* 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. [DECEMBER 12, 2024] [IV. EXECUTIVE SESSION] [00:04:56] JOSH BEEN KIDNAPPED BY JOSH JASPER [00:05:01] COUNTY. OKAY, WELL, UM, MATT, IS, UH, JOSH IN THE HOUSE? WELL, HE'S LEFT THE BUILDING WITH ELVIS. BRING JOSH AND ELVIS BACK INTO THE BUILDING YOU NEED TO WATCH. ALRIGHT. WHAT WE CAN DO THOUGH, UM, WELCOME EVERYONE. UM, WE HAVE ALREADY STARTED OUR MEETING, INCLUDING THE INVOCATION PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. RIGHT NOW, OUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS, UH, WE ARE COMING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION. SO I NEED A MOTION TO COME OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION AND INTO REGULAR SESSION. MAYOR, I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE COME OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION INTO REGULAR SESSION. WE HAVE A MOTION. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION? WE HAVE A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. OKAY. UM, NEXT IS PUBLIC COMMENTS. DO WE HAVE ANY, CINDY? NO, SIR. OKAY. I'M DRAGGING MY FEET [V. PUBLIC COMMENTS (3 MINUTE TIME LIMIT)] AS MUCH AS I CAN. UM, THE, I THINK WE CAN INTRODUCE, UH, MR. MOBLEY. WELCOME, CHIEF. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. UH, IT'S GOOD TO BE IN FRONT OF YOU AGAIN. [VI. PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS] AND ONE OF OUR FAVORITE TIMES WE GET TO INTRODUCE ANOTHER MEMBER OF THE FAMILY. UH, TRISTAN, COME ON UP. SO, MR. MOBERLY, UH, COMES TO [A. INTRODUCTION OF FIRE-FIGHTER-TRISTAN MOBLEY] US WITH NO EXPERIENCE IN THE FIRE SERVICE. SO HE'S ALREADY BEEN TO BLUFFTON AND COMPLETED HIS, UH, EIGHT WEEK, UH, INTRODUCTION TO BEING A FIREMAN PASSED WITH FLYING COLORS. AND NOW, UH, HE'LL BE ON SHIFT UNTIL JANUARY 1ST OF JANUARY WHERE HE GOES TO EMT SCHOOL. SO THAT BEING SAID, MR. MOBERLY, WELCOME. WELCOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH. MY NAME IS TRISTAN MOBERLY. UH, I JUST WANTED TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES GIVEN TO ME HERE, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, EVERYTHING, UH, FROM THE FUTURE ON. THANK YOU. WELL, WELCOME. AND WE ARE A FAMILY HERE, SO WE WOULD ALL LOVE TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. ABSOLUTELY. SO, UH, THE ENTIRETY OF MY FAMILY PRETTY MUCH WORKS IN EITHER, UH, WITHIN SOME FORM OF FIRST RESPONDERS OR THE MEDICAL FIELD. I COME FROM CINCINNATI MOST RECENTLY. I'VE LIVED UP THERE FOR ABOUT 15 YEARS. I MOVED DOWN HERE WHEN I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WERE OPPORTUNITIES TO, UH, GET INTO A CAREER THAT, UH, BETTER SUITED WHAT MY FAMILY DOES AND WHAT I WANTED TO DO OVER A WORKING SERVICE INDUSTRY, WAITING TABLES, BARTENDING, THINGS LIKE THAT. WELL, WELCOME. AND YOU'RE, YOU'RE SINGLE NO KIDS. YES, SIR. OKAY. WELL, YOU, YOU HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO WORK ON OUR PART. , YOU PLAY SOFTBALL? NO, SIR. OH, YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO . WELL, YOU CAN LEARN THAT TOO, AS WELL AS FIREFIGHTER. UH, COUNSEL, ANY COMMENTS FROM MR. MOBLEY? JUST WELCOME, WELCOME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WELCOME. VERY MUCH WELCOME. GOOD TO HAVE YOU. LOT OF SUCCESS AND A LONG CAREER. THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE CITY OF HARDY V UM, AUDIT REPORT OF FISCAL YEAR 2024, UH, [B. ACCEPTANCE OF CITY OF HARDEEVILLE AUDIT REPORT OF FISCAL] BY MR. TREY SCOTT. MR. BOYLE MAYOR, JUST REAL QUICK, UH, MR. SCOTT FROM MALDEN JENKINS IS HERE TO, UH, PRESENT TO PRESENT THE AUDIT TO YOU TONIGHT. AND, UM, I KNOW Y'ALL SEE ME A LOT, YOU'RE PROBABLY TIRED OF SEEING ME, BUT WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IS THE FRUITS OF NOT JUST TREY AND HIS TEAM AND ME, BUT AMY CHESTER, JORDAN TOOTIN, JORDAN, UH, MASON, AND, UH, SERENA CHANDLER. SO IT'S NOT JUST THE FIVE, IT'S NOT JUST ME, IT'S ALL OF US. AND A LOT OF WORK GOES INTO THIS AND I'LL LET TREY TELL YOU, TELL YOU OUR STORY. THAT'S RE WELL, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR COUNCIL. CERTAINLY GOOD TO BE BACK WITH YOU ALL, UH, TO PRESENT THE RESULTS OF A ANOTHER AUDIT, UH, FISCAL YEAR 2024. SO JUST DRIVING THE PRESENTATION HERE, I GUESS I AM JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHY I'M HERE TODAY, UH, GIVE YOU A QUICK INTRODUCTION TO MALDON JENKINS IN CASE YOU'RE UNFAMILIAR WITH US. UH, GO OVER OUR AUDITOR, OUR OUR AUDIT REPORT, UH, YOUR COMPLIANCE REPORTS AND YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. UH, GO OVER SOME REQUIRED COMMUNICATIONS AND THEN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL MAY HAVE. REALLY QUICKLY ABOUT MALDEN AND JENKINS FOUNDED OVER A HUNDRED YEARS AGO. WE SERVE OVER 725 GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHEAST. DO THAT ACROSS SIX, EXCUSE ME, 14 OFFICES IN SIX STATES. UH, IN THE OFFICE THAT SERVES YOU ALL IS OUR SAVANNAH, GEORGIA OFFICE. BUT ENOUGH ABOUT US, I THINK, OF PARTICULAR IMPORTANCE TO YOU ALL AS OUR AUDIT OPINION. UH, I THINK AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS THEMSELVES WITH [00:10:01] THE RESPONSIBILITY OF, OF THE CITY'S MANAGEMENT, IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS YOUR AUDITOR TO EXPRESS OPINIONS ON THAT FINANCIAL INFORMATION BASED ON OUR AUDIT. UH, AND WE DO THAT BY FOLLOWING GENERALLY ACCEPTED AUDITING STANDARDS AND GOVERNMENT AUDITING STANDARDS. UH, AND PLEASED TO REPORT TO YOU ALL THIS EVENING THAT WE WERE ABLE TO ISSUE THE CITY A CLEAN OR WHAT WE CALL AN UNMODIFIED OPINION. UH, AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT YOUR FINANCIAL, UH, STATEMENTS PRESENT FAIRLY THE FINANCIAL POSITION AND THE RESULTS OF, OF THE CITY'S OPERATIONS AS OF JUNE 30TH, 2024. AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, CLEAN OPINION. IT'S THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF ASSURANCE, UH, THAT WE CAN PROVIDE TO YOU. ALSO INCLUDED IN YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE A COUPLE OF COMPLIANCE REPORTS. THE FIRST IS OUR YELLOW BOOK REPORT. UH, IT'S A REPORT ON YOUR INTERNAL CONTROLS AND COMPLIANCE. WE DON'T PROVIDE YOU WITH AN OPINION ON THOSE, BUT IF WE HAVE ANY FINDINGS, WE NEED TO REPORT TO YOU. UH, THAT'S WHERE WE WOULD REPORT THOSE. WE DID HAVE ONE FINDING THIS YEAR. UH, IT'S A STATE LAW COMPLIANCE, UH, FINDING. BASICALLY YOUR DEPOSITS THAT ARE AT, AT EACH BANK, UH, IF THEY'RE IN EXCESS OF, OF THE FEDERAL DEPOSITORY INSURANCE COVERAGE OF 250,000, THE BANK IS SUPPOSED TO HOLD, UH, SECURITIES TO COLLATERALIZE, UH, OR, OR, OR TO, YOU KNOW, TO BE THERE IN CASE THE BANK GOES INSOLVENT, THAT YOUR DEPOSITS ARE COVERED. UH, AND, AND WE OPENED A NEW ACCOUNT THIS YEAR, I THINK, WITH US BANK, UH, RELATED TO SOME, SOME, UH, PROCEEDS RECEIVED FROM A NOTE. UH, AND THE BANK DID NOT NOTIFY OR NOTE THOSE AS PUBLIC DEPOSITS. SO AT JUNE 30TH, 2024, THOSE DEPOSITS WEREN'T, UH, SECURITIES WEREN'T HELD TO COLLATERALIZE OR, OR SECURE THOSE DEPOSITS. SO, UH, WHEN THAT WAS NOTED IN NOVEMBER, IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED THE BANK. UH, AND, AND EVERYTHING IS IN COMPLIANCE NOW, BUT AS OF JUNE 30, UH, IT WAS JUST ONE OF THOSE KIND OF TIMING DEALS WHERE IT WASN'T NOTIFIED WHEN, OR, OR WASN'T NOTED WHEN IT, UH, WHEN, WHEN THE, WHEN THE BANK ACCOUNT WAS OPEN. SO, UM, IF, IF THERE'S EVER A MINOR FINDING, THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THOSE, UH, THIS ISN'T, YOU KNOW, NOT A MATERIAL WEAKNESS, NOT A SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCY. THIS IS JUST AN INSTANCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE WITH STATE LAW AT JUNE 30TH, 2024, WHICH HAS BEEN RECTIFIED, UH, SINCE THEN. SO, SINGLE AUDIT REPORT. SO THAT'S THE REPORT ON YOUR FEDERAL GRANT MONIES, UH, YOUR MAJOR PROGRAM THERE WAS THE CORONAVIRUS STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS, UH, OR ARPA, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE IS WHAT, WHAT, WHAT THEY CALL THAT, UH, UNMODIFIED, UH, UM, UNMODIFIED OPINION ON COMPLIANCE WITH THE, WITH WITH YOUR GRANT PROGRAMS. UH, AND SO NO ISSUES, NO FINDINGS AS IT RELATED TO, TO THE SPENDING OF THOSE GRANT MONIES. I THINK YOU ALL KNOW THIS, BUT IN CASE YOU DON'T, YOU GO ABOVE AND BEYOND THE MINIMUM LEVEL, UH, OF REQUIRED REPORTING OF A LOCAL GOVERNMENT. YOU PRESENT A, AN ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT OR AFER. UH, IT HAS SOME ADDITIONAL SECTIONS IN IT THAT YOUR BASIC FINANCIAL STATEMENTS DON'T NORMALLY HAVE. UH, AND IT'S SUBMITTED EACH YEAR TO THIS CERTIFICATE PROGRAM THAT THE GFOA HAS. UH, AND I, I'M NOT SURE HOW MANY YEARS IN A ROW, UM, BUT YOUR 2023 CERTIFICATES INCLUDED IN YOUR, IN YOUR ACT FOR THIS YEAR, UH, 2024 WILL BE SUBMITTED TOWARDS THE END OF THIS MONTH. UH, AND I'M SURE THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANY ISSUES WITH YOU ALL GETTING THE CERTIFICATE AGAIN, UH, FOR YOUR 2024. MOVING ON FROM THERE, TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE NUMBERS WITHIN YOUR ACT FOR, YOU HAVE TWO SETS OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, JUST LIKE PRETTY MUCH ANY CITY DOES. UH, YOU HAVE A GOVERNMENT WIDE SET THAT YOU ONLY SEE ONCE A YEAR, AND, UH, THOSE