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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORD COUNTY.
I WAS CALLED THE SEPTEMBER 12TH, 2020 COUNTY AIRPORT'S BOARD.
UM, I WILL DO A ROLL CALL TODAY JUST TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH REQUIREMENT.
THEN WE KNOW YOU'RE HERE, JIM, WHAT? WE CAME IN HERE.
YOU GOT JIM'S PICTURE, BUT NO SOUND TODAY.
SO CHRIS, TODAY, CHRIS IS ABSENT TODAY.
WE KNOW IT WILL BE ABSENT TODAY.
AND THEN TANYA NEWEST BOARD MEMBER A LITTLE BIT LATER, WE JUST HAVE TWO MISSING.
THAT WOULD BE OKAY IF YOU DON'T JOIN ME, YOU CAN STAY SEATED.
IF YOU'D LIKE WITH STAND UP AND JOIN ME IN RECITING THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES AND TO THE REPUBLIC STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY.
NOW YOU WILL RECEIVE A COPY OF THE AGENDA.
ANY CORRECTIONS, ADDITIONS, AND DELETIONS TO THE AGENDA.
I'LL ACCEPT A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE AGENDA AS PUBLISHED MOTION.
WHEN I BRYAN MOTION, WE HAVE A SECOND.
I SEE TRAY WITH A RAISED HAND.
SECOND VOTE APPROVED, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTAINS AGENDA IS APPROVED.
SAME THING WITH THE MINISTER BY NOW.
HOPEFULLY YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO READ THROUGH THE MINUTES THAT YOU GOT A COPY OF ANY CORRECTIONS, ADDITIONS, AND DELETIONS TO THE MINUTES FROM LAST MONTH HEARING NONE.
I'LL ACCEPT THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS PUBLISHED AGAIN.
I HEARD THAT I HEARD THE LIPS AS HOT AS EMOJI.
HOW ABOUT A SECOND AND A HAND WAVE? OKAY.
UM, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY A LIST OF A HAND CAN SIGNIFY BY WAVING YOUR HAND AS AN AYE.
ANY OPPOSED ANY ABSTAINS? THANK YOU.
UM, AS PUBLISHED, WE NOW COME TO THE PUBLIC PORTION OF OUR MEETING.
UM, IF WE HAVE PUBLIC ATTENDING AND I SEE WE HAVE A FEW, UH, WE NORMALLY HAVE, UH, UH, DAVID, BUT I KNOW DAVID'S ON VACATION THIS MONTH OR THIS WEEK UP IN THE ISLAND.
SO I REMIND OUR PUBLIC THAT WE'D LIKE YOU TO LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO ROUGHLY THREE MINUTES, SORRY, BY BOARD MEMBERS.
THIS IS THE TIME FOR US TO LISTEN.
SO IF THERE'S ANY PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT PRIOR TO THE START OF THE MEETING, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING, AYE, WILL YOUR NAME OR WAVE YOUR HAND? IF YOU HAVE A VIDEO THERE AIN'T NONE, NO PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS TIME.
SO I ASKED THE BOARD MEMBERS NOW DURING JOHN'S REPORT AND ARE ON A PUBLIC LIST IS TO PLEASE MUTE YOUR MICROPHONES, LEAVE THEM MUTED.
JOHN WE'LL PAUSE AFTER EACH SECTION TO SEE IF ANYBODY HAS ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS AT THAT TIME.
UM, OPEN YOUR MIC AND TONE AND SAY WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY, BUT UNTIL THEN, UH, PLEASE MUTE YOUR MICROPHONE SO WE CAN ALL HEAR JOHN'S REPORT WITHOUT INTERRUPTION.
UH, HARD TO BELIEVE ALREADY IN NOVEMBER, BUT UM, NOVEMBER 12TH AND HERE WE'RE TO WE'RE ABOUT READY TO CLOSE OUT THE CALENDAR YEAR.
BUT AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT THE CALENDAR YEAR, THE TWO FISCAL YEARS WE DEAL WITH.
SO WE KEEP GUESSING ON WHERE WE ARE ON THE CALENDAR.
SO I'M GOING TO SHARE MY SCREEN FOR A MINUTE SO YOU CAN SEE A SLIDESHOW
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THAT I'VE GOT SET UP FOR YOU.EVERYBODY SHOULD SEE THE POWERPOINT.
LET'S MAKE IT LOOK NICER HERE.
YOU CAN SEE BY THE TITLE BE FOR AN EXECUTIVE AIRPORT.
NOW THE NAME CHANGE HAPPENED IN THE PUBLICATIONS LAST THURSDAY, NOVEMBER THE FIFTH.
SO THAT'S THE OFFICIAL NAME OF THE AIRPORT NOW YOU FOR EXECUTIVE.
AND, UM, AS WE STEPPED THROUGH THE SLIDES, WE'LL HEAR FROM PAUL, UM, HE'S GOT A FEW IDEAS ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO, UM, CONTINUE TO, TO MARK FORWARD TO THAT AIRPORT.
UH, ONE OF THOSE IS THAT WE HAVE FINALLY, AFTER A VERY LONG TIME OF TRYING TO GET ON THIS LIST, THAT MADE IT ON THE LIST FOR THE BREAKFAST CLUB.
AND SOME UGA FLYERS MAY KNOW WHAT THE BREAKFAST CLUB IS IN THE STATE.
UM, BUT READER'S DIGEST VERSION.
IT'S BASICALLY A BREAKFAST FLYING THE DRIVE IN IF PEOPLE WANT TO DRIVE, BUT IT'S PRIMARILY GEARED TOWARDS A FLYING AND THERE'S ONE EVERY MONTH.
SO OUT OF ALL, UH, YOU KNOW, 56 AIRPORTS IN THE STATE, ONLY 12 OF THEM GET A SPOT ON THIS LIST.
AND IT'S KIND OF LIKE GETTING TICKETS TO THE BRISTOL RACE AND NASCAR.
IT WAS KIND OF HARD TO DO, BUT WE GOT ON THE LIST.
SO WE ATTEND TO, TO STAKE OUR CLAIM AND KEEP THAT THERE.
IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT EVENT.
AND WE'LL START PLANNING ON THAT WITH, UH, PROBABLY SOME MORE FOLKS FROM THE ARW COMMITTEE THAT WE'VE GOT SO MORE TO FALL ON THAT ONE.
UM, AND SO I DON'T STEAL ANYBODY'S THUNDER.
I'M GOING TO ASK IF, UM, PAUL, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND JUMP IN HERE AND I'LL JUST KIND OF LEAVE IT ON THIS LINE FOR NOW.
SO YOU SEE THAT AND THEN WE'LL BREAK IN FOR YOU.
SO, UH, LIKE JOHN SAID, UM, THE AIRPORT NAME CHANGE IS OFFICIAL.
THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENING OVER HERE AT BUFORD.
UH, THE AIRPORT IS AS BUSY AS EVER.
THERE ARE PEOPLE STOPPING IN HERE GOING NORTH TO SOUTH AND VICE VERSA JUST TO BUY THE FUEL BECAUSE WE'VE LOWERED THE PRICES AND MADE IT MORE AFFORDABLE WITH THAT.
WE ALSO HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE INTERESTED IN PUTTING, UM, LEASING OR RENTING HANGERS HERE.
UH, OUR LIST GROWS BY ONE A WEEK.
I'M UP TO 25 PEOPLE WITH PAID DEPOSITS WHO, UH, WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME ADDITIONAL HANGERS PUT OUT HERE.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT AND DO SOME RESEARCH ON AND SEE IF WE CAN MAKE SOME MOVEMENT ON THAT.
ALSO THE, UH, TERMINAL MODERNIZATION.
WE'RE GOING TO LOOK INTO THAT AND SEE IF WE CAN GET SOME UPGRADES TO THE TERMINAL HERE.
AND HOPEFULLY IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE, YOU'LL SEE SOME EXCITING THINGS HAPPEN OUT HERE.
THAT'S KIND OF, THAT'S THE UPDATE FOR WHAT'S GOING ON UP AT B FOR EXECUTIVES.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE QUESTIONS BEFORE IN SOME OF THE STATS? OKAY.
GO AHEAD AND ON ME AND LESLIE, YOU STILL ON ME? YOU'RE STILL ON ME.
