Aug 10, 2026 Clarendon County Council

IT'S JUST IT'S A BAD. IT'S A BAD. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.

[1. Introductory Remarks]

[00:00:04]

WE WILL GET STARTED AS SOON AS WE CAN GET NELSON TO GET SITUATED OVER HERE.

NO, IT'S IT'S GOOD TO HAVE EVERYONE HERE. BEAUTIFUL DAY OUTSIDE.

I HATE WE HAVE TO BE INSIDE TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS.

BUT THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO SOMETIMES. IF YOU WOULD, PLEASE STAND AND WE WILL SAY THE LORD'S PRAYER, FOLLOWED BY OUR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. OUR FATHER, WHICH ART IN HEAVEN, HALLOWED BE THY NAME.

THY KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE DONE, ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.

GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD. AND FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES, AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US.

AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION, BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL.

FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM, THE POWER, AND THE GLORY FOREVER.

AMEN. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

[4. Approval of Agenda]

ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE RECEIVED THEIR PACKETS.

HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK OVER IT. I HAVE A MOTION. WE APPROVE.

SO MOVED A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN RICHARDSON, SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN RODIN.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

[5. Approval of Minutes]

DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED. SECOND.

I'VE GOT A MOTION. COUNCILMAN RODIN, SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN RICHARDSON.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

[6. Service Awards Recognition – Leonard Lowery, HR Director]

COUNCIL. AND. TONIGHT, WE RECOGNIZE EMPLOYEES FOR THEIR YEARS OF SERVICE.

FIRST EMPLOYEE, LIEUTENANT BRAXTON MURRAY, TEN YEARS OF SERVICE IN THE DETENTION CENTER AND. HE IS A.

AND AFTER EVERY TEN YEARS OF SERVICE. THE NEXT.

15 YEARS OF SERVICE. WE HAVE A PROBLEM.

NOW WE'RE GOING TO SEE HOW THIS WORKS OUT. ASSISTANT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR SUSAN THOMAS.

FIVE YEARS OF SERVICE. WE DON'T WANT IT. I WONDER HOW SHE'S GOING TO TAKE HER OWN.

AND SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER JONATHAN COOPER. 20 YEARS OF SERVICE.

PLEASE, LET'S GIVE ALL THE THINGS.

AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE COUNTY.

[7. Public Comments (Total of five (5) available speaking spots, three (3) minutes per speaker)]

DO TRY TO KEEP IT UNDER THREE MINUTES AND TRY AND STAY ON TOPIC IF POSSIBLE.

FIRST UP WE HAVE RAY EVANS. HOW YOU DOING, MR. RAY? OKAY. HONORABLE CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE CLARION COUNTY COUNCIL.

[00:05:05]

MY NAME IS RAY EVANS, AND I'M THE CHAIRMAN OF THE PLEASANT GROVE RESTORATION PROJECT IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

AND I'M HERE TODAY TO RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THE APPROVAL OF AN HONORARY SIGN RECOGNIZING HAROLD WILSON, A DISTINGUISHED SON OF ALCOLU WHO ACHIEVED BROUGHT HONOR TO CLARENDON COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA, AND OUR NATION. COMMUNITIES ARE REMEMBERED NOT ONLY BY THEIR BUILDINGS AND ROADS, BUT PEOPLE WHOSE LIVES INSPIRED OTHERS.

AN HONORARY SIGN IS MORE THAN JUST A NAME ON A POST.

IT'S A LASTING REMINDER OF EXCELLENCE, PERSEVERANCE, SERVICE, AND PRIDE.

HAROLD WILSON WAS BORN DECEMBER 28TH, 1924, IN ALCOLU AND ATTENDED PLEASANT GROVE SCHOOL.

HE PROUDLY SERVED HIS COUNTRY IN THE UNITED STATES NAVY FOR 21 YEARS, WHERE HE CONTINUED TO EXCEL IN ROMAN, GREEK, ROMAN WRESTLING. HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS REACHED FAR BEYOND OUR COUNTY.

HE COMPLETED AMONG THE NATION'S FINEST WRESTLERS, EARNED NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS AND PLACED FIFTH IN THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, AND COMPETED IN THE UNITED STATES OLYMPIC TRIALS IN 1956 AND 1960.

HE REPRESENTED THE UNITED STATES AND INTERNATIONAL WRESTLING COMPETITION AT A TIME WHEN THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN ATHLETES WERE LIMITED, HAROLD WILSON BROKE BARRIERS THROUGH TALENT, HARD WORK, AND UNWAVERING DEDICATION.

YET DESPITE THESE REMARKS ACCOMPLISHMENTS, MANY PEOPLE IN OUR OWN COMMUNITY HAVE NEVER HEARD HIS STORY.

RECOGNIZING HAROLD WILSON WITH AN HONORARY STREET SIGN WOULD HELP PRESERVE THE IMPORTANT PART OF CLARENDON COUNTY HISTORY.

IT WOULD TELL EVERY CHILD WHO PASSES THAT SIGN THAT GREATNESS CAN COME FROM ALCOHOL.

IT WILL REMIND VETERANS THAT MILITARY SERVICE MATTERS.

IT WOULD REMIND YOUNG ATHLETES THAT DISCIPLINE AND PERSEVERANCE CAN OPEN DOORS FAR BEYOND THE HOMETOWN.

THIS RECOGNITION IS NOT SIMPLY ABOUT HONORING AN INDIVIDUAL, IT'S ABOUT HONORING THE VALUES THAT REPRESENT HARD WORK, COURAGE, SERVICE, AND DETERMINATION. IT IS ABOUT ENDURING THE FUTURE OF GENERATIONS TO KNOW THE NAMES OF MEN AND WOMEN IN CLARENDON COUNTY WHO MADE A MEANINGFUL CONTRIBUTION TO OUR STATE AND OUR NATION. I HAVE GATHERED HISTORICAL DOCUMENTATION, NEWSPAPER ARTICLES OF PHOTOGRAPHS AND RECORDS THAT WILL TELL HAROLD WILSON'S STORY. THESE MATERIALS DEMONSTRATED THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS, DESERVES TO BE PRESERVED AND REMEMBERED.

I RESPECTFULLY ASK THE COUNCIL TO APPROVE AN HONORARY STREET SIGN IN THE NAME OF HALLOW AT MONGOLIA CORNER IN ALCOLU, SOUTH CAROLINA, THE SAME ROAD THAT HE GREW UP IN AND RAISED TO REFLECT THE CONNECTION OF COMMUNITY, SINCE ITS DESIGNATION WOULD BECOME A PERMANENT TRIBUTE TO THE LOCAL HEROES WHOSE LEGACY DESERVES RECOGNITION.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR SERVICE IN THE COUNTY AND YOUR THOUGHTFUL CONSIDERATION FOR THIS REQUEST, AND I'LL BE HONORED TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? WHAT? YOU SAID THAT. HELLO, WILSON. YEAH. MISS DAVIS, WILL YOU SEE ME AFTER THE MEETING AND LET'S GET SOME MORE INFORMATION? OKAY.

THANK YOU. I GAVE THEM YOU GUYS SHOULD HAVE SOME DOCUMENTATION ON THE ON THE PROGRAM.

ANY QUESTIONS? WE'LL LOOK INTO IT. OKAY. APPRECIATE THAT, SIR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MR. RAY. NEXT WE HAVE MISS ELAINE WOOD.

HOW ARE Y'ALL THIS EVENING? GOOD. I WANTED TO BRING UP A COUPLE THINGS ABOUT THIS DATA CENTER THAT'S COMING THIS WAY.

THEY'LL THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT IT AND EVERYTHING.

I'VE DONE SOME RESEARCH ON IT. THIS IS GOING TO DRIVE UP OUR ELECTRICITY COSTS.

I'M A WIDOW, AND MY ELECTRIC BILL THIS MONTH WAS $369.

I'M HARDLY AT MY HOUSE AND I ONLY CUT THE LIGHTS ON AT NIGHT.

SO THIS IS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S GOING TO JACK IT UP PRETTY BAD.

OUR WATER SUPPLY IS REALLY GOING TO PULL A LOT OF WATER.

IT'S GOING TO PULL LIKE 669,600,000 GALLONS BY THE YEAR OF 2020.

THAT'S A LOT. IT'S LOOKING TO DROP OUR WELLS.

[00:10:02]

THE CENTERS ARE GOING TO BE EXTREMELY BIG. AND WITHOUT TOWNS BEING AS SMALL AS THEY ARE, THEY ARE AFFECTED BY TOWNS UNDER 5000. AND I'VE LOOKED ALL THAT UP, AND EVERY ONE OF THE TOWNS HAVE UNDER 5000 PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY. SO WHERE WOULD THEY GO. ALSO.

THESE CENTERS THAT HIRE. A LOT OF PEOPLE, THEY HIRE A LOT.

OKAY. THEY HIRE A LOT TO BEGIN WITH, BUT THEN THEY CUT IT DOWN TO 50 TO 200 PEOPLE WITHIN SIX MONTHS.

THAT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE LOST JOBS. THEY ARE ADMITTING THE SOUNDS. THEY'RE ADMITTING STUFF THAT WE DON'T NEED TO BE BREATHING.

I HAVE ASTHMA AND ALSO HAVE MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS.

IT WOULD AFFECT MY ASTHMA TERRIBLY BAD. I'M ON THREE INHALERS A DAY AND MY MISS IT MY NERVES. RIGHT NOW I'M ON MEDICATION, BUT WHEN I GET TOO TIRED, I START SHAKING.

AND WITH THIS BEING, YOU KNOW, THIS LOUD COMING ACROSS TO YOU AND I KNOW IT AFFECTS JUST TWO MILES.

BUT WHAT IF I HAVE TO DRIVE PAST IT? THAT'S JUST TOO MUCH FOR ME.

JUST TOO MUCH. SO I'M JUST ASKING YOU ALL TO LOOK INTO THIS.

REALLY RESEARCH IT MORE THAN WHAT I HAVE. AND CONSIDER THIS.

THAT WE WON'T HAVE THIS IN OUR COUNTY. ANY QUESTIONS? I CAN TALK ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT. A LOT OF US CAN.

WE HAVE RESEARCHED THIS A LOT. THIS IS. WE UNDERSTAND DATA CENTERS.

THREE MONTHS AGO, NOBODY EVEN KNEW WHAT A DATA CENTER.

OH, I DID. YOU KNOW, 3 OR 4. BUT NOW THEY'RE JUST, LIKE SPRINGING UP EVERYWHERE.

SO WHAT REALLY HAPPENED IS THEY CAUGHT US WITH OUR PANTS DOWN AND THEY MET ALL THE CRITERIA SO THEY CAN COME IN.

THE GOOD THING ABOUT THE DATA CENTER THAT IT'S COMING HERE, IT'S GOING TO BE INSIDE A CONCRETE BUILDING SO THAT THE NOISE AND EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE CONTAINED. THEY RECYCLE THEIR OWN WATER. WE HAVE PLENTY OF POWER TO TAKE CARE OF THEM.

YOU KNOW, FANCY ELECTRIC. WE'VE ALREADY WE'VE ALREADY LOOKED AT ALL THIS STUFF BECAUSE WE DIDN'T LIKE IT EITHER.

BUT WE WERE KIND OF TAUGHT. AND IF WE DIDN'T LET THEM COME HERE, WE WERE GOING TO END UP WITH A LAWSUIT.

THEY WERE GOING TO GET HERE ANYWAY AND THEY WERE GOING TO LOSE.

YOU KNOW, IT'S A BAD DEAL. HOWEVER, AND WALTON TALKED MORE.

WE ARE PUTTING A MORATORIUM IN TONIGHT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN'T STOP ANYTHING ELSE THAT COMES BACK IN HERE.

THE ONE COMING IN HERE IS, IS ACTUALLY VERY I MEAN, THEY SAY IT'S WHAT LIKE A LAWNMOWER? YEAH. YEAH. THE NOISE IS LIKE LAWNMOWER. BUT WE'RE IT'S GOING INSIDE THE CONCRETE BUILDING.

SO WE'RE GOING TO BE PRETTY THANKFUL FOR WHAT WE GOT AND OPENED OUR EYES TO WHAT WAS COMING HAPPENING, YOU KNOW, HAPPENING. SO NOW WE CAN STOP IT IN THE FUTURE.