ARE, THAT'S REPORTED IN YOUR ACT FOR. AND THEN YOU HAVE FUND LEVEL INFORMATION. SO THE GOVERNMENT WIDE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS TAKE A LOOK AT, AT BASICALLY THE BIG PICTURE OF THE CITY AT JUNE 30TH, 2024, ALL OF YOUR FUNDS ROLLED UP INTO ONE COLUMN. SO THIS IS EVERYTHING AS FAR AS IT RELATES TO THE CITY. UH, AND AGAIN, JUST A BUNCH OF NUMBERS ON A PAGE, BUT THE BOTTOM TWO THERE, YOUR NET POSITION. SO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOUR ASSETS AND YOUR LIABILITIES WAS ALMOST 76 MILLION. AGAIN, THAT'S ACROSS ALL THE FUNDS, AND THAT'S NOT THE CASH RIGHT, THAT YOU HAVE AVAILABLE TO SPEND. JUST THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOUR ASSETS AND YOUR LIABILITIES. UH, AND THEN YOU INCREASE THAT NET POSITION THIS YEAR. UH, SO YOUR REVENUES EXCEEDED YOUR EXPENSES BY ABOUT 17 MILLION. AND AGAIN, THAT'S ACROSS ALL OF YOUR FUNDS. BUT I THINK WHAT YOU ALL ARE MORE APT TO SEE IN THE BUDGET PROCESS AND MONTHLY FINANCIALS AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, OR YOUR FUND LEVEL INFORMATION, MORE SPECIFICALLY YOUR GENERAL FUND, UH, AND GENERAL FUND LOOKS PRETTY GOOD. I MEAN, 23 MILLION IN FUND BALANCE YOUR ASSETS, UH, DEFINITELY EXCEED YOUR LIABILITIES. UH, WE INCREASED FUND BALANCE THIS YEAR BY ABOUT 11 MILLION. UH, AND, AND ONE OF THE MORE COMMON QUESTIONS I GET IS, HOW HEALTHY ARE WE AS A CITY? AND, AND AN AUDIT'S NOT DESIGNED TO TELL YOU HOW HEALTHY YOU ARE, BUT THERE ARE CERTAIN METRICS THAT YOU CAN LOOK AT TO KIND OF GAUGE THAT HEALTH. AND ONE OF THOSE IS, IS HOW MANY MONTHS OF EXPENDITURES DO YOU HAVE IN FUND BALANCE? UH, YOU ALL ARE RIGHT AROUND SEVEN MONTHS. THAT'S A GREAT PLACE TO BE FOR A JUNE 30 YEAR END. UH, THE OTHER PLACE I LIKE TO LOOK IS LIQUIDITY. SO HOW MANY TIMES COULD YOU PAY YOUR CURRENT LIABILITIES, THE, UH, VENDOR INVOICES THAT ARE DUE, YOUR PAYROLL THAT'S COMING DUE? HOW MANY TIMES COULD YOU PAY THOSE WITH THE CURRENT ASSETS THAT YOU HAVE AVAILABLE TO YOU AT JUNE 30? YOU GOT, YOU COULD HAVE DONE IT ABOUT FOUR AND A HALF TIMES. SO THAT'S A GOOD LIQUID POSITION TO BE IN AS WELL. AND I'M MORE [00:15:01] OF A PICTURES THAN WORDS ON A PAGE. SO THIS GRAPH IS, IS REALLY TELLING OF, OF THE GROWTH OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST FIVE YEARS, UH, WE WERE LOOKING AT ABOUT 12 AND A HALF MILLION OF GENERAL FUND REVENUES IN 2020. WE'RE UP OVER 30 MILLION, UH, AS OF FISCAL YEAR 2024. AND OBVIOUSLY YOU CAN SEE THE EXPENDITURES GROW ALONG WITH THAT. AND FUND BALANCE HAS REALLY TRENDED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AS WELL. HAD A LITTLE DIP LAST YEAR, UH, BUT CERTAINLY REBOUNDED VERY WELL, UH, FOR FISCAL YEAR 24. SO A GOOD LOOKING, UH, HISTORIC FIVE YEAR HISTORICAL GRAPH OF YOUR, YOUR KIND OF YOUR P AND L AND YOUR FUND BALANCE OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST FIVE YEARS. A FEW OTHER ITEMS OF NOTE REINVESTED IN THE CITY BY ABOUT 11.2 MILLION IN THE FORM OF, OF CAPITAL ASSET ADDITIONS. UH, HAD TO RECOGNIZE ABOUT 3.3 MILLION IN DEPRECIATION EXPENSE THIS YEAR. AND, UH, PAY DOWN ABOUT 2 MILLION IN DEBT AND YOUR NET PENSION LIABILITY. SO YOUR, YOUR RETIREE BENEFITS THAT YOU'RE PAYING, UH, TO, FOR THE SCRS. AND, AND THEN, AND THE PORS UH, INCREASED ABOUT 1.9 MILLION AGAIN THIS YEAR. SO Y'ALL ARE UP TO ABOUT, I THINK, 14.7 MILLION IN THAT NET PENSION LIABILITY. BUT AGAIN, THAT'S VERY LONG-TERM LIABILITY, NOT SOMETHING YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO PAY TOMORROW OR NEXT YEAR OR OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. SO, UM, IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST ALL THE, THE VALUE OR, OR THE LIABILITY THAT'S, THAT'S BEEN CALCULATED BY, BY THE ACTUARY OF THE PLAN TO LET YOU KNOW KIND OF WHAT THAT TRUE AMOUNT IS GONNA BE AT THIS POINT IN TIME THAT YOU'LL PAY OUT OVER THE COURSE OF MANY YEARS. FEW REQUIRED COMMUNICATIONS. AGAIN, UH, CLEAN OPINION. WE HAD THE ONE FINDING, UH, NO DIFFICULTIES IN DEALING WITH MANAGEMENT. NO DISAGREEMENTS WITH MANAGEMENT, YOU KNOW, UH, THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, GOOD TEAM, UH, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY GET US WHAT WE NEED WHEN WE NEED IT. CERTAINLY VERY REFRESHING FROM OUR STANDPOINT AS YOUR AUDITOR. UH, NO DISAGREEMENTS WITH MANAGEMENT. WE HAD NO UNCORRECTED MISSTATEMENTS. AND THEN JUST WANNA MAKE SURE YOU'RE AWARE WE'RE INDEPENDENT OF THE, OF THE CITY IN ACCORDANCE WITH ALL OF THE APPLICABLE STANDARDS OF OUR PROFESSION. A FEW NEW GAS BS THAT ARE GONNA GO INTO EFFECT OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS. WE'LL WORK WITH FINANCE ON THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THOSE. AND, UH, WE DO LOVE THAT, THAT THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT COMES TO SOME FREE CONTINUING EDUCATION THAT WE PROVIDE, UH, ONLY TO OUR CLIENTS. REALLY HAPPY TO HAVE THEM THERE AND, AND GLAD THAT THEY CAN TAKE PART IN THAT. AND THAT CONCLUDES WHAT I WANTED TO REPORT TO YOU ALL THIS EVENING. UH, IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE TO SERVE THE CITY AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING YOU ALL IN THE FUTURE. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BE HAPPY TO ANSWER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE'LL GO ACROSS THE BOARD AND SEE IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, MR. CARROLL. NO, SIR. UM, WE'VE HAD THIS AUDITING FIRM, WE'VE, UM, FAMILIAR WITH YOU AND, UM, AND, UM, WE GOT A LOT OF CONFIDENCE IN JOHN. SO I, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. MR. WHITE. DITTO. UH, THANKS SO MUCH. GOOD, GOOD REPORT IN TERMS OF UNDERSTANDABILITY. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU, MRS. GUZMAN. UM, SAME THING AS WHAT THEY SAID. , THAT'S CALLED DITTO. YOU GUYS, , YOU GUYS LEAVE NO PAGE UNTURNED, SO THAT'S GREAT. AND THEN ALSO KUDOS TO OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT FOR KEEPING ALL THEIR DUCKS IN A ROW. SO, MR. BOYLE, TO YOUR DEPARTMENTS, MR. MESMAN, WE'RE FORTUNATE TO HAVE, UH, THE FINANCIAL DEPARTMENT THAT WE HAVE AND TO HAVE THE AUDITING FIRM THAT WE HAVE TO PRESENT THESE DOCUMENTS THAT ARE UNDERSTANDABLE. AND YOU TAKE US THROUGH WHAT WE HAVE. UH, THE CITY OF HARDY'S, VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE ALL OF YOU INVOLVED WITH OUR FINANCES. THANK YOU. IT'S ALL BEEN SAID. THANK YOU FOR YOUR FINE WORK, UH, TO OUR STAFF, MR. BOYLE AND YOUR STAFF. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WELL DONE. OKAY, THANK YOU. NEXT, UM, BEFORE I INTRODUCE THIS, UH, DO WE HAVE HANDY A BOX OF TISSUES JUST IN CASE SOMEBODY STARTS CRYING? . OKAY. OKAY. OKAY. KEEP IT HANDY. WE MAY NEED IT. UM, NEXT IS THE BRIEFS TO CROSS AMERICA. MAYOR, MAYOR, MAYOR. POINT OF VOTER, PLEASE. I'M SORRY FOR THE AUDIT REPORT. I NEED A MOTION FOR YOU TO ACCEPT THE REPORT. OH, I'M SORRY. I'M TRYING TO, COULD I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE AUDITOR'S REPORT? MOTION TO ACCEPT THE AUDITOR'S REPORT. WE HAVE A MOTION. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? WE HAVE A MOTION. WE HAVE A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. OKAY, NOW [PUBLIC COMMENT] WE CAN GET THE TISSUES. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS A RE ACROSS AMERICA PROCLAMATION, WHICH AS WE KNOW, UH, THIS COMING SATURDAY IS THE NATIONAL, UH, DAY OF REESE RE ACROSS AMERICA. SO, UM, MAY I HAVE THE REPRESENTATIVES I SEE THERE ARE SEVERAL OF REESE ACROSS AMERICA, AND I WILL READ THIS PROCLAMATION AND ASK, COME [00:20:01] UP TO THE PODIUM. I'LL READ THE PROCLAMATION AND ASK THE COUNCIL TO ENDORSE IT. REEFS ACROSS AMERICA PROCLAMATION DESIGNATING DECEMBER 14TH, 2024, NATIONAL REEFS ACROSS AMERICA [C. WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA PROCLAMATION] DAY, WHEREAS REEFS ACROSS AMERICA IS A NATIONAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION. FOUNDED IN 2007 TO CONTINUE AND EXPAND THE ANNUAL WREATH LAYING CEREMONY AT NATIONAL, UH, ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, BEGUN BY MAINE BUSINESSMEN MERLE WORCESTER IN 1992. WHEREAS RES ACROSS AMERICA'S MISSION IS TO REMEMBER THE FALLEN HONOR THOSE WHO SERVE AND TEACH THE NEXT GENERATION ABOUT THE TRUE COST OF FREEDOM. WHEREAS RES ACROSS AMERICA IS MADE UP OF MORE THAN 4,700 PARTICIPATING LOCATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, RUN BY DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS LOOKING TO SHARE THE MISSION TO REMEMBER, HONOR AND TEACH THROUGH ANNUAL WREATH, LAYING CEREMONIES EACH DECEMBER AND AWARENESS AND EDUCATION EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. NOW, THEREFORE, I MAYOR HARRY WILLIAMS, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM DECEMBER 14TH, 2024 AS NA NATIONAL REEFS ACROSS AMERICA DAY IN THE CITY OF HARVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA, AND EXTEND THANKS AND APPRECIATION TO OUR VETERANS AND GOLD STAR FAMILIES FOR THEIR SERVICE AND SACRIFICE, AND TO RES ACROSS AMERICA FOR BRINGING THIS HONOR TO OUR COMMUNITY. UH, SO FIRST THING I'D LIKE TO DO, UH, I WOULD LIKE A MOTION TO ENDORSE THIS PROCLAMATION FROM COUNCIL. MR. MAYOR, I ENDORSE THIS PROCLAMATION. WE HAVE A MOTION. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. OKAY. SO WE'RE GONNA GO DOWN AND HAVE SOME PICTURE TAKEN AND GIVE THEM, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY SOMETHING, BUT I DO WANT THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THAT I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YEARS AGO, FOUR YEARS AGO, STEVE, 2020. 2020, UM, REEFS ACROSS AMERICA, HARDY V DID NOT EXIST. IT EXISTED IN JASPER COUNTY, OBVIOUSLY BEAUFORT COUNTY, AND IT'S PRETTY EXTENSIVE, BUT THE CITY OF HARDY VIEW AND ITS CEMETERIES WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THAT. THANKS TO THE GENEROUS VOLUNTEERISM OF THE TALBOT FAMILY, STEVE AND KATHY, THEY BROUGHT THIS WHOLE PROGRAM TO LIGHT. AND NOW, FROM WHAT STEVE HAD TOLD ME THE OTHER DAY, WE WILL HAVE SIX CEMETERIES AND 265 RES FROM WHAT WAS IN 20 20 0. AND THAT, THAT, THAT IS A CREDIT TO THE TALBOTS AND ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. AND, AND THERE'S AN EXTENSIVE ARRAY OF VOLUNTEERS THAT WILL GO LAY THESE 265 REEFS ON SATURDAY. SO, MY CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. DO YOU NEED THIS? UH, YEAH, . OKAY. SO BEFORE WE TAKE PICTURES, PLEASE TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SAY A FEW WORDS. THE MAYOR SAID, UM, WE STARTED IN 2020. UM, HOW IT STARTED WAS, I, I THINK IT WAS AT THE END OF A PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING, THE MAYOR ASKED ME, WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT RE ACROSS AMERICA? WELL, I HAD DONE IT WHEN I WAS STATIONED IN DC AND I HAD DONE IT AT BUFORD. SO I TOLD HIM, AND HE SAYS, WELL, I'D LIKE TO HAVE IT HAPPEN IN HARVILLE. I SAID, HARRY, THAT'S GREAT. THAT'S A GREAT IDEA. HE LOOKS AT ME, HE SAYS, MAKE IT HAPPEN. . SO I WAS VOLUNTEERED. , LIKE THE ARMY DRAFTED. YEAH, DRAFTED. I WOULD, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL BECAUSE YOU FOLKS HAVE TOTALLY BEEN BEHIND ME IN THIS. UM, I TELL PEOPLE IT'S NOT MY PROGRAM, IT'S A CITY PROGRAM. I JUST ADMINISTER IT FOR THE CITY. AND YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN BEHIND ME. I 100%, UM, ALL THE DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY HAVE SUPPORTED ME AND, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU. COUNSEL, LET'S, UH, GET A PHOTO OFF. THERE'S TWO. WE DON'T NEED TO BE IN THAT GUYS. NO, YOU DO. NO, IF I HAVE TO, NO. YES. GET NEXT TO YOUR HUSBAND. THREE [00:25:02] THIS WAY A LITTLE BIT HERE. GOOD JOB. GREAT. I WILL ADD ONE. I WILL ADD ONE MORE THING. I GOT EVEN WITH THE MAYOR. I APPOINTED HIM TO OUR BOARD DIRECTORS THIS YEAR. YOU DID? ALRIGHT. OKAY. NEXT WE HAVE THE PRESENTATION AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM THE NOVEMBER 21ST, 2024 [VII. PRESENTATION & APPROVAL OF MINUTES] REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING. WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE, DISAPPROVE, OR MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THE MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 21. MR. MAYOR, I MAKE [A. NOVEMBER 21, 2024, REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING] A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE, UM, NOVEMBER 21ST, 24 REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING. MINUTES. WE HAVE A MOTION. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION. WE HAVE A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. NEXT WE GO INTO OLD BUSINESS. BUT BEFORE [VIII. OLD BUSINESS] I MOVE ON TO THIS, UM, THIS ITEM, I HAVE A, A SHORT PREPARED STATEMENT. WHEN I BECAME MAYOR, I VOWED TO MYSELF AND THE PUBLIC TO CHAIR PROFESSIONAL, CIVIL, AND RESPECTFUL MEETINGS IN MY EIGHT AND A HALF YEARS. I'VE MISSED THE MARK A FEW TIMES, BUT THERE ARE TWO MEETINGS THAT I PARTICULARLY REGRET. THE WORST WAS OCTOBER 22ND, AND NUMBER TWO WAS OCTOBER 24. BOTH INVOLVED THIS SOUTH POINT DEVELOPMENT BEFORE US. NOW I COULD TRY TO EXPLAIN THE REASONS FOR MY EMOTIONS AND ANGER REGARDING THIS PROJECT, BUT THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR IMPROPER BEHAVIOR. SO I OFFER MY APOLOGIES TO THE PUBLIC, OUR COUNCIL, OUR STAFF, AND THE APPLICANT FOR MY FAILURE TO LIVE UP TO THE STANDARDS THAT I EXPECT OF MYSELF. AND I PROMISE TO THE PEOPLE OF HARVILLE. THEREFORE, BECAUSE I'VE SHOWN REPEATEDLY THAT I CANNOT CONTROL THOSE EMOTIONS AND ANGER WITH THIS PROJECT, I PASSED THE GAVEL TO MAYOR PROM WHITE. AND MY LIST OF QUESTIONS, COUNCILWOMAN GUZMAN, I WILL SHUT MY MOUTH AND LISTEN TO THE COUNCIL DEBATE AND DECIDE I ONLY ASK THE CHAIR TO CALL FOR A ROLL CALL VOTE TO GIMME THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN MY VOTE IF NECESSARY ON THAT. EVERY, UH, THANK YOU, UH, GIVEN WHAT YOU SAID. WE STILL WANTED TO KNOW HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE YOU. WE APPRECIATE WHAT YOU HAD TO SAY. THANK YOU. UH, I JUST WANNA SAY SOMETHING BEFORE WE GET STARTED. I, IN SECOND GRADE, I HAD A TEACHER. HER NAME WAS MRS. WATSON, AND SHE TAUGHT ME HOW TO READ. SHE PRETTY GOOD. BUT ONE THING I FORGOT TO DO TODAY IS BRING MY READING GLASSES . AND SO I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT REGARDLESS OF HOW I SOUND TRYING TO READ THIS, AND I CAN'T USE ANYONE ELSE'S, UH, THAT I REALLY DO KNOW HOW TO READ. AND SO I APOLOGIZE FOR STRUGGLING THROUGH THIS, BUT THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. UH, AND I'M GONNA GET A NEW PAIR FOR CHRISTMAS. , ANY BOW? THANK YOU, JOHN. UM, I'M GONNA START NOW AND PLEASE BEAR WITH ME. SECOND READING OF THE ORDINANCE [A. SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO ADOPT A MASTER PLAN] OF THE CITY OF HARDY, SOUTH CAROLINA TO ADOPT A MASTER PLAN SUBMITTAL FOR THE TRACK OF LAND CONSISTING OF APPROXIMATELY 356.4 ACRES, KNOWN GENERALLY AS THE SOUTHPORT INFRASTRUCTURE MASTER PLAN LOCATED BETWEEN US HIGHWAY 2 78 I 95, AND JOHN SMITH ROAD TO INCLUDE PARCELS OH FOUR ONE DASH OH OH DASH OH THREE DASH 28 AND OH FOUR TWO DASH 0 4 2 19, LOCATED IN THE SOUTHPORT POINT PLANNED DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT. AND TO AMEND THE OFFICIAL ZONING MAP OF THE CITY OF HARDY V [00:30:01] TO INDICATE THAT PROPORTION SUBJECT TO THE MASTER PLAN. AND THIS REFERENCE POINT IS 2 0 2 4 DASH NINE DASH 18 A. AND AT THIS MOMENT WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS, UH, TURN THIS OVER TO JOSH AND LET YOU FOLLOW UP. THANK YOU, JOSH. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM WHITE. UM, THIS MATTER ORIGINALLY APPEARED ON COUNCIL'S AGENDA AT FIRST READING AT THE END OF OCTOBER. AT THAT MEETING, UH, IT WAS CARRIED OVER UNTIL THIS MEETING TONIGHT. IN THE INTERVENING WEEKS, STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING TO MEET WITH BOTH THE MAYOR AND ALL MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, UH, WITH THE INTENT OF DEVELOPING A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS RELATED TO THIS PARTICULAR APPLICATION. UM, THE COUNCIL MET EARLIER THIS EVENING TO REVIEW RESPONSES FROM THE APPLICANT REGARDING THOSE LIST OF CONCERNS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. THAT DISCUSSION HAS RESULTED IN A NUMBER OF ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS BEING RAISED. AND RATHER THAN TRYING TO HASH THROUGH THOSE THIS EVENING, THE THOUGHT WAS IT MAY BE BENEFICIAL TO LOOK AT SCHEDULING A WORKSHOP WHERE WE CAN GET THIS CRITICAL INFORMATION OUT TO THE PUBLIC, BUT ALSO DO IT IN A MEANINGFUL AND PRODUCTIVE MANNER WITH AN IDEA THAT IT THEN APPEARS ON YOUR NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED, UH, COUNCIL MEETING IN JANUARY, WHICH I BELIEVE WOULD BE THE JANUARY 16TH MEETING. GIVEN THAT THE JANUARY 2ND MEETING IS GONNA BE PURELY ADMINISTRATIVE IN NATURE. AND SO, UM, WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO COUNSEL, BUT THAT IS WHERE WE STAND WITH THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE. VERY GOOD. UM, WHAT I'M GONNA DO IS ASK EACH OF YOU, STARTING WITH YOU, STEVE, TO GO DOWN THIS WAY AND JUST ADDITIONAL COMMENTS, THINGS YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE, ET CETERA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. UH, MY COMMENT IS, IS THE STAFF, THE DEVELOPER, THE COUNCIL, WE'VE ALL PUT A LOT OF WORK INTO THIS TO GET US TO THIS POINT. AND I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY FOR DOING THAT. IT'S AN IMPORTANT PROJECT. THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS, UM, BUT WE STILL NEED SOME ANSWERS AND WE NEED THE PUBLIC INPUT FOR THAT. WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO TABLE 2024 DASH NINE DASH 18 A TO THE, TO THE JANUARY 16TH AND 2025 MEETING WITH A WORKSHOP TO BE SCHEDULED PRIOR TO THE MEETING. I SECOND THAT. I SECOND THAT. WE HAD A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. MOTION'S BEEN TABLED. MR. MAYOR, IF I WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAND IT BACK TO ME NOW I'M GOING TO GIVE IT BACK TO YOUR CAPABLE HANDS AND MY ILA GLASSES. . OKAY. UH, WE GO ON TO NEW BUSINESS AND IT'S A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF HARDY [IX. NEW BUSINESS] V. SOUTH CAROLINA CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO HIRE A GENERAL CONTRACTOR TO CONSTRUCT VARIOUS PARKING LOTS AND SIDEWALKS. THIS IS, UH, RESOLUTION 2024 DASH 12 DASH 12 