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OH, THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND FOR FEBRUARY 15TH, 2022.
CHRISTA, HAVE WE COMPLIED WITH FOYA? THANK YOU.
PLEASE CALL THE COMMITTEE ROLE HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE.
DOES STAFF HAVE ANY CHANGES TO THE PUBLISHED AGENDA? THANK YOU.
ANY CHANGES RECOMMENDED BY THE COMMITTEE BOOTH FOR APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA AS STATED.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
OPPOSED BY THE SAME, WE HAVE MINUTES FROM JANUARY 18TH, 2022.
ARE THERE ANY CHANGES OR ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS? MOVE FOR APPROVAL.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
OPPOSED THE SAME KRISTA, DO WE HAVE AN APPEARANCE BY CITIZENS? MORNING, SKIP HOAGLAND, WINDMILL HARBOR.
NICE TO BE BACK TO LA MEETING SEEMS DURING COVID CORRUPTION ACTUALLY INCREASED MR. LENNOX.
THE ONLY WAY TO STOP YOUR CORRUPTION IS EXPOSE IT WITH FACTS.
YOU MCCANN ORLANDO LAWYER'S COLTRANE, GRUBER OF BUSH DISHONEST BLUFFTON TOWN, LAWYER, TERRY FINGER, ALL HAD BEEN CAUGHT COMMITTING FRAUD WITH THE DRAFTING OF A FIVE-YEAR DMO CONTRACT TO ALLOW THE ILLEGAL USE ISSUE AND USE OF MILLIONS OF TAX FUNDS BY BILL MILES AND THE HILTON HEAD CHAMBER WITH ZERO ACCOUNTING OVERSIGHT, PROVEN PERFORMANCE METRICS AND RETURNS TO TAXPAYERS.
PLUS YOU VIOLATED EIGHT TAX LAWS, FOIL LAWS, NONPROFIT CORPORATION ACT LAWS, PROCUREMENT LAWS, AND SOUTH CAROLINA CONSTITUTIONAL LAWS.
PLUS MR. LENNOX, HUGH HARKENS MCCANN CLAIMED HE WENT TO THE CHAMBER OFFICES TO SEE IT.
CHAMBER ACCOUNTING REPORTED ALL LOOKED OKAY.
WE DESPERATELY NEED AN FBI INVESTIGATION OF ALL OF YOU AND DEEP FORENSIC INDEPENDENT AUDITS OF ALL TOWN RECORDS THAT CPA JOHN TROYER AND OTHERS CONTROL ON HOW AND WHERE ALL THE TOWN TAXPAYER FUNDS HAVE BEEN USED.
LEGALLY, ILLEGALLY, CRIMINALLY AND DISAPPEARED.
YOU WERE ALL HIRED IN AN ELECTED TO AND TRUSTED TO APPROVE SPENDING GUARD OUR TAX MONEY LIKE YOUR OWN MONEY.
NOT FUNNY MONEY IN THE GAME OF MONOPOLY.
MR. LENNOX, CAN YOU NAME ONE THING I'VE SAID WRONG ABOUT YOUR ISSUE AND USE OF MILLIONS OF TAX BONDS BY BILL MILES AND THE CHAMBER.
I HOPE YOU'RE READY TO TESTIFY.
MR. LENNOX, THE RECENT TOWN AUDIT BY GREEN FENNY, WHO I CALLED SAID THIS WAS NOT AN INDEPENDENT AUDIT.
IT WAS JUST A HIRED AUDIT OF NUMBERS.
THEY WERE HANDED BY JOHN TROYER, GRUBER AND ORLANDO WHO ALL PROVEN TO BE DISHONEST AND USE TAX FUNDS ILLEGALLY.
YOU CALL THIS A POSITIVE EXTERNAL AUDIT REPORT.
THIS AUDIT IS NOTHING BUT AN INTERNAL HIRED TOWN AUDIT.
THEY ONLY SHOW THE NUMBERS YOU AND TOWN INSIDERS WANT US ALL TO SEE ONLY A FORENSIC AUDIT WILL IDENTIFY.
CRIMES CAN MAKE COMMITTED BY INSIDERS LIKE YOU, ORLANDO CPA, TROYER, GRUBER, ET CETERA.
AGAIN, EACH OF YOU HAVE ALREADY BEEN CAUGHT BREAKING THE LAW.
WHAT DOES THIS TELL YOU? THE 2022 FOCUS FOR ME WILL BE FORENSIC AUDITS, CHAMBER TAX THEFT, AND A $50 MILLION TOWN LAWSUIT FOR THE ILLEGAL CRIMINAL USE OF $200,000 IN TAX BONDS.
AND MS. LISA SOAK IS GETTING READY TO LEARN A BIG LESSON IN LIFE.
MR. LENNOX, THESE ARE VERY SERIOUS ALLEGATIONS AND IF TRUE COULD RESULT IN YOURS AND OTHERS ARREST, THIS CESSPOOL OF CORRUPTION MUST STOP.
YOU MUST ALL LEARN TO BE HONEST, FOLLOW THE LAWS AND BE TRANSPARENT.
AND APPARENTLY YOU HAVE NOT DONE THAT.
AND THAT RIGHT THERE IS OUTRAGEOUS.
Y'ALL HAVE A GREAT DAY CHRISTA, ANY OTHER CITIZENS TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE HAVE TWO AGENDA ITEMS UNDER NEW BUSINESS.
THE FIRST IS AN UPDATE FROM THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE LOW COUNTRY PERTAINING TO THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT 2021 GRANTS.
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GOOD MORNING.THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO UPDATE YOU ON THIS WONDERFUL PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP THAT THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION IS HONORED TO BE A PART OF.
UM, LET ME FIRST SAY, INTRODUCE MYSELF AND SCOTT WIREMAN, THE, UH, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE LOW COUNTRY AS OF JANUARY OF LAST YEAR.
AND, UH, MY WIFE AND I ARE THRILLED TO BE NEW RESIDENTS HERE IN HILTON HEAD.
UM, LET ME FIRST JUST SAY THAT, UH, THE FOUNDATION HAS, UM, BEEN PRIVILEGED TO HAVE A STRONG WORKING, UH, PARTNERSHIP AND RELATIONSHIP WITH THE TOWN FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS ON A NUMBER OF PROJECTS.
AND WE HOPE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE THAT GOING FORWARD.
THE, UM, OPPORTUNITY RELATED TO THE, UH, ARPA FUNDING, UM, WAS WONDERFUL THAT WE WERE ABLE TO, TO WORK OUT AN AGREEMENT LAST FALL, UM, BETWEEN THE TOWN AND THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION.
AND IN FACT, IT ACTUALLY WAS THE VERY FIRST PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP AROUND ARPA FUNDING IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND HAS SERVED AS A MODEL FOR OTHER COMMUNITIES AROUND THE STATE.
SO I'VE BEEN ASKED BY ANOTHER NUMBER OF OTHER COMMUNITIES, HOW DID YOU STRUCTURE IT? HOW'S IT WORKING AND OTHER COMMUNITIES ARE FINDING SIMILAR WAY.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING PIONEERS ON THAT FRONT.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, UM, WE WORKED WITH THE TOWN VERY CLOSELY TO, UM, TO FIGURE OUT THE CRITERIA FOR THE, UH, FOR THE AWARDS.
UH, THE TOWN COMMITTED $1 MILLION OF ITS ARPA, UH, FUNDING AND THE FUNDS ARE TO USE TO BENEFIT LOW TO MODERATE INCOME RESIDENTS OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
UH, THE MAXIMUM WARD SET BY THE TOWN WAS $50,000.
THE FOUNDATION LAST FALL FORMED A, UH, CITIZENS COMMITTEE OF, UH, HILTON HEAD RESIDENTS TO BE THE ADVISORY BOARD, TO REVIEW APPLICATIONS, TO LOOK AT THE GUIDELINES AND TO MAKE FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS.
THOSE COMMITTEE MEMBERS ARE, UH, PEACHES PETERSON, WHO IS CHAIRING THAT COMMITTEE, SHEILA MAHONEY, UH, REVEREND DOUG FLETCHER, UH, JERRY FARRON, HERB FORD, GALEN MILLER, AND JOHN TROYER HAS, UH, REPRESENTED THE TOWN, UM, AND BEEN A WONDERFUL RESOURCE FOR US.
IT SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT, IT'S A GREAT GROUP.
AND I HAD THE PLEASURE OF SITTING IN AND LISTENING TO THEIR DELIBERATIONS AND THEY TAKEN THE RESPONSIBILITIES VERY SERIOUSLY.
THE FIRST APPLICATION DEADLINE WAS NOVEMBER 30TH AND WE RECEIVED 15 APPLICATIONS FROM ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE FOCUSED ON FOOD INSECURITY, EMERGENCY HOUSING, UM, HEALTHCARE CHILDCARE AND EDUCATION.
THE COMMITTEE MET, UM, ON DECEMBER THE 10TH AND DECIDED TO FUND 13 OF THE 15 APPLICANTS FOR A TOTAL OF $338,825.
I BELIEVE YOU, UM, RECEIVED A REPORT OF EACH OF THE, UH, EACH OF THE, UM, ORGANIZATIONS THAT RECEIVED FUNDING, UH, AT YOUR LAST MEETING.
