[0:00] Good afternoon everybody. Welcome to the
Swany County Board of County
[0:03] Commissioner meeting for September 1st,
2026. This time I'd like to get
[0:07] Commissioner Fleming to do the
invocation. Commissioner Molly to do the
[0:10] pledge if you'll stand. Thank you.
>> Let's pray. Father, we come once again
[0:16] in your name. Thank you for many
blessings you bestowed upon us. Thank
[0:19] you for making a way for us. Thank you
for how you watched over and protect us.
[0:23] You kept us safe. We pray God that you
be with the Brie families. Oh God,
[0:27] somebody had tra tragedy, but have mercy
if we pray. We pray God that [snorts]
[0:31] you lift us up. Be with us this day.
Watch over and protect us. Keep us safe
[0:35] from all hurt, harm, and danger. For we
call in your name because we need you
[0:38] this afternoon and we can't get along
without you. Father, we ask these and
[0:42] all blessings in Jesus name we pray.
Amen.
[0:45] » Amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag of
the United States of America and to the
[0:51] republic for which it stands, one nation
under God, indivisible, with liberty and
[0:57] justice for all.
[1:08] Moving on to item number one, approval
of minutes for the August 18th, 2026
[1:13] regular meeting. Do I hear any
corrections, deletions, or a motion to
[1:17] approve?
>> So move.
[1:19] » Motion by Commissioner Hail.
>> Second.
[1:21] » Second by Commissioner Fleming. All in
favor? I. I. All oppose. Same sign.
[1:26] Motion carries five to zero. Public
concerns and comments.
[1:31] Uh Mr. Broers
[1:40] and just announce everything but that
one. So that way the record's clear.
[1:45] Hey Jason, can you get a recusal phone?
You want me to say
[1:52] » good evening and how are you?
>> I'm doing okay. Getting older every day.
[1:55] » I [laughter] hear you.
>> Keith Broers, 970 Southwest Pine
[2:00] Mountain Road in Lake City. What I want
to talk tonight a little bit about is
[2:03] something called the original intent of
our founding fathers. If you understand
[2:09] that the original intent basically means
is that the the constitution means today
[2:14] what it meant on the day that it was
written by the founding fathers. Uh
[2:18] there is a way to change the
constitution and it's through an
[2:20] amendment. But what we have done over
the years is we've amended the
[2:24] constitution by misinterpreting it. And
that is a lot easier to misinterpret
[2:29] than it is to go through the amendment
process. The amendment in particular
[2:33] that I want to mention is the 14th
amendment.
[2:37] I don't know if you know the reason that
the 14th amendment was passed. I
[2:40] encourage all of you to go to your AI
and ask the question, why did the
[2:44] founding fathers propose the 14th
amendment? And it made it very clear.
[2:47] The purpose was to create a situation
where the black Americans would be
[2:52] treated with equality and justice. That
was the purpose of the amendment. It
[2:56] wasn't to try to increase the number of
immigrants. it was to basically improve
[3:02] the the quality of of the immigrants and
um frankly um one of the one of the
[3:12] things that comes up and I'm in very
much along I go along with Donald Trump
[3:16] on this idea of the birthright
citizenship there's two types of
[3:20] citizenships there's the citizenship
that is be conferred upon you by your by
[3:25] the land upon which you were born and
the second form of citizenship ship is
[3:30] the type of citizenship that is based
upon your lineage. You inherit the in
[3:36] you inherit the citizenship of your
parents. Well, in in our country
[3:41] initially the founding fathers believed
that they wanted both. They wanted
[3:45] people to be born on US soil but they
also wanted the people who were uh to
[3:51] run for president to be to owe their
complete and total allegiance to America
[3:56] and not to a foreign power. And if you
go to AI and ask the question, uh, why
[4:02] did the founding fathers insist on a
clause
[4:07] for the birthright citizenship?
Check it out and you'll see that what
[4:12] they what the founding fathers believed
was was written by a guy by the name of
[4:16] Vatell who wrote a book called the well
the law of nations. And in that he said
[4:21] that a natural-born citizen is a child
who was born in a country to parents
[4:26] that were citizens of that country at
the time of the birth. And frankly uh
[4:32] obviously there's there's one guy who
did who uh well anyway this is important
[4:37] because if you elect people who have a
divided loyalty, how do you know whose
[4:42] interests are going to be looked after?
I find that a lot of times our
[4:46] presidents make decisions that benefit
other countries more than our own.
[4:49] Anyway, check it out on AI. Ask the
question, why was the 14th amendment
[4:54] written and why did the founding fathers
insist on the clause for birthright
[5:00] citizenship? Thank you.
>> Thank you, Mr. Broers.
[5:03] Miss Martin.
[5:13] Greetings, Wendy Martin, 15850
141st Road, Macalpin. A quick response.
[5:20] AI is replete with a lot of incorrect
information because it's dependent on
[5:24] the people that are answering the
questions initially.
[5:28] Um the 14th amendment was also started
after reconstruction, not by the
[5:33] founding fathers. And in regards to
elections, I want to complement the
[5:38] Swany County Division of Elections for
the saving us and some of the security
[5:42] they've enacted because now instead of
having to pre-order a bunch of ballots,
[5:47] they're not printing the ballots up till
we need them, which saved us on paper
[5:50] and ink, we don't have to do the
accounting to account for why did you
[5:55] destroy these ballots that were not
used. So again, that's money and time.
