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as let us pray. Our dear kind heavenly
father, we do acknowledge you as the one

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in whom we live, move and have our
being. We thank you for allowing us to

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come to do the work that you have
ordained and appointed us to do. We

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thank you for everyone who is present
for this meeting. And as we begin our

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agenda, we invite your presence and ask
that you help us to make decisions that

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are pleasing in your sight. Always
remember our men and women who are

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serving our country, especially those
who are serving in harm's way. Let them

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know that they are not alone and help
them to just feel your presence wherever

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they are. And we ask you to continue to
bless the leadership locally and

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nationally and countywide. Help us to
always take care of our constituents the

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way you would have us to do. And as and
when we come to the end of our meeting

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and ready to go home, bless that you
give us traveling mercy. These and all

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blessings we thank you and ask in the
precious name of of Jesus our savior and

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your son. Amen. [clears throat]
>> Amen.

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» To the flag of the United States of
America and to the

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stand one nation under God, indivisible
with liberty and justice for all.

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» [clears throat]

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» hear a motion on approval of the agenda.
So,

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» sir,
>> all in favor say I.

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» Any oppose?
>> Approval of the minutes from the last

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county council meeting on 21st of July
and August the 11th.

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» Second.
>> All in favor say I. I.

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» Down to land use matters. Miss Helen,
please. Helen

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Reedman.
>> Let's try that again. Helen Rudman for

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planning staff RZ 26031420
Pinewood Road. Uh this is third reading.

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Uh and we continue to recommend
approval. There have been no changes

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since second reading.
>> Move for approval.

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» Second.
>> And there's a motion to second. Any

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questions?
>> Hearing none. All in favor say I. Any

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opposed? Unanimous and approved.
>> RZ 26041830

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calendar drive. There have been no
changes since second reading. We

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continue to recommend approval.
>> Move for approval.

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» Second.
>> The motion is second. Any questions?

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Hearing none. All in favor say I.
>> Any oppose? Unanimous and so. Thank you.

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» Thank you.
>> Down to other public hearings. Mr.

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Brian,

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» Mr. Chairman, members of council, we're
going to have public hearing for third

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reading on an ordinance to apply the
restrictive covenants that are already

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applicable in the Pocotalago East
subdivision to another piece of property

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fairly recently acquired. I'm going to
ask the clerk, the county council, to

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put onto the screen a picture of the
property. There you go. And you can see

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it's on the south side of racetrack
road. The Pocotelliggo East is on the

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north side of Racetrack Road. And the
covenants already apply to those

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properties on the north side of
racetrack road. So now the covenants

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will apply to this piece of property
recently acquired. So it'll be

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homogeneous regarding the number or the
kinds of uh industries that can locate

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there. I'm glad to take any questions
prior to public hearing.

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» Any questions for the county attorney?
Hearing none. We now have a public

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hearing. Public hearing is now open.
Anyone like to speak for or against this

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ordinance, please head to the podium.
State your name.

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Seeing none, public hearings are close.
What's the will of council?

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» Move a third read.
>> Motion second. Any questions, comments?

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Hearing none. All in favor say I.
>> I.

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» Any opposition? Unanimous. And so order.
Come down to committee reports. First is

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land use committee. Mr. Chairman,
>> uh land use committee met today. We

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continued discussions on uh land use
conservation and no action was taken but

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as we continue to
delve into this and more questions are

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being answered every meeting. I think
we're having good progress and at some

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point we will bring it forward [snorts]
in the committee and move on then but no

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action was taken. Thank you.
>> Thank you Mr. Edens. Now down to public

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safety committee. Mr. Washington.
>> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, we've had

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ongoing discussions about a dog issue in
the Sans Sushi area. We made further

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progress today. We're not quite at the
point yet to bring before council

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um an ordinance to vote on. And so we'll
continue with that process until we can

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get those things in place, all those
things that are necessary. Thank you,

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Mr. Chairman. Yes, sir. We've had
reports from other council members of

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the meetings.
>> Mr. Chairman.

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» Yes, sir. Mr. Washington,
>> I had the pleasure of attending a back

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to school event at Miss Katherine
Washington's church um last week. Um and

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there were several folks there. They had
lots of school supplies. They had good

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entertainment. And most of all, they had
good food. really really enjoyed that.

