[00:00:12]
SEEING HOW A MIC CHECK WILL SILENCE THE ROOM.
SO IT'S, UH, MAYBE WE SHOULD START.
WHAT DO YOU THINK, MAYOR? ALL RIGHT, LET'S DO THIS.
UM, I'VE MET MOST OF YOU, ALL OF YOU, PERHAPS.
AND, UM, MY COLLEAGUES TODAY ARE KATHERINE CARTER.
AND THEN, UM, JULIE GIZA KI, UH, WHO YOU ALL MAY REMEMBER FROM LAST YEAR, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WERE THERE, UM, SHE'S OUR GRAPHIC RECORDER AND SHE IS GOING TO BE DOING SOME CAPTURES REMOTELY.
UM, SHE LIVES IN CALIFORNIA AND IF SHE LEAVES THE STATE, THEY LOCKED HER IN HER HOUSE FOR TWO WEEKS AFTER SHE COMES BACK.
SO SHE'S, UH, WE'RE GOING TO USE THE BLUE JEANS TECHNOLOGY THAT SOME OF THE STAFF ARE ALSO USING FOR HER TO PARTICIPATE TODAY.
SO, UM, I'M PLEASED TO BE HERE AND WE HAVE A FULL COUPLE OF DAYS PLANNED FOR YOU ALL IN LARGE PART TO PRIORITIZE OUR PLAN, YOUR NEW COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
AND WHAT IS, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT IS A HUGE UNDERTAKING.
UM, YOU ALL LAST YEAR DEVELOPED KIND OF A STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK WITH THREE OUTCOME AREAS.
SO WE HAVE THOSE THREE OUTCOMES, THEN THE HIERARCHY OF THE PLAN, AND WE'RE GOING TO USE THE LANGUAGE IN OUR PLAN BECAUSE IT'S WHAT YOU ADOPTED.
SO THE HIERARCHY IS THAT THERE ARE EIGHT CORE VALUES, 48 STRATEGIC GOALS, AND THEN A COUPLE OF HUNDRED STRATEGIES.
WE'RE GOING TO PRIORITIZE DOWN TO THE GOAL LEVEL, BUT IF YOU'RE HAVING A LOT OF FUN AND YOU WANT TO JUST KEEP GOING, I'M JUST KIDDING.
NO ONE WILL HAVE THAT MUCH FUN.
SO THAT'S GOING TO BE OUR FOCUS FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS.
AND IT WILL BE A LITTLE BIT TEDIOUS AT TIMES.
WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO MAKE IT FUN.
SOMETIMES I'M ACCUSED OF USING THAT WORD WRONG, BUT I'M GOING TO DO MY BEST.
WE'RE ALSO GOING TO GO IN AND OUT OF IT, UM, BECAUSE IT WILL GET TEDIOUS.
AND WE WANT YOU ALL TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER A LITTLE BIT.
UM, YOU HAVE A NEW MEMBER OF THE GOVERNING BODY WITH ALEX.
THERE IS ALWAYS THE DYNAMICS OF A GROUP CHANGE, EVEN WITH JUST ONE PERSON COMING ON ELECTIONS, UM, HAVE, UM, IMPACTS ON GROUPS, UM, AND ON THE COMMUNITY AND THE IMPORTANCE OF YOU ALL THE SEVEN OF YOU GOVERNING WELL TOGETHER IS CRITICAL FOR THE ISLAND'S FUTURE.
AND SO WE HOPE TODAY AND TOMORROW TO HELP STRENGTHEN THAT FOUNDATION FOR BUILD FOR GOVERNING WELL TOGETHER.
YOU ALSO HAVE YOUR SOON TO BE NEW, UM, NOT YET ON THE JOB, BUT HERE HE IS ANYWAYS TOWN MANAGER AND HE'S GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, WATCHING AND LEARNING AND LISTENING AND ALL THE THINGS HE'LL TELL YOU THAT HE'S DOING.
UM, AND THIS IS A CHANCE FOR YOU ALL TO REALLY PROVIDE SOME IMPORTANT DIRECTION FOR THE ORGANIZATION.
SO I'M EXCITED THAT HE'S HERE AND JOSH IS HERE AND ALL OF THE STAFF, OUR PLAN THIS MORNING.
UM, I GUESS I SHOULDN'T SAY OUR PLAN CAUSE THAT'S YOUR PLAN.
SO THE AGENDA FOR THE DAY IS TO FIRST, WE'LL START WITH AN EXERCISE DESIGNED TO, TO GET YOU ALL TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT EACH OTHER, A LITTLE BIT AT A DEEPER LEVEL.
AND SO WE'LL SHARE YOUR, THIS I BELIEVE STATEMENTS, AND THEN I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO THE STAFF AND THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU 2020 IN REVIEW, KIND OF HOW WE GOT TO THIS PLACE, WHAT THE FINANCES ARE LOOKING LIKE.
WHAT'S THE PROJECTS OF SOME, THE, UM, THE STATUS OF SOME OF YOUR KEY CAPITAL PROJECTS.
AND THEN WE WANT JENNIFER TO INTRODUCE TO YOU AGAIN, THE EIGHT CORE VALUES IN THE PLAN.
ONCE WE HAVE DONE THAT, I WANT TO KIND OF GO THROUGH AN EXERCISE WITH YOU TO CONNECT THE STRATEGIC GOALS.
SO THOSE 48 ITEMS WITH THE THREE OUTCOME AREAS THAT WE DEVELOPED LAST YEAR.
NOW, SOME OF THEM ARE SO IMPACTFUL AND IMPORTANT THAT THEY WILL BENEFIT MULTIPLE CATEGORIES.
BUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS TRY TO FIND ITS BEST HOME AND JUST CONNECT IT.
SO WE SEE HOW THE STRUCTURE AND THE INITIATIVES CONTAINED WITHIN OUR PLAN CONNECT TO THE WORK THAT THE TOWN COUNCIL DID LAST YEAR IN ESTABLISHING THIS STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK.
ONCE WE'VE DONE THAT, WE'RE GOING TO JUMP RIGHT IN TO THE THREE OF THE, UM, STRATEGIC OUTCOMES AND SORRY, FOUR OF THE GOALS AND BEGIN A PROCESS OF PRIORITIZATION.
SO WE'RE GOING TO USE KIND OF A NOW, NEAR NEXT TIMEFRAME AND HAVE YOU ALL TAKE EACH OF THESE 48 GOALS
[00:05:01]
AND SAY, IS THIS SOMETHING WE PLAN TO, DO WE WANT TO DO RIGHT NOW? UM, OR THAT WOULD BE KIND OF IN 2021, EARLY 22.IS IT SOMETHING THAT'S, THAT'S NEAR, THAT'S IN THE NEXT 36 MONTHS THAT WE WANT TO GET DONE OR IS THIS NEXT, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AFTER THREE YEARS? BUT IT'S PART OF OUR LONG-TERM FRAME PLAN.
SO WE'LL DO A SORT KIND OF USING THIS NOW NEAR NEXT FRAMEWORK, AND WE'LL SEE HOW MANY NOWS WE HAVE AND HOW MANY NEARS WE HAVE.
AND THEN WE'LL ASK YOU TO START MAKING HARDER CHOICES TO ACTUALLY PRIORITIZE THOSE.
AND WE HAVE THIS ALL SET UP WITH SOME CLICKER TECHNOLOGY.
YOU'LL HAVE A CLICKER IN FRONT OF YOU.
UM, KEEP IT FUN, RIGHT? SO WE'LL BE USING THE CLICKERS TODAY TO, UM, DO THE PRIORITIZATION WE'LL END TODAY AT ABOUT FOUR O'CLOCK AND THEN COME BACK IN TOMORROW, START ALL OVER AGAIN.
SO THIS WILL, THIS IS OUR PLAN FOR THE DAY.
UM, AND I WANT TO REMIND YOU OF OUR NORMS. UM, SO WHENEVER I WORK WITH THE GROUP, ALEX, I ALWAYS HAVE A SET OF NORMS KIND OF THE WAY WE WILL BE TOGETHER.
AND SO FIRST AND FOREMOST, I HOPE THAT YOU WILL BE BOLD, THAT YOU WILL SAY THINGS THAT NEED TO BE SAID THAT YOU WILL BE POSITIVE AND REALISTIC ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE ISLAND, CANDID AND HONEST WITH ONE ANOTHER PATIENT WITH YOUR COLLEAGUES AND AWARE OF YOUR OWN BEHAVIOR AND HOW THAT'S IMPACTING THE GROUP AND ENGAGED AND FULLY PRESENT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO TODAY IS CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE YOU ALL CAN SAY THE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE SAID IN WAYS THAT OTHER PEOPLE CAN HEAR THEM.
AND SO WE WANT TO USE THESE NORMS AS A WAY TO HELP MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
WHEN I SAY THAT, I JUST MEAN NO INTERRUPTING, NO TALKING OVER DISAGREE AGREEABLY.
WE DON'T EXPECT FOR YOU TO AGREE ON EVERYTHING, BUT I DO EXPECT THAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM ONE ANOTHER AND I HOPE YOU'LL HAVE A MIND THAT IS OPEN TO THAT POSSIBILITY.
AND THEN AS WE WORK TO PRIORITIZE, I HOPE THAT YOU WILL LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO AGREE WITH ONE ANOTHER.
I'M ALWAYS SURPRISED TO FIND THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO LIE, I DISAGREE WITH ON TONS OF THINGS.
AND YET THERE ARE STILL THINGS THAT WE CAN AGREE ON, AND THAT BECOMES THE BASIS FOR OUR RELATIONSHIP AND WORKING TOGETHER.
AND I DO HOPE WE HAVE FUN CAUSE IT'S TWO HOURS, TODAY'S MY BIRTHDAY.
