The Beaufort County Community Services and Public Safety Committee and Natural Resources Committee met Monday. Below are some agenda highlights from the meeting.

Community Services and Public Safety Committee

Assistant County Administrator Report
Assistant County Administrator John Robinson gave a brief update on an emergency repair project in the detention center. A leak was found in the laundry room area and once discovered, an emergency purchase order was created to contract with the appropriate vendor to fix the issue. 

Mr. Robinson also gave a report on Beaufort County Animal Services Department. An agenda item involved a contract renewal with Hilton Head Humane so Department Director Tallulah McGee and Frannie Gerthoffer from Hilton Head Human updated Council on animal intake, community awareness programs and education success, outreach efforts to help pet owners struggling financially keep their animals, and cat spay and neuter numbers that have resulted in lower intake and euthanasia rates. Noting that in spite of the efficiency of the spay/neuter program, it is kitten season and the shelter was at full capacity and in need of volunteer fosters. As further enticement to the audience and to promote shelter adoptions, the staff introduced Miss Kipling who was one of a large litter whose siblings had already been successfully adopted. 

Watch his presentation here.

Presentations

Assistant County Administrator Audra Antonacci-Ogden introduced Rebecca Whitt, Department Director, Nexus Care of Beaufort County to give Council an update on the integration of the Human Services Department into Nexus Care. Director Whitt said by merging the departments, services are not shutting down but just the opposite. Access is more unified, wraparound services are more effective and tailored to every client, and have created an overall stabilization for clients. 

Watch the full presentation here.

Deputy County Administrator Nicole Wood gave a presentation as a follow up to last meeting's presentation by Kim Konte, Founder and Executive Director of Non-Toxic Neighborhoods. Her presentation explained as national nonprofit their goal is to protect neighborhoods from environmental exposures to chemicals from pesticides, spraying, mowing and other uses that are found in an outdoor environment. She's worked with Bluffton State Representative Bill Herbkersman to successfully the first statewide organic management resolution, which was also adopted by the Town of Bluffton.

County Deputy Administrator Nicole Wood met with the group and the result is the resolution prioritizing less toxic pesticides for use on County property. Multiple County departments would use this method including Mosquito Control, Stormwater, Animal Services, Detention Center, and Parks and Recreation. With all the farmland, waterways and greenspace in the County, switching to this less toxic option will be a benefit to the environment, but still be effective. 

Watch the discussion here.

Agenda Item Highlights

The committee voted to move the following ordinances and contracts forward to full Council for discussion and a vote:

• A resolution encouraging the use of Organics-First Integrated Pest Management Practices and Standards to prioritize the use of prevention-based, least toxic, organic practices and reduce the use of synthetic pesticides for public land management where possible.

• An ordinance to amend Beaufort County Parks and Recreation Ordinance to set fees and rates

• A contract renewal for Hilton Head Humane Association to provide services to Beaufort County Animal Services

• A contract for 22nd Century Technologies to provide a comprehensive, on-site correctional health care program for the Beaufort County Detention Center 

Watch the entire Community Services and Public Safety Committee meeting here.

Natural Resources Committee

Agenda Item Highlights

• An ordinance amending the Community Development Code: Consolidated Use Table, T2R Allowed Uses and Specific to Use.

• An ordinance amending the Community Development Code: Historic Preservation, Certificate of Appropriateness, Historic Designation, Public Hearing Schedule and Notice, Historic Preservation Review Board

The committee voted to move both items to Council for discussion and vote.

Watch the entire Natural Resources Committee meeting here.

Note: this is a selection of items from the Council Committee Meeting Agendas. To watch the meeting in its entirety, download the agenda and packet, view minutes and more, please visit www.beaufortcountysc.gov. 

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Looking for more details or a specific item not covered in this release? Check out BCTV for full meeting recordings, agendas, and other details! BCTV can be found on cable channels Comcast - channel 2; Sparklight- channel 9 and 113; Spectrum - channel 1304. BCTV also streams live on ROKU and Amazon Fire.