[6:01] It also mitigates any of the claim, you
know, election security about who got
[6:06] what ballot when it came out. We don't
have to worry about whatever the lies
[6:10] they were promoting that led to some of
the revolt in 2020. But Miss Kinsey did
[6:16] Jennifer did a very good I think she
conducted a very good election and the
[6:21] improvements that she's made with the
technology.
[6:25] kudos other than I suck at that
woodscribe or whatever for the auto
[6:30] signature, but it is what it is. Thank
you.
[6:33] » Thank you. Appreciate it.
>> Anybody else public concerns and
[6:36] comments
[6:48] Clipper? Uh on the uh on this item six
on the consent. Y'all y'all gonna
[6:56] u y'all got plans on
doing terminating whatever? We still let
[7:02] I requested quite a while back for the
outcome of that last uh 12 $15,000 we
[7:09] spent and it hadn't been published that
I guess I got to go through for you. Um
[7:15] I don't know why that has to be it's a
disconnect. govern and and and so I'm
[7:22] requesting again for y'all to publish
right now uh what what happened with
[7:27] that last cherry bracket money what they
come up with on that last one incomplete
[7:33] u and I request y'all to u you know
defund again uh sheriff's department
[7:40] with the flock cameras the axon that's
coming up behind them that they're if
[7:45] y'all are reading I'm reading they're
putting dum spy
[7:49] stuff on top of the light poles now, you
know. So, they're just trying to surveil
[7:55] us and you know, y'all could y'all could
put a stop to some of it. Um, yeah, Axon
[8:00] Axo N. And then y'all not going to
chairman not going to let me speak to
[8:05] general business number nine on the
North Florida Water Utility Authority.
[8:10] Y'all were misinformed by legal counsel
about the interlocal agreement. Uh
[8:17] Columbia County's got 180 days to back
out of that deal with North Florida
[8:21] Water Utility Authority. It it it
plainly states that the second
[8:26] interlocal does not uh eliminate the
terms and conditions of the first. So,
[8:32] you know, we're in a mess with that. And
if it's ego that's going to get us there
[8:37] and I don't like the fact that we're
just spending money hand over fist.
[8:40] We're paying uh the lawyer. We got over
$400 an hour. Uh, you know, it's just
[8:46] money, money, money. We can do it more
efficiently here. Um, I'm certain with
[8:51] inter local. So, we just need to be more
efficient because amendment three is
[8:56] coming through, folks. So, we y'all
going to be short about $6 million out
[9:01] of the out of the operating budget. So,
uh, y'all need to start being more
[9:08] efficient with spending our money and
finding creative [clears throat] ways
[9:12] to, uh, be more efficient, you know, and
transparency. Actually, you utilizing
[9:19] I've watched, uh, for a long time u, you
know, people come up this podium and
[9:25] offer services over at the coliseum.
There's a lady that her husband was in
[9:29] trucking. they offered to uh assist with
assistance and y'all never y'all never
[9:35] utilize that. There's many things that
y'all could do for free. People want to
[9:39] help and instead NDAs and all that
stuff, y'all try to hide stuff from us
[9:44] instead of letting us help. So anyway,
we need to get better.
[9:48] » Thank you, sir.
Anybody else? Public concerns and
[9:52] comments.
>> Moving on to the consent agenda. Is any
[9:56] any commissioners want to pull any item
for discussion?
[9:58] » Mr. Chair, I pull number two.
>> Number two for discussion.
[10:04] Any others?
[10:08] » Seeing that, we will be voting on items
3 through eight of the consent agenda.
[10:13] Do I have a motion to approve?
>> Motion.
[10:17] » Motion by Commissioner Fleming.
>> Second.
[10:18] » Second by Commissioner Lan. All in
favor? I. I. All oppose, same sign.
[10:23] Motion carries five to zero. Item number
two, approval of payment of process
[10:28] invoice. Mr. Bland.
>> Yes, sir. In there um in inside of
[10:32] number two on that on the payment
vouchers, there is a $700 check to Harry
[10:36] T. Reed Funeral Home. I need to abstain
um from voting on that due to a
[10:40] conflict. My wife and I are owners of
Harry T Reed Funeral Home. We
[10:43] transported a deceased person to the
medical examiner's office at the
[10:46] county's request.
>> Well, thank you for letting us know that
[10:49] and appreciate that. Uh seeing that uh
Commissioner Lan will recuse itself from
[10:54] voting on item number two. Do I have a
motion to approve? Beside that payment
[11:00] of pro processed invoice. Motion by
Commissioner Mobly.
[11:04] » Second.
>> Second by Commissioner Hail.
[11:06] » All in favor? I I all oppose saying
sign. Motion carries four to zero with
[11:11] Commissioner Land of Stanley.
[11:17] No time specific constitutional
officers.
[11:22] » Staff,
[11:26] » any commissioner items?
>> County attorney.