AND SO I WANT TO HAVE FUN ON MY BIRTHDAY.
SO WITH THAT, UM, LET US DO SOME QUICK INTRODUCTIONS AND HAVE YOU ALL, UM, SHARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS FOR THIS RETREAT.
CAN I START WITH YOU ALEX? AND WE'LL JUST GO AROUND, NOT THAT THIS, I BELIEVE YET.
THIS IS JUST EXPECTATIONS FOR THE RETREAT NAME.
HOW LONG ON THE TOWN COUNCIL, SO DAYS IN YOUR CASE AND THEN EXPECTATION AND YEAH.
USE YOUR MICROPHONES BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE LISTENING AND WATCHING ALL OVER THE INTERNET.
SO, UH, ALEX BROWN REPRESENTING WARD, ONE OF THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND, UH, JUST RECENTLY ELECTED IN NOVEMBER, UH, ACTUALLY BORN AND RAISED HE ON HILTON HEAD, UH, SEVEN GENERATIONS OF LINEAGE HERE ON HILTON HEAD IT'S HOME TO ME.
IT'S UH, I'D LIKE TO DESCRIBE IT AS PARADISE AND IT'S EVERYTHING TO ME.
SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT BEING HERE TODAY.
I'M EXCITED ABOUT, UH, US COMING TOGETHER AS A GROUP TO PUT FORTH A PLAN, NOT JUST FOR 2021, UH, BUT THE FUTURE OF HILTON HEAD REMAINING, UH, EXCEPTIONAL AND EXCELLENT AS WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST.
YOU GOT TO HOLD YOUR MOUTH, RIGHT? I GET JUST LIKE FISHING.
UM, I'VE BEEN ON THE COUNCIL ABOUT TWO YEARS NOW.
AND FIRST I FILLED OUT THE MAYOR'S UNEXPIRED TERM AND THEN I'M WAS PRIVILEGED TO BE REELECTED IN THE MOST RECENT ELECTIONS.
I REPRESENT WARD SIX, UH, WHICH ENCOMPASSES, UH, ALL, UH, PORT ROYAL PLANTATION PART OF HILTON HEAD PLANTATION, THE MITCHELLVILLE AREA AND VARIOUS OTHER AREAS DOWN TO DILLON ROAD, MORE OR LESS.
SO I HAVE A LARGE AND VARIED, UH, WARD.
UM, AND I TRY TO STAY IN TOUCH WITH PEOPLE WITH A NEWSLETTER.
I DO A QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER, WHICH I WOULD ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES TO DO AS WELL BECAUSE CITIZENS LOVE TO HEAR IT.
AND IT'S A FAR AS TODAY IS CONCERNED.
I LOOK FORWARD TO REALLY MAKING OUR PLAN COME ALIVE.
MY EXPERIENCE OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS HAS BEEN, THERE'S BEEN SOME REFERENCE TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT WAS THEN IN EFFECT, BUT I DIDN'T SEE IT AS A LIVING DOCUMENT.
AND SO, JULIA, I HOPE YOU CAN LEAD US TO THE POINT WHERE THIS IS A,
[00:10:01]
UH, A LIVING DOCUMENT.AND I WANT TO CHALLENGE ALL OF US, INCLUDING THE STAFF WHEN WE ARE CONSIDERING SOMETHING TO ALWAYS MAKE REFERENCE TO WHERE THAT FALLS IN OUR PLAN.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THE EXPERIENCE.
IS THIS A CLICKER? SO IT'S A CLICKER.
AND I GUESS YOU'LL TEACH US HOW TO USE IT.
AND WE WILL, IT'S A CLICKER AND WE WILL TEACH YOU HOW TO USE IT.
UM, I THINK I'D LIKE TO START OFF BY SAYING WE OUGHT TO THANK KRISTA FOR ALL THE WORK THAT SHE'S DONE PREPARING FOR THIS.
IT'S JUST BEEN AN UNBELIEVABLE EFFORT ON HER PART.
I'M WARD THREE REPRESENTATIVE ON TOWN.
COUNCIL WARD THREE GOES FROM JACO AND SHELTER COPE AROUND THE CORNER, INCLUDING WEXFORD, LONG COVE AND SHIPYARD DOWN PALMETTO BAY ROAD POINT COMFORT ROAD ACROSS THE BRIDGE, SPANISH WELLS AND OTHER LARGE SMALLER COMMUNITIES IN THAT AREA.
IT'S A VERY, VERY DIVERSE WARD AND I'M PROUD TO SERVE THE PEOPLE IN IT.
I THINK IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE TOWN COUNCIL TO DO THINGS THAT WILL EXCITE OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT FOR THIS COMMUNITY AT THIS TIME.
I'VE BEEN ON COUNTLESS SEVEN, SIX YEARS PLUS CURRENTLY THE MAYOR, WELL I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO TODAY IS JUST TO PUT THINGS IN PRIORITY.
ALSO, I'M LOOKING FOR IT TO ASSIGN RESPONSIBILITY TO WHAT WE PUT IN AND THEN ASSIGN ACCOUNTABILITY.
WHO'S GOING TO BE THERE AND THEN DEVELOP THE COMMUNICATION.
UH, AND IT PUT THE WHO'S ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHAT ON A ONE WAY.
I THINK WE HAVE A VERY, VERY GOOD COUNCIL.
WE DON'T AGREE ON EVERYTHING THAT WE DON'T AGREE ON MUCH, BUT THE END PRODUCT HAS ALWAYS BEEN GOOD.
AND THAT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
I MEAN, WHEN THE VOTE IS TAKEN, THERE IS NO OUTSIDE.
WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO CHANGE AND DO THINGS AGAIN.
WE'RE VERY, VERY BLESSED TO HAVE THAT.
AND BESIDES FOR CHRISTIAN, HELPING US OUT ON HIS CABINET HAS DONE A VERY GOOD JOB AT HELPING CHRISTIAN OUT.
SO I WANT TO THANK HER TOO FOR THIS AT THE SAME TIME.
UH, THIS IS A BIG OPPORTUNITY FOR US.
WHAT WE REALLY NEED IS A WOW MOMENT.
WE HAVE SO MANY BAD THINGS GOING BETWEEN THE VIRUS AND US LOSING A LOT OF COMMERCIAL BUSINESS.
WE NEED A WOW MOMENT NUMBER, SHOW WHAT THAT WALL MOMENT IS, BUT WE SURE AS HELL NEED ONE NOW.
I'M TOM LENNOX, A WARD FIVE REPRESENTATIVE AND WARD FIVE IS SOUTH ISLAND FROM A C5 AND CIRCLE SOUTH AND REACHES OUT AND CATCHES A US CB AND SOUTH FOREST SPEECH.
UH, I HAVE, UH, FOUR EXPECTATIONS QUITE FRANKLY, THAT I HOPE WE CAN, WE CAN FINALIZE AND, AND GET OUT OF THIS SESSION.
UH, THE FIRST IS TO CLEARLY PRIORITIZE OUR PROGRAM OF WORK.
THE SECOND IS TO ASSIGN, UH, COUNTABILITY FOR THAT PROGRAM OF WORK.
THE THIRD IS TO DETERMINE THE METRICS BY WHICH WE MEASURE SUCCESS.
AND I THINK FOURTH AND PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY, UH, COMMIT TO COMMUNICATING WITH THE COMMUNITY ONGOING.
AND THANK YOU TO CHRISTINE AND KAREN AND EVERYONE HERE, UM, FOR SETTING THIS IMPORTANT MEETING UP, UM, I REPRESENT WARD FOUR AND, UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THESE TWO DAYS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND EVERY ONE'S PERSPECTIVE WITH REGARD TO THE, OUR PLAN AND THE FUTURE OF THE ISLAND AND HOW THOSE TWO WORK TOGETHER AND WHAT THE NEXT STEPS ARE, HOW WE GET THERE AND HOW WE THEN MOVE ON FROM THOSE.
SO THAT THERE'S A CONTINUATION, A REALISTIC DELIBERATE PLAN THAT WE CONTINUE INTO THE FUTURE.
AND GOOD MORNING TO MY COLLEAGUES HERE.
UH, THANKS OF COURSE, TO, UH, THE STAFF, I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY OF ATTENDING MANY OF THE SESSIONS, UH, WITH THE PUBLIC.
AND, UH, I THINK THAT WAS A VERY ENRICHING EXPERIENCE FOR, FOR ME.
[00:15:01]
UH, I, I STAND WITH, UM, MY COLLEAGUES ON ALL OF THE POINTS MENTIONED.UH, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ONE, UM, POINT OF DISCIPLINE IF YOU WILL.
UH, IT'S EASY TO COME TOGETHER AND START TO AGREE ON A GOAL.
THE DIFFICULT PART IS TO IDENTIFY SOME OF THE KEY STEPS, SOME OF THE KEY OBSTACLES, SOME OF THE KEY ISSUES, AND WE NEED TO CONFRONT OURSELVES AND ASK THE QUESTION, ARE WE GOING TO BE BOLD ENOUGH TO DEAL WITH THOSE OBSTACLES? OTHERWISE DIRECTION SET FORTH ARE MERE PLATITUDES.
AND, UH, SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE ALL OF US WHEN WE SAY WE'D LIKE TO DO SOMETHING TO IDENTIFY THE OBSTACLES AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE FIRE IN THE BELLY TO DEAL WITH THEM.
I WOULD WANT TO, UH, TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REITERATE, UH, THE COMPLIMENTS THAT YOU'VE ALREADY PAID TO STAFF AND JUST KIND OF EMPHASIZE HOW MUCH OF A TEAM EFFORT IT TAKES TO PUT SOMETHING LIKE THIS TOGETHER.