UM, BUT LET ME JUST SAY A HEAVY EMPHASIS HAS BEEN PUT PARTICULARLY ON FOOD INSECURITY AS THAT CONTINUES TO BE ONE OF THE GREATEST CHALLENGES FOR FOLKS THAT ARE COMING AND TRYING TO COME OUT OF THIS, UH, PAN, UH, PANDEMIC.
UM, THE OTHER TWO ORGANIZATIONS THAT DID NOT RECEIVE FUNDING INITIALLY, UH, ONE WAS, UH, NOT FOCUSED ON THOSE TARGETED AREAS.
AND THE COMMITTEE DECIDED THAT PERHAPS DOWN THE ROAD OF FUNDS WERE AVAILABLE, THEY MIGHT, UM, UH, BECOME, UH, MIGHT BE RECONSIDERED.
UM, AND THEN THE OTHER GROUP, UM, THERE WERE SOME ISSUES AROUND THERE, UH, WHO WOULD BE ELIGIBLE, UM, FOR FUNDING THROUGH THEM.
WE HAVE SINCE MET WITH THAT GROUP AND HAVE, UM, WORKED WITH THEM TO SAY THAT CERTAINLY THEY CAN MAKE THAT ADJUSTMENT.
WE WOULD ENTERTAIN ANOTHER PROPOSAL.
ALL OF THESE 13 GRANTEES ARE REQUIRED TO REPORT BACK ON, UM, WHO THEY SERVED, HOW THE FUNDS WERE USED, PROVIDE THE APPROPRIATE ACCOUNTING, UH, AND SO THAT WE CAN MAKE A REPORT BACK BY JUNE 30TH OF THIS YEAR.
ALL OF THESE GROUPS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATION AND FUNDING.
UM, WE WILL HAVE OUR NEXT SECOND CYCLE OF FUNDING.
DEADLINE IS COMING UP ON FEBRUARY THE 28TH.
WE ALREADY HAVE A FEW APPLICATIONS IN HAND AND OTHER GROUPS WE KNOW THAT ARE WORKING ON THAT, UH, WORKING ON APPLICATIONS AND THE COMMITTEE WILL RECONVENE ON MARCH 11TH AND MAKE ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATION.
UM, WE BELIEVE BETWEEN THOSE TWO CYCLES, WE WILL EXHAUST THE INITIAL $500,000.
AND WHEN THE SECOND TRAUNCH OF $500,000 BECOMES AVAILABLE, UH, LATER IN YOUR NEXT FISCAL YEAR, WE WILL REPEAT THE CYCLES AGAIN, UM, AND PUT WORD OUT.
WE'VE HAD NO CHALLENGE FINDING GOOD APPLICATIONS.
UM, UH, AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE, THERE WERE A LOT OF GROUPS THAT ARE, UM, STILL WORKING HARD TO, UM, MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR FELLOW RESIDENTS AND HELPING THEM, UH, TRY TO, UH, COME OUT OF THIS PANDEMIC.
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ONE LAST THING I WILL MENTION TO YOU, UM, IS THAT ONE OF THE, UH, OTHER BENEFITS OUT OF THIS AND THE TIMING IS ACTUALLY GREAT IS BECAUSE SO MANY OF THESE GROUPS ARE WORKING WITH SIMILAR POPULATIONS AND HAVE ISSUES THAT IF SOMEONE'S HUNGRY, THEY MAY ALSO HAVE HOUSING ISSUES.WE WERE CONVENING THIS INITIAL GROUP OF RECIPIENTS, UH, TODAY TO COME TOGETHER TO TALK ABOUT OTHER COLLABORATIVE THINGS THEY MAY DO EVEN BEYOND ARPA.
UM, AND SO WE WERE HAPPY TO BRING THAT BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME LEARNINGS THAT WE WILL, UM, GET OUT OF THAT, BUT WE HOPE THAT THEY WILL LEARN FROM ONE ANOTHER AS WELL.
SO LET ME JUST SAY THERE, UM, WE WERE REALLY, AGAIN, HONORED TO BE PARTNERS WITH THE TOWN ON THIS, UH, PROJECT AND, UM, LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT, UM, CYCLE OF GRANTS AND HAPPY TO COME BACK AND REPORT OUT ON, ON THOSE, UM, ON THOSE GRANTS AS WELL.
AND THEN WE'LL BE AGAIN DOING THIS AGAIN LATER THIS CALENDAR YEAR, AND I'LL TRY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
I WAS VERY IMPRESSED WHEN I READ THE SUMMARY THAT WE RECEIVED IN OUR PACKET.
IT WORKED, I THINK EXACTLY AS WE WOULD HAVE HOPED, UH, COMMENTS FROM THE COMMITTEE CLAIM.
UM, THIS IS A HAPPY PARTNERSHIP AND I'M REALLY GLAD THAT WE ARE PARTNERING WITH A COMMUNITY FOUNDATION.
CAN YOU FLESH OUT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THE FOOD INSECURITY, HOW THAT'S GOING TO BE MET BY THESE VARIOUS PARTICIPANTS? YEAH.
SO YOU HAVE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT ARE, UH, THAT ARE EMERGING.
I MEAN, YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, UH, SECOND HELPINGS AS A GROUP, THAT'S OBVIOUSLY, UH, BEEN IN THAT, UH, SANDALWOOD HAS REALLY GROWN AND, UH, THEY WERE A $50,000 RECIPIENT.
UH, THEY HAVE ALREADY TOLD OUR STAFF THAT THEY HAVE NOW USED ALL $50,000 AND THEY WILL LIKELY BE COMING BACK.
UM, WE SAW THIS, UH, THOUGH, EVEN WITH FUNDS THAT THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION HAD ESTABLISHED, UM, AROUND COVID IN 2020, THAT A LOT OF FAITH ORGANIZATIONS HAVE REALLY STEPPED UP.
AND I'M TALKING NOW ABOUT A FOUR COUNTY SERVICE TERRITORY THAT THE FOUNDATION, UM, HAS.
SO WE'RE FINDING, UM, ADDITIONAL GROUPS THAT ARE STEPPING, THAT ARE STEPPING IN TRYING TO HELP GET FOOD OUT.
AND WE'RE HOPING THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADDITIONAL COORDINATION THERE.
UM, OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVE DEEP WELL AS AN ORGANIZATION THAT HAS, UM, UH, IMPORTANT, UM, CONNECTIONS AS WELL.
AND, UM, BEING ABLE TO REFER FOLKS TO THESE, UM, OTHER AGENCIES IS REALLY IMPORTANT ABOUT WHERE I WOULD CALL FREE FOOD.
ARE THERE ANY OF THESE PROGRAMS THAT ARE OFFERING A DISCOUNTED FOOD, A SMALLER CHARGE, AND IT MIGHT COST IN A GROCERY STORE, FOR EXAMPLE, NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF.
UH, GOOD MORNING, SCOTT, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
IT IT'S DELIGHTFUL TO HAVE A QUALITY PARTNER, UH, HELPING ALL OF US TO HELP THE COMMUNITY, UH, IN, IN TERMS OF, IS THERE ANY TENSION BETWEEN, UH, SATISFYING THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS OF AN INDIVIDUAL OR AN ORGANIZATION VERSUS USING SOME OF THE FUNDING FOR A LONG-TERM SUSTENANCE? DOES THAT, DOES THAT COME UP? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
AND ACTUALLY THAT'S EVEN BEYOND THIS ARPA FUNDING, IT'S AN ONGOING QUESTION.
UM, IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, TO ME THERE'S ALWAYS A HIERARCHY OF NEED.
YOU HAVE IMMEDIATE EMERGENCY NEEDS THAT THAT WILL EXIST.
THE QUESTION IS HOW DO YOU DEPLOY ADDITIONAL RESOURCES OR REFOCUS RESOURCES TO TRY TO HELP PEOPLE GETTING OUT OF THE EMERGENCY SITUATION IF SOMEONE IS HAVING A CRISIS EVERY OTHER WEEK.
THAT'S, I MEAN, THAT'S A VERY, THAT'S REALLY NOT A CRISIS.
APART FROM THIS, THE FOUNDATION RECENTLY MADE A GRANT THROUGH OUR NORMAL GRANTMAKING, UH, CYCLE, UM, TO DEEP WELL FOR A PROGRAM THAT THEY'RE STARTING, THAT WE ARE SEEDING THAT IS LOOKING AT IDENTIFYING INDIVIDUALS AND FIGURING OUT CREATIVE WAYS TO HELP A MISCONDUCT GOING ON ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS, FIGURE OUT WHAT ARE THE UNDERLYING ISSUES THAT CAUSE THE EMERGENCIES, IT MAY BE EDUCATION, IT COULD BE TRANSPORTATION TO WORK, IT COULD BE JOB PLACEMENT.
AND SO WE'VE MADE A LEAD A GRANT TO TRY TO HELP THEM WITH THAT.
UM, IN TERMS OF IN ALL OF PHILANTHROPY IS YES, THERE WILL ALWAYS BE SOME IMMEDIATE EMERGENCY NEEDS, BUT WHAT ARE WE DOING TO TRY TO SHIFT SO THAT PEOPLE COME OUT OF THE CRISIS SITUATION? AND SO WITH PARTNERS LIKE A DEEP, WELL, BLUFFTON SELF-HELP IS DOING SOMETHING SIMILAR AND THEY'RE IN THEIR MARKET TRYING TO GET
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PEOPLE OUT OF THOSE CRISIS SITUATIONS.DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? THANK YOU.