[11:30] » Uh yes, Mr. Chairman. I got three things
real quick. Uh the first is there's
[11:36] going to be a meeting of the uh Live Oak
Community Redevelopment Authority on
[11:41] September the 29th. uh as your
>> 22
[11:45] » 22nd I'm sorry
um yeah the fourth Tuesday I apologize
[11:50] uh so on September 22nd
um as you're aware Mr. Chairman uh the
[11:56] CRA recently was voting to expand the
county and the city and the CRA had some
[12:01] very constructive conversations about
some of the county's concerns. Uh
[12:05] they've invited me to come speak at that
22nd meeting regarding those concerns.
[12:09] Uh I've discussed this individually with
each member of the board just so they're
[12:12] aware as to what's been going on. So I
would just uh due to uh our position in
[12:18] that matter and me going and speaking on
behalf of the county, I'd like to be
[12:21] able to say I'm doing so uh with the
author with speaking with the voice of
[12:25] the county uh of the board of county
commissioners. So Mr. Mr. Chairman, I'd
[12:29] like a motion uh and approval by the
board to authorize me to speak on behalf
[12:34] of the board at that September 22nd
meeting of the SW of the Live Oak CRA.
[12:39] » Any questions of Mr. Morrison on that
before we move to Do I have a motion to
[12:43] approve that?
>> So move.
[12:45] » Motion by Commissioner Lamb.
>> Second.
[12:47] » Second by Commissioner Fleming.
>> All in favor? I. I. All oppose. Same
[12:52] sign. Motion carries 5 to zero.
>> Uh next, Mr. Chairman, speaking of
[12:57] something that came up before, I'd been
asked about uh flock cameras here in
[13:00] Swany County because yesterday the
Department of Transportation through an
[13:05] order from Governor DeSantis ordered
that all flock cameras be taken off of
[13:09] the um roads maintained by the Florida
Department of Transportation. So, the
[13:15] Florida the Florida Highway System.
Since I knew that the next question was
[13:18] going to be, what about the roads
maintained by the county or county
[13:23] roads? I had a conversation with dep uh
chief deputy Williams this afternoon. Uh
[13:28] he's authorized me to represent to the
board and to the public that effective
[13:32] today uh all flock cameras have been
turned off in Swany County. So there are
[13:38] no more flock c uh and it's not just
that the board that they're not
[13:41] searching it. They're not using their
license. The they've been turned off at
[13:46] least as to the cameras they control.
Certainly if some other law enforcement
[13:49] agency has put some up somewhere that
we're not aware of, they can't control
[13:52] that.
any uh flock camera put up by the uh
[13:56] that's permanently installed by the
Swany County Sheriff's Office is turned
[14:01] off uh immediately and permanently
effective today per Deputy Sheriff
[14:06] Williams and uh the
>> Did they say they were going to remove
[14:09] them or
>> they're going I the anticipation is
[14:12] they're going to be removed. they're
off, but since they're not the property
[14:15] of the sheriff, then he can't take them
down, and he certainly doesn't want to
[14:20] be the one removing them and then be
found liable for screwing them up. So,
[14:24] » uh, but he wanted to make sure that I
communicated to the board and the
[14:27] citizenry that they are off. So, it's
not just that they are not being
[14:30] searched, it's that the actual cameras
are off.
[14:34] » Mr. Chairman,
>> Commissioner Hail,
[14:36] » just just a question of that, Mr.
Attorney, does the board need to make
[14:40] any kind of motion on that to
>> No, sir. because it's all within the
[14:43] purview of the sheriff. I was just
letting this because I know that the
[14:46] questions have come to you guys as me
you guys as commissioners as well as the
[14:50] public. So, I'm just letting you all
know.
[14:52] » Gotcha.
>> So, yeah, no board actions necessary.
[14:54] » Approve them. So,
>> yeah, the board didn't approve. It was
[14:56] how he spent his own budget, but just
FYI.
[14:58] » Yep.
>> Uh and then lastly, Mr. Chairman, uh Mr.
[15:01] Furry and I had excellent conversations
uh last week regarding bonding and
[15:07] moving forward with that matter with the
wastewater treatment plant. Um the good
[15:11] news uh is that there are several
sources of revenue that are pledgeable.
[15:16] So we should be okay for purposes of
being able to secure a bond and moving
[15:20] forward with that process. For
clarification though, the question that
[15:24] was asked is what about the interest
rate? Because that was originally the
[15:27] appeal of it. Um and when I had
originally spoken to Mr. Sprattling my
[15:32] friend from 20 years ago. He apparently
quoted me a rate from 20 years ago
[15:36] because uh the rate that was thrown
around by the people who remember we're
[15:41] dealing with municipal advocates. So
these are people who work for us uh is
[15:44] going to be in the 4 point I you know on
the low end in the 4.6 to 4.8 range. Um
[15:51] and the reason for that is if you look
at what a 10-year T-note is going for
[15:55] right now is 4.8%. That's lending to the
federal government. So, it's just a
[15:59] matter of poor timing as to when we're
having to go out for the loan. If it
[16:03] were 3 years ago, it would be a
significantly lower interest rate, but
[16:07] that just the timing is what it is. So,
just wanted to make you board members
[16:11] aware of what kind of interest rate
we're looking at. I'm not we don't need
[16:14] any board action right now to say stop
or move forward. I wanted to inform the
[16:18] board and that way if you guys want to
think about it individually, if that
[16:22] changes anybody's feelings about moving
forward with the bonding process, then
[16:26] we need to let them know sooner than
later. But I wanted to share that
[16:29] information as soon as we had it.
