* 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. GOOD EVENING. I'D LIKE TO [00:00:01] WELCOME EVERYBODY TO THE [1.CALL TO ORDER: Alice Howard, Chair ] OCTOBER 26TH REGULAR COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING. PLEASE RISE FOR THE, UM, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND INVOCATION BY MR. TOM REITS. COUNCILMAN I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FIVE OF THE UNITED OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY, JUSTICE FOR ALL. THANK YOU. I IS, IS THIS NOW WORKING? CAN YOU? OKAY, GOOD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UM, I'M GONNA SAY A COUPLE WORDS ABOUT SOMETHING THAT TOOK PLACE SATURDAY AND THEN GO RIGHT INTO A PRAYER. SO GIMME A SECOND. IN 1886 ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND, ST. JAMES BAPTIST CHURCH WAS ESTABLISHED IN THE TOWN OF MITCHELLVILLE. FROM WHAT I'VE LEARNED, THE CHURCH MOVED TO THE CORNER OF DILLON ROAD AND BEACH CITY ROAD, 1879, AND IT'S BEEN THERE EVER SINCE. FOR THE PAST 140 YEARS, ST. JAMES, THEIR PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH FOLKS LIKE ME AND YOU TO TEACH US ABOUT CHRIST AND WALK WITH CHRIST. IN 1967, HILTON HEAD AIRPORT WAS BUILT AND PLACED ST. JAMES IN A CROSSHAIRS OF A FLIGHT PATH. 2017, THE STAKEHOLDERS AT ST. JAMES AND MANY OF US IN THE TOWN AND THE AIRPORT REALIZED THAT IT WOULD BE GOOD TO MOVE THEM OUT TO THE POINT I WANNA GET TO THIS SATURDAY, SOME OF US HERE AND MANY PEOPLE ATTENDED, UM, A GROUNDBREAKING AT NINE, UM, UNION CEMETERY ROAD RIGHT DOWN THE STREET FROM CURRENT LOCATION. IT WAS ONE OF THE BEST EVENTS I WAS EVER AT. SO THEY'RE GONNA HAVE A NEW SITE, NEW PLACE. GO CHECK IT OUT. UM, LET'S PRAY. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE'RE BLESSED TO BE HERE TONIGHT TO WORK TOGETHER ON MANY ISSUES. AND IT IS MY PRAYER THAT WE RESPECT EACH OTHER, WHETHER WE AGREE OR NOT, IN A WAY THAT GLORIFIES YOUR HOLY SON AND GLORIFIES YOU. IT IS IN YOUR HOLY SON'S NAME I PRAY. AMEN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MS. BROCK. HAS [4.APPROVAL OF AGENDA] THIS MEETING BEEN ADVERTISED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT? YES, MA'AM, IT HAS. THANK YOU. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS PUBLISHED. I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN LAWSON? DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND. I'LL SEND A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN DAWSON. OKAY. SEND MY EMAIL BY, BY SHOW OF HANDS. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE APPROVING THE AGENDA AS PUBLISHED. AND THAT IS UNANIMOUS. THANK YOU. UM, WE HAVE MINUTES, [5.APPROVAL OF MINUTES] UH, FROM CAUCUS AND COUNTY COUNCIL DATED SEPTEMBER 28TH, 2026, AND A SPECIAL CALL MEETING ON OCTOBER 5TH, 2026. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THOSE TWO SETS OF MINUTES? I'LL MAKE THE MOTION. WE HAVE A MOTION BY VICE CHAIR TABER. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? A SECOND. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN GLOVER. ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THOSE MINUTES SIGNIFY BY RAISING YOUR HAND. AND, ALRIGHT. AND THAT IS UNANIMOUS. WE HAVE ONE COUNCIL MEMBER WHO IS ONLINE, UM, COUNCILMAN PASSMAN. ALRIGHT. UH, WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION [6.PROCLAMATION ] THAT COUNCIL MCALLEN, I THINK IS GOING TO READ, RECOGNIZING THE WEEK OF OCTOBER 23RD THROUGH THE 31ST IS RED RIBBON WEEK. IS THERE SOME PEOPLE HERE TO COME FORWARD? YEP. AND WE'LL BE COMING UP IN JUST A MINUTE. ALRIGHT, DO THAT. I'M JUST GOING TO TAKE A MOMENT. AND, UH, BEFORE WE PRESENT TONIGHT'S RED RIBBON WEEK PROCLAMATION, WE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE A REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT BY ONE OF OUR OWN FRANCIS QUINN LOUGHTON. WOULD YOU STAND UP FOR A MINUTE? FRANCIS QUINN LOUGHTON WAS RECENTLY NAMED THE NATIONAL YOUNG MARINE OF THE YEAR, THE HIGHEST HONOR A YOUNG PERSON CAN EARN WITHIN THE YOUNG MARINES PROGRAM. THIS PRESTIGIOUS NATIONAL RECOGNITION IS AWARDED ANNUALLY TO ONE OUTSTANDING YOUNG MARINE WHO EXEMPLIFIES EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP, ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, PERSONAL CONDUCT, PHYSICAL FITNESS, AND A STRONG COMMITMENT TO LIVING A HEALTHY DRUG FREE LIFESTYLE. THE SELECTION PROCESS IS VERY COMPETITIVE. THE NATIONAL YOUNG MARINE OF THE YEAR IS CHOSEN FROM SIX DIVISION YOUNG MARINES OF THE YEAR, REPRESENTING A GEOGRAPHIC REGION ACROSS THE COUNTRY. CANDIDATES MUST DEMONSTRATE NOT ONLY STRONG ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND PERSONAL DISCIPLINE, BUT ALSO A COMMITMENT TO SERVICE MENTORING FELLOW YOUNG MARINES AND DEVELOPING THEIR LEADERSHIP SKILLS. CANDIDATES MUST ALSO GRADUATE FROM ADVANCED LEADERSHIP SCHOOL AT THE NATIONAL LEADERSHIP ACADEMY. BEYOND THE RECOGNITION ITSELF, THE YOUNG MARINE OF [00:05:01] THE YEAR SERVES AS THE OFFICIAL YOUTH AMBASSADOR FOR THE ENTIRE ORGANIZATION. IN THIS ROLE, THE RECIPIENT REPRESENTS THE YOUNG MARINES AT NATIONAL EVENTS, LEADERSHIP CONFERENCES, AND COMMEMORATIVE CEREMONIES. WHILE ENCOURAGING AND INSPIRING YOUNG PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO BECOME RESPONSIBLE, CONFIDENT LEADERS, THIS HONOR IS ESPECIALLY MEANINGFUL AS WE RECOGNIZE RED RIBBON WEEK, WHICH PROMOTES THE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING HEALTHY CHOICES AND LIVING A DRUG FREE LIFE. THE YOUNG MARINES PROGRAM SHARES THESE VALUES BY ENCOURAGING YOUNG PEOPLE TO DEVELOP STRONG CHARACTER, PRACTICE, SELF-DISCIPLINE, SERVE THEIR COMMUNITIES, AND LEAD BY POSITIVE EXAMPLE. THIS ACHIEVEMENT IS AN OUTSTANDING ACCOMPLISHMENT AND A TESTAMENT TO HIS DEDICATION, HIS CHARACTER AND LEADERSHIP. PLEASE JOIN US IN CONGRATULATING FRANCIS QUINN LAWTON AS BEING NAMED NATIONAL YOUNG MARINE OF THE YEAR, AND WELCOMING HIM AS WE PRESENT BUFORT COUNTY'S RED RIBBON WEEK PROCLAMATION AROUND YOU. STAY HERE WITH MOMMY. COME UP. YOU ALREADY MET, UH, YOU ALREADY MET THIS YOUNG MAN. LET ME INTRODUCE HIS ESCORT . THIS IS MOM . THEY ARE HERE EVERY YEAR FOR THIS PARTICULAR, UM, PRESENTATION. AND FOR THE EIGHT YEARS THAT I HAVE BEEN HERE, WHICH IS HALF A LIFETIME , UH, I HAVE HAD THE HONOR OF, UH, HAVING THEM PARTICIPATE WITH ME. WHEN HE FIRST SHOWED UP, HE WAS ABOUT THAT TALL AND EVERY TIME I SEE HIM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GONNA BE NEXT YEAR. I'LL HAVE TO GONNA GET A LADDER. I THINK, YOU KNOW. OKAY, WELL THIS IS A PROCLAMATION, UM, CELEBRATING AND RECOGNIZING RED RIBBON WEEK, AND THAT DEALS WITH A REAL HERO IN AMERICAN HISTORY. UH, SPECIAL AGENT ENRIQUE KIKI KANA, WHO IN 1985 WAS SERVING IN GUADALAJARA, MEXICO WHEN HE WAS, UH, DOING SUCH A GOOD JOB. A GROUP OF PEOPLE IN ONE OF THE MANY CARTELS THAT WERE OPERATING IN MEXICO DECIDED THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE HIM STOP. HE WAS DAMAGING THEIR PROPERTIES AND THEIR INCOME. SO THEY KIDNAPPED HIM, THEY TORTURED HIM, AND THEY KILLED HIM. IN 1985, UM, IN THAT YEAR, I WAS SERVING AS THE ASSISTANT TO THE DIRECTOR OF DEA AND I WAS CHARGED WITH HAVING TO BRING ENRIQUE BACK TO AMERICA. SO I WENT OUT TO THE, UH, SAN DIEGO, MCAS, AND I SPOKE TO THE COMMANDING OFFICER OF THE MARINE STATION AND I SAID, I'D REALLY LIKE YOU TO HELP ME OUT, UH, WITH SOME HONORS, UH, HELP ME RETURN THE REMAINS OF, UH, THIS AGENT. AND, UH, HE SAID TO ME, WHY ARE YOU ASKING ME TO DO THIS? AND I SAID, WELL, BECAUSE YOU'RE A MARINE, YOU'RE RESPONSIBLE, AND I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT. HE SAID, YEAH, BUT WHY ME? I SAID, WELL, ENRIQUE KANO WAS A, UH, POLICE OFFICER AND HE WAS A FIREMAN IN HIS HOMETOWN OF CALEXICO. AND I SHOULD ALSO MENTION HE WAS BEFORE THAT A UNITED STATES MARINE. SO THE COLONEL STOOD UP, HE LOOKED ME IN THE EYE AND HE SAID, UH, SON, I DON'T KNOW WHY HE CALLED ME THAT, BUT HE CALLED ME SON. HE WASN'T THAT MUCH OLDER THAN ME. HE SAID, UH, I'LL TAKE IT FROM HERE. AND HE DID. HE DID EXACTLY WHAT I THOUGHT HE WOULD DO. AND, UH, KIKI WAS RETURNED WITH HONORS AND TAKEN TO HIS, UM, TO A FUNERAL AND TO HIS PLACE OF REST, INO. SO THIS PROCLAMATION TALKS ABOUT RED RIBBON, BUT IT DOESN'T TALK A LOT ABOUT HIM. SO I THOUGHT I WOULD TELL YOU THAT WHEREAS COMMUNITIES ACROSS AMERICA HAVE BEEN PLAGUED BY THE NUMEROUS PROBLEMS, OH, SORRY. ARE THERE ANY FORMER MARINES IN THE GROUP THAT WOULD LIKE TO JOIN US UP HERE? PLEASE, I'LL INVITE YOU TO COME ON UP. PLEASE COME FORWARD. PLEASE COME ON FORWARD AND WE'LL RECOGNIZE YOU AND YOUR SERVICE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY, I'LL START AGAIN. WHEREAS COMMUNITIES ACROSS AMERICA HAVE BEEN PLAGUED BY THE NUMEROUS PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH ILLICIT DRUG USE AND THOSE THAT TRAFFIC IN THEM. AND WHERE THERE IS HOPE IN WINNING THE WAR ON DRUGS. AND THAT HOPE LIES IN EDUCATION AND DRUG DEMAND REDUCTION, COUPLED WITH THE HARD WORK AND DETERMINATION OF ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE YOUNG MARINES OF THE MARINE CORPS LEAGUE TO FOSTER A HEALTHY DRUG FREE LIFESTYLE. AND [00:10:01] WHEREAS GOVERNMENTS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS KNOW THAT CITIZEN SUPPORT IS ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE TOOLS IN THE EFFORT TO REDUCE THE USE OF ILLICIT DRUGS IN OUR COMMUNITIES. AND WHEREAS THE RED RIBBON HAS BEEN CHOSEN AS A SYMBOL COMMEMORATING THE WORK OF ENRIQUE, KIKI KANA, A DEA AGENT WHO WAS MURDERED IN THE LINE OF DUTY AND REPRESENTS THE BELIEF THAT ONE PERSON CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. AND WHEREAS THE RED RIBBON CAMPAIGN WAS ESTABLISHED BY CONGRESS IN 1988 TO ENCOURAGE A DRUG FREE LIFESTYLE AND INVOLVEMENT IN DRUG PREVENTION AND REDUCTION EFFORTS. AND WHEREAS OCTOBER 23 TO 31 HAS BEEN DESIGNATED NATIONAL RED RIBBON WEEK, WHICH ENCOURAGES AMERICANS TO WEAR A RED RIBBON TO SHOW THEIR SUPPORT FOR A DRUG FREE ENVIRONMENT. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL DOES HEREBY PROCLAIM OCTOBER 23 TO 31 AS RED RIBBON, RED RIBBON WEEK AND BUFORT COUNTY, AND URGES ALL CITIZENS TO JOIN IN THIS SPECIAL OBSERVANCE TO YOU. SMILE OVER HERE AND THE PICTURE FACE THIS WAY. THEY'LL TAKE SOME PICTURES OF US FINDING CLOSE THOUGH. EVERYONE TURN TOWARDS ME AND CRO. YES. TOGETHER. BEND ALL. GIMME A BIG SMILE. THREE, TWO. YOU THANK WALK COMING UP. THANK YOU, SIR. ASK HIM IF HE WANTS TO SAY A FEW WORDS. THANK YOU. GOOD, EVERYBODY. UM, YEAH, IT IS TRULY AN HONOR TO SERVE AS THE NATIONAL YOUNG MARINE OF THE YEAR. AND WHAT THIS PROCLAMATION SAYS IS THAT ONE PERSON CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. UM, AND THAT'S TRUE. I'VE BEEN TO COMMUNITIES ALL ACROSS THE NATION. I'VE BEEN TO GUAM AND IWO JIMA, AND I'VE SEEN THE VARIETIES OF DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES, WHETHER WITH YOUTH AND ADULTS, AND THAT STATEMENT ONE PERSON CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IS SO TRUE. SO LOOK IN THE COMMUNITIES TODAY, LOOK AT THE YOUTH AND HELP THEM. IT'S HARD BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES WE FEEL LIKE SOMETIMES WE'RE ABANDONED IS YOUTH. SO MOVING INTO THOSE COMMUNITIES, TALKING THEM, TEACHING THEM, AND WHAT THE PROGRAM THAT I'M IN DOES SHOWS THESE RED CORDS REPRESENTS THE DRUG FREE LIFESTYLE AND HONORS ENRIQUE K KEY CAINA. SO THANK YOU LADIES AND GENTLEMEN AND BEAUFORT COUNTY FOR PROCLAIMING OCTOBER 23RD THROUGH 31ST AS RED RIBBON WEEK. IT MEANS A LOT. THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE, UM, COUNCILMAN GLOVER, AND WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING THE HUNDRED 64TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PENN CENTER. AND HERITAGE DAYS IS COMING UP, CORRECT? YES. UM, THANK YOU. AND MRS. BRADLEY SOMETHING? YES. UH, COMING FORWARD TO RECEIVE THIS ON BEHALF, UM, SINCE, UH, MR. MCALLEN TOOK UP ALL THE TIME, , I, I HAVE, THERE'S ABOUT, THERE'S A, THERE'S 10 WEAR HERE, UH, THAT I'M NOT GONNA READ. UM, BUT I WANNA GET TO THE THEREFORE. UM, NOW THEREFORE BE RESOLVED THAT THE BEFORD COUNTY COUNCIL HEREBY RECOGNIZE THE CELEBRATED AND CELEBRATES THE 664TH ANNIVERSARY, THE PENN CENTER INC. UH, AND COMMEND ITS ENDURING CONTRIBUTION TO THE HISTORY, CULTURE, AND COMMUNITIES OF BEFORD COUNTY AND IS SIGNED BY, UH, OUR CHAIRPERSON, MS. ALICE HOWARD, UM, AND BEFORD COUNTY. AND I WANT TO GIVE THIS TO THIS SUMTER, AND IF YOU WANT TO HEAR ME READ IT, UH, COME OUT ON THE 14TH OF, UH, NOVEMBER, UH, ON THAT SATURDAY AT 10 O'CLOCK. AND I'LL READ IT AT THAT TIME. BUT I'M NOT GONNA READ THE WHERE AS TODAY. BUT I WILL GIVE MRS. SUMTER AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT THE PENN CENTER. UH, LET'S DO THE PICTURE FIRST AND I'M GONNA GIVE YOU THE FLOOR. YES. NO, NOT ME. I'M JUST IN . PROCLAMATION. PROCLAMATION. PUT THAT RIGHT, THAT RIGHT HERE. OKAY. OKAY. AND WE GONNA DO IT THIS WAY HERE. OKAY. OKAY. BEAUTIFUL. BIG SMILE. 3, 2, 1. THANK YOU. OKAY. AND YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. OKAY. OKAY. [00:15:01] THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, CHAIR. YOU HAVE THE MICROPHONE. YEAH. CHAIR THE CHAIR. AND BUFORD COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS. I'M ANNETTE SUMTER ON BEHALF OF THE HISTORIC PENN CENTER AND THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND DR. ROBERT ADAMS, BLE ACCEPT THIS PROCLAMATION. THANK YOU TO EVERY BOARD MEMBER OF EA REPORT OF THE HISTORIC PENN CENTER. WE REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE TO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. UM, NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS OUR ADMINISTRATOR'S [7.ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT] REPORT. OKAY. GOOD EVENING, MANAGER, CHAIR, COUNSEL. UH, WE HAVE A FEW, UM, RECOGNITIONS TONIGHT FOR LONGEVITY. SO WE'LL START OFF WITH AMY RESNICK, UH, ASSESSING TECHNICIAN ANALYST, THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE WITH 15 YEARS OF SERVICE. UH, THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. SO, UH, AMY COM UH, PERFORMS COMPLEX TECHNICAL FUNCTIONS FOR THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE BECAUSE OF HER EXPERTISE AND EXTENSIVE BACKGROUND IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY. SHE'S THE OFFICE PROBLEM SOLVER, UH, FOR THEIR CURRENT APPRAISAL SOFTWARE AND OTHER APPLICATIONS THAT ARE USED. SHE ASSISTS WITH FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUESTS THAT ARE DIRECTED TO THE DEPARTMENT AND UPDATES INFORMATION ON THE ASSESSOR'S WEBPAGE. SHE'S INSTRUMENTAL IN IMPLEMENTING THE ONLINE LEGAL RESIDENCY APPLICATION PROCESS IN 2020 FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF OUR CITIZENS AS WELL AS THE ONLINE FORM TO SUBMIT APPEALS FOR REAL PROPERTY APPRAISAL AND ASSESSMENT, WHICH SAVES CITIZENS A LOT OF TIME CURRENTLY INVOLVED, UH, WITH THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE SOFTWARE CONVERSION TO STATE OF THE ART, UH, ASSISTED MASS APPRAISAL SYSTEM, WHICH IS SCHEDULED TO GO LIVE TODAY. WE DID THAT. IT IS STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS. OKAY. ALRIGHT. DON'T WANNA PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS. SO WE HAVE YOUR CERTIFICATE AND YOUR PEN, SO CONGRATULATIONS. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING? IT'S JUST, I'VE BEEN A PRIVILEGE TO WORK FOR THE BEAUFORT COUNTY ASSESSOR'S OFFICE AND SERVING THE CITIZENS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT WE HAVE, UH, KIMBERLY JORDAN SULLIVAN, ASSISTANT PUBLIC DEFENDER, UH, THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE WITH 20 YEARS OF SERVICE. SO THANK KIMBERLY. SO KIMBERLY E EXEMPLIFIES COMPASSION, DEDICATION, PATIENCE, AND PERSEVERANCE REQUIRED TO BE AN EXCEPTIONAL JUVENILE DEFENSE ATTORNEY. UH, SHE SERVES YOUTH ACROSS ALL FIVE COUNTIES OF THE CIRCUIT AND GOES BEYOND LEGAL REPRESENTATION TO UNDERSTAND THEIR INDIVIDUAL CHALLENGES, ADVOCATE FOR THEIR WELLBEING, AND ADDRESS THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT BROUGHT THEM INTO THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM. HER COMMITMENT EXTENDS BEYOND THE COURTROOM AS SHE TIRE WORKS TIRELESSLY TO HELP YOUNG PEOPLE OVERCOME OBSTACLES AND FIND A PATH TOWARDS A BRIGHTER FUTURE. HER KIMBERLY, HER GREATEST VICTORIES ARE NOT ALWAYS ONE IN THE COURT, BUT ARE REFLECTED IN PERSONAL GROWTH, EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS, AND POSITIVE LIFE CHANGES OF THE YOUTH SHE SERVED, WHICH I THINK SPEAKS VERY WELL OF WHAT YOU DO. SO THANK YOU. OKAY, NEXT UP WE HAVE, UH, MICHAEL PINSKI, UH, TRAFFIC SIGNAL TECHNICIAN TWO TRAFFIC OPERATIONS WITH 25 YEARS OF SERVICE. SO IN MICHAEL'S 25 YEARS IS, UH, WITH THE COUNTY, THE STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE, ENGINEERING AND TRAFFIC OPERATIONS. HE'S BEEN A PART OF MANY PROJECTS TO INCLUDE THE LIBRARY ON ST. HELENA ISLAND AND THE, UH, DHS BUILDING. HE'S OBTAINED ALL CERTIFICATIONS AND KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN TRAFFIC SIGNALS, PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS, AND MULTIPLE TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS ACROSS BEAUFORT COUNTY. HE'S CURRENTLY TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION OF TRAFFIC SIGNAL TECHNICIANS TO BE ABLE TO TAKE OVER ONCE HIS TIME IS UP, WHICH I'M SURE IS NOT FOR SOME TIME YET. RIGHT. I THANK YOU, KEN. NEXT, WE'D LIKE TO, UM, RECOGNIZE, UH, VALERIE ALTOFF, UM, FOR EARNING HER CERTIFIED GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICER DESIGNATION, UH, THROUGH THE GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION [00:20:01] OF SOUTH CAROLINA. SO THAT'S A LOT OF HARD WORK. UM, BUT THE CERTIFICATION PROGRAM IS ADMINISTERED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA REQUIRES COMPLETION OF FIVE CORE COURSES, IF FIVE COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATIONS COVERING FINANCIAL PLANNING AND BUDGETING, CAPITAL PLANNING AND FORECASTING, FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTING, AND FINANCIAL REPORTING AND AUDITING. FOR VALERIE, THIS ACHIEVEMENT REFLECTS HER COMMITMENT TO CONTINUED LEARNING PROFESSIONAL GROWTH, ADVANCING HER KNOWLEDGE OF GOVERNMENT FINANCE. IT ALSO BENEFITS THE COUNTY AND FLEET SERVICES AND, UM, BY STRENGTHENING THE EXPERTISE AVAILABLE TO MANAGE PUBLIC RESOURCES RESPONSIBLY. SO, CONGRATULATIONS. BIG SMILE. YOU DON'T WANT YOUR PARENTS AND YOUR HUSBAND IN THE PICTURE? NO. OKAY. , GO. OH MY LORD. OKAY. SAY SOMETHING. SO YEAH, JUST THANK YOU. BE FOR COUNTY FOR ALLOWING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO PURSUE THE CERTIFICATION. THANK YOU TO MY FAMILY FOR BEING PATIENT WHILE I WAS IN CLASS AND STUDYING AND TESTING. UM, I'M PROUD TO BE NUMBER 3 89 OUT OF 3 99 IN THE STATE, SO, WOW. THANK YOU. GREAT. THANK YOU. THANKS. YES. WOULD SHE ALLOW THE HER FAMILY TO STAND AT LEAST, AT LEAST STAND WE CAN RECOGNIZE WHAT MY HUSBAND JEFF, MY DAD, JOE AND MY MOM TERRY. OH, JOE, I DIDN'T THAT. OKAY. OKAY. THAT CONCLUDES OUR RECOGNITIONS. I DO HAVE A FEW UPDATES, UH, FOR COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC. SO UPDATE ON THIS NP STRATEGY, THE 2026 TRANSPORTATION PENNY REFERENDUM. UH, IN NOVEMBER NEXT MONTH, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY VOTERS WILL DECIDE ON THE PROPOSED TRANSPORTATION SALES TAX REFERENDUM, UH, TO FUND THE CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, SUPPORTING SAFETY, MOBILITY AND CONNECTIVITY. AND THIS WILL BE THE LAST UPDATE I PRESENT BECAUSE, UM, ELECTION DAY IS ON NOVEMBER 3RD. SO A LOT OF IT IS THE SAME INFORMATION I PRESENTED BEFORE. WE CONTINUE TO REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE INFORMATION PRESENTATIONS. I BELIEVE WE'VE CONCLUDED ALL OF OUR PUBLIC, UH, PRESENTATIONS, UM, FOR COUNCIL AND AS WELL AS FOR THE PUBLIC. UM, YOU SHOULD SEE SOME MAILERS, UH, IN YOUR, IN, IN YOUR MAILBOXES. SO THERE'S A FIRST ROUND, IT WAS ALREADY DISTRIBUTED LAST WEEK, AND THERE'LL BE A SECOND MAILER WITHIN THE WEEK AS ANOTHER REMINDER. AND IT PROVIDES INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC REGARDING, UH, THE ELECTION DATE AND BALLOT LANGUAGE. AND IT'S INFORMATIVE AND NOT DESIGNED TO PERSUADE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. UM, THE BILLBOARD IS UP ON HIGHWAY ONE 70 AND CHERRY POINT ROAD AND EARLY VOTING IS UNDERWAY AND RUNS THROUGH SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31ST, 2026 AT THE COUNTY'S EARLY VOTING CENTERS. AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE RESIDENTS ARE AWARE OF THE VOTING DATES, THE LANGUAGE, AND WHERE TO FIND FACTS IN THE SECOND MAILER. SO THAT CONCLUDES UPDATE ON THAT. AND THEN I WOULD DO A CUP OF COUPLE UPDATES. STATION 39, THEY'RE BACK AT WORK. YES, THAT'S WHAT I WAS GONNA SAY IS THEY SHOULD BE BACK ON SITE CLEARING AND GRUBBING. UH, STORMWATER DRAINAGE AND SANITARY SEWER INSTALLATION, UH, EXPECTED TO BEGIN WITHIN THE NEXT ONE TO TWO WEEKS. WE'RE ALSO COORDINATING WITH THE CONTRACTOR ON A CONTRACT TIME EXTENSION TO ACCOUNT FOR THE PREVIOUS DELAYS WITH A NEW REVISED, UH, PROJECT COMPLETION DATE. SO THANKS TO STAFF AND WORKING WITH THE CONTRACTOR, WE'RE GONNA WORK TO GET THAT BACK ON ON TRACK ALL JOY PATHWAY, UH, ENGINEERING STAFF OF SUPPORT FROM THE COUNTY'S CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT INSPECTION CONSULTANT. CONTINUE TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE PROJECT SURVEY COMPANY TO FINALIZE PROJECT DOCUMENTATION AND VERIFY ALL THE COMPLETED WORK QUANTITIES, WHICH IS WE'RE REQUIRED TO REPORT TO SURETY. UH, THIS WILL ESTABLISH CLEAR DISTINCTION BETWEEN WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN COMPLETED AND THE REMAINING SCOPE OF CONSTRUCTION, WHICH IS WHAT THE SURETY WILL GO OUT TO GET ANOTHER CONTRACTOR TO COMPLETE THAT TASK ONCE FINALIZED. THIS WILL BE USED TO PREPARE A NEW SET OF BID DOCUMENTS AND SOLICIT PROPOSALS FROM THE CON QUALIFIED CONTRACTORS TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT AND PENDING ANY QUESTIONS? ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE ADMINISTRATOR? I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION, I JUST HAVE A STATEMENT. UM, YES MA'AM. UM, MR. MOORE, YOU TALK ABOUT VOTING. SO I WANTED TO MAKE, MAKE THIS COMMENT, SIR, BECAUSE I HEARD IT, UM, A COUPLE OF TIMES. THERE HAVE BEEN SOME, UH, UM, MALFUNCTION. I WAS TOLD THAT WITH SOME OF THE VOTING MACHINES. COULD YOU LOOK INTO THAT MATTER? I HAVEN'T HEARD THAT, BUT I WILL FOLLOW UP WITH OUR VOTER REGISTRATION OFFICE. I APPRECIATE THAT. AND A LOT OF IT STEMS AROUND PEOPLE VOTING STRAIGHT PARTY AND THE REVERSAL IS HAPPENING, BLAH, BLAH, THAT SORT OF STUFF. SO WOULD YOU LOOK INTO THAT? I APPRECIATE IT. I KNOW YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT I VOTED LAST WEEK, SO I UNDERSTAND THERE THE BLOCK YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, SO [00:25:01] OKAY. I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH WITH STAFF ON THAT. YES, SIR. ONE FOLLOW UP ON STORM WATER, BAY PINES, TIDE POINT, BRADLEY CIRCLE, EASEMENTS ARE ALL IN HAND NOW FOR BAY BAY PINES. YES. EASEMENTS SHOULD BE ALL GOOD. UM, I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE ANY UPDATES ON THAT. THEY SHOULD BE GETTING STARTED. I DON'T HAVE TO . YEAH, SO ALL THE EASEMENTS ARE TAKEN CARE OF, SO IT'S JUST A MATTER OF GETTING THE CONTRACTOR OUT THERE TO START WORK. EXCELLENT. AND BRADLEY CIRCLE'S STILL ON HOLD FOR A LITTLE BIT UNTIL THAT'S THE RESURFACING. YES. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. OKAY, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. AT THIS TIME [8.PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD - 30 MINUTES TOTAL ] ON OUR AGENDA IS PUBLIC COMMENT. I'D LIKE TO REMIND THE PUBLIC OF A FEW THINGS EVERY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO'S RECOGNIZED SHALL SPEAK AND LIMIT THEIR COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES AND OBSERVE THE FOLLOWING PROTOCOL, ADDRESS THE CHAIRMAN, AND IN SPEAKING, AVOID DISRESPECT TO COUNSEL AND ANY PERSONALITIES 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, THE FIRST PERSON THAT SIGNED UP IS, UM, ANEZ MILLER. PLEASE COME FORWARD. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. MY NAME IS EZ MILLER ST. ELNA ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA, AND IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE TODAY. I'M HERE BEFORE YOU TWO SPEAK ON THE TIME LIMITS YOU WANNA PUT ON US, SPEAKING ABOUT THE CULTURAL PROTECTION OVERLAY AND ENFORCING IT, THE RESIDENTS OF ST. HELENA AND ANYONE OF S THAT'S SUPPORTING US. THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU SO FAR FOR SUPPORTING US, AND I WONDER WHAT'S TAKING THE REST OF YOU SO LONG TO COME ON AND JOIN , GET ON BOARD AND JOIN THE REST OF US. HELP US PROTECT ST. HELENA AND STRENGTHEN THAT CPO AND PLEASE ALLOW THE PEOPLE TO SPEAK. REMEMBER THEY PUT YOU HERE IN THESE POSITIONS THAT YOU WERE IN. PLEASE HEAR WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY. ST. HELENA IS A PRECIOUS JEWEL TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US, AND WE DON'T WANNA LOSE IT TO DEVELOPMENT IN NO WAY, FORM OR FASHION. PLEASE, I BEG OF YOU, PLEASE HELP US ENFORCE THE CPO AND AGAIN, I THANK YOU ON ABE, COME ON THE REST OF YOU AND JUMP ON BOARD. JOIN THE REST OF THE STAFF. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UM, NEXT WEEK WE HAVE, UH, N-I-O-K-A. NOW, UM, HELP ME, COULD YOU SAY IT WHEN YOU COME UP? YES, MA'AM. OKAY. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME'S IMPO, HONORABLE MEMBERS OF COUNTY COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF A GROUP THAT LIKE TO CALL OURSELVES WOMEN FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AT BEAUFORT HOUSING AUTHORITY. UM, MY, AGAIN, MY NAME'S NACA TOPO AND I'M A RESIDENT OF BEAUFORT HOUSING AUTHORITY. I'M A DISABLED AIR FORCE VE VETERAN LIVING WITH A RARE GENETIC DISORDER. I'M HERE TONIGHT WITH TWO OTHER MEMBERS OF WINMAN FOR ACCOUNTABILITY OF BEAUFORT HOUSING AUTHORITY. UM, OUR GROUP CONSISTS OF CURRENT AND PAST BEAUFORT HOUSING AUTHORITY RESIDENTS, THEIR FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND COMMUNITY TEAM MEMBERS WHO HAVE FIRSTHAND SEEN THE CONDITIONS RESIDENTS ARE LIVING IN. AND, UH, WE BELIEVE, UH, RESIDENTS DESERVE SAFE HOMES FAIR TREATMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY. ON OCTOBER 13TH, WE WENT BEFORE CITY COUNCIL TO LET OFFICIALS KNOW THAT WE ARE EXP WHAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING AND TO LET THEM KNOW THAT WE'RE HEADING TO STATE TO REQUEST A FORMAL INVESTIGATION INTO BEAUFORT HOUSING AUTHORITY. WE DID NOT GO TO COMPLAIN. WE WENT TO ASK FOR HELP, OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY. TONIGHT WE ARE HERE BEFORE COUNTY COUNCIL FOR THE SAME THING. THE CONDITIONS RESIDENTS ARE LIVING IN AND THE TREATMENT RESIDENTS EXPERIENCE MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO FEEL SAFE AND HEALTHY AT HOME. CONCERNS ABOUT, UM, THE CONDITIONS OF, UH, WHERE WE LIVE AND THE TREATMENT BASED ON THE STAFF AND BOARD OF BEAUFORT HOUSING AUTHORITY, UM, HAVE ALSO AFFECTED US MENTALLY AS WELL AS OTHER PLACES IN OUR LIFE. UM, I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT, UM, WE'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING. I'M HERE TO GIVE A VOICE TO RESIDENTS WHO HAVE THESE EXPERIENCES AND FRUSTRATIONS AND CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH PUBLIC HOUSING IN OUR COMMUNITY. I STAND FOR YOU TODAY BECAUSE THIS CONVERSATION IS BIGGER THAN ONE RESIDENT, ONE BUILDING OR ONE COMPLAINT. IT IS ABOUT THE DIGNITY OF OUR FAMILIES, THE RESPONSIBILITY OF OUR LEADERSHIP, AND THE OBLIGATION TO ENSURE THAT PUBLIC HOUSING SERVES THE PEOPLE IT WAS CREATED TO HELP. LET'S TALK HONESTLY ABOUT THE CONDITIONS RESIDENTS HAVE FACED. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SEWAGE PROBLEMS, MOLD PROBLEMS, INSECT INFESTATIONS, AND LIVING CONDITIONS THAT NO FAMILY SHOULD HAVE TO ACCEPT AS NORMAL. THESE ARE SIMPLY, THESE ARE NOT SIMPLY MAINTENANCE ISSUES. THESE ARE CONDITIONS THAT HELP, UH, THAT AFFECT PEOPLE'S HEALTH, SAFETY AND PEACE OF MIND. AND [00:30:01] QUALITY OF LIFE. NO, NO. FAMILY SHOULD HAVE TO REPEATEDLY REPORT PROBLEMS IN THE HOME AND WHETHER WONDER WHETHER ANYONE IN POSITION OF AUTHORITY WILL TAKE THEM SERIOUSLY. BUT I WANNA MAKE THINGS CLEAR TONIGHT. FIXING THE CONDITIONS IS NECESSARY, BUT IT IS NOT ENOUGH. WE WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK WITH SOMEONE OR A FEW PEOPLE FROM COUNTY COUNCIL, PERHAPS, MAYBE HAVE YOU COME IN AND SEE SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. THIS IS REAL. WE ARE REAL PEOPLE. WE NEED TO BE TREATED WITH DIGNITY. AND WE ARE ALWAYS FACED WITH DISRESPECT WHEN WE BRING THESE ISSUES TO BEAUFORT HOUSING AUTHORITY AND IT NEEDS TO STOP. WE'RE HUMAN. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, NEXT, UH, WE HAVE MR. VEO TROPICANA TO SPEAK. GOOD EVENING COUNSEL. UM, THANK YOU ASHLEY. UM, LBO TROIANO 1 3 5 7 ST. LENVILLE ROAD. UM, I'M GONNA SPEAK TO YOU GUYS TONIGHT ABOUT PROTECTING THE TAXPAYER THROUGH RESOLVING LITIGATION. I GIVE MS. BROCK AND, AND MS. ASHLEY, THE TWO DOCUMENTS FOR EACH OF YOU. AND FOR THE RECORD, THE PUBLIC RECORD ONE PAGE IS AGAIN, YOUR OWN CODE OF ETHICS. TWO OF THE, THE, THE NEXT DOCUMENT IS TWO PAGES. IT'S, UH, A RISK ASSESSMENT THAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR, UM, MINE, NOT YOUR OWN. THE FIRST LIST, WHAT THE TAXPAYERS OF BU BUFORT COUNTY CARRY. IF THE PINE ISLAND LITIGATION CONTINUES, THE SECOND PAGE IS BLANK. THAT'S NOT A MISPRINT, THAT'S THE GENUINE RISK ASSESSMENT. TOMORROW I'LL BE SUBMITTING A REVISED SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT FOR YOUR TWO YEAR LEGAL LEGAL COUNSEL FOR THE PUBLIC. HERE'S THE OFFER AS PLAINLY AS I CAN PUT IT. A CHOICE TO SETTLE LITIGATION. THE LITIGATION ENDS, THE LAWSUITS ARE WITHDRAWN, DISMISSED, AND NO APPLICATION OR DISCUSSION REGARDING PINE ISLAND EVER COMES INTO THIS ROOM. AGAIN, THE TAXPAYERS ARE REIMBURSED FOR ALL THE LEGAL FEES SPENT TO DATE ON PINE ISLAND. THEY'RE MADE WHOLE PINE ISLAND INDEMNIFIES, THE COUNTY, EVERY ONE OF YOU INDIVIDUALLY. IF ANYONE CHALLENGES ANYTHING, I DEFEND IT AND I PAY FOR IT. NOT THE TAXPAYER. ROOFTOPS AND DOCKS ARE REDUCED VOLUNTARILY, SIGNIFICANTLY, AND PERMANENTLY BELOW WHAT THE CODE ALLOWS. NOW THE HIGHEST WASTEWATER STANDARD IS REQUIRED TO PROTECT THE WATERWAYS. TRANSFORMATIONAL INVESTMENT GOES INTO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY HOUSING TRUST, THE BEAUFORT JASPER HOUSING TRUST. THIS WILL BE AVAILABLE COUNTYWIDE. WHETHER IT'S THE DEEP WELL ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND OR THE HOUSING PROJECT ON ST. HELEN ISLAND. IT'LL CHANGE LIVES OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS FOREVER. THE COUNTY ADMITS NOTHING CONCEDES, NOTHING AUTHORIZES NO DEVELOPMENT. AND THE PUBLIC NEVER HAS TO DEAL WITH THIS AGAIN. AND NEITHER DO YOU GUYS, WHAT DOES THE TAX TAXPAYER PAY? ZERO. A CHOICE TO LITIGATE. IT'S THE SAME AS A CHOICE TO LET IT GO TO COURT. ALL IT DOES IS CREATE RISK TO THE TAXPAYER THAT IS UNCAPPED. IT COSTS MILLIONS TO WIN OR LOSE. CONSERVATIVELY. 25 TO 30 MILLION BUCKS IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AFTER THREE TO FIVE YEARS OF LITIGATION. AND IT GROWS AT 6 MILLION A YEAR. IT'S ALL TAXPAYER MONEY. TO BE CLEAR, THIS MATTER IS CONCERNING A SINGULAR PROPERTY ON ST. HENA. THE BILL IS NOT. IT'S PAID BY BLUFFTON HILTON HEAD, SUN CITY, MUSS CREEK, EVERY ONE OF THE 11 DISTRICTS AND ALL 200,000 RESIDENTS. PLUS, PLUS PLUS. IT'S NOT A ST. HENA DECISION, IT'S A COUNTYWIDE FIDUCIARY DECISION. WHEN ORGANIZATIONS COME UP HERE AND TELL YOU TO LET THE COURT DECIDE, ASK THEM, WILL THEY PAY FOR IT? NO ONE'S OFFERED. NO ONE WILL. THE BILL DOESN'T GO TO THEM. IT GOES TO THE PEOPLE THAT YOU REPRESENT. KEEPING THE FUNDS AND PROPERTY OF BEAUFORT COUNTY SAFE IS IN YOUR CODE OF ETHICS. PROMOTE DECISIONS WHICH ONLY BENEFIT THE PUBLIC INTEREST. BE SERVANT AND STEWARDS TO THE PUBLIC. IT DOES NOT SAY TO BE A STEWARD TO SPECIAL INTEREST. LET THE COURT DECIDE. IT'S NOT A DEFERRAL, IT'S A DECISION WITH A PRICE TAG AND A BENEFICIARY. THE PRICE IS PAID BY THE TAXPAYER. WHO ARE YOUR CONSTITUENTS? THE BENEFICIARIES OF THE SPECIAL IN INTEREST GROUPS TELLING YOU TO DO OTHERWISE. FOR FIVE MORE SECONDS, I ALWAYS HEAR ABOUT TRANSPARENCY AND THAT'S GONNA DING. MULTIPLE MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL HAVE PUBLICLY STATED THAT THEY WANT A SETTLEMENT OFFERED TO BE COMMUNICATED HERE AT THE MICROPHONE IN PUBLIC. I'M WILLING TO DO THAT. I'M FORMALLY REQUESTING 10 MINUTES ON THE AGENDA ON NOVEMBER 9TH COX MEETING SO THAT I CAN COMMUNICATE TO THE PUBLIC WHAT'S BEING OFFERED. IT WON'T BE LEGAL ADVICE, IT WON'T BE A LEGAL POSITION. IT'LL BE FU FULL AND TRANSPARENT COMMUNICATION FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC SO THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU GUYS ARE CONSIDERING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. UH, NEXT WE HAVE KEVIN DUKES TO SPEAK. GOOD EVENING, KEVIN DUKES, HARVEY AND BATTY LAW FIRM. AND I REPRESENT MR. TROIANO AND THE PINE ISLAND PROPERTY HOLDINGS IN A MATTER INVOLVING THE ZONING OF THE PROPERTY WE'VE SUBMITTED AND, UH, PRESENTED TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION A REZONING APPLICATION THAT REZONING APPLICATION MUST, UNLIKE THE PREVIOUS ONE, IS SIMPLY TO REMOVE THE PROPERTY FROM THE CPO. IT WILL BE ONLY ZONED AS RURAL, UH, THE SECOND MOST RESTRICTIVE ZONING DISTRICT IN BEAUFORT COUNTY. AND SO IN ADDITION TO THIS, [00:35:01] WE'VE BEEN GIVEN THIS KIND OF MAYBE UNUSUAL TASK OF PRESENTING THIS EVIDENCE IN FRONT OF THE PUBLIC AND PRESENTING ANY SORT OF OFFERS THAT WE MAKE IN FRONT OF THE PUBLIC. WE'VE BEEN ENTIRELY TRANSPARENT AS WE DID BEFORE. UM, WE PRESENTED FOR A VERY LONG TIME ABOUT A YEAR AGO, AND WE'VE SUBMITTED EVERYTHING, UH, WE'VE EVER PRESENTED. WE'VE SUBMITTED IT PUBLICLY AND FOR EVERYBODY TO REVIEW. AND SO I JUST WANTED TO TAKE AGAIN THIS TIME IN PUBLIC COMMENT TO GO THROUGH A FEW THINGS AND AT FIRST EXPLAIN THAT WHAT'S BEING REQUESTED FROM A ZONING STANDPOINT IS FOR THE PROPERTY TO BE RURAL. THAT IS THE SAME AS IT WOULD BE IN DALE SHELDON BIG ESTATE BURTON OKEE. IT WOULD BE RURAL. AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE FUTURE LAND USE FOR THIS PARTICULAR PIECE OF PROPERTY, THAT IS THE DESIGNATION. SO WE ARE SIMPLY ASKING FOR IT TO BE ZONED AS IT IS STATED IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND THE SECOND MOST RESTRICTIVE ZONING IN ALL OF BEAUFORT COUNTY. AND I'M ALSO STANDING HERE TO ASK YOU NOT TO JUDGE ME AS AN ATTORNEY WHEN MY CLIENT WALKS UP HERE AND MAKES THE OFFER THAT HE'S OFFERED. NORMALLY WHEN WE LOOK AT SOMETHING, WE LOOK AT SOMETHING AND SAY, WHEN WE EVALUATE A CASE, WE SAY, LET'S GO THROUGH THIS EXERCISE AND FIGURE OUT WHAT YOUR BEST DAY IN COURT IS AND WHAT YOUR WORST DAY IN COURT IS. AND IF I'M DOING MY JOB, I GET MY CLIENT AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE TO HIS BEST DAY IN COURT IN THIS SITUATION. HE'S LEAPFROG THAT AND HE'S GONE OVER YOUR BEST DAY IN COURT WITH THIS PRESENTATION. YOU'LL HAVE IT IN WRITING, YOU'LL HAVE IT IN FRONT OF YOU TO EVALUATE EVERYTHING. WE WILL BE AVAILABLE, WE'LL BE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC. BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THIS, IS THAT WHAT HAS BEEN, WHAT WILL BE PRESENTED TOMORROW AND QUITE FRANKLY WAS PRESENTED ABOUT A MONTH AGO, IS THAT THIS PROPERTY WILL BE FURTHER RESTRICTED, LESS DENSITY, LESS DOCKS, LESS IMPACTS. IT WILL HELP WHAT WE HEARD BEFORE. IT WILL HELP LOSING ST. HELENA FROM DEVELOPMENT. THAT'S BEEN OUR GOAL. THAT CONTINUES TO BE OUR GOAL. AND THIS IS THE BEST WAY TO ACHIEVE THAT. SO LET'S LOOK AT THIS OUTCOME SERIOUSLY AND, UH, CONSIDER THAT WHAT'S BEEN OFFERED IS SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER THAN THE BEST DAY IN COURT IF EVERYTHING GOES THE COUNTY'S WAY. AND THAT BEST DAY IN COURT GETS US RIGHT BACK HERE TO WHERE WE'RE NOT WITH WHAT'S BEING OFFERED, BUT RIGHT HERE WITH THE CPO 168 HOMES AND 80 DOCKS, WHICH IN MY OPINION IS SIGNIFICANTLY WORSE THAN WHAT HAS BEEN OFFERED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MR. DUKES. ALL RIGHT, NEXT WE HAVE FELICE. LAMARCA. GOOD EVENING, FELICE LAMARCA. UM, I'M HERE TO, UH, TALK TO YOU ABOUT YOUR RESOLUTION 2026 DASH 46. YOU'VE GIVEN US NO, US MEANING THE PUBLIC, YOUR CITIZENS, YOUR CONSTITUENTS, NO OPPORTUNITIES TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT HOW WE FEEL. UM, YOU FAST TRACKED IT AT THE TWO O'CLOCK MEETING. THERE WAS NO TIME FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME TO EVEN ATTEMPT TO ARRIVE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. AND, UM, NOW YOU'RE GUARANTEEING THAT NO PUBLIC HEARING BECAUSE IT'S A RESOLUTION. SO I CAN'T TALK ABOUT IT VERY MUCH. HOW WOULD THAT HAVE BEEN WHEN THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION ORDINANCE WAS BEFORE YOU AND NOBODY BUT ME BROUGHT YOU 10 TO 12 QUESTIONS THAT I HAD RESEARCHED AND SAID, YOUR STAFF DOESN'T SHOW YOU THE CONS. THEY ONLY SHOW YOU THE PROS OF WHAT THEY WANT TO RECOMMEND. SO WHAT WOULD'VE HAPPENED? IT WOULD'VE PASSED. YOU PROBABLY WOULD BE ON YOUR FIFTH OR SIXTH LAWSUIT SINCE THEN. AND, UM, PUBLIC HEARING WOULD'VE NOT HAPPENED. INFORMATION WOULD NOT HAVE GOTTEN TO YOU THAT SHOULD HAVE. SEVERAL OF YOU ARE RUNNING FOR REELECTION. I HAVE. I AM PRIVY TO STATEMENTS BY YOU. ONE OF YOU SAYS, THE PRIORITIES IF ELECTED ARE TO CON, CONTINUE TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY WITH THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS LIMIT GOVERNMENT REGULATION AND OVERREACH. CONTINUE TO INCREASE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY WITHIN THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT. THANK YOU. YOU WALKED THE TALK. YOU ARE THE ONE VOTE THAT VOTED TO PRESERVE OUR TIME. [00:40:01] ANOTHER PERSON RUNNING PRIORITIES IF ELECTED. FOSTER TRUST WITH COUNTY RESIDENTS BY INCREASING PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT. LONGER TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, CHAT WITH COUNCIL, MORE OPEN DISCUSSIONS, WORKSHOPS ON TOPICS OF INTEREST. I COULD GO ON. WELL, WHAT HAPPENED THAT VOTE WAS A NO TO, IT WAS A YES TO LIMIT PUBLIC COMMENT, PUBLIC HEARING. EXCUSE ME. I'M TALKING ABOUT PUBLIC HEARING. SO WHAT'S IT GONNA BE? IS THAT JUST AN ELECTION SPEECH OR DO YOU WANT US OR NOT? DO YOU WANT YOUR CITIZENS, DO YOU WANT YOUR CONSTITUENTS OR DO YOU WANT US TO JUST SHUT UP AND SIT DOWN? THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THAT CONCLUDES OUR PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. UM, NEXT ON THE [9.LIAISON AND COMMITTEE REPORTS] AGENDA IS OUR, UM, LIAISON AND COMMITTEE REPORTS. I'LL RUN THROUGH THE LIST HERE. UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING, MS? YEAH, WE MET ON THE 15TH. UM, WE REPORTED TO THE BOARD THAT ALL OF OUR MUNICIPAL PARTNERS AND OTHER PARTNERS WISH TO CONTINUE HAVING B-C-E-D-C AS A CORPORATION INDEPENDENT FROM THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT. WE REVIEWED SUGGESTED CHANGES TO THE BYLAWS. I SUBMITTED SOME THAT I TALKED ABOUT HERE AND A SUBCOMMITTEE WAS FORMED. WE'RE WORKING ON THAT AND WE APPROVED KELLY BRUNSON TO BE THE INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WHILE WE SEARCH FOR A NEW ONE. OUR NEXT MEETING IS NEXT WEEK. OKAY, THANK YOU. NEXT IS BEAUFORT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL. UH, THEY ARE MEETING WEDNESDAY MORNING, UM, IN EXECUTIVE SESSION AND THEN REGULAR SESSION STARTING AT SEVEN 30. UH, MR. COUNCILMAN GLOVER, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO REPORT FOR BEAUFORT JASPER SEWER WATER AUTHORITY? YEAH, I'M GONNA LET, UM, NO, HE WAS NOT THERE. UM, BEAUFORT, JASPER DID REPORT TO THE NATURAL, UH, TO THE NORTHERN REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION, UM, ON LAST FRIDAY. AND IT WAS A GREAT PRESENTATION. AND, UM, THEY'RE LOOKING AT, UH, AREAS IN DAVID BEAMUS DISTRICT, UM, AS FAR AS EXTENDING SEWER AND ET CETERA, ET CETERA. AND THE WHOLE SUBJECT WAS ABOUT, UM, THE SEWER EFFORTS ON THEIR PART AND HOW THEY CAN WORK WITH COMMUNITIES TO MAKE THAT COME ABOUT AND STUFF. SO, UM, OTHER THAN THAT, I WOULD TELL YOU THAT BEAUFORD JASPER, UH, WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY IS CONTINUOUSLY WORKING ON BUILDING CAPACITY FOR THAT AGENCY AND REPLACING A LOT OF, UH, OLD INFRASTRUCTURE. UM, COUNCILMAN CUNNINGHAM, ANYTHING TO REPORT WITH BLUFF AND FIRE? NO MA'AM. I THINK IT'S ALREADY BEEN REPORTED. THANK YOU. OKAY. UM, COUNCILMAN LAWSON, DKI ISLAND? NO, MA'AM. OKAY. ALRIGHT. UM, FINANCE ADMINISTRATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE. COUNCILMAN LAWSON? ANYTHING? NO, NOTHING. OKAY. UH, AND COUNCIL MCALLEN GREEN SPACE, UH, THERE WERE TWO ITEMS. SO ONE IS, UH, PINE GROVE, UM, UM, UM, PURCHASE, AND ANOTHER IS THE GRANGER RETREAT. BOTH OF THOSE ARE STILL UNDER CONSIDERATION AND WE SHOULD HAVE MORE, UH, INFORMATION AVAILABLE AT THE NEXT MEETING. RIGHT NEXT ON OUR LIST IS THE LOW COG, WHICH MEANT LAST WEEK. ANY ANYONE CARE TO REPORT ON THAT? COUNCILMAN DAWSON? YEAH. UM, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE LOW COUNTRY CONSULATE GOVERNMENT MET LAST THURSDAY AT THE, AT THE OFFICE AT POINTS OUT. UM, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, UH, GAVE A A AN UPDATE ON THE, UM, UH, REGIONAL, UH, PROJECTS IN THE FOUR, IN THE FOUR COUNTIES. JASPER, UH, HAMPTON, UH, COTON, AND, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY OF THE HIGHWAY PROJECTS THAT THEY'RE DOING AND ALL FOR THOSE, UH, COUNTIES. AND THERE ARE MULTIPLE PROJECTS IN EACH ONE OF THE COUNTIES AND THEY JUST, UH, MADE US AWARE OF THE PROGRESS THAT IS BEING MADE AND GAVE US UPDATES AS TO, UH, THEM, UH, TRYING TO FINISH THESE PROJECTS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. YES, SIR. THANK YOU. UM, PUBLIC FACILITIES COMMITTEE. COUNCILMAN CUNNINGHAM? NO, MA'AM. OKAY. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. STORMWATER BOARD, MS. BROWN, ANYTHING TO REPORT? UM, NO, WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING, BUT I HAVE SOUTHERN CAROLINA ALLIANCE. MA'AM, WE HAD OUR ANNUAL, MA'AM, UM, AS A BOARD MEMBER. WE HELD THEIR ANNUAL NETWORKING EVENT IN BARNWELL, SOUTH CAROLINA. ANYBODY'S EVER BEEN OUT THERE, BUT IT'S, IT'S OUT THERE. IT'S IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE. UM, THEY HAD A RECORD NUMBER OF ATTENDEES AND IT WAS A BEAU BEAUTIFUL PICTURE, PERFECT DAY. AND, UM, AND THAT'S REALLY IT. OKAY. UM, COUNCILMAN GLOVER, ANYTHING? THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS? THEY DIDN'T. I [00:45:01] DON'T, NO, NO, I DIDN'T. I HAVEN'T MINUTE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. UM, NUMBER, YOU HAD SOMETHING ELSE. OKAY, GO AHEAD. SO I WANNA TELL THE PUBLIC WE ARE HAVING A JOINT MEETING WITH THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT TOMORROW EVENING, FIVE O'CLOCK IN THEIR MEDIA CENTER. UH, WE'VE DONE THIS BEFORE. WE HAVE SOME ISSUES THEY WISH TO TALK TO US ABOUT AND WE WISH TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT. I WANNA GIVE KUDOS TO OUR EMERGING LEADERS PROGRAM. JARED IS THE LEADER OF THAT, AND ASHLEY WAS MC PAR EXCELLENCE. AND SO THAT WAS FRIDAY. I DON'T REMEMBER ABOUT A HUNDRED PEOPLE THERE. MAYBE. IT WAS VERY, IT WAS VERY GOOD. UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS, SEVERAL BUNCH OF US WENT TO THE CULINARY INSTITUTE AND THE STUDENTS HAD MADE DINNER FOR US, WAITED ON US, EXPLAINED IT TO US. IT WAS REALLY VERY GOOD. WE ALL PAID OUR OWN WAY. AND LRTA, I WENT TO A MEETING WITH THE NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MR. MITCHELL, AND QUITE A FEW REPRESENTATIVES FROM ALL THE MUNICIPALITIES AND ELSEWHERE, AND THEY TALKED ABOUT WHAT, UM, PALMETTO BREEZE IS DOING FOR LRTA AND ALSO THEIR FUTURE PLANS AND OF COURSE, FUNDING NEEDS. EVERYTHING COMES DOWN TO FUNDING FOLKS, EVERYTHING'S IN THERE. SO HE WAS, HE WAS VERY ARTICULATE, VERY GOOD ABOUT WHAT THEY NEED. AND I KNOW HE LOOKED AT ME LIKE, YOU BETTER GIVE IT TO US. BUT, UM, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CHARLES MITCHELL, RIGHT? YEAH. THANK MR. MITCHELL. SO IT WAS A REALLY GOOD MEETING AND THEY TOOK US TO THE FACILITY. WE MET A LOT OF THE WORKERS. I WAS SURPRISED TO HEAR SOME OF THOSE WORKERS START AT 2:30 AM BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO GO OUT TO HAMPTON AND SO ON AND PICK PEOPLE UP TO BRING 'EM TO THE HUB TO CHANGE OVER, TO TAKE THEM TO THE ISLAND. I, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT. SO IT WAS VERY INTERESTING. I HAD ONE COMMENT. UM, THE PARKS AND REC DID A GREAT JOB SATURDAY AND THANKS TO MS. ASHLEY. AND WE GAVE OUT, UM, TO OVER 600 COSTUME PARTICIPANTS, CANDY. IT WAS, UM, A LOT OF FUN FOR TWO HOURS. AND, UH, NEXT YEAR, I'M SURE IT'LL EVEN BE BIGGER AT LYNN BROWN RECREATION CENTER. AND, UH, WE HAD A GREAT TIME. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. AT THIS TIME WE, UNLESS THERE'S SOMEBODY ELSE GOT ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD. OKAY. AT THIS TIME WE HAVE A PRESENTATION [10.PRESENTATION ] ON FIRST RESPONDERS FOOD DRIVE. OH, MS. MARSHALL, MS. MARSHALL . GOOD EVENING COUNSEL. MY NAME IS GINGER MARSHALL. I'M A PARAMEDIC WITH BEAUFORT COUNTY EMS, AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT OUR FOOD DRIVE. I'M HERE TONIGHT ON BEHALF OF FIRST RESPONDERS AND OUR PARTNERS ACROSS BEAUFORT COUNTY TO ASK FOR YOUR HELP WITH SOMETHING THAT DIRECTLY IMPACTS OUR NEIGHBORS. FROM NOVEMBER 1ST THROUGH DECEMBER 11TH, LAW ENFORCEMENT FIRE, EMS, MILITARY EMERGENCY SERVICES, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS COMMUNITY PARTNERS ARE COMING TOGETHER FOR THE FIFTH ANNUAL BEAUFORT COUNTY FIRST RESPONDER FOOD DRIVE, BENEFITING HELP OF BEAUFORT AND BLUFF AND SELF-HELP. THIS FOOD MISSION STARTED FIVE YEARS AGO WITH A SIMPLE MISSION, HELP RESTOCK THE SHELLS OF OUR LOCAL FOOD PANTRIES BEFORE CHRISTMAS AND INTO THE NEW YEAR SO THAT OUR NEIGHBORS HAVE FOOD ON THEIR TABLES DURING THE HOLIDAYS AND INTO THE NEXT YEAR. UNFORTUNATELY, THAT NEED IS NOT GETTING ANY SMALLER YEAR AFTER YEAR. BOTH BLUFF AND SELF-HELP AND HELP OF BEAUFORT CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF FAMILIES TURNING TO THEM FOR ASSISTANCE. TO PUT THAT INTO PERSPECTIVE, BLUFF AND SELF-HELP IS CURRENTLY SERVING MORE THAN 700 FAMILIES EACH MONTH THROUGH ITS, UH, MARKET THAT THEY HAVE THERE ON SITE THAT REPRESENTS AN INCREASE OF APPROXIMATELY 20% COMPARED TO LAST YEAR. HELP OF BEAUFORT IS SEEING APPROXIMATELY 1100 FAMILIES EACH MONTH, AND THAT'S AN INCREASE FROM 32% LAST YEAR. THESE NUMBERS REPRESENT MORE THAN JUST STATISTICS. THEY REPRESENT FAMILIES RIGHT HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE STRUGGLING TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE AND ARE RELYING ON THESE ORGANIZATIONS FOR ASSISTANCE. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FAMILIES TRYING TO MAKE THEIR GROCERY BUDGET STRETCH A LITTLE BIT FURTHER. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PARENTS MAKING THE DIFFICULT DECISION ABOUT WHICH BILLS GET PAID FIRST. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SENIOR CITIZENS LIVING ON FIXED INCOMES AND PEOPLE WHO MAY BE ONE UNEXPECTED EXPENSE OR MEDIC MEDICAL BILL OR EMERGENCY AWAY FROM NEEDING THE SAME HELP THEMSELVES. AND FOOD INSECURITY DOESN'T ALWAYS LOOK THE WAY WE EXPECT IT TO LOOK, AND IT CERTAINLY DOESN'T STOP JUST BECAUSE IT'S THE HOLIDAYS. LAST YEAR, OUR COMMUNITY STEPPED UP AND DONATED MORE THAN 4,000 POUNDS OF NON-PERISHABLE FOOD. AND EVERY BIT OF THAT WAS DIVIDED BETWEEN BLUFF AND SELF-HELP AND HELP OF BEAUFORT AND STAYED RIGHT HERE IN OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY THIS YEAR BECAUSE AS THE NEED CONTINUES TO GROW, SO DOES OUR GOAL. WE WANNA COLLECT MORE [00:50:01] THAN 5,000 POUNDS OF FOOD IN SIX WEEKS, SO THAT'S MORE THAN TWO AND A HALF TONS. AND THIS IS A TRULY A COUNTYWIDE EFFORT. WE'VE GOT COLLECTION BOXES FROM HILTON HEAD UP TO YEE. THEY'RE THE LOCAL, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, EMS DEPARTMENTS, GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS. WE'VE GOT COMMUNITY PARTNERS AS WELL. WE'VE GOT THE MARINE CORPS AIR STATION EMERGENCY SERVICES, WHICH BRINGS IN OUR MILITARY COMMUNITY. AND WE ARE WELCOMING BACK THE PORT ROYAL SOUND FOUNDATION, AS WELL AS THE PRESERVE AT HANOVER PARK APARTMENTS TO BE PART OF OUR FOOD DRIVE THIS YEAR. AGAIN, NEW TO US THIS YEAR WE'RE PROUD TO PARTNER WITH THE TUNNEL TO TOWERS FOUNDATION WITH THE COLLECTION BOX AVAILABLE AT THEIR TOWER TO TUNNELS. 5K RUN AND WALK IN BLUFFTON ON NOVEMBER 8TH ON ROSE HILL PLANTATION. REACHING 5,000 POUNDS IS GOING TO TAKE ALL OF US, EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY. SO TONIGHT WE'RE ASKING YOU TO HELP US SPREAD THE WORD. TELL YOUR EMPLOYEES, YOUR COUNCIL FRIENDS, WHATEVER BUSINESSES, CHURCHES YOU MIGHT BELONG TO, ANY CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS YOU BELONG TO. SHARE THE FOOD, DRIVE WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY. AND WHEN YOU GO TO THE GROCERY STORE, IF YOU'RE ABLE TO PICK UP ONE OR TWO EXTRA NON-PERISHABLE FOOD ITEMS AND DROP THEM INTO ONE OF THE COLLECTION BOXES, WE SIMPLY ASK THAT THE DONATED ITEMS BE UNOPENED. AND WITHIN THEIR EXPIRATION DATES. ONE CAN MAY NOT SEEM LIKE MUCH. ONE BOX OF PASTA MAY NOT SEEM LIKE MUCH, BUT WHEN AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY GIVES, WHAT A CAN? THOSE INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS, THOUSANDS OF POUNDS OF FOOD IS WHAT IT BECOMES. COLLECTING 5,000 POUNDS OF FOOD IS OUR GOAL. HOWEVER, WITH THE SUPPORT OF OUR COMMUNITY, WE BELIEVE IT IS POSSIBLE. THE NEED IS REAL. THE NEED IS GROWING. AND THESE ARE OUR NEIGHBORS. TOGETHER, WE CAN FILL THE BOXES, FILL THE SHELVES AT BLUFF AND SELF-HELP AND HELP OF BEAUFORT, AND MAKE SURE THAT FAMILIES ACROSS BEAUFORT COUNTY HAVE FOOD ON THEIR TABLES THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS AND GOING INTO 2027. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, YOUR SUPPORT, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY FOR HELPING US TAKE CARE OF OUR NEIGHBORS. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM ANYONE ON COUNCIL RIGHT NOW? I HAVE ONE. YES, SIR. WHAT ABOUT HILTON HEAD? I KNOW YOU HAVE COLLECTION BOXES, BUT WHAT ABOUT ERIC IN THAT FIRE DEPARTMENT THERE? WHAT IS THEIR INPUT IN THIS WHOLE PROGRAM? UM, THEY'RE PARTICIPATING WITH US AT THE TUNNEL AL TOWERS, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE THEIR OWN FOOD DRIVE THAT USUALLY GOES ON WITH THE, UM, CHRISTMAS LIGHT. OH, I'M PART, YEAH. THAT'S A WONDERFUL EVENT. IT IS. IT'S, AND THEY DO A GREAT JOB DECORATING THEIR STATION AND THEY DO A FOOD DRIVE THERE. THE BOX THAT WILL BE ON HILTON HEAD'S GONNA BE WITH THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. SATELLITE OFFICE. SHELTER COVE, I SAW. YES. WONDERFUL. YES. OKAY. SO LISTEN, GREAT. IF, IF ANYBODY ELSE WANTS TO PARTICIPATE, WE'RE MORE THAN HAPPY TO GET A BOX TO THEM. WHEREVER IT IS IN THE COMMUNITY, YOU CAN REACH OUT TO ME, UH, MR. ROBINSON KNOWS HOW TO, TO GET AHOLD OF ME. UM, SO I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO, TO DO THAT. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? THANK YOU. THANK YOU AGAIN. THANK YOU. IF YOU GUYS NEED FLYERS, I'VE GOT EXTRA ONES AS WELL TOO, SO, OKAY. THANK YOU. THANKS. COULD YOU DROP SOME OF THOSE OFF WITH MS. BROCK PLEASE? THE EXTRA ONES? YEAH, WE CAN PICK 'EM UP. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, WE HAVE SEVERAL, SEVERAL [11.AGENDA ITEMS] APPOINTMENTS THIS, THIS EVENING TO DO. UM, THE FIRST ONE IS APPOINTMENT OF DANIEL CAFFERY TO THE BOARD OF ASSESSMENT APPEALS FOR A FOUR YEAR TERM WITH AN EXPIRATION DATE OF OCTOBER, 2030. I NEED A MOTION TO APPOINT DANIEL CAFF. MADAM CHAIR, CAN I MAKE A MOTION TO TAKE ITEMS A THROUGH J AS ONE ITEM? I SECONDED. OKAY. WE HAVE, UM, A MOTION AND A SECOND TO TAKE ALL AS ONE, UM, AND A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN UM, YORK GLOVER. ANY DISCUSSION? I WOULD JUST REQUEST THAT WE READ EVERYBODY'S NAME TO GIVE THEM THE CREDIT THAT WE ARE APPOINTING THEM. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE, BUT WE DON'T HAVE TO DO A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR EVERYONE. OKAY. UH, ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND AND I'LL READ THEIR NAMES AND WHAT THEY'RE BEING APPOINTED TO. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. AS ALL IN FAVOR OF THAT. AND THAT IS UNANIMOUS. ALL RIGHT. GOING ON TO APPOINTMENT OF, UM, CHRISTINE GRAHAM TO THE KEEP BEAUFORT BEAUTIFUL COUNCIL BOARD DISTRICT 10 FOR A FOUR YEAR TERM WITH AN EXPIRATION DATE OF OCTOBER, 2030. APPOINTMENT OF DEL DEL DELMER HOLLINGSWORTH TO THE LADIES ISLAND, ST. HELENA ISLAND FIRE DISTRICT, LADIES ISLAND SEAT FOR A FOUR YEAR TERM WITH AN EXPIRATION DATE OF OCTOBER, 2030 PENDING APPROVAL FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE. THE NEXT ONE IS APPOINTMENT OF, UH, MARIA ELLO TO THE ANNUAL ANIMAL SERVICES AD HOC COMMITTEE APPOINTMENT OF MICHELLE DANIEL TO THE ANIMAL SERVICES AD HOC COMMITTEE APPOINTMENT OF DEBORAH SMITH TO THE ANIMAL SERVICES AD HOC COMMITTEE APPOINTMENT OF MICHELLE KNAPP TO THE ANIMAL SERVICES AD HOC COMMITTEE. AND IF YOU NOTICE, THERE'S NOT, NOT AN EXPIRATION DATE ON THOSE, THEY HAVE A, A MISSION TO ACCOMPLISH. AND WHEN THAT'S DONE, THAT COMMITTEE WILL BE DONE APPOINTMENT OF LAURA LEVINE [00:55:01] TO THE BEAUFORT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR A FOUR YEAR TERM WITH AN EXPIRATION DATE OF OCTOBER, 2030, APPOINTMENT OF STEVEN MEYER TO THE BEAUFORT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR A FOUR YEAR TERM WITH AN EXPIRATION DATE OF OCTOBER, 2030, AN APPOINTMENT OF PAUL TATE TO THE BEAUFORT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR A FOUR YEAR TERM WITH EXPIRATION DATE OF OCTOBER, 2030. AND WE HAVE VOTED ON THAT. AND IT WAS UNANIMOUS TO APPROVE ALL OF THOSE NAMES, CORRECT? YES. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. UM, NOW [12. APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA] WE HAVE CONSENT AGENDA. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? WE HAVE TWO ITEMS ON THE CONSENT. I MOVED. I MOVED. UH, THANK YOU. I SECOND THAT. COUNCILMAN CUNNINGHAM AND A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN BROWN. ANY DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. SEEING NONE, ALL IN FAVOR BY SHOW OF HANDS TO APPROVE THOSE TWO ITEMS. ONE IS TO PURCHASE, UM, 20 FY 27 EMS AMBULANCES, AND THE OTHER IS THE A BR DIGITAL SOLUTIONS AWARD AND APPROVAL. AND THAT IS THE END OF THE CONSENT AGENDA. AND NOW WE ARE READY [13.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). (PUBLIC HEARING) The vote at Natural Resources Committee on September 8, 2026 - 7:0 The vote at First Reading on September 28, 2026 - 10:0 The vote at Second Reading on October 12, 2026 - 11:0 ] FOR ORDINANCES FOR THIRD READING. OKAY. ORDINANCES FOR THIRD 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 ALIGO. CLOSE ENOUGH PRESERVE TMSR SEVEN 10. THEY'RE LAUGHING AT ME. 0 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0. AND THE NEXT BUNCH OF NUMBERS, UH, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING, SO, UM, THE VOTE AT NATURAL RESOURCE AND AT FIRST READING AND SECOND READING WAS 10 OR 11 TO ZERO. CAN I HAVE A MOTION? MOVE? I SECOND. THANK YOU MR. DAWSON. I SECOND MR. GLOVER MAKES A SECOND. UM, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING. UM, WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THIS SEVERAL TIMES. NO ONE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC HEARING, BUT IF SOMEONE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, WE WILL HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING NOW. ANYONE CARE TO SPEAK ON THIS ORDINANCE? OKAY. I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. ANYBODY ON COUNCIL HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT FROM MR. KIDD? I MEAN, JUST SO THE PUBLIC KNOWS, THIS IS THIRD READING. SO AS I NOTED, THIS WAS DISCUSSED AT NATIONAL RESOURCES AND FIRST AND SECOND READING, COMMENT OR QUESTION FROM COUNSEL. ALL RIGHT. YEAH. I THINK BASICALLY, UM, AND MR. KIDD CAN SAY EXACTLY WHY WE ARE DOING THIS IS WE REQUESTED TO HAVE THAT MOVED BECAUSE OF, UM, UM, OUR ABILITY TO, UH, HAVE FIRE LINE, I MEAN, TO CONDUCT PRESCRIBED BURDEN ON THE PROPERTY AND STUFF. SO WE ARE BASICALLY, UM, THEY'RE ALLOWING US TO DO WHAT WE WANT TO DO, SO WE HAVE TO MOVE IT AND STUFF. SO, AND IT'S, IT'S ACTUALLY, UM, AN INDIAN NAME. POGO? YEAH, I GOT IT. OKAY. . OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. ANYBODY ELSE? COMMENT OR QUESTION? ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS ORDINANCE, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND TO SIGNIFY YOU'RE IN FAVOR. THANK YOU, MR. K. OKAY, WE HAVE ORDINANCE [13.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). (PUBLIC HEARING) The vote at Natural Resources Committee on September 8, 2026 - 7:0 The vote at First Reading on September 28, 2026 - 10:0 The vote at Second Reading on October 12, 2026 - 11:0 ] 2026 SLASH 48, AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE BEAUFORT COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES, CHAPTER 74, BUILDING AND BUILDING REGULATIONS SECTION 74 DASH 64 ADOPTION OF BUILDING CODES. THIS AMENDS THE CODE OF ORDINANCE TO ADOPT THE 2024 STAT STATE MANDATED CODE ADDITIONS, THE VOTED NATURAL RESOURCE AND FIRST HEARING AND SECOND READING. THEY WERE ALL EITHER SEVEN ZERO OR 10 0, 11 0. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING. CAN I HAVE A MOTION PLEASE? SO MOVE MADAM CHAIRMAN. ALL RIGHT. MR. GLOVER MAKES A MOTION SECOND THAT MRS. BROWN MAKES. THE SECOND IS, IS THERE ANYONE IN THE PUBLIC THAT WISHES TO SPEAK ON THIS ORDINANCE? NOBODY SIGNED UP, BUT IT IS A PUBLIC HEARING. FEEL FREE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. UM, AND AGAIN, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS SEVERAL TIMES, UNLESS YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WISH TO ADD, MR. KIDD, MA'AM, WE, I THINK WE'VE COVERED IT ALL. ALL RIGHT. QUESTION OR COMMENT FROM THE COUNCIL? ALRIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS ORDINANCE, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THANK YOU MR. KIDD. WE ARE ON ORDINANCES [14.a. 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. (PUBLIC HEARING) The vote at Finance, Administration, and Economic Development Committee on September 21, 2026 - Failed 5:5 The vote at First Reading on October 12, 2026 - 7:4] FOR SECOND READING. 2026 SLASH 50 IS AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND BUFORD COUNTY'S BUDGET ORDINANCE FOR FISCAL 27. THIS IS ORDINANCE NUMBER 2026 SLASH 29. IT WILL AMEND SECTION THREE COUNTY OPERATIONS, REVENUES AND SECTION FOUR COUNTY OPERATIONS APPROPRIATIONS TO APPROPRIATE A FUND BALANCE FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY REGION'S TOURNAMENT COMPLEX. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING. CAN I HAVE A MOTION? I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION. THANK YOU MR. CUNNINGHAM. SECOND. SECOND, [01:00:01] MR. BERT. NO PROBLEM. MS. MS. BROWN FOR THE SECOND. UM, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS A FEW TIMES, BUT THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING. IS THERE ANYONE IN THE PUBLIC THAT WISHES TO SPEAK ON THIS? UM, BEAVER COUNTY REGION'S TOURNAMENT COMPLEX. YOU CAN COME UP TO THE MICROPHONE NOW. ALRIGHT. ANYONE ON COUNCIL WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS ORDINANCE? I'LL JUST REITERATE THAT I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS TAKING THE TIME TO WORK ON THIS WITH US. I KNOW IT'S GONNA BE A BIG PROJECT AND THIS IS STEP ONE OF IT, BUT I DO BELIEVE IT IS BEST COUNTYWIDE FOR US TO TAKE THIS STEP. IT'S BEEN A PART OF OUR PLAN FOR YEARS, AND I FAILED TO MENTION THAT THE VOTED FIRST READING WAS SEVEN FOUR. SO, ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS, UH, ORDINANCE. PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. OKAY. WE'RE GONNA, YOU HAVE TWO THAT ARE NO. MR. GLOVER? NO. OH, MR. GLOVER AND MR. DAWSON. OKAY. ANYBODY ELSE? MR. DAWSON? MR. PASSMAN? MR. PASSMAN, ARE YOU A YES? YEAH. OKAY. A YES. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU EVERYBODY. WE ARE ORDINANCES [15.a.2026/51: An Ordinance amending the Community Development Code (CDC): Table A.13.40 (May River Community Preservation District Land Use) to permit cemeteries as an allowed use. The vote at Natural Resources Committee on October 5, 2026 - 4:0. ] FOR FIRST READING, AND I'LL NOTE THAT MOST OF THESE ARE COMING UP AT THE NEXT MEETING FOR PUBLIC HEARING ORDINANCE. ON ON FIRST READING 2026 SLASH 51 IS AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CODE CDC TABLE A 1340 MAY RIVER COMMUNITY PRESERVATION DISTRICT LAND USE TO PERMIT CEMETERIES AS AN ALLOWED USE. THE VOTED NATURAL RESOURCE ON OCTOBER 5TH WAS FOUR ZERO. CAN I HAVE A MOTION? I'LL MAKE THE MOTION. MS. HOWARD MAKES THE MOTION. I SECOND. THANK YOU. MR. GLOVER. AND MR. MERCHANT, WOULD YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN THIS TO THE PUBLIC'S SINCE FIRST READING? YES. UM, THIS IS FAIRLY STRAIGHTFORWARD. THE MAY RIVER CP ZONING DISTRICT, WHICH IS LOCATED ALONG MAY, RIVER ROAD BETWEEN THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON AND PRICHARD, UM, CURRENTLY DOES NOT PERMIT CEMETERIES. UH, THERE IS A PROPERTY OWNER WHO IS INTERESTED OR WHO HAS EXPRESSED THAT THE DE UM, DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS IS INTERESTED IN EXPANDING THE NATIONAL CEMETERY AND, AND IS LOOKING AT A SITE IN THAT DISTRICT. THE USE OF CEMETERIES ARE ALLOWED IN EVERY DISTRICT IN THE COUNTY, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF OUR MOST, UM, OR LEAST INTENSE DISTRICT, WHICH IS T ONE NATURAL PRESERVE. AND OUR MOST INTENSE, WHICH IS S ONE LIGHT INDUSTRIAL. EVERY OTHER DISTRICT ALLOWS THEM, UH, AS PART OF A USE THAT INCLUDES CHURCHES, BUT THIS DISTRICT DOES NOT HAVE A PROVISION FOR THAT. SO WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING IS TO AMEND THE TEXT OF THAT DISTRICT TO ALLOW CEMETERIES AS A STANDALONE USE TO HAVE THE, THE LEASE AMOUNT OF IMPACT ON, ON THAT, UM, DISTRICT WHILE ACCOMMODATING THIS REQUEST, UH, FOR PROPERTY OWNER FIRST CEMETERY. COULD YOU TELL THE PUBLIC WHERE THIS IS, WHEREABOUTS, OR IF MS. BROCK CAN FIND THEM OUT? YEAH. THE PROPERTY AND, AND THE, UH, REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE PROPERTY ARE HERE, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS SPECIFICALLY, BUT IT IS CALLED THE TARVER TRACT. IT IS A HUNDRED ACRE PARCEL THAT SITS BETWEEN, UH, BUCK ISLAND ROAD AND, UM, BUCKWALTER, IT HAS BEEN AT DIFFERENT TIMES. YOU KNOW, THEY REQUESTED ANNEXATION OF THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON FOR A HOUSING DEVELOPMENT. THEY'VE, UH, REQUESTED, I THINK THAT THEY'VE LOOKED AT THE RURAL AND CRITICAL LANDS PROGRAM. SO IT'S A PROPERTY OWNER THAT HAS BEEN LOOKING FOR, YOU KNOW, USE OF THAT PROPERTY. AND SO AS STAFF, WE FELT THIS WAS A GOOD FIT IN KEEPING THE RURAL NATURE AND, AND SCENIC NATURE OF THE, THE 46 CORRIDOR. BUT, UM, ALLOWING USEFUL USE OF THAT PROPERTY. SO THANK MRS. BROCK. SO IT'S SORT OF LIKE AROUND CAHILL ON 46 CAHILL? YES. YES. JUST TO GIVE YOU A PERSPECTIVE. OKAY. THOMPSON. OKAY. UM, YES, THIS IS MY DISTRICT. I THINK IT'S ON THE EDGE OF YOURS. UH, TAB AND ON THE EDGE OF YOURS. LOGAN. LOGAN. I, I'M, I'M A LITTLE, YEAH. OH, I'M SORRY. IT'S NOT ME. IT'S PAULA'S. THAT'S RIGHT. UM, , I'M, I'M, UH, BEING A LITTLE CONFUSED WHEN I SAY THAT. UM, ANYTIME SOMEONE'S WANTED TO CHANGE THE ZONING OR PROPERTY, THEY BRING THAT PROPERTY DIRECTLY TO US. WE'RE NOT CHANGING THE WHOLE ZONING FOR A WHOLE AREA TO, TO, TO DO THAT. SO, UM, WHENEVER WE'RE LOOKING AT CHANGING, AND, AND AGAIN, FOR THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THAT DISTRICT, WITHOUT IDENTIFYING THE PROPERTY, WE'RE LOOKING AT CHANGING THE WHOLE DISTRICT'S PROPERTY. SO I'M GONNA VOTE NO ON THIS, AND I, AND I, UH, AGAIN, BECAUSE I THINK THAT WE, WE SHOULD LOOK AT IT AS THAT SEPARATE PIECE OF PROPERTY. THEY SHOULD BRING IT FORWARD AND ASK FOR THE ZONING TO CHANGE ON THAT PARTICULAR PIECE OF PROPERTY, NOT CHANGE IT IN THE WHOLE OVERLAY AREA. THAT, THAT THIS HAS, 'CAUSE AGAIN, I'VE NEVER HEARD OF SOMEONE GOING [01:05:01] TO DO THAT BEFORE AND CHANGING THE ZONING FOR THE WHOLE AREA, JUST FOR ONE PIECE OF PROPERTY. SO AGAIN, THIS IS MY AREA. UM, I'M NOT GONNA VOTE FOR IT. UM, I'M, I, I, I ALSO QUESTION YOUR STATEMENT THAT, THAT CEMETERIES ARE ALLOWED EVERY PLACE ELSE IN THE COUNTY. 'CAUSE I DON'T, DON'T THINK THAT IS TRUE. YOU SAID SOME HIGH DENSITY AREAS. SO, SO, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE LOOKING AT CHANGING THE ZONING FOR THIS AREA, WE SHOULD CHANGE IT FOR THE WHOLE COUNTY, NOT JUST FOR THAT ONE PARTICULAR AREA. SO, AGAIN, I MEAN, I, I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM MY CON CONSTITUENT YET ABOUT WHETHER THEY WANT THIS OR NOT. 'CAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE THIS PROPERTY IS. IT'S THE FIRST TIME OF HEARING, IT'S NOT EVEN A SPECIFIC PIECE OF PROPERTY. IT'S FOR THE WHOLE AREA. SO, AGAIN, I'M GONNA VOTE AGAINST THIS. UM, I REALIZE THERE'S THREE, THREE READINGS, BUT AGAIN, I THINK THAT THEY SHOULD COME BACK TO US WITH THAT PARTICULAR PIECE OF PROPERTY, GO THROUGH THE ZONING TO CHANGE THE ZONING FOR THAT PARTICULAR PIECE. DO YOU HAVE A RESPONSE TO THAT, MR. MERCHANT? YES, THIS IS, WELL, AND I WILL SAY AS STAFF, WE DIRECTED THEM TOWARD THE TEXT AMENDMENT RATHER THAN A MAP AMENDMENT. MM-HMM . SIMPLY BECAUSE TO CHANGE THE ZONING OF THE TARVER TRACT, UH, YOU KNOW, ONE OPTION WOULD BE CHANGING IT TO T TWO RURAL, WHICH WOULD BE A SIMILAR DENSITY AS MAY RIVER. BUT IT WOULD BE TAKING, YOU KNOW, ONE PROPERTY AND, AND COMING UP FROM THE ZONING DISTRICT THAT IS NOT SHARED BY ANY OF ITS NEIGHBORING PROPERTIES. ANY OTHER ZONING CHANGE WOULD MEAN AN INCREASE IN DENSITY, WHICH THINK WOULD BE A RISK, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, ANYTIME YOU'RE INCREASING THE DENSITY, THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THAT IF THIS PLAN FALLS THROUGH, THEN THAT PROPERTY COULD BE USED FOR SOMETHING MORE INTENSE THAN IT CURRENTLY IS. SO WE RECOMMENDED THAT THEY SEEK THE TAX AMENDMENT PROCESS BECAUSE THE USE OF CEMETERIES IS A VERY LOW IN INTENSE USE AND VERY MUCH CONDUCIVE TO RURAL AREAS. AND IT IS ALLOWED IN T TWO RURAL, WHICH IS KIND OF AN ANALOGOUS DISTRICT TO THE MAY RIVER CP. SO, UM, MR. CUNNINGHAM, GO AHEAD. I'M, I'M KIND OF WITH MARK ON THIS ONE. NOT ONLY THAT, YOU OPEN IT UP FOR ALL DIFFERENT AREAS INSIDE THAT REGION. MM-HMM . SO WHAT'S THE CURRENT ZONING OF THIS PROPERTY? I KNOW THEY'RE NOT LOOKING AT CHANGE ZONING, BUT WHAT IS THE ZONING? THE CURRENT ZONING IS MAY RIVER CP. AND WHAT DOES THAT ALLOW? IT ALLOWS PRIMARILY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT, UM, AGRICULTURE, UM, I THINK, DO YOU HAVE THE LIST UP HERE? ? IT'S PRIMARILY A RESIDENT, A LOW RESIDENTIAL, LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT THAT ALLOWS AGRICULTURE IN SOME MINOR COMMERCIAL USES. GUESS, I GUESS I, I KIND HAVE THE SAME LOGIC AS MARK. I WOULD RATHER SEE THIS AS THEM CHANGING THE ZONING TO IT. IF THIS, IF THEY HAVE A BUYER ALREADY IN PLACE, WHICH I'M ASSUMING THEY PROBABLY DO IF THEY MADE IT THIS FAR, UM, OR IF THEY'RE THE ONES DEVELOPING IT. BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU SAID THEY'RE WORKING WITH A GROUP. CORRECT. UM, SO I, I DON'T THINK I COULD SUPPORT THIS. I, FOR THE WHOLE AREA IS SUPPORT THIS. I EITHER, FOR THE ENTIRE AREA, I THINK IT'S GONNA CREATE OTHER ISSUES. NOT TO MENTION THE FACT IF WE CHANGE THIS NOW AND THEY'RE ALREADY ALLOWED TO DO IT, WHAT ARE THE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT ARE RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO THEM? ALSO SAYING, HAVE THEY BEEN MADE AWARE? CHAIRWOMAN. ALRIGHT, MR. REEDS, UM, YOU PROBABLY ALREADY ADDRESSED IT, BUT MS. BROCK, WOULD YOU PUT UP THAT MAP WITH THE LITTLE LOTS THAT YOU SHOWED BEFORE, PLEASE? THAT WHOLE AREA. AND, AND THOSE ARE ALL, THOSE ARE ALL DIFFERENT PARCELS THAT ARE OWNED BY VARIOUS PEOPLE, CORRECT? MM-HMM. NO TELL. THIS IS A DIAGRAM OF THE NATIONAL CEMETERY IN BEAUFORT. OKAY. SO JUST TO GIVE AN IDEA ABOUT THE, I GUESS THE SCALE OF THAT CEMETERY, IS IT SAFE TO ASSUME THERE'S OTHER PROPERTY OWNERS AROUND THIS THAT WILL BE CHANGED? THEIR PROPERTY ZONING WILL BE CHANGED THEN IF WE DO THIS, THEIR ZONING WON'T BE CHANGED. THE ONLY THING WILL, THAT WILL BE CHANGED IS THAT ZONING DISTRICT, MAY RIVER CP WILL NOW ALLOW CEMETERIES AS A USE WHERE IT'S CURRENTLY NOT PERMITTED. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. MR. . I'M YOU. YEAH. UM, IT'S IN YOUR REPORT, BUT WHERE'S THE BUFORD NATIONAL CEMETERY? UM, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THIS? ARE THEY WORKING HAND IN HAND? IS THERE A SEPARATE CONTRACT IN PLACE? YEAH. AND THAT'S WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE OWNER MIGHT BE ABLE TO SHED MORE LIGHT ON THAT, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE TREATING THIS AS, AS THE ZONING AMENDMENT. BUT WE'RE, WE DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE DETAILS OF, YOU KNOW, WHERE THIS IS GOING. I BELIEVE THEY SPOKE AT THE, UH, MEETING, THE COMMITTEE MEETING. DID THEY NOT? YES, AT THE NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE. ANYBODY ELSE? COMMENT OR QUESTION CHAIRMAN? YEAH. UM, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM HEARING FROM THEM IF THEY SO DESIRE TO [01:10:01] ADDRESS THIS BODY, BUT I'M GONNA SUPPORT THIS, UH, BECAUSE THE NEED IS SO GREAT. UM, AND THEY HAVE AN INTEREST RIGHT NOW, UH, TO MOVE THIS FORWARD TO THE VETERANS AFFAIR, UM, FOR A CONTINUING NATIONAL CEMETERY. AND SO I DO KNOW THAT, UM, THE CURRENT NATIONAL CEMETERY, UM, WHEN THEY PURCHASE THE, UM, THE PROPERTY BEHIND IT, UH, WHICH WAS THE NATIONAL GUARD LAND, THEY THOUGHT THAT THAT PROPERTY WOULD, UH, BURIAL WOULD GO UP TO 2035. AND I BELIEVE THAT RIGHT NOW THEY WILL PROBABLY REACH CAPACITY IN THE NEXT THREE OR FOUR YEARS. SO I DO SUPPORT MOVING THIS FORWARD. I THINK IT WOULD BE AN ASSET TO OUR COMMUNITY OR VETERANS SUPREME. MY QUESTION IS, YOU SAID BUCK ISLAND AND BUCK WALTER, OR BUCK ISLAND AND BLUFFTON PARKWAY? UM, WHERE IS IT? IT'S ROUGHLY, IT'S ALONG THE MAY RIVER CORRIDOR, UM, JUST WEST OF, UH, BUCK ISLAND ROAD. OKAY. SO I DID MISSPEAK. I, IT'S NOT MY DISTRICT, BUT I'M VOTING AGAINST THIS. ALRIGHT. ANYBODY ELSE? ONE, ONE OTHER THING. UM, HAVE, YOU KNOW, MARK BROUGHT UP A GOOD POINT. OBVIOUSLY THIS IS NOT MY DISTRICT, NOWHERE NEAR IT, BUT, UM, HAVE THE, THE PROPERTY OWNERS, GIVEN THAT IT WAS BROUGHT UP IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR UNIQUE COMMUNITY, OR HAVE THE PROPERTY OWNERS BEEN MADE AWARE OF THIS OTHER THAN THROUGH A REGULAR PUBLICATION? LIKE, IS THERE ANY, ANY, UM, NOTICE THAT'S ON THE PROPERTY ITSELF FOR THIS MOVING FORWARD? AS FAR AS WITH, WITH THIS, NO, BECAUSE THIS IS A, A TEXT AMENDMENT THAT APPLIES TO THE WHOLE DISTRICT AS MUCH. I JUST, YOU KNOW, IF THIS IS A UNIQUE COMMUNITY, I, I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE VOTING YES FOR IT RIGHT NOW. UH, WITHOUT THE COMMUNITY BEING, I GUESS, MORE AWARE OF IT. ME MIGHT BE FOR IT, BUT AGAIN, IT'S RIGHT. YOU HAVEN'T HEARD. YEAH, IT'LL BE, UM, THE PUBLIC HEARING NEXT TIME, BUT YES. OKAY. PASSES ALL MS. HOWARD HAS THE CONDITIONS. YOU READY? YES. CAN I JUST POINT OUT THAT IF YOU VOTE IT DOWN, IT DIES HERE, RIGHT? YEAH, I KNOW. OKAY. I MOVE THAT. WE GRANT THE REQUEST FOR THE TAX AMENDMENT FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS. IT NUMBER ONE IS CONSISTENT WITH THE GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND POLICIES OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS NOT IN CONFLICT WITH ANY PROVISION OF THIS DEVELOPMENT CODE, OR, OR THE CODE OF ORDINANCES IS NOT REQUIRED BY CHANGE CONDITIONS. DOES ADDRESS A DEMONSTRATED COMMUNITY NEED IS CONSISTENT WITH THE PURPOSE AND INTENT OF THE ZONES IN THIS DEVELOPMENT CODE, OR WOULD IMPROVE COMPATIBILITY AMONG USES AND ENSURE EFFICIENT DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE COUNTY WOULD RESULT IN A LOGICAL AND ORDERLY DEVELOPMENT PATTERN. WOULD NOT RESULT IN ADVERSE IMPACTS ON THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO WATER, AIR, NOISE, STORMWATER MANAGEMENT, WILDLIFE, VEGETATION, WETLANDS, AND THE NATURAL FUNCTIONING OF THE ENVIRONMENT. OKAY. UM, I HADN'T THOUGHT OF IT AS DEEPLY AS MR. LAWSON. HOWEVER, IF WE, I'M IN FAVOR OF MOVING IT FORWARD TO THE PUBLIC HEARING SO PEOPLE CAN OPINE ON IT. WE DON'T KNOW IF THEY WANT IT OR DON'T WANT IT BECAUSE AS MR. ALAMI SAID, WE HAVEN'T NOTIFIED ANYBODY. WELL, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE, SO, UM, ALRIGHT. ANY OTHER COMMENT? GO AHEAD. SAY, THIS IS GETTING TO THAT SAME CONVERSATION. PEOPLE BOUGHT A PIECE OF PROPERTY IN A DISTRICT. WE'RE ASKING TO CHANGE THE RULES INSIDE THAT DISTRICT TO ACCOMMODATE A PROPERTY OWNER. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW. WE'RE, AND THEN THAT'S, THAT'S THE STEPS WE'RE TAKING. WE WANNA CHANGE THE RULES ON A ZONING RIGHT NOW. JUST THROWING THAT OUT THERE. WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR YEARS. UH, MS. MS. VERNICK, I WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT THAT, UM, I THINK THERE IS A NEED FOR THIS IN THE AREA. UM, IN AGING POPULATION, WE HAVE MANY DEVELOPMENTS WITH THE AGING POPULATION. THIS WOULD, IF IT, IF IT WERE TO BECOME, UM, A FEDERAL CEMETERY LIKE IS BEING DISCUSSED, THAT WOULD PROVIDE, UM, A NEED FOR PEOPLE IN, IN ANOTHER PART OF THE COUNTY THAT, UM, I, I THINK IT'D BE HEAVILY USED. SO, AND THE NEIGHBORS WOULDN'T COMPLAIN. I WOULDN'T THINK ABOUT NOISE. SO ANYWAY, JUST SAYING . OKAY. BUT TO MR. CUNNINGHAM, I'M SORRY. TO MR. CUNNINGHAM'S POINT, UM, INSTEAD OF CHANGING EVERYTHING AND MR. LAWSON SAID THIS, YOU COULD JUST DO FOR THE PROPERTY ITSELF. SO I'M JUST WONDERING IF THAT'S SOMETHING I SAW THIS WAS PASSED BY PLANNING THE PLANNING COMMITTEE. PLANNING COMMISSION, YEAH. MM-HMM . IT WAS, IT WAS PASSED. YEAH. MM-HMM . OKAY. ANYBODY ELSE? ROLL CALL VOTE. MR. HOWARD. OKAY. ROLL CALL. VOTE PLEASE. CHAIR HOWARD? [01:15:01] YES. COUNCIL MEMBER GLOVER? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER RES? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER PASSMAN? THAT WAS A YES, WE THINK. OKAY. I DUNNO. SORRY. COULDN'T GET THE MUTE OFF. YES. THAT'S OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER MCGOWAN? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER LAWSON. MARK LAWSON? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER DAWSON? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER BROWN? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER BARTHOLOMEW? NO. VICE CHAIR TABER? YES. THE MOTION PASSES. SIX FIVE. I WOULD SUGGEST THOUGH, MR. MERCHANT, YOU KIND OF LOOK INTO, CAN IT JUST BE A REZONING FOR THAT PROPERTY INSTEAD OF A TEXT AMENDMENT? IS THAT FAIR TO SAY, GENTLEMEN? YES. ABSOLUTELY. IT PASSED. YEAH. WELL, IT'S GONNA GO TO SECOND READING. SO ALL OF THE AREAS REPRESENTATIVES VOTED NO ON IT. I UNDERSTAND. OKAY. ORDINANCE 2026 SLASH 52. THANK YOU, MR. MERCHANT. AN ORDINANCE TO REALLOCATE REMAINING AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT COM, COMMONLY CALLED ARPA FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,646,081 AND 17 CENTS TOWARDS EXISTING PROJECTS AS OBLIGATED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY. THIS WENT TO FINANCE COMMITTEE ON OCTOBER 19TH, AND THE VOTE WAS SEVEN TWO. CAN I HAVE A MOTION? I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION. OH, THANK YOU MR. CUNNINGHAM. A SECOND. I SECOND. OKAY, MR. LAWSON. SECOND. UH, MS. NOVAK, WOULD YOU SPEAK TO THIS PLEASE? SINCE IT IS FIRST READING AND I'D LIKE THE PUBLIC TO KNOW WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT. YES. THANK YOU. SO ARPA HAD SEVEN CATEGORIES OF PROJECT AVAILABLE PUBLIC HEALTH, UH, WHICH WE BUDGETED $11.4 MILLION AND HAVE SPENT ALL BUT ALMOST 800,000 OF IT ON PUBLIC HEALTH. UH, THE 800 THOUSANDS GOING ON THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMUNITY CENTER IN ST. HELENA AND SHELDON, WHICH WILL BE FINISHED NEXT MONTH. NEGATIVE ECONOMIC IMPACT FOR WHICH WE BUDGETED $2.3 MILLION. BUT WE'RE GOING TO ASK FOR AN ADDITIONAL 1.6 HERE, AND HAVE SPENT ALL BUT 317 OF THE ORIGINAL BUDGET IN THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT PUBLIC. HE, UM, PUBLIC HEALTH NEGATIVE ECONOMIC IMPACT FOR WHICH WE BUDGETED 616,000 FOR PUBLIC SAFETY RECRUITMENT INCENTIVES, WHICH IS FULLY SPENT. PREMIUM PAY FOR EMPLOYEES WORKING UNDER THE PANDEMIC WAS ABOUT $3 MILLION PAID DURING THE, UM, UP UNTIL THE END OF 2022. INFRASTRUCTURE FOR WHICH WE BUDGETED 6.7 MILLION, BUT WISH TO REDUCE, UM, THAT LATER WITHIN THIS, UM, AMENDMENT FOR WHICH WE HAVE SPENT, ALL OF THE REMAINING, UM, THE LOKO WATER LINE HAS BEEN FINISHED AND CAME IN WITH A COST SAVINGS OF 1.6 MILLION AND AN OUTSTANDING INVOICE OF 1 MILLION. REVENUE REPLACEMENT WAS SET BY ARPA REGULATIONS AT $10 MILLION FOR WHICH COUN COUNCIL HAS ASSIGNED SPECIFIC PROJECTS TO BE SPENT. THESE PROJECTS WILL BE EX FULLY EXPENDED BY DECEMBER 31ST, 2026. THE REMAINING PROJECTS ARE THE, UM, AIRPORT HANGERS AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND DETENTION CENTER. UM, AND THEN THE LAST CATEGORY WAS ADMINISTRATION, WHICH WAS LIMITED TO 10% OF THE ARPA FUNDING. IT WAS BUDGETED FOR ARPA CONSULTANT ADMINISTRATION OF, UM, ARPA, THE LOA SITE DEVELOPMENT, CYBERSECURITY, BUT MOSTLY GOOD NEIGHBOR AGREEMENTS IN ABOUT 2.5 MILLION FOR A TOTAL OF 3.7. ALL PROJECTS WITHIN ARPA HAVE BEEN DETERMINED TO BE ELIGIBLE. COST DETERMINED IN THE 2022 FINAL RULE PROJECTS WERE TO BE OBLIGATED BY DECEMBER 31ST, 2020, 2024, AND FULLY SPENT BY DECEMBER 31ST, 2026. PROJECTS WERE UNDER THE GUIDANCE AT THE, AT THE TIME FUNDS WERE OBLIGATED. WE HAD MULTIPLE DIFFERENT INTERIM FINAL RULE, INTERIM, FINAL RULE, FINAL RULE, AMENDED FINAL RULE. BEAUFORT COUNTY OBLIGATED THE FULL $37.3 MILLION OF FUNDS BY THE DECEMBER 31ST, 2024 DEADLINE. 29.8 MILLION HAVE BEEN AUDITED UNDER UNIFORM GUIDANCE IN THE ANNUAL REPORTS IN FISCAL YEAR 22, 23, 24, AND 25, 3 0.3 MILLION IN THE CUR IS CURRENTLY UNDER AUDIT FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 WITH AN ADDITIONAL 3.8 TO BE SPENT IN FISCAL YEAR 27. BY THE END OF DECEMBER 31ST, 2026, BEAUFORT JASPER WATER AND SEWER [01:20:01] AUTHORITY HAVE CONCLUDED THE LOKO WATER LINE PROJECT UNDER BUDGET FREEING UP $1.6 MILLION IN ARPA FUNDS THAT STAFF RECOMMEND USED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS. WHILE RECIPIENTS OF ARPA, UM, MAY NOT INCUR NEW OBLIGATIONS FOR THE USE OF STATE AND LOCAL FEDERAL RE, UM, FUNDS, FUNDS AFTER DECEMBER 31ST, 2024, RECIPIENTS MAY RECLASSIFY THESE FUNDS FROM A REPORTED ACTIVITY TO ANOTHER PROJECT THAT WOULD BE ELIGIBLE UNDER THE PROGRAM RULES, INCLUDING THE REQUIREMENTS THAT THE RECIPIENTS INCURRED AN OBLIGATION FOR THE PROJECT BY DECEMBER 31ST, 2024. REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THOSE PROJECTS WERE REPORTED TO THE TREASURY BY THE OBLIGATION DEADLINE, MULTIPLE STAFF HAVE REVIEWED THE PROJECTS THAT ARE IN PLACE AND WITHIN GUIDANCE AND DETERMINED THAT THE BEST USE OF THIS $1.6 MILLION IS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITH THE BEAUFORT JASPER HOUSING TRUST TO CREATE AND PRESERVE WORKFORCE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN BEAUFORT AND JASPER COUNTIES. UM, AND CLAUDE HICKS IS HERE FROM BEAUFORT, JASPER HOUSING. UH, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF HIM, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF ME? MR. BERT? YOU, UH, I DO HAVE A QUESTION. LOOKING OVER THE ORDINANCE, UH, I SEE WE INCORPORATED SOME FROM 2022. UM, I, AND I'M JUST GOING BACK IN MY HEAD, UH, I BELIEVE IT WAS 2026 SLASH 10 THAT DEDICATED THE LAST REMAINING FUNDS. I UNDERSTAND IT SEEMS LIKE THE LAKO SITE, YOU SAID, FREED UP SOME MONEY. UH, BUT WHERE DOES THAT 2026 SLASH 10, UH, THAT ALLOCATED 700 SOME THOUSAND COME INTO PLAY WITH THAT? YOU'RE TALKING PROJECT 20 20 16 OR THAT NO, IT WAS, IT WAS ORDINANCE 2026 SLASH 10, WHICH WE PUT FORTH, I BELIEVE BACK IN MAY. I WANNA SAY IT IS, SORRY, I'M PULLING FROM MEMORY HERE. THAT DEDICATED THE LAST REMAINING AONS OF ABOUT 700 AND SOME CHANGE. YEAH. AND SO IN YOUR ORDINANCE, BUDGET AMENDMENTS, THERE'S A WHOLE COLUMN OF ALL OF THE DIFFERENT AMENDMENTS THAT HAVE OCCURRED. AND I'VE BEEN GOING BACK AND TRYING TO FIND ALL OF THOSE AND REBUILD THAT. THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I WAS REFERENCING. I DON'T SEE IT IN THE ORDINANCE ITSELF. THAT'S, THAT'S BEFORE US TODAY. I SEE THE 2022 SLASH OH SIX AND THE 2022 SLASH 16. OKAY. BUT I DIDN'T SEE IT REFERENCED AND DIDN'T KNOW HOW THAT IMPACTED, UM, HOW THAT WORKED TOGETHER. 