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[00:00:23]

ARI WILLIAMS AND SEE WHO'S IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY.

ARE WE ABLE TO INTRODUCE THE PEOPLE ONLINE? COULD WE PLEASE, UM, HAVE EVERYONE INTRODUCE YOURSELF ONLINE? NO, I JUST GOT A TEXT FROM FRED.

NO SOUND.

UH WE'RE HEARING YOU.

WELL, GOOD MORNING.

WE'VE WE'VE INTRODUCED EVERYONE AROUND THE ROOM.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HEARD IT, BUT EVERYONE ONLINE.

WOULD YOU PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND YOUR AFFILIATION AS PLEASE? DID WE ALL HEAR THAT? I DID.

HI, THIS IS TAMMY LLOYD HOPKINS WITH COMMUNITY WORDS.

IT'S GOOD TO SEE EVERYONE.

I'M SORRY.

I CAN'T BE THERE WITH YOU IN PERSON TODAY, BUT, UM, THANKS FOR ALLOWING ME TO JOIN THE TEAMS. I CAN BARELY.

OKAY.

WE HAVE FRED HAMILTON THAT WE HEARD FROM, WE SEE JOE PASS HIM IN BUFORD COUNTY CHAIR.

I CAN HEAR EVERYBODY, UH, YOU KNOW, SORRY.

I, I CHOSE NOT TO BE THERE TODAY BECAUSE I WANTED TO TRY TEAMS JUST IN CASE I WILL BE AWAY AT TIMES.

UH, AND IT'S STRUGGLING, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING THERE.

OKAY.

I SEE DOWN THERE, UH, DR.

ROCHELLE ANDERSON FOR COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND I WILL ACTUALLY GET AROUND, BUT HAD TO TURN AROUND A HANDLE A MATTER AT A SCHOOL.

SO I'M DOING MY JOB, BUT I AM ONLINE.

AND, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ASKING ME I'LL PAY ATTENTION.

NO DISTRACTED DRIVING.

DR.

ANDERSON.

OKAY.

DO WE HAVE ANYONE ELSE ONLINE BREAD? WE GOT BREAD.

ALL RIGHT.

SO WE USUALLY EVERY YEAR, MR. DANNY LUCAS FROM JASMINE COUNTY, DANNY, UM, THE, WHAT WE DO EVERY YEAR IS, UH, HAVE THE JURISDICTIONS COME AND GIVE AN OUTLINE OF THE KEY GOALS THAT THEY HOPE TO, UH, ACCOMPLISHED IN THE COMING YEAR.

AND OF COURSE, BEING A REGIONAL COMMITTEE, WE WERE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR COMMON CAUSE.

SO BY UNDERSTANDING WHAT EACH JURISDICTION IS DOING AND THEIR PRIORITIES,

[00:05:01]

UH, WE CAN LOOK FOR WAYS TO, UH, COOPERATE AND HELP EACH OTHER.

SO THE ORDER OF PRESENTATIONS IS GOING TO BE, UH, FOR NO PARTICULAR REASON, HILTON HEAD, BLUFFTON AND PARTY BILL.

AND WE'RE GOING TO START OFF, MR. JOSH GRUBER, UH, IS GOING TO DO HILTON HEAD.

WELCOME JOSH.

ALL RIGHT.

GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.

ALL RIGHT.

SO TESTING TO MAKE SURE I KNOW Y'ALL CAN HEAR ME HERE ASSUMING THAT EVERYBODY CAN HEAR ME ONLINE.

WE'LL GO AHEAD AND START MOVING THROUGH THIS.

SO IN TERMS OF HIGHLIGHTING THE 2022 GOALS FOR THE TALENT CODE AT ISLAND, UM, WHAT I'M BRINGING TO YOU TODAY IS ESSENTIALLY TWO PIECES OF INFORMATION THAT KIND OF OUTLINE OUR MAJOR INITIATIVES.

UM, THE FIRST IS OUR STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN THAT IS GOING TO OUTLINE ALL OF THE DIFFERENT STRATEGIES AND INDIVIDUAL TACTICS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT, ACTUALLY SEVERAL YEARS, UH, TO ACCOMPLISH A NUMBER OF GOALS THAT ARE OUTLINED IN THE TOWN'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

AND THEN ADDITIONALLY, I'M GOING TO HIGHLIGHT A NUMBER OF THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE GOING ON RIGHT NOW, THE COMBINATION OF WHICH REALLY REPRESENT THE BULK OF THE WORK AND THE GOALS THAT WE HAVE, UH, OR THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR.

SO ULTIMATELY THE TOWN'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, UH, WHICH IS, UM, A 20 YEAR FOUNDATIONAL DOCUMENT AS MOST OF, YOU KNOW, OUTLINES THE VISION AND MISSION OF THE TOWN OF HILTON, HEAD ISLAND AND OUTLINES KIND OF THE TYPE OF COMMUNITY THAT WE SEE OURSELVES AND WHERE WE WANT TO BE.

UH, IT ALSO IDENTIFIES THE GOALS THAT WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO ACCOMPLISH AS A COMMUNITY.

AND IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THOSE GOALS, WE HAVE TO IDENTIFY BOTH STRATEGIES AND TACTICS THAT WILL ALLOW US TO MEET AND ACHIEVE THOSE GOALS.

SO WE PUT THOSE STRATEGIES AND TACTICS TOGETHER IN A STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN, WHICH WHEN COMBINED WITH AND INFLUENCED BY OUR ANNUAL BUDGET, BASICALLY TALKS ABOUT THE PROGRAMS AND THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO ACCOMPLISH AND THE RESOURCES THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO ACCOMPLISH THEM.

ULTIMATELY, THE GOALS IN OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ARE OUTLINED HERE IN BLUE.

SO WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE, UH, BEING A RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABLE, UH, ENVIRONMENT THROUGH, UH, PLANNING AND POLICY, HAVING OUR REVITALIZED ECONOMY, BEING A MULTI-DIMENSIONAL EQUITABLE AND DIVERSE COMMUNITY, HAVING A CONNECTED COMMUNITY, BOTH PHYSICAL SOCIAL, AND CULTURALLY ON THE ISLAND, UH, CONTINUING TO LOOK AT REGIONAL FOCUS AND HOW WE CAN HAVE AN IMPACT, UH, NOT JUST LOCALLY, BUT REGIONALLY LOOKING TO PURSUE RIGHT SIZED INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE ISLAND, AND THEN CONTINUING TO DEVELOP ALL OF OUR PARKS AND RECREATION AMENITIES UNDER THE EXCELLENCE POLICY.

THESE ARE THE ITEMS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED, UH, AS POLICY INITIATIVES UNDER THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE.

A COUPLE OF THOSE THAT I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT FOR YOU TODAY.

FIRST, WE ARE ACTIVELY WORKING ON ADOPTING SHORT-TERM RENTAL REGULATIONS.

I KNOW MANY OF THE OTHER JURISDICTIONS HAVE ALREADY LOOKED AT THESE ALREADY HAVE SOMETHING IN PLACE.

SO, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THE PROCESS AND THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT IT TAKES TO ACTUALLY PULL TOGETHER SOME OF THESE AND TO PUT IT IN PLACE.

SO FOR THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT ACTUALLY PUTTING IN PLACE, UH, REGULATIONS TO, UM, KIND OF REGULATE SHORT-TERM RENTALS, WHICH RIGHT NOW WE HAVE ABOUT GIVE OR TAKE APPROXIMATELY ABOUT 10,000 SHORT-TERM RENTALS ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.

WE'VE ALSO, UH, ARE IN THE PROCESS OF COMPLETING OUR REDISTRICTING FOR THE 2020 CENSUS, UH, TOWN COUNCIL HAD FIRST READING OF THE REDISTRICTING ORDINANCE THIS PAST WEEK.

IT WILL HAVE SECOND AND FINAL READING, UM, COMING UP ON APRIL 5TH.

AND THEN LASTLY, WE'RE LOOKING AT A, AN EXTENSION AND POTENTIAL EXPANSION OF THE REAL ESTATE TRANSFER FEE.

I WILL TELL YOU THAT IN TALKING WITH VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS IN THE COMMUNITY, UM, WE WOULD LIKELY AT THIS POINT DROP THE EXPANSION.

AND AT THIS POINT PROBABLY ONLY PURSUE AN EXTENSION OF THE REAL ESTATE TRANSFER FEE.

THAT IS A QUARTER OF 1% OF EACH REAL ESTATE TRANSACTION THAT OCCURS ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.

THAT MONEY IS UTILIZED PRIMARILY FOR THE PURCHASE OF PROPERTY, FOR GROWTH CONTROL, TRAFFIC MITIGATION, UH, OPEN SPACE AND, UH, PARKS AND RECREATION AND GOVERNMENTAL SPACE OVER THE YEARS, UH, WE'VE ACQUIRED APPROXIMATELY 1400 ACRES OF LAND THROUGH THIS PROGRAM.

IT'S GETTING READY TO SUNSET IN 2024.

AND WE'RE WORKING WITH TOWN COUNCIL TO SEEK AN EXTENSION OF THAT REAL ESTATE TRANSFER FEE FOR ANOTHER 20 YEARS, CONTINUED UNDER POLICY.

UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT ADOPTING A BEACH MASTER PLAN.

THE TOWN HAS, UH, NINE SEPARATE BEACH PARK AREAS, ALL OF WHICH HAVE A DIFFERENT ACCESS AND AMENITIES.

AND WE'RE LOOKING AT TAKING ALL OF THOSE AND COMING UP WITH A MORE COMPREHENSIVE WAY TO MANAGE THEM, TO IMPROVE THEM, TO

[00:10:01]

MAINTAIN THEM AND MAKE THEM MORE OF A HIGHLIGHT IN TERMS OF, UM, A CROWN JUUL IN, IN WHAT WE OFFER TO THE PUBLIC AS AN AMENITY.

AND THEN AT SOME POINT IN TIME LATER ON THIS FISCAL YEAR, UH, WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT ESTABLISHING AN ISLAND BRAND DEVELOPMENT.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE TOWN'S NOT LOOKED AT IN QUITE SOME TIME.

AND WE'RE DUE FOR AN UPDATE, UH, TO KIND OF THE LOOK AND FEEL OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE PUT OUT THERE ON BEHALF OF THE ISLAND.

UH, FROM AN OPERATIONAL STANDPOINT, YOU CAN SEE A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT ARE ON HERE.

THE ONE I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IS THAT OUR FIRE RESCUE CENTER IS GOING TO SEEK REACCREDITATION AS A PUBLIC SERVICE EXCELLENCE.

UM, UNDER THE, I THINK IT'S THE NATIONAL FIRE ACCREDITATION INSTITUTE.

AND THEN WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE LOOKING AT ENHANCING THE TOWN'S COMMUNICATIONS PLANS WITH A STRONGER EMPHASIS ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

AS MANY OF YOU ARE AWARE THAT IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE, A PRIMARY MEANS OF COMMUNICATION WITH THE PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE TOWN.

AND SO FOR US, FROM AN OPERATIONAL STANDPOINT, THIS IS ONE OF THE AREAS WHERE WE'RE FOCUSING A GOOD BIT OF TIME AND ATTENTION TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS IN TERMS OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY.

WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, TAKING THE INITIAL STEPS FOR OUR BEACH FOR NOURISHMENT PLAN.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE TO UNDERTAKE EVERY SEVEN TO 10 YEARS, DEPENDING UPON CONDITIONS.

UH, CURRENTLY WE'RE LOOKING AT A BEACH RENOURISHMENT TO TAKE PLACE IN 2025, BUT THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF ENGINEERING STUDIES AND FEDERAL PERMITTING THAT HAS TO TAKE PLACE BEFORE WE CAN UNDERTAKE, UH, A BEACH RENOURISHMENT.

