[00:00:02] GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. [I. CALL TO ORDER] THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. THE FIRST PART OF OUR AFTERNOON IS THE WORKSHOP, SO WE'LL BE SAVING THE INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE FOR 5:00. RIGHT NOW, I'LL CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER. THIS IS A CITY OF HARDEEVILLE CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP 205 MAIN STREET, HARDEEVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA 29927. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5TH, 2023 AT 4 P.M.. [II. MANAGERS REPORT] MR. CZYMBOR, TAKE IT AWAY. YEAH. THANK YOU, SIR. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY. TWO THINGS WE WANT TO TRY TO ACCOMPLISH THIS AFTERNOON. I KNOW WE'VE BEEN WORKING LONG AND HARD TO PROVIDE ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT SERVICES, SO I THINK WE'RE ALMOST WE'RE ABOUT READY TO CROSS THE FINISH LINE ON THAT. AND AN INTEGRAL PART OF THAT, OBVIOUSLY, IS ESTABLISHING WHATEVER THE COUNCIL WANTS TO DO ON THE BILLING FOR THOSE SERVICES THAT OUR RESIDENTS AND NON RESIDENTS WILL RECEIVE FROM ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT. I THINK THE COUNCIL RECALLS WE DID ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH A BILLING COMPANY AND THAT GENTLEMAN IS HERE TO ALSO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. SO CHIEF CAMP PUT TOGETHER A PRESENTATION REGARDING A PROPOSED AMBULANCE BILLING SCHEDULE, CHIEF CAMP. THANK YOU, MR. CZYMBOR. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. LET ME START THAT SLIDE SHOW, PLEASE. ALL RIGHT, HERE WE GO. SO BASICALLY, WE WANT TO DISCUSS WHAT KIND OF SCHEDULE OF FEES WE WANT TO DO AND ALSO HOW WE WANT TO BILL RESIDENTS, NON RESIDENTS, THAT KIND OF THING. SO THIS WILL GO THROUGH BASICALLY EACH ONE OF THOSE STEPS. SO FIRST OFF, THE SCHEDULE OF FEES. SO FIRST THING I WANT TO DO IS EXPLAIN SOME OF THESE TERMS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT THEM. OTHERWISE, YOU'LL PROBABLY BE LOST LIKE I WAS WHEN I FIRST STARTED READING ALL THIS. SO YOUR FIRST THING IS ALS NON-EMERGENCY. BASICALLY WHAT THAT INCLUDES IS AN ALS ASSESSMENT AND YOU SEE SOME SKILLS THERE. MINIMAL TO MODERATE USE OF SUPPLIES. SO THAT'S KIND OF OUR BREAD AND BUTTER TYPE CALL. ACTUALLY, IT SHOULD BE RARE. THESE ARE THE NON-EMERGENCIES I'M SORRY ALS NON-EMERGENCIES REALLY DON'T HAPPEN. THE ALS ONE, WHICH IS OUR BREAD AND BUTTER CALLS. THESE ARE THE ONES THAT MOST PEOPLE GET CALLED CHEST PAINS, SHORTNESS OF BREATH. THAT KIND OF THING IS GOING TO WIND UP BEING AN ALS ONE. AND WHAT A DEAL IS, IS IT'S BASICALLY THE SAME AS NON EMERGENCY EXCEPT FOR IT IS AN EMERGENCY. OKAY. THAT'S REALLY THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IN THE PRICE IS MUCH DIFFERENT BECAUSE WE'RE ALSO RUNNING LIGHTS AND SIRENS TO THE SCENE OR LIGHTS AND SIRENS TO THE HOSPITAL, THAT KIND OF THING. THAT IS ALSO MINIMAL TO MODERATE USE OF SUPPLIES. AND LIKE I SAID, THESE ARE OUR BREAD AND BUTTER TYPE CALLS. THESE ARE YOUR CARDIAC RESPIRATORY ET CETERA. YOU HAVE WHAT'S CALLED ALS TWO, WHICH IS THE NEXT STEP UP FROM ALS ONE. SO THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE IN ALS TWO IS IF YOU'LL SEE HERE, WE USE TWO DRUGS FOR ALS TWO ITS THREE OR MORE, SO A CARDIAC ARREST. SO WHEN WE START DOING ALL THE DIFFERENT DRUGS FOR A CARDIAC ARREST, THAT'S GOING TO FALL INTO AN ALS TWO OR ANY OF THE MAJOR ACCIDENTS ON THE INTERSTATE. IT ALSO INCLUDES SOME OTHER SPECIFIC TASKS. IF WE DO MANUAL DEFIBRILLATION, CARDIOVERSION, PACING, INTUBATION, CHEST DECOMPRESSION, INTEROSSEOUS LINES, SOME OF THOSE AUTOMATICALLY PUT IT INTO THAT ALS TWO REALM. SO THAT ALSO COSTS A LITTLE BIT MORE. AND YOU'LL SEE THAT WHEN WE GET TO THE COST BREAKDOWN. SO BASICALLY IT'S HOW MUCH STUFF ARE WE USING? AND IT GETS A LITTLE BIT MORE, A LITTLE BIT MORE EACH TIME. AND THEN OBVIOUSLY, ALS TWO IS YOUR BIGGEST ONE. AND THAT'S I COULD DUMP THE ENTIRE AMBULANCE OUT. YOU'RE STILL GOING TO GET CHARGED ALS TWO PRICES. SO LITERALLY ONCE WE HIT THREE DRUGS OR ANY ONE OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS, IT'S THE SAME PRICE. WE COULD DUMP EVERY DRUG AND IT'S STILL THE SAME PRICE. BLS NON-EMERGENCY IS BASICALLY JUST A BASIC TYPE OF CALL THAT THE PARAMEDIC DOESN'T HAVE TO RIDE IN THE BACK. SO SOMEBODY STUB THEIR TOE AND DOESN'T HAVE A RIDE TO THE HOSPITAL OR SOMEBODY GOT IN A CAR WRECK, HAD NECK PAIN AND NEED A RIDE TO THE HOSPITAL. SO THAT'S GOING TO BE A BLS NON-EMERGENCY BASICALLY WE'RE JUST GOING TO CHECK VITALS. YES, SIR. WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BLS AND ALS? ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT AND BASIC. SO THAT'S YOUR PARAMEDICS ARE RIDING YOUR ALS CALLS AND YOUR EMTS ARE RIDING YOUR BASIC CALLS. SO THIS IS JUST NORMALLY HANDLED. THESE ARE NORMALLY HANDLED BY PRIVATE AMBULANCE SERVICES. BECAUSE WE'RE DOING 911 SERVICE, SO WE'RE NOT REALLY GOING TO BE GETTING INTO THAT BASIC NON-EMERGENCY BECAUSE PRETTY MUCH ANY TIME THEY CALL US, WE'RE GOING TO COME OUT AS AN EMERGENCY BASED SERVICE. AND THAT SHOULD'VE SAID BLS ONE. APPARENTLY I MESSED THAT UP, BUT BLS ONE. EMERGENCY IS JUST A BLS ASSESSMENT. [00:05:03] SAY OUR PARAMEDICS ARE BUSY. WE HAD TO THROW UP A EMT AMBULANCE, AND THEY HAD A CALL THAT THEY NEEDED TO RUN HOT TO THE HOSPITAL. IT'LL BE CHARGED AS AN EMERGENCY RUN TO THE HOSPITAL. YES, SIR. HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN TO ADMINISTER THE DRUGS? DO YOU HAVE TO CALL SOMEBODY TO TELL YOU? NO, SIR. WE HAVE PROTOCOLS FOR THAT. AND THEY'RE ALL TRAINED ON WHEN AND HOW TO USE THEM. AND THEN DR. ZORCH, OUR MEDICAL DIRECTOR, GIVES US THE [INAUDIBLE] THAT YOU CAN YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ALLOWED TO PRESENT THESE DRUGS AND THAT KIND OF THING. SO ALL THAT'S IN WRITING WE HAVE. IT'S ALL ACCESSIBLE ON THEIR CELL PHONES NOW. WE GOT A PROGRAM THAT THEY CAN LITERALLY LOOK IT UP ON THEIR CELL PHONE. SO IT'S REALLY SLICK. SO YOUR BLS EMERGENCIES ARE FAIRLY RARE JUST BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO HAVE MEDICS ON ON THE RIG AT ALL TIMES. SO ODDS OF IT BEING IN A BLS IS GOING TO BE SLIM. BUT HERE'S THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND'S FIRE RESCUE'S FEE SCHEDULE. THE FIRST ONE IS PER MILE, AND THAT IS LOADED MILES. SO ONCE THE PATIENT IS ON THE AMBULANCE GOING TO THE HOSPITAL, IT DOES NOT COUNT FROM THEIR STATION TO THE PATIENT. IT'S ONLY WHEN THE PATIENT'S ON THE AMBULANCE TO THE HOSPITAL AND THEY CHARGE $12.25 A MILE. AND THERE'S YOUR ALS ONE NON EMERGENCY IS $520, $662 FOR ONE AND THEN THE ALS TWO IS $1,000 IN NON-EMERGENCIES, WHICH THEY OCCASIONALLY DO DO SOME INTER-FACILITY TRANSPORTS ITS $460 AND THEIR EMERGENCIES