[00:00:01]
CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BEAVER COUNTY.
[ Call to Order]
CALL THE TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH, 2021 TOWN COUNCIL MEETING A BLUFFING TO ORDER.WE HAVE ALL OF COUNCIL PRESENT.
UM, LET'S START WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, FOLLOWED BY THE INVOCATION
[Pledge of Allegiance]
AND PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL, WITHOUT YOUR HEAD IN PRAYER,[Invocation]
LOVING AND GRACIOUS.GOD, YOU'RE INDEED THE GIVER OF ALL GOOD GIFTS.
AND WE THANK YOU TODAY FOR ALL YOUR BLESSINGS, YOU HAVE SO GRACIOUSLY BESTOWED UPON THIS WONDERFUL TOWN.
WE CONTINUE TO SEEK YOUR WISDOM, GUIDANCE, COURAGE, AND STRENGTH.
BE WITH US IN OUR DELIBERATIONS AND HELP US TO BE WISE IN THE DECISIONS WE MAKE FOR THE GOOD OF ALL OF THOSE WHO WERE PLACED THEIR TRUST AND CONFIDENCE IN OUR LEADERSHIP.
WE ALSO WANT TO PRAY FOR OUR NEXT GENERATION OF FUTURE LEADERS WHO CONTINUE TO MAKE US ALL PROUD IN THIS.
[Adoption of the Agenda]
AGENDA.UNIQUE THING, MR. CEASE, ALL FROM.
IS THERE ANY OTHER, WELL, WE DID THAT.
IS THERE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE AGENDA TO YOUR SECOND? ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR STATE WITH SAYING AYE.
[ Adoption of the Minutes]
OF MINUTES.ONE WAS THE WORKSHOP, THE JULY 20TH, 2021.
IF Y'ALL HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK IT OVER, IF THERE NO CHANGES, IS THERE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THEIR SECOND? ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR STATE BY SAYING AYE.
AND THEN OUR AUGUST MEETING OF AUGUST 10TH, 2021 ST.
JOE'S, IF NOT AS YOUR EMOTION, YOUR SECOND, SECOND, ANY DISCUSSION ALL IN FAVOR STATE BY SAYING AYE.
[Presentations, Celebrations and Recognitions]
OPPOSED.WE HAVE PRESENTATION, CELEBRATIONS AND RECOGNITIONS.
[Presentation of Municipal Association of South Carolina Achievement Award for Population 10,001 -20,000 Category for Wright Family Park - Charlie Barrineau, Field Services Manager, Municipal Association of South Carolina ]
BAER HERE FROM MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION.HE IS THE FIELD SERVICES MANAGER PRESENTING US WITH OUR SOUTH CAROLINA ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR OUR POPULATION FOR THE RIGHT FAMILY PARK.
RIGHT? MADAM MAYOR MEMBERS OF COUNCIL IS GREAT TO BE IN BLUFFTON ON A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
UM, CHARLIE BERNO WITH THE MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATIONS, GREAT TO BE HERE, AWARDING YOU AN ACHIEVEMENT AWARD, BRINGING IT BACK HOME.
SO TO SPEAK, I GUESS, RETURNING IT TO BLUFFTON, UH, IN THE POPULATION CATEGORY OF 10,000 TO 20,000, I THINK THEY GOT THE VIDEO KEYED UP.
AND SO IT PROBABLY BE BETTER TO, TO WATCH THAT AS CALHOUN STREET RUNS THROUGH THE CORE OF OLD TOWN, BLUFFTON, THE ROADWAY ENDS JUST AS THE PEACEFUL MAY RIVER BEGINS WITH THE EXPANSION OF ITS PARKS.
AS A GOAL OF THE OLD TOWN MASTER PLAN, THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON HAD LONG SOUGHT TO BUY THE RIGHT FAMILY PROPERTY, TO TRANSFORM IT INTO A PARK.
THE TOWN PARTNERED WITH BUFORD COUNTY TO PURCHASE THE PROPERTY FOR $1.5 MILLION WITH AN AGREEMENT THAT MAKES THE TOWN, THE PARKS OPERATING PARTNER FUNDING FOR THE PARKS CONSTRUCTION CAME FROM HOSPITALITY AND ACCOMMODATIONS TAXES.
ALONG WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF PARKS, RECREATION AND TOURISM GRANT, OBVIOUSLY ACQUIRING A PIECE OF WATERFRONT PROPERTY.
ISN'T THE EASIEST THING TO DO FOR MOST THROUGH OUR FUNDING PARTNERSHIPS.
NOW EVERYBODY IN BLUFFTON AND BEAVER COUNTY HAS EQUITY IN ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING VIEWS IN ALL OF BLUFFTON WHILE THE PARK IS NOT ONLY BREATHTAKING, IT PROVIDES ALL PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE, AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME TOGETHER AND ENJOY THE SPECTACULAR PROPERTY.
THE PROPERTY VACANT SINCE THE 1990S IS LOCATED ON THE MAY RIVER AND FEATURES THE SQUIRE POPE CARRIAGE HOUSE, A STRUCTURE WITH MORE THAN 150 YEARS OF HISTORY, ALONG WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PARK, THE TOWN EXPANDED THE HISTORIC CALHOUN STREET REGIONAL DOCK, WHICH IS ADJACENT TO THE PROPERTY ARCHEOLOGICAL DIGS BY THE HISTORIC BLUFFTON FOUNDATION YIELDED DOZENS OF ARTIFACTS AT THE SITE, FOUND STAFF WORKED WITH THE RIGHT FAMILY AND PRESERVATION EXPERTS TO INCORPORATE
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THE FAMILIES AND TOWNS HISTORY INTO THE PARK SIGNS, ELEMENTS, AND LANDSCAPING.THIS IS A DROP THE MIC MOMENT BUYING THIS PART.
AND IT HAD ALL OF THOSE REASONS OF CULTURE AND HISTORY AND BEAUTY AND OUR GYM, THE MAY RIVER KIND OF AT A CROSSROADS WHERE IT KIND OF AT THE FOUR-WAY STOP, UM, APART.
SO YOU HAVE ALL OF THOSE ELEMENTS THAT PLAYED INTO OUR DECISION TO EVEN PURCHASE THIS AND FIND A PARTNER TO PURCHASE IT.
SO IT GIVES US THE ABILITY TO COME AND SIT AND VIEW THE MAY RIVER, WHICH IS OUR LIFEBLOOD IN THIS TOWN.
MOVING FORWARD, THE TOWN WILL USE A MATCHING GRANT FROM THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF ARCHIVES AND HISTORY TO STABILIZE AND REHABILITATE THE SQUIRE POPE HOUSE FOR PUBLIC USE.
THE RIGHT FAMILY PARK GIVES ALL RESIDENTS AND VISITORS A BETTER OPPORTUNITY EXPERIENCE THE ECOLOGY CULTURE AND IDENTITY OF ONE OF THE SOUTH'S LAST HISTORICAL RIVER VILLAGES.
IN BEHALF OF THE MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION, OUR 271 CITIES AND TOWNS.
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR ACHIEVEMENT AWARD.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE DOING ANY PHOTOS OR ANYTHING THAT'S EVENING, BUT AGAIN, CONGRATULATE, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR COMING THIS WAY.
CAN WE KEEP IT SINCE YOU HAVE TO RETURN IT? WELL, I'LL HAVE TO TEASE DAN AND I WERE THERE THAT MORNING AND, UM, THERE'S A PICTURE OF OUR NEW TOWN MANAGER HOLDING IT UP LIKE THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP.
AND HE WAS SO ANIMATED ABOUT IT AND I WAS THRILLED TO SEE HOW THRILLED HE WAS, THAT WHAT HE'S PART OF CREATED US THAT CHANCE TO WIN.
I'M HAVING TROUBLE GETTING ON MY COMPUTER,
[Destination Marketing Organization Annual Marketing Plan, Report of Progress and Actions – Ariana Pernice, Vice-President Visitor & Convention Bureau, Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce]
BUT HOW WORK OFF OF THIS NEXT WE HAVE, UM, ARIANA, BERNICE DESTINATION MARKETING ORGANIZATION, ANNUAL MARKETING PLAN ON THE PROGRESS AND THE ACTIONS.SO IS SHE ZOOMING? GOOD EVENING.
UNMUTE IF YOU CAN, ARIANA AND WE DON'T SEE YOUR FACE EITHER.
WELL, HOW DO YOU SAY ONE MINUTE? TALK AGAIN.
ARE YOU READY FOR MY PRESENTATION MAYOR? WE ARE A BIT, WE'RE HAVING A LITTLE TROUBLE ON THE VOLUME.
HOW HAS THAT, DO YOU HEAR ME NOW? IT'S VERY LOW, BUT TOMMY'S WORKING ON IT.
DO A TEST TEST AGAIN, SPEAK AGAIN.
CAN YOU SPEAK UP JUST A LITTLE BIT SCREEN? OKAY.
SO WE WERE, WE WERE BETTER NOW.
WE'RE NOT JUST TALK ABOUT, WE'LL DO THIS IF WE NEED YOU TO.
WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.
I AM THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR THE VISITOR AND CONVENTION BUREAU AT THE HEAD ISLAND, BLUFFTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
AND I AM HERE TO REPORT ON OUR FISCAL YEAR Q4 RESULTS.
UM, SO IF YOU WILL, I'LL SHARE MY SCREEN AND Y'ALL HERE IN THE BACK.
WOULD IT POSSIBLY BE LOUD? I KNOW YOU SWITCHED IT FROM THE ORIGINAL, UM, VOLUME OUTPUT TO SPEAKER.
IF WE GO BACK TO THE TOP NOW SAY SOMETHING, ARIANA.
CAN YOU TURN UP YOUR VOLUME OR GET CLOSER? OKAY.
WELL, I'M SITTING AS POSSIBLY CLOSE AS I CAN APOLOGIZE FOR ANY.
HOW IS THAT? I CAN TRY IT A LITTLE BETTER JUST WHEN YOU GET IT UP.
IF YOU COULD JUST LEAN AS CLOSE TO YOUR MIC AS POSSIBLE, THEN YOU WON'T SEE.
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MY SCREEN AND WE CAN GO FROM THERE AND I'LL TRY TO SPEAK UP AS WELL.AND EVERYONE SEEING MY SCREEN.
WELL, THANK YOU AGAIN, EVERYONE FOR YOUR TIME AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT OUR Q4, UH, FISCAL YEAR 21 UPDATE.
SO WE'RE GOING TO DIVE RIGHT INTO THE METRICS UPDATE.
UM, AND AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, IT'S A GREAT STORY.
SO AS WE WENT THROUGH APRIL MAY AND JUNE, WE SEE THESE ARROWS IN COMPARISON TO THE PRIOR YEAR OF THOSE THREE MONTHS THAT WE WERE UP ACROSS THE BOARD.
WE WANT TO FOCUS IN, UM, NOT THAT WE DON'T WANT TO FOCUS IN ON ALL OF IT, BUT IF WE WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT LAST LINE WITH THE REV PAR AGAIN, THESE APRIL MAY AND JUNE NUMBERS IN COMPARISON TO, UH, 2020, UM, ARE QUITE OUTSTANDING.
UM, PLEASE NOTE THAT DURING, UM, THAT MARCH, APRIL AND A BIT OF MAY, WE HAD, UM, MONTAGE CLOSED.
SO THOSE ARE WHY SOME OF THOSE NUMBERS SEEM FAIRLY LARGE FOR COVID.
AS WE DIVE INTO SOCIAL MEDIA, AS YOU KNOW, UM, A COUPLE OF YEARS BACK, WE HELD HANDS AND REALLY, UM, PUT OUR, OUR HEAD, UM, UH, TOGETHER TO ENSURE THAT WE HAD A STRONG SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY.
AND WHEN WE LOOK ACROSS AT THESE THREE CHANNELS, FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, AND TWITTER, OUR FOCUS FROM A TOURISM AND TRAVEL AND TOURISM PERSPECTIVE IS REALLY ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM.
AS WE KNOW, TWITTER IS REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY FOR, UM, TRAVEL AND TOURISM KIND OF IN THE MOMENT UPDATES.
UM, IT WOULD BE LIKE IF WE WERE ALIVE AT AN EVENT OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE, WE WOULD TREAT TWEET AND POST IN THAT MOMENT.
SO OUR FOCUS IN TERM IN TERMS OF GROWTH, UM, IN TERMS OF NOT ONLY FOLLOWERS, BUT ALSO ENGAGEMENT IS REALLY, UM, FOCUSED IN ON THAT FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, WE HAVE SEEN GROWTH, SUBSTANTIAL GROWTH IN BOTH THOSE CHANNELS, UM, YEAR OVER YEAR, NOT ONLY IN LIKES, BUT ALSO ENGAGEMENT AND THAT FOCUS CONTINUES AS WE MOVE INTO OUR NEW FISCAL YEAR.
I'M NOT GOING TO SPEND TOO MUCH TIME ON THAT, BUT WE CONTINUE TO BUILD ON THAT STRATEGY AND INCREASE THOSE FOLLOWERS AS WELL AS THAT ENGAGEMENT.
AND THAT IS ALL OVERALL, UM, IMPACTING NOT ONLY OUR SOCIAL CHANNELS, BUT ALSO WILL IN IMPACT OUR WEBSITE NUMBERS AS WELL AS OUR REFERRALS OUT TO OUR PARTNERS, WHICH ARE BUSINESSES IN THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON.
HERE ARE THOSE WEBSITE STATS THAT WE WERE JUST MENTIONING.
AGAIN, I WANT TO BRING NOTE OR LIGHT TO THE FACT THAT WE LAUNCHED THE STANDALONE WEBSITE OF VISIT BLUFFTON.ORG, UM, BACK IN MARCH OF 2021.
AND SO WHEN YOU SEE THESE COMPARISONS, THEY ARE COMPARISON COMPARED TO THE MICROSITE THAT PREVIOUSLY EXISTED.
UM, WE NEED A FULL YEAR OBVIOUSLY TO COMPARE YEAR OVER YEAR AGAINST, UM, TO HAVE APPLES TO APPLES, BUT STILL AMAZING GROWTH HERE.
AGAIN, REALLY PUTTING EMPHASIS ON CONTENT, BUILDING OUT THE CHANNEL, UM, CONNECTIONS BETWEEN SOCIAL, UM, IE NEWS AND BLOG AND STORYTELLING AND PARTNERSHIPS ALL GO BACK TO, UM, THESE NUMBERS THAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE AND WIN ONLY WILL ONLY CONTINUE TO GROW.
WE HAD SOME EVENTS THE LAST THREE MONTHS OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
AND WHEN WE LOOK AT THOSE, UM, WE HAVE HERE, WE HAD 30 EVENTS AND NEARLY 3000 PARTICIPANTS IN THOSE EVENTS ACROSS ALL EFFORTS.
UM, BUT WE HAVE HERE THAT, UM, EVENT THAT HELD, UM, OVER AT MONTAGE, PALMETTO BLUFF WITH THE VICE PRESIDENT OF SOUTHWEST BUSINESS, UM, DAVE HARVEY, AND, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS A REALLY EXCITING EVENT THAT WAS HELD ON MONDAY, MAY 17TH.
AND THAT WAS TO SUPPORT BUSINESSES WITHIN THE AREA THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO UTILIZE THIS PRODUCT AND THIS GREAT SERVICE THAT WE BROUGHT INTO THE SAVANNAH HILTON HEAD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
AND YOU'LL GET THE PUBLIC RELATION NUMBERS HERE.
THESE ARE BLUFFED AND SPECIFIC.
AGAIN, THERE WAS, UM, OVER THOSE THREE MONTHS GARNERED 137 STORIES AND MENTIONED.
WE'D LOVE TO SEE THAT ADD VALUE, THOSE IMPRESSIONS OR EYEBALLS THAT ARE SEEING THOSE STORIES.
UM, SO THAT'S A REALLY GOOD STORY HERE.
WHEN YOU HAVE A FAR HGTV GOLF MAGAZINE, FORBES AND THRILLIST, PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON.
THEY LOVE THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON.
THAT'S GREAT TO SEE PARTNERING BACK TO MEDIA.
UM, AGAIN, PART OF THAT FULL FRONT APPROACH TO CONNECTING ALL THE DOTS, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON IN FRONT OF THOSE THAT ARE SEEKING TRAVEL, SEEKING THIS DESTINATION AND ALL THAT IT HAS TO OFFER.
AND WE FEEL THAT THOSE ARE GREAT PARTNERSHIPS WITH SOUTHERN LIVING AND GARDEN AND GUN MEANING WE'RE IN THE SOUTHERN LIVING EDITION FOR APRIL.
UM, AGAIN, THAT DISTRIBUTION WAS THE SOUTHEAST THEN, UM, THE MIDWEST.
SO IT WAS GEORGIA, SOUTH CAROLINA, NORTH CAROLINA, AND AGAIN, THAT MIDWEST AREA.
AND WHEN WE LOOK OVER TO GARDENING GUN, THIS HAS BEEN, UM, A LONG LIVING PARTNERSHIP.
[00:15:01]
WE HAD, UM, SOME EFFORTS THAT WERE DONE IN JUNE ON THE DIGITAL SIDE, AND WE CONTINUE TO PROMOTE THAT PROGRAM AND IT WILL TAKE US INTO THE FALL.WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME OPPORTUNITIES WITH SOME, UH, MEDIA THAT WILL COME INTO MARKET AND STAY AT THE OLD TOWN BLUFFTON.
AND THEY'RE GOING TO WORK AROUND THAT TIMEFRAME OF HISTORIC ARTS, UM, HISTORIC BLUFFTON ARTS AND SEAFOOD FESTIVAL.
SO REALLY HIGHLIGHTING THAT FALL TIMEFRAME, WHICH WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT REALLY ALLOWED, ALLOW THEM TO WALK AROUND AND SEE ALL OF THE HISTORIC DOWNTOWN HAS TO OFFER.
SO GOING BACK TO SOME EVENTS THAT HAPPENED DURING THIS TIMEFRAME THAT WE WERE PROMOTING AND TALKING ABOUT WITH JUNETEENTH, UM, WE WERE EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO PARTNER THERE.
AND FROM AN ORGANIC STANDPOINT, UM, THERE WERE, YOU KNOW, OFTEN SHARED 11 ORGANIC POSTS, UM, IN TERMS ON, ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND THAT GARNERED NEARLY 6,000 IMPRESSIONS AND 82 ENGAGEMENT.
SO WE WERE EXCITED TO HAVE THE STANDARD NATIONAL EFFORT AND BE ABLE TO BUILD OFF THIS IN FUTURE YEARS, OUR VACATION PLANNER IS OUT IN THE MARKET, AS YOU ARE AWARE.
AND WE CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH NOT ONLY THE INITIAL 3000, UM, PIECES THAT WE, UM, PRODUCED, BUT WE SAW SUCH A DEMAND RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE.
WE HAD GONE BACK AND PRODUCED AN ADDITIONAL 5,000 AND THOSE ARE BEING WORKED THROUGH RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS A GREAT SIGN.
THOSE BOOKS YOU CAN FIND AT OUR WELCOME CENTER, SOUTH CAROLINA, WELCOME CENTERS.
YOU CAN FIND THEM AT WE'RE JUST DISPERSING AND LOCALLY, IF SOMEONE'S REQUESTING THEM.
AND THEN WE'RE ALSO HAVING A SAVANNAH HILTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
UM, IN ADDITION, WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR PROPERTY, UM, MONTAGE, PALMETTO BLUFF, THE OLD TOWN BLUFFTON, AND TO ENSURE, UM, BASED ON THEIR OWN COVID PROTOCOLS, THAT THEY ARE NOT ONLY IF THEY'RE NOT IN THE ROOM THAT THEY'RE OFFERING THEM TO, UM, PATRONS AS THEY COME INTO THE PROPERTY, WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF KICKING OFF THE 20, 22 EFFORTS.
AND SO MORE TO COME ON THAT, BUT EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO REPORT TO YOU COME THE NEXT REPORT PERIOD.
AND THAT IS IT UNLESS THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
I DO HAVE A QUESTION, BUT I'LL LET COUNSEL, DOES ANYONE HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT FOR ARIANA ON THE PROGRESS? I HAVE MORE, UM, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I USED TO SOMETIME BACK USED TO READ SOUTHERN LIVING AND, UH, GUN AND GARDEN AND, UM, I DON'T REALLY FOLLOW THEM AS MUCH ANYMORE.
SO ARE YOU STILL AS PLEASED AS YOU NORMALLY WOULD EXPECT TO BE WITH EACH? I AM, SIR.
I THINK WE CONTINUE, UM, CONTINUALLY LOOK TO EVALUATE THE RIGHT MEDIA, UM, PORTFOLIO FOR THE DESTINATION.
BUT THESE TWO THAT WE REFERENCE HERE CONTINUE TO HAVE THE STRENGTH NUMBERS, NOT ONLY IN CIRCULATION, BUT ALSO ENGAGEMENT OF THE, TRULY THE READERSHIP OF BOTH ARE ENGAGED WITH THAT PRODUCT, UM, IN THE ACTUAL PHYSICAL PIECE, BUT ALSO IN THEIR ONLINE AND THEIR EVENTS THAT THEY HOST IN.
SO I THINK FROM A EFFORT OF LOOKING HOW WE CAN FURTHER ENGAGE AND TAKE THIS BEYOND THE PAGES OF THE MAGAZINE, THESE ARE THE RIGHT PUBLICATIONS TO DO THAT WITH.
AND SO WE'RE EXCITED TO CONTINUE, CONTINUE THAT MOMENTUM THAT WE'VE BUILT WITH BOTH BRANDS.
UM, SO I KNOW THAT, UM, YOU ALL DO REACH OUT AND THERE IS AN INCLUSION OF, UM, OTHER OUTLETS BESIDES GARDEN GUN AND SOUTHERN LIVING.
UM, BUT I'M INTERESTED IN KNOWING WHAT OTHER MEDIA OUTLETS DO YOU ALL UTILIZE IN TERMS OF, UH, ENGAGING ON LOOKING AT ADDED MORE DIVERSITY, UM, IN TERMS OF THE TYPE OF TOURISM, UM, IN TOURISTS THAT, THAT COME TO THE AREA.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
I THINK WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO IS OBVIOUSLY EXPAND THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, NOT ONLY WITHIN THE COPY AND THE, UM, OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN LIKE SOUTHERN LIVING IN GARDENING GOV, BUT WE ALSO ARE LOOKING TO TALK TO ALL THE GREAT ASSETS THAT WE HAVE ON THE FOOD SIDE OF THINGS FROM A CULINARY PERSPECTIVE, FROM ARTS AND CULTURE HISTORY.
SO OF THAT WE'RE LOOKING AND EXPLORING AND NOT LIMITED TO, BUT COMING TOP OF MIND WOULD BE A SMITHSONIAN AND BRINGING THOSE OUT THERE, BUT ALWAYS OPEN TO LOOKING AND EXPLORING DEEPER INTO NOT ONLY THE PRINT PIECES, BUT ALSO LOOKING TO ONLINE BRANDS WHERE WE CAN TALK THROUGH, UM, THOSE PARTICULAR COMPONENTS, WHETHER IT BE ABOUT DIVERSITY OR, UM, YOU KNOW, FROM A CULINARY STANDPOINT, OR IT COULD BE ON ANY VARIOUS TOPICS THAT ARE, UM, SPECIFIC TO BLUFFTON AREA.