AND SO THAT'S, WHAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW IN PREPARATION, LEADING UP TO THAT ACTION, UH, IN 2025.

AND THEN WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT DOING A SWAT ANALYSIS FOR THE ISLAND IN TERMS OF RESILIENCY BEING FIVE MILE WIDE BY 12 MILE LONG BARRIER ISLAND.

THAT'S ESSENTIALLY BUILT ON A SAND SPIT.

UH, IT BEHOOVES US TO BE PROACTIVE IN TERMS OF IDENTIFYING WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN BE RESILIENT TO COMBAT THINGS LIKE SEA LEVEL RISE, FLOODING, AND OTHER TYPES OF ISSUES THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY WILL BE HAVING TO DEAL WITH IN THE FUTURE.

AND SO THIS BEGINS THAT PROCESS BY CONDUCTING A SWOT ANALYSIS, TO DETERMINE WHERE WE NEED TO FOCUS TIME AND ATTENTION GOING FORWARD IN THE FUTURE.

UH, IN TERMS OF OUR ECONOMY, WE'RE DEVELOPING A TOWN OWNED PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, ASSETS MANAGEMENT AND UTILIZATION PLAN.

AS I MENTIONED OVER THE YEARS, THE TOWN HAS ACQUIRED OVER 1400 ACRES OF LAND IN VARIOUS STATES.

SOME IS NATURAL AND UNDEVELOPED, OTHERS HAD PROPERTY ON IT OR DEVELOPMENT OCCUR, UH, AND IT CAN BE USED FOR A WIDE VARIETY OF DIFFERENT THINGS.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING IS PULLING TOGETHER A COMPREHENSIVE DASHBOARD.

THAT'S GOING TO LOOK AT EVERY PARCEL THAT THE TOWN ACQUIRED IT WHEN IT WAS ACQUIRED THE SOURCE OF FUNDING, THE AMOUNT THAT IT WAS PURCHASED FOR AND WHETHER OR NOT IT CAN BE USED FOR POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT INTO THE FUTURE.

AND SO ONCE WE HAVE THAT COMPREHENSIVE DASHBOARD, WE'LL BE ABLE TO BETTER MANAGE WHAT WE CAN AND CANNOT DO WITH THOSE PARCELS AS A, AS AN ENTITY.

AND THEN ALSO WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING TO, TO DEVELOP A, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY FOR THE ISLAND.

UH, THE TOWN HAD, UH, IT'S, UH, HAT IN THE RING PREVIOUSLY WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, YEARS AGO.

IT HAS NOT RECENTLY, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE PLACING A RENEWED EMPHASIS ON GOING FORWARD.

AND THE PLACE TO START WITH THAT IS ACTUALLY DEVELOPING WHAT IS GOING TO BE OUR ECONOMIC TO STRATEGY FOR THE ISLAND GOING FORWARD UNDER INCLUSIVE POLICY.

UH, WE HAD A CONSULTANT PREPARE FOR US A REPORT ON HOW WE CAN PROTECT AND PRESERVE GULLAH GEECHEE CULTURE ON THE ISLAND.

AND OUT OF THAT WAS A TASK FORCE WORK PLAN THAT DEVELOPED, I BELIEVE, 16 SEPARATE ITEMS, UH, OF THINGS THAT WE CAN DO.

ONE OF THE LARGEST OF WHICH IS LOOKING AT CREATING AN OVERLAY DISTRICT FOR OUR HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE ON THE ISLAND.

THE TOWN HAS BEEN WORKING ON THAT FOR A WHILE.

A NUMBER OF THOSE 16 ITEMS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.

THE REST ARE UNDERWAY AT VARIOUS POINTS IN COMPLETION, BUT THAT'S ONE OF THE MAJOR INITIATIVES THAT WE'RE WORKING ON IN TERMS OF TRYING TO CREATE THAT TASK FORCE WORK PLAN.

UH, WITH OUR CONNECTED GOAL, WE ARE LOOKING AT MID ISLAND REDEVELOPMENT STRATEGY.

THE MID ISLAND TRACK IS A 100 ACRE PIECE OF LAND THAT WAS PURCHASED.

THAT WAS FORMALLY ABOUT NINE HOLES OF A GOLF COURSE.

UH, AND WE ARE LOOKING AT POTENTIAL REDEVELOPMENT FOR THAT PROPERTY.

UM, SOME OF THE INITIAL THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN LOOKED AT IS THE RELOCATION OF THE ST JAMES BAPTIST CHURCH, UH, WHICH IS A HISTORIC AFRICAN AMERICAN CHURCH.

THAT'S AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY, UH, FOR THE HILTON HEAD AIRPORT.

AND THEN WE'RE ALSO, UH, LOOKING AT A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PASSIVE AND ACTIVE RECREATIONAL AMENITIES THAT CAN POTENTIALLY GO INTO THAT AMONG OTHER USES.

UH, BUT THE PLAN IS TO NOT ONLY LOOK AT DEVELOPING THE MID ISLAND TRACK, BUT LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN USE THAT PROPERTY AS A CATALYST

[00:15:01]

FOR FURTHER REDEVELOPMENT IN THAT AREA, WE'VE GOT SEVERAL SHOPPING CENTERS THAT ARE IN VERY CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THAT PARCEL THAT ARE AGED THAT ARE, UH, RUNDOWN HAVE, UH, AT LEAST SOME LEVELS OF VACANCY IN THEM.

AND OUR GOAL IS TO CREATE A GREATER REDEVELOPMENT STRATEGY UTILIZING THAT PARK THAT WILL HELP BENEFIT SOME OF THOSE BROADER AREAS AROUND THAT REGION.

WE'RE ALSO DEVELOPING AN ISLAND GROWTH FRAMEWORK AND ILLUSTRATIVE MASTER PLAN.

THOSE ARE TWO OF THE HIGHEST GOALS THAT WE HEARD FROM TOWN COUNCIL THAT IN TERMS OF OUR FUTURE AND WHERE WE'RE GOING, THESE ARE PIECES OF INFORMATION THAT THEY WANT TO HAVE AVAILABLE TO THEM TO HELP DIRECT AND GUIDE NOT ONLY FURTHER GROWTH ON THE ISLAND, BUT ALSO HAVING AN ILLUSTRATIVE MASTER PLAN TO SHOW HOW THAT DEVELOPMENT AND HOW THAT GROWTH SHOULD OCCUR.

AND THEN LASTLY, UH, WE ARE GOING TO CONDUCT A SWOT ANALYSIS OF OUR LAND MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE.

THAT IS OUR ZONING CODE IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ILLUSTRATIVE MASTER PLAN AND OUR GROWTH FRAMEWORK ARE ALIGNED WITH OUR ZONING CODE.

ONCE WE UNDERSTAND WHAT DIRECTION WE'RE HEADED, WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT WHAT CHANGES WE NEED TO MAKE TO OUR CODE, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE IN LINE WITH WHERE THOSE FUTURE DIRECTIONS ARE IN TERMS OF REGIONAL, UH, AS WITH THE REST OF YOU, WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING THE CREATION OF A REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST.

THOSE ARE THE DISCUSSIONS CONTINUE TO BE UNDERWAY.

AND, UH, IN TERMS OF EVALUATING THE COST AND BENEFITS FOR THE TOWN IN PARTICIPATING IN SUCH A PROGRAM, AND THEN IN TERMS OF INFO STRUCTURE, ONE OF THE HIGHEST PRIORITIES THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM THE PUBLIC ON THE ISLAND IS THE LACK OF AFFORDABLE WORKFORCE HOUSING.

AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY LOOKING AT DOING RIGHT NOW IS A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP, UH, WITH A DEVELOPER UTILIZING AT LEAST ONE OR MORE PARCELS OF TOWN OWNED LAND TO COME IN AND ULTIMATELY DO SOME LEVEL OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, UH, POTENTIALLY IN THE 80% TO 120% AMI RANGE AMONG OTHER POTENTIAL USES.

OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE, UH, THE WILLIAM HILTON PARKWAY GATEWAY QUARTER PLAN.

THIS IS THE REPLACEMENT OF THE BRIDGES AND THE ENTRANCEWAY ONTO THE ISLAND.

UH, IT'S IN EXCESS NOW OF A QUARTER OF A BILLION DOLLAR PROJECT.

IT WILL BE ONE OF THE LARGEST INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS THAT THE TOWN PARTICIPATES IN, UH, LIKELY WITHIN THE NEXT 20 TO 30 YEARS.

I'M SURE MOST OF Y'ALL ARE FAMILIAR WITH IT.

SO I DON'T NEED TO PROBABLY PROVIDE A WHOLE LOT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON WHAT THIS ENTAILS.

AND THEN LASTLY, UM, THE TOWN HAS LOOKED AT ACQUIRING MAIN STREET, MAIN STREET, UH, IS WITHIN THE COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR OF THE ISLAND.

IT WAS PRIVATELY OWNED OR AT LEAST PORTIONS OF IT WERE PRIVATELY OWNED.

RECENTLY, TOWN COUNCIL AUTHORIZED THE ACCEPTANCE OF A DONATION OF THAT ROADWAY.

WE'RE ACTIVELY WORKING WITH THE PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS IN ORDER TO TAKE IT INTO THE TOWNS INVENTORY OF ROADS.

AND AT WHICH POINT, THEN WE'LL BE LOOKING AT DOING A COMPREHENSIVE STREETSCAPE PROGRAM FROM END TO END, UH, WITH ALL POINTS IN BETWEEN, UH, IN TERMS OF LANDSCAPING, LIGHTING, SIDEWALKS, MULTI-USE PATHS, UH, FOR THAT PROJECT.

AND THEN WHAT I'M GOING TO COVER NEXT IS IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.

SO ALL OF THIS INFORMATION WE ARE KEEPING, UH, ONLINE ON THE TOWN'S WEBSITE THROUGH, UH, THIS, UH, WEBPAGE HERE OUTLINING OUR STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN.

EACH ONE OF THE INITIATIVES WHERE IT FALLS IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WHO THE LEAD ENTITY IS IN TERMS OF THE DEPARTMENT WHO THE PROJECT MANAGER IS, WHICH IS THE STAFF PERSON TASKED WITH ACTUALLY LEADING THESE PROJECTS FORWARD.

AND THEN WE PROVIDE IN THE PROJECT NOTES, MONTHLY STATUS UPDATES ON WHAT IS OCCURRING WITH EACH ONE OF THOSE INITIATIVES.

SO THAT TOWN COUNCIL AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC CAN FOLLOW ALONG AS PROGRESS IS BEING MADE TOWARDS ACCOMPLISHING THOSE TACTICS.

IN TERMS OF THE TOWN'S CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, WE ARE LOOKING AT, UH, BASICALLY PUTTING OUR MONEY INTO SEVERAL DIFFERENT BUCKETS, PARKS, OUR FLEET, UH, ROADWAYS FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT BEACH RENOURISHMENT, AND OUR PATHWAYS IN TERMS OF OUR PARKS.

WE CURRENTLY HAVE A LITTLE OVER A EIGHT AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IDENTIFIED, UH, FOR THE DIFFERENT PARKS THAT YOU SEE LISTED THERE.

THE MID ISLAND TRACK BEING THE ONE THAT WE'RE ACTIVELY WORKING ON, AND THEN CHAPLIN PARK AND CROSSINGS PARK, BOTH BEING, UH, UNDERWAY AS WELL.

THE COLIGNY BEACH AREA, THE SHELTER COVE, COMMUNITY PARK, PATTERSON, FAMILY PARK, AND BEACH PARK ENHANCEMENTS ARE ALL ALSO GOING ON AS WELL.

BUT AGAIN, A LITTLE BIT BEHIND SOME OF THOSE OTHER PROPERTIES IN TERMS OF THE MID ISLAND TRACK, UH, AS IDENTIFIED BEFORE IT'S A FORMER GOLF COURSE, WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL OF THOSE THINGS.

