[00:00:11]
BOB, CAN WE HAVE SOME SPECIAL GUESTS TODAY? SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED WITH THIS MEETING OF THE AD HOC LEPTIN GROWTH COMMITTEE.
UM, THURSDAY, MAY 27TH AT 5:00 PM.
UM, THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, EVERYBODY.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA? I SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THE AGENDA, SEEING NONE I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE BY SAYING AYE.
WE DON'T HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTS SEEING NO PUBLIC COMMENTS.
WE'LL MOVE DOWN TO ITEM D, WHICH IS THE APPROVAL OF THE APRIL 22ND, 2021 COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES.
WE HAVEN'T LOOKED AT, WE APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM APRIL 22ND, 2021 FOR THE AD HOC COMMITTEE.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MINUTES, A CALL FOR THE VOTE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
SO MOVING ON TO ITEM E ON THE AGENDA, WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE TODAY TO HAVE, UM, SOME REPRESENTATION FROM THE HILTON HEAD AREA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS, THEIR CEO TEAM BACK, UM, AND THEIR PRESIDENT IS ALSO JOINING US.
UM, WE'RE GOING TO ENGAGE JUST IN AN OPEN DISCUSSION ON THE STATE OF, UM, THE REAL ESTATE MARKET IN BLUFFTON.
AND I ALSO HAVE A COUPLE OF DOCUMENTS FOR THE COMMITTEE'S REVIEW THAT ARE PULLED FROM, UH, THE HILTON HEAD AREAS.
SO ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS WEBSITE, THEY HAVE A 2020 ANNUAL MARKET REPORT.
AND THEN ALSO THE MOST RECENT MARKET REPORT IS FOR APRIL.
UM, SO THOSE ARE LOCATED IN, UH, E AND F OF THE AGENDA AND BOARD DOCS.
SO I WAS JUST GOING TO INTRODUCE JEAN AND GIVE HER A MOMENT JUST TO, UH, INTRODUCE HERSELF TO THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
UM, DEAN, WE HAVE COLONEL GEIER, WHO'S ANOTHER COMMITTEE MEMBER ALONG WITH MYSELF AND ONE OF OUR NEWER BOARD MEMBERS, MS. MIDDLETON, UM, AND THEY BOTH HAVE A GREAT INTEREST IN, UM, LOVED AND ITS GROWTH AND MAKING SURE THAT WE, AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT ARE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO ACCOMMODATE ALL THE NEW STUDENTS THAT ARE COMING TO US.
SO, UM, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU JUST TO SAY HELLO TO EVERYBODY.
WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING US THIS EVENING.
UH, WE ARE HAPPY TO BE HERE AND APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU CAME AND ASKED US TO THE TABLE WITH YOU TO HAVE SOME DISCUSSION.
UM, WE'RE ALWAYS HERE TO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HAPPY TO ASSIST AND WHEREVER WE CAN WITH, WITH OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND, AND AS WE, AS OUR COMMUNITIES GROW FOR SURE.
SO OUR ASSOCIATION HAS CURRENTLY HAS ABOUT 1500 REAL TOUR MEMBERS.
SO WE ARE A VERY LARGE TRADE ASSOCIATION HERE IN BUFORD AND JASPER COUNTY.
WE PROBABLY JUST FOLLOW UNDER THE HILTON 10 ISLAND, BLUFFTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
SO I'M SERVING AS OUR BOARD PRESIDENT THIS YEAR IS SEAN MCTIERNAN.
SEAN IS WITH THE ALLIANCE GROUP REALTY AND HE ACTUALLY KIND OF SPECIALIZES IN THIS BLUFFTON MARKET.
SO IT'S KIND OF A GOOD THING TO HAVE SEAN HERE WITH US.
HE, HE KINDA HA THAT'S HIS NICHE AND, UM, AND SERVICES COMMITTEE, YOU KNOW, BUYERS AND SELLERS FROM THE, YOU KNOW, THE LOWER SIDE OF, UM, SALES, WHICH IS GETTING DIFFERENT PRICE POINTS NOW, YOU KNOW, INTO THE HIGHER SIDE OF SALES.
SO I THINK KEVIN SHAUN HERE WAS REALLY, UH, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO, UM, TO LISTEN TO HIM.
SEAN HAS SCHOOL CHILDREN IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AS WELL.
SO HE'S, UH, A PARENT AND UNDERSTANDS WHAT THAT'S LIKE TOO.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY JUST TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF BRIEFLY.
GENE DID A GREAT JOB THOUGH, SETTING IT UP.
UH, SHAMI TURNER WITH THE LANDSCAPE REALTY, UM, UH, I'VE BEEN IN BLUFFTON NOW FOR 17 YEARS, SO I'VE SEEN THE GROWTH.
UM, WHEN I FIRST MOVED HERE, I THINK WE PROBABLY HAD 7,500, UM, PEOPLE IN THE TOWN AND NOW IT'S MUCH, MUCH LARGER.
[00:05:01]
I DO HAVE TWO CHILDREN, UH, IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, ONE GOING INTO HIGH SCHOOL NEXT YEAR.SO, UM, IT'S OBVIOUSLY A, A GREAT INTEREST OF MINE TO MAKE SURE OUR, OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT IS, UM, IMPROVING AND GROWING ACCORDINGLY.
UM, BUT, UH, YEAH, I CAN DEFINITELY, UH, ANSWER ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS REGARDING THE BLUFF, THE REAL ESTATE MARKET.
IT HAS DEFINITELY BEEN A CHALLENGING IN UNPRECEDENTED A COUPLE OF YEARS.
WELL, I'M GONNA, UM, TURN THINGS OVER KIND OF TO OUR, THE OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO SEE IF THEY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, UM, THAT THEY WANTED TO ASK YOU ALL.
UM, I KNOW I HAVE A FEW, BUT I'D WANT TO LET THEM GO FIRST.
I WANT TO START BY ASKING HIM AND I SAW YOUR REPORT, BUT JUST FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, ESPECIALLY WITH YOUNG FAMILIES, FAMILIES ARE GOING TO HAVE SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN.
DO YOU SEE A LOT OF THOSE MOVING TO OUR AREA? BECAUSE I KNOW WHERE THERE ARE A LOT OF RETIREES HERE, BUT, UM, FAMILIES THAT HAVE CHILDREN THAT ARE SCHOOL AGE DO, WHAT IS THE PERCENTAGE? CAN YOU GIVE A NUMBER? I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL TRACK THAT, WHAT DO YOU SEE? WELL, WE DON'T TRACK THAT AT ALL, BUT CERTAINLY, UM, SEAN CAN GIVE A PERSPECTIVE FOR, FOR HIS BUYERS AND SPIRES THAT HE HAS WORKED WITH AS FAR AS KIND OF A RATIO, WHAT HE SEES IN, IN HIS, UM, CLIENTS.
YEAH, I WOULD SAY MORE RECENTLY, WE'RE SEEING A LOT MORE RETIREES.
UH, UM, YOU KNOW, I HAVE SPOKEN TO ACTUALLY A FEW TEACHERS THAT ARE MOVING INTO THE AREA THAT, UM, APPARENTLY YOU HAVE BEEN HIRED BY BUFORD COUNTY SCHOOLS.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, MOST OF THEM ARE LOOKING FOR HOMES UNDER 300,000, WHICH IS A VERY DIFFICULT PRICE POINT, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW, LIKE I COULD PROBABLY PULL IT UP, BUT THERE'S PROBABLY A HANDFUL OF PROPERTIES, PROBABLY LESS THAN 10 IN BLUFFTON THAT ARE UNDER $300,000.
AND, UM, YOU'RE COMPETING WITH RETIREES THAT ARE COMING FROM VARIOUS PARTS OF THE COUNTRY AND MOST OF THEM ARE, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN PAY CASH.
UM, THAT'S THE CHALLENGE IS CASH VERSUS FINANCE WE'RE IN THE PAST.
UH, IT DIDN'T REALLY MATTER MUCH BECAUSE IT WAS VERY FEW CASH BUYERS, BUT RIGHT NOW, UH, WITH A LOT OF THE RETIREES MOVING HERE, MOST OF THEM CAN, UH, IF THEY WANT TO PURCHASE WITH CASH.