THE ONES COMING, I DON'T THINK WE CAN STOP BECAUSE THEY MET ALL THE CRITERIA, BUT THEY DO RECYCLE THEIR OWN WATER.

IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO KEEP FEEDING THE WATER.

THERE'S PLENTY OF POWER TO, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALREADY CHECKED WITH SANTEE ELECTRIC.

THERE'S PLENTY OF POWER TO, YOU KNOW, FEED THE DATA CENTER.

IT'S NOT GOING TO AFFECT US IN ANY WAY. IT'S NOT GOING TO HURT US IN ANY WAY.

IT'S NOT GOING TO RAISE OUR POWER BILL. SO THE ONE WE GOT COMING IS BASICALLY PRETTY SIMPLE.

BUT WE'RE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO PUT A MORATORIUM TONIGHT IN, IN EFFECT SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT NOTHING COMES IN HERE THAT WE DON'T LIKE.

SO YOU ALREADY HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT AREA THIS IS GOING.

YES. YEAH. IT'S GOING TO BE IN THE BUSINESS PARK DOWN THERE.

SO THERE'S NOBODY THERE IS NOT A HOUSE THERE.

WHAT A HALF MILE. A LITTLE MA'AM. IT'S IT'S GOING IN.

IT'S GOING IN INDUSTRIAL PARK. OKAY. INSIDE A 18 INCH CONCRETE WALL.

SO THE NOISE, EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE PRETTY BASIC.

I THINK EVERYBODY WANTS TO TALK ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT, BUT WE HAVE WE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING, OKAY, I'M JUST VERY CONCERNED. AND YES, THERE ARE CONCERNS WE ALL HAVE, BUT I THINK WE WERE LUCKY THAT WHAT WE GOT COMING AND WE'RE KIND OF STUCK WITH IS NOT THAT BAD. AND IT'S GOING TO BRING ABOUT $3 MILLION A YEAR OVERALL TO TO TAX, YOU KNOW, REVENUE. BUT WE'RE NOT GIVING THEM ANY BREAKS AT ALL.

[00:15:01]

WE'RE GOING TO FIX THAT. SO THEY CAN'T JUST BRING ANYTHING IN HERE.

THAT'S WHAT I WAS GETTING READY TO ASK. WE KNOW WE'RE PROTECTING.

HOW CAN WE HOW DID THIS SLIP IN. HOW DID THIS SLIP IN? AND IF I IF I CAN ADD THE STRAIGHTEN THAT UP A LITTLE BIT.

THE MORATORIUM, THE MORATORIUM WE WE PUT IN PLACE RIGHT NOW IS FOR ALL THE LAND IS NOT ZONED FOR.

THERE'S A LOT OF COUNTIES. THEY WILL TRY TO STICK A DATA CENTER IN YOUR BACK YARD.

WE'RE PUTTING A MORATORIUM ON THEM TO STOP THEM FROM GOING IN THE COUNTY.

WE'RE NOT PUTTING A MORATORIUM ON INDUSTRIAL PARKS.

IF WE PUT A MORATORIUM ON TO STOP A DATA CENTER GOING INTO INDUSTRIAL PARK.

IT WOULD BE ARE WE STOPPING EVERYTHING FROM COMING? PRETTY MUCH THE DATA CENTER. THERE'S DATA CENTERS LOOKING AT EVERY COUNTY AROUND HERE.

WE'RE NOT SURE IF A DATA CENTER IS COMING HERE.

WE'RE NOT 100% SURE THE DATA CENTERS COMING HERE, PERIOD.

BUT WE WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS THE MORATORIUM IS STOPPING IT FROM GOING IN YOUR BACKYARD OR ANYBODY ELSE'S BACKYARD.

BUT WE CAN'T WE CAN'T REALLY LEGALLY STOP IT FROM GOING INTO AN INDUSTRIAL PARK, BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY WHAT AN INDUSTRIAL PARK IS ZONED FOR, STUFF LIKE THAT. AND WE DID LOOK INTO IT. IT'S ACTUALLY USING LESS POWER THAN A LOT OF THE PLANTS WE HAVE NOW.

AND THE WATER IS SO MUCH MISINFORMATION ON THE INTERNET ABOUT IT THAT I THINK IT'S GOING TO USE LIKE IT.

IT'S A CLOSED LOOP, LIKE A RADIATOR IN YOUR CAR.

SO IT DON'T REALLY USE ANY WATER. AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO USE IF THE SIZE, THE ONE THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT, IT'S GOING TO TAKE 40,000 GALLONS OF WATER TO FILL IT UP.

AND IT SHOULDN'T THAT LAST TEN YEARS, THAT'S TEN YEARS.

THEY WON'T HAVE TO REPLENISH IT FOR TEN YEARS.

AND THEN, AND I THINK THEY CAN'T USE ANY MORE WATER THAN IT'S A EIGHT, 8000 GALLONS, BUT THAT IS ACTUALLY FOR TOILETS, WATER AND GRASS, FLOWERS, EVERYTHING ELSE.

THAT'S NOT REALLY FOR THE PLANT. THE ONLY THE BIG COMPLAINTS IS NOISE, WATER AND POWER.

BUT A LOT OF THAT ON THE INTERNET IS MISINFORMATION.

IT DON'T USE AS MUCH POWER, BUT EVEN THE ONES THAT'S COMING HERE IS THE ONES THAT'S LOOKING AT THIS AREA IS NOT HUGE.

LIKE SOME OF THEM YOU SEE ON TV. IT'S ACTUALLY A VERY SMALL ONE, IS WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT IN COMPARISON.

BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE IT GET IT CLEAR TO THE PUBLIC THAT THE MORATORIUM IS REALLY NOT STOPPING IT FROM GOING INTO AN INDUSTRIAL PARK.

WE REALLY CAN'T STOP THAT. INDUSTRIAL PARK IS IS ZONED FOR THAT.

AND IF THEY GO TO OUR PLANNING COMMISSION AND THEY MEET ALL THE CRITERIA TO PUT AN INDUSTRIAL PARK, AND THEY DON'T COME TO US ASKING FOR ANY TAX BREAKS, IT NEVER EVEN GOES BEFORE US.

SO WE, WE, WE DON'T GET TO VOTE ON THAT. IF THEY MEET ALL THE CRITERIA FOR THAT INDUSTRIAL PARK, IT'S IT WE DON'T EVEN WE DON'T HAVE ANY CONTROL OVER THAT.

IF WE STOP THAT, WE STOPPING ANYTHING FROM COMING TO THIS COUNTY, PRETTY MUCH. IT'D BE PRETTY MUCH LIKE I'LL GIVE IT TO YOU IN LAYMAN'S TERMS LIKE SETTING A, A, A NOISE ORDINANCE. IF WE SET A NOISE ORDINANCE PRETTY WORSE THAN THE ONE WE GOT NOW.

YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO CUT YOUR GRASS. HOW DID THIS GET IN HERE? AND WE NOT HAVE ANY SAY SO. IT JUST SLID IN. NO.

NO, MA'AM. IT'S. THE PROPERTY IS ZONED. IT'S PRETTY MUCH A WAREHOUSE FOR STORING DATA.

SO THAT'S HOW IT'S LISTED. PRETTY MUCH A WAREHOUSE.

IT REALLY DON'T EMIT ANYTHING INTO THE AIR. OKAY.

IT'S IT USES THE WATER FOR COOLING, BUT IT'S JUST LIKE A CLOSED LOOP.

IT DOES USE POWER, BUT LIKE I SAY, IT'S GOING TO USE LESS POWER THAN SOME OF THE PLANTS WE GOT HERE NOW.

OKAY. BUT THERE'S A LOT OF MISINFORMATION ON THE INTERNET.

BUT I'M, I'M REALLY NOT A BIG FAN OF THEM EITHER.

BUT THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT WE CAN DO. BUT WE CAN'T STOP IT FROM GOING IN YOUR BACKYARD.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING. OKAY. I AIN'T GOTTEN A LOT OF THIS INFORMATION FROM THE GOVERNMENT WEBSITE.

SO YEAH, I GUESS THEY WERE WRONG. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU.

AND THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT ONES OUT THERE. SO LIKE I SAID, WE WERE WE GOT.

YEAH. OKAY. YEAH. MR. CHAIRMAN, I THINK IT MIGHT BE VERY APPROPRIATE TO.

WHEN THE MORATORIUM ORDINANCE COMES UP TO GEORGIA BETWEEN GEORGE AND I, WE CAN WE CAN GIVE A LOT OF INFORMATION ON THE RESEARCH THAT WE'VE DONE AND SOME OF THE OTHER COUNTIES THAT WE'VE TALKED TO WHO ARE DEALING WITH THIS SAME ISSUE.

AND I THINK GIVE COUNCIL A LITTLE BIT MORE INSIGHT ON TO SOME OF THE INS AND OUTS OF THE DATA CENTER WHEN IT COMES UP ON THE AGENDA LATER TONIGHT.

[00:20:02]

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MR. CHAIRMAN EVEN SNEAKED UP ON ME.

I DIDN'T SEE HIM, BUT HE SAID HE SAW ME WORKING AT CHURCH TODAY BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING WORKING AT THE CHURCH.

I REMEMBER PROVERBS THAT WAS WRITTEN BY KING SOLOMON.

HE SAID, TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL THINE HEART, AND LEAN NOT TO THINE OWN UNDERSTANDING.

IN ALL THY WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM, AND HE SHALL DIRECT THY PATHS.

AND I AIN'T SAYING THAT I LOOK AT FOOD PRICES SKY HIGH.

I LOOK AT THE ECONOMY NOT WORKING FOR THE COMMON MAN.

NOW TOMORROW WE WILL HAVE AN ELECTION. AND MY VOTING PRECINCT, WHICH IS SARDINIA, HAS BEEN CONSOLIDATED WITH ANOTHER VOTING PRECINCT. AND WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.

WHERE WE GOING TO COME BACK TO THE ELECTION COMMISSION WITH THAT ONE? I LOOK AT LAWSUITS SEEM TO BE FILED AGAINST EVERYBODY.

NOW, THERE WAS A GENTLEMAN BORN IN 1882. HIS NAME WAS ROBERT BROWN ELLIOTT.

NOW HE'S HANGING IN THE STATE HOUSE NOW BECAUSE HE'S ONE OF ONLY TWO BLACKS THAT HAVE SERVED DURING THE RECONSTRUCTION ERA AS THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE. BUT HE ALSO SERVED AS THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, THE ONLY BLACK MAN THAT EVER DID THAT. SO NOW I SAW THAT MR. TODD BLANCH WAS SWORN IN TODAY. NATIONAL ATTORNEY GENERAL.

WELL, WE KNOW WHAT THAT IS. YOU KNOW, IT SAYS TRUMP'S PERSONAL LAWYER.

SO WE THAT THAT'S THAT'S TO BE GATHERED. SO NOW WHAT IS THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT? THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IS TO PROVIDE SERVICES AND PROTECT THE PEOPLE.

NOW I'M A VIETNAM VETERAN. I I'M NOT A NATIONAL GUARD.

AND I'M NOT TAKING NOTHING AWAY FROM NATIONAL GUARD, BUT I'M A DRAFTED VIETNAM VETERAN.

WHEN I GOT THAT LETTER SAYING UNCLE SAM WON'T YOU.

I WAS IN COLLEGE AND LET ME FINISH OUT THE FIRST YEAR.

I WENT TO FORT JACKSON, BECAME THE TRAINING FIELD LEADER BECAUSE I HAD A YEAR OF COLLEGE.

THEN HE ASKED ME. HE SAID, HOW DO YOU WANT YOUR HAIR LONG OR SHORT OR MEDIUM? WELL, I'M PART IN IT. SO I HAD LONG HAIR. SO THEY CUT MY HAIR AND I SAID, MAN, YOU CUT ALL MY HAIR.

SO HE TOOK A BROOM AND DUSTPAN AND SWEPT IT UP, PUT IT IN A BAG.

HE SAID, HERE'S YOUR HAIR. SO I GOT IN THE MILITARY TO GET OUT OF THE MILITARY.