THE, THE RECIPIENTS OF TODAY, UH, FOR THE NEXT ROUND, UH, WILL THEY BE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY AGAIN? YES, THEY WILL BE AND WE'VE LET THEM KNOW.
AND IN FACT, A NUMBER OF THE ORIGINAL 13 HAD ASKED FOR LARGER AMOUNTS, BUT THE LOOK LIKE THE TIMING WAS GOING TO CARRY OVER INTO THE NEXT YEAR.
AND SO TO TRY TO BE GOOD, THE BEST STEWARDS AS POSSIBLE, THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED, UM, GIVING THEM LESS THAN THE FULL AMOUNT WITH A GOAL OF GETTING THEM THROUGH JUNE 30TH, WHEN, AT WHICH TIME THEY CAN APPLY AGAIN.
BUT SO YES, WE WILL LIKELY HEAR FROM A NUMBER OF THESE AGENCIES AGAIN AND, AND WE ACTUALLY HOPE WE WILL HEAR FROM THEM.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR STEWARDSHIP.
I TOO AM VERY PLEASED TO HAVE YOU IN A COMMUNITY FOUNDATION IS AS A PARTNER.
UM, THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC OVERALL.
AND HAVING SOMEONE THAT CAN, UM, CATALYST THE CONVERSATION AS YOU SPOKE OF BRINGING THOSE ORGANIZATIONS TOGETHER TO HAVE A MORE COLLECTIVE CONVERSATION, I THINK IS GOING TO BE MORE BENEFICIAL, NOT ONLY FOR THOSE THAT ARE IN NEED, BUT FOR THOSE OF US THAT ARE MAKING DECISIONS AS TO HOW TO HELP.
UM, SO YOU'RE GOING TO GATHER A LOT MORE INFORMATION AND PROBABLY BE ABLE TO ANSWER COUNCILMAN HARKIN'S QUESTION AND A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL AFTER THOSE, THOSE CONVERSATIONS HAPPEN, WHICH IS SO IMPORTANT TO US.
UM, ONE THING THAT, THAT, UH, THAT COMES TO MY MIND AS FAR AS THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE APPLYING, UM, BECAUSE THOSE ARE TYPICALLY ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE ALREADY IN THE BUSINESS, RIGHT.
UM, AND I'M SURE THAT THEY HAVE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF, UH, I GUESS, RE REOCCURRING CLIENTS, SO TO SPEAK.
UM, HAS THERE BEEN ANY PUSH FOR BETTER MARKETING? OKAY.
BECAUSE I WILL SAY FOR ONE, MY PHONE RINGS ALL THE TIME, BUT PEOPLE LOOKING FOR HELP.
UM, AND I HAVE TO OF COURSE PUSH THEM TO THESE ORGANIZATIONS.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE, BECAUSE HILTON HATE AS A COMMUNITY DOES SUCH A GREAT JOB WITH, WITH HELPING, UM, THAT, THAT MESSAGE IS OUT THERE FOR ALL THOSE THAT NEED HELP.
AND NOT JUST FOR THOSE THAT ARE IN THE NOTE, IF THAT MAKES SENSE TO YOU UNDERSTAND.
OH, WITH THE NEXT TRAUNCH OF THE 160 THAT'S LEFT OR THE NEXT 500, IF THAT PIECE COULD HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE ATTENTION, I THINK WOULD BE GREAT.
UM, THE, UM, SITUATION, UH, THAT WE'RE IN HERE CURRENTLY, UM, WITH COVID, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, JUST WITH MARKET RATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, UH, WE SEE INFLATION, UH, THE RENTAL MARKET IS, IS OFF THE CHAIN, UM, WHICH DEMAND IS THERE.
SO ALL LANDLORDS ARE LOOKING AT HOW THEY CAN JACK UP THE RENTS.
UH, SO I APPRECIATE THE FOOD INSECURITY, BUT I THINK THAT THAT RENT SITUATION IS GOING TO GET GRAVE AND GRAVE, UH, AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND, UH, BEING ABLE TO, UM, TO REACT TO THAT ACCORDINGLY, I THINK IS IMPORTANT.
UM, AND THE OTHER THING ABOUT THAT INFORMATION COMING TO US, ONCE YOU HAVE SOME TRUE STATS AROUND THAT, UM, I THINK THAT HELPS US, PARTICULARLY WITH OUR, UM, SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY NEIGHBORHOODS, AFFORDABLE HOUSING CONVERSATION, BECAUSE NOW WE THEN KNOW THAT THINGS ARE CHANGING HERE AND WE MAY BE, UH, WE MAY BE ON THE BREAK OF EXPERIENCE IN MORE OF AN EXODUS.
BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST THAT CRISIS.
IT'S A MORE ONGOING SITUATION AND WE'VE GOTTA BE AWARE OF THAT.
WE'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO BE MORE PROACTIVE ABOUT HOW WE, UH, COMBAT THAT.
SO, UH, AGAIN, I THANK YOU FOR THE EFFORT THAT YOU'RE PUTTING INTO THIS AND THANK YOU FOR THIS TWO-WAY CONVERSATION.
I NOTICED THAT, UH, OF THE 13 GRANTS AWARDED A SIX, ALMOST HALF FOR FULL FUNDING, AND THAT'S, THAT'S VERY, VERY STRONG.
UH, I DID NOTICE ONE NAME, UH, THAT RECEIVED, UH, UH, FUNDING THAT I HADN'T SEEN BEFORE, THE LOW COUNTRY LEGAL VOLUNTEERS.
AND I TOOK A LOOK AND THEY'RE HEADQUARTERED IN OBESITY IS CORRECT, BUT THEY HAVE IMPACT ON THE ISLAND.
THEY SERVE, UM, DO FOR COUNTY, INCLUDING HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
AND A LOT OF THAT HAD TO DEAL WITH, UM, LIKE RENT, UM, ASSISTANCE AND FOLKS EVICTIONS AND ALL THAT.
UM, AND CAYWOOD IS THEIR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, THE TAPING.
SHE HAS A GREAT COHORT OF VOLUNTEER ATTORNEYS OR RETIRED ATTORNEYS THAT HELP WITH INDIVIDUAL CASES.
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BUT YES, THEY DO A LOT OF WORK HERE AND THEY'VE ALSO, UH, JUST RECENTLY OPENED AN OFFICE IN HARTVILLE AS WELL.SO THEY'RE EXPANDING THEIR FOOTPRINT IS, UM, AND I NOTICED IN THE, IN THE GRANT NARRATIVE, UH, OF THE $22,000 GRANT THAT WAS AWARDED 15,000 WAS ALLOCATED TO SALARIES FOR DIRECT CLIENT SUPPORT AND 7,000 ALLOCATED TO OTHER COSTS.
SO DO THEY ACTUALLY, UH, ASSIST WITH, UH, PAST DOOM RUNS? SO THEY, THEY DON'T ACTUALLY MAKE GRANT AWARDS TO INDIVIDUALS.
WHAT THEY ARE PROVIDING IS ASSISTANCE WHEN SOMEONE MAY BE THREATENED WITH OR SO THEY'RE PROVIDING KIND OF THE LEGAL COUNSEL FREE OF CHARGE, RIGHT.
ARE THESE, ARE THESE GRANTS MADE IN ADVANCE OR ARE THEY REIMBURSEMENTS? SO ONCE THE COMMITTEE, UM, AWARDS THAT WE SIGN A CONTRACT WITH EACH OF THE GRANTEES AND THE FUNDS BECOME AVAILABLE TO THEM, AS SOON AS WE RECEIVE FUNDING FROM THE TOWN.
SO, UM, THIS, THIS IS NOT REIMBURSEMENTS.
THIS IS WE'RE MAKING A COMMITMENT AND THEN THEY HAVE MONEY TO WORK WITH PRIOR TO COVID.
YOU KNOW, YOU TALK ABOUT FOOD AND SHELTER PRIOR TO COVID.
UH, I HAD THE CHANCE TO VISIT TWO OR THREE, UH, FOOD BANKS AROUND THE ISLAND.
AND I WOULD SIT DOWN AND HAVE LUNCH WITH EVERYBODY THAT AS MANY PEOPLE AS I COULD, THAT WERE THERE, UH, AND MUCH TO MY SURPRISE, UH, EACH ONE OF THEM SAID FOOD, ISN'T THE ISSUE AS MUCH AS SHELTER.
SO I HAVE A BIAS AS YOU GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS, UH, AS A RESULT OF THAT, UH, TOWARDS SHELTER, UH, AS MUCH AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN.
UH, AND, AND LASTLY, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE, AND I'M SURE IN YOUR DISCUSSIONS WITH THESE APPLICANTS, UH, YOU MAKE THEM AWARE THAT THESE FUNDS COMING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ARE EXTRAORDINARY.
UH, AND THEY'RE, NON-RECURRING AT THIS POINT AND CERTAINLY THEY'RE INCREMENTAL.