UM, THERE'S A, SO MANY COMPONENTS FROM NOT ONLY THE LOGISTICS, BUT THE TECHNOLOGY COMPONENTS, THE CONTENT COMPONENTS.
AND SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF STAFF MEMBERS THAT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED TO WORK TO MAKE THIS WHAT IT IS.
AND I WANT TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO THANK ALL OF THEM FOR, FOR DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB.
UM, IN TERMS OF EXPECTATIONS, I ALWAYS BEGIN THESE TYPES OF SESSIONS WITH AN EXCITEMENT.
I MEAN JUST THE POTENTIAL OF WHAT WE CAN DO AND WHERE WE CAN GO IS SO EXCITING TO ME.
AND SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO LISTENING TO YOU ALL, TO HEARING WHERE IT IS THAT YOU WANT TO TAKE US AND THEN BEING ABLE TO GET TO IT AND MAKE IT HAPPEN.
NO MARK ON ECHO, JOSH HAS THOUGHTS AND, UH, YOU KNOW, FIRST AND FOREMOST, THANK YOU, MAYOR TOWN COUNCIL FOR HAVING ME AND TRUSTING IN ME.
AND, AND, AND IN SELECTING ME AS THE TOWN MANAGER, I COULDN'T BE MORE EXCITED TO BE HERE TO, TO JOSHUA'S, UH, PHRASE, UM, WHAT A GREAT START FOR ME, RIGHT? IT'S GETTING MY MASTER'S OR PHD AND WHERE YOU ALL WANT TO GO.
SO TODAY REALLY WHAT'S ON MY MIND IS TO LISTEN AND LEARN WHERE YOUR INDIVIDUAL THOUGHTS ARE, BUT REALLY WHERE YOUR COLLECTIVE DIRECTION IS ON THE PLAN ON THE STRATEGIC PLAN, TRYING TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT DIRECTION I SHOULD ASSIST WITH STAFF AS WE THE PLAN.
SO THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME.
UM, OF COURSE, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU.
UM, ONE POINT MAYBE WE CAN ALL SING MAYBE CLOSER TO LUNCH, WHICH WOULD ALWAYS BE FUN.
UM, AND I JUST WANT US TO REALLY THINK OF COURSE, KRISTA AND JOSH AND THE ENTIRE STAFF IN THIS ROOM TODAY.
UH, I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH EVERYBODY.
I SEE SOME FAMILIAR FACES FROM MY PAST AND, UH, I'M EXCITED TO GET TO WORK SO MORE TO COME.
WELL, WE'RE GOING TO, UM, TO JUMP RIGHT IN, UM, AND WITH YOUR, THIS I BELIEVE STATEMENTS, DID ANYONE HAPPEN TO GO AND LOOK AND RESEARCH THIS? I BELIEVE AT ALL? YEAH.
I, IF SOMEBODY YOU'RE GOING TO GO FIRST.
SO, UH, IT'S A, IT'S A REALLY INTERESTING, THERE'S ACTUALLY A, THIS, I BELIEVE, UM, WEBSITE, THE ORIGINAL BOOK WAS WRITTEN IN THE KIND OF THE ESSAYS WERE FROM THE 1950S.
AND, UH, THE IDEA THEN WAS TO RENEW A SENSE OF PATRIOTISM.
UH, AND THEN THE, IT WAS REINVIGORATED IN THE EARLY TWO THOUSANDS AFTER NINE 11, UM, AS A WAY OF, OF KIND OF BRIDGING THESE DIVIDES OF COMMUNICATION.
AND, AND THERE'S A BOOK, UM, CALLED THIS, I BELIEVE IT'S A LOVELY LITTLE READ.
UM, AND IT'S JUST A, IT'S A COLLECTION OF ESSAYS, BOTH FROM THE 1950S AND FROM THE AUGHTS AND EARLY 2000.
AND WHAT I FIND FASCINATING ABOUT IT IS WHEN YOU READ THEM, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YEAR IT WAS WRITTEN UNTIL YOU GET TO THE END.
AND, UH, THE, THE, THE CONCEPTS ARE TRULY TIMELESS.
SO I'M GONNA, UM, LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU.
I HOPE YOU'LL LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING AND LEARNING FROM ONE ANOTHER.
AND TAMRA HAS AGREED TO GO FIRST.
I'M GOING TO SIT DOWN AND TRY TO AVOID THESE CAMERAS, WHICH IS GOING TO BE ONE OF MY CHALLENGES ALL DAY, BECAUSE THEY'RE RIGHT HERE AND HERE, AND I'M GOING TO STEP IN FRONT OF THEM, BUT I WILL DO MY BEST TO NOT DO THAT.
AND I'M JUST GOING TO PULL MY MASK DOWN FOR A MOMENT SO THAT I CAN USE MY GLASSES WITHOUT FOGGING UP AS I READ, UM, AND SPEAK.
UM, AND YES, I WENT BACK AND I LOOKED AT, UM, WHAT THIS I BELIEVE IDEA IS ALL ABOUT.
AND, UM, I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING.
I HOPE THAT, UM, I'VE PICKED UP SOME OF WHAT WAS INTENDED,
[00:20:01]
IF NOT, THESE ARE CERTAINLY THINGS THAT I BELIEVE ONCE I CREATED MY STATEMENT, I FOUND THAT I HAD SOME EXTRA TIME AND I WONDERED HOW I COULD DO WITH THAT.AND I THOUGHT, WELL, MAYBE I SHOULD JUST PUT DOWN MY PEN AND SAY I'M DONE.
UM, AND THEN I THOUGHT OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE IN MY LIFE.
AND, UM, YOU CAN HEAR HOW OF WINDSHIELD.
THEY ARE MY, UM, MY GRANDPARENTS AND THOSE WHO KNOW ME KNOW THAT MY GRANDPARENTS RAISED ME.
AND A LOT OF WHAT I BELIEVE COMES FROM WHAT I LEARNED FROM THEM.
WHAT I LEARNED FROM THEM IS THAT AS A DAUGHTER OF AMERICAN REVOLUTION, THERE WAS A LOT ABOUT THIS COUNTRY'S HISTORY AND THOSE WHO PAID THE PRICE TO MAKE THE GREAT NATION THAT IT IS THAT WE SHOULD EVERYDAY REMEMBER THAT OUR COUNTRY IS SPECIAL ABOVE AND BEYOND OUR IMAGINATION WHAT'S BEEN CREATED AND SACRIFICED FOR.
AND OUR DUTY IS TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT IT.
THAT MY TAUGHT ME TO BELIEVE IN THE VALUE OF A DOLLAR AND THOSE WHO KNOW ME KNOW THAT I'M INCREDIBLY A FISCAL CONSERVATIVE.
AND I LOOK FOR EVERY PENNY IN HOW IT'S SPENT AND WHERE IT CAN BE SAVED.
THEY TAUGHT ME THAT A WORK ETHIC IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT YOU CAN BRING TO ANY TABLE THAT NO MATTER WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH OR WHAT THE JOB AT HAND IS THAT YOU PUT EVERYTHING YOU'VE GOT INTO IT, THAT SOME WILL ALWAYS BE SMARTER AND BRIGHTER AND PRETTIER AND RICHER AND ALL THE REST, BUT THEY A JOB TO WORK AS HARD AS YOU CAN.
AND THAT EDUCATION IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS.
AND THAT YOU SHOULD ALWAYS ATTAIN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE IT'S THE ONE THING IN LIFE.
NO ONE CAN EVER TAKE AWAY FROM YOU.
SO HAVING SAID THAT, THAT LAYS THE GROUNDWORK FOR MY SHORT, UM, I BELIEVE STATEMENT.
I BELIEVE THAT EVERYONE HAS A RIGHT TO SPEAK FREELY AND AN OBLIGATION TO LISTEN RESPECTFULLY.
I BELIEVE THAT THE ART OF COMMUNICATION IS ESSENTIAL TO LEARNING EMPATHY AND GROWTH.
I BELIEVE IN HONEST DEBATE, WE MAY NOT AGREE WITH EACH OTHER, BUT ACTIVELY ENGAGING IN FREE, OPEN, HONEST COMMUNICATION OPENS THE DOOR TO A BETTER COMMUNITY.
I BELIEVE THAT COMMUNITY, IT MEANS THE WHOLE MADE OF UNIQUE INDIVIDUALS CREATED BY GOD.
I BELIEVE THAT GOD CREATED EACH INDIVIDUAL UNIQUE INDIVIDUAL AND GAVE THE COMMUNITY PARADISE WITH A SET OF SIMPLE RULES TO FOLLOW YET THE FREE WILL TO MAKE OUR OWN CHOICES.
I BELIEVE THAT HIS GUIDANCE LOVE AND FREEDOM ARE PART OF HIS GIFT OF LIFE.
AND I BELIEVE IN THE GIFT OF LIFE, I BELIEVE THAT LIFE, I BELIEVE THAT PARADISE AND FREEDOM REQUIRE RESPONSIBILITY AND OBLIGATIONS FROM EACH INDIVIDUAL AND THE COMMUNITY.
I BELIEVE THAT AS WE MAKE CHOICES, WE MUST BE COGNIZANT THAT WE ARE ABOUT A MOMENT IN TIME THAT JUST AS OTHERS WHO CAME BEFORE US LEFT THEIR SIGNIFICANT MARKS IN HISTORY, ON OUR PARADISE, OUR TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND, OUR PARADISE WITH 4,000 YEARS AGO, THE INDIANS LEAVING THEIR MARK, THE GULLAH GEECHEE, LEAVING THEIR MARKS AND STILL TODAY MAKING THEIR MARKS, THE WARS AND THE BRAVE SOLDIERS AND THE SEA TURTLES WHO RETURNED TO OUR SHORES FOR TENS OF THOUSANDS OF YEARS.