>> What What kind of term are we looking at
[16:33] as far as length of term on that?
>> It can be whatever we want. Now, we can
[16:37] have 15 years easily within that range.
If you get past 20 or if you get to 20,
[16:42] then it gets you may have to pay a
higher interest rate to get that
[16:45] » fixed. Yes. Yes. And the actually the
the real issue
[16:51] uh and we're going to want to include
something is a prohibition on a
[16:54] prepayment penalty clause. So because
it's anticipated again not to put carts
[17:00] before the horse about the North Florida
Water Utility Authority, but ultimately
[17:05] if that treatment plant were to be moved
into the utility authority, the utility
[17:08] authority would need to uh and we're
already having that conversation now
[17:13] would basically need to buy out would
need to reissue bonds in order to secure
[17:17] that debt for the utility authority and
pay off ours. So we need to make sure
[17:21] that we can do that. Um and remember the
way they're making money is interest.
[17:25] So, you know, you can get a lower
interest rate, but you would have to put
[17:29] a you would have to agree to not be
allowed to prepay. And I just don't
[17:33] think that's a clause that we can be
okay with given that circumstance, which
[17:37] is foreseeable right now. So, we're
still in that, like I said, 4.6 to 4.8
[17:41] 4. We don't have a number yet, but
that's kind of the range that we're
[17:44] looking at. It can be amvertised over
10, 15 years at that rate without a
[17:48] problem. 20 again, we're going to have
you can do it. You're just going to have
[17:51] to pay for it.
So, and again, I don't need nobody needs
[17:55] to do anything right now. Just Mr. Furry
and I discussed that we wanted to let
[17:58] the board know and if that interest rate
gives anybody
[18:02] feelings about not wanting to pursue it,
that's fine. We just need to know so we
[18:05] can communicate that to our partners who
are working on our behalf.
[18:08] » Also, I would like to know is I you know
I don't know much about bonds. I know
[18:13] about mortgages but not bonds. So,
we get this bond that's at 4.8% interest
[18:20] rates drops. Can we borrow money from
the bank at a lower interest, pay this
[18:24] off? Do
>> we'd have to rebond? So, the short
[18:27] answer is yes. So, the the problem is is
>> we're not allowed to mortgage our own
[18:31] property, as weird as that is, right?
So, we have to pledge revenue, which we
[18:35] have.
>> Um, and we have to be able and you can
[18:39] also just pledge that you're going to be
able to pay for the bond. Uh, which is
[18:42] not a problem. Um,
so yes, you can. And because we're going
[18:49] to negotiate for a prepay an allowable
prepayment. So let's say there is a
[18:53] massive dropping in interest rates. If
at that point in time, kind of like with
[18:56] a mortgage, it becomes worth it to pay
the closing costs if the interest rate
[19:00] is at a certain lower rate. Yes, we
could do that. But we would have to go
[19:03] through the bond process again because
it's only through the bond process that
[19:06] we're allowed to take to take on debt as
a government.
[19:11] » Understood. Any other questions?
>> So did I say anything incorrect?
[19:14] » No, that's correct.
>> All right. I don't have anything
[19:16] further, Mr. Chair.
>> That's it. Yes, sir.
[19:19] » Any consultants?
[19:23] General business. Item number nine,
discuss with possible board action
[19:26] approving North Florida Water Utility
Association recommended water and
[19:31] wastewater rates for Swany County
utility customers. Mr. Furry.
[19:35] » Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So,
[clears throat] we've been talking about
[19:38] this a couple different times in budget
workshops as well. Um,
[19:42] so the utility is is looking, we own the
assets, so we get to set the rates for
[19:46] for our county assets. So they're
looking for us to set the rates in order
[19:50] for them to adopt their final budget,
which will be later this month. I
[19:55] believe Columbia County will be setting
their rates this Thursday at their
[19:58] meeting as well.
Um, our thought process initially, I
[20:02] think Mr. Roberts had brought a had
brought a figure to the utility board
[20:06] and you correct me if I'm wrong um
Commissioner Mauy and and White cuz you
[20:10] guys were there those meetings but um
had brought a rate um which decreased
[20:14] the county's contribution down below
500,000 and then um I think brought
[20:19] another rate back to the board to the
utility board um which lowered the
[20:24] customers rates because they were it was
a pretty drastic increase and it and it
[20:29] went back to our original contribution
of just over $500. 00,000 520,000 I
[20:34] think is is what the county has been
contributing to the authority. So that's
[20:38] kind of the trade-off we talked in the
past. The more the board contributes the
[20:41] less the rates can be. Um if we were
running our own utility and we were for
[20:45] a while we didn't raise the rates ever
is my understanding. I wasn't
[20:49] necessarily involved in that. Um but
that's my understanding. We would have
[20:53] had to raise the rates if if we take it
over tomorrow. We're probably going to
[20:56] increase the rates regardless. So uh I
don't think it's a matter of you know do
[21:00] we raise the rates. It's just a matter
of of how much do you want to go?