A. UM, MR. GRUBER, PLEASE? [A. RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF HARDEEVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA, CITY] YES. SO, MR. MAYOR, THIS IS A, A PROJECT THAT WE'RE BRINGING BEFORE YOU FOR CONSIDERATION TONIGHT. IT IS A CONGLOMERATION OF SEVERAL PROJECTS THAT WERE EITHER PREVIOUSLY INCLUDED IN BUDGETS THAT WERE ADOPTED BY THE CITY OR IN YOUR CURRENT BUDGET. ULTIMATELY, STAFF WENT OUT TO BID ON THIS PROJECT. THOSE NUMBERS HAVE COME BACK IN, UH, SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN THE AMOUNT OF FUNDS THAT WE HAVE ON HAND. AND WE'RE ALSO DEALING WITH AN ANCILLARY ISSUE WITH REGARDS TO TIMING, UM, AS IT PERTAINS TO THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT FUNDS THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. AND SO, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER HERE IN A MINUTE TO JODY, SHE'S GONNA KIND OF WALK YOU THROUGH THAT, BUT I WANTED TO GIVE YOU A, A PREVIEW OF WHAT WE'RE BRINGING BEFORE YOU AND WHY AS WE DISCUSS THIS MATTER THIS EVENING. JODY, GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL MAYOR. GOOD EVENING. SO I'M EXCITED TO BRING THIS INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT FORWARD. IT WILL RELIEVE A LOT OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE'RE HAVING HERE IN THE CITY WITH REGARD TO PARKING. UM, IT'S BEEN IN THE DESIGN FOR ALMOST A YEAR NOW. AND SO I I'M GONNA START OFF BY GIVING YOU A SUMMARY IF THIS WILL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. UM, I DON'T KNOW THE POINTER'S WORKING, BUT IT'S NOT OKAY, THERE WE GO. SO OUR PRIORITY TONIGHT IS TO REQUEST AN APPROVAL TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH THE LOW BID CONTRACTOR APAC ATLANTIC. THAT WOULD BE A NOT TO EXCEED TOTAL OF 2.2 5 2 8 9 5. UM, HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PROJECT [00:35:02] CURRENTLY IN THE FISCAL YEAR 25. OUR FUNDS ARE INSUFFICIENT TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO. UH, BIDS ARE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN THE 2020 TO THREE ESTIMATES THAT WERE DONE A YEAR AGO. INFLATION IS PART OF IT, BUT STORM WATER INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS ARE ABOUT 28% OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE PROJECT. AND WE'RE GETTING EVERYTHING INTO COMPLIANCE WITH OUR NEW MZDO. SO THIS INCLUDES DOING PARKING LOTS THAT HAVE CURB AND GUTTER AND STORMWATER INLETS, UH, PROPER DRAINAGE. SO AS OUR CITY MANAGER MENTIONED, THE ARPA FUNDS MUST BE CONTRACTED BY DECEMBER 31ST OF THIS YEAR. IT'S A USE IT OR LOSE IT, AND WE PROPOSE TO ROLL SOME OF THOSE FUNDS INTO HELPING PAY FOR THESE PROJECTS. UM, WE WANNA COMPLETE AS MUCH WORK AS POSSIBLE WITH THE EXISTING FUNDS, AND WE WILL, OF COURSE REQUIRE COMING BACK TO ASK FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDS BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE WANNA DO. SO IF WE CAN EITHER DO THAT DURING FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET, OR WE CAN DO A BUDGET AMENDMENT, UM, THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE DECIDED TONIGHT. UM, FUNDING THAT WAS IDENTIFIED FOR OUR BOYD STREET PROJECT AND OUR, UM, PUBLIC WORKS LOT, WHICH IS A PARKING LOT. THOSE WERE IDENTIFIED IN OUR FISCAL YEAR, 23 AND 24 BUDGETS. HOWEVER, THOSE DID NOT GET CARRIED FORWARD IN THE 25 BUDGETS. UM, THEY GOT MOVED INTO RESERVE FUNDS BECAUSE THE DESIGN WASN'T COMPLETE. SO, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. I DON'T KNOW WHY THIS ISN'T WORKING, BUT I'M GETTING THE POINTER. I'M JUST NOT GETTING IT. TO GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, JUST WANTED TO REITERATE THAT WE HAVE TO USE THOSE ARPA FUNDS BY DECEMBER 31ST, 2024. AND THE SUMMARY PAGE. SO THERE'S FOUR DIFFERENT LOCATIONS WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT. THE FIRST ONE IS OUR REC CENTER, PHASE TWO. OF COURSE, EVERYONE KNOWS THAT ANY GIVEN EVENT OR TIME DURING THE DAY WHEN YOU HEAD DOWN TO THE REC CENTER, WE ARE OUT OF PARKING. UH, THE REAR LOT OF THAT REC CENTER WAS VALUE ENGINEERED OUT OF PHASE ONE. AND SO THIS IS BRINGING IN PHASE TWO, ADDING THAT PARKING BACK. THE SECOND LOCATION IS THE BOYD STREET SIDEWALK, WHICH YOU ALL ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH. AND THEN THE THIRD LOCATION IS OUR PUBLIC WORKS BUILDING PARKING LOT. IT'S CURRENTLY A GRAVEL LOT. AND THEN THE FOURTH LOCATION IS EVERYTHING BEHIND US IN THE REC CENTER OR RECREATION COMPLEX, THE RICHARD GRAY COMPLEX, WHICH THERE'S MULTIPLE DIFFERENT PROJECTS WITHIN THAT COMPLEX. AND I'LL, I'LL BREAK IT DOWN FOR YOU SO YOU HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING. SO WE ARE REPAVING SOME OLD PARKING LOTS AND THEN WE ARE UPGRADING SOME EXISTING BROKEN SIDEWALKS, BUT THEN WE'RE INSTALLING SOME NEW PARKING LOTS AND INSTALLING NUDE SIDEWALKS. SIDEWALKS THAT DON'T EXIST. SO LOCATION ONE, IF YOU SEE IN THE AERIAL HIGHLIGHTED IN RED, THAT'S WHAT'S EXISTING. AND THAT WAS WHAT WAS VALUE ENGINEERED OUT OF THE PROJECT BACK WHEN THE REC CENTER WAS BUILT. SO WHAT OUR ENGINEER HAS DESIGNED HERE, WE'LL ADD 126 ADDITIONAL SPACES, FIVE 80 A COMPLIANCE SPACES. AND, UM, OF COURSE WE'RE GOING TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH OUR NEW MZDO WITH THE ISLANDS FOR LANDSCAPING CURB AND GUTTER AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT I TALKED ABOUT EARLIER. LOCATION NUMBER TWO, EVERYONE IS FAMILIAR WITH OUR BOYD STREET SIDEWALK. IT'S CONNECTED HERE AT MARTIN. SO ACROSS FROM WHERE THE SHERIFF SIT, OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT SITS HERE. THE START OF THE SIDEWALK IS HERE AND ALL THE WAY DOWN TO WHERE WE NEED TO CONNECT IT. I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT. THIS ALSO INCLUDES ADDING A THREE-WAY STOP SIGN AT ALMER ROAD TO REDUCE THE SPEED ON THAT ROAD. AND THEN LOCATION NUMBER THREE. OH, IT'S THINKING IT DOESN'T WANNA, OKAY. OUR PUBLIC WORKS BUILDING. SO CURRENTLY YOU CAN SEE THAT WE HAVE A DIRT OR GRAVEL AREA AND EVERYTHING HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW WILL BE PAVED. WE'RE ADDING EXTRA LONG SPACES HERE FOR SOME OF OUR PUBLIC WORKS FOLKS WHO COME IN WITH A TRAILER THAT THEY'RE TOWING SO THAT THEY CAN PARK THERE FOR LUNCH OR MEETINGS THAT THEY MAY NEED TO ATTEND. AND THEN IN THE BACK, THIS IS REINFORCED CONCRETE FOR OUR ROLL OFFS AND HEAVY DUMPSTERS. AND THEN OUR CDL DRIVERS THAT WORK WITH THE TCL PROGRAM PARK HERE. UM, THIS IS A MUCH NEEDED PROJECT THAT ADDS 28 PARKING STALLS, TWO 80 COMPLIANCE SPACES. AND OF COURSE, UM, WE LOOK LIKE A A USED CAR LOT DOWN THERE WITH SO MANY PEOPLE WORKING OUT OF THAT BUILDING CURRENTLY. SO IT'S A, A MUCH NEEDED PROJECT. UM, NEXT SLIDE IS LOCATION NUMBER FOUR. SO THE PRIMARY FOCUS IS NEXT TO OUR BASKETBALL COURT [00:40:01] RIGHT HERE, THIS DIRT OR GRASS AREA THAT YOU'LL SEE HERE. THIS, UM, THIS PARKING FINISHES OFF WHAT WE'RE DOING NEXT TO OUR JUJU HUDSON PLAYGROUND AND INCORPORATES SOME OF THAT, UM, NEW SIDEWALK THAT WOULD GO IN FRONT THAT MATCHES WHAT WE'VE PLACED IN FRONT OF THE DOG PARK. YOU'LL HAVE A ONE WAY IN DRIVE LANE WITH SOME DIAGONAL PARKING AND THEN A ONE WAY DRIVE LANE TOWARDS THE BACK THAT, THAT BRINGS THE FLOW OUT TO OUR ROUNDABOUT. SO IT GIVES MULTIPLE EXITS OR THEY CAN GO BACK INTO THIS PARKING LOT FOR OVERFLOW. ORIGINALLY WE HAD PROPOSED THAT WE WOULD ALSO DO THE RANDALL STREET PARKING THAT IS CURRENTLY GRASS. UM, THE RED INDICATES A BRIDGE FOR PEDESTRIANS TO WALK ACROSS FOR CONNECTIVITY SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO COME OUT ONTO THE ROAD DURING THOSE EVENTS WHEN WE HAVE A LOT OF CARS BACK THERE. UM, ADDITIONALLY THERE IS A SIDEWALK THAT'S PROPOSED THAT TAKES EVERYONE TO OUR NEW TRAIL. SO THIS IS A VERY NEEDED SPACE. UM, THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS OUR EXISTING PARKING LOT BEHIND OUR CONCESSION STANDS. THAT IS PAVED, BUT IT'S OLD, IT'S BROKEN AND IT NEEDS REDONE. SO IN REDOING THAT PARKING LOT, WE WOULD ADD THE, UH, MCDO COMPLIANCE FOR THE LANDSCAPE ISLANDS AND OF COURSE, CURB AND GUTTER AND THE DRAINAGE THAT'S NECESSARY. SO THIS IS 118 STALLS FOR A DA COMPLIANT. THE NEXT LOCATION IS GETTING OUR A DA COMPLIANCE NEXT TO OUR FOOTBALL FIELD. WE DO NOT HAVE A SIDEWALK THAT TAKES US TO THE GRANDSTANDS. AND THIS LANE RIGHT HERE IS CURRENTLY USED FOR AMBULANCE, BUT IT'S GRAVEL. SO IT'S PROPOSED TO PAVE THAT AND OF COURSE EXTEND THAT SIDEWALK. ALSO, I HAVE IT HIGHLIGHTED DOWN HERE IN THE YELLOW. WE HAVE SOME CONCRETE THAT'S BROKEN THERE THAT WE WERE GONNA FIX ALONG WITH THESE TWO AREAS. UM, THIS, WHOOPS, IT'S SKIPPING 'CAUSE I PUSHED UP TOO MANY. OKAY. SO OUR REC CENTER COMPLEX LOCATION, WE HAVE A LOT THAT WE WANNA DO BACK THERE AND WE WERE TRYING TO BREAK THAT DOWN IN PRIORITIES BECAUSE THAT'S THE BULK OF WHAT, UM, THE BID CONSISTS OF. IT'S $3.1 MILLION TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR. BUT IF WE WERE TO ASK TO START WHAT WE CAN WITH THE FUNDING THAT'S AVAILABLE, WE BELIEVE OUR MOST IMPORTANT AREA IS BEHIND THE JUJU HUDSON PLAYGROUND AREA NEXT TO THE BASKETBALL COURT AND THE DOG PARK. AND THEN WE PRIORITIZE REPAVING THE EXISTING LOT AS OUR NUMBER TWO LOCATION. AND THEN OF COURSE THE A DA COMPLIANCE SIDEWALK TO