE HAVE CHALLENGES EACH YEAR. UH, THEY, THERE MAY BE ONE OR TWO THAT, UH, CHANGE SLIGHTLY. UM, AND SO STATE FUNDING IS, HAS BEEN FLATTENING. UH, SO THAT HAS NOT QUITE INCREASING WITH THE RATES OF ALL OF THE OTHER COSTS. THE FUEL COSTS AND UTILITY COSTS AND CONTRACTS AND LABOR COSTS. UM, UH, WE HAVE UNFUNDED MANDATES EACH YEAR. UM, SO WE WATCH CLOSELY [01:10:01] THE BILLS THAT ARE, UH, MOVING THROUGH THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, UH, LATE AND DEVELOPING, UH, A FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT ON HOW THOSE, THOSE BILLS IMPACT US. RISING COSTS OF CONTRACTING SERVICES, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, INCREASING COSTS OF CONSUMER GOODS AND PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTIONS. I THINK THAT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER. UH, WE DO HAVE SOME CONCERN ABOUT THE PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTIONS THAT ARE PROVIDED BY STATE LAW. AND, UH, WE'RE HOPING THAT WE CAN, UM, BRING SOME ATTENTION TO THAT ACROSS THE STATE, UM, TO SLOW SOME OF THAT. UM, UH, FUNDING FROM RE BEING REDIRECTED. SO THE PROPOSED EXPENDITURES ARE, UH, INCREASES ARE EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION ARE 83% OF THE INCREASES IN THIS BUDGET AT $15 MILLION. ACADEMIC PROGRAMS ARE 2.9 OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES, 3.4, SAFETY AND SECURITY 1.2. AND WE HAVE IDENTIFIED $4.3 MILLION OF OFFSETS AND OTHER REDUCTIONS IN ORDER TO, UM, HAVE A SUBTOTAL OF 18.3 MILLION OF INCREASES IN THIS BUDGET, BRINGING THE TOTAL TO 395.3 MILLION FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027. SO THE BUDGET'S, INVESTMENTS BY CATEGORY PRIMARILY IN THE INSTRUCTIONAL INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT AREA AT 68%. UH, AND THEN LEADERSHIP AND OPERATIONS ARE ON THE SMALLER AREAS, UM, WHICH ALSO THEN SUPPORT THE STUDENTS, UH, IN, IN THE CLASSROOMS. SO THE FUNDING, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE WOULD, UH, TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE REVENUES. AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, 60, ALMOST 66% OF OUR REVENUES ARE LOCAL TAX REVENUES. UH, THERE IS SOME INTEREST INCOME IN THERE AS WELL. UH, STATE REVENUES ARE 34%. UM, THE LOCAL IN HAS INCREASED FROM 64 TO 65.6 IN THE LAST YEAR. UH, ALMOST A 2% SHIFT, UH, MOVING, UH, AWAY FROM THE STATE REVENUE SOURCES. AND HERE ARE OUR STATE REVENUE ALLOCATIONS. AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, STATE REVENUES PLATEAUED NEAR $134 MILLION IN ACTUAL AMOUNTS RE RECEIVED AFTER STRONG GROWTH IN FISCAL YEARS, UH, 23 AND 24. UM, BUT THE ACTUALS HAVE FALLEN SHORT, UH, IN THE LAST TWO YEARS. UH, WE DO EXPECT A SHORTFALL IN STATE REVENUE BASED ON, USUALLY WE HAVE A LOT HIGHER PROJECTION DURING THE GENERAL TIME OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY IS PASSING THE BUDGET. AND THEN, UH, THE SHORTFALLS HAVE COME IN THE, AROUND THE HUNDRED AND 35TH DAY OF SCHOOL, WHICH IS GENERALLY IN MARCH. SO WE HAVE HAD SOME SHORTFALLS. SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BUDGETING CONSERVATIVELY IN OTHER AREAS TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE ARE OFFSET, UH, AS WELL. AND WE'VE DONE THAT, UH, BUDGETED CONSERVATIVELY ON THE STATE REVENUES THIS YEAR. AS A RESULT OF THAT, UH, PATTERN CONTINUING REVENUE WITH THE EXISTING MILLAGE, WE, UH, INTEND TO STAY AT 1 21 0.6. WE DO EXPECT THE GROWTH IN THE VALUE OF THE MILL. UH, WE HAVE PROJECTED THAT BASED ON HISTORICAL TRENDS AND, UH, OTHER, UH, ECONOMIC INFORMATION. SO WE DO, UH, EXPECT TO RECEIVE 259 MILLION STATE REVENUE OF 135 MILLION AND FEDERAL AND OTHER REVENUE OF 1.3 TO HAVE, UH, A BALANCED BUDGET, UH, BOTH REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES. THERE IS NO USE OF FUND BALANCE. AGAIN, NO MILLAGE INCREASE, UH, ALTHOUGH THERE IS AVAILABLE BY STATE LAW 138 MILLS. UH, BUT WE ARE NOT REQUESTING ANY KIND OF MILLAGE INCREASE THIS YEAR, NEITHER IN THE OPERATIONS OR THE DEBT SERVICE BUDGETS. AND FINALLY, UH, THE BUDGET CERTIFICATION, UH, UH, HAPPENED. UH, WE DID HAVE APPROVAL OF, OF THE OPERATIONS AND DEBT SERVICE BUDGETS, UH, AND THAT WAS LAST TUESDAY. UH, AND SO, UH, WE ARE JUST LOOKING FOR, UH, APPROVAL THROUGH FIRST READING TO MOVE ON TO SECOND IN FEW WEEKS. AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS YOU MAY HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM, UM, COUNSEL MR. CUNNINGHAM? OH, GO AHEAD. DEFER. SURE. YEAH, AHEAD. MY BIG HEAD BLOCKED YOU, UH, UH, MS. CROSBY, I, UH, I, I AGAIN WANNA, UH, COMMEND YOU AND THE , UH, NO, NOT A BUDGET INCREASE. I, I APPLAUD YOU AND COMMEND YOU FOR RUNNING SALARY FOR THE TEACHERS, UH, TO 62,000 THAT WOULD MAKE, MAKE THEM, UH, UH, MORE OR LESS, UH, ATTRACTIVE TO YOUR, THE BI COUNTY, COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT. I KNOW, UM, HOUSING HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN ISSUE FOR OUR, UH, UM, STARTING TEACHERS. UM, AND WE ARE WORKING [01:15:01] ON THAT. AND, AND IT'S QUITE A CHALLENGE TRYING TO, UM, FIND AFFORDABLE HOUSING. BUT THE FACT THAT YOU, THROUGH YOUR, UH, EFFORTS HAS, UM, INCREASED THE SALS A TEACHER TO ATTRACT GOOD TEACHERS AND ALSO MAINTAIN AND KEEP THEM HERE IN BEFORD COUNTY. THAT'S, THAT'S A, THAT'S A FEATHER IN YOUR . I COMMEND YOU ALL FOR THAT. AND SO, YOU KNOW, BALANCED BUDGET IS AMAZING TO THIS COUNCIL JOB. WELL DONE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. CUNNINGHAM. YEAH, I JUST WANNA SAY YOU GUYS HAVE CRUSHED IT FOR LIKE, THE LAST THREE YEARS, SO I APPRECIATE Y'ALL. WHEN WE FIRST STARTED THIS, WE LIKE BUTTED HEADS. IT WAS FUN. BUT HONESTLY, THOUGH, YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN KILLING IT THE LAST THREE YEARS, AND IT'S NOT EASY KEEPING UP WITH CHARLESTON. A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND EXACTLY HOW THE MILL WORKS AND HOW YOU HAVE TO GET TO THAT. AND EVERYONE'S LIKE, WELL, WHY HAVEN'T WE PASSED CHARLESTON YET? CHARLESTON'S POPULATION IS SO MUCH DIFFERENT THAN OURS, AND THEY HAVE, THEY'RE LOWER MILLS THAN US, BUT THE VALUE OF THEIR MILL IS SO MUCH HIGHER. SO, FOR YOU GUYS TO BE ABLE TO WORK OUT THIS BUDGET WITHOUT INCREASING YOUR MILLS TO BE ABLE TO BE COMPETITIVE WITH CHARLESTON COUNTY, BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU IT'S MORE DESIRABLE TO LIVE HERE THAN CHARLESTON. SO THAT BEING THAT CLOSE TO THEIR BUDGET AND STILL BEING ABLE TO BE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY WHERE YOU HAVE BLUFFTON, HILTON HEAD AND BEAUFORT, IT'S A WIN. YOU GUYS ARE DEFINITELY CRUSHING IT. I'D EXPECT YOUR NUMBERS TO GO HIGHER. I LOOKED AT NATIONAL AVERAGE IS 87.5 FOR RETENTION RATE ON POSITIVE SCHOOLS. AND NATIONAL AVERAGE ACROSS THE COUNTRY IS LIKE 72%. SO YOU GUYS ARE BLOWING THE AVERAGES OUT THE WATER. SO I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS. THANK YOU. YOU WANT MS. HOWARD? I, I'D ALSO LIKE TO ADD, REALLY, YOUR COMPETITION'S, BERKELEY COUNTY, BECAUSE PEOPLE LIKE TO TEACH IN BERKELEY COUNTY, I, I'M SURE. UM, AND YOU'RE, AND THEY'RE, WE'RE AHEAD OF THEM, SO CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. YES. UM, I THINK I'VE HAD A CHILD OR A GRANDCHILD IN PUBLIC SCHOOL STARTING IN 19 90, 36 YEARS. THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN ONE YEAR. I WAS JUST TRYING TO CALCULATE WHETHER MY SON GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL WHEN MY GRANDSON STARTED PRE-K, BUT I, I THINK THERE'S THE SAME YEAR THAT THEY, THAT THAT HAPPENED. SO, UM, Y'ALL HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB. UH, PEOPLE ARE VERY PROUD OF OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. UM, WE DO A GREAT JOB OF EDUCATING THEM, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU COMPARE OTHER COUNTIES AROUND US. UM, SO, UH, I'VE SAID THIS IN THE PAST, AND MS. CROSBY, INCLUDING YOU NOW, PLEASE, FRANK, DO NOT GO ANYWHERE. WE WANT YOU TO STAY HERE FOREVER. UM, DON'T BE LOOKING AT OTHER PLACES FOR JOBS, . UM, WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE YOU'RE NOT ON INDEED LOOKING FOR SOMETHING ELSE. SO, , UM, YOU STAY WHERE YOU ARE. AGAIN, WE ARE VERY PROUD OF WHAT YOU'VE DONE. AND AGAIN, A COUPLE YEARS AGO, WE GAVE THEM AUTONOMY TO DO THEIR OWN BUDGET, TO BRING THEIR OWN STUFF AND, AND DO YOUR OWN OWN THING. AND I'M GLAD WE, WE DID THAT BACK A COUPLE YEARS AGO, MR. PASSMAN, TO PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE TO HOW GOOD WE ARE DOING HERE. I CAME FROM A SCHOOL DISTRICT IN NEW JERSEY. NEW JERSEY HAS QUALITY SCHOOL DISTRICTS. THE SCHOOL DISTRICT I CAME FROM THIS YEAR HAS A STARTING SALARY FOR A BACHELOR TEACHER, 62. CONGRATULATIONS, MR. GLOVER. JUST WANNA MAKE A COMMENT. I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT WAS SAID, BUT DR. RODRIGUEZ, I JUST NEED TO CHALLENGE YOU. AND I, UM, I THINK THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS A JOKE. WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO GET THAT MONEY UP. THEY HAVE A LOT OF PROPERTY IN THIS AREA, AND THEY'RE FALLING SHORT OF DOING WHAT THEY SHOULD BE DOING. SO I CHALLENGE YOU TO HELP, AND I'LL DO WHATEVER I CAN TO HELP SEE WHETHER WE CAN GET THE FEDERAL FUNDS TO GO UP. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE? UM, I WANNA MAKE A COMMENT. I HOPE YOU'VE TAKEN YOUR ENERGY PILLS. I SAW THAT YOU HAVE FIVE GRADUATIONS COMING UP STARTING TOMORROW. SIX. SIX, OKAY. SIX OF 'EM STARTING TOMORROW NIGHT, THE 28TH, AND THEN ON TO JUNE. SO YOU WILL BE RUNNING, YOU AND THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, I PRESUME. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS THIS EVENING. AND I'LL TELL YOU, I'M BLESSED TO WORK WITH A GREAT TEAM, A REALLY GREAT TEAM ACROSS THE BOARD, UH, FEEL SUPPORTED BY YOU ALL FEEL SUPPORTED BY OUR BOARD. AND, UM, YOU KNOW, TANYA DOES AN AMAZING JOB WORKING THROUGH, THROUGH THIS IDENT, YOU KNOW, IDENTIFYING THE NEEDS THAT WE BRING TO THE TABLE AND THAT WE FIND AND, AND, UH, MAKING IT WORK. AND SO I APPRECIATE, UH, YOUR SUPPORT. DID YOU HAVE A FINAL COMMENT, MR. CONEY? I SAW THAT. I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, JUST SO THE PUBLIC KNOWS AND PEOPLE KNOW AS WELL, THAT'S THE STARTING TEACHER PAY RIGHT OUTTA COLLEGE BACHELOR'S DEGREE, READY TO GO. SO YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE WHOLE STEP, UH, STEP PROCESS TO REALIZE HOW QUICKLY THAT CAN CLIMB TOO, WHICH ALSO HELPS US ATTRACT VETERAN TEACHERS, NOT JUST FRESHMAN TEACHERS AS WELL. UM, THE ONE THING I WOULD SAY IS LET US KNOW HOW WE CAN HELP GET THAT INFORMATION OUT TO THE TEACHERS WORKING FOR YOU AND OTHERS AROUND HERE SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO ATTRACT AND KEEP MORE TALENT. AND ONE, ONE LAST THING. I JUST WANNA SAY THAT, THAT I'M NOT SURE IF EVERYONE KNOWS, BUT MR. RODRIGUEZ OR [01:20:01] DR. RODRIGUEZ ACTUALLY, HOW WELL OUR SCHOOLS ARE DOING. HE ACTUALLY GOT THE, UM, SUPERINTENDENT OF THE YEAR THIS PAST YEAR FOR SOUTH CAROLINA. SO AGAIN, WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT. VERY PROUD OF YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND JUST SO THE PUBLIC KNOWS YOU'VE HAD PUBLIC HEARINGS, YOU, YOU DID, YOU DIDN'T TELL US ALL TONIGHT, BUT YOU TOLD US THE LAST TIME THAT YOU DID STAKEHOLDERS MEETINGS WITH YOUR TEACHERS, WITH STUDENTS WITH THE PUBLIC. SO THIS IS A WELL-ROUNDED BUDGET AND WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO SUPPORT IT. SO I'M GONNA ASK FOR A VOTE ON THIS MOTION. ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS MOTION ON FIRST READING. UNANIMOUS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANKS FOR COMING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD LUCK AT ALL YOUR GRADUATIONS. THANK YOU. NICE. THANK YOU ALL. NICE JOB. NEED SOME GERITOL FOR THAT STUFF. . OKAY. WELL YOU GOTTA DO SIX GRADUATIONS. DID YOU SEE THAT ONE WHERE THEY DID IT IN A FIRESTORM? YES, I DID. OKAY. [12.b. 2026/28: An Ordinance amending Beaufort County Ordinance Chapter 102 Waterways. Article 1, sections 102–1 definitions, Article II, division 1, section 102-27, purpose, section 102-28, penalties, section 102-29, general prohibitions, section 102-30, dock rules, section 102-31, landing rules, division II, section 102-61, description, division 3, section 102-95, description, section 102-98, penalties, section 102-99 general prohibitions, section 102-100, dock rules, section 102-101, landing rules, Article III, section 102-133, definitions, section 102-134, penalties, section 102-136, student riders, section 102-137, public ridership.] UM, MOVING ON. THIS IS ANOTHER FIRST READING 2026 SLASH 28 IN ORDINANCE AMENDING BEFOR COUNTY ORDINANCE CHAPTER 1 0 2, WATERWAYS. I'M NOT GONNA READ THEM ALL. THEY'RE IN THEIR DEFINITIONS. PURPOSE PENALTIES, PROHIBITIONS, DOCK RULES, LANDING RULES, DESCRIPTION, DIVISION THREE. UM, IT GOES ON NON GENERAL PROHIBITIONS, ET CETERA. AND THE VOTE AT PUBLIC FACILITIES COMMITTEE ON MAY 18TH WAS EIGHT ZERO. CAN I HAVE A MOTION PLEASE? SO MOVED. SECOND. IT. ALRIGHT. MR. PASSMAN MAKES A MOTION. MR. LAWSON SECONDS IT MR. KIDD, YOU'RE UP. AGAIN. THIS IS LIKE YOUR FAVORITE TOPIC. I'VE BECOME PRACTICED AT IT. OKAY, GOOD. IT'S GOOD FOR YOU TO SEE YOU ALL AGAIN. ESPECIALLY IN FRONT OF COUNCIL. AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE KICKED IT AROUND PUBLIC FACILITIES COMMITTEE FOR THE BETTER PART OF A YEAR. UM, WE FINALLY HAVE IT HERE FOR FIRST READING. AND AS YOU'LL SEE IN YOUR BACKUP MATERIALS, WE DO HAVE ADDITIONAL CHANGES FROM PFC, WHICH WERE, UM, MOVED AND ACCEPTED. UM, AS A RESULT OF THE COMMITTEE'S MOTION, THESE ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN PINK AND THEY ARE ALL OF THE PROVISIONS, UM, RELATING TO DUSKY. THERE WERE FIVE ADDITIONS. WE ADDED FIVE OF THE SIX CHANGES PROPOSED, UM, BY THE FOLKS FROM DUSKY. UM, SO HERE TONIGHT WE ARE PRESENTING, UH, FOR FIRST READING WHAT WE HAVE CRAFTED OVER THE BETTER PART, UH, OF A YEAR. AS I MENTIONED, WE HAD A FULL ON COUNTY WORKSHOP AS WELL THAT WE PARTICIPATED IN. AND THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS, WE RECEIVED FEEDBACK FROM, UH, EVERY POTENTIAL POINT OF VIEW, I THINK. UM, AND IT'S BEEN AN OPEN PROCESS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, HAS BEEN A, A BENEFICIAL ONE FROM STAFF STANDPOINT. SO I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE TONIGHT. UM, I DO KNOW THERE, AND I, I BELIEVE, AND, AND ANYONE WHO IS PRESENT ON THE COMMITTEE, UM, CAN ELABORATE AT THIS AT GREATER LENGTH. BUT I BELIEVE THE DECISION FROM COMMITTEE WAS TO PASS THE ORDINANCE WITHOUT, UM, ANY, OR TO RECOMMEND THE ORDINANCE PASSED TO COUNCIL WITHOUT ANY CHANGES AS TO ADDITIONAL REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS. UM, TO SEE, ESSENTIALLY TO GET THE SUBSTANCE OF THE ORDINANCE THROUGH AND THEN TO COME BACK AT A LATER DATE AND DETERMINE TO THE EXTENT WE WISH TO REGULATE, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, PERMITTING OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE. UM, BUT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT ANYONE HAS THIS EVENING. AND JUST FOR THE PUBLIC, THIS IS FIRST READING, SECOND READING, WE'LL HAVE OUR PUBLIC HEARING CORRECT, MS. BROCK? MOST LIKELY. OKAY. SO COUNSEL, ANY QUESTIONS MR. REED? YES, I HAVE QUESTION. OKAY, I'LL BE NEXT. GO AHEAD. ALRIGHT, MR. MACALLAN. OKAY, THANKS. UH, THIS ISN'T A SURPRISE TO DYLAN. I CAPTURED HIM BEFORE WE STARTED THIS EVENING AND ASKED HIM A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. AND I WANTED TO, TO ASK ABOUT HIS POSITION AND THE POSITION THAT WE'RE TAKING WITH REGARD TO, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY BUSINESS LICENSES FOR THE BOAT OWNERS. UH, THE REQUIREMENT FOR A, UH, MARINE LIABILITY INSURANCE, UH, FOR THE BOAT OWNERS NAMING US, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY AS A SECONDARY INSURER, UM, UH, AN ADDITIONAL INSURED. INSURED. AND THEN IF THERE WAS NECESSARY FOR US TO HAVE THE PEOPLE WHO WERE APPLYING FOR THESE BUSINESS LICENSES AND PERMITS TO DEAL WITH THE PUBLIC, TO, UH, DO A SELF-REPORTED CRIMINAL, UH, BACKGROUND CHECK TO SHOW THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY, UM, CRIMINAL BACKGROUND. AND THEN THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION ALSO ABOUT A USER FEE, BUT I'M NOT SURE I REALLY THINK THAT'S NECESSARY. BUT ALL THESE OTHER MATTERS, I WANTED TO KNOW WHETHER THEY SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE ORDINANCE AT, AT YOUR, AT YOUR REQUEST OR SUGGESTION, OR WHETHER THERE SHOULD BE REGULATIONS THAT WOULD BE ATTACHED TO THIS IN SOME OTHER FORMAT. AND THOSE REALLY ESSENTIALLY JUST DEAL WITH THE LIABILITY ISSUE, BUSINESS LICENSES, BACKGROUND CHECKS, AND, UM, YEAH, THAT'S IT. YES, SIR. UM, SO I DO BELIEVE THAT AT COMMITTEE, THE IDEA WAS THAT WE WOULD THEN COMMITTEE DID STATE THAT THEY WOULD COME BACK AT A LATER DATE TO ASSESS THAT. IF WE WANT TO GO AHEAD AND INCLUDE IT, UM, BY WAY OF AN AMENDMENT THIS EVENING, MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE TO ADD ANOTHER SECTION AT THE END, WHICH WOULD BE 1 0 2, 1 36 AND JUST SAY, PER PERMIT REQUIRED FOR COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY. RIGHT. AND THEN REQUIRE, [01:25:01] UM, UH, PROOF OF INSURANCE. IT WOULD LIKELY BE, YOU KNOW, 500,000 PER, UH, FOR INDIVIDUAL 1 MILLION PER OCCURRENCE STANDARD. RIGHT. STANDARD TERMS IN THAT WAY. RIGHT. UM, AND IT WOULD SHOW, UM, YOUR LICENSE AS WELL. SO IF, IF COUNSEL WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT REGULATORY REQUIREMENT, THAT'S THE WAY I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT, THAT WE DO. SO I COULD, I COULD MAKE THAT MOTION IF THAT WOULD ASSIST YOU, OR WE CAN LEAVE IT FOR A DISCUSSION, UH, AT COMMITTEE, UH, FOR INCLUSION. BUT HAVING THE GENERAL, THE MARINE LIABILITY AND THE BUSINESS LICENSE AND THE USERS, THE USERS, UM, UM, PERMIT AS WELL. AND I'M NOT SO SURE ABOUT THE USER'S FEE. I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE DOLLAR AMOUNT WOULD BE OR WHETHER IT'S REALLY NECESSARY. I WOULD LEAVE THAT TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS OR RECOMMENDATIONS HERE FROM COUNCIL. SO I, I, UH, AT THE CHAIR'S, UH, UH, DISCRETION, I COULD MAKE A MOTION OR JUST, UH, TABLE A MOTION AND LET THEM, UH, DEAL WITH THIS AT COMMITTEE AND, AND FORMULATE SOME REGULATIONS SURROUNDING THE ORDINANCE. MR. MCKELLEN OR CHAIR, CAN I JUST COMMENT? YEAH, I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE. I LIKE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND IF I HEAR YOU CORRECTLY, WE, WE JUST LISTENED TO MS. CROSBY LEAVE HERE TO, UH, TALK TO US ABOUT FOUR PILLARS. AND IF I JUST HEARD YOU CORRECTLY, YOU TALKED ABOUT A BUSINESS LICENSE, INSURANCE, PROPER INSURANCE, MODEST FEES OR FEES OF SOME KIND. BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD ENFORCEMENT. MY THING IS THAT, I JUST WANNA THROW THIS OUT BETTER PART OF THE YEAR, WE HEARD FROM EVERYBODY, MOM AND POP TO THE BIG MARINA, NOBODY WANTS TO PUT ANYBODY OUTTA BUSINESS CHECK. WE WENT THROUGH WORKSHOPS, EVERY POTENTIAL OPTION. WHY CAN'T WE SET UP OUR FOUR PILLARS RIGHT NOW? NOT SAYING WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH FEES RIGHT NOW, BUT SAY BUSINESS LICENSE, PROPER INSURANCE FEES AND ENFORCEMENT. SO PEOPLE REALIZE THAT WE'RE DOING WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING, BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN WE HAVE TO MANUFACTURE RIGHT NOW. WE GOT A TON OF PEOPLE WORKING ON THIS. I, I THINK WE GOT SOME GREAT FEEDBACK FROM THE MARINAS, FROM MOM AND POPS. THIS OTHER STUFF WOULD BE EASY. WHY DO WE HAVE TO COME BACK? JUST GIVE US THE REASONS WHY WE WOULDN'T PUT THOSE. AND IF I'M HEARING MR. MCKELLEN PROPERLY, THOSE PILLARS, ARE THERE LICENSE INSURANCE, FEES, ENFORCEMENT? ARE WE, IS IS THAT THE AMENDMENT? AND, AND A AND A AND A USE PERMIT. BUT IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE BECAUSE THEY'LL BE DISCUSSING IT FURTHER BEFORE WE COME BACK FOR ANOTHER READING AND THEY CAN PUT IT TOGETHER AS A