[21:07] » Well, let me just jump in there a minute
since I sit on that board and le
[21:11] Commissioner Mobly does as well. We had
a rate study done for these rates. So,
[21:18] we're not just picking this out of thin
air. And the rates because we don't have
[21:23] a lot of customers. We have the the
ability to have customers. We just don't
[21:27] have a lot of them yet. And so
they were looking at a study to replace
[21:35] everything the countyy's having to pay
to run the utility. Well, when you done
[21:39] that, it just hit all your customers
between the eyes with almost a doubling
[21:45] of their rates. So, we went back and
looked at
[21:50] moving some money around inside the
utility authority. the counties matching
[21:54] what they paid last year to lessen the
burden some on those people that's got
[22:00] those utilities. So that's how we got to
where we are and that's where we're at
[22:05] on it. So these rates that are here
was not I guess the
[22:12] the top one was the original rates that
was proposed and the second one was what
[22:17] we came up with after making
>> the second page the two tables. That's
[22:20] correct. The top one is the original
rate. Mr. Roberts brought and then the
[22:23] revised
>> and Mr. Roberts is here if we need to
[22:27] ask him anything. But as I know it,
that's what we [laughter] what we did.
[22:34] » And I think that's what we we'll be
looking at it for discussion starting
[22:37] point is is the rates on the 716.
Um and and you can you can go on down if
[22:44] you want. The next page shows you the
wastewater and and the water rates um
[22:48] based on the on the size lines. But I
would I would recommend that we we look
[22:53] at the same amount of contribution that
that we have been giving. We can do that
[22:57] in the budget. No problem. Um
and we we'll just have to communicate
[23:03] with those customers, which I believe
the utility will be doing that as far as
[23:07] notifying them. But um I think they
understand where we're at in in the
[23:11] process.
>> We just tried to hit a happy medium here
[23:14] between the customers and and and the
county taxpayers.
[23:20] to to fund this utility authority and
and and not kill our businesses that are
[23:26] on those services. So, that's where
we're at. And if you got any questions,
[23:31] I'll try my best to answer. Like I said,
Shannon's in the audience and he can
[23:35] answer, too.
>> Yes, sir. I'm good.
[23:38] » Anybody
any public comment on this?
[23:46] Seeing none, can I get a motion to
approve?
[23:49] » So move.
>> I guess I need Do I need to clarify
[23:53] which one on this table or
>> I would think so. Yes. The
[23:56] » the bottom.
>> Yeah, the alternate rate increase.
[24:00] » Alternate rate increase would be
correct.
[24:01] » July 16th.
>> Correct.
[24:04] » Can I get a motion to approve?
>> So moved.
[24:06] » Motion by Commissioner Lamb.
>> Second.
[24:08] » Second by Commissioner Mobly. Any
further discussion? All in favor? I. I.
[24:13] All oppose. Same sign. Motion carries.
5.
[24:18] Item number 10, approval of task order
10 with Miller Leg Pers [clears throat]
[24:22] Swania County agreement 2025-91
for the design of the regional emergency
[24:27] shelter for the phase one on-site
roadway and infrastructure design.
[24:31] Budget impact $497,000
to be paid with great fun grant funds.
[24:36] Great funds grant funds, Mr. Pur,
>> excuse me. Those grant funds are great
[24:41] funds. So, um yes, sir. Thank you, Mr.
Chairman. So, this is just the next
[24:45] phase. We've been bringing task orders
to you. Um, as you'll see in the next
[24:49] two items, they're they're going to
start to get rather large. We're to the
[24:52] point where we've done the the
programming and the planning and the and
[24:56] the master planning. And so, now we're
getting into the design and and putting
[25:00] the details down to get to construction
plans. So this particular one is for the
[25:04] on-site infrastructure
um you know utilities, water, sewer,
[25:10] natural gas, um reuse and then of course
the roadways. It's the internal roads on
[25:16] our property and this will be to design
that. Um it's the same it's Miller Lake,
[25:21] our our engineers that we were that we
hired through the RFQ process when we
[25:26] originally went out for this project.
>> Any questions of Mr. Furry? Any public
[25:33] comment?
Seeing none, do I have a motion to
[25:37] approve item number 10?
>> So move.
[25:40] » Motion by Commissioner Hail, second by
Commissioner Mobly. All in favor? I. I.
[25:45] All oppose, same sign. Motion carries
five to zero. Item number 11, approval
[25:51] of task order 11 with Miller Lake per
Swany County agreement 2025-91
[25:56] for project summit regional emergency
shelter for site schematic design and
[26:00] design development services budget
impact 3.546,250
[26:06] I mean just do that again $3,546,250
to be paid with grant funds. Mr. Furry
[26:16] my computer froze up on me. Yes, sir. So
again, um just another task order. This
[26:20] is the $3.5 million. So this will get us
to about 60% um design plans, the
[26:26] schematic and design development uh to
go into the next step.
