* 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. [00:00:03] GOOD [1. Introductory Remarks] AFTERNOON EVERYONE. UM, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE FOR TONIGHT'S SPECIAL CALL MEETING. WE'LL START OFF TONIGHT'S MEETING IF YOU WOULD. EVERYONE PLEASE STAND AND WE'LL SAY THE LORD'S PRAYER, FOLLOWED BY A PLEASURE, ALLEGIANCE, OUR FATHER, WHICH Y'ALL IN HEAVEN HALL, BE THY, 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. LEAD US NOT TO TEMPTATION, BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL FOR TH'S KINGDOM, THE POWER AND THE LORD FOREVER I. 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 FRAUD. [4. Approval of Agenda] FIRST STEP ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA IS THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA. DO I HAVE A MOTION? WE APPROVE TONIGHT'S AGENDA. JIM, I HAVE MOTION COUNCILMAN RICHARD, SECOND. COUNCILMAN COKER. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. NEXT [5. Ordinance 2026-18] UP WE HAVE ORDINANCE 2026 DASH 18 CONSIDERATION OF THE CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE IMPOSING A MORATORY ON THE CONSIDERATION AND ISSUANCES OF ALL LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT APPROVALS FOR DATA CENTERS AND BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS? I'D LIKE TO, I'D LIKE TO COMMENT ON THIS. I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA TRY MY BEST TO EXPLAIN WHY THIS MORATORIUM IS TAKING PLACE AND WHY IT'S ON HERE TONIGHT. ON A SPECIAL CALL MEETING WE HAD TO, WE LINED A SPECIAL CALL MEETING UP FAR. THERE'S A DEADLINE WE'RE TRYING TO MEET ON THE ASSESSMENT. THEN NEXT WAS FOLLOWING UP ON THE AGENDA. THAT'S WHAT THE ORIGINAL, THAT'S WHAT THE ORIGINAL SPECIAL CALL MEETING WAS FOR WHEN I FOUND OUT ABOUT IT AND THEY TOLD ME I THOUGHT ABOUT IT FOR AN HOUR OR SO AND I CALLED BACK AND ASKED TO PUT THE MORATORIUM ON THE SPECIAL CALL MEETING TO TRY TO GET IT THROUGH QUICKER. BUT I DID THAT BECAUSE, AND I WAS EXPLAINED TO, I WAS TOLD THEN WHEN I DID IT THAT WE, WE ALWAYS, WE ALWAYS HAVE THE UH, PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE SECOND MEETING. THERE'S NOTHING THAT TELLS US WE HAVE TO HAVE A, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT. ON THE SECOND MEETING I WAS TOLD WE COULD HAVE THE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE THIRD MEETING. I WANTED THE MORATORIUM RUSHED TO GET IT PASSED. SO I, I TOLD HIM TO PUT IT, IF IT WAS ALRIGHT WITH THE REST OF THE COUNCIL, PLEASE PUT IT ON THE SPECIAL CALLED ME. THE REASON I DID THAT IS 'CAUSE THE WAY PLANNING WORKS, ANYBODY WALK IN PLANNING TO GET A PERMIT. IF YOU WALK IN PLANNING TO GET A PERMIT FOR A HOUSE AND THAT LAND IS ZONE FOR THAT HOUSE AND YOU CAN BUILD A HOUSE AT 31, JUST SAY A ZONE 3000 SQUARE FOOT FOR THAT ZONING. IF THEY WALK IN THERE AND ASK FOR A 3,100 SQUARE FOOT HOUSE AND IT MEETS ALL THE CRITERIA FOR THAT ZONING AND THAT PROPERTY PLANNING HANDLES 'EM A PERMIT. IT DON'T GO, IT DON'T GO THROUGH COUNCIL. IT DON'T GO THROUGH PLANNING BOARD, NOTHING. THEY