WE MUST DELIBERATELY CHOOSE TO MAKE OUR SIGNIFICANT MARK FOR THOSE TO COME.
I BELIEVE THAT WE MUST PROTECT OUR ISLAND AND ONLY DEVELOP WITH MEANINGFUL INTENT AND RESPECT FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT AND EACH OTHER.
I BELIEVE THAT WE MUST COMMUNICATE ACT AS ONE COMMUNITY AND TRULY ONE ISLAND AND TOGETHER MAKE CHOICES THAT PRESERVE PROTECT.
AND SADLY NOW, IN SOME RESPECTS RESCUE OUR SLICE OF GOD'S PARADISE THAT WE CALL HOME THE END, UH, APPRECIATE YOUR SHARING AND ALWAYS GET GOOD TO LEARN THESE INSIGHTS.
OTHERS MAY KNOW THOSE THINGS, BUT I CERTAINLY DIDN'T.
WHO WOULD LIKE TO GO NEXT BILL? YOU'RE READY.
[00:25:01]
COME FROM A BACKGROUND IN DEALING WITH COMPLEX ORGANIZATIONS, NAMELY MEDICAL CENTERS.AND WHEN YOU START PEELING BACK THE INDIAN ON A MEDICAL CENTER, YOU'RE DEALING WITH PHYSICIANS WITH DIFFERENT INCENTIVES, DIFFERENT CHALLENGES, DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT INTERESTS.
UH, YOU'RE DEALING WITH A COMMUNITY THAT HAS, UM, UH, A RANGE OF NEEDS THAT SOMETIMES ARE IN COMMON, SOMETIMES ARE QUITE UNIQUE.
UH, WE'RE DEALING WITH A BUSINESS WITH BUSINESS COMMUNITIES, EACH OF WHICH ARE DIFFERENT AND HAVE THEIR OWN GOALS AND DIRECTIONS.
AND, UH, I HAVE FOUND THAT IF YOU TRY TO FIND COMMON GROUND, UH, WITH EACH OF THESE CONSTITUENCIES AND THEN TRANSLATE THAT INTO SOME TANGIBLE DIRECTION, UH, THAT CREATES EXCITEMENT.
YOU START BREEDING A CULTURE IN AN ORGANIZATION AND, UH, COME TO REALIZE THAT YOU HAVE TO COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE TO KEEP EVERYBODY ON POINT.
SO WITH THAT AS BACKGROUND, UH, I BELIEVE WE CAN BE VIEWED AS THE LEADING COMMUNITY OF CHOICE ON THE ENTIRE EASTERN SEABOARD, UH, FOR THE TOURIST, FOR RETIREES AND FOR FAMILIES.
SO LIKE, UH, I BELIEVE WE CAN CLIMB OUT OF OUR INDIVIDUAL SILOS OF THOUGHT AND ASSOCIATION AND MELD TOGETHER AS A VOICE OF ONE, UH, ABSENT THAT I BELIEVE SUCCESS WILL NOT BE REALIZED.
I BELIEVE WE CAN IDENTIFY AND FACE THE OBSTACLES US TODAY AND BEFORE US TOMORROW AND REACH COMMON GROUND, WHICH IN MOST CASES REQUIRE COMPROMISE.
I BELIEVE A COMMON VISION, UM, WILL UNITE US, WILL EXCITE US AND, UH, WILL LEAD US TO SUCCESS.
I BELIEVE EVEN OUR MOST DIFFICULT GOALS, UH, WHICH ARE BEFORE IS, CAN BE ACHIEVED.
UH, IF THE KEY FACTORS FOR SUCCESS ARE IDENTIFIED, THEY'RE QUANTIFIED, THEY'RE PROMULGATED, UH, AMONG THE COMMUNITY AMONG OURSELVES AND THEN ADDRESSED.
UH, AND AS I WAS SAYING EARLIER, ABSENT THAT WE CAN LEAVE WITH A SENSE OF EUPHORIA, BUT SUCCESS WILL NOT FOLLOW.
AND, UH, I THINK PROBABLY MOST IMPORTANTLY, UH, I BELIEVE THAT ON EACH, EACH OF US NEEDS TO ASK THE QUESTION, WHAT AM I GOING TO DO TO HELP, UH, VERSUS WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO TO HELP? AND, AND FINALLY, I BELIEVE TIME IS NOT ON OUR SIDE.
UH, THE NEED FOR ACTION IS NOW.
UH, JUST TO NOTE, UM, JULIE IS DOING A CAPTURE ON THE SCREEN AND I KNOW IT'S, UH, IT'S NOT THE BIGGEST SCREEN YOU'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW.
YOU GET TO LOOK AT YOURSELF WHEN YOU'RE TALKING.
UM, BUT, UH, BUT IT WILL BE THERE AND WE'LL GIVE A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT.
AND THEN MY COLLEAGUE, CATHERINE IS TAKING MORE DETAILED NOTES.
SO WE'LL HAVE A GOOD CAPTURE OF THE, OF THE WHOLE DAY FOR YOU ALL.
UM, ON A SPECIAL DAY, THANK YOU FOR SHARING IT WITH US.
I TOOK A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT APPROACH FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD MY COLLEAGUES SAYING SO FAR, AND I WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT I BELIEVE ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THIS ISLAND.
PRIMARILY THE MAIN CHANGES SEE CHANGES THAT ARE GOING ON ON THIS ISLAND.
30 YEARS AGO, BILL GATES WROTE A BOOK CALLED THE WAY AHEAD.
HE WAS TALKING ABOUT POPULATION CHANGES, WORK CHANGES, AND THE EFFECT OF THE INTERNET.
IT IS THE MORE OF THE FRINGES OF A CITY, BUT XR URBAN IS ANOTHER PLACE TO LIVE THAT HAS MANY OF THE INGREDIENTS OF THE PR THE PRIOR TWO.
SO THERE ARE THREE INGREDIENTS THAT GO INTO A COMMUNITY BECOMING EX URBAN ONE IS GOOD BROADBAND INTERNET TO GOOD MEDICAL CARE, THREE CONVENIENT ACCESS TO AIR TRAVEL.
SO WE TAKE THOSE ONE BY ONE INTERNET.
WE ALL KNOW THAT WE HAVE FIBER HERE ON THIS ISLAND, AND WE HAVE CONSTANTLY IMPROVING, UH, INTERNET ACCESS AND FACILITIES.
[00:30:01]
CONTINUING TO GROW OUR NEXT CHALLENGE ON THAT.OBVIOUSLY IT'S GOING TO BE 5G, UH, WHICH IS GOING TO BE A VERY INTERESTING EXPERIENCE IN AND OF ITSELF.
THEN WE GO TO THE SECOND INGREDIENT, WHICH IS MEDICAL CARE.
I SAY WITH GREAT PRIDE THAT WE HAVE WONDERFUL MEDICAL CARE HERE ON THIS ISLAND.
THE HOSPITAL DOES A TERRIFIC JOB.
I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING A VISITOR THERE AS WELL AS A PATIENT THERE ON VARIOUS THINGS.
AND I KNOW WE GET EXCELLENT HEALTH CARE AND I'M VERY PROUD OF THAT.
BUT IN ADDITION, THE HOSPITAL AND MANY OTHERS ARE AGGRESSIVELY SEEKING MORE AND MORE SPECIALISTS TO COME IN AND SERVICE HERE ON THIS ISLAND.
SO WE SEE THAT THAT IS IMPROVING, UM, ON A REGULAR AND DAILY BASIS.
AIR TRAVEL WITH THE LENGTHENING OF THE RUNWAY.
WE ALL KNOW THAT WE NOW HAVE ACCESS TO REGIONAL JETS.
I BELIEVE THAT NUMBER THAT I HEARD MOST RECENTLY WAS THAT FROM WHAT A HALF MILE FROM HERE, WE CAN FLY TO 89 DIFFERENT CITIES, UH, IN THIS COUNTRY WITH NO MORE THAN ONE STOP.
WE ALSO HAVE THE SAVANNAH HILTON HEAD AIRPORT, WHICH IS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, WHICH CAN TAKE US LITERALLY ALMOST ANY PLACE IN THE WORLD.
SO WE DO HAVE THE THREE INGREDIENTS THAT HE TALKED ABOUT NOW, WHAT ARE THE CHANGES THAT WE SEE HERE? I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT LOSS OF BUSINESS COMMERCIAL BUSINESS HERE ON THIS ISLAND, ATLANTA BREAD COMPANY, STEIN MART, BONEFISH GRILL SAM'S HILTON, HEAD CHRISTIAN ACADEMY, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
AND WHAT'S CAUSED THAT WELL, CONGESTION IS BLAMED SOME ON THE BRIDGES.
THE BIGGEST CHANGE WE'LL EVER MAKE.
THIS MY BIGGEST DECISION THIS COUNCIL IS EVER GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE IS THE DECISION ABOUT WHAT TO DO WITH THE FINAL PROPOSAL FROM S C D O T ON THE BRIDGES AND CARTERS TO HILTON HEAD.
IT'S THE BIGGEST THING THAT'S EVER GOING TO HAPPEN.
I THINK IN THE HISTORY OF THIS, THIS COUNCIL, SO WE HAVE INTERNET SHOPPING.
WE ALL KNOW WE'RE ALL SHOPPING.
I ASSUME ON THE INTERNET, AT LEAST SOME OF THE TIME, AND THAT AFFECTS LOCAL BUSINESS.
THEN WE HAVE A COMPETITOR IN OUR FRIENDS ACROSS THE WAY IN BLUFFTON, AND THEY CAN OFFER A SIMILAR WAGES TO WHAT WE DO HERE, AND MANY TIMES EASIER ACCESS.
