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All right. God bless you all again and
good afternoon. Thank you. Thank you all

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so much for uh being with us this
afternoon at our regularly scheduled

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county council meeting. Um if you would
please uh bow your heads as we um go to

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the Lord in prayer. Most gracious and
everlasting father, Lord God, we come

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before you with bowed heads and humbled
hearts, Lord, first to tell you thank

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you. Lord God, thank you for the many
blessings that you bestowed upon each

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and every one of us. Lord God, we ask
you for your continued blessings

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upon Williamsburg County and all of its
residents. Lord God, we continue to lift

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up the members of council and their
families as well as our elected

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officials and their families, our
department heads and all of our

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employees. Lord, Father God, again, we
ask you for your continued blessings

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upon uh this county. We invite the
presence of your Holy Spirit into this

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meeting tonight as we attempt to handle
uh the business of the people of

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Williamsburg County. Again, Lord God, we
thank you. It's in the mighty and

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matchless name of your son, Jesus, we
pray. Let every heart say, "Amen." Amen.

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And amen.
All right. Um

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Okay. Um, I've got a request to amend uh
the agenda. We need to correct the

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resolution number from two from 2026-004
to resolution number 2026-00005

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005, excuse me. Uh, is there a motion to
amend the agenda?

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» So, we have a motion to amend. Is there
a second?

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» Second.
>> It's been moved and properly seconded.

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Are ready for questions?
All those in favor, please indicate by

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saying I.
>> I.

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» Any opposed?
>> Let the record Please let the record

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reflect that the motion to amend the
agenda has been carried has been

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carried. All right. Minutes. Uh minutes.
Approval of minutes. Public hearing and

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regular and regular council meeting from
Tuesday, August 18th,

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2026.
All right. Is there a motion to approve

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the minutes from the meeting on Tuesday,
August 18th, 2026 with the necessary

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corrections? Is there a motion to
approve?

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» So move.
>> So we have a motion to approve. Is there

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a second?
>> Second.

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» It's been moved and properly seconded or
ready for questions. All those in favor,

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please indicate by saying I.
>> I.

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» Any opposed?
Or please let the record reflect that

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the motion has been carried. All right.
Ordinances. Ordinances. First reading.

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There are no ordinances
for first reading. There are no

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ordinances for first reading. Second
reading of ordinance number 2026-10,

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an ordinance authorizing the county to
purchase approximately 4 and a half

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acres more or less of real property
known as the Staples Lake Boat Landing

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and the seller's interest and to County
Line Road extending from the

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intersection of County Line Road and
Muddy Creek Road to Staples Lake Boat

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Landing and the grant of an easement a
pertinent for the seller's use of the

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road and an amendment the 2026 2027
budget ordinance for Williamsburg County

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to allow Williamsburg County to fund the
purchase of the aforementioned property

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and to provide for other matters related
there too. All right. Before I call for

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um vote on this, I want to bring the uh
county attorney up and I want to um take

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an opportunity to explain um what we're
doing. Not so much for the benefit of

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the members of council because I know
that you all have been um been fully

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made fully aware of it, but I want to
make sure that the that the community

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understands exactly what we're doing.
This particular uh boat landing has been

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uh involved in a long-term lease by
Williamsburg County for a number of

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years. Uh a a new owner uh has uh
purchased the property and when he

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purchased the property, he also
purchased the lease as well. um he

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approached us um about
um purchasing the boat landing so it

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could remain a public boat landing uh
for people to continue to use. And what

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he has um asked us to do is to reimburse
him basically

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per acre what he paid for the large
track of property to in uh to include

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the boat landing. It's and and I'm not
sure is it okay if I go ahead and give

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the dollar amount?
>> Yes.

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» It's $20,000
for riverfront property. Um, and I think

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it's what about four or so acres.
>> The the boat landing itself is two and a

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half acres, but um the reference to the
four acres includes the access road that

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um includes the roaded. So that's where
the total acreage comes from. But the

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boat landing itself is two and a half
acres. Um, this also would

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this would also clarify and um establish
the the boundary lines around the boat

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landing that have somewhat gotten a
little bit out of sorts over the years.

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The boat landing was in in a different
area and then it was moved to where it

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currently is. When I don't know. Um, but
the county does have a lease agreement

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with the prior owner. According to that
lease agreement, the lease could be

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cancelled by either party upon 30 days
notice to the other. And um

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in order to keep the boat landing open,
this was um

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why the discussions we we began
discussions with the current owner of

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the boat landing. The funding for the
purchase will come from

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$10,000 from recreational programs,
$5,000 from contractual services, and

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$5,000 from other operating expenses out
of the supervisor's office. So, we um

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have the necessary funds within the the
budget. We just need to move them.

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» Okay. And that's what this um ordinance
does is

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» and so I want to be clear on this. This
and I want to make sure that everyone

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understands what we're doing. Um this is
4 acres of property, two and a half of

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which is riverfront property with a boat
landing. Okay. For $20,000.

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Correct.
>> Correct.

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» Okay.
And I'm sure

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and and we probably well
>> I'm sure that the easement language is

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is what's causing some question. Um the
easement language is

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um
it attaches to the property to to the

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seller's property. So an easement allows
him to continue to access his property

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to use his property without any sort of
limitation. So it's not just an easement

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for access. It could be an easement to
um you know install

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utilities should utilities come into
that area. And I think that that's where

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some of the confusion comes from.
There's no plan for that. It is um

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unfortunately I think lawyers cause some
problems sometime for folks whenever

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they don't necessarily have problems.
But that is the language for the

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easement itself is as easement a
pertinent for whatever use for the

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sellers for the seller for the sellers's
invitees meaning anybody that may come

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at the seller's request and for the
installation of utilities should that be

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in the future but there's no discussion
about any sort of development but I

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believe that that might be where some of
the questions have come up about this is

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because the lawyers have created a
problem where there's not a problem.

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» Sure. Um and and again um for the
benefit of the members uh of the um

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community that are here with us and as
well as the uh members of the community

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that are listening now and will be
listening later. This is a um boat

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landing that Williamsburg County has had
um a lease on for a significant number

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of years. Um, the only thing that we're
doing is assuming ownership of it. We've

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been responsible for it all of these
years. Um, I'm over 50 years old and

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I've always been familiar with this
particular piece of property uh because

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it's uh in the area that I live in and
um it's always been a public boat

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landing and what we're attempting to do
and through the owner and the owner was

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generous enough to to even offer the
county this because for what we're

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paying for the property, he certainly
could have gotten a significantly

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uh amount larger than that, way more
than that. Um for where the from where

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this property is located at and the fact
that the property um has a boat landing.

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In fact, I was talking with someone
earlier today about this and they seem

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to think that the um that we wouldn't
even be able to buy the concrete for

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that boat landing for what we're paying
for the boat landing. Okay. All right.

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Does any of the members of council have
any questions or comments about this?

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All right. Thank you so much,

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Madam County Attorney. Thank you. All
right. So, is there a motion to approve

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second reading of ordinance number
2026-10?

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So, we have a motion to approve. Is
there a second?

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» Second.
>> It's been moved and properly seconded

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and are ready for questions. All those
in favor, please indicate by saying I.

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I.
>> Any opposed? I

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Okay, let's Can we get that by? You got
it. Okay. All right. Very good. Thank

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you so much. All right. Motion has been
carried. All right. Um, second reading

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of ordinance number 2026-09,
an ordinance to establish height and

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land use limitations for airport
operational safety and airport

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compatible land use within the vicinity
of the Williamsburg Regional Airport and

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providing for the administration
enforcement and amendment thereof. Um,

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Madame County Attorney, let me get you
one more time. Um, this is okay. And I

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want to explain this to the
community. I think council has a a

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fairly good understanding of it.
Williamsburg County does not, and I

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repeat, does not have countywide zoning.
We do not have countywide zoning. Um we

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because we don't have countywide zoning
a lot of times whenever we're do dealing

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with things uh as it relates to land use
management we have to create ordinances.

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Um if you all recall maybe about two
years ago or so we did a um ordinance um

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dealing with solar farms. Well we did
that ordinance because again as I as I

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stated earlier we do not have countywide
zoning. when it was brought up um years

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ago um there was such an uproar by the
county by by um citizens within the

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county um that particular administration
and council at that time

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decided not to do it. um well and so
it's never been done. And so again, as

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it relates to land use management
issues, when we have these kinds of

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things that come up, we have to do
ordinances because we do not have

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countywide zoning. Um as it relates to
this particular ordinance, uh we get

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funding uh from the South Carolina
Aeronautics Commission as well as the um

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FFA FAA um federal ad Aviation
Administration

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and

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we we get funding from again from FAA
which is a Federal Administration,

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Federal Aviation Administration. I'll
get it right in a minute. All right. Um

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they have required us um to do what's
called an airport overlay ordinance.

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Again, we have to do ordinances because
we don't have countywide zoning. And we

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had to do this airport overlay ordinance
um to be able to continue to get funding

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to do upgrades to our airport and to our
um the landing strip out there at the

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airport.
Madam County attorney, is anything I

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left out on that?
>> You you did great. And state law also

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requires us to have this in place. So
this brings us in in current with state

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and federal regulations and state law.
>> All right. Very good.

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» And it
the land use ordinance that um is

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proposed will ensure that the

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air safety that it the area around the
airport is safe for aircraft operations.

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ensures aviation safety including
approach, landing, takeoff and

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departure. Um so that's this is
basically for safe operations of the

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airport and
um

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is basically a height and density
restrictions for areas within 14,000 ft

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of the airport.
>> Very good. Uh do any of the members of

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council have any questions for myself or
attorney Shore?

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All right. Is there a motion to approve
second reading of ordinance number

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2026-09?

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» So, we have a motion to approve. Is
there a second?

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» Is there a second?
>> Second.

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» So, it's been moved and properly
seconded. Are ready for questions?

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» Mr. Supervisor.
>> Yes. Before you call for a vote, I just

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want to say that I'm going to abstain
from voting on this particular issue

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tonight. Not because I'm for against it.
I don't want anybody to read more into

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it than what I'm doing. Um, you recall
at the last meeting, um, I made a motion

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to table it, but I was voted down, which
is perfectly fine, but I wanted to meet

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with Mr. Hope, the engineer, to make
sure I had a clear understanding because

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this literally affects the constituents
only in my district. So before I commit

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one way or the other, I have some
questions. I spoke with him this

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morning. He and I are going to meet
either later. He actually volunteered to

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meet with me today and I couldn't do it.
But we're going to meet either later in

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the week or the first of next week. And
hopefully I'll have some clarification.

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But I'm going to abstain, but I want my
colleagues and the audience and the

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members listening not to read any more
into it than other than I just need some

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clarification on some questions that I
have and that's it.

