* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. FOR A MOMENT [00:00:01] 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 A CITY OF HARDY V, SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING AND PUBLIC HEARING, 2 0 5 MAIN STREET, HARDY, SOUTH CAROLINA, AUGUST 22ND, 2024 AT 4:00 PM OUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS TO APPROVE TODAY'S AGENDA. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE, DISAPPROVE, OR MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THE AGENDA FOR THIS AFTERNOON? MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA. SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION. WE HAVE A SECOND. ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED, NEW BUSINESS RESOLUTION IN THE CITY OF HARDY VIEW, SOUTH CAROLINA CITY COUNCIL TO APPOINT A NEW CITY MANAGER AND, UH, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE THE EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT. THIS IS RESOLUTION 2024 DASH EIGHT DASH 22 A. I'M, MY NOTE SAYS I HAVE TO RECOGNIZE MAYOR HARRY WILLIAMS. UM, OKAY, SO I'M OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED WE HAVE A RESOLUTION. THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, HAS A RESOLUTION PREPARED BY OUR COUNCIL, MRS. MAINS. AND, UH, IN THAT IS, ARE THE, THE TERMS AND THE CONTRACT. UM, SO I'M GONNA OPEN UP THE QUESTIONING WITH, UH, MR. MESMAN TO MY RIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS, MR. MESMAN? NO, THIS HAS BEEN A LONG PROCESS. UM, OUR SEARCH FIRM WAS TOP ON THE LINE. THE COMMUNICATION HAS BEEN EXCELLENT AND I THINK IT, WE HAVE CHOSEN THE BEST CANDIDATE, UH, TO GUIDE THE CITY OF VILLE. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU, MRS. GUZMAN. NO QUESTIONS, SIR. MR. WHITE. STEVE SAID IT ALL. NO. MR. CARROLL. UM, NO QUESTIONS, MR. MAYOR. UM, WE DID, UM, SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THIS, AND WE'RE VERY THOROUGH. I HAVE NO QUESTIONS. I'LL BE MAKING A STATEMENT AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE AFTERWARDS, SO I'LL RESERVE THEM FOR THEN. UM, AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN IT UP TO THE PUBLIC IF THE PUBLIC HAS ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR THE COUNCIL. SEEING NONE, I'D LIKE A MOTION TO APPROVE, DISAPPROVE, OR MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THE RESOLUTION. 2024 DASH EIGHT DASH 22 A. MAKE A MOTION. WE APPROVE RESOLUTION OF 2024 DASH EIGHT DASH 22 A. WE HAVE A MOTION. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION. WE HAVE A SECOND. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS BY COUNSEL OR THE PUBLIC? SEEING NONE, I'LL CALL FOR A VOICE VOTE ON THIS. UH, NO. I'M GONNA CHANGE MY MIND. UH, I'M GONNA CALL FOR A ROLL CALL ON THIS. UM, AND I'LL GO ALPHABETICALLY. UH, COUNCILMAN CARROLL? YES. COUNCILWOMAN GUZMAN? YES. COUNCILMAN MESMAN? YES. COUNCILMAN WHITE? YES. AND I WILL SAY YES AS WELL. UM, THE, THE RESOLUTION PASSES FIVE ZERO. AT THIS POINT, I WOULD LIKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN. MR. MAYOR, I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADJOURN. WE HAVE A MOTION. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION. WE HAVE A SECOND. ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. WE ARE NOW ADJOURNED. AND, UH, FOUR MINUTE MEETING. I WOULD LIKE I BEAT YOUR RECORD. JOHN . AH, I, NEW RECORD HOLDER. ALL RIGHT. SO, TOOK HIM FIVE YEARS, BUT HE FINALLY . OH, HE HAD TO GET THAT IN. UH, OKAY. UH, WHAT, WHAT I'M ASK COUNSEL TO DO, PLEASE JOIN ME WITH THE MICROPHONE. UH, I'M, I'M GONNA GIVE A BRIEF STATEMENT TO THE PRESS, UM, AND, UH, WE'LL TAKE IT FROM THERE. SO PLEASE, PLEASE JOIN ME. WELL, I ASKED. NICE. WELL, SINCE YOU ASKED. NICE. HELLO, IT'S JUAN JOHN. GOOD AFTERNOON. THIS HAS BEEN A LONG JOURNEY [00:05:01] FOR THE COUNCIL THAT ACTUALLY BEGAN LAST SUMMER WITH THE ANNOUNCEMENT BY OUR VERY POPULAR AND VERY ACCOMPLISHED CITY MANAGER, MR. MICHAEL J ZIBO, THAT HE WOULD BE RETIRING ON OCTOBER 31ST OF THIS YEAR. THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS WITH THE COUNCIL WAS TO ASK COUNCILMAN BO WHITE, OUR MAYOR PRO TEM, TO LEAD THE COUNCIL SEARCH FOR THE NEXT CITY MANAGER. MR. WHITE HAS EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN, IN PERSONNEL AND HR IN THE CORPORATE WORLD. SO HE WAS THE LOGICAL CHOICE, AND HE AGREED TO DO SO. UM, WE ALSO RETAINED OUTSIDE COUNSEL, UM, TO HELP US THROUGH THE PROCESS, NOT ONLY OF THE RETIREMENT, BUT ALSO THE CONTRACTUAL ARRANGEMENTS. AND WE RETAINED, UM, MR. BILL HARVEY OF HARVEY AND BATTERY LAW FIRM IN BEAUFORT. UH, AND HE HAS BEEN ASSISTING US THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS. UH, THIS ALL BEGAN, UM, FIRST BY MR. WHITE, WORKING WITH SOME STAFF AND OUR HR DIRECTOR, MS. PAMELA GRIFFIN, UH, DRAWING UP AN RFP OR A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR AN EXECUTIVE SEARCH FIRM THAT IT WENT OUT IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR. UM, WHEN ALL THE APPLICATIONS WERE IN, THERE WAS A COMMITTEE INCLUDING, UM, COUNCILMAN WHITE AND STAFF MEMBERS. AND THEY EACH INDEPENDENTLY RANKED ALL THE APPLICATIONS. THEY, THE HIGHEST RANKING APPLICATION WAS SLAVEN MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS OUT OF ATLANTA. AND THE CITY COUNCIL SUBSEQUENTLY HIRED THAT FIRM. UM, MR. SLAVIN, THE PRESIDENT CAME, WORKED WITH STAFF, WORK WITH COUNCIL, COMING UP WITH A PROFILE OF THE IDEAL CANDIDATE, UH, MR. SLAVIN. WITH ALL THAT INFORMATION, PUT TOGETHER A VERY PROFESSIONAL, UH, PROSPECTUS OF THE CITY, AND ALSO OUR EXPECTATIONS OF WHAT WE ALL FELT COLLECTIVELY STAFF AND COUNCIL OF, OF THE QUALIFICATIONS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN OUR CITY MANAGER. UM, AT THAT POINT, UM, HE PUT TOGETHER, UH, THIS PROCESS, THIS APPLICATION, AND PER PERSPECTIVES AND DISTRIBUTED AROUND THE COUNTRY. AND WE HAD 40 APPLICATIONS LITERALLY FROM COAST TO COAST AS PART OF THEIR SERVICE. UH, MR. SLAVIN AT THAT POINT VETTED ALL THE CANDIDATES AND THEN, UM, NARROWED IT DOWN TO THE TOP EIGHT. GAVE EACH ONE OF US IN COUNCIL A VERY EXTENSIVE, UM, LITERATURE ON EVERY ONE OF THOSE TOP EIGHT CANDIDATES OUT OF THE 40, INCLUDING THEIR RESUME, INCLUDING THEIR, UM, THEIR PAST JOB EXPERIENCE, WHATEVER, UH, PUBLIC STATEMENTS AND NEWSPAPER REPORTS THAT WERE MADE OUT OF A VERY THOROUGH INVESTIGATION. THESE TOP EIGHT WERE GIVEN BY MR. SLAVIN, AN ADDITIONAL LIST OF 24 QUESTIONS THAT WE, WE ASKED THE CANDIDATES TO, UH, ANSWER. AND THESE WERE INCLUDED IN THE DOCUMENTS THAT WE AS A COUNCIL, REVIEWED AND STUDIED. FROM THAT LIST OF EIGHT, THE COUNCIL DECIDED TO INVITE SIX TO INTERVIEW FOR THE JOB, WHICH THOSE SIX WERE, UH, INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED THE LAST THREE MONTHS, UH, THE LAST