SO WE NEED TO WORK ON THOSE THINGS.
WE DO HAVE THE, WE HAVE A NEED FOR MORE OF A TRAINED WORKFORCE.
SO I BELIEVE THAT WE MUST TAKE THE LEAD IN MOVING FORWARD WITH WORKFORCE HOUSING.
THIS COUNCIL HAS BEEN BOUNCING BACK AND FORTH ABOUT WORKFORCE HOUSING, AND I BELIEVE WE MUST GO AHEAD.
AS MY FRIEND DAVID SAYS, AND TICK, TICK A TOE IN THE WATER AND GET SOMETHING MOVING WITH THAT.
UM, I THINK WE'RE SEEING A SLOW DECLINE IN OUR NATIVE ISLANDER POPULATION.
AND I REGRET THAT AND I WANT TO DO WHATEVER I CAN DO TO GET THOSE PEOPLE TO STAY HERE BECAUSE THEY ARE A VITAL COMPONENT OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THEY CARRY A CULTURE THAT IS UNIQUE.
WE HAVE DILAPIDATED COMMERCIAL SPACES.
I CAN SAY THAT I'M NOT AWARE OF MUCH OF ANYTHING WE'VE DONE ABOUT THAT.
AND SO I BELIEVE THAT WE MAY NEED TO ADOPT SOME ORDINANCES THAT DEAL WITH DELICATE DILAPIDATED SPACES AND FIND A WAY TO MAKE THOSE SPACES FEASIBLE.
FOR OTHER PURPOSES, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT A CONVERSION TO MULTI-FAMILY LIVING.
I'M NOT SURE, BUT I BELIEVE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH.
WE HAVE CHANGES IN THE TOURISM PATTERN THAT'S GOING ON HERE.
OUR BIGGEST INDUSTRY, ALL OF A SUDDEN WE'RE SEEING THAT THE TOURIST SEASON IS NOT REALLY SO MUCH OF A SEASON.
IT'S GETTING CLOSER TO YEAR ROUND RIGHT NOW.
THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF TOURISTS HERE ON THIS ISLAND.
AND I BELIEVE ALSO THAT THAT IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE THE PATTERN MOVING FORWARD.
AND SO WE NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR THAT AND TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTIONS TO FACILITATE THAT SO THAT WE CAN PRESERVE THE ISLAND AS A TOURIST ATTRACTION, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, PROTECT THOSE WHO LIVE AND WORK HERE.
WE HAVE VERY BIG HOMES HERE, PARTICULARLY DOWN IN C5 LINES.
SOME WITH SIX OR EIGHT BEDROOMS FOLKS, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S A RESIDENCE.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S A HOUSE.
I THINK THAT'S A SMALL HOTEL AND WE NEED TO DECIDE HOW WE'RE GOING TO WORK WITH THOSE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THOSE LARGE HOUSES.
[00:35:01]
THE EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC.UM, HOPEFULLY THAT'S GOING TO BE SHORT TERM, BUT NO ONE KNOWS AT THIS POINT, APPARENTLY IS GOING TO GO ON FOR A GOOD BIT OF THIS YEAR.
SO I BELIEVE THAT THIS ISLAND IS GOING EX URBAN.
IT'S PROBABLY ALREADY GONE EX URBAN, WE HAVE GOOD INTERNET, WE HAVE ACCESS, UH, TO GOOD HOSPITAL CARE.
UM, AND WE HAVE A GOOD ROAD NETWORK AS WELL AS A GOOD AIRPORT, GREAT AIRPORT ACCESS.
SO I THINK THE ISLAND IS CHANGING.
WE CAN MANAGE SOME OF THAT CHANGE.
AND THAT IS A CHALLENGE BEFORE US.
AS AN ADOLESCENT, I WAS INVOLVED IN TEAM SPORTS AND ATHLETICS.
UH, DURING MY CAREER, MY PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES WERE FINANCE AND PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT.
AND I QUICKLY REALIZED LOOKING BACK THAT WHETHER IT'S FOURTH AND A GOAL, OR THE FOURTH QUARTER OF A CALENDAR YEAR END, EVERYTHING WORKS BEST WITH A STRONG, COMMITTED, DEDICATED TEAM AROUND YOU.
I BELIEVE THAT THE FUTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY IS NOT A FAIT ACCOMPLI AS ENGAGED ELECTED OFFICIALS, AS EXPERIENCED STAFF.
AND CERTAINLY AS INVESTED CITIZENS, WE ALL HAVE THE ABILITY TO DETERMINE WHAT WILL MAKE US RELEVANT IN THE FUTURE AND TO TART CHART A COURSE OF ACTION THAT GETS US THERE.
I BELIEVE THAT REALISTICALLY EVALUATING OUR COMMUNITY AS IT IS TODAY AND MEASURING THAT AGAINST WHAT WE ANTICIPATE WILL BE IN FRONT OF US IS MORE IMPORTANT NOW THAN IT HAS EVER BEEN.
THIS IS MY SEVENTH TOWN PLANNING SESSION, JULIA, AND I'M CONFIDENT IN MY BELIEF THAT THE ROLE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS THREEFOLD FIRST TO PROTECT AND ENHANCE OUR ISLANDS QUALITY OF LIFE.
SECOND, IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF A LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO CREATE OR CAUSE TO BE CREATED A SOCIAL POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT THAT STIMULATES THE RIGHT KIND OF INVESTMENT.
AND FINALLY, AS WE ALL WOULD EXPECT, OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY DELIVER THE APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF COMMUNITY SERVICES AND FACILITIES.
I RECOGNIZE THE PLANNING IN AND OF ITSELF.
ANY PLAN WITHOUT THE REQUISITE IMPLEMENTATION AND EXECUTION IS DOOMED AT INCEPTION ACCORDINGLY.
WE ARE HERE TODAY AND TOMORROW WITH AN OPPORTUNITY UNLIKE ANY WE'VE HAD BEFORE WE'RE COMING OUT OF A RECENTLY COMPLETED COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, A GULLAH GEECHEE LAND AND PRESERVATION PLAN, LMO AMENDMENTS ON WORKFORCE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, PARKS AND RECREATION, MASTER PLAN, A COMPREHENSIVE BEACH PARKING PLAN AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD THE LARGEST PROJECT EVER BUILT BY THE TOWN OF BUFORD COUNTY.
THE U S 2 78 CORRIDOR TAKING COUNTLESS THOUSANDS OF HOURS FROM THE STAFF AND FROM THE COMMUNITY.
AND ALL OF THIS WILL BE A PART OF OUR PLANNING UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF A NEW TOWN MANAGER.
THINK ABOUT BEING TASKED WITH CHARTING OUR FUTURE WITH AN ENGAGED AND COMMITTED STAFF COMMUNITY AND COUNCIL, A TEAM I'M PROUD TO BE A PART OF HELEN KELLER SAID THAT IT IS IMPORTANT THAT TEAM MEMBERS DON'T SEPARATE FROM THE GROUP AND FOLLOW THEIR OWN GUIDELINES FOR WHAT THEY THINK IS BEST.
INSTEAD, THEY NEED TO WORK TOWARD THE SUCCESS OF THE TEAM AS A WHOLE.
WHEN SHE SAID THIS QUOTE ALONE, WE CAN DO SO LITTLE TOGETHER.
AND THIS, I BELIEVE AS A TEAM, WE WILL BUILD
[00:40:01]
MUCH MORE THAN AFFORDABLE HOUSING, MORE THAN A HISTORIC PARK.WE'LL BUILD MORE THAN A PARKING LOT AND CONSTRUCT MORE THAN A BRIDGE TOGETHER.
WE'LL BUILD A COMMUNITY THAT EVERYONE WANTS TO BE A PART OF.
YEAH, WE GO, TIME WAS A TERM LIKE, UM, MS. NOVAK, ONE OF YOUR NORMS AS TO, UH, IS TO BE HONEST.
UM, MANY MAY KNOW THAT I'VE SPENT A LOT, A LOT OF MY LIFE COACHING BASKETBALL.
AND SOMETIMES I WILL SAY TO MY TEAMS THAT WE'VE GOT TO LEARN HOW TO LOSE BEFORE WE CAN LEARN HOW TO WIN RIGHT NOW.
I TRULY BELIEVE THAT HILTON HEAD IS ONE ISLAND IN ONE COMMUNITY.
I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN MOVE IN A SENSE OF UNITY BECAUSE OF JUST THAT.
BUT I ALSO SAY THAT I BELIEVE THAT WE'VE LOST OUR WAY TO A DEGREE, THIS, THIS ECONOMIC WEAVE THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED ON HILTON HEAD FROM THE MOMENT THAT CHARLES FRAZIER DECIDED THAT HE WAS GOING TO BUILD A WORLD-CLASS GOLF COURSE HERE, IT'S, IT'S FLOATED MANY BOLTS, BUT NOT ALL BOLTS.
AND A WISE PERSON ONCE TOLD ME THAT IN A RISING TIDE, ALL BOATS SHOULD FLOW AND NOT HAVE THE ATTITUDE THAT IF YOUR BOAT HAS A HOLE IN IT, WE JUST FIND ANOTHER ONE THAT WILL FLOAT.
BUT I THINK WE'D BE MORE WISE IF WE COULD FIND A WAY TO PLUG THAT HOLE.
SO THAT EVEN THE FACT THAT MARVEL MY BOAT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE YOUR BOAT IS STILL FLOATS.
SO I BELIEVE THAT WE ARE ONE ISLAND IN ONE COMMUNITY AND THAT WE CAN DO BETTER IF I DIDN'T BELIEVE IT, THEN I WOULDN'T TAKE THE 4TH OF JULY OFF FROM PLAYING GOLF AND HAVE THAT WONDERFUL COMMUNITY PICNIC THAT WE HAVE EVERY YEAR.