AND SO ANY FUNDING THAT IS AWARDED THROUGH THE FOUNDATION AS A RESULT OF THIS SHOULDN'T NECESSARILY TO ALEX'S POINT BE BUILT INTO THEIR PERMANENT FINANCING.
HOWEVER, WE GOT TO FIND A WAY TO BUILD IT INTO THEIR PERMANENT FINANCING, BECAUSE ONCE THIS IS OVER NEXT YEAR, UH, THESE FUNDS PROBABLY WON'T BE AVAILABLE IF THE NEED IS STILL THERE.
RIGHT? YES, UNDERSTOOD ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO RECOMMEND A WAY TO, TO HELP THIS ONGOING, UH, IS APPRECIATED.
AND, AND THAT'S ALWAYS ONE OF THE, THE ISSUES WITH OUR FUNDING IS JUST WHAT IS SUSTAINABLE, UM, BEYOND EVEN JUST THESE ARPA EMERGENCY FUNDING, UM, NONPROFITS, UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS NOT GOING TO CONTINUE AND HOW ARE THEY GOING TO RESPOND? AND IF WITH SMALLER BUDGETS, UH, GOING FORWARD, I WILL SAY THOUGH, THAT IT'S JUST BEEN AMAZING HOW THESE NONPROFITS HAVE STEPPED UP OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, THEY'VE HAD TO BE VERY CREATIVE AND FLEXIBLE TO REMAIN OPEN.
THE DEMAND HAS PROBABLY NEVER BEEN HIGHER AND THEIR LIFE CYCLES, AND YET THEY'VE HAD THE STRAIN OF, UM, EVENTS BEING CANCELED, FUNDRAISING EVENTS THAT, UM, WOULD HELP THEM.
UM, AND JUST HOW THEY'VE PIVOTED SO QUICKLY TO CONTINUE TO MEET INCREASING DEMANDS.
PLEASE PASS ON TO YOUR STAFF AND COMMITTEE OR THANKS FOR A JOB.
I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME THIS MORNING, JOHN, WE ARE INTO THE EIGHTH MONTH AND YOU HAVE RESULTS FROM THE SEVENTH MONTH.
I THINK THAT SUMMARIZES MY WHOLE REPORT.
IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK IN PERSON.
AND SO, UH, WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE A FEW ITEMS. SO HERE WE ARE SEVEN MONTHS IN, UH, KEY ISSUES.
THIS IS STILL THE SAME AS WHAT IT HAS BEEN.
WE'RE STILL MONITORING REVENUES.
WE'RE STILL CONTROLLING EXPENDITURES AND WE'RE STILL MAKING ADJUSTMENTS WHERE WE NEED TO.
AND SO, UM, UH, ON THE BOTTOM HALF SO FAR SO GOOD THAT, THAT REMAINS MY MESSAGE SO FAR SO GOOD.
SO, UH, THE TOWN CONTINUES TO BENEFIT, UM, WITH OUR RESERVES THAT TOWN COUNCIL HAS SET ASIDE BEFORE IN EFFORTS TO DIVERSIFY REVENUES.
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IS CERTAINLY HELPED US, UH, THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE PANDEMIC GENERAL FUND REVENUES.UH, YOU LOOK AT REVENUE JANUARY, ANOTHER STRONG MONTH, UM, SIX OF SEVEN GREATER THAN LAST YEAR.
AND SO WE HAD A, UH, ANOTHER GOOD MONTH IN THE BOOKS A YEAR TO DATE.
WE STILL EXCEED THE LAST THREE YEARS.
UM, WE ARE REMINDED THAT, UM, THERE'S STILL QUITE A BIT TO GO, SO YOU CAN LOOK AT THE FIRST SEVEN MONTHS, JULY THROUGH JANUARY, AND WE'VE DONE VERY WELL.
UM, BUT IF YOU LOOK ON THE RIGHT HALF OF THE GRAPH, UH, WE STILL GOT A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF COLLECTIONS YET TO GO ON OUR REVENUE SIDE.
SO WE'RE HAPPY WHERE WE ARE, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO, UM, STILL FINISHING OUT THE YEAR STRONG PROPERTY TAXES.
YOU CAN SEE THE GREEN IS THE CURRENT YEAR.
AND SO DECEMBER, WE HAD A REALLY STRONG, UH, IN JANUARY, UM, NOT QUITE WHAT THE TWO YEARS AGO AND THREE YEARS AGO WERE, BUT CERTAINLY BETTER THAN LAST YEAR.
AND YOU PUT DECEMBER PLUS JANUARY TOGETHER.
AND, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE BETTER THAN ALL THREE YEARS.
SO YEAH, I JUST POINT OUT THAT OUR NORMAL YEARS ARE, ARE UP THERE.
AND LAST YEAR WITH THE DELAY OF THE COUNTY FOR THE BILLING, IT'S CERTAINLY IMPACTED OUR FINANCIAL SITUATION.
SO WE CAN BE APPRECIATIVE THAT, UM, ALL OF THAT HAS BEEN WORKED OUT AND, UM, UH, IT SHOWS IN OUR CURRENT, YOUR COLLECTIONS, UH, PROPERTY TAXES, YOU CAN LOOK AT A YEAR TO DATE.
AND SO WE'VE MADE SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS THROUGH JANUARY, BUT FEBRUARY AND MARCH ARE STILL GOING TO BE IMPORTANT.
SO, UM, WE'RE STILL WORKING VERY, VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR FRIENDS AT THE COUNTY.
AND, UM, WE'RE LOOKING FOR, UM, STILL SOME SUBSTANTIAL PAYMENTS YET, UH, REVENUE PREVIEW.
UH, THIS IS JUST OUR NORMAL LIST AND YOU CAN LOOK AND SEE 41% OVER LAST YEAR TODAY.
SO THAT'S REALLY, REALLY STRONG.
WE'RE HAPPY ABOUT, UM, ALL OF THIS, UM, ONLY A COUPLE OF NEGATIVES ON HERE.
UM, LECTRIC FRANCHISE FEE, IT'S JUST KIND OF AN ODDITY.
AND I THINK A PIECE OF THAT IS GOING TO BE WEATHER RELATED.
UM, AND THEN THE ROAD USAGE FEE, UM, OBVIOUSLY TOWN COUNCIL HAS PAUSED COLLECTIONS, AND SO WE SHOW UP, UM, A NEGATIVE AND THAT NEGATIVE WILL CARRY FORWARD THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR.
JOHN, DO YOU HAVE ANY INSIGHT INTO THE, UH, THE CHANGE IN BUSINESS LICENSE, UH, REVENUE? UM, YES.
UM, A COUPLE OF THINGS, ONE OF THE THINGS WITH THE NEW MODEL BUSINESS ORDINANCE, A NUMBER OF PROPERTY OWNERS WHO RENTED WITH ONE UNIT, UH, THAT ONE UNIT EXEMPTION IS NO LONGER THERE.
AND SO, UM, WE'RE COLLECTING AND THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR BUSINESS LICENSES, UM, KIND OF A WHOLE CLASS OF, UM, RENTERS WHO WERE NOT SUBJECT TO IT BEFORE.
AND SO THAT'S A PIECE OF IT AND PIECE OF IT IS A STRONG ECONOMY.
AND SO WE'RE, OUR NUMBERS ARE GOOD.
WHAT ABOUT PUSHBACKS FROM THESE ONE RENTAL PROPERTY OWNER AGAINST THE IDEA OF HAVING TO GET A BUSINESS LICENSE? HAS THERE BEEN MUCH, WE HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF CONVERSATIONS WE'VE WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE, WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE, A LOT OF PROPERTY OWNERS AND, UM, WE'VE, WE'VE MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS.
HOW WOULD YOU CHARACTERIZE THE CONVERSATION? YEAH, MOSTLY POSITIVE.
UH, UH, AND JUST FROM A ENFORCEMENT STANDPOINT, IT'S A WHOLE LOT EASIER TO JUST HAVE THAT EVERYBODY, UH, IT'S THE SAME RULES ARE APPLICABLE TO EVERYBODY IS A MUCH EASIER CONVERSATION THAN WELL, IF YOU ONLY, UH, ONE, UH, WE'VE HAD INSTANCES WHERE ONE LLC OR ONE PERSON OWNS 33 LLC, SO THEY WOULD HAVE 33 DIFFERENT, UM, NON-BUSINESS LICENSE, PAYING, UM, ENTITIES.
AND IT'S JUST WHAT WE TRY TO GO FOR IN THE FINANCE OFFICE IS A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD.
AND, UM, I THINK THIS MODEL BUSINESS ORDINANCE CERTAINLY WAS A BIG STEP FORWARD IN A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD.
HE GETTING, UH, SUPPORT, UH, FROM THE MANAGEMENT COMPANIES, HELPING GETTING THIS DONE.
OUR MANAGEMENT COMPANIES HAVE BEEN WONDERFUL TO WORK WITH AND, UM, UH, CERTAINLY GREAT PARTNERS AND THEY, UM, HELP US GET THE PROPERTY OWNERS ON BOARD.
AND SO, UM, THE BIGGER CHALLENGES IS WHEN WE'RE HAVING TO WORK WITH INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY OWNERS, BECAUSE THERE'S JUST SO MANY AND WE CAN WORK WITH THE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANIES AND THEY GET LARGE GROUPS AT A TIME.