WELL, IF YOU DON'T MIND, MADAM CHAIR, I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.
HOW ABOUT, HOW ABOUT INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BUYING SECOND HOMES, UM, AND FOR VACATIONING, DO YOU SEE A LOT OF THAT? I DON'T SEE THAT THAT MUCH IN THE BLUFFTON MARKET, THAT'S MORE OF A HILTON HEAD, UH, MARKET.
UM, I MEAN THERE ARE SOME HERE DON'T GET ME WRONG.
I DO SELL SOME, UH, SECOND HOMES HERE IN BLUFFTON, UH, TO FOLKS, BUT, UH, PRIMARILY THESE ARE FULL-TIME RESIDENTS IN BLUFFTON UNTIL I DID THE SECOND HOME PEOPLE HAVE CHILDREN.
AND YOU'RE SPECIFICALLY LOOKING AT BLUFFTON ST.
WELL, YOU CAN, YOU CAN TELL ME ABOUT THE DISTRICT, HAVE YOU, IF YOU KNOW ANY OTHER AREAS IN THE COUNTY, LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
I MEAN, ANY OF YOUR COASTAL AREAS ARE GOING TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE SECOND HOME MARKET, YOUR FRIPP ISLAND, YOUR, UM, HARBOR ISLAND, ALL THOSE ARE GONNA START.
YOU'RE GONNA START TO SEE ALL THAT SECOND HOME MARKET.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THE SECOND HOME MARKET, THERE'S THE SECOND HOME OWNER, A HOMEOWNER THAT WANTS TO BUY THE PROPERTY AND, UM, HAVE IT AS A VACATION SPOT FOR THEIR FAMILY.
AND THEN THERE'S ALSO THE SECOND HOMEOWNER WHO WANTS TO BUY THE PROPERTY AND USE IT AS AN INVESTMENT.
SO THEY MAY BLOCK TWO WEEKS OFF FOR THEIR FAMILY OR A MONTH OFF OF THEIR FAMILY AND THE REST OF THE TIME IT'S ON THE RENTAL ROLE.
SO, AND I COULD TELL YOU THAT IN THE, AS FAR AS THE, THE RENTALS ARE VACATIONERS HERE, ABOUT TWO THIRDS OF ALL TOURISTS COME AND GO INTO VACATIONS.
AND THE OTHER ONE-THIRD IS INTO THE HOTELS.
SO THE VACATION RENTAL MARKET, AS FAR AS HOUSING GOES OR VILLAS, UM, IS VERY STRONG HERE.
I JUST WAS OVER AT, UH, AT ANOTHER MEETING RECENTLY.
AND, UM, THE PROPERTY MANAGERS ARE SECOND HOME PROPERTY MANAGERS THAT ARE DOING THE VACATION RENTALS, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL UP.
SO COVID, HASN'T SLOWED THAT DOWN AT ALL BECAUSE I WAS CONCERNED THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH COVID PEOPLE ARE HOLDING ON TO THEM MONEY AND NOT BUYING THAT SECOND PROPERTY ON THE COAST, IT'S ACTUALLY DONE THE EXACT OPPOSITE.
I ACTUALLY DONE THE EXACT OPPOSITE.
YOU KNOW, I THINK PEOPLE FEEL THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE KIND OF LOOKED AT IT AND SAID, LIFE IS SHORT.
I WANT TO, YOU KNOW, ENJOY MYSELF AND I'M GOING TO GET TO WHERE I WANT TO BE.
[00:10:01]
THAT'S WHAT HAS CREATED THIS INFLUX AND REALLY, AND TRULY ON A NATIONAL LEVEL AS WELL.UM, HOMEOWNERSHIP HAS REALLY, UH, HOME SALES, HOMING HOME SALES HAS REALLY WHAT HAS DRIVEN THE ECONOMY OVER THIS PAST.
THANK YOU BOTH FOR THE INFORMATION.
UM, MULTI-FAMILY UH, IS OBVIOUSLY A CONCERN BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY STARTING OUT IN THEIR CAREERS AND WITH YOUNG CHILDREN THAT MAY BE LOOKING FOR APARTMENTS OR RENTAL PROPERTIES, DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA OF WHAT THE MARKET IS LIKE FOR EITHER THE, THE RENTAL MARKET OR THE MULTIFAMILY, UM, RENTAL PROPERTIES? I CAN SPEAK TO THAT IN BLUFFTON.
SO YOU'D PROBABLY NOTICE IT SEVERAL NEW APARTMENT BUILDINGS OR, OR, UM, COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE POPPED UP IN HERE IN BLUFFTON.
UM, MOST RECENTLY, AND, YOU KNOW, THESE NEWER, UM, PROPERTIES ARE APARTMENTS THAT ARE, ARE FOR RENT.
UH, THE DEMAND FOR RENT IN BLUFFTON IS VERY HIGH.
UM, HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM I SEE IS THAT THE COST IS ALSO HIGH.
UM, IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR AN APARTMENT, A TYPICAL NUT, UM, ONE OF THE NEWER APARTMENTS, UH, IN BLUFFTON, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, YOU'RE OVER, UM, YOU'RE GOING TO BE OVER $1,200 A MONTH.
UM, WHEREAS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THE POSSIBILITY OF PURCHASING VERSUS RENTING, IT ALMOST MAKES YOU SCRATCH YOUR HEAD AND SAY, WHY WOULD YOU RENT WHEN YOU CAN PROBABLY PURCHASE A CONDO IN LIKE PLANTATION POINT OR WESTBURY PARK, UM, AND HAVE ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT OF THE SAME PROBLEM IS FUNDING.
UM, I, WE'VE BEEN HEARING THAT, UM, I, I LIVE NORTH OF THE BROAD AND, AND WE SEE SOME NEW CONSTRUCTION GOING ON HERE AND W WE'RE HEARING, UH, AND SUBDIVISION WHERE I LIVE.
WE ALSO, SOME NEW CONSTRUCTION IS HAPPENING THAT, UH, THE BUILDERS ARE BOOKED AND THE PRICES OF, UH, MATERIALS ARE JUST GOING CRAZY.
UH, SO, UH, WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT? THE GROWTH THAT YOU'RE SEEING BEING EXISTING HOUSING TURNOVER AND HOW MUCH OF, HOW MUCH OF THE GROWTH OR NEW PURCHASES ARE FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION AND ARE THOSE PRIMARILY FOR RETIREES? ARE THEY SECOND HOME PEOPLE THAT ARE BUYING THEIR FIRST HOME, NOT THEIR STARTER HOME, BUT THEIR SECOND HOME OR THIRD HOME THAT THEY'VE GOTTEN SOME EQUITY.
AND SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE UP IN THEIR PRICE POINT.
CAN YOU GIVE ME KIND OF A FEELING ABOUT THAT? I CAN.
UM, I'M ALSO ACTUALLY ON THE BOARD FOR THE HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION AS A REAL ESTATE ADVISOR.
SO I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE NEW CONSTRUCTION, UM, AREA.
AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT LUMBER PRICES ARE WHAT'S DRIVING THIS ENTIRE MARKET.
SO, UM, MOST BUILDERS NOW ARE PRETTY FAR OUT AS FAR AS, UM, IF YOU WANT TO PURCHASE A NEW HOME, YOU'RE LOOKING AT, UH, TYPICALLY YOU'D BE LOOKING AT SIX TO SEVEN MONTHS, UH, THAT IS NO LONGER THE CASE.
AND THAT, THAT IS PROBABLY WITHIN THE LAST SIX MONTHS THAT HAS CHANGED DRASTICALLY.
I'LL GIVE YOU SOME EXAMPLES, UM, IN THE RETIREE MARKET, MEANING 55 AND OVER A MARGARITAVILLE IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, WENT FROM, UH, BEING SIX TO EIGHT MONTHS OUT TO NOW BEING 24 MONTHS OUT.
SO IF YOU WANT TO BUY A HOME AS A RETIREE IN MARGARITAVILLE, THIS IS OF COURSE HARDY BILL.
SO, UM, A LITTLE BIT OUTSIDE OF OUR MARKET, BUT JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, UM, YOU'RE, YOU'RE 24 MONTHS OUT, MOST NEW HOME BUILDERS, PRODUCTION BUILDERS, I MEAN, UM, LIKE PULTE DR.