WAIT, DID HE IS THE WAY TO THE LITTLE MICROPHONE? MAKE SURE YOU DON'T HAVE A LINE THROUGH YOUR MICROPHONE.
UM, I JUST WANT TO SAY KUDOS TO OUR COMMITTEE, UM, FOR, FOR THE SARAH PORT, BECAUSE WITHOUT YOUR EFFORTS AND WHAT YOU'VE DONE IN THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF, I DON'T THINK WE'D BE HERE.
AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY A GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENT.
AND I'LL DEFINITELY ECHO THAT.
I MEAN, WE'VE HAD A SUPER STRONG COMMITTEE UP THERE AT ARW AND YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT THAT OPEN HOUSE GOING IN THE SUMMER AND A BUNCH OF OTHER THINGS, INCLUDING THE, UH, YOU'LL SEE IN THE CHARTS HERE.
UM, WE, WE, UH, HAD SOME PRICING, UM, CHANGES THAT WE MADE WITH FUEL PRICES OF THE ARW OVER THE SUMMER.
YOU'LL SEE THE RESULTS OF THAT IN THIS, WHEN I SHARED THE SCREEN BACK HERE.
SO LET'S SEE IF WE CAN DO THAT AGAIN.
IT SHOULD BE COMING BACK UP HERE.
I THOUGHT I SAW, I HEARD SOMEBODY TURPIN THERE ALL RIGHT HERE AND NOTHING ELSE.
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UM, ON THE, ON THE NOTE OF THE BUFORD EXECUTIVE AIRPORT, THE NAME CHANGE, I DO WANT TO GIVE A KUDOS TO IAN WHO'S THE MEMBER OF THE BOARD, A RELATIVELY NEW MEMBER, A COUPLE MONTHS OLD NOW.UM, HE DID FEATURE OUR, OUR NEWS RELEASE, OUR PRESS RELEASE IN THE WEEKLY CHAMBER NEWSLETTER.
SO WE APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE THAT GOES OUT TO A LOT OF FOLKS.
AND EVERYBODY'S SEEING NOW THAT THERE'S ENERGY AND MOVEMENT AT THE AIRPORT.
SO IAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, FOR DOING THAT FOR US.
SO LET'S MOVE INTO THE NUMBERS.
YOU CAN SEE HERE BY THIS FIRST CHART.
UM, IF YOU JUST LOOK AT THAT BLUE LINE, THAT'S THE 2020 NUMBERS FOR ADD GAS.
YOU CAN SEE THAT EVER SINCE WE'VE MADE THAT, THAT PRICE CHANGE IN THE SUMMERTIME THAT THE FUEL SALES FOR AD GASSMAN HAVE REALLY, REALLY INCREASED.
I THINK WHAT WE'RE DOING, WE'RE, WE'RE CAPTURING, I THINK MORE OF OUR LOCAL FOLKS WHO ARE AT AIR W WHO ARE BASED THERE, UM, A HOPE AND MAYBE SOME OF YOUR FOLKS FROM, UH, FROM HILTON HEAD, MAYBE INSTEAD OF FLYING OUT OF THE COUNTY, YOU'RE, YOU'RE COMING UP THERE.
W UM, IF BY CHANCE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE NOT REFUELING A HILTON HEAD.
AND THEN I THINK WE'RE ALSO CAPTURING SOME FOLKS WHO ARE FLYING NORTH SOUTH, AND THEY'RE EXAMINING FUEL PRICES ALONG THEIR, THEIR PLANNED ROUTE.
AND THEY'RE DROPPING IN BECAUSE THEY SEE IT'S, YOU KNOW, GREAT FUEL PRICES AND, UH, A REALLY NICE PLACE TO STOP IF THEY WANT TO SWING BY FOR A MEAL OR AN OVERNIGHT STAY.
SO IT'S HARD TO ARGUE WITH THE NUMBERS.
UM, TREY, THANK YOU FOR, UH, FOR THE PUSH ON THIS ONE.
UH, TREY WROTE ON ME PRETTY HARD ABOUT GETTING THIS DONE, AND I APPRECIATE HIM, UM, BEING, UH, UH, JUST KIND OF STICKING WITH IT UNTIL WE FINALLY GOT THIS ADJUSTED.
SO YOU CAN DEFINITELY SEE THE FRUITS OF THOSE EFFORTS AND THEN JETS NOT LOOKING BAD, EITHER.
YOU KNOW, JUST STAYING, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST FOR OCTOBER WAS NECK AND NECK WITH LAST YEAR.
AND AS WE ALWAYS SAY, WHEN THE TEMPERATURE HAS CHANGED A LITTLE BIT IN THE AIR, IT'S NOT AS THICK AS IT IS IN THE SUMMERTIME.
WE DO SEE A LOT MORE OF THAT TURBO PROP AND A SMALL JET AIRCRAFT OUT THERE.
AND WE GET THAT AT THE END OF EVERY WEEK.
THIS, UH, THIS FALL, YOU KNOW, THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY, THERE'S A LOT MORE, UM, KING AIRS, BLINDNESS, AND SMALL DEBTS THAT ARE UP AT AIR W SO THAT'S DEFINITELY A GOOD THING BEFORE JUMPING INTO HILTON HEAD.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
I DON'T HEAR ANYBODY UNMUTING AND I'M NOT IT DOESN'T SHARE MY SCREEN ON MY SCREEN.
SO IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO JUST JUMP IN, ALL RIGHT, WE WILL MOVE ON OVER TO HILTON HEAD ISLAND, AIRPORT, JOHN, I'M SORRY.
STAY WITH THE, FOR JUST A MOMENT, PLEASE.
THE COMMENT IS REALLY DIRECTED A CALL THINK, BUT THEN SOME MAJOR CHANGES OF THEIR OFFER.
YOU CAN SEE THAT IN THE NUMBERS OF VISITORS AND THEN FUEL SALES, BUT JUST A COMMENT TO PAUL.
I HAVE BEEN VISITING THE IMPORT PERIODICAL ONE ELSEWHERE FOR A LONG TIME, AND I'M PRETTY SURE SOMEPLACE ON YOUR AGENDA.
I NEED TO KNOW THAT IT'S THERE, THERE'S SOME ADDITIONAL TRAINING FOR OUR OUT FRONT.
I THINK I CAN USE A LITTLE BIT OF PUSH A LITTLE BIT OF FRAMEWORK THAT YOU NEED TO HAVE FURTHER INFORMATION.
WE CAN DISCUSS THAT AT A LATER TIME, BUT HOPEFULLY IT GETS THE TRAINING GOING, BUT IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT JOB BECAUSE WE GET OUR FIRST TIME VISITORS WHO WANT TO COME BACK, NOT JUST IN YOUR PLANT, YOU'LL HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL TRAINING PLANS.
IF YOU HAVE SOME SPECIFIC INFORMATION THAT YOU CAN FORWARD TO ME, I'D GREATLY APPRECIATE THAT.
IF YOU SAY NO, THAT'S WHAT MY WIFE SAYS TO YOU.
SHE'S BEEN LOOKING FOR THE MUTE BUTTON.
UM, W WE TALKED ABOUT THIS, SOME OF YOU FOLKS ON THE MARKETING COMMITTEE, UH, SO ON THE FULL ADVERTISING PLAN FOR WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND, UH, AND AGAIN, JUST IN A NUTSHELL, WHAT WE DID FOR THE YEAR 2020 IS A LOT OF THINGS WENT ON HOLD IN THE SPRING.
THAT'S OBVIOUSLY IT MIGHT WINTER EARLY SPRING IS OUR BIG ADVERTISING PUSH TO REALLY HIT THE SEASON.
BUT WITH COVID, EVERYTHING WENT ON HOLD UNTIL WE KIND OF HAD A BETTER FEEL FOR WHAT, UH, TRAVEL IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE, AND TO GET A BETTER FEEL OF THE, REALLY THE SENTIMENT OF THE TRAVELER, SO THAT WE DIDN'T
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END UP, YOU KNOW, POKING ANYBODY IN THE EYE ABOUT IT.HEY, YOU REALLY NEED TO TRAVEL.
EVEN IF YOU'RE AFRAID TO TRAVEL, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT TO APPEAR TO BE UNSENSITIVE OR INSENSITIVE.
