[00:10:37] [INAUDIBLE] THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY. [00:10:39] I HOPE EVERYONE HAD A GREAT HOLIDAY SEASON WE'RE GOING TO START THIS AFTERNOON WITH THE INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE BY COUNCILMAN JOHN CARROLL. [00:10:49] PLEASE RISE. LET US PRAY. DEAR LORD, AS WE COME BEFORE YOU TODAY, WE WANT TO HUMBLY THANK YOU FOR ALL THE BLESSINGS THAT YOU GAVE US AND THE 2023 YEAR. SOME ROUGH TIMES, LORD, BUT WE HAD SOME GOOD TIMES, AND YOU DID BLESS US, AND NOW WE ASK THAT YOU GUIDE US AND DIRECT US IN THE COMING YEAR AND BLESS THE COUNTY AND CITIZENS OF HARDEEVILLE, AND, LORD, WE WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL REMEMBRANCE TO HAD A LOT OF UNFORTUNATE A LOT OF DEATHS DURING THE HOLIDAYS OF SOME YOUNG PEOPLE AND UNEXPECTED DEATHS OF OTHERS, AND WE JUST WANT TO REMEMBER THOSE FAMILIES, LORD. [I. INVOCATION & PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] ALL THESE THINGS WE DO. ASK LORD, IN YOUR MOST PRECIOUS NAME. AMEN. PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR OUR SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE FOUGHT AND DIED FOR OUR FREEDOM, AND FOR ALL THOSE WHO CONTINUE TO SERVE AROUND THE WORLD, PROTECTING OUR WAY OF LIFE. THANK YOU. I'LL NOW CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER. THIS IS THE CITY OF HARDEEVILLE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING AND PUBLIC HEARING 205 MAIN STREET, HARDEEVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA, JANUARY 4TH, 2024 [II. CALL TO ORDER] AT 5 P.M.. THE I ALSO BEFORE WE START ACKNOWLEDGE OUR GUESTS FROM THE COUNTY COUNCILMAN, JOHN KEMP. THANK YOU, JOHN, FOR JOINING US OUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS TO ADOPT A TODAY'S AGENDA. [III. ADOPTION OF AGENDA] CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE, DISAPPROVE, OR MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THE AGENDA FOR TODAY? I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED. WE HAVE A MOTION. WE HAVE A SECOND. ANY COMMENTS BY COUNCIL? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. OKAY NEXT WE HAVE THE SELECTION OF MAYOR PRO TEM PURSUANT TO ARTICLE FOUR, SECTION 296 [IV. SELECTION OF MAYOR PRO TEMPORE PURSUANT TO ARTICLE IV SECTION 2-96 OF THE HARDEEVILLE CODE OF ORDINANCES] OF THE HARDEEVILLE CODE OF ORDINANCES. WE ARE THAT REFERS TO THE FACT THAT THE MAYOR PRO TEM IS ELECTED BY THE COUNCIL AT LARGE, AND THE UM, THE TERM IS FOR ONE YEAR, WHICH GOES FROM JANUARY 1ST TO DECEMBER 31ST. SO THIS BEING THE FIRST MEETING OF THE YEAR, WE WILL NOW ELECT THE MAYOR PRO TEM FOR THE COMING YEAR. THE MAYOR PRO TEM'S MAIN RESPONSIBILITY IS TO FILL IN WHEN, IN THE ABSENCE OF THE MAYOR BESIDES BEING A CONSIGLIERE [CHUCKLING]]. I WOULD. THANK YOU, MICHAEL. DON HARRY. THANK YOU. [CHUCKLING] OKAY. REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED AT THE END OF THE MOVIE. RIGHT. [CHUCKLING] SINCE IT IS MAYOR PRO TEM, I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE FOR A SECOND TERM COUNCILMAN BO WHITE. CAN I HAVE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION. WE HAVE A SECOND. NOW IT'S UP TO THE COUNCIL. IF COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO YOU KNOW, TEAR BO APART BEFORE WE VOTE ON HIM. NOW'S YOUR CHANCE. I'M NOT GOING TO MESS WITH THIS. OKAY. SEEING NO COMMENTS, I'M GOING TO CALL FOR A VOICE VOTE ON THIS. ALL IN FAVOR OF MAKING BO WHITE THE MAYOR PRO TEM FOR 2024. [00:15:03] PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED GIVING YOU A CHANCE TO [INAUDIBLE] OKAY. CONGRATULATIONS, BO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU SINCE YOU'RE JUST ELECTED, YOU HAVE YOU CAN HAVE THE FLOOR FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES IF YOU'D LIKE. [INAUDIBLE]? YEAH. RIGHT. THANKS IT REALLY IS AN HONOR TO ASSIST IN SOME OF THE THINGS AND WORK CLOSELY WITH MIKE AND HARRY AND THE REST OF THE COUNCIL, AND I LEARNED AN AWFUL LOT. I THINK I'LL BE BETTER FOR THE SECOND TERM, AND I'VE ENJOYED CHATTING WITH A LOT OF YOU AS WELL. SO THANK YOU FOR THE HONOR AND THE PRIVILEGE. THANK YOU, BO. NEXT WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTS. [V. PUBLIC COMMENTS (3 MINUTE TIME LIMIT)] MAY I HAVE THE LIST OF WHO SIGNED IN? WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF PEOPLE SIGNED IN, SO THAT REQUIRES ME TO READ THE RULES FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. WE ARE NOW ENTERING THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF OUR MEETING. WE ASK THAT YOU DIRECT YOUR COMMENTS AT THIS TIME TO THE COUNCIL AS A WHOLE. WE WELCOME ANY COMMENTS ON MATTERS APPEARING ON THE AGENDA OR THOSE THAT ARE WITHIN OUR CONTROL. SOME MATTERS ARE BETTER ADDRESSED TO COUNTY COUNCIL OR YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES. PLEASE AVOID PERSONAL ATTACKS ON MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY, CITY STAFF OR COUNCIL MEMBER. BEING MINDFUL THAT THESE PROCEEDINGS ARE BEING BROADCAST AND ARE AVAILABLE TO BE HEARD BY CHILDREN AND OTHERS AT HOME. WATCHING OUR FIRST SIGNING IS MR. LAFAYETTE WEBBER. MR. WEBBER, PLEASE COME TO THE PODIUM, STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD, AND YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES. GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL. MY NAME IS LAFAYETTE WEBBER, AND I AM A HARDEEVILLE NATIVE, BORN AND RAISED HERE IN HARDEEVILLE TODAY MY CONCERN IS I CAME IN LAST WEEK TO BE PLACED ON THE AGENDA AND SPOKE WITH YOUR CLERK. THE CLERK PULLED OUT A FORM FOR ME TO FILL OUT, AND SHE PROCEEDED BY FILLING IT OUT HERSELF AND. SHE WANTED TO KNOW WHAT DID I WANT TO MENTION ON FORM, AND I TOLD HER I WANTED TO MENTION LAND GRABBING AS THE TOPIC, AND SHE PROCEEDED TO FILL IT OUT, AND I TOLD HER, I WANTED TO ASK YOU, WHY IS IT THAT I CONTACTED YOU IN 2017 ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE BY CERTIFIED LETTER AND I NEVER GOT A RESPONSE, AND I ASKED HER TO CONTACT THE SHERIFF TO SEE IF SHE COULD GET HIM HERE TO, BECAUSE I HAVE SOME DOCUMENTS HERE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO PASS OUT. CAN I PASS THEM OUT TO? CERTAINLY MAY. THAT WAS MY PURPOSE OF TRYING TO THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. WEBBER. THAT WAS MY PURPOSE OF TRYING TO GET ON THE AGENDA TO EXPLAIN TO YOU WHAT'S GOING ON WITH SOME PROPERTY THAT WAS STOLEN HERE IN HARDEEVILLE TWO AND HARDEEVILLE TWO IN RIDGELAND, AND I'VE BEEN FIGHTING THIS THING FOR ALMOST 14 YEARS, AND. THE PERPETRATOR SEEMED TO HAVE LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PROTECTING THESE CRIMES. SO WHEN YOU LOOK OVER THESE DOCUMENTS, I WANT YOU TO JUST SEE WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, BECAUSE THE FORM THAT I FILLED OUT TO BE PLACED ON THE AGENDA, DID I GET A COPY OF IT BECAUSE OF THE FACT I SIGNED IT TO BE PLACED ON THE AGENDA, AND I WILL BE TRYING TO COME BACK TO DISCUSS THIS FURTHER, IF THAT'S OKAY WITH YOU ALL. IS THERE AN EXISTING FORM THAT MR. WEBBER FILLED OUT? ANYBODY HAVE A FORM. I CAN EXPLAIN? I THINK THE CLERK INADVERTENTLY GAVE LAFAYETTE THE WRONG FORM. THAT'S THE FORMS THAT WE PRODUCED, YOU KNOW, FOR THE COUNCIL. RIGHT, FOR THE COUNCIL, FOR INTERNAL ITEMS. THAT IS NOT FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC I CAN DEAL IF I MEAN, I CAN DEAL WITH YOU, LAFAYETTE. MY UNDERSTANDING IS I COULD BE WRONG. IS THE PROPERTY THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS NOT IN THE CORPORATE LIMITS OF THE CITY. [00:20:01] IT'S IN UNINCORPORATED JASPER COUNTY. SO THE CITY DOESN'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, HAVE ANY CONTROL OVER TRANSACTIONS OR OR YOU KNOW, PROPERTY TAXES NOT BEING PAID AND THEN CLAIMED AT TAX SALES. WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THAT, BUT IF YOU WOULD GIVE US THE INFORMATION OR GIVE ME THE INFORMATION, I CAN LOOK INTO IT, BUT THAT THE CITY COUNCIL REALLY IS NOT THE APPROPRIATE FORUM FOR YOU TO AIR YOUR GRIEVANCES. CAN I ASK YOU, ATTORNEY, ONE QUESTION? EXCUSE ME, EXCUSE ME. WE ARE BREAKING EVERY RULE OF PUBLIC COMMENT HERE. SO WHAT WHAT WHAT TYPICALLY WE DO IS THAT THE WE HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY, AND THEN WE TURN IT OVER TO STAFF TO, TO DEAL WITH YOU ALL SPECIFICALLY ON THIS ISSUE. SO NORMALLY WE DO NOT RESPOND. THIS IS A LEGAL ISSUE. I'M GOING TO HAND IT OVER TO OUR ATTORNEY AND ASK HER TO REVIEW THE THESE DOCUMENTS AND THEN CONTACT YOU PERSONALLY. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR. OKAY. THANK YOU. SO WOULD YOU PASS THIS DOWN TO MRS. MAINES AND SHE WILL REVIEW IT AND SHE WILL GET BACK TO YOU ONCE SHE WITH EITHER QUESTIONS OR AN ANSWER TO YOUR YOUR INQUIRIES. OKAY, OKAY, AND THAT'S THE PROPER THAT'S THE PROPER WAY. WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE IS, AS I EXPLAINED TO YOU ON THE PHONE THE OTHER DAY, IS THE ONLY AVENUE THAT WE HAVE TO LISTEN TO THE PUBLIC COME IN AND SIGN UP LIKE YOU DID, AND WE HEAR IT, AND THEN WE GIVE IT TO THE RIGHT STAFF MEMBER TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE. OKAY. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME NEXT WE HAVE MISTER GRANT MCCLURE, OUR FRIEND FROM THE COASTAL CONSERVATION LEAGUE, DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING, ISN'T THERE? YOU'RE GOING TO DEFER TO THEN. OKAY. WHY? YOU DON'T WANT TO FOLLOW THE RULES. I'M JUST KIDDING. JUST KIDDING, JUST KIDDING. THEY STILL APPLY UNFORTUNATELY, NO, YOU'RE NOT SIGNED UP, BUT YOU. YOU'LL HAVE A CHANCE AT THE AT THE HEARING. OH, IT'S NOT FOR THAT STUFF. THAT'S OKAY. DO YOU WANT TO SIGN UP NOW AND I'LL PRETEND I'M SLEEPING AND DIDN'T HEAR OR SEE IT? [CHUCKLING] THANK YOU. KATHLEEN, IF YOU THINK YOU'RE GETTING MORE THAN THREE MINUTES, YOU CAN FORGET ABOUT IT. NO, I DON'T NEED THREE. [CHUCKLING] YES, SORRY ABOUT THAT, AND YOU KNOW I'M A RULE BREAKER RABBLE ROUSER. YOU'RE A RABBLE ROUSER THAT I KNOW. OKAY, SO, SO RABBLE US NOW. OKAY. KATHLEEN [INAUDIBLE], 782 TICKTON HALL ROAD, RIDGELAND. I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE JASPER COUNTY. 250 WE WERE IN FRONT OF YOU GUYS WHEN YOU GRACIOUSLY GAVE US A TAX FUNDS. WE WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT WE HAVE BEEN GRANTED THREE GRANTS FROM THE SOUTH CAROLINA. 250 WE HAVE AN ORGANIZING GRANT FOR THE HAYWARD BURIAL SITE REFURBISHMENT. IN PHASE ONE WE HAVE $10,000 ASSET ASSESSMENT AND TOURISM PLAN, AND A $10,000 SIGNAGE GRANT FOR PANELS AT PURRYSBURG COOSAWHATCHIE AND ANOTHER ONE AT PURRYSBURG FOR THE MAROON COMMUNITIES. IN ADDITION TO THOSE, WE HAVE RECEIVED A TAX FUNDS FROM JASPER COUNTY NOT TO EXCEED $15,000, THE TOWN OF RIDGELAND $6,087, AND FROM YOU ALL $10,000. WE ALSO RECEIVED THE DAR AWARDED THE JASPER COUNTY 250, A NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES SIGN FOR OLD HOUSE THOMAS HEYWARD SITE, AND THE POMEROY FOUNDATION AWARDED US A SPECIAL INTEREST GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $4,000, WITH 50% MATCHING THE PURCHASE OF THREE INTERPRETIVE PANELS THAT WILL BE LOCATED AT MILLSTONE LANDING. ONE WILL DETAIL THE FOUNDING OF PURRYSBURG, THE MAROON COMMUNITIES OF THE SWAMP LANDS OF THE SAVANNAH RIVER, AND THE CIVIL WAR IN THE PURRYSBURG VICINITY. WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT FROM THE CITY OF HARDEEVILLE, WE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FULLY SHARE THE CULTURAL HISTORY OF OUR COMMUNITIES. WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND ARE EXCITED TO START WORK ON THE INTERPRETIVE PANELS. WE WILL BE WORKING WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA BATTLEGROUND PRESERVATION TRUST ON COMPLETING THE COUNTY ASSESSMENT AND TOURISM PLAN. [00:25:02] WE THANK YOU. GREAT JOB. KATHLEEN JOHN, DID SHE PRONOUNCE PURRYSBURG PROPERLY? YEAH. OKAY. HE'S WATCHING US. YOU'RE GETTING BETTER. OKAY NEXT, WE HAVE PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS. [VI. PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS] INTRODUCTION OF DETECTIVE ANGELA SERRANO. [A. INTRODUCTION OF DETECTIVE ANGELA SERRANO] CHIEF WOODWARD. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. CITY MANAGER. HOW ARE Y'ALL TODAY? I ALWAYS LIKE TO COME FORWARD WITH A NEW EMPLOYEE, ESPECIALLY TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. ANGELA SERRANO COMES FROM US BY THE WAY OF CALIFORNIA. I'M GLAD TO KNOW THAT I CAN GET SOMEBODY ALL THE WAY FROM CALIFORNIA TO COME TO CITY HARDEEVILLE. THAT'S ALWAYS GOOD BUT SHE DID WORK OUT THERE IN CALIFORNIA AS A CIVILIAN LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR 11 YEARS. SHE MOVED TO SOUTH CAROLINA IN 2017. SHE WORKED OVER AT THE CITY OF SAVANNAH AS A CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER OVER THERE FOR A LITTLE WHILE. THEN SHE BECAME A SWORN OFFICER WITH THE BLUFFTON POLICE DEPARTMENT IN 2020, AND AS SHE WORKED OVER THERE AS A PATROLMAN, SRO AND ALSO WORKED IN INVESTIGATIONS WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES, AND I WAS GLAD TO GET HER ON BOARD WITH THE HARDEEVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT. SHE IS IN OUR INVESTIGATIONS DEPARTMENT AND HELPING HANDLE THOSE TYPES OF CRIMES HERE IN THE CITY OF HARDEEVILLE. SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO ANGELA. LET HER SPEAK. YES, SIR. IT'S VERY NICE TO MEET YOU ALL. WELCOME. I AM HAPPY TO BE HERE AND EXCITED TO BE PART OF THE GROWING CITY OF HARDEEVILLE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. WELCOME, WELCOME, WELCOME. MAYOR [INAUDIBLE] REGRETTED LOSING YOU. SHE TOLD ME WE WERE GETTING GETTING A GOOD ONE. SO, GOOD JOB CHIEF. YES, SIR. YEAH. GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU YEAH THE ITEM B. [B. INTRODUCTION OF MASTER PATROL OFFICER PETER JAMES] MASTER PATROL OFFICER PETER JAMES IS ON DUTY AND COULD NOT MAKE IT, SO WE'RE GOING TO MEET HIM AT A LATER DATE. NEXT, WE HAVE THE PRESENTATION APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM DECEMBER 14TH. [VII. PRESENTATION & APPROVAL OF MINUTES] MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE, DISAPPROVE, OR MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THE MINUTES OF DECEMBER 14TH. MAKE A MOTION THAT WE. MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF DECEMBER 14TH. WE HAVE A MOTION. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? WE HAVE A MOTION. WE HAVE A SECOND. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS BY COUNCIL. SEEING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. OKAY. NOW WE GO INTO. [A. DECEMBER 14, 2023, REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING] WE ARE GOING TO HAVE. THERE'S A SERIES OF THINGS HERE. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ITEM AND THE VOTE TONIGHT. ITEM B, WE'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING BECAUSE THAT'S BEEN UM, THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN PUBLIC NOTICE, BUT WE WILL NOT BE VOTING ON THAT. THAT WILL BE VOTING ON THE FIRST MEETING IN FEBRUARY AND THE ATTORNEY CAN EXPLAIN THAT. SO AT THIS POINT, LET'S START WITH MR. CZYMBOR. YOU TAKE US AWAY. YES, SIR. GOOD EVENING YEAH. THIS IS THE SECOND READING FOR THE PDD AMENDMENT FOR RIVER PORT THE STAFF AND ADMINISTRATION HAS NO COMMENTS. [A. SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF HARDEEVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA TO AMEND A PLANNED DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT ZONING FOR A TRACT OF LAND CONSISTING OF APPROXIMATELY +/- 5,136.83 ACRES, KNOWN GENERALLY AS THE RIVERPORT PLANNED DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT (THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED) AND AMEND THE OFFICIAL ZONING MAP OF THE CITY OF HARDEEVILLE (2023-12-14F) PUBLIC HEARING] WE RECOMMEND ADOPTION AT SECOND READING. OKAY, LET'S START TO MY RIGHT WITH MR. MEERSMAN. I HAVE NO CONCERNS ON THIS. I THINK IT'S BEEN WORKED BOTH SIDES BY THE APPLICANT AND BY THE CITY. I THINK IT'S READY TO GO. MRS. GUZMAN. I HAVE NO QUESTIONS. MR. WHITE. I AGREE WITH STEVE'S REMARKS, MR. CARROLL. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. OKAY, I HAVE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS. JUST FOR PUBLIC'S EDIFICATION, THE WE HAVE NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE FIRST READING, WE'VE HAD WORKSHOPS ALL IN THE SERIES OF WHAT HAS TO BE DONE IN ORDER TO GET EVERYTHING IN PLACE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF EXIT THREE. [00:30:06] SO WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS THROUGH MANY, MANY MEETINGS NOW I'D LIKE TO OPEN IT UP TO THE PUBLIC. ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC LIKE TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS OR MAKE ANY COMMENTS REGARDING THIS ORDINANCE? OKAY. SEEING NONE, I'D LIKE A MOTION TO APPROVE, DISAPPROVE OR MAKE ANY CHANGES TOO. THIS IS ORDINANCE 2023-12-14F. MR. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE ORDINANCE 2023-12-14F. WE HAVE A MOTION. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION. WE HAVE A SECOND. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS BY COUNCIL OR THE PUBLIC? SEEING NONE I'LL CALL FOR A VOICE VOTE ON THIS. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. OKAY SO THAT IS NOW PASSED. NOW, AS I MENTIONED, THIS IS A SECOND READING OF THE ORDINANCE APPROVING THE SECOND AMENDMENT TO THE AND PARTIAL REINSTATEMENT OF THE DEVELOPMENT [B. SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF HARDEEVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA APPROVING THE SECOND AMENDMENT TO AND PARTIAL RESTATEMENT OF DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HARDEEVILLE AND SLF-III HARDEEVILLE, LLC OWNER OF THE LAND WITHIN THE CITY OF HARDEEVILLE, COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE "RIVERPORT TRACT." (2023-12-14G) PUBLIC HEARING] AGREEMENT THIS IS ORDINANCE 2023-12-14G MICHAEL OR PRINA, YOU WANT TO EXPLAIN TO COUNCIL WHY WE'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS? YES, SIR. SO THE STATUTE REQUIRES FOR DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS THAT WE NOTICE THESE PUBLIC HEARINGS IN ACCORDANCE WITH IN A PAPER OF LOCAL CIRCULATION. SO WE ALREADY NOTICED THE SECOND PUBLIC HEARING FOR TODAY'S DATE SO WE WANT TO GO AHEAD AND DO THAT PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT. THERE ARE A COUPLE OF EXHIBITS THAT NEED A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION ADDED TO THEM. ONE OF THEM BEING, IF YOU RECALL, WITH EXIT THREE, THERE'S A PRETTY COMPLICATED FINANCING STRUCTURE THAT WE'RE USING, AND WITHIN THAT IT REQUIRES SOME DATES FOR WHEN LOAN PAYMENTS ARE MADE AND WHEN MONIES ARE TRANSFERRED THAT ARE COLLECTED BY THE COUNTY AND TURNED OVER. SO WE ARE MEETING WITH THE COUNTY NEXT WEEK TO FINALIZE THOSE DATES. SO OUT OF AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION WE DON'T WANT TO RECOMMEND READING THE APPROVAL OF THIS UNTIL WE HAVE THOSE FINAL DATES FILLED INTO THE DOCUMENT TO FINALIZE IT SO I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU GO AHEAD AND HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER ONE AT THE NEXT READING AND THEN TABLE THE VOTE UNTIL THE FEBRUARY, THE FEBRUARY FIRST, FEBRUARY 1ST. OKAY AND LET'S START WITH MR. CARROLL, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO, SIR. I UNDERSTAND WHAT SHE'S SAYING. MR. WHITE. NO QUESTIONS. MRS. GUZMAN. NO QUESTIONS, MR. MEERSMAN. NO QUESTIONS. OKAY, I HAVE NO QUESTIONS EITHER. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING, SO ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC IS WELCOME TO COME UP, ASK A QUESTION OR MAKE A COMMENT REGARDING THIS. OKAY. SEEING NONE AT THE ADVICE OF THE ATTORNEY, WOULD LIKE TO HEAR A MOTION TO TABLE THIS TO FEBRUARY 1ST MEETING. MR. MAYOR, I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE TABLE THIS TILL THE FEBRUARY 1ST COUNCIL MEETING. WE HAVE A MOTION. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION. WE HAVE A SECOND. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. NEXT WE HAVE THE SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF HARDEEVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA, FOR THE SALE OF PROPERTY OWNED BY THE CITY OF HARDEEVILLE. [C. SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF HARDEEVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA FOR THE SALE OF PROPERTY OWNED BY THE CITY OF HARDEEVILLE (FIRE STATION #82 SITE) (2023-11-2G) PUBLIC COMMENT] THIS IS THE FIRE STATION 82 SITE. THIS IS ORDINANCE 2023-11-2G. MR. CZYMBOR, PLEASE. YES, SIR SO THIS WOULD BE THE SECOND READING OF SELLING THE PROPERTY AT FIRE STATION 82. WE RECOMMEND ADOPTION JUST FOR THE COUNCIL'S INFORMATION, WE HAVE LOCATED A SITE CLOSE TO THE EXISTING FIRE STATION 82 SITE, AND WE HAVE DEALING IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER, AND IT APPEARS VERY LIKELY WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET THE SITE AT, I'LL SAY VERY LOW, VERY LOW COST. SO WE'RE RECOMMENDING ADOPTION OF THE SECOND READING. OKAY WE'RE BACK TO MR. MEERSMAN. ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? NO, SIR. MRS. GUZMAN. NO, SIR. MR. WHITE. NO, MR. CARROLL, NO, SIR. I HAVE NONE EITHER. SO WE'LL GO RIGHT TO PUBLIC COMMENT. ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC LIKE TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS REGARDING THE SALE OF THIS PROPERTY? SEEING NONE, I'D LIKE A MOTION TO APPROVE, DISAPPROVE OR MAKE ANY CHANGES TO ORDINANCE 2023-11-2G. MR. MAYOR, I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE ON SECOND READING ORDINANCE 2023-11-2G. [00:35:06] WE HAVE A MOTION. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION. WE HAVE A SECOND. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS BY COUNCIL OR THE PUBLIC? SEEING NONE, I'LL CALL FOR A VOICE VOTE ON THIS. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. OKAY THAT ORDINANCE IS PASSED. NEXT WE HAVE THE SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF HARDEEVILLE FOR THE SALE OF PROPERTY OWNED BY THE CITY OF HARDEEVILLE. [D. SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF HARDEEVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA FOR THE SALE OF PROPERTY OWNER BY THE CITY OF HARDEEVILLE (HARDEEVILLE COMMERCE PARK LOTS 8, 9 AND 14) (2023-12-14B) PUBLIC COMMENT] THIS IS IN THE HARDEEVILLE COMMERCE PARK, LOTS EIGHT, NINE AND 14 THIS IS ORDINANCE 2023- 12-14B. MR. CZYMBOR, PLEASE. YES, SIR. I'LL KEEP ON MY COMMERCIAL. REALTOR UH, HAT ON IT, BUT NO, IT'S ALL SERIOUSNESS. SO THIS WOULD BE HOPEFULLY THE FINAL SALE OF ALL THE PROPERTY IN THE HARDEEVILLE COMMERCE PARK, 165 ACRES WE'RE EXPECTING SIMILAR TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT THAT'S RECALLED FOR IN THE OVERLAY AND WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE SALE OF THE FINAL THREE PARCELS. SO WE'RE RECOMMENDING COUNCIL ACCEPT THE ORDINANCE AT SECOND READING SO WE CAN GET ON WITH THE SALE AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROPERTY. OKAY. LET'S START WITH MR. CARROLL. NO QUESTIONS. MR. WHITE, NO QUESTIONS. MRS. GUZMAN. NO QUESTIONS, SIR. MR. MEERSMAN NO QUESTIONS MIKE, JUST REAL QUICK DO WE HAVE ANY INDICATION ON WHAT TYPE OF BUSINESS WILL GO IN THERE? NO, SIR. I'M SUPPOSED TO MEET THE BUYER ON FRIDAY. WE HAVEN'T EVEN HAD A CHANCE TO MEET THE BUYER BECAUSE IT'S ALL BEEN DONE THROUGH REAL ESTATE AGENTS BUT IT'LL BE SIMILAR. I'M ASSUMING TO BE IT COULD BE SERVICE LIGHT, NOT LIGHT INDUSTRIAL. YOU KNOW, IT'LL BE COMPLIMENTARY TOWARD WHAT'S OUT THERE. IT WON'T PROBABLY BE STORAGE AND LOGISTICS, BUT AS SOON AS I GET A REPORT, OKAY. WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR, I'LL GIVE THE COUNCIL REPORT. OKAY. JUST CURIOUS. THANK YOU NOW I'LL OPEN IT UP TO THE PUBLIC. ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS REGARDING THE SALE OF THIS PROPERTY? SEEING NONE, I LIKE A MOTION TO APPROVE, DISAPPROVE OR MAKE ANY CHANGES. THIS IS ORDINANCE 2023-12-14B. MR. MAYOR, I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE ON SECOND READING ORDINANCE NUMBER 2023- 12-14B. WE HAVE A MOTION. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION. WE HAVE A SECOND. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS BY COUNCIL OR THE PUBLIC. SEEING NONE I'LL CALL FOR A VOICE VOTE ON THIS. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. OKAY, NEXT WE HAVE THE SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF HARDEEVILLE TO AMEND THE PLANNED DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT ZONING FOR A TRACT OF LAND [E. SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF HARDEEVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA TO AMEND A PLANNED DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT ZONING FOR A TRACT OF LAND CONSISTING OF APPROXIMATELY +/- 2,231 ACRES KNOWN GENERALLY AS KARRH TRACT AND AMEND THE OFFICIAL ZONING MAP OF THE CITY OF HARDEEVILLE (2023-12-14C) PUBLIC HEARING] CONSISTING OF 2231 ACRES, KNOWN GENERALLY AS KARRH TRACT AND AMEND THE OFFICIAL ZONING MAP OF THE CITY OF HARDEEVILLE. NOW, JUST FOR A REMINDER, THERE ARE ONE, TWO, THREE ORDINANCES THAT ALL REFER TO THIS PARTICULAR DEVELOPMENT. IT'S WE GOT THE PDD, THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT AND, AND THE MASTER PLAN. DO I HAVE THAT RIGHT? OKAY. SO I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY, COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC, WHATEVER QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ON ANY ONE OF THESE THREE, LET'S DO IT ALL AT ONCE, AND UM, AND, BUT WE DO HAVE TO HAVE A SEPARATE PUBLIC HEARING AND A SEPARATE VOTE ON EACH ONE OF THE THREE. MRS. SNOWDEN, YOU'RE HEADING IT UP OR [INAUDIBLE]. MR. MAYOR SO YEAH SO THE MAYOR, WE DO HAVE THE THREE PROPOSED ORDINANCES. THIS WILL CLOSE IF THE COUNCIL VOTES TONIGHT. THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS, WHICH HAS BEEN OVER 8 OR 9 MONTHS, AND I KNOW THE DEVELOPER HAS BEEN WORKING WELL OVER A YEAR ON ON THIS PROJECT. WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE MEETINGS WITH THE DEVELOPER AND THE ENGINEERING TEAM, AS WELL AS WORKSHOPS AND PLANNING COMMISSION MEETINGS AND OBVIOUSLY COUNCIL WORKSHOPS. SO WE'RE AT THE END, HOPEFULLY AT THE END OF FOR THIS PHASE SO THEY CAN PROCEED WITH DEVELOPMENT AND THE SITE REVIEW COMMITTEE PROCESS. SO WE'RE RECOMMENDING ADOPTION OF THE PDD FOR THIS, FOR THE KARRH TRACT AND THE DEVELOPER'S TEAM AND THE DEVELOPERS TEAM ENGINEERING ATTORNEY IS HERE. IF THE COUNCIL HAS ANY QUESTIONS. MISS SNOWDEN. I AM REALLY HERE JUST TO ADD ANY INFORMATION GOOD EVENING. I'M NICE TO BE HERE ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS? I THINK YOU'VE BEEN AWARE OF ANY ADDITIONS OR CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE. NOTHING PARTICULAR TO THE PDD AND THE IMP, BUT AS HE HAD SAID, THE ENGINEERS ARE HERE [00:40:03] AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS I CAN FOR YOU. OKAY LET'S START THE QUESTIONING. I THINK IT'S MR. CARROLL'S TURN. MR. MAYOR, I DON'T HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS. WE HAVE GONE OVER THIS AND GOING OVER THIS AND WE'VE HAD, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAY, EVERYTHING I DON'T HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN DISCUSSED AND ANSWERED. MR. WHITE. AS JOHN SAID, THIS HAS BECOME AN OLD FRIEND, THIS PROJECT AND BUT BUT A THOROUGH LOOK AT IT, AND I THINK THAT WAS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT'S AN IMPORTANT PROJECT, AND I DON'T THINK IN ANY INSTANCE, WE SKIMMED OVER ANYTHING. I THINK WE'VE LOOKED AT IT THOROUGHLY, AND I WAS PLEASED THAT WE DID THAT KIND OF INVESTIGATION AND GOT THAT KIND OF COOPERATION. SO NO MORE QUESTIONS FROM MY PART. MRS GUZMAN. I JUST HAVE ONE COMMENT ACTUALLY TO MAKE, AND THE COMMENT IS THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE CONDITIONS THAT WERE APPROVED WITH THE PREVIOUS DEVELOPER CARRIES FORWARD WITH MINTO. THAT GETS LOCKED DOWN GOING FORWARD. [INAUDIBLE] THANK YOU. MR. MEERSMAN. AS A RESIDENT OF MINTO COMMUNITY I'D LIKE TO THANK THE MINTO REPRESENTATIVES FOR WORKING WITH THE CITY, WORKING WITH THE RESIDENTS TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE BENEFICIAL TO ALL INVOLVED AS THIS, BUT I WOULD ESPECIALLY LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR AGREEING TO PROTECT THE ECOLOGICAL AND ARCHITECTURAL SITES THAT ARE WITHIN THAT PROPERTY. I THINK THIS SHOWS THE ULTIMATE COOPERATION BETWEEN CITY, THE STAFF, THE DEVELOPER AND THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS PROJECT MOVING FORWARD. THANK YOU I HAVE TO ECHO EVERYBODY WHO'S UP HERE THIS HAS BEEN A LONG PROCESS AS AS WAS NOTED, AND IT'S A VERY NECESSARY ONE. I KNOW WE'RE PROBABLY, LIKE, PULLING YOUR FINGERNAILS OUT ONE AT A TIME, BUT THAT I THINK WE COME UP WITH A BETTER PROJECT THAT THE PUBLIC'S COMFORTABLE WITH, THE COUNCIL'S COMFORTABLE WITH LIKE EVERY NEGOTIATION, DO WE GET EVERYTHING WE WANT? NO. DID THEY GET EVERYTHING THEY WANT? NO, AND THAT'S USUALLY THE BEST KIND OF OF NEGOTIATION. ONE. EVERYBODY COMES AWAY. NOBODY WON. EVERYBODY WON, AND THAT'S I THINK WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS CASE I JUST WANT TO AGAIN, FOR PUBLIC RECORD, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MRS GUZMAN BOARDED UP TO ME AND ALSO ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, MISTER TUCKER, WHO'S A REGULAR CONTRIBUTOR, THAT WE MAKE SURE ALL THE POINTS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE FIRST READING ARE MEMORIALIZED IN WRITING. DO I IS THAT CORRECT? MRS. GUZMAN AND MISTER TUCKER MENTIONED THAT AS WELL. SO I'M GOING TO RELY ON, ON OUR ATTORNEY AND MISS SNOWDEN, ALL THOSE POINTS. A COUPLE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK ARE WORTHY OF JUST TALKING ABOUT, AT THE REQUEST OF MRS. GUZMAN AND MISTER MEERSMAN, MINTO AGREED TO ADDING A BUFFER AROUND THE ARCHEOLOGICAL SITE, IS THAT CORRECT? OKAY. DO WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION TO PUT IN THE PUBLIC RECORD? OKAY I THINK WHO REQUESTED THAT? [INAUDIBLE]. OKAY THE BUFFER WAS, AND I'M GOING BY THE MINUTES OF LAST, THE BUFFER WAS INCREASED FROM 25FT TO 50FT. CORRECT, AND THAT'S IN THE REVISED DOCUMENTS. IT'S ACTUALLY MORE THAN THAT NOW. SORRY. 50 TO 1. NO, THE OTHER BUFFER, NOT THE BUFFER. THE BUFFER AROUND THE ARCHEOLOGICAL SITE WENT TO 150, BUT THE OTHER BUFFERS WENT FROM 25 TO 50FT. IS THAT CORRECT? ADJACENT TO THE GREAT SWAMP. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO? YES. YES, YES. THAT AS MEMORIALIZED PRIOR. THAT'S CORRECT. YEAH. ON PAGE FIVE OF THE MINUTES IT SAYS, MISS WOODRUFF ALSO STATED THE AGREEMENT IS MORE SPECIFIC WITH USING NATIVE TREE REPLACEMENTS SO THEY COULD SURVIVE THE CLIMATE. THE OAK TREES WILL BE PROTECTED AND THE BUFFER HAS BEEN INCREASED FROM 25 TO 50FT. [00:45:01] OKAY, THAT'S WHAT I WAS REFERRING TO, AND THE BUFFER ON THE [INAUDIBLE] WENT TO 150. OKAY THE QUESTION I HAD ABOUT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THE MOU WOULD BE EXECUTED BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER WITH THE CITY AND WE THE CITY WITH [INAUDIBLE], IS WORKING ON A TEMPLATE ON WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH WITH ALL DEVELOPERS WHO WANT TO JOIN US IN THIS PROJECT. THE DA FEES TOTALED $10 MILLION, RIGHT? EVERYBODY [INAUDIBLE] THAT'S 4 MILLION OF WHICH ARE FOR ROADS. YES. THAT'S A GUESSTIMATED AMOUNT. OBVIOUSLY THEY'LL GO UP EVERY YEAR AND THEN, YOU KNOW, CUMULATIVE. YES, SIR. OKAY AND THE DENSITY IS 2620 HOMES AS PER THE ORIGINAL KARRH TRACT APPROVAL THE OKAY, AND MR. TUCKER, I MENTIONED [INAUDIBLE] TO BE, ALSO, MR. TUCKER QUESTIONED ABOUT THE COMPLETION DATE, WHICH WE STATED IN THE MEETINGS WOULD BE 2032. FOR THE RECORD, SINCE MR. TUCKER QUESTIONED THIS, I JUST WANT TO PUT OUT THERE THAT THE ESTIMATE OF 2032 IS BASED ON SALES. THAT COULD BE THAT COULD BE SOONER. IT COULD BE LATER. IT'S ALL PREDICATED ON HOW FAST WE SELL THE HOMES. IT'S NOT THAT'S NOT AN ABSOLUTE IT'S NOT AN ABSOLUTE DATE. I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT. OKAY. THAT'S ALL I HAD. THANK YOU, AND ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY, STAFF, EVERYBODY PUT A LOT OF WORK INTO THIS, AND WE'RE VERY THOROUGH, AND I THANK EVERYBODY FOR DOING SO. NEXT IS PUBLIC HEARING SO ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC AND I KNOW WE HAVE AT LEAST ONE WHO WANTS TO COME UP AND MAKE A COMMENT OR QUESTION REGARDING THIS PLEASE DO SO AT THIS TIME. STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD. HELLO. MY NAME IS GRANT MCCLURE. I WORK FOR THE COASTAL CONSERVATION LEAGUE. I ACTUALLY WORK IN BEAUFORT. THAT'S WHERE I LIVE. HOWEVER, OUR SOUTH COAST OFFICE DOES COVER HARDEEVILLE AND JASPER COUNTY, AND MY FAMILY'S ACTUALLY FROM HAMPTON COUNTY ORIGINALLY SO I'M HERE BEFORE YOU TODAY BECAUSE I WANT YOU ALL TO THINK ABOUT THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO NOT ONLY PRESERVE, BUT ALSO RESTORE THE RICE FIELDS THAT ARE ON THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE KARRH TRACT THESE THESE ARE LOCATED RIGHT AT THE HEADWATERS OF THE NEW RIVER AND THE CONSERVATION LEAGUE ALSO BELIEVES THAT THE MILITARY PLANE CRASH SITE, AND ALSO THE INDIGENOUS SETTLEMENT ON THE PREMISE ARE DESERVING OF LISTING ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER AND SHOULD BE OPEN TO RESIDENTS FOR INTERPRETATION FIRSTLY, WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THE CITY TO WORK WITH MINTO TO ENSURE A COMMITMENT TO RESTORING THE RICE FIELDS WHICH PROVIDE ECOSYSTEM SERVICES AND ARE ALSO AN IMPORTANT CULTURAL RESOURCE. WE FEEL IT IS IMPORTANT FOR MINTO AND GOOD PUBLIC FAITH TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE HISTORY OF RICE CULTURE IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND CONSULT WITH GULLAH GEECHEE CULTURAL EXPERTS. THE BROCKINGTON REPORT FOR THE KARRH TRACT REVEALED THAT 275 ACRES OF THE PROPERTY SIT ON THE NEW RIVER, AND WERE FORMERLY KNOWN AS NEW RIVER RICE PLANTATION, OWNED BY JACOB GERARD HEYWARD AND HIS WIFE PAULINE UNTIL 1898. RICE CULTURE IN THE UNITED STATES BEGAN IN THE 1670S, WAS PRIMARILY SUCCESSFULLY DEVELOPED, MANAGED, AND