HORTON, UH, VILLAGE PARK, ET CETERA.
YOU ARE LOOKING AT, UH, SITUATIONS WHERE DEPENDING ON THE COMMUNITY, UM, THERE'S NO LONGER A FLAT BASE PRICE.
SO WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS THEY'RE LOOKING AT EACH INDIVIDUAL AND THEY'RE SAYING, OKAY, YOU WANT THIS MODEL.
UM, YOU'RE LOOKING AT THIS PRICE IF YOU SIGN TODAY.
SO THEY'RE DOING A SPOT PRICE RATHER THAN A BASE PRICE, AND THEN YOUR OPERATES.
SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE DOING THIS INDIVIDUALLY.
IT'S NOT, IT'S NO LONGER LIKE A BLANKET, UH, SITUATION IT'S, IT'S EACH PURCHASE IS INDIVIDUAL.
[00:15:01]
UM, BECAUSE LUMBER PRICES ARE CHANGING SO QUICKLY THAT THEY CANNOT LOCK IN, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.AND IT'S GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE THAT'S NOT EVEN A PROBLEM AS FAR AS PRICE IT'S ACTUALLY, UM, THE AVAILABILITY OF THE PRODUCT WINDOWS ARE SIX TO EIGHT MONTHS OUT.
SO ALL THESE THINGS ARE AFFECTING THE BUILDING TIMEFRAME.
UM, THAT'S REINFORCES WHAT I'VE BEEN HEARING, UH, NORTH OF ABROAD, WHERE I LIVE.
UH, LET ME JUST SHARE WITH YOU TOO, RICHARD.
I WILL TELL YOU ON A NATIONAL AVERAGE OR A NATIONAL POINT, UM, BUILDING COSTS HAVE INCREASED $36,000 FROM APRIL OF 2020.
THAT'S THE REPORT WE'RE RECEIVING FROM THE NATIONAL HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION ON A NATIONAL LEVEL.
ONE LAST QUESTION, MADAM CHAIR.
UM, ONE OF OUR CHALLENGES IS LOCATION.
UH, IF YOU LOOK AT WHERE OUR SCHOOLS ARE AND WHERE OUR POPULATION HAS GROWN, IT'S NOT A LINEAR EXPANSION IN BLUFFTON, IT'S HERE AND THERE.
AND, AND SO WHERE TO PUT ADDITIONAL SCHOOLS IS AN ISSUE, ONE, AN ISSUE FOR US FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN WE ADD ON TO OUR, WHAT WE HAVE NOW? AND FRANKLY, WE'VE LOOKED AT THAT.
WE, WE VISITED EVERY SCHOOL AND THERE'S NOT A LOT OF POTENTIAL WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MAY RIVER AREA TO ADD ON WITH THE PROPERTY THAT WE HAVE OUR ATTENDANCE ZONES, BECAUSE WE'RE HAVING TO ADAPT TO WHEN THE SUBDIVISIONS ARE DEVELOPED AND THE PEOPLE MOVE IN AND WHAT THE CAPACITY OF THE SCHOOL IS REALLY CONVOLUTED.
SO EVERYBODY WANTS NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS.
AND SO HER TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE TO PUT THE NEW SCHOOL AND THEN HOW TO REARRANGE IT EVENTUALLY SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE CROSSING BUS ROUTES GOING TO, FROM HOME TO SCHOOL.
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR SCHOOL FOOTPRINT AND THE GROWTH FOOTPRINT IN BLUFFTON.
SO THAT'S A, ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES.
WHERE'S THE GROWTH GOING TO BE? WHERE SHOULD WE NEED TO PUT A SCHOOL AND DO DEVELOPERS KNOW THAT NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS ARE PROBABLY IMPORTANT AS MAYBE AN IMPORTANT SELECTION CRITERIA? YOU KNOW, IF I GOT UP, I'M BRINGING MY FAMILY HERE, I WANT TO PUT IT SOMEPLACE WHERE I CAN GET TO SCHOOL CLOSE BY RETIREES.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO COPE WITH.
AND YOU FOLKS KNOW THE MARKET AND WE CAN, WE CAN GO TO THE PLANNING FOLKS AT THE COUNTY AND IN THE CITY AND SO ON, AND THEY'RE ISSUING PERMITS, BUT YOU, THEY DON'T KNOW THE MARKET.
THEY KNOW THE DEVELOPER MARKET, YOU KNOW, THE BUYER MARKET.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET OUR VENDORS ON TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO COPE WITH THIS GROWTH IN BLUFFTON AND SUPPORT THE STUDENTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, INEVITABLY COMING IN.
SO CAN YOU, CAN YOU HELP US? I THINK THAT'S A TOUGH ONE TO NARROW DOWN.
YOU'D ALMOST HAVE TO, YEAH, THAT IS A TOUGH ONE TO NARROW DOWN.
I MEAN, I YOU'RE LOOKING LIKE WHAT SEAN SAYS THAT IT'S HIS BUYER POINT AND WHO'S THERE, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU COULD REALLY NARROW DOWN WHERE THEY'RE BUYING THAT IT WOULD IMPACT THAT LARGE OF A, OF A DECISION REGARDING YOUR SCHOOLS.
I DON'T KNOW, SEAN, WHAT DO YOU THINK? YEAH, I CAN ADD TO THAT ACTUALLY.
SO WHEN I'M DEALING WITH FAMILIES, UM, MOST OF THEM, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE MOVING HERE FROM OUT OF THE AREA, UH, THEY LOOK AT OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS AND THEY LOOK AT THE CHOICES THAT THEIR STUDENTS HAVE FOR SPORTS, ET CETERA.
AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT AN EXAMPLE WOULD BE MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL IS, UM, MORE DESIRABLE THAN BLUFFTON HIGH.
HOWEVER, THE ISSUE IS THAT THE TYPE OF HOME THEY'RE LOOKING FOR DOESN'T NECESSARILY MATCH UP WITH THE SCHOOL ZONE.
SO THEY TELL ME THEY WANT A HOME IT'S X, Y, Z, AND THEY WANT TO SPEND UP TO 600,000 OR WHATEVER.
UM, I CAN'T SELL THEM A HOME IN HERITAGE AT NEW RIVERSIDE BECAUSE THAT TYPE OF HOME DOESN'T EXIST.
MOST OF THE PRODUCTION HOMES THAT ARE, I WOULD SAY, GEARED MORE TOWARD FAMILIES, UH, THAT TYPE OF DEMOGRAPHIC
[00:20:01]
ARE IN, UH, THE NEW RIVERSIDE AREA.AND OF COURSE THERE'S SOME RETIREE COMMUNITIES OUT THERE AS WELL, BUT MOST OF THE HOMES, UM, NEWER HOMES ARE OUT THAT WAY.
AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE BUILDOUT OF BLUFFTON, WE'RE PROBABLY PRETTY CLOSE TO 95% ALREADY, YOU KNOW, UM, THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE PLAN IS ALREADY PRETTY MUCH DONE.
THERE'S VERY LITTLE LAND LEFT, UH, FOR DEVELOPMENT THAT HASN'T ALREADY BEEN SPOKEN FOR AND, AND, UH, AND PLAN FOR.
SO WITH ALL THAT SAID, I WOULD SAY PERSONALLY, I WOULD THINK THAT, UM, IT WOULD BE BEST TO EXPAND OUR SCHOOLS, WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE ABLE TO ADD ANOTHER SCHOOL OR NOT.
I MEAN, THAT'S BEYOND MY EXPERTISE, BUT MOST, I MEAN, THINK ABOUT IT.
MOST OF THE LAND HAS BEEN DEVELOPED FROM, YOU KNOW, THE ISLAND OUT.
SO THE FURTHER OUT YOU GO AWAY FROM THE ISLAND IS WHERE MO MORE OF THE DEVELOPMENT WILL BE WHAT'S LEFT.
UM, AND RIGHT NOW THAT'S A COMBINATION OF, YOU KNOW, K HOVNANIAN HAS A 55 AND OVER COMMUNITY BEING BUILT ON ONE 70, AND YOU HAVE OTHER COMMUNITIES STILL BEING BUILT OUT NEW RIVERSIDE AREA THAT ARE NOT AGE SPECIFIC, UM, THAT DO ATTRACT FAMILIES.