SO WHAT WE DID WAS WE EXAMINED ALL THAT.
AND THEN AS WE ROLLED AROUND TO LATE SUMMER, WE STARTED THAT KIND OF A SOFT LAUNCH OF THE ADVERTISING AND MARKETING PLAN.
AND THEN WE REALLY ROLLED INTO IT THIS FALL.
SO THERE'S MORE OF THIS GOING ON NOW, PRIMARILY OUT OF THE WAY MARKET, BUT YOU'LL SEE SOME IN-MARKET AS WELL.
THERE'LL BE PICKING UP SOON, TURN OFF DAY.
UM, JUST A, A NOTE ON THE DOOR, ONE WORD, UM, 60% OF THE DESIGN ON THAT ONE AND SUBMITTALS BMA TO TOWN HILTON HEAD FOR THE DESIGN REVIEWS.
UH, SO WE'LL BE, I THINK THAT MEETING IS IN EARLY DECEMBER.
SO WE SHOULD HAVE SOME, UH, SOME WORD RELATIVELY SOON ON HOW TO THAT GOES.
BUT PRELIMINARY MEETINGS WITH THE TOWN HAVE BEEN VERY POSITIVE.
AND THEN I HAD THAT FUNDING NOTE THERE, AS WE'VE DISCUSSED BEFORE, THERE IS A MAX AMOUNT THAT THE FAA CAN CONTRIBUTE TO TERMINAL FUNDING ON AN AIRPORT, THE SIZE OF OURS AND THE CLASSIFICATION.
AND WE USE EVERY DIME OF THAT PLUS A WHOLE LOT MORE.
SO THERE'S STILL A DELTA THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
UM, AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, THERE'S BEEN A, UH, LEADERSHIP, UM, AT THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION AS WELL.
SO WE DID A, I DON'T KNOW IF I'D SAY WE LOST A LITTLE BIT OF MOMENTUM OF WHERE WE'RE GOING.
WE CERTAINLY LOST CONTINUITY IN OUR MESSAGE BECAUSE ASHLEY WAS, UH, WAS REALLY CARRYING THE WATER ON THAT ONE FOR US.
SO, UH, WE'RE GONNA TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT THAT.
AND, UM, WE DO, UH, WE ARE WORKING THAT THROUGH, UM, KIND OF COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I KNOW COUNCILMAN RODMAN IS PRESENT AND HE'S BEEN HELPING US ON THAT AS WELL.
UM, SO WE DO, WE STILL HAVE A GREAT CONNECTION BETWEEN COUNTY COUNCIL AND OUR STATE DELEGATION IN COLUMBIA.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR SOME ITEMS THERE.
AND I HAD A CALL LAST WEEK WITH THE STATE AERONAUTICS COMMISSION, ACTUALLY, THAT WAS EARLIER THIS WEEK.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS ITEM AS WELL.
SO EVERYBODY'S AWARE AND WHAT CAN CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT, THAT DELTA, UM, A TAX, UH, NOT THAT I THINK IT WAS A WEEK AFTER WE MET IN OCTOBER, I MADE OUR ANNUAL WAY TAX PRESENCE PATIENT TO THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD.
WE HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS, WHICH IS ALWAYS A GOOD SIGN.
THAT MEANS THAT THE COMMITTEES ENGAGED AND REALLY INTERESTED IN THE INFORMATION THAT WE'RE PRESENTING.
WE HAD A GREAT PRESENTATION THAT OUR MARKETING CONSULTANT FROM VOLTAIRE AVIATION CONSULTANTS ARE PUT TOGETHER.
IT WAS VERY, VERY GOOD DATABASE, WHICH IS WHAT THE COMMITTEE WANTS TO SEE CAUSE THEY WANT TO KNOW KIND OF WHAT THE RETURN OF INVESTMENT IS ON THE DAY HOURS THAT THEY PROVIDED IN THE PAST AND WERE ABLE TO SHOW A LOT OF REAL SOLID INFORMATION THERE, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT THEY REALLY LIKED.
AND LAST THURSDAY, THE COMMITTEE MET AGAIN AND WENT THROUGH THE LIST OF APPLICANTS AND THE AMOUNT OF AVAILABLE FUNDING.
AND I CAN TELL YOU VERY HAPPILY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE HISTORY OF MAKING THESE REQUESTS, WE ACTUALLY WILL, ARE GETTING A RECOMMENDATION BY THAT COMMITTEE TO TOWN COUNCIL FOR AWARD OF OUR FULL REQUESTS.
THAT'S, THAT'LL END UP BEING A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN TWICE WHAT WE RECEIVED LAST YEAR.
SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO A LOT WITH THAT ON THE MARKETING SIDE.
AND THEN WHAT THAT MEANS AS WELL AS AT ANY YEAR WHERE REVENUE THE AIRPORT IS DEFINITELY A CHALLENGE BECAUSE OF COVID.
UM, THIS ADDITIONAL A TAX INFLUX IS REALLY GOING TO HELP US MAINTAIN THE MARKETING PROGRAM AND NOT HAVE TO SUPPLEMENT IT QUITE AS HEAVILY WITH AIRPORT FUNDS.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT FIRST LINE? ALL RIGHT, WE'LL MOVE ALONG HERE.
JUST A QUICK UPDATE ON THE STATE OF THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY.
I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU THIS, UM, AIRLINE AND TRAVEL INDUSTRY.
THIS IS A NEW INITIATIVE THAT'S OUT.
IF YOU GO TO FLY HEALTHY.GOV, IT TAKES YOU TO THE USDA WEBSITE.
AND ACTUALLY WE RUN NOT A PRETTY USER-FRIENDLY WEBSITE WITH SOME STORIES AND VIDEOS, SOME, UH, SO PHOTOGRAPHS AND THINGS LIKE THAT THAT WILL HELP TRAVELERS TO PREPARE THAT MAYBE THEY HAVEN'T TRAVELED IN MONTHS SINCE COVID STARTED WELL, THERE'S NEW THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN YOU GO BACK INTO AIR TRAVEL.
SO IF FOLKS WILL PLEASE CHECK OUT, FLY HEALTHY.GOV, IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE TRAVELING BY AIR IN THE NEAR FUTURE, JUST CHECK THAT OUT.
CAUSE IT GIVES YOU A LOT OF HELPFUL HINTS.
AND, UH, WE'LL ALSO, UH, JUST KIND OF BRING YOU UP TO SPEED WITH WHAT THE AIRPORTS ARE DOING WITH TSA IS DOING KNOW WITH WHAT THE AIRLINES ARE DOING TO TAKE CARE OF FOLKS, WALK HOME, IT'S STILL A THREAT OUT THERE.
AND HOPEFULLY FOLKS WHO ARE WATCHING THIS ARE TUNING, UH, LATER ON, UM, WE'LL CHECK AS WELL.
IF THEY'LL BE TRAVELING THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.
AND AGAIN, YOU PROBABLY SAW THIS NEWS VERY LIGHTLY, BUT, UM, THE BIGGEST NEWS IS COMING AROUND THE PIKE LATELY.
WELL, AT LEAST SINCE YOU KNOW, LAST WEEK IS THAT THE VACCINE IS, IS LOOKING PRETTY
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GOOD.AND THAT'S HUGE IN THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY AND AVIATION INDUSTRY, UH, BECAUSE ANYTHING THAT COULD RESTORE SOME AMOUNT OF CONSUMER CONFIDENCE, IT'S GOING TO BE GREAT FOR THE INDUSTRY.
UM, NUMBERS HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BIT BETTER ACROSS THE BOARD, BUT I'LL TELL YOU THAT WHEN THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY NATIONWIDE IS DOING 40% OF WHAT IT DID LAST YEAR, THAT'S A BANNER DAY.
SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT SCARY, UM, HOW LOW THE BAR HAS, HAS SETTLED IN THE LAST EIGHT MONTHS.
SO THIS IS GREAT NEWS, AND HOPEFULLY THIS WILL KIND OF SPUR FOLKS TO, UH, TO TAKE A SECOND LOOK AT AIR TRAVEL.
UM, AND AS YOU CAN SEE BY THAT SECOND BULLET THERE, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE READY TO TRAVEL.
AGAIN, THEY DO A PLANS AND I THINK THERE'S SOME PENT UP DEMAND.