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Mr. Chairman, if I could just take a
moment just to just to inform council

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and the [clears throat] community on one
other issue. As you know, the proposed

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magnet school at Rafting Creek has been
a hot topic um for a while now. What I

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found interesting, Mr. chairman is that
I have now gotten communication from

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folks in the Pinewood area
and communication from folks in the St.

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John, Maywood, Shiloh area as well. Um,
and both areas, all three areas are very

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very interested in making sure that
their schools are retoled. Um, and of

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course you have different kinds of
magnet. You may have an agricultural

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magnet in one area, you may have
technology in another area, but folks

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are very serious um about their
education and in particular in the

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Shiloh area, Maywood, St. John's area.
They have lost four schools, Mr.

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Chairman, Mazeville,
Maywood,

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St. John and RE Davis over the course of
a number of years they have been

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decimated
with school closings and so it is an

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issue that is spreading around the rural
community. I have received a number of

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questions from folks in the community
and I submitted some questions to the

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school board or five. I just want to
share it with you. The survey says

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[clears throat]
that it's out to parents and so I've

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asked how many magnet surveys were sent
out, how are surveys being sent out?

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[clears throat] What criteria was used
for audience selection? How are survey

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results being collected? And who is
collecting and providing

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analytical data? So, I sent that to the
public information officer who passed it

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off to the superintendent
and I have a message from him and his

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message says, "We will be sharing this
information

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along all other magnet school data with
the board and the community at the

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September 14th board meeting. Now,
this is supposed to be a transparent

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process. Uh, Mr. Chairman, I'm not sure
why um a council member would have to

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wait until the 14th to receive
transparent information that affects all

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of our communities, particularly the
rural communities. I would think that

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information would have been put out
beforehand, but that concerns me very

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much and it concerns a lot of other
residents in the community as well. The

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second issue I would bring to your
attention, Mr. Chairman, is my concern

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for the fact that taxpayers
were not asked to participate in the

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survey. they are in fact taxpayers and
uh have a right to uh voice their

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opinion on this issue as well. Um I'm
not sure if there's going to be a second

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round of surveys sent out to taxpayers,
but I certainly would encourage the

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district to do that. Um and thirdly, and
lastly, Mr. Chairman, there are a number

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of school board members here who
represent rural areas. In fact, we have

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one here tonight, uh, Dr. Gloria Lee,
and there are others. And what I am

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seeing is that most of the schoolboard
members who represent rural areas, they

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understand the significance of their
rural school and they support a magnet

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program in their school. I am seeing a
division

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with members who serve on the school
board in the city who have opposition to

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that. And I think it's important um for
the public to understand that and know

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that this is one school district now.
It's not two school districts. And as

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you know in 2011 when the school
districts were consolidated

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district 2 which was the rule district
did not want to be consolidated and they

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were in great financial shape. They were
in great uh academic shape and they did

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not want a consolidation. Since that
time there has been no realignment.

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15 years. Whenever you consolidate a
school district, you have realignment so

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you can redistribute the lines equally.
And as a result of that, rural schools

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have suffered. They suffered with
programs. They've suffered in

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transportation. We have some kids uh who
are at the bus stop at 5 5:30 in the

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morning, not getting home till 6:00 or
6:30 in the afternoon. So it is a major

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problem that we need to address. Lastly,
Mr. Chairman, sort of like a Baptist

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preacher, you know, he says this is my
last point three times and it's not

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until the third time.
>> This is the third one.

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» This is the third one. This this this is
lose count there.

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00:11:04,560 --> 00:11:13,440
» Yeah. This is this is the uh this is the
third one, Mr. Chairman. Um the the

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concern needs to be countywide and not
just handled in a silo. And so we'll

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continue with this conversation and on
September 3rd, which is next Thursday,

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we will be hosting a community meeting
at the Rafting Creek Community Center at

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6:00. And I've been asked to come to
other areas, Pinewood and Shiloh, to

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talk about this issue as well. So it is
gaining a good deal of momentum and I

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think rightfully so. Thank you, Mr.
Chairman.

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» For your comments. Anybody else on
council?

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Well, I I mean I can't allow him to to
mention my area without saying something

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and um just you know for the purpose of
those who are present and for county

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council you know we do fund public
education. I don't know how magnet

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schools will fit into that but I
certainly hope that as we as um this

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concept gains traction that everybody
will have an open mind. Um I am a

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product of public schools and um the
area where I attended school is the area

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in SA County that has um uh really
suffered the the biggest brunt of

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changes. Um the elementary school where
I attended as a child, St. John

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Elementary School closed down right
along with Maize Bill Elementary School.