ARE $ 558. SO WHAT WE'VE DONE, WORKING WITH MR. [INAUDIBLE] IN [INAUDIBLE], WE'VE COME UP WITH OUR PROPOSED SCHEDULE AND THIS IS WHAT WE WANT TO PROPOSE TO YOU GUYS FOR OUR BILLING SCHEDULE. SO BASICALLY IT'S A LITTLE BIT LOWER, $11.44 A MILE. THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RURAL MILES AND LIKE METRO TYPE STYLE MILES. SO WE'RE GOING WE ARE MORE RURAL RIGHT NOW. SO OUR MILEAGE MILEAGE PER MILE RATE IS A LITTLE BIT LOWER. BASICALLY ALL OF THESE ARE BASED ON MEDICARE AND MEDICAID, WHAT THEY PAY. THEY ONLY PAY 80% OF WHATEVER'S CHARGED AND THERE IS A CAP ON WHAT THEY WILL PAY. SO OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE THAT 80% EQUAL THEIR CAP. SO THAT'S WHAT THESE ARE DESIGNED TO DO IS THAT IS, THAT $399 WILL BE THERE 80% OF THAT WILL BE WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO CAP OUT AT PAYING. SO THAT'S HOW THESE WERE DESIGNED AS TO CAP OUT WHAT MEDICARE AND MEDICAID WILL PAY US, MAINLY MEDICARE. RIGHT. BUT MEDICARE, THE WAY THEY SAID, YOU HAVE TO COME UP DAVE IF YOU WANT TO TALK. I'M THE SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR [INAUDIBLE], AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE CITY. TO ANSWER THE QUESTION MEDICARE SETS A RATE CHART THEY UPDATED EVERY SIX MONTHS. IT'S BASED ON DIFFERENT FACTORS. THE BIGGEST ASPECT OF IT COMES WITH BUDGETARY CONCERNS. THANKFULLY WITH WE AVOIDED A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN AND THEY'LL CONTINUE TO PAY ON OCTOBER 1ST AS GOING FORWARD. THE WAY MEDICARE PAYS IS THEY SET UP A RATE CHART AND THEY WILL PAY A PERCENTAGE OF WHAT THAT CHART IS, WHICH IS DIRECTOR CAMP SAID IS 80%. SO IF YOU CHARGED A PATIENT $100, MEDICARE WOULD PAY $80 OF IT TO GET THE FULL $100 FEE THAT MEDICARE PAYS, WE HAVE TO BILL OUT $125. SO THAT'S WHY YOU SEE SLIGHTLY UNUSUAL NUMBERS. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WITH MEDICARE WE SECURE AND COLLECT EVERY DOLLAR POSSIBLE BY CHARGING THE AMOUNTS THAT MEDICARE HAS SET FORTH ON THEIR RATE CHARTS. WITH SOUTH CAROLINA MEDICAID PROGRAM THEY USE A BROKERAGE SERVICE. THEY PAY A SET FEE AND THAT'S IT. THAT'S WHAT THEY'LL PAY WE CAN'T BILL SECONDARY ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE. THE INSURANCE COMPANIES WILL PAY ABOUT AN 80%/20% ALSO. SO THE WAY THE REASON THE MAIN REASON THE CHART IS SET THIS WAY AND THE FEES ARE ESTABLISHED THIS WAY IS TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T LEAVE MONEY ON THE TABLE WHILE STILL TREATING EVERY CITIZEN THE SAME WAY AND MAINTAINING A FULL COMPLIANCE WITH MEDICARE REGULATIONS. SO I THINK MOST OF US UP HERE ARE FAMILIAR WITH MEDICARE. I SAID MOST [LAUGHTER]. YOU ARE FROM WHEN YOU WORKED THE AMBULANCE. THE DO. WHEN YOU BILL MEDICARE AND THEY PAY THE 80%, WILL YOU ALSO BILL THE SUPPLEMENT FOR THE OTHER 20? WE'RE GOING TO GET TO THAT PART. OKAY. AND SUPPLEMENT. YEAH, THAT SHOULD THAT SHOULD BE BILLED AUTOMATICALLY. YES. YEAH. ONCE THEY HIT MEDICARE AND IT PAYS THEN SUPPLEMENT. YEAH. BECAUSE THAT'S IF I GO TO THE DOCTOR THAT'S HOW IT WORKS. EXACTLY. IT'LL BE THE SAME WAY. AND THEN THERE'S THE CAVEAT WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT LAST TIME AND WE'LL GET THAT. OKAY, SO THIS IS THE SCHEDULE WE'VE COME UP WITH. [00:10:02] THIS IS WHAT WILL BE PRESENTED IF YOU ALL GO FORTH WITH THIS, UNLESS YOU ALL HAVE SOME MAJOR CHANGES BUT. SO THAT NOW WE GET INTO THOSE OPTIONS THAT WE WERE DISCUSSING LAST TIME WE TALKED MAYOR. BASICALLY, YOU STATED THE RESIDENTS DO NOT GET BILLED. SO WHAT THE FIRST OPTION IS RESIDENTS DO NOT GET BILLED. SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? THE CITY IS GOING TO RECEIVE NO COMPENSATION. THAT'S NO BILLING. THAT'S ZERO BILLING. SO BASICALLY IT'S A FREE SERVICE TO RESIDENTS. OKAY. WE'LL GET ZERO MONEY BACK AND IT'S GOING TO WIND UP COSTING US A LOT MORE IN THE LONG RUN. NOW. WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT ALSO IS RESIDENTS INSURANCE IS BILLED, BUT NO RESIDENT IS SENT TO COLLECTION. SO BASICALLY WE WOULD GET THAT 80% FROM MEDICARE OR MEDICAID OR MEDICARE COMMERCIAL INSURANCE TRICARE WILL GET WHATEVER THEY PAY US, AND AFTER THAT THEY WE HAVE TO BY LAW, WE HAVE TO SEND THEM A BILL. OKAY. DO WE HAVE TO COLLECT ON THAT BILL? NO. BY LAW, WE HAVE TO MAKE AN ATTEMPT TO COLLECT THE REMAINING 20%. SO BASICALLY WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS WE WOULD SEND THEM A BILL. IF THEY PAY IT, GREAT. IF NOT, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO COLLECTIONS. SO THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT WE STILL HAVE TO LEGALLY BILL THEM IF WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BILL MEDICARE. THAT'S THE STIPULATION THERE. YES, MA'AM. SO HOW LONG AFTER THEY'VE ACCUMULATED, LET'S SAY, THE AMOUNT THAT GOES TO COLLECTION, CAN WE JUST WRITE IT OFF? WE WOULD. WE CAN WRITE IT OFF THE NEXT DAY IF YOU WANTED TO. I MEAN, THAT'S UP TO US WHEN WE WANT TO WRITE IT OFF. THERE'S BUT THAT IT'S WHAT THEY CALL COMPASSIONATE BILLING. BASICALLY, ONCE MEDICARE IS PAID, WE SEND OUT THE ONE BILL THAT SAYS, HEY, YOU OWE $200. AND THEN WE LEAVE THEM ALONE. BUT NO ONE'S CALLING THEM NOBODIES. YOU KNOW, NOBODY'S BOTHERING THEM. SO LET'S SAY WE SEND THIS BILL OUT AND SOMEONE DOESN'T KNOW THAT THEY'RE NOT THIS AND THEY SEND THE $200 IN. THAT WAS MY QUESTION. DO YOU? YEAH. SO WE DON'T WANT THEM. WE DON'T WANT THEIR $200. WHAT DO WE DO? THE WORDING THAT WE THE WORDING THAT WE PLACE ON THE STATEMENT IS CALLED A STATEMENT OF FACT. AND NOWHERE ON THE BILL WILL IT SAY IT'S A STATEMENT THAT YOU MUST PAY THIS. IT'S JUST BASICALLY A STATEMENT OF FACT. YOU TOOK A TRANSPORT, YOU WERE CREATED, WAS CREATED AN INVOICE WAS CREATED. YOU WERE TAKEN TO THE LOCAL HOSPITAL. THE TOTAL BILL WAS $900. MEDICARE PAID THIS MUCH AND THE BALANCE IS THIS MUCH. IT NEVER SAYS YOU HAVE TO SUBMIT THE PAYMENT. IT NEVER SAYS YOU'LL BE TURNED OVER TO COLLECTIONS OR DEBT SET OFF OR WE'LL CALL OR GARNISH YOUR WAGE. IT'S JUST A STATEMENT OF FACT WHAT WE CAN. IT'S A STATEMENT OF FACT AND SOMEBODY SEES IT. THEY'RE VERY CONSCIENTIOUS. THEY SEND THE MONEY IN. DO WE GIVE IT BACK TO THEM? WHAT DO WE DO? HOWEVER YOU WANT TO WORK IT, HOWEVER YOU ALL WANT TO WORK IT, I WANT TO GIVE IT BACK TO THEM. I MEAN THEY'RE PAYING FOR THIS SERVICE. I DON'T WANT TO DOUBLE DIP THEM. MR. MAYOR, CAN I SPEAK? IS THAT STATEMENT THAT A RESIDENT GETS DIFFERENT FROM A STATEMENT THAT A NON RESIDENT GETS OR A STATEMENT THE SAME? IF IT'S A NON RESIDENT THEY WILL GET A BILL. IS THERE ANYWAY, FOR THE RESIDENTS THAT LIVE HERE THAT [INAUDIBLE]. IS IT LEGAL TO SAY THIS IS NOT A BILL SO THEY DON'T SEND US THAT $200? CAN WE DO THAT? IT NEVER SAYS IT NEVER STATES THAT IT IS A BILL. OKAY. BASICALLY, WHAT WE COULD PROBABLY PUT A CLAUSE ON, IT SAYS