REGULATION RATHER THAN AN AMENDMENT TO THE, UH, TO THE ORDINANCE. REALLY DOESN'T, UH, YOU'RE MAKING MY EVENING. I KNOW WE'RE GONNA GET HAMMERED ON SOME OTHER THINGS HERE, BUT I LIKE THIS. THIS IS, AND, AND IF YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT WE'VE DONE, WE'VE DONE THIS IN THE PUBLIC SETTING. EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING HERE FOR THIS NEW LAW THAT'S BEEN ON THE BOOKS FOR, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YEARS IS GONNA BE. IT'S ALL FROM WHAT WE DID IN THE PUBLIC SETTING. SO LISTEN, YOU'VE MADE MY NIGHT, JUST ME FINISH THE POINT FURTHER QUESTION IT, DOES THE ORDINANCE DEAL SPECIFICALLY WITH AREAS RELATED TO BARGE USE, LICENSING FOR BARGES, THINGS LIKE THAT. SO IT, IT DOES NOT DEAL WITH LICENSING FOR BARGES. THAT WAS ONE OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES FROM THE LAST TIME THAT WE, WE DID NOT MAKE, BECAUSE IT WOULD'VE REQUIRED US TO DO SIMILAR LICENSING FOR EVERY OTHER TYPE OF VESSEL. AND WE DIDN'T WANNA GET INTO THE REGULATORY ABOUT PERMIT. WHAT ABOUT USE A PERMIT USE? SO IT, YES, SIR. SO I WOULD SAY IF WE WANTED TO DO THIS, UM, WE, AS I SAID, WOULD ADD THE NEW SECTION AT THE BOTTOM THAT WOULD SAY PERMIT REQUIRED FOR COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY. IT WOULD REQUIRE, UM, A COPY OF THE PURVEYOR LICENSE. IT WOULD REQUIRE PROOF OF INSURANCE AND THEN THE PERMIT ISSUE BY BUSINESS LICENSING. UM, YOU KNOW, WE CERTAINLY CAN GO BACK AND DISCUSS IT AT COMMITTEE IF WE LIKE, BUT IT, WE CAN ALSO MAKE THAT MOTION THIS EVENING IF THERE'S, UM, THE WILL OF COUNCIL TO VOTE FOR IT AND THEN ASK THE STAFF TO, UH, PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE TO YOU TO HAVE THAT IN THE ORDINANCE FOR THE SECOND READING. YES, SIR. AND ONE LAST THOUGHT I WANT EVERYBODY TO KEEP IN MIND IS THE RESIDENT THAT HAS NO ISSUE, THAT HAS NO BUSINESS, THEY'RE NOT A SMALL MOM AND POP BUSINESS, THEY'RE NOT A BIG MARINA. HOW DO WE ENSURE WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING THAT WE DON'T SHUT OUT THE, JUST THE SOMEBODY THAT WANTS TO USE THE PIER ON A DAY, YOU KNOW, ON A WEEKEND WITH THEIR KIDS? I MEAN, IS THAT FAIR QUESTION? YES, SIR. SO PRIVATE USERS, UM, ARE FREE TO ENJOY THE LANDING STOCKS, OTHER COUNTY FACILITIES, UM, AS SET FORTH WITHIN THIS ORDINANCE. THEY'RE NOT SUBJECT TO ANY OF THE RESTRICTIONS THAT ARE SET FORTH FOR COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES. FANTASTIC. AND ONE THING ON MR. MCCALL'S POINT FOR BARGES, HAVE WE CONSIDERED, UM, BUCKINGHAM LANDING FOR ALL BARGE ACTIVITY THAT WOULD TAKE AWAY ANY LOADING OFFLOADING AT THE CROSS ISLAND OR WHEREVER TO BLOCK IT? OR ARE WE GONNA GO WITH CERTAIN MINUTES, LIKE 15 MINUTES FOR LOADING OR UNLOADING? AND HOW DOES THAT FIT WITH THE BARGE? SO THE BARGES WERE THE SUBJECT OF THE ADDITIONAL AMENDMENTS WE MADE AT, UM, THE PFC COMMITTEE BEFORE IT CAME UP HERE. AND SO WE ADDED SOME ADDITIONAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR, UM, THE BARGES. WE HAD AN ADDITIONAL DEFINITION, IT'S ALL THE PINK HIGHLIGHTS AND THE BACKUP MATERIALS. SO WE'VE DEFINED THE BARGE SERVICE AND THEN WE'VE SET [01:30:01] FORTH SPECIFIC PROVISIONS, PERMITTING, BARGES TO AND FROM DUSSE ISLAND AS WELL AS, UM, THE AMENDMENTS INCLUDED THEIR, FOR THEIR FREE USE AT OTHER, UM, COUNTY LANDINGS AS WELL. SO COMMERCIAL BARGES HAVE BEEN LARGELY OPENED UP IN THE COURSE OF THIS ORDINANCE THAT'S CURRENTLY BEFORE COUNCIL. MR. ASMAN, YOU WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING, MR. MCCLELLAN, DID YOU STATE THAT THAT WAS A AMENDMENT TO WHAT WE GONNA DO? I COULD JUST SAY I, I HAVE A STATEMENT I COULD READ INTO THE RECORD, UH, FOR EVERYONE'S EDIFICATION OR I COULD WAIT FOR THEM TO COME BACK, BUT I COULD MAKE THE MOTION RIGHT HERE INTO THE RECORD IF YOU LIKE. WOULD YOU PLEASE GO AHEAD AND DO THAT? A PLEASURE, SIR. THANK YOU. . I'D LIKE TO, UH, MOVE TO AMEND ORDINANCE 22 0 2 6 2 8 TO DIRECT STAFF TO RETURN TO COUNTY COUNCIL NO LATER THAN JUNE 8TH, UH, 2026 MEETING WITH PROPOSED LANGUAGE AND RECOMMENDATIONS, ESTABLISHING A COMMERCIAL USE PERMITTING FRAMEWORK FOR COUNTY BOAT LANDINGS, DOCKS, AND WATERWAYS FACILITIES. THE FRAMEWORK SHALL INCLUDE AT A MINIMUM A REQUIREMENT THAT ANY COMMERCIAL OPERATOR UTILIZE UTILIZING COUNTY BOAT LANDINGS OR RELATED WATERWAYS FACILITIES MAINTAIN A VALID BEAUFORT COUNTY BUSINESS LICENSE, A REQUIREMENT FOR A COUNTY ISSUED COMMERCIAL USE PERMIT PRIOR TO CONDUCTING ANY COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY. A REQUIREMENT THAT PERMIT HOLDERS MAINTAIN NOT LESS THAN $500,001 MILLION. IN GENERAL MARINE LIABILITY INSURANCE NAMING BEAUFORT COUNTY AS AN ADDITIONAL INSURED WERE APPROPRIATE AND A REQUIREMENT THAT THAT PERMIT APPLICANTS SHOULD DISCLOSE ANY CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS OR PENDING CRIMINAL CHARGES RELEVANT TO PUBLIC SAFETY, FRAUD THEFT, VIOLENT CONDUCT, ET CETERA, AS PART OF THE PERMITTING PROCESS. AND THEN I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THIS REASONABLE USER FEE. I'M NOT REALLY SURE HOW THAT WOULD GO OVER IN ADDITION TO EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE'RE REQUIRING. SO I'LL, I'LL JUST LEAVE THAT AS A, UH, POSSIBILITY TO BE STUDIED BY STAFF WITH A RECOMMENDATION. SIR, I'LL SECOND THAT. ALRIGHT, WE HAVE AN AMENDMENT, SO YOU'RE GONNA SECOND IT, MR. CUNNINGHAM. OKAY. SO WE HAVE AN AMENDMENT ON THE TABLE. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE AMENDMENT AS STATED BY MR. MCALLEN. I'M NOT REPEATING IT, DYLAN. YOU'LL HAVE TO WATCH THE VIDEO TO GET IT. . ALRIGHT, ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND. OKAY, THANK YOU. NOW WE'RE AT THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE AS AMENDED. ANY OTHER COMMENT OR QUESTION? MR. AND, AND LEMME JUST SAY THAT, THAT ALL THIS CAME ABOUT BECAUSE SOMEONE LEFT A BOAT AT A LANDING AND DIDN'T GET THE BOAT AND WE WENT TO TRY TO ENFORCE OUR, OUR, OUR ORDINANCES WE HAVE RIGHT NOW. NOW, UM, I I THINK BEFORE WE HAD TALKED ABOUT HOW COMPLICATED IT'S GONNA BE TO TRY TO, TO TRY TO DO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND, AND I THINK THAT WE, THEY WERE GONNA LOOK WHAT POINT AT ME WHEN YOU SAY THAT THEY'RE LOOKING, YOU JUST POINTED AT ME THOUGH. THAT'S . UM, BUT, UH, UM, SO THE ONE THING THAT, THAT I REPRESENT DUSKY, THE LAST THING WE WANNA DO IS MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT TO PUT ANY TYPE OF RESTRAINTS ON THEM TO KEEP THEM FROM, 'CAUSE AGAIN, IT'S A, IT'S AN ISLAND WITH NO BRIDGE AND IT'S NEVER GONNA HAVE A BRIDGE. SO WE TRY TO REGULATE IT AND TRY TO CLAMP DOWN. IT'S GONNA COST THEM MORE MONEY, IT'S GONNA MAKE IT TOUGH, MORE DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO GET THE GOODS THAT THEY GET. 'CAUSE THEY GET IT FROM A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT PLACES. IT'S NOT JUST ONE PROVIDER. IT'S NOT JUST ONE BARGE SERVICE. IT'S NOT JUST ONE. ANYTHING. AND I KEEP SAYING THIS ALL THE TIME, THAT THAT HILTON HEAD USED TO NOT HAVE A BRIDGE. SO EVERYTHING THAT WENT THERE WENT BY BARGE AT AT SOME POINT. UM, THEY DIDN'T BUILD THE BRIDGE TO HILTON HEAD UNTIL 1956. UM, THE, THE HARBOR TOWN, UH, YACHT BASIN WASN'T BUILT UNTIL 1969. UH, SHELTER COVE MARINA WASN'T BUILT UNTIL 1983. SO IT'S NOT LIKE THEY'VE BEEN THERE FOREVER. BUT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN USING OUR LANDINGS FOREVER FOR EVERYTHING FROM FISHING AND, AND, AND, UM, UH, CLAMMING AND OYSTERING TO, UM, YOU KNOW, GETTING THEIR, THEIR LIVESTOCK AND THEIR CROPS AND, AND ALL THEIR GOODS CAME FROM BARGES. SO AGAIN, WE ARE AN ISLAND. WE ARE A A A WATERWAY COUNTY. SO AGAIN, WE START PUTTING TOO MANY RESTRICTIONS ON IT AND IT'S GONNA COST THE PEOPLE DUSKY MORE MONEY. SO I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH US REQUIRING, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY'RE ALREADY REQUIRED TO HAVE A A, A, UM, A, A BUSINESS LICENSE. UM, IF THEY HAVE A COAST GUARD OPERATION, THEY'VE GOTTA HAVE INSURANCE AND GOTTA HAVE PERMITTING. SO THOSE ARE ALREADY THINGS THAT ARE DONE BY THE STATE. SO AGAIN, THAT'S THE ONLY THING I WORRY ABOUT. AND I THINK THAT'S WHY THEY'RE LOOKING AT DOING IT AS A, AS BRINGING IT BACK LATER ON, IS ONCE THEY HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT, FIGURE OUT HOW WE'RE GONNA ENFORCE IT, WHAT WE'RE GONNA, SO THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING PARTS THAN JUST PUTTING THAT IN THERE IS WHO'S GONNA ENFORCE IT? HOW ARE WE GONNA ENFORCE IT? THE USER FEE, WHICH AGAIN, I WOULD BE AGAINST A USER FEE. YEAH. UM, JUST BECAUSE AGAIN, YOU'RE, YOU'RE TAXING THE PEOPLE THAT ARE, YEAH, I DUNNO HOW MUCH IT WOULD BE. IT COULD BE MINIMUM. MINIMUM OR WHO'S, YOU HAVE TO FIND OUT WHAT IT'S USED FOR REALLY. AND YEAH. WHO'S GONNA ENFORCE THAT? SO WE HAVE TO HAVE STAFF THEN THAT'S GONNA HAVE TO ENFORCE THAT. SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A LOT MORE COST ON OUR SIDE TO TO, TO DO THAT. SO, UM, AGAIN, I'M ALL FOR THE ORDINANCE AND I HAVE NO PROBLEM US TRYING TO REGULATE THAT. BUT I, I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO PUT TOO MUCH TOO SOON ON JUST GETTING THIS PASSED AND THEN COMING BACK WITH WHATEVER WE NEED FOR, FOR THAT REGULATION. [01:35:02] AND I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT, WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WITH DUSKY BECAUSE THAT'S THEIR LIVELIHOOD. THEY BRING EVERYTHING OVER THERE AND WE HAVE TO WATCH IT. WE DON'T TEXT THEM TO DEATH. WELL I ASKED ABOUT THE BARGES, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WASN'T OVERLY REGULATED BECAUSE THAT'S NECESSITY. IT'S A NECESSITY OVER THERE. ALRIGHT, ANYBODY ELSE COMMENT ON THIS ONE? YES. SO WE ARE, THANK YOU. UM, JUST WANNA POINT OUT A COUPLE THINGS. ONE, THREE OF YOU GUYS SAID OVERREGULATION COSTS MORE MONEY. WE JUST GOT DONE TALKING ABOUT AN ORDINANCE WHERE REGULATING IS GONNA COST PEOPLE MORE MONEY, BUT YOU'RE WILLING TO SUPPORT SOMETHING FOR THIS DUSKY TO NOT COST THEM MORE MONEY WHEN THEY CHOSE TO LIVE ON AN ISLAND. LET'S JUST BE VERY SPECIFIC ABOUT THAT. WE'RE WILLING TO NOT COST THEM MORE MONEY 'CAUSE THEY CHOSE TO LIVE ON AN ISLAND, BUT WE'RE WILLING TO CHARGE OTHER PEOPLE MORE MONEY TO LIVE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY WITH A LOT MORE PEOPLE LIVE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY. THAT'S THE FIRST THING. UM, SECOND THING, I AM OPEN TO THE IDEA OF A USER FEE. I THINK THAT IT'S NOT EVEN GENERALLY THE REVENUE THAT IT CREATES, IT'S MORE THAT IT GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CHECKS AND BALANCES. SO IF THE USER FEE PUTS IN PLACE THAT EVERY TIME YOU APPLY FOR THE USER FEE IS YEARLY, THAT GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHECK THE BUSINESS LICENSE THAT GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHECK THE BOAT, WHETHER IT MEETS STANDARDS CODE FOR THE STATE REGULATIONS, THAT ALL THAT CAN BE CHECKED OUT BEFORE YOUR USER FEE IS EVEN APPROVED. SO I THINK THAT'S THE WAY WE USE THAT TOOL. NOT NECESSARILY AS A REVENUE GENERATING, BUT AS AN OPTION TO BE ABLE TO KEEP THAT ON THE TABLE. UM, SO IT'S HOW WE MANAGE THAT. THAT'S THE PART THAT STILL HAS TO BE DISCUSSED AND I THINK WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT, BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO BUILD SOME TYPE OF DEPARTMENT OR AGENCY OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES WHERE PEOPLE ARE GONNA HAVE TO GO IN OR SOMEONE'S GONNA HAVE TO MORE REALISTICALLY GO OUT TO THE BOATS TO INSPECT THEM AND DO THIS WHOLE PROCESS. SO, UM, I'M FINE WITH THIS MOVING FORWARD HERE, BUT I DO THINK THAT SECOND AND THIRD READING, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE SOME HARD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THAT OR IT'S NOT GONNA GET PASSED. OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE, UH, ORDINANCE AS AMENDED. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. THANKS DYLAN. THANK YOU. OKAY, THANK YOU MR. KIDD. UM, WE [12.c. 2026/29: 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. ] ARE ON 2026 SLASH 29 IN ORDINANCE TO MAKE APPROPRIATIONS FOR COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND SPECIAL PURPOSE DISTRICTS FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, BEGINNING JULY 1ST, 2026 AND ENDING JUNE 30TH, 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. AND THE VOTE AT THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, MAY 18TH WAS SEVEN ONE. MAKE THE MOTION. YES. I'M TURNING THIS ONE OVER TO MS. HOWARD. WE HAVE A SECOND. I'LL SECOND IT. ALRIGHT. AND WE HAVE A SECOND. ALRIGHT. AND NOW WE'RE OPEN FOR PRESENTATION DISCUSSION. AND THE REASON I'M TAKING OVER, I THINK MS. TABER HAS SEVERAL MOTIONS TO MAKE REGARDING THIS. YES. AND AS WE GET STARTED, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT THAT IF, IF THERE'S SOME CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE MADE, IT'S BEST TO MAKE THEM AT FIRST READING, SO THEN WE CAN MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS FOR SECOND READING AND NOT HAVE ANY ISSUES AT SECOND AND THIRD READING. SO, RIGHT. JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT. AND THERE MAY BE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT HAVE MOTIONS TO MAKE TOO, BUT I, I KNOW THAT, UM, MS. VERNICK HAS SEVERAL. OKAY. OKAY. I'LL LET YOU GO AHEAD. PROCEED. SO, UH, WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS THE, UH, THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR 2027. UM, I HAVE A PRESENTATION AS PART OF THIS. WE ALSO HAVE THE ORDINANCE AND, UM, THE BUDGET BOOK THAT'S ALL PART OF THIS, AS WELL AS BACKUP MATERIAL, UM, FOR PERSONNEL REQUEST, VEHICLE REQUEST AND SO FORTH. SO, UM, TO BEGIN WITH, UM, FOR OUR BUDGET OVERVIEW, AS WE HAD DISCUSSED BACK IN NOVEMBER IN THE BUDGET WORKSHOP, UH, OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, UH, IMPLEMENT A, A MERIT RAISE OF 2% ASSUMPTION ACROSS THE BOARD, ALONG WITH A COLA OF 1% INCREASE. UH, WE IMPLEMENTED A, A RETIREE HEALTH REIMBURSEMENT, THE GAP INSURANCE. UM, WE HAVE 29 NEW PERSONNEL REQUESTS THAT, UM, ADMINISTRATION HAS RECOMMENDED TO COUNSEL. AND WE HAVE, UH, CAPITAL EQUIPMENT FOR BOTH VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT AND A FOUR YEAR CIP TO ADDRESS OUTSTANDING PROJECTS. UH, WE REMAINED OVERALL MILL NEUTRAL AT 59.5 ON THE, UH, ORDINANCE. SO OUR FY 27 ESTIMATED VALUE OF A MILL IS, UH, 3,178,083. AND OUR, UH, FY 26 ESTIMATE WAS 2,980,406. AND THAT'S AN INCREASE IN $197,607 OF THE VALUE OF A MILL, WHICH IS A TOTAL INCREASE OF 11.7 MILLION IN ESTIMATED TAX REVENUE. SO RECOMMENDED MILLAGES FOR FY 27, UH, FOR COUNTY OPERATIONS, IT'S IN THE FY 27 RECOMMENDED. SO THAT'D BE THE THIRD COLUMN FROM THE LEFT IS 51.1. AND WE MOVE THREE MILLS FROM CAPITAL AND 0.9 MILLS, [01:40:01] UH, OVER FROM DEBT SERVICE. AND THAT'S $162,400,041 ESTIMATED, UH, FROM FOR COUNTY OPERATIONS, WE ALSO HAVE OUR DEBT SERVICE AT, UM, AT THREE MILLS AND, AND THAT'S, UH, 9,534,000 TO $49. THAT WAS REDUCED IN MOVE OVER TO OPERATING. UH, WE HAVE OUR, UH, PURCHASE OF REAL OR PROPERTY DEBT AND UH, THAT'S 1.9 MILS. UH, WE HAVE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AT 0.2 AND THAT WAS, UM, A, A CHANGE. SO, UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, I KNOW WE'RE GONNA DISCUSS THAT PERHAPS IS, IS STILL AT 0.3 IS ANCIENT CARE, UM, IS AT 0.4 MIL. UM, WE ALSO HAVE HIGHER EDUCATION, UH, FOR USCB AND TCL. THOSE WERE BOTH AT, UH, 1.1 MILS AND THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION OF THAT AT THE COMMITTEE. SO I'M SURE THERE'LL BE SOME MORE DISCUSSION FOR OVERALL MILL VALUE OF 59.5. SO GENERAL FUND REVENUES 162,400,041 PROJECTED FROM AD VALOREM TAXES. WE HAVE OUR LICENSING PERMIT, UH, 4,555,500. AND THEN OUR INTERGOVERNMENTAL, UH, 13,104,000 181 CHARGES FOR SERVICES. UH, WE'VE GOT FINES AND FORFEITURES. UM, ON THE INTEREST, THAT'S WHAT, UH, THE TREASURER ALLUDED TO EARLIER. UH, WE HAVE 2,950,000 PROJECTED. UM, FOR THIS, FOR FY 27. UH, WE HAVE MISCELLANEOUS OF 1,483,210 AND THEN, UH, TRANSFERS IN AT 226,167 FOR A TOTAL OF 203,338,263. SO OUR EXPENSES, UH, UH, BALANCE, AND YOU CAN SEE THE BREAKOUT THERE FROM GENERAL GOVERNMENT, PUBLIC SAFETY, PUBLIC WORKS, PUBLIC HEALTH, PUBLIC WELFARE, CULTURE AND RECREATION, AND TRANSFERS OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND NET. RECOMMEND A NEW POSITION REQUEST. UM, YOU CAN SEE A BREAKOUT OF WHAT WE RECOMMENDED, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE IN YOUR BACKUP MATERIAL ALL THE POSITION REQUESTS THAT CAME FORWARD AND WHAT THESE ARE JUST WHAT, UH, ADMINISTRATION HAD RECOMMENDED. AND, UH, WE CAN DISCUSS THAT AS NEEDED, UH, FOR A TOTAL OF, UM, $1,302,731, INCLUDING ALL THE FRINGE BENEFITS. WE ALSO HAVE OUR OTHER FUNDS, UH, AIRPORT, UH, FLEET AND STORMWATER, AND THE TOTAL OF 585,246, WHICH INCLUDES THE FRINGE AS WELL. SO RECOMMENDED VEHICLE, UH, AND EQUIPMENT REQUEST. UM, WE HAVE A BREAKOUT HERE, UM, OF WHERE, WHICH EACH DEPARTMENT HAS. UM, AND SO THOSE ARE WHAT WE'VE PUT FORWARD. WE ALSO INCLUDED THE VEHICLE LIST AS WELL AS ALL THE VEHICLES THAT WERE REQUESTED. SO YOU HAVE THAT IN YOUR BACKUP MATERIAL AS WELL. AND THEN WE HAVE OUR RECOMMENDED VEHICLE AND, AND EQUIPMENT REQUEST AND OUR OTHER FUNDS, UH, BROKEN OUT HERE TOTAL OF, UH, 1 MILLION, UH, $30,908 AND 66 CENTS FOR VEHICLES AND $317,500 FOR EQUIPMENT FOR CIP UH, 0.2 MILLS. UM, 635,617. UH, REDUCED THE MILLS FOR THIS FUND WITH SOME, UH, UH, FUND BALANCE TRANSFER IN AND, UH, TOTAL EXPENSES OF, UH, 10,546,611 WITH 19 PROJECTS. AND THEN, UH, OUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS WITH REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES PROJECTED FOR THE GARAGE FUND, THE EXECUTIVE AIRPORT, HILTON, HEAD ISLAND, AND STORMWATER. SO OUR NEXT STEPS ARE, UH, WELL NEXT STEP IS TO PASS THIS TONIGHT TO MOVE IT FORWARD TO SECOND READING PUBLIC HEARING ON JUNE 8TH. THAT'S ALREADY BEEN NOTICED AND ADVERTISED. AND THEN JUNE 22ND WOULD BE THE THIRD AND FINAL READING OF THE BUDGET, UM, FOR PASSAGE. SO WITH THAT, UM, WE ALSO HAVE THE ORDINANCE IN YOUR MATERIAL AND THAT REFLECTS, UH, THE NUMBERS WE PUT, UM, UP EARLIER. AND, UM, NOT TO REPEAT ALL THAT, BUT I WILL POINT OUT A COUPLE THINGS WE DISCUSSED WITH YOU ALL. I SENT YOU ALL AN EMAIL AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE FOUND IS THAT, UH, WE CANNOT ASSESS LESS THAN A 10TH OF A MILL. SO WE'VE CORRECTED, UM, BLUFFTON FIRE DISTRICT AS WELL AS BURTON FIRE DISTRICT THAT'S BEEN COMMUNICATED TO THOSE FIRE CHIEFS AND THEY'VE ACKNOWLEDGED AND THEY'RE GONNA MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO THEIR BUDGETS AS NEEDED. ANOTHER ITEM WE'VE CHANGED FOR THIS YEAR IS, UH, UH, TRANSFERS AT, IN OR INTO OR FROM OBJECTS, UH, 5 0 0 2 0. [01:45:01] THIS IS SECTION EIGHT THROUGH 5 0 1 3 0. PERSONNEL CODES ARE NOT PERMITTED UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES WITHOUT APPROVAL OF THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR CFO OR DESIGNEE. AND, UM, THAT'S A CHANGE. UM, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING FOR COUNCIL TO CONSIDER. AND, UM, THAT GIVES ADMINISTRATION, UM, OVERSIGHT OVER PERSONNEL TRANSFERS IN AND OUT OF PERSONNEL CODES. AND THEN LAST THING TO POINT OUT IS WE'VE GOT OUR, UM, LAW ENFORCEMENT FEE IN SECTION, UH, SECTION EIGHT. AND, UM, BASED ON AN ADJUSTMENT WE RECEIVED FROM OUR CONSULTANT, TISCHLER B UH, THOSE FEES HAVE BEEN UPDATED. UM, THEY, THEY REDUCED SLIGHTLY FROM WHAT WAS PRESENTED AT FINANCE COMMITTEE. AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA PUT FORTH FOR, UM, THE SERVICE CHARGE AND UNIFORM FEE SCHEDULE FOR FY 27. SO WITH THAT SAID, UM, BACK TO YOU MADAM CHAIR. YES. HOW'D LIKE TO PROCEED? ALRIGHT, OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS. YES SIR. COUNCIL MIKEL, IN MY INITIAL EXUBERANCE THIS EVENING, I TRIED TO GET SOME MONEY FROM THIS YEAR. YES, SIR. TO GO TO NEXT YEAR. I'M RENEWING MY EXUBERANCE FOR, FOR THE ISLAND REC. YES. GET THAT MONEY BACK TO THE ISLAND REC CENTER. SO THEY ARE