[1. CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:04]
UM, THIS IS THE MEETING OF AUGUST 10TH COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING.
PLEASE RISE, MS. TABER WILL LEAD THE PLEASURE OF ALLEGIANCE AND THEN STAY STANDING FOR THE INVOCATION.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
MAD CHAIR, I'M PREPARED FOR THAT IF YOU LIKE.
NEXT TIME, I MEAN, I'M HAPPY TO LET YOU HAVE IT, BUT, OKAY.
TODAY I ASK THAT THE LORD REST HIS HANDS ON OUR SHOULDERS TO GUIDE THE COUNCIL IN OUR DECISION MAKING.
WE KNOW THAT GOD IS NOT SOME DISTANT ENTITY, BUT PRESENT WITHIN THIS ROOM AND IN OUR HEARTS.
WE WELCOME HIS GUIDANCE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
WE ASK THIS THROUGH HIS SON JESUS CHRIST.
YOU WANNA DO YOURS TOO, LARRY? OH,
NO, WE MIGHT NEED IT WITH ALL THIS LIGHTNING AND THUNDERING.
UM, MS. BROCK, HAS THIS MEETING BEEN A, UM, ADVERTISING COMPLIANCE WITH THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT? YES, MA'AM, IT HAS.
[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PASSMAN.
SECOND IT AND A SECOND BY, UH, COUNCILMAN LAWSON.
ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY ING THE HANDS.
[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
UH, NUMBER FIVE ON THE AGENDA IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.THESE ARE THE MINUTES FROM CAUCUS AND COUNTY COUNCIL JULY 13TH, WHICH WAS HELD AT HILTON HEAD.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR BY ON SHY OF HAND, SIGN OF HANDS.
AND THAT IS UNANIMOUS FOR THOSE WHO WERE THERE.
[6. PROCLAMATION]
WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION AT THIS TIME, I'LL ASSUME MM-HMMI'D LIKE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE FOR THIS TO COME FORWARD AND I'LL COME DOWN TO READ IT.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO, WELL, WE'LL READ IT.
I DUNNO, WHY THE INVOCATION TONIGHT? ANYONE ELSE WITH YOU? I THINK I AM THE LOAN REPRESENTATIVE TODAY.
WE'RE IN ON AUGUST 18TH, 1526.
SPANISH CONORS BESTOW BESTOWED THE NAME SANTALINA UPON THE COASTAL REGION SURROUNDING PRESENT DAY PORT ROYAL SOUND, INCLUDING THE BROAD RIVER RIO DE SANTALINA.
I NEED, I NEED, UM, LARRY TO PRONOUNCE THESE SPANISH WORDS FOR ME.
ALINA RENDERED IN ENGLISH IS ST.
HELENA REPRESENTS ONE OF THE EARLIEST DOCUMENTED EUROPEAN PLACE NAMES WITHIN THE PRESENT DAY UNITED STATES.
AND WHEREAS IN 1566 UNDER THE DIRECTION OF ADMIRAL PEDRO MENEZ, UH, IS THAT RIGHT? VALLES VALLES.
MY COLLEGE SPANISH LEFT ME
ALINA ON THE PRESENT DAY, PARIS ISLAND, MAKING IT ONE OF THE EARLIEST EUROPEAN TOWNS IN NORTH AMERICA AND THE CAPITAL OF SPANISH LA FLORID.
AND WHEREAS FROM 1566 TO 1576, SANTA HELE SERVED AS SPAIN'S PRINCIPAL, ADMINISTRATIVE, MILITARY, RELIGIOUS, AND EXPLORATORY CENTER IN THE SOUTHEASTERN REGION OF NORTH AMERICA.
AND WHEREAS FROM SANTA HELE, CAPTAIN JUAN PARDO AND OTHER SPANISH EXPLORERS LAUNCHED EXPEDITIONS INTO THE INTERIOR REACHING WHAT ARE NOW SOUTH CAROLINA, NORTH CAROLINA, TENNESSEE, AND BEYOND, IN SEARCH OF THE OVERHAND ROUTE TO MEXICO.
AND WHEREAS THE HISTORY OF SANTA HELENA IS DEEPLY CONNECTED TO THE INGENIOUS PEOPLES WHOSE ANCESTORS INHABITED THE REGION FOR THOUSAND OF YEARS BEFORE THE EUROPEAN ARRIVAL, AND WHOSE ENDURING CULTURES AND LEGACIES REMAIN AN ESSENTIAL PART OF BEAUFORT COUNTY STORY.
AND WHEREAS DECADES OF ARCHEOLOGICAL RESEARCH HAVE ESTABLISHED ST.
HELENA AS ONE OF THE NORTH AMERICA'S MOST SIGNIFICANT SITES FOR UNDERSTANDING EARLY EUROPEAN AND INGENUOUS INTERACTION.
AND THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS HAS PRESERVED ITS INTEGRITY AS THE NATION'S MOST PRISTINE 16TH CENTURY COLONIAL ARCHEOLOGICAL SITE.
[00:05:02]
MARKS THE 500TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NAMING OF SANTA HELENA, PROVIDING AN OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR ITS ENDURING HISTORICAL, CULTURAL, AND EDUCATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE TO BEAUFORT COUNTY, THE LOW COUNTRY AND THE NATION.NOW THEREFORE, IT IS RESOLVED.
BUT BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL DOES HEREBY PROCLAIM AUGUST 18TH, 2026, AS ST.
HELENA 500TH ANNIVERSARY DAY, AND RECOGNIZES ENDURING SIGNIFICANCE TO THE HISTORY OF BEAUFORT COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA AND THE UNITED STATES, AND ENCOURAGES RESIDENTS, EDUCATORS, HISTORIANS, CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS, TRIBAL REPRESENTATIVES, COMMUNITY PARTNERS, AND VISITORS TO PARTICIPATE IN ATIVE EVENTS AND EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES THROUGHOUT 2026 THAT CELEBRATE, PRESERVE AND SHARE THE REMARKABLE LEGACY OF ST.
HELENA FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
DATED THE 10TH DAY OF AUGUST, SIGNED ALICE G. HOWARD CHAIR BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL.
AND I THINK AS LARRY ROWLAND ALWAYS SAYS, HISTORY STARTED IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND I'LL JUST SAY A FEW QUICK WORDS HERE.
UH, FIRST, UH, I REPRESENT TWO ORGANIZATIONS TODAY.
ONE, THE BEAUFORT COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, UH, THE SECOND, THE SANTA ELENA HERITAGE FOUNDATION HERE.
UH, AND, UH, WE REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT COUNTY COUNCIL DOES FOR US, SOLVING A MYRIAD OF PROBLEMS WITH A MINIMAL AMOUNT OF RESOURCES.
WE, WE RECOGNIZE WHAT YOU'VE DONE.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT BUFORT COUNTY HAS AN EXCESS OF IS HISTORY.
AND OF COURSE, UH, UH, CHAIR HOWARD TALKS ABOUT LARRY ROWLAND, WHO SAYS, ALL AMERICAN HISTORY BEGINS IN BUFORT, SOUTH CAROLINA.
FIRST TIME I HEARD IT, I ROLLED MY EYES AND SAID, SURE.
AS IF, THE MORE I LEARNED, THE MORE I REALIZE HE IS RIGHT.
NEXT TUESDAY, A WEEK FROM NOW, BUFORT COUNTY WILL CELEBRATE THE 500TH, NOT THE TWO 50TH, THE 500TH ANNIVERSARY OF DOCUMENTED EUROPEAN PRESENCE IN BEAUFORT, UH, COUNTY SOUTH CAROLINA, OLDER THAN THAN, UH, THE PILGRIMS, UH, OLDER THAN JAMESTOWN, OLDER THAN THE LOST COLONY IN, UH, IN NORTH CAROLINA, OLDER THAN ST.
IT BELONGS TO BEAUFORT COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA.
IF WE DON'T TELL OUR STORY, THE STATE OF FLORIDA CERTAINLY WILL NOT.
SO ANYWAY, WE THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING THIS AND FOR THIS, AND WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TUESDAY ON SITE, UH, AT PARIS ISLAND TO COMMEMORATE, UH, THE ACTUAL EVENT.
I NEED TO AMEND THE AGENDA DAY, LATE DOLLAR SHORT.
I MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND THE AGENDA TO INCLUDE US RETURNING BACK TO EXECUTIVE SESSION OR CAUCUS AT THE END OF THE MEETING.
UH, IF SOME UNFINISHED BUSINESS SECOND THAT.
UM, OH, YOU HAVE A COMMENT? ARE YOU JUST VOTING? COUNCILMAN GLOVER? OH, I'M VOTING.
ALL IN FAVOR BY SIGN OF HANDS AND JUST SO THE PUBLIC KNOWS WE'RE DOING IN RESPECT FOR YOUR TIME.
SO YOU WEREN'T SITTING HERE FOR ANOTHER HALF HOUR, SO, OR WHATEVER LONG IT TAKES US.
I DON'T, DID IT PASS? I DON'T THINK IT PASSED.
I, I THINK WE NEED A ROLL CALL.
COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM? YES.
WHAT WAS THE COUNT PLEASE? SEVEN THREE.
[7. ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT]
GOING BACK TO OUR AGENDA, ITEM NUMBER SEVEN IS ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT.MR. MOORE, NOW THE AGENDA AS AMENDED.
NOW YOU NEED TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS AMENDED.
[00:10:01]
AMENDED ALL OF AS AMENDED ENDS.HEY, GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR COUNSEL.
I HAVE A FEW RECOGNITIONS TONIGHT.
FIRST I'D LIKE TO START WITH, UH, WE'VE GOT GREASE, UH, CORDIAL HERE, UM, AS FOR RETIREMENT.
HOW ARE YOU? DO YOU HAVE FAMILY HERE GO.
SO, UM, SINCE, UH, FEBRUARY, 1999, UH, GRACE HAS SERVED AS MANAGER OF THE BUFORT, UH, DISTRICT COLLECTION, SPECIAL COLLECTIONS AND ARCHIVES DIVISION OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY.
FOR MORE THAN 26 YEARS, SHE DEDICATED HER CAREER TO PRESERVING, PROTECTING, AND SHARING THE RICH HISTORY OF BEAUFORT HAMPTON AND JASPER COUNTIES.
THROUGH HER STEWARDSHIP OF ARCHIVAL COLLECTIONS, LOCAL HISTORY PROGRAMMING, DIGITAL COLLECTIONS, AND GENEALOGICAL RESOURCES, SHE HAS HELPED TO ESTABLISH THE COLLECTION AS ONE OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA'S PREMIER, UH, REPOSITORIES.
UH, SHE'S ASSISTED THOUSANDS OF PATRONS AND RESEARCHERS FROM ACROSS THE NATION AND AROUND THE WORLD.
WHILE HER COMMITMENT TO PRESERVING THE COMMUNITY STORIES HAS ENSURED THAT FUTURE GENERATIONS HAVE ACCESS TO THE HISTORY THAT DEFINES THE LOW COUNTRY, HER PROFESSIONALISM, KNOWLEDGE, AND UNWAVERING DEDICATION HAVE LEFT AN ENDURING MARK ON THE COUNTY.
AND HER LEGACY WILL CONTINUE INSPIRE RESEARCHERS, HISTORIANS, AND RESIDENTS FOR MANY YEARS TO COME AS SHE BEGINS HER WELL EARNED RETIREMENT.
SHE LOOKS FORWARD TO SPENDING MORE TIME WITH HER 12 GRANDCHILDREN, EXPLORE MORE OF THE WORLD THROUGH TRAVEL, AND CONTINUE HER LIFELONG PURSUIT OF HISTORY AND LEARNING.
WE'D LIKE TO THANK GRACE FOR EXTRAORDINARY SERVICE TO BEAUFORT COUNTY AND WISH HER EVERY HAPPINESS IN THE NEXT CHAPTER.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING? IT WAS A GOOD RUN, BUT IT'S OVER
UM, WE HAVE, UH, PENDING CEREMONIES.
WE'RE GONNA START OFF WITH, UH, CORNELIUS LEVON, SERGEANT WITH THE BUFORT COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
HEY, HOW ARE YOU? SO, UM, YEAH, THIS IS GOOD.
SO, SERGEANT LEVON JOINED THE BUFORT COUNTY, UH, SHERIFF'S OFFICE IN JULY, 2011, FOLLOWING HIS RETIREMENT FROM A 20 YEAR CAREER IN THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS.
UH, DURING HIS CAREER AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, HE SERVES AS ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER, SOUTHERN PATROL, DEPUTY CRIMINAL INVESTIGATOR, AND EVIDENCE AND PROPERTY TECHNICIAN.
HE ALSO SERVED AS A MEMBER OF THE CRIME SCENE UNIT.
HE'S A PASS RECIPIENT OF THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND ROTARY CLUB OFFICER OF THE YEAR AWARD AND TOP MARKSMAN AWARD IN THE GLOCK DIVISION.
OKAY, NEXT UP WE'VE GOT, UH, FELICIA, FELICIA JENKINS, ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALIST WITH THE REGISTER OF DEEDS WITH 20 YEARS OF SERVICE.
IS THAT YOUR FAMILY? HERE IT IS.
DO THEY WANT TO COME? MY HUSBAND AND MY DAUGHTER.
SO, UM, MS. JENKINS IS ONE OF THE, OF TWO SENIOR CLERKS IN THE REGISTER OF DEEDS OFFICE.
SHE'S VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE IN ALL ASPECTS OF STATE, COUNTY, AND LOCAL LAWS AND ORDINANCES THAT DEAL WITH THE RECORDING OF REAL ESTATE RECORDS.
SHE'S HIRED AS A REAL ESTATE RECORDING TECHNICIAN AND THROUGH THE YEARS OF DEDICATED WORK AND EXPERIENCE, SHE'S PROGRESSED TO ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALIST.
SO, CONGRATULATIONS AND HERE'S YOUR CERTIFICATE.
UM, WORKING FOR YOUR COUNTY IS, HAS BEEN A PRIVILEGE AND I'M CONTINUING HOPEFULLY TO RETIRE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF, WELL, NOT IN A COUPLE, MAYBE IN THE FIVE BUT SIX YEARS, BUT I THANK YOU.
UP FOR PHOTO WITH THE AWARD RECIPIENT.
YOUR FAMILY COME UP FOR A PICTURE.
NEXT WE HAVE, UM, ERIC WARREN.
SIGNED TECHNICIAN WITH PUBLIC WORKS FOR 20 YEARS OF SERVICE.
MR. WARREN BEGAN HIS CAREER AT BEAUFORT COUNTY ON AUGUST 14TH, UH, 2006, AND HAS SERVED THE COUNTY PROUDLY FOR 20 YEARS IN PUBLIC WORKS AND TRAFFIC
[00:15:01]
ENGINEERING.THIS COUNTY SIGN TECHNICIAN HIS ATTENTION TO DETAIL, EXTENSIVE KNOWLEDGE AND COMMITMENT TO QUALITY, HELP ENSURE THAT COUNTY SIGNAGE IS PROPERLY INSTALLED, MAINTAIN, AND KEPT IN EXCELLENT CONDITION.
HE'S HIGHLY MOTIVATED AND DEPENDABLE AND BECOME THE TRUSTED ONE-STOP SHOP FOR MATTERS RELATED TO STREET SIGNAGE.
UH, HIS PROFESSIONALISM, STRONG WORK ETHIC AND DEDICATION MADE MEANINGFUL CONTRIBUTIONS TO SAFETY AND THE APPEARANCE OF BEAUFORT COUNTY'S TRANSPORTATION IN INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND THEN YOU GOT A PEN AS WELL? YES, SIR.
ANY COMMENTS YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE? I JUST WANNA SAY, UH, FIRST ALL IS THANK GOD, WHO'S AHEAD OF MY LIFE.
SECOND, I JUST WANNA THANK MY WIFE FOR STAYING BY MY SIDE AND LIKE TO THANK MY BOSS BRADLEY, MR. JARED, I DON'T QUITE KNOW EVERYBODY ELSE, BUT THANK Y'ALL AS WELL.
I WAS A YOUNG MAN WHEN I CAME HERE.
I WAS 18 YEARS OLD, DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHAT I WANNA DO WITH MY LIFE AT THE TIME, AND MY DAD TOLD ME, IF YOU GO TO THE MILITARY COLLEGE OR GET A JOB SOMEWHERE HERE, SO CHOSE BEAUFORD COUNTY, BEEN HERE EVER SINCE, AND, UH, JUST ENJOYED AND JUST LOOK FORWARD TO RETIREMENT.
AND I JUST THINK EVERYTHING EVERYBODY DOES, SO APPRECIATE.
UM, NEXT UP WE HAVE, UM, ALVIN, A AVERY, UH, OPERATIONS MANAGER OF THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE.
I NOTICE THE AUDITOR HIMSELF IS HERE, SO HE'S GONNA GET PHOTOS.
UH, MS. SO 25 YEARS OF SERVICE.
UH, MS. AVORY HAS HELD MANY POSITIONS FOR THE LAST 25 YEARS IN THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE, INCLUDING MANAGER OF BUSINESS, PERSONAL PROPERTY SUPERVISOR, TRAINING MANAGER, ASSISTANT DEPUTY AUDITOR, AND DEPUTY AUDITOR.
SHE WORKS CLOSELY WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE AS AN AUDITOR FOR CORPORATIONS, MERCHANTS, AND ALL BUSINESS ACCOUNTS.
THESE ACCOUNTS, UH, TOTAL OVER $20,000 AND ARE WORTH OVER 6, 360 $6 MILLION FOR THE COUNTY, UH, ALL WHILE SHE ASSISTED EMPLOYEES AND CUSTOMERS WITH EXTENSIVE KNOWLEDGE.
SO, 20,000 ACCOUNTS TO CORRECT THAT.
UM, I JUST WANNA THANK EVERYBODY FOR THE, UM, SUPPORT THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.
I COULDN'T HAVE DONE THIS WITHOUT MY, MY OTHER EMPLOYEES THAT ARE NOT HERE, BUT I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT THEY HAVE DONE TO MAKE ME LOOK GOOD.
NEXT WE HAVE, UM, UH, PAM BAXLEY, UM, SENIOR ACCOUNTING, UH, TECHNICIAN FOR REGISTER OF DEEDS WITH 25 YEARS OF SERVICE.