I BELIEVE THAT WE ARE ONE ISLAND IN ONE COMMUNITY BECAUSE WHEN FRAZIER WAS DEVELOPING SEA PONS, VERY FEW PEOPLE HAD THE KEY TO THE GATE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT THERE WAS A, A WOODEN FIT, SO TO SPEAK, TO GET IN THE SEA PONS AND MANY TRUSTED NATIVE ISLANDERS HAD THE KEY TO GET INTO THAT GATE.
SO IN A SENSE, THE EARLY DEVELOPERS AND THOSE THAT HAD BEEN HERE, AS WE SAY, IN THE GULLAH TERM, THEY WORKED TOGETHER TO PUT HILTON, HEAD ON THE MAP TO CREATE THIS EXCEPTIONAL COMMUNITY THAT WE NOW ALL CALL HOME.
WE CAN GET BACK TO THOSE FUNDAMENTALS, BUT WE JUST GOT TO BE HONEST WITH OURSELVES.
NUMBER ONE, THAT NOT EVERYONE KNOWS THAT STORY AND NOT EVERYBODY RESPECTS THAT STORY, BUT IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE A PART OF HILTON HEAD, THEY NEED TO DO BOTH.
I THINK THAT STARTS AT THE TOP WITH US.
SO I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN DO BETTER.
I BELIEVE THAT THE FACT THAT WE'VE TAKEN YEARS TO CREATE A VISION, TO REINVENT OURSELVES, SO TO SPEAK, REVITALIZE OURSELVES, SO TO SPEAK IT, AMOUNT OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT THAT WENT INTO THAT PROCESS TELLS ME THAT WE WANT TO DO BETTER AS A COMMUNITY.
SO I BELIEVE THAT, AND I BELIEVE WITH THIS NEW PLAN, WITH THE NEW TOWN MANAGER, WE CAN GET THERE AND IT DOESN'T TAKE US A LONG TIME
[00:45:01]
TO GET THERE IF WE ARE BOLD AND INTENTIONAL IN OUR EFFORTS.BUT THAT'S WHAT I BELIEVE YOU, ALEX, DAVID READY? YEAH.
I'LL LET THEM, LET THEM AIR GO LAST.
UH, I'M STRUCK IMMEDIATELY BY HOW DIFFERENT OUR PERSPECTIVES ARE AMONG THE SEVEN OF US.
UM, THE WAY WE SEE THINGS, SECONDLY, UH, AS I WAS PREPARING FOR TODAY AND TOMORROW, I KEPT FEELING THAT SOMETHING WAS MISSING IN THE CONVERSATION.
UH, WE HAVE A VISION STATEMENT, UH, AND WE HAVE CORE VALUES AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
WE HAVE OUTCOMES THAT TOM HAS REFERENCED, BUT I INTRINSICALLY FEEL THAT WE'RE MISSING SOMETHING THAT TRULY DISTINGUISHES HILTON HEAD.
AND IF IT'S BEEN LOST, WE NEED TO RE WE NEED TO FIND IT.
AND I'M TALKING ABOUT THE SOUL OF THE COMMUNITY, WHO WE ARE, WHAT WE REPRESENT.
I THINK WE NEED NOT ONLY TO RECOGNIZE THAT'S MOST PROFOUND AND FUNDAMENTAL VALUE THAT WE, THAT WE REPRESENT TO THE WORLD, BUT WE NEED TO COMMIT TO PROTECT IT AND TO LEAD IN A WAY THAT PEOPLE RESPECT THIS COMMUNITY.
I BELIEVE, I BELIEVE HILTON HEAD ISLAND CAN PROTECT AND EVEN ENHANCE ITS REPUTATION BY THE QUALITY OF NATURAL LAND.
IT PRESERVES THE COMMUNITY, GATHERING PLACES IT CREATES AND THE PROGRAMS AND FACILITIES.
IT DEVELOPS FOR ITS RESIDENTS AND GUESTS.
I SAY THIS BECAUSE THOSE ASPIRATIONS ARE IN FACT, AN EXPRESSION OF OUR COMMUNITY'S DNA.
50 YEARS AGO, CHARLES FRAZIER DISTINGUISHED THE ISLAND INTERNATIONALLY BY HIS LEADERSHIP IN ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP, INNOVATIVE COMMUNITY PLANNING AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND QUALITY OF EXPERIENCES HE WAS CREATING FOR RESIDENTS AND GUESTS.
SEE PINES WAS DOING THINGS VERY DIFFERENTLY.
IT WAS THE CLEAR LEADER IN NEW CONCEPTS IN COMMUNITY PLANNING, THE COVENANTS AND LAND USE RESTRICTIONS, THE DEVELOPMENT AND DEVELOPING IN HARMONY WITH NATURE, THE HARBOR TOWN MARINA, THE LIGHTHOUSE, OTHERS WANTED TO IMITATE SEA PINES, ITS BUSINESS MODEL AND ITS COMMUNITY PLAN.
AND THEY LITERALLY CAME FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD TO SEE, TO LEARN THE KUWAITIS.
WHEN THEY BOUGHT KIAWAH, CAME TO HILTON HEAD BECAUSE THEY WANTED SEA PINES TO DEVELOP THAT PROPERTY.
WHEN A MEL DEMARCOS WANTED TO DEVELOP A SIGNIFICANT TOURIST DESTINATION, ACTUALLY AN ENTIRE REGION IN THE PHILIPPINES, THE MARCOS CAME TO HILTON HEAD TO BE TUTORED BY WHAT WE HAD ESTABLISHED ON THIS ISLAND.
I MET WITH JAPANESE DEVELOPERS ON THE ISLAND RESIDENTS AND TOURISTS WERE PRESENTED WITH NEW EXPERIENCES, HARBORTOWN PLAYGROUND AND ELABORATE PLAYGROUND FUN FOR KIDS.
THE PROGRAM THAT GAVE PARENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT THEIR KIDS IN AN ALL-DAY SCHOOL AND ENVIRONMENTAL EXPERIENCE DURING THEIR VACATIONS HERITAGE, FAMILY CIRCLE, CUP MONTESSORI SCHOOL, ALL WERE THINGS THAT THE EARLY DEVELOPERS OF HILTON HEAD SAID WERE IMPORTANT TO HAVE TO HAVE THIS COMMUNITY REPRESENTS SOMETHING SPECIAL.
PEOPLE WERE DRAWN TO THE ISLAND BY THE BEAUTY OF THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.
IT'S INSPIRED PEOPLE, PLACES, PROGRAMS, AND AMENITIES, ALL PUT TOGETHER IN A NEW CREATIVE WAY.
I FELT A HUGE COMMUNITY PRIDE.
THERE WAS CONFIRMATION AND COMING
[00:50:01]
HERE, I CHOSE RIGHT? I'M ON A WINNING TEAM.AND THAT SPIRIT GOES A LONG WAY IN DRIVING A COMMUNITY FORWARD AND CREATING VALUE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND THE COMRADERY TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.
THIS FORTUITOUS EXPERIENCE IS A SOURCE OF MY BELIEF THAT A COMMUNITY COMMITMENT TO LEADERSHIP IN SOME AREA IS IMPORTANT TO DISTINGUISH THE ISLAND IN THE FUTURE IN ORDER TO REMAIN RELEVANT AND PROSPEROUS.
I BELIEVE HILTON HEAD ISLAND HAS TO BE A RECOGNIZED LEADER IN ONE, TWO OR THREE IMPORTANT AREAS OF COMMUNITY.
AND THERE I'M SPELLING COMMUNITY WITH A CAPITAL C COMMUNITY IN ALL RESPECTS, FOR INSTANCE, 50 YEARS FROM NOW, I HOPE THE ISLAND WILL BE DISTINGUISHED BY THE OPEN SPACE.
IT HAS PRESERVED PARENTHESES LEADERSHIP AND ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP, THE COMMUNITY GATHERING PLACES.
IT HAS CREATED LEADERSHIP IN INNOVATIVE COMMUNITY PLANNING AND THE PROGRAMS AND FACILITIES, PROGRAMS, AND FACILITIES.
IT HAS DEVELOPED FOR RESIDENTS AND GUESTS, LEADERSHIP IN COMMUNITY QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL.
BUT IF NOT THESE, THEN WHAT AREAS SHALL WE LEAD? I CAN THINK OF OTHER POSSIBILITIES.
THOSE WERE, THOSE GREW OUT OF MY EXPERIENCES ON THE ISLAND.
ALEX HAS A DIFFERENT SET OF EXPERIENCES WHERE AT A DIFFERENT PLACE IN TIME, WE SHOULD BE DETERMINING WHAT AREAS WE WANT TO LEAVE.
WE WANT TO CAPTIVATE THE IMAGINATIONS OF THE NEXT GENERATION.
I BELIEVE ANSWERING THE QUESTION AND COMMITTING TO THAT LEADERSHIP MIGHT BE AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR WORKSHOP THINKING BECAUSE THE ANSWERS WILL AFFECT HOW WE EVALUATE AND PRIORITIZE OUR CHOICES.
I UNDERSTAND POVERTY AND I UNDERSTAND, I UNDERSTAND POVERTY.
UH, GROWING UP IN BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, I HAD A YOUNGER BROTHER AND A YOUNGER SISTER, MOTHER, AND FATHER, AND ALL FIVE OF US LIVE IN A ONE BEDROOM APARTMENT.
I UNDERSTAND WALKING TO SCHOOL, I UNDERSTAND THAT'S THE SHORT SLEEVE SHIRTS WHERE SHE'LL PUT A HOLE IN THE ELBOW AND THE OTHER SHIRT, AND IT BECAME A SHORT SLEEVE SHIRT.