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» Okay.
>> Sure. And and I also want and I'm glad

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you um brought that up. I also want to
make sure that members of council know

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and the public as well, we're going to
um be placing that map on the county's

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website. Thank you.
>> So, for residents, if they want to go

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and take a look at the map, um they
certainly can in the ordinance. Um if it

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has not been um um has not been posted,
we'll get it posted. Okay. All right.

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Any anyone else? All right. Is there a
motion to approve?

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Second reading of ordinance number
2026-09.

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» You already did that.
>> All right. All right. Call for vote. How

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00:19:59,760 --> 00:20:08,880
many in favor? All in favor?
>> I.

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00:20:05,679 --> 00:20:13,679
» All right. Any any opposed?
Or please let the record reflect that

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00:20:10,240 --> 00:20:18,080
the motion to for second reading of
ordinance number 2026-09

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00:20:16,320 --> 00:20:22,160
has been passed. All right. Third
reading. There are no ordinances for

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third reading tonight. There are no
ordinances for third reading tonight.

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All right. Resolutions.

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All right. Resolution number 2026-005.
Thank you. A resolution temporarily

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suspending the franchise requirements
contained in ordinance

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2000-02
as amended by ordinance 2005-00002.

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Do we need to I know we um madame
county attorney I know we spoke a little

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earlier today about this particular um
resolution.

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Um,
>> are we still safe to go ahead and

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suspend this while we get all of the
details worked out of that ordinance?

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» Yes.
>> Okay. Um, so I want to let me remind

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council of what we're doing and also
inform the public for the benefit of

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those who may have not um been aware of
this. We it was brought to our attention

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um maybe about a month ago that um
individuals who have been patients in

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local hospitals um especially those
patients who um needed um

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services at the um what's the at the
dialysis center.

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They were being told that um
the private transportation company here

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in Williamsburg County, which is not a
affiliated Williamsburg County, um was

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not able to take their loved ones to um
dialysis. Well, as a result of that, um

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those case managers have been uh
referring those patients, which are

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Williamsburg County residents, to
nursing homes in the area. And when it

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was brought to our attention, we began
to work on it um to try to get this uh

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resolved. Um
several years ago, uh we had a

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significant number of transport
companies, medical transport companies

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in Williamsburg County and
past governments, past administration,

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um decided that they would have each one
of those um transport companies to pay

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what's called a franchise fee in order
for them to do business uh within

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Williamsburg County. Um right now we
only have one company who has paid the

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franchise fee and that company um is has
lost uh some personnel and is not able

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to provide that service at the level um
that they uh were able to do it in the

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past. And so whenever these um social
workers uh at the hospitals call to try

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to make the arrangements uh for their
patients um they call that they've been

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calling this company and the company has
been telling them that they would not be

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able to do those transports. And so what
we as a council and we've discussed this

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uh have decided to do is to uh lift that
franchise fee um and allow other

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transport companies to come into
Williamsburg County so our residents

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will not have to do this. Um if you know
of anyone that that's happened to,

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please tell them to reach out to me. I
would love to sit down and have a

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conversation with them because it
doesn't make sense for us to for these

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people to have to be transported to a
nursing home um to receive um dialysis

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treatments when they could actually just
be transferred to their homes with their

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families and have a reputable transport
company to pick them up and transport

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them to their dialysis appointments. Um,
do any of the members of council have

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any questions about that?
>> Just for clarity, it's not normal

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transport. It's scratcher transport.
Just to be

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» Yes.
>> Just to be clear, because some people

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might think it's regular transport, but
it's actually the scratcher transport.

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» Yes. Yes, sir. That's correct. That's
correct.

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Anyone else?
All right. Is there a motion to approve

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resolution 2026-00005?

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» Is a move.
>> So I have a motion to approve. Is there

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a second?
>> Second.

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» It's been moved and properly seconded or
ready for questions. All those in favor,

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00:25:18,159 --> 00:25:24,880
please indicate by saying I.
>> Any opposed? All right. Please let the

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record reflect that resolution number
2026-005

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has been approved. Has been approved.
Thank you all so much. Proclamation.

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Proclamation number 2026-02,
an honorary proclamation that

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00:25:36,240 --> 00:25:43,360
Williamsburg County Adult Education
Program desires to initiate on behalf of

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National Adult Education and Family
Literacy Week that will be held from

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September 13th through September 19th,
2026. Is there a motion to approve

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00:25:52,720 --> 00:26:01,440
proclamation number 2026-02?
>> So move been So it's been a motion to

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00:25:59,120 --> 00:26:05,360
approve. Is there a second?
It's been moved and properly seconded

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00:26:02,880 --> 00:26:08,240
and are ready for questions.
All those in favor, please indicate by

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00:26:06,960 --> 00:26:12,000
saying I. I.
>> Any opposed? Or please let the record

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reflect that the proclamation number
2026-02

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has been approved. Has been approved.
All right. Appearances. We have Mr.

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Steve [clears throat] Blake.

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Excuse me. There you go. I
think I overdid it on Sunday and uh my

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00:26:31,919 --> 00:26:41,919
voice is
kind of worn out. Um we have Mr. Steve

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Blake who is a our internal auditor.
Um Mr. Blake um and his associate Mr.

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Mike Wall-E have been working with our
uh finance team to help us try to get

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our books uh cleaned up and get things
um taken care of as it relates to our

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financial policies and all of those good
things. I wanted to

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get them, they come here maybe once
every six weeks and they're here on site

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and then the remainder of their work is
done uh remotely. But I wanted to give

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00:27:17,840 --> 00:27:28,320
um them an opportunity uh to meet with
the members of council one on- one um

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without any without myself being present
or uh anyone from the finance team so

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they can have a one-on-one conversation
uh with Mr. Blake and Mr. Wall-E. Um, I

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also wanted them to come and give the
public a an update on the progress um

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that they have been making or that we
have been making as a team. Um, we

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00:27:50,080 --> 00:27:57,760
certainly want to um to thank those
folks that are within our finance um

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00:27:55,679 --> 00:28:04,640
team, the members of our finance team
who've done an amazing job on trying to

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move um move the ball down the field.
Um, it has not been the easiest thing uh

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00:28:07,360 --> 00:28:15,840
for us to do. Um, but um, they certainly
have been committed to this work and

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have done a a good job up to this point.
Um, Mr. Blake

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um, and he's probably going to be upset
with me for me telling you guys this,

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but Mr. Blake is probably um, we're very
fortunate to have him with us. Um he's

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00:28:29,039 --> 00:28:38,159
probably one of the most renowned um
CPAs as it relates to government

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00:28:34,240 --> 00:28:44,159
accounting uh in South Carolina. Um in
fact, he teaches um government uh

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00:28:41,440 --> 00:28:51,200
accounting um to folks that are going
into government finance. Um he is

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00:28:48,159 --> 00:28:56,000
regularly called by the state auditor's
office and the state treasurer's office

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00:28:53,360 --> 00:29:02,799
um to come in and do audits for them. um
he uh has a significant amount of

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00:29:00,000 --> 00:29:08,640
experience and we we are certainly again
very fortunate to have him. He certainly

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00:29:05,520 --> 00:29:12,559
has been a tremendous help um to myself,
to our finance director and to the

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00:29:10,720 --> 00:29:17,600
remainder of the finance team. So at
this time I'm going to ask Mr. Blake and

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00:29:14,640 --> 00:29:25,360
Mr. Wally to please come forward and um
and give us an update of of where we are

294
00:29:21,360 --> 00:29:30,159
and what's going on and allow the
members of council that did not have an

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00:29:27,600 --> 00:29:36,559
opportunity to speak with them privately
today um to ask you know whatever

296
00:29:33,200 --> 00:29:39,559
questions that you want to ask them. Mr.
Blake,

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00:29:41,039 --> 00:29:47,279
» thank you for those accolades, Mr.
Washington. I appreciate that.

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» Well deserved.
>> Um,

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where I'd like to start is
a little bit of history in terms of how

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you got to the point that you're at.

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00:30:02,880 --> 00:30:12,000
Most of you may have been here. Some of
you definitely were here. Some of you

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00:30:08,000 --> 00:30:19,520
have no idea. back around
oh 2021 fiscal year which started July

303
00:30:18,320 --> 00:30:24,320
of 2020 [clears throat]
and we all remember what was going on

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00:30:21,360 --> 00:30:30,640
then with COVID.
the county made a decision to

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00:30:28,640 --> 00:30:37,039
change
software systems.

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00:30:33,440 --> 00:30:43,279
And many of you may not know that the
software system you chose

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was a software system
developed by a German company

308
00:30:47,120 --> 00:30:55,440
or industry
and you were their first

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00:30:52,480 --> 00:30:59,840
American governmental client in the
world.

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So that's quite an accomplishment to be
the first, but it's never really good to

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00:31:02,480 --> 00:31:12,480
be the first.
Uh there was quite a lot of discussion

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00:31:08,159 --> 00:31:20,320
in the implementation process.
In retrospect, probably very wisely,

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00:31:16,640 --> 00:31:26,480
uh the treasurer's auditor's assessor's
office decided not to implement.

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00:31:24,080 --> 00:31:32,720
uh the tax bills were getting out just
fine with the old software.

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00:31:29,679 --> 00:31:37,200
So your revenue stream was not
jeopardized by the implementation of a

316
00:31:35,120 --> 00:31:45,039
new software
as far as real estate taxes go. However,

317
00:31:41,200 --> 00:31:49,840
about fiscal year 2022, your financial
statement audit process was dramatically

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00:31:47,919 --> 00:31:54,559
impacted.
You received an adverse opinion on that

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00:31:52,240 --> 00:32:00,080
audit.
Not a nice place to be in the audit

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00:31:57,440 --> 00:32:05,600
world.
Financial institutions, bond raiders,

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00:32:02,799 --> 00:32:10,559
that sort of people do not appreciate
adverse opinions.

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00:32:07,760 --> 00:32:17,120
The county has been fighting that uphill
battle to get their reputation back

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00:32:13,519 --> 00:32:23,039
since fiscal year 2022.
We're probably Mike and myself probably

324
00:32:19,679 --> 00:32:28,000
the third or fourth group of consultants
that have worked with you over the last

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00:32:25,279 --> 00:32:37,519
four years
to help you get your reputation back.