[26:31] It won't get us to full construction set
of plans. There'll be an additional task
[26:34] order for that. But you got to remember
this is a uh quite a large expensive
[26:38] building that we're doing. So this will
get us going in the in that direction
[26:42] and get things started to get to the
state once we start showing some of this
[26:46] progress here. I think the state's going
to be a lot more willing to get us some
[26:50] more money um through the appropriation
process and and try to get this thing
[26:55] closed out and across the finish line as
they say.
[27:00] Any questions of Mr. Furry on that one?
>> Any public comment on that?
[27:06] Seeing none, do I have a motion to
approve item number 11?
[27:10] » Motion, Mr. Chairman.
>> Is that a motion by you, Commissioner
[27:12] Land?
>> Mayor Fleman. One doesn't matter.
[27:15] » Motion by Commissioner Lan. Second by
Commissioner Fleming. Any further
[27:19] discussion? All in favor? I. I. All
oppose. Same sign. Motion carries 5 to
[27:24] zero. Item number 12, approval of
Blackwater change order number seven for
[27:30] the discovery of unsuitable soils at the
Jefferson [cough] Smith Civic Center.
[27:34] Mr. Furry.
>> Okay. So, I've been kind of laying the
[27:38] groundwork for this, telling you this is
coming. That if you've been by that
[27:41] building at all during the last few
months, there's it sits up on a clay
[27:44] hill on that corner. That's why it's the
highest spot. So, we uh Yeah, I know. I
[27:49] know. The um So, they they sent us a
change order. There's a lot of clay
[27:54] there they had to remove. I did approve
them to remove that at their cost with
[27:58] their trucks and their contractors. I
didn't want to tie up Miss Flanigan and
[28:01] our trucks and our staff to try to do
that. I didn't want to dump it on our
[28:05] county land right there next to it
because it'll just stay there for 5
[28:08] years before it goes anywhere. So, we um
we did negotiate. Our engineers have
[28:13] have went to bat for us on this. They
initially submitted is about $135,000
[28:18] change order and the for the the cubic
yards of material.
[28:23] They're the engineers. They've got all
this software and they're smarter than I
[28:26] am. But they had a 3D model and they
were able to go in there and show no you
[28:30] you only needed to go down X number 24
in and remove that. Anything else was
[28:35] excess on your that was yours um to eat.
So, we did get it down under 100,000. Of
[28:39] course, right at 100,000 and then their
overhead and profit brought it up to the
[28:43] 105, but you can see some pictures in
there if you want if if you drove by
[28:47] there. Um, it was it was a mess. So, and
now we've got that paid parking lot and
[28:53] and good to go. But this is uh so as it
says, there is no more grant funds. All
[28:57] our other change orders we were able to
do with the grant funding. Um, so this
[29:02] one's going to be it's going to be on
the county. I can cover it in our budget
[29:05] here as we're winding down. and I've
talked to finance to Mr. Gentry and and
[29:09] Miss Nina and and we've got the money in
the budget as we wind down the year, but
[29:13] u it won't have to come out of reserves
or contingency or any like anything like
[29:17] that. We'll just we'll be able to cover
it out of the board's budget, but it is
[29:20] $100,000 and so that stings.
[29:26] Any questions?
>> No, sir.
[29:30] » Any questions from the public?
[clears throat]
[29:33] » Seeing none, do I have a motion to
approve item number 12?
[29:36] So move.
>> Motion by Commissioner Lan.
[29:39] » Second by Commissioner Mobly. Any
further discussion? All in favor? I. I.
[29:44] All oppose. Same sign. Motion carries 5
to zero. Are there any additional agenda
[29:49] items?
[29:54] Oh yeah.
[29:57] Sorry, Mandy just reminded me on the um
on that change order. And I don't
[30:02] hopefully it's not too late if we can
amend this. I was supposed to ask you if
[30:05] we could authorize the clerk to go ahead
and release the payment to that after
[30:09] tonight's meeting. We're winding down.
We've only got a couple weeks left in
[30:12] the grant and the in the project the
contract deadline and to close out the
[30:16] grant with commerce. So, we're trying to
get those invoices turned in as quick as
[30:20] we as we process them instead of waiting
till after the 15th meeting is when we
[30:26] would authorize that next that change
order payment typically. But if you've
[30:30] approved it and we can authorize the
clerk to release that check, we can go
[30:33] ahead and get that and pay them and turn
that into commerce for reimbursement.
[30:37] » Mr. Morrison, can he just restate his
motion or amend his motion?
[30:40] » We can just add a new motion
authorization to release payment
[30:43] pursuant to the task order.
>> Can I get a motion in that order?
[30:48] » So move.
>> Motion by Commissioner Hail.
[30:51] » Second.
>> Second by Commissioner Lan. All in
[30:53] favor? I. I. All oppose. Same sign.
There you go.
[30:58] » Thank you. That was the additional
agenda item. I guess we don't have any
[31:01] others.
>> Thank you, sir.
[31:05] We're down to administrator's comments.
>> Okay. Um, first,
[31:10] » did I miss anything? I'm not running
through some stuff, so if I missed
[31:15] anything, now's your chance.
>> I'm not going to slow you down now.
[31:17] » All right. Go ahead.