THREE DAYS OF JULY TO EACH DAY IN EXECUTIVE SESSION WITH DISCUSSIONS AFTERWARDS AS, AS TO EACH CANDIDATE AND THE PROS AND CONS AT THAT POINT. UH, WE THEN, OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS LEADING UP TODAY, UM, MADE DECISIONS, UM, UH, WE ANNOUNCED THE FINALIST ON AUGUST 1ST. THERE WERE FOUR FINALISTS THAT WE ANNOUNCED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER, MR. MATT DAVIS OF HARVILLE, UM, MR. CHRIS FOSTER OF BLUFFTON, MR. JOSH GRUBER OF, OF HILTON HEAD, MR. CHRISTOPHER HOBBY OF BAINBRIDGE, GEORGIA. UM, THE COUNCIL THEN SUBSEQUENTLY OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS, MADE THE DECISION AND ASKED MR. HARVEY TO BEGIN DRAWING A CONTRACT AND GETTING THE TERMS OF THAT, UM, NEGOTIATED, UH, THAT WE APPROVED HERE TODAY WITH THE HELP OF OUR ATTORNEY, MRS. UH, PINA MAINES AS WELL. SO THAT'S [00:10:01] WHAT BROUGHT US HERE TODAY. I'D LIKE TO THANK MANY PEOPLE TO THANK, INCLUDING THE MANY STAFF WHO, WHO PARTICIPATED IN COMING UP WITH THE PERSPECTIVE AND THE PROFILE THAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR. WHO SERVED ON THE COMMITTEE TO CHOOSE THE SEARCH FIRM, MR. BE WHITE, WHO LED THIS ENTIRE PROCESS OVER THE PAST YEAR, UM, AND DID AN EXCELLENT JOB ON MY DAD. UM, I FELT TIRED LISTENING TO EVERY AND AND, UM, CERTAINLY MR. SLAVIN BE FULFILLED. EVERY EXPECTATION THAT WE HAD IN BRINGING US GOOD CANDIDATES, CANDIDATES THAT WERE GREAT THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, AND I MIGHT ADD, AND WE ALL AGREED, ALL SIX CANDIDATES THAT WE INTERVIEWED, WE COULD HAVE SELECTED ANY ONE OF THOSE AND COME UP WITH A VERY EXCELLENT CITY MANAGER. AND WHEN WE THANK EVERYBODY, ALL 40 OF THEM, FOR COMING FORTH AND SHOWING THEIR INTEREST IN OUR CITY. UM, SO I ALSO, UH, NEED TO THANK MRS. MAINS, MR. MR. BILL HARVEY, FOR ALL THE WORK THAT THEY PUT INTO COMING TO THIS. I GIVE THIS LENGTHY LITTLE SYNOPSIS BECAUSE I WANT EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS WAS A TEAM EFFORT FOR THE COUNCIL, AND I COMPLIMENT THEM ON ALL THEIR WORK AND DILIGENCE IN STUDYING AND CONSIDERING ALL THE APPLICANTS. UM, IT WAS A VERY PROFESSIONALLY DONE AND VERY THOROUGH SEARCH. AND THERE'S NO DOUBT BECAUSE OF THAT THOROUGHNESS, BECAUSE OF THAT PROFESSIONALISM, WE ARE ABLE TO COME UP WITH A CANDIDATE AND A NEW CITY MANAGER THAT WILL TAKE US MANY YEARS INTO THE FUTURE. SO, HAVING SAID THAT, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE TO YOU THE NEXT CITY MANAGER, EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 31ST OF THIS YEAR. MR. JOSH GRUBER. JOSH, PLEASE. IF I SAY SOMETHING BY ALL MEETING , YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE LIMITED TO AN HOUR AND A HALF . I, I, I WILL KEEP IT SHORT. I KNOW IT'S ALWAYS A DANGEROUS THING TO SPEAK AFTER THE MAYOR, AND SO I'M ALWAYS COGNIZANT OF THAT. SO LESS THAN FOUR MINUTES. YES, ABSOLUTELY. I'LL PUT IT ON THE CLOCK. . THAT'S RIGHT. UH, GOOD AFTERNOON. I AM DEEPLY HONORED AND HUMBLED TO BE STANDING BEFORE YOU TODAY IS THE NEWLY APPOINTED CITY MANAGER OF HARDY V SOUTH CAROLINA. THIS MOMENT IS A PRIVILEGE AND IT'S PROFOUND, AND I WANT TO EXPRESS MY HEARTFELT GRATITUDE TO EVERYBODY WHO HAS MADE THIS OPPORTUNITY POSSIBLE. FIRST AND FOREMOST, I EXTEND MY SINCERE THANKS TO OUR ESTEEMED MAYOR HARRY WILLIAMS. YOUR TRUST, VISION, AND UNWAVERING SUPPORT HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN GUIDING ME TO THIS ROLE. AND YOUR LEADERSHIP AND DEDICATION TO THE CITY OF HARDY'S FUTURE IS TRULY INSPIRING. I'M EXCITED TO COLLABORATE WITH YOU IN THE COMING MONTHS AND YEARS AHEAD AS WE WORK TOGETHER TO SHAPE HARDY'S FUTURE TO THE DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL, MR. WHITE, MRS. GUZMAN, MR. CARROLL, MR. MESMAN, A SINCERE THANK YOU TO EACH OF YOU FOR YOUR CONFIDENCE IN ME. UH, YOUR COMMITMENT TO THIS COMMUNITY AND YOUR THOUGHTFUL DEDICATION HAS PAVED THE WAY FOR US TO SEEK AN EVEN BRIGHTER FUTURE. I'M EAGER TO WORK ALONG EACH OF YOU TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES AND TO SEIZE UPON THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT LIE AHEAD OF US TO THE CITIZENS OF HARDY VI PROMISE TO APPROACH THIS ROLE WITH DEDICATION, INTEGRITY, AND A DEEP COMMITMENT TO EMBODYING THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A SERVANT LEADER. AS I UNDERTAKE THIS ROLE, MY GOAL WILL BE, WILL BE TO BUILD UPON THE STRONG FOUNDATIONS AND INCREDIBLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THIS ORGANIZATION THAT HAVE BEEN LAYED BY THOSE THAT HAVE COME BEFORE ME, INCLUDING MR. MICHAEL SINBO AND THE ENTIRE TEAM OF TALENTED AND DEDICATED INDIVIDUALS HERE AT THE CITY OF HARDY V WHO STRIVE TO ENSURE THAT THEIR DECISIONS REFLECT THE VALUES AND ASPIRATIONS OF THIS COMMUNITY. TOGETHER WE WILL STRIVE TO PROTECT AND ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL RESIDENTS. WE WILL PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE GROWTH, WE WILL CREATE DIVERSIFIED AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES, AND WE WILL MAKE HARDY A PLACE WHERE EVERYONE IS PROUD TO LIVE AND WORK. YOUR SUPPORT, YOUR FEEDBACK AND INVOLVEMENT IN THIS AREA WILL BE VITAL AS WE EMBARK UPON THIS JOURNEY TOGETHER. AND LASTLY, I HAD TO PUT THIS AT THE END. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MY AMAZING WIFE, ASHLEY, AND OUR TWO SONS, TYLER AND CONNOR. IT IS ONLY THROUGH YOUR UNENDING LOVE AND UNWAVERING SUPPORT THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE THIS ACCOMPLISHMENT. SO THANK YOU NOT ONLY FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE, BUT ALSO FOR WHAT ALL WE WILL DO AS OUR FAMILY BECOMES A PART OF THIS INCREDIBLE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. ON BEHALF OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND [00:15:01] THE FAMILY OF HARVILLE, WE WELCOME THE FAMILY, GROOVER FAMILY, COME ON UP AND, AND BE A PART OF OUR FAMILY. WELCOME, WELCOME, WELCOME TO HAVE YOU. OKAY. SOUNDS VERY DON'T, DON'T RUN AWAY. NOW, AN IMPORTANT PART OF CITY GOVERNMENT ARE PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES. OKAY? SO PLEASE, UM, JOSH, WE GONNA GET YOUR, ASHLEY CAN JOIN YOUR FAMILY. UM, CAN WE HAVE, ALRIGHT AND GET THIS ALL IN AND I WANNA COME OVER HERE TOO. I CAN'T GET ANYTHING. GOT IT. ALRIGHT. WAIT, WAIT, WAIT. DON'T MOVE. DON'T MOVE. UHOH, JUAN, SINCE YOU DID SUCH A GOOD JOB. THIS IS THE ONE THAT COUNT. APPLE CAMERA . OKAY, LET'S SEE. GET A COUPLE OF THESE. GOT IT. THANK YOU. PLEASE JOIN ME, EVERYONE WELCOMING THE BRU, GRUER FAMILY TO HARD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. NOW THE REAL FUN BEGINS, RIGHT? ? UM, IF, UH, THE PRESS WOULD LIKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO JOSH, PLEASE FEEL FREE. I. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.