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00:32:33,760 --> 00:32:42,240
what he and I found when we arrived
based on the work of some of our

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00:32:39,279 --> 00:32:49,440
predecessors and the very very detailed
and hard work that your finance staff

328
00:32:44,799 --> 00:32:57,039
had put into this process is that that
software conversion was part of the

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00:32:53,039 --> 00:33:01,840
start of a major major group of problems
that just converged all at the same

330
00:32:59,120 --> 00:33:06,080
time.
One of those things was a lot of

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00:33:03,600 --> 00:33:10,960
employee turnover
immediately after that software

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00:33:08,080 --> 00:33:16,480
conversion.
And that employee turnover was a result

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00:33:14,399 --> 00:33:21,120
of retirements,
a result of people who were no longer

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00:33:19,039 --> 00:33:27,279
willing to work on the software
conversion. They had done their time as

335
00:33:23,840 --> 00:33:33,440
they put it and left. and a result of
certain election losses that changed out

336
00:33:29,760 --> 00:33:41,600
a few positions in county government.
And so the initial core group that was

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00:33:36,320 --> 00:33:48,880
there in 2020 2021
that was responsible for implementing

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00:33:43,840 --> 00:33:56,720
that system by the end of 2022 was gone.
You were left with three employees in

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00:33:53,279 --> 00:34:02,799
the finance office that were able to
keep the payroll going,

340
00:33:59,840 --> 00:34:07,840
keep the bills, lights on, electric bill
being paid, and they were able to

341
00:34:05,519 --> 00:34:13,599
continue functioning on a day-to-day
basis with absolutely no idea of how

342
00:34:11,440 --> 00:34:19,760
that software implementation was
supposed to go.

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00:34:16,399 --> 00:34:24,480
For long about that same time, a
subpoena was received, an investigation

344
00:34:22,159 --> 00:34:29,440
was started, and
time beyond payroll

345
00:34:27,760 --> 00:34:37,839
and
accounts payable bills was monopolized

346
00:34:34,560 --> 00:34:47,440
cooperating with the investigation.
very little time to spend on the 2023

347
00:34:42,240 --> 00:34:53,679
audit process and regaining the 2022
adverse opinion

348
00:34:50,879 --> 00:34:58,800
that stretched out that investigation
cooperation stretched out for over a

349
00:34:56,159 --> 00:35:04,839
year and a half in terms of being
monopolized in an FBI and a sled

350
00:35:01,839 --> 00:35:04,839
investigation.

351
00:35:05,520 --> 00:35:15,520
At that point, other things began to
snowball. You had an external payroll

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00:35:11,920 --> 00:35:22,320
service company. Journal entries had to
be made into this new software.

353
00:35:19,599 --> 00:35:29,839
And so that process had to be developed
from scratch to get that done.

354
00:35:26,480 --> 00:35:35,280
your transit fund.
Because of late audits now and adverse

355
00:35:32,960 --> 00:35:40,640
opinions, the federal government no
longer wanted to fund transit with

356
00:35:38,000 --> 00:35:46,800
federal dollars.
So something had to be done very quickly

357
00:35:43,440 --> 00:35:52,480
to solve that problem
to regain federal funding because the

358
00:35:49,599 --> 00:35:56,560
county at that point was getting behind
on their audits and the state was

359
00:35:54,560 --> 00:36:01,920
withholding money and with the feds
withholding money, the county was having

360
00:35:58,880 --> 00:36:07,520
to supplement the transit fund to keep
the transit system going.

361
00:36:04,800 --> 00:36:12,000
A solution to that was developed which
required several months to implement

362
00:36:09,520 --> 00:36:16,800
which involved moving the transit fund
out on its own.

363
00:36:14,240 --> 00:36:21,200
Your auditor was able to audit that
portion because it's now a separate set

364
00:36:19,359 --> 00:36:26,240
of books
and the audits were caught up and

365
00:36:23,119 --> 00:36:31,040
federal funding was restored to transit.
That required several months to get that

366
00:36:29,520 --> 00:36:38,160
implemented.
So now we're back to

367
00:36:33,440 --> 00:36:43,040
about 2024 25. Let's get back to 2022
and 23's audit.

368
00:36:40,640 --> 00:36:48,960
We've solved these problems and they
were all in and of themselves major

369
00:36:45,680 --> 00:36:55,599
issues. They just happened to hit at
exactly the same time. again leaving

370
00:36:52,960 --> 00:37:02,640
three people basically in the finance
office who have no idea about the

371
00:36:58,240 --> 00:37:09,040
implementation in 2020 2021 2022. They
weren't there for that.

372
00:37:05,440 --> 00:37:14,480
Now we're back focused on where do we
start to implement that? They hired some

373
00:37:11,920 --> 00:37:21,359
consultants. They got frustrated and
left. Consultants round two got

374
00:37:17,359 --> 00:37:24,960
frustrated and left. And I guess you
started scraping the bottom of the

375
00:37:22,720 --> 00:37:30,320
barrel and called me. [laughter]
I came over and I decided at least since

376
00:37:27,680 --> 00:37:36,720
February of 26.
I have no desire at this point to leave.

377
00:37:33,920 --> 00:37:41,760
But Mike and I, and Mike was really a
godsend and I know there were people

378
00:37:38,400 --> 00:37:47,680
praying and without God's intervention,
you may still be in some serious trouble

379
00:37:44,560 --> 00:37:54,560
because I am no SAP expert. I really am
not. Uh, and I didn't know how I I was

380
00:37:51,280 --> 00:38:01,920
going to help you with that.
I literally was praying about that. And

381
00:37:59,280 --> 00:38:05,760
my friend, I've known Mike for 30 years.
He came up to me one day and he said,

382
00:38:03,599 --> 00:38:10,400
"Hey, uh, you know, I'm kind of between
jobs right now. I'm looking for some

383
00:38:07,520 --> 00:38:16,720
other stuff to do. You got anything
you'd like me to help you with?" I said,

384
00:38:12,160 --> 00:38:20,320
"Not unless you're an SAP expert."
And lo and behold, Mike said, "I just

385
00:38:18,560 --> 00:38:27,520
happen to have 13 years experience
working with SAP." So God sent that guy

386
00:38:24,000 --> 00:38:33,359
into my life and consequently into yours
to help solve this SAP problem. So

387
00:38:29,839 --> 00:38:41,200
together since when Mike about March,
April, we have been working together to

388
00:38:37,280 --> 00:38:47,520
solve the SAP implementation issue
to go back and figure out in fiscal year

389
00:38:45,040 --> 00:38:52,160
2023,
what happened,

390
00:38:49,920 --> 00:38:57,839
how that can be audited because the
overriding concern here again is that

391
00:38:54,560 --> 00:39:04,560
adverse opinion from 2022 as a result of
that poorly implement implemented uh

392
00:39:01,839 --> 00:39:08,240
software conversion.
We've got to get that reputation back

393
00:39:06,560 --> 00:39:13,760
for the county. We've got to get a clean
opinion. You can't borrow money. You

394
00:39:10,320 --> 00:39:20,560
can't get grants with a bad opinion,
much less late audits.

395
00:39:16,800 --> 00:39:26,000
So, we've got to get a group of
financial data together for 2023 that is

396
00:39:24,079 --> 00:39:31,920
auditable, that you can get a clean
opinion on, and start for audit with

397
00:39:29,680 --> 00:39:36,640
that data.
We are working on that. We are having

398
00:39:34,320 --> 00:39:40,960
weekly meetings,
Zoom meetings with your external

399
00:39:38,560 --> 00:39:44,960
auditor. Every week we're making
progress. We're sharing that with the

400
00:39:42,720 --> 00:39:50,000
external auditor and we're asking that
external auditor

401
00:39:47,520 --> 00:39:54,560
to pass muster or not with what we
found. The auditor has been very good to

402
00:39:52,720 --> 00:39:59,920
work with.
they would put their opinion on this or

403
00:39:57,839 --> 00:40:05,520
no, we need you to tweak it a little bit
here. We're having weekly meetings like

404
00:40:02,000 --> 00:40:13,119
that and we're going to get that data to
them as soon as we can to get that 2023

405
00:40:09,520 --> 00:40:19,440
2024 audit done. Right now, we are
estimating. It's purely an estimate and

406
00:40:15,839 --> 00:40:24,240
things change literally every day. as we
turn over one rock and find another

407
00:40:21,520 --> 00:40:28,079
problem. Tomorrow we may turn over a
rock. And what I'm saying tonight is

408
00:40:25,920 --> 00:40:33,119
completely irrelevant.
But right now, our opinion is based on

409
00:40:30,400 --> 00:40:40,400
the rocks we've turned over so far that
we believe we can get 2024 audit with a

410
00:40:36,960 --> 00:40:46,480
clean opinion out by the end of this
calendar year, January 27 at the latest.

411
00:40:44,320 --> 00:40:52,880
That's our current deadline based on the
rocks we've turned over at this moment.

412
00:40:50,320 --> 00:41:01,680
If that is successful, if we don't find
any more problems related to 23 and 24,

413
00:40:58,800 --> 00:41:09,520
then we hope to get the next step would
be 25's audit. We hope to get it done by

414
00:41:05,760 --> 00:41:16,079
no later than June of 207. And we hope
to start and finish June of 26's audit

415
00:41:13,680 --> 00:41:22,720
roughly that same time frame because you
can do two audits at one time. And once

416
00:41:19,200 --> 00:41:29,760
we get 23 squared away to where 24's
opinion can be clean, it will be easier

417
00:41:26,240 --> 00:41:35,839
for the auditor to do 25 and 26 at the
same time because he's got clean records

418
00:41:32,560 --> 00:41:40,160
to start with in both years.
That's the plan as it is currently.

419
00:41:38,160 --> 00:41:44,800
Again,
that could change literally tomorrow if

420
00:41:42,640 --> 00:41:49,680
we run into a roadblock that we weren't
aware of in the SAP system. We've looked

421
00:41:47,839 --> 00:41:54,800
at a lot of the data. That's what I've
used Mike for. He has been able to comb

422
00:41:52,880 --> 00:42:00,079
that data. We've been able to trace
things much quicker as a result of his

423
00:41:57,040 --> 00:42:06,000
involvement. It has sped up tremendously
with Mike's involvement and the SAP

424
00:42:02,960 --> 00:42:13,359
information becoming more discernable to
me because quite frankly it was not

425
00:42:10,640 --> 00:42:18,480
governmental accounting at its best.
Very confusing the way it was put in

426
00:42:15,359 --> 00:42:24,480
there. Very hard to get information out
of. Mike has sped that process up a lot.