THE FOOTBALL SPECTATOR STANDS AND THE AMBULANCE DRIVEWAY. AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, RANDALL STREET, WHICH IS OUR GRASS LOT, WOULD BE OUR FOURTH PRIORITY IN THAT AREA. WE RECEIVED TWO BIDS. UH, THE FIRST BIDDER IS APAC ATLANTIC AND THEY ARE THE LOW BID. AND THE SECOND ONE IS PKA INTERNATIONAL. WE HAVE DONE WORK WITH BOTH OF THESE FIRMS. PKA PERFORMED THE TRAIL PROJECT FOR US BEHIND THE BALL FIELDS AND APAC HAS WORKED ON BROOKS WILLIS DRIVE AND MOST RECENTLY ON ARGENT AT THE NEW RIVER INTERSECTION. SO IT'S A DRASTIC DIFFERENCE AS YOU CAN SEE OVER $2.1 MILLION DIFFERENCE. AND, UM, THE, UH, THE ENGINEER AND I, WHICH I HAVE HIM HERE TONIGHT FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE, UH, WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH SOME OF THE NEGOTIATIONS ON HOW THESE NUMBERS ARE SO FAR APART, BUT, UM, REALLY NOT SOMETHING THAT WE WANTED TO DISCUSS TONIGHT. JUST LETTING YOU KNOW THAT THERE IS SOME POTENTIAL NEGOTIATION THERE. UH, THE FUNDING THAT WE HAVE TODAY, WHAT'S HIGHLIGHTED IN GREEN IS WHAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE, THE 2.252 AND OF COURSE THE ACTUAL EXPENSES BEING BEYOND WHAT WE HAVE, WE HAVE A DEFICIT OF $2.8 MILLION IN ORDER TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE ASKING TO DO. I WAS SAYING EARLIER THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING AND THEN OUR TIMELINE, IF YOU WERE TO APPROVE THIS TONIGHT, UH, WE COULD START CONSTRUCTION ON BOYD STREET IN JANUARY, FEBRUARY. WE WOULD START AT THE REC CENTER AND THEN APRIL MAY WE WOULD MOVE DOWN TO THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. AND THEN IN JULY WHEN WE GET CLOSER TO THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR BUDGET AND WE RECEIVE A LITTLE ADDITIONAL FUNDING, WE COULD DO MORE BACK HERE IN THE RICHARD GR COMPLEX. SO, WHOOPS, I WENT PAST THAT. OKAY, WELL IN CLOSING, WE WERE ASKING THAT YOU APPROVE THE $2.2 MILLION THAT WE'RE TRYING TO CONTRACT WITH APAC ATLANTIC. AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M [00:45:01] HAPPY TO ANSWER 'EM. OKAY. LET'S START WITH MR. MESMAN. CAN YOU GO BACK TO THIS SLIDE FOR, UM, RICHARD GRAY COMPLEX? MY CONCERN ABOUT THAT IS HOW MANY ADDITIONAL A DA PARKING SPACES ARE WE ADDING THROUGH THIS PROJECT? OKAY. THROUGH ALL OF IT TOGETHER. IT'S SHORT DOWN THERE NOW, SO I DON'T HAVE THAT EXACT NUMBER, BUT IF WE HAVE FOUR IN WHAT'S EXISTING, AND I KNOW THAT WE'VE ADDED A FEW WITH THE JUJU HUDSON PHASE TWO PROJECT, WHICH IS NOT BEING SHOWN HERE BECAUSE THAT'S A SEPARATE PROJECT FROM HERE. I WANNA SAY THE SIX THAT WE ADDED ALONG THE SIDE OVER HERE FOR THE A DA COMPLIANCE, THAT WOULD BE 10 RIGHT THERE AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE BALL FIELDS. OKAY. AND THEN ON THIS SIDE, LET ME GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. I THINK IT'S HIGHLIGHTED. HMM. SORRY, BEAR WITH ME. NO, I DIDN'T DO THE, THE OFFICIAL COUNT ON THAT, BUT, UM, I KNOW A MINIMUM 10. AND THEN WE WOULD ADD AT LEAST THREE HERE AND POSSIBLY, I MEAN, THIS DOESN'T REALLY GET UED COMPLIANCE BACK HERE, BUT, UM, MINIMUM 13, JODY, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT PROPOSING TO MOVE FORWARD OR GO UNDER CONTRACT FOR ALL THESE. YEAH. LET, LET'S, WE'LL PUT AN ASSESSMENT TOGETHER FOR WHAT EXISTING SPACES ARE THERE AND THEN WHAT ADDITIONAL SPACES WOULD BE ADDED IF THIS ITEM IS APPROVED UP TO THE AMOUNT THAT'S BEEN REQUESTED. AND WE'LL SEND THAT TO YOU FOLLOWING THIS MEETING. OKAY. THANK YOU. UM, MY OTHER QUESTION IS, IS REGARDING IF WE APPROVE AND AS WE MOVE AHEAD WITH, UH, THE RICHARD GRAY COMPLEX, THE WORK THAT COULD BE POSSIBLY SCHEDULED THERE, AND YOU HAVE YOUR TIMELINE THERE. HOW DOES THAT WORK OUT WITH THE EXISTING FESTIVALS AND THINGS THAT ARE, ARE PLANNED FOR RICH? FOR RICHARD GRAY? YES. THE, THE LOGISTICS OF THAT WOULD ALL BE COORDINATED. I'M A HUNDRED PERCENT CERTAIN THAT'S AT THE TOP OF OUR LIST. YEAH. , BECAUSE THAT GOES BACK TO YOUR PRIORITY. MM-HMM . MY PERSONAL FEELING IS THAT I FEEL THESE IMPROVEMENTS AT THE RICHARD GRAY COMPLEX SHOULD TAKE PRIORITY OVER WHAT WE'RE DOING AT PUBLIC WORKS. THAT'S, THAT'S JUST HOW MY FEELING IS. I BELIEVE THE REC CENTER IS A PRIORITY AND I BELIEVE BOYD STREET. YES. BUT THESE ARE THE REC CENTER AND THIS IS OUR SHOWCASE. THIS IS WHAT OUR PUBLIC COMES TO SEE. THIS IS WHAT THEY VIEW MORE OFTEN. AND TO ME, THEY WILL SEE THIS AND THEY THINK THAT THEY'RE GETTING A BETTER BANG FOR THEIR BUCK WITH THE TAX MONEY. I UNDERSTAND. YEAH. OUR PRIORITIES CAN ABSOLUTELY BE ADJUSTED. THANK YOU. SO THAT'S A DISCUSSION FOR LATER. MM-HMM . THAT'S ALL. MS. GUZMAN? UM, I JUST HAVE ONE SIMPLE QUESTION. SURE. UM, HE'S BAD. NONE OF THIS IS SIMPLE. I KNOW , UM, WEATHER EVENTS LIKE, LIKE WE EXPERIENCED SOME REALLY BAD COLD NIGHTS AND DAYS. WILL THAT AFFECT THE PROJECT? YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I KNOW IT HAS TO BE A CERTAIN TEMPERATURE BEFORE YOU CAN POUR THE ASPHALT AND DO ROAD WORK AND STUFF LIKE THAT IF IT WERE TO GET DELAYED. DO WE, ARE WE ON THE HOOK? UM, SO YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. ALL WEATHER EVENTS WILL DELAY ASPHALT OR COMPACTION OR, UM, WE HAVE TO HAVE THE ASPHALT, A CERTAIN TEMPERATURE TO POUR. UH, FORTUNATELY HERE IN THE LOW COUNTRY, WE DON'T GET A TON OF FREEZING DAYS AND A LOT OF THE PAVING WORK DOES HAPPEN IN THE COOLER MONTHS. SO THEY HAVE WAYS TO HEAT THE TRUCK MM-HMM . UM, BUT WATER IS SOMETHING THAT'S A LITTLE BIT TRICKIER. SO YES, WE WOULD BUILD CONTINGENCY, CONTINGENCY TIMEFRAMES INTO OUR TIMELINE AND THAT WOULD BE FLOATED OUT. SO JODY, IF I UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS CORRECTLY, WE WILL ISSUE A NOTICE TO PROCEED TO THE CONTRACTOR. YES. THAT NOTICE TO PROCEED WILL TYPICALLY HAVE A TIMELINE ASSOCIATED WITH IT THAT SAYS, YOU'LL START HERE, YOU'LL END HERE. MM-HMM . BUT THEY HAVE PROTECTIONS BUILT IN THAT IF CERTAIN THINGS SUCH AS WEATHER EVENTS ARE TRIGGERED, IT CAN EXTEND THAT END DATE AS FAR AS THE TIMELINE GOES. OTHERWISE WE JUST WANNA IMPRESS UPON THEM THAT THEY HAVE TO HAVE THE WORK COMPLETED ALONG WITH THAT SCHEDULED TIMELINE. AND THAT EXTENSION DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE PRICE IS GONNA GO OFF. NO, IT'S, IT'S AUTOMATICALLY BUILT INTO THEIR CONTRACT. OKAY. ALRIGHT. RIGHT. WEATHER'S OUT OF OUR CONTROL SO THEY CAN'T HIT US FOR DELAY TIME ON THAT. RIGHT. OKAY. AND THAT'S THE ONLY QUESTION. YEP. THANK YOU. SURE. YOUR, UH, PRESENTATION MADE IT CLEAR THAT YOU CAN PAY ME NOW OR YOU CAN PAY ME LATER, SADLY. SORRY. LATER BECOMES A LOT MORE EXPENSIVE. AND, UH, AND SECOND, IF WE DO SOME OF THESE GROWTH AND COMPLIANCE ISSUES THAT YOU'VE OUTLINED, WILL THAT GIVE US SOME ELBOW [00:50:01] ROOM AND SOME, YOU KNOW, SOME GOOD, UH, PARKING SITUATION FOR A PERIOD OF TIME? IN OTHER WORDS, LOOKING OUT, IS THIS A YEAR SOLUTION? SIX YEAR AND A HALF? WHAT DO YOU THINK? YEAH, WELL, I MEAN, WHEN YOU ADD THE TOTAL NUMBER OF STALLS THAT WE'RE ADDING TO JUST THE RICHARD GRAY COMPLEX, WE'RE ABSOLUTELY DOING WHAT WE CAN FOR THAT GROWTH. DOES THAT MEAN THAT IT'S GONNA BE ENOUGH? I DON'T KNOW. OUR, OUR EVENTS ARE WILDLY POPULAR AND IT SEEMS THAT WE'RE GETTING MORE AND MORE PEOPLE BY THE YEAR. SO IT, IT'S GONNA HELP. IT'S NOT GONNA SOLVE THE PROBLEM. IT'S RIGHT. YEAH. WE'RE GONNA BE CREATIVE. WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO CONTINUE ON WITH FINDING OTHER PROPERTY OR, UM, OTHER SOLUTIONS. YEAH. GOOD THING TO HAVE. WELL, SOME PEOPLE SAY PARKING IS A GOOD PROBLEM TO HAVE, BUT THEN, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALSO A DANGEROUS PROBLEM. SO IT'S NOT AN EXCITING PROBLEM, BUT IT'S A PROBLEM THING. IT'S NOT AN EXCITING PROJECT. YES. . WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH MR. CARROLL. UM, YEAH. UM, THIS JEN JEN'S PROBLEM, SHE'S CAUSING US ALL THESE WITH THESE ALL JEN'S FAULT, BUT, UM, SUCCESSFUL AND I AGREE WITH, UM, WHAT STEVE SAID WITH A LITTLE BIT OF CAVEAT. UM, I THINK WE ALSO NEED TO WORRY ABOUT THE BOYD SPREE BECAUSE THAT HAS BEEN AS AMERICAN VAL FOR MANY YEARS. MANY YEARS. AND A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT IT. SO THAT SHOULD BE SOMEWHERE AFTER, UM, THE UM, RICHARD GRAY AND UM, REC CENTER. I UNDERSTAND. AND, AND ONE OF THE THINGS I WANNA HIGHLIGHT ABOUT HOW WE PRIORITIZE THAT IS IF I GO TO THE PAGE THAT SHOWS YOU THE EXPENSES, THE LOW LYING FRUIT LIKE BOYD STREET, WHICH IS $160,000, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO GET A PAVING CONTRACTOR TO COME IN HERE AND BID ON JUST THAT JOB. I SUCCESS THAT. AND SO WE'VE HAD TIME AND TIME AGAIN WHERE THAT'S BEEN DELAYED BECAUSE NOBODY WANTS THAT JOB. SO WE COUPLED IT WITH THESE LARGER PROJECTS TO GET THEM INTERESTED. AND SO THAT'S WHY WE PLACE THAT AT THE TOP OF THE LIST TO GET THEM STARTED. IT'S FULLY PERMITTED. IT'S KIND OF THE EASIEST PART OF THIS PROJECT. AND THEN THE PARKING LOT DOWN AT PUBLIC WORKS, GIVEN THAT IT'S A $490,000 PROJECT AND, UM, THAT RELIEVES A LOT OF THE STAFF PROBLEMS THAT YOU ARE PARKING RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE GETTING STUCK IN THE MUD AND IT'S YEAH. A LOT OF OVERFLOW. BUT WE WERE GOING SOMEWHAT TOP DOWN FROM YEAH. YOU KNOW, PRICE PERSPECTIVE. WELL, AND, AND JODY LET