SO WE'RE EXCITED TO BUILD THAT AND, AND CONTINUE THAT MOMENTUM BEYOND THE TWO THAT WE JUST SPOKE TO HAVE A MARKETING GROUP YOU MEET WITH CORRECT WITH THE TOWN.
SO I WOULD SUGGEST IF ANY OF US HAVE OTHER THOUGHTS TO
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BRING TO THEIR ATTENTION, LET'S GET IT TO THROUGH STEVEN.UM, AND WE CAN GET IT TO ARIANA.
I KNOW I MENTIONED THIS WHEN THE PLANNER CAME OUT, YOU SAID WE'RE REORDERING 5,000.
ARE YOU USING THE SAME, UH, PUBLICATION? HAVE YOU REORDERED IT YET? YES.
MA'AM UM, MAYOR SOCO, WE HAVE REORDERED THAT ADDITIONAL.
THE 5,000 WAS THE REPLENISHMENT NUMBER THAT TOOK PLACE IN THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR.
AND THOSE ARE BEING WORKED THROUGH NOW, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO, AND THOSE WERE USED FOR FUNDS OF 2021.
AND SO NOW WHEN WE'RE FOCUSED ON PRODUCING, AND THOSE WILL TAKE US THROUGH UNTIL WE'RE ABLE TO COME FOR 20, 22 WITH THE NEW BOOK AND THOSE NUMBERS WILL BE HIGHER.
AND I WANT REMIND, UH, I DIDN'T KNOW, WE WERE REORDERING.
WE HAD MENTIONED, I THINK BRIDGET AND MYSELF, BOTH SUGGESTED THE BUSINESSES ARE NOT ALL BLUFFED IN BUSINESSES.
AND SINCE BLUFFTON IS PAYING FOR THIS, I WOULD LIKE TO UTILIZE OUR BUSINESS LICENSE RECORDS OF BUSINESSES, EVEN IF THE MEMBERS ARE NOT, UM, IT JUST DOESN'T LOOK GOOD TO HAVE THE MISHMASH WHEN WE PAID FOR IT, OR AT LEAST SEPARATE THE BLUFFTON BUSINESSES I'D PREFER, BUT I'M ONE FIFTH HERE.
I'D PREFER OUR BUSINESS LICENSE LIST AND PUT ALL OF OUR BUSINESSES IN THIS PLANNER.
I AM GOING TO YOU REACHING OUT REGARDING THAT SPECIFIC DETAIL, PLUS A COUPLE OTHER QUESTIONS REGARDING A PLANNER, UM, ON THE WEBSITE, I DID SEE REFERENCE THE 2019 BUSINESS LICENSE.
SO WE WILL LOOK TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THE MOST RECENT OF THOSE DETAILS JUST SO WE CAN ENSURE WE'RE CROSS-REFERENCING EVEN IF YOU WANT TO KEEP ALL OF YOUR MEMBERS.
I WANT TO SEE MOSTLY BLUFFTON WHEN IN BLUFFTON DO BLUFFTON.
UM, WE'LL GET WITH OUR COUNTERPARTS HERE ON, ON THE SUGGESTIONS OF PLACES TO LOOK AT AS WELL.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
HAVE A WONDERFUL EVENING DUE TO LAST MONTH, UH,
[Don Ryan Center for Innovation Update - Mike Levine, CEO]
COUNCILMAN PRESSURE WANTED TO PULL FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA A LITTLE TO GET MORE INFORMATION ON THE DON RYAN CENTER.UM, AND I'M SHOCKED YOU'RE HERE.
SO, UM, I, YOU WANT TO GIVE AN UPDATE? DID YOU WANT TO JUST ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? UM, I ONLY HAVE ONE SLIDE WHICH MAY BE USEFUL TO EVERYBODY AS A BASELINE FOR WHAT WE MAY WANT TO TALK ABOUT.
I FOCUSED THIS SPECIFICALLY ON KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS, KPIS AND THE METRICS WE USE THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY THE DON RYAN CENTER BOARD OF DIRECTORS, FINANCE SUBCOMMITTEE.
SO THESE METRICS ARE WHAT WE USE TO MEASURE THE SUCCESS OF THE DON RYAN CENTER.
SO I JUST KIND OF WANT TO WALK YOU THROUGH HOW WE RUN OUR BUSINESS GOING FROM LEFT TO RIGHT.
WE HAVE A DATABASE OF ALMOST 11,500 NAMES AND EVERYTHING STARTS WITH A BASELINE OF A DATABASE.
HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN WE REACH FROM A MARKETING PERSPECTIVE? UM, NOT ALL OF THESE 11,500 NAMES ARE OVERLY ACTIVE, BUT WE DO TRACK OPEN RATES AND PIPELINE, UH, STARTING THERE.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE ALMOST 900 SIGNED UP MEMBERS.
UM, WHEN I ARRIVED HERE, UH, WE HAD 114, SO I NAMED THIS DRC I TWO DOT OH, AND THAT REPRESENTS MY TENURE WITH THE ORGANIZATION.
SO MEMBERSHIP IS KIND OF THE FIRST RUNG OF THE LADDER FROM YOUR DATABASE TO START ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY.
FROM THERE, WE MOVED THEM THROUGH A PIPELINE OF MORE AND MORE ENGAGEMENT IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF DON RYAN CENTER.
SO WE CURRENTLY HAVE THROUGH OUR MARKETING EFFORTS, 170 PEOPLE, BUSINESSES THAT ARE INTERESTED AT SOME LEVEL IN THE DON RYAN CENTER.
WE DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD THROUGH A PIPELINE, BUT IT'S THAT FIRST COMMUNICATION WE HAVE WITH THEM.
WE CALL ALL THOSE PROSPECTS 158 OF THEM AND START ENGAGEMENT CONVERSATIONS.
WHAT ARE THEY LOOKING FOR? IS IT JUST A SINGLE PHONE CALL, A CONSULTING CALL? IS IT MULTIPLE CALLS? ARE THEY READY FOR PROGRAMS YET? SO THEY'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH A PIPELINE.
AND THEN FROM PROSPECT CALLS, THE NEXT LEVEL IS CALLED AN OPPORTUNITY.
[00:25:01]
EXPRESSED A DIRECT DESIRE, WHATEVER THAT MIGHT BE A STARTUP BUSINESS OR AN EXISTING BUSINESS, UH, ALL THE ENGAGEMENT.SO YOU CONTINUE TO MOVE THEM THROUGH THIS FUNNEL, UM, FROM OPPORTUNITY.
AND THEN SOME OF THESE PEOPLE, UH, ARE NOT ALL JUST CUSTOMERS FROM A STANDPOINT OF, UH, JOINING A PROGRAM, MANY OF THEM MOVE TOWARDS MENTORSHIP AND THAT'S THE REAL, THE REAL BACKBONE OF THE DON RYAN CENTER AS MENTORS.
SO THE REASON THAT KPI IS SO IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE WHEN A CUSTOMER COMES TO US, OUR MODEL OF ENGAGEMENT IS TO WRAP A MANAGEMENT TEAM AROUND THEM.
SO IT COULD BE SOMEONE FROM FINANCE COULD BE SOMEONE WITH LEGAL BACKGROUND.
IF IT'S MANUFACTURING COULD BE SUPPLY CHAIN BACKGROUND, UM, IT COULD BE SALES AND MARKETING BACKGROUND.
EVERY CUSTOMER HAS DIFFERENT NEEDS.
SO BY HAVING THIS POOL OF EXPERIENCED BUSINESS, PEOPLE THAT ALLOWS US TO PUT FORWARD A TEAM THAT THE CUSTOMER, THEY OBVIOUSLY A PAYING US.
THEY FIND A VERY HIGH LEVEL OF VALUE IN THESE MENTORS AND HAVING 62 OF THEM, UM, IS QUITE AN ACCOMPLISHMENT.
SO THROUGH THIS MARKETING EFFORT, WE HAVE BUILT A MENTOR POOL THAT ENDS UP BEING THE MANAGEMENT TEAM FOR THE INDIVIDUAL CUSTOMER.
AND LASTLY, WE HAVE NOW 16 PROGRAM COMPANIES ENROLLED IN THE PROGRAM.
WE JUST PICKED UP TWO NEW BLUFFTON CUSTOMERS THIS WEEK, A RETAILER WHO IS IN DOWNTOWN BLUFFTON THAT MAKES LOW COUNTRY FURNITURE AND CLOTHING.
AND NOW THEY'RE MOVING INTO FOOD SERVICES.
THEY'RE CALLED SIGNATORY AND COMPANY, HUSBAND, AND WIFE TEAM AND BLUFFING AND VERY NICE PEOPLE.
AND THEY'VE MOVED INTO OUR GROWTH PROGRAM.
SO THEY HAVE REVENUE, THEY HAVE PROFITS, THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO GET TO THAT NEXT STEP.
UH, WE ALSO JUST PICKED UP OUR FIRST MINORITY CUSTOMER, A WOMAN THAT DOES PHLEBOTOMY, WHICH IS THE TAKING BLOOD FROM PEOPLE TO GET IT ANALYZED AT A LAB.
SO THINK LAB CORP, UM, YET SHE GOES TO THEM AND, UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE UNABLE TO GET TO A LAB CORP BECAUSE OF DISABILITIES CHALLENGES, ET CETERA.
SHE LIVES IN BLUFFTON, ALL OF ENERGY AND EXCITEMENT STARTED UP HER BUSINESS.
DOESN'T EVEN KNOW HOW SHE DID IT, BUT GOT THE 12 EMPLOYEES FOUND US, WENT THROUGH THE INTERVIEW PROCESS.
SHE LEARNED ABOUT US AND SHE BELIEVES THE DON RYAN CENTER CAN HELP HER WITH HER BUSINESS.
SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THOSE TWO NEW CUSTOMERS WE HAVE.
SO, UM, AGAIN, VAUGHN RYAN ONE DOT O WHEN I GOT HERE, WE HAD ZERO CUSTOMERS, RELATIVELY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
WE'RE NOW UP TO 16, WHICH IS PRETTY GOOD.
AND, UM, UH, FROM A KPI STANDPOINT, UM, I THINK OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS IS VERY PLEASED WITH OUR RESULTS.
I THINK AS YOU LOOK AT THESE NUMBERS, THERE'S CERTAINLY SIGNIFICANT IN EVERY CATEGORY, THE COMMUNITY WE'VE BUILT IN THE AREA OF THE LOW COUNTRY, UM, THE MARKETING, THE MEMBERSHIP, MONTHLY'S THE EVENTS.
I MEAN, THE TEAMWORK THAT WENT INTO THE EVENT FOR NINE 11, UM, WE, EVERYBODY THOUGHT RYAN POLICE, UH, THE TOWNSHIP VERY SUCCESSFUL, THEN THE DATABASE THAT WE HAVE, THE MARKETING THAT WE WORKED WITH, THE TOWN ON TO DISTRIBUTE, I THINK PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT ROLE ALONG WITH EVERYBODY ELSE IN MAKING A VERY SUCCESSFUL MEETING.
AND I REALLY WANT TO SAY, THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT.
IT WAS GOOD SEEING YOU ALL THERE.
AND I THINK IT WAS A GREAT EVENT.
SO I'M VERY PLEASED WITH THE COMMUNITY WE BUILT THE RESULTS WE HAVE.
AND I'LL BE GLAD TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT THIS INFORMATION OR ANY OTHER INFORMATION WE HAVE.
AND YOU WEREN'T HERE WHEN IT WAS PULLED OFF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
BUT, UM, I THINK IT, YOU LAID OUT
[00:30:01]
THE, KIND OF THE GIST OF IT.SO DID EITHER OF Y'ALL HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS THAT HE CAN GET INFORMATION ON OR ANY OTHER DISCUSSION.
UM, THANK YOU, MIKE, FOR THAT AND CONDOLENCES AGAIN, UM, FOR YOUR LAWS.
UM, ONE OF THE REASONS THAT I, I KNOW I HAD QUESTIONS ON PULLING IT FROM THE CONSENT IS, UM, AS OFTEN BE MENTIONED AS LIKE THE BUSINESS ARM OR, UM, UH, OF THE, THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, UM, I'M INTERESTED MORE SO IN HOW ARE WE MESSAGING AND MAYBE IT'S, IT'S A, YOU ISSUE, IT'S A COUNCIL ISSUE, BUT I READ MESSAGING TO, UM, BE USER-FRIENDLY THAT WE'RE INCUBATING BUSINESSES IN BLUFFTON AND NOT NECESSARILY ONES WHO START HERE AND THEN GO ELSEWHERE.
UM, CAUSE IT SEEMS, UH, UH, MIGHT BE A LITTLE DISCONNECT IN TERMS OF THE COMMUNITY AND LIKE, HOW DOES THE DON RYAN CENTER FUNCTION WHAT'S AVAILABLE TO THEM? HOW CAN THEY ACCESS IT? LIKE, WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF IT.
UM, AND SO IT'S ALMOST LIKE WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT MAYBE YOU THOUGHT OF, OR YOU'RE DOING TO BE ABLE TO ENGAGE, UM, FOLKS IN A MORE USER-FRIENDLY WAY SO THAT THEY DON'T FEEL THE CENTER ITSELF IS CONVOLUTED, THAT IT'S KINDA CLEAR AND THE BENEFITS IT COULD BE GIVING TO BUSINESSES OR WHAT IT CURRENTLY DOES FOR THOSE CENTERED IN BLUFFTON.
SO I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH ANY OF OUR CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE STARTED WITH US AND MOVED AWAY THAT ADDRESSES THAT QUESTION AS FAR AS OUR PROCESS, UM, HOW WE'VE IMPROVED IT.
SO WE USED TO BE ON THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON WEBSITE, UM, WHICH WAS NOT USER-FRIENDLY, YOU COULDN'T REALLY DO ANYTHING WITH IT.
IT WAS BUILT FOR A MUNICIPALITY USAGE VERSUS A, AN ORGANIZATION KIND OF OUTSIDE THE CENTRAL PART OF A MUNICIPALITY.
UM, SO WE'VE BUILT A NEW WEBSITE AND HOW WE ENGAGE COMMUNITY.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU ARE ON THE CONTINUUM.
SO WE START WITH SOMETHING CALLED PRE-START AND WE HAVE A MODEL THAT YOU CAN WALK THROUGH IS OUR MENU, IF YOU WILL, OF WHERE DO YOU FIT IN? SO WHEN YOU THINK USER FRIENDLY, IF YOU'RE STARTING A BUSINESS OR YOU MAYBE HAVE A BUSINESS, THERE'S A PLACE THAT YOU CAN SLOT IN, IN THE DON RYAN CENTER, PRE-START IS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE ONLY THINKING ABOUT STARTING A BUSINESS, AND WE HAVE A SET EVERY MONTH, SAME DAY, SAME HOUR, SAME DAY, WHERE WE HAVE THOSE GROUP PEOPLE COMING IN, ASKING QUESTIONS.
THEN ONCE YOU THINK THAT YOU EITHER HAVE A BUSINESS OR WANT TO START A BUSINESS, WE HAVE THE STARTUP PROGRAM THAT'S FOR THOSE INITIAL ENTREPRENEURS, VERY CLEARLY LAID OUT WHAT THE VALUE PROPOSITION IS, WHAT YOU GET, HOW IT WORKS OR OUT ON THE WEBSITE.
AND THEN FOR THOSE COMPANIES WHO ARE EXISTING REVENUE GENERATION, USUALLY BOTTOM LINE PROFITS, WE HAVE THE GROWTH PROGRAM.
I JUST HEARD IN THE LAST PRESENTATION, THE OLD BLUFF IN THAT'S ONE OF OUR GROWTH CUSTOMERS.
WE HAVE TAKEN THAT ORGANIZATION.
I'M NOT GOING TO DISCLOSE ANYTHING CONFIDENTIAL, BUT WE HAVE REALLY HELP THEM ORGANIZE THEIR BUSINESS.
I AM PERSONALLY INVOLVED WITH EVERY GROWTH CUSTOMER.
I THINK MY BACKGROUND OF RUNNING STARTUPS, VENTURE CAPITAL COMPANIES, PRIVATE EQUITY BASED COMPANIES, PUBLICLY TRADED COMPANIES AS PRESIDENT OF FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES.
I HAVE A UNIQUE ABILITY AND SKILLSET AND EXPERIENCE TO REALLY HELP THE FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF BLUFFTON COMPANIES AND THE MORE PROFIT THEY EARN, THE MORE EMPLOYEES THEY CAN HIRE, THE MORE SUCCESSFUL THAT BUSINESSES, THE STEADIER THAT BUSINESSES AND ULTIMATELY THEIR GROWTH.
SO THESE DIFFERENT SEGMENTS, PRE-START STARTUP GROWTH VERY CLEARLY OUTLINED ON THE WEBSITE.
VERY EASY TO TRANSITION FROM THAT INTO THE MODEL OF COMMUNICATING TO US.
SO I HAVE MY PEOPLE'S CALENDARS ONLINE.
SO IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN TALKING ABOUT THE GROWTH PROGRAM, YOU CAN GET RIGHT TO DAVID NELSON'S CALENDAR.
SAY, I WANT TO TALK TO HIM, CLICK HERE, AND EVERYTHING IS AUTOMATED.
SO WE HAVE COMPLETELY AUTOMATED THE DON RYAN CENTER.
[00:35:01]
IT DOES.AND I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, IN RESPONSE TO, UM, TO THAT, IT COULD HAVE BEEN PRIOR TO YOUR ARRIVAL HERE AT DON RHYME, BUT THAT WAS, UM, SOMETHING THAT DID HAPPEN BEFORE IN TERMS OF THERE WERE ABOUT MAYBE FIVE OR EIGHT BUSINESSES THAT WERE INCUBATED THROUGH THE CENTER THAT WEREN'T NECESSARILY BLUFFED AND BASED.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO SAY, JUST IN TALKING ABOUT MESSAGING AND THE THINGS THAT WE DEAL WITH, HOW CAN WE, UM, ALWAYS ENGAGE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GIVING BOTH AND BUSINESSES, YOU KNOW, THOSE, THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AS, UH, THE, UM, TAXPAYERS ARE THE CONSTITUENTS OF, OF WHAT WE'RE DOING WELL, I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT, IT'S ALL ABOUT PEOPLE AND THAT'S WHY THIS SLIDE IS DEVELOPED THE WAY IT IS.
AS WE WERE THINKING ABOUT COMING HERE AND TALKING TO Y'ALL.
UM, THE PEOPLE, THE ENVIRONMENT, THE COMMUNITY JUST CONTINUES TO GROW AND GROW AND GROW AND LOOK, SOME PEOPLE JUST AREN'T READY TODAY.
THEY TALK WITH US, THEY PLACE A CALL AND THEY STILL HAVE A DAY JOB.
THEY CALL US AGAIN, THEY CALL US AGAIN.
WE'RE TALKING TO PEOPLE TODAY THAT STARTED WITH US A YEAR AGO, STARTED TALKING TO US.
IT TAKES A WHILE TO BUILD A POSITION IN YOUR LIFE WHERE YOU WANT TO START YOUR OWN COMPANY.
WE NURTURE PEOPLE ALONG THE WAY, AND OUR SYSTEMS. WE HAVE A COMPLETE CRM CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
SO WE CAN TRACK EVERY PHONE CALL, EVERY EMAIL, DATE TIME, WHO TALKED TO THEM, WHAT WAS SAID.
AND WHEN WE ENGAGE WITH THEM, MAYBE SIX MONTHS LATER, WE PICK UP THE CONVERSATION RIGHT WHERE WE WERE.
SO I THINK I AGREE WITH YOU COMPLETELY.
IT'S ABOUT THE PEOPLE IT'S ABOUT NURTURING THE COMMUNITY.
AND I BELIEVE THE DON RYAN CENTER IS A VERY POSITIVE REFLECTION ON EVERYBODY'S SITTING ON THE DEUS, THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON AND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY WE POSE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UM, MIKE, IF I COULD JUST ONE QUESTION SET THAT EVERYONE ELSE UNDERSTANDS THE 898 MEMBERS.
UH, WHEN THE RESILIENCY PLAN, IF YOU ALL RECALL LAST YEAR WENT INTO EFFECT.
YOU DECIDED THAT YOU WANTED IT TO BE FREE.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS A BOLD MOVE BY EVERYBODY BECAUSE BEFORE THAT DECISION BY COUNCIL WAS MADE, WE WERE CHARGING.
I WAS NEVER OVERLY COMFORTABLE WITH THE VALUE PROPOSITION OF OUR MEMBERSHIP.
UH, IT ALMOST FELT LIKE WE WERE TRYING TO BE THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, YOU KNOW, DO A LITTLE ADVERTISING FOR SOMEBODY AND THEY PAY YOU X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS.
THE MORE ADVERTISING, THE MORE DOLLARS.
I, I NEVER AGREED WITH THAT MODEL.
SO I PRETTY GOOD WITH FINANCIAL MODELING OF BUSINESSES.
I LOOKED AT IT AND I, AFTER YOU VOTED ON THAT, UH, WE'VE BROUGHT UP AT THE BOARD MEETINGS, HOW YOU WOULD PROBABLY REMEMBER THOSE TIMES WHERE I RESTRUCTURED MEMBERSHIP TO USE IT AS A FEEDER PROGRAM AND GETTING PEOPLE ENGAGED.
SO THEY GET OUR MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, WHICH IS GREAT INFORMATION.
AND WE COULD STILL DO ADVERTISING FOR SOME BUSINESSES THAT ARE CUSTOMERS OF OURS.
BUT I THOUGHT THE REAL VALUE IS THE PROGRAMS, THE STARTUP PROGRAM AND THE GROWTH PROGRAM.
SO BY RESTRUCTURING PRICING, I WAS ABLE TO ENGAGE MORE PEOPLE THROUGH MEMBERSHIP AT NO CHARGE AND PICK UP THE REVENUE THAT I NEEDED TO MAKE FROM MY P AND L THROUGH BEING SUCCESSFUL IN REALLY ADDING VALUE WITH STARTUP PROGRAMS AND GROWTH PROGRAMS. AND, UM, TO THAT POINT, EVEN THOUGH WE HAD COVID THIS YEAR, WHICH WAS VERY DIFFICULT, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY NEVER OPENED THE DON RYAN CENTER FOR ANY GREAT LENGTH OF TIME.
BUT WHAT I FOUND WAS, UM, FROM A P AND L PERSPECTIVE THAT PEOPLE WANT TO USE THE DON RYAN CENTER CONFERENCE ROOMS FOR DIFFERENT EVENTS, WHERE WE PICKED UP A LOT OF P AND L REVENUE BECAUSE OF THAT.
SO THESE ARE OFTEN BUSINESSES, A LOT OF THEM ARE INVESTOR GROUPS.
SO VENTURE SOUTH, IF YOU ALL KNOW WHO THEY ARE, THEN ONE OF OUR STRATEGIC PARTNERS.