'CAUSE THAT, THAT BACK IN MAY WAS THE, THE LAST REMAINING ALLOCATION OF ARPA AND NOW THERE'S, NOW THERE'S MORE. SO, AND IT, AND IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S FROM THE LUKO SITE. I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT IMPACTING SOMETHING THAT'S ALREADY BEEN DEDICATED. YEAH. SO THAT ORDINANCE, UM, THERE WAS TWO PARTS. THERE WAS PART THAT WENT, I THINK IT WAS 567,000 ISH THAT WENT TO THE LOKO PROJECT. UH, AND THAT WAS BEFORE THEY BID IT OUT. AND THEN I THINK 150,000 WENT TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS WELL. THERE'S ANOTHER ORDINANCE THAT WE APPROPRIATED FUNDS, I THINK IT WAS, UH, IN BETWEEN THOSE AND NOW, AND THAT WAS, UM, SOME, SOME FUNDS THAT WERE FOR THE CROSS ISLAND PARKWAY FOR DUSKY ISLAND. THOSE GOT SHIFTED TO THE AIRPORT, UH, BEAUFORT EXECUTIVE FOR HANGAR THIS. SO WHAT HAPPENED IN THAT PREVIOUS ONE THAT YOU MENTIONED, THAT 5 67 ADDED TO THE ORIGINAL AMOUNT OF 3.6 MILLION THAT GOT US TO 4.2. THE BIDS CAME IN AROUND 2.5. AND SO NOW, UM, ALTHOUGH AT THE TIME WE THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO NEED MORE, THE ENGINEERED ESTIMATES WERE HIGHER, THE ACTUAL PRICES ARE LESS. AND SO NOW WE'RE BRINGING BACK THAT, THAT DELTA AND REALLOCATING IT TO ANOTHER PROJECT BEFORE THE DEADLINE. IN ORDER TO, TO MAKE SURE WE FULLY EXPAND THE ARPA AND MADAM VICE CHAIR, IF I MAY YEAH, GO AHEAD. THE BCO, UM, PROJECT, HAVE THEY, HAVE THEY STARTED YET? I MEAN, I, OH YEAH, IT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW. OKAY. THAT'S, I THOUGHT THEY INTEND TO HAVE IT COMPLETED BEFORE DECEMBER 31ST. DO WE KNOW IF ANY, IF WE PULL THIS AWAY, IS IT GONNA AFFECT ANY CHANGE ORDERS COMING FORWARD? SO INSIDE OF THE AMOUNT, UM, THAT WE'VE TALKED BACK AND FORTH WITH BEAUFORT JASPER, IT INCLUDED THE ORIGINAL DESIGN, THE ORIGINAL COST AND CONSTRUCTION AND CONTINGENCY. IT'S ABOUT, UM, 200, UH, THOUSAND 210,000 IN CONTINGENCY. THEY FEEL LIKE THAT'S A COMFORTABLE AMOUNT TO, TO, IF THERE'S ANY UNFORESEEN, UH, CHANGE ORDERS ON THE REST OF THE PROJECT. AND WHAT I'M JUST, WHAT IF WORST CASE SCENARIO, UH, WHAT IF IT GOES BEYOND, BEYOND THAT IS OR DON'T HAVE TO COME BACK TO US IS BE FOR JASPER? IT WOULD, IT WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK. THEY DON'T BE FOR, JASPER DOESN'T HAVE ANY FUNDS DEDICATED TO THE PROJECT. IT'S ALL BEAUFORT COUNTY ARPA FUNDS. UM, WHERE THEY ARE IN THE STATES OF THE PROJECT, AGAIN, RELYING ON THEIR EXPERTISE AND THEIR PROJECT MANAGEMENT, THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE. UM, SO THEY HAVE, AGAIN, $200,000 REMAINING FOR UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES. THANKS, DARREN. THANKS SANDY. ANYBODY ELSE? [01:25:01] QUESTION OR COMMENT? YEAH. OH, MR. DAWSON, UM, THIS, THIS, UH, WATERLINE THAT'S BEING, UH, PLACED ON MORGAN ROAD, THAT, THAT'S IN MY DISTRICT, AND THEY ARE, UM, I'D SAY MAYBE LESS THAN HALFWAY COMPLETED. UH, BUT THEY ARE, THEY ARE WORKING, UH, CONTINUOUSLY. UM, JARED, IF YOU WOULD, I NEED CLARIFICATION. AND I ASKED THESE QUESTIONS AT OUR LAST MEETING WHEN THIS ITEM CAME UP. UM, WE HAD, WE HAD TWO, UH, LINE ITEMS, THE OFFER FUND FOR A WATER LINE INTO THE, THE SITE AT THE, UH, LOCO, UH, SITE, WHICH IS KNOWN AS THE LOCO CHEMICAL PLANT. AND THEN WE HAD ALSO, UH, OPS FUND ALLOCATED FOR THE MORGAN LINE WATER ROAD, SO WE COULD, WE GOT TWO DIS TWO SEPARATE PROJECTS. AND SO THE FUNDS FOR THE WATERLINE IS BEING USED FOR MORGAN ROAD. AND YOU'RE, YOU'RE TELLING US, YOU ALL ARE TELLING US THAT THE, WHERE THE WATERLINE WAS SUPPOSED TO GO INTO THE, UH, PARK, THE LUKO SITE FOR THE PARK, UM, THESE FUNDS ARE BEING COMBINED AND THERE'S A COST SAVING THAT THE WATER LINE THAT'S GOING DOWN MORGAN ROAD IS ALSO GOING TO SPUR OFF AND GO INTO THE TWO PROPERTIES IN THE, IN THE LUKO SITE. UM, I'M NOT, SO HANK WAS RUNNING POINT ON THE PROJECTS COMPLETELY, UM, ON THIS PROJECT. UM, I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THE TWO WATERLINE PROJECTS, JUST THAT ORIGINALLY WE HAD $3.6 MILLION AND THERE WAS A ESTIMATE THAT THE PLAN PROJECT AT THE TIME, WHICH I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WAS DISCUSSION ON WHAT THE PLAN PROJECT ENTAILED, UM, WAS UNDER BUDGET. SO THAT'S WHY WE ALLOCATED 5 67 ADDITIONAL TO IT. WHAT'S IN THE PLANS TODAY AND IS BEING CONSTRUCTED IS SIMPLY THE MORGAN ROAD WATERLINE. IT HAS AUB OUT ON JOHN MEEKS ROAD UP TO THE, THE, THE LABO SITE THAT YOU'RE REFERENCING. BUT IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OR THE VALUE THAT THEY HAVE. I ASKED BEFORD JASPER ABOUT, UH, DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OR WHETHER THAT COULD BE ADDED BETWEEN NOW AND DECEMBER TH UH, 31ST TO COMPLETION AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE ENGINEERED AND CONSTRUCT PERMITTED AND CONSTRUCTED. SO THEY DIDN'T SEE THAT THAT WAS FEASIBLE WITH THE TIME CONSTRUCTIONS. OKAY. ALRIGHT. UM, FOR, FOR CONS, I WOULD SAY THAT, UM, THESE FUNDS WERE ALLOCATED TO, UH, PROJECTS IN MY DISTRICT. AND BEING THAT THERE'S A COST SAVING, I, UH, I WOULD MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE TAKE THESE FUNDS RATHER THAN ALLOCATED TO THE, UH, HOUSING TRUST. WE TAKE THESE FUNDS AND ALLOCATE IT TO EXTENDING, UH, WHAT IS CALLED THE NORTH BROAD, UH, NORTH BROAD BAND, UM, EXTENDED FROM GARDEN'S CORNER INTO THE SHELDON COMMUNITY AND THE BIGGEST STATE COMMUNITY AS FAR AS IT WOULD GO. THESE RESIDENTS ARE, UH, LACKING, UH, UH, UH, QUALITY, UH, UH, INTERNET SERVICE. AND WE COULD TAKE THESE FUNDS AND UPGRADE THE SERVICE THAT IS BEING THERE, UH, THERE SO THAT THE STUDENTS IN THESE SHELDON COMMUNITY AND THE BIG STATE COMMUNITY CAN ACTUALLY GO ONLINE AND, UM, UH, UH, ACTUALLY GET THEIR HOMEWORK DONE ONLINE, WHEREAS THEY'RE HAVING PROBLEMS DOING THAT RIGHT NOW. SO THESE FUNDS ARE IN MY DISTRICT ALLOCATED FOR MY DISTRICT, AND I WOULD MAKE THE MOTION THAT RATHER THAN US, UH, ALLOCATING THESE FUNDS THAT ARE LEFT OVER TO THE HOUSING TRUST, THAT WE INSTEAD ALLOCATED TO EXTENSION OF THE NORTH BAND, UH, NORTH BROADBAND PROJECT INTO THE SHELDON AND THE BIG STATE COMMUNITY. THAT'S MY MOTION. SO HE'S AMENDING THE ORDINANCE, AMENDING THE MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND? I'M GONNA SECOND THAT BECAUSE, UM, MR. UH, CARLTON DALLAS, WHO'S THE CHAIR OF THE SCHOOL BOARD CONTACTED ME ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO, AND THEY HAD A PROBLEM AT WHALE BRANCH. THEY HAD INTERNET SERVICE AT ONE PART OF THE SCHOOL, BUT NOT THE OTHER PART OF THE SCHOOL. AND I HAD HIM CONTACT SOUTHERN CAROLINA ALLIANCE AND, UM, AND JOEL BRAUN, WHO WAS PART OF HARRAY YEARS AGO. AND THEY GOT IT. THEY GOT THE PROBLEM RESOLVED. BUT I AGREE WITH MR. DAWSON, THIS, THIS NEEDS TO BE DONE. I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CHILDREN GOING TO SCHOOL AND NO INTERNET SUPPORT. YEAH. THEY, THEY WERE ABLE TO ACTUALLY HAVE A TOWER INSTALLED AT THE HIGH SCHOOL. SO THEY, THEY'VE, THEY'VE UPGRADED THE HIGH SCHOOL TO WHERE THE HIGH SCHOOL HAS, UH, SUFFICIENT INTERNET, BUT THE REST OF THE PART OF RURAL COMMUNITIES ARE STILL LACKING. MR. I'LL UNMUTE MS. HOWARD. MR. CUNNINGHAM, GO LOOKING AT THE, THE BROADBAND NORTH THAT YOU REFERENCED ON THE SPREADSHEET HERE, IT STILL HAS 367,000 AND [01:30:01] LITTLE BIT OVER THAT, UH, THAT HASN'T BEEN SPENT. UH, IS THAT ANTICIPATED TO BE SPENT? IT, IT HAS BEEN SPENT IT, OKAY. NOT, BUT NOT, IT'S NOT REFLECTED ON THIS. NOT BY NINE 30. OKAY. YEAH, I SEE THAT NINE 30. THAT'S WHY I WANNA MAKE SURE. BUT THAT, SO THAT'S BEEN SPENT. YES. AND IF WE WERE TO ALLOCATE THAT, UM, THAT PORTION, WHICH COMPANY WOULD BE RUNNING WITH IT? I AGREE, IF I MAY. WE DID, STAFF DID LOOK INTO THE POSSIBILITY OF BROADBAND, BUT, UH, FROM WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO TELL, WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO EXPEND FOR THIS OTHER PROJECT PRIOR TO THE END OF DECEMBER, WHICH IS WHY WE'VE RECOMMENDED THAT IT GO TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING. I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THE NEED, NOT DISCOUNTING THAT, BUT I DON'T, WE WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO SPEND THE MONEY BY DECEMBER 31ST AND ALLOCATE IT. SORRY. UM, I APPRECIATE YOUR REMARKS, COUNCILMAN DAWSON? UM, I DO THINK IN, IN THE RURAL AREAS, THERE'S A GREAT NEED FOR, UM, HOUSING REPAIRS SO THAT PEOPLE CAN STAY IN THE HOUSES THAT THEY, UM, LIVE IN, THEIR OWNER OCCUPIED. AND THIS MONEY, UM, HAS, WOULD GO PARTLY TOWARD THAT, TOWARD, UM, HOUSING LIKE THEY'VE DONE IN THE CITY OF BEAUFORT. IT'S DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BEAUFORT, JASPER, UH, HOUSING, UM, TRUST FUND. AND THAT'S, I THINK THIS WOULD BE A GOOD USE OF THAT, OF THAT FUNDING IN OUR, UM, AREAS WHERE WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO STAY IN THEIR HOMES AS LONG AS THEY CAN AND, AND HAVE 'EM REPAIRED. AND, UM, SO I, I THINK THAT'S A, A GOOD USE AND IT, IT, IT'LL WORK. SO MR. HAM, WAS THAT IN SUPPORT OF THE MOTION? SHE'S IN SUPPORT OF THE ORIGINAL ORDER. HOW MUCH IS THAT MONEY, IS THAT THE AMOUNT THAT'S PO PUBLISHED HERE ON THE, IN THE, IN THE AGENDA? YEAH, THE MILLION SIX. OKAY. AND HOW MUCH WOULD MR. DAWSON BE REQUESTING TO CONTINUE THE PROJECT HE WAS REFERRING TO? THAT'S UP TO MR. FREE BE THE OVERAGE, WHICH FROM COMING UNDER BUDGET OF THAT PROJECT, WHICH WAS 570 SOME THOUSAND, I THINK WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A COUPLE DIFFERENT THINGS. I THINK THE, THE MOTION IS TALKING ABOUT THE BROADBAND INTERNET TO EXPAND THAT, TAKE THE, THE SAVINGS FROM THE WATERLINE PROJECT AND PUT IT IN THE BROADBAND. I THINK TO MR. MOORE'S POINT, OUR CONVERSATION, IF THAT'S THE DECISION WOULD BE TO REACH OUT TO HARRAY AND SEE IF THEY HAVE THE CAPABILITY, UM, TO EXPEND THAT FUNDING BEFORE, UM, THE DEADLINE OF DECEMBER 31ST. I'M NOT SURE IF THEY HAVE A PROJECT READY TO GO TO MEET THAT DEADLINE OR IF THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO OR NOT. SO I MEAN, THAT'S DEFINITELY A QUESTION WE CAN ASK AND BRING BACK AND HAVE READY BEFORE THIRD READING. UM, BUT WE ARE AT, SO WHERE WE ARE, UM, THIS IS FIRST READING, SO WE HAVE TONIGHT, AND THEN WE HAVE ONE MEETING IN COUNCIL IN NOVEMBER, AND THEN ONE MEETING IN DECEMBER. UNLESS THERE'S A SPECIAL CALLED COUNCIL MEETING, IT'S ON A PATH THAT, UM, WE HAVE TO HAVE THOSE MEETINGS IN ORDER TO GET THE ORDINANCE IN ORDER TO WRITE THE CHECK OR WHATEVER WE DO TO EXPEND THE FUNDS. SO, UM, WE COULD HAVE THAT INFORMATION AND COME BACK BEFORE A SECOND READING TO SEE WHAT AVAILABILITY THEY WOULD HAVE TO EXPEND WHAT AMOUNT OF FUNDS PRIOR TO END OF THE YEAR. I'M TRYING, SORRY, GO AHEAD. MR. CUNNINGHAM WAS SPEAKING. WELL, I, I, I HAVEN'T, NO, ACTUALLY FINISHED. HE WAS FIRST. YEAH, YOU KIND OF SUPERSEDE HIM. I CALLED HIM CUNNINGHAM. GO CUNNINGHAM. THAT'S YOUR THOUGHT. GO AHEAD. LET'S JUST GET GOING. QUESTION THAT I WAS TRYING TO FIND OUT IS HOW MUCH MONEY WOULD NOT GO TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, TO THE BUFORT JASPER HOUSING TRUST FUND? IF, IF MR. DAWSON'S REQUEST WAS GRANTED, HOW WOULD THIS WORK OUT? WHAT WOULD NOT GO TO THE AFFORD TO THE, FOR WE USE THE 1.6 THAT'S AVAILABLE AND THEN WE'D ASK HARRE, UM, I KNOW THAT'S NOT THEIR NAME ANYMORE. SPARK LIGHT. UM, HOW MUCH COULD THEY EXPEND BEFORE DECEMBER IF THEY SAY A HUNDRED THOUSAND OR IF THEY SAY 300,000 OR WHATEVER AMOUNT THEY WOULD SAY. AND THEN THAT WOULD BE POTENTIALLY SPLIT THAT PORTION TO BROADBAND AND THE OTHER PORTION TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THE GOAL IS JUST TO MAKE SURE IT GETS EXPENDED AND THE, THE CONSTRAINT THAT WE HAVE IS THE TIMELINE, WHEREVER IT GOES, CAN THAT VALUE $1.6 MILLION? GET IT SPENDED BETWEEN, SO THE POSSIBILITY WOULD BE THAT MAYBE HALF THE MONEY WOULD GO TO THE PROJECT FOR THE INTERNET AND MAYBE THE OTHER HALF WOULD GO TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING. IF THIS IS, IF THIS IS VOTED, IF THIS IS VOTED YES, BUT WE WON'T KNOW THAT, UH, FOR SOME TIME. OKAY. ALRIGHT. MR. CUNNINGHAM, THEN MR. DAWSON WAS READY TO, YEAH, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY WHAT MICHAEL MORRIS SAID. UM, IT, WE HAVE TO EXPEND THE FUNDS BY THE 31ST. SO I'M NOT SAYING IT'S NOT A GOOD IDEA FOR THE PROJECT. IT IS, I HAVE NO IFS ABOUT THAT. AND I'M FINE WITH THE DIRECTION IF SPARK LIGHT SAYS THEY CAN SPEND IT. UM, [01:35:01] BUT LET'S SAY THEY DON'T, LET'S SAY WE MOVE THIS FORWARD AND 'CAUSE THEY COME BACK AND SAY, WE, WE CAN'T EXPEND THESE FUNDS FOR THE PROJECT. WE KNOW WE HAVE TO PUT THEM SOMEWHERE. WE LOSE THEM. BASICALLY THEY GO BACK TO THE FEDS. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT HE'S TALKED ABOUT THIS FOR YEARS, GETTING MORE OUT THERE. SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT DONE IN OUR WORKSHOP WHEN WE COME UP FOR OUR BUDGET SEASON NEXT YEAR, TO SEE IF WE CAN START ADDING FUNDS INTO THAT POT TO GET THAT BALL ROLLING SO WE CAN START GETTING SOME PARTNERS, BECAUSE HE'S BEEN KNOCKING ON THE DOOR FOR YEARS AND WE MADE A DENT, BUT WE'D LIKE TO SEE IT GET FINISHED. SO IF THIS DOESN'T WORK AND WE HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH, WITH SPARK LIGHT AND THEY SAY, NO, WE CAN'T, OKAY, COOL, LET'S MOVE FORWARD. BUT I DON'T WANT THAT CONVERSATION TO DIE HERE TONIGHT OR THE NEXT READING, JUST BECAUSE WE CAN'T DO IT BY ARPA. THERE'S OTHER WAYS WE CAN FIND THOSE FUNDS. SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT PUSH FORWARD AT SOME POINT. ALRIGHT. MR. DAWSON, YOU HAD YOUR HAND RAISED. NO, IT'S OKAY. MR. DOEY? NO, I'M GOOD. I'M GOOD. OKAY. JUST MR. BE REAL QUICK QUESTION ON IT. UM, THE, THE GOOD NEIGHBOR, UM, LINE ITEM, IF WE WRITE A CHECK TO A, TO THE, UM, MUNICIPAL PARTNERS, DOES THAT, IS THAT CONSIDERED AN EXPENDITURE? IS THAT DONE IF WE CUT A, A GOOD NEIGHBOR CHECK, I BELIEVE THE GOOD NEIGHBOR, IS THAT A, UH, DOES THAT QUALIFY? I SEE TWO, I SEE 2.5 MILLION MILLION HERE, BUT CAN WE HAVE AN ADDITIONAL GOOD NEIGHBOR AGREEMENT? SO THAT WAS OUT OF OUR ADMINISTRATIVE BUDGET. ADMINISTRATIVE BUDGET WAS 10% OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT, AND THAT HAS BEEN FULLY SPENT. THAT CATEGORY, THAT'S WHY WE SUMMED IT UP BY CATEGORIES. AND IF I CAN SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE INTERNET, BECAUSE THAT WAS THE FIRST THING THAT WE WENT TO IS INTERNET, AND THERE'S BEEN SUCH A PUSH FOR RURAL INTERNET THAT IT'S BEEN KIND OF LIKE THE MONEY WAS RUNNING AT THEM FASTER THAN THEY CAN PLAN PROJECTS AND WE, IT DID NOT LOOK LIKE THEY WERE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET A PROJECT. MR. LAWSON, GO AHEAD. THE ONLY THAT I'VE, I'VE GOT WHEN I LOOK AT THIS IS I THINK, UM, MR. BARTOLOM, YOU HAD MENTIONED THE ARPA FUNDS THAT WE MOVED BACK IN MAY, AND I THINK AT THAT MEETING WE SAID, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE NEED TO WORRY ABOUT TO MOVE? AND WE WERE REASSURED THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING OR ELSE WE COULD HAVE HAD TIME THEN TO DO WHAT MR. DAWSON'S ASKING FOR. SO THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT'S A DISAPPOINTMENT IS THAT HERE WE ARE TRYING TO, AND AGAIN, I I OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE THREE READINGS, WE GOTTA PASS THIS TO BE ABLE TO NOT JUST BLOW THE MONEY AND, AND GIVE IT BACK TO THE GOVERNMENT. UM, SO AGAIN, THAT'S THE DISAPPOINTMENT IN ALL THIS IS THAT, UM, WE ASKED THOSE QUESTIONS AND WE GOT THE ANSWERS THAT WE DID, AND HERE WE ARE NOW, UM, WITH THE SAME SITUATION, UM, YOU KNOW, NOT HAVING THE MONIES TO WHERE WE NEED TO, WE'RE, WE'RE RUNNING AROUND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, UM, HOW, WHAT, WHERE WE CAN PUT IT TO MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T GO BACK TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. SO THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT, THAT I'VE GOT. AND AGAIN, I, I SUPPORT LOGAN SAID I, I WOULD LOOK AT OTHER WAYS WE CAN GET MONEY TO MR. DAWSON'S AREA. AND AGAIN, IF WE JUST WOULD'VE LOOKED AT THIS SIX MONTHS AGO AND NINE MONTHS AGO, WE, WE WOULD'VE BEEN ABLE TO, TO DO IT. IS ANYBODY THAT HASN'T SPOKEN CARE TO SPEAK BEFORE I GO TO SECOND ONE? I, I WOULD ONLY SAY SIX MONTHS, NINE MONTHS AGO, WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT WE WERE GONNA HAVE, UH, LEFTOVERS. THAT'S RIGHT. YEAH. SO NOW THAT WE DO HAVE IT, I'M JUST ADVOCATING FOR MY CONSTITUENTS. YEAH, UNDERSTOOD. OKAY. GO AHEAD. IT'S, I WOULD, TO HIS POINT, WE, WE HAD NO IDEA THAT THE BIDS WOULD COME IN LIKE THEY DID FOR THE WATERLINE. IT'S, UM, WE JUST NEED TO USE THESE FUNDS AS EXPEDIENTLY AS WE CAN ANYONE ELSE OF OUR MONEY. THE MOTION MOTION'S ON THE FLOOR? YEAH. ANYONE ELSE CARE TO SPEAK ON THE MOTION? THIS IS THE MOTION TO PUT IT TOWARD BROADBAND. IT'S THE AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION. IT'S THE ENTIRE AMOUNT, RIGHT? HUH? THE ENTIRE AMOUNT, CORRECT. TOWARD BROADBAND. YEAH. ALRIGHT, SO WE'RE VOTING ON THE AMENDMENT TO THE ORDINANCE. LET'S DO A ROLL CALL. PLEASE MAKE SURE THEY IT'S CORRECT. COUNCIL MEMBER DAWSON? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER BROWN? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER REEDS? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER PASSMAN? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER MCGILLEN? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER LAWSON. MARK LAWSON? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER GLOVER? UH, YES. COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER BARTHOLOMEW? YES. VICE CHAIR. TABER? NO. CHAIR HOWARD? NO. THE MOTION FAILS. OKAY. SO NOW WE'RE VOTING ON THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE. YES. MR. CU CAN WE STILL HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH HIM? BECAUSE THINGS CAN BE CHANGED IN THE SECOND READING STILL. SO IF WE DO GET AN ANSWER OF AT LEAST AT A DOLLAR AMOUNT, THEN WHEN, UH, MR. DOLLS WANTS TO PUT THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR, AGAIN, IT COULD BE AN EXACT FIGURE. THAT WAY WE KNOW WHAT WE CAN MATCH WHAT SPARK LIGHT CAN DO WITH IT. SO YOU'LL BE ABLE TO BRING THAT TO THE NEXT. OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THE ORIGINAL [15.b.2026/52: An Ordinance to reallocate remaining American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds in the amount of $1,646,081.17 towards existing projects as obligated to the Department of Treasury. The vote at Finance, Administration, Economic Development Committee on October 19, 2026 - 7:2] ORDINANCE NOW IS ON THE FLOOR 2026 SLASH 52. IT'S BEEN MOTIONED AND SECONDED. AND SO ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON [01:40:01] THE ORIGINAL MOTION? ALL RIGHT, LET'S DO A ROLL CALL ON THIS ONE, PLEASE. COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER LAWSON? YES. MARK LAWSON? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER REEDS? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER PASSMAN? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER MCALLEN? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER GLOVER? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER DAWSON? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER BROWN? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER BARTHOLOMEW? NO. VICE CHAIR TABER? YES. CHAIR HOWARD? YES. THE MOTION PASSES. A THREE. THANK YOU EVERYONE. THANK YOU MR. F. MS. NOVAK. THE NEXT ONE [15.c.2026/53: An Ordinance to require County Attorney to report directly to County Council. ] IS 2026 SLASH 53. I BELIEVE THIS WILL BE AN ORDINANCE BY TITLE ONLY, SINCE I HAVEN'T SEEN THE ORDINANCE TO REQUIRE COUNTY ATTORNEY TO REPORT DIRECTLY TO COUNTY COUNSEL. CAN I HAVE A MOTION? I'D LIKE TO MAKE THAT MOTION. THANK YOU MR. MCWELL. SECOND. THAT MOTION AND MR. CUNNINGHAM SECOND. AND IT'S ON YOU. GO AHEAD. THIS IS THE MOTION. UH, FIRST READING BY TITLE ONLY. I MOVE TO APPROVE THE FIRST READING OF AN ARTICLE, UM, FOUR OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF BEAUFORT COUNTY SOUTH CAROLINA TO DEFINE THE REPORTING STRUCTURE DUTIES AND MANDATORY LEGAL REPORTING REQUIREMENTS OF THE COUNTY ATTORNEY TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNSEL WITH THE INTENT THAT THE ENTIRE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, INCLUDING THE DEPARTMENT AND ALL POSITIONS AND FUNCTIONS WITHIN IT, BE TRANSFERRED FROM THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE TO THE AUTHORITY AND OVERSIGHT OF BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL. AND DURING THE DISCUSSION, I'LL HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL COMMENTS. OKAY. WHILE WE'RE ON DISCUSSION. SO GO AHEAD. YOU START, YOU MAKE A MOTION. THANK YOU. MODIFYING THE REPORTING DYNAMIC OF THE COUNTY ATTORNEY WITHIN A SOUTH CAROLINA COUNCIL ADMINISTRATOR STRUCTURE REQUIRES NAVIGATING THE SOUTH CAROLINA HOME RULE ACT UNDER SOUTH CAROLINA CODE. THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR GENERALLY DIRECTS AND SUPERVISORS ALL COUNTY DEPARTMENTS. HOWEVER, AS THE COUNTY ATTORNEY OWES THEIR ETHICAL FIDUCIARY AND LEGAL ALLEGIANCE STRICTLY TO THE ENTITY OF BEAUFORT COUNTY AS REPRESENTED BY ITS ULTIMATE GOVERNING BODY, THE COUNTY COUNCIL, MANY SOUTH CAROLINA COUNTIES ESTABLISH A DUAL OR A DIRECT REPORTING LINE FOR LEGAL MATTERS TO ENSURE OBJECTIVE LEGAL GUIDANCE, GUIDANCE ON EXECUTIVE AFFAIRS. IN FACT, IN SOUTH CAROLINA, 29 OF THE 46 COUNTIES IN SOUTH CAROLINA HAVE THE COUNTY ATTORNEY REPORTING TO COUNTY COUNSEL THE SPECIFIC LEGISLATIVE LANGUAGE. UH, THAT WOULD CREATE A FORMAL FRAMEWORK ESTABLISHING DIRECT LEGAL ACCOUNTABILITY, ROUTINE REPORTING MECHANISMS, AND STRICT ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE BOUNDARIES BETWEEN THE COUNTY ATTORNEY AND THE COUNTY COUNSEL WILL BE DEVELOPED BY SECOND READING, UH, THIS ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER TWO, ARTICLE FOUR OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF BEAUFORT COUNTY TO DEFINE THE REPORTING STRUCTURE, THE DUTIES AND MANDATORY LEGAL REPORTING REQUIREMENTS OF THE COUNTY ATTORNEY TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNSEL AND PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE WOULD BE DEFINED BY LANGUAGE WERE MADE IN COOPERATION WITH THE BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNSEL, ATTOR, UH, ATTORNEY, UH, AND BE PROVIDED, UH, FOR DISCUSSION, REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION AT SECOND READING. ALRIGHT. COMMENT QUESTION FROM ANYONE ELSE? NOBODY. NO. OKAY. MR. GLOVER, YOU'RE GETTING READY TO SAY SOMETHING? I SAW YOU MOVING YOUR MIC. YEAH, I, UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF, ONE OF THE PROBLEMS, UM, HAS ALWAYS BEEN WHO, WHO'S ON FIRST AND WHO'S ON SECOND. AND, UM, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE COUNTY ATTORNEY, UM, YOU HAVE THE COUNTY COUNSEL BODY, THEN YOU HAVE THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR WHO HAVE ALSO A NEED FOR LEGAL, UH, REPRESENTATION. I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY REPORTING TO COUNTY COUNCIL. WE NEVER HAD THAT. AND I THOUGHT THAT WHEN WE HIRED OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY, THAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF THAT. SO WE COULD DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE TWO. UM, BUT WHETHER THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE ATTORNEY REPORTS TO COUNTY COUNCIL, I THINK THERE'S, THERE'S A DIVISION. I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE MORE DISCUSSION. WE GET INTO A FINAL ORDINANCE ON THIS AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT BECAUSE I'M STILL BAFFLING. UM, I THINK THEY SHOULD BE SEPARATE. UM, SO [01:45:01] I'M GONNA SUPPORT THE MOTION FOR DISCUSSION LATER ON AND AS, AS WE DEFINE THIS, BUT I'M NOT TOTALLY ON ONE. UM, COUNTY ATTORNEY REPORTING DIRECTLY TO COUNTY COUNSEL AND NOT TO THE ADMINISTRATION. I THINK WE NEED TO KEEP 'EM SEPARATE. WE NEED TO HAVE TWO. AS FROM WHAT COUNSEL MCKELLEN READ, IT SOUNDS LIKE ALL OF THE, UH, ATTORNEY FUNCTIONS WOULD BE UNDER COUNTY COUNSEL, INCLUDING ANY FUNCTIONS SUCH AS REAL ESTATE ACTIONS THAT WE GET INVOLVED IN. WE BEING THE COUNTY, NOT COUNTY COUNSEL, UM, FUNCTIONS SUCH AS, UM, ANIMAL ANIMAL REGULATIONS. UH, IT SOUNDS LIKE ALL OF THAT WOULD COME UNDER, UM, COUNTY COUNCIL INSTEAD OF THE ADMINISTRATOR, WHICH I'M, I'M GONNA VOTE NO NOW BECAUSE I'D, I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE MORE DETAILS ON WHAT THE ORDINANCE IS BECAUSE SOME OF THOSE FUNCTIONS, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO REACH OUT TO SOMEONE IN THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT IMMEDIATELY INSTEAD OF GOING THROUGH COUNTY COUNSEL. I, WELL, OKAY. ALRIGHT MR. I THINK THAT WOULD ALL BE, I THINK THAT WOULD ALL BE, UM, VERY EVIDENT AT THE SECOND READING WHEN THE LANGUAGE IS DEVELOPED. BUT I CAN SAY THAT THE COUNTY ATTORNEY REPORTING COUNTY COUNSEL IS NOT THEN ABSOLVED OF, OF PROVIDING LEGAL ADVICE TO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. HE JUST DOESN'T REPORT TO HIM AS AN EMPLOYEE. HE REPORTS TO COUNTY COUNCIL. I DON'T KNOW WHY WE'RE DOING THIS NOW. THE VERY END OF THE YEAR. WE ONLY HAVE TWO MORE MEETINGS LEFT. AND THIS, THIS ONE I THINK WE SHOULD, I'M GONNA VOTE NO ON THIS BECAUSE I WANT, I THINK THE NEW COUNCIL COMING IN, THEY SHOULD, UM, THEY SHOULD DECIDE. DECIDE NOT US. ALRIGHT, MR. CUNNINGHAM. UM, ACTUALLY HIS HAND WAS UP BEFORE MINE. NO, I HEADS WALKING IT. NO, HE WAS RIGHT AFTER YOU. I DISAGREE A HUNDRED PERCENT WITH WHAT MS. BROWN JUST SAID. TO BE HONEST, IF THAT'S THE CASE AND WE SHOULD JUST CANCEL ALL MEETINGS WHEN AN ELECTION COMES UP, WE ARE STILL EQUIPPED TO DO THIS JOB ALL THE WAY THROUGH DECEMBER. THAT WAS OUR TERM. SO JUST 'CAUSE WE HAVE A NEW COUNCIL COMING IN THAT'S NOT BINDING, THEY CAN CHANGE IT WHENEVER THEY WANT TO COME UP THERE. WHENEVER THEY COME BACK, THEY CAN MAKE WHATEVER MOTION THEY WANT TO CHANGE IT, BUT OUR JOB IS TO STILL DO OUR JOB. NOW IF THAT WAS THE CASE, WE SHOULD HAVE JUST AFTER OUR PRIMARIES ARE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS ARE DONE, WE SHOULD JUST SHUT DOWN COUNTY OPERATIONS. THAT'S NOT WHAT I WAS SAYING, MR. CUNNINGHAM. WELL, YOU'RE SAYING WE SHOULDN'T MAKE A VOTE BECAUSE THE FUTURE COUNCIL COULD, I JUST WENT QUOTE BY QUOTE WITH WHAT YOU SAID. I'M GONNA STAND BY THAT. SO I BELIEVE WE SHOULD STILL TAKE ACTIONS. THAT IS OUR JOB. THAT IS THE DUTY THAT WE TOOK WHEN WE SWORN IN HERE ON THESE FLOORS AND WE NEED TO FOLLOW IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH. ALRIGHT, MR. JOHNSON, I'M, I'M GOING TO VOTE AGAINST THIS. I CLEARLY BELIEVE THAT THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR WOULD BE, UH, UM, MORE, UH, SHORTCHANGED NOT HAVING THE COUNTY, UH, NOT HAVING THE ATTORNEY REPORT TO HIM, UH, FIRST BEFORE THE INFORMATION IS, UH, SHARED WITH THE COUNCIL. UM, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK WE'D BE DOING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE JUSTICE. AND SO I'M, I'M GOING TO VOTE, I'M GONNA VOTE AGAINST US. ALRIGHT. DOWN THIS END, MR. LAWSON. UM, I'M GONNA VOTE FOR IT. AND I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, I LOOK BACK AT THE, THE PAST FOUR YEARS, UM, AND WHAT WE'VE, WHAT WE'VE UM, UM, KIND OF NOT SAY BEEN THROUGH, BUT, BUT JUST HAVING THE, THE KNOWLEDGE AND THE, THE SEEING WHAT COULD MAKE OUR COUNCIL BETTER, UM, WHAT COULD DO US BETTER TO HAVE MORE INFORMATION, UM, IS, IS AGAIN, AND HE STILL REPRESENTS THE COUNTY. HE'S STILL GONNA REPRESENT THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. SO THERE'S NO DIFFERENCE THERE. IT'S JUST THE REPORTING MECHANISM IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. AND AGAIN, AS MR. MCKELLAN SAID, THAT WE'LL FIGURE OUT THAT THE, THE, THE DETAILS OF IT BECAUSE AGAIN, YOU HAVE 29 OF 48 COUNTIES, UM, THAT ARE CURRENT 46, 29, 6 46. YEAH. UH, 46 COUNTIES THAT ARE ALREADY USING IT. SO OBVIOUSLY IT'S WORKING SOMEPLACE ELSE. AND AGAIN, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS MY EIGHTH YEAR ON COUNCIL. I THINK THAT, UM, IF IF THAT'VE BEEN THE CASE BEFORE THIS, I THINK IT WOULD'VE HELPED US OUT QUITE A BIT ALONG THE WAY WITH WHAT WE KNOW NOW. OKAY. I'M DONE ON THIS END. ANYBODY? ALRIGHT, BACK TO THIS END. ANYBODY? YEAH, JUST LET ME SAY THAT AS I SAID IN THE INTRODUCTION, MANY UH, SOUTH CAROLINA COUNTIES ESTABLISH A DUAL OR A DIRECT REPORTING LINE FOR LEGAL MATTERS TO ENSURE OBJECTIVE LEGAL GUIDANCE UNDER THE DUAL REPORTING STRUCTURE FOR DAY-TO-DAY ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL MATTERS, OFFICE BUDGETING AND OPERATIONAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT. THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY ATTORNEY SHALL COORDINATE WITH THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR ALL SUBSTANTIVE LEGAL ADVICE, LITIGATION STRATEGIES, CONTRACTUAL LIABILITIES, AND STATUTORY INTERPRETATIONS. THE COUNTY ATTORNEY SHALL REPORT DIRECTLY TO BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNSEL. SO THE PLAN WOULD BE WHEN THE LANGUAGE IS DEVELOPED TO HAVE THAT DUAL REPORTING [01:50:01] STRUCTURE SO THAT THE COUNTY ATTORNEY WAS AVAILABLE TO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO ASSIST HIM WITH THE DAILY ACTIVITIES THEY ENGAGE IN ON THE EXECUTIVE SIDE OF THE HOUSE. AND WHAT I THINK IS WHEN THE LANGUAGE IS DEVELOPED, AS MR. MCGOWAN SAID, WE ALL HAVE A CHANCE TO READ IT. ALSO, WOULD YOU PASS YOUR NOTES ON TO ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS VIA EMAIL? SO, I MEAN, NO ONE HAD A CHANCE TO SEE THIS BEFOREHAND, SO I UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCES, BUT I THINK ONCE WE SEE THAT, HAVE TIME TO DIGEST IT. UM, IF IT PASSES FIRST READING, THEN WE WOULD DISCUSS AGAIN. ALRIGHT. ANYBODY ELSE? A SECOND COMMENT, MR. DAWSON? YOU GOT THE LOOK. I GONNA SAY SAY IT. GO AHEAD. THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR HIRES HIS ATTORNEY, RIGHT? HE DID. OKAY. WELL, AND, AND THE PAST, UH, ADMINISTRATION, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS HIRED THEIR ATTORNEYS AND THEIR ATTORNEYS REPORT TO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND THEN, THEN THE INFORMATION COMES DOWN TO US FOR US NOW TO DISMANTLE THAT AND HAVE AND REVERSE IT AND HAVE THE COUNTY, UH, THE COUNTY ATTORNEY REPORT TO US FIRST AND THEN THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AFTERWARDS. I I, I DON'T SEE US FUNCTIONING LIKE THAT. ALRIGHT. ANYBODY ELSE ON THIS END OF SECOND COMMENT? WHAT I DON'T WANNA SEE IS AN EXPANSION OF GOVERNMENT, MEANING THEN THE ADMINISTRATOR SAYS, WELL, I'M JUST GONNA HIRE SOME MORE ATTORNEYS. I DON'T WANT TO SEE ANY EXPANSION OF WELL, I'M JUST PUTTING THAT OUT THERE. THEY CAN'T, THEY CAN'T DO THAT UNDER THIS. WELL, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR CAN'T HIRE ANY ATTORNEYS. ALL THE LEGAL DEPARTMENTS ARE UNDER REPORTING COUNTY COUNSEL. I, I UNDERSTAND THAT. ALL RIGHT. EVERYBODY ELSE SECOND COMMENTS? ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA DO A ROLL CALL, PLEASE. OH, I'M SORRY MR. PASSMAN, I FORGOT ABOUT YOU. NO, I'M GOOD. SORRY. OKAY. I KEEP FORGETTING YOU'RE UP THERE LIKE GOD. ALL RIGHT. UM, CAN WE DO A ROLL CALL PLEASE? MS. BROCK? COUNCIL MEMBER MCALLEN? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER REEDS? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER PASSIT? 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? YES. CHAIR HOWARD? NO, THE MOTION PASSES. EIGHT THREE. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. AND MR. MCCOMB, WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO THAT INFORMATION. THANK YOU FOR DOING THE RESEARCH ON IT. AND THANK MRS. BROCK FOR DOING SOME OF THE RESEARCH TOO. NOT, NOT THIS ONE. SORRY. . OKAY, THAT'S, UH, ALL RIGHT. NOW WE'RE GOING TO 2026 [15.d.2026/54: An Ordinance authorizing the execution and delivery of an agreement governing a new multi-county park by and between Beaufort County, South Carolina and Jasper County, South Carolina; authorizing the inclusion of certain property located in Beaufort County in the multi-county park; providing for the distribution of multi-county park revenues; authorizing the execution of an intergovernmental agreement with the town of Port Royal; amending a prior master park agreement to remove certain property located within the corporate limits of the town of Port Royal; and other related matters. The vot] SLASH 54. BEAR WITH ME. IT'S A LONG ONE IN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF AN AGREEMENT GOVERNING A NEW MULTI-COUNTY PARK BY AND BETWEEN BEAUFORT COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA AND JASPER COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA, AUTHORIZING THE INCLUSION OF CERTAIN PROPERTY LOCATED IN BEAUFORT COUNTY IN THE MULTI-COUNTY PARK PROVIDING FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF MULTI-COUNTY PARK REVENUES, AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT WITH THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL, AMENDING A PRIOR MASTER PARK AGREEMENT TO REMOVE CERTAIN PROPERTY LOCATED WITHIN THE CORPORATE LIMITS OF THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL AND OTHER RELATED MATTERS. THIS WENT TO FINANCE AND IT WAS A SIX THREE VOTE. I'D LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION. MADAM CHAIR. MS. HOWARD MAKES THE MOTION. I SECOND MR. BARMY MAKES THE SECOND WE HAVE, UM, MR. FLYNN, WHO'S BOND COUNSEL FOR PORT ROYAL, AND WE HAVE MAYOR PHILLIPS. THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK Y'ALL. I APPRECIATE THAT. UM, I HAVE SOME SLIDE INFORMATION. IT'S THE SAME INFORMATION THAT Y'ALL SAW BACK IN MAY. I DON'T THINK THERE'S A PARTICULAR REASON TO GO THROUGH THAT SLIDE DECK AGAIN, UNLESS ANYONE JUST WANTS TO HEAR IT. I WILL SAY TO MS. BROWN'S POINT, BY THE WAY, I'M THE BARNWELL COUNTY ATTORNEY, ACTUALLY, UH, AND THEY HAVE A LOT OF REALLY GREAT MENNONITE DELIS. SO JUST, JUST FOR, JUST FOOD FOR THOUGHT. UM, AS FAR AS, UH, THE NEXT STEPS ON THIS, UH, I BELIEVE THE MAYOR PRESENTED IN FRONT OF YOUR FINANCE COMMITTEE, UH, REQUESTING THE AUTHORIZATION FOR A MULTI-COUNTY BUSINESS PARK. JUST AS A REALLY, REALLY HIGH LEVEL, UH, REVIEW OF THAT CONCEPT. UH, THERE ARE CERTAIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORIZATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN GRANTED TO COUNTY COUNCILS BY STATE LAW. THE PURPOSE FOR DOING SO IS LARGELY DEVELOPED AROUND CREATING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES, UH, FOR INDUSTRIAL AND NOW COMMERCIAL, UM, REDEVELOPMENT IN IN COMMUNITIES. THE COUNTY HAS DONE A NUMBER OF THOSE, AND BY STATE LAW, YOU ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE A MULTI-COUNTY PARK, WHICH MEANS YOU HAVE TO HAVE A SISTER COUNTY, JASPER COUNTY BEING, UH, THE ENTITY THAT HAS HISTORICALLY SERVED THAT FUNCTION, UH, WITH BEAUFORT COUNTY. UH, AND THAT WOULD BE THE REQUEST HERE AS WELL. UH, AND THEY'RE AWARE OF THE REQUEST THAT IS ALSO BEING MADE FOR, FOR PURPOSES OF, UH, GIVING THEIR ORDINANCE, UH, APPROPRIATE READINGS, UH, DETERMINATE WITH Y'ALL'S APPROVALS THROUGH DECEMBER. BY DOING SO, THE AUTHORIZATION PUTS CERTAIN IDENTIFIED PROPERTIES, WHICH WE'VE [01:55:01] TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, UH, ARE THE AREAS IN THE PORT OF PORT ROYAL. UH, BASICALLY THE WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT THAT WE KNOW IS THE SAFE HARBOR DEVELOPMENT WHERE THE DOCKS, UH, ARE, ARE BEING DEVELOPED. AND THEN THERE'S SOME UPLAND ACREAGE FOR, UH, RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT. THE TOWN'S KIND OF MAIN PLAN. AND IT'S BEEN THIS WAY SINCE THE PROPERTY WAS ORIGINALLY SOLICITED FOR, UH, SALE BACK IN 2004. YEAH, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR A REALLY, REALLY LONG TIME. UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S GONE THROUGH A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT ITERATIONS OF REQUESTS FOR SALES, UH, AND IT WAS EVENTUALLY, UH, PUT UP FOR, FOR SALE BACK AS FAR BACK AS 2009. THIS COUNTY COUNCIL ACTUALLY PUT THIS PROPERTY INTO A MULTI-COUNTY PARK AT THAT TIME, AND UNDER AN ORDINANCE FROM 2009 STATED THAT WE WERE GONNA COME BACK AND NEGOTIATE THE TERMS OF AN INTERGOVERNMENT AGREEMENT BY WHICH THE COUNTY AND PORT ROYAL WOULD NEGOTIATE HOW YOU WOULD PARTICIPATE ON THAT ARRANGEMENT GOING FORWARD IN LIEU OF GOING THROUGH THE FORMAL MULTI-COUNTY PARK PROCESS. INSTEAD, THE COUNTY PROCEEDED WITH A, A TIF DISTRICT, A TAX INCRE FINANCING DISTRICT. AND WITHOUT GETTING INTO THE DETAILS OF ALL OF THAT, UH, THE, THE, THE PROBLEM WITH THE TIF DISTRICT, IT'S A GREAT PRODUCT. IT ACTUALLY GOT THE CONSENT OF THE COUNTY, IT GOT THE CONSENT OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AT THE TIME. UH, IT FROZE THE VALUES AT A ZERO ASSESSED VALUE. UH, SO BASICALLY EVERY PIECE OF TAXABLE REVENUE ONCE THE PROPERTY EVENTUALLY SOLD, WOULD BE, WOULD BE GENERATED. THE PROBLEM IS, IS WHEN THE TIF WAS PUT IN PLACE IN 2012, THE PROPERTY DIDN'T SELL UNTIL 2019. THE PROPERTY HASN'T BEEN SUBSEQUENTLY DEVELOPED. AND AS WE SIT HERE TODAY, IT STILL HAS NOT BEEN DEVELOPED. THERE ARE A LOT OF PROMISES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE ALL ALONG THE WAY, AND WE NOW FEEL LIKE WE FINALLY CAPTURED IT. THE PROBLEM IS, IS THAT THE UNDERLYING TAX INCREMENT FINANCING AUTHORIZATION HAD A 10 YEAR TERM THAT HAS NOW EXPIRED. NOW THAT THE PROPERTY IS ACTUALLY SOLD. IT HAS A VALUE. AND SO THE REASON WE'RE NOT REQUESTING A NEW TIFF IS THAT YOU CAN'T CAPTURE THAT LOST VALUE ASSOCIATED WITH THE SALE TO SAFE HARBOR. SO WE'RE EFFECTIVELY TRYING TO DO THE SAME THING WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO SINCE THE BEGINNING THROUGH THE MULTI-COUNTY PARK PROCESS, WHICH, SORRY FOR THE, FOR KIND OF THE DEEP DIVE HERE, BUT IT ALLOWS YOU TO SYNTHETICALLY CREATE A TIFF ARRANGEMENT. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS GET BACK TO THE ORIGINAL AUTHORIZATION THAT HAS ORIGINALLY, UH, PUT IN PLACE. AND I THINK THERE'S BEEN SOME CONVERSATIONS BACK AND FORTH, ALL THE TOWN IS ASKING FOR IS TO ALLOW US TO BE ABLE TO DO THE INITIAL PUBLIC DEVELOPMENT IMPROVEMENTS TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THE PUBLIC ACCESS TO THIS WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT. UM, I THINK THERE WERE SOME COMMENTS MADE BACK WHEN WE PRESENTED BACK IN MAY, UH, FROM MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SAYING, YOU KNOW, GO OUT THERE AND FIGURE OUT ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO FINANCE IT. THE TOWN DOES NOT HAVE ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO FINANCE IT TO BE ABLE TO ALLOW FOR ACCESS TO THE WATERFRONT. THIS IS THE MEANS FOR DOING SO. IT'S RECAPTURING THOSE FUTURE TAX DOLLARS, DEPLOYING THEM TOWARDS PUTTING IN, UH, CURB AND GUTTER, EXTENDING THE SPANISH MALLS TRAIL AND PUTTING IN THE PARK INFRASTRUCTURE THAT ALLOWS FOLKS TO ACTUALLY HAVE WATERFRONT ACCESS, UH, ON THE WORKING WATERFRONT. THAT IS THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL. IN THE ABSENCE OF THIS HAPPENING, THE TOWN DOES NOT HAVE A WAY TO, TO CREATE A PUBLIC PARK. THERE WILL BE NO ACCESS BECAUSE WE CAN'T AFFORD TO DO IT. AND SO WHAT'S BEING ASKED TONIGHT IS TO GIVE FIRST READING TO AN ORDINANCE, CREATING THE NEW MULTI-COUNTY PARK, UH, THAT WILL ALLOW BY, UH, AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TOWN AND THE COUNTY TO NEGOTIATE THE DISTRIBUTION OF THOSE REVENUES UP TO A CAP AMOUNT OF $10 MILLION, UH, TO BE SPENT OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS. IF YOU REACH THE $10 MILLION THRESHOLD BEFORE THE 20 YEARS IS UP, THE ENTIRE STRUCTURE GOES AWAY AND EVERYONE IS RESTORED TO THE STATUS QUO. YOU RECEIVED EXACTLY THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT YOU WOULD HAVE IF YOU WERE LEVYING REGULAR TAX DOLLARS AS THOUGH THIS PROPERTY WAS NOT INTO A PARK. AND SO THIS IS SOLELY AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOL TO ALLOW THE TOWN TO CAPTURE THAT MONEY, TO PUT THE MONEY BACK INTO THE PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE TO DEVELOP THE PARK SITE AND ALLOW FOR PUBLIC ACCESS. AND AS SOON AS THAT IS COMPLETE AND THAT IS COMPLETE, UH, AND FINALIZE THE MULTI-COUNTY PART WILL GO AWAY, THE PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE WILL BE IN PLACE AND THAT WILL BE A PERFORMING TAX ASSET IN BEAUFORT COUNTY. MAYOR PHILLIPS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADDRESS THE GROUP? DID YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE, ANY QUESTIONS FOR, I I HAVE A QUESTION, MR. FLYNN? YES, GO AHEAD, MR. MCGOWAN. HI. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT. UM, YOU OBVIOUSLY HAVE IN MIND, UH, SOME DONORS THAT WOULD BE ASSISTING YOU WITH THIS AS I TAKE IT, TO ACHIEVE THE GOAL OF RAISING THE $10 MILLION THAT YOU NEED TO DO THIS. IS THAT RIGHT? WHEN I SAY DONORS, I SHOULD SAY SUPPORTERS. UH, SO, SO THIS WOULD BE AN APPROPRIATION OF THE TAX DOLLARS THAT WOULD BE GENERATED FROM THIS AREA. AND SO THE THREE TAXING ENTITIES WITHIN THAT AREA RIGHT, ARE THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL BEAUFORT COUNTY. RIGHT. AND THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT. OKAY. AND THE WAY THAT DISTRIBUTION OF TAX REVENUES ROUGHLY SHAKES OUT IS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS A LITTLE OVER 50%, 50 50% OF THE TAX BASE. THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, EXCUSE ME, THE COUNTY IS ABOUT 15% AND THE TOWN IS ABOUT 25%. 15% OF THE 10 MILLION? CORRECT. OKAY. UM, AND SO YOU WOULD, THAT WOULD BE THE, THE COMMITMENT THAT YOU'VE MADE, THAT WAS THE COMMITMENT THAT THE TOWN OR THAT THE COUNTY MADE ORIGINALLY YOU PARTICIPATED IN THE ORIGINAL TIFF AT A HUNDRED PERCENT. THE SCHOOL DISTRICT PARTICIPATED IN THE ORIGINAL TIFF AT A CAPPED AMOUNT OF $300,000 [02:00:01] A YEAR. THAT $300,000 A YEAR WOULD'VE ALLOWED BASICALLY THE TOWN TO HAVE COLLECTED $6 MILLION IN TOTAL TAX REVENUES AS WE'RE PROPOSING NOW, BASED ON THE REVENUES, WE WOULD CAP THAT MILLION OF THE, THE AUTHORIZATION IN A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR, GIVEN THE EXISTING TAX REVENUES. THE, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WOULD ONLY BE IN FOR ABOUT $5 MILLION TOTAL IF THIS AUTHORIZATION WOULD MOVE FORWARD. SO THEY'D ACTUALLY BE IN A BETTER PLACE THAN THEY WOULD BE UNDER. AND BUFORT COUNTY'S CONTRIBUTION, AS YOU CALCULATED OVER THAT PERIOD OF TIME, WOULD BE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, HOW MUCH IT, IT, IT WOULD BE UNTIL THE TIFF, UNTIL THE MULTI-COUNTY PARK IS OTHERWISE RETIRED. AND JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME, SOME ACTUAL MATH ON WHERE WE STAND, UM, THE COUNTY'S MILLAGE IS ROUGHLY 57.3 MILLS OF THE 3 293 MILLS TOTAL. SO YOU'RE ROUGHLY IN THAT 15% RANGE. THE YEAH. WHAT WOULD THE 15% DOLLAR AMOUNT B UH, THE, THE, IT DEPENDS ON THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY. OKAY. SO RIGHT NOW, UM, THE PROPERTY SOLD TO SAFE HARBOR, WHICH IS, AND, AND THERE ARE A FEW OTHER COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES IN THE AREA CURRENTLY, BUT THE, THE, THE BIG PLAYER IN THE, IN THE CURRENT SALE WAS SAFE HARBOR. UH, THE PORT DEVELOPER, THEY BOUGHT THE PROPERTY AND THAT'S A PUBLIC RECORD FOR 20 SOME ODD MILLION DOLLARS. THAT PROPERTY GETS ASSESSED FOR TAX PURPOSES BASED ON THEIR USE AT A 6% ASSESSMENT RATIO. SO ROUGHLY SPEAKING FOR ASSESSMENT PURPOSES, IT'S ON THE TAX ROLLS AT ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS. WHEN YOU APPLY THOSE ASSESSMENT RATIO, THOSE MILLAGE NUMBERS BETWEEN THE COUNTY, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND THE, AND THE CITY CURRENTLY, IT GENERATES ABOUT $400,000 A YEAR. UM, AS NEW DEVELOPMENT CONTINUES TO OCCUR AND DOCKS GO OUT INTO THE WATER AND NEW COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT HAPPENS AROUND THAT, THE HOPE IS THAT THAT $400,000 NUMBER GOES TO A MILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS. IF IT GOES TO A MILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS, IT'S CAPPED AT A MILLION DOLLARS. IS THE ONLY, WOULD BE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THE TOWN WOULD BE ABLE TO CAPTURE TO BE ABLE TO REDEPLOY, TO PUT IN AS AN INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE SITE. THE BALANCE WOULD BE DISTRIBUTED TO THE COUNTY AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR WHATEVER EXCESS IS OTHERWISE THERE, UH, UNDER THE TERMS OF THIS ORDINANCE, OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS QUESTIONS FOR MR. FLYNN? YES, GO AHEAD. GO AHEAD. UH, MY, MY ONLY QUESTION IS, UM, THERE'S REFERENCE TO A MASTER AGREEMENT THROUGHOUT. WHEN WOULD THAT BE EXECUTED? UH, THE MASTER AGREEMENT WOULD BE EXECUTED AS SOON AS, UH, BOTH COUNTY COUNCILS GAVE AUTHORIZATION TO, UH, BY ORDINANCE. AND SO THE CURRENT PLAN, UH, AND I'VE, I'VE GOT THOSE SLIDES AGAIN, THE, THE CLERK CAN SHARE ANY OF THE SLIDES WITH YOU. UM, THE SCHEDULE FOR THE COUNTY IS, AS I THINK Y'ALL HAVE TALKED ABOUT TODAY, YOU HAVE YOUR MEETING TONIGHT. YOU'D HAVE SECOND READING ON NOVEMBER THE NINTH AND THIRD READING ON DECEMBER THE 14TH. UH, UH, IN TALKING WITH JASPER COUNTY, THEY'RE GONNA GIVE FIRST READING NEXT WEEK, AND THEY HAVE TWO MEETINGS IN NOVEMBER. SO THEY THEORETICALLY WOULD BE DONE IN ADVANCE OF YOU, UM, UH, FOR YOUR DECEMBER MEETING. MR. RE, I KNOW YOU HAD A QUESTION. DAVID, YOU GOOD? I'M GOOD, THANK YOU. THANKS FOR THAT NICE REPORT. WE APPRECIATE IT. I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET TO THIS WATERFRONT AND SEE THE DREAM OR THE VISION, AND I UNDERSTAND IT TO BE GOOD COMMERCIALLY. WE TALK ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. I THINK THIS IS A SPOT ON. UH, SECONDLY, WE TALKED ABOUT RESIDENTIAL OR JUST THE NORMAL CITIZEN HAVING A CHANCE TO GET THERE BETTER AND ENJOY THAT AREA. AND IF YOU WALK THAT AREA, IT'S A GORGEOUS AREA, SO I FULLY SUPPORT IT. IN YOUR TALK, YOU HAD MENTIONED RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT. EXPLAIN THAT. SO ACTUALLY, IF THE CLERK COULD PULL BACK UP THE SLIDE DECK, I THINK IT'S HELPFUL TO SEE IT. I'M, I'M A, I'M A VISUAL PERSON, SO I THINK SEEING THE AREA MAY BE HELPFUL FOR THOSE WHO MAY NOT BE AS FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA. I ASK IT FOR THAT REASON BECAUSE I, I LOVE THE WATERFRONT THOUGHTS THAT WE WENT THROUGH. I WANT TO KNOW WHERE THAT RESIDENTIAL IS GONNA BE AND WHAT THIS IS GONNA DO FOR THAT. IF, IF MS. MADAM CLERK, IF YOU CAN PULL UP THE REGULATING PLAN, WHICH IS SLIDE SEVEN. OH, PERFECT. UM, SO THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE DEVELOPMENT, ANYTHING THAT'S MARKED AS PV, UM, THERE'S AN OVERLAY THAT IS REQUIRED. YOU HAVE TO SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE. NO, Y'ALL CAN'T HEAR ME. I'VE, I'VE REALIZED THAT. UM, SO IF YOU, IF YOU LOOK AT BASICALLY THE CURB CUT AT REBO ROAD, UH, WE HAVE AN EASEMENT THAT RUNS THROUGH THE PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT'S MARKED RV, UH, AND YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BRING THE SPANISH MOSS TRAIL ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT. UH, THERE'S ALSO A REQUIREMENT UNDER AN EXISTING DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT THAT REQUIRES THAT AS AN AMENITY, THAT HAS TO BE DEVELOPED, UH, THAT THE TOWN NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO PAY FOR. I POINT ALL THAT TO SAY IS THAT IT'S GONNA CREATE CONNECTIVITY. SO THE, THE ACCESS WILL BE THIS SPANISH MOSS TRAIL EXTENSION WILL COME DIRECTLY THROUGH THE PROPERTY. THE PIECES OF PROPERTY MARKED BN [02:05:01] AND MV ARE THE BLUFF NEIGHBORHOOD. UM, AND I'M DRAWING A BLANK REBO AND THE REBO VILLAGE. UM, AND SO THOSE ARE BOTH GONNA BE RESIDENTIAL COMPONENTS. THERE IS AN EXISTING PLAN UNIT DEVELOPMENT IN PLACE THAT DICTATES THE PARAMETERS FOR WHAT THAT GROWTH LOOKS LIKE. THE TOWN HAS FOUGHT REALLY, REALLY HARD FOR WHAT THAT'S GOING TO BE. UH, WE GOT SOME AMENDMENTS PUT IN PLACE FOR THEIR PUD THAT WOULDN'T ALLOW, UH, FOR BUILD, BUILD TO RENT HOUSING THERE. UM, AND SO IT'S, IT'S LARGELY A MIXTURE OF SINGLE FAMILY AND MULTIFAMILY HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS UNDER THE TERMS OF THE PUD. AND SO THE GOAL HERE IS TO CREATE A LIVE WORK PLAY COMMUNITY THAT TIES IN THE RESIDENTIAL ALONG WITH THE NEW COMMERCIAL, TYING BACK INTO SANDS BEACH, AND THEN ALLOWING THE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT ACROSS, YOU KNOW, BEHIND, UH, TOWN HALL TO ULTIMATELY FOLD INTO THIS AS WELL. AND THAT RESIDENTIAL'S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED. ANYWAY, THAT'S PART OF THE ZONING THAT'S THERE. UM, MAYOR, UH, THE RESTAURANT THAT WE MET OUT THERE, WHAT'S THE NAME? JUST FOR POINT OF REFERENCE. SO EVERYBODY KNOWS FISH AND LISTEN, I, THAT'S MY FAVORITE ON ONE OF ONE OF MY FAVORITES ON THE ISLAND, BUT NOW YOURS IS THE SECOND. SO IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THAT FISH CAMP WHERE IT IS THAT WHOLE AREA, NOT ONLY LOOKING RIGHT, BUT TO THE LEFT, UNBELIEVABLE WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH THAT. SO WE, WE'D LIKE TO, I WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT THAT AND WE APPRECIATE ALL YOUR EFFORTS AND, AND TO COUNCILMAN RUS, UH, UH, UH, QUESTION AS WELL. THE, THE TOWN DID HAVE A HISTORIC DAY DOCK, UM, THAT A LOT OF FOLKS ACTUALLY USED. IF, IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE A TRANSIENT VOTER, YOU WOULD GO AND SIT THERE, OR YOU COULD, YOU COULD PARK AT THAT DAY, DOCK BACK BEHIND THE OLD SHRIMP BOATS THAT SAT OUT IN FRONT OF, OF FISH CAMP. THOSE HAVE NOW BEEN REMOVED FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS. THEY WERE UNSAFE AND THEY WERE UNFIT FOR USE. SURE. UH, THE TOWN HAS RECEIVED SOME MONEY, UH, AND INTENDS TO BUILD OUT ONTO A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT THEY'VE DEVELOPED AND EXCHANGED WITH, UH, SAFE HARBOR TO BE ABLE TO BUILD A, AN ACTIVE SEAFOOD PROCESSING FACILITY THERE AND HAS A, A SMALL PORTION OF STATE APPROPRIATIONS TO BUILD, UH, THE DOCK A A NEW PUBLIC DAY DOCK INTO THE RIVER, UM, AS WELL AS THE MONEY THAT'S, THAT'S ALSO COME FROM SOME INSURANCE PROCEEDS AND LIKELY A PORTION OF THE MONEY THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, BECAUSE COSTS HAVE GOTTEN SO EXPENSIVE, WOULD BE USED FOR THAT, THAT DOCK AS WELL. SO IT WOULD ALLOW FOR TRANSIENT VOTERS TO ALSO HAVE ACCESS, UH, BECAUSE A LOT, MOST OF WHAT SAFE HARBOR IS PLANNING TO DEVELOP IS OBVIOUSLY GOING TO BE COMMERCIAL DOCKAGE, UH, WITH A, A, A LIMITED AMOUNT OF, OF PUBLIC ACCESS. UH, BUT THE TOWN WANTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS ABSOLUTE UNFETTERED ACCESS FROM ALL ANGLES OF THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY. UM, BECAUSE IT IS, ONE OF, IT IS THIS MAIN ATTRACTION THAT HAS BEEN UNDERUTILIZED BY THIS COMMUNITY IN NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY FOR A LONG TIME. ONE OF THE THINGS, AND I'LL END IT WITH THIS, ONE OF THE THINGS I FOCUSED ON WHEN I WAS THERE, NOT ONLY WITH OUR WALK AROUND, BUT AFTER THAT IS ANY, LIKE, CONS, ANY NEGATIVE? I, I COULDN'T COME UP WITH ANY. I MEAN, YOU GUYS HAVE DONE ALL THE WORK. TWO THINGS. ONE, WE APPRECIATE ALL THE DETAIL. THIS TO ME IS THE WAY PARTNERSHIP SHOULD WORK AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. AND, AND, AND THAT AREA IS NICE, BUT YOU HAVEN'T COME UP WITH ANY NEGATIVES THAT YOU WOULD, RIGHT? I, I SHOULD TELL YOU, I THINK IT'S JUST AN ALL WIN-WIN. SO THANKS FOR THE DETAIL IN BEING HERE WITH US TONIGHT. MR. LAWSON, I THINK YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP. YEP, I DID. UM, AND, UH, THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS ACTUALLY PASSED BY COUNTY COUNCIL BACK IN WESTON NEWTON WAS THE CHAIRMAN, UH, ALONG WITH THE APPROVAL FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD. SO AGAIN, THIS ISN'T ANYTHING NEW, UH, PUT IN PLACE. UM, AND AGAIN, IT'S JUST TAKEN A LONG TIME TO GET THERE. UM, SO THE ONLY NEGATIVE WOULD BE THAT IT WOULD REDUCE TAXES FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. UM, IT REDUCES OUR TAXES, BUT NOT AS MUCH AS, AS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. HOWEVER, UM, BY THEM DEVELOPING THIS, MOST SCHOOL TAXES COME FROM COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES. UM, IT WOULD INCREASE VERY, VERY QUICKLY THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT IS PAID TO THE SCHOOL THROUGH TAXES WHEN THIS IS DEVELOPED. SO, UM, AGAIN, I AM, I AM, UH, UM, UM, FOR THIS, I'M SUPPORT OF THIS. UM, YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER BACK WHENEVER THIS WAS FIRST ANNOUNCED AGAIN, UM, 16, 17 YEARS AGO, WHENEVER THEY FIRST STARTED WORKING ON THIS. SO, AGAIN, I'M GONNA SUPPORT THIS. I THINK IT'S GREAT FOR THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL. UM, I THINK IT'S GREAT FOR, FOR, UM, UM, BEAUFORT COUNTY. UM, I THINK IT, IT ACTUALLY WILL BE GOOD FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IN THE LONG RUN. ALRIGHT, ANYBODY ELSE ON THIS END FOR FIRST COMMENT, MR. GLOVER? YEAH. THANK YOU. UH, MADAM CHAIR, MR. FLYNN, UM, THERE'S A BENCHMARK OF, UM, TAXES RIGHT NOW, UH, ON THESE PROPERTY, UM, THAT GOES TO THE VARIOUS ENTITIES. YOU HAVE THAT RIGHT? YES, SIR. OKAY. UH, COULD YOU, HAVE YOU SHARED THAT WITH US? IF NOT, IF YOU COULD. I I DON'T, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T NEED TO PULL IT UP. IT'S, IT'S IN MY SLIDES. IT IS, IT IS ON PAGE EIGHT. OH, SORRY. 11. SO, SO THIS IS THE DISTRIBUTION BASED ON 2025 TAXES. I REALIZE TAX BILLS ARE GOING OUT ANY MOMENT NOW, SO THIS WILL OBVIOUSLY CHANGE, BUT RIGHT WHEN THIS PROPERTY WAS, WAS PRE, [02:10:01] PRIOR TO THE PURPOSE PURCHASED BY GRAY GHOST IN 2017, OR 2019, EXCUSE 2017, EXCUSE ME. UM, THE PROPERTY WAS WORTH ZERO. IT, IT DIDN'T GENERATE ANY TAX DOLLARS BECAUSE IT WAS OWNED BY THE STATE PORTS AUTHORITY. AND SO IT WAS ONLY SINCE 2017 THAT WE'VE SEEN ANY TAX DOLLARS GENERATED OFF THE SITE. IT SOLD FOR A, WHAT I THINK MOST FOLKS WOULD AGREE WAS A BELOW FAIR MARKET VALUE. AND THAT DEVELOPMENT TEAM WAS UNABLE TO DO ANYTHING WITH IT. AND THEN IT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY PURCHASED IN 2020 BY SAFE HARBOR, WHICH IS A NATIONALLY KNOWN DOC DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, UH, FOR A MUCH LARGER NUMBER. AND SO BASICALLY THE LION'S SHARE OF WHAT YOU SEE HERE, OF THE CURRENT REVENUES BROKEN DOWN BY EXISTING TAXING ENTITIES, THE TOWN, THE SCHOOL, AND THE COUNTY, WHICH ARE THE LARGE, THE LARGEST TAX PAYERS, GENERATES ABOUT $400,000 OF CURRENT TAXES. AND SO YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS WOULD BE LOSING ABOUT 20 A QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS? YES, SIR. FROM THIS OF, OF TODAY ON IN TODAY'S REVENUES YES. ON THIS, SURE. THAT'S WHAT WE CAN DEAL WITH AND STUFF. YES. AND WHAT IS THE PROJECTED REVENUE IN 10 YEARS FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OR EVEN THIS COUNTY GOVERNMENT? WHAT ARE YOU PROJECTING AT THIS TIME FOR Y'ALL ULTIMATELY CONTROL YOUR TAX MILLAGE? AND I'M NOT GONNA GO, THAT IS, THAT IS A GRENADE THAT I'M NOT GONNA STEP ON. UM, BUT, BUT GROWTH IS OBVIOUSLY GONNA BE THE DRIVER OF THIS, RIGHT? AND SO AS SAFE HARBOR PUTS DOCKS INTO THE WATER, AS COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT HAPPENS AROUND THAT, THAT NUMBER SHOULD GROW. AND SO, YOU KNOW, AS, AS YOU HAVE A DIVERSITY, BUT YOU HAVE A PROJECTION, DON'T YOU, PAYERS? UM, I MEAN, WE, WE HAVE SOME ASSUMPTIONS. THERE'S SOME TABLES THAT ARE BUILT INTO THIS, THAT KIND OF SHOW. THAT'S ALL, THAT'S ALL THE PROJECTION IS ASSUMPTIONS. THAT'S THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT. YEAH. SO WE HAVE SOME, YOUR BEST ASSUMPTION, IF YOU FLIP TO THE NEXT SLIDE, MR. BARACK, I THINK THAT'LL SHOW ONE MORE. UH, THIS IS REALLY HARD TO READ AND VERY DIFFICULT IN A PUBLIC SETTING. BUT BASICALLY, NO, I LIKE THE LA I LIKE THE LAST ONE YOU GAVE ME, BUT, UM, I'LL, I'LL LOOK AT THIS HERE. . THIS, THIS IS, THIS IS THE PROJECTION, RIGHT? AND SO IT SHOWS WHAT WE BELIEVE THOSE VALUES TO BE. IT HAS SOME VERY INCREMENTAL MILLAGE ADJUSTMENTS BUILT INTO IT. AND SO THE ASSUMPTION WOULD BE IF FULL BUILD OUT OCCURRED, WE'D SEE A CAP MILLAGE AUTHORIZATION ROUGHLY AROUND YEAR SIX. AND THEN THERE'D BE A DISTRIBUTION OF THE SURPLUS REVENUES, UH, AT THAT TIME AS WELL. AND THEN BASED ON THIS PRO FORMA, THE MULTI-COUNTY PART WOULD GO AWAY IN 12 YEARS. IT WOULD, IT WOULD GO BACK, IT WOULD COLLAPSE, AND THEN EVERYONE WOULD JUST BE RECEIVING THEIR BASELINE REVENUE SHARE AS, AS, AS THOUGH THE MULTI COUNTY PARK WAS NOT IN PLACE. AND THIS COUNTY INVESTMENT COULD BE AS, AS MUCH AS WHAT? UM, SO, SO BASED, BASED ON THAT AUTHORIZATION, THE, YOUR, THE COUNTY WOULD BE SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF ABOUT TWO TO TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR? NO, TOTAL. TOTAL. TOTAL. OVER 20 YEARS. OH, OVER 20 YEARS. OVER YEARS. OKAY. UM, THEN, UM, ONE OF, ONE OF THE CONCERNS I DO HAVE, UM, IS THAT, UM, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS REALLY FACING, UH, A LOT OF SHORTFALLS, UM, OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS. A LOT OF CHANGES HAVE TAKEN PLACE AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT LEVEL. UM, SO WHEN YOU FIRST TALK TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, UM, THERE WAS A LOT OF, UM, SUPPORT THERE, BUT THEY'RE LOSING THAT, UM, AT THE STATE LEVEL. AND THE CONCERN I HAVE RIGHT NOW IS, UM, THAT BURDEN TO, TO, TO MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE FALLS ON THE REST OF THE COUNTY. I I'M NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT COUNTY COUNCIL. I THINK IF COUNTY COUNCIL SUPPORTS THIS, THEN THEY'LL FIND, WE'LL FIND THE MONEY SOMEWHERE ELSE. BUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ALSO IS GOING TO SUFFER FROM THIS SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S THE STATE GOVERNMENT IS GONNA DO. IT CHANGES, UH, AND A LOT OF THE PUBLIC REVENUES HAS BEEN GOING ELSEWHERE AND NOT GOING TO THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S A CONCERN THAT I HAVE BECAUSE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS GROWING AND THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO MAKE UP THOSE FUNDS SOMEWHERE, AND THAT MAKEUP IS GOING TO BE PLACED ON OUTSIDE FOLKS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THIS COUNCIL WANTED TO DO, AND THIS IS WHAT THIS IS DOING, IS TO SUPPORT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THROUGH COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT. AND THAT'S WHAT I SEE HERE, WHICH IS GOOD. HOW DO WE BALANCE THAT TO GET TO THIS POINT? AND THAT'S WHERE I AM. SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO EXPLAIN THAT. I'M JUST GONNA TELL YOU HOW I AM GOING TO VOTE AT THIS TIME. UH, I'M NOT GONNA VOTE FOR IT, NOR AGAINST IT. I'M GOING TO THIS SIDE. COMMENTS ON ANYONE ON THIS END? ALL RIGHT, MR. UH, CUNNINGHAM, THEN, MR. DAWSON. YEAH. SO JUST TO DO MATHEMATICS, SEE HOW WE GOT HERE. UM, UH, THERE'S, I THINK THERE'S THREE IMPORTANT THINGS YOU HAVE TO TALK ABOUT. THIS IS AN ECONOMIC DRIVER THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT, AT THE PORT. MOST OF [02:15:01] THIS SCHOOL TAXES ARE BEING PAID BY SIX PERCENTERS FOR DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS. THE ONLY TIME A HOMEOWNER PAYS ANYTHING IS IF IT'S FOR BOND OR DEBT. SO IF THIS IS COMMERCIAL SPACE, YOU'RE INCREASING THE TAX REVENUE TO THE SCHOOLS BECAUSE IT'S 6% PAYERS. SO LET'S NOT CONFUSE THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY PUTTING MORE MONEY IN THEIR POCKET. YES, THEY'RE PUTTING MONEY UP FRONT NOW FOR THE PROJECT, JUST LIKE PORT ROYAL IS AND JUST LIKE WE ARE, BUT IN THE LONG HAUL, IT'S ACTUALLY GONNA INCREASE THEIR REVENUE AND THEIR TAX BASE FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. SO THAT'S THE FIRST THING I WANTED TO TOUCH ON. THE OTHER THING IS, I WATCHED THE MEETING ON TUESDAY. UM, THEY TOLD US THEY WERE GONNA SPEAK, SO I WANTED TO TUNE IN AND SEE WHAT THEY SAID. THEY HAVE EVERY EXPECTATION TO BRING IT UP TOMORROW TO US AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY WILL, UH, KEEP ON SWINGING QUOTING UNTIL, UM, IT DOESN'T PASS. UH, WITH THAT SAID, THOUGH, WE ARE THE ULTIMATE BODY OF PASSING AND OR NOT. THEY CAN MAKE WHATEVER RECOMMENDATION THEY WANT, BUT IT'S JUST THE COUNTY COUNCIL THAT MAKES THAT RECOMMENDATION. SO I LIKE TO LOOK AT NUMBERS 'CAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE NUMBERS LIE. THIS COUNCIL HAS GONE TO BAT FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR THE PAST SIX YEARS. THROUGH AND THROUGH WE'RE THE HIGHEST PAID TEACHERS IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, OR SECOND BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN US AND CHARLESTON. THE STATE IN THE PAST FOUR YEARS HAS ALSO BACKED THAT UP BY DOUBLING DOWN MORE FUNDS TO OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. LAST FOUR YEARS, WE'VE CONTINUED TO INCREASE THAT, BUT THREE YEARS IN A ROW, WE'VE LOST OVER A THOUSAND STUDENTS IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT. WE BUILT TWO NEW SCHOOLS AND WE'VE LOST OVER A THOUSAND STUDENTS. SO THE ARGUMENT OF PAYING MORE TEACHERS, IF ANYTHING, YOU SHOULD BE PULLING TEACHERS OUT OF OTHER SCHOOLS AND PUTTING 'EM INTO THE NEW SCHOOL. UM, NOT NECESSARILY GOING AND HIRING ANOTHER 40 NEW TEACHERS. SO WE HAVE GONE TO BAT FOR THAT. BUT IF THEY'RE DOWN OVER A THOUSAND STUDENTS IN THREE YEARS, WHEN YOU TAKE DOWN THEIR, THEIR NUMBER AMOUNT, 5.5 MILLION ROUGHLY, YOU DIVIDE THAT OVER 20 YEARS MAXIMUM, THEY'RE PROJECTING THAT IT'LL BE PAID OFF WITHIN 12 BECAUSE OF THE REVENUE IS SO HIGH ON THAT 6% GROWTH THAT'LL HAPPEN THERE. THAT'S $276,000 A YEAR. THAT'S FOUR TEACHERS AT THE HIGHEST SCALE OR LOWEST SCALE. WE ALREADY KNOW OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT IS LOSING STUDENTS. I'M ALL ON BOARD FOR CONTINUING TO SUPPORT THEM, BUT THE MATH DOESN'T ALIGN. THIS IS ACTUALLY THE BEST OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO DO THIS WHILE THERE IS A DECLINE. 