BUT I WOULD SAY THAT THE, THE TYPE OF FAMILIES THAT ARE MOVING HERE RIGHT NOW ARE IN A HIGHER, BECAUSE THEY'RE MOVING FROM AREAS THAT THEY'RE SELLING THEIR HOME FOR, YOU KNOW, 600, 700, MAYBE A MILLION DOLLARS, AND THEY'RE COMING HERE WITH KIDS.
THEY DON'T WANT TO BUY A NEW PRODUCTION HOME FROM DR.
THEY LIKE MAY RIVER A HIGH SCHOOL, BUT THERE REALLY AREN'T ANY COMMUNITIES THAT, UM, MATCH UP WITH WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR.
WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE FOUND, BECAUSE YOU MENTIONED EXPANDING OUR EXISTING SCHOOLS IS, UM, WE WENT AROUND TO ALL OF THE SCHOOLS IN BLUFFTON, UM, LOOKED AT SOME AERIAL MAPS OF THEM, UM, HOW THEY'VE GROWN OVER TIME, YOU KNOW, FROM WHEN THEY WERE FIRST BUILT AND THE EXPANSIONS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE AT SOME OF THEM.
UM, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE FOUND THAT OUR EXISTING SCHOOLS IN BLUFFTON IS THAT THE COMMON AREAS, UM, PARTICULARLY THE CAFETERIAS CAN'T ACCOMMODATE, UH, THAT MANY MORE STUDENTS, BECAUSE THEY'RE ALREADY RUNNING FOUR, FIVE, SIX, YOU KNOW, LUNCH PERIODS THAT ARE VERY CONDENSED AND TIGHT.
UM, SO IT'S KIND OF A, A BIG CONUNDRUM AND ALSO A LOT OF THEM DON'T HAVE ANY LAND TO BUILD OUT ONTO, UM, THEY'RE PACKED IN TOO TIGHT WHERE THEY ARE.
UM, SO THAT'S KIND OF THE CONUNDRUM THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW WITH OUR EXISTING FACILITIES, IS THAT TO ADD ON TO THEM WHILE THERE MAY BE SOME SMALL AREAS FOR ADDITIONS, UM, IT'S GOING TO PUT ADDITIONAL STRAIN ON THOSE COMMON SPACES, WHICH IS UNFORTUNATE, BUT, UM, PARDON YOU BUILD UP? UM, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT.
THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT I HAD ASKED ABOUT, I THINK AT SOME OF THEM IT COMES DOWN TO, AND I CAN CERTAINLY, WE DO HAVE ROBERT ODDING, WHO'S OUR CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER, AS WELL AS CAROL CRUTCHFIELD ON THE CALL.
SHE'S OUR PLANNING COORDINATOR FOR THE DISTRICT AS WELL.
UM, AND THEY CAN PROBABLY SPEAK TO THIS BETTER WHEN IT COMES TO SPECIFIC FACILITIES.
BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IN BUILDING UP THAT YOU'RE STILL GONNA HAVE THAT STRAIN ON THE CAFETERIA AREA, UNLESS YOU BUILD ON A NEW CAFETERIA AREA.
UM, SO, BUT I'LL, I'LL DEFER TO THEM TOO BECAUSE THEY KNOW THOSE ARE QUESTIONS.
NO, NO, IT'S GOOD FOR US TO COMMUNICATE AND BUILD ON THIS KNOWLEDGE BECAUSE YOU GUYS ARE DEALING WITH THE BUYERS ULTIMATELY.
SO I THINK IT'S REALLY GOOD FOR THEM TO HEAR THAT TOO, BECAUSE THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE THEIR QUESTION.
WHY DON'T THEY JUST EXPAND AT AN EXISTING FACILITY? UM, CAROL, ROBERT, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT? WELL, I'LL JUMP IN AND JUST SAY, YOU KIND OF ADDRESSED IT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE CORE FACILITIES OF A SCHOOL.
SO MOST OF OUR SCHOOLS ARE DESIGNED FOR A CERTAIN STUDENT POPULATION.
AND SO IF YOU ADD ON TOO MUCH, UM, YOU'RE IMPACTING THOSE CORE FACILITIES.
AND TYPICALLY WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT CORE FACILITIES, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT MEDIA CENTER, GYM, UH, CAFETERIA, THOSE WERE DESIGNED FOR A CERTAIN POPULATION.
AND THEN OF COURSE THE ONLY ISSUE WITH GOING UP, WE CAN DO ADDITIONS GOING UP.
UM, BUT YOU'RE GOING TO BE DOING NEW ADDITIONS ON A NEW PIECE OF PROPERTY, OR YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TEAR DOWN PART OF THE BUILDING AND GO UP IN THAT AREA.
YOU CAN'T REALLY GO UP OVER AN EXISTING STRUCTURE CAUSE NONE OF THE STRUCTURES ARE REALLY DESIGNED FOR THAT.
HOPEFULLY THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
[00:25:01]
I HEARD FOOD TRUCKS ARE IN.I LOVE A GOOD FOOD TRACK OUT OF CURIOSITY.
DO YOU GUYS, HAVE YOU HIRED AN ARCHITECT, UM, TO CONSULT WITH YOU FOR ANY NEW BUILDS? WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO THAT POINT YET, AND THAT WOULD BE A FULL BOARD DECISION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
SO, UM, WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO THAT PART CAUSE WE'RE JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHEN WE INITIALLY STARTED ALL OF OUR WORK BACK IN 2019, IT WAS ASSESSING THE POPULATION GROWTH AND YOU KNOW, WHAT KIND OF SCHOOL MIGHT WE NEED AND THEN COVID HIT.
UM, AND WE ACTUALLY SAW THAT FLIP ON ITS HEAD WHEN IT CAME TO THE STUDENTS AND WHAT GRADE TYPE OF SCHOOL WE WOULD NEED TO POTENTIALLY BUILD.
SO EVERYTHING HAS BEEN VERY MUCH SO, UM, I JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION AND MAYBE I SHOULDN'T ASK THIS, BUT I NOTICED THAT, UM, A LOT OF THE PRIVATE SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN EXPANDING.
AND UM, HOW, HOW IS THAT AFFECTING YOU GUYS AT ALL? I MEAN, CROSS SCHOOLS IS EXPANDING QUITE A BIT.
WE HAVE THE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY THAT JUST OPENED UP OR WILL BE OPENING UP, UM, HERE IN BLUFFTON, WHICH MIGHT BE SOME RELIEF FOR YOU, BUT IT SEEMS THAT THEY'RE ALSO ALREADY, THEY'RE NOT EVEN DONE BEING BUILT AND THEY'RE ALREADY, UM, YOU KNOW, GETTING BOOKED UP, RIGHT, CAROL.
UM, YOU PROBABLY CAN SPEAK TO THE NUMBERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, UM, WAY BETTER THAN I COULD.
THERE'S A PERCENT OF THE POPULATION, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT CHOOSES TO GO TO A PRIVATE SCHOOL AND WE DON'T HAVE A CONSISTENT MECHANISM TO MONITOR THAT IF THEY CHOOSE TO SHARE THEIR DATA WITH US, THEN THEY SHARE IT.
SO WE WERE NEVER SURE ABOUT THE QUALITY OF THAT.
UM, SINCE THIS DATA ALWAYS HELPS BECAUSE WE CAN TRACK, UM, ESTIMATED POPULATIONS OF CHILDREN AND KIND OF HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE TOTAL POPULATION, YOU KNOW, UNDER 18 THAT WE SEE IN THE, IN OUR SCHOOLS.
UM, AND I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY KIND OF CHANGE COVID YEAR, MIGHT SHOW A CHANGE THERE.
UM, AND I GUESS WE'RE JUST KIND OF SEE WHAT OUR ENROLLMENT LOOKS LIKE NEXT YEAR.
WE DID LOSE A LOT OF STUDENTS THIS YEAR AND WE'RE OPTIMISTICALLY HOPING TO GET, YOU KNOW, THE MAJORITY OF THOSE BACK, WHICH WOULD PUT US BACK ON A, UH, BLUFFTON AREA GROWTH MODEL THAT WOULD BE OF CONCERNING OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO HANDLE CONTINUED GROWTH.