LAND USE PLANNING, ECONOMIC REVIEW, NEIGHBORHOOD CONNECTIONS, COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT, AND THEN PROTECTION OF HISTORY AND CULTURE.

AND SO, UH, WE'RE WORKING ON CONCEPTUAL DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS AND COST ESTIMATES AT THIS POINT IN TIME TO BRING IT BACK FORWARD TO TOWN COUNCIL FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION AND REVIEW.

AND WE HAVE A WORKSHOP ON THIS PROJECT, I BELIEVE COMING UP AT THE END OF NEXT MONTH.

[00:20:02]

YOU CAN SEE THERE, THE, UH, I DON'T KNOW THAT THIS PROVIDES, UH, UH, THERE IT IS.

SO THIS IS THE PO THE, THE MID ISLAND TRACT.

OH, THANK YOU.

I THOUGHT I WAS DOING THAT.

UM, AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THE OTHER AREAS AROUND THE OUTSIDE THERE THAT ARE PART OF THAT REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IN TERMS OF CHAPLAIN COMMUNITY PARK.

UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, CONCEPTUAL DESIGN AND PERMITTING FOR IMPROVEMENTS.

I'M SURE AS MOST OF YOU HEARD PICKLEBALL IS A VERY POPULAR ACTIVITY RIGHT NOW.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT INCORPORATING THAT, UH, WITHIN TO THIS PARK DESIGN, BUT ALSO RECONFIGURING SOME OF THE EXISTING RECOMMENDED, THESE THAT ARE THERE, THEIR SPORTS FIELDS, A NEW DOG PARK, AND THEN CONNECTIONS TO THE CHAPLAIN LINEAR TRAIL WITH CROSSINGS PARK.

THIS IS PRIMARILY OUR BALL FIELDS AREA.

WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN REUTILIZE AND REDESIGN THE PARK TO CREATE HOPEFULLY MORE, UH, BALL FIELD SPACE IN THIS EXISTING PARK.

UH, IT'S USED FOR BOTH BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL ACTIVITIES.

AND THEN WE'RE ALSO HOPEFULLY GOING TO BE ABLE TO INCORPORATE TRAILS AND PATHWAYS AROUND THE PERIMETER OF THE PROPERTY PATTERSON FAMILY PARK.

UH, THIS IS WHERE WE'VE PARKED SOME OF OUR AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN MONEY TO CREATE A NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNITY PARK, UH, JUST OFF OF MARSHALL AND ROAD, UH, ROADWAYS THEMSELVES, PARTICULARLY INTERSECTIONS, CROSSWALKS, UM, SAFETY BASED, UH, IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR EXISTING ROADWAY NETWORK IS ESSENTIALLY WHERE A LOT OF THIS IS, UH, FOCUSED.

AND THEN OF COURSE, ENHANCEMENTS ON MAIN STREET.

AND THEN WE'RE LOOKING AT POPE AVENUE, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR MAIN ARTERIAL ROADWAYS, UH, THAT TAKES YOU FROM COLIGNY CIRCLED DOWN TO THE BEACH PATHWAYS.

THE TOWN HAS OVER 70 MILES OF PATHWAYS ON THE ISLAND.

UH, AND PART OF WHAT WE LOOK TO DO IS TO TAKE SOME OF THOSE EXISTING AREAS AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE REFRESHED.

THEY'RE UPDATED, UH, THE PAINT, THE MARKINGS, THE SIGNS ARE ALL UNIFORM, THEY'RE ALL NEW, THEY'RE ALL, UH, LOOKING NICE AND CLEAN.

UH, SINCE THE TOWN HAS BEEN BUILDING PATHWAYS FOR YEARS AND YEARS NOW.

AND SO SOME OF THOSE AREAS NEED TO BE REFURBISHED IN TERMS OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S THERE WENT OVER THE WILLIAM HILTON PARKWAY, GATEWAY CORRIDOR, AND THEN OF COURSE THE BEACH.

SO YOU CAN SEE DOWN THERE IN THE PICTURE, SOME OF THE WORK THAT WAS DONE THE LAST TIME AROUND AT THE BEACH RENOURISHMENT PROJECT TOOK PLACE, UH, JUST THE ENGINEERING AND DESIGN COSTS.

WE'RE LOOKING AT A LITTLE OVER $2 MILLION JUST TO BE PREPARED, TO SUBMIT FOR THE PERMITTING NECESSARY TO DO THE BEACH RENOURISHMENT PROJECT.

ANY QUESTIONS? YES, MA'AM, I'VE ACTUALLY BROUGHT UP TWO TOWNS IN THE STATE.

WE MAY BE THE ONLY ONE, BUT MAYBE YOU DID.

I'M CURIOUS.

SO YOU HAD A SUNSET ON IT.

IS IT AUTOMATICALLY, CAN IT AUTOMATICALLY BE RENEWED EVEN THOUGH THEY SHUT THE GATE ON HOLIDAY? A LOT OF QUESTIONS.

SO SOMETIMES MY BRAINS LET'S SAY EXPANSION THAT YOU WERE CONSIDERING AND HOW CAN ALL OF US LEARN ABOUT IT FROM YOUR BRAIN? SO WE CAN GO FOR THIS AS WELL? SURE.

SO WHEN THE TOWN FIRST CREATED THIS BACK IN THE LATE 1980S, UM, THERE WAS SOME LITIGATION THAT WAS FILED, UH, BY THE REALTORS ASSOCIATION TO PREVENT THE TOWN FROM COLLECTING THIS, ULTIMATELY THROUGH SOME NEGOTIATIONS WITH THAT GROUP AND THROUGH THE ASSISTANCE OF SOME OF OUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION MEMBERS THAT WERE IN PLACE AT THE TIME, THE STATE ENDED UP PASSING LEGISLATION THAT SAID REAL ESTATE TRANSFER FEES ARE PROHIBITED, EXCEPT FOR ANY JURISDICTION THAT HAD IT IN PLACE PRIOR TO A DATE.

AND AT THAT POINT, THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD WAS THE ONLY, OR WAS THE ONLY ENTITY THAT HAD IT IN PLACE PRIOR TO THAT DATE.

SO, SEVERAL YEARS AFTER THAT, THE INITIAL REAL ESTATE TRANSFER FEE THAT WAS PROPOSED WAS GETTING READY TO SUNSET AND COUNTY OR TOWN COUNCIL THROUGH AN ORDINANCE WAS ABLE TO EXTEND IT FOR A 20 YEAR PERIOD.

AND IT'S THAT 20 YEAR PERIOD THAT WE ARE STARTING TO GET TO THE END OF WHICH RIGHT NOW WOULD BE DECEMBER 31ST, 2024.

AND SO LEGALLY TOWN COUNCIL HAS THE OPTION OF PASSING AN ORDINANCE TO EXTEND IT.

AND BECAUSE IT WAS IN EXISTENCE PRIOR TO THE DATE THAT'S IN THE STATE STATUTE COULD CONTINUE TO EXIST.

WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT EXPANSION, WHAT WE WERE LOOKING AT IS WITH THE AMOUNT OF ACREAGE THAT WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY ACQUIRED.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO IS MAINTAIN THAT PROPERTY, EVEN PROPERTY THAT WAS UNDEVELOPED.

AS MANY OF YOU MAY KNOW, A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND WAS PLANTED PINE AND WAS, WAS BEING USED FOR FORESTRY.

AND SO PLANTED PINE AND AREAS LIKE THAT STILL NEED TO BE MAINTAINED FROM A LAND MANAGEMENT STANDPOINT.

AND SO OUR THOUGHT WAS IF WE EXPANDED THE LANGUAGE SLIGHTLY TO ALLOW

[00:25:01]

NOT ONLY ACQUISITION, BUT MAINTENANCE OF PROPERTIES, THAT WOULD KIND OF LOOK TO THE FUTURE.

OUR CONCERN AT THIS POINT, THOUGH, IS IF WE LOOK AT EXPANDING THE POTENTIAL USE OF THAT FUNDING, DO WE CAUSE CONCERN WITH THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION OR THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO LOOK BACK, TO GO BACK IN AND POTENTIALLY CAUSE IF THEY CHANGED THE STATUTE AND RESCINDED THAT, UM, EXEMPTION FOR ANYBODY WHO IS IN PLACE THAT WOULD PROHIBIT THE TOWN FROM BEING ABLE TO USE IT.

SO THE SAFEST COURSE OF ACTION WE BELIEVE IS JUST LOOKING TO EXTEND IT BECAUSE THAT'S, WHAT'S PREVIOUSLY BEEN DONE AND HAS NOT HAD A PROBLEM.

SO I, AS A REALTOR, IT DOESN'T APPARENTLY IT HASN'T STOPPED ANYONE FROM BUYING A, SAW YOUR AVERAGE PRICE OF YOUR HOUSE ON ANYTHING UNDER SEVEN 50.

AND IT'S, I WOULD THINK THAT IS A STATEMENT FOR ALL OF US TO BE ABLE TO LOBBY OUR LEGISLATORS, TO INCLUDE US.

WE GET PRESSURES FROM THE COUNTY ALL THE TIME ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THEY FORGET THAT WE ARE CITIZENS OF THE COUNTY AS WELL.

AND I KNOW WE ALL AGREE ON THAT.

SO HOW DO WE SUSTAIN OURSELVES? AND THIS IS SOMETHING I BROUGHT UP TO COUNCIL AND STEVEN, UM, THAT I THINK IT'S JUST HISTORICAL AND I LOVE YOU ARE PART OF IT.

SO PERHAPS TOWN MANAGERS CAN GET TOGETHER TO DISCUSS THIS BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A GREAT RESOURCE FOR US AND WE PUT IT TO THE RIGHT AREAS.

SO I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP WELL, AND I WOULD TELL YOU, WE, AS PART OF OUR, UH, EXTENSION EFFORTS, WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE HILTON HEAD REALTORS ASSOCIATION, AND WE JUST MADE A PRESENTATION TO THEIR BODY LAST WEEK.

AND AT THIS POINT WE BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO PUBLICLY COME OUT AND SUPPORT THE EXTENSION, BASICALLY BECAUSE THEY'VE SEEN HOW THIS MONEY HAS BEEN UTILIZED OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS AND THE BENEFITS THAT THAT HAS PROVIDED.

AND SO THE SUCCESS OF THE PROGRAM ITSELF IS WHAT'S GENERATING THE CONFIDENCE TO GO AHEAD AND EXTEND IT WHEN IT COMES TO EXPANSION OF THAT.

OBVIOUSLY WE'RE ALL LOOKING FOR NEW AVENUES OF REVENUE AND NEW DIVERSIFICATIONS TO GET AWAY FROM JUST AD VALOREM TAXES.

I THINK PART OF THE PROBLEM COMES UP THOUGH, IS THAT YOU'VE GOT A VERY CONSERVATIVE GENERAL ASSEMBLY THAT IF IT'S A NEW TAX, A NEW FEE, IT, IT BECOMES DIFFICULT TO PUT IN PLACE.

UM, NOT IMPOSSIBLE, BUT, BUT YOU, YOU, YOU USUALLY HAVE TO FIGHT AN UPHILL BATTLE IF YOU WANT TO CONVINCE THEM TO RAISE ANY KIND OF TAXES IN ANY KIND OF MANNER, BUT ON HILTON YOU RIGHT HERE IN CASE YOU'RE A GOOD TEST CASE.

SO ANYWAY, GREAT SPANNED ACROSS THE BRIDGE.

THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO BLUFFTON? TAMMY, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YEAH, I CAN'T.

YOU, I CAN HEAR YOU.

I JUST MADE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS AND, UH, JOSH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND THANK YOU FOR, AND THE FEEDBACK I DO RECALL THAT HILTON HEAD WAS GRANDFATHERED INTO THAT, UM, PARTICULAR LEGISLATION YEARS AGO.