AND THEY WERE AT THE, UM, THE BIG MEETING WE HAD LAST YEAR.
[00:40:02]
AND, UM, FROM MY FINANCIAL STANDPOINT, ALTHOUGH WE DID HAVE COVID AND WE DID HAVE FITS AND STARTS, WE STILL ENDED UP THE FULL YEAR AT 98%.THE PLAN, I WOULD PREFER IT TO BE AT A HUNDRED PERCENT, BUT, UM, I THINK 98% OF PLAN THROUGH ALL THE CHAOS WE HAD WITH COVID WAS STILL A VERY GOOD YEAR.
PROBABLY MORE OF AN ANSWER THAN YOU WANT THAT.
SO I HEARD YOU SAY THAT YOU WEREN'T A BIG FAN OF THE, OF IT BEING FREE, CORRECT? OH, NO, I'M SORRY.
I WAS A FAN OF A THING FOR A FAN.
I DIDN'T THINK THE VALUE PROPOSITION WAS THERE.
I HEAR FROM A LOT OF BUSINESSES THAT PAYING FOR THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, THEY DON'T GET ANYTHING FOR THEIR MONEY.
THAT'S NOT ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR FRED.
AND THEN YOU, FRED MIKE, WHAT IS YOUR REVENUE SOURCE? UH, OUR REVENUE SOURCES, PEOPLE PAYING FOR PROGRAMS AND RENTING AT THE HUB.
YES, WE HAVE A $450,000 BUDGET.
WE WERE 98% OF PAN FULL YEAR, 98% OF PLAN REVENUE PLAN FULL YEAR.
AND WE WERE UNDER OUR EXPENSES BY ABOUT 15%.
SO EVEN THOUGH MY REVENUE WASN'T AT A HUNDRED PERCENT, I MADE SURE TO CLAMP DOWN ON MY EXPENSES.
SO I ACTUALLY HAD A POSITIVE VARIANCE BETWEEN EXPENSE AND REVENUE, THE MEMBERS, THE MEMBERSHIP, WHAT DOES THE MEMBERSHIP ROLES, OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MEMBERS THAT 9, 898? WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT DID THEY GET? OR WHAT DO YOU GIVE THEM? THEY GET A NEWSLETTER EVERY MONTH I'M FOND UP BECAUSE EVERYBODY I'M SURE WE ALL SHOULD BE SIGNED UP FOR IT.
AND YOU'LL GET AN EMAIL FROM THE MENTOR PROGRAM AND PROGRAMS THAT YOU WOULD HAVE WHEN THE CENTER WAS OPEN AND VIRTUAL THINGS, WHICH I'VE BEEN, I'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF THE MEMBERSHIP.
NEWSLETTER IS A CULMINATION OF THINGS THAT WE DO DURING THE MONTH.
WE ALSO TALK ABOUT THINGS WE'RE GOING TO DO NEXT MONTH.
WE SOMETIMES HIGHLIGHT CERTAIN MENTORS WHAT THEY'VE DONE, BUT SOMETIMES HIGHLIGHT CERTAIN BUSINESSES.
SO THINK OF IT AS A MONTHLY BROCHURE OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN BLUFFTON AND DAWN RYAN CENTER.
I WANT TO DO A FOLLOW-UP TO MS. FRAZIER QUESTION THAT SHE ASKED EARLIER.
SHE SAID, HOW MANY OF THOSE BUSINESSES THAT CAME THROUGH THE INCUBATOR PROCESS OF THE WAY? AND YOU D YOU SAID MY KNOWLEDGE, NONE.
I NEED YOU TO GET THOSE NUMBERS FOR US BECAUSE YOU DON'T EVEN CLOSE.
WELL, THE NUMBERS THAT I KNOW, WELL, I GUESS I CAN GO BACK TO DAY ONE WHEN YOU STARTED THE DAWN RYAN CENTER TO FIND OUT WHO MOVED AWAY, BUT UNDER MY TENURE, DON RYAN, TWO DOT, OH, I CAN TELL YOU IN FATTAH CLAY THAT NONE HAVE MOVED OUT OF THE AREA.
QUESTION, COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS.
I, UM, REMEMBER WHEN WE DID THE MEMBERSHIP THING AND, YOU KNOW, COVID WAS KICKING IN REALLY GOOD, AND WE'VE, WE'VE ALWAYS GRAPPLED WITH YOUR MISSION AND HOW Y'ALL WERE GOING TO ACHIEVE IT.
AND WE'VE BEEN TO THE MOON AND BACK TRYING TO FIGURE OUT REMEDIES THAT WOULD WORK, UH, AS FAR AS THE MEMBERSHIP, THE WAY IT IS TODAY.
AND THE MORE PEOPLE THAT YOU CAN GET EXPOSURE TO, EVENTUALLY SOMEBODY WILL WALK THROUGH THE DOOR AT SOME POINT, UH, IT'S LIKE SALES, YOU KNOW, SO WHAT IT IS, I'M OKAY WITH THAT.
THE, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS A LITTLE, UH, I NEEDED CLARITY ON, YOU KNOW, YOU MAY BE USING DIFFERENT TERMINOLOGY THAT IN THE BEGINNING, WHEN, WHEN THE ORGANIZATION WAS FORMED, THE WORD WAS INCUBATION.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, LIKE SIX, MAYBE COMPANIES AT A TIME REALLY BOUGHT IN TO THE WHOLE PROCESS.
THERE WERE FEES ASSOCIATED TO THAT.
I'M ASSUMING THAT'S STILL THE CASE OR NOT.
SO THEY'RE STILL PAYING, THEY'RE PAYING FOR SOMETHING WHEN THEY GET SERIOUS.
CAUSE THEY NEED TO HAVE SKIN IN THE GUESTS.
SO HOW MANY, OR YOU CALLED IT A STARTUPS? DO WE HAVE YOU SAID, UM, WE HAVE FIVE GROWTH AND 11 STARTUP.
WE CAN USE THE WORD INCUBATION WE COULD USE.
I'M JUST TRYING TO BE A LOT OF DIFFERENT WORDS, RIGHT? UH, I JUST USE THE BRANDING THAT WE HAVE A STARTUP IS INCUBATION AND GROWTH IS AN EXISTING CUSTOMER WHO IS LOOKING TO GET BIGGER.
[00:45:01]
OTHER TWO THINGS THAT I HAVE, UH, THEN I WOULD LIKE TO THROW OUT THERE FOR A THOUGHT IS EVERYTHING THAT GOVERNMENT DOES, OR ESPECIALLY STAFF HAS MEASURED EVERYTHING.EVERY REPORT WE LOOK AT, EVERY STAFF REPORT EVERYTHING'S MEASURED.
AND THESE KIP IS THAT YOU HAVE UP HERE COULD BE MEASURED ANNUALLY.
AND WHAT I MEAN IS YOU COULD LOOK AT ONE YEAR HERE, ONE YEAR HERE, ONE YEAR HERE, GO AHEAD.
WELL, WE INSERTED THE SYSTEM WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE.
SO BEFORE I GOT HERE, THERE WAS NO TECHNOLOGY SYSTEM THAT CAN GIVE YOU THE ANSWERS TO THAT QUESTION MOVING FORWARD.
I CAN GIVE YOU, THIS IS A REAL TIME SYSTEM, SO I DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR MONTHS.
THEN I CAN GIVE YOU AT ANY GIVEN POINT ANY DAY OF THE MONTH.
AND THE REASON IS OBVIOUS YOU YOU'VE DONE THIS IN YOUR CAREER.
SO THE REASON, THE REASON I BRING IT UP, IT'S JUST NO DIFFERENT THAN WHAT AREOLA JUST DID.
JUST LIKE WE CAN LOOK AT 20 16, 17, 18, 19.
WE CAN SEE IF THERE'S A DING IN SOMEWHERE.
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON, WHETHER WE'RE GOING UP OR WE'RE GOING DOWN.
SO ANYWAY, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THAT ALL OF COUNCIL WOULD THE ONLY OTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO BRING UP.
UH, AND YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU TALK, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE ROI A MINUTE AGO.
SO I KNOW WHAT YOUR BUDGET IS.
AND YOU'RE SAYING YOU, YOU DID WHAT YOU RAISED.
WE WERE AT 98% OF OUR REVENUE PLAN FULL YEAR F Y 21, RIGHT? THAT'S THE REVENUE.
WE WERE LOWER BY ABOUT 11% IN OUR EXPENSE PLAN.
SO IF YOU'RE 2% OFF ON THE TOP LINE, I WAS 11% UNDER ON THE EXPENSE LINE OF THE P AND L.
SO WHAT'S THE NUMBER? WHAT WAS THE NUMBER? WELL, OUR TOP LINE REVENUE WAS I THINK $65,000.
UM, NOW THE OTHER POINT I WANTED TO BRING UP IS LOOKING, WHEN YOU LOOK BACK AT THE DON RYAN CENTER BEFORE YOU GOT HERE.
SO THERE USED TO BE THINGS PUT OUT THERE, LIKE FROM 2012 TO JANUARY, 2018, UH, 32 IS SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU LOOK AT THE RIGHT WRITE-UPS AND EVERYTHING SAYS 32 COMPANIES THROUGH THE INCUBATOR PROGRAM, UH, ADVISED 140 COMPANIES.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT USED TO JUST GET ME ALL THE TIME, BECAUSE I JUST WONDERED HOW IT WAS MEASURED.
IT WAS COMPANIES GENERATE 200 OR 25 MILLION A YEAR IN ANNUAL REVENUE.
AND FROM 2012 TO 2018, WE WERE SAYING THAT'S A 5 MILLION YEAR, UH, ANNUAL, UH, ANNUAL PAYROLL.
AND SO WHAT I WOULD, YEAH, YOU, YOU YOU'RE, YOU, YOU WOULD'VE HAD A FIELD DAY WITH THESE NUMBERS.
SO I WOULD ASK AT SOME POINT YOU MAYBE GO BACK AND LOOK AT SOME OF THIS, NOT, NOT TO GO BACK AND UNDO.
WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE AND REDO HISTORY, BUT WHEN YOU DO YOUR METRICS ANNUALLY, YOU CAN PROBABLY LOOK AT THE BUSINESSES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
I MEAN, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT THIS COUNCIL CARES ABOUT IS WHAT'S THE IMPACT TO OUR, UH, OUR, OUR TOWN, UH, FINANCIALLY THAT YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING, ALL OF THIS WITH THE DON RYAN CENTER.
I, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH TIME I HAVE.
IF, IF YOU WANT ME TO CUT IT SHORT, I CAN TAKE IT ONE OFF WITH YOU.
BUT WHEN YOU WORK WITH START UP COMPANIES AND I, I SPENT QUITE A FEW YEARS WITH A STARTUP COMPANY THAT WAS A HUSBAND AND WIFE TEAM.
THEY BROUGHT ME IN AS CEO AND, UM, AND I STARTED WITH FOUR EMPLOYEES.
IN THREE YEARS I HAD 30 EMPLOYEES, 30 EMPLOYEES, UM, BOOTSTRAPPED ZERO DEBT.
SO EVERY EMPLOYEE I HIRED, I PAID FOR OUT OF CASH, MY P AND L AND BALANCE SHEET.
AND WE GREW IT OVER THE COURSE OF FIVE YEARS, FIVE YEARS, ABOUT FIVE YEARS.
AND I SOLD THE COMPANY FOR A SIGNIFICANT PROFIT TO A VERY LARGE COMPANY.
BUT WHEN THESE THINGS START, THESE INCUBATION COMPANIES, YOU KNOW, YEAR ONE, YEAR TWO, IT'S SLOW GOING.
I MEAN, WE START AT SQUARE ONE, DEVELOPING THE PRODUCT WITH THEM, THE PACKAGING THOUGH, MAKING SURE IT WORKS THE RIGHT WAY.
IF IT'S AN HAPPENS TO BE IN MANUFACTURING, UM,
[00:50:01]
SOME OF THESE STARTUP COMPANIES COME WITH A BACKUP, AN ENVELOPE AND THEY SAY, HERE IS MY IDEA.CAN YOU HELP? AND THE ANSWER IS YES.
SO, BUT WE'RE NURTURING THESE PEOPLE FROM SOMETIMES ABSOLUTELY SQUARE ONE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT FROM A REVENUE STANDPOINT, IT TAKES TIME FOR STARTUPS.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THE GROWTH PROGRAM.
THE PRO GROWTH PROGRAM IS $625 PER MONTH THAT THEY PAY US TO PUT THIS MANAGEMENT TEAM AROUND THEM TO GROW THEIR BUSINESS.
BLUFFTON IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE.
UM, THEY, THEY'RE DOING A LOT BETTER AND THEY CAN GROW AND MAKE SURE THEY STAY IN BUSINESS ALONG WITH OTHER COMPANIES LIKE YOU'VE ANSWERED TO ME AND I APPRECIATE IT.
AND I'LL BE, I'LL BE GLAD TO GIVE AWAY KPIS YOU WANT.
AND, UM, I'LL DO THE RESEARCH ON BEFORE.
UM, I GOT HERE AND I'LL TRY TO GET SOMETHING BACK TO YOU TO SUBSTANTIATE THOSE NUMBERS.
AND, UM, THE, YOUR MEETINGS ARE VIRTUAL.
UM, WHICH A LOT OF OUR COMMITTEE MEETINGS ARE.
I WOULD URGE ALL OF US SINCE THEY'RE VIRTUAL.
TRY TO GET ON THESE BECAUSE IT DOES SHOW FINANCE JUST BECAUSE I'M ON YOUR BOARD.
AND LARRY IS OUR LIAISON ON COUNCIL FOR DON RYAN CENTER.
UM, BUT ALL THE FINANCIAL STUFF EVERYTHING'S HERE.
IT'S A REALLY GOOD PROCESS THAT NATALIE DOES FOR US AS A TOWN.
SO I WOULD REALLY ENCOURAGE EVERYONE.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, UM, TO, TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND I THINK WHATEVER ADVICE WE CAN GIVE YOU ON WHAT WE WANT TO SEE WOULD BE HELPFUL.
SO I WOULD ASK ANYBODY TO GET WITH HIM AND, AND GIVE HIM FAULTS.
ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT THAT? IT WAS A CONSENT AGENDA ITEM.
THANK YOU FOR COMING AND TRAVELS WHERE YOU'RE GOING.
I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'RE HERE AGAIN.
I KNOW I'M BUT I MAKE A COMMITMENT.
[Public Comment]
COMMENT.UM, WE HAVE THREE PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT ARE IN PERSON AND THEY COME IN AND YOU LEAVE THAT UP THERE.
SO WHO'S GOING TO BRING IN WHO'S THE PERSON.
THE FIRST ONE IS MICHAEL HUGHES, MICHAEL HUGHES, RIGHT? MICHAEL IS YOU'RE COMING FORWARD TO SWATCH TO READ THIS EVERY SINGLE TIME.
YOU CAN SEE WHAT THE RULES ARE, WHICH ARE NOT THERE.
THEY'RE THERE, UM, NAME AND ADDRESS.
UH, MY NAME IS MIKE HUGHES WITH THOMAS AND HUTTON, 50 PARK, COMMA SWAY, SAVANNAH, UM, ENGINEER.
AND, UM, I WAS BEFORE YOU IN FEBRUARY, UM, REGARDING THE, UH, THE LOW COUNTRY STORMWATER, UH, DESIGN MANUAL.
AND I ASKED TO PLEASE CONSIDER, UH, TAKING A FEW THINGS, UH, ANOTHER LOOK AT THEM AND KINDLY YOU DID PAUSE ON THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE ORDINANCE.
AND, UM, WE HAVE MET WITH, UH, BRIAN MCELWEE, THOMSON HUTTON DID BRING FORTH APPROXIMATELY COMMENTS THAT WE HAD CONCERNS WITH.
UM, WE DID MEET THEN IN JUNE, LATE JUNE AND TALKED ABOUT A LOT OF THEM.
SOME WE STILL FEEL ARE A CONCERN.
HOWEVER, UM, I THINK A LOT OF THEM WERE TAKEN CARE OF.
SO WE, AT THIS POINT, UM, BRIAN ALSO ASSURED ME WITH SOME OF THE THINGS WE HAD CONCERNS WITH.
UM, HE WOULD LOOK AT REVIEWS WITH, UH, LOGIC, COMMON SENSE AND SOUND ENGINEERING WHEN IT COMES TO INTERPRETATION OF THE ORDINANCE.
UM, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, WE'D PREFER IT TO BE A LITTLE MORE BLACK AND WHITE, BUT WE RECOGNIZE THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE TOWN AND YOU HAVE GOOD STAFF AND, UH, WE BELIEVE YOU WILL REVIEW JUDICIOUSLY.
SO, UM, AN EXAMPLE, UM, ONE OF THE CONCERNS WE HAD WAS BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IS THE ORDINANCE OR THE DESIGN MANUALS WRITTEN.
YOU WOULD HAVE TO ACTUALLY INSTALL BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICE TO TREAT THE BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICE YOU JUST INSTALLED.
UM, BRIAN AND SERVICE ASSURED US THAT THAT'S NOT THE CASE THAT WON'T BE.
UM, AND THEN ALSO IF YOU HAVE A REALLY TOUGH SITE WITH HIGH GROUNDWATER TABLE AND REALLY POOR SOILS, UM, YOU JUST CAN'T INFILTRATE TWO INCHES OF RAIN WATER.
AND HE SAID, WE RECOGNIZE THAT.
SO WE'RE UTILIZING BEST OR A MAXIMUM EXTENT PRACTICABLE TO ADDRESS THOSE SITES.
SO, UM, WITH THAT, UM, WE DO SUPPORT THE ADOPTION.
UM, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE MANUAL IS ABLE TO BE REVISED AND AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WE'RE HOPING THAT YOU DO ENGAGE US AND OTHER LOCAL ENGINEERING DESIGN FIRMS, UM, TO HELP, YOU KNOW, AS WE GO FORWARD.
UM, AND I JUST WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WE ALL IN THE DESIGN COMMUNITY WANT TO MAKE SURE WE,
[00:55:01]
WE ARE CREATING SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES, RIGHT? WHICH IS REALLY A BALANCE OF THE ENVIRONMENT, COMMUNITY AND ECONOMICS.SO AS WE LOOK AT THINGS WE'RE TRYING TO INSTALL, LET'S MAKE SURE ECONOMICALLY WE'RE NOT INSTALLING THINGS THAT ARE POSSIBLY EXPENSIVE ON THE FRONT END, BUT ALSO A BURDEN LONG-TERM FOR MAINTENANCE, FOR RESIDENTS OF BLUFFTON.
SO LET'S MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING THE BANG FOR THE BUCK ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL SIDE ECONOMICS, AND WE'RE ALSO CREATING A CONNECTED COMMUNITY.
SO, UM, BUT THAT, I JUST SAY AGAIN, WE, WE ENJOY TOWN STAFF.
WE'RE WE THINK YOU'RE SOME OF THE BIG OF SOME OF THE BEST STAFF, UM, IN THE LOW COUNTRY.
WE APPRECIATE WORKING WITH YOU AND ARE ALWAYS HAPPY TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK.
AND WE, AGAIN, APPRECIATE YOU TAKE A MOMENT TO LOOK AT IT.
UM, AND AGAIN, LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH BRIAN AND STAFF ON THE, UH, THE IMPLEMENTATION MOVING FORWARD.
THANK YOU AT NOT A BENNETT PUBLIC HEARING COMMENT.
SHOULD WE PUT THAT COMMENT UNDER THE PUBLIC HEARING? JUST SO IT'S GOT A CONNECTION.
I JUST WANT, WHAT YOU SAID IS ON THE RECORD, IF ANYTHING WERE TO POP UP, WE CAN ALWAYS GO BACK TO IT.
IS IT OKAY TO CAN REFLECT THAT WILL REFLECT THAT IT WAS DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE BOARD THAT SAYS, WELL, NO, NO, NO.
I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT IT WHEN YOU WALKED UP.
SO MY, MY DAD, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S IN THE RIGHT AREA MORE ADMINISTRATIVELY.
I DON'T KNOW, VISIT MR. HUGHES.
THIS IT'S ON THE PUBLIC HEARING AND FINAL READING.
SO YES, YOU ARE ADOPTING THE ORDINANCE, WHICH REFERENCES THE DESIGN MANUAL AND THE DESIGN MANUAL IS WHAT IF IT NEEDS TO CHANGE? WE CAN, WE CAN CHANGE IT OR WE JUST WANT TO MAKE, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S ON THE RECORD.
IF YOU EVER HAD TO GOOGLE SEARCH IT, WE KNOW WHERE IT WAS.
UM, WHO'S THE NEXT ONE IS FOR PUBLIC HEARING.
IF WE CAN GET SHARON AND WHO'S THE OTHER ONE, JUST TELL HIM HE'S THE OTHER ONE FOR PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE JESSE WHITE.
AND THEY KNOW IT'S PUBLIC HEARING GETTING MS. BROWN IS YOU'RE WALKING UP, YOU KNOW, THE RULES UP THERE.
IF YOU WOULD SAY YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND TRY NOT TO TOUCH THE MIC, UM, DON'T BE TOUCHING THAT MIKE HAS NO NAME AND ADDRESS JUST EVEN THOUGH WE KNOW IT AND YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES EVENING, GOOD EVENING TOWN COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS SHARON BROWN AND I LIVE AT 20TH.
NO, AS MY CHURCH, 1 63 BUCK ISLAND ROAD.
AND, UH, I AM HERE, UH, AS JUST, UM, TO INFORMATION.
NOW DOWN BUCK ISLAND ROAD, WE KNOW THAT THAT'S A DIFFERENT RESIDENTIAL AREA.
AND I MET WITH, I FINALLY MET THE TOWN MANAGER AT A NICE MEETING WITH HIM AND HEATHER AND CONCERNS ABOUT A DOUBLE-WIDE MOBILE HOME.
THAT'S RIGHT BY THE CHURCH, UM, BIBLE BAPTIST AND A SINGLE ONE MOBILE HOME THAT WAS MOVED TO THE BACK.
IT WAS THE PORTRAITS TAKEN OFF AND IT WAS MOVED NOW SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER.
NOBODY KNEW THAT THE MOVIE, THE SINGLE WIDE MOBILE HOME WAS MOVING.
THEY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW, BUT THE SINGLE WIDE MOBILE HOME WAS MOVED TO THE BACK.
AND THE DOUBLE-WIDE NOW IS IN THE FRONT.
THE CONCERN IS THAT, YOU KNOW, IT NEEDS TO BE FAIR ACROSS THE BOARD ON HOW WE TREAT EVERYBODY.
AND I'M ALWAYS COMING IN BECAUSE YES, I LIVE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD AND I'M AFRICAN-AMERICAN, BUT I'M SPEAKING FOR PEOPLE THAT I KNOW OF COLOR, WHO HAVE HAD A HARD TIME TRYING TO GET THEIR MOBILE HOME PLACED IN A PLACE WHERE THIS MAN GETS TO DROP HIS DEGRADATED MOBILE HOME.
DOUBLE-WIDE MOBILE HOME NOW WITH ALL THE STRUCTURAL MATERIAL EVERYWHERE.