DRIVEN BY THE SKILLED LABOR OF ENSLAVED PERSONS BROUGHT FROM RICE CULTIVATING REGIONS IN WEST AFRICA, AND ENDED WITH THE US CIVIL WAR. THE NEARBY TURNBRIDGE PROPERTY, LOCATED WITHIN THE GREATER HARDEEVILLE AREA, IS THE PLACE WHERE THE FAMOUS CAROLINA GOLD RICE VARIETY WAS FIRST SUCCESSFULLY RE-INTRODUCED IN THE 1980S BY DOCTOR RICHARD SCHULTZ. THE CITY OF HARDEEVILLE SHOULD EMBRACE AND CELEBRATE THIS IMPORTANT CROP, AND LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO CREATE AREAS FOR IT TO CONTINUE TO THRIVE. THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT FOR KARRH TRACT, NOTES THAT THE WETLANDS ON THE PROPERTY MAY BE APPROPRIATE FOR WETLAND MITIGATION, AND THAT THE CITY WOULD LIKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PURCHASE CREDITS FROM THE BANK FOR FUTURE TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS. ADDITIONALLY, DURING THE 1215 DISCUSSION, THE APPLICANTS DISCUSSED PLACING CONSERVATION EASEMENTS OR RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS ON THE WETLANDS. WE FEEL THAT RESTORATION AND MITIGATION ON THE ON THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE PROPERTY WHERE THE RICE FIELDS ARE, IS A GOOD OPTION FOR THIS. SUCH AN ARRANGEMENT WOULD BENEFIT THE CITY, THE APPLICANTS, AND THE ENVIRONMENT AND QUALITY OF LIFE FOR RESIDENTS, RESTORING THE RICE FIELDS WOULD OFFSET THE IMPACTS FROM THE [00:50:04] PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT BY HELPING SLOW THE FLOW OF STORMWATER RUNOFF INTO THE NEW RIVER HEADWATERS. THE CONSERVATION LEAGUE ALSO RECOMMENDS EXPANDING THE RIVER BUFFER FROM 50FT TO 100FT IN THIS AREA, TO FURTHER OFFSET DEVELOPMENT IMPACTS. ADDITIONALLY, REGARDING THE INDIGENOUS SETTLEMENT AND PLANE CRASH SITE, WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THE CITY TO REQUIRE MINTO TO PLACE INTERPRETIVE SIGNAGE AND PROVIDE ACCESS TO RESIDENTS. IT IS CRITICAL TO RECOGNIZE RECOGNIZE THAT THIS PROPERTY HAS A VERY LONG HISTORY AND THAT PEOPLE HAVE RESIDED ON THIS LAND FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS. THESE INCLUDE THE YAMASEE AND GUALE PEOPLE. THE DEVELOPERS SHOULD APPLY FOR NATIONAL REGISTER STATUS FOR ALL OF THESE RESPECTIVE SITES. AGAIN, THIS IS A UNIQUE AND EXCITING OPPORTUNITY TO RESTORE HISTORIC RICE FIELDS, PAY HOMAGE TO OUR VETERANS, AND RECOGNIZE SOUTH CAROLINA'S NATIVE PEOPLES. WE HOPE THAT THE CITY AND MINTO LATITUDE WILL WORK TOGETHER ON AN MOA TO RESTORE THESE FIELDS, FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL RESIDENTS AND WILDLIFE. THE STORIES OF THIS LAND ARE TOO IMPORTANT NOT TO BE TOLD. THE DEVELOPERS AND THE CITY NEED TO RECOGNIZE THIS HISTORY AND CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR INTERPRETATION AND MEMORIALIZATION FOR RESIDENTS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GRANT. OKAY ANYONE ELSE FROM THE PUBLIC LIKE TO COME FORWARD? I JUST WANT TO SAY TO MINTO, THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THE EFFORT INTO PROTECTING THESE HISTORIC SITES, AND I KNOW THEY HAVE A FANTASTIC ATTORNEY THAT WILL MAKE SURE IT'S PUT IN WRITING AND RECORDED BUT KATHLEEN, WE ARE SO HAPPY TO SEE YOU, BUT COULD YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND RECORD NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD? I DID THAT EARLIER. [INAUDIBLE] YOU GOT TO DO IT EVERY TIME YOU COME UP. WE'RE FORGETFUL, WE FORGET WE'RE OLD. WE FORGET. YOU WON'T FORGET ME. [CHUCKLING] NO, I'M SURE I WON'T. KATHLEEN [INAUDIBLE], 782 TICKTON HALL ROAD, RIDGELAND, SOUTH CAROLINA. SO I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH JONATHAN LEADER AT SHPO AND BRAD [INAUDIBLE], AND MY MIND IS AT EASE THAT WE'RE DOING THE BEST, THE BEST WE CAN RIGHT HERE. YOU KNOW, I'M AN ADVOCATE FOR THESE HISTORIC SITES BUT THANK YOU. THANK YOU, GUYS FOR PROTECTING THEM, BUT THAT PURPLE PIECE DOWN AT THE END, THAT'S GOING TO BE THE CITY OR A PARK OR SOMETHING. I WILL BE BACK TO GIVE YOU SOME IDEAS ON HOW TO PRESERVE THAT AND TO MAKE A GREAT RICE FIELD INTERPRETIVE PARK. I KNOW YOU'LL BE BACK, AND MAKE SURE YOU STATE YOUR NAME ON THE NEXT TIME YOU COME. WE FORGET. [CHUCKLING] ANYONE ELSE FROM THE PUBLIC LIKE TO COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME? OKAY BEFORE I ASK FOR MOTIONS, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME REQUESTS. THE COASTAL CONSERVATION LEAGUE HAS BEEN A FRIEND TO THE CITY OF HARDEEVILLE, TO JASPER COUNTY AND TO THE ENVIRONMENT, AND I THINK EVERY TIME THEY SPEAK, I LIKE TO PAY ATTENTION BUT I BELIEVE IN THIS CASE THAT WHAT THEY ARE ASKING, WHILE IS LEGITIMATE, IT NEEDS TO BE WITH THE LANDOWNER. IF WE'RE GOING TO PRESERVE RICE FIELDS, SOMEONE'S GOT TO FARM IT, I'M ASSUMING SOMEBODY'S GOT TO BUY THE LAND AND SOMEHOW SEPARATE IT FROM THE RESIDENTS. I CERTAINLY, IF I WAS LIVING, HAD A HOUSE THERE, I WOULDN'T WANT SOMEBODY COMING THROUGH TO WORK ON A RICE FIELD. SO THERE'S THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE WORKED OUT AND HAS TO BE AGREED BETWEEN WHOEVER WANTS TO TAKE OVER THIS PROJECT AND MINTO. I PERSONALLY DON'T SEE HOW THAT HOW IT COULD EFFECTIVELY DELAY THIS VOTE, OR HOW THE CITY REALLY RESPONSIBLE TO GET INTO THAT NEGOTIATION. SO THAT'S JUST AND I WOULD HAVE TO TALK TO OUR ATTORNEY FURTHER ABOUT THAT, BUT THAT'S MY INITIAL IMPRESSION, BUT SINCE GRANT DID BRING UP SOME POINTS, I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO THE COUNCIL AND SEE IF THEY HAVE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS OR RECOMMENDATIONS AS A RESULT OF MR. MCCLURE'S COMMENTS. MISTER MEERSMAN, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING FURTHER? YES GRANT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. [00:55:02] I HAVE VERY STRONG FEELINGS ABOUT THE PRESERVATION OF THE TWO ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES IN THERE. THE PLANE CRASH AND THE VILLAGE CAMPSITE MINTO HAS BEEN VERY GRACIOUS TO INCREASE THE BUFFER AROUND THOSE TO 150FT. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR DOING THAT AS FAR AS ALLOWING ACCESS TO THOSE, I HAVE SOME GRAVE RESERVATIONS FOR THAT. YOU MENTIONED THAT RESIDENTS, RESIDENTS OF HARDEEVILLE, RESIDENTS OF JUST MARGARITAVILLE, TO ALLOW THEM BACK TO THAT SITE, KIND OF DEFEATS THE PURPOSE OF MAINTAINING THOSE SITES FOR WHAT THEY ARE FROM THE UPSIDE, FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF IT, EVENTUALLY THE DEVELOPMENT WILL BE DONE AND THAT PROPERTY AND EVERYTHING WILL BE TURNED OVER TO THE HOA, WHICH WILL BE THE RESIDENTS AT THAT TIME. SECURING THOSE TWO PIECES IN PERPETUITY COULD BE AN EXPENSIVE THING, AND I DON'T THINK. WITHOUT THE APPROVAL OF THE RESIDENTS. I THINK ALLOWING PUBLIC ACCESS TO THOSE AT ALL WOULD BE THE WRONG THING TO DO AT THIS TIME. MAYBE IN THE FUTURE THINGS WILL CHANGE, BUT I WOULD. RIGHT NOW I DO NOT SEE THAT I'D MUCH RATHER HAVE THOSE REMAIN IN THE WOODS WHERE THEY ARE, AND THE FEWER OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE ACCESS TO THEM, THE BETTER FOR ME. THAT'S IT. MRS. GUZMAN. I HAVE NO FURTHER COMMENTS. MR. WHITE. I THINK STEVE'S COMMENTS WERE VERY THOUGHTFUL AND I CERTAINLY SUPPORT THOSE, AND AND WE KNOW THAT ALL THESE COMMENTS FROM YOU AND TO YOU FOLKS AREN'T FALLING ON DEAF EARS. THEY'RE IMPORTANT TO PAY ATTENTION TO, BUT I HAVE CONFIDENCE THEY'LL BE HEARD AND YOU'LL PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU'VE HEARD HERE TODAY. JOHN? I ECHO STEVE'S COMMENTS, BUT ALSO WE'RE, ALL, I THINK THINKING ALONG THESE SAME LINES WE WANTED TO PRESERVE. THESE AREAS AS MUCH AS WE COULD, AND LIKE THE MAYOR SAID EARLIER, WE THIS THING WAS A LONG PROCESS, AND A LOT OF THE REASON FOR THAT PROCESS WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROTECTED THESE AREAS AS BEST WE COULD, BECAUSE WE WERE CONSCIENTIOUS OF THAT FACT, AND I THINK MINTO HAS GONE OVERBOARD TO TO HELP US OUT, AND IS EVERYBODY GOING TO BE HAPPY? PROBABLY NOT, BUT I THINK WE CAME UP WITH A GOOD COMPROMISE. WELL, WHAT I SUGGEST. I MEAN, JUST LIKE I THINK KATHLEEN AND HER 250 ORGANIZATION IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHAT CAN AND NEEDS TO BE DONE AT THIS SITE. WE NEED STRONG VOLUNTEER GROUPS WHO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS, JUST LIKE KATHLEEN IS DOING. COME IN AND WORK WITH THE LANDOWNER, WHICH WILL WILL BE MINTO, AND I THINK THEY'VE DEMONSTRATED THE THE WILLINGNESS TO TALK ABOUT THESE IMPORTANT SITES SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE. GRANT AND KATHLEEN. IF THERE'S A GROUP THAT CAN COME AND WORK WITH, YOU KNOW WITH MINTO, I THINK YOU'LL FIND WILLING PARTNERS, AND IF AT SOME POINT I THINK I COULD SPEAK FOR ANYWHERE UP HERE THAT. IF YOU WANT OUR HELP DEALING WITH MINTO AND BEING PART OF THE CONVERSATION, WE CERTAINLY WOULD HELP BECAUSE I THINK ALL THE PEOPLE FROM THE COASTAL LEAGUE TO KATHLEEN TO MINTO AND THIS COUNCIL HAVE ALL SHOWN A WILLINGNESS TO WANT TO DO THE RIGHT THING, AND I THINK THAT WILL CONTINUE EVEN AFTER THIS VOTE SO ANY FURTHER COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC BEFORE I CALL FOR A MOTION? SEEING NONE. I'D LIKE A MOTION TO APPROVE, DISAPPROVE OR MAKE ANY CHANGES. NOW AGAIN, THERE'LL BE THREE VOTES ON THIS SAME SUBJECT THIS FIRST ONE IS 2023- 12-14C. MR. MAYOR, I MAKE A MOTION THAT ON SECOND READING, WE APPROVE ORDINANCE NUMBER 2023-12-14C, WE HAVE A MOTION. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND WE HAVE A MOTION. WE HAVE A SECOND. I'M GOING TO CALL FOR A VOICE VOTE ON THIS. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS. ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. NEXT THIS IS THIS PORTION. THIS ONE REFERS TO THE MASTER PLAN. [01:00:02] THE MASTER PLAN BEING HOW THIS WHOLE THING IS GOING TO LAY OUT AND THIS IS 2023-12-14D [F. SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO ADOPT A MASTER PLAN SUBMITTAL FOR A TRACT OF LAND IDENTIFIED BY TAX MAP NUMBERS 040-00-04-006, 040-00-04-008 & 040-00-04-009 CONSISTING OF APPROXIMATELY +/- 2,231 ACRES LOCATED OFF OF SC HIGHWAY 46 AND ADJACENT TO THE EXISTING LATITUDE MARGARITAVILLE DEVELOPMENT AND TO AMEND THE OFFICIAL ZONING MAP OF THE CITY OF HARDEEVILLE TO INDICATE THAT PORTION SUBJECT TO THE MASTER PLAN (2023-12-14D) PUBLIC HEARING] LET'S SEE JOHN, DO YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? NO, SIR. LIKE I SAID, WE DID LONG PROCESS. BO. NO ADDITIONAL COMMENTS. MRS GUZMAN. ADDITIONAL COMMENTS. MR. MEERSMAN NO ADDITIONAL COMMENTS. I HAVE NOTHING FURTHER TO SAY AGAIN, I'LL OPEN IT UP TO THE PUBLIC. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC OR QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE. I'D LIKE A MOTION TO APPROVE, DISAPPROVE OR MAKE ANY CHANGES. THIS IS ORDINANCE 2023-12-14-D TO APPROVE THE MASTER PLAN. I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE. ORDINANCE 2023-12-14D. WE HAVE A MOTION. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION. WE HAVE A SECOND. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS BY COUNCIL OR THE PUBLIC? SEEING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. OKAY. THE THIRD PORTION OF THIS IS THE ADOPTING THE AMENDED AND RESTATED DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HARDEEVILLE AND TWO BRIDGE BLUFF [G. SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF HARDEEVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA APPROVING THE AMENDED AND RESTATED DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HARDEEVILLE AND TWO BRIDGE BLUFF, LLC OWNER OF THE LAND WITHIN THE CITY OF HARDEEVILLE, COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE “KARRH TRACT” (2023-12-14E) PUBLIC HEARING] THE CURRENT OWNER OF THE KARRH TRACT MIKE, DO YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER ANYTHING FURTHER TO SAY? NO, SIR. MR. MEERSMAN, ANY FURTHER? ANYTHING FURTHER? NO. WE WILL BE DONE WITH THE ORIGINAL DEVELOPER [INAUDIBLE] BLUFF AFTER THIS. NO COMMENT. MRS. GUZMAN. I ECHO WHAT STEVE JUST SAID, AND I WANT TO SAY A LOT. I'M NOT GOING TO SAY IT ON THE COMMENT. YEAH, I DON'T HAVE TO READ THE RULES FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, DO I? MR. WHITE, NO ADDITIONAL COMMENT. MR. CARROLL, NO ADDITIONAL COMMENT. I HAVE NONE EITHER. SO WE'LL GO TO PUBLIC HEARING. DOES ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC HAVE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE. I LIKE A MOTION TO APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE OR MAKE ANY CHANGES. THIS IS ORDINANCE 2023-12-14E. MR. MAYOR, I'LL MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE APPROVE. 2023-12-14E. WE HAVE A MOTION. WE HAVE A SECOND. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION. WE HAVE A SECOND. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS BY COUNCIL OR THE PUBLIC? SEEING NONE. I'LL CALL FOR A VOICE VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. CONGRATULATIONS IT'S BEEN A LONG PROCESS, BUT I WILL END BY SAYING THE SAME THING I SAID TO TWO BRIDGES. TAKE CARE OF THE ENVIRONMENT OR WE'LL BE BACK TO HAUNT YOU. YES, SIR. THANK YOU ALL. YOU HEARD IT RIGHT THE LAST TIME. CONGRATULATIONS GOOD LUCK AND GOOD LUCK AND HAPPY NEW YEAR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. [INAUDIBLE] OKAY THE NEXT ORDINANCE, ACTUALLY THIS IS FOR THE FARMHOUSE, WHICH [IX. NEW BUSINESS] WAS TABLED JUST FROM NOVEMBER. THIS DEVELOPMENT WELL, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MR. CZYMBOR, BUT AND LET HIM EXPLAIN WHAT THEY'VE ASKED. THIS IS THE FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF HARDEEVILLE TO ADOPT THE MASTER PLAN SUBMITTAL FOR KNOWN AS THE FARMHOUSE DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS [A. FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF HARDEEVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA TO ADOPT A MASTER PLAN SUBMITTAL FOR A TRACT OF LAND CONSISTING OF APPROXIMATELY +/- 31.9 ACRES, KNOWN GENERALLY AS FARMHOUSE AT EAST ARGENT TO INCLUDE A PORTION OF PARCEL 067-00-01-042 LOCATED OFF EAST ARGENT PARKWAY AND TO AMEND THE OFFICIAL ZONING MAP OF THE CITY OF HARDEEVILLE TO INDICATE THAT PORTION SUBJECT TO THE MASTER PLAN (2023-11-16B) PUBLIC HEARING] APARTMENTS IN THE EAST ARGENT TRACT. THIS IS 2023-11-16B. MR. CZYMBOR, PLEASE. YES, SIR. YESTERDAY WE RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM THE APPLICANT SLASH DEVELOPER ASKING THE ITEM TO BE TABLED FOR FIRST READING TILL JANUARY 18TH MEETING THEY'RE THE REASON WHY THEY REQUESTED THAT IS TO HAVE CONTINUING DISCUSSIONS WITH THE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY TRY TO RESOLVE ALL THOSE ISSUES BEFORE FIRST READING THEY SUBSEQUENTLY AFTER THE LAST WORKSHOP THE MAYOR AND I AND OTHERS MET WITH THEM TO EXPRESS ADDITIONAL CONCERNS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP AT THE WORKSHOP, AND THEY PLEDGED COOPERATION TO TRY TO RESOLVE ALL THOSE ISSUES BEFORE FIRST READING. SO I THINK THEY'RE JUST TRYING TO DOT ALL THE I'S AND CROSS ALL THE T'S TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'VE DISCUSSED AND HOPEFULLY REACHED SOME CONSENSUS AND RESOLUTION ON ALL THE ISSUES. SO WE'RE RECOMMENDING THE COUNCIL TABLE FIRST READING UNTIL JANUARY 18TH. THANK YOU. MIKE, I WOULD LIKE TO, AS I ALWAYS DO WHEN I HAVE MEETINGS WITH DEVELOPERS OUTSIDE THIS PUBLIC HEARING FOR FULL DISCLOSURE, MIKE AND [01:05:08] I MET WITH THIS APPLICANT ON NOVEMBER 22ND. LIKE I SAID AFTER THE LAST MEETING TO GO OVER THE CONCERNS THAT WERE EXPRESSED BY COUNCIL AND AT THAT MEETING THERE WAS THEY TOLD US THAT THEY WERE GOING TO REWORK IT, AND I ASKED THEM TO BEFORE TONIGHT TO MEET WITH THE RESIDENTS, BECAUSE IF YOU RECALL, THE RESIDENTS HAD A GROUP THAT THEY MET WITH BEFORE. I FOUND OUT A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO OR LAST WEEK, I GUESS IT WAS WHEN BEFORE EVERYBODY GOT BACK, THAT MEETING NEVER TOOK PLACE AND THAT'S ANOTHER REASON WHY THIS APPLICANT HAS ASKED FOR THIS POSTPONEMENT SO THEY WOULD HAVE A CHANCE TO MEET WITH THE RESIDENTS PRIOR TO THE FIRST READING SO THEY WERE REWORKING THEIR PLAN, AND THEY WERE THEY'RE GOING TO PRESENT IT TO THE RESIDENTS AND AND THEY'RE ASKING THAT WE TABLE THIS TO TIME SPECIFIC IN TWO WEEKS. RIGHT. THE 18TH. YES, SIR. OKAY. SO THAT'S ALL THE EXPLANATION SO RATHER THAN PROLONG THIS LET'S SEE IF THERE IS A MOTION TO APPROVE, DISAPPROVE OR MAKE ANY CHANGES OR A MOTION TO TABLE THIS TO JANUARY 18TH. MR. MAYOR, ARE YOU ASKING FOR A MOTION TO TABLE IT? I'M ASKING YOU FOR A MOTION TO TABLE IT TO JANUARY 18TH [INAUDIBLE] THE REQUEST OF THE OF THE APPLICANT. ALL RIGHT, MR. MAYOR, I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE TABLE ORDINANCE 2023-11-16B TO THE 18TH OF JANUARY. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? WE HAVE A MOTION. WE HAVE A SECOND. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS BY COUNCIL? SEEING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. OKAY. FIRST READING ON THIS DEVELOPMENT WILL BE JANUARY 18TH NEXT IS THE FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF HARDEEVILLE TO ADOPT A MASTER [B. FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF HARDEEVILLE TO ADOPT A MASTER PLAN SUBMITTAL FOR A TRACT OF LAND CONSISTING OF APPROXIMATELY +/- 91.6 ACRES, KNOWN GENERALLY AS THE PARK AT EAST ARGENT TO INCLUDE PARCEL 066-00-00-003 LOCATED OFF EAST ARGENT PARKWAY AND TO AMEND THE OFFICIAL ZONING MAP OF THE CITY OF HARDEEVILLE TO INDICATE THAT PORTION SUBJECT TO THE MASTER PLAN (2024-1-4B) PUBLIC HEARING] PLAN SUBMITTAL FOR A TRACT OF LAND CONSISTING OF APPROXIMATELY 91.6 ACRES, KNOWN GENERALLY AS THE PARK AT EAST ARGENT, TO INCLUDE PARCELS 0660000003 LOCATED OFF EAST ARGENT PARKWAY, AND TO AMEND THE OFFICIAL ZONING MAP, MR. CZYMBOR, PLEASE, MISS SNOWDEN, PLEASE. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING AGAIN THIS IS THE NEXT IN A LINE OF IMPS FOR EAST ARGENT PLANNED DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTTHE PARK AT EAST ARGENT IT IS 91.6 ACRES THAT WAS, AS WAS MENTIONED, LOCATED OFF THE EAST ARGENT PARKWAY, ADJACENT TO JUBILEE CHARTER SCHOOL IS THE BEST WAY JUST TO THE EAST OF JUBILEE. IT'S CURRENTLY VACANT AND UNDEVELOPED, UNDEVELOPED AND PRIMARILY WOODED, WITH PLANTED PONDS AS I MENTIONED, IT'S JUST TO THE EAST OF JUBILEE CHARTER SCHOOL, PARCEL 15 C, WHICH WAS THE MOST RECENT IMP THAT YOU HEARD IS JUST TO THE WEST OF JUBILEE. ACROSS FROM THIS IS THE RETREAT AND THE HUNT CLUB, WHICH WE HAVE DISCUSSED THE RETREAT IS CURRENTLY UNDER DEVELOPMENT RIGHT NOW BY D.R. HORTON SO THAT IS THE GENERAL VICINITY OF IT. IT'S LOCATED BETWEEN THE PARKWAY AND THE CANAL. SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE IT SITS. SITES FROM THE PARKWAY SHOWING THAT PLANTED PINE PLANTATION. THIS IS THE PROPOSED MASTER PLAN IT IS FOR TWO DIFFERENT LOT WIDTHS. ALL SINGLE FAMILY DETACHED 246 SINGLE FAMILY WITH AN AMENITIES AREA RIGHT IN THE CENTER NEAR THE ENTRYWAY WILL HAVE ACCESS TO JASPER STATION ROAD, WHICH HAS BEEN REALIGNED AND IS RIGHT OVER HERE, AND MAIN ENTRANCE OFF OF THE EAST ARGENT PARKWAY. 91.6 ACRES. 240 SINGLE FAMILY DETACHED HOME SITES. THE USE IS CONSISTENT WITH THE GOALS OF THE LAND USE ELEMENT OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, ENCOURAGING MIXED USE DEVELOPMENTS. AS I MENTIONED, THE TWO ACCESS POINTS AND THE ASSUMED DENSITY IS PART OF THE ORIGINAL PDD FOR EAST ARGENT. ALSO, IT WAS ASSUMED IN THE TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS THAT WAS DONE PREVIOUSLY THAT'S CONFIRMED AS A DOCUMENT IN THERE THAT [01:10:07] GAVE YOU A KIND OF AN UPDATED LETTER AND ASSESSMENT THAT SHOWS THAT IT WAS INCLUDED ORIGINALLY PROPOSED OPEN SPACE AND CONNECTIVITY PLAN. YOU CAN SEE THE RED ON HERE SHOWING THE PEDESTRIAN WAYS AND CONNECTIVITY, AS WELL AS THE OPEN SPACE SHOWN ON THERE. BIKE TRAIL WILL BE EXTENDED ALONG TO EAST ARGENT PARKWAY AND ALONG EAST ARGENT PARKWAY. SIDEWALKS, PATHWAYS, TRAILS PROVIDED THROUGHOUT THE DEVELOPMENT. OPEN SPACE. IT DOES MEET THE REQUIREMENTS AS PER THE EAST ARGENT PLANNED DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT. THE PROCESS. AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE HERE. I'M GOING TO ASK FOR FIRST READING. IT HAS BEEN SEEN BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION, AND THEY DO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE IMP TO YOU. THE APPLICANT AND THE LAND PLANNER ARE HERE, MR. FRANK AND MR. TILLER, AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE. THANK YOU LET'S START WITH MR. MEERSMAN HAVE WE HAD A WORKSHOP WITH THIS YET? NO. YET NOT. ALL RIGHT. THAT'S THE ONLY QUESTION I HAVE AT THIS TIME. MRS GUZMAN, AND THAT WAS THE SAME QUESTION I HAD WAS USUALLY WHEN IT GOES TO PLANNING. IT'S A WORKSHOP, SO I JUST WANT. I MISSED IT. SO WE DID NOT HAVE A WORKSHOP ON THIS ONE. IT WAS IT WAS PRESENTED AND PUT ON THE AGENDA. OKAY. THAT'S WHERE. THE JUST TO CLARIFY THAT THE WHAT WE AS A GENERAL POLICY HAVE DISCUSSED IN THE COUNCIL, AS YOU RECALL, IS THAT WHEN WE HAVE A PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT SITUATION THAT WE WOULD HAVE A WORKSHOP SO THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION RIGHT AWAY MR. CZYMBOR DID ASK ME WITH ALL THE STUFF GOING ON IN THE HOLIDAYS, DID I FEEL IT WAS NECESSARY TO HAVE A WORKSHOP? NOW, I SAW IT AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION. I SAW MR. MEERSMAN AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING, SO I DIDN'T THINK THAT THIS WAS GOING TO BE WOULD REQUIRE A WORKSHOP. IF AT SOME POINT DURING THE DISCUSSION HERE, THE COUNCIL FEELS LIKE THERE ONE SHOULD BE HELD, THEN ANY COUNCIL MEMBER IS WELCOME TO MAKE THAT SUGGESTION AND WE'LL VOTE ACCORDINGLY AND PUT IT OFF TO DATE SPECIFIC, BUT THE REASON WE DIDN'T HAVE A WORKSHOP WAS BECAUSE MR. CZYMBOR AND I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS NECESSARY. MR. WHITE. I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. I APPRECIATE THE EXPLANATION ON THE WORKSHOP. THAT WAS HELPFUL, AND NO ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS ON MY PART. SAME HERE, MR. MAYOR AS I SAID, I WATCHED THE THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING FOR THOSE WHO WHO WEREN'T THERE OR DIDN'T SEE IT THE PLANNING COMMISSION WAS EXTREMELY COMPLIMENTARY OF THIS, OF THIS PROJECT. ANOTHER REASON WHICH LED ME TO NOT HAVE A WORKSHOP IT WASN'T LIKE SOME OF OUR OTHER PROJECTS IN THE PAST YEAR WERE THERE WAS A LOT OF ANXIETY. THEY WERE EXTREMELY COMPLIMENTARY. MIKE HAD GIVEN ME THIS BIG BOOK OF THE MASTER PLAN, AND I THINK IT. YEAH, THAT ONE AND IT REALLY, TO ME LOOKED LIKE A WONDERFUL PROJECT AND THE KIND OF PROJECT THAT IS PERFECT FOR THE EAST ARGENT SECTION AND ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE THINGS IT'S RIGHT ACROSS FROM THE RETREAT WHICH IS GOING UP NOW I'VE IN TALKING TO SOME PEOPLE RECENTLY, I'VE LEARNED WHAT'S