SO I THINK IT WAS IF IT WAS AROUND A 1200, THAT 1175, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT WE LOST THIS YEAR.
UM, MOST OF THOSE AREN'T NOT MOST, BUT A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF THOSE AT THE LOWER GRADES.
AND SO PEOPLE WERE CHOOSING NOT TO PUT THEIR BABIES INTO SCHOOLS DURING A, UH, COVID PANDEMIC.
SO WE'RE HOPING THEY WILL COME BACK FOR FIRST GRADE PEOPLE.
I THINK THAT, UH, COLONEL BARRY, YOU ACTUALLY ASKED MY QUESTION IN REGARD TO THAT, UH, NEW BUILDS AND THE LUMBER THING.
CAUSE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I HAD SEEN SOMEWHERE IN AN NEWS BROADCAST ABOUT THE CLASS OF LUMBER SLOWING THINGS DOWN, BUT I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT IT WAS THE TIMELINE FOR A NEW BILL HAD BILLED HAD ESSENTIALLY BEEN IT'S FOUR TIMES AS LONG NOW, IS THAT ACCURATE? IT DEPENDS.
IT DEPENDS ON THE, THE COMMUNITY, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I SOLD A FEW HOMES OUT AT MALIN BLUFF TO SOME FOLKS AND NOW IT'S LIKE A BIDDING WAR ANYTIME THEY RELEASED NEW LOTS AND THEY'RE ONLY RELEASING LIKE THREE OR FOUR LOTS A MONTH.
UM, AND THE DEMAND IS BEYOND THAT.
SO, UM, YEAH, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S ACCELERATED, THE DEMAND HAS DEFINITELY ACCELERATED, WHICH IS WHY, UH, RESALES HAVE GONE UP IN PRICE.
I WOULD, I'LL TELL YOU THIS A YEAR AGO, MAYBE EVEN A YEAR, MAYBE A YEAR, A HALF AGO, IT MADE MORE SENSE TO BUY A NEW HOME THAN IT DID TO BUY A RESALE BECAUSE YOU COULD GET A NEW HOME FOR ABOUT THE SAME PRICE.
UM, AND YOU'D HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE HEADACHES OF, OF, YOU KNOW, FIXING IT UP OR HAVING FOR A WHILE WITHIN THE LAST YEAR THAT'S CHANGED BECAUSE THERE ARE NO NEW HOMES.
I MEAN, THEY'RE JUST NOTHING, THERE'S NOTHING AVAILABLE.
UM, AND THAT'S CHANGED DRASTICALLY JUST IN THE LAST YEAR EXAMPLE, CYPRESS RIDGE,
[00:30:01]
UH, MILL CREEK, UH, DR.HORTON, UM, USED TO HAVE SOME HOMES AVAILABLE WITHIN A MONTH OR TWO THAT YOU COULD PURCHASE.
UM, NOW THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE ANYTHING RELEASED UNTIL SOMETIME IN THE MIDDLE TO LATE JUNE.
UH, SAME THING WITH HARRIS, NEW RIVERSIDE, UM, LAMAR HOMES.
UH, THEIR NEXT PHASE WILL BE RELEASED SOMETIME IN JUNE.
SO HOW QUICKLY THEY'LL SELL THROUGH THAT AND HOW FAST THEY'LL BE ABLE TO BUILD, UH, IS YET TO BE DETERMINED, BUT TYPICALLY IT'S A SIX TO SEVEN MONTH PROCESS, BUT BECAUSE OF THE, UM, DIFFICULTY IN ACQUIRING ALL THE PRODUCTS, UH, YOU KNOW, TO BUILD A HOME, LIKE I SAID, WINDOWS ARE A PROBLEM RIGHT NOW, UH, LUMBERS HIGH, ET CETERA.
IT'S, UM, IT'S PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE SIX TO SEVEN MONTHS AND THEY HAVEN'T EVEN RELEASED THEIR NEXT PHASE YET, WHICH I WANT TO SAY IS, I WANT TO SAY THE MIDDLE TO LATE JUNE.
UM, BUT THEY'LL PROBABLY SELL UP PRETTY QUICK.
UM, DID ANY OF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS OR ANYBODY, UM, FROM DISTRICT STAFF HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE 2020, UM, MARKET REPORT OR THE APRIL, 2021 MARKET REPORT? AND, UM, IF NOT, DID Y'ALL HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON IT? UM, JEAN OR SEAN, DID YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THAT? WAS THERE ANY OUTLIERS ON THAT THAT YOU THOUGHT WE SHOULD BE AWARE OF OR ANYTHING THAT KIND OF STOOD OUT ON THEM THAT WE DRIVE FOR US? YOU'LL PROBABLY NOTICE AND YOU'LL PROBABLY NOTICE IT MORE NEXT MONTH.
THE NEXT MONTH REPORT THAT SALES ARE SLOWING AND IT'S NOT BECAUSE OF DEMAND IT'S BECAUSE THERE WAS NO INVENTORY AND THAT'S A NICHE, THAT'S A NATIONAL PROBLEM.
AND THIS WE'RE A LITTLE BIT MORE ATTRACTIVE THAN SOME OTHER PLACES, UM, IN THE UNITED STATES, BUT IT IS A NATIONAL PROBLEM.
AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT ONE MORE THING TO ADD.
IT SEEMS THAT THE STATES THAT HAVE MORE LOCKDOWNS ARE THE STATES THAT I'M SEEING.
THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE I'M SEEING THE MOST.
SO MICHIGAN, MASSACHUSETTS, CALIFORNIA, UM, ANY STATES THAT HAVE STRICTER LOCKDOWNS AND WE DO, AND ALL THE MANDATES, UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE LEAVING THOSE AREAS AND MOVING HERE ARE A LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE.
YOU SAID THOSE ARE PREDOMINANTLY RETIREES THOUGH, NOT NECESSARILY FAMILIES OR IS THAT KIND OF 50 50? I, I COULDN'T PUT A PERCENTAGE ON IT.
I WOULD SAY THAT, UM, YOU GET A MIX OF BOTH FAMILIES AND FAMILIES HAVE TO MOVE DURING CERTAIN PERIODS OF TIME BECAUSE THEIR KIDS ARE IN SCHOOL.
SO WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THE FAMILIES NOW BECAUSE THEY WANT TO GET IN BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS.
UM, WE SAW A LOT OF RETIREES EARLIER ON, UM, BUT NOW IT'S, IT'S A MIX REALLY RIGHT NOW, BUT FAMILIES ARE MORE SEASONAL BECAUSE OF THE, YOU KNOW, THEIR KIDS ARE IN SCHOOL.
ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE I'M DONE? SURE.
UH, THIS IS REALLY VOLATILE TIME AND, AND YOU'RE GIVING US, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR INSIGHTS AND YOUR VIEWS ON THE MARKET.
I HOPE THAT WE CAN STAY IN CONTACT AND AS YOU SEE TRENDS EMERGING, YOU CAN GIVE US A HEADS UP, UH, BECAUSE THIS IS REALLY, REALLY HARD FOR US TO TRY TO PLAN HOW WE'RE GOING TO COPE WITH THIS.
AND WE'VE GOT, UH, WE'VE GOT GROWTH IN DIFFERENT PARTS AND I'VE BEEN IN THIS AREA FOR 13 YEARS.
SO I HAVE SEEN WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THE PAST 13 YEARS AND IT'S AN UNPRECEDENTED BECAUSE WHAT I SAW BEFORE WAS THERE WAS THE START OF GROWTH WAS IN THE GATED COMMUNITIES AND THEY WERE THE HIGHER END RETIREES AND SO ON.
AND THEN THE GROWTH FOLLOWED BY PEOPLE THAT ARE PROVIDING THE SERVICES FOR THESE FOLKS.
AND THAT'S THE FOLKS THAT MANAGE THE STORES AND HAVE THE ENTREPRENEURS.
THEY WANT TO START A SMALL BUSINESS AND SO ON.
AND IT WAS PRETTY PREDICTABLE.
YOU KNOW, YOU COULD KIND OF SEE WHEN THEY OPENED UP HABERSHAM THAT WE KNEW THERE WAS GOING TO BE GROWTH THERE TO SUPPORT THE HABERSHAM FOLKS.