427
00:42:22,240 --> 00:42:29,359
But he's only been involved since about
March, April of this year. So, we've

428
00:42:27,520 --> 00:42:36,319
really only been able to make that
significant progress after April of this

429
00:42:32,560 --> 00:42:42,000
year. We think we've got
the animal by the tail, but I don't want

430
00:42:39,200 --> 00:42:45,839
it to turn around and bite us. So, I'm
giving you a lot of caveats

431
00:42:43,760 --> 00:42:50,960
understanding that literally tomorrow we
could turn over another rock and it and

432
00:42:47,599 --> 00:43:00,000
it changed. But our our goal if we can
get 25 and 26 simultaneously under

433
00:42:54,720 --> 00:43:06,240
audit, if 26 is done by July of 27, the
state deadline for 26

434
00:43:02,800 --> 00:43:12,800
is July of 27, you will be timely by
that point in time. You will be caught

435
00:43:08,319 --> 00:43:19,839
up everything timely. I don't expect the
opinions to be any

436
00:43:16,319 --> 00:43:24,319
worse than the best opinion you can get.
I think the data is there. I think the

437
00:43:21,920 --> 00:43:30,640
support for the auditor is there. He
will not have a problem opining on 2425

438
00:43:27,359 --> 00:43:38,160
and 26.
So with that being said, that's where

439
00:43:33,520 --> 00:43:43,280
we're at as of 6:44 this evening. Any
questions that you have, I'd be glad to

440
00:43:40,560 --> 00:43:47,280
answer. Mike can give you all the detail
you'd like on the SAP system that I

441
00:43:45,760 --> 00:43:52,720
could never give you. So, if you got an
SAP question, we'll bring Mike up here.

442
00:43:50,480 --> 00:43:59,119
But any questions that you have based on
what I've said at this point.

443
00:43:55,440 --> 00:44:05,040
» Um, we just thank you for not turning
tail and running from us. Um,

444
00:44:02,640 --> 00:44:11,440
» maybe I'm not that smart, huh?
>> May not be. Uh but we do appreciate your

445
00:44:08,800 --> 00:44:15,599
your hard work and uh just being
straight forward with us and telling us

446
00:44:13,680 --> 00:44:18,800
you know where we are and how we got
here.

447
00:44:16,400 --> 00:44:23,119
» And so I guess my question is as you
said we'll be able to do our audit

448
00:44:21,599 --> 00:44:27,280
simultaneously.
Um

449
00:44:25,040 --> 00:44:34,319
we talked earlier today about that
process of getting us from

450
00:44:31,280 --> 00:44:39,599
uh the the SAP and all of that stuff and
the different systems

451
00:44:36,480 --> 00:44:44,480
tell us how you're able to help us as
the consultant that we're using to make

452
00:44:42,000 --> 00:44:49,040
sure that we don't kind of fall into
this.

453
00:44:46,079 --> 00:44:55,920
» Well, that is a good question because
that involves how do we not go back?

454
00:44:53,119 --> 00:45:01,280
» How do we keep going forward? One of the
things your finance office realized

455
00:44:58,240 --> 00:45:08,720
early on once they got a grasp of how
bad SAP was is we need to get away from

456
00:45:04,160 --> 00:45:13,839
SAP as fast as possible. Uh and I
believe it was about a year ago, so 26

457
00:45:11,839 --> 00:45:19,280
fiscal year,
they bought a software package that

458
00:45:16,720 --> 00:45:27,359
integrates with the one the treasurer is
using now. It's called Springbrook. So

459
00:45:23,119 --> 00:45:31,599
the package for Six is a new package.
Again,

460
00:45:29,520 --> 00:45:36,000
what do we spend our time on? We got to
do payroll. We got to keep the lights

461
00:45:33,359 --> 00:45:39,599
on. We don't have investigations
anymore. We got audits we got to fix.

462
00:45:38,240 --> 00:45:45,520
Oh, and by the way, now we're
implementing another software system.

463
00:45:42,560 --> 00:45:49,359
So, the hours in the day become a matter
of priority.

464
00:45:47,440 --> 00:45:54,319
It's payroll week. I'm not going to work
on the new system being implemented.

465
00:45:51,760 --> 00:45:58,800
It's accounts payable check time. I'm
not going to work on the audit or the

466
00:45:56,560 --> 00:46:03,680
new software system being implemented.
Okay, I got time today. What's my

467
00:46:01,200 --> 00:46:09,040
priority? The old audits or the new
software system? Old audits are the

468
00:46:06,319 --> 00:46:12,800
priority right now because we can't get
financing. We can't go to the bank

469
00:46:10,720 --> 00:46:20,160
without financial statements. So, that's
the top priority this week.

470
00:46:16,480 --> 00:46:27,040
Having said that, part of this uh Mr.
Wilson is it part of this discussion to

471
00:46:23,280 --> 00:46:33,119
answer your question is we are along the
for the ride with those same priorities.

472
00:46:29,200 --> 00:46:39,440
We're focusing our consultant time in
the immediate future on getting the

473
00:46:35,200 --> 00:46:45,119
audit deadlines met. We have as we are
working in those years

474
00:46:42,160 --> 00:46:51,200
made copious notes regarding what needs
to be fixed in the new software system

475
00:46:48,160 --> 00:46:56,000
because it didn't get fully implemented
either.

476
00:46:52,880 --> 00:47:01,599
It's better than what you had but it's
not been fully implemented and we know

477
00:46:58,480 --> 00:47:05,079
the places it needs to be tweaked to
make that happen.

478
00:47:08,560 --> 00:47:16,079
We're going to get the audits, the
immediate audits up to date, get the

479
00:47:12,640 --> 00:47:23,280
good opinions on them, get 25 and 26 as
step phase two. Then we're going to get

480
00:47:19,280 --> 00:47:29,839
the new software implementation tweaked
and have it running. Well, that's going

481
00:47:26,240 --> 00:47:35,520
to be probably after June of 2027 before
we get to that point.

482
00:47:32,640 --> 00:47:41,359
But that is part of the overall plan and
strategy from the supervisor's office

483
00:47:38,400 --> 00:47:47,119
and the finance office at this point is
get our financial reputation back and

484
00:47:44,640 --> 00:47:51,920
then let's put it back on track for the
future to get this new software system

485
00:47:50,000 --> 00:47:58,319
implemented and get the bugs worked out
of it. So that's currently the timetable

486
00:47:55,520 --> 00:48:02,880
and the priorities. audits first,
financial reputation back, and then

487
00:48:00,640 --> 00:48:06,800
tweak the new system and get it hitting
on all eight cylinders.

488
00:48:04,480 --> 00:48:14,240
» And and I want to add on to what Mr.
Blake said, Councilman Wilson. Um the

489
00:48:10,480 --> 00:48:21,599
supervisor's office switched over um to
the new system last fiscal year. Um and

490
00:48:18,319 --> 00:48:30,000
the treasurer's office has switched over
this year. Now, the new system is the

491
00:48:26,640 --> 00:48:36,960
newer version of what the treasurer's
office had been on the entire time. Um,

492
00:48:33,440 --> 00:48:44,000
that the new version, that company
bought out um the company that owned the

493
00:48:41,280 --> 00:48:46,880
software that the treasurer's office has
now. So, it's the same company. Um, so

494
00:48:46,400 --> 00:48:49,119
now
>> helps because they should talk to each

495
00:48:48,800 --> 00:48:57,440
other.
>> That's correct. But as of now, everyone

496
00:48:54,880 --> 00:49:03,200
is on the same system, but we still got
to get through those last couple of

497
00:49:00,480 --> 00:49:05,680
years that are in the SAP system. And
that's as he indicated earlier so

498
00:49:05,119 --> 00:49:11,680
eloquently
>> that that's the priority right now.

499
00:49:08,319 --> 00:49:17,359
» Again, thank you and um we just look
forward to whatever we can do to assist

500
00:49:14,240 --> 00:49:21,040
you all in um helping us through this
difficult time. Um And it has been

501
00:49:20,640 --> 00:49:24,960
difficult.
>> You got a lot of barbecue around here.

502
00:49:24,160 --> 00:49:29,040
» A lot of
>> Mr. Washington's already invited me to a

503
00:49:27,119 --> 00:49:33,839
couple of them for sure.
>> You know, we'll keep you around if

504
00:49:32,000 --> 00:49:36,880
you're still around. So, we can get this
stuff.

505
00:49:34,640 --> 00:49:42,960
» Yeah. Nothing scared me off yet. Nothing
I haven't done at least once before. But

506
00:49:39,599 --> 00:49:47,440
it you've you've got a long uphill
climb. I'll just say the hole that

507
00:49:45,280 --> 00:49:51,839
you're in is very deep.
>> It's very deep.

508
00:49:49,920 --> 00:49:56,559
And and it's never good to be in a
position of having an adverse audit

509
00:49:53,839 --> 00:50:01,040
opinion. That's just not good.
>> Question is, is there anything that we

510
00:49:58,720 --> 00:50:06,400
should be doing to assist or to help
speed this up or we are basically where

511
00:50:04,160 --> 00:50:11,760
we at?
>> My thoughts there, not necessarily

512
00:50:09,520 --> 00:50:17,119
suggestions.
Every bit of this process is a function

513
00:50:14,319 --> 00:50:23,280
of time and money.
So the priorities

514
00:50:20,000 --> 00:50:28,000
are within those constraints, time and
money. If you had a printing press in

515
00:50:25,920 --> 00:50:33,280
your basement and money was not an
object, hire eight more people exactly

516
00:50:30,640 --> 00:50:38,319
like me and we'll come in here and we'll
get you caught up tomorrow. But that

517
00:50:35,920 --> 00:50:44,520
isn't going to be cheap. So we're
working within those constraints of time

518
00:50:41,200 --> 00:50:44,520
and money.

519
00:50:45,520 --> 00:50:56,000
I'd also like to um mention the fact and
recognize the fact that uh our um

520
00:50:52,480 --> 00:51:01,839
treasurer, Miss Pearl Brown, is here. Uh
Miss Brown, is there anything you'd like

521
00:50:57,440 --> 00:51:08,079
to add to what Mr. Blake has said
>> and they have, by the way, been very

522
00:51:04,319 --> 00:51:13,440
helpful and done a yman's job helping us
in answering all our questions and

523
00:51:10,319 --> 00:51:18,920
providing backup data to fill in the
pieces of the puzzle. Miss Pearl, if

524
00:51:15,280 --> 00:51:18,920
you'd like to come up.

525
00:51:19,200 --> 00:51:26,240
» Mr. Supervisor, while uh Yes. Yes, sir.
Miss Brown approaches. I'd just like to

526
00:51:23,599 --> 00:51:30,079
say we had a uh Councilman Wilson and
myself met with Mr. Blake and Mr. Wall-E

527
00:51:28,800 --> 00:51:35,280
today and I certainly thank you for
y'all's time. It was very informative

528
00:51:32,079 --> 00:51:38,800
and very enlightening and it was nice to
hear not the good news but it was nice

529
00:51:37,200 --> 00:51:42,240
to hear what exactly and be able to
understand what was going on. So we

530
00:51:40,400 --> 00:51:45,280
appreciate y'all's time. Look forward to
working with y'all in the future.