JUST HAND 'EM A PERMIT. RIGHT NOW, THE WAY IT'S SET UP, A DATA CENTER IS LISTED AS STORAGE FOR DATA. IT'S A WAREHOUSE. IF SOMEBODY WALKS IN PLAN AND, AND ASKS FOR A PERMIT ON ANY GENERAL COMMERCIAL PROPERTY, THEY CAN HANDLE 'EM A PERMIT. IT'LL NEVER COME THROUGH COUNCIL. IT'LL NEVER GO THROUGH THE ADMINISTRATOR. IT'LL NEVER GO THROUGH PLANNING'S COUNCIL. IT DON'T HAVE TO 'CAUSE IT MEETS ALL THE CRITERIA. ANOTHER REASON I RUSHED IT IS IF A DATA CENTER APPLIES TO PUT IT ON FARMLAND OR IN SOMEBODY'S BACKYARD, IF THEY TRY TO PUT IT THERE AND IT DON'T MEET THE ZONING, THEY CAN ASK FOR A HEARING IN FRONT OF PLANNING. IF THEY GO IN FRONT OF PLANNING CAN AND THEY DON'T HAVE A LEGAL REASON TO SAY TURN 'EM DOWN, THEY JUST CAN'T TURN 'EM DOWN. THEY GOTTA HAVE A LEGAL REASON TO TURN 'EM DOWN. THEN THEY'LL HAVE TO GIVE 'EM THE PERMITS. IF THEY JUST SAY NO, WE'RE NOT GIVING YOU THE PERMIT TO GO ON. I'M TALKING ABOUT FARM LAND OR IN YOUR BACKYARD. IF THEY JUST SAY, NO, WE DON'T LIKE YOU, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT GONNA GIVE YOU THE PERMIT. AND THEN THEY TURN [00:05:01] AROUND RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD. THE SAME THING HAPPENS IN A FAMILY DOLLAR WANTS TO POP UP 'CAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF THEM AROUND HERE AND THE LAND IS NOT ZONED FOR AND MOST OF THE LAND WHERE FAMILY DOLLARS HAS POPPED UP WASN'T ZONED RIGHT. SO THEY GO TO PLAN AND PLAN LOOKS AT IT AND SAYS, WELL WE DON'T SEE NOTHING, NO PROBLEMS WITH IT. AND THEY APPROVE A FAMILY DOLLAR OR GROCERY STORE TO GO THERE. THEN THE DATA CENTER CAN LOOK BACK AND SAY THEY APPROVE THIS. SO LEGALLY THEY HAVE TO APPROVE IRONS AND THEY CAN SUE US. THE MORATORIUM HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE DATA CENTER THAT'S ALREADY BEEN PUT IN APPLICATION PART FOR THE INDUSTRIAL PART. WE CAN'T STOP THAT. I'M GONNA BE HONEST WITH YOU. WE CANNOT TELL THEM NO IF THEY WANT, IT'S NOT APPROVED. THEY'RE NOT SAID THEY'RE COMING HERE YET. THEY'RE STILL WAITING ON SOME MORE INFORMATION FROM THE POWER COMPANY. IF THE POWER COMPANY SAYS THEY CAN SUPPLY THE POWER THEY'RE GONNA BUILD IN THE INDUSTRIAL HEART AND WE CAN'T STOP IT. IF WE SAY NO TO IT, IT'D BE PRETTY MUCH LIKE THEY CAN SUE US AND WE CAN'T EVEN CARRY THE COURT. WE MIGHT AS WELL JUST PAY OUT. IF THEY TOOK IT TO COURT, WE PROBABLY END UP BUILDING THE BUILDING FOR THEM AND THEY STILL BUILD THE BUILDING HERE 'CAUSE THEY GONNA WIN IN COURT. 'CAUSE IN THE INDUSTRIAL PARK, WE WERE TRYING TO RUSH THE THING. I ASKED FOR IT TO GET PUT ON A SPECIAL CALL MEETING, RUSHING IT, THE PUBLIC COMMENT'S NOT ON HERE BECAUSE IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA. WE WERE ADVISED WE NEEDED TO GIVE 'EM 15 DAY NOTICE SOME ON SOME STUFF. WE DON'T EVEN HAVE TO HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT. BUT WE HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT ON EVERYTHING THAT COMES THROUGH HERE AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE THIRD READING THAT WAS, I ASKED FOR THAT 'CAUSE I'M TRYING TO RUSH THIS THING THROUGH BEFORE IT GETS INTO PUBLIC AND THEY FIGURE OUT WHICH IS IN THE PUBLIC NOW BECAUSE THIS THING IS BLOWED UP. WHEN THEY FIGURE OUT THEY CAN WALK IN THE DOOR AND GET A PERMIT, THEY CAN WALK IN THE DOOR AND GET A PERMIT ON ANY GENERAL COMMERCIAL PROPERTY. THAT'S WHY I ASKED FOR IT TO GET PUT ON THE SPECIAL CALL PERMIT. 