SO LET'S KEEP PRAYING FOR GOOD NEWS.
IT COMES AROUND AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL START SEEING SOME RECOVERY.
SO IT'S GONNA BE A LONG ROAD, BUT THE VACCINE.
AND AGAIN, I SHOWED THIS LAST MONTH, WHAT, I JUST WANT TO SHOW IT AGAIN.
AND JUST IN CASE FOLKS ARE TUNING IN AND WATCHING THIS LATER, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR FOLKS TO UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, THE OLD ADAGE OF BEING STUCK INSIDE A FLYING CAN, IT'S NOT REALLY WHAT IT USED TO BE.
YOU KNOW, AIRLINES ARE A LOT CLEANER, A LOT SAFER.
THE VENTILATION SYSTEMS IN THERE ARE FIRST RATE.
AND SO FOLKS OUGHT TO KNOW THAT, UM, THEY JUST HAVE TO HAVE THE LATEST INFORMATION SO THEY CAN MAKE THEIR OWN BEST PERSONAL DECISION.
SO I LIKE TO SHOW THIS, UH, THIS PICTURE, THIS CUTAWAY OF A AIRCRAFT CABIN, I THINK WE'RE IN THE STATS NEXT.
SO DOES ANYBODY HAVE QUESTIONS ON WHAT I'VE SAID SO FAR? JUST KIND OF JUMPED IN THERE.
GETTING INTO STATS HERE, STARTING OFF WITH THE ADD GAS.
AND I DID SEE THAT WE'VE GOT BEN ON BOARD.
SO IF WE DO HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS REGARDING, UH, ANYTHING ON THE SAFETY OF YOUR SIDE, WE CAN SEE IT.
BEN CAN JUMP IN AS WELL, BUT THESE ARE THE, HERE'S YOUR OUT GAS NUMBERS, AND THAT'S YOUR DAY.
AND THEN THAT'S YOUR COMMERCIAL, YETI, AND ALL THIS IS IN YOUR BACKUP DOCUMENTS AS WELL.
BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY GETS A CHANCE TO SEE THIS AGAIN, IN CASE YOU DIDN'T GET TO YOUR BACKUP DOCUMENTS.
AND THEN THIS IS YOUR TOTAL COMMERCIAL PASSENGERS.
AND AGAIN, THIS YEAR WE'LL LOOK AT THOSE SOLID BARS.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE SOLID GREEN AND THE SOLID RED SOLID GREEN IS AMERICAN, AND THE RED IS DELTA, YOU LOOK AT AMERICAN.
I THINK THERE ARE NUMBERS STILL REAL HIGH FOR OCTOBER.
AND THE REASON FOR THAT I THINK IS THAT THEY'RE, UM, THEY WERE SELLING ALL THEIR SEATS THE WAY THEY DID FOR THE, I THINK THE WHOLE PANDEMIC, UM, IF NOT, MOST OF IT.
AND THEN THEY ALSO HAVE THE ADDITIONAL CITIES IN THERE, UM, THAT STAYED ON THROUGH MOST OF OCTOBER.
SO WE DID HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL FLIGHTS IN THERE WHICH DEFINITELY HELPED THOSE NUMBERS.
SO, AND ALL OF THAT DEFINITELY HELPS THE AIRPORT TO THE ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC.
I THINK THAT'S IT ON THE STATUS.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE QUESTIONS THERE?
I TOLD YOU ABOUT THE TERMINAL.
I WANT TO SHOW YOU A FEW PICTURES.
SOME OF YOU ARE IN A WORKING GROUP, AND YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THESE BEFORE IN SOME OF OUR MEETINGS, BUT I WANT TO SHOW THE REST OF YOU THAT MAYBE HADN'T HAD A CHANCE TO SEE THIS YET.
NOW WE CAN KIND OF LEAK SOME OF THESE OUT WHEN PEOPLE GET A FEEL FOR WHAT THAT TERMINAL IS GOING TO LOOK.
UM, AND THIS IS, THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE A SIZEABLE IMPROVEMENT OVER WHAT'S HERE.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'LL HAVE A COVER DROP OFF IN FRONT OF THE TERMINAL.
SO THAT THAT FIRST LANE OF TRAFFIC WILL BE ABLE TO DROP FOLKS OFF WITH THEIR CAR, COMPLETELY COVERED BY A ROOF, WHICH IS A GOOD THING.
AND, UH, YOU CAN SEE THE FRONT ENTRANCE IN THAT, THAT FIRST PICTURE ON THE LEFT.
AND THEN WE'LL SHOW YOU INTERIOR PERSPECTIVE.
AND THE FIRST ONE ON THE LEFT THERE IS IF YOU'RE JUST COMING, JUST FINISHING THE TSA SCREENING, CHECKPOINT, YOU GO UP THAT SLIGHT RAMP UP INTO THE, UH, OREGON GATE HOLDING AREA.
AND THERE'S ABOUT 300 GIVE OR TAKE SEATS UP IN THAT AREA.
AND IT WAS A MIXTURE OF TYPES OF SEATS.
YOU GOT STANDARD SEATS, YOU GOT KIND OF SOFT, ALMOST COUCH TYPE SEATS, AND WE'VE GOT THE, UH, THE KIND OF THE BAR TOP AREAS THAT WOULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, CHARGING STATIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO FOLKS CAN DO SOME WORK WHILE THEY'RE WAITING, AND THEN THERE'LL BE OFF TO THE RIGHT, IS WHERE THERE'S KIND OF SOME LITTLE, UH, AREAS FOR LONG PLAIDS THAT HAVE THE, UH, THE RESTROOMS IN THERE AS WELL AS, UH, SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOME SMALL CONCESSIONS AREAS.
SO, AND THERE'LL BE THREE GATES, UH, WITH THE BOARDING
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BRIDGES OUT THERE AND THEN A POTENTIAL FOURTH GATE GOING OUT THE FAR END IS A WALKOUT GAME.SO WE'LL, WE'LL FIGURE OUT HOW WE NEED TO USE ALL OF THOSE.
AND THEN THE SECOND PICTURE IS LOOKING DOWN ON THE OPPOSITE END OF THE TERMINAL AND THAT'S BAGGAGE CLAIM.
SO THAT'S GENERALLY IN THE SAME AREA, IF YOU THINK, WHERE TO WHERE BAGGAGE CLAIM IS NOW OFF TO THE, TO THE LEFT, AS YOU WALK IN, THAT'S THE SAME GENERAL AREA WHERE THAT WOULD BE, BUT YOU CAN SEE WE'VE GOT TWO, UH, FLAT BELT, UH, BAGGAGE DELIVERY MECHANISMS THERE.
WE'VE GOT SOME AREA FOR, UH, FOR FOLKS TO, TO WAIT FOR THE BAGS TO SIT OR STAND, AND THEN WE'LL ALSO HAVE THE RENTAL CARS THAT WILL BE UP KIND OF AGAINST THE FAR WALL ALL THE WAY AT THE END, OVER TO THE LEFT.
SO WE'LL HAVE THEM OVER BY BAGGAGE, KIND OF WHERE YOU TYPICALLY WOULD SEE YOUR, YOUR OWN CAR CAMERAS.
SO PLENTY OF ROOM IN THERE, UH, FOR FOLKS TO GATHER KNOW ABOUT, UM, TAKE CARE OF AROUND THE CAR BUSINESS AND PICK UP THEIR BAGGAGE.
QUESTIONS ON THAT AGAIN, THAT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT OF A TEASER.
IT'S A WHOLE LOT MORE, AND WE'RE STILL IN DEVELOPMENT THERE.
JOHN, CAN YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE NOW? I MISSED THE LAST MEETING FOR THE DESIGN PHASE I WAS AWAY, BUT CAN YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE ON THE SCHEDULING COMPLETION OF DESIGN OUT FOR ABOUT FOOT BEDS AND ANTICIPATE AN ANTICIPATED DATE FOR CONSTRUCTION STOCK? WELL, THE PLAN FOR FINISHING UP THE DESIGN AND GETTING OUT THE BID IS LOOKING LIKE IT'S IN THE MARCH TIMEFRAME.
UM, AND THEN I, I REALLY, I'M NOT SURE HOW LONG THAT PROCESS WILL TAKE.