SO, UM, MS. BAXLEY HAS BEEN AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE REGISTERED DEED'S OFFICE FOR THE PAST 25 YEARS.
SHE'S A, A MOUNTAIN FULL OF INFORMATION THAT SPANS MULTIPLE YEARS IN THE DEVELOPMENT FOR COUNTY.
UM, SHE LOVES, UM, RESEARCH AND THE COMBINATION OF HISTORICAL AND MODERN DEVELOPMENT.
SO IS CARMA BAXLEY RELATED TO YOU ONLY AFTER FIVE, THE SEVEN IN THE MORNING?
I KNEW HE WAS STANDING THERE FOR A REASON.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE IN THE PICTURE? COLONEL BAKER, WHY IS EVERYBODY SO SHY? OKAY.
I JUST, UH, THANK COUNSEL AND MR. MOORE AND MS. GREEN FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE THE REAL ESTATE PROFESSION AND THE TAXPAYERS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY.
NEXT WE HAVE, UM, UH, JEFFREY MURRELL MURRELL, UH, SERGEANT BEAUFORT COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE WITH 30 YEARS OF SERVICE.
UM, VERY SERGEANT, UH, MERRILL BEGAN WORKING FOR SHERIFF'S OFFICE IN JULY, 1996.
IN 2000, THE NATIONAL EXCHANGE CLUB CHOSE HIM AS ITS LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER OF THE YEAR.
HE'S A PATROL OFFICER FOR 10 YEARS, THEN JOINED THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE CIVIL DIVISION.
WE SERVED WARRANTS FOR APPROXIMATELY 15 YEARS.
HE SERVED CIVIL PAPERS FOR TWO AND HAS WORKED AT THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND AIRPORT FOR THREE
[00:20:01]
YEARS.THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND CONGRATULATIONS.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE ANY COMMENT.
I'VE BEEN PROUD TO WORK FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE UNDER SHERIFF TANNER FOR MOST OF MY CAREER.
UM, I COULDN'T DO THIS WITHOUT MY WIFE ASSISTANCE.
40 YEARS MY CHILDREN WHO RODE THIS RIDE WITH US.
AND, UM, THE PRAYERS FROM THE PEOPLE OF BEFORD COUNTY TO KEEP OFFICERS SAFE.
SO THAT CONCLUDES, UM, OUR RECOGNITIONS.
UH, NEXT UP I WANTED TO GIVE YOU ALL AN UPDATE ON THE, UM, WHERE WE STAND WITH THE, UM, UH, TRANSPORTATION SALES TAX REFERENDUM.
UM, I PROVIDED YOU ALL SOME INFORMATION PRIOR TO THE MEETING, UM, BUT IN NOVEMBER, UH, THE VOTERS WILL DECIDE ON A PROPOSED TRANSPORTATION SALES TAX REFERENDUM TO FUND CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, SUPPORTING SAFETY, MOBILITY AND CONNECTIVITY.
UM, THIS WAS A MONTHS LONG PROCESS AND IT WAS, UH, FINALIZED TO THE ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE 2026, UH, SLASH THREE ZERO.
AND, UH, WHERE WE STAND WITH THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND, UH, HOW STAFF IS WORKING, UH, TO KEEP RESIDENTS INFORMED AS THIS CAMPAIGN MOVES FORWARD.
SO OUR COMMUNICATIONS APPROACH, WE EXPECT A LOT OF, UM, COMMUNITY CONVERSATION BETWEEN NOW IN NOVEMBER, AND THERE'LL BE QUESTIONS FROM RESIDENTS, AND THAT'S GOOD.
UH, THESE QUESTIONS WILL GIVE US A CHANCE TO PROVIDE FACTS, BUILD UNDERSTANDING, AND, UH, HOPEFULLY ADDRESS, UH, ANY MISCONCEPTIONS.
UH, THE APPROACH IS BUILT AROUND, UH, GIVING RESIDENTS CLEAR, FACTUAL AND ACCESSIBLE INFORMATION SO THEY CAN MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION.
UM, WE PROVIDED THIS TO YOU ALL, BUT THERE ARE SEVERAL, UM, STRATEGIES.
THE WEBSITE, UH, WENT LIVE TODAY.
UM, AND IT'S GONNA BE THE CENTRAL HUB FOR PROJECT INFORMATION, FUNDING, EXPLANATIONS, FAQS, AND, UM, ON, UH, GOING UPDATES.
SO WHAT YOU CAN SEE IN FRONT OF YOU IS THE, THE WEBSITE THAT WENT LIVE TODAY.
AND, UH, IF YOU GO TO BUFORT COUNTY PENNY.COM, THIS IS WHAT WILL COME UP.
AND, UH, THIS IS WHERE THE INFORMATION WILL BE PROVIDED, UH, FOR THE PUBLIC TO ACCESS AS WELL AS COUNCIL MEMBERS AND ANYONE ELSE, UH, THAT, UH, WISHES TO ACCESS THIS INFORMATION.
SO YOU CAN SEE THERE IS AN FAQ SECTION AND, UM, YOU CAN EXPLORE THE REFERENDUM AND THEN VIEW PROGRESS WHERE WE ARE IN 20, UH, 18 REFERENDUM.
AND, UH, YOU GOT RESOURCES IN ANY UPCOMING MEETINGS.
UH, NEXT, UH, ON COMMUNITY UP OUTREACH, WE FINALIZE AN UPDATED COMMUNITY PRESENTATION THAT'S READY FOR, UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF TO USE AT TOWN HALLS, NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS AND STAKEHOLDER EVENTS.
UH, PRINTING COPIES ARE AVAILABLE AND A DIGI DIGITAL VERSION IS ON THE WEBSITE.
SO IF YOU WANT TO TAKE THAT AND, UH, TAKE THAT TO A MEETING OR SEND IT TO CONSTITUENTS OR ASK STAFF TO GO, THESE ARE ALL OPTIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, TO USE.
UH, MEDIA RELATIONS STAFF IS GONNA SET UP MEETINGS WITH LOCAL REPORTERS TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE REFERENDUM AND THE PROJECTS AND ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
UH, WE BEGAN POSTING CONTENT LAST WEEK AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO SHARE UPDATES, UH, PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS AND ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS.
UM, WE'VE POSTED THOSE SOCIAL, I SENT THOSE SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS TO YOU ALL.
I THINK THEY'RE ON THE WEBSITE AS WELL.
SO IF YOU WANT TO GO AND CLICK, I BELIEVE IT'S LIKE FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, THOSE ARE ALL AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE.
SO THE PUBLIC CAN GO THERE AND SUBSCRIBE TO THE FEEDS OR LIKE THEM AND, UH, GET THE INFORMATION UPDATES.
SO WHAT WE NEED FROM, UM, FROM, UH, FROM COUNCIL IS CONTINUING TO SERVE AS, UH, TRUSTED VOICES IN YOUR DISTRICTS TO SHARE THE FACTUAL INFORMATION AND POINT RESIDENTS TO THESE COUNTY RESOURCES WHEN THEY HAVE QUESTIONS.
AND IF YOU HAVE A GROUP IN YOUR DISTRICT THAT WOULD LIKE A PRESENTATION, LET US KNOW AND WE CAN WORK TO SCHEDULE THAT OR SUPPORT YOU ALL IF YOU WANT TO, UH, HAVE, HAVE THOSE MEETINGS YOURSELF.
AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO BRING YOU REGULAR UPDATES ON THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE AS FAR AS PRESENTATION TONIGHT, RIGHT? WE HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
UM, MS. BROCK, WOULD YOU CALL THAT UH, BUFORD PENNY.COM? BACK UP? I WENT ON THERE AND I HAD FAQS AND IT'S LIKE SOMEBODY IN, YOU KNOW, GOT INTO THIS.
YEAH, I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO SAY THAT.
CAN YOU CALL IT UP THERE? SO THAT VERSION OF THE WEBSITE DID LAUNCH TODAY AT ABOUT TWO O'CLOCK.
AND WE WERE TOLD THAT IT'S GONNA TAKE ABOUT 2, 3, 4 HOURS TO POPULATE EVERYTHING AND THAT SHOULD GO AWAY.
UM, BUT WE DO KNOW THAT IT'S THERE AND IT'S GONNA GO AWAY.
IT'S BEEN ADDRESSED WITH THE CONSULTANT.
YEAH, IT'S GOT ALL THE CODING ON IT IS WHAT IT HAS.
[00:25:01]
THE STYLE CODE AND THE CSS HEADER AT THE TOP.BUT IF YOU KEEP SCROLLING ALL THE DATA'S UNDERNEATH IT.
COUNCIL, WHO WOULD BE THE, UM, THE POINT STAFF FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO CONTACT IF THEY WANT? WELL, I THINK IN INITIALLY WE'VE GOT OUR PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER WHO CAN CERTAINLY, I MEAN, YOU CAN ALWAYS CONTACT ME.
BUT IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR IF YOU WANT NO, NO, NO, NO QUESTION.
AND HOLDING A A, A TOWN MEETING, JUST YOU CAN SEND, SEND ME AN EMAIL AND WE'LL SET IT UP.
ON SOMETHING LIKE THAT, SEND IT TO ME AND WE'LL GET SCHEDULED LIKE WE NORMALLY DO FOR TOWN HALLS WITH THE, THROUGH THE CLERK'S OFFICE.
I'M NEVER SENT A TOWN HALL MEETING TO YOU, BUT I WILL SEND THIS ONE TO YOU.
ANY QUESTION REGARDING THE, ANYTHING ELSE TO, THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU ALL THIS EVENING.
[8. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD]
ALL RIGHT.NOW WE'RE AT THE POINT IN OUR AGENDA FOR PUBLIC OH, PUBLIC COMMENTS.
UH, WE HAVE EIGHT PEOPLE SIGNED UP.
IS THERE ANYONE THAT DID NOT SIGN UP THAT OKAY.
COUNCILMAN, FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER HERBERT GLAZE, IF YOU CAN SIGN IN AND I'M GONNA GO AND ORDER THE, AND I YOU'RE YOU'RE GONNA BE LAST, BUT THAT'S OKAY.
UM, FIRST ON OUR LIST IS, UH, JOHN NEELY AND GENERAL, UH, WILL GRIMSLEY, I'D LIKE TO REMIND THE PUBLIC THAT THIS IS A THREE MINUTES TO COMPLETE YOUR COMMENTS.
EVERYONE WILL ADDRESS COUNCIL IN A CIVIL MANNER.
UH, THE COUNCIL WILL NOT TOLERATE PERSONAL ATTACKS ON COUNCIL MEMBERS, STAFF, OR ANY PERSON OR GROUP.
RACIAL SLURS AND PROFANITY ARE NOT PERMITTED.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
I'M MAJOR GENERAL RETIRED WIL, UNITED STATES ARMY WIL GRIMSLEY.
UH, I'M A RESIDENT OF BUFORT, BUT MORE GERMANE TO THIS.
I SIT IN GOVERNOR MCMASTER SEAT AS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA TWO 50, THE CESAR CENTENNIAL COMMISSION, WHICH IS THE COMMEMORATION OF SOUTH CAROLINA'S REV AMERICAN REVOLUTION FROM THE PERIOD OF 2020 THROUGH 2033.
WE'VE JUST COMPLETED A COURSE, WHAT MOST PEOPLE THINK IS THE ICONIC MOMENT OF 2026.
AND IT WAS BIG AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
AND I'M JOINED HERE BY JOHN NEELY AND RANDY ATKINS, WHO ARE FROM YOUR BEAUFORT COUNTY TWO 50 COMMITTEE.
UM, AND, AND THAT DAY, 2026 WAS VERY IMPORTANT.
BUT THE WAR IN SOUTH CAROLINA OBVIOUSLY CONTINUED MUCH LONGER, ALL THE WAY TO THE TREATY OF PARIS IN 1783.
AND MULTIPLE BATTLES AND ENGAGEMENTS ACROSS THE STATE AND CERTAINLY HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND THE MOST ICONIC PERHAPS OF THEM IN A TRADITIONAL SENSE AS THE BATTLE OF GRAYS HILL OR THE BATTLE OF PORT ROYAL FERRY, OR THE BATTLE OF PORT ROYAL ISLAND.
THEY'RE ALL THE SAME THING IN FEBRUARY, 1779.
UH, WHEN YOU DRIVE DOWN TRASK PARKWAY AND YOU LOOK AT THE MARINE CORPS AIR STATION ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE AND THE OLD HARRIS PILL EFFECTION ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE AND THE MARKER THAT NOBODY CAN FIND, THAT'S PART OF THE GRAYS HILL BATTLEGROUND.
IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT BATTLEGROUND SITE FOR THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, CERTAINLY TO BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND IT'S ONE THAT'S BEEN TERRIBLY OVERLOOKED FOR A LONG TIME, AND MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHERE IT IS.
NOW'S OUR OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE THAT.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO DISCUSS LATER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE, THE, UH, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO ENTER INTO A CONVERSATION ABOUT A MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT AND TO TURN THIS BATTLE GROUND INTO WHAT'S CALLED A PASSIVE PARK.
BUT WE DON'T ENVISION THIS AS PASSIVE AT ALL.
ARCHEOLOGY HAS SHOWN THAT THERE ARE BODIES BURIED.
THERE ARE BODIES UNDER THE GROUND THERE.
TWO SIGNERS OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE FOUGHT THERE.
THOMAS HAYWARD JUNIOR OF THE BEAUFORT DISTRICT WAS WOUNDED THERE.
AND THIS IS A REAL OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF AND USE NATIONAL, STATE, AND COUNTY, UH, ORGANIZATIONS AND INTEREST AND TREASURE AND WEALTH TO BE ABLE TO TURN SOMETHING INTO THIS.
SO WE HAVE THE INTEREST FROM THE SC TWO 50.
OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE THE AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD TRUST AND THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, OR THE AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD PROTECTION PROGRAM, WHO WILL COME ALONGSIDE US, THE SOUTH CAROLINA BATTLEGROUND PRESERVATION TRUST AND MANY OTHERS TO REALLY BE ABLE TO TURN THIS INTO A PARK ON THE PART THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY USE.
UH, WE BELIEVE THAT THE BEST WAY TO DO THIS IS TO TAKE THE OLD HARRIS PILLOW FACTORY BUILDING DOWN, TURN IT INTO TRAILS WITH INTERPRETIVE SIGNAGE, CLEAR THE, CLEAR THE FOLIAGE AROUND SO IT WILL LOOK MUCH MORE LIKE IT DID IN 17, UH, 79 WITH WIDE OPEN ABILITY TO MANEUVER THROUGH TREES WITH A GOOD SIGHT LINE.
AND, UH, IN COORDINATION WITH OUR FRIENDS IN THE MARINE CORPS.
UH, WE WOULD OBVIOUSLY ADHERE TO THE EASEMENT ON THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE BECAUSE IT IS ALONG THE FLIGHT LINE.
SO IT WOULD RESTRICT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE BY DAY, WHICH IS WHAT THE CURRENT EASEMENT DOES, AND REALLY GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL OF OUR CITIZENS, NOT JUST BEAUFORT COUNTY, BUT FOR PEOPLE TO COME VISIT AND, UH, REALLY TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE IT SPLIT RAIL, FENCING, SIGNAGE, UH, EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING ON OTHER BATTLEGROUNDS ACROSS THE STATE.
AND THIS IS ONE INITIATIVE AS PART OF THE LIBERTY TRAIL, WHICH IS A NATIONALLY ORGANIZED, THE FIRST DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY TO DO INTERPRETIVE CAPABILITY AND SELF-GUIDED TOURS ON BATTLEGROUNDS.
UH, GRACE HILL WILL BE ON THE LIBERTY TRAIL ONCE WE'RE DONE WITH THIS.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY AND I, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO HOPEFULLY Y'ALL APPROVING THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO WORK WITH THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR ON THIS.
[00:30:01]
YOU.NE NEXT ON OUR LIST IS, UM, ANN YOUAS.
I EXPECT US MAKING SURE WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE.
UH, I'M GLAD MR. MOORE CAME FORWARD SPEAKING ABOUT THE, UH, SALES TAX.
I HAVE STOOD BEFORE YOU ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS.
I WOULD SAY ABOUT MAYBE THIS IS MY SIXTH OR SEVENTH TIME.
UM, AND I ASKED YOU TO AMEND THE LIST OF PROJECTS ON THE TST FROM 87 DOWN TO A MANAGEABLE NUMBER, CLOSER TO 25 OR 30 TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT FROM OVER THREE QUARTERS OF A BILLION DOLLARS OVER NINE YEARS TO LESS THAN HALF OF THAT AMOUNT.
AND THAT TIME WE ASKED YOU ABOUT THE 200 K YOU HAVE DIRECTED TO THE PUBLIC RELATIONS FIRM TO EDUCATE US TO BE, UH, TO THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT FIRM.
INSTEAD, REDIRECT THAT TO A CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT FIRM THAT WILL ENSURE THAT THE PROJECTS ARE CLEARLY DEFINED, REMAIN ON COURSE AND UNDER BUDGET, ON BUDGET, UNDER BUDGET OR TIME.
HOW ABOUT AWARDING THOSE WHO ARE UNDER BUDGET AND TIME BE REWARDED, AND THOSE WHO GO BEYOND AND BUDGET AND TIME BE PENALIZED? WE ASKED YOU TO REPLICATE THE BOND METHOD THAT FUNDED THE SCHOOL DISTRICT PROJECTS.
WE FAILED TO SEE A REQUEST EVEN BEING MET HALFWAY.
SO WITH THE FILING DEADLINE FOR THIS REFERENDUM BEING THE 21ST OF THIS MONTH, WE ARE NOW ASKING YOU AGAIN TO HOLD IT IN ABEYANCE.
YOUR FACEBOOK PAGE THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED THAT JUST WENT UP, UH, WHEN I LEFT THE HOUSE WERE 165 RESPONSES OVER 95% ARE NEGATIVE.
THEY REMEMBER THE 2018 TSTO AND 21 AND 24 20 18 ONLY HAD 20% COLLECT, UH, CREATED, I'M SORRY, COMPLETED.
UH, ONLY 20% OF THOSE 29 PROJECTS ARE COMPLETED.