I DO AGREE, AND I'M NOT SURE WHO WAS SPEAKING CAUSE I CAN'T SEE ONE OF THE LOCAL REALTORS THERE.

UM, WE TRIED WHEN WE PASS THE MESHER ACT, MANY OF YOU GUYS KNOW THAT I WAS VERY INVOLVED IN THE LOCAL HOUSING TRUST FUND LEGISLATION.

WHEN WE STARTED IT IN CHARLESTON, WE ASKED FOR TWO THINGS, WE ASKED FOR ENABLING LEGISLATION TO ALLOW HOUSING TRUST FUNDS, LOCAL HOUSING TRUST FUNDS TO EXIST.

AND THE SECOND THING WE ASKED FOR WAS FOR THE, FOR THE DEED RECORDING FEE OR THE TRANSFER FEE TO BE ALLOWED TO BE INCREASED AT THE LOCAL LEVEL SO THAT LOCAL COMMUNITIES COULD USE IT AS A FINANCING TOOL TO FUND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

AND TO JOSH'S POINT.

AND OF COURSE THIS IS 2003, 2004, AND OF COURSE WE'RE WORSE OFF THAN WE WERE THEN.

UM, THE REALTORS ADAMANTLY OPPOSED THAT INCREASE IN THE FEE, UM, BECAUSE WE WANTED TO GET IT STATEWIDE WHERE ANY LOCAL JURISDICTION COULD INCREASE THAT FEE TO SUPPORT AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

WE GOT THE ENABLING LEGISLATION THAT ALLOWED FOR THE MEASURE ACT TO BE, UH, APPROVED, WHICH NOW YOU LOCALLY WITH WHATEVER YOU CURRENTLY HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO, YOU CAN USE AS A, AS A, AS A FEE FOR DEDICATED REVENUE STREAM.

BUT THAT REAL ESTATE TRANSFER FEE WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GET PASSED IN 2003, 2004, WHEN WE DID THIS LEGISLATION ORIGINALLY, AND TO JOSH'S POINT, IT IS DIFFICULT, BUT I THINK LOCAL ADVOCACY IS SUPER IMPORTANT HERE BECAUSE ONE OF THE KEY GOALS MENTIONED WAS WORKFORCE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

UM, AND YOU KNOW, WE MADE A NEXUS THAT REAL ESTATE OBVIOUSLY SHOULD SUPPORT REAL ESTATE.

AND, UH, YOU KNOW, IF THERE WAS AN AVID LOCAL ADVOCACY EFFORT OR DESIRE, CERTAINLY I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD SUPPORT THAT.

UM, BUT ANYWAYS, I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF THE HISTORY FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW WE DID TRY TO GET THAT FEE INCREASED.

UH, STATE HOUSING FINANCE AUTHORITY HAS A STATE HOUSING TRUST FUND THAT IS FUNDED THROUGH A 20% OF, FOR DEED RECORDING FEES.

SO WHEN YOU APPLY TO STATE HOUSING TRUST FUND, THAT'S, THE FUNDING COMES FROM REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS.

SO I JUST THROW THAT OUT.

THERE IS THAT THAT CONVERSATION HAS BEEN HAD IN THE PAST, UH, WITH SOME SUPPORT

[00:30:01]

STATEWIDE AND THEN SOME SUPPORT LOCALLY.

UM, BUT JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU ALL, UM, VICTORIA, JOSH, SHE'S SAYING, WHAT IS SHE TALKING ABOUT? YOU'RE THE ONLY TOWN THAT HAS THIS.

WHY ARE THEY TRYING TO EXPAND IT WHEN THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE IT? WELL, TAMMY, I THINK WAS TALKING ABOUT WAS THE DEED RECORDING FEE.

YEAH.

SO WHEN, WHEN YOU RECORD YOUR INSTRUMENT WITH THE COUNTY, THERE'S A STAMP IT, DEPENDING UPON IF YOU'RE NOT EXEMPT, IF YOU'RE EXEMPT, THEN YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY IT.

BUT IF YOU HAVE TO PAY THE DEED RECORDING FEE, A PORTION OF THAT GOES TOWARDS THE, I THINK HE SAID THE STATE HOUSING, I THINK Y'ALL WERE ON TWO DIFFERENT TOPICS OF TRANSFER FEE VERSUS AS A TRANSFER.

AND MY POINT IS THAT THERE IS A B CURRENTLY AT FIRST AT THE STATE LEVEL THAT'S USED THE TRANSFER FEE IDEA CAME UP IN THE EARLY YEARS OF THE MEASURE ACT THAT ENABLED LOCAL HOUSING TRUST FUNDS TO BE DEVELOPED PER ORDINANCE.

AND TO JOSH'S POINT THAT BACK FROM WHEELCHAIRS.

UM, THAT'S I WAS JUST SEEING A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY, CAUSE I KNOW YOU HAD MENTIONED WHY COULD IT BE EXPANDED FOR OTHER THINGS? AND, UH, THAT WAS JUST A LITTLE BIT OF THAT BACK STORY ON A BULLS ON HOUSING WHEN WE TRIED TO GET A TRANSFER FEE OR ALLOW IT TO BE ELIGIBLE TO USE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.

UM, SO THAT WAS SOME OF THIS BACK.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS LET'S MOVE ON TO BLUFFTON AND MAYBE QUESTIONS AT THE END.

ONCE EVERYBODY'S HEARD ALL THREE MUNICIPALITIES THAT WE COULD, UH, COME BACK TO, I'LL GET US BACK.

I KNOW YOU LIKE TO KEEP IT TO AN HOUR.

I'LL GO QUICK.

SO, UM, AND I CAN'T STAND STILL, SO I'M SORRY.

UM, MINE'S GOING TO BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN JOSH, JUST BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THE TOWN IS IN BETWEEN KIND OF STRATEGIC PLANS.

WE HAD A STRATEGIC PLANNING WORKSHOP BACK HERE IN FEBRUARY.

SO WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF FINALIZING OUR NEW STRATEGIC PLAN FOR COUNCIL TO ADOPT.

SO WE'RE KIND OF LOW IN BETWEEN.

SO I'M, WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BOTH STRATEGIC PLANS IS WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW WHEN WE GET TO THE END SO, UM, AND WE'RE STILL GROWING.

SO I'M GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHERE WE ARE TODAY, BEFORE WE GET INTO HOW THAT'S RELATING TO OUR PLAN AND OUR PROJECTS AS WE'RE MOVING FORWARD.

OKAY.

UM, ALL RIGHT.

IT'S GOT THE RIGHT AROUND IT, SO, OKAY.

CAN YOU ADVANCE IT? AH, OKAY.

SO PRESENT DAY, WE'RE STILL SENDING OUT ABOUT 54 SQUARE MILES, 2020 CENSUS.

WE WERE A LITTLE, ALMOST 28,000.

THAT PUTS US AS THE 17TH LARGEST MUNICIPALITY IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

I THINK HILTON HEAD'S 12TH.

AND, UH, SO WE'RE CATCHING UP TO THEM SLOWLY OR QUICKLY, DEPENDING ON HOW YOU LOOK AT IT.

A FIFTH LARGEST MUNICIPALITY BY LANDMASS AND OVER A THOUSAND PERCENT POPULATION GROWTH SINCE 2000.

SO JUST TALK ON THAT BECAUSE IT AFFECTS HOW WE'RE STRATEGIC, WHAT OUR PLANNING LOOKS LIKE AND WHAT WE LOOK LIKE MOVING FORWARD.

UM, OUR MISSION AND VISION ALWAYS PUT THESE IN HERE BECAUSE THESE ARE WHAT WE GO, UM, LEAN ON AS WE PLAN AND MOVE FORWARD.

SO THIS IS US TODAY.

UM, LAST TWO ANNEXATIONS WE HAD WAS ST.

GREGORY THE GREAT TRACT, WHICH IS THE LITTLE TRIANGLE THAT KIND OF STICKS UP ABOUT THE TOP.

AND THE TOWN BROUGHT IN ABOUT 10 ACRES THAT WE PURCHASED THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, PUBLIC, PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP ON THIS IS OUR GROWTH FRAMEWORK.

YOU CAN SEE THE RED IS KIND OF OUR HIGHER DENSITY.

THAT'S THE BUCK, WALTER AND BLUFFTON PARKWAY AREA.

UM, AND THEN WE HAVE OUR VILLAGE TYPE, OUR HAMLET TYPES, AND THEN REALLY THE REST OF IT IS MORE RURAL CROSSROADS.

SO THIS WAS OUR POPULATION PROJECTIONS IN 2010, BASED ON WHAT WE'RE GOING TO LOOK LIKE MOVING FORWARD, YOU CAN SEE SEVERAL ON THERE.

WE'VE GOT THE, UM, DECREASING RATE OF GROWTH, THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION KIND OF AVERAGE BETWEEN ALL OF THEM, A LITTLE GOLD STAR IN THE MIDDLE IS KIND OF WHERE WE ENDED UP IN 2020 DURING THE CENSUS.

SO WE'RE A LITTLE ABOVE THE DECREASING RATE OF GROWTH, BUT THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE APPEAR TO BE TRENDING IS KIND OF TOWARDS THAT DECREASING RATE OF GROWTH.

AND THAT'S ACTUALLY WHAT WE'RE PLANNING FOR AS WE MOVE FORWARD IS ABOUT AN EIGHT, EIGHT TO 10 YEAR BUILD OUT FOR THE REMAINING

[00:35:01]

UNITS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN ALL OF OUR PUDS.

UM, AND I WILL TELL YOU, AS YOU LOOK AT THE POPULATION NUMBERS, DON'T LET THEM FOOL YOU.

THAT'S OUR ANTICIPATED POPULATION OF EVERY HOUSE THAT SOMEBODY LIVED IN ACTUALLY HAD SOMEBODY PERMANENTLY LIVING IN IT.

IF YOU COUNT ALL THE SECOND HOMES, APARTMENTS AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF THAT ALWAYS PLAYS, PLAYS HAYWIRE WITH POPULATION NUMBERS, BECAUSE WHEN YOU GO AND DO THE CENSUS, THEY'RE NEVER GOING TO CAPTURE SOMEBODY WHO HAS A SECOND HOME IN PALMETTO BLUFF, BUT LIVES UP IN NEW HAMPSHIRE BECAUSE THAT'S NOT THEIR PERMANENT RESIDENCE.

SO THIS IS KIND OF OUR ZONING FOR THE TOWN.

AND THEN WE HAVE ALL OF OUR DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS, ALL OF OUR PUDS.

SO IT'S A LITTLE SMALL UP THERE, BUT JUST TO KIND OF SUMMARIZE AS YOU GO DOWN, WE'RE AT ABOUT 73% RESIDENTIAL BUILD-OUT, WHICH MEANS THAT 73% OF THE INDIVIDUAL, UH, HOUSING UNITS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE HAVE EITHER BEEN PLANNED FOR PERMITTED OR IN CONSTRUCTION OR COMPLETED.

UM, SO, AND THEN ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE, NON-RESIDENTIAL, THAT'S ONLY ABOUT 35%, THE COMMERCIAL ALWAYS LAGS A LITTLE BEHIND ON THE RESIDENTIAL AND, UM, DON'T KNOW THAT WE'LL EVER SEE THAT NUMBER FULLY CAPITALIZED, JUST BECAUSE OF SO MUCH COMMERCIAL THAT'S GOING ON IN THE COUNTY AREA RIGHT NOW, JUST ON 2 78 AND AROUND THE TOWN.

SO THIS IS KIND OF WHERE WE'VE BEEN TRENDING.

UH, THE BLUE ON THE BOTTOM IS THE SINGLE IS OUR NEW RESIDENTIAL UNITS.

SO YOU CAN SEE IN 2021, WE WERE 851 NEW SINGLE FAMILY, RESIDENTIAL UNITS PERMITTED.