NOW, MR. RAYMOND EVANS TALKING ABOUT PLEASANT GROVE SCHOOL.

NOW, I REMEMBER WHEN HIS UNCLE HAL USED TO PREACH AT OAK GROVE, MY CHURCH, WHICH SITS NEXT DOOR TO THE OLD PLEASANT GROVE SCHOOL.

WELL, YOU IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THAT, WE CAN SHARE THAT WITH YOU.

SO NOW I WANT TO SAY ABOUT DATA CENTERS. MISS WOODS JUST SPOKE ABOUT IT ON THE 25TH OF SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR.

I SPOKE AT THE FLORENCE THE FLORENCE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING ON DATA CENTER AND ELECTRICITY.

THE OTHER THING IS, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY IS ONLY GOD CAN ADD, SUBTRACT, MULTIPLY AND DIVIDE AT THE SAME TIME.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. GEORGE. THAT'S GOING TO BE.

SO MUCH. COLE CURTIS LIKE THREE TIMES. THAT. MUST BE VERY IMPORTANT.

NEXT UP WE HAVE UTILITY EASEMENT RIGHT AWAY FROM CLARENDON COUNTY AND SANTEE ELECTRIC.

[8. Utility Easement and Right of Way]

THIS WOULD BE FOR THE NEW WELL AND PUMP STATION AND CONTROL CENTER AT THE DAVIS STATION WATER TOWER.

THIS PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE A YEAR OR SO AGO, BUT NOW THEY'RE READY TO PUT POWER IN AND THEY NEED PERMISSION TO TO RUN POWER ACROSS THAT PROPERTY. IF COUNCIL IS SO INCLINED, I WILL EXECUTE THAT, THAT EASEMENT.

ANY QUESTIONS. DO I HAVE A MOTION. SO MOVED. SECOND.

MOTION. COUNCILMAN RICHARDSON. SECOND. COUNCILMAN KOCHER.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

MR. CHAIRMAN? YES, SIR. WE HAVE ANOTHER NEED FOR UTILITY EASEMENT.

[00:25:02]

THIS WILL BE AT THE NEW FLEET SERVICES BUILDING AND PUBLIC WORKS AND THE ANIMAL CONTROL CENTER.

WE'VE ALREADY RUN THE CONDUIT, AND DO JUST NEEDS AUTHORIZATION TO PUT THE LINE THROUGH IT.

THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO GET ME THAT PAPERWORK BEFORE TONIGHT. THEY HAVEN'T YET GOT IT.

BEING THAT IT'S A MONTH AWAY WITHOUT OBJECTION, I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND AUTHORIZE THEM TO PUT THAT LINE IN, AND THEN WE WILL FORMALIZE IT AT THE NEXT MEETING IF COUNCIL IS OKAY WITH THAT.

ANYBODY GOT A PROBLEM WITH THAT? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.

SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCILWOMAN KOCHER.

SECOND FROM COUNCILWOMAN FRIERSON. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL OPPOSED? THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. YES, SIR.

NEXT WE HAVE ORDINANCE 2026 DASH TEN. CONSIDERATION OF THE THIRD AND FINAL READING OF ORDINANCE 2026 DASH TEN,

[9. Ordinance 2026-10]

OH. WE GOT A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN RODIN, SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN COKE.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

NEXT, WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE 2026-11 AND ORDINANCE ADOPTING A POLICY REGARDING REQUESTS FOR

[10. Public Hearing – Ordinance 2026-11]

AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.

I KNOW WHO YOU ARE. BUT WHEN YOU GET UP THERE, PLEASE, PLEASE SAY YOUR NAME FOR THE PEOPLE AT HOME.

ROGER JOWERS. MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

FOYER IS AN ACRONYM FOR FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT IS NOT FEE FOR INFORMATION ACT.

I PROPOSE THAT SINCE YOU'RE GOING TO PASS THIS AT LEAST POST ANY REQUESTS AND ANSWERS ON COUNTY WEBSITE SO THAT IF SOMEONE ELSE HAS THAT SAME REQUEST FOR INFORMATION, THEY'RE ABLE TO GO ON THAT WEBSITE AND SEE THAT INFORMATION WITHOUT HAVING TO PAY FOR IT THE SECOND TIME, BECAUSE I'M SURE THE COUNTY IS NOT GOING TO GIVE THEM A REDUCED RATE.

THEY'RE GOING TO CHARGE THEM THE SAME PRICE FOR, FOR DOING THE RESEARCH THAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO.

AND IT'S MY REQUEST THAT YOU DO SOMETHING. PLEASE CONSIDER DOING THIS FOR THE PEOPLE AND NOT MANDATING AN ADDITIONAL BURDEN JUST TO GET INFORMATION THAT THEY'RE RIGHTFULLY ENTITLED TO.

THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? GOOD EVENING. CHAIRMAN. COUNCIL MEMBERS. PATRICIA.

COUNTY AUDITOR. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO KIND OF GET A SUMMARY OF THE DIFFERENCE IN THE POLICY THAT WE CURRENTLY HAD THAT WAS JUST PASSED, I THINK EARLIER THIS YEAR, LAST YEAR. AND THIS ONE HERE AND ALSO A BREAKDOWN OF WHAT THE FEES ARE FOR THIS FIRE.

WE DIDN'T PASS THE POLICY EARLIER. IT WAS ON AN AGENDA, BUT WE VOTED TO NOT, NOT MOVE FORWARD WITH IT AT THAT TIME.

IT IS STATE LAW THAT EVERY COUNTY HAS TO HAVE A FOUR YEAR POLICY.

AND BASICALLY ALL WE'VE DONE IS COPY ADOPTED, ADOPTED THE STATE FOR YOUR POLICY.

THIS IS REALLY NOT SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO DO.

IT'S, IT'S MANDATORY FOR, FOR THE COUNTY TO HAVE IT.

ALL WE DID WAS ADOPT THE POLICY THAT THE STATE ALREADY HAS IN PLACE.

AND WHAT ABOUT THE FEES? ARE THOSE STATES WE THOSE ARE STATE FEES TO STATE FEES.

YEAH. MR. CHAIRMAN MISS ALTER, IF YOU WILL SEE ME TOMORROW, I CAN GIVE YOU A COPY OF THAT ORDINANCE.

AND THE FEES ARE STATED IN THE ORDINANCE. IT'S STATE LAW AND THEY'RE IN THERE.

I CAN GIVE YOU A COPY. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE?

[00:30:01]

[11. Ordinance 2026-11]

AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING A POLICY REGARDING REQUESTS FOR PUBLIC RECORDS UNDER THE SOUTH CAROLINA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.

DO I HAVE A MOTION? SO, MR. CHAIRMAN, I MOTION FOR COUNCILMAN RICHARDSON, SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN RODIN.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

NEXT UP, WE HAVE ORDINANCE 2026-13. CONSIDERATION OF THE SECOND READING OF ORDINANCE 2026-13.

[12. Ordinance 2026-13]

YOU CAN EXPLAIN THAT. YES, MR. CHAIRMAN. WE HAVE FOUND OURSELVES IN A POSITION DUE TO SOME COST SAVING MEASURES IN THE LATTER HALF OF FY 2526. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A SMALL SURPLUS IN THE GENERAL FUND AGAIN THIS YEAR.

INSTEAD OF THE ORIGINAL BUDGET ACTUALLY ANTICIPATED SPENDING $1.5 MILLION OUT OF FUND BALANCE.

WE ACTUALLY, NOT ONLY DID WE NOT SPEND THAT 1.5 MILLION OF FUND BALANCE, WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF SURPLUS MONEY THAT WOULD NORMALLY GO BACK INTO FUND BALANCE THIS YEAR. WE'D LIKE TO TAKE A PORTION OF THAT SURPLUS $200,000.

WE'D LIKE TO MOVE IT OVER INTO OUR DEBT SERVICE FUND.

THAT WOULD PREVENT US FROM THE NEED TO INCREASE DEBT SERVICE MILLAGE.

SO WE'RE GOING TO KEEP THAT DEBT SERVICE MILLAGE FLAT ACTUALLY.

SO IT'S KIND OF LIKE A WE'RE GIVING IT BACK TO THE TAXPAYER SORT OF, SO TO SPEAK.

AND THEN WE'D LIKE TO TAKE THE REMAINING BALANCE OF THAT, WHICH AT THIS TIME WE.

APPROXIMATELY $500,000. MOVE IT OVER INTO OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO ISSUE CAPITAL LEASES OR INCUR DEBT, WHICH IN TURN WOULD RAISE TAXES. SO IN OUR FUND BALANCE IN THE GENERAL FUND RIGHT NOW SITS AT 39.9%.

35 IS A FANTASTIC NUMBER. 30 IS WHERE MOST PEOPLE SHOOT FOR.

THAT'S WHAT IT'S IN OUR ORDINANCE. SO WE'RE ALMOST AT 40% IN FUND BALANCE.

WE DON'T NEED TO ADD ANY ADDITIONAL MONEY TO OUR FUND BALANCE.

SO NOW THAT WE FOUND OURSELVES IN THIS SITUATION, WE'D LIKE TO UTILIZE THAT FUND BALANCE SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO TAX THE TAXPAYERS ANY MORE THAN ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THEIR SAVINGS BACK TO THEM, BASICALLY. ANY QUESTIONS? I'M ALL FOR THAT. ALL RIGHT. MAKE A MOTION. WE GOT A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN RODIN.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

NEXT UP, WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE TO PROVIDE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1ST, 2027,

[13. Public Hearing 2026-14]

THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING, AND AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO OPEN THE FLOOR TO THE PUBLIC FOR ANYONE WHO'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS.

IF ANYBODY DOESN'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS, IT'S BASICALLY WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IS WE'RE GOING TO STOP THE TAXES.

FOR PEOPLE THAT OWN BOAT MOTORS, YOU HAVE TO PAY TAXES ON THE BOAT MOTOR.

THE MOTOR WILL NOT BE TAXED, JUST THE BOAT THAT IS.

IS THAT YOU WANT TO EXPLAIN IT. SO IT ALSO CURRENTLY THE.

THE ASSESSMENT RATE FOR BOATS AND MOTORS IS 10.5%.

AND THAT'S GOING TO GO DOWN TO SIX. SIX I THINK IT IS.

THE STATE MANDATED THAT WE DO THAT OVER A THREE YEAR PERIOD, BUT WE WERE IN A POSITION THIS YEAR WITH THE BUDGET TO WHERE WE THOUGHT WE COULD GO AHEAD AND TAKE THAT HIT IN YEAR ONE, GO AHEAD AND GIVE THAT BENEFIT TO THE TAXPAYERS WHO OWN BOATS.

SO INSTEAD OF GOING FROM AND I DIDN'T DO THAT MATH.

NELSON, CAN YOU HELP ME WITH THE MATH FROM, SAY, TEN AND A HALF DOWN TO 8%, DOWN TO 6% OR SOMEWHERE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, WE'RE JUST GOING TO JUMP FROM TEN AND A HALF ALL THE WAY DOWN TO SIX.

SO IT'S GOING TO CUT EVERYBODY'S TAXES ALMOST IN HALF.

ALL RIGHT. IF NOBODY WANTS TO TALK ON THAT AT THIS TIME, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ON THIS AND WE WILL MOVE ON TO ORDINANCE

[14. Ordinance 2026-14]

[00:35:10]

GOT A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN RODIN AND A SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN COKER.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

NEXT, WE HAVE ORDINANCE 2026-15. CONSIDERATION OF THE SECOND READING OF ORDINANCE 2026-15.

[15. Ordinance 2026-15]

WE GOT ANY QUESTIONS? DO I HAVE A MOTION? GOT A MOTION FOR COUNCILMAN.

SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN COKE. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. NEXT, WE HAVE ORDINANCE 2026-16.

[16. Ordinance 2026-16]

AND PUTTING THAT OVER IN OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND.

SO WE HAVE MONEY TO GO OUT AND DO ADVERTISING, SITE DEVELOPMENT, ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEEDS TO DO IN ORDER TO ATTRACT NEW BUSINESS. WELL, WE HAVEN'T YET DONE ONE OF THOSE PROJECTS WHERE WE ARE ACTUALLY GETTING TAX MONEY OFF OF IT BECAUSE IT'S NOT 20% FOREVER.