UH, DEPENDS ON A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT I GUESS 90 TO 120 DAYS TO HAVE THAT ALL FINISHED UP.
AND THEN SOMETIME AFTER THAT, DEPENDING ON AVAILABILITY, CONTRACTORS AND EVERYTHING ELSE TO SCHEDULE THE WEEK, WE DIDN'T WORK FOR THE, UH, THE GROUNDBREAKING.
AND THEN HONESTLY, I KNOW AT THE END OF THIS MONTH, RENEE WILL BE LEAVING US.
AND, UM, THAT'S NOT A PRISON CELL SHE'S IN THAT, THAT'S HER, THAT'S THE TRAINING ROOM WHERE SHE ISSUES BADGES.
SOME OF YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN IN THERE AND GONE THROUGH THE TREATMENT, SO TO SPEAK, UM, BUT RENEE WILL BE LEAVING US AND WE DO HAVE A NEW AIRPORT SECURITY COORDINATOR COMING IN.
I THINK WE MIGHT'VE MENTIONED THAT LAST MONTH AT THE MEETING.
I THINK WE HAD, I THINK WE HAD HIRED A BILL AT THE POINT, BUT, UH, BILL MUSSAR IS GOING TO BE OUR NEW AIRPORT SECURITY COORDINATOR.
AND BILL IS ACTUALLY COMING OVER TO US FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
AND BILL IS ONE OF THE DEPUTIES WHO'S BEEN STATIONED IN OUR TERMINAL FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS, GIVE OR TAKE.
SO HE'S GOT AN EXTENSIVE KNOWLEDGE OF THE, UH, THE AIRPORT NUMBER ONE, AND ALSO, UM, HAVING COORDINATED WITH RENEE GOOD BIT ON SECURITY ISSUES AND BADGING ISSUES.
HE'S GOT A PRETTY GOOD JUMPSTART ON THE PROGRAM, SO WE'RE EXCITED TO GET HIM ON BOARD, BUT OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, I THINK ALL OF US ARE DEFINITELY GONNA MISS RENEE.
SO WE MAY CALL HER UP AS AN INFORMAL CONSULTANT FROM TIME TO TIME, BUT WE CERTAINLY WILL MISS RENEE.
SO FOR BOARD MEMBERS, CERTAINLY NO RENEE, PLEASE TAKE A MINUTE TO SUE IN A MINUTE OR TWO AND JUST JOT A REAL QUICK EMAIL CONGRATULATING ON OUR CERTAIN THANKING OPRAH SERVICE AND WISHING HER WELL AND RETIREMENT.
THANK YOU TWO SECONDS TO DO IT NOW.
I'M SURE SHE'LL APPRECIATE IT.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR MY REPORT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON ANY ASPECT OF JOHN'S MATERIAL? WAS THIS AN EASY MONTH? UM, HI, AFTER DIRECTOR'S REPORT, UH, I HAVE NO SCHEDULED UNFINISHED BUSINESS.
DOES ANY BOARD MEMBER HAVE ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS I'D LIKE TO REVISIT? NO, WE'LL GO RIGHT BACK TO JOHN AGAIN FOR SOME NEW VISITS, JOHN.
WE DO HAVE ONE ITEM THAT NEEDS YOUR APPROVAL THIS MONTH.
AND, UH, THIS IS ANOTHER GOOD ITEM UP AT AIR W I WE'VE BEEN WORKING FOR QUITE A WHILE TO, UM, TO GET THE ASPHALT OUT THERE.
UH, BASICALLY DARKENED UP, CLEANED UP, SEAL UP A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
AND, UM, SOME, SEVERAL PILOTS, AGAIN, TRYING TO CALL YOU OUT.
BUT SEVERAL PILOTS HAD MENTIONED THAT IT WAS GETTING A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT TO READ THE NUMBERS AND SEE SOME OF THE MARKETING'S OUT THERE.
SO WE'VE GOT THE, UM, WHAT YOU HAD DISTRIBUTED TO YOU BY ELENA IS A SCOPE OF WORK, BASICALLY THAT PACE PAYMENT TECHNOLOGIES IS SCHEDULED TO PERFORM UP AT ARW.
BUT WHAT THEY'LL DO IS PUT A SEALANT ON ALL THE ASPHALT WE'VE GOT OUT THERE, WE'LL SEAL THE CRACKS AND THEY'LL PUT A NEW PAINTING, NEW MARKINGS ON THE SURFACES OUT THERE.
SO WHEN IT'S ALL SAID AND DONE THIS REJUVENATOR TREATMENT, WE'LL, UH, WE'LL MAKE THE, THE ASPHALT LOOK A LOT DARKER, A LOT EASIER TO SEE IN THE MARKETING'S WILL DEFINITELY STAND OUT ON THERE.
SO, AND THE WAY THIS WORKS, JUST SO YOU KNOW IS EVEN
[00:30:01]
THOUGH IT'S COMING TO YOU AS A, AS A CONTRACT AWARD RECOMMENDATION, IT KINDA ISN'T THAT BECAUSE THE CONTRACT'S ALREADY SIGNED BETWEEN PACE AND THE STATE AERONAUTICS COMMISSION.SO WHAT HAPPENS IS THEY, THE STATE OR AN OZ COMMISSION PUTS THIS TYPE OF, UH, SCOPE OF WORK OUT FOR BID PACE PAYMENT TECHNOLOGIES AS A GROUP WHO WON THAT BID AT LEAST THIS YEAR.
SO THEY PERFORM THIS JOB AT ANY OF THE AIRPORTS THAT NEED THIS WORK.
SO IT WAS PREBID, IT'S ALREADY BEEN COMPETITIVELY BID.
WE'RE ALLOWED TO USE THAT, UH, THAT BIDDING PROCESS.
AND THEN THE STATE COMES IN AND SAYS, HEY, SINCE THERE ARE APPROVED CONTRACTOR, AND YOU'RE A GENERAL AVIATION AIRPORT THAT NEEDS THIS WORK, SOUTH CAROLINA AERONAUTICS COMMISSION COVERS 75% OF THE INVOICE ON THAT.
AND THEN THE AIRPORT COVERS THE OTHER 25%.
SO EVEN THOUGH IT COMES TO YOU AS A CONTRACT APPROVAL, IT'S IN MORE REAL TERMS IS PROBABLY AN APPROVAL OF A SCOPE OF WORK THAT WE NEED TO EXECUTE AT THE AIRPORT.
BUT BECAUSE OF THE DOLLAR FIGURES INVOLVED, WE DO TAKE THIS THROUGH KENNEDY COUNCILS COMMITTEE AND THE FULL COUNCIL, BECAUSE THE FULL AMOUNT OF THIS CONTRACT IS SOMETHING THAT, THAT WOULD IN NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES REQUIRE COUNCIL APPROVAL.
SO WE JUST LIKE THEM TO BE IN THE LOOP ON ANY PROJECT OF THIS MAGNITUDE.
IF ANYBODY'S GOT QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE THOSE.
SO IN ORDER TO CROSS THE T'S AND DOT THE I'S, I'LL ACCEPT THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE PAY STATEMENT TECHNOLOGIES CONTRACT.
UM, THAT'S PROPOSED BY JOHN AND CONSISTENT WITH THE MATERIAL YOU HAVE RECEIVED IN YOUR PASSAGE, IN YOUR PACKAGE AND TRY AND TRY AND MAKE MOTION.
AND ANY OPPOSED? ANY, ANY OTHER SAYING THIS IS GOING TO MAKE THEM
I WAS WONDERING, HOW DO WE KNOW HOW LONG THE AIRPORT WILL BE CLOSED DURING THIS OPERATION MAMA SHE'D DONE MOST OF THE WORK BE DONE.
CAN WE GET EVERYBODY FROM HERE? THERE WAS DOUBLE BOOK AUDIO, AND I, I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE ANSWER ON HOW LONG.
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? HI, JOHN.
THAT WAS JIM'S QUESTION ASKING.
HE DIDN'T HEAR THE ANSWER ON HOW LONG.
SO MOST OF THE WORK CAN BE DONE WHILE THE AIRPORT IS STILL OPERATING THROUGH THEIR REPAIR, TO THE CRACKS, THE CLEANING, AND ALL THAT STUFF CAN BE DONE WHILE WE'RE STILL IN OPERATION.