531
00:51:43,599 --> 00:51:46,640
» Thank you so much. And and before Miss
Brown

532
00:51:46,000 --> 00:51:53,040
» Smith is
>> before Miss Miss Brown comes up, I

533
00:51:48,640 --> 00:51:59,760
wanted um to to share not only with the
council but for the members of the

534
00:51:55,599 --> 00:52:05,440
public. I thought it was important
um for council

535
00:52:02,960 --> 00:52:11,599
as the governing body of this county to
have the opportunity um to meet with

536
00:52:08,000 --> 00:52:15,520
these individuals without me being there
and without any member of our finance

537
00:52:13,359 --> 00:52:21,839
team being there. Um because I didn't
want um the members of council to think

538
00:52:19,359 --> 00:52:26,960
that we were trying to influence
whatever responses

539
00:52:24,000 --> 00:52:31,440
that Mr. Wallally and Mr. Blake gave to
the members of council and I wanted the

540
00:52:28,800 --> 00:52:37,359
members of council to be able to feel
free to ask whatever questions um that

541
00:52:34,880 --> 00:52:42,319
they wanted to ask uh without us being
there. We wanted to make sure that this

542
00:52:38,880 --> 00:52:50,079
was um as transparent a process um as
possible. But then I also wanted them to

543
00:52:45,200 --> 00:52:54,640
come uh tonight and publicly um share uh
with the community as a whole the

544
00:52:52,480 --> 00:53:00,319
challenges that we have been trying to
work through uh in order to to move the

545
00:52:57,680 --> 00:53:08,040
county forward and get the county uh
where it needs to be. Um so again, thank

546
00:53:03,839 --> 00:53:08,040
you all. Miss Brown.

547
00:53:08,160 --> 00:53:16,160
» Yes, ma'am. prepared to say anything but
I didn't want to miss this opportunity.

548
00:53:12,960 --> 00:53:22,480
I want to say a special thanks to Mr.
Blake and his sorry I missed your name

549
00:53:19,920 --> 00:53:28,160
while we met with you. That's my age. I
couldn't remember your name but um this

550
00:53:26,079 --> 00:53:34,000
has been really
eyeopening for me. I didn't expect when

551
00:53:31,119 --> 00:53:40,240
I came back into the county that I would
find some of what I found. Uh but I want

552
00:53:37,200 --> 00:53:45,440
to say to council members whether and to
the public whether you know it or not

553
00:53:43,440 --> 00:53:50,960
that finance department up there is
doing everything they can in their power

554
00:53:48,079 --> 00:53:55,520
to get these books in order. I want to
say a special thanks to Miss Kimber

555
00:53:53,440 --> 00:54:01,920
Cooper in her absent and to deputy
treasure will because without the the

556
00:53:58,880 --> 00:54:05,440
records in the treasur's office I don't
know they could not do it.

557
00:54:03,760 --> 00:54:09,920
» That's right. So, we're going to I want
that to go on record. The the treasures

558
00:54:07,599 --> 00:54:15,119
office records as far as I can see and
we have found they are fine. And I want

559
00:54:12,880 --> 00:54:19,280
to give kudos to these three ladies back
here. I want you to stand from the

560
00:54:17,200 --> 00:54:24,160
finance department. They visit my
office, our office quite often looking

561
00:54:21,760 --> 00:54:29,359
for records. They are the hardest
working women around here and they're

562
00:54:26,960 --> 00:54:34,400
working hard to get this done. So don't
think that the county personnel is not

563
00:54:32,160 --> 00:54:42,079
trying to get us past this because they
are. Everyone is working together or in

564
00:54:37,839 --> 00:54:47,599
the I was here 28 years. I was gone for
14 and I came back. This is the closest

565
00:54:45,680 --> 00:54:51,599
in my experience working with this
county that these two officers have

566
00:54:49,440 --> 00:54:56,400
worked together closer to get the work
done. And I'm proud to be a part of it.

567
00:54:54,240 --> 00:55:02,480
I didn't plan this for my retirement,
but I thank God that I am here and able

568
00:54:59,839 --> 00:55:04,400
to do something to help the county.
Thank you,

569
00:55:03,200 --> 00:55:10,720
» Mr. Brown.
>> Before you go, I want to

570
00:55:06,800 --> 00:55:16,880
» um and and I've told you before um in
our private conversations and I want to

571
00:55:13,040 --> 00:55:22,960
share with you publicly um how much um I
appreciate you you coming back. Um I

572
00:55:20,880 --> 00:55:28,319
know Mr. Joe is still a little upset
with me about that, but um you know, he

573
00:55:26,240 --> 00:55:32,000
and I going we we'll work through that.
It won't be the first time he and I ever

574
00:55:29,920 --> 00:55:36,000
fell out and but we always get back
together. But I I do want to let you

575
00:55:33,839 --> 00:55:39,200
know how much I appreciate um you coming
back and your leadership and your

576
00:55:37,520 --> 00:55:43,200
willingness to come back and serve
Williamsburg County. Um you've always

577
00:55:40,960 --> 00:55:48,079
been an asset um to this community and
you you still are. When I received the

578
00:55:45,760 --> 00:55:52,960
call from the governor, my answer was,
"If I can come back and do something to

579
00:55:50,240 --> 00:55:56,258
help my county, I will come." Thank you
all for the opportunity.

580
00:55:54,400 --> 00:55:58,278
» I told him to please call you.
[laughter]

581
00:55:59,359 --> 00:56:05,440
» Thank you so much again, Miss Brown.
Yes, sir.

582
00:56:02,480 --> 00:56:10,400
» Uh, treasures. I'm telling you, it's
been a joy to work with your folks. They

583
00:56:08,160 --> 00:56:15,359
have been hard at work and they have
been, like she said, very cooperative.

584
00:56:13,280 --> 00:56:20,319
The information that's available has
been free flowing. It's just been

585
00:56:18,000 --> 00:56:25,440
multiple hay stacks and multiple needles
trying to find out where it's at in the

586
00:56:22,960 --> 00:56:30,559
system and make it presentable for an
auditor to say yes, I will bless that.

587
00:56:28,319 --> 00:56:36,720
That's been the entire problem getting
it in a shape where an auditor can say

588
00:56:33,760 --> 00:56:41,839
that's good. So, at this point, what I'm
going to do if I can remember is I've

589
00:56:40,240 --> 00:56:45,920
got some business cards. I'm gonna give
them to you tomorrow.

590
00:56:43,680 --> 00:56:51,119
» You can hand one out to It's got my cell
phone on it. You got a question, it'll

591
00:56:48,000 --> 00:56:55,200
ring right here in my pocket. All right.
So, he'll have business cards with my

592
00:56:53,200 --> 00:56:58,640
cell phone number on it. Feel free to
call me with any questions.

593
00:56:57,680 --> 00:57:01,920
» All right.
>> Thank you guys so much. Thank you.

594
00:57:00,319 --> 00:57:06,000
Anyone else with any other questions?
>> Uh just want to say thank you from uh

595
00:57:04,079 --> 00:57:11,680
the the conversation we had earlier
today and your transparency of where

596
00:57:08,799 --> 00:57:15,359
we're at. Um, so like uh Councilman
Mcnite said, anything we can do and and

597
00:57:13,680 --> 00:57:20,240
your transparency of giving us your cell
phone number and things like that so uh

598
00:57:18,319 --> 00:57:23,240
we can just keep the communication over
open.

599
00:57:23,920 --> 00:57:26,920
» All right.

600
00:57:28,880 --> 00:57:38,720
All right. Thank you all so much. All
right. We now have an appearance by Miss

601
00:57:34,720 --> 00:57:43,440
Lindseay Johnson of Pivot Energy and Mr.
Eddie McCutchen is a county resident.

602
00:57:41,119 --> 00:57:47,720
That's a presentation regarding a
potential solar project.

603
00:57:49,040 --> 00:57:53,599
» Hey, M. Johnson,
>> I've got a short presentation for you.

604
00:57:52,480 --> 00:57:56,599
So, I'm just going to get that pulled
up.

605
00:58:00,160 --> 00:58:04,200
» Can you see that on your screens?

606
00:58:06,799 --> 00:58:12,559
While we're letting it load, again, my
name is Lindsay Johnston. I'm a

607
00:58:10,079 --> 00:58:16,880
developer with Pivot Energy. We're a
United Statesbased clean energy company,

608
00:58:14,880 --> 00:58:20,480
and I'm working on our South Carolina
portfolio. I'm local to the state. So, I

609
00:58:19,359 --> 00:58:27,119
appreciate y'all giving me the
opportunity to speak to you tonight. The

610
00:58:22,720 --> 00:58:32,160
project I'm talking about is SCCL0043.
Um, so just a little bit about Pivot

611
00:58:29,200 --> 00:58:37,359
Energy. We like I said are a national uh
leader in smallcale distributed

612
00:58:33,920 --> 00:58:42,559
generation solar. Um we have built four
gigawatts across the state or are in the

613
00:58:40,160 --> 00:58:46,880
process of building those. Um we're
headquartered in Denver, Colorado. And

614
00:58:44,880 --> 00:58:51,520
we are the long-term owner and operator
of all of our sites. So for the full

615
00:58:49,440 --> 00:58:55,359
life cycle of the project, it stays with
us. We're not a Devon flip if you're

616
00:58:53,520 --> 00:58:59,760
familiar with that. We are also a
certified BCORE committed to being

617
00:58:57,280 --> 00:59:03,200
sustainable uh long-term partners with
the communities that we work in. So, a

618
00:59:02,319 --> 00:59:06,240
little bit about the project
specifically. And if can you all see the

619
00:59:04,880 --> 00:59:11,040
site plan on your screens?
>> No.

620
00:59:08,240 --> 00:59:16,599
Wait, give us one second. Okay.
>> Having some technical difficulties here.

621
00:59:47,839 --> 00:59:54,319
Well, while we're wait while we're
waiting, my name is Eddie McCutchen and

622
00:59:51,599 --> 00:59:59,680
um the farm in project in in in the
project we're trying to build. I built I

623
00:59:56,240 --> 01:00:04,240
bought this farm in 83, a young farmer.
I'm a fourth generation farmer,

624
01:00:01,520 --> 01:00:07,920
Williamsburg County farmer. My parents
have struggled to make their farms ago

625
01:00:06,400 --> 01:00:12,400
and I've struggled to make mine a go and
I've done well and then some days I've

626
01:00:09,520 --> 01:00:20,160
done poorly because of commodity prices
and such things that economy um I've had

627
01:00:16,319 --> 01:00:24,799
to go out and outsource um government
jobs. I worked for the forester for

628
01:00:21,760 --> 01:00:29,440
eight years and I worked for the US Army
for six years. I served in D of Storm.

629
01:00:27,760 --> 01:00:32,960
It's always been a struggle to make the
farm to make the farm payments and the

630
01:00:31,119 --> 01:00:36,880
taxes paid on this farm because it's
such a small farm. I don't have to tell

631
01:00:34,400 --> 01:00:40,079
you that small farmers have struggled
and some have lost and they've lost

632
01:00:38,720 --> 01:00:46,240
their they lost their [clears throat]
farm and I'm trying to do this project.