GOING IN THERE, AND THAT'S BEING BUILT BY D.R. HORTON. THERE WAS ONE EXAMPLE OF A YOUNG COUPLE RECENTLY MARRIED THAT BOUGHT IN THERE. THEY'RE BOTH TEACHERS IN AND THEY'RE RECENTLY MARRIED, YOUNG PEOPLE NO KIDS. I SEE PARCEL 15C HUNT CLUB RETREAT IN THE PARK. BEING VERY ATTRACTIVE TO THAT KIND OF PROFESSIONAL COMING IN, AND WHEN I SAY PROFESSIONAL, IT COULD BE A POLICEMAN, IT COULD BE A FIREMAN [01:15:08] AND, YOU KNOW, THAT WHOLE AREA IS IS DEVELOPING INTO THAT KIND OF PRODUCT, AND SO BESIDES ALL THE GREAT AMENITIES THAT ARE IN THAT PARK, I THOUGHT, THIS IS PERFECT FOR THAT LOCATION, BUT I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS. COULD YOU SHOW ME THE ACCESS POINTS THAT YOU SAID? THERE'S TWO. [INAUDIBLE]. I'M GONNA SHOW YOU ON THE CONNECTIVITY PLAN. I JUST THINK IT'S A LITTLE EASIER TO SEE THEM ON THAT THE MAIN ENTRANCE OFF OF THE EAST ARGENT PARKWAY IS HERE, AND THEN THIS ENTRANCE THAT WILL GO OVER TO JASPER SPACE STATION ROAD IS ACROSS FROM THE ENTRANCE. THAT WILL BE FOR JUBILEE CHARTER SCHOOL. RIGHT, AND JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, I KNOW IT DOES, BUT THAT JASPER STATION ROAD IS ROAD THAT COMES DOWN AND THEN GOES INTO ARGENT BOULEVARD WHERE THE NEW LIGHTED SHORTCUT IS GOING TO BE. SO THAT'S AN IMPORTANT ROAD BECAUSE NOT JUST FOR THESE PEOPLE, IT'S ALSO AN IMPORTANT ROAD BECAUSE NOW HEARTHSTONE LAKES AND WHAT'S COBBLESTONE THOSE THAT DEVELOPMENT WILL NOW HAVE A SECOND ACCESS POINT OUT OF WITHOUT GOING ON. ARGENT BOULEVARD WILL COMPLETE MORE OF THE CONNECTIVITY TO KEEP PEOPLE OFF OF THIS MAIN. SO AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I LIKED ABOUT IT, BECAUSE NOW WITH THESE DEVELOPMENTS GOING IN THERE, THAT WILL OPEN UP THOSE ROADS AND ALL THESE DEVELOPMENTS, AND THEN BY 2026 YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THE LOOP ROAD DONE. SO ALL THESE ROADS WILL NOW HAVE MULTIPLE ACCESS OUT OF THE EAST ARGENT COMMUNITY. THE OTHER THING I LIKED ABOUT IT AND ALL THOSE AROUND THERE, NOT ONLY WILL THESE RESIDENTS HAVE THE ABILITY AT, YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT DOWN THE ROAD TO CHOOSE A SCHOOL THAT THEY CAN LITERALLY WALK TO, BUT ALSO RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD TO THE EAST IS GOING TO BE THE YMCA. SO I REALLY LIKE HOW THIS EAST ARGENT IS COMING TOGETHER BUT I WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT. NOW THESE ARE FOR PURCHASE MARKET RATE, RIGHT? I BELIEVE THEY WAS MENTIONED AT THE FOR RENT AT PLANNING. THERE ARE FOR RENTS. OKAY ONE OF THE THINGS I'M GOING TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT. THE CITY IS WORKING WITH SOME DEVELOPERS AND D.R. HORTON AND THE HOYER INVESTING GROUP WE'RE TRYING TO COME UP WITH A. AN AFFORDABLE PLAN THAT WE COULD OFFER TO NURSES, TEACHERS, FIREMEN, POLICEMEN, ET CETERA. ET CETERA. WE DON'T HAVE THE SPECIFICS DONE, BUT WHAT I'D LIKE TO KNOW FROM YOU IS YOUR WILLINGNESS TO JOIN D.R. HORTON JOIN THE HOYER INVESTMENT GROUP, AND THERE'S NO SPECIFICS, BUT JUST I'D LIKE TO KNOW IF YOU'RE WILLING TO BE PART OF TRYING TO FIND A SOLUTION OF THAT PARTICULAR PROBLEM THAT THE ENTIRE LOW COUNTRY HAS. I'M JOSH TILLER WITH THE JK TILLER ASSOCIATES. I'M JUST THE PLANNER, SO I REALLY CAN'T ANSWER THAT QUESTION I DON'T KNOW IF TIM COULD AND I WILL ADD THAT THE VOTE IS IN CONTINGENT UPON IT. IT'S AN INVITATION FOR YOU TO BE PART OF SOMETHING BIGGER THAN JUST BUILDING 240 HOMES. YEAH, I'M TIM FRANKS, I REPRESENT, I'M WITH [INAUDIBLE] DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANTS AND I REPRESENT THE OWNER IN THIS, AND I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT AFFORDABILITY OF THEIR PRODUCT IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE TO THEM. OBVIOUSLY, IT'S A RENTAL COMMUNITY. THEY WANT TO GET IT FULLY LEASED AND JOINING IN ANY COMMITTEES OR AD HOC GROUPS THAT WANT TO DISCUSS THIS ON A LARGER SCALE WILL ABSOLUTELY BE A PART OF. GREAT, GREAT. YOU KNOW, THIS COUNCIL'S ALREADY HAS INDICATED THEIR THEIR DESIRE TO CREATE A SEPARATE POSITION IN THIS CITY TO WORK ON THIS PROBLEM. I'M ASKING EVERY DEVELOPER TO COME FORWARD TO PLEASE JOIN US IN THIS EFFORT. AGAIN, WITHOUT SPECIFICS. SO, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO SIGN ANYTHING, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING WE'RE LOOKING FOR EVERYBODY TO BE A PARTNER AND PART OF THE SOLUTION, AND SO THANK YOU. WE'LL BE BACK TO YOU ON THAT. OKAY. ONE THING TO NOTE, IF I MIGHT ADD THAT. THE THING THAT'S UNIQUE ABOUT THIS IS IT IS THEY'RE SINGLE FAMILY HOUSES, AND FOR THOSE FAMILIES THAT CAN'T AFFORD THAT DOWN PAYMENT OR THE HIGH INTEREST RATES WE'VE GOT [01:20:03] NOW, THEY'RE ABLE TO GET INTO A HOME AT JUST A RENTAL RATE SO THAT I THINK THAT'S UNIQUE TO A LOT OF RENTAL OPPORTUNITIES. THAT'S GREAT, AND, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE'RE FACING AND LISTEN, YOU'RE IN A BUSINESS MORE THAN WE ARE. THE WE HAVE APARTMENTS GOING UP ALL OVER THE PLACE, BUT THEIR MARKET RATE AND YOU KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THE MARKET. IT'S GOING MUCH HIGHER, MUCH FASTER THAN THE RATE OF PEOPLE'S SALARY INCREASES. SO AS THE APARTMENTS REACH THE MARKET LEVEL, IT PUTS MORE AND MORE PEOPLE OUT OF THAT MARKET, AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS HELP THE PEOPLE WHO ARE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES THAT WE HAVE A REAL SHORTAGE OF. SO ALL I'M ASKING IS YOUR WILLINGNESS. I SEEM TO HAVE THAT, AND ONCE WE GET THE TEMPLATE TOGETHER, WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU AND ASK YOU IF IF YOU WANT TO BE A PART. OKAY. THANKS. THANK YOU I SEE THE OPEN SPACE. THERE'S A BIG PARK THERE, AND I LOVE THAT. THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I LIKED, AND I ALSO LIKE THAT. THAT BIG. THAT'S A FISHING POND DOWN AT THE END THERE, RIGHT. THEY CAN GO FISHING AND STUFF THAT WAS GREAT. I LIKE THAT TOO. NO, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO. YOU GOT TO HAVE YOU'RE SMILING THREE TIMES A YEAR. THREE TIMES A YEAR. YOU HAVE TO JUMP IN WITH THE BATHING SUIT TO GET THEM. NO NUISANCE [INAUDIBLE] YEAH, YEAH. I GOT TO GO HOG HUNTING YET HERE, TOO THE TREE REPLACEMENT THING IS IN PLACE HERE. THE 15 PER ACRE AND OVER THAT WITH AND THEY'LL BE REPLACING OKAY AND I'LL CONFIRM AND MAKE SURE BEFORE SECOND READING THAT WE HAVE ALL OF THAT IN PLACE AND CAN POINT IT OUT. OKAY. I, I KNEW IT WAS. I JUST WANTED TO GET IT ON THE PUBLIC RECORD THANK YOU. I HAVE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS MAY I? YES. YOU MAY. JASPER STATION ROAD WILL THAT PORTION BE COMPLETED BY THE TIME THESE HOMES ARE HAVE THE FIRST CO THERE? FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, YES. OKAY BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING TWO ENTRANCES AND EXITS AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S GOING TO BE VERY IMPORTANT, AND MY OTHER CONCERN WITH THIS IS, MR. MAYOR, I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM. IT IS LOOKS LIKE A GREAT PROJECT, BUT WE'VE KIND OF ESTABLISHED A PROTOCOL OF HAVING THESE WORKSHOPS, AND I MY PERSONAL FEELING IS, IS I DON'T CARE TO VARY FROM THAT. WE MAY HAVE INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC. WE MAY NOT, BUT I THINK IT'S WE SHOULD STICK WITH THE PLAN THAT WE'VE HAD THAT'S MY FEELING ON THIS, BECAUSE THAT'S JUST ONE OF THE CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS THAT WOULD, COULD COME UP AT A WORKSHOP WITH THESE. THAT'S IT. OKAY, AND ANYONE ELSE FROM COUNCIL WANT TO I WOULD LIKE TO NOW OPEN IT UP TO THE PUBLIC. ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC LIKE TO COME FORWARD? PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD. KATHLEEN [INAUDIBLE], 782 TICKTON HALL ROAD, RIDGELAND, SOUTH CAROLINA. I JUST WANT I AM TRYING TO GET INTO THE SWING OF FOLLOWING ALL YOUR, YOUR PLANNING AND YOUR DEVELOPMENT AND STUFF, AND IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE WORKSHOPS, BE CONSISTENT BECAUSE IT'S EASIER FOR US THAT WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU GUYS ARE STAYING ON YOUR TOES TO KNOW THAT WE'LL HAVE A WORKSHOP BETWEEN PLANNING AND FIRST READING, AND THE OTHER THING IS WITH ALL THIS DEVELOPMENT GOING ON HERE AND IT'S NOT SPECIFIC TO THIS SITE, BUT, YOU KNOW, IN GENERAL, THE HISTORIC CULTURE AND EVERYTHING, I URGE YOU GUYS TO LOOK INTO SETTING UP A HISTORIC COMMISSION SO THAT YOU CAN MAKE SURE THAT THESE SITES ARE PROTECTED. IT IS THAT THEY ARE ALLOWED UNDER THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW STATUTE, AND I HAVE SOME SAMPLES HERE THAT I'D LIKE TO TURN OVER TO EITHER THE CITY MANAGER OR PRINA. JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, THERE'S MANY COUNTIES IN OUR AREA THAT NOW HAVE THESE HISTORIC COMMISSIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, KATHLEEN. MOST OF HIS HISTORY WAS WRITTEN. HE'S A COMMISSION INTO HIMSELF. THE BIG PROBLEM, AND I DON'T DISAGREE WITH YOU. I THINK, IN FACT, I FLOATED THIS ABOUT HAVING A SOME SORT OF HISTORICAL SOCIETY YEARS AGO PROBLEM [01:25:09] IS GETTING PEOPLE LIKE YOURSELF WHO WILL SERVE ON THEM, AND THAT'S BEEN A BIG PROBLEM, AND, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF OUR POPULATION GROWTH HAVE BEEN IN PEOPLE FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE NEVER NOT FROM THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY, AND THEY'RE JUST NOT INTERESTED. WE NEED LOCAL PEOPLE WHO DO HAVE SOME INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE, LIKE YOURSELF I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA I WISH WE, HOPEFULLY I KNOW YOU TWO ARE WORKING TOGETHER. I WILL CERTAINLY SUPPORT IF YOU CAN FIND THE VOLUNTEERS. I'M ALL FOR IT. I'VE BEEN IN FAVOR OF THAT FOR SINCE I GOT HERE, SO, GOOD IDEA. EVEN IF IT'S JUST THREE VOLUNTEERS, JUST THREE SETS OF EYES TO. YEAH, IT'S A LOT OF RESEARCH. I MEAN, I DO, YEAH. I MEAN, WHAT YOU HAVE ACCOMPLISHED IN THE 250 CLUB, I MEAN THAT'S PHENOMENAL, AND AND WE NEED SOME PEOPLE WHO WILL GIVE THAT SAME KIND OF ENERGY LIKE, AND I THINK WHEN I BROUGHT IT UP YEARS AGO, THE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STRUCK ME, WE GOT ALL THESE STREET NAMES NAMED AFTER PEOPLE, WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THEY DID, AND THEY THEY MUST HAVE DONE SOMETHING TO DESERVE HAVING A STREET NAMED AFTER THEM. RIGHT, AND AND YET ALL THAT HISTORY IS LOST. SO I AGREE WITH YOU. LET'S SEE IF WE CAN GET THAT DONE. OKAY. IF YOU REMEMBER, WE USED TO HAVE A HISTORICAL COMMITTEE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF WE USED TO HAVE ONE. THAT WAS BEFORE MY TIME. WELL, RIGHT. I THINK RIGHT AFTER YOU GOT ELECTED THE FIRST TIME. I THINK THEY KIND OF DISBANDED. WHAT WAS THAT? WAS THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY BUT THEY'RE KIND OF SYNONYMOUS. YEAH, I NEVER--YOU HAD A HARDEEVILLE HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND IT WAS NEVER OFFICIAL. IT WAS NEVER OFFICIALLY ESTABLISHED, AND THERE ARE STILL SOME PEOPLE AROUND THAT I'VE TALKED TO TRY AND GET HARDEEVILLE INFORMATION THAT ARE STILL INTERESTED. THANK YOU. THE JASPER COUNTY, I MEAN, WE COVER, WE COVER HARDEEVILLE TOO. SO I'M PART OF THE JASPER COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY. ALL RIGHT, SO IT'S A GOOD IDEA AND LET'S NOT LET IT GO BY THE WAYSIDE. LET'S WORK ON THAT BUT IT REALLY HAS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A