AND WE WORK HARD TO CLEAN UP OUR COMMUNITY, BUT NOBODY KNOW THAT NOT THE TOWN MANAGER, NOR HEATHER KNOWS HOW LONG THEY'RE GOING TO WORK WITH HIM IN ORDER TO GET HIS STRUCTURE UP TO PAR IN ORDER TO GIVE HIM A BUILDING PERMIT, TO BE ABLE TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE IN.
NOW, HOW DO WE KNOW HE'S LIVING IN THERE? DO WE KNOW? NO, WE DON'T KNOW.
THEY, I MEAN, IT'S NOT KNOWN, BUT I DO KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR MISSION STATEMENT SAYS A LOT.
AND SOMEHOW THE MISSION STATEMENT DOESN'T PERTAIN TO A CERTAIN GROUP OF PEOPLE.
THAT'S ME PERSONALLY, HOW I FEEL NOW WE NEED TO GET THIS THING RESOLVED WITH THAT MOBILE HOME RIGHT THERE, THE DOUBLE-WIDE AND THE SINGLE-WIDE.
BECAUSE ONCE YOU MOVE A STRUCTURE, THEN IT'S NO LONGER GRANDFATHERED IN.
SO IT HAS TO BE AN IMPACT FOR YOU.
I KNOW THAT FROM THE ONE THAT I HAD, WELL, MORGAN WATLEY WENT BACK AND FORTH WITH ME SAYING THE DOUBLE, THE SINGLE WHILE WAS NOT MOVED.
[01:00:01]
I WENT AND HAD AERIAL PICTURES SHOW THAT IT WAS MORE SO NOT ONLY DO WE NEED TO BE FAIR ACROSS THE BOARD, WE NEED TO GET OUT OF EMPLOYEES WHEN THEY SPEAK TO PEOPLE THAT THEY KNOW FACTUALLY, WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT.SHE WENT HEAD AND HEAD WITH ME, MAKING ME LOOK LIKE A LIAR WHEN I HAD TO GO TAKE PICTURES.
SO WE NEED TO EDUCATE OUR STAFF.
AND IF THAT'S NOT THE PERSON WHO NEEDS TO BE SPOKEN TO, TO RESIDENTS WHERE THEY'RE TRYING TO FIND OUT ISSUES THAT'S GOING ON, THEN WE NEED TO REMOVE THAT PERSON AND PUT THEM IN CONTACT WITH THAT OTHER ONE, BECAUSE HEATHER INTERVENE QUICKLY.
WHEN I SAID, I DON'T WANT TO HAVE A MEETING.
SHE SAID, I NEED TO TALK TO A TOWN STAFFER.
WELL, WHO AM I TALKING TO IF SHE'S GIVING ME INFORMATION.
SO I JUST WANT US TO HAVE ANOTHER MEETING WITH THE RESIDENTS ON OUR ROAD TO GIVE US THE FACTS ON WHAT WE CAN DO WITH OUR PROPERTY.
IF I CAN DROP A MOBILE HOME RIGHT THERE AND LET IT STAY THERE UNTIL I GET IT FIXED OR UP TO PAR, BECAUSE THERE'S NO DEFINITIVE TIME PERIOD THAT THIS GENTLEMEN HAS TO FIX IT.
SO WE NEED, WE NEED TO HAVE THAT KIND OF THING.
SO THAT'S JUST STRICTLY, I'M COMING HERE AS A RESIDENT WITH A COMPLAINT.
AND IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOUR SMILE AREA.
[Communications from Mayor and Council]
SO PUBLIC COMMENT IS OVER.NEXT IS COMMUNICATIONS FROM MARIN COUNCIL.
UM, I DIDN'T GIVE ANYONE THE HEADS UP ON THIS, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT, UM, STEVEN SUGGESTED.
SO MAYBE WE CAN KICK THIS OFF MAYBE IN NOVEMBER, IF YOU ARE SITTING ON A COMMITTEE THROUGH THE TOWN, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD TIME TO TELL THE PUBLIC WHAT'S GOING ON.
ANY, ANY HIGHLIGHTS OF ANY MEETINGS? WE'VE ALL HAD AFFORDABLE HOUSING, DON RYAN CENTER, UM, WATERSHED WHITE PAT, THINGS LIKE THAT, LOW COG, UM, THAT THIS WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO DO THAT.
SO I WON'T PUT YOU ON THE SPOT TONIGHT, UNLESS YOU WANT TO GIVE A HEADS UP HEADS UP.
BUT I THINK COMING DOWN THE ROAD, IT'S A GOOD TIME FOR THE PUBLIC TOO.
AND COUNCIL TO KIND OF KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
UM, ANYTHING FROM MIRRORING COUNCIL AT THIS MOMENT.
I SAW YOUR INSTAGRAM POSTS, DAN, MR. ELLIS SOLD THE RESTAURANT.
SO LET'S ALL CRITIQUE THE NEW OWNERS AND MAKE SURE THEY STILL MAKE THE DONUTS THE WAY THEY SHOULD MAKE THEM.
UM, AND I GUESS THEY MOVE RIGHT IN.
DID HE SAY HE'S, THEY BOUGHT HIS HOME, HE'S GOT 30 DAYS AND THEN HE'S GOT TO STAY A LITTLE BIT LONGER TO HELP TRAIN THEM A LITTLE FURTHER, BUT, UM, HE SEEMS PLEASED AND HE'LL THINK HE THINKS THEY'LL DO A GOOD JOB.
AND WE'LL KNOW WHEN WE GET THERE.
OKEY-DOKEY IF NOTHING ELSE FROM THAT, WE MOVED TO A PUBLIC
[Public Hearing and Final Reading]
HEARING AND FINAL READING.THIS IS THE CONSIDERATION OF AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON CODE OF ORDINANCES,
[Consideration of an Ordinance to Amend the Town of Bluffton Code of Ordinances, Chapter 23 – Unified Development Ordinance, Article 3 – Application Process, Article 5 – Design Standards, Sec. 5.10 Stormwater Management, and Article 9 – Definitions and Interpretation Related to Adopting the Southern Lowcountry Post Construction Stormwater Ordinance and Southern Lowcountry Stormwater Design Manual - Bryan McIlwee, Director of Engineering]
CHAPTER 23, ARTICLE THREE, ARTICLE FIVE, SECTION FIVE 10, AND ARTICLE NINE.LET ME START PUBLIC HEARINGS, UM, WITH COMMENTS AND THEN WE'LL JUMP TO YOU.
SO FIRST CALL FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
AND YOU SAID THERE'S A PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING? YES, MA'AM JESSE WHITE.
UM, YOU'RE SPEAKING TO THIS ONE ITEM.
SO IF YOU GIVE ME YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH THE MIC AND YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES OR LESS.
UM, JESSE WHITE ON BEHALF OF THE COASTAL CONSERVATION LEAGUE, I'M THE SOUTH COAST OFFICE DIRECTOR, AND I'VE ALSO BEEN RECENTLY APPOINTED TO SERVE ON THE MAY RIVER WATERSHED ACTION, UM, COMMITTEE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, BUT ALSO STATE THAT MY COMMENTS TONIGHT ARE ON BEHALF OF THE COASTAL CONSERVATION LEAGUE.
UM, SINCE 2017, THE SO SOUTHERN LOW COUNTRY STORMWATER ORDINANCE ORDINANCE, UM, COMMITTEE AND STAFF HAVE BEEN WORKING TOWARDS REGIONAL AND COOPERATIVE, UM, IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR STORM WATER STANDARDS IN ORDER TO BETTER PROTECT WATER QUALITY WITHIN THE WATERSHED, AND ALSO IN TURN IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR COMMUNITIES.
THOSE EFFORTS HAVE CULMINATED IN THE STORMWATER ORDINANCE AND MANUAL THAT ARE BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING.
AND THEY INCLUDE BENEFICIAL CHANGES THAT ALIGN WITH THE RECENT RECOMMENDATIONS PERFORMED IN RESEARCH BY DR.
ERIC MONTE AND OTHERS, AS WELL AS THE WATER QUALITY MONITORING MODELS FOR THE MAY RIVER WATERSHED, THE SLOW-GO STANDARDS IN PARTICULAR TAKE A CRITICALLY IMPORTANT REGIONAL APPROACH, AND THAT WILL HELP IMPROVE WATER QUALITY BY PRESERVING AND ENHANCING OUR FORESTED WETLANDS AND TREE CANOPIES, DISCOURAGING CLEAR CUTTING PRIORITIZING GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND LOW IMPACT DEVELOPMENT, ENCOURAGING CLUSTERED DEVELOPMENT, WHICH INCORPORATES NATURAL AREAS AND MORE OPEN SPACE INTO NEW DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS AND PROVIDING LONG-TERM MAINTENANCE OF IMPLEMENTED STORM WATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS THROUGH THE LIFE OF A DEVELOPMENT PROJECT.
EACH OF THESE COMPONENTS WILL HELP IMPROVE WATER QUALITY ON A WATERSHED SCALE AND INCREASE OPEN SPACE,
[01:05:01]
INCREASE NATURAL FILTRATION AND RESIST TOPOGRAPHICAL AND HYDROLOGICAL ALTERATION OF OUR LANDSCAPES, WHICH LEADS TO CONTAMINATION OF IMPORTANT AND SENSITIVE WATER BODIES LIKE THE MAY RIVER AT THE COASTAL CONSERVATION LEAGUE, WE SUPPORT THE REGIONAL ADOPTION OF THE SILICA STANDARDS AND APPRECIATE TOWN COUNCIL AND STAFF LEADERSHIP ON THE COMMITTEE AND DEVELOPING THESE STANDARDS AND ENCOURAGING THE REGIONAL COOPERATION THAT'S AT THEIR CORE.SO WE THANK YOU AND URGE YOU TO ADOPT THESE STANDARDS.
UM, THERE'S A SECOND CALL FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS PUBLIC HEARING.
THIRD CALL FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE FINAL READING OF THIS ITEM, PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
IT'S BEEN SO LONG SINCE FIRST READING BRIAN.
IT HAS BEEN, IT'S BEEN VERY LONG.
WE'LL GIVE IT TO YOU TO REMIND US OF EVERYTHING.
UM, UM, YEAH, SO THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR ABOUT THREE YEARS.
IF YOU GO BACK TO WHEN IT FIRST STARTED WITH SO LOCO, UM, I'M HAPPY TO GIVE YOU A PRESENTATION IF YOU WANT, WE HAVE NOT MADE ANY SUBSTANTIAL EDITS TO THE ORDINANCE OR THE MANUAL SINCE FIRST READING.
UM, AS MIKE SAID, WE WENT THROUGH HIS CONCERNS.
AND FOR THE MOST PART, I BELIEVE LIKE YOU SAID, TONIGHT, WE HAVE ADDRESSED THOSE CONCERNS AND I'M GOING TO MAKE SURE STAFF IS AWARE OF, UH, HOW WE NEED TO INTERPRET, UM, PLAN REVIEWS MOVING FORWARD.
UM, I'M HAPPY TO GO THROUGH AND DO THIS, OR WE CAN JUST MOVE TO THE RESOLUTION IF YOU GUYS ARE OKAY.
YOU DON'T NEED TO FROM A COUPLE, IS ANYBODY NEED FURTHER EXPLANATION OR DO YOU WANT TO ASK QUESTIONS ARE JUST, IT IS SECOND AND FINAL READING FROM THE ORIGINAL.
SEE, WHEN YOU NOT, WHEN YOU DON'T COME IN PERSON, WE'RE QUICK AND IT'S NICE.
COUNCILMAN RODMAN IS HERE FROM THE COUNTY SO HE CAN SEE WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH, UM, WHAT THEY PASSED AS WELL.
UM, I BELIEVE BACK IN MARCH, APRIL.
UM, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, ANY QUESTIONS OF BRIAN ON THIS? IF NOT, IS THERE A MOTION ON, ON SECOND AND FINAL READING TO AMEND THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON CODE OF ORDINANCES? CHAPTER 23, ARTICLE THREE, ARTICLE FIVE, SECTION FIVE, 10, AND ARTICLE NINE RELATED TO ADOPTING THE SOUTHERN LOW COUNTRY.
POST-CONSTRUCTION STORM WATER ORDINANCE IN SOUTHERN LOW COUNTRY STORM WATER DESIGN MANUAL FOR A SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION, BRIAN? I KNOW THIS WAS A TOUGH ONE FOR US TO KEEP SENDING YOU BACK, BUT I THINK IF EVERY MUM BUYS INTO IT, IT MEANS WE ALL DID A GOOD JOB.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORT.
THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR, UH, MOVING FORWARD WITH IT.
IT'S A GOOD, UH, REGIONAL APPROACH TO IT.
WE HOPE TO SEE YOU BACK IN HERE SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR STATE BY SAYING AYE.
[Workshop Agenda Items]
YOU, BRIAN.IF WE COULD GET JARED IN HERE, THE WORKSHOP ITEM
[Request for Input on Alternatives to the Realignment of the Intersection of Bluffton and Buckwalter Parkways as it Relates to Bluffton Parkway 5B – Jared Fralix, PE, Assistant County Administrator – Engineering ]
IS IN THAT GOOD.EVEN JARED, AND YOU CAN COME FORWARD REQUEST FOR INPUT ON ALTERNATIVES FOR THE REALIGNMENT OF THE INTERSECTION OF BLUFFTON AND BUCKWALTER PARKWAYS AS IT RELATES TO BLUFFTON PARKWAY, FIVE B UM, IS BRIAN, DID HE GO OFF? DOES HE WANT TO BE PART OF THIS TO HEAR IT? OR DO YOU THINK WE NEED HIM KEVIN TO STEP IN TO REPRESENT GROWTH MANAGEMENT? I WAS ABLE TO HEAR IT RIGHT.
SO THANK YOU, MAYOR SILKA AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND TALK TO YOU GUYS TONIGHT.
UH, I THINK WE MAY HAVE BRIAN BEAT THAT THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON MUCH LONGER THAN THREE YEARS.
UH, SO, UM, ALSO, UM, SO THE PROJECT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS THE BLUFFTON PARKWAY, BUCK, WALTER PARKWAY, INTERSECTION RELOCATION.
UH, YOU WOULD THINK AS AN ENGINEER, WE'D ALREADY HAVE AN ACRONYM FOR THAT, BUT I DON'T.
SO IF ANYBODY HAS ANY SUGGESTIONS BY ALL MEANS, WE'LL TAKE THIS.
UM, BEFORE WE GET STARTED INTO THE OPTIONS, I WANTED TO KIND OF GO BACK AND TALK ABOUT THE PROJECT ITSELF AND HOW THIS CAME ABOUT.
UM, NOT SO MUCH ABOUT THE HISTORY YOU GUYS COULD PROBABLY TEACH ME ABOUT THE HISTORY.
UM, BUT SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE ENGINEERING.
SO THIS PROJECT, UM, WAS PART OF WHAT WAS, WHAT IS KNOWN AS FIVE B UM, BLUFFTON PARKWAY, FIVE B UM, THE INITIAL PROJECT STUDY STARTED IN
[01:10:01]
2006.SO WHAT DOES THAT, THAT'S A REALLY LONG TIME.
UM, SO, UM, IN 2006 AND THEN PUBLIC MEETINGS WERE HELD IN 2007.
AND AGAIN, THIS WAS FOR THE ENTIRE PARKWAY, NOT JUST THE INTERSECTION THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
UH, FROM THERE, UH, WE WENT THROUGH THE SAME PROCESS THAT DOTD IS CURRENTLY GOING THROUGH NOW ON THE 2 78 BRIDGE COURT DOOR.
SO WE WENT THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND HAD A FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT, UH, FONZIE, UM, THAT WAS APPROVED BY FEDERAL HIGHWAY IN 2008.
AND THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE THAT WHOLE PROCESS IS THE PROCESS THAT'S REQUIRED.
IF YOU TRIED TO, UM, PETITION YOUR PROJECT OR SET IT UP FOR FEDERAL FUNDING.
SO THAT PROCESS WAS COMPLETELY DONE FOR THE BLUFFTON PARKWAY PHASE, UH, FAB B UH, THE PLANS AT THAT POINT WERE DEVELOPED, UM, TO A 60 OR 70% PLAN.
SO THAT'S TYPICALLY WHEN RIDEAWAY, UH, ACQUISITION OCCURS AT THAT LEVEL AS WELL AS PERMIT.
SO WE HAD OUR, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND WE HAD OUR PERMITS, UM, FOR THE PROJECT AT THAT POINT IN 2008, AT THAT POINT, IT SAT, UM, AND IT SAT FOR A LONG WHILE.
UM, AND THEN IN 2010, A REQUEST WAS MADE BY YOU GUYS AT THE TOWN TO LOOK AT IT.
JUSTING THE ALIGNMENT SPECIFICALLY AT THE INTERSECTION, NOT THE ENTIRE ALIGNMENT, BUT JUST THE INTERSECTION WHERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
UH, SO HDR, THE ENGINEER OF RECORD LOOKED AT THAT AND IT RAN THROUGH PUBLIC FACILITIES THAT A COUNTY IN 2011, UH, AND THEY REALIGNED, UH, THAT SECTION FROM WHERE IT WAS RELOCATED DOWN TO THE SOUTH, WHICH WAS ABOUT 700 FEET FROM ITS CURRENT LOCATION AND RELOCATED THAT UP TO ABOUT 350 FEET.
SO IT'S KIND OF SPLIT THE GAP OF WHERE THAT ROADWAY IS.
UH, THE PLANS WERE THEN REDESIGNED AND UPDATED TO THAT SAME 60 TO 70% LEVEL.
THE LAST TIME THE PLANS HAD BEEN TOUCHED.
UM, AND AGAIN, WE HAD GONE THROUGH THE NEPA PROCESS, UH, ON THE EARLIER PLANS, BUT WE HAD NOT GONE BACK THROUGH ON THIS.
SO WE HAVE AN APPROVED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FROM THE ORIGINAL, UM, BUT HAVE NOT UPDATED IT IN 2014, NOR HAVE WE DONE ANYTHING SINCE.
SO THEN, UH, FAST FORWARD TO WHERE WE ARE.
SO THERE WAS A LETTER WRITTEN BY THE TOWN MANAGER AT THE TIME IN 2000 LATE, 2019 TO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AT THE TIME, UH, AT THE REQUEST OF TOWN COUNCIL TO MOVE FORWARD, AT LEAST ON THIS INTERSECTION, DON'T LOOK AT IT, THE WHOLE THING, LET'S JUST GET THIS INTERSECTION DONE.
UH, I STARTED IN THE SUMMER OF 2020, AND AT THAT POINT I WAS TASKED WITH, HEY, TAKE A LOOK AT THIS, UH, TELL ME WHERE WE ARE AND THEN MAKE A PRESENTATION TO PUBLIC FACILITIES.
SO I STARTED DOING SOME RESEARCH, GOT WITH, UH, HDR, THE ENGINEER RECORD, HEY, WHERE ARE WE? THEY KIND OF BACKED, BRIEFED ME WITH EVERYTHING I JUST BRIEFED YOU GUYS WITH.
AND THEN I TOOK THAT TO, UH, PUBLIC FACILITIES IN THE FALL OF 2020 AND SAID, OKAY, HERE YOU GUYS ARE, UH, I WAS FULLY EXPECTING JUST TO GIVE A FOR INFORMATION ONLY BRIEF.
AND I CAME AWAY WITH A YES, I WASN'T REALLY SURE WHAT YES.
UM, BUT COME TO FIND OUT, YES, WAS YES, MOVE FORWARD WITH THE INTERSECTION ALIGNMENT AND HERE'S TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS GO.
UM, AND IT SEEMS LIKE THAT'S AN EASY TASK TO DO IS JUST TAKE IT THAT LITTLE LINE AND MOVE IT A LITTLE BIT AND BAM THERE, YOUR PROJECT IS.
UH, BUT IT'S NOT AS EASY AS THAT SEEMS FOR VARIOUS REASONS, TWO REASONS BEING, UM, ONE THE ACCESS MANAGEMENT.
SO ONCE WE TOUCH THAT ROAD, UM, WE AFFECT DIFFERENT PROPERTY OWNERS AND HOW THEY'RE ACCESSED EXISTS CONDITION, UH, EXISTING AND HOW IT WILL BE IN THE FUTURE.
AND THEN SECONDLY, IT ALSO AFFECTS, UM, THE PERMIT THAT WE HAVE.
SO PERMITTING AGENCIES, THE COLD WAR, I KNOW CRM AND SUCH.
THEY LIKE TO LOOK AT PROJECTS HOLISTICALLY.
SO WHEN YOU START BREAKING PROJECTS DOWN, UH, AND THEN YOU RE PERMIT PROJECTS, THEY TAKE, UM, THEY, THEY, THEY TAKE ACTION TO THAT.
SO THEY WOULD RATHER SEE THE HOLISTIC APPROACH, UM, VERSUS BITS AND PIECES.
SO IN DOING THAT, UM, WE HAVE TO REALLY PAY ATTENTION THAT WHAT WE DO WITH THE INTERSECTION, UM, AND WHAT ANY OTHER FUTURE ENVISIONS ARE FOR ANY IMPROVEMENTS BEYOND THE INTERSECTION, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, BECAUSE IF WE MOVE FORWARD AND DON'T REEVALUATE THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT, THEN WE DON'T ALLOW OURSELVES THE OPPORTUNITY TO RAISE OUR HAND FOR FEDERAL FUNDS.
SO HOW DO WE JUGGLE THAT? AND THAT'S SOMETHING, UM, THAT WE WERE TASKED TO TAKE A LOOK AT.
SO WE REENGAGED WITH BLUFFTON, I MEAN, WITH, UH, WITH HDR, THE ENGINEER OF RECORD, AND RATHER THAN HAVE A FEE PROPOSAL, THERE WAS TOO
[01:15:01]
MANY UNKNOWNS TO JUST START FRESH ON THIS PROJECT WITH A FEE PROPOSAL, WE CAME UP WITH LESS, COME UP WITH SOME OPTIONS AND PUT THOSE ON THE TABLE.AND THEN FROM THERE, ONCE WE DECIDE ON THE OPTION, AS FAR AS THE ACCESS IS, THEN WE CAN SCOPE OUT AND FEE, UH, PROVIDE A FEE FOR THE DESIGN OF THE ENTIRE INTERSECTION RELOCATION.
UM, SO WE STARTED WORK ON THAT AT THE FIRST OF THE YEAR AND WE WORKED WITH HDR IN PREPARING THOSE OPTIONS.
AND THAT'S WHAT I HAVE FOR YOU GUYS TO SEE AND TALK ABOUT THIS EVENING.
UM, THESE OPTIONS ARE, UH, WE HAVEN'T, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT WITH COUNCIL, BUT WE WANTED TO SHARE IT WITH YOU AS TOWN COUNCIL.
WE OWN THE ROAD, UH, THE COUNTY AND THE RIGHT OF WAY, BUT ALL THE LAND IS WITHIN THE TOWN LIMITS AND ALL THE PROPERTY OWNERS ARE WITHIN THE TOWN LIMITS.