FUNDED FOR THEIR AQUATIC PROGRAM AT THE AMOUNT THEY REQUESTED. CAN WE GET THAT DONE IN THIS, UH, WHERE WILL YOU TAKE THE MONEY FROM MS. WHOEVER YOU HAVE. I SUGGEST I TAKE IT FROM, WELL, THERE ARE SOME OPTIONS. UM, I TOLD YOU WHERE, YOU KNOW, ONE OPTION, YOU KNOW, MS. WALLACE SUGGESTED MODIFYING REVENUE. THAT'S A POSSIBLE, YOU KNOW, CONSIDERATION FOR COUNSEL. UM, BUT THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS WITH EXPENSES THAT WE COULD LOOK AT. AND, UH, THERE ARE POTENTIAL ITEMS IN THE VEHICLE AND EQUIPMENT FUND. SHOULD COUNSEL WANT TO MAKE SOME CHANGES, WE COULD LOOK AT POTENTIAL OFFSETS THERE AS WELL. VERY SMALL AMOUNT. I THINK IT'S ABOUT $18,000. YES. WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE FIND THAT MONEY? I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT I'D LIKE TO SECOND THAT THOSE FUNDS. OH THOUSAND. HE'S GONNA MAKE A MOTION. I EXPECT I'LL DO I HAVE A SECOND COURT HERE. I WOULD SECOND THAT. I HAVE A SECOND BY. THANK YOU COUNCILMAN BRE. PUT IT IN THERE. YOU WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? YES. YES. GO. CAN I TO THE MOTION MAKER MAYBE AMEND IT TO SAY CHECK IT OUT A GENERAL FUND, $18,000 OUTTA GENERAL FUND IS SUPER SIMPLE. WE ARE 30 SOME MILLION DOLLARS OVER ON OUR GENERAL FUND. WE SHOULD BE USING IT FOR THESE TYPE OF PROGRAMS AND FOR THE COMMUNITY $18,000. WE DON'T HAVE TO REALLOCATE ANYTHING ON THE BUDGET, DON'T HAVE TO SEND IT BACK. WE'RE ALREADY SHORT STAFFED THERE ANYWAYS. AND WE DO IT RIGHT THERE FROM GENERAL FUND AND WE'RE DONE. THAT'S A GREAT SUGGESTION. OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? PRETTY AMENABLE TO THAT. YEAH. WELL, I, I GUESS TO WHICH PART OF GENERAL FUND IS THERE A SPECIFIC LINE OR JUST THROUGHOUT GENERAL FUND. SO I HAVE SPECIFIC PLACES. I HAVE SAID THIS BEFORE AT FINANCE COMMITTEE. I SENT IT ALL TO YOU. I, I'M GONNA SUGGEST SOME SAVINGS WE COULD DO BECAUSE AGAIN, I BELIEVE PEOPLE PAY PROPERTY TAX TO HAVE PUBLIC SAFETY, FIRE, THAT KIND OF THING. UH, SHERIFF AND SO ON AND PARKS AND REC. AND I AM SUGGESTING SOME CHANGES TO SAVE A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY. IT COMES UP TO BE 1.6 MILLION BY THE TIME YOU'RE DONE. ARE YOU GONNA DO 'EM INDIVIDUALLY? I THINK YOU HAVE TO DO 'EM INDIVIDUALLY. WE HAVE TO LARRY'S WE HAVE A MOTION AS WE'LL. FIND LARRY IN HERE. ALRIGHT, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. HE COULDN'T IN DISCUSSION. THANK YOU. WE'LL TAKE A VOTE. OKAY. ALL WELL THE SUGGESTION WAS TO TAKE THE FUNDS FROM THE $18,000 FROM THE GENERAL FUND. UH, IS EVERYONE CLEAR ON WHAT THAT MEANS? NO. OKAY. SO YOU'RE PROPOSING THE GENERAL FUND IN THE GENERAL, IF I MAY, WE'RE WE'RE DISCUSSING, UM, ON YOUR OUTSIDE AGENCY REQUEST, THAT'S IN YOUR BACKUP MATERIAL. ISLAND REC CENTER, UH, ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDING WAS 8 180 2,379. YOU'RE PROPOSING TO BRING THAT TO 200,000 TOTAL. OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? SPECIFICITY, REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES HAVE TO EQUAL CORRECT. WHERE ARE WE GOING TO MOVE THE MONEY IF IT IS ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE FROM AN ACCOUNT TO THIS ACCOUNT, I WANT TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT ACCOUNT WE'RE GONNA MOVE IT FROM. RIGHT. AND AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THERE ARE POTENTIAL OFFSETS TO THE VEHICLE AND EQUIPMENT FUND, WHICH, UM, THAT WE'LL HAVE TO LOOK AT. WHICH LINE ITEM DON'T YOU FIND THAT AMOUNT IN THAT, IN THAT LINE? SO I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ARE YOU HAVE A MOTION. OKAY. BUT I'M GONNA FUND HIS 18,000. OH, THE ONLY WAY DO THAT IS FOR HIM TO REMOVE HIS MOTION OR WE VOTE ON HIS MOTION THAT THAT'S RIGHT. IT'D BE ADDED. THEN WE CAN I GOT IT. I GOT IT. COUNCILMAN CUNNINGHAM? I GOT IT. OKAY. MY FAULT. I THINK HE KNOWS WHAT HE NEEDS TO DO IF HE WANTS TO DO THAT. DO YOU WANT TO DO THAT? COUNCILMAN CALLEN? I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE AN ACTION THAT DOESN'T OFFEND ANYBODY OR TAKE MONEY FROM A PROGRAM THAT ACTUALLY NEEDS IT. OR, OR, [01:50:01] OR IS OPERATING EITHER AT A, AT A BALANCE WHERE THEY, THEY ARE SATISFIED WITH THEY HAVE, BUT IF THERE'S MONEY AVAILABLE SOMEWHERE THAT WE CAN MAKE THE ADJUSTMENT IN, I WOULD BE OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS JUST TO GET THIS DONE SO WE DON'T BEAT IT TO DEATH. AND I'LL CONTINUE MY SECOND FOR ALL THAT. OKAY. COUNCIL MCGOWAN, WOULD YOU, I COULD LEAVE IT UP TO ADMINISTRATION TO FIND THE MONEY. I DON'T HAVE, I DON'T THINK I HAVE TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THIS AND FIND THE MONEY. IF IT'S AVAILABLE, I'D BE HAPPY TO HAVE THEM MOVE IT. IF IT'S UNAVAILABLE, THEN I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THAT REPORT BROUGHT BACK TO ME. THAT'S ALL. I DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC PLACE TO GO TO TAKE IT FROM. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO RESTORE IT. YES SIR. THAT WAS, I WOULD, I WOULD SUPPORT THAT. OKAY. ALRIGHT. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. WE STILL HAVE DISCUSSION? ANY MORE DISCUSSION? YEAH. IT COULD EASILY STILL COME FROM OUR RESERVE. OUR RESERVE RESERVE IS OVER 30 SOME MILLION DOLLARS RIGHT NOW. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT $18,000 TO FUND AN IMPORTANT GROUP ON HILTON HEAD. SO I DON'T KNOW WHY WE'RE DRAGGING THIS OUT. THIS COULD, WE COULD MOVE THIS FORWARD AND JUST TAKE IT RIGHT OUTTA THE EXTRA RESERVE WE HAVE. WE COULD FUND THIS PROJECT TODAY. WE'LL TAKE, DOES ANYONE WANNA CALL THE QUESTION WHAT I CALL THE QUESTION? LARRY, DON'T YOU REDO IT AND WE'LL, WE ALREADY SUGGESTED CALL THE QUESTION HE TAKEN OUT. LET'S CALL THE QUESTION ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION THAT WAS MADE TO TAKE, TAKE IT OUT OF THE WITH FUND. HE'S SAYING YOU CAN SAY HE'D LEAVE IT UP TO THE ADMINISTRATION. RIGHT? LEAVE IT UP TO THE, LEAVE IT UP TO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. YES. THAT MAKES SENSE. WE'RE LEAVING HERE WITHOUT A BALANCED BUDGET THEN I CANNOT DO THAT. GET, THAT'S WHY I'M TRYING TO FOCUS IN ON WHERE WE CAN MOVE THE MONEY FROM. THE SUGGESTION IS THAT IT'S AVAILABLE IN THE GENERAL FUND AT THE AMOUNT OF $18,000. HE WANTS TO TAKE IT OUT OF GENERAL FUND RESERVE. RESERVE. THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN GENERAL FUND. OKAY. 'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT I SAID. IF YOU'RE GONNA TAKE IT OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND AND MOVE IT HERE, I WANT TO KNOW THE EXACT ACCOUNT SO WE STAY IN BALANCE. WHAT ABOUT GENERAL FUND RESERVE? THAT'S FINE. I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT. ANYBODY. SO NOW YOU'VE UPPED THE EXPENDITURES AND YOU'VE UPPED THE REVENUE. WE'RE STILL IN BALANCE. I LIKE THIS. THIS IS GOOD. OH, WE HAD TO CALL THE QUESTION. UM, MADAM CHAIRMAN, BEFORE YOU CALL THE QUESTION, IS THE RESERVE THE, UH, WHAT I CALL, UH, FUND BALANCE THE 30 MILLION? OH, OKAY. I CANNOT SUPPORT THAT AT THIS TIME. I WON'T SUPPORT IT EITHER. OKAY. ANOTHER OPTION, JUST SO I KNOW, CAN I ASK WHY? RIGHT. LET'S YOU WANNA, COULD BE FROM THE VEHICLE AND EQUIPMENT LINE. YOU COULD TAKE IT FROM THE VEHICLE AND EQUIPMENT LINE THOUGH. AND WE COULD OFFSET SOME HOW MUCH MONEY SPENDING MY EMOTION TO TAKE IT FROM, FROM THE VEHICLE AND EQUIPMENT LINE. I'LL SECOND THAT LARRY AS AMENDED. AND SECOND, THE AMENDMENT ALL IN FAVOR OF THE AMEND AMENDED MOTION TO TAKE IT OUT OF UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS. TAKE IT OUTTA THE VEHICLE LINE. HOW MUCH ARE WE DOING? 18,000. 18,000. 18,000 EVEN TAKES US TO 200,000. IT'S 17 SOMETHING. YEAH. NO WE'RE WE'RE GONNA DO, IT'S GOTTA BE EXACT SEVEN. CORRECT. IF IT'S GONNA GO TO 200,000, IT GOES BY A SPECIFIC DOLLAR AMOUNT. NOT 18,000. BECAUSE THAT TAKES IT OVER. ALRIGHT. IT DOESN'T TAKE IT OVER BUT I GUESS I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. YES. THE EXACT AMOUNT WOULD BE 18,000 OUT OF THE VEHICLE FUND. OH, I'M SORRY. YOU RIGHT. 17,000 6 21. CORRECT. $17,621. THAT WOULD COME FROM THE VEHICLE EQUIPMENT. THAT'S THE AMENDED THAT WOULD SHOOT THE BUDGET. WE HAD A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE AMENDMENT. ANY MORE DISCUSSION? ALL VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT. ALL VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT. ALL IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT. OUTTA THE VEHICLE FUND. DID YOU GET A COUNT? I THINK TWO ARE OPPOSED, CORRECT. OVER HERE? NO, NOT IT'S OUTTA THE VEHICLE FUND. IT'S OUTTA THE VEHICLE FUND. NOT THE FUND. BALANCE OUTTA THE VEHICLE FUND. ALRIGHT, WE HAD TWO OPPOSED. IS THAT RIGHT, MS. BROWN AND UM, NO, I HAVE A FOUR. OH, YOU'RE FOUR? OKAY. I COULDN'T THINK ANYTHING. JUST ONE. I MEAN JUST LIKE THIS. ALRIGHT, JUST ONE IS FOR AGAINST. GOT IT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT. YES. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. THIS IS MINE. AND LARRY'S AND DUMPS. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. NOW MS. TAVERNA HAS SOME INDIVIDUAL MOTIONS TOO ON INDIVIDUAL ITEMS. SO I'D LIKE TO REMOVE THE 0.3 MILLS FOR THE JOB AND SITE FUND FROM B-C-E-D-C. IT WOULD BE $953,425. AND BEFORE EVERYBODY FREAKS OUT, REMEMBER THEY HAVE ABOUT 3 MILLION IN THAT JOB AND SITE FUND. THERE'S NO REASON TO PUT ANOTHER MILLION IN AT THIS POINT. AND THIS COULD BE, UM, A SAVINGS. I'M SAYING ANY SAVINGS WE HAVE SHOULD GO TO CAPITAL, UH, EXPENSES. HOWEVER, I AM GONNA MAKE A TREASURER ISSUE TOO. SO REMEMBER I'M SUGGESTING [01:55:01] WE REMOVE THE 0.3 MILS, WHICH WOULD BE A SAVINGS OF 9 53. 4 25. KEEP THAT IN IN YOUR HEAD. SO THAT'S A, IN A MO, THAT'S YOUR MOTION. CORRECT? YOU'VE TIED THAT INTO SOMETHING WITH THE TREASURER. IS THIS CONNECTED? I'LL, THAT'S A MOTION. I THINK SHE HAS ANOTHER MOTION CONCERNING THAT. WELL, OKAY. BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MIGHT BE WHEN WE VOTE ON THIS. SO I'M TRYING TO SET UP WHERE WE'LL FIND MONEY, MOTION AND THE PUBLIC AND THE SOLICITOR. YOU HAVE TO HAVE MONEY. LIKE JOE SAID, YOU CAN'T HAVE A DISCUSSION UNTIL YOU HAVE A SECOND. WE HAVEN'T HAD A SECOND. WE DIDN'T HAVE A SECOND YET. YOU'RE CORRECT. WE GET A SECOND. SECOND. NO, WE DID NOT GET A SECOND. IS THERE A SECOND? IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND IT. I WAS TOLD A SECOND BY MS. BROWN. OKAY. DISCUSSION. IT'S JUST REALLY SIMPLE THE WAY IT IS TO SET UP THE LEADER. GOT IT. THANK YOU. ANY DISCUSSION REGARDING THAT? TO TAKE? YEAH. OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO REDUCE THE BUDGET BY $953,000. YOU'RE ACTUALLY SAVING 953. YES. TAKING IT OUT OF EXPENSE EXACT. 9 53. 4 25 3 4 25. THANK YOU. SO IT'S COMING OFF EXPENSE. I'M GOING INTO REVENUE. OKAY. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? SAY NONE. ALL IN FAVOR OF MS. TABER? NICK'S MOTION BY SIGN OF HANDS. 2, 3, 4. ARE YOU A YES OR NO? YOU'RE HOLDING UP GLASSES? UH, YES. OH, ONE. I'LL DO IT AGAIN. ONE, TWO, CAN, CAN YOU GIVE COUNT? 3, 4, 5, 6. OKAY. SIX OPPOSED? THAT MOTION PASSES. THAT PASSED. OKAY. NEXT MOTION THAT YOU HAD, MR. BERNET. SO JUST TO CLARIFY, THE 0.3 MILL IS BEING TAKEN FROM EDC, THE JOB IN SITE FUND, NOT THEIR OPERATING EXPENSE. RIGHT? NOT THEIR OPERATING FUNDS. JUST THE 0.3 MILLS. OKAY. ALRIGHT. NEXT MOTION. OKAY. THE NEXT MOTION'S, THE ONE ON THE TOP. I'VE SAID THIS FIVE TIMES. USCB AND TCLI WOULD LIKE US NOT TO FUND THAT AT A MILLAGE RATE, BUT AT A SET FINANCE FINANCE RATE. AND THEY DON'T SET THEIR BUDGET TILL WE APPROVE WHAT WE GIVE THEM. SO THAT'S LIKE COUNTING YOUR CHICKENS BEFORE THEY HATCH. IF WE SET THAT AT THE, UH, LAST YEAR'S FUNDING, WE WOULD SAVE 217, 444 EACH. SO DOUBLE THAT. THAT WOULD BE TO THE SAVING SIDE FROM THE EXPENSE. THAT'S, I'LL SECOND THAT. THAT'S A MOTION. AND WE HAVE A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN CUNNINGHAM. UM, DISCUSSION? YES. COUNCILMAN LARSON. I, I WILL VOTE AGAINST THAT. UM, I THINK THAT THE HIGHER EDUCATION, UH, USCB AND TCL HAS CHANGED OUR COUNTY, HAS CHANGED OUR COMMUNITY FOR THE BETTER, UM, BY OFFERING, UM, UH, LESS EXPENSIVE EDUCATION TO KIDS. AND, AND AGAIN, I'VE SEEN THAT, UM, SINCE THEY'VE EXPLODED AND DONE SO WELL. SO AGAIN, I, I THINK THAT WE SHOULD KEEP IT, UM, AT THE SAME MILLAGE THAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST AND CONTINUE TO FUND THEM LIKE WE HAVE, UM, UH, FOR THE PAST NUMBER OF YEARS. ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? YES. COUNSELING CUNNINGHAM? YEAH. I HADN'T EVEN TALKED TO TAB BEFORE THIS, SO THAT WAS REALLY ONE OF THE ONLY NOTES I HAD WAS IF WE'RE KEEPING THE MILLAGE THE SAME. I BELIEVE IT WAS 1.1. THAT THING FLEW BY MY SCREEN. YES. UM, BUT 1.1 THAT MEANS IT'S CONTINUALLY TO GROW WITH OUR MILL. WE SHOULDN'T BE FUNDING THEM WITH OUR MILL. WE SHOULD BE FUNDING THEM WITH A FLAT RATE. IF WE'RE GOING TO, IF THEY WANT TO INCREASE, THEY CAN COME AND ASK FOR AN INCREASE AND GIVE US A REASON WHY. WE SHOULDN'T JUST BE, EVERY TIME OUR VALUE OF OUR MILL GOES UP, WE SHOULDN'T JUST BE HANDING IT OUT. THAT'S NOT THE WHOLE POINT. THE WHOLE POINT, THE VALUE OF OUR MILL GOES UP. WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SAVE THAT MONEY SO WE CAN LOWER OUR MILLS. CORRECT. THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT. SO UNTIL WE CAN STOP DOING THESE CONTRACTS WHERE THEY FLOW WITH THE INCREASE OF THE MILL, THEN WE'RE NEVER GONNA BE ABLE TO LOWER OUR MILLAGE RATE. UM, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? COUNCILMAN GLOVER? JOE, MADAM CHAIRMAN, I DISAGREE WITH THAT. UH, I THINK THE PROCESS ALLOW THE, UH, UNIVERSITIES TO PLAN ANTICIPATED GROWTH AND THEY GENERALLY COME BEFORE US FOR INCREASE OF BUDGETS EVERY YEAR. BUT WITH THE, ONCE WE ESTABLISH THIS MILL, WHICH GROWS, UM, THEIR INCREASE HAVE BEEN WITHIN THAT, UH, GROWTH, AND I THINK THAT'S GOOD MANAGEMENT, UM, FOR THE COUNTY. I THINK IT'S GOOD MANAGE FOR THEM. SO I'M GOING TO OPPOSE THAT MOTION THAT'S ON THE FLOOR. COUNCILMAN RES CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU. UM, THIS MILL THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS ACTUALLY TAXPAYER MONEY. AND I GOTTA TELL YOU SOMETHING, I'M PLEASED WITH TONIGHT'S DISCUSSION SO FAR. WE'RE GONNA ACTUALLY TAKE A LOOK AND, AND REQUIRE NOW TCLI THINK THEY'VE DONE A HECK OF A JOB FOR OUR COUNTY. I THINK US B AS WELL. BUT FOR US TO SIT HERE AND SAY WE'RE GONNA ACTUALLY AR [02:00:01] STOP THIS ARBITRARY INCREASE AND LOOK AT IT AND GET SOME PROOF, I, I THINK THAT'S GOOD STEWARDSHIP OF THE MONEY, SO I'M GONNA SUPPORT IT. OKAY. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I'D LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT. UM, TRADITIONALLY TCL AND USCB HAVE NOT BEEN FUNDED WELL AT THE STATE LEVEL. UH, I WAS LIAISON TO TCL BOARD FOR MANY YEARS. IT, IT'S BEEN A STRUGGLE. I, UH, AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN GLOVER AND, AND COUNCILMAN LAR, JUST THE GROUPS. UM, AS MUCH AS THAT WE WOULD ENSURE THAT THEY WOULD GROW AS WE GROW. AND THAT WAS, UH, THE ORIGINAL THINKING WHEN THIS WAS SET UP. AND SO I WILL NOT SUPPORT THE MOTION. ANY OTHER COMMENTS I HAVE? YES. COUNCILMAN? CAN THIS YOU ONLY GET TO CHANCES. I'LL GET TO I KNOW. I PROMISE I'LL MAKE IT WORTH IT. , I'LL HOLD YOU TO IT. I, THAT'S . ALRIGHT. UM, I THINK THEY'D HAVE A LITTLE BIT BETTER GETTING STATE FUNDING, ESPECIALLY BEING A STATE INSTITUTION IF THEY HAD A HIGHER GRADUATION RATE. THEY'RE AT 24% AS THEIR GRADUATION RATE AT USCB. OH, U-S-U-S-C-B IS 24%. AND THEN MOST OF THE KIDS DON'T MAKE IT OUTTA YEAR TWO. THEY USE IT TO TRANSFER OUT OF OUR COMMUNITY, NOT STAY IN. THEY USE IT AS A PLATFORM TO GET INTO USC BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T GET IN ORIGINALLY. IT'S A BACKDOOR PROGRAM THROUGH USCB TO GET INTO USC. OKAY. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? COUNCIL MO, THAT'S SO IMPORTANT. YOU JUST PROVE WHY WE NEED THIS. OH, WE'RE SENDING OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO ANOTHER PART OF THE STATE SOUTH CAROLINA. I HAVE ANOTHER COMMENT. YES. USCB TOLD US 34% OF THEIR STUDENTS ARE FROM BEAUFORT COUNTY. SO THEY CAN ASK FOR THEIR MONEY EVERY YEAR. BUT I DON'T WANT TO SEE IT TIED TO THE MILLAGE. I DON'T THINK THAT'S GOOD STEWARDSHIP AS MR. REED SAID. UM, AND SO I'M GOING TO STAY FIRM TO MY MOTION. IT'S ABOUT A 500, $435,000 SAVINGS. AND THEY DO NOT SET THEIR BUDGET UNTIL WE SET OUR BUDGET. NOBODY GETS THE MONEY TILL THIRD READING HERE. SO IF THEY'RE COUNTING ON, FIRST OF ALL, THEY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THE VALUE OF A MILL WHEN THEY STOOD IN FRONT OF US. OUR CFO DIDN'T KNOW THE VALUE OF THE MILL. SO I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY COULD DO A BUDGET. AND NOW THEY KNOW THE VALUE OF A MILL AND WE CAN, WE'RE FUNDING 'EM LAST YEAR AT $3.278 MILLION EACH. THAT'S A SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENT. I'VE HAD, I HAVE ONE LAST COMMENT. THE STUDENTS AT TCL FOR THE MOST PART ARE GETTING CERTIFICATIONS. THEY'RE THE PEOPLE DRAW YOUR BLOOD , WHICH I WANT THEM TO BE LOCAL AND STAY LOCAL. I THINK MOST OF THEM ARE. UM, AND I, I DON'T HAVE A PERCENTAGE, BUT, UM, TCL HAS DONE SO MUCH WITH THE DUAL EDUCATION PROGRAM AND SO HAS USCB, IT'S, IT'S OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS NOW ARE GETTING OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY WOULDN'T OTHERWISE HAVE. AND THIS, THAT MONEY HELPS THAT HAPPEN. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? LAST, LAST COMMENT. WHAT? OH, LET ME LET SURE. COUNCILMAN PASS AND THEN YOU CAN GO. SEVERAL COUNCILS BEFORE US HAD BOTH TCL AND USC COME BEFORE THEM EACH AND EVERY YEAR ASKING FOR MORE MONEY AS THEY GREW. THOSE COUNCILS THEN SAID, WE DON'T WANT TO KEEP DOING THIS EVERY YEAR. WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU A MILLAGE RATE SO THAT YOU KNOW, AS THE GROS. SO WILL YOUR PROGRAM, THAT'S WHY IT WAS INSTITUTED. COUNCIL RE SURE. UM, I DON'T KNOW IF, UM, GONNA MIX THE TWO AND I SHOULDN'T, BUT THERE WAS AN INVESTMENT IN THE SOUTHERN END OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND TO THE TUNE OF, I THINK $25 MILLION FOR USCB SAND SHARKS. UM, I STILL DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S BEING USED AT ALL RIGHT NOW. IF WE HAD BEEN DOING IT EVERY YEAR, LIKE MR. PASSMAN JUST SAID, WOULD WE HAVE CAUGHT THAT? YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITY THAT THE TAXPAYERS PAID AND WE'RE NOT USING IT. WE GET A LITTLE TRAINING THERE FOR HERITAGE AND WHATNOT, BUT I'M JUST TELLING YOU, IT'S AMAZING. SO THAT NUMBER THOUGH, MISS, UM, HOWARD, IT'S 18%. IT'S GRADUATION RATE FROM TCL FOR TWO YEAR DEGREES, ACCORDING TO THEIR WEBSITE. WELL, THEY HAVE A LOT OF CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS AND THOSE ARE THE PROGRAMS THAT I'M ALSO SPEAKING OF. OKAY. AND A LOT OF THOSE STUDENTS THAT, A LOT OF THOSE STUDENTS AT TCL ARE ALSO WORKING TIME. UM, ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA VOTE AND WE NEED A ROLL CALL VOTE PLEASE. JUST TO CLARIFY, IF I MAY, UH, CLARIFY THE VOTE. THE, THE MOTION. THE MOTION IS TO, OH, HAVE A, IT'S UP HERE. YEAH. IT'S TO SET 'EM BACK TO THE 26 FISCAL YEAR 26. UM, SO THEY WOULD NOT RECEIVE A MILL. THEY WOULD RECEIVE A SET AMOUNT. OKAY. SO, UH, IT'S A UP THERE, IT'S A, A AND B, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT VOTING ON 'EM SEPARATELY. WE'RE VOTING ON 'EM. TOGETHER. TOGETHER, OKAY. MM-HMM . [02:05:01] THAT'S NOT THE WAY SHE MADE THE MOTION. WE WE'RE VOTING ON 'EM TOGETHER. OKAY. ALRIGHT. VICE CHAIR TABER. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER RES? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER PASSMAN? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER MCGILLEN? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER LAWSON. MARK LAWSON? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER GLOVER? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER DAWSON? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER BROWN? YES. CHAIR HOWARD. OH, THE MOTION FAIL. THE MOTION FAILS. OKAY. OKAY. I'M SORRY. FOUR, FIVE. I HAVE ANOTHER MOTION. I FIGURED, I MEAN, LOOK, JUST 'CAUSE WE'VE ALWAYS DONE IT DOESN'T MEAN WE KEEP DOING IT. BUT I'LL LEAVE THAT GO. MY NEXT MOTION IS TO REMOVE THE ALLOCATION. AND THIS IS NO SURPRISE TO ANYBODY OF $398,000 IN COMMUNITY SERVICES GRANTS. THAT WOULD BE A SAVINGS OF 398,000. AS I'VE EXPLAINED SEVERAL TIMES, PEOPLE ARE MANDATED TO PAY A VALOREM TAXES. THEY DON'T EXPECT US TO GIVE IT TO NONPROFITS. IF I WANNA GIVE TO STAYING CONNECTED, WHICH WAS ON THE LIST, I CAN DO THAT PERSONALLY. THAT IS NOT WHAT I BELIEVE WE SHOULD BE USING AT VALOREM TAXES FOR. SO MY MOTION IS TO REMOVE THE ALLOCATION OF $398,000 FROM COMMUNITY SERVICES GRANTS. WE HAVE A SECOND. I'LL SECOND FOR POINT OF DISCUSSION. OKAY. WE HAVE A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN CUNNINGHAM. ANY DISCUSSION? YES, SIR. COUNT, COUNCILMAN MC, MCC CALLEN. I WOULD OBJECT TO THAT. YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THE, UH, 5 0 1 C THREES THAT ARE OUT THERE ARE PROVIDING SERVICE. 18,000 PEOPLE IN MY DISTRICT. I KNOW TOM HAS ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT. I'VE NEVER HEARD ANYBODY SAY YOU SHOULD NOT BE FUNDING THOSE 5 0 1 C HEARD ANYONE TELL ME THAT IN EIGHT YEARS, I'VE NEVER HAD ANYONE OBJECT TO FUNDING ONE OF THESE IMPORTANT COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDE VERY IMPORTANT SERVICES TO PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN BEAUFORT. NOT GONNA SUPPORT THAT. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? DISCUSSION? YES. COUNCILMAN LARS LARSON. YOU WERE FIRST. UM, YEAH. I'M WITH, WITH, UM, LARRY ON, ON THIS. AND IT'S JUST BECAUSE, UM, IF, IF WE PULLED THIS OUT OF OUR BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR, WE'D BE TAKING THE RUG RIGHT OUT FROM UNDER THEM. THEY'RE EXPECTING THE FUNDING AND THAT WE'VE GIVEN TO THEM FOR YEARS. UM, SO AGAIN, I AM, I AM GOING TO, UM, UH, NOT VOTE FOR IT, BUT SUPPORT LEAVING IT IN. UM, AND IF WE WANT SOMETHING WE WANNA CHANGE NEXT YEAR, WE NEED TO LET THEM KNOW IN ADVANCE THAT, THAT WE'RE DOING THINGS DIFFERENTLY THERE. OH WAIT, COUNCILMAN GLOVER HAD HIS HAND. NEXT, PLEASE. YEAH. UH, MADAM CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU. UH, I WAS NOT HERE WHEN THIS WAS SET UP YEARS AGO. UM, BUT FROM WHAT I GATHERED, UM, THERE WERE A LOT OF ORGANIZATION ASKING FOR HELP. AND COUNCIL BASICALLY VOTED ON THOSE ORGANIZATIONS BASED ON THE INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBERS. IF THEY GOT ENOUGH SUPPORT, THOSE ORGANIZATIONS GOT FUNDING. IF THEY DIDN'T GET ENOUGH SUPPORT, THEY DID NOT GET FUNDING, WHETHER THEY DID GOOD WORK OR NOT. I THINK WHEN WE PLACED IT, PUT THIS, WHEN THEY PUT THIS IN PLACE, UH, THEY TOOK IN CONSIDERATION ALL OF THAT AND IT TOOK COUNCIL MEMBERS OUT OF THE PROCESS, ALLOW FOR A COMMITTEE TO LOOK AT, TO EVALUATE, COME BACK WITH A RECOMMENDATION. AND I THINK IT'S A GOOD SYSTEM AND I WANNA SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE DOING GOOD THINGS, LIKE LARRY SAID, IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO I CANNOT SUPPORT THIS MOTION TO, TO TAKE IT OUT. VICE CHAIRMAN TAVERNA, DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT? I MEAN, I SAID IT ALL AT THE FINANCE MEETING BEFORE I'VE SAID IT AGAIN. UM, I ANSWERED THE QUESTIONS FROM PEOPLE ON THE TAX BILLS AND I'VE ANSWERED QUESTIONS FROM MY CONSTITUENTS WHO SAY, WHY ARE WE FUNDING NONPROFITS? IT'S NOT WHY I PAY TAXES. I'M, I'VE SAID THAT 10 TIMES ALREADY. SO, I MEAN, THE MOTION'S ON THE TABLE. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I'D LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT. I AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN LARSON THAT, UM, THIS WOULD BE PULLING THE RUG OUT FROM UNDERNEATH HIM FOR THIS YEAR. THERE WILL BE CHANGES ON COUNTY COUNCIL. THERE'S SEVERAL OF US ARE NOT RUNNING AGAIN. UH, I DON'T THINK IT'S, IT'S, UM, THE RIGHT THING TO DO THIS YEAR IF NEXT YEAR'S COUNCIL DECIDES TO DO THAT, SO BE IT OR NOT. BUT, UM, IT, AND I AGREE, THERE WAS LOBBYING BEING DONE BY THE DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT GROUPS IN YEARS PAST. AND THIS WAS THE SOLUTION THAT THEY APPLY AND IT FOR THIS, THESE COMMUNITY SERVICE GRANTS. AND THAT'S HOW THEY CAME UP WITH THIS. INSTEAD OF, UM, EACH GROUP LOBBYING, EACH INDIVIDUAL, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER AND COUNCILMAN DAWSON MAY REMEMBER THOSE DAYS, OR YOU, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. UM, IF, IF, IF WE, UH, [02:10:01] REDUCE OR, OR, OR TAKE AWAY THE FUNDING FOR THESE, UH, COMMUNITY SERVICE, UH, ORGANIZATIONS, THEN THE, THE FOLKS WHO ARE WORRYING ABOUT THEIR, UH, MONIES BEING SPENT FOR, UH, UH, THESE ORGANIZATIONS, A LOT OF THE SERVICES THAT THEY PROVIDE ACTUALLY HELPS THE COUNTY AND NOT HAVING TO ACTUALLY FUND SOME OF THE SERVICES AND THE NEEDS OF THESE, UH, THAT THESE, UH, UH, UH, PEOPLE ARE PROVIDING FOR THE COUNTY. AND SO THEN IF, IF WE TAKE AWAY THE FUNDING AND THEN THEY'LL BE COMING TO THE COUNTY AND ASKING US FOR MONEY, AND THEN NOW WE'LL BE FACED WITH THE SITUATION ON UP ACTUALLY GIVING THEM THE SAME MONEY THAT WE'RE TAKING AWAY FROM THEM. OKAY. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I THINK COUNCILMAN CUNNINGHAM HAD HIS HAND UP. THAT'S A COMMENT TO MR. LAWSON. UM, WE DID PUT THIS OUT FOR NOTICE LAST YEAR. WE HAD THIS SAME CONVERSATION THIS TIME LAST YEAR. UM, AND I SIDED WITH YOU GUYS ON THIS LAST YEAR. 'CAUSE ORIGINALLY SHE MOVED TO DEFUND IT AND THEN EVERYONE CAME OUT AND SAID, NO, WE CAN'T DO THIS WITHOUT NOTICE. BUT WE DID THIS SAME CONVERSATION LAST YEAR. THAT IS A FORM OF A NOTICE THAT THIS CONVERSATION WAS HAPPENING. SO THIS ISN'T A NEW CONVERSATION. IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR OVER A YEAR. UM, I WOULD SAY THIS, UM, DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHAT ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS BEING FUNDED ON THIS LIST ARE? YEAH, THEY CAME IN FRONT OF US. YOU SEE, YOU KNOW, EVERY SINGLE ONE RIGHT NOW. WE CAN NAME 'EM ALL OFF. WELL, THEY'RE IN THE PACKET. CORRECT. WITHOUT THE PACKET THOUGH. COULD WE NAME THEM ALL OFF? NO, NO. NONE OF US COULD. SO UNLESS YOU HAVE THE PAPER IN FRONT OF YOU OR YOU'RE SITTING HERE STUDYING IT LEFT AND RIGHT, YOU'RE, WE'RE AGREEING TO FUND ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE DON'T EVEN KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT. SO MY CONVERSATION WOULD BE TO TWEAK IT A LITTLE BIT MORE TAB MAYBE IT MIGHT BE MORE PALPABLE. SO ONE, WE DID GIVE A FORM OF A NOTICE OVER A YEAR AGO. TWO, MAYBE IT'S A REDUCTION FOR NOW. AND THIS IS A SLOW PROCESS. 'CAUSE I DO AGREE WITH MR. DAWSON. THERE ARE SOME PROGRAMS THAT DO SAVE US TAX DOLLARS BECAUSE THEY ALREADY HAVE THINGS IN ORDER AND IT'S AN OPERATING SERVICE AND THEY ALREADY HAVE THE STRUCTURE, OR WE'D HAVE TO PAY MORE MONEY DUE AT THE COUNTY LEVEL. SO I DO SEE THE BENEFIT OF SOME OF THOSE. SO I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S COMPLETELY DEFUNDING THE 398,000 OR MAYBE IT'S LOWERING IT. AND THEN WE IDENTIFY THE TOP TIER NEEDS, THE ONES THAT ACTUALLY DO BENEFIT THE TAXPAYERS AT BEAUFORT COUNTY AND CUT DOWN BUDGETS FOR US, OR IF THIS IS DONE AS A WHOLE. 'CAUSE I, I DON'T, I DON'T SEE THIS MOVING FORWARD AS THE 3 83 98, BUT I DO BELIEVE WE FUND THINGS THAT SHOULD NOT BE FUNDED ON THAT LIST. CHAIRMAN IS, IS, IS COUNCILMAN CUNNINGHAM SAYING THAT THE LIST OF, UH, FUNDEES, UH, NOT A GOOD LIST THAT IS BEING RECOMMENDED BY THE COMMITTEE? ARE YOU QUESTIONING THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION AT THIS TIME? NO. I'LL, I'LL CLARIFY MYSELF. WHAT DO YOU DO? I MEAN, YEAH, I MEAN, IT SOUNDS MORE LIKE AN ACCUSATION. SO I'LL CLARIFY IT FOR YOU SO I UNDERSTAND IT. SURE, PLEASE. UM, NO, I SAID I DON'T KNOW ALL THE NAMES ON THE LIST. I, I AGREE. OKAY. AND YOU SAID YOU DIDN'T KNOW THE NAMES ON THE LIST? I DO. SO YOU CAN'T ADVOCATE FOR NAMES ON THE LIST THAT YOU DIDN'T KNOW EITHER, BUT I I'S DO SUPPORT THE COMMITTEE. WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. CHAIR RECOMMENDATION. OKAY. ALRIGHT. SO I THINK COUNCIL REACHED, HAD HIS HAND UP AND WE NEED TO, UH, ARE YOU MAKING AN AMENDMENT? I'M NOT SURE IF YOU ARE. ABSOLUTELY. THAT'S I'M NOT MAKING THE AMENDMENT, HAVING THE CONVERSATION WITH TAB. IT'S HER MOTION. BUT I JUST GIVING AN IDEA TO MAYBE MAKE IT MORE PALATABLE TO COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO ACTUALLY GET SOMETHING ACROSS THE FINISH LINE TO HAVE VALUABLE CONVERSATION UP HERE AS COUNTY INSTEAD OF FIGHTING. OKAY. COUNCILMAN REEDS. MY THOUGHT IS THIS. THINK ABOUT THIS. WE'RE UP HERE ASKING EACH OTHER, DO WE KNOW THAT LIST? LIST? AND MOST OF US SAID NO. COULD YOU IMAGINE WHAT THE FOLKS THAT WE SERVE, WHAT THEY'RE SAYING RIGHT NOW, WHY DON'T WE PUSH THIS BACK, GET THE LIST, GET THE NUMBERS, AND GO THROUGH WHAT IT WAS IN YOUR PACKET IT WAS PROVIDED. LISTEN, I'M FINE, BUT I'M SAYING DOING THINGS HERE THAT WE'RE SAYING WE DON'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT. OKAY. WE HAVE, WE HAVE A MOTION. WE HAVE A SECOND. WE'VE HAD DISCUSSION. A CALL. WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO CALL THE QUESTION? CALL THE QUESTION. OKAY. ROLL CALL. VOTE PLEASE. VICE CHAIR TABER? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER RES? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER PASSMAN. UM, I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED HERE. MOTION WAS TO DEFUND THIS. YES. SO A VOTE. SO YOU KNOW A VOTE. I TOLD Y'ALL BEFORE I MOTION FOR DISCUSSION AND I DID NOT AGREE WITH THE FULL 3 98. JUST TRYING TO HAVE A HELD THE CONVERSATION. SEE IF WE COULD GET SOMETHING FINISHED HERE. TWO AND TWO NOS. AND TWO NOS. AND I'M, NO. OKAY. NEXT. COUNCIL MEMBER. MCALLEN? NO. OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER LAWSON. MARK LAWSON. NO. COUNCIL MEMBER GLOVER? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER. DAWSON? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER. BROWN? NO. CHAIR HOWARD? NO. THE MOTION FAILS. OKAY. HEALTHY DISCUSSION. THANK YOU. IT WAS A GOOD DISCUSSION. I JUST SUGGEST THAT IN THE FUTURE, EVERYBODY LOOK FOR SAVINGS IN THE BUDGET. ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. YOUR NEXT, NEXT ONE. OKAY. NEXT. MOTION. UM, REMOVE FUNDING FOR SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT [02:15:01] SAVINGS OF 50,000. I PUT THIS ON HERE. I'LL MAKE THE MOTION. MAKE MAKE A MOTION. WE NEED SECOND. SOMEBODY SECOND. AND THEN I'LL DISCUSS. WE NEED A SECOND TO REMOVE. I'LL SECOND IT FOR DISCUSSION. ALL RIGHT. WE WERE SITTING AT, SO LOCO AND SCORE MADE A PRESENTATION. THEY NEVER HEARD OF THIS GROUP. IT APPEARS THEY'RE REDUNDANT. MS. HOWARD WAS THERE. I'M, I'M NOT SURE THIS IS A REDUNDANT SERVICE. I GET IT. WHY PEOPLE LIKE IT, BUT I'M NOT SURE IT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD FUND. YOU HAVE A SMALL BUSINESS, UM, ASSOCIATION FROM THE STATE. YOU HAVE SCORE, YOU HAVE FEDERAL STUFF. SO I JUST THINK THIS IS A $50,000 SAVINGS. OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION. A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? MADAM JIM? YES. COUNCILMAN GLOVER. COUNCILMAN GLOVER? UM, WHO AM I ON? MM-HMM . YEAH. YEAH. I'M SORRY. WE'RE IN DISCUSSION. THE, THE, THE SMALL BUSINESS, UH, DEVELOPMENT CENTER, UM, IS BEING HOUSED AT USC, UH, IS NOT A PART OF USC, BUT THEY DO WORK IN COMMUNITIES, UM, BOTH BEAUFORT AND SO, UM, UM, OFFICE IN BEAUFORT, AND THEY HAVE ONE ON HILTON HEAD. THEY WORK WITH SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT. THAT'S WHAT IT'S CALLED. THEY, THEY ARE A ORGANIZATION THAT THEY CANNOT TURN DOWN ANYONE. THEY DO BUSINESS PLAN FOR THEM. THEY GIVE DISCUSSION WITH FOLKS. UM, THEY'RE PART OF OUR ECONOMIC PROGRAM SCORE IS, UM, UM, AN ORGANIZATION THAT ARE VOLUNTEERS AND THEY WORK WITH SCORE. NOW ON THE SOUTH SIDE, IF THEY'RE NOT WORKING WITH SCORE, THAT'S A DIFFERENT STORY. I KNOW THEY ARE WORKING WITH SCORE ON THE NORTH SIDE AND UM, AND THEY'RE NOT IN COMPETITION WITH ONE ANOTHER. SCORE IS A BASICALLY A VOLUNTEER GROUP. THIS IS A PAID GROUP, BOTH FEDERAL STATE. AND THIS IS A LOCAL DONATION, NOT A DONATION CONTRIBUTION. TOWARD THAT EFFORT, I SUPPORT, UH, THE SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. THEY'VE DONE A GREAT JOB IN BEAUFORT COUNTY. THANK YOU, MA'AM. OKAY. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? YES. COUNCILMAN CUNNINGHAM? YEAH, I GUESS THAT PART WAS NEW INFORMATION TO ME. SO THEY USE A BUILDING IN BEAUFORT AT THE HISTORIC CAMPUS FOR, FROM USCB FOR FREE? NO, I DON'T KNOW ON THIS SIDE. I DON'T KNOW WHICH 8 0 1 CARTER STREET. YEAH, I DON'T KNOW WHICH ONE ON HILTON HEAD SIDE. SO TO ME, THAT'S A PROBLEM IF SCB IS ASKING US FOR MONEY, BUT THEY'RE GIVING OUT A LOCATION FOR FREE TO SOMEBODY INSIDE THE SCHOOL THAT YOU GUYS WANT US TO FUND. DID YOU VERIFY THAT THEY USE IT FREE? IT'S THEIR WEBSITE. WHO? UM, SCDC. OKAY. MM-HMM . OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? MOVE ALRIGHT. CALL A QUESTION. YOU CALL A QUESTION. I'LL DO A ROLL CALL. VOTE AGAIN. NO, YOU'RE MY HANDS. I'M ASSUMING THIS ONE'S GOING DOWN. ALL IN FAVOR? UH, NO, THAT'S MY JOB. I'M SORRY. GO AHEAD. ALL IN FAVOR OF DEFUNDING IT? OF DEFUNDING IT. THREE, FOUR. OKAY. ALL OPPOSED? OKAY. ALRIGHT. OKAY, NEXT ONE. ALRIGHT, THIS IS LRTA. SO IF YOU RECALL, THIS COUNCIL GAVE THEM 81,000 ADDITIONAL DOLLARS IN APRIL BECAUSE THEY HAVE A SHORTFALL. SO THAT, TO ME, THAT WAS A PRECEDENT I DID NOT VOTE TO SET. UM, AND I'M GONNA GO BACK TO WHAT MR. MOORE STARTED WITH. I'M GONNA MAKE A MOTION FOR LRTA TO GET A 3% INCREASE. THAT'S MY MOTION RIGHT THERE. SO IT'LL BE $739,168, WHICH WILL BE A SAVINGS OF 14,353. THAT'S MY MOTION. AND THEN WHEN WE DISCUSS, I'LL EXPLAIN WHY IT'S OKAY. WHAT'S THE TOTAL, I'M SORRY. RIGHT UP THERE, THE TOTAL TO FUND THEM WOULD BE 7 39 1 68, WHICH IS $14,353 LESS THAN WHAT ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDED. SO YOU'RE GONNA REDUCE THAT ON YOUR OUTSIDE AGENCIES. I'M REDUCING IT ON THE OUTSIDE AGENCY. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION. DO WE HAVE A SECOND SO WE CAN DISCUSS? TO DISCUSS? THANK YOU. WE HAVE A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN CUNNINGHAM. SO I'M GONNA EXPLAIN THE REASONING HERE. SO FIRST OF ALL, WE STARTED THIS WHOLE DISCUSSION AND I SAID IT TWICE BEFORE. WE ARE GIVING OUR EMPLOYEES 2% MERIT AND 1% COLA. IN MY OPINION, NO ONE NOT, NO AGENCY SHOULD BE GETTING MORE THAN THAT UNLESS IT'S CRITICAL, LIKE FIRE, SO AND SO FORTH. SO THIS ONE IS GIVING MORE THAN THAT. IT'S A 5%. I'M RECOMMENDING TAKING IT TO THREE. AND FURTHERMORE, AS WE HAVE ALREADY TOLD THEM, THEY NEED TO CHARGE FOR THE SUMMER TROLLEY, WHICH JUST STARTED, THEY DON'T CHARGE FOR IT. YOU'VE TOLD THEM . YOU TOLD THEM. I'VE TOLD THEM, YES. NOT WE YOU TOLD 'EM. SO THAT'S MY MOTION. ALL RIGHT. AND WE HAVE A COMMENT. $81,000 [02:20:02] THAT WAS AN ADJUSTMENT WAS BECAUSE THEY NOW HAVE TWO NEW AREAS THAT HAVE GONE FROM RURAL TO URBAN IN THE NORTH, AND THEREFORE THEY HAD A SHORTFALL IN THAT SECTION. THAT IS WHY THEY HAVE DONE THAT. THEIR BUDGET ISN'T JUST PERSONNEL. IT IS BOTH THE PERSONNEL AND THE EQUIPMENT THAT THEY NEED TO RUN THE PROGRAM. I AM NOT IN FAVOR OF MAKING ANY CHANGES. CHAIR COUNCILMAN RES. I HAVE TO AGREE WITH MR. PASSMAN. UM, THIS IS THE BREEZE, BY THE WAY. YES. UM, AND, AND THE, THE MONEY THAT MR. PASSMAN ISS TALKING ABOUT, THEIR MAINTENANCE ALONE IS ASTRONOMICAL. UM, WE TALKED ABOUT STRATEGIC THINGS FOR WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR THE FUTURE TO HELP KITTEN, UH, SERVICES TO THE ISLAND. THE MANY, MANY PEOPLE THAT COME ON THE ISLAND USE THE BREEZE. THEY EXPANDED THOSE TWO ROUTES THAT WE JUST HEARD ABOUT TO GET SOME HELP FOR THE WORK ON THE ISLAND. AGAIN, OVER 200 RESTAURANTS. I MEAN, SO MANY THINGS, UM, HOSPITALS, I, I, YOU KNOW, THEY CAME AND THEY GAVE US A GREAT STORY AS TO WHAT'S GOING ON, WHY THEY EXPANDED. WE'RE ASKING THEM TO HELP US TO HELP THE COMMUNITY. SO THEY EXPANDED. I THINK WE NEED TO SUPPORT 'EM. AND I'M AGAINST, UH, REDUCING THIS. ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR DISCUSSION? YOU ASKED COUNCILMAN CUNNINGHAM? YEAH, I WAS AGAINST THE FUNDING 'EM TO BEGIN WITH. UM, I LIKE THE IDEA BEHIND PALMETTO BREEZE, BUT FACT MATTER IS MOST OF THEIR BUSES ARE EMPTY TRAVELING THROUGH THE COUNTY. THAT IS A FACT. SO WE'RE PAYING FOR THEM TO DRIVE ON THESE ROUTES EMPTY. AND THEN WE'RE USING MORE TAXPAYER DOLLARS THROUGH THAT AS WELL. SO EITHER SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE STREAMLINED WITH THEIR SERVICES THAT THEY CUT DOWN, HOW MANY DRIVES IT IS, AND THEY CUT DOWN THE HOURS. BUT I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, YOU CAN SHOW UP RIGHT THERE IN BUCKWALTER PLACE, WHICH IS ONE OF THE BUSIEST PLACES IN BLUFFTON. AND BOTH OF THOSE BUSES THAT SIT THERE AT THE SAME TIME ARE BOTH EMPTY ALL THE TIME. SO IT'S NOT OUR JOB TO CONTINUE TO FUND THIS PROJECT AND TO CONTINUE TO INCREASE IT. I AM RELUCTANT TO EVEN DO THE 3% TO BE HONEST. BUT I DO THINK IT IS A COST SAVINGS MOVE WE NEED TO MAKE. AT SOME POINT, WE HAVE TO TELL PEOPLE NO FOR CONTINUE TO ASK US FOR MORE, MORE MONEY. IF THE PROJECT IS NOT WORKING AND YOU'RE NOT POSITIVE, IT'S NOT OUR JOB TO KEEP YOU AFLOAT. SO THINK ABOUT THAT, WHERE WE SHOULD NOT BE PAYING TO KEEP ORGANIZATIONS ALIVE. THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE HERE TO DO. WE'RE HERE TO PUT OUR TAXPAYERS FIRST. AND IF THEY'RE NOT IN THE GREEN AFTER THIS MANY YEARS, AND THEY CONTINUE TO DON'T KNOW WHEN THEY'RE GONNA BE IN THE GREEN, THAT IS A PROBLEM. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT. UM, HISTORICALLY, MASS TRANSIT DOES NOT MAKE MONEY. UH, WHEN I DRIVE BACK FROM MIL MEETINGS AT NIGHT ON HILTON HEAD, THE BUSES THAT ARE HEADED TO ST. HELENA, I SOMETIMES FOLLOW THEM. THEY'RE FULL OF PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN WORKING ALL DAY ON HILTON HEAD. AND I KNOW THERE'S PEOPLE WORKING IN ALLENDALE, HAMPTON, COLTON COUNTY. I SEE THE BUSES TURNING TO GO TO COLTON COUNTY THERE AT, UM, OKEE. WHEN I COME BACK FROM MEETINGS IN BLUFFTON AND HILTON HEAD, UM, I WILL, I WILL NOT VOTE TO REMOVE THEIR FUNDING. UM, FOR, AND I DON'T DISAGREE WITH YOU ABOUT BOOK HALTER, BUT I THINK THAT'S ANECDOTAL. YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT OVERALL NUMBERS AND WHO'S USING THEM AND WHERE ARE THEY WORKING. OKAY. OH, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I MAKE MY SECOND COMMENT THERE. YOU SURE CAN. ? UM, I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE PROBLEM I HAVE WITH BRIE. WE'RE FUNDING 'EM TO WORK AND THEN TAKE THEM TO HAMPTON OR EVEN WALTERBORO. SO WE'RE LITERALLY, OUR TAX DOLLARS ARE LEAVING THE COUNTY AND WE'RE PAYING FOR THEM TO LEAVE THE COUNTY. YES, THEY'RE COMING HERE TO WORK A JOB. I SEE THAT. BUT WE ALSO HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE UNEMPLOYED HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY. NOW THEY'RE COMPETING WITH PEOPLE IN WALTERBORO OR HAMPTON WHO AREN'T EVEN RESIDENTS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY. WE'RE PAYING FOR 'EM TO COME HERE. TO ME, THAT'S A PROBLEM. AND THEY, AND THEY AND, AND, AND WHAT ARE THEY PAYING THEM TO WORK ON? HILTON HEAD. THAT'S THE BIG QUESTION. THE THE WORKERS DON'T EXIST ON HILTON HEAD. THAT'S MY LAST MORE DIFFICULT, WHEN YOU PUT, THAT'S MY LAST COMMENT. OKAY. YOU HAVE, UH, ANYONE ELSE WANNA LAST COMMENT AND CHAIRMAN, JUST QUICKLY? UM, YES, I, I, I AGREE WITH YOUR COMMENT AND I THINK, UM, MR. CUNNINGHAM MAKES A VERY, UM, UH, ESSENTIAL POINT. UM, IF THOSE BUSES ARE EMPTY, PAM RE SHOULD COME AND MAKE THAT PRESENTATION TO US. THEY HAVE NUMBERS, THEY HAVE RIDER SHIPS, THEY'RE GETTING PAID. AND IF THOSE BUSES ARE EMPTY, THEY ARE NOT MAKING MONEY. SO, YOU KNOW, I I, I AGREE WITH MR. CUNNINGHAM, LET 'EM COME AND DEFEND HIMSELF. BUT, UM, RIGHT NOW, UM, PALMETTO BREEZE WAS ESTABLISHED TO GET PRIMARILY WORKERS BACK IN THE DAYS ON HILTON HEAD. UM, [02:25:01] AND IT STILL THAT PURPOSE RIGHT NOW, SO. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I'LL, UM, SO TO VOTE YES MEANS THAT YOU WILL TAKE THIS MONEY DOWN BY 14,353. IS THAT CORRECT? COUNCILMAN TABER? YES. 14 353 RIGHTS UP THERE. RIGHT. OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR OF REDUCING IT BY 14,353 BY SIGN OF HANDS. 1, 2, 2. ALL OPPOSED? OH, THREE THREE. YOU IN FAVOR? YEAH. OKAY. THERE'S THREE THEN. THAT'S RIGHT. YEAH. THREE. ALL OPPOSED BY SIGN OF HANDS. OKAY. IT FAILS. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. NEXT ONE. ALRIGHT, THE NEXT ONE WAS THE ISLAND REC CENTER FOR MR. MCALLEN'S $17,621. SO FAR WE HAVE SAVED 953,425. THAT'S THE ONLY THING YOU ALL HAVE VOTED TO SAVE. SO IF WE TAKE HIS 17TH, 6 21, THAT'S WHERE IT COMES FROM RIGHT THERE. WE DON'T HAVE TO SHORTFALL THE VEHICLE SERVICES. WE DON'T HAVE TO DO VEHICLE SERVICES. WE DON'T HAVE TO DO FUND BALANCE. IT COMES FROM THERE. WE ALREADY VOTED ON TAKE IT MOTION. YES, WE DO. EXACTLY. WE CAN CHANGE, WE IT. WHAT'S THE NUMBER TAB THAT WE PUT TO ISLAND DIRECT 17 621? WELL, I THINK WHAT WE MAY NEED TO DO, CAN I TAKE THE MOTION TO ADD 17,620? CAN WE LET ADMINISTRATOR MAKE BACK TO TRANSPORTATION? COUNCILMAN CUNNINGHAM? COULD YOU LET MR. MOORE MAKE A COMMENT, PLEASE? OKAY. THE 0.3 YOU TOOK FROM MILLAGE, YOU MAY WANNA CONSIDER ADDING THAT BACK TO COUNTY OPERATIONS, WHICH IS 51.1. AND THAT WOULD MAKE THAT 51.4. AND THAT WOULD BE MILLAGE NEUTRAL. I JUST WANNA MAKE THAT POINT. I HAVE MORE THE OVERALL 59.5. ANY QUESTIONS MR. MOORE? ON, ON THAT OR ON THE BUDGET ITSELF? I JUST POINT OUT THAT IF YOU WANT TO TAKE THE 953,000 YOU WERE DISCUSSING EARLIER, YOU WOULD NEED TO PUT THAT BACK INTO COUNTY OPERATIONS MILLAGE. YEAH. WELL THEN I HAVE TWO MORE TO TAKE OUT. I WAS TRYING TO BE NEUTRAL. OKAY. , I'M TRYING TO, TRYING TO KEEP TRACK OF EVERYTH. WE HAVE SOMEONE IN THE AUDIENCE WITH A HAND RAISED, AND I'M NOT SURE WHY THIS IS A COUNCIL DISCUSSION. IT I KNOW. IT'S WHO I DON'T IS THAT JOHN? YES. IT'S JOHN O'TOOLE. MM-HMM . IT JUST, THE POINT OF ORDER. I I'M LOOKING AT A PICTURE. I'M SIX FOUR. IT WAS FIVE SIX. I HAD 6 4 6. SECOND FOUR, HE HAD SIX FOUR, BUT HE'S SAYING SIX FOUR. BUT I HAVE A PICTURE SHOWING FIVE DAN ON. OKAY. SHE TOOK THE ROLL CALL. SO Y'ALL DID IT BY SHOW OF HANDS, WE DID IT BY SHOW OF HANDS. SO, ALL RIGHT. SO PERHAPS THE 0.3, IF YOU WANNA TAKE THAT AS YOU TAKE IT PIECE BY PIECE, THOSE WOULD ROLL BACK INTO COUNTY OPERATING MILLAGE AS YOU TAKE IT, AND THEN JUST TAKE THE OTHER THINGS OUT OF THE COUNTY OPERATING MILLAGE. CORRECT. I WAS TRYING TO SHOW EVERYONE THAT I'M NOT TAKING MORE MONEY OUT THAN WE'RE PUTTING IN. OKAY. MS. BROCK, GOING BACK TO THE VOTE. WE HAVE SOMEONE QUESTIONING THE VOTE IN THE AUDIENCE. THE 0.3. YOU'RE WELCOME TO TAKE THE VOTE AGAIN AND RAISE YOUR HANDS HIGHER. I HAD, I HAD FIVE FIVE UNTIL MR. LAWSON'S HAND WENT UP AND THAT'S WHEN IT SWITCHED TO SIX. WELL, I HAD FIVE. FIVE. AND THEN WHEN I RECOUNTED MS. BROWN'S HAND AND MR. LAWSON'S HAND, I WENT SIX FOUR. OKAY. SO IF YOU WANNA DO IT AGAIN, JUST SO THAT MR. O'TOOLE CAN SEE, THAT WOULD BE FINE. THIS IS ON THE, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 0.3 MILLION. THIS IS THE VERY FIRST AMENDMENT? YES. OKAY. WE'LL TAKE ANOTHER VOTE. WE'LL JUST TAKE A VOTE. CAN WE REITERATE THE MOTION, MOTION AGAIN? THIS ONE RIGHT HERE ON THE SCREEN. BACK TO THE FLOOR. YOU NEED TO YEAH. BRING IT. OKAY. ALRIGHT. SO ARE YOU WILLING TO DO THAT, MR. TUR? BRING IT BACK TO THE FLOOR. MAKE THE MOTION. WELL, THE MOTION WAS TO REMOVE 0.3 MILLS FROM EDC JOB INSIGHT FUND TO THE TUNE OF 9 53. 4 25. I SECONDED. AND WE HAD A WHOLE DISCUSSION. YES. SO LET'S MOVE ON. WE DID. UM, AND I THINK WE SHOULD PROBABLY MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT THE, UM, UM, UH, THE B-B-C-D-C SITE FUND IS, IS ALL ABOUT. I MEAN, APPARENTLY THAT MONEY IS FOR A PURPOSE AND WE ARE JUST SCRIPT STRIPPING THAT MONEY OUT OF THEIR, UH, PLANNING STAGE RIGHT NOW. SO, I DON'T KNOW. UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT, WHAT'S THAT, THAT MONEY IS FOR? I THINK IF NOTHING ELSE, UM, TAKE, TAKE [02:30:01] THE 17 117,000 OUT OF IT AND PUT THE REST BACK IN. WE HAVE OVER 3 MILLION IN THAT FUND. WE, WE WENT THROUGH STRATEGIC PLANNING ON THIS. I MEAN, EVERYBODY SHOULD KNOW WHAT IT IS. WE CHANGED THE PARAMETERS OF THE JOB AND INSIGHT FUND THAT CAME TO COUNCIL. IT WAS APPROVED, BUT IT'S IN THE BUDGET. AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WE JUST CALL A QUESTION AND WE'LL DO A, WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL VOTE PLEASE. CLARIFICATION. CAN I HAVE A QUESTION FIRST BEFOREHAND, JUST A CLARIFY DISCUSSIONS THAT WE HAD. THE STATEMENT WAS JUST MADE THAT, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE 0.3 MILS REDUCTION WILL SAVE ON THE 9 53. 4 25 AND DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE MONEY WAS FOR. BUT YET YOU'RE STILL WILLING TO SAY HERE THAT YOU'RE WILLING TO ALLOCATE THE MONEY IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S FOR. OKAY. TO ME, THAT'S A PROBLEM. ALRIGHT. THAT'S, YOU KNOW WHAT, IT'S FOR THAT. YEAH. BUT IT'S, IT'S FOR US TO KNOW. IS THAT PART OF, ALRIGHT. OKAY. LET'S STILL ROLL CALL VOTE QUESTIONS BEEN CALLED VICE CHAIR TABER? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER RES? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER PASSANT? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER MCALLEN? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER LAWSON? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER GLOVER? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER DAWSON? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER BROWN? YES. CHAIR HOWARD? NO, THAT'S THE TIE. FIVE. FIVE. THAT'S FIVE. FIVE. SO SOMEBODY CHANGED THEIR VOTE? YEAH. I HAD YOU AS A, I HAD YOU AS A YES. THE FIRST TIME CHAIR. HOWARD. HOWARD. YOU HAD A YES FOR ME THE FIRST TIME. YES. I HAD MY HAND. I, I THOUGHT I, IT'S NOT, THE PICTURE FAILS. SO WE HAVE NO SAVINGS AT THIS POINT. SO THE 0.3, I'M JUST EXASPERATED BY THE WHOLE THING AND I'M JUST GONNA GO AHEAD AND PUT THE NEXT BOMB ON THE TABLE. IF PEOPLE DON'T CARE HOW WE SPEND OUR MONEY, THAT'S NOT ON ME. I WANNA MAKE A MOTION TO PROVIDE THE TREASURER WITH TWO FULL-TIME EQUIVALENTS THAT SHE WILL NEED TO IMPLEMENT THE NEW SOFTWARE PACKAGE. WE, I'LL SECOND THAT. MOTION. SECOND IT. AND THE REASON I'M SAYING THAT IS BECAUSE WE COUNSEL ARE MAKING HER TAKE THE SOFTWARE. WE HAD A GIANT DISCUSSION ON THIS AND SHE NEEDS, I THINK 1.75, WHATEVER IT IS. BUT IT'S GOTTA BE TWO TO IMPLEMENT THAT. AND DO YOU SEE ON THERE, I GOT THE NUMBERS SOMEWHERE. GO DOWN A LITTLE MORE. I WAS TOLD IT'S 1 58 9 87 WITH BENEFITS AND 99 3 92 WOULD BE FROM THE GENERAL FUND. SO NOW YOU HAVE NO SAVINGS ANYWHERE. SO THIS IS FROM GENERAL FUND. IN YOUR BACKUP, WE ADDED THREE POTENTIAL OPTIONS AS WELL FOR CONSIDERATION. RIGHT? WELL, YEAH. I WENT FOR GIVING HER THE TWO FULL TIMES. THAT'S MY MOTION. IT'S SECONDED. DISCUSSION. THERE WERE OTHER OPTIONS IN THE HOW, HOW MUCH EXACTLY ARE WE PUTTING INTO THE BUDGET THEN? NOT PUTTING ANYTHING IN? YES, YOU ARE, YOU ARE ADDING TWO NEW POSITIONS. OH YEAH. OKAY. YOU'RE ADDING, THAT'S ADDING TO THE BUDGET. YOU'RE, I NEED TO KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY YOU'RE ADDING EXPENSE. WE'RE WE HAD A SECOND, RIGHT? YES. I SECOND. YOU'RE ADDING AN EXPENSE OF WELL, YES. SO NOW WE HAVE TO FIND THE REVENUE. ALRIGHT. THE EXPENSE IS 99 3 92 STEP BASE. THAT'S WHAT I'M TOLD BECAUSE IT'S A 60 40 SPLIT WITH THE GF AND THE SRF. SO THAT'S WHAT I'M TOLD THE NUMBER IS. GOT THAT FROM FINANCE. AND SO THAT'S, WE DON'T HAVE AN OFFSET SALARY BENEFITS YES. OVERTIME, WHATEVER. TOTAL PACKAGE SALARY BENEFITS. YEAH. YES. SALARY BENEFITS IS 99 3 92. THAT'S WHAT I'M TOLD. WHAT WOULD THE BE? NO, OVER TIME WOULD BE DON'T HAVE ONE. YOU JUST NIX IT. DON'T HAVE ONE. THE FINANCE. CONFIRM THIS PLEASE. BEFORE WE GO ANY FARTHER. SHE SAYS. SAYS YES. SHE'S NODDING HER HEAD. OKAY. UM, WE'RE GOOD. SO THAT MR. MOORE WOULD GO INTO ALL LINES FOR HER. THIS IS OPTION THREE. THAT WAS IN THE PACKET. YEAH. TAKE IT OUTTA VEHICLES. THEN WHERE YOU SAID THAT WOULD BE OUR RECOMMENDATION. AND THIS IS OPTION THREE. THAT WAS IN THE BACK IN, THAT YOU SENT OUT TO COUNSEL ACTUALLY. UM, TWO OR OPTION TWO. WHICH ONE? AND I, I WOULD SUPPORT THAT MOTION MS TAB. THAT'S OPTION TWO. THAT'S IN YOUR, UH, HANDOUT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO WE'RE OPEN FOR DIS WE HAD A SECOND. THE OFFSET COULD BE FROM THE VEHICLE. THAT WOULD BE OUR RECOMMENDATION. THAT WOULD BE YOUR RECOMMENDATION, RIGHT? 'CAUSE WE'VE GOT SOME OTHER THINGS WE COULD REDUCE AND DEFER. SO. ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? WE HAD ONE FROM COUNCILMAN GLOVER. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? NO. I'M FLU. YEAH. OKAY. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? COUNCILMAN CUNNINGHAM? YEAH, I MEAN, I GUESS [02:35:01] THE OTHER CONVERSATION NEEDS TO BE HAD IS WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS? SO OBVIOUSLY THIS IS FIRST READING, SO EVEN IF THIS GETS ON THE FLOOR, IT DOESN'T GET ON THE FLOOR. MY QUESTION WOULD BE, IS THIS, NEITHER OF THIS BUDGET IS THE ORIGINAL BUDGET THAT WAS PRESENTED TO US. AM I CORRECT ON THAT? SO, UH, MY QUESTION IS, WHY DID NOT THE ORIGINAL BUDGET COME TO US? WELL, THE ORIGINAL BUDGET DID, AND WE PROVIDED A RECOMMENDATION AND THOSE WERE ALL IN YOUR BACKUPS. WHAT POSITIONS WE RECOMMENDED AND WHAT WE DID NOT. AND THE REASON WE DID NOT IS AT THE TIME THERE WERE SEVERAL VACANCIES. SO, UM, NOW THERE THOSE VACANCIES HAVE BEEN BILLED. SO COUNCIL CHOOSE, YOU CAN FUND THESE POSITIONS. THEY'RE IN THE BUDGET. UM, IN TERMS OF THERE YOU GO TO YOUR WE HAD ADMINISTRATOR'S RECOMMENDATION. I'M YEAH. HACK THAT CAME OUT. YEAH. UM, WE TALKED ABOUT IT IN FINANCE ORIGINALLY FIRST. SO I GUESS MY CONVERSATION WOULD BE IS WE'RE WE ALREADY KNOW THE CONVERSATION THAT'S HAPPENING FOR THE PAST YEAR OF THE SITUATION WE'RE IN. WHEN ARE WE GONNA START HAVING THE CONVERSATION OF REMOVING THAT DEPARTMENT OUT OF COMPING CLASS AND LET AN ELECTED OFFICIAL RUN THEIR POSITION LIKE THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT DOES AND THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT DOES. LET MAY ADD, THERE IS A ORDINANCE THAT OUTLINES WHICH DEPARTMENTS ARE PART OF CLASSIC COUNCILS. SHOULD THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENTS, THEIR STATE EMPLOYEES SHOULD COUNCIL WISH TO TAKE THAT UP. THAT COULD BE TAKEN UP. STATE EMPLOYEES. WE FUND THIS SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. EX EXCUSE. OH, OKAY. THAT'S NOT IN THIS MOTION. IT'S STICK TO THE MOTION. YEAH, THAT WOULD BE IN ORDINANCE OF, YEAH, WHICH IS POSSIBLE. QUESTION CHAIR. I'VE ASKED FOR LAST. WHY CAN'T WE AND HEARING, WELL, SHE OPTED OUT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS. YOU DO, YOU MR. MOORE, YOU SAID IT'S AN ORDINANCE. WHY CAN'T WE CHANGE IT? THAT'S WHAT WE DO. THAT'S WHAT OUR JOB IS. AGAIN, THAT, THAT'S SOMETHING COUNSEL COULD TAKE UP. THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD DO. MS. BROWN. UH, COUNCILMAN BROWN. BUT AT THIS TIME WE HAVE A MOTION REGARDING THESE POSITIONS IN FUNDING. THAT'S FINE. SO LET'S, AND THEN WHEN, LETS TRY AND CAN WE PUT THIS FORWARD BEFORE COUNCIL AND CHANGE IT? WHEN CAN WE DO THAT AFTER NEXT YEAR? BE DONE BEFORE NEXT YEAR. IT'S WHENEVER MY RECOMMENDATION BEFORE THE NEXT BUDGET CYCLE. WE COULD DO IT IN THE NEXT FIVE OR FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS. IT COULD BE DONE NEXT BUDGET CYCLE. BEFORE THE NEXT BUDGET. UM, OKAY. SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND WE HAVE, WE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? MY ONLY LAST THING I WANT TO THINK ABOUT HERE IS IF WE GO FORWARD WITH THIS, ARE WE GONNA HURT OUR TREASURER IN WHAT SHE DOES? WE'RE ALLOCATING TO POSITIONS. MORE POSITIONS. TWO MORE. I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THAT. I I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR, PLEASE COME UP HERE AND HEAR. LET'S HEAR THAT. UM, THIS IS NOT COUNCILMAN RE THAT WE ARE, WE HAVE A QUESTION WE NEED TO VOTE ON. ARE YOU NOT READY TO VOTE ON IT? YOU KNOW, LISTEN, I, I'LL SAY I'LL, I'LL BID RIGHT DOWN. I WANNA KNOW WHY. WELL, WE'RE, WE HAVE A SHINING STAR IN OUR COUNTY THAT REALLY DOES A GOOD JOB. THE JOB. REPEAT THE MOTION AGAIN. THIS IS WHAT WE'RE CONSIDERING NOW. THE MOTION IS TO PROVIDE THE TREASURER WITH TWO FULL-TIME EQUIVALENTS NEEDED TO IMPLEMENT THE UPPER PACKAGE. THE COST WILL BE 99 3 92 FROM GENERAL FUND, STEP BASED. AND THE OTHER 40% IS FROM SRF. AND THE TREASURER EXPLAINED ALL THAT TO YOU IN A LETTER. YES. YOU GOT IT ALL. YES. IT'S ALL EXPLAINED. YES. I GOT ALL THAT. OKAY. SO AT THIS TIME, I DON'T THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR HER TO ANSWER OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT IT BECAUSE WE HAVE A QUESTION ON THE TABLE. IT'S A YES OR NO VOTE TO THE POSITIONS. PLEASE JUST FORGIVE ME FOR ONE SECOND WHEN I HEAR MY COLLEAGUES, MR. CUNNINGHAM AND MS. BROWN. AND THAT'S A CHANGE TO THE ORDINANCE, WHICH WE CAN DO LATER. LISTEN, I'M JUST TELLING YOU RIGHT NOW WHEN I HEAR THIS GOOD STUFF IN EXCHANGE, WELL THIS IS NOT, I WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT GONNA DO ANYTHING THAT I, I READ THE PACKAGE. I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE DOING. DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR HERE. THAT'S A, THAT'S A, THAT'S NONSENSE. OKAY. MY GOODNESS. NO, I DIDN'T SAY YOU DIDN'T READ IT. I DIDN'T. YOU MISUNDERSTOOD ME. NO, I'M, I'M SAYING WE HAVE A QUESTION WE NEED TO ANSWER NOW. AND A MOTION I LISTEN. TAKE HOW FOR YOU, I WOULD BE ASKING ME DOES YOUR ACTION, YOUR CONSIDERING CHANGE THE CONSEQUENCES I'VE LISTED IN MY LETTER? THANK, THAT'S WHAT I'D BE ASKING ME. ALRIGHT, WE NEED TO CALL A QUESTION. THANK YOU. WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL VOTE FROM NOW ON. WE'RE GONNA DO ROLL CALL VOTES. THANK YOU. . CAN I ASK A QUESTION BEFORE A ROLL CALL? UNLESS SOMEONE ELSE IS CALLING THE QUESTION. QUESTION WAS CALLED BY HER. YES, BUT NOT BY ANOTHER COUNCIL MEMBER HAS BEEN CALLED. OH, IT WAS CALLED BY JOE PATMAN. ALL RIGHT. THAT'S FINE. I GUESS WE WON'T HEAR FROM DEPARTMENTS WHEN IT IMPACTS THEIR BUDGET. LOGAN FIT. OH, VICE CHAIR VERNICK. UM, YES, I MADE THE MOTION. COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM? YES. [02:40:01] COUNCIL MEMBER REEDS? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER PATMAN? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER MCALLEN? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER LAWSON. MARK LAWSON. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER GLOVER? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER DAWSON? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER BROWN? YES. CHAIR HOWARD? YES. THE MOTION PASSES. OKAY. AND THE FUNDING WILL COME. THE VEHICLE AND EQUIPMENT. WE'LL PULL IT FROM VEHICLE AND EQUIPMENT. OKAY. ALRIGHT, MS. TABER, DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER MOTIONS? YEAH, WELL I HAVE ONE THAT POPPED UP. IT'S THE LOCAL, BUT I HAVE ONE BEFORE THAT I'M GONNA MAKE A MOTION TO INCREASE THE SOLICITOR ALLOTMENT. HE'S GETTING 1621 PER CAPITA. WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS ALL LAST YEAR. UM, I'D LIKE TO RAISE IT TO $17 PER CAPITA. JASPER COUNTY'S AT 1897. IT WOULD BE AN INCREASE OF, WHERE'S THE MONEY INCREASE? 61. 1 61 598. THANK YOU. THAT'S MY MOTION. INCREASE THE SOLICITOR 1 61. 598. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THAT AND A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN REITS DISCUSSION QUESTION, WHAT'S MONEY GONNA BE USED FOR? FOR HIS, UH, HIS ATTORNEYS AND SO ON? AND HE IS, WE ARE WAY LOW AND WE PROMISED WE'VE CONTINUED TO MOVE IT UP. SO I'M JUST ROUNDING IT FROM 1621 TO 17. WE'RE STILL NOWHERE WHERE WE NEED TO BE. AND REMEMBER FOR FIVE YEARS, THIS COUNCIL, WE WEREN'T ON IT VOTED NO INCREASE FOR THE SOLICITOR. SO WE'RE TRYING TO PLAY CATCH UP. A QUESTION FROM COUNCILMAN PASSMAN? YEP. GO AHEAD. SOURCE OF FUNDING FOR THE OTHER SIDE TO MAKE THE VEHICLES? I WOULD, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT AS WELL. THERE YOU GO. TO COME OUTTA THE VEHICLE. I'M NOT GONNA HAVE ANY VEHICLES BOUGHT PRETTY SOON. . OKAY. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I HAVE A QUESTION. UM, DID HE, HE DIDN'T PUT THIS IN HIS BUDGET SUBMITTAL TO US. WHEN HE DID, HE DID, BUT ADMINISTRATION DIDN'T FUND IT. WE DIDN'T GIVE HIM THE FULL AMOUNT FUNDING. WE GAVE AMOUNT INCREMENTAL. SO THIS WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL, I DON'T KNOW WHAT HE PUT. IT WAS MORE THAN THIS. IT WAS, HE PUT 4 MILLION SOMETHING. THIS WOULD NOT BE THE FULL REQUEST. WE'RE NOT GIVING NO, HE WANTED 4 MILLION SOMETHING. MM-HMM . NO. WE'LL TAKE HIM TO 3,000,004. I JUST WE'RE A MILLION SHORT. NO, I COULDN'T RECALL WHAT HIS ORIGINAL YEAH. REQUEST WAS. WE'RE NOT GIVING HIM WHAT HE ASKED FOR. OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL. VOTE PLEASE. VICE CHAIR TABER? YES, MA'AM. COUNCIL MEMBER REED, WHAT DID TAB SAY? YOU SAID YES? I SAID YES MA'AM. WOW. OKAY. THANK YOU. YES. OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER PASSMAN? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER MCALLEN? YES. . COUNCIL MEMBER LAWSON. MARK LAWSON? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER GLOVER? UH, NO. COUNCIL MEMBER DAWSON? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER BROWN? YES. CHAIR HOWARD? YES. THE MOTION PASSES. OKAY. I HAVE ONE MORE THAT CAME UP TODAY. IT'S THE LOCAL, I'M SORRY, BUT THE REST OF COUNCIL HASN'T BEEN MADE AWARE OF IT, BUT THAT'S OKAY. WELL, IT'S YOUR, IT'S YOUR MOTION . I'M GONNA MAKE A MOTION TO GIVE $18,000 TO THE TRI SHARE PROJECT. AND EVERYBODY GOT AN EMAIL FROM HARRY WILLIAMS. THEY'RE ASKING ALL OF THE SEVEN ENTITIES TO KICK IN 18,000. SO THAT'LL GIVE THEM LIKE A QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS. THEN THEY'LL GO TO PRIVATE THE C, C, F AND ET CETERA AND GET MATCHING FUNDS SO THAT WE CAN DO A PILOT PROGRAM. EXPLAIN WHAT IT IS AND WHERE WILL OH, TRIS. YEAH. TRI SHARE IS DAYCARE. ONE THIRD IS PAID BY THE STATE. ONE THIRD IS PAID BY THE EMPLOYER. I'M SORRY, ONE THIRD BY THE PARENT. ONE THIRD BY THE EMPLOYER. AND ONE THIRD WILL BE PAID BY THIS GRANT. AND WHERE WILL IT BE LOCATED? AND AND THE PILOT IS GOING TO BE IN HARDY. OKAY. SO YOU'VE MADE THE MOTION. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND THAT WE HAVE A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN PASSMAN. ANY DISCUSSION? A QUESTION? DID YOU SAY THAT THIS WAS REQUESTED, REQUESTED BY THE MAYOR? IT WAS REQUESTED AT THE LOCO. WE'VE DONE A WHOLE YEAR OF PRESENTATION ON THIS REQUESTED BY THE MAYOR. WELL, HE LEADS THE LOCO. YEAH. HE HAS EMAIL. YEAH. THE EMAIL YOU REFERRED TO ON THE TELEPHONE AS A REQUEST FROM HARRY WILLIAMS FOR THE YES. FOR THE, FOR THE, YEAH. HE'S THE CHAIR OF THE LOCO. CAN I, THIS HAS BEEN A STUDY DONE AND I'M JUST TRYING TO FIND OUT WHO SIGNED THE REQUEST. THAT'S ALL. SOUNDS LIKE HARRY DID. OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS REGARDING THAT ONE POINT TO YES, SIR. WOULD, DOES IT MAKE SENSE WE HAVE MR. WILLIAMS COME HERE, TALK ABOUT IT BEFORE WE VOTE ON IT? NO. NO. HE HAD TRIS SHARE HERE TO TALK TO US ALREADY. RIGHT. WE HAD THE GROUP LOOK AT THAT. WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO? AND WE DID A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THEIR OUT THEIR EFFORTS. OKAY, SIR. RECOMMENDED OFFSET WOULD BE THE VEHICLE EQUIPMENT [02:45:01] FUND. IT'D HAVE TO BE THE VEHICLE AND EQUIPMENT FUND. YEAH, THE SOURCE. . SEE, WE GOTTA BALANCE IT. QUESTION. YEAH, WE GOTTA BALANCE IT. QUESTION ALL. HOW DOES BEAUFORT COUNTY, UH, BENEFIT FROM THIS? THANK YOU. OKAY. ANSWER THAT. YEAH, IT'S, WELL, IT'S A PILOT PROGRAM AND IF IT WORKS WELL, WE'RE LOOKING FOR STATE FUNDING RATHER THAN COUNTY FUNDING. THEY WANNA DO A PILOT TO SHOW IT WORKS. IT'S FOR CHILDCARE TO, I COULD TELL YOU CHILDCARE IS OUTTA CONTROL HOW MUCH IT IS. AND THAT'S WHY THIS IS A, A, A SPLIT VERSION. PARENT PAYS ONE THIRD, EMPLOYER PAYS ONE THIRD. I QUESTION HOW THAT'S GONNA IMPACT, BUT WHATEVER. AND THEN ONE THIRD WOULD BE THE STATE. EVENTUALLY THEY WANNA DO A PILOT TO PROVE IT WORKS. WHAT COUNTIES AT, SORRY, IT'S SEVEN COUNTIES. SO, BUT IT'D BE, WE IT'S GONNA BE IN JASPER COUNTY. YEAH, IT'LL BE IN JASPER. BUT ALL THE MUNICIPALITIES, BEAUFORT COUNTY, JASPER COUNTY ARE PUTTING MONEY IN. ANY COMMENTS? UM, YES. COUNCILMAN CUNNINGHAM? UH, YEAH, I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE PROGRAM. SO IF WE'RE PUTTING MONEY INTO THIS PROGRAM AND IT'S BEING HOUSED OUT OF COUNTY, SO WE'RE SENDING OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO A DIFFERENT COUNTY, I DO HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THAT. TWO, IS THERE RESTRICTIONS THAT PEOPLE FROM OUR COUNTY ARE GUARANTEED SLOTS IN THIS PROGRAM? THEN I CANNOT SUPPORT IT IF THERE IS NOT A MANDATE THAT SAYS IT'S SPLIT UP EQUALLY AMONGST THE COUNTIES THAT ARE PUTTING MONEY IN. I DON'T SEE HOW YOU COULD DO THAT WITH OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS. THERE'S A CHANCE WE'RE GIVING THEM MONEY FOR OUR PROGRAM THAT NOT ONE OF OUR RESIDENTS GETS TO BENEFIT FROM. I, I'D LIKE TO AGREE WITH, UM, COUNCILMAN CUNNINGHAM AS MY COMMENT. I I'VE BEEN TO A LOT OF THESE PROGRAMS ABOUT IT. IT SOUNDS WONDERFUL, BUT IT'S NOT LIKE OUR, WHEN WE JOINTLY WORKED ON HOUSING AND WE JOINTLY WORKED ON STORM WATER, UH, IT BENEFITED EVERYBODY AND EVERY MUNICIPALITY IN EVERY COUNT, BOTH COUNTIES IN SO LOCO, WHEN WE PROVIDED JOINT FUNDING. SO I, I CANNOT SUPPORT THIS. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. CAN WE HAVE A ROLL CALL VOTE PLEASE, MA'AM. VICE CHAIR TABER? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER PASSMAN? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER REEDS? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER MCALLEN? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER LAWSON. MARK LAWSON? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER GLOVER. LET ME HOLD OFF A MINUTE. , YOU ABSTAINING. COUNCIL MEMBER DAWSON? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER BROWN? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER GLOVER? UM, YES. OH, OKAY. CHAIR HOWARD? NO. I WILL INFORM THE MAYOR. THANK YOU. MOTION FAILS. THANK YOU. OKAY. AND THAT'S MY LIST. THAT'S YOUR LIST. ALL RIGHT. NOW I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU THEN. SO THOSE ARE THE, TO THE MAIN MOTION? YES. THIS ROUND WE HAVE SECOND READING COMING BACK. WELL, I WOULD RECOMMEND NOT TO MAKE TWO MAJOR CHANGES. THAT SECOND. WELL, MR. BARTOLOM, YOU WILL WEIGH IN ON THE SECOND READING, SO IT WILL COME BACK. OKAY. NOW THAT WE'RE BACK TO THE ORIGINAL, CAN I ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THE BUDGET? UM, ONE OF THE AMENDMENTS WHERE IT SAYS YOU CAN MOVE MONEY FROM DEPARTMENT TO DEPARTMENT. CAN WE GO OVER THAT AND HOW THAT OPERATES? TALKING ABOUT IN THE ORDINANCE ITSELF, I MEAN IT FLEW THROUGH REAL QUICK, BUT I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT PAGE IT WAS ON TOWARDS THE END. BUT IT WAS TALKING ABOUT YOU HAVING THE AUTHORITY. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TRANSFER OF FUNDS. SECTION EIGHT FUNDS. CORRECT. TRANSFER OF FUNDS FROM ONE DEPARTMENT, FROM PERSONNEL TO ANOTHER DEPARTMENT FOR PERSONNEL. THAT'S SECTION EIGHT. YEAH, SECTION THREE. SO IT'S UM, IN SECTION THREE, UH, THE FIRST SENTENCE IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. EACH DEPARTMENT HAS PERMITTED TRANSFER APPROPRIATION BETWEEN THEIR OBJECT CODES WITHIN THAT DEPARTMENT. THEN FOR PERSONNEL CODES, IT WOULD REQUIRE THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR OR CFO OR THEIR DESIGNEE APPROVE, UH, TRANSFERS IN AND OUT OF PERSONNEL CODES. THAT'S MAINLY BECAUSE OF THE CLASS TO DO ALL THE PERSONNEL COSTS. I'M THE ONLY ONE LOST HERE. I I GUESS I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW YOU'RE GONNA TELL US. WE'RE GONNA APPROVE A BUDGET TODAY BASED ON ALL THESE DEPARTMENTS LINE BY LINE ITEM. JUST LIKE WE DO WITH SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT OR TREASURER'S OFFICE OR WHOEVER IT IS. AND WE HOLD THEM TO THEIR BUDGET. BUT WE'RE GONNA MOVE MONEY WITH IN AND OUT OF OUR BUDGET. I, I HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THAT. OH, CA COUNCILMAN PASSMAN, IF I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE ATTEMPTING TO DO OTHER LIFE. WHEN I WAS THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER EVER, MY DEPARTMENTS WANTED PERSONNEL WISE, I WOULD CONTROL THE PERSONNEL. THEY COULD NOT JUST ARBITRARILY MOVE MONEY IN PERSONNEL ACCOUNTS FROM ONE PERSONNEL ACCOUNT TO ANOTHER OR FROM A PERSONNEL ACCOUNT TO SUPPLY. TELL ME WHAT THEY NEEDED. [02:50:01] AND ONCE THAT WAS DONE, THAT BUDGET WAS LOCKED. IS THAT WHAT YOU ARE SAYING? YES. OKAY. THAT'S WHAT HE SAID. AND UM, WE CAN ALSO DO OTHER TRANSFERS. IT IT SPEAKS TO IN THE, IN THE LATER PARAGRAPHS UP TO, UH, 150,000 OTHER TRANSFERS FROM OUR GENERAL FUND CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND OR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND WITH NO JURISDICTION OR OVERSIGHT FROM THE COUNTY COUNCIL. I'M READING THAT CORRECTLY. YES YOU ARE. BUT THERE'S NO WAY WE CAN SUPPORT THAT. WELL, ONCE COUNTY COUNCIL ADOPTS A BUDGET, THAT BUDGET IS NOW IN THE HANDS OF THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR IMPLEMENT THAT BUDGET. SO IF THIS IS ACCURATE, HE OR HIS DESIGNEE HAS THE AUTHORITY TO SAY THAT IS AN APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF UP TO THAT AMOUNT. UP TO THAT AMOUNT CHAIR. BEYOND THAT. YEAH, YOU COULD ADD, YOU COULD MAKE IT COME TO THE COMMITTEE. YEAH. THERE ARE OTHER CHAIR. CAN I JUST ASK ONE QUESTION JUST TO GET MM-HMM . A LITTLE HELP OF UNDERSTANDING YEAH. IF WE'RE GONNA APPROVE THIS, THESE, WHAT ARE WE GIVING MS. WALL SO MUCH TROUBLE FOR WITH HER APPROVING HER THING AND WHAT SHE DOES? AGAIN, I JUST WANNA UNDERSTAND OUR MENTALITY HERE. WE'RE GONNA LET ARBITRARY NUMBERS GO BACK AND FORTH WITHOUT OUR JURISDICTION. WE GOT A SHINING STAR HERE THAT'S BEEN HERE 15, 16 YEARS. THE COMMENT, TAKING CARE OF THE PEOPLE AND WE WON'T LET HER DO WHAT SHE WANTS TO DO IN A PROPER WAY. THAT'S YOUR QUESTION. IS THAT YOUR QUESTION FOR THE ADMINISTRATOR? BELIEVE MR. MOORE, GET US OUTTA THIS. LET'S GO AGAIN. THIS IS LANGUAGE THAT WOULD ALLOW THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND THE COUNTY CFO TO ADMINISTER THE BUDGET. UM, UP TO $150,000 TRANSFER BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS. UM, MS. WALLACE CAN TRANSFER WITHIN HER DEPARTMENT. UM, THE ONLY DIFFERENCE WOULD BE IS THE PERSONNEL ACCOUNT THAT WOULD NEED TO COME TO US TO ADMINISTRATION. OKAY. ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ORDINANCE? YES SIR. COUNCILMAN CUNNINGHAM. YEAH, JUST TO REITERATE, SO ONE TOM HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD. SO WE'RE EITHER GONNA ALLOW IT OR NOT TO ALLOW. THAT'S ONE. TWO, EVERYONE CAN SAY, OH, IT'S JUST UP TO $150,000. BUT WE ARE ALLOWING SOMEBODY TO TAKE MONEY FROM OUR GENERAL FUND, CAPITAL PROJECT FUND AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS FUND AND MOVE IT THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. BUT YET WE STILL BRING THINGS TO THE COMMITTEE LEVEL FOR $17,000, 15,000 THAT WE DISCUSS IN COMMITTEE. YES. WE GIVE THEM IN COMMITTEE THE APPROVAL TO DO IT WITHOUT IT GOING TO COUNTY COUNCIL. BUT IT'S STILL BROUGHT TO US IN CASE WE HAVE AN ISSUE WITH IT. WE'RE RELINQUISHING THAT. RIGHT. THE MOMENT WE SIGN OFF ON THIS, THAT GOES OUT THE WINDOW. SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE DOING. WE LITERALLY PUT THAT ORDINANCE IN TWO YEARS AGO THAT SAYS, YES, THIS IS THE SPENDING LIMIT FOR THE, THE ADMINISTRATOR TO BE ABLE TO DO PROJECTS, BUT IT STILL HAS TO BE APPROVED AT COMMITTEE. WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION? 'CAUSE I, RIGHT NOW WE JUST HAVE DISCUSSION. I'LL, I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO REMOVE THAT ENTIRE SECTION OUTTA THERE. SECOND. SECOND OR, OKAY, YOU SECOND. ALRIGHT, WE ALREADY HAVE A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN LAWSON. THAT'S THE ENTIRE SECTION EIGHT. SO THEN ANY CHANGE WOULD BE COMING BACK TO YOU ALL FOR CHANGE. YOU'RE TRANSFERRING FROM, DO YOU WANT ME TO JUST MAKE IT THE BOTTOM SECTION? I MEAN IF YOU'RE TRANSFERRING IT IN YOUR DEPARTMENT, I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT IT AS MUCH. BUT WHEN YOU'RE TRANSFERRING FROM GENERAL FUND CAPITAL PROJECTS OR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, YOU'RE TAKING IT FROM A DIFFERENT ACCOUNT AND MOVING IT TO ANOTHER ACCOUNT OR ANOTHER DEPARTMENT. THAT'S WHERE I HAVE A PROBLEM. SO IF YOU WANNA TRANSFER WITHIN YOUR DEPARTMENTS, THEY HAVE THEIR BUDGET, THEY SEE THINGS SHIFT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THAT I'M OKAY WITH. SO IF YOU WANT ME TO NARROW IT DOWN SOME I WOULD SAY FROM SECTION THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR OR THE CFO IS PERMITTED WHEN IT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE INDIVIDUAL COUNTY DEPARTMENTS OR THANK YOU. PERFECT. THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING THAT. ALRIGHT, SO TO REMOVE THE HIGHLIGHTED SECTION ON THE SCREEN, ARE YOU ENDING YOUR MOTION? I'LL AMEND MY MOTION TO REMOVE THE HIGHLIGHTED PORTION ON THE SCREEN. ALRIGHT, WILL YOU WE HAVE SECOND I'LL SECOND. YEAH, I'LL AMEND MY SECOND. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION AS AMENDED. ALL IN FAVOR? DOES EVERYONE UNDERSTAND WHAT'S BEING TAKEN OUT OF SECTION EIGHT? AND YOU JUST FAVOR OF DOING THAT? ROLL CAUSE. ROLL. COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER LAWSON. MARK LAWSON? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER RES? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER PASSMAN. I'LL SAY YES. COUNCIL MEMBER MCALLEN? YEP. COUNCIL MEMBER? UH, YEAH. COUNCIL MEMBER. DAWSON? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER BROWN? YES. VICE CHAIR TAVERN? YES. CHAIR HOWARD? YES. THE MOTION PASSES. SO THAT'S THE AS AMENDED? YES, MA'AM. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS REGARDING THE ORDINANCE? [02:55:04] HUH? WE READY TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA? NOW YOU NEED TO VOTE ON THE, OH, WE NEED TO VOTE ON THE ORIGINAL, ORIGINAL ORDINANCE WITH THE AMENDMENTS AS AMENDED AS AMEN. OKAY. THANK YOU MR. MOORE. ALRIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE, OF THE ORDINANCE AS AMENDED THOUSAND TIMES. WHAT'S THAT? 5,000. 5,000 TIMES. UM, DO WE HAVE A, DO WE NEED A MOTION FOR THAT? NO, WE JUST, NO, NO, WE JUST, WE OKAY. WE A MOTION. I MADE THEM . YEAH. YOU MADE HAVE BEEN AN HOUR AGO. PROBABLY . ALRIGHT. UM, DO WE NEED A ROLL CALL? VOTE FOR THAT. I'M GONNA BE A NO. OKAY. WE HAVE ONE. NO. AND THE REST IN FAVOR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU AGAIN. ALL RIGHT. NOW WE'LL GO BACK TO OUR AGENDA. ALL RIGHT. BACK ON THE AGENDA. WE [12.d. 2026/30: An Ordinance Providing for a 2026 Transportation Sales Tax Referendum. ] ARE ON D THE NEXT PART OF OUR AGENDA, 2026 SLASH 30 IS AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR A 2026 TRANSPORTATION SALES TAX REFERENDUM. THE VOTE AT PUBLIC FACILITIES COMMITTEE ON MAY 18TH, UH, WAS FIVE TO TWO. I NEED A MOTION, MR. PASSMAN. MOTION. SECOND. I'LL SECOND. THANK YOU MR. DAWSON. WILL SECOND. UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH OF A DISCUSSION WE NEED. I MEAN, WE HAD THE TAC PRESENT. MR. , YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? OH, I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ON THIS. I'M SORRY. YES, THAT REMINDS ME, SARAH, JUST A COUPLE QUICK THINGS TO ADD IS, UM, AT COMMITTEE MEETING, SO JUST TO REMIND EVERYBODY WHAT THE MOTION WAS. THE MOTION, THERE WAS A, WASN'T A MOTION. IT WAS, WE RECOMMENDED MOVE FORWARD AS IS. THERE WAS A COUPLE DISCUSSION POINTS. ONE WAS, UM, DELETING THE REFERENCE TO MASS TRANSIT. UM, WE LOOKED AT THAT. THERE WAS SEVEN REFERENCES IN THERE. IT WAS BASICALLY LIFTED FROM STATE CODE. WE HAVEN'T TOUCHED THAT YET, UM, UNTIL TONIGHT. BUT WE DID GET FEEDBACK FROM OUR ATTORNEY, OUR BOND ATTORNEY, THAT HE DIDN'T SEE A REASON WHY WE NEED TO INCLUDE THAT SINCE THE PROGRAM DOESN'T HAVE THAT, OR GREEN BELTS INCLUDED. SO WE DID GET THAT PERMISSION, UM, OR FEEDBACK. AND THEN SECONDLY, THE OTHER DISCUSSION POINT, AGAIN, THIS DID NOT GET MOTION TO JUST THIS DISCUSSION POINT TO REITERATE, COMMITTEE WAS THE UNPREPARED FOODS VERSUS PREPARED FOODS OR UNPREPARED FOODS, TAXATION VERSUS NOT TAXATION AS DRAFTED. TODAY, THE, UM, PROGRAM PER ATTACK IS A EIGHT YEAR, $780 MILLION PROGRAM, WHICH INCLUDES THE TAXATION ON UNPREPARED FOODS. UM, ON THE SCREEN IS, UH, CALCULATIONS THAT IF WE CHOSE, IF COUNCIL CHOSE TO, UM, NOT TAKE ATTACKS ON THE UNPREPARED PORTIONS, THE BASICALLY EQUIVALENT IS ONE IS ONE EXTRA YEAR. SO IF YOU EXTENDED IT TO NINE YEARS, IT WOULD CREATE THE SAME $780 MILLION ROUGHLY. SO, UM, THOSE WERE THE DISCUSSION POINTS. AND THEN IT'S BASICALLY, IT CAME FORWARD AS IS FOR YOU GUYS TO DISCUSS AND DEBATE AND ACT AS SUCH. SO THAT'S IT. YEAH. YOU'RE READY? MM-HMM . UM, AT SO LOCO TODAY, EVERY MAYOR WOULD LIKE US TO NOT TAX UNPREPARED FOOD. THEY FEEL IT'S A DOUBLE TAX ON OUR RESIDENTS WHO WILL BEAR A BURDEN ON THIS. SO THEY'RE HOPING THAT WE GO WITH THE UNPREPARED. THEY DIDN'T LOVE THAT IT WAS GOING TO NINE YEARS, BUT THAT'S THE TRADE OFF. UM, THEY ALSO, SOMEBODY SAID, CONSIDER A SHORTER TERM AND EVERYBODY SAID THAT WOULD JUST BE A BANDAID, A SHORTENED TERM OF FOUR YEARS WOULD NOT GET WHAT DONE, WHAT WE NEED DONE. UM, AND SO BASICALLY THEY WERE BEHIND IT. UM, AND THEY JUST WANT US TO REMOVE THE UNPREPARED FOOD. MM-HMM . I, I, I THOUGHT UNPREPARED FOOD WAS, UM, EXEMPT FROM THIS TAX. IT WAS PREVIOUSLY. AND THEN THERE WAS A MODIFICATION TO THE STATUTE IN 2024. AND INSIDE OF THAT, IT ADDED THE TAXATION. SO RIGHT NOW IT IS TAXED, BUT THERE'S A PROVISION THAT ALLOWS COUNSEL TO DECIDE WHETHER THEY WANT TO KEEP IT AS PART OF THE TAX OR REMOVE IT OUT OF THE TAX. AND THAT'S THE DISCUSSION. SO I'D LIKE TO MAKE A, A MOTION THEN. YEAH. OKAY. AND, UM, IT WOULD BE TO, UH, FOR US NOT TO TAX, UM, UNPREPARED FOOD AND THEN ALSO, UM, MAKE IT A NINE YEAR INSTEAD OF EIGHT YEAR, UM, PROGRAM, UM, TO COLLECT THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY. I'LL SECOND, I'LL SECOND THAT DISCUSSION. OKAY. I THINK LOGAN SECONDED. GOOD. YEAH, YOU GREAT. SORRY, [03:00:01] I'M BACK IN CHARGE. . SO IT'S MOVED BY MR. LAWSON, SECONDED BY MR. CUNNINGHAM COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL? ABSOLUTELY. I FULLY AGREE. PEOPLE I'VE TALKED TO THAT'S THAT UNPREPARED FOOD IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT, THAT NOT BE TAXED. YEAH. UM, YEAH, I THINK, UH, THIS CAME OUT AT OUR AGENDA REVIEW IS WHERE THIS CONVERSATION STARTED. UH, WE WERE JUST CASUALLY TALKING ABOUT IT AND IT CAME UP THAT UNPREPARED FOODS IS IN THERE. THIS WAS NOT GIVEN IN THE PRESENTATION ORIGINALLY, WHICH IS A PROBLEM FOR ME. UM, THE WHOLE SALES POINT THAT ANY OF US ON COUNTY COUNCIL CAN HAVE ON THIS OUTSIDE OF YOU DRIVING ON THE ROADS AND KNOWING THAT THEY'RE CRAP, UM, IS THE FACT THAT WE KNOW IF WE DO UNPREPARED FOOD OR IF WE EXEMPT UNPREPARED FOODS, THAT TOURISTS ARE PAYING AROUND 45% ON AVERAGE CERTAIN PARTS OF THE YEAR UP TO 50%. THE MOMENT YOU PUT UNPREPARED FOODS ON THERE, THAT DROPS. IT'S ABOUT A $12 MILLION INCREASE THAT DROPS US TO ABOUT 33 TO 37% BY THE NUMBERS WE'RE RUNNING. THAT'S A HUGE DIFFERENCE THAT OUR TAXPAYERS HAVE TO PICK UP. SO I DON'T KNOW IF I'M STILL SOLD ON NINE YEARS, BUT I KNOW FOR A FACT I AM SOLD ON UNPREPARED FOODS CANNOT BE INVOLVED IN THIS. WE, WE LOSE ALL CREDIBILITY WHEN WE'RE PUTTING MORE WEIGHT ON THE TAXPAYERS. WE SHOULD BE LETTING OUR TOURISTS FUND AS MUCH OF THIS AS POSSIBLE. THAT HAS TO BE THE GOAL. IF WE DON'T PUSH THAT, THEN THIS THING IS DEAD IN WATER CHAIR. HE HAS A QUESTION THERE. OH, I'M SORRY. GO AHEAD, MR. PAMAN. YES. UH, I'M BACK TO YOU. SO I CERTAINLY, UH, ENDORSED GOING NOT HAVING PREPARED, UH, UNPREPARED FOOD TAX. THIS CAME UP, THE COMMITTEE WASN'T AWARE OF THIS TILL THE LEGALESE WAS STARTING TO BE PUT INTO THE REFERENDUM THAT WE, OR THE ORDINANCE THAT WE HAVE TO VOTE ON. THE OTHER THING THAT WE HAVE TO CONSIDER IS QUESTION TWO ABOUT BONDING. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DISCUSS. WE COULD BOND UP TO THE $780 MILLION. IT IS A, UH, A DIFFICULT QUESTION FOR THE TAXPAYERS TO UNDERSTAND BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE WILL BE THINKING, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU $780 MILLION TO FIX ALL THE ROADS AND I'M GONNA GIVE YOU SOME HUNDRED $80 MILLION IN BONDING. THAT IS NOT THE CASE. IT'S GOING TO ALLOW US THE ABILITY TO GO OUT AND BOND FOR CERTAIN PROJECTS. WE DO NOT NEED ALL SUM $780 MILLION. WE WILL HAVE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION AS WHAT IS THAT NUMBER THAT WE TRULY NEED FOR SOME PROJECTS, PRIMARILY IT'S THE WIDENING OF ONE 70 AND 2 78 AND SOME OF THOSE WIDENING ROADS. THOSE ARE GOING TO TAKE SEVERAL YEARS TO DESIGN AND BUILD. AND THAT'S WHAT YOU WOULD USE THE BONDING CAPACITY FOR. SO WHILE WE DON'T HAVE THAT PER SE IN THE FIRST READING, BY THE NEXT READING, THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE UP. IN OTHER WORDS, A SPECIFIC AMOUNT FOR BONDING. CORRECT. AND CAN YOU CHANGE THE WORDING TO SAY IT? I KNOW YOU KINDA MESS WITH IT A LOT, BUT TO MAKE IT CLEAR FOR THE RESIDENTS THAT THIS IS NOT, IN ADDITION TO IT, IS BONDING PART OF THE MONEY TO BE RAISED? NO, THE THE, THE STATUTE ITSELF SHOWS THE QUESTION. I KNEW GONNA SAY THAT. SO IT'S VERY SPECIFIC ON THE NUMBER ONE QUESTION AND THE NUMBER TWO QUESTION THAT'S PART OF THE EDUCATION EFFORT. I HAVE A QUESTION. WE HAVE A CALCULATION OR A POSSIBILITY ON WHAT THE ANNUAL REVENUE WILL BE IF WE GO AT THE SEVEN 80 AS OPPOSED, THAT WAS JUST ON THE SCREEN. THAT WAS WHAT WAS JUST ON THE SCREEN. NO, I KNOW THAT, BUT I MEAN IT, THIS DOESN'T SEEM TO ME TO BE, UM, I THOUGHT WE WERE COLLECTING SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 110 AND 120 MILLION A YEAR. IS THAT JUST NOT POSSIBLE? I SEE WHAT THIS CALCULATION IS. I'M, I'M, I'M INQUIRING WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THE PAST WHEN WE HAVE THESE 1 CENT SALES TAXES. IS THAT THE AMOUNT WE GET? SO YOU CAN SEE THEY STARTED BASED OFF OF GREEN SPACE. WHAT OUR LAST COLLECTION YEAR, UM, IN 23 IS THAT 65 MILLION. AND SO, UM, WHEN YOU, IT GROWS AS, AS THE ECONOMY GROWS. UM, AND SO IT HAS SOME NATURAL GROWTH IN THERE. BUT THE, THE DI THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE WAS THE UNPREPARED PORTION. UH, AND THAT WAS MAKING US A, A BIG DIFFERENCE ON HOW MUCH WAS BEING ADDED OR NOT ADDED. BASICALLY, THEY, IN THIS, WHAT YOU SEE ON [03:05:01] THE SCREEN HERE IS THE SAME AS GREEN SPACE WITHOUT THE UNPREPARED FOOD ADJUSTMENT CHAIR. THIS IS COMING. YEAH. DOES THAT INDICATE THAT GREEN SPACE WAS COLLECTING TAX IN ALL THOSE FISCAL YEARS? IT, IT WASN'T. THEY, SO THIS, WE LIFTED THESE NUMBERS FROM THE REPORT THAT DOR GAVE US, AND THEY USED THIS AS THE STARTING POINT TO CALCULATE AND FORECAST WHAT FUTURE COLLECTION YEARS WOULD BE. SO THEY TOOK THE LATEST TAX THAT WE HAD MOVED IT FORWARD THREE OR FOUR YEARS TO GET TO A BASE. AND THEN PROJECTED WE WERE ONLY COLLECTING TAX FOR ONE YEAR. WE COLLECTED IT FOR TWO, TWO YEARS. TWO YEARS. 