THE ONLY TIME THE AIRPORT IS ACTUALLY GOING TO BE CLOSED IS WHEN THEY DO THE RUNWAY AS A WHOLE.
AND THAT AFTER THEY PUT THAT COATING DOWN ON THE RUNWAY, IT REQUIRES A ABOUT A 36 HOUR CURE TIME.
AND THAT'S WHEN THE AIRPORT WILL BE CLOSED.
UM, THEY'RE STILL WORKING UP IN FLORENCE THIS WEEK AND THEY SHOULD START MOVING EQUIPMENT DOWN PROBABLY NEXT WEEK AND THEY CAN WORK AROUND EVERYBODY'S SCHEDULE.
BUT WHEN THAT PART FOR THE, UH, THAT FINAL PROCESS IS IT'S GOING TO CLOSE US DOWN FOR ABOUT A DAY AND A HALF.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR JOHN PAUL, JOHN? YEAH.
DO YOU HAVE THE CONTRACT ON FOR PUBLIC FACILITIES FOR MONDAY? IT'S ACTUALLY ON FOR FINANCE PUBLIC AUTHORITIES ON THE FINANCE, BUT THIS ONE'S GOING TO FINANCE AS LONG AS YOU GOT IT FOR ONE OF THEM.
JOHN, ANYTHING TO ADD, IF NOT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO COMMITTEE REPORTS
[00:35:02]
AND ACTUALLY I'LL TAKE A QUICK SHOT AT PERSONAL FINANCE COMMITTEE, JOHN, THANK YOU.I'VE GOT A TENTATIVE DATE SET UP FOR THE FINANCE COMMITTEE TO MEET FOR NEXT YEAR.
WE APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, EARLY NOTICE AND GETTING THAT GOING EARLY.
UH, OTHER THAN THAT, NOTHING TO REPORT FROM THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
UH, LASTLY IN PASSENGER SERVICE IN ABSENCE HERE, ANYTHING ON THE PASSENGER SERVICE COMMITTEE, I CAN UNMUTE.
NOTHING TO REPORT FROM THE, I TRAVELED INTO THE AIRPORT ON SUNDAY AND I WAS JUST TOTALLY FLOORED BY THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WAITING TO FLY OUT SUNDAY AFTERNOON, THERE WERE ABOUT 45 PEOPLE ON MY AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT.
THE ONLY COMMENT I WANT TO MAKE, UM, WOULD BE ABOUT THE BAGGAGE AREA WITH OUR RENOVATION.
ARE WE GOING TO HAVE A TURNTABLE THERE WITH THE RENOVATION OF THE BAGGAGE THERE? THE REASON I ASKED THAT THERE WAS ONE GENTLEMAN FROM AMERICAN AIRLINES, I REALIZE IT'S AN AIRLINE EMPLOYEE, BUT HE HAD TO UNLOAD ALL OF THE BAGS OF ALL THE PASSENGERS FROM, FROM MY FLIGHT FLIGHT.
AND THERE WERE 10 GOLFERS ON MY FLIGHT, ALL WITH HUGE GOLF BAGS.
AND TWO OF THEM WERE OVERWEIGHT.
AND THIS POOR GUY, I REALLY FELT BAD FOR HIM.
AND OF COURSE, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, IT TOOK A LOT LONGER.
THERE WILL BE TO, UH, THE FLAT BELT, UH, NORMAL TYPE DEVICES OUT THERE.
CAUSE BECAUSE THAT PROGRAM PASSENGER STANDPOINT, PEOPLE WAITED A LONG TIME AND I THINK THEY WERE A LITTLE FRUSTRATED.
YOU KNOW, THAT ONE GUY DOING IT, EVERYTHING.
UM, WHY DON'T WE MOVE DOWN TO COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING AND THE GYM.
WE CAN SEE YOU AND WE CAN HEAR YOU THIS MONTH.
AND I'M TRYING TO BE QUIET, WHICH IS UNUSUAL.
UH, WE HOPE TO MEET IN THE COMING MONTH.
WE RESCHEDULED PRIUS TODAY AND DUE TO MINDLESS THIS READING SOMEONE'S PERSONAL PLANS, UH, WE HAD TO POSTPONE THAT MEETING.
SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE MEETING THIS COMING MONTH.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH'S REPORT AND W GROUP, UH, TREY, I'M GOING TO TURN TO YOU ON THIS.
UH, SINCE THERE'S BEEN TREMENDOUS, THE LAST SIX MONTHS HAS SEEN A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF ACTIVITY OVER AT BEUFORD EXECUTIVE AIRPORT.
UM, ANY MORE UPDATES THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE, UH, OVER AND ABOVE WHAT PAUL AND JOHN HAVE ALREADY SAID, HERE WE GO.
I HATE TO SAY THAT I'M NOT THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE, SO I'M NOT VERY WELL PREPARED, BUT, UH, THANKS.
THAT AN UNKNOWABLE FURTHER REPORT FOR NOW, CHRIS IS THE CHAIRMAN OF THAT COMMITTEE, BUT CHRIS IS NOT WITH US TODAY.
SO THREE, ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO ADD? WHAT WE'VE DONE? I'LL ASSUME THAT YOU'RE DONE.
HILTON HEAD AIRPORT IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE, NOTHING TO REPORT THIS MONTH.
NOW REMEMBER THIS COMMITTEE IS DESIGNED TO WORK ON THE GENERAL AB ANXIOUS SIDE BEING IMPORTANT.
NO, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO GET A LITTLE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY ON TRADE.
SO WE WILL, WE'LL JUST SIMPLY MOVE ON.
AS I SAID, HILTON, HEAD AIRPORT IMPROVEMENT, AND NOTHING TO REPORT THIS MONTH.
THAT'S REALLY WORKING ON THE GENERAL AVIATION SIDE, NOT THE COMMERCIAL SIDE.
I THINK TRADE IS STILL TRYING, BUT WE WILL HOPE WE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD.
WE CAN REPORT NOW BACK TO ANY LAST COMMENTS FROM ANY BOARD MEMBER ON ANYTHING DISCUSSED, HEARING NONE.
WE'LL MOVE BACK TO THE PUBLIC COMMENTS, PORTION OF THE MEETING.
IF WE HAVE ANYBODY FROM THE PUBLIC IN ATTENDANCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT, PLEASE LIMIT YOUR COMMENT TO APPROXIMATELY THREE MINUTES.
ANYBODY FROM THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING OKAY.
I'D LIKE TO AGAIN, WELCOME TOM CHAPIN, OUR NEWEST MEMBER, TOM AT ANY, AND THAT WE WILL GET COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS.
WE'LL, YOU KNOW, WE'LL PROBABLY TALK OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.
WE'LL SEE WHAT, WHERE YOU'D LIKE TO WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO PARTICIPATE WITH AND THEN MOVE
[00:40:01]
FORWARD FROM THERE.UH, JUST TO REMIND YOU IF THE NEXT MONTH'S MEETING DECEMBER'S MEETINGS ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17TH, 1:30 PM.
AT THE MOMENT, IT IS STILL A VIRTUAL MEETING.
YOU'LL CONTINUE TO GET CORRESPONDENCE FROM, UH, ELENA WITH RESPECT TO ANY UPDATES.
SO THERE, AND JUST AS A REMINDER, IF YOU CANNOT ATTEND THAT MEETING, PLEASE LET ELENA KNOW AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE.
SO WE KNOW THAT WE CAN HAVE A QUORUM AND CONDUCT OPPOSITES, FINAL COMMENTS HEARING NONE.
I THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING AGAIN.
WE WILL SEE YOU IN THE MONTH OF DECEMBER AND EVERYBODY STAYS SAFE, MOTION AND MOTION TO ADJOURN.
WHO WAS THE MOTION MAKER? THE SECOND CHECK-IN I MADE THE MOTION.
ANY OPPOSED MEETING IS ADJOURNED, RIGHT? THE COUNTY CHANNEL IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON VIDEO, ON DEMAND, GO TO BUFORD COUNTY, SC.GOV, SCROLL DOWN TO PUBLIC MEETINGS, CLICK WATCH NOW, AND THEN CLICK THE VIDEO ON DEMAND BUTTON AND SELECT YOUR PROGRAM FROM BOLIVIA TO ORDER IF YOU'D LIKE A DVD OF THIS PROGRAM, CLICK ON THE LINK ON THE RIGHT AND FILL OUT THE ORDER FORM.