NOW IT'S JUST 20% FOR FIVE YEARS. ALL OF THE ACTIVITY THAT'S BEEN BEING DONE AND SINCE THEN IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN IN PROPERTY WHERE WE DIDN'T HAVE SPECIAL SOURCE REVENUE CREDITS, WE DIDN'T HAVE FEE IN LIEU OF TAX AGREEMENTS.

BUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOLKS ARE STILL WORKING JUST AS HARD.

WE NEED TO GET THEM SOME REVENUE SO THAT WE CAN PUT INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE PUT IN PLACE.

WE CAN BUILD SPEC BUILDINGS WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE BUILT.

WE CAN GO AND ADVERTISE TO ATTRACT SOME OF THESE DIFFERENT TYPES OF BUSINESSES AND INDUSTRIES.

THIS IS A MECHANISM TO GET THEM THAT MONEY TO OPERATE WITH.

SO IT REWARDS IT. IT'S LIKE INVESTING IN OURSELVES.

EVERY TIME WE GET A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY IN, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT, SET IT ASIDE FOR FUTURE INVESTMENT IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GROWTH.

BUT IT DOES HAVE A LIMIT ON TIME. IT'S ONLY FIVE YEARS.

ANY QUESTIONS? DO I HAVE A MOTION? A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN.

SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN RICHARDSON. ALL IN FAVOR? ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. NEXT IS ORDINANCE 2026-17.

[17. Ordinance 2026-17]

YES, MR. CHAIRMAN. IF ANYONE'S FAMILIAR WITH THE NEW PARK PROJECT THAT THE CITY OF MANNING IS DOING, WHICH IS RIGHT NEAR WHERE VOTER REGISTRATION ELECTION IS, AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

THAT BIG EMPTY LOT THAT SITS OFF TO THE RIGHT SIDE, THE TOWN OF MANNING IS BUILDING A PARK.

AND AS PART OF THAT CONSTRUCTION, THEY REALIZED THEY NEEDED A LITTLE MORE SLIVER OF PROPERTY.

AND THE PROPERTY THAT OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT SITS ON, THERE'S A LITTLE CORNER THAT JUTS OUT BACK BEHIND THE PARKING LOT THAT WE'RE NOT UTILIZING, BUT THEY REALLY NEED FOR THAT PARK, AND THEY ASK THAT WE CONVEY THAT PROPERTY TO THEM TO INCORPORATE INTO THE PARK.

IT'LL BE A GOOD THING FOR THE COMMUNITY. IT WON'T BE JUST THE TOWN OF MANNING FOLKS USING IT.

EVERYBODY WILL BE ABLE TO USE THAT PARK AS WELL. SO ADMINISTRATION WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE CONVEY THE PROPERTY.

SO, MR. CHAIRMAN, I GOT A MOTION. COUNCILMAN RICHARDSON, SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN RODIN.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

NEXT IS ORDINANCE 2026-18. CONSIDERATION OF THE FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE 2026-18, AN ORDINANCE IMPOSING A MORATORIUM

[18. Ordinance 2026-18]

[00:40:02]

YES, SIR. MR. CHAIRMAN SAID Y'ALL WOULD TALK.

YEAH. GEORGE KOSINSKI IS HERE FROM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND GEORGE HAS DONE AN EXTENSIVE AMOUNT OF RESEARCH, AND I THINK HE'S GOT SOME INFORMATION THAT I THINK WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL, NOT ONLY FOR COUNCIL, BUT FOR MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE ON ADDRESSING SOME OF THESE ISSUES WATER USAGE, ELECTRICITY NOISE, THE INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIREMENTS, WHETHER IT'S GOING TO RAISE OUR UTILITY RATES OR NOT.

GEORGE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO PRESENT WHAT YOU HAVE, SIR? IT'S NOT MUCH OF A PRESENTATION, BUT IT'S KIND OF AN AD HOC PRESENTATION, SO BEAR WITH ME.

NO, I WAS GOING TO COME UP HERE AND TALK TODAY, SO THANKS, WALT, FOR THAT.

I CAN HELP OUT, I APPRECIATE THAT. YEAH. SO I JUST WANT TO CLEAR UP A LOT OF THE WELL, LET ME BACK UP.

SO, SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE AND WE WANTED TO EDUCATE MY BOARD, WHICH IS THE DEVELOPMENT BOARD AND COUNTY COUNCIL AND WALT MYSELF ON, ON DATA CENTERS. YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE STUFF YOU READ ON THE INTERNET THROUGH GOOGLE A LOT OF THESE DIFFERENT SEARCH ENGINES IS PUT OUT, I HATE TO SAY IT BY THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. AND THAT'S BEEN VERIFIED.

YES. AND THE REASON THEY'RE DOING THAT IS THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT WANT THESE DATA CENTERS IN THE US.

THEY WANT TO CAPTURE ALL THAT IN CHINA. THEY WANT TO KEEP IT THERE.

THEY WANT TO KEEP US BEHIND ON TECHNOLOGY SO THEY CAN, I GUESS, STEAL MORE OF OUR STEAL MORE OF OUR IDEAS AND PATENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO THAT'S WHO PUTS OUT A LOT OF THIS FALSE INFORMATION.

SO WE DID EXTENSIVE RESEARCH RESEARCH. I'VE DONE EXTENSIVE RESEARCH ON THEM TO MAKE SURE, YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN WE CONTROL AS A COUNTY WHEN IT COMES TO A DATA CENTER? THE THREE BIGGEST CONCERNS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT A LITTLE BIT ALREADY AND YOU BROUGHT THEM UP ARE NOISE WHERE THEY'RE LOCATED, LIKE, ARE THEY GOING TO BE IN MY BACKYARD? AND THEN THE THIRD ONE IS, IS WATER USAGE.

AND THEN I GUESS ELECTRIC IS THE OTHER ONE. SO REALLY THERE'S FOUR OF THEM.

THERE'S TWO OF THEM THAT WE REALLY CAN'T CONTROL.

AND THAT IS, THAT IS ELECTRIC BECAUSE THAT IS PRODUCED BY SANTEE COOPER AND SANTEE ELECTRIC BUYS THE ELECTRICITY FROM SANTEE COOPER.

IF SANTEE COOPER SAYS, YES, WE CAN SUPPLY ELECTRICITY TO THAT DATA CENTER, THEN WE HAVE TO RELY ON THOSE FOLKS BECAUSE THEY'RE EXPERTS IN THAT.

THE OTHER ONE IS WATER. FROM A WATER STANDPOINT, IF THE CITY OF MANNING SAYS, YES, WE CAN SUPPLY YOU THROUGH OUR, WELL SYSTEM, 8000 GALLONS A DAY. THEN WE HAVE TO RELY ON THE CITY OF MANNING TO SAY, YES, YOU CAN, YOU CAN SUPPLY 8000 GALLONS A DAY. I WILL TELL YOU, 8000 GALLONS A DAY IS THE EQUIVALENT OF ABOUT 20 HOMES WITH FOUR PEOPLE LIVING IN THEM, FLUSHING THE TOILETS EVERY DAY. SO JUST TO KIND OF BRING THAT INTO PERSPECTIVE A COUPLE OTHER THINGS.

SO THE AVERAGE US HOUSEHOLD USES ABOUT 300 GALLONS A DAY AND THAT'S A FAMILY OF FOUR.

ANYBODY EVER FILL UP A SWIMMING POOL? 16,000 GALLONS GOES INTO A SWIMMING POOL WHEN YOU FILL IT UP, ON AVERAGE, THAT'S IN ONE DAY. GOLF COURSE IRRIGATION.

PEOPLE LIKE TO GOLF, RIGHT? WE LIKE GREEN GRASS.

GOLF COURSES USE ANYWHERE FROM 300,000 GALLONS A DAY TO A MILLION GALLONS A DAY TO WATER THE GOLF COURSE.

WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CENTER PIVOT. IRRIGATION, RIGHT? OH, NO. THIS IS THIS IS A BAD ONE HERE. FOR THE FARMERS, YOU KNOW, ANYWHERE PEAK GROWING SEASON ROW CROPS, CORN, ANYWHERE FROM 300 TO 1 MILLION GALLONS A DAY ON ROW CROPS.

IS IS COMING OUT OF THE GROUND. A FIRE TRUCK TANK.

WE COULD FILL ABOUT 500 OR 16 FIRE TRUCKS. WE COULD FILL UP 16 FIRE TRUCKS USING 8000 GALLONS AND A STANDARD BATHTUB.

OUR TANKS ARE BIGGER. OKAY, THERE YOU GO. SO.

AND THEN A STANDARD BATHTUB. WE COULD FILL UP ABOUT A HUNDRED OF THOSE, A STANDARD BATHTUB.

SO IT JUST KIND OF BRINGS THAT ALL INTO PERSPECTIVE WHEN IT COMES TO NOISE.

SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE JUDGED ON DECIBELS, RIGHT? AND AT THE PROPERTY LINE IS WHERE THEY JUDGE THEIR DECIBELS AT.

SO RUSTLING, RUSTLING LEAVES, IF ANYBODY'S EVER HEARD RUSTLING LEAVES, RIGHT? THAT CREATES ABOUT 30DB IF YOU'RE 100FT AWAY FROM THAT.

SO A QUIET LIBRARY IS ABOUT 35DB. A 15 MEGAWATT DATA CENTER, WHICH IS WHAT'S LOOKING HERE IS ABOUT 55, 55DB. A HOUSEHOLD REFRIGERATOR IS 50DB. DISHWASHER 60DB.

I DON'T WANT TO MENTION A LAWN MOWER, RIGHT? BECAUSE THOSE ARE 90DB.

IF YOU'RE SITTING ON A LAWN MOWER, RUNNING A LAWN MOWER, OR A DIESEL TRACTOR, HAS ANYONE EVER STEPPED IN OUTSIDE OF A DIESEL TRACTOR AND HEARD A

[00:45:06]

SO AT THE PROPERTY LINE, THEY WOULD BE UNDER 60DB BECAUSE IT IS HOUSED INSIDE OF A BRICK BUILDING THAT HAS 1818 INCH CONCRETE INSULATED INSULATED WALLS. A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THIS EITHER.

THERE IS ONE ON HIGHWAY 52. THERE'S ABOUT TEN OF THEM IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA RIGHT NOW.

THERE IS ONE ON HIGHWAY 52 IN GOOSE CREEK. IT'S BEEN THERE FOR 25 YEARS.

NOBODY EVER KNEW IT WAS THERE. IT'S CALLED GOOGLE.

WE ALL KNOW WHAT GOOGLE IS, RIGHT? THEY'VE BEEN THERE FOR 25 YEARS.

AND THAT'S ONE THAT YOU CAN GO WALK AROUND JUST TO SEE HOW THEY LOOK.

ANYBODY EVER BEEN TO MARK COMMONS IN MYRTLE BEACH, ANYONE? WELL, THERE'S A 300 ZERO ZERO ZERO SQUARE FOOT DATA CENTER IN MYRTLE BEACH CALLED DC BLOCKS, RIGHT NEXT TO A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD, AND RIGHT NEXT TO ALL OF THAT DEVELOPMENT THERE.

AND THEY ARE, THEY ARE LIVING IN HARMONY WITH THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND IT'S 300,000FT² AND THAT'S A 60 MEGAWATT DATA CENTER.

SO REALLY THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE SOME OF THE BIG MISCONCEPTIONS.

AND THEN THE THIRD THING THAT WE CAN CONTROL, WHICH IS WHY I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE MORATORIUM TONIGHT IS WHERE YOU CAN PUT THEM, RIGHT? WE DON'T WANT THEM IN OUR BACKYARDS, AND WE DON'T WANT THEM TO TAKE FARMLAND.

RIGHT? VALUABLE FARMLAND FROM THE FARMERS. WE DON'T WANT THEM TO COME IN AND TAKE A THOUSAND ACRES AND CREATE THESE MASSIVE DATA CENTERS.

NOW, THE PICTURES YOU SEE ONLINE OF THESE BIG SMOKESTACKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT IS NOT A DATA CENTER.

A DATA CENTER IS A SQUARE BOX, AND IT HAS A BUNCH OF COMPUTERS ON THE INSIDE.