SO WE THOUGHT IT WAS FITTING THAT YOU GUYS, UM, AS, AS FAR AS ACCESS IS CONCERNED FROM THE COUNTY STANDPOINT AND TRANSPORTATION, THAT ALL THESE OPTIONS THAT, THAT I'LL BE TALKING ABOUT ARE ACCEPTABLE FROM A TRAFFIC ABILITY STANDPOINT.
HOWEVER, THEY ALL HAVE A PROS AND CONS OF WHICH, UM, WE'D LIKE TO HAVE, UH, BOTH COUNCIL AND STAFF'S INPUT AND THUS HERE TONIGHT.
SO, UH, WITH THAT, WE HAVE THE, UH, OPTIONS I'LL GO AHEAD AND GO THROUGH THE OPTIONS UNLESS ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS THUS FAR.
AND THEN I SAW YOU GUYS GOT ALONG WITH JENNA, SO I AM TRYING TO BUST THROUGH IT.
SO IF WE COULD PUT THE OPTIONS UP AND I KNOW THIS IS A, IS A LITTLE HARD TO SEE, AND IF I'M NOT SURE WHO'S CONTROLLING THE, OH, I CAN ZOOM IN, LET'S MOVE MY STUFF.
WE CAN SIT REALLY GOOD ON OUR SIDE.
YOU GUYS CAN SEE IT THEN GREAT COMMUNITY THAT'S LOOKING ON.
SO, UH, AGAIN, BASICALLY, UH, WE'RE MOVING THE INTERSECTION FROM WHERE IT'S LOCATED TO THE, UH, REVISE LOCATION, WHICH IS THEY'RE SHOWN IT'S ABOUT 350 FEET, UH, SOUTH OF ITS CURRENT LOCATION.
UM, WHEN WE DO THAT, WE ARE MOVING THE, UH, SPACING.
WE'RE REDUCING THE SPACE AND OF THE, THERE'S A STOPLIGHT UP THERE AT PUBLIX AT LORD LUTHERAN CHURCH.
AND THEN AT LAKE POINT DRIVE AT PARKERS.
SO WE'RE HAVE PRETTY GOOD SPACING RIGHT NOW.
AND WE'RE MOVING SPACING FURTHER IN ONE SIDE AND CLOSER TO THE OTHER, UM, WHICH IS NOT PREFERRED AS FAR AS, UH, THE SPACING ON THE SOUTH SIDE.
SO IN DOING THAT, IT'S GOING TO AFFECT ACCESS IN AND OUT AT THAT LATE POINT DRIVE INTERSECTION THAT SANDY POINT SUBDIVISION.
SO IN ALL THE OPTIONS YOU'LL SEE, UM, THERE TO THE LIFT IS, UH, JUST SOUTH OF BLUFFTON PARKWAY IS INNOVATION DRIVE.
SO IN ALL FOUR OPTIONS YOU'LL SEE THAT THIS STUB IS NEEDED, UM, TO HELP PROVIDE BETTER ACCESS IN AND OUT OF SANDY POINT SUBDIVISION BECAUSE OF THE ACCESS IS GOING TO BE, UM, AFFECTED BASED OFF THE MOVE IN THIS CURRENT CONDITION.
UH, SO THIS CONDITION, WHAT IT DOES, IF, UM, RIGHT NOW BUCK WALTER OR THE TOWN'S APARTMENT OR CONDOMINIUM COMPLEX IS A FULL ACCESS INTERSECTION.
SO THEY CAN COME STRAIGHT UP TO THE SIGNAL AND THEY HAVE THE FULL ACCESS, UH, IN THIS CONDITION.
THEY ARE NO LONGER AT THAT SIGNAL, BUT THEY ARE PROVIDED WITH A RIGHT IN AND A RIGHT OUT.
AND THEN ALSO ON BLUFFTON PARKWAY, A LEFT END, BUT NOT A LEFT OUT.
SO IF THEY WANTED TO TURN LEFT ON THE BLUFFTON PARKWAY, EXCUSE ME, BUCK WALTER PARKWAY, UM, THEY WOULD HAVE TO TURN RIGHT AND GO UP NORTH TO THE INTERSECTION AT PUBLIX AND DO A U-TURN.
SO THERE'S EXTRA SPACE AT THIS INTERSECTION FOR YOU TURN MOVEMENT.
AND THEN THIS TURN COME BACK, SOUTH RIDLEY.
UM, SO THIS IS BY FAR THE CHEAPEST ALTERNATIVE.
UH, WE DON'T HAVE COST ESTIMATES ON ANY OF THESE ALTERNATIVES AS OF YET.
UM, BUT THIS IS THE LEAST IMPACT AND LEAST IMPACT TO THE ROADWAY AND CHEAPEST ALTERNATIVE.
THAT IS DEFINITELY AN IMPACT, A NOTICEABLE IMPACT, UM, TO THE TOWNS.
THEY HAVE LESS ACCESS THAN A FULL ACCESS INTERSECTION.
UM, BUT THIS IS OPTION A, ANY QUESTIONS.
THAT'S NOT WHAT I SEE AS OPTION B.
[01:20:01]
APPEAR TO THE TERRORIST HAS ALL TO APPROVED.IS THAT AN IDEA THAT RIGHT THERE? OH, NO, THAT'S NOT.
HE WAS TRYING TO GET THROUGH FROM THE PACKET THAT DOES, AS HE SCHOOLROOM THROUGH THAT ISSUE, THE ORIGINAL ALIGNMENT AND THEN THE ADJUSTED ALIGNMENT.
SO WE'RE NOT ALL WITHOUT GOOD.
I GOT TO GO WAY UP TO THE TOP, THAT THING, DOCUMENT OUR GO TO NUMBER.
THAT'S NOT YET LIKE THERE, THERE YA GO.
SO OPTION B, THIS OPTION IS PROVIDING THAT ACCESS TO THE TOWNS.
SO THEY HAVE FULL ACCESS TO AN INTERSECTION.
IT'S NOT THE INTERSECTION THAT WAS ONCE IN FRONT OF THE SUBDIVISION, BUT THIS IS, UH, SO THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THE SIGNAL TO THE NORTH, THROUGH THE LORD OF THE LUTHERAN PARKING LOT, UM, AND CREATES AN ACCESS THROUGH THAT.
UM, THE ACCESS IN FRONT OF THE SUBDIVISION WOULD BE A RIGHT-HAND RIGHT OUT ON IT.
SO THERE WOULD BE A MEDIAN THAT COMES ACROSS AND, AND KEEPS THAT AWAY.
SO AGAIN, UM, THE INNOVATION DRIVE THAT IS STILL SHOWN AND EVERYTHING ELSE IS THE SAME.
SO THIS TOO IS, UM, DOESN'T HAVE AS MANY MOVING PARTS AS OPTION C AND D, BUT IT DOES PROVIDE FULL ACCESS.
WE WILL HAVE TO REVERSE A WETLAND.
YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THAT IN THE AREA.
UH, SO THERE'LL BE SOME ADDITIONAL PERMITTING AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL ROADWAY.
SO ADDITIONAL COSTS IN OPTION B, I HAVE A QUESTION OR NOT, SHOULDN'T BE WHICH ONE I, I THINK I LIKE FOR THE RESIDENTS OF BLUFFTON, CAUSE THERE ARE SOME AREAS THAT ARE NOT IN INCORPORATED BLUFFTON, BUT I WROTE TO THE TOWNS TODAY.
UM, IF YOU BLOW THAT UP, BUT REALLY BETWEEN WHERE YOU PUT THE ROAD AND THE RED LIGHT, THERE, THERE ARE ABSOLUTE THERE.
CURB CUTS ALREADY, IS THAT SET IN STONE? BECAUSE I DON'T THINK YOU'VE TALKED TO THE DEVELOPER.
CAN WE WORK AROUND ALL OF THAT? MOVE IT CLOSER.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE EXACTLY THE WAY YOU HAVE IT.
SO THE WEEKEND WE CAN, THESE ARE SQUIGGLY LINES THAT WE CAN KIND OF DRAW A LITTLE BIT.
UM, WE HAVEN'T COORDINATED WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS.
THIS IS OUR FIRST ATTEMPT AT COORDINATING WITH YOU ALL AND THEN THE PUBLIC FROM THEREAFTER.
UM, BUT YES, SO THAT CAN, CAN MOVE FORWARD OR BACKWARDS.
NOW THAT THAT'S BASICALLY A DRIVEWAY INTO THE TOWNS.
UM, THERE'S NOT AS MANY CONCERNS.
THERE IS SOME CONCERNS THAT THE CLOSER IT GETS TO BLUFFTON PARKWAY, UM, BUT IT CAN BE MOVED IN THE PAST.
IT WAS A BIG DEAL FOR PAST COUNCILS ON INTERCONNECTIVITY.
AND I, I BELIEVE IN KEVIN CAN LET US KNOW, BUT I BELIEVE ALL PROJECTS RIGHT.
AND LEFT WERE ACTUALLY APPROVED BECAUSE ALL OF THE PARKWAY.
SO THERE WAS YOUR CONNECTIVITY FROM LORD OF LIFE LUTHERAN TO THAT COMMERCIAL STUB IN FRONT OF TOWNS.
I'M NOT SURE, BUT WE CAN, WE CAN WORK THROUGH IT IF THAT'S OKAY.
WELL, AND THEN, SO THAT STARTS TO YOU KIND OF SEGUE INTO THE NEXT OPTION.
SO ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR ARE YOU SO BASICALLY WITH THIS, THE OLD ROAD, THE EXISTING ROAD NOW WOULD STAY THERE? NO, IT WOULD BE REMOVED.
SO ALL OF THESE OPTIONS, I DIDN'T DESCRIBE THAT AS THE NEW INTERSECTION IS REALIGNED, THE OLD ALIGNMENT WOULD BE REMOVED.
SEE WHAT HE'S POINTING AT THE SECTION BETWEEN WHERE YOU'VE HAD THE NEW ROAD, UH, YOU KNOW, RUNNING PARALLEL TO BUCK WALTER.
THEY'D HAVE A RIGHT IN, RIGHT OUT THERE.
SO THEY COULD STILL COME OUT AND TAKE A RIGHT ON BUCK WALTER OR WORKED.
IF THEY WANT TO TAKE A LEFT, THEY WOULD NEED TO GO UP TO THE INTERSECTION.
BUT IF THEY WANTED TO BE QUICK AND TAKE A RIDE, THEY COULD COME UP TO.
SO THEY'RE GOING TO THE INTERSECTION UP THERE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, IF THEY WANT TO MAKE, IF THEY WANT TO MAKE THEM THAT'S RIGHT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
SO THEN WE START TO SEE MORE INTERCONNECTIVITY C AND D REALLY START TO SPEAK TO INTERCONNECTIVITY.
UM, SO SAME INNOVATION DRIVE, UM, SAME LOCATION, THE SAME NORTHERN ACCESS AS SHOWN IN OPTION B.
BUT NOW WE START TO BUILD THE ACCESS TO OPTION TO DOWN TO THE SOUTH, WHAT THIS DOES.
AND IF YOU CAN SCROLL JUST A LITTLE BIT FURTHER TO THE, TO THE SOUTH.
SO WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS WE'RE ACTUALLY RESETTING THE INTERSECTION AT LAKE POINT DRIVE AT THE PARKERS AND SHIFTING IT, UH, TO THE SOUTH.
AND WHAT THAT DOES THAT HELPS US RECAPTURE OUR SPACING.
[01:25:01]
UM, REQUIRES SPACING IS 1,320 FEET.UM, IN THE INITIAL TWO OPTIONS, A AND B UH, OUR SPACING IS REDUCED TO A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN A THOUSAND, SO IT'S NOT UP TO OUR TYPICAL STANDARDS.
UM, SO THIS PUTS THAT BACK IN PLACE.
AND IN THIS, UH, SCENARIO, WE START TO GET A BETTER SPACING IN THE 16 TO 1700 FEET FROM ACTUALLY BOTH SIGNALS.
SO FROM PUBLIX TO THE REALIGNMENT ABOUT 1600 FEET AND FROM THE REALIGNMENT TO THIS NEW, UM, LAKE POINT DRIVE REALIGNMENT ABOUT 16 OR 1700 FEET.
SO AGAIN, WHAT THAT DOES THAT HELPS WITH PLATOONING AND TRAFFIC AND, AND SEAMLESS INTERACTION BETWEEN SIGNAL AND A SIGNAL ON THE CORRIDOR.
UM, SO WHAT YOU CAN ALSO SEE IN HERE, AND THIS IS JUST FOR REFERENCE, THIS IS, UH, NOT TO SAY THAT ANY OF THIS IS TO BE CONSTRUCTED, BUT YOU CAN SEE THE OUTLINE.
BUT I LOOK AT THERE NOW Y'ALL GOT SOME TOOLS, BUT IT DOES GET YOU KINDA SICK A LITTLE BIT IF YOU DO IT TOO FAST.
SO I'LL, I'LL PLAY WITH IT AS A GINGERLY.
UM, SO, UH, BUT YOU CAN SEE THE OUTLINE OF WHAT'S REFLECTED AS FIVE BEAT.
UM, AND TWO POINTS JUST TO MAKE ON THIS ONE IS THAT IN ALL THESE OPTIONS, THE RELOCATION IS ALIGNED SUCH THAT IF THERE WAS EVER A DESIRE TO CONTINUE, UM, THAT IT'S SET UP FOR THAT.
UH, SECONDLY, THAT THE FIRST, UH, WHERE WE HAVE THIS CROSSING NORTH, THAT CROSS, UH, NORTH SOUTH CROSSING, UM, ON THE FAB RIGHT THERE, UH, SO THAT WOULD BE WHERE YOUR FIRST KIND OF DRIVEWAY CUT WOULD BE IN A PLANNED ROADWAY BEYOND THAT.
SO THERE'S, UH, I'M SAYING THAT JUST TO LET YOU KNOW THAT, THAT THIS IS NOT, UH, THE LINES DRAWN ON THE PAPER, IT'S ALL, IT ALL GOES TO A GREATER PLAN, WHETHER THOSE PLANS EVER DEVELOP OR NOT THAT'S TO, UH, TO BE DETERMINED.
BUT, UM, WHAT I REALLY LIKE ABOUT THIS ONE IS, AGAIN, WE RECAPTURE OUR SPACING.
UM, AGAIN, WE START GETTING INTO MORE ROADS AND MORE COSTS, BUT YOU CAN START TO SEE THIS INTERCONNECTIVITY AND ACCESS MANAGEMENT AND ACCESS ROAD NETWORK.
UM, SO THE NEXT OPTION D I ASKED ONE QUESTION BEFORE YOU OFFICERS RIGHT HERE THAT THE EXISTING RIB COMING OUT OF LAKE POINT DRIVE NOW YES.
UM, WHERE YOU'RE SHOWING THE NEW ROAD CURVING TO THE SOUTH AND THEN, YOU KNOW, COMING UP, WOULD THAT EXISTING ROAD BE REMOVED OR WOULD THAT CONTINUE TO BE THERE FOREVER? THAT WOULD BE REMOVED.
UM, HE, UH, ONCE WE GO THROUGH THIS, IT WOULD BE NICE, WHATEVER OPTION IS DECIDED ON THE WHITE OUT WHAT ROAD.
SO OPTION D SO THIS KIND OF BUILDS ON OPTION C AND IF YOU SCROLL DOWN A LITTLE BIT FURTHER, UH, THE MAIN PART IS TO THE SOUTH.
SO, UM, THE NORTHERN IS THE SAME, THE SAME ACCESS ROAD, UM, TO THE PUBLIC'S INTERSECTION.
UM, ON THIS, WE CONTINUE THE, UH, SOUTHERN CONNECTION TO THE TOWNS AND WE ACTUALLY TIED INTO WHAT COULD BE A FUTURE, UH, CONNECTION TO WOODBRIDGE.
SO ACTUALLY YOU CAN SEE THERE IN THE AREA, UM, THERE'S A WOODED AREA, UM, THAT LOT BELONG AS L AS WELL AS THE PERIMETER AROUND WOODBRIDGE BELONGS TO THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION.
I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THAT WAS INTENDED AS A PLAN AS A FUTURE ACCESS OR NOT, BUT FOR WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, IT DOES MARRY UP TO THIS REALLY WELL.
UM, IN THIS SCENARIO, WE ACTUALLY EXTEND THAT ROAD, THAT, THAT WOODBRIDGE CONNECTION DOWN TO THE NEW ALLIANCE SIGNAL, AND THEN ALSO START PICKING UP OTHER, UM, OTHER PROPERTIES.
YOU CAN SEE THE CONNECTIVITY TO THE, UH, THE CHURCH THERE AS WELL AS BACK TO PARKERS AND THE STORAGE UNITS.
UM, AND AGAIN, JUST FOR REFERENCE ONLY YOU CAN SEE THE RED LINE OF THE, THE FIVE B LAYOUT AS IT'S, UM, IN ITS CURRENT LAYOUT, UH, FROM THE PREVIOUS ITERATION.
UM, SO AGAIN, THIS ONE HAS A LOT MORE TO IT THAN JUST A SIMPLE MOVE.
THE INTERSECTION, YOU START GETTING INTO OTHER ACCESS MANAGEMENT, AND WHETHER YOU BUILD OR DON'T BUILD A FUTURE FABBY, UM, THIS DOES CREATE A SERIES OF CONNECTIVITY ROUTES OR CONNECTIVE ROADS, UM, THAT REALLY CREATE, UM, GOOD ACCESS TO SEVERAL NEIGHBORHOODS TO PROVIDE MULTIPLE POINTS OF, UH, INTERSECTIONS.
THOSE ARE THE OPTIONS THAT OUR ENGINEERS COME UP WITH THUS FAR.
UM, AS FAR AS THE COUNTY, AGAIN, ALL THESE MEET ACCESS, UM, THE PREFERENCE FROM OUR POINT IS JUST, UH, LOOKING AT THE OPTIONS C AND D IT, IT
[01:30:01]
ACTUALLY SETS BACK THE, UM, THE INTERSECTIONS, I THINK OPTIONS A AND B FROM OUR STANDPOINT ARE MORE TEMPORARY AS FAR AS THE, THE, UM, SPACING REQUIREMENTS.SO, UH, IF WE ONLY DO A OR B, AT SOME POINT LATER, WE WOULD LOOK AT DOING THE INTERSECTION RELOCATED TO THE SOUTH AND C AND D, BUT NOT NECESSARILY PART OF THIS CURRENT RELOCATION.
UM, SO THOSE ARE ALL THE OPTIONS THAT ARE THERE ON THE TABLE.
AND I MEAN, I'LL GLADLY TAKE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, BUT I'LL LET OTHERS ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
AND THIS ONE, THE, A ON THIS D THE SIGNALIZATION IS AT ITS BEST OF THE, OF THE FOUR OPTIONS THAT YOU'VE JUST LAID OUT.
BASICALLY THE 2,500 IS YOUR MAX OR YOUR GOAL.
SO THIS PLAYS OUT BEST OF EACH SCENARIO.
THEY HAD THE SAME 16 OR 1700 FOOT SPACING QUESTION.
I'LL JUMP IN, UM, A COUPLE CLARIFICATION IF IT WAS A, AND B, WHY ISN'T THE RED LINE HIGHLIGHTING FABBY ON EITHER OF THOSE? IS THAT AN OVERSIGHT? YEAH, THAT WAS NOT INTENTIONAL.
YEAH, I DON'T, WELL, TWO QUESTIONS.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY WOULDN'T ENGINEERS OR WHOEVER LOOKED AT THIS FOR YOU WOULDN'T HAVE UTILIZED THE FIVE B NETWORK TO A CERTAIN POINT, BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE DUPLICATING ROADS.
IF WE DID D AND THEN ONE DAY FIVE BIG GETS FUNDED BY SOMEWHERE.
NOW WE HAVE A DUPLICATE ROAD, A HUNDRED FEET AWAY FROM EACH OTHER.
MAYBE YOU COULD HELP, WHO'S GOING TO PAY FOR THE ROAD TO TAKE YOU TO THE NEW WATER TOWER, OR DO THEY NEED A ROAD ACCESS.
SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY NEED, SO WE DID COORDINATE WITH B, FOR JASPER ON THEIR LOCATION AND IN THIS SEGMENT, IT'S, UH, ON THE NORTH SOUTH CONNECTION, UM, CLOSEST TOWARDS BLUFF BUCK, WALTER, SORRY.
THE BEES GET ME CONFUSED CLOSEST TO BUCK WALTER IS RIGHT IN THAT NORTH OR SOUTH EAST QUADRANT.
IF THAT MAKES YOU TOASTED IT FOR ME, I CAN'T GET LEMMY.
BUT NUMBER, WHERE ARE YOU? UM, SEE THAT? CAN YOU SEE MY SCREEN? YEAH, I DO.
THAT'S WHERE ASHLEY, BOBBY, I THINK IT'S RIGHT WHERE YOUR CURSOR IS, IS WHERE THEIR PROPOSED WATER TOWER LOCATION IS.
SO WE DID COORDINATE WITH THEM AND MAKE SURE, UM, WHAT WE WERE SHOWING MESHED OUT WITH WHAT THEY WERE SHOWING.
IF EVERYONE CHOSE D I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S EXPENSIVE AND IT'S WILLY NILLY A LITTLE BIT, BUT DO YOU HAVE A PHASED APPROACH? IF WE WERE ALL TO AGREE ON THE SAME OPTION, IT'D BE PHASED.
I THINK FROM AN ENGINEERING STANDPOINT, UM, OR A PERMITTING STANDPOINT SPECIFICALLY, IT WOULD BE BETTER TO DESIGN AT ALL, UM, SUCH THAT WE CAN HAVE A PERMIT COLLECTIVE PERMIT, BECAUSE THAT'S, AGAIN, HOW THE AGENCIES TRY TO, UM, TRY TO GET FOLKS TO, TO LOOK AT THINGS.
UM, AND THEN JUST CONSTRUCT A PHASE OF THE DESIGN PERMITTED DRAWINGS.
HOW LONG DOES THAT PERMIT? GOOD DIRT IS GOOD UP TO FIVE YEARS.
UM, SO EVEN WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT THAT WE HAVE NOW IN TALKING WITH THE ENGINEERS, UM, THE OPPORTUNITY TO RENEW IT THERE, THEY SAID IT WAS VERY SLIGHT.
SO WE HAVE ONE THAT'S SITTING ON THE SHELF, BUT IT'S ALMOST TO THE POINT WHERE IT'S EVEN EXPIRED.
UM, BUT IF WE WERE TO UPDATE A PERMIT AND GET A UPDATED SET OF PLANS, TYPICALLY A PERMIT IS GOOD FOR UP TO FIVE YEARS.
SO YOU'RE ON D RIGHT THERE IS THAT D YES.
WHY WOULDN'T YOU, UM, YOU'LL SEE WHERE THE PLUS SIGN IS.
SO DOWN BELOW IS THE, THE SHADOWING OF FABBY.
WHY WOULDN'T WE CONSIDER PUTTING THAT FEEDER ROAD AT LEAST TO GO THE FIVE B ROUTE AND TAKE YOU, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST IT WILL CONTINUE.
WE HAVE A NORTH SOUTH CONNECTOR, A LITTLE BIT EAST OF THAT.