633
01:00:42,400 --> 01:00:51,440
It came to me and it's available to
generate some revenue for me and my

634
01:00:49,359 --> 01:00:56,640
family so my family can keep this and my
grandchildren will have something that I

635
01:00:52,880 --> 01:01:00,880
can leave today. That's what I want. Um,
it's going to generate some clean

636
01:00:58,640 --> 01:01:05,119
energy, some green energy that's not
going to hurt anybody, and it's going to

637
01:01:02,799 --> 01:01:10,079
have sheep underneath the bottom of it,
and we're going to plant some kind of a

638
01:01:06,799 --> 01:01:13,119
vegetation. I'm planning on raising the
sheep myself because I'm going to

639
01:01:11,359 --> 01:01:16,880
maintain the farm. I'm going to keep the
farm. It's going to be a lease, and it's

640
01:01:14,559 --> 01:01:21,280
going to be 30 years where it can
generate uh power for the for the for

641
01:01:20,160 --> 01:01:24,480
the power grid. And you know, I don't
have to tell you, the power grid is

642
01:01:22,559 --> 01:01:27,680
struggling everywhere in this whole
United States that's struggling. And the

643
01:01:26,319 --> 01:01:31,680
green energy is one of the ways we're
going to have to go. And also, the

644
01:01:30,079 --> 01:01:35,680
reason that we're doing this is so I can
keep my little farm and I don't have to

645
01:01:34,079 --> 01:01:38,319
lose it because so many other farms have
gone by the wayside. And I don't want to

646
01:01:36,880 --> 01:01:43,280
see that because my grandmama would
really be upset and my great granddaddy

647
01:01:40,960 --> 01:01:46,720
would really, really be upset. So, we're
trying to make this project where it's

648
01:01:44,720 --> 01:01:51,280
lucrative where I can continue to pay
and it will also generate more tax

649
01:01:49,359 --> 01:01:55,599
dollars for this little t little county
that I was born and raised in, graduated

650
01:01:53,119 --> 01:02:01,040
here, and I think the world of I fought
across the water for my little county as

651
01:01:58,400 --> 01:02:06,319
much as I fought for United States Army.
So, I asked for your consideration in

652
01:02:03,520 --> 01:02:10,079
this project and help help us to to get
this project started and give us the

653
01:02:08,160 --> 01:02:13,680
authorization that we can build
something that's going to be good for

654
01:02:11,280 --> 01:02:19,200
everybody. It's not going to be anywhere
close to anyone's home. It's on off

655
01:02:16,559 --> 01:02:22,160
road. It's half the project will be
where nobody can't see it unless you

656
01:02:20,559 --> 01:02:26,160
flying from an airplane because it's
only got one little access road to and

657
01:02:24,000 --> 01:02:30,640
from from both sides and it's all wooded
around most of it except for one little

658
01:02:28,000 --> 01:02:34,640
roadront. But no one lives there and no
one's planned to live there because of a

659
01:02:32,720 --> 01:02:38,640
big power line that comes in on that
corner of the farm. So that farm is not

660
01:02:37,280 --> 01:02:42,160
going to hurt anybody. It's not going to
be an eyesore. I mean, it's going to

661
01:02:40,720 --> 01:02:47,200
it's going to do what it needs and it's
going to help the county with the power

662
01:02:44,799 --> 01:02:52,640
and the tax revenue and any other kind
of revenue that it can do. And I ask for

663
01:02:49,680 --> 01:02:55,680
your consideration in that. I'm a little
bit saddened to find out that

664
01:02:55,463 --> 01:03:00,799
» [clears throat]
>> um one of my council members uh when the

665
01:02:58,559 --> 01:03:05,200
when the project came available and I
looked at the project and I said, "Well,

666
01:03:03,280 --> 01:03:10,240
I need a contract." They sent me the
contract. I got the contract and I sent

667
01:03:07,680 --> 01:03:13,839
it to Sam and asked Sam, I said, "Sam,
could you look over the project for me

668
01:03:12,240 --> 01:03:17,039
and look over this contract? Make sure
there's something that's good because I

669
01:03:15,599 --> 01:03:22,480
didn't know. I'm not a lawyer. I'm a
farmer and I'm a little and and I just

670
01:03:20,160 --> 01:03:27,119
didn't know." And his exact words were
to me was, "If I had it, I would put a

671
01:03:25,200 --> 01:03:29,920
sale farm, a solar farm on it because of
the fact that it's something it's a

672
01:03:28,559 --> 01:03:34,720
small farm. It's out of the way.
Nobody's going to be upset about it."

673
01:03:32,079 --> 01:03:39,039
But recently, I've understood from him
that he's against it. And I'm kind of a

674
01:03:36,799 --> 01:03:43,039
little saddened about that because I
don't think it's going to hurt anybody.

675
01:03:40,319 --> 01:03:46,880
And I'm not I'm not asking for anything
except acceptance for something that's

676
01:03:45,119 --> 01:03:50,720
going to be positive. And I'm gonna let
Miss Lindsay go ahead and explain to

677
01:03:48,319 --> 01:03:53,359
y'all if y'all can see it now.
>> Still can't see.

678
01:03:51,440 --> 01:03:57,680
» Still can't see.
>> I will say it was working when I got

679
01:03:55,200 --> 01:04:02,480
here. Um, so sorry about that y'all, but
I um I can at least just walk you

680
01:04:00,480 --> 01:04:06,720
through it and then I'm happy to email
you some copies of the site plan if

681
01:04:04,079 --> 01:04:12,559
you'd like to see it. Um, this is going
to be 37 and a half acres. Um, like

682
01:04:10,799 --> 01:04:16,720
Eddie indicated, it will stay in
agricultural use. We do this on all of

683
01:04:14,400 --> 01:04:23,039
our projects. There will be sheep, local
pollinator friendly species planted on

684
01:04:19,039 --> 01:04:28,559
site. Um, it's going to be a 5.9
megawatt AC solar facility with a 4.8

685
01:04:25,839 --> 01:04:31,760
megawatt battery. The power will be sold
to Duke Energy and it's going to

686
01:04:29,839 --> 01:04:37,839
generate enough power for Duke to power
about 1,200 local homes in Williamsburg

687
01:04:34,640 --> 01:04:43,200
County. Um we will have an 8 foot um
wildlife permeable fence so that we

688
01:04:40,559 --> 01:04:47,200
minimize our environmental impact and
per development ordinances will be a 100

689
01:04:45,359 --> 01:04:52,079
foot setback from adjacent properties
300 from any adjacent residences. Um and

690
01:04:50,799 --> 01:04:57,039
I'm sorry that I know y'all can't see
the screen but with the proposed fianl

691
01:04:55,119 --> 01:05:00,640
revenue that we are asking for it would
generate about $2 million for

692
01:04:58,799 --> 01:05:05,359
Williamsburg County over the life cycle
of the project. So over the 30 years,

693
01:05:03,039 --> 01:05:10,640
that's $2 million to the county. And
then we also do a $5,000 per megawatt

694
01:05:08,480 --> 01:05:16,720
community donation. So for the size of
this project, that would be around

695
01:05:12,319 --> 01:05:21,839
$39,000 that we would donate to local um
non-government offices in the community

696
01:05:19,200 --> 01:05:25,680
to help benefit Williamsburg. So I'll
keep it there. I'm happy to provide a

697
01:05:24,079 --> 01:05:29,440
copy of the presentation. I've got just
some info on Pivot and I'll leave you on

698
01:05:27,200 --> 01:05:33,760
my business card as well if you have any
questions specifically about the

699
01:05:30,960 --> 01:05:36,559
project. Um but yeah, thank you so much
for your

700
01:05:34,559 --> 01:05:42,319
» one one question that I have.
>> Um have you reviewed um the county's

701
01:05:40,000 --> 01:05:46,559
solar farm solar farm ordinance?
>> Yes, sir. The project has been designed

702
01:05:44,319 --> 01:05:49,359
and the site plan that all jaw has been
designed in compliance with the

703
01:05:48,000 --> 01:05:52,240
Williamsburg County ordinance.
>> Okay.

704
01:05:50,640 --> 01:05:56,880
any member of council with any questions
or concerns for Miss either Miss Johnson

705
01:05:55,359 --> 01:06:01,200
or
Mr. McCachi?

706
01:05:58,640 --> 01:06:07,200
» I just I just wish you luck. I I hate to
hear about um

707
01:06:04,559 --> 01:06:11,760
you know the disappointment, but you
know it's just a time where people I

708
01:06:10,400 --> 01:06:16,960
don't know why they would be against
solar farm but hey I wish you the best

709
01:06:14,480 --> 01:06:22,720
of luck and and hope that it comes
through for you. We definitely need more

710
01:06:20,400 --> 01:06:27,119
We need to keep the farms. We need to
keep the farms in the family because if

711
01:06:24,319 --> 01:06:31,920
the family takes care of it, then some
foreign country or some big company

712
01:06:29,359 --> 01:06:36,240
doesn't own it. And I don't have to tell
you these small farms have gone by the

713
01:06:33,839 --> 01:06:39,200
wayside because they can't maintain
because they can't compete and they've

714
01:06:37,599 --> 01:06:43,200
got and I had the same problem. That's
why I had to seek the forestry and

715
01:06:41,520 --> 01:06:46,799
that's why I had to go back to work bus.
I worked for bus shop eight years. I

716
01:06:45,200 --> 01:06:50,720
went and started smoking fuel and then
worked my way all the way up. So I've

717
01:06:48,720 --> 01:06:55,039
done all these things for the county in
the county because I love this county. I

718
01:06:52,400 --> 01:06:58,880
was born here, raised here and I just
hope that you can understand that this

719
01:06:56,640 --> 01:07:02,640
thing needs to go forward for the power
grid if nothing else and for the taxes.

720
01:07:00,720 --> 01:07:08,160
These taxpayers are struggling. I mean,
they're struggling and every year y'all

721
01:07:04,880 --> 01:07:12,319
have to maintain a a government and you
have to have money coming in to do that

722
01:07:10,160 --> 01:07:16,160
and people just, you know, we don't want
to lose anybody else in this county.

723
01:07:13,920 --> 01:07:19,680
We're losing people. So, this thing may
help. I mean, we, you know, it's not

724
01:07:17,760 --> 01:07:22,240
going to hurt anybody. It's going, it's
going to be, it's going to be

725
01:07:20,480 --> 01:07:24,960
productive, and that's the good thing
about it. It's not going to hurt

726
01:07:23,520 --> 01:07:28,160
anybody, and it's productive. So, I
thank you for your consideration, and I

727
01:07:26,880 --> 01:07:31,920
thank you for your time. I know we all
want to go home.

728
01:07:29,520 --> 01:07:36,240
» One last thing, if you would just please
I'm sorry, someone else.