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And then after that um the high school
where I attended um shut down as well.

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And then and um and then um that and
Maywood um they it kept um it it stayed

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open as a middle school but then it
eventually closed down as well. and the

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children on my end of the county which
it takes a good with me driving it takes

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me 35 minutes to get to re Davis where I
taught for many years and so those

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children are standing um at the road um
around 5:30 in the morning when it's

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dark and um and so um it it certainly
needs some serious considerations and to

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see whether there is nothing that can be
done that would be would help um

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children all over the county. You know,
when I come into because I've worked in

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city schools too and and I see that life
is completely different for the children

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there. So there needs to be a leveling
of the playing field for the um our

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children all through throughout the
county whether or not we are public

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00:13:56,959 --> 00:14:06,160
school proponents or or not. I have
nothing against private schools, you

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00:14:03,360 --> 00:14:13,519
know, people who can afford it um afford
it, but private schools the children go

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because they have no other choice. And
so we we really do need to give them

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some leverage on as to what we can offer
and to be fair and not only fair but

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equitable to those children and
families. Thank you for allowing me to

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00:14:29,199 --> 00:14:35,440
say that.
>> Anybody else here? All right. Down to

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monthly reports.
They're in our packets.

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» Yes.
>> County administrator's report.

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00:14:39,600 --> 00:14:45,199
» Mr. Chair, if you would just one quick
uh comment if you would and indulge me

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00:14:43,839 --> 00:14:51,519
just for a moment. I would like to take
this opportunity to uh one recognize

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00:14:48,480 --> 00:14:57,360
Miss Washington um sitting on the front
row. Many of you seen her just about at

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every meeting and she is here uh
relentlessly and uh we we share a story.

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00:15:00,720 --> 00:15:08,480
Uh she's pasture road is a road that's
on our capital penny sales tax and it's

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00:15:05,600 --> 00:15:12,720
actually coming up uh for bid uh release
on September the 3rd. So it'll be before

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our next meeting and I'm hopeful that
everything will go very well with that.

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00:15:14,399 --> 00:15:21,920
But just to recognize her for her
patience. Uh she's got a story, a

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00:15:19,199 --> 00:15:26,079
heartwarming story about her father who
who was told many many years ago that

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her road would be paved and uh
unfortunately he's passed. but now she's

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here to carry that torch and to see it
through the finish line. And I just want

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00:15:31,920 --> 00:15:37,680
to thank her. She's been so kind and
friendly to work with us. It's a

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00:15:36,079 --> 00:15:42,800
pleasure working with folks like that.
And uh and congratulator and I want to

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be out there when that road's paid so we
can actually walk on it together. But um

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00:15:45,360 --> 00:15:52,399
thank you. Thank you council for this
opportunity. And thank you.

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00:15:49,680 --> 00:15:56,959
» Thank you can administrator. Go downtown
to our public comment section. Any would

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00:15:55,360 --> 00:16:02,240
like to speak for council. You got three
minutes. Please head toward the podium.

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00:15:59,440 --> 00:16:08,839
State your name for the record. And now
public comment is now open.

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00:16:05,199 --> 00:16:08,839
Anybody like to speak?

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00:16:09,519 --> 00:16:14,959
» Uh hello everyone. My name is Julie
Baldiff. I'm at 34 Frank Clark Street

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00:16:13,040 --> 00:16:18,560
downtown historic district in Sumpter.
Um I brought my work notebook with me

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00:16:16,639 --> 00:16:22,560
today. I work at Shaw Air Force Base and
I support downrange um the troops that

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00:16:20,639 --> 00:16:26,560
are uh downrange getting them the right
equipment they need for counter drones.