I ALSO UNDERSTAND WEALTH BECAUSE I THINK WEALTH IS ADELE BY PEOPLE WORKING HARD, DOING THE RIGHT THINGS.
THERE ARE NATIVE PEOPLE ON THIS ISLAND THAT HAVE MORE THAN ONE JOB TO MAKE A BETTER LIFE FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILY.
WE HAVE TWO IN TOWN HALL THAT HAVE A JOB IN, IN, UH, WHAT'S THE NAME? AND
GENOBLES WE, I'VE NEVER BEEN TO A BIG BANQUET ON THIS ISLAND WHERE I HAVEN'T SEEN MICHELLE WILLIAMS HELPING SERVE TABLES AND CLEANING UP.
I HAD NEVER BEEN TO A BIG BANK, ONE ON THIS ISLAND WHERE I'VE SEEN INMAR DOING TABLES AND CLEANING UP.
THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO DO SOMETHING FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILY.
THAT'S HOW YOU GET OUT OF POVERTY IS YOU HAVE THIS DESIRE TO DO IT ON YOUR OWN.
I BELIEVE THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS MISSING.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WORKFORCE, IT WAS WORKFORCE IN THE BEGINNING.
WHEN I LOOKED AT MY NOTES FROM SIX YEARS AGO, WHEN I RAN FROM OFFICE IN WORKFORCE WAS TRANSPORTATION.
EVERY YEAR WE MEET EVERY YEAR, WE TALK ABOUT WORKFORCE HOUSING.
I DON'T BELIEVE WORKFORCE HOUSING IS PERSONALLY THE ANSWER.
I THINK TRANSPORTATION IS THE BIGGEST PART.
THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN OTHER PLACES THAT WANT TO WORK HERE, WANT TO COME HERE, BUT THEY DON'T WANT TO LIVE HERE.
PEOPLE ARE HAPPY WITH THEIR CHURCHES AND THEIR NEIGHBORS IN ONE OF OUR ROW IN BLUFFTON.
THEY JUST WANT TO COME HERE FOR THE DAY.
WE'VE ALWAYS AVOIDED THE TOPIC OF TRANSPORTATION.
NOW I KNOW WE CAN'T BUILD A MODEL RAIL DOWN TO 78, AND I KNOW WE CAN'T BUILD A TUNNEL, BUT THERE HAS TO BE SOME KIND OF BUS PARKING AREA, MASS PARKING, WHERE WE CAN ACCOMPLISH SOME OF THAT ALONG THE WAY.
AND ALSO WE TALK ABOUT HOUSING.
WE DON'T REALLY KNOW THE PROBLEMS WE HAVE.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE A LOT PROBLEM HERE OF HOMELESS.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE A LARGE PUFF PROBLEM HERE WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE POOR, VERY POOR.
AND I THINK WE DON'T ADDRESS THE ISSUE.
NOW I MIGHT EVEN TALK IN OR CONSIDERING BUILDING A SHELTER HERE, BUT WE DON'T KNOW THE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE HOMELESS.
WE DON'T KNOW THE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE REALLY POOR AND POVERTY THAT GO OVER TO CHERRY HILL SCHOOL FOR THEIR FOOD EVERYDAY ALONG THE WAY.
AND IT'S TIME WE GATHERED THAT DATA BEFORE WE DECIDE WHAT HOUSING WE'RE GOING TO BUILD, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE IN.
WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT THE REALLY POPULATION HERE AS TO WHAT THEY DO ALONG THE WAY.
NOW, I'M NOT SUGGESTING WE DO LIKE SAVANNAH AND BUILD, BUILD UP SHELTERS.
THAT'S NOT WHAT WE WANT TO DO.
I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THE REGIONALIZATION IS VERY IMPORTANT.
NOT ONLY CAN WE STEAL PEOPLE FROM THERE,
[00:55:01]
BUT WE ALSO HAVE THE ABILITY TO WORK TOGETHER.WE STARTED A DIALOGUE THIS YEAR WITH THE MAYOR OF SAVANNAH, WHICH HAS WORKED OUT WELL FOR US.
WHEN WE NEEDED MASS THE OTHER DAY AND WORE MASKS, WE WENT TO HARTSVILLE.
REGIONALIZATION IS WHAT WE'RE ALL ABOUT.
AND WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO WORK AT THAT ALL THE TIME.
NOW YOU'RE GOING TO SEE TODAY.
WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH A LOT OF THINGS.
I THINK THAT THE POTS ARE MY BIGGEST ASSET ON NUMBER ONE, VENTURE OUT THERE BECAUSE THEY DO THINGS FOR ALL PEOPLE.
THEY DO THINGS FOR POOR PEOPLE, RICH PEOPLE, TOURISTS.
I ALSO THINK THE PARK HAD USED TO BE A PORT PORT ROYAL PLANTATION NOW WAS CALLED SOMETHING.
LOGAN PARK IS VERY KEY TO US IN OUR DECISION.
THE COMMERCIAL AREA IN CENTER ISLAND IS CRASHING MUCH BIGGER THAN WE THINK WHEN WE LOST STEINBACH.
EVERYBODY WAS SHOCKED WHEN WE COULDN'T GET A MAJOR TENANT FOR SEA TURTLE MARKETPLACE.
AND NOW WE HEAR THAT SAM'S IS GOING TO BECOME A MULTI STORAGE PLACE.
AND WE LOOK AT NORTH VILLAGE PLAZA.
THERE WAS NOTHING TO EVER RUN DOWN SLOWS THAT COULD BE IN THE POOREST AREA IN A COUNTRY.
A PARK IN THAT PART OF THE ISLAND WOULD BE A BIG COUP FOR US TO GET SOMETHING WITH PEOPLE WILL COME THERE TO SEE ALL PARK AND THEN SAY, THIS MIGHT OR MIGHT NOT BE A BAD PLACE TO INVEST.
SO I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
WE LOOK AT THAT PROJECT WHO ON THE WAY, I ALSO BELIEVE THAT CHARLES FRAZIER HAS DONE A LOT FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
JOSH RATION NOT HANDLE MORE THE GOODWIN TO HERE.
THE PEOPLE FROM COASTAL WE'RE HERE, PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM THAT ARE HERE, WE CAN'T LIVE ON WHAT SOMEONE DID BEFORE.
SOME OF THE GREAT THINGS AND BAD THINGS.
IT'S UP TO US TO BE THE NEW GROUP.
IF WE SHOULDN'T LIVE ON THE PASS A QUOTE FROM THE PAST, THERE'S AN AWFUL, AWFUL LOT.
I LIKE WORKING WITH THIS COUNCIL.
AND IT'S GOOD SEEING YOU ALL AGAIN, IN PERSON, I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU AS LATE LAST BUBBLY.
IT IS NICE TO BE TOGETHER IN PERSON.
THAT'S WHEN WE FIND, WHEN WE GO AND DO THESE, IT'S SOMETIMES BEEN THE FIRST TIME HOPES HAVE BEEN TOGETHER IN A, IN AN ENTIRE PANDEMIC.
I HEARD SO MUCH HOPE AND HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR THE FUTURE OF HILTON HEAD AND WHAT I LISTENED TO TODAY AND ALSO GROUNDED IN SOME PERSONAL VALUES AND CORE EXPERIENCES THAT MAKE YOU INDIVIDUALLY UNIQUE.
UM, BUT ALSO THIS ISLAND INDIVIDUALLY UNIQUE AND YOU ARE THE ONES TRUSTED TO CARRY IT FORWARD.
SO OUR PLAN IS HOPEFULLY THE BIG CONTEXT FOR DOING THAT.
I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD NOW AND TURN IT OVER TO, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S MARK OR JOSH TO BEGIN THE, LAYING THE FOUNDATION BY BRINGING EVERYBODY UP TO SPEED ON 2020 YUCK AND, UH, ALL THE GOOD THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THE FUTURE.
I KNOW AS MUCH AS WE WANT TO MOVE ON TO 2021 BECAUSE OF HOW DIFFICULT 2020 HAS BEEN.
I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT WHERE WE'RE GOING, WE HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE WE ARE AND KIND OF WHERE WE'VE BEEN TO GET THERE.
UM, SO I WANT TO START THIS PARTICULAR SESSION.
I'M GOING TO PASS AROUND JUST A QUICK HANDOUT.
THAT'S GOT SOME SUMMARIZED NOTES ON IT, AND I FIGURED BE EASIER FOR ME TO JUST TO COME UP HERE AND STAND IN FRONT OF YOU THAT WAY NOBODY'S HAVING TO TURN AROUND OR TRAIN THEIR NECKS.
AND, UH, SO WE CAN JUST HAVE A, MORE OF A, A DIRECT CONVERSATION IN LOOKING BACK AT WHERE WE WERE LAST YEAR, COMING OUT OF THE WORKSHOP, YOU ALL HAD IDENTIFIED A NUMBER OF WORK PLAN ITEMS THAT YOU WANTED STAFF TO TAKE OUT AND START WORKING ON.
AND, YOU KNOW, BEGINNING IN EARLY JANUARY, WE HIT THE GROUND RUNNING.
WE STARTED MOVING FORWARD INTO FEBRUARY.
BY THE END OF FEBRUARY, WE STARTED SEEING THAT THERE WERE, WERE SIGNS AND FLAGS THAT WE WERE GOING TO DEAL WITH SOMETHING THAT NONE OF US WERE PREPARED FOR.
AND I KNOW THE WORD UNPRECEDENTED GETS THROWN AROUND SO MUCH THAT IT ALMOST LOSES ITS MEANING, BUT IT TRULY IS THAT IT'S UNPRECEDENTED IN TERMS OF WHAT WE HAVE HAD TO GO THROUGH AND WHAT WE HAVE DEALT WITH OVER THE PAST OF THIS LAST YEAR.