729
01:07:34,319 --> 01:07:39,039
» Uh, my question, uh, you said you'll be
selling this uh, energy of this power to

730
01:07:38,319 --> 01:07:42,319
Duke.
>> Yes, sir.

731
01:07:39,520 --> 01:07:46,720
» Uh, would Duke turn around and these,
1200 homes or residents, would they get

732
01:07:44,960 --> 01:07:51,920
a break on their bill? Would it save the
resident any money or just Duke?

733
01:07:48,799 --> 01:07:56,079
» So, it's it's really up to Duke what the
energy that they generate and what they

734
01:07:54,000 --> 01:07:59,387
sell it for. However, solar is the most
affordable, cost-effective option for

735
01:07:58,079 --> 01:08:03,440
energy in the United States
[clears throat] right now. So, ideally,

736
01:08:01,920 --> 01:08:09,240
if Duke is buying it from us for
cheaper, then they can turn around and

737
01:08:05,119 --> 01:08:09,240
give those benefits to the community.

738
01:08:10,079 --> 01:08:17,199
» Your your PowerPoint just came up. Well,
if if we have time, I'm happy to at

739
01:08:14,960 --> 01:08:21,159
least show you all the site plan.
>> Yeah. Where is it located?

740
01:08:24,960 --> 01:08:28,279
» Yeah. If

741
01:08:29,920 --> 01:08:36,440
» Okay. Um, yeah, if you could go over it
really, really quickly. Um,

742
01:08:40,319 --> 01:08:44,080
» can you all see my screen now?

743
01:08:54,080 --> 01:09:01,120
So, as you can see, this is the we're
going to be using about a 37 acre

744
01:08:59,040 --> 01:09:04,960
footprint. It's kind of split up into
two sections. So, those two blue

745
01:09:03,040 --> 01:09:08,799
sections, and this is a preliminary site
design, so it is subject to shift a

746
01:09:06,799 --> 01:09:14,080
little bit, but it will be contained
within this footprint you see here. Um,

747
01:09:11,359 --> 01:09:17,839
the battery facilities are the kind of
boxes that I'm sorry I can't point up

748
01:09:15,520 --> 01:09:23,480
here, but um, I could show youall where
that line is. They'll be internal to the

749
01:09:20,159 --> 01:09:23,480
project footprint.

750
01:09:35,759 --> 01:09:39,159
Yeah, I remember.

751
01:09:44,080 --> 01:09:54,239
» Okay. So, this is a way to go back.
There's nothing like you say there's

752
01:09:50,799 --> 01:09:54,239
nothing over here on this side.

753
01:10:02,000 --> 01:10:08,360
I think it's a good
proud.

754
01:10:09,360 --> 01:10:18,719
» There we go. Now we're on the screen.
>> That purple or that pink is power line

755
01:10:15,840 --> 01:10:23,600
going across the corner.
That's why we can't do anything. That's

756
01:10:21,920 --> 01:10:30,000
why
that back field there is considered.

757
01:10:27,840 --> 01:10:33,120
You can't see that.
I've seen these projects and they do not

758
01:10:31,679 --> 01:10:37,440
look bad from the road. They're just
panels. You've seen you all you've all

759
01:10:34,719 --> 01:10:43,920
seen. and they're going to be maintained
as farm land because they're going to

760
01:10:40,239 --> 01:10:48,080
drive steel poles in the ground and put
the panels on and then when the time

761
01:10:45,440 --> 01:10:52,000
comes from the project to revert back to
farmland they can just pull them up and

762
01:10:50,320 --> 01:10:55,280
pull up the wire and it's back to
farmland. It's not cemented everywhere

763
01:10:53,679 --> 01:10:59,840
that's going to obstruct the ability for
that farm to go back to a farm again.

764
01:10:58,080 --> 01:11:05,120
But right now with the way the economy
is and the way the prices of of input

765
01:11:02,800 --> 01:11:08,239
cost for the farm, I don't know how the
world take it. I really don't. And a lot

766
01:11:06,719 --> 01:11:12,000
of them aren't. And we're going to we're
going to see them struggle. But this

767
01:11:10,080 --> 01:11:17,760
way, this farm can maintain. And I thank
y'all. I know y'all want to go home.

768
01:11:14,719 --> 01:11:22,320
» Thank y'all so much. Thank you.
>> Please. And I'll make copies and make

769
01:11:19,440 --> 01:11:29,120
sure that uh the members of council get
it and um we'll forward a copy of the um

770
01:11:27,040 --> 01:11:32,960
PowerPoint presentation. Thank you all
so much. Please give your parents my

771
01:11:31,040 --> 01:11:39,840
regards. Tell them I said hello. All
right. At this time, um, uh, Miss Helen

772
01:11:37,120 --> 01:11:47,560
Wilson, uh, is going to appear before
us. Comments concerning the St. Lawrence

773
01:11:42,320 --> 01:11:47,560
Community Center pool. Miss Wilson.

774
01:11:53,280 --> 01:11:58,480
» Good afternoon, everyone.
>> Good afternoon.

775
01:11:56,800 --> 01:12:04,000
» Hey, good afternoon. Sorry.
>> Okay. My name is Helen Wilson and uh,

776
01:12:01,440 --> 01:12:10,159
this is my this is Mayan Seabbrook,
which is my nephew. He is uh first vice

777
01:12:07,840 --> 01:12:16,080
second vice I'm sorry, vice president
here at um at the St. Lawrence Community

778
01:12:13,440 --> 01:12:20,960
Center. What we are here for, if I think
I have a package and I think we

779
01:12:17,840 --> 01:12:27,040
distributed over to you in your seat.
Our concern is this community pool. As

780
01:12:25,199 --> 01:12:31,040
you know that money was allocated for
the pool and what we are trying to do is

781
01:12:29,360 --> 01:12:36,719
we're trying to de we're trying to get
this pool ready for not just only the

782
01:12:33,840 --> 01:12:41,159
community there in Salters but the
community for Williamsburg County

783
01:12:43,679 --> 01:12:49,440
name is Jermaine Cbrook.
>> Good evening.

784
01:12:46,159 --> 01:12:55,520
» Hope everyone is well. um this pool.
Pretty sure I see some members up there

785
01:12:52,880 --> 01:13:04,000
um had enjoy the pool like how I did
when I was coming up and we need to uh

786
01:13:00,480 --> 01:13:09,040
project on fund it so the next
generation can enjoy it as well. Um

787
01:13:07,280 --> 01:13:14,880
currently I live in Charleston. I come
way from Charleston to come fight for my

788
01:13:11,120 --> 01:13:19,920
community for the pool. not not not just
for our my community but communities all

789
01:13:17,440 --> 01:13:24,000
over and we can do this. We can make
this happen. Winsbury is strong. I

790
01:13:21,679 --> 01:13:28,080
believe in you guys.
And what I do what I did is that I did a

791
01:13:26,400 --> 01:13:31,679
research and before I go into the
research, we do have representatives

792
01:13:29,840 --> 01:13:38,320
from our community that are with us
today um that is concerned as well as my

793
01:13:36,400 --> 01:13:44,239
as and myself is concerned with this
pool. As you see on your handout that I

794
01:13:40,640 --> 01:13:50,880
hand out to you, I place 10 ways that
the community pool can impact the

795
01:13:46,640 --> 01:13:54,640
community financially and positively.
Not just only the community there in in

796
01:13:52,800 --> 01:14:00,000
Salters, but the community in
Williamsburg County. One of the ways is

797
01:13:57,520 --> 01:14:05,280
that a a community pool can generate
economic benefits while also improving

798
01:14:02,480 --> 01:14:11,840
public health, safety and social
cohesence, creating a win-win for

799
01:14:08,000 --> 01:14:17,600
residents and the local economics.
The first thing that it can create jobs

800
01:14:15,120 --> 01:14:22,400
and when I say create jobs, it can bring
in lifeguards, other things like

801
01:14:20,239 --> 01:14:26,800
maintenance or whatever else they are at
the community pool. Number two, it

802
01:14:24,719 --> 01:14:32,080
revenue. It the revenue generates for
the community. You can have membership

803
01:14:29,920 --> 01:14:37,679
uh concession sales. All these things
will help the pool rental. Whenever

804
01:14:35,280 --> 01:14:42,080
someone want to rent the pool at uh or
the place, they also can rent the pool

805
01:14:39,840 --> 01:14:46,640
as well. All this brings in revenue not
just only for the community but also for

806
01:14:44,239 --> 01:14:52,000
Williamsburg County. Number three,
improve public health reduced long-term

807
01:14:49,280 --> 01:14:57,520
cost. As you know, there's a YMC there
in Georgetown County. And what the YMC

808
01:14:54,719 --> 01:15:02,239
does, it looks at the person's health
and the regular swimming and water-based

809
01:14:59,760 --> 01:15:07,280
exercise. It would lower the risk of
chronic illness like heart disease. And

810
01:15:05,199 --> 01:15:12,560
a lot of people here in Williamsburg um
county around the surrounding area have

811
01:15:09,679 --> 01:15:17,920
problems with their heart. Also,
diabetes. It will reduce health care

812
01:15:15,280 --> 01:15:23,760
costs for individ individuals in the
community. And there is a lot of people

813
01:15:21,679 --> 01:15:31,040
that is suffering with these chronic
disease and the pool itself will will um

814
01:15:27,600 --> 01:15:35,760
impact those people. Number four, it
says youth development and reduce social

815
01:15:33,920 --> 01:15:40,560
problems. As you know, there's a lot of
problems around Greensburg County and

816
01:15:37,920 --> 01:15:46,480
this pool really can impact them. what
it is that you can build uh discipline,

817
01:15:43,679 --> 01:15:52,640
teamwork and confidence which reduce
juvenile delinquents and associate

818
01:15:48,880 --> 01:15:57,360
social service costs.
The water

819
01:15:54,800 --> 01:16:03,520
as you know I can't even swim. I tried
one time whenever that pool was first

820
01:15:59,520 --> 01:16:08,800
built and I was not successful. I would
be dropped in some water now. I guess I

821
01:16:05,360 --> 01:16:13,760
would drown. But you can have classes
there, education, swimming lessons for

822
01:16:11,840 --> 01:16:18,880
people that need to learn how to swim,
especially our children. Uh there's no

823
01:16:16,239 --> 01:16:25,280
pool in the school. Maybe can access the
school uh as well as the the community.

824
01:16:21,920 --> 01:16:31,920
It lowers drowning. Uh it save lives and
reduce emergency response and hospital

825
01:16:28,159 --> 01:16:36,239
costs. Also in economic multipliers, the
pool also can generate outside

826
01:16:34,000 --> 01:16:41,760
communities. What it is is that it can
boost local businesses such as well it

827
01:16:39,440 --> 01:16:46,640
says restaurant shops, hotels or
whatever these um this is these are just

828
01:16:44,480 --> 01:16:52,560
some of the things that the pool can do.
It also um it gives a free access in

829
01:16:50,159 --> 01:16:59,760
fitness recreations for underserved
population uh improve health outcome and

830
01:16:55,840 --> 01:17:04,560
reduce um a lot of wellness resource.
Number eight event hosting and tourists.