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00:16:24,320 --> 00:16:30,320
I say that because um one thing that has
kind of brought all of them together in

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00:16:28,240 --> 00:16:34,079
the midst of nine months of 8 to 12 hour
work days is Pizza Cat. I don't know if

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00:16:32,399 --> 00:16:39,120
you've heard of Pizza Cat. Pizza Cat is
the queen of the deed, Lud Air Base, and

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00:16:36,639 --> 00:16:42,880
they send proof of life photos uh of her
all over Facebook um daily, weekly,

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00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:46,240
whatever they can. She actually got
stuck up in a ceiling tile and they

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00:16:44,320 --> 00:16:49,600
rescued her um with the fire department.
That's important because when they have

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00:16:47,440 --> 00:16:53,120
an alarm red, they they grab her and
they take her to um the bunkers with

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00:16:51,600 --> 00:16:56,639
them to save her. and she has just
become this thing um that keeps them

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00:16:54,880 --> 00:17:00,160
going. Um why is that important for
Sumpter? We have a cat problem and

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00:16:58,480 --> 00:17:03,600
you've heard that already um at the last
meeting as well. I just trapped the

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00:17:01,759 --> 00:17:06,559
fifth cat in my own yard downtown in the
historic district because I have a

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00:17:04,959 --> 00:17:09,520
wonderful neighbor who doesn't believe
in spaying and neutering because she

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00:17:08,079 --> 00:17:13,679
thinks her cats are cute and they make
cute kittens. So, she keeps letting them

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00:17:11,520 --> 00:17:17,919
have kittens. Um luckily I work with a
rescue and I know how to TNR. We

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00:17:15,360 --> 00:17:20,880
actually TNRed 35 cats this past
weekend. So, pretty impressive and

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really great work from all the team
involved. So, what I uh have done here

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in Sumpter, I've trapped at Hills
Printing. I've trapped downtown at the

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um parking garage. We've trapped at Shaw
Air Force Base, churches, personal

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homes, neighborhoods, surrounding towns,
even surrounding counties. U when

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somebody needed help, here's the answers
I get when I explain what people need to

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do. These are not my cats. I can't
drive. I can't pay. My parents won't let

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me. These are grown adults, by the way,
who just live with their parents. And I

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don't have time to do that. I'm working
8 to 12 hour days at Shaw right now

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because of the war. And I come home and
I do two hours of cat care before I

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leave and two hours of cat care when I
get back home. And then I transport cats

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um most evenings to Camden and other
surrounding areas. So what what do we

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need to do? Um I'm calling on you and
you've heard this. I'm calling on you to

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be the voice and the face of what's
important to this community because you

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have power in your faces. you represent
us and when people hear you speak, they

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believe you because you carry that power
with you and that legitimacy. So when

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you walk into an a community and you say
how important it is to fix this cat

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problem, they're going to look at you
and say, "How do I do that?" And you can

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be part of the committee with these
people here in the red shirts that can

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make that happen and come up with a
plan. I specifically would call on um

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our ability to use saving sumpter
strays. They do great work. So I am not

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here to call out anything wrong that
they've done. I'm very good friends with

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Nenah and they've worked hard to get us
lowcost spay and neuter for TNR with

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Pets Inc. who comes there and does
lowcost um spay and neuter with their

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van. Um but it's not enough. If you were
here when they very first started that

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um facility, it was going to have a cat
wing as well. So think about that as you

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think about being part of this
community, as you think about ways that

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you can help us in our endeavors and
ways that we as a community can do a

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better job bringing about a solution to
the cat problem in Sumpter. Thank you

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very much for your time. Thank you.
>> Anybody else?

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[clears throat]

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» Hi, my name is Lisa Fitzgerald and I
live at 125 White Oak Park in Sumpter.

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I have a recommendation that the Sumpter
community has a stray dog and feral cat

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problem that needs to be resolved in a
positive way by the entire Sumpter

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00:19:41,200 --> 00:19:47,840
community. We need to create an
executive board umbrella organization

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that provides guidance to the rest of
the community as to how best meet the

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needs of our beloved stray animal
population. The executive board could be

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comprised of the existing angel an
excuse [clears throat] me angel animal

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00:19:59,440 --> 00:20:06,400
advocate groups who have made extreme
sacrifices on behalf of Sumpter an

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animals such as what Julie just
mentioned herself. We need their

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expertise to guide the community in how
best meet the needs of our beloved

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animals. The executive board needs to
include the local government officials

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so they can enable Sumpre to obtain
county and state grant funding for these

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desperately needed funds. The executive
board needs to also include local

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businesses whose owners are animal
lovers to add their expertise in

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managing budgets budgets within excuse
me managing programs within budgets etc.

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Working together with the entire Sumpter
community, we can do wonderful things

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for both our animal population and our
people population. There are all kinds

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00:20:44,880 --> 00:20:52,559
of studies proving how working with
animals enriches the entire population.