IN ORDER TO PAY, PLEASE CONTACT X OR IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF THIS CALL X. THAT WAY THEY DON'T WE'RE NOT THERE'S NOWHERE TO SEND THE MONEY. SO LET'S LET'S JUST TAKE RATHER THAN GET INTO SOME SORT OF LEGAL SNAFU. RIGHT. SO LET'S SAY A RESIDENT SENDS IT IN AND CAN THAT CHECK ACCIDENTALLY FALL INTO A SHREDDER? I MEAN, ACCIDENTS DO HAPPEN, RIGHT THEY COULD ALSO PAY THEIR TAXES ON THE NEXT YEAR IF YOU'D LIKE TO GO DOWN THAT ROUTE. BUT ANYWAY, THE NEXT ONE WOULD BE RESIDENTS ARE BILLED FULL COLLECTIONS ARE GONE AFTER. IT'S JUST AS IF THERE ARE ANYONE ELSE. THEY GET THE FULL BILL, FULL MEAL DEAL. SO THAT WOULD BE OPTION THREE, WHICH THEN THAT WOULD WE RECEIVE COMPENSATION FROM THE INSURANCE COMPANIES AND FROM THE INDIVIDUALS AND THEY WOULD BE SENT TO COLLECTIONS AND ANY OTHER DEBT OFFSET PROGRAMS. NOW THERE'S THE ONE LAST THING IS ALL NONRESIDENTS WILL BE BILLED AND COLLECTIONS WILL BE APPLIED TO ALL NONRESIDENTS. [00:15:01] SO THAT SHOULD NOT EVEN BE IF THEY'RE TRAVELING THROUGH ON 95, THEY'RE NOT PAYING FOR THE SERVICE WE'RE PROVIDING THEM A SERVICE. THEY NEED TO PAY FOR THAT SERVICE. SO THAT'S THE OTHER OPTION. THE FOURTH ONE IS NOT AN OPTION. YOUR FIRST THREE ARE THE OPTIONS ON THE LEFT, NO BILL, COMPASSIONATE BILLING OR FULL BILLING. SO THAT'S YOUR THREE OPTIONS TO CHOOSE FROM. SO WE CAN GO. YOU WANT TO GO THROUGH THE ESTIMATES BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT IT ANYMORE, OR. OKAY. SO YOU WANT AN ANSWER FROM COUNCIL ON THE BILLING OPTIONS? I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD [INAUDIBLE]. OKAY. SO THE ITS RESIDENTS DON'T GET BILLED. RESIDENTS INSURANCE IS BILLED AND NO RESIDENTS SENT TO COLLECTIONS. RESIDENTS ARE BILLED IN FULL COLLECTION, OPTIONS ARE PURSUED. CITY RECEIVES COMPENSATION FROM THE INSURANCE. YEAH. SO COUNCIL ANY YOU KNOW, PERSONALLY, I JUST DON'T I DON'T WANT OUR RESIDENTS PAYING. THEY'RE PAYING FOR THE AMBULANCE TAXES. I DON'T THINK THEY SHOULD BE BILLED FOR THE SERVICE. THAT'S MY OPINION. ANYBODY ELSE? DOES THAT INCLUDE THEIR INSURANCE, IS WHAT YOU'RE TALKING OPTION ONE. YEAH. NO, BILL. OPTION TWO IS THAT WE'LL CALL COMPASSIONATE BILLING. I GET FROM THE INSURANCE COMPANIES. OKAY. SO THAT'S OPTION TWO. THAT'S OPTION TWO. YES, SIR. OKAY. THAT'S GOOD. YEAH. I FAVOR OPTION TWO WHERE THE INSURANCE IS BILLED AND NO COLLECTION FOR OUR RESIDENTS. AT LEAST GET US TO OFFSET SOME SUPPLIES AND THINGS. AND WE'RE SPEAKING OF THEIR INSURANCE. YES. JUST THEORETICALLY, SUPPOSE SOMEONE DIDN'T HAVE INSURANCE. THEN WHAT HAPPENS THERE? IF THEY DID HAVE AN INSURANCE OR AN ACCESS TO PAY, THEY WOULD RECEIVE THE INITIAL STATEMENT OF FACT. AND SINCE WE'RE NOT PURSUING A MORE AGGRESSIVE BILLING POLICY, IT WOULD JUST IT WOULD JUST BE IT WOULD EVENTUALLY BE WRITTEN OFF DEPENDING ON THE POLICY OF THE COUNTY. YOU KNOW, WE WILL PROBABLY SEE 10 TO 12, MAYBE 15% OF THE COSTS THAT COME INTO MY COMPANY FROM CUSTOMERS THROUGHOUT THE SOUTH CAROLINA, NORTH CAROLINA, GEORGIA AREA. ABOUT 12 TO 15% OF THOSE CALLS THAT DO COME IN DON'T HAVE A PAYMENT SOURCE. SO IN THAT CASE, IF WE CAN'T LOCATE ONE, WE WOULD SEND THE STATEMENT TO MAINTAIN OUR FULL LEGAL COMPLIANCE WITH MEDICARE AND THEN IT WOULD JUST GO FROM THERE. IT WOULD NOT BE AN. OUR COMPANY IS NOT DIALING FOR DOLLARS. WE'RE NOT INTERRUPTING PEOPLE DURING THE NEWS CALLING. WE'RE NOT SENDING THREATENING LETTERS, TURNING IT OVER TO LAW FIRMS OR THREATENING ANYTHING. IT'S JUST A COMPASSIONATE BILLING SYSTEM. THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHEAST WE BILL FOR ABOUT 91 CUSTOMERS TODAY, DIFFERENT MUNICIPALITIES, COUNTIES AND PRIVATES, AND I'D ESTIMATE OVER HALF NOW USE THIS SAME FORMAT. YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING WE'RE GOING TO GO AFTER THE MEDICARE, THE INSURANCE, THE MEDICAID, WHICH IS PART OF THEIR BENEFITS THROUGH THEIR EMPLOYMENT OR THROUGH THEIR RETIREMENT. COLLECT THAT MONEY AND THEN TAKE IT FROM THERE. WE'RE NOT AGGRESSIVELY GOING AFTER PEOPLE TRYING TO COLLECT $10 HERE OR $20 THERE OR WHATEVER. THANK YOU. SO WHAT SAFEGUARDS ARE YOU GOING TO PUT IN PLACE TO PREVENT THOSE PEOPLE FROM GETTING HARASSED TO PAY? WE DON'T DO IT. WE I DON'T EVEN HAVE I DON'T EVEN HAVE A CALLING DEPARTMENT. OKAY. WE'RE AN EMS BILLING COMPANY. WE ARE NOT A COLLECTIONS COMPANY. I DON'T DO ANY COLLECTIONS WHATSOEVER. SO ARE WE GOING FIND A COLLECTIONS COMPANY FOR THE BOTTOM NONRESIDENTS? OKAY. THAT'S A DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT WHOLE OPERATION. OUR COMPANY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING FULL COMPLIANCE AND DOING EVERYTHING LEGAL. THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS FULL COMPLIANCE. SO BASICALLY, IF THEY DON'T TURN IT OVER TO THE COLLECTION COMPANY, THEN IT WON'T BE WON'T HAPPEN. SO ANY RESIDENTS, THEY JUST WON'T TURN OVER. THEY'LL ONLY BE ABLE TO TURN OVER NON RESIDENTS. AND OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHEAST, AS RULES AND REGULATIONS HAVE CHANGED, VERY FEW COUNTIES ARE EMPLOYING OR CONTRACTING WITH A THIRD PARTY COLLECTION SERVICE TODAY IT'S BEING MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT WITH CONSUMER PROTECTION LAWS BEING MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT FOR A COLLECTION COMPANY TO COLLECT EMS BILLS PROVIDED BY A MUNICIPALITY OR COUNTY. SO THE BEST THING WE HAVE IN SOUTH CAROLINA IS THERE'S THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEBT OFFSET. BASICALLY, WE CAN FILE WITH THE STATE TO GET THEIR TAXES PRIOR TO THEM GETTING THEIR TAXES BACK, BUT THAT WOULD BE FOR NON RESIDENTS, OBVIOUSLY. SO THAT'S ONE LITTLE THING. BUT THEN YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET ALL OF IT EITHER. SO SO IF I'M HEARING RIGHT FROM COUNCIL, WE WANT OPTION NUMBER TWO. AND ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE OPTIONS IS THE NON RESIDENTS. NON RESIDENTS WILL BE BILLED AND COLLECTIONS PURSUED. OKAY. THAT'S SEPARATE. WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT, I THINK, NO MATTER WHAT. OKAY. I THINK I WILL GIVE YOU JUST A CHOICE. BASIC ESTIMATES, AND THESE ARE BASED ON TOTAL CALL VOLUME, WHICH CURRENTLY WE'RE ONLY RUNNING ONE AMBULANCE, SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO QUITE GET TO THAT 1,225 NUMBER. [00:20:04] BUT IF WE WERE TO GET THAT, IF WE WERE THE ENTIRE CITY, THIS ESTIMATE THAT. MR. DAVE GAVE US OUR LOW WOULD BE ABOUT $382,000 IN COLLECTION. AND THIS IS NOT THIS IS THE COMPASSIONATE BUILDING OPTION TWO IT'S NOT THE FULL BUILDING. IT WOULD BE ABOUT $382 ON THE LOW SIDE AND THE HIGH SIDE, ABOUT $430,000. THAT'S IF WE RAN ALL OF THOSE 1,225 CALLS. SO I HAVE A QUESTION. SO WHEN YOU GUYS PICK UP A PATIENT AND YOU ALL DROP THEM OFF AT THE HOSPITAL, I KNOW WHEN I USED TO RUN RESCUE, WE HAD