SEPARATE ASIDE FROM WHAT WE HAVE TO DECIDE. SO NOW IF ANYONE ELSE FROM THE PUBLIC. SO IT'S UP TO COUNCIL. I'LL GO EITHER WAY. I PERSONALLY DON'T THINK A WORKSHOP IS NECESSARY IN THIS CASE. EVERYBODY IS AWARE OF IT. IT'S PART OF THE EAST ARGENT PDD, BUT I'LL GO WITH THE WILL OF THE COUNCIL. SO I NEED A MOTION EITHER TO TABLE IT OR TO APPROVE FIRST READING. THE OTHER THING WE CAN DO IS APPROVE FIRST READING, AND IF WE FEEL THAT, YOU KNOW, SOME WORKSHOP IS NECESSARY, WE CAN WE CAN DO THAT. THAT'S ANOTHER OPTION FOR COUNCIL. JUST REMEMBER WE NEED A EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR PERFORMANCE REVIEWS. WE'VE GOT OUR RETREAT. WE'VE GOT A LOT GOING ON. SO YOU KNOW. IF YOU REALLY FEEL IT'S NECESSARY, THEN LET'S MAKE A MOTION AND HAVE A VOTE ON IT. SO I'D LIKE A MOTION TO APPROVE, DISAPPROVE OR TABLE. THIS IS LOST MY PLACE. THIS IS 2024-1-4B. I'LL TRY, MR. MAYOR. YOU WANT TO? WELL, I'LL STAB AT IT. LET'S SEE IF I CAN MAKE A MOTION. RIGHT ON THAT WE APPROVE ON FIRST READING ORDINANCE 2024-1-4B, AND IF A WORKSHOP IS DEEMED NECESSARY BEFORE SECOND READING. THEN WE'LL PROCEED AS WARRANTED. IS THAT OKAY? PRINA. YES, THAT. THAT'S FINE. IS THAT KIND OF WHAT YOU WANTED STEVE? KIND OF SORTA. YEAH. KIND OF LIKE THAT. MY QUESTION IS, IS WHAT'S YOUR TIME FRAME FOR THIS DEVELOPMENT? YEAH. I MEAN, IS THIS THAT TIME SENSITIVE THAT IF WE WOULD. WELL, I WOULD SAY THAT ALL ARE TIME SENSITIVE. UNDERSTANDABLE. IT'S A MONEY ISSUE. UNDERSTANDABLE. I HAVE A SUGGESTION. [INAUDIBLE] YEAH OKAY. I HAVE A SUGGESTION. GIVEN THE MOTION THAT HAS BEEN MADE AND THE CONCERNS COUNCIL WE SPOKE ABOUT [01:30:03] GETTING A AN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DO OUR PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS. RIGHT. IF WE ADD TO THAT, ONCE WE FIND THAT DATE AND FIND IT BEFORE SECOND READING. WE ADD A WORKSHOP EITHER BEFORE OR AFTER THAT EXECUTIVE SESSION AND THEN GO TO SECOND READING IN TWO WEEKS. SO JOHN, IF YOU THAT'S A SUGGESTION FOR YOU OR ANOTHER WAY OF PUTTING WHAT YOU JUST PROBABLY JUST BUT THAT'S JUST SUGGESTING A DATE. THAT WAY IT'LL BE KILLING TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE. LET'S JUST DO FIRST READING, AND BEFORE SECOND READING. IF A WORKSHOP IS DEEMED NECESSARY, WE'LL DO IT AT THE SAME TIME THAT WE'RE DOING THE EXECUTIVE SESSION. OKAY. IS THAT OKAY? YEAH, THAT'S GOOD. ALL RIGHT. I THINK THAT'S APPROPRIATE. EXCELLENT. IN FACT, INSTEAD OF DOING THE WORKSHOP, I THINK IF ANY OF US HAVE QUESTIONS, IF WE COULD FORWARD THEM TO BRANA, SHE COULD WORK WITH THE DEVELOPER TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS. I THEN WE DON'T. MR. MAYOR, I TRUST YOUR JUDGMENT ON THIS WITH YOU AND MR. CZYMBOR ON THIS. MY COMMENT WAS THE BEGINNING IS I JUST DON'T WANT TO GET OUT OF OUR SYNC OF HAVING THE WORKSHOPS, BUT YOU'RE OKAY WITH THIS. HE'S OKAY WITH THIS. I THINK WE GO WITH THE FIRST VOTE TONIGHT. IF WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, THAT'S THEY CAN BE ANSWERED. OKAY. WE CAN ANSWER AND WE COULD SCHEDULE IT WHEN WE SCHEDULE THE EXECUTIVE SESSION IF WE NEED IT. OKAY. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS SAID AND MR. MEERSMAN, I THINK AND KATHLEEN SAID IT, I'M A BIG BELIEVER IN CONSISTENCY, AND, YOU KNOW THAT WAS A GOOD POINT. EXCELLENT POINT SO THAT'S THE MOTION THAT WILL WILL HAVE A WORKSHOP IF NECESSARY IF QUESTIONS COME UP AND WE'LL SCHEDULE IT AT A TIME. THAT'S WITH THE EXECUTIVE SESSION SO THAT'S THE MOTION. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION. WE HAVE A SECOND. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS BY COUNCIL OR THE PUBLIC. MRS. MAINES, DO YOU HAVE THIS MOTION PROPERLY THE WAY IT'S. YEAH, I THINK TO SUMMARIZE, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO PUT WORDS IN ANYONE'S MOUTH. THIS MOTION IS JUST A MOTION TO APPROVE IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE GOING TO USE YOUR DISCRETION MAYOR, WHEN YOU FINALIZE THE AGENDA WITH THE MANAGER, WHETHER OR NOT THE SECOND READING WOULD OCCUR, THE DATE OF THE SECOND READING, OR THE DATE OF A WORKSHOP. OKAY. I BELIEVE THE PROPER MOTION FOR THIS ACTION IS JUST A MOTION TO APPROVE THE FIRST READING. OKAY, AND THE COUNCIL HAS THE ABILITY TO DO WHATEVER ELSE THEY WANT TO DO. OKAY. SO THAT'S THE MOTION. THAT'S A SECOND. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS BY COUNCIL OR THE PUBLIC? SEEING NONE. I'LL CALL FOR A VOICE VOTE ON THIS. ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. OKAY SO SECOND READING WILL BE JANUARY 18TH. THE COUNCIL WILL DECIDE AND WE'LL LET YOU KNOW IF WE WANT TO HAVE AN INTERIM WORKSHOP. OKAY. THANK YOU NEXT WE HAVE THE RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF HARDEEVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA, TO ENTER AN AGREEMENT WITH [C. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF HARDEEVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH DOMINION ENERGY FOR THE EXTENSION OF NATURAL GAS ON US 17 (2024-1-4C) PUBLIC COMMENT] DOMINION ENERGY FOR THE EXTENSION OF THE NATURAL GAS LINE ON US 17. MIKE AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR EIGHT YEARS. MIKE, TAKE HER AWAY. YES, SIR YEAH THIS IS LIKE GROUNDHOG DAY BEING REVISITED, BUT THAT'S OKAY. [CHUCKLING] NO, AND I WON'T GO INTO MY OWN PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY ABOUT, I GUESS, NATURAL GAS EXTENSIONS IN SOUTH CAROLINA. THAT BEING SAID, WE'VE PLEADED AND BEGGED FOR THEM TO CONTINUE THEIR EXTENSION FROM THE HARDEEVILLE INDUSTRIAL PARK, OBVIOUSLY, TO THE HARDEEVILLE COMMERCE PARK. THIS WILL GET IT TO THE CORNER OF MAIN AND 17 WE'RE RECOMMENDING THE COUNCIL APPROVE THE AGREEMENT WE'RE ALSO IN THE DISCUSSING AT THIS POINT NOW GETTING A FURTHER EXTENSION TO SERVE ALL OUR PROPERTY AND THE ON WHYTE HARDEE BOULEVARD, AS WELL AS THE CITY'S MUNICIPAL COMPLEX WITH THE POLICE, FIRE AND ANY EOC. SO THAT WILL COME NEXT, BUT WE ARE URGING THE COUNCIL TO APPROVE THIS SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD, AT LEAST WITH THIS EXTENSION. OKAY. LET'S START WITH MR. CARROLL, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS, MR. CARROLL? NO QUESTIONS NECESSARILY, BUT I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN, WELL, PROBABLY LONGER THAN EIGHT YEARS, BUT I KNOW AT LEAST EIGHT YEARS. SO MIKE, THAT'S A KUDOS. MR. WHITE YEAH I'D ECHO THAT. THANKS FOR YOUR PERSISTENCE. IT'S IT'S BEEN QUITE A JOURNEY, BUT IT'S GOOD TO SEE A CONCLUSION. MRS. GUZMAN? THE QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS LIKE, WILL THE RESIDENTS EVENTUALLY BE ABLE TO [INAUDIBLE]? [01:35:07] YES. YES, MA'AM. YOU NEED GAS MR. MEERSMAN, I THINK IT'S GREAT. I THINK IT'S READY TO DO THE HAPPY DANCE TO HAVE THIS. BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW THAT HAVING NATURAL GAS IN OUR DOWN ON WHYTE HARDEE IN OUR DOWNTOWN AREA CAN REALLY HELP SPUR MORE DEVELOPMENT. IT'S GREAT THE ONLY THING I'LL ADD IS THAT I RECALL IN THE EARLY DAYS OF MIKE AND I TOGETHER WORKING WITH SCDOT OR SCENG AT THE TIME BEFORE DOMINION. [INAUDIBLE] AND WE THOUGHT WE HAD IT, BUT MIKE, THIS IS ONLY PART ONE. WE'RE NOT DONE, RIGHT. WE ARE NOWHERE NEAR DONE. WE'RE NOWHERE NEAR DONE, BUT IT'S A BIG STEP FORWARD. WE STILL HAVE MORE AREA OF DOWNTOWN HARDEEVILLE TO COVER, AND MR. MEERSMAN, YOU ARE RIGHT ON THE MONEY. IF WE'RE GOING TO DEVELOP WHYTE HARDEE BOULEVARD, NO DOUBT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE WE NEED GAS BECAUSE THOSE BUSINESSES OPERATING ON PROPANE ARE JUST IT JUST DOESN'T WORK. IT JUST DOESN'T WORK. MARKET THAT GAS FLUCTUATING. YEAH. WELL BUT THAT PROPANE IS A KILLER. IT'S A KILLER. IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE. 5000 A WEEK. YEAH, THAT'S A WEEK. IT'S CRAZY. OKAY, I'LL NOW OPEN THIS UP TO THE PUBLIC. WOULD ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC LIKE TO COME FORWARD AND MAKE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? KATHLEEN. NO. THANK YOU. OKAY. I'M DONE. OKAY SEEING NONE, I LIKE A MOTION TO APPROVE, DISAPPROVE OR MAKE ANY CHANGES. THIS IS A RESOLUTION. ONE VOTE 2024-1-4C. MAYOR, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 2024-1-4C. WE HAVE A MOTION. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I WILL SECOND THAT WE HAVE A MOTION. WE HAVE A SECOND. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS BY COUNCIL OR THE PUBLIC SEEING? NONE I'LL CALL FOR A VOICE VOTE ON THIS. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. OKAY. NOW WE GO TO THE REPORTS, MR. [X. MANAGERS REPORT] CZYMBOR. YES, SIR. THANK YOU. FOUR QUICK THINGS ANNUAL STRATEGIC RETREAT IS JANUARY 16TH AT 8 A.M., AND I KNOW THE COUNCIL HAS SOME HOMEWORK TO BE PREPARED FOR THAT. SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING GETTING TOGETHER. THAT WILL BE AT THE LATITUDE THEATER. SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT SECONDLY, WE WILL BE NEED TO HAVE A WORKSHOP PROBABLY THAT LAST WEEK IN JANUARY WE'D LIKE TO GO OVER PRIOR TO THE PRESENTATION TO THE COUNCIL, THE MUNICIPAL ZONING AND DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE SO WE'RE READY TO MOVE THAT FORWARD THROUGH THE PROCESS. THERE WERE SOME AMENDMENTS BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION, AND THEN JUST SO THE COUNCIL IS A VERY GOOD WORKING UNDERSTANDING PRIOR TO FIRST READING, WE ALSO WANT TO GO OVER THE OUR ARPA CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT SCHEDULE AND THEN THE PROPOSED A TAX SCHEDULE TO GET THE COUNCIL'S CONCURRENCE FOR ATTAINABLE HOUSING TO USE THAT. SO I'LL TRY TO COORDINATE A DATE THAT LAST WEEK IN JANUARY I GOT AN INTERESTING TEXT FROM THE FIRE CHIEF. HE RECEIVED THREE OF THE FOUR NEW FIRE VEHICLES. SO FEBRUARY 1ST, PRIOR TO THE COUNCIL MEETING, WE WILL HAVE AN UNVEILING AND YOU CAN GET AND TAKE A HANDS ON LOOK AND VIEW OF ALL THE NEW FIRE VEHICLES THAT WILL BE HERE PRIOR TO OUR FEBRUARY 1ST MEETING. SO I KNOW THE CHIEF IS VERY HAPPY ABOUT THAT, AND I JUST FINALLY WANT TO WISH MR. JOHN BOYLE, OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR, A HAPPY 60TH BIRTHDAY. SO I DON'T KNOW JOHN'S PROBABLY IN HIS OFFICE, BUT HAPPY BIRTHDAY. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOHN. THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MR. MAYOR. OKAY MIKE, YOU YOU BROUGHT UP SCHEDULING MEETINGS. COULD YOU BECAUSE YOU AND MRS. MAINS WE WANT YOU TO AVAILABLE FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION EVERYBODY'S PREPARED THEIR PERFORMANCE REVIEWS. SO COULD YOU SOMETIME BEFORE SECOND READING, COORDINATE A DATE WITH EVERYBODY AND WHOEVER HASN'T TURNED IN THE PERFORMANCE REVIEW MISS GRIFFIN IS GOING TO DO THE CALCULATIONS THAT PUT THEM TOGETHER. SO PLEASE FORWARD THEM TO MISS GRIFFIN AND MIKE, YOU AND PRINA. [01:40:01] YES, BECAUSE WE'LL DO YOU THEN PRINA AFTERWARDS. OKAY. VERY GOOD. ALL RIGHT. GOOD. ALL RIGHT. SO IT'S THE START OF A NEW YEAR, SO WE WILL GO ALPHABETICALLY AND START WITH MR. [XI. COUNCIL ISSUES AND CONCERNS] CARROLL. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. WE HOPE EVERYBODY HAD A GOOD HOLIDAY SEASON, GOOD CHRISTMAS AND GOOD NEW YEAR, AND I HAVE A FEW THINGS TO SAY AT THE CLOSE OF THE OF JUST BEFORE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS, WE HAD WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA, AND I THINK THAT WAS A GOOD TURNOUT AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER OUR VETERANS, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY COMMENTS I HAD FROM DIFFERENT PEOPLE ABOUT THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS BEING REMEMBERED DURING THE WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA AND, AND MY BROTHER BEING ONE OF THEM, AND IN BEAUFORT COUNTY I WENT BY AND HE HAD A WREATH ON HIS GRAVE. SO IT DOES MEAN A LOT THE NATURAL GAS EXPANSION HAS BEEN, GOSH, PROBABLY, I DON'T KNOW, 1012. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YEARS THAT'S BEEN IN THE WORKS TRYING TO GET GET THAT DONE, AND I'LL HAVE TO GIVE A KUDOS TO MY OLD BUDDY SAL [INAUDIBLE]. HE WAS ONE OF THE PIONEERS WITH THIS. HE FOUGHT AND TRIED TO DO EVERYTHING HE COULD TO HELP WITH THE NATURAL GAS EXPANSION. BECAUSE OF THE VERY REASONS STEVE JUST MENTIONED A WHILE AGO. IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE BUSINESSES COME IN AND EXPAND AND OPERATE AT A PROFIT. THEY'VE GOT TO HAVE NATURAL GAS. PROPANE GAS IS JUST NOT A GOOD OPTION, AND SAL WAS ONE OF THE BIG PROPONENTS OF THAT SINCE HE WAS PRESIDENT OF THE HARDEEVILLE CHAMBER THAT WE USED TO HAVE THE HARDEEVILLE AMBULANCE THAT'S IN OPERATION. UNFORTUNATELY, I GOT TO SEE IT FIRSTHAND OVER THE HOLIDAYS I THINK I CALLED STEVE. I DON'T KNOW IF STEVE, YOU EVER FOLLOWED UP WHEN I CALLED YOU AND STUFF, BUT I HAD TO WE HAD TO CALL HIM, UNFORTUNATELY, CHRISTMAS DAY AND IT WAS A BAD SITUATION ACTUALLY, IT GOT PRETTY BAD, BUT ANYWAY, STEVE ANYWAY, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS PUNCTUAL AND THE AMBULANCE WAS PUNCTUAL, AND THEY WERE SO PROFESSIONAL, AND ENDED UP TRANSPORTING MY MOTHER IN LAW, AND SHE WAS CRITICAL FOR SEVERAL DAYS. SO ANYWAY, KUDOS TO THE HARDEEVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND TO THE NEW AMBULANCE AND I DID ALLUDE, AND I USUALLY DON'T, BUT FOR SOME REASON DURING THE HOLIDAYS, THIS HOLIDAY SEASON, THERE WERE A LOT OF DEATHS, AND IT WAS SOME YOUNG PEOPLE THAT HAD HAVE DIED AND SOME OLD HARDEEVILLE PEOPLE THAT HAD SUDDEN DEATHS, AND I JUST WANT TO REMEMBER THOSE PEOPLE DURING THE THIS NEW YEAR BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S TOUGH STARTING A NEW YEAR WITH THE LOSS OF A FAMILY MEMBER. I'VE EXPERIENCED THAT MYSELF. SO ANYWAY THAT BEING SAID, MR. MAYOR THAT'S MY CONCLUSION FOR COMMENTS. OKAY. NEXT ALPHABETICALLY IS MRS. GUZMAN, ISN'T IT? [INAUDIBLE] YOU'RE GOING TO NEED IT. LIKE MR. CARROLL WAS SAYING WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA, IT WAS A VERY SOMBER OCCASION, BUT [INAUDIBLE] IT WAS AMAZING TO SEE PEOPLE LAYING WREATHS ON THOSE GRAVES IT WAS VERY TOUCHING [INAUDIBLE]. MISS CHIEF KIM, THE SANTA GOING THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOODS. I GOT A LOT OF COMMENTS ABOUT THAT. [INAUDIBLE] THEY HAVE A LOT OF LITTLE KIDS. THEY WERE TICKLED PINK ABOUT THAT. Y'ALL DIDN'T COME DOWN MY STREET, THOUGH, [INAUDIBLE] STREETS, BUT THAT'S OKAY THAT WAS A HIGHLIGHT OF [INAUDIBLE] YOU WERE NAUGHTY. I CAME ON MY STREET THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT, AND THANK YOU THE [INAUDIBLE] CHRISTMAS IS DONE, SO HAPPY NEW YEAR, AND ALL THE BEST TO ALL OF US. SO, YOU KNOW, WE PUT OUR BEST FOOT FORWARD AND DO WHAT'S GREAT FOR THIS CITY. SO THAT'S MY WISH. MR. MEERSMAN. FIRST, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS KIND OF LIKE AN ANNIVERSARY A YEAR AGO I, MYSELF AND MISS GUZMAN CAME ON THE COUNCIL, AND IT'S BEEN INTERESTING AND A LEARNING EXPERIENCE I'M VERY GLAD THAT I TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO RUN FOR THE OFFICE AND, AND HERE NOW, IT WAS BECOME INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY AS IT GROWS THAT TURNED ME ON TO DOING THIS, AND I HOPE TO CONTRIBUTE A LOT IN THE NEXT THREE [01:45:06] YEARS BUT I'M VERY PROUD OF STAFF AND COUNCIL ON THE PROJECTS THAT HAVE COME UP. JUST THIS YEAR, 6000 HOMES IN MASTER PLANS WERE APPROVED THIS YEAR, POSSIBLY THE SAME NUMBER NEXT YEAR OUR LITTLE CITY'S GROWING AND WE'RE GROWING WITH IT AND THAT'S DUE TO THE WORK OF STAFF, COUNCIL, EVERYBODY TO MAKE THAT ALL HAPPEN OTHERWISE, I'D THE MEETING TIMES. WE'RE AT 5:00. WE HAVE PROBABLY SOME OF THE MOST UP TO DATE MEDIA AVAILABILITY FOR THE PUBLIC. NOW TO LOOK AT, I'D LIKE TO MAYBE CONSIDER BUMPING OUR TIME BACK TO 4:00 FOR THE REASONINGS, MY REASONING IS, IT'S A LONG DAY FOR STAFF AND EVERYBODY ELSE, IF WE'RE MOSTLY OUR COMMUNITY IS MADE UP OF A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE RETIRED, THEY CAN COME TO THE MEETINGS. IF WE SEE THAT, IT WOULDN'T WORK. I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH GOING BACK TO LATER FOR IT, BUT I THINK IT MAY BE BENEFICIAL IN THE LONG RUN. SOME OF OUR MEETINGS NOW, TONIGHT WERE ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF. WE'VE HAD SOME 2.5 HOUR MEETINGS THAT RUN OFF LATE IN THE DAY. I JUST THINK IF WE TRY 4:00, IT MAY BE IT MAY BE MORE WORKABLE I'D LIKE TO THANK CHIEF CAMP AND HIS STAFF. NEW YEAR'S DAY IN MARGARITAVILLE, THEY DID A POLAR PLUNGE. YEAH, AND. YEAH, AND I WAS, AND I WAS A SIX FOOT GUY IN A LOBSTER SUIT THAT JUMPED IN THAT POOL, BUT THEY BROUGHT THE FIRE TRUCK OVER. THEY BROUGHT THE AMBULANCE OVER, AND THEY EVEN TOOK THE STRIKER BED OUT OF THE AMBULANCE AND BROUGHT IT OUT THERE, AND EVERYBODY WONDERED WHAT THAT WAS GOING TO BE FOR. LUCKILY, WE DIDN'T NEED IT, BUT IT WAS NICE TO SEE THIS, TO SEE THEM THERE THAT DAY, AND THAT JUST GOES TO SHOW THE CONCERN THAT ALL OF OUR STAFF FIRE POLICE HAVE FOR OUR COMMUNITY. LIKE I SAID, WE'RE A GREAT LITTLE COMMUNITY AND WE'RE GOING GREAT PLACES WITH IT. WITH THAT, I HOPE EVERYBODY HAD A GREAT CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR'S. THANK YOU STEVE, WE CREATED A FORM BECAUSE ANY COUNCIL MEMBER CAN PUT AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA. SO THAT'S WHY WE CREATED A FORM. PLEASE PUT ON A FORM, FILL IT OUT, AND THAT'LL WILL MAKE THAT A VOTE ON ON THE AGENDA THAT YOUR PROPOSAL TO GO TO FOUR. OKAY. OKAY. SO IT'LL GO ON THE AGENDA. COUNCIL WILL DISCUSS IT AND HAVE A VOTE. OKAY WHEN WE SWITCH FROM 6 TO 5, IT WAS A TEMPORARY THING. IT WAS A TEST PERIOD. WE PUT A TEST PERIOD, WHATEVER IT WAS, THREE MONTHS, AND IF WE DIDN'T GET NEGATIVE COMMENT, IT WOULD STAY. SO WE CAN DO THE SAME THING. SO FILL THAT FORM OUT AND IT'LL BE ON THE AGENDA. WE'RE GETTING EVERYTHING STRUCTURED MR. WHITE COUPLE COMMENTS ON A PERSONAL NOTE GRANT, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR THOUGHTFUL COMMENTS. SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE COUNCIL ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT, AND YOU'VE BEEN A GOOD BACKDROP FOR US, AND YOU BUILT MY AWARENESS, AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR FAITHFULNESS. COMING TO OUR COUNCIL AND GIVING US A BACKDROP AND THINGS TO THINK ABOUT, AND YOU CERTAINLY CONTRIBUTED TO MY EDUCATION. SO JUST A THANK YOU FOR YOUR DILIGENCE BEING HERE, AND WE APPRECIATE, AT LEAST I CERTAINLY DO AND I THINK THE REST OF THE COUNCIL DOES I WAS IN ITALY AND I FOR THE HOLIDAY, AND I GOT THERE ON LIKE A SATURDAY, AND THE NEXT DAY I GOT SOMETHING AND I SPENT THE NEXT SEVEN DAYS UNDER A DOCTOR'S CARE IN ITALY AND GOT WELL AND GOT THE RIGHT KIND OF MEDICINE, AND I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM WORKS WELL IN ITALY. I HAD A DOCTOR ACTUALLY DID A HOUSE CALL, WHICH WAS VERY UNUSUAL, AND SO I'M BACK. I'M WELL, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO A GOOD YEAR. I THINK WE'VE GOT A LOT OF IMPORTANT THINGS ON THE AGENDA, AND I THINK WE'VE CREATED A NICE SPIRIT. I THINK WITH VALERIE AND STEVE BEING WITH US FOR A YEAR NOW, I THINK WE'VE CREATED A GOOD COALITION AMONG OURSELVES, WORKING TOGETHER, AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT. SO GOOD TO BE HOME. THANK YOU EVERYBODY. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, HAPPY NEW YEAR. I HOPE EVERYBODY HAD A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY SEASON, AND I FOR ONE, I THINK 2024 IS GOING TO BE AN EXCITING YEAR FOR EVERYBODY, AND I KNOW I HAVE A SOME PERSONAL MILESTONES THAT I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU FIRST OF ALL, ON MARCH 15TH, IT'S THE EIGHTH ANNIVERSARY WHEN I DROPPED DEAD ON THE SOFTBALL FIELD AND I WAS GIVEN A SECOND CHANCE IN LIFE, AND I VOWED AT THAT TIME [01:50:04] THAT I WOULD USE THAT SECOND CHANCE TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AND I THINK I'VE BEEN TRUE TO THAT VOW. ABSOLUTELY. ON A COUPLE OF WEEKS AFTER THAT, APRIL 7TH WILL BE MY 40TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY, AND I PLAN TO RENEW MY VOWS WITH MY WIFE BETH JUNE 2ND ALSO AN ANNIVERSARY FOR JOHN IT'S THE EIGHTH ANNIVERSARY OF ME BEING MAYOR OF THIS WONDERFUL CITY, AND I MADE A VOW THAT DAY, AND I THINK I'VE BEEN TRUE TO THAT VOW ALSO AUGUST 1ST, 30 YEARS. I MADE A VOW NEVER TO DRINK ALCOHOL AGAIN, AND THAT. DECISION THAT MONDAY MORNING IS PROBABLY THE REASON I'M SITTING HERE TODAY. IT DID CHANGE MY LIFE, AND A COUPLE OF YEARS AFTER THAT, IT STARTED MY YEARS AS A VOLUNTEER AND A PUBLIC SERVANT SEPTEMBER 21ST IS GOING TO BE MY 75TH BIRTHDAY. THREE QUARTERS OF A CENTURY. WHERE DID THE TIME GO? ALMOST HISTORIC. YEAH, I COULD BE ONE OF YOUR STUDIES. WE'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO GET. I'M ALL. I'M EVEN OLDER THAN JOHN OCTOBER 1ST WILL BE THE NINTH ANNIVERSARY OF ME BEING ON THIS COUNCIL BUT ALSO, IT WILL MARK THE 17TH YEAR THAT I WILL BE HAVE BEEN IN MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT IN TWO STATES, AND IF YOU ADD IN THE TEN PLUS YEARS I WAS A VOLUNTEER IN YOUTH SPORTS AND OTHER THINGS, OVER A THIRD OF MY LIFE HAS BEEN DEVOTED TO PUBLIC SERVICE AND FINALLY, ON DECEMBER 31ST WILL BE MY LAST DAY AS MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HARDEEVILLE MIKE, WE CAME IN TOGETHER. WE'RE GOING TO GO OUT TOGETHER WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA. WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY? I SAID IN A DIFFERENT WAY THAT I WILL NOT BE SEEKING A THIRD TERM. I DECIDED TO MAKE THIS ANNOUNCEMENT EARLY IN THE YEAR BECAUSE I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE CANDIDATES AND GIVE CANDIDATES TIME TO COME FORWARD, DO THE STUDY, GO OUT AND MEET THE PEOPLE, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I DID. I CAME HERE, I WAS NEW, I MET THE PEOPLE, I FELL IN LOVE WITH THE PEOPLE AND THE TOWN, AND WE NEED THAT GOING FORWARD. THIS IS NOT AN EASY JOB. I PUT IN 30 HOURS A WEEK, AND PROBABLY THAT'S NOT ENOUGH AND AND SO WE NEED PEOPLE, AND I WANT TO GIVE THEM TIME. WE NEED PEOPLE TO DEVELOP THEIR OWN VISION FOR THIS CITY AND HAVE A DEBATE AND HOPEFULLY THERE'LL BE MORE THAN ONE CANDIDATE COME FORWARD SO WE CAN HAVE THAT DEBATE SO THE PUBLIC CAN HEAR AND HAVE A VOICE IN WHAT THEY WANT THEIR FUTURE TO BE. SO THAT'S WHY I CAME OUT. I WANTED TO MAKE THIS ANNOUNCEMENT EARLY IN THE YEAR. STOP THE SPECULATION. GET THE MONKEY OFF MY BACK SO HAVING SAID THAT HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO. I'VE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO. I WILL NOT TAKE THE PEDAL OFF THE METAL. A LOT OF THINGS I STILL WANT TO ACCOMPLISH IN MY LAST YEAR, AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO TRYING TO KNOCK OFF SOME OF THAT LIST. THANK YOU EVERYBODY. HAVE A WONDERFUL EVENING. [XII. ADJOURNMENT] SEE YOU NEXT TIME. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.