The Beaufort County Public Facilities and Safety Committee met Monday and here are some highlights:

• Assistant County Administrator Jared Fralix gave an update on the SC170/278 project that is nearing completion. This project included collaborative efforts between the City of Hardeeville, Jasper County, Beaufort County, and SCDOT. ACA Fralix also gave an update on FEMA and the disaster recovery center that opened to assist residents with hurricane damage claims from Helene.
• Special Assistant to the County Administrator Hank Amundsen gave an update on the Daufuskie Ferry. The vendor has been focused on staff training and the County remains in conversation with the Disability Rights South Carolina group to improve the level of service for all riders. An additional underwater inspection was recently completed on the C.C. Haigh Jr boat landing.
• Assistant County Administrator John Robinson introduced Lt. Col Quandara Grant who shared in update on the new body scanning device to be used at the County Detention Center. This equipment is a high-tech upgrade to the intake process, while being minimally invasive.
• Brittanee Bishop, Program and Finance Manager, Engineering and Jennifer Bragg, J. Bragg Consulting gave an update and presentation on the projects that are part of the 2018 One Cent Transportation Sales Tax. The presentation included project development, timelines, and current financial status. Watch the presentation here.
• Recommend approval to Council a resolution to accept SC Aeronautics Commission Grant for $1,387,747 for ARW hangar construction project
• Recommend to Council approval of an ordinance authorizing the County Administrator to execute all necessary documents for the acceptance of right of way or temporary construction easements on Stuart Point Road Sidewalk Project
• Recommend approval to Council of a resolution for the second addendum to the MOU with the Town of Hilton Head for the St. James Baptist Church relocation project
• Recommend approval to Council of a task order for JH Hiers for the Bay Pines Drainage Improvement Project
• Recommend to Council approval of an ordinance authorizing the County Administrator to enter into a lease agreement with Mitchelville Preservation Project for suite 134 and 142 in the County-owned office building at 539 William Hilton Parkway

The Beaufort County Council held a special called meeting immediately following the Public Facilities and Safety Committee meeting Monday afternoon. 

• Second reading of an ordinance appropriating funds from the State ATAX Funds as recommended by the State ATAX committee in compliance with the requirement of SC Code of Laws

Matters arising out of Executive Session: 

• Pursuant to legal advice regarding contractual arrangements regarding Redfish Holdings v Beaufort County: Council voted to have the County Attorney execute the settlement with the terms discussed in Executive Session
• Pursuant to legal advice regarding discussion of incident to employment, appointment, compensation, promotion, demotion, discipline, or release of employee or a person regulated by a public body (County Attorney): Council voted to have the County Administrator release the report in full to the public, attorney client privilege has been waived related to 20 Barrel Landing Road. Read the release and report here.
• Pursuant to legal advice regarding contractual arrangements regarding Pepper Hall/Okatie Park: Council voted to authorize the County attorney to negotiate a settlement with the terms discussed in Executive Session

The next Public Facilities and Safety Committee meeting will be tbd in 2025.

The next regular County Council meeting will be Monday, December 9, at 5 p.m.

For the complete agenda for all meetings, click here.

To watch all meetings in their entirety, click here.