THAT'S ALL OF IT. THAT'S ALL IT IS. THERE MAY BE SOME GENERATORS ON THE OUTSIDE, BUT IT'S NO DIFFERENT THAN THE THE GENERATOR, GENERAC, THAT YOU HAVE ON THE OUTSIDE OF YOUR HOUSE WHEN A HURRICANE HITS, AND THAT RUNS WHAT TURNS ON ONCE A DAY.

SO IT'S NO DIFFERENT THAN THOSE GENERATORS. IT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT BIGGER SCALE, BUT MOST OF EVERYTHING ELSE IS HOUSED INSIDE OF THAT BUILDING.

SO I THINK THAT'S THE MAIN REASON FOR THE MORATORIUM. YOU JUST CONTROL WHERE THESE WHERE WHERE THESE CAN GO.

OUR INDUSTRIAL PARKS WERE MADE FOR MANUFACTURING, SOME HEAVY MANUFACTURING, SOME LIGHT MANUFACTURING, SOME WAREHOUSES. I CAN TELL YOU A CHICKEN PROCESSING PLANT USES 3 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER A DAY.

BUT NOBODY WOULD BAT AN EYE IF I WAS UP HERE AND SAYING, HEY, WE'VE GOT A CHICKEN PROCESSING PLANT LOOKING IN CLARENDON COUNTY.

THEY'RE GOING TO CREATE 200 JOBS, AND THEY'RE GOING TO USE 3 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER A DAY. WOULD ANYONE SAY ANYTHING ABOUT WATER USAGE ABOUT THAT? WE WOULD NOT. RIGHT NOW. THESE DO NOT PROVIDE A LOT OF JOBS IN THE END.

THIS PARTICULAR ONE THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT OR THAT IS LOOKING AT US RIGHT NOW IS 28 JOBS.

THOSE 28 JOBS PAY ANYWHERE FROM 100 TO $130,000 A YEAR FOR THOSE 28 FOLKS THAT ARE WORKING THERE.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, ALL THE HVAC UNITS THAT ARE ON THE TOPS OF THESE BUILDINGS HAVE TO BE SERVICED.

HVAC TECHNICIANS VERY HIGH SECURITY FENCE AROUND THE FENCE, AROUND THE STRUCTURE.

YOU HAVE SECURITY GUARDS THAT ARE THAT ARE GOING TO BE EMPLOYED THERE.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF ANCILLARY I WOULD CALL EMPLOYMENT THAT HAPPENS NOT ONLY INSIDE THE BUILDING, BUT ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING AS WELL. I WOULD LOVE TO GO WORK AT A, YOU KNOW, WE, WE RECRUIT THESE MANUFACTURING COMPANIES, THEY PAY $30 AN HOUR AND IF WE CAN TELL THEM, HEY, YOU CAN GO WORK AT YOU KNOW, DC BLOCKS OVER HERE AND IT'S NOT THE DC BLOCK, BUT YOU CAN GO WORK AT DC BLOCK AND MAKE $130,000 A YEAR.

I THINK WE'D HAVE SOME FOLKS THAT WOULD PROBABLY JUMP ON THAT. BUT I THINK THAT'S THE REAL REASON WHY WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS MORATORIUM IS TO REALLY CONTROL THAT BIG ISSUE OF WHERE THEY CAN LOCATE AND JUST NOT LET THEM POP UP AND LOCATE ANYWHERE, RIGHT.

I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF THAT'S KIND OF WHY WE'RE, WHY WE'RE LOOKING AT THE MORATORIUM.

AND I AM FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF TABITHA AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THEIR MORATORIUM.

AS YOU KNOW, CONTROLLING THE DIFFERENT PLACES THAT THEY CAN GO.

SO I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY MORE QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.

WHILE I'M UP HERE, WALT, YOU CAN, YOU CAN JUMP IN IF YOU WANT TO.

I THINK I, I'VE THROWN OUT ALL MY, ALL MY GOOD FACTS YOU KNOW, WATER AND, AND FROM A, FROM A WATER STANDPOINT, I WILL TELL YOU THIS, OUR EXCESS CAPACITY IN THE CITY OF MANNING IS 3.2 MILLION GALLONS A DAY.

WE HAVE THAT EXCESS CAPACITY AND THIS AT 8000 GALLONS, THAT'S, THAT'S LESS THAN 0.05% OF THE TOTAL EXCESS CAPACITY THAT THEY WOULD BE TAKING.

FOR, FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT THAT'S LOOKING IN CLARENDON COUNTY AND THAT'S MAX, THAT IS A MAX OF 8000.

IT'S NOT ALWAYS GOING TO BE 8000. LIKE, LIKE YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, SO THAT IT'S $40,000 OR $40,000.

4000 GALLONS TO FILL THE SYSTEM. JUST LIKE A CAR RADIATOR CIRCULATES EVERY TEN YEARS, THEY HAVE TO REFILL THAT SYSTEM.

DOES THE THE WATER THAT COMES OUT OF THAT SYSTEM GET FLUSHED INTO OUR SEWER SYSTEM? IT DOES NOT. THEY HAVE TO TAKE IT TO A SPECIAL AREA VIA TRUCK.

THE TRUCKS, THEY CLEAN THE WATER, THEY BRING IT BACK, AND THEY RECYCLE IT EVERY TEN YEARS.

SO IT'S JUST LIKE, IT'S JUST LIKE A, YOU KNOW, A, YOUR CAR SYSTEM SIMILAR TO IT.

[00:50:05]

WE DON'T OWN THAT BUILDING. SANTEE ELECTRIC OWNS THAT BUILDING.

BUT WE HAD A VACANT BUILDING IN THE INDUSTRIAL PARK THAT SANTEE ELECTRIC WAS MARKETING FOR SALE.

IT SITS IN AN INDUSTRIAL PARK THAT'S CONTROLLED BY THE BDC, AND THE BUILDING IS OWNED BY SANTEE ELECTRIC.

SO THEY APPROACHED SANTEE ELECTRIC TO GET THE BILL, AND THEN ALL THE OTHER DOMINOES JUST FELL BEFORE WE EVEN HAD TIME TO REACT, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

THE REASON WHY WE DID THE OTHER ORDINANCE TO GET THAT 20% IS SO THE COUNTY CAN ACTUALLY START BUILDING THOSE BUILDINGS.

WE THEN WILL HAVE A LITTLE MORE CONTROL TO OF WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS IN THE INDUSTRIAL PARKS FROM THAT STANDPOINT.

SO ALL THESE PIECES KIND OF FIT TOGETHER BUT DID NOT APPLY FOR ANY TYPE OF VICINITY.

THEY ARE NOT, THEY PAID FOR ALL THEIR OWN INFRASTRUCTURE. SO FROM A, FROM AN ELECTRICITY STANDPOINT, IF THEY NEED ANY NEW INFRASTRUCTURE BUILT, THEY'RE GOING TO PAY FOR IT ALL. YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES WHEN THESE NEW COMPANIES COME IN THEY NEED INFRASTRUCTURE BUILT TO THEIR PLANT. WELL, THE, THE POWER COMPANIES WILL BUILD THAT INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT THEN THEY'LL, THEY'LL SPREAD THE COST OF THAT INFRASTRUCTURE OUT THROUGHOUT THE RATEPAYERS. SO EVERYBODY IS PAYING FOR A NEW NEW COMPANY TO COME IN THAT NEEDS NEW, ALL OF US AS, AS POWER CONSUMERS AND RATEPAYERS, WE PAY FOR THAT WHAT'S CALLED THE FACILITIES CHARGE.

SO IF YOU LOOK AT INDUSTRIAL BILLS, YOU'LL ALWAYS SEE A FACILITIES CHARGE ON THERE AND THEY'RE ALL PAYING THAT FOR EACH OTHER.

IT'S KIND OF THE WAY IT WORKS. THESE DATA CENTERS WILL COME IN AND THEY WILL PAY FOR ALL OF THEIR OWN INFRASTRUCTURE, ALL THEIR OWN WATER, ALL OF THEIR OWN SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE, ROADS, EVERYTHING THEY PLAY FOR.

THEY PAY FOR EVERYTHING. AND THEY ARE NOT ASKING FOR ANY INCENTIVES, ANY CONCESSIONS FROM THE COUNTY.

YEAH. AND IN THIS CASE, THERE IS NO INFRASTRUCTURE BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY IN PLACE AT THE INDUSTRIAL PARK.

SO SANTEE ELECTRIC OR SANTEE COOPER WON'T HAVE TO GO OUT AND SPEND ANY MONEY, WHICH THE MISS WOODS WOOD'S POINT, WOULD THEN CAUSE A RATE INCREASE. BUT SINCE EVERYTHING IS ALREADY IN PLACE, IT'S ALREADY PAID FOR.

IT WON'T CAUSE ANY RATE INCREASES. THIS IS A FANTASTIC PROJECT FOR ONE TO HAVE SORT OF SLIPPED IN ON US.

THIS IS THE BEST THING THAT PROBABLY EVER COULD HAVE HAPPENED.

AND YOU CAN LOOK AT IT. IS THERE A BAD PROJECTS OUT THERE? BUT THIS IS NOT ONE. SO IF YOU WERE TO ISSUE A MORATORIUM OVER EVERYTHING RIGHT.

AND SAY NO DATA CENTERS, NO DEVELOPMENT, NO NOTHING.

WHERE DOES THE WATER COME FROM THAT WE USE COMES OUT OF THE GROUND.

WHERE DOES THE WATER COME FROM IN ORANGEBURG? SAME, SAME. WHERE'S THE WATER COME FROM IN CHARLESTON? SAME COMES OUT OF THE GROUND. STILL GOING TO USE THE SAME WATER.

WHERE DOES THE POWER COME FROM? SANTEE COOPER, WHETHER YOU'RE IN ORANGEBURG, WILLIAMSBURG, IT DOESN'T MATTER. SUMTER. UNLESS YOU'RE IN THE UPSTATE.

IT'S ALL COMING FROM SANTEE COOPER. SO WHY NOT CAPTURE THE THE SIGNIFICANT TAX REVENUE AND NOT LET ONE OF THE OTHER COUNTIES CAPTURE THAT REVENUE.

I HAVE A QUESTION. YES, MA'AM. OH. I'M SORRY.

PLEASE. YOU JUST HAD A HAND UP. GO AHEAD. MR..

ARE WE TRYING TO LURE THESE DATA CENTERS TO SAY, LIKE THE INDUSTRIAL PARK AND 527 THAT'S BEEN SITTING THERE FOR YEARS AND YEARS, WORTH OUR QUARTER OF OUR FAULT ALONG THOSE LINES.

YES, MA'AM. WE ARE WE ARE TRYING TO POTENTIALLY LOOK AT PUTTING A DATA CENTER UP THERE, BUT IT'S UP TO THEM.

I REALLY IT BOILS DOWN TO TWO THINGS. IS THERE ENOUGH WATER CAPACITY THERE RIGHT NOW? AND IS THERE ENOUGH ELECTRIC CAPACITY THERE RIGHT NOW? AND THAT'S REALLY UP TO THE ELECTRIC COMPANY AND THE WATER PROVIDER.

WATER PROVIDER THERE IS THE TOWN OF TURBEVILLE.

SO THAT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN THE MANNING SYSTEM HAS SOME CHALLENGES.

AND THEN THE ELECTRIC IS THROUGH SANTEE ELECTRIC AND BLACK RIVER ELECTRIC.

SO IT WOULD KIND OF BE THE SAME. BUT YES. I'M NOT ACTIVELY OUT MARKETING TO DATA CENTERS, BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE SCOURING ALL COUNTIES IN SOUTH CAROLINA RIGHT NOW LOOKING FOR AVAILABLE PROPERTY.

AND THEY ARE LOOKING AT INDUSTRIAL PARKS BECAUSE IT'S THE PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE FOR THEM WHEN THEY TRY TO LOCATE IF YOU LOOK AT THE PROJECT IN WALTERBORO RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE TRYING TO LOCATE IN THE AYE SPACE AND RIGHT NEXT TO A BIG WATER SOURCE, RIGHT? IT'S A MASSIVE PROJECT. IT'S A $14 BILLION PROJECT THAT WOULD TAKE COLLETON COUNTY'S TAXES FROM WHERE THEY ARE AT TODAY, AND THAT THAT PARTICULAR ONE PROJECT WOULD PAY MORE TAXES THAN THEY COLLECT RIGHT NOW FROM ALL THE CITIZENS.