AND DAN HAD MENTIONED AT ONE TIME, WHAT A GREAT WAY TO BRING TRAFFIC OFF OF 2 78 TO PROVIDE THAT SAME ACCESS OFF OF THE ROAD IF NEEDED.
AND I JUST FEEL LIKE YOU'RE WASTING MONEY IF WE CAN'T UTILIZE WHAT WAS ALREADY DOES.
THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT, UM, WE TALKED ABOUT INTERNALLY IS MAYBE JUST EXTENDING THE INTERSECTION THAT FIRST, AND I DON'T KNOW THE DISTANCE, BUT THE FIRST SIX OR 700 FEET, AT LEAST TO THE FIRST WHERE THE WATER TOWER WOULD BE, IF NOT ALL THE WAY TO WHERE THE WOODBRIDGE NORTH, SOUTH CONNECTOR WOULD BE THERE.
[01:35:01]
UM, WE DID, THOSE WERE THOUGHT ABOUT, BUT WE DIDN'T DRAW UP AN OPTION FOR THAT.UM, AT THAT POINT YOU'RE, YOU'RE ALSO, UM, IT IS A LARGER ROAD.
SO YOU'RE CARRYING THE FOUR LANES.
ARE YOU? WELL, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THAT IT WOULD HAVE TO BE FOUR LANES, BUT ANYWAYS, THAT COULD BE AN OPTION.
SO, UH, WHERE THE, WHERE THE CURSOR IS RIGHT NOW IN THE CROSS, ARE YOU SAYING THAT THE ROAD THAT IT'S TOUCHING RIGHT THERE WOULD ACTUALLY MOVE DOWN TO WHERE THE PORTION OF FIVE B WOULD THAT NO, I'M SAYING THAT THIS SECTION HERE, YOU COULD CONSTRUCT THAT SECTION OF FIVE B.
UM, SO, SO YOU REALLY DON'T WANT, AND, UH, WHEN YOU GET CLOSE TO THE INTERSECTION, THE GOAL IS NOT TO HAVE DRIVEWAYS OR CURB CUTS CLOSE TO THE INTERSECTION.
SO REALLY WHERE THAT CURB CUT IS WHERE THE WATER TOWER THAT, THAT ROADWAY NORTH, SOUTH ROAD IS AS CLOSE AS WE'D LIKE A CURB CUT TO THE INTERSECTION.
I GUESS THE POINT I'M TRYING TO MAKE, AND MAYBE YOU'RE ADDRESSING IT IS YOU WANT FIVE B, YOU KNOW THAT, AND THEN AGAIN, SHE'S TOUCHING ON THE FACT THAT IF YOU CAN COME OUT OF WILLOW RUN AND COME BACK THIS DIRECTION WITH THE FIVE B THAT YOU SEE THERE, YOU STILL TAKING THE TRAFFIC OFF 2 78, AS SHE SAID, BUT IF YOU WENT AHEAD AND BUILT THAT PORTION WHERE YOU COULD PLAN FOR IT, THAT ROAD THAT I JUST TALKED ABOUT COULD BE, REFIGURED WHERE YOU'VE ALREADY BUILT A PORTION OF FIVE B.
EVEN IF YOU DIDN'T TAKE IT ALL THE WAY TO WHERE IT WILL RUN WOULD BE.
SO THEN YOU WOULDN'T NEED BOTH OF THEM.
I MEAN, WE CAN DEFINITELY TAKE THAT BACK, UM, TO OUR COUNCIL AS WELL, AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC TO GET THAT FEEDBACK.
UM, I MEAN, EVEN IF IT'S THE TWO LANE ROAD TO BEGIN WITH, RIGHT, THAT'S HOW THE, AND MAYBE HELPING FUTURE IN THE FUTURE SOLVE A PROBLEM.
SOUNDS LIKE DAN SAYING D MAKES MORE SENSE C OR D MAKES MORE SENSE WITH THE SPACING.
AND I KNOW YOU HAVEN'T, I THINK WE'VE GOT TO HELP OUR, OUR TOWN'S AT BUCK WALTER.
I THINK IF WOODBRIDGE WANTS IT, WE NEED TO HELP THEM THERE IN THE COUNTY, BUT WE DO LISTEN TO THEM WHEN THEY EMAIL AND CALL US.
UM, SOMEHOW I DON'T, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE DISCUSSION IS OVER THIS LAST LITTLE ROADWAY THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE VOTED FOR A LONG TIME AGO, UM, IS, BUT I DO THINK WE'VE GOT TO KEEP IT ON THE BOOKS.
I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO PUT IT ON OUR LAPS TIP, UM, PLAN.
SO I'M KIND OF WITH DAN ON, HOW CAN WE GO BACK AND STEW'S HERE TOO, BUT I'M GLAD HE'S HERE.
HOW CAN WE INCORPORATE THAT? JUST TO KEEP IT FLOWING? NO ONE THAT THIS REALIGNMENT IS REALLY, UM, PROBABLY IMPORTANT AS WELL.
SO W SO YOU SEE MY PIN, THIS, THIS SECTION OF THE PARKWAY THAT GOES AWAY.
SO THAT'S DEVELOPABLE PROPERTY, SO TO SPEAK, IT'S OWNED BY SOMEBODY, BOTH SIDES.
HE'S TALKING ABOUT THE CURRENT PARK, OR MAYBE YOU HAVE NORTH OF THE EXISTING BLUFFTON PARKWAY ON THE WEB, ON THE WEST SIDE, UP ABOVE WHERE FOR MEMORIAL HAS THE PROPERTY ON CONTRACT, THAT ALL THAT WOULD GO AWAY THAT'S RIGHT.
SO THAT, THAT IS BE FREE COUNTY RIGHT AWAY.
THAT WOULD BE RETURNED TO THE LANDOWNER, UM, OR WHATEVER THE ACQUISITION WOULD NEED TO BE.
I MEAN, THIS IS MORE OF A WORKSHOP ITEMS, SO Y'ALL, I DON'T NEED TO RECOGNIZE YOU THE, UM, IF YOU TAKE AND PUT YOUR CURSOR ON THE COMING OUT OF, UH, WOODBRIDGE TO THE T INTERSECTION RIGHT THERE, WHERE YOU'VE ALREADY CONSIDERED THIS.
SO IF, IF WE WENT WITH THIS PLAN AND WE MADE THE ADJUSTMENT THAT I JUST TALKED ABOUT, WHERE YOU POTENTIALLY SHIFT THE ROAD DOWN AND INTO THE AREA THAT POTENTIALLY FIVE B COULD BE, WHETHER WOODBRIDGE TODAY WANTS TO CONNECT THERE OR NOT, GOODNESS, THE WAY WE'RE GROWING AND THE WAY THE FUTURE WILL BE.
AND THIS IS WHAT INTERCONNECTIVITY IS ALL ABOUT TO GIVE PEOPLE MORE ACCESS AND OPTIONS FOR TRAFFIC FLOW.
THEN I WOULD LEAVE A CURVE CUTTERS, LAY THE ROAD TIES THERE ANYWAY.
SO YOU'D HAVE A NATURAL TIE THERE IN THE FUTURE.
SHOULD WOODBRIDGE NOT WANT TO DO IT TODAY? MAYBE THEY WANT TO DO IT 10 YEARS FROM NOW WHEN THEY HIT GRIDLOCK ON 2 78, YOU KNOW? YEAH, YEAH, NO, THAT MAKES, THAT MAKES GOOD SENSE.
UM, AND THERE IS SOME WETLANDS ON ALL THAT, UH, ROAD FROM THE TOWNS TO THE WOODBRIDGE
[01:40:01]
ROAD.THERE'S A LOT OF WETLANDS THERE.
SO, UM, POTENTIALLY, ESPECIALLY AS A PHASE OR SHORT TERM, UM, OR NEAR-TERM THAT IF YOU MOVE THAT SECTION TO THE FAB B AREA, UM, THEN THERE'S POTENTIALLY SOME WETLANDS THAT, UM, MIGHT BE MITIGATED.
UM, DO YOU KNOW, DO YOU UNDERSTAND YOU'RE NOT VOTING ON ANYTHING OR DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE SAYING WHERE YOU COULD TAKE IT BACK? YES.
SO, UM, LIKE CLEAR AS MUD, RIGHT.
E WOULD YOU LIKE US TO CALL HER? I, I CAN GUESS WHAT YOU GUYS MIGHT TELL HER IN.
UM, I UNDERSTAND THE COMMENTS AND WE CAN, WE CAN MAKE MORE ALTERNATIVES.
UM, WE'LL HAVE TO COORDINATE STAFF CAN COORDINATE ON, ON COME UP BECAUSE, SO THIS IS US COORDINATING, UM, AND PRESENTED TO YOU AS COUNSEL, BUT AT SOME POINT WE ALSO HAVE TO COORDINATE, UH, WITH THE PUBLIC STAKEHOLDERS.
UM, SO HAVING A SET OF OPTIONS WHERE IN ESSENCE, WITHOUT SAYING THAT WE ARE KIND OF REPEATING THE EA PROCESS, UM, WITH THE ALTERNATIVES, KIND OF JUST WHAT THE OTS DOING WITH DO 78, THEY HAD A WHOLE BUNCH OF ALTERNATIVES AND IT NARROWED DOWN TO A PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE.
UM, SO EVEN IF WE HAD TO RECRAFT THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT, I THINK THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND THE PUBLIC, UM, PRESENTATION HERE AT THIS WORKSHOP, AND THEN AT FUTURE MEETINGS COULD BE FOLDED IN, SHOULD WE CHOOSE, UM, TO, TO REALLY FINALIZE THE EA PROCESS.
BUT I DO I HEAR THE COMMENTS, WE CAN MAKE SOME ADDITIONAL ALTERNATIVES.
UM, I THINK, UH, IN HEARING YOU GUYS SPEAK THAT OPTION, A REALLY DOESN'T DOESN'T REALLY SEEM LIKE THERE'S MUCH INTEREST FOR THAT, UM, THAT WE LOOK TO SOME TYPE OF KIT CONNECTIVITY.
I THINK IN ALL OPTIONS WE SHOWED THE NORTHERN ACCESS.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WAS OPPOSED TO THAT NORTHERN ACCESS OR ANY COMMENTS WERE MADE.
UM, AND THAT MORE OF THE COMMENTS HERE IN YOU GUYS ARE KIND OF ON THE SOUTHERN PORTION.
I JUST REALLY ONE CHANGES THEIR MIND, THOSE RED LINES FOR FIVE BEHALF TO STAY ON THE MAPS.
UM, IT JUST LOOKS LIKE WE'RE NOT GOING TO EVEN CONSIDER ANY MORE.
WE CAN GET THEM UPDATED ON ALL FUTURE OPTIONS.
AND THEN ALSO, LIKE YOU SAID, WHITE OUT THE ROADS THAT ARE TO BE DELETED ANOTHER THING.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF I SENT IT TO YOU, BUT, AND TERRY REMEMBERS THE MEDIATION.
WE ALL WENT THROUGH WITH TWO IMPEDING PROPERTY OWNERS.
WE WERE ABLE TO GET THAT EASEMENT RECORDED WITH THE COUNTY THAT'S INNOVATION DRIVE.
BUT ONCE THIS HAS REALIGNED, BOTH AGREED TO ALSO GIVE TWO ADDITIONAL EASEMENTS TO CONNECT TO THE PARKWAY.
SO I THINK IT'D BE GOOD TO SHOW THOSE SOMEHOW, BECAUSE ONCE IT'S REALIGNED, IT GOES INTO EFFECT, RIGHT.
AND WE CAN GET YOU THAT DOCUMENT.
I THINK IT'D BE GOOD TO REFLECT EVERYTHING WE'VE WORKED HARD ON GETTING.
SO, UH, ONE THING TO NOTE AGAIN, UM, JUST TO GO BACK TO RIGHT NOW, WE GOT COMMISSIONED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SOME RELOCATION, UH, AND TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
AND AGAIN, WE HAVEN'T UPDATED THE COST ESTIMATES, BUT I CAN PRETTY MUCH GUARANTEE YOU THAT THE ONLY ONE THAT FITS INTO TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IS OPTION A, SO, UM, ONCE WE DECIDE ON THE OPTION, WE'LL ALSO HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW ARE WE GOING TO FUND THIS AND BRING THIS TO LIFE FINANCIALLY.
SO THAT'LL BE ANOTHER TOPIC FOR ANOTHER DAY.
UM, ONE THING I WOULD ASK FOR YOU ALL TO CONSIDER AS YOU GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE OPTIONS IS TO REACH OUT TO CURRENTLY WHERE THE PATH IS GOING UP TO THE BACK ENTRANCE TO BUCK WALTER OUT OF THE TOWNS RUNS THROUGH WHERE A BUILDING USED TO SIT AND THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE ANOTHER BUILDING.
SO WE CAN ADD WHERE IT WOULD NEED TO GO, ESPECIALLY WITH THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS THAT ARE IN PLACE.
SO ONE LAST QUESTION FROM ME, UM, LATS IS LOOKING AT THEIR LONG RANGE PLAN RIGHT NOW.
UM, HAVE YOU SHARED ANY OF THESE SUGGESTIONS WITH THEM? NOT ON THESE FOUR OPTIONS? NO.
UM, SO THEY'RE LOOKING AT THAT LARGER NETWORK.
UM, BUT THIS IS STUFF ON, THEY HAVE SOME, UM, SPECIFIC AREAS THAT WE CAN, WE CAN, WE'LL DEFINITELY SHARE IT WITH.
I THINK THE REASON IS OBVIOUS BECAUSE I KNOW THEY'RE LOOKING AT A LARGER
[01:45:01]
PUZZLE, BUT THEY'RE ALSO DO THE, UH, LOS RATINGS ON THE PARKWAY WHERE THEY ARE TODAY AND THEY WILL DO THEIR PROJECTIONS ON HOW THEY WILL BE LATER.UNLESS YOU GUYS HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS, ARE YOU CLEAR? I THINK I'M GOING TO WRITE SOME NOTES WHEN I GET HIM YOU'RE IN AND YOU'LL SEND HIM THE, THE EASEMENTS ON THAT.
UM, THESE ARE BASICALLY FEEDER ROADS FOR A BIGGER LATS.
THESE ARE THE FEEDER ROADS THAT CAN CONNECT.
SO, UM, I THINK WHATEVER CAN CONNECT THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND I AGREE WITH DAN, WE DON'T KNOW WOODBRIDGE.
THEY, THEY HAVE, THEY'VE NEVER HAD A RED LIGHT, SO WE GOT TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WORKS FOR THEM.
THE TOWNS AT BUCK WATER HAS ALWAYS HAD A RED LIGHT AND IT'S PROBABLY TURNED OVER A DOZEN TIMES IN 15 YEARS.
SO HOW CAN WE CONNECT THEM? AND LAKE POINT DRIVE, WE ALL HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT WAS A TEMPORARY RED LIGHT.
ALL BECAUSE OF A ROADWAY THAT NEVER GOT FINISHED BECAUSE EVERY OTHER ROAD PROJECT I'D EVER BUDGETED, EVERYTHING WAS OVER BUDGET AND WE HAD TO MAKE DO, AND I WILL SAY WE WOULD NOT HAVE APPROVED A LOT OF THIS.
HAVE WE NOT KNOWN? WE WOULD HAVE NOT HAD A SECONDARY ACCESS TO 2 78.
THE QUESTION, AND I KNOW IT'S GOING TO COME UP WITH SOME OF YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS IS, OH MY GOSH, WE'RE JUST GOING TO EXPLODE IN COMMERCIAL GROWTH BECAUSE OF ANOTHER PARKWAY.
THERE'S SO MANY WETLANDS IN THAT FIVE B I HAVE NOT SEEN WHERE THERE'S ANY ROOM FOR THAT FIVE BLUFFTON PARKWAY GROWTH TO OCCUR.
SO I HOPE WE CAN ALL GET INFORMATION TO HELP CALM SOME PEOPLE IN AND OUT OF BLUFFTON.
WE CAN LOOK AND I WOULD ASK, UM, AND WE WILL GET STEVE AND I'LL GET WITH YOU AND YOUR STAFF LATER AS WE DEVELOP THESE AND ARE READY TO TAKE THESE TO PUBLIC.
UM, JUST FOR THAT JOINT EFFORT, UM, AGAIN, THIS, IN THIS, UH, MUNICIPALITY AND IN THE COUNTY, IT'S MIXED.
UM, SO WE'LL, WE CAN SPEARHEAD THAT TOGETHER.
WHEN WE GET TO THAT POINT, YOU COULD COMMIT THAT, THAT MONEY TO SOME PORTION OF IT AND WE CAN PHASE IT.
MAYBE IT'S A, A LITTLE BIT OF A, MAYBE IT'S BE YES.
UH, SO C AND D STARTED TO GETTING INTO THE NETWORK AND A, AND B ARE KINDA, I'M SORRY.
I, HE ONLY BE ADDS THE TOWNS AT BUCK WALTERS ACCESS TO THE RED LIGHT.
HEY, IS THE SIMPLEST, UM, BUT NOT FULL ACCESS BE AS THE NEXT SIMPLEST, BUT PROVIDES THAT FULL ACCESS.
SO, UM, PLUS D PLUS, THERE YOU GO.
Y'ALL HAVE ANYTHING AGAINST ANY OF THAT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? THANK YOU.
DID YOU UNDERSTAND THIS? OKAY.
I THINK WE DON'T LIKE, HEY, I GOT THAT LOUD AND CLEAR.
SO WE ADDED, HE INDEED DEFINITELY LOOKED LIKE IT WAS THE BEST.
IF YOU CAN ADD, IF YOU CAN INCORPORATE THE, WE'LL JUST START SHAKING THOSE MONEY TREES AND WE'LL GET THEM.
[Formal Agenda Items]
AND YOU'LL GET WITH THE STAFF AND WE'LL ALL HEAR UPDATES.UM, AND STU THANK YOU FOR COMING AS WELL.
[Consideration of an Ordinance Amending the Town of Bluffton Fiscal Year 2022 Budget to Provide for Budget Reduction and Funding Changes for the Loss of Vehicle Tag Fee Revenues and to Allocate Sources of Revenue for the Said Funds to Carry Forward Unspent Expenditures and Encumbrances for the FY2021 Budget to the FY2022 Budget - First Reading - Chris Forster, Director of Finance and Administration]
FIRST IS OUR FISCAL 2022 BUDGET TO PROVIDE FOR BUDGET REDUCTION IN FUNDING CHANGES FOR THE LOSS OF VEHICLE TAG FEE REVENUE, WHICH SHOULD WE STILL HAD IT AND TO ALLOCATE SOURCES OF REVENUE FOR SAID, FUNDS TO CARRY FORWARD UNSPENT EXPENDITURES FOR THE 2021 BUDGET TO THE 2022 BUDGET.UM, CHRIS, HOW ARE YOU? GOOD EVENING.
SO THIS IS A, UM, OUR ANNUAL, UH, CARRY FORWARD BUDGET AMENDMENT, BUT THERE'S A COUPLE OF OTHER COMPONENTS BECAUSE OF A FEW THINGS THAT OCCURRED.
UM, SO HERE ARE THE THREE MAIN COMPONENTS.
WE HAVE THE CARRY FORWARD OF FUNDS FOR UNFINISHED PROJECTS AND CONTRACTS, WHICH IS TYPICAL, WHAT YOU SEE, UH, AT THIS TIME OF YEAR.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE ADJUSTMENTS FOR THE LOSS OF THE TECH FEE REVENUE, WHICH I'LL EXPLAIN MORE IN A, THE MOMENT.
AND, UH, WE ALSO HAVE, UH, THE USE OF,
[01:50:01]
AND TRANSFERS OF PRIOR FUND BALANCE, WHICH I'LL TALK ABOUT WHERE WE ENDED LAST YEAR, THE CURRENT FORWARD AMOUNTS.THESE ARE THE ONES THAT REFLECT, UH, THE PROJECTS OR INITIATIVES THAT WERE PLANNED TO BE COMPLETED LAST WEEK, UH, FISCAL YEAR.
UM, BUT WE'LL NEED YOU TO CARRY FORWARD FOR VARIOUS REASONS.
UM, AGAIN, THIS IS PRIMARILY YOUR, YOUR CIP PROJECTS, WHICH ARE MULTI-YEAR PROJECTS.
BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS ARE A RESULT OF A RECENT STATE SUPREME COURT RULING, UM, THAT INTERPRETED A NEW CHANGE IN STATE LEDGE, UH, LAW.
UM, THAT QUESTION REALLY THAT THE GALLERY OF THE VEHICLE TAG FEE ASSESSED BY MANY COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
UM, SO BASED ON THEIR RULING, UM, THE TAG FEE WAS NO LONGER IN LEGAL FEE FOR US TO ASSESS UNLESS IT WAS DIRECTLY TIED TO THOSE, UH, THE BENEFIT THAT WE USED THE MONEY FOR WAS DIRECTLY TIED TO THE INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE PAYING IT.
UM, SO IT WAS A VERY NARROW DEFINITION OF HOW YOU CAN USE THOSE, THOSE FEE REVENUES.
UM, SO A LOT OF COUNTIES LOST THROUGHOUT THE STATE AS WELL AS MUNICIPALITIES, INCLUDING US, UH, WHICH WE STARTED A YEAR AND A HALF AGO.
UM, UH, IT, WE WERE ABLE TO ASSESS THE FEED THROUGH LAST FISCAL YEAR, UM, UH, STARTING IN, IN, UH, JULY THE, UH, COUNTY AUDITORS NO LONGER, UH, ASSESS THE ON THE, THE, THE VEHICLE BILLS.
SO THERE IS A CURRENT EFFORT TO AMEND THE LEGISLATION, UH, TO CHANGE THE LANGUAGE BACK THAT WOULD ALLOW THE, UH, TACK FEES AGAIN.
UM, AND THAT EFFORT IS MOVING FORWARD.
I THINK THERE'S A COUPLE OF COUNTIES IN THE NORTHWEST AREA OF THE STATE THAT ARE LEADING THAT INITIATIVE.
AND IT, IT SEEMS TO HAVE SOME FAVORABILITY AND ALERT LEGISLATURE, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL FIND OUT, UH, BY YOUR ZEN, WHAT THE REVENUE LOSS HERE FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR THAT WE'RE ADJUSTING FOR IS $473,000 LOOKING AT PRIOR TO OUR FUND BALANCE.
UM, FYI 21 REVENUES CAME IN AT 23.6 MILLION.
OUR SPANISH WAS REST 17, ALMOST 17 EIGHT.
UM, SO THE ADDITION TO FUND BALANCE, UH, AT THE END OF LAST FISCAL YEAR WAS 5.8.
NOW ABOUT A MILLION OF THAT IS RELATED TO THE ARPA REVENUE.
SO, UM, FROM A BUDGETARY STANDPOINT, IT WAS MORE 4.8, BUT A MILLION OF THAT IS ARPA-E.
AND I'LL, I'LL BREAK THAT DOWN IN A MOMENT.
SO THESE ARE THE PROPOSED ADJUSTMENTS.