'CAUSE BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I DON'T REALLY CARE ABOUT THE DATA CENTER. I DON'T CARE IF IT WAS MY, IF IF I, IF THE COUNTY COULD AFFORD IT. I DON'T REALLY CARE ABOUT NO PLAN. I'D RATHER SEE FARM LANDING TREES EVERYWHERE. BUT LONG DID YOU KNOW ABOUT IT? BUT THE, WE FOUND OUT, BUT THERE'S NO, IT'S, HOLD ON. I'M GETTING TO THAT. WHEN WE FOUND OUT THE BIG THE THAT MONTH AGO, TWO MONTHS AGO, SIR, HOLD ON. LEMME FINISH. WE FOUND OUT ABOUT IT. WHEN WE FOUND OUT ABOUT IT, WE PRETTY MUCH INSTANTLY, I WENT TO SKIPPY, WHICH IS THE CHAIRMAN OF PLANNING AND I SAID, GET US A MORATORIUM. AND HE'D ALREADY STARTED WORKING ON, WE PLAN TO GET A MORATORIUM IN FRONT OF US THAT WE COULD VOTE ON INSTANTLY. WE DIDN'T PUT IT OUT THERE IN THE PUBLIC. 'CAUSE THE REASON I JUST TOLD YOU, WE TOLD A FEW PEOPLE, EVERY COUNTY, WE DID NOT GO AFTER A DATA CENTER. EVERY COUNTY AROUND HERE HAS BEEN APPROACHED AND THE ONES THAT'S NOT GETTING BUILT NOW IS PROBABLY GONNA HIT. THERE'S DATA CENTERS COMING WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT. AND I'M JUST BEING HONEST, I DON'T LIKE IT. I DON'T REALLY CARE ABOUT A DATA CENTERS, LIKE I SAID, BUT LEGALLY, LEGALLY, WE CANNOT SAY NO TO THE INDUSTRIAL PARK. WE TRYING OUR BEST TO STOP FROM GOING IN YOUR BACKYARD. THE REST OF THE, UM, NOBODY WE HAVE TO, WHETHER I LIKE IT OR NOT, I HAVE TO GO WITH OUR RECKON OPINION. SO THERE'S 25, 25 PEOPLE OVER HERE SAYING WE WANT THIS DONE. AND ONE PERSON OVER HERE THAT I'M, I'M GONNA MAKE MAD AND I BELIEVE EVERY EVERYBODY ON THIS COUNCIL THE SAME WAY. OR IF IT'S A HUNDRED PEOPLE AND ONE PERSON, I'M GONNA MAKE MAD IF IT BETTERS THE COUNTY AND THESE 25 PEOPLE IS RIGHT, I'M GONNA MAKE ONE PERSON MAD. AND I KNOW I'LL PROBABLY MAKE PEOPLE MAD TONIGHT, BUT I MEAN, THAT'S JUST HOW IT IS. WE, NOBODY ON THIS COUNCIL TRIED TO LIE TO ANYBODY OR NOTHING. WE TRIED TO GET IT THROUGH. I MEAN, I KNOW, I KNOW IT WAS SAID THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA. I DON'T GET ON SOCIAL MEDIA. I KNOW BETTER BECAUSE MY PATIENCE IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO GET ON SOCIAL MEDIA. I GOT, BUT ANYBODY, ANYBODY WHO'S GOT A QUESTION THAT WANTS TO CALL ME, I DON'T ANSWER PHONE, TEXT ME WHAT THE QUESTION IS. I'M GONNA CALL YOU BACK. I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE TIME. JUST SIT THERE AND TEXT. I WILL CALL YOU BACK. BUT NOBODY'S LIED. NOBODY'S HELD ANY INFORMATION FROM YOU. WE'VE, WE'VE NOT TRIED TO DO THAT. AS FOR, UM, REPRESENTATIVE LINA, I THINK THERE WAS A, A BIG MIX UP. I KNOW SHE, SHE'S DONE A LOT FOR THIS COUNTY, A LOT OF GOOD AND I KNOW, I KNOW WHAT WAS SAID, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE IT. SHE'LL, SHE'LL