[00:30:01]
THANK YOU, JOHN.IT WOULD BE INTERESTING, UH, SOMETIME TO BLOW OUT OUR BLOW UP, UH, BUSINESS LICENSES, UH, ONE THE NUMBER AND TWO, IF YOU COULD BREAK IT OUT INTO CATEGORIES, IT WOULD BE NICE TO KNOW, UH, W WHAT'S IN THE SERVICE INDUSTRY.
IT'D BE NICE TO KNOW, UH, WHAT'S IN MANUFACTURING, THEY WOULD START TO GIVE US A LITTLE DEEPER DIVE INTO TRENDS ON THE ISLAND.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK THAT ALSO HELPED WAS SO MUCH ATTENTION WAS ON THE MODEL BUSINESS LICENSE ORDINANCE AND THE IMPLEMENTATION.
UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE NOW MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE BUSINESS LICENSE REQUIREMENTS AND, UM, WE'RE SIGNING PEOPLE UP.
SO YEAH, WE'LL, WE'LL INCLUDE THAT IN OUR NEXT MONTH'S REPORT.
NOW WE'VE HAD TODAY'S MEETING, UH, TALKING ABOUT YEAR TODAY, UH, FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF THE TOWN YESTERDAY.
WE HAD A REDISTRICTING MEETING AND THESE ISSUES ARE NOW STARTING TO SPILL OVER INTO ONE ANOTHER.
UH, AND YOU CAN'T TALK ABOUT ONE WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT ANOTHER AND, AND BUSINESS LICENSE SPECIFIC SPECIFICALLY FOR SINGLE PROPERTY OWNERS IS GOOD EXAMPLE, JUST, UH, DO EXPAND ON COUNCILMAN HAWKINS, UH, REQUESTS.
I KNOW WE WON'T BE COMPARING APPLES TO APPLES BECAUSE OF THE CHANGES THAT WERE MADE, BUT IT WOULD STILL BE NICE TO SEE PRIOR YEARS.
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW COLLECT THEM 25% YEAR TO DATE.
UM, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST FOR ME, IT DOESN'T REALLY TELL A LOT IN TERMS OF THE REACTION TO LICENSE MODEL.
I THINK THAT WILL HELP TEASE IT OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE.
AND IF WE CAN COMPARE BACK YEAH.
CAUSE THERE'S, THERE'S THE NUMBER OF BUSINESS LICENSES AND THE DOLLARS PER BUSINESS LICENSE AND YEAH, WE'VE GOT SOME STATISTICS WE'LL SHARE.
AND THE OTHER THING I NOTED HERE IS THAT LAST MONTH TOTAL WAS 35% OF ALL OF LAST YEAR.
SO WE COLLECTED 20% OR ALMOST 20% IN ONE MONTH.
AND SO JANUARY WAS A BIG MONTH AND WE ALWAYS LIKE THOSE MONTHS, UM, COLLECTED YET TO COLLECT.
AND SO OUR, OUR PIE IS NOW MORE THAN HALFWAY THERE.
AND SO, UM, SHOWING REAL PROGRESS IN, UM, OUR COLLECTIONS.
AND SO JANUARY 31ST, UH, THIS IS RIGHT WHERE WE'D WANT TO BE REAL ESTATE TRANSFER FEE.
WE GOT THIS JUST RIGHT AT THE END OF LAST WEEK.
SO I WAS ABLE TO ADJUST AND PUT THESE NUMBERS IN HERE.
UH, THE FIRST DRAFT THROUGH DIDN'T HAVE IT.
AND, UM, WE GOT OUR PAYMENT FROM THE REGISTER OF DEEDS.
AND, UH, SO WE'RE ABLE TO HAVE A GOOD REPORT HERE IN JANUARY FOR A REAL ESTATE TRANSFER FEES.
WE'RE NOT QUITE WHAT LAST YEAR WAS, BUT LAST YEAR WAS AN EXCEPTIONAL YEAR.
SO FOR ANYWHERE CLOSE TO LAST YEAR ON THIS, WE'RE DOING GREAT.
SO WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WHEN IT COMES TIME TO BUDGET REAL ESTATE TRANSFER FEES FOR FISCAL 23, WE'LL HAVE A GOOD CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT.
BUT, UM, IT SEEMS TO, IT SEEMS TO BE STRONG.
WE HOPE THAT, OF COURSE IT'S ALL TRANSACTION-BASED.
UM, BUT, UM, YEAH, I THINK WE'LL CONTINUE.
WHEN, SO WE, I CAN SHOW ON THE NEXT SLIDE HERE.
UM, UH, LAST COUPLE OF YEARS YOU LOOK AT THE BLUE AND THAT WAS LAST YEAR AND IT'S WAY UP FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR.
AND YOU LOOK AT THE YELLOW AND THAT WAS TWO YEARS AGO, NOT AS STRONG.
AND SO WHICH ONE ARE WE GOING TO HAVE FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR? THAT'D BE INTERESTING TO WATCH JOHN FOLLOWING UP ON TOM'S COMMENT THERE.
I THINK IT WOULD BE USEFUL FOR YOU TO REACH OUT TO THE REALTORS ASSOCIATION AND GET WHAT THEIR PROJECTION IS ABOUT WHAT SALES ARE GOING TO BE MOVING INTO NEXT YEAR.
UM, WE'VE GOT A MEETING WITH ONE OF THEIR COMMITTEES THIS WEEK, AS A MATTER OF FACT.
AND SO I WILL, UH, I WILL BE SURE TO ASK THAT QUESTION.
AND SO, UM, YEAH, IT SEEMS LIKE THE STATISTICS, THE, THE AMOUNT OF SALES ARE UP, THE DOLLAR AMOUNT PER SALE ARE UP.
AND, UM, $64 QUESTION IS, IS HOW LONG WILL THIS GO? AND WHAT DO THEY EXPECT FOR THE FUTURE? AND I WILL ASK THAT QUESTION.
THANK YOU, MR. STANFORD, WE'VE GOT, WE'VE GOT THREE ISSUES WITH THE REALTOR.
TALK ABOUT TRANSFER FEE, RENEWAL TREND, UH, AND SINGLE RENTAL PROPERTY OWNER, BUSINESS LICENSING.
ARE YOU PUTTING THEM ALL TOGETHER WHEN YOU MEET? WE CAN.
[00:35:01]
WE CAN THAT THIS ONE PARTICULAR MEETING WAS MORE ABOUT, UH, THE POSSIBILITY OR CONSIDERATION OF EXTENSION, AND THAT WAS THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THIS MEETING.UM, BUT IT DOESN'T PREVENT US FROM OUR PRIMARY MEETINGS ON FRIDAYS, JOHN, JOSH, AND MYSELF, WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THE REAL ESTATE TRANSFER VIA EXTENSION, THE CONTINUATION OF IT TOO.
WE'RE TELLING A REALLY GOOD STORY OF HOW IT WAS USED OVER TIME.
JUST HAVE SOME REAL GOOD DISCUSSION WITH YOUR LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE PRESIDENT JOCELYN, MAKE SURE THAT WE COME BACK.
I THINK THE CANARY TIME ON GO BACK SIX, EIGHT MONTHS, TRACK INDICATION WHETHER OR NOT THE SAME TRENDS AND SUPPLY.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT TO WHATEVER DEGREE YOU CAN GET RELATIVES, UH, THE IMAGE OF THIS ACTIVITY, THE POSITIVE ACTIVITY THAT IS GERMANE TO HOUSES MOVE INTO SHORT TERM RENTALS IS ALSO VERY IMPORTANT TO US AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
UM, BECAUSE WE HAVE A VERY GOOD DISCUSSION RIGHT NOW ABOUT SHORT-TERM RENTALS THAT WE NEED TO HAVE, BUT NOT UNDER, WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING THE TREND IN TERMS OF INVENTORIES ON HILTON HEAD, AS IT RELATES TO SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE KIND OF BLOWING IN THE WIND, NOT REALLY MAKING A VALID DECISION.
UH, THAT'S JUST MY 2 CENTS, AS FAR AS HAVING GOOD DATA IN FRONT OF US, AS WE MAKE DECISIONS, THAT'S A GOOD POINT.
AND, AND ALONG THOSE SAME LINES, WOULD THE REALTORS HAVE ACCESS TO THE TREND IN FOUR VERSUS 6% PROPERTIES? UH, I KNOW THERE, THERE WAS A TREND TOWARD FOR, UH, 10 YEARS AGO, AS PEOPLE TRIED TO AVOID AT 3 88.
UH, BUT NOW WITH THE TREND TOWARD CONVERTING SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE INTO SHORT-TERM RENTALS, I WONDER IF THAT'S REVERSING ITSELF AND GOING BACK TOWARDS SIX.
SAM AND THE COUNTY, UM, UPDATES, THEY'RE REGULAR, THE RECORDS GENERALLY ANNUALLY.
AND SO, UM, AND, AND I'M THINKING THAT IT TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF WHILE TO RECOGNIZE AND ACKNOWLEDGE FROM THE COUNTY'S PERSPECTIVE, WHO IS DOING THE RENTING AND WHO HAS THE CATEGORIZATION THAT THE 6%, THE 4%.
AND SO, UM, I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE A LAGGING INDICATOR.
