* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [*Portions of this meeting do not contain audio*] [1. CALL TO ORDER] [00:00:07] THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO REPUBLIC, WHICH STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, LIBERTY, JUSTICE FOR ALL. LET US PRAY. OUR FATHER AND NOW GOD, WE COME BEFORE YOU JUST TO SAY THANK YOU. WE THANK YOU, YOUR GOD, FOR HAVING BLESSED US TO SEE THIS DAY HAVING GUIDED US AND KEPT US AS WE WENT THROUGH TODAY. AND WE THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO ASSEMBLE HERE THIS AFTERNOON, THAT WE MIGHT TAKE CARE OF THE BUSINESS THAT COMES BEFORE THIS COUNCIL. WE ASK YOUR BLESSINGS UPON US OR FATHER GOD AS WE DELIBERATE THE ITEMS THAT COME BEFORE US AND THAT WE WILL DISMISS OF THEM. OH, FATHER GOD, BEING CONSIDERATE OF ALL THE PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY THAT WE REPRESENT, EVEN THE LEAST AMONGST US. IN JESUS NAME I PRAY. AMEN. AMEN. MS. BROCK, WAS THIS, UH, MEETING ADVERTISED WITH THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT? YES MA'AM, IT WAS. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. [4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA ] AT THIS TIME I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS PUBLISHED. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND THE AGENDA. YES, SIR. I'D LIKE TO ADD TWO ITEMS AT THE END, UH, DISCUSSION ITEMS, UH, FOR A, UH, TIMELINE AND AN ACTION PLAN REGARDING THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE CHANGING THE REPORTING STRUCTURE OF THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO REPORT TO COUNTY COUNSEL. AND ALSO THE SAME, UH, IN A SECOND, UM, ITEM FOR AN ACTION PLAN AND A TIMELINE WITH REGARD TO THE RESULTS OF THE QUICK GROUP REPORT. UM, I DO NOT FEEL WE NEED TO PUT ANY OF THIS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION BECAUSE, UM, I WILL NOT BE SEEKING ANY, UM, LEGAL ADVICE CONCERNING MATTERS COVERED BY THE ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE. SECOND THAT OKAY. ANY DISCUSSION? COULD YOU REPEAT WHAT THE FIRST ONE WAS? YEAH. UH, THE FIRST ONE IS THE, UM, PROPOSED ORDINANCE CHANGING THE REPORTING STRUCTURE OF THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO REPORT TO COUNTY COUNCIL RATHER THAN TO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. IT'S FOR A TIME LINE AND ACTION PLAN REGARDING THE ACTIONS TO BE UNDERTAKEN BY COUNSEL. AND THE SAME AS IT APPLIES TO THE QUICK GROUP REPORT THAT WAS JUST FINALIZED AND REPORTED, UM, I THINK WITHIN THE PAST WEEK OR SO. SO THERE'S TWO ITEMS? YES. OKAY. YOU WOULD LIKE THESE ADDED AT THE END OF TODAY'S AGENDA. WELL, WHEREVER YOU THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE. OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? WE HAD A MOTION AND A SECOND. IS THERE DISCUSSION ITEMS LATER? JUST DISCUSSION. OKAY. DISCUSSION ITEMS. OH, OKAY. THANK YOU. I DIDN'T WRITE THAT DOWN. I, ANY DISCUSSION REGARDING THE AMENDMENTS? PROPOSED QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. SO WE HAD A MOTION AND A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN CUNNINGHAM, CORRECT? CORRECT. AND WE HAVE A ROLL CALL. VOTE PLEASE. WE VOTING ON BOTH IN THE SAME TIME. ARE WE VOTING ON BOTH OF THOSE ITEMS AT THE SAME? THE IS ONE, IT'S ONE AMENDMENT. SO WE'D VOTE ALMOST THE SAME TIME. OKAY. MM-HMM . COUNCIL MEMBER MCKELLEN? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER REEDS? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER PASSMAN? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER LAWSON. MARK LAWSON? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER GLOVER? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER DAWSON? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER BROWN? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER BARTHOLOMEW? YES. VICE CHAIR. TABER? NO. CHAIR HOWARD? NO. THE MOTION PASSES. SEVEN FOUR. OH. THESE DISCUSSION ITEMS CAN BE ADDED AT THE END OF THE, UH, MEETING. YES, MA'AM. OKAY. , UH, WE'RE ADMITTING THE AGENDA AND NOT TAKING ACTION ITEM. IT'S JUST A SIMPLE MAJORITY. THE AGENDA IS, HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED YET. SIMPLE MAJORITY THAT CORRECT? I THINK IT'S A SIMPLE MAJORITY. SUPER MAJORITY. YOU THINK IT HAS TO BE A SUPER MAJORITY? UNFORTUNATELY. I THINK SO. SO I'M GONNA CALL A RECESS. I CAN DOUBLE CHECK, BUT I'M PRETTY SURE AN AGENDA AFTER PUBLICATION REQUIRES A SUPER MAJ. I DID TOO. YEAH, SURE. PUBLISHED AGENDA. YEAH. AND THE PUBLISHED AGENDA. SO I THINK THAT'S, SO THE ITEM THAT YOU'RE DISCUSSING OVER THERE THAT I CAN'T HEAR IS THAT WE NEED HOW MANY VOTES? OH, WE WERE, SORRY, GO AHEAD. PARLIAMENTARIAN. YEAH, IF WE WANNA TAKE A RECESS AND RESEARCH IT, BUT I THINK OUR ATTORNEY'S CORRECT THEN IT REQUIRES A SUPER MAJORITY FOR AMENDMENT OF A PUBLISHED, WHICH WOULD BE BE HOW MANY VOTES TONIGHT? UM, EIGHT, I BELIEVE, ISN'T IT? AND WE HAD SEVEN. SEVEN. YOU WANT TO, I MEAN, IF YOU WANT TO, I CAN LOOK IT UP REAL QUICK. OKAY. BUT I THINK I'M BLOWING IT UP. YEAH, [00:05:01] YOU GOT IT. I THINK YOU'RE CORRECT. WE WOULD, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, WE WERE GONNA NEED SUPER MAJORITY TO PASS THE AGENDA. CORRECT. THE ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED AGENDA WE'RE GONNA NEED, UM, SU UH, REGULAR MAJORITY. I THOUGHT IT WAS A SUPER MAJORITY ON THE MOTION AS AMENDED. SO THE NEXT ONE WOULD REQUIRE A SUPER MAJORITY. SAY THAT AGAIN, THE MOTION AS AMENDED. I THOUGHT THAT REQUIRED A SUPER MAJORITY, SO TO OH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. SO YEAH, SO THAT'S CORRECT. SO MAJORITY THE MOTION PASSES TO, TO AMEND IT. NOW Y'ALL VOTE ON THE AMENDED THAT THAT'S CORRECT. THIS IS SIMPLE. SIMPLE MAJORITY TO PASS THE AMENDMENT AND THEN A SUPER MAJORITY TO PASS THE AGENDA AS AMENDED. CORRECT. SO THE AMENDMENTS HAVE PASSED AND NOW WE'RE VOTING ON WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO ACCEPT THE AMENDED AGENDA. MY APOLOGIES. YEAH. TWO, IF THIS VOTE FAILS, WHAT HAPPENS? NO, WE DIDN'T GOES BACK TO IT WAS LARRY AND DAVID. YOU RE DO YOU, WHICH WOULD NEED SIX TO RESEARCH? IT PROBABLY WILL NOT GET SIX VOTES. WE GO HOME OR WE CAN HAVE THE DISCUSSION ITEM. I NEED TO ASK OUR PARLIAMENTARIAN, DO YOU WANT TO TAKE A RECESS TO RESEARCH? NO, THAT'S, THAT'S CORRECT. YEAH. I WAS THINKING ABOUT THE VOTE FOR THE, FOR THE AMENDED AGENDA IS SUPER MAJORITY, BUT THAT'S CORRECT ON THE AMENDMENT PORTION. SO THE AMENDMENTS THAT HE PUT FORTH ARE JUST REGULAR MAJORITY. HOWEVER, TO MODIFY THE AGENDA, IT IS A SUPER MAJORITY. SO THE NEXT VOTE THREAT WILL BE SUPER MAJORITY. ALRIGHT, NOW, UH, TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AMENDED, WE'LL TAKE A SUPER MAJORITY. WE NEED A ROLL CALL. VOTE FOR THAT. WE DO, WE HAVE TO HAVE A MO WELL, WE ALREADY HAD THE MOTION. ALRIGHT, SO WE'RE GOOD. OKAY, GO AHEAD. COUNCIL MEMBER MCKELLEN? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER BARTHOLOMEW? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER RES? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER PASSMAN? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER LAWSON. MARK LAWSON? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER GLOVER? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER DAWSON? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER BROWN? NO. VICE CHAIR. TABER? NO. CHAIR HOWARD? NO. THE MOTION FAILS. OKAY. SO, AND WE'RE BACK TO THE REGULAR AGENDA, WHICH, DO WE NEED ANOTHER MOTION TO APPROVE IT? YES. OKAY. ACCORDING TO OUR PARLIAMENT. WELL, WAS THERE ALREADY A MOTION ON THE FLOOR? THERE WAS A MOTION NO, THERE THE ORIGINAL. I SECOND IT. YEAH. SO THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR, BUT NO SECOND. NO, BECAUSE MR. MCKELLAN JUMPED IN SECOND. AND THAT MOTION'S BACK AT WE NEED A SECOND TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS PUBLISHED. A SECOND. OKAY, I'LL, I'LL SECOND IT. ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE A SECOND. UM, DO WE NEED TO HAVE A ROLL CALL VOTE TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS PUBLISHED? YES. I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE DISCUSSION AS WELL. SO IF YOU DON'T GET SIX VOTES FOR THIS AGENDA, THEN THE AGENDA IS NOT APPROVED. CORRECT. SO THE SEVEN PEOPLE THAT WANT TO DISCUSS THIS TODAY, IF THEY VOTE NO, THEN THE AGENDA IS NOT APPROVED FOR TODAY. WE GO HOME. I'M JUST BEING CORRECT, WHICH IS WHY I SAID THEY WOULD NEED SIX PEOPLE. AND I SAID IF THE SEVEN SAID NO, YOU WOULD NOT HAVE SIX VOTES. TWO FOR TWO TODAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? YEAH, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO DISCUSS WHY WE NEED TO HAVE THIS, UH, THIS DISCUSSION. I MEAN, BEFORE WE TAKE THAT, I'M SORRY, WE'RE VOTING ON THE, ON THE AGENDA ORIGINAL ABOUT MY AMENDMENTS. CORRECT. OKAY, THEN CORRECT. OKAY. WE WILL DO A ROLL CALL VOTE. CONCERNING THIS AGENDA, THIS PUBLISHED COUNCIL MEMBER MCGOWAN? NO. VICE CHAIR TABER? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER RES? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER PASSMAN? NO. . COUNCIL MEMBER LAWSON. MARK LAWSON. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER GLOVER? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER DAWSON? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER BROWN? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER. BARTHOLOMEW? NO. CHAIR HOWARD? YES. THE MOTION PASSES. SEVEN FOUR. ALRIGHT, MOVING [5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES ] ON TO NUMBER FIVE, THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM CAUCUS AND COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 14TH. I HAVE A MOTION FOR THOSE MINUTES TO APPROVE THEM. I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION BY COUNCILMAN LAWSON. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I SECOND. I SECOND BY COUNCILMAN GLOVER. ANY DISCUSSION OR CHANGES TO THOSE MINUTES? ALL IN FAVOR? CAN WE DO BY SHOW OF HANDS, TO APPROVE THOSE MINUTES FROM SEPTEMBER 14TH? AND THAT IS UNANIMOUS. THANK YOU. I VOTED NO. OKAY. WE HAVE ONE VOTE. NO THANK YOU. OF COURSE YOU DID. ALL UM, WE [6. PROCLAMATION ] HAVE TWO PROCLAMATIONS [00:10:01] TONIGHT. THE FIRST ONE WILL BE DONE UP, UM, REGARDING THE WEEK OF OCTOBER SIX. UM, 18 THROUGH 24 IS NATIONAL FRIENDS OF LIBRARY WEEK. AND MS. COUNCILMAN JOE PASSMAN IS GOING TO PRESENT THAT. AND WE HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE FROM THE LIBRARY. YES, PLEASE JOIN ME. WHEREAS LIBRARIES ARE ESSENTIAL TO THE EDUCATIONAL, SOCIAL, AND CULTURAL FABRIC OF OUR COMMUNITIES, PROVIDING ACCESS TO KNOWLEDGE, INFORMATION AND RESOURCES THAT EMPOWER PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND BACKGROUNDS. AND WHEREAS THE FRIENDS OF THE BUFORD LIBRARY, FRIENDS OF THE BLUFFTON LIBRARY AND FRIENDS OF THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND LIBRARY SUPPORT FUNDRAISING EFFORTS THAT PROVIDE ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS, SPECIAL PROJECTS, COLLECTIONS AND ENHANCEMENTS THAT ENRICH THE LIBRARY EXPERIENCE FOR RESIDENTS THROUGHOUT BEAUFORT COUNTY. AND WHEREAS THE FRIENDS SUPPORT PROGRAMS SUCH AS SUMMER READING AND WINTER READING, ADVOCATE FOR WELL-FUNDED LIBRARIES AND HELP ENSURE ACCESS TO MATERIALS, SERVICES, AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT PROMOTE LITERACY AND LIFELONG LEARNING. AND WHEREAS THROUGHOUT THEIR GENEROSITY, VOLUNTEER SERVICE AND COMMITMENT TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY, THE FRIENDS DEMONSTRATE THE POSITIVE IMPACT OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND VOLUNTEERISM IN STRENGTHENING OUR COMMUNITIES. NOW THEREFORE BE RESOLVED THAT THE BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL DOES HEREBY PROCLAIM OCTOBER 18TH THROUGH THE 24TH AS NATIONAL FRIENDS OF LIBRARIES WEEK AND ENCOURAGES RESIDENTS TO JOIN AND SUPPORT A LOCAL FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY GROUP IN RECOGNITION OF THEIR CONTINUED DEDICATION AND SERVICE TO OUR BUFORD COUNTY LIBRARIES AND COMMUNITIES DATED THIS DAY, THE 12TH OF OCTOBER, 2026. AND SIGNED BY ALICE HOWARD, CHAIR OF THE BUFORD COUNTY COUNCIL. LADIES, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING? WOW. THEN WE'LL JUST TAKE A PICTURE LIBRARY. DID HE NOTICE THE LAG ? I HAVE A, UM, RECOGNITION PROCLAMATION OF RECOGNIZE, UM, CRAIG GORDON IF HE'D COME FORWARD, PLEASE. OKAY. UM, CRAIG AND I STARTED VOL VOLUNTEERING . I DIDN'T WITH ABOUT THE SAME TIME, DIDN'T WE? WITH COUNTY BUSINESS. JANUARY, 2016 MM-HMM . WHEREAS THE BEAUFORT COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN PLANNING FOR TRANSPORTATION NEEDS AND INVESTING IN ROADS, INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS THROUGHOUT BEAUFORT COUNTY. AND WHEREAS CRAIG GORDON HAS DEDICATED 11 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE, INC. INCLUDING SERVING AS CHAIRMAN AND PROVIDING LEADERSHIP GUIDANCE AND COMMITMENT TO THE COMMITTEE'S WORK. AND WHEREAS MR. GORDON'S BACKGROUND IN CIVIL ENGINEERING PUBLIC WORKS AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF BRIDGES AND HIGHWAYS HAS PROVIDED VALUABLE EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE IN SUPPORT OF BEAUFORT COUNTY'S TRANSPORTATION NEEDS. AND WHEREAS THROUGHOUT HIS TENURE, MR. GORDON WORKED WITH A COMMITTEE MEMBERS, COUNTY STAFF, MUNICIPALITIES, AND THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT TRANSPORTATION TO SUPPORT THE TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS AND INVESTMENTS BENEFITING BEAUFORT COUNTY. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL RECOGNIZES AND HONORS CRAIG GORDON FOR 11 YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP AS CHAIRMAN OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE AND EXPRESSES ITS SINCERE APPRECIATION FOR HIS CONTRIBUTIONS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY AND ITS CITIZENS DATED AS 12TH DAY OF OCTOBER, 2026. ALICE G. HOWARD CHAIRMAN BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL. AND WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY IF YOU WERE, ARE SOME OF YOUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS HERE? YES, THEY ARE. COULD THEY PLEASE STAND? I SEE SEVERAL, PLEASE. I WANNA RECORD. OH, ALL OF THEM IT LOOKS LIKE. THANK YOU. THIS, THAT COMMITTEE WORKS VERY HARD AND THEY HAVE A HARD JOB. UM, AND I'D LIKE FOR THEM TO COME UP AND BE IN THE PICTURE WITH YOU IF THEY WOULD THEY'RE BEING RECOGNIZED NEXT TOO. THEY'RE BEING RECOGNIZED TOO. THEY COME UP AND BE IN THE PICTURE. YEAH. [00:15:01] YOU ALL RIGHT? COME ON UP. BE IN THE PICTURE. GOOD. BOTH SIDES, GUYS. , WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO SQUISH TOGETHER HUH? IN FRONT. SINCE KINDERGARTEN, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN IN FRONT . HEY HANNAH, MOVE THAT MICROPHONE OUTTA THE WAY, HANNAH. THANKS . THANK YOU. [7. ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT ] OKAY. AT THIS TIME WE WILL HAVE THE ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT. HEY, GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. UH, TONIGHT WE HAVE, UH, SOME LONGEVITY RECOGNITIONS. SO WE'LL START WITH, UM, JOSHUA SKI MAKER, UH, MASTER SERGEANT WITH THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. 15 YEARS OF SERVICE. THANK YOU. HOW YOU DOING? WITH 15 YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, UH, JOSHUA HAS BUILT HIS CAREER IN SOUTHERN ENFORCEMENT, GAINING EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN PATROL OPERATIONS, AND SERVING NEARLY SIX YEARS AS A MEMBER OF THE BLOODHOUND TEAM. THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER, HE IS REMAINED COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING MENTORING AND TRAINING FELLOW DEPUTIES, INCLUDING SERVING AS A FIELD TRAINING OFFICER, AND NOW AN FTO MANAGER, ALL WHILE HELPING DEVELOP THE NEXT GENERATION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT PROFESSIONALS. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND WE HAVE THE CERTIFICATE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. OKAY, NEXT, WITH 20 YEARS OF SERVICE, WE HAVE VERNON KEMP, UH, WITH VRE IT SYSTEMS COORDINATOR, DEPARTMENT OF VOTER REGISTRATION. SO VERNON BEGAN HIS ELECTION CAREER IN 2006, FOLLOWING EIGHT YEARS OF DISTINGUISHED SERVICE IN THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS. LATER BEING PROMOTED TO ELECTION SYSTEMS COORDINATOR IN 2014, VERNON'S VAST KNOWLEDGE OF THE ELECTION HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE HAS EXPANDED INTO THE APPOINTED ROLE OF COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN FOR THE USER GROUP COMMITTEE OF THE FUTURE FOR THE SOUTH CAROLINA ASSOCIATION OF REGISTRATION AND ELECTION OFFICIALS, WHERE HIS ROLE IS TO WORK WITH ALL 46 COUNTIES IN THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION IN CREATING A BEST PRACTICES PROCEDURE WITH THE CURRENT ELECTION EQUIPMENT AND NEWER TECHNOLOGY FROM POTENTIAL LICENSED VENDORS. THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER, VERN HAS PARTICIPATED IN PROGRAMMED OVER 70 ELECTIONS, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. TRYING TO FIND A GOOD BRANCH. I JUST WANT TO THANK, UM, BEFORD COUNTY, COUNTY COUNCIL, EVERYBODY FOR, UH, 20 YEARS OF SERVICE. AND, UM, I ALSO WANNA THANK MY FORMER DIRECTORS, UH, AGNES GARVIN, MS, UH, MARIE SMALLS, SCOTT MARSHALL, AND OF COURSE OUR CURRENT DIRECTOR, UH, GENE FELIX, AND OF COURSE, UH, DEPUTY DIRECTOR WENDELL ROBERSON, AND THE WHOLE STAFF AT VOTER REGISTRATION, UM, PUTTING UP WITH ME. SO , SO THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS, UH, EVERYBODY GO OUT THERE AND VOTE, UH, OCTOBER 19TH, EARLY VOTING STARTS. GREAT. GREAT. OKAY. NEXT WE HAVE, UM, LAURIE ALVAREZ, A SENIOR LIBRARY ASSISTANT, UH, IN THE CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT WITH 20 YEARS OF SERVICE. HEY, YOU'RE, UH, FOR 20 YEARS LAURIE'S BEEN A FRIENDLY, WELCOMING FACE AT THE BEAUFORT AND ST. HELENA LIBRARY BRANCHES FROM CHAMPIONING, UH, CHILDHOOD LITERACY TO ENSURING THE CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT RUNS SEAMLESSLY. HER DEDICATION IS UNMATCHED. HER KINDNESS SH THROUGH IN EVERYTHING SHE DOES, LIKE THE TIME SHE BUILT SUCH A CLOSE SPAWN WITH A 99-YEAR-OLD HOME BOUND, UH, PATRON THAT SHE'S INVITED OVER FOR CHRISTMAS DINNER. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. COMMITMENT TO SERVICE CONTINUES TO CREATE WARM, WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT FOR PATRONS OF ALL AGES. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. I, [00:20:03] YEAH, BLESS. SAY IT'S A PLEASURE TO, UH, WORK WITH BEFOR COUNTY COMMUNITY. UM, I LOVE THE PATRONS HELPING FROM ALL AGES. UM, AND PLEASE COME OUT TO THE ST. HELENA BRANCH SPECIFICALLY IF YOU HAVEN'T YET. IT'S A, IT'S A GEM HIDDEN GEM. THANK YOU. AND LASTLY, FOR BUT NOT LEAST FOR LONGEVITY, WE HAVE GREG PEL, LIBRARY SPECIALIST, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY, HILTON HEAD BRANCH WITH 25 YEARS OF SERVICE. UM, SO GREG, UM, INSPIRES CHILDREN AND TEENS THROUGH CREATIVE PROGRAMS SUCH AS ESCAPE ROOMS, LEGO ROBOTICS, AND STOP MOTION ANIMATION. HE ALSO BRINGS THE JOY READING TO CHILDREN THROUGH OUTREACH VISITS TO SCHOOLS, DAYCARES AND CHILDCARE CENTERS, TRAINED AS A STORYTELLER THROUGH A STATE LIBRARY PROGRAM. HE ALSO SERVES AS A JUDGE FOR THE NATIONAL AUDIO BOOK AWARDS FOR 15 YEARS. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. WE HAVE A CERTIFICATE. ALRIGHT. OKAY. NEXT WE HAVE, UM, SOME INTRODUCTIONS. UM, FIRST OFF, WE HAVE OUR NEW BROADCASTING DIRECTOR, JUSTIN JARRETT. SO LIKE, UH, JUSTIN TO COME UP. COME ON UP JUSTIN. SO HE BRINGS MORE THAN, UH, TWO DECADES OF EXPERIENCE IN JOURNALISM, SPORTS, MEDIA, EDUCATION, AND COMMUNITY STORYTELLING TO THE POSITION AS WELL AS, UH, RELATIONSHIPS IN EVERY CORNER OF THE COUNTY. JUSTIN IS THE FOUNDER OF LOCO SPORTS, A HYPER-LOCAL SPORTS MEDIA ORGANIZATION COVERING HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS THROUGHOUT THE LOW COUNTRY. HE ALSO WORKED AS A SPORTS, UH, INFORMATION MARKETING DIRECTOR, A JOURNALIST EDUCATOR AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT FACILITATOR AT HARDY V JUNIOR AND SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL. HE'S BEEN A LONG TIME COACH AND MENTOR AND USE SPORTS AND SPENT MUCH OF HIS CAREER WITH YOUNG PEOPLE AND HELPING THEM DEFINE OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN, CREATE, AND PURSUE CAREERS IN MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS. AS A NEW BROADCASTING SERVICES DIRECTOR, JUSTIN LOOKS FORWARD TO BUILDING ON BEAUFORT COUNTY TV'S STRONG FOUNDATION. WE'LL FIND NEW WAYS TO TELL THE STORIES THAT MAKES THIS A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE. SO WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE YOU. THANKS. WELCOME. THANK. YEAH, I, I JUST WANNA SAY I'M, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY, UM, ALREADY FALLEN IN LOVE WITH MY STAFF. THE, THE FIRST TWO WEEKS HAVE BEEN GREAT AND WE'RE JUST EXCITED TO, TO KIND OF FRESHEN THINGS UP AND, AND HOPEFULLY KEEP PROVIDING A GREAT PRODUCT FOR THE CITIZENS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY. THANKS. THANK YOU. OKAY, NEXT WE HAVE OUR, UH, NEW CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER, MARTY STEVENS, AND HE'S COMING TO US FROM TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA. WELCOME, OFFICIALLY. THANK YOU. SO, UH, MARTY HAS LIVED IN KENTUCKY, TENNESSEE, SOUTH KOREA, AND GEORGIA, AND HAS WORKED, UH, OVER 20 YEARS IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR IT LEADERSHIP. HE SERVED SEVEN YEARS IN THE US ARMY IN AVIATION AS A HELICOPTER MECHANIC, SO I CAN APPRECIATE THAT. AND, UH, AN NCO SPENDING MOST OF THAT CAREER IN THE HUNDRED FIRST AIRBORNE WHILE EARNING HIS BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN COMPUTER SCIENCE. HE BEGAN WORKING PROFESSIONALLY IN IT AS A TIER ONE, HELPED US SUPPORT AND MOVED IN HIS CAREER THROUGHOUT INFRASTRUCTURE, SOFTWARE ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE BEFORE MOVING INTO SENIOR AND EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP. HE'S LOOKING FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THE CITIZENS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY. SO, WELCOME. OKAY, THANK YOU. WELL, AS YOU JUST SAID, I AM ABSOLUTELY LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS OPPORTUNITY AND SERVING THE CITIZENS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY. THIS IS AN AMAZING AREA. I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR MY WIFE TO JOIN ME, SO THANK YOU. THANKS. THANKS. SMILE. OKAY, THAT CONCLUDES OUR, UH, INTRODUCTIONS. NEXT, UM, WE DO HAVE A, UH, ANOTHER AWARD RECOGNITION FOR THE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE. UH, THEY RECEIVED THE EXCELLENCE AWARD, UM, THE FIRST EVER INAUGURAL AWARD FROM THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ON SEPTEMBER 16TH, 2026. SO WE'VE GOT 'EM ALL HERE. I'VE GOT A FEW WORDS I CAN READ, BUT IF YOU ALL WANNA COME UP. OKAY, GO FIRST. GO, GO, GO. . COME ON. GOTTA GET UP AGAIN, PLEASE COME UP. I DO. I'M DOING WELL. I BET YOU I ONLY [00:25:01] SEE ONE BLACK SHIRT. OH, YOU'RE ALL DRESSED UP. SORRY. THAT'S OKAY. SO I'LL READ THIS. THE PAVING THE WAY FOR STRONGER COMMUNITIES AWARD RECOGNIZES DEDICATED SERVICE AND COMMITMENT TO BUILDING SAFER, STRONGER, AND MORE ACCESSIBLE TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE CITIZENS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY. THE BEAUFORT COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE, THE SPOKESPERSON SAID, FORMULATES A COUNTY TRANSPORTATION PLAN TO ESTABLISH AIMS AND GOALS OF THE COMMITTEE. APPROVE THE EXPENDITURE OF C FUNDS IN COMPLIANCE WITH, UH, SOUTH CAROLINA CODE 12, TAC 28 TAC 2 7 4 0, AND MAKE ANNUAL REPORTS TO S-C-D-O-T AND EXPENDITURES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE, UM, SAME ACT, SECTION D CHAD RAW, S-C-D-O-T-C, PROGRAM MANAGER APPRAIS THE COMMITTEE'S EFFORTS AND PARTNERSHIPS THROUGH THE YEARS. WE EXTEND OUR CONGRATULATIONS TO THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE FOR RECEIPT OF THIS AWARD. SO, CONGRATULATIONS, CHAIR. NICE TO SEE Y'ALL GET A PICTUREPHONE THIS SIDE, THE PODIUM UP. TAKE MS. HOWARD, CAN I MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT THIS? OH, YES, I AM. SO THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE, YOU SAW THEM ALL UP HERE. THEY'RE RECOGNIZED BY THE STATE OVER AND OVER AND OVER. WHEN THEY COME AND TALK TO THE COMMITTEE, THEY GIVE THEM KUDOS ALL THE TIME. SO WE HAVE THE EXEMPLAR FOR THE STATE, AND I CONGRATULATE ALL OF YOU THAT ARE ON THIS COMMITTEE. SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN ON IT LONG TERM. I KNOW. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU. I WORK HARD. YES. OKAY. NEXT I HAVE A COUPLE UPDATES. UM, ONE IS ON THE, UH, TRANSPORTATION, PENNY REFERENDUM ON NP STRATEGY. UM, WE'RE CONTINUING TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY, UH, UH, REGARDING THE PENNY TAX AND, UH, PROVIDING A FORUM FOR, UM, QUESTIONS AND ACTUAL INFORMATION. THE WEBSITE WENT LIVE ON AUGUST 10TH, AND WE CONTINUE TO SEE GROWTH THROUGHOUT THE SITE WITH, UH, OUR TRAFFIC AND PAGE VIEWS AND GEOGRAPHIES. UH, WE HAVE BLUFFTON 208 USERS. BEAUFORT HAS 162, HARDY HAS 123, AND HILTON HEAD ISLAND HAS 112 FOR COMMUNITY OUTREACH. UH, WE'VE SHARED THE COMMUNITY PRESENTATION WITH STAFF AND THEY'RE USING AT THE TOWN HALLS. UM, WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS THIS PAST WEEK AND PRESENTATIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY OVER THE PAST MONTH. UH, OUR UPCOMING EVENTS INCLUDE, UM, ST. HELENA, A MEETING AT 5:30 PM ON OCTOBER LIBRARY HOSTED BY COUNCILMAN GLOVER. AND THEN ON OCTOBER 16TH, THE ROTARY CLUB LOW COUNTRY WILL BE PRESENTING. THERE. THERE WILL BE MAILERS THAT WILL BE, UH, GOING OUT TO COUNTY RESIDENTS. ALL REGISTER ARE ALL RESIDENTIAL ADDRESSES TO INFORM EARLY VOTING RESIDENTS ABOUT THE BALLOT QUESTION AND VOTING DATES. THERE'LL BE A SECOND MAILER LATER IN THE MONTH AS ANOTHER REMINDER, UH, OF THE VOTING INFORMATION, THE ELECTION DATE AND BALLOT LANGUAGE. THIS IS INFORMATIONAL AND DOES NOT, UM, AIM TO PERSUADE VOTERS ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. WE ALSO HAVE A BILLBOARD AT THE INTERSECTION OF HIGHWAY ONE 70 AND CHERRY POINT ROAD ON OCTOBER 1ST THAT WAS ESTABLISHED, AND THAT WILL RUN THROUGH THE END OF THE MONTH. AND WE'RE CONTINUING WITH SOCIAL MEDIA. UM, WE'VE, WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF POSTS, UH, THIS MONTH, THE PAST TWO MONTHS, AND THIS MONTH AS WELL. AND IT INCLUDES VIDEOS OF PROJECT SPECIFIC INFORMATION, HOW THE FUNDS COULD BE USED, AND KEY VOTING DATES AND DEADLINES. NEXT ON THE, UH, AN UPDATE ON THE AJOY PATHWAY PROJECT, UH, WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE SITE FOR ANY SAFETY CONCERNS. AND THE PREVIOUS CONTRACTOR HAS FULLY DEMOBILIZED, UH, STAFF HAS CONTINUING TO WORK WITH S-C-D-O-T AND THE PROJECT SURETY COMPANY. UM, REGARDING THE NEXT STEPS, UH, THEY'RE, THE SURETY IS CURRENTLY COMPLETING AS-BUILT SURVEY OF THE WORK INSTALLED TO DATE AND COMPILING RELEVANT PROJECT DOCUMENTATION. THIS WILL BE USED TO DEFINE, CLEARLY DEFINE THE REMAINING SCOPE OF WORK AND SUPPORT THE PROCESS OF IDENTIFYING A PLACEMENT CONTRACTOR, UH, TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT. SO MOVING FORWARD ON THAT. AND LASTLY, ON, ON STATION 39, I'VE HAD A COUPLE QUESTIONS ON THAT ONE. UM, THE SITE WORK CONTRACTORS RECEIVING ADDITIONAL MATERIALS NEEDED TO ADDRESS THE PREVIOUSLY IDENTIFIED UTILITY CONFLICT. UTILITY CONFLICT. THERE'S GONNA BE A PRE-CONSTRUCTION MEETING, SUPPOSED TO BE THIS WEEK, UH, BETWEEN THE CONTRACTOR AND THE WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY TO REVIEW THE REVISIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE CONFLICT RESOLUTION. ONCE THOSE ITEMS ARE COMPLETED, UH, CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES ARE EXPECTED TO RESUME SHORTLY THEREAFTER. I'LL BE ON THAT ONE AND I'M SURE I'LL [00:30:01] HEAR . SO THAT CONCLUDES MY UPDATE SUBJECT TO ANY QUESTIONS, ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS? DO YOU HAVE ONE? COUNCILMAN GLOVER? NO QUESTION. I JUST WANNA MAKE A COMMENT. NOT NOT TO YOU. SO, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN, UM, SIT DOWN IF YOU WANTED TO GO AHEAD, BUT, UM, OKAY. I JUST WANNA MAKE A COMMENT TO THE, UM, THE, UM, COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE. OKAY. UM, YOU KNOW, I, I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT, UM, COLONEL GORDON, UM, ONLY SERVED THERE 11 YEARS, WHICH MEANT THAT, UM, I CAME ON COUNCIL IN 10 YEARS. I THOUGHT YOU WERE THERE LONG BEFORE THAT. BUT, UM, JUST WANNA MAKE A COMMENT THAT THAT COMMITTEE HAS TRANSFORMED, UH, TRANSPORTATION, UM, SERVICES, UM, NOT ONLY IN THIS COUNTY, BUT SET THE EXAMPLE ACROSS THE STATE. UM, I DON'T KNOW, 4, 5, 6 YEARS AGO, MAYBE SIX BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, THEY DID A STUDY OF ALL THE HIGHWAYS, ROADWAYS CONDITIONS. AND FROM THAT THEY BASICALLY SAID, WE'LL TAKE CARE ALL OF THE ROADS THAT'S IN THE BAD AREA, UM, BASED ON SCIENCE. AND, UH, BECAUSE OF THAT, WE HAVE A LOT OF GOOD ROADS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY AND THEY'RE STILL TRYING TO, UM, UH, GET ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO DO A BETTER JOB, BUT IT REQUIRES MONEY. BUT THEY'RE ACTUALLY TAKING CARE OF THE POOR ROADS FIRST BEFORE THEY MOVE INTO, UM, OF COURSE, UM, YOU, YOU MUCH BETTER ROADS AND STUFF. SO THAT APPROACH WAS VERY IMPRESSIVE TO ME AND, UM, I JUST WANT TO THANK THAT COMMITTEE FOR THAT EFFORT AND THAT DIRECTION, UM, THAT THEY SET. UM, OF COURSE, BECAUSE OF FUNDING, UM, MY CONCERN HAS ALWAYS BEEN DIRT ROADS, BUT THAT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT STORY AND DIFFERENT ISSUE AND STUFF, AND I MAY ADDRESS THAT AS WELL. I, I, UM, ECHO YOUR REMARKS. I WAS LAY LIAISON TO THAT COMMITTEE FOR MANY YEARS, AND THEY CAME UP WITH A SCIENTIFIC DATABASE WAY TO RANK THE, AND PRIORITIZE THE ROADS THAT, UM, THAT HAS BEEN, LIKE YOU SAID, RECOGNIZED STATEWIDE, STATEWIDE HOW TO DO IT. INSTEAD OF JUST THROWING THEM UP AGAINST THE WALL AND HOPING SOMETHING FALLS OUT, THEY, THEY DID IT SCIENTIFICALLY AND GIVES EVERYBODY A VERY GOOD LIST OF WHERE THE PRIORITIES ARE. EXACTLY. UM, OKAY, THANK YOU. [8. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD - 30 MINUTES TOTAL ] AT THIS TIME, UH, WE WILL, WE WILL DO PUBLIC COMMENT. I'D LIKE TO REMIND THE PUBLIC BEFORE WE START, UH, EVERY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO'S RECOGNIZED TO SPEAK SHALL LIMIT THEIR COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES AND OBSERVE THE FOLLOWING PROTOCOL, ADDRESS THE CHAIRMAN, AND IN SPEAKING, AVOID DISRESPECT TO COUNCIL AND ANY PERSONALITIES CAN CONFINE THEMSELVES TO QUESTIONS UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE COUNCIL. BE MINDFUL AND RESPECTFUL OF THOSE WHO ARE PRESENT AND OTHERS WHO MAY BE WATCHING ON TELEVISION. UM, AND THE FIRST ONE ON THE LIST IS MR. ROBERT NEW. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR SERVING AND THANK FOR YOUR STEADFAST SUPPORT OF THE CPO. AS YOU'RE AWARE, THE PLANNING COMMISSION ONCE AGAIN UNANIMOUSLY REJECTED THE PINE ISLAND REQUEST TO BE REMOVED FROM THE CPO. WE ARE ALL SO TIRED OF DEALING WITH THIS. HOWEVER, THE STAKES ARE TOO HIGH AND SUPPORT FOR THE CPO IS GROWING AND WAS A FACTOR IN RECENT ELECTIONS. THE PLANNING COMMISSION HEARING VEERED INTO THE BAZAAR, THE LARGE CONTINGENT OF CPO SUPPORTERS WERE DERIDED BY THE APPLICANT AS THE PEANUT GALLERY INCREDULOUSLY. THE APPLICANT OPENLY STATED THAT THE CPO WAS, AND I QUOTE A WEAPONIZED ORDINANCE AND THAT THE APPLICANT FURTHER STATED, AND I QUOTE AGAIN, I DON'T WANT TO BE SUBJECT TO A WEAPON CONTINUING, THE APPLICANT URGED THE COMMISSION TO STAND UP FOR THE LITTLE GUY. REALLY A FEW SALIENT FACTS. THE PROPERTY WAS PURCHASED WITH FULL KNOWLEDGE OF THE CPO. THE OWNER HAS REFUSED TO REVEAL HIMSELF THE THREAT OF BUILDING ALL THOSE HOUSES AND DOCKS WAS ALIVE FROM THE GET GO. THAT'S BY THEIR OWN ADMISSION. THE OWNERS ENGAGED IN THE OPENLY QUESTIONABLE TACTICS OF HIRING LAWYER LEGISLATORS WHO THEN ENGAGED IN LOBBYING THE OWNERS, ENGAGED IN EXTENSIVE ASTROTURFING, PROVIDING DIFFERENT FORMS OF REMUNERATION TO LOCALS WHO IN RETURN SUDDENLY BECAME NEWFOUND ADVOCATES FOR THE GOLF COURSE. THE OWNERS HAVE EXPENDED MILLIONS UPON MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO CIRCUMVENT THE CPO AND HAVE INITIATED A FULL-BLOWN LAW FAIR CAMPAIGN OF FILING FRIVOLOUS LAWSUITS WITH THE HOPE THAT THIS COUNCIL WILL CAVE UNDER THE PRESSURE. [00:35:01] IT IS NOTHING SHORT OF A TOTAL PERVERSION THAT THEY PORTRAY THEMSELVES AS THE BELEAGUER LITTLE GUY SUBJECT TO A WEAPONIZED CPO. THEY ARE VERY RICH, CALLOUS, AND ARROGANT BULLIES ATTEMPTING TO USE THEIR VAST WEALTH TO UNDERMINE NOT ONLY THE GULLAH GEECHEE CULTURE, BUT THE RULE OF LAW ITSELF. PLEASE NO DEALS LET THE COURTS DETERMINE THE VALIDITY OF THE CPO IN ORDER THAT NO DEVELOPER CAN USE THIS ARGUMENT AND THESE DESPICABLE TACTICS IN THE YEARS TO COME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MR. NEW, UH, NEXT ON OUR LIST IS MS. CARRIE, MAJOR EVENING. THANK YOU ALL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. UM, A COUPLE OF THINGS I DITO, UM, WHAT MR. NEW JUST SAID ABOUT THE CPO AND WE ARE ASKING YOU TO CONTINUE. UM, PLEASE SUPPORT WHAT YOU HAVE ALREADY, UM, DECIDED, UM, ABOUT THE CPO AND THAT IT'S A LEGAL, UM, DOCUMENT AND IT'S LAWFUL AND YOU WILL NOT CHANGE YOUR MIND ABOUT IT. THE OTHER THING I WANT TO TALK ABOUT AS NORMAL IS ABOUT THE ST. HELENA COMMUNITY, YOUTH AND COMMUNITY CENTER THAT WE DON'T HAVE ON ST. HELENA ISLAND. WE ARE LOOKING FOR STATE OF THE ART, UM, BUILDING, UM, TERMED COMMUNITY HUB THAT BOOK WALTER STATES ON THEIR, UM, WEBSITE. WE WANT A FACILITY FOR AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES, UH, DIVERSE FITNESS AND ATHLETIC AMENITIES. UM, WE WANT IT TO BE COMMUNITY FOCUSED SPORTS AND, UH, COURT FACILITIES, INDOOR BASKETBALL COURTS, UM, JUST LIKE THEY DO WEIGHT ROOMS. AND SO WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO US HAVING THE VERY SAME THING. UM, IT MAY NOT BE AS LARGE, BUT WE WOULD LIKE THOSE THINGS. UM, AT ST. HELENA WESLEY, FELIX PARK, YOU'VE STARTED SOMETHING THAT'S VERY SMALL. IT'S ALREADY INADEQUATE BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THE SENIOR CITIZENS ARE GOING TO BE USING THAT AS WELL. SO, BUT AS WE LOOK ON THE WEBSITE, WE LOOK AT BEAUFORT COUNTY RECENTLY BROKE GROUND ON A $14 MILLION BUCK WALTER ATHLETIC COMPLEX EXPANSION CALLED BRACE, UM, TO ADD FOUR MULTI-USE ARTIFICIAL TURF FIELDS WITH MODERN LIGHTING AND UPGRADED INFRASTRUCTURE. NOW AS I LOOK AT THAT, I SEE ANY INEQUITY IN THAT AND I SEE INEQUALITY. SO PLEASE LOOK AT THE CITIZENS OF ST. HELENA ISLAND, UM, AND LOOK AT OUR NEEDS. OUR CHILDREN NEED A FACILITY THAT THEY CAN USE FOR ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT I'VE JUST STATED. SO WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO US HAVING THAT ON HELENA ISLAND. THANK YOU MS. MAJORS. NEXT WE HAVE, UM, JOHN DUNN. OH, BEAUFORD COUNTY. MY NAME IS JOHN DUNN. HOWEVER, YOU ALL PROBABLY KNOW THIS BECAUSE OF A RECENT THING THAT'S DEVELOPED. THEY GO BY MANY NAMES, FLOCK, CAMERAS, AXON, BUT ONE THING THEY SHOULD BE CALLED IS A CRIME. WE ARE TOLD THESE AUTOMATED SURVEILLANCE NETWORKS ARE ABSOLUTE NECESSARY TO KEEP OUR CHILDREN AND COMMUNITY SAFE. WE ARE TOLD THEY'RE SHIELD. BUT LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT HOW THE SHIELD ACTUALLY FUNCTIONS WHEN A REAL CRISIS HAPPENS RIGHT HERE ON HILTON HEAD. TAKE THE CASE OF 12-YEAR-OLD DOMINIC CAROUSEL, WHO WENT MISSING FROM PALMETTO DUNES. DOMINIC WAS AN INSTANTLY FOUND OR PROTECTED BY OUR LOCAL NETWORK OF CAMERAS. HE WAS TAKEN ENTIRELY OUT OF EUFOR COUNTY, ACROSS STATE WINES AND WAS ULTIMATELY LOCATED OVER A THOUSAND MILES AWAY. AND TEXAS LOCAL OVER, SORRY, LOCAL OVER SURVEILLANCE AND PREVENT THIS ABDUCTION. IF MILLIONS OF TAXPAYERS SPEND ON OVERLAPPING INVASIVE SURVEILLANCE TECH CANNOT SECURE A CHILD WITHIN OUR OWN BORDERS, THEN WHAT EXACTLY ARE WE SACRIFICING OUR OWN CONSTITUTIONAL PRIVACY FOR? THE TRUTH IS THESE CAMERAS AREN'T JUST PASSIVE OF OBSERVERS. THEY ARE TOOLS RIPE FOR POLICE ABUSE, STALKING, AND TERRIFYING OVERREACH. AND AN INVESTIGATION DONE BY THE INSTITUTE OF JUSTICE EXPOSED THAT ACROSS THE COUNTRY, DOZENS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS HAVE BEEN CAUGHT CRIMINALLY CHARGED FOR USING FLOCK CAMERAS TO STALK THEIR EXES ROMANTIC INTERESTS AND ESTRANGED WIVES. JUST RECENTLY IN VIRGINIA, A CHESTERFIELD COUNTY POLICE EMPLOYEE WAS ARRESTED FOR A UNLAWFUL USING THE DEPARTMENT'S FLOCK SYSTEM TO INVADE PEOPLE'S PRIVACY. BUT THE DANGER GOES FURTHER THAN STALKING. IT IS SENDING ENTIRELY INNOCENT CIVILIANS TO JAIL. A BRAND NEW NBC NEWS INVESTIGATIONS HAS EXPOSED HOW FLOCK FLAW FLAGS ARE LEADING TO FRIGHTENING AND HIGH STAKES MOTOR RISK ENCOUNTERS WITH POLICE WHERE DRIVERS ARE PULLED OUT OF CARS AT GUNPOINT OVER FLAWED COMPUTER DATA. JUST DAYS AGO, A FEDERAL CIVIL RIGHTS LAWSUIT WAS FILED AGAINST FLOCK SAFETY AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS AFTER A [00:40:01] COLORADO WOMAN WAS TARGETED BY AN OFFICER WHO USED A FLOCK CAMERA TO TRACK MONTH OF HER MOVEMENTS WITHOUT A WARRANT FALSELY CHARGING HER WITH THEFT OVER A COMPLETE SYSTEM MISTAKE. THIS IS A HYPOTHETICAL THREAT. IT IS A DOCUMENTED REALITY WHEN YOU GIVE GOVERNMENT UNCHECKED AI POWERED SURVEILLANCE TOOLS. WITHOUT A STRICT JUDICIAL WARRANTS OR INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT, IT WILL BE ABUSED. IT TURNS A PRESUMPTION OF INNOCENCE ON ITS HEAD. WE ARE TRAINING OUR FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT TO MOVE FREELY WITHOUT GOVERNMENT TRACKING FOR A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY. I URGES COUNSEL TO STOP EXPANDING THESE INVASIVE CAMERA NETWORKS DEMAND ABSOLUTE TRANSPARENCY ON HOW THIS DATA IS AUDITED AND HOLD ITSELF AND LAW ENFORCEMENT STRICTLY ACCOUNTABLE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MR. DUNN. UM, NEXT IS LBO TROPI. GOOD EVENING COUNSEL. I'M NOT DOING THE WHOLE TIT FOR TAT THING, SO I'LL UH, SEND EVERYONE ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION VIDEO SO YOU CAN SEE WHAT WAS ACTUALLY SAID. UM, GOOD EVENING. LBO TROPI 1 3 5 7 ST. HELENDALE ROAD 2 88, THE LAMO ROAD. UM, I'VE GIVEN YOU ALL A COPY OF. WELL THANK YOU ASHLEY. UH, THE CODE OF ETHICS FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY OFFICIALS. UM, ONE PAGE OF YOUR OWN WORDS. I THINK IT DESERVES A REVISIT, UH, BY EVERYONE, UH, AND PROBABLY SHOULD BE ON A PLAQUE SOMEWHERE ON THE WALL. UM, I'M SPEAKING TONIGHT TO THIS COUNCIL, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY TO THE 200,000 TAXPAYERS THAT THIS BODY COLLECTIVELY SERVES. ON SEPTEMBER 28TH, THIS COUNCIL HELD AN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO RECEIVE LEGAL ADVICE REGARD REGARDING PENDING LITIGATION BETWEEN MY COMPANIES AND BEAUFORT COUNTY. AT YOUR REQUEST TO ATTORNEYS THAT THE COUNTY RETAIN DROVE FROM COLUMBIA AND WALTER BOROUGH TO CONVEY A SETTLEMENT PROPOSAL AND GIVE YOU ALL LEGAL ADVICE, THEIR BILLS WERE PAID FOR BY THE TAXPAYER. A SETTLEMENT OFFER AND LITIGATION UPDATE WERE READY TO BE CONVEYED TO YOU. AS REQUESTED. NONE OF THAT HAPPENED. THE ITEM CAME OFF THE AGENDA ENTIRELY AND CANDIDLY, COMICALLY, HERE'S WHAT PRECEDED THAT. THE FRIDAY BEFORE LAWYERS FOR SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS, THE SOUTH CAROLINA ENVIRONMENTAL LAW PROJECTS AND OTHERS CONTACTED MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL DIRECTLY ABOUT THAT AGENDA ITEM. THEY DID NOT HAVE CONSENT FROM THE COUNTY ATTORNEY OR YOUR OUTSIDE LEGAL REPRESENTATION. SCALP IS NOT A PARTY TO THE 26TH CASE. AND DESPITE WHAT THEY TRIED TO FORCE SOME OF US TO SAY OUT LOUD HERE IN THE MEETING, THOSE COMMUNICATIONS CONTINUED WELL INTO MONDAY. HERE IN THIS VERY ROOM, THE RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT PROHIBIT LAWYERS OR THEIR INTERMEDIARIES FROM COMMUNICATING WITH REPRESENTED PEOPLE THAT ARE THE SUBJECT OF THE REPRESENT REPRESENTATION. WITHOUT A PERSON'S CON ATTORNEY'S CONSENT THEY INHABIT THAT'S WRONG. ETHICALLY, MORALLY, PROFESSIONALLY, PERIOD. LEMME BE CLEAR WHETHER OR NOT MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL SET OUT TO DO ANYTHING WRONG OR NEFARIOUS IS OF NO INTEREST TO ME. WHAT MATTERS TO ME IS THAT MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL WERE USED YET AGAIN AS VEHICLES TO SERVE THE INTEREST OF OTHERS. YOU WERE GIVEN INFORMATION BY LAWYERS WHOSE ORGANIZATIONS, CLIENTS, AND THOSE ORGANIZATIONS BENEFIT FINANCIALLY EVERY MONTH. THIS CONTINUES. INCENTIVES DRIVE BEHAVIOR. THEIR INCENTIVES RUN OPPOSITE TO THE COUNT TO THE TAXPAYERS. THIS COUNSEL WAS BULLIED FAVOR. NEW WORD OUT OF HEARING FROM YOUR OWN ATTORNEYS. LET THAT SINK IN. THEY PUT YOU EACH, EACH LEGALLY AT RISK AND PROFESSIONALLY AT RISK, BUT THEY DON'T CARE. THAT SHOULD BE OBVIOUS NOW AND SHOULD INFURIATE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU. EVERYONE'S BEEN ASKING ABOUT A RISK ASSESSMENT. YOU GUYS SHOULD GET IT FROM YOUR OWN ATTORNEYS, BUT WE'LL DO IT LIVE. THE SIMPLEST RISK ASSESSMENT I CAN GIVE TO 200,000 TAX PAYING CITIZENS IS ONE, KEEP LITIGATING. AND THE RISK TO TAXPAYER IS UNCAPPED COST MILLIONS TO WIN, MILLIONS TO LOSE AND A LOSS. THERE'S NO FEDERAL, THERE'S NO LIMIT ON DAMAGES AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT. MY LEGAL FEES ARE PAID ON TOP OF YOURS AND THEY ALREADY ARE BEYOND YOUR INSURANCE. CONSERVATIVELY LOWEST BALLPARK NUMBER 25 TO 30 MILLION BUCKS IN GROWING 6 MILLION BUCKS A YEAR. ALL OF THAT IS TAXPAYER MONEY. 30 MORE SECONDS PLEASE, MR. CHAIRMAN. YES, GO AHEAD. THE ALTERNATIVE, A NEGOTIATED RESOLUTION. THE TAXPAYER PAYS NOTHING. THE TAXPAYER IS REIMBURSED AND THE TAXPAYER IS PROTECTED FROM FUTURE LITIGATION PERIOD ON BEHALF OF THE CITIZENS YOU SERVE. THIS SHOULD BE THE EASIEST FIDUCIARY DECISION THAT YOU GUYS HAVE TO MAKE. LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THIS SHEET REAL QUICK. UNCAPPED RISK TO THE TAXPAYER OR ZERO RISK TO THE TAXPAYER. SIMPLE FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY OR ABANDONMENT OF YOUR DUTY. ALSO, SIMPLE FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE OR WASTEFUL SPENDING. I HEAR A LOT OF THAT IN HERE. KEEP ALL FUNDS AND PROPERTIES OF BEAUFORT COUNTY SAFE OR PUT THEM AT RISK. THAT'S NUMBER TWO IS MY FAVORITE. PROMOTE DECISIONS WHICH ONLY BENEFIT THE PUBLIC INTEREST. OR WE CAN KEEP LINING THIS, THE POCKETS OF SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS. WHEN DECISIONS ARE TOUGH, WE SHOULD RETURN TO OUR PRINCIPLES. PERIOD. AND WHILE YOU CAN'T MAKE EVERYONE HAPPY, YOU SHOULD ALWAYS DO WHAT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THIS COUNTY IN ITS ENTIRETY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. NEXT IS, UM, LARRY MC. OH, LARRY. OH LARRY. YEAH. COME ON [00:45:01] YOUR PASS. OKAY. ALRIGHT. ALRIGHT. UM, AND THAT IS THE LAST ONE FOR TONIGHT. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. WE ARE [10. APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA ] GOING ON WITH OUR AGENDA. WE HAVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. 10 A WE HAVE SIX ITEMS ON THAT AS PUBLISHED. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA? I'LL MOVE THAT. I'LL SECOND IT. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN PASSMAN AND A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN LAWSON. ANY DISCUSSION? ARE WE SKIPPING LIAISON AND COMMITTEE REPORTS? OH, ALRIGHT. I SURE DID. I'M SORRY. UM, THANKS FOR CATCHING THAT. I WAS THOUGHT WE'D HAVE MORE PUBLIC COMMENT. UM, ALRIGHT, LET'S GO BACK TO LIAISON REPORTS. YOU CAN CARRY THIS CONSENT AGENDA. THAT'D BE O OUT THE WAY WOULDN'T IT? A MOTION. YEAH. LET'S CARRY, YEAH, LET'S GO AHEAD WITH THAT MOTION. WE'LL COME BACK TO LIAISON REPORTS. ALL IN FAVOR BY SHOW OF HANDS OF APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA. THAT'S UNANIMOUS. [9. LIAISON AND COMMITTEE REPORTS ] ALRIGHT, LET'S GO BACK TO, UH, LIAISON AND COMMITTEE REPORTS. LET'S START WITH, UM, COUNCILMAN RE 'CAUSE HE'S ONLINE. DO YOU HAVE ANY REPORTS TO MAKE? NO, BUT THANK YOU FOR ASKING. I APPRECIATE IT, . OF COURSE. ALL RIGHT. AND I'LL START DOWN AT THE END WITH COUNCILMAN, UM, UM, MACALLEN. YEP. THANK YOU. UH, THE GREEN SPACE COMMITTEE WILL BE MEETING, UH, THIS WEEK, UH, CONSIDERING NEW APPLICATIONS AND CONTINUING WORK ON THE APPLICATIONS ALREADY IN PROGRESS. AND ON SATURDAY AT ONE O'CLOCK, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND A FUNCTION AT THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN HILTON HEAD TO HONOR CHAPLAIN MAJOR GENERAL WILLIAM BILL GREEN JR. WHO RETIRED AS THE CHIEF CHAPLAIN OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY. UM, ON AUGUST 1ST OF THIS YEAR, GENERAL GREEN, A TWO-STAR MAJOR GENERAL. AND THE CHIEF CHAPLAIN IS A, A NATIVE SON OF HILTON HEAD. HE GREW UP IN THE GULLAH GEECHEE AREA, UH, KNOWN AS MARSHLAND, ATTENDED THE HIGH SCHOOL ON HILTON HEAD AND THEN ALSO WENT TO SAVANNAH STATE UNIVERSITY. HE HAS, UM, HE HAS DECIDED EARLY IN LIFE THAT HE WAS GOING TO PURSUE A LIFE THAT WAS SHAPED BY FAITH, EDUCATION, LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE. HE WAS IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY FOR OVER 30 YEARS AND, UH, STARTED AS A SECOND LIEUTENANT IN THE ARTILLERY SECTION AND ENDED UP AS A TWO STAR MAJOR GENERAL. HE, UH, THERE WERE ABOUT 500 PEOPLE AT THIS, UH, MEETING ON, UH, ON SATURDAY, HONORING HIM IN HIS RETIREMENT. AND YOU COULD FEEL IN THAT ROOM, THE LOVE THAT WAS BEING SHARED BY THE COMMUNITY TOWARDS HIM AND IN RETURN BY HIM AND HIS FAMILY TO THE COMMUNITY. IT WAS A REMARKABLE EXPERIENCE. IT WAS ALMOST A SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE. HE'S A GENUINELY, UH, WONDERFUL MAN. AND, UH, HE, UH, DESERVES THE VERY BEST IN RETIREMENT. AND THAT WAS CONVEYED TO HIM DIRECTLY BY EVERYONE IN ATTENDANCE THERE. IT WAS A GREAT, UH, IT WAS A GREAT, UM, IT WAS A GREAT CEREMONY. THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING. REPRESENTING BUFORT COUNTY TOO. YEAH, WE PRO WE GAVE A, UH, PROCLAMATION TO HIM, UH, THERE THAT THEY ALLOWED ME TO READ FROM THE PODIUM. AND, UM, UH, HE RECEIVED PROCLAMATIONS FROM SO MANY PEOPLE. THEY ACTUALLY HAD TO GIVE US A SHORTENED VERSION OF OUR PROCLAMATION TO READ BECAUSE HE WOULD'VE RUN OUTTA TIME. OTHERWISE. IT WAS TRULY A REMARKABLE EXPERIENCE AND I'M GLAD I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE FOR NOPE. OH, COUNCILMAN DAWSON, DO YOU HAVE ANY? YEAH. UM, I HELD A COMMUNITY MEETING LAST MONDAY AT THE BURTON WELLS COMMUNITY CENTER WHERE OUR ENGINEERING STAFF, UH, UH, JARED FELIX AND UH, BRIAN BROW ACTUALLY, UH, PRESENTED THE ONCE IN SALE TAX, UH, DETAILED INFORMATION TO THE COMMUNITY. UM, WE HAD A SMALL TURNOUT. WE HAD ABOUT 15 PEOPLE, UH, PRESENT IN ATTENDANCE. UM, THERE WAS A GREAT PRESENTATIONS, UH, SOME GREAT QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSIONS TOOK PLACE. AND, UM, WE HAD ONE INDIVIDUAL THAT WAS MORE OR LESS, UH, UH, ANTI ANTI SALES TAX. UM, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, THE, UH, THE COMMUNITY, THE 15 MEMBERS, UH, OF THE COMMUNITY THAT WERE THERE, THEY WERE VERY APPRECIATIVE FOR THE PRESENTATION. AND, UM, THEY LOOKED FORWARD TO THE NOVEMBER ELECTION. COUNCILMAN CUNNINGHAM? YES. THANK YOU. UM, ONE, WE HAVE, UH, FINANCE AND PUBLIC FACILITIES. NEXT MONDAY, 2:00 PM FINANCE PUBLIC FACILITIES WILL BE AT FOUR. UH, IT IS A PRETTY THICK AGENDA, SO I WOULD TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. IT IS ALREADY PUBLISHED OUT TO THE PUBLIC. UM, THEN I ALSO HAVE A QUESTION. MADAM CHAIR, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE. [00:50:01] UM, WE HAD JUST HAD A STATEMENT READ TO US BY A CITIZEN WITH OUR ETHICS. AND FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, ANYTHING THAT GETS HANDED TO US ON THE DAAS GOES IN A PUBLIC RECORD IS THIS LETTER THAT WAS HANDED TO US BY, YOU HAVE TO DO WITH EXACTLY WHAT STATE IS THERE. THEY'RE, THEY ARE THE SAME SUBJECT BUT NOT IDENTICAL. SO CAN WE GET SOME INFORMATION ON WHAT THAT IS SINCE WE JUST GOT IT BEFORE THE MEETING STARTED? PREFERABLY, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE? I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. IT SOUNDS LIKE PUBLIC KNOWS MORE ABOUT THIS THAN COUNTY COUNCIL DOES. IT'S RATHER ACCUSATORY, UH, OF SOMEBODY DOING SOMETHING, BUT I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS. YEAH, IT, IT IS, IT, IT IS. I WROTE THE LETTER WITH SOME EDITS, BUT IT, I WAS ADVISED THAT SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED AND, UM, THAT I NEEDED TO DO THAT AS CHAIRMAN TO JUST MAKE SURE EVERYONE ON COUNTY COUNCIL GOT THE SAME INFORMATION AT THE SAME TIME. SO, SO SOMETHING HAPPENED THAT'S A SECRET THAT NOBODY CAN KNOW ABOUT BECAUSE I'M CONFUSED. MADAM CHAIR SECRET MEANING? WELL, I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS LETTER. IT SOUNDS LIKE AN ACCUSATORY LETTER AND I'M INQUIRING, ISN'T IT? WAS YOU, IT IT DID HAVE TO DO WITH SOMETHING THAT HAD HAPPENED WITH, UM, THAT I DON'T KNOW ALL THE DETAILS OF IT, BUT, 'CAUSE I WASN'T THERE WHEN IT, IT'S JUST AN ADVISORY LETTER IS WHAT IT IS. OH, IT'S A PUBLIC LETTER NOW. YEAH. SO I'LL GIVE THOSE TO THE CLERK. IF YOU DON'T HAVE A COPY TO PUT INTO THE RECORD. SHE SHE WILL HAVE IT. I HAVE THAT. WELL, SHE'S NOT COPIED ON IT. ONLY. WE ARE. AND MR. MOORE AND BRIAN. SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE YES, FOR CUNNINGHAM, I CAN ASSURE YOU SHE WILL GET IT. I HAVE SEVERAL COPIES TO PERFECT. GIVE TO HER. ANY OTHER LIAISON REPORTS? THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, COUNCILMAN BRIAN. THANK YOU. SO, MINOR BRIEF, UH, OCTOBER 1ST WE MET WITH THE FIRE CHIEFS ABOUT CONSOLIDATION. I PROVIDED ALL COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS WITH THAT. MY DRAFT OF THE NOTES, UM, MS. HOWARD, MS. MS. WOODS, MR. MOORE AND I HAVE MET WITH THE FOUR MUNICIPALITIES TO DISCUSS THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION. I PROVIDED EVERYONE WITH THOSE NOTES AS WELL. OCTOBER 6TH, WE HELD A REFERENDUM MEETING IN SUN CITY. LISA SKA SPOKE, I DON'T KNOW, WE HAD MAYBE 50 PEOPLE. 60 PEOPLE. AND ON OCTOBER 8TH, I DID ATTEND THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE REFERENDUM IN THIS ROOM. I THINK WE HAD SEVEN PEOPLE. I WAS SURPRISED, BUT IT WAS A PUBLIC HEARING AND PEOPLE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. SINCE WE'RE GOING DOWN THE ROW, I'D LIKE TO MENTION THAT, UM, WE HAD A MEETING IN PORT ROYAL. WE HAD ABOUT 15 PEOPLE JUST LIKE COUNCILMAN DAWSON DID ON WEDNESDAY FOR THE ONE SENT SALES TAX. UM, SOME GOOD DISCUSSION. SOME OF THE PEOPLE WERE QUOTED IN SOME ARTICLES. WE DID HAVE COVERAGE BY, UM, THE BEAUFORT GAZETTE AT THAT MEETING. AND I, AS SHE MENTIONED, UM, WE WERE IN THOSE MEETINGS, UM, WITH THE MUNICIPALITIES IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS. THE EDC WILL MEET, UM, THIS WEEK, UM, THEIR REGULAR MEETING IN BLUFFTON. SO. OKAY. YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING AT THE MOMENT? UH, I JUST HAVE WHAT, UH, MR. CUNNINGHAM MENTIONED. OUR NEXT, UH, MEETING FOR FINANCE ADMINISTRATION ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS NEXT MONDAY, OCTOBER 19TH AT 2:00 PM THE, UH, KEEP BUFORD COUNTY BEAUTIFUL BOARD MET THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8TH IN THIS ROOM. THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THAT MEETING, THE VERY FIRST SIGN WAS TO BE INSTALLED TWO WEEKS AGO. IT HAS NOT BEEN INSTALLED DUE TO WEATHER COMPLICATIONS. ONCE IT IS INSTALLED, WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT FOUR SIGNS, WHICH WILL BE DONE DIFFERENT THAN THAT SIGN IN THAT THE SIGNS WILL BE REPLACED AS A MAINTENANCE OF THOSE ORIGINAL SIGNS, WHICH IS FAR LESS INTRUSIVE, FAR LESS COMPLICATED, UH, FROM THE STATE POINT OF VIEW AS WELL. UM, ONCE THE SIGN ON 2 78 IS UP, THE UH, BOARD AT THE, UH, AIRPORTS WILL VIEW THAT SIGN AND WORK WITH THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BEAUTIFUL BOARD ABOUT PUTTING A REPLICA OF THAT SIGN. DIFFERENT SIZE INSIDE THE TERMINAL. UH, FINALLY, UH, THEY HAVE SET THEIR DATES FOR THE NEXT YEAR. THERE IS GOING TO BE AN INSTALLATION OF A FLAGPOLE IN THE SHELDON AREA, IN THE GORDON'S CORNER AREA. IT IS GOING TO BE PURCHASED THROUGH KEEP BUFORD COUNTY [00:55:01] BEAUTIFUL. IT WILL BE INSTALLED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND MAINTAINED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. IT WILL BE LIT SO THAT THE FLAG IS THERE 24 HOURS A DAY. AND THEN FINALLY, SO LOCO HAS CREATED A SUBCOMMITTEE ON LITTER, AND I WILL TELL YOU JUST AS SOON AS IT COMES UP. MM-HMM . THEY'VE ESTABLISHED A VOLUNTEER SUBCOMMITTEE TO DEVELOP A SHARED UNDERSTANDING OF WHY LITTER OCCURS IN BEAUFORT AND JASPER COUNTIES. AND THE PRACTICAL WAYS THAT THE SO LOCO MEMBER GOVERNMENTS AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS CAN RES, UH, REDUCE IT AND KEEP BUFORD COUNTY WILL BE HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THAT SUBCOMMITTEE. DO THEY HAVE FUNDING FOR THOSE SIGNS ALREADY OR THEY STILL NEED IT? NO, THE FUNDING FOR THE SIGNS IS ALL TAKEN CARE OF. UH, THE NEXT FOUR SIGNS ARE ALREADY APPROVED. UH, THE CONTRACTOR, UH, HAS DECIDED THAT THEY CAN DO IT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY SO THAT WE CAN GET THEM DONE THAT MUCH QUICKER. LAST BUT NOT LEAST, COUNCILMAN GLOVER. OKAY. THANK YOU MADAM CHAIRMAN. UH, CONCERNING THAT, THERE IS A, UM, I THINK MR. MOORE ANNOUNCED THE, UH, REFERENDUM, UM, PUBLIC MEETING. IT'S GONNA BE IN, BE ON ST. HENER ON THE 14TH WEDNESDAY THIS COMING WEDNESDAY AT, UM, FIVE 30 AT THE LIBRARY. UM, ALSO THE NATURAL RESOURCE COMMITTEE WILL BE MEETING, UM, FOR AGENDA SETTING ON THE 21ST. UM, FOR THE MEETING OFFICIALLY ON THE 2ND OF NOVEMBER AND COMING OUT OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION, THERE ARE TWO ITEMS. UM, THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS RECOMMENDING A 12 MONTHS MORATORIUM ON DATA CENTER. UH, SO THAT'S COMING UP, UH, FOR DISCUSSION, UH, BEFORE COUNCIL. AND THEN THE OTHER ONE IS THE, UH, TAX AMENDMENT TO REMOVE, UH, PINE ISLAND FROM THE ST. HALL, UH, CULTURAL PROTECTION OVERLAY DISTRICT. THOSE, THOSE, UM, ISSUES WERE BROUGHT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION BE BROUGHT BEFORE THE NATURAL RESOURCE ON THE SECOND OF, UM, OF NOVEMBER. UM, I ALSO ATTENDED THE BILL GREEN DAY, UM, THAT, UM, LARRY THERE. AND I WAS JUST THERE TO SUPPORT LARRY AND MADE SURE THAT HE DID EVERYTHING RIGHT. . WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SOUNDS LIKE YOU DID. OKAY. [11.a. 2026/43: An ordinance to amend Ordinance 2026/29 to authorize the transfer of funds. The vote at the Finance, Administration, and Economic Development Committee on August 17, 2026 - 9:0 The vote at First Reading on September 14, 2026 - 9:1 The vote at Second Reading and Public Hearing September 28, 2026 - 6:4 ] THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. NOW WE'LL TURN IT OVER TO VICE CHAIRMAN, UH, REGARDING READINGS OF ORDINANCES. OKAY. ORDINANCES FOR THIRD READING 2026 SLASH 43 IS IN ORDINANCE TO AMEND ORDINANCE 2026 SLASH 29 TO AUTHORIZE THE TRANSFER OF FUNDS. AND THIS WENT NINE ZERO AT FINANCE AND NINE ONE AT THE FIRST READING ON SEPTEMBER 14TH. SECOND READING IN PUBLIC HEARING WAS SIX FOUR. CAN I HAVE A MOTION FOR THIS, UH, ORDINANCE? SO MOVED. I'LL SECOND IT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU MR. PASSMAN. MR. LAWSON, UH, WE'RE NOT GONNA DO A PRESENTATION. WE'VE ALREADY BEEN THROUGH THIS. ANYONE HAVE A COMMENT OR QUESTION ON THE COUNCIL? ALL RIGHT, THEN WE'LL MOVE IT TO A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS ORDINANCE, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. OKAY. DO YOU HAVE THAT OR DO I NEED TO DO A ROLL CALL? UM, DID MR. REEDS RAISE? OH, I DIDN'T SEE. I DON'T KNOW. NO, MY VOTE IS NO. SO I BELIEVE CUNNINGHAM, REITS AND WHO ELSE WAS NO. BARTHOLOMEW? NO. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU EVERYONE. [11.b. 2026/44: An Ordinance Amending the FY2027 Budget for Stormwater Utility Operations, Carryover Purchase Orders, Accommodations & Hospitality Tax projects, and Facility Operations. The vote at Finance, Administration, and Economic Development Committee Meeting on August 17, 2026 - 9:0 The vote at First Reading on September 14, 2026 - 10:0 The vote at Second Reading and Public Hearing on September 28, 2026 - 10:0 ] 2026 SLASH 44 IS AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 BUDGET FOR STORMWATER UTILITY OPERATIONS, CARRYOVER PURCHASE ORDERS, ACCOMMODATIONS AND HOSPITAL HOSPITALITY TAX PROJECTS AND FACILITY OPERATIONS. UH, PAST NINE ZERO AT FINANCE. UH, FIRST READING, 10 ZERO. SECOND READING SEPTEMBER 28TH, WHICH WAS A PUBLIC HEARING WAS 10 ZERO. AND I HAVE A MOTION. A MOTION. ALL RIGHT. MS. BROWN MAKES A MOTION A SECOND. I'LL SECOND. MR. PASSMAN MAKES THE SECOND. UH, WE DON'T, WE'VE ALREADY BEEN THROUGH THIS ONE. SO ANY DISCUSSION OR QUESTION BY COUNSEL? ALL RIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS ORDINANCE 2026 SLASH 44. RAISE YOUR HAND. OKAY. THANK YOU. [11.c. 2026/45: An Ordinance Authorizing the County Administrator to Execute the Necessary Documents and Provide Funding for the Purchase of Real Property Identified as TMS Nos. R200-010-000 0340-0000, R200-010-000-021G-0000, and R200-010-000-0446-0000 from Brickyard Commons, LLC for the Royal Pines Stormwater Project in the amount of $3,475,000. The vote at the Finance, Administration, and Economic Development Committee meeting on August 17, 2026 - 9:0 The vote at First Reading on September 14, 2026 - 10:0 The vote at Second Reading and Public Hearing on September 28, 2026 - 10:0] 2026 SLASH 45 IS AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS AND PROVIDE FUNDING FOR THE PURCHASE OF REAL PROPERTY IDENTIFIED AS TMS NUMBERS R TWO HUNDRED ZERO TEN THREE ZEROS 0 3 4 0, AND THEN FOUR ZEROS. AND THERE'S THREE MORE LONG LINES JUST LIKE THAT FROM BRICKYARD COMMONS LLC FOR THE ROYAL PINE STORMWATER PROJECT IN THE AMOUNT OF $3,475,000. [01:00:04] THIS PAST FINANCE COMMITTEE. NINE ZERO. AND IT WAS UNANIMOUS AT FIRST READING SEPTEMBER 14TH AND SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING ON SEPTEMBER 28TH. SO MOVE MAD VICE CHAIR. THANK YOU MR. BARTH. ALL MAKES A MOTION. SECOND, MR. CUNNINGHAM MAKES THE SECOND. IS THERE A DISCUSSION ON THIS ONE? AND AGAIN, FOR THE PUBLIC, THIS IS THIRD READING. SO WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS THOROUGHLY. ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS ORDINANCE? YEAH. JUST REMIND THE PUBLIC THIS IS A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD. THIS IS FIXING STORM WATER AND TAKING ROOFTOPS OFF OF PROPERTY. YEP. ALL RIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR. THANK YOU. AND NOW WE HAVE [11.d. 2026/46: An Ordinance Authorizing the County Administrator or negotiating authority in accordance with Resolutions 2019/44 and 2021/20 to execute any and all necessary documents for the acceptance of Right of Way and/or Temporary Construction Easement properties as shown on EXHIBIT A Pages 1-4 associated with the Sidewalks and Multi-use Pathways – Safe Routes to Schools and EXHIBIT A Pages 5-8 associated with the Lady’s Island Corridor Traffic Improvements. The vote at the Public Facilities Committee Meeting on August 17, 2026 - 9:0 The vote at First Reading on September 14, 2026 - 10:0 The vote at Second Reading and Public Hearing on September 28, 2026 - 10:0] 2026 SLASH 46 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR OR NEGOTIATING AUTHORITY IN ACCORDANCE WITH RESOLUTIONS 20 19 44 AND 2021 SLASH 20 TO EXECUTE ANY AND ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS FOR THE ACCEPTANCE OF RIGHT OF WAY AND OR TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT PROPERTIES AS SHOWN ON EXHIBIT A. PAGES ONE THROUGH FOUR ASSOCIATED WITH THE SIDEWALKS AND MULTI-USE PATHWAYS, SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOLS. AND EXHIBIT A PAGES FIVE THROUGH EIGHT ASSOCIATED WITH THE LADIES ISLAND CORRIDOR STUDY AT PUBLIC FINANCE PUBLIC COMMITTEE FINANCE COMMITTEE. IT WAS NINE ZERO AND IT PASSED UNANIMOUSLY AT FIRST READING SEPTEMBER 14 AND SECOND READING IN PUBLIC HEARING ON SEPTEMBER 28TH. THANK YOU. CAN I HAVE A MOTION? A MOTION MS. HOWARD MAKES THE MOTION SECOND THAT MS. BROWN MAKES THE SECOND. UM, AGAIN, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS. IS THERE A QUESTION OR DISCUSSION? WHAT'S BEING PASSED OUT? IF WE COULD HAVE SOME BRIEF EXPLANATION OF THAT. AND HERE COMES MR. BAUER. DID AN EXCELLENT JOB LAST WEDNESDAY AT OUR MEETING, BY THE WAY. SO GOOD EVENING COUNSEL. UM, AT THE LAST MEETING, IT WAS PUBLIC HEARING AND THERE WAS A SYSTEM THAT GOT UP, UM, AND SPOKE. SO ONE OF THE REQUESTS THAT CAME FROM COUNCIL AFTER THAT WAS A ENGINEER DRAWING SET THAT LOOKS SIMILAR TO THE OTHER BACKGROUND FOR THE SALEM ROAD PROPERTIES. THAT'S WHAT WAS JUST HANDED OUT, I BELIEVE. UM, LOOKING AT IT, THERE'S ABOUT 35 PROPERTIES TOTAL THAT NEED SOME SORT OF, OF EASEMENT OR PERMISSION. UM, AND THEN NINE, IF I'M COUNTING PROPERLY, THERE'S NINE THAT NEED RIGHT AWAY ACQUIRED. SO PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD. UM, THIS DRAWING SET WAS PRESENTED AT THE PUBLIC MEETING IN 2000 OR IN 2024. UM, THE MOST RECENT, THERE WERE SOME PUBLIC COMMENTS AS FAR AS CROSSWALKS THAT WERE ADDED TO IT AFTER THE FACT, BUT THE OVERALL GIST AND ALIGNMENT METHOD, THE PROJECT DID NOT CHANGE AFTER THAT PUBLIC MEETING. SO, QUESTION? YES. MR. BETH ALAM. DID STAFF HAPPEN TO LOOK IN? THERE WAS SOME COMMENTS DURING THAT PUBLIC HEARING ABOUT THE TREE ORDINANCE FROM THE CITY OF BUFORT MM-HMM . AND IT BEING WITHIN THE CITY OF BUFORD'S JURISDICTION. UH, DID STAFF HAVE HAPPEN TO LOOK INTO THAT? I KNOW IT'S ONLY BEEN WHAT, A WEEK OR SO, BUT YEAH, WE'VE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH, UH, THE CITY STAFF AND IT'S OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT WE JUST HAVE TO ISSUE A LETTER TO THE CITY SAYING THAT THE STEPS WE'VE TAKEN TO AVOID THE IMPACTS TO THE TREES, UM, AND THAT'S ALL THAT'S REQUIRED BY THE ORDINANCE, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO GET SOME FINALIZATION OF THAT. UM, SO WE CAN ISSUE THAT LETTER. THANK YOU. BUT, UM, AND STEPS THAT WERE TAKEN TO, UM, MINIMIZE TREE IMPACTS. THERE WERE, THERE ARE AREAS WHERE THE TRAIL HAS BEEN PULLED FURTHER OFF THE ROAD TO AVOID TREES. IT HAS ACTUALLY BIFURCATED TO GO AROUND TREES. AND THEN THERE'S AREAS, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN SEE IT ON THIS MAP, WHERE IT BASICALLY SERPENTINES AROUND TREES TO MINIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF TREES THAT ARE GONNA BE TAKEN. TOTAL, I BELIEVE LOOKING AT THE, UM, THE FULL SET OF PLANS, I WANNA SAY THERE'S ABOUT 13 TREE IMPACTS. UM, SOMEWHERE ABOUT THAT BETWEEN 10 AND 20 TOTAL, TOTAL TREES. SO IT'S NOT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TREES. VERY FEW, UH, LARGE TREES. MOST OF 'EM ARE GUMS AND PINES. SO THANK YOU AGAIN. YES. ANYBODY ELSE? ALL RIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS ORDINANCE. PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. I'M SORRY. SOMEBODY ELSE? I BELIEVE MR. GLOVER WAS GONNA SAY SOMETHING. OH, NO, NO, YOU GO AHEAD. GO AHEAD. MM-HMM. GO AHEAD. ALRIGHT. THANK Y'ALL. THANK YOU BRIAN. ALRIGHT, [12.a. 2026/47: An Ordinance authorizing the County Administrator to execute an Electric Line Easement with Dominion Energy on the property known as Pocotaligo Preserve (TMS R710 012 000 0001 0000 and R710 012 000 0072 0000). The vote at Natural Resources Committee on September 8, 2026 - 7:0 The vote at First Reading on September 28, 2026 - 10:0] MOVING ON TO ORDINANCES FOR A SECOND. READING 2026 SLASH 47 IS AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO EXECUTE AN ELECTRIC LINE EASEMENT WITH DOMINION ENERGY ON THE PROPERTY KNOWN AS POCO TOGO PRESERVED. DID I GET THAT ONE RIGHT? NO. OKAY. JUST PRETEND. TMSR 17 7 10 0 12 0 0 0 3 ZEROS ONE AND FOUR ZEROS. AND THEN R 7 10 0 12 0 0 0 0 72 AND FOUR ZEROS AT NATURAL RESOURCES PAST SEVEN ZERO UNANIMOUS. FIRST READING PAST, UH, 10 ZERO. CAN I HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED. SECOND. THANK YOU. AND WHO IS THE SECOND? [01:05:01] I WILL, UH, MR. GLOVER? YEAH. ALRIGHT, MR. KID, WE, IT'S ALL YOU. GOOD EVENING. UM, THE ONLY THING WE HAVE TO ADD HERE, UM, IS THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS ASKED ABOUT THE MOVING THE LINES UNDERGROUND AND WE HAD A, A LARGER CONVERSATION WITH DOMINION ABOUT THAT. SO, UM, ADMINISTRATION REACHED OUT AND WE JUST TALKED WITH, UM, BLAKELY WILLIAMS WHO IS WITH DOMINION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND LOCAL AFFAIRS. THEY POINTED TO A FEW FACTORS, UM, FOR US ON THIS IN CONSIDERING THE ISSUE. UM, THE FIRST IS THAT AS WE SUSPECTED AND KNOW, THE OVERHEAD IS THEIR STANDARD INSTALLATION METHOD FOR THIS AREA, UM, OF THE COUNTY. THEY POINTED TO THE, A GREATER EASE OF ACCESS SERVICE AND TROUBLESHOOTING IN THE EVENT THAT SOMETHING DOES HAPPEN IN THESE TYPES OF AREAS AS OPPOSED TO IF IT'S UNDERGROUND, IT TAKES A LOT MORE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S WRONG AND TO FIX IT. UM, THEY ALSO TALKED TO US ABOUT THE TOPOGRAPHY HERE, WHICH IS FORESTED REALLY. UM, WE'RE DOING FOREST MANAGEMENT, BUT IF THEY MOVED THEM UNDERGROUND, THERE WOULD BE A GREEN PAD, MOUNTED BOX. AND YOU TALK ABOUT SOME ISSUES WITH MAINTENANCE THERE. IF WE'RE BUSH HOGGING AND HAVE TRACTORS, IT'S PRETTY EASY TO RUN INTO ONE OF THOSE. NOT TO MENTION THE PRESCRIBED BURNING THAT ENDS UP RUNNING INTO THAT AS WELL. UM, AND THEN THEY DID TELL US ABOUT THE COST. UM, SO THEIR POSITION IS THAT ANY VARIATION FROM THE STANDARD IS THE FULL RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CUSTOMER OR AT A PRICE THAT IS DETERMINED BY DOMINION. THEY DIDN'T GIVE US AN EXACT FIGURE, BUT THE INDICATION IS QUITE SIGNIFICANT. UM, THERE'S A LOT OF HEAT THAT'S GENERATED FROM THESE, THERE'S CASINGS THAT'S REQUIRED AS A RESULT AND IT'S JUST A VERY HEAVY INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT. AND FOR THAT REASON, THEY CAN FIND THEIR UNDERGROUND INSTALLATIONS TO THE URBAN AREAS SUCH AS ALONG BOUNDARY STREET. SO WHEN THEY, SO THEIR GENERAL INSTALLATION IS OVERHEAD LINES AND WHEN THEY DO BURY THE LINES, THAT'S AT THE COST TO THE DEVELOPER? YES. WHOEVER IS SHOULDERING THE COST HERE WOULD BE THE COUNTY IF WE WERE, 'CAUSE WE WERE THE CUSTOMER. ANYBODY ELSE? QUESTION, COMMENT? THAT AREA IS KNOWN AS POCO. OKAY. POCO. SOMEBODY TOLD ME A DIFFERENT WAY TOO, SO, OKAY, WELL THERE'S A DIFFERENT WAY. WE'LL SAY PETE PRESERVE. MR. DAWSON. WHERES THAT? THAT'S UP NEAR THE, UH, ON THE OTHER END OF SHELDON, BETWEEN SHELDON AND, UH, JASPER COUNTY LINE. ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER QUESTION FOR MR. KIDD? NOW IS YOUR TIME. ALL RIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS ORDINANCE, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. THANK YOU MR. KIDD. [12.b. 2026/48: An Ordinance amending the Beaufort County Code of Ordinances, Chapter74 - Building and Building Regulations, Section 74-64, Adoption of Building Codes (Amends Code of Ordinances to adopt the 2024 State Mandated Code Editions). The vote at Natural Resources Committee on September 8, 2026 - 7:0 The vote at First Reading on September 28, 2026 - 10:0 ] UM, ORDINANCE 2026 SLASH 48 IS AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE BUFORT COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES, CHAPTER 74, BUILDING AND BUILDING REGULATIONS SECTION 74 64, ADOPTION OF BUILDING CODES, AMENDS CODE OF ORDINANCES TO ADOPT A 2024 STATE MANDATED CODE ADDITIONS AT NATURAL RESOURCE. IT WAS UNANIMOUS. AND AT FIRST READING IT WAS 10 ZERO. CAN I HAVE A MOTION? SECOND, MR. PASSMAN, AND THEN SECONDED BY MR. GLOVER AND MICHAEL BRANTLEY. AND SO I WANNA SAY, FIRST OF ALL, THIS IS A GIANT UNDERTAKING. YEAH, I GET IT. AND YOU MUST HAVE BEEN UP AWAKE MANY NIGHTS. OH YEAH. OKAY. SO GO AHEAD AND TELL US ABOUT IT. SO THE, UM, BUILDING CODES ARE UPDATED BASICALLY EVERY THREE YEARS. THE INTERNATIONAL CODES ARE UPDATED. THE STATE GETS A HOLD OF THOSE, DOES AMENDMENTS OF THEIR OWN. SO WE'RE BASICALLY ONLY THREE YEAR CYCLE TO UPDATE OUR CODES. WE WERE GIVEN NOTICE, I GUESS, BACK IN AUGUST THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO ADOPT THESE BY THE FIRST OF THE YEAR. AND WILL YOU DID. ALL RIGHT. ANYBODY HAVE A QUESTION? I KNOW IT WAS TEDIOUS TO READ THE ROOM, BUT, ALL RIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS ORDINANCE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE YOU HANGING AROUND FOR US [13.a. 2026/49: An Ordinance authorizing the private road acceptance of Bellinger Bluff Road and Bellinger Neck Road into the County Road Inventory. The vote at Public Facilities Committee on September 21, 2026 - Failed 3:7 ] ORDINANCES FOR FIRST READING 2026 SLASH 49 IS AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE PRIVATE ROAD ACCEPTANCE OF BELLINGER BLUFF ROAD AND BELLINGER NECK ROAD INTO THE COUNTY ROAD INVENTORY MOTION PLEASE. SO MOVED. THANK YOU MR. PASSMAN. SECOND, MR. GLOVER. THANK YOU FOR THE SECOND, UH, THE VOTE AT PUBLIC FACILITIES FAILED THREE SEVEN MR. BAUER. YEAH. SO AT PUBLIC FACILITIES, IT WAS REQUESTED STAFF GO TAKE A LOOK AT THE ROAD AND, UH, LOOK AT THE CONDITION. UM, STAFF DID MAKE THAT VISIT. OVERALL, THE ROAD IS IN REALLY GOOD CONDITION. UM, THIS IS ACTUALLY, IT WAS WHEN THE ROAD WAS BUILT AND THE HOUSES WERE, UH, CONSTRUCTED. IT, IT WAS PLATTED WITH A 50 FOOT RIGHT OF WAY, AND THEN 30 FOOT OUTFALL, UH, EASEMENTS FOR THE DRAINAGE. UM, SO THERE IS NO, IF THE ROAD WAS TO BE TAKEN OVER, THERE'D BE NO TREE REMOVAL. THERE'S PLENTY OF RIGHT OF WAY THERE. THE ROADS, UH, PERFECTLY WIDE HAS A GOOD, WELL MAINTAINED, UH, RIDING LAYER, WHICH IS MIXTURE OF AGGREGATE AND SOIL. UM, THE ONE THING THAT WAS NOTED WAS THAT THERE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE A LOT OF DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE. UM, MOST OF THE ROAD IS NOT DITCHED. THE CULVERT PIPES DO NOT MEET [01:10:01] THE CURRENT STANDARDS. UM, FOR MOST OF OUR CUL DRIVEWAY CULVERTS, WE WANT 15 INCH CONCRETE PIPES. UM, SOME OF THESE LOOK TO BE SIX TO EIGHT INCH PVC, OTHERS FOR, UH, HDPE. UM, AND THEN THE TWO OUTFALLS LOOK TO BE, UM, NEEDING A GOOD BIT OF WORK TO ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO GET IN AND DO THEIR JOB PROPERLY. SO, SPEAKING WITH OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, UM, TO BE ABLE TO REALLY GET IN THERE AND FIGURE OUT WHAT NEEDED TO BE DONE, A FULL DRAINAGE ASSESSMENT WOULD BE NEEDED OF THE ROAD. AND THAT WOULD LEAD TO, UH, WHATEVER DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS THE, UH, STORMWATER ENGINEER FELT WAS NEEDED. WHETHER THAT BE DITCHES, NEW CULVERTS, UM, SO DON'T KNOW EXACTLY THE FULL EXTENT OF THE IMPROVEMENTS, BUT WE NEED SOME SORT OF ANALYSIS TO COME UP WITH WHAT THOSE WOULD BE. UM, AND THEN WHATEVER THOSE IMPROVEMENTS WOULD BE TO GET THERE. SO ARE THE RESIDENTS WILLING TO PAY FOR THAT REMEDIATION AND SO ON? AND THE STUDY FOR DRAINAGE, THAT WOULD BE A CONVERSATION WE'D HAVE TO HAVE. UM, SINCE THEY'RE ASKING THE COUNTY TO TAKE THE ROAD IN, I WOULD BE ASSUMED THAT THEY'RE SOMETHING THEY'RE NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO. BUT, UM, I MEAN, WITHOUT HAVING AN EXACT COST, I WOULD ASSUME, YOU KNOW, MAYBE TOWARDS A HUNDRED THOUSAND, 75 TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS TO DO THE STUDY AND THE IMPROVEMENTS, UM, MINUS WHAT MIGHT BE NEEDED FOR THE OUTFALLS, WHICH MAY BE A BIGGER UNDERTAKING. SO, MR. , I'M NOT AN ENGINEERS SUPPORT THAN THIS, BUT LOOKS LIKE THE DRAINAGE IS WORKING NOW. MM-HMM . LIKE, HAVE THEY NOT NOTATED ANY ISSUE WITH THE DRAINAGE? I SEE SOME EROSION ON ONE SECTION YOU SHOWED, BUT, UM, WOULD IT NEED TO BE IMMEDIATELY FIXED IF IT WAS BROUGHT INTO THE INVENTORY? THAT'S WHERE WE WOULD NEED TO HAVE THAT ANALYSIS PERFORMED TO SEE, 'CAUSE THERE'S AN ISSUE OF, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S APPEARS TO BE FUNCTIONING AND WHETHER IT'S MEETING THE COUNTY STORE STORM WATER CRITERIA FOR, UH, STORING THE WATER ON SITE. WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN THE FIRST INCH AND A HALF ON SITE PER SO LOCAL MANUAL. UM, SO THERE'S JUST THE QUESTION OF IS IT FUNCTIONING AND THEN ALSO THE COUNTY STANDARDS. SO I BELIEVE THE TASK THAT WAS PUT OUT WAS WHAT WOULD BE NEEDED TO BRING IT UP TO COUNTY STANDARDS. SO, MR. LAWSON? YEAH. I DON'T, I DON'T EVER LIKE TO BE THE, THE BAD GUY. UM, BUT, BUT OBVIOUSLY WE'VE HAD OTHER ROADS COME BEFORE US. UM, I THINK EVEN IN PRITCHARD V WE'VE HAD SOME THAT WE HAVE TURNED DOWN IS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'D LOVE TO TAKE CARE OF ALL THE ROADS, BUT THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF ROADS OUT THERE THAT ARE PRIVATE ROADS THAT WOULD COST US HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO, TO MAINTAIN AND TAKE CARE OF. SO IT'S BEEN OUR COUNTY'S POLICY THAT, THAT WE DO NOT ACCEPT, UM, PRIVATE ROADS INTO THE COUNTY BECAUSE OF COST, UM, THAT THAT'S ASSOCIATED. SO AGAIN, UM, I I, I FEEL FOR THESE PEOPLE, BUT AGAIN, PURCHASE THE HOME ALONG A PRIVATE ROAD. I DON'T UNDERSTAND. WHOOP, SORRY. UM, , SORRY SIRI. UM, AND, UH, SO AGAIN, I WOULD NOT BE FOR, UM, BRINGING THIS INTO THE COUNTY ROAD SYSTEM. ALRIGHT. ANYBODY ELSE? MR. CUNNING? YEAH, I MEAN, WE'VE SAID IT MULTIPLE TIMES. BRINGING IN COUNT ROADS INTO THE COUNTY JUST OPENS UP A BAG OF WORMS. AND IF PEOPLE SAY IT'S FOR DRAINAGE, WHICH I'M SURE IS GONNA BE THE NUMBER ONE ARGUMENT, THEY'RE GONNA SAY DRIVE THROUGH THE FARM IN BLUFFTON THAT FLOODS IN A NORMAL RAINSTORM. BUT THEY WOULD TURN THAT ROAD OVER TO US IN A HEARTBEAT. AND IT IS MILES. ANYBODY ELSE? YES, MA'AM. I, I'M SUPPORTING THIS MOTION, UM, SIMPLY BECAUSE AT SOME POINT IN TIME WE CAME UP WITH A POLICY ON DIRT ROADS AND WE WANT PEOPLE TO COME TO OUR STANDARDS. UM, RIGHT NOW WE DON'T, WE ALLOW PEOPLE TO PUT THEIR OWN PIPES IN THEIR ROAD. DIFFERENT SIZE PIPE, DIFFERENT SIZE LEVEL. I'VE ALWAYS BEEN AGAINST THAT. I'VE ALWAYS WANTED US TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT SO THAT DRAINAGE WILL HAPPEN. UM, SO EVEN IN SOME OF OUR COUNTY ROADS, UH, IF WE ARE ALLOWING PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY INSTALL THEIR DRIVEWAYS, UM, IT'S NOT TOO STANDARD. IT'S NOT PUT IN PROPERLY AND STUFF, AND THERE'S WATER THAT'S SITTING THERE BECAUSE IT'S NOT BEING PROPERLY DRAINED. UM, SO IIII REALLY DO THINK THAT THE COUNTY SHOULD BE MORE INVOLVED IN THIS BECAUSE WE NEED TO MOVE WATER. AND, AND IF YOU DON'T MOVE WATER AROUND, UH, THESE ROADS, UM, YOU'RE GONNA END UP WITH MUD HOLES. UM, AND IT IS JUST THE NATURE OF THE BEAST. AND SO I KNOW THAT AT SOME POINT IN TIME, THE COUNTY SAID NO TO DIRT ROADS, TO PRIVATE ROADS. BUT IF YOU GOT, IF WE WANNA SERVE OUR COMMUNITY AT SOME POINT, WE GOTTA DEAL WITH THAT POLICY BECAUSE WE REALLY NEED TO BE HELPING PEOPLE [01:15:01] IN THE COMMUNITY IF THEY NEED BETTER ROADS. RIGHT NOW, WE ARE TELLING THEM YOU WILL NEVER HAVE A PAVE ROAD UNLESS YOU DO IT YOURSELF. AND THERE ARE COUNTY ROADS THAT WE ARE PAVING, WE ARE PAVING COUNTY ROADS. UM, IT'S JUST HAPPENED AT, AT SOME POINT IN TIME, SOMEBODY SAID, I WANT THIS TO BE A COUNTY ROAD. I WANT THIS TO BE A PRIVATE ROAD. NOW WE GOT PRIVATE ROADS THAT SAYING, HEY, I WISH I HAD GOTTEN IT TO BE A COUNTY ROAD 'CAUSE I NEED HELP. DIRT ROAD IS A PROBLEM. I'M IN A RURAL COMMUNITY. I CAN TELL YOU DIRT ROAD IS A PROBLEM. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE? YES. YEAH. UH, YES. I I HAVE A QUESTION. OH, WAIT, LET MR. JOHNSON GO FIRST. OKAY. SORRY. YEP, GO AHEAD MR. JOHNSON. THANK YOU. UM, PRIVATE ROLES HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN ISSUE FOR THE COUNTY. UM, BUT I WOULD CAUTION US NOT, LET'S NOT GET, UH, THE ACCEPTANCE OF PRIVATE ROAD INTO THE COUNTY CONFUSED WITH STORMWATER DRAINAGE. THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT, TWO DIFFERENT ISSUES THERE. UM, WE DO HAVE A POLICY THAT, UH, ACTUALLY ADDRESSES, UH, PRIVATE ROADS BEING ACCEPTED INTO THE COUNTY. UM, BUT AS FAR AS OUTSIDE OF MEETING THE QUALIFICATIONS, UH, OF THAT, UH, POLICY, UH, AS FAR AS THE COUNTY BEING ALLOWED OR THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR BEING ALLOWED TO AUTHORIZE, UH, PUBLIC WORKS WORKING ON PRIVATE ROADS, UM, WE HAVE A STATE STATUTES THAT DOESN'T ALLOW THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR THAT THAT PRIVILEGE. SO WE, WE DO HAVE A ISSUE, BUT HOW DO WE ADDRESS THAT, UM, IS ANOTHER ISSUE. BUT I, I DON'T WANT US TO GET CONFUSED WITH THIS PROJECT OF, UH, STORMWATER ISSUE VERSUS, UH, US TAKING THE PRIVATE ROAD INTO THE COUNTY SYSTEM. UH, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S NOT ALLOWABLE BY STATE STATUTE AND, UM, WE SHOULD JUST LEAVE IT ALONE. THANK YOU MR. DAWSON. MR. RES. MR. DAWSON, I APOLOGIZE FOR CUTTING YOU OFF. APOLOGIES. YEAH. GOOD MAN. THANK YOU. UM, EARLIER TONIGHT, WE HAD A TON OF AWARDS GO OUT TO TRANSPORTATION AND ALL THAT. HAVE THEY SEEN THESE ROADS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT? AND DO THEY HAVE ANY INPUT ON WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE VOTING ON HERE? SO THE CT TC TOOK THE STANCE GOING BACK TO 20 16, 20 17. PRIOR TO THAT, THEY PAVED DIRT ROADS, AND THAT'S WHAT THE CTC DID. UM, BACK IN 20 16 20 17, WHICH IS THE TIMEFRAME THAT THEY SPOKE OF EARLIER, WHEN THEY TOLD ABOUT, WHEN THEY STARTED DOING THE PAVEMENT EVALUATIONS, UH, THE CTC TOOK THE STANCE THAT THEY WERE GONNA WORK ON RESURFACING ROADS AND NOT HANDLE DIRT ROADS. SO ANY FUNDING FOR DIRT ROADS COMES OUT OF THE COUNTY'S TAG FUNDING AND NOT OUTTA THAT CTC POT OF MONEY. SO THEY WOULD HAVE A SAY WHEN IT COMES BACK TO WHETHER TO EXPEND THEIR FUNDS TO RESURFACE THE ROAD, BUT NOT TO TAKE IT IN ITSELF. THANK YOU. AND I WOULD WANT TO CLARIFY JUST ONE THING ABOUT STORMWATER ON COUNTY ROAD. SO IF YOU'RE ACTUALLY WORKING ON A COUNTY ROAD, THERE ARE STANDARDS FOR LIKE CULVERT PIPES. UM, A HOMER CAN DO IT THEMSELVES, BUT IF THEY'RE INSTALLING A NEW DRIVEWAY AND THEY GO GET AN ENCROACHMENT PERMIT, THERE ARE REQUIREMENTS IN THAT ENCROACHMENT PERMIT THAT THEY USE 15 INCH, UM, CONCRETE PIPE AND THAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO SURVEY UP TO SO FAR UP AND DOWN THE ROAD TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS FUNCTIONING THE WAY THAT'S INTENDED. UM, CAN'T SAY IT ALWAYS HAPPENS, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE FOLLOWED. SO, ANYONE ELSE? I WILL COMMENT THAT THE LAST TIME SOMEBODY CAME IN WITH A ROAD, AND WE'VE BEEN CONSISTENT, NOT TAKING THEM IN, BUT THERE WAS A WHOLE DISCUSSION AT THE CTC. EVERYBODY CAN GO BACK AND LOOK AT IT. IT WAS IN THE SUMMER, NOT TO TAKE IN THE DIRT ROAD INTO THE PUBLIC DOMAIN. SO THIS HAS BEEN CONSISTENT ON THIS COUNCIL WHILE WE'VE BEEN SITTING ON IT. AND, UH, I WOULD VOTE NO ON THIS ONE. YES, MR. CUNNINGHAM. YES. BUT WE'VE TAKEN THEM PAVED ROADS TO CONSIDER MAINTENANCE OF THEM. THEY, THEY GENERALLY TURN IT DOWN AS WELL. YES, CORRECT. MR. CUNNINGHAM, GO AHEAD. OH, YEAH, JUST, UH, CLEAR ONE PART I GUESS THAT IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT. SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PRIVATE ROADS, PUBLIC ROADS, COUNTY PAVING THEM, NOT PAVING THEM. THE DIFFERENCE IS WE DON'T GO IN AND PAVE NEIGHBORHOODS. THE DEVELOPER PAYS FOR THAT, OR THE HOA PAYS FOR THAT. AND THAT'S HOW THAT GETS FUNDED. WHEN A NEIGHBORHOOD'S ROAD GETS REDONE, THE HOA GOES IN AND PAYS FOR THAT. IF THEY DON'T HAVE AN HOA, THEY HAVE TO CREATE, UM, THEIR OWN OWN FUNDING SOURCE OR THEY HAVE TO OUTSOURCE IT TO SOMEBODY ELSE. SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE GOING AND PAVING PRIVATE ROADS. SO PEOPLE CAN SAY, YOU KNOW, WELL, I HAVE A DIRT ROAD AND IT'S A PROBLEM. I I GET THAT. BUT IT'S ALSO A CHOICE OF LIVING IN A, THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT IS PAVED ALREADY, OR NOT LIVING IN A NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE IT'S PAVED ALREADY. AND IN THIS COUNTY, I BELIEVE IN SMALLER GOVERNMENT, [01:20:01] NOT BIGGER GOVERNMENT PEOPLE SHOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT FREEDOM OF CHOICE, WHAT THEY WANNA DO. 'CAUSE THE MOMENT WE OPEN THAT DOOR, THEN YOU HAVE THE OTHER ARGUMENT. IF YOU SAY, WE HAVE TO GO IN AND FIX THESE ROADS, THEN THAT MEANS WE'RE REQUIRED TO GO TAKE HOMEOWNER'S PROPERTY TO FIX THEIR ROADS, WHETHER THEY LIKE IT OR NOT. AND THEN THAT OPENS ANOTHER PROPERTY RIGHTS ARGUMENT THAT YOU CAN RUN INTO AS WELL. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO COMMENT? I I WAS GOING TO SAY, WE DO HAVE A POLICY STATEMENT THAT ADDRESSES ALL OF THIS. YEP. THERE IS A STATEMENT WITHIN THAT POLICY STATEMENT THAT REALLY IS THE KEY TO IT. WE PROVIDE THE ESTIMATE OF THE COST TO BRING IT UP TO THE STANDARDS. OUR STANDARDS ARE PAVED ROADS, WHICH MEANS WE ARE TELLING THE HOMEOWNERS, IF YOU WISH TO HAVE US TAKE OVER THE ROAD, YOU HAVE TO PROVIDE THE FUNDS TO PAVE IT BEFORE WE WOULD ACCEPT THAT. AND THAT'S MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. YEAH. THE COST ESTIMATE TO PAVE THIS ONE IN TODAY'S DOLLARS IS BASICALLY A MILLION DOLLARS. AND THEN IF WE WERE TO LITIG ADJUST FOR INFLATION OVER 10 YEARS, IT'S ABOUT 1.3. SO THIS IS ON AN ISLAND, RIGHT? NO, IT'S RIGHT OFF OF ONE 70. ONE 70. HOW MANY HOUSES ON THIS ROAD, TODD? UH, I THINK THERE WERE 12 PROPERTY OWNERS THAT SIGNED THE PROTECTION. IT'S RIGHT OFF ONE 70 ANNUAL HOME. YEAH. BUT IT'S PULLED OFF THE PENINSULA TO THE WATER. YES. NO, I'M SAYING IF YOU DRIVING AND YOU GO DOWN THE ROAD, IT'S WATERFRONT. THERE IS WATERFRONT PROPERTIES IN THE BACK. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S SPECIFICALLY A PENINSULA, BUT IT'S WATERFRONT. YES. ALRIGHT. ANYBODY ELSE COMMENT? ALL RIGHT, LET'S TAKE A VOTE. THANK YOU. UM, ALL IN FAVOR? I WOULD DO A ROLL CALL. OH, YOUR HONOR, DO A ROLL CALL. THE ROLL CALL WILL BE IF YOU'RE IN FAVOR OF TAKING THESE INTO THE PUBLIC DOMAIN. ALRIGHT, GO AHEAD. COUNCIL MEMBER PASSMAN? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER GLOVER? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER RES? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER MCALLEN? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER LAWSON. MARK LAWSON? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER DAWSON? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER BROWN? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER BARTHOLOMEW? YES. BY CHAIR TABER? NO. CHAIR HOWARD? NO. THE MOTION FAILS. THANK YOU, MRS. BROCK. [13.b. 2026/50: An Ordinance to amend Beaufort County's Budget Ordinance for Fiscal Year 2027 (Ordinance No. 2026/29) to amend Section III, County Operations Revenues, and Section IV, County Operations Appropriations to appropriate Fund Balance for Beaufort County Regions Tournament Complex. The vote at Finance, Administration, and Economic Development Committee on September 21, 2026 - Failed 5:5 ] ALL RIGHT. ORDINANCE 2026 SLASH 50 IS IN ORDINANCE TO AMEND BUFORT COUNTY'S BUDGET ORDINANCE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027, WHICH WAS ORDINANCE 2026 SLASH 29 TO AMEND SECTION THREE COUNTY OPERATIONS REVENUES AND SECTION FOUR COUNTY OPERATIONS APPROPRIATIONS TO APPROPRIATE FUND BALANCE FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY REGION'S TOURNAMENT COMPLEX MOTION, PLEASE. I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION. MR. CUNNINGHAM MAKES A MOTION. A SECOND. I'LL SECOND. OH, SORRY. MR. LAWSON SECOND. THIS WENT TO FINANCE COMMITTEE ON SEPTEMBER 25TH FIRST, AND IT WAS FIVE FIVE, SO IT FAILED. SO, MS. NOVAK WANNA SPEAK TO THIS AND THEN WE'LL GO THROUGH THE YES, MA'AM. SO THIS IS A BUDGET AMENDMENT THAT SETS ASIDE $7.5 MILLION FROM LOCAL AT TAX AND H TAX FOR A TOTAL OF 15 MILLION FOR A POTENTIAL REGIONS TOURNAMENT COMPLEX. THIS, THESE ARE SINGLE YEAR FUNDS. SO THIS BUDGET AMENDMENT IS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 27 ONLY. IT DOES NOT PUT THE MONEY INTO THE 28 BUDGET AND THE BUDGET AMENDMENT SETS ASIDE FOR BUDGET, BUT DOES NOT APPROVE ANY CONTRACTOR SERVICE. ALRIGHT, LET'S HAVE A DISCUSSION. OH, I'M SORRY. GO AHEAD. UM, I, FIRST I WAS AGAINST THIS BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS A PREDETERMINED DECISION WHERE IT WOULD BE LOCATED AT. I'M NOT, I'M NOT, I KNOW NOW THAT WE'RE GONNA DO A SIGHTING STUDY FOR IT. UM, AND A LOT OF OTHER FACTORS INTO IT. I THINK BEAUFORT COUNTY IS A REGION NEEDS SOMETHING LIKE THIS. UM, PERSONALLY I'VE TRAVELED A LOT OF PLACES LIKE LEXINGTON AND FLORENCE, SO I WOULDN'T HAVE GONE TO OTHERWISE, UM, FOR SOFTBALL TRAVEL TEAM, UM, BACK IN MANY, MANY YEARS AGO. BUT, UM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, WE HAVE THE PEOPLE TO PLAY TO BE IN THIS, AND I THINK THIS IS A GOOD THING TO LOOK AT IT AS A REGIONAL ASSET THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO DO. ALRIGHT. MS. HOWARD? ANYBODY ELSE? MR. LAWS? OH, GO AHEAD. I'LL, I'LL GO NEXT. AND UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THAT'S A, THAT'S A BIG DOLLAR AMOUNT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT. HOWEVER, THIS, THIS IS TWO THINGS THAT'S NEEDED FOR US, AND THOSE TWO THINGS ARE, ONE, WE NEED MORE FIELDS. SO THESE FIELDS WILL BE USED, UM, BY NOT ONLY OUR YOUTH, BUT ALSO OUR ADULT PROGRAMS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. UM, THAT, THAT CAN BE USED YEAR ROUND, UM, FOR OUR YOUTH. SO AGAIN, WE'RE, WE'RE BUILDING SOMETHING FOR THE YOUTH, UM, [01:25:01] AND DOING SOMETHING THAT'S GOOD FOR, UH, THE COUNTY ITSELF AND HOPEFULLY IN A, A CENTRAL LOCATION, UM, THAT THAT WOULD HAPPEN. UM, THE SECOND PART OF IT IS THAT THESE TOURNAMENTS WILL THEN BRING IN, UM, UH, FINANCIAL, UH, AID TO, TO THE COUNTY. UM, YOU'RE LOOKING AT, UM, US BEING ABLE TO RUN TOURNAMENTS DURING THOSE SHOULDER SEASONS THAT EVERYONE TALKS ABOUT, UH, WHENEVER WE DON'T, YOU KNOW, WHENEVER WE NEED THE, THE TOURIST TO COME. UH, I TRAVELED VOLLEYBALL, SOFTBALL, BASEBALL, UM, AND I WAS GOING TO PLACES THAT I REALLY DIDN'T WANT TO GO. AND I WENT AND WOULD SPEND TWO, THREE NIGHTS AND SPEND MONEY IN A RESTAURANT. UM, AND WHO WOULDN'T, WOULDN'T RATHER COME TO BEAUFORT COUNTY, COME TO, TO THE BLUFFTON AREA, THE BEAUFORT AREA, WHEREVER, WHEREVER THIS ENDS UP BEING LOCATED. UM, SO, UM, BY DOING THAT, UM, I KNOW WE'VE TALKED BEFORE ABOUT EVEN ONE STATE TOURNAMENT THAT THAT BROUGHT IN, YOU KNOW, MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO THE COMMUNITY WHERE IF, IF WE DID THIS ON A REGULAR BASIS, THIS WOULD PAY FOR ITSELF IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. BACK WITH, WITH A TAXES AND OTHER INCOMES THAT WOULD COME IN TO RESTAURANTS, TO HOTELS, TO ANY SERVICE IN EVERY SERVICE THAT, THAT, THAT WOULD HAVE IN, IN OUR COUNTY. SO IT WOULD IT BE AN ECONOMIC ENGINE, UM, THAT, THAT AT THE SAME TIME WOULD PROVIDE F FIELDS THEN FOR OUR YOUTH TO USE. ALRIGHT. ANYTHING ELSE? OH, MR. PASSMAN? YES. I'M GOING TO OPPOSE THIS, NOT BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THIS IS A GOOD IDEA. I DO. IT IS. THE WAY THIS IS STRUCTURED, IF YOU READ THIS ORDINANCE, THERE IS A PARAGRAPH THAT SAYS THESE FUNDS ARE TO BE USED TOWARDS THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF A REGIONAL TOURNAMENT COMPLEX. WE ARE CREATING AN ORDINANCE THAT HAS A LIFE TO IT. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WILL BECOME LAW. THIS DOES NOT SAY WE'RE DOING A STUDY OF WHERE IT COULD BE LOCATED. WE'RE PUTTING THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE. WE REALLY NEED A STUDY OF WHERE POTENTIALLY COULD WE PUT SUCH A COMPLEX, THIS IS NOT WHAT THIS SAYS. THIS SAYS WE'RE GONNA DO THE MONEY $15 MILLION TO DESIGN A COMPLEX. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S RIGHT. SO JUST FOR EVERYONE'S INFORMATION, UM, MS. ANTONACCI SUBMITTED A STATE AT TAX, UM, REQUEST, AND THEY ARE GONNA FUND PART OF IT. AND THE OTHER PART I'LL SAY IS WE, SEVERAL OF US MET AND WE'RE LOOKING AT MAYBE A JOINT VENTURE WITH ANOTHER GROUP IN THE AREA. SO, GO AHEAD MR. CUNNINGHAM. YEAH, I WON'T BELABOR THE POINT ON SORRY. PLEASE GO AHEAD. SHOULD WE WANT ME TO GO? YEAH, GO AHEAD FOR IT. WHY NOT? YEAH, I, I, I CONCUR WITH JOE. UM, HE'S CORRECT. WE, WE WE'RE PUTTING THE FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT, BUT YET WE HAVEN'T DECIDED WHERE THE PROJECT AT, AT OUR LAST MEETING I SUGGESTED COMICALLY, BUT ACTUALLY I WAS SERIOUS. HEY, LET'S PUT IT AT BURTON WILLS. SO, SO HERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FUNDING THE PROJECT, BUT WE DON'T HAVE A SITE. THAT'S WHAT THIS STUDY'S FOR. YES. OKAY. CHAIRWOMAN. OH, UH, GO AHEAD. MR. REEDS PUT IT, THIS HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT A FEW TIMES AND I THINK, UM, MR. CUNNINGHAM HAS DONE A GREAT JOB OF OUTLINING THE FACT THAT IT WILL BE AN OPEN PROCESS TO WHERE THIS ENDS UP. BUT TO GET THIS STARTED, TO GET THE INVESTMENT TO GET EVERYBODY IN THE GAME, UM, FROM WHAT TAB JUST SAID THERE IS SOMEBODY ELSE INTERESTED IN WORKING WITH US WOULDN'T NAME THE, UH, ORGANIZATION. I THINK THAT'S FINE. BUT BY THE DISCUSSIONS WE'VE HAD AND HOW, UH, MR. CUNNINGHAM HAS OUTLINED THIS, UM, IT, IT'S BRINGING A LOT OF GOOD INTEREST AND I THINK IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM. IT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT GONNA DICTATE, OBVIOUSLY, IT'S GONNA BE A, IT'S GONNA BE NOT LOOKED UPON FAVORABLY FOR BLUFFTON BECAUSE OF ALL THE CONGESTION AND ALL THE IMPACTS THAT IT, WE ARE ALREADY FACING RIGHT NOW THAT WE HAVEN'T ADDRESSED. SO, UM, TO YOUR POINT, MR. DAWSON, UH, YOUR AREA IS A VERY GOOD AREA TO LOOK AT. SO AGAIN, I, I THINK TAKE AN INITIATIVE LOOKING TOWARD THE FUTURE, TAKING CARE OF THE KIDS HERE AND THE ADULTS, LIKE MR. LAWSON SAID ABOUT WHO WOULD GET USE THIS IS PR THE PROPER WAY TO DO THINGS, GET IT OUT IN THE PUBLIC, VET IT, AND THEN TAKE CARE OF WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. ANYBODY ELSE? MR. ? GO FOR IT. JUST REAL QUICK. I, I AGREE WITH, UH, MR. DAWSON DOWN THERE. UH, AND MR. REETS, UM, BURTON WELLS WOULD BE A FANTASTIC LOCATION FOR IT, BUT OBVIOUSLY IT NEEDS TO BE STUDIED AND, UM, IF, IF THERE'S SOME ISSUES WITH THE LANGUAGES FIRST READING, IF IT PASSES, WE CAN ALWAYS MASSAGE THAT LANGUAGE OUT ON SECOND READING IN BETWEEN NOW AND THEN. [01:30:02] ALRIGHT. MR. TABER, REMIND ME HOW MUCH MONEY IS FOR THE STUDY. THEY ASKED FOR 160,000 AND NOT IN FRONT OF ME, BUT I BELIEVE THE STATE, A TAX COMMITTEE WENT FOR 75,000. THEY WOULD LIKE THE DEPARTMENT TO WORK WITH THE CVB WHO GOT 40,000 LAST YEAR TO DO A STUDY. I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE WITH THAT. UM, SO THAT'S WHERE THAT IS. THAT'S AT THE FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING. IT'S COMING. UM, COUPLE THINGS. UM, I THINK I WON'T BELABOR THE POINT ABOUT THE REVENUE SOURCE AND ALL THAT BECAUSE WE'VE DONE THAT THREE TIMES NOW. UM, BUT I WILL SAY THAT MR. LAWSON IS CORRECT. THIS IS, WE ALREADY NEED THE FIELDS FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY. WE ALREADY KNOW WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH. SO, BUT FOR US TO BE ABLE TO USE A AND H TAX AND ACTUALLY PUT THOSE FUNDS TO USE FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE A COMPLEX LIKE THIS THAT COULD HOLD TOURNAMENTS. 'CAUSE IT GENERATES THAT AT TAX WHERE IF WE'RE JUST PUTTING FIELDS IN AND RECREATION, WE CAN'T USE THAT A AND H TAX 'CAUSE IT'S NOT DISTINGUISHED THAT IT'S DRIVING HOSPITALITY AND TAX DOLLARS THAT WAY. SO THAT'S THE WAY WE CAN, WE HAVE TO TAKE IT FROM THAT ANGLE. SO I THINK THAT'S A VERY GOOD POINT THAT IT WILL GET USED BY A RECREATION YEAR ROUND AS WELL AS THE TOURNAMENTS. UM, THE COMMENT I ACTUALLY WROTE DOWN, YOU SAID YOU WOULD SUPPORT IT IF I TOLD YOU IT WOULD GO IN BURTON WELLS AND I SAID I CAN'T DO THAT. 'CAUSE I DUNNO WHERE IT WOULD GO UNTIL THE STUDY IS FINISHED. SO TO ME, I BELIEVE I AM KEEPING AN OPEN MIND WHERE IT'S AT. UM, AND I HOPE EVERYONE ELSE DOES THAT AS WELL. 'CAUSE I I HAVE NO CLUE WHERE IT'S GONNA SAY IT SHOULD GO. BUT THE DIFFERENCES, THIS COUNTY FOR YEARS HAS CAME UP WITH BIG PROJECTS AND BIG IDEAS AND NEVER HAD A DIME TO FUND IT OR, OR TO GET A PARTNER OR TO LEAD THE WAY. WE WERE ALWAYS TRYING TO CHASE SOMETHING DOWN FOR ONCE. WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE RIGHT NOW TO ACTUALLY LEAD THE WAY. WE CAN HAVE 15 MILLION IN THE ACCOUNT FOR THIS DESIGN WHILE WE'RE GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS. SO WE, OUR PARTNERS AROUND US KNOW THAT WE'RE SERIOUS, WE'RE READY TO FUND THIS PROJECT, WE'RE READY TO PARTNER WITH SOMEBODY TO GET ACROSS THE FINISH LINE INSTEAD OF JUST SITTING ON A SHELF FOR 20 YEARS. HILTON HEAD BRIDGE IS A VERY CLEAR EXAMPLE OF THAT. WE HAD 80 MILLION AND THEN BECAUSE THE STATE KNEW THAT WE HAD 80 MILLION, THEY WERE WILLING TO PUT IN, UH, S-C-D-O-T AND THE SID PUT IN MORE MONEY TO GET US OVER 300. THAT'S 'CAUSE WE HAD MONEY IN THERE. SO YES, THESE FUNDS ARE FOR DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF IT, AND I THINK IT DOES NEED TO BE WORDED THAT WAY. I'D BE OPEN TO OTHER IDEAS MAYBE THAT I HAVEN'T LOOKED AT, BUT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT MONEY IS MARKED FOR THAT. THE DESIGN PHASE IS GONNA COST MONEY. THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS GONNA COST MONEY. I TOLD YOU GUYS VERY UPFRONT, I BELIEVE THIS WILL COST BETWEEN 25 AND $30 MILLION WHEN IT'S ALL SAID AND DONE. UM, WE WILL BE HALFWAY THERE RIGHT NOW. WE CAN BE OVER 60 TO 65% THERE BY JULY WITH NO PARTNERS IN LESS THAN 12 MONTHS. THAT IS SHOWING PEOPLE THAT WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT GETTING THIS DONE. AND THAT'S HOW YOU GET PARTNERS AND GRANTS AND INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES FROM THE STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. SO THAT'S WHY I BELIEVE WE SHOULD DO IT THIS WAY. AND YEAH, IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT. WE'RE HAVING A FUNDING SOURCE BEFORE THE IDEA IS COMPLETELY BUILT BY HOW MANY TIMES WE HAVE AN IDEA THAT SITS THERE FOR YEARS BECAUSE WE HAVE NO MONEY FOR IT. WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY RIGHT NOW TO SET THAT MONEY ASIDE. ANYONE ELSE? SECOND ROUND IF I MIGHT? YEP. YEAH, GO AHEAD TO, TO FOLLOW UP. UM, UH, LOGAN. UM, WE WE'RE ADVOCATING FOR THE FUNDS AND THE SITE HAS YET TO BE, UH, DESIGNATED. NOW, IF MY MEMORY SERVES ME CORRECTLY, I I I REMEMBER THAT, UH, UH, AL PANNU FROM UH, USCB CAME AND ASKED US TO ACTUALLY PARDON WITH THEM FOR SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THIS. RIGHT. AND THE ARGUMENT WAS THAT, WELL, WE DON'T WANT THE TRAFFIC AND THE CONDITION, UH, OF DETERIORATION OF OUR ROADWAY FOR THAT SITE. SO THAT'S WHY I'M, I I KEEP SAYING LET'S PUT AT BURTON WELLS AND I'M, I'M GONNA KEEP BEATING THAT DRUM. OKAY. BUT I'LL MAKE A CORRECTION TO THAT. THAT'S OKAY. THEY ALSO DID NOT SAY THE COUNTY HAD FREE USE OF THAT FACILITY AND THEY SAID YOUR GRADUATIONS COULD BE THERE. THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S NOT INTERESTED IN THAT. THIS WOULD BE FOR TOURNAMENTS. THIS WOULD BE, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY FIELDS, BUT THIS WOULD BE A MONEY GENERATOR FOR THIS COUNTY, NOT JASPER COUNTY. RIGHT. BUT MY POINT IS I'M ADVOCATING FOR BURTON WELLS BECAUSE OF THE STIPULATION THAT WAS MADE OF THE TRAFFIC AND THE DEAR, UH, DETERIORATION OF THE ROADS, UH, SOUTH ABROAD. WELL, THE QUESTION IS, IF THEY HAVE ENOUGH ROOM AND THEY HAVE, UH, STORAGE, WHATEVER, I THINK I'LL, I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT. YEAH. OH, AND HONESTLY, YOU'RE DOING EXACTLY, IF I MAY, YOU'RE DOING EXACTLY WHAT YOU SHOULD DO. YOU'RE [01:35:01] ADVOCATING FOR YOUR AREA, WHAT YOU BELIEVE IS BEST. THAT'S LITERALLY YOUR JOB. SO I'M A HUNDRED PERCENT ON BOARD WITH THAT. I GET WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. UM, I WOULD LIKE TO CLEAR UP ONE THING THOUGH. MY BIGGEST THING OPPOSING USCB IS BECAUSE THEY ASKED US FOR A HUNDRED MILLION AND THEN THEY CAME BACK FOR 80. AND I ASKED THEM IN THIS MEETING, ACTUALLY IT WAS ORIGINALLY IN BLUFFTON. I SAID, WHAT OTHER FUNDING SOURCES DO YOU HAVE FROM OTHER COUNTIES OR OTHER GROUPS? AND THEY SAID, RIGHT NOW, NONE. AND I SAID, WELL, COME BACK TO US NEXT YEAR AND TELL US. BUT THEY SAID THEY WERE WORKING ON IT AND THEY HAD OTHER PEOPLE THAT WERE TALKING ABOUT DOING IT. THEY CAME BACK TO US HERE AND HAD $0 AND STILL ASK US FOR MONEY. WE'RE BEING THE PLAYERS OF ACTUALLY PUTTING THE MONEY UP FRONT. THAT'S WHERE I THINK THIS IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FROM THAT. WE'RE SAYING WE'RE PUTTING OUR MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTH IS. WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT DOING THIS. WE THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO, TO HAVE THIS TYPE OF INDUSTRY AND THE FIELDS FOR OUR YOUTH AND ADULTS. AND WE WANT PARTNERS. BUT WE'LL TAKE THE FIRST STEP, NOT ASK SOMEBODY ELSE TO TAKE THE FIRST STEP FOR US. THAT'S WHERE I THINK IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN USCB. OH, IT'S TOTALLY DIFFERENT. YEAH. AND I YOU GET ON BOARD WITH ME. COME ON. OKAY. DISCUSSION'S OVER. I'D LIKE A ROLL CALL, PLEASE. I WAS GONNA CALL A QUESTION. YEAH. CALL THE QUESTION WE'VE DONE TWICE AROUND. PLEASE DO A ROLL CALL. IT'S A LOT OF MONEY. YEAH. USUALLY YOU CALL THE QUESTION MR. DOON. HE WAS ENJOYING THE BANTER TODAY. LET IT HAPPEN. GO AHEAD, . COUNCIL MEMBER . YES. COUNCIL MEMBER LAWSON. MARK LAWSON. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER RES. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER PASSMAN? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER MCALLEN? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER GLOVER? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER DAWSON? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER BROWN? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER BARTHOLOMEW? YES. VICE CHAIR TAVERNA? YES. YES. CHAIR HOWARD? YES. THE MOTION PASSES. SEVEN FOUR. YOU GO. THAT CONCLUDES OUR ORDINANCES. UM, BEING NO FURTHER [Additional Item] BUSINESS, THERE IS SOME FURTHER BUSINESS. A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE, PLEASE. YES, SIR. I'D LIKE TO ASK OUR ELECTED LEADERSHIP TO PROVIDE US WITH A TIMELINE AND AN ACTION PLAN WITH REGARD TO THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE CHANGING THE REPORTING STRUCTURE OF THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO REPORT TO COUNTY COUNSEL. I WAS CHARGED WITH, UH, BEGINNING THAT INQUIRY AND I SPOKE TO THE, UH, COUNTY ATTORNEY FOR COUNSEL. UH, AND I WAS INFORMED THAT HE HAD BEEN IN, UH, TOLD TO HOLD OFF ON, ON DOING THAT, UH, PROPOSAL. I ASKED HIM FOR THIS INFORMATION A MONTH AGO, AND TODAY I WAS INFORMED THAT HE HAD NOT BEGUN WORK ON IT, BUT HE DID NOT TELL ME WHO TOLD HIM TO HOLD OFF. AND SECONDLY, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A, A, UH, TIMELINE AND AN ACTION REPORT, UM, WITH REGARD TO THE, UM, QUICK GROUP REPORT AND WHAT WE CAN EXPECT TO HAVE HAPPEN. BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO ME WE'VE STOPPED TALKING ABOUT THESE THINGS AND I'D LIKE TO KEEP THEM. I'LL BE GLAD TO ADDRESS BOTH THOSE. I WOULD, MAY I FINISH? YES. I WOULD LIKE TO KEEP THOSE THINGS IN OUR, UH, IN OUR CURRENT CONVERSATIONS SO THAT THEY DON'T DRIFT OFF INTO NEVER, NEVER LAND AND THAT WE GET SOME KIND OF AN IDEA HERE OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO PROCEED BEFORE WE REACH THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS. OKAY. I DID SPEAK WITH ROBERT A. CHURCH TODAY, I THINK AFTER YOU HAD TALKED TO 'EM AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE ORDINANCE. UM, HE IS STARTING TO WORK ON THAT. AND I DON'T HAVE A DATE, BUT I'LL, I'LL PRESS HIM FOR A DATE WHEN HE'LL HAVE THAT READY FOR COUNCIL REVIEW. UM, OUR NEXT REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING IS THE 28TH. CORRECT. AND I, WHAT'S, I'M SORRY, 26TH. 26TH. 26TH. I'LL, I'LL SEND SOMETHING OUT TO COUNCIL MEMBERS. UM, BUT I WOULD ANTICIPATE IT WOULD BE READY BY THAT MEETING EASILY. UH, AS TO THE QUICK GROUP, I SPOKE WITH THE, UM, OUR ADMINISTRATOR THIS AFTERNOON REGARDING THAT, UH, THAT HE HAS RECEIVED THAT AS WE ANTICIPATED THAT HE WOULD RECEIVE IT. AND HE IS, UM, LOOKING AT THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE MADE IN THAT. IT, THERE IS ALSO GONNA BE A SUPPLEMENT TO THE QUICK REPORT, WHICH WE DO NOT HAVE. NONE OF US HAVE THAT. UM, SO, UM, BUT WE, WE HAVE AGENDA REVIEW ON WEDNESDAY AND WE CAN PLACE THAT ON THE AGENDA ALSO FOR THE 26TH. MADAM CHAIR, I WANNA MAKE A COMMENT. THIS GROUP AGREED WHEN WE HIRED, UH, HALL GIBSON AND HUGHES, THAT COMMUNICATION WAS TO GO THROUGH THE CHAIR. NO MEMBER OF THIS BODY SPEAKS ON THEIR OWN. SO NO ONE SHOULD REPORT, SHOULD CALL ROBERT A. CHURCH OR ANYBODY ELSE, NATHAN, TO ASK THEM TO DO SOMETHING. WE AGREED IT WOULD GO THROUGH THE CHAIR. AND ROBERT, A CHURCH IS TRYING TO ABIDE BY THAT. SO LET'S NOT PUT HIM IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS DILEMMA. WE HAD, I DID SPEAK, ARE YOU CRITICIZING ME FOR CONTACTING HIM? I'M SAYING EVERYONE IS NOT. NO, THAT'S NOT MY QUESTION. YES. WELL, I WAS DIRECTED TO CONTACT MR. AIR CHURCH. I WAS DI TODAY ASKED THE LADY SITTING NEXT TO YOU BY WHO TODAY? NO. YOU CONTACTED HIM LONG AGO? NOT TODAY. A MONTH AGO. OKAY. [01:40:01] TODAY ON THE SAME ITEM TODAY, YOU AND I SPOKE AND I AGREED THAT YOU COULD CALL, OF COURSE YOU COULD CALL. I, I I UNDERSTAND THAT. SO WHAT'S THE COMMENT FOR, BECAUSE YOU DID IT BEFORE THE CHAIR AGREED. AND IT'S SUPPOSED TO, ALL OF US HAVE GONE THROUGH THE CHAIR. SEVERAL OF THESE PEOPLE NOW. I WAS DIRECTED TODAY NOT WHEN YOU DID IT. IT'S THE SAME TOPIC. UH, OKAY. I'M NOT GONNA ARGUE WITH YOU. IT'S WELL, YOU'RE DOING A DAMN GOOD JOB OF ARGUING WITH ME. NO, I'M GONNA STOP ARGUING WITH YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT CORRECT. OKAY. THANK YOU. DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER POINT? I DON'T KNOW HOW HE GETS ANY OTHER, UM, COUNSELMAN. DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS, COUNCIL? MCKELLEN? I'M NOT SURE. PERHAPS IT DOES. I KNOW. ARE WE RELEASING THE PO, UM, REPORT THAT DAY? THAT WOULD BE MY QUESTION. 'CAUSE MY, THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING IS WE WERE PLANNING TO, WE ONLY HAVE THE ONE REPORT. THERE IS A SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT THAT MAY COME LATER. BUT, UM, THAT REPORT THAT MAY OR IS THEY SAID IS, IF YOU RECALL, THEY DID SAY THERE IS A SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT. UM, BUT THE ONE THAT OUR ADMINISTRATOR HAS AT THIS POINT IS THE ONE THAT HE HAS A CHANCE TO, UH, LOOK AT THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND REPORT BACK DURING THE MEETING ON MAY ON OCTOBER, UM, 26TH IS THE REPORT. HE HAVE THE SAME ONE THAT WE HAD WHEN WE MET. THAT IS MY UNDERSTANDING. MM-HMM . MADAM CHAIR. WILL THEY BE UP IN FRONT TALKING ABOUT THAT REPORT? LIKE THE HSB ATTORNEYS WERE A FEW YEARS BACK TO THE PUBLIC. WILL THEY BE GIVING THEIR REPORT TO THE PUBLIC? OH, THAT'S, UM, WELL, I THINK OUR ADMINISTRATOR WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT WHAT, WHAT HE THINKS ABOUT THE RECOMMENDATIONS. BUT I MEAN, IF IT'S PUBLIC INFORMATION, IT'S PUBLIC INFORMATION. I AGREE. NO, I'M ASKING AT THE QUICK GROUP IS GONNA COME UP TO THE PODIUM. DO YOU WANT AND TALK ABOUT THE REPORT? DO WANT PUBLICLY, LIKE HSB BECAUSE WE VOTED ON THAT A COUPLE YEARS AGO. WE CAN HAVE THAT. AND TOM RE AND I WERE THE ONLY ONES FOR RELEASING IT. THE REST OF YOU WEREN'T. BUT THIS IS A QUICK GROUP AND I THINK ALL OF COUNTY COUNCIL WAS IN AGREEMENT TO GO PUBLIC WITH IT. MADAM CHAIR, POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE AS WELL. WHAT'S THE DELAY IN RE IN RELEASING IT IF IT'S ALREADY COMPLETE AND THERE'S GONNA BE A SUPPLEMENT AS THE ADMINISTRATOR HAS NOT HAD A RE A, A CHANCE TO GET BACK TO US. BUT HE'S HAD IT THOUGH, RIGHT? HE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT DATE HE RECEIVED IT. I'D HAVE, I PROBABLY THE SAME DAY I WOULD IMAGINE THAT WE GOT IT. NO, I DON'T THINK SO. I DON'T THINK IT WAS THE SAME DAY BECAUSE AT THAT MEETING WE DECIDED TO ASK THEM TO SEND IT TO HIM IF, AND I'M, I'M TALKING ABOUT THINGS THAT WERE DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVES SESSION, WHICH MAKES ME VERY UNCOMFORTABLE AT THIS POINT. BUT WE MADE, WE DON'T RELEASE IT TO THE PUBLIC ANYWAY. RIGHT. WE WILL. YEAH. WILL. AND IN THAT MEETING LAST MONDAY, SO I, I THINK TO COUNCILMAN DAWSON'S POINT BACK WHEN WE DISCUSSED THIS, HE NEEDED AN OPPORTUNITY TO READ IT AND DIGEST IT AND THEN, UH, MAKE LOOK AT THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE MADE BY THE QUICK REPORT TOO. AS PART OF THAT. DO WE KNOW THE DATE THAT IT WAS RECEIVED BY US? OH, BY MR. MOORE WHEN IT WAS RECEIVED? HE CAN TELL. YOU CAN TELL YOU NOW. WE SET A DATE TO MEET, TO DISCUSS THIS. WE, WE CAN DO I YOU MEAN BEFORE THE 26TH? WE, WE HAVE A REGULAR MEETING ON THE 26TH. I THOUGHT WE WERE, I RECEIVED IT ON OCTOBER 6TH. HE RECEIVED IT OCTOBER 6TH. I THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA HAVE A DISCUSSION. WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE A SEPARATE MEETING? I WOULD PREFER US COMING TOGETHER AND MEET AND MEET WITH, UM, WITH THE QUICK GROUP AND, UM, WITH, UM, MR. MOORE, UM, BEFORE GOING PUBLIC IN AN EXECUTIVE SESSION. YES. ANY OTHER WITH, WITH, WITH OUR ATTORNEY? YES, OF COURSE. ANY OTHER, UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS? IF I'M RELEASING IT RIGHT NOW, I DON'T THINK, CAN I CHAIR? SOUNDS LIKE A MOTION. I WOULD SECOND THAT MOTION. I DON'T THINK THAT PERSONALLY WE'RE STILL IN DISCUSSION. I DON'T THINK THAT'S FAIR TO OUR ADMINISTRATOR TO DO THAT. WE CAN PUT IT'S NOT FAIR TO THE PUBLIC THAT WE SPEND THAT MUCH MONEY ON IT. WELL, LET'S PICK A AND THEY HAVENT SEEN IT. LET'S PICK A DATE IF YOU DON'T WANNA DO, WHY HAVEN'T YOU ALREADY PICKED THE DATE? I JUST DID OCTOBER 26TH AND THERE YOU GO. IS THAT GOOD? NO, THAT'S GONNA BE BLUFFING THEN. RIGHT? ALL RIGHT. PICK A DATE. MR. MR. BRO. I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO RELEASE A QUICK GROUP REPORT RIGHT NOW. I'LL SECOND THAT MOTION. THAT IS NOT FER TO ADMINISTRATOR. ALRIGHT. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND DISCUSSION. I WILL REPEAT THAT. IS, I DON'T THINK THAT IS FER TO ADMINISTRATOR TO RELEASE IT TODAY WITHOUT HIM BEING ABLE TO PUBLICLY ADDRESS THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN IT. YES. MR. REESE, COUNCILMAN RES, YOU KNOW, IF I RECALL AND ANYONE UP THERE, PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT WE AGREED THAT 100% OF WHAT THE QUICK GROUP FINDS IS GONNA BE PUBLIC DOMAIN. WE DID. WHAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH RELEASING IT NOW, MR. MOORE, MR. MOORE, YOU CAN ADDRESS US AND TELL US, BUT [01:45:01] BY ALL MEANS, I THINK YOU'RE SUPPORTING THIS FACT THAT A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THIS GOES OUT TO THE PUBLIC. HE, HE HAS NOT PREPARED WRITTEN COMMENTS TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS. DO YOU KNOW THAT? DID DID HE REPORT THAT TO YOU? YES. OR ARE YOU JUST MAKING IT UP RIGHT NOW? YES. I, NO, I'M NOT MAKING IT UP. THAT'S INSULTING . NO, NO. LISTEN, I TALKED TO HIM TODAY ABOUT IT. OKAY, WELL THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR HOW MANY MONTHS? WELL, HE RECEIVED IT OCTOBER 6TH. I'M ASKING COUNSEL THAT THIS IS NOT A MATTER THAT'S BEEN PUBLISHED ON THE AGENDA. SO YOU'RE DISCUSSING MATTERS NOT ON THE AGENDA. AND I DON'T KNOW THAT A MOTION WOULD BE, I CALL THE QUESTION I CAN'T HEAR IF SOMEBODY'S TALKING. I CANNOT HEAR. I CALL THE QUESTION, IT TAKE A SUPER MAJORITY, IT'LL TAKE, TAKE A SUPER MAJORITY TO PASS. WELL, THIS IS ALL PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE. WHAT ARE WE DOING TRYING TO, I MEAN, LET'S JUST GET THIS OUT INTO PUBLIC. LET'S LET, LET IT GO. LET'S TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS. THAT, THAT, THAT ME SAY THIS. UM, WHEN WE, WHEN WE DISCUSSED THIS, THE SAME, THE SAME. AND I'M FRUSTRATED, I GOTTA BE HONEST WITH YOU, THE SAME ATTITUDE AND THE SAME, UH, DECISION WAS BEING MADE AT THAT TIME TO ACTUALLY JUST DROP IT ON THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. AND I SAID IN THAT, AT THAT TIME, THAT'S NOT FAIR. WE ARE NOT BEING FAIR TO OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. YOU HAVE TO GIVE IT TO HIM. GIVE HIM TIME TO, UH, READ IT, DIGEST IT, AND BE PREPARED TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT THIS COUNCIL MIGHT HAVE. AND SO HE'S, HE'S HAD IT ON THE 60 DAYS OF WHAT? 11TH, 12TH. HE'S HAD IT LONGER THAN WE HAD IT BEFORE OUR MEETING. UH, BUT THAT'S BESIDE THE POINT. WE, TO THE CHAIR'S, UH, UH, POINT WE NEED TO SET A MEETING, A DATE AND A MEETING TO ACTUALLY ALLOW HIM TO COME AND ADDRESS THE CONCERNS THAT WAS, UH, BROUGHT OUT OF THAT MEETING FOR US TO TAKE THE, THE POSITION THE DAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY JUST, IT IS NOT RIGHT. WE'RE NOT GOING ABOUT THIS THE RIGHT WAY, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. SO I DON'T, WE AGREED TO RELEASE IT TO THE PUBLIC. I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT THERE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ADDENDUM IS. I DO KNOW THEY DID NOT COMPLETE THE WORK WE ASKED FOR. AND I SPOKE TO THE AGENT ABOUT THAT. SO I DON'T, I MEAN, TO ME, I DON'T, WE CAN RELEASE IT. WE TOLD THE PUBLIC WE'D RELEASE IT. THE PUBLIC PAID FOR IT. UM, I DON'T SEE ANYTHING STARTLING IN IT, SO I'M OKAY WITH THAT. BUT AGAIN, IT'S NOT COMPLETE. AND THEN WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO? PUT ANOTHER ONE OUT THERE? NO. WELL, WHEN DO YOU THINK IT'LL BE COMPLETE? WELL, THIS PART CAN BE RELEASED. I UNDERSTAND, BUT WHEN DO YOU THINK THE WHOLE THING WILL BE DONE? HE, HE, I, MR. CHURCH DID NOT GIMME A DATE. BUT HE'S, HE'S, PEOPLE HAVE RECEIVED DIRECTION TO DO FURTHER. YES, I HAVE. THAT WAS DONE DURING EXECUTIVE SESSION ACTUALLY TOO. SO THAT WAS DONE. I JUST, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT, THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAD TALKED ABOUT, AND AGAIN, WE WILL RE RELEASE THE REPORT. I AM FOR RELEASING THE REPORT. UM, I NEEDS TO BE DONE CORRECTLY AS MR. DAWSON HAS, HAS SAID. SO MADAM CHAIR, IF YOU COULD TELL US WHEN WE WOULD HAVE THAT MEETING, IF THAT'S GONNA BE THE 26TH, BUT YOU WANT A SOONER DATE, WE CAN PROPOSE THAT OR A SOONER DATE IF YOU CAN TELL US WHEN THAT'S GONNA BE, SO THAT WAY WE ALL CAN BE PREPARED FOR IT. UH, MR. MOORE CAN BE PREPARED FOR IT. UM, WE, I I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT HAPPEN. UM, AND I WOULD BE WILLING TO, TO AGAIN, RELEASE THE PORT REPORT, BUT WAIT UNTIL WE HAVE OUR MEETING, UM, AND HAVE MR. MOORE GET A CHANCE TO, UM, UH, COME BACK WITH, WITH, UM, HIS REBUTTAL. UM, BECAUSE AGAIN, WE HAVE ONE SIDE RIGHT NOW THAT'S COME UP FROM OUR INVESTIGATORS. UM, AND THAT GIVES HIM A CHANCE THEN TO REBUT WHATEVER HAS COME UP. AND, AND AGAIN, I, I THINK THAT'S THE MORE FAIR WAY TO DO IT. BUT AGAIN, I AM FOR, AS EVERYONE SAID HERE, UM, THAT AT THE RIGHT TIME THAT THIS REPORT GETS RELEASED TO THE, THE, THE PUBLIC, THE 19TH IS FINDING SOME PUBLIC FACILITIES. UM, WOULD YOU DO IT THEN? DO IT THEN THAT'S NEXT MONDAY. CHAIR. I, I'M RIGHT NOW PLANNING TO BE AT THE I-C-M-E-A CONFERENCE THAT WEEK. I CAN CERTAINLY ZOOM IN IF NECESSARY. I I JUST WANNA SAY SOMETHING. I GOT IT DURING THE MEETING IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. THE REPORT, IT IS 15 PAGES. IT'S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE. YOU DON'T NEED TO PREPARE A REBUTTAL. IF YOU ANSWER TRUTHFULLY, TRUTHFULLY, HE CAN STAND UP RIGHT NOW AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS. IT'S NOT A RULE. HE'S HAD IT FOR SIX DAYS. I THINK YOU I WOULD USE IT SIX DAYS. IT TOOK 15 MINUTES TO READ THE RECOMMENDATIONS. TO BE FAIR, I, I WOULD CALL IT RECOMMENDATIONS. MADAM CHAIR. YOU KNOW, MAY I SAY SOMETHING? WHAT? GO AHEAD. I WASN'T IN THE MEETING LAST MONDAY. I WAS OUTTA TOWN. [01:50:01] UM, I HAVE TO AGREE WITH MR. DAWSON AND, UH, MR. LAWSON HERE. LET'S ONE STEP AT A TIME. LET'S LET OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR LOOK AT IT. LET'S DO EXECUTIVE SESSION ON THE 26TH AND THEN DISCUSS IT. SO I WANNA JUST SAY ONE OTHER THING. WE ASK THEM TO DO A DATA DRIVEN INQUIRY. NO ANECDOTAL DATA LIKE THE BE THE OTHER GROUP DID. I'M SORRY, I SHOULDN'T USE A NAME. AND WE GAVE FOUR SPECIFIC AREAS THAT WAS NOT COMPLETED. OKAY. SO I DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM RELEASING IT. I DON'T THINK A REBUTTALS NECESSARY. IT IS WHAT IT IS. IT'S ONE PERSON'S VIEW. LET THE PUBLIC SEE IT. UM, I, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT, BUT IT IS NOT COMPLETE TO MY SATISFACTION. IT, IT'S NOT SO MUCH A REBUTTAL, BUT RECOMMEND THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND THE REPLY TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS. IT'S, THIS IS, UM, BUT SO WE, WE HAD A MOTION TO RELEASE IT IMMEDIATELY AND WE HAD A SECOND. AND WE'VE HAD CAN I ASK A QUESTION? HOW MANY OF YOU GUYS HAVE READ THE ENTIRE REPORT? WHY NOT? YEAH, BECAUSE YOU'D BE SURPRISED. EXACTLY. MULTIPLE COUNCIL MEMBERS PROBABLY HAVEN'T EVEN READ THE WHOLE REPORT WHEN WE'VE HAD IT THIS LONG. BUT WE'RE SITTING, HERE'S LIKE 15 PAGES. I KNOW HOW LONG IT IS. I READ IT. YEAH. BUT I CAN GUARANTEE PEOPLE UP HERE HAVE NOT, AND THEY'RE STILL MAKING A SWAY ON SOMETHING THAT THEY HAVEN'T EVEN READ. BECAUSE, FOR LACK OF JUST DOING IT. NOT BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T HAD THE OPPORTUNITY. 15 PAGES MOTION TO, I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE ISSUE. I THINK THE ISSUE IS THAT WE SAT DOWN AND WE SAID WE WILL COME BACK AND WE'LL SET A DATE AND FOUR TIMES WE'VE DONE THAT. NOW THAT'S THE PROBLEM. WE HAVE NOT SET A DATE. THAT'S THE PROBLEM WE'VE ASKED THERE TIMES, DATES SET BY LEADERSHIP. I JUST SET A DATE OF THE 19TH. YEAH. AFTER WE FORCED YOUR HAND TO DO IT. NO, NO. I HAD ALSO SAID THE 26TH. AND YOU, YOU WEREN'T AGREEABLE TO THAT DATE. WE SAID THE 20TH. YOU WERE NOT AGREEABLE TO THE 26TH. SO I SAID THE 19TH. WHY? JUST, WHY ARE WE WAITING THAT LONG? AND THAT'S WHY I MADE A MOTION. WHY ARE WE WAITING UNTIL THE 19TH? I DO NOT DESIRE TO, TO, TO RELEASE A REPORT WITHOUT AT LEAST MY LAWYERS SAYING IT'S OKAY. YOU DON'T HAVE A LAWYER. I DO HAVE A LAWYER. ROBERT A TO ROBERT A. CHURCH. ALL RIGHT. SO WE HAD A MOTION TO RELEASE IT IMMEDIATELY IN A SECOND. I, UM, DURING DISCUSSION, THE 19TH WAS PROPOSED. UM, DOESN'T MATTER. JUST SET A DATE. I'LL BE GLAD TO SET THE 19TH. BUT HE, HE MADE A MOTION TO RELEASE IT IMMEDIATELY. YEAH. I'M LIKE, AND I CALLED THE QUESTION A LONG TIME AGO. YEAH, HE DID. ALRIGHT, WE'LL HAVE A ROLL CALL VOTE TO RELEASE IT IMMEDIATELY. DOES IT TAKE A SUPER MAJORITY? IT IT HAS TO HAVE NAMES REDACTED. THERE ARE NAMES IN IT. WELL THEN REDACTED. WELL, IT'S NOT UP TO ME. I'M JUST SAYING THERE ARE NAMES IN IT. THIS IS TO WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS? THIS IS TO RELEASE IT IMMEDIATELY. THAT'S A MOTION YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO MAJORITY. COUNCIL MEMBER BARTHOLOMEW? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER REEDS? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER PASSMAN? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER MCALLEN? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER LAWSON. MARK LAWSON? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER GLOVER? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER DAWSON? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER BROWN? NO. VICE CHAIR TABER? YES. CHAIR HOWARD? NO. THE MOTION FAILS. FIVE SIX. ALRIGHT, SO WE HAVE THE 19TH. WHEN WE ALREADY HAVE MEETINGS, WE COULD UM, OUR ADMINISTRATOR COULD ZOOM INTO THAT MEETING. WE COULD DO IT THEN. HIS REPORT BY THEN. HMM? WILL WE GET HIS REPORT BY THEN? HIS, WILL WE GET HIS REPORT BY THE 19TH? THEN WE CAN DO THE 26TH. ROBERT, A CHURCH'S REPORT? NO. NO. OH, YOUR, YOUR WRITTEN REPLY TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS. I CAN HAVE IT TO YOU ALL. YES. OKAY. BY THE 19TH. CAN I ASK ONE MORE QUESTION BEFORE YOU ADJOURN? WE'VE SEEN IT. WE'RE THE ONLY ONES THAT'VE SEEN IT. IS MR. MOORE THE ONLY ONE THAT'S ALLOWED TO SEE THAT REPORT? I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION. WE HAVE NOT RE-RELEASED THE REPORT. WE'VE SEEN IT. WE'VE SENT IT TO MR. MOORE. IS ANYBODY ELSE ALLOWED TO SEE THAT REPORT? MEANING STAFF, LEGAL? CAN ANYBODY ELSE SEE THAT REPORT? OUR, WELL, OF COURSE OUR ATTORNEY'S, ROBERT, A CHURCH FIRM HAS SEEN IT. FAIR? MM-HMM . SO I'M GONNA BE PERFECTLY HONEST, THE SHERIFF ASKED FOR IT BECAUSE IT'S INVOLVED WITH SOMETHING ELSE AND IT WAS RELEASED TO HIM IN PAPER. SO YES, I'M GONNA BE HONEST WITH THAT. THAT'S GOT TO DO WITH SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENING. WE'RE MAKING NEWS OF IT. WAS THAT ADVISED BY THE, UH, OUR ATTORNEY? YEAH, . WELL, YOU DON'T STAND IN FRONT, YOU DON'T STAND IN THE WAY OF LAW ENFORCEMENT WHEN THEY'RE DOING IT, THEIR JOB. THAT'S MY OPINION. AND I KNOW PEOPLE DON'T AGREE WITH IT, BUT THEY'RE DOING AN INVESTIGATION. WHY WE STAND IN FRONT OF IT. VICE, VICE CHAIR. YEAH. MAY I JUST INTERJECT? LISTEN, I APPRECIATE AND RESPECT LAW ENFORCEMENT. MY ONLY QUESTION IS WHY WOULD [01:55:01] COUNSEL NOT BE ADVISED OF THAT AT THAT MOMENT? I'M NOT SAYING NOT TO RELEASE IT, BUT WHY IS THAT SECRETIVE? IT'S NOT SECRETIVE. IT HAPPENED RIGHT BEFORE THIS MEETING. SO IT'S NOT A SECRET. NOTHING'S A SECRET. DON'T MAKE, IT'S A BIG, IT DON'T MAKE A MO A MO MOUNTAIN OUT OF A MOLEHILL. NOT A SECRET. BUT I AGAIN, WILL NOT IMPEDE A LAW ENFORCEMENT INVESTIGATION. UNDERSTOOD. WE I'LL NEVER DO THAT. NOT YOUR ATTORNEY ANSWER TO MY QUESTION. WELL, THAT'S NOT, IS OTHER STAFF IN THIS BUILDING ALLOWED TO SEE THAT REPORT OR HAVE THEY ALREADY? NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE. I WOULD SAY NO. MR. I CAN ANSWER SEEN IT HAS NOT BEEN SHARED. HOWEVER, TO GET A GOOD RESPONSE, IT WOULD BE APPRECIATED TO SHARE IT WITH SOME STAFF MEMBERS AS THERE'S SOME POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS OUT OF THAT. BUT I HAVEN'T DONE SO AND I WON'T DO SO UNLESS I'M DIRECTED TO. SO, ALRIGHT. ANY OTHER BUSINESS? SO WE'RE GONNA MEET ON THE 19TH, CORRECT? TIME? THAT'LL BE BEFORE THE BEFORE OR AFTER THOSE TWO MEETINGS. BUT BEFORE, YEAH, BEFORE OR AFTER COMMITTEE MEETING. IF WE DO IT AFTER, WE CAN BE HERE AS LONG AS WE NEED TO. THAT'S TRUE. . THAT'S NOT A GOOD IDEA, LARRY. WE'RE SPENDING QUALITY TIME TOGETHER. LET IT HAPPEN. THERE. ANY, ANY INPUT ON WHETHER YOU WANNA DO IT AFTER OR BEFORE? AFTER. FOR AFTER SO THAT, UM, THE COMMITTEE CAN MEET SO WE NOT, SO WE GET RIGHT. OKAY. WE'RE NOT RUSHING TO MEET. ALL RIGHT. AFTER OCTOBER 19TH. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. WE'LL END MEET THE, UH, COMMITTEE MEETINGS EARLY. GOOD. ALL RIGHT. COMMITTEE MEETINGS EARLY. ALRIGHT, THERE BIG NOTE. STOP. YOU GOTTA WORRY ABOUT IT. IT'S MR. LAWS. THAT'S MY ANY FOR THE BUSINESS. WE ARE ADJOURNED. MR. THANK YOU. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.