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Volunteering together benefits the
entire community and it's a winwin for

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everyone. Programs we need in Sumpter.
Volunteers for the TNR services trap,

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00:21:00,799 --> 00:21:08,480
neuter release for feral cats and feral
colony cats to stop reproduction.

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00:21:06,240 --> 00:21:13,280
Volunteers feed and maintain these feral
cat colonies with food, shelter, vet

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care services, fostering babies and
adults so that they can get adopted.

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00:21:15,840 --> 00:21:23,600
Lowcost or free spayneuter vet services
in Sumpter. Sumpre County poverty rate,

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which everybody here is extremely
familiar with, ranges between 16 and

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29%. Where I live, it's 29%.
So, we need to work with our local

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government to find grant money for TNR
and lowcost vet services in Sumpter so

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people can keep their pets that they
love. We also need buildings where the

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community can volunteer to care for
these cats, socialize them, and find

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adoptive families so they can have a
future.

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Some suggestions. The town and county of
Sumpter donate abandoned buildings for a

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dollar and other building options to our
animal advocate organization executive

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board to provide air conditioning and
heated housing for these stray animals.

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Publicize our endeavors via the Sumpter
item and community pages. Incorporate

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volunteer organizations in Sumpter. Boy
Scouts, Girl Scouts, church groups, high

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00:22:13,280 --> 00:22:19,360
school community service projects for
students who want a career working with

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00:22:16,799 --> 00:22:26,240
animals, local businesses, education
programs in the schools, etc. Programs

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fostering baby kittens. [bell]
I can finish. I just have a couple more

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sentences. Families doing TNR together.
Families volunteering in the stray

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animal buildings working with the
animals and taking care of the animal

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needs. Senior programs with animals at
senior facilities. And this would remove

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the burden from the existing animal
organizations such as Julie who

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[clears throat] runs a sanctuary from
her home which is just she's absolutely

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an amazing person
and they are all overwhelmed with the

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Sumpter community's animal needs and
have no kill buildings unless the animal

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is dangerous or critically ill. I would
love to see that here in our community.

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» Thank you, Mr. Terrell.
Anybody else?

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00:23:09,760 --> 00:23:16,640
Okay. Good evening, Vice Chair and the
members of Sumpre County Council. My

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name is Miss Wright and I'm here tonight
because we need to have an honest

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conversation about animal welfare and
animal control in Sumpre County. I want

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to tell you about a dog named Libby.

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That's Libby.
[laughter]

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00:23:34,799 --> 00:23:43,600
Sorry,
eating up my time. Libby was dumped off

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00:23:40,480 --> 00:23:48,240
of 15 South. She wasn't surrendered to a
rescue. She wasn't placed somewhere

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00:23:45,600 --> 00:23:53,039
safe. She was simply left behind to fend
for herself. She was running at large

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00:23:50,799 --> 00:23:57,600
because she was in survival mode. And
when an animal is abandoned and left to

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survive on the streets, we cannot be
surprised when that animal behaves like

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00:24:00,080 --> 00:24:08,240
an animal trying to survive. But instead
of having meaningful resources available

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to address the situation, people in our
community have actually threatened to

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00:24:10,559 --> 00:24:18,559
shoot Libby because of things she did
while she was running at large. Think

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00:24:15,440 --> 00:24:24,960
about that for a moment.
Remember Washington? A dog was dumped.

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She became a stray. She survived the
only way she knew how. And now the

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solution some people see is a bullet.
That should not be where we are as a

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community. Since I became aware of
Libby, I've provided her food. I bought

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00:24:38,080 --> 00:24:44,480
her a crate to set her up for success
and hopefully transition her into a

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00:24:42,320 --> 00:24:48,640
permanent home. I've purchased fleick
prevention and other preventative care.