AND THANK YOU FOR WATCHING THE COUNTY CHANNEL.
THIS IS THE BUFORD COUNTY MOMENT.
THE SUBJECT OF THIS MOMENT IS THE PHOSPHATE INDUSTRY LOST TO FOLKS TODAY, BUT THE ARTIFACTS, THE PHOSPHATE INDUSTRY ARE AROUND US.
IF WE LOOK FOR THEM, PHOSPHATES WERE KNOWN IN SOUTH CAROLINA BEFORE THE CIVIL WAR.
THEY WERE FIRST DISCOVERED UP AROUND SOMERVILLE AND NORTH OF CHARLESTON.
IT'S KNOWN AS MURRELL AND BENEATH THE MORROW WAS THE PHOSPHATE ROCK GEOLOGISTS AND SCIENTISTS KNEW ABOUT IT.
PHOSPHATE WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO THE AGRICULTURAL OF THE SOUTH BECAUSE IT IS THE BASIS OF MOST FERTILIZER AND MANY OF THE COTTON LANDS OF THE OLD SOUTH, WHERE MUCH EXHAUSTED BY THE COTTON INDUSTRY BEFORE THE WAR.
SO AFTER THE CIVIL WAR, THE PHOSPHATE INDUSTRY WAS INTRODUCED FIRST IN CHARLESTON IN 1867, AND THEN LOOKING FOR BEDS OF HIGH CONTENT PHOSPHATE ROCK.
THESE PHOSPHATE EXPLORES AND ENTREPRENEURS DISCOVERED BUFORD COUNTY.
THE NEXT 30 YEARS, BUFORD COUNTY BECAME THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF PHOSPHATE IN THE UNITED STATES.
AND ONE OF THE RICHEST SOURCES OF PHOSPHATES KNOWN IN THE WORLD BETWEEN 1870 AND 1900.
THIS BECAME THE CENTER OF THE MINING.
PART OF THE PHOSPHATE INDUSTRY.
MANY OF THE FERTILIZER FACTORIES WERE IN CHARLESTON, BUT THE MINING AND THE PHOSPHATE WORKS AS THEY CALL THEM WHERE THEY BROKE THE ROCK DOWN INTO POWDER AND THE PURE PHOSPHATE AND SHIPPED IT OUT.
THOSE INDUSTRIAL CENTERS WERE MOSTLY IN BUFORD COUNTY AT THE HEIGHT OF THIS INDUSTRY IN THE 1880S, 3000 BUFORD TONES WERE EMPLOYED IN THE PHOSPHATE BUSINESS.
IN MANY CASES WAS A RULE OF THUMB WHEN THE PHOSPHATE BUSINESS BEGAN IN THE 1870S, THAT THE RICHEST VEINS OF PHOSPHATE WERE UNDERWATER UNDER THE COOSAW RIVER UNDER THE BUFORD RIVER, UNDER BATTERY CREEK.
SO INITIALLY LOCAL SEA ISLANDERS WOULD DIVE DOWN FOR THE ROCK AND FILL UP BASKETS AND THEN GET PULLED UP IN THE ROPE.
NOT ONLY LIMITING THE DEPTH TO WHICH THEY COULD MINE AT, BUT LIMITING THEIR HEALTH AS WELL, GOING UP AND DOWN, BUT VERY QUICKLY IN THE 1870S ENGINEERS DISCOVERED THAT THEY COULD BUILD VERY LARGE UNDERWATER STEAM POWERED DREDGES ON FLOATING BARGES.
AND SO THEY BEGAN TO MECHANIZE THE INDUSTRY AND RATHER THAN EMPLOYING FEWER PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY EMPLOYED MORE, MORE THAN HALF OF THE PHOSPHATE PRODUCED IN THE UNITED STATES AND 80% OF THE PHOSPHATE PRODUCED IN SOUTH CAROLINA CAME FROM BUFORD COUNTY.
[00:45:01]
THE PHOSPHATE INDUSTRY BETWEEN 1870 AND 1900 WAS THE LARGEST INDUSTRY IN THE HISTORY OF BUFORD COUNTY AND THE LARGEST MINING INDUSTRY IN THE HISTORY OF THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.AND PEOPLE HAVE PRETTY MUCH FORGOTTEN ABOUT IT, BUT IT WAS THE SOURCE OF GREAT PROSPERITY IN BUFORD COUNTY, BETWEEN 1870 AND 1890.
THE POPULATION OF BUFORD COUNTY GREW BAY STREET BECAME A FINANCIAL AND COMMERCIAL CENTER.
PHOSPHATE WORKS IN OTHER WORDS, FACTORIES WHERE THEY BURN THE PHOSPHATE ROCK AND BROKE IT DOWN INTO POWDER.
WE'RE LOCATED ON SPANISH POINT.
WE'RE LOCATED, UM, LUCY CREEK AND THE LARGEST WAS LOCATED FIRST ON COOSAW PLANTATION.
AND THEN OUT AT THE END OF CHISHOLM HIGHLAND ON SUMMERHOUSE POINT ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE COOSAW RIVER, SMALLER PHOSPHATE COMPANIES AND PHOSPHATE RIDGES AND THE TUGBOATS AND THE SUPPORT SYSTEMS THAT HAD TO, UH, SUPPORT THIS INDUSTRY FOR 30 YEARS WERE AN ENORMOUS BOOM TO BUFORD COUNTY.
EVENTUALLY THE SMALLER PHOSPHATE COMPANIES WERE CONSOLIDATED INTO ONE VERY LARGE COMPANY CALLED THE COOSAW MINING COMPANY.
THE COOSAW MINING COMPANY BY 1892 WAS THE LARGEST PHOSPHATE MINING COMPANY IN THE UNITED STATES.
BUT IN THOSE SAME YEARS IN 1888, RICHARD VEINS AND PHOSPHATE WERE DISCOVERED NEAR TAMPA, FLORIDA.
AND DURING THE 1890S, THE PERCENTAGE OF PHOSPHATE EXTRACTED FROM BUFORD COUNTY DECLINED AND THE PERCENTAGE OF PHOSPHATE DISCOVERED AND EXTRACTED FROM FLORIDA AND OTHER PLACES LIKE NEAR NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE WAS RICHER PHOSPHATE.
AND EVENTUALLY IT PUT THESE PHOSPHATE MINES OUT OF BUSINESS PHOSPHATE AND BUFORD COUNTY.
THE RIVER ROCK AS IT WAS CALLED IN THOSE DAYS WAS 60% PURE PHOSPHATE, WHICH IN 1870 WAS THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY.
BY 1888, THE FLORIDA ROCK WAS 80% PURE PHOSPHATE.
AND THE ECONOMICS OF THAT SIMPLY PUT THE RIVER COUNTY PHOSPHATE BUSINESS OUT OF BUSINESS.
COOSAW MINING COMPANY STOPPED MINING IN 1905.
THE VIRGINIA CAROLINA COMPANY TRIED TO CONSOLIDATE SOME OF THE OLD WORKS AND FINALLY WENT BANKRUPT IN 1914.
AND THAT WAS THE BITTER END OF THE PHOSPHATE BUSINESS CONSEQUENCE OF THE END OF THE PHOSPHATE BUSINESS WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE GREAT EXODUS OF THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN POPULATION OF THE SEA ISLANDS WITHOUT GOOD WAGE JOBS BEGAN TO MOVE NORTH AND DEPOPULATED MUCH IN BUFORD COUNTY.
BUT THE OTHER EVENT WHICH HASTENED THE DEMISE OF THE PHOSPHATE INDUSTRY IN BEAVER COUNTY WAS OF COURSE THE GREAT HURRICANE OF 1893, WHICH WAS ONE OF THE 10 LARGEST HURRICANES AND MOST DESTRUCTIVE HURRICANES EVER TO HIT THE UNITED STATES KILLED AS MANY AS 2000 PEOPLE ON THE SEA ISLANDS AND WRECKED THE PHOSPHATE FLEET.
SO THE INVESTORS IN PHOSPHATE FLEET MOVED THEIR CAPITAL TO FLORIDA AND THE PHOSPHATE BUSINESS DECLINED B FOR COUNTY.