>> Uh, similar to to Mr. Morrison
[31:20] requesting to speak on behalf of the
board at the CRA meeting at the end of
[31:24] September. Um through our discussions
with the shelter design as well. Uh I
[31:29] would like to go to the city next week
at their regular city council meeting
[31:33] and start discussions with them about
utilities out at the shelter. So the
[31:37] task order we just did was for onsite.
We need to get the utilities to to the
[31:41] site. And so you know we would like to
work with the city. We'd like to be
[31:44] partners of theirs. Obviously, we're
going to be a customer of theirs if if
[31:48] this works out and and they'll get the
revenue from that. But, uh, just like to
[31:51] go to them and request to be a customer,
request them to, uh, make an investment
[31:56] to bring those utilities from the
interstate. I think they're around BusyB
[31:59] right now. So, if they could make the
investment to bring those utilities to
[32:03] us at the site for that development. It
won't just be the shelter. Obviously,
[32:06] there's going to be a master plan for
that whole 400 acres. So down the road,
[32:10] there's going to be plenty of businesses
out there and and but this will at least
[32:13] start the discussion with the city to to
how we move forward.
[32:16] » Do you just need consensus or
>> I think so. Just it just make me feel
[32:20] better if if I knew you guys were
allowing me to go speak to the city on
[32:23] our behalf.
>> I'm good with it.
[32:25] » Is that good enough, Mr. Morrison?
>> Yep.
[32:27] » Everybody good?
>> All right.
[32:30] Thank you for that. Um just a couple
little reminders. Nothing nothing really
[32:34] to report. Um budget hearing this
Thursday evening. Don't forget about
[32:38] that. I think it's 505.
Um, obviously, and I know you guys will
[32:42] speak to it, but just um, county
employee Dennis Nixon and his family
[32:46] were just had that funeral last week and
just continue to lift that family up and
[32:50] over the next little bit of time here.
Um,
[32:56] talk about the city also. There's been
some some reach out a little bit and
[33:00] some some discussion offline about
Helston Street. I think there, you know,
[33:04] we went through that about county roads
and city roads and that sort of thing. I
[33:07] think it is a county road. They're
talking about making an investment to
[33:11] repair the utilities underneath there.
So, if they do do that, it was always my
[33:15] understanding. I'm not sure. I'm not
speaking for you all, but I'd kind of
[33:18] heard over the years that the county
would pave that if they ever fixed it.
[33:22] We weren't going to we would never pave
it until the utilities were fixed and
[33:24] had to be torn up. So, I guess I just
say that that the city may officially be
[33:29] reaching out at some point to see if we
could plan on budget for and and and
[33:34] pave that road if they are to make all
those repairs underneath the street.
[33:39] Don't need any action. Just want to
mention that out there that there'll be
[33:43] some more conversations regarding that
and and some official action at some
[33:46] point. So,
>> and if there's a different
[33:49] understanding, let me know so that I can
share that with the city. But that was
[33:52] always my kind of general understanding
of the project.
[33:59] Did meet with Cat Camics staff yesterday
was in town and um just had a brief
[34:03] conversation with them. Um
she's up in DC getting ready to to get
[34:08] to work. So just asking again if if
there's anything we need, anything we
[34:12] can do to let her know and and reach
out. We'll be going back up there I
[34:16] think in November, December to DC. So
we'll uh we'll see them up there then.
[34:23] That's really Oh, I was going to mention
250 County Road 250. They have started.
[34:28] I think they're doing some cings and and
some stuff that they're not really
[34:32] milling up in what you'd see heavy
equipment out there in construction, but
[34:35] they have started out there and they
will be doing that. Uh I think he's been
[34:39] out of town. Anderson Columbia has been
out of town for a little while on
[34:42] vacation or or out of the office. But
tomorrow, I think we're supposed to get
[34:45] an update on an actual
start date. We see some some equipment
[34:49] out there and moving things. So,
and I think that's it. We We went to the
[34:55] co building. Sorry. The Jefferson Smith
Civic Center. Apologize. Uh today had a
[35:00] had a walk through with the engineers
and the contractor. Kind of a a
[35:03] pre-close out punch list. And um it's
looking good. If y'all get a chance and
[35:07] you're through town, stop in there and
and um and walk in. But I even think Mr.
[35:11] Norris is going to going to appreciate
it and and be surprised by the by the
[35:16] quality of that building.
>> That's all I had. Commissioner, unless
[35:20] y'all have any questions for me.
>> Any questions?
[35:25] » I do not.
>> Moving on. Uh, which end did we start on
[35:30] last time? Did you start, Mr. PL? I
think we'll start Commissioner Land this
[35:34] tonight.
>> Man, you caught me off guard.
[35:36] » Well, we can start with Commissioner.
>> Go ahead.
[35:40] » I don't know what to say, but
>> I don't either. That's why I'm kicking
[35:43] it to you.
Well,
[35:47] » you can just do the mobly thing and say,
"Thank you for coming."
[35:50] » Yeah. Thank y'all for coming. [laughter]
Thank you for coming. But got to say
[35:55] this. It is so good
to be here.
[36:01] Um I say congratulation to uh
[clears throat] Mr. Blue.
[36:07] Congratulations to you for the primary.
Um,
[36:12] I know that um that
we
[36:17] [snorts]
[36:20] have, you know, we voice our opinions
and and and uh you know, we have our
[36:24] thoughts, we have our our minds and our
understanding.