UM, THAT'S A LITTLE HIGHER IT'S BACK WHEN WE WERE ABOUT 15, 16, 17, WE WERE EIGHT 70, THAT'S OUR RECORD.

AND THEN WE KINDA HAD A COUPLE YEARS DECREASE RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING OF COVID AND THEN IT'S GONE BACK UP NOW.

UM, THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I ALWAYS SHARE AS WELL.

IF YOU EVER WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE TOWN, WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT WE'RE DOING, YOU CAN GO ON OUR WEBSITE AND YOU CAN TRACK EVERY PERMIT THAT WE HAVE ISSUED, WHETHER IT'S RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, WHETHER IT'S NEW RENOVATION OR ANY OF THAT KIND OF STUFF.

SO THE MAYOR ALWAYS LIKES TO POINT EVERYBODY TO HERE BECAUSE THEY CALL HER AND SAY, HEY, WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE CORNER? AND SHE GOES, IT'S ON THE WEBSITE.

JUST GO CHECK IT OUT.

SO THIS IS A GREAT TOOL.

UM, WHAT'S THAT LED TO WHAT'S LED TO OUR BUSINESS GROWTH.

IT'S LED TO OUR RESIDENTIAL, UH, NOT I'M SORRY, OUR, OUR, UM, TOTAL NUMBER OF BUSINESS LICENSES IS GOING UP AS WE'VE SEEN THE COMMERCIAL COME IN.

IT'S ALSO LED TO SPECIAL REVENUE COLLECTIONS GOING UP WITH A TAX HOSPITALITY TAX.

UM, SO YOU CAN SEE IN 2020, RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING OF COVID, WHEN EVERYTHING SHUT DOWN, CREATED A LITTLE, LITTLE DROP, BUT NOT MUCH, BUT 2021, WE'VE SEEN ALL OF OUR, UM, RECORD NUMBERS FOR THOSE, UM, COLLECTIONS.

AND WE'RE ON PACE FOR 2022.

IT LOOKS LIKE TO BE EVEN HIGHER.

SO THAT'S CREATED SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDS THAT WE CAN PUT INTO PROJECTS, AND YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THOSE COMING UP THAT WE'RE GOING TO PUT SOME OF THOSE FUNDS INTO.

SO IT TAKES US TO OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.

SO COUNCIL LAST'S ADOPTED STRATEGIC PLAN FOR 2122.

LIKE I SAID, WE'RE KINDA THIS ONE'S KIND OF ON ITS WAY OUT.

OUR 23 IS GOING TO BE ON COUNCIL'S AGENDA FOR THEM TO ADOPT.

AND ONCE IT GETS ADOPTED, WE'LL REPLACE THIS ONE WITH THAT ONE.

SO THERE'S KIND OF A KIND OF IN BETWEEN TWO.

SO I'M, WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BOTH, BUT THESE ARE OUR CORE THINGS.

WE FOCUS ON AFFORDABLE AND WORKFORCE HOUSING, COMMUNITY, QUALITY OF LIFE, ECONOMIC GROWTH, FISCAL SUSTAINABILITY INFRASTRUCTURE, MAY RIVER AND SURROUNDING RIVERS AND WATERSHEDS AND TOWN ORGANIZATION.

SO EVERYTHING WE DO FALLS, ONE OF THOSE CATEGORIES AS WE SET OUT OUR ACTION ITEMS. SO WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT 2122.

THIS IS A VERY BUSY, I'M JUST GOING TO HIT SOME HIGHLIGHTS.

UM, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOME PROGRAM PROCEDURES WE DID.

UM, AND YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF TRENDS IN THIS AND THAT IS TRYING TO CONTROL THE GROWTH THAT'S GOING ON INSIDE THE TOWN.

YOU'LL SEE, UM, NEW ARCHITECTURAL STANDARDS IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.

UM, THE REGIONAL STORM WATER ORDINANCE THAT WAS PASSED, PUTS MORE LIMITATIONS AND RESTRICTIONS AND CLEARING AS DEVELOPMENTS ARE GOING ON.

UM, YOU'LL UM, MAY RIVER WATERSHED ACTION PLAN.

UM, THAT'S, THERE'S A LOT IN THERE TO TALK ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE PROTECTING OUR RIVER AND PERVIOUS SERVICES VERSUS PERVIOUS SURFACES AND KEEPING THAT THERE, THERE WAS ALSO A LOT OF STUFF THAT CAME OUT OF COVID A LOT OF DIGITAL STUFF THAT WE WENT VIRTUAL WITH THAT, UM, WAS KIND OF THAT SILVER LINING AND ALL OF THAT.

WE'VE GOT VERY GOOD AT BEING FLEXIBLE.

WE'VE MADE IT SO THAT OUR CITIZENS CAN ACCESS JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING VIRTUALLY OR ONLINE.

UM, SO THAT WAS PART OF THAT OTHER THING WE'VE DONE RECENTLY AS PART OF THIS IS A BUNCH OF HISTORICAL PRESERVATION.

UM, WE DID, UH, A HISTORICAL PRESERVATION INCENTIVE PLAN.

UM, THAT WAS THE BAILEY BILL.

WE ADOPTED THAT WE ALSO ADOPTED PROACTIVE, PROACTIVE PRESERVATION OR PRESERVATION BY NEGLECT, OR I'M SORRY, DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT, WHICH IS WE CAN GO IN AND MAKE SURE THAT IF SOMEBODY'S ALLOWING A HISTORICAL PROPERTY TO JUST

[00:40:01]

FALL TO THE GROUND, WE CAN STEP IN AND RECTIFY THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT PROPERTY IS SAVED.

UM, AS PART OF THAT, WE ALSO CREATED SOME GRANT PROGRAMS WHERE RESIDENTIAL AND AND COMMERCIAL CAN COME IN IF THEY ARE IN A HISTORICAL PROPERTY AND APPLY FOR A GRANT FROM THE TOWN TO DO IMPROVEMENTS TO THEIR PROPERTY.

SO LONG AS WE CAN GET A, UM, CHRIS, WHAT'S THE TERM FOR HISTORICAL OR PRESERVATION EASEMENT, UM, ASSOCIATED WITH THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE MADE.

UM, SO WE'RE MAKING A BIG INVESTMENT INTO OUR HISTORICAL DISTRICT TO MAKE SURE WE KEEP OUR PROPERTIES.

UM, DID A FEW CAPITAL PROJECTS FOR RENOVATED MUNICIPAL, UH, TOWN HALL, UM, FINISHED THE CALHOUN STREET DOC, UH, SIDEWALKS, AND GO THROUGH SCHOLTZ.

WE DID BUCK ON SOME ADVIL, SIDEWALKS, SLOTTING, AND DRAINAGE, UM, COMPLETED THE DON RYAN CENTER AND OPENED IT UP.

UM, AND WE DID SOME COMMUNITY OUTREACH.

SO WE DID A COMMUNITY SURVEY LAST YEAR.

UM, GOT SOME POSITIVE RESULTS, SOME THINGS WE NEED TO BE WORKING ON, BUT OVERALL, UH, 83% WERE SATISFIED WITH THE SERVICES THAT THE TOWN PROVIDED.

76% SAY THAT BLUFFTON IS A FRIENDLY NEIGHBOR, FRIENDLY COMMUNITY.

SO WE TOOK THAT AS A POSITIVE.

AND WHAT WE ALSO FOUND IS ABOUT 42% OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE EVERY HOUSEHOLD IN THE TOWN HAS A CHILD UNDER 18 IN IT.

SO THAT'S A VERY HIGH POPULATION OF CHILDREN WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY, WITHIN OUR HOUSEHOLDS.

UM, WE'RE ALSO WORKING RIGHT NOW TO EXPAND OUR EVENTS.

WE'RE GOING TO START DOING, UM, 4TH OF JULY.

UM, WE'RE DOING A MOVIE SERIES AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING CONCERTS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

SO AS WE'RE COMING OUT OF THE KIND OF SHELTERED TIME OF, OF COVID, WE'RE LOOKING TO DO MORE THINGS BECAUSE JUST SINCE COVID STARTED IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, WE'VE PROBABLY BROUGHT IN A COUPLE THOUSAND, MAYBE MORE PEOPLE INTO OUR COMMUNITY THAT HASN'T GOT TO BE A PART OF OUR COMMUNITY DURING THAT TIME.

SO WANTING TO GET THEM OUT AND GET THEM TO BE PART OF THE COMMUNITY, FEEL LIKE THEY'RE WELCOME.

FEEL LIKE THEY'RE PART OF THE COMMUNITY.

SO WE'RE GOING TO START DOING MORE EVENTS TO GET PEOPLE OUT.

SO AS WE'RE TRANSITIONING INTO OUR NEXT STRATEGIC PLAN, WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE FROM ALL THE GROWTH AND FROM WHAT WE'VE DONE IS MORE GROWTH MANAGEMENT.

WE'RE COMPLETING OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, THIS, UM, THING.

IT'S JULY, IT COMES TO COUNCIL FOR COMPLETION, BUT WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT UPDATING OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS AND BUCK ON SIMMONS ADVIL AND GO THROUGH SCHULTZ TO SAY, OKAY, WE DID THESE 10, 12 YEARS AGO, A LOT'S CHANGED SINCE THEN.

WHAT'S CHANGED.

WHAT DO WE NEED TO BE LOOKING AT? AND WHAT, WHAT DO WE NEED TO BE FOCUSED ON FOR THOSE COMMUNITIES AS WE'RE TRANSITIONING, UM, TO THE FUTURE.

AND ALSO LOOK AT OUR OLD TOWN MASTER PLAN.

WE'VE ALSO GOT WATERSHED AND RESILIENCY.

SO YOU'RE GOING TO BE, UM, SAYING COUNCIL COMING TO THEM FOR A TREE ORDINANCE TO ADDRESS REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT.

THEY'LL, UM, ADOPT THAT PROBABLY IN APRIL.

AND THAT'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT IF YOU'RE CLEARING TREES, YOU HAVE TO REPLACE THEM.

YOU HAVE TO LEAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF CANOPY IN PLACE.

IF YOU DON'T, WE'RE GOING TO CREATE A FEE IN LIEU THAT YOU CAN PAY INTO A BANK AND WE'LL SET UP A REFORESTATION PLAN.

SO WE CAN PLANT TREES AROUND TOWN AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE KEEPING WHAT IS A VALUABLE ASSET TO OUR COMMUNITY, NOT JUST FOR LOOKS, BUT FOR PROTECTING OUR WATERSHED AND ENVIRONMENTAL OVERALL AND THE FEEL OF THE COMMUNITY.

UM, ONE OF THE GOALS COUNCIL TALKED ABOUT WAS GREEN ALTERNATIVES TO LOOK AT DOING MORE RECYCLING, POTENTIALLY COMPOSTING, TALKING ABOUT ELECTRIFYING FLEET, GOING TO MORE GREEN ALTERNATIVES SO THAT WE'RE DOING OUR PART TO REDUCE OUR FRONT FOOTPRINT, PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY.

THIS IS WHY THE MAYOR IS SO INTERESTED IN THAT TRANSFER FEE.

ONE OF THE BIG THINGS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS LAND ACQUISITION, BECAUSE WE WANT TO START PRESERVING GREEN SPACE AND TO TRY TO REDUCE THE DENSITY AND THE NUMBER OF RESIDENTIAL UNITS AND COMMERCIAL SPACE OUT THERE THAT'S AVAILABLE, LEFT FOR BUILD.

SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON RIGHT NOW AS WELL.

UM, A COUPLE OF THINGS COMING UP ON OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT.

I'LL TALK ABOUT THOSE IN A LITTLE BIT, A LOT OF PARK IMPROVEMENTS.

THOSE ARE ALWAYS A KEY ASSET TO OUR COMMUNITY.

UM, MENTIONED PEDESTRIAN SAFETY.

THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE FOCUSING ON, SPECIALLY IN THE OLD TOWN, WE HAVE A LOT OF CROSSINGS THAT AREN'T ADA, THAT AREN'T NEED TO BE RESTRIPE NEED BETTER LIGHTING, STUFF LIKE THAT.

SO YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF THOSE PROJECTS TAKING PLACE.

SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE ABOUT 43 CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT ARE LISTED.

UM, YOU CAN ALWAYS GO ON OUR WEBSITE, WE KEEP THIS THERE.

UM, I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH ALL THOSE.

I JUST WANT TO KIND OF SHOW YOU, THAT'S KIND OF THE LAYOUT OF THEM AROUND TOWN, BUT DIDN'T WANT TO HIT ON A FEW THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE COMING UP PRETTY SOON.

ONE IS, UM, WE JUST AWARDED THE STABILIZATION FOR THE SQUIRE POPE CARRIAGE HOUSE.

SO THEY'RE GOING TO BE STABILIZED IN THE FOUNDATION AND CHIMNEY.

AND THEN WE'RE ALSO, UM, GOT A TAX FUNDS THAT COUNCIL APPROVED AWARD OF THAT.

WE'RE GOING TO START RENOVATING THE SQUIRE POPE HOUSE AND WITH OUR INCREASE IN TAX FUNDS, WE'RE HOPING TO TAKE MORE FUNDS OUT OF THAT AND PUT IT TOWARDS THE RENOVATION OF THIS WITH THE GOAL OF THIS, BECOMING OUR WELCOME CENTER FOR THE TOWN AND BEING OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH HUB, UM, NEW

[00:45:01]

RIVERSIDE BARN AND PARK.

YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THAT ONE UP SOON.

WE'RE FINALIZING DESIGNS.

WE'RE TRYING TO IMPLEMENT A FEW CHANGES INTO THE ORIGINAL DESIGN AT, IN LIKE SOME FRISBEE GOLF WE'RE LOOKING TO PUT IN, UM, MORE OF A STAGE, SO WE CAN DO CONCERTS AND HAVE BETTER VENUE FOR, UM, PEOPLE WHO WANT TO DO WEDDINGS OR COMMUNITY EVENTS OUT THERE.

SO THEY HAVE SOMETHING PRE SET UP.

SO WE'RE WORKING ON FINALIZING THAT DESIGN AND GETTING IT OUT FOR PHASE ONE, WHICH HAS ALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND, UM, GETTING IT READY FOR THE BARN, RENOVATION AND PLAYGROUND AND EVERYTHING ELSE AND TRAILS THAT ARE BEING THERE.

UM, OYSTER FACTORY PARK.

WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF PHASES DOWN HERE AT THE BOTTOM TO IMPROVE SOME PARKING AND THE SHELTERS THAT ARE DOWN THERE FOR, UM, FOR THE COOKOUTS AND THAT EVERYBODY LOVES TO HAVE THERE.

SO, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE PLANNED A TREEHOUSE TO GO THERE.

SO THAT ONE'S ONE THAT'S GOING TO BE COMING UP THIS YEAR AND THEN AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AS WE TALKED ABOUT, THIS IS A BIG ONE.

UM, WE'RE TRYING TO FINALIZE OUR PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP WE'RE AND HOPEFULLY THE LAST PARTS OF OUR CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS, UM, WE'VE SENT EVERYTHING TO OUR, THE POTENTIAL PARTNER TO REVIEW AND PROVIDE COMMENTS.

SO WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE THAT BACK VERY SOON.

AND IF EVERYTHING MOVES FORWARD, HOPEFULLY HAVE BACK TO COUNCIL THIS SPRING SO THEY CAN MAKE APPROVAL AND WE CAN START MOVING THIS PROJECT FORWARD.

THE ONE THAT WE'RE PRIORITIZING RIGHT NOW IS 10 95 MAY RIVER ROAD, WHICH IS A PIECE OF PROPERTY.

THE TOWN OWNS, AND WE CAN GET IT BETWEEN ABOUT 12, 14 UNITS ON THERE.

SO HOPEFULLY THOSE WE'RE LOOKING FOR THOSE TO BE FOR SALE SINGLE FAMILY.

WE ALSO HAVE A LITTLE PIECE ON 180 4 BLUFFTON, AND WE ACTUALLY ANNEXED THE 10 ACRE PIECE.

I MENTIONED EARLIER THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON THAT ONE AS WELL.

SO ALL THREE OF THOSE, WE'RE TALKING WITH THE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP ABOUT, AGAIN, YOU CAN GO ON OUR WEBSITE, THIS IS UPDATED ALL THE TIME.

IF YOU EVER HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING ON ANY OF OUR FACILITIES, OUR PARKS, ANY OF THAT KIND OF STUFF.

UM, ALL OF OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS ARE LISTED HERE AND YOU CAN SEE IF THEY'RE ON BUDGET.

IF THEY'RE ON TIME, WHERE THEY'RE AT, I WILL TELL YOU SOME OF THEM ARE GOING TO BE BEHIND RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE'VE PUT OUT FOR BID AND GOT ZERO BIDS.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY ELSE IS STRUGGLING WITH GETTING CONTRACTORS RIGHT NOW, BUT FOR SOME OF OUR PROJECTS, WE SEEM TO BE STRUGGLING TO GET CONTRACTORS, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO WORK THROUGH THAT AND LOOK AT ALTERNATIVES TO GET SOME OF THESE PROJECTS MOVING FORWARD.

SO WE SHARE EVERYTHING AS MUCH AS WE CAN.

UM, SOCIAL MEDIA, OUR WEBSITE HAS A PLETHORA OF INFORMATION.

I ALWAYS ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO GO THERE, BUT AS JOSH TALKED ABOUT, THE WORLD LIVES ON SOCIAL MEDIA NOW.

SO WE TRIED TO BE AS MUCH AS EVERYWHERE WE CAN.

THERE'S SOME WERE MISSING ON HERE.

WE DON'T HAVE TICK TALK AND SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE OUT THERE, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO BE EVERYWHERE.

WE CAN THAT OUR COMMUNITY'S REACH FORCE.

SO THAT'S ALL I HAD SO I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

AND, UM, I DIDN'T WANT TO WAIT TILL THE END FOR QUESTIONS.

WE CAN DO EITHER WAYS, ANY QUESTIONS LIKE THIS? I KNOW IT WENT FAST.

I WAS TRYING TO MAKE UP TIME.

WELL, WE STARTED LATE, SO, UH, OKAY.

I CAN ALWAYS COME BACK TO QUESTIONS, UH, AFTER WE HEAR FROM HARTSVILLE.

AND, UH, SO OUR PRESENTERS TODAY ARE MIKE ZIMBLER FROM THE, UH, CITY MANAGER AND NEIL PARSONS IS OUR, UM, DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES.

MR. ZIMBARDO ALL RIGHT.

WELL, WE'RE THE CLEANUP HITTERS TODAY.

GUYS APPRECIATE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO ALWAYS TALK ABOUT OUR SUCCESSES AND WHERE THE CITY'S GOING.

I WANTED TO THANK MR. PARSONS.

HE'S THE, HE'S THE BRAINS BEHIND THE OUTFIT.

I'M JUST A MOUTHPIECE.

SO HE PRODUCES ALL THE GOOD STUFF AND I GET TO TALK ABOUT IT, BUT I APPRECIATE THAT NOW.

SO WE START IN 2015, I GOT THERE AND HARDY BOLT IS NOT UNLIKE BLUFFTON AND HILTON HAD FROM YEARS PAST.

SO YOU HAD A BLANK CANVAS WITH ALL KINDS OF OPPORTUNITIES.

WELL, THAT'S WHAT THE CITY HAS OR A THOUSAND PIECE PUZZLE WHEN YOU HAVE THE FRAMEWORK AND YOU'RE JUST FILLING IN THE PIECES.

SO THINGS HAVE REALLY CHANGED.

WE HAD OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING RETREAT LIKE YOU GUYS DO EVERY TIME.

AND WE PRESENTED SOME KEY MATRIX IS FROM 2015 TO 2021.

AND IT WAS JUST THE AMOUNT OF THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED FROM 2015 TO 2021 IS JUST INCREDIBLE BETWEEN THE TAXABLE VALUE, THE MARKET VALUE, THE AMOUNT OF APPROVED, UM, SO APPROVED, UM, INDUSTRIAL SPACE, THE AMOUNT OF ACREAGE SOLD.

AND I HEARD EVAL COMMERCE PARK, UH, THE AMOUNT OF EMPLOYEES BUDGET, JUST EVERYTHING FROM SOUP TO NUTS.

PLUS THE QUALITY OF LIFE, SIGNIFICANT INCREASES, MEASURABLE METRICS.

SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOME THINGS, IT WAS JUST, WE PUT IT TOGETHER.

IT WAS ASTONISHING TO ME

[00:50:01]

AND IT'S A GIFT.

IT GIVES CREDIT TO THE VISIONARY ELECTED OFFICIALS IN THE CAMP, COMPETENT AND CAPABLE STAFF PEOPLE LIKE YOU GUYS HAVE THAT MOVE THE CITY VISION FORWARD.

SO WE'VE BEEN REALLY HAPPY WITH THAT.

GO AHEAD, NEIL UM, AND I KNOW, UH, STEVE TALKED ABOUT THIS.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE WE'RE PROUD OF TOO, IS SAME BUILDING PERMIT ACTIVITY.

LAST YEAR, WE HAD THE HIGHEST AMOUNT OF SINGLE FAMILY, RESIDENTIAL PERMITS THE CITY HAS EVER HAD.

WE HAD SEVERAL MONTHS, MONTH AFTER MONTH OF BREAKING RECORD BREAKING, UM, BUILDING PARTMENT REVENUES, WE HAD ABOUT SINGLE 800 SINGLE FAMILY, RESIDENTIAL PERMITS LAST YEAR, ALL TIME, HIGH, TOTAL BUILDING PERMITS.

UM, AND THEN WE'RE EXPECTING BETWEEN 1,012 HUNDRED, THIS, THIS FISCAL YEAR.

SO JUST INCREDIBLE.

UM, THE AMOUNT OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY OCCURRING IN OUR COMMUNITY.

OKAY.

SOME OF OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND WE'LL PURCHASE THIS DIGRESS.

IT'S INTERESTING HOW EVERYBODY'S PERSPECTIVE WHEN YOU PEOPLE DO DIFFERENT PRESENTATIONS AND THE THINGS, HOW THEY PRESENT THEIR IDEAS.

SO EVERYBODY'S DOING A LITTLE DIFFERENT NEIL USES PRESI, WHICH WE THINK IS A REALLY GOOD TOOL, KIND OF VERY INTERACTIVE, BUT, UM, APPRECIATE HIM.

SO ONE OF THE BIG THINGS I THINK MOST PEOPLE HAVE SEEN IT.

WE'RE VERY PROUD YEARS IN THE MAKING OUR RECREATION CENTER.

WE OPENED IN AUGUST.

IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE BETWEEN NINE AND $10 MILLION WHEN IT'S ALL COMPLETE.

SO IT'S REALLY A COMMUNITY CENTER, A LOT OF RECREATION, BUT A LOT OF PROGRAMMING, A LOT OF COMMUNITY USE A LOT OF MEETING ROOMS, EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES, JUST TO REALLY CENTERPIECE TO, FOR US TO BUILD ON MOVING FORWARD, EXIT THREE, SIMILAR TO THE HILTON HEAD BRIDGE PROJECT, 14 YEARS IN THE MAKING.

I MEAN, IT'S JUST, I'VE BEEN HERE ALMOST SEVEN BUT 14 YEARS TO DEAL WITH THE STATE.