THIS HAS BEEN A BUFORD COUNTY MOMENT TO SEE MORE BEAVER COUNTY MOMENTS GO TO THE BUFORD COUNTY LIBRARY HOMEPAGE AND CLICK ON THE LOCAL HISTORY TAB.
HERE'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN BUFORD COUNTY, A FEW MILES FROM BUFORD, SOUTH CAROLINA IN THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL.
STAN'S A PROPERTY OF NATIONAL IMPORTANCE.
IN FACT, IT'S LISTED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES FOR MORE THAN A DECADE.
THE ONLY PUBLIC ACCESS TO THE PROPERTY HAS BEEN BY WATER.
SOUTH CAROLINA'S DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES IS WORKING TO PROVIDE ACCESS FOR ALL, FOR THIS TO HAPPEN.
A CULTURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY OR ARCHEOLOGY MUST BE DONE BUILT FROM TABBY, A MIXTURE OF OYSTER SHELLS, LIME, SAND, AND WATER.
SIMILAR IN MANY WAYS TO CONCRETE FORT FREDERICKS CONSTRUCTION WAS ORDERED IN 1726 BY THE BRITISH COLONIAL GOVERNMENT TO GUARD PORT ROYAL SOUND AND THE TOWN OF BUFORD FROM APPROACHED BY SPANISH WARSHIPS.
AN ESTIMATED 50,000 BUSHELS OF OYSTERS WERE NEEDED FOR THE FIVE FOOT HIGH FIVE FOOT THICK TABBY WALLS.
IT IS THE OLDEST HEAVY STRUCTURE IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
THE ADJACENT PROPERTY IS THE UNITED STATES NAVAL HOSPITAL ON THIS PROPERTY WAS THE 19TH CENTURY SMITH PLANTATION, WHICH BECAME THE UNION ARMIES CAMP SAXTON DURING THE CIVIL WAR AND HOME OF THE FIRST REGIMENT COMPRISED OF FREED SLAVES.
THE OBJECT IS TO EXTRACT AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE IN A GIVEN AMOUNT OF TIME.
THERE IS A CERTAIN METHODOLOGY USED IN AN INVESTIGATION LIKE THIS, COME ALONG AND SEE HOW IT'S DONE.
THE INITIAL SHOVEL TESTS DUG RANDOMLY AROUND THE SITE EXAMINE THE DENSITY OF ARTIFACTS
[00:50:01]
AND THE PERIOD OF OCCUPATION AT FORT FREDERICK ARTIFACTS INCLUDED 19TH CENTURY, 18TH CENTURY AND PREHISTORIC OBJECTS FLAKE, A STONE TOOL FLAKE.IT'S A PIECE OF CHURCH FROM ALLENDALE TALKER SITE.
IT KIND OF TELLS YOU HOW RICH IT IS OUT HERE WITH THESE INITIAL TESTS.
ARCHEOLOGISTS DETERMINED THE DEPTH REQUIRED OF THE SHOVEL TESTS IN THE NEXT PHASE.
THAT DEPTH IS WHEN THEY REACH A STERILE SOIL LAYER WHERE THEY NO LONGER SEE CULTURAL MATERIAL FOR PHASE ONE OF THIS PROJECT, A GRID IS LAID OVER THE SITE MAP.
THE SCOPE OF WORK HERE CALLS FOR SHOVEL TEST PROBES, EVERY 10 METERS ACROSS THE ENTIRE THREE ACRES, RIGHT? USING A SURVEYING INSTRUMENT CALLED A TOTAL STATION.
PIN FLAGS ARE PLACED TO MATCH THE GRID MAP.
EACH FLAG IS IDENTIFIED BY ITS EXACT LOCATION.
NOW DIGGING BEGINS A FIELD TEAM FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA'S INSTITUTE OF ARCHEOLOGY AND ANTHROPOLOGY IS CONTRACTED TO CONDUCT THE FIELD.
THE DATA COLLECTED FROM THESE SHOVEL TESTS WILL GUIDE THE UPCOMING MONTH LONG EXCAVATION AS WELL AS ANY THAT MAY BE UNDERTAKEN IN YEARS TO COME.
ALL THE SOILS ARE SCREENED THROUGH A QUARTER INCH MESH.
ALL ARTIFACTS ARE BAGGED ACCORDING TO THEIR EXACT LOCATION AND DEPTH FOR LATER ANALYSIS.
FOR THE NEXT PHASE UNITS OF TWO METERS IN DIAMETER ARE LAID OUT IN THE AREAS CONFIRMED BY THE SHOVEL TESTS TO HAVE THE HIGHEST DENSITY OF ARTIFACTS.
SO HOW DEEP IS EACH LEVEL? SOMETIMES A STANDARD DEPTH OF 10 CENTIMETERS IS USED AT FORT FREDERICK.
ACCORDING TO CHANGES IN SOIL COLOR.
AGAIN, ALL THE DIRT IS SCREENED AND THE ARTIFACTS BAGGED THIS INFORMATION WILL ACCOMPANY THE ARTIFACTS THROUGHOUT THE CURATION PROCESS.
THESE UNITS SHOW AN OCCUPATION FROM THE FIRST HALF OF THE 19TH CENTURY STONEWARE AMERICAN STONEWARE WITH ONLY FOUR WEEKS BUDGETED FOR THE PROJECT.
THE FIELD TEAM MUST BE METICULOUS AND QUICK AT THE SAME TIME, MOTORIZED SCREENERS HELP SPEED SIFTING THROUGH LARGE VOLUMES OF SOIL.
WHILE SOME TASKS REQUIRE A MORE DELICATE TOUCH, LOOKING CLOSELY, SOME AREAS SHOW A COLOR CHANGE IN THE SOIL CALLED FEATURES.
THESE AREAS WERE LIKELY DISTURBED BY HUMANS IN THE PAST WHERE THESE POSTHOLES FOR A STRUCTURE OR HOLES WHERE ITEMS OFTEN TRASH WERE BURIED.
THESE FEATURES ARE EXCAVATED FURTHER AS THEY OFTEN YIELD ARTIFACTS.
AND THESE FEATURES MUST BE EXCAVATED TO THEIR STERILE SOIL LAYER WORK IN THIS AREA OF THE SITE IS PLANNED FOR TWO WEEKS.
FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THIS PROJECT, THE MOVES TO THE FORD ITSELF, THE DECISION IS MADE TO LAYOUT CONTIGUOUS TWO METER UNITS THAT SPAN THE FORT'S INTERIOR WALL.
THERE IS A LOT OF DIRT TO BEAT
THIS FEATURE IS EXCAVATED AND THE CONTENTS BAGGED FOR THE TRIP TO THE LAB EVERY DAY, CONCEIVABLE DATA POINT STRATEGO, GRAPHY, SOIL COLORS, DEPTHS AND FEATURES IS COLLECTED FOR LATER ANALYSIS.
THE EXCAVATION OF THE FORTS INTERIOR HAS EXPOSED THE FULL DEPTH OF THE WALLS.
YIELDING ARTIFACTS FROM PREHISTORIC TIMES THROUGH THE 19TH CENTURY.
NOW LAB ANALYSIS WILL BEGIN TO PIECE TOGETHER UNKNOWN FACTS ABOUT THE SITE'S LONG OCCUPATION.
[00:55:01]
THE SITE, THE UNITS ARE BACKFILL TO PRESERVE THEIR INTEGRITY AND ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THE PUBLIC.WHEN THE SITE IS REOPENED, WE'VE BEEN REFERRING TO IT AS THE RUMBLE, AFTER MANY MONTHS IN THE PLANNING STAGES, A WEEK OF SHOVEL TEST PROBES, A MONTH OF UNIT EXCAVATIONS WITH MOUNTAINS OF SOIL MOVED PLUS WEEKLY ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PUBLIC ARCHEOLOGY AT THIS SITE IS DONE FOR NOW NEARLY TWO TONS OF OYSTER SHELL BRICK AND ARTIFACTS WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE INSTITUTE OF ARCHEOLOGY AND ANTHROPOLOGY AT USC IN COLUMBIA FOR ANALYSIS, IT IS HERE THAT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF WHAT THEY FOUND WILL BE ASSESSED AND ADDED TO OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THOSE WHO OCCUPIED THE FORT FREDERICK HERITAGE