AND WE HAD THAT AND MY PART OF BUFORD COUNTY, BUT NOW IT'S JUST SCATTERSHOT AND
[00:35:01]
WE'RE SEEING TURNOVER, BUT I, I JUST KNOW THAT YOU FOLKS ARE GOING TO SEE THE TRENDS BEFORE WE DO.AND I HOPE WE CAN KEEP A CONVERSATION, A CONTACT WITH YOU FOLKS TO KIND OF HELP US IDENTIFY AND BE, UH, YOU KNOW, PUT A BETTER CRYSTAL BALL AND TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE IN THE YEARS TO COME, BECAUSE WE JUST CAN'T HAVE KIDS IN THE MOBILE CLASSROOMS AND, YOU KNOW, TEACHERS SHARING CLASSROOMS AND ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'VE HAD TO DO IN THE PAST.
WE SURE WE WANT TO, TO GET AHEAD OF THAT AS MUCH AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
AND THAT MAY MEAN A NEW BLAND PURCHASE.
IT MAY MEAN NEW CONSTRUCTION, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO BUILD, AND NO ONE COMES.
WE WANT TO BE READY FOR WHEN THEY COME.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S OUR CONUNDRUM, AS THE CHAIR MENTIONED, WELL, RICHARD, I'LL TELL YOU THIS.
THEY TOOK MY CRYSTAL BALL AWAY FROM ME.
AND, UH, ALONG WITH THAT, THEY TOOK MY MAGIC WAND AS WELL.
BUT I WILL TELL YOU THIS, MY PHONE NUMBER IS VERY PUBLIC.
AND, UM, IF ANY OF YOU EVER HAVE QUESTIONS OR JUST WANTING TO GET A QUICK UPDATE, WARDEN, HAPPY TO HELP YOU.
I PRIMARILY DEAL WITH THE BLUFFTON OPT INTO BUFORD AREA.
UM, YOU KNOW, NOT TOO FAR INTO BUFORD, BUT I DO, UH, I DO KNOW THAT MARKET FAIRLY WELL.
UM, I DO SOME AS WELL IN HILTON HEAD, BUT PRIMARILY BLUFFTON IS WHERE A MAJORITY OF MY BUSINESSES.
AND, UM, I SEE THE TRENDS IN THE TRENDS CHANGE QUICKLY, ESPECIALLY LATELY IT'S VERY, VERY PREDICTABLE THREE YEARS AGO.
I COULD TELL YOU EXACTLY WHEN THE TIME WAS TO BUY AND WHEN THE TIME WAS TO SELL, THAT IS ALL GONE OUT THE WINDOW.
MS. CAROL, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR US OR YOUR HAND BEFORE I DID.
UH, IF YOU HAD MENTIONED, UM, SEAN, THAT YOU WERE SELLING IN MALIN BLUFF AND OTHER THAN THE SIGN, THAT'S NOT KIND OF BEEN IN THERE TO EVEN KNOW HOW MANY HOMES THEY'VE GOT.
THE KIND OF, WHAT'S BEEN THAT AVERAGE PRICE POINT BECAUSE THAT'S ALWAYS A GOOD INDICATOR FOR ME TO KIND OF KNOW WHETHER IT'S REALLY GOING TO PRODUCE A LOT OF STUDENTS.
UM, I, I'M GOING TO SAY THAT THE APP OF COURSE HAS GONE UP.
UH, THE AVERAGE IS GOING TO BE IN THE HIGH THREES TO THE HIGH FOURS.
AND MY GUESS IS BY THE TIME THEY'RE DONE BUILDING, IT'LL BE IN THE FIVE HUNDREDS AND IT'S A PRETTY NICE HOMES.
THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT LEVELS OF HOMES YOU'VE BUY IN THERE.
IT'S A BIDDING WAR ON JUST THE LOT YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO BID ON THE LOT.
WE HAVE A BASE PRICE OF SAY 30 GRAND.
AND THERE, I HEARD THAT THERE WERE BIDS GOING UP OVER 60,000 JUST FOR THE LOT.
THIS HAS BEEN VERY INFORMATIVE AND IT COMES AT A REALLY IMPORTANT TIME AS EVERYTHING JUST CONTINUES TO SHIFT.
AND AS YOU MENTIONED TO SEAN, THAT THE TRENDS CHANGE REALLY QUICKLY.
UM, AND WE'VE NOTICED THAT JUST IN THE LAST YEAR OR SO THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING.
SO WE ARE SO APPRECIATIVE OF YOU GUYS TAKING THE TIME OUT OF THE END OF YOUR DAY TOWARDS THE END OF A HOLIDAY OR ABOUT TO BE A HOLIDAY WEEKEND.
SO WE ARE SO THANKFUL FOR YOU TAKING THE TIME OUT TO COME AND MEET WITH US AND SEAN, I'LL BE GETTING YOUR NUMBER AND GINA HAVE YOURS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
WE WANT OUR COUNTY SCHOOLS TO THRIVE AS WELL.
SO CAN YOU ON THE AGENDA? SO IF YOU GUYS WANT TO SEE YOURSELVES OUT, FEEL FREE.
UM, WE HAVE NEXT ON THE AGENDA ITEM G IS DISCUSSION OF LAND ACQUISITION, AND I BELIEVE THIS CAME FROM, UM, OUR PLANNING COORDINATOR OR COORDINATOR.
YEAH, ROBIN, I JUST, UH, IF YOU'LL BRING UP THAT SLIDE, IT'S, IT'S JUST, IT'S BEEN A TOPIC WE'VE, WE'VE TOUCHED ON IN THE PAST.
AND WE, UM, TALKED ABOUT CIRCLING BACK TO, TO THE CONVERSATION.
SO I JUST KIND OF MADE THIS QUICK SLOT AND, AND ROBERT CAN JUMP IN AT ANY TIME, UM, JUST TO SORT OF REGROUP AND, UM, MAYBE KIND OF ACLU MATE, MS. MIDDLETON AS TO CONVERSATION ON LAND.
[00:40:01]
THE DISTRICT OWNS THAT WOULD BE, UM, SIZABLE ENOUGH TO BUILD ANYTHING.UM, WE HAVE PROPERTY ON SPRINGFIELD ROAD, THAT'S ON LADY'S ISLAND.
WE HAVE NO PLANS FOR CURRENT, FOR THAT POTENTIAL NEED.
WE HAVE LAND AT MAY RIVER HIGH, UH, AND NEW RIVERSIDE.
AND WE HAVE ENOUGH LAND THERE.
UM, ORIGINALLY MASTER PLAN SORT OF FOR A NEW ELEMENTARY AND A MIDDLE, OR, YOU KNOW, NOW IF KATE'S THE POPULAR THING, WE GOT ROOM FOR THAT.
UM, AND THEN WE'VE GOT LAND, UH, SORT OF IN FRONT OF, ON HIGHWAY ONE 70 FRONTAGE IN FRONT OF OTT ELEMENTARY AND THAT'S ONE 20 ACRES OR SO 22 ACRES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
ROBERT, THAT IS ENOUGH TO DO SOMETHING THERE.
UM, BUT NO ONE IS CURRENTLY LOOKING FOR ANY NEW LAND RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND NO FUNDING HAS BEEN APPROPRIATED FOR LAND.
AND THAT WAS DISCUSSED BY THE COMMUNITY PROJECT REVIEW COMMITTEE BACK IN 2019, WHICH, UM, IF YOU'LL REMEMBER, THAT'S WHAT FORMED THE, THE LIST THAT BECAME THE 2019 REFERENDUM LIST.
SO THEY WAS ON THE LIST, BUT IT DIDN'T MAKE IT TO THE REFERENDUM.
UM, THIS YEAR WITH OUR 8% APPROVAL PROJECT LIST, WE HAVE LAND ON THE LIST.
UM, AND IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH HOW WE'VE BEEN HANDLING THAT, THERE'S SORT OF A, UM, A BLACK LINE.
AND THEN THERE'S A RED LINE BELOW THAT WITH THE LIST OF PROJECTS IN BETWEEN, IF WE HAVE SOME SAVINGS, WE CAN GO TO ITEMS BELOW THAT LINE.