ME SPEAK TO, WE'VE PRESENTED WHAT WE, WE WOULD PROPOSE AS A PRIORITIZATION LIST. AND REALLY THAT PRIORITIZATION LIST IS BASED OFF OF WHAT WE CAN AFFORD TO PAY FOR WITH THE EXISTING BUDGETED FUNDS THAT ARE ON HAND. SO WE'VE GOT 2.2 MILLION BETWEEN ARPA AND EXISTING BUDGETED FUNDS THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THE, THE REC CENTER COMPLEX WITH ALL OF ITS COMPONENT PIECES. THAT ALONE WOULD BE MORE THAN WHAT WE WOULD HAVE FUNDING ON HAND FOR. AND SO WHAT THAT WOULD REQUIRE THEN IS EITHER A BUDGET AMENDMENT TO, UM, RESERVE FUNDS YEAH. YEAH. TO TRANSFER FUNDS EITHER FROM OTHER PROJECTS OR FROM THE RESERVE TO MAKE UP THAT DIFFERENCE. PART OF THE ISSUE THAT WE'RE GONNA RUN INTO WITH THAT IS THAT IT'S GONNA TAKE COUNSEL TWO READINGS AND PASS AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND ITS BUDGET. AND IF WE'RE NOT UNDER CONTRACT RIGHT BY THE END OF THIS CALENDAR MONTH, THE ARPA FUNDS THAT WE HAVE. AND SO, AND I'M GONNA APOLOGIZE THAT WE'RE BRINGING SOMETHING TO YOU AT THE 11TH HOUR RATHER THAN GIVING YOU A LOT MORE BUFFER PERIODS SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS. BUT WE ARE WHERE WE ARE IN TERMS OF IF WE'RE NOT UNDER CONTRACT AND HAVE OBLIGATED THOSE FUNDS, WE DO RISK LOSING THEM. SO THAT'S WHY WE'VE PROPOSED TO DO PROJECTS ONE, TWO, AND THREE. RIGHT. NOT BECAUSE WE THINK THEY'RE NECESSARILY ANY MORE OR LESS IMPORTANT THAN THE OTHER ONES. IT'S INTO THE BUDGET. IT'S JUST WHAT WE CAN AFFORD TO PAY FOR NOW WITHOUT ANY CHANGES. IT'S, IT'S AN EASIER WAY TO SCOPE THE PROJECT WITH THE NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE LONG CONTRACTOR. YEAH. JOHN, ANY MORE? NO FOR THAT. UM, SO BASED ON WHAT I'VE JUST HEARD, THEY'RE ONE, TWO AND THREE ARE, UH, ALMOST A, 1,000,009 LEAVING US WITH AN ADDITIONAL $300,000. CAN WE, OR IS THERE A PIECE OF RICHARD GRAY THAT'S $300,000 THAT WE CAN LUMP IN WITH, WITH ONE, TWO, AND THREE? THAT IS THE PLAN. AND WE'RE, WE'RE MEETING WITH APAC LAN ATLANTIC TO BREAK DOWN THOSE LOCATIONS WITHIN RICHARD GRAY TO GIVE US PRICE POINTS THAT WE CAN AFFORD WITH WHAT WE HAVE FOR FISCAL YEAR 25. YEP. AND HERE'S HOW WE WOULD PROPOSE TO DO IT. IF YOU COULD GO BACK TO THE SLIDE THAT BREAKS OUT ALL FOUR COMPONENTS. UM, YEAH. UM, YEAH. SO WE WOULD START A, AS JODY INDICATED WITH THE SCHEDULE OF GETTING THE BOYD STREET, THE, UH, [00:55:01] REC CENTER, AND THEN PUBLIC WORKS ALL GOING MM-HMM . ONCE WE KNOW THAT NONE OF THOSE PROJECTS ARE GONNA REQUIRE ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDING, BECAUSE AGAIN, UNTIL YOU START GETTING THE WORK DONE, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT MIGHT COME UP, UH, IN TERMS OF CHANGE ORDERS. BUT ASSUMING WE GET ALL THREE OF THOSE TO THE POINT WHERE WE FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT THEY'RE NOT GONNA REQUIRE ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDING, THE REMAINING BALANCE THAT WE WOULD HAVE, WE WOULD LOOK TO PUT IN PLACE THE PROJECTS THAT ARE LISTED HERE IN, IN THAT ORDER. UNLESS YOU TELL US THAT, SAY, NUMBER THREE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN NUMBER ONE. OTHERWISE WE, WE WILL START AT THE TOP OF THE LIST AND WE'LL START TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH AS MUCH AS WE CAN WITH THE REMAINING FUNDS THAT WE HAVE UP TO THAT NOT TO EXCEED VALUE OF 2.2 MILLION. RIGHT. RIGHT. SO CAN WE GO BACK TO THE, THE BREAKOUT OF BY, BY PROJECT THAT'S THIS WAY? THERE YOU GO. SO HERE'S, HERE'S A SECOND QUESTION I COULD, I COULD GIVE YOU. 'CAUSE I AGREE WITH JOHN AND STEVE THAT OF THE FOUR PRIORITIES, PUBLIC WORKS IS THE LEAST PRIORITY. IT'S GRAVEL, IT'S, BUT THERE'S PICKUP TRUCKS GOING IN THERE. IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT LIKE SEDAN MOSTLY. SO CAN WE TAKE THE MILLION FOUR, WHICH IS NUMBER ONE AND THREE, AND INSTEAD OF ONLY DEVOTING 300,000 TO FOUR, TAKE 800,000 TO FOUR AND PUT OFF THE, UM, PUT OFF PUBLIC WORKS, PUT THAT EXTRA $500,000 'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT MM-HMM . JOHN AND STEVE SAID MM-HMM . THAT THEY WANT, UH, THEY WANT, UM, THREE AND FOUR AS THE TOP TWO. SO THAT WAY PUBLIC WORKS CAN WAIT AND, AND, AND, UM, PUT THAT $500,000 TOWARDS, UH, AND THEN 800,000 APPROXIMATELY, WE'D GO TO RICHARD GRAY. YES. AND OF COURSE, WHATEVER PRIORITY LIST THAT YOU GIVE US OR DIRECTIVE YOU GIVE US, I WOULD BREAK THAT OUT WITH APAC ATLANTIC AND THEY'LL COME BACK AT, YES, MAYBE FOR $800,000 I CAN GET THE PARKING LOT NEXT TO JUJU HUDSON PARK NEXT TO THE BASKETBALL COURTS. MAYBE THAT'S WHAT I CAN ACCOMPLISH WITH THAT. SO, UM, UNTIL I GET THAT BREAKDOWN ON, AND UNFORTUNATELY THESE BIDS JUST CAME IN OVER THE HOLIDAY AND IT'S BEEN A TOUGH TIME TO GET THE COOPERATION FOR THESE BREAKDOWNS. SO I HAD HOPED TO GET THAT BEFORE TONIGHT, BUT I DIDN'T. YEAH. SO IN THIS APPROVAL IN OUR MOTION, DO WE APPROVE THE EXPENDITURE OF 2.2 AND THE PRIORITY LIST OR JUST, UH, WE JUST APPROVING 2.2? I I THINK THAT THE PRIORITY LIST CAN, CAN WAIT IF YOU WANT IT TO WAIT OR I WOULD NEED YOUR YEAH. IT, IT REALLY IS WHAT YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE IF, IF YOU WANNA EXPLICITLY STATE WHAT THE PRIORITY LIST IS AND MAKE IT PART OF YOUR MOTION, YOU CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT. LET'S DO THAT. OTHERWISE, I CAN TELL YOU WE'RE, WE'RE LISTENING TO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING TONIGHT, WE WILL MAKE SURE TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN, BUT THERE'S NO ISSUES WITH INCLUDING THAT AS PART OF YOUR MOTION. OKAY. OKAY. YOU OKAY? YEAH. OH BOY. YOUR CHAIR. SOMEBODY'S INITIATING OUR CITY MANAGER . MR. MAYOR, IF I MAY ASK A QUESTION THOUGH. YES. CAN WE, AS WE, WE TALK ABOUT THAT EXTRA, NOT EXTRA, BUT THE, THE UNALLOCATED FUNDS IN THERE, UM, THE PUBLIC WORKS PARKING LOT, IS THERE A TEMPORARY MEASURE, EVEN RE GRAVELING? I UNDERSTAND WE NEED A LOT OF WORK IN THERE, BUT EVEN GRAVEL OR SOMETHING TO MAKE IT LAST UNTIL WE CAN FIND THE FUNDS. I HAVE OUR, I HAVE OUR ENGINEER OF RECORD HERE. UM, I COULD ASK HIM TO COME TO THE PODIUM AND GIVE US AN IDEA ON WHAT HE WOULD DO CREATIVELY, BUT WE CAN ALSO GIVE THAT A COUPLE OF DAYS AND, AND SUBMIT SOMETHING TO YOU ON THAT. OKAY. YEAH. WELL, YEAH, I THINK WHAT WE CAN DO IS WE CAN SAY, LOOK, IF YOU WANT TO TELL US THAT YOUR PRIORITY LIST IS NUMBER THREE FIRST, NUMBER ONE, SECOND NUMBER FOUR, THIRD, AND NUMBER TWO FOURTH, WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO ACCOMPLISH AS MUCH WORK AS WE CAN UP TO THE DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT YOU, UH, AUTHORIZE IN THAT ORDER. AND SO IF THERE'S NOT MORE THAT WE CAN DO WITH THESE LARGE PROJECTS HERE AT THE RICHARD GRAY COMPLEX, AND WE CAN TAKE SOME OF THAT MONEY TO DO SOME OF THE IMPROVEMENTS IN PUBLIC WORKS, THAT'S WHAT WE'LL LOOK TO DO. THAT'S WHAT I WAS ASKING. YES. AND AT THE TIME OF NOTICE TO PROCEED, I WOULD HAVE THAT CLEARLY IDENTIFIED WITH OUR CONTRACTORS MM-HMM . SO YOU'LL HAVE THAT BREAKDOWN. SO I WOULD ASK COUNSEL TO PLEASE PUT THAT THE, THAT PRIORITY LIST WE DISCUSSED MM-HMM . UH, WHICH IS, UH, 3 1 4 2 MM-HMM . UM, AND INTO THE MOTION. BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, I'D LIKE TO OFFER THE PUBLIC A CHANCE TO [01:00:01] GIVE THEIR OPINION AS WELL. WOULD ANYBODY LIKE TO COME FORWARD? [PUBLIC COMMENT] AND I HAVE A QUESTION, I MAY HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD, SORRY, I MAY HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD WHAT JODI SAID, BUT THERE WAS SOME MONEY THAT WAS PUT IN, UH, TAKEN OUT OF THE BUDGET AND PUT INTO A RESERVE ACCOUNT MM-HMM . BECAUSE THE ENGINEERING WASN'T THERE FOR THOSE PROJECTS. HAS THAT BEEN INCLUDED IN THIS OR IS THAT MONEY THAT COULD BE ADDED TO THIS PROJECT WITH A BUDGET? YES. SO FROM A BUDGETING STANDPOINT, AT THE END OF A FISCAL YEAR, IF YOU HAVE UNSPENT FUNDS, YOU CAN DO ONE OF TWO THINGS. ONE IS YOU CARRY THOSE FUNDS OVER INTO A SUBSEQUENT BUDGET YEAR, OR IF YOU DON'T CARRY THEM FORWARD, THEY AUTOMATICALLY ROLL INTO YOUR RESERVE FUND. THAT'S RIGHT. IN THIS INSTANCE WITH THOSE TWO PROJECTS, THEY ROLLED INTO THE RESERVE FUND, SO WE COULD TAP INTO THOSE FUNDS, BUT IN ORDER TO DO THAT, WE WOULD HAVE TO ADOPT A BUDGET AMENDMENT OKAY. TO THEN TRANSFER THEM BACK OUT. BUT MY, THE BOTTOM LINE WAS MM-HMM . THE MONEY IS THERE. SO WHAT THE MONEY, THE ACTUAL MONEY IS THERE. THE MONEY IS THERE. SO, SO WHAT, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO PROBABLY LOOK AT DOING, SO WE'RE PROPOSING TO MOVE SOME ARPA FUNDS OVER TO COVER THAT MONEY NOW SO THAT WE CAN BE UNDER CONTRACT WHEN WE GO TO BUILD NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, WE MAY PROPOSE TO ROLL THOSE FUNDS OUT OF THE RESERVE BACK INTO THE PROJECTS. GOT IT. OKAY. THAT WAS MY ONLY QUESTION. THANK YOU. JUST FOR MY OWN CLARIFICATION, WHAT WE ARE APPROVING NOW IS I'M FINE WITH THAT. ALL OF THAT, OR I, I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE APPROVING $4,998,000. YOU'RE APPROVING THE 2.2 5 2 8 9 5 THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE IN THE FISCAL YEAR. YES. OKAY. THEN WE'RE ASKING YOU TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD TO FIGURE OUT THAT'S CORRECT. USING OF THAT MONEY. RIGHT. AND NOT ONLY WILL I GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD FOR, UM, ADDITIONAL FUNDS, BUT I'LL BE ASKING THE CONTRACTORS FOR SOME NEGOTIATIONS AND YEAH. UH, POTENTIAL CREATIVITY ON THOSE. AND WE'LL USE YOUR PRIORITIZATION LIST AS THE GUIDELINE ABOUT HOW WE YES. UTILIZE THOSE FUNDS. OKAY. THANK YOU. SO LET'S PUT THAT IN THE MOTION SO WE'RE ALL CLEAR THAT WE'RE AUTHORIZING AN EXPENDITURE OF 2.252 AND, UH, THE PRIORITY LIST IS, WHAT WAS IT? WHAT DID WE SAY? UM, 3 1 4, 2, 3, 1, 4, 2. SO THREE BEING THE HARDY RECREATION CENTER PARKING LOT PHASE TWO. YES. YES. BOYD STREET WOULD BE SECOND. AND THEN YOU START ON THE RECREATION COMPLEX AS, LET'S PUT THAT, WHOEVER MAKES THE MOTION, LET'S PUT THAT ALL IN THE MOTION. OKAY. YEP. ANYONE ELSE FROM THE PUBLIC? OKAY. OKAY. UH, I'D LIKE NOW A MOTION TO APPROVE, DISAPPROVE, OR MAKE ANY CHANGES. THIS IS, UM, THIS IS RESOLUTION 2024 DASH 12 DASH 12 A. GO AHEAD, STEVE. YOU WANNA TRY? YOU WANNA TRY IT? YEAH, I'LL TRY JOHN. OKAY. UM, I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 2024 DASH 12 DASH 12 A WITH THE PRIORITIZATION OF THE PROJECTS BEING NUMBER THREE, NUMBER ONE, NUMBER FOUR, NUMBER TWO, WITH THE INITIAL EXPENSE TO, UH, TO BE THE 2 MILLION, NOT TO EXCEED, NOT TO EXCEED $2,252,895. RIGHT. VERY GOOD. YES. WOW. THAT'S A MOUTHFUL. I SECOND THAT MOTION . THAT'S WHY I SECOND IT BIG. WE HAVE A MOTION, WE HAVE A SECOND. ARE THERE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS BY COUNCIL OR THE PUBLIC? I ACTUALLY HAVE A QUESTION, SIR, ACTUALLY, UM, IS IT A SIMPLE ONE? SIMPLE ONE. OKAY. UM, WITH THE PRIORITY GOING TO ONE, SO FORTH AND SO FORTH, WHAT BOTHERS ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT IS THE BOYD STREET SIDEWALK. YOU HAVE PEOPLE, YOU HAVE THE SAFETY OF PEOPLE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THEY DON'T HAVE A SIDEWALK. CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT. SO THEY'RE WALKING ON A STREET AND WITH TRAFFIC FLOWING AND ALL THAT. ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE THINGS I'D LIKE TO ALSO MENTION IS THAT APAC ATLANTIC HAS A LARGE ENOUGH CREW THAT SOME OF THIS WORK CAN BE DONE CONCURRENTLY. YES. OKAY. OKAY. YOU ALSO GO TO YOUR TIMELINE. YES. BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE PROPOSED TIMELINE, THE VERY FIRST PROJECT, THAT IT DOESN'T WANNA COME TO THE TIMELINE. IT JUST KEEPS JUMPING FROM 13 TO THERE. THERE WE GO. THANK YOU. VERY FIRST PROJECT THAT WE GET OUT THE GATE IS THE BOYD STREET PROJECT BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY CONCERNS THERE. YEAH. NOW WE'RE GONNA ADJUST THAT A LITTLE BIT BASED UPON YOUR PRIORITIZATION TONIGHT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE FIRST THING THAT WE'RE GONNA GET GOING WILL BE THE BOYD STREET PROJECT THAT'S BEEN ON THE BOARD A LONG TIME. YEAH. THAT'S BEEN ON AND THAT'S [01:05:01] AND IT IS THE FASTEST, EASIEST, YEAH. MM-HMM . SHORTEST TIMEFRAME. YEAH. OKAY. STAFF UNDERSTANDS OUR YEAH. WHAT WE'RE DOING. YES. OH YEAH. OKAY. MM-HMM . I'M GOOD. THANK YOU, SIR. OKAY. 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. AYE. OKAY. THANK YOU. WHEN'S IT GONNA BE FINISHED? ? NEXT WEEK. THEY'RE PROPOSING 30 TOTAL WEEKS. SO IT'S NOT A SHORT PROJECT. YEAH. HOW MANY WEEKS? 30. YEAH. OKAY. UH, NEXT WE HAVE THE CONSIDERATION OF DATE FOR FIRST REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING FOR 2025 [B. CONSIDERATION OF DATE FOR FIRST REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING] AS JANUARY 2ND, 2025. MR. GRUBER, PLEASE. YES, SIR. SO, IN RECOGNITION OF THE FACT THAT EVERY TWO YEARS THERE MAY BE NEW MEMBERS OF COUNCIL THAT NEED TO BE SWORN IN AND APPOINTED, UH, WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS TO HAVE THIS COUNCIL GO AHEAD AND SET THE FIRST MEETING DATE OF YOUR NEXT CALENDAR YEAR TONIGHT, WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT AT THAT FIRST MEETING, THEN AFTER ALL MEMBERS OF COUNCIL HAVE BEEN SWORN INTO THEIR NEW TERMS, UH, YOU WOULD TAKE UP AN ITEM TO APPROVE YOUR MEETING AGENDA FOR THE REMAINDER OF THAT CALENDAR YEAR. OKAY. THAT SEEMS PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD. UM, MR. COW, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO, SIR. I HAD TALKED WITH JOSH ABOUT THIS THE OTHER DAY AT OUR, ON A LITTLE MEETING, SO I UNDERSTAND. NO QUESTIONS MR. WHITE? NO QUESTIONS. MR. GUZMAN? NO QUESTIONS, SIR. MR. MESMAN? NO QUESTIONS. I HAVE NO QUESTIONS EITHER. UH, DOES THE PUBLIC HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. OKAY. SEEING NONE, I'D LIKE A MOTION TO APPROVE, DISAPPROVE, OR MAKE ANY CHANGES TO HAVING THE FIRST COUNCIL MEETING ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 2ND, 2025. SO MOVED. WE HAVE A MOTION? WE HAVE A SECOND. SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION? WE HAVE A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. A AYE. AYE. OKAY. UH, NEXT WE HAVE THE MANAGER'S REPORT. MR. GRUBER? YES, SIR. MR. [X. MANAGER’S REPORT] MAYOR, I'VE GOT TWO ITEMS, UH, THIS EVENING. FIRST, UH, MR. KYLE BLACKMAN, HE'S A STAFF MEMBER IN OUR BUILDING INSPECTION DEPARTMENT, HAS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED ALL FOUR RESIDENTIAL CODE CERTIFICATIONS AND HAS THEREFORE EARNED THE TITLE OF COMBINATION RESIDENTIAL INSPECTOR. IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US, UH, TO CONTINUE TO DEVELOP OUR, OUR CADRE OF PROFESSIONALS WITHIN THAT TEAM. THE MORE CERTIFICATIONS THEY GET, THE MORE PROJECTS THEY CAN TAKE ON IN TERMS OF BEING OUT IN THE FIELD AND HELPING US, UH, INSPECT ALL THE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S OCCURRING. AND SO VERY PROUD THAT HE WAS ABLE TO COM ACCOMPLISH THAT, AND HE WILL SOON BEGIN HIS COMMERCIAL INSPECTION CERTIFICATIONS IN THE COMING YEAR. UH, AND SO AGAIN, WE WANNA SUPPORT THAT, UH, BOTH INTERNALLY WITHIN THAT DEPARTMENT BECAUSE OF HOW IT HELPS US ULTIMATELY BE ABLE TO PROVIDE BETTER SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC. UH, AND THEN THE SECOND THING I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, THERE'S BEEN A NUMBER OF PUBLIC EVENTS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON. UH, BE IT THE TREE LIGHTING, BE IT THE PARADE, THE MARION MAIN, AND WANT TO, TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY CALL ATTENTION TO ALL THE GREAT WORK, UM, THAT JEN AND HER TEAM HAS DONE ALL THE GREAT WORK IN PUBLIC WORKS AND REALLY TO ALL OF OUR STAFF, BECAUSE THERE WAS A LOT OF VOLUNTEER HOURS THAT WENT INTO THIS FROM ACROSS A NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS. BUT REALLY WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR AN EXCELLENT JOB WELL DONE. YOU REPRESENT THIS CITY, UH, VERY WELL, AND YOU REALLY ALLOW US TO HAVE SOME GREAT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS, JAMES. OKAY. UH, WE GO TO COUNCIL AND WE WILL END THE YEAR WITH REVERSE ALPHABETICAL ORDER AND START WITH [XI. COUNCIL ISSUES AND CONCERNS] MR. WHITE. I REALLY, UH, DON'T HAVE ANY CONCERNS OR ANYTHING TO MENTION. UM, SO I'M GONNA JUST SAY IT WAS A GOOD YEAR. WE APPRECIATE ALL THE HELP, THE STAFF, THE PUBLIC, UM, AND THANK YOU. UH, AND WE HAVE A LOT TO DO NEXT YEAR, IT SOUNDS LIKE. AND SO, UH, TAKE A LITTLE BREAK AND THEN GET BUSY. AND JANA PARTICULARLY CONGRATULATIONS ON SOME NICE EVENTS THAT ALL OF US REALLY ENJOYED, AND WE APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. UH, MR. MESMAN. JOSH COVERED PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING. I WAS GONNA SAY FOR, FOR STAFF, BUT NO, THE STAFF ALL ACROSS THE CITY. UM, I PARTICIPATED IN, UH, ALL THE EVENTS AND IT WAS JUST QUITE AN AMAZING THING. THE, THE PARADE WAS FANTASTIC. THE TREE WAS FANTASTIC. THAT WAS AMAZING. CHIEF, YOUR, YOUR OFFICERS AT BRINGING UP THE REAR OF THE PARADE WITH THE CARS, WITH THE LIGHTS, IT WAS JUST AN AMAZING THING. THE ORGANIZATION THAT YOU HAD AT, UH, RICHARD GRAY COMPLEX, UH, WITH THE PETTING ZOO, AND THAT [01:10:01] LITTLE PONY WAS SURE CUTE, I DID LIKE THAT, BUT WAS AMAZING. BUT TO SEE THE AMOUNT OF OUR CITY STAFF THAT HAS PARTICIPATED IN EVERY ONE OF THESE EVENTS IS AMAZING. AND I'M VERY HONORED AND PROUD TO BE PART OF THIS CITY. OUR COUNCIL TONIGHT HAD SOME SERIOUS DELIBERATIONS, BUT WE AT TIMES WILL DISAGREE ON THINGS. BUT EVERY ONE OF US IN OUR OWN MIND AND OUR OWN HEART, HAVE THE CITIZENS, UH, OF HARDY V AT BEST INTEREST. WE'RE NOT ALL HERE, UP HERE TO AGREE ALL THE TIME. WE ARE HERE TO DO WHAT WE THINK IS BEST FOR THE REPRESENTATIVES AS REPRESENTATIVES OF OUR CITY. I WISH EVERYBODY, UM, MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY HOLIDAYS, AND A GREAT NEW YEAR. THANK YOU. OKAY, WE HAVE, UH, MRS. GUZMAN. UM, JEN AGAIN, FANTASTIC EVENING. UM, GOD, THANK YOU. YOU, YOU SURPRISE US. EVERY TIME YOU HOLD AN EVENT, YOU JUST UP THE ANTE. AND I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU BEAT IT, SO, BUT YOU DID. UM, I HAD A FANTASTIC TIME, TIME ALONG WITH COUNCILMAN CARROLL AND MR. MESMAN HERE TO WALK ALONG THE PARADE, ROAD AND HAND OUT CANDY. AND IT WAS FANTASTIC TO HEAR, UH, LITTLES AND LITTLES AT HEART SAY, AND SEE HOW HAPPY THEY WERE WITH THE PARADE. SO, UH, AND THEN CHIEF THOSE POLICE CARS AT THE END OF THE PARADE. I TELL YOU WHAT, UM, I MEAN, I HAD A LUMP IN MY