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00:24:46,480 --> 00:24:53,600
And tomorrow, I'm taking her for space
surgery and vaccines. But here's the

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00:24:51,039 --> 00:25:00,720
problem. That appointment isn't here in
Sumpre County. It is in Marian. It's an

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00:24:57,440 --> 00:25:08,000
hour and 20 minutes each way. I'm
driving nearly three hours round trip to

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00:25:05,120 --> 00:25:13,440
access to access affordable veterinarian
care for a dog who isn't even my pet. I

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00:25:11,440 --> 00:25:17,600
didn't dump Libby. I didn't create this
situation. But I'm paying for her

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00:25:15,360 --> 00:25:22,640
surgery, her vaccines, her preventative
care, her food, her crate, and the gas

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00:25:20,240 --> 00:25:28,080
to get her there. I filled my vehicle up
yesterday for $346

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00:25:25,600 --> 00:25:33,360
a gallon. Nobody is reimbursing me for
the gas. I'm doing it because I refuse

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00:25:30,159 --> 00:25:38,559
to watch another unwanted animal become
a statistic. And Libbyy's story is not

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00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:43,760
unique. This is exactly why community
members have to start creating solutions

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00:25:40,799 --> 00:25:49,120
themselves. Recently, Sumpter Angels
Animal Advocates held our inaugural

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00:25:46,640 --> 00:25:54,320
mobile pop-up pet pantry here in our
community. It was at Carquest off of

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00:25:51,840 --> 00:25:58,960
Gineard. We brought pet food and
supplies directly to people who needed

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00:25:56,080 --> 00:26:03,120
them. Why? Because sometimes the
difference between a family keeping

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00:26:00,559 --> 00:26:08,080
their pet and surrendering their pet
isn't a lack of love. It's a bag of

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00:26:05,919 --> 00:26:11,440
food. It's a little help during a
difficult month. And that's what

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00:26:09,679 --> 00:26:15,440
prevention looks like. We're trying to
keep animals in loving homes and keep

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00:26:13,279 --> 00:26:19,440
them out of shelters in the first place.
But here's the thing. Community

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00:26:17,200 --> 00:26:25,919
volunteers should not have to build an
entire animal welfare system and safety

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00:26:22,720 --> 00:26:30,799
net by themselves. We can help. Rescues
can help. veterinarians, advocates, but

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00:26:28,480 --> 00:26:34,320
we cannot volunteer our way out of this
systemic problem. So, I don't want to

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00:26:32,799 --> 00:26:38,559
stand here tonight and simply tell you
what's wrong. I want to ask about

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00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:43,919
solutions. First, Sumpre County needs
accessible, affordable spay and neuter

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00:26:40,640 --> 00:26:48,320
resources within our own community.
Second, we need a meaningful plan for

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00:26:45,919 --> 00:26:52,880
stray and abandoned animals, including
field responses, appropriate intake, and

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00:26:51,120 --> 00:26:57,840
partnerships with qualified rescue
organizations. Third, we need to invest

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00:26:55,360 --> 00:27:04,240
in prevention. Every animal we can
safely sterilize is potentially an

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00:27:01,039 --> 00:27:08,159
entire generation of unwinded pets we
don't have to find homes for. And we

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00:27:06,159 --> 00:27:12,880
need to recognize the value of programs
like pet food assistance and community-

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00:27:10,000 --> 00:27:17,440
based diversion because it can help a
struggling family and it may prevent the

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00:27:15,600 --> 00:27:24,080
animal from ever entering the shelter
system.

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So tonight, I'm asking you to partner
with the concerned citizens in our

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00:27:27,600 --> 00:27:35,600
community and help bring to the table
animal welfare stakeholders, animal

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00:27:33,200 --> 00:27:40,480
control, veterinarians, rescues,
advocates, and community members

335
00:27:37,840 --> 00:27:47,799
together and develop a real measurable
plan because people in this community

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00:27:42,559 --> 00:27:47,799
are already trying to solve the problem.

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00:27:48,240 --> 00:27:55,039
Anybody else?
>> Sir.

338
00:27:53,120 --> 00:27:58,720
» Oh, no. You go ahead. [laughter]
No, no, it's okay.

339
00:27:57,200 --> 00:28:04,640
» Mistake your name for the record, sir.
>> Uh, my name is Lorenzo Rivers. I'm from

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00:28:01,760 --> 00:28:10,320
Sumpt, South Carolina as a private
citizen and a native resident of Sumpta,

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00:28:07,520 --> 00:28:14,799
South Carolina for over 50 years. I was
at the Sumpter the Resource South

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00:28:12,399 --> 00:28:20,000
Sumpter Resource Center and I witnessed
two men working to replace ceiling

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00:28:17,039 --> 00:28:26,159
towels. I asked if there was someone
working on the leak leaking roof. He

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00:28:23,360 --> 00:28:30,880
said that was someone else's job. As I
was leaving, I saw a county worker who

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00:28:28,080 --> 00:28:36,480
appeared to be a supervisor. I asked him
about the roof and he blew me off. The

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00:28:34,159 --> 00:28:41,200
next day, I saw one worker who was
working on the latest bathroom to keep

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00:28:38,480 --> 00:28:47,600
the door from slamming. I went into the
classroom. When I came out, he was gone

348
00:28:44,880 --> 00:28:52,080
and has not to return. Has yet to
return.