TO DROP OFF A RUN SHEET BECAUSE IF WE HAD USED MEDICATIONS ON BOARD BVMS, IVS SETS AND ALL OF THAT STUFF, THE HOSPITAL THEN TURNED AROUND AND BILLED THE PATIENT BECAUSE WE WOULD THEN REPLENISH THE TRUCK FROM THE HOSPITAL. SO YOU'RE NOT DOING THAT? HOSPITAL WILL NOT DO THAT. OKAY. WE HAVE OUR OWN STOCK THAT WE HAVE TO GO BACK. OKAY. FROM. OKAY, GOOD. OKAY. THAT'S GOOD. THAT'S JUST THE ROUGH ESTIMATE. SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET TO THAT SOMETIME SOON. AND HERE'S THE PROJECTIONS. OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS, ROUGHLY 4 OR 5 GOING UP TO ABOUT $550. THAT'S JUST BASED ON THE GROWTH OF THE CITY AND THE GROWTH IN THE CALL VOLUMES. AND THEN THAT IS THE PRIMARY PAYER. WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER WAS ABOUT THE 10 TO 15% PATIENT PAY, WHICH IS THE NO INSURANCE PEOPLE. AND THEN YOU GOT COMMERCIAL INSURANCE IS ABOUT 25%. MEDICARE IS ABOUT 38% AND MEDICAID ABOUT 24%. SO THAT'S KIND OF YOUR PAYER BREAKDOWN. WE MAY BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT SINCE WE ARE A RETIREMENT COMMUNITY. WE PROBABLY MAY LEAN MORE TOWARDS THAT MEDICARE SIDE OF THE HOUSE. BUT WE'LL FIND OUT AS WE GET GOING. BUT THIS IS THE GENERAL AND ALL OF THEIR 91 SERVICES THAT THEY PROVIDE. THIS IS THEIR PERCENTAGES OF WHAT THEY GET ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST, BASICALLY. SO GENERALLY ON MEDICAID, MEDICARE, THEY ARE ABLE TO RECOVER 90 TO 95% OF THAT 80%. SO IT'S STILL NOT THE FULL 100% OF THE 80%, BUT THEY ARE GETTING ABOUT 90 TO 95%. AND THAT REALLY A LOT OF THAT IS BASED ON. TIMING AND WHAT TYPE OF SERVICE TYPE OF SERVICE. AND THEN OBVIOUSLY YOUR DOCUMENTATION, IF YOU DON'T DOCUMENT THE CALL. RIGHT, THEY WON'T PAY FOR IT. SO AND THEY ARE GOING TO COME DOWN AND DO SOME TRAINING WITH US, HOPEFULLY BY THE END OF THIS MONTH, MAYBE FIRST OF NEXT MONTH, AND LET US KNOW WHAT ALL WE DO NEED TO DO. SO THAT'LL BE GOOD. MEDICAID, THEY'RE GETTING 25 TO 30% AND YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO BUILD SECONDARY. SECONDARY INSURANCE IS NOT ALLOWED ON THAT ONE, MR. MAYOR. I DON'T. WHICH IS KIND OF DIFFERENT THAN THE REST. BUT IT IS THEIR LAW. SO AND LIKE YOU SAID, MEDICAID DOES HAVE A SET FEE, SO THERE'S ONLY A CERTAIN AMOUNT THEY'RE GOING TO PAY NO MATTER WHAT. AND THEN COMMERCIAL INSURANCE, 80/20 LIKE YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, WHICH IS PRETTY MUCH THE SAME AS MEDICARE. AND THEN THE PATIENTS, THEY'RE RECEIVING ANYWHERE FROM 8 TO 12% OF THE COST RECOVERY ON THAT SO. AND ANY QUESTIONS? JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY, THE COUNTY AND OTHER COUNTIES RUN AMBULANCE SERVICE. ARE THESE NUMBERS AND RECOVERIES COMPARABLE TO WHAT JASPER COUNTY DOES? DO THEY BILL? DO THEY DO THE SAME THING? I DON'T KNOW. I THINK THE COUNTY IS A FULL BILL, 100%. THEY GO FOR BOTH. SO THEY NO MATTER RESIDENT, NON RESIDENT, THEY GO AFTER. YES, SIR. 95% SURE ON THAT. YES, SIR. YEAH. OKAY. AND THEN I CAN CONFIRM THAT THEY DO. OKAY. THERE YOU GO. AND SO IF IF ONE OF US WENT AND GOT A COUNTY AMBULANCE AND TOOK US TO THE HOSPITAL AND MEDICARE PAID A CERTAIN AMOUNT AND THE SUPPLEMENT PAID A CERTAIN AMOUNT, AND I KNOW THEY DON'T PAY A FULL AMOUNT. THEN I COULD GET ANOTHER BILL FROM THE COUNTY. YES, SIR. YEAH, RIGHT. YEAH. THAT'S THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT. THAT'S WHY I ASKED THE QUESTION AND WHY I DON'T WANT US TO DO IT. THAT'S RIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. CARROLL. OKAY. JUST CURIOUS. SO NEXT NEXT MEETING, WE'LL BRING YOU THE TABLE FOR FEES AND THEN BASE THAT ON THE COMPASSIONATE BILLING LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT. ALL RIGHT. GREAT. SEE YOU THEN. AWESOME. NO ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. ANYTHING ELSE FOR MR. [INAUDIBLE]? NO, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO WHEN IS THIS GOING TO START? IF YOU WANT TO DO A SPECIAL MEETING THE LAST WEEK OF OCTOBER WE'LL CRANK IT UP NOVEMBER 1ST. [00:25:06] ALL OUR MEETINGS ARE SPECIAL, CHIEF [LAUGHTER]. BUT THAT'S UP TO YOU. IF NOT, IT'LL BE AFTER THE FIRST MEETING IN NOVEMBER. SO EITHER WAY, HOWEVER YOU ALL WANT TO DO IT. FIRST MEETING IN NOVEMBER. SO WE'LL SET A DATE LIKE NOVEMBER 15TH TO MAKE IT AN EVEN MIDDLE OF THE MONTH AND WE'LL GO. I MEAN, I SPOKE OUT OF TURN, COUNCIL, YOU WANT A SPECIAL MEETING? THAT'S GOOD. I THINK. I THINK WE WAIT FIVE DAYS. THAT'S FINE. NOT A PROBLEM. I THINK THAT WHAT YOU'VE DONE SO FAR REPRESENTS SORT OF THE SPIRIT OF THE CITY AND HOW WE WANT TO BE WITH OUR RESIDENTS. AND SO I THINK IT'S A COMMUNICATES OUR VALUES VERY NICELY. SO I LIKE THE TITLE THEY GAVE IT. I AGREE WITH MR. WHITE COMPLETELY. MY COMPANY, WE BILL FOR A LOT OF TOURIST AREAS ALSO. AND THEY'RE PUTTING, YOU KNOW, ALL UP AND DOWN THE COAST OF THE CAROLINAS, OUTER BANKS AND NORTH CAROLINA UP INTO VIRGINIA. AND I THINK IT'S FAIR FOR ANY COUNTY OR CITY MUNICIPALITY TO DO IT THIS WAY, BECAUSE AS YOU MENTIONED, YOUR CITIZENS ARE PAYING THE TAXES AND PAYING FOR THIS SERVICE. WHAT WE'RE DOING IS APPLYING TOWARD THOSE BENEFITS THEY'VE EARNED THROUGH THEIR COMPANY OR THROUGH THEIR RETIREMENT. AND THEN WE'RE MAKING SURE THOSE CUSTOMERS OR THOSE PATIENTS THAT COME FROM OUT OF STATE, OUT OF THE COUNTY, ARE ALSO PAYING THEIR FAIR SHARE OF THE SERVICE AND HELPING COMPENSATE. WE'LL NEVER MAKE ENOUGH TO COVER ALL THE EXPENSES, BUT EVERY $400 THAT COMES IN ON A TRANSPORT THAT HELPS PAY IS $400 TO THE CITIZENS OF HARDEEVILLE DON'T HAVE TO COME UP THROUGH WITH TAX MONEY. SO WE WANT TO BE FAIR. WE WANT TO BE COMPASSIONATE. WE WANT TO WORK WITH THE CITIZENS TO MAKE SURE IT'S FAIR AND DONE THE SAME FOR EVERYONE, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO BECOME A BURDEN. AND THAT'S HOW WE'VE ADDRESSED IT WITH OUR CLIENTS THROUGHOUT THE CAROLINAS. SO IF THE COUNTY'S CHARGING, YOU KNOW, THE INSURANCE COMPANY AND THEN YOU HAVE TO PAY WHATEVER IS UNCOVERED, HOW WILL WE DIFFERENTIATE THE BILLS FROM CITY BILLS AND COUNTY BILLS? HOW WILL THE RESIDENT KNOW THIS IS A CITY SERVICE AND NOT A COUNTY SERVICE? BECAUSE A LOT OF FOLKS ARE NOT GOING TO UNDERSTAND THE DYNAMICS OF COUNTY CHARGING FOR EVERYTHING AND WE ARE DOING COMPASSIONATE BILLING. HOW ARE WE GOING TO DIFFERENTIATE THAT SO THAT OUR CITY OF HARDEEVILLE RESIDENTS WILL UNDERSTAND THAT, HEY, YOU'RE GETTING BILLED EVERYTHING HERE BECAUSE YOU USE THE COUNTY SERVICE AND YOU'RE NOT GETTING ANYTHING BILLED FROM HERE BECAUSE YOU USE THE CITY AMBULANCE. THE ONLY THING I CAN SAY IS OURS WILL DEFINITELY HAVE OUR OUR PATCH ON IT, OUR HEADERS AND THAT KIND OF THING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNOW IT'S FROM HARDEEVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT. OKAY. EVERYTHING'S CUSTOMIZABLE ALL THE WAY TO THE ADDRESSES, THE PHONE NUMBERS. ANY MESSAGE YOU WANT TO PUT ON THERE IS ALSO HAS THE ABILITY TO DO A QUALITY CONTROL SURVEY TO THE PATIENT. SO IF YOU WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO CUSTOMIZE THAT AS PART OF OUR ONBOARDING. EXCUSE ME, ONBOARDING PROCESS, WE CAN CUSTOMIZE THE VERBIAGE AS WELL AS THE INFORMATION SPECIFICALLY FOR HARDEEVILLE. OKAY. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. [INAUDIBLE] IT IS KIND OF FUNNY TO SEE SOMETHING COME OUT OF HARDEEVILLE THAT SHOWS UP IN WALTERBORO POST OFFICE WITH A P.O. BOX THERE OR SOMETHING, AND ALL THIS WORK IS BEING DONE LOCALLY. IT IS BEING DONE IN COLLETON COUNTY, OUR OFFICES IN WALTERBORO. OKAY. AND ALSO. I'M SORRY, JOHN, GO AHEAD. [INAUDIBLE] BUT ALSO WHEN SOMEBODY CALLS IN A FIRST RESPONDER IS THE COUNTY AMBULANCE, IS IT NOT? YOU GET THE CLOSEST AMBULANCE? YES, SIR. YOU GET THE CLOSEST AMBULANCE. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OURS AT STATION 83. SO IF IT'S IN MARGARITAVILLE, IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE THAT UNIT, UNLESS IT'S ON ANOTHER CALL OR HILTON HEAD LAKES, THEY'RE GOING TO JASPER WILL DISPATCH THE CLOSEST UNIT. SO EVEN IF WE HAPPEN TO BE CLEAR IN THE HOSPITAL, WE MAY BE CLOSER. OR JASPER MAY BE DRIVING BY HILTON HEAD LAKES AND SAY WE'RE HERE WE'LL HANDLE IT. SO WE TRY TO GET WHOEVER'S CLOSEST TO GET THE INDIVIDUAL THE HELP THEY NEED THE FASTEST. THE FASTEST. OKAY, JOHN. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, GENTLEMEN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, MIKE, WHAT'S NEXT? YES. YES. SO WE DO HAVE UPDATES ON ALL THE SERIES, SEVERAL PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS AND AN AMBITIOUS WORK SCHEDULE THAT WE ALL HAVE. SO WE WANT TO GIVE THE COUNCIL JUST AN UPDATE ON WHAT ALL THE DEPARTMENT HEADS ARE DOING IN THE MAJOR CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT WE ARE GOING THROUGH. MISS JODIE. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR. COUNCIL. GOOD AFTERNOON. UM. OH, AND BEFORE YOU START. HE WAS HIDDEN BEFORE AND I FORGOT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PRESENCE OF COUNCILMAN KEMP. [00:30:05] COUNCILMAN KEMP, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. WE'RE GOING TO LOAD OUR PRESENTATION IN JUST A MINUTE, BUT WE WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE. IT'S BEEN SINCE THE RETREAT EARLIER THIS YEAR THAT YOU'VE SEEN SOME OF THE UPDATES ON OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS. SO TRY AND KEEP IT BRIEF, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF PROJECTS. BUT THEY'RE ALL BAD JOKES. SO. DAD JOKES? YEAH. YEAH. WHO ARE YOU POINTING AT? I THINK SHE WAS POINTING AT ME. OKAY, GOOD. AS BETH SAYS, I'M THE ONLY ONE THAT LAUGHS AT MY OWN JOKES. AND WHEN I JOKE, I USUALLY GET MYSELF IN TROUBLE. A S WE'RE FIXING THIS, PERHAPS WE COULD FIX THE AIR CONDITIONING AS WELL. INDEED, YES THAT WAS BEING WORKED ON IMMEDIATELY ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, JOHN. SO I THINK JODIE BROKE [INAUDIBLE]. A LITTLE BIT OF PRANKING GOING ON. OKAY, I'LL JUST. I'LL START GOING THROUGH EACH ONE. THE COMMUNICATIONS TOWER. AS YOU KNOW, WE DID OUR RIBBON CUTTING AND THE CONSTRUCTION IS COMPLETE. THE EMERGENCY CHANNELS WERE ONLINE AUGUST 23RD. WE ARE AWAITING POWER FOR THE CELL PHONE CARRIERS. THAT WAS DELAYED DUE TO SOME SHORTAGES ON THREE PHASE EQUIPMENT. ANTICIPATED TO HAVE THAT CLOSED OUT BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR WITH THE POWER REQUIREMENTS. OUR EXIT EIGHT SANITARY SEWER PROJECT. THE DESIGN IS COMPLETE AND WE'RE IN THE PERMITTING PHASE ON THAT. ALL BJWSA COMMENTS WERE RETURNED RECENTLY. DHEC THAT TAKES A GOOD 11 MONTHS AND WE'RE IN ABOUT THE FOUR MONTH PHASE ON THAT AND DOT IS REVIEWING THAT FOR CHANGES. THE MEDICAL CENTER DRIVE PROJECT, I'M SURE YOU ALL HAVE SEEN THE TURN LANES HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AND THE MAST ARMS WERE DELAYED. SO RECENTLY THOSE WERE INSTALLED. DOMINION SENT US A BILL YESTERDAY AND WE PAID IT AND HOPEFULLY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THOSE SIGNALS ON NEXT WEEK. SO THAT'LL BE CLOSED OUT SHORTLY. THE BROOKS WALLACE DRIVE PROJECT DID GET CLOSED OUT. WE'RE IN THE WARRANTY PHASE ON THAT AND WE'LL BE RUNNING OUT THERE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE ROAD CONDITION AND ENSURE THAT, IN FACT, IT'S HELD UP DURING THE PERIOD THAT THEY SAID IT WOULD SO. THE PROPERTY OWNERS ARE VERY EXCITED FOR THAT JOB TO BE COMPLETE. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT EXPANSION PROJECT. THAT'S A MESS. I GAVE YOU A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION PHOTOS SHOWING TO DATE HOW IT LOOKS DOWN THERE, BUT THE CONSTRUCTION IS ABOUT 25% COMPLETE. OUR SITE WORK WAS DELAYED DUE TO SOME UNFORESEEN CONDITIONS WITH THE SOIL. WE DID PASS COMPACTION RECENTLY. WE GOT THE BREAK ROOM UNDER CONSTRUCTION, THE BAY UNDER CONSTRUCTION, AND WE'RE HOPING TO HIT THAT HARD THIS MONTH. SO ON TO THE JUJU PARK TRAIL PROJECT I INCLUDED. OH, GOOD. IT'S UP. I'LL GO TO. OKAY, SO JUJU PARK, I INCLUDED A COUPLE OF PHOTOS FROM JUST TODAY. YOU CAN SEE RIGHT HERE, THEY'RE OUT THERE PAVING AS WE SPEAK. THEY'RE GOING TO BE PAVING ALL AFTERNOON TODAY AND TOMORROW, THIS BRIDGE IS COMPLETED AND IT'S A VERY NICE BRIDGE. UM, YOU CAN SEE IN THE LEFT HERE, THIS WAS SOME ONGOING CONSTRUCTION OF HOW THEY HAD TO GET THE COMPACTION. [00:35:04] WE ARE MORE LIKE 90% COMPLETE ON THIS PROJECT. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT A COMPLETION WITHIN THE NEXT TEN DAYS AND VERY EXCITED FOR THAT. THE FIRE STATION 82 RENOVATION PROJECT HAS BEEN REVISED TO BE A COMPLETE REBUILD. AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE COME TO YOU WITH THE CONDITIONS OF THE EXISTING SITE AND SO THE DESIGN WAS PUT ON HOLD. WE'RE SECURING A NEW PIECE OF PROPERTY FOR THAT AND THERE IS A CURRENT ABDO PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE DONATED. IT'S JUST OFF OF VILLAGE DRIVE. IT'S A IT'S A GOOD OPTION FOR THE SITE, SO WE'LL KEEP YOU POSTED ON THAT. IS THAT WHY THE DESIGN IS ON HOLD? YES, SIR. WE CAN'T DESIGN IT UNTIL WE HAVE A PIECE OF PROPERTY KNOWING WHERE THAT'S GOING TO GO. YEAH. OKAY. UH, FIRE STATION 81 HVAC RENOVATION PROJECT. UNFORTUNATELY, AS NEW AS THIS BUILDING IS, IT HAS TERRIBLE HUMIDITY PROBLEMS, WHICH IF YOU LOOK AT THE THERMOSTAT HERE, YOU'LL SEE 75% HUMIDITY. MOLD STARTS TO CREATE AT AROUND 70%. SO WE LIKE TO KEEP IT IN THE 60S. UNFORTUNATELY, THE CEILING TILES, WE'VE GOT CONDENSATION COMING OFF OF A LOT OF THE TRUNK LINES. WE ARE DESIGNING WELL, THE DESIGN IS COMPLETE. WE'RE BIDDING THAT OUT SOON FOR CONSTRUCTION TO COMMENCE IN DECEMBER. BUT THEY'LL HAVE TO GO IN AND THEY'LL HAVE TO FIX WHY