THEY HAVE NO FAITH IN YOU DOING 87, MUCH LESS 20%, MUCH LESS 1% AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
THE PENNY TAX, YOU CALL IT IN FACT, IS 16.7% ON THE SALES TAX INCREASE TO EACH HOUSEHOLD.
IT'S JUST UNDER PER PERSON, $4,000.
MULTIPLY THAT BY FOUR PEOPLE, THAT'S $16,000 PER HOUSEHOLD THIS PENNY TAX.
SO WHY NOT HOLD IT IN AB OBEYANCE AND PASS IT ON TO THE NEW COUNCIL? THE CONSTITUENTS ARE VOTING IN NEW FACES FOR NEW POLICIES.
SO PLEASE, I'M ASKING YOU GO OUT WITH DIGNITY AND A GRATEFUL PUBLIC RATHER THAN REVILED FOR THE TAX BURDEN AND A POSSIBLY LONG LIST OF UNCOMPLETED PROJECTS.
IF YOU DO SO, YOU WILL HAVE EARNED THE RESPECT AND GRATITUDE OF THE PEOPLE YOU WILL HAVE LEFT.
A LEGACY THAT YOU CAN BE PROUD OF.
NOT ONE THAT WE FEEL THAT YOU WA WILL WANT OR ENJOY.
SO PLEASE HOLD THIS IN ABEYANCE, PLACE IT IN THE HANDS OF THE INCOMING COUNCIL AND LET THEM OWN IT, AMEND IT, AND PLACE IT IN THEIR OWN ENDORSED BALLOT.
NEXT ON OUR LIST IS JASON, UM, DAM CAMERA LIKE HAMMER DAM.
I CAN'T REMEMBER EXACTLY WHEN I FIRST NOTICED THE FLOCK CAMERAS POPPING UP ALONG MY NORMAL ROUTES TO AND FROM WORK HOME AND REALLY EVERYWHERE I TRAVEL, BUT I KNOW EXACTLY HOW IT MADE ME FEEL.
WATCHED WHEN I STARTED READING UP ON FLOCK AND THESE NEW DEVICES, I REALIZED A FEW THINGS.
FIRST, A LPR OR AUTOMATIC LICENSE PLATE READER IS A MISNOMER AND MAYBE AN INTENTIONAL ONE.
FLOCK CAMERAS RECORD MUCH MORE ABOUT A VEHICLE THAN ITS PLATE IN.
IN FACT, FLOCK USES A MARKETING SLOGAN ON ITS WEBSITE, NO PLATE, NO PROBLEM.
FLOCK, CAMERAS CAN IDENTIFY BUMPER STICKERS, VEHICLE DAMAGE, TOOLBOXES, ROOF RACKS, THE LIST GOES ON.
DID YOU KNOW THAT IT CAPTURED THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL? SECOND, FLOCK IS FAR FROM THE ONLY SHOW IN TOWN.
OTHER CAMERAS IN THE COUNTY COME FROM VENDORS LIKE ADA AND DIGITAL WATCHDOG, WHICH ADVERTISE THEIR FACIAL RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY.
THESE CAMERAS CAN TELL WHO YOU ARE, WHAT YOU'RE WEARING, WHAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR HANDS AND MORE.
THIS COUNTY HAS SPENT OVER $600,000 OF OUR MONEY ON THESE DEVICES, BLANKETING OUR TOWNS WITH A WEB OF SURVEILLANCE THAT AS SHERIFF TANNER ACCURATELY BUT FRIGHTENING, FRIGHTENINGLY EXPLAINED, CAN TRACK US ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
AND THAT'S NOT A MISTAKE, COUNTRY, NOT COUNTY.
AS IF THE FLOCK CAMERAS DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH CAPABILITY.
THEY ALSO SELL MICROPHONES TO MOUNT BENEATH THE CAMERAS.
FLOCK WILL TELL YOU THESE ARE FOR GUNSHOT DETECTION, BUT A MICROPHONE IS A MICROPHONE AND IT HEARS EVERYTHING FROM GUNSHOTS AND FIREWORKS TO MUSIC AND CONVERSATION.
DRONES AS A FIRST RESPONDER IS THE SLOGAN FOR THESE.
AND BY THE WAY, FLOCK, IS THAT A TERM FOR THE SWARMS OF DRONE? THIS COMPANY PLANS TO PUT IN THE AIR FLOCK IS A 9-YEAR-OLD COMPANY
[00:35:01]
RUN BY A 38-YEAR-OLD TECH ENTREPRENEUR WHO THINKS HE CAN LITERALLY ELIMINATE ALL CRIME IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS.THERE'S NO ONE IN THIS ROOM NAIVE ENOUGH TO THINK THAT THAT'S TRUE.
I DO BELIEVE THAT THIS BODY'S GOAL IN APPROVING THESE CAMERAS WAS A NOBLE ONE TO ASSIST LAW ENFORCEMENT BY GIVING THEM TOOLS TO SOLVE CASES.
HOWEVER, THIS TECHNOLOGY COMES WITH MASSIVE DOWNSIDES FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY RESIDENTS.
FIRST IS THE DAMAGE THIS WILL DO TO THE CONCEPT OF COMMUNITY POLICING.
CITIZENS WHO FEEL MONITORED BY ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE NO LONGER FEEL AS IF THEY ARE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT.
OFFICERS WHO OBSERVE CITIZENS FROM BEHIND A COMPUTER MONITOR WILL LOSE THE PERCEPTION THAT THE PEOPLE ARE THEIR PEERS AND THEY THEIR SERVANTS.
SECOND IS THE TREMENDOUS LIABILITY THAT THIS OPENS FOR THE COUNTY AND ITS AGENCIES.
IT'S LIKELY THAT EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM TONIGHT HAS HAD THEIR DATA OR IDENTITY STOLEN FROM A COMPANY OR AGENCY THAT SWORE TO PROTECT IT.
FLOCK WILL BE NO DIFFERENT AND THE CITIZENS WILL PAY FOR IT.
THIS SYSTEM AND THE VAST AMOUNT OF DATA IT COLLECTS REPRESENTS EXTRAORDINARY POWER.
THE TEMPTATION TO ABUSE THIS POWER HAS BEEN PROVEN TO BE OVERWHELMING FOR OFFICERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ALREADY.
I'M SURE MANY OF YOU ON THE COUNCIL HAVE LIVED IN BEAUFORT FOR A LONG TIME.
I HEAR PLENTY OF LOCALS DESCRIBE THE SIMPLER TIME IN BEAUFORT THAT THEY MISS IS 24 7 VIDEO SURVEILLANCE BRINGING US CLOSER TO THAT IDEAL.
PLEASE CONSIDER THESE REMARKS AND CREATE A PLAN TO REMOVE THESE INTRUSIVE DEVICES FROM OUR COMMUNITY.
NEXT ON OUR LIST IS, UM, MS. FELICE LAMARCA.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME THIS EVENING.
UM, YOU ARE GOING TO VOTE ON A RESOLUTION TO CREATE AN AD HOC COMMITTEE FOR ANIMAL SERVICES TONIGHT.
AND, UM, I'M QUITE CERTAIN THIS WILL PASS 'CAUSE IT'S ONE OF THOSE FEEL GOOD RESOLUTIONS.
ONE THING YOU SHOULD REMEMBER, THERE'S NO PUBLIC INPUT TO THIS.
AND PERHAPS AN AD HOC COMMITTEE YOU'RE THINKING WILL GET THAT AND IT WILL IF YOU PUT IT TOGETHER CORRECTLY AND SUPERVISE IT CORRECTLY AND HAVE PEOPLE WHO DON'T ALREADY HAVE DETERMIN ANY DETERMINATION AND OBJECTIVES FOR WHAT THEY ALREADY WANT.
JASPER COUNTY IS SEEKING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ANIMAL SERVICES PARTNERSHIPS INTO THE FUTURE.
JASPER COUNTY HAS NOT TALKED TO THEIR OWN MUNICIPALITIES AND GOTTEN THEM ON BOARD.
I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THEM COMING TO BEAUFORT COUNTY AND SPENDING BEAUFORT COUNTY TAXPAYER MONEY, WHETHER IT'S IN THE FORM OF STAFF, OKAY, PAID EMPLOYEES OR YOUR TIME TO FIGURE OUT IF ANYBODY ELSE BESIDES THEM, AND BEAUFORT COUNTY MIGHT WANT THIS.
HOW DOES IT HELP THE ANIMALS? JASPER COUNTY'S PRETTY BIG.
IF SOMEONE HAS TO GO PICK UP THEIR DOG THAT WAS PICKED UP FIVE MILES AWAY, THE DOG'S GONNA BE SURRENDERED.
THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO GO PICK IT UP.
SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT ANIMAL SERVICES, LET ME SAY THIS, WHY DO YOU THINK BEAUFORT COUNTY HAS SO MANY NONPROFITS AND STARTUPS, RESCUE SERVICES, AND PEOPLE LIKE ME? BECAUSE BEAUFORT COUNTY HAS PROVIDED INADEQUATE SERVICES.
SO IF WE'VE PROVIDED INADEQUATE SERVICES THAT YOU'RE NOT AWARE OF, YOUR STAFF NEEDS TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH.
IF IT'S INADEQUATE FOR OUR ANIMALS AND OUR CITIZENS, WE'RE GONNA PARTNERSHIP WITH JASPER COUNTY.
JASPER COUNTY, AS YOU SO APTLY SAID, MR. MCKELLAN VOTED FOR REFERENDUM AND THEY HAVE A 9% SALES TAX.
THEY HAVE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DWELLING UNITS COMING WITH LOTS OF TAXPAYER MONEY.
THEY NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR CITIZENS AND THEIR ANIMALS AND LET US TAKE CARE OF OURS.
THEN WE CAN TALK ABOUT PARTNERSHIPS.
NOW REMEMBER, THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PARTNERSHIP AND REGIONALIZATION.
AND REGIONALIZATION IS WHAT I KEEP HEARING.
SO UNTIL THEY GET THEIR HOMEWORK DONE AND COME TO US, WE SHOULD BE ASKING THEM FOR MONEY AND HELP.
AND THEN LET'S TALK ABOUT A PARTNERSHIP.
NEXT ON THE LIST IS RICHARD GUEST.
[00:40:05]
I DID LAST MO, UH, TWO MONTHS AGO.AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, UH, YES, YOU ALL CAN LOOK INTO THE, THE INCREASE OF OUR RENT IN HIGHLANDER PARK AND SO MANY OF THE OTHER TRAILER PARKS HERE IN BEAUFORT.
IT SEEMS LIKE THIS HERE DEVELOPER IS TRYING TO PUSH US ALL OUT.
UH, THERE IS A COMMITTEE CALLED PROTECT OUR TRAILER PARKS.
AND THERE, UM, LOOKING INTO WAYS OF HELP PROTECT US BECAUSE THEY CAME IN AND DOUBLED OUR RENT.
THEY'RE ADDING TRASH PICKUP NOW, WHICH WE'VE ALREADY BEEN PAYING ON, AND THEY'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT OUR ROADS.
WE HAVE POTHOLE THAT WE HAVE TO ZIGZAG AROUND JUST TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T MESS UP OUR VEHICLES.
UM, THAT, UH, WE HAVE SENIOR CITIZEN WOUNDED VETERANS THAT WE LIVE THAT LIVE IN OUR AREA.
I KNOW AT LEAST FIVE OF 'EM THAT ARE ALL OUR FIXED INCOMES.
AND WHEN YOU GO AND DOUBLE THE RENT ON SOMEBODY WHO'S ON A FIXED INCOME ALREADY, IT MAKES IT EVEN HARDER ON THEM TO TRY AND DECIDE WHAT TO BUY FOOD OR PAY THE RENT.
UM, PAY OUR ELECTRIC BILL, PAY THE RENT, FIX OUR CARS OR PAY THE RENT BECAUSE WE HAVE THE EXTRA MONEY TO PAY ALL, ALL THIS OTHER STUFF THAT WE HAVE TO USE THROUGHOUT THE DAY OR THROUGHOUT THE WEEK OR MONTHS.
AND THESE SENIOR CITIZEN ARE THE ONES THAT ARE PAYING THE PRICE OF THESE FIXED INCOMES WITH THESE DEVELOPERS COMING IN AND DOUBLING THE RENTS ON THEM.
I MEAN, HOW IS THAT BENEFITING BEAUFORT COUNTY RESIDENTS WITH THE MONEY BEING SHIPPED OUT OF COUNTY AND ALL? WE DON'T KNOW WHY IT GOT DOUBLED OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
THEY JUST CAME IN, GAVE US A NOTE SAYING, OH, YOU GO, YOUR RENT'S GONNA BE DOUBLED IN TWO MONTHS.
AND I'VE ALREADY HEARD ABOUT SOME PEOPLE BEING EVICTED OUT THEIR TRA OUT OF ISLAND TANK TRAILER PARK BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT PAYING THE RENT BECAUSE THEY GOT DOUBLED AND THEY STARTED OFF AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
SO, AND THEY'RE SAYING THAT IF WE WANNA SELL OUR TRAILERS, THEY HAVE THE FIRST BID DIBS ON BUYING THEM.
WE DIDN'T SIGN NO CONTRACT SAYING THAT AND EVERYTHING.
SO HOW ARE YOU GONNA BE ABLE TO TELL ME, DICTATE ME IF I WANNA SELL MY TRAILER TO TOM JOE NEXT TO ME? THAT'S MY OPTION, NOT YOURS.
DON'T TELL ME I THAT YOU ALL HAD THE FIRST DIBS ON BUYING MY TRAILER.
I HAD THE FIRST DIBS ON WHO I SELL IT TO, NOT YOU.
BUT, UM, IT'D BE NICE IF THE COMMITTEE CAN LOOK INTO IT AND SEE ABOUT WHETHER I THE REFERENDUM TO, UH, BASICALLY STIFLE THE AMOUNT OF RENT THAT THEY'RE PAYING ON LOCKWOOD, WHICH IS ONLY ABOUT AN EIGHTH OF AN ACRE.
I MEAN, YOU'RE PAYING 700 ON AN EIGHTH OF AN ACRE.
THERE, THERE GOTTA BE SOMETHING DONE ABOUT THIS HERE, MR. GUESS.
I DON'T USUALLY DO THIS, BUT I HAVE YOUR EMAIL HERE.
UM, BE YOU, I KNOW YOU CAME BEFORE I REMEMBER THAT.
AND YOU HAVE ON HERE, DISTRICT ONE.
DO YOU LIVE ON, DO YOU LIVE ON HILTON HEAD OR DO YOU NO, OVER IN, UH, OR FROM PARKERY DRIVE.
SO YOU LIVE IN THE COUNTY DISTRICT ONE.
HE'S MR. DAWSON AND I, UH, WE HAVE YOUR EMAIL.
WE'LL GET BACK IN TOUCH WITH YOU, OKAY? OKAY.
AND Y'ALL HAVE A NICE EVENING.
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO PRONOUNCE IT FOR ME.
JIM, I'M THE, UH, INTERIM COUNTY ADMINIS ADMINISTRATOR FOR JASPER COUNTY.
UH, HERE TO, UH, ASK YOU TO SUPPORT RESOLUTION 2026 DASH 32, UH, WHICH IS, UH, AGENDA ITEM 14 B.
I'LL BE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE AS PART OF THAT AGENDA IF YOU WOULD LIKE.
I APOLOGIZE FOR MISPRONOUNCING.
I, HI, MY NAME IS ROBIN BLACKWOOD.
I LIVE ON LADIES ISLAND AND I'M A NEW RESIDENT TO BEAUFORT.
UM, I AM HERE TO SHARE SOME DETAILS ABOUT A NEW COMMUNITY BEING BUILT IN HARDY.
IT'S CALLED, UM, OSPREY VILLAGE, AND IT'S FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES.
UM, SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE HEARD, UM, OF OSPREY VILLAGE BECAUSE, UH, FOR 18 YEARS, FAMILIES IN BEAUFORT COUNTY HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD TO BUILD AND CREATE AND START OSPREY VILLAGE.
IT'S DEFINITELY BEEN A LABOR OF LOVE.
UM, THERE IS A NEED FOR HOUSING FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES ACROSS OUR, OUR COUNTRY, OUR STATE, EVERYWHERE.
[00:45:01]
UM, CURRENT HOUSING MODELS FOR NEURODIVERSE INDIVIDUALS ARE LIMITED AND PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS, UH, ACROSS THE US SEARCH, UM, EVERYWHERE FOR OP OPTIONS FOR THEIR FAMILIES THAT PROVIDE LONG-TERM, UM, HOUSING SOLUTIONS WITH STRUCTURE, SAFETY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.UM, IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I'VE MOVED TO BEAUFORT, TO BE CLOSE TO OSPREY VILLAGE, AND THERE ARE MANY DOZENS OF FAMILIES THAT HAVE MOVED TO THIS AREA SO THAT THEY CAN BE A PART OF OSPREY VILLAGE AND HAVE THEIR YOUNG ADULT, UH, LIVE, UM, AT OSPREY VILLAGE.
UM, IT'S, IT JUST THIS LAST WEEK WE FINALLY BROKE GROUND ON OSPREY VILLAGE.
THE, THE, THE LAND'S BEING CLEARED.
AND, UM, IT WILL BE, UM, A COMMUNITY, UH, CLOSE.
IT'S OFF OF EAST ARGENT PARKWAY, CLOSE TO, UM, HIGHWAY ONE 70, AND IT'S DOWN THE ROAD FROM FISHER MEMORIAL, UH, FOUNDATION, YMCA.
UM, OUR FORMAL GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY IS ON AUGUST 13TH AT 9:00 AM AND, UM, WE, UM, THIS WILL BE THE FIRST PHASE OF THE DEVELOPMENT.
WE'LL HAVE 94 HOMES AND, UM, THERE'LL BE FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES.
AND AT THE HEART OF OSPREY VILLAGE IS A COMMUNITY CENTER WHERE THERE'LL BE, UM, A PLACE FOR FRIENDSHIPS TO BE FOSTERED, CONNECTIONS TO BE MADE, UM, HAVE ACCESS TO RECREATION, FITNESS.
AND IN PHASE TWO OF OSPREY VILLAGE, WE ARE GOING TO BUILD A JOB TRAINING FACILITY.
UM, SO I'M HERE TODAY JUST TO SHARE THIS UPDATE WITH, UM, WITH, WITH THE COUNCIL.