THROAT TO SEE OUR FOLKS OUT THERE IN FULL FORCE. AND, AND YOU KNOW, I'M NOT COUNTING THE FIREFIGHTERS OUT TOO, BUT EVERYONE IN CITY HALL GOT TOGETHER AND PULLED THIS OFF. AND FOR A CITY THIS SIZE, IT WAS AMAZING OF WHAT YOU GUYS DID. SO I'M VERY PROUD TO CALL MYSELF A RESIDENT OF THIS CITY. SO THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU FOR WHAT YOU GUYS DID. AMAZING. THANK YOU. THAT WAS SHORT. VERY NICE. WELL, IT WAS SIMPLE TOO. YES. OKAY. UH, MR. CARROLL, I HAD MORE TIME ON MY HANDS SINCE SHE WAS SO SHORT AND SIMPLE. ? NO, JOSH PRETTY WELL COVERED. UM, THE TREE LIGHTING AND THE, UM, PARADE. I WILL SAY JEN, UM, I THINK I TOLD YOU TODAY, BUT IT BROUGHT BACK SOME OLD MEMORIES OF HOW IT USED TO BE TO SEE THAT MANY PEOPLE OUT. I MEAN, WE'VE HAD GOOD PARADES, BUT TO GET PARTICIPATION, UM, IT, IT WAS, IT WAS, AND I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY COMPLIMENTS AND PEOPLE'S COMMENTS, SO, AND IT WAS VERY, VERY ENJOYABLE. A LITTLE BIT COLD, BUT IT WAS VERY, VERY ENJOYABLE. AND I GUESS THE MAYOR'S FIXING THE, UM, I'LL TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF HIS THUNDER FROM HIM. THE SENIOR CITIZENS DINNER, UM, YESTERDAY WAS REALLY NICE AND, UM, VERY WELL ATTENDED. UM, ALSO, MR. MAY, I DON'T KNOW IF WE WERE ME MENTIONED BEFORE ABOUT THE FOOD PANTRY. YOU KNOW, WE HAD THIS, NOBODY'S MENTIONED IT YET. I HAVE IT ON MY LIST, BUT GO AHEAD. OKAY. BUT WE'D HAD IT, UM, ON BOARD ABOUT HOW MANY? IT WAS ON THE 25TH. ALRIGHT. 25TH OF LAST MONTH. WE GAVE, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TURKEYS, A HUNDRED AND A HUNDRED WE DID. I DON'T, I THINK WE, I THINK IT WAS ABOUT 150 PEOPLE, ABOUT 150 TURKEYS. WE PASSED OUT. AND IT WAS A LOT OF FUN SEEING THE PEOPLE COME THROUGH AND THE FACES LIGHT UP. AND WE DID THE TURKEY AND THE, AND THE MAYOR HAS ARRANGED AGAIN ON THE 16TH, WHICH WOULD BE MONDAY, THIS COMING MONDAY, THIS COMING MONDAY FOR SOME HAMS. SO, UM, IT'S A LOT OF FUN. THE PEOPLE. 'CAUSE THIS TIME OF YEAR, EVEN IF YOU ARE A LITTLE BIT STRUGGLING THIS TIME OF YEAR, YOU STRUGGLE A LOT MORE. SO A HAM OR A TURKEY A LOT OF TIMES. AND THE, AND THE TRIMMINGS MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE. SO THAT'S GONNA BE ON THE, UH, 16TH. AND I DID WANT TO ADD THAT. AND THEN, UM, MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR. IT'S BEEN AN HONOR, LIKE I SAY, TO, UM, SERVE THE CITY AND WE'RE SO GLAD THAT JOSH IS A BOARD. ABSOLUTELY. UH, I I HAVE A COMMENT OR YOU GONNA HAVE TO SAY ANYTHING YOU'VE ALREADY YEAH, MY LIST IS ALMOST OVER. UM, WHEN, WHEN YOU LAST WERE IN THE PARADE, WAS, WERE THE ROADS PAVED? NO. OR WAS IT GRAVEL? NO, THEY WERE DIRT ACTUALLY. DIRT ROADS. DIRT ROADS PAVE. OKAY. I KNEW, I KNEW SHE'D GET ME SOMEHOW. AND THE FLOATS WERE HORSE DRAWN. THAT'S ALL SET. OKAY. I THANK YOU. SHE GOING GET ME. UM, IN SPITE OF THANKSGIVING BEING IN THE MIDDLE, UH, IT WAS, IT HAS BEEN A PRETTY BUSY HERE. AND, UM, ON THE 22ND, UH, WE MET WITH THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF LOW COUNTRY, AND THEY'RE A HUGE, UM, GRANT GIVING ORGANIZATION, AND THEY WANT TO GET BACK. THEY WANT TO DO MORE IN [01:15:01] HARVILLE AND JASPER COUNTY. SO WE MET WITH THEM. NEIL IS GETTING THEM A LIST OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT, UM, PERHAPS COULD BENEFIT FROM GRANTS FROM THIS ORGANIZATION. UM, JOHN MENTIONED THE TURKEYS. AND ON MONDAY, JUST TO ADD TO THAT, FIRST OF ALL, IT NOT ONLY WAS THIS BIG HUNK OF MEAT, GIVEN, THERE'S THIS VERY HOT, HEAVY, BIG BOX OF FIXINGS. OH MY GOSH. AND FOODS A BOX OF MASHED POTATOES, A LOT OF STUFF. AND THE THANKS GOES TO, UH, THE COMMUNITY CHURCH OF THE LOW COUNTRY. AND THEY CALL THIS THE COMMUNITY, UH, UH, FOOD BANK, FOOD PANTRY. AND ALL THIS STUFF IS DONATED BY THEIR PARISHIONERS. SO I, I, I REALLY HAVE TO THANK THEM FOR DOING THIS. AND ON THE 16TH, OH, AND THE YOUTH COUNCIL DECIDED THAT THEY WANNA BE A PART OF THIS. AND SO THEY WERE THERE, UM, HELPING WITH THE EVENT, AND THEY ADDED AND ASKED THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IF THEY WOULD ADD A SOUP AND SANDWICH GIVEAWAY AFTER THEY PICKED UP THEIR FOOD. SO WE HAD A, A LOT OF VOLUNTEERS THANKS TO ALL OF THEM. UH, SO NOT ONLY DID THEY GET THEIR TURKEYS, THEY GOT A HAM AND CHEESE SANDWICH, A A A SOUP MADE BY OFFICER GIN THAT LOOKED LIKE YOU COULD WALK ON IT. IT WAS SO THICK, . UM, AND, UH, IT WAS, IT WAS WONDERFUL EVENT ON MONDAY, NOT ONLY ARE WE GONNA GIVE OUT HAMS, BUT THEN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE YOUTH COUNCIL HAVE JOINED AGAIN. AND, UH, WITH RICK, MR. RICK PATEL, THE FOOT AND THE BILL, UM, WE'RE GONNA GRILL HOT DOGS AND GIVE HOT DOGS AND, AND WATER AWAY. AND WE ALSO HAVE KEPT ABOUT 200 OR SO LITTLE TOYS TO GIVE TO THE KIDS AS WELL. SO THERE'S GONNA BE, UH, SAME TIME, FIVE 30, UM, AT, UM, ON MONDAY NIGHT FROM FIVE 30 TO SIX 30. UH, SO THOSE WHO PARTICULARLY IN NEED, PLEASE LET 'EM KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING. UM, SO LOCO'S LAST MEETING OF THE YEAR WAS, UM, ONE WHERE WE'VE, AND I'VE ASKED ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS TO COME UP WITH AGENDA ITEMS FOR 2025. I OFFER THAT TO ANYBODY WHO FEELS THAT, UH, ANY AGENDA ITEM THAT CAN BENEFIT FROM A REGIONAL CONVERSATION TO PLEASE FORWARD THAT TO ME. UM, THE MEDIA DEPARTMENT CAME THROUGH ONCE AGAIN, AND THERE ARE NEW OWNERS AT THE QUALITY INN, AND WE WENT OVER THERE FOR A SHOP LOCAL, UH, VIDEO. THEY WERE UNBELIEVABLE THE WAY THEY SET IT UP. AND, AND THEY WERE REALLY NICE PEOPLE. AND THERE'S GONNA BE A NEW RESTAURANT IN TOWN, AND ONE OF THE CO-OWNERS IS ONE OF HARDY V'S. UH, FINEST MR. CHARLES MITCHELL. AND SO, UH, THEY, THEY'RE WAITING FOR DHC APPROVALS. SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE A NEW RESTAURANT, A WHOLE NEW, UH, REMODELED QUALITY INN, WONDERFUL PEOPLE. SO, UH, AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE SHOP LOCAL VIDEO, WHICH WILL BE COMING SOON. UM, WE ALSO MET THIS PAST WEEK WITH BEAUFORT COUNTY TO TALK ABOUT SOLUTIONS TO THE MARGARITAVILLE LIGHT. AS WE ALL KNOW, THE BACKUP IN THE MORNING IS HORRIBLE. UM, SO WE HAVE TO GET SOME NUMBERS, TAKE IT TO DOT. SO WE HAVE A PLAN OF, UH, PLAN OF ACTION TO DEAL WITH THAT. UM, THE, EVERYBODY CONGRATULATED JEN AND HER TEAM, AND RIGHTFULLY SO, BUT THERE WAS MORE THAN JUST A PARADE. THE FIRST DAY BACK FROM THANKSGIVING, WE COLLECTED LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF TOYS FROM SUN CITY IN MARGARITAVILLE. UM, VOLUNTEERS CAME BACK AND THEY SORTED, AND AFTER THE VOLUNTEERS LEFT, THE DIRECT DEPARTMENT SORTED SOME MORE . UM, THE NEXT DAY WE HAD GREAT VOLUNTEERS AND MRS. CASTLE AND HER TEAM, AND MRS. TALBOTT AND HER TEAM CAME AND WE WRAPPED OVER A THOUSAND TOYS IN WHAT, AN HOUR AND A HALF OR LESS. IT WAS ALMOST AN HOUR. THEY WERE, THEY WERE MACHINES. WE COULDN'T TRUST HIM WITH WRAPPING PRESENTS. WE HAD [01:20:01] TO BOOT HIM OUTTA THERE. YEAH. I KEPT STEALING YOUR SCISSORS. YES. AND MY TAPE TOO, . AND, UM, THE NEXT DAY WE DELIVERED TO, UM, ROYAL LIVE OAKS ACADEMY AND ALSO TO, UH, HARDY ELEMENTARY. UM, SANTA MADE HIS APPEARANCE AT THOSE AS WELL. AND I MUST SAY THAT IN SPITE OF SAN IS RATHER FRAGILE BACK, UM, I GOT ON, HE GOT ON ONE KNEE AND, UM, I WAS BOWLED OVER AND LITERALLY BY A GROUP OF KINDERGARTEN KIDS AND ENDED UP ON MY BACK, UH, SANTA ENDED UP ON HIS BACK, EXCUSE ME, . UM, AND THAT WAS, SO THAT WAS A WONDERFUL THING. SO, UM, THEN THE PARADE, THE MAYOR'S LUNCH, UH, THE SENIOR LUNCH, THE, UH, YESTERDAY, ALL THESE THINGS HAPPENED IN THE FIRST 11 DAYS OF DECEMBER, ALL BY OUR PARKS AND REC TEAM. IT WAS AN AMAZING, AMAZING EFFORT. SO, UH, CONGRATULATIONS TO, FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DID IN THE PAST 11 DAYS. THANK YOU. UM, THE, TODAY I WENT TO, UM, THE, UM, HILTON HAD BLUFFED IN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, UM, BOARD OF DIRECTORS LUNCH. UM, AND I ONLY BRING THAT UP BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS I'M MOST PROUD OF, THE CITY OF HARDY V COMING IN, IN MY EIGHT YEARS AS MAYOR, IS THAT NOW HARDY IS PART OF THE REGIONAL CONVERSATION. THESE KIND OF EVENTS THAT I GET INVITED TO GIVES THE OPPORTUNITY TO NETWORK, MEET NEW PEOPLE AND, AND DO A LITTLE BRAGGING ON THE CITY OF HARVILLE. AND, AND SO I THINK THEY'RE VERY IMPORTANT AND, UM, IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING WE ALL SHOULD BE PROUD OF, THAT PEOPLE NOW WANT TO HAVE THE PEOPLE, THE, THE REPRESENTATION FROM HARDY V AT THESE EVENTS. UM, IN JANUARY 2ND, I'LL REMIND THE COUNCIL THAT AT THAT TIME, NOT ONLY WILL THREE PEOPLE BE SWORN IN, WE NEED TO VOTE ON AND SWEAR IN, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM BECAUSE THAT MR. WHITE'S TERM ENDS AT THE END OF THE YEAR ALSO. SO, UM, I'M RELYING ON THE COMMITTEE CHAIR, UH, MR. WHITE. OKAY. UM, AND LASTLY, MERRY CHRISTMAS. HAPPY HANUKKAH. HAPPY KWANZA AND HAPPY NEW YEAR. HAVE A GREAT HOLIDAY, EVERYONE. WE WILL NOW HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN. PLEASE MAKE MOTION THAT WE ADJOURN THE LAST MEETING OF 2024, GOING OUT WITH A BANG. SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION. YOU HAVE A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. * 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.