WORK, SHE'LL DO. IF [00:10:01] IT'S ANYTHING TO BENEFIT THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTY, SHE'S GONNA DO IT NO MATTER WHETHER SHE THINKS SHE CAN WORK WITH THE COUNCIL OR NOT. SO I'M REALLY NOT WORRIED ABOUT IT. UM, BUT I'M GONNA VOTE THE RIGHT WAY FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE COUNTY AND WE CANNOT, I'M GONNA JUST BE HONEST WITH YOU, WE'RE NOT GONNA STOP IT GOING IN THE INDUSTRIAL PARK. IF THEY WANNA GO IN INDUSTRIAL PARK, THEY GOING, WE ARE TRYING TO STOP IT FROM GOING IN YOUR BACKYARD. THERE IS NO PUBLIC COMMENT. NO. 'CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE IT ON THE AGENDA. I'LL TELL YOU, UH, IF SOMEBODY'S GOT A QUESTION AFTER IT'S OVER MORE THAN WELCOME TO HANG AROUND. I'LL ANSWER THE BEST I CAN. OR YOU CAN CALL ME. MY PHONE NUMBER IS (843) 598-1059. THERE WILL BE A PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIRD READING AND I'M AND, AND AM I RIGHT BY SAYING THIS? WE WERE, THE COUNTY WAS ACTUALLY LEGALLY NOTIFIED OF THIS ON AUGUST 18TH. IS THAT CORRECT? WELL, SO NOBODY FROM THE COUNTY EVER HAD A CONVERSATION WITH THE COMPANY DIRECT UNTIL AUGUST 18TH. LAST THURSDAY WE HEARD THIRD HAND INFORMATION POWER COMPANY AND THERE WERE PEOPLE LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, ABOUT WHAT THIS WAS. WE DIDN'T KNOW. WE DIDN'T, WE COULDN'T VERIFY ANYTHING WITH DIRECT SOURCE UNTIL LAST THURSDAY. OKAY. DO I HAVE A MOTION? WE PASS SECOND READING ON ORDINANCE 2026 DASH 18. I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO PASS A MOTION. COUNCILMAN COKER SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN RICHARD. ALL IN FAVOR A AYE. ALL OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. NEXT [6. Ordinance 2026-19] WE HAVE ORDINANCE 2026 DASH 19 CONSIDERATION OF THE FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE 2026 DASH 19 AND ORDINANCE POSTPONING THE REASSESSMENT FOR PROPERTY AND OTHER MATTERS RELATED THERE TOO. MR. JIM, THANK Y'ALL. ENTERTAIN THIS. UM, THIS IS, THIS IS A, AN ORDINANCE THAT WILL ACTUALLY PUT REASSESSMENT OFF UNTIL NEXT YEAR BY STATE LAW. WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO IT EVERY FIVE YEARS UNLESS THERE'S A REASON TO POSTPONE. UM, YOU KNOW, AS Y'ALL KNOW, WE'VE GOT A, WE'VE GOT A NEW ASSESSOR THIS YEAR. SHE'S GOT SEVERAL NEW MEMBERS IN HER STAFF. THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING TIRELESSLY OVER THE LAST SEVEN MONTHS TO TRY TO GET EVERYTHING PUT IN PLACE TO DO THIS REASSESSMENT. BUT THEY'VE BEEN FIGHTING AN UPHILL BACK. UM, THEY HAD TO MAKE A LOT OF CHANGES TO THE SOFTWARE SYSTEM THAT THEY USE. SHE'S HAD TRAINING HURDLES FOR ALL THESE NEW PEOPLE SHE'S BEEN TRYING TO GET ACROSS. BUT THE BIGGEST THING IS THIS IS AN UNPRECEDENTED TIME AT CLATON COUNTY FOR REASSESSMENT. WE'VE NEVER HAD THE INFLUX OF PEOPLE AND THE AMOUNT OF PROPERTY SALES AND INCREASE IN PRICES LIKE WE'VE HAD SINCE COVID COME ACROSS AND PEOPLE STARTED MOVING DOWN TO SOUTH CAROLINA. SO IT IS REALLY CHANGED PROPERTY VALUES MORE THAN WE'RE SEEN CHANGE ONE FIVE