AND, UM, IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT MANY HAVE BEEN WORKING ON AND TOWARDS FOR A LONG TIME.
I KNOW Y'ALL HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THAT FOR YEARS.
UM, CHAIRMAN, DO WE HAVE HER CONTACT INFORMATION? WE, SHE, WE DO.
I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
HI, Y'ALL DOING GOOD AFTERNOON.
UM, SO I'VE COME, CAME, I'VE CAME HERE THE AFTERNOON TO, UH, TALK TO YOU ABOUT A COUPLE QUICK THINGS ABOUT, UH, DITCHES.
UM, THERE'S, THERE'S SOME DISPARITIES IN OUR, IN OUR, IN OUR COUNTY IN TERMS OF, UH, OF, UH, DITCH WORK.
I GO OVER TO HILTON HEAD IN DIFFERENT PLACES.
I SEE THE DITCHES CLEAN, UM, ON MARTIN LUTHER KING DRIVE, ERNEST DRIVE DIFFERENT PLACES.
IN FACT, I EVEN STOPPED AT ONE OF THE GUYS.
I SAY, MAN, I SAID, I CAN PUT MY FOOT IN THAT DITCH.
AND THAT'S WHAT Y'ALL DIGGING.
I SAID, THE BUCKET OF THE ACT OF THE ACTUAL EXCAVATOR IS BIGGER THAN WHAT YOU ACTUALLY DIGGING UP.
SO, AND JUST YESTERDAY, UH, THE, THE RAY HELENA, THE DITCH WAS FULL OF WATER.
SO MY QUESTION IS, WHO'S COMING BEHIND THESE GUYS? WHAT SUPERVISOR THAT YOU HAVE THAT IS CHECKING ON THEIR WORK? BECAUSE WE'RE NOT PAYING TAX DOLLARS FOR OUR DIGITS TO BE TOUCHED AND SAY, HEY, SOMEONE WAS THERE.
WE'RE PAYING FOR OUR DIGIT TO, SO THAT WE CAN BE, WE CAN LIVE SAFE AND KNOW THAT IF A, IF A HUGE STORM COME THAT THERE, THERE, THERE'S ACTUALLY A DITCH FOR THE WATER TO GO INTO.
AND, AND, AND THERE WAS ALSO, UH, AND THAT'S GOOD.
I MEAN, WITH THIS, WITH IT'S BAD.
THERE'S GOOD, THERE WAS ALSO A GROUP OF GUYS WHO I GUESS THEY, UH, THEY, THEY PLUG SOME, UH, THINGS IN.
THEY HAVE A HUGE TRUCK, A WATER TRUCK OR SOMETHING, AND THEY PLUG THE, UH, THEY PLUG INTO THE, UH, THE, THE, THE ROADS THAT'S, UH, HAVE A LITTLE TUNNEL ON AND THEY BLOW THE SAND OUT.
NOW THOSE GUYS, THEY, THEY'VE BEEN AROUND, BUT THESE GUYS, YOU WHO YOU GOT DIGGING THE DITCHES?
IT'S ALL ACROSS FROM BEFORD AND LADIES OUT.
I'M TALKING TO A LOT OF PEOPLE ABOUT IT LATELY.
BUT, BUT MAINLY I ALSO CAME TALK TO YOU ABOUT ALL THE SHOOTINGS THAT WE HAD GOING ON IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, UH, AND THIS GUY.
AND THERE WAS A GUY THAT SPOKE BEFORE ME ABOUT HE, HE SAID THAT, I HOPE I DIDN'T HEAR HIM RIGHT.
I WANT TO FATHOM THAT I DIDN'T, THAT WE SPENT OVER $600,000 IN FLOCK CAMERAS.
IMAGINE IF WE SPENT OVER $600,000 PROVIDING GOOD THINGS FOR OUR YOUTH TO DO.
DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH IT COSTS FOR OUR KIDS TO GO TO SUMMER CAMP? AND THEN WE ALSO BROKE SANDWICH.
I DON'T REMEMBER SUMMER CAMP BEING BROKEN DOWN IN SESSION ONE AND SESSION TWO.
SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A SINGLE PARENT WHO HAVE TO PAY FOR SUMMER CAMP, PAY FOR SESSION ONE, AND THEN PAY FOR SESSION TWO.
REALISTICALLY, WHO CAN AFFORD THAT? SO WHO'S THE SUMMER CAMP REALLY FOR? SO THAT, THAT, THAT'S RATHER DISTURBING.
AND THEN ALSO WE HAVE THESE RECREATIONAL GAMES.
THE KIDS CAN GO IN THE GYM, BUT I CAN'T TAKE MY KID GATORADE.
THEY CAN ONLY BRING WATER IN THE GYM BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE NO ONE TO CLEAN THE GYMS OR, OR, OR THEY SAID THAT WE USE THE,
[00:50:01]
UH, SPECIAL SERVICES TO DO THAT.NOT NOT NOT KNOCKING THEM, BUT IF WE, IF WE, IF WE, IF WE HAVE SOMEONE DOING IT, WHY DO, WHY CAN'T, WHY CAN'T PARENTS TAKE GATORADES IN THERE TO THEIR KIDS? THEY'RE GONNA GIVE 'EM WATER
WE, WE, WE, WE DEFINITELY GOT SOME WORK TO DO IN, IN TERMS OF OUR, OF OUR KIDS.
AND I WOULD JUST SAY, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR JOINT MEETING BECAUSE I THINK THAT BEAVER COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND BEAVER COUNTY COUNCIL, WE NEED TO BE SHARING SOME OF OUR FACILITIES BECAUSE THESE KIDS NEED A PLACE TO PRACTICE.
ONCE THEY, ONCE THE ACTUAL GAME STARTS, THEY HAVE NO PLACE TO PRACTICE.
WE NEED TO BE SHARING OUR RESOURCES BECAUSE THESE ARE THE PEOPLE'S FACILITIES, NOT OURS.
WE NEED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT.
CAN WE PUT THAT ON THE AGENDA AS WELL? THANK YOU, COUNCIL.
NEXT WE HAVE, UM, MR. HERBERT GLAZE, WHO WAS RECENTLY FEATURED IN AN ARTICLE.
ABOUT HOW MANY YEARS? HUH? 55.
AND HOW MANY CHAMPIONSHIPS? 4, 5, 10, 10
WHO'S COUNTING? WHO'S COUNTING THAT? OH, GOOD EVENING.
I'VE SERVED 20 YEARS IN WHAT YOU ARE DOING, AND I REALIZE THAT THE MAIN THING IS YOU CAN'T MAKE POPULAR DECISION, MAKE RIGHT DECISIONS.
BUT, UH, BEING IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM 55 YEARS, AND I'M 75 YEARS OLD, AND I'M A, I AM AN HABITUAL TAXPAYER.
AND I ALWAYS BELIEVE THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS DESIGNED TO DO FOR PEOPLE WHAT THEY CAN'T DO FOR THEMSELVES.
AND THAT'S WHY WE PAID THE TAXES.
BUT I'M HERE BY STORM WATER, LIVED ON RESIDE ROAD, AND I FOLLOWED ALL OF MY CHAIN OF COMMANDS.
I WENT THROUGH EVERYTHING, EMAIL, EVERYBODY, BUT IT'S GOING THROUGH DEAF EARS.
I TALKED TO THE DIRECTOR, PUBLIC WORKS.
THE YOUNG LADY WHO ANSWERED THE PHONE SAID, I RECOGNIZE YOUR VOICE AS MR. BLAZE.
AND HE, UH, CALLED BACK AND EVIDENTLY THEY MUST BE RECOGNIZING MY NUMBER AGAIN BECAUSE THEY NEVER ANSWER.
AND I GET A VOICEMAIL AND I EVEN EMAIL THE KANYE ADMINISTRATOR ABOUT IT.
AND THEY ALWAYS COME AND THEY'LL CALL ME, 10 MINUTES, I'M IN YOUR YARD.
AND I'LL GET THERE AND OR HE JUST LEFT AND THEY'LL SEND SOMEONE TO CHECK ON IT.
BUT THAT'S ALL THEY'RE DOING IS CHECKING.
AND RIGHT NOW IT'S ALL RAINING.
I STOOD IN MY, MY VEHICLE FOR 10 MINUTES AND I KNOW THE DITCH BY ME.
THE WATER NORMALLY GO FROM WHERE, WHEN IT FIRST STARTED, ABOUT MANY YEARS AGO WHEN I FIRST MOVED OUT THERE, I HAD TO GET SENATOR STRONG THURMOND TO GET THE DITCH IN PROPER ORDER.
THE STATE SAID, NO, IT'S THE CONNIE.
THE CONNIE SAID, IT'S THE STATE.
I SAID, I'M GOING TAKE A SEMEN TRUCK, PLUG IT UP.
I CALLED STRONG THURMOND'S, ALWAYS TAKEN CARE OF.
BUT MY POINT IS THIS, WHEN THEY COME TO ME AND I'VE GOT PICTURES, THEY NEVER GO AND WALK AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.
THERE IS A BLOCKAGE SOMEPLACE.
THE WATER NORMALLY CHANNEL FROM MY AREA, GOES TO THE LITTLE CAUSEWAY AND GOES TO I GUESS WHICHEVER AGA CREEK.
I NEED CCMU CLEAR MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING AS A TAXPAYER, AS WHAT'S GOING ON.
THEY NEED TO GET OFF THEIR VEHICLES, COME OUT, DON'T TALK TO ME, GET AND WALK THE DITCH AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.
SO I'VE DONE MY DUE DILIGENCE.
I'VE TALKED TO COUNCILMAN DAWSON, I'VE EMAILED YOU TO THE ADMINISTRATOR.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE COMING BACK AND REPORTING TO THE, THE HEAD MAN BECAUSE THE LAST TIME HE WAS THERE, HE SAID, OH, WE HAVE NO WAY TO GET BACK HERE.
I SAID, WELL, THEY NORMALLY GET THROUGH THERE BY THE RESIDE OF CAUSEWAY.
BUT I SAID, I TELL YOU WHAT, THE LIGHT COMPANY HAVE AN EASEMENT.
YOU CAN COME THROUGH MY YARD IF YOU NEED ON THE SIDE.
THE DITCH EDGE, THE, THE DEBRIS, THE GRASS AND WHATNOT.
THEY ALREADY BUSH HOKED THAT HOW YOU GOT BACK THERE.
SO IT'S A GAME BEING PLAYED AND NO ONE AS OF YET CAME BACK, WALK THE DITCH AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.
WHY? SO PLEASE TELL THEM OR TELL THE INDIVIDUAL PUBLIC WORK WHEN THEY COME OUT.
WALK THE DISH BECAUSE I GOT MY PHOTOS AND I'M NOT GONNA PRESENT THEM.
I WANT THEM TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.
CLEAR, CONCISE, MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING AS TO WHAT'S HAPPENING.
I'M A TAXPAYER AND LIKE I SAID, I'M A HABITUAL TAXPAYER, BUT I PAY FOR SERVICE.
[00:55:01]
RIGHT.COUNCIL NELSON, IF I MIGHT MM-HMM
UM, ON BEHALF OF, UH, MR. CLAY'S, MY CONSTITUENTS, UH, WE REFER THIS TO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND HAVE HIM FOLLOW UP, IF YOU WILL.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR 10 STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS AND TRACK TOO.
[9. LIAISON AND COMMITTEE REPORTS]
NINE IS OUR LIAISON AND COMMITTEE REPORTS, AND I'M GONNA CALL THESE OUT.IF YOU HAVE NOTHING TO REPORT, YOU CAN JUST SAY PASS OR IF YOU HAVE A REPORT, GO AHEAD AND REPORT.
LOGAN, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO REPORT? BLUFFTON BLUFF.
I COULD HEAR THE BEAUFORT FIRE TRUCK.
UH, YEAH, RIGHT NOW WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY WE HAVE A DELAY ON ONE OF OUR FIRE STATIONS BEING BUILT.
SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THAT FIGURED OUT QUICKLY.
AND THEN ALSO WE HAVE, UM, MR. WILLIAM RICKETTS, WHO IS BEING REAPPOINTED.
UH, JUST SCRIVENER'S AIR ON OUR AGENDA.
THERE IS NO S AT THE END OF THAT.
I THINK THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON SENT IT OVER TO US WITH AN S BUT THERE'S ACTUALLY NOT ONE ON THERE.
SO WE COULD JUST GET THAT TAKEN CARE OF.
OTHER THAN THAT, LOOKING GOOD.
BEAUFORT, JASPER WATER SEWER AUTHORITY, MR. CLOVER? NO MA'AM, NOT AT THIS TIME.
UM, I ONLY, I WAS NOT ABLE TO PARTICIPATE.
WE WERE AT THE, UM, ALL AT THE SOUTH CAROLINA ALL, UH, ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES, BUT WE'LL HAVE SOMETHING NEXT MONTH.
BURTON FIRE DISTRICT, UM, MR. DAWSON, ANYTHING? OKAY.
UM, COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE.
YEAH, ACTUALLY, UH, MANY OF THE ITEMS, UH, ARE COMING FORWARD TODAY ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
BUT, UH, ONE OF THE BIGGEST THAT I THINK, UM, WINS, IF YOU WANNA CALL IT THAT, IS, AND A BIG THANK YOU TO OUR PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT, UH, WE ARE BANNING GLYPHOSATE ON OUR PARKS AND RECREATIONAL FIELD FOR OUR, FOR OUR STUDENTS AND OUR CHILDREN.
AND, UH, THEY'RE GONNA BE POSTING SIGNAGE OUT NOW, ANYTIME THE FIELDS ARE SPRAYED.
SO BIG THANK YOU TO OUR PARKS AND REC STAFF.
UM, AND THEY'RE IMPLEMENTING THE RESOLUTION THAT WE PUT FORWARD ABOUT AN ORGANIC FIRST POLICY.
SO I THINK THAT'S A HUGE VICTORY.
MR. CABERNET? CDCI, I WASN'T THERE.
YOU WERE? OH, I, I HAVE NOTHING REALLY TO REPORT.
FROM THAT I HAVE OTHER STUFF, BUT NOT CTC.
UM, DESIGN REVIEW BOARD IS MS. BROWN, SHE'S NOT HERE.
DISABILITIES AND SPECIAL NEEDS BOARD.
UM, NOTHING TO REPORT RIGHT NOW.
WELL, NO, UH, THERE'S NO MEETING THIS MONTH.
THE NEXT ONE WILL BE, UH, SEPTEMBER.
THE MEETING DATE WILL BE SEPTEMBER 10TH.
INSTEAD SEPTEMBER 11TH, RIGHT? YEAH.
AND THEN WE'LL BE CONSIDERING SOME NEW APPLICATIONS AT THAT TIME.
THERE WILL BE SOME NEW ONES, YOU THINK? YEAH.
UH, LIBRARY BOARD, MR. PASSMAN, COUNCILMAN PASSMAN.
UH, NOTHING TO REPORT ON THE LIBRARY.
DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE TO REPORT? UH, UH, KEEP BUFORD COUNTY BOARD.
WE'LL BE MEETING THIS WEDNESDAY.
UM, TOM, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING FROM, UH, LRTA? NO.
AND NEXT MEETING WE'LL BE ABLE TO REPORT.
UM, COUNCILMAN GLOVER NATURAL RESOURCE COMMITTEE MET? YES, MA'AM.
UM, LET ME, UM, AT, AT LEAST ANNOUNCE THAT, UM, AT THE BEAUFORD JASPER, UM, WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY, THEY DID HAVE A, UM, BROWN GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY FOR THE ALL JOIN, UM, SEWER SYSTEM.
AND IT WAS WELL ATTENDED, UM, BY BOTH, UH, MUNICIPALITIES, BLUFFTON FOLKS WERE THERE, COUNTY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES WERE THERE.
UM, THE STATE REPRESENTATIVE WAS THERE.
UM, SO IT WAS A GOOD TURNOUT IN, UH, THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE FOR, FROM ALL JOY WAS PRESENT.
UM, IN THEIR BLUE AND WHITE SHIRT AND ANNOUNCING THEMSELVES.
SO THEY, THEY WAS WELL SUPPORTED.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT.
UM, THE NATURAL RESOURCE COMMITTEE DID MEET, ONE OF THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA WAS, UM, A REPORT FROM GREEN SPACE AND GREEN SPACE REPORTED THAT THEY, UM, HAD THE, THE PROJECTS AND THEY BASICALLY, UM, HAD A REPORT ON THAT.
AND THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT'S, UH, AVAILABLE, I THINK RIGHT NOW, JUST A LITTLE OVER $20 MILLION IS UNENCUMBERED.
UM, BUT THERE'S ROUGHLY ABOUT ANOTHER $20 MILLION THAT'S GONNA BE REIMBURSED.
SO OVER TIME, UM, WE HAVE ROUGHLY ABOUT 40, A LITTLE OVER 40,000, $40 MILLION AVAILABLE FOR, UM, GREEN SPACE.
UM, I HAVE THOSE EXACT NUMBERS.
UH, MS. GLOVER, IF YOU WANT ME TO, I KNOW YOU DO ME.
[01:00:01]
COLLECTED IN THE, UH, PROGRAM IS 126 MILLION.THE CLOSED PROJECTS AT THE MOMENT, 28 MILLION PROJECTS THAT WERE APPROVED BY COUNCIL RESOLUTION IS 67 MILLION PROJECTS APPROVED FOR DUE DILIGENCE IS 10 MILLION.
WE HAVE UNCOMMITTED FUND BALANCE OF 20 MILLION, AND AS MR. GLOVER POINTED OUT, WE HAVE MONEY THAT IS PENDING COMING BACK TO US FROM PROJECTS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THE NUMBERS ABOVE OF 26 MILLION.
SO WE EXPECT THAT OUR TOTAL WILL EVENTUALLY BE BY THE END OF THE YEAR OR BY THE BEGINNING OF THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR, APPROXIMATELY $46 MILLION AVAILABLE FOR FUTURE PURCHASES.
UM, THE OTHER THING THAT, UM, DURING THE, UM, NATURAL RESOURCE, WE, AFTER THE, UM, THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE OR THE, UM, COUNTY COUNCIL ASSOCIATION, A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT DATA CENTER.