AND WE'RE FINALLY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS ARE AT, BUT TRYING TO THE STEP AND THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND GETTING THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENTS AND THE LOAN AGREEMENTS, IT'S JUST, IT'S, IT'S AN ENDLESS ACTIVITY, BUT THERE IS SOME LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL.

I KNOW WHAT THE MAYOR ALWAYS TALKS ABOUT AND WE ALL OUR TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS AND JUST AND JUST THE CLOG ROADS AND THE BACKUPS.

SO WE'RE, WE THINK THIS INTERCHANGE IS GOING TO BE SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC ACTIVITY, AS WELL AS HURRICANE EVACUATION ROUTE, AND JUST A NUMBER OF GOOD THINGS TO SERVE ALL OF OUR INDUSTRY EARLIER AREA SOUTH OF EXIT FIVE ON 17 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

UM, SO INTERESTING.

SO, UH, LET'S SEE, ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO, UH, RIVER PORT REALLY STARTED THERE.

THAT WAS ABOUT FOUR AND A HALF MILLION SQUARE FEET OF STORAGE LOGISTICS WAREHOUSING OF THE LAST TWO YEARS.

WE'VE APPROVED OVER 13 MILLION PLUS SQUARE FEET OF BETWEEN THREE PROJECTS.

SO THAT WHOLE CORRIDOR IT'S GOING TO BE, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A SEA OF BUILDINGS AND A SEA OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY AS WELL AS JOB CREATION.

SO WE'RE REALLY THRILLED ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE CITY.

AND AGAIN, WE'RE AT WITH THE HOPEFULLY JOT AND THE JAZZ OR THE GEORGIA PORTS, WHERE THE CITY IS THE CLOSEST MUNICIPALITY TO THE, UH, UM, GEORGIA PORTS AUTHORITY, WHICH AS WE ALL KNOW, BY 2025, THAT'S GOING TO BE THE SECOND LARGEST, UH, PORT BY VOLUME IN THE COUNTRY.

SO AGAIN, IF YOU HAVEN'T NEVER BEEN THERE, I KNOW POSTS, WE PROBABLY HAVE TAKE THE TOUR.

IT'S I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S UNBELIEVABLE THAT IT'S KIND OF A CITY WITHIN A CITY.

GO AHEAD.

OH, NO, STAY ON THAT REAL QUICK.

SO WE HAD THE, I THINK WE HAVE ONE, I THINK THERE'S TWO BUILDINGS DONE, 200 CONSTRUCTION, UM, AND SOME REALLY BIG NAMES.

SO WE'RE REALLY THRILLED ABOUT SOME OF THE CURRENT TENANTS AND COUPLED THE BUILDING.

SO I DIDN'T, I'VE NEVER HEARD OF A COUPLE OF COMPANIES WHEN YOU LOOK THEM ONLINE, THEY'RE BIG NATIONAL COMPANY, SO WE'RE REALLY THRILLED.

UM, AND WE'RE EXPECTING MORE LEASES AND STUFF TO BE NEGOTIATED.

SO A LOT OF GOOD ECONOMIC ACTIVITY HAPPENING IN THAT PART OF THE CITY.

GO AHEAD.

YEAH.

RICHARD GRAY SPORTS COMPLEX.

AGAIN, WE DID LIKE, JUST LIKE YOUR HALL.

WE DID A LOT OF STUFF BEHIND THE CITY HALL WE HAVE AT THAT, UH, TURF FOOTBALL FIELD.

WE DID A COVERED BASKETBALL COURTS WITH FANS.

WE DID A DOG PARK AND OTHER IMPROVEMENTS.

PLUS WE HAVE ANOTHER, SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS OVER THE COMING YEARS TO REALLY IMPROVE THAT, UH, HEART RECREATION CENTER IN THE HEART OF THE CITY.

ALL RIGHT.

22, WE REALLY WANT TO FOCUS ON THERE'S SOME AREAS OF EXPECTATIONS.

ONE OF THE BIG THING, AGAIN, ALL THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS.

SO THERE'S LIKE BLUFFTON, I THINK WE'VE INCREASED STARS WHEN I GOT HERE WITH 13, I THINK WE HAVE 18 OR 19 NOW, SO WE CAN ADD ON UP ALL UP THE TOTAL RESIDENTIAL EQUIVALENT UNITS IS PROBABLY OVER 60,000 PLUS, YOU KNOW, THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF ACRES OF COMMERCIAL PLUS THAT MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF SQUARE

[00:55:01]

FEET OF INDUSTRIAL.

SO I'LL SEE ALL KINDS OF OPPORTUNITIES THERE.

GO AHEAD.

WHEN DID WE, HE MOVING ON THAT? OKAY.

HERE'S SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT, WHICH I THINK IT IMPACTS ALMOST EVERYBODY BETWEEN THE REGIONAL TRAFFIC ANALYSIS AND CO-OP, UM, STUDIES, WE'RE, WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.

AND EVERY DEVELOPMENT THAT WE DO IMPACTS BLUFFTON AND BUFORD COUNTY AND JASPER COUNTY HILTON AT EVERYTHING OUT.

SO WHAT WE WANT TO TRY TO DO IS FOCUS ON MORE OF A 30,000 VIEW VERSUS KIND OF MORE LIKE THE THOUSAND PHEW.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW CAN WE PARTNER AND COOPERATE TO DO MORE OF A REGIONAL TRAFFIC STUDY THERE'S MAIN ROADS.

AND AS YOU ADD MORE AND MORE TRAFFIC AND MORE AND MORE INFRASTRUCTURE, IT'S OBVIOUSLY GOING TO COMPLICATE THE SITUATION.

SO WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT THAT AND TRY TO THROUGH A LATS OR, YOU KNOW, OR ANY OTHER ORGANIZATION, HOW CAN WE FUND MORE OF A, A LARGER REGIONAL TRAFFIC STUDY? UM, WE WANT TO DO, UM, IMPROVE, UH, CITYWIDE COMMUNICATIONS, IMPROVE NEIGHBORHOODS AND JURISDICTION.

SO I'LL GO JUST LIKE YOU GUYS, HOW DO WE COMMUNICATE? HOW DO WE GET OUR MESSAGE OUT? HOW DO WE, HOW ANY OF THAT DIALOGUE BETWEEN OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND STAFF.

SO WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE, ALL ROWING IN THE SAME DIRECTION.

SO THAT'S IMPORTANT, UM, INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, UH, REGIONAL ECONOMIC COOPERATION.

WE ALL, WE DEAL WITH THE SOUTHERN CAROLINA ALLIANCE.

THEY DO A WONDERFUL JOB, BUT SO WE'RE ALL MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ALL HAND IN GLOVE.

WELL, THE LIFE, AGAIN, I THINK MOST OF THE SAME CHALLENGES THAT YOU GUYS ALL LISTED IN YOUR MASTER PLAN, YOUR COMPREHENSIVE PLANS.

GO AHEAD.

YEAH.

AND I THINK FOR FOUR KEY THINGS, UM, YOU KNOW, CONTINUED, CONTINUED, CONTINUED ANNOUNCEMENTS OF NEW RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL PROJECTS.

THAT WAS WHAT WE WERE EXPECTING.

UH, THE , UM, THE U S 17 WIDENING I 95 WIDENING EXIT THREE, EXIT FIVE AND EXIT EIGHT.

THAT'S ALL GOING TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY, UH, ADVANCEMENT OUR WORKFORCE TRAINING.

UM, AND I KNOW WE'RE ALL WORKING ON THAT.

THE CITY, WE STARTED A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING PROGRAM.

WE'RE GOING TO REALLY EXPAND ON THAT.

WE DO CDL A FORKLIFT AND WELDING.

SO WE HAVE A COMPANY THAT WE UTILIZE, THEY CAN DO 89 DIFFERENT CERTIFICATIONS.

SO AGAIN, MOST OF THE MUNICIPALITIES, THEY DON'T FOCUS.

THEIR CORE MISSION IS NOT DOING JOB TRAINING, USE, ELECT COUNTIES OR OTHER STEEL ORGANIZATIONS.

WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE A VERY, UH, GOOD, UM, COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM.

AND WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON, WE HAVE ABOUT 1500 UNITS THAT WE WOULD CALL ATTAINABLE.

SO IN THAT 80 TO 120%, UH, AMI THAT WERE CURRENTLY THAT ARE EITHER IN DEVELOPMENT OR BUILDING.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO HELP EVERYBODY SOLVE THE HOUSING CROP PROP PROP PROBLEM IN OUR AREA, AND THEN JUST REGIONAL COOPERATION.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR.

SO WHETHER IT'S TRAFFIC, IT'S ENVIRONMENTAL, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WORKFORCE TRAINING, YOU KNOW, THE, THE HOW AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND, HOW CAN WE, WE'RE STRONGER TOGETHER THAN WE ARE SEPARATE.

SO THAT'S KIND OF REAL QUICK, UH, BREAKDOWN.

AND I APPRECIATE, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY TO TELL YOU WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING OF LATE.

THANK YOU.

OKAY.

THANK YOU, TOM.

THE RGA, I'M HOPING IT'LL BE SOMETHING A DAY OR TWO BEFORE I DIE, BUT YEAH.

UM, WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO CUT DOWN THE NUMBER OF LAWYERS INVOLVED WITH ABOUT 50, AND THEN I THINK YOU'D PROBABLY GET IT DONE.

I'M BEING, UM, JUST BEING MORE PARTIES TO THE AGREEMENT.

THE, UM, IT'S DIFFERENT THAN HILTON HEAD IN THAT THE PARTIES ARE THE COLLAPSE OF THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, WHEREAS IN YOUR CASE, IT'S JUST AN ACCOUNT.

UM, SO THE BASIC TERMS WERE AGREED TO, IT'S JUST, THE LAWYERS ARE WORKING ANYWHERE NEAR CLOSE TO MAKING SAUSAGE, BUT YES.

SO HOPEFULLY WE'RE GUESSTIMATING WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, WE'RE GOING TO PRETTY MUCH COME TO A MEETING IN THE MINES, YOU KNOW, HARVEST.

ABSOLUTELY.

WE UNDERSTAND.

IT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

AND IT'S A SOURCE OF, UH, TAKING YEARS OFF MY LIFE.

UM, THERE'S A NUMBER OF THINGS AND TO PUSH THIS FORWARD, RATHER WHAT I'LL DO IS I'LL SUMMARIZE WARD.

I THINK THERE'S A COUPLE OF AREAS, UH, AND THIS WILL TIE INTO FUTURE AGENDAS THAT I'VE HEARD FROM ALL THREE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND

[01:00:02]

HOW WE COULD COORDINATE THAT REGIONALLY, I THINK WOULD BE A TOPIC COMMUNICATION.

EVERYBODY BROUGHT THAT UP.

HOW DO WE POTENTIALLY COORDINATE ALL OUR ANNOUNCEMENTS? WE'RE ALL USING SOME OF THE SAME SOCIAL MEDIA THAT SEEM TO BE, UH, SOMETHING ON EVERYBODY'S MIND, OF COURSE, HOUSING AND THE REGIONAL TRUST FUND, CONTINUE TO MOVE THAT FORWARD THROUGH OUR SUBCOMMITTEE, UM, THE CONNECTIVITY, WHICH WE'VE HEARD LIKE TRAILS AND HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO PUT THAT FORWARD? A ROTE APPLIED BLUFFTON.

AND I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO SPEAK OF GOING FORWARD THE MAY RIVER AND WATERSHED RESILIENCY, UM, WITH ALL THIS GROWTH THAT EVERYBODY'S TALKED ABOUT, SINGLE FAMILY, HOME PERMITS AND PARTY BILL, AND, UH, BLUFFTON ALONE WAS OVER 1600 BETWEEN THE TWO OF US CONTINUING TO GROW.

HOW DOES THAT AFFECT THE STORM AND THE FLOW TRAFFIC COME? UM, MIKE JUST MENTIONED ABOUT A REGIONAL TRAFFIC STUDY ON WHAT'S GOING TO BE THE IMPACT OF BOULEVARD TO YOUR ROADS.