IT'S HAPPENING AND OF COURSE, RENOVATE THE AREAS THAT HAVE DAMAGE. IT SAYS HERE ON THE TOP IT SAYS CONSTRUCTION DEFECTS AND ALL THIS, LIKE YOU SAID, THIS BUILDING'S VERY NEW. SHOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED. SO CAN'T WE DO WE HAVE RECOURSE TO THE PERSON WHO BUILT THIS? BOBBITT CONSTRUCTION. AND WE DID LOOK INTO THAT, BUT IT WAS A STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS. UNFORTUNATELY, WE MISSED THAT OPPORTUNITY. YEAH. SO AREN'T THEY THE SAME CONSTRUCTION COMPANY THAT DID THE ONE THAT HAS ALL THE MOLD ISSUES TOO? AREN'T THEY THE SAME COMPANY? NO, MA'AM. YOU MEAN FIRE STATION 82? YEAH. YEAH. NO, THE ONE ON ARGENT WAS BUILT OVER 20 YEARS AGO BY THE COUNTY. OKAY. BOBBITT CONSTRUCTION PERFORMED WORK DOWN AT THE THEY BUILT THE REC CENTER, BUILT THE REC, AND THEY DID FIRE STATION 84 AND FIRE STATION 81. YEAH. JODIE HAVE THEY GOT TO REPLACE THAT SYSTEM. ARE THEY UPGRADING IT OR THE WHOLE THING'S GOT TO BE SCRAPPED AND STARTED OVER? NO. SO GOOD QUESTION. WE DO NOT HAVE TO UPGRADE THE HVAC EQUIPMENT. IT'S MORE ABOUT SECURING THE ATTIC SPACE THAT IT'S IN TO COMPLETE THE ENVELOPE DESIGN. THEY LEFT OUT A COUPLE OF WALLS AND THERE'S JUST, YOU KNOW, MOIST AIR MIXING WITH COOL AIR, WHICH CREATES THE CONDENSATION. SO WE'VE GOT TO GO IN, WE'VE GOT TO FINISH THE ENVELOPE OF THE BUILDING AND THEN REPAIR W HAT I WAS SAYING IS DAMAGE THAT WAS CREATED BY THE CONDENSATION. SO THERE'S DOOR FRAMES THAT WERE RUSTED OUT. THERE'S WALLS THAT NEED REMOVED. WE HAVE A LOT OF CLEAN UP WITH TILE. AND YEAH, IT'S IT'S NOT A PLEASANT EXPERIENCE FOR A BUILDING THAT'S SO NEW YEAH. ARE YOU READY? WOULD YOU LIKE TO ASK MORE QUESTIONS OR. ANYONE? YOU DON'T HEAR ANYTHING KEEP GOING. OKAY. ALL RIGHT, LET'S. LET'S DO THIS. COMMERCE PARK. IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN OUT THERE, THE BASE LAYER IS DOWN. WE'RE LOOKING TO GET THAT COMPLETE BY MID NOVEMBER. WE HAD SOME REDESIGN WORK THAT DELAYED CONSTRUCTION CHANGES WERE BEING MADE TO THE TURN LANE OFF OF THE US 17. DOMINION IS STILL ON SITE THEY SHOULD BE DONE IN A WEEK. SO POWER IS OUT THERE FOR THE NEIGHBORING PARCEL OWNERS THAT ARE MOVING RIGHT ALONG. EVERYONE'S VERY EXCITED THAT DOMINION GOT THEIR WORK COMPLETED AND THEN, LIKE I SAID, THE FINAL COURSE OF ASPHALT WE'RE EXPECTING NEXT MONTH. THE VARIOUS PARKING LOTS AND SIDEWALK PROJECT. YOU RECENTLY APPROVED THAT AND THE DESIGN ON BOYD STREET IS COMPLETE. WE WERE TRYING TO ACQUIRE THE ROAD TO AVOID SOME DOT REQUIREMENTS. THERE'S OTHER AREAS THAT ARE ABOUT 25% COMPLETE ON THE DESIGN, BUT THAT WILL ALL GET BID OUT AT ONE TIME SO THAT WE GET A BETTER CONSTRUCTION PRICE FOR THAT. JODIE HOW HARD IS IT TO ACQUIRE THE ROAD? UM, I DON'T THINK THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE US A FIGHT ON THAT. THEY'RE HAPPY TO GET RID OF RESPONSIBILITY AND NOT HAVE TO MAINTAIN IT, BUT THE LENGTH OF TIME IT WILL TAKE TO GET THAT OFFICIAL HOPING MAYBE TWO MORE MONTHS. YEAH, BUT THAT'S EASIER THAN TRYING TO GET RIGHT AWAY AND ALL THAT. I ASSUME IT'S EASIER THAN TRYING TO GET THE SETBACK REQUIREMENTS THEY'RE ASKING FOR. THERE'S A TON OF UTILITIES IN THE WAY AND TO RELOCATE SOME OF THOSE UTILITIES WOULD COST HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR SUCH A SMALL STRETCH OF SIDEWALK, WHICH IS WHY THE SIDEWALK DOESN'T EXIST. [00:40:02] OKAY. YEAH. OH, WAIT, SORRY WE DIDN'T GO THROUGH 102 MAIN STREET. AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS A NEW BUILDING THAT WE RECENTLY ACQUIRED. WE STARTED A LANDSCAPE CLEANUP TO MAKE THIS PROPERTY LOOK AS THOUGH IT'S IT'S BEING LIVED IN AND USED. AND WE ARE AWAITING THE SPACE NEEDS STUDY THAT'S ONGOING. THEN WE'RE GOING TO CHOOSE AN ARCHITECT, GET SOME CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS AND RENOVATE THE SPACE TO ALLOW FOR ADDITIONAL OFFICE SPACE FOR OUR GROWING STAFF. UM. ARGENT AND SHORTCUT ROAD. THIS IS THE LIGHT THAT EVERYONE IS ANXIOUSLY AWAITING. IT'S STILL IN THE PERMITTING PHASE THAT'S NEARLY COMPLETE BETWEEN DHEC, DOT AND BJWSA. UM, THERE IS RELOCATION OF BJWSA WATER MAINS THAT WILL ADD A LOT OF MONEY TO THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS. AND RECENTLY THE RIGHT OF WAY ACQUISITIONS DISCUSSIONS TOOK PLACE. BEFORE WE GO, BECAUSE THIS IS A POPULAR SUBJECT. THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE OPERATIONAL LAST DECEMBER AND WE'RE NOT EVEN CLOSE. HOW ARE WE DOING WITH BJWSA MIKE? OH, BOY. THAT'S A LOADED QUESTION. A LOADED QUESTION. WE ASKED THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN THE COST AND THEY DECLINED. SO WE ARE MOVING FORWARD. WE'LL HAVE TO COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL. MORE THAN LIKELY, THE CITY IS GOING TO HAVE TO INITIALLY BEAR THAT COST. AND THEN ALSO WELL, MATT, WHY DON'T YOU COME UP? THIS IS YOUR PROJECT. I DON'T WANT TO STEAL ALL YOUR THUNDER. I KNOW YOU LOVE IT SO MUCH. WE'LL RECOVER THE COST AS THE PROJECTS ARE DEVELOPED SO WE'LL ASSESS THE COST. WE USE DEVELOPMENT FEES AND AS THOSE PROJECTS COME IN, THE COUNCIL APPROVES DEVELOPMENT. WE WILL RECOVER THE COST. BUT INITIALLY THE CITY IS GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE MORE OF THE BURDEN THAN WHAT WE INITIALLY ASSUMED. BUT YEAH, IT WAS DISAPPOINTING THAT BJWSA WOULDN'T PARTICIPATE IN THE COST BECAUSE ULTIMATELY THAT ROAD WILL BE WIDENED TO FOUR LANES. WE ALL KNOW THAT. AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS, WHEN SCDOT DOES THAT KIND OF WORK, THEY MAKE ALL THE UTILITIES RELOCATE. SO, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD HAVE TO DO IT AT THEIR COST THEN. BUT I GUESS THEY'RE KIND OF TAKING ADVANTAGE OF IT AND WE'RE PUTTING WE'RE DOING IT NOW. SO BUT LIKE MR. CZYMBOR SAID, WE WILL WE WILL RECOUP THAT MONEY. I MEAN, WE HAVE DEVELOPMENT FUNDS NOW TO PAY FOR IT, BUT IT'S MORE THAN WE WANTED TO PAY. SO WE WILL RECOUP THAT ON THE BACK END WHEN SOME OF THESE NEW DEVELOPMENT, THESE OTHER DEVELOPMENTS COME ONLINE. UM, YOU KNOW, AS YOU KNOW, LIKE THE JCF PROJECT SEEMS TO BE KIND OF DEAD IN THE WATER RIGHT NOW. SO BUT WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD SO EVENTUALLY THAT PROPERTY WILL BE DEVELOPED AND WE'LL GET FEES FROM THAT. [INAUDIBLE] IT'S JUST IT'S ALL WORK HAS STOPPED. SO I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO DETAILS BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW THEM, BUT I UNDERSTAND. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. BUT THEY'RE NOT THEY'RE NOT ACTIVELY THE PROJECT. THEY'VE JUST HALTED IT. UH, I REALLY DON'T KNOW. IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN, AT LEAST WITH THAT ENTITY. OKAY. BUT THAT'S NEWS. THAT'S WHAT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HEARING. SO FROM ENGINEERS, FROM ENGINEERS WHO HAVEN'T BEEN PAID, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HEARING. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. REGARDLESS, WE KNOW THAT'S FINE. THAT'S ANOTHER TOPIC. BUT WE HAVE FUNDS TO PAY FOR IT AND WE WILL RECOUP SOME ON THE BACK END. SO WE'RE OKAY THERE. BUT YEAH. BJWSA THAT WAS DISAPPOINTING, BUT THEY WEREN'T THE REASON THEY WERE HAPPY LEAVING THE WATER LINE IN PLACE FOR NOW ANYWAY. BUT THAT WAS AN SCDOT REQUIREMENT. SO WE'RE GOING TO COMPLY WITH THAT. AND I'VE STARTED HAVING MEETINGS WITH VARIOUS PROPERTY OWNERS OUT THERE BECAUSE WE NEED EITHER CONSTRUCTION EASEMENTS OR SOME RIGHT OF WAY. AND SO FAR EVERYONE I'VE SPOKEN TO IS OBVIOUSLY VERY MUCH INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING. SO AND ARE HAPPY. SO THAT'S GOOD. OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. SO NEXT IS THE ARGENT AT NEW RIVER AND EAST ARGENT, THAT INTERSECTION. THE PRELIMINARY DESIGN IS UNDER REVIEW WITH SCDOT WETLANDS PERMIT WAS SUBMITTED AND THE SIGNAL WARRANT HAS BEEN SUBMITTED. OKAY. AND I DON'T WANT TO I KNOW TIME TABLES ARE UNPREDICTABLE, BUT WHEN DO WE EXPECT TO HEAR BACK FROM DOT AND THE PERMITTING WETLANDS PERMIT COMES FROM THE STATE ALSO? I'LL LET MATT ANSWER. YEAH, WE ARE WE ARE HEARING FROM SCDOT NOW, YOU KNOW, PRELIMINARILY, YOU KNOW, PERMIT APPLICATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE AND IT'S A WORK IN PROGRESS BUT WE ARE WE'RE DOING THAT THE WETLAND PERMIT WAS WAS APPLIED FOR I BELIEVE IN THE FALL LAST FALL. [00:45:03] SO IT'S BEEN I MEAN IT TAKES THAT LONG. SO I'M SORRY MAYOR I LEARNED MY LESSON ON THE OTHER INTERSECTION. I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU A DATE. AND I WOULDN'T EXPECT YOU TO. I MEAN, IT WOULD JUST BE A COMPLETE. YES, BUT THERE SHOULD BE AND HERE'S WHERE I'M HEADED. THERE SHOULD BE SOME ANTICIPATION, EXPECTATION OF GETTING A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FROM THE STATE. IF AT ANY POINT THAT EXPECTATION IS NOT GOING TO BE MET. OUR STATE DELEGATION HAS OFFERED TO HELP. SO LET'S NOT HESITATE AS SOON AS WE GET ANY MINUTE PAST OUR EXPECTATION. LET'S TAKE UP OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES, TAKE UP THEM UP ON THEIR OFFER, AND LET'S USE SOME WHATEVER WEIGHT WE HAVE TO TO MAKE SURE THIS PROJECT MOVES ALONG AS SPEEDILY AS POSSIBLE. YES, SIR. WE'RE NOT THERE YET, BUT I UNDERSTAND. I KNOW YOU UNDERSTAND THE MESSAGE. ANYONE ELSE ON THAT INTERSECTION? IT'S DUALIZING, THOSE LEFT HAND TURN LANES. AND WE ARE AWAITING DESIGN PROPOSALS. SCDOT SUPPORTS THIS DESIGN CHANGE, SO WE'RE NOT ANTICIPATING ANY MAJOR PUSHBACK FROM THEM. LET'S LET MATT GIVE YOU GOOD NEWS. I'VE HAD SO MUCH BAD NEWS. I DID WANT TO SHARE A LITTLE POTENTIALLY GOOD NEWS. THE GOOD THING ABOUT THIS IS, AS JODIE SAID, SCDOT IS SUPPORTIVE OF DOING THE DOUBLE LEFTS. NOW, DOUBLE LEFTS AREN'T WARRANTED RIGHT THIS MOMENT, BUT THEY'RE SUPPORTIVE OF DOING IT NOW ANYWAY, BECAUSE THERE'S ALREADY TWO RECEIVING LANES. AND ALSO THERE REALLY AREN'T ANY UTILITIES INVOLVED BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING IN THE MEDIAN THERE. SO THAT SHOULD SPEED THIS PROJECT UP TREMENDOUSLY SO. AND THOSE TURNING LANES ARE BEING LENGTHENED FROM WHAT THEY ARE NOW? YES, SIR. YES, ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. THIS IS KIND OF A GRAPHIC TO GIVE YOU A BETTER IDEA OF THE OVERALL. BUT YEAH, AND THAT'S REALLY THE ISSUE NOW WITH THE BACKUPS IN THE MORNING, IF YOU COME THIS WAY, YOU KNOW, EASTBOUND TRAFFIC IS SOMETIMES SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE THAT LIGHT ISN'T GIVING US 278 AS MUCH GREEN TIME AS YOU NORMALLY WOULD BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH TRAFFIC. THE LEFT TURNS GOING INTO MARGARITAVILLE, CONSTRUCTION TRAFFIC, RESIDENTS, ET CETERA, AND THOSE TURN LANES ARE RELATIVELY SHORT, SO THEY CYCLE IT THROUGH MORE FREQUENTLY BECAUSE THAT TRAFFIC BACKS UP INTO THE TRAVEL LANE. SO THAT'S WHY IT'S CYCLING MORE OFTEN. SO, YOU KNOW, WHICH THEN STOPS THE THROUGH TRAFFIC. SO THIS WILL ALLEVIATE THAT ISSUE. THERE ARE TWO INTERSECTIONS THAT HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS, THIS ONE AND AT THE WALMART LIGHT THERE AT CVS AND I DON'T KNOW THIS FOR 100% FACT, BUT APPARENTLY SOME OF THOSE ACCIDENTS, AT LEAST SOME OF THEM, HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE FACT THAT PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT YELLOW MEANS. OKAY. AND I KNOW SOME OTHER LIGHTS THEY HAVE. THEY DON'T USE YELLOW. THE TURNING LANES, EITHER GREEN OR RED AND YELLOW JUST IS LIKE ANY YELLOW. IT'S THERE FOR A COUPLE SECONDS AND TURNS. IS THERE ANY WHO MAKES THE DECISION TO DO IT ONE WAY OR THE OTHER? I WOULD IMAGINE SCDOT, THEY MAKE THE DETERMINATION IF IT'S, YOU KNOW, PROCEED WITH CAUTION OR JUST LIKE YOU SAID, GO STRAIGHT TO THE RED. THAT WOULD BE UP TO THEM. COULD WE PUT IN A REQUEST? A PREFERENCE? AND CHIEF, IF YOU WERE DOING IT AND YOU HAD THE DECISION, WOULD YOU WHAT WOULD YOU DO? I'D CLOSE DOWN IT CUTS DOWN A LOT ON MAINTENANCE. WE DON'T HAVE TO CUT THE LAWN. JUST CLOSE THE HIGHWAY. JUST CLOSE THE HIGHWAY. GOOD ANSWER, CHIEF. THANK YOU, SIR. DOES ANY DOES ANYBODY ON COUNCIL HAVE ANY THOUGHT ON THAT? ADD TO IT? AND DON'T CALL ON ME BECAUSE I'M NOT A TRAFFIC EXPERT, BUT MAYBE SOMEBODY AT THE STATE OR WHO IS COULD SAY WHAT'S WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO DO IT? BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY ACCIDENTS ARE BEING CAUSED BECAUSE PEOPLE THINK THEY DON'T HAVE TO GET OUT OF THE WAY OF THE OTHER PERSON WHEN THEY HAVE A YELLOW. SO LET'S PLEASE LOOK INTO THAT. WHAT IS THE BEST THING TO DO? MATT ONE THING I'D ADD, THOUGH, WITH A CAUTION IN MY MIND, IF WE TALK WITH THEM, WHAT WE DON'T WANT TO DO IS MAKE A REQUEST THAT CREATES [00:50:09] LIABILITY THAT THEY TELL US A YEAR FROM NOW WITH THAT ACCIDENT HAPPENED AS A RESULT OF THE REQUEST, YOU MAY BLAH, BLAH, BLAH. SO LET'S BE SURE THAT IT'S BULLETPROOF, WHATEVER REQUEST WE MAKE IN THAT AREA. YES, IT MAKES A LOT. THAT'S WHY IT'S BETTER TO ASK THEM THE QUESTION AND LET THEM MAKE THE SUGGESTION. EXACTLY. SO I HEAR YOU. WELL, AND TO THAT POINT, DESIGN CHANGES ARE MADE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY EVERY DAY, AND WE LEARN FROM A LOT OF WHAT IS CHANGING AND WHAT'S WORKING ELSEWHERE. SO DOT WILL HAVE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS. OKAY. UM. MUNICIPAL HUB. VETERANS PARK. THE SCHEMATIC DESIGN PHASE IS 80% COMPLETE, AND WE ARE WAITING ON SOME BUILDING DESIGN CONCEPTS TO ARRIVE SOON. AND THE ARCHITECT WILL PROVIDE A PRESENTATION TO THE COUNCIL IN APPROXIMATELY THREE WEEKS. A SPACE NEEDS STUDY REPORT, WHICH IS BEING DONE FOR THE ENTIRE CITY. AN ARCHITECT IS GOING TO PROVIDE US A COMPLETE ASSESSMENT OF ALL OF OUR EXISTING CITY