AND SO THAT DISCUSSION WAS DONE AND, UH, INSTRUCTED STAFF TO, UM, BRING BACK SOME RECOMMENDATIONS, SOME GUIDELINES, UM, FAR AS POLICY DECISIONS, UM, FOR US AS A COUNCIL TO, TO ENGAGE THE OTHER ITEMS ON, UH, ON THE AGENDA.
UM, ONE BEING THAT, UM, RECOMMENDATION, UM, FOR, UM, FREESTANDING, UH, ACCESSORY BUILDINGS FOR AGRICULTURE USE PURPOSE IS ON THE AGENDA.
UM, ALSO ON THE AGENDA IS, UM, UH, A RECOMMENDATION TO UPZONE AN AREA OF ST.
UH, THE STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THAT.
AND, UM, THE OTHER AGENDA ITEM IS, UM, OH, UH, WE ALSO HAD A DISCUSSION, UM, UM, FROM THE BATTLE OF PORT ROYAL COMMITTEE.
UM, SO THAT'S ON THE DIS AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION.
AND THE OTHER ITEM IS THE STORMWATER INITIATIVE.
UM, UH, IT'S CALLED BRICKYARD COMMONS.
UH, THAT'S ON THE AGENDA, UM, FOR ACTION.
SO THAT'S IT FOR A LOT OF BUSINESS.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? I HAVE ONE THING TO REPORT ON.
UM, YEAH, WE DO A FINANCE MEETING NEXT, UH, MONDAY.
IT'S OUR FIRST ONE SINCE WE HAD A TSUNAMI OF MEETINGS, UH, AT THE END OF THE, THE FISCAL YEAR.
AND THEN THERE IS GONNA BE AN ALL JOY MEETING.
AND I, AND AGAIN, I THOUGHT IT WAS FOR ZONING, BUT I THINK IT'S GONNA BE FOR, UM, THE, UM, BOAT LANDING AND POSSIBLE DRAINAGE.
WE'RE JUST FINALIZING ALL THE DETAILS, BUT MOST LIKELY SEPTEMBER 22ND AT THE BLUFFTON LIBRARY.
BUT AGAIN, WE'LL HAVE INFORMATION OUT THERE ON THAT COMING OUT SOON FOR THE ALL JOY COMMUNITY.
SO, UM, I ATTENDED THE LATS MEETING, LOW COUNTRY AREA TRANSPORTATION.
EVERYONE HAS A COPY OF THIS FORM IN FRONT OF THEM.
THE REASON I ASK TO HAVE YOU GET THIS IS IT TALKS ABOUT WHAT S-C-D-O-T IS DOING FROM 2026 TO 2031.
THEY'RE GONNA SPEND $2 BILLION.
AND IF YOU LOOK THROUGH IT, BEAUFORT COUNTY, THINGS ARE FIRST, JASPER COUNTY INITIATIVES ARE NEXT.
BUT I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE INTERESTING FOR EVERYONE TO LOOK AT THIS, SO I'M PROVIDING THAT FOR YOU.
I'M GONNA REPORT ON THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING.
I WANNA CONGRATULATE OUR BCTV TEAM.
THERE WERE AUDIO PROBLEMS AND THEY STEPPED RIGHT UP AND FIXED IT.
THE CHAIR OF THE SCHOOL BOARD NOTED THAT THEIR CREDIT RATING IS NOW ONE LEVEL ABOVE USCB, AND THEY ARE VERY PROUD OF THAT.
SO I THINK IT WAS WORTH MENTIONING, OF COURSE, THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS OPENED, AND AN INTERESTING THING, THEY HAVE THE SCORES ON ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS AND MATH, AND THEY'RE HIGHER THAN BEFORE COVID, BUT, BUT THEY'RE EMBARGOED AT THIS TIME, WHICH IS ALWAYS VERY INTERESTING.
SO WE'LL BE ANXIOUS TO REVIEW THOSE.
PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR IS MS. BRENDA BLUE FROM PRICHARD V ELEMENTARY AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR IS MS. CASSANDRA RYMAN FROM HILTON HEAD ELEMENTARY.
THEY SPEND A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT REVISING THEIR POLICY MANUAL, WHICH LORD, WE'VE DONE TOO.
THEY HAVE SOME REAL ISSUES THERE.
THEY HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT HOUSING ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND FOR EMPLOYEES AND FAMILIES, AND THE IMPACT IT'S HAVING ON SCHOOLS.
TWO HILTON HEAD ISLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, ONE IS AT 50% CAPACITY AND THE OTHER IS SLIGHTLY ABOVE THAT.
AND SCHOOLS NORTH OF THE BROAD ARE AT ABOUT 50%, SOME OF THEM, WHEREAS SCHOOLS SOUTH OF THE BROAD ARE LITERALLY BURSTING AT THE SEAMS. AS YOU CAN PREDICT, THEY HAVE A CONCERN OVER GROWING ENROLLMENT SOUTH OF THE BROAD, AND A CONCERN THAT PARENTS MAY BE SHOPPING TO TRANSFER THEIR STUDENTS BETWEEN SCHOOLS AND VIEWING IT LIKE A MARKETPLACE, BECAUSE YOU CAN ASK FOR YOUR CHILD TO GO TO A DIFFERENT
[01:05:01]
SCHOOL AND HOW THAT KIND OF TURNS THINGS AROUND.THEN THEY HAD A DISCUSSION ON THE USE OF TEXTBOOKS VERSUS ELECTRONICS, WHICH IS IF YOU'RE AN EDUCATOR, THAT'S VERY INTERESTING.
WHEN YOU ARE AWAKE AT THREE IN THE MORNING, YOU CAN WATCH IT.
UM, MS. MONICA MAINE AND I MET WITH THE FIRE MARSHALS REGARDING, UH, OPEN BURNING, BOTH IN MUNICIPAL AND UNINCORPORATED AREAS.
WE HAD REPRESENTATIVES FROM HILTON HEAD CITY, BEAUFORT, TOWN OF PORT ROYAL, UH, JASPER COUNTY, UM, ALL THE, ALL THE FIRE DISTRICTS THAT WAS HELD AT THE, UH, ONE OF THE BLUFFTON FIRE STATIONS.
UM, SHE AND I MET WITH 'EM FOR ABOUT AN HOUR LAST FRIDAY.
UH, I THINK THE CON THE GROUP DECIDED THAT THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT COULD BE TWEAKED IN OUR UNINCORPORATED OPEN BURNING, UM, ORDINANCE.
BUT, UM, LIKE I KNOW BURTON HAS HAD A LOT OF GRASS FIRES IN RECENT TIME, UH, BUT ENFORCEMENT AS USUAL IS THE HARDEST PART OF ANY ORDINANCE IF WE CHANGE IT.
ANY OTHER LAST REPORTS? WELL, OKAY.
[10. APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA]
ALL RIGHT.WE HAVE, UH, SEVERAL ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THEY'RE THERE AT A ONE THROUGH FIVE.
WOULD ANYONE LIKE FOR ME TO READ THOSE OUT LOUD, OR DID EVERYBODY I'LL MAKE THE MOTION FOR THEM.
YOU HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
WE HAVE ITEMS FROM COMMUNITY SERVICES AND NATURAL RESOURCES.
ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE CONSENT AGENDA, A ONE THROUGH FIVE, IS THAT WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON? YES.
NOT B ONE AND BB AND B ONE AND B ONE MB BEFORE, BEFORE WE VOTE ON B ONE, UH, MR. BARUM, DO YOU WANNA MAKE ANY COMMENTS WITH REGARD TO THE UH, UH, YES.
INFORMATION WE RECEIVED? IF NOT, I HAVE THAT.
AND YES, I, I WAS PLANNING ON MAKING COMMENTS.
ONE, UM, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT AS WE, I THINK THERE'S SOME, UH, THINGS TO IRON OUT WITH THE CONTRACT ITSELF.
THIS IS AUTHORIZING YOU TO FINISH THAT.
UH, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT AS WE FOCUS ON THE OUTFALL, WHICH IS I BELIEVE LATER PHASES, UH, BUT NONETHELESS, THAT WE TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION OF THE RURAL AND CRITICAL LANDS AND THE OPEN LAND TRUST PROPERTY, UH, FOR BOTH OUTFALLS THAT ARE BEING, UH, CONSIDERED RIGHT NOW.
THE, THE, THE PASSIVE PARK THERE.
YEAH, I'LL JUST ADD TO THAT AS A GREEN SPACE REP, YOU KNOW, THAT'S PROTECTED LAND ALREADY.
AND ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT OPEN LAND IS SAYING IS, WOULD BE GREAT IF WHEN THEY'RE DOING THE STORMWATER UH, PLANNING, THEY COULD ALSO INCLUDE, UH, SOME CONSIDERATION FOR A WILDLIFE HABITAT AND, AND THE PASS TO PARK FOR THE PUBLIC TO USE AS WELL.
AND THAT'S THEIR SIMPLE REQUEST.
WE'RE ALL INTERESTED IN ACCELERATING THE OUTFALL IS, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PASSIVE PARK, THE PINE VIEW PASSIVE PARK IS SOMETHING CLEARLY WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT AS PART OF THIS PROJECT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS ABOUT THE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? ALL RIGHT.
ALL IN, WE HAD A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR BY SHOW OF HANDS TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
AND THAT IS UNANIMOUS GOING ON TO ITEM
[11.a. Authorization for the County Administrator to negotiate a Lease agreement with Coosaw Community Association Regarding the Coosaw Community Center.]
11, A, UH, AUTHORIZATION FOR THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO NEGOTIATE A LEASE AGREEMENT WITH OSA COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION REGARDING THE OSA COMMUNITY CENTER.DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO NEGOTIATE A LEASE AGREEMENT? SO MOVED.
MADAM CHAIR, SECOND, CHAIRMAN SECOND BY COUNCILMAN GLOVER.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS? UH, WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL START WITH, NO, HE STARTED IT.
WE'LL START WITH WHO MADE THE MOTION.
WELL, YEAH, I DON'T REALLY HAVE MUCH ON THIS ONE.
UH, WE KIND OF TALKED THIS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY SERVICES, UH, COMMITTEE.
UH, ESSENTIALLY JUST AUTHORIZING THE ADMINISTRATOR TO HELP NEGOTIATE, UM, ONE OF THE COMMUNITY CENTERS ON CUSSO ISLAND.
UM, LIKE I SAID, I OPENLY ADMITTED, I, I THINK I MADE THE MISTAKE OF, OF PUSHING TO GET THE, NOT RENEW THE LEASE.
I THINK I HAD SOME BAD INFORMATION AND INCOMPLETE INFORMATION, BUT THAT'S ON ME.
UH, BUT NONETHELESS, I THINK THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GET A COMMUNITY CENTER OUT THERE THAT CAN, UM, THAT CAN BE REALLY BENEFICIAL AND RESHAPE WHAT THE RELATIONSHIP IS ON COOSE ISLAND AND JUDGE ISLAND.
UM, COUNCILMAN GLOVER, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? NO MORE THAN, UM, UH, THE DISCUSSION AND THE CONVERSATION I THINK IS NECESSARY AND NEEDED, AND THEN WE CAN GO FROM THERE.
UM, I KIND OF WANNA MAKE SURE THE ADMINISTRATOR IN THESE CONVERSATIONS TALKS ABOUT, EVIDENTLY PEOPLE THAT USE IT HAVE TO GO ALL THE WAY TO BURTON WELLS TO GET A KEY AND PAY 400 BUCKS OR, RIGHT.
I, I THINK, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE DEFINITELY GONNA HAVE STAFF TO LOOK AT BECAUSE OF THE ACCESS AND RESERVING THE FACILITY.
SO I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS WE CAN DO TO AVOID THAT SO THAT IT'S NOT AN INCONVENIENCE TO SCHEDULE THE FACILITY.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT'S WHAT I THINK YOU'RE SAYING.
[01:10:01]
OKAY.UM, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
DO WE NEED A ROLL CALL VOTE OR IS IT BY SHOW OF HANDS? ALL IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT.
[11.b. Approval of updated 2026 County Council Meeting Calendar]
ON TO B UH, THIS IS APPROVAL OF THE UPDATED 2026 COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING CALENDAR.WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN PASSMAN.
SECOND IT A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN GLOVER.
ANY DISCUSSION OR COMMENTS? NO.
ALL IN FAVOR BY SHOW OF HANDS.
[Items 11.c.-11.m.]
C IS APPOINTMENT.AND REAPPOINTMENTS WE'LL RUN THROUGH.
CHAIRMAN, IS THERE ANY WAY WE COULD, UM, GROUP I WAS JUST GONNA ASK, UNLESS ANYBODY HAS AN OBJECTION WITH ANYBODY? NO.
UM, DO AND WHO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO PROVE, I WILL MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE TAKE ITEMS C THROUGH M AS ONE.
UM, SECOND, DON'T WE NEED TO, SOME OF THESE PEOPLE, THEY'VE BEEN ON A COMMITTEE LONGER HAVE TO BE VOTED SEPARATELY.
YOU UNDERSTAND THAT? I THOUGHT THEY HAD JUST HAD A CERTAIN NUMBER OF VOTES.
WHAT IF WE GET UNANIMOUS? IT SHOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM, RIGHT? CORRECT.
SO I BELIEVE THAT, UM, WITH ALL DUE RESPECTER, THAT YOU THINK IT'S FINE.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYBODY HERE THAT'S GOING TO OPPOSITION DENY ANYONE.
NO, I DON'T THINK THERE'S THE APPOINTMENT.
WE DON'T HAVE TO REMOVE ANYBODY.
AND WE GET A UNANIMOUS PHOTO COVER AT ALL.
OH, LOGAN DID ALL, ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT GROUPING ALL OF THESE TOGETHER? ALL RIGHT.
AND JUST THE, UH, SCRIBNER'S AIR FOR THE NAME FOR MR. RICKETT.
[12.a. 2026/37: An Ordinance authorizing the abandonment of County Maintenance of a portion of Gibson Drive following petition by adjacent property owners and reclassifying said portion as a Private Road. PUBLIC HEARING]
WE'VE GOT ORDINANCES FOR THIRD READING.I'LL TURN IT OVER TO VICE CHAIR.
2026 SLASH 37 IS AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE ABANDONMENT OF COUNTY MAINTENANCE OF A PORTION OF GIBSON DRIVE FOLLOWING A PETITION BY ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS AND RECLASSIFYING SAID PORTION AS A PRIVATE ROAD.
THE VOTE HAS BEEN UNANIMOUS AT PUBLIC FACILITIES.
FIRST READING AND SECOND READING.
I HAVE A SECOND AND A SECOND BY MR. BARTHOLOMEW.
A POINT OF ORDER ON Y'ALL TOOK, Y'ALL MAKE THE MOTION TO VOTE.
BUT YOU DIDN'T ACTUALLY VOTE ON ALL THE NOMINEES, SO I JUST WANNA MAKE THAT POINT OF ORDER.
IT WAS UNANIMOUS TO PUT THEM ALL TOGETHER.
WAIT, WE VOTED THE MOTION UNANIMOUS, BUT NOW WE NEED TO VOTE, NOT TAKE THE, PUT THEM ALL TOGETHER.
SO WE NEED A MOTION TO NOW TO VOTE ON.
I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO, I'LL SECOND AGAIN.
OKAY, BACK TO THIS ORDINANCE FOR THIRD READING.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, UH, NO ONE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THIS ORDINANCE? AND AGAIN, THIS HAS BEEN THROUGH COMMITTEE AND TWO READINGS, SO WE DON'T NEED MR. BAUER TO COME UP ANY DISCUSSION ON COUNSEL.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS ORDINANCE, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
[12.b. 2026/38: An Ordinance to amend Ordinance 2017/12 to appropriate funds from the 2017 Series General Obligation Bond to the Station 34 joint Fire/EMS Station. PUBLIC HEARING]
SLASH 38 IS AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND ORDINANCE 2017 SLASH 12 TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FROM THE 2017 SERIES.GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND TO THE STATION 34 JOINT FIRE EMS STATION.
THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING, THE VOTE AT THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
FIRST READING AND SECOND READING WAS UNANIMOUS.
UH, MOVED BY MR. PASSMAN, SECOND BY MR. CUNNINGHAM.
AS ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ORDINANCE.
PEOPLE ARE LOOKING A LITTLE BIT BORED.
I'M GONNA CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ANY DISCUSSION ON COUNCIL? WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS SEVERAL TIMES.
ALRIGHT, ALL IN FAVOR OF THE ORDINANCE.
[12.c. 2026/39: An Ordinance to amend the Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Ordinance to carry forward purchase orders and funds from Fiscal Year 2026 and prior for projects that have not yet been completed. PUBLIC HEARING]
SLASH 39 IS AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 BUDGET ORDINANCE TO CARRY FORWARD PURCHASE ORDERS AND FUNDS FROM FISCAL YEAR 2026.FOR PROJECTS THAT HAVE NOT YET BEEN COMPLETED, THE VOTE HAS BEEN UNANIMOUS AT FINANCE COMMITTEE AND FIRST AND SECOND READING, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING.
CAN I HAVE A MOTION? I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION.
CAN I GIVE IT TO MR. LAWSON? ABSOLUTELY.
WHO'D LIKE TO SECOND MR. DAWSON? SECONDS.
ANYONE CARE TO SPEAK ON THIS ONE? IT IS A PUBLIC HEARING.
I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, I JUST WANNA NOTE FOR THE PUBLIC WHEN YOU HAVE TIME, LOOK THROUGH PAGES 2 68 TO 2 74.
IF YOU'RE WONDERING WHY PROJECTS ARE LISTED HERE, THERE'S A LOT OF ENGINEERING PROJECTS, STORMWATER AND
[01:15:01]
CAPITAL PROJECTS.THAT'S WHY THEY'RE CARRYOVERS.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON COUNCIL? ALL, ALL VOTE.
[12.d. 2026/40: An Ordinance to reallocate remaining American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds in the amount of $1,496,825.73 towards existing projects as obligated to the Department of Treasury. PUBLIC HEARING]
ALL RIGHT.NOW WE HAVE 2026 SLASH 40 IN ORDINANCE TO REALLOCATE REMAINING A AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT, WHICH IS ARPA FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,496,825 AND 73 CENTS TOWARD EXISTING PROJECTS AS OBLIGATED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY IN THIS PAST FINANCE AND FIRST READING AND SECOND READING UNANIMOUSLY.