17 MONTHS, 18 MONTHS. YEAH. YEAH. AND IT WAS LIKE $120 MILLION. YEAH. THEY ASK PROJECTION. I'M, I'M A LITTLE RELUCTANT ABOUT THE NINE YEAR ISSUE AS WELL. UH, IF THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO GET THERE, THEN I SUPPOSE WE REALLY DON'T HAVE MUCH OF A CHOICE. BUT I'M WORRIED THAT THAT NINE YEAR MAY CAUSE SOME BIG NOS TO SHOW UP. SO I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT IT. ALRIGHT, MR. CUNNINGHAM? YEAH, I THINK THERE'S TWO APPROACHES WE HAVE TO TAKE. UM, THE BIGGEST ISSUE AT ALL OF US LEARNED ON COUNTY COUNCIL WE GOT ON HERE IS THAT IT TAKES TIME TO GET THINGS SHOVEL READY. THE LAST REFERENDUM, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH. ALL THE EXCUSES. WE KNOW ALL THAT. BUT THEN YOU REALIZE FOR ONE SIDEWALK IT TOOK 135 EASEMENTS TO FINISH A SIDEWALK. SO THAT TAKES YEARS TO GET DONE AND CONDEMNATION ON FOUR PIECES OF PROPERTY FOR $27,000. BUT MY POINT BEHIND SAYING THAT IS JOE HITS THE NAIL ON THE HEAD AND SO DOES LARRY. ONE OF THE TWO HAS TO GIVE, WE HAVE TO BOND PART OF THIS UPFRONT BECAUSE WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO GET THINGS GOING AND SHOVEL READY RIGHT AWAY TO SHOW THAT THE GREEN SPACE MONEY IS BEING GREEN. SORRY, TRANSPORTATION MONEY IS BEING SPENT IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE WE RAN INTO THE PROBLEM BEFORE, JUST COLLECTING, COLLECTING NOT ENOUGH FOR OUR PROJECT YET, NOT ENOUGH FOR OUR PROJECT. SO WE NEVER STARTED, THEN IT ENDED, NOW WE'RE STARTING AND NOW YOU GET INTO ALL THE OTHER MESS. SO WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO COME UP WITH A MECHANISM TO TRY TO BOND SOME OF THIS OUT. I WOULD PROPOSE AT LEAST HALF, I THINK ACCORDING TO THE CALCULATIONS, I LOOK, THAT GETS YOU 2 78 AND THAT GETS YOU ONE 70. I WANNA SAY IT WAS LIKE 370 MILLION WAS THOSE TWO ROUGHLY. IT'S, YEAH. LOOKED AT THIS YESTERDAY. BUT, SO THAT WOULD GET US TO THAT PORTION TO BE ABLE TO GET BOTH OF THOSE MOVING. SO MOST OF THIS POPULATION WILL SEE IMPROVEMENTS IN THEIR DAY-TO-DAY LIVES. 2 78 AND ONE 70. SO I DO HOPE NEXT MEETING WE HAVE, IF WE CAN COME UP WITH A NUMBER, WHATEVER YOU READY TO BOND SOMETHING, I'M READY TO SUPPORT YOU TO DO THAT. I AM RELUCTANT ON THE NINE YEARS AS WELL THOUGH. UM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME YOU NEED TO DO IT. CORRECT. WE HAVE ONE QUESTION, BUT I WANNA SEE PRODUCTS FINISH BEFORE THIS ENDS, BECAUSE IF THIS ENDS BEFORE WE FINISH SOMETHING, THEN YOU HAVE AN EIGHT YEAR GAP. SO DID LOGAN'S QUEST TO LOGAN'S POINT, UM, LET'S SAY YOU BOND HALF, HOW LONG IS IT GONNA TAKE? ONE 70 TO GET A SHOVEL IN THE GROUND? I DON'T THINK IT'S GONNA BE THAT QUICK. I THINK YOUR DIRT ROADS AND YOUR REPAVING ARE THE FIRST THING YOU'RE I DON'T LIKE IT. BUT THOSE ARE GONNA SHOW THAT WE'RE DOING STUFF WITH THE MONEY. YES SIR. AM I RIGHT? YEAH. AND I DON'T SEE ANY SCENARIO WHERE WE EVER NEED TO BOND THE ENTIRETY. UM, PROBABLY NOT EVEN HALF OF IT. UM, THE, THE ONE 70 AND THE 2 78 WIDENING, THE ONLY TIME WE WOULD BOND THOSE, IF WE GET TO THAT PROJECT, AND WE HAVEN'T, WE'VE, WE DON'T HAVE THAT EXPENDED OTHER MONIES. WE WOULD BOND IT IN YEAR THREE OR YEAR FOUR. SO IT, IT'S GONNA TAKE THREE OR FOUR YEARS TO GET THOSE PROJECTS DEVELOPED. BUT IN THE MEANTIME, YOU'VE COLLECTED 65, $70 MILLION A YEAR. SO YOU'VE GOT, UM, $250 MILLION ALREADY COLLECTED. THE PART THAT'S NEEDS BONDING IF YOU CHOOSE THE BOND, IS TO GET THE RESURFACING, THE DIRT ROAD PAVING AND SOME OF THE SMALL INTERSECTIONS OUT. UM, AND REALLY YOU JUST NEED THE FIRST YEAR OR SECOND YEAR. THE OTHER PART THAT YOU MAY BOND IS IF, IF THE MUNICIPALITIES CHOOSE, IF THE COUNCIL AGREES AND MUNICIPALITIES CHOOSE TO, TO DO A PROJECT AND YOU PROVIDE THE FUNDING UPFRONT TO THOSE PROJECTS, THOSE TYPES OF PROJECTS WOULD LIKE IF THEY CHOOSE TO DO THEIR OWN PROJECTS. THE CHAIR ONE? YES. GO AHEAD MR. PASSMAN. I'M SORRY. THE KEY IS THIS, THE QUESTION IS $780 MILLION OR NINE YEARS, WHICHEVER COMES FIRST, WHICH MEANS WE MAY WELL GET TO $780 MILLION BEFORE THE NINTH YEAR. RIGHT? WE'VE DONE THAT IN THE PAST. WE DID THAT IN 2018. IMPORTANT LANGUAGE, RIGHT? YES. AND THAT'S GONNA BE CRYSTAL CLEAR. IT'S GOING TO BE ABOUT EDUCATING EVERYONE. YOU KNOW, I I GAVE YOU EACH A SHEET WHERE WE TOOK ALL OF THE PROJECTS AND I PUT OUT BY DISTRICT, BY NORTH OF THE BROAD, BY SOUTH OF THE BROAD AND COUNTYWIDE HOW MUCH [03:10:01] MONEY IS BEING SPENT. IT'S SIGNIFICANT DOLLARS FOR EVERYONE. AND THAT WILL BE CLEARLY SHOWN TO EVERYONE. ALRIGHT, MR. REEDS, JUST, I'M VERY QUICK BECAUSE A LOT OF MY THOUGHTS ARE ANSWERED THIS BONDING. I THINK AT OUR NEXT READING SHOW AN EXAMPLE OF X AMOUNT. WE'LL TAKE CARE OF THIS. WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT. UM, I ALSO THINK WHAT HAS BEEN DONE TONIGHT TO MISS ABEL'S POINT, I GOTTA TELL YOU, IT, WE GOTTA PINPOINT TARGET WHERE SHE'S GOING BECAUSE WE WANT THEIR BUY-IN, THE PEOPLE'S BUY-IN. UM, THIS COMMITTEE THAT WE PUT TOGETHER, THE 15 PEOPLE, I THINK THEY DID A GREAT JOB. EVERYBODY HERE KNOWS THESE ROADS ARE HORRIBLE AND WE'RE CATCHING UP TO PREVIOUS MISTAKES, WHETHER IT'S IMPACT FEES OR GETTING OUR EYE OFF THE PRIZE. BUT LET'S NOT LOSE SIGHT OF MISS BEL HERE IN WHAT SHE SAID, BECAUSE WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET THIS DONE AND GET IT ACROSS. BUT WE'VE GOT TO LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE. SO WE, JOE PUT TOGETHER ON THE PROJECTS, I THINK IT'S GREAT. BUT, UM, MSIS KEEP US IN LINE ON OUR NEXT READING THAT WE ARE FOCUSED ON THAT I MISS THIS. LISTEN, I KNOW THAT AND I APPRECIATE IT. LISTEN, DISCUSS MR. LAWSON. YOU'RE NEXT. LISTEN AGAIN, WE, WE APPRECIATE, UH, PEOPLE LIKE MS. ABELL TO COME FORWARD AND WE DO LISTEN. UM, BUT LET ME, LET ME JUST POINT OUT HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS. UM, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO US PASSING THIS AND US MOVING FORWARD, EVERYONE KNOWS WE HAVE A TRANSPORTATION ISSUE. UM, THE $780 MILLION THAT THEY, UM, HAVE, HAVE BROUGHT TO US, THEY ACTUALLY HAD A LIST THAT WAS A WHOLE BUNCH BIGGER AND A WHOLE BUNCH MORE. AND IF YOU STOP AND THINK ABOUT, WE JUST PASSED OUR, OUR, OUR FISCAL BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR, IT'S $200 MILLION. EVEN IF WE TOOK EVERY SINGLE DOLLAR THAT CAME TO THIS COUNTY, EVERYTHING, AND SHUT EVERYTHING DOWN, IT WOULD TAKE US THREE AND A HALF YEARS OR, OR ALMOST FOUR YEARS JUST TO PAY FOR THESE FEW PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE RIGHT HERE. UM, SO, SO, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, IN OUR BUDGET OF THAT $200 MILLION, I MEAN, YOU'VE GOT, UM, YOU KNOW, ALMOST TO $70 MILLION. IT'S JUST FOR F FIRE AND, AND POLICE AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO AGAIN, WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT WHERE'S THIS MONEY GONNA COME FROM, WE ALL KNOW THAT IT, IT'S NEEDED. ANYONE THAT DRIVES THESE ROADS KNOWS THAT IT'S NEEDED. UM, YES, WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF, OF, OF, UM, MAKING SURE PROJECTS GET DONE AND GET COMPLETED. AND AS I'VE SAID TO PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, WITH REGARDS TO THIS, UM, IF, IF YOU DON'T THINK THAT, UM, UH, OUR ROADS HAVE A PROBLEM, WE DON'T NEED TO THINK ABOUT THE FUTURE, WE DON'T NEED TO MAKE ANY CHANGES, THEN VOTE NO FOR THIS. IF YOU ACTUALLY KNOW THAT, THAT WE ARE, WE NEED TO WORK ON THESE PROJECTS AND WE NEED THE FUNDING TO DO IT, UM, WITHOUT HAVING TO CUT EVERYTHING ELSE IN, IN OUR COUNTY BUDGET, THEN YOU NEED TO VOTE YES FOR THIS. SO AGAIN, I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT THE ORDINANCE AS A WHOLE AND WHAT WE'VE DONE AND WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN AND WHAT NEEDS TO MOVE FORWARD. ALRIGHT? RIGHT. WHO HASN'T SPOKEN THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? CALL THE QUESTION. ALL RIGHT. I'LL CALL THE QUESTION. ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS ORDINANCE FOR THE, UH, REFERENDUM. PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. YES. YES. OKAY. IT'S UNANIMOUS. THANK YOU FOR CLARIFICATION. WAS THAT AMENDED TO THE NINE YEARS? SEVEN 80? YES. OH, WITH THE AMENDMENT TO TAKE OUT THE AS AMENDED. YES. SORRY. WHICHEVER COMES FIRST. AND THAT'S WHAT WE DO WITH GREEN SPACE. BUT THEY DIDN'T CUT OFF THE SPIGOT. REMEMBER THE STATES. SO NOW YOU NEED A MOTION ON THE AMENDMENT. I DON'T, I ONLY HAVE ONE MOTION. NOW YOU NEED A MOTION AS AMENDED. OKAY. SO, UM, WE'RE, IT'S ALREADY SO WE NEED A MOTION? UH, NO, WE NEED A VOTE ON THE MOTION AS AMENDED. ALL ALL IN FAVOR? WELL, WE AMENDED TO TAKE OUT UNPREPARED FOODS AND TO GO TO NINE YEARS, RIGHT? THAT WAS ALREADY, THAT WAS THE AMENDMENT. THAT WAS THE AMENDMENT. NOW WE'RE ON THE MOTION AS AMENDED. DONE. ALL IN FAVOR. OKAY. THANK YOU MR. FLI. APPRECIATE IT. AND SHE SHOWED YOUR POWERPOINT AGAIN TODAY AT THE LOCO? YES. ALL RIGHT. [12.e. 2026/31: An Ordinance to amend Beaufort County's Parks and Recreation Ordinance (Ordinance NO. 2018/41 Sec. 90-33) to change the Parks and Recreations Board's authority to set fees and rates.] 20 26 31 IS AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND BUFORT COUNTY'S PARKS AND REC ORDINANCE, WHICH IS NUMBER 2018 SLASH 41, SECTION 90 DASH 33 TO CHANGE THE PARKS AND RECREATIONS BOARD'S AUTHORITY TO SET FEES AND RATES. THE VOTER COMMUNITY SERVICES ON MAY 4TH WITH SEVEN ZERO. I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION. THANK YOU MR. LAWSON. I'LL SECOND AND SECOND BY MS. HOWARD. MS. ANTONACCI, YOU WANNA COME EXPLAIN THIS A LITTLE BIT TO THE PUBLIC? MS. ANTONACCI IS OUR A CA. ALL RIGHT. IT'S ALL YOURS. GOOD EVENING. THIS ORDINANCE AMENDMENT WILL REFLECT THE CURRENT PRACTICE. UM, CURRENTLY THE ORDINANCE STATES THAT THE BOARD SETS THE FEES AND OUR PRACTICE CURRENTLY IS STAFF RECOMMENDS TO THE BOARD THE FEE SCHEDULE, AND THEN THAT IS BROUGHT BEFORE COUNCIL AND COUNCIL APPROVES [03:15:01] THE FEE SCHEDULE. EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH THIS? YEP. ANYBODY HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT FOR MRS. ANTONACCI? WHAT CHANGES? JUST LEMME JUST BRIEFLY WHAT CHANGES? SO THE BOARD DOES NOT SET THE FEE SCHEDULE, RIGHT? STAFF RECOMMENDS A FEE SCHEDULE TO THE BOARD, AND THEN COUNCIL APPROVES APPROVES THE FEES, THE FEE SCHEDULE, BUT THE CURRENT ORDINANCE READS THAT THE BOARD SETS THE FEE SCHEDULE. IN OTHER WORDS, WE'RE TAKING THAT AWAY FROM THE BOARD. THEY'LL RECOMMEND A COUNCIL TO APPROVE THE FEES. GOT IT. OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS MOTION. RAISE YOUR HAND. OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL [12.f. 2026/32: An Ordinance Amending the Community Development Code (CDC): Table 3.1.60 (Consolidated Use Table), Table 3.2.40. H (T2R Allowed Uses), and Division 4.1 (Specific to Use). ] RIGHT. I'M GONNA GO TO 2026 SLASH 32 IS AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THEIR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CODE. TABLE 3.60 CONSOLIDATED USE TABLE TABLE 3.2 0.4 HT TWO R, ALLOWED USES AND DIVISION 4.1 SPECIFIC TO USE THE VOTED NATURAL RESOURCE ON MAY 4TH WAS SIX ZERO A MOTION, PLEASE. I MAKE THE MOTION. I MAKE THE MOTION. MRS. HOWARD MAKES A MOTION. AND SECOND BY MR. PASS. MR. PASS. OF COURSE. I DON'T EVEN HAVE TO ASK ANYMORE. OKAY. MR. MERCHANT, WOULD YOU LIKE TO FILL US IN HERE? YES. UH, THIS PROPOSED ZONING AMENDMENT IS FAIRLY STRAIGHTFORWARD. UH, CURRENTLY MUCH OF THE, THE RURAL AREAS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY ARE ZONE T TWO RURAL. AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT APPROACHED US BECAUSE THEY ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL SITES FOR, FOR FUTURE SCHOOLS IN THE T TWO RURAL DISTRICT. SCHOOLS ARE NOT PERMITTED. AND WHAT THIS AMENDMENT WOULD DO IS TO AMEND THE TEXT OF THE ORDINANCE TO HAVE SCHOOLS AS A SPECIAL USE. AND WITHIN OUR USE TABLE, YOU KNOW, A USE COULD BE EITHER PERMITTED, IT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S A LINE TO IT, IT MEANS IT'S NOT PERMITTED. THEN WE HAVE CONDITIONAL USE, WHICH HAS ADDITIONAL STANDARDS IN THE ORDINANCE THAT APPLY. SPECIAL USE IS SOMETHING THAT MAY NOT BE APPROPRIATE FOR ALL SITES IN THE DISTRICT. UM, AND IT REQUIRES IT TO GO BEFORE THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS. UH, AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF CRITERIA. IN ADDITION, WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING IN, IN WHAT IS IN THE, UH, AMENDED TEXT HERE IS THAT FOR THEM TO LOCATE A SCHOOL IN RURAL, IT NEEDS TO BE WITHIN 500 FEET OF AN EXISTING SEWER LINE. AND THERE'S ALSO ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR A TIA THAT, THAT LOOK INTO THE IMPACTS OF, UM, STACKING FOR PICKUP AND DROP OFF OF STUDENTS. BUT, UM, THAT'S ABOUT IT. AND THE, THERE'S REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IF YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, QUESTIONS FOR THEM. YES. MR. INGS SAT HERE ALL THIS TIME. DO WE HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT? NO. EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON? YES. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? NO. AND STATE THIS YOU GO MS. HOWARD. OKAY. SHE'S GONNA READ THE REASONS I APPRECIATE YOUR DEDICATION, SIR. I MOVE THAT WE GRANT THE REQUEST FOR THE TEXT AMENDMENT FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS. IT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND POLICIES OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. IT IS NOT IN CONFLICT WITH ANY PROVISION OF THIS DEVELOPMENT CODE OR THE CODE OF ORDINANCES. IT IS REQUIRED BY CHANGE CONDITIONS. IT DOES ADDRESS A DEMONSTRATED COMMUNITY NEED. IT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE PURPOSE AND INTENT OF THE ZONES IN THIS DEVELOPMENT CODE, OR WOULD IMPROVE COMPATIBILITY AMONG USES AND ENSURE EFFICIENT DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE COUNTY. IT WOULD RESULT IN A LOGICAL AND ORDERLY DEVELOPMENT PATTERN, AND IT WOULD NOT RESULT IN ADVERSE IMPACTS ON THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO WATER, AIR, NOISE, STORM WATER MANAGEMENT, WILDLIFE, VEGETATION, WETLANDS, AND THE NATURAL FUNCTIONING OF THE ENVIRONMENT. ALRIGHT, ANYBODY HAVE QUESTION OR COMMENT? ALL RIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS ORDINANCE. PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. I NEED A SECOND. OH, WE ALREADY HAVE A SECOND. YEAH, PUT THIS IS ON THIS MODE. I'LL TAKE MY SECOND BACK. , WE NEED A SECOND ON THE CRITERIA. ON THE CRITERIA. SECOND ON THE CRITERIA. OKAY. I'LL SECOND THAT. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. THANK YOU MR. GLOVER. ALRIGHT, ALL IN FAVOR? LET'S MOVE IT ON. OKAY. YOU MIGHT AS WELL STAND THERE, ROB, I GUESS. [12.g. 2026/33: An Ordinance Amending the Community Development Code (CDC): Division 5.10 (Historic Preservation), Section 7.2.120 (Certificate Of Appropriateness), Section 7.3.80 (Historic Designation), Section 7.4.50 (Public Hearing Scheduling and Notice), and Section 7.5.40 (Historic Preservation Review Board (Hprb)). ] UM, 2026 SLASH 33 IN ORDINANCE AMENDING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CODE DIVISION FIVE 10, HISTORIC PRESERVATION SECTION 7.2 0.120, CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS SECTION 7.3 POINT 80, HISTORIC DESIGNATION, SECTION SEVEN POINT PUBLIC HEARING, SCHEDULING AND NOTICE. AND SECTION 7.4, HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEW BOARD HPRB AT NATURAL RESOURCE AT PAST [03:20:01] SIX ZERO MOTION. SO MOVING. THANK YOU MR. GLOVER. SECOND. HE BEAT YOU TO THE MOTION, BUT, ALL RIGHT. MR. PASSMAN GOT THE SECOND. ALRIGHT, MR. MERCHANT, IT'S ON YOU. OKAY. I'LL TA I'LL TRY TO BE BRIEF, BUT THERE, THERE'S A FEW MU MOVING PARTS WITH THIS ONE, AS YOU'RE AWARE. THIS IS OUR SECOND TIME THROUGH. UH, WE ORIGINALLY HAD RECOMMENDED, UH, AMENDMENTS TO THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION ORDINANCE. WENT TO OUR PLANNING COMMISSION IN JUNE, 2025, THEN ON THE NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE IN SEPTEMBER. AND THEN GOT UP TO SECOND READING OF COUNCIL. AND AT THAT TIME, SOME CONCERNS AND QUESTIONS WERE BROUGHT UP BY SOME MEMBERS. UH, AND STAFF RECOMMENDED THAT, THAT WE REMAND IT BACK TO STAFF TO LOOK AT THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS TO RUN 'EM BY OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT, BY THE STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE AND COME BACK THROUGH THE PLANNING COMMISSION BACK TO COUNCIL. AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE. UH, AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE WENT TO THE, WE ALSO RAN IT BY THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEW BOARD, WHICH IS A COUNCIL APPOINTED BOARD, YOU KNOW, THAT LOOKS AT HISTORIC PROPERTIES. THEN IT WENT TO PLANNING COMMISSION, GOT UNANIMOUS SUPPORT, THEN WENT TO NATURAL RESOURCES AT THE, AT THE, UH, MAY MEETING. SO, JUST A REAL QUICK, I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF REITERATE THAT BEAUFORT COUNTY HAS HAD HISTORIC PRESERVATION ORDINANCE FOR THE LAST 36 YEARS. WE ADOPTED ONE IN 1990 WHEN THE COUNTY ADOPTED ITS FIRST ZONING ORDINANCE. AND THIS WAS, UM, IT WAS IMPROVED ON IN THE LATE NINETIES. BEAUFORT COUNTY, ALONG WITH MANY, UH, COMMUNITIES IN SOUTH CAROLINA, DID A ABOVE GROUND HISTORIC SURVEY OF, YOU KNOW, HISTORIC STRUCTURES. AND IT WAS REWRITTEN INTO OUR 1999 ORDINANCE THAT OUR 2014 ORDINANCE. SO WE HAVE HAD AN ORDINANCE IN EFFECT, AND WE ALSO HAVE A BOARD, THE, THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEW BOARD THAT, THAT OVERSEES PROJECTS. AND I WILL SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE, THE OTHER IMPORTANT THING IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE COASTAL SOUTH CAROLINA. WE HAVE A LOT, A LOT OF HISTORIC RESOURCES. AND REALLY, UH, THE CITY OF CHARLESTON IS A PIONEER FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION ORDINANCES IN THE COUNTRY. SO IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S NOT UNUSUAL FOR THIS REGION TO HAVE HISTORIC PRESERVATION REQUIREMENTS, BUT WE'RE NOT LIKE THE CITY OF CHARLESTON. WE'RE NOT REALLY LIKE CITY OF BEAUFORT OR OR TOWN OF PORT ROYAL. WE HAVE, I THINK 37 OR 38 NATIONAL REGISTER SITES IN UNINCORPORATED BEAUFORT COUNTY. SO THIS ONLY APPLIES TO THE AREAS OUTSIDE OF MUNICIPALITIES. AND I WILL SAY THAT OVER THE, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE 99 AND JUST LOOKING AT HOW THIS HAS BEEN APPLIED, THE RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAVE HAD WITH PROJECTS HAS BEEN VERY MUCH COLLABORATIVE, NOT A CONFRONTATIONAL APPROACH. A LOT OF THE, MANY OF THE OWNERS OF THESE SITES, THEY KNOW THEY HAVE HISTORIC PROPERTY AND THEY WANT TO DO THE RIGHT THING. AND THAT'S TYPICALLY WHAT WE HAVE ENCOUNTERED. AND JUST SOME, I, YOU KNOW, I HAD MENTIONED IT AT NATURAL RESOURCES, SOME PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE DONE, OR THE BLOCKER STORE ON ST. HELENA ISLAND HAS THE, THE CAROLINA CIDER. THAT WAS AN EXAMPLE OF A A, A USE THAT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ALLOWED THERE BECAUSE, BUT BECAUSE WE HAVE THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION ORDINANCE, IT ALLOWED AN ADAPTIVE REUSE OF A HISTORIC COUNTRY STORE. WE'VE WORKED, UH, WITH, UH, FIRST UNION, AFRICAN BAPTIST CHURCH ON DUSKY, FORT FREMONT HISTORY CENTER, PENN CENTER, A NUMBER OF PROJECTS THERE. SO JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THE, THE TYPES OF PROJECTS, SOME OF THE PLANTATION HOUSES, AND THE, THE RUNNING JOKE WE HAVE WITH THE STORE PRESERVATION REVIEW BOARD, ANYONE STAFFING IT, IS THAT THEY MEET ABOUT ONCE EVERY TWO YEARS. SO WE DON'T HAVE A GREAT VOLUME, BUT IT'S AN IMPORTANT ORDINANCE. AND IT ALSO HAS BUILT RELATIONSHIPS IN THE, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE PRESERVATION COMMUNITY, IN WORKING WITH PEOPLE OFTEN WHO HAVE QUESTIONS. WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING NOW, AND IT CAME TO OUR ATTENTION THAT THERE IS A FEDERAL, UH, FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR DESIGNATION CALLED, UH, CERTIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. AND THIS IS REALLY KIND OF THE GOLD STANDARD FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION ORDINANCES. AND IT'S REALLY WHAT IS EXPECTED. AND IT'S, IT'S, IT'S KIND OF LIKE OUR SIDE ORDINANCE OVER THE YEAR, DIFFERENT CASE LAW OR DIFFERENT WAYS THAT THEY'RE APPLIED ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THERE THINGS HAVE COME UP THAT HAVE SEEMED, YOU KNOW, WEAK SPOTS IN TERMS OF WANTING TO BOLSTER THE ORDINANCE TO MAKE IT MORE LEGALLY ENFORCEABLE. [03:25:01] AND THAT'S KIND OF HOW THESE REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS, UM, CERTIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENT. SO WE'RE KIND OF FOLLOWING A TEMPLATE THAT CAME FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. IT'S FOLLOWED BY THE STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE IN COLUM IN COLUMBIA. AND SO REALLY WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE TAKING OUR CURRENT ORDINANCE, WE'RE MOVING SOME PARTS AROUND TO FIT THIS TEMPLATE, BUT IT IS, I WILL SAY FORCE AND EFFECT, GONNA DO THIS EXACT SAME THING AS IT DID BEFORE. THE ONLY OTHER THING THAT I WOULD MENTION IS THAT BY ADOPTING THIS NEW ORDINANCE, ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS IT DOES IS IT ESTABLISHES THE COUNTY HAS TO ESTABLISH ITS OWN HISTORIC PROPERTIES. SO ONCE THIS IS ADOPTED, WE'RE PRETTY MUCH RESETTING IT BACK TO ZERO BECAUSE WE WILL HAVE NO HISTORIC PROPERTIES. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT COMES IN FOR FUTURE ACTION BY COUNCIL. WE WILL WORK WITH THE SO PRESERVATION REVIEW BOARD, MOST LIKELY IT WOULD BE OUR NA, THE NATIONAL REGISTER PROJECTS WOULD COME BACK TO, TO COUNCIL FOR A VOTE. SO RIGHT NOW IT YOU'RE ADOPTING THE LANGUAGE WITH NO. YEAH, BUT THE BENEFITS OF THIS, A I BELIEVE IT MAKES IT MUCH MORE LEGALLY DEFENSIBLE. AND B, IT OPENS UP THE OPPORTUNITY FOR GRANTS AND, YOU KNOW, OTHER OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THAT IN THE FUTURE. SO THAT'S JUST A REAL QUICK RUNDOWN, AND I HAVE THE ORDINANCE HERE. I'M WILLING TO GO OVER, YOU KNOW, ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE. AND, UM, ANY QUESTION ON THIS ORDINANCE? I, I APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE ON THIS. UM, AND I DON KNOW ON THIS. I I Y'ALL DID A LOT OF HARD WORK ON IT AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION SUPPORTED IT, AND I'LL SUPPORT IT TOO. OKAY, MS. MS. BROWN, GO AHEAD. I JUST DON'T KNOW WHY WE'RE AMENDING THIS AT THIS TIME, AT THIS TIME. WHY ARE WE DOING THAT? WELL, THE REASON THAT WE'RE AMENDING IT IS THAT WE LEARN, WELL, WE LEARNED OF THIS WEAKNESS IN THE ORDINANCE AND THAT WE WEREN'T FOLLOWING THE, THE STANDARD STANDARDS THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION ORDINANCES. SO BY AMENDING THIS, IT WOULD, AND, AND THIS ACTUALLY CAME FROM THE, THE COUNTY HAS A GRANT THAT WE'RE USING FOR, UH, DOING A CEMETERY SURVEY UPDATE ON ST. HELENA ISLAND. AND THAT'S ONE WHERE WE LOOKED FOR OTHER SOURCES THAT WERE A LOT, HAD A LOT MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR FUNDING. BUT THE CERTIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENT WAS SOMETHING THAT, THAT GOT IN THE WAY. IS THIS GONNA AFFECT ALL THE COUNTY OR JUST ST. HELENA? THIS ORDINANCE AFFECTS ALL OF UNINCORPORATED BEAUFORT COUNTY ON ALL OF UNINCORPORATED, YES. NO, THAT'S, IT'S DEFINITE. NO OTHER QUESTION OR COMMENT. ALL RIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE ORDINANCE MADAM CHAIRMAN? I'M SORRY. UM, YEAH, HE HAS TO READ. YEAH, I GOTTA READ THIS. OH, GO AHEAD. YEAH. OKAY. UH, I MOVE THAT, UH, WE GRANT THE REQUEST FOR THE TAX AMENDMENT, UH, FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS. ONE, UH, IS CONSISTENT WITH THE GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND POLICIES OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. IT'S NOT IN CONFLICT WITH ANY PROVISION OF THIS DEVELOPMENT CODE, OR THE CODE OF ORDINANCE IS REQUIRED BY CHANGE CONDITIONS, DOES ADDRESS A DEMONSTRATED COMMUNITY NEED. AND A FIFTH ONE. IT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE PROPOSED THE PURPOSE. AN INTENT OF THE ZONES IN THIS DEVELOPMENT CODE ALL WOULD IMPROVE COMPATIBILITY AMONG USE AND ENSURE EFFICIENT DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE COUNTY. UH, IT WOULD RESULT IN LOGICAL AND ORDERLY DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS AND WOULD NOT RESULT IN ADVERSE IMPACT ON THE NATURE, THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, WATER, AIR, NOISE, STORM, STORM WATER MANAGEMENT, UH, STORM WATER MANAGEMENT, WILDLIFE, VEGETATION, WETLANDS, AND THE NATURAL FUNCTIONING OF THE ENVIRONMENT. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION A SECOND. ANY OTHER QUESTION OR COMMENT, PLEASE? ALL RIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. ALL OPPOSED? ONE. NO. NOW WE'RE BACK TO THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE AS AMENDED. ALL RIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR? ALL OPPOSED, ONE. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MR. MERCHANT. OKAY, NOW [12.h. 2026/34: An Ordinance to appropriate and issue a refund of impact fees paid for the Garden Oaks Apartments affordable housing development.] WE ARE GOING TO 2026 SLASH 34, AN ORDINANCE TO APPROPRIATE AND ISSUE A REFUND OF IMPACT FEES PAID FOR THE GARDEN OAKS APARTMENTS, AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT. THE VOTED FINANCE COMMITTEE ON MAY 18TH WAS FIVE THREE. I NEED A MOTION. I'LL [03:30:01] MAKE THE MOTION. MS. HOWARD MAKES THE MOTION. SECOND. A SECOND BY MR. PASSMAN AND MR. KID, YOU'RE BACK. I AM BACK. ALRIGHT, GO FOR IT. SO KEEPING IT QUICK FOR YOU GUYS AND WE ARE JOINED BY THE ATTORNEY FOR THE DEVELOPER, MS. EMILY ZON AS WELL. UM, IN CASE WE HAVE ANY NEED FOR QUESTIONS FOR HER. I KNOW SHE HAD A PRESENTATION, BUT, UM, TO THE EXTENT Y'ALL WANNA SEE IT AND SHE'S, SHE'S INDICATING NO THANK YOU. SO THIS IS A REQUEST FOR A REIMBURSEMENT OF IMPACT FEES THAT WERE PAID BY THE DEVELOPER OF THE GARDEN OAKS AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, DEVELOPMENT. AND IT'S A LARGE, UM, DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE CITY OF BEAUFORT. UM, THEY WERE WORKING ON THIS ISSUE BACK IN 2022 WHEN THERE WAS DISCUSSION OF POTENTIAL REIMBURSEMENT OF IMPACT FEES PAID AT THAT TIME. UM, AT THAT TIME, THE FORMER ADMINISTRATOR AND COUNTY ATTORNEY WORKED WITH THE ATTORNEYS FOR THE DEVELOPER, DETERMINED THAT THEY WISHED THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT PURSUED ON THE BACKEND ONCE CONSTRUCTION HAD COMPLETED. AND ONCE THE FINAL COVENANTS AND RESTRICTIONS HAD BEEN RECORDED SO THAT THEY COULD SEE ALL THE PROTECTIONS THAT THEY WERE SEEKING FOR THE AVAILABILITY OF THE HOUSING. THAT TIME HAS NOW COME, UM, GARDEN OAKS FINISHED CONSTRUCTION IN 25. THE FINAL COVENANTS AND RESTRICTIONS WERE RECORDED EARLIER THIS YEAR. SO WE HAVE TWO MECHANISMS THAT WE CAN USE UNDER OUR ORDINANCE. UM, 82, 32 AND 82 33. UM, I'LL SPARE YOU ALL OF THE DETAILS UNLESS YOU'D LIKE ME TO GO INTO MORE OF THEM, BUT, UM, IT ESSENTIALLY GETS YOU TO THE SAME PLACE WHERE WE HAVE TO MAKE AN APPROPRIATION TO FUND THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUND. SO THAT COMES THROUGH COUNCIL, AND THEN FROM THERE WE WOULD, UH, SUBMIT THE REFUND TO THE REIMBURSEMENT TO THE DEVELOPER, UM, IF COUNCIL SO CHOOSES. UM, SO I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE AND I'M SURE, UM, MS. AKON WOULD BE AS WELL. QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL. GO AHEAD MS. HOWARD. THE FUNDS WOULD COME, THIS IS FOR THE ADMINISTRATION. THE FUNDS WOULD COME OUT OF OURS, OF COURSE. VEHICLES. NO, I'M KIDDING, KIDDING. THEY WOULD COME OUTTA IMPACT FEE, BUT THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK LATER, IDENTIFY A SOURCE AND THERE'D BE A BUDGET AMENDMENT. BUT THAT WOULD COME LATER. THAT WOULD COME IN WHAT THIS YEAR OR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET? WE DON'T KNOW. OR WE HAVE IT, WE HAVE IT STRUCTURED CURRENTLY AND THEN THERE'S SEVERAL WAYS WE COULD DO IT. WE HAVE IT STRUCTURED TO WHERE WE FUND IT FROM. UM, AN IMPACT FEE ACCOUNT TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUND IS WHAT'S REFERENCED IN 82 33. SO WE WOULD HAVE TO DO AN APPROPRIATION, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE A BUDGET ORDINANCE, AMENDMENT. UM, SO WE'D FUND THAT COULD COME LATER. I DON'T THINK THERE'S A DEFINITIVE TIMELINE TO DO THAT, NOR DOES IT HAVE TO BE THE SAME FISCAL YEAR. RIGHT. WE JUST HAVE TO YEP. NO, IT WOULDN'T HAVE TO BE THE SAME FISCAL YEAR. SO WE'LL LOOK AT OPTIONS TO BRING FORWARD AN AMENDMENT SHOULD YOU ALL CHOOSE TO GO FORWARD, BUT YOU WOULD FUND IT INITIALLY FROM THE IMPACT FEES. ALRIGHT, MR. LAWSON? UM, I'M, I'M NOT GONNA VOTE FOR THIS. UM, IF WE USE IMPACT FEES, WE CANNOT JUST WAIVE IMPACT FEES. SO IF, IF WE USE IMPACT FEES OUT OF THAT FUND, WE AS A COUNTY HAVE TO THEN REPLACE THOSE, THOSE IM IMPACT FEES. MM-HMM. UM, AND AGAIN, UM, I THINK THE ORIGINAL, UM, UH, ORDINANCE WAS SET UP AND WE START TALKING ABOUT, UM, UM, REFUNDING PEOPLE IS, IS FOR SMALLER PROJECTS AND FOR INDIVIDUALS AND IT WASN'T FOR, UM, THE ORIGINAL INTENT WASN'T FOR LARGE, UM, LARGE CORPORATIONS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF, OF THE, UM, UH, IMPACT FEES. THANK YOU. YOU READ MY MIND ELSE. I WAS GONNA SAY MOST LIKELY THE RE REPLENISHMENT SOURCE WOULD BE GENERAL FUND OF SOME MS. HOWARD. I HAVE ONE MORE COMMENT. I, THIS IS A LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY. THIS IS PROBABLY THE LAST ONE I WOULD VOTE FOR. BE, I FEEL LIKE WE DIDN'T, WE DIDN'T REALLY MAKE 'EM A PROMISE, BUT WE KIND OF MADE HIM A PROMISE WHEN THIS WAS STARTED. THIS IS A TRUE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT. UM, AT OUR COMMITTEE MEETING IT, IT WAS ASKED HOW THESE, HOW, HOW WE KNOW THESE PEOPLE ARE TRULY, UM, BELOW THE A MI. AND THAT QUESTION WAS ANSWERED TO MY SATISFACTION, BUT I WILL VOTE FOR THIS ONE. BUT, UM, THIS IS PROBABLY THE LAR LAST LARGE ONE. I WOULD VOTE FOR. I WOULD VOTE FOR SMALLER PROJECTS SUCH AS HABITAT FOR HUMANITY IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU. QUESTION. GO AHEAD. THIS ONE OF THE PROPERTIES THAT IS EXEMPT FROM THE PROPERTY TAXES BY STATE STATUTE. YES SIR. I BELIEVE THEY RECEIVED THEIR EXEMPTION IN 2022, SOME PROPERTY TAXES AND NOW THEY'RE REQUESTING A RETURN OF, IT'S A LITTLE OVER 176,000 AND THEY'VE BEEN ELIGIBLE SINCE 2021. NO, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DECIDE THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS. MM-HMM. THERE'S NO STATE LAW, CORRECT ARI? I THINK WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO IT. WELL, IM ASKING. THEY MET ALL THE CRITERIA THAT WAS ESTABLISHED WHEN THE DEVELOPMENT STARTED IN 2021. THEY FULFILLED ALL OF THEIR OBLIGATIONS THAT WE REQUIRED THEM TO DO WHEN IT WAS INITIATED, WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT. YEAH. ARE WE REQUIRED TO, THERE'S THE QUESTION. SO THE WAY THAT THE ORDINANCE WAS CREATED IS IT MIRRORS STATE LAW, UM, IN WHAT IT SETS FORTH, BUT IT ALLOWS STATE LAW PERMITS THE MUNICIPALITIES, THE COUNTY TO UM, ENACT AN ORDINANCE [03:35:01] TO THAT EFFECT, TO SET CRITERIA TO, UM, ULTIMATELY GRANT REIMBURSEMENTS, UH, FOR DEVELOPMENT OF IMPACT FEES. IF YOU LOOK AT THE LANGUAGE OF 82 83, UH, 82 32, IT DOES SAY THAT IF IT MEETS A CRITERIA FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THEN THAT IS EXEMPT FROM IMPACT FEES. HOWEVER, IT DOES ALSO STATE IN 82 33 THAT COUNCIL SETS THE CRITERIA. UM, AND THERE IS DISCRETION TO, BASED ON CERTAIN THRESHOLDS OF A MI AND THAT ALSO THERE HAS TO BE IN 82 32, THERE'S ANOTHER SECTION ABOUT THE IMPACT FEES MUST COME FROM A SOURCE OTHER THAN THE, UM, OR THE, THAT MUST COME FROM ANOTHER SOURCE. SO THAT COUNCIL HAS TO AFFIRMATIVELY FUND, UM, WHAT'S BEING REPLACED. 'CAUSE AS WE'VE SAID, WE CANNOT, UM, JUST WAIVE IMPACT FEES. SO EITHER WAY THE ORDINANCE DOES COUNT, CONTEMPLATE A COUNCIL ACTION, UM, AND THEREFORE REQUIRES COUNSEL TO UTILIZE ITS DISCRETION TO VOTE. SO IT IS DISCRETIONARY, IT'S NOT REQUIRED. THANK YOU. THAT'S OUR QUESTION. THAT THAT IS, THAT IS STAFF'S READING OF, OF THAT PROVISION. AND IT HAS BEEN SINCE WE ENACTED IT. WE HAVE SO WE NOT REQUIRED WE'RE GONNA REFUND THIS, BUT THEN WE HAVE TO PAY IT BACK TO OURSELVES. CORRECT? YEP. SO WE ARE REQUIRED TO DO IT. NO, WE ARE NOT REQUIRED. WE'RE NOT REQUIRED. THE FINAL VOTE COMES TO THE COUNCIL PER THE CONTRACT. MAY I? GO AHEAD. YEAH. SO MY BIGGEST THING WAS EXACTLY WHAT YOU TOUCHED ON. THIS GROUP HAS ALREADY TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THE TAX BREAK TO BEGIN WITH. WE'RE ALREADY DEALING WITH THAT PROBLEM IN THE ENTIRE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA. AND I ASKED ADMINISTRATION, WAS IT A WEEK OR TWO AGO? AND I KNOW THEY'RE LOOKING INTO IT, IF WE CAN PUT A PAUSE LOCALLY INTO THAT ORDINANCE TO STOP IT. SO IT HAS TO GO THROUGH A VOTE OF A COUNCIL. UM, I KNOW THAT THE STATE PUT A PAUSE ON IT, BUT THAT THINK IT'S WHAT JUNE 30TH THAT ISN'T GO UNTIL EFFECT JUNE 31ST. UM, SO THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO WAY WE'RE ACTUALLY EVEN CONSIDERING REFUNDING IMPACT FEES IN AN AREA THAT NEEDS IMPACT FEES THAT WE JUST GAVE A HIGH DENSITY APARTMENT COMPLEX ON ONE OF THE BUSIEST ROADS IN THE COUNTY AND WE WANT TO TAKE BACK THE IMPACT FEES ON IT. THIS MAKES NO SENSE TO ME WHATSOEVER. WHEN WAS THIS CONTRACT DRAWN UP? UH, I DON'T THE, I KNOW THAT THE DISCUSSIONS WERE 21. IT WAS 21 OR 20 WAS WHEN THIS WAS ONE. SO HALF THIS COUNCIL WASN'T EVEN ON THERE. I PRESUME SO. YES. SO CAN'T BIND A COUNCIL. CORRECT? UM, WELL NOTHING WAS, IT WAS, I MEAN, THEY COULDN'T COME BACK TO US TILL THEY FINISHED THE PROJECT. YES. I MEAN, IT, IT WAS VERY MUCH AGREED TO BY THE PARTIES, BUT THE DISCRETIONARY STILL COMES TO THE COUNCIL SITTING HERE TODAY. WE ARE NOT FORCED TO DO IT AS THIS COUNCIL. WE, THE VOTE STILL COMES TO THE COUNCIL HERE TODAY. THEY ARE. THIS GROUP ALREADY TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE SAME TAX CREDITS THAT WE'RE ARGUING THAT'S HAPPENING IN LADIES ISLAND RIGHT NOW. MEAN THE PRESERVE, THE PRESERVE IS IN PORT ROYAL. PORT ROYAL. I APOLOGIZE. THANK YOU. MM-HMM . WAS IT $4.3 MILLION? IT'S ALL SAID AND DONE. WE LOST, I THINK IT'S ABOUT $4.3 MILLION THAT WE'RE GONNA LOSE. THIS IS, THIS GROUP TOOK THE EXACT SAME TAX BREAK. I DON'T KNOW THE DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT THEY GOT, BUT I CAN GUARANTEE IT'S IN THE MILLIONS. I HAVE ONE COMMENT. SO, AND WE'RE GONNA REFUND THE A HUNDRED AND SOME THOUSAND DOLLARS THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO PAY BACK OUT OF OUR FUND. THERE'S NO WAY WE CAN DO THAT. JUST HAVE TO ASK AGAIN. GO AHEAD. DO THIS. YOU'RE NOT NO, THAT'S WHAT YOU JUST SAID. IT'S DISCRETIONARY FOR ALL OF YOU TO TELL ME THAT. BUT I'M GONNA ASK DYLAN IF WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO THIS. IT, IT'S, IT HAS BEEN DISCRE STAFF'S POSITION AS SINCE WE ENACTED THIS ORDINANCE THAT, UH, THERE IT IS COUNCIL'S DISCRETION THAT EVERY SINGLE DEVELOPER SEEKING IT OR OTHER PERSON SEEKING IT HAS TO COME TO COUNCIL AND HAVE IT RIGHT. ANYONE ELSE ON FIRST ROUND? SOME LAWYER ANSWER FOR YOU RIGHT THERE. LOOKING FOR ANYONE ELSE ON FIRST ROUND, SECOND ROUND. ALRIGHT. SECOND ROUND. I'D JUST LIKE TO MENTION, UM, I'M, I'M NOT DEFENDING, BUT THE PRESERVE DOES NOT, AND I'LL NAME THEM AL THEY DO NOT HAVE ANY AVAILABLE AFFORDABLE HOUSING WHEN THEY WERE CONTACTED. THEY ONLY HAVE TO HAVE ONE UNIT. THIS PARTICULAR DEVELOPMENT. THEY ALL ARE AFFORDABLE. UM, BUT I THINK I'VE FORGOTTEN IF IT'S 60% OF THE A MI THEY'RE ALL HAVE TO BE SIX. HOW MANY, HOW MANY UNITS ARE THERE? 2 88. EMILY CAN ANSWER 2 88. YEAH. WHEREAS THE PRESERVE HAS HOW MANY YEARS? 30. 30 YEAR AGREEMENT. SO 30 YEARS. AND THE GROWTH THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IN BEAUFORT COUNTY IN 30 YEARS, THEN IT CAN BE SOLD OFF AS CONDOS. SO IT'S NOT EVEN INTO A 99 YEAR AGREEMENT. 30 YEARS SHOULD HAVE NEVER EVEN BEEN PASSED. WELL, THERE'S NOT MANY 99 YEAR AGREEMENT THEN THEY DON'T GET PASSED IN BEAUFORT COUNTY. YEAH, IT'S THAT SIMPLE. MR. MCCALLUM CALLS THE QUESTION. SO ALL IN FAVOR OF GRANTING THE IMPACT FEES TO GARDEN OAKS. RAISE YOUR HAND. IT IS FOUR. I COUNT. ALL OPPOSED. 1, 2, 3, 4. MOTION FAILS. ORDINANCE IS DOWN. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, I'M GOING. THANK YOU MR. KIDD. 2026 [12.i. 2026/35: An Ordinance authorizing the acceptance of Drainage Easements Associated with Drainage Systems in the Bay Pines Subdivision.] SLASH 35 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE ACCEPTANCE OF DRAINAGE EASEMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH DRAINAGE SYSTEMS IN THE BAY PINE SUBDIVISION. THE VOTED PUBLIC FACILITIES. MAY 18TH WAS SEVEN ZERO. SO MOVED. ALRIGHT, [03:40:01] SO MOVED. AND SECOND BY MR. PASSMAN. UH, MS. BREWER ANNOUNCED THIS TO US LAST TIME. SHE'S NOT HERE TONIGHT. DOES ANYBODY HAVE A QUESTION ON IT? SHE EXPLAINED IT TO US PRETTY MUCH. ALRIGHT, CAN WE TAKE THE VOTE THEN? ALL ALL IN FAVOR. MOTION PASSES. 2026 [12.j. 2026/36: An Ordinance Authorizing a Lease Agreement between Beaufort County and the General Services Administration (GSA) for Transportation Security Administration (TSA) use within the Hilton Head Island Airport terminal.] SLASH 36. AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING A LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN BEAUFORT COUNTY AND THE GENERAL SERVICE ADMINISTRATION. GSA FOR TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION. TSA USE WITHIN THE HILTON HEAD AIRPORT TERMINAL. THE VOTE PUBLIC FACILITIES ON MAY 18TH WAS SIX ZERO. SO MOVED MR. REEDS MAKES A MOTION. SECOND. YOU KNOW WHO MR. PASSMAN SECONDS. IT UH, WE TOLD MR. REBEL HE DIDN'T HAVE TO COME BACK. EVERYBODY UNDERSTOOD THIS. PRETTY SIMPLE. SO YEAH. ANYBODY HAVE A QUESTION? ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS ORDINANCE. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. AND THAT CONCLUDES THE LONG LIST OF ORDINANCES. OKAY, [13.a. 2026/20: A Resolution to Use Organics-First Integrated Pest Management Practices and Standards to Prioritize the Use of Prevention-Based, Least Toxic, Organic Practices and Reduce the Use of Synthetic Pesticides for Public Land Management Where Possible. ] WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO RESOLUTIONS. THANK. THE GOOD NEWS IS THERE'S ONLY TWO UM, A IS 2026. 20 A RESOLUTION TO USE ORGANIC'S FIRST INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND STANDARDS TO PRIORITIZE THE USE OF PREVENTION BASE, LEASE TOXIC ORGANIC PRACTICES, AND REDUCE THE USE OF SYNTHETIC PESTICIDES FOR PUBLIC LAND MANAGEMENT. WHERE POSSIBLE DO I HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED. I SECOND A MOTION BY JOE. A SECOND BY COUNCIL. COUNCILMAN CUNNINGHAM COUNTY. UM, THE VOTE AT COMMUNITY SERVICES AND PUBLIC SAFETY WAS SIX TO ONE BY SHOW OF HANDS OR IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? NONE. NO? OKAY. WE NOT. ALRIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR BY SHOW OF HANDS. I'M SORRY. OKAY, THAT'S UNANIMOUS. NEEDS TO COME OFF FOR THIS LAST [13.b. 2026/21: A Resolution for a Third Addendum to the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Town of Hilton Head Island for the St. James Baptist Church Relocation Project. ] ONE. B IS 2026. 21 2. A RESOLUTION FOR A THIRD ADDENDUM TO THE MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT WITH THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD FOR THE ST. JAMES BAPTIST CHURCH RELOCATION PROJECT. THE VOTE AT PUBLIC PUBLIC FACILITIES WAS SEVEN ZERO. GO AWAY A SECOND. THAT ANY? ALRIGHT, WE HAVE A MOTION BY JOE SECOND BY TOM RE. COUNCILMAN DON'T COME UP. DIDN'T COME UP. NO. THIS GIVE THIS MAN A CONGRATULATIONS. THIS IS THE FINAL ONE. THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO DESERVE CREDIT FOR THIS. IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR HOW MANY YEARS? YEAH. I'M SEVEN LARRY. 5 35. OKAY. ALRIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR BY SHOW OF HANDS. AND THAT IS UNANIMOUS. AND THANKS TO EVERYONE THAT WORKED REALLY HARD ON THIS OVER THE PAST 25 YEARS OR WHATEVER IT WAS. ALRIGHT. ANY OTHER BUSINESS? IF NOT, WE ARE ADJOURNED. THANK YOU. YES. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.