[00:55:02]

THAT IS THAT IS A MASSIVE PROJECT ON A THOUSAND ACRES, MUCH DIFFERENT THAN WHAT'S LOOKING HERE.

BUT AGAIN, THAT ONE, BECAUSE THEY HAD TO REZONE PROPERTY FROM AG TO TRY TO ZONE IT INTO INDUSTRIAL.

AND THAT'S HOW THAT ONE GOT BROUGHT UP. AND TO FURTHER ANSWER HER QUESTION, WE ARE NOT IN.

GEORGE SAID IT, BUT HE BRIEFED IT OVER. WE ARE NOT ACTIVELY PURSUING DATA CENTERS.

THEY'RE ACTIVELY PURSUING US. RIGHT. YEAH. I RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE OF THE LIMITATIONS FOR HEAVY POWER SUPPLY, WATER SUPPLY AND SEWER SUPPLY AT THE WHAT WE CALL THE MEGA SITE UP IN TURBEVILLE, WE THINK THE HIGHEST BEST USE OF THAT PROPERTY WOULD BE A DISTRIBUTION CENTER, LIKE AN AMAZON DISTRIBUTION CENTER, YOU KNOW, BIG WAREHOUSE LIKE WALMART OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES BEING LOCATED RIGHT BY 95.

WE DON'T HAVE THE ELECTRIC INFRASTRUCTURE IN.

WE DON'T HAVE THE WE GOT MINIMAL SEWER. AND THE WATER WE FOUND OUT THE OTHER DAY IS 700 ZERO FEET AWAY.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE VERY LIMITED ON WHAT WE COULD DO THERE, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A, A WAREHOUSING TYPE OPERATION.

I THINK IT WOULD BE PERFECT FOR THAT. WOULD BE A GOOD BIT OF JOBS, LOW IMPACT, LOW ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT.

AND IT BEING RIGHT BY 95 I THINK IT WOULD BE PERFECT.

BUT MISS K, THERE'S A QUESTION OUT THERE FIRST.

I'M NOT TRYING TO BE NEGATIVE OR ANYTHING, BUT YOU HEARD YOU SAY A LOT OF GREAT POSITIVE THINGS ABOUT THIS PROJECT, BUT I KNOW IT ALL CAME FROM ALL, I THINK WE SHOULD GET LIKE A, A GOOD BROAD OVERVIEW OF REALLY WHAT ELSE COULD WE BE EXPECTING THAT I GUESS NOT NECESSARILY A GOOD THING.

NOT THAT IT WOULD MAKE US SAY, OH NO, NOT HEAVEN, BUT SOMETIMES IT'S NOT REALLY BAD.

BUT I THINK THAT WE JUST GOT A BIG OVERVIEW OF EVERYTHING.

THAT'S GREAT. YEAH. AND YOU KNOW. ALL RIGHT, SO LET'S SAY YOU CAN EXPECT THE NOISE OF OF A LAWNMOWER IF YOU'RE WITHIN 25FT OF THE BUILDING, SO 25. SO THAT COULD BE SOMETHING NEGATIVE.

RIGHT? THEY ARE USING 8000 GALLONS OF WATER A DAY.

YOU COULD YOU CAN CONSIDER THAT NEGATIVE. BUT I DON'T BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, 20 HOUSEHOLDS USE THAT MUCH WATER. IF THEY WERE LOCATING IF THERE WAS RESIDENTIAL HOUSING CLOSE TO IT, I COULD SEE THAT BEING A NEGATIVE. BUT THE NEAREST RESIDENTIAL HOUSING, AND THAT IS THE REASON WHY WE PUT THE INDUSTRIAL PARKS WHERE WE PUT THEM TO BE AWAY FROM RESIDENTIAL HOUSING. WE WANT PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO GO IN AND WORK, AND WE DON'T WANT THE COMPANIES THAT GO THERE BECAUSE THEY'RE, YOU KNOW THEY'RE WELDING AND MAKING NOISE. WE DON'T WANT COMPLAINTS TO COME OUT BECAUSE THEN THEY'RE NOT HAPPY.

RIGHT. YES. OKAY. YEAH. YEAH. SO THOSE COULD BE SOME OF THE NEGATIVES.

BUT IT'S, IT'S REALLY NO DIFFERENT THAN, YOU KNOW, LATITUDE CORPORATION THAT'S OUT BENDING METAL AND WELDING METAL IN THE INDUSTRIAL PARK RIGHT NOW WITH 200 JOBS. THEY USE JUST AS MUCH WATER.

THEY USE JUST AS MUCH ELECTRICITY. SO THOSE COULD BE SOME OF THE PERCEIVED NEGATIVES.

BUT LIKE I SAID, A LOT OF THE, A LOT OF THE NEGATIVITY THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO FIND AND THIS IS NOT ONLY YOU CAN FIND WHATEVER YOU WANT TO FIND, RIGHT? IF YOU WANT TO GIVE ME SOMETHING POSITIVE ABOUT A DATA CENTER, YOU CAN FIND IT.

GIVE ME SOMETHING NEGATIVE ABOUT A DATA CENTER. WE'VE HAD EXPERTS COME IN AND TALK TO US.

THEY HAVE THEM IN THEIR COMMUNITY. AND THEY'VE BEEN THERE FOR A LONG TIME.

THEY'RE GREAT CORPORATE PARTNERS. THEY LIKE TO DONATE TO THE LOCAL SCHOOLS.

THEY LIKE TO DONATE TO SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.

THESE DATA CENTERS HAVE PRETTY DEEP POCKETS, SO THEY BECOME REALLY GOOD COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN A LOT OF THESE COMMUNITIES.

YEP. AND A LOT OF THE INFORMATION YOU SEE WHEN YOU RESEARCH ABOUT DATA CENTERS, EVEN TEN YEARS AGO, THEY WERE BUILDING DATA CENTERS VERY, VERY DIFFERENTLY.

THEY USE VAST AMOUNTS OF WATER. THEY DIDN'T USE THE CURRENT CLOSED LOOP SYSTEM AND COMMUNITIES BACK.

SO BACK THEN, DATA CENTERS YOU HAD TO ATTRACT.

NOW THEY'RE JUST TRYING TO COME. RIGHT? SO WHEN THEY CAME IN, YOU HAD TO OFFER THEM THIS MOON AND STARS PACKAGE GIVING BIG TAX BREAKS.

AGREE TO PUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN. AGREE TO PUT THE ROADS IN.

AND IT WAS A BURDEN ON ALL OF THE UTILITIES FROM ELECTRIC TO WATER, FROM THE COUNTIES, PUTTING IN ROADS AND ALL THIS STUFF BECAUSE THEY WERE TRYING TO ATTRACT THEM. IN TODAY'S WORLD, THEY'RE SAYING, HEY, IF WE CAN FIND A SPOT, WE'LL DO IT ALL.

SO IT IS VASTLY DIFFERENT THAN IT WAS JUST EVEN A DECADE AGO.

THE ONE THAT'S THE GOOGLE PLANT, I THINK IN, IN BERKELEY THAT WE TALKED ABOUT THE OLD ONE, THAT ONE WAS A VERY OLD PLANT. IT WAS BUILT UNDER THE OLD MODEL WHERE THEY JUST PUMPED WATER IN.

[01:00:03]

SO IT'S PROBABLY USING MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF WATER, BUT THEY'RE RIGHT DOWN ON THE RIVER.

SO THEY JUST RUN IT THROUGH THEIR SYSTEM, COOL IT AND PUT IT RIGHT BACK OUT.

THE NEW COMPANIES ALL USE THAT CLOSED LOOP SYSTEM.

AND SOME OF THEM EVEN DO AIR COOLING NOW THEY HAVE FIGURED THAT OUT.

SO THERE IS ONE WAY TO STOP DATA CENTERS FROM COMING TO THE US.

YEP. BECAUSE TV ALL TOUCH PHONE ALL THIS AND PUT IT AWAY AND DON'T EVER TAKE A PICTURE AGAIN BECAUSE THAT'S GOING IN A DATA CENTER SOMEWHERE.

DON'T EVER GO TO THE DOCTOR AND GET AN MRI BECAUSE MRIS ARE STORED IN A DATA CENTER.

ALL OF YOUR INFORMATION FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES IS ALL STORED IN A DATA CENTER SOMEWHERE.

WE CALL IT THE CLOUD. THE CLOUD IS NOT A CLOUD.

THE CLOUD IS A BUILDING SOMEWHERE ON THE GROUND WITH FOUR WALLS, WITH COMPUTERS ON THE INSIDE.

ALL OF OUR INFORMATION FOR THE COUNTY IS STORED IN A DATA CENTER SOMEWHERE.

SO THAT THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THEM FROM, FROM COMING ANYWHERE IN THE US IS TO EVERYBODY STOP USING THEIR PHONES, STOP USING CAMERAS, STOP USING YOUTUBE. YOUTUBE'S THE BIG ONE.

THE AMOUNT OF VIDEOS THAT ARE STORED YOU CAN IMAGINE THE AMOUNT OF I THINK IT WAS 56.

WHAT WAS IT, GEORGE? 56,000 VIDEOS A SECOND OR UPLOADED FROM YOUTUBE.

AND THOSE HAVE TO GO SOMEWHERE. AND YOUTUBE IS NOT, YOU KNOW, HOSTING THEM IN A CLOUD SOMEWHERE.

IT'S IN A BUILDING SOMEWHERE FULL OF COMPUTER SYSTEMS. MY QUESTIONS ARE WE ARE GETTING A DATA CENTER, CORRECT? MAYBE IT'S MAYBE IT'S NOT A DONE DEAL YET OR IT'S NOT A DONE DEAL.

OKAY. AND THE, THE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, THAT INFORMATION, IF WE GET ONE WOULD BE COMING HOW THROUGH THROUGH THAT DATA CENTER AND AND ITS NAME OR WHATEVER. YEAH. YES MA'AM. AND THEY WOULD ADVERTISE IT.

HOW MOST LIKELY LOCALLY, THEY'LL PROBABLY WORK THROUGH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICE THROUGH US TO ADVERTISE THOSE JOBS.

THE THE 28 JOBS. OKAY. NOT TO BE. NOT TO BE REDUNDANT.

YES, MA'AM. WHEN WILL WHEN ARE WE THINKING IT'S GOING TO BE READY? ALL RIGHT. SO IF THE. THEY HAVE THEY HAVE PAID SANTA ELECTRIC FOR WHAT IS CALLED A LOAD STUDY RIGHT NOW.

WHICH SANTEE ELECTRIC GOES OUT. AND ACTUALLY SANTEE COOPER DOES THE LOAD STUDY AS LONG AS IT COMES BACK AND SAYS THAT THEY CAN SUPPLY 15MW OF POWER WITHIN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS AT THAT SITE, THEN THEY WILL INC.

THE DEAL ON THE PROJECT AND THEY WILL START CONSTRUCTION.

CONSTRUCTION WILL PROBABLY TAKE 8 TO 12 MONTHS TO FULLY BUILD OUT.

HIRING WOULD TAKE PLACE PROBABLY FOUR MONTHS, FIVE MONTHS AFTER CONSTRUCTION STARTS.

BUT THERE WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, 200 PEOPLE WORKING IN CONSTRUCTION THERE SOME ON SITE FOLKS, SECURITY, THINGS LIKE THAT. OKAY. DO YOU ALL SEE WHAT I'M DOING? BECAUSE WE TALK ABOUT THE PROS AND CONS OF DATA CENTERS.

I'M TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE GETTING EMPLOYED. I'M TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE MAKING SIX FIGURES THAT I'M HEARING TONIGHT.

I'M TALKING ABOUT GRANDCHILDREN, CHILDREN, PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE AROUND THE CORNER, WHATEVER.

SO IT'S COMING. IT'S GOING TO TAKE US ABOUT TWO YEARS.

IN 18 MONTHS. TWO YEARS? YES, MA'AM. FOR IT TO BE HERE.

YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITY FOR HOW MANY PEOPLE TO MAKE SIX FIGURES? 28. 28 PEOPLE TO MAKE SIX FIGURES. OKAY. I THINK WE NEED TO START PREPARING IN OUR TECHNICAL COLLEGE SYSTEM FOR.

COME ON. THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING TO. THE NEW DAY AND AGE OF DATA CENTERS AND WELCOME THEM AND AND CREATE THESE PROGRAMS TO TRAIN OUR YOUNG FOLKS.

SO, SO SOMEONE FROM ANOTHER STATE DOESN'T COME IN AND TAKE THOSE JOBS.

WE GET WE KEEP THOSE JOBS RIGHT HERE. GEORGE IS GOING TO HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM AS SOON AS HE HAS THAT MEETING IN A COUPLE WEEKS ABOUT THE POTENTIAL TO FUND A AN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM TO GET PEOPLE INTO THAT COMPUTER SCIENCE TYPE STUFF WHERE THEY COULD WORK IN EITHER THIS DATA CENTER OR ONE SOMEWHERE ELSE BECAUSE, I MEAN, THEY'RE COMING.

AND, AND IF OUR FOLKS ARE PREPARED, THAT'S, THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD LIVING IF YOU CAN MAKE THAT KIND OF MONEY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. YES, YES. I WOULD JUST FIND OUT, WILL THIS BE A NEGOTIATED FEE WITH THERE IS NO INCENTIVES BEING OFFERED.

THERE IS NO NEGOTIATED FEE THERE. LAND AND BUILDING WILL BE ASSESSED AT 6%, AND ALL THE MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT WILL BE ASSESSED AT TEN AND A HALF.

SO THEY WILL PAY STANDARD AD VALOREM PROPERTY TAXES AND ALSO THE CRYPTOCURRENCY MINING BUSINESS.

THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH. NO, NO MA'AM. THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH CRYPTOCURRENCY.

NO IT DOES NOT. AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY BUSINESS.

NO. RIGHT. NO CRYPTOCURRENCY. NO. THAT ONE. YES, MA'AM.

[01:05:06]

WHY NOW? BECAUSE THEY PUT AN OFFER ON A BUILDING THAT WE DON'T OWN IN AN INDUSTRIAL PARK THAT WE CONTROL.

AND I MEAN, THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY WHY THEY'RE COMING.

THERE WAS AN AVAILABLE THEY WANTED TO, THERE WAS AN AVAILABLE BUILDING.

WE WEREN'T MARKETING. WE'RE, WE'RE NOT MARKETING TO DATA CENTERS. I MARKET TO MANUFACTURING COMPANIES WAREHOUSE DISTRIBUTION, FOOD SERVICE ADVANCED MANUFACTURING. THAT'S WHO OUR TARGET MARKETS ARE.

BUT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR AVAILABLE BUILDINGS AND WE JUST SO HAPPEN TO HAVE 100,000 SQUARE FOOT BUILDING IN A BIG, A BIG PART OF IT IS DATA CENTERS WANT TO LOCATE NEAR WHERE PEOPLE ARE COMING.

AND SOUTH CAROLINA IS THE FASTEST GROWING STATE IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.

I READ THE OTHER DAY, JASPER COUNTY IS GROWING AT A RATE HIGHER THAN EVERY OTHER STATE BESIDES SOUTH CAROLINA.

THAT WAS AMAZING TO ME. SO THEY WANT TO COME WHERE PEOPLE ARE COMING.

AND THAT'S WHY YOU SEE ALL OF A SUDDEN THIS BIG INTEREST IN IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND WHAT AND I'LL TELL YOU ANOTHER LITTLE FACT THAT SHOCKED ME WHEN GEORGE AND I WERE TALKING TO ALL THESE EXPERTS, I THOUGHT THAT THE MAIN DRIVER BEHIND THE NEED FOR DATA CENTERS WAS AI.

THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT IN READING OUT THERE. THAT'S WHAT YOU.

THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE. BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THE BIGGEST DRIVER.

30% OF THE DRIVING NEED FOR ADDITIONAL DATA CAPACITY IS FOR MEDICAL RECORDS.

EVERYBODY IS DIGITIZING MEDICAL RECORDS NOW, STORING THEM ON THAT CLOUD, WHICH WE'VE LEARNED IS A FOUR WALLED BUILDING WITH SERVERS IN IT. AND THEN WE HAVE, WE'RE UTILIZING MEDICAL SERVICES MORE THAN WE EVER HAVE EVERYTHING COMING OUT OF THAT.

LIKE GEORGE MENTIONED, THE MRIS, THEY'RE ALL DIGITAL IMAGES NOW.

YOU KNOW, WHEN WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, WE HAD AN X-RAY.

THEY PUT A PIECE OF FILM UP UNDER YOU AND THEY SAID, DON'T MOVE.

AND THEY TOOK THAT PICTURE. AND THEN YOU HAD A FILM IN YOUR CHART.

WELL, NOW ALL THAT'S DIGITAL AND THOSE FILES ARE MASSIVE.

SO I WAS REALLY SHOCKED THAT IT'S, IT'S THE HEALTH INDUSTRY THAT IS REALLY DRIVING THE NEED FOR THE IMMEDIATE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL DATA STORAGE.

ANY MORE QUESTIONS? SO YOUR TARGET MARKETS FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH, WHAT'S GOING TO BE THE, WHAT'S GOING TO STOP US FROM TAKING, YOU KNOW, ONCE THE INDUSTRIAL PARKS ARE FILLED UP? IS IT THE 32 EXCESS GALLONS OF WATER A DAY? I THINK IT'S I THINK IT'S OKAY.

WE'RE GOING TO BE WE'RE GOING TO STOP HERE. I THINK IT'S EVERYTHING. I THINK IT'S ALL OF THAT PUT TOGETHER. IT IS. WE DON'T HAVE WATER CAPACITY.

WE DON'T HAVE SEWER CAPACITY. WE DON'T HAVE FOLKS THAT WANT TO GO TO WORK.

RIGHT. HAVE SOME TYPE OF WAY THAT WHAT HAPPENS? DOES IT HAPPEN ON A YOU'RE ASKING IF YOU'RE ASKING IF THE INDUSTRIAL PARK GETS FILLED UP, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, RIGHT? ARE WE GOING TO START TAKING LAND OR, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, NO, MA'AM, NOT AS LONG AS THIS COUNCIL SITTING UP HERE.

I DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. THAT'S WHY WE'RE DOING THIS TODAY, TO MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T GET OUTSIDE OF THE BUSINESS PARK.

WE CAN STOP IT AND SAY IT CAN'T GO. BUT RIGHT HERE, INDUSTRIAL PARK ZONE FOR THAT.

THEY CAN'T SUPPLY IT. THEY CAN'T COME. WELL, WE'RE AND WE'RE TRYING TO DO SMART GROWTH.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO DO YOU KNOW WE HAVE MORE PEOPLE MOVING HERE RIGHT NOW.

YOU KNOW I DON'T TAKE A WHOLE LOT OF. THE LAST CENSUS THEY DID WAS DURING COVID AND WHO WANTED TO GET COUNTED DURING A CENSUS DURING COVID, WOULD YOU OPEN YOUR DOOR AND LET SOMEONE IN AND COUNT YOU? NOBODY, RIGHT? SO THE LAST CENSUS THEY DID HAD US FLAT, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT.

SO ACTUALLY WE HAD A 4000 PERSON DROP LOSING POPULATION, WHICH IF YOU DRIVE AROUND AND YOU SEE ALL THE HOUSES BEING BUILT RIGHT NOW, IF WE HAD 4000 PEOPLE MOVING OUT, WELL, THEN WHO'S, WHO'S BUYING THOSE HOUSES, RIGHT.

SO I DON'T TAKE A WHOLE LOT OF A STAKE IN THAT.

BUT WE'VE GOT PEOPLE MOVING HERE. YOU KNOW, THEY'RE THEY'RE TIRED OF LIVING IN CHARLESTON.

THEY'RE TIRED OF LIVING IN MOUNT PLEASANT. THEY'RE TIRED OF LIVING IN SUMMERVILLE.

THEY WANT TO MOVE A LITTLE BIT FURTHER THIS WAY. AND THEY GOT TO HAVE THE JOBS HERE.

SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO TRAVEL OUT OF THE COUNTY. SO THERE'S A, THERE'S A BALANCE RIGHT NOW.

WE'VE GOT 8000 PEOPLE THAT MOVE OUT THAT GO WORK OUT OF THE COUNTY EVERY DAY AND ONLY 3000 COME IN.

SO WE'RE LOSING SOME FOLKS IF WE HAD MORE. AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE INDUSTRY HERE FIRST.

AND THAT'S THAT'S THE WAY IT WORKS. IT'S INDUSTRY ROOFTOPS AND THAT SUPPORTS EVERYTHING ELSE.

THEN THE COMMERCIAL COMES, AND THEN THE RESIDENTIAL.

[01:10:01]

THEN COMMERCIAL COMES THE CHICK FIL A'S AND THE SHTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO IT'S A REALLY A HEALTHY, SMART BALANCE OF ALL OF IT PUT TOGETHER.

THANK YOU. ANY MORE QUESTIONS? THANK YOU GEORGE.

I DIDN'T REALLY INTEND FOR IT TO TURN INTO A PUBLIC HEARING.

GOOD THING I WAS READY FOR THAT. RIGHT. THANK YOU SIR.

THANK YOU. WE DON'T EVEN HAVE TO HAVE THE PUBLIC.

YEAH. WHAT'S THAT? OFFICIALLY. ALRIGHT. DO I HAVE A MOTION? WE PUT THIS MORATORIUM IN PLACE. GOT A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN RODIN, SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN RICHARDSON.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

NEXT, WE HAVE OUR FINANCE REPORT WITH MR. NELSON GIBBONS, OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR.

[19. Finance Report – Nelson Gibbons, Finance Director]

THAT IS YOURS. THAT'S RIGHT.

THERE YOU GO. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.

SO FOR TONIGHT'S REPORT, I GOT A FEW THINGS WE'LL GO OVER REAL QUICK.

I'M GOING TO START. I'M GOING TO GO WITH THE BOOKS THAT I JUST GAVE YOU.

SO SOME OF YOU HAD ALREADY HAD YOUR FISCAL YEAR 27 BUDGET BOOKS.

A COUPLE OF Y'ALL DID NOT. SO I JUST GAVE THOSE BACK TO YOU.

BUT THE ONES THAT ALREADY HAD YOUR BOOK, I ONLY GAVE YOU THOSE PAGES THERE, RIGHT? SO I GOT EVERYBODY'S NAME HIGHLIGHTED ON IT. SO WHAT I'VE GOT THERE ARE ANY CHANGES THAT TOOK PLACE AFTER YOUR ORIGINALS WERE HANDED TO YOU? YOU'VE GOT THE UPDATED PAGES IN THERE AND I'VE ACTUALLY GOT IT'S MAYBE THE SECOND OR THIRD PAGE BACK.

I'VE GOT A DETAILED BREAKDOWN OF WHAT HAS CHANGED SINCE THE ORIGINALS.

IT'S BEEN MINIMAL, BUT EXPECTED. THE FIRST WAS OUR SALARY AND RELATED EXPENSES THAT WE INCREASED.

I SCATTERED THOSE ACROSS ALL THE DEPARTMENTAL PAGES.

SO THAT WAS THE FIRST BIG CHANGE. THE SECOND ONE WAS WE HAD ONE CELL THAT WE CHANGED TO ADD A DECIMAL PLACE ON IT.

AND THE THIRD ONE I THINK IT WAS, IT'S ON THE LIST THERE, BUT WHATEVER IT WAS, IT WAS SUPER, IT WAS MINIMAL. BUT ANYWAY, SO THAT'S WHAT IT IS, IS IF YOU ALREADY HAD YOUR FOLDER, THOSE PAGES ARE REPLACEMENTS FOR THE PAGES THAT YOU HAD IN THERE IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE YOUR FOLDER. I WENT AHEAD AND PUT ALL THE NEW PAGES IN THERE. SO YOU'VE GOT THE MOST RECENT VERSION IN THERE. BUT LIKE I SAID, ANYTHING THAT'S CHANGED SINCE THEN, 2 OR 3 PAGES BACK, I'VE GOT A BREAKDOWN OF OF WHAT WAS CHANGED SINCE THE ORIGINALS.