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00:28:49,360 --> 00:28:57,919
The restrooms are minimally adequate and
need upgrading. Security concerns are

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00:28:55,760 --> 00:29:02,240
the absence of cameras and a public
address system.

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00:28:59,760 --> 00:29:07,279
My next concern is the I saw of
abandoned mobile home trailer behind my

352
00:29:04,799 --> 00:29:13,080
property. I would ask the county
administrator to read South Carolina

353
00:29:09,200 --> 00:29:13,080
code 1976-6-150

354
00:29:14,159 --> 00:29:23,600
concerning article 8 abandoned mobile
manufactured housing. Maybe he will

355
00:29:21,679 --> 00:29:29,360
maybe he has not had the time to follow
up on this matter.

356
00:29:26,159 --> 00:29:34,000
However, if I were a county council
member,

357
00:29:31,039 --> 00:29:40,320
an elected official, not an appointed or
hired person,

358
00:29:36,000 --> 00:29:44,320
I would be ashamed of how you take care
of the south side of something South

359
00:29:42,799 --> 00:29:48,919
Carolina.
>> Thank you, Mr. Anybody else?

360
00:29:54,880 --> 00:30:04,880
Hi, my name is Chandler Schweight. I'm
here um with my friends and colleagues

361
00:30:00,559 --> 00:30:10,720
to discuss animal welfare advocacy. Um
so for lowcost spay and neuter options

362
00:30:08,000 --> 00:30:16,000
um I would I would like to start. So I
called today several vets in the area

363
00:30:13,279 --> 00:30:20,960
here in Sumpter. Um I have their pricing
as follows. It cost between $400 and

364
00:30:19,120 --> 00:30:26,480
$800.
um to spay and neuter an animal

365
00:30:22,960 --> 00:30:33,760
depending on weight in addition to a $75
vet visit to include blood blood work.

366
00:30:29,520 --> 00:30:41,120
Um for kittens and cats, $350 to $400
plus a $75 office visit to include blood

367
00:30:37,840 --> 00:30:47,279
work. Um, if you go to the SPCA tomorrow
and pay their $275 adoption fee, um, and

368
00:30:45,279 --> 00:30:53,120
you want a cute little kitten that's
less than six months old, um, they're

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00:30:50,080 --> 00:31:00,080
they they don't, um, spay or neuter
animals below that age. So, they give

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00:30:56,640 --> 00:31:05,279
you a $30 voucher, um, to go do it on
your own. So, the $30 voucher doesn't

371
00:31:03,360 --> 00:31:11,039
cover the cone that goes on the animal's
head. So a lot of those animals end up

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00:31:08,080 --> 00:31:16,240
not getting spayed or neutered and that
contributes um like a feedback loop to

373
00:31:14,000 --> 00:31:22,480
the unwanted animal crisis here in some
term. However, in adjacent counties and

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00:31:19,679 --> 00:31:28,559
communities, they do have lowcost spay
and neuter programs. In Colombia, Humane

375
00:31:25,200 --> 00:31:37,120
Society, cat neuter is $50. Dog neuter
$100. Cat spay $80. Dog spay $120.

376
00:31:33,200 --> 00:31:45,279
Florence, um $85 for cats, ranges
between $110 and $160 for dogs depending

377
00:31:40,960 --> 00:31:50,799
on size. Um Newberry um county dog is
around $30. They have a waiver for

378
00:31:47,360 --> 00:31:58,000
financial hardship. Marian between 150
160. Um the point is that it's half to

379
00:31:55,279 --> 00:32:02,799
significantly less um to get your animal
spayed or neutered there. Um I'm

380
00:32:00,320 --> 00:32:07,600
advocating for lowcost spay and neuter
here in Sumpter. Um I was going to

381
00:32:05,120 --> 00:32:12,240
discuss microchipping as well, but I'll
I'll make the most of my remaining time.