'CAUSE ESPECIALLY IF WE CAN GET STARTED NOW WHILE THERE'S A DECLINE, WE CAN GET THIS FUNDED QUICKER AND GET THIS THING BUILT. SO WHEN STUDENTS DO START TO INCREASE, AGAIN, WE CAN GET THIS PAID OFF QUICKER SO THEY ACTUALLY HAVE THAT SOURCE BACK TO THEM. THE OTHER QUESTION PEOPLE ARE GONNA ASK IS, UH, HOW IS THIS DIFFERENT THAN USCB? TWO WAYS. ONE, PORT ROYAL HAS BROUGHT PARTNERS FORWARD, THEY HAVE THIS FUNDED, THEY HAVE IT READY TO GO. WE'RE ONE OF THE FUNDERS WHERE WE ASKED USCB TO DO THAT, AND THEY DID NOT HAVE ANY OTHERS. TWO, THIS IS ALSO A PUBLIC AREA NOT OWNED BY USCB AND CONTROLLED BY USCB. SO THERE ARE TWO MAJOR DIFFERENCES THAT WE'RE USING THESE FUNDS, WHICH ARE PUBLIC FUNDS FOR ANOTHER PUBLIC AREA, FOR PEOPLE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY TO ENJOY. UM, SO I, I HONESTLY THINK THIS IS THE PERFECT TIME TO DO THIS, OTHER THAN MAYBE IF WE COULD'VE DONE A YEAR AGO, BECAUSE WE KNEW WE WOULD'VE HAD TWO YEARS OF DECLINE IN STUDENTS. BUT LAST YEAR BY THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICTS, THEIR REPORT, THEY WERE DOWN 409 STUDENTS LAST YEAR, OR COMING INTO THIS YEAR, AND THE YEAR BEFORE THAT 473, THE YEAR BEFORE THAT 1 37, THAT'S 1019 KIDS THREE YEARS IN A ROW. SO THIS IS THE PERFECT TIME TO DO THIS SO WE CAN SHAVE OFF A COUPLE YEARS BEFORE THAT GROWTH CONTINUES TO HAPPEN. ALRIGHT, MR. DAWSON, I THINK YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP TO FOLLOW UP ON, UH, LOGAN'S POINT. THE, THE COUNTY IS GROWING, AND SO EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVE STATISTICS SHOWING THAT SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS LOST, UH, STUDENTS OVER THE YEARS, UH, THE CITY OF BEAUFORT AND THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL, THEY BOTH HAVE JUST PUT MORATORIUM ON, ON, ON GROWTH. SO THE TOWN IS GROWING, THE CITY OF BEAUFORT IS GROWING, THE COUNTY IS GROWING, AND SO AT SOME POINT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BUILD ANOTHER SCHOOL OR MORE SCHOOLS, UM, IN SPITE OF THE, UH, FACTS THAT YOU JUST GAVE. UM, THIS IS A WONDERFUL PROJECT, UH, UH, AND I, I, I LOVE, I WOULD LOVE TO SUPPORT IT. AND, UH, THE ONLY HESITATION I HAVE IS THAT ON THE BEHALF OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WE ARE MEETING WITH THEM TOMORROW, AND THIS TOPIC IS ON THE AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION. AND SO AFTER TOMORROW, I'LL HAVE A BETTER, UH, IDEA OF WHERE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT POSITION IS AT AND WHERE WE ARE, WHERE I AM AS FAR AS SUPPORTING THIS, UH, M-C-A-I-P. UM, I, I, UH, I'M, I'M HOPING THAT I CAN ACTUALLY GET TO THE POINT WHERE I CAN ACTUALLY SUPPORT YOU IN YOUR EFFORT OF DEVELOPING THIS, THIS MCIP. YEAH. AND TO THAT POINT, MR. JOHNSON AND I ARE REMISS THE ENTIRE PORT, ROYAL TOWN COUNCIL IS HERE WITH ME TONIGHT, AND I SHOULD HAVE INTRODUCED THEM BEFORE I GOT UP TO GIVE MY REMARKS. BUT THE TWO THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO HIT ON, ONE, I THINK THIS IS A FOLLOW UP TO MR. CUNNINGHAM'S POINT. UM, THERE'S A THIRD PORTION [02:20:01] THAT DIFFERENTIATES THIS FROM THE USCP, PROPOSED MCIP, AND IT'S THE FACT THAT IT'S PREVIOUSLY BEEN APPROVED. THIS IS US ACTUALLY ASKING FOR LESS MONEY THAN WHEN OR WAS ORIGINALLY AUTHORIZED BACK IN 2009, AND AGAIN IN 2012. IT IS THE REQUEST FOR US TO JUST SIMPLY MAINTAIN THE STATUS QUO TO DO PROJECTS THAT WE ALL RECOGNIZE HAVE GOTTEN SUBSTANTIALLY MORE EXPENSIVE OVER THE LAST 15 YEARS. UH, WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR ANYTHING MORE THAN THAT. WE JUST WANNA BASICALLY HAVE THE COMMITMENT THAT WAS ORIGINALLY GIVEN IT TO US FROM THE START. AND WE KNOW THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS FRUSTRATED. WE'VE HEARD THEIR VOICE, BUT WE ALSO BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO THE CITIZENS IN THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL WHO HAVE BEEN REALLY, REALLY GIVEN THE RUNAROUND BY A BUNCH OF DEVELOPERS WHO PROMISED A WHOLE BUNCH OF THINGS FOR A LONG TIME AND NEVER DELIVERED ON IT. AND SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, WE STAND READY TO COME AND BACKFILL. THE PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS TO MAKE THIS ACCESSIBLE TO THEM FOR AN AREA THAT HAS SET UNDEVELOPED FOR FAR PEOPLE. MR. MCGALL, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? NO, I'M QUITE CONTENT. THANK YOU, OFFICER. OKAY, MS. BROWN, THIS, UH, I'M FOR, I HAVE NOTHING TO SAY. YOU, YOU'RE OKAY? YEAH. MS. BROWN, MR. PASSMAN, ANYTHING? OKAY. I, I WILL NOT SUPPORT THIS. AND I HEAR WHAT MR. CUNNINGHAM SAYS. SCHOOLS SOUTH OF THE BROAD ARE JAMMED. THEY'RE OPENING A NEW MAY RIVER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND THEY CAN'T, THEY'RE HAVING ISSUES WITH SHIFTING STUDENTS NORTH OF THE BROADS, LOSING THEM SOUTH OF THE BROADS, GAINING THEM. IT'S NOT AS EASY AS PICKING UP FOUR TEACHERS. I CAN TELL YOU I'VE BEEN AN ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT. YOU JUST DON'T PICK UP FOUR TEACHERS FROM THE NORTH AND DROP 'EM IN THE SOUTH. SO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S GONNA COME BACK TO US AND THEY'RE GONNA HAVE A SHORTFALL, AND THEY'RE GONNA COME TO COUNCIL, WHICH THEY DO EVERY YEAR. AND THEY'RE GONNA SAY, WE HAVE TO RAISE MILLAGE, AND THEN COUNCIL IS GONNA HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT. SO I'M NOT GONNA SUPPORT THIS AT THIS TIME. WE WILL HEAR FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IN DETAIL TOMORROW. I'VE BEEN CONTACTED BY SOME OF THEM, AND WE'LL GET, UH, INFORMATION TOMORROW. ANYBODY ELSE? A SECOND COMMENT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. PHILLIPS. YOU WANNA SAY ANYTHING? OKAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. ALL RIGHT. DO A ROLL CALL, PLEASE. MS. BROCK. DEAR HOWARD, YES. COUNCIL MEMBER BARTHOLOMEW? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER REEDS? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER PASSMAN, YOU SAID YOU SHOULD, YOU CAN WAIVE. SORRY ABOUT THAT. WHEN? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER MCALLEN? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER LAWSON. MARK LAWSON? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER GLOVER. UH, ABSTAIN. COUNCIL MEMBER DAWSON. COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER BROWN? YES. VICE CHAIR TABER? NO. THE MOTION PASSES. EIGHT TWO WITH ONE ABSTENTION. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. YOU'RE UNDER [16.a.2026/44: A Resolution to accept substance use block grant funding for prevention and treatment by contract with the SC Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, Office of Substance Use Services. The vote at Community Services and Public Safety Committee on October 5, 2026 - 6:0] RESOLUTION, MS. HOWARD. ALL RIGHT. UH, RESOLUTION 2020 FOR BEING HERE. 6 44. THANK YOU. TOWN OF PORT ROYAL FOR, UM, AREN'T MORE FUN THAN PORT ROYAL. THEY'RE MORE FUN THAN PORT ROYAL MEETINGS, AREN'T THEY? THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. UM, RESOLUTION TO ACCEPT SUBSTANCE USE BLOCK GRANT FUNDING FOR PREVENTION AND TREATMENT BY CONTRACT WITH A SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES OFFICE OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES. THE VOTED COMMUNITY SERVICES AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, UH, WAS OCTOBER 5TH. IT WAS SIX TO ZERO AND, UM, MAKE THAT MOTION. ALRIGHT. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND. I. ANY, DO, DO WE HAVE ANY DISCUSSION, ANY PRESENTATION? I HOPE EVERYONE LOOKED AT THE PACKET. THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD STATISTICS IN HERE, UM, ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR COUNTY REGARDING THE SERVICES THEY PROVIDE AND THE PERCENTAGES OF PEOPLE IN OUR COUNTY WITH THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THEY ARE WORKING ON. MS. BURGESS IS HERE IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION. ANY QUESTIONS FOR HER? YOU STAYED AWFULLY LATE. DO YOU WANNA SAY ANYTHING? OH, I'M PRETTY SERIOUS ANSWER QUESTION. THANK YOU. YEAH. ALRIGHT. SEEING NO QUESTIONS BY SHOW OF HANDS. ALL IN FAVOR? AND THAT PASSES. THANK YOU FOR COMING. ALL RIGHT. NEXT ONE IS 20 26 45. [16.b.2026/45: A Resolution supporting opportunities to expand services on the Beaufort County Animal Services Campus. The vote at Community Services and Public Safety Committee on October 5, 2026 - 6:0.] A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPAND SERVICES ON THE BEAUFORT COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES CAMPUS. THE VOTE AT COMMUNITY SERVICES AND PUBLIC SAFETY ON OCTOBER 5TH, 2026 WAS SIX ZERO. AND THERE WAS A, A MAP SHOWING THE, WHERE THE AREA IS. UM, DO WE HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVE MADAM CHAIR. ALL RIGHT. HAVE A MOTION. SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER, I THOUGHT, I MEAN A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN CUNNINGHAM. ANY DISCUSSION? I JUST WANNA POINT OUT TO THE PUBLIC WHEN YOU READ THE RESOLUTION, THIS IS TO EXPLORE OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE PROPOSED COUNTY CONTRIBUTION FOCUSED ON THE USE OF COUNTY OWNED PROPERTY AND DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATING [02:25:01] FUNDS. AND THIS IS AN EXPLORATORY, EXPLORATORY THING. I DO SUPPORT IT, BUT I WANNA POINT THAT OUT FOR THE PUBLIC. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? NO. ALRIGHT. UM, ALL IN FAVOR, SHOW OF HANDS. AND THAT IS UNANIMOUS. THANK YOU. THE NEXT [16.c. 2026/46: A Resolution to amend Chapter 5, Section A, of the Rules of County Council to establish a thirty-minute maximum duration for public hearings and clarify speaker time limits and zoning presentation provisions. The vote at Finance, Administration, and Economic Development Committee on October 19, 2026 - 7:1 ] ONE IS 20 26 46. RESOLUTION TO AMEND CHAPTER FIVE, SECTION A OF THE RULES OF COUNTY COUNCIL TO ESTABLISH A 30 MINUTE MAXIMUM DURATION FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS AND CLARIFY SPEAKER TIME LIMITS AND, AND ZONING PRESENTATION PROVISIONS. THE VOTE AT FINANCE ADMINISTRATION, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ON OCTOBER 19TH, 2026 WITH SEVEN ONE. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS RESOLUTION? SO, MOVE, HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN DAWSON. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL MAKE THIS SECOND FOR DISCUSSION. OKAY. ALRIGHT. ANY DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS? CHAIR. CHAIR? YES. MM-HMM . I, I HAD A LONGER STATEMENT PREPARED, BUT DUE TO THE LATE HOUR OF THE NIGHT, I, I THINK WE'RE GOING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION BY PUTTING THIS LIMITATION IN. I UNDERSTAND WE NEED SOME RULES. WE DON'T HAVE ANY RULES IN PLACE FOR THIS RIGHT NOW FOR PUBLIC HEARING, BUT I THINK THE 30 MINUTE LIMITATION, I THINK WE'RE GOING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. YOU WANNA AMEND THE MOTION? NO, I'M JUST GONNA VOTE NO ON IT RIGHT NOW. I AGREE WITH DAVID ON THIS, THAT WE'RE GOING IN THE WAY WRONG DIRECTION. SO, SO I'M JUST GONNA SAY, AS THE PERSON WHO BROUGHT THIS FORWARD, WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS A HALF DOZEN TIMES AND ALL OF YOU WE'RE IN THE CONVERSATION. WE TALKED ABOUT IT AT THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, AND I BELIEVE ONLY ONE MEMBER WAS OPPOSED. THE REST OF YOU, I MEAN, THAT'S WHERE THIS CAME FROM. I DIDN'T DREAM THIS UP IN MY SLEEP. LET'S REBUTTAL TO THAT, IF I MAY. UM, THE, THE WHAT WAS PUT FORWARD IS NOT FORWARD. IT MAY HAVE BEEN A CONSENSUS UP HERE AT THE, ON THE DAAS, BUT IT WAS NOT WHAT I WANTED. UM, I WOULD'VE, I WOULD'VE SUPPORTED A, AN AN HOUR, A 60 MINUTE WITH FIVE MINUTES PER PERSON AND 20 MINUTES TO THE DEVELOPER WITH THEM DECLARING A FIVE MINUTE REBUTTAL IF THEY WANTED ONE ON THE BACK END. UH, NOT EXTENDING TO 25 MINUTES, BUT CUTTING INTO THEIR 20 MINUTE PRESENTATION AND, UM, HAVING AN EQUAL PRO AND CON AND NEUTRAL GOING LAST. THANKS. SO I, I WOULD'VE, THIS IS NOT WHAT CAME FORWARD. AND SO I WELL, YOU CAN ALTER THIS. I MEAN, I'M GOOD WITH THAT TOO. I, I WAS EVEN LOOKING AT TWO HOURS IS 40 PEOPLE, I'M JUST GONNA VOTE NO ON IT. LEMME ASK A QUESTION. WHY CAN'T WE, WHY CAN'T WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS? AND IF, IF THE, IF THE SITUATION ARISES TO WHERE WE HAVE, UH, A PUBLIC, UH, CONCERN OR OVERFLOW OF, UH, PEOPLE WANTING TO SPEAK, THEN THE CHAIR HAS THE OPTION OF ACTUALLY EXTENDING THE, THE, THE TIMEFRAME. COUNCILMAN CUNNINGHAM. THAT DOESN'T OH YEAH. THE ONLY, I LIKE THE IDEA. THE ONLY ISSUE IS THEN THAT CHAIR GETS TO MAKE THE ULTIMATE SAY, AND THAT TAKES AWAY THE VOTE FROM THE OTHER 10 OF US WANTING TO HEAR ANYTHING OUT. SO IF THE WHOLE PROCESS IS SUPPOSED TO BE ALL OF US BEING EQUAL MEMBERS, WE'RE GIVING WHOEVER THE CHAIR IS TODAY, TOMORROW, AND FIVE YEARS FROM NOW, ULTIMATE AUTHORITY. WHETHER THEY ARE THE ONES FOR OR AGAINST WHATEVER IS BEING PRESENTED ON THE FLOOR. AND THAT CAN SKEW CONVERSATIONS. ALRIGHT, THEN, THEN GIVE THE AUTHORITY TO THE FULL COUNCIL. IT'S FOR, YEAH. SO IT WOULD BE LIKE, WHEN WE DID THE LAST ONE THAT WENT EIGHT HOURS, I ASKED ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, DO YOU WANNA END OR DO YOU WANNA KEEP GOING? AND THE CONSENSUS WAS KEEP GOING AND WE DID IT. UM, I DON'T SEE WHERE SOMEBODY JUST SAYS WE'RE DONE AND THAT'S IT. BUT WE ALSO DID NOT HAVE TIME LIMITS ON PEOPLE. AND AS YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE TALK FOR 20 MINUTES, 18 MINUTES. SO IF WE COULD, YOU KNOW, PUT THE FIVE MINUTES ON THERE, THAT'S FINE. SOMEONE ON COUNCIL CAN ALWAYS SAY, I'D LIKE TO EXTEND THE TIME, JUST LIKE WE'VE DONE FOR OTHER THINGS. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I WOULD, I WOULD SAY, LET ME, LET ME SEE IF THERE'S ANYONE DOWN HERE. I HADN'T HEARD FROM ANYONE. COUNCIL LAWS. UM, I MEAN, YEAH, I THINK TAB, YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT. I, I THINK I'M, I'M ONE OF THE ONES THAT SUPPORTED 30 MINUTES. UH, BUT NOW LOOKING AT IT, UM, I THINK WE DO NEED TO GO TO AT LEAST AN HOUR, WHICH DAVID RECOMMENDED THAT JUST NOW SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT. UM, I STILL LIKE THE THREE MINUTES PER PERSON. YOU MENTIONED FIVE MINUTES PER PERSON. SO THERE'S ALL THIS TALKING ABOUT IT. AND HOW MANY READINGS DID WE HAVE TONIGHT THAT WERE IT'S A RESOLUTION. NO, I MEAN, NO, HOW MANY PUBLIC HEARINGS DO WE HAVE TONIGHT? RIGHT, RIGHT. THEY'RE ALL COMING AND WE HAD NO COMMENTS, SO, SO AGAIN, THIS IS ONLY UNCERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WE'RE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. SO, UM, I, UM, I, I, I WOULD LOOK AT THIS TO, TO GO BACK AND REDO IT OR AS DAVID MENTIONED, UH, JUST VOTE DOWN WHAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US TODAY. OKAY. COUNCILMAN CUNNINGHAM. YEAH, TWO THINGS. ONE, IT IS A RESOLUTION. SO THERE IS NO SECOND READING. WHATEVER GETS PASSED TODAY GETS PASSED. [02:30:01] SO LET'S JUST MAKE SURE WE'RE ALL PROCEDURALLY CLEAR ON THAT. THE SECOND PART, I WOULD SAY TO VICE CHAIR TAB, UM, IT WAS WHEN YOU GUYS CAME TO CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR THAT YOU REMOVED THE EIGHT O'CLOCK, WHICH WE HAD TO VOTE TO EXTEND MM-HMM . SO YOU GUYS BELIEVE AT THAT POINT THAT WE SHOULDN'T HAVE A TIME LIMIT. WE SHOULD STAY AND NOT LEAVE IT UP AND GET ALL OF OUR JOB DONE. I WOULD LIKE THE SAME THING TO OUR PUBLIC SPEAKERS WHEN IF THEY DO DECIDE TO SHOW UP FOR OUR PUBLIC HEARING. OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? DISCUSSION? WE'LL NEED TO ROLL CALL, VOTE. OKAY. OH, OH, YES. YEAH. I DUNNO WHETHER I THINK WE, UH, UM, I THINK WE ALL WANT TO HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC. I THINK WE WANT TO DO IT RIGHT. I THINK WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WHATEVER RULES WE PLAY PUT IN PLACE, UM, IS, IS SORT OF AMENABLE TO ALL OF US. UM, I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO, UM, EXTEND UNLIMITED AMOUNT OF TIME FOR COMMENTS. I THINK PEOPLE CAN SUMMARIZE WHAT THEY WANNA SAY IN A PERIOD OF TIME. NOW WHETHER THAT'S THREE MINUTES, FIVE MINUTES, I DON'T KNOW. UH, BUT I THINK WE, WE WANT TO DO THE RIGHT THING. SO I'M, I'M JUST GOING TO PUT A EMOTION ON THE FLOW TO, UM, TO, UM, WHAT'S THE APPROPRIATE ONE? I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WANT A TABLE, BECAUSE A TABLE MEANS THAT I'M WANT TO, YOU WANNA POSTPONE? I WANNA POSTPONE TO A DATE. CERTAIN POSTPONE. POSTPONE. YEAH. I WANNA PUT A MOTION TO POSTPONE THIS DISCUSSION. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A MOTION TO POSTPONE. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? DO YOU HAVE A, DO YOU HAVE A DATE YOU'D LIKE TO POSTPONE IT TO? YEAH, YOU HAVE TO A DATE. HOW LONG DO YOU NEED? I ALREADY, I ALREADY GOT, I ALREADY GOT ANOTHER DRAFT DONE AND SENT OVER TO, TO MS. LONG. HOW LONG DO YOU NEED? I'M ASKING YOU A WEEK OR TWO. I, I DON'T NEED IT. MY IT'S DONE. YEAH. MY AMENDMENTS ARE ALREADY DONE, BUT I HADN'T SHARED IT WITH EVERYBODY. NO, I RECEIVED IT DURING THIS MEETING, SO I HAVEN'T EVEN OPENED IT. SORRY. NO, IT'S OKAY. IT COULD COME TO THE NEXT MEETING. MM-HMM . OKAY. WE POSTPONED TO THE NEXT MEETING. TO THE NOVEMBER. THE NOVEMBER, NOVEMBER, WHATEVER MEETING THAT IS OF COUNCIL. NOVEMBER 9TH. NINTH, YES. NOVEMBER 9TH. YES. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. THAT A SECOND BACK. UM, COUNCILMAN MCKELLAN? ANY DISCUSSION? ALRIGHT, SEEING NO DISCUSSION, UM, LET'S, WE TAKE A ROLL CALL. VOTE OF THAT TO POSTPONE IT. CAN WE DO THAT PLEASE? MS. SO POSTPONE TO NOVEMBER 9TH. IS THAT WHAT I HEARD? POSTPONE RIGHT? YEAH. NOVEMBER 9TH. OKAY. NOVEMBER 9TH. MM-HMM . COUNCIL MEMBER GLOVER? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER MCGILLEN? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER REEDS? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER PASSMAN. I'LL SAY YES. COUNCIL MEMBER LAWSON. MARK LAWSON. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER DAWSON? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER CUNNINGHAM? YES. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER BROWN? YES. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER BARTHOLOMEW? YES. VICE CHAIR TABER? YES. CHAIR HOWARD? UH, YES. THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. ALRIGHT, AND THAT IS THE LAST WE HAVE, WE TOOK A RECESS FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION, SO WE ARE GOING BACK. BUT I NEED TO ADUR TURN THIS AJOUR, THIS ADJOURN OUT OF THIS, WE ARE ADJOURNED FROM THE REGULAR COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING. 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.