SO FOR OUR FINANCE REPORTS, I'M GOING TO START WITH I'M GOING TO START WITH 2020 SEVENS INFORMATION, FIRST FISCAL YEAR 27 BEGINNING WITH THE SEA FUNDS.

AND THEN I'LL TELL YOU WHY IN JUST A MOMENT. SO FOR JULY OF 2026, FOR OUR SEA FUNDS, WE HAD A BEGINNING CASH BALANCE, JUST OVER $6.8 MILLION. REVENUES RECEIVED TOTALED 145,600 INTEREST EARNINGS, 39,000 FOR FUNDS AVAILABLE, JUST OVER 7 MILLION.

OUR JULY EXPENDITURES WERE ONLY 40,000. SO WE HAD AN ENDING CASH BALANCE AT THE END OF JULY OF JUST OVER 6.9 MILLION.

NOW OF THAT BALANCE WE HAVE COMMITMENTS OF 2.7 AND THE UNCOMMITTED FUND BALANCE IS JUST OVER 4.2. NOW, EVERY MONTH WHEN I READ THIS REPORT FOR THE C FUNDS, I TELL YOU THE NUMBER THAT HAS TO BE SPENT ON STATE ROADWAYS BY JUNE 30TH.

NOW IT WOULD BE 2027. THEY HAVE NOT GIVEN US THE UPDATED FIGURE ON THE STATE REPORT YET.

SO THE AMOUNT THAT WE NEED TO SPEND IN 27 I DON'T HAVE IT YET, BUT THAT IS THE THAT'S THE BALANCE OF OUR C FUNDS AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW.

OKAY. SO NOW WE'LL TALK QUICKLY ABOUT THE GENERAL FUND AND FIRE FISCAL YEAR 27.

ONE MONTH INTO THE YEAR. ONE MONTH INTO THE YEAR IS 8.3% OF OUR FISCAL YEAR.

SO WE DON'T HAVE ANY REVENUES AS EXPECTED YET BECAUSE WE DON'T TYPICALLY EXPECT OUR REVENUES TO BE COMING IN UNTIL THE LATTER PART OF THE YEAR.

SO FOR THE EXPENDITURES ON THE GENERAL FUND, THE MONTH OF JULY WAS ALMOST IT WAS JUST UNDER 3.2 2 MILLION.

THAT'S ABOUT 10% OF OUR BUDGET FOR THE GENERAL FUND.

FIRE RESCUE WAS NOT QUITE A MILLION. IT WAS 930,000.

THAT'S ABOUT 9% OF OUR BUDGET. SO 8.3% ONE MONTH.

[01:15:04]

OKAY. SO NOW I WANT TO JUMP BACK TO FISCAL YEAR OF 26, JUNE OF 26.

SO AT LAST COUNCIL'S MEETING, I TOLD YOU I'D BRING YOU UPDATED FIGURES AT THE NEXT ONE.

SO WE'RE GOING TO DIVE INTO THIS RIGHT HERE. SO FOR THE GENERAL FUND WE KNOW THAT OUR BUDGET WAS 32 MILLION, 32 MILLION FOR FISCAL YEAR 26. AS WE STAND RIGHT NOW, OUR REVENUES ARE 29.8 MILLION.

THAT'S 93% OF THAT BUDGET. AND WE HAVE A PRETTY STRONG ESTIMATE OF THE PENDING REVENUES THAT WE'RE STILL WAITING TO GET.

WE'RE EXPECTING IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS IS AROUND $876,000.

SO THOSE TWO NUMBERS TOGETHER, WHAT WE'VE GOT AND WHAT WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO GET IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS PUTS US AT 30,700,000.

OUR BUDGET WAS 32. WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT 30,700,000.

ULTIMATELY, THAT'S GOING TO SAY, ACCORDING TO OUR BUDGET THAT OUR REVENUES WOULD BE SHORT $1.3 MILLION.

BUT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT A LOT. REMEMBER, 1.5 MILLION OF OUR REVENUES WAS THAT FUND BALANCE, THE SAVINGS. SO REMEMBER WE WERE EXPECTING THE REVENUES TO COME DOWN BECAUSE WE'RE NOT USING THE 1.5 MILLION OF OUR FUND BALANCE OUR SAVINGS AS A AS A REVENUE FOR 26. SO IF WE TAKE THAT OUT OF OUT OF THE PICTURE, THE 1.5 THAT WE WERE HOPING TO THAT WE WERE PLANNING TO USE IN THE GENERAL FUND, THAT WOULD MEAN THAT WITHOUT IT, OUR REVENUES CAME IN ABOUT $177,000 OVER THE BUDGET.

FORGETTING ABOUT THE FUND BALANCE. SO WE'RE IN GOOD SHAPE.

SO THAT'S THE REVENUES FOR THE GENERAL FUND 26 NOW EXPENDITURES.

ON THE FLIP SIDE, YEAR TO DATE EXPENDITURES ARE JUST OVER 30 MILLION.

IT'S 30,011,000. THE BUDGET WAS 32. EXPENDITURES THROUGH RIGHT NOW FISCAL YEAR 26 PENDING ARE 30,011,000. SO THAT MEANS THAT AS WE STAND, I KNOW THAT THERE'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE A FEW THAT ARE GOING TO COME IN.

WE DON'T WE DON'T REALLY KNOW OF ANY EXPENDITURES FOR 26 THAT ARE STILL OUTSTANDING.

WE'VE GOT WE PUT OUT A NOTICE THE OTHER DAY. THEY GOT TWO WEEKS.

WE WANT TO GIVE THEM TWO WEEKS TO TO GET THOSE INVOICES TO US.

BUT CURRENTLY, IF WE LOOK AT THE REVENUES WE RECEIVED, WHAT WE KNOW WE'RE EXPECTING, AND THE EXPENSES THAT ARE VERY CLOSE TO BEING COMPLETE, GENERAL FUND IS ON TRACK TO FINISH AT A SURPLUS OF ABOUT $680,000.

SO THAT'S PRETTY FAVORABLE. THAT GOES BACK TO WHY WE DIDN'T NEED TO USE THAT FUND BALANCE WITH OUR EXPENDITURES GETTING GETTING REDUCED AND WE WERE ABLE TO CUT SOME COSTS. WE'RE GOING TO ULTIMATELY FINISH OUT LOOKS ABOUT LIKE 678,000 OF SURPLUS.

OKAY. SO THAT'S GREAT. FOR FIRE RESCUE THEIR BUDGET WAS 9.5 MILLION.

YEAR TO DATE REVENUES ARE 9.3. AND SOME CHANGE.

OBVIOUSLY WE KNOW THAT THERE'S STILL SOME THAT'S SOME LOVE THAT'S GOING TO BE SHARED WITH THEM. THAT'S STILL MISSING. BUT THEY'RE SITTING AT ABOUT 98% OF THEIR REVENUES.

AND FOR THE EXPENDITURES FOR FIRE RESCUE COMING IN JUST UNDER 9.7 MILLION.

THAT IS OVER THE BUDGET, RIGHT? OKAY. THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL BUDGET WAS 9.5.

EXPENDITURES ARE ON TRACK TO BE 9.6 AND SOME CHANGE.

BUT REMEMBER, WE PAID $88,000 CASH FOR THAT FIRE TRUCK.

AND THAT NUMBER IS INCLUDED IN THERE. SO IF WE TOOK THAT OUT OF ACCOUNT, THEY'D BE WELL UNDER BUDGET AS WELL.

SO IN THE COMING WEEKS, WE KNOW THAT THIS IS A HECTIC TIME.

WE'RE GOING TO BE REALLY FOCUSING AND SPENDING A LOT OF TIME ON 26 AND THEN RECONCILING THE REVENUES THAT ARE GOING TO BE COMING IN.

BUT AT THIS POINT, WE FEEL LIKE WE ARE IN A PRETTY COMFORTABLE PLACE AS FAR AS 26 GOES AS IT FEEDS INTO OUR, OUR PLANS. SO THAT'S ALL I GOT FOR TONIGHT. I PROMISE TO KEEP IT SHORT, BUT ANY QUESTIONS THAT I CAN HELP YOU WITH RIGHT NOW? ALL RIGHT. SO IF YOU DO HAVE ANY, YOU ALWAYS KNOW, PLEASE CALL ME, EMAIL ME.

AND THEN IF I'VE GOT ANY OTHER CHANGES, SAME DEAL GOING FORWARD.

IF I HAVE ANY UPDATES FOR YOU AS FAR AS YOUR BUDGET BOOKS GO, I'LL DO THE SAME THING AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING.

OR IF I SEE YOU HERE AT THE OFFICE, I'LL GIVE YOU THE UPDATED PAGES WITH A BREAKDOWN OF OF WHAT'S CHANGED SINCE THEN.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

NELSON. NEXT, WE HAVE OUR ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT.

[20. Administrator’s Report –Walt Ackerman, County Administrator]

I WANT TO JUST PERSONALLY THANK EVERYBODY FOR TAKING THE TIME TO ATTEND THAT TRAINING SESSION THAT WAS PUT ON BY THE ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES.

I KNOW EVERYBODY LEARNED SOME STUFF BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S BEEN ASKING ME A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT SOME OF THE STUFF THAT Y'ALL LEARNED. AND SO I REALLY DO APPRECIATE Y'ALL TAKING THE

[01:20:07]

I DO WANT TO MAKE A SMALL ADJUSTMENT TO THE REPORT THAT I PUT OUT.

IN THE REPORT, YOU'LL SEE THAT THE BUILDING FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, I MEAN THE, AT THE, AT THE SHOOTING RANGE. THE PRACTICE RANGE IS ANTICIPATED TO BE IN.

IT HAS ACTUALLY COME IN AND HAS BEEN INSTALLED SINCE THAT REPORT WAS ISSUED.

SO WE ARE ONE STEP AHEAD THERE, BUT WE ARE WELL ON THE WAY ON A LOT OF THESE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS WAITING ON A FEW LITTLE MINOR THINGS, SOME ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS AND STUFF TO GET A LOT OF THESE WATER SYSTEMS ONLINE AND TYING UP SOME KNICK KNACK, END OF THE JOB STUFF ON A COUPLE OF THESE BUILDINGS.

SO BY THE END OF THE YEAR, WE SHOULD BE PROBABLY MOVING INTO SEVERAL OF THESE THINGS AND PUTTING SYSTEMS ONLINE.

FINALLY SEEING THE, THE FRUITS OF OUR LABOR. SO JUST STAY TUNED.

THANK YOU, MR. ACKERMAN. WELL, THAT'S DOWN TO ME AND MY CHAIRMAN'S REPORT.

[21. Chairman’s Report – Jay Johnson, Chairman of County Council]

I THINK THINGS ARE GOING PRETTY GOOD. I THINK WE'RE HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION ON A LOT OF PLACES.

I KNOW EVERYBODY DOESN'T ALWAYS AGREE WITH WITH WHAT YOU DO, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S PART OF SITTING UP HERE.

IT'S IT'S TOUGH WHEN PEOPLE, EVERYBODY YOU RUN INTO SAYS, LOWER MY TAXES, LOWER MY TAXES.

AND THEN YOU SAY, WELL, THIS, LET'S DO THIS. AND THEY'RE LIKE, NO, WE DON'T WANT TO DO THAT.

WE DON'T WANT TO DO THIS. WE DON'T WANT TO DO THAT. BUT THEY STILL WANT THEIR LOWER TAXES. I MEAN, IT'S A TOUGH SPOT TO BE IN.

BUT I PROMISE YOU, WE WE ARE RESEARCHING EVERYTHING.

AND WE WE WON'T MAKE ANY HASTY, HASTY DECISIONS ON ON ANYTHING WE DO AS FAR AS THE FUTURE OF OUR COUNTY AND, AND WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO LEAD OUR COUNTY. WITH THAT BEING SAID I'LL TAKE A MOTION.

WE ADJOURN. SECOND. GOT A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN.

SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN RICHARDSON. ALL IN FAVOR? ALL OPPOSED? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.