382
00:32:10,720 --> 00:32:18,640
The most important thing that I want to
say here today is I would like to ask

383
00:32:15,679 --> 00:32:24,399
county council, will you please sit down
with us animal advocates to discuss

384
00:32:22,480 --> 00:32:30,240
solutions? We are putting together a
proposal um with real solutions. We're

385
00:32:27,279 --> 00:32:36,720
not asking you to solve the problem. We
we are finding the solutions. As you can

386
00:32:32,880 --> 00:32:41,200
see, Julie her home, she has a a a cat
sanctuary set up. She spends her time.

387
00:32:39,360 --> 00:32:46,960
There are so many more citizens here in
Sumpter that spend their own time and

388
00:32:43,760 --> 00:32:53,840
their own money to save the animals that
are dumped on their property. Um, and

389
00:32:50,720 --> 00:32:59,120
with feral kittens, feral cat colonies,
etc. The community, I'm wrapping it up,

390
00:32:56,960 --> 00:33:04,480
the community cannot continue to carry
the burden themselves. We cannot do it

391
00:33:01,919 --> 00:33:09,600
without you. So my the most important
thing that I have to say is I want to

392
00:33:06,399 --> 00:33:14,559
ask you county council, will you please
sit down with a few leaders in the

393
00:33:12,960 --> 00:33:20,480
community that are putting together a
proposal um amending, reviewing a

394
00:33:17,679 --> 00:33:25,919
proposal with solutions and have a
discussion beyond a three minutes at a

395
00:33:22,559 --> 00:33:31,200
council meeting. um and discuss how we
can work together and collaborate

396
00:33:27,919 --> 00:33:37,840
because as you see the unwanted animal
crisis is a huge burden to your voters,

397
00:33:35,120 --> 00:33:43,840
to taxpayers, and to our community. Um
we just want to find solutions, but we

398
00:33:40,320 --> 00:33:48,880
need your help. So will you please meet
with us um and so that we can work

399
00:33:46,880 --> 00:33:57,799
together on this. We'll find the
solutions, but we need help. That's all.

400
00:33:52,720 --> 00:33:57,799
Thank you. Anybody else?

401
00:33:59,600 --> 00:34:09,040
» Hello, I'm Lisa Hall. I spoke here last
uh last time on behalf of Julie because

402
00:34:05,919 --> 00:34:15,119
she was out of town. Um
since that two weeks ago, I believe in

403
00:34:12,720 --> 00:34:19,440
networking. We're not reinventing the
wheel. Other counties are doing great

404
00:34:17,839 --> 00:34:24,960
things.
If

405
00:34:21,839 --> 00:34:29,599
uh I'm sure that at your level you may
know somebody in one of those other

406
00:34:26,639 --> 00:34:35,599
counties that works in your position,
uh just reach out to them and ask them

407
00:34:33,520 --> 00:34:40,720
advice and how how they got their
program off the ground because we're I'm

408
00:34:38,480 --> 00:34:46,480
spinning my wheels trying to figure out
a solution to the problem when it's

409
00:34:43,679 --> 00:34:52,639
already being done in a a neighboring
county and we we do rely on neighboring

410
00:34:49,520 --> 00:34:58,880
counties to transport all these cats. I
transferred ported uh 10 10 uh this

411
00:34:56,480 --> 00:35:04,400
afternoon to Camden. They they'll sit in
a cat shack overnight. Uh they feed them

412
00:35:02,240 --> 00:35:09,119
and then they have to transport them all
the way to Spartanberg, South Carolina

413
00:35:06,960 --> 00:35:13,359
to be fixed and then brought back and
then we go back up to Camden and pick

414
00:35:11,280 --> 00:35:19,839
them up to return them to our own
community. That's unacceptable. We need

415
00:35:15,920 --> 00:35:26,960
to do better. And um I just ask you to
ne use your networking and and help us

416
00:35:23,359 --> 00:35:32,720
get there. Uh we're willing to help help
with the solution if you can help us get

417
00:35:29,040 --> 00:35:37,119
there too. Thanks.
>> Anybody else like to speak to council

418
00:35:34,160 --> 00:35:43,200
this evening?
Seeing none, public comments now closed.

419
00:35:41,200 --> 00:35:44,720
» Move for a journment.
>> Second.

420
00:35:44,000 --> 00:35:49,880
» Second.
>> All in favor say I.

421
00:35:46,160 --> 00:35:49,880
» I. Now you're