MR. PASSMAN MOVES MR. UH, LAWSON.
NO ONE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD CARE TO SPEAK ON THIS ORDINANCE? ALL RIGHT, I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ANYONE ON? YES, MR. LAWSON? YES.
UM, AND I'M GONNA ASK JARED TO COME FORWARD IF YOU CAN, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, UM, SOME OF THE MONEY'S BEING MOVED IS, IS, UH, SLATED FOR THE, THE, THE FERRY, WHICH AGAIN, THE FERRY IS FULLY FUNDED.
AND THIS WAS ACTUALLY MONEY FOR HELMAN WAY, I THINK IS WHERE THE MONEY WAS EARMARKED TO GO.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE WORRIED WE'RE TAKING MONEY FROM THE FERRY, BUT I KNOW WE'VE GOT THAT FULLY FUNDED.
I I SHOULD HAVE MENTIONED THIS ALSO FOR THE PREVIOUS, UM, 20 26 38, WHICH THERE WERE SOME MONIES THERE, WHICH WERE OVERFLOW MONEY AS WELL WAS MOVED TO THE FIRE STATION.
THIS COUNCIL HAS BEEN VERY GOOD ABOUT SUPPORTING THE FERRY FUNDING, THE FERRY US MAKING IMPROVEMENTS TO, TO PINKY ISLAND, UH, CC HAGUE, AND THEN MELROSE LANDING, ALL THE MONEY WE'VE SPENT THERE.
SO JARED, IF YOU CAN JUST REASSURE PEOPLE THAT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT MONEY IS THERE, HAS BEEN FUNDED, AND AGAIN, THIS MONEY NEEDS TO BE MOVED FOR US TO HAVE TO SPEND.
SO AS YOU SAID, THE DFU ALLEN FERRY IS FULLY FUNDED.
UM, AS FAR AS THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE PLANNED AT MELROSE AND, UM, WE HAVE ADDITIONAL IMPROVEMENTS TO MAKE FOR LONG TERM RESTORATION.
WE KNOW THERE'S A BRIDGE PROJECT COMING ON 2 78.
UM, WE WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE, UH, NOTICES TO WHAT THOSE IMPROVEMENTS ARE, THESE IMPROVE.
THIS FUNDING IS FOR ARPA, IT WAS FOR THE CROSS ISLAND PARKWAY THERE AT HELMSMAN WAY.
AND, UM, THAT PROJECT FOR A A LANDSIDE FERRY, UM, TERMINAL HAS BEEN PUT ON HOLD.
UM, WE'RE LOOKING AGAIN AT OTHER ALTERNATIVES FOR THAT.
SO THE ARPA FUNDING HAS TO BE EXPENDED BY THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR.
SO WE MOVED IT TO ANOTHER PROJECT.
IT'S GOING TO SUPPORT HANGERS AT BEAUFORT EXECUTIVE, UM, THAT CAN GET COMPLETED PRIOR TO THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR.
SO WE DON'T LOSE THE ARPA FUNDING.
UM, THE, THERE'S BEEN OTHER FUNDING THAT'S BEEN SET ASIDE PREVIOUSLY THROUGH A AND H TAX AND CIP THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH THE MELROSE LANDING IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, WE HAVE SOME LIMITED IMPROVEMENTS, UM, AT JENKINS ISLAND.
UM, SO THERE'S PLENTY OF FUNDING PLANNED AND WE'LL BE MORE FUNDING AS NEEDED FOR FERRY IMPROVEMENTS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ISLAND.
'CAUSE I WAS ASKING ABOUT THAT.
I GUESS I WANNA REASSURE EVERYBODY THAT MONEY'S THERE, FUNDING'S THERE AND WE NEED TO MOVE THIS TO BE ABLE TO SPEND IT BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
ANYONE ELSE? QUESTION OR COMMENT FROM THE COUNCIL? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.
UM, ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS ORDINANCE.
JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE MR. MC.
[13.a. 2026/41: An Ordinance amending the Community Development Code (CDC): section 5.3.20 (applicability), 4.2.20 (standards for free-standing accessory buildings/structures), 5.8.100 (screening), and 10.1.190 (definitions).]
FOR FIRST READING.THIS IS ITEM 13, 20 26 SLASH 41 IS AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CODE SECTION 5.3 POINT 20, APPLICABILITY 4.2 0.2 STANDARDS FOR FREESTANDING ACCESSORY BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES.
5.8 POINT 100 SCREENING, AND 10.1 0.19 DEFINITIONS.
THIS IS WHAT MR. UM, GLOVER REFERRED TO NATURAL RESOURCE COMMITTEE PASSED IT FOR THE SEVEN ZERO.
CAN I HAVE A MOTION, MR. GLOVER? I SECOND IT.
WE HAVE MOTION AND SECOND BY MR. GLOVER.
MR. MERCHANT, WOULD YOU EXPLAIN THIS TO THE PUBLIC AND TO EVERYONE THAT WASN'T AT NATURAL RESOURCE? YES.
SO THIS, UM, IF YOU WERE TO GIVE THIS ORDINANCE A NAME, IT WOULD BE THE SHIPPING CONTAINERS FOR AGRICULTURE ORDINANCE.
AND THIS CAME UP, CAME TO OUR ATTENTION BECAUSE MANY PEOPLE INVOLVED IN ACTIVE AGRICULTURE USING SHIPPING CONTAINERS MORE AND MORE, THEY PROVIDE A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY.
UH, THEY USE 'EM FOR A LOT OF DIFFERENT PURPOSES.
EVERYTHING FROM, UM, HYDROPONICS OR GROWING MUSHROOMS TO STORING EQUIPMENT, UH, IN OTHER MATERIALS.
AND CURRENTLY, THERE ARE TWO SECTIONS OF OUR ORDINANCE THAT STATES SPECIFICALLY ONE THAT NOT THE CHIPPING CONTAINERS ARE NOT PERMITTED AS AN ACCESSORY USE.
AND THERE'S ANOTHER ONE THAT SAYS THEY'RE NOT PERMITTED AS, AS A SINGLE FAMILY
[01:20:01]
RESIDENCE.AND SO WE NEEDED TO AMEND THE ORDINANCE TO BASICALLY GET RID RID OF THIS REGULATORY BARRIER.
ONE OF THE THINGS OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN SPEAKS VERY, UM, CLEAR CLEARLY ABOUT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND SO REMOVING THIS REGULATORY BARRIER, WE FELT WAS CONSISTENT WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
IT WAS, UH, INITIATED AT THE REQUEST OF A COUNCIL MEMBER, BUT, UM, STAFF DRAFTED THE LANGUAGE.
WE CAME TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND, UM, I WOULD SAY THEY DELIBERATE DELIBERATED VERY, UH, STRONGLY.
UH, THEY SENT US BACK AT THREE DIFFERENT MEETINGS BECAUSE THERE WAS CONCERN.
IT WAS THAT, THAT THAT, UM, THREADING THE NEEDLE BETWEEN WANTING TO REMOVE A REGULATORY BARRIER BUT NOT PROVIDE A LOOPHOLE BECAUSE THERE WAS STILL CONCERN ABOUT THE PROLIFERATION OF SHIPPING CON SHIPPING CONTAINERS IN THE COUNTY.
AND SO, UM, THROUGH THAT PROCESS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WORKED BACK AND FORTH WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
WE MET WITH THE FARM BUREAU, TALKED WITH SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE IN THE AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY, AND BELIEVE WE'VE STRUCK A, A PRETTY GOOD BALANCE WITH THE CURRENT LANGUAGE.
UM, I DON'T WANT TO GO INTO MUCH DETAIL, BUT THERE ARE SOME GENERAL RESTRICTIONS AS FAR AS MAKING SURE THAT THESE, THERE'S NO ADVERSE IMPACTS TO NEARBY RESIDENTIAL AREAS, UH, IN, IN SOME OTHER BASIC SETBACK AND SCREENING REQUIREMENTS.
BUT THERE'S ALSO EMPHASIS ON, FOR PEOPLE IN FOLD IN AGRICULTURE, SOME, UM, REQUIREMENTS TO SHOW THAT THIS IS FOR AGRICULTURE.
AND WE WORK WITH, UM, STATE AND FEDERAL, UM, EXISTING REQUIREMENTS THAT, THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE INVOLVED IN AGRICULTURE ARE USED TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WEREN'T PUTTING ANOTHER BARRIER WITH THAT.
AND SO I THINK THAT THAT SERVES US WELL IN OUR CODES BECAUSE IF FUTURE THINGS COME UP WHERE WE WANT TO, UM, SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS FARMING, WE HAVE A SECTION THAT, YOU KNOW, PROVIDES WHAT A DEFINITION IN HOW TO SHOW THAT SOMEBODY IS ENGAGED IN ACTIVE AGRICULTURE.
SO WITH THAT, I ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE, ANY QUESTION FROM COUNCIL? I DO HAVE ONE.
I'M NOT SURE YOU CAN ANSWER IT.
HOW MANY ACTIVE WORKING FARMS DO WE HAVE IN THE COUNTY? I DON'T KNOW.
I WISH I HAD AN ANSWER FOR THAT.
APPROXIMATE, UM, BECAUSE I ASKED THIS, THE FARM BUREAU DINNER.
SO WE, WE MET WITH THE FARM BUREAU AND THEY, THEY TEND TO REPRESENT THE LARGER, UH, FARMERS.
AND THERE ARE QUITE A FEW ON ST.
THAT'S WHERE MOST OF THEM ARE.
BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE EITHER DOING IT AS A, YOU KNOW, KIND OF A SUPPLEMENTARY INCOME OR, UM, FOR, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE LIVING OFF THE, THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE FOOD THAT THEY PRODUCE IN THEIR LAND.
SO WE, WE DID RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE SOME DIFFERENT INTERESTS WITH THE LARGER FARMERS AND THE SMALLER, I DON'T HAVE A NUMBER.
ANYBODY ELSE? YORK HAS THAT NUMBER.
HE KNOWS HOW MANY FARMS. DO YOU KNOW
YEAH, YOU ALL PUTTING ME ON THE SPOT? BUT I WOULD TELL YOU THAT THERE'S PROBABLY, IN THE CENSUS, THERE'S PROBABLY ABOUT 120 FARMERS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY FROM THE CENSUS LIST THEIR OCCUPATION AS A FARMER, AS FARMERS, RIGHT.
AND THEN YOU HAVE, THOSE ARE COUNTED IN THOSE YOU HAVE MORE THAN THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT COUNTED.
SO IT'S A VERY ACTIVE COMMUNITY.
MR. P, YOU, UH, ONE, I, I AGREE WITH THIS.
UH, I BELIEVE THE, THE COMPLETE PROHIBITION WAS PASSED RIGHT BEFORE WE CAME ON, UH, IN WHAT? 20 WITH LIKE SHEDS AND TRUCK AND THESE AS WELL.
IF, CAN YOU, YOU SAID THREAD THE NEEDLE HERE.
CAN YOU HELP EXPLAIN THE, THE RATIONALE FOR WHY WE DID IT IN THE FIRST PLACE RATHER THAN ADOPTING THE INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODE FOR SHIPPING CONTAINERS? I REMEMBER THAT
THE SHIPPING CONTAINERS, SHIPPING CONTAINERS BROUGHT BEFORE US AT THAT TIME, I BELIEVE WAS FOR HOUSING DWELLING HOUSING.
AND THEY PUT A MORE, I MEAN, RESTRICTION ON HOUSING IN THAT AGRICULTURE.
AND I ASKED THE QUESTION IS, UM, UH, ARE AGRICULTURE EXEMPT? BUT WE FOUND OUT LATER THAT THEY WERE NOT EXEMPT FROM THAT.
SO THIS ORDINANCE BASICALLY WOULD HELP, UM, CLEAR THAT LINE AND STUFF.
HAD THE SAME ARGUMENT WITH SHEDS.
IT WAS IN THE SAME BOARD SHEDS.
'CAUSE PEOPLE WERE TURNING SHEDS IN THE POOL HOUSES AND STUFF, AND THEY SAID THEY WEREN'T ALLOWED.
[01:25:01]
FAIR ENOUGH THAT THAT ANSWERS.I MEAN,
AND, AND WE SEE, YOU KNOW, FROM THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, WE SEE PEOPLE COMPLAINING THAT THEIR NEIGHBOR HAS A, A SHIPPING CONTAINER OR ONE OF THOSE STORAGE UNITS IN THEIR YARDS.
AND THEN THE OTHER SIDE IS SOMETIMES SHIPPING CONTAINERS ARE EASIER TO SECURE THAN, THAN A SHED THAT YOU GET AT LOWE'S.
AND, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? WE WENT BY WHAT THE, THE ORDINANCE CURRENTLY SAYS.
AND, AND YOU, WE CERTAINLY, THE PLANNING COMMISSION, YOU COULD FOLLOW THE CONVERSATION AT THREE DIFFERENT MEETINGS.
YOU REALIZE THAT THERE'S SOME STRONG FEELINGS OF BOTH SIDES.
SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE HAD TO THANK YOU.
SO MR. LAWSON, I THINK WE'VE COVERED, I'M, I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT WE ARE LESSENING RESTRICTIONS ON THAT.
'CAUSE THAT WAS A QUESTION THAT MR. GLOVER HAD BROUGHT UP AT THE TIME AND WE SAID WE'D REVISIT IT.
SO AGAIN, I'M GLAD TO SEE WE HAVE GONE BACK REVISITED AND, AND WE ARE GIVING PERMISSION THEN FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.
UM, IN LIGHT OF ALL THE RECENT THINGS ABOUT SALADS AND OTHER THINGS THAT AREN'T PROCURED LOCALLY, ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO ENCOURAGE OUR LOCAL FARMERS TO GROW LOCAL PRODUCE THE SAFER WE ALL ARE.
SO, ANYBODY ELSE? JUST A QUESTION.
DOES THIS INCLUDE THE SHEDS? ARE SHEDS GONNA BE ALLOWED BACK IN OR NO? WELL, THIS ONLY APPLIES TO AGRICUL AGRICULTURE.
BUT I BELIEVE THEY BANNED A LOT OF THE SHEDS IN THERE TOO WHEN WE HAD THAT ORDINANCE A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
I MEAN, I CAN DO SOME RESEARCH OVER THE TIME, BUT I THINK THAT WAS PART OF IT.
IT WAS SHIPPING CONTAINERS AND SHEDS.
OH, THEY BOTH WENT DOWN TOGETHER? UM, NO, THAT, THAT SECTION, SO THIS WAS, UM, I THINK THE FALL OF 2022, RIGHT BEFORE, YEAH, IT WAS YEARS AGO.
THAT SECTION SPECIFICALLY STATED NO SHIPPING, SHIPPING CONTAINERS OR, UM, RECREATIONAL VEHICLES AS DWELLINGS.
BUT THERE'S ANOTHER SECTION OF THE CODE THAT HAS BEEN IN THERE MUCH LONGER THAT TALKS ABOUT ACCESSORY STRUCTURES, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE SHEDS.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S TWO SECTIONS THAT TALK ABOUT SHIPPING CONTAINERS.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS, I HAVE TO READ THE REASONS WHY WE'RE GOING TO APPROVE THIS.
I MOVE THAT WE GRANT THE REQUEST FOR THE TEXT AMENDMENT AS FOLLOWS.
IT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND POLICIES OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
TWO, IT IS NOT IN CONFLICT WITH ANY PROVISIONS OF THIS DEVELOPMENT CODE OR THE CODE OF ORDINANCES.
IT IS NOT 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 THE COMPATIBILITY AMONG USES AND ENSURE EFFICIENT DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE COUNTY.
IT WOULD RESULT IN A LOGICAL AND ORDERLY DEVELOPMENT PATTERN, PATTERN AND WOULD NOT RESULT IN ADVERSE IMPACTS ON THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS ORDINANCE.
[13.b. 2026/42: An Ordinance amending the zoning map for 1.4 acres (R300 012 000 0129 0000, R300 012 000 047A 0000) from T2R to T2RC.]
SLASH 42 IS AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE ZONING MAP FOR 1.4 ACRES R 300 0 12 0 0 0 0 1 29 0 0 0 0 R 300, ET CETERA.FROM T TWO R TO T TWO RC AT NATURAL RESOURCE.
AND, UM, WE'LL GO FOR A MOTION HERE.
UM, UH, SO MOVED MADAM CHAIRMAN.
MR. BARMY MAKES THE SECOND MR. MERCHANT, YOU'RE UP AGAIN.
THAT'S WHY I DIDN'T GO VERY FAR.
SO THERE, THIS IS, UH, SOMEBODY SUBMITTED A FOR A ZONING MAP AMENDMENT.
AND THIS IS LOCATED AT THE INTERSECTION OF SEA ISLAND PARKWAY AND SEASIDE ROADS.
AND ON THE OTHER SIDE IS COFFIN POINT ROAD.
THERE IS AN EXISTING COMMERCIAL DISTRICT IN THAT AREA THAT MAKES UP, UH, SEVERAL PARCELS.
IT'S ZONED C FOUR, UH, COMMUNITY CENTER MIXED USE.
IT'S BEEN THERE, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR A LONG TIME.
AND THERE'S A SEVERAL COMMERCIAL USES AT THAT LOCATION.
AND I KEEP FORGETTING THE NAME.
IS IT SEASIDE BAR AND GRILL? SEASIDE BAR AND GRILL USED TO BE BOONDOCKS, BUT I
SO THERE IS AN EXISTING, UM, COMMERCIAL NODE, COMMERCIALLY ZONED AREA.
THERE ARE THREE PARCELS, THREE SMALL PARCELS MAKING UP 1.4 ACRES THAT THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING TO CURRENTLY THEIR ZONE T TWO RURAL.
THEY REQUESTED TO ZONE THOSE THE SAME AS THIS NODE, WHICH IS, UM, C FOUR.
THE, AND WHAT MAKES THIS, I THINK THAT HELPS THIS CASE FROM OUR STANDPOINT AND, AND ALSO FROM
[01:30:01]
THE PLANNING COMMISSION, IS THAT THERE IS AN EXISTING NON-CONFORMING COMMERCIAL BUILDING THAT IS ON ONE OF THESE THREE PARCELS.IT'S ON THE ONE THAT'S FURTHEST FROM, FROM THE INTERSECTION.