BUILDINGS AND CONSIDER OUR PROJECTED GROWTH. THE DISCOVERY PHASE IS COMPLETE. THE EXISTING SPACE UTILIZATION IS COMPLETE. THEY'VE DONE A DIGITAL LIDAR SCANNING OF ALL THE BUILDINGS. THE STAFF GROWTH SURVEY WENT OUT AND THAT IS COMPLETE. THE FACILITIES CONDITION REPORTS ARE IN PROGRESS AND FINAL DELIVERABLES ARE EXPECTED BY JANUARY. OUR SOUND TO DATE IS THAT JANUARY DATE. WE'RE VERY EFFICIENT. I LIKE WHAT WE'RE GETTING OUT OF THIS GROUP. YEAH, THAT'S A CRITICAL STUDY. I THINK WE'RE GOING TO LEARN A LOT AND BE VERY HELPFUL. YEAH, WE'RE HAPPY WITH THE ARCHITECTS O[INAUDIBLE]. HIGHWAY 17 PUMP STATION. THAT'S A PRETTY EXCITING PROJECT. BUT THIS PUMP STATION HAS BEEN NEEDING THIS FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND COMPLETION IS IN ABOUT A YEAR. UM, BUILDING ACCESS, CONTROL AND SECURITY. THIS WAS OUR IT MANAGER'S FAVORITE PROJECT OF THE YEAR, AND EXPECTED COMPLETION IS NEXT MONTH. SO YOU'LL BE SEEING ALL OF THOSE SWIPE BADGES. THE PUBLIC WORKS EQUIPMENT STORAGE FACILITY AREA IF YOU LOOK AT THIS RENDERING HERE, THEY'RE GETTING A POLE BARN SO THEY CAN PUT SOME OF OUR EXPENSIVE EQUIPMENT UNDER THERE TO PROTECT IT FROM THE WEATHER. AND THEN SOME OF THE MINOR PROJECTS ARE VERY SELF-EXPLANATORY. THE LIGHTNING PROTECTION THAT WAS DONE DOWN AT THE REC CENTER AFTER IDALIA KNOCKED OUT SEVERAL OF OUR HVAC UNITS, THE FACILITIES, GENERATOR DESIGN AND INSTALLATION. THAT'S TO HELP BOTH THE POLICE COURTS, EOC AND THE REC CENTER AND THEN IMPROVING ON THE FLEET VEHICLE MAINTENANCE SHOP. IF YOU SEE THE PICTURE HERE. THEY'RE LOOKING TO GET A LIFT AND IT'S GOING TO PAY FOR SOME FANS AND SOME OTHER ITEMS THAT ARE NEEDED TO HAVE A TRUE SERVICE FACILITY. UM, ON THAT, DID WE ANTICIPATE AND BUDGET THIS THING IN THAT MAINTENANCE SHOP WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT IT? IT WAS APPROVED. THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING THE QUESTION. YEAH, I KNOW WE, I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT IT. I KNOW WE INCLUDED CERTAIN STUFF. YES. I JUST MY QUESTION IS, IS THIS AN ADDITIONAL EXPENSE OR PART OF WHAT WAS IT'S PART OF WHAT WAS PROPOSED AND APPROVED. AND IT'S EASY TO FORGET THIS BECAUSE YOU WERE GIVEN A LOT OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE FLEET CHANGES AT THAT TIME. SO WHEN WE KNEW THAT WE WERE BREAKING UP WITH ENTERPRISE AND WE WEREN'T GOING TO HAVE THAT SERVICE OPTION, WE KNEW THAT BRINGING THAT SERVICE BACK IN-HOUSE, WE WERE GOING TO HAVE TO RETROFIT WHAT WE HAVE DOWN AT PUBLIC WORKS TO ACCOMMODATE THOSE VEHICLES. SO I THINK ON THIS POINT, AND AS I WAS REVIEWING THIS, I MADE A POINT, I THINK AND ACTUALLY I'LL GIVE THIS CREDIT TO COUNCILMAN WHITE. I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO DO, WE OFTEN MAKE DECISIONS, OKAY AND IT'S BASED ON PROJECTIONS AND WE ALL THINK IT'S A GOOD DECISION. I THINK WE NEED A WHENEVER YOU START A ONE YEAR STUDY OF WHAT THIS COST US AND WHAT WE WERE SPENDING, WAS THIS PROFITABLE? WAS IT A GOOD IDEA? WAS IT A BAD IDEA? OKAY. I THINK THAT ANALYSIS SHOULD BE DONE. SO LET'S MAKE A NOTE, MR. BROWN, AT THE END OF THE YEAR, SAY, HEY, WE SAVED THIS MUCH, WE SPENT THAT MUCH WHATEVER, JUST BECAUSE I THINK I THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD CASE STUDY IN OUR DECISION MAKING. [00:55:01] YES, SIR. WE'RE ALREADY WORKING THAT. WE'RE COLLECTING THE DATA RIGHT NOW. [INAUDIBLE] MR. MAYOR, WE STARTED THIS WHOLE PLAN WITH THAT IN MIND. WHEN WE CAME TO YOU ORIGINALLY, WE SAID, HEY, IT'S GOING TO TAKE US 2 TO 3 YEARS TO RECOUP THE MONEY WHAT WE'RE PUTTING INTO BAY TWO DOWN THERE RIGHT NOW ON PUBLIC WORKS BASED ON THE MONEY WE'RE SAVING BECAUSE WE'RE DOING IT IN HOUSE. SO WE'RE ALREADY COLLECTING THE DATA. AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SHOW THAT TO YOU WITHIN A YEAR. RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. AND THANKS FOR BRINGING THAT UP TO ME EARLIER. MR. WHITE, DO YOU HAVE ANY ANYTHING FURTHER TO ADD TO THAT? NO, I THINK IT'S JOHN. I THINK IT'S GOOD THAT YOU'RE KEEPING TRACK AND SEE WHAT WE LEARN FROM THIS. AND SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT. ONE OF THE GREAT TOOLS THAT WE HAVE IN HOUSE IS THE [INAUDIBLE] SOLUTIONS, WHERE WE PUT IN OUR TICKETS FOR ALL SERVICE. SO WE'LL HAVE EASY, RECOGNIZABLE DATA TO PROVIDE YOU WITHIN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS. EVERYTHING. THAT'S THE LAST. THANK YOU. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. IT'S A GOOD UPDATE. I THINK THOSE UPDATES ARE EXCELLENT AND WE SHOULD CONTINUE DOING THEM BECAUSE AS I JUST DEMONSTRATED, WE FORGET. UNDERSTOOD THERE'S A LOT GOING ON. THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE. I THIS IS A NEW NOT A NEW QUESTION FOR ME, BUT A REPEAT. AND IT REALLY IS DIRECTED TO YOU, MIKE AND JUAN. AND I THINK WE HAVE A GOOD STORY TO TELL IN A LOT OF AREAS WITH SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING. AND WE HEAR A LOT ON TELEVISION [INAUDIBLE] COUPLE OF DAYS WHERE THINGS AREN'T GOING SO WELL IN GOVERNMENT. AND I THINK WE'RE MISSING A REAL OPPORTUNITY OVER A SIX MONTH PERIOD TO HAVE A STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION PLAN USING PEOPLE LIKE SHELLY AND STUFF. SO WE'RE NOT FORCING THIS DOWN EVERYBODY'S THROAT IN ONE GULP. BUT OVER 4 OR 5 MONTHS, SOME OF THE EXCELLENT STAFF WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE AND SOME OF THE GOOD RESULTS, I THINK WE'RE MAKING A REAL MISTAKE NOT TO COMMUNICATE THAT OUT THERE WITH PEOPLE LIKE SHELLY AND OTHERS. AND AND I'VE SAID IT BEFORE AND I'M JUST FEELING LIKE WE'RE MISSING AN OPPORTUNITY. IT'S I'M NOT SAYING IT CRITICALLY. I'M SAYING IT BECAUSE THERE'S SOME GOOD WORK DOING THE WORK THAT STEVE'S DONE. THERE'S JUST SOME GOOD THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING. AND LET'S MAKE PEOPLE AWARE OF IT. THEY'RE PAYING TAXES. THEY THEY HAVE TO PUT UP WITH SOME THINGS THAT AREN'T SO GREAT, AND THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT THINGS HAPPENING. AND SO, MIKE, I'D LIKE TO MAYBE A MONTH FROM NOW HEAR BACK ON SORT OF A PLAN AND I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO DONATE SOME OF MY TIME. NOT THAT I'M SOME KIND OF A WIZARD IN THAT AREA, BUT I'D BE WILLING TO ROLL UP MY SLEEVES TOO. BUT WE GOT A GOOD STORY TO TELL. LET'S TELL IT. ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. WE ARE AT THE END OF THE WORKSHOP AND A COUPLE MINUTES EARLY TO TAKE A TWO MINUTE BREAK BEFORE WE START THE REGULAR SESSION. SO CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN, PLEASE? MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADJOURN OUR MEETING. WE HAVE A MOTION. WE HAVE A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. IT IS 4:59. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.