JOHN, YOU'RE PROBABLY ALREADY LOOKING AT THIS.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE AGE COHORT, 55 TO SIX DAYS, 65 TO 70, 75, AND UP THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, IT'S GROWING IN THE CURVE IS SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
SO TO THE EXTENT THAT THIS CONTINUES TO BE VIEWED AS A GOOD COMMUNITY TO RETIRE TO, UH, I THINK CERTAIN AMOUNT OF WEIGHT HAS TO BE GIVEN TO THAT AS YOU PREDICT DEMAND IN THE FUTURE.
UM, YES, A LOT OF PEOPLE FOUND THEY COULD WORK REMOTE AND WOULD CHOOSE TO WORK REMOTE FROM HERE.
UM, WE FOUND A LOT OF INSTANCES OF BOATS AND SO THE, WHAT MIGHT'VE BEEN A 6% AT ONE TIME, THEN IT GOES BACK TO A 4% AS PEOPLE MOVED HERE FULL TIME.
SO WE HAVE BOTH DYNAMICS, GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES.
UM, I THOUGHT IT WAS KIND OF INTERESTING OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, ALL OF THIS YEAR WERE LESS THAN LAST YEAR.
AND THEN JANUARY MERIT RAISES WERE IMPLEMENTED AND BACK TO NORMAL, UH, THROUGH JANUARY.
AND SO JANUARY KIND OF FIT RIGHT IN BETWEEN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER.
AND SO RIGHT WHERE WE WOULD EXPECT, UM, YEAR TO DATE, A VERY REASONABLE 2.4% MORE THAN LAST YEAR TO DATE.
AND I THINK, UM, IT'D BE INTERESTING TO WATCH THE REST OF THE YEAR, BUT I'M
[00:40:02]
VERY COMFORTABLE WITH THAT NUMBER, UM, GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES.YOU CAN SEE THE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.
UH, WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF SHIFTS IN OUR, UM, CLASSIFICATIONS THIS YEAR AND THAT EXPLAINS MOST OF OUR, UM, BIGGER NEGATIVES AND BIGGER POSITIVES.
IT'S MORE OF SHIFTING NUMBERS THAN IT IS ANYTHING ELSE.
AND SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT OUR VIRAL RESCUE.
WE DID SOME PARK, UM, PROJECTS LAST YEAR AND THE SHERIFF AND BEACH SERVICES THIS YEAR, WE'RE DOING IT OUT OF PUBLIC PROJECTS AND FACILITIES.
AND, AND SO, UM, OUTSIDE OF THOSE DIFFERENCES FROM YEAR TO YEAR, I THINK OUR, OUR NUMBERS ARE VERY COMPARABLE.
WHERE WILL THE FIRE RESCUE AND POLICE SHOW UP? UM, I'VE ASKED BRAD AND WE'VE TALKED WITH THAT, UM, TO PUT IT RIGHT INTO THE FIRE RESCUE BUDGET.
UM, ONE TO JUST UNDERSCORE THE EFFORT AND THE INVESTMENT THAT, UM, THE TOWN MAKES INTO FIRE RESCUE.
BUT ALSO THE PRIMARY REASON WAS THAT AS THE LEASE EXPIRES, THE EXPECTATION IS THAT WE WOULD RENEW, UM, THE INVESTMENT IN EQUIPMENT.
AND SO AS ONE LEASE ENDS, WE REPLACE IT WITH A NEW LEASE AND THE BUDGET STAYS BASICALLY THE SAME EVERY YEAR.
WILL IT BE DONE BY THIS FISCAL YEAR OR WILL IT BE, OH, IT'S GOING TO BE A CARRY OVER.
I THINK, UM, WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF DISCUSSIONS WITH JUST WHAT IT TAKES TO ORDER THE FIRE EQUIPMENT AND IT'S SPECIAL ORDER AND IT'S, THEY ONLY STARTED AFTER WE MADE THE ORDER.
AND SO YOU HAVE ANY EFFECT ON THE, UH, UH, TRADE IN VALUE OF THE USED EQUIPMENT.
THOSE ARE ALL ALREADY, UM, LOCKED IN.
AND SO THEY WERE LOCKED IN AT THE TIME OF THE DEAL.
AND SO AS, UM, IF THEY TAKE LONGER TO DELIVER, THEY'RE GOING TO GET OLDER EQUIPMENT AND TRAITS.
AND SO THERE'S ALSO INCENTIVES, UM, IN THE CONTRACT TO, UM, FINISH ON TIME.
UH, IF YOU CONSIDER, UH, ARE EXTENDING THROUGH JANUARY 23 MILLION SPENT OUT OF 44 MILLION OR 52% LAST YEAR OR 51, I THINK A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS IS THAT WE'RE, UM, WE'RE NOT HOLDING BACK ANYTHING LIKE WE WERE LAST YEAR, LAST YEAR, WE WERE MORE HESITANT ABOUT COVID AND THIS YEAR I THINK IT ALSO UNDERSCORES THAT WE'RE, IT SHOWS WE'RE A LITTLE TIGHTER ON THE BUDGET.
AND SO, UM, THOSE NUMBERS ARE REPRESENTATIVE OF THAT.
SO, UM, JUST A LITTLE BIT TIGHTER BUDGET THAN LAST YEAR.
AND I THINK WE ALL FEEL THAT WE CONTINUE TO ACCRUE THE $2 MILLION, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY FEE AT THE END OF THIS YEAR, WE'LL HAVE 4 MILLION OCCURRED.
YES, WE, WE DO THAT EVERY MONTH.
SO IT'S THE SAME AMOUNT EVERY SINGLE MONTH.
AND THAT WOULD BE MY EXPECTATION IS UNTIL THERE'S A RESOLUTION.
UM, WE TALK A LOT ABOUT HAVING RESERVES AND BEING ABLE TO, UM, OUR EXPENSES ARE, CAN BE PRETTY LEVEL EVERY SINGLE MONTH.
AND YET WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR PROPERTY TAXES TO COME IN AND WAIT FOR OTHER REVENUES TO COME IN.
AND SO WE NEED A LITTLE MONEY IN THE BANK TO START THE YEAR, THIS MONTH.
UM, WE MADE THAT TRANSITION FROM AN NET NEGATIVE THAT WE START EVERY YEAR WITH, TO A NET POSITIVE.
AND SO YOU CAN LOOK AT THE DIFFERENCE LAST YEAR'S NUMBERS, 5 MILLION NEGATIVE, THIS YEAR'S NUMBERS, 300,000 POSITIVE, UM, PRIMARY DIFFERENCES, THE PROPERTY TAXES, BUT IT'S ALSO JUST AN INDICATOR THAT THIS IS A GOOD YEAR, SO WE CAN REPORT IN JANUARY THAT THIS IS RIGHT, RIGHT.
AND ON THE RESERVE, I KNOW THIS COMMITTEE HAS TALKED A LOT ABOUT, UM, I GUESS I'M COMFORTABLE LEVEL OF RESERVES.
UM, WE'LL, WE'LL YOU HAVE A, UH, INFORMATION FOR US TO HAVE A QUALIFIED CONVERSATION AS WE START TO TALK BUDGET WITH YOU ABOUT THE RESERVE TOPIC.
UM, WE'RE DOING SOME OF THAT WORK RIGHT NOW TO LOOK AT BEST PRACTICES.
AND WE'RE LOOKING AT WHERE DO WE FIT COMPARED TO BEST PRACTICES? WHERE DO WE FIT COMPARED TO WHERE WE SHOULD BE? AND THEN WE'D LIKE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS, SO THAT AS TOWN COUNCIL ADOPTS A BUDGET, THEN THEY'RE ADOPTING AN UPDATED RESERVE POLICY.
UM, AND SO IT WOULD BE OUR EXPECTATION THAT WE WOULD MAKE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS
[00:45:01]
ABOUT MAYBE TWEAKING THESE.WE THINK WE'RE PRETTY GOOD, BUT, UM, WE'RE GONNA WE'RE WE ARE TAKING A LOOK.
AND THEN, UM, ANYTHING THAT WE FIND WE WILL CERTAINLY RECOMMEND TO COUNCIL AND COUNCIL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT IT AND, UM, ACT OR NOT ACTOR JOHN BEST PRACTICES IS A, IS A BROAD CONCEPT.
UM, AND SO THE MAIN THING THAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT IN TERMS OF OUR RESERVES IS DISASTER RESERVES AND HOW CONSTRUCTION EXPENSES HAVE INCREASED.
ARE WE GETTING SOME SAMPLING OUT THERE OF VARIOUS INFORMATION THAT WOULD BE USEFUL IN ESTABLISHING THE BUDGET FOR THAT? YES.
AND THEN WE'VE LOOKED AT SOME, UM, UH, CHANGES IN PRICING STRUCTURE FOR, UM, DISASTER RESPONSES.
AND SO WE'VE ALSO GOT SOME MEASURES OF INFLATION FOR THAT, SO THAT WHAT WAS, UM, AN ADEQUATE RESERVE IN SOME AREAS ABOUT DISASTER RESPONSE.
NOW THE PRICES HAVE GONE UP AND SO WE NEED TO ADJUST.
I WAS JUST A SIMPLE EXAMPLE OF LAST YEAR.
UH, NEXT YEAR WE SHOULD HAVE A DOLLAR FIVE.
YOU CAN LOOK AND SEE, UM, GENERAL FUND EACH MONTH.