UM, YOU HAVE THE CARE FOR A COLUMN, UH, BROKEN DOWN BY WHAT IS BEING CARED FOR FROM THE GENERAL FUNDS WHO DEBT AND THE CARRY FORWARD FUNDS THERE, UH, AT THE BOTTOM, UH, THE 2.2 IS PRIMARILY CIP FUND, THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS.
YOU CAN SEE THE LOSS OF THESE 473,000 IN TAX REVENUE, UM, THEIR HOUSING REMEDIATION GRANT PROGRAM, UM, WHICH I WILL DISCUSS IN THE NEXT SLIDE AND THEN THE USE OF FUND BALANCE OF 195,000 TO MAKE UP THE GAP.
AND THE REST WILL COME IN FROM BUDGET CUTS OR PROPOSED BUDGET CUTS.
AND THEN THE USE OF PRIOR FUND BALANCE.
AND AGAIN, I'LL BREAK DOWN THAT EXPENDITURE ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
UM, THE TOTAL CARRY FORWARD IS 4.3.
AGAIN, THE MAJORITY OF THAT IS CIP.
AS YOU SEE, THERE WAS YOUR CIP ONES, UM, THE BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS, WE HAD, UM, SEVERAL POSITION, UH, VACANCIES THAT WE ACHIEVED SAVINGS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, WHICH WE'RE CAPTURING, UM, AS WELL AS A REDUCTION IN A PART-TIME POSITION, UM, THAT ACHIEVED THAT 197,000 IN POSITION ADJUSTMENTS SAVINGS.
UM, THERE'S SOME MINOR ADJUSTMENTS IN PUBLIC WORKS BUDGET, UH, THE TIMELINE BUDGET, AND THEN, UH, HOUSING REMEDIATION PASS THROUGH GRANT PROGRAM, WHICH IS ADDITIONAL REVENUE AND ADDITIONAL EXPENSE.
UM, BUT WHAT THAT IS, IS A PROGRAM TO ASSIST, UH, HOMEOWNERS RECEIVING, UH, OTHER EXTERNAL GRANTS.
UM, MOST OF THOSE GRANTS REQUIRE THEM TO PUT THE MONEY UP FRONT, UM, INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE IN, UM, FINANCIAL NEED USUALLY DON'T HAVE THAT CASH TO PUT UP FRONT.
SO WE WOULD ACT AS, AS THE FIDUCIARY, UM, WE WOULD HELP FUND THE PROJECT AND THEN DRAW DOWN ON THE GRANT ON THEIR BEHALF TO REIMBURSE OURSELVES FOR THE AMOUNT THAT WE SPEND.
UM, AND THAT WOULD BE ONE THROUGH THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMITTEE FUNDS THAT ARE COMING THROUGH ONE FROM BJ UFC, AND ONE FROM KIND OF BE IN THE PAST FOR THE MONEY.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S ACCOUNTED AS WERE THE PAST THREE, FOUR.
OH, IT WILL BE SEE WHEN THAT COMES BACK TO US TO PUT IT AT A ZERO.
WELL, WE GET ANOTHER UPDATE FROM YOU.
THAT PROJECT'S DONE THAT MONEY.
UM, USE OF PRIOR FUND BALANCE.
SO WE HAVE A, UH, OFFICER RETENTION, PAGE ADJUSTMENTS.
THIS IS A PROGRAM, UH, THERE'S SOME
[01:55:01]
NEIGHBORING JURISDICTION THAT HAVE UP THE, UM, STARTING SALARY FOR EXPERIENCED OFFICERS.UM, AND THERE WAS CONCERN ABOUT, UM, THAT DRAWING AWAY SOME OF OUR EXPERIENCED OFFICERS FROM THE CURRENT, UH, UH, PAY LEVEL THAT THEY'RE AT.
UH, SO THIS WOULD BASICALLY, UM, BUMP UP, PAY FOR OFFICERS WITH SOME EXPERIENCE, UM, IN ORDER TO RETAIN THEM WITHIN OUR, A POLICE OFFICER THERE AT, UH, PERSUADED AWAY FROM, UH, THE TOWN TO A NEIGHBORING JURISDICTION.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE IN HERE, UH, A DESIGNATION OF 2 MILLION OR TRANSFER OF 2 MILLION OVER INTO THE LAND ACQUISITION PROGRAM.
UM, THERE'S A BUDGET AS, YOU KNOW, A BUDGET OF HALF A MILLION DOLLARS EVERY YEAR.
AND THIS WOULD BE AN INITIAL 2 MILLION PROGRAM.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER 600,000 ARE PROPOSED, UM, FOR THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, CIP PROGRAM.
AND THEN IF YOU GO DOWN HERE, WE HAVE FUN BALANCE DESIGNATION.
THESE ARE NOT APPROVED, UH, BUDGET EXPENDITURES, BUT WE ARE SIMPLY DESIGNATING FUND BALANCE FOR THESE POTENTIAL PROGRAMS, UM, THAT WERE COMING OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.
UM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, ARPA, OBVIOUSLY WE WERE REQUIRED TO RESERVE THOSE FUNDS FOR THE OPERA PROGRAM.
AND NOW THAT THOSE PROPOSALS WILL COME TO YOU IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS AFTER WE HEAR FROM THE STATE ON WHAT THEY ARE ALLOCATING, THAT'S JUST HALF OF WHAT WE, THAT IS CORRECT FOR JUSTICE DISAGREEMENT, UM, CAPITAL ASSET RESERVE, AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE EXPANDED THE CAPITAL ASSET RESERVE, UM, UH, THIS PAST BUDGET GO AROUND, UH, LET'S, WE'RE PROPOSING TO USE, UH, 250,000 OF THE PRIOR FUND BALANCE TO BEEF UP THAT RESERVE A LITTLE BIT MORE.
UM, WE HAVE A PRESERVATION GRANT PROGRAM.
WE WERE, UH, DESIGNATING PROPOSING DESIGNATE FUNDS TO SEED THAT PROGRAM AS WELL AS PRACTICAL PRESERVATION PROGRAM.
AGAIN, THESE ARE JUST DESIGNATION.
THESE ARE NOT APPROVED BUDGET PROGRAMS, WHICH YOU ALL KNOW WILL BE ON FUTURE AGENDAS AND THEN A TREE REMEDIATION PROGRAM OF A HUNDRED THOUSAND.
UM, SO THAT IS A QUICK OVERVIEW OF HOW THE BUDGET MANAGEMENT, UH, USES OF FUNDS ARE, ARE PROPOSED AND PUT TOGETHER FOR YOU.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THESE SPECIFIC, UH, SORRY, I INTERRUPTED YOU IN THE MYTHS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS WE MET WHEN WE TALKED LAST MONTH ABOUT PROACTIVE PRESERVATION, AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE WORK SESSION NEXT MONTH IN COME WITH THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROGRAMS, WHICH YOU SEE THERE WITH THE PRESERVATION GRANT AND THE PROACTIVE AND THE REMEDIATION, WE'RE ALL SETTING THOSE FUNDS ASIDE FOR THOSE POTENTIAL PROGRAMS THAT WE PLANNED TO BRING TO COUNCIL.
SO ONCE THEY ARE ADOPTED, WE HAVE A POT OF FUNDS THAT WE CAN IMPLEMENT.
I JUST WANTED TO LAST MONTH, PART OF THE QUESTION WAS WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE ADOPT THESE PROGRAMS, THAT WE'RE, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE ABLE TO WORK.
WE'RE SETTING SOME OF THE FUNDS ASIDE SO THAT WHEN THOSE COME ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON MONDAY, WHAT'S A START, START WITH SOME FRIENDS AT LAND ACQUISITION FOR YEARS.
IT, WE DIDN'T REALIZE IT DIDN'T CARRY OVER AND IT WENT AWAY, BUT WE DIDN'T BUY IT.
AND I THINK IT WAS YOU THAT KIND OF PUSH THE ENVELOPE FOR THAT.
AND WE BUILT A, QUITE A BALANCE.
SO I THINK, OKAY, IF IT IS FIRST READING OR DO YOU WANT TO DO, DID YOU FINISH? NOPE.
THAT'S, THAT'S JUST A GOOD SALARY SCHEDULE.
THAT'S IN YOUR PACKETS AND THIS IS THE PROPOSED CULTURE.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE FRUSTRATING OF AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON YEAR 2022 BUDGET TO PROVIDE FOR EXPENDITURES OF CERTAIN FUNDS AND TO ALLOCATE SOURCES OF REVENUE FOR THE SAID FUNDS TO REMOVE THE VEHICLE TAG FEE AND CARRY OVER AND SPIN EXPENDITURES AND ENCUMBRANCES FROM THE 2021 TO THE 2022 BUDGET.
I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION, READ IT.
FRED SECOND, ANY DISCUSSION, CHRIS? WE DON'T THINK OUR STAFF ENOUGH, BUT YOU'RE UP HERE.
AND I THINK ALL OF US FEEL THAT WAY AND WHEN YOU'RE TALKING FAST AND I CAN UNDERSTAND YOU AND YOU CAN ALWAYS, AND YOU GET THROUGH IT WITH A LOT OF TRUST IN YOU AND THAT'S BRIAN THAT WAS ON IN KEVIN, EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S THAT WE, WE REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF WHAT YOU DO AND IT'S TOUGH RIGHT NOW.
UM, I DON'T LIKE TO AGREE WITH LISA, BUT I DO AGREE.
IT REALLY DOES LIKE TO, HE JUST DOESN'T LIKE TO DO OKAY.
ALL IN FAVOR, SAY BY SAYING I OPPOSED WE HAVE A, UM, REVEAL WE HAVE TO GET WITH, SO, UM, NATALIE JUMPED FORWARD.
LET'S MOVE IN ON, THAT'LL BE RECUSED
[Consideration of Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee Funding Recommendations for Quarter Ending June 30, 2021 - Natalie Majorkiewicz, Treasury Manager]
MYSELF FROM ONE ANYWAY.SO IF YOU WANT TO DO ALL THE OTHER ONES INSTEAD OF THAT, I CAN JUST GO AFTER YOU TALKED TO TERRY ABOUT OKAY.
[02:00:01]
ARTS AND SEE, WELL, IT'S ONLY TWO.IF WE COULD DO ARTS AND SEAFOOD BLAST, UM, DOES HE NEED TO SIGN A RECUSAL FORM? CAM CAN YOU MAKE SURE HE HAS IT OKAY.
UM, THERE ARE TWO APPLICATIONS OR APPLICANTS FOR THIS QUARTER ENDING JUNE 30TH, 2021, UM, TOTALING $86,650.
AND YOU'D LIKE TO GO WITH THE HINT HILTON HEAD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA FIRST.
UM, THEY ARE REQUESTING SUPPORT FOR THEIR FREE OUTDOOR POPS CONCERT TO BE HELD IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE SEAFOOD ARTS, UM, ARTS AND SEAFOOD FESTIVAL ON OCTOBER 21ST.
AND THEY ARE REQUESTING $16,650 FOR ADVERTISING AND FACILITIES EXPENSES THROUGH BOTH OF THEM.
UM, AND THEN THE, UM, HISTORIC LEFTON ARTS AND SEAFOOD FESTIVAL IS REQUESTING $70,000 IN SUPPORT IN ADVERTISING, FIRE AND SECURITY SERVICES AND TOURIST TRANSPORTATION.
THE FESTIVAL IS SCHEDULED TO BEGIN ON OCTOBER 16TH AND RUN THROUGH THE 24TH THIS YEAR.
UM, THE COMMITTEE HAS FULLY, FULLY, UM, RECOMMENDED TO FUND BOTH ELIGIBLE REQUESTED AMOUNTS.
UM, THERE'S CURRENTLY OVER $1.7 MILLION AVAILABLE FOR DISTRIBUTION.
UM, AND THAT IS AGAIN SPLIT BETWEEN BOTH LOCAL AND STATE ACCOMMODATIONS TAX DOLLARS.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ON EITHER OF THEM.
WE HAVE LIMITED PEOPLE HERE, SO WE'LL JUST RELY ON NATALIE.
IF WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, LET'S MOVE.
IF YOU COULD ADD MY COMPUTER WAY QUIRKY.
SO WOULD YOU LIKE THE MOTION? UM, OKAY.
SO THE FIRST IS THAT WOULD BE THE NEW YOU COULD DO TO DEBERRY.
THAT'S GOING TO GET DOWN THERE.
I CAN GO FROM IT FROM THE HOSPITAL.
THE FIRST PART, UM, ALMOST THERE ALMOST SARAH.
IT WAS FINE WITH THE FIRST PAGE AND I LOVE IT BECAUSE I READ ALL THIS STUFF.
I LOVE SEEING THEIR BACKGROUND AND MAKING SURE WE'RE GOOD.
AND YOU COULD REALLY GO BACK TO THE TOP, NATALIE.
YOU'RE UPSETTING LARRY EMAILS.
AS SOON AS I SWITCH IT, I'M GOING TO BE OKAY.
SO FIRST IT JUST SCROLL TO THE VERY TOP.
SO THE FIRST IS HILTON HEAD SOMETHING ORCHESTRA.
IT WAS RECOMMENDED BY THE COMMITTEE FOR $16,650.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? IS THERE A SECOND? SOMEBODY IS ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? ALL IN FAVOR STATE BY SAYING AYE.
WILL YOU GO TALK TO TERRY? LIKE YOU WERE GOING TO GO.
NEXT IS THE GRANT, THE HISTORIC BLUFFTON ARTS AND SEAFOOD FESTIVAL.
LARRY TUMOR HAS RECUSED HIMSELF.
THE RECOMMENDATION WAS 70,000.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND, ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR STATE BY SAYING AYE.
[Consent Agenda Items]
ON, I KNOW WE AT BEST WE CAN LET MORE PEOPLE KNOW WE HAVE MONEY.AND THE CHAMBER IS ALSO ASSISTING AS WELL.
WE HAVE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. ARE THERE ANY THAT ANYBODY WHO WANTS MORE INFORMATION ON, IF NOT, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ITEMS UNDER THE CONSENT AGENDA OR SECOND? ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR STATE BY SAYING AYE.
UM, I WOULD SAY THAT'S FOUR AND LARRY WASN'T HERE.
UM, IT'S NEXT? IS THERE A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION
[Executive Session]
RELATED TO THE ACCEPTANCE OF A DONATION? I REAL PROPERTY IN BLUFFTON, HISTORIC DISTRICT PURSUANT.I SEE SOMEBODY AT 34 78 TO GO BACK.
IF YOU WANT TO RECORD HIS VOTE NOW THAT YOU WANT TO VOTE FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA, DOES IT MATTER? WE CAN PUT THAT YOU WEREN'T HERE.
IS THERE A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THAT TOPIC? SO MOVED SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION? UM, I DON'T THINK THERE'LL BE ACTION OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION THEORY.
I DON'T SEE PRESS HERE ALL IN FAVOR STATE, BUT SAYING HI.
HI, POST WE'RE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
MORNING, DEPUTY COOK COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
YOU STARTED YOU THROW YOUR CIGARETTE BUTT OUT THE WINDOW.
THAT'S LITTER IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, YOU HAVE YOUR LICENSE, REGISTRATION AND INSURANCE IS SIR
[Action from Executive Session]
[Adjournment]
[02:06:26]
THE COUNTY CHANNEL IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON VIDEO ON DEMAND.GO TO BUFORD COUNTY, SC.GOV, SCROLL DOWN TO PUBLIC MEETINGS.
CLICK WATCH NOW, AND THEN CLICK THE VIDEO ON DEMAND BUTTON AND SELECT YOUR PROGRAM FROM LIST CALL TO ORDER.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO DVD OF THIS PROGRAM, CLICK ON THE LINK ON THE RIGHT AND FILL OUT THE ORDER FORM.
AND THANK YOU FOR WATCHING THE COUNTY CHANNEL IT'S CIVILIZATION VERSUS NATURE'S FURY, RAGING BLIZZARDS BERRIES, CITIES UNDER THOUSANDS OF TONS OF SNOW.
HOW MANY HURRICANES, TERRA PARK COASTAL COMMUNITIES WITH WIND AND RAIN AND FLASH FLOODS, WIPE ENTIRE TOWNS OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH.
AS THE SKY IS CLEAR, PEOPLE BEGIN TO PICK UP THE PIECES, BUT AFTER THE STORM, INSIDIOUS DAMAGE IS STILL BEING DONE.
OUR MOST VITAL NATURAL RESOURCES UNDER ASSAULT, OUR NATION'S WATERS WE'RE AT THE CHATTAHOOCHEE NATURE CENTER.
AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT A WATERSHED IS.
I NEED YOU TO TELL ME WHAT A WATERSHED IS.
DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA? WATERSHED, A WATERSHED WHERE PEOPLE GO TO THE BATHROOM.
SO I THINK, I GUESS SOMETHING TO DO WITH SWEATING, LIKE AFTER YOU RUN, WHEN YOU ARE YOU BOTH SPIRE.
WE WANTED TO ASK YOU IF YOU KNEW WHAT A WATERSHED WAS.
CAN THE RAIN, DO YOU KNOW WHAT A WATERSHED IS? SHED THAT HOLDS WATER.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT A WATERSHED IS? NO.
DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA? WHAT DO YOU THINK IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH WHAT A WATERSHED IS? YEAH, THAT'S JUST A DRAIN POOL, I GUESS YOU'D SAY.
OR THE DRAIN AREA, THE HOARD OF WATER, THE RAINWATER DRAINS INTO THE RIVER.
UH, WATERSHED IS THAT AREA OF LAND THAT DRAINS TO A BODY OF WATER, BE THAT IF IT'S A RIVER, A STREAM, THE OCEAN AND ESTUARY A BAY, WHEREVER YOU LIVE DRAINS TO SOME WATER BODY AND YOU'D LIVE IN A WATERSHED.
SO EVERYONE LIVES IN A WATERSHED.
AND IN THIS MODERN INDUSTRIAL AGE, OUR WATER SOURCES ARE BECOMING MORE CONTAMINATED WITH EACH PASSING.
THE BIGGEST WATER QUALITY PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE IN THE NATION TODAY IS POLLUTED RUNOFF, ALL WATER EAST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE, DRAINS TO THE ATLANTIC WHILE WATER WEST OF THE DIVIDE FLOWS TO THE PACIFIC AND ONE DROP OF RAIN CAN CROSS MANY DIFFERENT WATERSHEDS ALONG THE WAY.
AS RUNOFF FLOWS INTO RIVERS, STREAMS AND STORM DRAINS, THE WATER PICKS UP TRASH, DIRT, BACTERIA, TOXIC CHEMICALS, AND FERTILIZERS, CREATING A SOUP OF POLLUTANTS THAT IS EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS TO THE ENVIRONMENT.
AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF POLLUTED RUNOFF EXIST WORLDWIDE.
THE UN ESTIMATE IS THAT THERE'S ABOUT A BILLION PEOPLE IN THE PLANET RIGHT NOW.
WE DON'T HAVE ADEQUATE ACCESS TO FRESH WATER.
97% OF ALL WATER ON EARTH IS SALTY OCEAN WATER OF THE REMAINING 3%.
IT'S FRESH OVER TWO THIRDS IS FROZEN IN GLACIERS AND POLARIZED.
THAT LEAVES LESS THAN 1% OF ALL.
THE PLANETS WATER FOR OUR USE ARE PREDICTING THE FUTURE THAT SOME OF THE U S
[02:10:01]
WATER NEEDS ARE GOING TO COME THROUGH PIPELINE BECAUSE WE HAVE JUST OVERUSED OUR SUPPLY TO ADDRESS THE COMPLEX THREATS FACING US WATER RESOURCES.THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY RECOMMENDS ADOPTING A WATERSHED APPROACH.
WE'RE TRYING TO RECONNECT SOME OF THE RIVER.
IT'S A METHOD THAT LOOKS AT EACH WATERSHED FOR ITS OWN UNIQUE SET OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS.
IN MANY CASES, PEOPLE MISTAKENLY IDENTIFY LARGE DISCHARGE PIPES IN THE WATER AS THE PROBLEM, BUT THAT MAY NOT BE THE PROBLEM.
IT MAY BE COMING FROM AGRICULTURAL RUNOFF.
IT MAY BE COMING FROM STORMWATER RUNOFF OVER PARKING LOTS AND IMPERVIOUS SURFACES.
EVERY WATERSHED IS DIFFERENT AND YOU NEED TO LOOK AT EACH WATERSHED IN ITS OWN TERMS. AND THEN THINK SYSTEMATICALLY ABOUT HOW YOU REMEDIATE, HOW YOU CLEAN UP THAT WATERSHED IN CALIFORNIA, THE SANTA MONICA BAY WATERSHED DRAINS A DANGEROUS AMOUNT OF POLLUTED RUNOFF AFTER EACH STORM.
WHEN IT RAINS, LITERALLY THE WHOLE RESIDUE OF URBAN LIVING ENDS UP GETTING WASHED INTO THE STORM DRAIN SYSTEM AND ENDS UP GOING STRAIGHT INTO THE BAY ON SANTA MONICA BASE BEACHES WITH NO TREATMENT WHATSOEVER.
IT'S ACTUALLY LIKE A GIANT TOOL AT FLUSHING BECAUSE ALL OF THE POLLUTION, THE DOG MESS HAS BEEN BUILDING UP AND BUILDING UP AND BUILDING UP WHEN IT RAINS, IT JUST FLUSHES INTO THE STORM DRAIN AND GOES DIRECTLY INTO THE, UH, THE CERT IN 1996, THE SANTA MONICA BAY RESTORATION COMMISSION PROVED THERE WAS A LINK BETWEEN THE CONTAMINATED RUNOFF IN THE SANTA MONICA BAY AND REPORTS OF ILLNESS, AFFLICTING PEOPLE WHO SWIM THERE.
BUT WE DID FIND WAS AT THE OUTLETS OF STORM DRAINS, NO MATTER WHERE THEY WERE UP AND DOWN THE BAY, IF THERE WAS A FLOW OF RUNOFF INTO THE SURF ZONE, THOSE PEOPLE THAT WERE SWIMMING IN THOSE AREAS, UH, DEFINITELY EXPERIENCED HIGHER INCIDENCES OF ILLNESS.
THE PLUTONS IN THE WATER AFFECTS SURFERS BECAUSE WE'RE ACTUALLY THE INDICATOR SPECIES WITH ALL THE POLLUTANTS.
UM, WHEN WE WERE IN THE WATERS, WE'RE INGESTING IT THROUGH OUR SKIN, IN OUR MOUTH.
EVEN IF PEOPLE DON'T TAKE A SWALLOW OF WATER, IT'S STILL GETTING INTO OUR SYSTEMS, OUR EARS, ANY ORIFICE WHEN YOUR BODY AND IT CAUSES INFECTIONS, IT CAN CAUSE A COLD SORE THROATS AT THE VERY LEAST.
AND A LOT OF IT'S GOT THOSE DISEASES IN THERE, YOU KNOW, JUST FLOATING AROUND, MAKING MORE DISEASES.
I'VE SEEN IT PRETTY MUCH AS BAD AS IT CAN BE.
I'VE SEEN CRAP FLOATING OUT IN THE WATER.
LITERALLY GENERICALLY, WE CALL IT FECAL COLIFORM.