831
01:17:02,960 --> 01:17:09,199
You can have people to come in and
visit, you know, having swim meetings.

832
01:17:06,880 --> 01:17:14,880
You can have special activities um
different things that can be located

833
01:17:10,880 --> 01:17:20,000
there at that pool at um also number
nine is support and specialize the

834
01:17:17,280 --> 01:17:25,760
therapeutic program which is it says
warm water pool can offer uh therapeutic

835
01:17:22,719 --> 01:17:31,600
for seniors, people with disabilities
and also recovery injuries such as

836
01:17:28,480 --> 01:17:38,159
quality for lives and reduce reliance in
expensive medical care. And lastly, it

837
01:17:35,520 --> 01:17:45,520
strengthen community bonds pool serve as
a social hub where people of all ages,

838
01:17:42,000 --> 01:17:49,600
impact fostering trust, cooperation, and
civic engagement, which can lead to more

839
01:17:48,080 --> 01:17:54,159
effective
uh initiative, and reduce crimes. These

840
01:17:52,320 --> 01:17:58,719
are just some of the things that this
pool can impact there in the uh in the

841
01:17:56,880 --> 01:18:03,840
community. And I don't think there is a
pool in Williamsburg County that you

842
01:18:01,040 --> 01:18:08,239
know and we need this like the YMCA
there in Georgetown. Williamsburg County

843
01:18:06,159 --> 01:18:12,719
need this as well. Not just only just to
have the pool, but we need it for the

844
01:18:10,320 --> 01:18:17,040
community. And the this pool really will
impact not just only like I said the

845
01:18:14,880 --> 01:18:23,040
community, but it will also impact the
county. So you as the council members,

846
01:18:20,239 --> 01:18:30,560
supervisor, we are looking forward to
you to please be on our side to bring

847
01:18:27,120 --> 01:18:36,239
this pool into reaction, into reality.
And we're looking not just on it, I just

848
01:18:32,880 --> 01:18:43,760
I say for the Salters area, but King
Street and Gleyville, everyone can

849
01:18:40,159 --> 01:18:51,159
impact on this pool. And so we today is
here standing for your approval to help

850
01:18:47,679 --> 01:18:51,159
us get this pool.

851
01:18:52,000 --> 01:18:58,800
Thank you so much. Um do any of the
members of council have any questions?

852
01:18:56,480 --> 01:19:05,040
» I just I just want to make a comment. We
have met um several times, meet

853
01:19:01,440 --> 01:19:12,239
Councilman Nesmith, um Councilman Kes,
the pool manufacturing company, and

854
01:19:08,719 --> 01:19:18,960
right now um we're just at a standstill
on trying to make it feasible and to get

855
01:19:15,679 --> 01:19:22,800
the best use out of the pool. Um the
pool is what 30 something years old, 40,

856
01:19:21,360 --> 01:19:25,520
close to 40 years old.
>> It's over 40

857
01:19:23,760 --> 01:19:28,080
» and and we can't patch it. If we going
to do it, we want to do it right. We

858
01:19:26,960 --> 01:19:36,080
don't want to invest none of the
taxpayers money and

859
01:19:31,440 --> 01:19:40,880
half do it. Um, so we we are still in in
communication with the the pool company

860
01:19:38,719 --> 01:19:45,679
and it's it's it's not dead. But you can
see from the county we got a lot bigger

861
01:19:42,800 --> 01:19:50,080
fish to fry um right now and soon as we
get those we we constantly working

862
01:19:47,679 --> 01:19:54,239
towards it. I promise you it won't fall
on deaf ear.

863
01:19:53,360 --> 01:19:59,280
» Okay.
>> Anyone else? Yes, sir. I I'll just like

864
01:19:56,719 --> 01:20:03,840
to say um again I think it's on record
and to put it on record you know I'm I'm

865
01:20:01,600 --> 01:20:11,120
in all support of the pool like
Councilman Mcnite said uh we sort of ran

866
01:20:07,440 --> 01:20:15,920
into some roadblocks uh but having uh SP
pool specialist come out and look at uh

867
01:20:13,920 --> 01:20:20,480
revamping the the whole thing so it's
not a patch job and investing the money

868
01:20:17,760 --> 01:20:25,760
the right way. Um and I see that uh
former Councilman Miller is y'all

869
01:20:22,880 --> 01:20:30,080
president uh and
St. Lawrence isn't in district three no

870
01:20:27,760 --> 01:20:34,239
more, but it was when he was councilman.
So, I wish that uh we would have had

871
01:20:32,320 --> 01:20:39,920
that same type of attention and
enthusiasm when uh we was first given

872
01:20:36,880 --> 01:20:45,760
the money to uh to get this to get this
done. Uh because it's now me 21 months

873
01:20:42,640 --> 01:20:50,239
in and we still uh at the starting line
with this. So, again, thank you all for

874
01:20:48,239 --> 01:20:55,440
coming out and and being supporters of
your community.

875
01:20:52,000 --> 01:20:59,840
Uh, and I wish we could get this passes.
>> Well, before I leave, I know that, you

876
01:20:57,440 --> 01:21:06,239
know, the money was designated for the
pool and I also work for a federal

877
01:21:02,719 --> 01:21:11,199
government agency and I you do know that
once money has been designated, you only

878
01:21:08,880 --> 01:21:14,960
have a short term to use it. So, that's
why we are here today.

879
01:21:17,679 --> 01:21:25,120
We want to be able to enjoy this for our
communities, not just only way soldiers,

880
01:21:22,640 --> 01:21:28,239
but for the entire Williamsburg County.
Once the once money is here from the

881
01:21:27,040 --> 01:21:33,679
federal government, you only have
certain you have a limited time. And

882
01:21:30,640 --> 01:21:39,920
once that time is up, the money is gone.
So, I think we're at the very end of

883
01:21:36,159 --> 01:21:45,360
that. So, that's why we're here to
really get this ongoing, you know. So

884
01:21:42,960 --> 01:21:50,640
don't send the money back. Let us use
this pool to help our community, to help

885
01:21:47,840 --> 01:21:55,840
our disabled children, to help seniors,
to help people in the community, not

886
01:21:52,800 --> 01:22:01,199
just on Salters, but King Street, all
the surrounding areas. So please, please

887
01:21:58,800 --> 01:22:07,480
consider this. Let's not send it back.
Thank you.

888
01:22:03,520 --> 01:22:07,480
» Thank Thank you so much.

889
01:22:09,280 --> 01:22:19,280
» All right, we have an executive session.
um a short executive session. Um I want

890
01:22:16,480 --> 01:22:23,520
to thank all of the members. Uh I want
to thank you all for your patience. I

891
01:22:20,880 --> 01:22:28,159
know we've this meeting lasted a little
longer tonight than I normally than our

892
01:22:25,920 --> 01:22:32,880
meetings normally do, but as you could
tell, we had a quite a bit of important

893
01:22:30,159 --> 01:22:40,000
business um that needed to be taken care
of um tonight. Um, at this time, uh,

894
01:22:37,760 --> 01:22:44,600
we're going to go into executive session
pursuant to section 30-4-70A1,

895
01:22:44,960 --> 01:22:50,320
discussion of a personnel matter
concerning the Williamsburg County

896
01:22:48,320 --> 01:22:52,639
Supervisor's Office. Is there a motion
to go into executive session?

897
01:22:52,080 --> 01:22:54,159
» So move.
>> Is there a second?

898
01:22:53,679 --> 01:22:57,840
» Second.
>> It's been moved and properly second or

899
01:22:55,679 --> 01:23:02,480
ready for questions. All those in favor,
please indicate by saying I. I.

900
01:22:59,679 --> 01:23:06,400
» Any opposed? All right. We will be in
executive session. Thank you all so

901
01:23:04,000 --> 01:23:06,400
much.

902
01:30:41,760 --> 01:30:48,800
All right. Thank you all so much for
your patience. Is there a motion to come

903
01:30:47,040 --> 01:30:50,480
out of executive session?
>> So moved.

904
01:30:49,199 --> 01:30:53,840
» So we have a motion to come out of
executive session. Is there a second?

905
01:30:52,159 --> 01:30:57,360
» It's been moved and properly seconded or
ready for questions. All those in favor,

906
01:30:55,840 --> 01:31:00,400
please indicate by saying I.
>> I.

907
01:30:57,760 --> 01:31:04,639
» Any opposed? All we are out of executive
session. No decisions have been made. It

908
01:31:02,639 --> 01:31:12,480
was just discussion. uh information
purposes only. All right. Our next

909
01:31:08,080 --> 01:31:18,080
meeting will be Tuesday uh September the
22nd. Tuesday, September the 22nd. I

910
01:31:16,239 --> 01:31:24,320
believe we're going to have a public
hearing that night as well. So, we'll

911
01:31:19,600 --> 01:31:30,400
begin at 5 uh 45. Um are there any other
um issues for the benefit of council for

912
01:31:28,080 --> 01:31:38,159
for county government? Yes, sir. Uh we
will have our um precinct meeting at the

913
01:31:34,159 --> 01:31:45,679
Bloomingville Community Center uh 8292
Third Good Marshall Highway on September

914
01:31:42,239 --> 01:31:50,880
14th and in the Indian Town area at
Barry Park on September 28th.

915
01:31:49,520 --> 01:31:56,000
» Okay. Thank you so much, Councilman
Wilson. Anyone else? Anyone else? All

916
01:31:54,480 --> 01:32:00,080
right. There's no reports from the
county supervisor's office. Uh with that

917
01:31:58,320 --> 01:32:04,239
being said, again we want to thank uh
those of you all who were uh here in

918
01:32:01,840 --> 01:32:11,040
person tonight. We also thank those of
you all who uh have been watching uh the

919
01:32:07,199 --> 01:32:16,159
meeting on our um Facebook page or
either will be watching it later. Uh is

920
01:32:13,840 --> 01:32:18,639
there a motion to adjurnn?
>> We have a motion to adjurnn. Is there a

921
01:32:17,600 --> 01:32:20,480
second?
>> Second.

922
01:32:19,120 --> 01:32:24,320
» It's been moved and properly seconded.
Are we ready for questions? All those in

923
01:32:22,480 --> 01:32:27,120
favor please indicate by saying I.
>> I.

924
01:32:24,719 --> 01:32:31,440
» Any opposed? All right. We are
adjourned. Thank you all so much. God

925
01:32:29,600 --> 01:32:34,440
bless you all. Safe travels home. Thank
you.