UM, I LIKE TO LOOK AT THIS AND YOU CAN LOOK AT THE 2022, THE NUMBER OF TIMES THAT 2022 IS POSITIVE COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS YEARS.
AND, UM, THOSE ARE INDICATORS THAT, THAT WE'VE GOT A GOOD YEAR.
UM, HERE'S JUST A LINE ITEM YEAR TO DATE, UM, TEMPORARY USE OF RESERVES.
AND AGAIN, WE'RE BETTER THAN THE LAST THREE YEARS AND SO A GOOD PLACE TO BE IN JANUARY, BUT THERE'S STILL, WE HAVE SOME UP AND DOWNS YET TO GO TO FINISH THE YEAR.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HOLD OUR EXPENSES APPROPRIATELY AND, UM, CONTINUE TO WATCH THOSE REVENUES.
SO THIS, THIS IS THE SAME GRAPH WITH THE REST OF THE YEAR.
AND YOU CAN SEE THERE'S LOTS OF UP AND UP AND DOWNS YET TO COME, UH, BEACH FEED COLLECTIONS.
AGAIN, A BETTER THAN JANUARY WAS BETTER THAN LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, YEAR TO DATE, CERTAINLY CONTINUING, UM, OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, HOSPITALITY, SAME THING.
JANUARY WAS BETTER THAN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND YEAR TO DATE CONTINUES TO BE BETTER THAN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
SO WE'RE EACH MEASURE, ANOTHER MEASURE, ANOTHER ASPECT, OR A FACET OF THE ECONOMY OF A PANDEMIC, MIDDLE OF THE PANDEMIC, LABOR SHORTAGE.
AND YOU CAN KIND OF FEEL W ESPECIALLY WITH THE BEACH FEES AND THE HOSPITALITIES, JUST THE ISLAND IN FEBRUARY, WE'RE BUSY.
SO IT SHOWS, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT HERE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE CONVERSATION ABOUT METRICS, UM, MORE QUANTITY DOESN'T ALWAYS EQUATE TO MORE OF ANYTHING ELSE.
UM, I THINK INFLATION HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THAT ALSO.
SO THE TAX APPLIED TO IT ALSO GOES UP.
SO I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PIECE THAT WE NEED TO, TO, TO KEEP IN MIND AS WE, AS WE WATCHED THOSE NUMBERS.
AND WE HEARD SOME FEEDBACK FROM ONE OF THE RESORTS.
THEY WERE HAVING STAFFING ISSUES, UM, TRYING TO MAINTAIN A FULL STAFF.
AND SO ONE OF THEIR RESPONSES WAS LET'S RAISE PRICES SO THAT WE WOULD HAVE LOWER OCCUPANCY.
AND YET WHEN THEY RAISED THE PRICES, THEY STAYED AT A HUNDRED PERCENT OCCUPANCY, INDIRECT COMMENT TO ALEX'S CAUSE THAT IT WOULD BE INTERESTING IN PARALLEL FASHION TO TRACK CONSUMER SATISFACTION.
AND THE REASON I BRING THAT UP IS YES, VOLUME HAS INCREASED.
UH, BUT WE KNOW THAT THE HOTELS AND THE RESTAURANTS AS AN EXAMPLE OF A WORK SHORTAGES, SO THAT HAS TO SPILL OVER INTO CONSUMER SATISFACTION.
SO EVEN THOUGH IT'S TRENDING UP, I QUESTIONED HOW LONG-TERM IT COULD BE UNTIL WE ADDRESS THAT.
UM, OUR CHAIRMAN LIKES TO ALWAYS ASK WHAT, WHAT OUR TOTAL GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS LOOK LIKE.
AND, AND, UH, PART OF THIS PRESENTATION WAS JUST TO GIVE THE FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE AN EARLY LOAD.
BEFORE WE HAVE OUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS HERE, LET ME PULL TOGETHER SOME NUMBERS THAT MIGHT BE REPRESENTATIVE OF HOW WE'RE DOING SO THAT YOU CAN HAVE AN EARLY
[00:50:01]
LOOK AS POSSIBLE, BUT IT'S ALSO GOOD TO STEP BACK AND SAY, WELL, HOW'S EVERYTHING LOOK.AND SO I, I, I TRIED, YES, THESE ARE ALL FUNDS FOR WHICH THE GENERAL FUND IS FUNDED.
SO WE SEE THE GENERAL FUND UP THERE.
I DON'T WANT TO SAY THAT GENERAL FUNDING GENERAL FUND FUNDING IS ARBITRARY, BUT JOHN PRETTY MUCH DECIDES HOW MUCH OF GOES TO FUND THE GENERAL FUND, GIVEN THE ANTICIPATED EXPENSES.
BUT THIS IS, THIS IS A MORE COMPLETE PICTURE OF EVERYTHING THAT COMES INTO THE TOWN.
IT, SO IF YOU LOOK AT OUR ANNUAL REPORT, I REFERENCED A PAGE NUMBER AND THAT'S A PIECE OF IT.
AND YOU LOOK AT OUR MONTHLY REPORTS AND WE HAVE A SCHEDULE LIKE THIS, BUT I DON'T NECESSARILY TALK ABOUT IT IN THE REPORT.
AND I'LL, I'LL TRY TO START INCLUDING THIS A LITTLE BIT, JUST SO YOU CAN HAVE A FULL PICTURE.
AND I HADN'T EVER TRIED TO DO THE FULL PICTURE, JUST KIND OF A REPORT, MORE LIKE A NEWSPAPER INSTEAD OF A MAGAZINE OR AN ANNUAL REPORT.
WHAT IS IT LIKE TODAY AND GIVE YOU KIND OF THAT KIND OF INFORMATION, BUT IT'S GOOD TO STEP BACK AND LET'S, LET'S LOOK AT SOME ANNUAL NUMBERS ALSO.
SO, UM, YOU PUT OUR, UM, GOVERNMENTAL FUND REVENUES TOGETHER AND, UM, OVER 2016 TO 2021 AND I CALLED IT A ROLLERCOASTER.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S JUST KIND OF HOW I WOULD CHARACTERIZE THAT.
BUT YOU ALSO, I CAN LOOK AT THESE NUMBERS AND SAY, WELL, 20, 19 AND 2020 WERE LESS THAN THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
THAT SEEMS COUNTER TO WHAT SOME OF THESE OTHER NUMBERS ARE SHOWING.
AND, UH, I WANTED TO KNOW, WELL, LET'S TALK A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THIS.
LET'S LOOK INTO THE DETAILS A LITTLE BIT MORE.
SO I PULLED OUT HURRICANE REIMBURSEMENTS, WHICH ARE A BIG PIECE OF IT NARROWED IN, ON JUST A LITTLE IN THREE YEARS INSTEAD OF A FIVE-YEAR.
UM, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WE HAD THIS BLUE NUMBER IS REVENUE TREND.
AND THEN THE PURPLE NUMBER IS TOTAL REVENUES.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT FROM 2019 TO 2020, WE'VE DROPPED BY $4 MILLION IN TOTAL, ALL GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS WE DROPPED.
AND SO THAT'S OUR COVID NUMBER REALLY CLEARLY, UH, 2020 WAS GOING ON A GOOD NOTE.
AND THEN WHEN COVID HIT, IT DROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY.
AND SO OUR TOTAL DROPPED BY $4 MILLION SINCE WE HAD STARTED 2020 ON A REALLY GOOD NOTE, UH, BUT FINISHED, UM, BECAUSE OF COVID LESS THAN WHAT WE WOULD HAVE LIKED.
UM, BUT THEN IF YOU COMPARE 20, 21 AND STAR, AND THOSE STRONG NUMBERS CONTINUE INTO 2022.
UM, AND SO YOU PUT JUST THE SAME TREND LINE IN, UM, YOU CAN SEE WHERE IF THAT SAME TREND WOULD HAVE CONTINUED INTO 2021 VERSUS WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED IN 2021, UM, REALLY, REALLY STRONG.
AND WE CAN CERTAINLY BE THANKFUL AND HERE'S SOME OF THE PIECES AND PARTS OF THIS, AND YOU CAN SEE THE DIFFERENT COLORS, UM, REALLY, REALLY STRONG REAL ESTATE TRANSFER FREE REALLY, REALLY STRONG YEAR ON THE BEACH AND HOSPITALITY TAXES.
AND WE'LL, I'LL PUT SOME MORE IN, IN FUTURE FUTURE YEARS, BUT, UM, YEAH, 2021 WAS A GOOD YEAR, 2022.
THE OTHER THING TOO, LET'S SEE IF I CAN BACK UP, UM, I'VE PUT THAT ON HERE 1 27 ANNUAL REPORT.
SO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THE DETAIL BREAKDOWN AND I THINK THAT WAS HELPFUL.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE WAYS THAT I LOOK AT IT WHEN I COMPARE IS THAT I LIKE TO TAKE THE ANNUAL NUMBERS AND THIS IS WHAT WAS IN THE BOOKS AND THESE ARE OUR OFFICIAL FULL YEAR SO THAT WE CAN COMPARE APPLES TO APPLES AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
I TRY TO INCLUDE A COUPLE OF THOSE AND, AND WE'RE STARTING, WE'RE WORKING ON STARTING BUDGET REQUESTS, WORKING WITH THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS WE'RE WORKING WITH, UM, OUR FORECASTING, OUR REVENUES FOR NEXT YEAR.