MORE SPECIFICALLY, YOU MIGHT KNOW OF IT AS ECO-LINE SALMONELLA OR ENTEROCOCCUS.
THERE'S TIMES WHEN IT TASTES FUNKY.
EVERY DAY, THE CITY AND COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES PERFORM A BATTERY OF TESTS TO KEEP THE PUBLIC INFORMED ABOUT WATER QUALITY IN THE SANTA MONICA BAY SES ARE OURS.
ADD-ON BEGINS THE MONITORING PROCESS EACH MORNING BY TAKING A SERIES OF COASTLINE WATER SAMPLES.
THEN IT'S BACK TO THE LAB FOR ANALYSIS, WHAT SORT OF BACTERIA, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO SEE ME GOING.
AND WHEN YOU PUT IT UNDER THE UV LIGHT, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A DIFFERENT CAR COLOR.
IT'S A FLUORESCENT, A SIGN THAT THERE IS A BACTERIA, AND THEN IT'S CALLED EQUALIZE.
THAT ONE DEFINITELY EATS, UH, FECES FROM ANIMALS OR IT COULD BE HUMAN.
SO THE RESULTS ARE REPORTED TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND BEACH WARNINGS ARE POSTED AS NECESSARY.
THE NUMBER OF BEACH POSTINGS HAS DECREASED AND 85% OF THE BEACHES THAT HAVE BEEN MONITORED IN CALIFORNIA THAT HAVE RECEIVED EITHER A OR B GRADES.
AND THAT'S SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT THAN FOUR YEARS AGO.
BUT WHILE PROGRESS IS BEING MADE IN CALIFORNIA, THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF POLLUTED RUNOFF ARE A GROWING CONCERN EVERYWHERE.
SO WHAT CAN THE AVERAGE PERSON DO TO HELP REDUCE POLLUTION IN OUR WATERSHEDS, HOW YOU APPLY PESTICIDES OR NOT IN YOUR GARDEN, HOW YOU WASH YOUR CARS, UH, MAKING SURE THAT YOU DON'T THROW CIGARETTE BUTTS OUT ONTO THE DO NOT DUMP THINGS ON THE GROUND, ESPECIALLY BOILS OR ANY CHEMICAL POLLUTANTS, UH, PICK UP AFTER YOUR DOGS.
LIKE PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS AND JUST BE A CONSCIENTIOUS CITIZEN AND, AND DON'T LEAVE ANYTHING ON THE GROUND.
I THINK ONE PERSON CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND NEEDS TO MAKE THE DIFFERENCE.
IF NOT YOU WHO COMING UP, WE'RE HEADING FOR, WHAT'S KNOWN AS AN ECO SYSTEM COLLAPSED, CAN THE GULF OF MEXICO BE SAVED FROM BLUE TO RUN OFF.
IT WAS A FLOOD OF APOCALYPTIC SCALE, 26,000 SQUARE MILES OF THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY INUNDATED BY WATER.
AND 600,000 PEOPLE DISPLACED FROM THEIR HOMES.
THE FLOOD OF 1927 WAS THE MOST DISASTROUS IN US HISTORY.
AND ITS EFFECTS ARE STILL FELT TODAY.
AFTER THE FLOOD OF 27, MASSIVE LEVIES WERE PUT IN PLACE.
AND WHILE THEY HELPED PROTECT THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER BASIN FROM FLOODING, THE LEVIES AND OTHER HUMAN ACTIVITIES WOULD ULTIMATELY HARM THE WATERSHED IN UNFORESEEN WAYS.
[02:15:01]
OF LOUISIANA IS THE TERMINUS OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER, THE MIGHTY WATERSHED THAT DRAINS 41% OF THE AREA OF THE LOWER 48 STATES INTO THE GULF OF MEXICO.UH, WE RECEIVE WATER FROM AS FAR AWAY AS MONTANA, MICHIGAN, PENNSYLVANIA, OHIO, IOWA, ALL THE WATERS DRAIN RIGHT PATH, THIS AREA RIGHT HERE.
BUT BY THE TIME ALL THAT WATER ENTERS THE GULF, IT IS ACCUMULATED ENOUGH CONTAMINANTS FROM POLLUTED RUNOFF TO CREATE AN ENORMOUS HYPOXIC ZONE, AN AREA OF WATER LACKING IN VITAL OXYGEN.
THE SIZE OF THE LOW AUCTION ZONE IN THE GULF OF MEXICO IS ABOUT 9,000 SQUARE MILES.
THAT'S EQUAL TO THE SIZE OF THE STATE OF NEW NEW JERSEY.
THE SHORTAGE OF OXYGEN IS KILLING FISH AND OTHER SEA LIFE AND COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE A DEVASTATING EFFECT ON THE REGIONAL ECONOMY.
WE ARE THE LARGEST NAVIGATION PORT IN THE UNITED STATES.
WE ARE THE SECOND LARGEST IN THE WORLD.
WE HAVE THE LARGEST FISHERY IN THIS COUNTRY.
A LOT OF TIMES, ALL OUR FABS, WE THEN WE CAN'T EVEN SELL THEM.
THE REASON HYPOXIA SHOULD BE OF CONCERN TO MOST CITIZENS IN THIS NATION IS BECAUSE IT'S A SIGN.
IT'S A SIGN OF THE DEGRADATION OF OUR WATER RESOURCES WE ARE HEADING FOR.
WHAT'S KNOWN AS AN ECOSYSTEM COLLAPSE.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE AN ECOLOGICAL DISASTER CAUSED BY THE OFFSHORE HYPOXIC AREAS, THEN THAT ABSOLUTELY TRANSLATES INTO AN ECONOMIC DISASTER.
SO WHAT EXACTLY IS CAUSING THIS DEAD ZONE IN THE GULF HYPOXIA DEVELOPS WHEN AN AREA OF WATER RECEIVES EXCESS POLLUTANTS, PRIMARILY AN OVER ABUNDANCE OF NUTRIENTS, WHICH PRODUCE LARGE ALGAE BLOOMS THAT DIE OFF AND LEAD TO LOW OXYGEN.
AND SINCE THE MISSISSIPPI GETS FED BY TRIBUTARIES, THAT FLOW THROUGH 31 STATES, THAT ADDS UP TO A STAGGERING VOLUME OF CONTAMINATED RUNOFF.
YOU HAVE DRAINAGE INTO THE GULF OF MEXICO FROM THE OHIO RIVER, THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AND THE MISSOURI RIVER, GET EACH OF THOSE THREE MAJOR RIVER SYSTEMS OR WATERSHEDS IN AND OF THEMSELVES WITH THEIR OWN CHALLENGES AND THEIR OWN PROBLEMS. SIPPY RIVER HAS ALWAYS DELIVERED A LOT OF WATER AND THAT HASN'T CHANGED OVER THE CENTURIES.
WHAT'S CHANGED IS THE AMOUNT OF NUTRIENTS IN THAT WAY.
IN FACT, THE MISSISSIPPI'S NITROGEN LEVELS AND THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER HAVE TRIPLED SINCE THE 1950S AND THE GROWING HYPOXIC ZONE OFF THE LOUISIANA COAST CONTAINS THE DISTURBING EVIDENCE.
IT'S LIKE A RUSTY COLOR STANKY, ROTTEN LOOKING, YOU SEE FISH, JUST SWIMMING, SIDEWAYS, GASPING FOR AIR AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
AND, UM, WHEN YOU PULL UP THE NET MATTER, ONE SHRIMP ALIVE, ALL DEAD ORANGE, THE FISH, THEY, THEY ROTTEN LIKE MELTON AWAY AND STUFF LIKE THAT CAME, READ STUFF.
AND IT WAS JUST, THIS IS JUST A FACT OF LIFE.
THE WAY WE TREAT OUR WATER SYSTEMS, BECAUSE WE USE THEM AS OUR GARBAGE DUMPS.
WE USE THEM TO DILUTE OUR POLLUTANTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I BELIEVE THE STATISTIC IS THAT IF YOU'RE IN NEW ORLEANS, THE WATER THAT IS GOING BY, YOU HAS PASSED THROUGH A HUMAN GUT, SOMETHING LIKE THREE OR FOUR TIMES BEFORE IT GETS TO YOU, INCREDIBLY LOUISIANA BOASTS TO NATURAL RESOURCE THAT REMOVES POLLUTANTS FROM THE DRAINING MISSISSIPPI, THE ONES ABUNDANT WETLANDS, PLANTS THAT GROW IN WETLANDS PRODUCE THESE WONDERFUL FILTERS FOR EVERYTHING THAT IS COMING INTO THEM.
THEY TRAP SEDIMENT, A TEM CHEMICALS AND WHAT LEAVES THE WETLANDS IS MUCH, MUCH CLEANER.
WATER WETLANDS ALSO PROVIDE AN IMPORTANT HABITAT FOR BIRDS AND OTHER WILDLIFE.
SADLY, THE LOUISIANA WETLANDS ARE QUICKLY DISAPPEARING.
COASTAL LOUISIANA HAS LOST ABOUT 1.2 MILLION ACRES OF WETLANDS IN THE LAST 100 YEARS.
AND WE LOVE IT OFF THE MISSISSIPPI.
IT CUT OFF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER WATER FROM THE BAR.
IN ADDITION TO THE LEVIES, A NETWORK OF MAN-MADE NAVIGATION CHANNELS IS ALSO COMPROMISING THE WETLANDS BY ALLOWING SALTWATER TO SEEP INTO THE MARSHES.
ONCE THAT SALTWATER TRAVELS UP THESE CHANNELS AND OVERFLOWS THE BANKS OF THESE CHANNELS OUT INTO FRESHWATER SYSTEMS, SUCH AS THE CYPRESS SWAMP, THAT SALT WATER SITS OUT THERE AROUND THE ROOTS OF THESE TREES AND KILLS THEM.
THEY CANNOT SURVIVE SALT WATER.
THEY'RE A FRESHWATER PLANTS ELIMINATING THE HYPOXIC ZONE WILL TAKE MORE THAN SAVING OUR WETLANDS.
REDUCING NUTRIENT RUNOFF IN THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER WATERSHED IS THE OF THE PROBLEM.
IT'S AN ISSUE INVOLVING OVER HALF THE STATES IN THE NATION AND A VAST ARRAY OF INDUSTRIES, PARTICULARLY FARMING, WHICH USES NITROGEN RICH FERTILIZER TO GROW ITS CROPS FERTILIZER, OR HELPING THE UNITED STATES.
BUT IT IS THE FOOD FOR THE WORLD, BUT THERE IS SUCH A THING AS, AS OVERUSED, THERE ARE SCIENTISTS WHO HAVE DONE THE ANALYSIS AND PREDICT THAT YOU COULD REDUCE FERTILIZERS BY ABOUT 12% WITHOUT REDUCING CROP PRODUCTION AND SEE A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF NITROGEN GOING INTO THE MISSISSIPPI EXPERTS SAY THE FIRST KEY TO CHANGE IN BEHAVIOR
[02:20:01]
IS RAISING PUBLIC AWARENESS, ALL LIVE DOWNSTREAM OF SOMEBODY.AND WE ALL LIVE UPSTREAM OF SOMEBODY.
SO WHAT SOMEBODY ELSE DOES AND THEIR WATERSHED EFFECTS, THE WATER THAT I RECEIVED AND WHAT I DO IN MY WATERSHED AFFECTS THE WATER THAT SOMEBODY ELSE RECEIVES DOWNSTREAM.
IF WE DON'T CLEAN UP OUR ACT, OUR WATER RESOURCES, WHICH WE SIMPLY CAN NOT LIVE WITHOUT WILL BE RUINED COMING UP.
CAN THE WATER SUPPLY FOR 9 MILLION NEW YORKERS BE SAVED FROM THE RAVAGES OF POLLUTED RUNOFF IN JANUARY OF 19 96, 1 OF THE MOST DEVASTATING WINTER STORMS IN HISTORY SLAMS THE EAST COAST TWO FEET OF SNOW DUMPS ON NEW YORK AND THROUGHOUT THE NORTHEAST CORRIDOR SCHOOLS, AIRPORTS AND ROADS ARE SHUT DOWN BY THE TIME IT'S OVER THE BLIZZARD AND RESULT IN FLOODING COST $3 BILLION IN LOSSES AND 187 LIVES ARE TAKEN.
AND IN THE CATSKILL MOUNTAINS OF UPSTATE NEW YORK, THE SNOW MELT TRIGGERS ANOTHER POTENTIALLY DEVASTATING CRISIS, STORMWATER RUNOFF CONTAMINATED WITH TRASH, DIRT, FERTILIZERS, AND PESTICIDES FROM NEARBY FARMS AND COMMUNITIES THREATENS THE FRESH WATER SUPPLY.
AND THE CATSKILL SYSTEM OF RESERVOIRS IS VITALLY IMPORTANT FOR IT IS THE BIGGEST WATERSHED OF NEW YORK CITY PROVIDING DRINKING WATER TO OVER 9 MILLION PEOPLE.
THE MIRACLE OF THE CITY'S WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM IS LARGELY UNKNOWN TO MOST NEW YORKERS.
YOU ASK PEOPLE WHERE DOES THE WATER COME FROM? OFTEN PEOPLE SHRUG THEIR SHOULDERS AND SAY NEW JERSEY.
I FIGURED THAT, UH, WE WERE PROBABLY OUR OWN SEPARATE WATER SYSTEMS. THEN FROM UPSTATE, I'D RATHER BE DRINKING WATER FROM UPSTATE THAN THE HUDSON.
I DON'T KNOW THAT MOST PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF HOW LARGE THE PROBLEM IS AND HOW CLOSE TO CRISIS MANY OF OUR WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS ARE TO PRESERVE THE PURITY OF THE RESERVOIRS AND ENFORCE THE SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY PRESENTED THE BIG APPLE WITH TWO OPTIONS, EITHER BUILD AND MAINTAIN A $6 BILLION FACILITY TO FILTER ALL OF THE CITY'S TAP WATER OR FUND A $1 BILLION PROGRAM TO PROTECT THE WATERSHED FROM POLLUTED RUNOFF.
WHEN IT COMES TO OUR INVESTMENT IN CLEAN AIR AND CLEAN WATER, PRESERVING OPEN SPACE, FIXING ANTIQUATED SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANTS, WE CAN'T WAIT.
IT DOESN'T GET ANY LESS EXPENSIVE.
IT GETS MORE EXPENSIVE WITH THE HISTORIC WATERSHED AGREEMENT OF 1997, AN UNPRECEDENTED UPSTATE DOWNSTATE PARTNERSHIP WAS FORGED TO PROTECT THE NEW YORK CITY WATER SUPPLY OR WATERSHED AGREEMENT IS SAVING NEW YORK CITY, BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
THE PLAN INCLUDES PURCHASING AND PRESERVING 355,000 ACRES OF UNDEVELOPED WATERSHED LAND, THE UPGRADING OF SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANTS AND THE PROTECTION AND RESTORATION OF STREAM.
PORTER'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE IS A MAIN TRIBUTARY OF THE SOPAS CREEK.
WE WERE SEEING A LOT OF SEDIMENT COMING OUT OF THE STREAM.
THE CLAY GETS INTO THE WATER COLUMN AND IT BECOMES VERY TURBID AND THEN IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO TREAT AND CLEAN THAT WATER.
SO FROM A WATER QUALITY PERSPECTIVE, WE'RE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT EROSION.
THE PROGRAM ALSO PROVIDES FUNDING FOR FARMERS THAT IMPLEMENT AGRICULTURE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES.
BUT WE HAVE, WE HAVE A VERY EXCITING PROGRAM WITH THE WATERSHED AGRICULTURAL COUNCIL, WHERE WE ARE WORKING WITH LOCAL FARMERS.
WE LOOK AT HOW THEY'RE HANDLING THE ANIMALS, FILL THAT THE RUNOFF ASSOCIATED WITH MANURE FERTILIZER AND THAT THAT FARM ACTIVITY ISN'T GETTING INTO THE, THE STREAMS AROUND OUR RESERVOIRS.
THIS WATER HERE IS BASICALLY THE WATER YOU'RE GOING TO BE DRINKING DOWN IN THE CITY.
AND, UH, I FEEL I'VE GOT A RESPONSIBILITY TO TRY MY BEST TO KEEP IT CLEAN FOR WHEN IT GETS DOWN THERE.
IT USED TO BE WHEN IT RAINED HERE ON THE FARM, THE WATER THAT RAN AWAY FROM THE, THE BACK OF THE BARN HERE WAS FULL OF MUD MANURE, AND IT WOULD JUST RUN BROWN AND RIGHT INTO THE STREAM.
TWO YEARS AGO, WE WOULD SPREAD EVERY DAY.
UH, WE'D HAVE TO TAKE IT OUT, SPREAD IT ON THE FIELDS.
IF THE SNOW WAS DEEP, WE SPREAD IT ON THE SNOW.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, IF THE GROUND WAS FROZEN, WHEN THE SNOW MELTED, THE NUTRIENT VALUE OF IT FOR FERTILIZER WAS GONE.
THAT WOUND UP DOWN THE RESERVOIR WITH NEW YORK CITY FUNDING, A SECURE ABOVE GROUND STEEL TANK THAT CAN HOLD 400,000 GALLONS OF MANURE WAS INSTALLED IN THE MEADOWBROOK FARM.
THAT'S ENOUGH STORAGE FOR SIX MONTHS OF THE YEAR.
NOW WE CAN STORE IT, SPREAD IT WHEN IT'LL DO THE MOST GOOD TO US FOR FERTILIZER.
AND, UH, WE DON'T HAVE TO SPREAD IT EVERY DAY.
I WORKED WITH TIM ON THE PLAN TO DEVELOP THE IMPROVEMENTS WE'RE GOING TO MAKE PLAN REALLY BELONGS TO THE FARMER.
UH, AND IT'S A COLLABORATION OF THEIR IDEAS AND WHAT TECHNICAL ADVICE WE CAN BRING TO THE PROGRAM.
BUT THE FARMER MAKES THE DECISION.
IT'S A PROGRAM THAT SEEMS TO MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY.
HERE'S TO THE FARMERS WHO ARE WORKING SO HARD TO MAKE SURE WE'VE GOT CLEAN WATER TO PUT IN OUR COFFEE TO GUARANTEE THE CITY'S WATER SUPPLY IS FRESH AT THE TAP.
COMPREHENSIVE TESTS ARE PERFORMED BY THE NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, BOTH IN THE LAB AND OVER 1000 SAMPLING STATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, NEW YORK CITY AS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST EXTENSIVE WATER QUALITY MONITORING
[02:25:01]
PROGRAMS IN THE NATION.WE'RE SAMPLING EVERY DAY, 365 DAYS A YEAR.
I'VE BEEN DRINKING THIS WATER FOR 53 YEARS.
THAT'S WATER IN THE WORLD, NEW YORK CITY, STRAIGHT FROM THE TAP TO MY COMING UP.
THE FUTURE OF OUR WATER SUPPLY REMAINS AT RISK, BUT THERE'S SOMETHING EVERYONE CAN DO TO HELP PROTECT IT.
FIND OUT HOW NEXT TO KEEP OUR WATERSHEDS FREE OF POLLUTANTS WILL REQUIRE THE ACTIONS OF EVERY CITIZEN HUMIDITY AND BUSINESS PAVED, CONCRETE SURFACES, ASPHALT PARKING, LOTS SIDEWALKS.
THE QUESTION IS, DO WE NEED TO HAVE AS MANY AS WE DO BECAUSE TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU HAVE TOO MUCH IMPERVIOUS SURFACE, THE WATER IS NOT RETAINED ONSITE.
IT DOESN'T SOAK INTO THE GROUND.
IT RUNS OFF, PICKS UP SPEED, CARRIES POLLUTANTS AND CONTAMINANTS INTO THE WATER BOTTLE.
ONE STRATEGY FOR PREVENTING STORMWATER RUNOFF IS OCCURRING AT THE NEW FORD ROUGE CENTER IN DEARBORN, MICHIGAN.
THIS REMODELED TRUCK PLAN IS COVERED BY A GREEN ROOF, THE SIZE OF EIGHT FOOTBALL FIELDS PLANTED WITH A POOREST GROUND COVER.
IT REDUCES THE AMOUNT OF POLLUTED RUNOFF RELEASED INTO THE WATERSHED.
THE THING THAT TENDS TO GET THE MOST ATTENTION IS THE 10 ACRE GREEN ROOF, BUT THAT'S REALLY JUST PART OF A PHILOSOPHY THAT IF AN AREA DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PAID OR BUILT UPON, IT'S GOING TO BE GREEN SPACE BASE AND COMMUNITIES ARE ALSO IMPLEMENTING GREENSPACE STRATEGIES, SUCH AS RAIN GARDENS.
THEY SLOPED THE LIE IN SUCH A MANNER THAT ALL THE FLOW GOES TOWARDS THIS LANDSCAPING.
WE'RE BASICALLY THE POLLUTED RUNOFF CAN PERCOLATE INTO THE GROUND AND GET FILTERED.
UM, AND THEN GOING STRAIGHT ONTO THE STREET INTO THE STORM DRAIN SYSTEM, AND REALLY A VERY SIMPLE APPROACH TO CLEANING UP OUR RUNOFF IN URBAN AREAS.
BUT PERHAPS THE MOST POWERFUL COURSE OF ACTION IS INDIVIDUAL PARTICIPATION.
PEOPLE NEED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE STATE OF OUR WATERS AND WATER.
CONSERVATION IS ONE AREA WHERE THEY CAN DO THAT AS A COMMITTED CITIZEN, ALL THOSE THINGS.
UH, YOUR MOM TOLD YOU TO TAKE A SHORT SHOWER.
DON'T LET THE WATER TAP RUNWAY.
YOU'RE BRUSHING YOUR TEETH, TAKING YOUR HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE TO A CLEANUP AND RECYCLING DAY.
DON'T WASH YOUR CAR ON THE, ON THE STREETS AND PUT ALL THOSE SUDS DOWN INTO THE, WHEN YOU CHANGE YOUR USE MOTOR L YOU DON'T DUMP IT INTO THE STREET.
EVERYBODY'S GOT TO CLEAN UP AFTER THEIR PETS.
OBVIOUSLY THAT'S A BIG CONCERN, FERTILIZERS, HERBICIDES, PESTICIDES, AND MAKE SURE YOU DON'T USE AN ANY TIME THERE'S ANY CHANCE OF RAIN COMING UP IN THE NEAR FUTURE WHEN YOU'RE IRRIGATING YOUR LAWN IN YOUR GARDEN, MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE NOT OVER SPRAYING AND CAUSING ALL THOSE CHEMICALS TO END UP GETTING INTO THE STORM DRAIN SYSTEM.
THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GOING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM IS IF EVERYBODY DOES THEIR PART, WE ALL LIVE IN A WATERSHED.
WE ALL HAVE AN IMPACT ON OUR ENVIRONMENT, AND WE MUST ALL PLAY A ROLE IN THE PROTECTION AND RESTORATION OF OUR VALUABLE WATER RESOURCES TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED AND TO GET A FREE BROCHURE CALLED AFTER THE STORM VISIT EPA.GOV/WEATHER CHANNEL.