YEAR PERIOD TO ANOTHER. AND BEING WITH THE BIG, UM, FLUCTUATION IN PROPERTY VALUES, WE WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S RIGHT. WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS EQUALIZED ACROSS THE BOARD, WHICH IS THE PURPOSE OF THE, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THE VALUES ARE PERFECT AS OR AS PERFECT AS THEY CAN BE BEFORE WE START SENDING TAX NOTICES OUT AND REASSESSMENT NOTICES TO PEOPLE WE WANT. MAKE SURE THE INFORMATION IS SPOT ON. SO WITH Y'ALL'S BLESSING, POSTPONE IT FOR A YEAR, GIVE THEM A LITTLE MORE TIME TO GET THE DATA IN ORDER AND MAKE SURE EVERYTHING'S RIGHT AND THEN WE'LL MOVE FORWARD. NEXT YEAR WILL BE ASSESSMENT, BUT IT WON'T CHANGE ANYTHING FOR TAX PAYER IN THE COUNTY THIS YEAR. UM, EVERYTHING WILL BE THE SAME AS IT WAS. NO NEW VALUE GETS PUT IN. UM, THE ONLY THING IT MEANS IS WE WOULDN'T BE ROLLING THE MILLAGE BACK AS ANTICIPATED AS WE DISCUSSED IN SOME OF THE OTHER UNITS BECAUSE THERE'S NO INCREASE. SO WE WOULDN'T GO. UH, UH, WALT, ANYTHING CHANGED? UH, FAR AS, UH, INFORMATION GOING OUT FOR REASSESSMENT? ANY BILLS HAVE BEEN GONE OUT. ANY ASSESSMENT, ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE HAVE GONE OUT SO FAR? NO, SIR. UM, AND, AND THAT WAS WHY WE WAITED UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE. UH, THERE WAS KIND OF A, A AUGUST 15TH DEADLINE. WE'RE WORKING WITH DOR ON DEPARTMENT REVENUE ON THAT AUGUST 15TH DEADLINE. THAT'S KIND OF THE TRIGGER POINT TO SAY, HEY, WE'RE GOING FORWARD AND WE'RE NOT GOING FORWARD. UM, SO NO REAS NOTICES HAVE GONE OUT TO DATE. UM, ALL THE WORK THAT THEY DID IS STILL STORED IN THE SYSTEM, BUT WE'RE GONNA ROLL IT BACK TO LAST YEAR'S [00:15:01] VALUES. SO THE CURRENT WORK IS STILL IN THERE. THEY'LL BE UPDATING THAT OVER THE COURSE OF, OF THE NEXT YEAR? NO, NO NOTICES HAVE GONE OUT IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM TO ANYBODY. SO NO REIMBURSEMENT THINGS OF THAT? NOPE. NO SIR. THAT WOULDN'T OCCUR? NO, SIR. NO. THE ONLY, THE ONLY NEW NOTICES THAT HAVE GONE OUT IS THE PEOPLE JUST BOUGHT A PROPERTY. SO JUST LIKE NORMAL. BUT IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH BEING SEX, YOU KNOW, IF YOU JUST BOUGHT A HOUSE AND OR SOLD SOME LAND AND THEN, THEN THE VALUE MAY CHANGE. YOU GET A, AN ASSESSMENT NOTICE ON THAT. BUT AS FAR AS DOCUMENTS RELATED TO REASSESSMENT, NOTHING IS GOING ON. OKAY. SO, UH, YOUR TAX NOTICE SHOULD BE THE SAME WELL, LAST YEAR, UNLESS YOU HAD SOME, SOME IMPROVEMENTS? YES, SIR. YES. YEAH. NO, NO CHANGE. NO CHANGE. OKAY. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS ORDER? SO MOVE WITH CHAIRMAN. GOT A MOTION FROM COUNCIL MARSON. SECOND. SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN CO. ARE ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. MY THAT? I'LL TAKE A MOTION. WE ADJOURN. SO MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN RICHARDSON. SECOND ONE. COUNCILMAN COCO ARE ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. WE ARE THREE. * 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.