AND SO WHAT YOU HAVE HERE IS JUST A FRACTION OF THE THINGS THAT STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING ON OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST YEAR.
AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE GO THROUGH THIS, YOU KEEP IN MIND THAT ALL OF THIS HAS BEEN DONE PREDOMINANTLY WHILE WE'VE BEEN UNDER A PANDEMIC.
AND SO IT'S AN INCREDIBLE ACCOMPLISHMENT.
IT'S A TESTAMENT TO THE PROFESSIONALISM OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE PART OF THIS TEAM AND THE HARD WORK AND DEDICATION THAT THEY HAVE IN ENSURING THAT THE BUSINESS OF THE TOWN CONTINUES TO MOVE FORWARD, EVEN IN THE FACE OF ALL OF THESE TRYING THINGS.
SO JUST TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF THINGS, THE FIRST ITEM THAT WAS INCLUDED
[01:00:01]
OUT OF LAST YEAR'S WORKSHOP WAS THE U S 2 78 CORRIDOR PROJECT.AND WE ALSO INCLUDED IN THERE SAFETY ISSUES, BECAUSE THOSE WERE TALKED ABOUT AS WELL AS PART OF THE 2 78 PROJECT.
UM, SHORTLY AFTER THE START OF 2020, WE WERE MADE AWARE THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE RECEIVING $120 MILLION IN GRANT FUNDING FROM THE STATE.
AND I WANT TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT THAT, BECAUSE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IF YOU HAD ASKED ME LAST YEAR, WHETHER OR NOT WE WOULD ACTUALLY GET THAT, I WOULD HAVE SAID, YEAH, WE MAY GET A PORTION OF IT.
OR AT LEAST WE'RE HOPING TO GET MAYBE, YOU KNOW, HALF OF IT.
UH, BUT TO GET EVERYTHING THAT WE ASKED FOR IN THE FORM OF A GRANT, UH, TO THE EXTENT THAT WE TOOK ALMOST 75% OF THE ENTIRE FUNDING THAT WAS AVAILABLE FOR THE STATE WE RECEIVED FOR THIS PROJECT.
AND SO I THINK IT'S A TESTAMENT TO THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT WE PUT INTO THAT APPLICATION LAYING FORTH THE CASE ABOUT WHY THIS PROJECT IS IMPORTANT, WHY IT'S NEEDED AND SETTING THE FOUNDATION FOR HOW WE CAN UTILIZE THAT MONEY TO TRULY MAKE AN IMPACT IN THAT CORRIDOR.
SO THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THIS YEAR.
UH, WE ASSISTED THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION IN HOLDING, UM, A NUMBER OF STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS TO TRY AND PROVIDE PROGRESS UPDATES.
ULTIMATELY, THE AMOUNT OF PROGRESS THAT HAS OCCURRED WITH THAT PROJECT HAS SLOWED DOWN OVER THE COURSE OF THIS YEAR.
A LOT OF THOSE MEETINGS WENT FROM IN-PERSON MEETINGS TO VIRTUAL MEETINGS, UH, AND OF COURSE THE DATE TO WHICH THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION IS GOING TO BRING FORWARD.
THEIR PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE HAS CONTINUED TO GO FURTHER INTO THE FUTURE AS A RESULT OF THAT.
SO IT'S STILL AN ONGOING PROJECT.
IT'S STILL SOMETHING WE'RE WORKING ON, BUT STILL A LOT OF WORK DID GO INTO THAT.
WE'RE ALSO IN THE MIDDLE OF DOING THE INDEPENDENT ENGINEERING, UH, REVIEW, UH, WE'RE BEGINNING THE PROCESS OF STARTING THE LAND, USE PLANNING, CHARRETTE, AND PUTTING OUT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS.
UH, WE HAVE LINED UP THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH A FIRM CALLED CREATIVE DESIGN RESOLUTIONS WHO CAN COME IN AND TAKE A LOOK AT HOW WE CAN AESTHETICALLY IMPROVE THAT CORRIDOR.
UH, WE CONTINUE TO MEET ON AN ALMOST MONTHLY BASIS WITH MEMBERS OF THE STONEY COMMUNITY TO DISCUSS THIS PROJECT WITH THEM, TO LISTEN TO THEM AND CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARDS MITIGATION.
AND THEN ALSO AS PART OF THAT, 2 78 IN A SAFETY PROCESS, WE WERE ABLE TO INSTALL THE PILOT PROJECT AT THE LIGHTING OF YACHT COVE.
WE'VE THEN BEEN ABLE TO PUT THAT INFORMATION BACK OUT TO THE COMMUNITIES, SOLICIT COMMENT AND FEEDBACK FROM THEM ABOUT HOW THEY THINK THAT THAT PRODUCT LOOKS, HOW IT FUNCTIONS AND WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE GOING FORWARD.
SO IT FORMS A BASIS FOR US TO CONTINUE THOSE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHERE ARE WE GOING TO GO FORWARD INTO THE FUTURE WITH THAT INFORMATION IN MIND, ANOTHER ITEM UNDER THE EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY OF LIFE WAS MITCHELLVILLE, GULLAH, GEECHEE, CULTURAL PRESERVATION.
AS I KNOW, ALL OF YOU ARE AWARE, UH, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BRING FORWARD A HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS PRESERVATION OVERLAY DISTRICT.
THAT WAS A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF TIME WORKING WITH THE GULLAH GEECHEE TASK FORCE ITSELF IN ORDER TO DRAFT A PROPOSED LANGUAGE WITHIN THAT OVERLAY DISTRICT.
IT IS NOW GOING THROUGH THE FORMAL PROCESS OF CONSIDERATION AND ADOPTION.
SO IT HAS BEEN THROUGH, UH, THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND, AND IS NOW BEFORE THE PUBLIC PLANNING COMMITTEE.
AND ULTIMATELY AT SOME POINT IN TIME MAY COME BEFORE TOWN COUNCIL FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, UH, THE QUALITY OF LIFE REFERENDUM, IF YOU'LL RECALL, THAT WAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST PROJECTS COMING OUT OF THE WORKSHOP LAST YEAR.
SO STAFF AGAIN, HIT THE GROUND RUNNING, UH, AND WE BEGAN BY FIRST PUTTING TOGETHER THE LIST OF PROJECTS THAT WAS GOING TO CONSTITUTE THE QUALITY OF LIFE REFERENDUM AND HOW WE WOULD BE ABLE TO APPROACH THAT.
UH, WE ENDED UP SPLITTING IT UP INTO TWO DIFFERENT POTS IF YOU'LL RECALL BECAUSE OF WHAT THE CONCERNS WERE REGARDING THE SUPREME COURT AND HOW THEY BASICALLY INDICATED THAT YOU NEED TO ORGANIZE YOUR PROJECTS INTO SEPARATE ISSUES TO ALLOW THE VOTERS TO BE ABLE TO WEIGH IN ON EACH OF THEM.
UH, WE THEN ALSO BROUGHT FORWARD A TIMELINE IN TERMS OF WHAT WE WOULD NEEDED TO DO AND HOW WE NEEDED TO DO IT IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO PUT A REFERENDUM BEFORE THE PUBLIC, UH, WITHIN A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME.
AND THEN LASTLY, WE HIRED A PUBLIC EDUCATION CONSULTANT WHO WAS GOING TO WORK WITH US TO BE ABLE TO GET ALL OF THAT INFORMATION OUT TO THE PUBLIC TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY WERE WELL-INFORMED ABOUT WHAT IT WAS ASKING FOR AND WHY SO THAT WHEN WE DID GET TO THE POINT OF HAVING A REFERENDUM, WE WOULD BE IN THE BEST POSITION POSSIBLE TO HAVE A WELL-INFORMED PUBLIC THAT COULD THEN CHOOSE TO SUPPORT IT IF THEY FELT COMFORTABLE DOING SOME, UH, AND THEN UNDER PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT, UH, WE PASSED A NUMBER OF, UH, AMENDMENTS TO OUR LAND MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE OVER THE COURSE OF THIS PAST YEAR.
MANY OF WHICH WERE DESIGNED TO ENHANCE OUR NATURAL RESOURCE PROTECTION, UH, RULES AND REGULATIONS WITH REGARDS TO CONSTRUCTION, BUFFERS, FENCING, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND SO WE'VE CONTINUED TO MAKE, UM, GAINS AND INROADS INTO PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT AND UPHOLDING THOSE STANDARDS UNDER PROSPERITY AND INNOVATION
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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.OBVIOUSLY, I DON'T NEED TO GO INTO TOO MUCH DETAIL ABOUT THAT.
YOU ALL ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THAT, AND WE ARE GOING TO BE INTIMATELY KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT WHAT THE WORK PRODUCT OF THAT WAS.
BUT AGAIN, JUST TO QUICKLY HIGHLIGHT THE AMOUNT OF TIME AND EFFORT, IT TOOK TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY TO WORK WITH THE FOCUS GROUPS, TO WORK WITH ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, TO GATHER UP THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT, WHICH IS THE FOUNDATION OF THAT DOCUMENT THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH.
IN TERMS OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, WE WERE ABLE TO ADOPT A WORKFORCE HOUSING LMO AMENDMENTS.
WE ALSO ADOPTED A COMMERCIAL CONVERSION INCENTIVE PROGRAM ALLOWING FOR ADDITIONAL WORKFORCE HOUSING UNITS AND ADOPTED, UH, VERY RECENTLY THE BONUS DENSITY PROVISIONS WITHIN THE CODE THAT WILL ALLOW FOR GREATER DENSITY.
IF THOSE UNITS ARE DEDICATED TOWARDS OR A PORTION OF THOSE UNITS ARE