THERE'S NO MONEY ATTACHED TO IT, BUT THE ITEM IT LIST IS AT LEAST THERE.
SO WE CAN START PUTTING IT INTO FOCUS.
UM, BUT WE'RE NOT LOOKING SO THAT, THAT'S SOMETHING WE, I THINK WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT.
WELL, I W I WOULD JUST ADD, YOU HEARD, UM, SEAN PREVIOUSLY JUST SAY THAT 95% OF THE LAND IN BLUFFTON IS PRETTY AWESOME AND THAT'S ALL BEEN ACCOUNTED FOR, SO THERE'S NOT A LOT LEFT.
UM, AND SO, UM, JUST, HE JUST ACKNOWLEDGED WHAT ONE OF OUR BIG CONCERNS IS, IS THAT OUR CHOICE IS LIMITED ON WHAT'S STILL AVAILABLE, UM, THAT COULD BE PURCHASED, UH, THAT WOULD BE SIZABLE ENOUGH FOR SCHOOL.
SO LET ME ASK YOU MY, I GUESS MY FIRST QUESTION IS SINCE WE HAVE, NO ONE IS CURRENTLY LOOKING FOR POTENTIAL PARCELS, DOES, DO YOU ALL FEEL THAT YOU NEED DIRECTION FROM THE FULL BOARD TO BEGIN LOOKING AT THAT? OR I KNOW THAT A LOT OF THAT WILL THEN TURN INTO A CONVERSATION THAT'S EXECUTIVE SESSION AND PROBABLY FODDER, BUT I JUST NEED TO, I GUESS, ASK IF YOU WERE LOOKING FOR DIRECTION FROM US TO THEN PROVIDE THAT TO THE FULL BOARD AND ALSO WHAT MY FELLOW COMMITTEE MEMBERS THINK OF THAT I'M GOING TO SAY YES, THAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR DIRECTION.
ONE OF THE THINGS IS, YOU KNOW, THIS CONVERSATION, IF YOU NOTICED IS GROWING.
AND SO THAT'S GOOD TO SEE, AND I THINK THERE'S GROWING BOARD SUPPORT FOR THAT, FOR US TO INVESTIGATE THAT, ALTHOUGH WE HAVE NOT BEEN, UM, DIRECTED IN ANY WAY TO THROW A LOT OF EFFORT IN THAT DIRECTION.
I'M JUST GONNA LIKE ANECDOTALLY, AND BASED ON, I WAS LOOKING AT THE COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES FROM OUR LAST MEETING WHEN WE HAD, UH, NEAR SILKA WITH US.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SHE SAID WAS THERE WAS THAT 52% POPULATION GROWTH, UM, SINCE 2015, WHICH IS TREMENDOUS FOR OUR AREA.
AND WHILE WE DO HAVE THESE SITES THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN OUR POSSESSION, UM, I, I DON'T SEE BASED ON THE DATA AND INFORMATION THAT'S BEEN PRESENTED TO US THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE ENOUGH TO ACCOMMODATE THE AMOUNT OF STUDENTS THAT WE MAY POTENTIALLY HAVE.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW EVERYBODY ELSE FEELS ABOUT IT, BUT, UM, I KNOW THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE PROPERTY IN OF OCA T ELEMENTARY AND WHAT IT, THE SIZING OF IT AND THE ACREAGE THAT WE WOULD NEED FOR POTENTIAL SCHOOLS.
UM, SO I CERTAINLY WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM OTHERS ON THAT, BUT IT JUST SOUNDS LIKE TO ME, IS THAT WE DO NEED TO GET INTO SOME EXPLORATORY STAGES HERE.
AND AS I RECALL, WE SAID WE WERE GOING TO USE, BUT
[00:45:01]
THAT MONEY KIND OF LOOKING FOR PURCHASING LAND.AND SO, UM, THE LAND ISN'T GOING TO GET CHEAPER THE LONGER, UH, I HAD A REALLY GOOD CONVERSATION WITH JOE PESSIMIST, UH, LAST COUPLE OF DAYS.
AND, UH, HE TOLD ME THAT, YES, THE BLUFFTON W WHAT WE'VE HEARD ABOUT BLUFFTON IS, IS RIGHT ON, BUT THE COUNTY LAND SOUTH OF THE BROAD, HE SAYS THERE'S 500 PERMITS FOR INDIVIDUAL, UH, HOUSING THAT HE KNOWS ABOUT IT'S GOING TO COME IN UNINCORPORATED BUFORD COUNTY, SOUTH OF THE BROAD.
YOU KNOW, UH, CAUSE THIS WAS, UH, THIS CAME UP IN THE DISCUSSION ABOUT IMPACT FEES.
SO, UM, IT WOULD SEEM TO ME THAT THIS IS A DISCUSSION I, DR.
WISNIEWSKI I REALLY BELIEVE THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT IN AN EXECUTIVE SESSION ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.
WE CAN'T DO IT IN OPEN SESSION BECAUSE IT MIGHT GIVE SOME PEOPLE AT ADVANTAGE TO LOOK, YOU KNOW, GET INTO PROPERTY AND SO ON, BUT AT LEAST GET AN IDEA FROM THE BOARD OF WHAT THEIR THINKINGS.
AND THEN WE MAY HAVE TO DO A PUBLIC VOTE ON DOING SOMETHING.
BUT TO ME, LOOKING AT LAND IS SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY NEED TO BE ADDRESSING PRETTY QUICK.
SO I MIGHT NEED TO GET WITH, UM, WENDY CARTLIDGE TO ASK HIM OR ASK HER, EXCUSE ME, WHAT QUALIFIES FOR, UM, AT WHAT, AT WHAT STAGE WE WOULD NEED TO BE IN THE CONVERSATION FOR, TO QUALIFY FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION.
SO I MAY NEED TO ASK HER ABOUT THAT.
UM, SO LET ME SEE IF SOMEONE COULD PROVIDE ME WITH EMOTION THAT JUST DIRECTS ME TO, UM, MOVE FORWARD WITH TRYING TO GET SOMETHING INTO AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
AND ALTERNATIVELY, IF IT CAN'T THAT WE BRING THE DISCUSSION TO THE FULL BOARD, UM, BECAUSE WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANT IT TO SIT AND WAIT FOR A WHOLE NOTHER MONTH.
UM, YOU I'D LIKE TO HAVE THE ALTERNATIVE ROUTES.
YOU NEED A MOTION, OR CAN THE COMMITTEE JUST AGREE THAT YOU MOVE FORWARD WITH WENDY TO GET THE INFORMATION WELL, UM, I WANT TO HAVE DIRECTION YOU, IF SHE COMES BACK AND SAYS THAT WE CAN PUT IT ON A NEXT AGENDA AS APPROPRIATE FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION, I'D LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT AND WHAT YOU WANT TO NECESSARILY STALL IT AND HAVE TO CIRCLE BACK AROUND.
UM, UNLESS ANYONE OBJECTS I SEE ROBERT, YOUR HAND IS RAISED, SORRY.
I, I WOULD JUST, UH, MAKE YOU AWARE THAT PAST LAND PURCHASES THAT THE BOARD HAS, UH, GONE INTO THE WAY WE DID THAT WAS THROUGH THE USE OF A, UH, PLAN CONSULTANT, EDUCATIONAL LAND CONSULTANT.
UM, AND I REACHED OUT TODAY, I, I NEED TO CHECK THE PROCUREMENT CODE ON WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S AN EXEMPT, UH, TYPE CONSULTANT OR WHETHER OR NOT WE NEED TO GO OUT WITH AN RF, UH, CUE FOR THAT OR RFP.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK A MOTION, IF THAT'S THE DIRECTION YOU THINK WE MIGHT WANT TO GO, THEN, UM, ONE THING COULD BE FOR US TO AT LEAST START LOOKING INTO DEVELOPING AN RFP FOR, UM, EIGHT LAND CONSULTANT.
GLADYS, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
I SEE YOU HAVE YOUR HAND RAISED.
I THINK YOU MIGHT BE MUTED THOUGH.
SO, UM, I WAS, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO THE CONVERSATION IT'S BEEN EXCELLENT.