AND, YOU KNOW, SO HAVING THAT NON-CONFORMING STRUCTURE, IT'S BEEN THERE SINCE THE EIGHTIES BEFORE WE HAD ZONING.
UH, IT MAKES SENSE THAT THIS DISTRICT WOULD INCLUDE THAT BUILDING SINCE IT, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T REALLY HAVE MUCH PURPOSE OR MUCH FLEXIBILITY FOR ADDITIONAL USES WITH THE CURRENT T TWO RURAL ZONING.
SO THE REASON THAT THIS IS, THEY ORIGINALLY REQUESTED, AND THIS IS WHERE IT GETS A LITTLE COMPLICATED, THE, UM, C FOUR ZONING TO MATCH THE CURRENT DIS UH, THE CURRENT COMMERCIAL NODES.
HOWEVER, OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT THAT REALLY IS NOT A GOOD FIT FOR THIS AREA.
UM, WE HAVE NEVER INITIATED A DOWN ZONING OF THAT, BUT THAT COMMERCIAL DISTRICT ALLOWS MULTIFAMILY OF UP TO ONE, UH, EIGHT, 12 OR 12 DWELLING UNITS PER ACRE.
UM, SHOPPING CENTERS, GROCERY STORES, A LOT OF USES THAT ARE JUST NOT APPROPRIATE FOR AN SITE LIKE THIS IN A RURAL AREA THAT DOES NOT HAVE SEWER AND WA OR IT HAS WATER, BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE SEWER TO SERVE IT.
AND, UM, WE HAVE ANOTHER COMMERCIAL ZONING DISTRICT, WHICH IS T TWO RURAL CENTER.
IT ALLOWS MOST OF THE USES, BUT AT A SCALE THAT'S MUCH MORE CONDUCIVE TO RURAL AND DOESN'T REQUIRE THOSE SERVICES.
SO WE REQUESTED THAT THE APPLICANT AND THIS, THIS CAME FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION, BUT IT CAME, UM, AS A RECOMMENDATION FROM STAFF TO AMEND THEIR APPLICATION TO REQUEST A T TWO RURAL CENTER ZONING, WHICH WE BELIEVE IS A MUCH BETTER FIT, UM, FOR THIS AREA.
WE ANTICIPATE EVENTUALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME STAFF INITIATED AMENDMENT TO ADDRESS THE OTHER PARCELS.
WE JUST DIDN'T WANNA TIE UP THIS PARTICULAR REQUEST WITH, WITH THAT ACTION.
WE, THAT, THAT WOULD BE A SEPARATE STAFF INITIATED AND WORKING WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS.
BUT MOST OF THE USES THAT ARE ALLOWED IN THAT C FOUR DISTRICT ARE ALLOWED IN THE T TWO RURAL CENTER DISTRICT, JUST AT A MUCH MORE RURAL SCALE.
AND THE APPLICANT, YOU KNOW, WE WORK WITH THEM AND IT AND, AND THEY AGREED WITH THE CHANGE.
SO THAT IS, UM, WHAT WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD STAFF RECOMMENDED APPROVAL.
AND THEN ALSO THE PLANNING COMMISSION VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO SUPPORT THIS WITH THAT O AND THE APPLICANT IS HERE.
IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS FOR THEM.
ANYONE HAVE QUESTION OR COMMENT FROM COUNTY COUNCIL? MR. CUNNINGHAM? YEAH.
WHAT'S THE ONE? IS THE APPLICANT THE OWNER OR ARE THEY APPLYING TO BUY THE LAND? THAT'S QUESTION NUMBER ONE AND TWO WOULD BE WHAT'S THE PLAN FOR IT WHEN IT'S UP ZONED? OKAY.
AND WE HAVE KIND OF COVERED THAT IN A PRESENTATION IF Y'ALL WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT.
YEAH, YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THE WHOLE PRESENTATION.
SO YES, THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY, KEVIN DUKES ON BEHALF OF THE OWNER, UH, AND YES, THE CE BORN, UH, COMPANY, THEY ACTUALLY OPERATE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY NOW.
THEY'VE PROVIDED THE ROOF ON THIS BUILDING.
THEY'VE PROVIDED THE ROOFS ON, UH, MANY BUILDINGS ACROSS BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND THEY ACTUALLY STILL MAINTAIN AND HAVE SINCE 2008, THE MAINTENANCE CONTRACT ON BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOLS.
SO THEY ARE OPERATING IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
THEY OWN THE PROPERTY CURRENTLY AND THEIR OPERATIONS WITHIN BEAUFORT COUNTY WILL BE OUT OF THIS BUILDING.
THIS BUILDING WILL BE, UH, WHAT YOU SEE SOMETIMES OFFICE BUILDING KIND OF UPFRONT WITH SOME BASE TOWARDS THE BACK.
UM, AND SO IT WILL BE A SINGLE PURPOSE FOR THIS PARTICULAR BUSINESS.
AND AS MR. MERCHANT MENTIONED, UH, THE EXISTING BI UH, CONFORM USE IS RIGHT THERE THAT YOU SEE'S BEEN THERE FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
AND THEN ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD IS ACTUALLY A SIMILAR SITUATION, OFFICE AND LANDSCAPING COMPANY.
AND SO THIS WOULD BE RIGHT THERE IN THE MIDDLE.
SO THE USE WOULD BE, UH, THE SAME, UH, ON BOTH SIDES.
UH, AND I THINK WHAT MR. MERCHANT SAID THAT IT'S NOT THE USE BUT RATHER THE INTENSITY.
AND THAT'S WHY WE'VE AGREED AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE T TWO RC MAKES MORE SENSE.
UH, WE STARTED OUT, UH, WITH THE ORIGINAL PLAN JUST BECAUSE IT WAS THE ADJACENT ZONING, NOT BECAUSE WE WERE SEEKING TO DO ANYTHING MORE.
ANYONE ELSE? QUESTION OR COMMENT? IT'S A LOT SIMPLE.
THE LAST TIME YOU CAME UP HERE.
OFFER A MOTION TO SUPPORT? UH, I MOVE THAT.
WE GRANT, UM, THE REQUEST FOR REZONING FROM A TR T TWO R TO T TWO RC FOR THE FOLLOWING
[01:35:01]
REASONS, UH, IS CONSISTENT WITH THE GOALS AND POLICIES OF THE COMPREHENSIVE CODE.AND REFERENCE OF THE DEVELOPMENT CODE IS NOT IN CONFLICT WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE DEVELOPMENT CODE AND OR OTHER OUR CODE OF ORDINANCE.
UM, IT DOES ADDRESS DEMONSTRATED COMMUNITY NEED, UM, BECAUSE OF JOBS, UM, UH, IS NOT REQUIRED BY CHANGE CONDITIONS IS CON COMPATIBLE WITH EXISTING AND PURPOSE USE FOR LAND SURROUNDING THIS LAND AND WOULD NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT NEARBY LAND.
WOULD RESULT IN LOGICAL AND ORDERLY DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS.
WOULD NOT RESULT IN, IN IN ADVERSE IMPACT ON THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.
WATER, NOISE, STORM WATER, ET CETERA.
WILDLIFE, VEGETATION, WETLANDS, NATURAL FUNCTIONING OF THE ENVIRONMENT.
AND IT WOULD RESULT IN DEVELOPMENT THAT IS ADEQUATELY SERVED BY PUBLIC FACILITIES.
UM, PARTICULAR PORTABLE WATER, NOT SEWER, BUT STORM WATER MANAGEMENT AND SOLID WASTE COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL SCHOOLS, PARKS, POLICE, FIRE, EMERGENCY, MEDICAL FACILITIES.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS ORDINANCE 2026 SLASH 42 GOING FORWARD.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR ORDINANCES, MADAM CHAIR.
[14.a. 2026/27: A Resolution for Military Infrastructure Resilience and All Hazards Decision Support Program Proposal]
WE ARE ON NUMBER 14 UNDER RESOLUTIONS.I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T, UH, TAKE A MOMENT.
WE HAVE OUR INTERN WHO HAS WORKED WITH OUR COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE HERE TONIGHT.
UH, HE HAS OUR FIRST INTERN THAT WE'VE HAD IN THIS ROLE AND HE IS GOING TO CLEMSON.
I GUESS YOU LIKED THOSE COLORS, HUH?
WE HOPE THAT YOUR EXPERIENCES HERE HAVE, UM, HELPED YOU TO UNDERSTAND HOW LOCAL GOVERNMENT RUNS.
AND WE KNOW YOU HAVE A RELATIVE WHO WORKS IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT TOO.
A RESOLUTION FOR THE MILITARY INFRASTRUCTURE, RESILIENCE AND ALL HAZARDS DECISION SUPPORT PROGRAM PROPOSAL.
THIS WAS, UM, DISCUSSED AT COMMITTEE LEVEL.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION? I'LL MAKE THE MOTION A SECOND.
MS. CABERNET MADE THE MOTION AND, UM, GO AND LEAVE.
CAN YOU, DID YOU, UH, YOU CAN DO THE SECOND.
AND WE HAVE, WE DO HAVE, UH, WARREN PARKER HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, THIS, THERE WAS A DOCUMENTATION IN, IN HERE, AND I THINK WE ALSO HAVE RICK SEMAN AND ALI GAGNAN HERE FOR QUESTIONS AS WELL.
YOU MET WEDNESDAY WITH THE THREE BASES.
YOU WANT TO GIVE US AN UPDATE ON THAT TOO? WELL, ALI, UH, ALI WAS DOWN HERE.
ALI GAGNAN FROM IDAHO NATIONAL LABS WAS UP HERE AND, UH, GAVE A BRIEFING, UH, TWO TO THREE BASES.
WE HAD THE, UH, UM, GROUP FROM, UH, PARIS, ALLEN, THE G SIX, AND, UH, THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS PERSON.
WE HAD, UH, THE XO OF THE AIR STATION.
THE CO GOT PULLED INTO ANOTHER MEETING.
WE HAD, UH, JIM LANDIS, UH, COUNCIL, UH, WE HAD, UH, DAVID TRAIL AND WE HAD THE XO OF THE NAVAL HOSPITAL.
THERE WERE NO COMMITMENTS ON THAT DAY, BUT I THINK EVERYBODY, WE HAD A GOOD DISCUSSION.
ALL THE ISSUES WERE AIRED AND I THINK WE ANSWERED A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
I THINK THERE WERE SOME MISUNDERSTANDINGS INITIALLY, BUT I THINK WE'VE ANSWERED AS MANY QUESTIONS AS WERE ASKED FOR THOSE WHO WEREN'T AT THE COMMITTEE MEETING.
DO, DO YOU WANT TO GIVE THEM A OVERVIEW OF A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF WHAT THIS IS ABOUT? YOU DO HAVE SOME SLIDES AND, AND IT WAS IN THE PACKET.
WE DO HAVE SOME SLIDES, BUT WHAT I, WHAT I'D LIKE TO BACK UP AND SAY IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A, THIS IS A CRITICAL ISSUE FOR US.
UH, IT'S A VITAL ISSUE FOR US.
AND, UH, SPEAKING OF OUR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE ATTACKS ON OUR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE BY, UH, BY, UH, FOLKS THAT WISH US ILL.
THE FBI HAS ISSUED THIS, UH, WARNING WITHIN THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS TO ALL WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITIES.
UH, SMALL TOWN OF 30,000 JUST NORTH OF SAN FRANCISCO, COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN, UH, THE CITY EMERGENCY SERVICES POLICE, ALL THE VITAL SERVICES OF THE CITY COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN THERE AND DECLARED
[01:40:01]
A STATE OF EMERGENCY.UH, AND WE ARE HOME TO A MILITARY COMMUNITY.
UH, BELFORT'S CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE IS LINKED TO THAT MILITARY, TO THOSE MILITARY BASES.
UH, THERE ARE NUMEROUS DEPENDENCIES AND INTER DEPENDENCIES AND, UM, WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER A PROPOSAL THAT WOULD, UH, UH, BE SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FOR $1.895 MILLION OVER TWO YEARS.
AND WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF GAINING LETTERS OF SUPPORT AND COORDINATING WITH THE THREE BASES ON THAT PROPOSAL.
UH, TO BE SUBMITTED ON ONE SEPTEMBER, IT'D BE SUBMITTED BY THE COUNTY BECAUSE ALL OF THEM HAVE TO COME FROM A GOVERNMENTAL, UH, ENTITY.
UM, PROUD TO SAY WE'VE ALSO RECEIVED, UH, A NUMBER OF LETTERS OF SUPPORT ALREADY, UH, TO INCLUDE TODAY.
UH, THE FORMER SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY GENERAL, JOHN KELLY, UH, RETIRED, WHO SUBMITTED A LETTER OF SUPPORT, VICE ADMIRAL JAN T, WHO'S THE FORMER, UH, HEAD OF NAVY CYBER, WHO'S NOW ON THE IDAHO NATIONAL LABS BOARD OF ADVISORY BOARD FOR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, THE UMT GENERAL OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA NATIONAL GUARD, UH, GENERAL STILLWELL, UH, THE SOUTH CAROLINA STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION, UH, CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE.
RYAN REKEY, BEN DUNCAN, AND THE OFFICE OF RESI.
UH, DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF RESILIENCE.
UH, UH, PHIL CROMER, THE MAYOR.
ALMOST SAID KEVIN DUKES 'CAUSE I WAS LOOKING AT HIM EARLIER, BUT HE'S STILL SITTING THERE.
KEVIN, I'M SURE KEVIN DUKES IS A SUPPORTER AS WELL.
UH, ANYTHING ELSE? UH, QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNTY COUNCIL, BUT I HAVE A COMMENT.
I I WOULD SUGGEST EVERYBODY READ IT THOROUGHLY, INCLUDING THE PUBLIC.
I GUESS BEFORE I READ IT, I DIDN'T REALIZE HOW INTEGRAL ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE.
FIRE DEPARTMENT, SHERIFF, GOVERNMENT, EMERGENCY SERVICE, EVERYBODY, THE HOSPITAL.
AND IF SOMETHING GOES DOWN, WE'RE ALL IN DEEP TROUBLE.
SO THIS IS A VERY GOOD PROPOSAL, HAS GOOD TIMELINES, LOTS OF GOOD INFORMATION, AND LET'S STRIVE NOT TO BE CALIFORNIA.
AND OLLIE GAGNAN TODAY WAS AT THE NATIONAL HOMELAND SECURITY CONFERENCE.
UH, I'M NOT SURE WHERE THAT WAS, BUT HE WAS THERE AND MADE A PRESENTATION ON THIS SAME PROGRAM AND SAID HE WAS, HE WAS OVERWHELMED BY THE RESPONSE FROM CITIES, TOWNS, UH, COUNTIES, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WHO CAME FORWARD AND SAID, WE NEED, WE NEED TO GET OURSELVES SOME OF THIS.
UH, AND WE ARE IN A PARTICULAR SITUATION HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY WHERE THE MARINE CORPS, AIR STATION, UH, THE MARINE CORPS, RECRUIT DEPOT, AND THE, UH, NAVAL SUPPORT FACILITY, WE'RE IN A WHOLE DIFFERENT SITUATION THAN, UH, THAN SOME PLACES ARE.
A QUESTION, A QUESTION OF, UM, WHEN YOU SAID THE MEETING THAT WAS ON WEDNESDAY, WHAT DID I UNDERSTAND THAT, ARE YOU GONNA MEET WITH THOSE PARTIES AGAIN ON THE, WAS IT, DID THEY GIVE THE THREE BASES OR DID ONE OF THE BASES GIVE THEIR APPROVAL AT YOUR MEETING ON WEDNESDAY OR? I GAVE AN APPROVAL.
UM, ARE THEY GONNA SEND LETTERS OF SUPPORT OR THEY'RE STILL CONSIDERING.
ALRIGHT, THAT WAS MY QUESTION.
UH, WHAT DOES THIS OBLIGATE THE COUNTY AS FAR AS TIME AND STAFF GOES, I THINK YOU EXPLAINED THAT AT THE COMMITTEE MEETING, BUT COULD YOU EXPLAIN IT FOR THE PUBLIC AND THE WHOLE COMMITTEE? I'M GONNA LET THE GUY WHO HAS MOST EXPERIENCE WITH IT, ALI, ANSWER THAT QUESTION BECAUSE THAT'S A, THAT'S A QUESTION THAT'S BEEN RAISED.
THE, THE ANSWER IS MINIMAL AMOUNT.
AND WHAT ARE THE LEGACY COST? AGAIN, A MINIMAL AMOUNT.
PRIMARILY IT WOULD BE, UH, IF THERE WERE UPDATES, IT WOULD BE SOME HOURS OF STAFF TIME, UH, FIVE TO $10,000 IN STAFF TIME IF THERE WERE UPDATES.
THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE DOESN'T CHANGE VERY MUCH, UH, OVER TIME.
ALI? YES, THANK YOU AND GOOD EVENING.
UH, AS, AS, UH, COLONEL PARKER SAID, UM, THE, THE, THE GRANT ITSELF AND THE COST IS REALLY TO FRONT LOAD ALL THE ANALYSIS AND THE CAPABILITY.
SO THERE'S MINIMAL TO NO UPDATES REQUIRED OF IT GOING FORWARD UNLESS YOU COME ACROSS ANOTHER DATABASE YOU THINK WOULD BE HELPFUL
[01:45:01]
TO YOUR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE ANALYSIS THAT CAN BE INTEGRATED INTO THE TOOL.BUT THOSE ARE FAR, FAR AND FEW BETWEEN AS FAR AS THOSE TYPES OF UPDATES.
IT'S DESIGNED TO COME IN AS A FULLY DEVELOPED PACKAGE FOR YOU TO GIVE YOU INSIGHTS INTO YOUR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, INCLUDE DEPENDENCIES, INTERDEPENDENCIES, AND ALSO TO HELP YOU WITH, UM, UH, YOUR RESILIENCE OF THE COUNTY, WHICH THEN BENEFITS THE MILITARY INSTALLATIONS THAT SIT WITHIN YOUR COUNTY.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNTY COUNCIL? NOT AT ALL, MADAM CHAIRMAN, THE ONLY COMMENT I'LL MAKE IS THAT, UM, ANY PLANNING AHEAD, UM, FOR DISASTER, UM, FOR, UM, UM, TERRORISTS, UM, ANY PLANNING AHEAD IS ONLY GONNA BE GOOD FOR THIS COUNTY.