AND SO THIS IS THE TIME THAT WE WOULD ASK YOU TO START THINKING ABOUT YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS AND WHAT, UM, YOUR INPUT US, SO THAT WE CAN CRAFT THE BUDGET THAT, UM, IS GOING TO BE REPRESENTATIVE OF TOWN COUNCILS, UM, VIEWPOINT WE'RE, WE'RE CRAFTING THE BUDGET THAT WOULD MATCH UP WITH YOUR PRIORITIES.
AND SO NOW IS THE TIME TO KIND OF THINK THROUGH THAT.
AND WE WILL ALL SIT DOWN AND KIND OF TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT YOUR PRIORITIES ARE, AND I'M NOT FAR AWAY FROM THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
[00:55:01]
UM, AGAIN, WHEN SHOULD COUNCIL CONSIDER ACTING.UM, AND SO WE'LL KEEP DOING THESE AND HOPEFULLY THE, OUR NUMBERS WILL KEEP STRONG.
UM, AND THEN WHEN WE TALK ABOUT AN ANNUAL REVIEW OF NEEDS, ANNUAL REVIEW OF POLICY, UM, I THINK THAT'S THE APPROPRIATE TIME AND WE'LL HAVE A GOOD, UM, CONSIDERATION.
AS WE PRESENT THE BUDGET, LET'S MAKE SURE THE POLICY LINES UP WITH WHAT COUNCIL WANTS.
AND SO WE'LL HAVE THAT ARE THOSE COLLECTIVE CAUSE THERE'S A, THERE'S A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT POLICIES THAT I THINK ARE, YOU DON'T WANT TO JUST PUT THEM ON A SHELF AND SAY, WELL, THAT'S WHAT THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN.
UM, WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND MAKE SURE THIS IS WHAT WE REALLY WANT.
UM, COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, MR. CHAIR, JOHN, YOUR MONTHLY REVIEW, UH, IS GOING TO MAKE THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, PREP WORK A LOT MORE MEANINGFUL AND A LOT EASIER FOR ALL OF US.
SO WE DON'T GET HIT WITH EVERYTHING AT BUDGET TIME.
WE'VE HAD THIS LEAD UP AND I THINK IT'S BEEN VERY EFFECTIVE.
UM, I THINK I'VE ASKED THIS QUESTION BEFORE, AND THAT IS, DO YOU HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT ARE SOMEWHAT SIMILAR TO HILTON HEAD ISLAND? I REALIZED THAT NO ONE ELSE HAS THE SAME, BUT SOMEWHAT SIMILAR.
AND ARE THEY SEEING THE SAME SORT OF TRENDS IN HOSPITALITY AND REAL ESTATE FEES AND SO FORTH? HAVE YOU HAD THOSE DISCUSSIONS WITH ANY OF THEM WE HAVE, AND WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF COASTAL COMMUNITIES ARE DOING WELL, WE'RE DOING BETTER THAN MOST.
AND SO WE'RE, UM, EXCEPTIONAL, I THINK FINANCE DEPARTMENT HERE, OTHER COMMUNITIES WERE, WE WERE JUST THE ONE COMMUNITY THAT DOES HAVE THE REAL ESTATE TRANSFER FEE AND THAT, THAT HELPS THAT WE HAVE A HOSPITALITY TAX AND A BEACH FEE AND SO IN A COMBINATIONS TAX.
AND SO I THINK BECAUSE OF THAT, UM, DYNAMIC GIVES US, UM, IT'S BETTER WHEN TIMES ARE BAD AND IT'S BETTER WHEN TIMES ARE GOOD.
UM, JOHN, AS WE MOVE INTO BUDGETARY DISCUSSIONS, UM, YEAH, I'VE BEEN GETTING A LOT OF PRESSURE ABOUT STORM WATER AND I STILL DON'T REALLY HAVE MY HEAD WRAPPED AROUND THE STORM WATER FEE AND, AND THAT SORT OF THING.
SO AS YOU BRING THAT FORTH, UM, IT'S REALLY DIVING INTO THAT.
AND, AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S MORE AND MORE THAT WE SEE A LITTLE DEVELOPMENT ON HILTON HEAD THAT PUTS EVEN MORE PRESSURE ON A STORM WATER, UM, AND HOW WE ARE GOING TO DEAL WITH THAT, UM, ON A LONG-TERM BASIS.
I THINK PART OF THE DISCUSSION.
AND I, AND I WOULD NOTE THAT, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION WHEN WE TALK ABOUT GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS, STORMWATER IS NOT A GOVERNMENTAL FUND.
WE CONSIDER THAT LIKE A UTILITY UNTIL IT, THE STORM ONE FEES PAY FOR THE STORM WATER ACTIVITIES.
AND SO, UM, EVEN WITH THIS ANALYSIS, THERE'S MORE TO IT.
AND SO I'LL MAKE SURE TO INCLUDE SOME STORMWATER INFORMATION NEXT TIME.
AND, UM, YEAH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE LOOK AT.
ONE OF THE CHANGES THAT, UM, MARK RECOMMENDED AND WE WERE ABLE TO DO IS THAT THE STORM WATER CAPITAL PROJECTS ARE NOW PART OF THE OVERALL CAPITAL PROGRAM.
AND HOPEFULLY THAT, THAT WILL RAISE THE AWARENESS AND MAKE IT MORE TRANSPARENT AS WE CONSIDER ALL OF THESE.
AND SO WE'LL CONTINUE WITH THAT, BUT THEN WE'LL ALSO DIVE INTO, UH, STORMWATER OPERATIONS AND THE STORM WATER BUDGET.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE COMMITTEE? UH, I HAVE, UH, TWO COMMENTS, ONE, UH, JOSH AND, AND, AND SEAN AND STAFF, UH, OUTSTANDING JOB AND CRAFTING THE PROCEDURE, UH, FOR THE ARPA FUNDS THROUGH THE FOUNDATION.
I THINK, UH, IT'S GOING TO WORK.
UH, I'LL BE ANXIOUS TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS AFTER 2023.
AND LASTLY, UH, WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT IT, BUT, UH, THIS COMMITTEE HAS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE MONITORING OF 25 TOWN-WIDE STRATEGIES, UH, COMING OUT OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND WE HAVE NINE MONTHS BEFORE A NEW COUNCIL IS SEATED.
UH, AND ONE OF THE STRATEGIES IS, UH, PRETTY, PRETTY
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HIGH IN THE PRIORITY LIST.AND THAT IS THE EXTENSION OF THE REAL ESTATE TRANSFER FEE.
UH, SO JOSH, I'D LIKE TO ENGAGE THIS COMMITTEE, UH, IN THOSE 25 STRATEGIES AND PROBABLY FIVE OR SIX OF THAT STRATEGIES ARE, ARE WELL IN PROCESS ALREADY.
UH, BUT I'D LIKE TO ENGAGE THIS COMMITTEE IN A REVIEW OF THOSE 25 STRATEGIES PRIOR TO THE NEW COUNCIL BEING SEATED.
UH, SOME DISCUSSIONS WILL BE A MATTER OF MINUTES.
OTHER DISCUSSIONS WILL PROBABLY BE LONGER.
UH, SO WOULD YOU RECOMMEND, UH, THE ORDER IN WHICH, AND THE TIMING OF WHICH, UH, WE HAVE THE DISCUSSION AT F AND A COMMITTEE OF THE 25 STRATEGIES SUCH THAT WE'RE CONCLUDED, AT LEAST IN THE UPDATE OF THOSE 25, BY THE TIME THE NEW COUNCIL IS SEATED MR. CHAIRMAN, A REAL ASSOCIATION TO HAVE SOME OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS FORWARD.
SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET AN UPDATE ON HOW THOSE CONVERSATIONS HAVE GONE BECAUSE OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE GOTTEN IN TERMS OF THE COMPREHENSIVE OVERVIEW STRATEGIES.
I KNOW WHEN WE KIND OF LAID THIS OUT FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR TOUCH BASE TO REVIEW ALL OF THEM, NOT ONLY THIS COMMITTEE, ALL OF THE STRATEGIES THAT WE HAVE ON AT THIS POINT.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING WHERE I COULD WORK WITH TALENT MANAGER TO KIND OF IDENTIFY WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE AND FIGURE OUT WHAT INFORMATION DO WE NEED TO BRING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO JUST TO KIND OF FOCUS A LITTLE EMPHASIS ON, OKAY.
SO, UH, I JUST LIKE TO MAKE A VERY POSITIVE COMMENT, THE REDISTRICT ON WHY WHITE HAS FALLEN INTO THE BUCKET THAT WE, UH, ADDRESS HERE IN, UH, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THE TECHNICAL SUPPORT THAT JOSH AND MATTHEW AND WHAT'S THE OTHER GENTLEMAN'S NAME OF JAY HAVE GIVEN IS BEEN NOTHING BUT OUTSTANDING.
AND, UH, THE MORE WE SEE IT, WE ALWAYS WANT TO DIVE DEEPER IN THEY'RE VERY WELCOMING WHEN WE DO THAT, AND THEY'RE TECHNICALLY CAPABLE OF RESPONDING.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.