[36:29] Uh but we've been have having a rash of
death
[36:38] and it's kind of troubling. We can't
change anything. We can't do anything
[36:42] about it. But um I lost some um
classmates, man. Uh last Monday,
[36:51] JT Hinson.
I was not able to attend his services
[36:55] but uh cuz one of my deacons at the
church at my [clears throat] home church
[37:02] at the same time he's 52 years old heart
attack massive heart attack
[37:08] it it it it scared you but it kind of
prepared you
[37:13] and u my thought is that
I want to tell my wife I either let me
[37:19] go to sleep first but I wouldn't know it
or she she wouldn't know if anything
[37:24] happened to her. But we we we got to we
have to continue praying.
[37:31] That's the only thing that that we have
to keep us keep us in check. We're not
[37:37] perfect, but we have we have a God
that's able
[37:42] to keep us in these times. And it's sad.
It's so sad when a younger man than me
[37:50] that I actually looked up to because he
was he meant so much to the community to
[37:55] our a home church and everything and uh
uh Commissioner uh Lynn I know he have
[38:04] to face this with his business but it's
hard to see loved ones crying and it
[38:12] make you
uh give you cuz I've attended I think
[38:18] three services last week homegoing
services and they weren't so pleasant.
[38:24] It was sad to see how people how they
miss their loved ones.
[38:29] Uh I and I and I just tried to uh put
myself in their shoes
[38:35] and I was sitting there and you tried to
comfort these individuals and
[38:40] still don't make it easy. So, I I'm just
going to get off of that,
[38:46] but it's tough and it's tough times and
I know we got hard roads ahead of us and
[38:54] maybe I shouldn't have said it, but uh
just just on my mind.
[39:01] » Well, thank you, sir.
>> Mr. Hail, Commissioner Hail.
[39:05] » Yep. No, I just uh on the heels of that,
a lot of loved ones, a lot of friends
[39:10] have passed in the recent days and
weeks, and we just want to lift them up,
[39:14] lift their families up, and like you
say, Mr. Fleman, continue to pray for
[39:17] them and be good to one another, be good
to our neighbors. You know, it's been a
[39:22] while since I said that, but I think we
take things for granted, take life for
[39:25] granted, and uh this is just a short
period of time on this earth, folks.
[39:31] So, pray for those families, please.
>> Amen.
[39:34] » Yeah.
Commissioner Lyn.
[39:36] » Yes, sir. I'll disagree with the rest of
them. You know, a lot of lot of loss in
[39:40] the community the last couple weeks. Mr.
Fleming's Deacon, 52 years old, Mr. JT
[39:45] Henson, Mr. Avery Davis, Miss Batty
Nixon, um Mr. Billy Jackson. I was
[39:51] really hoping County Road 250 would get
asphalt so he could see it. I mean, Mr.
[39:55] Mr. Billy was 86, I think, born and
raised in Swany County. I believe he
[40:01] lived on County Road 250 probably his
whole life. if it was it was he was a
[40:05] small child if he if he wasn't living
there but I was really hoping he'd have
[40:11] been here to see that asphalt because I
promised him it was going to happen. Um
[40:15] so I'm glad to hear the the Anderson's
about ready to roll. But uh anyway, just
[40:22] pray for those families as Commissioner
Hail and Commissioner Flemings have been
[40:24] saying and a lot of loss and you know
pray for your own families and I'm sure
[40:28] there's others. I always hate calling
names up here because there's folks out
[40:31] there that are hurting and suffering
that that I don't know or that don't
[40:35] know that they're hurting and suffering
and or none of us do. So, just continue
[40:38] to pray for your neighbor.
>> Thank you, sir. Commissioner Mley,
[40:42] » I really ain't got nothing. Y'all about
said it all.
[40:45] » I'm the same. I just pray
>> Cindy Cindy Romero too added that list.
[40:50] She passed away.
>> Yeah.
[40:55] » All righty. Well, we just pray for all
of them and everybody that's that's
[41:00] having issues and deaths in the family
and sickness and uh I know it's a tough
[41:05] time, but I think I'm going to end on on
a little good note. I'm excited about
[41:11] Swany County. I'm excited about what we
got going on, you know, from Project
[41:16] Summit to well, just all the things. And
also, I want to say thank you, Jean, to
[41:22] you and your crew. I actually got a
phone call [clears throat] thanking me
[41:26] today for uh for the road y'all paved
down in O'Brien Fletcher Road. And uh
[41:32] that's always nice to hear when you're a
commissioner a lot of times is hey we
[41:36] appreciate that. So hats off to you
guys. You did a good job on it. Looks
[41:40] nice. I appreciate it. Uh, but really
excited about Swanny County and what we
[41:46] got going on and and uh I think I don't
think everybody realizes kind of what's
[41:52] what's happening, but you will hear
pretty soon and uh I think you're going
[41:57] to be excited as I am when you see it.
So, with that, I just need a motion to
[42:02] adjurnn. So, move
>> motion by Commissioner Lan. Second,
[42:05] » second by Commissioner Hail.
>> 45 minutes
[42:08] » almost record, I think. A for