AND, UM, WE HAVE TWO BASES HERE, UH, A THIRD BASE, UH, WITH THE INSTALLATION OF THE HOSPITAL.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, HOW DO YOU RESPOND WITH THE FOOD, HOW DO YOU RESPOND WITH, UM, UM, A BRIDGE BEING TAKEN OUT.
UM, ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO PREPARE FOR, UM, AND BE A PART OF THIS BASE THAT WE APPRECIATE.
AND I THINK THE MORE WE PLAN AND WE SURE.
UM, PARTICULARLY THE, UM, DOD DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, UM, THAT WE ARE PARTNERS WITH, THIS WHOLE PROJECT, I THINK IS GONNA BE, UH, UH, A FEATHER IN OUR CAP.
SO I'M GONNA SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION.
I'M CALLING OUR ADMINISTRATOR.
JUST FOLLOWING UP AND, UH, CERTAINLY, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M IN SUPPORT, BUT IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, THE ADMINISTRATION BEING TASKED TO MOVE THIS FORWARD, IS THE ENDORSEMENT REQUIRED FROM THE, UH, AIR STATION PARIS ISLAND AND THE, UM, HOSPITAL FOR THIS TO PROCEED? MR. PARKER THAT'S DIRECTED TOWARDS, THAT IS THE PROCESS THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS HAS PUT IN PLACE THAT THE LOCAL BASES, UH, COME ON WITH A LETTER OF SUPPORT.
UM, AND YOU WOULD INFORM US IF THERE WERE ANY HICCUPS WITH THAT? I, I'M SURE I WOULD.
WE HAD A MOTION AND A SECOND OR ANY OTHER LAST MINUTE QUESTIONS ON THIS.
AS WE KNOW, THERE'S ONLY ONE ROAD IN, OR TWO ROADS IN AND TWO ROADS OUT, WHICH MAKES IT EVEN MORE IMPORTANT FOR, UM, THE MILITARY AND OUR, AND THE WHOLE COUNTY TOO.
I MEAN, ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS TO OUR MEDICAL FACILITIES OR OTHERS AFFECTS THE MILITARY.
THE ARMY HAS SPENT A GOOD DEAL OF TIME ON THIS, THESE ISSUES.
THEY'VE DONE AN EXERCISE CALLED JACK VOLTAIC, THE NAME JACK VOLTA MEANS NOTHING.
JUST DO WHAT THEY CALL THE EXERCISE THEY'VE DONE AROUND THE COUNTRY AND FOR INSTANCE, FORT STEWART.
HOW DOES FORT STEWART, HOW DO THEY GET THOSE SOLDIERS OUT OF TOWN? WHETHER ROADS OR BRIDGES, THEIR COMMUNICATION.
THERE'S A WHOLE LIST OF THINGS THAT REQUIRES THEM AND THEN THEY GET TO THE PORT OF CHARLESTON OR THE PORT OF SAVANNAH.
AND THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER SET OF ISSUES.
UH, AND IF YOU WERE, IF YOU WERE AN ENEMY INSTEAD OF TRYING TO KILL THEM ON THE BATTLEFIELD, YOU MIGHT JUST WANT TO KEEP 'EM FROM GETTING TO SAVANNAH SCENARIO.
UM, ALL IN FAVOR BY SHOW OF HANDS.
[14.b. 2026/32: A Resolution to create an Ad Hoc committee for Animal Services.]
B IS, UH, 20 26 32 A RESOLUTION TO CREATE AN AD HOC COMMITTEE FOR ANIMAL SERVICES.A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN GLOVER.
MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCILMAN PASSMAN.
ANY, DO YOU ANY QUESTIONS FROM QUESTION? I HAVE A COMMENT.
SO I SAID IN ON THE CONVERSATIONS, AND TO MS. LAMARCUS POINT, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT PUBLIC HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT AND I DON'T KNOW WHO WILL BE ON THE AD HOC COMMITTEE.
I KNOW IT'S FOUR FROM THE THIS COUNTY, THREE FROM JASPER COUNTY.
UM, WE HAVEN'T DECIDED HOW THEY WOULD BE SELECTED.
SO I THINK THOSE ARE QUESTIONS TO BE DISCUSSED.
UM, ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT, MR. ARMS? THE, UH, THE RESOLUTION DOES SIMPLY OUTLINE THAT COUNTY COUNCIL HAS FOUR POSITIONS TO SELECT.
YOU CAN ALSO, UH, SELECT A COUNTY COUNCIL, UH, LIAISON AND A STAFF LIAISON, UH, UH, TO ASSIST WITH THAT.
UH, WE CAN CERTAINLY PROVIDE YOU A LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, FOR
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FOLKS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER IF YOU WOULD LIKE, UH, OR AFTER WE COULD PREPARE A, UM, A SELECTION PROCESS, APPLICATIONS, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO BE DETERMINED ON THAT PART OF IT BEFORE WE ACTUALLY APPOINT.UM, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR BY SHOW OF HANDS.
[14.c. 2026/33: A Resolution to adopt an updated parks and recreation fee schedule for programming and facility use.]
IS 20 26 33.A RESOLUTION TO ADOPT AN UPDATED PARKS AND RECREATION FEE SCHEDULE FOR PROGRAM PROGRAMMING AND FACILITY USE.
UM, ARE YOU OKAY WITH COUNCILMAN DAWSON? IS, MAKE THIS SECOND ALL RIGHT? YES, MA'AM.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. AUDREY? NO.
I THINK IT WAS DONE IN 2012, DID YOU SAY? CORRECT? YEAH.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU UPDATING IT.
I RAISED SOME QUESTIONS AT THE COMMITTEE MEETING.
MR. BROWN ANSWERED THOSE QUESTIONS.
UM, I THINK IT WILL KEEP US COMPETITIVE AND PROVIDE SERVICES FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
I I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM, WE DO HAVE A, LIKE A, IF THERE'S A NEED SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM TOO.
IF SOMEONE YES, THAT DOESN'T AFFECT THIS AT ALL.
THERE STILL WILL BE A SCHOLARSHIP THAT DOESN'T.
THIS FEE SCHEDULE IS NOT PART OF THAT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? ALL IN FAVOR BY SHOW OF HANDS.
[14.d. 2026/34: A Resolution To Allocate Funds From The South Carolina Opioid Settlement.]
ALL RIGHT.NEXT 20 26, 34 RESOLUTION TO ALLOCATE FUNDS FROM A, FROM THE SOUTH CAROLINA OPIOID SETTLEMENT.
SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN PASSMAN AND A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN GLOVER.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS FOR ABOUT THIS? I THINK THAT WAS PRETTY EVIDENT.
AN AMOUNT THERE OD IS THERE AN AMOUNT? YES SIR.
THERE IS 6 69 1 94 31 31 31 31 30 1 CENTS.
ALRIGHT, SEE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.
[14.e. 2026/35: A Resolution authorizing the County Administrator to execute a Memorandum of Agreement to engage in discussions about improvements and usage of the Battle of Port Royal Island site, subject to appropriate approval and securing of funding.]
LAST OF THE RESOLUTIONS IS, UH, 20 26 35 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE A MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT TO ENGAGE IN DISCUSSIONS AND ABOUT IMPROVEMENTS AND USAGE OF THE BATTLE OF FORT ROYAL ISLAND SITE SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATE APPROVAL AND SECURING OF FUNDING.WE HAVE A MOTION BY, UM, COUNCILMAN CUNNINGHAM AND A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN, UM, BARTHOLOMEW.
ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING OR COMMENTS REGARDING THIS? NO.
I'M NOT GONNA REPEAT EVERYTHING I SAID COMMITTEE, BUT, UM, IN THE DOCUMENT IT SAID 300 SOMETHING THOUSAND AND WE WERE TOLD 0.8 MILLION.
AND NOW I UNDERSTAND IT MIGHT BE EVEN MORE BECAUSE TO DEMOLISH THAT BUILDING, THERE'S ASBESTOS POSSIBLY THERE.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PROBABLY $2 MILLION THAT WE HAVE NOT BUDGETED.
SO I KNOW THIS IS TO ENGAGE IN DISCUSSIONS AND SELECT A, A SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATE APPROVAL.
AND MR. PASSMAN BROUGHT UP THE FACT THAT IT'S NOT IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, SO IT COULD BE DISCUSSED FOR NEXT YEAR.
UM, AND MY OTHER CONCERN IS 20 PEOPLE A DAY, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT OR ALLOWED ON THE LAND AND I DON'T SEE THAT AS A PASSIVE PARK.
I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S A APPROPRIATE INVESTMENT OF OUR FUNDS FOR THIS.
I I JUST WANNA SAY THAT IT'S NOT JUST A PASSIVE PARK OR AN INVESTED OF MONEY, IT'S THE PROTECTION OF A BATTLEFIELD AND HONORING THE SOLDIERS OUT THERE.
THIS AUTHORIZES THE ADMINISTRATOR TO NEGOTIATE WHAT THE END RESULT LOOKS LIKE.
IT COULD BE SCALED DOWN, BUT THERE COULD BE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS COMING IN FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR THAT OFFSET THE TAXPAYER EXPENSE.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE.
THIS IS JUST MERELY AUTHORIZATION TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION AND REACH SOME BASIC LEVEL OF UNDERSTANDING TO MOVE FORWARD.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANNA SAY THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT AN EXPENDITURE OF MONEY.
THIS IS HONORING HOLLOW GROUND IN A BATTLEFIELD WHERE MEN ARE BURIED RIGHT HERE IN OUR BACKYARD.
ANY OTHER INTERESTING ON THAT? IT'S STILL AN EXPENDITURE.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? HOW LONG WILL THIS PROCESS TAKE TILL THEY REACH AN AGREEMENT? WOULD THIS BE IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR? WOULD HAVE TO BE, WELL FOR US IT WOULD HAVE TO BE 'CAUSE WE HAVE THE MONEY.
BUT IS THAT A LOGICAL THING TO EXPECT TO HAVE HAPPEN? YEAH.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADDRESS THAT? YEAH.
UM, IT'S, IT'S UNCLEAR EXACTLY HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE THEM.
THEIR, THEIR GOAL WAS TO HAVE THIS FINISHED BY JANUARY, 2029.
BUT HA THE SIZE AND THE COST WOULD BE VERY DEPENDENT ON HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE TO FINISH.
IT'S, IT'S KIND OF UNPREDICTABLE.
I WAS TOLD ORIGINALLY THE PERMITTING PROCESS CAN TAKE 12 TO 18 MONTHS, BUT THIS IS DEPENDENT UPON YOUR
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APPROVAL AND THE SECURING OF FUNDING, WHICH HAS NOT BEEN COMPLETELY, UH, ESTABLISHED.I KNOW THAT IN TALKING WITH THE 250TH COMMITTEE, THEY HAVE ALREADY LOOKED AT WAYS TO SCALE THE PROJECT DOWN.
UM, SO IT, IT'S REALLY, THEY'RE, THEY'RE HAPPY TO DISCUSS THAT WITH YOU.
I'M SURE WE HAVE TIME IS WHAT I'M SAYING.
THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT, IT'S NOT AN URGENT MATTER FOR THEM TO RECEIVE THIS FUNDING.
MR. MOORE, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENT? IS THAT RIGHT? OH, IT'S NOT URGENT FOR THEM TO RECEIVE THIS FUNDING IN 90 DAYS, CORRECT.
I WAS JUST GONNA POINT OUT THAT, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE'VE ALREADY TO, TO YOUR POINT, WE'VE HAD THE BUDGET THIS YEAR.
THIS, THIS WOULD PROBABLY BE IN THE, IN THE CIP AND IT'S GONNA, YOU KNOW, UH, GO UP AGAINST OTHER PROJECTS.
BUT CERTAINLY WE COULD HAVE A, AN AGREEMENT NEGOTIATE SOME TYPE OF AGREEMENT.
BUT, UH, IN TERMS OF COMMITTING FUNDING, THAT WOULD OBVIOUSLY BE A COUNCIL DECISION DOWN THE ROAD SHOULD YOU ALL CHOOSE TO FUND THE DEMOLITION OF THE BUILDING AND SOME OF THE OTHER ITEMS. BUT AT LEAST AT THIS POINT, WE WOULD HAVE AN OFFICIAL MEANS OF HAVING DIALOGUE WITH THIS GROUP.
UM, DO WE NEED A ROLL CALL VOTE OR JUST A SHOW OF HANDS? THE HANDS SHOULD DO IT.
UM, ALL ALL IN FAVOR BY SHOW OF HANDS TO TAKE THIS STEP.
ALL RIGHT? YEAH, THAT IS UNANIMOUS.
AND AT THIS TIME WE HAVE NO FURTHER BUSINESS ON THE REGULAR AGENDA, BUT WE ARE GOING TO, CAN I GO INTO EXECUTIVE SETTING JUST FOR, JUST TO LET EVERYONE KNOW, UM, I GOTTA GIVE OUT.
WE HAVE OUR, UH, PUBLIC FACILITIES COMING UP NEXT WEEK.
ONE OF THE THINGS I'M GONNA START WORKING ON TO GIVE YOU GUYS A HEADS UP SO YOU'RE NOT BLINDSIDED BY IT, IS LOOKING AT OPTIONS FOR NOW THAT WE HAVE A SOCCER FACILITY, A BASEBALL FACILITY SOMEWHERE IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE CAN ACTUALLY HOLD TOURNAMENTS HERE.
SO JUST SO YOU GUYS KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING TO BE DISCUSSED.
MR. MOORE, CAN I ASK, WILL SOMEONE FROM THE COUNCIL, THE COUNTY BE AT THE, AT TAX MEETING TOMORROW TO POSSIBLY PUT IN A PROPOSAL TO STUDY THIS? IT'S ON THE MULTIMILLION DOLLAR GENERATION.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A STATE STATE TAX BECAUSE WE MISS LOCAL, BUT STATE ATEX, THE MEETING IS TOMORROW AND SOMEBODY HAS TO BE THERE.
SO IF WE WANNA LIKE SECURE STATE AT TAX MONEY TO FUND THIS STUDY FOR THIS KIND OF PROPOSAL.
YEAH, SO A PROJECT LIKE THAT IS A MINIMUM OF FIVE BALL FIELDS.
UM, YOU'RE TALKING 20 TO $30 MILLION TO BE ABLE TO DO IT, BUT IT IS A TAX GENERATOR.
IT LETS US HOLD TOURNAMENTS HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY RIGHT NOW WE'RE SENDING OUR KIDS TO GREENVILLE, CHARLESTON AND SHIPYARD, MYRTLE, MYRTLE BEACH, UM, SAVANNAH.
AND WE'RE LOSING THEIR REVENUE HERE WHEN OUR TEAMS ACTUALLY, OURS JUST FINISHED THIRD IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY WORLD SERIES.
SO FOR THEIR AGE GROUP AND THEY'RE PLAYING ALL OVER THE STATE.
WE'RE LOSING THAT OPPORTUNITY HERE.
UM, SO IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT ONCE YOU GUYS KNOW, THAT'S THE NEXT STEP WE'RE PLANNING ON LOOKING AT.
I COMMIT SOMEBODY THERE IN TERMS OF CAN I COMMIT TO GETTING $5 MILLION OR I CAN'T COMMIT TO THAT, BUT NO, BUT HAVE SOMEBODY THERE.
[Additional Item]
THERE.WE NEED A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION PLEASE.
OR DO I NEED TO ADJOURN US THAT? THANK YOU FOR THAT MOTION CONTINUATION OF THE NEXT WELL, NO, IT WAS ADDED TO THE AGENDA.
IT WAS ALREADY ADDED TO THE AGENDA.
SO OUT MOTION SECOND FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION.
ALRIGHT, I'M GONNA GAVEL OUT OF THIS MEETING.
UM, NO, WE'RE STILL, IT WAS ADDED TO THE, IT WAS ADDED TO THIS MEETING.
SO WE'RE GONNA GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
I NEED A VOTE TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AND YOU WANNA STATE AND THE GROUNDS IS THE ITEM WE DID NOT COVER EARLIER.
TWO ITEMS ON THERE THAT WE DID NOT COVER IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
WELL, AND, AND JUST TO CONFIRM, MR. AUDREY WILL BE AT THE MEETING TOMORROW.
WE HAVE TO HAVE A VOTE TO GO IN EXECUTIVE SESSION ALL BY SIGN OF HANDS TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
WE ARE GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AND THERE MAY BE ITEMS TO COME OUT, BE SO HARD
THIS IS A, UH, REQUEST MADE BY THE TREASURER FOR SALARY INCREASES FOR THE TREASURY, FOR THE TREASURER DEPARTMENT'S EMPLOYEES.
I MOVE THE COUNCIL AUTHORIZED THE BEAUFORT COUNTY TREASURER TO AWARD THE TREASURER DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES THE 3% SALARY INCREASE FOR FISCAL YEAR 27 AS REQUESTED BY THE TREASURER, WHICH WILL BE CONSIDERED TO BE A 1% COLA AND A 2% MERIT INCREASE AND THAT THE 2% SALARY INCREASE BE AUTHORIZED EFFECTIVE FOR JULY 26 IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE COLA INCREASE RATHER THAN ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE EMPLOYEE ASSUMING THEIR CURRENT POSITION.
AND FURTHER THAT NO ADDITIONAL MERIT INCREASED
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BE APPROVED BY THE TREASURER WITHOUT CONSENT OF COUNSEL.DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL MAKE A SECOND.
BUT YOU SAID, UH, 2% INCREASE AND I THINK YOU MEANT A TOTAL OF 3%.
I DID SAY A 3% SALARY INCREASE FOR 27 AS REQUESTED, WHICH WILL BE CONSIDERED TO BE A 1% COLA AND A 2% MERIT INCREASE AND THAT THE 2% MERIT INCREASE BE AUTHORIZED EFFECTIVE FOR JULY, 2026.
AND YOU, YOU WILL SECOND THAT.
COUNCILMAN PASSMAN I ANY DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS MOTION? DO WE NEED A ROLL CALL VOTE? I DON'T THINK SO.
ALL ALL IN FAVOR? SHOW OF HANDS.
YOU WANT THIS? DO I NEED TO MAKE A MOTION? CAN I ASK WHY WE HAVE FOUR DEPUTIES TONIGHT.