UM, THE, THE, UH, I DON'T THINK JUST A GENERAL DISCUSSION OF SORT OF OUR, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT PURCHASING LAND COULD BE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
I REALLY THINK IT HAS TO BE, WE'D HAVE TO BE, UH, NEGOTIATING A PROPOSED SALE OR A PROPOSED PURCHASE.
I THINK YOU HAVE TO, TO, TO, YOU KNOW, RECEIVE LEGAL ADVICE, ET CETERA.
I JUST WENT BACK TO, UM, HELEN MCFADDEN'S, UH, POWERPOINT.
AND SHE SAYS, YOU KNOW, SPECIFICALLY I RECALLED HER DOING THE FIVE, UH, THE REASONS FOR YOU, WHY YOU CAN GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, BUT I THINK IT HAS TO BE A PROPOSED SALE.
AND I THINK PROBABLY THE GENERAL IDEA OF PURCHASING LAND IS PROBABLY NOT ENOUGH TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, BUT WENDY WOULD BE THE ONE THAT WE'D WANT TO, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVE, HAVE WEIGH IN ON THAT.
[00:50:01]
BUT I, I, YOU KNOW, I AGREE.I MEAN, I REALLY THINK WE DO START, WE NEED TO LOOK AT LAND NOW AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF UNINCORPORATED AREAS IN THE BLUFFTON AREA.
I MEAN, I LIVE IN AN UNINCORPORATED AREA, UM, AND YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT ALL ANNEXED INTO THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON.
SO, UM, COLONEL GEIER MS. MIDDLETON, DO YOU HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW WE PROCEED BASED ON ALSO WHAT ROBERT SAID WITH POTENTIAL TO, WE MIGHT NEED TO GET AN RFP OR RFQ FOR, UM, LAND DEVELOPMENT.
I THINK YOU SHOULD TALK TO ONE, DEFINITELY TALK TO WENDY FIRST TO SEE HOW, HOW WE NEED TO PRESENT THIS, BECAUSE IF WE NEED A CONSULTANT DON'T, WE WOULD NEED TO DISCUSS THAT WHEN WE WOULD NEED TO DISCUSS THE CONSULTANT FIRST.
SO TALK TO WENDY ABOUT HOW WE NEED TO DO THIS.
DO WE NEED TO DISCUSS HIRING A CONSULTANT IN EXECUTIVE SESSION? THIS IS A NEWBIE QUESTION.
I THINK IT MIGHT BE GENERAL SESSION PUBLIC SESSION FOR US TO DISCUSS HIRING.
AND THEN ONCE WE GET INTO DEVELOPMENT OF RFP AND ACTUALLY NEGOTIATING CONTRACT, THAT'S WHEN IT BECOMES EXECUTIVE SESSIONS.
SO DO WE NEED TO DO A MOTION IF WE'RE GOING TO JUST DISCUSS, HIRING A CONSULTANT AND GENERAL SESSION, OR COULD THAT JUST BE AN AGENDA ITEM? WE CAN ADD THAT FROM ONE OF OUR AGENDAS.
THAT'S WHAT I'M, UM, KIND OF LEANING TOWARDS IS THAT, YOU KNOW, OUT OF, OUT OF COMMITTEE, THAT WE WOULD RECOMMEND TO THE FULL BOARD, THAT WE HAVE A DISCUSSION REGARDING, UM, POSSIBLY HIRING SOMEONE TO ASSIST US.
CAN SOMEONE PROVIDE ME WITH MOTION? HOLD ON.
I'M TRYING TO WRITE, I'M DIVING INTO THIS MOTION POOL SWIMMING.
I STARTED IT WITH THE AD HOC COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS TO THE FULL BOARD.
WHEN I MOVED AT THE ANALOG BLOCK, THEN I MOVED THAT THE AD HOC BLUFFTON COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS TO THE FULL BOARD TO DISCUSS HIRING AN EDUCATIONAL LAND PURCHASING CONSULTANT.
IS THAT, IS THAT THEIR TITLE? ROBERT SOUNDS PERFECT.
EDUCATIONAL LAND CONSULTANT CHECK.
DID IT? THE ONLY THING THAT I WOULD ADD IS, UM, FOR THE BLUFFTON AREA.
HOW ABOUT
UM, THE AD HOC BLUFFTON GROWTH COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS TO THE FULL BOARD TO DISCUSS, HIRING THE DISCUSSION, TO ENGAGE IN DISCUSSION REGARDING HIRING WHATEVER THAT TITLE IS.
I HAVE TO SEE IT ALL ONCE IT'S UP THERE.
WOMEN, LET ME GET RID OF THIS IN THE, IN THE DISCUSSION OF HIRING AND EDUCATIONAL LAND CONSULTANT FOR THE BLUFFTON AREA, DO YOU ENGAGE IN DISCUSSION REGARDING GENDER AND, UM, I HEAR TWO ARGUMENTS TO THE FULL BOARD TO ENGAGE IN, TO ENGAGE IN DISCUSSION REGARDING DISCUSSION REGARDING THE HIRING OF ITCH.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION OR COMMENTS BEFORE WE CALL FOR THE VOTE? YEAH.
[00:55:01]
PERFECT.THAT WILL BE IN MY REPORT TO THE FULL BOARD AT OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING, WHICH I BELIEVE IS ON TUESDAY ON TUESDAY.
UM, I'LL PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA.
UM, THE MOTION SO THAT UP UNDER COMMITTEE REPORT.
AND THE ONLY THING I ASK IS, UM, ROBERT AND CAROL, IF YOU GUYS CAN HAVE ANY PERTINENT DATA POINTS AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT THE PRIOR EDUCATIONAL LAND CONSULTANT THAT WE'VE USED, UM, OF COURSE WE NEED TO KEEP OUR CONVERSATION JUST FACTUALLY BASED, BUT, UM, IF YOU CAN DO THAT, THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL JUST IN CASE THERE'S QUESTIONS THAT I MIGHT HAVE, I'LL FIND OUT HOW WE CAN TRACK, HOW, HOW, WHAT KIND OF CONTRACT FORM WE HAD WITH THEM AND ALSO NAMED PROCUREMENT REQUIREMENTS FOR THAT TYPE OF RFP.
I WAS GOING TO SAY PROCUREMENT NEEDS TO BE PART OF THE DISCUSSION.
UM, SO ANY OTHER CONVERSATION REGARDING THE LAND ACQUISITION? NONE.
MOVING ON TO NEXT ITEM, WHICH IS DISCUSSION OF FUTURE AGENDA TOPICS.
UM, I HAD ONE THAT ROLLED OVER FROM OUR LAST MEETING, WHICH WAS COORDINATING, UM, DISCUSSION WITH ANY DEVELOPERS.
UM, I'M DON'T KNOW IF WE WANT TO DO THAT, YOU KNOW, AT, ALONG WITH THE SAME TIME OF THE EDUCATIONAL LAND CONSULTANT OR NOT, THAT KIND OF SEEMS TO MAKE SENSE THAT WE WOULD ENGAGE IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS OR TRY TO, UM, BECAUSE PERHAPS WE CAN THEN FUNNEL THEM TO WHATEVER INDIVIDUAL WE CHOOSE FOR THE EDUCATIONAL LAND CONSULTANT.
UM, ANY OTHER TOPICS OR ANYTHING TO ADD ON THAT? I DO HAVE ALSO FOR OUR NEXT MEETING, UM, THE BEAVER COUNTY TREASURER, MARIA WALLS WILL BE ATTENDING TO DISCUSS, UM, TAX ROLLS AND WHAT SHE'S SEEN OVER COVID, UM, AND THE RECEIPTS OF, UM, TAX BILLS IN THE TREASURER'S OFFICE.
SO SHE WILL BE SPEAKING AT OUR NEXT MEETING.
UM, SO IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU WANT ME TO HAVE HER, YOU KNOW, PREPARE ANSWERS FOR OR ANYTHING THAT SHE WOULD FALL UNDER HER PURVIEW, UM, CERTAINLY DO SEND THOSE TO ME AND I'LL MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET OVER TO HER, UM, TO ANSWER FOR OUR NEXT MEETING.
ANYTHING ELSE NEXT MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR JUNE 24TH AT FIVE O'CLOCK.
CAN I GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN WE ADJOURN FOR TODAY? MEMORIAL DAY, YOU DO THE SAME.