ONCE ALL THESE MILLIONS OF SQUARE FEET OF INDUSTRY, ALL THESE NEW HOMES, WHAT EFFECT IT'S GOING TO HAVE AN EFFECT ON SWOLLEN WATER WATERSHED, BUT ALSO TRAFFIC.

AND THAT'LL AFFECT EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM.

UM, THE REFORESTATION, UH, MENTIONED THAT BLUFFTON SAID THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UH, WE DO IN HARTSVILLE, AND THAT MIGHT BE A CONVERSATION AS WELL.

UM, AND OF COURSE, REASONABLE COOPERATION, WHICH IS WHAT THIS, THIS, UH, COMMITTEE IS ALL ABOUT.

SO, UM, I'LL, I'LL SUMMARIZE THIS AND SEND IT OUT TO THE BOARD.

SO IF ANYONE ELSE HAS ANY OTHER COMMON CAUSES THAT THEY BARRED FROM THESE THREE PRESENTATIONS, UM, NOW I WOULD, THE NEXT STEP IS TO INVITE THE COUNTIES TO DO THE SAME THING.

GIVE US A SUMMARY OF WHAT YOUR GOALS ARE.

UM, DANNY AND JOE, IF YOU COULD, UM, I'LL BE IN TOUCH WITH YOU IF YOU'RE READY FOR NEXT MONTH.

I'LL ALSO BE IN TOUCH WITH ERIC GREENWAY AS TO IF HE'S READY TO GIVE US A REPORT ON THE HOUSING TRUST FUND, UM, STATUS WITH THAT AS WELL.

UM, I ALSO WANT TO MAKE ONE ANNOUNCEMENT TO EVERYONE.

WE HAVE INVITED, UH, FOR THE NEXT MONDAY AT ONE 30 IN OUR RECREATION CENTER, WE HAVE INVITED JASPER COUNTY, BUFORD CANADA IN THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON TO HEAR A PRESENTATION FROM A, UH, TRACT OF LAND THAT HAS APPLIED TO THE CITY.

IT'S ON THE BORDER OF BLUFFTON AND TWO COUNTERS AND HARDY BILL AND ANNEXATION OF 2200 ACRES, HALF OF WHICH ARE UPLAND.

AND THEY'RE PROPOSING 3,300 HOURS IN MY PEOPLE ONLINE.

SO THEY CANNOT HEAR YOU AT ALL.

CAN YOU SPEAK A LITTLE LOUDER FOR US PLEASE? IT'S USUALLY NOT ONE OF THEM.

CAN THEY HEAR IT NOW? OKAY.

SO W WE HAVE SENT THAT INVITATIONS FOR THE BOTH COUNTIES IN THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON TO REVIEW THIS, TO COME SEE WHAT THIS PLAN IS AND TO OFFER ANY INPUT, BECAUSE WE FEEL THAT THIS WILL HAVE A DRAMATIC REGIONAL EFFECT ON NOT ONLY THE WATERSHED, BUT ALSO THE TRAFFIC THAT WILL FLOW INTO THAT AREA, WHICH RIGHT ON THE BORDER OF OUR TWO COUNTIES AND OUR TWO MUNICIPALITIES.

SO THAT'S ONE 30 NEXT MONDAY, THE 28TH AT OUR RECREATION CENTER.

IT'S AN OPEN MEETING, UM, TOWN HALL STYLE THING.

SO, UH, HOPEFULLY EVERY JURISDICTION WILL SEND, UH, AS MANY REPRESENTATIVES AS, AS THEY'D LIKE TO COME AND HEAR WHAT THIS PROJECT'S ALL ABOUT AND OFFER WHATEVER INPUT THEY WOULD HAVE INTO AND SUGGESTIONS TO HELP THE REGION, UM, COME TO A DECISION ON THIS, MAYBE ONE ADDED THING.

AND I KNOW, CAUSE I WENT BACK ON THIS SOUTHERN BUFORD COUNTY REGIONAL COMMITTEE THAT WE HAD, I GO BACK DOWN TO 2013,

[01:05:02]

BUT I THINK IT WAS BEFORE THAT THE, UM, HARDY BILL AT THE TIME WAS KIND OF EX-OFFICIO, BUT ALWAYS INCLUDED AND THE COUNTY, AND I BELIEVE ALL THE MUNICIPALITIES IN THE COUNTY SIGNED AN IGA THAT WE WOULD SEND EACH OTHER SIGNIFICANT PROJECTS.

SO I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT LATER TODAY, BUT, UM, LOOKING BACK ON IT AND I'VE ASKED STAFF JUST A COUPLE OF THE COUNTY PROJECTS THAT ARE JUST RIGHT OUTSIDE OF OUR BORDER, WE DON'T GET THAT, THAT COMMUNITY COMMUNICATION.

SO MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN DISCUSS AS A GROUP AND REITERATE THE IMPORTANCE OF IT BECAUSE YOU'RE INVITING.

BUT IF WE HAD AN IGA, THEN WE WOULD ALL HAVE SOME KIND OF A POINT OF, THIS IS A STEP WITHIN THIS PLANNING OF THIS TRACK AND VICE VERSA.

AND I HOPE THAT WE HAVE FORWARDED IT TO THE COUNTY.

I DON'T KNOW THE LAST ONE.

I TRULY REMEMBER IT WAS WALMART.

THAT'S THE LAST ONE.

I THINK WE'VE MADE A COMMENT ON MAYBE HILTON HEAD NATIONAL, BUT, UM, I KNOW THE COUNTIES HAD SOME CHANGEOVER, WE'VE ALL HAD CHANGEOVER, SO IT MIGHT BE GOOD TO BRING THAT UP, TO REMIND EVERYONE WHAT WE SIGNED AND PUT SOME, YOU KNOW, JUST NO, AND LET'S GET BACK ON THAT PAGE OR COMMUNICATION.

IT HELPS ALL OF US.

SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.

I THINK THAT POTENTIALLY COULD BE A GOOD, UM, UH, AGENDA ITEM FOR A FUTURE MEETING AND PERHAPS WE'D NEED A REFRESHING OR A NEW IGA BECAUSE I KNOW LIKE THE CITY, AS YOU SAID, HARDY BILL WAS EX-OFFICIO AND WE CHECKED AND WE NEVER SIGNED OR PASSED A RESOLUTION AND PERHAPS WE'RE LONG OVERDUE TO DOING THAT.

SO, UH, WE'LL MAKE THAT A FUTURE, UM, A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM, IF, AND, BUT FOR NEXT MONTH, WE'LL INVITE THE TWO COUNTIES TO ALSO GIVE A PRESENTATION OF YOUR, UM, YOUR KEY GOALS FOR 2022, IF YOU SO CHOOSE, BUT I'LL BE IN CONTACT WITH YOU AFTER IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO.

OKAY.

UM, ARE THERE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS TO OUR THREE PRESENTERS TODAY? YES.

UM, THANK YOU.

WE, UM, WE'VE BEEN TRYING EXTREMELY HARD THE LAST FEW YEARS TO, UM, HAVE THE UNITY BETWEEN THE COUNTIES AND THE MUNICIPALITIES AND IN HARTSVILLE WITH JASPER COUNTY.

AND WE CALL OURSELVES SO LOCO AND THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN THE NORTH OF THE BROAD AND THE SOUTH OF THE BROAD, BUT YET PEOPLE ARE FLUID.

SO PEOPLE MAY HAVE A JOB IN HARTSVILLE, BUT LIVE IN BLUFFTON OR EITHER LIVE IN BUFORD OR PORT ROYAL, ET CETERA.

AND THERE WAS A PERIOD OF TIME WHEN BUFORD AND THE TOWN OF BUFORD AND PORT ROYAL WERE SHOWING UP TO SOME OF THESE MEETINGS.

SO I FEEL LIKE MAYBE IT'S TIME TO START CONSIDERING IN THE FUTURE, JUST SOUTH OF THE BROAD NORTH OF THE ABROAD, UH, LABELING THAT WE HAVE TO TRY TO ENTICE OUR, OUR FRIENDS AND, UH, PEOPLE THAT WE CARE ABOUT ON THE NORTH OF THE BROAD TO COME BACK AND JOIN IN WITH US IN THESE MEETINGS.

BECAUSE AGAIN, IT'S FLUID, IT'S UNIVERSAL, IT IMPACTS ALL OF US.

AND SO I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THEM SITTING BACK AT THE TABLE AGAIN.

OKAY.

THAT'S A REASONABLE SUGGESTION.

I KNOW THEY HAVE BEEN COMING WHEN, UH, THE HOUSING TRUST FUND HAS BEEN ON THE AGENDA BECAUSE THEY'VE CONSIDERED BECOMING A PART OF THAT AS WELL.

SO, UH, WE CAN PUT THAT AS A FUTURE DISCUSSION ITEM IF WE WANT TO, UH, EXPAND SO LOCO TO JUST BE LOW.

WELL, THEY HAVE A NORTHERN, THEY HAVE A VERY, UM, THEY HAD THEIR NORTHERN BUFORD COUNTY COMMITTEE THAT'S REALLY ACTIVE, BUT THEY END AND BEGIN.

AND THEIR AREAS LIKE YOU LEAVE PORT ROYAL, YOU'RE AUTOMATICALLY IN BUFORD.

SO IT'S AN EASIER, UM, COMMITTEE, BUT I DO THINK WE SHOULD HAVE THEM ON THE INVITE LIST AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, TO SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

MAYBE THEY GET OUR AGENDA AND THEY COULD SENSE IN A STAFF MEMBER, BUT IT W AND AGAIN, IT'S NORTH AND SOUTH, BUT IT WAS SET UP THAT WAY VIA THE COUNTY.

SO WHEN WE CAN MEET WITH THE COUNTY, MAYBE WE CAN ASK THEM THEIR THOUGHTS ON WHY THEY'RE SO SEPARATED.

OKAY.

ANYONE ELSE? YES, SIR.

UH, THE ONE, AGAIN, THAT JAMES WILL BE FOR JASPER ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION.

[01:10:01]

NO, WE REPRESENT THE PROBABLY FIGHTING NETWORK WITHIN THE STATE.

AND AS THE TOWN MANAGERS DID A GREAT JOB AND ALL OF THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT AT MY COMEDY'S IS ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT IN OUR LOW COUNTRY, 70% OF OUR HOUSEHOLDS LIVE AT A BELOW THE FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINES.

SO AS WE MAKE THOSE DEVELOPMENTS AND THEN PUT THOSE CAPITAL PROJECTS IN PLACE, WE CANNOT FORGET THAT DEMOGRAPHIC THAT'S LIVING WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES, UH, ALL OVER NORTH AND SOUTH.

SO PLEASE AS ALWAYS KEEP THAT IN MIND.

AND IF YOU EVER NEEDED ANY INPUT, I'M ALWAYS AWARE.

THANK YOU ANY FURTHER COMMENTS FROM OUR ONLINE LISTENERS, THEY'RE ALL JUST ASKING FOR THE PRESENTATION.

SO I'LL EMAIL THEM ALL TODAY.

I THINK WE HAD A LITTLE TROUBLE WITH THE VOLUME, SO, AND THESE WILL BE, THESE WILL ALSO BE PUT ON THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON AND TOWN OF PARTY BILLS, SITES.

I BLUFFTON AND HARTSVILLE BOTH HAVE A SO LOCO TAB FOR ALL PRESENTATIONS.

SO YOU CAN GO TO EITHER ONE AND ALL THE PRESENTATION BE UP THERE.

JOSH, GET A TAB ON THE HILTON HEAD.

COME ON.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, WE GOT A LATE START, BUT THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR JOINING US TODAY AND, UM, ENJOY THE REST OF YOUR WEEK.